bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Struggling financially but feeling good? Exploring the well-being of early-stage entrepreneurs
Authors: Lukeš Martin , Zouhar Jan
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Many individuals start a new firm each year, mainly intending to become independent or improve their financial situation. For most of them, the first years of operations mean a substantial investment of time, effort and money with highly insecure outcomes. This study aims to explore how entrepreneurs running new firms perform financially compared with the established ones and how this situation influences their well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was completed in 2021 and 2022 by a representative sample of N = 1136 solo self-employed and microentrepreneurs in the Czech Republic, with dependent self-employed excluded. This study used multiple regressions for data analysis.

Findings

Early-stage entrepreneurs are less satisfied with their financial situation, have lower disposable income and report more significant financial problems than their established counterparts. The situation is even worse for the subsample of startups. However, this study also finds they do not have lower well-being than established entrepreneurs. While a worse financial situation is generally negatively related to well-being, being a startup founder moderates this link. Startup founders can maintain a good level of well-being even in financial struggles.

Practical implications

The results suggest that policies should focus on reducing the costs related to start-up activities. Further, policy support should not be restricted to new technological firms. Startups from all fields should be eligible to receive support, provided that they meet the milestones of their development. For entrepreneurship education, this study‘s results support action-oriented approaches that help build entrepreneurs’ self-efficacy while making them aware of cognitive biases common in entrepreneurship. This study also underscores that effectuation or lean startup approaches help entrepreneurs develop their startups efficiently and not deprive themselves of resources because of their unjustified overconfidence.

Originality/value

This study contributes to a better understanding of the financial situation and well-being of founders of new firms and, specifically, startups. The personal financial situation of startup founders has been a largely underexplored issue. Compared with other entrepreneurs, this study finds that startup founders are, as individuals, in the worst financial situation. Their well-being remains, however, on a comparable level with that of other entrepreneurs.
Role of school leaders in cultivating professional learning communities and culture in Pakistani schools: an exploratory case study
Authors: Ansari Aisha Naz , Asad Muhammad Mujtaba
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to investigate the role of School Leaders (SLs) in building Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in schools, as well as to expand a literature-driven PLC model within the Pakistani context.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved the purposive selection of two schools affiliated with a university. The sample comprised one school leader, one academic coordinator and five teachers from each school, altogether 14 participants. The participants shared similar demographic characteristics. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, which were analysed thematically.

Findings

The findings of the study revealed that both schools have created PLCs to some extent and that school goals and culture were contributing factors in building these communities. Additionally, the SLs played a key role in promoting PLCs by encouraging teacher collaboration. The study concludes that SLs have the potential to strategize their actions to foster positive professional relations among teachers and ensure their well-being.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes to the literature on professional communities in Pakistan by validating a literature-driven PLC model. The model emphasizes collaboration among teachers, which can be facilitated by SLs. As such, the study implicates SLs in prioritizing the professional development of teachers to enhance student learning and achieve school success.

Originality/value

This study is unique in expanding a literature-driven PLC model within the Pakistani context, with a focus on teacher collaboration as facilitated by SLs. The model has the potential for replication in other contexts and can serve as a useful tool for future research.
Employee recognition giving in crisis: a study of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Naidoo Loren J. , Scherbaum Charles A. , Saunderson Roy
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Employee recognition systems are ubiquitous in organizations (WorldatWork, 2019) and have positive effects on work outcomes (e.g. Stajkovic and Luthans, 2001). However, psychologically meaningful recognition relies on the recognition giver being motivated to observe and recognize coworkers. Crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic may impact recognition giving in varying ways, yet little research considers this possibility.

Design/methodology/approach

This longitudinal field study examined the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on recognition and acknowledgment giving among frontline and nonfrontline healthcare workers at daily and aggregated levels. We tested the relationships between publicly available daily indicators of COVID-19 and objectively measured daily recognition and acknowledgment giving within a web-based platform.

Findings

We found that the amount of daily recognition giving was no different during the crisis compared to the year before, but fewer employees gave recognition, and significantly more recognition was given on days when COVID-19 indicators were relatively high. In contrast, the amount of acknowledgment giving was significantly lower in frontline staff and significantly higher in nonfrontline staff during the pandemic than before, but on a daily-level, acknowledgment was unrelated to COVID-19 indicators.

Practical implications

Our results suggest that organizational crises may at once inhibit and stimulate employee recognition and acknowledgment.

Originality/value

Our research is the first to empirically demonstrate that situational factors associated with a crisis can impact recognition giving behavior, and they do so in ways consistent with ostensibly contradictory theories.
A new planar capacitive sensor with high sensitivity for proximity sensing of an approaching conductor
Authors: Wang Meng , Li Yongheng , Shi Yanyan , Huang Fenglan
Published: April 2024

Purpose

With the development of artificial intelligence, proximity sensors show their great potential in intelligent perception. This paper aims to propose a new planar capacitive sensor for the proximity sensing of a conductor.

