bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumer reactions to attacks against cherished brands
Authors: Cheng Li Keng , Toung Chung-Lin
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Because of an increase in consumer awareness and the ease of information dissemination on the Internet, brands have increasingly become the target of online criticism. Several factors affect consumers’ reactions to public criticism against brands that they support. The present study investigated the interactive effects of psychological ownership, agency–communion orientation, and internal attribution on self-threat in the context of such criticism.

Design/methodology/approach

Three studies were conducted to test several research hypotheses. The psychological ownership, agency–communion orientation, and internal attribution of the participants in this study were manipulated using an experimental scenario. Subsequently, they completed a questionnaire with items used to assess purchase intention, self-threat, and demographic variables and for performing manipulation checks.

Findings

When a brand is criticized, (1) consumers with high psychological ownership of the brand are likely to buy more of that brand’s products, (2) communion-oriented consumers with high psychological ownership of the brand experience greater self-threat relative to those with low psychological ownership, and (3) agency-oriented consumers experience a consistent level of self-threat regardless of their level of psychological ownership.

Research limitations/implications

Brands should endeavor to enhance consumers’ psychological ownership of the brand to increase their support in times of crisis.

Originality/value

This study investigated how psychological ownership of a brand among consumers affected their reactions when a brand was criticized. The effect of self-threat as a mediating mechanism was also considered. Furthermore, agency and communion orientation were proposed as crucial moderators that should be considered in research on consumer–brand relationships.
Past is prologue: from human relations to social exchange theory
Authors: Muldoon Jeffrey , Gould Anthony M. , Joullié Jean-Etienne
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this article is twofold. Its first objective is to bring to the fore the unexplored and neglected origins of social exchange theory (SET) to critique this body of conjecture. This unearthing is illustrated through focusing on the way the theory was developed and how this development was mischaracterised in literature. Its second objective is to invoke the methodological assemblage of ANTi-History and the “close reading” notion using multiple archival sources to demonstrate their usefulness within the critical qualitative method debate.

Design/methodology/approach

The historic character of management and organization studies is exemplified through utilizing a combination of textual sources to examine how SET emerged from within the human relations school of thought throughout much of the twentieth century. Specifically, an array of sources (including archival data) is deployed and closely examined to trace how SET formed and became prevalent in organizational studies over the last decades.

Findings

SET is not only indebted to the human relations movement in general and to Elton Mayo’s work in particular (as is well-known), but also to logical positivism and behavioralist-school psychology. As such, Homans’ work marked the beginning of a new era in organizational behavior research.

Originality/value

The article highlights the role of historical analyses in interpreting mainstream constructs in organizational behavior. In doing so, it reveals how critical qualitative research leads to understanding some shortcomings of a theory and indicates potential remedies.
Fertility apps, datafication and knowledge production in reproductive health
Authors: Geampana Alina
Published: June 2024

Despite being the target of much criticism, commercialised digital technologies have proliferated in reproductive health arenas. Fertility applications (apps) are now some of the most popular and ubiquitous digital health tracking technologies, with millions of downloads. Previous scholarship has already underlined the problematic nature of their design and surveillance features. However, less attention has been paid to the wider effects of datafied knowledge availability. This research specifically asks: How does the proliferation of fertility apps shape knowledge (and associated practices) in reproductive health? Drawing on an analysis of key document sources, I here argue that fertility apps act as mediators between stakeholders, data and datafied outputs, thus facilitating: (1) the datafication of fertility awareness knowledge and the production of new datafied knowledge, (2) legitimation discourses and practices and (3) the remaking of private/public expertise and knowledge production networks in reproductive health. To effectively analyse the effects of commercialised reproductive health apps, this work argues for an understanding of data technologies that is informed by critical data studies.
Overwork as a concept to understand health inequities for ethnicised patients in health care
Authors: Halberg Nina , Larsen Trine Schifter , Holen Mari
Published: June 2024

Health inequities for ethnically minoritised patients are well‐documented. In this ethnographic study, we follow thirteen patients categorised as ‘ethnic minorities’ in Danish health care during hospitalisation in three orthopaedic wards across two hospitals. The categorisation of ‘ethnic minority patient’ has been problematised for its Eurocentric origin and practices within Westernised health care. We use ethnicised to emphasise the process of becoming minoritised based on markers of physical appearance, religious symbols, language or names. Access to health care also rely on perceived legitimacy as health‐care recipients which requires work by patients. We demonstrate the workings patients categorised as ‘ethnic minorities’ engage in by (re)producing othering ideas about non‐Danishness, including distancing from other patients perceived as problematic. These were then (counter)produced by positioning oneself as the opposite, as deserving health‐care receivers by displaying welfare reciprocity, supporting egalitarian ideas by discounting discriminatory experiences, showing gratitude and identifying staff with good vibes. We propose these doings as creating overwork. This theoretical approach enables a sensitivity towards subtle and covert workings for patients placed in the margins of health care. In this study, overwork is closely related to notions of Danishness and takes on specific forms within a modernised and universalised Danish health‐care system.
Tax Bunching of Very High Earners: Evidence from Australia's Division 293 Retirement Contributions Tax*
Authors: Carter Andrew , Breunig Robert
Published: June 2024

