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Mediating role of reinforcement sensitivity systems in the relationship between psychological courage and well-being at work

Correction: Decreased risk of underdosing with continuous infusion versus intermittent administration of cefotaxime in patients with sickle cell disease and acute chest syndrome

Reference ranges of gender- and age-related heart rate variability parameters in Russian children

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based online therapy or internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy compared with treatment as usual among patients with persistent somatic symptoms: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background Persistent somatic symptoms unexplained by a defined medical or psychiatric condition often include a component of central sensitization. Many treatment options are based on cognitive behavioral therapy. Effective widely available therapies are scarce. There are self-management programs and e-therapies that aim at overcoming the central sensitization by modifying interoceptive neural networks in the brain. Objectives This study aims to investigate the effect of a mindfulness-based amygdala and insula retraining (AIR) online program and an internet delivered therapist assisted therapy offered by Helsinki University Hospital (HUS iCBTpss) compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in the treatment of conditions causing persistent somatic symptoms. Methods We will perform a randomized controlled trial aiming at 360 patients. Consenting patients will be randomized to three study arms: online AIR program, HUS iCBTpss (both interventions as add-ons to TAU); and TAU. Functional ability and quality of life surveys will be collected from participants at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months after entering the study. Conclusions This study is one of the first to explore non-drug based online interventions developed to overcome the brain’s central sensitization and are available and accessible to patients both in primary and secondary care. The results will develop the management of the common, often debilitating persistent somatic symptoms related to many conditions unexplained by a defined somatic or psychiatric illness. Trial registration number NCT05212467.

Comparative analysis of the effects of gender on lower extremity kinematics following a 5 km running time trial in collegiate recreational runners

Investigating the practices and preferences of health scholars in sharing open research data

This survey-based study examines health science scholars’ perceptions of collaborative research behavior and sharing open research data in university settings. A total of 362 health science scholars from U.S. universities participated in an online questionnaire consisting of 59 questions. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses of the data included frequencies, cross-tabulations, descriptive ratio statistics, and the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance. Four open-ended questions were also analyzed to provide further insights into the survey findings. The study reveals that health scholars share their data with colleagues within their institution or project, demonstrating a lesser inclination toward open research data sharing practices through institutional repositories and journal supplements. Motivating factors and challenges influencing researchers’ decisions to share their research data were also identified. While scientific and knowledge advancement served as major incentives, health scholars working with human-related data expressed concerns about privacy and confidentiality breaches, which are primary barriers to data sharing. Some participants indicated that requirements and policies also influenced their willingness to share data. Disciplinary variations were observed regarding data-sharing practices through journal supplements, secondary data analysis, and personal communication. Furthermore, significant differences emerged between funded and non-funded scholars, impacting their practices, motivations, and challenges in sharing open research data. Important factors driving health science scholars to share open research data include resources, policy compliance, and requirements. This study contributes valuable insights for policy development by investigating factors that can foster openness and sharing of research data in the health sciences. The findings shed light on the complexities and considerations associated with open data-sharing practices, enabling stakeholders to develop effective strategies and frameworks.

MBS-NeRF: reconstruction of sharp neural radiance fields from motion-blurred sparse images

Effects of strength training and detraining considering maturity status in youth highly trained basketball players

