bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Matrix‐producing cells formed ‘Van Gogh bundles’ facilitate Bacillus subtilis biofilm self‐healing
Authors: Dong Fulin , Liu Song , Zhang Duohuai , Zhang Jinchang , Wang Xiaoling
Published: June 2022

Biofilms grow and expand through cell differentiation into various phenotypes, which have different functions and cooperate with each other. In our experiments, we find that biofilms can heal after damaged, and we also find there is a special structure near the cut, which is called the ‘Van Gogh bundles’ by Jordi et al. because of its resemblance to Van Gogh's famous painting ‘The Starry Night’. Here, we study the ‘Van Gogh bundles’ structure evolution near the cut area, and how ‘Van Gogh bundles’ structure facilitates the cut healing by observing microscopic images of bacterial colonies growing from wild‐type and mutant strains. We find that the amount of matrix‐producing cells contributes to the ‘Van Gogh bundles’ structure, such as curvature. Through the comparison of curvatures of ‘Van Gogh bundles’ and the rate of the cut healing, we find that the smaller the curvature, the faster healing rate. To better explain the above experiment observations, we establish an individual‐based model and simulate the formation and growth of ‘Van Gogh bundles’ along the cut by giving rules for an individual cell like cell growth, division and turning rules, and also ‘Van Gogh bundles’ fold division rule.
ForestScanner: A mobile application for measuring and mapping trees with LiDAR‐equipped iPhone and iPad
Authors: Tatsumi Shinichi , Yamaguchi Keiji , Furuya Naoyuki
Published: June 2022

Ground‐based light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative means to conventional forest inventory methods. By gauging the distances to multiple points on the surrounding object surfaces, LiDAR acquires 3D point clouds from which tree sizes and spatial distributions can be rapidly estimated. However, the high cost and specialized skills associated with LiDAR technologies have put them out of reach for many potential users.

We here introduce ForestScanner, a free, mobile application that allows LiDAR‐based forest inventories by means of iPhone or iPad with a built‐in LiDAR sensor. ForestScanner does not require any manual analysis of 3D point clouds. As the user scans trees with an iPhone/iPad, ForestScanner estimates the stem diameters and spatial coordinates based on real‐time instance segmentation and circle fitting. The users can visualize, check and share the scanning results in situ.

By using ForestScanner, we measured the stem diameters and spatial coordinates of 672 trees within a 1 ha plot in 1 hr 39 min with an iPhone and in 1 hr 38 min with an iPad (diameter ≥ 5 cm; detection rate = 100%). The diameters measured by ForestScanner and a diameter tape were in good agreement; R2 = 0.963 for iPhone and R2 = 0.961 for iPad. ForestScanner and a conventional surveying system showed almost identical results for tree mapping (assessed by the spatial distances among trees within 0.04 ha subplots); Mantel R2 = 0.999 for both iPhone and iPad. ForestScanner reduced the person‐hours required for measuring diameters to 25.7%, mapping trees to 9.3%, and doing both to 6.8% of the person‐hours taken using a dimeter tape and the conventional surveying system.

Our results indicate that ForestScanner enables cost‐, labour‐ and time‐efficient forest inventories. The application can increase the accessibility to LiDAR for non‐experts (e.g. students, citizen scientists) and enhance resource assessments and biodiversity monitoring in forests world‐wide.
EcoPhyloMapper: An r package for integrating geographical ranges, phylogeny and morphology
Authors: Title Pascal O. , Swiderski Donald L. , Zelditch Miriam L.
Published: June 2022

Spatial patterns of species richness, phylogenetic and morphological diversity are key to answering many questions in ecology and evolution. Across spatial scales, geographical and environmental features, as well as evolutionary history and phenotypic traits, are thought to play roles in shaping both local species communities and regional assemblages. By examining these geographical patterns, it is possible to infer how different axes of biodiversity influence one another, and how their interaction with abiotic factors has led to the spatial distribution of species assemblages—and their attributes—that we observe in the present. Although there has been interest in this area of research for some time, it has recently become more tractable to include multivariate shape data in such analyses. Shape information has the potential to provide a more direct measure of the functional morphology of species as compared to individual trait measurements and might be more relevant to understanding community composition. However, few tools currently exist to explore geographical patterns of both phylogenetic and shape diversity.

We present the EcoPhyloMapper r package (epm) that aims to streamline the handling of geographical range polygons or point occurrences and integration of resulting species metacommunities with phylogenetic trees and morphological shape.

Geographical maps can be generated that demonstrate spatial patterns in diversity metrics pertaining to phylogenetic similarity, multivariate shape similarity and disparity, and combinations of the two. Patterns of taxonomic, phylogenetic and shape disparity turnover can also be visualized. Biodiversity indices summarized across grid cells can easily be exported to GIS software as well as to other r packages that specialize in community assembly or geospatial statistics.

