Recent publications
We investigated how Australians and Hong Kong Chinese respondents describe individuals with lung cancer, examining the impact of culture and language on public discourse and stigma expression. A total of 303 participants ( N Aus = 176; N HK = 127) were recruited from a commercial panel provider to complete an online survey. Participants were presented with a vignette describing a hypothetical lung cancer patient and asked to provide their impressions through open-ended written responses. Content coding revealed seven main themes: Warmth, Competence, Morality, Bad luck, Poor health behaviors, Ordinary, and No judgments, with both similarities and differences in participants’ written expressions across cultures. The language Hong Kongers used to respond influenced response patterns, with English responses resembling Western norms of Australians. These findings demonstrate how both culture and the language a person uses influence how people express stigma. By understanding these cultural nuances public health strategies can better support people from diverse backgrounds.
Software reuse is an essential practice to increase efficiency and reduce costs in software production. Software reuse practices range from reusing artifacts, libraries, components, packages, and APIs. Identifying suitable software for reuse requires pinpointing potential candidates. However, there are no objective methods in place to measure software reuse. This makes it challenging to identify highly reusable software. Software reuse research mainly addresses two hurdles: 1) identifying reusable candidates effectively and efficiently, and 2) selecting high-quality software components that improve maintainability and extensibility. This paper proposes automating software reuse prediction by leveraging machine learning (ML) algorithms, enabling future research and practitioners to better identify highly reusable software. Our approach uses cross-project code clone detection to establish the ground truth for software reuse, identifying code clones across popular GitHub projects as indicators of potential reuse candidates. Software metrics were extracted from Maven artifacts and used to train classification and regression models to predict and estimate software reuse. The average F1-score of the ML classification models is 77.19%. The best-performing model, Ridge Regression, achieved an F1-score of 79.17%. Additionally, this research aims to assist developers by identifying key metrics that significantly impact software reuse. Our findings suggest that the file-level PUA (Public Undocumented API) metric is the most important factor influencing software reuse. We also present suitable value ranges for the top five important metrics that developers can follow to create highly reusable software. Furthermore, we developed a tool that utilizes the trained models to predict the reuse potential of existing GitHub projects and rank Maven artifacts by their domain.
Objective
Posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) and cognitive impairment are severe complications following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Neuroinflammation likely contributes, but the role of specific inflammatory mediators requires clarification. High‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is an inflammatory cytokine released after brain injury that may be involved. This prospective longitudinal study investigated whether serum HMGB1 levels are associated with PTE development and cognitive decline over 12 months post‐TBI.
Methods
Serum samples were collected from 41 TBI patients, including mild and moderate to severe, at baseline, 6, and 12 months following TBI. HMGB1 was quantified by ELISA alongside interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Cognitive assessments using validated neuropsychological assessments were performed at 6 and 12 months. The occurrence of PTE was also tracked.
Results
HMGB1 remained elevated at 12 months post‐TBI only in the subgroup (n = 6) that developed PTE (p = 0.026). PTE was associated with moderate to severe TBI cases. Higher HMGB1 levels at 12 months correlated with a greater decline in Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination scores (p < 0.05). Reductions in HMGB1 (p < 0.05), IL‐1β (p < 0.05) and TNF (p < 0.001) levels from 6 to 12 months correlated with improvements in cognitive scores. Multivariate regression analysis confirmed that HMGB1 level changes were independently associated with cognitive trajectory post‐TBI (p = 0.003).
Significance
The study highlights the importance of understanding the interactions between HMGB1 and inflammatory markers in posttraumatic neuroinflammatory responses. Targeting HMGB1 and associated markers may offer a promising strategy for managing chronic neuroinflammation and mitigating cognitive deficits in TBI patients, emphasizing the potential for targeted therapeutic interventions in this context.
Plain Language Summary
This study examines how a protein called HMGB1 may contribute to epilepsy and cognitive deficits after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Patients with higher HMGB1 levels were more likely to develop epilepsy and experience significant cognitive decline within a year. Reducing HMGB1 and related inflammation was associated with better cognitive function and overall brain health. These findings suggest that HMGB1 could be a valuable marker and a potential target for treatments to prevent epilepsy and improve brain recovery after TBI.
Background
Inaccurate body image perception could contribute to the adoption of unhealthy eating behaviors and physical inactivity. This study aimed to assess the physical activity, eating behaviors, and body image perception of university students.
Methods
A total of 427 university students were recruited through convenience sampling for this cross-sectional study. The height and weight of the respondents were physically measured. Physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Eating behaviors, including cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating, were evaluated using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R21. Body image perception was measured using the Ma Figural Stimuli.
