bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Doubt and Transformation in Education
Authors: Schaper Marieke
Published: February 2025

Fostering transformative experiences is a central goal of education. In this article, Marieke Schaper examines the relationship between doubt and transformation in education, specifically problematizing the idea that doubt can serve as a catalyst for transformative experiences in the classroom. Schaper's thesis is that doubt is not valuable by itself; it must encompass certain characteristics if it is to support meaningful transformation while avoiding the risks of transformative education. In making this argument, Schaper proposes the concept of aspirational doubt as an educationally valuable subcategory of doubt. She begins by engaging with the vast philosophical and psychological literature on doubt and, based on this analysis, identifies five main conceptions of doubt that wield influence. Next, she points to the ethical risks of using doubt as an educational catalyst, particularly for transformative purposes, but instead of rejecting the role of doubt in transformative education, she explores the potential of aspirational doubt to circumvent these risks. She concludes with a discussion of the practical implications for fostering aspirational doubt in the classroom.
The Effect of the Jigsaw Technique on Nursing Students' Learning of Employee Safety and Retention of Knowledge: A Randomized Controlled Research
Authors: Ordu Yadigar , Çalışkan Nurcan
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the Jigsaw technique on nursing students' learning and retention of knowledge about employee safety. The study was conducted between December 2022 and January 2023 with 84 first‐year students enrolled in the Nursing Department of a state university in a province of Turkey. Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form and Employee Safety Research/Test Instrument. During the study, the experimental group (n = 42) learned about employee safety using the Jigsaw technique, while the control group (n = 42) used the traditional method. Then, the students filled out the data collection forms (Post‐test). Four weeks after the post‐test, students again filled out the data collection forms to evaluate the retest of knowledge (Retest). The data were analysed with SPSS 22.0 package program. It was determined that the mean research/test instrument score of the experimental group in the employee safety post‐test and retest was statistically significantly higher than the control group (p = 0.000). It was determined that the Jigsaw technique was effective in nursing students' learning of employee safety and retest of knowledge.
Gamma Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Has Frequency‐Dependent Effects on Human Motor Cortex Plasticity Induced by Theta‐Burst Stimulation
Authors: Liao Wei‐Yeh , Hand Brodie J. , Cirillo John , Sasaki Ryoki , Opie George M. , Goldsworthy Mitchell R. , Semmler John G.
Published: February 2025

Long‐term potentiation (LTP)‐like plasticity in primary motor cortex (M1) induced by intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) can be enhanced by transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at a gamma frequency of 70 Hz. Recent evidence suggests that there is some frequency specificity in the effects of tACS on motor function within the midgamma band (60–90 Hz). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different tACS frequencies within the gamma band on the neuroplastic response to iTBS. Seventeen healthy young adults performed four experimental sessions, where iTBS was combined with different tACS conditions (60, 75 and 90 Hz, sham) over M1 using a tACS‐iTBS costimulation approach. Motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and short‐interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) were assessed from a hand muscle before and after the intervention using transcranial magnetic stimulation with posterior–anterior (PA) and anterior–posterior (AP) coil orientations. Gamma tACS‐iTBS costimulation increased PA and AP MEPs when gamma tACS was applied at 90 Hz, but not at 75 or 60 Hz, compared with sham tACS. PA and AP SICI was reduced by tACS‐iTBS costimulation, but this was not influenced by gamma tACS frequency. Gamma tACS can increase LTP‐like plasticity when combined with iTBS over M1, with the largest effect observed when tACS was applied at higher gamma frequencies. The functional relevance of targeting higher gamma frequencies within different brain areas and study populations remains to be determined.
Heterozygous PNPT1 Variants Cause a Sensory Ataxic Neuropathy
Authors: Haddad Saif , Record Christopher J. , Self Eleanor , Skorupinska Mariola , Rossor Alexander M. , Laura Matilde , Ingle Gordon , Manzur Adnan , Muntoni Francesco , Blake Julian C. , Reilly Mary M.
Published: February 2025

Background

Biallelic variants in polyribonucleotide‐nucleotidyltransferase‐1 (PNPT1) have been associated with a range of phenotypes from syndromic hearing loss to Leigh's syndrome. More recently, heterozygous variants in PNPT1, have been reported in three families with cerebellar ataxia and prominent sensory neuropathy.

Methods

Whole genome sequencing was performed in two families with autosomal dominant sensory ataxic neuropathy (SAN).

Results

Segregating heterozygous splice site (c.2014‐3C>G) and nonsense (p.Arg715Ter) variants were detected in both families. All patients initially presented with an isolated SAN clinically and neurophysiologically with subsequent variable cerebellar involvement.

Conclusion

We report two heterozygous PNPT1 variants in two families with a predominant SAN, including the novel p.Arg715Ter. This strengthens the argument of PNPT1 causing dominant disease and highlights a new cause for dominantly inherited SAN.
GLP‐1 Agonists as Potential Neuromodulators in Development of Parkinson's Disease: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Gamborg Mads , Grand Mia Klinten , Arvedsen Jasmin , Meaidi Amani , Mørch Lina Steinrud
Published: February 2025

Background

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no cure. Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1RAs) may have neuroprotective effects. However, long‐term real‐world studies are needed to clarify their potential impact on Parkinson's disease.

