bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Swachh Bharat Mission: Addressing Open Defecation at Massive Scale in Rural India (B)
Authors: Iyer Parameswaran , Pandey Ajay , Vashisht Mahima , Smith Daniel W.
Published: November 2023

This case is the second of a three-part series that follows the managerial, strategic, and communications decisions of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) or Clean India Mission, the flagship programme of the Government of India to eliminate the practice of open defecation (i.e., not using a toilet) from 2014 to 2019. As of 2014, 550 million people in India practiced open defecation. This problem posed a massive public health hazard and economic drag for the country as well as a threat to global health. Written from an insider's perspective, the cases centre on the decisions made by a new Secretary of India's Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, who was hired to manage SBM, and the team he assembled. Case B discusses the start-up challenges for SBM, including implementation in India's complex federal system, workplace culture, and the deep-rooted behaviour of open defecation in rural India and the managerial and communication strategies formulated to address them. The case concludes by framing the difficulties with slow-moving states and monitoring rigour that the leadership SBM, with a new team, strategic focus, and early momentum, faced as the mission entered its final two years.
Swachh Bharat Mission: Scaling up the Mission to Make Rural India Open Defecation Free (C)
Authors: Iyer Parameswaran , Pandey Ajay , Vashisht Mahima , Smith Daniel W.
Published: November 2023

This case is the second of a three-part series that follows the managerial, strategic, and communications decisions of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) or Clean India Mission, the flagship programme of the Government of India to eliminate the practice of open defecation (i.e., not using a toilet) from 2014 to 2019. As of 2014, 550 million people in India practiced open defecation. This problem posed a massive public health hazard and economic drag for the country as well as a threat to global health. Written from an insider's perspective, the cases centre on the decisions made by a new Secretary of India's Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, who was hired to manage SBM, and the team he assembled. Case B discusses the start-up challenges for SBM, including implementation in India's complex federal system, workplace culture, and the deep-rooted behaviour of open defecation in rural India and the managerial and communication strategies formulated to address them. The case concludes by framing the difficulties with slow-moving states and monitoring rigour that the leadership SBM, with a new team, strategic focus, and early momentum, faced as the mission entered its final two years.
A cross-organizational Lean deployment in an Italian regional healthcare system
Authors: Rosa Angelo , Marolla Giuliano , McDermott Olivia
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study explores how Lean was deployed in several hospitals in the Apulia region in Italy over 3.5 years.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory qualitative design was drawn up based on semi-structured interviews.

Findings

The drivers of Lean in hospitals were to increase patient satisfaction and improve workplace well-being by eliminating non-value-add waste. The participants highlighted three key elements of the pivotal implementation stages of Lean: introduction, spontaneous and informal dissemination and strategic level implementation and highlighted critical success and failure factors that emerged for each of these stages. During the introduction, training and coaching from an external consultant were among the most impactful factors in the success of pilot projects, while time constraints and the adoption of process analysis tools were the main barriers to implementation. The experiences of the Lean teams strongly influence the process of spontaneous dissemination aided by the celebration of project results and the commitment of the departmental hospital heads.

Practical implications

Lean culture can spread to allow many projects be conducted spontaneously, but the Lean paradigm can struggle to be adopted strategically. Lean in healthcare can fail because of the lack of alignment of Lean with leadership in healthcare and with their strategic vision, a lack of employees' project management skills and crucially the absence of a Lean steering committee.

Originality/value

The absence of managerial expertise and a will to support Lean implementation do not allow for systemic adoption of Lean. This is one of the first and largest long-term case studies on a Lean cross-regional multi-hospital application in healthcare.
Workplace bullying in pharmacy – a study on prevalence, impacts and barriers to reporting
Authors: Silwal Pushkar , D'Souza Natalia , Aspden Trudi Jane , Scahill Shane
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The study aims to estimate the prevalence of workplace bullying, personal and work-related impacts, reporting practices for bullying, and the reasons for not reporting bullying incidents in the New Zealand pharmacy sector.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted among registered pharmacists and pharmacist interns in New Zealand from June to August 2020. The questionnaire comprises both close-ended and semi-structured free-text questions. Goldberg’s 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) assessed the respondents’ general psychological health status, and a 22-item Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R) was used to estimate bullying prevalence together with the self-rated/self-labeled questions. The qualitative information obtained from the free-text responses was used to support and elaborate on the quantitative results.

Findings

The self-labeled prevalence of workplace bullying was 36.9%, with almost 10% reporting it occurring almost daily to several times per week. The 54.7% prevalence based on the NAQ-R assessment compares well with the prevalence of witnessing the incidents (58.5%). Psychological distress symptoms were experienced by 37.1% in pre-COVID and 45.3% during COVID-year 1. Supervisors or direct managers were the commonest perpetrators (32.7%). Only 28.8% of those who experienced bullying had reported the incidents formally.