Results
Most university students (72.6%) had accurate body image perceptions. There was a significant difference ( p < 0.05) in total physical activity between students with accurate and inaccurate body image perception. Males had significantly higher uncontrolled eating scores ( p < 0.05) compared to females, while obese students exhibited significantly higher ( p < 0.05) cognitive restraint and uncontrolled eating scores compared to underweight students.
Conclusion
This study highlights the importance of understanding body image perception among university students when designing physical activity interventions aimed at body weight management.
This article examines the relationship between carbon risk and future stock price crash risk, focusing on an international sample of firms. Inherently, complex and deep uncertainties of carbon risk limit investors’ ability to fully understand and incorporate carbon risk into equity pricing and create room for opportunistic managers to hide bad news about poor carbon performance. Such pricing uncertainties and information asymmetry can result in significant overpricing of stocks (i.e., underpricing of carbon risks), especially for carbon‐intensive firms, thereby exposing these stocks to future stock price crash risks. In line with this argument, we find that carbon risk is positively associated with future stock price crash risk. However, we find that better carbon disclosure quality reduces pricing uncertainties and information asymmetry, which attenuates the positive effect of carbon risk on future stock price crash risk. Similarly, internal monitoring (e.g., corporate governance) and external monitoring (e.g., institutional investors and financial analysts) help alleviate information asymmetry related to carbon risk, thus reducing crash risk. In countries with stakeholder‐oriented business cultures, high climate change performance, and financial transparency, as well as for companies that link compensation to climate change performance, the positive association between carbon risk and stock price crash risk is weaker.
Background
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the dopaminergic pathway, leading to both motor and non-motor symptoms. Neuroinflammation is a critical component of PD pathophysiology. The first-line medication for PD, levodopa, is used to alleviate motor symptoms but is often associated with significant side effects, especially with chronic use. Safinamide, a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, has shown promise in mitigating these side effects. Given the accumulating evidence that neuroinflammation plays a pivotal role in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, elucidating safinamide’s potential therapeutic effects in this context has become increasingly critical. This study investigates the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of safinamide on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglia.
Objective
The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of safinamide in LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglia. Specific objectives include assessing the effects of safinamide on cell viability, cytokines level, and nitric oxide (NO) production in the LPS-induced BV-2 microglia.
Methodology
The 2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the maximum non-toxic dose (MNTD) of safinamide and the optimum LPS concentration in BV-2 cells. Additionally, the cell rescue effect of safinamide in LPS-induced BV-2 cells was investigated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assays were used to measure the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-10 in both safinamide-treated and non-treated LPS- induced BV-2 cells. The Griess assay was used to evaluate the anti-oxidative effect of safinamide by measuring NO levels in LPS-induced BV-2 cells.
Results
The MNTD of safinamide in BV-2 cells was determined to be 18 μM, and the optimum LPS concentration to activate microglia was 1 μg/mL. Safinamide significantly increased the cell viability of LPS-induced BV-2 cells. It significantly decreased IL-6 production, modestly decreased TNF-α production, and significantly increased IL-10 production. However, safinamide at the MNTD did not reduce NO levels; instead, it increased them in the LPS-induced BV-2 microglia.
Conclusion
Safinamide attenuated LPS-induced BV-2 microglial cell death, likely due to its anti- inflammatory effects. It suppressed the LPS-induced increases in proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α production while reversing the suppression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 production. However, safinamide increased nitric oxide production at the MNTD, indicating a complex role in oxidative stress responses. These findings suggest that safinamide may provide therapeutic benefits in managing PD-associated neuroinflammation. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying its effects on oxidative stress responses and to explore its clinical implications in PD therapy towards good health and well-being.
In an era marked by rapid shifts in the organizational landscape, organizations value employees who actively engage in job crafting to foster positive organizational development. This emphasis is particularly crucial for small‐and‐medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) due to their limited financial resources for new recruitment. This study explores the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and job crafting among millennials employed in SMEs. Additionally, it examines the mediating role of work passion, acting as an “energized‐to” motivation, in the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and job crafting. By analyzing quantitative data collected in two waves from 352 millennials working in the service sectors of SMEs, the study reveals that entrepreneurial leadership and work passion positively influence only three dimensions of job crafting behaviors, including increasing structural job resources, social job resources, and challenging job demands . Furthermore, the results suggest that work passion partially mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and the three dimensions of job crafting. Based on these findings, the study recommends practical strategies to cultivate entrepreneurial leadership among individuals holding leadership positions within SMEs.