We examine the bunching behaviour of individuals in Australia in response to an extra 15 per cent tax on compulsory retirement contributions imposed on those earning more than $ A250,000. We find almost no bunching by wage and salary earners. There is extensive bunching by those with business or trust income. For this group, we estimate an elasticity of taxable income of 0.027. Females and older workers are more likely to bunch. The results suggest that the tax induces a tax planning response but little labour supply response.
HawkEar: A bird‐borne visual and acoustic platform for eavesdropping the behaviour of mobile animals
Authors: Kloepper L. N. , Taylor G. K. , Domski P. , Vanderelst D. , Eveland K. , Stevenson R. L.
Published: June 2024

Unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs; drones) offer mobile platforms for ecological investigation, but can be impractical in some environments and the resulting noise can disturb wildlife.

We developed a mobile alternative using a bird‐borne platform to record the behaviour of other animals in the field. This unit consists of a lightweight audio and video sensor that is carried by a trained Harris's hawk Parabuteo unicinctus.

We tested the hypothesis that our bird‐borne platform is a viable option for collecting behavioural data from mobile animals. We recorded acoustic and video data as the hawk flew through a dense group of Brazilian free‐tailed bats Tadarida brasiliensis emerging from a cave, with a test case of investigating how echolocation calls change depending on spatial position in the bat group.

The HawkEar platform is an alternative for collecting behavioural data when a mobile platform that is less noisy and restrictive than traditional UAVs is needed. The design and software are open source and can be modified to accommodate additional sensor needs.
Topical glaucoma medications − Possible implications on the meibomian glands
Authors: Fineide Fredrik , Magnø Morten , Dahlø Kristian , Kolko Miriam , Heegaard Steffen , Vehof Jelle , Utheim Tor Paaske
Published: June 2024

One of the most common causes of blindness on a global scale is glaucoma. There is a strong association between glaucoma and increased intraocular pressure (IOP). Because of this, adequate IOP‐lowering is the most important treatment strategy, mostly through topical eyedrops. Well‐functioning meibomian glands are paramount for maintaining a stable tear film, and their dysfunction is the most common cause of dry eye disease. There is a growing concern that both topical glaucoma medications themselves and their added preservatives damage the meibomian glands, and consequently, the ocular surface. Preserved topical glaucoma medications appear to cause dysfunction and atrophy of the meibomian glands. Upon comparison, preserved formulations caused more symptoms of dry eye, tear film instability, inflammatory changes and meibomian gland dropout than the preservative‐free counterpart. However, although seemingly less detrimental, unpreserved alternatives may diminish glandular efficacy, and, depending on the active ingredient, lead to glandular death. This negatively impacts quality of life, adherence to treatment regimens and prognosis. In this review, we explore the available evidence regarding the effects of IOP‐lowering eye drops on the meibomian glands.
Teach them how to fish or give them fish? The effect of collective narcissism on intergroup help
Authors: Qin Yi , Cheng Lei , Li Zifei , Zhu Xueli , Wang Fang
Published: June 2024

Intergroup help contributes to the solution of global issues in particular. However, whether to teach an outgroup how to address their problem permanently, or to directly help them solve the current problem? Collective narcissism might play a crucial role in this process. Based on the core characteristics of collective narcissism, this research explored whether and how collective narcissism would affect people's willingness to give different types of intergroup help. Study 1 examined the correlation between collective narcissism and intergroup help. Studies 2 and 3 investigated the impacts of outgroup threat and ingroup image on the relationship between collective narcissism and intergroup help respectively. In Study 4, the interaction between outgroup threat and ingroup image was further examined. The results showed that collective narcissism reduced participants' willingness to offer intergroup help, especially autonomy‐oriented help. For low‐threat outgroups, collective narcissism increased participants' willingness to give dependency‐oriented help. In contrast, collective narcissism increased participants' willingness to give autonomy‐oriented help when refusal to intergroup help tarnished the ingroup image. For high‐threat outgroups, collective narcissism did not predict participants' willingness to give intergroup help. These findings suggest that collective narcissists' preferences for intergroup help change with outgroup threat and ingroup image.
Becoming word meaning experts: Infants' processing of familiar words in the context of typical and atypical exemplars
Authors: Weaver Haley , Zettersten Martin , Saffran Jenny R.
Published: June 2024

