bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selective agonism of GPR34 stimulates microglial uptake and clearance of amyloid β fibrils
Authors: Etani Hayato , Takatori Sho , Wang Wenbo , Omi Jumpei , Akahori Aika , Watanabe Hirotaka , Sonn Iki , Okano Hideyuki , Hara Norikazu , Hasegawa Mai , Miyashita Akinori , Kikuchi Masataka , Ikeuchi Takeshi , Morishima Maho , Saito Yuko , Murayama Shigeo , Saito Takashi , Saido Takaomi C , Takai Toshiyuki , Ohwada Tomohiko , Aoki Junken , Tomita Taisuke
Published: May 2024

Microglia, the primary immune cells of the central nervous system, play a crucial role in maintaining brain homeostasis through phagocytosis of various substrates, including amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrils, a hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating microglial Aβ uptake remain poorly understood. Here, we identified GPR34, a Gi/o-coupled receptor highly expressed in microglia, as a novel regulator of fibrillar Aβ phagocytosis. Treatment with a selective GPR34 agonist, M1, specifically enhanced uptake of Aβ fibrils, but not its monomer or oligomer, in both mouse and human microglia. Mechanistically, M1 reduced intracellular cAMP levels, which inversely correlated with Aβ uptake activity. Importantly, a single intrahippocampal injection of M1 in an AD mouse model significantly increased microglial Aβ uptake in vivo. Furthermore, single-nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis of Japanese AD patient samples revealed a significant reduction of GPR34 expression in microglia from AD patients compared to controls. We also observed an age-dependent decline in microglial GPR34 expression in both human and mouse datasets, suggesting a potential contribution of GPR34 downregulation to age-related Aβ accumulation and AD risk. Collectively, our findings identify GPR34 as a promising target for modulating microglial Aβ clearance and highlight the therapeutic potential of GPR34 agonists in AD.

Significance statement

Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation in the brain. Microglia, the brain’s immune cells, play a crucial role in the metabolism of Aβ. We discovered that activating the microglial receptor GPR34 with a selective agonist enhances the phagocytosis of Aβ fibrils, a key pathogenic form of Aβ. Importantly, GPR34 expression decreases with aging and AD progression, potentially contributing to impaired Aβ clearance. Our findings highlight GPR34 as a promising therapeutic target for AD, as boosting its activity could promote Aβ clearance and slow disease progression. This study provides valuable insights into microglial function in AD and offers a novel strategy for developing disease-modifying therapies.
Paradoxical replay can protect contextual task representations from destructive interference when experience is unbalanced
Authors: Chen Hung-Tu , van der Meer Matthijs A. A.
Published: May 2024

Experience replay is a powerful mechanism to learn efficiently from limited experience. Despite several decades of compelling experimental results, the factors that determine which experiences are selected for replay remain unclear. A particular challenge for current theories is that on tasks that feature unbalanced experience, rats paradoxically replay the less-experienced trajectory. To understand why, we simulated a feedforward neural network with two regimes: rich learning (structured representations tailored to task demands) and lazy learning (unstructured, task-agnostic representations). Rich, but not lazy, representations degraded following unbalanced experience, an effect that could be reversed with paradoxical replay. To test if this computational principle can account for the experimental data, we examined the relationship between paradoxical replay and learned task representations in the rat hippocampus. Strikingly, we found a strong association between the richness of learned task representations and the paradoxicality of replay. Taken together, these results suggest that paradoxical replay specifically serves to protect rich representations from the destructive effects of unbalanced experience, and more generally demonstrate a novel interaction between the nature of task representations and the function of replay in artificial and biological systems.

Highlights

We provide an explicit normative explanation and simulations of the experimentally observed puzzle of “paradoxical replay”, which we show can serve to protect certain task representations from the destructive effects of unbalanced experience

We confirm with new analyses the main prediction of the theory, that “rich” task representations, measured using representational distance in the rodent hippocampus, show more paradoxical replay compared to “lazy” task representations

Our theory refines the notion of consolidation in complementary learning systems theory in showing that not all task representations benefit equally from interleaving, and provides an example of how the use of replay in artificial neural networks can be optimized
O-GalNAc glycans enrich in white matter tracts and regulate nodes of Ranvier
Authors: Noel Maxence , Suttapitugsakul Suttipong , Cummings Richard D. , Mealer Robert G.
Published: May 2024