Research limitations/implications

This study is cross-sectional, and the relationships indicated are bi-directional. The consistency of the results is reassuring, however inferring causality of effect is challenging. Future studies and analyses should focus on this. This study suggests that in the pharmacy environment bullying from the top is reasonably prevalent, is not commonly reported and requires the design and implementation of prevention and management strategies that take into account and mitigate these bullying factors. Professional pharmacy leadership organizations, National Health Authority and Pharmacy regulators could play a significant role in awareness and training to reduce bullying with the development and promotion of strategies to curb it and improve reporting.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to describe the prevalence and impact of workplace bullying, and the practices of reporting bullying incidents in the New Zealand pharmacy sector. Based on empirical evidence, pharmacists represent a small share of total healthcare workforce, yet the overall prevalence of bullying is consistent with professions with much larger numbers such as medicine and nursing.
Zombie papers, the Data Deluge column
Authors: Frederick Donna Ellen
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how retracted scientific papers become zombie papers and why they are problematic and to encourage librarians to become active in addressing these problems.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explains what zombie papers are, how they are created and the potential impact they can have on the body of scientific literature. It explains how and why they are different than other common types of misleading scientific publications. It also explores recent developments such as the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and changes to organizations that make data about paper retractions available.

Findings

While journal retractions are as old as scientific publishing itself, the seriousness of retractions persisting and being used in the body of scientific literature has recently been recognized as a serious concern. The rise of new AI technologies such as ChatGPT has made the presence of zombie papers in the data used to train large language models (LLMs) extremely concerning.

Originality/value

While librarians are well-aware of journal retractions and most include information about them in their information literacy training, concerns around zombie papers and their potential presence in the data used to train LLMs will likely be a new consideration for most.
Postbiotics: an innovative approach to increase shelf life and quality of foods
Authors: Nikravan Leila , Zamanpour Setayesh , Noori Seyyed Mohammad Ali
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of postbiotics and the use of postbiotics to increase the shelf life and quality of food.

Design/methodology/approach

In this review paper, all articles from five electronic databases containing Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct were considered and selected according to the purpose of the study.

Findings

In addition to improving food safety and increasing its shelf life, natural food preservation using biological preservatives also has a positive effect on improving consumer health. As a result, protection using natural antioxidants and antimicrobial agents seems essential. Postbiotics, having favorable characteristics such as nontoxicity, long shelf life and ease of standardization and transportation, are known as suitable antioxidant and antimicrobial, and there is an interest in making antioxidant and antimicrobial active films containing postbiotics to delay spoilage, increase the shelf life of perishable foods without changing their sensory characteristics.

Originality/value

Postbiotic refers to all soluble factors that are either secreted from living probiotic cells or released after cell lysis. These compounds include enzymes, peptides, polysaccharides, organic acids, teichoic acids and cell surface proteins, and their effects have been proven to improve some human and animal diseases. Probiotic bacteria must survive unfavorable conditions such as processing, storage, distribution, preparation and the digestive system to exert their health-giving effects, whereas their metabolites (postbiotics) have overcome these adverse conditions well and may be a good substitute for probiotics.
Modeling wine consumer typology, motivation, satisfaction and loyalty: Wine tourism destination visitors vs residents in Florida
Authors: Tasci Asli D.A. , Wei Wei , Back Robin M.
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to identify both visitors’ and residents’ general wine consumer typology as well as their typology specific to a wine destination, Florida, and investigated the influences of these typologies on consumer motivation to visit a winery in Florida and their motivations’ influences on their satisfaction with the winery visit and loyalty in the way of likelihood to revisit.

Design/methodology/approach

Two studies were conducted to identify the wine consumer typology and its influences, one with residents of a wine destination and one with its visitors. In both studies, the same cross-sectional survey design was conducted. The survey was designed using the survey design tools of Qualtrics.

Findings

Study results showed similar general wine consumer typology for both visitors and residents but slight differences in the destination-specific wine consumer typology. Results also revealed differences in the influences of these typologies on motivation, with different influences on satisfaction and loyalty for the two segments.

Originality/value

Even though consumer typologies have been discussed in tourism destination decision-making and choice, consumer typology in wine destination consumption has been lacking in the literature. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to identify both visitors’ and residents’ general wine consumer typology as well as their typology specific to a wine destination, Florida, and to investigate the influences of these typologies on consumer motivation to visit a winery in Florida and their motivations’ influences on their satisfaction with the winery visit and likelihood to revisit.
Revenge tourism value co-destruction: the role of resilience and altruism
Authors: Deng Chengdan , Shen Huawen , Yan Qi
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Following the trait activation theory, this study aims to shed light on the influence of tourists’ personality traits on their value co-destruction (VCD) behavior in “revenge tourism”, considering the moderating effect of perceived risk as the environment factor.