Three new co‐crystalline structures are reported that contain fullerene C60 with the under‐represented Ni(II)‐dibenzotetraaza[14]annulene derivative, (5,14‐dihydro‐6,8,15,17‐tetrabenzyl‐2,3,11,12‐tetramethyldibenzo[b,i][1,4,8,11]tetraazacyclo‐tetradecine)nickel(II), [Ni(Bz4TMTAA)]. The single‐crystal X‐ray analysis shows that the three studied compounds crystallize in the monoclinic C2/c, Pnma orthorhombic and triclinic P 1,char/0x00AFnotimplemented space groups, with the two former compounds being polymorphs that are isostructural but differ in their symmetries. From the crystallographic results, a common packing arrangement is established, with C60 and [Ni(Bz4TMTAA)] molecules organised around one‐dimensional hollow channels, associated 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 complexation of the macrocycle and the fullerene molecules, the latter being organised into hexagonal arrays. Interestingly, one of the structures showed a skewed hexagonal channel arrangement with the introduction of water molecules. Hirshfeld surface analyses have been used to investigate non‐covalent interactions and cumulative π…π, C−H…π, H…H, and N…C60 interactions between fullerene C60 and [Ni(Bz4TMTAA)] host molecule which are deemed the stabilizing factors for forming the sophisticated arrangements in the solid‐state. differences.
This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of spironolactone for moderate to severe acne in adult women by synthesising data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The meta‐analysis demonstrated that spironolactone significantly increased the odds of treatment success, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 2.51 compared to placebo or doxycycline. This analysis supports spironolactone as a highly effective treatment for moderate to severe acne in adult women, particularly in hormonally driven cases. Its efficacy, combined with its role as an alternative to long‐term antibiotic therapy, makes it a valuable option for acne management in women population.
Post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) is a common symptom of acute traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Galveston Amnesia and Orientation Test (GOAT) and Orientation-Log (O-Log) are commonly used assessment tools to evaluate PTA following TBI. In this study, we aimed to validate the Persian versions of both scales. The forward-backward translation method was used, and a panel of experts, including three neuroscientists, one epidemiologist, and four lay experts with TBI experience, evaluated the scales. A total of 140 mild TBI patients aged 12 years and older were subsequently assessed with scales. Reliability was assessed using two approaches including Cronbach’s Alpha and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). The total ICCs were 0.870 (95% CI: 0.818–0.907) and 0.687 (95% CI: 0.564–0.776) for the GOAT and O-Log, respectively. The Cronbach’s alpha values for the GOAT and O-Log were 0.64 and 0.75, respectively. A significant correlation was also found between the GOAT score and the O-Log (r = 0.729, p < 0.001). The Persian GOAT and O-Log were validated as reliable tools for monitoring TBI patients’ orientation. The interviews revealed significant cultural considerations that must be considered when the scales are translated and validated to ensure their validity and reliability in diverse cultural contexts and prevent bias.
We study a Gaussian free field on the hypercube with covariance function related to the transition kernel of a random walk on the hypercube, killed at a geometric random time. An analysis is made of the asymptotic behaviour of the free field as the dimension of the hypercube tends to infinity. We also obtain a result which connects an Ehrenfest urn with geometric killing to a Pólya urn, which is of independent interest.
Background
Zoonotic P . knowlesi and P . cynomolgi symptomatic and asymptomatic infections occur across endemic areas of Southeast Asia. Most infections are low-parasitemia, with an unknown proportion below routine microscopy detection thresholds. Molecular surveillance tools optimizing the limit of detection (LOD) would allow more accurate estimates of zoonotic malaria prevalence.
Methodology/Principal findings
An established ultra-sensitive Plasmodium genus quantitative-PCR (qPCR) assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene underwent LOD evaluation with and without reverse transcription (RT) for P . knowlesi , P . cynomolgi and P . vivax using total nucleic acid preserved (DNA/RNA Shield) isolates and archived dried blood spots (DBS). LODs for selected P . knowlesi- specific assays, and reference P . vivax- and P . cynomolgi -specific assays were determined with reverse transcription (RT). Assay specificities were assessed using clinical malaria samples and malaria-negative controls.
The use of reverse transcription improved Plasmodium species detection by up to 10,000-fold ( Plasmodium genus), 2759-fold ( P . knowlesi ) and 1000-fold ( P . vivax and P . cynomolgi ).
