bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unveiling the gas phase H2NCO radical: Laboratory rotational spectroscopy and interstellar searches in the direction of IRAS 16293-2422
Authors: Martin-Drumel Marie-Aline , Coutens Audrey , Loison Jean-Christophe , Jørgensen Jes K. , Pirali Olivier
Published: May 2024

Context. The carbamoyl radical (H2NCO) is believed to play a central role in the ice-grain chemistry of crucial interstellar complex organic molecules such as formamide and acetamide. Yet, little is known about this radical, which remains elusive in laboratory gasphase experiments.

Aims. In order to enable interstellar searches of H2NCO, we have undertaken a mandatory laboratory characterisation of its pure rotational spectrum.

Methods. We report the gas-phase laboratory detection of H2NCO, produced by H-atom abstraction from formamide, using pure rotational spectroscopy at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths. Millimetre-wave data were acquired using chirped-pulse Fourier-transform spectroscopy, while submillimetre-wave ones were obtained using Zeeman-modulated spectroscopy. Experimental measurements were guided by quantum-chemical calculations at the ωB97X-D/cc-pVQZ level of theory. Interstellar searches for the radical have been undertaken in the Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS) towards the solar-type protostar IRAS 16293-2422.

Results. From the assignment and fit of experimental transitions up to 660 GHz, reliable spectroscopic parameters for H2NCO in its ground vibrational state have been derived, enabling accurate spectral predictions. No transitions of the radical were detected in the PILS survey. The inferred upper limit shows that the H2NCO abundance is at least 60 times below that of formamide and 160 times below that of HNCO in this source; a value that is in agreement with predictions from a physico-chemical model of this young protostar.
Elastostatics within multi-layer metamaterial structures and an algebraic framework for polariton resonances
Authors: Deng Youjun , Kong Lingzheng , Liu Hongyu , Zhu Liyan
Published: May 2024

Multi-layer structures are ubiquitous in constructing metamaterial devices to realise various frontier applications including super-resolution imaging and invisibility cloaking. In this paper, we develop a general mathematical framework for studying elastostatics within multi-layer material structures in Rd, d = 2, 3. The multi-layer structure is formed by concentric balls and each layer is filled by either a regular elastic material or an elastic metamaterial. The number of layers can be arbitrary and the material parameters in each layer may be different from one another. In practice, the multi-layer structure can serve as the building block for various material devices. Considering the impingement of an incident field on the multi-layer structure, we first derive the exact perturbed field in terms of an elastic momentum matrix, whose dimension is the same as the number of layers. By highly intricate and delicate analysis, we derive a comprehensive study of the spectral properties of the elastic momentum matrix. This enables us to establish a handy algebraic framework for studying polariton resonances associated with multi-layer metamaterial structures, which forms the fundamental basis for many metamaterial applications.
Detecting contract cheating through linguistic fingerprint
Authors: Kutbi Mohammed , Al-Hoorie Ali H. , Al-Shammari Abbas H.
Published: May 2024

Contract cheating, the act of students enlisting others to complete academic assignments on their behalf, poses a significant challenge in academic settings, undermining the integrity of education and assessment. It involves submitting work that is falsely represented as the student’s own, thus violating academic standards and ethics. The advent of artificial intelligence-based language models, such as ChatGPT, has raised concerns about the potential impact of contract cheating. As these language models can generate human-like text with ease, there are concerns about their role in facilitating and increasing contract cheating incidents. Innovative approaches are thus needed to detect contract cheating and address its implications for academic integrity. This study introduces a machine learning (ML) model focused on identifying deviations from a learner’s unique writing style (or their linguistic fingerprint) to detect contract cheating, complementing traditional plagiarism detection methods. The study involved 150 learners majoring in engineering and business who were studying English as a foreign language at a college in Saudi Arabia. The participants were asked to produce descriptive essays in English within a consistent genre over one semester. The proposed approach involved data preprocessing, followed by transformation using Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF). To address data imbalance, random oversampling was applied, and logistic regression (LR) was trained with optimal hyperparameters obtained through grid search. Performance evaluation was conducted using various metrics. The results showed that the ML model was effective in identifying non-consistent essays with improved accuracy after implementing random oversampling. The LR model achieved an accuracy of 98.03%, precision of 98.52%, recall of 98.03%, and F1-score of 98.24%. The proposed ML model shows promise as an indicator of contract cheating incidents, providing an additional tool for educators and institutions to uphold academic integrity. However, it is essential to interpret the model results cautiously, as they do not constitute unequivocal evidence of cheating but rather serve as grounds for further investigation. We also emphasize the ethical implications of such approaches and suggest avenues for future research to explore the model’s applicability among first-language writers and to conduct longitudinal studies on second-language learners’ language development over longer periods.
The impact of text type on Chinese-English translation effort: an investigation with reference to translation entropy
Authors: Liu Xiao , Cui Ying
Published: May 2024