The study analyzed whether maturation affects young basketball players’ strength training and detraining adaptations. Thirty-five youth male basketballers (U-13 to U-15) performed eight weeks of strength training twice weekly, followed by eight weeks without strength training, maintaining their basketball practices. Changes in performance were assessed in three maturity groups based on years from/to age of peak height velocity (PHV): pre-PHV (-1.51 ±  0.62, n  =  9), mid-PHV (0.11 ±  0.45, n  =  17), and post-PHV (1.31 ±  0.42, n  =  9). They were tested on bilateral-vertical countermovement jump, unilateral vertical and horizontal jumping, unilateral triple horizontal jumping (3HJ), sprinting (25-m), and change of direction (COD) ability over single and multiple angles. All groups significantly (p  <  0.05; ES  =  0.42–1.10) improved unilateral horizontal jumping ability between pre-and post-test. Unilateral vertical jumping significantly improved in mid-PHV and post-PHV between pre- and post- (p  <  0.05; ES  =  0.46–0.61) and pre- to detraining (p  <  0.05; ES  =  0.51–1.01). Pre-PHV and mid-PHV significantly enhanced 3HJ between pre- and post- (p  <  0.05; ES  =  0.72–1.15) and de-training (p  <  0.05; ES  =  0.61–1.11). COD ability significantly improved in mid-PHV between pre- and post- and detraining (p  <  0.05; ES  =  0.47–0.80). Left horizontal jumping at post-test and detraining was significantly (p  <  0.05; ES  =  1.56 – 1.73) greater in post-PHV and mid-PHV than pre-PHV. The combined training had favorable outcomes for most unilateral jumps, particularly those with a horizontally oriented force vector, independent of maturity status. Moreover, the subsequent detraining period positively affected specific high-intensity actions, albeit variations were noted across different maturation stages. These findings can help practitioners to design effective strength training programmes during competitive basketball season for youth male basketballers.

Advanced approach to mathematical modeling of the impurities diffusion in the process of water softening with limited particles sorption

A new method for the reproducible development of aptamers (Neomers)

The development of aptamers has been almost exclusively performed based on the SELEX method since their inception. While this method represents a powerful means of harnessing the in vitro evolution of sequences that bind to a given target, there are significant constraints in the design. The most significant constraint has been the reliance on counter selection on off-targets to drive specificity. Counter selection has not been as effective at driving aptamer specificity as the presence of immune tolerance, the capacity of the immune system to remove antibodies that bind to host targets, is for antibody development. This deficiency has constrained the commercial efficacy of aptamers to date. These limitations have been addressed with our design of a novel platform for aptamer identification. This new design is based on what we refer to as a Neomer library with sixteen random nucleotides interspersed with fixed sequences. The fixed sequences are designed to minimize the potential for hybridization, such that secondary structure is driven by the random nucleotides. The use of sixteen random nucleotides reduces the possible library sequences to 4.29 ×  10 9 . This enables the application of the same sequences to either the same target or different targets while maintaining a high level of structural diversity. In effect, this introduces the capacity for reproducibility in aptamer selection and an in-silico approach to replicating immune tolerance. We provide here an overview of the new method and a description of the performance of aptamers selected for interleukin 6 developed using this approach.

Prediction of intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load with oculometric and biometric indicators

Abstract This study focused on the prediction of intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load using eye-tracking metrics, heart rate variability, and galvanic skin response. Intrinsic cognitive load is associated with the inherent complexity of the mental task, whereas extraneous cognitive load is related to the distracting and unrelated elements in the task. Thirty-three participants (aged $$21.24 \pm 3.51$$ ) performed different levels of mental calculations to induce intrinsic cognitive load in the first task and a visual search task to manipulate extraneous cognitive load in the second task. During both tasks, participants’ eye movements, heart rate, and galvanic skin response were continuously recorded. Participants’ working memory was controlled. Subjective cognitive load was also assessed following each experimental task. A discriminant model, consisting of oculo- and bio-metric indicators, could discriminate between cognitive loads (intrinsic vs.extraneous) and levels (low vs.high). In particular, average fixation duration, average saccade amplitude, and $$\mathscr {K}$$ coefficient each have an impact on the model. In addition, task difficulty may be distinguished by the Low-High Index of Pupillary Activity (LHIPA) and heart rate variability.