This r package will facilitate the geographical exploration of multivariate shape data in concert with phylogenetic diversity, which will, in turn, support macroecological research exploring how species assemblages are structured. Furthermore, this r package should prove useful across a wide range of macroecological applications that extend beyond the study of morphology.
Influence of access cavity design, sodium hypochlorite formulation and XP‐endo Shaper usage on apical debris extrusion – A laboratory investigation
Authors: Jose Jerry , Thamilselvan Aishuwariya , Teja Kavalipurapu Venkata , Rossi–Fedele Giampiero
Published: June 2022

This study assessed the amount of apically extruded debris during root canal preparation using XP‐endo shaper and the supplemental use of XP‐endo finisher comparing the use of traditional endodontic access or conservative endodontic access cavities and liquid or gel‐based formulations of 5.25% sodium hypochlorite or distilled water as supplemental agents. Maxillary first premolar teeth (N = 148) were randomly divided based on their access cavity design and sub‐grouped according to the supplemental agent used. The amount of extruded debris was analysed based on the dry weight of the debris collected using a previously established laboratory methodology. Debris extrusion occurred in all groups. Overall, the traditional endodontic access cavity design was associated with more debris extrusion compared to the conservative type. The use of sodium hypochlorite solution showed higher debris extrusion than the gel, whilst distilled water had intermediate values.
Was the trip worth it? Consistency between decision and experienced utility assessments of recreational nature visits
Authors: Börger Tobias , Maccagnan Anna , White Mathew P. , Elliott Lewis R. , Taylor Tim
Published: June 2022

This paper assesses the relationship between decision utility and experienced utility of recreational nature visits. The former is measured as the travel cost to reach that site as routinely used by the travel cost method (TCM), and the latter is operationalized through visit‐related subjective well‐being (SWB). As such, the analysis is a test of convergent validity by examining whether ex ante TCM‐based assessment of recreational value reflecting decision utility corresponds to stated ex post SWB, reflecting experienced utility. It explores to what extent utility revealed by counts of nature visits are associated with self‐reported, visit‐related SWB relating to that same visited site. The analysis uses two existing datasets providing information on (i) 3672 recreational visits to green/blue spaces in England over the course of four years and (ii) 5937 recreational visits to bluespace sites across 14 European countries over one year. Results show a positive association between travel cost and visit‐related SWB while controlling for trip frequency and a large set of covariates, suggesting convergent validity of the two utility concepts. A breakdown by travel mode suggests this relationship only holds for trips involving motorized transport and is not present for habitual, chore‐like walking visits to the recreational site.
Minimally invasive treatment of pilonidal sinus disease in a paediatric population: comparison of two techniques
Authors: Fernandes Sara , Soares‐Aquino Carolina , Teixeira Inês , Monteiro Joana Mafalda , Campos Miguel
Published: June 2022

Background

Pilonidal disease (PD) is a common and debilitating inflammatory condition with significant impact on quality of life. Minimally invasive techniques (MIT) have shown promising results comparing to traditional excision. Herein we present a comparison of two MIT techniques ‐sinusectomy (SE) and pit‐picking plus laser ablation (PPL).

Methods

All cases of paediatric PD treated by PPL and SE at our center between August 2018 and August 2020 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

One‐hundred and six patients were included, with a median age of 16 years (IQR 15–16). PPL was the procedure of choice in 36 patients (34%) and the remaining underwent SE (66%). Median healing time was significantly lower in SE group (20 days), comparing to PPL (30 days) (p = 0.002). Early healing failure occurred more frequently in the PPL group (p = 0.003). Recurrence rate was similar between groups ‐ PPL 17% versus SE 16% (p = 0.89). Overall complication rate was 9% and was significantly higher in PPL (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

MIT techniques are promising solutions in PD treatment. Although similarly easy and fast to perform, SE technique showed better healing profile and lower complication rate but no significant difference on recurrence rates was observed.
Lung abscess: 14 years of experience in a tertiary paediatric hospital
Authors: Fernando Dhanushke T. , Bhatt Rudra , Saiganesh Aarti , Schultz André , Gera Parshotam
Published: June 2022

Background

Lung abscess is a rare condition in paediatrics with a paucity of literature. Intravenous antibiotics is the main therapy; however interventional radiological approaches have led to the use of percutaneous drainage. Surgery is reserved for the management of complications. The aim of this study was to describe lung abscess in a cohort of paediatric patients' and determine associations between factors at presentation and outcomes.

Methods

A 14‐year retrospective cohort study was conducted including all children who presented to a tertiary paediatric hospital in Western Australia with lung abscess. Clinical characteristics, laboratory and radiologic findings, management options and clinical outcomes were examined.

Results

Sixty‐eight patients (median age 3.6 (0.08–17.6) years; 44.1% female) were identified to have a lung abscess, with 81% being primary lung abscess. Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA) and Streptococcus pneumoniae were the most common organisms identified, with S. aureus being most common in Aboriginal patients (80%). A total of 25 antibiotics were prescribed on initiation of treatment in over 20 combinations. 44.9% of patients had complications and hospitalization was prolonged. Patients with S. aureus had longer hospitalization (20.5 days (3–67) than those without (median 13 days (3–52), p = 0.04). There were no associations between factors at presentation and subsequent outcomes. Factors at presentation were not associated with outcomes.

