bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of private health insurance on waiting time in public hospitals
Authors: Yang Ou , Yong Jongsay , Zhang Yuting
Published: February 2024

The Australian government pays $6.7 billion per year in rebates to encourage Australians to purchase private health insurance (PHI) and an additional $6.1 billion to cover services provided in private hospitals. What is the justification for large government subsidies to a private industry when all Australians already have free coverage under Medicare? The government argues that more people buying PHI will relieve the burden on the public system and may reduce waiting times. However, the evidence supporting this is sparse. We use an instrumental variable approach to study the causal effects of higher PHI coverage in the area on waiting times in public hospitals in the same area. The instrument used is area‐level average house prices, which correlate with average income and wealth, thus influencing the purchase of PHI due to tax incentives, but not directly affecting waiting times in public hospitals. We use 2014–2018 hospital admission and elective surgery waiting list data linked at the patient level from the Victorian Center for Data Linkage. These data cover all inpatient admissions in all hospitals in Victoria (both public and private hospitals) and those registered on the waiting list for elective surgeries in public hospitals in Victoria. We find that one percentage point increase in PHI coverage leads to about 0.34 days (or 0.5%) reduction in waiting times in public hospitals on average. The effects vary by surgical specialities and age groups. However, the practical significance of this effect is limited, if not negligible, despite its statistical significance. The small effect suggests that raising PHI coverage with the aim to taking the pressure off the public system is not an effective strategy in reducing waiting times in public hospitals. Alternative policies aiming at improving the efficiency of public hospitals and advancing equitable access to care should be a priority for policymakers.
Patient‐reported outcome measures for dysphagia in head and neck cancer: A systematic review and appraisal of content validity and internal structure
Authors: Manduchi Beatrice , Che Zhiyao , Ringash Jolie G. , Fitch Margaret I. , Howell Doris , Martino Rosemary
Published: February 2024

Dysphagia is a major head and neck cancer (HNC) issue. Dysphagia‐related patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) are critical for patient‐centred assessment and intervention tailoring. This systematic review aimed to derive a comprehensive inventory of HNC dysphagia PROMs and appraise their content validity and internal structure. Six electronic databases were searched to February 2023 for studies detailing PROM content validity or internal structure. Eligible PROMs were those developed or validated for HNC, with ≥20% of items related to swallowing. Two independent raters screened citations and full‐text articles. Critical appraisal followed COSMIN guidelines. Overall, 114 studies were included, yielding 39 PROMs (17 dysphagia‐specific and 22 generic). Of included studies, 33 addressed PROM content validity and 78 internal structure. Of all PROMs, only the SOAL met COSMIN standards for both sufficient content validity and internal structure. Notably, the development of 18 PROMs predated the publication of COSMIN standards. In conclusion, this review identified 39 PROMs addressing dysphagia in HNC, of which only one met COSMIN quality criteria. Given that half of PROMs were developed prior to COSMIN guidelines, future application of current standards is needed to establish their psychometric quality.
Assessment of the yellow fever outbreak in Angola from December 2015 through December 2016: A retrospective study
Authors: Manuel Eusebio , Armando António , Francisco Moisés , Paixão Joana , Aramburu Javier , de Oliveira Miguel dos Santos , Freitas Helga , Pedro Alda Morais , Jandondo Domingos , Carderon Pablo Babrero , Lamezon Sandra Lopez , Fortes Filomeno , Mariscal Jorge , Cardoso Yolanda , Moreira Rosa , Morais Joana , Francisco Ngiambudulu M.
Published: February 2024

Background and Aims

The acute tropical infectious disease known as yellow fever (YF) is caused by an arbovirus and is characterized by fever, jaundice, hemorrhage, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Angola experienced a yellow fever virus (YFV) outbreak that was documented in December 2015. However, little is known about the outcome of this outbreak. We aimed to demonstrate epidemic features and lessons learned during the YF epidemic in Angola.

Methods

A total of 4618 blood samples from suspected YF cases were sent to the Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), a national referral and public health laboratory, between December 5, 2015, and December 23, 2016. Sample analyses were conducted using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) assays. Blood samples were sent from 16 out of the 18 provinces of Angola.

Results

We detected 884 (19.1%) cases that were positive for ELISA, which were confirmed by RT‐PCR assay. Considering the positive cases, the incidence among male patients was around three times higher (n = 223; 10.9%) than in female patients (n = 59; 2.6%) in the 20–29 age group, followed by the age group 10–19 with n = 211 (6.8%) in males versus n = 108 (3.3%) in females; and the age group 30–39 had n = 68 (4.8%) in males versus n = 28 (1.8%) in females. The other groups had an incidence below 3.0%. The case fatality ratio for YF was in young adults in the age group 20–29 with n = 39 cases, followed by the age group 10–19 with n = 16 cases, and finally the age group 0–9 with n = 13 cases. The other age groups had several deaths by YF below 10 cases.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates features of the YF epidemic that occurred in Angola. Also, it demonstrates that YF causes deaths in young people but is preventable by high vaccine coverage. Thus, public health laboratory surveillance must be strengthened to reduce the possibility of emerging and re‐emerging human infections.
NR5A2 promotes malignancy progression and mediates the effect of cisplatin in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Ye Wang , Ya‐xuan Cao , Shan‐shan Tang , Qiu Long , Ting Ma , Shao‐jie Chen , Yu Cao
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Nuclear receptor subfamily five group A member two (NR5A2) plays a key role in the development of many tumor types, while it is uncertain in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). The aim of this work was to determine the role of NR5A2 in cSCC proliferation, and to determine whether NR5A2 mediates the effect of cisplatin in cSCC.