How do infants become word meaning experts? This registered report investigated the structure of infants' early lexical representations by manipulating the typicality of exemplars from familiar animal categories. 14‐ to 18‐month‐old infants (N = 84; 51 female; M = 15.7 months; race/ethnicity: 64% White, 8% Asian, 2% Hispanic, 1% Black, and 23% multiple categories; participating 2022–2023) were tested on their ability to recognize typical and atypical category exemplars after hearing familiar basic‐level category labels. Infants robustly recognized both typical (d = 0.79, 95% CI [0.54, 1.03]) and atypical (d = 0.70, 95% CI [0.46, 0.94]) exemplars, with no significant difference between typicality conditions (d = 0.14, 95% CI [−0.08, 0.35]). These results support a broad‐to‐narrow account of infants' early word meanings. Implications for the role of experience in the development of lexical knowledge are discussed.
Transferability of the NHS low‐calorie diet programme: A qualitative exploration of factors influencing the programme's transfer ahead of wide‐scale adoption
Authors: Burton Wendy , Padgett Louise , Nixon Nicola , Ells Louisa , Drew Kevin J. , Brown Tamara , Bakhai Chirag , Radley Duncan , Homer Catherine , Marwood Jordan , Dhir Pooja , Bryant Maria
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Although behavioural interventions have been found to help control type 2 diabetes (T2D), it is important to understand how the delivery context can influence implementation and outcomes. The NHS committed to testing a low‐calorie diet (LCD) programme designed to support people living with excess weight and T2D to lose weight and improve diabetes outcomes. Understanding what influenced implementation during the programme pilot is important in optimising rollout. This study explored the transferability of the NHS LCD Programme prior to wider adoption.

Methods

Twenty‐five interviews were undertaken with stakeholders involved in implementing the LCD programme in pilot sites (health service leads, referring health professionals and programme deliverers). Interviews with programme participants (people living with T2D) were undertaken within a larger programme of work, exploring what worked, for whom and why, which is reported separately. The conceptual Population–Intervention–Environment–Transfer Model of Transferability (PIET‐T) guided study design and data collection. Constructs of the model were also used as a deductive coding frame during data analysis. Key themes were identified which informed recommendations to optimise programme transfer.

Results

Population: Referral strategies in some areas lacked consideration of population characteristics. Many believed that offering a choice of delivery model would promote acceptability and accessibility of the eligible population. Intervention: Overall, stakeholders had confidence in the LCD programme due to the robust evidence base along with anecdotal evidence, but some felt the complex referral process hindered engagement from GP practices. Environment: Stakeholders described barriers to accessing the programme, including language and learning difficulties. Transferability: Multidisciplinary working and effective communication supported successful implementation.

Conclusion

Referral strategies to reach underrepresented groups should be considered during programme transfer, along with timely data from service providers on access and programme benefits. A choice of delivery models may optimise uptake. Knowledge sharing between sites on good working practices is encouraged, including increasing engagement with key stakeholders.
Salinity decline promotes growth and harmful blooms of a toxic alga by diverting carbon flow
Authors: Shi Xinguo , Zou Yazhen , Zhang Yingjiao , Ding Guangmao , Xiao Yuchun , Lin Senjie , Chen Jianfeng
Published: June 2024

Global climate change intensifies the water cycle and makes freshest waters become fresher and vice‐versa. But how this change impacts phytoplankton in coastal, particularly harmful algal blooms (HABs), remains poorly understood. Here, we monitored a coastal bay for a decade and found a significant correlation between salinity decline and the increase of Karenia mikimotoi blooms. To examine the physiological linkage between salinity decreases and K. mikimotoi blooms, we compare chemical, physiological and multi‐omic profiles of this species in laboratory cultures under high (33) and low (25) salinities. Under low salinity, photosynthetic efficiency and capacity as well as growth rate and cellular protein content were significantly higher than that under high salinity. More strikingly, the omics data show that low salinity activated the glyoxylate shunt to bypass the decarboxylation reaction in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, hence redirecting carbon from CO2 release to biosynthesis. Furthermore, the enhanced glyoxylate cycle could promote hydrogen peroxide metabolism, consistent with the detected decrease in reactive oxygen species. These findings suggest that salinity declines can reprogram metabolism to enhance cell proliferation, thus promoting bloom formation in HAB species like K. mikimotoi, which has important ecological implications for future climate‐driven salinity declines in the coastal ocean with respect to HAB outbreaks.
Applying a method before its proof of concept: A cautionary tale using inferred food webs
Authors: Brimacombe Chris , Bodner Korryn , Fortin Marie‐Josée
Published: June 2024

There are significant pitfalls associated with developing food webs using inferred approaches, including violations of ecological assumptions, which considerably undermine their potentiality to resemble ecological communities and hence be practically useful. As data‐driven scientists, we must, at the very least, test against some empirical data to establish confidence that indeed the inferred food webs reflect their supposed in situ communities. Otherwise, using inferred networks to make bold claims—like the titular statement by Botella et al. (2024)  that food webs are influenced by land‐use intensity—is highly unlikely to be useful, especially when the aforementioned claim is unsubstantiated by the Authors' own statistical analyses.
Moving restoration ecology forward with combinatorial approaches
Authors: Rillig Matthias C. , Lehmann Anika , Rongstock Rebecca , Li Huiying , Harris James
Published: June 2024