Various factors affect translation effort. This research aims to explore the impact of source text type on Chinese-English translation effort with reference to translation entropy. An eye-tracking and key-logging experiment was conducted. Thirty-one student translators translated four text types, namely legal, advertising, news, and poetic texts. Data analyses show that there is a significant difference in participants’ effort of translating the four texts, which can be seen in such indicators as subjective ratings, fixation, pause, translation time, and edits. We further studied participants’ translations and calculated the translation entropy for each text type, which is a measure of uncertainty in translation. Analysis shows that there is a significant difference in translation entropy among the four text types, which provides evidence that source text features affect translation uncertainty and, hence, translation effort to search for appropriate options. The discussions are intended to provide further insight into the impact of text type on the translation process, and the result confirms the reliability of translation entropy as a predictor of translation effort.
Examining consumer behavior towards adoption of quick response code mobile payment systems: transforming mobile payment in the fintech industry
Authors: Yamin Mohammad Ali Yousef , Abdalatif Omima Abdalla Abass
Published: May 2024

The quick response (QR) code-enabled mobile payment has gained large attention from academicians and policymakers due to its fast, convenience, and usefulness. However, acceptance of this technology among consumers is limited and rare in a few cases. Therefore, current research attempts to gain insight into factors that influence consumer behavior to adopt QR code-enabled mobile payment. This research has developed an integrated research framework that combines the technology acceptance model, theory of reasoned action, transaction speed, convenience, and innovativeness to investigate consumer behavior to adopt QR code mobile payment. In addition to that moderating effect of transaction speed is tested between consumer attitude and intention to adopt QR code-driven mobile payment. This study empirically investigates consumer attitudes and intention to adopt the QR mobile payment system with 216 responses. Findings of the statistical analysis have revealed that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, convenience, subjective norms, and innovativeness explained a substantial variance $${R}^{2}$$

R

2

52.3% in measuring user attitude to adopt QR code-enabled mobile payment. Practically, this study suggests that policymakers should pay attention to perceived convenience, transaction speed, subjective norm, and perceived usefulness to boost consumer attitude and intention to adopt QR-enabled mobile payment. This study is unique as it integrates the technology acceptance model and theory of reasoned action to investigate consumer behavior towards the adoption of QR code mobile payment. This study is also valuable as it examines the moderating effect of transaction speed between consumer attitude to accept QR code and their intention to adopt QR code-driven mobile payment and adds a new dimension to information system literature.
Technology factors and ERP system efficiency in the Jordanian industrial firms: does company size matter?
Authors: Lutfi Abdalwali , Alqudah Hamza , Al-Daoud Khaleel Ibrahim , Zaqeeba Nidal , Alrawad Mahmaod , Almaiah Mohammed Amin
Published: May 2024

The study was structured to investigate the impact of technological factors on the effectiveness of enterprise resource planning (ERP) in Jordanian industrial firms, using a descriptive-analytical approach. This study also examines company size as a moderator variable, which has been measured using the logarithm of total assets extracted from each firm’s annual report. The study’s target population consisted of all Jordanian industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange, totaling 55 firms. Managers participated as respondents, with 220 questionnaires distributed electronically, averaging four questionnaires per company. After data collection, 92 valid questionnaires were used for statistical analysis. The findings indicate a significant and positive relationship between technological factors (such as ease of use, perceived usefulness, and digital proficiency) and ERP system effectiveness in Jordanian industrial firms. However, the study revealed that trust, as one of the technological factors, did not significantly impact ERP system efficiency. Additionally, it was found that the moderating role of company size moderates positively the relationship between two technological factors (i.e., perceived usefulness and digital proficiency), and ERP system efficiency. The research suggests that industrial firms in Jordan should take into account technological factors, including factors like ease of use, perceived usefulness, and digital proficiency, to remain current with advancements that can improve the efficiency of ERP systems. This is important due to the positive influence it can have on the operational effectiveness of Jordanian industrial companies, aiding them in their planning and decision-making processes.
Are migrants a threat? Migrant children and human capital investments among local households in urban China
Authors: Zheng Xiaodong , Zhou Yanran
Published: May 2024

The educational spillovers of migrant children in receiving areas have drawn widespread attention in countries undergoing massive internal migration. Yet few studies have explored how migrant students affect the decision-making process of native households. This study examines the effects and underlying mechanisms of internal migrant children on human capital investments among local households in urban China. Leveraging the random student-classroom assignment within middle schools, we find that migrant peer composition has a significant positive impact on local households’ spending on their children’s education, especially out-of-school education expenditure. These positive effects are more pronounced among local students who are male, in the ninth grade, and come from high socioeconomic status families. The results of our mechanism analysis suggest that the presence of migrant children leads local parents to overestimate their children’s academic performance and raises concerns about potential adverse effects on their children’s educational outcomes. However, we have not found compelling evidence indicating that migrant classmates significantly affect local students’ learning environment, emotional well-being, and actual academic achievements. Our study contributes to the ongoing debate on the educational inclusion of internal migrant children in China and similar contexts, highlighting the importance of addressing the biased beliefs of local households over migrants.
Family Support and Type 2 Diabetes Self-management Behaviors in Underserved Latino/a/x Patients
Authors: Hiefner Angela R , Raman Shivani , Woods Sarah B
Published: May 2024

