生信网-文献期刊

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Alon T, Rosov A, Lifshitz L

2. Predictors of cognitive changes in patients with schizophrenia undergoing electroconvulsive therapy.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Rajagopalan A, Lim KWK, Tan XW

3. Artificially-generated consolidations and balanced augmentation increase performance of U-net for lung parenchyma segmentation on MR images.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Crisosto C, Voskrebenzev A, Gutberlet M

PURPOSE: To improve automated lung segmentation on 2D lung MR images using balanced augmentation and artificially-generated consolidations for training of a convolutional neural network (CNN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 233 healthy volunteers and 100 patients, 1891 coronal MR images were acquired. Of these, 1666 images without consolidations were used to build a binary semantic CNN for lung segmentation and 225 images (187 without consolidations, 38 with consolidations) were used for testing. To increase CNN performance of segmenting lung parenchyma with consolidations, balanced augmentation was performed and artificially-generated consolidations were added to all training images. The proposed CNN (CNNBal/Cons) was compared to two other CNNs: CNNUnbal/NoCons-without balanced augmentation and artificially-generated consolidations and CNNBal/NoCons-with balanced augmentation but without artificially-generated consolidations. Segmentation results were assessed using Sørensen-Dice coefficient (SDC) and Hausdorff distance coefficient. RESULTS: Regarding the 187 MR test images without consolidations, the mean SDC of CNNUnbal/NoCons (92.1 ± 6% (mean ± standard deviation)) was significantly lower compared to CNNBal/NoCons (94.0 ± 5.3%, P = 0.0013) and CNNBal/Cons (94.3 ± 4.1%, P = 0.0001). No significant difference was found between SDC of CNNBal/Cons and CNNBal/NoCons (P = 0.54). For the 38 MR test images with consolidations, SDC of CNNUnbal/NoCons (89.0 ± 7.1%) was not significantly different compared to CNNBal/NoCons (90.2 ± 9.4%, P = 0.53). SDC of CNNBal/Cons (94.3 ± 3.7%) was significantly higher compared to CNNBal/NoCons (P = 0.0146) and CNNUnbal/NoCons (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Expanding training datasets via balanced augmentation and artificially-generated consolidations improved the accuracy of CNNBal/Cons, especially in datasets with parenchymal consolidations. This is an important step towards a robust automated postprocessing of lung MRI datasets in clinical routine.

4. Prediction of serious complications in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism and solid cancer: Validation of the EPIPHANY Index in a prospective cohort of patients from the PERSEO study.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Sánchez-Cánovas M, Jimenez-Fonseca P, Fernández Garay D

INTRODUCTION: There is currently no validated score capable of classifying cancer-associated pulmonary embolism (PE) in its full spectrum of severity. This study has validated the EPIPHANY Index, a new tool to predict serious complications in cancer patients with suspected or unsuspected PE. METHOD: The PERSEO Study prospectively recruited individuals with PE and active cancer or receiving antineoplastic therapy from 22 Spanish hospitals. The estimation of the relative frequency θ of complications based on the EPIPHANY Index categories was made using the Bayesian alternative for the binomial test. RESULTS: A total of 900 patients, who were diagnosed with PE between October 2017 and January 2020, were enrolled. The rate of serious complications at 15 days was 11.8%, 95% highest density interval [HDI], 9.8-14.1%. Of the EPIPHANY low-risk patients, 2.4% (95% HDI, 0.8-4.6%) had serious complications, as did 5.5% (95% HDI, 2.9-8.7%) of the moderate-risk participants and 21.0% (95% HDI, 17.0-24.0%) of those with high-risk episodes. The EPIPHANY Index was associated with overall survival (OS) in patients with different risk levels: median OS was 16.5, 14.4, and 4.4 months for those at low, intermediate, and high risk, respectively. Both the EPIPHANY Index and the Hestia criteria exhibited greater negative predictive value and a lower negative likelihood ratio than the remaining models. The incidence of bleeding at 6 months was 6.2% (95% HDI, 2.9-9.5%) in low/moderate-risk vs 12.7% (95% HDI, 10.1-15.4%) in high-risk (p-value = 0.037) episodes. Of the outpatients, serious complications at 15 days were recorded in 2.1% (95% HDI, 0.7-4.0%) of the cases with EPIPHANY low/intermediate-risk vs 5.3% (95% HDI, 1.7-11.8%) in high-risk cases. CONCLUSION: We have validated the EPIPHANY Index in patients with incidental or symptomatic cancer-related PE. This model can contribute to standardize decision-making in a scenario lacking quality evidence.

5. High-throughput phenotypic screen identifies a new family of potent anti-amoebic compounds.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Sauvey C, Meewan I, Ehrenkaufer G

Entamoeba histolytica is a disease-causing parasitic amoeba which affects an estimated 50 million people worldwide, particularly in socioeconomically vulnerable populations experiencing water sanitation issues. Infection with E. histolytica is referred to as amoebiasis, and can cause symptoms such as colitis, dysentery, and even death in extreme cases. Drugs exist that are capable of killing this parasite, but they are hampered by downsides such as significant adverse effects at therapeutic concentrations, issues with patient compliance, the need for additional drugs to kill the transmissible cyst stage, and potential development of resistance. Past screens of small and medium sized chemical libraries have yielded anti-amoebic candidates, thus rendering high-throughput screening a promising direction for new drug discovery in this area. In this study, we screened a curated 81,664 compound library from Janssen pharmaceuticals against E. histolytica trophozoites in vitro, and from it identified a highly potent new inhibitor compound. The best compound in this series, JNJ001, showed excellent inhibition activity against E. histolytica trophozoites with EC50 values at 0.29 μM, which is better than the current approved treatment, metronidazole. Further experimentation confirmed the activity of this compound, as well as that of several structurally related compounds, originating from both the Janssen Jump-stARter library, and from chemical vendors, thus highlighting a new structure-activity relationship (SAR). In addition, we confirmed that the compound inhibited E. histolytica survival as rapidly as the current standard of care and inhibited transmissible cysts of the related model organism Entamoeba invadens. Together these results constitute the discovery of a novel class of chemicals with favorable in vitro pharmacological properties. The discovery may lead to an improved therapy against this parasite and in all of its life stages.

6. Extracellular matrix and vascular dynamics in the kidney of a murine model for Marfan syndrome.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

de Souza RB, Lemes RB, Foresto-Neto O

7. Leveraging health infrastructure to optimize HPV vaccination for adolescents in Zambia: Protocol for an implementation study.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Miti S, Shato T, Asante C

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Zambia, where HIV prevalence is also high (11.3%). HIV heightens the risk of developing and dying from cervical cancer. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can prevent 90% of cervical cancers, and in Zambia is recommended for adolescent girls ages 14-15 years, including those with HIV. Currently they mainly deliver HPV vaccination via school-based campaigns, which may exclude the most vulnerable adolescents-those out-of-school or who irregularly attend. Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) are more likely to have these vulnerabilities. Further, school-based campaigns are not tailored to the WHO-recommended HPV vaccination schedule for ALHIV (3 versus 2 doses). Integrating HPV vaccination into routine care in adolescent HIV clinics may ensure that ALHIV have access to vaccine at the WHO-recommended schedule. Such integration requires a multilevel approach, stakeholder engagement, and diversified implementation strategies, given known challenges of providing the HPV vaccine in LMICs, including Zambia. METHODS: Our study aims to integrate HPV vaccination into routine care in adolescent HIV clinics. To achieve success, we will co-design a package of implementation strategies using a previously successful implementation research approach developed for cervical cancer prevention in LMICs: the Integrative Systems Praxis for Implementation Research (INSPIRE). INSPIRE is a novel, comprehensive approach to develop, implement, and evaluate implementation science efforts. Following key elements of INSPIRE, our specific aims are to: 1) Identify the unique multilevel contextual factors (barriers and facilitators) across HIV settings (rural, urban, peri-urban) that influence HPV vaccine uptake; 2) Use Implementation Mapping to translate stakeholder feedback and findings from Aim 1 into a package of implementation strategies to integrate HPV vaccine into HIV clinics; 3) Conduct a Hybrid Type 3 effectiveness-implementation trial to evaluate the package of multilevel implementation strategies for integrating HPV vaccine into HIV clinics. DISCUSSION: Our research team has strong support, technical expertise, and resources (e.g., vaccines) from the Zambian Ministry of Health; and political will for scale-up. This stakeholder-based implementation model has the potential to be transported to HIV clinics across Zambia and serve as a model to address cancer prevention priorities for those with HIV in other LMICs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: To be registered prior to Aim 3, when implementation strategies finalized.

8. Effectiveness of multimedia education for reducing anxiety among caregivers of children and adolescents undergoing chemotherapy: Randomized controlled trial protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

de Oliveira Silva S, da Silva Duarte FH, de Souza Costa TM

INTRODUCTION: Childhood cancer affects approximately 600,000 children and adolescents worldwide, and chemotherapy is the main form of treatment. However, chemotherapy treatment causes feelings of fear and anxiety especially in the patient's caregiver. Thus, strategies that help the health education process directed towards caregivers are essential for strengthening knowledge and reducing anxiety involved with the beginning of treatment. OBJECTIVE: To present a study protocol to evaluate the effect of a multimedia strategy compared to standard guidelines for acquiring knowledge and reducing anxiety among caregivers of children and adolescents with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS: A randomized, controlled, single-blind, two-armed clinical trial will be carried out. Fifty-two caregivers of children and adolescents who will start chemotherapy will participate in the study, which will be randomly assigned into Experimental Group, which involves the evaluation of the effect of a multimedia strategy composed of a digital animation film about the chemotherapy process, used as tool for health education or into Control Group, which assesses the effects of standard guidelines, which are verbally provided. Two important moments will be considered to evaluate the results of the intervention (P1, and F1). The primary outcome includes reduced anxiety and the secondary outcome refers to the caregivers' acquisition of knowledge about chemotherapy treatment. EXPECTED RESULTS: The results of this randomized clinical trial will have a positive impact on the participants' knowledge acquisition, and will also contribute to reduce anxiety observed at the beginning of treatment related to the caregivers' knowledge deficit. The level of knowledge between groups with anxiety before and after intervention will be compared, highlighting which intervention had the best effect. EVALUATION RECORD: Registration: RBR-4wdm8q9-Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials-REBEC (23/03/2022). This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte- UFRN, under CAAE-52597121.9.0000.5537.

9. How doctors build community and socialize into a clinical department through morning reports. A positioning theory study.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Møller JE, Skipper M, Sunde L

10. Timing of perinatal death; causes, circumstances, and regional variations among reviewed deaths in Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Tesfay N, Tariku R, Zenebe A

INTRODUCTION: Ethiopia is one of the countries facing a very high burden of perinatal death in the world. Despite taking several measures to reduce the burden of stillbirth, the pace of decline was not that satisfactory. Although limited perinatal mortality studies were conducted at a national level, none of the studies stressed the timing of perinatal death. Thus, this study is aimed at determining the magnitude and risk factors that are associated with the timing of perinatal death in Ethiopia. METHODS: National perinatal death surveillance data were used in the study. A total of 3814 reviewed perinatal deaths were included in the study. Multilevel multinomial analysis was employed to examine factors associated with the timing of perinatal death in Ethiopia. The final model was reported through the adjusted relative risk ratio with its 95% Confidence Interval, and variables with a p-value less than 0.05 were declared statistically significant predictors of the timing of perinatal death. Finally, a multi-group analysis was carried out to observe inter-regional variation among selected predictors. RESULT: Among the reviewed perinatal deaths, 62.8% occurred during the neonatal period followed by intrapartum stillbirth, unknown time of stillbirth, and antepartum stillbirth, each contributing 17.5%,14.3%, and 5.4% of perinatal deaths, respectively. Maternal age, place of delivery, maternal health condition, antennal visit, maternal education, cause of death (infection and congenital and chromosomal abnormalities), and delay to decide to seek care were individual-level factors significantly associated with the timing of perinatal death. While delay reaching a health facility, delay to receive optimal care health facility, type of health facility and type region were provincial-level factors correlated with the timing of perinatal death. A statistically significant inter-regional variation was observed due to infection and congenital anomalies in determining the timing of perinatal death. CONCLUSION: Six out of ten perinatal deaths occurred during the neonatal period, and the timing of perinatal death was determined by neonatal, maternal, and facility factors. As a way forward, a concerted effort is needed to improve the community awareness of institutional delivery and ANC visit. Moreover, strengthening the facility level readiness in availing quality service through all paths of the continuum of care with special attention to the lower-level facilities and selected poor-performing regions is mandatory.

11. Psychosocial supports within pediatric nephrology practices: A pediatric nephrology research consortium survey.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Dawson AE, Wilson CS, Smoyer WE

12. Quantifying workload using nonlinear dynamical measures of biomechanical parameters during cycling on a roller trainer.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Harsch AK, Kunert A, Koska D

13. Multiple co-frequency sources DOA estimation for coprime vector sensor arrays.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Chen X, Zhang H, Wang Z

14. Bariatric surgeries: Outcome throughout an annum at a specialist center in Malaysia.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Taher MM, Abdalqader MA, Jahanath S

INTRODUCTION: Malaysia has the highest number of obese and overweight individuals in South-east Asia. The 2019 National Health & Morbidity survey found 50.1% of Malaysians to be overweight or obese with 30.4% being overweight and 19.7% being obese. This has led to the high rise of the bariatric surgeries demand and needs within the nation. AIM & OBJECTIVES: To assess the level of fasting blood sugar (FBS), systolic, diastolic blood pressure, stop BANG score for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and BMI (Body Mass Index) for the patients before and after bariatric surgeries (sleeve/gastric bypass) for a one year follow up period. MATERIAL & METHODS: The study was conducted among 1000 patients who underwent a single weight reduction surgery (sleeve/gastric bypass) by a single surgeon at the Cengild Medical Centre between January 2019 to January 2020. They were followed up for a one-year period through recording the parameters of fasting blood sugar (FBS), systolic, diastolic blood pressure, stop BANG score for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and BMI (Body Mass Index). Study was conducted using universal sampling including all subjects visited the centre and a written consent was obtained from each participant. Descriptive statistics with mean was used and paired t-test was used for comparison and test the difference. The STOP-BANG acronym stands for: Snoring history, Tired during the day, Observed stop breathing while sleep, High blood pressure, BMI more than 35 kg/m2, Age more than 50 years, Neck circumference more than 40 cm and male Gender. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 38 years old. Mean FBS for the patients one month before the operation was 10.42 mmol/L and 5.84 three months post procedure. The systolic blood pressure one month before the operation and 3 months after was 139.81 mmHg and 123.79 mmHg, while diastolic blood pressure was 86.84 mmHg and 81.07 mmHg respectively. BMI was reduced from 39.69 to 27.99 after one year from the weight reduction operation. All the above parameters showed a significant reduction between one-month pre operation as compared to 3 months and 12 months post operation and that improved the health parameters of the patients significantly. CONCLUSION: The weight reduction operations showed a significant reduction in the FBS, blood pressure, OSA scores and BMI at 3, 12 months after the operation These patients had better overall health after the significant reduction in these parameters.

15. 3D doppler ultrasound imaging of cerebral blood flow for assessment of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in mice.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Shen G, Sanchez K, Hu S

16. Graph-based extractive text summarization method for Hausa text.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Bichi AA, Samsudin R, Hassan R

17. The effect of magnitude in a simultaneous duration assessment task among children - a replication study.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Gottlieb A, Zakay D.

18. An analysis of retracted papers in Computer Science.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Shepperd M, Yousefi L.

19. Comparing different environmental enrichments for improving the welfare and walking ability of male turkeys.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Dong Y, Fraley GS, Siegford JM

20. Work alienation influences nurses' readiness for professional development and willingness to learn: A cross-sectional correlation study.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Alfuqaha OA, Shunnar OF, Khalil RA

Work alienation has a negative impact on nursing profession and may affect professional nursing development and willingness to learn during the era of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to explore the perceived levels of professional development, willingness to learn, and work alienation during this pandemic among nurses in Jordan. It also assessed the influence of work alienation and sociodemographic factors on readiness for professional development and willingness to learn. We used a cross-sectional correlation study design using the Arabic readiness for professional development and willingness to learn and work alienation scales among 328 nurses working in Jordan University Hospital, Amman-Jordan. Data were collected during the period of October and November 2021. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Mean ± Standard deviation), Pearson correlation coefficient (r), and regression analysis. The perceived levels of work alienation (3.12 ± 1.01) and readiness for professional development and willingness to learn (3.51 ± 0.43) among nurses were found to be at high levels during this era. Work alienation was negatively associated with readiness for professional development and willingness to learn (r = -0.54, p <0.001). The higher educational level of a nurse was found to be associated with a higher work alienation (r = -0.16, p = 0.008). Results indicated that work alienation had a direct influence on readiness for professional development and willingness to learn among nurses (R2 = 0.287, p < 0.001). Work alienation among nurses seems to be increased during the pandemic and it has reduced their readiness for professional development and willingness to learn. Nurse managers at hospitals must assess the perceived level of work alienation among nurses annually and design appropriate counseling interventions programs to reduce their work alienation and increase their willingness to learn.

21. Mechanisms underlying the antiarrhythmic effect of ARumenamide-787 in experimental models of the J wave syndromes and hypothermia.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Di Diego JM, Barajas-Martinez H, Cox R

22. Machine learning analysis of the UK Biobank reveals IGF-1 and inflammatory biomarkers predict Parkinson's disease risk.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Allwright M, Mundell H, Sutherland G

23. Not so terrifying after all? A set of failed replications of the mortality salience effects of Terror Management Theory.

PLoS One

2023 May 9

Treger S, Benau EM, Timko CA.

24. Localization on a-priori information of plane extraction.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Ji J, Zhao JS, Misyurin SY

25. Myocarditis and pericarditis recovery following smallpox vaccine 2002-2016: A comparative observational cohort study in the military health system.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Engler RJM, Montgomery JR, Spooner CE

OBJECTIVES: (1) Characterize the initial clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes of smallpox vaccine-associated hypersensitivity myocarditis and pericarditis (MP) in United States service members. (2) Describe the process of case identification and adjudication using the 2003 CDC nationally defined myocarditis/pericarditis epidemiologic case definitions to include consideration of case-specific diversity and evolving evidence. BACKGROUND: Between 2002 and 2016, 2.546 million service members received a smallpox Vaccinia vaccine. Acute MP is associated with vaccinia, but the long-term outcomes have not been studied. METHODS: Records of vaccinia-associated MP reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System by vaccination date were adjudicated using the 2003 MP epidemiologic case definitions for inclusion in a retrospective observational cohort study. Descriptive statistics of clinical characteristics, presentation, cardiac complications, and time course of clinical and cardiac recovery were calculated with comparisons by gender, diagnosis and time to recovery. RESULTS: Out of over 5000 adverse event reports, 348 MP cases who survived the acute illness, including 276 myocarditis (99.6% probable/confirmed) and 72 pericarditis (29.2% probable/confirmed), were adjudicated for inclusion in the long-term follow-up. Demographics included a median age of 24 years (IQR 21,30) and male predominance (96%). Compared to background military population, the myocarditis and pericarditis cohort had a higher percentage of white males by 8.2% (95% CI: 5.6, 10.0) and age <40 years by 4.2% (95% CI: 1.7,5.8). Long-term follow-up documented full recovery in 267/306 (87.3%) with 74.9% recovered in less than a year (median ~3 months). Among patients with myocarditis, the percentage who had a delayed time to recovery at time of last follow-up was 12.8% (95% CI: 2.1,24.7) higher in those with an acute left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) of ≤50% and 13.5% (95% CI: 2.4,25.7) higher in those with hypokinesis. Patient complications included 6 ventricular arrhythmias (2 received implanted defibrillators) and 14 with atrial arrhythmias (2 received radiofrequency ablation). Three of 6 patients (50%) diagnosed with cardiomyopathy had clinical recovery at their last follow-up date. CONCLUSIONS: Hypersensitivity myocarditis/pericarditis following the smallpox vaccine is associated with full clinical and functional ventricular recovery in over 87% of cases (74.9% <1 year). A minority of MP cases experienced prolonged or incomplete recovery beyond 1 year.

26. Developing a computational toolbased on an artificial neural network for predicting and optimizing propolis oil, an important natural product for drug discovery.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Nayak G, Sahu A, Bhuyan SK

27. 12-year observation of tweets about rubella in Japan: A retrospective infodemiology study.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Sano Y, Hori A.

28. Filamentous fungal associates of the alder bark beetle, Alniphagus aspericollis, including an undescribed species of Neonectria.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Lee GYS, Wertman DL, Carroll AL

Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Scolytinae) are tree-infesting insects that consume subcortical tissues and fungi. Species capable of killing their host trees are most commonly associated with conifers, as very few bark beetle species infest and kill hardwood hosts directly. The alder bark beetle, Alniphagus aspericollis, is a hardwood-killing bark beetle that colonizes and kills red alder, Alnus rubra. Conifer-killing bark beetles have well-known associations with symbiotic ophiostomatoid fungi that facilitate their life histories, but it is unknown whether A. aspericollis has any fungal associates. This study was conducted to identify any consistent filamentous fungal associates of A. aspericollis and characterize the consistency of observed beetle-fungus relationships. Beetles and gallery phloem samples were collected from seven sites throughout the Greater Vancouver region in British Columbia, Canada. Filamentous fungi were isolated from these samples and identified by DNA barcoding using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and other barcode regions for resolution to the species-level for the most dominant isolates. The most common fungal associate was a previously undescribed Neonectria major-like fungus, Neonectria sp. nov., which was isolated from ~67% of adult beetles, ~59% of phloem samples, and ~94% of the beetle-infested trees. Ophiostoma quercus was isolated from ~28% of adult beetles, ~9% of phloem samples, and ~56% of infested trees and deemed a casual associate of A. aspericollis, while a putatively novel species of Ophiostoma was more infrequently isolated from A. aspericollis and its galleries. Cadophora spadicis, a new record for red alder, was rarely isolated and is probably coincidentally carried by A. aspericollis. Overall, A. aspericollis was only loosely associated with ophiostomatoid fungi, suggesting that these fungi have little ecological significance in the beetle-tree interaction, while Neonectria sp. nov. may be a symbiote of A. aspericollis that is vectored by the beetle.

29. Validation of an omega-3 substrate challenge absorption test as an indicator of global fat lipolysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Freedman SD, Zaworski K, Pierzynowska K

INTRODUCTION: The coefficient of fat absorption (CFA) quantifies fat that remains in stool after digestion and is not a direct measure of lipolysis. CFA has been used to assess treatment of pancreatic insufficiency but does not correlate with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy dose. We explored use of an omega-3 substrate absorption challenge test as a sensitive test of lipolysis and absorption. METHODS: We studied a novel microbially-derived lipase (SNSP003) employing an established surgical model commonly used to study the uptake of macronutrients, the exocrine pancreatic insufficient pig. Pigs were fed a high-fat diet and given a standardized omega-3 substrate challenge to test the effect of lipolysis on its absorption. Blood was drawn at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours following the substrate challenge and was analyzed for omega-3 and total fat levels (c14:c24). SNSP003 was also compard to porcine pancrelipase. RESULTS: The absorption of omega-3 fats was significantly increased following administration of 40, 80 and 120 mg SNSP003 lipase by 51% (p = 0.02), 89%, (p = 0.001) and 64% (p = 0.01), respectively, compared to that observed when no lipase was administered to the pigs, with Tmax at 4 hours. The two highest SNSP003 doses were compared to porcine pancrelipase and no significant differences were observed. Both doses increased plasma total fatty acids (141% for the 80 mg dose (p = 0.001) and 133% for the 120 mg dose (p = 0.006), compared to no lipase) and no significant differences were observed between the SNSP003 lipase doses and porcine pancrelipase. CONCLUSION: The omega-3 substrate absorption challenge test differentiates among different doses of a novel microbially-derived lipase and correlates with global fat lipolysis and absorption in exocrine pancreatic insufficient pigs. No significant differences were observed between the two highest novel lipase doses and porcine pancrelipase. Studies in humans should be designed to support the evidence presented here that suggests the omega-3 substrate absorption challenge test has advantages over the coefficient of fat absorption test to study lipase activity.

30. Muscle magnetic resonance characterization of STIM1 tubular aggregate myopathy using unsupervised learning.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Lupi A, Spolaor S, Favero A

PURPOSE: Congenital myopathies are a heterogeneous group of diseases affecting the skeletal muscles and characterized by high clinical, genetic, and histological variability. Magnetic Resonance (MR) is a valuable tool for the assessment of involved muscles (i.e., fatty replacement and oedema) and disease progression. Machine Learning is becoming increasingly applied for diagnostic purposes, but to our knowledge, Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs) have never been used for the identification of the patterns in these diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate if SOMs may discriminate between muscles with fatty replacement (S), oedema (E) or neither (N). METHODS: MR studies of a family affected by tubular aggregates myopathy (TAM) with the histologically proven autosomal dominant mutation of the STIM1 gene, were examined: for each patient, in two MR assessments (i.e., t0 and t1, the latter after 5 years), fifty-three muscles were evaluated for muscular fatty replacement on the T1w images, and for oedema on the STIR images, for reference. Sixty radiomic features were collected from each muscle at t0 and t1 MR assessment using 3DSlicer software, in order to obtain data from images. A SOM was created to analyze all datasets using three clusters (i.e., 0, 1 and 2) and results were compared with radiological evaluation. RESULTS: Six patients with TAM STIM1-mutation were included. At t0 MR assessments, all patients showed widespread fatty replacement that intensifies at t1, while oedema mainly affected the muscles of the legs and appears stable at follow-up. All muscles with oedema showed fatty replacement, too. At t0 SOM grid clustering shows almost all N muscles in Cluster 0 and most of the E muscles in Cluster 1; at t1 almost all E muscles appear in Cluster 1. CONCLUSION: Our unsupervised learning model appears to be able to recognize muscles altered by the presence of edema and fatty replacement.

31. Bots, disinformation, and the first impeachment of U.S. President Donald Trump.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Rossetti M, Zaman T.

32. Adolescent screen time and unhealthy food consumption in the context of the digital development in New Caledonia.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Nedjar-Guerre A, Wattelez G, Serra-Mallol C

OBJECTIVE: For several years, the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) have been undergoing digital developments that have had an impact on the time adolescents spend in front of screens. The association between screen time and the overconsumption of unhealthy foods has been observed but little studied in New Caledonia. The twofold aim of this research was to analyze adolescent screen time based on the number of screens at home, gender, place of living, ethnic community and family socio-professional category and determine the link with the consumption of unhealthy food and drinks. METHODS: Self-report questionnaires on time spent in front of tablets, computers and mobile phones, as well as the consumption of unhealthy food and drinks, were administered between July 2018 and April 2019 to 867 adolescents from 11 to 15 years old during school hours in eight schools across the three provinces of New Caledonia. RESULTS: Adolescents in rural areas had fewer screens than their urban counterparts, and the number of screens determined the amount of screen time, which was significantly higher among the adolescents living in urban areas (3.05 h/day weekdays vs rural 2.33 h/day). Screen time was not related to gender, socio-professional category or ethnic community, but correlations were found between screen time and consumption of unhealthy food and drinks. Those who consumed less than 1 u/day of unhealthy drinks watched screens for 3.30 h/day, whereas those who consumed more than 1 u/day watched screens for 4.13 h/day. Also, those who consumed less than 1 u/day of unhealthy food watched screens for 2.82 h/day and those consuming more than 1 u/day did so for 3.62 h/day. Melanesians and Polynesians consumed greater quantities of unhealthy food and drinks than Europeans. As the consumption of unhealthy products is linked to screen time in the context of digital development, there is an urgent need to address the excessive consumption of unhealthy foods in Oceanian populations, particularly among young people.

33. A protocol for a multi-site cohort study to evaluate child and adolescent mental health service transformation in England using the i-THRIVE model.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

A M, K LB, E S

34. Machine learning for spatial stratification of progressive cardiovascular dysfunction in a murine model of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Durr AJ, Korol AS, Hathaway QA

Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) has been utilized to evaluate independent spatial alterations in the diabetic heart, but the progressive manifestation of regional and segmental cardiac dysfunction in the type 2 diabetic (T2DM) heart remains understudied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elucidate if machine learning could be utilized to reliably describe patterns of the progressive regional and segmental dysfunction that are associated with the development of cardiac contractile dysfunction in the T2DM heart. Non-invasive conventional echocardiography and STE datasets were utilized to segregate mice into two pre-determined groups, wild-type and Db/Db, at 5, 12, 20, and 25 weeks. A support vector machine model, which classifies data using a single line, or hyperplane, that best separates each class, and a ReliefF algorithm, which ranks features by how well each feature lends to the classification of data, were used to identify and rank cardiac regions, segments, and features by their ability to identify cardiac dysfunction. STE features more accurately segregated animals as diabetic or non-diabetic when compared with conventional echocardiography, and the ReliefF algorithm efficiently ranked STE features by their ability to identify cardiac dysfunction. The Septal region, and the AntSeptum segment, best identified cardiac dysfunction at 5, 20, and 25 weeks, with the AntSeptum also containing the greatest number of features which differed between diabetic and non-diabetic mice. Cardiac dysfunction manifests in a spatial and temporal fashion, and is defined by patterns of regional and segmental dysfunction in the T2DM heart which are identifiable using machine learning methodologies. Further, machine learning identified the Septal region and AntSeptum segment as locales of interest for therapeutic interventions aimed at ameliorating cardiac dysfunction in T2DM, suggesting that machine learning may provide a more thorough approach to managing contractile data with the intention of identifying experimental and therapeutic targets.

35. Epithelial polarization in the 3D matrix requires MST3 signaling to regulate ZO-1 position.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Chan CH, Lin P, Yang TY

36. Technological knowledge progress: Were famous laws almost correct in developing and emerging economies?

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Amavilah VH, Rodriguez Andres A.

37. Gender invariance in the relationship between social support and glycemic control.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Williams JS, Walker RJ, Egede LE.

38. Broadening participation in science through arts-facilitated experiences at a cultural festival.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Rosin MS, Storksdieck M, O'Connell K

39. In-silico prediction of RT-qPCR-high resolution melting for broad detection of emaraviruses.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Olmedo-Velarde A, Ochoa-Corona FM, Larrea-Sarmiento AE

40. Folate deficiency among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Gebremichael B, Roba HS, Getachew A

BACKGROUND: Folate deficiency (FD) can cause adverse health outcomes of public health significance. Although FD is a significant micronutrient deficiency in Ethiopia, concrete evidence is limited. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to estimate the pooled prevalence of FD among women of reproductive age (WRA). METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Google Scholar, African Journals Online (AJOL), The Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System (VMNIS) of the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx), and institutional repositories of major universities and research centers. Additionally, we scanned the reference lists of relevant articles. Two authors independently selected the studies, extracted the data, and the study risk of bias. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. We used a random-effects model to estimate the pooled mean serum/plasma folate and the pooled prevalence of FD. Begg's and Egger's tests were used to check publication bias. RESULTS: Ten studies-nine cross-sectional and one case-control-with a total of 5,623 WRA were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Four (WRA = 1,619) and eight (WRA = 5,196) cross-sectional studies were used to estimate the pooled mean serum/plasma folate and prevalence of FD, respectively. The pooled mean serum/plasma folate concentration estimate was 7.14 ng/ml (95% CI: 5.73, 8.54), and the pooled prevalence of FD was estimated to be 20.80% (95% CI: 11.29, 32.27). In addition the meta-regression analysis showed that the sampling technique was significantly associated with mean serum/plasma folate concentration. CONCLUSIONS: FD is a significant public health issue among WRA in Ethiopia. Therefore, the public health strategies of the country should focus on promoting the consumption of folate-rich foods, strengthening the coverage of folic acid supplementation and its adherence, and swift translation of the mandatory folic acid fortification into action. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO 2022-CRD42022306266.

41. Factors associated with underutilization of antenatal care in India: Results from 2019-2021 National Family Health Survey.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Thakkar N, Alam P, Saxena D.

INTRODUCTION: Despite progress in recent years, full antenatal care utilization in India continues to be relatively low and inequitable, particularly between states and districts. In 2015-2016, for example, only 51% of women aged 15-49 in India attended antenatal care at least four times during pregnancy. Using data from the fifth iteration of India's National Family Health Survey, our study aims to explore factors related to the underutilization of antenatal care in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from the most recent live birth in the past five years among women aged 15-49 years were included in our analysis (n = 172,702). Our outcome variable was "adequate antenatal care visits", defined as four or more antenatal visits. Utilizing Andersen's behavioral model, 14 factors were identified as possible explanatory variables. We used univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression models to analyze the association between explanatory variables and adequate visits. Associations were considered statistically significant if p<0.05. RESULTS: Of the 172,702 women in our sample, 40.75% (95% CI: 40.31-41.18%) had an inadequate number of antenatal care visits. In multivariate analysis, women with less formal education, from poorer households and more rural areas had higher odds of inadequate visits. Regionally, women from Northeastern and Central states had higher odds of inadequate antenatal care utilization compared to those from Southern states. Caste, birth order, and pregnancy intention were also among the variables associated with utilization of antenatal care. DISCUSSION: Despite improvements in antenatal care utilization, there is cause for concern. Notably, the percentage of Indian women receiving adequate antenatal care visits is still below the global average. Our analysis also reveals a continuity in the groups of women at highest risk for inadequate visits, which may be due to structural drivers of inequality in healthcare access. To improve maternal health and access to antenatal care services, interventions aimed at poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, and education should be pursued.

42. "Of course, drones delivering urgent medicines are necessary. But I would not use them until…" Insights from a qualitative study on users' needs and requirements regarding the use of medical drones.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Fink F, Paulicke D, Grünthal M

BACKGROUND: The current COVID-19 pandemic, demographic trends, and the increasing shortage of skilled workers pose major challenges for the care of people with and without care needs. The potential of drones as unmanned aerial vehicles in health care is being discussed as an effective innovative way of delivering much-needed medicines, especially in rural areas. Although the advantages are well known, the needs of the users have not yet been taken into account. METHODS: Online-based focus groups (via WebEx) were conducted with participants from different disciplines: nursing, pharmacy, physicians. Focus groups with COVID-19 patients were conducted face-to-face. The focus was primarily on potential problems and requirements of the users regarding the use of drones. Structured and contrastive snowball sampling has been deployed. The focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed by a transcription-company, and coded with the help of the program "f4analyse 2" for content (Elo et al. 2008). RESULTS: Especially during the pandemic situation, delays, and restrictions in the delivery of medicines have been noticed. All interview partners (patients, pharmacists, physicians, and nurses; n = 36 participants) see drones as useful in cases of limited mobility, time-critical medicines (rapid availability), emergencies, and disasters (e.g., floods), but also for the delivery of regular medicines in rural areas (e.g., for the treatment of chronic diseases). Moreover, only 16.7% of the participants have experiences with drones. DISCUSSION: Drone deliveries do not play a role in the health system yet despite their great importance, which is perceived as particularly evident in the pandemic situation. The results lead to the conclusion that this is mainly due to knowledge and application deficits, so that educational and advisory work is absolutely necessary. There is also a need for further studies that go beyond the scope of acceptance research to describing and evaluating concrete scenarios of drone delivery on the basis of a user-centered approach.

43. The effect of isocaloric, energy-restrictive, KETOgenic diet on metabolism, inflammation, nutrition deficiencies and oxidative stress in women with overweight and obesity (KETO-MINOX): Study protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Drabińska N, Romaszko J, White P.

44. Opinions of former jail residents about self-collection of SARS-CoV-2 specimens, paired with wastewater surveillance: A qualitative study rapidly examining acceptability of COVID-19 mitigation measures.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

González-Montalvo MDM, Dickson PF, Saber LB

45. Optimal number of charging station and pricing strategy for the electric vehicle with component commonality considering consumer range anxiety.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Yu W, Zhang L, Lu R

The battery driving mileage on a single charge and convenience of the charging stations affect Electric Vehicle's (EV) demand. This paper studies the optimal number of charging stations and EV's price strategy considering different component commonality configurations. Assume the EV manufacturer provides two types of EV and the two EVs have the same battery configuration (battery as a common part) or the same naked vehicle-EV without batteries (naked vehicle as a common part). And the common part could be configured with low or high quality. We discuss four scenarios with different common parts and different quality levels. For each scenario, we present the optimal number of the charging stations and EV prices. Then we compare the optimal solutions and manufacturer's profits in above four scenarios with numerical simulation and give some managerial insights. Our analysis reveals that (1) consumers' range anxiety towards battery will affect manufacturer's product configuration strategy, EVs' prices and demands. (2) large consumers' sensitivity towards charging station will corresponding to more charging station, high EV prices and demands. If consumers are very concerned about the charging convenience, high-end electric vehicles need to be launched first, then as customers' anxiety about charging decreases, the low quality EV could be developed and diffused. (3) the unit product cost reduction caused by the commonality may increase or decrease the EVs' prices, which depends on the relationship between the demand increment incurred by one more charging station and the cost coefficient of building the charging station. (4) The low quality naked vehicle as common component will increase both the number of the charging stations and the demand and the manufacturer is more likely to obtain high profits. (5) the cost saving coefficient of battery common parts has greater influence on the selection of commonality. When consumers' range anxiety towards battery is very high, manufacturers should choose low-quality naked vehicles or high-quality battery as common components.

46. Healthcare professionals' experiences of providing care for patients with enterocutaneous fistula in hospital and in homecare: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Härle K, Börjeson S, Hallböök O

BACKGROUND: Enterocutaneous fistula is a rare but complex and serious condition that is both physically and psychologically demanding for the person affected. Infection, fistula dressing problems, electrolyte and fluid imbalance and malnutrition render the individual in need of long periods of in-hospital care and homecare. This place great demands on patients, families, and healthcare professionals. More research is needed to bridge the gap between hospital and home-based healthcare services. AIM: To explore healthcare professionals' experiences of providing care for patients with enterocutaneous fistula in hospital and in homecare. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study design based on five focus group interviews involving 20 healthcare professionals. Data was analysed using content analysis. RESULTS: Three categories with seven corresponding subcategories were developed; 1) Providing care for patients with enterocutaneous fistula in the hospital and at home was complex and time and resource consuming. Participants were struggling with practical issues and lacked disease-specific knowledge and skills; 2) Caring requires an integrated approach but it was challenging to work interprofessionally and cope with barriers in collaboration between providers; 3) Building long lasting relationships with patients and their families was fundamental to the caring process. Participants needed to hide their own feelings related to smell and appearance of the fistula as well as frustration when the fistula dressing did not hold without leaking. The healthcare professionals expressed that the involvement of the patient and their close family was important when proving care, likewise, to have a great understanding of the patients' suffering. DISCUSSION: The care of patients with enterocutaneous fistula is complex and means engagement for long periods, both in hospital and in home-based healthcare. Regular team meetings of the multidisciplinary team, careful planning before discharge and providing person-centred care can facilitate the care process.

47. Longitudinal association between handgrip strength, gait speed and risk of serious falls in a community-dwelling older population.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Pham T, McNeil JJ, Barker AL

48. RNAi screening for modulators of an osmo-sensitive gene response to extracellular matrix damage reveals negative feedback and interactions with translation inhibition.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Chandler LM, Rodriguez M, Choe KP.

49. Predicting student and instructor e-readiness and promoting e-learning success in online EFL class during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case from China.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Yang C, Xu D.

Since the emergence and subsequent spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, students and instructors have faced unprecedented challenges and have been forced to shift traditional face-to-face classes online. This study, based on the E-learning Success Model (ELSM), seeks to examine the e-readiness level of students/instructors, judge the impediments that students/instructors encountered in different phases-pre-course delivery, course delivery, and course completion phase of the online EFL class, search for valuable online learning elements, and recommend recommendations for promoting e-learning success in online EFL classes. The study sample consists of 5914 students and 1752 instructors. The results demonstrate that: (a) both the students' and instructors' e-readiness level were slightly lower than the ready level; (b) three valuable online learning elements were teacher presence, teacher-student interaction, and practicing problem-solving ability; (c) eight categories of impediments during different phases of the online EFL class were technical challenges, learning process, learning environments, self-control, health concern, learning materials, assignment, and learning effect and assessments; (d) seven types of recommendations for promoting e-learning success were: (1) students: infrastructure and technology, learning process, content, curriculum design, teacher skills, service, and assessment; and (2) instructors: infrastructure and technology, human resources, teaching quality, content and services, curriculum design, teacher skills, and assessment. Based on these findings, this study recommends that further studies with an action research approach should be conducted to examine whether the recommendations are effective. Institutions should take the initiative to overcome barriers to engage and stimulate students. The outcomes of this research have theoretical and practical implications for researchers and higher education institutions (HEIs). During unprecedented times such as pandemics, administrators and instructors will have insights into implementing emergency remote teaching.

50. Deleterious impact of COVID-19 pandemic: Male fertility was not out of the bag.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Garrouch S, Sallem A, Ben Fredj M

51. Physical characteristics of soil-biodegradable and nonbiodegradable plastic mulches impact conidial splash dispersal of Botrytis cinerea.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Wang X, Mattupalli C, Chastagner G

Botrytis cinerea causes gray mold disease of strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) and is a globally important pathogen that causes fruit rot both in the field and after harvest. Commercial strawberry production involves the use of plastic mulches made from non-degradable polyethylene (PE), with weedmat made from woven PE and soil-biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM) as emerging mulch technologies that may enhance sustainable production. Little is known regarding how these plastic mulches impact splash dispersal of B. cinerea conidia. The objective of this study was to investigate splash dispersal dynamics of B. cinerea when exposed to various plastic mulch surfaces. Mulch surface physical characteristics and conidial splash dispersal patterns were evaluated for the three mulches. Micrographs revealed different surface characteristics that have the potential to influence splash dispersal: PE had a flat, smooth surface, whereas weedmat had large ridges and BDM had an embossed surface. Both PE mulch and BDM were impermeable to water whereas weedmat was semi-permeable. Results generated using an enclosed rain simulator system showed that as the horizontal distance from the inoculum source increased, the number of splash dispersed B. cinerea conidia captured per plate decreased for all mulch treatments. More than 50% and approximately 80% of the total number of dispersed conidia were found on plates 10 and 16 cm away from the inoculum source across all treatments, respectively. A significant correlation between the total and germinated conidia on plates across all mulch treatments was detected (P<0.01). Irrespective of distance from the inoculum source, embossed BDM facilitated higher total and germinated splashed conidia (P<0.001) compared to PE mulch and weedmat (P = 0.43 and P = 0.23, respectively), indicating BDM's or embossed film's potential for enhancing B. cinerea inoculum availability in strawberry production under plasticulture. However, differences in conidial concentrations observed among treatments were low and may not be pathologically relevant.

52. Does adding MRI and CSF-based biomarkers improve cognitive status classification based on cognitive performance questionnaires?

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Farina MP, Saenz J, Crimmins EM.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive status classification (e.g. dementia, cognitive impairment without dementia, and normal) based on cognitive performance questionnaires has been widely used in population-based studies, providing insight into the population dynamics of dementia. However, researchers have raised concerns about the accuracy of cognitive assessments. MRI and CSF biomarkers may provide improved classification, but the potential improvement in classification in population-based studies is relatively unknown. METHODS: Data come from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). We examined whether the addition of MRI and CSF biomarkers improved cognitive status classification based on cognitive status questionnaires (MMSE). We estimated several multinomial logistic regression models with different combinations of MMSE and CSF/MRI biomarkers. Based on these models, we also predicted prevalence of each cognitive status category using a model with MMSE only and a model with MMSE + MRI + CSF measures and compared them to diagnosed prevalence. RESULTS: Our analysis showed a slight improvement in variance explained (pseudo-R2) between the model with MMSE only and the model including MMSE and MRI/CSF biomarkers; the pseudo-R2 increased from .401 to .445. Additionally, in evaluating differences in predicted prevalence for each cognitive status, we found a small improvement in the predicted prevalence of cognitively normal individuals between the MMSE only model and the model with MMSE and CSF/MRI biomarkers (3.1% improvement). We found no improvement in the correct prediction of dementia prevalence. CONCLUSION: MRI and CSF biomarkers, while important for understanding dementia pathology in clinical research, were not found to substantially improve cognitive status classification based on cognitive status performance, which may limit adoption in population-based surveys due to costs, training, and invasiveness associated with their collection.

53. The economic burden of antibiotic resistance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Poudel AN, Zhu S, Cooper N

INTRODUCTION: Antibiotic resistance (ABR) has substantial global public health concerns. This systematic review aimed to synthesise recent evidence estimating the economic burden of ABR, characterised by study perspectives, healthcare settings, study design, and income of the countries. METHODS: This systematic review included peer-reviewed articles from PubMed, Medline, and Scopus databases, and grey literature on the topic of the economic burden of ABR, published between January 2016 and December 2021. The study was reported in line with 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis' (PRISMA). Two reviewers independently screened papers for inclusion first by title, then abstract, and then the full text. Study quality was assessed using appropriate quality assessment tools. Narrative synthesis and meta-analyses of the included studies were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 29 studies were included in this review. Out of these studies, 69% (20/29) were conducted in high-income economies and the remainder were conducted in upper-and-middle income economies. Most of the studies were conducted from a healthcare or hospital perspective (89.6%, 26/29) and 44.8% (13/29) studies were conducted in tertiary care settings. The available evidence indicates that the attributable cost of resistant infection ranges from -US$2,371.4 to +US$29,289.1 (adjusted for 2020 price) per patient episode; the mean excess length of stay (LoS) is 7.4 days (95% CI: 3.4-11.4), the odds ratios of mortality for resistant infection is 1.844 (95% CI: 1.187-2.865) and readmission is 1.492 (95% CI: 1.231-1.807). CONCLUSION: Recent publications show that the burden of ABR is substantial. There is still a lack of studies on the economic burden of ABR from low-income economies, and lower-middle-income economies, from a societal perspective, and in relation to primary care. The findings of this review may be of value to researchers, policymakers, clinicians, and those who are working in the field of ABR and health promotion. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: CRD42020193886.

54. Shoe configuration effects on third phalanx and capsule motion of unaffected and laminitic equine hooves in-situ.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Aoun R, Charles I, DeRouen A

Equine shoes provide hoof protection and support weakened or damaged hoof tissues. Two hypotheses were tested in this study: 1) motion of the third phalanx (P3) and hoof wall deformation are greater in laminitic versus unaffected hooves regardless of shoe type; 2) P3 displacement and hoof wall deformation are greatest while unshod (US), less with open-heel (OH), then egg-bar (EB) shoes, and least with heart-bar (HB) shoes for both hoof conditions. Distal forelimbs (8/condition) were subjected to compressive forces (1.0x102-5.5x103 N) while a real-time motion detection system recorded markers on P3 and the hoof wall coronary band, vertical midpoint, and solar margin. Magnitude and direction of P3 displacement and changes in proximal and distal hemi-circumference, quarter and heel height and proximal and distal heel width were quantified. Hoof condition and shoe effects were assessed with 2-way ANOVA (p<0.05). P3 displacement was greater in laminitic hooves when US or with OH, and EB and HB reduced P3 displacement in laminitic hooves. P3 displacement was similar among shoes in unaffected hooves and greatest in laminitic hooves with OH, then US, EB and HB. EB and HB increased P3 displacement from the dorsal wall in unaffected hooves and decreased it in laminitic hooves. OH and EB increased P3 motion from the coronary band in laminitic hooves, and HB decreased P3 motion toward the solar margin in unaffected and laminitic hooves. In laminitic hooves, HB reduced distal hemi-circumference and quarter deformation and increased heel deformation and expansion. Proximal hemi-circumference constriction was inversely related to proximal heel expansion with and without shoes. Overall, shoe configuration alters hoof deformation distinctly between unaffected and laminitic hooves, and HB provided the greatest P3 stability in laminitic hooves. These unique results about P3 motion and hoof deformation in laminitic and unaffected hooves inform shoe selection and design.

55. Candidate historical events for the emergence of Human Coronavirus OC43: A critical reassessment of the molecular evidence.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Shaw B, Gatherer D.

56. Efficacy and safety of Mojeaga remedy in combination with conventional oral iron therapy for correcting anemia in obstetric population: A phase II randomized pilot clinical trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Eleje GU, Ezebialu IU, Enebe JT

BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, there is no prior randomized trial on the efficacy of Mojeaga remedy (a special blend of Alchornea cordifolia, Pennisetum glaucum and Sorghum bicolor extracts) when co-administered with standard-of-care for correction of anemia in obstetrics practice. This study determined the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Mojeaga as adjunct to conventional oral iron therapy for correction of anemia in obstetric population. METHODS: A pilot open-label randomized clinical trial. Participants with confirmed diagnosis of anemia in three tertiary hospitals in Nigeria were studied. Eligible participants were randomized 1:1 to either Mojeaga syrups 50 mls (200mg/50mls) administered three times daily in conjunction with conventional iron therapy (Mojeaga group) for 2 weeks or conventional iron therapy alone without Mojeaga (standard-of-care group) for 2 weeks. Repeat hematocrit level were done 2 weeks post-initial therapy. Primary outcome measures were changes in hematocrit level and median hematocrit level at two weeks post therapy. Maternal adverse events and neonatal outcomes (birth anomalies, low birthweight, preterm rupture of membranes and preterm labor) were considered the safety outcome measures. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. RESULTS: Ninety five participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to the Mojeaga group (n = 48) or standard-of-care group (n = 47). The baseline socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the study participants were similar. At two weeks follow-up the median rise in hematocrit values from baseline (10.00±7.00% vs 6.00±4.00%;p<0.001) and median hematocrit values (31.00±2.00% vs 27.00±3.00%;p<0.001) were significantly higher in the Mojeaga group. There were no treatment-related serious adverse events, congenital anomalies or deaths in the Mojeaga group and incidence of other neonatal outcomes were similar (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Mojeaga represents a new adjuvants for standard-of-care option for patients with anemia. Mojeaga remedy is safe for treating anemia during pregnancy and puerperium without increasing the incidence of congenital anomalies, or adverse neonatal outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.pactr.samrc.ac.za: PACTR201901852059636 (https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=5822).

57. Low genetic heterogeneity of Leishmania major in different geographical regions of Iran.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Spotin A, Rouhani S, Haghighi A

58. Six-month blood pressure and glucose control among HIV-infected adults with elevated blood pressure and hyperglycemia in northern Tanzania: A prospective observational study.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Sakita FM, Prattipati S, Chick J

59. Bioprospection of the trichomonacidal activity of lipid extracts derived from marine macroalgae Gigartina skottsbergii.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Barbosa TN, Silva MTO, Sena-Lopes Â

60. Computing mathematical functions with chemical reactions via stochastic logic.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Solanki A, Chen T, Riedel M.

61. Convergent validity of video-based observer rating of drowsiness, against subjective, behavioral, and physiological measures.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Uchiyama Y, Sawai S, Omi T

62. Intelligent auxiliary system for music performance under edge computing and long short-term recurrent neural networks.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Wang Y.

Music performance action generation can be applied in multiple real-world scenarios as a research hotspot in computer vision and cross-sequence analysis. However, the current generation methods of music performance actions have consistently ignored the connection between music and performance actions, resulting in a strong sense of separation between visual and auditory content. This paper first analyzes the attention mechanism, Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), and long and short-term RNN. The long and short-term RNN is suitable for sequence data with a strong temporal correlation. Based on this, the current learning method is improved. A new model that combines attention mechanisms and long and short-term RNN is proposed, which can generate performance actions based on music beat sequences. In addition, image description generative models with attention mechanisms are adopted technically. Combined with the RNN abstract structure that does not consider recursion, the abstract network structure of RNN-Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) is optimized. Through music beat recognition and dance movement extraction technology, data resources are allocated and adjusted in the edge server architecture. The metric for experimental results and evaluation is the model loss function value. The superiority of the proposed model is mainly reflected in the high accuracy and low consumption rate of dance movement recognition. The experimental results show that the result of the loss function of the model is at least 0.00026, and the video effect is the best when the number of layers of the LSTM module in the model is 3, the node value is 256, and the Lookback value is 15. The new model can generate harmonious and prosperous performance action sequences based on ensuring the stability of performance action generation compared with the other three models of cross-domain sequence analysis. The new model has an excellent performance in combining music and performance actions. This paper has practical reference value for promoting the application of edge computing technology in intelligent auxiliary systems for music performance.

63. Blurring the boundary between models and reality: Visual perception of scale assessed by performance.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Meese TS, Baker DH, Summers RJ.

64. Impact of atorvastatin reload on the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy in patients on chronic statin therapy: A prospective randomized trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Hammami R, Masmoudi O, Jdidi J

BACKGROUND: This trial aimed to assess the efficacy of Atorvastatin reloading on the prevention of Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients pre-treated with this statin and undergoing coronary catheterization. METHODS: This was a prospective randomized controlled study including patients on chronic atorvastatin therapy. We randomly assigned the population to the Atorvastatin Reloading group (AR group), by reloading patients with 80 mg of atorvastatin one day before and three days after the coronary procedure, and the Non-Reloading group (NR group), including patients who received their usual dose without a reloading dose. The primary endpoints were the incidence of cystatin (Cys)-based CIN and Creatinine (Scr)-based CIN. The secondary endpoints consisted of the changes in renal biomarkers (Δ biomarkers) defined as the difference between the follow-up level and the baseline level. RESULTS: Our population was assigned to the AR group (n = 56 patients) and NR group (n = 54 patients). The baseline characteristics of the 2 groups were similar. Serum creatinine (SCr)-based CIN occurred in 11.1% in the NR group, and in 8.9% in the AR group without any significant difference. Cys-based CIN occurred in 37% in the NR group and 26.8% in the AR group without any significant difference. The subgroup analysis showed that high dose reloading had significantly reduced the CYC-based CIN risk in patients with type 2 diabetes (43.5% vs 18.8%, RR = 0.43. CI 95% [0.18-0.99])). The comparison of "Δ Cystatin" and Δ eGFR between the AR and NR groups didn't show any significant difference. However, cystatin C had significantly increased between baseline and at 24 hours in the NR group (0.96 vs 1.05, p = 0.001), but not in the AR group (0.94 vs 1.03, p = 0.206). CONCLUSIONS: Our study did not find a benefit of systematic atorvastatin reloading in patients on chronic atorvastatin therapy in preventing CIN. However, it suggested that this strategy could reduce the risk of CyC-based CIN in diabetic type 2 patients.

65. Mirage2's high-quality spliced protein-to-genome mappings produce accurate multiple-sequence alignments of isoforms.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Nord AJ, Wheeler TJ.

66. Perinatal suicidal behavior in sub-Saharan Africa: A study protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Hajure M, Roba G, Gezimu W

BACKGROUND: Perinatal mental illnesses are predominant during gestation and continue for a year after delivery. According to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), suicide is classified as a direct cause of death among the maternal population. The occurrence of suicidal behavior among perinatal women was considered the main contributor to the burden of the disorder. Hence, the current study will develop a protocol for a systematic review as well as a meta-analysis on estimating the prevalence and determinants of perinatal suicidal behavior in Sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and the Web of Science electronic databases will be searched for studies reporting primary data. The second search strategy will be done with Google Scholar, using a combination of the medical subject headings and keywords as the search terms. The studies will be classified into included, excluded, and undecided categories. The studies will be judged based on the eligibility criteria. Heterogeneity will be checked by using the I2 test (Cochran Q test) at a p-value of 0.05 and assuming that the I2 value is > 50%. Publication bias will be checked using a funnel plot, Beg's rank, and Eggers linear statistical tests. A subgroup analysis and sensitivity test will be carried out. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), and the quantitative analysis will determine whether or not to proceed based on the results. DISCUSSION: This protocol's comprehensive review is expected to generate sufficient evidence on the prevalence of suicidal behavior and its determinants among women during the perinatal period in Sub-Saharan African countries over the last two decades. Hence, this protocol will be imperative to collect and combine empirical data on suicidal behavior during the perinatal period, and doing so will help to provide essential implications or better evidence to plan different kinds of interventions considering determinants expected to impact the burden of suicidal behavior during the perinatal period. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD42022331544).

67. Temperature difference between jugular bulb and pulmonary artery is associated with neurological outcome in patients with severe traumatic brain injury: A post hoc analysis of a brain hypothermia study.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Fujita M, Oda Y, Kaneda K

68. Key theories and technologies and implementation mechanism of parallel computing for ternary optical computer.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Zhang S, Chen J, Liu Z

69. PREventing Mild Idiopathic SCOliosis PROgression (PREMISCOPRO): A protocol for a randomized controlled trial comparing scoliosis-specific exercises with observation in mild idiopathic scoliosis.

PLoS One

2023 May 8

Diarbakerli E, Abbott A, Gerdhem P.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common spinal deformity in children. Treatment strategies aim to halt progression of the curve. Mild scoliosis is in many cases observed or, in some cases, treated with scoliosis-specific exercises. More severe curves are treated mainly with a brace. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of scoliosis-specific exercises compared to observation in adolescents with mild idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: Subjects. Previously untreated and skeletally immature children aged 9-15 years of age with idiopathic scoliosis (curve magnitude Cobb 15-24 degrees) will be included. A total of 90 subjects will be included to receive one of two possible interventions. Interventions. Both groups will receive a physical activity prescription according to the World Health Organization recommendations. The intervention group will receive an additional active self-correction treatment strategy for curve correction and will have outpatient sessions once every two weeks for the first three months. They will be prescribed to do the exercises at least three times per week. The intervention will be performed until skeletal maturity or progression of the curve. Outcome. The subjects will participate in the study until curve progression or until skeletal maturity (defined as less than 1 cm growth for six months). The primary outcome variable is failure of treatment, defined as progression of the Cobb angle more than 6 degrees on two consecutive x-rays compared to the baseline x-ray. Secondary outcome measures include patient-reported outcomes, clinical characteristics (i.e. angle of trunk rotation and trunk asymmetry) and number requiring brace treatment. Clinical follow-ups will be performed every six months and radiographs will be taken annually. DISCUSSION: This study will compare effectiveness of an active self-corrective exercise strategy in mild idiopathic scoliosis with observation in terms of halting curve progression.

70. Effect of crown stiffness and prosthetic screw absence on the stress distribution in implant-supported restoration: A 3D finite element analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Epifania E, di Lauro AE, Ausiello P

This in-silico investigation evaluated the mechanical impact of Morse tape implant-abutment interface and retention system (with and without screw) and restorative materials (composite block and monolithic zirconia) by means of a three-dimensional finite element analysis (3D-FEA). Four 3D models were designed for the lower first molar. A dental implant (4.5 × 10 mm B&B Dental Implant Company) was digitized (micro CT) and exported to computer-aided design (CAD) software. Non-uniform rational B-spline surfaces were reconstructed, generating a 3D volumetric model. Four different models were generated with the same Morse-type connection, but with a different locking system (with and without active screw) and a different crown material made of composite block and zirconia. The D2 bone type, which contains cortical and trabecular tissues, was designed using data from the database. The implants were juxtaposed inside the model after Boolean subtraction. Implant placement depth was simulated for the implant model precisely at crestal bone level. Each acquired model was then imported into the finite element analysis (FEA) software as STEP files. The Von Mises equivalent strains were calculated for the peri-implant bone and the Von Mises stress for the prosthetic structures. The highest strain values in bone tissue occurred in the peri-implant bone interface and were comparable in the four implant models (8.2918e-004-8.6622e-004 mm/mm). The stress peak in the zirconia crown (64.4 MPa) was higher than in the composite crown (52.2 MPa) regardless of the presence of the prosthetic screw. The abutment showed the lowest stress peaks (99.71-92.28 MPa) when the screw was present (126.63-114.25 MPa). Based on this linear analysis, it is suggested that the absence of prosthetic screw increases the stress inside the abutment and implant, without effect on the crown and around the bone tissue. Stiffer crowns concentrate more stress on its structure, reducing the amount of stress on the abutment.

71. Content validity of the Scoliosis Research Society questionnaire (SRS-22r): A qualitative concept elicitation study.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Alamrani S, Gardner A, Falla D

INTRODUCTION: Scoliosis Research Society-22 revised (SRS-22r) is the common questionnaire used to evaluate health related quality of life (HRQOL) for young people with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). The aim of this study is to evaluate its content validity for this population. METHODS: In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of young people with AIS (Cobb angle ≥25˚, aged 10-18 years). Concept elicitation was used to evaluate the influence of AIS on participants' HRQOL. Participant information sheets and consent/assent forms were age relevant. Topic guide was informed by the SRS-22r and existing evidence. Interviews were audio and video recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analysed using thematic analysis. Derived themes/codes were compared with SRS-22r contents (domains/items). RESULTS: Eleven participants (mean age 14.9 years [SD = 1.8]; 8 female) were recruited. The mean curve size was 47.5° [SD = 18°] and participants had been managed via different approaches. Four main themes emerged with associated subthemes: 1) Physical effects related to physical symptoms (back hurt, stiffness) and body asymmetry (uneven shoulders), 2) Activity-related effects showed impact on mobility (sitting for long periods), self-care (dressing), and school activities (focus during lessons), 3) Psychological effects revealed emotional (feel worried), mental (sleep quality), and body image effects (hide back from others), 4) Social effects (participation in school and leisure activities), and school, friends and mental health support. A weak association was found between items of the SRS-22r and the identified codes. CONCLUSION: The SRS-22r does not adequately capture important concepts that relate to HRQOL of adolescents with AIS. These findings support revision of the SRS-22r, or the development of a new patient reported outcome measure to evaluate HRQOL of adolescents with AIS.

72. Etiology and outcome of penetrating keratoplasty in bullous keratopathy post-cataract surgery vs post-glaucoma surgery.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Jung YH, Choi HJ, Kim MK

73. Depression, suicidality, substance-use and associated factors among people living with HIV the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Rukundo GZ, Wakida EK, Karungi CK

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders are common in people living with HIV (PLHIV) but they are often unrecognized and untreated. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the already limited mental health services in low resource countries such as Uganda, and yet the extent to which the COVID-19 mitigation measures have affected the mental health of PLHIV is not fully known. We aimed to determine the burden of depression, suicidality, substance use and associated factors among adult PLHIV who were seeking care at two HIV clinics in northern and southwestern Uganda. METHODS: We conducted a phenomenological qualitative and quantitative cross-sectional study among 431 PLHIV to determine the burden of depression, suicidality and substance-use disorders at two HIV clinics, at Lira Regional Referral Hospital and Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in northern and southwestern Uganda respectively, during the COVID-19 lockdown. We used the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess for depression and suicidality, and the Michigan Assessment-Screening Test for Alcohol and drugs (MAST-AD) to assess for substance use disorder. We conducted descriptive statistics analysis to determine the burden of the disorders, and logistic regression to determine the associated factors. For the qualitative method we conducted in-depth interviews with 30 PLHIV and did thematic analysis. RESULTS: Of the 431 PLHIV surveyed, mean age was 40.31 ± 12.20 years; 53.1% (n = 229) had depression; 22.0% (n = 95) had suicidality; and 15.1% (n = 65) had substance-use disorder. Female gender (PR = 1.073, 95%CI 1.004-1.148, P = 0.038), lack of formal education (PR = 1.197, 95% CI 1.057-1.357, P = 0.005), substance-use disorder (PR = 0.924, 95%CI 0.859-0.994, P = 0.034) and suicidality (PR = 0.757, 95%CI 0.722-0.794, p = 0.000) were associated with depression after adjusting for confounders. Further analysis showed that being female (PR = 0.843, 95% CI 0.787-0.903, P = 0.000*) and having depression (PR = 0.927, 95% CI 0.876-0.981, P = 0.009) and owning a large business (PR = 0.886, 95% CI 0.834-0.941, p = 0.000*) were significantly associated with having a substance-use disorder. Only depression was independently associated with suicidality after adjusting for confounding factors (PR 0.108, 95%CI 0.054-0.218, p = 0.000*). For the qualitative results, there were three apriori themes: a) Burden of depression, b) substance-use, and c) suicidality among the PLHIV during the COVID-19 containment measures. CONCLUSION: There was high prevalence of depression, suicidality and substance-use disorder in adult PLHIV in Uganda during the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown measures. The three mental health problems seem to have bidirectional relationships and gender has a lot of contribution to the relationships. Interventions aimed at any of the disorders should consider these bidirectional relationships.

74. Influence of DNA characteristics on cell membrane damage stimulated by electrical short-circuiting via a low-conductive aqueous droplet in dielectric oil.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Tsurusaki Y, Watanabe Y, Numano R

75. Development of immortalized rhesus macaque kidney cells supporting infection with a panel of viruses.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Reiter S, Gärtner S, Decker K

76. Design and fabrication of a GaN HEMT power amplifier based on hidden Markov model for wireless applications.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Soruri M, Razavi SM, Forouzanfar M

77. Practice, governance, and culture characteristics of lived experience organisations, and evidence of efficacy: A scoping review protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Opie JE, Vuong A, Macafee A

BACKGROUND: Mental health policy and service design is increasingly recognizing the importance of the lived experience voice and its inclusion in all aspects of work. Effective inclusion requires a deeper understanding of how best to support lived experience workforce and community members to meaningfully participate in the system. OBJECTIVES: This scoping review aims to identify key features of organizational practice and governance that facilitate the safe inclusion of lived experience in decision-making and practice within mental health sector contexts. Specifically, the review focuses on mental health organizations devoted to lived experience advocacy or peer support or those in which lived experience membership (paid or voluntary) is central to advocacy and peer support operations. METHODS: This review protocol was prepared with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols and registered with the Open Science Framework. The review will be guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology framework and is being conducted by a multidisciplinary team including lived experience research fellows. It will include published and grey literature, including government reports, organizational online documents, and theses. Included studies will be identified through comprehensive searches of five databases: PsycINFO (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), EMBASE (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), and ProQuest Central. Studies published in English from 2000 onwards will be included. Data extraction will be guided by pre-determined extraction instruments. Results will be presented in a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews flow chart. Results will be presented in tabular form and narratively synthesized. The planned commencement and completion dates for this review were July 1, 2022 and April 1, 2023. DISCUSSION: It is anticipated that this scoping review will map the current evidence base underpinning organizational practices in which lived experience workers are involved, specifically in the mental health system. It will also inform future mental health policy and research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration: Open Science Framework (registered: July 26, 2022; registration DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/NB3S5).

78. A traveler-centric mobility game: Efficiency and stability under rationality and prospect theory.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Chremos IV, Malikopoulos AA.

79. Automated control for investigation of the insufflation-ventilation interaction in experimental laparoscopy.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

van Weteringen W, Sterke F, Vlot J

80. Automatic classification of patients with myocardial infarction or myocarditis based only on clinical data: A quick response.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Rahman SSMM, Chen Z, Lalande A

BACKGROUND: In acute cardiovascular disease management, the delay between the admission in a hospital emergency department and the assessment of the disease from a Delayed Enhancement cardiac MRI (DE-MRI) scan is one of the barriers for an immediate management of patients with suspected myocardial infarction or myocarditis. OBJECTIVES: This work targets patients who arrive at the hospital with chest pain and are suspected of having a myocardial infarction or a myocarditis. The main objective is to classify these patients based solely on clinical data in order to provide an early accurate diagnosis. METHODS: Machine learning (ML) and ensemble approaches have been used to construct a framework to automatically classify the patients according to their clinical conditions. 10-fold cross-validation is used during the model's training to avoid overfitting. Approaches such as Stratified, Over-sampling, Under-sampling, NearMiss, and SMOTE were tested in order to address the imbalance of the data (i.e. proportion of cases per pathology). The ground truth is provided by a DE-MRI exam (normal exam, myocarditis or myocardial infarction). RESULTS: The stacked generalization technique with Over-sampling seems to be the best one providing more than 97% of accuracy corresponding to 11 wrong classifications among 537 cases. Generally speaking, ensemble classifiers such as Stacking provided the best prediction. The five most important features are troponin, age, tobacco, sex and FEVG calculated from echocardiography. CONCLUSION: Our study provides a reliable approach to classify the patients in emergency department between myocarditis, myocardial infarction or other patient condition from only clinical information, considering DE-MRI as ground-truth. Among the different machine learning and ensemble techniques tested, the stacked generalization technique is the best one providing an accuracy of 97.4%. This automatic classification could provide a quick answer before imaging exam such as cardiovascular MRI depending on the patient's condition.

81. Transcriptome and proteome analysis of dogs with precursor targeted immune-mediated anemia treated with splenectomy.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Sugawara-Suda M, Morishita K, Ichii O

82. Better null models for assessing predictive accuracy of disease models.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Keyel AC, Kilpatrick AM.

83. Adolescent anxiety and pain problems: A joint, genome-wide investigation and pathway-based analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Mascheretti S, Forni D, Lampis V

84. Cornerstone over Capstone: The case for structured career development opportunities early in the undergraduate biology curriculum as a way to influence science and biology identities.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

McCartney M, Colon J.

85. What is the 'voltage drop' when an effective health promoting intervention for older adults-Choose to Move (Phase 3)-Is implemented at broad scale?

PLoS One

2023 May 5

McKay HA, Macdonald HM, Nettlefold L

BACKGROUND: Choose to Move (CTM), an effective health-promoting intervention for older adults, was scaled-up across British Columbia, Canada. Adaptations that enable implementation at scale may lead to 'voltage drop'-diminished positive effects of the intervention. For CTM Phase 3 we assessed: i. implementation; ii. impact on physical activity, mobility, social isolation, loneliness and health-related quality of life (impact outcomes); iii. whether intervention effects were maintained; iv) voltage drop, compared with previous CTM phases. METHODS: We conducted a type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation pre-post study of CTM; older adult participants (n = 1012; mean age 72.9, SD = 6.3 years; 80.6% female) were recruited by community delivery partners. We assessed CTM implementation indicators and impact outcomes via survey at 0 (baseline), 3 (mid-intervention), 6 (end-intervention) and 18 (12-month follow-up) months. We fitted mixed-effects models to describe change in impact outcomes in younger (60-74 years) and older (≥ 75 years) participants. We quantified voltage drop as percent of effect size (change from baseline to 3- and 6-months) retained in Phase 3 compared with Phases 1-2. RESULTS: Adaptation did not compromise fidelity of CTM Phase 3 as program components were delivered as intended. PA increased during the first 3 months in younger (+1 days/week) and older (+0.9 days/week) participants (p<0.001), and was maintained at 6- and 18-months. In all participants, social isolation and loneliness decreased during the intervention, but increased during follow-up. Mobility improved during the intervention in younger participants only. Health-related quality of life according to EQ-5D-5L score did not change significantly in younger or older participants. However, EQ-5D-5L visual analog scale score increased during the intervention in younger participants (p<0.001), and this increase was maintained during follow-up. Across all outcomes, the median difference in effect size, or voltage drop, between Phase 3 and Phases 1-2 was 52.6%. However, declines in social isolation were almost two times greater in Phase 3, compared with Phases 1-2. CONCLUSION: Benefits of health-promoting interventions-like CTM-can be retained when implemented at broad scale. Diminished social isolation in Phase 3 reflects how CTM was adapted to enhance opportunities for older adults to socially connect. Thus, although intervention effects may be reduced at scale-up, voltage drop is not inevitable.

86. Crises information dissemination through social media in the UK and Saudi Arabia: A linguistic perspective.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Alhedayani R, Alkhammash R.

This study investigates health-promoting messages in British and Saudi officials' social-media discourse during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. Taking discourse as a constructivist conception, we examined the crisis-response strategies employed by these officials on social media, and the role of such strategies in promoting healthy behaviors and compliance with health regulations. The study presents a corpus-assisted discourse analysis of the tweets of a Saudi health official and a British health official that focuses on keyness, speech acts, and metaphor. We found that both officials utilized clear communication and persuasive rhetorical tactics to convey the procedures suggested by the World Health Organization. However, there were some differences in how the two officials used speech acts and metaphors to achieve their goals. The British official used empathy as the primary communication strategy, while the Saudi official emphasized health literacy. The British official also used conflict-based metaphors such as war and gaming, whereas the Saudi official used metaphors that reflected life as a journey interrupted by the pandemic. Despite these differences, both officials utilized directive speech acts to tell audiences the procedures they should follow to achieve the desired conclusion of healing patients and ending the pandemic. In addition, rhetorical questions and assertions were used to direct people to perform certain behaviors favored. Interestingly, the discourse used by both officials contained characteristics of both health communication and political discourse. War metaphors, which were utilized by the British Health official, are a common feature in political discourse as well as in health-care discourse. Overall, this study highlights the importance of effective communication strategies in promoting healthy behaviors and compliance with health regulations during a pandemic. By analyzing the discourse of health officials on social media, we can gain insights into the strategies employed to manage a crisis and effectively communicate with the public.

87. In silico design and validation of a novel multi-epitope vaccine candidate against structural proteins of Chikungunya virus using comprehensive immunoinformatics analyses.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Mahmoodi S, Amirzakaria JZ, Ghasemian A.

88. The combined effect of gaze stability and balance exercises using telerehabilitation in individuals with vestibular disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: A pilot study.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Aldawsary N, Almarwani M.

89. Experiences of women in prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum care during the COVID-19 pandemic in selected cities in Brazil: The resignification of the experience of pregnancy and giving birth.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Lamy ZC, Thomaz EBAF, Silva-Junior AGD

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted public and private health systems around the world, impairing good practices in women's health care. However, little is known about the experiences, knowledge, and feelings of Brazilian women in this period. The objective was to analyze the experiences of women, seen at maternity hospitals accredited by the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS, acronym in Portuguese), regarding health care during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods, their interpersonal relationships, and perceptions and feelings about the pandemic. This was a qualitative, exploratory research, carried out in three Brazilian municipalities with women hospitalized in 2020, during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum period, with COVID-19 or not. For data collection, semi-structured individual interviews (in person, by telephone, or by digital platform) were conducted, recorded and transcribed. The content analysis of thematic modalities was displayed as per the following axes: i) Knowledge about the disease; ii) Search for health care in prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum periods; iii) Experience of suffering from COVID-19; iv) Income and work; and v) Family dynamics and social support network. A total of 46 women were interviewed in São Luís-MA, Pelotas-RS, and Niterói-RJ. Use of media was important to convey information and fight fake news. The pandemic negatively impacted access to health care in the prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum periods, contributing to worsening of the population's social and economic vulnerabilities. Women experienced diverse manifestations of the disease, and psychic disorders were very frequent. Social isolation during the pandemic disrupted the support network of these women, who found social support strategies in communication technologies. Women-centered care-including qualified listening and mental health support-can reduce the severity of COVID-19 cases in pregnant, parturient, and postpartum women. Sustainable employment and income maintenance policies are essential to mitigate social vulnerabilities and reduce risks for these women.

90. Love, jealousy, satisfaction and violence in young couples: A network analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Ventura-León J, Lino-Cruz C.

91. Modelling the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions on workplace transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the home-delivery sector.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Whitfield CA, van Tongeren M, Han Y

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to use mathematical models of SARS-COV-2 to assess the potential efficacy of non-pharmaceutical interventions on transmission in the parcel delivery and logistics sector. METHODS: We devloped a network-based model of workplace contacts based on data and consultations from companies in the parcel delivery and logistics sectors. We used these in stochastic simulations of disease transmission to predict the probability of workplace outbreaks in this settings. Individuals in the model have different viral load trajectories based on SARS-CoV-2 in-host dynamics, which couple to their infectiousness and test positive probability over time, in order to determine the impact of testing and isolation measures. RESULTS: The baseline model (without any interventions) showed different workplace infection rates for staff in different job roles. Based on our assumptions of contact patterns in the parcel delivery work setting we found that when a delivery driver was the index case, on average they infect only 0.14 other employees, while for warehouse and office workers this went up to 0.65 and 2.24 respectively. In the LIDD setting this was predicted to be 1.40, 0.98, and 1.34 respectively. Nonetheless, the vast majority of simulations resulted in 0 secondary cases among customers (even without contact-free delivery). Our results showed that a combination of social distancing, office staff working from home, and fixed driver pairings (all interventions carried out by the companies we consulted) reduce the risk of workplace outbreaks by 3-4 times. CONCLUSION: This work suggests that, without interventions, significant transmission could have occured in these workplaces, but that these posed minimal risk to customers. We found that identifying and isolating regular close-contacts of infectious individuals (i.e. house-share, carpools, or delivery pairs) is an efficient measure for stopping workplace outbreaks. Regular testing can make these isolation measures even more effective but also increases the number of staff isolating at one time. It is therefore more efficient to use these isolation measures in addition to social distancing and contact reduction interventions, rather than instead of, as these reduce both transmission and the number of people needing to isolate at one time.

92. Effect of fetal malposition, primiparous, and premature rupture of membrane on Neonatal Near miss mediated by grade three meconium-stained amniotic fluids and duration of the active first stage of labor: Mediation analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Asaye MM, Gelaye KA, Matebe YH

BACKGROUND: In many low-income countries, including Ethiopia, neonatal mortality remains a major concern. For every newborn that dies, many more neonates survived (near-miss neonates) the first 28 days after birth from life-threatening conditions. The generation of evidence on neonatal near-miss determinants could be a critical step in reducing neonatal mortality rates. However, studies causal pathway determinants are limited in Ethiopia. This study aimed to investigate the Neonatal Near-miss determinants in public health hospitals in Amhara Regional State, northwest Ethiopia. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1277 mother-newborn pairs at six hospitals between July 2021 and January 2022. A validated interviewer-administered questionnaire and a review of medical records were used to collect data. Data were entered into Epi-Info version 7.1.2 and exported to STATA version 16 in California, America for analysis. The paths from exposure variables to Neonatal Near-Miss via mediators were examined using multiple logistic regression analysis. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and ß-coefficients were calculated and reported with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value of 0.05. RESULTS: The proportion of neonatal near-misses was 28.6% (365/1277) (95% CI: 26-31%). Women who could not read and write (AOR = 1.67,95%CI:1.14-2.47), being primiparous (AOR = 2.48,95% CI:1.63-3.79), pregnancy-induced hypertension (AOR = 2.10,95% CI:1.49-2.95),being referred from other health facilities (AOR = 2.28,95% CI:1.88-3.29), premature rupture of membrane (AOR = 1.47,95% CI:1.09-1.98), and fetal malposition (AOR = 1.89,95% CI:1.14-3.16) were associated with Neonatal Near-miss. Grade III meconium stained amniotic fluid partially mediated the relationship between primiparous (ß = 0.517), fetal malposition (ß = 0.526), pregnant women referred from other health facilities (ß = 0.948) and Neonatal Near-Miss at P-value < 0.01. Duration of the active first stage of labour partially mediated the relationship between primiparous (ß = -0.345), fetal malposition (ß = -0.656), premature rupture of membranes (ß = -0.550) and Neonatal Near-Miss at P- value <0.01.It had also a significant indirect effect (ß = 0.581, P<0.001) on NNM with variables (primiparous, fetal malposition, and premature rupture of membranes). CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between fetal malposition, primiparous, referred from other health facilities, premature rupture of membrane, and Neonatal Near miss were partially mediated by grade III meconium stained amniotic fluid and duration of the active first stage of labour. Early diagnosis of these potential danger signs and appropriate intervention could be of supreme importance in reducing NNM.

93. Lipoprotein subfraction profiling in the search of new risk markers for myocardial infarction: The HUNT study.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Sperstad SB, Sæther JC, Klevjer M

BACKGROUND: Traditional biomarkers used to measure risk of myocardial infarction (MI) only explain a modest proportion of the incidence. Lipoprotein subfractions have the potential to improve risk prediction of MI. AIM: We aimed to identify lipoprotein subfractions that were associated with imminent MI risk. METHODS: We identified apparently healthy participants with a predicted low 10-year risk of MI from The Trøndelag Health Survey 3 (HUNT3) that developed MI within 5 years after inclusion (cases, n = 50) and 100 matched controls. Lipoprotein subfractions were analyzed in serum by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy at time of inclusion in HUNT3. Lipoprotein subfractions were compared between cases and controls in the full population (N = 150), and in subgroups of males (n = 90) and females (n = 60). In addition, a sub analysis was performed in participants that experienced MI within two years and their matched controls (n = 56). RESULTS: None of the lipoprotein subfractions were significantly associated with future MI when adjusting for multiple testing (p<0.002). At nominal significance level (p<0.05), the concentration of apolipoprotein A1 in the smallest high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions was higher in cases compared to controls. Further, in sub analyses based on sex, male cases had lower lipid concentration within the large HDL subfractions and higher lipid concentration within the small HDL subfractions compared to male controls (p<0.05). No differences were found in lipoprotein subfractions between female cases and controls. In sub analysis of individuals suffering from MI within two years, triglycerides in low-density lipoprotein were higher among cases (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: None of the investigated lipoprotein subfractions were associated with future MI after adjustment for multiple testing. However, our findings suggests that HDL subfractions may be of interest in relation to risk prediction for MI, especially in males. This need to be further investigated in future studies.

94. Practical recommendations from a multi-perspective needs and challenges assessment of citizen science games.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Miller JA, Vepřek LH, Deterding S

95. New discrete heavy tailed distributions as models for insurance data.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Nadarajah S, Lyu J.

96. Comparative analysis of retinal photoplethysmographic spatial maps and thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Odstrcilik J, Kolar R, Horn F

97. Crystalline silica-exposed human lung epithelial cells presented enhanced anchorage-independent growth with upregulated expression of BRD4 and EZH2 in autocrine and paracrine manners.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Katabami M, Kinoshita I, Ariga S

Crystalline silica-induced inflammation possibly facilitates carcinogenesis. Here, we investigated its effect on lung epithelium damage. We prepared conditioned media of immortalized human bronchial epithelial cell lines (hereinafter bronchial cell lines) NL20, BEAS-2B, and 16HBE14o- pre-exposed to crystalline silica (autocrine crystalline silica conditioned medium), a phorbol myristate acetate-differentiated THP-1 macrophage line, and VA13 fibroblast line pre-exposed to crystalline silica (paracrine crystalline silica conditioned medium). As cigarette smoking imposes a combined effect on crystalline silica-induced carcinogenesis, a conditioned medium was also prepared using the tobacco carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide. Crystalline silica-exposed and growth-suppressed bronchial cell lines exhibited enhanced anchorage-independent growth in autocrine crystalline silica and benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide conditioned medium compared with that in unexposed control conditioned medium. Crystalline silica-exposed nonadherent bronchial cell lines in autocrine crystalline silica and benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide conditioned medium showed increased expression of cyclin A2, cdc2, and c-Myc, and of epigenetic regulators and enhancers, BRD4 and EZH2. Paracrine crystalline silica and benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide conditioned medium also accelerated the growth of crystalline silica-exposed nonadherent bronchial cell lines. Culture supernatants of nonadherent NL20 and BEAS-2B in crystalline silica and benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide conditioned medium had higher EGF concentrations, whereas those of nonadherent 16HBE14o- had higher TNF-α levels. Recombinant human EGF and TNF-α promoted anchorage-independent growth in all lines. Treatment with EGF and TNF-α neutralizing antibodies inhibited cell growth in crystalline silica conditioned medium. Recombinant human TNF-α induced BRD4 and EZH2 expression in nonadherent 16HBE14o-. The expression of γH2AX occasionally increased despite PARP1 upregulation in crystalline silica-exposed nonadherent lines with crystalline silica and benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide conditioned medium. Collectively, crystalline silica- and benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-induced inflammatory microenvironments comprising upregulated EGF or TNF-α expression may promote crystalline silica-damaged nonadherent bronchial cell proliferation and oncogenic protein expression despite occasional γH2AX upregulation. Thus, carcinogenesis may be cooperatively aggravated by crystalline silica-induced inflammation and genotoxicity.

98. Employees' support strategies for mental wellbeing during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: Recommendations for employers in the UK workforce.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Bailey K, Scheutzow J, Cooke E

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and beyond for many businesses, employees have had to adapt to new ways of working due to disruptions in traditional practices. It is therefore crucial to understand the new challenges that employees are facing when it comes to taking care of their mental wellbeing at work. To that end, we distributed a survey to full-time UK employees (N = 451) to explore how supported they felt throughout the pandemic, and to identify whether there are any additional types of support they would like to receive. We also compared employees' intentions to seek help before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic, and assessed their current attitudes toward mental health. Based on direct employee feedback, our results show remote workers felt more supported throughout the pandemic compared to hybrid workers. We also found that employees who had previously experienced an episode of anxiety or depression were significantly more likely to want extra support at work compared to those who had not. Furthermore, employees were significantly more likely to seek help for their mental health during the pandemic compared to before. Interestingly, the largest increase in intentions to seek help during the pandemic compared to before was with digital health solutions. Finally, we found that the strategies managers have adopted to better support their employees, an employee's mental health history, and their attitude to mental health all contributed to significantly increasing the likelihood that an employee would disclose a mental health concern to their line manager. We provide recommendations that encourage organisations to make changes to better support their employees, and we highlight the importance of mental health awareness training for both managers and employees. This work is of particular interest to organisations who are looking to tailor their current employee wellbeing offer to a post-pandemic world.

99. How does industrial intelligence affect regional innovation efficiency? Evidence from panel data of China's provinces.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Wu K, Yang T, Zhu M.

100. Delivery of a novel membrane-anchored Fc chimera enhances NK cell-mediated killing of tumor cells and persistently virus-infected cells.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Varudkar N, Shiffer EM, Oyer JL

101. Analyzing the sensitivity of quantitative 3D MRI of longitudinal relaxation at very low field in Gd-doped phantoms.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

de Iure D, Conti A, Galante A

PURPOSE: Recently, new MRI systems working at magnetic field below 10 mT (Very and Ultra Low Field regime) have been developed, showing improved T1-contrast in projected 2D maps (i.e. images without slice selection). Moving from projected 2D to 3D maps is not trivial due to the low SNR of such devices. This work aimed to demonstrate the ability and the sensitivity of a VLF-MRI scanner operating at 8.9 mT in quantitatively obtaining 3D longitudinal relaxation rate (R1) maps and distinguishing between voxels intensities. We used phantoms consisting of vessels doped with different Gadolinium (Gd)-based Contrast Agent (CA) concentrations, providing a set of various R1 values. As CA, we used a commercial compound (MultiHance®, gadobenate dimeglumine) routinely used in clinical MRI. METHODS: 3D R1 maps and T1-weighted MR images were analysed to identify each vessel. R1 maps were further processed by an automatic clustering analysis to evaluate the sensitivity at the single-voxel level. Results obtained at 8.9 mT were compared with commercial scanners operating at 0.2 T, 1.5 T, and 3 T. RESULTS: VLF R1 maps offered a higher sensitivity in distinguishing the different CA concentrations and an improved contrast compared to higher fields. Moreover, the high sensitivity of 3D quantitative VLF-MRI allowed an effective clustering of the 3D map values, assessing their reliability at the single voxel level. Conversely, in all fields, T1-weighted images were less reliable, even at higher CA concentrations. CONCLUSION: In summary, with few excitations and an isotropic voxel size of 3 mm, VLF-MRI 3D quantitative mapping showed a sensitivity better than 2.7 s-1 corresponding to a concentration difference of 0.17 mM of MultiHance in copper sulfate doped water, and improved contrast compared to higher fields. Based on these results, future studies should characterize R1 contrast at VLF, also with other CA, in the living tissues.

102. Racial differences in quantitative optical coherence tomography angiography findings between older non-diabetics with co-morbidities.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Moir J, Rodriguez SH, Chun LY

103. A pilot randomized clinical trial of biomedical link with mental health in art therapy intervention programs for alcohol use disorder: Changes in NK cells, addiction biomarkers, electroencephalography, and MMPI-2 profiles.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Kang SJ, Pei CZ, Lee DH

104. An improved golden jackal optimization for multilevel thresholding image segmentation.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Wang Z, Mo Y, Cui M

105. Association between occupational exposures and chronic low back pain: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Jahn A, Andersen JH, Christiansen DH

INTRODUCTION: The association between occupational mechanical exposures and chronic low back pain (LBP) has been widely studied, however, few systematic reviews have evaluated the evidence of an association. Furthermore, little is known of the impact of occupational psychosocial exposures on chronic LBP. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to study the association between occupational mechanical and psychosocial exposures and chronic LBP. METHODS: The study will be conducted as a systematic review using another systematic review published in 2014 as basis and has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with registration number CRD42021281996. A systematic literature search will be performed in 6 scientific databases to identified potential relevant studies published after 2014. Studies will systematically be excluded through a screening process performed independently by 2 reviewers. Exposures will include occupational mechanical and psychosocial exposures, and outcome will include chronic LBP (LBP ≥3 months, "degenerative" diseases, and lumbosacral radiculopathy). Study population will include persons in or above working age, and study designs will comprise cohort and case-control studies. The quality of each included study will be methodologically assessed by 2 independent reviewers and level of evidence of an association will be graded using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system. In meta-analyses, effect sizes will be addressed using random-effect models, sensitivity analyses will explore the robustness of the meta-analysis, and heterogeneity assessed. DISCUSSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis will assess the evidence available of the association between occupational mechanical and psychosocial exposures and chronic LBP. The review can provide essential knowledge on the association, exposure-response relationships, thresholds, which may pave the way for political decisions on the occupational environment and the labour market insurance policy.

106. Bifurcation and optimal control analysis of HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 co-infection model with numerical simulation.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Kotola BS, Teklu SW, Abebaw YF.

107. Barriers in accessing family planning services in Nepal during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Sigdel A, Bista A, Sapkota H

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 virus is still with us, and in resource-limited countries, like Nepal, resurgence of a new variant is still a threat. In this pandemic, low-income countries struggle to provide essential public health services, including family planning. This study was conducted to explore what sorts of barriers are faced by women needing family planning services in Nepal during the pandemic. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted in five districts of Nepal. Telephonic in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 women of reproductive age (18-49 years) who were the regular clients of family planning services. Data were coded deductively using the preexisting themes based on a socio-ecological model (e.g., individual, family, community, and health-facility levels). RESULTS: Individual level barriers included low self-confidence, inadequate knowledge on COVID-19, myths and misconception related to COVID-19, limited access to FP services low priority to SRH services, low autonomy in family and limited financial ability. Family level barriers comprised of partner's support, social stigma, increased time at home with husbands or parents, un-acceptance of family planning services as essential health services, financial hardship due to loss of jobs, and communication with in-laws. Movement restrictions and transportation hindering access, unsecured feeling, violation of privacy, and obstacles from security personnel were the community level barriers and unavailability of preferred choice of contraception, increased waiting time, limited outreach services by community health workers, limited physical infrastructures, the behavior of health workers, stock out of commodities, and absence of health workers were health facility level barriers. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted key barriers faced by women in seeking family planning services during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nepal. Policymakers and program managers should consider strategies to ensure continued availability of the full method mix during emergency, particularly since disruptions may go unnoticed and strengthen the provision of services through alternative service delivery channels to ensure sustained uptake of such services in this sort of pandemic.

108. Determinants of breastfeeding attitudes of mothers in Jordan: A cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Alkhaldi SM, Al-Kuran O, AlAdwan MM

109. Asia-Pacific stock market return and volatility in the uncertain world: Evidence from the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag approach.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Tran MP, Vo DH.

110. The impact of nutritional status in nivolumab-treated patients with advanced esophageal cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Takegawa N, Hirabayashi T, Tanaka S

111. Identification of stably expressed Internal Control Genes (ICGs) for normalization of expression data in liver of C57BL/6 mice injected with beta casomorphins.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Kumar A, Sodhi M, Mukesh M

112. Mitotic CDK1 and 4E-BP1 I: Loss of 4E-BP1 serine 82 phosphorylation promotes proliferative polycystic disease and lymphoma in aged or sublethally irradiated mice.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Sun R, Guo S, Shuda Y

113. Machine-supported decision-making to improve agricultural training participation and gender inclusivity.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Reeves NP, Ramadan A, Sal Y Rosas Celi VG

Women comprise a significant portion of the agricultural workforce in developing countries but are often less likely to attend government sponsored training events. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using machine-supported decision-making to increase overall training turnout while enhancing gender inclusivity. Using data obtained from 1,067 agricultural extension training events in Bangladesh (130,690 farmers), models were created to assess gender-based training patterns (e.g., preferences and availability for training). Using these models, simulations were performed to predict the top (most attended) training events for increasing total attendance (male and female combined) and female attendance, based on gender of the trainer, and when and where training took place. By selecting a mixture of the top training events for total attendance and female attendance, simulations indicate that total and female attendance can be concurrently increased. However, strongly emphasizing female participation can have negative consequences by reducing overall turnout, thus creating an ethical dilemma for policy makers. In addition to balancing the need for increasing overall training turnout with increased female representation, a balance between model performance and machine learning is needed. Model performance can be enhanced by reducing training variety to a few of the top training events. But given that models are early in development, more training variety is recommended to provide a larger solution space to find more optimal solutions that will lead to better future performance. Simulations show that selecting the top 25 training events for total attendance and the top 25 training events for female attendance can increase female participation by over 82% while at the same time increasing total turnout by 14%. In conclusion, this study supports the use of machine-supported decision-making when developing gender inclusivity policies in agriculture extension services and lays the foundation for future applications of machine learning in this area.

114. Association between age at menarche and risk of myopia in the United States: NHANES 1999-2008.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Lyu IJ, Oh SY.

115. Neurocan expression associates with better survival and viral positivity in Merkel cell carcinoma.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Salmikangas M, Laaksonen M, Edgren H

116. Capturing technological crossovers between clay crafts: An archaeometric perspective on the emergence of workshop production in Late Iron Age northern Spain.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

de Groot BG, Badreshany K, Torres-Martínez JF

117. Clinical effect of Danshen decoction in patients with heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Li Z, Liu M, Chen M

BACKGROUND: The incidence of heart failure (HF) is increasing year by year, posing a great threat to human health. Although pharmacotherapy has been able to significantly prolong patient survival, pharmacotherapy for HF still has limitations due to its complex pathogenesis and considerable individual variability, there is a great need to explore complementary and alternative therapies to slow down the progression of HF. Danshen decoction is used to treat several cardiovascular diseases including HF, but the efficacy of stabilization is uncertain. This meta-analysis evaluated the clinical efficacy of Danshen Decoction for the treatment of HF. METHODS: The registration number assigned to this meta-analysis on the PROSPERO platform is CRD42022351918. Four databases were searched, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Danshen decoction combined with conventional treatment (CT) of HF were screened, CT included medical treatments other than Danshen Decoction to which the patient was treated (including but not limited to angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, angiotensin receptor blocker, angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors, β-blockers, diuretics, mineralcorticoid recept antagonist etc.). The clinical efficacy rate (CER), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were included as outcome indicators. The GRADE grading scale was used to grade the above indicators. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Jadad quality scale were used to assess the methodological quality of RCTs. Finally, RevMan V.4.5 software was used for data synthesis, 95% confidence intervals (CI) for dichotomous data, risk ratios (RR), and mean differences (MD) for continuous variables were calculated, Chi-square and I2 were used for heterogeneity assessment. RESULTS: Nine RCTs with a total of 855 patients were included in this study, and all included RCTs had a low overall quality risk of bias and high quality of reported information. The results of the meta-analysis showed that compared with the use of CT, CER (%) was significantly improved due to Danshen decoction combined with CT (MD = 3.95, 95% CI [2.58, 6.04], P < 0.00001), LVEF (%) was significantly improved (MD = 5.46, 95% CI [5.32, 5.60], P < 0.00001), LVEDD (mm) was significantly reduced (MD = -5.27, 95% CI [-6.21, -4.32], P < 0.00001), LVESD (mm) was significantly reduced (MD = -4.60, 95% CI [-5.87, -3.32], P < 0.00001), BNP (pg/mL) was significantly reduced (MD = -88.61, 95% CI [-121.98, -55.24], P < 0.00001), NT-proBNP (pg/mL) was significantly decreased (SMD = -3.33, 95% CI [-5.92, -0.73], P = 0.01), hs-CRP (mg/L) was significantly decreased (MD = -2.73, 95% CI [-4.11, -1.34], P = 0.0001). The quality of the GRADE evidence for all outcomes was moderate to low and no RCTs reported adverse events. CONCLUSION: Our research demonstrates that Danshen decoction is an effective and safe treatment option for HF. Nevertheless, considering the limitations of methodological and the quality of RCTs, more rigorous, large-scale, multicenter randomized clinical trials are needed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of Danshen decoction in the treatment of HF patients.

118. Is online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic associated with increased burnout in medical learners?: A medical school's experience.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Hunt S, Simpson J, Letwin L

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to virtual curriculum delivery at Canadian medical schools. At the NOSM University, some learners transitioned to entirely online learning, while others continued in-person, in-clinic learning. This study aimed to show that medical learners who transitioned to exclusively online learning exhibited higher levels of burnout compared to their peers who continued in-person, clinical learning. Analysis of factors that protect against burnout including resilience, mindfulness, and self-compassion exhibited by online and in-person learners at NOSM University during this curriculum shift were also explored. METHODS: As part of a pilot wellness initiative, a cross-sectional online survey-based study of learner wellness was conducted at NOSM University during the 2020-2021 academic year. Seventy-four learners responded. The survey utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Brief Resilience Scale, Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised, and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form. T-tests were utilized to compare these parameters in those who studied exclusively online and those who continued learning in-person in a clinical setting. RESULTS: Medical learners who engaged in online learning exhibited significantly higher levels of burnout when compared with learners who continued in-person learning in a clinical setting, despite scoring equally on protective factors such as resilience, mindfulness, and self-compassion. CONCLUSION: The results discussed in this paper suggest that the increased time spent in a virtual learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic might be associated with burnout among exclusively online learners, as compared to learners who were educated in clinical, in-person settings. Further inquiry should investigate causality and any protective factors that could mitigate negative effects of the virtual learning environment.

119. A computational predictor of the anaerobic mechanical power outputs from a clinical exercise stress test.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Leopold E, Tuller T, Scheinowitz M.

We previously were able to predict the anaerobic mechanical power outputs using features taken from a maximal incremental cardiopulmonary exercise stress test (CPET). Since a standard aerobic exercise stress test (with electrocardiogram and blood pressure measurements) has no gas exchange measurement and is more popular than CPET, our goal, in the current paper, was to investigate whether features taken from a clinical exercise stress test (GXT), either submaximal or maximal, can predict the anaerobic mechanical power outputs to the same level as we found with CPET variables. We have used data taken from young healthy subjects undergoing CPET aerobic test and the Wingate anaerobic test, and developed a computational predictive algorithm, based on greedy heuristic multiple linear regression, which enabled the prediction of the anaerobic mechanical power outputs from a corresponding GXT measures (exercise test time, treadmill speed and slope). We found that for submaximal GXT of 85% age predicted HRmax, a combination of 3 and 4 variables produced a correlation of r = 0.93 and r = 0.92 with % error equal to 15 ± 3 and 16 ± 3 on the validation set between real and predicted values of the peak and mean anaerobic mechanical power outputs (p < 0.001), respectively. For maximal GXT (100% of age predicted HRmax), a combination of 4 and 2 variables produced a correlation of r = 0.92 and r = 0.94 with % error equal to 12 ± 2 and 14 ± 3 on the validation set between real and predicted values of the peak and mean anaerobic mechanical power outputs (p < 0.001), respectively. The newly developed model allows to accurately predict the anaerobic mechanical power outputs from a standard, submaximal and maximal GXT. Nevertheless, in the current study the subjects were healthy, normal individuals and therefore the assessment of additional subjects is desirable for the development of a test applicable to other populations.

120. Geldanamycin treatment does not result in anti-cancer activity in a preclinical model of orthotopic mesothelioma.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Orozco Morales ML, Rinaldi CA, de Jong E

121. Wave-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging (Wave-CAIPI): Accelerating speed for the MRI-based diagnosis of enhancing intracranial lesions compared to magnetization-prepared gradient echo.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Oh H, Yim Y, Chung MS

PURPOSE: We aimed to validate the diagnostic performance of accelerated post-contrast magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) using wave-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging (Wave-CAIPI) for enhancing intracranial lesions, compared with conventional MPRAGE. METHODS: A total of 233 consecutive patients who underwent post-contrast Wave-CAIPI and conventional MPRAGE (scan time: 2 min 39 s vs. 4 min 30 s) were retrospectively evaluated. Two radiologists independently assessed whole images for the presence and diagnosis of enhancing lesions. The diagnostic performance for non-enhancing lesions, quantitative parameters (diameter of enhancing lesions, signal-to-noise ratio [SNR], contrast-to-noise ratio [CNR], and contrast rate), qualitative parameters (grey-white matter differentiation and conspicuity of enhancing lesions), and image qualities (overall image quality and motion artifacts) were also surveyed. The weighted kappa and percent agreement were used to evaluate the diagnostic agreement between the two sequences. RESULTS: Wave-CAIPI MPRAGE achieved significantly high agreement for the detection (98.7%[460/466], κ = 0.965) and diagnosis (97.8%[455/466], κ = 0.955) of enhancing intracranial lesions with conventional MPRAGE in pooled analysis. Detection and diagnosis of non-enhancing lesions (97.6% and 96.9% agreement), and diameter of enhancing lesions (P>0.05) also demonstrated high agreements between two sequences. Although Wave-CAIPI MPRAGE show lower SNR (P<0.01) than conventional MRAGE, it fulfilled comparable CNR (P = 0.486) and higher contrast rate (P<0.01). The qualitative parameters show similar value (P>0.05). The overall image quality was slightly poor, however, motion artifacts were better in Wave-CAIPI MPRAGE (both P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Wave-CAIPI MPRAGE provides reliable diagnostic performance for enhancing intracranial lesions within half of the scan time compared with conventional MPRAGE.

122. Supervised breast cancer prediction using integrated dimensionality reduction convolutional neural network.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Xu H, Shao X, Hui S

123. Prevalence, characteristics, consequences, and awareness of work-related musculoskeletal pain among cardiac sonographers compared with other healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: A cross sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Al Saikhan L.

BACKGROUND: Evidence related to work-related musculoskeletal pain (WRMSP) among cardiac sonographers is incomplete. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, consequences, and awareness of WRMSP among cardiac sonographers compared with other healthcare workers in different healthcare settings in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, survey-based study. An electronic self-administered survey using a modified version of the Nordic questionnaire was distributed to cardiac sonographers and control participants of other healthcare professions exposed to different occupational hazards. The χ2 test and logistic regression were performed to compare groups. RESULTS: In total, 308 participants completed the survey (mean age: 32.1±8.4; females: 207(68.1%)): 152(49.4%) sonographers and 156(50.6%) controls. WRMSP was more prevalent among cardiac sonographers than controls(84.8% vs 64.7%, p<0.0001), even after adjustment for age, sex, height, weight, BMI, education, years in current position, work-setting, and regular exercise(odds ratio [95% CI]: 3.0[1.54, 5.82], p = 0.001). Pain was more severe(p = 0.020) and lasted longer among cardiac sonographers(p = 0.050). The most affected body regions were the shoulders(63.2% vs 24.4%), hands(55.9% vs 18.6%), neck(51.3% vs 35.9), and elbows(23% vs 4.5%; p<0.01 for all). Pain in cardiac sonographers interfered with daily and social activities and interrupted their work-related activities(p<0.05 for all). More cardiac sonographers had plans to change profession(43.4% vs 15.8%; p<0.0001). A higher proportion of cardiac sonographers were aware of WRMSP(81% vs 77%) and its potential risks(70% vs 67%). However, cardiac sonographers infrequently utilised recommended preventative ergonomic measures for improving work practices, received insufficient ergonomics education and training on the risks and prevention of WRMSP, and had insufficient ergonomic work environment and support from employers. CONCLUSIONS: WRMSP was more frequent and more severe in cardiac sonographers than in controls and adversely impacted their daily, social, and work-related activities, and future employment plans. Despite high awareness of WRMSP and its potential risks, cardiac sonographers infrequently utilised recommended preventative ergonomic measures and had insufficient ergonomic work environment and support from employers.

124. Evaluation of serum VIP and aCGRP during pulmonary exacerbation in cystic fibrosis: A longitudinal pilot study of patients undergoing antibiotic therapy.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Al-Keilani MS, Awad S, Hammouri HM

125. The ecological consequences and evolution of retron-mediated suicide as a way to protect Escherichia coli from being killed by phage.

PLoS One

2023 May 5

Berryhill BA, Manuel JA, Garcia R

126. The N-terminus of CXCR4 splice variants determines expression and functional properties.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Park HK, Nguyen LP, Nguyen TU

127. Developing sustainable career paths as teacher-researchers in a changing academic landscape: A tale of two EFL teachers in China.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Lu H, Zhang X.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to investigate how two English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers integrated their teacher and researcher identities to achieve sustainable professional growth in the context of a changing academic landscape. METHODS: Using purposive sampling, two EFL teachers from a non-elite public university in China were selected as participants for this qualitative study. Data were collected and triangulated from multiple sources, including semi-structured interviews, narrative frames, document analysis, and the academic profiles of the participants. A qualitative, inductive thematic approach was employed in the data analysis. Adopting "identity" as an analytical lens, this study examined how the two participants underwent different identity trajectories to develop into teacher-researchers under the influence of their personal values and beliefs, as well as contextual factors such as institutional research policy. FINDINGS: Throughout their identity construction process, the two participants encountered identity deficits and tensions between multiple professional roles, leading to their struggles with identity and complex identity (re)construction. While the participants underwent interactions between various forms of identity throughout their careers, they enacted agency to take actions and draw on available resources to address their identity deficits and conflicts, ultimately resolving them by pursuing a sustainable career path as teacher-researchers in their situated socio-institutional environment. CONCLUSION: Despite their different identity trajectories, the construction of the participants' teacher-researcher identity facilitated their continuing professional development. This study contributes to our understanding of the complexities of EFL teachers' identity (re)construction when seeking to establish sustainable career paths in a changing academic context. This study also has implications for both EFL academics and university management on how to assist EFL teachers in integrating teacher and researcher identities to achieve sustainable professional development in higher education.

128. Implementation strategies and outcomes of school-based programs for adolescent suicide prevention: A scoping review protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Vargas B, Martínez P, Mac-Ginty S

OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aims to identify and map the empirical literature on the implementation strategies and outcomes of school-based programs for adolescent suicide prevention (SBASP). INTRODUCTION: School-based programs are preferred interventions for preventing suicide in adolescents, and their effectiveness has been well-systematized in several reviews. Implementation research is a growing field for prevention programs, making it possible to understand the nature of success or failure outcomes and maximize intervention benefits. However, there is a knowledge gap in the implementation research applied to adolescent suicide prevention in the educational context. We conduct a scoping review to provide the first overview of the scope of implementation research applied to adolescent suicide prevention programs in the school setting to know what implementation strategies and outcomes are reported by these programs and how they are evaluated. METHODS: The proposed scoping review will be conducted following six stages, including the definition of objectives. Studies must be empirical and address implementation strategies or implementation outcomes of school-based programs for adolescent suicide prevention. Studies that focused exclusively on clinical efficacy or effectiveness evaluation will be excluded. A preliminary search of PubMed was conducted to refine the initial search strings, followed by a final search of several other electronic databases. Finally, a gray literature search will identify unpublished literature and reduce location bias. There will be no limits to a specific date. Two independent reviewers will screen, select, and extract the retrieved records. The results will be presented using tabular forms and a narrative summary with attention to the review objectives and research questions and their implications for research and practice of school-based programs for adolescent suicide prevention.

129. Unidirectional fluxes of monovalent ions in human erythrocytes compared with lymphoid U937 cells: Transient processes after stopping the sodium pump and in response to osmotic challenge.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Yurinskaya VE, Moshkov AV, Marakhova II

130. A pragmatic evaluation of university student experience of remote digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on lessons learned for future practice.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Brown M, Hoon AE, Edwards M

131. High levels of indoor fine particulate matter during the cold season in Almaty prompt urgent public health action.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Vinnikov D, Rapisarda V, Babanov S

132. Technologies and social services. An overview of technology use by users of social services.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Moreno RM, Borrero MF, Ferri Fuentevilla E

133. Youth-to-senior transition in women's and girls' football: Towards a better understanding of relative age effects and gender-specific considerations.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Brustio PR, Modena R, Boccia G

134. Definition and surgical timing in cauda equina syndrome-An updated systematic review.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Mustafa MA, Richardson GE, Gillespie CS

135. Publication bias in simulation model studies: The case of ethanol literature.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Thompson W, Hoang H, Whistance J

136. Dental size variation in admixed Latin Americans: Effects of age, sex and genomic ancestry.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Yang G, Chen Y, Li Q

137. AIDS Drug Assistance Program disenrollment is associated with loss of viral suppression beyond differences in homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorders: An evaluation in Washington state 2017-2019.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Erly SJ, Khosropour CM, Hajat A

138. Infection of the maternal-fetal interface and vertical transmission following low-dose inoculation of pregnant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with an African-lineage Zika virus.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Koenig MR, Mitzey AM, Morgan TK

BACKGROUND: Congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) infection can result in birth defects, including malformations in the fetal brain and visual system. There are two distinct genetic lineages of ZIKV: African and Asian. Asian-lineage ZIKVs have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in humans; however, recent evidence from experimental models suggests that African-lineage viruses can also be vertically transmitted and cause fetal harm. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To evaluate the pathway of vertical transmission of African-lineage ZIKV, we inoculated nine pregnant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) subcutaneously with 44 plaque-forming units of a ZIKV strain from Senegal, (ZIKV-DAK). Dams were inoculated either at gestational day 30 or 45. Following maternal inoculation, pregnancies were surgically terminated seven or 14 days later and fetal and maternal-fetal interface tissues were collected and evaluated. Infection in the dams was evaluated via plasma viremia and neutralizing antibody titers pre- and post- ZIKV inoculation. All dams became productively infected and developed strong neutralizing antibody responses. ZIKV RNA was detected in maternal-fetal interface tissues (placenta, decidua, and fetal membranes) by RT-qPCR and in situ hybridization. In situ hybridization detected ZIKV predominantly in the decidua and revealed that the fetal membranes may play a role in ZIKV vertical transmission. Infectious ZIKV was detected in the amniotic fluid of three pregnancies and one fetus had ZIKV RNA detected in multiple tissues. No significant pathology was observed in any fetus; and ZIKV did not have a substantial effect on the placenta. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates that a very low dose of African-lineage ZIKV can be vertically transmitted to the macaque fetus during pregnancy. The low inoculating dose used in this study suggests a low minimal infectious dose for rhesus macaques. Vertical transmission with a low dose in macaques further supports the high epidemic potential of African ZIKV strains.