Methods

We performed a systematic study of existing data and conducted a preliminary bioinformatics analysis of NR5A2 expression in cSCC using bioinformatics databases. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on cSCC tissues of seven patients to study NR5A2 expression. NR5A2 expression was examined in human keratin‐forming cells (HaCaT) and human cSCC cells (A431, Colo‐16, SCL‐1, SCL‐2, and HSC‐5). Stable A431 and SCL‐2 cell lines consisting of sh‐RNA‐NR5A2 were constructed to detect changes in cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and to determine the key proteins in the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway. We also investigated changes in the effects of cisplatin on cSCC cells by CCK‐8, clone formation assay, and Flow apoptosis assay after NR5A2 knockdown.

Results

NR5A2 showed enhanced expression in cSCC tissues than in healthy tissues. Downregulation of NR5A2 in cSCC cells led to the formation of a less malignant phenotype. In contrast, the proliferative capacity of the cSCC cells was enhanced posttreatment with RJW100, an NR5A2 agonist. Additionally, NR5A2 knockdown led to a decrease in the expression level of the proteins in the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway, and this inhibition was reversed by LiCl and recombinant antibody, Wnt3a. Moreover, NR5A2 knockdown resulted in diminished proliferative capacity and increased apoptotic cells after the addition of cisplatin.

Conclusion

NR5A2 plays a crucial role in the progression of cSCC, and the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway may be involved in the regulation of NR5A2‐mediated cSCC. Knockdown of NR5A2 enhanced both the proliferation inhibiting and apoptosis promoting effects of cisplatin on cSCC.
Structure‐Activity Relationships of 2‐(Arylthio)benzoic Acid FTO Inhibitors
Authors: Yan Chao , Zhang Qian , Xiao Pan , Xie Xinyun , Li Ming , Qiu Yuanlai , Wen Liufa , Song Xiaomin , Dong Ze , Yang Cai‐Guang
Published: February 2024

The biological role of the fat mass and obesity‐associated protein (FTO) in the initiation and progress of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been elucidated, and several representative FTO inhibitors can markedly suppress the proliferation of AML cells. We previously developed FTO inhibitors including FB23. In this study, we adopted bioisosteric replacement of the intramolecular hydrogen bond in FB23 with a sulfur‐oxygen interaction to generate a series of 2‐(arylthio)benzoic acid FTO inhibitors and established their structure‐activity relationships. Compound 8c was the most potent 2‐(arylthio)benzoic acid FTO inhibitor with an IC50 value of 0.3±0.1 μM, which was comparable with that of FB23 in vitro. To enhance the antiproliferative effects in AML cell lines, we applied a prodrug strategy and prepared some esters. 7l, the methyl ester of 8l, exerted a superior inhibitory effect on a panel of AML cancer cell lines. Additionally, 7l treatment notably increased global m6A abundance in AML cells. Collectively, our data suggest that 2‐(arylthio)benzoic acid may be a new lead compound for inhibition of FTO, and the prodrug analog exhibit potential in the treatment of AML.
Myomectomy with ArtiSential fully articulating laparoscopic instruments: A prospective multicenter study
Authors: Won Seyeon , Kim Kidong , Lee Keun Ho , Kim Tae‐Joong , Kim Taehun , Hwang Jong Ha , Park Hyun , Kim Min Kyu , Hong Dae Gy , Song Yong Jung , Seong Seok Ju
Published: February 2024

Background

ArtiSential, a class of innovative laparoscopic instrument, has been developed to overcome the limitations of conventional laparoscopic surgery by enabling free, 360°‐unrestricted movement of the wrist joint, as in robotic surgery.

Objective

The aim of the present study was to describe the initial experiences with these devices in myomectomy and to report the surgical outcomes.

Methods

A total of 77 women undergoing laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy between January 2021 and June 2022 were included in this multicenter prospective study. The ArtiSential instruments used by the surgeons were those chosen according to their respective preferences. The baseline characteristics, surgical outcomes, trocar placement options, and operator survey results were scrutinized.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 39.9 ± 6.3, and the mean body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) was 22.4 ± 3.4 kg/m2; 46.8% of the patients underwent robotic surgery, while 53.2% underwent laparoscopic surgery. The number of removed myomas was 3.3 ± 3.0, the size of the largest myoma was 7.1 ± 2.3 cm, and the operative time was 130.0 ± 54.0 min. No transfusions or laparotomy conversions were required. Other than one case of ileus, there were no postoperative complications. In most cases, the instruments were inserted through the umbilicus trocar, and the fenestrated forceps, needle holder, and bipolar fenestrated forceps, in that order, were frequently employed. According to a surgeon survey, 29.9% moderately or strongly agreed that the ArtiSential devices utilized were more convenient than conventional laparoscopic instruments, while only 9.7% moderately or strongly agreed that they were more convenient than robotic instruments.