Background

Latino/a/x families experience persistent Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) disparities, including higher rates of diagnosis and mortality due to disease complications than their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Though greater social support is associated with improved disease outcomes for Latino/a/x patients with diabetes, research has yet to identify the specific pathways through which social support, and specifically family support, influences self-management.

Purpose

This study tested a theoretical model highlighting the mechanisms and pathways linking social support and physical health. Specifically, self-efficacy and depression were tested as psychological pathways connecting family support to diabetes self-management behaviors and diabetes morbidity in Latino/a/x patients with T2DM.

Methods

Data from 177 patients were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Measures included diabetes-specific family support needed and received, depressive symptoms, self-efficacy in diabetes management, diabetes self-management behaviors, health appraisal, and hemoglobin A1c.

Results

Greater diabetes-specific family support was significantly associated with more frequent engagement in diabetes self-management behaviors, both directly (p < .001) and through diabetes self-efficacy’s partial mediation of this relationship (p = .013). Depression was not significantly associated with either family support (support received, p = .281; support needed, p = .428) or self-management behaviors (p = .349).

Conclusions

Family support and diabetes self-efficacy may be important modifiable psychosocial factors to target via integrated care interventions aimed at supporting Latino/a/x patients with T2DM. Future research is needed to test empirically based, culturally adapted interventions to reduce T2DM-related health disparities in this population.
ChatGPT as a teaching tool: Preparing pathology residents for board examination with AI-generated digestive system pathology tests
Authors: Laohawetwanit Thiyaphat , Apornvirat Sompon , Kantasiripitak Charinee
Published: May 2024

Objectives

To evaluate the effectiveness of ChatGPT 4 in generating multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with explanations for pathology board examinations, specifically for digestive system pathology.

Methods

The customized ChatGPT 4 model was developed for MCQ and explanation generation. Expert pathologists evaluated content accuracy and relevance. These MCQs were then administered to pathology residents, followed by an analysis focusing on question difficulty, accuracy, item discrimination, and internal consistency.

Results

The customized ChatGPT 4 generated 80 MCQs covering various gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary topics. While the MCQs demonstrated moderate to high agreement in evaluation parameters such as content accuracy, clinical relevance, and overall quality, there were issues in cognitive level and distractor quality. The explanations were generally acceptable. Involving 9 residents with a median experience of 1 year, the average score was 57.4 (71.8%). Pairwise comparisons revealed a significant difference in performance between each year group (P < .01). The test analysis showed moderate difficulty, effective item discrimination (index = 0.15), and good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.74).

Conclusions

ChatGPT 4 demonstrated significant potential as a supplementary educational tool in medical education, especially in generating MCQs with explanations similar to those seen in board examinations. While artificial intelligence–generated content was of high quality, it necessitated refinement and expert review.
Sources of noise exposure across Australian workplaces: cross-sectional analysis and modelling the impact of a targeted noise-source reduction initiative
Authors: Lewkowski Kate , Heyworth Jane S , McCausland Kahlia , Williams Warwick , Fritschi Lin
Published: May 2024

Context

Workplace noise regulations and guidance follow the hierarchy of control model that prioritizes eliminating or reducing noise at its source.

Objectives

To determine the main sources of workplace noise exposure in the Australian working population and estimate the reduction of workers exposed over the noise limit (LAeq,8h > 85 dB) if noise levels of specific tools or equipment were reduced by 10 dB.

Methods

Information on the tools used and tasks performed during each participant’s last working shift was collected from 4,977 workers via telephone survey. Using a predetermined database of task-based noise levels, partial noise exposures (Pa2h) were determined for each noisy activity performed by the workers and their daily noise exposure level (LAeq,8h) was estimated. Partial exposures were categorized into 15 tool/task groups and the tally, average, and sum (Pa2h) for each group were calculated. The impacts of 5 different scenarios that simulated a reduction of 10 dB in noise emissions for specific tool groups were modelled.

Results

Powered tools and equipment were responsible for 59.3% of all noise exposure (Pa2h); vehicles for 10.6%; mining, refineries, and plant equipment for 5.1%; and manufacturing and food processing for 4.2%. Modelling demonstrated that a 10 dBA noise-level reduction of all powered tools and equipment would lead to a 26.4% (95% confidence interval: 22.7% to 30.3%) reduction of workers with an LAeq,8h > 85 dB. This could represent over 350,000 Australian workers no longer exposed above the workplace limit daily.