Design/methodology/approach

Different from traditional structures, the proposed sensor is characterized by sawtooth-structured electrodes. A series of numerical simulations have been carried out to study the impact of different geometrical parameters such as the width of the main trunk, the width of the sawtooth and the number of sawtooths. In addition, the impact of the lateral offset of the approaching graphite block is investigated.

Findings

It is found that sensitivity is improved with the increase of the main trunk with, sawtooth width and sawtooth number while a larger lateral offset leads to a decrease in sensitivity. The performance of the proposed planar capacitive proximity sensor is also compared with two conventional planar capacitive sensors. The results show that the proposed planar capacitive sensor is obviously more sensitive than the two conventional planar capacitive sensors.

Originality/value

In this paper, a new planar capacitive sensor is proposed for the proximity sensing of a conductor. The results show that the capacitive sensor with the novel structure is obviously more sensitive than the traditional structures in the detection of the proximity conductor.
Reliability, validity, and sensitivity of the Japanese version of the University of California Los Angeles scleroderma clinical trial consortium gastrointestinal tract instrument: Application to efficacy assessment of intravenous immunoglobulin administration
Authors: Matsuda Kazuki M. , Sugimoto Eiki , Ako Yoshiaki , Kitamura Marie , Miyahara Mai , Kotani Hirohito , Norimatsu Yuta , Hisamoto Teruyoshi , Kuzumi Ai , Fukasawa Takemichi , Sato Shinichi , Yoshizaki Ayumi
Published: April 2024

This study aimed to develop and assess the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of the Japanese version of the University of California Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trial Consortium gastrointestinal tract (GIT) Instrument 2.0 (the GIT score), as an evaluation tool for GIT symptoms in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The Japanese version of the GIT score was constructed using the forward‐backward method. The reliability and validity of this instrument were evaluated in a cohort of 38 SSc patients. Correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between the GIT score and existing patient‐reported outcome measures. Additionally, the sensitivity of the GIT score was examined by comparing GIT scores before and after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration in 10 SSc‐myositis overlap patients, as IVIG has recently demonstrated effectiveness in alleviating GIT symptoms of SSc. As a result, the Japanese version of the GIT score exhibited internal consistency and a significant association with the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Furthermore, the total GIT score, as well as the reflux and distention/bloating subscales, displayed moderate correlations with the EuroQol 5 dimensions (EQ‐5D) pain/discomfort subscale and the Short Form‐36 body pain subscale. Notably, following IVIG treatment, there was a statistically significant reduction in the total GIT score and multiple subscales. We first validated the Japanese version of the GIT score in Japanese SSc patients in real‐world clinical settings. This instrument holds promise for application in future clinical trials involving this patient population.
The behavioural costs of overcrowding for gregarious cave‐dwelling bats
Authors: Respicio Jeaneth Magelen V. , Dela Cruz Kier C. , Hughes Alice C. , Tanalgo Krizler C.
Published: April 2024

Bats are known for their gregarious social behaviour, often congregating in caves and underground habitats, where they play a pivotal role in providing various ecosystem services. Studying bat behaviour remains an underexplored aspect of bat ecology and conservation despite its ecological importance.

We explored the costs and impacts of overcrowding on bat social behaviour. This study examined variations in bat behavioural patterns between two distinct groups, aggregated and non‐aggregated male Rousettus amplexicaudatus, within the Monfort Bat Cave Sanctuary on Mindanao Island, Philippines.

We found significant variations in the incident frequencies of various bat behavioural activities, particularly aggression and movement, between these two groups. The increase in aggregation was closely related to negative social behaviour among bats.

In contrast, sexual behaviour was significantly related to the positive behaviour of individual bats and was headed in less crowded areas. The disparities in bat behaviour with an apparent decline in bat social behaviour because of overcrowding, with more aggressive behaviours emerging, align with the ‘behavioural sink’ hypothesis.

Our study underscores the importance of considering habitat quality and resource availability in the management and conservation of bat colonies, as these factors can reduce the occurrence of aggressive and negative social behaviours in colonies with high population density by providing alternative habitats.
Revising the Pragmatics Profile of Everyday Communication Skills for traumatic brain injury: An international Delphi study
Authors: Tomlin Lily , Smidt Andy , Bogart Elise
Published: April 2024

Background

Assessment tools that assess pragmatic skills in adults with a mild‐severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) are hard to access, not person‐centred and have a high risk of clinician bias. The Pragmatics Profile is an informant report tool that was originally designed to assess pragmatic skills in people with a developmental disability.

Aims

The aim of this study was to seek consensus from a panel of experts and create a version of the Pragmatics Profile for the TBI population.