Methods

This nationwide cohort study included 33,462 patients (16,731 GLP‐1RA initiators and 16,731 propensity score‐matched dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor [DPP‐4i] initiators) from 2007 to 2018, followed until 2022. Eligible participants were ≥ 50 years, had no prior cancer or Parkinson's disease, and were residents in Denmark for at least 10 years. Patients were followed until Parkinson's diagnosis, death, emigration, treatment discontinuation (no additional prescription within 180 days), switch to the other study drug, or end of follow‐up. Additional analyses included comparisons with insulin, competing risk of death, and the main analysis disregarding adherence.

Results

During follow‐up, 192 patients developed Parkinson's disease, including 93 during sustained treatment. After 10 years, sustained GLP‐1RA users had a lower hazard ratio (HR 0.57 (95% CI 0.37;0.85)) and absolute risk difference (−0.24 (95% CI −0.63 to 0.15)) compared to DPP‐4i users. Similar trends were found when using insulin as a comparator. A significant survival advantage was found among sustained users of GLP‐1RA (particularly when comparing with insulin). When not accounting for adherence, the results was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Results were suggestive for a potential neuroprotective effect of GLP‐1RAs against Parkinson's disease. Further studies are needed to assess biomarkers of disease progression, and evaluate safety in patients with Parkinson's disease, dosing, and effects when combined with other treatments in neurodegenerative diseases.
Impact of glucocorticoids on osteocytes and on the lacuno‐canalicular system of maxillary and mandibular alveolar bone
Authors: Rodriguez Juliana , Lacave Mariela , Sánchez Luciana Marina , De Lucca Romina Carmen , Tasat Deborah Ruth , Bozal Carola Bettina
Published: February 2025

In long bones, glucocorticoids are known to cause a decrease in bone formation and an increase in bone resorption, leading to a condition of osteoporosis also during growth. However, there are few studies on the effect of glucocorticoids on alveolar bone. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of chronic administration of glucocorticoids on osteocytes and the lacuno‐canalicular system of maxillary and mandibular alveolar bone in growing rats. Male Wistar rats were administered intramuscular dexamethasone (7 mg/kg b.w.) or saline solution once a week for 5 weeks. After euthanasia, mandibles and upper maxillae were resected and processed for micro‐computed tomography, histological, and immunohistochemical evaluation. Glucocorticoids induced morphological changes in the lacuno‐canalicular system and apoptosis of alveolar bone osteocytes and had no effect on SOST/sclerostin osteocyte expression. Our findings suggest that the deleterious effect of glucocorticoids on alveolar bone is associated with osteocyte apoptosis and lacuno‐canalicular system changes, whereas Wnt/β catenin pathway regulation in osteocytes appears to play no significant role in the pathogenesis of glucocorticoid‐induced bone loss.
Population pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam in patients diagnosed with refractory epilepsy: A real‐world study
Authors: Silva Rui , Colom Helena , Almeida Anabela , Bicker Joana , Carona Andreia , Silva Ana , Sales Francisco , Santana Isabel , Falcão Amílcar , Fortuna Ana
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Levetiracetam is a widely used antiseizure drug in patients with refractory epilepsy due to its specific mechanism of action. This study aimed to develop and validate a population pharmacokinetic model (PopPK) to optimize levetiracetam dosing in patients with refractory epilepsy.

Methods

A total of 256 plasma concentrations of levetiracetam, obtained from 135 patients, were employed for PopPK model development, applying a nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling methodology. Evaluation of the final model was performed by visually inspecting the goodness‐of‐fit plots generated, bootstrap resampling, and visual predictive check (VPC). In addition, 60 plasma concentrations, obtained from other 37 patients, were used for external validation of the developed model.

Results

A one‐compartment model with first‐order elimination best described the pharmacokinetic profiles of levetiracetam. Between‐patient variability (BPV) was included on apparent clearance (CL/F), and the residual error (RE) was modeled as proportional. The estimates for CL/F, apparent volume of distribution (Vd/F), and absorption rate constant (ka) of the final model were 3.73 L/h, 35.10 L, and 1.35 h−1, respectively. BPV associated with CL/F was 18.30%, and the proportional RE was 21.21%. The co‐administration of other antiseizure drugs that are metabolic inducers, the glomerular filtration rate, and the body weight were identified as significant covariates for CL/F, whereas body surface area was the only covariate with significant impact on the Vd/F. The bootstrap, VPC, and external evaluation collectively validated the stability and predictive performance of the final model.