Conclusions

A universal reduction of 10 dB to power tools and equipment would substantially reduce the future burden of hearing loss, tinnitus, workplace injuries, and other health effects. Initiatives to reduce the noise emissions of specific powered tool groups are warranted.
A ‘withdrawal’ syndrome: counsel resignations in international arbitrations
Authors: Satish Ksheeraja , Satish Harshitha
Published: May 2024

The Russia–Ukraine conflict has grabbed the world’s attention as a grave breach of a state’s sovereignty. Among the several implications of the conflict, it has opened a Pandora’s box with counsel and law firms resigning from representing Russia and Russian entities in international legal proceedings including arbitrations. Counsel resignation, once completely within the decision-making of clients and counsel, has grown into an issue that requires third-party deliberations and adjudication. Though trite in law that a counsel and a client have mutual rights to end professional ties between each other, a counsel’s voluntary resignation in arbitration remains unexplored. This necessitates a global discussion as it directly encroaches upon the fundamental rule of law that every person has the right to be represented and defended. Thus, counsel resignation has been elevated to a moral quandary of professional obligations. The aim of this article is to draw a broad outline of the present legal position on counsel resignations, the conundrums surrounding it, and the scope of an arbitral tribunal’s jurisdiction to interfere in these matters.
Alkane-translocated cells of Rhodococcus strains utilize dissolved oxygen in the alkane phase of an aqueous-alkane two-phase culture
Authors: Iwabuchi Noriyuki , Takihara Hayato
Published: May 2024

To clarify the growth mechanisms of Rhodococcus in the alkane phase, we measured oxygen utilization in the alkane phase. The results showed that dissolved oxygen decreased significantly when viable cells were present in the alkane phase. The findings suggested that Rhodococcus strains can grow in alkanes and utilize the resident dissolved oxygen.
Mental Health Social Work Practice: Navigating Tensions
Authors: Whitaker Louise , Smith Fiona , Velander Fredrik , Petrakis Melissa , Deacon Emily , Simboli Tim , Clark Cynthia , Lue Julian , Rocca Amanda , Morris Brenda
Published: May 2024

The United Nations Special Rapporteur has called for ‘a revolution in mental health care to end decades of neglect, abuse and violence…enabl[ing] a long overdue shift to a rights-based approach’ (United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, 2017). Principles underpinning social work practice with people living with mental distress who receive diagnoses such as schizophrenia, personality disorders and bipolar disorder, align with sought after changes. Using Cooperative Inquiry and referring to the Model of Holistic Competence in Social Work, this study investigated mental health social work seeking to foster this shift. Findings confirmed inherent discordance between social work values and mental health care dominated by biomedical and neoliberal views. Upholding social work values in this context involves complex practice, integrating procedural and meta-competencies. By incorporating skills in relational practice and advocacy; knowledge of multiple explanatory frameworks for mental health and mental health systems literacy; self-regulation; fostering tenacity whilst addressing ‘othering’; and judgement informing choices around conformity and confrontation, social work navigates tensions associated with this discordance. This paper highlights the nature of values-based social work practice as aligned with mental health reforms.
Understanding the Needs of Children Living with Parental Substance Misuse: Perspectives from Children and Practitioners
Authors: Todman Hannah , McLaughlin Hugh
Published: May 2024

The findings presented here are from a qualitative research study, adopting creative research methods with seven children to provide an in-depth understanding of their lived experience of living with Parental substance misuse (PSM). The children’s data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. The research also included focus groups with twenty-two professionals which added further understanding to the children’s experiences. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory was adopted as a framework to structure the research data from the micro to the macrosystem. Key messages identified the need for children living with PSM to be seen and heard and offered specialist support in their own right. The children experienced multiple risk factors, which were often enduring, and did not reduce as they grew older. This research provided an understanding of the complex needs of children and the risk factors which reach beyond their immediate home environment. This article argues for change, including improved training for front line practitioners, specialist service provision for children not reliant on their parents’ engagement, and for policy change and financial resources for their implementation. It is proposed that this would bridge the gap between research and practice and lead to improved outcomes for children living with PSM.
The ubiquitin ligase STUB1 suppresses tumorigenesis of renal cell carcinomas through regulating YTHDF1 stability
Authors: Ma Siquan , Sun Yi , Gao Guoyao , Zeng Jin , Chen Ke , Zhao Zhenyu
Published: May 2024