Conclusion

There is unwarranted variation in management of paediatric lung abscess and high complication rates. There is a need for collaboration and clinical practice guidelines to standardize care for lung abscess in children.
Identifying new drugs associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension: A WHO pharmacovigilance database disproportionality analysis
Authors: Hlavaty Alex , Roustit Matthieu , Montani David , Chaumais Marie‐Camille , Guignabert Christophe , Humbert Marc , Cracowski Jean‐Luc , Khouri Charles
Published: June 2022

Since the 1960s, several drugs have been linked to the onset or aggravation of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH): dasatinib, some amphetamine‐like appetite suppressants (aminorex, fenfluramine, dexfenfluramine, benfluorex) and recreational drugs (methamphetamine). Moreover, in numerous cases, the implication of other drugs with PAH have been suggested, but the precise identification of iatrogenic aetiologies of PAH is challenging given the scarcity of this disease and the potential long latency period between drug intake and PAH onset. In this context, we used the World Health Organization's pharmacovigilance database, VigiBase, to generate new hypotheses about drug associated PAH.

Methods

We used VigiBase, the largest pharmacovigilance database worldwide to generate disproportionality signals through the Bayesian neural network method. All disproportionality signals were further independently reviewed by experts in pulmonary arterial hypertension, pharmacovigilance and vascular pharmacology and their plausibility ranked according to World Health Organization causality categories.

Results

We included 2184 idiopathic PAH cases, yielding a total of 93 disproportionality signals. Among them, 25 signals were considered very likely, 15 probable, 28 possible and 25 unlikely. Notably, we identified 4 new protein kinases inhibitors (lapatinib, lorlatinib, ponatinib and ruxolitinib), 1 angiogenesis inhibitor (bevacizumab), and several chemotherapeutics (etoposide, trastuzumab), antimetabolites (cytarabine, fludarabine, fluorouracil, gemcitabine) and immunosuppressants (leflunomide, thalidomide, ciclosporin).

Conclusion

Such signals represent plausible adverse drug reactions considering the knowledge of iatrogenic PAH, the drugs' biological and pharmacological activity and the characteristics of the reported case. Although confirmatory studies need to be performed, the signals identified may help clinicians envisage an iatrogenic aetiology when faced with a patient who develops PAH.
A flexible approach to modelling over‐, under‐ and equidispersed count data in IRT: The Two‐Parameter Conway–Maxwell–Poisson Model
Authors: Beisemann Marie
Published: June 2022

Several psychometric tests and self‐reports generate count data (e.g., divergent thinking tasks). The most prominent count data item response theory model, the Rasch Poisson Counts Model (RPCM), is limited in applicability by two restrictive assumptions: equal item discriminations and equidispersion (conditional mean equal to conditional variance). Violations of these assumptions lead to impaired reliability and standard error estimates. Previous work generalized the RPCM but maintained some limitations. The two‐parameter Poisson counts model allows for varying discriminations but retains the equidispersion assumption. The Conway–Maxwell–Poisson Counts Model allows for modelling over‐ and underdispersion (conditional mean less than and greater than conditional variance, respectively) but still assumes constant discriminations. The present work introduces the Two‐Parameter Conway–Maxwell–Poisson (2PCMP) model which generalizes these three models to allow for varying discriminations and dispersions within one model, helping to better accommodate data from count data tests and self‐reports. A marginal maximum likelihood method based on the EM algorithm is derived. An implementation of the 2PCMP model in R and C++ is provided. Two simulation studies examine the model's statistical properties and compare the 2PCMP model to established models. Data from divergent thinking tasks are reanalysed with the 2PCMP model to illustrate the model's flexibility and ability to test assumptions of special cases.
The energetic costs of sub‐lethal helminth parasites in mammals: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Shanebeck Kyle M. , Besson Anne A. , Lagrue Clement , Green Stephanie J.
Published: June 2022