Our current planetary crisis, including multiple jointly acting factors of global change, moves the need for effective ecosystem restoration center stage and compels us to explore unusual options. We here propose exploring combinatorial approaches to restoration practices: management practices are drawn at random and combined from a locally relevant pool of possible management interventions, thus creating an experimental gradient in the number of interventions. This will move the current degree of interventions to higher dimensionality, opening new opportunities for unlocking unknown synergistic effects. Thus, the high dimensionality of global change (multiple jointly acting factors) would be more effectively countered by similar high‐dimensionality in solutions. In this concept, regional restoration hubs play an important role as guardians of locally relevant information and sites of experimental exploration. Data collected from such studies could feed into a global database, which could be used to learn about general principles of combined restoration practices, helping to refine future experiments. Such combinatorial approaches to exploring restoration intervention options may be our best hope yet to achieve decisive progress in ecological restoration at the timescale needed to mitigate and reverse the most severe losses caused by global environmental change.
Bilin‐regulated LHCA1 accumulation is independent of photoreceptors PHOT, CRYs, and UVR8 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Hou Chunhui , Zhang Weiqing , Deng Rui , Xiong Hui , Duanmu Deqiang
Published: June 2024

Light is a critical environmental signal that is perceived by various photoreceptors and is of great significance in the photosynthetic growth of algae and plants. The phytochrome‐lacking model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii possesses heme oxygenase (HMOX1) and phycocyanobilin ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PCYA1) to synthesize the linear tetrapyrrole bilin from heme in the chloroplast. The hmox1 mutant has photosynthetic growth deficiency and accumulation of photosystem I proteins such as LHCA1 is severely inhibited, and these defects could be rescued by exogenous bilin feeding in a blue light‐dependent manner. To investigate the contribution of the typical blue/ultraviolet light photoreceptors PHOT, aCRY, pCRY, and UVR8 in the process of bilin and blue light‐dependent recovery of LHCA1 protein in hmox1, we generated double mutants of these photoreceptors in hmox1, as well as a triple mutant of phot uvr8 hmox1, to analyze the LHCA1 protein abundance in these mutants. Results clearly showed that PHOT, CRYs, and UVR8 do not participate in this process. In addition, transcriptome profiling analysis of the hmox1 and its genetically complemented strain ho1C2 during dark‐to‐blue light transition revealed a total of 269 blue light‐responsive genes independent of bilin (|fold change| ≥ 2). RNA‐seq also identified a set of 249 differentially expressed genes that are dependent on both blue light and bilin. These findings provide valuable insights for elucidating the role of bilin in mediating blue light signaling pathways in Chlamydomonas.
Habitat preferences of Phoebetria albatrosses in sympatry and allopatry
Authors: Bentley Lily K. , Phillips Richard A. , Carpenter‐Kling Tegan , Crawford Robert J. M. , Cuthbert Richard J. , Delord Karine , Dilley Ben J. , Makhado Azwianewi B. , Miller Peter I. , Oppel Steffen , Pistorius Pierre A. , Ryan Peter G. , Schoombie Stefan , Weimerskirch Henri , Manica Andrea
Published: June 2024

Aim

Competition is often proposed to drive niche segregation along multiple axes in speciose communities. Understanding spatial partitioning of foraging areas is particularly important in species that are constrained to a central place. We present a natural experiment examining variation in habitat preferences of congeneric Southern Ocean predators in sympatry and allopatry. Our aim was to ascertain consistency of habitat preferences within species, and to test whether preferences changed in the presence of the congener.

Location

Southern Hemisphere.

Taxon

Multiple colonies of both species within the genus Phoebetria (sooty albatrosses).

Methods

The two Phoebetria albatrosses breed on islands located from ~37–55°S – sooty albatrosses (P. fusca) in the north and light‐mantled albatrosses (P. palpebrata) in the south – with sympatric overlap at locations ~46–49°S. We analysed GPS and PTT tracks from 87 individuals and multiple remotely sensed environmental variables using GAMs, to determine and compare the key factors influencing habitat preference for each species at each breeding colony.

Results

While foraging habitat preferences are consistent in light‐mantled albatrosses, there is divergence of preferences in sooty albatrosses depending on whether they are in sympatry with their congener or in allopatry.

Main Conclusions

This study represents the most comprehensive work on this genus to date and highlights how habitat preferences and behavioural plasticity may influence species distributions under different competitive conditions.
EuroGuiderm guideline on lichen sclerosus—introduction into lichen sclerosus
Authors: Kirtschig G. , Kinberger M. , Kreuter A. , Simpson R. , Günthert A. , van Hees C. , Becker K. , Ramakers M. J. , Corazza M. , Müller S. , von Seitzberg S. , Boffa M. J. , Stein R. , Barbagli G. , Chi C. C. , Dauendorffer J. N. , Fischer B. , Gaskins M. , Hiltunen‐Back E. , Höfinger A. , Köllmann N. H. , Kühn H. , Larsen H. K. , Lazzeri M. , Mendling W. , Nikkels A. F. , Promm M. , Rall K. K. , Regauer S. , Sárdy M. , Sepp N. , Thune T. , Tsiogka A. , Vassileva S. , Voswinkel L. , Wölber L. , Werner R. N.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory skin disease affecting all ages. LS typically involves the anogenital site where it causes itching and soreness. It may lead to sexual and urinary dysfunction in females and males; however, it may be asymptomatic. First signs of LS are redness and oedema, typically followed by whitening of the genital skin; sometimes fissuring, scarring, shrinkage and fusion of structures may follow in its course. LS is associated with an increased risk of genital cancer. LS has a huge impact on the quality of life of affected patients, and it is important to raise more awareness of this not uncommon disease in order to diagnose and treat it early.