139. Cognitive representations of handball tactic actions in athletes-The function of expertise and age.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Vogel L, Schack T.

The tactical cooperation for the optimal interaction of team members is an essential performance-determining variable in sports games. The underlying cognitive memory structures of cooperative tactical actions have so far been little researched. Therefore, this study investigated the cognitive memory structure of tactical knowledge of handball actions in teams of different expertise and age groups. In the first experiment, tactical mental representation structures (TMRS) of 30 adult handball players of two different level of expertise were investigated. In the second experiment, TMRS of 57 youth handball players from three age levels were investigated. In both experiments the TMRS was measured with the structure dimensional analysis of mental representation (SDA-M) method. The SDA-M commences with a splitting procedure of a given set of concepts and reveals with a cluster analysis the relational structures of the concepts on an individual and a group level. Experiment one revealed that the TMRS differed significantly between skilled either/or less experienced handball players. Skilled handball players showed a hierarchical organized representation that shared more features with the basic tactical structure of the handball game than less experienced players. The second experiment revealed age-related differences of the TMRS between the age groups of the U15, U17 and U19 teams. Further data analysis revealed significant differences of the TMRS between experienced and less experienced handball players and between local and regional competition level players. We conclude that our current findings suggest that tactical expertise is mediated by elaborate cognitive tactical knowledge in memory. Furthermore, our results indicate that tactical knowledge plays a substantial role during tactical skill learning as it differs as function of age, experience, and competition level. From this point of view, team representations of game situations can be seen as a crucial factor for efficient and common interaction in fast-paced team sports.

140. Research and design of an intelligent fish tank system.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Fu S, Xing W, Wu J

141. Efficacy of home-based inspiratory muscle training in patients post-covid-19: Protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Gonçalo Silva GA, Nogueira IDB, da Silva Chiappa GR

INTRODUCTION: Current evidence suggests the emergence of a novel syndrome (long COVID syndrome) due to sequels and persistent COVID-19 symptoms. Respiratory muscle training improves respiratory muscle strength, exercise capacity, diaphragm thickness, and dyspnea, especially in patients with decreased respiratory muscle strength. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a protocol for home-based inspiratory muscle training to improve respiratory muscle strength, dyspnea, and quality of life of patients post-COVID-19. METHODS AND ANALYSES: This randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial will be conducted at the Instituto de Medicina Tropical of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil). Sample size will be determined using maximal inspiratory pressure after a pilot study with five patients per group (total of 10 patients). Patients included in the study will be evaluated in three moments: pre-training (initial), post-training (three weeks), and retention (24 weeks). The sample will be randomized in two groups: active (IMT using 30% of IMT and load increase of 10% of initial IMT every week. Patients will perform 30 repetitions, twice a day (morning and afternoon), for seven consecutive days, and six weeks) and SHAM (IMT without load). The following measurements will be assessed: anthropometry, respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary volume and capacity, dyspnea, perception of effort and lower limb fatigue, handgrip strength, functional capacity, anxiety, depression, and functional status. After initial evaluation, all patients will receive a POWERbreathe® (POWERbreathe®, HaB Ltd, Southam, UK) device to perform the training. Normality will be verified using Shapiro-Wilk or Kolmogorov-Smirnov, according to the number of patients included. Variables presenting nonparametric distribution will be compared using Wilcoxon (intragroup analysis) and Mann-Whitney test (intergroup analysis), whereas repeated measures two-way ANOVA will be performed in case of parametric distribution. Dunn's post hoc test will be used to identify significant differences in the two-way ANOVA test. PRIMARY OUTCOMES: Respiratory muscle strength, dyspnea, and quality of life of post-COVID-19 patients. SECOND OUTCOMES: Pulmonary function, dyspnea, exercise tolerance, handgrip strength, anxiety, depression, and functional status. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial register number NCT05077241.

142. Response of water and photosynthetic physiological characteristics to leaf humidification in Calligonum ebinuricum.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Wang H, Li Z, Ji S

143. Effect of spring nitrogen fertilization on bearing and branching behaviors of young apple trees.

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2023 May 4

Mészáros M, Hnátková H, Čonka P

144. Impact of maternal protein restriction on Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF) expression in male fetal kidney development.

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2023 May 4

Gomes JS, Sene LB, Lamana GL

145. Construction and application of computerized risk assessment model for supply chain finance under technology empowerment.

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2023 May 4

Huang B, Gan W.

146. Why do family firms dismiss their family CEOs? A perspective on kinship ties.

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2023 May 4

Yu X, Sun S, Cheng X

147. Symptoms of major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans with mild traumatic brain injury: A network analysis.

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2023 May 4

Shi S, Almklov E, Afari N

148. Diurnal regulation of metabolism by Gs-alpha in hypothalamic QPLOT neurons.

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2023 May 4

Gaitonde KD, Andrabi M, Burger CA

Neurons in the hypothalamic preoptic area (POA) regulate multiple homeostatic processes, including thermoregulation and sleep, by sensing afferent input and modulating sympathetic nervous system output. The POA has an autonomous circadian clock and may also receive circadian signals indirectly from the suprachiasmatic nucleus. We have previously defined a subset of neurons in the POA termed QPLOT neurons that are identified by the expression of molecular markers (Qrfp, Ptger3, LepR, Opn5, Tacr3) that suggest receptivity to multiple stimuli. Because Ptger3, Opn5, and Tacr3 encode G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), we hypothesized that elucidating the G-protein signaling in these neurons is essential to understanding the interplay of inputs in the regulation of metabolism. Here, we describe how the stimulatory Gs-alpha subunit (Gnas) in QPLOT neurons regulates metabolism in mice. We analyzed Opn5cre; Gnasfl/fl mice using indirect calorimetry at ambient temperatures of 22°C (a historical standard), 10°C (a cold challenge), and 28°C (thermoneutrality) to assess the ability of QPLOT neurons to regulate metabolism. We observed a marked decrease in nocturnal locomotion of Opn5cre; Gnasfl/fl mice at both 28°C and 22°C, but no overall differences in energy expenditure, respiratory exchange, or food and water consumption. To analyze daily rhythmic patterns of metabolism, we assessed circadian parameters including amplitude, phase, and MESOR. Loss-of-function GNAS in QPLOT neurons resulted in several subtle rhythmic changes in multiple metabolic parameters. We observed that Opn5cre; Gnasfl/fl mice show a higher rhythm-adjusted mean energy expenditure at 22°C and 10°C, and an exaggerated respiratory exchange shift with temperature. At 28°C, Opn5cre; Gnasfl/fl mice have a significant delay in the phase of energy expenditure and respiratory exchange. Rhythmic analysis also showed limited increases in rhythm-adjusted means of food and water intake at 22°C and 28°C. Together, these data advance our understanding of Gαs-signaling in preoptic QPLOT neurons in regulating daily patterns of metabolism.

149. Inhibition of casein kinase 2 induces cell death in tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistant chronic myelogenous leukemia cells.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Mitrovský O, Myslivcová D, Macháčková-Lopotová T

150. Barriers to and enablers of the HIV services continuum among gay and bisexual men worldwide: Findings from the Global Men's Health and Rights Study.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Arreola S, Santos GM, Solares D

OBJECTIVES: To assess ecological, structural, community and individual level correlates of health services utilization along a continuum of HIV care, and sexual health and support services among gay and bisexual men worldwide. METHODS: Using a nonprobability internet sample of 6,135 gay and bisexual men, we assessed correlates of utilization of health services. Chi-Square Tests of Independence were performed to assess drop off along a continuum of HIV care. Multivariable logistic regression analyses using generalized estimating equation models were conducted adjusting for geographic region and clustering by country. In multivariable analyses, we determined the association between utilization outcomes, and ecologic, structural, community and individual correlates by fitting separate generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression models for each of the outcomes, fitted with robust SEs, and accounting for clustering by country. Stratified by sexual identity, analyses adjusted for variables that could influence HIV-related health outcomes including racial/ethnic minority status, participant age, insurance, ability to make ends meet, as well as country-level income (income of country of residence defined by the World Bank). RESULTS: Among men living with HIV (n = 1001), being in HIV care (n = 867) was associated with being on ART (X2 = 191.17, p < .001), and viral load suppression (X2 = 14.03, p < .001); and using ART (n = 840) was associated viral load suppression (X2 = 21.66, p < .001). Overall, the pattern of utilization outcomes were similar for both gay and bisexual men. For example, utilization of PrEP, being in HIV care and utilization of most of the sexual health and support services were negatively associated with sexual stigma. Whereas, utilization of most HIV prevention, and sexual health and support services were positively associated with provider discrimination. Utilization of all HIV prevention and all sexual health services were positively associated with greater community engagement, and receiving services from LGBT-led organizations. Bisexual men had higher odds of reporting provider discrimination when utilizing condom services (gay: AOR = 1.14, [0.95-1.36]; bisexual: 1.58, [1.10-2.28]), PrEP (gay: AOR = 1.06, [0.77-1.45]; bisexual: AOR = 2.14, [1.18-3.89], mental health services (gay: AOR = 1.03, [0.86-1.23]; bisexual: AOR = 1.32, [1.07-1.64]), and community-based support (gay: AOR = 1.23, [1.05-1.45]; bisexual: AOR = 1.49, [1.14-1.93]) than gay men. Bisexual men also reported higher odds of accessing services from LGBT-led organizations when utilizing PrEP (gay: AOR = 5.26, [2.50-11.05]; bisexual: AOR = 7.12, [3.16-16.04]), and community-based support/self-help groups/individual counseling (gay: AOR = 2.63, [1.72-4.01]; bisexual: AOR = 3.35, [2.30-4.88]. CONCLUSIONS: It is essential that barriers to health services utilization be addressed at structural and community levels. Structural interventions should be designed to reduce sexual stigma, as well as train and sensitize healthcare providers; and strengthen community level interventions that bring gay and bisexual men together to lead comprehensive health services.

151. Breakfast habits, sedentary behavior, and suicide among Korean adolescents: A cross-sectional national study.

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2023 May 4

Kim JS, Seo Y.

152. Association between car driving and successful ageing. A cross sectional study on the "S.AGES" cohort.

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2023 May 4

Baudouin E, Zitoun S, Corruble E

153. Fatty acid binding protein 1 and fatty acid synthetase over-expression have differential effects on collagen III synthesis and cross-linking in Zongdihua pig primary adipocytes.

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2023 May 4

Yang R, Zhou D, Yan Z

154. Laboratory evaluation of open source and commercial electrical conductivity sensor precision and accuracy: How do they compare?

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2023 May 4

Fulton SG, Stegen JC, Kaufman MH

155. The prevalence and factors associated with mental disorders in a community setting in central Uganda.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Akena D, Kiguba R, Muwhezi WW

156. Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocyte co-culture with the monocyte cell line THP-1 does not trigger production of soluble factors reducing brain microvascular barrier function.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Storm J, Camarda G, Haley MJ

157. Feasibility of tobacco cessation intervention at non-communicable diseases clinics: A qualitative study from a North Indian State.

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2023 May 4

Bhatt G, Goel S, Grover S

BACKGROUND: One of the 'best buys' for preventing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) is to reduce tobacco use. The synergy scenario of NCDs with tobacco use necessitates converging interventions under two vertical programs to address co-morbidities and other collateral benefits. The current study was undertaken with an objective to ascertain the feasibility of integrating a tobacco cessation package into NCD clinics, especially from the perspective of healthcare providers, along with potential drivers and barriers impacting its implementation. METHODS: A disease-specific, patient-centric, and culturally-sensitive tobacco cessation intervention package was developed (published elsewhere) for the Health Care Providers (HCPs) and patients attending the NCD clinics of Punjab, India. The HCPs received training on how to deliver the package. Between January to April 2020, we conducted a total of 45 in-depth interviews [medical officers (n = 12), counselors (n = 13), program officers (n = 10), and nurses (n = 10)] within the trained cohort across various districts of Punjab until no new information emerged. The interview data wereanalyzed deductively based on six focus areas concerning feasibility studies (acceptability, demand, adaptation, practicality, implementation, and integration) using the 7- step Framework method of qualitative analysis and put under preset themes. RESULTS: The respondent's Mean ± SD age was 39.2± 9.2 years, and years of service in the current position were 5.5 ± 3.7 years. The study participants emphasized the role of HCPs in cessation support (theme: appropriateness and suitability), use of motivational interviewing, 5A's & 5R's protocol learned during the training & tailoring the cessation advice (theme: actual use of intervention activities); preferred face-to-face counseling using regional images, metaphors, language, case vignettes in package (theme: the extent of delivery to intended participants). Besides, they also highlighted various roadblocks and facilitators during implementation at four levels, viz. HCP, facility, patient, and community (theme: barriers and favorable factors); suggested various adaptations to keep the HCPs motivated along with the development of integrated standard operating procedures (SOPs), digitalization of the intervention package, involvement of grassroots level workers (theme: modifications required); the establishment of an inter-programmatic referral system, and a strong politico-administrative commitment (theme: integrational perspectives). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that implementing a tobacco cessation intervention package through the existing NCD clinics is feasible, and it forges synergies to obtain mutual benefits. Therefore, an integrated approach at the primary & secondary levels needs to be adopted to strengthen the existing healthcare systems.

158. Identification of a novel path for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage of the human brain.

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2023 May 4

Pessa JE.

159. Pilot protocol for the Parent and Infant Inter(X)action Intervention (PIXI) feasibility study.

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2023 May 4

Wheeler AC, Okoniewski KC, Scott S

160. The microbiome of an outpatient rehabilitation clinic and predictors of contamination: A pilot study.

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2023 May 4

Brigando G, Sutton C, Uebelhor O

161. Organoids containing neural-like cells derived from chicken iPSCs respond to poly:IC through the RLR family.

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2023 May 4

Katayama M, Onuma M, Kato N

162. Systematics and phylogeography of bats of the genus Rhynchonycteris (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae): Integrating molecular phylogenetics, ecological niche modeling and morphometric data.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Biganzoli-Rangel AJ, Leon-Alvarado OD, Robe LJ

163. Comparison of complications between reverse-tapered and nontapered peripherally inserted central catheters.

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2023 May 4

Bae HS, Kim KY, Han YM.

164. Visitation patterns of two ray mesopredators at shellfish aquaculture leases in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.

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2023 May 4

Cahill BV, DeGroot BC, Brewster LR

The Indian River Lagoon is a primary location of field-based "grow-out" for bivalve shellfish aquaculture along Florida's Atlantic coast. Grow-out locations have substantially higher clam densities than surrounding ambient sediment, potentially attracting mollusk predators to the area. Inspired by clammer reports of damaged grow-out gear, we used passive acoustic telemetry to examine the potential interactions between two highly mobile invertivores-whitespotted eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari) and cownose rays (Rhinoptera spp.)-and two clam lease sites in Sebastian, FL and compared these to nearby reference sites (Saint Sebastian River mouth, Sebastian Inlet) from 01 June 2017 to 31 May 2019. Clam lease detections accounted for 11.3% and 5.6% of total detections within the study period, for cownose and whitespotted eagle rays, respectively. Overall, the inlet sites logged the highest proportion of detections for whitespotted eagle rays (85.6%), while cownose rays (11.1%) did not use the inlet region extensively. However, both species had significantly more detections at the inlet receivers during the day, and on the lagoon receivers during the night. Both species exhibited long duration visits (> 17.1 min) to clam lease sites, with the longest visit being 387.5 min. These visit durations did not vary substantially between species, although there was individual variability. Based on generalized additive mixed models, longer visits were observed around 1000 and 1800 h for cownose and whitespotted eagle rays, respectively. Since 84% of all visits were from whitespotted eagle rays and these longer visits were significantly longer at night, this information suggests that observed interactions with the clam leases are potentially underestimated, given most clamming operations occur during daytime (i.e., morning). These results justify the need for continued monitoring of mobile invertivores in the region, including additional experimentation to assess behaviors (e.g., foraging) exhibited at the clam lease sites.

165. Assessment of remote ischemic conditioning delivery with optical sensor in acute ischemic stroke: Randomised clinical trial protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Nair R, Sarmiento R, Sheriff A

BACKGROUND: Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is delivered by a blood pressure cuff over the limb, raising pressure 50 mmHg above the systolic blood pressure, to a maximum of 200 mmHg. The cuff is inflated for five minutes and then deflated for five minutes in a sequential ischemia-reperfusion cycle 4-5 times per session. Elevated pressure in the limb may be associated with discomfort and consequently reduced compliance. Continuous assessment of relative blood concentration and oxygenation with a tissue reflectance spectroscopy (a type of optical sensor device) placed over the forearm during the RIC sessions of the arm will allow us to observe the effect of inflation and deflation of the pressure cuff. We hypothesize, in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and small vessel disease, RIC delivered together with a tissue reflectance sensor will be feasible. METHODS: The study is a prospective, single-center, randomized control trial testing the feasibility of the device. Patients with AIS within 7 days from symptoms onset; who also have small vessel disease will be randomized 2:1 to intervention or sham control arms. All patients randomized to the intervention arm will receive 5 cycles of ischemia/reperfusion in the non-paralyzed upper limb with a tissue reflectance sensor and patients in the sham control arm will receive pressure by keeping the cuff pressure at 30 mmHg for 5 minutes. A total of 51 patients will be randomized, 17 in the sham control arm and 34 in the intervention arm. The primary outcome measure will be the feasibility of RIC delivered for 7 days or at the time of discharge. The secondary device-related outcome measures are fidelity of RIC delivery and the completion rate of intervention. The secondary clinical outcome includes a modified Rankin scale, recurrent stroke and cognitive assessment at 90 days. DISCUSSION: RIC delivery together with a tissue reflectance sensor will allow insight into the blood concentration and blood oxygenation changes in the skin. This will allow individualized delivery of the RIC and improve compliance. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05408130, June 7, 2022.

166. Symmetric collateral pattern on CTA predicts favorable outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion stroke.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Regenhardt RW, Lev MH, He J

167. Improving quality of life and self-care for patients on hemodialysis using cognitive behavioral strategies: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

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2023 May 4

Shirazian S, Smaldone AM, Jacobson AM

INTRODUCTION: Behavioral-education interventions have the potential to improve quality of life and self-care for patients on hemodialysis (HD) but have not been incorporated into routine clinical practice. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of delivering a simple behavioral-education intervention using cognitive behavioral strategies in patients receiving HD with poor quality of life. METHODS: In this mixed methods study, HD patients were randomly assigned to the study intervention (8 behavioral-education sessions delivered over 12 weeks) or a control group of dialysis education alone. Kidney disease quality of life (KDQOL)-36 scores, depressive symptoms and self-care behaviors were measured at weeks 0, 8, and 16. Following study completion, participants, social workers, and physicians provided their perspectives about the intervention via qualitative interviews. FINDINGS: Forty-five participants were randomized. Due, in part, to social worker attrition from the intervention arm, 34 participants (76%) completed at least 1 study session and were included in the analysis. The intervention led to modest, but non-significant, increase in KDQOL-physical component summary scores (+3.1±1.2 points) from week 0 to week 16. There were small, non-significant decreases in interdialytic weight gain and pre-dialysis phosphorus levels in the intervention group. Participants felt that chair-side delivery was practical and efficient, and that content related to the impact of dialysis on daily life was unique and important. Suggestions for adapting the intervention included narrowing its content and its delivery by additional providers that are not necessarily therapy trained. DISCUSSION: In this pilot study, we were able to deliver a simple behavioral-education intervention to improve both quality of life and self-care. Participants had a positive impression of the intervention, but we did not find significant improvements in quality of life or self-care. We will now adapt our intervention by narrowing its content and by using other providers that are focused solely on delivering the intervention.

168. Biochemical and histopathological evaluation of ChAdOx1-S and BBIBP-CorV vaccination in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats.

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2023 May 4

Teymoorzadeh M, Daneshfar N, Yazdanparast R.

169. Interpretable machine learning with tree-based shapley additive explanations: Application to metabolomics datasets for binary classification.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Bifarin OO.

170. Examining the convergence of dominant themes related to social entrepreneurship, NGOs and globalization-A systematic literature review.

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2023 May 4

Hussain MR, Szabados GN, Muhammad KB

171. Micro-targeting consumers to reduce consumptive externalities.

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2023 May 4

Sheldon TL, DeShazo JR, Friscia BL.

172. Numerical assessment of wake-based estimation of instantaneous lift in flapping flight of large birds.

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2023 May 4

Colognesi V, Ronsse R, Chatelain P.

173. Perinatal mortality rate and adverse perinatal outcomes presumably attributable to placental dysfunction in (near) term gestation: A nationwide 5-year cohort study.

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2023 May 4

Damhuis SE, Kamphof HD, Ravelli ACJ

INTRODUCTION: Placental dysfunction can lead to perinatal hypoxic events including stillbirth. Unless there is overt severe fetal growth restriction, placental dysfunction is frequently not identified in (near) term pregnancy, particularly because fetal size is not necessarily small. This study aimed to evaluate, among (near) term births, the burden of hypoxia-related adverse perinatal outcomes reflected in an association with birth weight centiles as a proxy for placental function. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A nationwide 5-year cohort of the Dutch national birth registry (PeriNed) including 684,938 singleton pregnancies between 36+0 and 41+6 weeks of gestation. Diabetes, congenital anomalies, chromosomal abnormalities and non-cephalic presentations at delivery were excluded. The main outcome was antenatal mortality rate according to birthweight centiles and gestational age. Secondary outcomes included perinatal hypoxia-related outcomes, including perinatal death and neonatal morbidity, analyzed according to birthweight centiles. RESULTS: Between 2015 and 2019, 1,074 perinatal deaths (0.16%) occurred in the study population (n = 684,938), of which 727 (0.10%) antenatally. Of all antenatal- and perinatal deaths, 29.4% and 27.9% occurred in birthweights below the 10th centile. The incidence of perinatal hypoxia-related outcomes was highest in fetuses with lowest birthweight centiles (18.0%), falling gradually up to the 50th and 90th centile where the lowest rates of hypoxia-related outcomes (5.4%) were observed. CONCLUSION: Perinatal hypoxia-related events have the highest incidence in the lowest birthweight centiles but are identifiable throughout the entire spectrum. In fact, the majority of the adverse outcome burden in absolute numbers occurs in the group with a birthweight above the 10th centile. We hypothesize that in most cases these events are attributable to reduced placental function. Additional diagnostic modalities that indicate placental dysfunction at (near) term gestation throughout all birth weight centiles are eagerly wanted.

174. Feasibility of measuring fusional vergence amplitudes objectively.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Rovira-Gay C, Mestre C, Argiles M

175. A tool for measuring mental workload during prosthesis use: The Prosthesis Task Load Index (PROS-TLX).

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2023 May 4

Parr JVV, Galpin A, Uiga L

176. Does the disclosure of key audit matters improve the audit quality for sustainable development: Empirical evidence from China.

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2023 May 4

Lin J.

177. Norwegian version of the Edinburgh cognitive and behavioural ALS screen: Construct validity, internal consistency, inter-rater, and test-retest reliability.

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2023 May 4

Taule T, Eide IS, Fjær L

178. Flow chamber staining modality for real-time inspection of dynamic phenotypes in multiple histological stains.

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2023 May 4

Li Z, Muench G, Goebel S

Traditional histological stains, such as hematoxylin-eosin (HE), special stains, and immunofluorescence (IF), have defined myriads of cellular phenotypes and tissue structures in a separate stained section. However, the precise connection of information conveyed by the various stains in the same section, which may be important for diagnosis, is absent. Here, we present a new staining modality-Flow chamber stain, which complies with the current staining workflow but possesses newly additional features non-seen in conventional stains, allowing for (1) quickly switching staining modes between destain and restain for multiplex staining in one single section from routinely histological preparation, (2) real-time inspecting and digitally capturing each specific stained phenotype, and (3) efficiently synthesizing graphs containing the tissue multiple-stained components at site-specific regions. Comparisons of its stains with those by the conventional staining fashions using the microscopic images of mouse tissues (lung, heart, liver, kidney, esophagus, and brain), involving stains of HE, Periodic acid-Schiff, Sirius red, and IF for Human IgG, and mouse CD45, hemoglobin, and CD31, showed no major discordance. Repetitive experiments testing on targeted areas of stained sections confirmed the method is reliable with accuracy and high reproducibility. Using the technique, the targets of IF were easily localized and seen structurally in HE- or special-stained sections, and the unknown or suspected components or structures in HE-stained sections were further determined in histological special stains or IF. By the technique, staining processing was videoed and made a backup for off-site pathologists, which facilitates tele-consultation or -education in current digital pathology. Mistakes, which might occur during the staining process, can be immediately found and amended accordingly. With the technique, a single section can provide much more information than the traditional stained counterpart. The staining mode bears great potential to become a common supplementary tool for traditional histopathology.

179. Ocimum tenuiflorum extract (HOLIXERTM): Possible effects on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in modulating stress.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

C M MG, Murugan SK, Bethapudi B

180. Factors of well-being of youth with complex medical conditions from the experience of hospitalization and convalescence: A pilot study.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Muñoz-Violant S, Violant-Holz V, Rodríguez MJ.

181. RyR2 regulates store-operated Ca2+ entry, phospholipase C activity, and electrical excitability in the insulinoma cell line INS-1.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Harvey KE, Tang S, LaVigne EK

182. Strategies of property developers in the context of carbon tax.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Yao Q, Shao L, Yin Z

183. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in pregnancy: National trends of treatment, predictors, and outcomes.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Khatibi K, Saber H, Patel S

184. Transcriptomics of ivermectin response in Caenorhabditis elegans: Integrating abamectin quantitative trait loci and comparison to the Ivermectin-exposed DA1316 strain.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Dube F, Hinas A, Delhomme N

185. Effect of operators' proficiency level and patients' related factors on possible complications, using a high frequency polyamide sonic intracanal irrigation device: A prospective clinical cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Hahn T, Christofzik DW, Fawzy El-Sayed K

OBJECTIVES: Sonic/ultrasonic devices are essential tools in today's endodontics. This prospective trial evaluated for the first time the impact of practitioners' proficiency levels and patient-related factors on complications associated with a high frequency polyamide sonic irrigant activation device. METHODS: In total 334 patients (females:158, males:176; age:18-95 years) received in the course of their endodontic therapy an intracanal irrigation, using a high frequency polyamide sonic irrigant activation device, by practitioners of different proficiency levels (undergraduate students, general practitioners or endodontists). Intracanal bleeding (yes/no), postoperative pain (0-10 scale), emphysema (yes/no) and polyamide tip fractures (yes/no) were recorded and related to proficiency levels, age, gender, tooth type, smoking-status, systemic conditions affecting healing ability, baseline pain, swelling, fistula, sensitivity to percussion and diagnosis. RESULTS: Intracanal bleeding was associated with patients' age (p<0.05), baseline pain level (OR = 1.14, 95%CI = 0.91-1.22) and baseline swelling (OR = 2.73, 95%CI = 0.14-0.99; p<0.05) but not proficiency level, gender, tooth type, smoking, systemic conditions, baseline fistula or sensitivity to percussion (p>0.05). Postoperative pain development was related to proficiency level (p<0.05) and baseline pain level (p<0.001), with no influence of age, gender, tooth type, smoking, systemic conditions, baseline fistula, swelling or sensitivity to percussion (p>0.05). Emphysema and polyamide tip fractures were not reported. CONCLUSIONS: Within the current study's limitations, younger patients with higher baseline pain and swelling, were associated with higher intracanal bleeding. Apart from higher postoperative pain observed with less experienced practitioners, proficiency level had no influence on bleeding, polyamide tip fracture or emphysema, endorsing the high frequency polyamide sonic irrigation device as a safe therapeutic device.

186. A stochastic compartmental model to simulate intra- and inter-species influenza transmission in an indoor swine farm.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Kontowicz E, Moreno-Madriñan M, Ragland D

Common in swine production worldwide, influenza causes significant clinical disease and potential transmission to the workforce. Swine vaccines are not universally used in swine production, due to their limited efficacy because of continuously evolving influenza viruses. We evaluated the effects of vaccination, isolation of infected pigs, and changes to workforce routine (ensuring workers moved from younger pig batches to older pig batches). A Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered model was used to simulate stochastic influenza transmission during a single production cycle on an indoor hog growing unit containing 4000 pigs and two workers. The absence of control practices resulted in 3,957 pigs [0-3971] being infected and a 0.61 probability of workforce infection. Assuming incoming pigs had maternal-derived antibodies (MDAs), but no control measures were applied, the total number of infected pigs reduced to 1 [0-3958] and the probability of workforce infection was 0.25. Mass vaccination (40% efficacious) of incoming pigs also reduced the total number of infected pigs to 2362 [0-2374] or 0 [0-2364] in pigs assumed to not have MDAs and have MDAs, respectively. Changing the worker routine by starting with younger to older pig batches, reduced the number of infected pigs to 996 [0-1977] and the probability of workforce infection (0.22) in pigs without MDAs. In pigs with MDAs the total number of infected pigs was reduced to 0 [0-994] and the probability of workforce infection was 0.06. All other control practices alone, showed little improvement in reducing total infected pigs and the probability of workforce infection. Combining all control strategies reduced the total number of infected pigs to 0 or 1 with a minimal probability of workforce infection (<0.0002-0.01). These findings suggest that non-pharmaceutical interventions can reduce the impact of influenza on swine production and workers when efficacious vaccines are unavailable.

187. Identification of the pore-forming and binding domains of the Sneathia vaginalis cytopathogenic toxin A.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

O'Brien CK, Raskin JR, Amankwa Asare I

188. Increased serum extracellular vesicle miR-144-3p and miR-486a-3p in a mouse model of adipose tissue regeneration promote hepatocyte proliferation by targeting Txnip.

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2023 May 4

Niitsu Y, Komiya C, Takeuchi A

189. Availability optimization of power generating units used in sewage treatment plants using metaheuristic techniques.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Saini M, Kumar A, Saini DK

190. Device-measured sitting time and musculoskeletal pain in adults with normal glucose metabolism, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes-The Maastricht Study.

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2023 May 4

Dzakpasu FQS, Koster A, Owen N

BACKGROUND: Detrimental associations of sedentary behaviour (time spent sitting) with musculoskeletal pain (MSP) conditions have been observed. However, findings on those with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes (T2D) have not been reported. We examined the linear and non-linear associations of device-measured daily sitting time with MSP outcomes according to glucose metabolism status (GMS). METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 2827 participants aged 40-75 years in the Maastricht Study (1728 with normal glucose metabolism (NGM); 441 with prediabetes; 658 with T2D), for whom valid data were available on activPAL-derived daily sitting time, MSP [neck, shoulder, low back, and knee pain], and GMS. Associations were examined by logistic regression analyses, adjusted serially for relevant confounders, including moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and body mass index (BMI). Restricted cubic splines were used to further examine non-linear relationships. RESULTS: The fully adjusted model (including BMI, MVPA, and history of cardiovascular disease) showed daily sitting time to be significantly associated with knee pain in the overall sample (OR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.01-1.12) and in those with T2D (OR = 1.11, 95%CI: 1.00-1.22); this was not statistically significant in those with prediabetes (OR = 1.04, 95%CI: 0.91-1.18) or NGM (OR = 1.05, 95%CI: 0.98-1.13). There were no statistically significant associations between daily sitting time and neck, shoulder, or low back pain in any of the models. Furthermore, the non-linear relationships were statistically non-significant. CONCLUSION: Among middle-aged and older adults with T2D, daily sitting time was significantly associated with higher odds of knee pain, but not with neck, shoulder, or low back pain. No significant association was observed in those without T2D for neck, shoulder, low back, or knee pain. Future studies, preferably those utilising prospective designs, could examine additional attributes of daily sitting (e.g., sitting bouts and domain-specific sitting time) and the potential relationships of knee pain with mobility limitations.

191. Efficacy of the combination of monoclonal antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Beta and Delta variants.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Boonkrai C, Cotrone TS, Chaisuriyong W

192. Effects of brand and brand trust on initial trust in fully automated driving system.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Cui Z, Tu N, Itoh M.

193. Influence of farmland confirmation on farmland abandonment in China.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Wu Z, Zheng W, Yang Z.

194. The effect of the genomic GC content bias of prokaryotic organisms on the secondary structures of their proteins.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Barceló-Antemate D, Fontove-Herrera F, Santos W

195. Perspectives of economic losses due to condemnation of cattle and buffalo carcasses in the northern region of Brazil.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Silva WCD, Camargo RNC Júnior, Silva ÉBRD

196. Exploring access to HIV-related services and programmatic gaps for Men having Sex with Men (MSM) in rural India- a qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Bangar S, Mohan U, Kumar S

BACKGROUND: Despite the Link Worker Scheme to address the HIV risk and vulnerabilities in rural areas, reaching out to unreached men having sex with men (MSM) remains a challenge in rural India. This study explored issues around health care access and programmatic gaps among MSM in rural settings of India. METHODS: We conducted eight Focused Group Discussions (FGDs), 20 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), and 20 In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) in four rural sites in Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh between November 2018 and September 2019. The data in the local language were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated. Data were analyzed in NVivo version 11.0 software using the grounded theory approach. RESULTS: Primary barriers to health care access were lack of knowledge, myths and misconceptions, not having faith in the quality of services, program invisibility in a rural setting, and anticipated stigma at government health facilities. Government-targeted intervention services did not seem to be optimally advertised in rural areas as MSM showed a lack of information about it. Those who knew reported not accessing the available government facilities due to lack of ambient services, fear of the stigma transforming into fear of breach of confidentiality. One MSM from Odisha expressed, "…they get fear to go to the hospital because they know that hospital will not maintain confidentiality because they are local people. If society will know about them, then family life will be disturbed" [OR-R-KI-04]. Participants expressed the desire for services similar to those provided by the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), frontline health workers for MSM. CONCLUSION: Programme invisibility emerges as the most critical issue for rural and young MSM. Adolescent and panthis emerged as Hidden MSM and they need focused attention from the programme. The need for village-level workers such as ASHA specifically for the MSM population emerged. MSM-friendly health clinics would help to improve healthcare access in rural MSMs under Sexual and Reproductive Health Care.

197. Broad-scale factors shaping the ecological niche and geographic distribution of Spirodela polyrhiza.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Cobos ME, Peterson AT.

198. Identifying miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks on extreme n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio expression profiles in porcine skeletal muscle.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Manaig YJY, Criado-Mesas L, Esteve-Codina A

199. The relationship between psychology practice and complementary medicine in Australia: Psychologists' demographics and practice characteristics regarding type of engagement across a range of complementary medicine modalities.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Thomson-Casey C, McIntyre E, Rogers K

200. Associations between resting state functional brain connectivity and childhood anhedonia: A reproduction and replication study.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Zhou Y, Pat N, Neale MC.

BACKGROUND: Previously, a study using a sample of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD)® study from the earlier 1.0 release found differences in several resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI) brain connectivity measures associated with children reporting anhedonia. Here, we aim to reproduce, replicate, and extend the previous findings using data from the later ABCD study 4.0 release, which includes a significantly larger sample. METHODS: To reproduce and replicate the previous authors' findings, we analyzed data from the ABCD 1.0 release (n = 2437), from an independent subsample from the newer ABCD 4.0 release (excluding individuals from the 1.0 release) (n = 6456), and from the full ABCD 4.0 release sample (n = 8866). Additionally, we assessed whether using a multiple linear regression approach could improve replicability by controlling for the effects of comorbid psychiatric conditions and sociodemographic covariates. RESULTS: While the previously reported associations were reproducible, effect sizes for most rsfMRI measures were drastically reduced in replication analyses (including for both t-tests and multiple linear regressions) using the ABCD 4.0 (excluding 1.0) sample. However, 2 new rsfMRI measures (the Auditory vs. Right Putamen and the Retrosplenial-Temporal vs. Right-Thalamus-Proper measures) exhibited replicable associations with anhedonia and stable, albeit small, effect sizes across the ABCD samples, even after accounting for sociodemographic covariates and comorbid psychiatric conditions using a multiple linear regression approach. CONCLUSION: The most statistically significant associations between anhedonia and rsfMRI connectivity measures found in the ABCD 1.0 sample tended to be non-replicable and inflated. Contrastingly, replicable associations exhibited smaller effects with less statistical significance in the ABCD 1.0 sample. Multiple linear regressions helped assess the specificity of these findings and control the effects of confounding covariates.

201. Effect of ERCC1 polymorphisms on the response to platinum-based chemotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis based on Asian population.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Wu X, Lu W, Jiang C

202. Weight loss efficiency and safety of tirzepatide: A Systematic review.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Lin F, Yu B, Ling B

203. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental and physical health and overall wellbeing of university students in Portugal.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Machado BC, Pinto E, Silva M

Throughout the pandemic of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2, university students were considered a vulnerable risk group for mental health impairment and wellbeing deterioration. This study aimed at evaluating the pandemic's impact on the physical and mental health and wellbeing among students of a Portuguese university. This cross-sectional study included 913 participants and ran from June to October 2020. Data collected included sociodemographics, three mental health self-report questionnaires (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and Brief COPE) and lifestyle practices (eating and sleeping patterns, media, and entertainment habits) during the first months of the pandemic, which included a 72-day full national lockdown. Descriptive and correlational statistical analysis were conducted. Students' food habits changed during the pandemic, namely on the consumption of snacks and fast food and, overall, less balanced meals became more prevalent. Additionally, almost 70% of the students reported Body Mass Index changes, while 59% went through sleep pattern changes-these were more pronounced in women and younger students. Over half (67%) of the inquirees exhibited an increase in their stress, depression, and generalized anxiety symptoms. Also, the study demonstrates that students' lifestyles trended negatively during the pandemic and highlights how important regular psychological, health monitoring and emotional support is, amongst this somehow overlooked population throughout the pandemic. Universities should provide support to overcome challenges in future stressful situations. This study might have an impact on how universities and higher education systems approach their students in terms of mental and physical health monitoring and promotion in future situations, non-related with COVID. Moreover, it has a large sample of students well characterized in terms of mental and physical health, which might be of interest for future comparison with other worldwide group of students throughout stressful situations, such as tragic events, wars, pandemics.

204. Application of grey feed forward back propagation-neural network model based on wavelet denoising to predict the residual settlement of goafs.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Zhang X, Li W, Zhang X

205. Adoption is not associated with immunological and virological outcomes in children with perinatally acquired HIV infection in the Netherlands.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Van Den Hof M, Smit C, Rossum AMCV

206. Association between recent COVID-19 diagnosis, depression and anxiety symptoms among slum residents in Kampala, Uganda.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Wafula ST, Ninsiima LL, Mendoza H

BACKGROUND: Despite the known link between poor living conditions and mental health, there has been little research on the mental health of slum dwellers worldwide. Although the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to an increase in mental health issues, little focus has been given to the impact on slum dwellers. The study aimed to investigate the association between recent COVID-19 diagnosis and the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms among people living in an urban slum in Uganda. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 284 adults (at least 18 years of age) in a slum settlement in Kampala, Uganda between April and May 2022. We assessed depression symptoms and anxiety using validated Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder assessment tool (GAD-7) questionnaires respectively. We collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, and self-reported recent COVID-19 diagnosis (in the previous 30 days). Using a modified Poisson regression, adjusted for age, sex, gender and household income, we separately provided prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the associations between recent COVID-19 diagnosis and depressive and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Overall, 33.8% and 13.4% of the participants met the depression and generalized anxiety screening criteria respectively and 11.3% were reportedly diagnosed with COVID-19 in the previous 30 days. People with recent COVID-19 diagnosis were more likely to be depressed (53.1%) than those with no recent diagnosis (31.4%) (p<0.001). Participants who were recently diagnosed with COVID-19 reported higher prevalence of anxiety (34.4%) compared to those with no recent diagnosis of COVID-19 (10.7%) (p = 0.014). After adjusting for confounding, recent diagnosis with COVID-19 was associated with depression (PR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.09-2.34) and anxiety (PR = 2.83, 95% CI 1.50-5.31). CONCLUSION: This study suggests an increased risk of depressive symptoms and GAD in adults following a COVID-19 diagnosis. We recommend additional mental health support for recently diagnosed persons. The long-term of COVID-19 on mental health effects also need to be investigated.

207. Investigating effect modification between childhood maltreatment and genetic risk for cardiovascular disease in the UK Biobank.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Urquijo H, Soares AG, Fraser A

208. Role of intrapulmonary lymph nodes in patients with NSCLC and visceral pleural invasion. The VPI 1314 multicenter registry study protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Minervini F, Kestenholz P, Bertoglio P

209. A hybrid technique for measurement of intra/extracellular proteins.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Edabashi H, Elghadafi R, Rajkanth N

210. Estimating the relative load from movement velocity in the seated chest press exercise in older adults.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Marques DL, Neiva HP, Marinho DA

AIM: This study aimed to i) determine the load-velocity relationship in the seated chest press in older adults, ii) compare the magnitude of the relationship between peak and mean velocity with the relative load, and iii) analyze the differences between sexes in movement velocity for each relative load in the chest press. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two older adults (17 women and 15 men; 79.6±7.7 years) performed a chest press progressive loading test up to the one-repetition maximum (1RM). The fastest peak and mean velocity reached with each weight were analyzed. Quadratic equations were developed for both sexes and the effectiveness of the regression model was analyzed through a residual analysis. The equations were cross-validated, considering the holdout method. The independent samples t-test analyzed i) the differences in the magnitude of the relationship between peak and mean velocity with the relative load and ii) the differences between sexes in the peak and mean velocity for each relative load. RESULTS: It was possible to observe very strong quadratic load-velocity relationships in the seated chest press in women (peak velocity: r2 = 0.97, standard error of the estimate (SEE) = 4.5% 1RM; mean velocity: r2 = 0.96, SEE = 5.3% 1RM) and men (peak velocity: r2 = 0.98, SEE = 3.8% 1RM; mean velocity: r2 = 0.98, SEE = 3.8% 1RM) without differences (p>0.05) in the magnitude of the relationship between peak and mean velocity with the relative load. Furthermore, there was no overfitting in the regression models due to the high and positive correlation coefficients (r = 0.98-0.99). Finally, men presented higher (p<0.001) lifting velocities than women in almost all relative loads, except for 95-100% 1RM (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Measuring repetition velocity during the seated chest press is an objective approach to estimating the relative load in older adults. Furthermore, given the velocity differences between older women and men at submaximal loads, it is recommended to use sex-specific equations to estimate and prescribe the relative loads in older adults.

211. Reconstructing archaeological palaeolandscapes using geophysical and geomatic survey techniques: An example from Red Lily Lagoon, Arnhem Land, Australia.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Kowlessar J, Moffat I, Wesley D

212. Evaluation of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes for drought tolerance using morpho-physiological traits under drought-stressed and well-watered conditions.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Sewore BM, Abe A, Nigussie M.

Increasing frequency of drought spells occasioned by changing climatic conditions, coupled with rise in demand for bread wheat, calls for the development of high yielding drought resilient genotypes to enhance bread wheat production in areas with moisture deficit. This study was designed to identify and select drought-tolerant bread wheat genotypes using morpho-physiological traits. One hundred and ninety-six bread wheat genotypes were evaluated in greenhouse and field experiments, under well-watered (80% of field capacity) and drought-stressed (35% of field capacity) conditions, for two years. Data were collected on five morphological traits (flag leaf size, flag leaf angle, flag leaf rolling, leaf waxiness and resistance to diseases) and 14 physiological traits. Relative water content (RWC), Excised leaf water retention (ELWR), Relative water loss (RWL), Leaf membrane stability index (LMSI), as well as Canopy temperature depression (CTD) at heading (CTDH), anthesis (CTDA), milking (CTDM), dough stage (CTDD) and ripening (CTDR) were estimated. Similarly, leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD reading) was recorded at heading (SPADH), anthesis (SPADA), milking (SPADM), dough stage (SPADD), and ripening (SPADR). Significant (p<0.01) genotypic differences were found for the traits under both well-watered and drought-stressed conditions. Associations of RWL with SPADH, SPADA, SPADM, SPADD and SPADR were significant (p<0.01) and negative under both watering regimes. The first three principal components accounted for 92.0% and 88.4% of the total variation under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions, respectively and comprised all the traits. The traits CTDD, CTDM, CTDR, SPADH, SPADA, SPADM, SPADD and SPADR with genotypes Alidoro, ET-13A2, Kingbird, Tsehay, ETBW 8816, ETBW 9027, ETBW9402, ETBW 8394 and ETBW 8725 were associated under both conditions. Genotypes with narrow flag leaves, erect flag leaf angles, fully rolled flag leaves, heavily waxed leaves, and resistant to disease manifested tolerance to drought stress. The identified traits and genotypes could be exploited in future breeding programmes for the development of bread wheat genotypes with tolerance to drought.

213. Comprehensive review of safety in Experimental Human Pneumococcal Challenge.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Robinson RE, Myerscough C, He N

INTRODUCTION: Experimental Human Pneumococcal Challenge (EHPC) involves the controlled exposure of adults to a specific antibiotic-sensitive Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype, to induce nasopharyngeal colonisation for the purpose of vaccine research. The aims are to review comprehensively the safety profile of EHPC, explore the association between pneumococcal colonisation and frequency of safety review and describe the medical intervention required to undertake such studies. METHODS: A single-centre review of all EHPC studies performed 2011-2021. All recorded serious adverse events (SAE) in eligible studies are reported. An unblinded meta-analysis of collated anonymised individual patient data from eligible EHPC studies was undertaken to assess the association between experimental pneumococcal colonisation and the frequency of safety events following inoculation. RESULTS: In 1416 individuals (median age 21, IQR 20-25), 1663 experimental pneumococcal inoculations were performed. No pneumococcal-related SAE have occurred. 214 safety review events were identified with 182 (12.85%) participants presenting with symptoms potentially in keeping with pneumococcal infection, predominantly in pneumococcal colonised individuals (colonised = 96/658, non-colonised = 86/1005, OR 1.81 (95% CI 1.28-2.56, P = <0.001). The majority were mild (pneumococcal group = 72.7% [120/165 reported symptoms], non-pneumococcal = 86.7% [124/143 reported symptoms]). 1.6% (23/1416) required antibiotics for safety. DISCUSSION: No SAEs were identified directly relating to pneumococcal inoculation. Safety review for symptoms was infrequent but occurred more in experimentally colonised participants. Most symptoms were mild and resolved with conservative management. A small minority required antibiotics, notably those serotype 3 inoculated. CONCLUSION: Outpatient human pneumococcal challenge can be conducted safely with appropriate levels of safety monitoring procedures in place.

214. The intake of ultra-processed foods, all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular mortality in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study-Health Examinees (KoGES-HEXA) cohort.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Kityo A, Lee SA.

The relationship between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and mortality is unknown in Asian countries, yet the intake of UPF is on the rise in these countries. This study examined the association of UPF intake with all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Participants were 113,576 adults who responded to a 106-item food frequency questionnaire during recruitment of the 2004-2013 Health Examinees (HEXA) study, a prospective cohort study in Korea. UPF were defined using the NOVA classification and evaluated as quartiles of the proportion of UPF in the diet (% total food weight). Multivariable Cox regression and restricted cubic spline models were used to examine the association of UPF intake with all-cause and cause specific mortality. A total of 3456 deaths were recorded during a median follow-up of 10.6 (interquartile range, 9.5-11.9) years. There was no evidence of an association of UPF intake with all-cause, cancer or CVD mortality comparing the highest with the lowest quartiles of UPF intake (all-cause mortality, men: hazard ratio [HR] 1.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95-1.22; women: HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.81-1.11; cancer mortality, men: HR 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84-1.22; women: HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.83-1.26; CVD mortality, men: HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.64-1.22; women: HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.53-1.19). However, the risk of all-cause mortality increased in both men and women with high consumption of ultra-processed red meat and fish (men, HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11-1.43); women, HR 1.22 95% CI 1.05-1.43); and in men with high consumption of ultra-processed milk (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26); and soymilk drink (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.00-1.25). We found no evidence of an association between total UPF intake and all-cause, cancer or CVD mortality, but ultra-processed red meat and fish in both sexes, and milk and soymilk drinks in men were positively associated with all-cause mortality.

215. Six months survival and risk factors for attrition for patients detected with cryptococcal antigenemia through screening in Malawi.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Chisale MRO, Jordan A, Kamudumuli PS

MAIN OBJECTIVE: A cohort of adult Malawian people living with HIV (PLHIV) testing positive for cryptococcal antigenemia was observed and followed to determine the outcomes and risk factors for attrition. METHODS CONCEPT: Eligible PLHIV were enrolled at 5 health facilities in Malawi, representing different levels of health care. ART naïve patients, ART defaulters returning to care, and patients with suspected or confirmed ART treatment failure with CD4 <200 cells/μL or clinical stage 3 or 4 were enrolled and received CrAg tests on whole blood specimens from August 2018 to August 2019. Hospitalized PLHIV were enrolled and tested for CrAg from January 2019 to August 2019, regardless of CD4 or clinical stage. Patients with cryptococcal antigenemia were managed per Malawian clinical guidelines and were followed up for six months. Survival and risk factors for attrition at six months were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 2146 patients were screened and 112 (5.2%) had cryptococcal antigenemia. Prevalence ranged from 3.8% (Mzuzu Central Hospital) to 25.8% (Jenda Rural Hospital). Of the 112 patients with antigenemia, 33 (29.5%) were diagnosed with concurrent CM at the time of enrollment. Six-month crude survival of all patients with antigenemia (regardless of CM status) ranged from 52.3% (assuming lost-to-follow-up (LTFU) patients died) to 64.9% (if LTFU survived). Patients who were diagnosed with concurrent CM by CSF test had poor survival (27.3-39.4%). Patients with antigenemia who were not diagnosed with concurrent CM had 71.4% (if LTFU died)- 89.8% (if LTFU survived) survival at six months. In adjusted analyses, patients with cryptococcal antigenemia detected after admission to inpatient care (aHR: 2.56, 1.07-6.15) and patients with concurrent CM at the time of positive antigenemia result (aHR: 2.48, 1.04-5.92) had significantly higher hazard of attrition at six months. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our findings indicate a need for routine access to CrAg screening and pre-emptive fluconazole treatment as a way to detect cryptococcal antigenemia and prevent CM in outpatient and inpatient settings. Rapid access to diagnosis and treatment for cryptococcal meningitis (CM) with gold-standard antifungals is needed to improve survival of patients with advanced HIV in Malawi.

216. Strategies for data normalization and missing data imputation and consequences for potential diagnostic microRNA biomarkers in epithelial ovarian cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Lopacinska-Jørgensen J, Petersen PHD, Oliveira DVNP

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules regulating gene expression with diagnostic potential in different diseases, including epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOC). As only a few studies have been published on the identification of stable endogenous miRNA in EOC, there is no consensus which miRNAs should be used aiming standardization. Currently, U6-snRNA is widely adopted as a normalization control in RT-qPCR when investigating miRNAs in EOC; despite its variable expression across cancers being reported. Therefore, our goal was to compare different missing data and normalization approaches to investigate their impact on the choice of stable endogenous controls and subsequent survival analysis while performing expression analysis of miRNAs by RT-qPCR in most frequent subtype of EOC: high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). 40 miRNAs were included based on their potential as stable endogenous controls or as biomarkers in EOC. Following RNA extraction from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissues from 63 HGSC patients, RT-qPCR was performed with a custom panel covering 40 target miRNAs and 8 controls. The raw data was analyzed by applying various strategies regarding choosing stable endogenous controls (geNorm, BestKeeper, NormFinder, the comparative ΔCt method and RefFinder), missing data (single/multiple imputation), and normalization (endogenous miRNA controls, U6-snRNA or global mean). Based on our study, we propose hsa-miR-23a-3p and hsa-miR-193a-5p, but not U6-snRNA as endogenous controls in HGSC patients. Our findings are validated in two external cohorts retrieved from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus database. We present that the outcome of stability analysis depends on the histological composition of the cohort, and it might suggest unique pattern of miRNA stability profiles for each subtype of EOC. Moreover, our data demonstrates the challenge of miRNA data analysis by presenting various outcomes from normalization and missing data imputation strategies on survival analysis.

217. Improved reinforcement learning path planning algorithm integrating prior knowledge.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Shi Z, Wang K, Zhang J.

218. Progressive Platelet Rich Fibrin tissue regeneration matrix: Description of a novel, low cost and effective method for the treatment of chronic diabetic ulcers-Pilot study.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Saboia-Dantas CJ, Dechichi P, Fech RL

219. Are asthma and allergy associated with increased root resorption following orthodontic treatment? A meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Al-Saqi RK, Athanasiou AE, Makrygiannakis MA

220. Multiclass classification of environmental chemical stimuli from unbalanced plant electrophysiological data.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Bhadra N, Chatterjee SK, Das S.

Plant electrophysiological response contains useful signature of its environment and health which can be utilized using suitable statistical analysis for developing an inverse model to classify the stimulus applied to the plant. In this paper, we have presented a statistical analysis pipeline to tackle a multiclass environmental stimuli classification problem with unbalanced plant electrophysiological data. The objective here is to classify three different environmental chemical stimuli, using fifteen statistical features, extracted from the plant electrical signals and compare the performance of eight different classification algorithms. A comparison using reduced dimensional projection of the high dimensional features via principal component analysis (PCA) has also been presented. Since the experimental data is highly unbalanced due to varying length of the experiments, we employ a random under-sampling approach for the two majority classes to create an ensemble of confusion matrices to compare the classification performances. Along with this, three other multi-classification performance metrics commonly used for unbalanced data viz. balanced accuracy, F1-score and Matthews correlation coefficient have also been analyzed. From the stacked confusion matrices and the derived performance metrics, we choose the best feature-classifier setting in terms of the classification performances carried out in the original high dimensional vs. the reduced feature space, for this highly unbalanced multiclass problem of plant signal classification due to different chemical stress. Difference in the classification performances in the high vs. reduced dimensions are also quantified using the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) hypothesis testing. Our findings have potential real-world applications in precision agriculture for exploring multiclass classification problems with highly unbalanced datasets, employing a combination of existing machine learning algorithms. This work also advances existing studies on environmental pollution level monitoring using plant electrophysiological data.

221. Evaluating the effect of non-invasive force feedback on prosthetic grasp force modulation in participants with and without limb loss.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Barontini F, Van Straaten M, Catalano MG

222. Intention for international assignment among workers in Ghana: Modelling the role of motivators, demotivators and cultural disposition.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Segbenya M, Oppong NY.

223. Computational model for continuous flow of autonomous vehicles at road intersections.

PLoS One

2023 May 4

Nakoneczny DJDS, Kaviski E.

224. Drug prescriptions preceding opioid-related deaths-a register study in forensic autopsy patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Walde J, Andersson L, Johnson B

225. Production of 17 strains of edible mushroom grown on corn stover and its effect on the chemical composition and ruminal in vitro digestibility of the residual substrate.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Lorenzana-Moreno AV, Leal Lara H, Corona L

226. A novel home-use culture mechanism for identifying microbial load in urine samples.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Singh M, Sahai R, Pattnaik S.

227. Who are the key players? Listeners vs spreaders vs others.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Kim S, Lee KM, Shin E.

228. Extraction, phytochemical characterization and anti-cancer mechanism of Haritaki churna: An ayurvedic formulation.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Khan MRUZ, Yanase E, Trivedi V.

Haritaki churna (HC), a single herb ayurvedic formulations is known to be prescribed for various gastro-intestinal disorders in Ayurveda. Haritaki churna aqueous extract (HCAE) has anti-cancer activity against different types of cancer cells with an IC50 in the range of 50-97 μg/ml. Bioavailability of Haritaki Churna is very high in digestive track and treatment of colorectal cancer cells HCT-116, DLD1, HT-29 with HCAE reduces its cellular viability with anti-cancer IC50 70μg/ml. HCAE consumption is safe for human as it didn't affect the cellular viability of primary human PBMCs or non-cancerogenic HEK-293 cells. Haritaki churna was found to be stable in biological gastric fluids and bioactive agents are not losing their anti-cancer activity under such harsh conditions. The HPLC Chromatogram of HCAE is giving 13 major peaks and 11 minor peaks. Exploiting LC-MS, IR and NMR spectroscopic techniques, a total of 13 compounds were identified from HCAE namely Shikimic acid, Chebulic acid, gallic acid, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, Protocatechuic acid, 4-O-galloyl-shikimic Acid, 5-O-galloyl-shikimic Acid, Methylgallate, corilagin, 1, 2, 6, Tri-O-galloyl β-D-glucose, chebulagic acid, chebulinic acid, and Ellagic acid. Reconstitution and subtraction of phytochemicals from the mixture indicate that Ellagic acid significantly contribute into anti-cancer effect of HCAE. Cancer cells treated with ellagic acid from HCAE were incapable of completing their cell-cycle and halted the cell-cycle at DNA synthesis S-Phase, as demonstrated by decreased cyclin A2 expression levels with increasing ellagic acid concentration. Halting of cells at S-phase causes induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. Cancer cells exhibiting DNA fragmentation, changes in expression of several apoptotic proteins such as Bcl2, cytochrome-c and formation of cleaved products of caspase 3 and PARP-1 suggests ellagic acid induces cell death via mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis.

229. Narratives of most significant change to explore experiences of caregivers in a caregiver-young adolescent sexual and reproductive health communication intervention in rural south-western Uganda.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Akatukwasa C, Kemigisha E, Achen D

230. Does diabetes mellitus comorbidity increase the risk of drug-induced liver injury during tuberculosis treatment?

PLoS One

2023 May 31

D Freire I, L Fielding K, A J Moore D.

231. Adapted "Break the Cycle for Avant Garde" intervention to reduce injection assisting and promoting behaviours in people who inject drugs in Tallinn, Estonia: A pre- post trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Uusküla A, Raag M, Barnes DM

232. Development of a novel hand cleansing product for low-income contexts: The case of tab soap.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Brial E, Aunger R, Muangi WC

233. Streptomyces antimicrobicus sp. nov., a novel clay soil-derived actinobacterium producing antimicrobials against drug-resistant bacteria.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Chanama M, Suriyachadkun C, Chanama S.

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain SMC 277T, was isolated from the clay soil in paddy field of Chonburi Province, Thailand, and characterized using polyphasic taxonomy. Strain SMC 277T formed straight chains of nonmotile cylindrical spores with smooth surface developed on aerial mycelia. The typical chemotaxonomic properties of members of the genus Streptomyces were observed in strain SMC 277T, e.g., cell wall peptidoglycan, whole cell sugars, major menaquinones, cellular fatty acids, and polar lipids. Chemotaxonomic data combined with mycelium and spore morphologies supported the assignment of strain SMC 277T to the genus Streptomyces. The results of comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that strain SMC 277T represented a member of the genus Streptomyces. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SMC 277T shared the highest sequence similarity with Streptomyces bambusae NBRC 110903T (98.8%). Genome sequencing revealed a genome size of 6.55 Mbp and a digital G+C content of 73.4 mol%. In addition to the differences in phenotypic characteristics (morphology and physiology), values of ANI (ANIb and ANIm), AAI and dDDH between strain SMC 277T and its closest relative S. bambusae NBRC 110903T were 81.84, 86.77, 76.91 and 26.1%, respectively. Genome annotation and secondary metabolite gene cluster analysis predicted that SMC 277T contained 35 biosynthetic gene clusters encoding diverse bioactive secondary metabolites. It is in agreement with observed antimicrobial activity against drug-resistant bacteria associated with nosocomial infections (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii). On the basis of these genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, strain SMC 277T can be characterized to represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces antimicrobicus is proposed. The type strain is SMC 277T (= TBRC 15568T = NBRC 115422T).

234. Characterization of morphological and biological aspects of venomous caterpillars of the genus Lonomia Walker (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in Colombia.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Toro-Vargas DM, González C, Rougerie R

235. Blue-light stimulation of the blind-spot constricts the pupil and enhances contrast sensitivity.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Schilling T, Soltanlou M, Nuerk HC

Short- and long-wavelength light can alter pupillary responses differently, allowing inferences to be made about the contribution of different photoreceptors on pupillary constriction. In addition to classical retinal photoreceptors, the pupillary light response is formed by the activity of melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC). It has been shown in rodents that melanopsin is expressed in the axons of ipRGCs that bundle at the optic nerve head, which forms the perceptual blind-spot. Hence, the first aim of this study was to investigate if blind-spot stimulation induces a pupillary response. The second aim was to investigate the effect of blind-spot stimulation by using the contrast sensitivity tests. Fifteen individuals participated in the pupil response experiment and thirty-two individuals in the contrast sensitivity experiment. The pupillary change was quantified using the post-illumination pupil response (PIPR) amplitudes after blue-light (experimental condition) and red-light (control condition) pulses in the time window between 2 s and 6 s post-illumination. The contrast sensitivity was assessed using two different tests: the Freiburg Visual Acuity Test and Contrast Test and the Tuebingen Contrast Sensitivity Test, respectively. Contrast sensitivity was measured before and 20 minutes after binocular blue-light stimulation of the blind-spot at spatial frequencies higher than or equal to 3 cycles per degree (cpd) and at spatial frequencies lower than 3 cpd (control condition). Blue-light blind-spot stimulation induced a significantly larger PIPR compared to red-light, confirming a melanopsin-mediated pupil-response in the blind-spot. Furthermore, contrast sensitivity was increased after blind-spot stimulation, confirmed by both contrast sensitivity tests. Only spatial frequencies of at least 3 cpd were enhanced. This study demonstrates that stimulating the blind-spot with blue-light constricts the pupil and increases the contrast sensitivity at higher spatial frequencies.

236. Effects of disability on income and income composition.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Pu C, Syu HF.

237. Evolution of fungal and non-fungal eukaryotic communities in response to thermophilic co-composting of various nitrogen-rich green feedstocks.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Matheri F, Kambura AK, Mwangi M

Thermophilic composting is a promising soil and waste management approach involving diverse micro and macro-organisms, including eukaryotes. Due to sub-optimal amounts of nutrients in manure, supplemental feedstock materials such as Lantana camara, and Tithonia diversifolia twigs are used in composting. These materials have, however, been reported to have antimicrobial activity in in-vitro experiments. Furthermore, the phytochemical analysis has shown differences in their complexities, thus possibly requiring various periods to break down. Therefore, it is necessary to understand these materials' influence on the biological and physical-chemical stability of compost. Most compost microbiome studies have been bacterial-centric, leaving out eukaryotes despite their critical role in the environment. Here, the influence of different green feedstock on the fungal and non-fungal eukaryotic community structure in a thermophilic compost environment was examined. Total community fungal and non-fungal eukaryotic DNA was recovered from triplicate compost samples of four experimental regimes. Sequencing for fungal ITS and non-fungal eukaryotes; 18S rDNA was done under the Illumina Miseq platform, and bioinformatics analysis was done using Divisive Amplicon Denoising Algorithm version 2 workflow in R version 4.1. Samples of mixed compost and composting day 84 recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher overall fungal populations, while Lantana-based compost and composting day 84 revealed the highest fungal community diversity. Non-fungal eukaryotic richness was significantly (P< 0.05) more abundant in Tithonia-based compost and composting day 21. The most diverse non-fungal eukaryotic biome was in the Tithonia-based compost and composting day 84. Sordariomycetes and Holozoa were the most contributors to the fungal and non-fungal community interactions in the compost environment, respectively. The findings of this study unravel the inherent influence of diverse composting materials and days on the eukaryotic community structure and compost's biological and chemical stability.

238. Comparison of mortality and hospitalizations of older adults living in residential care facilities versus nursing homes or the community. A systematic review.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Boucaud-Maitre D, Letenneur L, Dramé M

239. Survival outcomes among patients with multiple myeloma in the era of novel agents: exploratory assessment using an electronic medical record database in Japan.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Uno S, Midorikawa S, Inoue K

240. Unravelling the genetic diversity of water yam (Dioscorea alata L.) accessions from Tanzania using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Massawe JI, Temu GE.

241. Change of urban and rural construction land and driving factors of arable land occupation.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Zhao S, Yin M.

242. Examining the effect of logistics service quality on customer satisfaction and re-use intention.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Lin X, Mamun AA, Yang Q

243. The diurnal course of salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase on workdays and leisure days in teachers and the role of social isolation and neuroticism.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Schneider S, Grosse Holtforth M, Wettstein A

Teachers are among the occupational groups with the highest sick leave rates due to workplace stress and burnout symptoms. A substantial body of research has suggested social isolation and neuroticism to be related to physiological stress activity. However, the relationship between such characteristics and stress experiences has rarely been studied in conjunction with physiological stress indicators in the teachers' natural settings. Thus, the present study examines salivary cortisol and α-amylase as physiological stress indicators on teachers' work and leisure days and their relationship with social isolation. Furthermore, we test whether neuroticism moderates the relationship between social isolation and salivary biomarkers. Forty-two teachers completed questionnaires assessing social isolation (Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress) and neuroticism (Big-Five Inventory). Participants collected eight saliva samples on three days, two workdays, and one leisure day to measure the concentration of cortisol and α-amylase as biomarkers of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS), respectively. Results showed a significantly higher Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and diurnal cortisol slope (DCS) on workdays than on the leisure day but no significant differences regarding measures of α-amylase. We found a significant positive relationship between social isolation and the CAR on the leisure day but no association with the α-amylase measures. Furthermore, after controlling for confounders, social isolation was unrelated to neuroticism, and the latter did not moderate between social isolation and the CAR. Our findings suggest an association between social isolation and the HPA axis, i.e., the CAR, but do not support an association with the ANS, which would be indicated by the α-amylase assessments. Finally, our findings could not support an association of neuroticism with the HPA axis and ANS.

244. Parental perspectives on emergency health service use during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Breckons M, Thorne S, Walsh R

245. County-level variations in linkage to care among people newly diagnosed with HIV in South Carolina: A longitudinal analysis from 2010 to 2018.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Shi F, Zhang J, Zeng C

246. Phenotypic clines in herbivore resistance and reproductive traits in wild plants along an agricultural gradient.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Schroeder H, Grab H, Poveda K.

247. Predictors of food variety and food consumption scores of adolescents living in a rural district in Ghana.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Wiafe MA, Ayensu J, Yeboah GB.

INTRODUCTION: There is a dearth of information about the food variety and consumption scores of adolescents in Ghana. This study assessed predictors of food variety and consumption scores of adolescents living in a rural district in Ghana. METHOD: In this cross-sectional study, a multi-stage sampling method was used to select one hundred and thirty-seven (137) adolescents from the Asante-Akim South Municipality of Ghana. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic, food practices and dietary intakes of study participants. Descriptive, chi-square, T-test, partial correlation and binary logistic regression were used for the data analysis. RESULTS: The mean food variety score was 25.8±6.4 (range 7-42) and food consumption score was 35±5.1 (range 18.6-49.9). Food variety score was significantly (p<0.05) associated with guardian income status. A significant and positive partial correlation existed between food variety score and calcium intake (r = 0.236, p<0.05). About 49% and 51% of adolescents were food insecure and food secure, respectively. Food consumption score had significant association (p<0.05) with gender (X2 = 6.1), residence (X2 = 7.0), frequency of meal (X2 = 6.8) and food variety score (X2 = 5.4). Adolescent male (AOR = 2.3, 95% CI (1.2-4.6), p = 0.017), peri-urban residency (AOR = 2.1, 95%CI (1.0-4.4), p = 0.036), having three or more meals per day (AOR = 4.2, 95% CI (1.3-13.6), p = 0.018), and a high food variety score (AOR = 2.1, 95%CI (1.0-4.2), p = 0.041) significantly predicted food consumption scores. CONCLUSION: Moderate income status was associated with food variety score in our study participants. Linear relationship existed between food variety and calcium intake. Adolescent males, peri-urban residency, frequency of meals and high food variety score were the predictors of food consumption score. Nutrition-specific and nutrition sensitive programmes aimed at promoting adolescent health should involve guardians.

248. The outcomes of three different techniques of coronary artery bypass grafting: On-pump arrested heart, on-pump beating heart, and off-pump.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Phothikun A, Nawarawong W, Tantraworasin A

249. Pooled prevalence and risk factors of malaria among children aged 6-59 months in 13 sub-Saharan African countries: A multilevel analysis using recent malaria indicator surveys.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Chilot D, Mondelaers A, Alem AZ

BACKGROUND: Every 75 seconds, a child under five dies of malaria. Mainly children, aged between six months and five years, are at the highest risk for malaria. These children lost maternal immunity and did not yet developed specific immunity to the infection. Under the age of five, children bear the highest burden of malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Many individual and community level factors could contribute to malaria prevalence remaining high among under-five children in the region. Thus, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of malaria among children aged 6-59 months and identify potential factors associated with malaria by using recent Malaria Indicator Surveys in 13 SSA countries. METHODS: Data for this study were drawn from recent 13 Sub-Saharan African countries Malaria Indicator Surveys (MIS). A total weighted sample of 60,541 children aged 6-59 months was included. STATA version 14.2 was used to clean, code and analyze the data. Multilevel logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with malaria. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI and a P value <0.05 was reported to indicate statistical association. Model fitness and comparison were done using Inter cluster correlation coefficient, Median odds ratio, proportional change in variance, and deviance. RESULTS: The pooled prevalence of malaria among children aged 6-59 months was found to be 27.41% (95% CI: 17.94%-36.88%). It ranges from 5.04% in Senegal to 62.57% in Sierra Leone. Aged 36-47 months (AOR = 3.54, 95% CI 3.21-3.91), and 48-59 months (AOR = 4.32, 95% CI 3.91-4.77), mothers attended primary education (AOR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.73-0.84), richer (AOR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.32-0.39), and richest household (AOR = 0.16, 95% CI 0.14-0.19), number of three and more under-five children (AOR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.26-1.45), improved floor material (AOR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.57-0.73), improved wall material (AOR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.64-0.84), improved roof material (AOR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.51-0.93), insecticide-treated bed net (ITN) use (0.56, 95% CI 0.51-0.62), not anemic (AOR = 0.05, 95% CI 0.04-0.06), rural resident (AOR = 2.16, 95% CI 2.06-2.27), high community ITN use (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.24-0.63) and high community poverty (AOR = 2.66, 95% CI 2.53-2.84) were strongly associated with malaria. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Almost 3 out of 10 children were infected by malaria in 13 SSA countries. Malaria infection remains one of the main killers of children aged 6-59 months in the SSA. This study revealed that older under-five children living in large families with low incomes in rural areas are most vulnerable to malaria infection. Our results clearly indicate that ITN utilization and improved housing are promising means to effectively prevent malaria infection among children aged 6-59 months. It is therefore important to note that households with low wealth quintiles and rural residents should be prioritized in any mass distribution of ITNs. This has to be accompanied by education using mass media to enhance community awareness.

250. The relationship between a plant-based diet and mental health: Evidence from a cross-sectional multicentric community trial (LIPOKAP study).

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Haghighatdoost F, Mahdavi A, Mohammadifard N

251. Pulmonary function following hyperbaric oxygen therapy: A longitudinal observational study.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Brenna CTA, Khan S, Djaiani G

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is known to be associated with pulmonary oxygen toxicity. However, the effect of modern HBOT protocols on pulmonary function is not completely understood. The present study evaluates pulmonary function test changes in patients undergoing serial HBOT. We prospectively collected data on patients undergoing HBOT from 2016-2021 at a tertiary referral center (protocol registration NCT05088772). Patients underwent pulmonary function testing with a bedside spirometer/pneumotachometer prior to HBOT and after every 20 treatments. HBOT was performed using 100% oxygen at a pressure of 2.0-2.4 atmospheres absolute (203-243 kPa) for 90 minutes, five times per week. Patients' charts were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, comorbidities, medications, HBOT specifications, treatment complications, and spirometry performance. Primary outcomes were defined as change in percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced mid-expiratory flow (FEF25-75), after 20, 40, and 60 HBOT sessions. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and mixed-model linear regression. A total of 86 patients were enrolled with baseline testing, and the analysis included data for 81 patients after 20 treatments, 52 after 40 treatments, and 12 after 60 treatments. There were no significant differences in pulmonary function tests after 20, 40, or 60 HBOT sessions. Similarly, a subgroup analysis stratifying the cohort based on pre-existing respiratory disease, smoking history, and the applied treatment pressure did not identify any significant changes in pulmonary function tests during HBOT. There were no significant longitudinal changes in FEV1, FVC, or FEF25-75 after serial HBOT sessions in patients regardless of pre-existing respiratory disease. Our results suggest that the theoretical risk of pulmonary oxygen toxicity following HBOT is unsubstantiated with modern treatment protocols, and that pulmonary function is preserved even in patients with pre-existing asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, and interstitial lung disease.

252. Humoral immunogenicity of a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) DNA vaccine in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) delivered using needle-free jet injection.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Jay A, Kwilas SA, Josleyn M

253. Laparoscopy-assisted percutaneous correction of abdominal wall defects in the umbilical region in a cadaveric model of bovine fetus.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Silva CRG, Cardoso TDS, da Silva KB

Abdominal wall defects in calves are commonly diagnosed and treated via laparotomy. This technique has witnessed several advancements in the management of these disorders. This study aimed to create a study model and evaluate the feasibility of video-assisted percutaneous correction of abdominal wall defects in bovine fetuses (corpses) compared with the conventional technique. Sixteen bovine fetuses from pregnant cows slaughtered in slaughterhouses were included in this study. The fetuses were categorized into the control group (CG, n = 8), which was subjected to umbilical abdominorrhaphy via laparotomy, and the video-surgical group (VG, n = 8), which received video-assisted percutaneous sutures with two lateral accesses on the right flank. An abdominal wall defect was created in the VG group to generate a study model, which was corrected using the laparoscopic technique. The procedures were performed in two steps. The first step consisted of creating an abdominal wall defect in the umbilical region by laparoscopic approach in an iatrogenic manner (Step 1: E1). The second stage consisted of conventional abdominorrhaphy of the umbilical region wall defect in the CG group and video-assisted percutaneous suturing of the edges of the iatrogenic abdominal wall defect in the VG group, until reversal of the laparoscopic accesses (Step 2: E2). Step 1 showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, a significant statistical difference (p < 0.0001) was observed between the two groups in step 2. The surgical time of step 2 was longer in the CG group (33.10 ± 0.43 minutes) than that in the VG group (10.13 ± 0.68 minutes, p < 0.0001), and the total surgical time was also longer in the CG group (38.48 ± 0.35 minutes) than that in the VG group (15.86 ± 0.67 minutes). The proposed laparoscopic technique allowed the creation of a study model for video-assisted percutaneous suturing with two portals and reduced the surgical time compared with the conventional technique. However, this method needs to be studied further in live animals.

254. Trends in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal achievement and changes in lipid-lowering therapy after incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Danish cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Ersbøll AK, Kristensen MS, Nybo M

255. Role of wearable devices in cardiac telerehabilitation: A scoping review.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Jones AK, Yan CL, Rivera Rodriquez BP

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an evidence-based comprehensive program that includes exercise training, health education, physical activity promotion, and extensive counseling for the management of cardiovascular risk factors. Wearable devices monitor certain physiological functions, providing biometric data such as heart rate, movement, sleep, ECG analysis, blood pressure, energy expenditure, and numerous other parameters. Recent evidence supports wearable devices as a likely relevant component in cardiovascular risk assessment and disease prevention. The purpose of this scoping review is to better understand the role of wearable devices in home-based CR (HBCR) and to characterize the evidence regarding the incorporation of wearable devices in HBCR programs and cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS & FINDINGS: We created a search strategy for multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), CINAHL (Ebsco), Cochrane CENTRAL (Wiley), and Scopus (Elsevier). Studies were included if the patients were eligible for CR per Medicare guidelines and >18 years of age and if some type of wearable device was utilized during HBCR. Our search yielded 57 studies meeting all criteria. The studies were classified into 4 groups: patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) without heart failure (HF); patients with HF; patients with heart valve repair or replacement; and patients with exposure to center-based CR. In three groups, there was an upward trend toward improvement in quality of life (QOL) and peak VO2, less sedentary time, and an increase in daily step count in the intervention groups compared to control groups. CONCLUSIONS: HBCR using wearable devices can be a comparable alternative or adjunct to center-based CR for patients with CHD and HF. More studies are needed to draw conclusions about the comparability of HBCR to center-based CR in patients with heart valve repair or replacement.

256. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on subjective wellbeing in the Middle East and North Africa: A gender analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Sieverding M, Krafft C, Selwaness I

257. Genetic diversity and population structure analysis in cultivated soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) using SSR and EST-SSR markers.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Rani R, Raza G, Tung MH

258. Effects of acute low-moderate dose ionizing radiation to human brain organoids.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Oyefeso FA, Goldberg G, Opoku NYPS

Human exposure to low-to-moderate dose ionizing radiation (LMD-IR) is increasing via environmental, medical, occupational sources. Acute exposure to LMD-IR can cause subclinical damage to cells, resulting in altered gene expression and cellular function within the human brain. It has been difficult to identify diagnostic and predictive biomarkers of exposure using traditional research models due to factors including lack of 3D structure in monolayer cell cultures, limited ability of animal models to accurately predict human responses, and technical limitations of studying functional human brain tissue. To address this gap, we generated brain/cerebral organoids from human induced pluripotent stem cells to study the radiosensitivity of human brain cells, including neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. While organoids have become popular models for studying brain physiology and pathology, there is little evidence to confirm that exposing brain organoids to LMD-IR will recapitulate previous in vitro and in vivo observations. We hypothesized that exposing brain organoids to proton radiation would (1) cause a time- and dose-dependent increase in DNA damage, (2) induce cell type-specific differences in radiosensitivity, and (3) increase expression of oxidative stress and DNA damage response genes. Organoids were exposed to 0.5 or 2 Gy of 250 MeV protons and samples were collected at 30 minute, 24 hour, and 48 hour timepoints. Using immunofluorescence and RNA sequencing, we found time- and dose-dependent increases in DNA damage in irradiated organoids; no changes in cell populations for neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes by 24 hours; decreased expression of genes related to oligodendrocyte lineage, astrocyte lineage, mitochondrial function, and cell cycle progression by 48 hours; increased expression of genes related to neuron lineage, oxidative stress, and DNA damage checkpoint regulation by 48 hours. Our findings demonstrate the possibility of using organoids to characterize cell-specific radiosensitivity and early radiation-induced gene expression changes within the human brain, providing new avenues for further study of the mechanisms underlying acute neural cell responses to IR exposure at low-to-moderate doses.

259. Comparative curiosity: How do great apes and children deal with uncertainty?

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Sánchez-Amaro A, Rossano F.

260. Integrating machine learning with otolith isoscapes: Reconstructing connectivity of a marine fish over four decades.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Arai K, Castonguay M, Lyubchich V

Stable isotopes are an important tool to uncover animal migration. Geographic natal assignments often require categorizing the spatial domain through a nominal approach, which can introduce bias given the continuous nature of these tracers. Stable isotopes predicted over a spatial gradient (i.e., isoscapes) allow a probabilistic and continuous assignment of origin across space, although applications to marine organisms remain limited. We present a new framework that integrates nominal and continuous assignment approaches by (1) developing a machine-learning multi-model ensemble classifier using Bayesian model averaging (nominal); and (2) integrating nominal predictions with continuous isoscapes to estimate the probability of origin across the spatial domain (continuous). We applied this integrated framework to predict the geographic origin of the Northwest Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus), a migratory pelagic fish comprised of northern and southern components that have distinct spawning sites off Canada (northern contingent) and the US (southern contingent), and seasonally overlap in the US fished regions. The nominal approach based on otolith carbon and oxygen stable isotopes (δ13C/δ18O) yielded high contingent classification accuracy (84.9%). Contingent assignment of unknown-origin samples revealed prevalent, yet highly varied contingent mixing levels (12.5-83.7%) within the US waters over four decades (1975-2019). Nominal predictions were integrated into mackerel-specific otolith oxygen isoscapes developed independently for Canadian and US waters. The combined approach identified geographic nursery hotspots in known spawning sites, but also detected geographic shifts over multi-decadal time scales. This framework can be applied to other marine species to understand migration and connectivity at a high spatial resolution, relevant to management of unit stocks in fisheries and other conservation assessments.

261. Exploring the benefits of full-time hospital facility dogs working with nurse handlers in a children's hospital.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Murata-Kobayashi N, Suzuki K, Morita Y

262. The effect of seasonality in predicting the level of crime. A spatial perspective.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Delgado R, Sánchez-Delgado H.

263. Intimate but not intimate: The perils of workplace romance in fostering knowledge sabotage.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Qiu J, Sultana F, Iqbal S

264. Vision screening and vocational aptitude: A factor analysis approach.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Seemiller ES, Gaska J, O'Keefe E

265. An ecological analysis of walkability and housing affordability in Canada: Moderation by city size and neighbourhood property type composition.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Christie CD, Friedenreich CM, Vena JE

The neighbourhood built environment can support the physical activity of adults regardless of their individual-level socioeconomic status. However, physical activity supportive (walkable) neighbourhoods may not be accessible to those with lower incomes if homes in walkable neighbourhoods are too expensive. The objectives of this study were: 1) to estimate the associations between neighbourhood walkability and home values in Canadian cities, and 2) to test whether these associations differ by city size and residential property type composition within neighbourhoods. We linked built environment data from the 2016 Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) index with neighbourhood-level structural home characteristics and sociodemographic data from the 2016 Canadian census for 33,026 neighbourhoods across 31 Census Metropolitan Areas. We used multilevel linear regression models to estimate covariate-adjusted associations between neighbourhood walkability and natural-log median home values and tested city size and neighbourhood property type composition as moderators. There were no statistically significant associations between walkability and home values overall. The associations between neighbourhood walkability and home values were jointly moderated by city size and property type composition. For small and medium sized cities, within neighbourhoods containing a high proportion of detached homes, walkability was negatively associated with home values (b = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.10, -0.01; and, b = -0.04, 95% CI: -0.06, -0.02, for small and medium cities, respectively). However, for extra-large cities, within neighbourhoods containing a high proportion of detached homes, walkability was positively associated with home values (b = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.10). Our findings suggest that, based on housing affordability, higher walkable neighbourhoods are likely accessible to lower income households that are situated in small and medium Canadian cities. In larger cities, however, municipal interventions (e.g., inclusionary zoning or targeted development of subsidized or social housing) may be needed to ensure equitable access to walkable neighbourhoods for lower income households.

266. Early chronic suppression of microglial p38α in a model of Alzheimer's disease does not significantly alter amyloid-associated neuropathology.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Braun DJ, Frazier HN, Davis VA

The p38 alpha mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38α) is linked to both innate and adaptive immune responses and is under investigation as a target for drug development in the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other conditions with neuroinflammatory dysfunction. While preclinical data has shown that p38α inhibition can protect against AD-associated neuropathology, the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Inhibitors of p38α may provide benefit via modulation of microglial-associated neuroinflammatory responses that contribute to AD pathology. The present study tests this hypothesis by knocking out microglial p38α and assessing early-stage pathological changes. Conditional knockout of microglial p38α was accomplished in 5-month-old C57BL/6J wild-type and amyloidogenic AD model (APPswe/PS1dE9) mice using a tamoxifen-inducible Cre/loxP system under control of the Cx3cr1 promoter. Beginning at 7.5 months of age, animals underwent behavioral assessment on the open field, followed by a later radial arm water maze test and collection of cortical and hippocampal tissues at 11 months. Additional endpoint measures included quantification of proinflammatory cytokines, assessment of amyloid burden and plaque deposition, and characterization of microglia-plaque dynamics. Loss of microglial p38α did not alter behavioral outcomes, proinflammatory cytokine levels, or overall amyloid plaque burden. However, this manipulation did significantly increase hippocampal levels of soluble Aβ42 and reduce colocalization of Iba1 and 6E10 in a subset of microglia in close proximity to plaques. The data presented here suggest that rather than reducing inflammation per se, the net effect of microglial p38α inhibition in the context of early AD-type amyloid pathology is a subtle alteration of microglia-plaque interactions. Encouragingly from a therapeutic standpoint, these data suggest no detrimental effect of even substantial decreases in microglial p38α in this context. Additionally, these results support future investigations of microglial p38α signaling at different stages of disease, as well as its relationship to phagocytic processes in this particular cell-type.

267. Ensemble learning-based radiomics with multi-sequence magnetic resonance imaging for benign and malignant soft tissue tumor differentiation.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Lee S, Lee SY, Jung JY

Many previous studies focused on differentiating between benign and malignant soft tissue tumors using radiomics model based on various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences, but it is still unclear how to set up the input radiomic features from multiple MRI sequences. Here, we evaluated two types of radiomics models generated using different feature incorporation strategies. In order to differentiate between benign and malignant soft tissue tumors (STTs), we compared the diagnostic performance of an ensemble of random forest (R) models with single-sequence MRI inputs to R models with pooled multi-sequence MRI inputs. One-hundred twenty-five STT patients with preoperative MRI were retrospectively included and consisted of training (n = 100) and test (n = 25) sets. MRI included T1-weighted (T1-WI), T2-weighted (T2-WI), contrast-enhanced (CE)-T1-WI, diffusion-weighted images (DWIs, b = 800 sec/mm2) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. After tumor segmentation on each sequence, 100 original radiomic features were extracted from each sequence image and divided into three-feature sets: T features from T1- and T2-WI, CE features from CE-T1-WI, and D features from DWI and ADC maps. Four radiomics models were built using Lasso and R with four combinations of three-feature sets as inputs: T features (R-T), T+CE features (R-C), T+D features (R-D), and T+CE+D features (R-A) (Type-1 model). An ensemble model was built by soft voting of five, single-sequence-based R models (Type-2 model). AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of each model was calculated with five-fold cross validation. In Type-1 model, AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 0.752, 71.8%, 61.1%, and 67.2% in R-T; 0.756, 76.1%, 70.4%, and 73.6% in R-C; 0.750, 77.5%, 63.0%, and 71.2% in R-D; and 0.749, 74.6%, 61.1%, and 68.8% R-A models, respectively. AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of Type-2 model were 0.774, 76.1%, 68.5%, and 72.8%. In conclusion, an ensemble method is beneficial to incorporate features from multi-sequence MRI and showed diagnostic robustness for differentiating malignant STTs.

268. The utility of Zip4 codes in spatial epidemiological analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Ajayakumar J, Curtis A, Curtis J.

There are many public health situations within the United States that require fine geographical scale data to effectively inform response and intervention strategies. However, a condition for accessing and analyzing such data, especially when multiple institutions are involved, is being able to preserve a degree of spatial privacy and confidentiality. Hospitals and state health departments, who are generally the custodians of these fine-scale health data, are sometimes understandably hesitant to collaborate with each other due to these concerns. This paper looks at the utility and pitfalls of using Zip4 codes, a data layer often included as it is believed to be "safe", as a source for sharing fine-scale spatial health data that enables privacy preservation while maintaining a suitable precision for spatial analysis. While the Zip4 is widely supplied, researchers seldom utilize it. Nor is its spatial characteristics known by data guardians. To address this gap, we use the context of a near-real time spatial response to an emerging health threat to show how the Zip4 aggregation preserves an underlying spatial structure making it potentially suitable dataset for analysis. Our results suggest that based on the density of urbanization, Zip4 centroids are within 150 meters of the real location almost 99% of the time. Spatial analysis experiments performed on these Zip4 data suggest a far more insightful geographic output than if using more commonly used aggregation units such as street lines and census block groups. However, this improvement in analytical output comes at a spatial privy cost as Zip4 centroids have a higher potential of compromising spatial anonymity with 73% of addresses having a spatial k anonymity value less than 5 when compared to other aggregations. We conclude that while offers an exciting opportunity to share data between organizations, researchers and analysts need to be made aware of the potential for serious confidentiality violations.

269. Suicides in state prisons in the United States: Highlighting gaps in data.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

LeMasters K, Behne MF, Lao J

270. Management of acid and alkaline phosphatase, dehydrogenase activities by sugarcane industry waste under lead contamination- A case study of Indian Vertisol.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Dotaniya ML, Nagar MC, Sharma A

271. Exceptional X-Ray contrast: Radiography imaging of a Middle Triassic mixosaurid from Svalbard.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Engelschiøn VS, Roberts AJ, With R

272. Lost time: Perception of events timeline affected by the COVID pandemic.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Pawlak DA, Sahraie A.

The need to remember when a past event occurred, is often an everyday necessity. However, placing events in a timeline is seldom accurate and although to some extent modulated by event saliency, on average we are less accurate in remembering a timeline for events happening in the distant past compared to more recent events. 277 participants took part in an online study during May 2022 in which they were asked to state the year in which a number of events took place. The events' occurrences ranged from 2017 to 2021, with participants choosing one date from the 2016-2022 range. In addition, they completed 4 questionnaires aimed at quantifying their State Boredom; Depression, Anxiety & stress; resilience; and level of activity during the lockdown periods of the COVID pandemic. As expected, the findings showed more errors for distant events than those in 2020, but surprisingly we found a large error for estimating the timing of events that occurred in 2021 matching in the extent to those 3 to 4 years earlier. The findings show that participants were less able to recall the timeline of very recent events coinciding with COVID lockdowns. This increased error in perception of event timeline correlated positively with reported levels of depression & anxiety as well as physical and mental demands during the pandemic, but negatively correlated with measures of resilience. Although measures of boredom showed significant correlations with reported depression & anxiety and physical/mental load, they did not correlate with errors in the perception of the event timeline for 2021. The findings are consistent with poor perception of event timeline reported previously in prison inmates. It is likely that an accurate perception of an event timeline relies on a collection of life events such as birthdays, holidays, travels, etc., anchoring our experiences in the time domain, which was largely absent during COVID restrictions.

273. Efficacy and safety of electrical acupoint stimulation for postoperative nausea and vomiting: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 31

Lu L, Xie C, Li X

274. A cross-circulatory platform for monitoring innate allo-responses in lung grafts.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Glorion M, Pascale F, Estephan J

275. Exploring Chinese and Ethiopian higher VET adolescent learning motivation through the lens of self‑determination theory.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Khalid S, Gao C, Lianyu C

276. Effects of integrated hospital treatment on the default mode, salience, and frontal-parietal networks in anorexia nervosa: A longitudinal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Gondo M, Kawai K, Moriguchi Y

The psychopathology of patients with anorexia nervosa has been hypothesized to involve inappropriate self-referential processing, disturbed interoceptive awareness, and excessive cognitive control, including distorted self-concern, disregard of their own starvation state, and extreme weight-control behavior. We hypothesized that the resting-state brain networks, including the default mode, salience and frontal-parietal networks, might be altered in such patients, and that treatment might normalize neural functional connectivity, with improvement of inappropriate self-cognition. We measured resting-state functional magnetic resonance images from 18 patients with anorexia nervosa and 18 healthy subjects before and after integrated hospital treatment (nourishment and psychological therapy). The default mode, salience, and frontal-parietal networks were examined using independent component analysis. Body mass index and psychometric measurements significantly improved after treatment. Before treatment, default mode network functional connectivity in the retrosplenial cortex and salience network functional connectivity in the ventral anterior insula and rostral anterior cingulate cortex were decreased in anorexia nervosa patients compared with those in controls. Interpersonal distrust was negatively correlated with salience network functional connectivity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex. Default mode network functional connectivity in the posterior insula and frontal-parietal network functional connectivity in the angular gyrus were increased in anorexia nervosa patients compared with those in controls. Comparison between pre- and post-treatment images from patients with anorexia nervosa exhibited significant increases in default mode network functional connectivity in the hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex, and salience network functional connectivity in the dorsal anterior insula following treatment. Frontal-parietal network functional connectivity in the angular cortex showed no significant changes. The findings revealed that treatment altered the functional connectivity in several parts of default mode and salience networks in patients with anorexia nervosa. These alterations of neural function might be associated with improvement of self-referential processing and coping with sensations of discomfort following treatment for anorexia nervosa.

277. The prevalence of urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis among school age children (6-13 years) in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Phaladze NA, Molefi L, Thakadu OT

This study sought to investigate prevalence of urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis among school age children 6-13 years in selected communities in the Okavango Delta. The termination of the Botswana national schistosomiasis control program in 1993 contributed to its neglect. An outbreak of schistosomiasis in 2017 at one of the primary schools in the northeastern part of the country resulted in 42 positive cases, indicating that the disease exists. A total of 1,611 school age children 6-13 years were randomly selected from school registers in 10 primary schools; from which 1603 urine and 1404 stool samples were collected. Macroscopic examination of urine and stool for color, odor, blood; viscosity, consistency, and the presence of worms. Urine filtration and centrifugation methods were used to increase sensitivity of detecting parasite ova. Kato-Katz and Formalin-Ether were used for the examination of stool samples. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results were expressed as odds ratio (OR) with their 95% CI and statistical significance set at p < 0.05. A total of (n = 1611) school age children 6-13 years participated in the study, mean age 9.7years (SD 2.06), females (54%) and males (46%). Results indicated an overall prevalence of SS. hematobium and S.mansoni at 8.7% and 0.64% respectively. Intensity of SS. hematobium was generally light (97.6%) and heavy intensity (2.4%). Results also revealed a knowledge deficit, about 58% of children had never heard of bilharzia even though they lived in communities where the disease was previously endemic. Learners who had a family member who previously suffered from schistosomiasis had higher knowledge than those who did not. Interestingly, these learners were likely to engage in risky behaviors compared to those with lower knowledge of the disease. An integrated approach that emphasizes health education, mass drug administration, water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure should be prioritized for prevention and control of schistosomiasis.

278. User experience, game satisfaction and engagement with the virtual simulation VR FestLab for alcohol prevention: A quantitative analysis among Danish adolescents.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Guldager JD, Hrynyschyn R, Kjær SL

279. Lost in HELLS: Disentangling the mystery of SALNR existence in senescence cellular models.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Consiglio A, Venturin M, Briguglio S

280. Apoptotic mechanism of propofol-induced developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Ge Y, Yuan W, Jia W

281. Effect of pregnancy and hypertension on kidney function in female rats: Modeling and functional implications.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Stadt MM, West CA, Layton AT.

282. Understanding spatial effects in species distribution models.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Paradinas I, Illian J, Smout S.

283. Endoscopic features of lymphoid follicles in the colonic mucosa using the image enhanced endoscopy and its association with colorectal adenoma.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Tahara T, Takahama K, Tahara S

284. Potential demand for National Health Insurance in Zimbabwe: Evidence from selected urban informal sector clusters in Harare.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Chipunza T, Nhamo S.

BACKGROUND: Zimbabwe's tax-based healthcare financing model has been characterised by perennial financing deficits and widespread application of user fees and has thus been socially exclusive. The country's urban informal sector population is not spared from these challenges. The study explored the potential demand for National Health Insurance (NHI) among respondents from selected urban informal sector clusters of Harare. The following clusters were targeted: Glenview furniture complex, Harare home industries, Mupedzanhamo flea market, Mbare new wholesale market and Mbare retail market. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 388 respondents from the selected clusters, and data on the determinants of Willingness to Join (WTJ) and Willingness to Pay (WTP) was gathered. Respondents were recruited via a multi-stage sampling procedure. In the first stage, the five informal sector clusters were purposely selected. The second stage involved a proportional allocation of respondents by cluster size. Finally, based on the stalls allocated by municipal authorities in each area, respondents were selected using systematic sampling. The sampling interval (k) was determined by dividing the total number of allocated stalls in a cluster (N) by the sample size proportionate to that cluster (n). For each cluster, the first stall (respondent) was randomly chosen, and thereafter, a respondent from every 10th stall was selected and interviewed at their workplace. Contingent valuation was adopted to elicit WTP. Logit models and interval regression were applied for the econometric analyses. RESULTS: A total of 388 respondents participated in the survey. The dominant informal sector activity among the surveyed clusters was the sale of clothing and shoes (39.2%), followed by the sale of agricultural products (27.1%). Concerning employment status, the majority were own-account workers (73.1%). Most of the respondents (84.8%) completed secondary school. On monthly income from informal sector activities, the highest frequency (37.1%) was observed in the Zw$(1000 to <3000) or US$(28.57 to <85.71) category. The mean age of respondents was 36 years. Out of the 388 respondents, 325 (83.8%) were willing to join the proposed NHI scheme. WTJ was influenced by the following factors: health insurance awareness, health insurance perception, membership to a resource-pooling scheme, solidarity with the sick, and household recently experiencing difficulties paying for healthcare. On average, respondents were willing to pay Zw$72.13 (approximately US$2.06) per person per month. The key determinants of WTP were household size, respondent's education level, income, and health insurance perception. CONCLUSIONS: Since the majority of respondents from the sampled clusters were willing to join and pay for the contributory NHI scheme, it follows that there is potential to implement the scheme for the urban informal sector workers from the clusters studied. However, some issues require careful consideration. The informal sector workers need to be educated on the concept of risk pooling and the benefits of being members of an NHI scheme. Household size and income are factors that require special attention when deciding on the premiums for the scheme. Moreover, given that price instability hurts financial products such as health insurance, there is a need for ensuring macroeconomic stability.

285. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein diversity at an intra-host level, among SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals in South Africa, 2020 to 2022.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Subramoney K, Mtileni N, Davis A

286. Treatment outcome of neonatal sepsis and associated factors among neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit in public hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2021. Multi-center cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Endazanaw A, Mulugeta T, Abebe F

BACKGROUND: Globally, neonatal sepsis is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity, particularly in developing countries. Despite studies that revealed the prevalence of neonatal sepsis in developing countries, the outcome of the diseases, barriers for poor outcomes were inconclusive. The aim of this study was to assess the treatment outcome of neonatal sepsis and its associated factors among neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit in public hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2021. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out from February 15 to May 10, 2021 on 308 neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units of Addis Ababa city public hospitals. Hospitals and study participants were selected by lottery and systematic random sampling techniques, respectively. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a structured, pretested questionnaire and by reviewing both the maternal and newborn profile cards. Epi-data version 4.6 was used to enter the collected data, which was then exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. The 95% CI odds ratio is used to determine the direction and strength of the association between the dependent and independent variables. RESULTS: Among the total study 308 neonates, 75(24.4%) were died. Regarding the poor treatment outcome of neonatal sepsis, neonates whose mothers <37 weeks of gestational age (AOR = 4.87, 95% CI: 1.23-19.22), Grunting (AOR 6.94: 1.48-32.54), Meconium amniotic stained (AOR = 3.03, 95% CI: 1.02-9.01), Duration of rupture of membrane >18hours (AOR = 3.66, 95% CI: (1.20-11.15), Hypertensive PIH/ Eclampsia (AOR = 3.54, 95% CI: 1.24-10.09), Meropenum (AOR = 4.16, 95% CI: 1.22-14.21) and CRP positive result (AOR = 5.87, 95% CI: 1.53-22.56) were significantly associated with poor treatment outcome of neonatal sepsis. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The treatment outcomes of neonates were 75.6% recovered and 24.4% died. In this setting, empirical treatment was the cornerstone for managing neonatal sepsis. Professionals who are working in labor and delivery ward screened for mothers preeclampsia and duration of rupture of membrane >18hrs /PROM/ treated with antihypertensive drug and antibiotics for the prevention of neonatal sepsis.

287. Retinal transcriptome of neonatal mice after optic nerve injury.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Yao SQ, Wang M, Liang JJ

BACKGROUND: The axonal growth capacity of retinal ganglion cells decreases dramatically within the first day of birth, and the axonal regeneration after injury in mature mammals is very limited. Here, this study aimed to delineate the transcriptomic changes associated with altered axonal growth capacity and to identify the key genes associated with axonal regeneration by the RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis. METHODS: The whole retinas from the mice of embryonic day (E) 20, postnatal day (P) 1 and P3 were collected at 6 hours after optic nerve crush (ONC). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for ONC or ages were identified by the RNA-Seq analysis. K-means analysis was conducted for the clustering of DEGs based on expression patterns. Enrichment of functions and signaling pathways analysis were performed based on Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, and Gene Set Enrichment analysis (GSEA). Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate the DEGs selected from the RNA-Seq analysis. RESULTS: In total, 5,408 DEGs were identified for ages, and 2,639 DEGs in neonatal mouse retina after ONC. K-means analysis revealed 7 clusters in age-DEGs and 11 clusters in ONC-DEGs. The GO, KEGG and GSEA pathway analyses identified significantly enrichment of DEGs in the visual perception and phototransduction for the age effect, and the break repair, neuron projection guidance, and immune system pathway for the ONC. PPI analysis identified hub genes in the axon-related gene cluster. The expressions of Mlc1, Zfp296, Atoh7, Ecel1, Creb5, Fosb, and Lcn2, thought to be involved in RGC death and axonal growth were validated by qRT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: This study, for the first time, delineated the gene expression changes following ON injury in embryonic and neonatal mice, providing a new resource of age- and injury-driven data on axonal growth capacity.

288. Physical distancing and emergency medical services utilization after self-harm in Korea during the early COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide quantitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Lee YJ, Yuh MA, Kim IS

BACKGROUND: People experienced various stress and psychological responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to examine the changes in emergency medical services (EMSs) utilization by self-harm patients in early pandemic and the impacts of physical distancing measures on the EMSs utilization by self-harm patients. METHODS: Data for all patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) after self-harm injuries including self-poisoning were collected from the National ED Information System (NEDIS). Characteristics of patients in two study regions (urban versus rural) were compared. Weekly and annual ED visit rates after self-harm (VRSH) per 100,000 population were calculated. Mobile phone mobility index (MPMI) was calculated by dividing a region's aggregated mobile phone mobility by mid-year population. Joinpoint regression analysis was conducted to assess changes in 2020 over pre-pandemic years. Test for presence of joinpoint at the end of 2019 was performed. A cross-correlation function was used to estimate the maximal morphological similarity and lag time between changes in MPMI and VRSH. RESULTS: In 2020, in early phases of the pandemic, there was a moderate decline in self-harm-related ED visits to 30,797 from a continuously increasing trend seen in previous years. However, proportions of young people (50.1%) and females (62.3%) increased over previous years. VRSHs among women and young people aged 15-34 years showed higher levels in 2020 than in previous five years. There was a significant decrease in the proportion of patients transported directly from the scene. In addition, there was a polarization of mental state upon ED arrival from alert and unresponsive. The median correlation coefficient between MPMI values and VRSH values was 0.601 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.539-0.619) in urban regions and 0.531 (IQR: 0.454-0.595) in rural regions, showing no statistically significant difference between the two. CONCLUSION: Physical distancing measures adopted to prevent the spread of transmittable diseases following the pandemic had the effect of decreasing ED visits due to self-harm. When the pandemic has ended, and daily life has been restored, it will be particularly important to pay attention to the increased numbers of self-harm patients expected to visit EDs compared to during the pandemic.

289. Wastewater monitoring for detection of public health markers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Near-source monitoring of schools in England over an academic year.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Hassard F, Vu M, Rahimzadeh S

BACKGROUND: Schools are high-risk settings for infectious disease transmission. Wastewater monitoring for infectious diseases has been used to identify and mitigate outbreaks in many near-source settings during the COVID-19 pandemic, including universities and hospitals but less is known about the technology when applied for school health protection. This study aimed to implement a wastewater surveillance system to detect SARS-CoV-2 and other public health markers from wastewater in schools in England. METHODS: A total of 855 wastewater samples were collected from 16 schools (10 primary, 5 secondary and 1 post-16 and further education) over 10 months of school term time. Wastewater was analysed for SARS-CoV-2 genomic copies of N1 and E genes by RT-qPCR. A subset of wastewater samples was sent for genomic sequencing, enabling determination of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and emergence of variant(s) contributing to COVID-19 infections within schools. In total, >280 microbial pathogens and >1200 AMR genes were screened using RT-qPCR and metagenomics to consider the utility of these additional targets to further inform on health threats within the schools. RESULTS: We report on wastewater-based surveillance for COVID-19 within English primary, secondary and further education schools over a full academic year (October 2020 to July 2021). The highest positivity rate (80.4%) was observed in the week commencing 30th November 2020 during the emergence of the Alpha variant, indicating most schools contained people who were shedding the virus. There was high SARS-CoV-2 amplicon concentration (up to 9.2x106 GC/L) detected over the summer term (8th June - 6th July 2021) during Delta variant prevalence. The summer increase of SARS-CoV-2 in school wastewater was reflected in age-specific clinical COVID-19 cases. Alpha variant and Delta variant were identified in the wastewater by sequencing of samples collected from December to March and June to July, respectively. Lead/lag analysis between SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in school and WWTP data sets show a maximum correlation between the two-time series when school data are lagged by two weeks. Furthermore, wastewater sample enrichment coupled with metagenomic sequencing and rapid informatics enabled the detection of other clinically relevant viral and bacterial pathogens and AMR. CONCLUSIONS: Passive wastewater monitoring surveillance in schools can identify cases of COVID-19. Samples can be sequenced to monitor for emerging and current variants of concern at the resolution of school catchments. Wastewater based monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 is a useful tool for SARS-CoV-2 passive surveillance and could be applied for case identification and containment, and mitigation in schools and other congregate settings with high risks of transmission. Wastewater monitoring enables public health authorities to develop targeted prevention and education programmes for hygiene measures within undertested communities across a broad range of use cases.

290. Prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among construction workers in Nepal.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Adhikari B, Poudel L, Bhandari N

INTRODUCTION: The construction industry in Nepal, which employs a significant proportion of the population, ranks as one of the largest industries in the country. Construction work is physically demanding and can be risky due to the use of heavy machinery and the presence of intense physical labor. However, the physical and mental health of construction workers in Nepal is often neglected. This study aimed to assess psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms) and its association with socio-demographic, lifestyle, and occupational factors among construction workers in Kavre district, Nepal. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study from 1st October 2019 to 15th January 2020 among 402 construction workers in Banepa, and Panauti municipalities of Kavre district, Nepal. We collected data with face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire consisting of a) socio-demographic characteristics; b) lifestyle and occupational characteristics; and c) depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. We collected data using electronic forms in KoboToolbox and imported them into R version 3.6.2 for statistical analysis. We present parametric numerical variables as mean and standard deviation, and categorical variables as percentage and frequency. The confidence interval around proportion was estimated with the Clopper-Pearson method. We applied univariate and multivariable logistic regression to determine factors associated with depression symptoms, anxiety, and stress. The result of logistic regression was presented as crude odds ratio, adjusted odds ratio (AOR), and their 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms were 17.1% (95%CI: 13.6-21.2), 19.2% (95%CI: 15.5-23.4) and 16.4% (95%CI: 12.9-20.4), respectively. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, depression symptom was positively associated with poor sleep quality (AOR = 3.51; 95%CI: 1.5-8.19; p-value: 0.004); stress symptom was positively associated with Brahmin ethnicity (AOR = 3.76; 95%CI:1.34-10.58; p-value: 0.012) and current smoking (AOR = 2.0; 95%CI: 1.11-3.82 p-value: 0.022). But anxiety symptoms were not associated with any of the variables. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were high among construction workers. Developing evidence-based and appropriate community-based mental health prevention programs among laborers and construction workers is recommended.