Parasites, by definition, have a negative effect on their host. However, in wild mammal health and conservation research, sub‐lethal infections are commonly assumed to have negligible health effects unless parasites are present in overwhelming numbers. Here, we propose a definition for host health in mammals that includes sub‐lethal effects of parasites on the host's capacity to adapt to the environment and maintain homeostasis. We synthesized the growing number of studies on helminth parasites in mammals to assess evidence for the relative magnitude of sub‐lethal effects of infection across mammal taxa based on this expanded definition. Specifically, we develop and apply a framework for organizing disparate metrics of parasite effects on host health and body condition according to their impact on an animal's energetic condition, defined as the energetic burden of pathogens on host physiological and behavioural functions that relate directly to fitness. Applying this framework within a global meta‐analysis of helminth parasites in wild, laboratory and domestic mammal hosts produced 142 peer‐reviewed studies documenting 599 infection‐condition effects. Analysing these data within a multiple working hypotheses framework allowed us to evaluate the relative weighted contribution of methodological (study design, sampling protocol, parasite quantification methods) and biological (phylogenetic relationships and host/parasite life history) moderators to variation in the magnitude of health effects. We found consistently strong negative effects of infection on host energetic condition across taxonomic groups, with unusually low heterogeneity in effect sizes when compared with other ecological meta‐analyses. Observed effect size was significantly lower within cross‐sectional studies (i.e. observational studies that investigated a sub‐set of a population at a single point in time), the most prevalent methodology. Furthermore, opportunistic sampling led to a weaker negative effect compared to proactive sampling. In the model of host taxonomic group, the effect of infection on energetic condition in carnivores was not significant. However, when sampling method was included, it explained substantial inter‐study variance; proactive sampling showing a strongly significant negative effect while opportunistic sampling detected only a weak, non‐significant effect. This may partly underlie previous assumptions that sub‐lethal parasites do not have significant effects on host health. We recommend future studies adopt energetic condition as the framework for assessing parasite effects on wildlife health and provide guidelines for the selection of research protocols, health proxies, and relating infection to fitness.
Can urgent computed tomography angiography replace magnetic resonance imaging in pediatric stroke?
Authors: Tatishvili Nana Nino
Published: June 2022

This commentary is on the original article by Briest et al. on pages 126‐135 of
this issue.
In vivo and in vitro characterization of GL0034, a novel long‐acting glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist
Authors: Jones Ben , Burade Vinod , Akalestou Elina , Manchanda Yusman , Ramchunder Zenouska , Carrat Gaëlle , Nguyen‐Tu Marie‐Sophie , Marchetti Piero , Piemonti Lorenzo , Leclerc Isabelle , Thennati Rajamannar , Vilsboll Tina , Thorens Bernard , Tomas Alejandra , Rutter Guy A.
Published: June 2022

Aims

To describe the in vitro characteristics and antidiabetic in vivo efficacy of the novel glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1RA) GL0034.

Materials and Methods

Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor (GLP‐1R) kinetic binding parameters, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signalling, endocytosis and recycling were measured using HEK293 and INS‐1832/3 cells expressing human GLP‐1R. Insulin secretion was measured in vitro using INS‐1832/3 cells, mouse islets and human islets. Chronic administration studies to evaluate weight loss and glycaemic effects were performed in db/db and diet‐induced obese mice.

Results

Compared to the leading GLP‐1RA semaglutide, GL0034 showed increased binding affinity and potency‐driven bias in favour of cAMP over GLP‐1R endocytosis and β‐arrestin‐2 recruitment. Insulin secretory responses were similar for both ligands. GL0034 (6 nmol/kg) led to at least as much weight loss and lowering of blood glucose as did semaglutide at a higher dose (14 nmol/kg).

Conclusions

GL0034 is a G protein‐biased agonist that shows powerful antidiabetic effects in mice, and may serve as a promising new GLP‐1RA for obese patients with type 2 diabetes.
Significant reduction in chronic kidney disease progression with sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors compared to dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors in adults with type 2 diabetes in a UK clinical setting: An observational outcomes study based on international guidelines for kidney disease
Authors: Idris Iskandar , Zhang Ruiqi , Mamza Jil B. , Ford Mike , Morris Tamsin , Banerjee Amitava , Khunti Kamlesh
Published: June 2022

Aims

To confirm the reno‐protective effects of sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 (SGLT2) inhibitors compared with dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP‐4) inhibitors on the onset and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in routine clinical practice.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database linked to Hospital Episode Statistics. The primary outcome was risk of the composite CKD endpoint based on the recent consensus guidelines for kidney disease: >40% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), kidney death or end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD; a composite of kidney transplantation, maintenance of dialysis, sustained low eGFR <15 ml/min/1.73m² or diagnosis of ESKD). Secondary outcomes were components of the composite CKD endpoint, analysed separately. Patients were propensity‐score‐matched 1:1 for SGLT2 inhibitor versus DPP‐4 inhibitor use.

Results

A total of 131 824 people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) were identified; 79.0% had no known history of CKD. During a median follow‐up of 2.1 years, SGLT2 inhibitor initiation was associated with lower risk of progression to composite kidney endpoints than DPP‐4 inhibitor initiation (7.48 vs. 11.77 events per 1000 patient‐years, respectively). Compared with DPP‐4 inhibitor initiation, SGLT2 inhibitor initiation was associated with reductions in the primary composite CKD endpoint (hazard ratio [HR] 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56‐0.74), all‐cause mortality (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.64‐0.86) and ESKD (HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.25‐0.55), reduced the rate of sustained low eGFR (HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.19‐0.57), and reduced diagnoses of ESKD in primary care (HR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01‐0.18). Results were consistent across subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

In adults with T2D, initiation of an SGLT2 inhibitor was associated with a significantly reduced risk of CKD progression and death compared with initiation of a DPP‐4 inhibitor.
Preface
Authors: Escobar‐Bravo Rocío , Lommen Suzanne T. E.
Published: June 2022