Objectives

The guideline intends to provide guidance on the diagnostic of LS, highlight important aspects in the care of LS patients (part 1), generate recommendations and treatment algorithms (part 2) on topical, interventional and surgical therapy, based on the latest evidence, provide guidance in the management of LS patients during pregnancy, provide guidance for the follow‐up of patients with LS and inform about new developments and potential research aspects.

Materials and Methods

The guideline was developed in accordance with the EuroGuiDerm Methods Manual v1.3 https://www.edf.one/de/home/Guidelines/EDF‐EuroGuiDerm.html. The wording of the recommendations was standardized (as suggested by the GRADE Working Group). The guideline development group is comprised of 34 experts from 16 countries, including 5 patient representatives.

Results

Ultrapotent or potent topical corticosteroids in females and males, adults and children remain gold standard of care for genital LS; co‐treatment with emollients is recommended. If standard treatment fails in males, a surgical intervention is recommended, complete circumcision may cure LS in males. UV light treatment is recommended for extragenital LS; however, there is limited scientific evidence. Topical calcineurin inhibitors are second line treatment. Laser treatment, using various wave lengths, is under investigation, and it can currently not be recommended for the treatment of LS. Treatment with biologics is only reported in single cases.

Conclusions

LS has to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible in order to minimize sequelae like scarring and cancer development. Topical potent and ultrapotent corticosteroids are the gold standard of care; genital LS is often a lifelong disease and needs to be treated long‐term.
Predictive value of thrombin–antithrombin III complex and tissue plasminogen activator–inhibitor complex biomarkers in assessing the severity of early‐stage acute pancreatitis
Authors: Liao Chushu , Liu Guanghua , Li Lingqian , Wang Juan , Ouyang Long , Lei Ping , Fan Shasha
Published: June 2024

Background and Aim

The development of acute pancreatitis (AP) is strongly linked to blood clotting and fibrinolysis issues. Modern clinical practices now utilize advanced blood markers like thrombin–antithrombin III complex (TAT), plasmin‐α2‐plasmin inhibitor complex, thrombomodulin (TM), and tissue plasminogen activator–inhibitor complex (t‐PAIC) to assess thrombosis risk. Our study used a highly sensitive chemiluminescence technique to measure these markers in AP patients, aiming to determine their early predictive value for AP severity.

Methods

There were 173 patients with AP, all of whom developed symptoms within 72 h; 102 individuals had onset symptoms within 48 h. The biomarkers were measured upon admission before determining the severity of AP.

Results

The levels of TAT, plasmin‐α2‐plasmin inhibitor complex, TM, and t‐PAIC were significantly higher in the severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) group compared with the mild acute pancreatitis and moderate severe acute pancreatitis groups. For the patients within 72 h of onset, TAT, TM, and t‐PAIC predicted the occurrence of SAP. For the patients within 48 h of onset, TAT and t‐PAIC predicted the occurrence of SAP. The area under the curve (AUC) of prediction models is similar to Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) but significantly higher than C‐reactive protein (P < 0.05). Notably, t‐PAIC had a larger AUC than TAT, BISAP, and C‐reactive protein.

Conclusion

In the initial 48 h, plasma TAT and t‐PAIC levels may predict the development of SAP. Within 72 h, plasma levels of TAT, TM, and t‐PAIC may predict the development of SAP, and the TAT + TM + t‐PAIC prediction model achieved a maximum AUC of 0.915, comparable to BISAP.
A randomized controlled trial of a novel home‐based palliative care program: A report of a trial that could not be completed
Authors: Goldstein Nathan E. , Winter Shira , Mather Harriet , DeCherrie Linda V. , Kelley Amy S. , McKendrick Karen , Zhao Duzhi , Espino Christian , Sealy LaToya , Zhang Meng , Morrison R. Sean
Published: June 2024

Background

In response to a growing need for accessible, efficient, and effective palliative care services, we designed, implemented, and evaluated a novel palliative care at home (PC@H) model for people with serious illness that is centered around a community health worker, a registered nurse, and a social worker, with an advanced practice nurse and a physician for support. Our objectives were to measure the impact of receipt of PC@H on patient symptoms, quality of life, and healthcare utilization and costs.

Methods

We enrolled 136 patients with serious illness in this parallel, randomized controlled trial. Our primary outcome was change in symptom burden at 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes included change in symptom burden at 3 months, change in quality of life at 6 weeks and 3 months, estimated using a group t‐test. In an exploratory aim, we examined the impact of PC@H on healthcare utilization and cost using a generalized linear model.

Results

PC@H resulted in a greater improvement in patient symptoms at 6 weeks (1.30 score improvement, n = 37) and 3 months (3.14 score improvement, n = 21) compared with controls. There were no differences in healthcare utilization and costs between the two groups. Unfortunately, due to the COVID‐19 pandemic and a loss of funding, the trial was not able to be completed as originally intended.