Conclusions

Myomectomy as performed with an ArtiSential instrument seems to be feasible and safe. Further studies are necessary in order to comparatively assess the outcomes and potential benefits of ArtiSential, robotic, and conventional laparoscopic myomectomy.
Effect of rechallenge nivolumab in a hemodialysis patient with multiple metastases from a rapidly progressed T1a renal clear cell carcinoma: An autopsy case
Authors: Hanawa Kazushi , Sawada Norifumi , Yokota Yuka , Aikawa Junki , Otake Yuko , Sugimura Koki , Shimura Hiroshi , Mochizuki Takanori , Kira Satoru , Mitsui Takahiko
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Distant metastasis of T1a renal cell carcinoma is rare and whether metastasis is more probable in patients undergoing hemodialysis remains unclear. We report the autopsy case of a patient undergoing hemodialysis with multiple metastases that rapidly progressed from T1a renal cell carcinoma treated with multimodal therapy including nivolumab.

Case presentation

A 70‐year‐old male who underwent hemodialysis was diagnosed with clear cell carcinoma (pT1a, G2) after nephrectomy. Six months post‐surgery, bone and lung metastases appeared and treated with radiotherapy and pazopanib, respectively. Nivolumab was administered as second‐ and fourth‐line treatments for lung metastases. The patient died approximately 60 months after initial diagnosis; however, nivolumab controlled disease progression for 24 months. An autopsy revealed the lung's occupation with clear cell carcinoma tumor tissue.

Conclusion

Nivolumab has potential to control lung metastasis progression. Additionally, rechallenge is possible in patients with renal cell carcinoma undergoing hemodialysis.
Toward a further understanding of assent
Authors: Morris Cody , Oliveira Jacob P. , Perrin Jesse , Federico Caitlyn A. , Martasian Paula J.
Published: February 2024

Arranging assent opportunities is an increasingly common strategy for involving clients in therapeutic decisions within behavior analysis. Recent behavior‐analytic articles have helped create a basic behavioral definition and conceptualization of assent, but much more guidance is needed for practitioners and researchers interested in embedding assent into their practices. The purpose of this article is to advance the conceptualization and understanding of assent and assent practices by refining previous definitions and conceptualizations of assent and providing six essential considerations for embedding assent into practice. The six considerations consist of determining the applicability and feasibility of assent, assessing assent‐related skills, arranging assent procedures and teaching assent‐related skills, arranging fair choices, selecting opportunities to assess assent, and informally assessing assent. Following the discussion of the considerations for assent practices, we issue a call for specific topics of research on assent.
Factors associated with attaining a pharmacy residency interview: A scoping review
Authors: Whitten Suzanne , Phillips Beth Bryles , Osae Sharmon P. , Stone Rebecca H. , Keedy Chelsea A. , Johnson Blake R. , Prentiss Amber , Lavender Devin L.
Published: February 2024

Postgraduate pharmacy residencies are essential in preparing graduates for pharmacy careers. Residencies are highly competitive and despite efforts to increase the number of residency programs in the United States, the demand still outweighs the supply. Attaining a residency interview is a critical step in securing a residency position. The objective of this scoping review is to describe the published literature on factors associated with attaining a pharmacy residency interview. The updated Arksey and O'Malley scoping review framework was followed for this scoping review. The review is reported according to The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses Extension for Protocols and Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR). The search strategy contained a combination of medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords from a review of article title and abstracts. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were created a priori. English language studies describing pharmacy residency interview, selection, rubrics, and descriptive, quantitative, or qualitative data were included. Title and abstracts were independently reviewed, followed by independent full‐text reviews. Covidence©, an online systematic review platform, was used in the screening, review, and selection process. Thirteen studies assessing factors associated with a residency interview met inclusion criteria. The majority of these studies (n = 7) analyzed data from residency program director (RPD) surveys. Most of these studies found that RPDs highly value letters of recommendation when evaluating a candidate's application. Three studies analyzed retrospective data. Several studies focused on letters of recommendation. The studies described letters of recommendation, letters of intent, grade point average, and leadership experience as factors associated with attaining a residency interview. Most studies had limitations in generalizability, study design, and heterogeneous data.
XBRL reporting in firms with data breach incidents
Authors: Jiang Wanying , Xu Chunhao , Counts Roy Wayne
Published: February 2024