291. Understanding the medication experience of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer taking epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors: A phenomenological study.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Wen MJ, Hsu HL, Chang CL

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients with cancer taking oral antineoplastic medications may encounter problems including suboptimal adherence as well as physical and psychological disease burden. Despite increase in the use of oncology pharmacy services, there are wide variations between healthcare professionals and patient perceptions of patients' medication experiences. The objective of the study was to explore the medication experience of taking oral targeted therapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHOD: We purposively sampled advanced stage (stage III or IV) NSCLC patients taking epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in a medical center in Taiwan. Face-to-face interviews using semi-structured interview guides were conducted. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was applied. A phenomenological methodology was adopted to explore the underlying meaning of patients' lived experience. RESULTS: A total of 19 participants with a mean age of 68.2 years were interviewed. The duration of EGFR-TKIs use ranged from 2 weeks to 5 years. When first learned about the unexpected yet 'treatable' cancer, participants expressed strong emotional responses based on their intrinsic beliefs of the terminal disease and therapy. They walked along an unfamiliar trail while confronting physical and psychological challenges and made compromises to treatment. Gaining experiences from cancer journey, patients with cancer continuously seek the ultimate goals-'return to normal'. CONCLUSIONS: This study also revealed medication experiences of participants' journey from seeking information in the initial phase and living with cancer, to taking back control of their own lives. Healthcare professionals could better empathize with patients' loss of control and understand their perspectives when making clinical decisions. These findings can guide interdisciplinary teams to integrate patients' beliefs and conduct pre-screening assessments of health literacy levels to tailor communication. Subsequent interventions should be developed to identify barriers to medication self-management and empower patients by building social networks.

292. Development and validation of a biological risk assessment tool among hospital personnel under COVID-19 pandemic conditions.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Khoshakhlagh AH, Yazdanirad S, Saberi HR

293. Correction: Modeling the impact of the habituation effect on information spreading processes with repeated contacts under an SI model.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

PLOS ONE Staff.

294. Double burden of malnutrition in Afghanistan: Secondary analysis of a national survey.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Fahim O, Shahim S, Shams AN

BACKGROUND: Reports about the magnitude of co-existence of under- and over-nutrition is limited in Afghanistan. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of double burden of malnutrition (DBM) at individual and household level in Afghanistan. METHODS: This study was done based on the Afghanistan National Nutrition Survey 2013, which included a representative sample of 126,890 individuals (including more than 18,000 households) throughout Afghanistan. Intra-individual DBM was defined as the co-existence of "overweight/obese" and "stunting or micronutrient deficiencies" (including anemia, vitamin A deficiency, vitamin D deficiency and iodine deficiency). At the household level, DBM was considered as having at least one household member as overweight/obese and at least one another member of that household as undernourished (stunted, wasted, underweight or any micronutrient deficiency). SPSS and Stata software were used in the current analysis. Cross-tabulations was used to estimate the prevalence and its 95% confidence interval(CI). This study was ethically approved at Tehran University of Medical sciences. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of intra-individual DBM was 12.5% (95% CI: 12.1; 12.9). Among the whole study participants at individual level of DBM, 11.7% (11.3; 12.1) of individuals had overweight along with stunting simultaneously and 20.5% (18.8; 22.4) had overweight and micronutrient deficiencies at the same time at individual level. The household level of DBM was found among 28.6% (95% CI: 27.9; 29.4) of households; such that 27.3% (26.6; 28.1) of households had at least one member with overweight and another member with stunting or wasting or underweight. Co-existence of overweight and micronutrient deficiencies at the same household was seen in 38.3% (35.5; 41.2). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a high prevalence of DBM at individual and household level in Afghanistan. Therefore, developing appropriate national macro-policies and strategies and designing appropriate programs such as public awareness programs, subsidization, food assistance programs, food fortification and dietary supplementation should be implemented by the ministry of public health, inter- related organs and international health agencies to reduce the burden of this problem in this country.

295. Exclusive breastfeeding among beneficiaries of a nutrition enhancement programme and its associated factors in Ghana.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Adokiya MN, Bukari M, Ndago JA

INTRODUCTION: Despite the gains on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), recent nationwide surveys have consistently revealed a decline in EBF rates in Ghana. The World Food Programme implemented an intervention for Enhanced Nutrition and Value Chain (ENVAC) which was based on three pillars including pregnant women, lactating women, adolescent and children under two years old being beneficiaries of the third pillar since the first 1000 days are critical for averting malnutrition. The social behavior change communication (SBCC) interventions implemented as part of this project have a potential to increase EBF among beneficiaries but this has not been measured. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence of EBF practice among mothers with children under two years old who were beneficiaries of the ENVAC project and its associated factors in northern Ghana. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 339 mother-child pairs in two districts of the northern region of Ghana. Participants were mother-child pairs who benefitted from the ENVAC project, which used SBCC strategies to promote good feeding and care practices as well as address other causes of malnutrition during antenatal care and child welfare clinic services among pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under two years. We used WHO standard questionnaire to assess breastfeeding practices. Factors associated with EBF were modelled using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Exclusive breastfeeding was 74.6% (95%CI = 69.5% -79.2%) in the ENVAC project areas, a 31.7% points higher than recent national levels. Adjusted analyses showed that EBF practice was associated with increasing maternal education: moderately educated women [aOR = 4.1 (95% CI = 2.17-7.66), P<0.001], and high [aOR = 9.15, (95% CI = 3.3-25.36), P<0.001], and access to pipe-borne water in households [aOR = 2.87, (95% CI = 1.11-7.43), P = 0.029]. CONCLUSION: A social behaviour change communication strategy implemented by ENVAC to lactating mothers likely improved exclusive breastfeeding practice in two districts of northern Ghana. EBF practices were higher among beneficiaries with high education and households with access to pipe-borne water. A combination of SBCC strategies and maternal and household factors are likely the best way to increase EBF rates in impoverished communities and warrants further investigation through future research.

296. Cervical cancer screening utilization and associated factors among female health workers in public health facilities of Hossana town, southern Ethiopia: A mixed method approach.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Jemal Z, Chea N, Hasen H

BACKGROUNDS: Worldwide, a substantial proportion of women have low cervical cancer screening services utilization. There is a paucity of evidence in utilization of cervical cancer screening services among female health workers and inconsistent findings in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the utilization of cervical cancer screening services and associated factors among female health workers in public health facilities of Hossana town, Southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Facility-based cross-sectional study design complemented with the qualitative inquiry was conducted among randomly selected 241 study participants in Hossana town from June 1 to July 1, 2021. Logistic regression models were used to determine the association between dependent and independent variables with the assumption of a variable with a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim then translated to English and analyzed using open code version 4.03. RESULTS: Out of the total study participants, 19.6% was screened for cervical cancer. Having a diploma level of education (AOR = 0.48;95%CI:0.24,0.98), having three or more children (AOR = 3.65;95%CI:1.44,9.21), having multiple sexual partners(AOR = 3.89;95%CI: 1.38,11.01), and knowledge of cervical cancer screening (AOR = 2.66;95% CI:1.19,5.95) were statistically significantly associated with cervical cancer screening utilization. In-depth interviews suggested additional barriers for low screening utilization including lack of health educational materials, limitation of service to a specific area, service interruption, provider incompetency, and miss-trust and lack of attention by a trained provider. CONCLUSION: Utilization of cervical cancer screening service among female health workers is low. Having a diploma level of education, having three or more children, a history of multiple sexual partners, and knowledge about cervical cancer were predictors of cervical cancer screening utilization. Contextualized health talks and promotion through training with a special focus on low level of knowledge, had lower educational level, and the availability of cervical cancer screening services are critical.

297. The composite effect reveals that human (but not other primate) faces are special to humans.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Sulikowski D, Favelle S, McKone E

298. Flexor tendon degeneration affects short-term outcomes of open trigger digit release.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Abdul Nasir M, Ahmad TS, Low TH

299. Patients' experience of undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. An interview study from Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Gebrie MH, Asfaw HM, Bilchut WH

300. Arsenic(III)-induced oxidative defense and speciation changes in a wild Trametes versicolor strain.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Zhang Y, Chen X, Wang C

301. Spatial and temporal variability of carbon dioxide fluxes in the Alpine Critical Zone: The case of the Nivolet Plain, Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Lenzi S, Magnani M, Baneschi I

302. Effects of physical activity on Chinese overseas students' mental health during the COVID-19: A multi-country cross-sectional analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Nie Y, Ma Y, Yao X

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 caused severe effects on the psychological well-being of Chinese students overseas (COS). Physical activity (PA) is critical to strengthen immunity, prevent infection, and reduce the psychological burden caused by COVID-19. However, there is a severe lack of effective PA intervention for mental health in most countries, and COS have limited access to mental healthcare during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE: We aim to examine the effects of PA on COS' mental health during the pandemic abroad and to better understand that certain types of PA might be associated with a greater reduction in psychological burdens during the pandemic. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a multi-country cross-sectional analysis, a questionnaire was distributed to COS living in 37 foreign countries via WeChat Subscription using a snowball sampling strategy. A total of 10,846 participants were included. Descriptive statistics and Binary logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. We found that COS had negative psychology during the pandemic, especially with fear (2.90, 95% CI 2.88-2.92), anxiety (2.84, 95% CI 2.82-2.85), and stress (2.71, 95% CI 2.69-2.73). PA had meaningful effects on reducing COS self-reported mental health burdens (3.42, 95% CI 3.41-3.44) during the pandemic. The largest associations were seen for recreational and home-based PA (i.e., family games, home aerobic exercise), individual outdoor PA (i.e., walking or running, rope skipping), and PA with a duration of 30 to 70 min per session at frequencies of 4 to 6 times and a total of 150 to 330 min of moderate and vigorous intensity per week tends to be an optimal choice during social distancing times. CONCLUSIONS: COS had several poor mental health conditions during the pandemic. The improvement of PA on COS' psychology was positively effective during the pandemic. Specific types, intensities, durations, and frequencies of PA might have advantages over others for improving COS' mental health during periods of public health emergencies, and the topic may merit interventional study to reveal multiple factors causing COS' psychological burdens and enrich the PA forms for all COS' mental health improvement (i.e., infected, recovered, and asymptomatic COS).

303. Soluble Vascular Adhesion Protein 1 (sVAP-1) as a biomarker for pregnancy complications: A pilot study.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Danielli M, Thomas RC, Gillies CL

304. Assessing the heterogeneity in the transmission of infectious diseases from time series of epidemiological data.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Schneckenreither G, Herrmann L, Reisenhofer R

305. Psychiatric disorders comorbid with general medical illnesses and functional somatic disorders: The Lifelines cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Creed F.

OBJECTIVE: It is not clear why psychiatric disorders are more prevalent in the functional somatic syndromes than other general medical illnesses. This study assessed the correlates of psychiatric disorders in 3 functional syndromes and 3 general medical illnesses in a population-based sample. METHODS: The Lifelines cohort study included 122,366 adults with relevant data for 6 self-reported conditions: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and diabetes. For each condition the proportion with a DSM-IV psychiatric disorder was assessed. In a cross-sectional design, logistic regression identified at baseline the variables most closely associated with current psychiatric disorder in participants with a pre-existing medical or functional condition. In a separate analysis the prevalence of psychiatric disorder prior to onset of these conditions was assessed. This was a longitudinal study with psychiatric disorder assessed at baseline in participants who subsequently developed a general medical or functional condition between baseline and follow-up. RESULTS: The prevalence of psychiatric disorder was higher (17-27%) in the functional somatic syndromes than the general medical illnesses (10.4-11.7%). The variables closely associated with psychiatric disorder were similar in the functional syndromes and general medical illnesses: stressful life events, chronic personal health difficulties, neuroticism, poor perception of general health, impairment of function due to physical illness and reported previous (lifetime) psychiatric disorder. The prevalence of psychiatric disorder prior to development of these disorder was similar to that of established disorders. CONCLUSION: Despite the difference in prevalence, the correlates of psychiatric disorders were similar in functional and general medical disorders and included predisposing and environmental factors. The increased rate of psychiatric disorder in functional somatic syndromes appears to be evident before onset of the syndrome.

306. Analytical solutions for time-dependent kinematic three-dimensional magnetic reconnection.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Chen Y, Wang Y, Wei F

307. Understanding fertility behavior of the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Hossain MA, Hossain MB.

INTRODUCTION: Rohingya- the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN)- are largely characterized by a high total fertility rate (TFR) and a low contraceptive prevalence rate. This study aimed to explore the reasons behind their high fertility behavior by utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior. DATA AND METHOD: We adopted a cross-sectional qualitative research approach. Fifteen semi-structured, face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with the Rohingya husbands, wives, and community leaders (Majhi and Imam/Khatib) living in Camps 1 and 2 of Ukhiya Refugee Camp, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. We analyzed the qualitative data using the thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: The Muslim-majority FDMN predominantly constructed the fertility outcome as the will and order of Allah. On the one hand, the Rohingya parents highlighted various religious, political, economic, and social advantages of having more children, especially sons. On the other hand, beliefs about religious restriction, fear of side effects, and community pressure against contraception sustained the reality of the low contraceptive prevalence rate in the community. Alarmingly, the Rohingya religious leaders and mass people were found highly politically motivated to continue the practice of high fertility with a view to 'expanding the Rohingya community' or 'to increase Muslim soldiers', so that they may fight back and take control of their ancestors' place in Myanmar in the future. Furthermore, these pronatalist attitudes and beliefs translated into high TFR through various high-fertility-supportive social norms and practices widely prevalent in the Rohingya community. These include child marriage, gendered division of labor, women's subordinate nature, the Purdah system, and joint-family members' support during childbirth and rearing. CONCLUSION: Religion, ethnic identity, and the unique political context and experiences of the Rohingya people jointly explain their high fertility behavior. This study warrants the urgency of initiating social and behavior change communication programs to change the religiopolitically-motivated high-fertility notions that prevailed in the Rohingya community.

308. Assessment of exposure to pesticides and the knowledge, attitude and practice among farmers of western Bhutan.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Monger A, Mahat K, Dorjee

309. Quantitative cardiovascular magnetic resonance findings and clinical risk factors predict cardiovascular outcomes in breast cancer patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Kwan JM, Arbune A, Henry ML

BACKGROUND: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) global longitudinal strain and circumferential strain abnormalities have been associated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) reduction and cardiotoxicity from oncologic therapy. However, few studies have evaluated the associations of strain and cardiovascular outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To assess CMR circumferential and global longitudinal strain (GLS) correlations with cardiovascular outcomes including myocardial infarction, systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, arrhythmias and valvular disease in breast cancer patients treated with and without anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab therapy. METHODS: Breast cancer patients with a CMR from 2013-2017 at Yale New Haven Hospital were included. Patient co-morbidities, medications, and cardiovascular outcomes were obtained from chart review. Biostatistical analyses, including Pearson correlations, competing risk regression model, and competing risk survival curves comparing the two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: 116 breast cancer with CMRs were included in our analysis to assess differences between Anthracycline/Trastuzumab (AT) (62) treated versus non anthracycline/trastuzumab (NAT) (54) treated patients in terms of imaging characteristics and outcomes. More AT patients 17 (27.4%) developed systolic heart failure compared to the NAT group 6 (10.9%), p = 0.025. Statin use was associated with a significant reduction in future arrhythmias (HR 0.416; 95% CI 0.229-0.755, p = 0.004). In a sub-group of 13 patients that underwent stress CMR, we did not find evidence of microvascular dysfunction by sub-endocardial/sub-epicardial myocardial perfusion index ratio after adjusting for ischemic heart disease. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, CMR detected signs of subclinical cardiotoxicity such as strain abnormalities despite normal LV function and abnormal circumferential strain was associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes such as valvular disease and systolic heart failure. Thus, CMR is an important tool during and after cancer treatment to identity and prognosticate cancer treatment-related cardiotoxicity.

310. Reassessing the adrenomedullin scavenging function of ACKR3 in lymphatic endothelial cells.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Sigmund EC, Bauer A, Jakobs BD

311. Delay reduction in MTC using SDN based offloading in Fog computing.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Arefian Z, Khayyambashi MR, Movahhedinia N.

312. Identification of curaxin as a potential new therapeutic for JAK2 V617F mutant patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 30

Pearson S, Blance R, Yan F

313. Premature mortality and years of potential life lost from cardiovascular diseases: Protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Rodzlan Hasani WS, Muhamad NA, Maamor NH

INTRODUCTION: Despite the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) continuing to increase globally, no comprehensive meta-analyses have been conducted quantifying premature CVD mortality. This paper reports the protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to derive updated estimates of premature CVD mortality. METHODS AND EXPECTED OUTPUTS: This review will include the studies that reported premature CVD mortality based on standard premature mortality indicators, including years of life lost (YLL), age standardized mortality rate (ASMR) or standardised mortality ratio (SMR). PUBMED, Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), CINAHL, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) will be used as the literature databases. The study selection as well as the evaluation of the quality of the included articles will be done independently by two reviewers. Pooled estimates of YLL, ASMR, and SMR will be computed by applying random-effects meta-analysis. Heterogeneity among selected studies will be assessed using the I2 statistic and Q statistic with associated p-values. A funnel plot analysis and Egger's test will be conducted to assess the potential impact of publication bias. Depending on data availability, we propose to conduct subgroup analyses by sex, geographic location, main CVD types, and study time. Reporting of our findings will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis will provide a comprehensive synthesis of the available evidence on premature CVD mortality, which is a major public health concern worldwide. The results of this meta-analysis will have important implications for clinical practice and public health policy, providing insights into strategies to prevent and manage premature CVD mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42021288415. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021288415.

314. Contact between European bison and cattle from the cattle breeders' perspective, in the light of the risk of pathogen transmission.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Klich D, Didkowska A, Pyziel-Serafin AM

315. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation vs. surgical aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis in Taiwan: A population-based cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Chung CH, Wang YJ, Jiao X

OBJECTIVE: Aortic stenosis (AS) is a heart valve disease characterized by left ventricular outflow fixed obstruction. It can be managed by surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, real-world evidence for TAVI or SAVR outcomes is lacking in Taiwan. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of TAVI and SAVR for treating of AS in Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Health Insurance Research Database is a nationally representative cohort that contains detailed registry and claims data from all 23 million residents of Taiwan. This retrospective cohort study used this database to compare patients who underwent SAVR (bioprosthetic valves) or TAVI from 2017 to 2019. Survival outcomes and length of hospital stay (LOS) and intensive care unit (ICU) stay between TAVI and SAVR in the matched cohort. A Cox proportional hazards model was performed to identify the effect of treatment type on survival rates while controlling variables including age, gender, and comorbidities. RESULTS: We identified 475 and 1605 patients who underwent TAVI and SAVR with a bioprosthetic valve, respectively. Patients who underwent TAVI were older (82.19 vs. 68.75 y/o) and more likely to be female (55.79% vs. 42.31%) compared with patients who underwent SAVR. Propensity score matching (PSM) on age, gender, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI) score revealed that 375 patients who underwent TAVI were matched with patients who underwent SAVR. A significant difference was found in survival rates between TAVI and SAVR. The 1-year mortality rate was 11.44% with TAVI and 17.55% with SAVR. Both the mean total LOS (19.86 vs. 28.24 days) and mean ICU stay (6.47 vs. 11.12 days) for patients who underwent TAVI were shorter than those who underwent SAVR. CONCLUSION: Patients who had undergone TAVI had better survival outcomes and shorter LOS compared with patients who had undergone SAVR in Taiwan.

316. Improving primary care based post-diagnostic support for people living with dementia and carers: Developing a complex intervention using the Theory of Change.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Bamford C, Wilcock J, Brunskill G

BACKGROUND: The need to improve support following a diagnosis of dementia is widely recognised, but it is unclear how this can best be achieved within UK health and social care systems. A task-shared and task-shifted approach has been recommended, but there is limited guidance on how to achieve this in practice. As part of a programme of research, we developed an intervention to enhance the role of primary care in post-diagnostic care and support for people living with dementia and carers. METHODS: We used the Theory of Change to develop a complex intervention informed by initial literature reviews and qualitative work. The intervention was developed through an iterative series of workshops, meetings and task groups with a range of stakeholders, including the multidisciplinary project team, people living with dementia and carers, service managers, frontline practitioners, and commissioners. RESULTS: 142 participants contributed to intervention development through face-to-face or virtual meetings. The intervention comprises three complementary strands of work focusing on: developing systems, delivering tailored care and support, and building capacity and capability. Clinical dementia leads, based in primary care networks, will facilitate the intervention providing tailored expertise and support. CONCLUSION: The Theory of Change proved useful in providing structure and engaging stakeholders. The process was challenging, took longer and was less participative than intended due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We will next conduct a feasibility and implementation study to explore whether the intervention can be successfully delivered within primary care. If successful, the intervention offers practical strategies for delivering a task-shared and task-shifted approach to post-diagnostic support that could be adapted for similar health and social care contexts internationally.

317. A study on limited pre-sale strategy with consideration of consumer regret.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Jiang YC, Qi YY.

318. Association between prenatal antimicrobial use and offspring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Straughen JK, Sitarik AR, Wegienka G

BACKGROUND: Gut-brain cross-talk may play an important role in modulating neurodevelopment. Few studies have examined the association between antimicrobials that influence infant gut microbiota assemblage and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between maternal prenatal antimicrobial use and ADHD in offspring at 10 years of age. METHODS: Data are from the Wayne County Health, Environment, Allergy and Asthma Longitudinal Study, a racially and socioeconomically diverse birth cohort in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan. Maternal antimicrobial use was extracted from the medical record. ADHD diagnoses were based on parental report at the 10-year study visit. Poisson regression models with robust error variance were used to calculate risk ratios (RR). Cumulative frequency of exposure to antibiotics, and effect modification were also evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 555 children included in the analysis, 108 were diagnosed with ADHD. During pregnancy, 54.1% of mothers used antibiotics while 18.7% used antifungals. Overall, there was no evidence of an association between prenatal antibiotic exposure and ADHD (RR [95% CI] = 0.98 [0.75, 1.29]), but there was an increased risk of ADHD among those with mothers using 3+ courses of antibiotics (RR [95%CI] = 1.58 [1.10, 2.29]). Prenatal exposure to antifungals was associated with a 1.6 times higher risk of ADHD (RR [95% CI] = 1.60 [1.19, 2.15]). In examining effect modification by child sex for antifungal use, there was no evidence of an association among females (RR [95% CI] = 0.97 [0.42, 2.23]), but among males, prenatal antifungal use was associated with 1.82 times higher risk of ADHD (RR [95% CI] = 1.82 [1.29, 2.56]). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal prenatal antifungal use and frequent prenatal antibiotic use are associated with an increased risk of ADHD in offspring at age 10. These findings highlight the importance of the prenatal environment and the need for careful use of antimicrobials.

319. Psychophysiological and behavioral responses to descriptive labels in modern art museums.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Castellotti S, D'Agostino O, Mencarini A

320. Voxel based morphometry-detected white matter volume loss after multi-modality treatment in high grade glioma patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

de Groot JD, van Dijken BRJ, van der Weide HL

321. Creatinine clearance is key to solving the enigma of sex difference in in-hospital mortality after STEMI: Propensity score matching and mediation analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Janjani P, Salehi N, Rouzbahani M

322. Child-appealing packaged food and beverage products in Canada-Prevalence, power, and nutritional quality.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Mulligan C, Vergeer L, Kent MP

323. When can cancer patient treatment nonadherence be considered intentional or unintentional? A scoping review.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Wreyford L, Gururajan R, Zhou X.

BACKGROUND: Treatment nonadherence in cancer patients remains high with most interventions having had limited success. Most studies omit the multi-factorial aspects of treatment adherence and refer to medication adherence. The behaviour is rarely defined as intentional or unintentional. AIM: The aim of this Scoping Review is to increase understanding of modifiable factors in treatment nonadherence through the relationships that physicians have with their patients. This knowledge can help define when treatment nonadherence is intentional or unintentional and can assist in predicting cancer patients at risk of nonadherence and in intervention design. The scoping review provides the basis for method triangulation in two subsequent qualitative studies: 1. Sentiment analysis of online cancer support groups in relation to treatment nonadherence; 2. A qualitative validation survey to refute / or validate claims from this scoping review. Thereafter, framework development for a future (cancer patient) online peer support intervention. METHODS: A Scoping Review was performed to identify peer reviewed studies that concern treatment / medication nonadherence in cancer patients-published between 2000 to 2021 (and partial 2022). The review was registered in the Prospero database CRD42020210340 and follows the PRISMA-S: an extension to the PRISMA Statement for Reporting Literature Searches in Systematic Searches. The principles of meta-ethnography are used in a synthesis of qualitative findings that preserve the context of primary data. An aim of meta-ethnography is to identify common and refuted themes across studies. This is not a mixed methods study, but due to a limited qualitativevidence base and to broaden findings, the qualitative elements (author interpretations) found within relevant quantitative studies have been included. RESULTS: Of 7510 articles identified, 240 full texts were reviewed with 35 included. These comprise 15 qualitative and 20 quantitative studies. One major theme, that embraces 6 sub themes has emerged: 'Physician factors can influence patient factors in treatment nonadherence'. The six (6) subthemes are: 1. Suboptimal Communication; 2. The concept of Information differs between Patient and Physician; 3.Inadequate time. 4. The need for Treatment Concordance is vague or missing from concepts; 5. The importance of Trust in the physician / patient relationship is understated in papers; 6. Treatment concordance as a concept is rarely defined and largely missing from studies. LINE OF ARGUMENT WAS DRAWN: Treatment (or medication) nonadherence that is intentional or unintentional is often attributed to patient factors-with far less attention to the potential influence of physician communication factors. The differentation between intentional or unintentional nonadherence is missing from most qualitative and quantitative studies. The holistic inter-dimensional / multi-factorial concept of 'treatment adherence' receives scant attention. The main focus is on medication adherence / nonadherence in the singular context. Nonadherence that is unintentional is not necessarily passive behaviour and may overlap with intentional nonadherence. The absence of treatment concordance is a barrier to treatment adherence and is rarely articulated or defined in studies. CONCLUSION: This review demonstrates how cancer patient treatment nonadherence is often a shared outcome. An equal focus on physican and patient factors can increase understanding of the two main types of nonadherence (intentional or unintentional). This differentation should help improve the fundamentals of intervention design.

324. Perspectives on relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S): A qualitative case study of athletes, coaches and medical professionals from a super league netball club.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

O'Donnell J, White C, Dobbin N.

BACKGROUND: Research into relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) has increased substantially over recent years given the impact on athletes' health and performance. Most studies have considered sports that place emphasis on the aesthetics, endurance, or weight-restriction. Fewer studies exist in team sports. Netball is a team sport yet to be explored despite players potentially being at risk of RED-S given the high training volumes, sporting culture, internal and external pressures, and small network of coaches and medical professionals. A qualitative case study was used to explore the perspective of athletes, coaches, and medical professionals on RED-S. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 players, 4 coaches and 4 medical professionals affiliated to a Super League club. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Five main themes were identified in this study. Awareness of RED-S amongst athletes and coaches was generally inadequate whereas medical professionals had some awareness of RED-S. Some athletes used contraception to reduce discomfort/pain during menstruation whilst others expressed concerns around long-term contraceptive use and previous menstrual cycle disturbance. Sporting demands, individual and contextual factors, and a preoccupation with body image were associated with nutritional restriction, whilst appearance was a source of internal and external pressure. External pressures also extended to coaches, assessments/feedback, social media, and commentary. Strategies suggested to reduce the risk of RED-S included "hard hitting cases", multidisciplinary team involvement, and support from the governing body. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study provide insight into factors potentially associated with the risk of RED-S from an athletes, coaches, and medical professional perspective. This insight can be used to increase overall awareness of RED-S in key stakeholders as well as improve the recognition for the pressures netball athletes face that might alter the level of risk.

325. A predicted structure of NADPH Oxidase 1 identifies key components of ROS generation and strategies for inhibition.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Liu Y, Liang S, Shi D

326. Prediction of incident chronic kidney disease in a population with normal renal function and normo-proteinuria.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Lee SM, Kim SH, Yoon HJ.

327. Apolipoprotein E genetic variation, atherogenic index and cardiovascular disease risk assessment in an African population: An analysis of HIV and malaria patients in Ghana.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Thomford NE, Anyanful A, Ateko RO

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein E is involved in lipid transport and clearance of lipoprotein through low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLR). ApoE variation has been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. There are 3 isoforms of ApoE which originate from two non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms denoted as ε2, ε3 and ε4. The ε2 isoform is implicated in higher levels of atherogenic lipoprotein with the ε4 isoform causing LDLR downregulation. This leads to variable effects and differential CVD risk. Malaria and HIV are life-threatening diseases affecting several countries globally especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Parasite and viral activities have been implicated in lipid dysregulation leading to dyslipidaemia. This study examined ApoE variation and CVD risk assessment in malaria and HIV patients. METHODS: We compared 76 malaria-only, 33 malaria-HIV coinfected, 21-HIV-only and 31 controls from a tertiary health facility in Ghana. Fasting venous blood samples were taken for ApoE genotyping and lipid measurements. Clinical and laboratory data were collected with ApoE genotyping performed using Iplex Gold microarray and PCR-RFLP. Cardiovascular disease risk was calculated using the Framingham BMI and cholesterol risk and Qrisk3 tools. RESULTS: The frequency of C/C genotype for rs429358 was 9.32%, whiles T/T genotype for rs7412 was found in 2.48% of all participants. ε3/ε3 was the most distributed ApoE genotype accounting for 51.55% of the total participants whiles ε2/ε2 was found in 2.48% of participants, with 1 in malaria-only and 3 in HIV-only patients. There was a significant association between ε4+ and high TG (OR = 0.20, CI; 0.05-0.73; p = 0.015), whiles ε2+ was significantly associated with higher BMI (OR; 0.24, CI; 0.06-0.87; p = 0.030) and higher Castelli Risk Index II in females (OR = 11.26, CI; 1.37-92.30; p = 0.024). A higher proportion of malaria-only participants had a moderate to high 10-year CVD risk. CONCLUSION: Overall malaria patients seem to have a higher CVD risk though the means through which this occurs may be poorly understood. ε2/ε2 genotypes was observed in our population at a lower frequency. Further studies are vital to determine CVD risk in malaria and how this occurs.

328. Assignment strategies modulate students' academic performance in an online learning environment during the first and second COVID-19 related school closures.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Spitzer MWH, Moeller K, Musslick S.

329. Algorithmic voice transformations reveal the phonological basis of language-familiarity effects in cross-cultural emotion judgments.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Nakai T, Rachman L, Arias Sarah P

330. Allele mining, amplicon sequencing and computational prediction of Solanum melongena L. FT/TFL1 gene homologs uncovers putative variants associated to seed dormancy and germination.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Subramaniam R, Kumar VS.

331. Bleb analysis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography after trabeculectomy with amniotic membrane transplantation.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Kim H, Moon S, Kim E

332. Patterns of contraceptive use through later reproductive years: A cohort study of Australian women with chronic disease.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Harris ML, Egan N, Forder PM

BACKGROUND: Pregnancies among women with chronic disease are associated with poor maternal and fetal outcomes. There is a need to understand how women use or don't use contraception across their reproductive years to better inform the development of preconception care strategies to reduce high risk unintended pregnancies, including among women of older reproductive age. However, there is a lack of high-quality longitudinal evidence to inform such strategies. We examined patterns of contraceptive use among a population-based cohort of reproductive aged women and investigated how chronic disease influenced contraceptive use over time. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Contraceptive patterns from 8,030 women of reproductive age from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (1973-78 cohort), who were at potential risk of an unintended pregnancy were identified using latent transition analysis. Multinomial mixed-effect logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between contraceptive combinations and chronic disease. Contraception non-use increased between 2006 and 2018 but was similar between women with and without chronic disease (13.6% vs. 12.7% among women aged 40-45 years in 2018). When specific contraceptive use patterns were examined over time, differences were found for women with autoinflammatory diseases only. These women had increased odds of using condom and natural methods (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.00, 1.44), and sterilisation and other methods (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.08, 2.39) or no contraception (OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.66), compared to women without chronic disease using short-acting methods and condoms. CONCLUSION: Potential gaps in the provision of appropriate contraceptive access and care exist for women with chronic disease, particularly for women diagnosed with autoinflammatory conditions. Development of national guidelines as well as a clear coordinated contraceptive strategy that begins in adolescence and is regularly reviewed during care management through their main reproductive years and into perimenopause is required to increase support for, and agency among, women with chronic disease.

333. Body shape and performance on the US Army Combat Fitness Test: Insights from a 3D body image scanner.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Smith M, Turner D, Spencer C

334. Anthropometric analysis of orbital and nasal parameters for sexual dimorphism: New anatomical evidences in the field of personal identification through a retrospective observational study.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Scendoni R, Kelmendi J, Arrais Ribeiro IL

335. Western visitors at the Blätterhöhle (city of Hagen, southern Westphalia) during the Younger Dryas? A new final palaeolithic assemblage type in western Germany.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Baales M, Heuschen W, Kehl M

336. Strategic and entrepreneurial abilities: Surviving the crisis across countries during the Covid-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Chudziński P, Cyfert S, Dyduch W

337. Concomitant western diet and chronic-binge alcohol dysregulate hepatic metabolism.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Buyco DG, Dempsey JL, Scorletti E

338. Early detection and recovery of river herring spawning habitat use in response to a mainstem dam removal.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Huang CS, Legett HD, Plough LV

339. Response to novel feed in dairy calves is affected by prior hay provision and presentation method.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Morrow CR, Downey BC, Tucker CB.

Animals raised in environments that prevent natural foraging opportunities may have difficulty adapting to novelty, such as feeding and management changes. Our objective was to evaluate how early provision and presentation of forage in dairy calves affected response to novel TMR (total mixed ration; grain and alfalfa) at weaning. Holstein heifer calves were housed individually in a covered outdoor hutch with an attached uncovered wire-fenced pen on sand bedding. Calves were fed a diet of starter grain and milk replacer (5.7-8.4L/d step-up) via a bottle (Control, n = 9) or given additional access to mountaingrass hay presented either in a bucket (Bucket, n = 9), or PVC pipe feeder (Pipe, n = 9). Treatments were applied from birth through 50 d of age, when step-down weaning began. All calves had 3 buckets and a pipe feeder provided in their uncovered pen area. On d 50, each calf was briefly blocked inside their hutch. TMR was put in the 3rd bucket that previously contained hay (Bucket) or was empty (Control, Pipe). The calf was released from the hutch and video-recorded for 30 min. Neophobia towards TMR was affected by prior experience with presentation: Bucket calves began eating TMR faster than Pipe and Control (P≤0.012) and showed the fewest number of startle responses (P = 0.004). Intake was similar across groups (P = 0.978), suggesting this apparent neophobia was transient, but Control calves took longer to eat than Bucket (P<0.001) and Pipe (P = 0.070) calves and were less likely to give up on eating to lie down instead. These results suggest that previous experience with hay improves processing ability when presented with novel TMR. Overall, response to a novel feed is affected by both early life experience, such as opportunities to process forage, and the presentation of the feed itself. Calves also appear motivated to access forage, evidenced by transient neophobia, high intake, and persistence in feeding by naïve calves.

340. Parkin-mediated mitophagy is negatively regulated by FOXO3A, which inhibits Plk3-mediated mitochondrial ROS generation in STZ diabetic stress-treated pancreatic β cells.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Shim JY, Chung JO, Jung D

341. Community engagement initiatives in primary health care to achieve universal health coverage: A realist synthesis of scoping review.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Erku D, Khatri R, Endalamaw A

BACKGROUND: Community engagement (CE) is an essential component in a primary health care (PHC) and there have been growing calls for service providers to seek greater CE in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of PHC services. This scoping review aimed to explore the underlying attributes, contexts and mechanisms in which community engagement initiatives contribute to improved PHC service delivery and the realisation of UHC. METHODS: PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and Google Scholar were searched from the inception of each database until May 2022 for studies that described the structure, process, and outcomes of CE interventions implemented in PHC settings. We included qualitative and quantitative studies, process evaluations and systematic or scoping reviews. Data were extracted using a predefined extraction sheet, and the quality of reporting of included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The Donabedian's model for quality of healthcare was used to categorise attributes of CE into "structure", "process" and "outcome". RESULTS: Themes related to the structural aspects of CE initiatives included the methodological approaches (i.e., format and composition), levels of CE (i.e., extent, time, and timing of engagement) and the support processes and strategies (i.e., skills and capacity) that are put in place to enable both communities and service providers to undertake successful CE. Process aspects of CE initiatives discussed in the literature included: i) the role of the community in defining priorities and setting objectives for CE, ii) types and dynamics of the broad range of engagement approaches and activities, and iii) presence of an on-going communication and two-way information sharing. Key CE components and contextual factors that affected the impact of CE initiatives included the wider socio-economic context, power dynamics and representation of communities and their voices, and cultural and organisational issues. CONCLUSIONS: Our review highlighted the potential role of CE initiatives in improving decision making process and improving overall health outcomes, and identified several organisational, cultural, political, and contextual factors that affect the success of CE initiatives in PHC settings. Awareness of and responding to the contextual factors will increase the chances of successful CE initiatives.

342. Rootstock-mediated carbohydrate metabolism, nutrient contents, and physiological modifications in regular and alternate mango (Mangifera indica L.) scion varieties.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Vittal H, Sharma N, Dubey AK

Most of the popular scion varieties of mango possess alternate/irregular bearing. There are many external and internal factors assigned, among them carbohydrate reserves, and nutrient content plays important roles in the floral induction process in many crop species. In addition to that rootstock can alter the carbohydrate reserve and nutrient acquisition of scion varieties in fruit crops. The present investigation was carried out to understand the effect of rootstocks on the physiochemical traits of leaf, and bud and nutrient content in regular and alternate bearing varieties of mango. The rootstock "Kurukkan" promoted starch content in leaves of both alternate bearing varieties 'Dashehari' (5.62 mg/g) and regular 'Amrapali' (5.49 mg/g) and encouraged higher protein content (6.71 mg/g) and C/N ratio (37.94) in buds of alternate bearing 'Dashehari'. While Olour rootstock upregulated the reducing sugar in leaves of 'Amrapali' (43.56 mg/g) and promoted K (1.34%) and B (78.58 ppm) content in reproductive buds of 'Dashehari'. Stomatal density in 'Dashehari' scion variety was found higher on Olour rootstock (700.40/mm 2), while the rootstock fails to modify stomatal density in the scion variety regular bearer 'Amrapali'. Further, a total of 30 carbohydrate metabolism-specific primers were designed and validated in 15 scion/rootstock combinations. A total of 33 alleles were amplified among carbohydrate metabolism-specific markers, which varied from 2 to 3 alleles with a mean of 2.53 per locus. Maximum and minimum PIC value was found for NMSPS10, and NMTPS9 primers (0.58). Cluster analysis revealed that scion grafted on Kurukkan rootstock clustered together except 'Pusa Arunima' on Olour rootstock. Our analysis revealed that Fe is the key component that is commonly expressed in both leaf and bud. Although Stomatal density (SD) and Intercellular CO2 Concentration (Ci) are more specific to leaf and Fe, B, and total sugar (TS) are abundant in buds. Based on the results it can be inferred that the physiochemical and nutrient responses of mango scion varieties are manipulated by the rootstock, hence, the scion-rootstock combination can be an important consideration in mango for selecting suitable rootstock for alternate/irregular bearer varieties.

343. Sensitivity to imidacloprid insecticide varies among some social and solitary bee species of agricultural value.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Sampson B, Gregorc A, Alburaki M

344. Associations between long-term fine particulate matter exposure and hospital procedures in heart failure patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Catalano S, Moyer J, Weaver A

345. A hospital demand and capacity intervention approach for COVID-19.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Van Yperen J, Campillo-Funollet E, Inkpen R

346. Mining and visualizing large-scale course reviews of LMOOCs learners through structural topic model.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Yang L.

347. Topics most predictive of favorable overall assessment in outpatient radiology.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Ajam AA, Berkheimer C, Xing B

BACKGROUND: Patients' subjective experiences during clinical interactions may affect their engagement in healthcare, and better understanding of the issues patients consider most important may help improve service quality and patient-staff relationships. While diagnostic imaging is a growing component of healthcare utilization, few studies have quantitatively and systematically assessed what patients deem most relevant in radiology settings. To elucidate factors driving patient satisfaction in outpatient radiology, we derived quantitative models to identify items most predictive of patients' overall assessment of radiology encounters. METHODS: Press-Ganey survey data (N = 69,319) collected over a 9-year period at a single institution were retrospectively analyzed, with each item response dichotomized as "favorable" or "unfavorable." Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed on 18 binarized Likert items to compute odds ratios (OR) for those question items significantly predicting Overall Rating of Care or Likelihood of Recommending. In a secondary analysis to identify topics more relevant to radiology than other encounter types, items significantly more predictive of concordant ratings in radiology compared to non-radiology visits were also identified. RESULTS: Among radiology survey respondents, top predictors of Overall Rating and Likelihood of Recommending were items addressing patient concerns or complaints (OR 6.8 and 4.9, respectively) and sensitivity to patient needs (OR 4.7 and 4.5, respectively). When comparing radiology and non-radiology visits, the top items more predictive for radiology included unfavorable responses to helpfulness of registration desk personnel (OR 1.4-1.6), comfort of waiting areas (OR 1.4), and ease of obtaining an appointment at the desired time (OR 1.4). CONCLUSIONS: Items related to patient-centered empathic communication were the most predictive of favorable overall ratings among radiology outpatients, while underperformance in logistical issues related to registration, scheduling, and waiting areas may have greater adverse impact on radiology than non-radiology encounters. Findings may offer potential targets for future quality improvement efforts.

348. Unpacking privacy: Valuation of personal data protection.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Skatova A, McDonald R, Ma S

349. Women's representation as authors of retracted papers in the biomedical sciences.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Pinho-Gomes AC, Hockham C, Woodward M.

350. Gas-assisted femtosecond pulsed laser machining: A high-throughput alternative to focused ion beam for creating large, high-resolution cross sections.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

May N, Choi H, Phoulady A

351. Effects of plant growth regulators on the contents of rutin, hyperoside and quercetin in Hypericum attenuatum Choisy.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Song R, Xia Y, Zhao Z

352. A comprehensive survey of cancer medicines prices, availability and affordability in Ghana.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Ocran Mattila P, Biritwum RB, Babar ZU.

INTRODUCTION: In Ghana, prices for cancer medicines are characterized by high retail markups, forex fluctuations and high variation in prices of medicines. Most patients cannot afford the cancer medicines. There is a problem of unaffordability and limited availability of essential cancer medicines which suggests potential inequity in patient access to cancer medicines. The study objective was to assess the prices, availability, and affordability of cancer medicines in Ghana. Prices of cancer medicines are a major contributor to the cost of treatment for cancer patients and the comparison of these cost was assessed to determine the affordability. METHOD: The methods developed and standardized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Health Action International (HAI), was adapted and used to measure prices, availability, and affordability of cancer medicines in Ghana. The availability of cancer medicines was assessed as percentage of health facilities stocked with listed medicines. The price of cancer medicines (of different brands as well as the same medicine manufactured by different pharmaceutical industries) available in the public hospitals, private hospitals, and private pharmacies was assessed, and the percentage variation in prices was calculated. Medicine prices were compared with the Management Sciences Health's International Reference Prices to obtain a Median Price Ratio (MPR). The affordability of cancer medicines was determined using the treatment cost of a course of therapy for cancer conditions in comparison with the daily wage of the unskilled Lowest-Paid Government Worker. RESULTS: Overall availability of cancer medicines was very low. The availability of Lowest Priced Generic (LPG) in public hospitals, private hospitals, and private pharmacies was 46%, 22%, and 74% respectively. The availability of Originator Brand (OB) in public hospitals, private hospitals, and private pharmacies was 14%, 11%, and 23% respectively. The lowest median price [United States Dollars (USD)] for the LPG was 0.25, and the highest median price was 227.98. For the OB, the lowest median price was 0.41 and the highest median price was 1321.60. The lowest and highest adjusted MPRs of OBs and LPGs was 0.01 and 10.15 respectively. Some prices were 20.60 times more expensive. Affordability calculations showed that patients with colorectal and multiple myeloma cancer would need 2554 days wages (5286.40 USD) and 1642 days wages (3399.82 USD) respectively to afford treatment. CONCLUSION: The availability of cancer medicines was very low, and less than the WHO target of 80%. There were considerable variations in the prices of different brands of cancer medicines, and affordability remains suboptimal, as most patients cannot afford the cancer medicines. Comprehensive policies, regulations and multifaceted interventions that provides tax incentives, health insurance, and use of generics to improve cancer medicines availability, prices, and affordability, for the masses should be developed and implemented in Ghana.

353. A novel approach for determining instantaneous centers of rotation of the mandible with an intraoral scanner: A preliminary study.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Safrany-Fark A, Laczi B, Nagy A

354. Transcriptomic changes in porcine articular cartilage one year following disruption of the anterior cruciate ligament.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Donnenfield JI, Karamchedu NP, Proffen BL

355. Conditioning-induced expression of novel glucose transporters in canine skeletal muscle homogenate.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Barrett MR, Scott Davis M.

356. Prognostic factors for intraoperative detection of necrotizing fasciitis in severe soft tissue infections.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Abdalla TSA, Grotelüschen R, Abdalla ASA

357. The three waves: Rethinking the structure of the first Upper Paleolithic in Western Eurasia.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Slimak L.

358. Non-cognitive skills and labour market performance of immigrants.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Akay A, Yilmaz L.

359. Nutritional intake and metabolic parameters of Japanese university students with and without obesity: Sex-specific differences.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Mehta M, Izurieta R, Nishio A

360. Exploring factors influencing the selection of primary health care delivery models in conflict-affected settings of North West and South West regions of Cameroon and North-East Nigeria: A study protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Omam LA, O'Laughlin K, Tendongfor N

BACKGROUND: In conflict-affected settings, access to health care for displaced populations is constrained by barriers including geographical, cultural, communication, logistical, financial and insecurity. A six year humanitarian crises in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon has caused 27% of health facilities to be non-functional. The eleven year crisis in North-East Nigeria, has caused the closure of 26% of health facilities. These closure of health facilities and population displacement led to health care delivery using humanitarian funding by multiple different agencies. However, there is a paucity of evidence on the selection and design of the primary health care delivery models used in humanitarian settings. To ensure efficient use of resources and quality of services, model of care selection should be evidence based and informed by the specific humanitarian context. This research protocol aims to explore how primary health care models are selected by humanitarian organizations. METHODS: We will conduct a cross sectional quantitative survey to map the range of primary health care delivery models used by humanitarian organisations in Cameroon and Nigeria. Using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with staff from humanitarian organizations and internally displaced persons, we will explore the factors influencing the selection of primary health care models in these settings and determine the coverage and gaps in services across the different primary health care models. Quantitative data will be analysed in a descriptive manner and qualitative data will be analysed thematically. DISCUSSION: Different models of care have been reported to be used by humanitarian organisations in conflict-affected settings, yet evidence on how different models are selected is lacking. A detailed understanding of the rationale for selection, the design and quality considerations of the strategies used to deliver health care will be obtained using a survey, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.

361. Levels and determinants of quality antenatal care in Bangladesh: Evidence from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Akter E, Hossain AT, Rahman AE

362. A simulation study of cooperative and autonomous vehicles (CAV) considering courtesy, ethics, and fairness.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Jiang L, Xie Y, Evans NG.

363. Perspectives of pharmacy employees on an inappropriate use of antimicrobials in Kathmandu, Nepal.

PLoS One

2023 May 3

Shrestha N, Manandhar S, Maharjan N

BACKGROUND: Unregulated antimicrobial use is common in both hospital and community settings of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, discrete data regarding the use/misuse of antimicrobials at pharmacies in LMICs are limited. This study was conducted to understand knowledge, attitude, and practice of pharmacy employees on antimicrobial dispensing in Nepal. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire on 801 pharmacy employees working in community and hospital pharmacies located in Lalitpur metropolitan city (LMC) of Kathmandu, Nepal between April 2017 and March 2019. RESULTS: A majority (92%) of respondents agreed that demand for non-prescription antimicrobials was common. Asking for prescription before dispensing was ranked as the first preference by majority (69%) of participants. Suspected respiratory tract infection was the most common reason demanding for non-prescription antimicrobials with the highest mean rank of 1.5. Azithromycin was the most commonly prescribed and sold antimicrobial, as reported by 46% and 48% of participants respectively. A majority (87%) of respondents agreed on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to be a global public health threat; and misuse/overuse of antimicrobials was perceived as the most common cause of AMR with a mean rank of 1.93. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that unfounded dispensing and use of antimicrobials is prevalent among pharmacies in Kathmandu, Nepal. This over reliance on antimicrobials, notably azithromycin, may escalate burden of AMR. We identified several drivers of inappropriate antimicrobial dispensing practice in pharmacies, which will aid public health authorities in addressing these issues. Further studies considering role of other stakeholders, such as doctors, veterinarians, general public, and policy makers are required to obtain a more holistic perspectives on practices of antimicrobial use so to curb the extant AMR crisis.

364. The lung microbiota in nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Kim BG, Kang N, Kim SY

BACKGROUND: The role of bacterial microbiota in the pathogenesis of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is unclear. We aimed to compare the bacterial microbiome of disease-invaded lesions and non-invaded lung tissue from NTM-PD patients. METHODS: We analyzed lung tissues from 23 NTM-PD patients who underwent surgical lung resection. Lung tissues were collected in pairs from each patient, with one sample from a disease-involved site and the other from a non-involved site. Lung tissue microbiome libraries were constructed using 16S rRNA gene sequences (V3-V4 regions). RESULTS: Sixteen (70%) patients had Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)-PD, and the remaining seven (30%) had Mycobacterium abscessus-PD. Compared to non-involved sites, involved sites showed greater species richness (ACE, Chao1, and Jackknife analyses, all p = 0.001); greater diversity on the Shannon index (p = 0.007); and genus-level differences (Jensen-Shannon, PERMANOVA p = 0.001). Analysis of taxonomic biomarkers using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect sizes (LEfSe) demonstrated that several genera, including Limnohabitans, Rahnella, Lachnospira, Flavobacterium, Megamonas, Gaiella, Subdoligranulum, Rheinheimera, Dorea, Collinsella, and Phascolarctobacterium, had significantly greater abundance in involved sites (LDA >3.00, p <0.05, and q <0.05). In contrast, Acinetobacter had significantly greater abundance at non-involved sites (LDA = 4.27, p<0.001, and q = 0.002). Several genera were differentially distributed between lung tissues from MAC-PD (n = 16) and M. abscessus-PD (n = 7), and between nodular bronchiectatic form (n = 12) and fibrocavitary form (n = 11) patients. However, there was no genus with a significant q-value. CONCLUSIONS: We identified differential microbial distributions between disease-invaded and normal lung tissues from NTM-PD patients, and microbial diversity was significantly higher in disease-invaded tissues. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial registration number: NCT00970801.

365. Branched flows of flexural elastic waves in non-uniform cylindrical shells.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Jose K, Ferguson N, Bhaskar A.

366. Effective PID controller design using a novel hybrid algorithm for high order systems.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Izci D, Ekinci S, Hussien AG.

367. Bacterial etiology of urinary tract infections in patients treated at Kenyan health facilities and their resistance towards commonly used antibiotics.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Kiiru S, Maina J, Katana J

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based empirical antibiotic prescribing requires knowledge of local antimicrobial resistance patterns. The spectrum of pathogens and their susceptibility strongly influences guidelines for empirical therapies for urinary tract infections (UTI) management. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of UTI causative bacteria and their corresponding antibiotic resistance profiles in three counties of Kenya. Such data could be used to determine the optimal empirical therapy. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, urine samples were collected from patients who presented with symptoms suggestive of UTI in the following healthcare facilities; Kenyatta National Hospital, Kiambu Hospital, Mbagathi, Makueni, Nanyuki, Centre for Microbiology Research, and Mukuru Health Centres. Urine cultures were done on Cystine Lactose Electrolyte Deficient (CLED) to isolate UTI bacterial etiologies, while antibiotic sensitivity testing was done using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion using CLSI guidelines and interpretive criteria. RESULTS: A total of 1,027(54%) uropathogens were isolated from the urine samples of 1898 participants. Staphylococcus spp. and Escherichia coli were the main uropathogens at 37.6% and 30.9%, respectively. The percentage resistance to commonly used drugs for the treatment of UTI were as follows: trimethoprim (64%), sulfamethoxazole (57%), nalidixic acid(57%), ciprofloxacin (27%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (5%), and nitrofurantoin (9%) and cefixime (9%). Resistance rates to broad-spectrum antimicrobials, such as ceftazidime, gentamicin, and ceftriaxone, were 15%, 14%, and 11%, respectively. Additionally, the proportion of Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria was 66%. CONCLUSION: High resistance rates toward fluoroquinolones, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim were reported. These antibiotics are commonly used drugs as they are inexpensive and readily available. Based on these findings, more robust standardised surveillance is needed to confirm the patterns observed while recognising the potential impact of sampling biases on observed resistance rates.

368. Standing lending facility in interbank market: Evidence from China.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Guo T, Wang Y, Zhang W.

369. Trends and factors associated with initiation of HIV treatment among PLHIV in Jamaica, 2015-2019.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Cushnie A, Reintjes R, Figueroa JP

INTRODUCTION: Jamaica did not achieve the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets in 2020. This study aimed to examine trends and factors associated with uptake of HIV treatment among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Jamaica and to assess the effectiveness of revised treatment guidelines. METHODS: This secondary analysis used patient-level data from the National Treatment Service Information System. The baseline sample was 8147 PLHIV initiating anti-retroviral treatment (ART) between January 2015-December 2019. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic and clinical variables and the primary outcome timing of ART initiation. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with ART initiation (same day vs 31+ days), using categorical variables for age group, sex and regional health authority. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals are reported. RESULTS: Most persons initiated ART at 31+ days (n = 3666, 45%) after the first clinic date or on the same day (n = 3461, 43%). Same day ART initiation increased from 37% to 51% over 5 years and was significantly associated with males (aOR = 0.82, CI = 0.74-0.92), 2018 (aOR = 0.66, CI = 0.56-0.77), 2019 (aOR = 0.77, CI = 0.65-0.92). late HIV diagnosis (aOR = 0.3, CI = 0.27-0.33) and viral suppression at the first viral load test (aOR = 0.6, CI = 0.53-0.67). ART initiation at 31+days was associated with 2015 (aOR = 1.21, CI = 1.01-1.45) and 2016 (aOR = 1.30, CI = 1.10-1.53) compared to 2017. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that same day ART initiation increased between 2015-2019, however it remains too low. Same day initiation was associated with the years after Treat All implementation and late initiation before Treat All, providing evidence of the strategy's success. In order to achieve the UNAIDS targets, there is a need to also increase the number of diagnosed PLHIV retained on treatment in Jamaica. Further studies should be conducted to understand important challenges to accessing treatment as well as differentiated care models to improve treatment uptake and retention.

370. No evidence for seasonal variations of the incidence of testicular germ cell tumours in Germany.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Dieckmann KP, Isbarn H, Trocchi P

371. Assessing the potential of polygenic scores to strengthen medical risk prediction models of COVID-19.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Córdova-Palomera A, Siffel C, DeBoever C

As findings on the epidemiological and genetic risk factors for coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) continue to accrue, their joint power and significance for prospective clinical applications remains virtually unexplored. Severity of symptoms in individuals affected by COVID-19 spans a broad spectrum, reflective of heterogeneous host susceptibilities across the population. Here, we assessed the utility of epidemiological risk factors to predict disease severity prospectively, and interrogated genetic information (polygenic scores) to evaluate whether they can provide further insights into symptom heterogeneity. A standard model was trained to predict severe COVID-19 based on principal component analysis and logistic regression based on information from eight known medical risk factors for COVID-19 measured before 2018. In UK Biobank participants of European ancestry, the model achieved a relatively high performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ~90%). Polygenic scores for COVID-19 computed from summary statistics of the Covid19 Host Genetics Initiative displayed significant associations with COVID-19 in the UK Biobank (p-values as low as 3.96e-9, all with R2 under 1%), but were unable to robustly improve predictive performance of the non-genetic factors. However, error analysis of the non-genetic models suggested that affected individuals misclassified by the medical risk factors (predicted low risk but actual high risk) display a small but consistent increase in polygenic scores. Overall, the results indicate that simple models based on health-related epidemiological factors measured years before COVID-19 onset can achieve high predictive power. Associations between COVID-19 and genetic factors were statistically robust, but currently they have limited predictive power for translational settings. Despite that, the outcomes also suggest that severely affected cases with a medical history profile of low risk might be partly explained by polygenic factors, prompting development of boosted COVID-19 polygenic models based on new data and tools to aid risk-prediction.

372. Beta1-receptor blockade attenuates atherosclerosis progression following traumatic brain injury in apolipoprotein E deficient mice.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Wang J, Venugopal J, Silaghi P

373. University campus breastfeeding, knowledge, and perceptions of support: An exploratory study.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Scott AL, Lambert AW, Wang CH

374. The effectiveness of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy vs transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the management of upper limb spasticity in chronic-post stroke hemiplegia-A randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Senarath ID, Thalwathte RD, Pathirage M

375. HIV community index testing reaches proportionally more males than facility-based testing and is cost-effective: A study from Gaza province, Mozambique.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Songane M, Magaia CC, Couto A

376. Effects of filtration and alpha-amylase depletion on salivary biochemical composition measurements.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Franco-Martínez L, Cerón JJ, Martínez-Subiela S

377. Effect of speed and leading or trailing limbs on surface muscle activities during canter in Thoroughbred horses.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Takahashi Y, Takahashi T, Mukai K

378. Chronic exposure to multiple stressors alters the salivary proteome of piglets.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Prims S, Van Ostade X, Ayuso M

Monitoring chronic stress in pigs is not only essential in view of animal welfare but is also important for the farmer, given that stress influences the zootechnical performance of the pigs and increases their susceptibility to infectious diseases. To investigate the use of saliva as a non-invasive, objective chronic stress monitoring tool, twenty-four 4-day-old piglets were transferred to artificial brooders. At the age of 7 days, they were assigned to either the control or the stressed group and reared for three weeks. Piglets in the stressed group were exposed to overcrowding, absence of cage enrichment, and frequent mixing of animals between pens. Shotgun analysis using an isobaric labelling method (iTRAQ) for tandem mass spectrometry performed on saliva samples taken after three weeks of chronic stress identified 392 proteins, of which 20 proteins displayed significantly altered concentrations. From these 20 proteins, eight were selected for further validation using parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). For this validation, saliva samples that were taken one week after the start of the experiment and samples that were taken at the end of the experiment were analysed to verify the profile over time. We wanted to investigate whether the candidate biomarkers responded fast or rather slowly to the onset of chronic exposure to multiple stressors. Furthermore, this validation could indicate whether age influenced the baseline concentrations of these salivary proteins, both in healthy and stressed animals. This targeted PRM analysis confirmed that alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein was upregulated in the stressed group after one and three weeks, while odorant-binding protein, chitinase, long palate lung and nasal epithelium protein 5, lipocalin-1, and vomeromodulin-like protein were present in lower concentrations in the saliva of the stressed pigs, albeit only after three weeks. These results indicate that the porcine salivary proteome is altered by chronic exposure to multiple stressors. The affected proteins could be used as salivary biomarkers to identify welfare problems at the farm and facilitate research to optimise rearing conditions.

379. The associations between e-liquid characteristics and its pricing: Evidence from online vape shops.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Ma S, Jiang S, Wagener T

380. Improvement of predictive accuracies of functional outcomes after subacute stroke inpatient rehabilitation by machine learning models.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Miyazaki Y, Kawakami M, Kondo K

OBJECTIVES: Stepwise linear regression (SLR) is the most common approach to predicting activities of daily living at discharge with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) in stroke patients, but noisy nonlinear clinical data decrease the predictive accuracies of SLR. Machine learning is gaining attention in the medical field for such nonlinear data. Previous studies reported that machine learning models, regression tree (RT), ensemble learning (EL), artificial neural networks (ANNs), support vector regression (SVR), and Gaussian process regression (GPR), are robust to such data and increase predictive accuracies. This study aimed to compare the predictive accuracies of SLR and these machine learning models for FIM scores in stroke patients. METHODS: Subacute stroke patients (N = 1,046) who underwent inpatient rehabilitation participated in this study. Only patients' background characteristics and FIM scores at admission were used to build each predictive model of SLR, RT, EL, ANN, SVR, and GPR with 10-fold cross-validation. The coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) values were compared between the actual and predicted discharge FIM scores and FIM gain. RESULTS: Machine learning models (R2 of RT = 0.75, EL = 0.78, ANN = 0.81, SVR = 0.80, GPR = 0.81) outperformed SLR (0.70) to predict discharge FIM motor scores. The predictive accuracies of machine learning methods for FIM total gain (R2 of RT = 0.48, EL = 0.51, ANN = 0.50, SVR = 0.51, GPR = 0.54) were also better than of SLR (0.22). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the machine learning models outperformed SLR for predicting FIM prognosis. The machine learning models used only patients' background characteristics and FIM scores at admission and more accurately predicted FIM gain than previous studies. ANN, SVR, and GPR outperformed RT and EL. GPR could have the best predictive accuracy for FIM prognosis.

381. The development of adolescents' loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of peer status and contact with friends.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Lorijn SJ, Laninga-Wijnen L, Engels MC

382. Evaluating the effectiveness of laser hair reduction using a home use laser in comparison to a Diode laser.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Hendricks K, Nxumalo CT, Makgobole MU

383. Electroacupuncture treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized, participant-blinded, sham-controlled clinical trial protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Xue X, Liu X, Pan S

BACKGROUND: Primary dysmenorrhea in women is a common and serious public health problem with psychological and physical effects. Painkillers have adverse effects, such as tolerance, addiction, irritation of the digestive tract, and liver and kidney damage. Electroacupuncture has been used as alternative therapy, although with no (non-anecdotal) evidence of effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide evidence for the feasibility and efficacy of electroacupuncture in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. Moreover, by observing changes in serum and urine metabolites, we will evaluate the putative mechanisms mediating electroacupuncture effects in primary dysmenorrhea. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, participant-blinded, sham-controlled clinical trial including 336 women with primary dysmenorrhea is being conducted at three hospital centers in China and consists of a 12-week treatment and a 3-month follow-up. Women will undergo electroacupuncture (n = 168) or sham acupuncture (n = 168), beginning 7 days before their menstruation, once per day, until menstruation. Each menstrual cycle equals one course of treatment, and we will evaluate a total of three courses of treatment. The primary outcome of interest is the change in visual analogue scale scores before and after treatment. The secondary outcomes include changes in the numeric rating scale, Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale, traditional Chinese medicine symptoms, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, and 36-Item Short Form questionnaire scores, and a safety evaluation. Moreover, we will preliminarily investigate the metabolomics mechanism as a potential mediator of the association between electroacupuncture and primary dysmenorrhea symptomology. DISCUSSION: We aim to find a suitable non-medicinal alternative for primary dysmenorrhea treatment to reduce reliance on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2100054234; http://www.chictr.org.cn/.

384. Shape complexity in cluster analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Aguilar EJ, Barbosa VC.

385. How does a pair of near-vision spectacle correction empower older Zanzibari craftswomen?: A qualitative study on perception.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Martins MF, Omar F, Othman O

386. Isolation of porcine adult cardiomyocytes: Comparison between Langendorff perfusion and tissue slicing-assisted enzyme digestion.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Shi X, Tang X, Yao F

387. Power-duration relationship comparison in competition sprint cyclists from 1-s to 20-min. Sprint performance is more than just peak power.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Ferguson H, Harnish C, Klich S

388. Problematic use of the internet, smartphones, and social media among medical students and relationship with depression: An exploratory study.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Sserunkuuma J, Kaggwa MM, Muwanguzi M

BACKGROUND: Students in sub-Saharan African countries experienced online classes for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. For some individuals, greater online engagement can lead to online dependency, which can be associated with depression. The present study explored the association between problematic use of the internet, social media, and smartphones with depression symptoms among Ugandan medical students. METHODS: A pilot study was conducted among 269 medical students at a Ugandan public university. Using a survey, data were collected regarding socio-demographic factors, lifestyle, online use behaviors, smartphone addiction, social media addiction, and internet addiction. Hierarchical linear regression models were performed to explore the associations of different forms of online addiction with depression symptom severity. RESULTS: The findings indicated that 16.73% of the medical students had moderate to severe depression symptoms. The prevalence of being at risk of (i) smartphone addiction was 45.72%, (ii) social media addiction was 74.34%, and (iii) internet addiction use was 8.55%. Online use behaviors (e.g., average hours spent online, types of social media platforms used, the purpose for internet use) and online-related addictions (to smartphones, social media, and the internet) predicted approximately 8% and 10% of the severity of depression symptoms, respectively. However, over the past two weeks, life stressors had the highest predictability for depression (35.9%). The final model predicted a total of 51.9% variance for depression symptoms. In the final model, romantic relationship problems (ß = 2.30, S.E = 0.58; p<0.01) and academic performance problems (ß = 1.76, S.E = 0.60; p<0.01) over the past two weeks; and increased internet addiction severity (ß = 0.05, S.E = 0.02; p<0.01) was associated with significantly increased depression symptom severity, whereas Twitter use was associated with reduced depression symptom severity (ß = 1.88, S.E = 0.57; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Despite life stressors being the largest predictor of depression symptom score severity, problematic online use also contributed significantly. Therefore, it is recommended that medical students' mental health care services consider digital wellbeing and its relationship with problematic online use as part of a more holistic depression prevention and resilience program.

389. Captive-reared Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) exhibit high survival in natural conditions using in situ enclosures.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Baerwald MR, Kwan N, Pien C

Conservation of endangered fishes commonly includes captive breeding, applied research, and management. Since 1996, a captive breeding program has existed for the federally threatened and California endangered Delta Smelt Hypomesus transpacificus, an osmerid fish endemic to the upper San Francisco Estuary. Although this program serves as a captive refuge population, with experimental releases being initiated to supplement the wild population, it was uncertain how individuals would survive, feed, and maintain condition outside hatchery conditions. We evaluated this and the effects of three enclosure designs (41% open, 63% open, and 63% open with partial outer mesh wrap) on growth, survival, and feeding efficacy of cultured Delta Smelt at two locations (Sacramento River near Rio Vista, CA and in Sacramento River Deepwater Ship Channel) in the wild. Enclosures exposed fish to semi-natural conditions (ambient environmental fluctuations and wild food resources) but prevented escape and predation. After four weeks, survival was high for all enclosure types (94-100%) at both locations. The change in condition and weight was variable between sites, increasing at the first location but decreasing at the second location. Gut content analysis showed that fish consumed wild zooplankton that came into the enclosures. Cumulatively, results show that captive-reared Delta Smelt can survive and forage successfully when housed in enclosures under semi-natural conditions in the wild. When comparing enclosure types, we observed no significant difference in fish weight changes (p = 0.58-0.81 across sites). The success of housing captive-reared Delta Smelt in enclosures in the wild provides preliminary evidence that these fish may be suitable to supplement the wild population in the San Francisco Estuary. Furthermore, these enclosures are a new tool to test the efficacy of habitat management actions or to acclimate fish to wild conditions as a soft release strategy for recently initiated supplementation efforts.

390. Domain-specific transfer learning in the automated scoring of tumor-stroma ratio from histopathological images of colorectal cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Petäinen L, Väyrynen JP, Ruusuvuori P

391. Weed community changes in saffron+chickpea intercropping under different irrigation management.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Mohammadkhani F, Pouryousef M, Yousefi AR

392. The relationship between study findings and publication outcome in anesthesia research following implementation of mandatory trial registration: A systematic review of publication bias.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Chong SW, Imberger G, Karahalios A

Previously, we reviewed 1052 randomized-controlled trial abstracts presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meetings from 2001-2004. We found significant positive publication bias in the period examined, with the odds ratio for abstracts with positive results proceeding to journal publication over those with null results being 2.01 [95% confidence interval: 1.52, 2.66; P < 0.001]. Mandatory trial registration was introduced in 2005 as a required standard for publication. We sought to examine whether mandatory trial registration has decreased publication bias in the anesthesia and perioperative medicine literature. We reviewed all abstracts from the 2010-2016 American Society of Anesthesiologists meetings that reported on randomized-controlled trials in humans. We scored the result of each abstract as positive or null according to a priori definitions. We systematically searched for any subsequent publication of the studies and calculated the odds ratio for journal publication, comparing positive vs null studies. We compared the odds ratio from the 2010-2016 abstracts (post-mandatory trial registration) with the odds ratio from the 2001-2004 abstracts (pre-mandatory trial registration) as a ratio of odds ratios. We defined a 33% decrease in the odds ratio as significant, corresponding to a new odds ratio of 1.33. We reviewed 9789 abstracts; 1049 met inclusion criteria as randomized-controlled trials, with 542 (51.7%) of the abstracts going on to publication. The odds ratio for abstracts with positive results proceeding to journal publication was 1.28 [95% CI: 0.97, 1.67; P = 0.076]. With adjustment for sample size and abstract quality, the difference in publication rate between positive and null abstracts was statistically significant (odds ratio 1.34; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.76; P = 0.037). The ratio of odds ratios, comparing the odds ratio from the 2010-2016 abstracts (post-mandatory trial registration) to the odds ratio from the 2001-2004 abstracts (pre-mandatory trial registration), was 0.63 (95% CI: 0.43, 0.93); P = 0.021). We present the first study in the anesthesia and perioperative medicine literature that examines and compares publication bias over two discrete periods of time, prior to and after the implementation of mandatory trial registration. Our results suggest that the amount of publication bias has decreased markedly following implementation of mandatory trial registration. However, some positive publication bias in the anesthesia and perioperative medicine literature remains.

393. How high-intensity sensory consumption fills up resource scarcity: The boundary condition of self-acceptance.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Peng L, Peng Y, Luo H

OBJECTIVE: Everyone in life will experience resource scarcity, which causes self-discrepancy. It is widely known that individuals participate in reactive consumption to solve the problems of self-discrepancy and resources scarcity. This kind of consumption may be symbolically related to the essence of the resource scarcity or may occur in an unrelated domain. This study proposes a theory for "filling up" one's resource scarcity through high-intensity sensory consumption (HISC). METHODS: We used different methods, including one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), linear regression, mediating effect, and moderating effect, to test the four hypotheses. Four experiments in the study were conducted from May 2022 and August 2022 and involved undergraduates from a university and volunteers recruited online. All participants are adults and verbally agree to participate voluntarily. Study 1a (N = 96 (male 47, female 49), participants from a business school in China) measured resource scarcity in the laboratory experiments and verified the effect of resource scarcity on consumer HISC preference by using linear regression (H1). Study 1b (N = 191 (male 98, female 93), students and teachers from a university in China) measured resource scarcity in the laboratory experiments and manipulated positively and negatively valenced experiences. Using the PROCESS SPSS Mode l, we verified that negatively valenced stimuli also lead to higher levels of arousal, which in turn restores the self-discrepancy caused by resource scarcity (H2). Study 2 (an online experiment, N = 182 (male 91, female 91), participants from China) manipulated the resource scarcity in a color sensory stimulant context, replicating the preliminary effect and examined the mediating effect of the self-worth by using the PROCESS SPSS Mode 4 (H3). Study 3 (an online experiment, N = 251 (male 125, female 126), participants from China) manipulated resource scarcity and self-acceptance in the tactile sensory experience, and tested the moderating effect of self-acceptance by using the PROCESS SPSS Mode 8 (H4). RESULTS: Four studies suggest that not only do individuals facing resources scarcity prefer HISC but also that this consumption is mediated and moderated by self-worth and self-acceptance, respectively. This preference for HISC is negated when individuals have high self-acceptance traits. The findings are tested in the auditory domain (as evidenced by a propensity for louder volume), the visual domain (as evidenced by a propensity for more intense colors), and the tactile domain (as evidenced by a propensity for more intense need for touch). The findings also demonstrate that individual preferences for HISC is shown to operate regardless of the valence (positive valence vs. negative valence) of the sensory consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Across four experiments, we find that individuals who are subjected to resource scarcity show a preference for high-intensity sensory consumption in the auditory, visual, and tactile domains. We also find that both negatively and positively valenced sensory stimuli have the same impact on resource-scarce individuals' preference for HISC. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the sense of self-worth significantly mediates the effect of resource scarcity on HISC. Finally, we reveal that self-acceptance moderates the effect of resource scarcity on HISC preference.

394. Organic matter sources and flows in tundra wetland food webs.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Plesh SP, Lovvorn JR, Miller MWC.

Arctic lowland tundra is often dominated by wetlands. As numbers and types of these wetlands change with climate warming, their invertebrate biomass and assemblages may also be affected. Increased influx of nutrients and dissolved organic matter (DOM) from thawing peat may alter the relative availability of organic matter (OM) sources, differentially affecting taxa with disparate dependence on those sources. In five shallow wetland types (<40 to 110 cm deep) and in littoral zones of deeper lakes (>150 cm), we used stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) to compare contributions of four OM sources (periphytic microalgae, cyanobacteria, macrophytes, peat) to the diets of nine macroinvertebrate taxa. Living macrophytes were not distinguishable isotopically from peat that likely contributed most DOM. Within invertebrate taxa, relative OM contributions were similar among all wetland types except deeper lakes. Physidae snails consumed substantial amounts of OM from cyanobacteria. However, for all other taxa examined, microalgae were the dominant or a major OM source (39-82%, mean 59%) in all wetland types except deeper lakes (20‒62%, mean 31%). Macrophytes and macrophyte-derived peat, likely consumed mostly indirectly as DOM-supported bacteria, ranged from 18‒61% (mean 41%) of ultimate OM sources in all wetland types except deeper lakes (38-80%, mean 69%). Invertebrate consumption of microalgal C may often have involved bacterial intermediates, or a mix of algae with bacteria consuming peat-derived OM. High production of periphyton with very low δ13C values were favored by continuous daylight illuminating shallow depths, high N and P levels, and high CO2 concentrations from bacterial respiration of peat-derived DOM. Although relative OM sources were similar across wetland types except deeper lakes, total invertebrate biomass was much higher in shallow wetlands with emergent vegetation. Impacts of warming on the availability of invertebrate prey to waterbirds will likely depend not on shifts in OM sources, but more on changes in overall number or area of shallow emergent wetlands.

395. Spectral technique with convergence analysis for solving one and two-dimensional mixed Volterra-Fredholm integral equation.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Amin AZ, Amin AK, Abdelkawy MA

396. Liquid biopsy-based monitoring of residual disease in multiple myeloma by analysis of the rearranged immunoglobulin genes-A feasibility study.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Marx A, Osváth M, Szikora B

397. Prevalence of psychological distress, quality of life, and satisfaction among patients and family members following comprehensive genomic profiling testing: Protocol of the Quality of life for Cancer genomics and Advanced Therapeutics (Q-CAT) study.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Nishino M, Fujimori M, Koyama T

398. Bacteria in the oral cavity of individuals consuming intoxicating substances.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Khan RA, Devi KR, Pratim Barman M

399. Characterization of the rat pituitary capsule: Evidence that the cerebrospinal fluid filled the pituitary cleft and the inner side of the capsule.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Gómez-Domínguez EG, Toriz CG, González-Pozos S

400. A divide and conquer approach to maximise deep learning mammography classification accuracies.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Jaamour A, Myles C, Patel A

Breast cancer claims 11,400 lives on average every year in the UK, making it one of the deadliest diseases. Mammography is the gold standard for detecting early signs of breast cancer, which can help cure the disease during its early stages. However, incorrect mammography diagnoses are common and may harm patients through unnecessary treatments and operations (or a lack of treatment). Therefore, systems that can learn to detect breast cancer on their own could help reduce the number of incorrect interpretations and missed cases. Various deep learning techniques, which can be used to implement a system that learns how to detect instances of breast cancer in mammograms, are explored throughout this paper. Convolution Neural Networks (CNNs) are used as part of a pipeline based on deep learning techniques. A divide and conquer approach is followed to analyse the effects on performance and efficiency when utilising diverse deep learning techniques such as varying network architectures (VGG19, ResNet50, InceptionV3, DenseNet121, MobileNetV2), class weights, input sizes, image ratios, pre-processing techniques, transfer learning, dropout rates, and types of mammogram projections. This approach serves as a starting point for model development of mammography classification tasks. Practitioners can benefit from this work by using the divide and conquer results to select the most suitable deep learning techniques for their case out-of-the-box, thus reducing the need for extensive exploratory experimentation. Multiple techniques are found to provide accuracy gains relative to a general baseline (VGG19 model using uncropped 512 × 512 pixels input images with a dropout rate of 0.2 and a learning rate of 1 × 10-3) on the Curated Breast Imaging Subset of DDSM (CBIS-DDSM) dataset. These techniques involve transfer learning pre-trained ImagetNet weights to a MobileNetV2 architecture, with pre-trained weights from a binarised version of the mini Mammography Image Analysis Society (mini-MIAS) dataset applied to the fully connected layers of the model, coupled with using weights to alleviate class imbalance, and splitting CBIS-DDSM samples between images of masses and calcifications. Using these techniques, a 5.6% gain in accuracy over the baseline model was accomplished. Other deep learning techniques from the divide and conquer approach, such as larger image sizes, do not yield increased accuracies without the use of image pre-processing techniques such as Gaussian filtering, histogram equalisation and input cropping.

401. Understanding of arthrofibrosis: New explorative insights into extracellular matrix remodeling of synovial fibroblasts.

PLoS One

2023 May 26

Ly TD, Sambale M, Klösener L

402. The analysis of infrared high-speed motion capture system on motion aesthetics of aerobics athletes under biomechanics analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Qiu Y, Guan Y, Liu S.

403. Occupational radiation exposure dose and associated factors among radiology personnel in Eastern Amhara, Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Alemayehu TG, Bogale GG, Bazie GW.

BACKGROUND: Ionizing radiation is being used more frequently in medicine, which has been linked to recognized biological effects such as cancer and mortality. Radiology services are becoming more widely available in Ethiopian health facilities but there is no compiled record of worker's radiation dose. So, assessing the magnitude and identifying the associated factors of occupational radiation exposure dose among radiology personnel help to design strategies for radiation protection. OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to assess the occupational radiation exposure dose and associated factors among radiology personnel in eastern Amhara, northeast Ethiopia, 2021. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was conducted from March 25 to April 30, 2021, in 57 health institutions among 198 radiology personnel. The study comprised all eligible radiology personnel. The data were collected using an electronic-based (Google form) self-administered questionnaire, and document review. The data were entered into an excel spread sheet and then, exported to Stata 14 software. Linear regression model was used to analyse the data after checking its assumptions. Variables with a p-value < 0.25 were entered into a multiple linear regression analysis, and those with a p-value < 0.05 were judged significant. VIF was used to check for multi-collinearity. Coefficient of determination was used to check the model fitness. RESULTS: The mean (± SD) annual shallow and deep dose equivalents of radiology personnel were 1.20 (± 0.75) and 1.02 (± 0.70) mSv, respectively. Body mass index (β = 0.104, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.14), practice of timing (β = -0.43, 95% CI: -0.73, -0.13), working experience (β = -0.04, 95% CI: -0.048, -0.032), and practice of distancing (β = -0.26, 95% CI: -0.49, -0.17) were found to be statistically significant factors of annual deep dose equivalent. In addition, body mass index (β = 0.113, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.15), practice of timing (β = -0.62 95% CI: -0.93, -0.31) and, working experience (β = -0.044, 95% CI: -0.053, -0.036 had statistically significant associations with annual shallow dose equivalent. CONCLUSION: The annual dose equivalents were two times higher than the global average of annual per caput effective dose due to medical exposure. Body mass index, practice of timing, working experience, and practice of distancing were factors of occupational radiation exposure dose. Strategies focusing on increasing the skill, experience, and lifestyle of radiology personnel would be supreme important means to reduce occupational radiation exposure dose.

404. Temporal convolutional network for a Fast DNA mutation detection in breast cancer data.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Wisesty UN, Mengko TR, Purwarianti A

405. Pigs' capacity to experience feelings and to suffer from tail lesion, ear lesion and lameness: Exploring citizens and pig farm and abattoir workers' knowledge and perceptions.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Lemos Teixeira D, Salazar LC, Enriquez-Hidalgo D

The aim of this study was to gain insight into the perceptions of pig farm and abattoir workers as well as lay citizens regarding (1) sentience and (2) positive (intelligent and friendly) and negative (gluttonous, stubborn and dirty) attributes of pigs. We also aimed to investigate the (3) knowledge and perceptions of pig farm and abattoir workers on tail lesion, ear lesion and lameness in pigs and (4) the opinion of lay citizens regarding the likelihood of tail lesions, ear lesions, and lameness causing suffering in pigs and affecting meat quality. Chilean pig farm workers (n = 116), pig abattoir workers (n = 95), and lay citizens (n = 708) were invited on farm, at the abattoir and in public places, respectively, to participate in a survey. Answers were indicated using a 5-point Likert scale (0 = totally disagree; 4 = totally agree). Data were analysed using generalized linear models, including recruitment place and socio-demographic data as predictor variables. Female and lay citizens attributed pigs a higher capacity to experience feelings than male participants and pig farm and abattoir workers (p < 0.05). Lay citizens and workers recruited on farm described pigs as being more intelligent and friendly than those workers recruited at the abattoir (p < 0.001); recruitment place and sex were not associated with participants' perception regarding negative attributes of pigs (p > 0.05). Most lay citizens considered that tail lesions, ear lesions and lameness are likely to cause suffering in pigs and older participants had higher odds of agreeing that tail and ear lesions are likely to affect meat quality (p < 0.05). Finally, the risk factors for tail lesion, ear lesions and lameness pointed out by pig farm and abattoir workers is in line with what has been suggested by experts. Our findings contribute to understand the perception and values of all stakeholders regarding animal welfare, as it is crucial to improve the sustainability of animal production systems.

406. Online randomised trials with children: A scoping review.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Lepage S, Conway A, Goodson N

BACKGROUND: Paediatric trials must contend with many challenges that adult trials face but often bring additional obstacles. Decentralised trials, where some or all trial methods occur away from a centralised location, are a promising strategy to help meet these challenges. This scoping review aims to (a) identify what methods and tools have been used to create and conduct entirely online-decentralised trials with children and (b) determine the gaps in the knowledge in this field. This review will describe the methods used in these trials to identify their facilitators and the gaps in the knowledge. METHODS: The methods were informed by guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. We systematically searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and Embase databases, trial registries, pre-print servers, and the internet. We included randomised and quasi-randomised trials conducted entirely online with participants under 18 published in English. A risk of bias assessment was completed for all included studies. RESULTS: Twenty-one trials met our inclusion criteria. The average age of participants was 14.6 years. Social media was the most common method of online recruitment. Most trials employed an external host website to store and protect their data. Duration of trials ranged from single-session interventions up to ten weeks. Fourteen trials compensated participants. Eight trials involved children in their trial design process; none reported compensation for this. Most trials had a low risk of bias in "random sequence generation", "selective reporting", and "other". Most trials had a high risk of bias in "blinding participants and personnel", "blinding of outcome assessment", and "incomplete outcome data". "Allocation concealment" was unclear in most studies. CONCLUSIONS: There was a lack of transparent reporting of the recruitment, randomisation, and retention methods used in many of the trials included in this review. Patient and public involvement (PPI) was not common, and the compensation of PPI partners was not reported in any study. Consent methods and protection against fraudulent entries to trials were creative and thoroughly discussed by some trials and not addressed by others. More work and thorough reporting of how these trials are conducted is needed to increase their reproducibility and quality. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was not necessary since all data sources used are publicly available.

407. Improve sleep in critically ill patients: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial for a multi-component intervention of environment control in the ICU.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Alegria L, Brockmann P, Repetto P

INTRODUCTION: In critically ill patients, sleep and circadian rhythms are greatly altered. These disturbances have been associated with adverse consequences, including increased mortality. Factors associated with the ICU environment, such as exposure to inadequate light and noise levels during the day and night or inflexible schedules of daily care activities, have been described as playing an essential role in sleep disturbances. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of the use of a multifaceted environmental control intervention in the ICU on the quantity and quality of sleep, delirium, and post-intensive care neuropsychological impairment in critically ill patients. METHODS: This is a prospective, parallel-group, randomized trial in 56 critically ill patients once they are starting to recover from their acute illness. Patients will be randomized to receive a multifaceted intervention of environmental control in the ICU (dynamic light therapy, auditory masking, and rationalization of ICU nocturnal patient care activities) or standard care. The protocol will be applied from enrollment until ICU discharge. Baseline parameters, light and noise levels, polysomnography and actigraphy, daily oscillation of plasma concentrations of Melatonin and Cortisol, and questionnaires for the qualitative evaluation of sleep, will be assessed during the study. In addition, all patients will undergo standardized follow-up before hospital discharge and at 6 months to evaluate neuropsychological impairment. DISCUSSION: This study is the first randomized clinical trial in critically ill patients to evaluate the effect of a multicomponent, non-pharmacological environmental control intervention on sleep improvement in ICU patients. The results will provide data about the potential synergistic effects of a combined multi-component environmental intervention in ICU on outcomes in the ICU and long term, and the mechanism of action. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT. Registered on January 10, 2023. Last updated on 24 Jan 2023.

408. A3SOM, abstained explainable semi-supervised neural network based on self-organizing map.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Creux C, Zehraoui F, Hanczar B

409. Trends and correlates of low HIV knowledge among ever-married women of reproductive age: Evidence from cross-sectional Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 1996-2014.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Tariqujjaman M, Hasan MM, Kafi MAH

BACKGROUND: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) burden has frequently been changing over time due to epidemiological and demographic transitions. To safeguard people, particularly women of reproductive age, who can be exposed to transmitting this burden to the next generation, knowledge regarding this life-threatening virus needs to be increased. This research intends to identify the trends and associated correlates of "low" HIV knowledge among ever-married women of reproductive age in Bangladesh from 1996 to 2014. METHODS: We analyzed data derived from six surveys of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 1996, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2011, and 2014. Analyses were primarily restricted to ever-married women aged 15-49 years who had ever heard of HIV. The correlates of "low" HIV knowledge were investigated using multiple binary logistic regression models. RESULTS: The study found that the proportion of women with "low" HIV knowledge decreased from 72% in 1996 to 58% in 2014. In adjusted models, age at first marriage, level of education, wealth quintile, and place of residence (except in the survey year 2011) were found to be potential correlates of "low" HIV knowledge in all survey years. In the pooled analysis, we found lower odds of "low" HIV knowledge in the survey years 1999 (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.78), 2004 (AOR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.70), 2007 (AOR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.44, 0.60), 2011 (AOR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.42) and 2014 (AOR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.54) compared to the survey year 1996. CONCLUSION: The proportion of "low" HIV knowledge has declined over time, although the proportion of women with "low" HIV knowledge still remains high. The prevention of early marriage, the inclusion of HIV-related topics in the curricula, reduction of disparities between urban-rural and the poorest-richest groups may help to improve the level of HIV knowledge among ever-married Bangladeshi women.

410. Socioeconomic and sex inequalities in chronic pain: A population-based cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Oliveira AMB, Teixeira DSDC, Menezes FDS

411. Tetra-O-methyl-nordihydroguaiaretic acid inhibits energy metabolism and synergistically induces anticancer effects with temozolomide on LN229 glioblastoma tumors implanted in mice while preventing obesity in normal mice that consume high-fat diets.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Kimura K, Chun JH, Lin YL

Tetra-O-methyl-nordihydroguaiaretic acid (terameprocol; M4N), a global transcription inhibitor, in combination with a second anticancer drug induces strong tumoricidal activity and has the ability to suppress energy metabolism in cultured cancer cells. In this study, we showed that after continuous oral consumption of high-fat (HF) diets containing M4N, the M4N concentration in most of the organs in mice reached ~1 μM (the M4N concentration in intestines and fat pads was as high as 20-40 μM) and treatment with the combination of M4N with temozolomide (TMZ) suppressed glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle in LN229 human glioblastoma implanted in xenograft mice. Combination treatment of M4N with TMZ also reduced the levels of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), a key enzyme for glycolysis; lactate, a product of LDHA-mediated enzymatic activity; nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, a rate-limiting enzyme for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide plus hydrogen (NADH)/NAD+ salvage pathway; and NAD+, a redox electron carrier essential for energy metabolism. It was also shown that M4N suppressed oxygen consumption in cultured LN229 cells, indicating that M4N inhibited oxidative phosphorylation. Treatment with M4N and TMZ also decreased the level of hypoxia-inducible factor 1A, a major regulator of LDHA, under hypoxic conditions. The ability of M4N to suppress energy metabolism resulted in induction of the stress-related proteins activating transcription factor 4 and cation transport regulator-like protein 1, and an increase in reactive oxygen species production. In addition, the combination treatment of M4N with TMZ reduced the levels of oncometabolites such as 2-hydroxyglutarate as well as the aforementioned lactate. M4N also induced methylidenesuccinic acid (itaconate), a macrophage-specific metabolite with anti-inflammatory activity, in tumor microenvironments. Meanwhile, the ability of M4N to suppress energy metabolism prevented obesity in mice consuming HF diets, indicating that M4N has beneficial effects on normal tissues. The dual ability of combination treatment with M4N to suppress both energy metabolism and oncometabolites shows that it is potentially an effective therapy for cancer.

412. Internet of things (IoT) for smart agriculture: Assembling and assessment of a low-cost IoT system for polytunnels.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Jaliyagoda N, Lokuge S, Gunathilake PMPC

413. Validating midwifery professionals' scope of practice and competency: A multi-country study comparing national data to international standards.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Chakraborty S, Saggurti N, Adanu R

BACKGROUND: There is a global shortage of midwives, whose services are essential to meet the healthcare needs of pregnant women and newborns. Evidence suggests that if enough midwives, trained and regulated to global standards, were deployed worldwide, maternal, and perinatal mortality would decline significantly. Health workforce planning estimates the number of midwives needed to achieve population coverage of midwifery interventions. However, to provide a valid measure of midwifery care coverage, an indicator must consider not only the raw number of midwives, but also their scope and competency. The tasks midwives are authorized to deliver and their competency to perform essential skills and behaviors provide crucial information for understanding the availability of safe, high-quality midwifery services. Without reliable estimates for an adequate midwifery workforce, progress toward ending preventable maternal and perinatal mortality will continue to be uneven. The International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) suggest standards for midwifery scope of practice and competencies. This paper compares national midwifery regulations, scope, and competencies in three countries to the ILO and ICM standards to validate measures of midwife density. We also assess midwives' self-reported skills/behaviors from the ICM competencies and their acquisition. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We compared midwives' scope of practice in Argentina, Ghana, and India to the ILO Tasks and ICM Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice. We compared midwives self-reported skills/behaviors with the ICM Competencies. Univariate and bivariate analysis was conducted to describe the association between midwives' skills and selected characteristics. National scopes of practice matched two ILO tasks in Argentina, four in India, and all in Ghana. National standards partially reflected ICM skills in Categories 2, 3, and 4 (pre-pregnancy and antenatal care; care during labor and birth; and ongoing care of women and newborns, respectively) in Argentina (range 11% to 67%), mostly in India (range 74% to 100%) and completely in Ghana (100% match). 1,266 midwives surveyed reported considerable variation in competency for skills and behaviors across ICM Category 2, 3, and 4. Most midwives reported matching skills and behaviors around labor and childbirth (Category 2). Higher proportions of midwives reported gaining basic skills through in-service training and on-job-experience than in pre-service training. CONCLUSION: Estimating the density of midwives needed for an adequate midwifery workforce capable of providing effective population coverage is predicated on a valid numerator. A reliable and valid count of midwives to meet population needs assumes that each midwife counted has the authority to exercise the same behaviors and reflects the ability to perform them with comparable competency. Our results demonstrate variation in midwifery scopes of practice and self-reported competencies in comparison to global standards that pose a threat to the reliability and validity of the numerator in measures of midwife density, and suggest the potential for expanded authorization and improved education and training to meet global reference standards for midwifery practice has not been fully realized. Although the universally recognized standard, this study demonstrates that the complex, composite descriptions of skills and behaviors in the ICM competencies make them difficult to use as benchmark measures with any precision, as they are not defined or structured to serve as valid measures for assessing workforce competency. A simplified, content-validated measurement system is needed to facilitate evaluation of the competency of the midwifery workforce.

414. Factors associated with the outcomes of a novel virtual reality therapy for military veterans with PTSD: Theory development using a mixed methods analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Hannigan B, van Deursen R, Barawi K

BACKGROUND: Multi-modular motion-assisted memory desensitization and reconsolidation therapy (3MDR) is a new psychological intervention for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 3MDR is immersive, delivered in a virtual reality environment, and emphasises engagement, recollection and reprocessing. OBJECTIVE: Through a theory-driven examination of data relating to 10 out of 42 UK military veterans taking part in a trial of 3MDR, the principal objective was to explore the complex interrelationships between people, interventions and context and to investigate how factors within these domains interacted in specific outcome typologies. METHOD: Quantitative and qualitative data relating to 10 trial participants were derived from: researcher-assessed and self-report clinical measures; interviews; physiological recordings; words describing thoughts and feelings during therapy; and subjective unit of distress scores. Using a convergent mixed methods approach, data were tabulated using a person, intervention and context model. Participant summaries were grouped into outcome typologies, followed by an analysis of data convergence and divergence within each and an interpretation of identified patterns. RESULTS: Three outcome response typologies were identified: dramatic improvement, moderate improvement and minimal improvement. Within the person domain, factors associated with outcomes included walking capacity, commitment and ability to complete therapy, and levels of subjective distress. Within the intervention domain, factors associated with outcomes related to image selection and use, therapeutic alliance and orientations towards the tailoring of sessions. Within the context domain, factors associated with outcomes included reactions to the therapy environment. The patterning of secondary outcomes broadly corresponded with primary outcomes within each typology. Alongside patterned data differentiating aspects of the person, intervention and context domains, within the three response typologies data also existed where no obvious patterning was detected. CONCLUSIONS: The model developed here may have novel value in evaluating a range of personalised interventions, but further work is needed before confident assertions can be made of who is likely to benefit from 3MDR specifically.

415. Effect of voluntary human mobility restrictions on vector-borne diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: A descriptive epidemiological study using a national database (2016 to 2021).

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Hibiya K, Shinzato A, Iwata H

416. Estimation and linkage between behavioral problems and social emotional competence among Pakistani young school children.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Najmussaqib A, Mushtaq A.

417. Factors associated with anaemia in pregnancy: A retrospective cross-sectional study in the Bolgatanga Municipality, northern Ghana.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Abaane DN, Adokiya MN, Abiiro GA.

BACKGROUND: Anaemia in pregnancy (AIP) remains a severe public health problem associated with adverse outcomes. This study assessed haemoglobin levels and the prevalence of anaemia during antenatal care (ANC) registration, at 28 weeks and 36 weeks of gestation as well as the factors associated with AIP at the different stages of pregnancy. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional design was implemented. Using ANC registers as the sampling frame, 372 pregnant women, within 36 and 40 weeks of gestation were randomly sampled from 28 health facilities for the study. The participants were all receiving ANC in the Bolgatanga Municipality. Data were collected via clinical records review and a questionnaire-based survey between October and November, 2020. Using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), descriptive analysis of haemoglobin levels and the prevalence of anaemia were performed. In addition, binary logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with anaemia in pregnancy. AIP was determined using the national practice of 11.0g/dl haemoglobin cut-off point and the World Health Organisation's recommended adjustment for the 2nd trimester of pregnancy was made using the cut-off of 10.5g/dl to account for the effect of haemodilution. RESULTS: At booking, AIP prevalence was 35.8% (95%CI:30.9, 40.9) using a cut-off of 11.0g/dl and 25.3% (95%CI:20.9, 30.0) using a cut-off of 10.5g/dl for those in the 2nd trimester. At 28 weeks, AIP prevalence was 53.1% (95%CI:45.8, 60.3) and 37.5 (95%CI:30.6, 44.8) using a cut-off of 11.0g/dl and 10.5g/dl for those in the 2nd trimester, respectively. At 36 weeks, AIP prevalence was 44.8% (95%CI:39.2, 50.4) using a cut-off of 11.0g/dl. At p<0.05, registering after the first trimester (AOR = 1.87, 95%CI: 1.17, 2.98, P = 0.009) and at a regional hospital (AOR = 2.25, 95%CI: 1.02, 4.98, P = 0.044) were associated with increased odds of AIP but registering at a private hospital (AOR = 0.32, 95%CI: 0.11, 0.92, P = 0.035) was associated with decreased odds of AIP at booking. At 28 weeks, age group 26-35 years (AOR = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.98, P = 0.044), Christianity (AOR = 0.32, 95%CI: 0.31, 0.89, P = 0.028.), high wealth (AOR = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.09, 0.83, P = 0.022) and tertiary education (AOR = 0.09, 95%CI:0.02, 0.54, P = 0.009) were associated with decreased odds of AIP. At 36 weeks, booking after first trimester of pregnancy was associated with increased odds (AOR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.05, 2.84, P = 0.033) whilst high wealth (AOR = 0.44, 95%CI: 0.20, 0.99, P = 0.049), higher age groups-26-35 (AOR = 0.38, 95%CI: 0.21, 0.68, P = 0.001) and 36-49 years (AOR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.13, 0.90, P = 0.024) and secondary education of spouse were associated with reduced odds (AOR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.14, 0.88, P = 0.026) of AIP. CONCLUSION: AIP consistently increased from registration to 36 weeks of gestation. Given the observed correlates of AIP, we recommend that interventions geared towards early ANC registration, improved household wealth, and improved maternal education are required to reduce AIP.

418. Metabolic syndrome and life style factors among diabetes patients attending in a teaching hospital, Chitwan.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Sharma K, Poudyal S, Subba HK

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with an increased incidence of chronic complications and mortality of diabetes patients. Prevention and treatment of MetS is important means of lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to find out metabolic syndrome and life style factors among diabetes patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 296 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital. Consecutive sampling technique was used to select sample. Data were collected from 15th December 2021 to 15th March, 2022 using Interview Schedule, bio-physiological measurement and record review. Obtained data were analysed in SPSS version 20 for window using descriptive and inferential statistics. Chi-square test was applied to measure the association between the variables. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with metabolic syndrome. RESULT: Findings revealed that the prevalence of MetS was 66.2% and 58.4% in patients according to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria respectively. The most common MetS parameters were raised fasting plasma glucose (94.6%) and abnormal waist circumference (78.4% in IDF criteria) while the least prevalent parameter was reduced HDL level (43.2%). Majorities of the patients were non-vegetarian (85.5%), had poor dietary compliance (poor-46.3%, very poor-32.1%), overweight/obese (65.5%), and suffered from moderate stress (90.1%). Bivariate analysis showed that MetS as per NCEP ATP criteria was significantly associated with gender (p = 0.006), occupation (p = 0.007), presence of other co-morbid condition (<0.001) and sleep problem (p = <0.001). However, MetS as per IDF criteria was significantly associated with age (p = <0.028), duration of diabetes (p = <0.001), follow-up visit (p = <0.030), blood sugar monitoring (p = <0.009) and physical activity of diabetes patients (p = <0.001). Further logistic regression analysis revealed that sleep problem (AOR = 21.812;95%CI = 8.512,55.894) and presence of other comorbidities (AOR = 4.024;95%CI = 2.220,7.295) were the significant factors of metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Metabolic syndrome is high in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, treating physicians and other health workers need to monitor MetS parameters regularly to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke and premature death.

419. Correlates of condom use among male university students from eastern China who engage in casual sex.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Chen W, Zhou X, Ma Q

420. Prediction of university fund revenue and expenditure based on fuzzy time series with a periodic factor.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Shen Y, Ma X, Sun Y

421. Exploring the expression and potential function of follicle stimulating hormone receptor in extragonadal cells related to abdominal aortic aneurysm.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Tedjawirja VN, Mieremet A, Rombouts KB

INTRODUCTION: Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is identified to play a role in postmenopausal disease and hypothesized to affect abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) onset/progression in postmenopausal women. We aimed to detect FSHR gene expression in AAA tissue and cell types involved in AAA formation. METHODS: FSH stimulation of human umbilical cord endothelial cells (HUVECs), smooth muscle cells (HUCs) and PMA-differentiated macrophages to assess gene expression of FSHR and various markers. Human macrophages activated with various stimuli were assessed for FSHR gene expression. AAA dataset, AAA tissue samples and AAA-derived smooth muscle cells (SMC) obtained from elderly female donors were assessed for FSHR gene expression. AAA-SMCs were stimulated with FSH to assess its effect on gene expression. Lastly, oxidized low-density-lipoprotein (ox-LDL) uptake and abundance of cell surface protein markers were assessed by flow cytometry after FSH stimulation of human monocytes. RESULTS: FSH stimulation showed similar levels of gene expression in HUVECs and HUCs. Only ACTA2 was downregulated in HUCs. In PMA-differentiated macrophages, gene expression of inflammation markers was unchanged after FSH stimulation. FSHR gene expression was found to be low in the AAA datasets. Female AAA-SMCs show occasional FSHR gene expression at a very low level, yet stimulation with FSH did not affect gene expression of SMC- or inflammation markers. FSH stimulation did not impact ox-LDL uptake or alter cell surface protein expression in monocytes. While FSHR gene expression was detected in human testis tissue, it was below quantification level in all other investigated cell types, even upon activation of macrophages with various stimuli. CONCLUSION: Despite previous reports, we did not detect FSHR gene expression in various extragonadal cell types, except in occasional female AAA-SMCs. No clear effect on cell activation was observed upon FSH stimulation in any cell type. Our data suggest that a direct effect of FSH in AAA-related extragonadal cells is unlikely to influence AAA.

422. Association of dietary sodium intake with impaired fasting glucose in adult cancer survivors: A population-based cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Kim K, Kim H, Jun TJ

423. Is Benin on track to reach universal household coverage of basic water, sanitation and hygiene services by 2030?

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Gaffan N, Dégbey C, Kpozèhouen A

INTRODUCTION: With the end of the Millennium Agenda, the United Nations Member States adopted the Sustainable Development Agenda in 2015. This new agenda identifies 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets for 2030, including Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). OBJECTIVE: To study the evolution of household access to WASH services over the last two decades in Benin and make projections for 2030. METHODS: In this study, secondary analyses were performed using the datasets of the Demographic and Health Surveys in Benin from 2001 to 2017-2018. The statistical unit was the household. The achievement of the WASH SDGs targets was monitored through the proportion of households using individual basic WASH services, the proportion of households using surface water for drinking, and the proportion of households practising open defecation. The study generated Annual Percentage Changes (APCs) for outcome variables. Based on the APCs between 2001 and 2017-2018, projections were made for 2030. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2017-2018, household access to individual basic WASH services increased from 50.54% to 63.98% (APC = +1.44%), 5.39% to 13.29% (APC = +5.62%), and 2.12% to 10.11% (APC = +9.92%), respectively. At the same time, the prevalence of surface water consumption and open defecation among households decreased from 10.54% to 5.84% (APC = -3.52%) and 67.03% to 53.91% (APC = -1.31%), respectively. If the trend observed between 2001 and 2017-2018 remains unchanged, the national coverage of households with basic individual WASH services would be 76.50%, 26.33% and 10.51%, respectively, by 2030. The prevalence of surface water consumption and open defecation among households would be 3.73% and 45.71%, respectively, by 2030. CONCLUSION: Benin achieved significant progress in household coverage of adequate WASH services over the last two decades. However, progress appears insufficient to achieve universal coverage of households with basic WASH services, and eliminate surface water consumption and open defecation by 2030. There is a need to strengthen research into the drivers of household access to adequate WASH services.

424. Implementation outcomes and strategies for delivering evidence-based hypertension interventions in lower-middle-income countries: Evidence from a multi-country consortium for hypertension control.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Gyamfi J, Iwelunmor J, Patel S

Guidance on contextually tailored implementation strategies for the prevention, treatment, and control of hypertension is limited in lower-middle income countries (Lower-MIC). To address this limitation, we compiled implementation strategies and accompanying outcomes of evidence-based hypertension interventions currently being implemented in five Lower-MIC. The Global Research on Implementation and Translation Science (GRIT) Coordinating Center (CC) (GRIT-CC) engaged its global network sites at Ghana, Guatemala, India, Kenya, and Vietnam. Purposively sampled implementation science experts completed an electronic survey assessing implementation outcomes, in addition to implementation strategies used in their ongoing hypertension interventions from among 73 strategies within the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC). Experts rated the strategies based on highest priority to their interventions. We analyzed the data by sorting implementation strategies utilized by sites into one of the nine domains in ERIC and summarized the data using frequencies, proportions, and means. Seventeen implementation experts (52.9% men) participated in the exercise. Of Proctor's implementation outcomes identified across sites, all outcomes except for appropriateness were broadly assessed by three or more countries. Overall, 59 out of 73 (81%) strategies were being utilized in the five countries. The highest priority implementation strategies utilized across all five countries focused on evaluative and iterative strategies (e.g., identification of context specific barriers and facilitators) to delivery of patient- and community-level interventions, while the lowest priority was use of financial and infrastructure change strategies. More capacity building strategies (developing stakeholder interrelationships, training and educating stakeholders, and supporting clinicians) were incorporated into interventions implemented in India and Vietnam than Ghana, Kenya, and Guatemala. Although robust implementation strategies are being used in Lower -MICs, there is minimum use of financial and infrastructure change strategies. Our study contributes to the growing literature that demonstrates the use of Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) implementation strategies to deliver evidence-based hypertension interventions in Lower-MICs and will inform future cross-country data harmonization activities in resource-constrained settings.

425. Different disease inoculations cause common responses of the host immune system and prokaryotic component of the microbiome in Acropora palmata.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Young BD, Rosales SM, Enochs IC

Reef-building corals contain a complex consortium of organisms, a holobiont, which responds dynamically to disease, making pathogen identification difficult. While coral transcriptomics and microbiome communities have previously been characterized, similarities and differences in their responses to different pathogenic sources has not yet been assessed. In this study, we inoculated four genets of the Caribbean branching coral Acropora palmata with a known coral pathogen (Serratia marcescens) and white band disease. We then characterized the coral's transcriptomic and prokaryotic microbiomes' (prokaryiome) responses to the disease inoculations, as well as how these responses were affected by a short-term heat stress prior to disease inoculation. We found strong commonality in both the transcriptomic and prokaryiomes responses, regardless of disease inoculation. Differences, however, were observed between inoculated corals that either remained healthy or developed active disease signs. Transcriptomic co-expression analysis identified that corals inoculated with disease increased gene expression of immune, wound healing, and fatty acid metabolic processes. Co-abundance analysis of the prokaryiome identified sets of both healthy-and-disease-state bacteria, while co-expression analysis of the prokaryiomes' inferred metagenomic function revealed infected corals' prokaryiomes shifted from free-living to biofilm states, as well as increasing metabolic processes. The short-term heat stress did not increase disease susceptibility for any of the four genets with any of the disease inoculations, and there was only a weak effect captured in the coral hosts' transcriptomic and prokaryiomes response. Genet identity, however, was a major driver of the transcriptomic variance, primarily due to differences in baseline immune gene expression. Despite genotypic differences in baseline gene expression, we have identified a common response for components of the coral holobiont to different disease inoculations. This work has identified genes and prokaryiome members that can be focused on for future coral disease work, specifically, putative disease diagnostic tools.

426. Genetic diversity, distribution, and structure of Bemisia tabaci whitefly species in potential invasion and hybridization regions of East Africa.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Ally HM, Hamss HE, Simiand C

Outbreaks of whitefly, Bemisia tabaci species in East and Central Africa, have become increasingly prevalent during the previous 25 years and are responsible for driving the spread of plant-virus diseases, such as cassava mosaic disease and cassava brown steak disease. Epidemics of these diseases have expanded their ranges over the same period, spreading from Uganda into other sub-Saharan African countries. It was hypothesised that a highly abundant 'invader' population of B. tabaci was responsible for spreading these diseases from Uganda to neighbouring countries and potentially hybridising with the resident cassava B. tabaci populations. Here, we test this hypothesis by investigating the molecular identities of the highly abundant cassava B. tabaci populations from their supposed origin in Uganda, to the northern, central, eastern and coastal regions of Tanzania. Partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) barcoding sequences and nuclear microsatellite markers were used to analyse the population genetic diversity and structure of 2734 B. tabaci collected from both countries and in different agroecological zones. The results revealed that: (i) the putative SSA1 species is structured according to countries, so differ between them. (ii) Restricted gene flow occurred between SSA1-SG3 and both other SSA1 subgroups (SG1 and SG2), even in sympatry, demonstrating strong barriers to hybridization between those genotypes. (iii) Not only B. tabaci SSA1-(SG1 and SG2) was found in highly abundant (outbreak) numbers, but B. tabaci SSA1-SG3 and the Indian Ocean (IO) species were also recorded in high numbers in several sites in Tanzania. (iv) The SSA1-(SG1 and SG2) species was distributed in both countries, but in Tanzania, the B. tabaci IO and SSA1-SG3 species predominated. These data confirm that multiple, local Tanzanian B. tabaci species produce highly abundant populations, independent of the spread of the putative invasive B. tabaci SSA1-(SG1 and SG2) populations.

427. Abnormal functional asymmetry and its behavioural correlates in adults with ADHD: A TMS-EEG study.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Avnit A, Zibman S, Alyagon U

428. Do environmental, social, and governance scores improve green innovation? Empirical evidence from Chinese-listed companies.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Zhang C, Chen D.