Significance

A reliable PopPK model was successfully developed and validated, offering a valuable tool for tailoring levetiracetam dosing regimens and enhancing drug effectiveness and safety in adult patients with refractory epilepsy.
AI Mental Models & Trust: The Promises and Perils of Interaction Design
Authors: JEONG SOOJIN , SINHA ANOOP
Published: February 2025

This study offers practical solutions to ongoing issues of trust and accountability in AI, highlighting how AI mental models are shaped among consumers in the evolving relationship between humans and AI. We argue that although predictability in AI is crucial, alone it is not enough to foster trust. The lack of real consequences for AI systems that breach trust remains a key challenge for interaction design. Until AI systems face tangible repercussions for trust violations, human trust will remain limited and conditional. Our research contributes to the development of socio‐technologies that prioritize human capabilities and foster productive human‐AI relationships.
Decolonizing LLMs: An Ethnographic Framework for AI in African Contexts
Authors: DEWITT PRAT LINDSEY , NDLOVU LUCAS OLIVIA NERCY , GOLIAS CHRISTOPHER , LEWIS MIA
Published: February 2025

This paper examines LLM deployment through African lenses that engage content's complex social, technological, and linguistic landscape. We propose an adaptable framework for LLM research based on an extensive synthesis of research literature and our primary research in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Our work unearths instances where LLMs could perpetuate digital colonialism or exacerbate existing sociopolitical tensions, as well as how they are contested and adapted. We emphasize the imperative for an embodied ethnographic approach that engages the inherently fluid, flexible, and multicultural nature of language, and connects LLM technologies with the complex social contexts in which it is built and deployed.
Displacing the Mind to the Body: Combining Methodologies to Address Socio‐Ecological Crises
Authors: MORALES NORA , MIEDES BLANCA
Published: February 2025

This paper integrates arts‐based methodologies into research and design, bringing new ways of knowing to the complex socio‐ecological challenges we face today. New findings demonstrating that cognition is deeply rooted in bodily and social interactions highlight the need to shift our focus from the mind to the body. The authors provide a conceptual foundation and detailed instructions for practicing Social Presencing – which focuses on social dynamics – and Warm Data, which focuses on interrelationships within systems. Outcomes for participants included a clear evolution from stagnation and conflict to greater connection and potential for collective action, and the ability to face complex problems with a more collaborative perspective.
Collaborative Generation: Making Sense of Today's Stories to Catalyze a Thriving Tomorrow for All
Authors: FLINDERS JENNY , COUNTS JACQUELINE
Published: February 2025

This article shares an innovative, community‐centered method for research, sensemaking, and innovation in social services that has been used by communities and agencies in six states. ‘Our Tomorrows’ is a framework for capturing real‐time signals while stimulating community‐based solutions to complex problems. The method includes three components that establish an ongoing feedback loop between citizens and decision makers: intensive narrative data collection with web‐based tools, community sensemaking workshops, and community action labs. This article covers the principles and methodology of the approach, then walks through an example of its application and outcomes in an early childhood program. Since its inception, Our Tomorrows has leveraged distributed ethnography data tools to listen to over 10,000 voices from across the country and put the everyday experiences of individuals and families at the center of local programs, policies, and systems.
Foundations of Practice: An Ethnographic Exploration of Software Documentation and its Cultural Implications for an Agile Startup
Authors: TIETZ‐SOKOLSKAYA NICOLE , WALSH SUZANNE
Published: February 2025

This case study offers an in‐depth analysis of the foundational role of documentation for software quality, efficiency, and organizational success. It includes an inside look how a start‐up overcame inefficiencies and scaling challenges by implementing a sociotechnical documentation practice, and 10 recommendations for implementation or assessment based the case study data and a wider analysis of research and expertise. Time pressures of agile workflows that prioritize writing code, coupled with rapidly scaling software and startups, create an environment where documentation often takes a back seat. But its value to organizations and engineering teams as a source of knowledge and a practice of knowledge sharing becomes clear when critical inefficiencies and even chaos to prompt an overhaul of norms and behaviors. The experience at Remesh demonstrates the value of an ethnographic approach to gain a holistic understanding of engineering and work practices and to implement positive change.
Post‐mortem computed tomography features associated with fracture of the fetlock joint in racing Thoroughbreds
Authors: Beck Catherine , Hitchens Peta L. , Whitton R. Christopher
Published: February 2025

Background

Post‐mortem studies have shown that fractures involving the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal or fetlock joint are associated with focal areas of microdamage. Identification of computed tomography (CT) features consistent with microdamage and their association with fracture may aid in identification of horses at risk of fracture.

Objectives

To identify CT features associated with fracture of the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint.

Study design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Post‐mortem CT images of 367 limbs from 157 Thoroughbred racehorses were graded for CT features. Multivariable logistic regression models were generated. Intraclass correlation coefficients of key CT features to assess intra and inter‐rater reliability were calculated.

Results

The presence of lysis within the subchondral/trabecular bone underlying the lateral and, or, medial parasagittal groove (PSG) of the distal third metacarpus/tarsus (odds ratio [OR] 9.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.3–21.3; p < 0.001) and sclerosis of the palmar subchondral and trabecular bone underlying the lateral and medial PSG that projected proximoaxially (OR 4.6; 95% CI 1.1–19.02; p = 0.03) were associated with condylar fracture. The presence of a proximal sesamoid bone (PSB) lytic lesion (OR 5.3; 95% CI 1.2–23.6; p = 0.03) and increasing medial PSB density (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00–1.03; p < 0.001) were associated with PSB fracture. Palmar osteochondral disease grade was not associated with condylar (p = 0.8) or PSB fracture (p = 0.09). Inter rater reliability was moderate for the presence of PSG lysis (ICC 0.7; 95% CI 0.6–0.8) and shape of sclerosis in the lateral condyle (ICC 0.6; 95% CI 0.5–0.8).