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted new rules mandating that firms disclose cybersecurity incidents and risk management procedures for inline XBRL reporting, highlighting the regulator's concern about firms’ response to data breaches. In this study, we examine whether firms use XBRL strategically to hinder external stakeholders from understanding the impact of announced data breaches. We find that firm XBRL filing complexity increases following data breaches. Further investigation suggests that the increased XBRL complexity is concentrated on financial statement note tags instead of financial statement tags. The findings imply that firms with data breach incidents are likely to increase XBRL reporting complexity to mitigate stock market reactions. We also find that analysts following moderate the relationship between the data breach and XBRL reporting timeliness. These findings provide empirical evidence about XBRL reporting changes after data breach incidents and contribute to cybersecurity literature and XBRL filing regulation.
Humoral immune response and safety of SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination in very early onset inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Kastl Arthur J. , Weaver Kimberly N. , Zhang Xian , Strople Jennifer A. , Adler Jeremy , Kelsen Judith R. , Dubinsky Marla C. , Bousvaros Athos , Watkins Runa , Dai Colin , Cross Raymond K. , Higgins Peter D. R. , Ungaro Ryan , Bewtra Meenakshi , Bellaguarda Emanuelle A. , Farraye Francis A. , Chun Kelly , Zikry Michael , Bastidas Monique , Boccieri Margie E. , Firestine Ann , Long Millie D. , Kappelman Michael D.
Published: February 2024

Children with very early onset inflammatory bowel disease (VEO‐IBD) may respond differently to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) immunization compared to healthy children or other patients with IBD. We recruited children with VEO‐IBD <6 years of age and younger following receipt of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) vaccine. Demographics, IBD characteristics, medication use, adverse events (AEs) and IBD exacerbations were collected. Blood draws (optional) were obtained for measurement of antireceptor binding domain (RBD) IgG antibodies following vaccination. Of 41 participants, none required emergency department visit or hospitalization due to AE, and only one experienced IBD exacerbation. Detectable antibody was present in 19/19 participants who provided blood sample; 6/7 participants (86%) had durable humoral response 12 months postvaccination. Children with VEO‐IBD experience robust humoral immune response to COVID‐19 immunization. Severe AEs were rare. These findings provide reassurance that children with VEO‐IBD respond well and safely to SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination.
Effect of maturation at birth on the clinical features of neonatal cow's milk protein allergy: A retrospective study
Authors: Nagafuji Motomichi , Fujiyama Satoshi , Ishii Ryota , Shime Michiru , Kitatsu Toshinori , Hoshino Yusuke , Kanai Yu , Arai Junichi , Miyazono Yayoi , Takada Hidetoshi
Published: February 2024

Neonatal immune regulation transitions from fetal immunity and varies with maturation status, but its role in neonatal cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) remains unknown. We studied the association between maturation status at birth and neonatal CMPA. Clinical and laboratory data of neonates presenting with CMPA symptoms were retrospectively collected from two tertiary hospitals. Patients were assessed according to gestational age at birth: preterm, late‐preterm, and full‐term. Fifty‐five infants (26 females, 14 preterm, 15 late‐preterm, and 26 full‐term) were included; 44 were negative for milk‐specific immunoglobulin E. Neonatal CMPA was common during moderately premature periods. Preterm infants exhibited longer latency from initial CM exposure to disease onset, lower incidence of bloody stool, and absence of elevated monocyte counts. However, immunoreactivity to CM antigens was retained in all infants. Neonatal CMPA features varied with infant maturation status at birth. Our results improve the understanding of intestinal immunity development, fetal/neonatal immune regulation, and CMPA pathogenesis.
Development of a rapid detection assay for acetolactate synthase inhibitors resistance in three Amaranthus weed species through loop‐mediated isothermal amplification
Authors: Milani Andrea , Panozzo Silvia , Grazia Tommasini Maria , Scarabel Laura
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

The early detection of herbicide resistance in weeds is a key factor to avoid herbicide waste and improve agriculture sustainability. The present study aimed to develop and validate an allele‐specific loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (AS‐LAMP) assay for the quick on‐site detection of the resistance‐endowing point mutation Trp‐574‐Leu in the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene in three widely diffused Amaranthus weed species: Amaranthus retroflexus, Amaranthus hybridus and Amaranthus tuberculatus.

RESULTS

The AS‐LAMP protocol was developed on wild‐type and ALS‐mutant plants of the three species and revealed that the amplification approach with only the primer set specific for the mutant allele (574‐Leu) was the most promising. The validation and estimation of the AS‐LAMP performance evaluated by comparing the results with those of the molecular marker (cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences) indicated that, although the sensitivity and specificity were relatively high in all species (overall 100 and > 65%, respectively), precision was high for A. hybridus L. and A. retroflexus L. (75 and 79%, respectively), but quite low for A. tuberculatus (Moq.) J. D. Sauer (59%). The LAMP assay was also effective on crude genomic DNA extraction, allowing the quick detection of mutant plants in field situation (on site resistance detection).

CONCLUSION

The proposed AS‐LAMP method has proven to be a promising technique for rapid detection of resistance as a result of Trp‐574‐Leu on the two monoecious weedy Amaranthus species but resulted less effective in the genetically variable dioecious species A. tuberculatus. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Efficient discovery of active isolates from Dioscorea spongiosa by the combination of bioassay‐guided macroporous resin column chromatography and high‐speed counter‐current chromatography
Authors: Wang Zhenqiang , Yu Jinqian , Zhao Lei , Niu Tong , Wang Xiao
Published: February 2024