STIP1 homology and U-box protein 1 (STUB1), a crucial member of the RING family E3 ubiquitin ligase, serve dual roles as an oncogene and a tumor suppressor in various human cancers. However, the role and mechanism of STUB1 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain poorly defined. Here, we identified YTHDF1 as a novel STUB1 interaction partner using affinity purification mass spectrometry. Furthermore, we revealed that STUB1 promotes the ubiquitination and degradation of YTHDF1. Consequently, STUB1 depletion leads to YTHDF1 upregulation in renal cancer cells. Functionally, STUB1 depletion promoted migration and invasion of ccRCC cells in a YTHDF1-dependent manner. Additionally, the depletion of STUB1 also increased the tumorigenic potential of ccRCC in a xenograft model. Importantly, STUB1 expression is downregulated in ccRCC tissues, and its low expression level correlates with advanced tumor stage and poor overall survival in ccRCC patients. Taken together, these findings reveal that STUB1 inhibits the tumorigenicity of ccRCC by regulating YTHDF1 stability.
Neural computations in prosopagnosia
Authors: Faghel-Soubeyrand Simon , Richoz Anne-Raphaelle , Waeber Delphine , Woodhams Jessica , Caldara Roberto , Gosselin Frédéric , Charest Ian
Published: May 2024

We report an investigation of the neural processes involved in the processing of faces and objects of brain-lesioned patient PS, a well-documented case of pure acquired prosopagnosia. We gathered a substantial dataset of high-density electrophysiological recordings from both PS and neurotypicals. Using representational similarity analysis, we produced time-resolved brain representations in a format that facilitates direct comparisons across time points, different individuals, and computational models. To understand how the lesions in PS’s ventral stream affect the temporal evolution of her brain representations, we computed the temporal generalization of her brain representations. We uncovered that PS’s early brain representations exhibit an unusual similarity to later representations, implying an excessive generalization of early visual patterns. To reveal the underlying computational deficits, we correlated PS’ brain representations with those of deep neural networks (DNN). We found that the computations underlying PS’ brain activity bore a closer resemblance to early layers of a visual DNN than those of controls. However, the brain representations in neurotypicals became more akin to those of the later layers of the model compared to PS. We confirmed PS’s deficits in high-level brain representations by demonstrating that her brain representations exhibited less similarity with those of a DNN of semantics.
Ten tips on how to care for your CKD patients in episodes of extreme heat
Authors: Khoshnaw Laveen J , Johnson Richard J , Young Sarah E
Published: May 2024

Climate change is responsible for ≈75% of extreme heat events throughout the world. Heat events are associated with an increased risk for acute kidney injury, which contributes to the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular events. Patients with CKD are especially vulnerable to heat stress for a variety of reasons. A disproportionate percentage of patients with CKD live in poverty; experience homelessness, mental illness or disabilities; work outside or are elderly, all demographics that overlap with populations most susceptible to episodes of extreme heat. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that exposure to episodes of extreme heat can lead to the progression of CKD and increases morbidity and mortality. Given these concerns, clinicians must be prepared to promptly recognize complications of heat in CKD patients and to help patients appropriately acclimate. We propose the following tips for clinicians to effectively care for their CKD patients during extreme heat days.
Failing to Hash Into Supersingular Isogeny Graphs
Authors: Booher Jeremy , Bowden Ross , Doliskani Javad , Boris Fouotsa Tako , Galbraith Steven D , Kunzweiler Sabrina , Merz Simon-Philipp , Petit Christophe , Smith Benjamin , Stange Katherine E , Ti Yan Bo , Vincent Christelle , Voloch José Felipe , Weitkämper Charlotte , Zobernig Lukas
Published: May 2024

An important open problem in supersingular isogeny-based cryptography is to produce, without a trusted authority, concrete examples of ‘hard supersingular curves’ that is equations for supersingular curves for which computing the endomorphism ring is as difficult as it is for random supersingular curves. A related open problem is to produce a hash function to the vertices of the supersingular $\ell $-isogeny graph, which does not reveal the endomorphism ring, or a path to a curve of known endomorphism ring. Such a hash function would open up interesting cryptographic applications. In this paper, we document a number of (thus far) failed attempts to solve this problem, in the hope that we may spur further research, and shed light on the challenges and obstacles to this endeavour. The mathematical approaches contained in this article include: (i) iterative root-finding for the supersingular polynomial; (ii) gcd’s of specialized modular polynomials; (iii) using division polynomials to create small systems of equations; (iv) taking random walks in the isogeny graph of abelian surfaces, and applying Kummer surfaces and (v) using quantum random walks.
Coverless Image Steganography Using Content-Based Image Patch Retrieval
Authors: Taheri Fatemeh , Rahbar Kambiz
Published: May 2024