Originally, the 17th Symposium on Insect‐Plant Relationships (SIP‐17) was scheduled to take place in Leiden, The Netherlands, in July 2020. However, due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, the symposium was postponed to July 2021 and held in an exclusively online format. This exceptional edition has resulted in four strong contributions to the journal. It is with great pleasure that we now present a themed issue including the proceedings of SIP‐17, supplemented with eight regular articles within the subject of insect‐plant relationships.
Global evaluation of inhibitor impacts on ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Fan Daijia , He Wentian , Smith Ward N. , Drury Craig F. , Jiang Rong , Grant Brian B. , Shi Yaoyao , Song Daping , Chen Yanhua , Wang Xuexia , He Ping , Zou Guoyuan
Published: June 2022

Inhibitors are widely considered an efficient tool for reducing nitrogen (N) loss and improving N use efficiency, but their effectiveness is highly variable across agroecosystems. In this study, we synthesized 182 studies (222 sites) worldwide to evaluate the impacts of inhibitors (urease inhibitors [UI], nitrification inhibitors [NI] and combined inhibitors) on crop yields and gaseous N loss (ammonia [NH3] and nitrous oxide [N2O] emissions) and explored their responses to different management and environmental factors including inhibitor application timing, fertilization regime, cropping system, water management, soil properties and climatic conditions using subgroup meta‐analysis, meta‐regression and multivariate analyses. The UI were most effective in enhancing crop yields (by 5%) and reducing NH3 volatilization (by 51%), whereas NI were most effective at reducing N2O emissions (by 49%). The application of UI mitigates NH3 loss and increases crop yields especially in high NH3‐N loss scenarios, whereas NI application would minimize the net N2O emissions and the resultant environmental impacts especially in low NH3‐N loss scenarios. Alternatively, the combined application of UI and NI enables producers to balance crop production and environmental conservation goals without pollution tradeoffs. The inhibitor efficacy for decreasing gaseous N loss was dependent upon soil and climatic conditions and management practices. Notably, both meta‐regression and multivariate analyses suggest that inhibitors provide a greater opportunity for reducing fertilizer N inputs in high‐N‐surplus systems and presumably favor crop yield enhancement under soil N deficiency situations. The pursuit of an improved understanding of the interactions between plant‐soil‐climate‐management systems and different types of inhibitors should continue to optimize the effectiveness of inhibitors for reducing environmental losses while increasing productivity.
Fish‐out‐of‐office: How managerialised university conditions make administrative knowledge inaccessible to academics
Authors: Wheeldon Anita Louise , Whitty Stephen Jonathan , van der Hoorn Bronte
Published: June 2022

Academics report feeling unable to cope in the managerialised university. To confirm these feelings are symptoms of managerialism's tightening grip, we use Bourdieusian concepts of field and capital to compare academics and professional staff experiential statements in an Australian university. We compare their field conditions and examine how their differences enable or hinder the accumulation of capital that defines their field. Findings show that managerialism requires professional staff to share work tasks and be on‐campus, which enables them to accumulate the capital they require. Managerialism also permits and resources academics to working out‐of‐office to accumulate their required capital. Consequentially though, university operational knowledge becomes informal and only accessible to professional staff who accumulate the required social capital to access it. Professional staff are thus fish‐in‐water; easily accumulating social capital through day‐to‐day activities. But academics become fish‐out‐of‐water (office); they flounder to access operational knowledge, which leads to feelings of not coping.
Dark financial profile leading to debt traps – A theoretical framework
Authors: Mesly Olivier , Huck Nicolas
Published: June 2022

This paper proposes a theoretical framework in an attempt to better explain the behaviours of some consumers of financial products during market crises. We review the established notions of irrationality and deception, and then add the construct of disconnection from financial needs, goals and preferences. We propone that these three concepts, respectively, cognitive, behavioural and emotional in nature, create a dark financial profile (DFP) by which these consumers unwittingly build debt. We use bibliometrics to highlight the current gap in the scholarly domains of interest and provide market examples of how the DFP likely deploys in the marketplace. This is the first article to use disconnection in such a context, and to improve the understanding of consumer behaviours in regard to disconnection, irrationality, deception and debt. Thus, we enrich the literature on debt, which has at times ignored the role of the combination of these constructs. We investigate avenues of research for developing further our emerging framework, especially on the notion of disconnection, and suggest that this effort may assist in preparing effective marketing of financial education programs and improving lending practices.
Exploring the co‐movements between COVID‐19 pandemic and international air traffic: A global perspective based on wavelet analysis
Authors: Fareed Zeeshan , Ghaemi Asl Mahdi , Irfan Muhammad , Rashidi Mohammad Mahdi , Wang Hong
Published: June 2022