429. Dyspnea induced by inspiratory loading limits dual-tasking in healthy young adults.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Chauvin SR, Otoo-Appiah J, Zheng A

430. A study of the impact of corporate digitization on environmental protection: Take Chinese A-share companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen as an example.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Zhao Z, Yan J.

431. Ultrasonic characteristics and equivalent crack width of coal and rock bodies around boreholes during progressive failure.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Ji X, Zhang T, Zhang L

432. Providing a model for the development of sports tours in the tourism industry.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Gharibzadeh M, Safania AM, Naghshbandi SS

433. Hierarchical association of COPD to principal genetic components of biological systems.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Carlin DE, Larsen SJ, Sirupurapu V

434. Effects of a 28-day feeding trial of grain-containing versus pulse-based diets on cardiac function, taurine levels and digestibility in domestic dogs.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Quilliam C, Reis LG, Ren Y

435. Hematological abnormalities and associated factors among metabolic syndrome patients at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Kelem A, Shiferaw E, Adane T.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of interconnected metabolic diseases. Hematological abnormalities are common but neglected complications of MetS. Thus, this study aimed to determine the magnitude of hematological abnormalities and their associated factors among MetS patients at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. METHOD: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital from March to May 2022. A total of 384 MetS patients were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using pre-tested structured questionnaires and checklists. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were taken, and blood sample was collected for complete blood count determination. Stool and blood film examinations were performed to detect intestinal and malaria parasites, respectively. Data were entered into EpiData 3.1 and analyzed by Stata 14.0 software. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors associated with hematological abnormalities. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The magnitude of anemia, leukopenia, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and thrombocytosis was found to be 13.3%, 0.5%, 2.9%, 1.6%, and 2.3%, respectively. Being male (AOR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.14, 6.20), rural residency (AOR = 5.79, 95% CI: 1.72, 19.51), taking antihypertensive medications (AOR = 3.85, 95% CI: 1.16, 12.78), having elevated triglyceride level (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.03, 4.75), and being overweight or obese (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.64) were significantly associated with anemia. CONCLUSIONS: Anemia was the most prevalent hematological abnormality identified in the present study, followed by leukocytosis and thrombocytosis. Anemia was a mild public health problem among MetS patients in the study area. Routine anemia screening for all MetS patients, especially for those with significant associated factors, may help in the early detection and effective management of anemia, which subsequently improves the patients' quality of life.

436. Sociodemographic disparities in concomitant left atrial appendage occlusion during cardiac valve operations.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Ng AP, Chervu N, Sanaiha Y

437. Polyphenol supplementation and executive functioning in overweight and obese adults at risk of cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Farag S, Tsang C, Murphy PN.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Increasing evidence indicates a link between obesity and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, there is limited literature regarding the effect of polyphenols, a plant derived compounds, on executive functioning in an overweight/obese population at-risk of cognitive impairment. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials is to examine the effect of polyphenol supplementation on executive functions in overweight and/or obese populations at risk of cognitive impairment. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted from inception to March 2023 using four electronic databases: PubMed/Medline, PsycInfo, Scopus and Cochrane trials library. Published primary research studies in English that compared the effect of polyphenols with placebo on executive function in overweight/obese adults were considered eligible for the meta-analysis. Jadad scale was used for the methodological quality rating of the included studies. Hedges g with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for endpoints were calculated using random effect model where applicable. Rosenthal's Fail-safe N, funnel plots, the Begg and Mazumdar's rank correlation test (Kendall's S statistic P-Q), Egger's linear regression test, and Duval and Tweedie's trim-and-fill test were identified for potential use as appropriate, to examine publication bias. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the robustness of the results. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 23 RCT studies involving N = 1,976 participants were included in the review. The results of the meta-analysis revealed a non-significant effect for polyphenol supplementation on executive function (g = 0.076, CI = -0.018 to 0.170). Observations from primary studies within the meta-analysis showed a potential positive effect of polyphenol supplementation in a younger population at-risk of cognitive impairment and it is recommended to investigate this further in future studies. Moreover, the variability of the tasks used to examine executive functions as well as the adequate reporting of supplement's phenolic composition is a limitation that future work should also consider.

438. Human presence and infrastructure impact wildlife nocturnality differently across an assemblage of mammalian species.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Procko M, Naidoo R, LeMay V

Wildlife species may shift towards more nocturnal behavior in areas of higher human influence, but it is unclear how consistent this shift might be. We investigated how humans impact large mammal diel activities in a heavily recreated protected area and an adjacent university-managed forest in southwest British Columbia, Canada. We used camera trap detections of humans and wildlife, along with data on land-use infrastructure (e.g., recreation trails and restricted-access roads), in Bayesian regression models to investigate impacts of human disturbance on wildlife nocturnality. We found moderate evidence that black bears (Ursus americanus) were more nocturnal in response to human detections (mean posterior estimate = 0.35, 90% credible interval = 0.04 to 0.65), but no other clear relationships between wildlife nocturnality and human detections. However, we found evidence that coyotes (Canis latrans) (estimates = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.46 to 1.17) were more nocturnal and snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) (estimate = -0.87, 95% CI = -1.29 to -0.46) were less nocturnal in areas of higher trail density. We also found that coyotes (estimate = -0.87, 95% CI = -1.29 to -0.46) and cougars (Puma concolor) (estimate = -1.14, 90% CI = -2.16 to -0.12) were less nocturnal in areas of greater road density. Furthermore, coyotes, black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and snowshoe hares were moderately more nocturnal in areas near urban-wildland boundaries (estimates and 90% CIs: coyote = -0.29, -0.55 to -0.04, black-tailed deer = -0.25, -0.45 to -0.04, snowshoe hare = -0.24, -0.46 to -0.01). Our findings imply anthropogenic landscape features may influence medium to large-sized mammal diel activities more than direct human presence. While increased nocturnality may be a promising mechanism for human-wildlife coexistence, shifts in temporal activity can also have negative repercussions for wildlife, warranting further research into the causes and consequences of wildlife responses to increasingly human-dominated landscapes.

439. SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection on environmental surfaces in COVID-19 wards.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Zhou X, Fu H, Du G

440. Development and characterization of a copolymeric micelle containing soluble and insoluble model drugs.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Mohammadi F, Moradi A, Tavakoli F

441. New insights into the recent collapse of Eastern Baltic cod from historical data on stock health.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Eero M, Brander K, Baranova T

442. Assessment of severity scoring systems for predicting mortality in critically ill patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Park H, Yang J, Chun BC.

443. Early versus late amniotomy during induction of labor using oxytocin: A randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Halouani A, Masmoudi Y, Hamdaoui R

444. Prevalence of osteoporosis in spinal surgery patients older than 50 years: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Fan ZQ, Yan XA, Li BF

445. Validating the Children's Depression Inventory-2: Results from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Anant N, Kaur D, Nadarajan R

446. Impact of beliefs on perception of newborn illness, caregiver behaviors, and care-seeking practices in Zambia's Southern province.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Sivalogan K, Banda B, Wagner J

447. Psychometric properties and factorial structure of the Spanish version of the psychological capital scale in Ecuadorian university students.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

López-Guerra V, Ocampo-Vásquez K, Quinde L

448. Depression and associated factors in medical students in Acapulco during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Juanico-Morales L, Nava-Aguilera E, Morales-Pérez A

BACKGROUND: Depression is common in medical students and the Mexican state of Guerrero has the highest rates of depression in the country. Acapulco, the seat of the state medical school, is a tourist destination that experienced early high rates of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic closed all schools in Mexico, obliging a shift from face-to-face to virtual education. In this new context, medical students faced challenges of online teaching including inadequate connectivity and access technologies. Prolonged isolation during the pandemic may have had additional mental health implications. AIM: Assess depression prevalence and its associated factors affecting medical students in Acapulco, Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of students of the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, in November 2020. After informed consent, students completed a self-administered questionnaire collating socio-demographic, academic and clinical variables, major life events and changes in mood. The Beck inventory provided an assessment of depression. Bivariate and multivariate analyses relied on the Mantel-Haenszel procedure to identify factors associated with depression. We estimated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: 33.8% (435/1288) of student questionnaires showed evidence of depression in the two weeks prior to the study, with 39.9% (326/817) of young women affected. Factors associated with depression included female sex (OR 1.95; 95%CI 1.48-2.60), age 18-20 years (OR 1.36; 95%CI 1.05-1.77), perceived academic performance (OR 2.97; 95%CI 2.16-4.08), perceived economic hardship (OR 2.18; 95%CI 1.57-3.02), and a family history of depression (OR 1.85; 95%CI 10.35-2.54). Covid-19 specific factors included a life event during the pandemic (OR 1.99; 95%CI 1.54-2.59), connectivity problems during virtual classes and difficulties accessing teaching materials (OR 1.75; 95%CI 1.33-2.30). CONCLUSIONS: The high risk of depression in medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with perceived academic performance and technical barriers to distance learning, in addition to known individual and family factors. This evidence may be useful for the improvement of programs on prevention and control of depression in university students.

449. Investigation of artificial intelligence integrated fluorescence endoscopy image analysis with indocyanine green for interpretation of precancerous lesions in colon cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Kim J, Kim H, Yoon YS

Indocyanine green (ICG) has been used in clinical practice for more than 40 years and its safety and preferential accumulation in tumors has been reported for various tumor types, including colon cancer. However, reports on clinical assessments of ICG-based molecular endoscopy imaging for precancerous lesions are scarce. We determined visualization ability of ICG fluorescence endoscopy in colitis-associated colon cancer using 30 lesions from an azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS) mouse model and 16 colon cancer patient tissue-samples. With a total of 60 images (optical, fluorescence) obtained during endoscopy observation of mouse colon cancer, we used deep learning network to predict four classes (Normal, Dysplasia, Adenoma, and Carcinoma) of colorectal cancer development. ICG could detect 100% of carcinoma, 90% of adenoma, and 57% of dysplasia, with little background signal at 30 min after injection via real-time fluorescence endoscopy. Correlation analysis with immunohistochemistry revealed a positive correlation of ICG with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS; r > 0.5). Increased expression of iNOS resulted in increased levels of cellular nitric oxide in cancer cells compared to that in normal cells, which was related to the inhibition of drug efflux via the ABCB1 transporter down-regulation resulting in delayed retention of intracellular ICG. With artificial intelligence training, the accuracy of image classification into four classes using data sets, such as fluorescence, optical, and fluorescence/optical images was assessed. Fluorescence images obtained the highest accuracy (AUC of 0.8125) than optical and fluorescence/optical images (AUC of 0.75 and 0.6667, respectively). These findings highlight the clinical feasibility of ICG as a detector of precancerous lesions in real-time fluorescence endoscopy with artificial intelligence training and suggest that the mechanism of ICG retention in cancer cells is related to intracellular nitric oxide concentration.

450. The benefits of Shuai Shou Gong (SSG) demonstrated in a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) study of older adults in two communities in Thailand.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Xiao Z, Cruz M, Hojo E

INTRODUCTION: Shuai Shou Gong (SSG) is a type of Arm Swing Exercise (ASE) developed and practiced especially by older people in China for over one thousand years to maintain physical health and well-being. Until now the potential benefits of SSG have not been investigated in a Randomised Control Trial (RCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty six older women were recruited from each of two urban communities in Khon Kaen, Thailand. One community was randomly assigned as the Exercise Group (mean age 68.3 years, standard deviation 5.6 years) and the other as the Control Group (69.4 years, 4.4 years). The Exercise Group performed SSG for 40 minutes, three days per week for two months, whereas the Control Group maintained their usual daily life. Measurements of Posture (C7 to Wall Distance (C7WD), Standing Height (SH), Flexibility (Back Scratch of Left and Right arms (BSL and BSR) and Chair Sit and Reach of Left and Right legs (CSRL and CSRR), Gait (Timed Up and Go (TUG)), and Cognition (Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index (BADL) and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES) questionnaires) were recorded for each group prior to, on day 1, week 4, and week 8 of the SSG training. RESULTS: The 8 week SSG training course produced a significant interaction between group and time for the combined set of all outcome measures (C7WD, SH, BSL, BSR, CSRL, CSRR, TUG, BADL, and BSES) (Modified ANOVA-Type Statistic (MATS) p-value < 0.001) and for the four categories of Posture, Flexibility, Gait, and Cognition (all Wald-Type Statistic (WTS) p-values < 0.05) and in all cases the changes in the Exercise Group were in the direction predicted to be beneficial. No significant interaction effect between time and group was found after either one session or four weeks of SSG training for any of the categories (all WTS p > 0.05) with significant effects only arising after eight weeks (all WTS p < 0.05). Thus although alterations were shown to be increasingly beneficial over time the minimum period required to produce a statistically significant benefit from performing SSG training was 8 weeks. For the Control Group no significant changes were identified for Posture, Flexibility and Cognition however a significant deterioration was observed in TUG (WTS p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: SSG is a holistic, gentle, rhythmic, whole body sequence of movements that may be readily learned and enjoyed in a group setting and has been confirmed in an RCT study of older adult females to produce significant benefits in Posture, Flexibility, Gait and Cognition.

451. Determinants of WHO recommended COVID-19 prevention measures among pregnant women attending antenatal care during the third wave of COVID-19 in eastern Ethiopia, 2021.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Alemayehu A, Yusuf M, Demissie A

452. Mapping the cultural divides of England and Wales: Did the geographies of 'Belonging' act as a brake on British Urbanisation, 1851-1911?

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Day J.

Although both the analysis of regional culture and urbanisation are long-standing preoccupations in geography, few studies have considered the relationship between the two, the former traditionally being a topic in cultural geography, while the latter is usually interpreted and analysed as a process in economic geography. Taking evidence from the 1851-1911 censuses of England and Wales, this article analyses individual migration paths to identify stable regions of human interaction by applying a sophisticated community-detection algorithm. By accurately mapping the regions within which the majority of migration occurred between 1851 and 1911 and arguing that the stability of these geographies is evidence of more than just mutable communities but rather of persistent regional cultures, this article responds to previous studies that have sought to identify the cultural provinces of England and Wales. Indeed, by demonstrating that the regions bear a striking resemblance to those that have long been hypothesised as being distinct cultural provinces of England and Wales, this article empirically corroborates their existence. In order to further demonstrate that the regions constitute cultural provinces, this paper incorporates these boundaries into a spatial interaction model (SIM). The results of the SIM not only shows that the boundaries between the regions limited the number of migrants that crossed them-over and above that explained by control variables-and therefore represented the boundaries of cultural provinces, demarcating discrete regions of human interaction-but that such boundaries disproportionately restricted rural-urban migrants, thereby slowing the pace at which England and Wales urbanised. This paper therefore demonstrates that urbanisation should not only be interpreted as only an economic phenomenon, but a cultural one also, and that if urbanisation is to be fully understood, individuals' attachment to place as a component of their identity, ought to be formally incorporated into models of migration.

453. Burnout among neurologists caring for patients with cognitive disorders in Spain.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Fortea J, García-Arcelay E, Garcia-Ribas G

454. Electron microscopy imaging and mechanical characterization of T47D multicellular tumor spheroids-Older spheroids reduce interstitial space and become stiffer.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Madhavan M, Jaiswal D, Karlberg S

455. Correlates of the HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders among adults living with HIV in Dodoma region, central Tanzania: A cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Nyundo AA.

BACKGROUND: HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) continue to manifest despite advancements and improved antiretroviral therapy coverage. Neurocognitive impairment is a significant predictor of poor prognosis related to poor antiretroviral therapy adherence and retention in HIV care. METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined 397 participants attending cared for and treatment at Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital (DRRH) and selected by systematic sampling. The combination of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS), and The Lawton Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) were used to assess HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Factors associated with HAND were determined using univariate and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 397 participants, 234(59.1%) met the criteria for HAND with 231(58.2%) comprising asymptomatic neurocognitive disorder (ANI) or mild neurocognitive disorders (MND), and 3 (0.76%) HIV- associated dementia (HAD). Participants with HAND had significantly poorer performance in each cognitive domain on both MoCA and IHDS. Under multivariable regression, age of 55 years or above with Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 3.5 (95%CI: 1.1, 11.6), p = 0.041 and female gender (AOR): 2.7 (95%CI: 1, 6, 4.5), p<0.001 were significantly associated with HAND. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy AOR: 0.4(95%CI: 0.2, 1.0), p = 0.044, and attaining primary education AOR: 0.3(95%CI: 0.1, 0.8), p = 0.01 or secondary education AOR: 0.1(95%CI: 0.03, 0.2), p<0.001 compared to having no formal education showed good cognitive performance. CONCLUSION: HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders are common in HIV, especially ANI and MND, are common in HIV infected Tanzanians. Both socio-demographic and clinical variables influence neurocognitive functioning in this population. Screening for mild neurocognitive disorders may be indicated if effective treatment becomes available.

456. Knowledge, attitude, and perceptions about polycystic ovarian syndrome, and its determinants among Pakistani undergraduate students.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Rizvi M, Islam MA, Aftab MT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate knowledge, attitude, perception, and assess the determinants of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) among undergraduate students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among female undergraduate students in Pakistan using a survey. The questionnaire was formulated in English language by a review of literature and expert consensus. The sampling approach was convenient, and survey was available as electronic as well as hardcopy. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS v23. Descriptive statistics namely mean ([Formula: see text]), standard deviation (SD), or median ([Formula: see text]) and interquartile range (IQR) were used dependent upon data distribution. In addition, range (R) was also utilized to express the results. The logistic and linear regression analyses were also conducted. Study received ethical clearance from ethics committees. RESULTS: A total of 646 responses were analyzed. The average PCOS knowledge score was 11.58 ± 4.99 (overall), 12.02 ± 4.73 (medical students), 9.36 ± 5.65 (non-medical students) (α = 0.861). 68.6% participants did not feel embarrassed while discussing PCOS in the society, but 67.3% never discussed it with a doctor. Lack of self-knowledge (31.6%) and shyness/reluctance (21.4%) were identified as barriers by most students. Further, obesity, irregular menstrual periods, family history, hirsutism and contraceptive use were observed to be determinants for having PCOS (AOR > 2, p<0.05). The disease knowledge score was higher for participants studying in medical college (β = 0.184), having menstrual periods < 5 days (β = 0.125), and with a family history (β = 0.121) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The disease knowledge among undergraduates was inadequate. However, there is greater acknowledgement of PCOS as a problem for Pakistani women and barriers have been identified in the study. Conducting awareness campaigns within academic institutions which include promoting disease education, arranging talks, distributing merchandise with disease awareness signage, would greatly help in raising awareness of the disease and lowering stigma and hesitancy.

457. Estimation of glucose rate of appearance in portal vein circulation using a phenomenological-based model.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Lema-Perez L, Herrón-Bedoya A, Paredes-Ángel V

458. Microanatomical organization of hepatic venous lymphatic system in humans.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Umemura K, Shimoda H, Ishido K

459. Cardiac RNase Z edited via CRISPR-Cas9 drives heart hypertrophy in Drosophila.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Migunova E, Rajamani S, Bonanni S

460. A new NASH model in aged mice with rapid progression of steatohepatitis and fibrosis.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Li X, Lu Y, Liang X

461. The effects of safinamide on dysphagia in Parkinson's disease.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Hirano M, Samukawa M, Isono C

462. Assessing COVID-19 pandemic excess deaths in Brazil: Years 2020 and 2021.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Colonia SRR, Cardeal LM, de Oliveira RA

463. The mediating role of resilience on the association between family satisfaction and lower levels of depression and anxiety among Chinese adolescents.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Ye B, Lau JTF, Lee HH

464. Socio-ecological predictors of dietary inflammatory scores and associations with childhood and adolescent adiposity: A protocol for a rapid scoping review of observational studies.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Vingrys K, McCarthy H, Segurado R

465. Characteristics and predictors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in young adults hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome: A retrospective cohort study of 30,000 patients in the Gulf region.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Alsaeed AH, Hersi A, Kashour T

466. Liver fibrosis-derived exosomal miR-106a-5p facilitates the malignancy by targeting SAMD12 and CADM2 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Hu J, Xie C, Xu S

467. Evidence on the links between water insecurity, inadequate sanitation and mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Kimutai JJ, Lund C, Moturi WN

BACKGROUND: Water insecurity and inadequate sanitation have adverse impacts on the mental health of individuals. OBJECTIVE: To review and synthesize evidence on the relationship between water insecurity, inadequate sanitation, and mental health globally. DATA SOURCES: Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases from inception up to March 2023. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Only quantitative studies were included. The exposure was water insecurity and or inadequate sanitation. The outcome was common mental disorders (CMD: depression or anxiety), mental distress, mental health or well-being. There was no restriction on geographical location. PARTICIPANTS: General population or people attending health facilities or other services. EXPOSURE: Water insecurity and/ or inadequate sanitation. RISK OF BIAS: The effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) assessment tool was used to assess quality of selected studies. SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS: A meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects statistical model. RESULTS: Twenty-five studies were included, with 23,103 participants from 16 countries in three continents: Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, and Lesotho), Asia (Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Iran) and the Americas (Brazil, Haiti, Bolivia and Vietnam). There was a statistically significant association between water insecurity and CMD symptoms. Nine studies reported a continuous outcome (5,248 participants): overall standardized mean difference (SMD = 1.38; 95% CI = 0.88, 1.87). Five studies reported a binary outcome (5,776 participants): odds ratio 5.03; 95% CI = 2.26, 11.18. There was a statistically significant association between inadequate sanitation and CMD symptoms (7415 participants), overall SMD = 5.36; 95% CI = 2.51, 8.20. LIMITATIONS: Most of the included studies were cross-sectional which were unable to examine temporal relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Water insecurity and inadequate sanitation contribute to poorer mental health globally. IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS: Interventions to provide basic water, sanitation and psychosocial support, could substantially contribute to reducing the burden of CMD alongside other health and social benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022322528.

468. Factorial and network structure of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS-2) in Peruvian adolescents.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Ramos-Vera C, Quispe Callo G, Basauri Delgado M

469. Physical activity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic among individuals with amputation.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Leister KR, Heffernan K, Miller T

The isolating nature of various COVID-19 mandates may have reduced physical activity (PA) and increased mental health symptomology among individuals with amputation. However, an investigation of mental health across PA levels before and after the onset of COVID-19 among this group has not been conducted. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate group differences in depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptomology among individuals with amputation who reported being physically "active," "somewhat active," or "inactivate" before and during the pandemic. Individuals with an amputation at any level (n = 91; 51% female; age = 52.5±15.5) completed an online questionnaire to assess demographic information, PA levels, and mental health throughout the pandemic. Group differences in self-reported PA before and after COVID-19 onset were assessed by the PA Guidelines for Americans recommendations. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) scales were used to assess group differences in mental health status. Before and after the onset of COVID-19, 33% and 42.9% of respondents reported that they were inactive, respectively. 58.2% of respondents reported decreased PA since the pandemic's onset. Prior to the pandemic, active individuals reported lower CES-D (14.21 vs. 19.07; Cohen's d: -0.414), GAD-7 (3.82 vs. 5.47; Cohen's d: -0.359), and PCL-5 (15.92 vs. 21.03; Cohen's d: -0.319) scores compared to inactive individuals. After the onset of COVID-19, scores remained lower for active respondents CES-D (12.67 vs. 20.03; Cohen's d: 0.-669), GAD-7 (3.17 vs. 5.87; Cohen's d: -0.598), and PCL-5 (13.39 vs. 19.90; Cohen's d: -0.430). Individuals with amputation reported decreased PA after the onset of COVID-19. Individuals reporting that they were "active" exhibited improved depression and anxiety symptomology scores compared to those reporting that they were "inactive."

470. Children's suggestibility for neutral arbitrary actions in the context of norm violations.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Vaporova E, Zmyj N.

471. Feasibility of self-organized blood sample collection in adults for study purposes in a primary care setting.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Schröder D, Müller F, Heesen G

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The COVID-19 pandemic situation poses new challenges for research. Ethical issues might arise if especially vulnerable individuals for severe COVID-19 course expose themselves because of participation in studies to a higher risk of infection for study purposes. How is the feasibility and acceptance of self-organized blood sample collections to measure anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG antibodies in persons with a high risk for a severe COVID-19 disease progression? METHODS: Persons with a high risk for a severe COVID-19 disease progression (immunocompromised, oncology patients or over 80 years old) were recruited between January and September 2021 to send in blood samples (at least 500 μl) 1 month and 6 months after second COVID-19 vaccination. Participants were given the choice of drawing capillary or venous blood themselves or having blood drawn by health professionals belonging to either the study's own research team or the personnel found in local practices or clinics. Participants were surveyed via a telephone interview in December 2021 and January 2022 about their choice of blood sampling methods and influence of blood collection choice upon study participation. RESULTS: Data from 360 participants was collected via telephone follow-up. First blood samples were collected by the participants themselves (35.8%), local practices or clinics (31.9%) and the research team (22.5%). Second blood samples were mostly collected in local practices or clinics (35.6%) followed by participants themselves (25.9%) and the research team (11.5%). Blood samples were not collected in 2.5% and 19.1% of persons during first and second blood draw, respectively. Only 2% of blood samples did not reach the laboratory or were not analyzable. About one-fourth (26%) of participants stated that they would not have participated in the study if it would have been required to travel to the university hospital to give their blood sample. CONCLUSIONS: Participants were able to self-organize blood collection, making use of several different blood sample methods. Nearly all blood samples were analyzable when self-collected and sent in by post. One-fourth of the participants would not have participated in the study if required to give their blood sample in the study location. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trial Registry, DRKS00021152.

472. Interpretation of continuously measured vital signs data of COVID-19 patients by nurses and physicians at the general ward: A mixed methods study.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

van Goor HMR, Breteler MJM, Schoonhoven L

BACKGROUND: Continuous monitoring of vital signs is introduced at general hospital wards to detect patient deterioration. Interpretation and response currently rely on experience and expert opinion. This study aims to determine whether consensus exist among hospital professionals regarding the interpretation of vital signs of COVID-19 patients. In addition, we assessed the ability to recognise respiratory insufficiency and evaluated the interpretation process. METHODS: We performed a mixed methods study including 24 hospital professionals (6 nurses, 6 junior physicians, 6 internal medicine specialists, 6 ICU nurses). Each participant was presented with 20 cases of COVID-19 patients, including 4 or 8 hours of continuously measured vital signs data. Participants estimated the patient's situation ('improving', 'stable', or 'deteriorating') and the possibility of developing respiratory insufficiency. Subsequently, a semi-structured interview was held focussing on the interpretation process. Consensus was assessed using Krippendorff's alpha. For the estimation of respiratory insufficiency, we calculated the mean positive/negative predictive value. Interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: We found no consensus regarding the patient's situation (α 0.41, 95%CI 0.29-0.52). The mean positive predictive value for respiratory insufficiency was high (0.91, 95%CI 0.86-0.97), but the negative predictive value was 0.66 (95%CI 0.44-0.88). In the interviews, two themes regarding the interpretation process emerged. "Interpretation of deviations" included the strategies participants use to determine stability, focused on finding deviations in data. "Inability to see the patient" entailed the need of hospital professionals to perform a patient evaluation when estimating a patient's situation. CONCLUSION: The interpretation of continuously measured vital signs by hospital professionals, and recognition of respiratory insufficiency using these data, is variable, which might be the result of different interpretation strategies, uncertainty regarding deviations, and not being able to see the patient. Protocols and training could help to uniform interpretation, but decision support systems might be necessary to find signs of deterioration that might otherwise go unnoticed.

473. Relationship of OCT-defined plaque characteristics with CCTA-derived coronary inflammation and CMR-derived global coronary flow reserve in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Sugiyama T, Kanaji Y, Hoshino M

BACKGROUND: The relationship of layered plaque detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT) with coronary inflammation and coronary flow reserve (CFR) remains elusive. We aimed to investigate the association of OCT-defined layered plaque with pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) inflammation assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and global (G)-CFR assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 88 patients with first ACS who underwent preprocedural CCTA, OCT imaging of the culprit lesion prior to primary/urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and postprocedural CMR. All patients were divided into two groups according to the presence and absence of OCT-defined layered plaque at the culprit lesion. Coronary inflammation was assessed by the mean value of PCAT attenuation (-190 to -30 HU) of the three major coronary vessels. G-CFR was obtained by quantifying absolute coronary sinus flow at rest and during maximum hyperemia. CCTA and CMR findings were compared between the groups. RESULTS: In a total of 88 patients, layered plaque was detected in 51 patients (58.0%). The patients with layered plaque had higher three-vessel-PCAT attenuation value (-68.58 ± 6.41 vs. -71.60 ± 5.21 HU, P = 0.021) and culprit vessel-PCAT attenuation value (-67.69 ± 7.76 vs. -72.07 ± 6.57 HU, P = 0.007) than those with non-layered plaque. The patients with layered plaque had lower G-CFR value (median, 2.26 [interquartile range, 1.78, 2.89] vs. 3.06 [2.41, 3.90], P = 0.003) than those with non-layered plaque. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of OCT-defined layered plaque at the culprit lesion was associated with high PCAT attenuation and low G-CFR after primary/urgent PCI in patients with ACS. OCT assessment of culprit plaque morphology and detection of layered plaque may help identify increased pericoronary inflammation and impaired CFR, potentially providing the risk stratification in patients with ACS and residual microvascular dysfunction after PCI.

474. Malaria and typhoid fever among patients presenting with febrile illnesses in Ga West Municipality, Ghana.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Rufai T, Aninagyei E, Akuffo KO

BACKGROUND: Clinicians in areas where malaria and typhoid fever are co-endemic often treat infected patients irrationally, which may lead to the emergence of drug resistance and extra cost to patients. This study determined the proportion of febrile conditions attributable to either malaria and/or typhoid fever and the susceptibility patterns of Salmonella spp. isolates to commonly used antimicrobial agents in Ghana. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-seven (157) febrile patients attending the Ga West Municipal Hospital, Ghana, from February to May 2017 were sampled. Blood samples were collected for cultivation of pathogenic bacteria and the susceptibility of the Salmonella isolates to antimicrobial agents was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method with antibiotic discs on Müller Hinton agar plates. For each sample, conventional Widal test for the detection of Salmonella spp was done as well as blood film preparation for detection of Plasmodium spp. Data on the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the study participants were collected using an android technology software kobo-collect by interview. RESULTS: Of the total number of patients aged 2-37 years (median age = 6 years, IQR 3-11), 82 (52.2%) were females. The proportion of febrile patients with falciparum malaria was 57/157 (36.3%), while Salmonella typhi O and H antigens were detected in 23/157 (14.6%) of the samples. The detection rate of Salmonella spp in febrile patients was 10/157 (6.4%). Malaria and typhoid fever coinfection using Widal test and blood culture was 9 (5.7%) and 3 (1.9%), respectively. The isolates were highly susceptible to cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and amikacin but resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, co-trimoxazole, gentamicin, cefuroxime, chloramphenicol, and meropenem. CONCLUSION: Plasmodium falciparum and Salmonella spp coinfections were only up to 1.9%, while malaria and typhoid fever, individually, were responsible for 36.3% and 6.4%, respectively. Treatment of febrile conditions must be based on laboratory findings in order not to expose patients to unnecessary side effects of antibiotics and reduce the emergence and spread of drug resistance against antibiotics.

475. Variable responses to top-down and bottom-up control on multiple traits in the foundational plant, Spartina alterniflora.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Valdez SR, Daleo P, DeLaMater DS 3rd

While the effects of top-down and bottom-up forces on aboveground plant growth have been extensively examined, less is known about the relative impacts of these factors on other aspects of plant life history. In a fully-factorial, field experiment in a salt marsh in Virginia, USA, we manipulated grazing intensity (top-down) and nutrient availability (bottom-up) and measured the response in a suite of traits for smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). The data presented within this manuscript are unpublished, original data that were collected from the same experiment presented in Silliman and Zieman 2001. Three categories of traits and characteristics were measured: belowground characteristics, litter production, and reproduction, encompassing nine total responses. Of the nine response variables measured, eight were affected by treatments. Six response variables showed main effects of grazing and/ or fertilization, while three showed interactive effects. In general, fertilization led to increased cordgrass belowground biomass and reproduction, the former of which conflicts with predictions based on resource competition theory. Higher grazing intensity had negative impacts on both belowground biomass and reproduction. This result contrasts with past studies in this system that concluded grazer impacts are likely relegated to aboveground plant growth. In addition, grazers and fertilization interacted to alter litter production so that litter production disproportionately increased with fertilization when grazers were present. Our results revealed both predicted and unexpected effects of grazing and nutrient availability on understudied traits in a foundational plant and that these results were not fully predictable from understanding the impacts on aboveground biomass alone. Since these diverse traits link to diverse ecosystem functions, such as carbon burial, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem expansion, developing future studies to explore multiple trait responses and synthesizing the ecological knowledge on top-down and bottom-up forces with trait-based methodologies may provide a promising path forward in predicting variability in ecosystem function.

476. Integrating human papillomavirus testing as a point-of care service using GeneXpert platforms: Findings and lessons from a Kenyan pilot study (2019-2020).

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Mwenda V, Bor JP, Nyangasi M

BACKGROUND: Globally, cervical cancer is a major public health problem, with about 604,000 new cases and over 340,000 deaths in 2020. In Kenya, it is the leading cause of cancer deaths, with over 3,000 women dying in 2020 alone. Both the Kenyan cancer screening guidelines and the World Health Organization's Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy recommend human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as the primary screening test. However, HPV testing is not widely available in the public healthcare system in Kenya. We conducted a pilot study using a point of care (POC) HPV test to inform national roll-out. METHODS: The pilot was implemented from October 2019 to December 2020, in nine health facilities across six counties. We utilized the GeneXpert platform (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA), currently used for TB, Viral load testing and early infant diagnosis for HIV, for HPV screening. Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) was used for triage of HPV-positive women, as recommended in national guidelines. Quality assurance (QA) was performed by the National Oncology Reference Laboratory (NORL), using the COBAS 4800 platform (Roche Molecular System, Pleasanton, CF, USA). HPV testing was done using either self or clinician-collected samples. We assessed the following screening performance indicators: screening coverage, screen test positivity, triage compliance, triage positivity and treatment compliance. Test agreement between local GeneXpert and central comparator high-risk HPV (hrHPV) testing for a random set of specimens was calculated as overall concordance and kappa value. We conducted a final evaluation and applied the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) to identify implementation challenges and opportunities. KEY FINDINGS: The screening coverage of target population was 27.0% (4500/16,666); 52.8% (2376/4500) were between 30-49 years of age. HPV positivity rate was 22.8% (1027/4500). Only 10% (105/1027) of HPV positive cases were triaged with VIA/VILI; 21% (22/105) tested VIA/VILI positive, and 73% (16/22) received treatment (15 received cryotherapy, 1 was referred for biopsy). The median HPV testing turnaround time (TAT) was 24 hours (IQR 2-48 hours). Invalid sample rate was 2.0% (91/4500). Concordance between the Cepheid and COBAS was 86.2% (kappa value = 0.71). Of 1042 healthcare workers, only 5.6% (58/1042) were trained in cervical cancer screening and treatment, and only 69% (40/58) of those trained were stationed at service provision areas. Testing capacity was identifed as the main challenge, while the community strategy was the main opportunity. CONCLUSION: HPV testing can be performed on GeneXpert as a near point of care platform. However, triage compliance and testing TAT were major concerns. We recommend strengthening of the screening-triage-treatment cascade and expansion of testing capacity, before adoption of a GeneXpert-based HPV screening among other near point of care platforms in Kenya.

477. Computer-based intervention for residents of domestic violence shelters with substance use: A randomized pilot study.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Hailemariam M, Johnson JE, Johnson DM

BACKGROUND: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem often associated with serious mental health and physical health implications. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are one of the most common comorbidities among women with IPV, increasing risk of subsequent IPV. METHODS: The current study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a brief computerized intervention to reduce alcohol and drug use among women with IPV. Fifty women with recent IPV and alcohol and drug use risk were recruited from domestic violence shelters and randomized to the experimental computerized intervention or to an attention and time control condition. The primary outcome was percent heavy drinking or drug using days in 3 month increments over the 6 months after leaving the shelter. Receipt of substance use services and IPV severity were evaluated as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The computerized intervention was feasible and acceptable, with high (n = 20, 80%) completion rates, engagement with the intervention, and satisfaction scores. As expected in this pilot trial, there were no significant differences between conditions in percent heavy drinking/drug using days or receipt of substance use services and large individual differences in outcomes. For example, receipt of substance use services decreased by a mean of 0.05 times/day from the baseline to the 6-month time period in the control condition (range -1.00 to +0.55) and increased by a mean of 0.06 times/day in the intervention condition (range -0.13 to +0.89). There were large decreases in IPV severity over time in both conditions, but directions of differences favored the control condition for IPV severity. CONCLUSION: A computerized intervention to reduce the risk of alcohol/drug use and subsequent IPV is feasible and acceptable among residents of a domestic violence shelter. A fully powered trial is needed to conclusively evaluate outcomes.

478. Developing engaged and 'teamful' leaders: A randomized controlled trial of the 5R identity leadership program.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Haslam SA, Reutas J, Bentley SV

479. Semi-supervised nuclei segmentation based on multi-edge features fusion attention network.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Li H, Zhong J, Lin L

480. Design and synthesis of multi-functional small-molecule based inhibitors of amyloid-β aggregation: Molecular modeling and in vitro evaluation.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Radwan AA, Alanazi FK, Raish M.

481. Induction of pro-inflammatory genes by fibronectin DAMPs in three fibroblast cell lines: Role of TAK1 and MAP kinases.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Maddali P, Ambesi A, McKeown-Longo PJ.

482. Treatment burden in individuals living with and beyond cancer: A systematic review of qualitative literature.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Adam R, Nair R, Duncan LF

BACKGROUND: Individuals with cancer are being given increasing responsibility for the self-management of their health and illness. In other chronic diseases, individuals who experience treatment burden are at risk of poorer health outcomes. Less is known about treatment burden and its impact on individuals with cancer. This systematic review investigated perceptions of treatment burden in individuals living with and beyond cancer. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Medline, CINAHL and EMBASE databases were searched for qualitative studies that explored treatment burden in individuals with a diagnosis of breast, prostate, colorectal, or lung cancer at any stage of their diagnostic/treatment trajectory. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted. Study quality was assessed using a modified CASP checklist. The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021145601). Forty-eight studies were included. Health management after cancer involved cognitive, practical, and relational work for patients. Individuals were motivated to perform health management work to improve life-expectancy, manage symptoms, and regain a sense of normality. Performing health care work could be empowering and gave individuals a sense of control. Treatment burden occurred when there was a mismatch between the resources needed for health management and their availability. Individuals with chronic and severe symptoms, financial challenges, language barriers, and limited social support are particularly at risk of treatment burden. For those with advanced cancer, consumption of time and energy by health care work is a significant burden. CONCLUSION: Treatment burden could be an important mediator of inequities in cancer outcomes. Many of the factors leading to treatment burden in individuals with cancer are potentially modifiable. Clinicians should consider carefully what they are asking or expecting patients to do, and the resources required, including how much patient time will be consumed.

483. A novel privacy-preserving biometric authentication scheme.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Mao X, Chen Y, Deng C

484. Effects of heat degradation of betanin in red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) on biological activity and antioxidant capacity.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Muramatsu D, Uchiyama H, Higashi H

485. Early childhood education and care quality and associations with child outcomes: A meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

von Suchodoletz A, Lee DS, Henry J

OBJECTIVES: The effectiveness of early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs for children's development in various domains is well documented. Adding to existing meta-analyses on associations between the quality of ECEC services and children's developmental outcomes, the present meta-analysis synthesizes the global literature on structural characteristics and indicators of process quality to test direct and moderated effects of ECEC quality on children's outcomes across a range of domains. DESIGN: A systematic review of the literature published over a 10-year period, between January 2010 and June 2020 was conducted, using the databases PsychInfo, Eric, EbscoHost, and Pubmed. In addition, a call for unpublished research or research published in the grey literature was sent out through the authors' professional network. The search yielded 8,932 articles. After removing duplicates, 4,880 unique articles were identified. To select articles for inclusion, it was determined whether studies met eligibility criteria: (1) study assessed indicators of quality in center-based ECEC programs catering to children ages 0-6 years; and (2) study assessed child outcomes. Inclusion criteria were: (1) a copy of the full article was available in English; (2) article reported effect size measure of at least one quality indicator-child outcome association; and (3) measures of ECEC quality and child outcomes were collected within the same school year. A total of 1,044 effect sizes reported from 185 articles were included. RESULTS: The averaged effects, pooled within each of the child outcomes suggest that higher levels of ECEC quality were significantly related to higher levels of academic outcomes (literacy, n = 99: 0.08, 95% C.I. 0.02, 0.13; math, n = 56: 0.07, 95% C.I. 0.03, 0.10), behavioral skills (n = 64: 0.12, 95% C.I. 0.07, 0.17), social competence (n = 58: 0.13, 95% C.I. 0.07, 0.19), and motor skills (n = 2: 0.09, 95% C.I. 0.04, 0.13), and lower levels of behavioral (n = 60: -0.12, 95% C.I. -0.19, -0.05) and social-emotional problems (n = 26: -0.09, 95% C.I. -0.15, -0.03). When a global assessment of child outcomes was reported, the association with ECEC quality was not significant (n = 13: 0.02, 95% C.I. -0.07, 0.11). Overall, effect sizes were small. When structural and process quality indicators were tested separately, structural characteristics alone did not significantly relate to child outcomes whereas associations between process quality indicators and most child outcomes were significant, albeit small. A comparison of the indicators, however, did not yield significant differences in effect sizes for most child outcomes. Results did not provide evidence for moderated associations. We also did not find evidence that ECEC quality-child outcome associations differed by ethnic minority or socioeconomic family background. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the attempt to provide a synthesis of the global literature on ECEC quality-child outcome associations, the majority of studies included samples from the U.S. In addition, studies with large samples were also predominately from the U.S. Together, the results might have been biased towards patterns prevalent in the U.S. that might not apply to other, non-U.S. ECEC contexts. The findings align with previous meta-analyses, suggesting that ECEC quality plays an important role for children's development during the early childhood years. Implications for research and ECEC policy are discussed.

486. What goes around comes around: Shedding light on today's doctoral student's research socialization and who will be the future faculty.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Khalid S, Orynbek G, Lianyu C

487. Patterns and predictors of adherence to follow-up health guidance invitations in a general health check-up program in Japan: A cohort study with an employer-sponsored insurer database.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Mori Y, Matsushita K, Inoue K

488. Presence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in hospitalized Covid-19 patients in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan-A cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Bhatti FS, Malik AA, Malik AA.

489. Morphometrics of waterlogged archaeological seeds give new insights into the domestication and spread of Papaver somniferum L. in Western Europe.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Jesus A, Bonhomme V, Evin A

Domesticated opium poppy Papaver somniferum L. subsp. somniferum probably originated in the Western Mediterranean from its possible wild progenitor, Papaver somniferum L. subsp. setigerum and spread to other European regions. Seeds of opium poppy have been identified in different European regions since the Early Neolithic (from the 6th millennium cal. BC onwards) period. However, until recently, the absence of morphological identification criteria has prevented the discrimination between wild and domestic morphotypes. New morphometric approaches to distinguish modern subspecies have been proven to be applicable to waterlogged archaeological remains, opening the possibility of understanding the process of domestication of the plant in both time and space. This paper applies seed outline analyses, namely elliptic Fourier transforms, combined with size and number of cells to archaeological waterlogged Papaver seeds throughout the Neolithic period in the NW Mediterranean and the surroundings of the Alps. Furthermore, one example from the Late Bronze Age (LBA) was added to see what kind of differences appeared during the >1000 years between the end of the Neolithic and the LBA. The aim of the study is to classify the archaeological seeds as domestic or wild morphotypes and observe morphometric changes in connection to geographical and chronological patterns that can explain the spread and domestication process(es) of this important crop. A total of 295 archaeological seeds coming from 10 waterlogged sites dating between 5300-2300 cal. BC (Neolithic), and one LBA site dating to 1070 cal. BC were analysed. The results indicate the presence of seeds, similar to the wild morphotype, in the Mediterranean sites and larger seeds, similar to the domestic morphotype, in the regions surrounding the Alps. The number of cells mainly increased during the Late Neolithic (3300 to 2300 cal. BC) and, finally, in the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1050-800 cal. BC), larger, morphologically domesticated seeds are clearly predominant. A change in the shape of the seeds is only clearly visible in the LBA material. Altogether our results suggest that opium poppy seeds show no sign of domestication in the early periods of the Neolithic, despite the fact that the plant was very probably already cultivated at that time in the western Mediterranean region.

490. Predictors of discharge to home/community following inpatient-rehabilitation in a US national sample of Guillain-Barre-Syndrome patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Kushner DS, Johnson-Greene D, Felix ER

BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barre-Syndrome (GBS), an autoimmune polyneuropathy causing acute flaccid paralysis, is a rare condition with1-2 cases per 100,000 annually (approximately 5000 cases/year) in the United States (US). There is a paucity of published data regarding patient outcomes in association with discharge destinations following inpatient-rehabilitation (IR) in this patient population, thus this study. OBJECTIVES: To analyze IR efficacy, and possible predictors of discharge to home/community in a US-national-sample of GBS patients. METHODS: Retrospective-observational-cohort study of 1304 GBS patients admitted to IR comparing discharge disposition destinations (community/home, skilled-nursing-facility [SNF], or return to acute-care) by demographic (age, gender) and clinical variables (length-of-stay [LOS], case-mix-index [CMI], and Functional-Independence-Measure [FIM] score changes). Multinomial-logistic-regression and discriminant-function-analysis were performed to determine model fit in predicting discharge destination. RESULTS: 81.8% were discharged to home/community- average LOS 19-days, total-FIM-gain 43.2; 9.8% discharged to SNFs- average LOS 27.5-days, total-FIM-gain 27.2; and 8.4% discharged to acute-care- average LOS 15.4-days and total-FIM-gain 16.5, (F = 176, p < .001). Stepwise-linear-regression for prediction of community discharge showed change in FIM-Bed/chair/wheelchair-Transfers was the most significant predictor (Wald = 42.2; p < .001), followed by CMI (Wald = 26.9; p < .001), change in FIM-walking/wheelchair (Wald = 14.9; p < .001), and age (Wald = 9.5; p < .002). Using discriminant-function-analysis to test model validity for predicting discharge disposition, FIM-change for Bed/chair/wheelchair Transfers, Walking, and Self-Care as predictors resulted in a classification rate of 78.1%, 92% of variance explained, and Eigenvalue of .53 (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Total-FIM scores improved in all groups, and most patients were discharged to home/community suggesting IR efficacy. The ability to transfer bed/chair/wheelchair was the most important predictive factor associated with discharge destination.

491. An autoregressive distributed lag approach for estimating the nexus between CO2 emissions and economic determinants in Pakistan.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Daniyal M, Tawiah K, Qureshi M

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have become a critical aspect of the economic and sustainable development indicators of every country. In Pakistan, where there is a substantial increase in the population, industrialization, and demand for electricity production from different resources, the fear of an increase in CO2 emissions cannot be ignored. This study explores the link that betwixt CO2 emissions with different significant economic indicators in Pakistan from 1960 to 2018 using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) modelling technique. We implemented the covariance proportion, coefficient of determination, the Durbin Watson D statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), variance inflating factor (VIF), the Breusch-Pagan test, the Theil's inequality, the root mean quare error (RMSE), the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and the mean absolute error (MAE) for the diagnostics, efficiency, and validity of our model. Our results showed a significant association between increased CO2 emissions and increased electricity production from oil, gas, and other sources. An increase in electricity production from coal resources was seen to have resulted in a decrease in CO2 emissions. We observed that an increase in the gross domestic product (GDP) and population growth significantly contributed to the increased CO2 emissions. The increment in CO2 emissions resulting from industrial growth was not significant. The increment in CO2 emissions in the contemporary year is significantly associated with the preceding year's increase. The rate of increase was very alarming, a sign that no serious efforts have been channelled in this regard to reduce this phenomenon. We call for policy dialogue to devise energy-saving and CO2 emission reduction strategies to minimize the impact of climate change on industrialization, population growth, and GDP growth without deterring economic and human growth. Electricity production from different sources with no or minimal CO2 emissions should be adopted. We also recommend rigorous tree planting nationwide to help reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere as well as environmental pollution.

492. Bridging archaeology and marine conservation in the Neotropics.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Fossile T, Herbst DF, McGrath K

493. Regional disparities in Dementia-free Life Expectancy in Japan: An ecological study, using the Japanese long-term care insurance claims database.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Yoshikawa M, Goto E, Shin JH

494. RYGB surgery has modest effects on intestinal morphology and gut hormone populations in the bypassed biliopancreatic limb but causes reciprocal changes in GLP-2 and PYY in the alimentary limb.

PLoS One

2023 May 25

Sridhar A, Khan D, Elliott JA

495. Kinbank: A global database of kinship terminology.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Passmore S, Barth W, Greenhill SJ

496. The effects of an integrated exercise and cardiovascular health education programme on community-dwelling older adults at risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases: A study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Lo FMW, Wong EML, Ho KY.

BACKGROUND: Although older adults are at an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), the effect of an integrated exercise and cardiovascular health education programme based on self-efficacy theory has not been well investigated among older adults. This study aims at examining the effect of this programme on community-dwelling older adults at risk of ASCVD concerning physical activity level, exercise self-efficacy and ASCVD risk profile. METHODS: A parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial with pretest-posttest design will be performed among 190 Chinese community-dwelling adults aged 60 or above in elderly community centres of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Eligible participants will be randomised by computerised generation. Experimental group will receive a 12-week integrated exercise and cardiovascular health education programme, which comprises a one-hour group-based health education talk conducted at Week 1, a booklet, a lecture video, a tailor-made exercise video, and a booster intervention by text messaging starting from Week 1 to Week 12. Control group will receive placebo intervention including a talk on basic health issues, a lecture video and corresponding leaflet. The outcomes will be investigated through self-report questionnaires and physiological evaluations at baseline, Week 12, Week 24, and Week 36. Physical activity level, exercise self-efficacy and ASCVD risk profile will be assessed, with physical activity level at Week 24 considered the primary outcome. The main intervention effect (group differences on continuous outcome variables) will be examined via Generalized Estimating Equations with identity link. DISCUSSION: This study findings will provide clues to the effect of the integrated exercise and cardiovascular health education programme, which is theoretically underpinned with self-efficacy theory, in older adults at risk of ASCVD. It will also enhance the quality of community health education by providing insight into the effective teaching strategies targeting older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study has been registered on ChinicalTrial.gov (Trial ID: NCT05434273).

497. Triaxial accelerometer-measured physical activity and functional behaviours among people with High Grade Glioma: The BrainWear Study.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Dadhania S, Pakzad-Shahabi L, Mistry S

498. The economic impact of premature mortality in Cabo Verde: 2016-2020.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Fernandes NM, Silva JSGS, Varela DV

499. Impact of vented and condenser tumble dryers on waterborne and airborne microfiber pollution.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Cummins AM, Malekpour AK, Smith AJ

Laundering of textiles is a significant source of waterborne microfiber pollution, and solutions are now being sought to mitigate this issue including improvements in clothing technology and integration of filtration systems into washing machines. Vented tumble dryers are a potential source of airborne microfiber pollution, as their built-in lint filtration systems have been found to be inefficient with significant quantities of textile microfibers being released to the external environment through their exhaust air ducts. The present study is the first to evaluate the impact of condenser dryers, finding that they are significant contributors to waterborne microfiber pollution from the lint filter (if users clean this with water), the condenser and the condensed water. Microfiber release from drying of real consumer loads in condenser and vented tumble dryers was compared, finding that real loads release surprisingly high levels of microfibers (total 341.5 ± 126.0 ppm for those dried in a condenser dryer and 256.0 ± 74.2 ppm for those dried in a vented dryer), similar in quantity to microfibers produced during the first highly-shedding drying cycle of a new T-shirt load (total 321.4 ± 11.2 ppm) in a condenser dryer. Vented dryers were found to be significant contributors to waterborne microfiber pollution if consumers clean the lint filter with water in accordance with some published appliance usage instructions, as most (86.1 ± 5.5% for the real consumer loads tested) of the microfibers generated during vented tumble drying were collected on the lint filter. Therefore, tumble dryers are a significant source of waterborne and (for vented dryers) airborne microfiber pollution. While reducing the pore size of tumble dryer lint filters and instructing consumers to dispose of fibers collected on lint filters as municipal solid waste could help reduce the issue, more sophisticated engineering solutions will likely be required to achieve a more comprehensive solution.

500. Godless owls, devout larks: Religiosity and conscientiousness are associated with morning preference and (partly) explain its effects on life satisfaction.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Gorgol J, Łowicki P, Stolarski M.

501. PCA-based detection of phosphorous deficiency in wheat plants using prompt fluorescence and 820 nm modulated reflection signals.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

El-Mejjaouy Y, Belmrhar L, Zeroual Y

502. Identifying the barriers and facilitators to culturally responsive HIV and PrEP screening for racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minoritized patients: A scoping review protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Xavier J, Ward MC, Corr PG

INTRODUCTION: While mainstream messaging about human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disparities continues to highlight individual risk-taking behavior among historically marginalized groups, including racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minoritized patients, the effect of structural factors and social determinants of health (SDOH) on morbidity and mortality remain underestimated. Systemic barriers, including a failure of adequate and acceptable screening, play a significant role in the disparate rates of disease. Primary care practitioner (PCP) competency in culturally responsive screening practices is key to reducing the impact of structural factors on HIV rates and outcomes. To address this issue, a scoping review will be performed to inform the development of a training series and social marketing campaign to improve the competency of PCPs in this area. OBJECTIVES: This scoping review aims to analyze what recent literature identify as facilitators and barriers of culturally responsive HIV and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) screening practices for historically marginalized populations, specifically racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minoritized groups. A secondary aim is to identify themes and gaps in the literature to help guide future opportunities for research. METHODS: This scoping review will be performed following the framework set forth by Arksey and O'Malley and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Relevant studies between the years 2019-2022 will be identified using a rigorous search strategy across four databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, Cochrane (CENTRAL; via Wiley), and CINAHL (via EBSCO), using Boolean and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) search terms. Studies will be uploaded to the data extraction tool Covidence to remove duplicates and perform a title/abstract screening, followed by a full-text screening and data extraction. RESULTS: Data will be extracted and analyzed for themes related to culturally responsive HIV and PrEP screening practices in clinical encounters with the identified target populations. Results will be reported according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to use scoping methods to investigate barriers and facilitators to culturally responsive HIV and PrEP screening practices for racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minoritized populations. The limitations of this study include the analysis restrictions of a scoping review and the timeframe of this review. We anticipate that this study's findings will interest PCPs, public health professionals, community activists, patient populations, and researchers interested in culturally responsive care. The results of this scoping review will inform a practitioner-level intervention that will support culturally sensitive quality improvement of HIV-related prevention and care for patients from minoritized groups. Additionally, the themes and gaps found during analysis will guide future avenues of research related to this topic.

503. Not so biodegradable: Polylactic acid and cellulose/plastic blend textiles lack fast biodegradation in marine waters.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Royer SJ, Greco F, Kogler M

The resistance of plastic textiles to environmental degradation is of major concern as large portions of these materials reach the ocean. There, they persist for undefined amounts of time, possibly causing harm and toxicity to marine ecosystems. As a solution to this problem, many compostable and so-called biodegradable materials have been developed. However, to undergo rapid biodegradation, most compostable plastics require specific conditions that are achieved only in industrial settings. Thus, industrially compostable plastics might persist as pollutants under natural conditions. In this work, we tested the biodegradability in marine waters of textiles made of polylactic acid, a diffused industrially compostable plastic. The test was extended also to cellulose-based and conventional non-biodegradable oil-based plastic textiles. The analyses were complemented by bio-reactor tests for an innovative combined approach. Results show that polylactic acid, a so-called biodegradable plastic, does not degrade in the marine environment for over 428 days. This was also observed for the oil-based polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate, including their portions in cellulose/oil-based plastic blend textiles. In contrast, natural and regenerated cellulose fibers undergo complete biodegradation within approximately 35 days. Our results indicate that polylactic acid resists marine degradation for at least a year, and suggest that oil-based plastic/cellulose blends are a poor solution to mitigate plastic pollution. The results on polylactic acid further stress that compostability does not imply environmental degradation and that appropriate disposal management is crucial also for compostable plastics. Referring to compostable plastics as biodegradable plastics is misleading as it may convey the perception of a material that degrades in the environment. Conclusively, advances in disposable textiles should consider the environmental impact during their full life cycle, and the existence of environmentally degradable disposal should not represent an alibi for perpetuating destructive throw-away behaviors.

504. In vitro myelination using explant culture of dorsal root ganglia: An efficient tool for analyzing peripheral nerve differentiation and disease modeling.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Numata-Uematasu Y, Wakatsuki S, Kobayashi-Ujiie Y

505. Exclusive breastfeeding: Relation to gestational age, birth weight, and early neonatal ward admission. A nationwide cohort study of children born after 35 weeks of gestation.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Nejsum FM, Måstrup R, Torp-Pedersen C

OBJECTIVES: Prematurity, being small for gestational age and early neonatal ward admission are the major neonatal conditions that may interfere with breastfeeding supportive practices in infants born at gestational age ≥35+0 weeks. We aimed to investigate the associations between gestational age, small for gestational age, early neonatal ward admission and exclusive breastfeeding at one and four months. METHODS: A register-based cohort-study of all Danish singletons with gestational age ≥35+0 weeks born in 2014-2015. In Denmark, health visitors routinely conduct free home visits throughout infants' first year and thereby report breastfeeding data to The Danish National Child Health Register. These data were linked with data from other national registers. Logistic regression models estimated the odds ratio for exclusive breastfeeding at one and four months, adjusted for confounding variables. RESULTS: The study population comprised 106,670 infants. Compared to gestational age 40 weeks, the adjusted odds ratio for exclusive breastfeeding at one month showed a decreasing tendency from gestational age ≥42 (n = 2,282) (1.07; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-1.17) to 36 weeks (n = 2,062) (0.80; 95% CI 0.73-0.88). Small for gestational age (n = 2,342) was associated with decreased adjusted odds ratio for exclusive breastfeeding at one month (0.84; 95% CI 0.77-0.92). Neonatal ward admission was associated with increased adjusted odds ratio for exclusive breastfeeding at one month among late preterm infants (gestational age 35-36 weeks; n = 3,139) (1.31; 95% CI 1.12-1.54), as opposed to among early term (gestational age 37-38 weeks; n = 19,171) (0.84; 95% CI 0.77-0.92) and term infants (gestational age >38 weeks; n = 84,360) (0.89; 95% CI 0.83-0.94). The associations seemed to persist at four months. CONCLUSIONS: Decreasing gestational age and small for gestational age were associated with decreased exclusive breastfeeding rates. Neonatal ward admission was associated with increased exclusive breastfeeding rates among late preterm infants, whereas the opposite was observed among early term and term infants.

506. Non-pharmacological interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in older adults: A systematic review.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Co M, Moreno-Agostino D, Wu YT

BACKGROUND: STIs in older adults (adults aged 50 years and older) are on the rise due to variable levels of sex literacy and misperceived susceptibility to infections, among other factors. We systematically reviewed evidence on the effect of non-pharmacological interventions for the primary prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and high-risk sexual behaviour in older adults. METHODS: We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, Global Health and the Cochrane Library from inception until March 9th, 2022. We included RCTs, cluster-randomised trials, quasi-RCTs, interrupted time series (ITS) and controlled and uncontrolled before-and-after studies of non-pharmacological primary prevention interventions (e.g. educational and behaviour change interventions) in older adults, reporting either qualitative or quantitative findings. At least two review authors independently assessed the eligibility of articles and extracted data on main characteristics, risk of bias and study findings. Narrative synthesis was performed. RESULTS: Ten studies (two RCTs, seven quasi-experiment studies and one qualitative study) were found to be eligible for this review. These interventions were mainly information, education and communication activities (IECs) aimed at fostering participants' knowledge on STIs and safer sex, mostly focused on HIV. Most studies used self-reported outcomes measuring knowledge and behaviour change related to HIV, STIs and safer sex. Studies generally reported an increase in STI/HIV knowledge. However, risk of bias was high or critical across all studies. CONCLUSIONS: Literature on non-pharmacological interventions for older adults is sparse, particularly outside the US and for STIs other than HIV. There is evidence that IECs may improve short-term knowledge about STIs however, it is not clear this translates into long-term improvement or behaviour change as all studies included in this review had follow-up times of 3 months or less. More robust and higher-quality studies are needed in order to confirm the effectiveness of non-pharmacological primary prevention interventions for reducing STIs in the older adult population.

507. Individual differences in self-reported lie detection abilities.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Fernandes M, Jonauskaite D, Tomas F

508. Beyond market share: Accounting for doctoral program size in recent rates of anthropology faculty job placement.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Mackie ME, Rockwell H.

509. Changes in the gut microbiota of NOD mice in response to an oral Salmonella-based vaccine against type 1 diabetes.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Cobb J, Soliman SSM, Retuerto M

510. A social system to disperse the irrigation start date based on the spatial public goods game.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Nakagawa Y, Yokozawa M.

511. Cognitive proximity for innovation: Why matters? an applied analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Sánchez-García E, Martínez-Falcó J, Marco-Lajara B

512. Longitudinal relationships between habitual physical activity and pain tolerance in the general population.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Årnes AP, Nielsen CS, Stubhaug A

Physical activity (PA) might influence the risk or progression of chronic pain through pain tolerance. Hence, we aimed to assess whether habitual leisure-time PA level and PA change affects pain tolerance longitudinally in the population. Our sample (n = 10,732; 51% women) was gathered from the sixth (Tromsø6, 2007-08) and seventh (Tromsø7, 2015-16) waves of the prospective population-based Tromsø Study, Norway. Level of leisure-time PA (sedentary, light, moderate, or vigorous) was derived from questionnaires; experimental pain tolerance was measured by the cold-pressor test (CPT). We used ordinary, and multiple-adjusted mixed, Tobit regression to assess 1) the effect of longitudinal PA change on CPT tolerance at follow-up, and 2) whether a change in pain tolerance over time varied with level of LTPA. We found that participants with high consistent PA levels over the two surveys (Tromsø6 and Tromsø7) had significantly higher tolerance than those staying sedentary (20.4 s. (95% CI: 13.7, 27.1)). Repeated measurements show that light (6.7 s. (CI 3.4, 10.0)), moderate (CI 14.1 s. (9.9, 18.3)), and vigorous (16.3 s. (CI 6.0, 26.5)) PA groups had higher pain tolerance than sedentary, with non-significant interaction showed slightly falling effects of PA over time. In conclusion, being physically active at either of two time points measured 7-8 years apart was associated with higher pain tolerance compared to being sedentary at both time-points. Pain tolerance increased with higher total activity levels, and more for those who increased their activity level during follow-up. This indicates that not only total PA amount matters but also the direction of change. PA did not significantly moderate pain tolerance change over time, though estimates suggested a slightly falling effect possibly due to ageing. These results support increased PA levels as a possible non-pharmacological pathway towards reducing or preventing chronic pain.

513. A systematic review of the protein composition of whole saliva in subjects with healthy periodontium compared with chronic periodontitis.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Sánchez-Medrano AG, Martinez-Martinez RE, Soria-Guerra R

514. Genomic architecture and evolutionary relationship of BA.2.75: A Centaurus subvariant of Omicron SARS-CoV-2.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Basheer A, Zahoor I, Yaqub T.

515. A nonvolatile bidirectional reconfigurable FET based on S/D self programmable floating gates.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Jin X, Zhang S, Liu X.

516. 'Mummy told me that I have HIV, that is the only thing she told me': Experiences of HIV status disclosure to children in Masaka Region, Uganda.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Kairania R, Onyango-Ouma W, Ondicho TG

517. Environment, subsistence strategies and settlement seasonality in the Negev Highlands (Israel) during the Bronze and Iron Ages: The palynological evidence.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Langgut D, Finkelstein I.

518. To troll or not to troll: Young adults' anti-social behaviour on social media.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Soares FB, Gruzd A, Jacobson J

519. Personality traits and substance use among college students in Eldoret, Kenya.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Kinyanjui DW, Sum AM.

BACKGROUND: There is documented evidence of the increase of alcohol and substance use among college students globally. Increased morbidity and associated maladaptive socio-occupational outcomes of the habit with early dependence and mortality have also been reported. Majority of the substance use related studies conducted in low- and middle- income countries mainly look at health- related risk behaviour control mechanisms that focus on the social environment domain, with few or almost none focusing on those embedded within the person (self- control). This study focuses on the relationship between substance use and personality traits (in the self-control domain), among college students in a low- middle- income country. METHODS: Design. A cross- sectional descriptive study that used the self- administered WHO Model Core and the Big Five Inventory Questionnaires to collect information among students in Colleges and Universities in Eldoret town, Kenya. Setting. Four (1- university campus; 3- non- university) tertiary learning institutions were randomly selected for inclusion. Subjects. Four hundred students, 100 from each of the 4 institutions; selected through a stratified multi-stage random sampling, who gave consent to participate in the study. Associations between various variables, personality traits and substance use were tested using bivariate analysis, while the strength/ predictors of association with substance use was ascertained through multiple logistic regression analyses. A finding of p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The median age was 21 years (Q1, Q3; 20, 23), approximately half 203 (50.8%) were male, with majority 335 (83.8%) from an urban residence and only 28 (7%) gainfully employed. The lifetime prevalence of substance use was 41.5%, while that of alcohol use was 36%. For both, a higher mean neuroticism score [substance use- (AOR 1.05, 95%CI; 1, 1.10: p = 0.013); alcohol use- (AOR 1.04, 95%CI; 0.99, 1.09: p = 0.032)] showed increased odds of lifetime use, while a higher mean agreeableness score [substance use- (AOR 0.99, 95%CI; 0.95, 1.02: p = 0.008); alcohol use- (AOR 0.99, 95%CI; 0.95, 1.02: p = 0.032)] showed decreased odds of lifetime use. A higher mean age (AOR 1.08, 95% CI; 0.99, 1,18: p = 0.02) of the students also showed an 8% increase in odds of lifetime alcohol use. The lifetime prevalence of cigarette use was 8.3%. Higher mean neuroticism (AOR 1.06, 95%CI; 0.98, 1.16: p = 0.041) and openness to experience (AOR 1.13, 95%CI; 1.04, 1.25: p = 0.004) scores showed increased odds of lifetime cigarette smoking, whereas being unemployed (AOR 0.23, 95%CI; 0.09, 0.64: p<0.001) had a decreased odd. Other substances reported included cannabis 28 (7%), sedatives 21 (5.2%), amphetamines 20 (Catha edulis) (5%), tranquilizers 19 (4.8%), inhalants 18 (4.5%), cocaine 14 (3.5%), with heroin and opium at 10 (2.5%) each. Among the 13 participants who reported injecting drugs, 10 were female and only 3 were male; this finding was statistically significant (p = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of substance use among college and university students in Eldoret is high and associated with high neuroticism and low agreeableness personality traits. We provide directions for future research that will examine and contribute to a deeper understanding of personality traits in terms of evidence- based approach to treatment.

520. Comparative analysis of microRNA expression profiles in shoot and root tissues of contrasting rice cultivars (Oryza sativa L.) with different salt stress tolerance.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Nguyen DQ, Nguyen NL, Nguyen VT

521. A comparative analysis of APGAR score and the gold standard in the diagnosis of birth asphyxia at a tertiary health facility in Kenya.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Njie AE, Nyandiko WM, Ahoya PA

BACKGROUND: Birth asphyxia is a consistent key contributor to neonatal morbidity and mortality, notably in sub-Saharan Africa. The APGAR score, though a globally used diagnostic tool for birth asphyxia, remains largely understudied especially in resource-poor settings. OBJECTIVE: This study determined how effectively the APGAR score is used to diagnose birth asphyxia in comparison to the gold standard (umbilical cord blood pH <7 with neurologic involvement) at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), and identified healthcare provider factors that affect ineffective use of the score. METHODS: Using a quantitative cross-sectional hospital-based design, term babies born in MTRH who weighed ≥2500g were randomly and systematically sampled; and healthcare providers who assign APGAR scores were enrolled via a census. Umbilical cord blood was drawn at birth and at 5minutes for pH analysis. APGAR scores assigned by healthcare providers were recorded. Effective use of the APGAR score was determined by sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values. At a significance level of 0.05, multiple logistic regression analysis identified the independent provider-associated factors affecting ineffective use of the APGAR score. RESULTS: We enrolled 102 babies, and 50 (49%) were females. Among the 64 healthcare providers recruited, 40 (63%) were female and the median age was 34.5years [IQR: 31.0, 37.0]. Assigned APGAR scores had a sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 89%, with positive and negative predictive values of 62% and 92% respectively. Healthcare provider factors associated with ineffective APGAR score use included: instrumental delivery (OR: 8.83 [95% CI: 0.79, 199]), lack of access to APGAR scoring charts (OR: 56.0 [95% CI: 12.9, 322.3]), and neonatal resuscitation (OR: 23.83 [95% CI: 6.72, 101.99]). CONCLUSION: Assigned APGAR scores had low sensitivity and positive predictive values. Healthcare provider factors independently associated with ineffective APGAR scoring include; instrumental delivery, lack of access to APGAR scoring charts, and neonatal resuscitation.

522. Primary and reproductive healthcare access and use among reproductive aged women and female family planning patients in 3 states.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Fuentes L, Douglas-Hall A, Geddes CE

Public funding plays a key role in reducing cost barriers to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care in the United States. In this analysis, we examine sociodemographic and healthcare seeking profiles of individuals in three states where public funding for health services has recently changed: Arizona, Iowa, and Wisconsin. In addition, we examine associations between individuals' health insurance status and whether they experienced delays or had trouble in obtaining their preferred contraception. This descriptive study draws on data collected between 2018 to 2021 in two distinct cross-sectional surveys in each state, one among a representative sample of female residents aged 18-44 and the other among a representative sample of female patients ages eighteen and older seeking family planning services at healthcare sites that receive public funding to deliver this care. The majority of reproductive-aged women and female family planning patients across states reported having a personal healthcare provider, had received at least one SRH service in the preceding 12 months, and were using a method of birth control. Between 49-81% across groups reported receiving recent person-centered contraceptive care. At least one-fifth of each group reported wanting healthcare in the past year but not getting it, and between 10-19% reported a delay or trouble getting birth control in the past 12 months. Common reasons for these outcomes involved cost and insurance-related issues, as well as logistical ones. Among all populations except Wisconsin family planning clinic patients, those with no health insurance had greater odds of being delayed or having trouble getting desired birth control in the past 12 months than those with health insurance. These data serve as a baseline to monitor access and use of SRH services in Arizona, Wisconsin, Iowa in the wake of drastic family planning funding shifts that changed the availability and capacity of the family planning service infrastructure across the country. Continuing to monitor these SRH metrics is critical to understand the potential effect of current political shifts.

523. Impact of Korea's emissions trading scheme on publicly traded firms.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

O N, Miteva DA, Lee Y.

524. Reliability of online dental final exams in the pre and post COVID-19 era: A comparative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Hoang HT, Nguyen PT, Huynh NC

Amidst the fourth COVID-19 wave in Viet Nam, national lockdowns necessitated the closure of numerous dental schools. To assess DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) graduation exams, this study analyzed their 2021 implementation in comparison to onsite exams conducted in 2020 and 2022 at the Faculty of Odonto-Stomatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam (FOS-UMPH). The final online examination comprises two main sessions: a synchronous online examination using FOS-UMPH e-Learning for theories (consisting of 200 MCQs and 3 written tests with 3 clinical situations needed be solved) and a synchronous online examination using Microsoft Teams for practicum (comprising of 12 online OSCE stations). The final grades were evaluated using the same metrics in face-to-face final examinations in 2022 and 2020. A total of 114, 112 and 95 students were recruited for the first-time exams in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. In order to analyze the reliability, histogram and k-mean clustering were employed. The histograms from 2020, 2021 and 2022 showed a striking similarity. However, fewer students failed in 2021 and 2022 (13% and 12.6%, respectively) compared to 2020 (28%), with clinical problem-solving part grades (belonging to theory session) being notably higher in 2021 and 2022. Intriguingly, the MCQ Score results showed the identical patterns. The courses of orthodontics, dental public health, and pediatrics subjects (in the group of prevention and development dentistry) stood out for their exceptional accuracy across both sessions. After examining data gathered over three years, we identified three distinct clusters: the first comprised of scattered average and low scores, the second characterized by high scores but unstable and scattered and the third cluster boasting consistently high and centered scores. According to our study, online and onsite traditional graduation exam results are relatively equivalent, but additional measures are necessary to standardize the final examination and adapt to the new normal trend in dental education.

525. Comparison between single and serial computed tomography images in classification of acute appendicitis, acute right-sided diverticulitis, and normal appendix using EfficientNet.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Park SH, Kim YJ, Kim KG

526. Gut microbiome dysbiosis in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Jemimah S, Chabib CMM, Hadjileontiadis L

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes gradual memory loss. AD and its prodromal stage of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are marked by significant gut microbiome perturbations, also known as gut dysbiosis. However, the direction and extent of gut dysbiosis have not been elucidated. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis and systematic review of 16S gut microbiome studies to gain insights into gut dysbiosis in AD and MCI. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, EBSCO, and Cochrane for AD gut microbiome studies published between Jan 1, 2010 and Mar 31, 2022. This study has two outcomes: primary and secondary. The primary outcomes explored the changes in α-diversity and relative abundance of microbial taxa, which were analyzed using a variance-weighted random-effects model. The secondary outcomes focused on qualitatively summarized β-diversity ordination and linear discriminant analysis effect sizes. The risk of bias was assessed using a methodology appropriate for the included case-control studies. The geographic cohorts' heterogeneity was examined using subgroup meta-analyses if sufficient studies reported the outcome. The study protocol has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022328141). FINDINGS: Seventeen studies with 679 AD and MCI patients and 632 controls were identified and analyzed. The cohort is 61.9% female with a mean age of 71.3±6.9 years. The meta-analysis shows an overall decrease in species richness in the AD gut microbiome. However, the phylum Bacteroides is consistently higher in US cohorts (standardised mean difference [SMD] 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.37 to 1.13, p < 0.01) and lower in Chinese cohorts (SMD -0.79, 95% CI -1.32 to -0.25, p < 0.01). Moreover, the Phascolarctobacterium genus is shown to increase significantly, but only during the MCI stage. DISCUSSION: Notwithstanding possible confounding from polypharmacy, our findings show the relevance of diet and lifestyle in AD pathophysiology. Our study presents evidence for region-specific changes in abundance of Bacteroides, a major constituent of the microbiome. Moreover, the increase in Phascolarctobacterium and the decrease in Bacteroides in MCI subjects shows that gut microbiome dysbiosis is initiated in the prodromal stage. Therefore, studies of the gut microbiome can facilitate early diagnosis and intervention in Alzheimer's disease and perhaps other neurodegenerative disorders.

527. Defects in immune response to Toxoplasma gondii are associated with enhanced HIV-1-related neurocognitive impairment in co-infected patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Escobar-Guevara EE, de Quesada-Martínez ME, Roldán-Dávila YB

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and Toxoplasma gondii can invade the central nervous system and affect its functionality. Advanced HIV-1 infection has been associated with defects in immune response to T. gondii, leading to reactivation of latent infections and development of toxoplasmic encephalitis. This study evaluates relationship between changes in immune response to T. gondii and neurocognitive impairment in HIV-1/T. gondii co-infected patients, across different stages of HIV-1 infection. The study assessed the immune response to T. gondii by measuring cytokine production in response to parasite antigens, and also neurocognitive functions by performing auditory and visual P300 cognitive evoked potentials, short term memory (Sternberg) and executive function tasks (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-WCST) in 4 groups of individuals: HIV-1/T. gondii co-infected (P2), HIV-1-infected/T. gondii-non-infected (P1), HIV-1-non-infected/T. gondii-infected (C2) and HIV-1-non-infected/T. gondii-non-infected (C1). Patients (P1 and P2) were grouped in early/asymptomatic (P1A and P2A) or late/symptomatic (P1B/C and P2B/C) according to peripheral blood CD4+ T lymphocyte counts (>350 or <350/μL, respectively). Groups were compared using T-student or U-Mann-Whitney tests as appropriate, p<0.05 was considered as significantly. For P300 waves, HIV-1-infected patients (P1) had significantly longer latencies and significantly smaller amplitudes than uninfected controls, but HIV-1/T. gondii co-infected patients (P2) had significantly longer latencies and smaller amplitude than P1. P1 patients had significantly poorer results than uninfected controls in Sternberg and WCST, but P2 had significantly worse results than P1. HIV-1 infection was associated with significantly lower production of IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ in response to T. gondii from early/asymptomatic stages, when comparing P2 patients to C2 controls. These findings may indicate impairment in anti-parasitic response in co-infected patients, facilitating early limited reactivation of the parasitic latent infection, therefore creating cumulative damage in the brain and affecting neurocognitive functions from asymptomatic stages of HIV-1 infection, as suggested by defects in co-infected patients in this study.

528. What's another year? The lengthening training and career paths of scientists.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Cheng SD.

529. Improving success of non-communicable diseases mobile phone surveys: Results of two randomized trials testing interviewer gender and message valence in Bangladesh and Uganda.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Labrique A, Nagarajan M, Kibria GMA

INTRODUCTION: Although interactive voice response (IVR) is a promising mobile phone survey (MPS) method for public health data collection in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), participation rates for this method remain lower than traditional methods. This study tested whether using different introductory messages increases the participation rates of IVR surveys in two LMICs, Bangladesh and Uganda. METHODS: We conducted two randomized, controlled micro-trials using fully-automated random digit dialing to test the impact of (1) the gender of the speaker recording the survey (i.e., survey voice); and (2) the valence of the invitation to participate in the survey (i.e., survey introduction) on response and cooperation rates. Participants indicated their consent by using the keypad of cellphones. Four study arms were compared: (1) male and informational (MI); (2) female and information (FI); (3) male and motivational (MM); and (4) female and motivational (FM). RESULTS: Bangladesh and Uganda had 1705 and 1732 complete surveys, respectively. In both countries, a majority of the respondents were males, young adults (i.e., 18-29-year-olds), urban residents, and had O-level/above education level. In Bangladesh, the contact rate was higher in FI (48.9%), MM (50.0%), and FM (55.2%) groups than in MI (43.0%); the response rate was higher in FI (32.3%) and FM (33.1%) but not in MM (27.2%) and MI (27.1%). Some differences in cooperation and refusal rates were also observed. In Uganda, MM (65.4%) and FM (67.9%) had higher contact rates than MI (60.8%). The response rate was only higher in MI (52.5%) compared to MI (45.9%). Refusal and cooperation rates were similar. In Bangladesh, after pooling by introductions, female arms had higher contact (52.1% vs 46.5%), response (32.7% vs 27.1%), and cooperation (47.8% vs 40.4%) rates than male arms. Pooling by gender showed higher contact (52.3% vs 45.6%) and refusal (22.5% vs 16.3%) rates but lower cooperation rate (40.0% vs 48.2%) in motivational arms than informational arms. In Uganda, pooling intros did not show any difference in survey rates by gender; however, pooling by intros showed higher contact (66.5% vs 61.5%) and response (50.0% vs 45.2%) rates in motivational arms than informational arms. CONCLUSION: Overall, we found higher survey rates among female voice and motivational introduction arms compared to male voice and informational introduction arm in Bangladesh. However, Uganda had higher rates for motivational intro arms only compared to informational arms. Gender and valence must be considered for successful IVR surveys. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Name of the registry: ClinicalTrials.gov. Trial registration number: NCT03772431. Date of registration: 12/11/2018, Retrospectively Registered. URL of trial registry record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03772431?term=03772431&cond=Non-Communicable+Disease&draw=2&rank=1. Protocol Availability: https://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/5/e81.

530. Head motion synchrony in unidirectional and bidirectional verbal communication.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Kwon J, Kotani H.

Interpersonal communication includes verbal and nonverbal communication. Verbal communication comprises one-way (e.g., a speech or lecture) and interactive verbal communication (e.g., daily conversations or meetings), which we frequently encounter. Nonverbal communication has considerable influence on interpersonal communication, and body motion synchrony is known to be an important factor for successful communication and social interaction. However, most research on body motion synchrony has been elucidated by either the setting of one-way verbal transmission or the verbal interaction setting, and it remains unclear whether verbal directionality and interactivity affect body motion synchrony. One-way and two-way (interactive) verbal communication is implicated in designed or undesigned leader-follower relationships, and also in the complexity and diversity of interpersonal interactions, where two-way verbal communication is more complex and diverse than in the one-way condition. In this study, we tested head motion synchrony between the one-way verbal communication condition (in which the roles of the speaker and listener are fixed) and the two-way verbal communication condition (where the speaker and listener can freely engage in a conversation). Therefore, although no statistically significant difference in synchrony activity (relative frequency) was found, a statistically significant difference was observed in synchrony direction (temporal lead-lag structure as mimicry) and intensity. Specifically, the synchrony direction in two-way verbal communication was close to zero, but this in one-way verbal communication was synchronized with the listener's movement predominantly delayed. Furthermore, synchrony intensity, in terms of the degree of variation in the phase difference distribution, was significantly higher in the one-way verbal communication than in the two-way condition, with bigger time-shifts being observed in the latter. This result suggests that verbal interaction does not affect the overall frequency of head motion synchrony but does affect the temporal lead-lag structure and coherence.

531. Causal modelling demonstrates metabolic power is largely affected by gait kinematics and motor control in children with cerebral palsy.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Gill PK, Steele KM, Donelan JM

532. Chocolate intake and muscle pain sensation: A randomized experimental study.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Hajati A, Brondani M, Angerstig L

BACKGROUND: Chocolate, as a cocoa-derived product rich in flavanols, has been used for medical and anti-inflammatory purposes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate if the ingestion of different percentages of cocoa products affects the experimentally induced pain caused by intramuscular hypertonic saline injections in the masseter muscle of healthy men and women. METHODS: This experimental randomized, double-blind, and controlled study included 15 young, healthy, and pain-free men and 15 age-matched women and involved three visits with at least a 1-week washout. Pain was induced twice at each visit with intramuscular injections of 0.2 mL hypertonic saline (5%), before and after intake of one of the different chocolate types: white (30% cocoa content), milk (34% cocoa content), and dark (70% cocoa content). Pain duration, pain area, peak pain, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) were assessed every fifth minute after each injection, up until 30 min after the initial injection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using IBM® SPSS (Version 27); significance level was set to p<0.05. RESULTS: This study showed that intake of chocolate, no matter the type, reduced the induced pain intensity significantly more than no intake of chocolate (p<0.05, Tukey test). There were no differences between the chocolate types. Further, men showed a significantly greater pain reduction than women after intake of white chocolate (p<0.05, Tukey test). No other differences between pain characteristics or sexes were revealed. CONCLUSION: Intake of chocolate before a painful stimulus had a pain-reducing effect no matter the cocoa concentration. The results indicate that perhaps it is not the cocoa concentration (e.g., flavanols) alone that explains the positive effect on pain, but likely a combination of preference and taste-experience. Another possible explanation could be the composition of the chocolate, i.e. the concentration of the other ingredients such as sugar, soy, and vanilla. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05378984.

533. Confronting historical legacies of biological anthropology in South Africa-Restitution, redress and community-centered science: The Sutherland Nine.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Gibbon VE, Feris L, Gretzinger J

534. Parental supervision positively impacts children's economic prospects two decades later: A prospective longitudinal study.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

McGinnis EW, Halvorson-Phelan J, Shanahan L

IMPORTANCE: Upward income mobility is associated with better health outcomes and reduced stress. However, opportunities are unequally distributed, particularly so for those in rural communities and whose family have lower educational attainment. OBJECTIVE: To test the impact of parental supervision on their children's income two decades later adjusting for parental economic and educational status. DESIGN: This study is a longitudinal, representative cohort study. From 1993-2000, annual assessments of 1,420 children were completed until age 16, then followed up at age 35, 2018-2021, for further assessment. Models tested direct effects of parental supervision on child income, and indirect effects via child educational attainment. SETTING: This study is an ongoing longitudinal population-based study of families in 11 predominately rural counties of the Southeastern U.S. PARTICIPANTS: About 8% of the residents and sample are African American and fewer than 1% are Hispanic. American Indians make up 4% of the population in study but were oversampled to make up 25% of the sample. 49% of the 1,420 participants are female. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: 1258 children and parents were assessed for sex, race/ethnicity, household income, parent educational attainment, family structure, child behavioral problems, and parental supervision. The children were followed up at age 35 to assess their household income and educational attainment. RESULTS: Parental educational attainment, income, and family structure were strongly associated with their children's household income at age 35 (e.g., r = .392, p < .05). Parental supervision of the child was associated with increased household income for the child at age 35, adjusting for SES of the family of origin. Children of parents who did not engage in adequate supervision earned approximately $14,000 less/year (i.e., ~13% of the sample's median household income) than those who did. The association of parental supervision and child income at 35 was mediated by the child's educational attainment. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: This study suggests adequate parental supervision during early adolescence is associated with children's economic prospects two decades later, in part by improving their educational prospects. This is particularly important in areas such as rural Southeast U.S.

535. Deployed Veterans exhibit distinct respiratory patterns and greater dyspnea during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise: A case-control study.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Alexander T, Watson MA, Klein-Adams JC

BACKGROUND: Exertional dyspnea and exercise intolerance are frequently endorsed in Veterans of post 9/11 conflicts in Southwest Asia (SWA). Studying the dynamic behavior of ventilation during exercise may provide mechanistic insight into these symptoms. Using maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to experimentally induce exertional symptoms, we aimed to identify potential physiological differences between deployed Veterans and non-deployed controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Deployed (n = 31) and non-deployed (n = 17) participants performed a maximal effort CPET via the Bruce treadmill protocol. Indirect calorimetry and perceptual rating scales were used to measure rate of oxygen consumption ([Formula: see text]), rate of carbon dioxide production ([Formula: see text]), respiratory frequency (f R), tidal volume (VT), minute ventilation ([Formula: see text]), heart rate (HR), perceived exertion (RPE; 6-20 scale), and dyspnea (Borg Breathlessness Scale; 0-10 scale). A repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) model (2 groups: deployed vs non-deployed X 6 timepoints: 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% [Formula: see text]) was conducted for participants meeting valid effort criteria (deployed = 25; non-deployed = 11). RESULTS: Significant group (η2partial = 0.26) and interaction (η2partial = 0.10) effects were observed such that deployed Veterans exhibited reduced f R and a greater change over time relative to non-deployed controls. There was also a significant group effect for dyspnea ratings (η2partial = 0.18) showing higher values in deployed participants. Exploratory correlational analyses revealed significant associations between dyspnea ratings and fR at 80% (R2 = 0.34) and 100% (R2 = 0.17) of [Formula: see text], but only in deployed Veterans. CONCLUSION: Relative to non-deployed controls, Veterans deployed to SWA exhibited reduced fR and greater dyspnea during maximal exercise. Further, associations between these parameters occurred only in deployed Veterans. These findings support an association between SWA deployment and affected respiratory health, and also highlight the utility of CPET in the clinical evaluation of deployment-related dyspnea in Veterans.

536. Social deprivation and the use of healthcare services over one year by children less than 18 years of age in 2018: A French nationwide observational study.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Pergeline J, Rivière S, Rey S

This study aimed to describe the health status of children and how social deprivation affects their use of healthcare services and mortality. Children living in mainland France were selected from the national health data system (SNDS) on their date of birth or birthday in 2018 (< 18 years) and followed for one year. Information included data on healthcare reimbursements, long-term chronic diseases (LTDs) eligible for 100% reimbursement, geographic deprivation index (FDep) by quintile (Q5 most disadvantaged), and individual complementary universal insurance (CMUc) status, granted to households with an annual income below the French poverty level. The number of children who had at least one annual visit or hospital admission was compared using the ratio of geographic deprivation (rQ5/Q1) and CMUc (rCMUc/Not) after gender and age-standardization. Over 13 million children were included; 17.5% had CMUc, with an increase across quintiles (rQ5/Q1 = 3.5) and 4.0% a LTD (rQ5/Q1 = 1.44). The 10 most frequent LTDs (6 psychiatric) were more common as the deprivation increased. Visits to general practitioners (GPs) were similar (≈84%) for each FDep quintile and the density of GPs similar. The density decreased with increasing deprivation for specialists and visits: paediatricians (rQ5/Q1 = 0.46) and psychiatrists (rQ5/Q1 = 0.26). Dentist visits also decreased (rQ5/Q1 = 0.86) and deprived children were more often hospitalised for dental caries (rQ5/Q1 = 2.17, 2.1% vs 0.7%). Emergency department (ED) visits increased with deprivation (rCMUc/Not = 1.35, 30% vs 22%) but 50% of CMUc children lived in a municipality with an ED vs. 25% without. Approximately 9% of children were admitted for a short stay and 4.5% for a stay > 1 night (rQ5/Q1 = 1.44). Psychiatric hospitalization was more frequent for children with CMUc (rCMUc/Not = 3.5, 0.7% vs 0.2%). Higher mortality was observed for deprived children < 18 years (rQ5/Q1 = 1.59). Our results show a lower use of pediatricians, other specialists, and dentists among deprived children that may be due, in part, to an insufficient supply of care in their area of residence. These results have been used to recommend optimization and specifically adapted individual or area-wide policies on the use of healthcare services, their density, and activities.

537. A feasibility study demonstrating that independence, quality of life, and adaptive behavioral skills can improve in children with Down syndrome after using assistive technology.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

White K, Han SS, Britton A

538. Acute clinical and financial outcomes of esophagectomy at safety-net hospitals in the United States.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Sakowitz S, Mabeza RM, Bakhtiyar SS

BACKGROUND: While safety-net hospitals (SNH) play a critical role in the care of underserved communities, they have been associated with inferior postoperative outcomes. This study evaluated the association of hospital safety-net status with clinical and financial outcomes following esophagectomy. METHODS: All adults (≥18 years) undergoing elective esophagectomy for benign and malignant gastroesophageal disease were identified in the 2010-2019 Nationwide Readmissions Database. Centers in the highest quartile for the proportion of uninsured/Medicaid patients were classified as SNH (others: non-SNH). Regression models were developed to evaluate adjusted associations between SNH status and outcomes, including in-hospital mortality, perioperative complications, and resource use. Royston-Parmar flexible parametric models were used to assess time-varying hazard of non-elective readmission over 90 days. RESULTS: Of an estimated 51,649 esophagectomy hospitalizations, 9,024 (17.4%) were performed at SNH. While SNH patients less frequently suffered from gastroesophageal malignancies (73.2 vs 79.6%, p<0.001) compared to non-SNH, the distribution of age and comorbidities were similar. SNH was independently associated with mortality (AOR 1.24, 95% CI 1.03-1.50), intraoperative complications (AOR 1.45, 95% CI 1.20-1.74) and need for blood transfusions (AOR 1.61, 95% CI 1.35-1.93). Management at SNH was also associated with incremental increases in LOS (+1.37, 95% CI 0.64-2.10), costs (+10,400, 95% CI 6,900-14,000), and odds of 90-day non-elective readmission (AOR 1.11, 95% CI 1.00-1.23). CONCLUSIONS: Care at safety-net hospitals was associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortality, perioperative complications, and non-elective rehospitalization following elective esophagectomy. Efforts to provide sufficient resources at SNH may serve to reduce complications and overall costs for this procedure.

539. Evaluation of health care professionals' knowledge, attitudes, practices and barriers to pharmacovigilance and adverse drug reaction reporting: A cross-sectional multicentral study.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Khan Z, Karatas Y, Hamid SM.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals' involvement and reporting of adverse drug reactions are essential for the success of a pharmacovigilance program. The aim of this study was to assess healthcare professionals (medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, midwives, and paramedics) current knowledge, attitude, practices, and barriers regarding pharmacovigilance and adverse drug reactions reporting in multicentral healthcare settings. METHODS: A cross-sectional face-to-face survey was conducted among currently working healthcare professionals in various hospitals in ten districts of Adana province, Türkiye from March to October 2022. A self-administered, pretested questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha = 0.894 for knowledge, attitudes and practices variables) was used for data collection. The questionnaire's final draft included five sections (sociodemographic/general information, knowledge, attitude, practices, and barriers) with 58 questions. The collected data was analyzed in SPSS (version 25) using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the total 435 distributed questionnaires, 412 completed the entire questionnaire, yielding a 94% response rate. The majority of healthcare professionals (60.4%; n = 249) had never received pharmacovigilance training. Among healthcare professionals 51.9% (n = 214), 71.1% (n = 293) and 92.5% (n = 381) had poor knowledge, positive attitudes and poor practices, respectively. Only 32.5% of healthcare professionals kept the record of an adverse drug reaction and only 13.1% reported adverse drug reactions. The profession (medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, midwives, and paramedics) of healthcare professionals and a lack of training were predictors of poor adverse drug reaction reporting (p < 0.05). A statistically significant difference in healthcare professionals and knowledge, attitude and practices scores was also observed (p < 0.05). The main barriers which were supposed to discourage adverse drug reactions reporting by the healthcare professionals were higher workload (63.8%) followed by thinking that a single adverse drug reaction report makes no impact (63.6%) and lack of a professional atmosphere (51.9%). CONCLUSION: In the current study, most healthcare professionals had poor knowledge and practice, but they had a positive attitude toward pharmacovigilance and adverse drug reactions reporting. Barriers to under-reporting of adverse drug reactions were also highlighted. Periodic training programs, educational interventions, systematic follow-up of healthcare professionals by local healthcare authorities, interprofessional links between all healthcare professionals, and the implementation of mandatory reporting policies are critical for improving healthcare professionals knowledge, practices, patient safety and pharmacovigilance activities.

540. Correlation between chromatin epigenetic-related lncRNA signature (CELncSig) and prognosis, immune microenvironment, and immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Xiong Z, Han Z, Pan W

541. The level of health anxiety before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Norbye AD, Farbu EH, Terjesen CL

542. Perceiving politicians as true to themselves: Development and validation of the perceived political authenticity scale.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Luebke SM, Engelmann I.

543. Socio-demographic and political predictors of Theory of Mind in adulthood.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Clutterbuck RA, Callan MJ, Shah P.

544. Psychosocial correlates in patterns of adolescent emotional eating and dietary consumption.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Joseph PL, Gonçalves C, Fleary SA.

545. The influence of background music and narrative setting on anthropomorphic judgements of killer whale (Orcinus orca) emotional states and subsequent donation behavior.

PLoS One

2023 May 24

Manitzas Hill HM, Svetieva E, Dietrich S

546. Modeling the significance of dynamic capability on the performance of microfinance institutions.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

The HV, Yang M, Fazal SA

547. Access to General Practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal-A survey study of patient experiences in an urban setting.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Granja M, Alves L, Correia S.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, Portugal had high levels of unmet health care needs. Primary Care was reported as the main source of unmet needs. OBJECTIVES: To describe face-to-face and remote access to GPs in Portugal during the COVID-19 pandemic. To discover patient experiences and attitudes to access to care. To identify determinants of access to care. METHODS: A survey of a random sample of 4,286 adults registered in a group of Family Practices was conducted in 2021. Paper questionnaires were sent by post to patients who had no e-mail address registered with the practice. Patients with an e-mail address were sent a link to an online questionnaire. Outcomes were reported waiting times for face-to-face and remote contacts with GPs, dichotomized to ascertain compliance with standards. Associations between participant characteristics and outcome variables were tested using logistic regression. RESULTS: Waiting times for face-to-face consultations with GPs during the pandemic often exceeded the maximum waiting times (MWT) set by the National Health Service. Remote contacts were mostly conducted within acceptable standards. Waiting times for speaking with the GP over the phone were rated as 'poor' by 40% and 27% reported requests for these calls as unmet. The odds of getting care over MWT increased for participants who reported poorer digital skills. Participants were less likely to get non-urgent consultations over MWT if they found it easy to use the online patient portal to book appointments (odds ratio 0.24; 99% confidence intervals 0.09-0.61), request prescriptions (0.18; 0.04-0.74) or insert personal data (0.18; 0.04-0.95). CONCLUSION: Patient reported access to GPs during the pandemic was uneven in Portugal. Obtaining non-urgent consultations and remote contacts over MWT affected mainly those patients with poor digital skills. Telephone access to GPs received the worse ratings. Access through traditional pathways must remain available, to prevent the widening of inequities.

548. De novo mitochondrial genome sequencing of Cladonia subulata and phylogenetic analysis with other dissimilar species.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Fang J, Mamut R, Wang L

549. The effects of postoperative treadmill exercise on rats with secondary lymphedema.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Kim SA, Gelvosa MN, Cheon H

550. Identification and initial characterization of Hfq-associated sRNAs in Histophilus somni strain 2336.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Subhadra B, Cao D, Jensen R

551. Application of 3D hologram technology combined with reciprocal style to learn some fundamental boxing skills.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Rakha AH.

552. Protein energy wasting in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients in Benin City, Nigeria: A cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Osunbor OA, Unuigbe EI, Okaka EI

553. Impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the nature of attempts to stop smoking and to reduce alcohol consumption in Great Britain: A representative population survey, 2021-2022.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Jackson SE, Cox S, Shahab L

554. Characterization and comparative analysis of the complete plastid genomes of four Astragalus species.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Moghaddam M, Wojciechowski MF, Kazempour-Osaloo S.

555. Molecular diagnosis of intestinal protozoa in young adults and their pets in Colombia, South America.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Potes-Morales C, Crespo-Ortiz MDP.

Intestinal parasitic infections have been considered a relevant public health problem due to the increased incidence worldwide. In developing countries, diarrhea and gastrointestinal symptoms cause impaired work capacity in adults and delayed rate growth in children. Enteric infections of unknown etiology can often lead to misdiagnosis, increased transmission, and morbidity. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in a young adult population and their pets. Stool samples from 139 university students and 44 companion animals were subjected to microscopy diagnosis using wet mounts, concentration by zinc sulphate flotation and staining techniques (Kinyoun and trichrome stain). Molecular diagnosis of protozoa was also performed by conventional PCR. The mean age was 24 years, 54% individuals were female, 46% were men, and 66% had at least one pet. The overall prevalence for at least one parasite was 74.8% and the rate of polyparasitism was 37.5%. Eighty-three patients (59.7%) were positive for Blastocystis spp., followed by Cryptosporidium spp. 24.5%, Endolimax nana 13.6%, Entamoeba dispar/E. moshkovskii 7.8% and Giardia intestinalis 1.4%. Molecular diagnosis substantially improved Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis spp. detection and allowed to distinguish E. histolytica from commensals in the Entamoeba complex. Student's pets were also examined for parasitism. Samples from 27 dogs, 15 cats, one rabbit and one hen were analyzed, and parasites were detected in 30 (68.2%) as follows: Cryptosporidium spp. (24) Giardia spp. (4), hookworm (3), Endolimax nana (2) and Toxoplasma gondii (1). Overall, university students showed high prevalence of parasitism and polyparasitism suggesting exposure to parasite infected animals and contaminated environments. Cryptosporidium spp. was the predominant pathogen in human and domestic animals, and it was only detected by PCR, pointing out the need for sensitive tests in diagnosis and surveillance. Control strategies to prevent the effects of parasitic infections in young population should consider pets as reservoirs and transmission source.

556. Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on reported maternal and neonatal complications and access to maternal health care in five government health facilities in Blantyre, Malawi.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Blair A, Haile W, Muller A

557. Rapid genotyping of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) using MinION nanopore sequencing.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Caserta LC, Zhang J, Piñeyro P

558. Fortetropin supplementation prevents the rise in circulating myostatin but not disuse-induced muscle atrophy in young men with limb immobilization: A randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Lim C, McKendry J, Giacomin T

Supplementation with Fortetropin® (FOR), a naturally occurring component from fertilized egg yolks, reduces circulating myostatin concentration. We hypothesized that FOR would mitigate muscle atrophy during immobilization. We examined the effect of FOR supplementation on muscle size and strength during 2-wk of single-leg immobilization and recovery. Twenty-four healthy young men (22 ± 2 yrs; BMI = 24.3 ± 2.9 kg/m2) were randomly allocated to either a Fortetropin® supplement (FOR-SUPP, n = 12) group consuming 19.8 g/d of FOR or placebo (PLA-SUPP, n = 12) group consuming energy- and macronutrient-matched cheese powder for 6-wk. The 6-wk period consisted of 2-wk run-in, 2-wk single-leg immobilization, and 2-wk recovery phase returning to habitual physical activities. Ultrasonography, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, muscle biopsies and isometric peak torque assessments were performed prior to and following each phase (days 1, 14, 28, and 42) to measure vastus lateralis and muscle fiber cross-section area (CSA), leg lean mass (LM), and muscular strength. Blood samples were taken on days 1 and 42 for measurement of plasma myostatin concentration, which increased in PLA-SUPP (4221 ± 541 pg/mL to 6721 ± 864 pg/mL, P = 0.013) but not in FOR-SUPP (5487 ± 489 pg/mL to 5383 ± 781 pg/mL, P = 0.900). After the immobilization phase, vastus lateralis CSA, LM, and isometric peak torque were decreased by 7.9 ± 1.7% (P < 0.001), -1.6 ± 0.6% (P = 0.037), and -18.7 ± 2.7% (P < 0.001) respectively, with no difference between groups. The decreased peak torque was recovered after 2-wk of normal activity (vs. day 1, P = 0.129); however, CSA and LM were not recovered (vs. day 1, P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively), with no differences between groups. Supplementation with FOR prevented the rise in circulating myostatin but not disuse-induced muscle atrophy in young men after 2-wk of single-leg immobilization.

559. Association between intra-abdominal injured organs and abdominal compartment syndrome in patients with severe blunt trauma: A propensity score matched study using nationwide trauma registry in Japan.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Komori A, Iriyama H, Kainoh T

560. CEG: A joint model for causal commonsense events enhanced story ending generation.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Zhang Y, Yang Y, Gu M

561. A study on measuring the 222Rn in the Buriganga River and tap water of the megacity Dhaka.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Alam MS, Siraz MMM, A M J

562. Prevalence of post-vaccine side effects among COVID-19 immunized community of Southern Pakistan.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Qureshi A, Syed Sulaiman SA, Rehman W

563. Development and characterization of nanobodies that specifically target the oncogenic Phosphatase of Regenerating Liver-3 (PRL-3) and impact its interaction with a known binding partner, CNNM3.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Smith CN, Kihn K, Williamson ZA

564. Retrospective study of lameness in beef cattle in northeastern Sardinia, Italy.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Morrone S, Scanu A, Gerolamo M

565. Laughter as medicine: A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies evaluating the impact of spontaneous laughter on cortisol levels.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Kramer CK, Leitao CB.

OBJECTIVES: Laughter as an expression of humor has been recognized as good medicine for centuries. The health benefits of humor-induced well-being remain unclear and thus we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies to evaluate the impact of spontaneous laughter on stress response as measured by cortisol levels. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Clinicaltrials.gov. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Interventional studies, which could be either randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental studies, conducted in adults that compared any spontaneous laughter intervention to a controlled setting and reported changes in cortisol levels were selected. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: We examined the impact of laughter on percentage change in cortisol levels by calculating pooled estimates of the absolute differences between arithmetic means before and after interventions as compared to control using random-effects model. RESULTS: Eight studies (315 participants; mean age 38.6) met our inclusion criteria; four were RCTs and four were quasi-experiment studies. Five studies evaluated the impact of watching a humor/comedy video, two studies evaluating laughter sessions administered by a trained laughter therapist, and one study evaluating a self-administered laughter program. Pooling these data showed a significant reduction in cortisol levels by 31.9% (95%CI -47.7% to -16.3%) induced by laughter intervention compared to control group with no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.66). Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that even a single laughter session induced a significant reduction of 36.7% in cortisol (95%CI -52.5% to -20.8%). In addition, analyses including the four RCTs reinforced these results by demonstrating a significant reduction in cortisol levels promoted by laughter as compared to the placebo arm [-37.2% (95%CI -56.3% to -18.1%)]. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence demonstrates that spontaneous laughter is associated with greater reduction in cortisol levels as compared with usual activities, suggesting laughter as a potential adjunctive medical therapy to improve well-being. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration number: CRD42021267972.

566. Effects of adipocyte-conditioned cell culture media on S1P treatment of human triple-negative breast cancer cells.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Wu X, Wabitsch M, Yang J

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a potent sphingolipid metabolite that regulates a wide range of biological functions such as cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and angiogenesis. Its cellular level is elevated in breast cancer, which, in turn, would promote cancer cell proliferation, survival, growth and metastasis. However, the cellular concentration of S1P is normally in the low nanomolar range, and our previous studies showed that S1P selectively induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells at high concentrations (high nanomolar to low micromolar). Thus, local administration of high-concentration S1P alone or in combination of chemotherapy agents could be used to treat breast cancer. The breast mainly consists of mammary gland and connective tissue stroma (adipose), which are dynamically interacting each other. Thus, in the current study, we evaluated how normal adipocyte-conditioned cell culture media (AD-CM) and cancer-associated adipocyte-conditioned cell culture media (CAA-CM) would affect high-concentration S1P treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Both AD-CM and CAA-CM may suppress the anti-proliferative effect and reduce nuclear alteration/apoptosis caused by high-concentration S1P. This implicates that adipose tissue is likely to be detrimental to local high-concentration S1P treatment of TNBC. Because the interstitial concentration of S1P is about 10 times higher than its cellular level, we undertook a secretome analysis to understand how S1P would affect the secreted protein profile of differentiated SGBS adipocytes. At 100 nM S1P treatment, we identified 36 upregulated and 21 downregulated secretome genes. Most of these genes are involved in multiple biological processes. Further studies are warranted to identify the most important secretome targets of S1P in adipocytes and illustrate the mechanism on how these target proteins affect S1P treatment of TNBC.

567. Assessing SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell reactivity in late convalescents and vaccinees: Comparison and combination of QuantiFERON and activation-induced marker assays, and relation with antibody status.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Gatti A, Zizzo G, De Paschale M

OBJECTIVES: Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 spread and vaccination strategies have relied on antibody (Ab) status as a correlate of protection. We used QuantiFERON™ (QFN) and Activation-Induced Marker (AIM) assays to measure memory T-cell reactivity in unvaccinated individuals with prior documented symptomatic infection (late convalescents) and fully vaccinated asymptomatic donors (vaccinees). METHODS: Twenty-two convalescents and 13 vaccinees were enrolled. Serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1 and N Abs were measured using chemiluminescent immunoassays. QFN was performed following instructions and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) measured by ELISA. AIM was performed on aliquots of antigen-stimulated samples from QFN tubes. SARS-CoV-2-specific memory CD4+CD25+CD134+, CD4+CD69+CD137+ and CD8+CD69+CD137+ T-cell frequencies were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: In convalescents, substantial agreement was observed between QFN and AIM assays. IFN-γ concentrations and AIM+ (CD69+CD137+) CD4+ T-cell frequencies correlated with each other, with Ab levels and AIM+ CD8+ T-cell frequencies, whereas AIM+ (CD25+CD134+) CD4+ T-cell frequencies correlated with age. AIM+ CD4+ T-cell frequencies increased with time since infection, whereas AIM+ CD8+ T-cell expansion was greater after recent reinfection. QFN-reactivity and anti-S1 titers were lower, whereas anti-N titers were higher, and no statistical difference in AIM-reactivity and Ab positivity emerged compared to vaccinees. CONCLUSIONS: Albeit on a limited sample size, we confirm that coordinated, cellular and humoral responses are detectable in convalescents up to 2 years after prior infection. Combining QFN with AIM may enhance detection of naturally acquired memory responses and help stratify virus-exposed individuals in T helper 1-type (TH1)-reactive (QFNpos AIMpos Abshigh), non-TH1-reactive (QFNneg AIMpos Abshigh/low), and pauci-reactive (QFNneg AIMneg Abslow).