Main limitations

The extent of lysis within the PSG and the volume of the PSB could not be as accurately obtained in limbs with multiple fracture fragments.

Conclusions

CT examination of fetlock joints post‐mortem identified changes associated with both metacarpal condylar fracture and PSB fracture in racehorses. These findings show that pre‐race CT screening has the potential to reduce fracture rates.
The Efficacy of Relationship Education for Improving Children's Outcomes: A Multi‐Informant, Multi‐Method Study
Authors: Kanter Jeremy B. , Lannin Daniel G. , Ratliff H. Cailyn , Rauer Amy J. , Sprecher Susan , Ogolsky Brian G. , Yazedjian Ani
Published: February 2025

Although relationship education (RE) programs aim to improve parents' communication with one another with the hope that it will enhance children's mental health, few studies have investigated if such spillover actually occurs. Therefore, drawing from a sample of 431 families from the Supporting Healthy Marriage Project, the present study examined the relations between parental participation in a RE program and children's subsequent distress, as well as mechanisms that may explain these effects. Using a multi‐informant (focal child and parents) and multi‐method (self‐report and observational assessments) longitudinal design, the current study examined whether randomization into RE programming predicted children's exposure and emotional reactivity to interparental conflict and if decreases in parents' negative communication mediated these effects. Results based on mothers' reports indicated that when parents received RE, children's exposure to conflict decreased. However, these findings were not corroborated by fathers or children. There were also no differences in children's emotional reactivity across conditions, and observable communication did not mediate the relation between randomization into RE and children's outcomes. Together, there was minimal evidence for the efficacy of RE on children's functioning. Results underscore the importance of evaluating multiple family members' perspectives and highlight the need for future work to consider these pathways in samples experiencing greater distress.
Low Cycle Fatigue Response and Cyclic Life Prediction Model of Ultra‐Pure 26Cr2Ni4MoV Steel Under Strain‐ and Stress‐Controlled Loading
Authors: Li Bin , Wang Xiaodi , Yu Hongfei , Liu Peng , Cheng Yuan , Ren Xuechong
Published: February 2025

The low cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior and stress–strain responses of ultra‐pure 26Cr2Ni4MoV steel were studied under symmetric strain/stress‐controlled cycling (R = −1) at room temperature. The characteristic features of cyclic stages—saturation, stable descent, and rapid descent—were identified in both loading modes. Additionally, tension–compression asymmetry (TCA) significantly affected cyclic resistance, with ratcheting strain in stress‐controlled cycling reducing the fatigue life. In contrast, strain‐controlled conditions exhibit minimal cyclic asymmetry, indicating a negligible mean stress effect on fatigue life. Significant cyclic softening was observed in both control modes. Quantitative analysis using the cyclic softening factor () showed it was independent of strain amplitude but correlated with stress amplitude. Furthermore, a novel energy‐based Manson–Coffin (EBMC) model was proposed for unified fatigue life prediction, incorporating strain energy and mean stress effects. The EBMC model demonstrated significantly improved prediction accuracy and validation compared to the hysteresis loop strain energy, Smith–Watson–Topper, and Basquin models.
The Evolution of Scope Economies in European Banking Industry
Authors: Zong Jichuan , Zhang Jiyuan , Zhao Shirong
Published: February 2025

The global financial crisis has raised new policy debates regarding the bank's size, especially among the largest banks. Using nonparametric, local‐linear methods, we provide new estimates of scope economies in cost, revenue, and profit for European commercial banks during 2000–2020. Our findings reveal that a substantial proportion of banks demonstrated economies of scope (EOS) annually: approximately 45% in cost, at least 61% in revenue, and no less than 67% in profit. These findings indicate that EOS may partly account for the sustained growth and expansion of European banks during this period.
Integration of Multiple Data Types to Document Spatial Effort in a Recreational Fishery for Highly Migratory Species in Relation to Offshore Wind Development
Authors: Kneebone Jeff , Davis Matthew , Knotek Ryan , Capizzano Connor , Kim Edward , McCandless Camilla T. , Chaibongsai Peter , Merten Wessley , Orbesen Eric S.
Published: February 2025