The travel and tourism industry was one of the fastest‐growing industries before the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, to avoid COVID‐19 spread, the government authorities imposed strict lockdown and international border restrictions except for some emergency international flights that badly hit the travel and tourism industry. The study explores the nexus between international air departures and the COVID‐19 pandemic in this strain. We use a novel wavelet coherence approach to dissect the lead and lag relationships between international flight departures and COVID‐19 deaths from January 2020 to September 2020 (COVID‐19 first wave period). The results reveal that international flights cause the spread of COVID‐19 spread during May 2020 to June 2020 worldwide. The overall findings suggest asymmetries between daily international flight departures and COVID‐19 deaths globally at different time‐frequency periods due to uncertainty surrounding the COVID‐19 pandemic. The study will be conducive for the policymakers to control the upsurge of COVID‐19 spread worldwide.
Identity leadership, procedural justice, and group identification in uncertain organizational contexts
Authors: Milesi Patrizia
Published: June 2022

Identity leadership helps group members both to reduce their subjective uncertainty about what to think and how to behave and to obtain a positive social identity. In organizations, procedural justice too supports group members' positive social identity. According to the Uncertainty Identity theory, in uncertain contexts, the motivation to reduce subjective uncertainty takes precedence over the motivation to obtain a positive social identity in driving group identification. The paper tests the hypothesis that, among the most uncertain workers, identity leadership interacts negatively with procedural justice in their association with group identification. By means of three correlational studies carried out in real organizational contexts, the paper examines different types of experienced uncertainty: the uncertainty stemming from a merger (Study 1, N = 152); the broader uncertainty due to market instability and fast technological changes (Study 2, N = 382); the uncertainty related to the frequency of computer‐mediated communication (Study 3, N = 209). Results consistently show that, among the participants who feel the highest uncertainty in their working conditions and the participants who interact using computer‐mediated communication at the highest frequency, the association between group identification and procedural justice becomes weaker as identity leadership increases. Those results highlight the risk that in uncertain contexts, group members keep identifying with their group even in the face of procedural injustice if they perceive their leader as an identity leader. Thus the paper illuminates a condition where identity leadership may lead group members to tolerate and even support toxic environments.
Validity Arguments Meet Artificial Intelligence in Innovative Educational Assessment: A Discussion and Look Forward
Authors: Dorsey David W. , Michaels Hillary R.
Published: June 2022

In this concluding article of the special issue, we provide an overall discussion and point to future emerging trends in AI that might shape our approach to validity and building validity arguments.
Sensitive ex vivo human skin transdermal assay testing method with mass spectrometric analysis for cosmetics application
Authors: Tan Tsze Yin , Wee Hai Ning , Lee Lye Siang , Han Hong Yu , Ong Chee Tian , Neela M. , Masilamani Jeyakumar , Phan Thang T. , Ching Jianhong
Published: June 2022

Background

Cosmetics manufacturers are focused on cosmetic delivery systems into the skin, but the level of diffusion of the systems in the skin tissues is not well understood. The current methods, such as Franz diffusion, assess analyte diffusion in the whole skin or artificial membranes, which has limitations for understanding skin delivery systems.

Aims

Our study aimed to create a transdermal delivery method which is based on dermal–epidermal separation of human skin, allowing us to assess each layer of skin separately for its efficacy.

Materials and Methods

During the experiment, resveratrol was used as the target analyte by applying it to the skin and then separating it into dermis and epidermis. Each layer is treated individually and subjected to a high‐resolution mass spectrometry analysis to detect resveratrol levels. As a result, the efficiency of resveratrol diffusion in the dermal and epidermal layers of the skin can be evaluated.

Results

We found that resveratrol was detected in both the dermal and epidermal layers using our method.

Conclusions

Hence, we developed a sensitive method for transdermal delivery testing that can be used to evaluate skin delivery systems for cosmetic or pharmaceutical purposes.
New challenges of fetal therapy in Japan
Authors: Wada Seiji , Ozawa Katsusuke , Sago Haruhiko
Published: June 2022

Aim

To review new challenges of fetal therapy in Japan after the establishment of four existing fetal therapies as standard prenatal care with National Health Insurance coverage over the past 20 years.

Methods

Reported studies and our current research activities related to four fetal therapies newly performed in Japan were reviewed.

Results

Fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) aims to occlude the trachea using a detachable balloon to promote lung growth. Following the recent successful completion of an international randomized controlled trial for CDH, in which we participated, FETO is offered for severe left CDH to perform balloon insertion at 27–29 weeks and removal at 34 weeks of gestation. Fetal cystoscopy (FC) for low urinary tract obstruction was introduced to overcome the demerits of vesicoamniotic shunting. FC may provide a proper diagnosis by visual observation of the urethra and physiological treatment of the posterior urethral valve. The effectiveness of open fetal surgery for myelomeningocele (MMC), direct surgery with laparotomy and hysterotomy, for ameliorating hindbrain herniation and the motor function was demonstrated, but it was also associated with substantial maternal and fetal risks. Fetal aortic valvuloplasty (FAV), ultrasound‐guided fetal aortic balloon dilation for critical aortic stenosis with evolving hypoplastic left heart syndrome may improve left heart development and maintain biventricular circulation. Feasibility and safety studies for FC, MMC open fetal surgery, and FAV are currently ongoing.