Design/methodology/approach

A pilot study (n = 204) was first conducted to check the reliability of the measurement scale and remove inappropriate items. Thereafter, a convenience sampling method was used for data collection in the main survey among people (n = 330) who have at least one traveling experience after COVID-19 tourism restrictions have been terminated. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were performed for data analysis to testify the theoretical framework proposed.

Findings

Results of SEM analysis show that both resilience and altruism of tourists reduced their VCD behavior. What’s more, perceived risk has been found to moderate the relationship between altruism and VCD behavior. As perceived risk increased, the negative impact of altruism on VCD behavior would be weaken.

Originality/value

VCD have been recently emphasized as a key block to the development of tourism industry. This study examines VCD behavior following the trait activation theory. Results of the study can provide new insights on how to mitigate VCD, which would contribute to the preparation for future tourism crisis management, such as the next pandemic.
Evaluating the influences of floral traits and pollinator generalism on α and β diversity of heterospecific pollen on stigmas
Authors: Ashman Tia‐Lynn , Wei Na
Published: November 2023

Pollinator sharing often leads to receipt of heterospecific pollen (HP) along with conspecific pollen. As a result, flowering plants can accumulate diverse communities of HP on stigmas. While variation in HP diversity is an important selective force contributing to flowering plant fitness, evolution and community assembly, our understanding of the extent and drivers of heterogeneity of HP diversity is limited.

In this study, we examined the species compositions and abundances of ~1000 HP communities across 59 co‐flowering plant species in three serpentine seep communities in California, USA. We evaluated the variation in HP diversity (γ diversity) across plant species in each seep and asked whether the variation in HP γ diversity was caused by variation in HP diversity within stigmas (α diversity) or HP compositional variation among stigmas (β diversity) due to the replacement of HP species (turnover) or their loss (nestedness) from one stigma to another. We further evaluated the potential drivers of variation in HP α and β diversity using phylogenetic structural equation models.

We found that variation in HP γ diversity across plant species was driven strongly by differences among species in HP α diversity and to a lesser extent by HP β diversity. HP community turnover contributed more to HP β diversity than nestedness consistently across plant species and seeps, suggesting a general pattern of HP compositional heterogeneity from stigma to stigma. The phylogenetic structural equation models further revealed that floral traits (e.g., stigma area, stigma‐anther distance, stigma exposure) and floral abundance were key in determining HP α diversity by influencing HP abundance (load size), while floral traits and abundance showed variable impact on HP β diversity (turnover and nestedness). Pollination generalism contributed relatively less to HP‐α and β diversity.

These findings disentangle the heterogeneity in HP diversity at different levels, which is essential for understanding the process underlying patterns of HP receipt in plant communities. That floral traits drive the heterogeneity in HP diversity points to additional avenues by which HP receipt may contribute to plant evolution.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Association of remnant cholesterol and newly diagnosed early‐onset type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese population: A retrospective cross‐sectional study
Authors: Dong Wenjing , Yan Shiju , Chen Han , Zhao Jian , Zhang Zengqiang , Gu Weijun
Published: November 2023

Background

With the increasing incidence of diabetes worldwide, patients diagnosed with diabetes has been getting younger. Previous studies have shown that high remnant cholesterol (RC) level leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease events. However, the relationship between RC levels and newly diagnosed early‐onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is unknown. This study aimed to explore the association between RC and newly diagnosed early‐onset T2DM.

Methods

A total of 606 patients newly diagnosed with early‐onset T2DM and 619 gender‐matched subjects with normal blood glucose levels were retrospectively enrolled in this study. All T2DM patients showed onset age of 18–40 years. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze independent risk factors and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to explore the predictive value of RC and other unconventional lipids. Moreover, the correlation between RC and insulin resistance in patients with newly diagnosed early‐onset T2DM was also examined with binary logistic regression analysis and Spearman correlation analysis.

Results

Increased RC level was an independent risk factor for early‐onset T2DM (p < .05). The area under the curve on ROC analysis of RC was 0.805, 95% confidence interval (CI) was 0.781 ~ 0.826, sensitivity was 82.18% and specificity was 66.24%, which showed higher predictive value than those of triglyceride/high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL‐C) ratio and total cholesterol (TC)/HDL‐C ratio. Cutoff value of RC was 0.32 mmol/L. Level of RC in early‐onset T2DM patients with moderate or severe insulin resistance was significantly higher than that in patients with mild insulin resistance (p < .0001). No difference in RC levels was found between patients with moderate and severe insulin resistance (p > .05). RC was still correlated with insulin resistance after adjusting the conventional lipid parameters (TG, TC, HDL‐C, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol) using partial correlation analysis.