Methods and Procedures

A three‐round modified Delphi methodology panel of 13 experts were invited to comment anonymously on the suitability of each question from the Pragmatics Profile modified for those with TBI until ≥ 80% agreement was reached.

Outcomes and Results

The Pragmatics Profile (TBI) included 66 questions that achieved consensus after three rounds of the Delphi panel. Qualitative analysis illuminated themes relating to adults with TBI and the need to include contextual factors.

Conclusions and Implications

The outcome of this project was a revised version of the Pragmatics Profile which is suitable for adults with a mild‐severe TBI, informed by experts and freely available online. Future research exploring the tool's utility and acceptability is the next step in its evaluation.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

What is already known on this subject

Assessment of the everyday functional use of language is challenging but vital. This is particularly true for those who have traumatic brain injury (TBI) where the communication outcomes can be highly variable and may include difficulties with conversational turn‐taking, topic maintenance and reading social cues.

There are limited tools available to clinicians and those tend to be rating scales or checklists which have a high risk of clinician bias.

Available tools have a limited ability to capture the individual's personal social communication goals.

What this paper adds to existing knowledge

This study created an online Pragmatics Profile (PP) for TBI based on experts’ opinions.

This paper details the themes that emerged during the process of revising the PP for those with TBI.

What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?

The PP‐TBI adds to the toolkit for speech and language therapists working with people with TBI. It meets recent recommendations in the literature to create an interview‐based tool.

The versatility of an online tool combined with revised input from a panel of experts increases the likelihood that clinicians will utilise this tool.

Given the long‐term use of the original PP by clinicians for almost 30 years and a focus on personalised care, the format and approach are also likely to be acceptable to clinicians.
The distinctive weathering crust habitat of a High Arctic glacier comprises discrete microbial micro‐habitats
Authors: Rassner Sara M. E. , Cook Joseph M. , Mitchell Andrew C. , Stevens Ian T. , Irvine‐Fynn Tristram D. L. , Hodson Andrew J. , Edwards Arwyn
Published: April 2024

Sunlight penetrates the ice surfaces of glaciers and ice sheets, forming a water‐bearing porous ice matrix known as the weathering crust. This crust is home to a significant microbial community. Despite the potential implications of microbial processes in the weathering crust for glacial melting, biogeochemical cycles, and downstream ecosystems, there have been few explorations of its microbial communities. In our study, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and shotgun metagenomics of a Svalbard glacier surface catchment to characterise the microbial communities within the weathering crust, their origins and destinies, and the functional potential of the weathering crust metagenome. Our findings reveal that the bacterial community in the weathering crust is distinct from those in upstream and downstream habitats. However, it comprises two separate micro‐habitats, each with different taxa and functional categories. The interstitial porewater is dominated by Polaromonas, influenced by the transfer of snowmelt, and exported via meltwater channels. In contrast, the ice matrix is dominated by Hymenobacter, and its metagenome exhibits a diverse range of functional adaptations. Given that the global weathering crust area and the subsequent release of microbes from it are strongly responsive to climate projections for the rest of the century, our results underscore the pressing need to integrate the microbiome of the weathering crust with other communities and processes in glacial ecosystems.
Experimental evidence of d‐glutamate racemase activity in the uncultivated bacterium Candidatus Saccharimonas aalborgensis
Authors: Peñalver Marcos , Paradela Alberto , Palacios‐Cuéllar César , Pucciarelli M. Graciela , García‐del Portillo Francisco
Published: April 2024

The Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) encompasses widespread uncultivated bacteria with reduced genomes and limited metabolic capacities. Most CPR bacteria lack the minimal set of enzymes required for peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis, leaving it unclear how these bacteria produce this essential envelope component. In this study, we analysed the distribution of d‐amino acid racemases that produce the universal PG components d‐glutamate (d‐Glu) or d‐alanine (d‐Ala). We also examined moonlighting enzymes that synthesize d‐Glu or d‐Ala. Unlike other phyla in the domain Bacteria, CPR bacteria do not exhibit these moonlighting activities and have, at most, one gene encoding either a Glu or Ala racemase. One of these ‘orphan’ racemases is a predicted Glu racemase (MurICPR) from the CPR bacterium Candidatus Saccharimonas aalborgenesis. The expression of MurICPR restores the growth of a Salmonella d‐Glu auxotroph lacking its endogenous racemase and results in the substitution of l‐Ala by serine as the first residue in a fraction of the PG stem peptides. In vitro, MurICPR exclusively racemizes Glu as a substrate. Therefore, Ca. Saccharimonas aalborgensis may couple Glu racemization to serine and d‐Glu incorporation into the stem peptide. Our findings provide the first insights into the synthesis of PG by an uncultivated environmental bacterium and illustrate how to experimentally test enzymatic activities from CPR bacteria related to PG metabolism.
Introduction to ethics in ethnography: The practical politics of predictability
Authors: Herzfeld Michael
Published: April 2024