Protein O-glycosylation is a critical modification in the brain, as genetic variants in the pathway are associated with both common and severe neuropsychiatric phenotypes. However, little is known about the most abundant type of O-glycan in the mammalian brain, which are O-GalNAc linked. Here, we determined the spatial localization, protein carriers, and cellular function of O-GalNAc glycans in mouse brain. We observed striking spatial enrichment of O-GalNAc glycans in white matter tracts and at nodes of Ranvier. Glycoproteomic analysis revealed that more than half of the identified O-GalNAc glycans were present on chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans termed lecticans, and display both domain enrichment and site-specific heterogeneity. Though genetic ablation in a single cell type failed to replicate the severe phenotypes seen in congenital disorders, inhibition of O-GalNAc synthesis in neurons reduced binding of Siglec-4, a known regulator neurite growth, and shortened the length of nodes of Ranvier. This work highlights a new function of O-GalNAc glycans in the brain and will inform future studies on their role in development and disease.
A Mutation inTmem135Causes Progressive Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Kim Mi-Jung , Simms Shion , Behnammanesh Ghazaleh , Honkura Yohei , Suzuki Jun , Park Hyo-Jin , Milani Marcus , Katori Yukio , Bird Jonathan E , Ikeda Akihiro , Someya Shinichi
Published: May 2024

Transmembrane protein 135 (TMEM135) is a 52 kDa protein with five predicted transmembrane domains that is highly conserved across species. Previous studies have shown that TMEM135 is involved in mitochondrial dynamics, thermogenesis, and lipid metabolism in multiple tissues; however, its role in the inner ear or the auditory system is unknown. We investigated the function of TMEM135 in hearing using wild-type (WT) andTmem135FUN025/FUN025(FUN025) mutant mice on a CBA/CaJ background, a normal-hearing mouse strain. AlthoughFUN025mice displayed normal auditory brainstem response (ABR) at 1 month, we observed significantly elevated ABR thresholds at 8, 16, and 64 kHz by 3 months, which progressed to profound hearing loss by 12 months. Consistent with our auditory testing, 13-month-oldFUN025mice exhibited a severe loss of outer hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea. Our results using BaseScopein situhybridization indicate that TMEM135 is expressed in the inner hair cells, outer hair cells, and supporting cells. Together, these results demonstrate that theFUN025mutation inTmem135causes progressive sensorineural hearing loss, and suggest that TMEM135 is crucial for maintaining key cochlear cell types and normal sensory function in the aging cochlea.
Analysis of COF-300 synthesis: probing degradation processes and 3D electron diffraction structure
Authors: Bourda Laurens , Bhandary Subhrajyoti , Ito Sho , Göb Christian R. , Van Der Voort Pascal , Van Hecke Kristof
Published: May 2024

Although COF-300 is often used as an example to study the synthesis and structure of (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs), knowledge of the underlying synthetic processes is still fragmented. Here, an optimized synthetic procedure based on a combination of linker protection and modulation was applied. Using this approach, the influence of time and temperature on the synthesis of COF-300 was studied. Synthesis times that were too short produced materials with limited crystallinity and porosity, lacking the typical pore flexibility associated with COF-300. On the other hand, synthesis times that were too long could be characterized by loss of crystallinity and pore order by degradation of the tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)methane (TAM) linker used. The presence of the degradation product was confirmed by visual inspection, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As TAM is by far the most popular linker for the synthesis of 3D COFs, this degradation process might be one of the reasons why the development of 3D COFs is still lagging compared with 2D COFs. However, COF crystals obtained via an optimized procedure could be structurally probed using 3D electron diffraction (3DED). The 3DED analysis resulted in a full structure determination of COF-300 at atomic resolution with satisfying data parameters. Comparison of our 3DED-derived structural model with previously reported single-crystal X-ray diffraction data for this material, as well as parameters derived from the Cambridge Structural Database, demonstrates the high accuracy of the 3DED method for structure determination. This validation might accelerate the exploitation of 3DED as a structure determination technique for COFs and other porous materials.
A step towards 6D WAXD tensor tomography
Authors: Zhao Xiaoyi , Dong Zheng , Zhang Chenglong , Gupta Himadri , Wu Zhonghua , Hua Wenqiang , Zhang Junrong , Huang Pengyu , Dong Yuhui , Zhang Yi
Published: May 2024

X-ray scattering/diffraction tensor tomography techniques are promising methods to acquire the 3D texture information of heterogeneous biological tissues at micrometre resolution. However, the methods suffer from a long overall acquisition time due to multi-dimensional scanning across real and reciprocal space. Here, a new approach is introduced to obtain 3D reciprocal information of each illuminated scanning volume using mathematic modeling, which is equivalent to a physical scanning procedure for collecting the full reciprocal information required for voxel reconstruction. The virtual reciprocal scanning scheme was validated by a simulated 6D wide-angle X-ray diffraction tomography experiment. The theoretical validation of the method represents an important technological advancement for 6D diffraction tensor tomography and a crucial step towards pervasive applications in the characterization of heterogeneous materials.
A stranger with your door key: are we mistaking alienation for place attachment?
Authors: Cheek Wesley
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Scholars of disaster have discussed how place attachment affects the disaster landscape. The rupture of self from home, of familiar into strange and disconnected is explored through this lens. I propose in this paper that it is possible that what we are seeing is not a sudden disruption of place attachment, but an ongoing process of alienation.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper I discuss the concepts of both place attachment and alienation. In particular I explore Marx’s concept of alienation. I then look at examples from disaster research and identify instances and concepts that can be better interpreted as an ongoing process of alienation.