Conclusion

RC level was higher in patients with early‐onset T2DM and was correlated to the degree of insulin resistance as well. Patients aged 18–40 years with RC >0.32 mmol/L showed an increased risk of developing T2DM.
Demand uncertainty, inventory, and cost structure
Authors: Chang Xin , Kwok Wing Chun , Wong George
Published: November 2023

Building on Banker, Byzalov, and Plehn‐Dujowich's (2014, The Accounting Review, 89(3), 839–865) congestion cost theory, we model firms' trade‐off between a rigid cost structure and a high inventory level to reduce the congestion costs caused by uncertain demand. We demonstrate that firms with a higher inventory level adopt a less rigid cost structure, but the effect of cost structure on inventory is theoretically ambiguous. Using a large sample of manufacturing firms in the United States, we empirically investigate the dynamic interdependence between cost structure and inventory choices. Our results reveal that cost structure rigidity and inventory are negatively associated with each other over time, suggesting that they serve as substitutes in tackling demand uncertainty. Further analysis demonstrates that firms favor higher inventory levels over more rigid costs when inventory‐carrying costs decrease, fixed input costs increase, or downside risk escalates.
Latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 4: A regulator of mitochondrial function in acute kidney injury
Authors: Neikirk Kit , Ume Adaku C. , Prasad Praveena , Marshall Andrea G. , Rockwood Jananie , Wenegieme Tara‐Yesomi , McMichael Kelia E. , McReynolds Melanie R. , Williams Clintoria R. , Hinton Antentor
Published: November 2023

Recently, latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 4 (LTBP4) was implicated in the pathogenesis of renal damage through its modulation of mitochondrial dynamics. The seminal article written by Su et al. entitled “LTBP4 (Latent Transforming Growth Factor Beta Binding Protein 4) Protects Against Renal Fibrosis via Mitochondrial and Vascular Impacts” uncovers LTBP4's renoprotective role against acute kidney injury via modulating mitochondrial dynamics. Recently, LTBP4 has emerged as a driver in the mitochondrial‐dependent modulation of age‐related organ pathologies. This article aims to expand our understanding of LTBP4's diverse roles in these diseases in the context of these recent findings.
Impact of diffused versus vasculature targeted DNA damage on the heart of mice depleted of telomeric factor Ft1
Authors: La Torre Mattia , Centofante Eleonora , Nicoletti Carmine , Burla Romina , Giampietro Alessandro , Cannistrà Federica , Schirone Leonardo , Valenti Valentina , Sciarretta Sebastiano , Musarò Antonio , Saggio Isabella
Published: November 2023

DNA damage is emerging as a driver of heart disease, although the cascade of events, its timing, and the cell types involved are yet to be fully clarified. In this context, the implication of cardiomyocytes has been highlighted, while that of vasculature smooth muscle cells has been implicated but not explored exhaustively. In our previous work we characterized a factor called Ft1 in mice and AKTIP in humans whose depletion generates telomere instability and DNA damage. Herein, we explored the effect of the reduction of Ft1 on the heart with the goal of comparatively defining the impact of DNA damage targeted to vasculature smooth muscle cells to that of diffuse damage. Using two newly generated mouse models, Ft1 constitutively knocked out (Ft1ko) mice, and mice in which we targeted the Ft1 depletion to the smooth muscle cells (Ft1sm22ko), it is shown that both genetic models display cardiac defects but with differences. Both Ft1ko and Ft1sm22ko mice display hypertrophy, fibrosis, and functional heart defects. Interestingly, Ft1sm22ko mice have early milder pathological traits that become manifest with age. Significantly, the defects of Ft1ko mice, including the alteration of the left ventricle and functional heart defects, are rescued by depletion of the DNA damage sensor p53. These results point to Ft1 deficiency as a driver of cardiac disease and show that Ft1 deficiency targeted to vasculature smooth muscle cells generates a pre‐pathological profile exacerbated by age.
LEF1 isoforms regulate cellular senescence and aging
Authors: Jia Minxue , Sayed Khaled , Kapetanaki Maria G. , Dion William , Rosas Lorena , Irfan Saad , Valenzi Eleanor , Mora Ana L. , Lafyatis Robert A. , Rojas Mauricio , Zhu Bokai , Benos Panayiotis V.
Published: November 2023