The expansion of offshore wind interests in US waters has raised concern over potential adverse impacts to fisheries activity and productivity. Yet evidence‐based platforms for assessing those impacts are lacking for many recreational fisheries. We demonstrate how data from a federal fishery survey (Large Pelagics Intercept Survey [LPIS]), cooperative tagging programs, and the direct survey of recreational fishermen can be used to characterize the spatial extent of baseline (pre‐construction) effort in a recreational fishery that targets highly migratory fishes (HMS) in US territorial waters of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. To document the location of effort, LPIS catch data and tag, release, and recapture (CTR) records from four cooperative tagging programs were independently aggregated onto a grid of offshore wind lease blocks. An online survey of recreational fishermen was also executed to assess the spatial extent of effort in relation to a Draft Call Area (DCA) in the Gulf of Maine region. Collectively, the LPIS and CTR data described widespread recreational fishing effort for HMS, including within and around the majority of existing and planned offshore wind lease areas. Responses to the online survey revealed more widespread effort within the Gulf of Maine DCA than both the LPIS and CTR data, but some respondents may have overrepresented true levels of fishing effort. Our results demonstrate the need for multiple data types to comprehensively assess offshore wind impacts on the recreational HMS fishery and to inform marine spatial planning in regions into which offshore wind energy development may be expanded.
Leaf Temperatures in an Indian Tropical Forest Exceed Physiological Limits but Durations of Exposures Are Currently Not Sufficient to Cause Lasting Damage
Authors: Javad Akhil , Premugh Vikhyath , Tiwari Rakesh , Bandaru Peddiraju , Sunny Ron , Hegde Balachandra , Clerici Santiago , Galbraith David , Gloor Manuel , Barua Deepak
Published: February 2025

Increasing temperatures in the tropics will reduce performance of trees and agroforestry species and may lead to lasting damage and leaf death. One criterion to determine future forest resilience is to evaluate damage caused by temperature on Photosystem‐II (PSII), a particularly sensitive component of photosynthesis. The temperature at which 50% of PSII function is lost (T50) is a widely used measure of irreversible damage to leaves. To assess vulnerability to high temperatures, studies have measured T50 or leaf temperatures, but rarely both. Further, because extant leaf temperature records are short, duration of exposure above thresholds like T50 has not been considered. Finally, these studies do not directly assess the effect of threshold exceedance on leaves. To understand how often, and how long, leaf temperatures exceed critical thresholds, we measured leaf temperatures of forest and agroforestry species in a tropical forest in the Western Ghats of India where air temperatures are high. We quantified species‐specific physiological thresholds and assessed leaf damage after high‐temperature exposure. We found that leaf temperatures already exceed T50. However, continuous exposure durations above critical thresholds are very skewed with most events lasting for much less than 30 min. As T50 was measured after a 30‐min exposure, our results suggest that threshold exceedances and exposure durations for lasting damage are currently not reached and will rarely be reached if maximum air temperatures increase by 4°C. Consistent with this, we found only minor indications of heat damage in the forest species. However, there were indications of heat‐induced reduction in PSII function and damage in the agroforestry leaves which have lower T50. Our findings suggest that, for forest species, while high‐temperature thresholds may be surpassed, durations of exposure above thresholds remain short, and therefore, are unlikely to lead to irreversible damage and leaf death, even under 4°C warming.
Medicinal Cannabis and Consumer Vulnerability in Australia: A Nexus of Policy and Market Factors
Authors: Gething Katrina , Erku Daniel , Scuffham Paul
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Following the 2016 legalization of medicinal cannabis (MC) in Australia, significant barriers have led patients to seek unregulated cannabis for therapeutic use. This study examines consumer (patient, carer and family) submissions to a senate inquiry on these barriers to understand how future policy might better reflect patient needs and facilitate access to regulated MC.

Methods

Sixty submissions from patients (n = 44), their caregivers or family members (n = 16) were coded using NVivo 12 software and thematically analysed. The findings were presented narratively using a consumer vulnerability framework.

Results

The analysis identified three primary barriers to accessing regulated MC: (1) Health practitioners' reluctance to prescribe MC, hindering prescription access, (2) High costs associated with MC and its access process, disproportionately affecting low‐income consumers and (3) Dependence on imported MC products, leading to shortages and necessitating product substitutions that incur additional costs and bureaucratic hurdles. Despite these barriers, consumers demonstrated resilience by educating themselves about MC, planning for prescription needs and forming support networks. Patients also turned to illicit MC markets.

Conclusion

The study reveals significant barriers to regulated MC access in Australia, highlighting the complex challenges consumers face. The reliance on unregulated sources of MC not only poses legal and health risks but also underscores the urgent need for policy reforms. By addressing the identified barriers, such as alleviating the costs associated with MC and improving approval processes and ensuring product availability, policymakers can better meet consumer needs and facilitate safer access to regulated MC.