In the present study, twelve compounds from Dioscorea spongiosa were successfully purified by an efficient technique combined bioassay‐guided fractionation macroporous resin column chromatography (MRCC) pretreatment and high‐speed counter‐current chromatography (HSCCC) separation for the first time. Then, D101 MRCC was used to fractionate the crude extract into five parts, which further applied the bioassay‐guided fractionation strategy to screen the active fractions of 2 and 4. As for the separation, 200 mg Fr.2 was purified by HSCCC using EtOAc/n‐BuOH/H2O (2:2:3, v/v), leading to annulatomarin (1), dioscoresides C (2), diosniponol C (3), methyl protodioscin (4), pseudoprotodioscin (5), protogracillin (6), as well as 200 mg Fr.4 yielding montroumarin (7), dioscorone A (8), diosniponol D (9), protodioscin (10), gracillin (11), and dioscin (12) using CH2Cl2/MeOH/H2O (3:3:2, v/v) with the purities over 95.0%. Finally, the isolates were assayed for their anti‐inflammatory, urico‐lowering, and anti‐diabetic activities in vitro, which indicated that the steroidal saponins of 5, 6, and 11 showed all these three activities.
Novel Approach to Color‐Neutral Transparent Solar Cells: An Organic‐Si Hybrid Achieved by Laser Microhole Drilling
Authors: Ho Ngoc Thanh , Lee Seongyu , Joo Beom Soo , Kim Jagyeong , Kang JoonHyun , Kim Jin Hong , Kang Gumin , Ko Hyungduk
Published: February 2024

Transparent solar cells (TSCs) hold promise for applications in building‐integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) and vehicles. However, existing TSCs often have compromised color neutrality and efficiency because of the distinctive colors arising from their photoactive materials. The study proposes a novel fabrication method for TSCs based on Si wafers with the average visible transmittance (AVT) controlled by creating a microhole pattern through a combination of nanosecond laser drilling and subsequent wet etching. Through this ambient‐air process, organic–Si hybrid TSCs are successfully realized by integrating an organic PEDOT:PSS layer onto this structure with a neutral color. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) is adjusted by the fraction of the perforated region, and it attained 6.20% at 30% AVT, 5.37% at 40% AVT, and 4.67% at 50% AVT. In this hybrid TSC approach, the CIE color coordinates are closely aligned with the neutral‐color points (0, 0), resulting in color rendering index (CRI) values exceeding 99. The strategy represents a significant step toward the development of efficient color‐neutral TSCs for transparent solar applications.
Female age at maturity and fecundity in Atlantic Striped Bass
Authors: Brown Simon C. , Giuliano Angela M. , Versak Beth A.
Published: February 2024

Objective

Female age at maturity and fecundity for the Atlantic stock of Striped Bass Morone saxatilis were estimated using histological methods and image analysis.

Methods

Ovaries were obtained from surveys encompassing the spring spawning season (March–July; n = 343), primarily from the Chesapeake Bay, and in the fall months (September–December; n = 85), primarily from the Atlantic coast. Histological examination of oocytes revealed some Striped Bass in intermediate stages of maturation during the spawning season. These individuals were identified as undergoing pubertal development, defined as the transition from the juvenile stage to first sexual maturity. Pubertal development was characterized by ovaries containing a population of enlarged, lipid-filled oocytes but noticeably lacking vitellogenin-derived yolk globules during the spawning season, and those ovaries were classified as immature. Toward the end of the spawning season, increasing proportions of Striped Bass with unspawned ovaries and oocytes undergoing total atresia were observed.

Result

The female age and length at 50% maturity in Atlantic Striped Bass based on spring samples were 5.5 years and 609 mm total length, respectively. Fecundity was determined gravimetrically via image analysis of ovarian tissue samples from spawning capable individuals (n = 67). Potential annual fecundity was found to exhibit hyperallometric scaling with respect to body size. Specifically, the scaling exponent for the length–fecundity relationship was 3.24, which was greater than the scaling exponent of 3.05 for the length–body mass relationship. This indicates that large females possess a disproportionately greater reproductive capacity with respect to body mass than the equivalent biomass of smaller females.

Conclusion

Compared with previous studies spanning over a half-century, age at 50% maturity and fecundity were found to be relatively invariant, although variation found between contemporary studies may represent methodological and interpretive differences. Reproductive-related life history traits of female Atlantic Striped Bass are apparently robust to long-term decadal changes in fishing intensity, stock size, habitat alterations, and environmental conditions.
The communication effect of promotion strategies, altruism, and egoism in the context of omnichannel cause‐related marketing: An experimental study
Authors: Lin Hsin‐Hui , Chen Jia‐Yun , Yang Jih‐Hua
Published: February 2024

This study investigates the effect of promotion strategies, altruism, and egoism on consumers' digital participation, attitudinal loyalty, and behavioral loyalty within the context of omnichannel cause‐related marketing. A scenario simulation method with a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design is used to investigate the impact of the three promotion strategy types (celebrity endorsement, expert endorsement, and co‐branding), two altruism types (social donation and economic donation), and two egoism types (social incentives and economic incentives). The moderating effect of brand identification on the influence of strategies, altruism, and egoism on consumer digital participation, attitudinal loyalty, and behavioral loyalty is also tested.
A bivariate spectral linear partition method for solving nonlinear evolution equations
Authors: Khumalo Fezile Bangetile , Motsa Sandile Sydney , Magagula Vusi Mpendulo
Published: February 2024