The study of aging and its mechanisms, such as cellular senescence, has provided valuable insights into age‐related pathologies, thus contributing to their prevention and treatment. The current abundance of high‐throughput data combined with the surge of robust analysis algorithms has facilitated novel ways of identifying underlying pathways that may drive these pathologies. For the purpose of identifying key regulators of lung aging, we performed comparative analyses of transcriptional profiles of aged versus young human subjects and mice, focusing on the common age‐related changes in the transcriptional regulation in lung macrophages, T cells, and B immune cells. Importantly, we validated our findings in cell culture assays and human lung samples. Our analysis identified lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 (LEF1) as an important age‐associated regulator of gene expression in all three cell types across different tissues and species. Follow‐up experiments showed that the differential expression of long and short LEF1 isoforms is a key regulatory mechanism of cellular senescence. Further examination of lung tissue from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an age‐related disease with strong ties to cellular senescence, revealed a stark dysregulation of LEF1. Collectively, our results suggest that LEF1 is a key factor of aging, and its differential regulation is associated with human and murine cellular senescence.
Endodontic–orthodontic interactions: a review and treatment recommendations
Authors: Parashos P
Published: November 2023

The literature is replete with articles describing the many and varied interactions between endodontic treatment and orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), often reporting conflicting views and findings, which creates confusion for clinicians. Original research and review articles have described aspects such as apical root resorption and potential pulpal complications of teeth related to OTM. Some interactions are of relatively minor clinical significance, whilst others may have adverse consequences. A history of dental trauma before or during OTM further complicates the interactions. This review re‐assesses the historical literature on endodontic‐orthodontic interactions in light of more recent research and presents guidelines for managing clinical situations involving both disciplines. © 2023 Australian Dental Association.
Embryonic development of the chick pineal gland throughout the incubation periods
Authors: Colakoglu Fatma , Selcuk Muhammet Lutfi
Published: November 2023

Birds have a very different pineal gland structure morphologically and cytologically. The structure of the organ shows significant changes during the incubation periods. This study, which follows the embryological development of the pineal gland and makes histomorphometric measurements of the cellular elements that make up the gland parenchyma, is a current reference for studies in these areas. These brains were taken from 24 Babcock White Leghorn chick embryos on the 10th, 13th, 16th and 21st days of incubation. At 10th embryonic day, the pineal recess was in the structure of an elongated pineal canal. Solid rosette‐shaped cell clusters were transforming into round vesicles with a small lumen. These vesicles had developed into larger, oval‐shaped follicles with a well‐defined central lumen. On 13th day, it was observed that the number and development of follicles increased considerably. The pineal gland showed a follicular‐solid structure in 16th day embryos. While the mean follicle diameter was determined as 123.46 ± 13.28 μm on the 10th embryonic day, the highest value was measured as 187.62 ± 7.37 μm on the hatching day (p < 0.05). While the mean follicle area had the lowest value in the 10th day embryos, it was determined that this value gradually increased compared to the advancing embryonic days (p < 0.05). As conclusion, it is thought that this study provides new data to the literature about pineal gland development by monitoring the histological and histomorphometric developments of chick pineal gland in different incubation periods.
Participation and commercialization in producer cooperatives: Insights on the role of cooperative functioning and equity strategies
Authors: Cheyo Esther J. , Nyuyki Mainimo Edmond , Okello Daniel M. , Odongo Walter , Kalule Stephen W.
Published: November 2023

In sub‐Saharan Africa, there are growing calls for policy reforms to revive the farmer cooperative movement. However, questions remain over whether farmer participation in agricultural cooperatives brings the desired innovation for markets and commercialization. This study uses a sample of 206 farmers from northern Uganda to examine what drives farmer participation and commercialization among members of groundnut producer cooperatives. Results from a two‐stage Heckman regression reveal that cooperative functioning in the form of hiring equipment to farmers, value addition, farmer training, and product quality assessment drives farmer participation in cooperative business. The study also shows that equity strategies, notably through subscription fees and farm‐inputs supply negatively impact commercialization among cooperative participant farmers. This study deepens the literature on cooperatives pinpointing the role of cooperative services in farmer participation and how stringent equity strategies reduce farmer commercialization among cooperative participants. We call for policy interventions that prioritize capacity building of producer cooperatives for improved functioning and better provision of services. This approach will enable these cooperatives to be effectively harnessed for market innovation.
UMG1/CD3ε‐bispecific T‐cell engager redirects T‐cell cytotoxicity against diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Caracciolo Daniele , Polerà Nicoletta , Belmonte Beatrice , Conforti Francesco , Signorelli Stefania , Gulino Alessandro , Staropoli Nicoletta , Tuccillo Franca Maria , Bonelli Patrizia , Juli Giada , Grillone Katia , Ascrizzi Serena , Cirillo Maria , Migale Leonardo , Ballerini Andrea , Pelizon Cristina , Di Martino Maria Teresa , Tagliaferri Pierosandro , Riillo Caterina , Tassone Pierfrancesco
Published: November 2023