Conclusions

Clinical research on FETO, FC, MMC open fetal surgery, and FAV has proceeded with careful preparations in Japan.
How to inform about sodium reduction on food labels?
Authors: Sant'anna Laudiane Justo , Araújo Cirila Ionara Almeida , de Paula Matheus Custódio , da Moreira Eduardo da Silva , Della Lucia Suzana Maria , Lima Filho Tarcísio
Published: June 2022

Excessive sodium intake is a worldwide problem. Little attention has been paid to consumer perceptions and thoughts on how to report sodium reduction in food packaging. We aimed to investigate the opinion of consumers on the best ways to inform about sodium reduction on food labels. We held focus group sessions and performed a modified choice based conjoint analysis. Participants prefer packaging that has the front of pack nutrition label traffic light labeling and use of sentences informing the percentage of sodium content reduction. The blue color and the phrase that informs the percentage of sodium content reduction increase the probability of the consumer choosing a cracker with reduced sodium. These results allow the elaboration of labels for food with low sodium content that meet the expectations and desires of consumers, thus contributing to avoiding a low expectation or even rejection of the products just by looking at their packaging.

Practical Applications

Reducing sodium consumption is one of the most cost‐effective measures that countries could take to improve population health outcomes. This has been one of the most widely discussed issues of the 21st century. Several strategies have been developed to reduce the sodium content of foods. However, if consumers do not choose these products to buy these strategies will not have practical results. The results of this study allow us to identify the opinion and perception of consumers on the reduction of sodium in foods and on how to inform this reduction on labels. With the information obtained in this study, industries will be able to develop packaging with characteristics that will allow a greater probability of choosing foods with reduced sodium content.
Meaning and responsibility
Authors: Buchanan Ray , Schiller Henry Ian
Published: June 2022

In performing an act of assertion we are sometimes responsible for more than the content of the literal meaning of the words we have used, sometimes less. A recently popular research program seeks to explain certain of the commitments we make in speech in terms of responsiveness to the conversational subject matter. We raise some issues for this view with the aim of providing a more general account of linguistic commitment: one that is grounded in a more general action‐theoretic notion of responsibility.
“Philosophers care about the truth”: Descriptive/normative generics
Authors: Lemeire Olivier
Published: June 2022

Some generic generalizations have both a descriptive and a normative reading. The generic sentence “Philosophers care about the truth”, for instance, can be read as describing what philosophers in fact care about, but can also be read as prescribing philosophers to care about the truth. On Leslie's account, this generic sentence has two readings due to the polysemy of the kind term “philosopher”. In this article, I first argue against this polysemy account of descriptive/normative generics. In response, a contextualist semantic theory for generic sentences is introduced. Based on this theory, I argue that descriptive/normative generics are contextually underspecified.
Second Language Speech Intelligibility Revisited: Differential Roles of Phonological Accuracy, Visual Speech, and Iconic Gesture
Authors: WHEELER PAGE , SAITO KAZUYA
Published: June 2022

Although intelligibility is a core concept in second language (L2) speech assessment and teaching research, the vast majority of previous work relies on audio‐only stimuli. The current study set out to examine how linguistic and visual information jointly interact to determine the degree of speech intelligibility. Both first language (L1) and L2 English listeners were presented with stimuli that varied along 3 factors (vowel error, visual speech, and iconic gesture) and completed an orthographic transcription task. Results revealed that iconic gesture significantly increased all the listeners’ intelligibility scores when speech contained vowel errors. When speech did not contain errors, gesture increased intelligibility for L2 listeners but not L1 listeners. Visual speech had no significant effect on intelligibility in either listener group. Vowel error reduced intelligibility by approximately 20–30% for both L1 and L2 listeners. Findings suggest that visual modalities, especially gestures, have the potential to significantly affect the intelligibility of speech containing phonological errors.
Cognitive efficacy and neural mechanisms of music‐based neurological rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury
Authors: Martínez‐Molina Noelia , Siponkoski Sini‐Tuuli , Särkämö Teppo
Published: June 2022

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes lifelong cognitive deficits, most often in executive function (EF). Both musical training and music‐based rehabilitation have been shown to enhance EF and neuroplasticity. Thus far, however, there is little evidence for the potential rehabilitative effects of music for TBI. Here, we review the core findings from our recent cross‐over randomized controlled trial in which a 10‐week music‐based neurological rehabilitation (MBNR) protocol was administered to 40 patients with moderate‐to‐severe TBI. Neuropsychological testing and structural/functional magnetic resonance imaging were collected at three time points (baseline, 3 months, and 6 months); one group received the MBNR between time points 1 and 2, while a second group received it between time points 2 and 3. We found that both general EF and set shifting improved after the intervention, and this effect was maintained long term. Morphometric analyses revealed therapy‐induced gray matter volume changes most consistently in the right inferior frontal gyrus, changes that correlated with better outcomes in set shifting. Finally, we found changes in the between‐ and within‐network functional connectivity of large‐scale resting‐state networks after MBNR, which also correlated with measures of EF. Taken together, the data provide evidence for concluding that MBNR improves EF in TBI; also, the data show that morphometric and resting‐state functional connectivity are sensitive markers with which to monitor the neuroplasticity induced by the MBNR intervention.
Development of DNA markers that distinguish male and female haploid germlings of the brown alga, Cladosiphon okamuranus
Authors: Nishitsuji Koki , Nishitsuji Yoshie , Yonashiro Yoshitaka , Satoh Noriyuki
Published: June 2022