Findings

I find that, when using Marx’s framework of alienation, we can take examples from disaster studies that might appear as a sudden disruption of place attachment and critically examine them as cases of alienation.

Originality/value

This exploration of disaster theory offers a new framework for bringing together urban theory, in particular critical urban theory, with disaster research.
How to animate learners to persist in learning massive open online courses? An application of the stimulus-organism-response paradigm
Authors: Cheng Yung-Ming
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to propose a research model based on the stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) model to examine whether network externality, personalization and sociability as environmental feature antecedents to learners’ learning engagement (LE) can influence their learning persistence (LP) in massive open online courses (MOOCs).

Design/methodology/approach

Sample data for this study were collected from learners who had experience in taking MOOCs provided by the MOOC platform launched by a well-known university in Taiwan, and 371 usable questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modeling in this study.

Findings

This study proved that learners’ perceived network externality, personalization and sociability in MOOCs positively affected their cognitive LE, psychological LE and social LE elicited by MOOCs, which jointly led to their LP in MOOCs. The results support all proposed hypotheses, and the research model accounts for 76.2% of the variance in learners’ LP in MOOCs.

Originality/value

This study uses the S–O–R model as a theoretical base to construct learners’ LP in MOOCs as a series of the inner process, which is affected by network externality, personalization and sociability. It is worth noting that three psychological constructs including cognitive LE, psychological LE and social LE are used to represent learners’ organismic states of MOOCs usage. To date, hedonic/utilitarian concepts are more often adopted as organisms in previous studies using the S–O–R model, and psychological constructs have received lesser attention. Hence, this study’ contribution on the application of capturing psychological constructs for completely expounding three types of environmental features as antecedents to learners’ LP in MOOCs is well documented.
To be or not to be mindful at work. Analysis of the effects on psychological strain and job satisfaction
Authors: Lohrmann Hannah , Tirrel Henning
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to uncover the theoretical role and the effects of mindfulness on psychological strain as well as job satisfaction among young German employees. The study took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a stressful time for German employees. Thus, the role of mindfulness should be explained.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 198 participants was used for analysing the relationships by applying partial least squares structural equal modelling.

Findings

This study highlights that, in the working context, mindfulness was statistically significantly and negatively related to psychological strain (ß = −0.498, p < 0.000) and positively as well as statistically significantly related to job satisfaction (ß = 0.263, p < 0.000). Furthermore, psychological strain is negatively but statistically significant related to job satisfaction (ß = −0.207, p < 0.017). Additionally, psychological strain mediates the relationship between mindfulness and job satisfaction positively and significantly (ß = 0.103, p < 0.026).

Originality/value

This study contributes by firstly setting up a conceptual model that explicitly uncovers the paramount importance of mindfulness at work in relation to job satisfaction. Moreover, the authors contribute by highlighting that psychological strain is negatively affected by mindfulness. To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first study examining this interplay and setting up a new conceptual model.
Outnumbered and outranked: a macrostructural snapshot of gendered inequalities in higher academia in Jordan
Authors: Hawatmeh Christina Zacharia , Abu Hashish Iman , Alazzeh Rawand Rami
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This article aims to illuminate the gendered organisational structure of higher education in Jordan by collecting and analysing a national-level snapshot of the current distribution of women and men in leadership positions and academic ranks across Jordanian universities to pinpoint inequalities in specific levels and fields.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded in gendered organisational theory, this study presents a snapshot of the gender composition of 10 public and 14 private universities in Jordan. The snapshot, collected in September 2022 from these universities’ websites, examines counts of male and female administrative leaders as well as academic staff across all ranks for all faculties in both STEM and liberal arts fields.

Findings

The distribution of women and men in leadership positions in universities across Jordan is highly unequal, with men outnumbering women in the uppermost positions by nearly 10:1. This gap decreases as the rank of positions decreases, indicative of a highly gendered organisational structure, with only three to four fields approaching gender parity.

Research limitations/implications

This paper offers a comprehensive and detailed quantitative foundation for researchers to investigate the underlying social, cultural, legal, political and economic factors perpetuating gender inequality in academia in Jordan and in comparative studies.

Practical implications

This study is relevant for targeting policies for advancing sustainable development goals, specifically 5.5, which aim at women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making.