This introduction to the ‘Ethics in ethnography’ special issue analyzes a crisis facing anthropology and especially ethnography, its primary research method. It highlights how an outdated and parochial ethics model, strengthened by fears of litigation and simplistic views of ethnographic research, threatens the spontaneity and investigative freedom necessary to the method's exploratory character. Contributors to the discussion explore the spectrum of strategies – from compromise to confrontation – for addressing the challenges posed by the bureaucratic oversight of ethics, unrealistic expectations of predictability in fieldwork, the impact of legitimate post‐colonial critique and funding constraints on research freedom. They variously address the arbitrariness of bureaucratic procedures and the potential stifling of anthropological enquiry under the guise of ethical oversight. Drawing on the range of experience in anthropology and related fields represented here, the introduction opens the collection with a call to maintain ethical sensitivity while challenging attempts to police fieldwork using inappropriate conceptions of science and ethics.
The death of Elizabeth II on Wikipedia: fleshing out freedom through technoliberal participation online
Authors: Fians Guilherme
Published: April 2024

While journalists performed a long‐rehearsed move to announce the death of Elizabeth II on the BBC, several volunteer editors rushed to break the news in the late queen's Wikipedia article. Aside from updating verb tenses from is to was, such edits entailed a revisionist approach, with Wikipedians seeking to shape how the British royals would be portrayed online. Tracing the negotiations and edit wars on the English‐language Wikipedia surrounding this event, this article asks: to what extent does collaborative textual production subvert individual authorship in favour of knowledge co‐production and collective authorship? Drawing on an online ethnography on Wikipedia's metapages, I propose technoliberal participation as a framework to flesh out how internet users frequently perceive whatever is available online as a property of the collective. Online projects such as this self‐styled ‘free encyclopedia’ maximize their participants’ freedom to express themselves while setting them free from a sense of long‐lasting commitment to the project. Considering the place of technoliberal participation in several online settings, I argue that the perception of digital technologies as neoliberal tools to address neoliberal problems sets out freedom as a watchword around which content authorship is not erased, but reframed, via a responsibility‐free, do‐it‐yourself media ideology.
State abandonment and territorial citizenship in rural Colombia: Montes de María after the peace accords
Authors: Hoyos‐Gómez Diana
Published: April 2024

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Montes de María, Colombia, I examine citizen‐state relationships and experiences of the state in rural communities during the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement between the Colombian government and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas. I focus on the participatory process that led to the formulation of the Development Plans with a Territorial Focus (PDET) and their early implementation. I argue that state abandonment is a relevant conceptual lens through which to understand experiences of the state and the effects of some policies and state practices in reproducing the limited access to rights and the precarious living conditions at the heart of state interventions in rural areas. I also suggest that forms of territorial citizenship promoted by the peace accords provide opportunities to improve access to rights and contest state abandonment but also face challenges related to existing state practices and power relationships operating in rural territories. I distinguish state abandonment from state absence. By analysing how state abandonment can be produced at the heart of state interventions, this article expands anthropological debates about contemporary forms of state and social abandonment. The analysis of forms of territorial citizenship contributes to the understanding of claims‐making and participation in decision‐making structured around territory.
Massive waste in obstetric prediction research
Authors: Wilkinson Jack
Published: April 2024

Linked article: This is a mini commentary on Ewington et al., pp. 1591–1602 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/1471‐0528.17802.
Identification of a risk score model based on tertiary lymphoid structure‐related genes for predicting immunotherapy efficacy in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Mei Shi‐Qi , Liu Jia‐Qi , Huang Zi‐Jian , Luo Wei‐Chi , Peng Ying‐Long , Chen Zhi‐Hong , Deng Yu , Xu Chong‐Rui , Zhou Qing
Published: April 2024

Background

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) affect the prognosis and efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood.

Methods

TLSs were identified and categorized online from the Cancer Digital Slide Archive (CDSA). Overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) were analyzed. GSE111414 and GSE136961 datasets were downloaded from the GEO database. GSVA, GO and KEGG were used to explore the signaling pathways. Immune cell infiltration was analyzed by xCell, ssGSEA and MCP‐counter. The analysis of WGCNA, Lasso and multivariate cox regression were conducted to develop a gene risk score model based on the SU2C‐MARK cohort.