Conclusions

A palliative care at home model that leverages community health workers, registered nurses, and social workers as the primary deliverers of care may result in improved patient symptoms and quality of life compared with standard care. We did not demonstrate significant differences in healthcare utilization and cost associated with receipt of PC@H, likely due to inability to reach the intended sample size and insufficient statistical power, due to elements beyond the investigators' control such as the COVID‐19 public health emergency and changes in grant funding.
Psychosocial distress among spouses of persons with dementia before and after their partner's death
Authors: Kotwal Ashwin A. , Cenzer Irena , Hunt Lauren J. , Ankuda Claire , Torres Jacqueline M. , Smith Alexander K. , Aldridge Melissa , Harrison Krista L.
Published: June 2024

Background

Spouses of persons living with dementia may face heightened psychosocial distress in the years immediately before and after their partner's death. We compared the psychosocial needs of spouses of partners with dementia with spouses of partners with non‐impaired cognition nearing and after the end of life, focusing on loneliness, depression, life satisfaction, and social isolation.

Methods

We used nationally representative Health and Retirement Study married couples data (2006–2018), restricting to spouses 50+ years old. We included 2098 spouses with data on loneliness and depressive symptoms 2 years before and after the partner's death. We additionally examined a subset of spouses (N = 1113) with available data on life satisfaction and social isolation 2 years before their partner's death. Cognitive status of partners was classified as non‐impaired cognition, cognitive impairment not dementia (cognitive impairment), and dementia. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine: 1) the change in loneliness and depression for spouses pre‐ and post‐partner's death, and 2) life satisfaction and social isolation 2 years before the partner's death.

Results

Spouses were on average 73 years old (SD: 10), 66% women, 7% Black, 7% Hispanic non‐White, 24% married to persons with cognitive impairment, and 19% married to partners with dementia. Before their partner's death, spouses married to partners with dementia experienced more loneliness (non‐impaired cognition: 8%, cognitive impairment: 16%, dementia: 21%, p‐value = 0.002) and depressive symptoms (non‐impaired cognition: 20%, cognitive impairment: 27%, dementia: 31%, p‐value < 0.001), and after death a similar prevalence of loneliness and depression across cognitive status. Before their partner's death, spouses of partners with dementia reported less life satisfaction (non‐impaired cognition: 74%, cognitive impairment: 68%; dementia: 64%, p‐value = 0.02) but were not more socially isolated.

Conclusion

Results emphasize a need for clinical and policy approaches to expand support for the psychosocial needs of spouses of partners with dementia in the years before their partner's death rather than only bereavement.
Improving age‐friendly advance care planning in primary care: Outcomes from a Pacific Northwest learning collaborative
Authors: Johnson Ashley A. , Bennett Katherine A. , Verrall Aimee M. , Deloya Ellen , Linares Adriana , Ramsbottom Mary T. , Santos Jhoanna M. , Cochrane Barbara B. , Vitiello Michael V. , Phelan Elizabeth A. , Cole Allison M.
Published: June 2024

Background

Advance care planning (ACP) is the process of having conversations with patients to ensure preferences are known and support patient healthcare goals. ACP and the Age‐Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) Initiative's, “What Matters,” are synergistic approaches to patient‐centered conversations. Implementation and measurement of ACP in primary care (PC) are variables in quality and consistency. We examined whether participation in an ACP learning collaborative (LC) would improve knowledge and ability to conduct ACP discussions and increase the frequency of documented ACP in participating practices.

Methods

The WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) region Practice and Research Network (WPRN) and the Northwest Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Center collaboratively organized a 9‐month virtual LC. It consisted of 4 synchronous, 1.5‐h sessions, technical support, and a panel of ACP experts. A Wilcoxon rank sum test assessed differences in knowledge from a pre–post survey. Documentation of ACP in the EHR was collected after at least one plan–do–study–act cycle.

Results

We enrolled 17 participants from 6 PC practices (3 hospital‐affiliated; 3 Federally Qualified Health Centers) from the WPRN. Two practices did not complete all LC activities. There was a trend toward increased ACP knowledge and skills overall especially in having discussions patients and families (pre‐mean 2.9 [SD = 0.7]/post‐mean 4.0[SD = 1.1], p < 0.05). 4/6 practices observed an increase in EHR documentation post‐collaborative (median 16.3%, IQR 1.3%–36.9%).

Conclusions

The LC increased PC providers knowledge and skills of ACP and AFHS's What Matters, reported ACP EHR documentation, and contributed to practice change.
Clinical impact of medication review and deprescribing in older inpatients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Carollo Massimo , Crisafulli Salvatore , Vitturi Giacomo , Besco Matilde , Hinek Damiano , Sartorio Andrea , Tanara Valentina , Spadacini Giulia , Selleri Margherita , Zanconato Valentina , Fava Cristiano , Minuz Pietro , Zamboni Mauro , Trifirò Gianluca
Published: June 2024

Background

Polypharmacy is a primary risk factor for the prescription of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), drug–drug interactions (DDIs), and ultimately, adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Medication review and deprescribing represent effective strategies to simplify therapeutic regimens, minimize risks, and reduce PIM prescriptions. This systematic review and meta‐analysis of experimental and observational studies aimed to evaluate the impact of different medication review and deprescribing interventions in hospitalized older patients.