This work develops a method for solving nonlinear evolution equations. The method, termed a bivariate spectral linear partition method (BSLPM), combines the Chebyshev spectral collocation method, bivariate Lagrange interpolation, and a linear partition technique as an underlying linearization method. It is developed for an
th‐order nonlinear differential equation and then used to solve three known evolution problems. The results are compared with known exact solutions from literature. The method's applicability, reliability, and accuracy are confirmed by the congruence between the numerical and exact solutions. Tables, error graphs, and convergence graphs were generated using MATLAB (R2015a), to confirm the order of accuracy of the method and verify its convergence. The performance of the method is also observed against other methods performing well in these types of differential equations and is found to be comparable in terms of accuracy. The proposed method is also efficient as it uses minimal computation time.
Rheological consolidation analysis of saturated clay ground under cyclic loading based on the fractional order Kelvin model
Authors: Wang Lian , Chen Hui , Liu Shengwei , Yu Yunyan
Published: February 2024

Based on Biot porous medium theory, considering the coupled reaction of soil skeleton rheology and pore pressure dissipation, the present work investigates the dynamic consolidation characteristics of saturated clay ground under cyclic loading. First, the rheological behavior of the soil skeleton was described by the fractional order Kelvin model. The dynamic consolidation governing equations for the saturated clay were established theoretically in a three‐dimensional axisymmetric coordinate system. Second, the transform domain analytical solution of the dynamic consolidation of saturated clay was obtained using the Hankel–Laplace coupled transform method, and the solution in the time–space domain was further obtained through numerical inversion. Finally, the rheological consolidation behavior of saturated clay under cyclic loading and the influences of parameters were analyzed. The results show that the rheology of the soil skeleton had an inhibitory effect on pore water permeability; compared with elastic skeleton soil, the rheological clay had a slower settlement rate in the primary consolidation stage, a faster rate in the secondary consolidation stage, and greater long‐term settlement. In addition, under cyclic loading, the pore pressure response in saturated clay lags behind the effective stress, and a larger viscous order is associated with faster development of cumulative settlement.
Novel use of contrast enhanced ultrasonography with urodynamics in children: A comparison study to fluoroscopy
Authors: Kennady Emmett , Hutchison Dylan , Corbett Sean T. , Leroy Susan , Morgan Kathryn , Daugherty Reza , Kapral Nicole , Kern Nora G.
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Video urodynamics (UDS) has classically been performed using fluoroscopy (fluoro). Contrast enhanced voiding ultrasonography (ceVUS) has rarely been reported for use with UDS. This is the first study to compare the imaging characteristics of ceVUS versus fluoro UDS.

Methods

Children were enrolled for ceVUS UDS who previously underwent fluoro UDS. Demographics, imaging data for ceVUS and fluoro UDS, time between studies, and clinical data between studies were recorded. Changes in clinical status included implantation/cessation of catheterization or anticholinergic medications, leakage between, urinary tract infections, hydronephrosis and neurologic changes. Comparison testing was performed using McNemar's Chi‐Squared and Wilcoxon matched‐pairs signed rank test.

Results

Seventy‐five children were recruited. Median time between studies was 1.3 years (IQR 0.9−2.9). There were no differences for bladder shape (p = 0.59), vesicoureteral reflux (p = 0.10), bladder neck (p = 0.59) or urethra (p = 1.0) between studies. In 5 cases, the bladder neck could not be visualized adequately due to layering of the microbubble contrast against urine. Benefits to ceVUS included ability to visualize the exact moment the bladder neck opened. Following exclusion of patients with clinical changes that might affect imaging findings, an analysis of 28 patients demonstrated no differences between the two studies.

Conclusions

CeVUS can be used adequately in conjunction with UDS. Limitations to ceVUS include more granular imaging for bladder shape versus fluoro and inability to visualize bladder neck if residual urine is in the bladder, mitigated by bladder emptying. Benefits include ability to visualize the dynamic activity of the bladder neck due to constant imaging with ceVUS.
Evolutionary topology optimization approach to design multiphase soundproof systems with poroelastic media
Authors: Pereira Rodrigo L. , Anaya‐Jaimes Lidy M. , Pavanello Renato
Published: February 2024

With the constant development of cities, noise sources have become increasingly present inside and outside living environments. Consequently, soundproof systems comprised of porous materials have been widely adopted as filling fabric of closed‐space structures, such as in the components of buildings, airplanes or automobiles. However, in many situations, simply filling spaces may not be the most effective approach. In that scenario, this work introduces a multiphase acoustic topology optimization methodology to design closed‐space structures for sound attenuation. Based on the Bi‐directional Evolutionary Structural Optimization (BESO) algorithm, the proposed approach combines Biot's poroelasticity equations, expressed in the mixed /p form, and the Unified Multiphase (UMP) technique to fully describe the multiphysics involved in the acoustic, poroelastic and elastic model relations. An objective function contemplating different combinations of structural, viscous and thermal dissipated powers is maximized over multiple frequencies. Volume constraints in each material phase and a novel material interpolation scheme are also considered. The resultant topologies present enhanced dissipated power levels and manufacturability, even when compared with various baseline configurations of similar volume fractions.
Effects of chronic haloperidol treatment on the expression of fear memory and fear memory extinction in the cued fear‐conditioned rats
Authors: Enomoto Kosuke , Shibata Kazuro , Muraoka Hiroyuki , Kawano Masahiko , Inada Ken , Ishigooka Jun , Nishimura Katsuji , Oshibuchi Hidehiro
Published: February 2024