UMG1 is a unique epitope of CD43, not expressed by normal cells and tissues of haematopoietic and non‐haematopoietic origin, except thymocytes and a minority (<5%) of peripheral blood T lymphocytes. By immunohistochemistry analysis of tissue microarray and pathology slides, we found high UMG1 expression in 20%–24% of diffuse large B‐cell lymphomas (DLBCLs), including highly aggressive BCL2high and CD20low cases. UMG1 membrane expression was also found in DLBCL bone marrow‐infiltrating cells and established cell lines. Targeting UMG1 with a novel asymmetric UMG1/CD3ε‐bispecific T‐cell engager (BTCE) induced redirected cytotoxicity against DLBCL cells and was synergistic with lenalidomide. We conclude that UMG1/CD3ε‐BTCE is a promising therapeutic for DLBCLs.
Groupwise Shape Correspondence Refinement with a Region of Interest Focus
Authors: Galmiche Pierre , Seo Hyewon
Published: November 2023

While collections of scan shapes are becoming more prevalent in many real‐world applications, finding accurate and dense correspondences across multiple shapes remains a challenging task. In this work, we introduce a new approach for refining non‐rigid correspondences among a collection of 3D shapes undergoing non‐rigid deformation. Our approach incorporates a Region Of Interest (ROI) into the refinement process, which is specified by the user on one shape within the collection. Based on the functional map framework and more specifically on the notion of cycle‐consistency, our formulation improves the overall matching consistency while prioritizing that of the region of interest. Specifically, the initial pairwise correspondences are refined by first defining the localized harmonics that are confined within the transferred ROI on each shape, and subsequently applying the CCLB (Canonical Consistent Latent Basis) framework both on the global and the localized harmonics. This leads to an enhanced matching accuracy for both the ROIs and the overall shapes across the collection. We evaluate our method on various synthetic and real scan datasets, in comparison with the state‐of‐the‐art techniques.
Cultivating child and youth decision‐making: The principles and practices of the ReSPECT approach to professional development
Authors: Michail Samia , Grace Rebekah , Ng Jonathan , Shier Harry
Published: November 2023

Participatory approaches are important to ensuring that the involvement of children in decision‐making is normalised in service provision. Participation work requires that professionals have well‐developed engagement skills, and a commitment to the right of the child or young person to participate. Effective participatory approaches also require that organisations provide active support for child‐centred practice. The Reconceptualising Services from the Perspectives of Experienced Children and Teens (ReSPECT) approach is an Australian professional development (PD) program that addresses these key aspects of participation work. It offers professionals a way to:(1) increase their awareness of the complex issues, challenges and benefits surrounding participation; and (2) develop a sense of empowerment and competence in the ‘doing’ of participation work. The PD program encourages professionals to understand their own position in relation to participation work with children, develop bespoke strategies that account for their unique practice context and assemble support structures that can maintain their participation strategies beyond the training. The principles and practices of the ReSPECT PD program are outlined and positioned within the existing literature on theoretical and practice approaches. The paper contributes to critical debate on the mechanisms that can lead to changes in professional practice and organisational culture, for the meaningful engagement of children as stakeholders in decision‐making. It is shared as a way of supporting others designing professional development approaches for child and youth decision‐making.
Following Affirmative and Negated Rules
Authors: Wirth Robert , Kunde Wilfried , Pfister Roland
Published: November 2023

Rules are often stated in a negated manner (“no trespassing”) rather than in an affirmative manner (“stay in your lane”). Here, we build on classic research on negation processing and, using a finger‐tracking design on a touchscreen, we show that following negated rather than affirmative rules is harder as indicated by multiple performance measures. Moreover, our results indicate that practice has a surprisingly limited effect on negated rules, which are implemented more quickly with training, but this effect comes at the expense of reduced efficiency. Only affirmative rules are thus put into action efficiently, highlighting the importance of tailoring how rules are communicated to the peculiarities of the human mind.
Expanding regulatory science: Regulatory complementarity and reliance
Authors: Mukonzo Jackson K. , Ndagije Helen Byomire , Sabblah George Tsey , Mathenge Wangui , Price David A. , Grasela Thaddeus H.
Published: November 2023

Drug regulatory institutions, infrastructures, and systems are becoming increasingly interconnected across national boundaries and increasingly global in outlook. This process is reflected in the broadening and deepening application of the principles and practice of Regulatory Reliance, and parallel initiatives to strengthen the capacities of regulatory institutions in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). Although these developments are important and constructive, they have tended to be framed in terms of the transfer of systems, knowledge, and skills from relatively “mature” regulatory agencies in high‐income countries (HICs) to less‐well‐resourced regulatory agencies in LMICs. This framing recognizes and foregrounds the considerable practical challenges that many LMIC regulatory agencies face, but in doing so, also backgrounds and underestimates the significance of the different contextual insights that LMIC health researchers and regulators can bring to the regulatory deliberations of their HIC counterparts. This position paper argues that the systematic pursuit, identification, and sharing of these different contextual insights—a dimension of regulatory science that we term “Regulatory Complementarity”—can augment the current practice and goals of Regulatory Reliance, and further invigorate the emerging global regulatory ecosystem.
FOXO1 reduces STAT3 activation and causes impaired mitochondrial quality control in diabetic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Zhou Lu , Su Wating , Wang Yafeng , Zhang Yuefu , Xia Zhongyuan , Lei Shaoqing
Published: November 2023

Aims

To investigate the role of FOXO1 in STAT3 activation and mitochondrial quality control in the diabetic heart.