Image steganography is the process of concealing secret information within a cover image. The main challenge of steganography is to ensure that the embedding process does not significantly alter the cover file. In this paper, instead of modifying a cover image to carry information, steganography is performed using a set of images. These images are selected from a dataset of natural images. Each image in the dataset is divided into a number of non-overlapping patches. Then, indexing of the patches is performed based on their features. The secret image is also divided into a set of non-overlapping patches. Similar versions of the patches in the secret image are searched in the dataset to identify candidate patches. The final candidate is selected by calculating the minimum distance between the feature vector of the patches in the secret image and the patches in the dataset. Finally, the receiver retrieves the secret image using the pieces of selected images. Since, instead of embedding information in a cover image, a set of patches from natural images are selected without any changes, this approach can resist change-tracking tools, as demonstrated by experimental results, and also offers the advantage of high embedding capacity.
Home Visits in School Social Work Practice: History, Best Practices, and Future Considerations
Authors: Ochocki Stephanie , Stalnecker Deirdre , Paschall Lou
Published: May 2024

Beginning in 1906, the teachers who developed the profession of school social work conducted home visits to bridge communication between the school and home. In the more than 100 years that the profession has continued, home visiting has remained a cornerstone. Despite its continued importance, there remains a lack of comprehensive instruction on how to conduct effective home visits within higher education or professional development programs. This article aims to address this gap by acknowledging the limited research focused specifically on home visiting in school social work and consults the broader home visiting research, applying it to the unique setting of school social work. This article will delve into the purpose and benefits of home visiting, strategies for effective data collection during visits, cultural competencies necessary for fostering productive outcomes, and safety considerations for school social workers. Through this exploration, this article’s authors aim to provide valuable insights and guidance for school social workers striving to enhance their practice and strengthen connections between schools and families.
Lunar-linked biological rhythms in the immune system of freshwater three-spined stickleback
Authors: Jackson Joseph A , Stewart Alexander , Cable Joanne
Published: May 2024

Immune responses are widely accepted to be under circadian regulation via a molecular clock, with many practical consequences, but much less is known of how other biological rhythms could affect the immune system. In this study, we search for lunar rhythms (circalunar, circasemilunar, and circatidal cycles) in the immune expression of the recently marine-derived freshwater fish, the low-plate morph of the three-spined stickleback. We employed time series of immune expression (mRNA) measurements for 14 immune-associated genes, representing a variety of immunological pathways. Times series measurements were taken on fish populations in the wild, in seminatural outdoor mesocosms, and in the laboratory, according to sampling regimens originally designed to study circannual variation but with the additional potential to provide information about lunar variation. Our evidence best supported the existence of a very small endogenous tidal rhythm. This is consistent with previous suggestions of the existence of a primordial tidal endogenous clock, some elements of which may be conserved in animals evolving outside the marine environment.
Coexistence of variant-type transthyretin and immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis: a case report
Authors: Eda Yuko , Ishii Shunsuke , Onagi Suzuho , Katoh Nagaaki , Ako Junya
Published: May 2024

Background

Determining the type of amyloid deposits is clinically important for choosing the specific therapies for cardiac amyloidosis.

Case summary

A 78-year-old woman who had been experiencing fluid retention and dyspnoea on exertion for 6 months was referred to our hospital for the management of heart failure with left ventricular hypertrophy. Since 99mTc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate scintigraphy showed mild cardiac uptake and significant elevation of serum free lambda chain (with a difference of 263 mg/L in free light chain), we suspected immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis (AL), and endomyocardial biopsy was performed. The deposit site within the myocardial tissue exhibited positive for Congo red staining and transthyretin immunostaining, however negative or non-specific for light-chain immunostaining including lambda and kappa staining. Genetic testing confirmed a mutation in V122I, variant-type transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv). Despite the administration of patisiran, her condition exhibited progressive deterioration. Additionally, she displayed macroglossia, an atypical manifestation in ATTRv amyloidosis. Further biopsies from tongue and abdominal wall fat culminated in a final diagnosis: the coexistence of ATTRv and AL (of the lambda type). Although treatment with melphalan and dexamethasone was started, she passed away 24 months after the initial visit. When the endomyocardial biopsy specimen underwent mass spectrometry as a post hoc analysis, both ATTR and AL amyloid were significantly detected.

Discussion

Coexistence of ATTRv and AL within cardiac amyloidosis is extremely uncommon. In situations where incongruities arise between the amyloid type determined via immunohistochemistry findings and the amyloid type assumed based on other clinical findings, mass spectrometry should be considered.
Using “Adopt a Bacterium” as an e-learning tool for simultaneously teaching microbiology to different health-related university courses
Authors: dos Santos Hadassa Cristhina de Azevedo Soares , Armellini Bárbara Rodrigues Cintra , Naves Giovanna Lello , Bueris Vanessa , Moreno Ana Carolina Ramos , Ferreira Rita de Cássia Café
Published: May 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges for education, particularly in undergraduate teaching. In this study, we report on the experience of how a private university successfully addressed this challenge through an active methodology applied to a microbiology discipline offered remotely to students from various health-related courses (veterinary, physiotherapy, nursing, biomedicine, and nutrition). Remote teaching was combined with the “Adopt a Bacterium” methodology, implemented for the first time on Google Sites. The distance learning activity notably improved student participation in microbiology discussions, both through word cloud analysis and the richness of discourse measured by the Shannon index. Furthermore, feedback from students about the e-learning approach was highly positive, indicating its effectiveness in motivating and involving students in the learning process. The results also demonstrate that despite being offered simultaneously to students, the methodology allowed for the acquisition of specialized knowledge within each course and sparked student interest in various aspects of microbiology. In conclusion, the remote “Adopt a Bacterium” methodology facilitated knowledge sharing among undergraduate students from different health-related courses and represented a valuable resource in distance microbiology education.
Multispecies bacterial invasion of human host cells
Authors: Abell-King Charlotte , Pokhrel Alaska , Rice Scott A , Duggin Iain G , Söderström Bill
Published: May 2024