568. Conservation agriculture reduces climate change impact of a popcorn and wheat crop rotation.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Guidoboni MV, Duparque A, Boissy J

Urgent action is needed to ensure humanity's future under climate change. Agriculture faces major challenges as it is both influenced by and contributes to climate change. Conservation agriculture sequesters carbon (C) in the soil due to practices such as reduced tillage and planting of cover crops. This study assessed effects of an innovative conservation agriculture popcorn (Zea mays) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) crop rotation in south-western France on soil C sequestration, GHG emissions and several environmental impacts. Two complementary approaches were used: i) a comparison based on field data and expert judgement to assess short-term effects and ii) modelling of three scenarios to quantify long-term outcomes. In both approaches Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to compare popcorn and wheat rotations. The conventional rotation used ploughing, and its soil was bare between wheat harvest and popcorn sowing. Conservation agriculture used reduced tillage, cover crops, and compost of green waste. Impacts of compost production were allocated mainly to its waste treatment function, based on waste treatment cost and compost price. Simulation modelling of soil C was used to estimate the amount of C sequestered by the conservation and conventional crop rotations. LCA was combined with soil C modelling over 100 years to assess the long-term climate change impact of three scenarios for the popcorn and wheat rotation. These scenarios were 1) Conventional agriculture, 2) Conservation agriculture with cover crops only, 3) Conservation agriculture with cover crops + compost. Mean annual C sequestration and net climate change impact were -0.24 t/ha and 3867 kg CO2-eq./ha, respectively, for the conventional rotation and 0.91 t/ha and 434 kg CO2-eq./ha, respectively, for the conservation rotation. The climate change impact of the conservation rotation depended strongly on the allocation of composting impacts between the waste treatment and compost production functions. Compared to the conventional rotation, the conservation rotation had a lower marine eutrophication impact (-7%) but higher impacts for terrestrial acidification (+9%), land competition (+3%), and cumulative energy demand (+2%). Modelling over 100 years revealed that, at near soil C equilibrium, a conventional scenario lost 9% of soil C, whereas conservation agriculture scenarios gained 14% (only cover crop) and 26% of soil C (cover crop + compost). Conservation agriculture resulted in soil C sequestration over several decades, until a new soil C equilibrium was reached.

569. Could secondary flows have made possible the cross-strait transport and explosive invasion of Rugulopteryx okamurae algae in the Strait of Gibraltar?

PLoS One

2023 May 23

García-Lafuente J, Nadal I, Sammartino S

Presently, the Strait of Gibraltar is undergoing an unprecedented invasion of the alien alga Rugulopteryx okamurae of North Pacific origin. According to the scarce literature, the algae first settled in the south shore, probably following commercial exchanges with French ports where it was accidentally introduced together with Japanese oysters imported for mariculture. There is no certainty, however, that the algae first colonized the south shore of the Strait and, from there, spread to the north. It could well have been the opposite. Whatever the case, it spread all over the Strait and surrounding areas with amazing rapidity. Human-mediated vectors (algae attached to ship hulls or fishing nets, for example) can be behind the spread from the shore initially settled to the algae-free shore on the opposite side. But it could also have happened by means of hydrodynamic processes without direct human intervention. This possibility is assessed in this paper by revisiting historical current meter profiles collected in the Strait of Gibraltar searching for secondary cross-strait flows. All the stations present an intermediate layer of northward cross-strait velocity near the interface of the mean baroclinic exchange along with a surface layer above of southward velocity, whose lower part also overlaps the interface zone. The first one would back the south-to-north transport of algal fragments, the second one, the north-to south. In both cases, algae must reach the depth of the interface. The vertical velocity field in the area, which far exceeds the small sedimentation velocity of the algae, allows their vertical displacements throughout the water column. Its endurance to survive under the weak or no light conditions that will prevail during the cross-strait transport and its capability of reactivating the metabolism after this unfavorable period, offers chances for colonizing the opposite shore. Therefore, the propagation of the algae by hydrodynamic processes, without human intervention, cannot be ruled out.

570. It's all metacognitive: The relationship between informal learning and self-regulated learning in the workplace.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Kittel AFD, Seufert T.

571. Depressive rumination and trait anxiety mediate the effects of childhood victimization on adulthood depressive symptoms in adult volunteers.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Masuya J, Morishita C, Higashiyama M

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have reported that childhood victimization experiences substantially augment the risk of depression and suicide in adulthood. Several of our previous studies suggested that childhood experiences of victimization interact with the quality of parenting experienced in childhood, childhood experiences of abuse, neuroticism, and other factors to influence depressive symptoms in adulthood. In this study, it was hypothesized that "childhood victimization" worsens "trait anxiety" and "depressive rumination", and that "trait anxiety" and "depressive rumination" are mediators that worsen "depressive symptoms in adulthood". SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The following self-administered questionnaires were completed by 576 adult volunteers: Patient Health Questionnaire-9, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y, Ruminative Responses Scale, and Childhood Victimization Rating Scale. Statistical analyses were performed by Pearson correlation coefficient analysis, t-test, multiple regression analysis, path analysis, and covariance structure analysis. RESULTS: Path analysis demonstrated that the direct effect was statistically significant for the paths from childhood victimization to trait anxiety, depressive rumination, and depressive symptom severity. Moreover, the indirect effect of childhood victimization on depressive rumination mediated by trait anxiety was statistically significant. The indirect effects of childhood victimization on depressive symptom severity mediated by trait anxiety and depressive rumination were statistically significant. Furthermore, the indirect effect of childhood victimization on depressive symptom severity mediated by both trait anxiety and depressive rumination was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: We found that childhood victimization directly and adversely influenced each of the above factors, and indirectly worsened adulthood depressive symptoms with trait anxiety and depressive ruminations as mediating factors. The present study is the first to clarify these mediation effects. Therefore, the results of this study suggest the importance of preventing childhood victimization and the importance of identifying and addressing childhood victimization in patients with clinical depression.

572. Complications following surgeries for endometriosis: A systematic review protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Bahrami F, Maheux-Lacroix S, Bougie O

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a common gynecological condition with a wide range of symptoms, including infertility, dyspareunia, intestinal disorders, and pelvic pain. Laparoscopy and laparotomy are used widely for diagnosing and managing endometriosis. We will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis with the aims of reporting complications rates following each type of surgeries for endometriosis and determinants of complications. METHOD: We will search Medline (via PubMed), Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for both retrospective and prospective cohorts or trials of at least 30 participants reporting perioperative and postoperative complications for endometriosis surgeries. We will restrict the studies to those conducted after 2011, to be representative of current practices, and will exclude studies of surgeries for gynecological cancer, or other concomitant benign gynecologic surgeries such as myomectomy. Two reviewers will independently screen references and select eligible studies. A standardized form will be used to collect data related to the baseline characteristics, potential determinants of complications, types of interventions, and outcomes. Cumulative incidences of complications will be pooled using DerSimonian and Laird random-effects method. The relation between potential determinants and complications will be reported with risk ratios and their 95% of confidence intervals. Subgroup analysis of surgical approach, surgical procedure, superficial and deep infiltrating endometriosis, and the indication of surgery will be conducted. Sensitivity analyses restricted to studies with low risk of bias will be performed. DISCUSSION: This systematic review will provide information on the rates of complications for different surgical approaches and procedures for the treatment of endometriosis. It will contribute to inform patients when making decisions regarding their care. Identifying potential determinants of complications will also help to improve care by identifying women being at higher risk of complications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Systematic review registration: CRD42021293865.

573. Trends of infant vaccination timeliness and completion in selected urban slum communities in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria: A four-year review.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Balogun FM, Bamgboye EA, Orimadegun AE.

BACKGROUND: Suboptimal infant vaccination is common in Nigeria and multiple interventions have been deployed to address the situation. Child health indicators are reported to be worse in urban slums compared with other urban areas, but urban data are usually not disaggregated to show these disparities. Examining the timeliness and completion of infant vaccination in urban slums is important to determine the effectiveness of existing interventions in improving infant vaccination among this vulnerable population. This study explored the trends of infant vaccination in selected urban slum communities in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria between November 2014 and October 2018. METHODS: This was a cross sectional study where infant vaccination data were extracted from the immunization clinic records of six primary health care centers that were providing infant vaccination services for seven urban slum communities. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi square test at α = 05. RESULTS: A total of 5,934 infants vaccination records were reviewed, 2,895 (48.8%) were for female infants and 3,002(50.6%) were from Muslim families. Overall, only 0.6% infants had both timely and complete vaccination during the four years under study. The highest number of infants with timely and complete vaccination were seen in 2015(12.2%) and least in 2018(2.9%). Regarding timeliness of the vaccines, BCG, was the least timely among the vaccines given at birth and the pentavalent and oral polio vaccines' timeliness reduced as the age of the infants increased. Both yellow fever and measles vaccines were timelier than the pentavalent vaccines. Vaccines were most timely in 2016(31.3%) and least timely in 2018(12.1%). Those from Muslim families significantly had delayed and incomplete vaccinations compared with those from Chrisitan families (p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Infant vaccinations were significantly delayed and incomplete in the study communities during the years reviewed. More focused interventions are required to ensure optimal vaccination of the infants.

574. Self-efficacy and resilience as predictors of students' academic motivation in online education.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Abdolrezapour P, Jahanbakhsh Ganjeh S, Ghanbari N.

575. Analysis of ancestry-specific polygenic risk score and diet composition in type 2 diabetes.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Hardy DS, Garvin JT, Mersha TB.

BACKGROUND: Carbohydrate and protein dietary proportions have been debated as to whether higher or lower levels are optimal for diabetes metabolic control. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the associations, interactions, and mediational relationships between a polygenic risk score (PRS), carbohydrate and protein intake, and physical activity level on type 2 diabetes (T2DM) by genetic ancestry, in European Americans and African Americans. A secondary objective examined the biological pathways associated with the PRS-linked genes and their relationships to dietary intake. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study in 9,393 participants: 83.3% European Americans and 16.7% African Americans from 7-NHLBI Care studies obtained from the database of Genotypes and Phenotypes. The main outcome was T2DM. Carbohydrate and protein intake derived from food frequency questionnaires were calculated as percent calories. Data were analyzed using multivariable generalized estimation equation models to derive odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Ancestry-specific PRSs were constructed using joint-effects Summary Best Linear Unbiased Estimation in the train dataset and replicated in the test dataset. Mediation analysis was performed using VanderWeele's method. RESULTS: The PRS in the highest tertile was associated with higher risk of T2DM in European Americans (OR = 1.25;CI = 1.03-1.51) and African Americans (OR = 1.54;1.14-2.09). High carbohydrate and low protein intake had lower risks of T2DM when combined with the PRS after adjusting for covariates. In African Americans, high physical activity combined with the high PRS and high protein diet was associated with a 28% lower incidence of T2DM when compared to low physical activity. In mediational models in African Americans, the PRS-T2DM association was mediated by protein intake in the highest tertile by 55%. The top PRS tertile had the highest magnitude of risks with metabolic factors that were significantly associated with T2DM, especially in European Americans. We found metabolic pathways associated with the PRS-linked genes that were related to insulin/IGF and ketogenesis/ketolysis that can be activated by moderate physical activity and intermittent fasting for better T2DM control. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians may want to consider diets with a higher portion of carbohydrates than protein, especially when the burden of high-risk alleles is great in patients with T2DM. In addition, clinicians and other medical professionals may want to emphasize the addition of physical activity as part of treatment regimen especially for African Americans. Given the metabolic pathways we identified, moderate physical activity and intermittent fasting should be explored. Researchers may want to consider longitudinal or randomized clinical trials to determine the predictive ability of different dietary patterns to inhibit T2DM in the presence of obesity and an elevated PRS.

576. Pervasive mRNA uridylation in fission yeast is catalysed by both Cid1 and Cid16 terminal uridyltransferases.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Lipińska-Zubrycka L, Grochowski M, Bähler J

577. A study protocol for comparing the treatment of varicose tributaries either concomitantly with or separately from endovenous laser ablation of the incompetent saphenous trunk (the FinnTrunk Study). A multicenter parallel-group randomized controlled study.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Viljamaa J, Firoozi K, Venermo M

578. COVID-19 hospitalisations and all-cause mortality by risk group in Finland.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Summanen M, Kosunen M, Kainu V

Ever since COVID-19 was announced as a global pandemic in March 2020, healthcare systems around the world have struggled with the burden of the disease. Vaccinations and other preventive measures have decreased this burden, but severe forms of COVID-19 leading to hospitalizations and even deaths still effect certain risk groups, such as the elderly and patients with multiple comorbidities. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to identify which risk groups are at the highest risk for a severe COVID-19 infection in Finland using national registry data ranging from January 2021 to June 2022. The data was analysed in three time periods, enabling comparisons in high-risk groups between epidemiological waves caused by different variants of SARS-CoV-2. The summary level data were stratified according to predefined groups based on two criteria: age (≥18 years, 18-59 years, and ≥60 years) and risk group. The results include analysis of infection hospitalisation rate (IHR), case fatality rate (CFR) and average length of stay (LOS) in both primary and specialty care for each risk group and age group. Our results confirm that despite the decrease in COVID-19 hospitalisations and deaths observed during the study period, a significant proportion of patients are still hospitalised, and deaths occur especially in the 60+ population. Also, even though the average length of stay of hospitalised COVID-19 patients has decreased, it is still long compared to specialty care hospitalisations in general. Old age is a significant risk factor for severe COVID-19 in all patient groups and certain risk factors such as chronic kidney disease clearly increase the risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. Early treatment should be considered with a low threshold for risk group patients and for elderly patients in order to avoid severe disease courses, and to ease the burden on hospitals where resources are currently very strained.

579. Differences in the 3' intergenic region and the V2 protein of two sequence variants of tomato curly stunt virus play an important role in disease pathology in Nicotiana benthamiana.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Zwolinski AM, Brigden A, Rey MEC.

580. Service user and stakeholder engagement in maternal and newborn health research in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Singh DR, Sah RK, Simkhada B

BACKGROUND: Service user and stakeholder engagement have been widely considered as key aspects in translating knowledge into realistic policies and practices. However, there is a paucity of accumulative evidence about service user and stakeholder engagements in maternal and newborn health (MNH) research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Therefore, we aim to systematically review the existing literature that includes service user and stakeholder engagement in maternal and newborn health research in low- and middle-income countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The design of this protocol is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA-P) checklist. We will systematically run the search in PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Science Direct, and CINAHL to obtain relevant peer-reviewed literature published between January 1990 and March 2023. The list of extracted references will be screened by applying the study inclusion criteria, and eligible studies will be processed for further evaluation before being included in the review. The quality of the selected study will be assessed using the critical appraisal skills program (CASP) checklists and the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) checklist. A narrative synthesis will be used to synthesised results from all the included studies. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this systematic review will be the first synthesised evidence on service user and stakeholder engagement in maternal and newborn health research in low- and middle-income countries. The study highlights the importance of service user and stakeholder roles in designing, implementing, and evaluating maternal and newborn health interventions in resource-poor settings. The evidence from this review is expected to be useful for national and international researchers/stakeholders for practising meaningful and effective ways of engaging users and stakeholders in maternal and newborn health research and related activities. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42022314613.

581. Evaluation of the appearance of osteochondrosis lesions by two radiographic examinations in sport horses aged from 12 to 36 months.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Van Cauter R, Serteyn D, Lejeune JP

582. Health, well-being, and burnout amongst Early Career Doctors in Nigeria.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Bernard Ubom AE, Adebayo O, Adeoye PA

583. Miscanthus sinensis contributes to the survival of Pinus densiflora seedlings at a mining site via providing a possible functional endophyte and maintaining symbiotic relationship between P. densiflora and endophytes from high soil temperature stress.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Haruma T, Doyama K, Lu X

At a sedimentary site in an old mine site, Miscanthus sinensis formed patches, where Pinus densiflora seedlings could grow better compared with those outside the patches, indicating that M. sinensis would improve P. densiflora seedling establishment. The purpose of this study was to understand the mechanisms by which M. sinensis facilitates the survival of P. densiflora seedlings by considering the soil properties, heavy metal tolerance, and root endophytes in P. densiflora seedlings at the sedimentary site. The sedimentary site, which is a bare ground, contained high concentrations of Fe, indicating that plants should be exposed to Fe and high soil temperature stresses. Measurement of soil temperature revealed that M. sinensis suppressed sharp increases and alternation of soil temperature, resulting in reducing high soil temperature stress in P. densiflora seedlings. To adapt to the Fe stress environment, P. densiflora outside and inside the patches produced Fe detoxicants, including catechin, condensed tannin, and malic acid. Ceratobasidium bicorne and Aquapteridospora sp. were commonly isolated from P. densiflora seedlings outside and inside the patches as root endophytes, which might enhance Fe tolerance in the seedlings. Aquapteridospora sp., which is considered as a dark-septate endophyte (DSE), was also isolated from the roots of M. sinensis, suggesting that M. sinensis might play a source of a root endophyte to P. densiflora seedlings. Ceratobasidium bicorne could be classified into root endophytes showing symbiosis and weak pathogenicity to host plants. Therefore, high soil temperature stress would weaken P. densiflora seedlings, causing root endophytic C. bicorne to appear pathogenic. We suggested that P. densiflora could adapt to the Fe stress environment via producing Fe detoxicants, and M. sinensis would facilitate the establishment of P. densiflora seedlings in the sedimentary site by providing a DSE, Aquapteridospora sp., and maintaining symbiosis of C. bicorne from high soil temperature stress.

584. Combined action observation and motor imagery improves learning of activities of daily living in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Scott MW, Wood G, Holmes PS

585. High-resolution ultrasonography for early diagnosis of neural impairment in seropositive leprosy household contacts.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Luppi AM, Ferreira GE, Prudêncio DL

Leprosy household contacts (HC) represent a high-risk group for the development of the disease. Anti-PGL-I IgM seropositivity also increases the risk of illness. Despite significant advances in leprosy control, it remains a public health problem; and early diagnosis of this peripheral neuropathy represents one of the main goals of leprosy programs. The present study was performed to identify neural impairment in leprosy HC by analyzing differences in high-resolution ultrasonographic (US) measurements of peripheral nerves between leprosy HC and healthy volunteers (HV). Seventy-nine seropositive household contacts (SPHC) and 30 seronegative household contacts (SNHC) underwent dermato-neurological examination and molecular analysis, followed by high-resolution US evaluation of cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the median, ulnar, common fibular and tibial nerves. In addition, 53 HV underwent similar US measurements. The US evaluation detected neural thickening in 26.5% (13/49) of the SPHC and only in 3.3% (1/30) among the SNHC (p = 0.0038). The CSA values of the common fibular and tibial nerves were significantly higher in SPHC. This group also had significantly greater asymmetry in the common fibular and tibial nerves (proximal to the tunnel). SPHC presented a 10.5-fold higher chance of neural impairment (p = 0.0311). On the contrary, the presence of at least one scar from the BCG vaccine conferred 5.2-fold greater protection against neural involvement detected by US (p = 0.0184). Our findings demonstrated a higher prevalence of neural thickening in SPHC and support the role of high-resolution US in the early diagnosis of leprosy neuropathy. The combination of positive anti-PGL-I serology and absence of a BCG scar can identify individuals with greater chances of developing leprosy neuropathy, who should be referred for US examination, reinforcing the importance of including serological and imaging methods in the epidemiological surveillance of leprosy HC.

586. New approach to improve power consumption associated with blockchain in WSNs.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Jabor MS, Azez AS, Campelo JC

587. Examining financial distress of the Vietnamese listed firms using accounting-based models.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Tran T, Nguyen NH, Le BT

588. Effects of glycosaminoglycan content in extracellular matrix of donor cartilage on the functional properties of osteochondral allografts evaluated by micro-CT non-destructive analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Jin YJ, Park DY, Noh S

589. In silico design and immunoinformatics analysis of a universal multi-epitope vaccine against monkeypox virus.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Sanami S, Nazarian S, Ahmad S

590. Correlations between three ELISA protocols measurements of RTS,S/AS01-induced anti-CSP IgG antibodies.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Mugo RM, Orindi B, Shee FM

591. Patient perspectives of antiretroviral pharmacy services: A cross-sectional cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Liu Y, Lyden E, Furl R

BACKGROUND: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains the main predictor of sustained HIV virologic suppression for people with HIV (PWH). Mail-order pharmacy services are often offered to patients as an alternative option to traditional pharmacy services. Some payers mandate ART to be dispensed from specific mail-order pharmacies regardless of patient choice complicating ART adherence for patients affected by social disparities. Yet, little is known about patient perspectives regarding mail-order mandates. METHODS: Eligible patients of the HIV program at University of Nebraska Medical Center with experience receiving ART from both a local and mail-order pharmacy were invited to complete a 20-question survey with three core sections: experiences/perspectives on local and mail-order pharmacy settings; pharmacy attributes rankings; and pharmacy preference. Paired t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare the agreement scores of pharmacy attributes. RESULTS: Sixty patients (N = 146; 41.1%) responded to the survey. Mean age was 52 years. Most were male (93%) and White (83%). The majority of participants were on ART for HIV treatment (90%) and 60% were using mail-order pharmacies for their prescription services. Significant scoring differences (p<0.05) were observed for all pharmacy attributes favoring local pharmacies. Refilling ease was the most important attribute noted. More respondents (68%) preferred local pharmacies versus mail-order pharmacies. Payer associated mail-order pharmacy mandates were experienced by 78% with half believing the mandates impacted their medical care negatively. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort study, respondents preferred local pharmacies compared to mail-order pharmacy for ART prescription services and noted ease of refilling as the most important pharmacy attribute. Two-thirds of respondents believed mail-order pharmacy mandates negatively affected their health. Insurance payers should consider the removal of mail-order pharmacy mandates to allow patient choice of pharmacy, which may help remove barriers to ART adherence and improve long-term health outcomes.

592. Continuous extracorporeal femoral perfusion model for intravascular ultrasound, computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Gruschwitz P, Hartung V, Kleefeldt F

OBJECTIVES: We developed a novel human cadaveric perfusion model with continuous extracorporeal femoral perfusion suitable for performing intra-individual comparison studies, training of interventional procedures and preclinical testing of endovascular devices. Objective of this study was to introduce the techniques and evaluate the feasibility for realistic computed tomography angiography (CTA), digital subtraction angiography (DSA) including vascular interventions, and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). METHODS: The establishment of the extracorporeal perfusion was attempted using one formalin-fixed and five fresh-frozen human cadavers. In all specimens, the common femoral and popliteal arteries were prepared, introducer sheaths inserted, and perfusion established by a peristaltic pump. Subsequently, we performed CTA and bilateral DSA in five cadavers and IVUS on both legs of four donors. Examination time without unintentional interruption was measured both with and without non-contrast planning CT. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting was performed by two interventional radiologists on nine extremities (five donors) using a broad spectrum of different intravascular devices. RESULTS: The perfusion of the upper leg arteries was successfully established in all fresh-frozen but not in the formalin-fixed cadaver. The experimental setup generated a stable circulation in each procedure (ten upper legs) for a period of more than six hours. Images acquired with CT, DSA and IVUS offered a realistic impression and enabled the sufficient visualization of all examined vessel segments. Arterial cannulating, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty as well as stent deployment were feasible in a way that is comparable to a vascular intervention in vivo. The perfusion model allowed for introduction and testing of previously not used devices. CONCLUSIONS: The continuous femoral perfusion model can be established with moderate effort, works stable, and is utilizable for medical imaging of the peripheral arterial system using CTA, DSA and IVUS. Therefore, it appears suitable for research studies, developing skills in interventional procedures and testing of new or unfamiliar vascular devices.

593. Competition for popularity and interventions on a Chinese microblogging site.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Cui H, Kertész J.

594. One of these things is not like the other: Mixed predator cues result in lopsided phenotypic responses in a Neotropical tadpole.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Rosenthal DM, Deng L, Rose T

595. Hold me or stroke me? Individual differences in static and dynamic affective touch.

PLoS One

2023 May 23

Ali SH, Makdani AD, Cordero MI

Low-threshold mechanosensory C-fibres, C-tactile afferents (CTs), respond optimally to sensations associated with a human caress. Additionally, CT-stimulation activates brain regions associated with processing affective states. This evidence has led to the social touch hypothesis, that CTs have a key role in encoding the affective properties of social touch. Thus, to date, the affective touch literature has focussed on gentle stroking touch. However, social touch interactions involve many touch types, including static, higher force touch such as hugging and holding. This study aimed to broaden our understanding of the social touch hypothesis by investigating relative preference for static vs dynamic touch and the influence of force on these preferences. Additionally, as recent literature has highlighted individual differences in CT-touch sensitivity, this study investigated the influence of affective touch experiences and attitudes, autistic traits, depressive symptomology and perceived stress on CT-touch sensitivity. Directly experienced, robotic touch responses were obtained through a lab-based study and vicarious touch responses through an online study where participants rated affective touch videos. Individual differences were determined by self-report questionnaire measures. In general, static touch was preferred over CT-non-optimal stroking touch, however, consistent with previous reports, CT-optimal stroking (velocity 1-10 cm/s) was rated most pleasant. However, static and CT-optimal vicarious touch were rated comparably for dorsal hand touch. For all velocities, 0.4N was preferred over 0.05N and 1.5N robotic touch. Participant dynamic touch quadratic terms were calculated for robotic and vicarious touch as a proxy CT-sensitivity measure. Attitudes to intimate touch significantly predict robotic and vicarious quadratic terms, as well as vicarious static dorsal hand touch ratings. Perceived stress negatively predicted robotic static touch ratings. This study has identified individual difference predictors of CT-touch sensitivity. Additionally, it has highlighted the context dependence of affective touch responses and the need to consider static, as well as dynamic affective touch.

596. Informative and adaptive distances and summary statistics in sequential approximate Bayesian computation.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Schälte Y, Hasenauer J.

597. Induced effects of electrical muscle stimulation and visual stimulation on visual sensory reweighting dynamics during standing on a balance board.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Shindo M, Isezaki T, Koike Y

Providing instruction cues on body motions using stimulations has the potential to induce sensory reweighting dynamics. However, there are currently very few quantitative investigations on the difference in the induced effects on the sensory reweighting dynamics between stimulation methods. We therefore investigated the difference in the induced effects of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and visual sensory augmentation (visual SA) on sensory reweighting dynamics during standing on a balance board. Twenty healthy participants controlled their posture to maintain the board horizontally in the balance-board task, which included a pre-test without stimulation, a stimulation test, and a post-test without stimulation. The EMS group (n = 10) received EMS to the tibialis anterior or soleus muscle based on the board tilt. The visual SA group (n = 10) received visual stimuli via a front monitor based on the board tilt. We measured the height of the board marker and calculated the board sway. Before and after the balance-board task, the participants performed static standing with their eyes open and closed. We measured postural sway and calculated the visual reweighting. The visual reweighting showed a strong negative correlation with the balance board sway ratio between the pre- and stimulation tests in the EMS group and a strong positive correlation with that in the visual SA group. Moreover, for those who reduced the balance board sway in the stimulation test, the visual reweighting was significantly different between the stimulation methods, demonstrating that the induced effect on sensory reweighting dynamics is quantitatively different depending on which method is used. Our findings suggest that there is an appropriate stimulation method to change to the targeted sensory weights. Future investigations on the relationship between sensory reweighting dynamics and stimulation methods could contribute to the proposal and implementation of new training methods for learning to control the target weights.

598. Impact of early telemedicine follow-up on 30-Day hospital readmissions.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Grauer A, Cornelius T, Abdalla M

599. Examining retweeting behavior on social networking sites from the perspective of self-presentation.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Shi J, Lai KK, Chen G.

600. Characteristics of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with combined post- and pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Goda A, Yanagisawa Y, Takeuchi S

601. HIV and its associated factors among people who inject drugs in Mizoram, Northeast India.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Pachuau LN, Tannous C, Chawngthu RL

602. Somatic characteristic, morphological asymmetry and postural stability of youth male canoeists compared to control. A cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Krzykała M, Karpowicz K, Karpowicz M

603. Analysis of the spatio-temporal evolution of sustainable land use in China under the carbon emission trading scheme: A measurement idea based on the DID model.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Ma Y, Feng H, Meng Y

Sustainable development is the theme of world economic development in the 21st century. As a key part of sustainable development, sustainable land use (SLU) encompasses economic development and environmentally friendly and social progress. In recent decades, China has formulated many environmental regulatory policies to achieve sustainable development and "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality (double-carbon)" goals, among which the carbon emission trading scheme (CETS) is the most representative and provides valuable research. In this paper, we aimed to reflect the spatio-temporal evolution of SLU in China under the influence of environmental regulatory policies through an indicator measurement strategy based on the DID estimation method. The study conclusions are as follows: (1) The CETS can effectively improve SLU from the perspectives of economic development and environmentally friendly progress, and the impact has primarily been in the pilot areas. And, its effectiveness is closely linked to local locational factors. (2) With respect to the dimension of economic development, the CETS has not changed the provincial distribution patterns of SLU; rather, it continues to remain "high to low, east to west". However, regarding the environmentally friendly progress dimension, the CETS has significantly changed the provincial distribution patterns of SLU, which are characterized by spatial agglomeration with urban agglomerations such as the Pearl River Delta (PRD) and the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) as the core. (3) The screening results of the SLU indicators based on economic development showed that the CETS primarily improved the innovation capacities of pilot regions, and the impacts on economic levels were relatively small. Similarly, the screening results of the SLU indicators based on environmentally friendly progress showed that the CETS had primarily acted on reducing pollution emission intensity and strengthening greening construction, revealing only short-term effects on improving energy use efficiency. Based on the above, this paper explored the meaning and role of the CETS in more detail, with a view to providing insight into the implementation and formulation of environmental regulation policies.

604. Validation of the family focused mental health practice questionnaire in measuring health and social care professionals' family focused practice.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Grant A, Lagdon S, Devaney J

BACKGROUND: Parental mental illness is a major public health issue and there is growing evidence that family focused practice can improve outcomes for parents and their families. However, few reliable and valid instruments measure mental health and social care professionals' family focused practice. OBJECTIVES: To explore the psychometric properties of the Family Focused Mental Health Practice Questionnaire in a population of health and social care professionals. METHODS: Health and Social Care Professionals (n = 836) in Northern Ireland completed an adapted version of the Family Focused Mental Health Practice Questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis was used to test the structure of the underlying dimensions in the questionnaire. The results, and theoretical considerations, guided construction of a model that could explain variation in respondents' items. This model was then validated using confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis revealed that solutions including 12 to 16 factors provided a good fit to the data and indicated underlying factors that could be meaningfully interpreted in line with existing literature. From these exploratory analyses, we derived a model that included 14 factors and tested this model with Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The results suggested 12 factors that summarized 46 items that were most optimal in reflecting family focused behaviours and professional and organizational factors. The 12 dimensions identified were meaningful and consistent with substantive theories: furthermore, their inter-correlations were consistent with known professional and organizational processes known to promote or hinder family focused practice. CONCLUSION: This psychometric evaluation reveals that the scale provides a meaningful measure of professionals' family focused practice within adult mental health and children's services, and the factors that hinder and enable practice in this area. The findings, therefore, support the use of this measure to benchmark and further develop family focused practice in both adult mental health and children's services.

605. Early temperament and physical health in school-age children: Applying a short temperament measure in a population-based cohort.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Wu JC, Wang PL, Chiang TL.

606. Low LDL-C goal attainment in patients at very high cardiovascular risk due to lacking observance of the guidelines on dyslipidaemias.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Vrablík M, Šarkanová I, Breciková K

Dyslipidemias are defined as a wide range of abnormalities of the lipid profile. Treatment guidelines recommend aiming at lowering LDL-C. We investigated the adherence of Czech cardiologists to the dyslipidaemia treatment guidelines, especially in the management of patients with high and very high cardiovascular risk. In this retrospective cross-sectional multicentric study data from medical records of 450 adults with ASCVD, enrolled between June 2021 and January 2022, were analysed. Demographics, clinical outcomes, medical history, LLT treatment and other medications were collected. The physicians were to include patients at a very high risk of ASCVD and to complete a general questionnaire on their personal therapeutic preferences. Objectively assessed, only 80% of total patients (N = 450) enrolled in the study were at very high risk of ASCVD, and 12.7% of patients were at high risk of ASCVD, respectively. In total, 55 (13.1%) patients were diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia, and 39.1% of them had a positive family history of ASCVD. Generally, only 20.5% of patients reached the 2019 LDL-C goals- 19.4% of very high risk patients and 28.1% of high risk patients, respectively. 61% of the physicians preferred a slow and careful up-titration of the dose, which is contradictory to the guidelines. Only 17% of the physicians increased the statin dose or added/combined/changed the treatment to achieve the LDL-C goals as soon as possible. Surprisingly, in up to 61.5% of patients at very high risk who did not meet the LDL-C goals, their physicians stated subjective satisfaction with the treatment and considered no change needed. Among very high and high risk patients receiving lipid-lowering therapy, with high treatment adherence, the LDL-C goal attainment is very low and LLT utilization is rather sub-optimal. Improving observance of the guidelines by physicians bears a substantial potential for LDL-C goal attainment and thus improving overall benefit for patients for no additional costs.

607. Round-window delivery of lithium chloride regenerates cochlear synapses damaged by noise-induced excitotoxic trauma via inhibition of the NMDA receptor in the rat.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Choi JE, Carpena NT, Lee JH

608. Active sampling of volatile chemicals for non-invasive classification of chicken eggs by sex early in incubation.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Borras E, Wang Y, Shah P

609. D-index and invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with the first episode of febrile neutropenia.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Rattanathammethee T, Munsamai K, Punnachet T

610. Impact of divergence of residual feed intake on triglyceride metabolism-related gene expression in meat-type ducks.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Shui F, Qiu G, Pan S

611. Volunteers, religious communities and users representatives as an alternative for visiting hospitalized patients: The importance of an infection control training.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Maurand A, Le Guen R, Sakr C

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the suspension of relatives' visits was a common measure in healthcare facilities to prevent the spread of the virus among patients. This measure caused significant adverse consequences for hospitalized patients. Volunteers' intervention was an alternative but could also lead to cross transmission events. AIMS: in order to secure their intervention with patients, we implemented an infection control training to evaluate and to improve the knowledge of volunteers about infection control measures. METHOD: We performed a before-after study in a group of five tertiary referral teaching hospitals in the suburbs of Paris. A total of 226 volunteers from three groups (religious representatives, civilian volunteers and users' representatives) were included. Basic theoretical and practical knowledge about infection control, hand hygiene, and glove and mask use were evaluated just before and immediately after a three-hour training program. The contribution of the characteristics of the volunteers to the results was studied. FINDINGS: The initial conformity rate for theoretical and practical infection control measures ranged from 53% to 68%, depending on the participants' activity status and education level. Some critical shortcomings in hand hygiene as well as mask and glove wearing putatively endangered the patients and volunteers. Surprisingly, serious gaps were also identified among volunteers who experienced care activities. Regardless of their origin, the program significantly improved both their theoretical and practical knowledge (p<0.001). Real-life observance and long-term sustainability should be monitored. CONCLUSIONS: To become a secure alternative to relatives' visits, volunteers' interventions must be preceded by the assessment of their theoretical knowledge and practical skills in infection control. Additional study, including practice audit, must confirm the implementation of the acquired knowledge in the real-life.

612. Living with a diagnosis of Placenta Accreta Spectrum: Mothers' and Fathers' experience of the antenatal journey and the birth.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Bartels HC, Horsch A, Cooney N

OBJECTIVE: Much research into Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) has focussed on the associated maternal morbidity and mortality. However, mothers' and fathers' lived experiences of the aftermath of a diagnosis of PAS up to the birth and beyond has received little attention. Therefore, the aim of this study was to increase our understanding of the psychological consequences of PAS on women and their partners during pregnancy, up to and including the birth. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 29 participants; 6 couples were interviewed together (n = 12), 6 couples were interviewed separately (n = 12), and 5 women were interviewed without their partner. Data from the antenatal and intrapartum periods are presented. Couples were eligible for inclusion if they had a diagnosis of PAS within the previous 5 years. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach was used to gather and analyse data. Virtual interviews were conducted over a 3-month period from February to April 2021. RESULTS: Themes emerged relating to two distinct timepoints, the antenatal period and birth. The antenatal period had two main themes: the first antenatal main theme was "Living with PAS", which had two sub-themes: "Lack of knowledge of PAS" and "Experiences of varied approaches to care". The second antenatal main theme was "Coping with uncertainty", which had two sub-themes of "Getting on with it", and "Emotional toll". Relating to birth, two main themes emerged. The first main theme was "A traumatic experience", with three sub-themes of "Saying goodbye", "Experiencing trauma" and the "Witnessing of trauma" (by fathers). The second main theme which emerged was "Feeling safe in the hands of experts", with two subthemes of "Safety in expert team" and "Relief at surviving". CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the significant psychological consequences a diagnosis of PAS has on mothers and fathers, how they try to come to terms with the diagnosis and the experience of a traumatic birth, and how management within a specialist team can alleviate some of these fears.

613. The financial performance of private hospitals in Saudi Arabia: An investigation into the role of internal control and financial accountability.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Al Rahhaleh N, Al-Khyal TA, Daghran Alahmari A

614. Iron deficiency and the effectiveness of the BNT162b2 vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 infection: A retrospective, longitudinal analysis of real-world data.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Tene L, Karasik A, Chodick G

BACKGROUND: Iron plays a key role in human immune responses; however, the influence of iron deficiency on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine effectiveness is unclear. AIM: To assess the effectiveness of the BNT162b2 messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccine in preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and COVID-19-related hospitalization and death in individuals with or without iron deficiency. METHODS: This large retrospective, longitudinal cohort study analyzed real-world data from the Maccabi Healthcare Services database (covering 25% of Israeli residents). Eligible adults (aged ≥16 years) received a first BNT162b2 vaccine dose between December 19, 2020, and February 28, 2021, followed by a second dose as per approved vaccine label. Individuals were excluded if they had SARS-CoV-2 infection before vaccination, had hemoglobinopathy, received a cancer diagnosis since January 2020, had been treated with immunosuppressants, or were pregnant at the time of vaccination. Vaccine effectiveness was assessed in terms of incidence rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, relative risks of COVID-19-related hospitalization, and mortality in individuals with iron deficiency (ferritin <30 ng/mL or transferrin saturation <20%). The two-dose protection period was Days 7 to 28 after the second vaccination. RESULTS: Data from 184,171 individuals with (mean [standard deviation; SD] age 46.2 [19.6] years; 81.2% female) versus 1,072,019 without (mean [SD] age 46.9 [18.0] years; 46.2% female) known iron deficiency were analyzed. Vaccine effectiveness in the two-dose protection period was 91.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 83.7-96.0%) and 92.1% (95% CI 84.2-96.1%) for those with versus without iron deficiency (P = 0.96). Of patients with versus without iron deficiency, hospitalizations occurred in 28 and 19 per 100,000 during the reference period (Days 1-7 after the first dose), and in 19 and 7 per 100,000 during the two-dose protection period, respectively. Mortality rates were comparable between study groups: 2.2 per 100,000 (4/181,012) in the population with iron deficiency and 1.8 per 100,000 (19/1,055,298) in those without known iron deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine is >90% effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in the 3 weeks after the second vaccination, irrespective of iron-deficiency status. These findings support the use of the vaccine in populations with iron deficiency.

615. GAD65 deficient mice are susceptible to ethanol-induced impairment of motor coordination and facilitation of cerebellar neuronal firing.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Matsunaga W, Shinoe T, Hirono M.

616. Study of the soliton propagation of the fractional nonlinear type evolution equation through a novel technique.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Zaman UHM, Arefin MA, Akbar MA

617. Determining engineering properties of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced geopolymer concrete modified with different waste materials.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Althoey F, Zaid O, Alsulamy S

Reprocessing solid waste materials is a low-cost method of preserving the environment, conserving natural resources, and reducing raw material consumption. Developing ultra-high-performance concrete materials requires an immense quantity of natural raw materials. The current study seeks to tackle this issue by evaluating the effect of various discarded materials, waste glass (GW), marble waste (MW), and waste rubber powder (WRP) as a partial replacement of fine aggregates on the engineering properties of sustainable ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced geopolymer concrete (UHPGPC). Ten different mixtures were developed as a partial substitute for fine aggregate, each containing 2% double-hooked end steel fibers, 5%, 10%, and 15% GW, MW, and WRP. The present study assessed the fresh, mechanical, and durability properties of UHPGPC. In addition, to evaluate concrete development at the microscopic level due to the addition of GW, MW, and WRP. Spectra of X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and mercury intrusion (MIP) tests were conducted. The test results were compared to current trends and procedures identified in the literature. According to the study, adding 15% marble waste and 15% waste rubber powder reduced ultra-high-performance geopolymer concrete's strength, durability, and microstructure properties. Even so, adding glass waste improved the properties, as the sample with 15% GW had the highest compressive strength of 179 MPa after 90 days. Furthermore, incorporating glass waste into the UHPGPC resulted in a good reaction between the geopolymerization gel and the waste glass particles, enhancing strength properties and a packed microstructure. The inclusion of glass waste in the mix resulted in the control of crystal-shaped humps of quartz and calcite, according to XRD spectra. During the TGA analysis, the UHPGPC with 15% glass waste had the minimum weight loss (5.64%) compared to other modified samples.

618. Innovation network structure, government R&D investment and regional innovation efficiency: Evidence from China.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Cao XY, Wu XL, Wang LM.

619. Screening of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using generative adversarial network (GAN) inversion method in chest radiographs.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Lee JS, Shin K, Ryu SM

620. Correction: Dysferlin-deficiency has greater impact on function of slow muscles, compared with fast, in aged BLAJ mice.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Lloyd EM, Xu H, Murphy RM

621. Psychosocial support during childbirth: Development and adaptation of WHO's Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) for maternity care settings.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Khan B, Hameed W, Avan BI.

INTRODUCTION: Poor psychosocial support and lack of respectful care for women during childbirth are commonplace in health facilities in low- and middle-income countries. While WHO recommends providing supportive care to pregnant women, there is a scarcity of material for building the capacity of maternity staff to provide systematic and inclusive psychosocial support to women in the intrapartum phase, and prevent work stress and burnout in maternity teams. To address this need we adapted WHO's mhGAP for maternity staff to provide psychosocial support in labour room settings in Pakistan. Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) is an evidence-based guidance which provides psychosocial support in resource-limited health care settings. This paper aims to describe the adaptation of mhGAP to develop psychosocial support capacity building materials for maternity staff to provide support to maternity patients, and also to staff, in the labour room context. METHODS: Adaptation was conducted within the Human-Centered-Design framework in three phases: inspiration, ideation, and implementation feasibility. In inspiration, a review of national-level maternity service-delivery documents and in-depth interviews of maternity staff were conducted. Ideation involved a multidisciplinary team to develop capacity-building materials by adapting mhGAP. This phase was iterative and included cycles of pretesting, deliberations, and revision of materials. In implementation feasibility, materials were tested via the training of 98 maternity staff and exploring system feasibility via post-training visits to health facilities. RESULTS: Inspiration phase identified gaps in policy directives and implementation and formative study identified limited understanding and skills of staff to assess patients' psychosocial needs and provide appropriate support. Also, it became evident that staff themselves needed psychosocial support. In ideation, team developed capacity-building materials comprising two modules: one dedicated to conceptual understanding, the other to implementing psychosocial support in collaboration with maternity staff. In implementation feasibility, staff found the materials relevant and feasible for the labour room setting. Finally, users and experts endorsed usefulness of the materials. CONCLUSION: Our work in developing psychosocial-support training materials for maternity staff extends the utility of mhGAP to maternity care settings. These materials can be used for capacity-building of maternity staff and their effectiveness can be assessed in diverse maternity care settings.

622. The exquisite specificity of human protein arginine methyltransferase 7 (PRMT7) toward Arg-X-Arg sites.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Bondoc TJ, Lowe TL, Clarke SG.

623. Association between low internal health locus of control, psychological distress and insulin resistance. An exploratory study.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Eriksson MCM, Lundgren J, Hellgren M

624. Efficacy and safety of different antimicrobial DURATions for the treatment of Infections associated with Osteosynthesis Material implanted after long bone fractures (DURATIOM): Protocol for a randomized, pragmatic trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Garrigós C, Rosso-Fernández CM, Borreguero I

BACKGROUND: Infection associated with osteosynthesis material (IOM) is one of the most feared and challenging complications of trauma surgery and can cause significant functional loss, requiring multiple interventions and excessive consumption of antimicrobials. Evidence is needed about the best surgical procedure and the duration of antibiotic treatment according to the age of the implant or onset of infection symptoms, as it considers the biofilm formation and the state of fracture healing. There were not clinical trials evaluating the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy in IOM when implant is retained. Because there are antibiotics that have proven to be effective for the treatment of infection associated to implant, mainly in PJI, these antibiotics could be used in these infections. Investigating whether shorter duration of treatment is a priority in infectious diseases, as a way to reduce the exposure to antibiotics and help in controlling antimicrobial resistance and avoiding unnecessary adverse events and cost. We aim to describe the hypothesis, objectives, design, variables and procedures for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial comparing different durations of antibiotic treatment in IOM after long bone fractures treated with debridement and implant retention. METHODS AND DESIGN: This is a multicenter, open-label, non-inferiority, randomized, controlled, pragmatic phase 3 trial, comparing different durations of antibiotic treatment in IOM after long bone fractures treated with debridement and implant retention. Patients with microbiologically confirmed IOM will be included. Eligible patients are those older than 14 years, with early IOM (up to 2 weeks after the implant surgery) and delayed IOM (between 3 and 10 weeks after the implant surgery) with stabilized fracture and absence of bone exposure who sign the informed consent. Randomization will be 1:1 to receive a short-term antibiotic treatment (8 weeks in early IOM and 12 weeks in delayed IOM) or a long-term antibiotic treatment (12 weeks in early IOM or until fracture healing or implant removal in delayed IOM). The antibiotic treatment will be that used in routine practice by the specialist in infectious diseases. The primary outcome is the composited variable "cure" that includes clinical cure, radiological healing, and definitive soft tissue coverage, which will be evaluated in the test of cure at 12 months after the end of antibiotic therapy. Adverse events, resistance development during therapy and functional status will be collected. A total of 364 patients are needed to show a 10% non-inferiority margin, with 80% power and 5% one-sided significance level. DISCUSSION: If the hypothesis of non-inferiority of short vs. long antibiotic treatments is demonstrated, and the efficacy of antibiotics with less ecological impact in long treatments, the impact on reduction of bacterial resistance, toxicity and health costs will be observed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05294796) on Jan 26th 2022 and at the European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials (EUDRACT) (2021-003914-38) on Jul 16th 2021. The Sponsor Study Code is DURATIOM.

625. Rapid screening of sixty potato cultivars for starch profiles to address a consumer glycemic dilemma.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Rivas R, Dratz E, Wagner T

626. Toward improvement of knowledge of financial conflicts of interest in a large medical school in France.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Alexandra JF, Roux D, Maisonneuve H

627. Interactions between physiology and behaviour provide insights into the ecological role of venom in Australian funnel-web spiders: Interspecies comparison.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Duran LH, Wilson DT, Salih M

Australian funnel-web spiders are iconic species, characterized as being the most venomous spiders in the world. They are also valued for the therapeutics and natural bioinsecticides potentially hidden in their venom molecules. Although numerous biochemical and molecular structural approaches have tried to determine the factors driving venom complexity, these approaches have not considered behaviour, physiology and environmental conditions collectively, which can play a role in the evolution, complexity, and function of venom components in funnel-webs. This study used a novel interdisciplinary approach to understand the relationships between different behaviours (assessed in different ecological contexts) and morphophysiological variables (body condition, heart rate) that may affect venom composition in four species of Australian funnel-web spiders. We tested defensiveness, huddling behaviour, frequency of climbing, and activity for all species in three ecological contexts: i) predation using both indirect (puff of air) and direct (prodding) stimuli; ii) conspecific tolerance; and iii) exploration of a new territory. We also assessed morphophysiological variables and venom composition of all species. For Hadronyche valida, the expression of some venom components was associated with heart rate and defensiveness during the predation context. However, we did not find any associations between behavioural traits and morphophysiological variables in the other species, suggesting that particular associations may be species-specific. When we assessed differences between species, we found that the species separated out based on the venom profiles, while activity and heart rate are likely more affected by individual responses and microhabitat conditions. This study demonstrates how behavioural and morphophysiological traits are correlated with venom composition and contributes to a broader understanding of the function and evolution of venoms in funnel-web spiders.

628. Unplanned pregnancy and the association with maternal health and pregnancy outcomes: A Swedish cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Carlander A, Hultstrand JN, Reuterwall I

OBJECTIVES: Unplanned pregnancies are common and associated with late initiation and inadequate antenatal care attendance, which may pose health risks to mother and child. How pregnancy planning relates to maternal health and delivery in Sweden, a country with free antenatal care and free abortion, has not been studied previously. Our aims were to study whether pregnancy planning was associated with antenatal care utilization and pregnancy outcomes in a Swedish setting. METHODS: Data for 2953 women, who answered a questionnaire when recruited at antenatal clinics in Sweden and later gave birth, was linked to the Swedish Medical Birth Register. The degree of pregnancy planning was estimated using the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy. Unplanned (comprising unplanned and ambivalent intention to pregnancy) was compared to planned pregnancy. Differences between women with unplanned and planned pregnancy intention and associated pregnancy outcomes were analyzed using Fisher's exact test and logistic regression. RESULTS: There were 31% unplanned (2% unplanned and 29% ambivalent) pregnancies, whereas most woman (69%) reported their pregnancy to be planned. Women with an unplanned pregnancy enrolled later to antenatal care, but there was no difference in number of visits compared with planned pregnancy. Women with an unplanned pregnancy had higher odds to have induced labor (17% versus 13%; aOR 1.33 95% CI 1.06-1.67) and a longer hospital stay (41% versus 37%; aOR 1.21 95% CI 1.02-1.44). No associations were found between pregnancy planning and pregnancy-induced hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, epidural analgesia use, vacuum extraction delivery, Caesarean section or sphincter rupture. CONCLUSIONS: Unplanned pregnancy was associated with delayed initiation of antenatal care, higher odds for induction of labor and longer hospital stay, but not with any severe pregnancy outcomes. These findings suggest that women with an unplanned pregnancy cope well in a setting with free abortion and free health care.

629. Deep learning generates custom-made logistic regression models for explaining how breast cancer subtypes are classified.

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Shibahara T, Wada C, Yamashita Y

630. Inoculation and colonization of the entomopathogenic fungi, Isaria javanica and Purpureocillium lilacinum, in tomato plants, and their effect on seedling growth, mortality and adult emergence of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius).

PLoS One

2023 May 22

Sani I, Jamian S, Saad N

631. Using ecosystem health and welfare assessments to determine impacts of wild collection for public aquariums.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Fischer B, Pempek J, George KA

632. Contributions of low- and high-level contextual mechanisms to human face perception.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Canoluk MU, Moors P, Goffaux V.

633. Predictors of homebirth amidst COVID-19 pandemic among women attending health facilities in Wondo Genet, Sidama Region, Ethiopia: A case control study.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Gaga AG, Abebo TA, Simachew Y.

BACKGROUND: In developing countries, home delivery increases the risk of maternal and perinatal mortality. Despite this, home deliveries account for a considerable share of deliveries in developing nations such as Ethiopia. Evidence on factors that affect homebirth is required for the measures needed to overcome these conditions. OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of homebirth among women attending health facilities in Wondo Genet, Sidama Region. METHODS: Unmatched case-control study was conducted from May to June 2021 among 308 mothers (102 cases and 206 controls) who recently delivered and visited either postnatal care or sought immunization service at public health facilities of Wondo Genet. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Epi-Data version 3.1 was used for data entry, and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used for data analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the determinants of homebirth. The association between the outcome variable and independent variables was declared statistically significant at a P-value < 0.05 with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) in a multivariable model. RESULTS: Rural residence [AOR: 3.41; 95%CI: 1.58-7.39], lifetime physical IPV [AOR: 2.35; 95%CI: 1.06-5.17], grand-multiparity [AOR: 5.36; 95%CI: 1.68-17.08], non-use of contraception before recent pregnancy [AOR: 5.82; 95%CI: 2.49-13.60], >30 min to reach health facility [AOR: 2.14; 95%CI: 1.02-4.51], and lack of facemask [AOR: 2.69; 95%CI: 1.25-5.77] were statistically significant predictors of homebirth. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The access gap to maternity services should be narrowed between rural and urban women. Healthcare programs concerning women's empowerment could help reduce persistent intimate partner violence. Family planning needs to be promoted, and multiparous women should be counseled on the adverse obstetric consequences of homebirth. The devastating effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on maternity services should be prevented.

634. Isolation of strains and their genome sequencing to analyze the mating system of Ophiocordyceps robertsii.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Xu M, Ashley NA, Vaghefi N

635. Analyzing group communication dynamics and content in a common-pool resource experiment.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Hoffmann P, Villamayor-Tomas S, Lopez MC.

636. The burden of chronic diseases, disease-stratified exploration and gender-differentiated healthcare utilisation among patients in Bangladesh.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Mahumud RA, Gow J, Mosharaf MP

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases are considered one of the major causes of illness, disability, and death worldwide. Chronic illness leads to a huge health and economic burden, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study examined disease-stratified healthcare utilisation (HCU) among Bangladesh patients with chronic diseases from a gender perspective. METHODS: Data from the nationally representative Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016-2017 consisting of 12,005 patients with diagnosed chronic diseases was used. Gender differentiated chronic disease stratified-analytical exploration was performed to identify the potential factors to higher or lower utilisation of healthcare services. Logistic regression with step-by-step adjustment for independent confounding factors was the method used. RESULTS: The five most prevalent chronic diseases among patients were gastric/ulcer (Male/Female, M/F: 16.77%/16.40%), arthritis/rheumatism (M/F: 13.70%/ 13.86%), respiratory diseases/asthma/bronchitis (M/F: 12.09% / 12.55%), chronic heart disease (M/F: 8.30% / 7.41%), and blood pressure (M/F: 8.20% / 8.87%). Eighty-six percent of patients with chronic diseases utilised health care services during the previous 30 days. Although most patients received outpatient healthcare services, a substantial difference in HCU among employed male (53%) and female (8%) patients were observed. Chronic heart disease patients were more likely to utilise health care than other disease types, which held true for both genders while the magnitude of HCU was significantly higher in males (OR = 2.22; 95% CI:1.51-3.26) than their female counterparts (OR = 1.44; 1.02-2.04). A similar association was observed among patients with diabetes and respiratory diseases. CONCLUSION: A burden of chronic diseases was observed in Bangladesh. Patients with chronic heart disease utilised more healthcare services than patients experiencing other chronic diseases. The distribution of HCU varied by patient's gender as well as their employment status. Risk-pooling mechanisms and access to free or low-cost healthcare services among the most disadvantaged people in society might enhance reaching universal health coverage.

637. Rocks, lichens, and woody litter influenced the soil invertebrate density in upland tundra heath.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Jegede OO, Standen KM, Siciliano S

638. Rerupture outcome of conservative versus open repair versus minimally invasive repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Deng H, Cheng X, Yang Y

639. Parents of children with hearing loss: Impact and exposure of COVID-19 on mental health.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Cejas I, Sanchez C, Holcomb M

640. Optimal controllers resembling postural sway during upright stance.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Jafari H, Gustafsson T.

641. Femoral posture during embryonic and early fetal development: An analysis using landmarks on the cartilaginous skeletons of ex vivo human specimens.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Takakuwa T, Saizonou MA, Fujii S

The pre-axial border medially moves between the fetal and early postnatal periods, and the foot sole can be placed on the ground. Nonetheless, the precise timeline when this posture is achieved remains poorly understood. The hip joint is the most freely movable joint in the lower limbs and largely determines the lower-limb posture. The present study aimed to establish a timeline of lower-limb development using a precise measurement of femoral posture. Magnetic resonance images of 157 human embryonic samples (Carnegie stages [CS] 19-23) and 18 fetal samples (crown rump length: 37.2-225 mm) from the Kyoto Collection were obtained. Three-dimensional coordinates of eight selected landmarks in the lower limbs and pelvis were used to calculate the femoral posture. Hip flexion was approximately 14° at CS19 and gradually increased to approximately 65° at CS23; the flexion angle ranged from 90° to 120° during the fetal period. Hip joint abduction was approximately 78° at CS19 and gradually decreased to approximately 27° at CS23; the average angle was approximately 13° during the fetal period. Lateral rotation was greater than 90° at CS19 and CS21 and decreased to approximately 65° at CS23; the average angle was approximately 43° during the fetal period. During the embryonic period, three posture parameters (namely, flexion, abduction, and lateral rotation of the hip) were linearly correlated with each other, suggesting that the femoral posture at each stage was three-dimensionally constant and exhibited gradual and smooth change according to growth. During the fetal period, these parameters varied among individuals, with no obvious trend. Our study has merits in that lengths and angles were measured on anatomical landmarks of the skeletal system. Our obtained data may contribute to understanding development from anatomical aspects and provide valuable insights for clinical application.

642. The potential effects of untreated sleep-related breathing disorders on neuropathic pain, spasticity, and cardiovascular dysfunction following spinal cord injury: A cross-sectional prospective study protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Furlan JC, Loh E, Boulos MI.

643. A correlation coefficient-based feature selection approach for virus-host protein-protein interaction prediction.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Ibrahim AH, Karabulut OC, Karpuzcu BA

644. Special education teachers' mental health after reopening schools during Covid-19.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Hesham Abdou Ahmed G.

645. Open ocean and coastal strains of the N2-fixing cyanobacterium UCYN-A have distinct transcriptomes.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Muñoz-Marín MDC, Magasin JD, Zehr JP.

646. Isolation of salivary cell-free DNA for cancer detection.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Brooks PJ, Malkin EZ, De Michino S

Saliva is an emerging source of disease biomarkers, particularly for cancers of the head and neck. Although analysis of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in saliva holds promise as a liquid biopsy for cancer detection, currently there are no standardized methodologies for the collection and isolation of saliva for the purposes of studying DNA. Here, we evaluated various saliva collection receptacles and DNA purification techniques, comparing DNA quantity, fragment size, source, and stability. Then, using our optimized techniques, we tested the ability to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA- a bona fide cancer biomarker in a subset of head and neck cancers- from patient saliva samples. For saliva collection, we found that the Oragene OG-600 receptacle yielded the highest concentration of total salivary DNA as well as short fragments <300 bp corresponding to mononucleosomal cell-free DNA. Moreover, these short fragments were stabilized beyond 48 hours after collection in contrast to other saliva collection receptacles. For DNA purification from saliva, the QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid kit yielded the highest concentration of mononucleosome-sized DNA fragments. Freeze-thaw of saliva samples did not affect DNA yield or fragment size distribution. Salivary DNA isolated from the OG-600 receptacle was found to be composed of both single and double-stranded DNA, including mitochondrial and microbial sources. While levels of nuclear DNA were consistent over time, levels of mitochondrial and microbial DNA were more variable and increased 48 hours after collection. Finally, we found that HPV DNA was stable in OG-600 receptacles, was reliably detected within the saliva of patients with HPV-positive head and neck cancer, and was abundant among mononucleosome-sized cell-free DNA fragments. Our studies have defined optimal techniques for isolating DNA from saliva that will contribute to future applications in liquid biopsy-based cancer detection.

647. An Affordable phototherapy intensity meter using machine learning to improve the quality of care system for Hyperbilirubinemia in Indonesia.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Kristian Y, Sampurna MTA, Susanto EK

648. A preliminary assessment of spatial variation of water quality of Ratuwa river.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Shrestha AK, Rai M, Pokhrel J

649. Two-year outcome of half-time photodynamic therapy for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy with and without choroidal neovascularization.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Kamimura A, Miki A, Kishi M

650. The impact of war on HIV/AIDS service provision: In rural health facilities of Tigray, northern Ethiopia, a cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Weledegebriel MG, Abebe HT, Gidey K

651. A deep learning-based application for COVID-19 diagnosis on CT: The Imaging COVID-19 AI initiative.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Topff L, Sánchez-García J, López-González R

BACKGROUND: Recently, artificial intelligence (AI)-based applications for chest imaging have emerged as potential tools to assist clinicians in the diagnosis and management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). OBJECTIVES: To develop a deep learning-based clinical decision support system for automatic diagnosis of COVID-19 on chest CT scans. Secondarily, to develop a complementary segmentation tool to assess the extent of lung involvement and measure disease severity. METHODS: The Imaging COVID-19 AI initiative was formed to conduct a retrospective multicentre cohort study including 20 institutions from seven different European countries. Patients with suspected or known COVID-19 who underwent a chest CT were included. The dataset was split on the institution-level to allow external evaluation. Data annotation was performed by 34 radiologists/radiology residents and included quality control measures. A multi-class classification model was created using a custom 3D convolutional neural network. For the segmentation task, a UNET-like architecture with a backbone Residual Network (ResNet-34) was selected. RESULTS: A total of 2,802 CT scans were included (2,667 unique patients, mean [standard deviation] age = 64.6 [16.2] years, male/female ratio 1.3:1). The distribution of classes (COVID-19/Other type of pulmonary infection/No imaging signs of infection) was 1,490 (53.2%), 402 (14.3%), and 910 (32.5%), respectively. On the external test dataset, the diagnostic multiclassification model yielded high micro-average and macro-average AUC values (0.93 and 0.91, respectively). The model provided the likelihood of COVID-19 vs other cases with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 94%. The segmentation performance was moderate with Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 0.59. An imaging analysis pipeline was developed that returned a quantitative report to the user. CONCLUSION: We developed a deep learning-based clinical decision support system that could become an efficient concurrent reading tool to assist clinicians, utilising a newly created European dataset including more than 2,800 CT scans.

652. Treatment failure and associated factors among people living with HIV on highly active antiretroviral therapy in mainland China: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Niu D, Tang H, Chen F

OBJECTIVE: Reducing the prevalence of treatment failure among people living with HIV (PLHIV) on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is crucial for improving individual health and reducing disease burden. This study aimed to assess existing evidence on treatment failure and its associated factors among PLHIV in mainland China. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, WanFang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and SinoMed databases. Relevant studies on treatment failure among PLHIV in mainland China until September 2022 were searched, including cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies. The primary outcome was treatment failure, and secondary outcomes were the potential influencing factors of treatment failure. We performed a meta-analysis to pool each outcome of interest, including meta-regression, subgroup, publication bias, and sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: A total of 81 studies were deemed eligible and included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled treatment failure prevalence among PLHIV in mainland China was 14.40% (95% confidence interval [CI]:12.30-16.63), of which the virological and immunological failure prevalence was 10.53% (95%CI:8.51-12.74) and 18.75% (95%CI:15.44-22.06), respectively. The treatment failure prevalence before and after 2016 was 18.96% (95%CI:13.84-24.67) and 13.19% (95%CI:10.91-15.64). Factors associated with treatment failure included good treatment adherence (odds ratio [OR] = 0.36, 95%CI:0.26-0.51), baseline CD4 counts>200 cells/μL (OR = 0.39, 95%CI:0.21-0.75), HAART regimens containing Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF) (OR = 0.70, 95%CI:0.54-0.92), WHO clinical stage III/IV (OR = 2.02, 95%CI:1.14-3.59) and age≥40 years (OR = 1.56, 95%CI:1.23-1.97). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of treatment failure among PLHIV receiving HAART in mainland China was low and tended to decline. Poor adherence, low baseline CD4 count, HAART regimens without TDF, advanced clinical stage, and old age were contributing factors for treatment failure. Relevant intervention programs are needed with increasing treatment adherence through behavioral intervention or precise intervention targeting older adults.

653. User experience of a hepatitis c population management dashboard in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Yakovchenko V, Jacob DA, Rogal SS

654. In situ assessment of Mindin as a biomarker of podocyte lesions in diabetic nephropathy.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Martins ALMDS, Bernardes AB, Ferreira VA

655. Association of viral kinetics, infection history, NS1 protein with plasma leakage among Indonesian dengue infected patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Nainggolan L, Dewi BE, Hakiki A

OBJECTIVES: Plasma leakage, a hallmark of disease in Dengue virus (DENV) infection, is an important clinical manifestation and is often associated with numerous factors such as viral factors. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of virus serotype, viral load kinetics, history of infection, and NS1 protein with plasma leakage. METHODS: Subjects with fever ≤ 48 hours and positive DENV infection were included. Serial laboratory tests, viral load measurements, and ultrasonography examination to assess plasma leakage were performed. RESULTS: DENV-3 was the most common serotype found in the plasma leakage group (35%). Patients with plasma leakage demonstrated a trend of higher viral load and a longer duration of viremia compared to those without. This was significantly observed on the fourth day of fever (p = 0.037). We found higher viral loads on specific days in patients with plasma leakage in both primary and secondary infections compared to those without. In addition, we also observed more rapid viral clearance in patients with secondary infection. NS1 protein, especially after 4 days of fever, was associated with higher peak viral load level, even though it was not statistically significant (p = 0.470). However, pairwise comparison demonstrated that peak viral load level in the group of patients with circulating NS1 detected for 7 days was significantly higher than the 5-day group (p = 0.037). CONCLUSION: DENV-3 was the most common serotype to cause plasma leakage. Patients with plasma leakage showed a trend of higher viral load and a longer duration of viremia. Higher level of viral load was observed significantly on day 5 in patients with primary infection and more rapid viral clearance was observed in patients with secondary infection. Longer duration of circulating NS1 protein was also seen to be positively correlated with higher peak viral load level although not statistically significant.

656. Mitochondrial decline in the ageing old world primate retina: Little evidence for difference between the centre and periphery.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Kam JH, Shinhmar H, Powner MB

657. Propofol anesthesia decreases the incidence of new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation compared to desflurane in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: A retrospective single-center study.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Tajima K, Yamakawa K, Kuwabara Y

658. Health inequalities for older people from minority ethnic groups receiving palliative care and end of life care: A scoping review protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Aker N, Frost R, Walters K

OBJECTIVE: The proposed scoping review aims to explore international literature on how older people from minority ethnic groups engage with and utilise palliative and end of life care, investigate the barriers and facilitators, and compare how this varies between ethnicities and health conditions. INTRODUCTION: Minority ethnic groups make up substantial parts of the populations of many countries around the world. Research has found that there are disparities in access to palliative care and end of life care among minority ethnic groups. Language barriers, cultural values, and socio-demographic factors have been cited as preventing access to quality palliative and end of life care. However, it is unclear how these barriers and inequalities differ across different minority ethnic groups in different countries, and across different health conditions within these groups. INCLUSION CRITERIA: The population will be older people of different minority ethnic groups who are receiving palliative or end of life care, family caregivers, and health and social care professionals. The sources of information will include quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research, and sources that focus on minority ethnic groups' interactions with palliative and end of life care. METHODS: A scoping review guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Searches of MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Assia, and the Cochrane Library will be conducted. Citation tracking, reference list checking and grey literature searches will be undertaken. Data will be extracted, charted and summarised descriptively. IMPLICATIONS: This review will highlight the health inequalities present in palliative and end of life care, the research gaps in understudied minority ethnic populations, locations where further study is required, and how barriers and facilitators differ across different ethnic groups and health conditions. The results of this review will be shared with stakeholders and will provide evidence-based recommendations for inclusive palliative and end of life care.

659. Smaller preferred interpersonal distance for joint versus parallel action.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Schmitz L, Reader AT.

660. Evaluating the effects of radiation and acoustically-stimulated microbubble therapy in an in vivo breast cancer model.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Sharma D, Tarapacki CM, Kandavel H

661. Adverse childhood experiences and pre-pregnancy body mass index in the HUNT study: A population-based cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Sandsæter HL, Eik-Nes TT, Getz LO

662. Salivary and serum periostin in kidney transplant recipients.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Aghamir SMK, Amiri M, Panahi G

663. The influence of executive functions on eye-hand span and piano performance during sight-reading.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Imai-Matsumura K, Mutou M.

The ability to perform an unrehearsed piece of music, or sight-read, is a skill required by music performers. In sight-reading, the performer reads and plays the music simultaneously, which requires the coordination of visual, auditory, and motor processing. While performing, they display a characteristic called eye-hand span, in which the part of the score being looked at precedes the part being played. They must recognize, decipher, and process the score in the time between reading a note and playing it. An individual's executive function (EF) that control their cognition, emotions, and behavior may be involved in overseeing these individual movements. However, no study has investigated how EF is related to the eye-hand span and performance during sight-reading. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to clarify the relationships among EF, eye-hand span, and piano performance. Thirty-nine Japanese pianists and college students aspiring to be pianists with an average of 33.3 years of experience participated in this study. They performed sight-reading of two types of music scores with different difficulty levels while their eye movements were measured using an eye tracker to obtain their eye-hand span. The core EFs of inhibition, working memory, and shifting, were measured directly for each participant. Piano performance was evaluated by two pianists who did not participate in the study. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the results. The results showed that auditory working memory predicted eye-hand span (β = .73, p < .001 in easy score; β = .65, p < .001 in difficult score), and eye-hand span predicted performance (β = .57, p < .001 in easy score; β = .56, p < .001 in difficult score). Auditory working memory did not directly affect performance, but through eye-hand span. The eye-hand span for easy scores was significantly greater than that for difficult scores. Furthermore, in a difficult music score, the shifting ability predicted higher piano performance. These suggest that the input of notes from the eyes becomes sound in the brain and activates the auditory working memory, which is then transmitted to finger movement, resulting in piano performance. In addition, it was suggested that shifting ability is also needed to perform difficult scores.

664. Association of health-risk behaviors with perceived academic performance among middle and high school students: A cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Luo C, Wang X, Yang Y

665. A CT-based transfer learning approach to predict NSCLC recurrence: The added-value of peritumoral region.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Bove S, Fanizzi A, Fadda F

666. Dietary magnesium intakes among women of reproductive age in Ghana-A comparison of two dietary analysis programs.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Bentil HJ, Adu-Afarwuah S, Rossi JS

667. Groundhog Day in the emergency department: A systematic review of 20 years of news coverage in Australia.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Austin EE, Lanos N, Hutchinson K

668. Association between smoking behavior and serum uric acid among the adults: Findings from a national cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Jang YS, Nerobkova N, Yun I

669. Analyzing the innovation ability of listed companies in the core area of the Huaihai economic zone.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Liu QX.

670. Systematic induced resistance in Solanum lycopersicum (L.) against vascular wilt pathogen (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici) by Citrullus colocynthis and Trichoderma viride.

PLoS One

2023 May 2

Ponsankar A, Senthil-Nathan S, Vasantha-Srinivasan P

671. Molecular detection and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli in broiler chicken farms in Malaysia.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Lemlem M, Aklilu E, Mohammed M

672. Introducing an rbcL and a trnL reference library to aid in the metabarcoding analysis of foraged plants from two semi-arid eastern South African savanna bioregions.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Botha D, du Plessis M, Siebert F

Success of a metabarcoding study is determined by the extent of taxonomic coverage and the quality of records available in the DNA barcode reference database used. This study aimed to create an rbcL and a trnL (UAA) DNA barcode sequence reference database of plant species that are potential herbivore foraging targets and commonly found in semi-arid savannas of eastern South Africa. An area-specific species list of 765 species was compiled according to plant collection records available and areas comparable to an eastern semi-arid South African savanna. Thereafter, rbcL and trnL sequences of species from this list were mined from GenBank and BOLD sequence databases according to specific quality criteria to ensure accurate taxonomic coverage and resolution. These were supplemented with sequences of 24 species sequenced for this study. A phylogenetic approach, employing Neighbor-Joining, was used to verify the topology of the reference libraries to known angiosperm phylogeny. The taxonomic reliability of these reference libraries was evaluated by testing for the presence of a barcode gap, identifying a data-appropriate identification threshold, and determining the identification accuracy of reference sequences via primary distance-based criteria. The final rbcL reference dataset consisted of 1238 sequences representing 318 genera and 562 species. The final trnL dataset consisted of 921 sequences representing 270 genera and 461 species. Barcode gaps were found for 76% of the taxa in the rbcL barcode reference dataset and 68% of the taxa in the trnL barcode reference dataset. The identification success rate, calculated with the k-nn criterion was 85.86% for the rbcL dataset and 73.72% for the trnL dataset. The datasets for rbcL and trnL combined during this study are not presented as complete DNA reference libraries, but rather as two datasets that should be used in unison to identify plants present in the semi-arid eastern savannas of South Africa.

673. Root microbiome diversity and structure of the Sonoran desert buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare L.).

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Jara-Servin A, Silva A, Barajas H

674. PCNA Ser46-Leu47 residues are crucial in preserving genomic integrity.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Kim S, Kim Y, Kim Y

675. Lived experiences of disabled individuals living in Bahir Dar City, North West Ethiopia, a phenomenological study.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Jemberu L, Wasihun Y, Anagaw TF

BACKGROUND: When an individual's activities and performances in a normal environment are limited in nature, function, or quality, that person is considered to have a disability. Although many studies on disabled people's lived experiences have been conducted around the world, there is still a significant gap between nations in multiple cases such as culture, economic status, and the recommendation of a previous study in Ethiopia, which is one reason for conducting this research. OBJECTIVES: To explore the lived experiences of disabled individuals living in Bahir Dar City. METHODS: A descriptive phenomenology study design was employed in Bahir Dar city on 15 disabled individuals from November 15 to December 20, 2022. A heterogeneous purposive sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data was collected by using an in-depth interview. The rigor and trustworthiness of the study were maintained by transferability, dependability, credibility, and conformability. Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method was used for the development of codes and themes. Software (ATLAS. ti 7) version 7.5.6 was used for analysis. RESULT: Five major themes and fourteen sub-themes were developed that explain lived experiences of disabled individuals. Physical, psychological, social, economic and coping strategy experiences were major themes. Depression and negative emotional behavior were sub-themes under psychological experiences. Unemployment with the absence of a workplace and inadequate income were sub-themes under the economical experiences of participants. CONCLUSION: In this qualitative interview study, the lived experience of individuals living with disability in Bahir Dar city were addressed in terms of the physical, psychological, social, economic, and coping mechanism experience of disabled individuals. Special needs professionals and social support groups should have been assigned and present in all institutions to serve the PwDs to assure equal accessibility of services.

676. Inflorescences of Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae): Diversity, evolution and relationships with breeding systems and fruit dehiscence modes.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Glofcheskie M, Long T, Ho A

Cuscuta (dodder) includes ca. 200 species of plant obligate stem parasites with enormous ecological and economical significance. Inflorescences have been historically used in Cuscuta for species descriptions and identification keys, but no comprehensive study exists to date. The main objectives of this study were to survey the diversity and evolution of inflorescences and to uncover their possible form-function relationships. The inflorescence architecture of 132 Cuscuta taxa was analysed using herbarium specimens and eight species were grown to study their inflorescence development. Inflorescence traits were mapped into a genus phylogeny obtained from a combined analysis of nuclear ITS and plastid trnL-F sequences. To test the hypothesis that inflorescence architecture is connected to sexual reproduction, correlations between inflorescence traits (using Principal Components), sexual reproductive traits (pollen/ovule ratios, corolla length and diameter), fruit charaters (fruit length and width), and the modes of dehiscence were analyzed. Based on their development, three major types of inflorescences were observed: "Cuscuta type", a simple, monochasial scorpioid cyme; "Monogynella type", a compound monochasial scorpioid cymes with the longest primary axes having prolonged vegetative growth and giving the appearance of thyrses; and "Grammica type", a compound monochasial scorpiod cymes with up to five orders of axes. Maximum likelihood analyses suggested Monogynella as the ancestral type, while Cuscuta and Grammica were derived. Overall, the total length of axes exhibited a reduction trend throughout the genus evolution, but it was not correlated with the pedicels length. Inflorescences with similar architectures may exhibit contrasting pollen-ovule ratios. Positive significant correlations were noted between the size of the flower traits and pollen-ovule ratios. Several modes of dehiscence had statistically significant different total axes lengths, suggesting that the infructescence architecture is connected to the modes of dehiscence in Cuscuta and therefore seed dispersal.

677. Large genomic deletions delineate Mycobacterium tuberculosis L4 sublineages in South American countries.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Baena A, Cabarcas F, Ocampo JC

678. Exploring the perception of barriers to a dual career by student-athletes with/out disabilities.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Vaquero-Cristóbal R, Maciá-Andreu MJ, Díaz-Aroca Á

679. Floral hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) responses to nitrogen fertilization under field conditions in the high desert.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Farnisa MM, Miller GC, Solomon JKQ

680. E-learning and E-modules in medical education-A SOAR analysis using perception of undergraduate students.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Prabu Kumar A, Omprakash A, Chokkalingam Mani PK

BACKGROUND: Application of e-learning and e-modules in medical education has been shown to have a positive impact on learning outcomes among all types of learners, across diverse educational settings. Despite its benefits, e-learning and e-modules has not yet reached its full potential in medical education in India. Objective of this study is to evaluate the perception of undergraduate students regarding e-learning and e-modules using an appreciative inquiry tool SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results) analysis, and to identify the barriers and challenges for the same. METHODS: This longitudinal study was conducted among participants from three consecutive batches (n = 250 x 3) of first-year medical students and two consecutive batches (n = 100 x 2) of first-year dental students. The sample was selected using a purposive sampling method. Two structured and validated questionnaires were developed for this study based on the modified Zhou's Mixed Methods Model; the 'Knowledge, Attitude and Practice' Questionnaire (KAPQ) on e-learning and the feedback questionnaire (FBQ) on e-modules. The questionnaires were administered via MOODLE / hard copy, before and after the implementation of e-modules, respectively. Identified strengths, potential opportunities, probable aspirations and likely results for e-learning and e-modules were tabulated based on the qualitative analysis of perceptions of large number students sampled across three years. RESULTS: Six hundred and ninety students returned both questionnaires representing a response rate of 76.6%. Nine themes were identified in the "Strengths" domain as follows: Regular Update of Knowledge, Innovative Learning, Availability, Knowledge Sharing, Abundance of Information, Accessibility, Source of Knowledge, Creativity, and Increased Engagement. Eleven themes were identified in the "Opportunities" domain as follows: Clinical Skills training, Timesaving, Flexibility, Creativity, Increased engagement, Standardized content, Capacity building for students, Capacity building for faculty, Skills training, and Self-assessment. Thirteen themes were identified under the "Aspirations" domain with the three key themes being "maintaining and building on current strengths", "increasing potential opportunities", and "addressing the barriers and challenges identified in the responses to the KAPQ and FBQ questionnaire". Four themes identified for 'Barriers' were eye strain, distractions, preference for conventional methodologies, and internet connectivity. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this qualitative study are based on the responses received from first-year medical and dental students of a Private University in Chennai, India. In this population of students, implementation of e-learning as blended learning using structured and interactive e-modules may provide more engagement during learning as well as support self-directed learning (SDL) directly or indirectly. Adoption of blended learning with e-modules as an integral part of curriculum planning may be beneficial for the achievement of Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) goals in India.

681. Spiny mice (Acomys) cells fail to engraft in NOD scid gamma.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Gaire J, Supper V, Montgomery D

682. School attendance among refugee children with disabilities residing in South Africa: A cross-sectional, descriptive study.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

De Wet-Billings N, Mabetha K.

683. Factors associated with long-term gastrointestinal symptoms in colorectal cancer survivors in the women's health initiatives (WHI study).

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Han CJ, Reding KW, Kalady MF

684. Staging LaParoscopy to Assess Lymph NOde InvoLvement in Advanced GAstric Cancer (POLA)-Study protocol for a single-arm prospective observational multicenter study.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Rawicz-Pruszyński K, Sędłak K, Pelc Z

685. Genetic variation in promoter region of the bovine LAP3 gene associated with estimated breeding values of milk production traits and clinical mastitis in dairy cattle.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Worku D, Gowane G, Verma A.

The purpose of this study was to identify genetic variants in the promoter and 5'UTR regions of bovine leucine amino peptidase three (LAP3) gene and analysed their associations with estimated breeding values (EBVs) of milk production traits and clinical mastitis in Sahiwal and Karan Fries cattle. Eleven SNPs were identified within the region under study of the LAP3 gene, including seven promoter variants (rs717156555: C>G, rs720373055: T>C, rs715189731: A>G, rs516876447: A>G, rs461857269: C>T, rs136548163: C>T, and rs720349928: G>A) and four 5'UTR variants (rs717884982: C>T, rs722359733: C>T, rs481631804: C>T and rs462932574: T>G). Out of them, 10 SNPs variants were found in both Sahiwal and Karan Fries cattle, with one SNP variant (rs481631804: C>T) being unique to Karan Fries cattle. Seven of these identified SNPs were chosen for association analyses. Individual SNP based association analysis revealed that two SNPs (rs720373055: T>C and rs720349928: G>A) were significantly associated with EBVs of lactation milk yield (LMY), 305-day milk yield (305dMY), and one significant association of SNP rs722359733: C>T with lactation length (LL) was observed. Haplotype based association analysis indicated that diplotypes are significantly associated with EBVs of LMY, 305dMY, and LL, individuals with H1H3 (CTACGCT/GCGTACG) being linked to higher lactation performance than other diplotypes. Further logistic regression analysis revealed that, animals with diplotype H1H3 was less susceptible to the incidence of clinical mastitis than other cows, as the odds ratio for the non-incidence of clinical mastitis was found to be low. Altogether, variations in the LAP3 gene promoter could be used as a genetic marker, most notably diplotype H1H3, may greatly benefit the simultaneous improvement of mastitis resistance and milk yield traits in dairy cattle. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis predicted that the SNPs rs720373055: T>C, rs715189731:A>G and rs720349928: G>A is located in the core promoter region and in TFBs, play key role in regulation of studied phenotypes.

686. HIV infection and cardiovascular disease have both shared and distinct monocyte gene expression features: Women's Interagency HIV study.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Lin J, Ehinger E, Hanna DB

687. Biochemical characterization of an alkaline and detergent-stable Lipase from Fusarium annulatum Bugnicourt strain CBS associated with olive tree dieback.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Dab A, Hasnaoui I, Mechri S

688. A complex systems model of breast cancer etiology: The Paradigm II Model.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Hiatt RA, Worden L, Rehkopf D

689. A highly sensitive vertical plug-in source drain high Schottky barrier bilateral gate controlled bidirectional tunnel field effect transistor.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Liu X, Li M, Wu M

690. Identifying essential genes in genome-scale metabolic models of consensus molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Cheng CT, Lai JM, Chang PM

Identifying essential targets in the genome-scale metabolic networks of cancer cells is a time-consuming process. The present study proposed a fuzzy hierarchical optimization framework for identifying essential genes, metabolites and reactions. On the basis of four objectives, the present study developed a framework for identifying essential targets that lead to cancer cell death and evaluating metabolic flux perturbations in normal cells that have been caused by cancer treatment. Through fuzzy set theory, a multiobjective optimization problem was converted into a trilevel maximizing decision-making (MDM) problem. We applied nested hybrid differential evolution to solve the trilevel MDM problem to identify essential targets in genome-scale metabolic models for five consensus molecular subtypes (CMSs) of colorectal cancer. We used various media to identify essential targets for each CMS and discovered that most targets affected all five CMSs and that some genes were CMS-specific. We obtained experimental data on the lethality of cancer cell lines from the DepMap database to validate the identified essential genes. The results reveal that most of the identified essential genes were compatible with the colorectal cancer cell lines obtained from DepMap and that these genes, with the exception of EBP, LSS, and SLC7A6, could generate a high level of cell death when knocked out. The identified essential genes were mostly involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolisms, and the glycerophospholipid biosynthetic pathway. The genes involved in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway were also revealed to be determinable, if a cholesterol uptake reaction was not induced when the cells were in the culture medium. However, the genes involved in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway became non-essential if such a reaction was induced. Furthermore, the essential gene CRLS1 was revealed as a medium-independent target for all CMSs.

691. Engagement with life and psychological well-being in late adulthood: Findings from community-based programs in Portugal.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Bastos A, Monteiro J, Barbosa R

OBJECTIVES: Human aging is a multidirectional, multidimensional, and multicausal process that reflects biological, psychological, and sociocultural influences, which act in distinct combinations throughout the life-span. Proactivity towards avoiding the usual aging process is needed. This study analyses the long-term effects of participation in Community-Based Programs on psychological well-being. METHOD: A sample of 150 community-dwelling participants enrolled in Community-Based Programs, aged 55 to 84 years and living in three Portuguese localities were matched by age (55-64, 65-74, 75-84 years), gender, and locality with a comparison group of non-participants. We administered a multidimensional gerontological protocol which included socio-demographic information, measures of health/disease, functional ability, social network, cognitive performance and psychological well-being. Hierarchical regression models were used to test the effects of Community-Based Programs on psychological well-being adjusting for remaining variables. RESULTS: Overall, psychological well-being is positively associated with household income and satisfaction with health. Nevertheless, in participants, psychological well-being builds predominantly upon social network and is not associated with a moderate inability or cognitive deficits, contrasting with psychological well-being in non-participants. After adjusting for background variables, psychological well-being was positively associated with health satisfaction and social network and negatively related to moderate inability. Further, a significant interaction of participation in Community-Based Programs with age, points out higher levels of psychological well-being in participants contrasting with a downward trend in non-participants. After stratification by age, psychological well-being increases with time attending Community-Based Programs in the oldest (75-84 years) contrasting with the remainder. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in Community-Based Programs may improve the negative effects of the aging process on psychological well-being. This positive effect as age increases may be linked to a reinforcement of social network, valued more by participants in Community-Based Programs. Furthermore, the programs may act as a healing/maintenance strategy in persons with moderate inability and/or cognitive deficits.

692. Mice lacking Ptprd exhibit deficits in goal-directed behavior and female-specific impairments in sensorimotor gating.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Ho EV, Welch A, Thompson SL

693. Quantification of a shelter cat population: Trends in intake, length of stay and outcome data of cats in seven Dutch shelters between 2006 and 2021.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

van der Leij WJR, Vernooij JCM, Vinke CM

694. Do local governments' energy-saving target constraints inhibit financialization? Evidence from nonfinancial listed firms in China.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Hu G, Yu Y, Wang Q.

695. Changes in the cochlear and retrocochlear parts of the auditory system in 19-39 and 40-60 years old patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Horváth M, Herold Z, Küstel M

696. The gender dimensions of mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: A path analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Dotsikas K, Crosby L, McMunn A

BACKGROUND: The Covid-19 pandemic has had a substantial population mental health impact, with evidence indicating that mental health has deteriorated in particular for women. This gender difference could be explained by the distinct experiences of women during the pandemic, including the burden of unpaid domestic labour, changes in economic activity, and experiences of loneliness. This study investigates potential mediators in the relationship between gender and mental health during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK. METHODS: We used data from 9,351 participants of Understanding Society, a longitudinal household survey from the UK. We conducted a mediation analysis using structural equation modelling to estimate the role of four mediators, measured during the first lockdown in April 2020, in the relationship between gender and mental health in May and July 2020. Mental health was measured with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Standardized coefficients for each path were obtained, as well as indirect effects for the role of employment disruption, hours spent on housework, hours spent on childcare, and loneliness. RESULTS: In a model controlling for age, household income and pre-pandemic mental health, we found that gender was associated with all four mediators, but only loneliness was associated with mental health at both time points. The indirect effects showed strong evidence of partial mediation through loneliness for the relationship between gender and mental health problems; loneliness accounted for 83.9% of the total effect in May, and 76.1% in July. No evidence of mediation was found for housework, childcare, or employment disruption. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the worse mental health found among women during the initial period of the Covid-19 pandemic is partly explained by women reporting more experiences of loneliness. Understanding this mechanism is important for prioritising interventions to address gender-based inequities that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

697. Binaural beats to entrain the brain? A systematic review of the effects of binaural beat stimulation on brain oscillatory activity, and the implications for psychological research and intervention.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Ingendoh RM, Posny ES, Heine A.

698. Development of SSR molecular markers and genetic diversity analysis of Clematis acerifolia from Taihang Mountains.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Zhao Z, Zhang H, Wang P

699. The information needs of people with degenerative cervical myelopathy: A qualitative study to inform patient education in clinical practice.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Sangeorzan I, Andriopoulou P, Davies BM

700. Charitable donations and the theory of planned behaviour: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

White KM, Starfelt Sutton LC, Zhao X.

701. Protocol for a scoping review study on the prevalence and public health consequences of non-medical use (NMU) of tramadol in Africa.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Sabi Boun S, Omonaiye O, Yaya S.

BACKGROUND: Tramadol is one of the most prescribed painkillers in the world. It is a synthetic opioid that is an excellent alternative to morphine and its derivatives in African countries. It is an essential drug due to its low cost and constant availability. However, the health consequences of tramadol use due to illicit trafficking, like those caused by fentanyl and methadone in North America, are poorly documented. This scoping review aims to understand the nature and extent of the use and health consequences of the Non-Medical Use (NMU) of tramadol in Africa to guide future research. METHODS: Due to the perceived lack of African literature on the subject, our search strategy is based on the simultaneous use of the keywords "tramadol" and Medical Subject Heading (MeSH), such as "Drug abuse," "illicit drugs," or "Prescription Drug Misuse," combined with the term "Africa" and Boolean operators (and, or not) to form our search equations. Two researchers will independently select studies from literature searched in several databases such as Medline, Embase, the Scopus database, Web of Science, the African Journals online database, and for grey literature Google Scholar without any time restriction. All research, in various formats, conducted in Africa, will be included in our study on the prevalence of use in different African population groups or on evidence of addiction, intoxication, seizures and mortality related to NMU of tramadol. RESULTS: Through this study, we aim to map consumers and identify risk factors, health consequences, and prevalence of the NMU of tramadol in African countries. DISCUSSION: We are conducting the first scoping review study to investigate the prevalence and consequences of NMU of tramadol in Africa. Upon completion, our findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant conferences and workshops. However, since health is not limited to the lack of disease, our study is likely incomplete without incorporating the studies of the social impact of NMU of tramadol. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/ykt25/.

702. Offloading under cognitive load: Humans are willing to offload parts of an attentionally demanding task to an algorithm.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Wahn B, Schmitz L, Gerster FN

703. Summation of activation at the branch-stem transition of Mimosa pudica; a comparison with summation in cardiac tissue.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

de Bakker JMT, Coronel R.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Tsuji M, Fukahori H, Sugiyama D

705. Revisiting flow augmentation bypass for cerebrovascular atherosclerotic vaso-occlusive disease: Single-surgeon series and review of the literature.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Abdelgadir J, Haskell-Mendoza AP, Magno AR

706. Recurrent neural network modeling of multivariate time series and its application in temperature forecasting.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Nketiah EA, Chenlong L, Yingchuan J

707. Older adults and stroke survivors are steadier when gazing down.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Koren Y, Handelzalts S, Parmet Y

708. The microbiome and gene expression of honey bee workers are affected by a diet containing pollen substitutes.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Powell JE, Lau P, Rangel J

709. Nest attendance, incubation constancy, and onset of incubation in dabbling ducks.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Hartman CA, Ackerman JT, Peterson SH

In birds, parents must provide their eggs with a safe thermal environment suitable for embryonic development. Species with uniparental incubation must balance time spent incubating eggs with time spent away from the nest to satisfy self-maintenance needs. Patterns of nest attendance, therefore, influence embryonic development and the time it takes for eggs to hatch. We studied nest attendance (time on the nest), incubation constancy (time nests were at incubation temperatures), and variation in nest temperature of 1,414 dabbling duck nests of three species in northern California. Daily nest attendance increased from only 1-3% on the day the first egg was laid to 51-57% on the day of clutch completion, and 80-83% after clutch completion through hatch. Variation in nest temperature also decreased gradually during egg-laying, and then dropped sharply (33-38%) between the day of and the day after clutch completion because increased nest attendance, particularly at night, resulted in more consistent nest temperatures. During the egg-laying stage, nocturnal nest attendance was low (13-25%), whereas after clutch completion, nest attendance was greater at night (≥87%) than during the day (70-77%) because most incubation recesses occurred during the day. Moreover, during egg-laying, nest attendance and incubation constancy increased more slowly among nests with larger final clutch sizes, suggesting that the number of eggs remaining to be laid is a major driver of incubation effort during egg-laying. Although overall nest attendance after clutch completion was similar among species, the average length of individual incubation bouts was greatest among gadwall (Mareca strepera; 779 minutes), followed by mallard (Anas platyrhynchos; 636 minutes) and then cinnamon teal (Spatula cyanoptera; 347 minutes). These results demonstrate that dabbling ducks moderate their incubation behavior according to nest stage, nest age, time of day, and clutch size and this moderation likely has important implications for egg development and overall nest success.

710. Preventive effect and mechanism of Tibetan tea extract on thrombosis in arachidonic acid-induced zebrafish determined via RNA-seq transcriptome profiles.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Wang N, Lan C, Lu H

711. Does high-speed rail stimulate university technology transfer? evidence from China.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Wu X, Luo H, Wu Y.

712. Evaluating factors influencing customers' intention to eat Korean cuisine "Samgyeopsal" in the Philippines: A structural equation model forest classifier approach.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Ong AKS, Prasetyo YT, Manguray ARB

713. Plasma proteome perturbation for CMV DNAemia in kidney transplantation.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Sigdel TK, Boada P, Kerwin M

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, either de novo or as reactivation after allotransplantation and chronic immunosuppression, is recognized to cause detrimental alloimmune effects, inclusive of higher susceptibility to graft rejection and substantive impact on chronic graft injury and reduced transplant survival. To obtain further insights into the evolution and pathogenesis of CMV infection in an immunocompromised host we evaluated changes in the circulating host proteome serially, before and after transplantation, and during and after CMV DNA replication (DNAemia), as measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR). METHODS: LC-MS-based proteomics was conducted on 168 serially banked plasma samples, from 62 propensity score-matched kidney transplant recipients. Patients were stratified by CMV replication status into 31 with CMV DNAemia and 31 without CMV DNAemia. Patients had blood samples drawn at protocol times of 3- and 12-months post-transplant. Additionally, blood samples were also drawn before and 1 week and 1 month after detection of CMV DNAemia. Plasma proteins were analyzed using an LCMS 8060 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Further, public transcriptomic data on time matched PBMCs samples from the same patients was utilized to evaluate integrative pathways. Data analysis was conducted using R and Limma. RESULTS: Samples were segregated based on their proteomic profiles with respect to their CMV Dnaemia status. A subset of 17 plasma proteins was observed to predict the onset of CMV at 3 months post-transplant enriching platelet degranulation (FDR, 4.83E-06), acute inflammatory response (FDR, 0.0018), blood coagulation (FDR, 0.0018) pathways. An increase in many immune complex proteins were observed at CMV infection. Prior to DNAemia the plasma proteome showed changes in the anti-inflammatory adipokine vaspin (SERPINA12), copper binding protein ceruloplasmin (CP), complement activation (FDR = 0.03), and proteins enriched in the humoral (FDR = 0.01) and innate immune responses (FDR = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Plasma proteomic and transcriptional perturbations impacting humoral and innate immune pathways are observed during CMV infection and provide biomarkers for CMV disease prediction and resolution. Further studies to understand the clinical impact of these pathways can help in the formulation of different types and duration of anti-viral therapies for the management of CMV infection in the immunocompromised host.

714. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Ukrainian mortality, 2020-2021.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Mehta NK, Honchar I, Doroshenko O

715. A lower canal fill rate and unreestablished vertical femoral offset may increase the risk of the postoperative periprosthetic fractures after cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fractures in elderly patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Zhou X, Ji H, Wu J

716. Trends in health service use among persons with Parkinson's disease by rurality: A population-based repeated cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Maclagan LC, Marras C, Sewell IJ

BACKGROUND: The global burden of Parkinson's disease (PD) has more than doubled over the past three decades, and this trend is expected to continue. Despite generally poorer access to health care services in rural areas, little previous work has examined health system use in persons with PD by rurality. We examined trends in the prevalence of PD and health service use among persons with PD by rurality in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: We conducted a repeated, cross-sectional analysis of persons with prevalent PD aged 40+ years on April 1st of each year from 2000 to 2018 using health administrative databases and calculated the age-sex standardized prevalence of PD. Prevalence of PD was also stratified by rurality and sex. Negative binomial models were used to calculate rate ratios with 95% confidence intervals comparing rates of health service use in rural compared to urban residents in 2018. RESULTS: The age-sex standardized prevalence of PD in Ontario increased by 0.34% per year (p<0.0001) and was 459 per 100,000 in 2018 (n = 33,479), with a lower prevalence in rural compared to urban residents (401 vs. 467 per 100,000). Rates of hospitalizations and family physician visits declined over time in both men and women with PD in rural and urban areas, while rates of emergency department, neurologist, and other specialist visits increased. Adjusted rates of hospitalizations were similar between rural and urban residents (RR = 1.04, 95% CI [0.96, 1.12]), while rates of emergency department visits were higher among rural residents (RR = 1.35, 95% CI [1.27, 1.42]). Rural residents had lower rates of family physician (adjusted RR = 0.82, (95% CI [0.79, 0.84]) and neurologist visits (RR = 0.74, 95% CI [0.72, 0.77]). INTERPRETATION: Lower rates of outpatient health service use among persons residing in rural regions, contrasting with higher rates of emergency department visits suggest inequities in access. Efforts to improve access to primary and specialist care for persons with PD in rural regions are needed.

717. Assessing the effects of ROO and tariff margin on China-ASEAN free trade agreement utilization.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Qu Y, Zhang R.

718. A quantitative PCR assay for the detection and quantification of Septoria pistaciarum, the causal agent of pistachio leaf spot in Italy.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Drais MI, Gusella G, Mazzaglia A

719. Aphid facultative symbionts confer no protection against the fungal entomopathogen Batkoa apiculata.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Inchauregui RA, Tallapragada K, Parker BJ.

720. Comparison of the safety between propylthiouracil and methimazole with hyperthyroidism in pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Liu Y, Li Q, Xu Y

721. Early biochemical analysis of COVID-19 patients helps severity prediction.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Roncancio-Clavijo A, Gorostidi-Aicua M, Alberro A

722. Acute effects of nitrate and breakfast on working memory, cerebral blood flow, arterial stiffness, and psychological factors in adolescents: Study protocol for a randomised crossover trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Regan C, Heiland EG, Ekblom Ö

BACKGROUND: Inorganic nitrate has been shown to acutely improve working memory in adults, potentially by altering cerebral and peripheral vasculature. However, this remains unknown in adolescents. Furthermore, breakfast is important for overall health and psychological well-being. Therefore, this study will investigate the acute effects of nitrate and breakfast on working memory performance, task-related cerebral blood flow (CBF), arterial stiffness, and psychological outcomes in Swedish adolescents. METHODS: This randomised crossover trial will recruit at least 43 adolescents (13-15 years old). There will be three experimental breakfast conditions: (1) none, (2) low-nitrate (normal breakfast), and (3) high-nitrate (concentrated beetroot juice with normal breakfast). Working memory (n-back tests), CBF (task-related changes in oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex), and arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity and augmentation index) will be measured twice, immediately after breakfast and 130 min later. Measures of psychological factors and salivary nitrate/nitrite will be assessed once before the conditions and at two-time points after the conditions. DISCUSSION: This study will provide insight into the acute effects of nitrate and breakfast on working memory in adolescents and to what extent any such effects can be explained by changes in CBF. This study will also shed light upon whether oral intake of nitrate may acutely improve arterial stiffness and psychological well-being, in adolescents. Consequently, results will indicate if nitrate intake from beetroot juice or if breakfast itself could acutely improve cognitive, vascular, and psychological health in adolescents, which can affect academic performance and have implications for policies regarding school meals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has been prospectively registered on 21/02/2022 at https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN16596056. Trial number: ISRCTN16596056.

723. Randomized phase II study of daily versus alternate-day administrations of S-1 for the elderly patients with completely resected pathological stage IA (tumor diameter > 2 cm)-IIIA of non-small cell lung cancer: Setouchi Lung Cancer Group Study 1201.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Yamamoto H, Soh J, Okumura N

BACKGROUND: It is shown that the postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was associated with survival benefit in an elderly population. We aimed to analyze the feasibility and efficacy of alternate-day S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine, for adjuvant chemotherapy in elderly patients with completely resected pathological stage IA (tumor diameter > 2 cm) to IIIA (UICC TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours, 7th edition) NSCLC. METHODS: Elderly patients were randomly assigned to receive adjuvant chemotherapy for one year consisting of either alternate-day oral administration of S-1 (80 mg/m2/day) for 4 days a week (Arm A) or a daily oral administration of S-1 (80 mg/m2/day) for 14 consecutive days followed by 7-day rest (Arm B). The primary endpoint was feasibility (treatment completion rate), which was defined as the proportion of patients who completed the allocated intervention for 6 months with a relative dose intensity (RDI) of 70% or more. RESULTS: We enrolled 101 patients in which 97 patients received S-1 treatment. The treatment completion rate at 6 months was 69.4% in Arm A and 64.6% in Arm B (p = 0.67). Treatment completion rate in Arm B tended to be lower compared to Arm A, as the treatment period becomes longer (at 9 and 12 months). RDI of S-1 at 12 months and completion of S-1 administration without dose reduction or postponement at 12 months was significantly better in Arm A than in Arm B (p = 0.026 and p < 0.001, respectively). Among adverse events, anorexia, skin symptoms and lacrimation of any grade were significantly more frequent in Arm B compared with Arm A (p = 0.0036, 0.023 and 0.031, respectively). The 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 56.9% and 65.7% for Arm A and B, respectively (p = 0.22). The 5-year overall survival rates were 68.6% and 82.0% for Arm A and B, respectively (p = 0.11). CONCLUSION: Although several adverse effects were less frequent in Arm A, both alternate-day and daily oral administrations of S-1 were demonstrated to be feasible in elderly patients with completely resected NSCLC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Unique ID issued by UMIN: UMIN000007819 (Date of registration: Apr 25, 2012) https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000009128. Trial ID issued by jRCT: jRCTs061180089 (Date of registration: Mar 22, 2019, for a shift toward a "specified clinical trial" based on Clinical Trials Act in Japan) https://jrct.niph.go.jp/en-latest-detail/jRCTs061180089.

724. CryoEM structure of a post-assembly MS-ring reveals plasticity in stoichiometry and conformation.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Singh PK, Cecchini G, Nakagawa T

725. Ginsenoside 24-OH-PD from red ginseng inhibits acute T-lymphocytic leukaemia by activating the mitochondrial pathway.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Li Q, Chen Y, Zhao X

726. Examining subjective understandings of autistic burnout using Q methodology: A study protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Mantzalas J, Richdale AL, Dissanayake C.

BACKGROUND: Early research indicates that autistic burnout is a chronic, debilitating condition experienced by many autistic people across the lifespan that can have severe consequences for their mental health, wellbeing, and quality of life. To date, studies have focused on the lived experiences of autistic adults, and findings suggest that a lack of support, understanding, and acceptance by others can contribute to the risk of autistic burnout. The study outlined in this protocol will investigate how autistic people with and without experience of autistic burnout, their families, friends, healthcare professionals and non-autistic people understand the construct of autistic burnout to identify commonalities and gaps in knowledge. STUDY AND DESIGN: Q methodology will be used to investigate participants' subjective understandings of autistic burnout. Q methodology is a mixed-methods design that is well-suited to exploratory research and can elucidate a holistic and comprehensive representation of multiple perspectives about a topic. Participants will complete a card sorting activity to rank how strongly they agree or disagree with a set of statements about autistic burnout and participate in a semi-structured interview to discuss their responses. A first-order factor analysis will be conducted for each participant group, followed by second-order factor analysis to compare the groups' viewpoints. The interview data will provide additional insights into the factors. CONCLUSION: Q methodology has not previously been used to examine autistic and non-autistic people's perspectives about autistic burnout. Projected study outcomes include enhanced understanding of the characteristics, risks, and protective factors of autistic burnout. The findings will have practical implications for improving detection of autistic burnout and identifying strategies to support autistic adults with prevention and recovery. The results may also inform the development of a screening protocol and identify potential avenues for future research.

727. 'Microincisional trabeculectomy for glaucoma".

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Rao A, Khan S, Mukherjee S.

728. Impact of the internet use on informal workers' wages: Evidence from China.

PLoS One

2023 May 19

Si X, Li M.

729. Hybrid channel structure and product quality distribution strategy for online retail platform.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Zhang Q, Liu H, Cai Z.

Currently, platforms (such as Amazon.com and JD.com) are gradually transitioning from pure resellers to platforms providing hybrid channel structures. In a hybrid channel, the reselling channel and the agency channel on the platform are simultaneously used. Therefore, according to the agent who sells through the agency channel (manufacturer or third-party retailer), two kinds of hybrid channel structurers can be selected by the platform. At the same time, due to the intense competition caused by the hybrid channel structure, platforms take the initiative to implement the product quality distribution strategy in which different quality products are sold through various retailing channels. Thus, from the perspective of platforms, how to coordinate the selection of hybrid channel structures and the implementation of the product quality distribution strategy is a significant issue that has been overlooked in existing literature. This paper proposes game-theoretic models to investigate whether a platform should choose "which" hybrid channel structure to use and decide "whether" to adopt the product quality distribution strategy. Our analysis shows that the game equilibrium is affected by the commission rate, the product differentiation level, and the production cost. More specifically, first, it is interestingly found that if the product differentiation level exceeds a particular threshold, the product quality distribution strategy can negatively influence the retailer to abandon the hybrid retailing mode. In contrast, the manufacturer continues to sell through the agency channel as a part of the product distribution plan. Second, regardless of the channel configuration, we find that the platform chooses to increase the order quantity with the help of the product distribution plan. Third, contrary to popular belief, the product quality distribution strategy can only benefit the platform when the third-party retailer participates in hybrid retailing with a suitable commission rate and product differentiation level. Fourth, the platform should make decisions on the above two strategies concurrently; otherwise, agency sellers (manufacturer or third-party retailer) will oppose the product quality distribution strategy. Our key findings can assist stakeholders in making strategic decisions about hybrid retailing modes and product distribution.

730. The effectiveness of control measures during the 2022 COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai, China.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Hu L, Shi M, Li M

731. A comprehensive mortise and tenon structure selection method based on Pugh's controlled convergence and rough Z-number MABAC method.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Shang B, Chen Z, Ma Q

732. Testing the effects of group-affirmation in active conflict: Ukrainians' trust toward Russia.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Chung E, Pechenkina AO.

733. Causal implicatures from correlational statements.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Gershman SJ, Ullman TD.

734. Combinatorial expression of ebony and tan generates body color variation from nymph through adult stages in the cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Inoue S, Watanabe T, Hamaguchi T

735. The power of emojis: The impact of a leader's use of positive emojis on members' creativity during computer-mediated communications.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Choi J, Shim SH, Kim S.

736. Clinical characterization of a cohort of patients treated for systemic lupus erythematosus in Colombia: A retrospective study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Machado-Alba JE, Machado-Duque ME, Gaviria-Mendoza A

INTRODUCTION: Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease associated with serious complications and high costs. The aim was to describe the clinical characteristics and health care resource utilization of a Colombian systemic lupus erythematosus outpatient cohort. METHODS: This was a retrospective descriptive study. Clinical records and claims data for systemic lupus erythematosus patients from ten specialized care centers in Colombia were reviewed for up to 12 months. Baseline clinical variables, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, drug use, and direct costs were measured. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS: A total of 413 patients were included; 361 (87.4%) were female, and the mean age was 42 ± 14 years. The mean disease evolution was 8.9 ± 6.0 years; 174 patients (42.1%) had a systemic manifestation at baseline, mostly lupus nephritis (105; 25.4%). A total of 334 patients (80.9%) had at least one comorbidity, mainly antiphospholipid syndrome (90; 21.8%) and hypertension (76; 18.4%). The baseline Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index score was 0 in 215 patients (52.0%), 1-5 in 154 (37.3%), 6-10 in 41 (9.9%) and 11+ in 3 (0.7%). All patients received pharmacological therapy, and the most common treatment was corticosteroids (293; 70.9%), followed by antimalarials (chloroquine 52.5%, hydroxychloroquine 31.0%), immunosuppressants (azathioprine 45.3%, methotrexate 21.5%, mycophenolate mofetil 20.1%, cyclosporine 8.0%, cyclophosphamide 6.8%, leflunomide 4.8%) and biologicals (10.9%). The mean annual costs were USD1954 per patient/year, USD1555 for antirheumatic drugs (USD10,487 for those with biologicals), USD86 for medical visits, USD235 for drug infusions and USD199 for laboratory tests. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic lupus erythematosus generates an important economic and morbidity burden for the Colombian health system. Systemic lupus erythematosus outpatient attention costs in the observation year were mainly determined by drug therapy (especially biologics), medical visits and laboratory tests. New studies addressing the rate of exacerbations, long-term follow-up or costs related to hospital care are recommended.

737. Importance of missingness in baseline variables: A case study of the All of Us Research Program.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Cronin RM, Feng X, Sulieman L

OBJECTIVE: The All of Us Research Program collects data from multiple information sources, including health surveys, to build a national longitudinal research repository that researchers can use to advance precision medicine. Missing survey responses pose challenges to study conclusions. We describe missingness in All of Us baseline surveys. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We extracted survey responses between May 31, 2017, to September 30, 2020. Missing percentages for groups historically underrepresented in biomedical research were compared to represented groups. Associations of missing percentages with age, health literacy score, and survey completion date were evaluated. We used negative binomial regression to evaluate participant characteristics on the number of missed questions out of the total eligible questions for each participant. RESULTS: The dataset analyzed contained data for 334,183 participants who submitted at least one baseline survey. Almost all (97.0%) of the participants completed all baseline surveys, and only 541 (0.2%) participants skipped all questions in at least one of the baseline surveys. The median skip rate was 5.0% of the questions, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 2.5% to 7.9%. Historically underrepresented groups were associated with higher missingness (incidence rate ratio (IRR) [95% CI]: 1.26 [1.25, 1.27] for Black/African American compared to White). Missing percentages were similar by survey completion date, participant age, and health literacy score. Skipping specific questions were associated with higher missingness (IRRs [95% CI]: 1.39 [1.38, 1.40] for skipping income, 1.92 [1.89, 1.95] for skipping education, 2.19 [2.09-2.30] for skipping sexual and gender questions). CONCLUSION: Surveys in the All of Us Research Program will form an essential component of the data researchers can use to perform their analyses. Missingness was low in All of Us baseline surveys, but group differences exist. Additional statistical methods and careful analysis of surveys could help mitigate challenges to the validity of conclusions.