Methods

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) was induced in rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg · kg−1 streptozotocin (STZ), while type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was induced in rats with a high‐fat diet through intraperitoneal injection of 35 mg · kg−1 STZ. Primary neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes and H9c2 cells were exposed to low glucose (5.5 mM) or high glucose (HG; 30 mM) with or without treatment with the FOXO1 inhibitor AS1842856 (1 μM) for 24 hours. In addition, the diabetic db/db mice (aged 8 weeks) and sex‐ and age‐matched non‐diabetic db/+ mice were treated with vehicle or AS1842856 by oral gavage for 15 days at a dose of 5 mg · kg−1 · d−1.

Results

Rats with T1DM or T2DM had excessive cardiac FOXO1 activation, accompanied by decreased STAT3 activation. Immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation analysis showed colocalization and association of FOXO1 and STAT3 under basal conditions in isolated cardiomyocytes. Selective inhibition of FOXO1 activation by AS1842856 or FOXO1 siRNA transfection improved STAT3 activation, mitophagy and mitochondrial fusion, and decreased mitochondrial fission in isolated cardiomyocytes exposed to HG. Transfection with STAT3 siRNA further reduced mitophagy, mitochondrial fusion and increased mitochondrial fission in HG‐treated cardiomyocytes. AS1842856 alleviated cardiac dysfunction, pathological damage and improved STAT3 activation, mitophagy and mitochondrial dynamics in diabetic db/db mice. Additionally, AS1842856 improved mitochondrial function indicated by increased mitochondrial membrane potential and adenosine triphosphate production and decreased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production in isolated cardiomyocytes exposed to HG.

Conclusions

Excessive FOXO1 activation during diabetes reduces STAT3 activation, with subsequent impairment of mitochondrial quality, ultimately promoting the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Use of artificial intelligence software in dental education: A study on assisted proximal caries assessment in bitewing radiographs
Authors: Schropp Lars , Sørensen Anders Peter Sejersdal , Devlin Hugh , Matzen Louise Hauge
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Teaching of dental caries diagnostics is an essential part of dental education. Diagnosing proximal caries is a challenging task, and automated systems applying artificial intelligence (AI) have been introduced to assist in this respect. Thus, the implementation of AI for teaching purposes may be considered. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an AI software on students’ ability to detect enamel‐only proximal caries in bitewing radiographs (BWs) and to assess whether proximal tooth overlap interferes with caries detection.

Materials and Methods

The study included 74 dental students randomly allocated to either a test or control group. At two sessions, both groups assessed proximal enamel caries in BWs. At the first session, the test group registered caries in 25 BWs using AI software (AssistDent®) and the control group without using AI. One month later, both groups detected caries in another 25 BWs in a clinical setup without using the software. The student's registrations were compared with a reference standard. Positive agreement (caries) and negative agreement (no caries) were calculated, and t‐tests were applied to assess whether the test and control groups performed differently. Moreover, t‐tests were applied to test whether proximal overlap interfered with caries registration.

Results

At the first and second sessions, 56 and 52 tooth surfaces, respectively, were detected with enamel‐only caries according to the reference standard. At session 1, no significant difference between the control (48%) and the test (42%) group was found for positive agreement (p = .08), whereas the negative agreement was higher for the test group (86% vs. 80%; p = .02). At session 2, there was no significant difference between the groups. The test group improved for positive agreement from session 1 to session 2 (p < .001), while the control group improved for negative agreement (p < .001). Thirty‐eight per cent of the tooth surfaces overlapped, and the mean positive agreement and negative agreement were significantly lower for overlapping surfaces than non‐overlapping surfaces (p < .001) in both groups.