Patient or Public Contribution

The materials of this document analysis were patient and public submissions to a government enquiry into barriers to a health technology. By providing submissions, both patients and the public were actively engaging in the development of health policy.
Understanding the Consumers' Experiences of Safewards: A Qualitative Exploratory Study
Authors: Mullen Antony , Happell Brenda , Hamilton Bridget , Skinner Stephanie
Published: February 2025

Safewards is a model and set of interventions with demonstrated effectiveness in reducing conflict and containment which are associated with negative consumer experiences within inpatient mental health settings. Safewards has been widely adopted internationally as a way of enhancing safety and reducing restrictive practices. Despite this, consumers' experiences of Safewards and its effect on their personal safety are less understood and therefore require further exploration. This qualitative exploratory study sought to explore consumers' experiences of Safewards in acute inpatient mental health units. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist was used for reporting purposes. Fifteen consumers across two sites participated in semi‐structured focus groups. Thematic analysis generated four themes: (1) engaging consumers in Safewards, (2) consumers supporting each other, (3) interacting and communicating and (4) access, availability and expectations. Participants expressed positive views about Safewards and wanted to be more involved in its day‐to‐day application. Enhanced consumer involvement in Safewards was associated with improved safety and wellbeing for consumers within acute inpatient mental health units. These findings have the potential to influence practice towards improving the consumers experience of Safewards. This requires an exploration of ways to harness informal consumer supports, recognising that consumers need to spend meaningful time with nurses to feel safe and acknowledging that all forms of restrictive practice have an impact on consumers within acute inpatient environments.
Forecasting China's inflation rate: Evidence from machine learning methods
Authors: Xu Xingfu , Li Shufei , Liu Wei‐han
Published: February 2025

We conduct a comprehensive analysis of eight machine learning models (partial least squares, scaled principal components, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, ridge regression, random forest, gradient boost decision trees, support vector machines, and neural networks) and the forecast combination method to forecast China's inflation. We use an extensive monthly dataset of 28 predictors with the data period covering January 2000 to December 2022. Our empirical outcomes show that these models beat the autoregressive benchmark regarding out‐of‐sample R squares. We evaluate the gradient boost decision tree (GBDT) and the forecast combination model as the most effective machine learning tools for forecasting China's inflation rate across various forecasting horizons and evaluation criteria. Moreover, our analysis of variable importance (Gu, Kelly, and Xiu 2020) demonstrates that the retail price index of food and the producer price index of total industry products are the two most dominant predictive signals. These outcomes reflect that structural components and cost‐push factors primarily influence China's inflation rate. Our conclusions are robust across various settings.
Mediating Effect of Turnover Intention on the Relationship Between Job Burnout and Quiet Quitting in Nurses
Authors: Gün İbrahim , Çetinkaya Kutun Feyza , Söyük Selma
Published: February 2025

Aim

This study aimed to investigate the potential mediating role of turnover intention in the relationship between job burnout and quiet quitting among nurses and shed light on the associations between job burnout, turnover intention and quiet quitting intention.

Design

This study was designed as a descriptive, cross‐sectional study.

Methods

A total of 317 nurses were selected using convenience sampling approach from a training and research hospital in Turkey. Quiet quitting, job burnout and turnover intention data were collected using the self‐reported questionnaires using paper‐and‐pencil versions. Pearson correlation analysis, independent sample t‐test and mediation analysis was conducted with Process v4.3.

Results

Statistically significant associations among job burnout, turnover intention and quiet quitting were found (p < 0.05). Job burnout had a positive effect on turnover intention (β = 0.339, p < 0.001) and quiet quitting (β = 0.245, p < 0.001). Additionally, turnover intention had a positive and significant effect on quiet quitting intention of nurses (β = 0.336, p < 0.001). Moreover, mediation analysis revealed that the association of job burnout with quiet quitting was partially mediated by turnover intention (β = 0.034, 95% CI [0.019, 0.054]).

Conclusion

This study enrich our understanding of the associations among study variables and suggest that focusing solely on job burnout without considering the mediating effects of turnover intention might not be adequate for reducing the quiet quitting intention among nurses.

Impact

This study shed light on how job burnout and turnover intention of nurses affect their quiet quitting intention. It has been proven that turnover intention is a significant factor in the relationship between job burnout and quiet quitting. These findings could provide guidance for managers in the administration of nurses.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Non‐Indigenous Canadians’ Attitudes Toward Renaming or Removing Statues as a Reconciliation Strategy
Authors: Shayegh John , Choma Becky , Cila Jorida , Herkimer Jaiden
Published: February 2025

Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples has been a named priority for many post‐colonial societies. In this context, in August 2018, Victoria City Hall in Canada removed the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first Prime Minister, from its grounds; similar events followed across Canada. Research on this issue is lacking but can offer useful insights to researchers and policymakers. To understand how non‐Indigenous Canadians respond to renaming or removing statues in the name of reconciliation, we qualitatively analysed online comments posted under news articles reporting the removal of Macdonald's statue (Study 1). Two narratives aimed at delegitimising renaming/removing emerged: depicting the actions as excessive ‘political correctness’ (PC) that represented the values of a powerful, but minority, outgroup of ‘liberal elites’; and depicting the actions as a symbolic threat to the ingroup through notions of ‘rewriting history’. In Study 2, with a Canadian community sample, we investigated anti‐PC attitudes and symbolic intergroup threat via rewriting history as predictors of support for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Given the central role of ideological beliefs in intergroup attitudes, we examined RWA and SDO as predictors of anti‐PC attitudes, symbolic threat in the form of rewriting history, and support for reconciliation. Path analysis results showed that RWA and SDO indirectly predicted lower support for renaming/removing via higher anti‐PC attitudes and higher symbolic threat. Collectively, this research provides evidence that anti‐PC and symbolic threat are important constructs in relation to responses to reconciliation proposals in Canada with potential implications for other post‐colonial societies.
Shoot Fly Resistance in Sorghum: An Overview
Authors: Arora Naveen , Bhattacharya Joorie , Shankhapal Aishwarya R. , Mishra Suraj Prashad , Desale Ashutosh , Jaba Jagdish , Nitnavare Rahul B.
Published: February 2025