Methods

Experimental and observational prospective cohort studies evaluating the clinical effects of medication review and deprescribing strategies in older hospitalized patients were searched in the bibliographic databases, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, from inception until January 8, 2024. A narrative synthesis of the results was provided, along with a meta‐analysis of dichotomous data (i.e., re‐hospitalizations and mortality).

Results

Overall, 21 randomized controlled trials, 7 non‐randomized interventional studies, and 2 prospective cohort studies were included in the systematic review. Of these, 14 (46.7%) assessed medication appropriateness as the primary outcome, while the remaining evaluated clinical outcomes (e.g., length of hospital stay, hospital readmissions, emergency department visits, and incidence of ADRs) and/or quality of life. The meta‐analysis revealed a slight but statistically significant 8% reduction in hospital readmissions (HR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.85–0.99) following medication review and deprescribing, but no significant impact on mortality (HR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.96–1.00). Of the 30 included studies, 21 were considered at high risk of bias, mostly due to potential deviations from intended interventions and randomization processes. The remaining nine studies had “some concerns” (eight studies) or were considered at “low” risk of bias (one study).

Conclusion

Medication review and deprescribing are associated with potential benefits in reducing hospital readmission rates among hospitalized older patients, particularly through the reduction of PIM prescriptions. The integration of thorough medication review and deprescribing protocols in hospital settings may improve post‐discharge outcomes and reduce overall healthcare costs.
Labor of a free‐living buffy‐tufted marmoset (Callithrix aurita) at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in southeastern Brazil
Authors: De Capitani Marina Glina , Araújo Giulia Maria Bonato , Morais Flávia Vilaça , Joaquim Walderez Moreira , Kokubun Hanna Sibuya
Published: June 2024

Callithrix aurita is an endangered small primate endemic to the Atlantic Forest. The present work reports the labor of a free‐living C. aurita, through observation of its length and offspring viability. A conservative treatment was used to maintain fetal viability, in view of the species conservation importance.
Dynamic changes of peripheral inflammatory markers link with disease severity and predict short‐term poor outcome of myasthenia gravis
Authors: Weng Yiyun , Zhu Jinrong , Li Shengqi , Wang Yanchu , Lin Shenyi , Xie Wei , Chen Siqi , Chen Siyao , Chen Xuanyang , Wang Yukai , Wang Lingsheng , Zhang Xu , Yang Dehao
Published: June 2024

The relationship between peripheral inflammatory markers, their dynamic changes, and the disease severity of myasthenia gravis (MG) is still not fully understood. Besides, the possibility of using it to predict the short‐term poor outcome of MG patients have not been demonstrated. This study aims to investigate the relationship between peripheral inflammatory markers and their dynamic changes with Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) classification (primary outcome) and predict the short‐term poor outcome (secondary outcome) in MG patients. The study retrospectively enrolled 154 MG patients from June 2016 to December 2021. The logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship of inflammatory markers with MGFA classification and determine the factors for model construction presented in a nomogram. Finally, net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were utilized to evaluate the incremental capacity. Logistic regression revealed significant associations between neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR), aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI) and MGFA classification (p = 0.013, p = 0.032, p = 0.017, respectively). Incorporating dynamic changes of inflammatory markers into multivariable models improved their discriminatory capacity of disease severity, with significant improvements observed for NLR, systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII) and AISI in NRI and IDI. Additionally, AISI was statistically associated with short‐term poor outcome and a prediction model incorporating dynamic changes of inflammatory markers was constructed with the area under curve (AUC) of 0.953, presented in a nomograph. The inflammatory markers demonstrate significant associations with disease severity and AISI could be regarded as a possible and easily available predictive biomarker for short‐term poor outcome in MG patients.

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Validity of facial skin analysis pore detection: A comparative analysis
Authors: Gantz Hannah Y. , Zameza Priscila Arellano , Zaino Mallory , Parraga Shirley P. , Duong Jessica Q. , Taylor Sarah L. , Feldman Steven R.
Published: June 2024

Background

Reliable, objective measures to assess facial characteristics would aid in the assessment of many dermatological treatments. Previous work utilized an iOS application‐based artificial intelligence (AI) tool compared to the “gold standard” computer‐based and a physician assessment on five skin metrics (British Journal of Dermatology, 2013, 169, 474). The AI tool had superior agreement for all skin metrics except pores and subsequently underwent an algorithm update for its pore detection system.

Aims

This comparative analysis assessed the performance of the updated AI tool's pore scores across all Fitzpatrick skin phototypes to determine whether the AI tool more accurately represents a dermatologist's assessment of pores.

Patients/Methods

Frontal facing photographs in uniform lighting conditions were taken of each participant. Percentile scores were generated by each of the four self‐learning models of the updated AI tool. The pore percentile scores generated by the original and updated AI tool were used to rate “worse” pores among participant pairs. These ratings were compared to pore assessments performed by a “gold‐standard” device and a board‐certified dermatologist.