Originality/value

This study provides the most detailed and extensive macro-level analysis of the gender composition of universities in Jordan.
Effect of blockchain technology adoption on construction supply chain: a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach
Authors: Okanlawon Taofeek Tunde , Oyewobi Luqman Oyekunle , Jimoh Richard Ajayi
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The construction industry is frequently scrutinised by the public for a variety of issues, including waste, inefficiency, narrow profit margins, scheduling setbacks, budget overruns, quality concerns, trust deficits, transparency issues, coordination challenges, communication issues and fraud. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effect of blockchain technology adoption on the construction supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a quantitative research approach through a questionnaire survey that was conducted among professionals in the Nigerian construction industry using the snowball sampling method, which resulted in a selection of 155 respondents. The collected data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling, enabling a thorough assessment of the proposed relationships and offering valuable insights specific to the construction industry.

Findings

The study’s findings validated the conceptual framework established. The results indicated that implementing blockchain across all stages of the construction supply chain has the potential to improve the construction process. The study also revealed that blockchain technology will significantly affect the construction supply chain in a positive manner.

Research limitations/implications

This research was carried out in the South-western region which is one of the six geo-political zones in Nigeria using a cross-sectional survey method. The study holds implications not only for local construction practices but will also contribute to the broader discourse on national construction sector challenges and possible solutions.

Practical implications

The findings of this study will be immensely beneficial to both professionals, practitioners and stakeholders in the Nigerian construction industry in learning about the potential of blockchain technology application in improving the construction supply chain.

Originality/value

The study in this paper constructed and evaluated a conceptual framework by exploring the connections between the variables. The results have significant implications for the construction sector, as they provide avenues for enhancing the construction process and the overall supply chain. These findings are valuable for researchers examining the potential effects of blockchain technology on the construction supply chain.
Quality of accounting graduates and employers’ expectationsin Ghana
Authors: Gyekye Kwabena Agyarko , Amo Ophelia
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the skills expected by employers and the skills demonstrated by accounting graduates with data from 160 employers of accounting graduates in Ghana. From the perspective of employers, the authors compare the expected skills to the skills demonstrated by accounting graduates and identify any significant gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

One-way analysis of variance, T-tests and factor analysis are used to test significant gaps that exist between expected and demonstrated skills by employers and accounting graduates using survey questionnaires and purposive sampling.

Findings

The results reveal that there are significant gaps between the expected skills of employers and the demonstrated skills of accounting graduates. The authors find generic skills to be more expected by employers, while technical skills are demonstrated most by accounting graduates. The top five skills expected by employers are: business ethics and integrity; problem solving and decision analysis; written communication skills; learning skills; and application of accounting principles.

Research limitations/implications

The study focuses only on organizations that use fresh accounting graduates in Ghana. Further studies may consider other business-related fields like finance, human resource management and marketing.

Practical implications

The study provides insights on standards that serve as benchmarks for the conduct of accounting graduates as well as the development of accounting curriculum in Ghana. Accounting education should incorporate work-integrated learning as part of their curriculum to enable accounting graduates to solve problems and make decisions through a practical application of accounting principles, standards and concepts, especially in conducting audit and writing reports.

Originality/value

This study fills the gap in the literature on accounting education from employers’ perspectives in a developing country. It conducts a comparative analysis between the most important skills required by employers and the ones demonstrated by accounting graduates to provide insights on standards that should serve as benchmarks for the development of the accounting curriculum from an emerging economy perspective.
Strategic alternatives for Muslim-friendly homestay in Sabah Malaysia: a SWOT/TOWS analysis
Authors: Lada Suddin , Chekima Brahim , Ansar Rudy , Lim Ming Fook , Bouteraa Mohamed , Abdul Adis Azaze-Azizi , Abd Karim Mohd Rahimie , Yong Kelvin
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the Muslim-friendly homestay business in Malaysia to help identify and recommend practical strategies to capitalize on the strengths and potentials while overcoming the current shortcomings and threats.

Design/methodology/approach

The Muslim-friendly business owner and operators in Sabah, Malaysia, were the subject of a series of focus groups and expert opinion interviews. The data was transcribed, and then the variables were categorized into the four SWOT categories using content and thematic analysis. Meanwhile, threats, opportunities, weaknesses and strengths (TOWS) analysis is used to identify the best strategy alternatives.

Findings

The SWOT analysis identifies several strengths (e.g. diverse and unique Islamic culture and heritage [S1], iconic Islamic landmarks [S2], rich natural beauty [S3], well-established halal tourism industry [S4]); weaknesses (e.g. limited awareness [W1], limited infrastructure and facilities [W2], limited human resources and trained personnel [W3], lack of Islamic tourism products and experiences [W4]); opportunities (e.g. growing demand for Islamic tourism [O1], increasing disposable income [O2], potential for collaborations [O3], potential for partnerships [O4], potential for expanding Sabah’s halal tourism offerings [O5]); and threats (e.g. competition [T1], political instability [T2], economic downturns [T3] and environmental and social challenges [T4]).