Urinary tract infection (UTI), one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide, is a typical example of an infection that is often polymicrobial in nature. While the overall infection course is known on a macroscale, bacterial behavior is not fully understood at the cellular level and bacterial pathophysiology during multispecies infection is not well characterized. Here, using clinically relevant bacteria, human epithelial bladder cells and human urine, we establish co-infection models combined with high resolution imaging to compare single- and multi-species bladder cell invasion events in three common uropathogens: uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis. While all three species invaded the bladder cells, under flow conditions the Gram-positive E. faecalis was significantly less invasive compared to the Gram-negative UPEC and K. pneumoniae. When introduced simultaneously during an infection experiment, all three bacterial species sometimes invaded the same bladder cell, at differing frequencies suggesting complex interactions between bacterial species and bladder cells. Inside host cells, we observed encasement of E. faecalis colonies specifically by UPEC. During subsequent dispersal from the host cells, only the Gram-negative bacteria underwent infection-related filamentation (IRF). Taken together, our data suggest that bacterial multispecies invasions of single bladder cells are frequent and support earlier studies showing intraspecies cooperation on a biochemical level during UTI.
What Frailty Can Tell Us About Successful Ageing: Towards a Different Paradigm for Ageing Well
Authors: Pickard Susan
Published: May 2024

This paper considers the concept of successful aging by means of a dialogue with the concept of frailty. This dialogue reveals the limits and blind spots of both concepts as well as their apparent dichotomy and the importance of understanding both the objective and subjective experience of aging. In particular, the dialogue highlights that both frailty and successful aging are social constructs that derive their meaning from what society values (autonomy, youthful capacities). They cannot by themselves account for the fact that flourishing and frailty are often found together whilst conversely successful aging may not bring satisfaction. I argue that the arts and humanities supply us with conceptual and methodological tools with which to revisit what it is to age well offering a holistic approach that combines sensitivity both to older people’s lived experience and to the underpinning material conditions and embodied realities. For this purpose, and building on previous scholarship in cultural gerontology, I suggest the unique value of concepts and frameworks associated by Simone de Beauvoir. When brought into alignment with the tenets of cultural and narrative gerontology, these concepts facilitate a rich understanding of the nuances and paradoxes of flourishing in deep old age which can also aid in restorying both old age and the life course more generally. I illustrate this through two examples: a feminist self-help guide to aging, which accepts both limitations and growth and a film that imagines the possibilities of authentic aging even despite a context of poverty, patriarchy, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Unleashing the potential of Health Promotion in primary care—a scoping literature review
Authors: Bisak Adela , Stafström Martin
Published: May 2024

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the role and extent of health promotion lifestyle interventions targeting adults in primary care, and especially those who are considered overall healthy, i.e. to study the outcomes of research applying salutogenesis. We performed a literature review, with three specific aims. First, to identify studies that have targeted the healthy population in intervention within the primary health care field with health promotion activities. Second, to describe these interventions in terms of which health problems they have targeted and what the interventions have entailed. Third, to assess what these programs have resulted in, in terms of health outcomes. This scoping review of 42 studies, that applied salutogenesis in primary care interventions shows that health promotion targeting healthy individuals is relevant and effective. The PRISMA-ScR guidelines for reporting on scoping review were used. Most interventions were successful in reducing disease-related risks including CVD, CVD mortality, all-cause mortality, but even more importantly success in behavioural change, sustained at follow-up. Additionally, this review shows that health promotion lifestyle interventions can improve mental health, even when having different aims.
Fertility preservation before cancer treatment: the dilemma of saying ‘no’ as the price of glory
Authors: Grynberg Michaël , Sermondade Nathalie
Published: May 2024