Aim

Impairments in emotional memory are frequently observed in several mental disorders, highlighting their significance as potential therapeutic targets. Recent research on the cued fear conditioning model has elucidated the neural circuits involved in fear memory processing. However, contradictory findings have been reported concerning the role of dopamine and the impact of dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) antagonists. There is notably limited knowledge regarding the clinical utility of chronic D2R antagonist treatments. This study aimed to uncover how such treatments affect fear memory processing.

Methods

We utilized a cued fear conditioning rat model and conducted chronic haloperidol treatment for 14 days. Subsequently, to investigate the effect of chronic haloperidol treatment on fear‐conditioned memory expression and extinction, we observed freezing behavior under exposure to a conditioned stimulus for 14 days.

Results

Chronic haloperidol treatment suppressed freezing time on the fear memory expression. In contrast, a single haloperidol administration enhanced the freezing time on fear memory expression and delayed extinction.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that chronic administration of antipsychotic drugs affects fear memory processing differently from single‐dose administration. This indicates that the effects of chronic D2R antagonist treatment are distinct from the nonspecific effects of the drugs. This study provides fundamental insights that may contribute to our understanding of therapeutic mechanisms for fear memory disorders related to D2R in the future.
Giftedness characteristic identification among Kazakhstani school children
Authors: Mambetalina Aliya , Lawrence Kehinde , Amangossov Assanali , Mukhambetkalieva Karima , Demissenova Shnar
Published: February 2024

The need to identify and recognize school going children with giftedness remains a concern of the Republic of Kazakhstan's government. This concern motivated this study to examine the internal structure of the giftedness characteristic identification scale (GCIS) for use by Kazakhstan's school children. Exploratory quantitative research approach, and its design was grounded within the exploratory type. The GCIS is a self‐report scale to identify the four characteristics of giftedness including contextual, intellectual, creative, and social giftedness. A total of 1176 elementary and middle school students were sampled for the study. The students were in grades and aged between 12 and 16 years. Most of the participants were 65% female; and 35% male. The data collected was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis. The findings established a relatively high‐reliability Cronbach alpha coefficient of 89.7%. No statistical difference was found between the Kazakh and Russian languages of instruction, based on the gifted characteristics of the participants. Emphasis was placed on the fact that the GCIS was a reliable tool to identify giftedness among schoolchildren in Kazakhstan, but much future work is needed to determine its validity.
Accounting for nonuniformity of bulk‐solvent: A mosaic model
Authors: Afonine Pavel V. , Adams Paul D. , Sobolev Oleg V. , Urzhumtsev Alexandre G.
Published: February 2024

A flat mask‐based model is almost universally used in macromolecular crystallography to account for disordered (bulk) solvent. This model assumes any voxel of the crystal unit cell that is not occupied by the atomic model is occupied by the solvent. The properties of this solvent are assumed to be exactly the same across the whole volume of the unit cell. While this is a reasonable approximation in practice, there are a number of scenarios where this model becomes suboptimal. In this work, we enumerate several of these scenarios and describe a new generalized approach to modeling the bulk‐solvent which we refer to as mosaic bulk‐solvent model. The mosaic bulk‐solvent model allows nonuniform features of the solvent in the crystal to be accounted for in a computationally efficient way. It is implemented in the computational crystallography toolbox and the Phenix software.
Controlling the incorporation of fluorinated amino acids in human cells and its structural impact
Authors: Costantino Azzurra , Pham Lan B. T. , Barbieri Letizia , Calderone Vito , Ben‐Nissan Gili , Sharon Michal , Banci Lucia , Luchinat Enrico
Published: February 2024

Fluorinated aromatic amino acids (FAAs) are promising tools when studying protein structure and dynamics by NMR spectroscopy. The incorporation FAAs in mammalian expression systems has been introduced only recently. Here, we investigate the effects of FAAs incorporation in proteins expressed in human cells, focusing on the probability of incorporation and its consequences on the 19F NMR spectra. By combining 19F NMR, direct MS and x‐ray crystallography, we demonstrate that the probability of FAA incorporation is only a function of the FAA concentration in the expression medium and is a pure stochastic phenomenon. In contrast with the MS data, the x‐ray structures of carbonic anhydrase II reveal that while the 3D structure is not affected, certain positions lack fluorine, suggesting that crystallization selectively excludes protein molecules featuring subtle conformational modifications. This study offers a predictive model of the FAA incorporation efficiency and provides a framework for controlling protein fluorination in mammalian expression systems.
The C‐terminus is essential for the stability of the mycobacterial channel protein MspA
Authors: Pavlenok Mikhail , Nair Rashmi Ravindran , Hendrickson R. Curtis , Niederweis Michael
Published: February 2024