738. The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions and medical burden in asthma patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Jo EJ, Lee YU, Kim A

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions (MCC), defined as several coexisting chronic conditions, has increased with the aging of society. MCC is associated with poor outcomes, but most comorbid diseases in asthma patients have been evaluated as asthma-associated diseases. We investigated the morbidity of coexisting chronic diseases in asthma patients and their medical burdens. METHODS: We analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort for 2002-2013. We defined MCC with asthma as a group of one or more chronic diseases in addition to asthma. We analyzed 20 chronic conditions, including asthma. Age was categorized into groups 1-5 (< 10, 10-29, 30-44, 45-64, and ≥ 65 years, respectively). The frequency of medical system use and associated costs were analyzed to determine the asthma-related medical burden in patients with MCC. RESULTS: The prevalence of asthma was 13.01%, and the prevalence of MCC in asthmatic patients was 36.55%. The prevalence of MCC with asthma was higher in females than males and increased with age. The significant comorbidities were hypertension, dyslipidemia, arthritis, and diabetes. Dyslipidemia, arthritis, depression, and osteoporosis were more common in females than males. Hypertension, diabetes, COPD, coronary artery disease, cancer, and hepatitis were more prevalent in males than females. According to age, the most prevalent chronic condition in groups 1 and 2 was depression, dyslipidemia in group 3, and hypertension in groups 4 and 5. Older age, low income, and severe disability were independent risk factors for MCC in patients with asthma. The frequency of asthma-related medical system use and asthma-associated costs increased with increasing numbers of coexisting chronic diseases. CONCLUSION: Comorbid chronic diseases in asthma patients differed according to age and sex. The asthma-related-medical burdens were highest in patients with five or more chronic conditions and groups 1 and 5.

739. Validation and psychometric properties of the Arabic version of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 7 items (HAMD-7) among non-clinical and clinical samples of Lebanese adults.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Obeid S, Azzi V, Hallit S.

BACKGROUND: The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS or HAMD) is widely used scale for depression assessment. A shortened version of the HDRS, composed of 7 items, was implemented. The latter is timesaving compared to the original version, while still providing similar precision. Our objective in this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Arabic HAMD-7 scale among non-clinical and clinical samples of Lebanese adults. METHODS: In study 1, 443 Lebanese citizens enrolled in this cross-sectional study (June-September 2021). The total sample in study 1 was divided into two subsamples to conduct the exploratory-to-confirmatory factor analysis (EFA-to-CFA). Another cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2022 on another sample of Lebanese patients (independent from the sample of study 1) and included 150 patients attending two psychology clinics. The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Lebanese Depression Scale (LDS), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) and Lebanese Anxiety Scale (LAS) were used to assess the validity of the HAMD-7 scale. RESULTS: The results of the EFA (subsample 1; study 1) showed that the HAM-D-7 items converged into a one-factor solution (McDonald's ω = .78). The CFA (subsample 2; study 1) confirmed the one-factor solution obtained in the EFA (ω = .79). CFA indicated that fit of the one-factor model of the HAM-D-7 was acceptable: χ2/df = 27.88/14 = 1.99, RMSEA = .066 (90% CI = .028, .102), SRMR = .043, CFI = .960, TLI = .939. All indices suggested that configural, metric, and scalar invariance was supported across gender. The HAMD-7 scale score positively correlated with the MADRS (r = 0.809; p<0.001), LDS (r = 0.872; p<0.001), HAM-A (r = 0.645; p<0.001) and LAS (r = 0.651; p<0.001) scales scores. The optimal cutoff score between healthy individuals and depressive patients for the HAMD-7 was at a value = 5.50 (Se = 82.8% and Sp = 62.4%). The positive and negative predicted values for the HAMD-7 were 25.1% and 96.0%, respectively. The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 2.20 and 0.28 respectively. No significant difference was found between the non-clinical total sample (study 1) and the clinical sample (study 2) in terms of HAM-D-7 scores (5.24 ± 4.43 vs 4.54 ± 5.06; t(589) = 1.609; p = .108). CONCLUSION: Psychometric properties of the Arabic HAMD-7 scale are satisfactory, warranting its use clinically and in research. This scale seems highly efficient for ruling out depression; however, those with positive scores need a referral to a mental health professional for deeper evaluation. HAMD-7 might be self-administered by non-clinical subjects. Future studies are recommended to additionally confirm our results.

740. Early neuro-electric indication of lexical match in English spoken-word recognition.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Söderström P, Cutler A.

741. Prevention of modern slavery within sex work: Study protocol of a mixed methods project looking at the role of adult services websites.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Keighley R, Sanders T.

BACKGROUND: The core challenge this study addressed is that Adult Services Websites (ASWs) are an extensive and pervasive feature of the digital world that facilitate the advertising, negotiation and purchase of sexual services yet are also considered to be harbourers of sexual exploitation, modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT) Giommoni L. et al. 2021, Milivojevic S. et al. 2020, Sanders, T., et al. 2018. Whilst awareness of cases of internet facilitated MSHT has entered the public and policy domain, little is known about the role and responsibilities of ASWs in this domain. Collaboratively with our partners, the findings from this study will first contribute to understanding how ASWs facilitate exploitation and second how they can become part of the prevention mechanisms and reporters of crimes. METHODS: We present the design of our mixed methods study, underpinned by a peer Action Learning Set (ALS) approach. By working closely with ten survivors of sexual exploitation from 7 countries, the peer group have informed the study through participation in the advisory group, instrument design, implementation, analysis and dissemination. A training and support needs analysis prior to engagement in the research project ascertained what skills people would bring, what they would need for further personal and career development and if there were any additional requirements to enable participation. We provided capacity building through a bespoke training package over the project's lifetime. DISCUSSION: Conducting a peer-researcher ALS project informs the research topic by both empowering survivors of sexual exploitation, whilst engaging with their expertise and lived experience to shape the methods and focus. The summative evaluation of our methods informs wider peer research methodologies, little utilised in the field of MSHT research. Thus, this research produces evidence which acknowledges survivors as experts with value towards social science research.

742. The military spouse experience of living alongside their serving/veteran partner with a mental health issue: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Senior E, Clarke A, Wilson-Menzfeld G.

INTRODUCTION: Military healthcare studies have reported a wide range of mental health issues amongst military personnel. Globally, mental health issues are one of the main causes of ill health. Military personnel have a greater prevalence of mental health issues than that of the general population. The impact of mental health issues can be wide and far reaching for family and carers. This systematic narrative review explores the military spouse experience of living alongside their serving or veteran partner with a mental health issue. METHODS: The systematic review performed was based on the PRISMA guide for searching, screening, selecting papers for data extraction and evaluation. Studies were identified from CINHAL, ASSIA, Proquest Psychology, Proquest Nursing & Allied Health source, Proquest Dissertations & Theses, ETHOS, PsychArticles, Hospital collection, Medline, Science Direct Freedom Collection and hand searching of citations and reference lists. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies were included in the narrative synthesis. Five overarching themes from the experiences of military spouses' living alongside their serving/veteran partners mental health issue were identified: caregiver burden, intimate relationships, psychological/psychosocial effects on the spouse, mental health service provision and spouse's knowledge and management of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic review and narrative synthesis identified that the majority of studies focused on spouses of veterans, very few were specific to serving military personnel, but similarities were noted. Findings suggest that care burden and a negative impact on the intimate relationship is evident, therefore highlight a need to support and protect the military spouse and their serving partner. Likewise, there is a need for greater knowledge, access and inclusion of the military spouse, in the care and treatment provision of their serving partner's mental health issue.

743. Factors influencing users' willingness to use new energy vehicles.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Pang J, Ye J, Zhang X.

744. Predictors of glaucoma knowledge and its risk factors among Jordanian patients with primary open angle glaucoma at a tertiary teaching hospital: A cross-sectional survey.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Muhsen S, Al-Huneidy L, Maaita W

PURPOSE OF STUDY: To assess and compare glaucoma knowledge between Jordanian patients with glaucoma and non-glaucoma ophthalmic patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was developed after an extensive literature search to investigate glaucoma-related knowledge among participants with glaucoma visiting the Jordan University Hospital clinics from October 2021 to February 2022. Responses were compared to a sample of ophthalmic participants with eye conditions other than glaucoma visiting the ophthalmology clinics at the same time frame. RESULTS: A total of 256 participants filled out the survey, of which 53.1% were diagnosed with glaucoma while 46.9% had ophthalmic conditions other than glaucoma. Our sample of participants is characterized by a mean age of 52.2 ± 17.8 years and a male-to-female ratio of 1.04:1. Overall, participants with glaucoma were more aware of their disease than participants with other ophthalmic conditions. Compared to their ophthalmic non-glaucoma counterparts, those diagnosed with glaucoma face significantly more daily life difficulties due to their ophthalmic disease (p <0.001). Results of the independent sample t-test demonstrate that participants with glaucoma have significantly higher knowledge scores (p <0.001) and were able to recognize more glaucoma symptoms than their non-glaucoma counterparts (p = 0.002). Similarly, those with a positive family history of glaucoma displayed higher knowledge (p = 0.005). Multivariate linear regression demonstrates that family history of glaucoma, higher symptom recognition score, reliance on ophthalmologists, and the internet for glaucoma-related information are positive predictors of higher knowledge scores. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that both glaucoma and non-glaucoma ophthalmic patients display average levels of glaucoma knowledge. Raising awareness through various interventions may improve the lifestyles of patients with glaucoma and alleviate the economic burden associated with treating the disease.

745. A theoretical model of factors influencing online consumer purchasing behavior through electronic word of mouth data mining and analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Wang Q, Zhu X, Wang M

746. Influence analysis and promotion countermeasures of green finance policy in China-Traceability based on grounded theory and validation using the csQCA method.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Junjie L, Ke W, Bei Z

747. Oral health in patients scheduled for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the Orastem study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Skallsjö K, von Bültzingslöwen I, Hasséus B

748. The epidemiology, risk factors and impact of exposure on unintentional surfer and bodyboarder deaths.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Lawes JC, Koon W, Berg I

Surfing and bodyboarding (SAB) are popular activities, but not without risk. Limited SAB mortality and exposure risk explorations exist, so this cross-sectional study explores epidemiology and risk factors for SAB deaths (1 July, 2004-30 June,2020) in Australia: including decedent and incident profiles, causes of death, differences between fatalities during SAB and other coastal activities; and the impact of exposure on SAB mortality risk. Fatality data were sourced from the National Coronial Information System, incident and media reports. Tide-state data, population data and participation data were sourced from relevant authorities. Analyses included chi-square testing and simple logistic regression with odds ratios. There were 155 SAB deaths (80.6% surfing; 96.1% male; 36.8% aged 55+years; 0.04/100,000 residents; 0.63/100,000 surfers). Drowning was the most common cause of death (58.1%; n = 90), but higher in bodyboarding, with bodyboarders 4.62 times more likely to drown than surfers (95%CI: 1.66-12.82; p = 0.003). Almost half (44.5%; n = 69; χ22 = 9.802; p = 0.007) were with friends/family, and the largest proportion occurred during a rising tide (41.3%; n = 64; χ23 = 180.627; p<0.001) followed by a low tide (36.8%;n = 57). Australians surf 45.7 times each year, for 1.88 hours each visit equalling 86.1 'exposed' hours. With exposure-time considered, exposure-adjusted surfer mortality rate (0.06/1 million hours) is lower than other in-water activities (0.11/1 million hours). Younger surfers (14-34 years) surfed more yet had the lowest mortality rate (114.5 hours/year; 0.02/1 million hours). Older surfers (55+ years) had a lower SAB mortality rate (0.052) than the all-cause crude mortality rate of their average population counterparts (1.36). Cardiac conditions were identified in 32.9% (n = 69) of SAB deaths. SAB are relatively safe, with lower exposure mortality rates than other activities. Prevention should target older surfers, inland residents, and identification of surfers with risk factors for cardiac events.

749. Central venous pressure and dynamic indices to assess fluid appropriateness in critically ill patients: A pilot study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Prezioso C, Trotta R, Cavallo E

BACKGROUND: The correct identification of the appropriateness of fluid administration is important for the treatment of critically ill patients. Static and dynamic indices used to identify fluid responsiveness have been developed throughout the years, nonetheless fluid responsiveness does not indicate that fluid administration is appropriate, and indexes to evaluate appropriateness of fluid administration are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate if central venous pressure (CVP) anddynamic indices could correctly identify fluid appropriateness for critically ill patients. METHODS: Data from 31 ICU patients, for a total of 53 observations, was included in the analysis. Patients were divided into two cohorts based on the appropriateness of fluid administration. Fluid appropriateness was defined in presence of a low cardiac index (< 2.5 l/min/m2) without any sign of fluid overload, as assessed by global end-diastolic volume index, extravascular lung water index or pulmonary artery occlusion pressure. RESULTS: For 10 patients, fluid administration was deemed appropriate, while for 21 patients it was deemed inappropriate. Central venous pressure was not different between the two cohorts (mean CVP 11 (4) mmHg in the fluid inappropriate group, 12 (4) mmHg in the fluid appropriate group, p 0.58). The same is true for pulse pressure variation (median PPV 5 [2, 9] % in the fluid inappropriate group, 4 [3, 13] % in the fluid appropriate group, p 0.57), for inferior vena cava distensibility (mean inferior vena cava distensibility 24 (14) % in the fluid inappropriate group, 22 (16) % in the fluid appropriate group, p 0.75) and for changes in end tidal carbon dioxide during a passive leg raising test (median d.ETCO2 1.5 [0.0, 2.0]% in the fluid inappropriate group, 1.0 [0.0, 2.0] % in the fluid appropriate group, p 0.98). There was no association between static and dynamic indices and fluid appropriateness. CONCLUSIONS: Central venous pressure, pulse pressure variation, changes in end tidal carbon dioxide during a passive leg raising test, inferior vena cava distensibility were not associated with fluid appropriateness in our cohorts.

750. Devising novel performance measures for assessing the behavior of multilayer perceptrons trained on regression tasks.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Armano G, Manconi A.

751. Development of a method of passaging and freezing human iPS cell-derived hepatocytes to improve their functions.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Inui J, Ueyama-Toba Y, Mitani S

752. Use of admission serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) concentrations as a marker of sepsis and outcome in neonatal foals.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Laurberg M, Saegerman C, Jacobsen S

753. Detecting hypoglycemia-induced electrocardiogram changes in a rodent model of type 1 diabetes using shape-based clustering.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Mistry S, Gouripeddi R, Reno CM

754. Automated 3-dimensional MRI segmentation for the posterosuperior rotator cuff tear lesion using deep learning algorithm.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Lee SH, Lee J, Oh KS

755. Correction: Sensitivity analysis of the CROPGRO-Canola model in China: A case study for rapeseed.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Xu M, Wang C, Ling L

756. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody among SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated vs post-infected blood donors in a tertiary hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Permpikul P, Tongyoo S, Chaimayo C

SARS-CoV-2 virus infection has imposed a significant healthcare burden globally. To contain its spread and decrease infection-related mortality, several vaccines have been deployed worldwide in the past 3 years. We conducted a cross-sectional seroprevalence study to assess the immune response against the virus among blood donors at a tertiary care hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. From December 2021 to March 2022, total of 1,520 participants were enrolled, and their past history of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination was recorded. Two serology test, namely, quantitative IgG spike protein (IgGSP) and qualitative IgG nucleocapsid antibody (IgGNC) were performed. The median age of study participants was 40 years (IQR 30-48) and 833 (54.8%) were men. Vaccine uptake was reported in 1,500 donors (98.7%) and 84 (5.5%) reported the past infection history. IgGNC was detected in 46/84 donors with the past infection history (54.8%) and in 36 out of the rest 1,436 (2.5%) with no past history. IgGSP positivity was observed in 1484 donors (97.6%). When compared to unvaccinated donors (n = 20), IgGSP level was higher in the donors who had received one vaccine dose (p< 0.001) and these antibody levels increased significantly among those with 3rd and 4th vaccine doses. Factors associated with low IgGSP (lowest quartile) by multivariate analysis included: no past infection history, homologous vaccination, < 3 vaccine doses, and > 90 days duration since last vaccination. In conclusion, vaccine uptake among our study donors was high (98.7%) and IgGSP antibody was observed in nearly all the vaccinated donors (97.6%). Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, use of heterologous vaccination, vaccines ≥ 3 doses, and duration of the last vaccination >90 days affected IgGSP levels. Use of serological assays were found beneficial in the evaluation and differentiation of immune response to vaccination, and natural infection including the identification of previous asymptomatic infections.

757. Diminished choroidal blood flow in hypertensive and preeclamptic third trimester pregnancies using optical coherence tomography angiography.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Fayed AE, Thabet MM, Salama MM

758. Correction: Medication reconciliation on discharge in a tertiary care Riyadh Hospital: An observational study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Alanazi AS, Awwad S, Khan TM

759. A nonstructural protein 1 capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay specific for dengue viruses.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Lim PY, Ramapraba A, Loy T

760. Dual protective effect of the association of plant extracts and fluoride against dentine erosion: In the presence and absence of salivary pellicle.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Niemeyer SH, Jovanovic N, Sezer S

761. Towards implementation of context-specific integrated district mental healthcare plans: A situation analysis of mental health services in five districts in Ghana.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Weobong B, Ae-Ngibise KA, Sakyi L

BACKGROUND: Access to quality mental health services in Ghana remains poor, yet little is known about the extent of the access gaps and provision of mental health services at the district level in Ghana. We aimed to conduct an analysis of mental health infrastructure and service provision in five districts in Ghana. METHODS: A cross-sectional situation analysis was conducted using a standardised tool to collect secondary healthcare data, supplemented by interviews with key informants, across five purposively selected districts in Ghana. The Programme for Improving Mental Health Care (PRIME) situation analysis tool was adapted to the Ghanaian context and used for data collection. RESULTS: The districts are predominantly rural (>60%). There were severe challenges with the provision of mental healthcare: there were no mental healthcare plans, supervision of the few mental health professionals was weak and unstructured, access to regular supplies of psychotropic medications was a major challenge, and psychological treatments were extremely limited given the lack of trained clinical psychologists. There were no available data on treatment coverage, but we estimate this to be <1% for depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy across districts. Opportunities for mental health systems strengthening include: the commitment and willingness of leadership, the existence of the District Health Information Management System, a well-established network of community volunteers, and some collaboration with traditional and faith-based mental health service providers. CONCLUSION: There is poor mental health infrastructure across the five selected districts of Ghana. There are opportunities for strengthening mental health systems through interventions at the district healthcare organisation, health facility, and community levels. A standardised situation analysis tool is useful for informing district-level mental healthcare planning in low-resource settings in Ghana and potentially other sub-Saharan African countries.

762. How do older women perceive the occupations and activities within their maternal role? Findings from an exploratory survey.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Maman R, Rand D, Avrech Bar M.

763. COVID-19-related social isolation and symptoms of depression and anxiety in young men in Poland: Does insomnia mediate the relationship?

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Mojsa-Kaja J, Szklarczyk-Smolana K, Niedzielska-Andres E

764. Nutrient intakes and top food categories contributing to intakes of energy and nutrients-of-concern consumed by Canadian adults that would require a 'high-in' front-of-pack symbol according to Canadian labelling regulations.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Lee JJ, Ahmed M, Ng AP

765. How old are you? A systematic review investigating the relationship between age and mandibular third molar maturity.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Klingberg G, Benchimol D, Berlin H

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Radiographic evaluation of the maturity of mandibular third molars is a common method used for age estimation of adolescents and young adults. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the scientific base for the relationship between a fully matured mandibular third molar based on Demirjian's method and chronological age, in order to assess whether an individual is above or below the age of 18 years. METHODS: The literature search was conducted in six databases until February 2022 for studies reporting data evaluating the tooth maturity using Demirjian´s method (specifically stage H) within populations ranging from 8 to 30 years (chronological age). Two reviewers screened the titles and abstracts identified through the search strategy independently. All studies of potential relevance according to the inclusion criteria were obtained in full text, after which they were assessed for inclusion by two independent reviewers. Any disagreement was resolved by a discussion. Two reviewers independently evaluated the risk of bias using the assessment tool QUADAS-2 and extracted the data from the studies with low or moderate risk of bias. Logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship between chronological age and proportion of subjects with a fully matured mandibular third molar (Demirjian´s tooth stage H). RESULTS: A total of 15 studies with low or moderate risk of bias were included in the review. The studies were conducted in 13 countries and the chronological age of the investigated participants ranged from 3 to 27 years and the number of participants ranged between 208 and 5,769. Ten of the studies presented the results as mean age per Demirjian´s tooth stage H, but only five studies showed the distribution of developmental stages according to validated age. The proportion of subjects with a mandibular tooth in Demirjian´s tooth stage H at 18 years ranged from 0% to 22% among males and 0 to 16% in females. Since the studies were too heterogenous to perform a meta-analysis or a meaningful narrative review, we decided to refrain from a GRADE assessment. CONCLUSION: The identified literature does not provide scientific evidence for the relationship between Demirjian´s stage H of a mandibular third molar and chronologic age in order to assess if an individual is under or above the age of 18 years.

766. Long lasting anti-IgG chikungunya seropositivity in the Mayotte population will not be enough to prevent future outbreaks: A seroprevalence study, 2019.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Ortu G, Grard G, Parenton F

Chikungunya is an arboviral disease causing arthralgia which may develop into a debilitating chronic arthritis. In Mayotte, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, a chikungunya outbreak was reported in 2006, affecting a third of the population. We aimed at assessing the chikungunya seroprevalence in this population, after over a decade from that epidemic. A multi-stage cross sectional household-based study exploring socio-demographic factors, and knowledge and attitude towards mosquito-borne disease prevention was carried out in 2019. Blood samples from participants aged 15-69 years were taken for chikungunya IgG serological testing. We analyzed associations between chikungunya serological status and selected factors using Poisson regression models, and estimated weighted and adjusted prevalence ratios (w/a PR). The weighted seroprevalence of chikungunya was 34.75% (n = 2853). Seropositivity for IgG anti-chikungunya virus was found associated with living in Mamoudzou (w/a PR = 1.49, 95%CI: 1.21-1.83) and North (w/a PR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.08-1.84) sectors, being born in the Comoros islands (w/a PR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.03-1.61), being a student or unpaid trainee (w/a PR = 1.35, 95%CI: 1.01-1.81), living in precarious housing (w/a PR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.02-1.67), accessing water streams for bathing (w/a PR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.1-2.7) and knowing that malaria is a mosquito-borne disease (w/a PR = 1.42, 95%CI: 1.21-1.83). Seropositivity was found inversely associated with high education level (w/a PR = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.29-0.86) and living in households with access to running water and toilets (w/a PR = 0.64, 95%CI: 0.51-0.80) (n = 1438). Our results indicate a long-lasting immunity from chikungunya exposure. However, the current population seroprevalence is not enough to protect from future outbreaks. Individuals naïve to chikungunya and living in precarious socio-economic conditions are likely to be at high risk of infection in future outbreaks. To prevent and prepare for future chikungunya epidemics, it is essential to address socio-economic inequalities as a priority, and to strengthen chikungunya surveillance in Mayotte.

767. Complex interventions for aggressive challenging behaviour in adults with intellectual disability: A rapid realist review informed by multiple populations.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Royston R, Naughton S, Hassiotis A

OBJECTIVES: Approximately 10% of people with intellectual disability display aggressive challenging behaviour, usually due to unmet needs. There are a variety of interventions available, yet a scarcity of understanding about what mechanisms contribute to successful interventions. We explored how complex interventions for aggressive challenging behaviour work in practice and what works for whom by developing programme theories through contexts-mechanism-outcome configurations. METHODS: This review followed modified rapid realist review methodology and RAMESES-II standards. Eligible papers reported on a range of population groups (intellectual disability, mental health, dementia, young people and adults) and settings (community and inpatient) to broaden the scope and available data for review. RESULTS: Five databases and grey literature were searched and a total of 59 studies were included. We developed three overarching domains comprising of 11 contexts-mechanism-outcome configurations; 1. Working with the person displaying aggressive challenging behaviour, 2. Relationships and team focused approaches and 3. Sustaining and embedding facilitating factors at team and systems levels. Mechanisms underlying the successful application of interventions included improving understanding, addressing unmet need, developing positive skills, enhancing carer compassion, and boosting staff self-efficacy and motivation. CONCLUSION: The review emphasises how interventions for aggressive challenging behaviour should be personalised and tailored to suit individual needs. Effective communication and trusting relationships between service users, carers, professionals, and within staff teams is essential to facilitate effective intervention delivery. Carer inclusion and service level buy-in supports the attainment of desired outcomes. Implications for policy, clinical practice and future directions are discussed. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020203055.

768. Calcineurin-inhibitor free immunosuppression after lung transplantation - a single center case-control study in 51 patients converted to Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Gottlieb J, Fischer B, Schupp JC

769. A correlation between seasonally changing photoperiod, whole body lipid, and condition factor in juvenile spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Spangenberg DK, Fuhrman AE, Larsen DA

770. Characterization of an accessory plasmid of Sinorhizobium meliloti and its two replication-modules.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Luchetti A, Castellani LG, Toscani AM

771. A latent class analysis of the socio-demographic factors and associations with mental and behavioral disorders among Australian children and adolescents.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Afroz N, Kabir E, Alam K.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown a relationship between socio-demographic variables and the mental health of children and adolescents. However, no research has been found on a model-based cluster analysis of socio-demographic characteristics with mental health. This study aimed to identify the cluster of the items representing the socio-demographic characteristics of Australian children and adolescents aged 11-17 years by using latent class analysis (LCA) and examining the associations with their mental health. METHODS: Children and adolescents aged 11-17 years (n = 3152) were considered from the 2013-2014 Young Minds Matter: The Second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. LCA was performed based on relevant socio-demographic factors from three levels. Due to the high prevalence of mental and behavioral disorders, the generalized linear model with log-link binomial family (log-binomial regression model) was used to examine the associations between identified classes, and the mental and behavioral disorders of children and adolescents. RESULTS: This study identified five classes based on various model selection criteria. Classes 1 and 4 presented the vulnerable class carrying the characteristics of "lowest socio-economic status and non-intact family structure" and "good socio-economic status and non-intact family structure" respectively. By contrast, class 5 indicated the most privileged class carrying the characteristics of "highest socio-economic status and intact family structure". Results from the log-binomial regression model (unadjusted and adjusted models) showed that children and adolescents belonging to classes 1 and 4 were about 1.60 and 1.35 times more prevalent to be suffering from mental and behavioral disorders compared to their class 5 counterparts (95% CI of PR [prevalence ratio]: 1.41-1.82 for class 1; 95% CI of PR [prevalence ratio]: 1.16-1.57 for class 4). Although children and adolescents from class 4 belong to a socio-economically advantaged group and shared the lowest class membership (only 12.7%), the class had a greater prevalence (44.1%) of mental and behavioral disorders than did class 2 ("worst education and occupational attainment and intact family structure") (35.2%) and class 3 ("average socio-economic status and intact family structure") (32.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Among the five latent classes, children and adolescents from classes 1 and 4 have a higher risk of developing mental and behavioral disorders. The findings suggest that health promotion and prevention as well as combating poverty are needed to improve mental health in particular among children and adolescents living in non-intact families and in families with a low socio-economic status.

772. An object detection algorithm combining self-attention and YOLOv4 in traffic scene.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Lu K, Zhao F, Xu X

773. Clinicians' perspectives and experiences of providing cervical ripening at home or in-hospital in the United Kingdom.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Yuill C, Harkness M, Wallace C

774. Comprehensive in silico analyses of flavonoids elucidating the drug properties against kidney disease by targeting AIM2.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Kandeel M, Iqbal MN, Ali I

775. Minimum tick size, market quality and costs of trade execution in Vietnam.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Vo DH, Doan B.

776. High post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) uptake among household contacts of pertussis patients enrolled in a PEP effectiveness evaluation - United States, 2015-2017.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

McNamara LA, Rubis AB, Pawloski L

777. Identification of some bioactive compounds from Trignonella foenumgraecum as possible inhibitors of PPARϒ for diabetes treatment through molecular docking studies, pharmacophore modelling and ADMET profiling: An in-silico study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Okoh OS, Yakubu A, Adegboyega AE

778. Unsupervised machine learning framework for discriminating major variants of concern during COVID-19.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Chandra R, Bansal C, Kang M

779. Integrated optimization of urban rail transit line planning, timetabling and rolling stock scheduling.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Li C, Tang J, Zhang J

780. An external validation of the QCOVID3 risk prediction algorithm for risk of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19: An observational, prospective cohort study of 1.66m vaccinated adults in Wales, UK.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Lyons J, Nafilyan V, Akbari A

781. A qualitative study exploring the lived experiences of patients living with mild, moderate and severe frailty, following hip fracture surgery and hospitalisation.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Patel V, Lindenmeyer A, Gao F

782. The association of denture wearing with reduced lung function and increased airflow limitation in 58-72 year old men.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Kelly N, Gormley K, Linden DA

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between denture wearing and airflow limitation in men in Northern Ireland enrolled in the Prospective Epidemiological Study of Myocardial Infarction (PRIME) study. METHODS: A case-control design was used to study partially dentate men. Cases were men aged 58-72 years who were confirmed as denture wearers. Controls were never denture wearers who were matched by age (± 1 month) and smoking habit to the cases. The men had a periodontal assessment and completed a questionnaire detailing their medical history, dental history and behaviours, social circumstances, demographic background and tobacco use. Physical examination and spirometry measurements of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were also undertaken. Spirometry data for edentulous men who wore complete dentures were compared with that recorded for the partially dentate men studied. RESULTS: There were 353 cases who were partially dentate and were confirmed denture wearers. They were matched for age and smoking habit to never denture wearer controls. The cases had an FEV1 that was on average 140 ml lower than the controls, p = 0.0013 and a 4% reduction in percent predicted FEV1, p = 0.0022. Application of the GOLD criteria indicated that 61 (17.3%) of the cases had moderate to severe airflow limitation compared with 33 (9.3%) of controls, p = 0.0051. Fully adjusted multivariable analysis showed that partially dentate men who were denture wearers were significantly more likely (p = 0.01) to have moderate to severe airflow reduction with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.37 (95% confidence intervals 1.23-4.55). In the 153 edentulous men studied moderate to severe airflow limitation was recorded in 44 (28.4%), which was significantly higher than in the partially dentate denture wearers (p = 0.017), and the men who had never worn a denture (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Denture wearing was associated with an increased risk of moderate to severe airflow limitation in the cohort of middle-aged Western European men studied.

783. Does antibiotic awareness campaigns exposure decrease intention to demand antibiotic treatment? Testing a structural model among parents in Western Australia.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Alejandro AL, Leo WWC, Bruce M

784. Medication self-management interventions for persons with stroke: A scoping review.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Cadel L, Cimino SR, Bradley-Ridout G

785. Marijuana use is inversely associated with liver steatosis detected by transient elastography in the general United States population in NHANES 2017-2018: A cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Du R, Tang XY, Yang C

786. Validation of automatic monitoring of feeding behaviours in sheep and goats.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Berthel R, Deichelboher A, Dohme-Meier F

787. The effect of angiotensin converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism on anthropometric and biochemical parameters among hypertension patients: A case-control study from Northwest Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Birhan TA, Molla MD, Tesfa KH.

788. Statistical modeling of trends in infant mortality after atmospheric nuclear weapons testing.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Körblein A.

789. Earnings and work loss from 5 years before to 5 years after bariatric surgery: A cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Norrbäck M, Neovius M, Ottosson J

790. Nuclear analytical techniques used to study the trace element content of Centaurium erythraea Rafn, a medicinal plant species from sites with different pollution loads in Lower Silesia (SW Poland).

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Brudzińska-Kosior A, Kosior G, Sporek M

791. Barriers and facilitators to anti-retroviral therapy adherence among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Hlophe LD, Tamuzi JL, Shumba CS

BACKGROUND: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) significantly affects adolescents globally, with the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) reporting a high burden of the disease. HIV testing, treatment, and retention to care are low among adolescents. We conducted a mixed-method systematic review to assess anti-retroviral therapy (ART) adherence; barriers and facilitators to ART adherence and ART outcomes among adolescents living with HIV and on ART in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: We conducted searches in four scientific databases for studies conducted between 2010 and March 2022 to identify relevant primary studies. Studies were screened against inclusion criteria and assessed for quality, and data was extracted. Meta-analysis of rates and odd ratios was used to plot the quantitative studies and meta-synthesis summarized the evidence from qualitative studies. RESULTS: A total of 10 431 studies were identified and screened against the inclusion/ exclusion criteria. Sixty-six studies met the inclusion criteria (41 quantitative, 16 qualitative, and 9 mixed-methods study designs). Fifty-three thousand two hundred and seventeen (53 217) adolescents (52 319 in quantitative studies and 899 in qualitative studies) were included in the review. Thirteen support focused interventions for improved ART adherence were identified from quantitative studies. The plotted results from the meta-analysis found an ART adherence rate of 65% (95%CI 56-74), viral load suppression was 55% (95%CI 46-64), un-suppressed viral load rate of 41% (95%CI 32-50), and loss to follow up of 17% (95%CI 10-24) among adolescents. Meta-synthesis found six themes of barriers to ART (social, patient-based, economic, health system-based, therapy-based, and cultural barriers) in both the qualitative and quantitative studies, and three themes of facilitators to ART were also identified (social support, counselling, and ART education and secrecy or confidentiality) from qualitative studies. CONCLUSION: ART adherence remains low among adolescents in SSA despite multiple interventions implemented to improve ART adherence. The low adherence rate may hinder the attainment of the UNAIDS 2030 targets. Additionally, various barriers to ART adherence due to lack of support have been reported among this age group. However, interventions aimed at improving social support, educating, and counselling adolescents may improve and sustain ART adherence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42021284891.

792. Pseudomonas virulence factor controls expression of virulence genes in Pseudomonas entomophila.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Acken KA, Li B.

793. Elderly-friendly indoor vertical dimensional layout method based on joint mobility.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Wang F, Buranaut I, Zhang B

794. Stigmatization profiles and psychological distress in people at high risk of infection with COVID-19 -A study conducted in Germany from March to August 2021.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Bisenius S, Treml J, Hanschmidt F

795. Racial differences in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Arkansas.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Amick Iii BC, Allen JL, Brown CC

796. A novel soybean hairy root system for gene functional validation.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Pereira BM, Arraes F, Martins ACQ

797. Heat shock protein 70 protects the lungs from hyperoxic injury in a neonatal rat model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Lee CH, Su TC, Lee MS

798. Food neophilics' choice of an ethnic restaurant: The moderating role of authenticity.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Premordia I, Gál T.

799. Eight versus twelve weeks of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir in treatment-naïve non-cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: Study protocol for a multicentric, open labelled, randomized, non-inferiority trial (RESOLVE trial).

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Awasthi A, Katiyar H, Rungta S

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a common cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Globally, nearly 71 million people have chronic HCV infection, and approximately 399,000 dies annually. In patients without cirrhosis, HCV infection is treated with 12 weeks of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir combination. Results from available small, single-centre observational studies suggest that the sofosbuvir/velpatasvir combination given for 8 weeks may be as effective as the standard 12 weeks of treatment. We propose to compare the treatment response of 12 weeks versus 8 weeks of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir in non-cirrhotic people with chronic HCV infection. METHODS: This multicentric, randomized, open-label, non-inferiority trial will include 880 (2 arms x 440) treatment naïve, viraemic (HCV RNA >10,000 IU/mL), non-cirrhotic adults (age >18 years) with chronic hepatitis C. People who are at high-risk for HCV reinfection such as haemophiliacs, people who inject drugs, those on maintenance hemodialysis or having HIV will be excluded. The presence or absence of cirrhosis will be determined with a combination of history, examination, ultrasound, liver stiffness measured with transient elastography, APRI, FIB-4, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Participants will be randomized to receive either 8- or 12-week sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment. A blood specimen will be collected before starting the treatment (to determine the HCV genotype), after 4 weeks of treatment (for early virological response), and at 12 weeks after treatment discontinuation for SVR12. DISCUSSION: The study will provide data on the efficacy of 8 weeks of treatment as compared to the standard of care (12 weeks) in non-cirrhotic patients with chronic HCV infection. Treatment for a shorter duration may improve treatment compliance, reduce the cost of treatment, and ease the treatment implementation from a public health perspective. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered with Clinical Trial Registry of India (http://ctri.nic.in) Registration No. CTRI/2022/03/041368 [Registered on: 24/03/2022]-Trial Registered Prospectively.

800. Short report: Social processing in non-emotional contexts by children with and without autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Teh EJ, Yap MJ.

801. Ultrasound evaluation of vagus nerve cross-sectional area in a community-dwelling elderly Japanese cohort.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Oura K, Akasaka H, Ishizuka N

802. Processing covert dependency: An eye-tracking study of scope interpretations of embedded Wh-questions in Mandarin.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Kong D, Hsu YY.

Non-local dependency in Mandarin wh-questions has been extensively researched in theoretical linguistics, but it remains an under-studied topic in the field of language processing. Unlike languages that require wh-movement to form wh-questions, Mandarin is a wh-in-situ language, and hence is generally assumed to require a covert dependency between a wh-phrase and its scope-bearing position. Mandarin therefore provides an ideal linguistic environment in which to study not only cognitive-processing mechanisms, but also how different types of non-local dependency, especially covert dependency, can be handled by readers. This paper investigates the processing of such covert non-local dependency in multiple embedded clauses, that is, multiple complementizer phrases (CPs). In wh-in-situ sentences with multiple CPs, the wh-phrases' scope varies according to the types of verbs and their embedded clauses. Based on the subcategorization of clausal verbs, we designed four experimental conditions: double-embedded low scope, double-embedded high scope, double-embedded ambiguous scope, and long distance in pivotal construction. According to memory-based and distance-based language processing theories, the low-scope condition should be easier to process than the high-scope one, because the former has a shorter linear distance than the latter when forming dependencies; and pivotal construction should be easier to process than high-scope embedded clauses, because the former has a shorter structural distance. In cases where both low- and high-scope interpretations are possible, we aim to determine whether readers exhaust every potential interpretation during comprehension, or adopt a 'good-enough' approach to obtaining an interpretation via an easier and less costly process. To this end, we will adopt the eye-tracking technique that allows us to obtain fine-grained reading-time data, which can be used to compare processing across conditions. The results will contribute to understanding human readers' mechanisms for processing covert dependency and resolving scope ambiguity in wh-in-situ languages.

803. Non-arteritic anterior ischemic and glaucomatous optic neuropathy: Implications for neuroretinal rim remodeling with disease severity.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Eadie BD, Dyachok OM, Quach JH

804. The prevalence and risk factors for tuberculosis among healthcare workers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Main S, Triasih R, Greig J

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk of contracting TB, particularly when in high tuberculosis (TB) burden settings. Routine surveillance data and evidence are limited on the burden of TB amongst HCWs in Indonesia. We aimed to measure the prevalence of TB infection (TBI) and disease among HCWs in four healthcare facilities in Yogyakarta province in Indonesia, and explore risk factors for TBI. A cross-sectional TB screening study targeted all HCWs from four pre-selected facilities (1 hospital, 3 primary care) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Voluntary screening included symptom assessment, Chest X-ray (CXR), Xpert MTB/RIF (if indicated) and tuberculin skin test (TST). Analyses were descriptive and included multivariable logistic regression. Of 792 HCWs, 681 consented (86%) to the screening; 59% (n = 401) were female, 62% were medical staff (n = 421), 77% worked in the one participating hospital (n = 524), and the median time working in the health sector was 13 years (IQR: 6-25 years). Nearly half had provided services for people with TB (46%, n = 316) and 9% reported ever having TB (n = 60). Among participants with presumptive TB (15%, n = 99/662), none were diagnosed microbiologically or clinically with active TB disease. TBI was detected in 25% (95% CI: 22-30; n = 112/441) of eligible HCWs with a TST result. A significant association was found between TB infection and being male (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 2.02 (95%CI: 1.29-3.17)), currently working in the participating hospital compared to primary care (aOR 3.15 (95%CI: 1.75-5.66)), and older age (1.05 OR increase per year of life between 19-73 years (95%CI: 1.02-1.06)). This study supports prioritisation of HCWs as a high-risk group for TB infection and disease, and the need for comprehensive prevention and control programs in Indonesia. Further, it identifies characteristics of HCWs in Yogyakarta at higher risk of TBI, who could be prioritised in screening programs if universal coverage of prevention and control measures cannot be achieved.

805. Knowledge of Thai women in cervical cancer etiology and screening.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Khomphaiboonkij U, Sreamsukcharoenchai N, Pitakkarnkul S

806. Community-based COVID-19 active case finding and rapid response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Improving case detection and response.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Otshudiema JO, Folefack GLT, Nsio JM

A community-based coronavirus disease (COVID-19) active case-finding strategy using an antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) was implemented in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to enhance COVID-19 case detection. With this pilot community-based active case finding and response program that was designed as a clinical, prospective testing performance, and implementation study, we aimed to identify insights to improve community diagnosis and rapid response to COVID-19. This pilot study was modeled on the DRC's National COVID-19 Response Plan and the COVID-19 Ag-RDT screening algorithm defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), with case findings implemented in 259 health areas, 39 health zones, and 9 provinces. In each health area, a 7-member interdisciplinary field team tested the close contacts (ring strategy) and applied preventive and control measures to each confirmed case. The COVID-19 testing capacity increased from 0.3 tests per 10,000 inhabitants per week in the first wave to 0.4, 1.6, and 2.2 in the second, third, and fourth waves, respectively. From January to November 2021, this capacity increase contributed to an average of 10.5% of COVID-19 tests in the DRC, with 7,110 positive Ag-RDT results for 40,226 suspected cases and close contacts who were tested (53.6% female, median age: 37 years [interquartile range: 26.0-50.0)]. Overall, 79.7% (n = 32,071) of the participants were symptomatic and 7.6% (n = 3,073) had comorbidities. The Ag-RDT sensitivity and specificity were 55.5% and 99.0%, respectively, based on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis, and there was substantial agreement between the tests (k = 0.63). Despite its limited sensitivity, the Ag-RDT has improved COVID-19 testing capacity, enabling earlier detection, isolation, and treatment of COVID-19 cases. Our findings support the community testing of suspected cases and asymptomatic close contacts of confirmed cases to reduce disease spread and virus transmission.

807. Interval walking training in type 2 diabetes: A pilot study to evaluate the applicability as exercise therapy.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Kitajima K, Oiwa A, Miyakoshi T

There are few established easy-to-perform exercise protocols with evidence-based effects for individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A unique exercise regimen, interval walking training (IWT), has been reported to be beneficial for improving metabolic function, physical fitness and muscle strength in adults of overall health. This pilot study aims to demonstrate descriptive statistics of IWT adherence and changes in various data before and after the intervention of IWT in adults with T2D, perform statistical hypothesis testing, and calculate effect sizes. We performed a single-arm interventional pilot study with IWT for 20 weeks. We enrolled 51 participants with T2D aged 20-80 years with glycohemoglobin (HbA1c) levels of 6.5-10.0% (48-86 mmol/mol) and a body mass index of 20-34 kg/m2, respectively. The target was 60 min/week of fast walking for 20 weeks. The participants visited the hospital and were examined at 4-week intervals during this period. Between the start of IWT and after 20 weeks, we measured and evaluated changes in glucose and lipid metabolism data, body composition, physical fitness, muscle strength, dietary calorie intake, and daily exercise calories. All included participants completed IWT, with 39% of them reaching the target length of fast walking over 1,200 minutes in 20 weeks. In the primary outcome, HbA1c levels, and in the secondary, lipid metabolism and body composition, no significant changes were observed except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (from 1.4 mmol/L to 1.5 mmol/L, p = 0.0093, t-test). However, in the target achievement group, a significant increase in VO2 peak by 10% (from 1,682 mL/min to 1,827 mL/min, p = 0.037, t-test) was observed. Effect sizes were Cohen's d = 0.25 of HDL-C, -0.55 of triglyceride, and 0.24 of VO2 peak in the target achievement group, which were considered to be of small to medium clinical significance. These results could be solely attributed to IWT since there were no significant differences in dietary intake and daily life energy consumption before and after the study. IWT could be highly versatile and was suggested to have a positive effect on lipid metabolism and physical fitness. In future randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies, the detailed effects of IWT, focusing on these parameters, will be examined. Trial registration: This trial was registered with the Japanese University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR: Usefulness on interval walking training in patients with type 2 diabetes. 000037303).

808. Bazedoxifene does not share estrogens effects on IgG sialylation.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Gupta P, Horkeby K, Carlsten H

809. An integer GARCH model for a Poisson process with time-varying zero-inflation.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Ratnayake IP, Samaranayake VA.

810. Oxalic acid blocked the binding of spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) variants to human angiotensin-converting enzymes 2.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Wang M, Yan H, Chen L

811. Metabolically active bacteria detected with click chemistry in low organic matter rainwater.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Guillemette R, Harwell MC, Brown CA.

812. A 24-h activity profile and adiposity among children and adolescents: Does the difference between school and weekend days matter?

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Janda D, Gába A, Vencálek O

BACKGROUND: Twenty-four-hour movement behaviours are gaining attention in the research community. However, no study has addressed how 24-h activity profiles vary between structured and less structured days and whether an unfavourable activity profile is associated with childhood obesity. We aimed to analyse differences between school day and weekend day 24-h activity profiles and their associations with adiposity indicators among children and adolescents. METHODS: Participants were 382 children and 338 adolescents who wore wrist accelerometers for 24 hours a day for seven consecutive days. The 24-h activity profile expressed by the average acceleration (AvAcc) and intensity gradient (IG) were estimated from multi-day raw accelerometer data. Adiposity indicators included body mass index (BMI) z-score, fat mass percentage (FM%), fat mass index (FMI), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Multiple linear regression of activity profile metrics and adiposity indicators was performed separately for school and weekend days. RESULTS: Weekend days AvAcc and IG were lower compared to school days in both age groups (p <0.001 for all). Specifically, AvAcc was lower by 9.4% and 11.3% in children and adolescents, respectively. IG on weekend days was lower (more negative) by 3.4% in children and 3.1% in adolescents. Among children, on school days AvAcc and IG were negatively associated with FM%, FMI, and VAT, whilst on weekend days AvAcc was positively associated with BMI z-score, FMI, and VAT (p < 0.05 for all). Among adolescents, negative associations were found between weekend day AvAcc and IG and FM% and FMI (p < 0.05 for all), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the importance of 24-h activity profile as a potentially protective factor against excess adiposity. The variability of movement behaviours during structured and less structured days should be considered when optimizing the 24-h movement behaviours to prevent childhood obesity.

813. Genome-wide association mapping for component traits of drought tolerance in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Mutari B, Sibiya J, Shayanowako A

Understanding the genetic basis of traits of economic importance under drought stressed and well-watered conditions is important in enhancing genetic gains in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). This research aims to: (i) identify markers associated with agronomic and physiological traits for drought tolerance and (ii) identify drought-related putative candidate genes within the mapped genomic regions. An andean and middle-american diversity panel (AMDP) comprising of 185 genotypes was screened in the field under drought stressed and well-watered conditions for two successive seasons. Agronomic and physiological traits, viz., days to 50% flowering (DFW), plant height (PH), days to physiological maturity (DPM), grain yield (GYD), 100-seed weight (SW), leaf temperature (LT), leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) and stomatal conductance (SC) were phenotyped. Principal component and association analysis were conducted using the filtered 9370 Diversity Arrays Technology sequencing (DArTseq) markers. The mean PH, GYD, SW, DPM, LCC and SC of the panel was reduced by 12.1, 29.6, 10.3, 12.6, 28.5 and 62.0%, respectively under drought stressed conditions. Population structure analysis revealed two sub-populations, which corresponded to the andean and middle-american gene pools. Markers explained 0.08-0.10, 0.22-0.23, 0.29-0.32, 0.43-0.44, 0.65-0.66 and 0.69-0.70 of the total phenotypic variability (R2) for SC, LT, PH, GYD, SW and DFW, respectively under drought stressed conditions. For well-watered conditions, R2 varied from 0.08 (LT) to 0.70 (DPM). Overall, 68 significant (p < 10-03) marker-trait associations (MTAs) and 22 putative candidate genes were identified across drought stressed and well-watered conditions. Most of the identified genes had known biological functions related to regulating the response to drought stress. The findings provide new insights into the genetic architecture of drought stress tolerance in common bean. The findings also provide potential candidate SNPs and putative genes that can be utilized in gene discovery and marker-assisted breeding for drought tolerance after validation.

814. A protocol for feasibility of plasma based GeneXpert platform and Dried Blood Spot (DBS) based Abbott platform for HIV-1 viral load testing among the people living with HIV attending ART centers in India.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Kamble S, Shidhaye P, Mukherjee A

BACKGROUND: HIV-1 Viral load (VL) measures efficiency of the antiretroviral therapy (ART) after treatment initiation and helps to diagnose virological failures at an early stage. Current VL assays require sophisticated laboratory facilities. As well as there are other challenges pertaining to insufficient laboratory access, cold-chain management and sample transportation. Hence the number of HIV-1 VL testing laboratories is inadequate in the resource limited settings. The revised national tuberculosis elimination programme (NTEP) in India has developed a vast network of point of care (PoC) testing facilities for diagnosis of tuberculosis and several GeneXpert platforms are functional under this programme. Both the GeneXpert HIV-1 assay and HIV-1 Abbott real time assay are comparable and GeneXpert HIV-1 assay can be used as PoC for HIV-1 Viral load testing. Also, the dried blood spot (DBS) as a sample type has been considered as a good option for HIV-1 VL testing in hard to reach areas. This protocol is therefore developed to assess the feasibility of integrating HIV-1 VL testing among people living with HIV (PLHIV) attending ART centres using the two public health models under the current programme: 1. HIV-1 VL testing using GeneXpert platform and plasma as a sample type, and 2. HIV-1 VL testing using Abbott m2000 platform and DBS as a sample type. METHODS: This ethically approved feasibility study will be implemented at two moderate to high burden ART centres where VL testing facility is not available in the town. Under Model-1, arrangements will be made to carry out VL testing on the adjacent GeneXpert facility and under Model-2, DBS will be prepared on site and couriered to identified viral load testing laboratories. In order to assess the feasibility, data will be collected on pretested questionnaire pertaining to number of samples tested for VL testing, number of samples tested for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and the turnaround time (TAT). In-depth interviews will be conducted among the service providers at ART centre and different laboratories for addressing any issues regarding the model implementation. RESULTS: The proportion of PLHIV tested for VL at ART centres, total TAT for both models including TAT for sample transportation, sample testing and receipt of results as well as proportion of sample rejections and reasons for the same, correlation coefficient between DBS based and plasma based VL testing will be estimated using various statistical tools. CONCLUSION: If found promising, these public health approaches will be helpful for the policy makers and program implementation in scaling up HIV-1 viral load testing within India.

815. Young, but not in the dark-The influence of reduced lighting on gait stability in middle-aged adults.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Naaman T, Hayek R, Gutman I

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of walking in reduced lighting with or without performing a secondary cognitive task on gait dynamics in middle-aged adults and to compare them with young and old adults. METHODS: Twenty young (age 28.8±4.1), 20 middle-aged (age 50.2±4.4), and 19 elderly (age 70.7±4.2) subjects participated in the study. Subjects walked on an instrumented treadmill at a self-determined pace under four conditions in randomized order: (1) walking in usual lighting (1000 lumens); (2) walking in near-darkness (5 lumens); (3) walking in usual lighting with a serial-7 subtraction dual-task; and (4) walking in near-darkness with a serial-7 subtraction dual-task. Variability in stride time and variability in the trajectory of the center of pressure in the sagittal and frontal planes (anterior/posterior and lateral variability) were measured. Repeated measures ANOVA and planned comparisons were used to determine the effects of age, lighting conditions, and cognitive task on each gait outcome. RESULTS: Under usual lighting, stride time variability and anterior/posterior variability of the middle-aged subjects were similar to those of the young and lower than those of the old. The lateral variability of the middle-aged subjects was higher than that of young adults under both lighting conditions. Similar to the older adults, the middle-aged participants increased their stride time variability when walking in near-darkness, but they were the only ones to exhibit increased lateral variability and anterior/posterior variability in near-darkness. Young adult gait was not affected by lighting, and concurrent performance of a cognitive task while walking did not affect gait stability in all groups under any of the lighting conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Gait stability decreases in middle age when walking in the dark. Recognition of functional deficits in middle age could promote appropriate interventions to optimize aging and reduce fall risk.

816. HER2 inhibition increases non-muscle myosin IIA to promote tumorigenesis in HER2+ breast cancers.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Alanazi SM, Feroz W, Mishra R

817. Epidemiology, clinical features, and surgical outcomes of acute acquired concomitant esotropia associated with myopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Roda M, di Geronimo N, Valsecchi N

818. Coping with the mental health impact of COVID-19: A study protocol for a multinational longitudinal study on coping and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Backhaus I, Sisenop F, Begotaraj E

819. Accurate deep learning model using semi-supervised learning and Noisy Student for cervical cancer screening in low magnification images.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Kurita Y, Meguro S, Tsuyama N

820. Efficacy and safety of Dachaihu Decoction for acute pancreatitis: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Xiao X, Wu X, Fu Q

BACKGROUND: Dachaihu Decoction (DCD) is a traditional herbal formula widely used for treating acute pancreatitis (AP) in China. However, the efficacy and safety of DCD has never been validated, limiting its application. This study will assess the efficacy and safety of DCD for AP treatment. METHODS: Relevant randomized controlled trials of DCD in treating AP will be searched through Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and Chinese Biological Medicine Literature Service System database. Only studies published between the inception of the databases and May 31, 2023 shall be considered. Searches will also be performed in the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Preprint databases and grey literature sources such as OpenGrey, British Library Inside, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, and BIOSIS preview will also be searched for relevant resources. The primary outcomes to be assessed will include mortality rate, rate of surgical intervention, proportion of patients with severe acute pancreatitis transferred to ICU, gastrointestinal symptoms, and the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score. Secondary outcomes will include systemic complications, local complications, the normalization period of C-reactive protein, length of stay in the hospital, TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 levels, and adverse events. Study selection, data extraction, and assessment of bias risk will be conducted independently by two reviewers using the Endnote X9 and Microsoft Office Excel 2016 software. The risk of bias of included studies will be assessed by the Cochrane "risk of bias" tool. Data analysis will be performed using the RevMan software (V.5.3). Subgroup and sensitivity analysis will be performed where necessary. RESULTS: This study will provide high-quality current evidence of DCD for treating AP. CONCLUSION: This systematic review will provide evidence of whether DCD is an effective and safe therapy for treating AP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number CRD42021245735. The protocol for this study was registered at PROSPERO, and is available in the S1 Appendix. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021245735.

821. Exploring biomarkers and prognostic factors in uterine carcinosarcoma: An insight into L1CAM, CDX2, p53, and MSI status.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

da Silva JL, de Albuquerque LZ, Rodrigues FR

BACKGROUND: Uterine Carcinosarcomas (UCS) are a rare type of cancer composed of an admixture of high-grade carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements. Clinicopathological prognostic factors in UCS are well established, but studies that approach the impact of biomarkers in this unusual disease are scarce. The study objective was to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic impact of a panel of prominent biomarkers in uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) using an immunohistochemical characterization with four biomarkers. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The internal database of a single Brazilian institution was carefully explored to select women diagnosed with UCS who were submitted to surgery and postoperative chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel between January 2012 and December 2017. Tissue microarrays containing UCS samples were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for L1CAM, CDX2, p53 and microsatellite instability markers. A total of 57 cases were included. The mean age was 65.3 years (standard deviation, SD 7.0). L1CAM was negative (score 0, no staining) in 27 (47.4%) patients. Of L1CAM-positive, 10 (17.5%) showed weak (score 1, <10%), 6 (10.5%) showed moderate (score 2, between 10-50%), and 14 (24.6%) showed strong L1CAM staining (score 3, ≧50%). dMMR occurred in 3 (5.3%) cases. The p53 was aberrantly expressed in 15 (26.3%) tumors. CDX2 was positive in 3 (5.3%) patients. The three-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate in the general population of the study was 21.2% (95% CI: 11.7-38.1) and the three-year overall survival (OS) rate was 29.4% (95% CI: 18.1-47.6). By multivariate analysis, the presence of metastases and CDX2-positive were significantly associated with poorer PFS (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively) and OS (p < 0.001 and p = 0.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: The strong influence of CDX2 on prognosis requires further investigation. Biological or molecular variability may have impaired the assessment of the impact of the other markers on survival.

822. A novel nonlinear grey Bernoulli model NGBM(1,1,t^p,α) and its application in forecasting the express delivery volume per capita in China.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Cheng M, Liu B.

823. Cytogenetic evidence and dmrt linkage indicate male heterogamety in a non-bilaterian animal.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Vacarizas J, Taguchi T, Mezaki T

824. Factors associated with nonadherence to the American Academy of Pediatrics 2014 bronchiolitis guidelines: A retrospective study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Pittet LF, Glangetas A, Barazzone-Argiroffo C

The latest guideline from the American Academy of Pediatrics for the management of bronchiolitis has helped reduce unnecessary interventions and costs. However, data on patients still receiving interventions are missing. In patients with acute bronchiolitis whose management was assessed and compared with current achievable benchmarks of care, we aimed to identify factors associated with nonadherence to guideline recommendations. In this single-centre retrospective study the management of bronchiolitis pre-guideline (Period 1: 2010 to 2012) was compared with two periods post-guideline (Period 2: 2015 to 2016, early post-guideline; and Period 3: 2017 to 2018, late post-guideline) in otherwise healthy infants aged less than 1 year presenting at the Children's University Hospitals of Geneva (Switzerland). Post-guideline, bronchodilators were more frequently administered to older (>6 months; OR 25.8, 95%CI 12.6-52.6), and atopic (OR 3.5, 95%CI 1.5-7.5) children with wheezing (OR 5.4, 95%CI 3.3-8.7). Oral corticosteroids were prescribed more frequently to older (>6 months; OR 5.2, 95%CI 1.4-18.7) infants with wheezing (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.3-17.8). Antibiotics and chest X-ray were more frequently prescribed to children admitted to the intensive care unit (antibiotics: OR 4.2, 95%CI 1.3-13.5; chest X-ray: OR 19.4, 95%CI 7.4-50.6). Latest prescription rates were all below the achievable benchmarks of care. In summary, following the latest American Academy of Pediatrics guideline, older, atopic children with wheezing and infants admitted to the intensive care unit were more likely to receive nonevidence-based interventions during an episode of bronchiolitis. These patient profiles are generally excluded from bronchiolitis trials, and therefore not specifically covered by the current guideline. Further research should focus on the benefit of bronchiolitis interventions in these particular populations.

825. A qualitative assessment of factors contributing to Spanish-speaking federally qualified health center patients' chronic pain experiences.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Bifulco L, Almonte S, Sosa S

People of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (Latinx people) experience pain diagnosis, treatment, and care disparities relative to non-Latinx Whites. Those whose preferred language is Spanish may experience additional disparities when receiving care in a language-discordant environment. In order to better understand medically underserved Spanish-speaking Latinx patients' pain care experience in primary care, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with federally qualified health center staff members (n = 9) and Spanish-speaking adult Latinx patients with chronic pain (n = 12) to capture data on their perspectives. Interview data were mapped to the individual (microsystem), interpersonal (mesosystem), organizational (exosystem), and environmental (macrosystem) levels of Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and analyzed using thematic content analysis informed by the Framework Method. Findings suggest that Spanish-speaking patients and English-speaking care team members may interpret information about pain state and severity differently, may have misaligned expectations about care, treatment methodologies, and treatment goals, and may experience difficulty forming a mutual understanding during health care encounters due to cross-linguistic and cross-cultural miscommunication. Patients preferred to describe their pain in words rather than with numbers or standardized scales, and both patients and frontline care team members expressed frustration with medical interpretation services, which added time and complexity to visits. Patients and health center staff emphasized the diversity of experiences among Spanish-speaking Latinx people, and the need to account for both linguistic and cultural differences during care encounters. Both groups supported hiring more Spanish-speaking, Latinx healthcare personnel who better resemble the patient population, which has the potential to improve linguistic and cultural concordance and competence, with the aim of improving care outcomes and patient satisfaction. Further study is warranted to examine how linguistic and cultural communication barriers impact pain assessment and treatment in primary care, the extent to which patients feel understood by their care teams, and their confidence in their ability to understand and interpret treatment recommendations.

826. Use of public sector diabetes eye services in New Zealand 2006-2019: Analysis of national routinely collected datasets.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Silwal PR, Lee AC, Squirrell D

OBJECTIVE: To assess diabetes eye service use in New Zealand among people aged ≥15 years by estimating service attendance, biennial screening rate, and disparities in the use of screening and treatment services. METHODS: We obtained Ministry of Health data from the National Non-Admitted Patient Collection on diabetes eye service events between 1 July 2006 and 31 December 2019 and sociodemographic and mortality data from the Virtual Diabetes Register and linked these using a unique patient identifier (encrypted National Health Index). We 1) summarized attendance at retinal screening and ophthalmology services, 2) calculated biennial and triennial screening rate, 3) summarized treatment with laser and anti-VEGF and used log-binomial regression to examine associations of all of these with age group, ethnicity, and area-level deprivation. RESULTS: In total, 245,844 people aged ≥15 years had at least one diabetes eye service appointment attended or scheduled; half of these (n = 125,821, 51.2%) attended only retinal screening, one-sixth attended only ophthalmology (n = 35,883, 14.6%) and one-third attended both (n = 78,300, 31.8%). The biennial retinal screening rate was 62.1%, with large regional variation (73.9% in Southern District to 29.2% in West Coast). Compared with NZ Europeans, Māori were approximately twice as likely to never receive diabetes eye care or to access ophthalmology when referred from retinal screening, 9% relatively less likely to receive biennial screening and received the fewest anti-VEGF injections when treatment was commenced. Disparities in service access were also present for Pacific Peoples compared to NZ Europeans, younger and older age groups compared to those aged 50-59 years and those living in areas with higher deprivation. CONCLUSIONS: Access to diabetes eye care is suboptimal, with substantial disparity between age groups, ethnicity groups, area level deprivation quintile and across districts. Efforts to improve access to and quality of diabetes eye care services must include strengthening data collection and monitoring.

827. Biophysical and biochemical studies support TP0094 as a phosphotransacetylase in an acetogenic energy-conservation pathway in Treponema pallidum.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Brautigam CA, Deka RK, Tso SC

828. Engagement and outcomes of marginalised young people in an early intervention youth alcohol and other drug program: The Street Universities model.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Caruana T, Mao L, Gray RM

829. DDX43 mRNA expression and protein levels in relation to clinicopathological profile of breast cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Amer NN, Khairat R, Hammad AM

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the most often diagnosed cancer in women globally. Cancer cells appear to rely heavily on RNA helicases. DDX43 is one of DEAD- box RNA helicase family members. But, the relationship between clinicopathological, prognostic significance in different BC subtypes and DDX43 expression remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the clinicopathological significance of DDX43 protein and mRNA expression in different BC subtypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 80 females newly diagnosed with BC and 20 control females that were age-matched were recruited for this study. DDX43 protein levels were measured by ELISA technique. We used a real-time polymerase chain reaction quantification (real-time PCR) to measure the levels of DDX43 mRNA expression. Levels of DDX43 protein and mRNA expression within BC patients had been compared to those of control subjects and correlated with clinicopathological data. RESULTS: The mean normalized serum levels of DDX43 protein were slightly higher in control than in both benign and malignant groups, but this result was non-significant. The mean normalized level of DDX43 mRNA expression was higher in the control than in both benign and malignant cases, although the results were not statistically significant and marginally significant, respectively. Moreover, the mean normalized level of DDX43 mRNA expression was significantly higher in benign than in malignant cases. In malignant cases, low DDX43 protein expression was linked to higher nuclear grade and invasive duct carcinoma (IDC), whereas high mRNA expression was linked to the aggressive types of breast cancer such as TNBC, higher tumor and nuclear grades. CONCLUSION: This study explored the potential of using blood DDX43 mRNA expression or protein levels, or both in clinical settings as a marker of disease progression in human breast cancer. DDX43 mRNA expression proposes a less invasive method for discriminating benign from malignant BC.

830. Porous phosphate-based bioactive glass /β-TCP scaffold for tooth remineralization.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Ruiz-Aguilar C.

The total or partial loss of teeth in the Mexican population due to periodontal diseases and trauma causes the development of other conditions, such as limitations in chewing and grinding food, pronunciation difficulties, and oral aesthetic alterations. In Mexico, oral diseases have been described to affect 87% of the population, according to reports by the health services, emphasizing that pregnant women and patients with diabetes mellitus have the highest risk of presenting with severe periodontal diseases or tooth loss, according to findings by the Mexican Health Department's Specific Action Program for the prevention, detection, and control of oral health problems (2013-2018). There was a 92.6% prevalence of dental caries in the population examined, and the prevalence of periodontal problems, mainly in 40-year-olds, was above 95%. The objective of this investigation was to manufacture and characterize porous 3D scaffolds with innovative chemical compositions, using phosphate-based bioactive glass, beta-phase tricalcium phosphate, and zirconium oxide, in variable quantities. The scaffold manufacturing method combined two techniques: powder metallurgy and polymer foaming. The results obtained in this research were promising since the mechanically tested scaffolds showed values of compressive strength and modulus of elasticity in the range of human trabecular bone. On the other hand, the in vitro evaluation of the samples immersed in artificial saliva at days 7 and 14 presented the calcium/phosphorus ratio = 1.6; this value is identical to the reported state-of-the-art figure, corresponding to the mineral phase of the bones and teeth. Likewise, the precipitation of the flower-like morphology was observed on the entire surface of the scaffold without zirconia; this morphology is characteristic of hydroxyapatite. On the other hand, the samples with 0.5 and 1.0 mol% zirconia showed less hydroxyapatite formation, with a direct correlation between scaffold dissolution and the amount of zirconia added.

831. Multi-region electricity demand prediction with ensemble deep neural networks.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Irfan M, Shaf A, Ali T

832. Development of a cell-free screening assay for the identification of direct PERK activators.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Costa MFD, Höglinger GU, Rösler TW.

833. Health services use among formerly incarcerated Louisiana Medicaid members within one year of release.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Wennerstrom A, Sugarman OK, Reilly B

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between enrollment in Medicaid prior to release compared with post-release, and the use of health services and time to the first service use after release among Louisiana Medicaid members within one year of release from Louisiana state corrections custody. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study linking Louisiana Medicaid and Louisiana state corrections release data. We included individuals ages 19 to 64 years released from state custody between January 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019 and enrolled in Medicaid within 180 days of release. Outcome measures included receipt of general health services (primary care visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations), cancer screenings, specialty behavioral health services, and prescription medications. To determine the association between pre-release Medicaid enrollment and time to receipt of health services, multivariable regression models were used which accounted for significant differences in characteristics between the groups. RESULTS: Overall, 13283 individuals met eligibility criteria and 78.8% (n = 10473) of the population was enrolled in Medicaid pre-release. Compared with those enrolled in Medicaid prior to release, those enrolled post-release were more likely to have an emergency department visit (59.6% versus 57.5%, p = 0.04) and hospitalization (17.9% versus 15.9%, p = 0.01) and less likely to receive outpatient mental health services (12.3% versus 15.2%, p<0.001) and prescription drugs. Compared with those enrolled in Medicaid prior to release, those enrolled post-release had a significantly longer time to receiving many services including a primary care visit (adjusted mean difference: 42.2 days [95% CI: 37.9 to 46.5; p<0.001]), outpatient mental health services (42.8 days [95% CI: 31.3 to 54.4; p<0.001]), outpatient substance use disorder service (20.6 days [95% CI: 2.0 to 39.2; p = 0.03]), and medication for opioid use disorder (40.4 days [95% CI: 23.7 to 57.1; p<0.001]) as well as inhaled bronchodilators and corticosteroids (63.8 days [95% CI: 49.3 to 78.3, p<0.001]), antipsychotics (62.9 days [95% CI: 50.8 to 75.1; p<0.001]), antihypertensives (60.5 days [95% CI: 50.7 to 70.3; p<0.001]), and antidepressants (52.3 days [95% CI: 44.1 to 60.5; p<0.001]). CONCLUSION: Compared with Medicaid enrollment post-release, pre-release Medicaid enrollment was associated with higher proportions of, and faster access to, a wide variety of health services. Regardless of enrollment status, we found prolonged times between release and receipt of time-sensitive behavioral health services and prescription medications.

834. Formal help for persons with multiple sclerosis-Background factors associated with usage of personal assistance and home help in Sweden.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Ståhl D, Friberg E.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease that may cause several different symptoms, some which may entail the need for help in daily life. The aim of this study was to explore the association between sociodemographic background factors and the use of personal assistance and home help services (home help) among persons with MS in Sweden. The study was based on cross-sectional survey data merged with register data and included 3,863 persons with MS aged 20-51. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with the use of personal assistance and home help. The central finding of this study was that grade of impairment, as determined by the Expanded Disability Status Scale for Multiple Sclerosis (EDSS), was the most important variable associated with the use of both personal assistance (p < 0.001, OR 18.83) and home help (p < 0.001, OR 6.83). Living alone and receiving sickness benefit were also both associated with the use of personal assistance (p < 0.001, OR 3.32; p 0.001, OR 3.32) and home help (p 0.004, OR 2.56; p 0.011, OR 2.56). Stating a visible symptom of MS as being the most limiting factor of the disease (p 0.001, OR 2.73) and having a disposable income below the limit for poverty risk (p 0.02, OR 2.16) was associated with the use of personal assistance. Receiving informal, meaning unpaid, help (p 0.049, OR 1.89) was associated with the use of home help. Several background factors were controlled for but were not related to differences in the usage of formal help. The results indicated no significant differences in demographic characteristics that could be linked to unequal distribution. However, differences were found between those using personal assistance and home help. The latter were mainly affected by invisible symptoms, suggesting a plausible influencing factor in the chances of obtaining more comprehensive help in the form of personal assistance. Users of home help were also more likely to receive informal help than users of personal assistance, which may suggest that home help is not sufficient.

835. Association between body mass index and posterior spine fusion among patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Chan CT.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have found mixed associations between body mass index (BMI) and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) incidence and progression. The aim of this study was to examine the association between BMI and the incidence of posterior spine fusion (PSF) among pediatric patients with AIS. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with AIS at a single large tertiary care center between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2020. BMI-for-age percentiles were used to categorize BMI into four categories: underweight (<5th percentile), healthy weight (≥5th to <85th percentile), overweight (≥85th to <95th percentile), and obese (≥95th percentile). Chi-square and t-tests were used to compare distributions of baseline characteristics by incident PSF outcome status. Multivariable logistic regression assessed the association between BMI category at baseline and incident PSF adjusting for sex, age at diagnosis, race/ethnicity, health insurance type, vitamin D supplementation, and low vitamin D levels. RESULTS: A total of 2,258 patients met the inclusion criteria with 2,113 patients (93.6%) who did not undergo PSF during the study period and 145 patients (6.4%) who did undergo PSF. At baseline, 7.3% of patients were categorized as underweight, 73.2% were healthy weight, 10.2% were overweight, and 9.3% were obese. Compared to those in the healthy weight group, there was no significant association between PSF and being underweight (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.64, 95% CI 0.90-2.99, p = 0.107), being overweight (AOR 1.25, 95% CI 0.71-2.20, p = 0.436), or being obese (AOR 1.19, 95% CI 0.63-2.27, p = 0.594). CONCLUSIONS: This study did not find a statistically significant association between underweight, overweight, or obese BMI category and incident PSF among patients with AIS. These findings add to the current mixed evidence on the relationship between BMI and surgical risk and may support the recommendation of conservative treatment to patients regardless of BMI.

836. Gastric microbiome changes in relation with Helicobacter pylori resistance.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Dewayani A, Afrida Fauzia K, Alfaray RI

INTRODUCTION: Inadequate antimicrobial treatment has led to multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, including Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which one of the notable pathogens in the stomach. Antibiotic-induced changes in the microbiota can negatively affect the host. This study aimed to determine the influence of H. pylori resistance on the diversity and abundance of the stomach microbiome. METHODS: Bacterial DNA was extracted from biopsy samples of patients presenting dyspepsia symptoms with H. pylori positive from cultures and histology. DNA was amplified from the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene. In-vitro E-test was used to detect antibiotic resistance. Microbiome community analysis was conducted through α-diversity, β-diversity, and relative abundance. RESULTS: Sixty-nine H. pylori positive samples were eligible after quality filtering. Following resistance status to five antibiotics, samples were classified into 24 sensitive, 24 single resistance, 16 double resistance, 5 triple resistance. Samples were mostly resistant to metronidazole (73.33%; 33/45). Comparation of four groups displayed significantly elevated α-diversity parameters under the multidrug resistance condition (all P <0.05). A notable change was observed in triple-resistant compared to sensitive (P <0.05) and double-resistant (P <0.05) groups. Differences in β-diversity by UniFrac and Jaccard were not significant in terms of the resistance (P = 0.113 and P = 0.275, respectively). In the triple-resistant group, the relative abundance of Helicobacter genera was lower, whereas that of Streptococcus increased. Moreover, the linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was associated with the presence of Corynebacterium and Saccharimonadales in the single-resistant group and Pseudomonas and Cloacibacterium in the triple-resistant group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the resistant samples showed a higher trend of diversity and evenness than the sensitive samples. The abundance of H. pylori in the triple-resistant samples decreased with increasing cohabitation of pathogenic bacteria, which may support antimicrobial resistance. However, antibiotic susceptibility determined by the E-test may not completely represent the resistance status.

837. On the fractal patterns of language structures.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Ribeiro LC, Bernardes AT, Mello H.

838. Analysis of movements in tooth removal procedures using robot technology.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Riet TV, Graaf W, Lange J

839. The impact of injury of the chorda tympani nerve during primary stapes surgery or cochlear implantation on taste function, quality of life and food preferences: A study protocol for a double-blind prospective prognostic association study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Blijleven EE, Wegner I, Stokroos RJ

BACKGROUND: The chorda tympani nerve (CTN) is a mixed nerve, which carries sensory and parasympathetic fibres. The sensory component supplies the taste sensation of the anterior two-thirds of the ipsilateral side of the tongue. During middle ear surgery the CTN is exposed and frequently stretched or sacrificed, because it lacks a bony covering as it passes through the middle ear. Injury may cause hypogeusia, ageusia or altered taste sensation of the ipsilateral side of the tongue. To date, there is no consensus regarding which type of CTN injury (sacrificing or stretching), during middle ear surgery, leads to the least burden for the patient. METHODS: A double-blind prospective prognostic association study was designed in a single medical centre in the Netherlands to determine the effect of CTN injury on postoperative taste disturbance and quality of life. 154 patients, who will undergo primary stapes surgery or cochlear implantation will be included. The taste sensation, food preferences and quality of life of these patients will be evaluated preoperatively and at one week, six weeks and six months postoperatively using the Taste Strip Test, Electrogustometry, supplementary questionnaire on taste disturbance, Macronutrient and Taste Preference Ranking Task, Appetite, Hunger and Sensory Perception questionnaire and Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders to assess the association of these outcomes with CTN injury. Evaluation of olfactory function will only take place preoperatively and at one week postoperatively using the Sniffin' Sticks. The patient and outcome assessor are blinded to the presence or absence of CTN injury. DISCUSSION: This study is the first to validate and quantify the effect of chorda tympani nerve injury on taste function. The findings of this study may lead to evidence-based proof of the effect of chorda tympani injury on taste function with consequences for surgical strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register NL9791. Registered on 10 October 2021.

840. Presence and activity of Fibrinogen like protein 2 in platelets.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Cherny I, Hasin P, Philosoph LK

841. Correction: Investigation of inerter-based suspension systems for heavy vehicles.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Soong MF, Ramli R, Saifizul AA

842. Phage therapy and the public: Increasing awareness essential to widespread use.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

McCammon S, Makarovs K, Banducci S

843. Social and economic capital as effect modifiers of the association between psychosocial stress and oral health.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Hensel ALJ, Gomaa N.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the extent of the association of psychosocial stress with oral health in an Ontario population stratified by age groups, and whether any association is modified by indicators of social and economic capital. METHODS: We retrieved data of 21,320 Ontario adults, aged 30-74 years old, from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS: 2017-2018), which is a Canada-wide, cross-sectional survey. Using binomial logistic regression models that adjusted for age, sex, education, and country of birth, we examined the association of psychosocial stress (indicated by perceived life stress) with inadequate oral health (indicated as having at least one of the following: bleeding gums, fair/poor self-perceived oral health, persistent oral pain). We assessed the effect measure modification of indicators of social (sense of belonging to the local community, living/family arrangements) and economic capital (household income, dental insurance, dwelling ownership) on the perceived life stress-oral health relationship, stratified by age (30-44, 45-59, 60-74 yrs). We then calculated the Relative Excess Risk due to Interaction (RERI) which indicates the risk that is above what would be expected if the combination of low capital (social or economic) and high psychosocial stress was entirely additive. RESULTS: Respondents with higher perceived life stress were at a significantly higher risk of having inadequate oral health (PR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.34, 1.44). Adults with low social and economic capital were also at an increased risk of inadequate oral health. Effect measure modification showed an additive effect of indicators of social capital on the perceived life stress-oral health relationship. This effect was evident across all three age groups (30-44, 45-59, 60-74 yrs), with the highest attributable proportion of social and economic capital indicators in the psychosocial stress-oral health relationship in older adults (60-74 yrs). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest an exacerbating effect for low social and economic capital in the relationship of perceived life stress with inadequate oral health among older adults.

844. Higher theta-beta ratio during screen-based vs. printed paper is related to lower attention in children: An EEG study.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Zivan M, Vaknin S, Peleg N

Reading is considered a non-intuitive, cognitively demanding ability requiring synchronization between several neural networks supporting visual, language processing and higher-order abilities. With the involvement of technology in our everyday life, reading from a screen has become widely used. Several studies point to challenges in processing written materials from the screen due to changes in attention allocation when reading from a screen compared to reading from a printed paper. The current study examined the differences in brain activation when reading from a screen compared to reading from a printed paper focusing on spectral power related to attention in fifteen 6-8-year-old children. Using an electroencephalogram, children read two different age-appropriate texts, without illustrations, presented randomly on the screen and on a printed paper. Data were analyzed using spectral analyses in brain regions related to language, visual processing, and cognitive control, focusing on theta vs. beta waveforms. Results indicated that while reading from a printed paper was accompanied by higher energy in high-frequency bands (beta, gamma), reading from the screen was manifested by a higher power in the lower frequency bands (alpha, theta). Higher theta compared to the beta ratio, representing challenges in allocating attention to a given task, was found for the screen reading compared to the printed paper reading condition. Also, a significant negative correlation was found between differences in theta/beta ratio for screen vs paper reading and accuracy level in the age-normalized Sky-Search task measuring attention and a positive correlation with performance time. These results provide neurobiological support for the greater cognitive load and reduced focused attention during screen-based compared to print-based reading and suggest a different reliance on attention resources for the two conditions in children.

845. The impact of government subsidy and weather on environmentally sustainable investment decision for agricultural supply chain.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Fu H, Zhou T, Zhang S

846. Socio-demographic and regional differences in unmet healthcare needs among migrants in Europe.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Kullamaa L, Reile R.

847. Predictive effect of investor sentiment on current and future returns in emerging equity markets.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Andleeb R, Hassan A.

848. Market segmentation in urban tourism: A study in Latin America.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Carvache-Franco M, Regalado-Pezúa O, Sirkis G

849. Patient and caregiver perspectives on quality of life in dementia: Evidence from a South Asian population.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Jayakody S, Arambepola C.

850. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine conventional surgery combined with traditional Chinese medicinal retention enema for tubal obstructive infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Xu S, Jin S, Yang L

851. Association between cancer stigma and cervical cancer screening uptake among women of Dhulikhel and Banepa, Nepal.

PLoS One

2023 May 18

Paneru B, Karmacharya A, Bharati A

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer ranks as the most common cancer among Nepalese women with a high incidence and mortality. Despite evidence that effective screening programs reduce disease burden, screening services are under-utilized. Cancer stigma can be a major barrier to cervical cancer screening uptake among Nepalese women. OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the association between cancer stigma and cervical cancer screening uptake among women residing in semi-urban areas of Kavrepalanchok district (Dhulikhel and Banepa), Nepal. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 426 women aged 30-60 years using telephone interview method from 15th June to 15th October 2021. A validated Cancer Stigma Scale (CASS) was used to measure cancer stigma and categorized women as presence of cancer stigma if the mean total score was greater than three. We obtained information on cervical cancer screening uptake through self-reported responses. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were performed to assess the association between cancer stigma and cervical cancer screening uptake. We adjusted socio-demographic: age, ethnicity, occupation, religion and education, and reproductive health variables: parity, family planning user, age of menarche and age at first sexual intercourse during multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Twenty-three percent of women had cancer stigma and 27 percent reported that they had ever been screened for cervical cancer. The odds of being screened was 0.23 times lower among women who had stigma compared to those who had no stigma (95% CI: 0.11-0.49) after adjusting for confounders: age, ethnicity, occupation, religion, education, parity, contraceptive use, age of menarche and age at first sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: Women residing in semi-urban areas of Nepal and had cancer stigma were less likely to have been screened for cervical cancer. De-stigmatizing interventions may alleviate cancer stigma and contribute to higher uptake of cervical cancer screening.

852. The oldest plans to scale of humanmade mega-structures.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Crassard R, Abu-Azizeh W, Barge O

853. Hemodynamical consequences and tolerance of sustained ventricular tachycardia.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Delasnerie H, Biendel C, Elbaz M

854. Effect of environmental NGOs on human health in China: An empirical analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Wang W, Hafeez M, Guo Z

855. Digital tools for delivery of dementia education for caregivers of persons with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of impact on caregiver distress and depressive symptoms.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Scerbe A, O'Connell ME, Astell A

856. Characteristics of a diagnostic bronchoscopy in hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Styrvoky KC, Batra K, Robertshaw M

857. High acceptability and viral suppression rate for first-Line patients on a dolutegravir-based regimen: An early adopter study in Nigeria.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Abudiore O, Amamilo I, Campbell J

Nigeria adopted dolutegravir (DTG) as part of first line (1L) antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2017. However, there is limited documented experience using DTG in sub-Saharan Africa. Our study assessed DTG acceptability from the patient's perspective as well as treatment outcomes at 3 high-volume facilities in Nigeria. This is a mixed method prospective cohort study with 12 months of follow-up between July 2017 and January 2019. Patients who had intolerance or contraindications to non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors were included. Patient acceptability was assessed through one-on-one interviews at 2, 6, and 12 months following DTG initiation. ART-experienced participants were asked about side effects and regimen preference compared to their previous regimen. Viral load (VL) and CD4+ cell count tests were assessed according to the national schedule. Data were analysed in MS Excel and SAS 9.4. A total of 271 participants were enrolled on the study, the median age of participants was 45 years, 62% were female. 229 (206 ART-experienced, 23 ART-naive) of enrolled participants were interviewed at 12 months. 99.5% of ART-experienced study participants preferred DTG to their previous regimen. 32% of particpants reported at least one side effect. "Increase in appetite" was most frequently reported (15%), followed by insomnia (10%) and bad dreams (10%). Average adherence as measured by drug pick-up was 99% and 3% reported a missed dose in the 3 days preceding their interview. Among participants with VL results (n = 199), 99% were virally suppressed (<1000 copies/ml), and 94% had VL <50 copies/ml at 12 months. This study is among the first to document self-reported patient experiences with DTG in sub-Saharan Africa and demonstrated high acceptability of DTG-based regimens among patients. The viral suppression rate was higher than the national average of 82%. Our findings support the recommendation of DTG-based regimen as the preferred 1L ART.

858. Skin microbiome alterations in upper extremity secondary lymphedema.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Campbell AC, Fei T, Baik JE

859. Phenopacket-tools: Building and validating GA4GH Phenopackets.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Danis D, Jacobsen JOB, Wagner AH

860. C-reactive protein: An easy marker for early differentiation between leptospirosis and dengue fever in endemic area.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Maillard O, Hirschinger D, Bénéteau S

861. Interspecies evaluation of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to predict the biodistribution dynamics of dendritic nanoparticles.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Vasalou C, Harding J, Jones RDO

862. Buffering the effects of bad news: Exposure to others' kindness alleviates the aversive effects of viewing others' acts of immorality.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Buchanan K, Sandstrom GM.

863. Mechanisms and contextual factors related to key elements of a successful integrated community-based approach aimed at reducing socioeconomic health inequalities in the Netherlands: A realist evaluation perspective.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Wilderink L, Visscher A, Bakker I

BACKGROUND: Reducing health inequalities is a challenge for policymakers and civil society. A multisectoral and multilevel approach is most promising to reduce those inequalities. Previous research showed what key elements of Zwolle Healthy City, an integrated community-based approach aimed at reducing socioeconomic health inequalities, are. To fully understand approaches that are complex and context dependent, questions as 'how does the intervention work' and 'in what context does it work' are just as important as 'what works'. The current study aimed to identify mechanisms and contextual factors associated with the key elements of Zwolle Healthy City, using a realist evaluation perspective. METHODS: Transcripts of semi-structured interviews with a wide range of local professionals were used (n = 29). Following realist evaluation logic in the analysis of this primary data, context-mechanism-outcome configurations were identified and thereafter discussed with experts (n = 5). RESULTS: How mechanisms (M) in certain contexts (C) were of influence on the key elements (O) of the Zwolle Healthy City approach are described. For example, how, in the context of the responsible aldermen embracing the approach (C), regular meetings with the aldermen (M) increased support for the approach among involved professionals (O). Or, how, in the context of available financial resources (C), assigning a program manager (M) contributed positively to coordination and communication (O). All 36 context-mechanism-outcome configurations can be found in the repository. CONCLUSION: This study showed what mechanisms and contextual factors are associated with the key elements of Zwolle Healthy City. By applying realist evaluation logic in the analysis of primary qualitative data we were able to disentangle the complexity of processes of this whole system approach and show this complexity in a structured manner. Also, by describing the context in which the Zwolle Healthy City approach is implemented, we contribute to the transferability of this approach across different contexts.

864. Industrial structure, high-quality development of logistics industry and the economy.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Yan B, Yao B, Zhang C.

The logistics industry is closely related to the high-quality economic development. At different levels of industrial structure, the relationship between high-quality development of the logistics industry and the high-quality economic development will vary, resulting in different roles and paths in promoting economic development. However, there is still a lack of research on the relationship between high-quality development of the logistics industry and high-quality economic development at different levels of industrial structure, and further empirical research is needed. It used the benchmark regression model to analyze the impact of the high-quality development of the logistics industry on high-quality economic development, and the panel threshold model was used to analyze the impact of the logistics industry on high-quality economic development at different levels of industrial structure development. The results show that the high-quality development of the logistics industry has a positive role in promoting the high-quality economic development, and in different levels of industrial structure development, the impact of high-quality development level of logistics industry on the high-quality economic development is different. Therefore, it is necessary to further optimize the industrial structure, promote the deep integration and development of logistics and related industries, and continue to promote the high-quality development of the logistics industry. And when formulating development strategies for the logistics industry, governments and enterprises need to consider factors such as changes in industrial structure, the overall goals of national economy, people's livelihood, and social development, in order to provide solid support for achieving high-quality economic development. This paper demonstrates the importance of high-quality development of the logistics industry in high-quality economic development, and it encourages the adoption of different strategies at different stages of industrial structure development to promote high-quality development of the logistics industry, and achieve high-quality economic development.

865. Extravascular optical coherence tomography of cerebral vessel walls in vivo.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Hartmann K, Neyazi B, Dumitru CA

866. Mental toughness in the Football Association Women's Super League: Relationships with playing experience, perceptions of club infrastructure, support mechanisms and self-esteem.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Wheatley C, Batey M, Denovan A

867. Views from women and maternity care professionals on routine discussion of previous trauma in the perinatal period: A qualitative evidence synthesis.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Cull J, Thomson G, Downe S

BACKGROUND: Over a third of pregnant women (around 250,000) each year in the United Kingdom have experienced trauma such as domestic abuse, childhood trauma or sexual assault. These experiences can have a long-term impact on women's mental and physical health. This global qualitative evidence synthesis explores the views of women and maternity care professionals on routine discussion of previous trauma in the perinatal period. METHODS: Systematic database searches (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, APA PsycINFO and Global Index Medicus) were conducted in July 2021 and updated in April 2022. The quality of each study was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. We thematically synthesised the data and assessed confidence in findings using GRADE-CERQual. RESULTS: We included 25 papers, from five countries, published between 2001 and 2022. All the studies were conducted in high-income countries; therefore findings cannot be applied to low- or middle-income countries. Confidence in most of the review findings was moderate or high. The findings are presented in six themes. These themes described how women and clinicians felt trauma discussions were valuable and worthwhile, provided there was adequate time and appropriate referral pathways. However, women often found being asked about previous trauma to be unexpected and intrusive, and women with limited English faced additional challenges. Many pregnant women were unaware of the extent of the trauma they have suffered, or its impact on their lives. Before disclosing trauma, women needed to have a trusting relationship with a clinician; even so, some women chose not to share their histories. Hearing trauma disclosures could be distressing for clinicians. CONCLUSION: Discussions of previous trauma should be undertaken when women want to have the discussion, when there is time to understand and respond to the needs and concerns of each individual, and when there are effective resources available for follow up if needed. Continuity of carer should be considered a key feature of routine trauma discussion, as many women will not disclose their histories to a stranger. All women should be provided with information about the impact of trauma and how to independently access support in the event of non-disclosures. Care providers need support to carry out these discussions.

868. Impact of valganciclovir therapy on severe IRIS-Kaposi Sarcoma mortality: An open-label, parallel, randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Volkow P, Chavez Galan L, Ramon-Luing L

INTRODUCTION: High HHV-8 viral load (VL) in Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) has been associated with Severe Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (Severe-IRIS-KS), which can occur after initiating cART, and leads to high mortality, particularly in patients with pulmonary involvement. We investigate if valganciclovir (as an anti-HHV-8 agent) initiated before cART reduces the mortality associated with Severe-IRIS-KS and the incidence of Severe-IRIS-KS. METHODS: Open-label parallel-group randomized clinical trial in AIDS cART naïve patients with disseminated KS (DKS) as defined by at least two of the following: pulmonary, lymph-node, or gastrointestinal involvement, lymphedema, or ≥30 skin lesions. In the experimental group (EG), patients received valganciclovir 900 mg BID four weeks before cART and continued until week 48; in the control group (CG), cART was initiated on week 0. Non-severe-IRIS-KS was defined as: an increase in the number of lesions plus a decrease of ≥one log10 HIV-VL, or an increase of ≥50cells/mm3 or ≥2-fold in baseline CD4+cells. Severe-IRIS-KS was defined as abrupt clinical worsening of KS lesions and/or fever after ruling out another infection following cART initiation, and at least three of the following: thrombocytopenia, anemia, hyponatremia, or hypoalbuminemia. RESULTS: 40 patients were randomized and 37 completed the study. In the ITT analysis, at 48 weeks, total mortality was the same in both groups (3/20), severe-IRIS-KS attributable mortality was 0/20 in the EG, compared with 3/20 in the CG (p = 0.09), similar to the per-protocol analysis: 0/18 in the EG, and 3/19 in the control group (p = 0.09). The crude incidence rate of severe-IRIS-KS was four patients developed a total of 12 episodes of Severe-IRIS-KS in the CG and two patients developed one episode each in the EG. Mortality in patients with pulmonary KS was nil in the EG (0/5) compared with 3/4 in the CG (P = 0.048). No difference was found between groups in the number of non-S-IRIS-KS events. Among survivors at week 48, 82% achieved >80% remission. CONCLUSIONS: Although mortality attributable to KS was lower in the EG the difference was not statistically significant.

869. The never-ending patient journey of chronically ill patients: A qualitative case study on touchpoints in relation to patient-centered care.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Maas VK, Dibbets FH, Peters VJT

BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals caring for chronically ill patients increasingly want to provide patient-centered care (PCC). By understanding each individual patient journey, they can significantly improve the quality of PCC. A patient journey consists of patient interactions, so-called touchpoints, with healthcare professionals distributed over three periods: pre-service, service, and post-service period. The aim of this study was to ascertain chronically ill patients' needs for digital alternatives for touchpoints. Specifically, we aimed to explore which digital alternatives patients would like to see implemented into their patient journey to help healthcare professionals providing PCC. METHODS: Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted either face-to-face or via Zoom. Participants were included if they had visited the department of internal medicine and had received treatment for either arteriosclerosis, diabetes, HIV, or kidney failure. The interviews were analyzed utilizing a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: The results suggest that the patient journey of chronically ill patients is a continuous cycle. Furthermore, the results showed that chronically ill patients would like to see digital alternatives for touchpoints implemented into their patient journey. These digital alternatives consisted of video calls, digitally checking in before a physical appointment, digitally self-monitoring one's medical condition and personally uploading monitoring results into the patient portal, and viewing their own medical status in a digital format. Particularly, patients who were familiar with their healthcare professional(s) and were in a stable condition mostly opted for digital alternatives. CONCLUSION: In the cyclical patient journey, digitalization can help put the wishes and needs of the chronically ill patients at the center of care. It is recommended that healthcare professionals implement digital alternatives for touchpoints. Most chronically ill patients consider digital alternatives to lead to more efficient interactions with their healthcare professionals. Furthermore, digital alternatives support patients to be better informed about the progress of their chronical illness.

870. Vancomycin prescribing and therapeutic drug monitoring: Challenges of real clinical practice.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Abdel Jalil MH, Ηijazeen R, Khaled Abu-Mahfouz F

871. Construction of model animals to explore intestinal microbiome for detection of breast cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Ji X, Li R, Hu X

872. AI-Driven sleep staging from actigraphy and heart rate.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Song TA, Chowdhury SR, Malekzadeh M

Sleep is an important indicator of a person's health, and its accurate and cost-effective quantification is of great value in healthcare. The gold standard for sleep assessment and the clinical diagnosis of sleep disorders is polysomnography (PSG). However, PSG requires an overnight clinic visit and trained technicians to score the obtained multimodality data. Wrist-worn consumer devices, such as smartwatches, are a promising alternative to PSG because of their small form factor, continuous monitoring capability, and popularity. Unlike PSG, however, wearables-derived data are noisier and far less information-rich because of the fewer number of modalities and less accurate measurements due to their small form factor. Given these challenges, most consumer devices perform two-stage (i.e., sleep-wake) classification, which is inadequate for deep insights into a person's sleep health. The challenging multi-class (three, four, or five-class) staging of sleep using data from wrist-worn wearables remains unresolved. The difference in the data quality between consumer-grade wearables and lab-grade clinical equipment is the motivation behind this study. In this paper, we present an artificial intelligence (AI) technique termed sequence-to-sequence LSTM for automated mobile sleep staging (SLAMSS), which can perform three-class (wake, NREM, REM) and four-class (wake, light, deep, REM) sleep classification from activity (i.e., wrist-accelerometry-derived locomotion) and two coarse heart rate measures-both of which can be reliably obtained from a consumer-grade wrist-wearable device. Our method relies on raw time-series datasets and obviates the need for manual feature selection. We validated our model using actigraphy and coarse heart rate data from two independent study populations: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA; N = 808) cohort and the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS; N = 817) cohort. SLAMSS achieves an overall accuracy of 79%, weighted F1 score of 0.80, 77% sensitivity, and 89% specificity for three-class sleep staging and an overall accuracy of 70-72%, weighted F1 score of 0.72-0.73, 64-66% sensitivity, and 89-90% specificity for four-class sleep staging in the MESA cohort. It yielded an overall accuracy of 77%, weighted F1 score of 0.77, 74% sensitivity, and 88% specificity for three-class sleep staging and an overall accuracy of 68-69%, weighted F1 score of 0.68-0.69, 60-63% sensitivity, and 88-89% specificity for four-class sleep staging in the MrOS cohort. These results were achieved with feature-poor inputs with a low temporal resolution. In addition, we extended our three-class staging model to an unrelated Apple Watch dataset. Importantly, SLAMSS predicts the duration of each sleep stage with high accuracy. This is especially significant for four-class sleep staging, where deep sleep is severely underrepresented. We show that, by appropriately choosing the loss function to address the inherent class imbalance, our method can accurately estimate deep sleep time (SLAMSS/MESA: 0.61±0.69 hours, PSG/MESA ground truth: 0.60±0.60 hours; SLAMSS/MrOS: 0.53±0.66 hours, PSG/MrOS ground truth: 0.55±0.57 hours;). Deep sleep quality and quantity are vital metrics and early indicators for a number of diseases. Our method, which enables accurate deep sleep estimation from wearables-derived data, is therefore promising for a variety of clinical applications requiring long-term deep sleep monitoring.

873. NAV-001, a high-efficacy antibody-drug conjugate targeting mesothelin with improved delivery of a potent payload by counteracting MUC16/CA125 inhibitory effects.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Nicolaides NC, Kline JB, Grasso L.

874. Characteristics of Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in sewage from a tertiary hospital in Jilin Province, China.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Liu M, Zheng L, Zhu L

875. Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in Singapore.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Zahari M, Offeddu V, Smith GJD

Young children are at increased risk of severe illness from influenza and pneumococcal infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vaccination with influenza and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). However, in Singapore, vaccine uptake remains suboptimal relative to other routine childhood immunisations. Limited information exists regarding determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake in children. We estimated vaccine uptake and investigated factors associated with influenza and pneumococcal vaccination status by age group using data from a cohort study on acute respiratory infections in children attending preschools in Singapore. We recruited children aged two to six years at 24 participating preschools from June 2017 to July 2018. We determined the proportion of children immunised with influenza vaccine and PCV, and investigated socio-demographic factors associated with vaccine uptake using logistic regression models. Among 505 children, 77.5% were of Chinese ethnicity, and 53.1% were male. History of influenza vaccination was 27.5% of which 11.7% had been vaccinated within the past 12 months. In multivariable analyses, factors associated with influenza vaccine uptake were 'children living in landed property' (aOR = 2.25, 95% CI [1.07-4.67]) and 'history of hospitalisation due to cough' (aOR = 1.85, 95% CI [1.00-3.36]). Nearly three-quarters of participants (70.7% 95%CI: [66.6-74.5]) reported prior PCV vaccination. PCV uptake was higher for younger children. 'Higher parental education' (OR = 2.83, 95% CI [1.51,5.32]), 'household income' (OR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.08,1.48]) and 'smokers in household' (OR = 0.48, 95% CI [0.31,0.74]) were significantly associated with PCV uptake in univariable analyses. Only 'smokers in household' remained significantly associated with PCV uptake (aOR = 0.55, 95% CI [0.33,0.91]) in the adjusted model. Our results indicate that episodes of severe respiratory illness are a cue to influenza vaccination suggesting that doctors are more likely to recommend influenza vaccines to high-risk children. For PCV, our findings suggest overall greater awareness and education on the benefit of PCV vaccination is required.

876. Digital transformation, industrial structure change, and economic growth motivation: An empirical analysis based on manufacturing industry in Yangtze River Delta.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Zheng X, Zhang X, Fan D.

877. The effect of body mass index reduction on intraocular pressure in a large prospective cohort of apparently healthy individuals in Israel.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Coster D, Rafie A, Savion-Gaiger N

878. Eye-size effects in the dot-probe task: Greater sclera exposure predicts delayed disengagement from fearful faces.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Aday JS, Fang L, Carlson JM.

879. Implementation of a sample design for a survey of program participants using time-location sampling.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Siegfried Y, DeMatteis JM, Gollapudi B.

880. The diversity of energy consumption structure, energy efficiency and carbon emissions: Evidence from Shaanxi, China.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Yin T.

881. The characteristics and survival of second primary lung cancer after Hodgkin's lymphoma: A comparison with first primary lung cancer using the SEER database.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Lin L, Wang D, Chen H.

882. Climate variables are not the dominant predictor of Arctic shorebird distributions.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Anderson CM, Fahrig L, Rausch J

883. The feasibility and acceptability of integrating hepatitis C and HIV diagnostic testing on centralized molecular laboratory platforms in Myanmar.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Naing TS, Yee WW, Aung HT

BACKGROUND: In Myanmar, 1.3 million people have been exposed to hepatitis C (HCV). However, public sector access to viral load (VL) testing for HCV diagnosis remains limited; ten near-point-of-care (POC) devices are available nationally. Myanmar's National Health Laboratory (NHL) has surplus capacity on centralized molecular testing platforms used for HIV diagnostics, presenting an opportunity for integrating HCV testing to expand overall testing capacity. This pilot assessed the operational feasibility and acceptability of HCV/HIV integrated testing implemented with a comprehensive package of supportive interventions. METHODS: HCV VL samples were collected prospectively from consenting participants at five treatment clinics and tested at Myanmar's NHL (October 2019-February 2020) on the Abbott m2000. To optimize integration, laboratory human resources were bolstered, staff trainings were offered, and existing laboratory equipment was serviced/repaired as needed. Diagnostics data during the intervention period were compared against HIV diagnostics data in the seven months prior. We conducted three time and motion analyses at the laboratory and semi-structured interviews with laboratory staff to assess time needs and program acceptability. RESULTS: 715 HCV samples were processed during the intervention period with an average test processing time of 18 days (IQR: 8-28). Despite adding HCV testing, average monthly test volumes were 2,331 for HIV VL and 232 for early infant diagnosis (EID), comparable to the pre-intervention period. Processing times were 7 days for HIV VL and 17 days for EID, also comparable to the pre-intervention period. HCV test error rate was 4.3%. Platforms utilization increased from 18.4% to 24.6%. All staff interviewed were supportive of HCV and HIV diagnostics integration; suggestions were made for broader implementation and expansion. CONCLUSIONS: With a package of supportive interventions, integration of HCV and HIV diagnostics on a centralized platform was operationally feasible, did not adversely impact HIV testing, and was acceptable to laboratory staff. In Myanmar, integrated HCV VL diagnostic testing on centralized platforms may be an important addition to existing near-POC testing in expanding national testing capacity for HCV elimination.

884. Fixed vs. variable light quality in vertical farming: Impacts on vegetative growth and nutritional quality of lettuce.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Kong Y, Nemali K.

885. Duty of care in companion dog owners: Preliminary scale development and empirical exploration.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Glanville CR, Hemsworth LM, Hemsworth PH

886. Transfer of learning: Analysis of dose-response functions from a large-scale, online, cognitive training dataset.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Osman AM, Jaffe PI, Ng NF

Fundamental to the efficacy of cognitive training (CT) is its dose. Here we used the power and breadth afforded by a large dataset to measure precisely dose-response (D-R) functions for CT and to examine the generality of their magnitude and form. The present observational study involved 107,000 users of Lumosity, a commercial program comprising computer games designed to provide CT over the internet. In addition to training with Lumosity games, these users took an online battery of cognitive assessments (NeuroCognitive Performance Test, NCPT) on two or more occasions separated by at least 10 weeks. Changes in performance on the NCPT between the first and second assessments were examined as a function of the amount of intervening gameplay. The resulting D-R functions were obtained both for overall performance on the NCPT and performance on its eight subtests. Also examined were differences between D-R functions from demographic groups defined by age, gender, and education. Monotonically increasing D-R functions, well fit by an exponential approach to an asymptote, were found consistently for overall performance on the NCPT, performance on seven of the eight subtests, and at each level of age, education, and gender. By examining how individual parameters of the D-R functions varied across subtests and groups, it was possible to measure separately changes in the effects on NCPT performance of 1) transfer from CT and 2) direct practice due to repeated testing. The impact of both transfer and direct practice varied across subtests. In contrast, while the effects of direct practice diminished with age, those of transfer remained constant. Besides its implications for CT by older adults, this latter finding suggests that direct practice and transfer do not involve identical learning processes, with transfer being limited to learning processes that remain constant across the adult lifespan.

887. Selecting police super-recognisers.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Dunn JD, Towler A, Kemp RI

888. Multi-ancestry genome- and phenome-wide association studies of diverticular disease in electronic health records with natural language processing enriched phenotyping algorithm.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Joo YY, Pacheco JA, Thompson WK

OBJECTIVE: Diverticular disease (DD) is one of the most prevalent conditions encountered by gastroenterologists, affecting ~50% of Americans before the age of 60. Our aim was to identify genetic risk variants and clinical phenotypes associated with DD, leveraging multiple electronic health record (EHR) data sources of 91,166 multi-ancestry participants with a Natural Language Processing (NLP) technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed a NLP-enriched phenotyping algorithm that incorporated colonoscopy or abdominal imaging reports to identify patients with diverticulosis and diverticulitis from multicenter EHRs. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of DD in European, African and multi-ancestry participants, followed by phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS) of the risk variants to identify their potential comorbid/pleiotropic effects in clinical phenotypes. RESULTS: Our developed algorithm showed a significant improvement in patient classification performance for DD analysis (algorithm PPVs ≥ 0.94), with up to a 3.5 fold increase in terms of the number of identified patients than the traditional method. Ancestry-stratified analyses of diverticulosis and diverticulitis of the identified subjects replicated the well-established associations between ARHGAP15 loci with DD, showing overall intensified GWAS signals in diverticulitis patients compared to diverticulosis patients. Our PheWAS analyses identified significant associations between the DD GWAS variants and circulatory system, genitourinary, and neoplastic EHR phenotypes. DISCUSSION: As the first multi-ancestry GWAS-PheWAS study, we showcased that heterogenous EHR data can be mapped through an integrative analytical pipeline and reveal significant genotype-phenotype associations with clinical interpretation. CONCLUSION: A systematic framework to process unstructured EHR data with NLP could advance a deep and scalable phenotyping for better patient identification and facilitate etiological investigation of a disease with multilayered data.

889. Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding and infectivity in immunized population: Prospective study along different epidemiological periods in Argentina.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Theaux C, Martin Y, Montoto Piazza L

During the pandemic of COVID-19, numerous waves of infections affected the two hemispheres with different impacts on each country. Throughout these waves, and with the emergence of new variants, health systems and scientists have tried to provide real-time responses to the complex biology of SARS-CoV-2, dealing with different clinical presentations, biological characteristics, and clinical impact of these variants. In this context, knowing the extent period in which an infected individual releases infectious viral particles has important implications for public health. This work aimed to investigate viral RNA shedding and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 beyond 10 days after symptom onset (SO). A prospective multicenter study was performed between July/2021 and February/2022 on 116 immunized strategic personnel with COVID-19 diagnosed by RT-qPCR, with asymptomatic (7%), mild (91%) or moderate disease (2%). At the time of diagnosis, 70% had 2 doses of vaccines, 26% had 2 plus a booster, and 4% had one dose. After day 10 from SO, sequential nasopharyngeal swabs were taken to perform RT-qPCR, viral isolation, and S gene sequencing when possible. Viral sequences were obtained in 98 samples: 43% were Delta, 16% Lambda, 15% Gamma, 25% Omicron (BA.1) and 1% Non-VOC/VOI, in accordance with the main circulating variants at each moment. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected 10 days post SO in 57% of the subjects. Omicron was significantly less persistent. Noteworthy, infective viruses could not be isolated in any of the samples. In conclusion, a 10-days isolation period was useful to prevent further infections, and proved valid for the variants studied. Recently, even shorter periods have been applied, as the Omicron variant is prevalent, and worldwide population is largely vaccinated. In the future, facing the possible emergence of new variants and considering immunological status, a return to 10 days may be necessary.