The Kamau et al. Plasmodium genus RT-qPCR assay was highly sensitive for P . knowlesi detection with a median LOD of ≤0.0002 parasites/μL compared to 0.002 parasites/μL for P . cynomolgi and P . vivax . The LODs with RT for P . knowlesi -specific PCRs were enhanced for the Imwong et al. 18S rRNA (0.0007 parasites/μL) and Divis et al. real-time 18S rRNA (0.0002 parasites/μL) assays, but not for the Lubis et al. hemi-nested SICAvar (1.1 parasites/μL) and Lee et al. nested 18S rRNA (11 parasites/μL). The LOD for P . vivax- and P . cynomolgi- specific assays with RT were moderately improved at 0.02 and 0.002 parasites/μL, respectively (1000-fold change). For DBS P . knowlesi samples the use of RT also markedly improved the Plasmodium genus qPCR LOD from 19.89 to 0.08 parasites/μL (249-fold change); no LOD improvement was demonstrated in DBS archived beyond 6 years. The Plasmodium genus and P . knowlesi -assays were 100% specific for Plasmodium species and P . knowlesi detection, respectively, from 190 clinical infections and 48 healthy controls. Reference P . vivax- specific primers demonstrated known cross-reactivity with P . cynomolgi .
Conclusions/Significance
Our findings support the use of an 18S rRNA Plasmodium genus qPCR and species-specific nested PCR protocol with RT for highly-sensitive surveillance of zoonotic and human Plasmodium species infections.
Introduction
This study investigated the longitudinal relationship between self‐reported physical activity and national examination results among adolescents in an upper‐middle‐income country.
Methods
This study engaged in a secondary data analysis derived from a closed prospective cohort consisting of 579 students, who were recruited at the age of 13 in 2012 and followed up at ages 15 (2014) and 17 (2016) as part of the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team (MyHeART) study, which was conducted across three states in Peninsula Malaysia. Physical activity levels were evaluated using the Physical Activity Questionnaire, and outcomes were assessed based on the National‐Based Examinations at ages 15 (Form 3, Year 9) and 17 (Form 5, Year 11) in Malaysia. A multivariate ordinal regression employing complex sample analysis was applied to ascertain the relationship between physical activity and national examination results.
Results
In Form 3 (Year 9), those physically active performed better in Malay Language, English Language, Mathematics and Science. Those physically active in Form 5 (Year 11), performed better in Modern Mathematics, Chemistry, and Principles of Accounting. Longitudinally, there was an increase in the overall percentage of those who were overweight and obese and an increase in those with suboptimal dietary and iron intake.
Conclusions
This study has shown that those physically active students fared better in several subjects in the national‐based examinations. Suitable physical activity intervention should be tailored accordingly to support adolescents’ optimum achievement in academia.
Background
The growing aging population faces increasing mobility limitations, highlighting the need for assistive technologies as potential solutions. These technologies support the independence and well-being of older adults and individuals with mobility challenges. Indoor mobility is essential for daily activities and significantly impacts their lives. Limited indoor mobility can reduce quality of life and heighten the risk of falls.
Objective
This study explores how positive aging perceptions, quality-of-life enhancements, and social support influence the acceptance and readiness of indoor assistive technologies among older adults.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted at a gerontechnology laboratory, requiring participants to visit the facility in person. Each 60-minute session included demonstrations of various indoor assistive technologies and the completion of a questionnaire. The assistive technologies showcased encompassed a wide range of devices. Participants’ positive aging perceptions, quality-of-life enhancements, social support, technology acceptance, and readiness were measured using validated scales. Data were analyzed with AMOS (version 28; IBM Corp) and SPSS (version 28; IBM Corp), using structural equation modeling and multivariate analysis of covariance to assess the effects of predictors while controlling for demographic factors.
Results
A total of 104 older adults aged 60 years and older participated, with a mean age of 67.92 (SD 5.68) years. Structural equation modeling indicated that positive aging perception has a significant influence on older adults’ control beliefs (P=.095), comfort (P=.047), and confidence (P<.001) in gerontechnology. Multivariate analysis revealed significant combined effects of quality-of-life enhancement (P=.01) and social support (P=.03) on technology acceptance and readiness, wherein quality-of-life enhancement (P=.001) and social support (P=.008) negatively impacted security perception. Among demographic variables, educational level significantly impacted gerontechnology confidence (P=.004) while ethnicity influenced optimism (P=.003).
Conclusions
This study sheds light on key factors affecting older adults’ acceptance and readiness to adopt indoor assistive technologies. Findings highlight the importance of fostering positive aging perceptions through these technologies. Addressing issues related to control beliefs, comfort, and confidence in gerontechnology is essential to enhance technology acceptance and readiness among older adults. Future research should investigate the underlying mechanisms and create targeted interventions to support successful technology adoption in this population.
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