Results

TLS‐positive was a protective factor for OS according to multivariate cox regression analysis (p = 0.029). Both the TLS‐positive and TLS‐mature groups exhibited genes enrichment in immune activation pathways. The TLS‐mature group showed more activated dendritic cell infiltration than the TLS‐immature group. We screened TLS‐related genes using WGCNA. Lasso and multivariate cox regression analysis were used to construct a five‐genes (RGS8, RUF4, HLA‐DQB2, THEMIS, and TRBV12‐5) risk score model, the progression free survival (PFS) and OS of patients in the low‐risk group were markedly superior to those in the high‐risk group (p < 0.0001; p = 0.0015, respectively). Calibration and ROC curves indicated that the combined model with gene risk score and clinical features could predict the PFS of patients who have received immunotherapy more accurately than a single clinical factor.

Conclusions

Our data suggested a pivotal role of TLSs formation in survival outcome and immunotherapy response of NSCLC patients. Tumors with mature TLS formation showed more activated immune microenvironment. In addition, the model constructed by TLS‐related genes could predict the response to immunotherapy and is meaningful for clinical decision‐making.
It is time to explore the impact of length of gestation and fetal health on the human lifespan
Authors: Yu Zhuo , Dong Yushan , Chen Yuhan , Aleya Lotfi , Zhao Yinhuan , Yao Lan , Gu Weikuan
Published: April 2024

A recently proposed principal law of lifespan (PLOSP) proposes to extend the whole human lifespan by elongating different life stages. As the preborn stage of a human being, gestation is the foundation for the healthy development of the human body. The antagonistic pleiotropy (AP) theory of aging states that there is a trade‐off between early life fitness and late‐life mortality. The question is whether slower development during the gestation period would be associated with a longer lifespan. Among all living creatures, the length of the gestation period is highly positively correlated to the length of the lifespan, although such a correlation is thought to be influenced by the body sizes of different species. While examining the relationship between lifespan length and body size within the same species, dogs exhibit a negative correlation between lifespans and body sizes, while there is no such correlation among domestic cats. For humans, most adverse gestational environments shorten the period of gestation, and their impacts are long‐term. While many issues remain unsolved, various developmental features have been linked to the conditions during the gestation period. Given that the length of human pregnancies can vary randomly by as long as 5 weeks, it is worth investigating whether a slow steady healthy gestation over a longer period will be related to a longer and healthier lifespan. This article discusses the potential benefits, negative impacts, and challenges of the relative elongation of the gestation period.
U‐shaped association between sleep duration and biological aging: Evidence from the UK Biobank study
Authors: Wang Xuanyang , Yan Xuemin , Li Mengdi , Cheng Licheng , Qi Xiang , Zhang Jia , Pan Sijia , Xu Xiaoqing , Wei Wei , Li Ying
Published: April 2024

Previous research on sleep and aging largely has failed to illustrate the optimal dose–response curve of this relationship. We aimed to analyze the associations between sleep duration and measures of predicted age. In total, 241,713 participants from the UK Biobank were included. Habitual sleep duration was collected from the baseline questionnaire. Four indicators, homeostatic dysregulation (HD), phenoAge (PA), Klemera–Doubal method (KDM), and allostatic load (AL), were chosen to assess predicted age. Multivariate linear regression models were utilized. The association of sleep duration and predicted age followed a U‐shape (All p for nonlinear <0.05). Compared with individuals who sleep for 7 h/day, the multivariable‐adjusted beta of ≤5 and ≥9 h/day were 0.05 (95% CI 0.03, 0.07) and 0.03 (95% CI 0.02, 0.05) for HD, 0.08 (95% CI 0.01, 0.14) and 0.36 (95% CI 0.31, 0.41) for PA, and 0.21 (95% CI 0.12, 0.30) and 0.30 (95% CI 0.23, 0.37) for KDM. Significant independent and joint effects of sleep and cystatin C (CysC) and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) on predicted age metrics were future found. Similar results were observed when conducting stratification analyses. Short and long sleep duration were associated with accelerated predicted age metrics mediated by CysC and GGT.
Selective targeting of dipeptidyl‐peptidase 4 (DPP‐4) positive senescent chondrocyte ameliorates osteoarthritis progression
Authors: Ro Du Hyun , Cho Gun Hee , Kim Ji Yoon , Min Seong Ki , Yang Ha Ru , Park Hee Jung , Wang Sun Young , Kim You Jung , Lee Myung Chul , Bae Hyun Cheol , Han Hyuk‐Soo
Published: April 2024