Practical implications

This paper could serve as a guideline and supplementary information for stakeholders in the homestay industry to grasp their business environment better.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its type to blend SWOT and TOWS analysis with the sector of Muslim-friendly homestays. Hence, the findings might expand understanding of the Muslim-friendly homestays industry and aid businesses in penetrating this growing market.
A legal walk of Sheffield: foregrounding the everyday presence of law in the city
Authors: Kanellopoulou Evgenia (Jenny) , Lalor Kay , Bennett Luke
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This account becomes both a theoretical and a methodological exploration of walking with the law; as such the purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how we migh walk in order to attend to how the law makes the built environment possible, how it shapes and creates places to be lived in, visited and experienced and how the law manifests in human encounters and interactions in the everyday life of the city.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors combine a walking narrative approach with an open-ended interview to raise awareness of the law’s hidden presence in the urban environment. The authors explore the city of Sheffield, in Yorkshire, in the North of England, to learn about its past, regeneration and future development by combining the appreciation of the built environment, as experienced by the senses and movement, with a guided tour.

Findings

This study highlights the interconnectivity of law and place both objectively and subjectively: the authors discuss sensorial experiences of law, and also elaborate on the normativity of law, as manifested in the regulation and the making of urban places in Sheffield.

Originality/value

The originality lies in the combination of methods used to appreciate the manifestation of law in the built environment, comprising interview, autoethnographic elements and walking (multisensory experience).
A defect contour imaging method of small diameter pipeline based on self-made three-dimensional magnetic sensor
Authors: Yang Qiang , Xia Tianfei , Zhang Lijia , Zhou Ziye , Guo Dequan , Gu Ao , Zeng Xucai , Wang Ping
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use the corresponding magnetic sensor and detection method to detect and image the defects of small diameter pipelines. Urban gas pipeline is an energy transportation tool for urban industrial production and social life, which is closely related to urban safety. Preventing the occurrence of urban gas pipeline transportation accidents and carrying out pipeline defect detection are of great significance for the urban economic and social stability. To perform pipeline defect detection, the magnetic flux leakage internal detection method is generally used in the detection of large-diameter long-distance oil and gas pipelines. However, in terms of the internal detection of small-diameter pipelines, due to the heavy weight, large structure of the detection device and small pipe diameter, the detection is more difficult.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to solve the above matters, self-made three-dimensional magnetic sensor and three-dimensional magnetic flux leakage imaging direct method are proposed for studying the defect identification. Firstly, for adapting to the diameter range of small-diameter pipelines, and containing the complete information of the defect, a self-made three-dimensional magnetic sensor is made in this paper to improve the accuracy of magnetic flux leakage detection. And on the basis of it, a small diameter pipeline defect detection system is built. Secondly, as detection signal may be affected by background magnetic field interference and the jitter interference, the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise method is utilized to screen the detected signal. As a result, the useful signal is reconstructed and the interference signal is removed. Finally, the defect contour inversion imaging of detection is realized based on the direct method of three-dimensional magnetic flux leakage imaging, which includes three-dimensional magnetic flux leakage detection data and data segmentation recognition.

Findings

The three-dimensional magnetic flux leakage imaging experimental results shown that, compared to the actual defects, the typical defects, irregular defects and crack groove defects can be analyzed by the magnetic flux leakage defect contour imaging method in qualitative and quantitative way respectively, which provides a new idea for the research of defect recognition.

Originality/value

A three-dimensional magnetic sensor is made to adapt the diameter range of small diameter pipeline, and based on it, a small-diameter pipeline defect detection system is built to collect and display the magnetic flux leakage signal.
New horizons in gerotranscendence interventions. Targeting nursing home staff members and other caregivers: a scoping review
Authors: Abreu Taiane , Araujo Lia , Teixeira Laetitia , Ribeiro Oscar
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The aim of this scoping review is to describe the published gerotranscendence interventions targeting older adults’ caregivers and their outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Six databases were searched, and three studies were selected for analysis: one short-term quasi-experimental study and two observational studies.

Findings

The interventions consisted in an instructional moment about the gerotranscendence theory and a moment for sharing personal perceptions.

Originality/value

Gerotranscendence interventions can be essential for the caregivers to have a better relationship with the older adults, as they could improve their perception on their needs. Even though the interventions presented promising results benefiting caregivers and older adults, none of the studies confirmed that these changes persisted in the long term and additional studies are needed to robustly investigate this subject.
Multiple‐stressor effects on leaf litter decomposition in freshwater ecosystems: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Medina Madariaga Graciela , Ferreira Verónica , Arora Roshni , Mansour India , David Gwendoline M. , Jähnig Sonja C. , He Fengzhi
Published: May 2024

Recent years have witnessed a surge in research on the effects of multiple stressors in freshwater ecosystems. While studies have increased, the synthesis of their findings into a broader understanding of ecosystem‐level effects remains an ongoing endeavour. Leaf litter decomposition, a frequently investigated and pivotal ecosystem function in freshwaters, is sensitive to changes in abiotic conditions and biotic communities, and therefore susceptible to multiple‐stressor effects.