Sorghum is an annual diploid C4 plant largely grown for food, fodder and feed purposes. Several insect pests pose major challenges to sorghum production from the seedling stage to maturity, among which the sorghum shoot fly Atherigona soccata (Rondani) is a major pest across Asia, Africa and Mediterranean Europe. Infestation by the pest is prevalent both during rainy and postrainy seasons. The exploitation of host‐plant resistance can play a vital role in breeding for resistance to shoot flies. The shoot fly causes significant grain and fodder yield losses in sorghum in semi‐arid regions. An integrated approach for host‐plant resistance that combines morphological, genetic/molecular and agronomic approaches is key for the management of shoot fly infestations and the subsequent increase in sorghum productivity. To complement traditional breeding approaches, intervention in genomic approaches is required to enhance breeding efficiency. This review focuses on genetic approaches in sorghum for integrating shoot fly resistance and exploring genetic inheritance, variability and trait associations, including shoot fly resistance quantitative trait loci (QTLs).
Understanding brassinosteroid‐centric phytohormone interactions for crop improvement
Authors: Yin Wenchao , Dong Nana , Li Xicheng , Yang Yanzhao , Lu Zefu , Zhou Wenbin , Qian Qian , Chu Chengcai , Tong Hongning
Published: February 2025

Brassinosteroids (BRs) play a crucial role in regulating multiple biological processes in plants, particularly those related to crop productivity and stress tolerance. During their functioning, BRs engage in extensive and intricate interactions with other phytohormones, including auxin, cytokinins, gibberellins, abscisic acid, ethylene, jasmonates, salicylic acid, and strigolactones. These interactions facilitate the integration of internal and external signals, ultimately shaping the physiological status of the plant. In this review, we introduce BR metabolism and signaling and discuss their role in modulating agronomic traits that directly contribute to grain yield in rice (Oryza sativa), the model plant for crops. We also summarize recent advances in the crosstalk between BRs and other phytohormones in regulating agronomic traits in crops. Furthermore, we highlight significant research that provides insights into developing high‐yielding and stress‐resistant crop varieties from the perspective of hormone crosstalk. Understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms through which BRs and other phytohormones collaboratively control agronomic traits offers new approaches for crop improvement.
Registered Nurse‐Led Interdisciplinary Care: A Single Case Study of a Young Woman With Intellectual Disability and Chronic and Complex Health Problems
Authors: Wilson Nathan J. , Lewis Peter , Apostol Cheryll , Duckworth Natalie , Barratt Macey
Published: February 2025

Aim

To describe how specialised models of registered nurse‐led care and support can play a vital role in the health and quality of life of someone with intellectual disability and multiple chronic and complex health problems.

Design

Single instrumental case study.

Methods

Data collection occurred between March and August 2023, and included interviews with parents, historical case files, descriptions of the nurse‐led model of care and a list of the daily registered nurse‐led interventions.

Results

The evidence presented strongly support the positive impact a nurse‐led model of care can have for persons with profound disability and complex health conditions, and their families. The improved quality of life observed in this project underscores the significant role nurses play in enhancing the well‐being of this vulnerable population.

Conclusion

Further research on a larger scale should be completed to create a robust foundation of a specialised, nurse‐led model of care for individuals with profound disability and complex health conditions.

Implications

There is room for funded intermediate models of care as the health system cannot be expected, and nor is it appropriate, to provide ongoing care for all people with intellectual disability.

Reporting Method

This study adhered to the COREQ guidelines for qualitative research.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Comparative Genomics and Transcriptome Analysis of Two Colletotrichum scovillei Strains Revealed Genes Involved in Pathogenicity on Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)
Authors: Wei Jiayu , Li Yue , Wang Jubin , Zhang Xi , Qiu Yuguang , Xu Zhencheng , He Xin , Li Ning , Yao Minghua , Li Feng , Deng Yingtian
Published: February 2025