Okinawa mozuku, Cladosiphon okamuranus, is one of many edible brown algae, yielding 22 Kton annually and contributing ¥5 billion to the Japanese economy. The life cycle of C. okamuranus is complicated, since the alga has self‐cloning life cycles in both haploid (N, male and female) and diploid (2N) conditions, but only diploid “seeds” (germlings) become edible sporophytes. Because haploid and diploid germlings are morphologically indistinguishable, haploid germlings are often mistakenly combined with diploid germlings for cultivation, which results in less efficient harvesting of mozuku. Sexual identification of haploid germlings is essential to develop better diploid strains by crossbreeding. With this aim, we performed RNA‐seq analysis of haploid germlings of C. okamuranus. Using its decoded diploid genome and transcriptomic information, we identified 269 genes that are expressed specifically in male or female haploids. BLAST analysis with Ectocarpus siliculosus gene models revealed that nine of 269 genes were putative sex determination‐related genes of C. okamuranus. A unique set of polymerase chain reaction primers for these nine genes was designed, and DNA amplification using primers enabled us to distinguish male and female haploid and diploid germlings. This tool will enable mozuku farmers to select diploid germlings free of haploid germlings. Using this DNA marker technique, the amount of mozuku cultivated in Okinawa is expected to increase.
Heat stress and hypoxia inhibit the secretion of androgens and induce epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition associated with activated TGF‐β/Smad signalling in canine cryptorchidism
Authors: Wang Zihui , Wang Qian , Cui Nan , Xiao Longfei , Wei Huawei , Kang Jian , Sheng Xihui , Qi Xiaolong , Xing Kai , Guo Yong , Ni Hemin , Wang Xiangguo
Published: June 2022

Cryptorchidism, as a common congenital disease of canine testes, is mainly caused by factors leading to endocrine abnormalities in testes and infertility in a heat stress and hypoxia microenvironment. Moreover, heat stress and hypoxia, as critical microenvironmental factors, promote epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), which occurs during adult tissue remodelling responses including carcinogenesis and fibrosis and is the main cause of testicular tumours. In this study, we found by haematoxylin–eosin staining that the canine cryptorchid tissue produced a lot of collagen fibres. Also, the quantitative PCR and Western blot results showed that the mRNA and protein levels of the heat stress makers HSP70 and HO‐1 and the hypoxia maker HIF‐1α are significant higher compared with normal testes. Moreover, we found the expression levels of TGF‐βs and its two receptors TGF‐βRI and TGF‐βRII increased in case of cryptorchidism. From the study in vitro, we found both heat stress and COCl2 mimic hypoxia inhibited the secretion of testosterone (T) and androstenedione (A4) and promoted the expression of the EMT maker α‐SMA and vimentin in Leydig cells, and also that heat stress and COCl2 stimulated with the TGF‐β signalling promoted the expression of TGF‐βs and its two type receptors and also the active phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3. The use of LY2109761, a receptor inhibitor of TGF‐βs/Smad signalling pathway, was associated with heat stress and COCl2 suppression of androgens' secretion and stimulated EMT in Leydig cells. These findings characterized a novel pathogenesis of cryptorchidism and provided a new idea for therapeutics.
Solidarity, not charity: Learning the lessons of the COVID‐19 pandemic to reconceptualise the radicality of mutual aid
Authors: Mould Oli , Cole Jennifer , Badger Adam , Brown Philip
Published: June 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly ruptured our global society. We have seen health care systems, governments and commerce buckle under the strain of disease, lockdowns and unrest, but the rupture has also created space for radical (and anarchist) politics of mutual aid, as societal organising principles, to move into a more prominent position (and offers potential for this shift to remain after the crisis has subsided). However, in the short time since mutual aid has been thrust into the limelight, we have seen a multiplicity and spectrum of geographies, applications and approaches. Indeed, we have also seen its appropriation by government(s) that takes advantage of mutual aid's rallying cry of ‘solidarity not charity’; absolving the state's responsibilities to sufficiently fund social welfare when good neighbours will do it for free. In this paper we map out how mutual aid has been enacted during the COVID‐19 pandemic by charity, contributory and radical groups to address specific and novel forms of vulnerabilities, and the opportunities and challenges this offers for the future. In particular we highlight potential tensions between the enacting of mutual aid practices and the political activism (or not) of the mutual aid actors. Our contribution is to reconceptualise mutual aid to (i) show where the real ‘mutualism’ of mutual aid is, and (ii) create a better understanding of how mutual aid can be mobilised in future emergencies which will inevitably arise in the current climate emergency.