Here, we synthesize findings from 27 manipulative experimental studies encompassing 61 responses of litter decomposition to paired stressors such as warming, nutrient enrichment and emerging pollutants in freshwater ecosystems. We calculated the individual and overall interaction effect sizes resulting from two stressors occurring simultaneously. Furthermore, we analysed the effect of moderator variables in the size and direction of interaction effect sizes using a meta‐analytical approach.

Although the vote‐counting method showed additive interactions to dominate individual observations (91.8%), weighted random‐effects meta‐analysis revealed an overall antagonistic interaction between stressors (i.e. the cumulative effect of paired stressors on litter decomposition was less than the sum of their single effects). Our results emphasized the influence of experimental characteristics such as macroinvertebrate involvement, habitat type (lentic vs. lotic) and litter quality (assumed from plant mycorrhizal association) in shaping the responses of litter decomposition to multiple stressors.

Our meta‐analysis highlights the need to incorporate local ecological complexities in manipulative experiments to improve predictions of multiple‐stressor effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. The present study underscores the importance of considering biotic interactions and adopting the metacommunity framework in conservation and restoration actions to support the management of freshwater ecosystems in an era of rapid global change.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Leveraging relationships between species abundances to improve predictions and inform conservation
Authors: Scher C. Lane , Roberts Sarah M. , Krause Kevin P. , Clark James S.
Published: May 2024

Many management and conservation contexts can benefit from understanding relationships between species abundances, which can be used to improve predictions of species occurrence and abundance.

We present conditional prediction as a tool to capture information about species abundances via residual covariance between species. From a fitted joint species distribution model, this framework produces a species coefficient matrix that contains relationships between species abundances. The species coefficients allow co‐observed species to be treated as a second set of predictors supplementing covariates in the model to improve prediction. We use simulations to demonstrate the potential benefits and limitations of conditional prediction across data types and species covariance before applying conditional prediction to two management contexts with real data.

Simulations demonstrate that conditional prediction provides the largest benefits to continuous data and when there is residual covariance between many species.

In our first application, we show that conditioning on other species improves in‐sample and out‐of‐sample predictions of fish and invertebrate species, including Atlantic cod. In our second application, we show that the species coefficient matrix can be used to identify bird species at risk of nest parasitism by Brown‐headed Cowbirds.

Synthesis and applications. We present guidelines for using conditional prediction, which can help understand relationships between species abundances, improve predictions and inform conservation in a variety of contexts.
An updated checklist of serpentinophytes for research and conservation in ultramafic ecosystems on the southern Iberian Peninsula (Spain)
Authors: Pérez‐Latorre Andrés V. , Keen Nazaret , Casimiro‐Soriguer Federico , Goncalves Estefany , Hidalgo‐Triana Noelia
Published: May 2024

Although checklists are essential tools for managing and conserving ultramafic ecosystems, no updated checklist currently exists for ultramafic ecosystems on the southern Iberian Peninsula. Thus, the objectives of our study were (1) to create an updated checklist of serpentinophytes on southern Iberian Peninsula, (2) to determine whether the distribution of serpentinophytes is associated with certain specific types of ultramafic rocks, and (3) to calculate the abundance and richness of serpentinophytes per outcrop to guide conservation efforts. Following a methodology involving field work and searches of bibliographies and herbaria we produced an updated checklist containing 28 serpentinophytes (i.e., 23 obligates, one preferential taxon, one sub‐serpentinophyte, and three regional serpentinophytes). The serpentinophytes showed different petrological affinity, where harzburgite–lherzolite and harzburgite–pyroxenite–dunite exhibited higher occupancy, possibly due to their mineralogical and chemical composition (e.g., containing heavy metals) and/or the larger surface area of those outcrops. We also observed that the occupancy of 21 species was higher in different petrographic entities, the reasons for which could be elucidated by future soil analyses. The highest richness of serpentinophytes was found in the main outcrop of Bermeja, followed by smaller outcrops of Alpujata, Aguas, and Guadalhorce Valley. Although the richness of Aguas resembled that of Alpujata, a notable difference emerged in some of its areas owing to bioclimatic and biogeographic isolation. Given the exclusive presence of serpentinophyte flora on the southern Iberian Peninsula, all southern Iberian outcrops should receive some form of conservation as protected natural spaces.
How CEOs can Increase Public Engagement via Microblogs: The Role of CEO Gender and Content Orientation
Authors: Wu Tong , Reynolds Jonathan , Schlegelmilch Bodo B. , Wu Jintao
Published: May 2024