890. Acid-base and metabolic parameters and cerebral oxygenation during the immediate transition after birth-A two-center observational study.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Mattersberger C, Baik-Schneditz N, Schwaberger B

OBJECTIVE: The association between blood glucose level and cerebral oxygenation (cerebral regional oxygen saturation [crSO2] and cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction [FTOE]) in neonates has already been described. Aim of the present study was to investigate if acid-base and other metabolic parameters have an impact on cerebral oxygenation immediately after birth in preterm and term neonates. STUDY DESIGN: Post-hoc analyses of secondary outcome parameters of two prospective observational studies were performed. Preterm and term neonates born by caesarean section were included, in whom i) cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurements were performed during the first 15 minutes after birth and ii) a capillary blood gas analysis was performed between 10 and 20 minutes after birth. Vital signs were routinely monitored with pulse oximetry (arterial oxygen saturation [SpO2] and heart rate [HR]). Correlation analyses were performed to investigate potential associations between acid-base and metabolic parameters (lactate [LAC], pH-value [pH], base-excess [BE] and bicarbonate [HCO3]) from capillary blood and NIRS-derived crSO2 and FTOE at 15 minutes after birth. RESULTS: One-hundred-fifty-seven neonates, 42 preterm neonates (median gestational age [IQR] 34.0 weeks [3.3], median birth weight 1845g [592]) and 115 term neonates (median gestational age [IQR] 38.9 weeks [1.0], median birth weight 3230g [570]) were included in the study. Median crSO2 [IQR] values at 15 minutes after birth were 82% [16] in preterm neonates and 83% [12] in term neonates. Median FTOE [IQR] values at 15 minutes after birth were 0.13 [0.15] in preterm neonates and 0.14 [0.14] in term neonates. In preterm neonates, higher LAC and lower pH and BE were associated with lower crSO2 and higher FTOE. In term neonates, higher HCO3 was associated with higher FTOE. CONCLUSION: There were significant associations between several acid-base and metabolic parameters and cerebral oxygenation in preterm neonates, while in term neonates only HCO3 correlated positively with FTOE.

891. Racial/ethnic disparities for leukemias in Puerto Rico and the United States of America, 2015-2019.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Alvarado Ortiz M, Suárez Ramos T, Torres Cintrón CR

BACKGROUND: Leukemia is a cancer of the early-forming cells. Over the past decade, leukemia racial/ethnic disparities have been documented in the United States of America (USA). Although the Puerto Rican population in the USA represents the second-largest Hispanic population in the nation, most of the existing studies do not include Puerto Rico. We compared the incidence and mortality rates for leukemia and its subtypes in Puerto Rico and four racial/ethnic groups in the USA. METHODS: We used data from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (2015-2019). The racial/ethnic groups studied were non-Hispanic whites (NHW), non-Hispanic blacks (NHB), Hispanics (USH), and Asian/Pacific Islanders (NHAPI) living in the USA and the Puerto Rico population. We calculated the incidence and mortality rates. The relative risk of developing or dying due to leukemia was also calculated. RESULTS: Compared with Puerto Rico, NHW [standardized incidence rate (SIR) = 1.47; 95%CI = 1.40-1.53; standardized mortality rates (SMR) = 1.55; 95%CI = 1.45-1.65)] and NHB (SIR = 1.09; 95%CI = 1.04-1.15; SMR = 1.27; 95%CI = 1.19-1.35) had higher incidence and mortality rates; but lower than the NHAPI (SIR = 0.78; 95%CI = 0.74-0.82; SMR = 0.83; 95%CI = 0.77-0.89); and similar to USH. However, we found differences among leukemia subtypes. For example, NHAPI and USH had lower risk of developing chronic leukemias than Puerto Rico. We found a lower risk to develop acute lymphocytic leukemia in NHB than in Puerto Rico. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides a better understanding of leukemia's racial/ethnic disparities and fills a knowledge gap by examining the incidence and mortality rates in Puerto Rico. Future studies are needed to better understand the factors influencing the differences found in the incidence and mortality of leukemia among different racial/ethnic groups.

892. Impact of a medical supply bulk-buy program on treatment of patients with coronary artery disease in China: A single-center study.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Song X, Ma Y, Li Z

893. Monitoring and responding to emerging infectious diseases in a university setting: A case study using COVID-19.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Soda KJ, Chen X, Feinn R

Emerging infection diseases (EIDs) are an increasing threat to global public health, especially when the disease is newly emerging. Institutions of higher education (IHEs) are particularly vulnerable to EIDs because student populations frequently share high-density residences and strongly mix with local and distant populations. In fall 2020, IHEs responded to a novel EID, COVID-19. Here, we describe Quinnipiac University's response to SARS-CoV-2 and evaluate its effectiveness through empirical data and model results. Using an agent-based model to approximate disease dynamics in the student body, the University established a policy of dedensification, universal masking, surveillance testing via a targeted sampling design, and app-based symptom monitoring. After an extended period of low incidence, the infection rate grew through October, likely due to growing incidence rates in the surrounding community. A super-spreader event at the end of October caused a spike in cases in November. Student violations of the University's policies contributed to this event, but lax adherence to state health laws in the community may have also contributed. The model results further suggest that the infection rate was sensitive to the rate of imported infections and was disproportionately impacted by non-residential students, a result supported by the observed data. Collectively, this suggests that campus-community interactions play a major role in campus disease dynamics. Further model results suggest that app-based symptom monitoring may have been an important regulator of the University's incidence, likely because it quarantined infectious students without necessitating test results. Targeted sampling had no substantial advantages over simple random sampling when the model incorporated contact tracing and app-based symptom monitoring but reduced the upper boundary on 90% prediction intervals for cumulative infections when either was removed. Thus, targeted sampling designs for surveillance testing may mitigate worst-case outcomes when other interventions are less effective. The results' implications for future EIDs are discussed.

894. Spatial genetic structure of 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza established as a result of interaction with human populations in mainland China.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Kim S, Carrel M, Kitchen A.

895. A fragment-based drug discovery developed on ciclopirox for inhibition of Hepatitis B virus core protein: An in silico study.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Mohebbi A, Ghorbanzadeh T, Naderifar S

896. Isolation and identification of hyaluronan-degrading bacteria from Japanese fecal microbiota.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Akazawa H, Fukuda I, Kaneda H

897. Phase II, double blind, placebo controlled, multi-site study to evaluate the safety, feasibility and desirability of conducting a phase III study of anamorelin for anorexia in people with small cell lung cancer: A study protocol (LUANA trial).

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Sousa MS, Martin P, Johnson MJ

Anorexia is experienced by most people with lung cancer during the course of their disease and treatment. Anorexia reduces response to chemotherapy and the ability of patients to cope with, and complete their treatment leading to greater morbidity, poorer prognosis and outcomes. Despite the significant importance of cancer-related anorexia, current therapies are limited, have marginal benefits and unwarranted side effects. In this multi-site, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, phase II trial, participants will be randomly assigned (1:1) to receive once-daily oral dosing of 100mg of anamorelin HCl or matched placebo for 12 weeks. Participants can then opt into an extension phase to receive blinded intervention for another 12 weeks (weeks 13-24) at the same dose and frequency. Adults (≥18 years) with small cell lung cancer (SCLC); newly diagnosed with planned systemic therapy OR with first recurrence of disease following a documented disease-free interval ≥6 months, AND with anorexia (i.e., ≤ 37 points on the 12-item Functional Assessment of Anorexia Cachexia Treatment (FAACT A/CS) scale) will be invited to participate. Primary outcomes are safety, desirability and feasibility outcomes related to participant recruitment, adherence to interventions, and completion of study tools to inform the design of a robust Phase III effectiveness trial. Secondary outcomes are the effects of study interventions on body weight and composition, functional status, nutritional intake, biochemistry, fatigue, harms, survival and quality of life. Primary and secondary efficacy analysis will be conducted at 12 weeks. Additional exploratory efficacy and safety analyses will also be conducted at 24 weeks to collect data over longer treatment duration. The feasibility of economic evaluations in Phase III trial will be assessed, including the indicative costs and benefits of anamorelin for SCLC to the healthcare system and society, the choice of methods for data collection and the future evaluation design. Trial registration. The trial has been registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry [ACTRN12622000129785] and approved by the South Western Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee [2021/ETH11339]. https://clin.larvol.com/trial-detail/ACTRN12622000129785.

898. Factors responsible for Ixodes ricinus presence and abundance across a natural-urban gradient.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Janzén T, Hammer M, Petersson M

899. A network causal relationship between type-1 diabetes mellitus, 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and systemic lupus erythematosus: Mendelian randomization study.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Su K, Jia Z, Wu Y

900. Early spontaneous cessation of subdural drainage after burr hole evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma and risk of recurrence.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Hjortdal Grønhøj M, Jensen TSR, Johannsson B

901. PIK3CA mutations in breast cancer: A Tunisian series.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Ben Rekaya M, Sassi F, Saied E

902. Analysis of the interval between submission and publication in genetics journals.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Zimmer RL, Mancuso ACB, Matte U

One of the main factors that attracts authors to choose a journal is the time interval between submission and publication, which varies between journals and subject matter. Here, we evaluated the time intervals between submission and publication according to journal impact factor and continent of author's affiliation, considering articles with authors from single or multiple continents. Altogether, 72 journals indexed in the Web of Science database within the subject matter "Genetics and Heredity", divided by impact factor into four quartiles and randomly selected were analyzed for time intervals from article submission to publication. Data from a total of 46,349 articles published from 2016 to 2020 were collected and analyzed considering the following time intervals: submission to acceptance (SA), acceptance to publication (AP) and submission to publication (SP). The median of the quartiles for the SP interval was 166 (IQR [118-225]) days for Q1, 147 (IQR [103-206]) days for Q2, 161 (IQR [116-226]) days for Q3 and 137 (IQR [69-264]) days for Q4, showing a significant difference among quartiles (p < 0.001). In Q4, median interval of time was shorter in interval SA but longer in interval AP, and overall, articles in Q4 had the shortest interval of time in SP. A potential association of the median time interval and authors' continent was analysed and no significant difference was observed between articles with authors from single versus multiple continents or between continents in articles with authors from only one continent. However, in journals from Q4, time from submission to publication was longer for articles with authors from North America and Europe than from other continents, although the difference was not significant. Finally, articles of authors from the African continent had the smallest representation in journals from Q1-Q3 and articles from Oceania were underrepresented in group Q4. The study provides a global analysis of the total time required for submission, acceptance and publication in journals in the field of genetics and heredity. Our results may contribute in the development of strategies to expedite the process of scientific publishing in the field, and to promote equity in knowledge production and dissemination for researchers from all continents.

903. The expendables: Bioarchaeological evidence for pauper apprentices in 19th century England and the health consequences of child labour.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Gowland RL, Caffell AC, Quade L

Child labour is the most common form of child abuse in the world today, with almost half of child workers employed in hazardous industries. The large-scale employment of children during the rapid industrialisation of the late 18th and early 19th centuries in England is well documented. During this period, the removal of pauper children from workhouses in cities to work as apprentices in rural mills in the North of England was commonplace. Whilst the experiences of some of these children have been recorded historically, this study provides the first direct evidence of their lives through bioarchaeological analysis. The excavation of a rural churchyard cemetery in the village of Fewston, North Yorkshire, yielded the skeletal remains of 154 individuals, including an unusually large proportion of children aged between 8 to 20 years. A multi-method approach was undertaken, including osteological and palaeopathological examination, stable isotope and amelogenin peptide analysis. The bioarchaeological results were integrated with historical data regarding a local textile mill in operation during the 18th-19th centuries. The results for the children were compared to those obtained from contemporaneous individuals of known identity (from coffin plates) of comparable date. Most of the children exhibited distinctive 'non-local' isotope signatures and a diet low in animal protein when compared to the named local individuals. These children also showed severe growth delays and pathological lesions indicative of early life adversity, as well as respiratory disease, which is a known occupational hazard of mill work. This study has provided unique insights into the harrowing lives of these children; born into poverty and forced to work long hours in dangerous conditions. This analysis provides a stark testimony of the impacts of industrial labour on the health, growth and mortality risk of children, with implications for the present as well as our understanding of the past.

904. The prevalence of stroke among adults in Ethiopia from 2012 to 2022: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Dembelu M, Wosenyeleh T, Gezimu W

905. Barley systematics and taxonomy foreseen by seed morphometric variation.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Jeanty A, Bouby L, Bonhomme V

906. Trends in depression risk before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Villas-Boas SB, White JS, Kaplan S

907. Prospective acceptability of a multipurpose technology (MPT) implant in preclinical development to prevent HIV and unplanned pregnancy: Qualitative insights from women end users and health care providers in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Nkomo S, Makoni W, Shapley-Quinn MK

BACKGROUND: Given the high rates of both HIV and unintended pregnancies in sub-Saharan Africa, the SCHIELD program aims to develop a multipurpose technology implant for HIV and pregnancy prevention. An end-user evaluation was undertaken with young women and health care providers to assess preferences for modifiable implant attributes to improve future adoption and rollout. METHODS: Focus group discussions were conducted with potential women end users, and health care providers experienced in implant insertion or removal participated in in-depth interviews. All participants were recruited from Harare, Zimbabwe, or Soshanguve, South Africa. The purposively stratified sampled women were either implant experienced or implant naïve and were categorized into three groups: nulliparous, postpartum, or engaged in transactional sex. Topics covered included duration (six months to three years), biodegradability, removability, and independent rod retrievability (per indication). Data were analyzed using Dedoose software and summarized into emerging themes. RESULTS: Participants identified three key areas that could facilitate rollout, uptake, and adherence of an implant for HIV and pregnancy prevention. First, discreetness was the most salient topic and was associated with implant characteristics such as anatomical location, flexibility, and biodegradability. Second, the ability to independently retrieve the HIV or pregnancy prevention component was preferred, as life circumstances may change and was favored by all participants, except for young women in Soshanguve. Third, there is a need for proper counseling, sensitization, provider training, and health campaigns to facilitate rollout of a 2-in-1 implant. CONCLUSIONS: A 2-in-1 implant was seen as highly desirable by most young women and health care providers. Participants discussed potential concerns and barriers to uptake of a biodegradable implant with dual HIV prevention and contraceptive properties, identifying key implant attributes that product developers can modify while still in preclinical stages.

908. DYRK1A inhibitors leucettines and TGF-β inhibitor additively stimulate insulin production in beta cells, organoids, and isolated mouse islets.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Pucelik B, Barzowska A, Czarna A.

909. Prediction of concrete strength using response surface function modified depth neural network.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Chen X, Zhang Y, Ge P.

910. Do birds of a feather leave the nest together? The role of sibling personality similarity in the transition to adulthood.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Her YC, Vergauwen J, Mortelmans D.

911. Langbiangia, a new genus of Gesneriaceae endemic to Langbiang Plateau, southern Vietnam and a taxonomic endeavor to achieve key targets of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Luu HT, Hsieh CL, Chuang CR

Situated in the southern end of the Annamite Mountain Range, Langbiang Plateau is a major biodiversity hotspot of southern Vietnam known for high species diversity and endemicity. To achieve effective conservation, parts of the plateau were designated as the Langbiang Biosphere Reserve, an UNESCO World Network aiming to improve relationships between inhabitants and their environments. Amongst the rich endemic flora of the plateau are three gesneriads ascribed to Primulina, a calciphilous genus with high species diversity in the vast limestone karsts stretching from southern China to northern Vietnam. However, a recent phylogenetic study questioned the generic placement of the Langbiang Primulina, corroborating with observations on the geographical distribution, habitat preference, and phyllotaxy of the three species. Based on phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ITS and plastid trnL-F DNA sequences of a comprehensive sampling covering nearly all genera of the Old World Gesneriaceae, we demonstrate that the three Langbiang Primulina species form a fully supported clade distantly related to other Primulina. As this clade is biogeographically, ecologically, morphologically, and phylogenetically distinct worthy of generic recognition, we propose to name it Langbiangia gen. nov. to highlight the rich and unique biodiversity of the Langbiang Plateau. By means of this taxonomic endeavor, we are hoping to raise the conservation awareness of this biodiversity heritage of southern Vietnam and promote the importance of Langbiang Biosphere Reserve that is crucial for achieving action-oriented global targets of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)-effective conservation and management of at least 30% of biodiverse terrestrial, inland water, and costal and marine areas by 2030-that has been agreed at the COP15 in Montréal in December 2022.

912. Evaluation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study and trend analysis involving 86,772 samples.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Arayıcı ME, Korkut-Uysal SO, Leblebici A

913. Age-specific SARS-CoV-2 infection fatality rates derived from serological data vary with income and income inequality.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Rickards CG, Kilpatrick AM.

914. The expression of stem cells markers and its effects on the propensity for recurrence and metastasis in bladder cancer: A systematic review.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Hamid ARAH, Syadza YZ, Yausep OE

915. Purification of recombinant bacterial collagens containing structural perturbations.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Gahlawat S, Nanda V, Shreiber DI.

916. A novel kinetic energy harvesting system for lifetime deployments of wildlife trackers.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Gregersen T, Wild TA, Havmøller LW

917. Relationships of weight perceptions with weight control related behaviors among Chinese children and adolescents: A school-based study in Zhejiang Province.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Yu Z, Dong G, Wu W

OBJECTIVES: Weight perceptions have been implicated in weight control related behaviors among children and adolescents, yet studies in mainland China are scarce. We examined the associations of self-perceived weight status and weight misperception with weight control related behaviors in Chinese middle and high school students. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from the 2017 Zhejiang Youth Risk Behavior Survey which that included 17,359 Chinese students, with 8,616 boys and 8,743 girls. Perceived weight status, as well as height, weight and weight control related behaviors information was collected via a self-reported questionnaire. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated by multinomial logistic regression were used to assess the relationships between weight perceptions and weight control related behaviors. RESULTS: Among the 17,359 students aged 9 to 18 years, the mean (SD) age was 15.72 (1.64) years. Overall, 34.19% of children and adolescents perceived themselves as overweight and the prevalence of weight misperception was 45.44%, with 35.54% overestimation and 9.90% underestimation. Children and adolescents perceiving themselves as overweight were more likely to have weight control behaviors, with OR was 2.60 (95% CI: 2.39-2.83) for weight control attempt, 2.48 (2.28-2.70) for exercising, 2.85 (2.60-3.11) for dieting, 2.01 (1.51-2.68) for taking laxatives, 2.09 (1.67-2.02) for taking diet pills, and 2.39 (1.94-2.94) for fasting, respectively, compared to those with right weight status. Among children and adolescents with overestimating weight status, the OR was 2.40 (2.22-2.59), 2.50 (2.31-2.70), 2.85 (2.61-3.11), 1.81 (1.39-2.37), 2.20 (1.77-2.74), and 2.16 (1.77-2.63) for weight control attempt, exercising, dieting, taking laxatives, taking diet pills, and fasting, relative to those with accurate weight perception. CONCLUSIONS: Self-perceived overweight and weight misperception are prevalent in Chinese children and adolescents, and positively associated with weight control related behaviors.

918. Many-objective African vulture optimization algorithm: A novel approach for many-objective problems.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Askr H, Farag MA, Hassanien AE

Several optimization problems can be abstracted into many-objective optimization problems (MaOPs). The key to solving MaOPs is designing an effective algorithm to balance the exploration and exploitation issues. This paper proposes a novel many-objective African vulture optimization algorithm (MaAVOA) that simulating the African vultures' foraging and navigation behaviours to solve the MaOPs. MaAVOA is an updated version of the African Vulture Optimization Algorithm (AVOA), which was recently proposed to solve the MaOPs. A new social leader vulture for the selection process is introduced and integrated into the proposed model. In addition, an environmental selection mechanism based on the alternative pool is adapted to improve the selection process to maintain diversity for approximating different parts of the whole Pareto Front (PF). The best-nondominated solutions are saved in an external Archive based on the Fitness Assignment Method (FAM) during the population evolution. FAM is based on a convergence measure that promotes convergence and a density measure that promotes variety. Also, a Reproduction of Archive Solutions (RAS) procedure is developed to improve the quality of archiving solutions. RAS has been designed to help reach out to the missing areas of the PF that the vultures easily miss. Two experiments are conducted to verify and validate the suggested MaAVOA's performance efficacy. First, MaAVOA was applied to the DTLZ functions, and its performance was compared to that of several popular many-objective algorithms and according to the results, MaAVOA outperforms the competitor algorithms in terms of inverted generational distance and hypervolume performance measures and has a beneficial adaptation ability in terms of both convergence and diversity performance measures. Also, statistical tests are implemented to demonstrate the suggested algorithm's statistical relevance. Second, MaAVOA has been applied to solve two real-life constrained engineering MaOPs applications, namely, the series-parallel system and overspeed protection for gas turbine problems. The experiments show that the suggested algorithm can tackle many-objective real-world applications and provide promising choices for decision-makers.

919. A cohort study on the association between changing occupational stress, hair cortisol concentration, and hypertension.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Wang J, Zhu L, Song L

920. A study on the influence of personality characteristics on household charitable donation behavior in China.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Zhang K, Cao B, Zhang Y

921. How does framing influence preference for multiple solutions to societal problems?

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Wu JS, Kremen C, Zhao J.

922. Reconsideration of importance of the point mutation L982W in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel of the pyrethroid resistant Aedes aegypti (L.)(Diptera: Culicidae) in Vietnam.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Kawada H, Higa Y, Kasai S.

923. Biologic targets of prescription medications and risk of neurodegenerative disease in United States Medicare beneficiaries.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Song Y, Racette BA, Camacho-Soto A

OBJECTIVE: To identify prescription medications associated with a lower risk of three neurodegenerative diseases: Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. METHODS: We conducted a population-based, case-control study of U.S. Medicare beneficiaries in 2009 (42,885 incident neurodegenerative disease cases, 334,387 randomly selected controls). Using medication data from 2006-2007, we categorized all filled medications according to their biological targets and mechanisms of action on those targets. We used multinomial logistic regression models, while accounting for demographics, indicators of smoking, and health care utilization, to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for 141 target-action pairs and each neurodegenerative disease. For target-action pairs inversely associated with all three diseases, we attempted replication in a cohort study that included an active comparator group. We constructed the cohort by following controls forward for incident neurodegenerative disease from the beginning of 2010 until death or end of 2014, i.e., up to five years after the two-year exposure lag. We used Cox proportional hazards regression while accounting for the same covariates. RESULTS: The most consistent inverse association across both studies and all three neurodegenerative diseases was for xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase blockers, represented by the gout medication, allopurinol. Allopurinol was associated with a 13-34% lower risk for each neurodegenerative disease group in multinomial regression, and a mean reduction of 23% overall, as compared to individuals who did not use allopurinol. In the replication cohort we observed a significant 23% reduction for neurodegenerative disease in the fifth year of follow-up, when comparing allopurinol users to non-users, and more marked associations with an active comparator group. We observed parallel associations for a related target-action pair unique to carvedilol. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase blockade might reduce risk of neurodegenerative disease. However, further research will be necessary to confirm that the associations related to this pathway are causal or to examine whether this mechanism slows progression.

924. Prevalence of mental health problems among children with long COVID: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 17

Mat Hassan N, Salim HS, Amaran S

INTRODUCTION: The number of children with mental health problems has more than doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the effect of long Covid on children's mental health is still debatable. Recognising long Covid as a risk factor for mental health problems in children will increase awareness and screening for mental health problems following COVID-19 infection, resulting in earlier intervention and lower morbidity. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the proportion of mental health problems post-COVID-19 infection in children and adolescents, and to compare them with the population with no previous COVID-19 infection. METHODOLOGY: A systematic search was done in seven databases using pre-defined search terms. Cross-sectional, cohort and interventional studies reporting the proportion of mental health problems among children with long COVID in the English language from 2019 to May 2022 were included. Selection of papers, extraction of data and quality assessment were done independently by two reviewers. Studies with satisfactory quality were included in meta-analysis using R and Revman software programmes. RESULTS: The initial search retrieved 1848 studies. After screening, 13 studies were included in the quality assessments. Meta-analysis showed children who had previous COVID-19 infection had more than two times higher odds of having anxiety or depression, and 14% higher odds of having appetite problems, compared to children with no previous infection. The pooled prevalence of mental health problems among the population were as follows; anxiety: 9%(95% CI:1, 23), depression: 15%(95% CI:0.4, 47), concentration problems: 6%(95% CI: 3, 11), sleep problems: 9%(95% CI:5, 13), mood swings: 13% (95%CI:5, 23) and appetite loss: 5%(95% CI:1, 13). However, studies were heterogenous and lack data from low- and middle-income countries. CONCLUSION: Anxiety, depression and appetite problems were significantly increased among post-COVID-19 infected children, compared to those without a previous infection, which may be attributed to long COVID. The findings underscore the importance of screening and early intervention of children post-COVID-19 infection at one month and between three to four months.

925. Evaluation of central bank independence, macroprudential policy, and credit gap in developing countries.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Anwar CJ, Hall SG, Harb N

926. Accuracy of rating scales for evaluating aphasic patients' psychological aspects and language function: A scoping review protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Kodani Y, Nagami S, Kojima S

927. Relationship between brain volume reduction during the acute phase of sepsis and activities of daily living in elderly patients: A prospective cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Hosokawa T, Kinoshita K, Ihara S

928. Clinical characterization and factors associated with quality of life in Long COVID patients: Secondary data analysis from a randomized clinical trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Samper-Pardo M, León-Herrera S, Oliván-Blázquez B

929. Ceftazidime resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is multigenic and complex.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Ramsay KA, Rehman A, Wardell ST

Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes a wide range of severe infections. Ceftazidime, a cephalosporin, is a key antibiotic for treating infections but a significant proportion of isolates are ceftazidime-resistant. The aim of this research was to identify mutations that contribute to resistance, and to quantify the impacts of individual mutations and mutation combinations. Thirty-five mutants with reduced susceptibility to ceftazidime were evolved from two antibiotic-sensitive P. aeruginosa reference strains PAO1 and PA14. Mutations were identified by whole genome sequencing. The evolved mutants tolerated ceftazidime at concentrations between 4 and 1000 times that of the parental bacteria, with most mutants being ceftazidime resistant (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] ≥ 32 mg/L). Many mutants were also resistant to meropenem, a carbapenem antibiotic. Twenty-eight genes were mutated in multiple mutants, with dacB and mpl being the most frequently mutated. Mutations in six key genes were engineered into the genome of strain PAO1 individually and in combinations. A dacB mutation by itself increased the ceftazidime MIC by 16-fold although the mutant bacteria remained ceftazidime sensitive (MIC < 32 mg/L). Mutations in ampC, mexR, nalC or nalD increased the MIC by 2- to 4-fold. The MIC of a dacB mutant was increased when combined with a mutation in ampC, rendering the bacteria resistant, whereas other mutation combinations did not increase the MIC above those of single mutants. To determine the clinical relevance of mutations identified through experimental evolution, 173 ceftazidime-resistant and 166 sensitive clinical isolates were analysed for the presence of sequence variants that likely alter function of resistance-associated genes. dacB and ampC sequence variants occur most frequently in both resistant and sensitive clinical isolates. Our findings quantify the individual and combinatorial effects of mutations in different genes on ceftazidime susceptibility and demonstrate that the genetic basis of ceftazidime resistance is complex and multifactorial.

930. A fully human neutralizing monoclonal antibody targeting a highly conserved epitope of the human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Okamoto M, Kurino R, Miura R

931. A longitudinal multidimensional rehabilitation program for patients undergoing allogeneic blood and marrow transplantation (CaRE-4-alloBMT): Protocol for a phase II feasibility pilot randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Tam S, Kumar R, Lopez P

932. Cost-benefit analysis of Intensive Care Unit with Activity-Based Costing approach in the era COVID-19 pandemic: A case study from Iran.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Rahimi H, Goudarzi R, Markazi-Moghaddam N

933. Role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and cardiopulmonary exercise test in predicting composite clinical outcomes in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Hwang JW, Lee SC, Kim D

934. Exploring Prajnamitra Maitreya Buddhists School Pekanbaru: Do leadership, work environment, and organisational culture influence the teachers' competence and work performance?

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Mohamed Sultan FM, Karuppannan G, Nyoto

935. Investigating the effectiveness of electronically delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (e-CBTi) compared to pharmaceutical interventions in treating insomnia: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Zhu Y, Stephenson C, Moghimi E

BACKGROUND: Insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders characterized by an inability to fall or stay asleep. Available treatments include pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBTi). Although CBTi is the first-line treatment, it has limited availability. Therapist-guided electronic delivery of CBT for insomnia (e-CBTi) offers scalable solutions to enhance access to CBTi. While e-CBTi produces comparable outcomes to in-person CBTi, there is a lack of comparison to active pharmacotherapies. Therefore, direct comparisons between e-CBTi and trazodone, one of the most frequently prescribed medications for insomnia, is essential in establishing the effectiveness of this novel digital therapy in the health care system. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a therapist-guided electronically-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (e-CBTi) program to trazodone in patients with insomnia. METHODS: Patients (n = 60) will be randomly assigned to two groups: treatment as usual (TAU) + trazodone and TAU + e-CBTi for seven weeks. Each weekly sleep module will be delivered through the Online Psychotherapy Tool (OPTT), a secure, online mental health care delivery platform. Changes in insomnia symptoms will be evaluated throughout the study using clinically validated symptomatology questionnaires, Fitbits, and other behavioural variables. RESULTS: Participant recruitment began in November 2021. To date, 18 participants have been recruited. Data collection is expected to conclude by December 2022 and analyses are expected to be completed by January 2023. CONCLUSIONS: This comparative study will improve our understanding of the efficacy of therapist-guided e-CBTi in managing insomnia. These findings can be used to develop more accessible and effective treatment options and influence clinical practices for insomnia to further expand mental health care capacity in this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05125146).

936. Evolutionary game study on multi-agent value co-creation of service-oriented digital transformation in the construction industry.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Wang S, Su H, Hou Q.

937. Investigating the potential of packed cell volume for deducing hemoglobin: Cholistani camels in perspective.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Farooq U, Idris M, Sajjad N

938. Safety and mortality outcomes for direct oral anticoagulants in renal transplant recipients.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Firth C, Shamoun F, Apolinario M

PURPOSE: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are increasingly used in renal transplant recipients (RTR), but relatively understudied in this population. We assess the safety of post-transplant anticoagulation with DOACs compared to warfarin. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of RTRs at the Mayo Clinic sites (2011-present) that were anticoagulated for greater than 3 months excluding the 1st month post-transplant. The main safety outcomes were bleeding and all-cause mortality. Concomitant antiplatelet and interacting drugs were noted. DOAC dose adjustment was assessed according to common US prescribing practices, guidelines, and/or FDA labeling. RESULTS: The median follow-up was longer for RTRs on warfarin (1098 days [IQR 521, 1517]) than DOACs (449 days [IQR 338, 942]). Largely, there were no differences in baseline characteristics and comorbidities between RTRs on DOACs (n = 208; apixaban 91.3%, rivaroxaban 8.7%) versus warfarin (n = 320). There was no difference in post-transplant use of antiplatelets, immunosuppressants, most antifungals assessed, or amiodarone. There was no significant difference in incident major bleeding (8.4 vs. 5.3%, p = 0.89), GI bleeding (4.4% vs. 1.9%, p = 0.98), or intra-cranial hemorrhage (1.9% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.85) between warfarin and DOAC. There was no significant difference in mortality in the warfarin group compared to DOACs when adjusted for follow-up time (22.2% vs. 10.1%, p = 0.21). Rates of post-transplant venous thromboembolism, atrial fibrillation or stroke were similar between the two groups. 32% (n = 67) of patients on DOACs were dose reduced, where 51% of those reductions were warranted. 7% of patients that were not dose reduced should have been. CONCLUSIONS: DOACs did not have inferior bleeding or mortality outcomes compared to warfarin in RTRs. There was greater use of warfarin compared to DOACs and a high rate of improper DOAC dose reduction.

939. Sustainability of translator training in higher education.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Zhu M.

940. Surgical outcome and predictors of neonates with esophageal atresia admitted at Tikur Anbesa Specialized Hospital.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Moges N, Ahmed K, Birhanu D

BACKGROUND: Esophageal atresia (EA) with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is the most common congenital anomaly of the esophagus. This anomaly continues to cause considerable morbidity and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa, presenting various concerns about how to treat esophageal atresia. Esophageal atresia-related neonatal mortality can be reduced by evaluating the surgical outcome and identifying associated factors. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the surgical outcome and identify predictors of neonates with esophageal atresia admitted at Tikur Anbesa specialized hospital. METHODS: Retrospective crossectional study design was employed on 212 neonates with esophageal atresia who were undergone surgical intervention in Tikur Anbesa specialized hospital. Data were entered into epi data 4.6 and exported to Stata version 16 software for further analysis. A logistic regression model with Adjusted odds ratio (AOR), confidence interval (CI) and p-value <0.05 were used to identify predictors of poor surgical outcome of neonates with esophageal atresia. RESULT: In this study, 25% of newborns who underwent surgical intervention at TikurAbnbesa specialized hospital had successful surgical outcomes, compared to 75% of neonates with esophageal atresia who had poor surgical outcomes. Significant predictors of the poor surgical outcome of neonates with esophageal atresia were severe thrombocytopenia (AOR = 2.81(1.07-7.34)), timing of surgery (AOR = 3.7(1.34-10.1), aspiration pneumonia (AOR = 2.93(1.17-7.38)) and related abnormalities (AOR = 2.26(1.06-4.82)). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that, when compared to other studies, a substantial percentage of newborn children with esophageal atresia had poor surgical outcomes. Early surgical management, aspiration pneumonia and thrombocytopenia prevention and therapy play a big part in improving the surgical prognosis for newborns with esophageal atresia.

941. Integrating social services with disease investigation: A randomized trial of COVID-19 high-touch contact tracing.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Lu LC, Ouyang D, D'Agostino A

942. Characterizing the One Health workforce to promote interdisciplinary, multisectoral approaches in global health problem-solving.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Togami E, Behravesh CB, Dutcher TV

BACKGROUND: In recognition of the interconnected nature of complex challenges such as COVID-19, a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach, referred to as One Health, has been employed to address sustainable development and strengthen global health security. Although significant investments have been made to build global health capacity, characterization of the One Health is absent from the literature. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We collected and analyzed perspectives from students, graduates, workers, and employers in One Health through a multinational online survey across health disciplines and sectors. Respondents were recruited through professional networks. A total of 828 respondents from 66 countries participated, representing governmental and academic institutions and students, among others; 57% were female, and 56% had completed professional health degrees. Interpersonal communication, communication with non-scientific audiences, and the ability to work in transdisciplinary teams were valued in the workplace and were considered essential competencies to build an interdisciplinary health workforce. Employers indicated difficulty recruiting workers, while workers indicated limited availability of positions. Employers identified limited funding and ill-defined career pathways as prominent challenges for retaining One Health workers. CONCLUSIONS: Successful One Health workers use interpersonal skills and scientific knowledge to address complex health challenges. Aligning the definition of One Health will likely improve the matching of job seekers and employers. Encouraging the employment of the One Health approach for a diverse range of positions, even if they do not explicitly include "One Health" in the job title, and clarifying the expectations, roles and responsibilities within a transdisciplinary team will lead to building a stronger workforce. As One Health has evolved to address food insecurity, emerging diseases, and antimicrobial resistance, it holds promise for supporting an interdisciplinary global health workforce that can make substantial progress on Sustainable Development Goals and improve global health security for all.

943. Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Russia reveals recurring cross-border transmission throughout 2020.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Matsvay A, Klink GV, Safina KR

944. Exploring football coaches' views on coach education, role, and practice design: An Australian perspective.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Selimi E, Lascu A, Serpiello F

945. T cell-mediated tumor killing patterns in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma identify novel molecular subtypes, with prognosis and therapeutic implications.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Meng Z, Zhu L, Liu W

946. Loss of transcriptional heterogeneity in aged human muscle stem cells.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Barruet E, Striedinger K, Marangoni P

947. Dose-dependent modulation of microglia activation in rats after penetrating traumatic brain injury (pTBI) by transplanted human neural stem cells.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Andreu M, Matti N, Bramlett HM

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often results in long-lasting patterns of neurological deficits including motor, sensory, and cognitive abnormalities. Cranial gunshot survivors are among the most disabled TBI patients and face a lifetime of disability with no approved strategies to protect or repair the brain after injury. Recent studies using a model of penetrating TBI (pTBI) have reported that human neural stem cells (hNSCs) transplantation can lead to dose and location-dependent neuroprotection. Evidence for regional patterns of microglial activation has also been reported after pTBI with evidence for microglial cell death by pyroptosis. Because of the importance of injury-induced microglial activation in the pathogenesis of TBI, we tested the hypothesis that dose-dependent hNSC mediated neuroprotection after pTBI was associated with reduced microglial activation in pericontusional cortical areas. To test this hypothesis, quantitative microglial/macrophage Iba1 immunohistochemistry and Sholl analysis was conducted to investigate the arborization patterns using four experimental groups including, (i) Sham operated (no injury) + low dose (0.16 million cells/rat), (ii) pTBI + vehicle (no cells), (iii) pTBI + low dose hNSCs (0.16 million/rat), and (iv) pTBI + high dose hNSCs (1.6 million cells/rat). At 3 months post-transplantation (transplants at one week after pTBI), the total number of intersections was significantly reduced in vehicle treated pTBI animals versus sham operated controls indicating increased microglia/macrophage activation. In contrast, hNSC transplantation led to a dose-dependent increase in the number of intersections compared to pTBI vehicle indicating less microglia/macrophage activation. The peak of Sholl intersections at 1 μm from the center of the microglia/macrophages ranged from ~6,500-14,000 intersections for sham operated, ~250-500 intersections for pTBI vehicle, ~550-1,000 intersections for pTBI low dose, and ~2,500-7,500 intersections for pTBI high dose. Plotting data along the rostrocaudal axis also showed that pericontusional cortical areas protected by hNSC transplantation had increased intersections compared to nontreated pTBI animals. These studies using a non-biased Sholl analysis demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction in inflammatory cell activation that may be associated with a neuroprotective effect driven by the cellular transplant in perilesional regions after pTBI.

948. Breast cancer-related lymphedema and recurrence of breast cancer: Protocol for a prospective cohort study in China.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Zhuang L, Chen Q, Chen H

INTRODUCTION: The primary aim is to determine the factors associated with breast cancer-related lymphedema and to identify new associated factors for the recurrence of breast cancer and depression. The secondary objective is to investigate the incidence of breast cancer-related events (breast cancer-related lymphedema, recurrence of breast cancer, and depression). Finally, we want to explore and validate the complex relationship among multiple factors influencing breast cancer complications and breast cancer recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort study of females with unilateral breast cancer will be conducted in West China Hospital between February 2023 and February 2026. Breast cancer survivors in the age range of 17-55 will be recruited before breast cancer surgery. We will recruit 1557 preoperative patients with a first invasive breast cancer diagnosis. Consenting breast cancer survivors will complete demographic information, clinicopathological factors, surgery information, baseline information, and a baseline depression questionnaire. Data will be collected at four stages: the perioperative stage, chemotherapy therapy stage, radiation therapy stage, and follow-up stage. Data including the incidence and correlation of breast cancer-related lymphedema, breast cancer recurrence, depression, and medical cost will be collected and computed through the four stages above. For every statistical analysis, the participants will be classified into two groups based on whether they develop secondary lymphedema. Incidence rates of breast cancer recurrence and depression will be calculated separately for groups. Multivariate logistic regression will be used to determine whether secondary lymphedema and other parameters can predict breast cancer recurrence. DISCUSSION: Our prospective cohort study will contribute to establishing an early detection program for breast cancer-related lymphedema and recurrence of breast cancer, which are both associated with poor quality of life and reduced life expectancy. Our study can also provide new insights into the physical, economic, treatment-related and mental burdens of breast cancer survivors.

949. Historical contingency in parasite community assembly: Community divergence results from early host exposure to symbionts and ecological drift.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Grunberg RL, Joyner BN, Mitchell CE.

950. Cytosolic EpCAM cooperates with H-Ras to regulate epithelial to mesenchymal transition through ZEB1.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Omar FA, Brown TC, Gillanders WE

951. The choice of region of interest after spinal procedures alters bone mineral density measurements.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Lin YH, Chou CS, Teng MMH.

PURPOSE: Vertebrae affected by artifacts, such as metallic implants or bone cement, should be excluded when measuring the spine bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Exclusion may be performed using two methods: first, the affected vertebrae are included in the region of interest (ROI) and subsequently excluded from the analysis; second, the affected vertebrae are completely excluded from the ROI. This study aimed to investigate the influence of metallic implants and bone cement on BMD with and without the inclusion of artifact-affected vertebrae in the ROI. METHODS: DXA images of 285 patients, including 144 with spinal metallic implants and 141 who had undergone spinal vertebroplasty from 2018 to 2021, were retrospectively reviewed. Spine BMD measurements were performed when the images were evaluated using two different ROIs for each patient during the same examination. In the first measurement, the affected vertebrae were included in the ROI; however, the affected vertebrae were excluded from the BMD analysis. In the second measurement, the affected vertebrae were excluded from the ROI. Differences between the two measurements were evaluated using a paired t-test. RESULTS: Among 285 patients (average age, 73 years; 218 women), spinal metallic implants led to an overestimation of bone mass in 40 of 144 patients, whereas bone cement resulted in an underestimation of bone mass in 30 of 141 patients when the first measurement was compared with the second measurement. The opposite effect occurred in 5 and 7 patients, respectively. Differences in results between the inclusion and exclusion of the affected vertebrae in the ROI were statistically significant (p<0.001). Spinal implants or cemented vertebrae included in the ROI might significantly alter BMD measurements. Additionally, different materials were associated with varying modifications in BMD. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of affected vertebrae in the ROI may notably alter BMD measurements, even when they are excluded from the analysis. This study suggests that the vertebrae affected by spinal metallic implants or bone cement should be excluded from the ROI.

952. Social Prescribing Outcomes for Trials (SPOT): Protocol for a modified Delphi study on core outcomes.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Esfandiari E, Chudyk AM, Grover S

953. The clinical value of proneural, classical and mesenchymal protein signatures in WHO 2021 adult-type diffuse lower-grade gliomas.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Dénes A, Bontell TO, Barchéus H

OBJECTIVES: Accumulating evidence shows that mesenchymal transition of glioblastomas is associated with a more aggressive course of disease and therapy resistance. In WHO2021-defined adult-type diffuse gliomas of lower grade (dLGG), the transition of the tumor phenotype over time, has not been studied. Most efforts to correlate proneural, classical or mesenchymal phenotype with outcome in dLGG were made prior to the WHO 2021 classification. Here, we set out to investigate if phenotype predicted survival and tumor recurrence in a clinical cohort of dLGGs, re-classified according to the 2021 WHO criteria. METHODS: Using a TMA-based approach with five immunohistochemical markers (EGFR, p53, MERTK, CD44 and OLIG2), we investigated 183 primary and 49 recurrent tumors derived from patients with previously diagnosed dLGG. Of the 49 relapses, nine tumors recurred a second time, and one a third time. RESULTS: In total, 71.0% of all tumors could be subtyped. Proneural was most dominant in IDH-mut tumors (78.5%), mesenchymal more common among IDH-wt tumors (63.6%). There was a significant difference in survival between classical, proneural and mesenchymal phenotypes in the total cohort (p<0.001), but not after molecular stratification (IDH-mut: p = 0.220, IDH-wt: p = 0.623). Upon recurrence, proneural was retained in 66.7% of the proneural IDH-mut dLGGs (n = 21), whereas IDH-wt tumors (n = 10) mainly retained or gained mesenchymal phenotype. No significant difference in survival was found between IDH-mut gliomas remaining proneural and those shifting to mesenchymal phenotype (p = 0.347). CONCLUSION: Subtyping into classical, proneural and mesenchymal phenotypes by five immunohistochemical markers, was possible for the majority of tumors, but protein signatures did not correlate with patient survival in our WHO2021-stratified cohort. At recurrence, IDH-mut tumors mainly retained proneural, while IDH-wt tumors mostly retained or gained mesenchymal signatures. This phenotypic shift, associated with increased aggressiveness in glioblastoma, did not affect survival. Group sizes were, however, too small to draw any firm conclusions.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Wühr P, Memmert D.

955. Chromosome-scale genome sequence assemblies of the 'Autumn Bliss' and 'Malling Jewel' cultivars of the highly heterozygous red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) derived from long-read Oxford Nanopore sequence data.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Price RJ, Davik J, Fernandéz Fernandéz F

956. Impacts of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 on wildlife behaviour via human activities.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Uehara H, Nishiyama W, Tatsuzawa S

957. Health behaviors and care seeking practices for childhood diarrhea and pneumonia in a rural district of Pakistan: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Das JK, Siddiqui F, Padhani ZA

958. Fully automated calcium scoring predicts all-cause mortality at 12 years in the MILD lung cancer screening trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Sabia F, Balbi M, Ledda RE

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a known risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) events and mortality but is not yet routinely evaluated in low-dose computed tomography (LDCT)-based lung cancer screening (LCS). The present analysis explored the capacity of a fully automated CAC scoring to predict 12-year mortality in the Multicentric Italian Lung Detection (MILD) LCS trial. The study included 2239 volunteers of the MILD trial who underwent a baseline LDCT from September 2005 to January 2011, with a median follow-up of 190 months. The CAC score was measured by a commercially available fully automated artificial intelligence (AI) software and stratified into five strata: 0, 1-10, 11-100, 101-400, and > 400. Twelve-year all-cause mortality was 8.5% (191/2239) overall, 3.2% with CAC = 0, 4.9% with CAC = 1-10, 8.0% with CAC = 11-100, 11.5% with CAC = 101-400, and 17% with CAC > 400. In Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, CAC > 400 was associated with a higher 12-year all-cause mortality both in a univariate model (hazard ratio, HR, 5.75 [95% confidence interval, CI, 2.08-15.92] compared to CAC = 0) and after adjustment for baseline confounders (HR, 3.80 [95%CI, 1.35-10.74] compared to CAC = 0). All-cause mortality significantly increased with increasing CAC (7% in CAC ≤ 400 vs. 17% in CAC > 400, Log-Rank p-value <0.001). Non-cancer at 12 years mortality was 3% (67/2239) overall, 0.8% with CAC = 0, 1.0% with CAC = 1-10, 2.9% with CAC = 11-100, 3.6% with CAC = 101-400, and 8.2% with CAC > 400 (Grey's test p < 0.001). In Fine and Gray's competing risk model, CAC > 400 predicted 12-year non-cancer mortality in a univariate model (sub-distribution hazard ratio, SHR, 10.62 [95% confidence interval, CI, 1.43-78.98] compared to CAC = 0), but the association was no longer significant after adjustment for baseline confounders. In conclusion, fully automated CAC scoring was effective in predicting all-cause mortality at 12 years in a LCS setting.

959. Differential gene expression in peripheral leukocytes of pre-weaned Holstein heifer calves with respiratory disease.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Elder LA, Hinnant HR, Mandella CM

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a leading cause of calf morbidity and mortality, and prevalence remains high despite current management practices. Differential gene expression (DGE) provides detailed insight into individual immune responses and can illuminate enriched pathways and biomarkers that contribute to disease susceptibility and outcomes. The aims of this study were to investigate differences in peripheral leukocyte gene expression in Holstein preweaned heifer calves 1) with and without BRD, and 2) across weeks of age. Calves were enrolled for this short-term longitudinal study on two commercial dairies in Washington State. Calves were assessed every two weeks throughout the pre-weaning period using clinical respiratory scoring (CRS) and thoracic ultrasonography (TUS), and blood samples were collected. Calves were selected that were either healthy (n = 10) or had BRD diagnosed by CRS (n = 7), TUS (n = 6), or both (n = 6) in weeks 5 or 7 of life). Three consecutive time point samples were analyzed for each BRD calf consisting of PRE, ONSET, and POST samples. Nineteen genes of interest were selected based on previous gene expression studies in cattle: ALOX15, BPI, CATHL6, CXCL8, DHX58, GZMB, HPGD, IFNG, IL17D, IL1R2, ISG15, LCN2, LIF, MX1, OAS2, PGLYRP1, S100A8, SELP, and TNF. Comparisons were made between age and disease time point matched BRD and healthy calves as well as between calf weeks of age. No DGE was observed between diseased and healthy calves; however, DGE was observed between calf weeks of age regardless of disease state. Developmental differences in leukocyte gene expression, phenotype, and functionality make pre-weaned calves immunologically distinct from mature cattle, and early life shifts in calf leukocyte populations likely contribute to the age-related gene expression differences we observed. Age overshadows disease impacts to influence gene expression in young calves, and immune development progresses upon a common trajectory regardless of disease during the preweaning period.

960. Celiac disease and COVID-19 in adults: A systematic review.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Amirian P, Zarpoosh M, Moradi S

BACKGROUND: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease affecting around 1.4% of the total human population. Local and systemic manifestations are described in CD. Viral infections seem to trigger CD or even have a worse outcome in CD patients. The evidence on the relationship between CD and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is limited. To evaluate existing evidence on the association between CD and COVID-19, we conducted the current systematic review. METHODS: We systematically searched Pubmed, Scopus, and Embase databases to find articles that reported risks or outcomes of COVID-19 in CD patients. Papers in any language published up to November 17, 2022, were evaluated for possible inclusion. The results were analyzed qualitatively. This study is registered with PROSPERO(CRD42022327380). RESULTS: We identified 509 studies by searching databases; 14 reported data on the risk or outcome of COVID-19 in CD patients and were eligible for qualitative synthesis. We found that the relative risk of acquiring COVID-19 in CD patients may be lower than in the general population. Approximately 90% of infected patients were treated as an outpatient, and 10% were hospitalized. GFD adherence and Health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) were more or less the same before and during the pandemic. The gluten-free products (GFP) supply seems to be plunged during the pandemic. The data on the psychological effects of the pandemic were conflicting. CONCLUSION: The risk of acquiring COVID-19 in CD patients is lower than in the general population. Females were more likely to be infected by COVID-19, and the most common comorbidity in infected patients was a chronic lower respiratory disease; around 10% of infected patients needed hospitalization, GFD adherence, and HR-QOL was more or less the same before and during the pandemic, depression, anxiety, and stress levels of patients varied among studies. Patients had more difficulties accessing GFPs based on limited data.

961. Field-deployable multiplex detection method of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus using loop-mediated isothermal amplification and DNA chromatography.

PLoS One

2023 May 16

Hayashida K, Garcia A, Moonga LC

962. Charge midwives' awareness of and their role in promoting respectful maternity care at a tertiary health facility in Ghana: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Dzomeku VM, Mensah ABB, Nakua EK

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that the implementation of respectful maternity care (RMC) interventions is one of the surest and most effective means of minimising mistreatment during intrapartum care services. However, to ensure the successful implementation of RMC interventions, maternity care providers would have to be aware of RMC, its relevance, and their role in promoting RMC. We explored the awareness and role of charge midwives in promoting RMC at a tertiary health facility in Ghana. METHODS: The study adopted an exploratory descriptive qualitative study design. We conducted nine interviews with charge midwives. All audio data were transcribed verbatim and exported to NVivo-12 for data management and analyses. RESULTS: The study revealed that charge midwives are aware of RMC. Specifically, ward-in-charges perceived RMC as consisting of showing dignity, respect, and privacy, as well as providing women-centred care. Our findings showed that the roles of ward-in-charges included training midwives on RMC and leading by example, showing empathy and establishing friendly relationships with clients, receiving and addressing clients' concerns, and monitoring and supervising midwives. CONCLUSION: We conclude that charge midwives have an important role to play in promoting RMC, which transcends simply providing maternity care. Policymakers and healthcare managers should ensure that charge midwives receive adequate and regular training on RMC. This training should be comprehensive, covering aspects such as effective communication, privacy and confidentiality, informed consent, and women-centred care. The study also underscores a need for policymakers and health facility managers to prioritise the provision of resources and support for the implementation of RMC policies and guidelines in all healthcare facilities. This will ensure that healthcare providers have the necessary tools and resources to provide RMC to clients.

963. Validation and the associated factors of the Malay version of systemic lupus erythematosus-specific health-related quality of life questionnaires (SLEQoL and LupusQoL).

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Ahmad Pouzi NA, Shaharir SS, Mohd Tamil A

OBJECTIVES: To assess the reliability and validity of two disease-specific questionnaires that assess the quality of life (QoL) among patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE); SLEQoL and LupusQoL in Malay language. This study also identified the factors affecting each domain of the questionnaires. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2021 until April 2022, and SLE patients were recruited to complete the SLEQoL, LupusQoL and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) in Malay language. Disease activity were recorded using the modified SLE Disease Activity Index (M- SLEDAI) and British Isles Lupus Assessment Group 2004 (BILAG-2004) index. Presence of organ damage was determined using the SLICC Damage index. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to determine internal consistency while exploratory factor analysis was done to determine the construct validity. Concurrent validity was evaluated using correlation with SF-36. Multiple linear regression analysis was deployed to determine the factors affecting each domain of SLEQoL and LupusQoL. RESULTS: A total of 125 subjects were recruited. The Cronbach's α value for the Malay-SLEQoL (M-SLEQoL) and Malay-LupusQOL (M-LupusQoL) was 0.890 and 0.944 respectively. Exploratory factor analysis found formation of similar number of components with the original version of questionnaires and all items have good factor loading of >0.4. Both instruments also had good concurrent validity with SF-36. M-SLEQoL had good correlations with BILAG-2004 and M-SLEDAI scores. Musculoskeletal (MSK) involvement was independently associated with lower M-SLEQoL in physical function, activity and symptom domains. Meanwhile, MSK and NPSLE were associated with fatigue in M-LupusQoL. CONCLUSION: Both M-SLEQoL and M-LupusQoL are reliable and valid as disease -specific QoL instruments for Malaysian patients. The M-Lupus QoL has better discriminative validity compared to the M-SLEQoL. SLE patients with MSK involvement are at risk of poor QoL in multiple domains including physical function, activity, symptoms and fatigue.

964. Characterization of the anti-pathogenic, genomic and phenotypic properties of a Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus VHProbi M14 isolate.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Zhang J, Li K, Bu X

965. Concept design of hybrid-actuated lower limb exoskeleton to reduce the metabolic cost of walking with heavy loads.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Meng Q, Kong B, Zeng Q

966. Functional characterization of Cinnamate 4-hydroxylase gene family in soybean (Glycine max).

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Khatri P, Chen L, Rajcan I

967. Multi-omic modeling of antidepressant response implicates dynamic immune and inflammatory changes in individuals who respond to treatment.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Fuh SC, Fiori LM, Turecki G

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and is commonly treated with antidepressant drugs (AD). Although effective, many patients fail to respond to AD treatment, and accordingly identifying factors that can predict AD response would greatly improve treatment outcomes. In this study, we developed a machine learning tool to integrate multi-omic datasets (gene expression, DNA methylation, and genotyping) to identify biomarker profiles associated with AD response in a cohort of individuals with MDD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Individuals with MDD (N = 111) were treated for 8 weeks with antidepressants and were separated into responders and non-responders based on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Using peripheral blood samples, we performed RNA-sequencing, assessed DNA methylation using the Illumina EPIC array, and performed genotyping using the Illumina PsychArray. To address this rich multi-omic dataset with high dimensional features, we developed integrative Geneset-Embedded non-negative Matrix factorization (iGEM), a non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) based model, supplemented with auxiliary information regarding gene sets and gene-methylation relationships. In particular, we factorize the subjects by features (i.e., gene expression or DNA methylation) into subjects-by-factors and factors-by-features. We define the factors as the meta-phenotypes as they represent integrated composite scores of the molecular measurements for each subject. RESULTS: Using our model, we identified a number of meta-phenotypes which were related to AD response. By integrating geneset information into the model, we were able to relate these meta-phenotypes to biological processes, including a meta-phenotype related to immune and inflammatory functions as well as other genes related to depression or AD response. The meta-phenotype identified several genes including immune interleukin 1 receptor like 1 (IL1RL1) and interleukin 5 receptor (IL5) subunit alpha (IL5RA), AKT/PIK3 pathway related phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 6 (PIK3R6), and sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 3 (SMPD3), which has been identified as a target of AD treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The derived meta-phenotypes and associated biological functions represent both biomarkers to predict response, as well as potential new treatment targets. Our method is applicable to other diseases with multi-omic data, and the software is open source and available on Github (https://github.com/li-lab-mcgill/iGEM).

968. Improving biology faculty diversity through a co-hiring policy and faculty agents of change.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Harris M, Rosser S, Goldman M

969. Otoliths of Caspian gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae): Morphological diversity and phylogenetic implications.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Zarei F, Esmaeili HR, Stepien CA

970. Facing the challenges of PROM implementation in Dutch dialysis care: Patients' and professionals' perspectives.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Sipma WS, de Jong MFC, Meuleman Y

BACKGROUND: Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are increasingly used in routine clinical practice to facilitate patients in sharing and discussing health-related topics with their clinician. This study focuses on the implementation experiences of healthcare professionals and patients during the early implementation phase of the newly developed Dutch set of dialysis PROMs and aims to understand the process of early implementation of PROMs from the users' perspectives. METHODS: This is a qualitative study among healthcare professionals (physicians and nursing staff: n = 13) and patients (n = 14) of which 12 were receiving haemodialysis and 2 peritoneal dialysis. Semi-structured interviews were used to understand the barriers and facilitators that both professionals and patients encounter when starting to implement PROMs. RESULTS: The early PROM implementation process is influenced by a variety of factors that we divided into barriers and facilitators. We identified four barriers: patient´s indifference to PROMs, scepticism on the benefits of aggregated PROM data, the limited treatment options open to doctors and organizational issues such as mergers, organizational problems and renovations. We also describe four facilitators: professional involvement and patient support, a growing understanding of the use of PROMs during the implementation, quick gains from using PROMs such as receiving instant feedback and a clear ambition on patient care such as a shared view on patient involvement and management support. CONCLUSIONS: In this qualitative study carried out during the early implementation phase of the Dutch dialysis PROM set, we found that patients did not yet consider the PROM set to be a useful additional tool to share information with their doctor. This was despite the professionals' primary reason for using PROMs being to improve patient-doctor communication. Furthermore, the perceived lack of intervention options was frustrating for some of the professionals. We found that nurses could be important enablers of further implementation because of their intensive relationship with dialysis patients.

971. Relationship between physical performance and perception of stress and recovery in daily life post COVID-19-An explorative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Zorn J, Vollrath S, Matits L

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 is a multi-systemic disease which can target the lungs and the cardiovascular system and can also affect parts of the brain for prolonged periods of time. Even healthy athletes without comorbidities can be psychologically affected long-term by COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate athletes' perceived mental stress and recovery levels in daily life, and their maximal aerobic power, at three different time points, post COVID-19. METHODS: In total, 99 athletes (62.6% male), who had been infected by COVID-19, filled out the Recovery Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (REST-Q-Sport) and completed cardiopulmonary exercise testing (endpoint maximal aerobic power output (Pmax)) at the initial screening (t1: 4 months after infection). Follow-up assessments occurred three (t2, n = 37) and seven months after t1 (t3, n = 19). RESULTS: Subgroup means from the Recovery category were significantly below the reference value of four at all three time points, except "General Recovery" (3.76 (± 0.96), p = 0.275, d = 0.968) at t3."Overtiredness" (2.34 (± 1.27), p = 0.020, r = 0.224) was significantly above the reference value of two at t1, while all other Stress subgroups were not significantly different from the reference value or were significantly below the maximum threshold of two at t1, t2 and t3. Spearman's ρ revealed a negative association between Pmax and the subcategories of stress (ρ = -0.54 to ρ = -0.11, p < 0.050), and positive correlations between Pmax and "Somatic Recovery" (ρ = 0.43, p < 0.001) and "General Recovery" (ρ = 0.23, p = 0.040) at t1. Pmax (t1: 3.83 (± 0.99), t2: 3.78 (± 1.14), β = 0.06, p < 0.003) increased significantly from t1 to t2. In addition, REST-Q-Sport indicated a decrease in "Sleep" (t2 = 2.35 (± 0.62), t3 = 2.28(± 0.61), β = -0.18, p < 0.023) at t3, when compared to t2. CONCLUSION: The perceived recovery seems to be negatively affected in post COVID-19 athletes. Physical performance post COVID-19 correlates with both "Emotional and Somatic Stress" and "Somatic and General Recovery", indicating potential mental and physical benefits of exercise. While it is evident that COVID-19, like other viral infections, may have an influence on physical performance, monitoring stress and recovery perceptions of athletes is critical to facilitate their return-to-sports, while minimizing long-term COVID-19 induced negative effects like the athletic objective and subjective perceived recovery and stress levels.

972. Across atoms to crossing continents: Application of similarity measures to biological location data.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Schuhmann F, Ryvkin L, McLaren JD

973. Insect phylogeny structures the bacterial communities in the microbiome of psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) in Aotearoa New Zealand.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Martoni F, Bulman SR, Piper AM

974. MCMCINLA estimation of varying coefficient spatial lag model-A study of China's economic development in the context of population aging.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Teng J, Ding S, Zhang H

975. Virtual screening of antimicrobial plant extracts by machine-learning classification of chemical compounds in semantic space.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Yabuuchi H, Hayashi K, Shigemoto A

976. Plasma sterols and vitamin D are correlates and predictors of ozone-induced inflammation in the lung: A pilot study.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Perryman AN, Kim HH, Payton A

977. Protocol for a systematic review of long-term physical sequelae and financial burden of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Akalu TY, Clements ACA, Baraki AG

978. Partitioning and subsampling statistics in compartment-based quantification methods.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Loskyll M, Podbiel D, Guber A

The precision of compartment-based quantification methods is subject to multiple effects, of which partitioning and subsampling play a major role. Partitioning is the process of aliquoting the sample liquid and consequently the contained target molecules, whereas subsampling denotes the fact that usually only a portion of a sample is analyzed. In this work, we present a detailed statistical description comprising the effects of partitioning and subsampling on the relative uncertainty of the test result. We show that the state-of-the-art binomial model does not provide accurate results for the level of subsampling present when analyzing the nucleic acid content of single specific cells. Hence, in this work we address partitioning and subsampling effects separately and subsequently combine them to derive the relative uncertainty of a test system and compare it for single cell content analysis and body fluid analysis. In point-of-care test systems the area for partitioning and detection is usually limited, which means that a trade-off between the number of partitions (related to a partitioning uncertainty) and the amount of analyzed volume (related to a subsampling uncertainty) might be inevitable. In case of low target concentration, the subsampling uncertainty is dominant whereas for high target concentration, the partitioning uncertainty increases, and a larger number of partitions is beneficial to minimize the combined uncertainty. We show, that by minimizing the subsampling uncertainty in the test system, the quantification uncertainty of low target concentrations in single cell content analysis is much smaller than in body fluid analysis. In summary, the work provides the methodological basis for a profound statistical evaluation of partitioning and subsampling effects in compartment-based quantification methods and paves the way towards an improved design of future digital quantification devices for highly accurate molecular diagnostic analysis at the point-of-care.

979. Environmental and climate variability drive population size of annual penaeid shrimp in a large lagoonal estuary.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Schlenker LS, Stewart C, Rock J

Species with short life spans frequently show a close relationship between population abundance and environmental variation making these organisms potential indicator species of climatic variability. White (Penaeus setiferus), brown (P. aztecus), and pink (P. duorarum) penaeid shrimp typically have an annual life history and are of enormous ecological, cultural, and economic value to the southeastern United States and Gulf of Mexico. Within North Carolina, all three species rely on the Pamlico Sound, a large estuarine system that straddles Cape Hatteras, one of the most significant climate and biogeographic breaks in the world, as a nursery area. These characteristics make penaeid species within the Pamlico Sound a critical species-habitat complex for assessing climate impacts on fisheries. However, a comprehensive analysis of the influence of the environmental conditions that influence penaeid shrimp populations has been lacking in North Carolina. In this study, we used more than 30 years of data from two fishery-independent trawl surveys in the Pamlico Sound to examine the spatial distribution and abundance of adult brown, white, and pink shrimp and the environmental drivers associated with adult shrimp abundance and juvenile brown shrimp recruitment using numerical models. Brown shrimp recruitment models demonstrate that years with higher temperature, salinity, offshore windstress, and North Atlantic Oscillation phase predict increased abundance of juveniles. Additionally, models predicting adult brown, white, and pink shrimp abundance illustrate the importance of winter temperatures, windstress, salinity, the North Atlantic Oscillation index, and the abundance of spawning adult populations from the previous year on shrimp abundance. Our findings show a high degree of variability in shrimp abundance is explained by climate and environmental variation and indicate the importance of understanding these relationships in order to predict the impact of climate variability within ecosystems and develop climate-based adaptive management strategies for marine populations.

980. A protocol for a controlled, pre-post intervention study to change attitudes toward child marriage in Southwestern Nigeria using targeted radio programming.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Omobowale O, Omigbodun O, Egbokhare O

981. Preclinical evaluation of oncolytic potential human rotavirus Wt 1-5 in gastric adenocarcinoma.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Sossa-Rojas H, Franco-Maz PG, Zapata-Acevedo C

Despite advances in biomedical research, gastric cancer remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide due to the limited efficacy of conventional therapies. In recent decades, oncolytic viruses have emerged as a biological therapeutic alternative to cancer due to their selectivity, effectiveness, and low toxicity. However, clinical trials have shown that developing a virus with selectivity for multiple tumor receptors and the ability to penetrate and diffuse through the tumor microenvironment to reactivate the immune system remains challenging. This study aimed to examine the oncolytic potential of tumor cell-adapted rotavirus Wt1-5 in gastric adenocarcinoma samples. This study focused on determining the propagation capacity of the RV Wt1-5 through the tumor and the importance of the expression of cell surface co-receptors, including integrin β3, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), and heat shock proteins (Hsp-90, -70, -60, -40, and Hsc 70), during infection of tumor cells. These proteins were found to be differentially expressed in tumor cells compared to adjacent non-tumor cells. Preincubation of gastric tumor cells with antibodies against these proteins decreased rotavirus infections, validating their importance in the binding and entry of RV Wt1-5 into tumor cells, as previously reported. Upon RV infection, apoptosis was one of the types of death that was observed. This was evidenced by evaluating the expression of CASP-3, -9, PARP, cytochrome C, Bax, Bid, p53, and Bcl-2, as well as observing morphological changes such as chromatin margination, nuclear condensation, and fragmentation. Finally, at 60 h.p.i, histological analysis revealed that oncolysis compromised the entire thickness of the tumor. Therefore, the results suggest that RV Wt1-5 could be a novel therapeutic agent co-adjuvant agent for conventional and targeted therapies in managing GC. Ex vivo infection of the tumor tissue model showed characteristics of an immune response that could be explored in future studies.

982. Diet and landscape characteristics drive spatial patterns of mercury accumulation in a high-latitude terrestrial carnivore.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Peraza I, Chételat J, Richardson M

Limited information exists on mercury concentrations and environmental drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in high latitude terrestrial carnivores. Spatial patterns of mercury concentrations in wolverine (Gulo gulo, n = 419) were assessed across a 1,600,000 km2 study area in relation to landscape, climate, diet and biological factors in Arctic and boreal biomes of western Canada. Hydrogen stable isotope ratios were measured in wolverine hair from a subset of 80 animals to assess the spatial scale for characterizing environmental conditions of their habitat. Habitat characteristics were determined using GIS methods and raster datasets at two scales, the collection location point and a 150 km radius buffer, which was selected based on results of a correlation analysis between hydrogen stable isotopes in precipitation and wolverine hair. Total mercury concentrations in wolverine muscle ranged >2 orders of magnitude from 0.01 to 5.72 μg/g dry weight and varied geographically, with the highest concentrations in the Northwest Territories followed by Nunavut and Yukon. Regression models at both spatial scales indicated diet (based on nitrogen stable isotope ratios) was the strongest explanatory variable of mercury concentrations in wolverine, with smaller though statistically significant contributions from landscape variables (soil organic carbon, percent cover of wet area, percent cover of perennial snow-ice) and distance to the Arctic Ocean coast. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of wolverine muscle suggested greater mercury bioaccumulation could be associated with feeding on marine biota in coastal habitats. Landscape variables identified in the modelling may reflect habitat conditions which support enhanced methylmercury transfer to terrestrial biota. Spatially-explicit estimates of wet atmospheric deposition were positively correlated with wolverine mercury concentrations but this variable was not selected in the final regression models. These landscape patterns provide a basis for further research on underlying processes enhancing methylmercury uptake in high latitude terrestrial food webs.

983. Mitigating carbon footprint for knowledge distillation based deep learning model compression.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Rafat K, Islam S, Mahfug AA

Deep learning techniques have recently demonstrated remarkable success in numerous domains. Typically, the success of these deep learning models is measured in terms of performance metrics such as accuracy and mean average precision (mAP). Generally, a model's high performance is highly valued, but it frequently comes at the expense of substantial energy costs and carbon footprint emissions during the model building step. Massive emission of CO2 has a deleterious impact on life on earth in general and is a serious ethical concern that is largely ignored in deep learning research. In this article, we mainly focus on environmental costs and the means of mitigating carbon footprints in deep learning models, with a particular focus on models created using knowledge distillation (KD). Deep learning models typically contain a large number of parameters, resulting in a 'heavy' model. A heavy model scores high on performance metrics but is incompatible with mobile and edge computing devices. Model compression techniques such as knowledge distillation enable the creation of lightweight, deployable models for these low-resource devices. KD generates lighter models and typically performs with slightly less accuracy than the heavier teacher model (model accuracy by the teacher model on CIFAR 10, CIFAR 100, and TinyImageNet is 95.04%, 76.03%, and 63.39%; model accuracy by KD is 91.78%, 69.7%, and 60.49%). Although the distillation process makes models deployable on low-resource devices, they were found to consume an exorbitant amount of energy and have a substantial carbon footprint (15.8, 17.9, and 13.5 times more carbon compared to the corresponding teacher model). The enormous environmental cost is primarily attributable to the tuning of the hyperparameter, Temperature (τ). In this article, we propose measuring the environmental costs of deep learning work (in terms of GFLOPS in millions, energy consumption in kWh, and CO2 equivalent in grams). In order to create lightweight models with low environmental costs, we propose a straightforward yet effective method for selecting a hyperparameter (τ) using a stochastic approach for each training batch fed into the models. We applied knowledge distillation (including its data-free variant) to problems involving image classification and object detection. To evaluate the robustness of our method, we ran experiments on various datasets (CIFAR 10, CIFAR 100, Tiny ImageNet, and PASCAL VOC) and models (ResNet18, MobileNetV2, Wrn-40-2). Our novel approach reduces the environmental costs by a large margin by eliminating the requirement of expensive hyperparameter tuning without sacrificing performance. Empirical results on the CIFAR 10 dataset show that the stochastic technique achieves an accuracy of 91.67%, whereas tuning achieves an accuracy of 91.78%-however, the stochastic approach reduces the energy consumption and CO2 equivalent each by a factor of 19. Similar results have been obtained with CIFAR 100 and TinyImageNet dataset. This pattern is also observed in object detection classification on the PASCAL VOC dataset, where the tuning technique performs similarly to the stochastic technique, with a difference of 0.03% mAP favoring the stochastic technique while reducing the energy consumptions and CO2 emission each by a factor of 18.5.

984. Diffusion characteristics classification framework for identification of diffusion source in complex networks.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Yang F, Liu J, Zhang R

985. Experimental study on soil-water characteristics and strength characteristics of complete-intense weathering mudstone in seasonal frozen area.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Guo H, Zhou R, Sun C

To study the soil-water characteristics and shear strength of unsaturated complete-intense weathering mudstone, the soil-water characteristic curve of complete-intense weathering mudstone and the matric suction of mudstone samples under natural state were measured. This measurement was through a soil-water characteristic test using a pressure plate instrument. Based on the results of soil-water characteristic test, an unsaturated (saturated) triaxial shear test was carried out. Under different temperatures and confining pressure conditions, the shear strength and deformation characteristics of complete-intense weathering mudstone under natural water content and saturation conditions were investigated. The results show that the percentage of silt and clay in unsaturated complete-intense weathering mudstone in natural state is relatively high, with the mudstone having less sand, and a weak permeability and exhibiting a significant capillary phenomenon. The complete-intense weathering mudstone with a natural moisture content of 19.15% has a matric suction of 210 kPa. When the temperature is constant, the shear stress of the sample increases with the increase of confining pressure. When the temperature decreases from 0 to -20°C, the influence of confining pressure on the rock samples gradually decreases. The rock sample has the property of strain hardening during shearing. Under the same matric suction, the total cohesion increases with the decrease of temperature. At a positive temperature, the effective internal friction angle increases with the decrease of temperature. At a negative temperature, the lower the temperature, the smaller the effective internal friction angle. The test of shear strength parameters of saturated complete-intense weathering mudstone is simple and conservative. In practical engineering, the basic properties of unsaturated complete-intense weathering mudstone can be predicted by testing the shear strength parameters of saturated complete-intense weathering mudstone. The results of the study are important for better understanding the nature of unsaturated complete-intense weathering mudstone and improving the safety of engineering construction in complete-intense weathering mudstone areas.

986. The role of cognitive rehabilitation in people with type 2 diabetes: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Cuevas H, Stuifbergen AK, Hilsabeck RC

Today, the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction and the prevalence of diabetes are increasing. Research shows that diabetes increases cognitive impairment risk, and cognitive impairment makes diabetes self-management more challenging. Diabetes self-management, essential to good glycemic control, requires patients to assimilate knowledge about their complex disease and to engage in activities such as glucose self-monitoring and the management of their medications. To test a comprehensive cognitive rehabilitation intervention-the Memory, Attention, and Problem-Solving Skills for Persons with Diabetes (MAPSS-DM) program. Our central hypothesis is that participants who take part in the MAPSS-DM intervention will have improved memory and executive function, increased use of compensatory cognitive skills, and improved self-management. We will also explore the role of glucose variability in those changes. This is a randomized controlled trial. Sixty-six participants with cognitive concerns and type 2 diabetes will be assigned to either the full MAPSS-DM intervention or an active control. Participants will use continuous glucose monitoring pre- and post-intervention to identify changes in glycemic variability. All participants will also be evaluated systematically via questionnaires and neuropsychological tests at three timepoints: baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention. This study will fill an important gap by addressing cognitive function in the management of diabetes. Diabetes is related to accelerated cognitive aging, cognitive deficits are related to poorer self-management, and improvements in cognitive performance as a result of cognitive rehabilitation can translate into improved performance in everyday life and, potentially, diabetes self-management. The results of the proposed study will therefore potentially inform strategies to support cognitive function and diabetes self-management, as well as offer new mechanistic insights into cognitive function through the use of continuous glucose monitoring. Trial registration: This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04831775).

987. Socioeconomic inequalities in employees' health-enhancing physical activity: Evidence from the SHAHWAR cohort study in Iran.

PLoS One

2023 May 15

Khoramrooz M, Zare F, Sadeghian F

BACKGROUND: Increasing level of physical activity (PA) among working population is of particular importance, because of the high return of investment on employees' PA. This study was aimed to investigate socioeconomic inequalities in Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) among employees of a Medical Sciences University in Iran. METHODS: Data were extracted from the SHAHWAR Cohort study in Iran. Concentration index (C) and Wagstaff decomposition techniques were applied to determine socioeconomic inequality in the study outcomes and its contributors, respectively. RESULTS: Nearly half of the university employees (44.6%) had poor HEPA, and employees with high socioeconomic status (SES) suffered more from it (C = 0.109; 95% CI: 0.075, 0.143). Also, we found while poor work-related PA (C = 0.175; 95% CI: 0.142, 0.209) and poor transport-related PA (C = 0.081, 95% CI: 0.047, 0.115) were more concentrated among high-SES employees, low-SES employees more affected by the poor PA at leisure time (C = -0.180; 95% CI: -0.213, -0.146). Shift working, and having higher SES and subjective social status were the main factors that positively contributed to the measured inequality in employees' poor HEPA by 33%, 31.7%, and 29%, respectively, whereas, having a married life had a negative contribution of -39.1%. The measured inequality in poor leisure-time PA was mainly attributable to SES, having a married life, urban residency, and female gender by 58.1%, 32.5%, 28.5%, and -32.6%, respectively. SES, urban residency, shift working, and female gender, with the contributions of 42%, 33.5%, 21.6%, and -17.3%, respectively, were the main contributors of poor work-related PA inequality. Urban residency, having a married life, SES, and subjective social status mainly contributed to the inequality of poor transport-related PA by 82.9%, -58.7%, 36.3%, and 33.5%, respectively, followed by using a personal car (12.3%) and female gender (11.3%). CONCLUSIONS: To reduce the measured inequalities in employees' PA, workplace health promotion programs should aim to educate and support male, urban resident, high-SES, high-social-class, and non-shift work employees to increase their PA at workplace, and female, married, rural resident, and low-SES employees to increase their leisure-time PA. Active transportation can be promoted among female, married, urban resident, high-SES, and high-social-class employees and those use a personal car.

988. Illness perceptions of occupational hand eczema in German patients based on the common-sense model of self-regulation: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Buse AS, Wilke A, John SM

BACKGROUND: Occupational skin diseases (OSD) in the form of hand eczema (HE) are a common work-related disease. Illness perceptions as presented in Leventhal's Common-Sense Model (CSM) are important for patients' self-management of diseases. Understanding these illness perceptions is essential for patient communicating. No quantitative or qualitative studies which investigated subjective illness perceptions in patients with occupational HE utilized the CSM as theoretical framework. The Objective of this study is to investigate illness perceptions of patients with occupational hand eczema (HE) using the CSM. METHODS: We applied an exploratory qualitative approach and conducted purposive sampling. Thirty-six patients with occupational HE were interviewed using an interview guide based on the dimensions of the CSM, including coherence and emotional representation. All participants participated in a three-week inpatient program at a clinic specialized on occupational dermatology. One interview had to be excluded before analysis, since one participant's diagnosis was retrospectively changed from ICD to tinea and hence did not match the inclusion criteria. Thirty-five interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed. Data was analyzed deductively and inductively using qualitative text analysis. MAXQDA 2018 (Verbi, Berlin, Germany), a software for qualitative data analysis, was applied for coding and summarizing of results. All dimensions of the CSM were explored for occupational HE. RESULTS: Several sub-categories could be identified. Participants named a variety of causes in different areas (e. g. external irritants and other hazardous factors, psycho-social factors, allergies, having a 'bad immune system' or lifestyle). The great impact of the disease on the participants' life is shown by the wide range of consequences reported, affecting all areas of life (i. e. psychological, physical, occupational, private). Considering coherence, an ambivalence between comprehensibility and non-comprehensibility of the disease is apparent. DISCUSSION: The complexity of illness perceptions presented in this paper is relevant for those involved in HE patient education and counseling, e. g, health educators, dermatologists, and, occupational physicians. Future research might further investigate specific aspects of illness perceptions in patients with occupational HE, especially considering the complexity of coherence and overlapping dimensions (i. e. emotional representation and psychological consequences).

989. Post hoc experimental designs improve genetic trial analyses: A case study of cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) genetic evaluation in the western Gulf region, USA.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Ding C, Weng Y, Byram TD

990. Impact of climatic conditions on radial growth of non-native Cedrus libani compared to native conifers in Central Europe.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Zsolnay N, Walentowitz A, Aas G.

991. An empirical study of entrepreneurial leadership and fear of COVID-19 impact on psychological wellbeing: A mediating effect of job insecurity.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Guberina T, Wang AM, Obrenovic B.

992. Why we should care about moral foundations when preparing for the next pandemic: Insights from Canada, the UK and the US.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Pizza L, Ronfard S, Coley JD

993. Perceptions of institutional performance and compliance to non-pharmaceutical interventions: How performance perceptions and policy compliance affect public health in a decentralized health system.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Paschoalotto MAC, Costa EPPA, Almeida SV

994. The value of supportive care: A systematic review of cost-effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for dementia.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Guzzon A, Rebba V, Paccagnella O

BACKGROUND: Almost 44 million people are currently living with dementia worldwide. This number is set to increase threefold by 2050, posing a serious threat to the sustainability of healthcare systems. Overuse of antipsychotic drugs for the management of the symptoms of dementia carries negative consequences for patients while also increasing the health expenditures for society. Supportive care (SC) interventions could be considered a safer and potentially cost-saving option. In this paper we provide a systematic review of the existing evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of SC interventions targeted towards persons living with dementia and their caregivers. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed between February 2019 and December 2021 through searches of the databases PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane Library, CENTRAL, Embase and PsycINFO. The search strategy was based on PRISMA 2020 recommendations. We considered studies published through December 2021 with no lower date limit. We distinguished between five categories of SC strategies: cognitive therapies, physical activity, indirect strategies (organisational and environmental changes), interventions primarily targeted towards family caregivers, and multicomponent interventions. RESULTS: Of the 5,479 articles retrieved, 39 met the inclusion criteria. These studies analysed 35 SC programmes located at different stages of the dementia care pathway. Eleven studies provided evidence of high cost-effectiveness for seven interventions: two multicomponent interventions; two indirect interventions; two interventions aimed at caregivers of community-dwelling persons with dementia; one community-based cognitive stimulation and occupational programme. CONCLUSION: We find that the most promising SC strategies in terms of cost-effectiveness are multicomponent interventions (targeted towards both nursing home residents and day-care service users), indirect strategies (group living and dementia care management at home), some forms of tailored occupational therapy, together with some psychosocial interventions for caregivers of community-dwelling persons with dementia. Our results suggest that the adoption of effective SC interventions may increase the economic sustainability of dementia care.

995. Predicting nutritional status for women of childbearing age from their economic, health, and demographic features: A supervised machine learning approach.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Khudri MM, Rhee KK, Hasan MS

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition imposes enormous costs resulting from lost investments in human capital and increased healthcare expenditures. There is a dearth of research focusing on the prediction of women's body mass index (BMI) and malnutrition outcomes (underweight, overweight, and obesity) in developing countries. This paper attempts to fill out this knowledge gap by predicting the BMI and the risks of malnutrition outcomes for Bangladeshi women of childbearing age from their economic, health, and demographic features. METHODS: Data from the 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey and a series of supervised machine learning (SML) techniques are used. Additionally, this study circumvents the imbalanced distribution problem in obesity classification by utilizing an oversampling approach. RESULTS: Study findings demonstrate that the support vector machine and k-nearest neighbor are the two best-performing methods in BMI prediction based on the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE). The combined predictor algorithms consistently yield top specificity, Cohen's kappa, F1-score, and AUC in classifying the malnutrition status, and their performance is robust to alternative standards. The feature importance ranking based on several nonparametric and combined predictors indicates that socioeconomic status, women's age, and breastfeeding status are the most important features in predicting women's nutritional outcomes. Furthermore, the conditional inference trees corroborate that those three features, along with the partner's educational attainment and employment status, significantly predict malnutrition risks. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that predicts BMI and one of the pioneer studies to classify all three malnutrition outcomes for women of childbearing age in Bangladesh, let alone in any lower-middle income country, using SML techniques. Moreover, in the context of Bangladesh, this paper is the first to identify and rank features that are critical in predicting nutritional outcomes using several feature selection algorithms. The estimators from this study predict the outcomes of interest most accurately and efficiently compared to other existing studies in the relevant literature. Therefore, study findings can aid policymakers in designing policy and programmatic approaches to address the double burden of malnutrition among Bangladeshi women, thereby reducing the country's economic burden.

996. Predicting the spread of covid-19 and the impact of government measures at the early stage of the pandemic: The Dutch case-Stricter but short-term measures are better.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Tenhagen CJ, Topan E, Groothuis-Oudshoorn KCGM.

997. Arginine concentration in arterial vs venous blood in a bleomycin-induced lung inflammation model in mice.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Tepic S, Arens D, Buchholz T

998. Development and preliminary validation of the Brief Self-Compassion Inventory.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Chinh K, Wu W, Johns SA

999. Learning experience of domestic and international students in blended courses: An ecological perspective.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Han F.

1000. A simple method to isolate fatty acids and fatty alcohols from wax esters in a wax-ester rich marine oil.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Schots PC, Edvinsen GK, Olsen RL.

1001. Relationship between self-management of patients with anxiety disorders and their anxiety level and quality of life: A cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Cao X, Feng M, Ge R

PURPOSE: To explore the correlation between self-management and anxiety and quality of life in patients with anxiety disorders and to understand whether self-management can influence the relationship between anxiety and quality of life and provide a basis for improving their anxiety and quality of life. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 245 patients with anxiety disorders in West China Hospital of Sichuan University was conducted using the Self-Management of Anxiety Disorders Scale, Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), and World Health Organization Quality of Life-BBREF. The data were then analyzed using descriptive tests and Pearson correlation in SPSS 25. Bootstrap mediated effects tests were used to test the effect relationship between anxiety, quality of life and self-management scores in patients with anxiety disorders and Amos was used to establish the structural equation model. RESULTS: The results of the correlation analysis showed that the total self-management score was positively correlated with the total quality of life score (r = 0.695, P <0.001), physical domain score (r = 0.552, P <0.001), psychological domain score (r = 0.661, P <0.001), social relations domain score (r = 0.542, P <0.001), and environmental domain score (r = 0.614, P <0.001). Additionally, it was negatively correlated with SAS score (r = -0.470, P <0.001). Self-management partially mediates the relationship between anxiety and quality of life, and the direct effect value of anxiety on quality of life was -0.44. The indirect effect value of self-management was -0.27, accounting for 38% of the total effect value. CONCLUSION: Self-management of patients with anxiety disorders was negatively correlated with anxiety and positively correlated with quality of life. It played a partially mediating effect between anxiety and quality of life. We recommend that healthcare providers pay attention to self-management interventions for patients with anxiety disorders to further improve their quality of life.

1002. A-B-3-Associations and dissociations of reading and arithmetic: Is domain-specific prediction outdated?

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Jöbstl V, Steiner AF, Deimann P

1003. Utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by women with breast cancer or gynecological cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Stöcker A, Mehnert-Theuerkauf A, Hinz A

BACKGROUND: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has become increasingly popular among cancer patients. The prevalence of CAM use differs worldwide and depends on different sociodemographic and medical characteristics. Findings on predictors for CAM use and its benefits for quality of Life (QoL) have been inconclusive in recent studies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and methods of CAM use in breast cancer (BC) and gynecological cancer (GC) patients, to compare CAM users vs. non-CAM users regarding their sociodemographic and medical characteristics, and to investigate the relationship between CAM use and QoL. METHODS: In a sub-analysis from a multicenter, cross-sectional study in Germany, we examined 1,214 female cancer patients (897 with BC and 317 with GC). We obtained data from self-reports via standardized questionnaires and measured QoL with the EORTC QLQ-C30. RESULTS: In total, 565 of the 1,214 patients (46.5%) used some form of CAM. Its use was higher in BC than in GC patients (48.6% vs. 40.7%). In both cancer groups, the users evaluated CAM as being helpful (BC: 60.8%, GC: 59.6%) The most frequently used CAM methods were vitamins/minerals/micronutrients, homeopathy, and mistletoe therapy. CAM users are younger, more highly educated, and financially better off than non-CAM users. They are also characterized by having been diagnosed with cancer a longer time ago, being at more advanced stages of the disease, and experiencing higher distress levels. CAM use is significantly associated with a lower global health status/ QoL in GC patients. Predictors for CAM use are: high level of vocational education, middle or high monthly income, time span since diagnosis of more than 12 months, the status of currently ongoing chemotherapy or hormone therapy treatment, and distress. CONCLUSION: Our data support the findings of previous studies and highlight the need to develop a consistent CAM definition with respect to comparability and evaluation of CAM services. More longitudinal studies are desirable to establish viable associations between CAM use and relevant outcomes such as QoL or disease management.

1004. DORA-compliant measures of research quality and impact to assess the performance of researchers in biomedical institutions: Review of published research, international best practice and Delphi survey.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Gagliardi AR, Chen RHC, Boury H

OBJECTIVE: The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) advocates for assessing biomedical research quality and impact, yet academic organizations continue to employ traditional measures such as Journal Impact Factor. We aimed to identify and prioritize measures for assessing research quality and impact. METHODS: We conducted a review of published and grey literature to identify measures of research quality and impact, which we included in an online survey. We assembled a panel of researchers and research leaders, and conducted a two-round Delphi survey to prioritize measures rated as high (rated 6 or 7 by ≥ 80% of respondents) or moderate (rated 6 or 7 by ≥ 50% of respondents) importance. RESULTS: We identified 50 measures organized in 8 domains: relevance of the research program, challenges to research program, or productivity, team/open science, funding, innovations, publications, other dissemination, and impact. Rating of measures by 44 panelists (60%) in Round One and 24 (55%) in Round Two of a Delphi survey resulted in consensus on the high importance of 5 measures: research advances existing knowledge, research plan is innovative, an independent body of research (or fundamental role) supported by peer-reviewed research funding, research outputs relevant to discipline, and quality of the content of publications. Five measures achieved consensus on moderate importance: challenges to research productivity, potential to improve health or healthcare, team science, collaboration, and recognition by professional societies or academic bodies. There was high congruence between researchers and research leaders across disciplines. CONCLUSIONS: Our work contributes to the field by identifying 10 DORA-compliant measures of research quality and impact, a more comprehensive and explicit set of measures than prior efforts. Research is needed to identify strategies to overcome barriers of use of DORA-compliant measures, and to "de-implement" traditional measures that do not uphold DORA principles yet are still in use.

1005. Relative likeability and relative popularity as sources of influence in children's friendships.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Laursen B, Leggett-James MP, Valdes OM.

1006. Developing forecasting model for future pandemic applications based on COVID-19 data 2020-2022.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Wan Mohamad Nawi WIA, K Abdul Hamid AA, Lola MS

1007. Use of high cost care among Veterans with comorbid mental illness and Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Shepherd-Banigan M, Miller KEM, Hastings SN

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: Alzheimer's Disease and Other Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) leads to frequent emergency department (ED) and inpatient use. Mental health symptoms among persons with AD/ADRD increases cognitive and functional disabilities and could contribute to these high rates of intensive health care use. The objective of this paper is to assess the relationship of mental illness on 12-month patterns in hospitalization and ED use among Veterans aged 65 and over with a new AD/ADRD diagnosis. METHODS: We used an existing dataset of administrative electronic health record data of Veterans with AD/ADRD from the US Veterans Health Administration linked with Medicare claims data from 2011-2015. We use multivariable logistic regression to examine the association between no pre-existing mental illness, pre-existing mental illness (e.g., major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder), and pre-existing severe mental illness-or SMI-(e.g., bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder with psychosis, or schizophrenia) and 12- month ED and hospitalization use and readmissions among Veterans who had an initial hospitalization visit. We estimated predicted probabilities, differential effect, and associated 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: In our sample, 1.4% had SMI and 11% had non-SMI mental illness. The unadjusted percentage with inpatient and ED use was higher among Veterans with SMI (34% and 26%, respectively) and Veterans with non-SMI mental illness (20%, 16%) compared with Veterans without pre-existing mental illness (12%, 9%). Compared to individuals with no pre-existing mental illness, having a pre-existing mental illness (1.27 percentage points, 95% CI: 0.76, 1.78) and a pre-existing SMI (7.17 percentage points, 95% CI: 5.66, 8.69) were both associated with an increased likelihood of ED use. The same pattern was observed for any inpatient use (mental illness 2.18, 95% CI: 1.59, 2.77; SMI 9.91, 95% CI: 8.21, 11.61). Only pre-existing SMI was associated higher hospitalization readmission. DISCUSSION: Pre-existing mental illness increases use of high cost, intensive health care and this association is higher of more severe mental health conditions. We also show that pre-existing mental illness exerts a unique influence, above and beyond other comorbidities, such as diabetes, on ED and inpatient visits. More needs to be done to increase recognition of the unique risks of this combination of health conditions and encourage strategies to address them. Developing, testing, and implementing comprehensive strategies that address the intersection of ADRD and mental illness is promising approach that requires more focused attention.

1008. Splash erosion and surface deformation following a drop impact on the soil with different hydrophobicity levels and moisture content.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Sochan A, Beczek M, Mazur R

1009. Environmental regulation and high-quality agricultural development.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Leng Y, Liu X, Wang X.

The key trend for future agricultural growth is efficient, green and sustainable high-quality development, and it is crucial to sort out the factors influencing high-quality agricultural development. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to dissect whether environmental regulation has a catalytic effect on quality rural development, through which paths it is driven and whether there is a threshold effect to be further clarified. METHOD: In this study, the panel data of 34 provinces in China from 2012 to 2018 are used, and 17 variables are used to construct an evaluation index system, covering four dimensions: agricultural endowment, agricultural output level, agricultural green degree and social sustainability. The high-quality development of agriculture is measured by entropy method. And further, using a baseline regression model and a mediating effects model, we empirically investigated the impact of environmental regulation on high-quality agricultural development and its mechanism of action, and empirically assessed the nonlinear effects of environmental regulation using a threshold regression model. RESULTS: Environmental control, as noted in the study, considerably assists in the establishment of high-quality agriculture; at the same time, large-scale land management plays a role in mitigating the influence of both. There is a single income threshold impact on rural households between high-quality agricultural growth and environmental regulation, and once that threshold is reached, the influence of high-quality agricultural growth grows. Contribution: According to the research findings, recommendations are made for the design of scientific environmental regulation policies, the establishment of a sound service system for large-scale rural land management, and the establishment of a stable mechanism for rural residents to sustain their income, in order to strengthen the effect of environmental regulation and realize high-quality agricultural growth in China. The marginal contribution of this paper is to enrich the study of the relationship between environmental regulation and high-quality agricultural development, which has theoretical and practical implications for promoting sustainable agricultural development.

1010. On the optimal presence strategies for workplace during pandemics: A COVID-19 inspired probabilistic model.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Davoodi M, Senapati A, Mertel A

1011. Exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field induces a response of the honey bee organism on the level of enzyme activity and the expression of stress-related genes.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Migdal P, Bieńkowski P, Cebrat M

There are many artificial sources of radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) in the environment, with a value between 100 MHz and 6 GHz. The most frequently used signal is with a frequency of around 900 MHz. The direction of these changes positively impacts the quality of life, enabling easy communication from almost anywhere in the world. All living organisms in the world feel the effects of the electromagnetic field on them. The observations regarding the influence of a RF-EMF on honey bees, describing the general impact of RF-EMF on the colony and/or behavior of individual bees, such as reduction in the number of individuals in colonies, extended homing flight duration, decrease in breeding efficiency, changes in flight direction (movement of bees toward the areas affected by RF-EMF), increase in the intensity and frequency of sounds characteristic for those announcing the impending danger. In this work, we describe the changes in the levels of some of the stress-related markers in honey bees exposed to varying intensities and duration of RF-EMF. One-day-old honeybee worker bees were used for the study. The bees were randomly assigned to 9 experimental groups which were exposed to the following 900 MHz EMF intensities: 12 V/m, 28 V/m, and 61 V/m for 15 min, 1 h and 3 h. The control group was not exposed to the RF-EMF. Each experimental group consisted of 10 cages in which were 100 bees. Then, hemolymph was collected from the bees, in which the activity was assessed AST, ALT, ALP, GGTP, and level of nonenzymatic antioxidants albumin, creatinine, uric acid, and urea. Bees were also collected for the analysis of rps5, ppo, hsp10, hsp70, hsp90, and vitellogenin gene expression. Our study shows that exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field induces a response in the honey bees that can be detected in the level of enzyme activity and the expression of stress-related genes. The response is similar to the one previously described as a result of exposition to UVB irradiation and most likely cannot be attributed to increased temperature.

1012. Applying a neoscore in locally advanced rectal cancer is beneficial in predicting local recurrences after surgery.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Rayan A, Soliman A.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The current study was undertaken to provide more detailed prognostic models for early prediction of local recurrences and local recurrence free survival (RFS) using different radiologic and pathologic features of locally advanced rectal carcinomas treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT). METHODS: One hundred patients with locally advanced rectal carcinomas decided to receive neoadjuvant CRT were retrospectively recruited, Hazard ratios (HR) were determined in the two cox regression models and only significant ratios were considered for pointing, Models were built to determine their important effects of different predictors including: pathologic T (T), pathologic N (N), grade (G), clinical stage (cTNM), site (S), perineural invasion (PNI), and response to CRT (R) on 3-year RFS, goodness of performance of each model was measured by Harrell's C index. RESULTS: HR of 1st group of models: T+N, T+N+G, T+N+G+S, T+N+G+S+PNI, and T+N+G+S+PNI+R were summated and categorized into scores, these scores were significantly correlated with the risk of recurrence (Somer's D = 0.5, p<0.0001) & Harrell's C index = 0.751, (Somer's D = 0.6, p<0.0001) & its Harrell's C index = 0.794, (Somer's D = 0.7, p<0.0001) & C index = 0.826, Somer's D = 0.7, p<0.0001) & C index = 0.827, and (Somer's D = 0.7, p<0.0001) & C index = 0.843 respectively. The 2nd group of models including: cTNM stage, cTNM+G, cTNM+G+S, cTNM+G+S+PNI, cTNM+G+S+PNI+R scores which were significantly correlated with the HR of LRR (Somer's D = 0.2, 0.5, 0.6, 0.6, & 0.6 respectively), (p = 0.006, <0.0001, <0.0001, <0.0001, <0.0001 respectively), the corresponding Harrell's C indices were 0.595, 0.743, 0.782, 0.795, & 0.813 respectively. CONCLUSION: We propose that the addition of biologic factors to staging of rectal cancer provide precise stratification and association with local recurrences in patients received preoperative CRT.

1013. Validation of the Nelwan Score as a screening tool for the diagnosis of typhoid fever in adults in Indonesia.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Nelwan EJ, Paramita LPL, Sinto R

1014. How are families in Germany doing in 2022? Study protocol of a nationally representative, cross-sectional study of parents with children aged 0-3 years.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Neumann A, Ulrich SM, Sinß F

1015. Homelessness and housing assistance among persons with HIV, and associations with HIV care and viral suppression, New York City 2018.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Wiewel EW, Zhong Y, Xia Q

1016. Moderating effects of resilience and self-esteem on associations between self-reported oral health problems, quality of oral health, and mental health among adolescents and adults in Nigeria.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Ibigbami OI, Folayan MO, Oginni O

BACKGROUND: There is an intersection between oral and mental health though the studies on these intersections are few. This study investigated associations between self-reported oral health problems, quality of oral health, and depression and general anxiety among adolescents and adults in Nigeria; and analysed the moderating effects of resilience and self-esteem on these associations. METHODS: In this secondary analysis, data were extracted from the database of an online survey conducted among participants 13 years and older and living in Nigeria about their self-reported psychological wellbeing. The data was collected between September and October 2020. Dependent variables were self-reported presence of oral health problems (yes/no) and self-reported quality of oral health (using a five-item scale ranging from "very good" to "very poor"). Independent variables were depressive and anxiety symptoms. Moderating factors evaluated were resilience and self-esteem. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the associations between the dependent and independent variables after adjusting for confounders (age, sex, employment status and educational status). A path analysis was conducted to determine the moderating effects of self-esteem and resilience on associations between dependent and independent variables. RESULTS: We extracted data for 2,757 adolescents and adults aged 13 to 62 years, of which 2,062 (74.8%) reported having oral health problems and 925 (33.6%) reported poor quality of oral health. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with higher odds of oral health problems (AOR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.04-1.10; p<0.001). Higher levels of depressive symptoms (AOR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.03-1.07; p<0.001), and higher levels of anxiety symptoms (AOR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.04-1.11; p<0.001) were significantly associated with poor quality of oral health. Resilience significantly moderated the association between anxiety symptoms and oral health problems (AOR = -0.004; 95% CI: -0.006 --0.001; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Depression may be a risk indicator for self-reported oral health problems, while depression and anxiety appear to be risk indicators for self-reported poor quality of oral health. These factors could be included as confounders in future studies on oral health problems and quality of oral health among adolescents and adults in Nigeria.

1017. Analysis of air pollution in Fenwei Plain in China based on functional spatial autoregressive combined model.

PLoS One

2023 May 12

Tang J, Shi X, Hu X.

1018. Prevalence of refractive error among Dongarias and use of Folding Phoropter (FoFo) as a field device enabling implementation research in this indigenous community. Tribal Odisha Eye Disease Study (TOES) Report # 13.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Padhy D, Das T, Majhi D

1019. The association between HIV diagnosis disclosure and adherence to anti-retroviral therapy among adolescents living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Mengesha MM, Teshome A, Ajema D

INTRODUCTION: Nine in ten of the world's 1.74 million adolescents living with human immunodeficiency virus (ALHIV) live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and poor viral suppression are important problems among adolescents. To guide intervention efforts in this regard, this review presented pooled estimates on the prevalence of adherence and how it is affected by disclosure of HIV status among ALHIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: A comprehensive search in major databases (Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), PubMed, Ovid/MEDLINE, HINARI, and Google Scholar) with additional hand searches for grey literature was conducted to locate observational epidemiologic studies published in English up to November 12, 2022 with the following inclusion criteria: primary studies that reported disclosure of HIV status as an exposure variable, had positive adherence to ART as an outcome, and conducted among adolescents and children. The COVIDENCE software was used for a title/abstract screening, full-text screening, the JBI quality assessment checklist, and data extraction. Random effects model was used to pool estimates. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were also conducted by age groups and type of adherence measures used. RESULTS: This meta-analysis combines the effect estimates from 12 primary studies with 4422 participants. The prevalence of good adherence to ART was 73% (95% CI (confidence interval): 56 to 87; I2 = 98.63%, P = <0.001), and it was higher among adolescents who were aware of their HIV status, 77% (95% CI: 56 to 92; I2 = 98.34%, P = <0.001). Overall, knowledge of HIV status was associated with increased odds of adherence (odds ratio (OR) = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.21 to 2.94; I2 = 79.8%, P = <0.001). This was further supported in a subgroup analysis by age (seven studies, pooled OR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.06 to 3.37; I2 = 81.3%, P = <0.0001) and whether primary studies controlled for confounding factors (six studies provided adjusted estimates, pooled OR = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.22 to 5.57; I2 = 88.1%, P = <0.001) confirmed this further. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis and systematic review revealed that knowledge of one's HIV status was associated with adherence to ART, particularly among adolescents. The findings underscored the importance of encouraging disclosure in order to enhance adherence among adolescents.

1020. Expression of RNA polymerase I catalytic core is influenced by RPA12.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Ford BL, Wei T, Liu H

1021. Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole-associated early neutropenia in Mexican adults living with HIV: A cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Jacobo-Vargas TB, Báez-Saldaña R, Cruz-Hervert LP

INTRODUCTION: Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) is the antimicrobial of first choice in the treatment and prophylaxis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) in immunocompromised patients, particularly in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). TMP/SMX use entails different adverse effects, and its association with early neutropenia is minimally documented. This study aimed to identify the risk of early neutropenia associated with TMP/SMX use in adults living with HIV in Mexico. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in TMP/SMX-naïve adults living with HIV admitted to a third-level hospital between August 2019 and March 2020. Socio-demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected. According to patients' diagnostic, if they required treatment or prophylaxis against PCP, medical staff decided to prescribe TMP/SMX, as it is the first-line treatment. The risk of TMP/SMX induced early neutropenia, as well as associated factors were analyzed through a bivariate model and a multivariate Poisson regression model. The strength of association was measured by incidence rate ratio (IRR) with 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: 57 patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 40 patients were in the TMP/SMX treatment-group for treatment or prophylaxis of PCP (204.8 person-years of observation, median 26.5 days) and 17 patients were in the non-treatment group because they did not need the drug for treatment or prophylaxis of PCP (87.0 person-years of observation, median 21 days). The incidence rate of early neutropenia in the TMP/SMX-treatment group versus non-treatment group was 7.81 and 1.15 cases per 100 person-years, respectively. After adjusting for stage 3 of HIV infection and neutrophil count <1,500 cells/mm3 at hospital admission, the current use of TMP/SMX was not associated with an increase in the incidence rate ratio of early neutropenia (adjusted IRR: 3.46; 95% CI: 0.25-47.55; p = 0.352). CONCLUSIONS: The current use of TMP/SMX in Mexican adults living with HIV was not associated with an increase in the incidence rate ratio of early neutropenia.

1022. Experiences, barriers, and facilitators of health data use among performance monitoring teams (PMT) of health facilities in Eastern Ethiopia: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Abera A, Tolera A, Tusa BS

BACKGROUND: Routine health data is crucial in decision-making and improved health outcomes. Despite the significant investments in improving Ethiopia's Performance Monitoring Team (PMT), there is limited evidence on the involvement, implementation strategies, and facilitators and barriers to data utilization by these teams responding to present and emerging health challenges. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the PMT experiences, facilitators, and barriers to information use in healthcare facilities in Eastern Ethiopia. METHOD: This study employed a phenomenological study design using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to identify the most relevant constructs, aiming to describe the data use approaches at six facilities in Dire Dawa and Harari regions in July 2021. Key informant interviews were conducted among 18 purposively selected experts using a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic coding analysis was applied using a partially deductive approach informed by previous studies and an inductive technique with the creation of new emerging themes. Data were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti. RESULTS: Study participants felt the primary function of PMT was improving health service delivery. This study also revealed that data quality, performance, service quality, and improvement strategies were among the major focus areas of the PMT. Data use by the PMT was affected by poor data quality, absence of accountability, and lack of recognition for outstanding performance. In addition, the engagement of PMT members on multiple committees negatively impacted data use leading to inadequate follow-up of PMT activities, weariness, and insufficient time to complete responsibilities. CONCLUSION: Performance monitoring teams in the health facilities were established and functioning according to the national standard. However, barriers to operative data use included PMT engagement with multiple committees, poor data quality, lack of accountability, and poor documentation practices. Addressing the potential barriers by leveraging the PMT and existing structures have the potential to improve data use and health service performance.

1023. Improving retinal vascular endothelial cell tropism through rational rAAV capsid design.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Periasamy R, Patel DD, Boye SL

1024. Greater increases in intratumoral apparent diffusion coefficients after chemoradiotherapy predict better overall survival of patients with cervical cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Holopainen E, Lahtinen O, Könönen M

1025. Understanding barriers to tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment completion in a low-resource setting: A mixed-methods study in the Kingdom of Lesotho.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Andom AT, Gilbert HN, Ndayizigiye M

1026. Physical inactivity among corporate bank workers in Accra, Ghana: Implications for health promotion.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Nketiah GB, Odoi-Agyarko K, Ndanu TA

1027. Time-dependent vaccine efficacy estimation quantified by a mathematical model.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Loria J, Albani VVL, Coutinho FAB

1028. Productive and reproductive performance of Dawuro highland sheep managed under community-based breeding program in Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Beshah KH, Jimma A, Gemiyo D

1029. Efficient keystone species identification strategy based on tabu search.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Fan C, Zhu D, Zhang T

1030. Flour nutritional profile, and soxhlet-extracted oil physicochemical breakdown-storage performance of white melon (Cucumeropsis mannii Naudin) seed varieties from Southeast Nigeria.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Nwoke SI, Okechukwu QN, Ugwuona FU

1031. Optimization of electrical stimulation for the treatment of lower limb dysfunction after stroke: A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Fang Y, Li J, Liu S

1032. Possible role of caffeine in nicotine use onset among early adolescents: Evidence from the Young Mountaineer Health Study Cohort.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Kristjansson AL, Kogan SM, Mann MJ

1033. Structural requirements of Holothuria floridana fucosylated chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides in anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anticoagulant activities.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Farrag M, Dwivedi R, Sharma P

Fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (FucCS) is a unique glycosaminoglycan found primarily in sea cucumbers. This marine sulfated glycan is composed of a chondroitin sulfate backbone decorated with fucosyl branches attached to the glucuronic acid. FucCS exhibits potential biological actions including inhibition of blood clotting and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection. These biological effects have been attributed to certain structural features, including molecular weight (MW), and/or those related to fucosylation, such as degrees of fucosyl branches, sulfation patterns and contents. In a previous work, we were able to generate oligosaccharides of the FucCS from Pentacta pygmaea (PpFucCS) with reduced anticoagulant effect but still retaining significant anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity against the delta strain. In this work, we extended our study to the FucCS extracted from the species Holothuria floridana (HfFucCS). The oligosaccharides were prepared by free-radical depolymerization of the HfFucCS via copper-based Fenton reaction. One-dimensional 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were employed in structural analysis. Activated partial thromboplastin time and assays using protease (factors Xa and IIa) and serine protease inhibitors (antithrombin, and heparin cofactor II) in the presence of the sulfated carbohydrates were used to monitor anticoagulation. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 effects were measured using the concentration-response inhibitory curves of HEK-293T-human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 cells infected with a baculovirus pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 wild-type and delta variant spike (S)-proteins. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of native HfFucCS and its oligosaccharides was also assessed. Like for PpFucCS, we were able to generate a HfFucCS oligosaccharide fraction devoid of high anticoagulant effect but still retaining considerable anti-SARS-CoV-2 actions against both variants. However, compared to the oligosaccharide fraction derived from PpFucCS, the average MW of the shortest active HfFucCS oligosaccharide fraction was significantly lower. This finding suggests that the specific structural feature in HfFucCS, the branching 3,4-di-sulfated fucoses together with the backbone 4,6-di-sulfated N-acetylgalactosamines, is relevant for the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of FucCS molecules.