Conclusion

Training with the AI software did not impact on dental students’ ability to detect proximal enamel caries in bitewing radiographs although the positive agreement improved over time. It was revealed that proximal tooth overlap interfered with caries detection.
Carbonate morphological features of vineyard soils in a semiarid Mediterranean environment
Authors: Jiménez‐Ballesta R. , Bravo S. , Pérez‐de‐los‐Reyes C. , Amorós J. A. , García‐Navarro F. J.
Published: November 2023

Many vineyard soils in semiarid Mediterranean environments develop from carbonated materials and often show very diverse forms of pedogenic calcium carbonate accumulations. Based on 275 vineyard soil profiles in the Castilla La Mancha (CLM) territory (Spain), this paper presents an in‐depth comprehensive study of a large number of morphological expressions of these carbonate distributions, while exploring various pedogenesis formation hypotheses. The interactions among the calcareous nature of parent material, surface topography and climate are the factors that most affected their morphology and pedogenesis. The occurrence and distribution of carbonate features in CLM vineyard soils can be more complex than in other areas. Many accumulations are relatively ancient, which is the case of petrocalcic horizons, and in‐keeping with conservative means, which reveals the occurrence of successive carbonate accumulation cycles. More recently dissolved and precipitated seasonally pedogenic carbonates (sometimes as coatings) have appeared, which are nothing more than a simple recent redistribution of carbonates. A structural imprint is observed: pedogenic carbonates appeared much more abundantly on the lowermost horizons, which can be related to the repeated redistribution phases that occurred in different pedogenesis stages. The data provided herein help to improve the understanding of the nature of viticultural calcareous soils in semiarid Mediterranean regions.
Determination of Unbiased δ34S and Δ33S Values by MC‐ICP‐MS Using Down to 30 nmol of Sulfur
Authors: Paris Guillaume
Published: November 2023

The multi‐collector inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometer is an instrument suited to measuring sulfur isotopes in all types of samples, from ice cores and river waters to carbonates and Archaean rocks. Its main advantage is the more convenient method of sample preparation, as sulfate does not need to be reduced but purified from the sample through ion exchange. This method allows the measurement of unbiased and precise δ34S values from samples as small as 10‐nmol with a typical intermediate precision of 0.15‰ (2s) at 95% confidence. So far, no attempt has been made to understand at which levels of analytical precision and bias MC‐ICP‐MS could provide ∆33S values. Here, the first standard addition experiment undertaken for ∆33S evaluation shows that measurement results on a Neptune Plus MC‐ICP‐MS allows us to calculate ∆33S values identical to those established by other measurement principles, for samples down to 30 nmol S, with an intermediate precision as good as 0.05‰ (2s). Though this precision is not as good as the analytical precision of data acquired by the SF6 method, the advantages of small sample size and straightforward sample handling make it a very useful tool for investigating past and modern aspects of the sulfur cycle.
Verb frame distribution and text difficulty: A corpus‐based analysis of verb frames in Chinese textbooks
Authors: Liu Meichun , Zhang Zhuo , Lee John Sie Yuen
Published: November 2023

This study aims to explore how verb frames can potentially influence text difficulty and shed new light on text evaluation. Different from previous works focusing mostly on lexical frequencies, this paper explores semantic categories of verbs and their correlation with the difficulty levels (DLs) of textbooks. Based on a corpus of nine sets of primary school Chinese textbooks, verb‐frame diversity and distribution trends by difficulty levels were examined. The results show that the diversity of verb frames has a strong positive correlation with difficulty levels. The distribution trends of the frames largely correspond with the three cognitive tiers proposed in the skill theory for language development: the sensory–motor, representational, and abstract tiers. This study introduces verb frames as a salient semantic factor in text analysis and proposes that verb‐frame‐related features have the potential to be utilized in the evaluation of leveled instructional materials and readability assessment.
Mushroom‐based biocatalysts for the synthesis of aroma and flavours from exogenous organic molecules: a review of two decades
Authors: Bora Pranjit Kumar , Kemprai Phirose , Hussain Sajjad , Baishya Rinku , Jadhav Dipesh , Haldar Saikat
Published: November 2023

Mushroom species, rich in lignolytic oxidoreductases are promising biocatalysts for the functionalization or degradation of small molecules to produce aroma and/or flavours. These macrofungi, sources of thermostable extracellular enzymes are often safer as biocatalysts, produce aromatic flavours similar to plant‐origin and capable of using a wide range of recalcitrant lignocellulosic substrates. The current review summarises the research on mushroom‐mediated production of aroma and aromatic flavours from organic molecules (pure or extract) in the last two decades. It mainly includes oxidative conversion or degradation of small molecules such as mono and sesquiterpenoids, phenylpropanoids, aromatic or linear alcohols and carbonyls, alkenes, carotenoids, fatty acids and amino acids into oxygenated aroma/flavours using the whole‐cells or purified enzymes of mushroom‐origin. Allylic or alcohol oxidation, alkene cleavage and degradation of unsaturated long‐chains were the major pathways of oxidative transformations. Reductive conversions of aromatic and linear carbonyls were also exemplified. However, slow biomass growth, low‐substrate load, conversion, product titre and selectivity, long fermentation time, difficult/low expression of enzymes, cost‐effective and efficient upscaling, insufficient genomic data are major challenges in utilising the diversity of mushroom species for aroma and bioflavour production in industrial scale.