In the social media era, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) are increasingly using microblogging sites to communicate with the public. Drawing on schema‐congruity theory and gender egalitarianism, we investigate how CEO gender and work–life content orientation interact to influence public engagement with CEOs on microblogs. Using China as our research setting, we conduct a content analysis of data collected from 63 high‐profile CEOs’ microblogs and four laboratory studies with some 2000 respondents. Our results show that for female CEOs, work‐related content leads to greater engagement than life‐related content; for male CEOs, the effect is reversed. We find that such outcomes are driven by the incongruity between stereotypical gender roles and content orientation, which enhances perceived novelty and audience interest, thus leading to greater engagement. This effect diminishes when the audience has a very high or very low perception of gender equality in their society; or when the audience supports male privilege values personally. Our research provides new theoretical insights for online leadership communication, public engagement and gender research. It also offers useful managerial guidance for executives to effectively leverage the capabilities of social media in engaging with the public.
Phenotypes of maternal vascular malperfusion placental pathology and adverse pregnancy outcomes: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zur Rebecca L. , McLaughlin Kelsey , Aalto Laura , Jiang Yidi , Huszti Ella , Parks W. Tony , Kingdom John C.
Published: May 2024

Objective

To identify which components of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) pathology are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and to investigate the morphological phenotypes of MVM placental pathology and their relationship with distinct clinical presentations of pre‐eclampsia and/or fetal growth restriction (FGR).

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary care hospital in Toronto, Canada.

Population

Pregnant individuals with low circulating maternal placental growth factor (PlGF) levels (<100 pg/mL) and placental pathology analysis between March 2017 and December 2019.

Methods

Association between each pathological finding and the outcomes of interest were calculated using the chi‐square test. Cluster analysis and logistic regression was used to identify phenotypic clusters, and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Cluster analysis was performed using the K‐modes unsupervised clustering algorithm.

Main outcome measures

Preterm delivery <34+0 weeks of gestation, early onset pre‐eclampsia with delivery <34+0 weeks of gestation, birthweight <10th percentile (small for gestational age, SGA) and stillbirth.

Results

The diagnostic features of MVM most strongly associated with delivery <34+0 weeks of gestation were: infarction, accelerated villous maturation, distal villous hypoplasia and decidual vasculopathy. Two dominant phenotypic clusters of MVM pathology were identified. The largest cluster (n = 104) was characterised by both reduced placental mass and hypoxic ischaemic injury (infarction and accelerated villous maturation), and was associated with combined pre‐eclampsia and SGA. The second dominant cluster (n = 59) was characterised by infarction and accelerated villous maturation alone, and was associated with pre‐eclampsia and average birthweight for gestational age.

Conclusions

Patients with placental MVM disease are at high risk of pre‐eclampsia and FGR, and distinct pathological findings correlate with different clinical phenotypes, suggestive of distinct subtypes of MVM disease.
Trends in severe postpartum haemorrhage among nulliparous women with spontaneous onset of labour: A population‐based cohort study
Authors: Mentzoni Camilla Tjønneland , Klungsøyr Kari , Engjom Hilde Marie
Published: May 2024

Objective

To investigate the incidence of severe postpartum haemorrhage among nulliparous women with a spontaneous onset of labour at term from 2000 to 2020.

Design

Population‐based cohort study.

Setting

National, using the Medical Birth Registry of Norway.

Population

Women (n = 330 244) who gave birth to their first singleton child in a cephalic presentation after a spontaneous onset of labour at term.

Methods

Cross‐tabulations and regression analysis with generalised linear models were used to assess time trends and adjust for potential confounding factors. We also stratified the analyses by maternal age groups, obstetric interventions, mode of delivery and institution size. Time trends were analysed using periods of 5 or 6 years as a unit, and the period from 2000 to 2004 was used as the reference.

Main outcome measures

Severe postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) was defined as blood loss of >1500 mL within 24 h and/or in combination with blood transfusion.

Results

Severe PPH occurred in 7601/330 244 (2.30%) women. The incidence increased from 1.24% in 2000–2004 to 3.83% in 2015–2020 (adjusted relative risk, aRR 2.90; 95% CI 2.70–3.12). Changes in maternal characteristics or obstetric interventions did not explain the increase, and we found similar increases across institutions of all sizes.