A great deal of work has been carried out by professionals in reproductive medicine in order to raise awareness about fertility preservation (FP) techniques, particularly for women, and to ensure that FP is included in the care of young adults treated for cancer or a pathology requiring gonadotoxic treatment. If the importance of the development of our discipline is obvious, our militancy in favour of FP and our emotional projections must not make us forget that medical thinking must be carried out not only on a case-by-case basis, weighing up the benefit-risk balance, but also without losing sight that conceiving a child with one’s own gametes is not a vital issue. The cultural importance given to the genetic link with offspring may bias patients’ and physicians’ decisions, while other ways of achieving parenthood exist, and are often more effective. Systematic information should be provided on the existence of FP techniques, but this should not lead to their systematic implementation, nor should it obscure that early information will also allow patients to begin projecting themselves in alternative options to become parents.
Modeling Population Growth under Climate Stressors Using Age-Structured Matrix Models
Authors: Wada Haruka , Choi Wonil , Coutts Victoria M , Hoffman Alexander J , Steury Todd D
Published: May 2024

Synopsis

Climate resilience, a focus of many recent studies, has been examined from ecological, physiological, and evolutionary perspectives. However, sampling biases toward adults, males, and certain species have made establishing the link between environmental change and population-level change problematic. Here, we used data from four laboratory studies, in which we administered pre- and postnatal stressors, such as suboptimal incubation temperature, heat stress, and food restriction, to zebra finches. We then quantified hatching success, posthatch survival, and reproductive success, to parameterize age-structured population dynamics models with the goal of estimating the effect of the stressors on relative population growth rates. Using the same model structure, we tested the hypothesis that early life stages influence population growth rate more than later life stages. Our models suggested that stressful events during embryonic development, such as suboptimal incubation temperatures and reduced gas exchange for the embryos, have a greater total impact on population growth than posthatch stressors, such as heat stress and food restriction. However, among life history traits, differences in hatching success and sex ratio of offspring in response to stressors changed population growth rates more than differences in any other demographic rate estimates. These results suggest that when predicting population resilience against climate change, it is critical to account for effects of climate change on all life stages, including early stages of life, and to incorporate individuals’ physiology and stress tolerance that likely influence future stress responses, reproduction, and survival.
Staphylococcus aureus Conquers Host by Hijacking Mitochondria via PFKFB3 in Epithelial Cells
Authors: Gao Xing , Feng Shiyuan , Wu Binfeng , Liu Laizhen , Xu Yuanyuan , Zhang Jinqiu , Miao Jinfeng
Published: May 2024

Staphylococcus aureus persists within mammary epithelial cells for an extended duration, exploiting the host metabolic resources to facilitate replication. This study revealed a mechanism by which intracellular S aureus reprograms host metabolism, with PFKFB3 playing a crucial role in this process. Mechanistically, S aureus induced mitochondrial damage, leading to increased levels of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and dysfunction in the electron transport chain. Moreover, S aureus shifted the balance of mitochondrial dynamics from fusion to fission, subsequently activating PINK1-PRKN–dependent mitophagy, causing loss of sirtuin 3 to stabilize hypoxic inducible factor 1α, and shifting the host metabolism toward enhanced glycolysis. The inhibition of PFKFB3 reversed the mitochondrial damage and degradation of sirtuin 3 induced by S aureus. Overall, our findings elucidate the mechanism by which S aureus reprograms host metabolism, thereby offering insights into the treatment of S aureus infection.
Interactions between the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium and siderophore-producing cyanobacterium Synechococcus under iron limitation
Authors: Sun Xumei , Xiao Yan , Yong Chengwen , Sun Hansheng , Li Shuangqing , Huang Hailong , Jiang Haibo
Published: May 2024

As diazotrophic cyanobacteria of tremendous biomass, Trichodesmium continuously provide a nitrogen source for carbon-fixing cyanobacteria and drive the generation of primary productivity in marine environments. However, ocean iron deficiencies limit growth and metabolism of Trichodesmium. Recent studies have shown the co-occurrence of Trichodesmium and siderophore-producing Synechococcus in iron-deficient oceans, but whether siderophores secreted by Synechococcus can be used by Trichodesmium to adapt to iron deficiency is not clear. We constructed a mutant Synechococcus strain unable to produce siderophores to explore this issue. Synechococcus filtrates with or without siderophores were added into a Trichodesmium microbial consortium consisting of Trichodesmium erythraeum IMS 101 as the dominant microbe with chronic iron deficiency. By analyzing the physiological phenotype, metagenome, and metatranscriptome, we investigated the interactions between the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Tricodesmium and siderophore-producing cyanobacterium Synechococcus under conditions of iron deficiency. The results indicated that siderophores secreted by Synechococcus are likely to chelate with free iron in the culture medium of the Trichodesmium consortium, reducing the concentration of bioavailable iron and posing greater challenges to the absorption of iron by Trichodesmium. These findings revealed the characteristics of iron-competitive utilization between diazotrophic cyanobacteria and siderophore-producing cyanobacteria, as well as potential interactions, and provide a scientific basis for understanding the regulatory effects of nutrient limitation on marine primary productivity.