Outer membrane proteins perform essential functions in uptake and secretion processes in bacteria. MspA is an octameric channel protein in the outer membrane of Mycobacterium smegmatis and is structurally distinct from any other known outer membrane protein. MspA is the founding member of a family with more than 3000 homologs and is one of the most widely used proteins in nanotechnological applications due to its advantageous pore structure and extraordinary stability. While a conserved C‐terminal signal sequence is essential for folding and protein assembly in the outer membrane of Gram‐negative bacteria, the molecular determinants of these processes are unknown for MspA. In this study, we show that mutation and deletion of methionine 183 in the highly conserved C‐terminus of MspA and mutation of the conserved tryptophan 40 lead to a complete loss of protein in heat extracts of M. smegmatis. Swapping these residues partially restores the heat stability of MspA indicating that methionine 183 and tryptophan 40 form a conserved sulfur‐π electron interaction, which stabilizes the MspA monomer. Flow cytometry showed that all MspA mutants are surface‐accessible demonstrating that oligomerization and membrane integration in M. smegmatis are not affected. Thus, the conserved C‐terminus of MspA is essential for its thermal stability, but it is not required for protein assembly in its native membrane, indicating that this process is mediated by a mechanism distinct from that in Gram‐negative bacteria. These findings will benefit the rational design of MspA‐like pores to tailor their properties in current and future applications.
Crystal structure of the tegument protein UL82 (pp71) from human cytomegalovirus
Authors: Eberhage Jan , Bresch Ian P. , Ramani Ramya , Viohl Niklas , Buchta Thalea , Rehfeld Christopher L. , Hinse Petra , Reubold Thomas F. , Brinkmann Melanie M. , Eschenburg Susanne
Published: February 2024

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is an opportunistic pathogen that infects a majority of the world population. It may cause severe disease in immunocompromised people and lead to pregnancy loss or grave disabilities of the fetus upon congenital infection. For effective replication and lifelong persistence in its host, HCMV relies on diverse functions of its tegument protein UL82, also known as pp71. Up to now, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the multiple functions of this crucial viral protein. Here, we describe the X‐ray structure of full‐length UL82 to a resolution of 2.7 Å. A single polypeptide chain of 559 amino acids mainly folds into three ß‐barrels. We show that UL82 forms a dimer in the crystal as well as in solution. We identify point mutations that disturb the dimerization interface and show that the mutant protein is monomeric in solution and upon expression in human cells. On the basis of the three‐dimensional structure, we identify structural homologs of UL82 from other herpesviruses and analyze whether their functions are preserved in UL82. We demonstrate that UL82, despite its structural homology to viral deoxyuridinetriphosphatases (dUTPases), does not possess dUTPase activity. Prompted by the structural homology of UL82 to the ORF10 protein of murine herpesvirus 68 (MHV68), which is known to interact with the RNA export factor ribonucleic acid export 1 (Rae1), we performed coimmunoprecipitations and demonstrated that UL82 indeed interacts with Rae1. This suggests that HCMV UL82 may play a role in mRNA export from the nucleus similar to ORF10 encoded by the gammaherpesviruses MHV68.
The anti‐inflammatory activity of flavonoids and alkaloids from Sophora flavescens alleviates psoriasiform lesions: Prenylation and methoxylation beneficially enhance bioactivity and skin targeting
Authors: Lin Chwan‐Fwu , Lin Ming‐Hsien , Hung Chi‐Feng , Alshetaili Abdullah , Tsai Yung‐Fong , Jhong Cai‐Ling , Fang Jia‐You
Published: February 2024

The herb Sophora flavescens displays anti‐inflammatory activity and can provide a source of antipsoriatic medications. We aimed to evaluate whether S. flavescens extracts and compounds can relieve psoriasiform inflammation. The ability of flavonoids (maackiain, sophoraflavanone G, leachianone A) and alkaloids (matrine, oxymatrine) isolated from S. flavescens to inhibit production of cytokine/chemokines was examined in keratinocytes and macrophages. Physicochemical properties and skin absorption were determined by in silico molecular modeling and the in vitro permeation test (IVPT) to establish the structure‐permeation relationship (SPR). The ethyl acetate extract exhibited higher inhibition of interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐8, and CXCL1 production in tumor necrosis factor‐α‐stimulated keratinocytes compared to the ethanol and water extracts. The flavonoids demonstrated higher cytokine/chemokine inhibition than alkaloids, with the prenylated flavanones (sophoraflavanone G, leachianone A) led to the highest suppression. Flavonoids exerted anti‐inflammatory effects via the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase, p38, activator protein‐1, and nuclear factor‐κB signaling pathways. In the IVPT, prenylation of the flavanone skeleton significantly promoted skin absorption from 0.01 to 0.22 nmol/mg (sophoraflavanone G vs. eriodictyol). Further methoxylation of a prenylated flavanone (leachianone A) elevated skin absorption to 2.65 nmol/mg. Topical leachianone A reduced the epidermal thickness in IMQ‐treated mice by 47%, and inhibited cutaneous scaling and cytokine/chemokine overexpression at comparable levels to a commercial betamethasone product. Thus, prenylation and methoxylation of S. flavescens flavanones may enable the design of novel antipsoriatic agents.