Senescent cells increase in many tissues with age and induce age‐related pathologies, including osteoarthritis (OA). Senescent chondrocytes (SnCs) are found in OA cartilage, and the clearance of those chondrocytes prevents OA progression. However, targeting SnCs is challenging due to the absence of a senescent chondrocyte‐specific marker. Therefore, we used flow cytometry to screen and select senescent chondrocyte surface markers and cross‐validated with published transcriptomic data. Chondrocytes expressing dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP‐4), the selected senescent chondrocyte‐specific marker, had multiple senescence phenotypes, such as increased senescence‐associated‐galactosidase, p16, p21, and senescence‐associated secretory phenotype expression, and showed OA chondrocyte phenotypes. To examine the effects of DPP‐4 inhibition on DPP‐4+ SnCs, sitagliptin, a DPP‐4 inhibitor, was treated in vitro. As a result, DPP‐4 inhibition selectively eliminates DPP‐4+ SnCs without affecting DPP‐4‐ chondrocytes. To assess in vivo therapeutic efficacy of targeting DPP‐4+ SnCs, three known senolytics (ABT263, 17DMAG, and metformin) and sitagliptin were comparatively verified in a DMM‐induced rat OA model. Sitagliptin treatment specifically and effectively eliminated DPP‐4+ SnCs, compared to the other three senolytics. Furthermore, Intra‐articular sitagliptin injection to the rat OA model increased collagen type II and proteoglycan expression and physical functions and decreased cartilage destruction, subchondral bone plate thickness and MMP13 expression, leading to the amelioration of OA phenotypes. Collectively, OARSI score was lowest in the sitagliptin treatment group. Taken together, we verified DPP‐4 as a surface marker for SnCs and suggested that the selective targeting of DPP‐4+ chondrocytes could be a promising strategy to prevent OA progression.
Alpine shrub leaf litter decomposition across mountain summits in south‐eastern Australia
Authors: Venn Susanna E. , Camac James , Grover Samantha P. , Morgan John W.
Published: April 2024

Climate warming has been linked to shrub expansion in alpine regions and the decomposition of shrub leaf litter and subsequent release of nutrients has been proposed as a mechanism to facilitate shrub growth. We quantified the rate of alpine shrub leaf litter decomposition (measured as mass loss) over the course of a year in four locally occurring alpine shrub species that grow across four alpine summits. We measured a range of environmental attributes at the study sites, and via a standard litter bag approach, we evaluated the effects of site elevation, the depth of litter bag deployment, the removal time, the species‐specific leaf area (SLA) and the accumulated growing degree days at each site on the total per cent and rate of litter decomposition (as mass loss). The higher elevation sites were cooler with more snow days than the lower sites. Soil moisture was higher early in the snow‐free season at the higher elevation sites. Linear mixed effect models indicated no significant effects of elevation on total and rate of litter decomposition, but there were significant positive effects of deployment depth and removal time and a significant negative effect of species SLA. There were significant negative relationships between the rate of decomposition and growing degree days, as decomposition slows through time. The modelled mean rates of shrub litter decomposition for each species indicated that there would be more and faster decomposition if winter and early spring conditions were to persist for a whole year, compared with the modelled rates of average annual conditions persisting for a whole year. Our results indicate that Australian alpine shrub litter decomposes readily, with the highest rates of decomposition occurring soon after deployment, which in this study was after a snowy winter at the start of the growing season in spring.
The Belt and Road Initiative and export variety: 1996–2019
Authors: Lu Yuxin , Wolszczak‐Derlacz Joanna
Published: April 2024

This study examines the association between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and export variety (EV). We propose three hypotheses on how BRI may foster export markets (destinations) or export product lines. The estimates are based on a dataset constructed specifically for this analysis, covering 183 countries and linked with trade data from 1996 to 2019. We apply the instrumental variable (IV) approach in regressions for covering the endogeneity. The results indicate that participation in BRI is negatively related to EV. Specifically, we find evidence that, on average, BRI participants have less EV (by product and by destination) and greater export concentration. As regards participation in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and BRI meanwhile (AIIB_BRI and AIIB_MOU), the results show a more negative effect. And there are heterogeneous effects of BRI across different economies and sectors.
Inferring past demographic changes at different spatial scales in Northwest Patagonia and central‐south Chile: Comparing absolute dates with molecular data
Authors: Cobos Virginia A. , Postillone María Bárbara , Bernal Valeria , Perez S. Ivan
Published: April 2024

In this study, we compare the patterns of demographic changes in populations from Northwest Patagonia and central‐south Chile throughout the Late Pleistocene–Holocene obtained from absolute dates with those resulting from molecular genealogies. We have found that temporal distributions of frequencies of absolute dates constitute a more sensitive demographic indicator than molecular data to make inferences at small spatial scales in the region. Moreover, even though the latter has proven to be very informative about old demographic processes, it represents a less reliable source of information for more recent ones.
Assessing pain in persons with opioid use disorder: Approaches, techniques and special considerations
Authors: Nunes Julio C. , Costa Gabriel P. A. , Weleff Jeremy , Rogan Michael , Compton Peggy , De Aquino Joao P.
Published: April 2024

Pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) are inextricably linked, as the former can be a risk factor for the development of the latter, and over a third of persons with OUD suffer concomitant chronic pain. Assessing pain among people with OUD is challenging, because ongoing opioid use brings changes in pain responses and most pain assessment tools have not been validated for this population. In this narrative review, we discuss the fundamentals of pain assessment for populations with OUD. First, we describe the biological, psychological and social aspects of the pain experience among people with OUD, as well as how opioid‐related phenomena may contribute to the pain experience in this population. We then review methods to assess pain, including (1) traditional self‐reported methods, such visual analogue scales and structured questionnaires; (2) behavioural observations and physiological indicators; (3) and laboratory‐based approaches, such as quantitative sensory testing. These methods are considered from a perspective that encompasses both pain and OUD. Finally, we discuss strategies for improving pain assessment in persons with OUD and implications for future research, including educational strategies for multidisciplinary teams. We highlight the substantial gaps that persist in this literature, particularly regarding the applicability of current pain assessment methods to persons with OUD, as well as the generalizability of the existing results from adjacent populations on chronic opioid therapy but without OUD. As research linking pain and OUD evolves, considering the needs of diverse populations with complex psychosocial backgrounds, clinicians will be better equipped to reduce these gaps.
Detection of abnormal behaviors in prenatal Poly(I:C) exposed mice in a group‐rearing environment
Authors: Komada Munekazu , Kiriyama Niina , Sugiyama Rei , Harada Kazuma , Kawashita Norihito
Published: April 2024

During pregnancy, the maternal environment is critical for normal ontogeny and central nervous system development. Occasionally, prenatal exposure to environmental factors affects tissue architecture and functional development of the brain, which causes developmental disorders, including disorders of the autism spectrum. One of these environmental factors is the exposure to infectious diseases during pregnancy. In this study, we generated mice with infectious disease‐induced inflammation by prenatal exposure to 200 μg/kg polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid sodium salt [Poly(I:C)] at embryonic day 12.5 and analyzed their phenotypes on 30‐weeks‐old. We attempted to detect abnormalities in spontaneous activity and social interaction, which may be indicators of developmental disorder‐like behavioral abnormalities, in free‐ranging behaviors in multiple rearing environments using multiple animal positioning systems and UMATracker in mice with fetal inflammation. Increased spontaneous activity and abnormal social interactions were observed in mice in the Poly(I:C)‐treated group compared with those in the control group. Prenatal exposure to Poly(I:C) increased motor activity and decreased social interaction, and social behavior in prenatally treated mice in a multiple‐individual rearing environment. Poly(I:C) exposure during the fetal period resulted in developmental disorder‐like behavioral abnormalities, such as increased activity and abnormal social interactions, even after maturation in a multiple‐individual rearing environment. This experimental method may provide a new way to analyze the behavior of mouse models of developmental disorders in a multiple‐individual rearing environment, in which free‐ranging behavior is possible.
Assessment of bone gain and neurosensory affection with the sandwich osteotomy technique for vertically deficient posterior mandible using a full digital workflow versus conventional protocol: A randomized split mouth study
Authors: Moussa Ahmed K. , Shawky Mohamed , Aly Lobna Abdel Aziz , Mounir Mohamed , Esmael Waleed F.
Published: April 2024

Background

Using the sandwich osteotomy technique in the posterior mandible is delicate. This study aimed to assess the safety and the amount of bone gain using a full digital workflow versus the conventional procedure.

Patients and methods

This split mouth study included 10 patients with bilateral vertically deficient posterior mandible. One side received conventional sandwich interpositional bone grafting (control group), while the other side received the same protocol using two patient‐specific guides. The first guide (cutting guide) was used to place the osteotomies safely and accurately according to the predetermined dimensions and locations, and the second guide was used to fix the mobilized bony segment, leaving the desired gap to be filled with a particulate xenogenic bone graft.

Results

Full neurosensory recovery was documented at 2 months postoperative for all patients and bilaterally. After 4 months, there was a statistically significant difference in vertical bone gain between both groups (p = 0.001), measuring an average of 3.76 ± 0.72 mm in the study group and 2.69 ± 0.37 mm in the control group. No statistically significant difference was found between the planned vertical augmentation (3.85 ± 0.58 mm) and the obtained vertical bone gain (3.76 ± 0.72 mm) in the study group (p = 0.765) proving the accuracy of the guided procedure.