Colletotrichum scovillei causes anthracnose in chilli pepper worldwide, which is one of the most serious diseases affecting the production of pepper fruits. Although there are several studies on the Colletotrichum disease genes identified, there are still gaps in the understanding of the pathogenic genes and pathogenic mechanisms of Colletotrichum. In this study, two Colletotrichum strains, C. scovillei (Colletotrichum scovillei) C1 and C. scovillei CD showed different virulence against chill pepper, with C. scovillei C1 having a marked virulence defect compared to C. scovillei CD. To explore the genetic variation between the two strains, comparative genomic and transcriptome analyses were conducted to reveal the functional genes associated with the virulence. At the genome level, C. scovillei C1 was found to have a number of structural variation (SVs), insertion and deletion (InDels) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) compared with C. scovillei CD. Analysis of DEGs (differentially expressed genes) between C. scovillei C1 and C. scovillei CD at the transcriptome level revealed 106 DEGs, including three upregulated effectors in C. scovillei CD, which might be the reasons for the high virulence of C. scovillei CD. In summary, our study revealed the genomic and transcriptomic mechanism involved in C. scovillei virulence in pepper, which contributes to the understanding of pepper anthracnose pathogenicity.
The Effects of Definition Placement and Lag of Retrieval Practice on Contextual Learning and Retention of Phrasal Verbs
Authors: Tadayonifar Mojtaba , Siyanova‐Chanturia Anna , Elgort Irina
Published: February 2025

Learning multiword expressions (MWEs) typically involves exposure to language input, such as through reading and listening. However, this way of learning can be rather slow. Therefore, finding strategies to enhance learning from input is crucial for language acquisition. In this study, 80 Iranian learners of English as a foreign language read short texts with 28 figurative English phrasal verbs (PVs), repeated three times. In a counterbalanced experimental design, we manipulated definition placement (before vs. after text) and the lag of retrieval practice (short vs. long lag). Learning was measured via immediate and delayed gap‐fill and meaning‐generation posttests. We found that providing definitions after reading resulted in greater learning outcomes than presenting definitions before reading under both short‐ and long‐lag conditions. Retrieving PVs under the long lag further increased this advantage. The results contribute to the understanding of how contextual learning and retention of MWEs from reading can be supported.
The Roles of Plasticity and Selection in Rapid Phenotypic Changes at the Pacific Oyster Invasion Front in Europe
Authors: Kinnby Alexandra , Robert Chloé , Havenhand Jonathan N. , Broström Göran , Bussière Luc , De Wit Pierre
Published: February 2025

Invasive species present significant management challenges worldwide due to their ability to rapidly adapt to novel environments. The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, a globally distributed invasive species, arrived in western Sweden in 2006 but has not yet colonised the low salinity waters of the Baltic Sea, presumably because low salinities act as a barrier to reproduction. We used classic mating designs to investigate fertilisation rates and heritability of embryonal salinity tolerance (in 8‰–33‰) in oysters from three locations with different invasion history and salinity (established, 33‰; past invasion front, 23.5‰; and present invasion front, 16‰). We found that fertilisation rates at lower salinities increased with proximity to the range front, with a pronounced heritable component. We then used whole‐genome sequencing of oysters from the present invasion front to identify genomic regions showing stronger deviations from Mendelian inheritance in larval full‐sib families reared in low salinity compared to controls. These regions contained coding sequences for Histones and ribosomal DNA, with the paternal genotype explaining a significant proportion of the deviation, suggesting the involvement of sperm in modulation of low‐salinity tolerance at fertilisation and early development. Furthermore, we found no evidence of recent bottlenecks along the invasion front. We conclude that the Pacific oyster has developed low‐salinity tolerant reproductive phenotypes at the present invasion front through acclimation and natural selection. Given the strong heritability for tolerance to low‐salinities at fertilisation, the species likely has the potential to adapt further to low‐salinity conditions and may invade the Baltic Sea.
Under the radar: How participating in a student organization can shape medical students' professional identity
Authors: Demak Indah Puspasari Kiay , Prins Jelle , Meity Nur , Bouwkamp‐Timmer Tineke , Fleer Joke , de Carvalho‐Filho Marco Antonio
Published: February 2025

Background

Medical students' professional identity formation (PIF) starts early in their academic journey and is shaped by diverse social influences. Research shows that while participation in student organizations cultivates essential skills, it may also reinforce homogeneity and prevent cultural change. However, the impact of student organizations on PIF remains under‐researched. This study aimed to investigate how a particular student organization impacted the PIF of novice students.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study utilizing constructivist grounded theory and the rich pictures methodology. We interviewed 12 novices, six senior students, three alumni and seven teachers from a medical school in Indonesia. The interviews with students were facilitated by Rich Pictures. The transcripts and pictures were iteratively analysed.

Results

Novice students (i.e. first‐year medical students) participated in an orientation programme organized by a centralized student organization. Becoming a member of this organization facilitated access to extracurricular training and networking. During the onboarding to this organization, senior students imparted values professed by the student organization: hierarchy, camaraderie and confidentiality. However, the way the seniors put these values into practice deviated from their intended purpose, leading to a mismatch that the novices perceived as oppressive. After an initial phase of resistance, novices entered a negotiation process to decide whether to persist with the orientation programme, resulting in three distinct outcomes: internalizing the values and being accepted as a member, enduring the programme by role‐playing or becoming an outsider. This negotiation was accompanied by intense emotional suffering and identity dissonance. This socialization process ended up reinforcing an often oppressive hierarchical culture, which prevented novices from becoming change agents.

Conclusion

Participating in this student organization significantly influences PIF, and developing survivorship bias may prevent students from enacting transformative change. Reforming this often oppressive system would require collaboration among faculty, teachers, student organizations and students.