Conclusions

The incidence of severe PPH among nulliparous women increased almost threefold over 21 years. The current high incidence warrants urgent efforts to assess unknown risk factors, the health care provided and health system factors that may contribute to the increase, to inform improvements in care.
Incidence of teacher reflection on the teacher's understanding of diversity and its role in the transition to inclusive education
Authors: Becerra Sepúlveda Carolina , Picol Córdova Carolina , Silva Martínez Estefanía , Tapia Pavez Valentina
Published: May 2024

This research focuses on including people with disabilities in higher education. It proposes that reflective teaching is a tool to move from an integrative to an inclusive approach. Using a qualitative methodology, it analyzes teachers' positions on integration and inclusion, using focus groups to collect information. The results show that most teachers are close to the integration approach, although they recognize difficulties in implementing inclusion. Academics highlight the importance of curricular adaptation, flexible methodology and universal learning design to enable the participation of students with disabilities in higher education. The analyses also highlight the constant need for teachers to adapt, which generates additional pressure, especially for those who adhere to an inclusive approach. Teachers should base their reflection on the emotional and rational components of teaching, which play a crucial role in balancing the individual and objective freedoms of teachers and students, thus ensuring a fair and equitable educational environment for all.
Genetically determined blood pressure, antihypertensive drug classes, and frailty: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhuang Zhenhuang , Li Yueying , Zhao Yimin , Huang Ninghao , Wang Wenxiu , Xiao Wendi , Du Jie , Dong Xue , Song Zimin , Jia Jinzhu , Liu Zhonghua , Clarke Robert , Qi Lu , Huang Tao
Published: May 2024

Observational studies have suggested that the use of antihypertensive drugs was associated with the risk of frailty; however, these findings may be biased by confounding and reverse causality. This study aimed to explore the effect of genetically predicted lifelong lowering blood pressure (BP) through different antihypertensive medications on frailty. One‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) and summary data‐based MR (SMR) were applied. We utilized two kinds of genetic instruments to proxy the antihypertensive medications, including genetic variants within or nearby drugs target genes associated with systolic/diastolic BP, and expression level of the corresponding gene. Among 298,618 UK Biobank participants, one‐sample MR analysis observed that genetically proxied BB use (relative risk ratios, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.65–0.90; p = 0.001) and CCB use (0.83; 0.72–0.95; p = 0.007), equivalent to a 10‐mm Hg reduction in systolic BP, was significantly associated with lower risk of pre‐frailty. In addition, although not statistically significant, the effect directions of systolic BP through ACEi variants (0.72; 0.39–1.33; p = 0.296) or thiazides variants (0.74; 0.53–1.03; p = 0.072) on pre‐frailty were also protective. Similar results were obtained in analyses for diastolic BP. SMR of expression in artery showed that decreased expression level of KCNH2, a target gene of BBs, was associated with lower frailty index (beta −0.02, p = 2.87 × 10−4). This MR analysis found evidence that the use of BBs and CCBs was potentially associated with reduced frailty risk in the general population, and identified KCNH2 as a promising target for further clinical trials to prevent manifestations of frailty.
Gambling participation and risk after COVID‐19: Analysis of a population representative longitudinal panel of Australians
Authors: Suomi Aino , Kim Jeffrey , Hahn Markus H. , Biddle Nicholas
Published: May 2024

Background and aims

The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on gambling participation and levels of gambling harm across populations during the pandemic is now addressed in a well‐established body of empirical literature. This study aimed to measure the longer‐term implications of COVID‐19 on gambling participation and levels of gambling harm.

Design

Population‐based cohort study using group‐based trajectory modelling.

Setting

Australia, using gambling participation, problem gambling risk, sociodemographic and psychosocial data from 2019 (pre COVID‐19), 2020, 2021 (during COVID‐19) and 2023 (post COVID‐19).

Participants

A population representative survey of Australian adults, including four waves collected in April 2019 (n = 2054), November 2020 (n = 3029), October 2021 (n = 3474) and January 2023 (n = 3370), with a subset (n = 3160) of the sample having longitudinal data available.

Measurements

Participants were asked which gambling activities they participated in over the past 12 months for money. Problem gambling risk was measured by the nine‐item Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI).

Findings

There was an overall reduction in gambling participation during COVID‐19 and return to pre‐pandemic levels for most gambling activities by 2023. The longitudinal analysis yielded four trajectories of gambling participation from 2019 to 2023, including individuals who (1) never gambled (25.0% of the longitudinal sample; n = 789); (2) engaged in non‐problematic gambling (59.8%; n = 1888); (3) ceased gambling during COVID‐19 and started again post pandemic (10.7%; n = 337); and (4) engaged in high risk gambling (4.6%; n = 146), with particular demographic and psychosocial profiles and patterns of participation in specific gambling activities related to these trajectories.

Conclusions

Although overall gambling participation rates decreased at the population level in Australia during COVID‐19, by 2023 participation in gambling appeared to have nearly returned to pre‐pandemic levels. Patterns of gambling behavior before, during and after the pandemic appear to be heterogeneous.