Conclusion

Computer‐guided sandwich interpositional grafting is predictable regarding the execution of the osteotomies and the accuracy of fixation of the transport segment.
Within‐individual reproducibility of a dual sample oral cholate challenge test (DuO) and simplified versions of the HepQuant SHUNT test
Authors: McRae Michael P. , Kittelson John , Helmke Steve M. , Everson Gregory T.
Published: April 2024

Current noninvasive liver tests measure fibrosis, inflammation, or steatosis and do not measure function. The HepQuant platform of noninvasive tests uniquely assesses both liver function and physiology through the hepatic uptake of stable isotopes of cholate. However, the prototypical HepQuant SHUNT test (SHUNT V1.0) is cumbersome to administer, requiring intravenous and oral administration of cholate and six peripheral venous blood samples over 90 min. To alleviate the burden of test administration, we explored whether an oral only (DuO) version, and other simplified versions, of the test could provide reproducible measurements of liver function. DuO requires only oral dosing and two blood samples over 60 min. The simplified SHUNT test versions were SHUNT V1.1 (oral and IV dosing but four blood samples) and SHUNT V2.0 (oral and IV dosing but only two blood samples over 60 min). In this paper, we describe the reproducibility of DuO and the simplified SHUNT tests relative to that of SHUNT V1.0; equivalency is described in a separate paper. Data from two studies comprising 236 SHUNT tests in 94 subjects were analyzed retrospectively by each method. All simplified methods were highly reproducible across test parameters with intraclass correlation coefficients >0.93 for test parameters Disease Severity Index (DSI) and Hepatic Reserve. DuO and SHUNT V2.0 improved reproducibility in measuring portal‐systemic shunting (SHUNT%). These simplified tests, particularly DuO and SHUNT V2.0, are easier to administer and less invasive, thus, having the potential to be more widely accepted by care providers administering the test and by patients receiving the test.
Evaluating the expansion of African species into Europe driven by climate change
Authors: López‐Ramírez Sandro , Márquez Ana Luz , Real Raimundo , Muñoz Antonio‐Román
Published: April 2024

Aim

Ongoing climate change is presently influencing the distribution ranges of numerous species, with both range expansions and latitudinal shifts being observed. In southern Europe, a biogeographical border that separates African and European biota, while at the same time acting as a migration bridge for many species, these changes are of particular relevance. This study aimed to analyse the responses of nine typically African birds to climate change to provide information on the ongoing and future occupation of Europe by these species.

Location

Western Palearctic and surrounding areas.

Methods

To this end, the distributions of the species in their native ranges were modelled, both in the present and in future climate scenarios, using their current breeding ranges and a set of topographic and climatic variables. The climatic favourability for the nine species was then combined using fuzzy logic.

Results

The results showed that southern Europe is highly favourable for our set of African birds, except for Rüppell's Vulture, and future forecasts indicated that this favourability would increase further north, again excluding the African Vulture.

Main conclusions

If the climate continues to warm, further arrivals of individuals are to be expected, increasing the possibility that self‐sustaining populations may become established in southern Europe. Furthermore, new African species may start to occupy this area, with the likelihood of an Africanisation of the European fauna. Considering the role played by southern Europe as a potential focal point for the colonisation of this continent by African species, it is important to track their northward expansion and future spread.
Utilizing a stent retriever: Novel technique for the management of appendiceal orifice stenosis during endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy
Authors: Chen Zhiqian , Li Junxiu , Zeng Xianhui
Published: April 2024

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Cognitive outcome and its neural correlates after cardiorespiratory arrest in childhood
Authors: Geva Sharon , Hoskote Aparna , Saini Maneet , Clark Christopher A. , Banks Tina , Chong W. K. Kling , Baldeweg Torsten , de Haan Michelle , Vargha‐Khadem Faraneh
Published: April 2024

Hypoxia‐ischaemia (HI) can result in structural brain abnormalities, which in turn can lead to behavioural deficits in various cognitive and motor domains, in both adult and paediatric populations. Cardiorespiratory arrest (CA) is a major cause of hypoxia‐ischaemia in adults, but it is relatively rare in infants and children. While the effects of adult CA on brain and cognition have been widely studied, to date, there are no studies examining the neurodevelopmental outcome of children who suffered CA early in life. Here, we studied the long‐term outcome of 28 children who suffered early CA (i.e., before age 16). They were compared to a group of control participants (n = 28) matched for age, sex and socio‐economic status. The patient group had impairments in the domains of memory, language and academic attainment (measured using standardised tests). Individual scores within the impaired range were most commonly found within the memory domain (79%), followed by academic attainment (50%), and language (36%). The patient group also had reduced whole brain grey matter volume, and reduced volume and fractional anisotropy of the white matter. In addition, lower performance on memory tests was correlated with bilaterally reduced volume of the hippocampi, thalami, and striatum, while lower attainment scores were correlated with bilateral reduction of fractional anisotropy in the superior cerebellar peduncle, the main output tract of the cerebellum. We conclude that patients who suffered early CA are at risk of developing specific cognitive deficits associated with structural brain abnormalities.

Research Highlights

Our data shed light on the long‐term outcome and associated neural mechanisms after paediatric hypoxia‐ischaemia as a result of cardiorespiratory arrest.

Patients had impaired scores on memory, language and academic attainment.

Memory impairments were associated with smaller hippocampi, thalami, and striatum.

Lower academic attainment correlated with reduced fractional anisotropy of the superior cerebellar peduncle.