Medaka (Oryzias latipes) initiate courtship and spawning late at night: Insights from field observations

Laboratory experiments were conducted using model organisms to elucidate biological phenomena. However, the natural habitats of organisms are inherently more complex than those found in the laboratory. To complement the laboratory experiments, we conducted field observations of the small freshwater fish medaka (Oryzias latipes), widely used as a model organism, to elucidate its ecology and behavior in natural environments. Our results showed that medaka initiated courtship and spawning late at night, much earlier than previously thought. Nocturnal video observations examining spawning time during the breeding season in Gifu, Japan (sunset: 19:00; sunrise: 5:00) revealed the presence of post-spawning medaka females around midnight. Behavioral analysis showed that the medaka was inactive until 23:00, with activity increasing from 0:00 and peaking from 1:00 to 3:00. Furthermore, a significant increase in male courtship was observed between 0:00 and 4:00. These findings provide the first empirical evidence that medaka mating begins significantly earlier than previously reported in the laboratory, as within an hour before or after light onset in the morning. This study highlights the importance of field observations in revealing critical aspects of organismal biology that may be overlooked in laboratory settings.

Phase transition, structural stability and electrical properties of V or Mn doped ZnSe composites under high pressure

Abstract The structural parameters and enthalpies of pure ZnSe and different concentrations of V/Mn:ZnSe at high pressures were calculated using the first principles calculation method based on density functional theory. The lattice constants and bond lengths of all the systems decrease under pressure, and the respective phase transition pressures are obtained from the enthalpy-pressure relationship curves, which show that V/Mn elemental doping reduces the phase transition pressure of ZnSe, and the phase transition pressure further decreases with the increase of the doping concentration. The doping formation energies and the elastic constant criterion at atmospheric and high pressures confirm the structural stability of all the systems within the pressures of this study, and the pugh ratio confirms that they are all ductile structures.The results of electrical properties study show that at atmospheric pressure, all V:ZnSe systems have metallic properties, and a metal to semiconductor transition occurs at high pressure when the doping concentration is 12.5%. However, the Mn:ZnSe systems are semiconductors at both atmospheric and high pressures. Pressure significantly influences the degeneracy and position of the impurity bands: the impurity bands of V:ZnSe move toward higher energy under pressure, while the impurity bands of the Mn:ZnSe system shift toward lower energy. The element doping concentration also affects the d orbital degeneracy of V/Mn:ZnSe under atmospheric pressure, the degeneracy of V/Mn-d orbital decreases with the increase in doping concentration. Under high pressure, the degeneracy of the V/Mn-d orbital decreases further when the doping concentration is 3.13%, but the degeneracy is enhanced when the doping concentration is 6.25 and 12.5%. Doping can effectively change the phase transition pressure of ZnSe, and the pressure can effectively modulate the properties of this material.

Development and psychometric testing of the family caregiver self-efficacy scale for patients in the early post-coronary artery bypass grafting

Background and objectives Family caregiver self-efficacy plays an important role in improving the health and quality of life of patients in the early post-coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, there is a lack of targeted self-efficacy assessment tool for caregivers of patients. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a Family Caregiver Self-Efficacy Scale for patients in the early post-CABG (FCSES-EPCABG) and to test its reliability and validity. Methods Based on self-efficacy theory, the initial scale was formed by the literature review, semi-structured interviews, Delphi expert consultation, and pre-survey. Through the convenience sampling method, 133 caregivers who met the selection criteria were chosen for the questionnaire survey at Wuhan Asian Heart Hospital from January 2024 to May 2024. The aim was to test the reliability and validity of the scale. Results The final scale contained five dimensions of wound care, medication management, cardiac rehabilitation management, social support, and self-care, with a total of 22 items. The item-level content validity index ranged from 0.889 to 1.000, the scale-level content validity index/average was 0.985, and the content validity ratio ranged from 0.778 to 1.000. The exploratory factor analysis showed that the cumulative variance contribution rate of the five dimensions was 69.433%. In the criterion-related validity analysis, the total score of the FCSES-EPCABG was positively correlated with the total score of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (r = 0.762, P<0.001). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.919, the half reliability was 0.779, and the test-retest reliability was 0.936. Conclusion The FCSES-EPCABG has satisfactory reliability and validity, which is suitable for evaluating the self-efficacy of family caregivers of patients in the early post-CABG.