1034. EEG signature of breaks in embodiment in VR.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Porssut T, Iwane F, Chavarriaga R

1035. Cancer survival in the United States 2007-2016: Results from the National Program of Cancer Registries.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Ellington TD, Henley SJ, Wilson RJ

1036. Structural priors represented by discrete cosine transform improve EIT functional imaging.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Chen R, Krueger-Ziolek S, Lovas A

Structural prior information can improve electrical impedance tomography (EIT) reconstruction. In this contribution, we introduce a discrete cosine transformation-based (DCT-based) EIT reconstruction algorithm to demonstrate a way to incorporate the structural prior with the EIT reconstruction process. Structural prior information is obtained from other available imaging methods, e.g., thorax-CT. The DCT-based approach creates a functional EIT image of regional lung ventilation while preserving the introduced structural information. This leads to an easier interpretation in clinical settings while maintaining the advantages of EIT in terms of bedside monitoring during mechanical ventilation. Structural priors introduced in the DCT-based approach are of two categories in terms of different levels of information included: a contour prior only differentiates lung and non-lung region, while a detail prior includes information, such as atelectasis, within the lung area. To demonstrate the increased interpretability of the EIT image through structural prior in the DCT-based approach, the DCT-based reconstructions were compared with reconstructions from a widely applied one-step Gauss-Newton solver with background prior and from the advanced GREIT algorithm. The comparisons were conducted both on simulation data and retrospective patient data. In the simulation, we used two sets of forward models to simulate different lung conditions. A contour prior and a detail prior were derived from simulation ground truth. With these two structural priors, the reconstructions from the DCT-based approach were compared with the reconstructions from both the one-step Gauss-Newton solver and the GREIT. The difference between the reconstructions and the simulation ground truth is calculated by the ℓ2-norm image difference. In retrospective patient data analysis, datasets from six lung disease patients were included. For each patient, a detail prior was derived from the patient's CT, respectively. The detail prior was used for the reconstructions using the DCT-based approach, which was compared with the reconstructions from the GREIT. The reconstructions from the DCT-based approach are more comprehensive and interpretable in terms of preserving the structure specified by the priors, both in simulation and retrospective patient data analysis. In simulation analysis, the ℓ2-norm image difference of the DCT-based approach with a contour prior decreased on average by 34% from GREIT and 49% from the Gauss-Newton solver with background prior; for reconstructions of the DCT-based approach with detail prior, on average the ℓ2-norm image difference is 53% less than GREIT and 63% less than the reconstruction with background prior. In retrospective patient data analysis, the reconstructions from both the DCT-based approach and GREIT can indicate the current patient status, but the DCT-based approach yields more interpretable results. However, it is worth noting that the preserved structure in the DCT-based approach is derived from another imaging method, not from the EIT measurement. If the structural prior is outdated or wrong, the result might be misleadingly interpreted, which induces false clinical conclusions. Further research in terms of evaluating the validity of the structural prior and detecting the outdated prior is necessary.

1037. Comparison of spatiotemporal gait parameters and their variability in typically developing children aged 2, 3, and 6 years.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Rygelová M, Uchytil J, Torres IE

1038. Improving old tricks as new: Young adults learn from repeating everyday activities.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Leizerowitz GM, Gabai R, Plotnik M

1039. What is the impact of ongoing statin use on cognitive decline and dementia progression in older adults with mild-moderate Alzheimer disease?

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Murphy C, Dyer AH, Lawlor B

1040. Semi-field evaluation of a volatile transfluthrin-based intervention reveals efficacy as a spatial repellent and evidence of other modes of action.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Burton TA, Kabinga LH, Simubali L

1041. A minisatellite-based MLVA for deciphering the global epidemiology of the bacterial cassava pathogen Xanthomonas phaseoli pv. manihotis.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Rache L, Blondin L, Diaz Tatis P

Cassava Bacterial Blight (CBB) is a destructive disease widely distributed in the different areas where this crop is grown. Populations studies have been performed at local and national scales revealing a geographical genetic structure with temporal variations. A global epidemiology analysis of its causal agent Xanthomonas phaseoli pv. manihotis (Xpm) is needed to better understand the expansion of the disease for improving the monitoring of CBB. We targeted new tandem repeat (TR) loci with large repeat units, i.e. minisatellites, that we multiplexed in a scheme of Multi-Locus Variable number of TR Analysis (MLVA-8). This genotyping scheme separated 31 multilocus haplotypes in three clusters of single-locus variants and a singleton within a worldwide collection of 93 Xpm strains isolated over a period of fifty years. The major MLVA-8 cluster 1 grouped strains originating from all countries, except the unique Chinese strain. On the contrary, all the Xpm strains genotyped using the previously developed MLVA-14 microsatellite scheme were separated as unique haplotypes. We further propose an MLVA-12 scheme which takes advantage of combining TR loci with different mutation rates: the eight minisatellites and four faster evolving microsatellite markers, for global epidemiological surveillance. This MLVA-12 scheme identified 78 haplotypes and separated most of the strains in groups of double-locus variants (DLV) supporting some phylogenetic relationships. DLV groups were subdivided into closely related clusters of strains most often sharing the same geographical origin and isolated over a short period, supporting epidemiological relationships. The main MLVA-12 DLV group#1 was composed by strains from South America and all the African strains. The MLVA-12 scheme combining both minisatellite and microsatellite loci with different discriminatory power is expected to increase the accuracy of the phylogenetic signal and to minimize the homoplasy effects. Further investigation of the global epidemiology of Xpm will be helpful for a better control of CBB worldwide.

1042. Resting heart rate is a population-level biomarker of cardiorespiratory fitness: The Fenland Study.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Gonzales TI, Jeon JY, Lindsay T

INTRODUCTION: Few large studies have evaluated the relationship between resting heart rate (RHR) and cardiorespiratory fitness. Here we examine cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between RHR and fitness, explore factors that influence these relationships, and demonstrate the utility of RHR for remote population monitoring. METHODS: In cross-sectional analyses (The UK Fenland Study: 5,722 women, 5,143 men, aged 29-65y), we measured RHR (beats per min, bpm) while seated, supine, and during sleep. Fitness was estimated as maximal oxygen consumption (ml⋅min-1⋅kg-1) from an exercise test. Associations between RHR and fitness were evaluated while adjusting for age, sex, adiposity, and physical activity. In longitudinal analyses (6,589 participant subsample), we re-assessed RHR and fitness after a median of 6 years and evaluated the association between within-person change in RHR and fitness. During the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, we used a smartphone application to remotely and serially measure RHR (1,914 participant subsample, August 2020 to April 2021) and examined differences in RHR dynamics by pre-pandemic fitness level. RESULTS: Mean RHR while seated, supine, and during sleep was 67, 64, and 57 bpm. Age-adjusted associations (beta coefficients) between RHR and fitness were -0.26, -0.29, and -0.21 ml⋅kg-1⋅beat-1 in women and -0.27, -0.31, and -0.19 ml⋅kg-1⋅beat-1 in men. Adjustment for adiposity and physical activity attenuated the RHR-to-fitness relationship by 10% and 50%, respectively. Longitudinally, a 1-bpm increase in supine RHR was associated with a 0.23 ml⋅min-1⋅kg-1 decrease in fitness. During the pandemic, RHR increased in those with low pre-pandemic fitness but was stable in others. CONCLUSIONS: RHR is a valid population-level biomarker of cardiorespiratory fitness. Physical activity and adiposity attenuate the relationship between RHR and fitness.

1043. Congenital ventricular outflow tract obstructions in Boxer dogs: Results of a 17-year cardiovascular breed screening program in France (3126 dogs).

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Chetboul V, Bernard P, Passavin P

INTRODUCTION: Ventricular outflow tract obstructions including aortic (AS) and pulmonic stenosis (PS) are the most common canine congenital heart diseases, with Boxer dogs being predominantly affected. This has led to the French Boxer club adopting a mandatory national control program against AS and PS. The objective of this retrospective study was to analyze the results of 17 years of this cardiovascular breed screening program (2005-2021). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of untreated and non-anesthetized adult Boxer dogs screened between 2005 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. All dogs underwent physical examination and standard transthoracic echocardiography with concomitant ECG tracing. All examinations were reviewed by one single board-certified specialist in cardiology. RESULTS: Out of the 3126 dogs screened during the study period, 3001 dogs (female:male sex ratio = 2.2, median age [IQR] = 1.6 years [1.2-2.1]) were recruited for data analysis. A total of 218 operators were involved in the screening program. For most Boxer dogs (i.e., 93.8% for AS and 94.5% for PS), a single examination was required to obtain a definitive cardiac status, although most operators were non-specialist general practitioners. A left basilar systolic heart murmur was detected in all dogs with AS and PS, but also in 7.4% dogs free of heart diseases. A significantly higher proportion of the latter was detected when operators were board-certified specialists (P<0.001). Lastly, when comparing the start and the end of the breeding program, among dogs diagnosed with AS and PS (n = 364) in a French referral cardiology center, Boxer went from the 1st affected breed by AS to the 3rd, and from the 3rd affected breed by PS to the 6th. CONCLUSION: This 17-year screening program has experienced a strong involvement of veterinarians, breeders, and owners throughout France. This may have contributed to reduce AS and PS prevalence in Boxer dogs at the studied referral cardiology center.

1044. Identification of potentially pathogenic variants for autism spectrum disorders using gene-burden analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Rihar N, Krgovic D, Kokalj-Vokač N

1045. Targeted social marketing of PrEP and the stigmatization of black sexual minority men.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Calabrese SK, Kalwicz DA, Dovidio JF

Disparities in HIV incidence and PrEP uptake suggest a need to prioritize Black sexual minority men (SMM) in PrEP social marketing initiatives. However, images linking Black SMM to HIV and PrEP may inadvertently reinforce stigma. We examined HIV-negative/status-unknown Black SMM's responses to targeted PrEP advertisements using mixed methods, including an experiment embedded in a longitudinal online survey (Time 1: n = 96; Time 2 [eight weeks]: n = 73) and four focus groups (n = 18). The full factorial experiment included between-groups and within-subjects comparisons. For between-groups comparisons, each participant was randomly assigned to view one of 12 advertisements, which varied by couple composition (Black SMM couple/Black heterosexual couple/multiple diverse couples/no couples) and campaign (PrEPare for the Possibilities/PlaySure/PrEP4Love). We examined couple composition, campaign, and interaction effects on: advertisement judgments (Time 1), PrEP stigma (Time 1), PrEP motivation (Times 1 and 2), and PrEP behavior (Time 2). For within-subjects comparisons, each participant viewed all 12 advertisements, and we examined couple composition, campaign, and interaction effects on advertisement judgments (Time 2). Focus group participants discussed advertising preferences and responded to the same set of advertisements. For between-groups and within-subjects comparisons, we found significant couple composition effects but no or limited campaign and interaction effects on advertisement judgments. Advertisements featuring Black SMM exclusively were judged as more stigmatizing than advertisements without couples. Advertisements with diverse (vs. no) couples were considered more eye-catching and motivating. There were minimal effects of couple composition and campaign on PrEP stigma, motivation, and behavior. Focus group participants corroborated concerns about the potential for PrEP advertisements to be stigmatizing, suggesting advertisements featuring Black SMM exclusively could be alienating and fuel conspiracy theories. Focus group participants generally favored diverse and less sexualized advertisements, particularly for public spaces. Findings collectively highlight the potential for targeted PrEP advertisements to stigmatize Black SMM and support diverse representation.

1046. Exploring effects of response biases in affect induction procedures.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Moulds DJ, Meyer J, McLean JF

1047. Eliminating the need for manual segmentation to determine size and volume from MRI. A proof of concept on segmenting the lateral ventricles.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Yepes-Calderon F, McComb JG.

1048. Psychological burden of achalasia: Patients' screening rates of depression and anxiety and sex differences.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Hanschmidt F, Treml J, Deller J

1049. Algorithm for biological second messenger analysis with dynamic regions of interest.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Knighten JM, Aziz T, Pleshinger DJ

1050. Validation of a pre-established triage protocol for critically ill patients in a COVID-19 outbreak under resource scarcity: A retrospective multicenter cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Donat N, Mellati N, Frumento T

INTRODUCTION: In case of COVID-19 related scarcity of critical care resources, an early French triage algorithm categorized critically ill patients by probability of survival based on medical history and severity, with four priority levels for initiation or continuation of critical care: P1 -high priority, P2 -intermediate priority, P3 -not needed, P4 -not appropriate. This retrospective multi-center study aimed to assess its classification performance and its ability to help saving lives under capacity saturation. METHODS: ICU patients admitted for severe COVID-19 without triage in spring 2020 were retrospectively included from three hospitals. Demographic data, medical history and severity items were collected. Priority levels were retrospectively allocated at ICU admission and on ICU day 7-10. Mortality rate, cumulative incidence of death and of alive ICU discharge, length of ICU stay and of mechanical ventilation were compared between priority levels. Calculated mortality and survival were compared between full simulated triage and no triage. RESULTS: 225 patients were included, aged 63.1±11.9 years. Median SAPS2 was 40 (IQR 29-49). At the end of follow-up, 61 (27%) had died, 26 were still in ICU, and 138 had been discharged. Following retrospective initial priority allocation, mortality rate was 53% among P4 patients (95CI 34-72%) versus 23% among all P1 to P3 patients (95CI 17-30%, chi-squared p = 5.2e-4). The cumulative incidence of death consistently increased in the order P3, P1, P2 and P4 both at admission (Gray's test p = 3.1e-5) and at reassessment (p = 8e-5), and conversely for that of alive ICU discharge. Reassessment strengthened consistency. Simulation under saturation showed that this two-step triage protocol could have saved 28 to 40 more lives than no triage. CONCLUSION: Although it cannot eliminate potentially avoidable deaths, this triage protocol proved able to adequately prioritize critical care for patients with highest probability of survival, hence to save more lives if applied.

1051. Study protocol for the epigenetic characterization of angor pectoris according to the affected coronary compartment: Global and comprehensive assessment of the relationship between invasive coronary physiology and microRNAs.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Matute-Blanco L, Fernández-Rodríguez D, Casanova-Sandoval J

1052. Private capital holding, financial awareness of government and steadying operation of banks: Evidence from China.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Xu K, Liu J, Li J.

1053. Characterising school-age health and function in rural Zimbabwe using the SAHARAN toolbox.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Piper JD, Mazhanga C, Mapako G

INTRODUCTION: We developed the School-Age Health, Activity, Resilience, Anthropometry and Neurocognitive (SAHARAN) toolbox to address the shortage of school-age assessment tools that combine growth, physical and cognitive function. Here we present i) development, acceptability and feasibility of the SAHARAN toolbox; ii) characteristics of a pilot cohort; and iii) associations between the domains measured in the cohort. METHODS: Growth was measured with anthropometry, knee-heel length and skinfold thicknesses. Bioimpedance analysis measured lean mass index and phase angle. Cognition was assessed using the mental processing index, derived from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children version 2, a fine motor finger-tapping task, and School Achievement Test (SAT). Physical function combined grip strength, broad jump and the 20m shuttle-run test to produce a total physical score. A caregiver questionnaire was performed in parallel. RESULTS: The SAHARAN toolbox was feasible to implement in rural Zimbabwe, and highly acceptable to children and caregivers following some minor modifications. Eighty children with mean (SD) age 7.6 (0.2) years had mean height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZ) of -0.63 (0.81) and -0.55 (0.85), respectively. Lean mass index and total skinfold thicknesses were related to WAZ and BMI Z-score, but not to HAZ. Total physical score was associated with unit rises in HAZ (1.29, 95% CI 0.75, 1.82, p<0.001), and lean mass index (0.50, 95% CI 0.16, 0.83, p = 0.004), but not skinfold thicknesses. The SAT was associated with unit increases in the mental processing index and child socioemotional score. The caregiver questionnaire identified high levels of adversity and food insecurity. CONCLUSIONS: The SAHARAN toolbox provided a feasible and acceptable holistic assessment of child growth and function in mid-childhood. We found clear associations between growth, height-adjusted lean mass and physical function, but not cognitive function. The SAHARAN toolbox could be deployed to characterise school-age growth, development and function elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

1054. Horticulture producer's willingness to participate in contract-based supply chain coordination: A case study from Queensland (Australia).

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Schrobback P, Rolfe J, Akbar D

1055. Hand instrumentation provides improved tissue response over ultrasonic scaler and substantiates safe dental practice: An in vivo study in rats.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

de Almeida JM, de Araujo NJ, Matheus HR

1056. Assessing the aesthetic attractivity of European butterflies: A web-based survey protocol.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

van Tongeren E, Sistri G, Zingaro V

1057. Multi-planar 2.5D U-Net for image quality enhancement of dental cone-beam CT.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Ryu K, Lee C, Han Y

1058. Antibiotic treatment inhibits paclitaxel chemotherapy-induced activity deficits in female mice.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Grant CV, Jordan K, Seng MM

1059. Joint effect of water and sanitation practices on childhood diarrhoea in sub-Saharan Africa.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Amadu I, Seidu AA, Agyemang KK

BACKGROUND: Diarrhoea remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality of children under five years in Africa. Several studies have shown that inadequate and unsafe water, lack of sanitation, and poor hygiene practices are complex issues for different pathogens and accountable for the occurrence of diarrhoea diseases. We assessed the combined effect of household's source of drinking water and type of toilet facility and residential wellbeing on the incidence of childhood diarrhoea in 33 Sub-Saharan Africa countries while accounting for relevant compositional and contextual factors. METHODS: The 2010-2019 datasets from the Demographic and Health Surveys were drawn for analyses. The outcome variable used in this study was the incidence of childhood diarrhoea. Three negative log-log generalized linear regression models were then sequentially fitted to the data to examine the joint effect of household water and sanitation practices on child diarrhoea. The results were presented using crude odds ratios (CORs) and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Using ArcGIS software, maps were design to unveil the spatial distribution of key variables. FINDINGS: Approximately 16% of the 307,741 mothers interviewed reported an incidence of diarrhoea disease among children under-five years in their households. The results showed that a household depending on an unimproved source of drinking water and with an unimproved type of toilet facility was not significantly associated with childhood diarrhoea. However, those with improved drinking water but an unimproved type of toilet facility had higher odds of reporting childhood diarrhoea (AOR = 1.020, 95% CI = 1.003-1-036) compared to those in households with both improved source of drinking water and type of toilet facility. Across the geographical regions, Eastern (aOR = 1.102, 95% CI = 1.084-1.120) and Central Africa (aOR = 1.102, 95% CI = 1.083-1.121) were more likely to experience child diarrhoea. CONCLUSION: Water and sanitation practices such as the source of drinking water and toilet facility, and geographic region had significant effects on childhood diarrhoea in sub-Saharan Africax. The findings suggest the need for multi-sectoral actions that recognise the geo-spatial and temporal characteristics identified in the study through regional to national policies. Water and sanitation community-based interventions that seek to improve equitable access to safe water and sanitation in the sub-region should be intensified.

1060. PM2.5 concentration assessment based on geographical and temporal weighted regression model and MCD19A2 from 2015 to 2020 in Xinjiang, China.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Quan W, Xia N, Guo Y

1061. Comparative assessment of regional tau distribution by Tau-PET and Post-mortem neuropathology in a representative set of Alzheimer's & frontotemporal lobar degeneration patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Gatto RG, Carlos AF, Reichard RR

1062. Predicting resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Kingdom: Cross-sectional and longitudinal results.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Bennett KM, Panzeri A, Derrer-Merk E

1063. Experimental study of synergistic reinforcement of silty clay with glutinous rice paste and MICP.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Hu Q, Chen Q.

1064. Exploring the interior of 3D endoluminal lesions in the air spaces by a novel electronic biopsy technique: A preliminary study of endoluminal colon lesions.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Chen LS, Chen SJ, Hsu TW

1065. Expression and secretion of glycosylated barley oxalate oxidase in Pichia pastoris.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Donelan W, Li S, Dominguez-Gutierrez PR

1066. Psychological intervention for negative emotions aroused by COVID-19 pandemic in university students: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Wang Q, An S, Shao Z.

1067. Signal and noise in metabarcoding data.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Gold Z, Shelton AO, Casendino HR

Metabarcoding is a powerful molecular tool for simultaneously surveying hundreds to thousands of species from a single sample, underpinning microbiome and environmental DNA (eDNA) methods. Deriving quantitative estimates of underlying biological communities from metabarcoding is critical for enhancing the utility of such approaches for health and conservation. Recent work has demonstrated that correcting for amplification biases in genetic metabarcoding data can yield quantitative estimates of template DNA concentrations. However, a major source of uncertainty in metabarcoding data stems from non-detections across technical PCR replicates where one replicate fails to detect a species observed in other replicates. Such non-detections are a special case of variability among technical replicates in metabarcoding data. While many sampling and amplification processes underlie observed variation in metabarcoding data, understanding the causes of non-detections is an important step in distinguishing signal from noise in metabarcoding studies. Here, we use both simulated and empirical data to 1) suggest how non-detections may arise in metabarcoding data, 2) outline steps to recognize uninformative data in practice, and 3) identify the conditions under which amplicon sequence data can reliably detect underlying biological signals. We show with both simulations and empirical data that, for a given species, the rate of non-detections among technical replicates is a function of both the template DNA concentration and species-specific amplification efficiency. Consequently, we conclude metabarcoding datasets are strongly affected by (1) deterministic amplification biases during PCR and (2) stochastic sampling of amplicons during sequencing-both of which we can model-but also by (3) stochastic sampling of rare molecules prior to PCR, which remains a frontier for quantitative metabarcoding. Our results highlight the importance of estimating species-specific amplification efficiencies and critically evaluating patterns of non-detection in metabarcoding datasets to better distinguish environmental signal from the noise inherent in molecular detections of rare targets.

1068. Determinants of stunting in children under five years old in South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi Province: 2013 and 2018 Indonesian Basic Health Survey.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Anastasia H, Hadju V, Hartono R

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of stunting in South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi Province is relatively high. Studies reveal various household, parental, and child factors are associated with stunting. This paper aimed to determine the determinants of stunting among children under five in South and West Sulawesi Province using the 2013 and 2018 Indonesia Basic Health Survey. METHODS: This study was a secondary data analysis using the 2013 and 2018 Indonesian Basic Health Surveys. The unit of analysis was children under five years, and the study obtained 3641 and 4423 children in South Sulawesi Province from the 2013 and 2018 Indonesia Basic Health Survey, respectively, and 804 and 1059 children from the 2013 and 2018 Indonesia Basic Health Survey in West Sulawesi Province, respectively. The multivariable poisson regression model was conducted to determine the determinants of stunting. RESULTS: The results showed that the mean age of children in South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi Province was 31.1 months and 30.8 months, respectively, on 2013 survey compare to 29.6 months and 29.1 months on the 2018 survey. The determinants of stunting in children under five in South Sulawesi Province in 2013 survey were household with two children under five (APR:1.24; 95% CI: 1.1-1.3; p-value = 0.006), maternal BMI (APR: 1.1; 95% CI: 1.03-1.1; p-value = <0.001), maternal weight (APR: 0.9; 95% CI: 0.94-0.97; p-value = <0.001), children aged 12-23 months (APR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.7-2.7; p-value = <0.001), children aged 24-59 months (APR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.8-2.7; p-value = <0.001), birthweight (APR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.5-2.5; p-value = <0.001). In the 2018 survey, the determinants were maternal weight (APR: 0.9; 95% CI: 0.98-0.99; p-value = 0.005), mothers with no education or with education in primary school (APR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.3-1.9; p-value = <0.001), mothers with education in middle school (APR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1-1.6; p-value = 0.014), mothers with a height less than 151 cm (APR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.5-3.1; p-value = <0.001), mothers with a height of 151-160 cm (APR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1-1.6; p-value = 0.014), children aged 12-23 months (APR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.7-2.8; p-value = <0.001), children aged 24-59 months (APR: 2.5; 95% CI: 2.0-3.2; p-value = <0.001)., birthweight (APR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.2-1.9; p-value = <0.001). The determinants of stunting in children under five in West Sulawesi Province in 2013 survey were children under five years living in poor households (APR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.3; p-value = 0.021), children under five who lived in a household with three or more children under five (APR:1.8; 95% CI: 1.2-2.7; p-value = 0.002), children aged 12-23 months (APR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2-2.6; p-value = 0.006), children aged 24-59 months (APR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-2.7; p-value = 0.001). On the 2018 survey, the determinants were maternal BMI (APR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.03; p-value = 0.004), maternal weight (APR: 0.9; 95% CI: 0.95-0.98; p-value = <0.001), mothers with no education or with education in primary school (APR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-2.7; p-value = 0.001), mothers with education in middle school (APR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-2.7; p-value = 0.001), mothers with education in high school (APR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2-2.6; p-value = 0.004), children aged 12-23 months (APR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.4-3.0; p-value = <0.001), children aged 24-59 months (APR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.9-3.6; p-value = <0.001), male (APR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.01-1.4; p-value = 0.035), and acute respiratory infection (ARI) (APR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.04-2.5; p-value = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: The determinants of stunting in children under five in South Sulawesi Province are number of children under five in the household, maternal education, maternal weight, maternal height, maternal BMI, child's age, and birthweight. Meanwhile, the determinants of stunting in children under five in West Sulawesi were wealth, maternal education, maternal weight, maternal BMI,, child's age, child's sex, and history of acute respiratory infection. Hence, intervention on household and child levels as well as maternal sociodemographic factors need to be addressed.

1069. Patient perspectives on the use of mobile apps to support heart failure management: A qualitative descriptive study.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Sivakumar B, Lemonde M, Stein M

BACKGROUND: Adherence to diet and medical therapies are key to improving heart failure (HF) outcomes; however, nonadherence is common. While mobile apps may be a promising way to support patients with adherence via education and monitoring, HF patient perspectives regarding the use of apps for HF management in unknown. This data is critical for these tools to be successfully developed, implemented, and adopted to optimize adherence and improve HF outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine patients' needs, motivations, and challenges on the use of mobile apps to support HF management. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study using focus groups (n = 4,60 minutes) was conducted among HF patients from outpatient HF clinics in Toronto, Canada. The Diffusion of Innovation theory informed a ten-question interview guide. Interview transcripts were independently coded by two researchers and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Nineteen HF patients (65 ± 10 yrs, 12 men) identified a total of four key themes related to the use of mobile apps. The theme 'Factors impacting technology use by patients' identified motivations and challenges to app use, including access to credible information, easy and accessible user-interface. Three themes described patients' needs on the use of mobile apps to support HF management: 1) 'Providing patient support through access to information and self-monitoring', apps could provide education on HF-related content (e.g., diet, medication, symptoms); 2) 'Facilitating connection and communication', through information sharing with healthcare providers and connecting with other patients; 3) 'Patient preferences', app features such as reminders for medication, and visuals to show changes in HF symptoms were favoured. CONCLUSIONS: HF patients perceive several benefits and challenges to app use for HF self-management. Capitalizing on the benefits and addressing the challenges during the app development process may maximize adoption of such tools in this patient population.

1070. Social media engagement and cryptocurrency performance.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Qureshi K, Zaman T.

1071. Comparative analysis of different artificial neural networks for predicting and optimizing in vitro seed germination and sterilization of petunia.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Rezaei H, Mirzaie-Asl A, Abdollahi MR

1072. The stigma associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL): A protocol for a systematic review.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Nuwangi H, Agampodi TC, Price HP

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease with three main clinical types; cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL), and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). CL and MCL are considered to be highly stigmatizing due to potentially disfiguring skin pathology. CL and MCL-associated stigma are reported across the world in different contexts assimilating different definitions and interpretations. Stigma affects people with CL, particularly in terms of quality of life, accessibility to treatment, and psycho-social well-being. However, evidence on CL- and MCL-associated stigma is dispersed and yet to be synthesized. This systematic review describes the types, measurements, and implications of the stigma associated with CL and MCL and identifies any preventive strategies/interventions adopted to address the condition. This study was developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement which is registered in the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols PROSPERO (ID- CRD42021274925). We will perform an electronic search in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus, Trip, and Cochrane Library databases, and in Google Scholar, using a customized search string. Any article that discusses any type of CL- and/or MCL-associated stigma in English, Spanish and Portuguese will be included. Articles targeting veterinary studies, sandfly vector studies, laboratory-based research and trials, articles focusing only on visceral leishmaniasis, and articles on diagnostic or treatment methods for CL and MCL will be excluded. Screening for titles and abstracts and full articles and data extraction will be conducted by two investigators. The risk of bias will be assessed through specific tools for different study types. A narrative synthesis of evidence will then follow. This review will identify the knowledge gap in CL-associated stigma and will help plan future interventions.

1073. Maternal diet quality and associations with body composition and diet quality of preschool children: A longitudinal study.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

de Bona Coradi F, Anele CR, Goldani MZ

1074. What matters for international consumers' choice preferences for smartphones: Evidence from a cross-border ecommerce platform.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

N'da K, Ge J, Ji-Fan Ren S

1075. False memory in a second language: The importance of controlling the knowledge of word meaning.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Suarez M, Beato MS.

1076. Prolonged cardiovascular pharmacological support and fluid management after cardiac surgery.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Kontar L, Beaubien-Souligny W, Couture EJ

1077. Oxygen therapeutic window induced by myo-inositol trispyrophosphate (ITPP)-Local pO2 study in murine tumors.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Krzykawska-Serda M, Szczygieł D, Gaweł S

1078. Phenotype based clustering, and diversity of common bean genotypes in seed iron concentration and cooking time.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Amongi W, Nkalubo ST, Ochwo-Ssemakula M

Common bean is the world's most important directly consumed legume food crop that is popular for calories, protein and micronutrients. It is a staple food in sub-Saharan Africa, and a significant source of iron for anemic people. However, several pests, soil and weather challenges still impede its production. Long cooking time, and high phytic acid and polyphenols that influence bioavailable iron also limit the health benefits. To inform population improvement strategies and selection decisions for resilient fast cooking and iron biofortified beans, the study determined diversity and population structure within 427 breeding lines, varieties, or landraces mostly from Alliance Uganda and Columbia. The genotypes were evaluated for days to flowering and physiological maturity, yield, seed iron (FESEED) and zinc (ZNSEED) and cooking time (COOKT). Data for all traits showed significant (P≤0.001) differences among the genotypes. Repeatability was moderate to high for most traits. Performance ranged from 52 to 87 ppm (FESEED), 23-38 ppm (ZNSEED), 36-361 minutes (COOKT), and 397-1299 kg/ha (yield). Minimal differences existed between the gene pools in the mean performance except in yield, where Mesoamerican beans were better by 117 kg/ha. The genotypes exhibited high genetic diversity and thus have a high potential for use in plant breeding. Improvement of FESEED and ZNSEED, COOKT and yield performance within some markets such as red and small white beans is possible. Hybridization across market classes especially for yellow beans is essential but this could be avoided by adding other elite lines to the population. Superior yielding and fast cooking, yellow and large white beans were specifically lacking. Adding Fe dense elite lines to the population is also recommended. The population was clustered into three groups that could be considered for specific breeding targets based on trait correlations.

1079. Causal speech enhancement using dynamical-weighted loss and attention encoder-decoder recurrent neural network.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Peracha FK, Khattak MI, Salem N

1080. Henry gas solubility optimization double machine learning classifier for neurosurgical patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Mosa DT, Mahmoud A, Zaki J

1081. Factors affecting implementation of tuberculosis contact investigation and tuberculosis preventive therapy among children in Sabah, East Malaysia: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Goroh MMD, van den Boogaard CHA, Lukman KA

Contact investigation and TB preventive treatment of children under five years of age who are close contacts of a TB case is a key component of TB prevention. However, the uptake of TB preventive treatment is low in many high-TB burden settings. This study explores factors affecting the implementation of TB contact investigation and preventive treatment among children in Malaysia's city of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah State. This study was conducted in three primary health clinics between 2019 and 2020. We purposively sampled 34 parents and guardians of child contacts eligible for TB preventive treatment, and 25 healthcare providers involved in the management of child contacts. We conducted thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to illicit factors affecting implementation and uptake of TB contact investigation and TB preventive therapy. Six main themes emerged from the analyses-four of these relating to contact investigation and two relating to TB preventive therapy. Factors affecting TB contact investigation were addressed under system related factors (external factors, stakeholder collaboration, healthcare workers' and clients' concerns), clinic related factors (perceived performance, clinic schedule, and space), healthcare worker related factors (cooperation, commitment, knowledge, misconception, counselling and communication) and patient and contact related factors (cooperation and commitment). Factors affecting TB preventive treatment delivery were addressed under guardian related factors (cooperation, commitment, knowledge and misconception) and treatment related factors (child-friendly form and adverse effects). To address gaps and barriers identified in our study, we recommend developing system capacity to maintain routine contact investigation and preventive treatment in the context of external program risks, providing training to healthcare workers to address misconceptions, safeguarding vulnerable clients against the risk of detention and deportation while accessing care, ensuring public and private services are provided regardless of migration status, and improving processes and resources for contact investigation and preventive treatment.

1082. Predicting preterm births from electrohysterogram recordings via deep learning.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Goldsztejn U, Nehorai A.

1083. The calcium channel Orai1 is required for osteoblast development: Studies in a chimeric mouse with variable in vivo Runx-cre deletion of Orai-1.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Robinson LJ, Soboloff J, Tourkova IL

1084. Investigating insecticide susceptibility status of adult mosquitoes against some class of insecticides in Osogbo metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Busari LO, Raheem HO, Iwalewa ZO

The study evaluates the resistance and susceptibility of adult female Anopheles gambiae s. l., Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes sourced within Osogbo metropolis, Osun State, Nigeria to four groups of insecticides [Permethrin, Deltamethrin, Pirimiphos-methyl and DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)] and the distribution of their larval habitat within the metropolis. Mosquito larvae of the three genera were collected during the wet season and reared to adult stage in the laboratory. Emerged adult female mosquitoes were exposed to insecticide impregnated papers of the four insecticide groups for 60mins using WHO kits to determine the knock down rate (kdr). Thereafter, they were transferred into holding tubes and left for 24hrs to assess their resistance and susceptibility according to the WHO protocol. Four types of larval habitats were identified (tires, ground pools, gutters and plastic containers). Anopheles gambiae s. l. showed the highest resistance to Permethrin (49%) (p = 0.04, p<0.05) while the highest susceptibility was recorded with Pirimiphos-methyl (69%) with the lowest against Permethrin (16%) (P = 0.002; p<0.05). The highest resistance of A. aegypti was against OC-Control (45%) (p = 0.031; p<0.05). Permethrin had the highest susceptibility (60%) against A. aegypti while OC-control had the lowest (11%) (p = 0.005; p< 0.05). Culex quinquefasciatus had a lower resistance to OC-control (38%) as compared with Aedes aegypti (45%). However, it was least susceptible to Pirimiphos-methyl (52%) and DDT (17%) respectively (p = 0.013; p<0.05). The susceptibility of A. gambiae s. l. and C. quinquefasciatus to Pirimiphos-methyl and A. aegypti to Permethrin is an indication of the possibility of success if employed for vector control of A. gambiae s. l., C. quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti respectively. This could be through their inclusion as active ingredients in insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spray (IRS) with a view to abating malaria and other life-threatening mosquito-borne diseases constituting global public health scourge.

1085. Adaptation of families of adult patients with brain tumor: Partial least squares structural equation modeling.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Jung M, Jeong Y, Park BJ.

1086. Evaluation of the accuracy of the IDvet serological test for Mycoplasma bovis infection in cattle using latent class analysis of paired serum ELISA and quantitative real-time PCR on tonsillar swabs sampled at slaughter.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Marquetoux N, Vignes M, Burroughs A

Mycoplasma bovis (Mbovis) was first detected in cattle in New Zealand (NZ) in July 2017. To prevent further spread, NZ launched a world-first National Eradication Programme in May 2018. Existing diagnostic tests for Mbovis have been applied in countries where Mbovis is endemic, for detecting infection following outbreaks of clinical disease. Diagnostic test evaluation (DTE) under NZ conditions was thus required to inform the Programme. We used Bayesian Latent Class Analysis on paired serum ELISA (ID Screen Mycoplasma bovis Indirect from IDvet) and tonsillar swabs (qPCR) for DTE in the absence of a gold standard. Tested samples were collected at slaughter between June 2018 and November 2019, from infected herds depopulated by the Programme. A first set of models evaluated the detection of active infection, i.e. the presence of Mbovis in the host. At a modified serology positivity threshold of SP%> = 90, estimates of animal-level ELISA sensitivity was 72.8% (95% credible interval 68.5%-77.4%), respectively 97.7% (95% credible interval 97.3%-98.1%) for specificity, while the qPCR sensitivity was 45.2% (95% credible interval 41.0%-49.8%), respectively 99.6% (95% credible interval 99.4%-99.8%) for specificity. In a second set of models, prior information about ELISA specificity was obtained from the National Beef Cattle Surveillance Programme, a population theoretically free-or very low prevalence-of Mbovis. These analyses aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the ELISA test targeting prior exposure to Mbovis, rather than active infection. The specificity of the ELISA for detecting exposure to Mbovis was 99.9% (95% credible interval 99.7%-100.0%), hence near perfect at the threshold SP%=90. This specificity estimate, considerably higher than in the first set of models, was equivalent to the manufacturer's estimate. The corresponding ELISA sensitivity estimate was 66.0% (95% credible interval 62.7%-70.7%). These results confirm that the IDvet ELISA test is an appropriate tool for determining exposure and infection status of herds, both to delimit and confirm the absence of Mbovis.

1087. Factors associated with mortality in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary hospital in Lambayeque, Peru, during the first wave of the pandemic.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Aguirre-Milachay E, León-Figueroa DA, Chumán-Sánchez M

1088. Using Heatmap Visualization to assess the performance of the DJ30 and NASDAQ100 Indices under diverse VMA trading rules.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Chen Y, Huang P, Day MY

1089. Green supply chain decision of discarded drugs recycling: Evolutionary game and strategy simulation.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Wang C, Huang Z, Lian G.

1090. The effect of foot-stretcher position and stroke rate on ergometer rowing kinematics.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Engstrom I, Anderson K, Bez E

1091. Actual evapotranspiration by machine learning and remote sensing without the thermal spectrum.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Costa TS, Filgueiras R, Dos Santos RA

The objectives of this study were to use machine learning algorithms to establish a model for estimating the evapotranspiration fraction (ETf) using two data input scenarios from the spectral information of the Sentinel-2 constellation, and to analyze the temporal and spatial applicability of the models to estimate the actual evapotranspiration (ETr) in agricultural crops irrigated by center pivots. The spectral bands of Sentinel 2A and 2B satellite and vegetation indices formed the first scenario. The second scenario was formed by performing the normalized ratio procedure between bands (NRPB) and joining the variables applied in the first scenario. The models were generated to predict the ETf using six regression algorithms and then compared with ETf calculated by the Simple Algorithm For Evapotranspiration Retrieving (SAFER) algorithm, was considered as the standard. The results possible to select the best model, which in both scenarios was Cubist. Subsequently, ETf was estimated only for the center pivots present in the study area and the classification of land use and cover was accessed through the MapBiomas product. Land use was necessary to enable the calculation of ETr in each scenario, in the center pivots with sugarcane and soybean crops. ETr was estimated using two ETo approaches (EToBrazil and Hargreaves-Samani). It was found that the Hargreaves-Samani equation overestimated ETr with higher errors mainly for center pivots with sugarcane, where systematic error (MBE) ranged from 0.89 to 2.02 mm d-1. The EToBrazil product, on the other hand, presented statistical errors with MBE values ranging from 0.00 to 1.26 mm d-1 for both agricultural crops. Based on the results obtained, it is observed that the ETr can be monitored spatially and temporally without the use of the thermal band, which causes the estimation of this parameter to be performed with greater temporal frequency.

1092. Cumulative postoperative change in serum albumin levels and organ failure after living-donor liver transplantation: A retrospective cohort analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Cho Y, Lee JE, Jeong H

1093. Unsaturated or saturated dietary fat-mediated steatosis impairs hepatic regeneration following partial hepatectomy in mice.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Islam SMT, Palanisamy AP, Chedister GR

1094. The global COVID-19 mortality cost report card: 2020, 2021, and 2022.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Viscusi WK.

1095. Bats as ecosystem engineers in iron ore caves in the Carajás National Forest, Brazilian Amazonia.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Piló LB, Calux A, Scherer R

Ecosystem engineers are organisms able to modify their environment by changing the distribution of materials and energy, with effects on biotic and abiotic ecosystem components. Several ecosystem engineers are known, but for most of them the mechanisms behind their influence are poorly known. We detail the role of bats as ecosystem engineers in iron ore caves in the Carajás National Forest, Brazilian Amazonia, an area with > 1,500 caves, some holding ~150,000 bats. We analyzed the chemical composition of guano deposits in bat caves, radiocarbon-dated those deposits, and elucidated the chemical mechanisms involved and the role the bat guano has on modifying those caves. The insect-composed guano was rich in organic matter, with high concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus pentoxide and ferric oxide, plus potassium oxide, calcium and sulfur trioxide. Radiocarbon dating indicated guano deposits between 22,000 and 1,800 years old. The guano pH was mainly acid (from 2.1 to 5.6). Percolating waters in those bat caves were also acid (pH reaching 1.5), with the presence of phosphate, iron, calcium, nitrate and sulfate. Acid solutions due to guano decomposition and possible microbial activity produced various forms of corrosion on the caves´ floor and walls, resulting in their enlargement. Bat caves or caves with evidence of inactive bat colonies had, on average, lengths six times larger, areas five times larger, and volumes five times bigger than the regional average, plus more abundant, diversified and bigger speleothems when compared with other caves. In an example of bioengineering, the long-term presence of bats (> 22,000 years) and the guano deposits they produce, mediated by biological and chemical interactions over millennia, resulted in very unique ecological, evolutionary and geomorphological processes, whose working are just beginning to be better understood by science. However, the current expansion of mineral extraction activities coupled with the loosening of licensing and cave protection rules is a real conservation threat to the bat caves in Carajás. The destruction of those caves would represent an unacceptable loss of both speleological and biological heritage and we urge that, whenever they occur, bat caves and their colonies must be fully protected and left off-limits of mineral extraction.

1096. Effects of high-intensity interval training on physical morphology, cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic risk factors of cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Men J, Zou S, Ma J

1097. Bidirectional relationship between sexual arousal and (sex-related) disgust.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Wen G, Niu C, Zhang Y

1098. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on key performance indicators in three Saudi hospitals.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Alharbi A, Almana RS, Aljuaid M.

OBJECTIVE: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) disrupted healthcare systems and medical care worldwide. This study attempts to assess the performance of three Saudi hospitals during COVID-19 by comparing waiting times for outpatient appointments and the volume of elective surgeries before and after COVID-19. METHODS: We used ADA'A data collected from three Saudi hospitals for this retrospective cohort study. The outcome variables were "Waiting Time for Appointment" and "Elective OR Utilization". The hospitals included in this study were: a 300-bed maternity and children's hospital; a 643-bed general hospital; and a 1230-bed tertiary hospital. We included all patients who visited the OPD and OR in the time period from September 2019 to December 2021. A two-way ANOVA test was used to examine the differences in the outcome variables by hospital and by the phase of COVID-19. RESULTS: For the elective OR utilization rate, the results showed that both the hospital and the phase of COVID-19 were significantly different (p-value < 0.05). On average, the elective OR utilization rate dipped considerably in the early phase of COVID-19 (33.2% vs 44.9%) and jumped sharply in the later phase (50.3%). The results showed that the waiting time for OPD appointment was significantly different across hospitals and before and after COVID-19 in each hospital (p-value < 0.05). the waiting time dropped during the early phase of COVID-19 for both the general hospital (GEN) (24.6 days vs 34.8 days) and the tertiary hospital (MDC) (40.3 days vs 48.6 days), while the maternity and children's hospital (MCH)'s score deteriorated sharply (24.6 days vs 9.5 days). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that COVID-19 led to a significant impact on elective surgery rates and waiting time for OPD appointments in the early stage of the pandemic when the lockdown strategy was implemented in the country. Although the elective surgery rate had decreased at the designated COVID-hospital, the waiting time for OPD appointment had improved. This is a clear indication that the careful planning and management of resources for essential services during pandemic was effective.

1099. Older patient age and prior antimicrobial use strongly predict antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolates recovered from urinary tract infections among female outpatients.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Mitrani-Gold FS, Kaye KS, Gupta V

1100. The impact of residential greenness on psychological distress among Hurricane Katrina survivors.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Burrows K, Fong KC, Lowe SR

1101. Pan-genome survey of the fish pathogen Yersinia ruckeri links accessory- and amplified genes to virulence.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Riborg A, Gulla S, Fiskebeck EZ

1102. Evaluation of microbial and vancomycin treatments in ulcerative colitis in murine models.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Hasan N, Yang H.

BACKGROUND: Despite the number of available therapies for ulcerative colitis (UC), severe side effects and high cost has limited their clinical application. Thus, finding new alternative strategies with minimal side effects is inevitable. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of different therapeutic approaches in DSS-induced colitis. METHODS: Firstly, we designed oral bio-therapeutic products, Live Bacterial Products (LBP), which include a mixture of fecal bacteria strains isolated from healthy mice and prepared by microencapsulation and freeze-dried techniques. Then we investigated the efficiency of 7 days of freeze-dried FMT, LBP, and vancomycin treatments in DSS-induced colitis. Secondly, we compared the effect of 15 days of microbial therapies (freeze-dried powder of FMT and LBP microcapsules) and seven days of oral vancomycin on the severity of colitis in mice. Furthermore, the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were measured in serum by ELISA, and the fecal microbiota diversity was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing for all mice groups. RESULTS: After seven days of treatments, our results indicated that oral vancomycin reduced the severity of DSS-induced colitis in mice, where weight gain and a decrease in IL-1 β and TNF-α levels were observed in the vancomycin group compared with other treatment groups. While after two weeks of treatment, the LBP microcapsules were able to reduce the severity of colitis. And at the end of the treatment period, weight gain and a decrease in the DAI scores and the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were noted in the LBP treatment group compared to other treatment groups. By high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, our results showed that while the microcapsules LBP treatment increased the fecal microbial diversity, after vancomycin therapy, most of the fecal microbiota genera and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were depleted. CONCLUSION: Our results concluded that treatment duration and preparation methods affect the microbial therapies' efficiency in UC. Furthermore, this study highlighted the negative consequences of oral vancomycin administration on gut health that should be known before using this medication.

1103. Factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7): Evidence from Malaysia.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Pheh KS, Tan CS, Lee KW

1104. A study of the influence of sports venues on the intra-city population layout based on multi-source data-Taking Xi'an city and Zhengzhou city as examples.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Zhang S, Zhang X, Liu Y.

1105. RWD-derived response in multiple myeloma.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Xu T, Roose J, Williamson M

Real-world data (RWD) are important for understanding the treatment course and response patterns of patients with multiple myeloma. This exploratory pilot study establishes a way to reliably assess response from incomplete laboratory measurements captured in RWD. A rule-based algorithm, adapted from International Myeloma Working Group response criteria, was used to derive response using RWD. This derived response (dR) algorithm was assessed using data from the phase III BELLINI trial, comparing the number of responders and non-responders assigned by independent review committee (IRC) versus the dR algorithm. To simulate a real-world scenario with missing data, a sensitivity analysis was conducted whereby available laboratory measurements in the dataset were artificially reduced. Associations between dR and overall survival were evaluated at 1) individual level and 2) treatment level in a real-world patient cohort obtained from a nationwide electronic health record-derived de-identified database. The algorithm's assignment of responders was highly concordant with that of the IRC (Cohen's Kappa 0.83) using the BELLINI data. The dR replicated the differences in overall response rate between the intervention and placebo arms reported in the trial (odds ratio 2.1 vs. 2.3 for IRC vs. dR assessment, respectively). Simulation of missing data in the sensitivity analysis (-50% of available laboratory measurements and -75% of urine monoclonal protein measurements) resulted in a minor reduction in the algorithm's accuracy (Cohen's Kappa 0.75). In the RWD cohort, dR was significantly associated with overall survival at all landmark times (hazard ratios 0.80-0.81, p<0.001) at the individual level, while the overall association was R2 = 0.67 (p<0.001) at the treatment level. This exploratory pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of deriving accurate response from RWD. With further confirmation in independent cohorts, the dR has the potential to be used as an endpoint in real-world studies and as a comparator in single-arm clinical trials.

1106. Automated identification of piglet brain tissue from MRI images using Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Stanke KL, Larsen RJ, Rund L

1107. Waning vaccine response to severe COVID-19 outcomes during omicron predominance in Thailand.

PLoS One

2023 May 11

Intawong K, Chariyalertsak S, Chalom K

1108. Bridges-Round 2: A study protocol to examine the longitudinal HIV risk prevention and care continuum outcomes among orphaned youth transitioning to young adulthood.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Nabunya P, Sensoy Bahar O, Neilands TB

BACKGROUND: Youth orphaned by HIV in sub-Saharan Africa experience immense hardships including social disadvantage, adverse childhood events and limited economic prospects. These adversities disrupt the normative developmental milestones and can gravely compromise their health and emotional wellbeing. The Bridges to the Future study (2012-2018) prospectively followed 1,383 adolescents, between 10-16 years, to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a family-based economic empowerment intervention comprising of child development accounts, financial literacy training, family income generating activities and peer mentorship. Study findings show efficacy of this contextually-driven intervention significantly improving mental health, school retention and performance and sexual health. However, critical questions, such as those related to the longitudinal impact of economic empowerment on HIV prevention and engagement in care remain. This paper presents a protocol for the follow-up phase titled, Bridges Round 2. METHODS: The Original Bridges study participants will be tracked for an additional four years (2022-2026) to examine the longitudinal developmental and behavioral health outcomes and potential mechanisms of the effect of protective health behaviors of the Bridges cohort. The study will include a new qualitative component to examine participants' experiences with the intervention, the use of biomedical data to provide the most precise results of the highly relevant, but currently unknown sexual health outcomes among study participants, as well as a cost-benefit analysis to inform policy and scale-up. DISCUSSION: Study findings may contribute to the scientific knowledge for low-resource communities on the potential value of providing modest economic resources to vulnerable boys and girls during childhood and early adolescence and how these resources may offer long-term protection against known HIV risks, poor mental health functioning and improve treatment among the HIV treatment care continuum.

1109. Dry- down probe free qPCR for detection of KFD in resource limited settings.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Yadav P, Sharma S, Dash PK

1110. Early and late-onset cell migration from peripheral corneal endothelium.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Miron A, Ní Dhubhghaill S, Kocaba V

In this study we describe peripheral corneal endothelial cell migration in vitro in the absence and presence of a ROCK-inhibitor. For this study, 21 corneal endothelial graft rims, with attached trabecular meshwork (TM), were prepared from Descemet membrane-endothelial cell sheets by 6.5 mm trepanation. For the initial proof-of-concept, 7 outer graft rims were cultured in a thermo-reversible hydrogel matrix for up to 47 days. To assess the effect of a ROCK-inhibitor, 14 paired outer rims were cultured either with or without ROCK-inhibitor for up to 46 days. At the end of culture, tissue was retrieved from the hydrogel matrix and examined for cell viability and expression of different endothelial cell markers (ZO-1, Na+/K+-ATPase, NCAM, glypican, and vimentin). All cultured rims remained viable and displayed either single regions (n = 5/21) or collective areas (n = 16/21) of cell migration, regardless of the presence or absence of ROCK-inhibition. Migration started after 4±2 days and continued for at least 29 days. The presence of ROCK-inhibitor seemed to contribute to a more regular cell morphology of migrating cells. In addition, 7 outer rims demonstrated a phenotypically distinct late-onset but fast-growing cell population emerging from the area close to the limbus. These cells emerged after 3 weeks of culture and appeared less differentiated compared to other areas of migration. Immunostaining showed that migrated cells maintained the expression patterns of endothelial cell markers. In conclusion, we observed 2 morphologically distinct migrating cell populations with the first type being triggered by a broken physical barrier, which disrupted contact inhibition and the second, late-onset type showing a higher proliferative capacity though appearing less differentiated. This cell subpopulation appeared to be mediated by stimuli other than loss of contact inhibition and ROCK-inhibitor presence. Further exploration of the differences between these cell types may assist in optimizing regenerative treatment options for endothelial diseases.

1111. Effects of tapering on performance in endurance athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Wang Z, Wang YT, Gao W

1112. Effective encoder-decoder neural network for segmentation of orbital tissue in computed tomography images of Graves' orbitopathy patients.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Lee SH, Lee S, Lee J

1113. "It is what we have been told to do": Masculinities and femininities crossing with sexual orientation and feminist activism in Spain.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Cerdán-Torregrosa A, La Parra-Casado D, Vives-Cases C.

1114. The influence of acculturation on the risk of preterm birth and low birthweight in migrant women residing in Western Australia.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Mozooni M, Pereira G, Preen DB

BACKGROUND: The risk of preterm birth (PTB) and low birthweight (LBW) may change over time the longer that immigrants reside in their adopted countries. We aimed to study the influence of acculturation on the risk of these outcomes in Australia. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study using linked health data for all non-Indigenous births from 2005-2013 in Western Australia was undertaken. Acculturation was assessed through age on arrival, length of residence, interpreter use and having an Australian-born partner. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for term-LBW and PTB (all, spontaneous, medically-indicated) were calculated using multivariable logistic regression in migrants from six ethnicities (white, Asian, Indian, African, Māori, and 'other') for different levels of acculturation, compared to the Australian-born population as the reference. RESULTS: The least acculturated migrant women, those from non-white non-Māori ethnic backgrounds who immigrated at age ≥18 years, had an overseas-born partner, lived in Australia for < 5 years and used a paid interpreter, had 58% (aOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.15-2.18) higher the risk of term-LBW and 40% (aOR 0.60, 95% CI 0.45-0.80) lower risk of spontaneous PTB compared to the Australian-born women. The most acculturated migrant women, those from non-white non-Māori ethnic backgrounds who immigrated at age <18 years, had an Australian-born partner, lived in Australia for > 10 years and did not use an interpreter, had similar risk of term-LBW but 43% (aOR 1.43, 95% CI 1.14-1.78) higher risk of spontaneous PTB than the Australian-born women. CONCLUSION: Acculturation is an important factor to consider when providing antenatal care to prevent PTB and LBW in migrants. Acculturation may reduce the risk of term-LBW but, conversely, may increase the risk of spontaneous PTB in migrant women residing in Western Australia. However, the effect may vary by ethnicity and warrants further investigation to fully understand the processes involved.

1115. Comparative genomic analysis of Methylocystis sp. MJC1 as a platform strain for polyhydroxybutyrate biosynthesis.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Naizabekov S, Hyun SW, Na JG

1116. Evaluating the impact of Trichoderma biofertilizer and planting dates on mustard yield performance using the InfoCrop growth model.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Islam SS, Billah ATMM, Hasan AK

A crop simulation model is adopted to calculate the potential yield in a certain location. The data sets generated in each scenario (2021-2022) were used to evaluate the InfoCrop model. A field experiment using a randomized complete block design was conducted at the Agronomy Department's research field, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University. The following two factors: 1) factor A: sowing dates (Planting date 1: PD1 = 5th November and Planting date 2: PD2 = 15th November 2021) and 2) factor B: Trichoderma biofertilizers (T1 = control, T2 = 50% chemical fertilizer + 2,000 kg ha-1 Trichoderma biofertlizer, T3 = fully chemical fertilizer; and T4 = fully 3,000 kg ha-1 Trichoderma biofertilizer). Three BARI (Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute) released varieties (V1 = BARI Sarisa-14, V2 = BARI Sarisa-16, and V3 = BARI Sarisa-17) used for the completion of the experiment. The Trichoderma biofertilizer and planting dates had a significant influence on yield and yield attributes of mustard. Results showed that plant height, leaf width, leaves per plant, pods per plant, harvest index, maturity date, and yield were significantly affected by Trichoderma biofertilizer treatments, two different conditions, and varieties. The regression analysis indicated a significant linear relationship between two different growing conditions especially for harvest index PD2>PD1 (0.88>0.83), grain yield (0.94>0.90), flowering date (0.95>0.91) and maturity date (0.95>0.90). It was found that the model significantly overestimated all the parameters with an acceptable error range (<15%) while growth and yield characteristics including flowering and maturity dates and yield were simulated and results were compared to observed data. BARI Sarisa 16 had the highest simulated yield of 2.5 t ha-1 and showed a high yielding variety among the used varieties in the experiment. As a result, it can be concluded that if the InfoCrop growth model is carefully calibrated, it will be an excellent tool for evaluating and identifying the best yielding variety.

1117. Development and characterization of chimera of yellow fever virus vaccine strain and Tick-Borne encephalitis virus.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Kuznetsova N, Siniavin A, Butenko A

1118. Food insecurity in a Brazilian transgender sample during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Gomes SM, Jacob MCM, Chaves VM

1119. Bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory activity of native fruits from Brazil.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Tischer B, Pangloli P, Nieto-Veloza A

1120. Endurance-trained subjects and sedentary controls increase ventricular contractility and efficiency during exercise: Feasibility of hemodynamics assessed by non-invasive pressure-volume loops.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Östenson B, Ostenfeld E, Edlund J

INTRODUCTION: Pressure-volume (PV) loops can be used to assess both load-dependent and load-independent measures of cardiac hemodynamics. However, analysis of PV loops during exercise is challenging as it requires invasive measures. Using a novel method, it has been shown that left ventricular (LV) PV loops at rest can be obtained non-invasively from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and brachial pressures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess if LV PV loops can be obtained non-invasively from CMR during exercise to assess cardiac hemodynamics. METHODS: Thirteen endurance trained (ET; median 48 years [IQR 34-60]) and ten age and sex matched sedentary controls (SC; 43 years [27-57]) were included. CMR images were acquired at rest and during moderate intensity supine exercise defined as 60% of expected maximal heart rate. Brachial pressures were obtained in conjunction with image acquisition. RESULTS: Contractility measured as maximal ventricular elastance (Emax) increased in both groups during exercise (ET: 1.0 mmHg/ml [0.9-1.1] to 1.1 mmHg/ml [0.9-1.2], p<0.01; SC: 1.1 mmHg/ml [0.9-1.2] to 1.2 mmHg/ml [1.0-1.3], p<0.01). Ventricular efficiency (VE) increased in ET from 70% [66-73] at rest to 78% [75-80] (p<0.01) during exercise and in SC from 68% [63-72] to 75% [73-78] (p<0.01). Arterial elastance (EA) decreased in both groups (ET: 0.8 mmHg/ml [0.7-0.9] to 0.7 mmHg/ml [0.7-0.9], p<0.05; SC: 1.0 mmHg/ml [0.9-1.2] to 0.9 mmHg/ml [0.8-1.0], p<0.05). Ventricular-arterial coupling (EA/Emax) also decreased in both groups (ET: 0.9 [0.8-1.0] to 0.7 [0.6-0.8], p<0.01; SC: 1.0 [0.9-1.1] to 0.7 [0.7-0.8], p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates for the first time that LV PV loops can be generated non-invasively during exercise using CMR. ET and SC increase ventricular efficiency and contractility and decrease afterload and ventricular-arterial coupling during moderate supine exercise. These results confirm known physiology. Therefore, this novel method is applicable to be used during exercise in different cardiac disease states, which has not been possible non-invasively before.

1121. Variability of tissue mechanical response in Sus Domesticus porcine models from in vivo to ex vivo conditions.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Malik FA, Drahos BA, Safdari AM

BACKGROUND: Healthcare simulators have been demonstrated to be a valuable resource for training several technical and nontechnical skills. A gap in the fidelity of tissues has been acknowledged as a barrier to application for current simulators; especially for interventional procedures. Inaccurate or unrealistic mechanical response of a simulated tissue to a given surgical tool motion may result in negative training transfer and/or prevents the "suspension of disbelief" necessary for a trainee to engage in the activity. Thus, where it is relevant to training outcomes, there should be an effort to create healthcare simulators with simulated tissue mechanical responses that match or represent those of biological tissues. Historically, this data is most often gathered from preserved (post mortem) tissue; however, there is a concern that the mechanical properties of preserved tissue, that lacks blood flow, may lack adequate accuracy to provide the necessary training efficacy of simulators. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This work explores the effect of the "state" of the tissue testing status on liver and peritoneal tissue by using a customized handheld grasper to measure the mechanical responses of representative porcine (Sus domesticus) tissues in n = 5 animals across five test conditions: in vivo, post mortem (in-situ), ex vivo (immediately removed from fresh porcine cadaver), post-refrigeration, and post-freeze-thaw cycle spanning up to 72 hours after death. No statistically significant difference was observed in the mechanical responses due to grasping between in vivo and post-freeze conditions for porcine liver and peritoneum tissue samples (p = 0.05 for derived stiffness at grasping force values F = 5N and 6.5N). Furthermore, variance between in vivo and post-freeze conditions within each animal, was comparable to the variance of the in vivo condition between animals. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study further validate the use of preserved tissue in the design of medical simulators via observing tissue mechanical responses of post-freeze tissue comparable to in vivo tissue. Therefore, the use of thawed preserved tissue for the further study and emulation of mechanical perturbation of the liver and peritoneum can be considered. Further work in this area should investigate these trends further, particularly in regard to other tissues and the potential effects varying preservation methods may yield.

1122. A meta-ethnography investigating relational influences on mental health and cancer-related health care interventions for racially minoritised people in the UK.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Ridge D, Pilkington K, Donovan S

OBJECTIVE: Despite calls to increase the 'cultural competence' of health care providers, racially minoritised people continue to experience a range of problems when it comes to health care, including discrimination. While relevant qualitative meta-syntheses have suggested better ways forward for health care for racialised minorities, many have lacked conceptual depth, and none have specifically investigated the relational dimensions involved in care. We set out to investigate the social and cultural influences on health care interventions, focusing on psychological approaches and/or cancer care to inform the trial of a new psychological therapy for those living with or beyond cancer. METHOD: A meta-ethnography approach was used to examine the relevant qualitative studies, following Noblit and Hare, and guided by patient involvement throughout. Papers were analysed between September 2018 and February 2023, with some interruptions caused by the Covid pandemic. The following databases were searched: Ovid MEDLINE, EBSCO CINAHL, Ovid Embase, EBSCO PsycINFO, Proquest Sociology Collection (including Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA), Sociological Abstracts and Sociology Database), EBSCO SocINDEX, Ovid AMED, and Web of Science. The systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (ID: CRD42018107695), and reporting follows the eMERGe Reporting Guidance for meta-ethnographies (France et al. 2019). RESULTS: Twenty-nine journal papers were included in the final review. Themes (third-order constructs) developed in the paper include the centrality of the patient-practitioner relationship; how participants give meaning to their illness in connection to others; how families (rather than individuals) may make health decisions; how links with a higher power and spiritual/religious others can play a role in coping; and the ways in which a hierarchy of help-seeking develops, frequently with the first port of call being the resources of oneself. Participants in studies had a need to avoid being 'othered' in their care, valuing practitioners that connected with them, and who were able to recognise them as whole and complex (sometimes described in relational languages like 'love'). Complex family-based health decision-making and/or the importance of relations with non-human interactants (e.g. God, spiritual beings) were frequently uncovered, not to mention the profoundly emergent nature of stigma, whereby families could be relatively safe havens for containing and dealing with health challenges. A conceptual framework of 'animated via (frequently hidden) affective relationality' emerged in the final synthesis, bringing all themes together, and drawing attention to the emergent nature of the salient issues facing minoritised patients in health care interactions. CONCLUSION: Our analysis is important because it sheds light on the hitherto buried relational forces animating and producing the specific issues facing racially minoritised patients, which study participants thought were largely overlooked, but to which professionals can readily relate (given the universal nature of human relations). Thus, training around the affective relationality of consultations could be a fruitful avenue to explore to improve care of diverse patients.

1123. An automatic music generation and evaluation method based on transfer learning.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Guo Y, Liu Y, Zhou T

1124. Metabolomics during canine pregnancy and lactation.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Arlt SP, Ottka C, Lohi H

During pregnancy and parturition, female dogs have to cope with various challenges such as providing nutrients for the growth of the fetuses, hormonal changes, whelping, nursing, milk production, and uterine involution. Metabolomic research has been used to characterize the influence of several factors on metabolism such as inter- and intra-individual factors, feeding, aging, inter-breed differences, drug action, behavior, exercise, genetic factors, neuter status, and pathologic processes. Aim of this study was to identify metabolites showing specific changes in blood serum at the different phases of pregnancy and lactation. In total, 27 privately owned female dogs of 21 different breeds were sampled at six time points: during heat, in early, mid and late pregnancy, at the suspected peak of lactation and after weaning. A validated and highly automated canine-specific NMR metabolomics technology was utilized to quantitate 123 measurands. It was evaluated which metabolite concentrations showed significant changes between the different time points. Metabolites were then grouped into five clusters based on concentration patterns and biochemical relationships between the metabolites: high in mid-pregnancy, low in mid-pregnancy, high in late pregnancy, high in lactation, and low in lactation. Several metabolites such as albumin, glycoprotein acetyls, fatty acids, lipoproteins, glucose, and some amino acids show similar patterns during pregnancy and lactation as shown in humans. The patterns of some other parameters such as branched-chain amino acids, alanine and histidine seem to differ between these species. For most metabolites, it is yet unstudied whether the observed changes arise from modified resorption from the intestines, modified production, or metabolism in the maternal or fetal tissues. Hence, further species-specific metabolomic research may support a broader understanding of the physiological changes caused by pregnancy that are likely to be key for the normal fetal growth and development. Our findings provide a baseline of normal metabolic changes during healthy canine pregnancy and parturition. Combined with future metabolomics findings, they may help monitor vital functions of pre-, intra-, and post-partum bitches and may allow early detection of illness.

1125. Dynamic modulation of pulsatile activities of oxytocin neurons in lactating wild-type mice.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Yaguchi K, Hagihara M, Konno A

1126. Ecological rules for global species distribution also predict performance variation in Ironman triathletes.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Calsbeek R.

1127. Identification, characterization of Apyrase (APY) gene family in rice (Oryza sativa) and analysis of the expression pattern under various stress conditions.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Chowdhury AT, Hasan MN, Bhuiyan FH

1128. Extracellular vesicles from human plasma for biomarkers discovery: Impact of anticoagulants and isolation techniques.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Bettio V, Mazzucco E, Antona A

1129. Association between lipid profile changes and risk of in-stent restenosis in ischemic stroke patients with intracranial stenosis: A retrospective cohort study.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Ryu JC, Bae JH, Ha SH

1130. Once upon a time in Mexico: Holocene biogeography of the spotted bat (Euderma maculatum).

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Sanchez DE, Walker FM, Sobek CJ

Holocene-era range expansions are relevant to understanding how a species might respond to the warming and drying climates of today. The harsh conditions of North American deserts have phylogenetically structured desert bat communities but differences in flight capabilities are expected to affect their ability to compete, locate, and use habitat in the face of modern climate change. A highly vagile but data-deficient bat species, the spotted bat (Euderma maculatum), is thought to have expanded its range from central Mexico to western Canada during the Holocene. With specimens spanning this latitudinal extent, we examined historical demography, and used ecological niche modeling (ENM) and phylogeography (mitochondrial DNA), to investigate historic biogeography from the rear to leading edges of the species' range. The ENM supported the notion that Mexico was largely the Pleistocene-era range, whereas haplotype pattern and Skyline plots indicated that populations expanded from the southwestern US throughout the Holocene. This era provided substantial gains in suitable climate space and likely facilitated access to roosting habitat throughout the US Intermountain West. Incongruent phylogenies among different methods prevented a precise understanding of colonization history. However, isolation at the southern-most margin of the range suggests a population was left behind in Mexico as climate space contracted and are currently of unknown status. The species appears historically suited to follow shifts in climate space but differences in flight behaviors between leading edge and core-range haplogroups suggest range expansions could be influenced by differences in habitat quality or climate (e.g., drought). Although its vagility could facilitate response to environmental change and thereby avoid extinction, anthropogenic pressures at the core range could still threaten the ability for beneficial alleles to expand into the leading edge.

1131. Lipidomics-based tissue heterogeneity in specimens of luminal breast cancer revealed by clustering analysis of mass spectrometry imaging: A preliminary study.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Aramaki S, Tsuge S, Islam A

1132. Production of Sitobion avenae-resistant Triticum aestivum cvs using laccase as RNAi target and its systemic movement in wheat post dsRNA spray.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Rafique A, Afroz A, Zeeshan N

1133. Meso-jejunal lymph node dissection has a survival benefit in patients with remnant gastric cancer.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Oh SE, Choi MG, Lee JH

1134. Supply chain concentration and enterprise financialization: Evidence from listed companies in China's manufacturing industry.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

He H, Zuo Z.

1135. Feasibility of the International Wealth Index and the Gapminder tool as instruments to assess household income and estimate catastrophic expenditure: A prospective patient-level cohort study in India.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

CROCODILE study group.

1136. Evaluation of the effect of a midwife-led online program using cognitive behavioral therapy for pregnant women at risk for anxiety disorder in Japan: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Okatsu A, Kanie A, Kataoka Y.

AIM: This study aimed to conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the appropriateness and feasibility of a midwife-led cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based, three-session program delivered remotely to pregnant women at risk for anxiety disorders. METHODS: The study design was a pilot RCT. Outcome was the difference between the two groups in the change in generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), Kessler6 (K6) and Edinberg Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) etc. Recruitment was conducted from August 2020 to July 2021 in clinics and web-based survey monitors in Japan, with follow-up through November 2021. RESULTS: This program involving 63 pregnant women were administered. Although the intervention was remote, a total of three sessions was completed during pregnancy. The change in GAD-7 scores from pre- to 1 month postpartum, was mean -1.77 in the intervention group and mean -0.97 in the control group, with a p-value of .521, indicating no significant difference between the two groups, although GAD-7 scores were lower in the intervention group. The change in K6 score from pre- to 1 month postpartum, was mean -3.55 in the intervention group and mean -1.62 in the control group, with a p-value of .168, indicating no significant difference between the two groups, although the intervention group showed a greater decrease. In particular, in primiparas, the change in GAD-7 scores in the intervention group was large, and some expressed a desire for a postpartum session, suggesting that a follow-up session after delivery may be effective. In multiparas, the control group showed an increase in both GAD-7 and K6 scores from late pregnancy to 1 month postpartum, while the intervention group showed a decrease in scores. CONCLUSION: The program was implemented using CBT conducted by midwife, anxiety decreased in primiparas. In future RCTs, it was suggested that additional postpartum sessions may be effective. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Clinical trial registry ID: UMIN000040304.

1137. Modularity of food-sharing networks minimises the risk for individual and group starvation in hunter-gatherer societies.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Plana F, Pérez J, Abeliuk A.

1138. Protocol of a scoping review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses about COVID-19 vaccines and associated adverse events from vaccination.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Pranić SM, Vasanthan LT, Thompson JY

1139. Monitoring plasma nucleosome concentrations to measure disease response and progression in dogs with hematopoietic malignancies.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Wilson-Robles H, Warry E, Miller T

1140. Adaptive sport as affirmation: "We focus on our strengths, not our disabilities".

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Schwartz NA, von Glascoe CA.

1141. Anemia and associated factors among internally displaced children at Debark refugee camp, North Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Teketelew BB, Bayleyegn B, Berta DM

BACKGROUND: Children in refugee camps, due to their living conditions, are the most vulnerable groups to suffer from anemia. Nutritional deficiencies, especially iron deficiency is the most common causes of anemia. However, there is limited information on the prevalence and associated factors of anemia in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of anemia among internally displaced children at Debark refugee camp, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 354 internally displaced children, at Debark refugee camp from March to May 2022. A systematic sampling technique was employed. The socio demographic characteristics were collected by using structured questionnaire via face-to-face interview with the caregivers. The hemoglobin level was determined using HemoCue301+. Form anemic children, venous blood sample was collected for iron profile analysis. Parasitological and anthropometric measurements were also done. The data were entered using Epi-data version 4.6.0.6 and exported to STATA version 14 for analysis. Bi-variable and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis were done. Both crude odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio with the corresponding 95% confidence interval were calculated to measure the strength of association. P-Value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant association. RESULTS: From the total of 354 children included in this study, more than half (54.8%) of them were male. The median age of children was 7 years with interquartile range of (4-10) years. The total prevalence of anemia in this study was 33.62% (95% CI:28.7, 38.7). Moderate type anemia was predominant in this study. From anemic children 30 (25.2%) had iron deficiency anemia. In this study, low dietary diversity (AOR = 4.9; 95% CI: 2.0, 11.7), duration in the camp more than six months (AOR = 4.2; 95% CI:1.9, 9.4), presence of diarrhea (AOR = 2.7; 95% CI:1.3, 5.7), fever (AOR = 3.4; 95% CI:1.6, 7.1), and wasting (AOR = 3.6; 95% CI:1.3, 10.3) were significantly associated with the prevalence of anemia. CONCLUSION: Anemia was moderate public health problem in the current study. Focused policies and strategies towards to internally displaced children should be designed to reduce anemia, by preventing the significant risk factors associated with anemia.

1142. The origin of Neolithic copper on the central Northern European plain and in Southern Scandinavia: Connectivities on a European scale.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Brozio JP, Stos-Gale Z, Müller J

1143. Estimating Canadian sodium intakes and the health impact of meeting national and WHO recommended sodium intake levels: A macrosimulation modelling study.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Flexner N, Christoforou AK, Bernstein JT

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the second leading cause of total deaths in Canada. High blood pressure is the main metabolic risk factor for developing CVDs. It has been well established that excess consumption of sodium adversely affects blood pressure. Canadians' mean sodium intakes are well above recommended levels. Reducing dietary sodium intake through food reformulation has been identified as a cost-effective intervention, however, dietary sodium intake and the potential health impact of meeting recommended sodium intake levels due to food reformulation have not been determined in Canada. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to 1) obtain robust estimates of Canadians' usual sodium intakes, 2) model sodium intakes had foods been reformulated to align with Health Canada's sodium reduction targets, and 3) estimate the number of CVD deaths that could be averted or delayed if Canadian adults were to reduce their mean sodium intake to recommended levels under three scenarios: A) 2,300 mg/d-driven by a reduction of sodium levels in packaged foods to meet Health Canada targets (reformulation); B) 2,000 mg/d to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation; and C) 1,500 mg/d to meet the Adequate Intake recommendation. METHODS: Foods in the University of Toronto's Food Label Information Program 2017, a Canadian branded food composition database, were linked to nationally representative food intake data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition to estimate sodium intakes (and intakes had Health Canada's reformulation strategy been fully implemented). The Preventable Risk Integrated ModEl (PRIME) was used to estimate potential health impact. RESULTS: Overall, mean sodium intake was 2758 mg/day, varying by age and sex group. Based on 'reformulation' scenario A, mean sodium intakes were reduced by 459 mg/day, to 2299 mg/day. Reducing Canadians' sodium intake to recommended levels under scenarios A, B and C could have averted or delayed 2,176 (95% UI 869-3,687), 3,252 (95% UI 1,380-5,321), and 5,296 (95% UI 2,190-8,311) deaths due to CVDs, respectively, mainly from ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and hypertensive disease. This represents 3.7%, 5.6%, and 9.1%, respectively, of the total number of CVDs deaths observed in Canada in 2019. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that reducing sodium intake to recommended levels could prevent or postpone a substantial number of CVD deaths in Canada. Reduced sodium intakes could be achieved through reformulation of the Canadian food supply. However, it will require higher compliance from the food industry to achieve Health Canada's voluntary benchmark sodium reduction targets.

1144. Stress, coping, and quality of life in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Wakeel F, Hannah J, Gorfinkel L.

While research has widely explored stress, coping, and quality of life (QOL) individually and the potential links between them, a critical dearth exists in the literature regarding these constructs in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study aims to identify the salient stressors experienced, describe the coping strategies used, and examine the relationships between stressors, coping, and QOL among individuals during the pandemic. Data are from a sample of 1,004 respondents who completed an online survey. Key measures included stressful life events (SLEs), coping strategies, and the physical and psychological health domains of QOL. Staged multivariate linear regression analyses examined the relationships between SLEs and the two QOL domains, controlling for sociodemographic and pre-existing health conditions and testing for the effects of coping strategies on these relationships. The most common SLEs experienced during the pandemic were a decrease in financial status, personal injury or illness, and change in living conditions. Problem-focused coping (β = 0.42, σ = 0.13, p < 0.001 for physical QOL; β = 0.57, σ = 0.12, p < 0.001 for psychological QOL) and emotion-focused coping (β = 0.86, σ = 0.13, p < 0.001 for psychological QOL) were significantly related to higher levels of QOL, whereas avoidant coping (β = -0.93, σ = 0.13, p < 0.001 for physical QOL; β = -1.33, σ = 0.12, p < 0.001 for psychological QOL) was associated with lower QOL. Avoidant coping partially mediated the relationships between experiencing SLEs and lower physical and psychological QOL. Our study informs clinical interventions to help individuals adopt healthy behaviors to effectively manage stressors, especially large-scale, stressful events like the pandemic. Our findings also call for public health and clinical interventions to address the long-term impacts of the most prevalent stressors experienced during the pandemic among vulnerable groups.

1145. The impact of national culture, altruism, and risk preference on salaries: The case of the Major League Baseball.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Jane WJ, Yu YJ, Wang JS.

1146. Genotype and environment interaction study shows fungal diseases and heat stress are detrimental to spring wheat production in Sweden.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Nehe A, Martinsson UD, Johansson E

Spring wheat is an economically important crop for Scandinavia and its cultivation is likely to be affected by climate change. The current study focused on wheat yield in recent years, during which climate change-related yield fluctuations have been more pronounced than previously observed. Here, effects of the environment, together with the genotype and fungicide treatment was evaluated. Spring wheat multi-location trials conducted at five locations between 2016 and 2020 were used to understand effects of the climate and fungicides on wheat yield. The results showed that the environment has a strong effect on grain yield, followed by the genotype effect. Moreover, temperature has a stronger (negative) impact than rainfall on grain yield and crop growing duration. Despite a low rainfall in the South compared to the North, the southern production region (PR) 2 had the highest yield performance, indicating the optimal environment for spring wheat production. The fungicide treatment effect was significant in 2016, 2017 and 2020. Overall, yield reduction due to fungal diseases ranged from 0.98 (2018) to 13.3% (2017) and this reduction was higher with a higher yield. Overall yield reduction due to fungal diseases was greater in the South (8.9%) than the North zone (5.3%). The genotypes with higher tolerance to diseases included G4 (KWS Alderon), G14 (WPB 09SW025-11), and G23 (SW 11360) in 2016; G24 (SW 11360), G25 (Millie), and G19 (SEC 526-07-2) in 2017; and G19 (WPB 13SW976-01), G12 (Levels), and G18 (SW 141011) in 2020. The combined best performing genotypes for disease tolerance and stable and higher yield in different locations were KWS Alderon, SEC 526-07-2, and WPB 13SW976-01 with fungicide treatment and WPB Avonmore, SEC 526-07-2, SW 131323 without fungicide treatment. We conclude that the best performing genotypes could be recommended for Scandinavian climatic conditions with or without fungicide application and that developing heat-tolerant varieties for Scandinavian countries should be prioritized.

1147. The unintended detrimental effects of pursuing a professional vocation: The case of veterinarians.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Palma MA, Zhang P, Cornell K

1148. More friends on SNS, more materialism? The moderating roles of self-esteem and social comparison orientation.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Ruan C, Lu Z, Li H

1149. Genome‑wide identification and characterization of miR396 family members and their target genes GRF in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) moench).

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Wang H, Zhang Y, Liang D

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) widely participate in plant growth and development. The miR396 family, one of the most conserved miRNA families, remains poorly understood in sorghum. To reveal the evolution and expression pattern of Sbi-miR396 gene family in sorghum, bioinformatics analysis and target gene prediction were performed on the sequences of the Sbi-miR396 gene family members. The results showed that five Sbi-miR396 members, located on chromosomes 4, 6, and 10, were identified at the whole-genome level. The secondary structure analysis showed that the precursor sequences of all five Sbi-miR396 potentially form a stable secondary stem-loop structure, and the mature miRNA sequences were generated on the 5' arm of the precursors. Sequence analysis identified the mature sequences of the five sbi-miR396 genes were high identity, with differences only at the 1st, 9th and 21st bases at the 5' end. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Sbi-miR396a, Sbi-miR396b, and Sbi-miR396c were clustered into Group I, and Sbi-miR396d and Sbi-miR396e were clustered into Group II, and all five sbi-miR396 genes were closely related to those of maize and foxtail millet. Expression analysis of different tissue found that Sbi-miR396d/e and Sbi-miR396a/b/c were preferentially and barely expressed, respectively, in leaves, flowers, and panicles. Target gene prediction indicates that the growth-regulating factor family members (SbiGRF1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/10) were target genes of Sbi-miR396d/e. Thus, Sbi-miR396d/e may affect the growth and development of sorghum by targeting SbiGRFs. In addition, expression analysis of different tissues and developmental stages found that all Sbi-miR396 target genes, SbiGRFs, were barely expressed in leaves, root and shoot, but were predominantly expressed in inflorescence and seed development stage, especially SbiGRF1/5/8. Therefore, inhibition the expression of sbi-miR396d/e may increase the expression of SbiGRF1/5/8, thereby affecting floral organ and seed development in sorghum. These findings provide the basis for studying the expression of the Sbi-mir396 family members and the function of their target genes.

1150. Prevalence of anemia in diabetes mellitus in South Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Mazumder H, Islam KF, Rahman F

OBJECTIVE: Anemia and Diabetes Mellitus (DM) are amongst major clinical and public health challenges in South Asia that influence the progression of chronic health problems in this population. Despite a growing body of research on these problems, there is a lack synthesized evidence on the burden of anemia among people with DM in this region. This meta-analytic review was conducted to estimate the prevalence of anemia among people with DM in South Asia. METHODS: A systematic search of the literature was conducted in five primary databases and additional sources up to July 29, 2022, that reported the prevalence of anemia among DM patients in any of the eight South Asian countries. Observational studies that met pre-determined eligibility criteria according to the protocol registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022348433) were included in this meta-analysis. Random effect models were used to estimate pooled prevalence. RESULTS: Of the 40 eligible studies, 38 underwent meta-analysis representing 14,194 participants with DM. The pooled prevalence of anemia was 45% (95% CI: 37.0-54.0, I2 = 99.28%, p = 0.00) among diabetic people in South Asia. In sub-group analysis, the pooled prevalence of anemia was higher in females (48%, 95% CI: 37.0-60.0, I2 = 98.86%, p = 0.00) compared to males (39%, 95% CI: 29.0-48.0, I2 = 98.18%, p = 0.00). Diabetic patients with older age (≥ 50 years) reported higher pooled estimates of anemia (48%, 95% CI: 38.0-58.0, I2 = 99.07%) than younger age group (< 50 years) (34%, 95% CI: 21.0-47.0, I2 = 98.83%). In addition, we found variation in pooled prevalence estimates of anemia considering the type of DM, such as type 1 reported 2% (95% CI: 0.00-4.00), type-2 reported 48% (95% CI: 40.0-56.0, I2 = 98.94%), and Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) reported 6% (95% CI: 3.00-12.0). CONCLUSION: High pooled estimates of anemia among diabetic patients in South Asia, including publication bias, warrants further clinical and public health research following standard research methods to understand the more context-specific epidemiological insights and evidence.

1151. Collective evolution learning model for vision-based collective motion with collision avoidance.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Krongauz DL, Lazebnik T.

1152. The development, implementation, and evaluation of an optimal model for the case detection, referral, and case management of Neglected Tropical Diseases.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Godwin-Akpan TG, Chowdhury S, Rogers EJ

1153. A method for rapid machine learning development for data mining with doctor-in-the-loop.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Bull NJ, Honan B, Spratt NJ

Classifying free-text from historical databases into research-compatible formats is a barrier for clinicians undertaking audit and research projects. The aim of this study was to (a) develop interactive active machine-learning model training methodology using readily available software that was (b) easily adaptable to a wide range of natural language databases and allowed customised researcher-defined categories, and then (c) evaluate the accuracy and speed of this model for classifying free text from two unique and unrelated clinical notes into coded data. A user interface for medical experts to train and evaluate the algorithm was created. Data requiring coding in the form of two independent databases of free-text clinical notes, each of unique natural language structure. Medical experts defined categories relevant to research projects and performed 'label-train-evaluate' loops on the training data set. A separate dataset was used for validation, with the medical experts blinded to the label given by the algorithm. The first dataset was 32,034 death certificate records from Northern Territory Births Deaths and Marriages, which were coded into 3 categories: haemorrhagic stroke, ischaemic stroke or no stroke. The second dataset was 12,039 recorded episodes of aeromedical retrieval from two prehospital and retrieval services in Northern Territory, Australia, which were coded into 5 categories: medical, surgical, trauma, obstetric or psychiatric. For the first dataset, macro-accuracy of the algorithm was 94.7%. For the second dataset, macro-accuracy was 92.4%. The time taken to develop and train the algorithm was 124 minutes for the death certificate coding, and 144 minutes for the aeromedical retrieval coding. This machine-learning training method was able to classify free-text clinical notes quickly and accurately from two different health datasets into categories of relevance to clinicians undertaking health service research.

1154. Male involvement in female partners' screening for breast and cervical cancers in Southwest Nigeria.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Okafor IP, Kukoyi FO, Kanma-Okafor OJ

BACKGROUND: Breast and cervical cancers are in the top 10 most common cancers in women globally and the most common cancers in Nigerian women. The incidences have been rising steadily over the years. Involvement of men as key players in reproductive health issues has been receiving global attention especially in low and middle-income countries. AIM: To assess male involvement in their female partners' screening for breast and cervical cancers in Southwest, Nigeria. METHOD: This was a community-based, cross-sectional study that employed a multi-stage sampling method to select 254 men who were married or in steady relationships in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria. Data were collected from June to October 2018 using a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, analyzed using Epi Info version 3.5.1 and summarized with mean and standard deviation. Chi-square test was used for bivariate statistics, and the p-value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Multivariable logistic regression was used for predictor variables of male involvement in screening. RESULTS: 29.5% of the respondents had good knowledge of breast and cervical cancers and screening and majority (85.5%) had a positive attitude towards screening. Only few, 19.3% and 15.7% had provided money for breast and cervical cancer screening respectively. Most men, 75% and 87.4% respectively had not accompanied their wife/female partner for breast and cervical cancer screening, while almost half (49.2%) and one-third (33.5%) respectively, had encouraged their female partners to screen for breast and cervical cancers. Overall, only about half, 138 (54.3%) of the men were considered 'involved' in their female partners' screening for breast and cervical cancers. Male involvement was significantly associated with screening for female cancers (χ2 = 77.62, p = 0.001). Older age group (AOR = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.3-4.9), higher educational attainment (AOR = 3.51, 95% CI: 1.14-10.73), and positive attitude (AOR = 2.48, 95% CI:1.16-5.33) were found to be the predictors of male involvement. CONCLUSION: Community-based programs for males, especially the younger and less educated, should be implemented to increase their involvement. It is also suggested that mass media messages be spread and online platforms be explored in order to increase men's awareness and participation in female cancer screening.

1155. Inhibition of ERK signaling for treatment of ERRα positive TNBC.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Musheyev D, Miller E, Birnbaum N

1156. Bayesian composite quantile regression for the single-index model.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Yuan X, Xiang X, Zhang X.

1157. Prevalence and factors associated with chronic school absenteeism among 207,107 in-school adolescents: Findings from cross-sectional studies in 71 low-middle and high-income countries.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Rahman MA, Renzaho AMN, Kundu S

BACKGROUND: Despite the negative impact of chronic school absenteeism on the psychological and physical health of adolescents, data on the burden of adolescent chronic school absenteeism (ACSA) and interventions and programs to address it are lacking. We estimated the global, regional and national level prevalence of ACSA and its correlation with violence and unintentional injury, psychosocial, protective, lifestyle, and food security-related factors among in-school adolescents across low and middle-income, and high-income countries (LMICs-HICs). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of chronic school absenteeism (CSA) as well as to determine its associated factors among in-school adolescents across 71 low-middle and high-income countries. METHODS: We used data from the most recent Global School-based Student Health Survey of 207,107 in-school adolescents aged 11-17 years in 71 LMICs-HICs countries across six WHO regions. We estimated the weighted prevalence of ACSA from national, regional and global perspectives. Multiple binary logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the adjusted effect of independent factors on ACSA. RESULTS: The overall population-weighted prevalence of CSA was 11·43% (95% confidence interval, CI: 11·29-11·57). Higher likelihood of CSA was associated with severe food insecurity, peer victimisation, loneliness, high level of anxiety, physically attack, physical fighting, serious injury, poor peer support, not having close friends, lack of parental support, being obese, and high levels of sedentary behaviours. Lower likelihood of CSA was associated with being female (odds ratio, OR = 0·76, 95% CI: 0·74-0·78). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that a combination of different socio-economic factors, peer conflict and injury factors, factors exacerbate CSA among adolescents. Interventions should be designed to focus on these risk factors and should consider the diverse cultural and socioeconomic contexts.

1158. Seasonal patterns of bird and bat collision fatalities at wind turbines.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Lloyd JD, Butryn R, Pearman-Gillman S

1159. Influence of agent's self-disclosure on human empathy.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Tsumura T, Yamada S.

1160. The economic circumstances of widows in Vietnam.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Vo DH, Ho CM, Vo AT.

1161. Influences of age and gender on operative risks following carotid endarterectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Nantakool S, Chuatrakoon B, Orrapin S

1162. Spatial scale of non-target effects of cotton insecticides.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Bordini I, Naranjo SE, Fournier A

Plot size is of practical importance in any integrated pest management (IPM) study that has a field component. Such studies need to be conducted at a scale relevant to species dynamics because their abundance and distribution in plots might vary according to plot size. An adequate plot size is especially important for researchers, technology providers and regulatory agencies in understanding effects of various insect control technologies on non-target arthropods. Plots that are too small might fail to detect potential harmful effects of these technologies due to arthropod movement and redistribution among plots, or from untreated areas and outside sources. The Arizona cotton system is heavily dependent on technologies for arthropod control, thus we conducted a 2-year replicated field experiment to estimate the optimal plot size for non-target arthropod studies in our system. Experimental treatments consisted of three square plot sizes and three insecticides in a full factorial. We established three plot sizes that measured 144 m2, 324 m2 and 576 m2. For insecticide treatments, we established an untreated check, a positive control insecticide with known negative effects on the arthropod community and a selective insecticide. We investigated how plot size impacts the estimation of treatment effects relative to community structure (27 taxa), community diversity, individual abundance, effect sizes, biological control function of arthropod taxa with a wide range of mobility, including Collops spp., Orius tristicolor, Geocoris spp., Misumenops celer, Drapetis nr. divergens and Chrysoperla carnea s.l.. Square 144 m2 plots supported similar results for all parameters compared with larger plots, and are thus sufficiently large to measure insecticidal effects on non-target arthropods in cotton. Our results are applicable to cotton systems with related pests, predators or other fauna with similar dispersal characteristics. Moreover, these results also might be generalizable to other crop systems with similar fauna.

1163. Models of service delivery in adult cochlear implantation and evaluation of outcomes: A scoping review of delivery arrangements.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Ebrahimi-Madiseh A, Nickbakht M, Eikelboom RH

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe available evidence of cochlear implantation delivery arrangements in adults and the outcomes by which these service models are measured. METHODS: Scoping review of English language, primary studies conducted on adults (≥18 years) with ten or more subjects, published between January 2000 and June 2022, which assessed the effects of delivery arrangements of cochlear implantation were included. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, AMED, PsycINFO, LILACS, KoreaMed, IndMed, Cochrane CRCT, ISRCTN registry, WHO ICTRP and Web of Science were systematically searched. Included studies had to have a method section explicitly measure at least one of the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care (EPOC) outcome category. Criteria for systematic reviews and delivery arrangement category based on EPOC taxonomy was included in data extraction. Data was narratively synthesized based on EPOC categories. RESULTS: A total of 8135 abstracts were screened after exclusion of duplicates, of these 357 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Around 40% of the studies investigated how care is delivered, focusing on quality and safety systems. New care pathways to coordinate care and the use of information and communication technology were emerging areas. There was little evidence on continuity, coordination and integration of care, how the workforce is managed, where care is provided and changes in the healthcare environment. The main outcome measure for various delivery arrangements were the health status and performance in a test. CONCLUSION: A substantial body of evidence exists about safety and efficacy of cochlear implantation in adults, predominantly focused on surgical aspects and this area is rapidly growing. There is a lack of evidence on aspects of care delivery that may have more impact on patients' experience such as continuity, coordination and integration of care and should be a focus of future research. This would lead to a better understanding of how patient's view CI experience, associated costs and the value of different care models.

1164. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to predict organizational agility.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Shafiabady N, Hadjinicolaou N, Din FU

1165. Diagnostic efficacy of the optical flow ratio in patients with coronary heart disease: A meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Chen H, Li B, Xiao Y

1166. Transcriptomic and biochemical analyses of drought response mechanism in mung bean (Vignaradiata (L.) Wilczek) leaves.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Guo Y, Zhang S, Ai J

1167. Efficiency, market concentration and bank performance during the COVID-19 outbreak: Evidence from the MENA region.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Mateev M, Usman Tariq M, Sahyouni A.

1168. Heterozygosity for ADP-ribosylation factor 6 suppresses the burden and severity of atherosclerosis.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Gogulamudi VR, Islam MT, Durrant JR

1169. Evaluating the COVID-19 impact in Italian regions via multi criteria analysis.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Santucci F, Nobili M, Faramondi L

1170. A validated protocol to UV-inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and herpesvirus-infected cells.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Soh TK, Pfefferle S, Wurr S

1171. Changes in methodological study characteristics in psychology between 2010-2021.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Böschen I.

In 2015, the Open Science Collaboration repeated a series of 100 psychological experiments. Since a considerable part of these replications could not confirm the original effects and some of them pointed in the opposite direction, psychological research is said to lack reproducibility. Several general criticisms can explain this finding, such as the standardized use of undirected nil-null hypothesis tests, samples being too small and selective, lack of corrections for multiple testing, but also some widespread questionable research practices and incentives to publish positive results only. A selection of 57,909 articles from 12 renowned journals is processed with the JATSdecoder software to analyze the extent to which several empirical research practices in psychology have changed over the past 12 years. To identify journal- and time-specific changes, the relative use of statistics based on p-values, the number of reported p-values per paper, the relative use of confidence intervals, directed tests, power analysis, Bayesian procedures, non-standard α levels, correction procedures for multiple testing, and median sample sizes are analyzed for articles published between 2010 and 2015 and after 2015, and in more detail for every included journal and year of publication. In addition, the origin of authorships is analyzed over time. Compared to articles that were published in and before 2015, the median number of reported p-values per article has decreased from 14 to 12, whereas the median proportion of significant p-values per article remained constant at 69%. While reports of effect sizes and confidence intervals have increased, the α level is usually set to the default value of .05. The use of corrections for multiple testing has decreased. Although uncommon in each case (4% in total), directed testing is used less frequently, while Bayesian inference has become more common after 2015. The overall median estimated sample size has increased from 105 to 190.

1172. Guidance for good practice in the application of machine learning in development of toxicological quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs).

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Belfield SJ, Cronin MTD, Enoch SJ

Recent years have seen a substantial growth in the adoption of machine learning approaches for the purposes of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) development. Such a trend has coincided with desire to see a shifting in the focus of methodology employed within chemical safety assessment: away from traditional reliance upon animal-intensive in vivo protocols, and towards increased application of in silico (or computational) predictive toxicology. With QSAR central amongst techniques applied in this area, the emergence of algorithms trained through machine learning with the objective of toxicity estimation has, quite naturally, arisen. On account of the pattern-recognition capabilities of the underlying methods, the statistical power of the ensuing models is potentially considerable-appropriate for the handling even of vast, heterogeneous datasets. However, such potency comes at a price: this manifesting as the general practical deficits observed with respect to the reproducibility, interpretability and generalisability of the resulting tools. Unsurprisingly, these elements have served to hinder broader uptake (most notably within a regulatory setting). Areas of uncertainty liable to accompany (and hence detract from applicability of) toxicological QSAR have previously been highlighted, accompanied by the forwarding of suggestions for "best practice" aimed at mitigation of their influence. However, the scope of such exercises has remained limited to "classical" QSAR-that conducted through use of linear regression and related techniques, with the adoption of comparatively few features or descriptors. Accordingly, the intention of this study has been to extend the remit of best practice guidance, so as to address concerns specific to employment of machine learning within the field. In doing so, the impact of strategies aimed at enhancing the transparency (feature importance, feature reduction), generalisability (cross-validation) and predictive power (hyperparameter optimisation) of algorithms, trained upon real toxicity data through six common learning approaches, is evaluated.

1173. Trigeminal electrical stimulation with ULFTENS of the dorsal anterior mucosal surface of the tongue: Effects on Heart Rate Variability (HRV).

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Monaco A, Cattaneo R, Smurra P

1174. The introduction and spread of rye (Secale cereale) in the Iberian Peninsula.

PLoS One

2023 May 10

Seabra L, Teira-Brión A, López-Dóriga I

1175. Willingness to use electronic medical record (EMR) system and its associated factors among health professionals working in Amhara region Private Hospitals 2021, Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Senishaw AF, Tilahun BC, Nigatu AM

INTRODUCTION: Despite the high expectations of electronic medical records as a great prospect for improving performance in healthcare, the level of adoption and utilization, particularly in a developing country, is low. Knowing the willingness to use the electronic medical record system in the private hospital has an impact on the future implementation status and utilization of the electronic medical record in Ethiopia. However, there was no evidence of the status of the willingness to use electronic medical record systems in private hospitals in the Amhara region. This study aimed to assess the willingness to use electronic medical record Systems and its associated factors among health professionals working in Amhara Region Private Hospitals. METHODS: A cross-sectional institutional study was performed among 406 health professionals selected using proportional allocation with a simple random sampling technique in Amhara region private hospitals by using self-administered structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were performed to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratios with a 95% Confidence interval. RESULTS: Out of the 406 participants included in the analysis, 307 (75.6%) showed a willingness to use the electronic medical record system. About three hundred twelve (76.8%) health professionals had good knowledge of electronic medical record systems, and 257 (63.3%) had good computer skills in electronic medical record systems. Health professionals who had electronic medical record knowledge (AOR = 1.85, 95% CI (1.004-3.409)), EMR training (3.29, 95% CI (1.353-8.003)), technical support personnel (1.92, 95% CI (1.122-3.305)), supportive supervision (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI (1.072-3.628)), and computer skill on electronic medical record (1.77, 95% CI (1.002-3.148)) were significantly associated with the outcome variable. CONCLUSIONS: This finding shows a good proportion of willingness to use the electronic medical record system. The most significant factors associated with willingness to use the electronic medical record system were a lack of computer skills, computer training, and knowledge of the electronic medical record system.

1176. One-year discontinuation among users of the contraceptive pill and injection in South East Tigray region, Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Gebrslasie KZ, Berhe G, Taddese H

1177. Effect of alteplase, benzodiazepines and beta-blocker on post-stroke pneumonia: Exploration of VISTA-Acute.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Phan TG, Beare R, Bath PM

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke pneumonia is a frequent complication of stroke and is associated with high mortality. Investigators have described its associations with beta-blocker. However, there has been no evaluation of the role of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (RTPA). We postulate that RTPA may modify the effect of stroke on pneumonia by reducing stroke disability. We explore this using data from neuroprotection trials in Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA)-Acute. METHOD: We evaluated the impact of RTPA and other medications in random forest model. Random forest is a type of supervised ensemble tree-based machine learning method. We used the standard approach for performing random forest and partitioned the data into training (70%) and validation (30%) sets. This action enabled to the model developed on training data to be evaluated in the validation data. We borrowed idea from Coalition Game Theory on fair distribution of marginal profit (Shapley value) to determine proportional contribution of a covariate to the model. Consistent with other analysis using the VISTA-Acute data, the diagnosis of post-stroke pneumonia was based on reports of serious adverse events. RESULTS: The overall frequency of pneumonia was 10.9% (614/5652). It was present in 11.5% of the RTPA (270/2358) and 10.4% (344/3295) of the no RTPA groups. There was significant (p<0.05) imbalance in covariates (age, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), diabetes, and sex). The AUC for training data was 0.70 (95% CI 0.65-0.76), validation data was 0.67 (95% CI 0.62-0.73). The Shapley value shows that baseline NIHSS (≥10) and age (≥80) made the largest contribution to the model of pneumonia while absence of benzodiazepine may protect against pneumonia. RTPA and beta-blocker had very low effect on frequency of pneumonia. CONCLUSION: In this cohort pneumonia was strongly associated with stroke severity and age whereas RTPA had a much lower effect. An intriguing finding is a possible association between benzodiazepine and pneumonia but this requires further evaluation.

1178. Genetically modified crops do not present variations in pollen viability and morphology when compared to their conventional counterparts.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Soares D, Vertuan H, Bacalhau F

1179. Correction: Prediction of mortality in very low birth weight neonates in Spain.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Iriondo M, Thio M, Del Río R

1180. Translating trait to state assessment: The case of grandiose narcissism.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Heyde F, Wille B, Kuijpers E

1181. Wide and deep learning based approaches for classification of Alzheimer's disease using genome-wide association studies.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Alatrany AS, Khan W, Hussain A

1182. A diverse diapsid tooth assemblage from the Early Triassic (Driefontein locality, South Africa) records the recovery of diapsids following the end-Permian mass extinction.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Hoffman DK, Hancox JP, Nesbitt SJ.

1183. Evaluation of the impact of non-slip socks on the motor recovery of elderly people in acute care hospitals: Protocol for a randomized, controlled trial study.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Rulleau T, Planche L, Dorion A

1184. Quality of life in adults with Down syndrome: A mixed methods systematic review.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Ijezie OA, Healy J, Davies P

BACKGROUND: As the life expectancy of adults (aged ≥ 18 years) with Down syndrome increases for a plethora of reasons including recognition of rights, access, and technological and medical advances, there is a need to collate evidence about their quality of life. OBJECTIVE: Using Schalock and Verdugo's multidimensional quality of life assessment model, this systematic review aimed to identify, synthesise and integrate the quantitative and qualitative evidence on quality of life in adults with Down syndrome via self-and proxy-reporting. METHODS: Five databases were systematically searched: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify relevant articles published between 1980 and 2022 along with grey literature and reference lists from relevant studies. A mixed methods systematic review was performed according to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology using the convergent integrated approach. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. RESULTS: Thirty-nine studies were included: 20 quantitative, 17 qualitative, and 2 mixed methods studies. The synthesised findings were grouped into the 8 core domains of quality of life: personal development, self-determination, interpersonal relations, social inclusion, rights, emotional, physical and material well-being. Of the 39 studies, 30 (76.92%) reported on emotional well-being and 10 (25.64%) on rights. Only 7 (17.94%) studies reported that adults with Down syndrome have a good quality of life centred around self-determination and interpersonal relations. Most adults with Down syndrome wanted to become more independent, have relationships, participate in the community, and exercise their human rights. Self-reported quality of life from adults with Down syndrome was rated higher than proxy reported quality of life. Discrepancies in quality of life instruments were discovered. CONCLUSION: This review highlighted the need for a better systematic approach to improving the quality of life in adults with Down syndrome in targeted areas. Future research is required to evaluate self-and proxy-reporting methods and culture-specific quality of life instruments that are more appropriate for adults with Down syndrome. In addition, further studies should consider including digital assistive technologies to obtain self-reported quality of life data in adults with Down syndrome. INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTIVE REGISTER OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019140056.

1185. Effect of exercise devised to reduce arm tremor in the sighting phase of archery.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Shinohara H, Hosomi R, Sakamoto R

1186. A game-theoretic analysis of Wikipedia's peer production: The interplay between community's governance and contributors' interactions.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Anand S, Arazy O, Mandayam N

Peer production, such as the collaborative authoring of Wikipedia articles, involves both cooperation and competition between contributors. Cooperatively, Wikipedia's contributors attempt to create high-quality articles, and at the same time, they compete to align Wikipedia articles with their personal perspectives and "take ownership" of the article. This process is governed collectively by the community, which works to ensure the neutrality of the content. We study the interplay between individuals' cooperation and competition, considering the community's endeavor to ensure a neutral point of view (NPOV) on articles. We develop a two-level game-theoretic model: the first level models the interactions between individual contributors who seek both cooperative and competitive goals and the second level models governance of co-production as a Stackelberg (leader-follower) game between contributors and the communal neutrality-enforcing mechanisms. We present our model's predictions regarding the relationship between contributors' personal benefits of content ownership and their characteristics, namely their cooperative/competitive orientation and their activity profile (whether creators or curators of content). We validate the model's prediction through an empirical analysis, by studying the interactions of 219,811 distinct contributors that co-produced 864 Wikipedia articles over a decade. The analysis and empirical results suggest that the factor that determines who ends up owning content is the ratio between one's cooperative/competitive orientation (estimated based on whether a core or peripheral community member) and the contributor's creator/curator activity profile (proxied through average edit size per sentence). Namely, under the governance mechanisms, the fractional content that is eventually owned by a contributor is higher for curators that have a competitive orientation. Although neutrality-seeking mechanisms are essential for ensuring that ownership is not concentrated within a small number of contributors, our findings suggest that the burden of excessive governance may deter contributors from participating, and thus indirectly curtail the peer production of high-quality articles.

1187. For whom does it pay to be a moral capitalist? Sustainability of corporate financial performance of ESG investment.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Gubareva M, Umar Z, Sokolova T

1188. A comparison of machine learning approaches for the quantification of microglial cells in the brain of mice, rats and non-human primates.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Anwer DM, Gubinelli F, Kurt YA

Microglial cells are brain-specific macrophages that swiftly react to disruptive events in the brain. Microglial activation leads to specific modifications, including proliferation, morphological changes, migration to the site of insult, and changes in gene expression profiles. A change in inflammatory status has been linked to many neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. For this reason, the investigation and quantification of microglial cells is essential for better understanding their role in disease progression as well as for evaluating the cytocompatibility of novel therapeutic approaches for such conditions. In the following study we implemented a machine learning-based approach for the fast and automatized quantification of microglial cells; this tool was compared with manual quantification (ground truth), and with alternative free-ware such as the threshold-based ImageJ and the machine learning-based Ilastik. We first trained the algorithms on brain tissue obtained from rats and non-human primate immunohistochemically labelled for microglia. Subsequently we validated the accuracy of the trained algorithms in a preclinical rodent model of Parkinson's disease and demonstrated the robustness of the algorithms on tissue obtained from mice, as well as from images provided by three collaborating laboratories. Our results indicate that machine learning algorithms can detect and quantify microglial cells in all the three mammalian species in a precise manner, equipotent to the one observed following manual counting. Using this tool, we were able to detect and quantify small changes between the hemispheres, suggesting the power and reliability of the algorithm. Such a tool will be very useful for investigation of microglial response in disease development, as well as in the investigation of compatible novel therapeutics targeting the brain. As all network weights and labelled training data are made available, together with our step-by-step user guide, we anticipate that many laboratories will implement machine learning-based quantification of microglial cells in their research.

1189. Safe stool disposal and associated factors among mothers of children aged under-two years in Gambia: Evidence from Gambia Demographic Health Survey 2019/20.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Tsegaw M, Mulat B, Shitu K.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate disposal of child stool is vital in preventing the spread of faecal-oral diseases. According to WHO/ UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program, Safe child stool disposal includes disposing a stool in a Flush or pour-flush toilet/latrine (to a piped sewer system, septic tank, pit latrine), Ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine or a Pit latrine with slab. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess safe child stool disposal practice and associated factors among mothers with children aged under-two years in Gambia. METHODS: This study was based on a large community-based cross-sectional survey, conducted from 21 November 2019 to 30 March 2020 in Gambia. The survey employed a two-staged stratified cluster sampling technique to recruit study participants. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to summarize descriptive data and identify factors associated with safe waste disposal, respectively. A p-value of less than 0.05 and 95% confidence interval were used to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: The prevalence of safe stool disposal among mothers with children aged under-two years were 56.3% (95% CI: 54.6%, 58.1%). Mothers aged 25-34 (AOR = 0.78 (95%CI: 0.62, 0.98)), the highest wealth quintile (AOR = 0.43 (95%CI: 0.33, 0.56)), being exposed to media (AOR = 1.37 (95%CI: 1.07, 1.76)), increasing age of children (AOR = 1.06 (1.05, 1.07)), Being employed (AOR = 1.31 (1.11, 1.55)) and Geographic region were significantly associated with safe child disposal practice. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of safe child stool disposal was low in Gambia. Age of the mother, age of the child, region, wealth index, media exposure and occupational status of the mother were significantly associated with safe child stool disposal. Public health intervention strategies designed to promote safe child stools disposal need to conduct thorough community assessments to identify community-specific facilitators, needs and barriers. Additionally, public health experts and policy makers should take into consideration the geographical and wealth inequalities when designing programs aimed to improve safe child stool disposal practice.

1190. Anti-RBD IgG antibodies and neutralizing antibody levels after the second BNT162b2 dose in patients with plasma cell disorders.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Magen H, Avigdor A, Nevo L

1191. LiteGaze: Neural architecture search for efficient gaze estimation.

PLoS One

2023 May 1

Guo X, Wu Y, Miao J

Newmer生物

Newmer生物