Results

Compared to the original pore detection tool and the computer‐based program, models A and D had the highest concordance with the physician's pore assessments for Fitzpatrick skin phototypes III‐IV and V‐VI, respectively.

Conclusions

The AI tool's pores detection update was successful in its ability to accurately detect pores on all Fitzpatrick skin types, improving on the performance of the AI prior to the update. Responsibly developed AI tools that can accurately and reliably detect skin metrics across diverse Fitzpatrick skin types can facilitate dermatologic evaluation, individualize treatment, and determine treatment response.
Moral understanding: From virtue to knowledge
Authors: Belkoniene Miloud
Published: June 2024

This paper examines the nature of the specific grasp involved in moral understanding. After discussing Hills's ability account of that central component of moral understanding in light of problematic cases, I argue that moral grasp is best conceived of as a type of knowledge that is grounded in a subject's moral appreciation. I then show how and why the relevant notion of moral appreciation is connected to moral virtues and to one's affective and motivational engagement with moral reasons. Finally, I discuss the connection between moral appreciation and a subject's ability to offer moral explanations in relation to the debate between pessimists and optimists about moral understanding's testimonial transmission.
VmRDR2 of Valsa mali mediates the generation of VmR2‐siR1 that suppresses apple resistance by RNA interference
Authors: Liang Jiahao , Wang Jie , Wang Kai , Feng Hao , Huang Lili
Published: June 2024

Cross‐kingdom RNA interference (RNAi) is a crucial mechanism in host–pathogen interactions, with RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) playing a vital role in signal amplification during RNAi. However, the role of pathogenic fungal RdRP in siRNAs generation and the regulation of plant–pathogen interactions remains elusive.

Using deep sequencing, molecular, genetic, and biochemical approaches, this study revealed that VmRDR2 of Valsa mali regulates VmR2‐siR1 to suppress the disease resistance‐related gene MdLRP14 in apple.

Both VmRDR1 and VmRDR2 are essential for the pathogenicity of V. mali in apple, with VmRDR2 mediating the generation of endogenous siRNAs, including an infection‐related siRNA, VmR2‐siR1. This siRNA specifically degrades the apple intracellular LRR‐RI protein gene MdLRP14 in a sequence‐specific manner, and overexpression of MdLRP14 enhances apple resistance against V. mali, which can be suppressed by VmR2‐siR1. Conversely, MdLRP14 knockdown reduces resistance.

In summary, this study demonstrates that VmRDR2 contributes to the generation of VmR2‐siR1, which silences the host's intracellular LRR protein gene, thereby inhibiting host resistance. These findings offer novel insights into the fungi‐mediated pathogenicity mechanism through RNAi.
Effects of hydroxytyrosol on post‐thaw quality of rooster sperm
Authors: Kargari Mohammad , Sharafi Mohsen , Torshizi Mohammad Amir Karimi , Hezavehei Maryam , Zanganeh Zeynab
Published: June 2024

Semen cryopreservation is one of the most important reproduction techniques in the livestock and poultry industry. Cryopreservation induces cold stress, generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress causing structural and biochemical damages in sperm. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the hydroxytyrosol (HT), as an antioxidant, at the concentrations of 0, 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL on post‐thaw semen quality metrics in rooster. Semen samples were collected twice a week from 10 roosters (29 weeks), processed and frozen according to experimental groups. Different quality parameters, including total motility, progressive motility, viability, morphology, membrane integrity, and malondialdehyde were measured after thawing. Results showed that 25 and 50 μg/mL of HT produced the highest percentage of total motility (51.01 ± 2.19 and 50.15 ± 2.19, respectively) and progressive motility (35.74 ± 1.34 and 35.15 ± 1.34, respectively), membrane integrity (48.00 ± 2.18 and 46.75 ± 2.18, respectively) as well as viability (53.00 ± 2.17 and 52.50 ± 2.17, respectively) compared with the other groups (p < .05). The group with 25 μg/mL of HT showed the lowest significant (p < .05) MDA concentration (1.81 ± 0.25). Our results showed that the effect of HT was not dose‐dependent and optimum concentration of HT could improve functional parameters of rooster sperm after freezing–thawing. These findings suggest that HT may have protective effects on the rooster sperm during the freezing–thawing process.
NOVEL ELECTRODE DESIGN METHOD FOR ORBITING ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING
Authors: Aoyama Hideki , Sriani Tutik
Published: June 2024

Orbiting electrical discharge machining (EDM) introduces additional electrode motion to enhance debris removal mechanism during machining process. This method offers static EDM superior machining quality due to advancement of debris removal. However, designers often encounter design difficulties of electrodes used for orbiting purposes. There is no CAD package that currently supports geometry adjustment for orbiting motion of EDM process on the market. Therefore, designers perform manual electrode compensation for orbital motions. Manual compensation is considered as a big challenge for parts with intricate geometry, is prone to human-error, and consumes huge amount of design time. This research aims to facilitate those difficulties encountered using the principle of inverse Minkowski sum. A detail explanation about electrode design steps and its validation is presented in the paper. This algorithm is integrated and developed in commercial CAD system as an intelligent tool to automate the electrode design process.