Author Correction: Improving I-ELM structure through optimal addition of hidden nodes: Compact I-ELM

Acidity Reversal Enables Site-Specific Ring-Opening Polymerization of Epoxides from Biprotonic Compounds

Identifying risk factors for cancer-specific early death in patients with advanced endometrial cancer: A preliminary predictive model based on SEER data

Objective To identify risk factors associated with cancer-specific early death in patients with advanced endometrial cancer and to develop a preliminary nomogram prediction model based on these factors, with an emphasis on the potential implications for clinical practice. Methods Patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database in the United States from 2018 to 2021 were included in the study. The study data was randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort at a ratio of 7:3. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed in the training cohort to screen for risk factors for cancer-specific early mortality in advanced endometrial cancer patients, and a preliminary nomogram prediction model was further constructed. The results of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration analysis, and clinical decision curve analysis (DCA) were presented for transparency. Results Significant risk factors for cancer-specific early death were identified, including tumor size (≥101 mm, OR = 2.11, P < 0.001), non-endometrioid histology (OR = 3.11, P < 0.001), high tumor grade (G3, OR = 2.68, P = 0.007), advanced tumor stages (T3-T4, OR = 1.84, P = 0.004), and metastatic stage (M1, OR = 2.05, P < 0.001), as well as the presence of liver metastases (OR = 2.21, P = 0.005) and brain metastases (OR = 8.08, P < 0.001). Protective factors that were significantly associated with a reduced risk of early death included hysterectomy (OR = 0.13, P = 0.012), radical surgery (OR = 0.21, P < 0.001), radiation therapy (OR = 0.40, P < 0.001), and chemotherapy (OR = 0.31, P < 0.001). A preliminary nomogram model was demonstrated adequate predictive performance with AUC values of 0.89 (95% CI 0.87 to 0.91) in the training cohort and 0.88 (95% CI 0.84 to 0.91) in the validation cohort. The model’s predictive performance was further supported by the calibration and DCA analyses, suggesting its potential clinical utility. Conclusion This study identified key risk factors for early cancer-specific mortality in patients with advanced endometrial cancer. The preliminary nomogram model holds promise for predicting early death risk and could be valuable in clinical practice. Future work may explore its performance with additional data to ensure broad applicability.

The burden of COVID-19 in primary care of Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2021–2022

Upregulated LIMD1 alleviates pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy via inhibits YAP1/AKT/GSK3β signaling

Objectives Pathological cardiac hypertrophy plays a significant role in the development and progression of heart failure (HF). LIM Domain Containing 1 (LIMD1) serves as a crucial regulatory factor in protein-protein interactions during cellular signal transduction. This study aims to investigate the specific roles and mechanisms of LIMD1 in pathological cardiac remodeling. Methods We employed an adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) system to overexpress LIMD1 in the hearts through tail vein injection. C57BL/6 mice underwent transverse aortic constriction (TAC) for four weeks. Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography, while cardiac remodeling was evaluated through histopathology and molecular techniques. Results Our findings demonstrated elevated levels of LIMD1 in murine hearts subjected to TAC treatment and H9c2 cells challenged with angiotensin II (Ang II). Compared with wild-type (WT) mice, those injected with AAV-9-LIMD1 exhibited significantly reduced TAC-induced cardiac dysfunction, hypertrophy, and fibrosis. Mechanistically, both in vitro and in vivo experiments suggested that the beneficial effects of LIMD1 might be associated with the inhibition of the YAP1/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway. Conclusion In summary, this study is the first to demonstrate the protective effects of LIMD1 against TAC-induced pathological cardiac remodeling. These effects are attributed to the inhibition of the YAP1/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway.

Deep learning-based prediction of possibility for immediate implant placement using panoramic radiography