bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards a home‐grown rural health workforce: Evidence from Tasmania, Australia
Authors: Jessup B. , Tran N. , Stevens T. , Allen P. , Barnett T.
Published: July 2024

Objective

To examine the association between place of origin and principal place of practice (PPP) of domestic Tasmanian health graduates who received end‐to‐end training with the University of Tasmania (UTAS).

Methods

The 2022 PPP for all UTAS domestic Tasmanian graduates from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychology, medical radiation science and paramedicine between 2011 and 2020 was identified using the online Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) registration database. The graduate's place of origin (home address at the time of course application), together with their 2022 PPP, was described using the Modified Monash Model (MM) classification system of remoteness. Data were analysed using STATA.

Results

Over the 10‐year period, 4079 domestic Tasmanians graduated from health courses at UTAS, of which 3850 (94.4%) were matched to an Australian PPP. In all, 78.3% of graduates were working in Tasmania, while the remainder (21.7%) were employed interstate. Of those with a Tasmanian PPP, 81.4% were working in a regional setting (MM2), while 77.6% of interstate employed graduates recorded a metropolitan (MM1) PPP. Rural place of origin (MM3‐7) was associated with rural employment (MM3‐7) in both Tasmania (OR, 37.08; 95% CI 29.01–47.39, p < 0.001), and on the Australian mainland (OR, 21.4; 95% CI 17.4–26.3, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Most domestic Tasmanian origin UTAS health graduates contribute to the state's health workforce after qualifying. Further research is needed to explore PPP over time and to understand why some graduates are motivated to seek employment on the Australian mainland and in particular, metropolitan cities.
Can environmental tax promote green M&A in emerging market firms? Evidence from China's heavy polluters
Authors: Wang Deli , Wang Yan , Zhou Minxian
Published: July 2024

Based on a sample of heavily polluting firms listed in China, we examine the impact of environmental taxes on the green M&A behavior of these firms. Our findings underscore that environmental taxes have significantly increased the likelihood of heavily polluting firms engaging in green M&A endeavors. This impact is particularly pronounced in areas with high media attention, low financing constraints, and high environmental investment. However, our examination of the economic consequences shows that green M&A does not improve the green innovation performance and ESG performance of firms. The analysis of M&A motivations shows that the majority of heavy polluters' green M&A targets are located in regions with weak environmental regulation, confirming that green M&A under the environmental tax burden is a tool used by firms to engage in pollution transfer. In addition, green M&A under the environmental tax burden is characterized by financial investment, connected M&A, and nonsignificant M&A, confirming that green M&A under the environmental tax burden may be a tool used by companies seeking only the appearance of “greenwashing.” Therefore, green M&A under the environmental tax burden tends to be underpinned by opportunistic motives of pollution transfer and “greenwashing,” rather than substantive green transformation and upgrading. We provide evidence from emerging markets on the impact of environmental taxes on green M&A, which adds to the literature in this area and has policy implications for government regulation of corporate environmental governance practices.
Average treatment effects on binary outcomes with stochastic covariates
Authors: Kiefer Christoph , Woud Marcella L. , Blackwell Simon E. , Mayer Axel
Published: July 2024

When evaluating the effect of psychological treatments on a dichotomous outcome variable in a randomized controlled trial (RCT), covariate adjustment using logistic regression models is often applied. In the presence of covariates, average marginal effects (AMEs) are often preferred over odds ratios, as AMEs yield a clearer substantive and causal interpretation. However, standard error computation of AMEs neglects sampling‐based uncertainty (i.e., covariate values are assumed to be fixed over repeated sampling), which leads to underestimation of AME standard errors in other generalized linear models (e.g., Poisson regression). In this paper, we present and compare approaches allowing for stochastic (i.e., randomly sampled) covariates in models for binary outcomes. In a simulation study, we investigated the quality of the AME and stochastic‐covariate approaches focusing on statistical inference in finite samples. Our results indicate that the fixed‐covariate approach provides reliable results only if there is no heterogeneity in interindividual treatment effects (i.e., presence of treatment–covariate interactions), while the stochastic‐covariate approaches are preferable in all other simulated conditions. We provide an illustrative example from clinical psychology investigating the effect of a cognitive bias modification training on post‐traumatic stress disorder while accounting for patients' anxiety using an RCT.
Allosterism in the adenosine A2A and cannabinoid CB2 heteromer
Authors: Llinas del Torrent Claudia , Raïch Iu , Gonzalez Angel , Lillo Jaume , Casajuana‐Martin Nil , Franco Rafael , Pardo Leonardo , Navarro Gemma
Published: July 2024

Background and Purpose

Allosterism is a regulatory mechanism for GPCRs that can be attained by ligand‐binding or protein–protein interactions with another GPCR. We have studied the influence of the dimer interface on the allosteric properties of the A2A receptor and CB2 receptor heteromer.

Experimental Approach

We have evaluated cAMP production, phosphorylation of signal‐regulated kinases (pERK1/2), label‐free dynamic mass redistribution, β‐arrestin 2 recruitment and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays in the absence and presence of synthetic peptides that disrupt the formation of the heteromer. Molecular dynamic simulations provided converging evidence that the heteromeric interface influences the allosteric properties of the A2AR–CB2R heteromer.

Key Results

Apo A2AR blocks agonist‐induced signalling of CB2R. The disruptive peptides, with the amino acid sequence of transmembrane (TM) 6 of A2AR or CB2R, facilitate CB2R activation, suggesting that A2AR allosterically prevents the outward movement of TM 6 of CB2R for G protein binding. Significantly, binding of the selective antagonist SCH 58261 to A2AR also facilitated agonist‐induced activation of CB2R.

Conclusions and Implications

It is proposed that the A2AR–CB2R heteromer contains distinct dimerization interfaces that govern its functional properties. The molecular interface between protomers of the A2AR–CB2R heteromer interconverted from TM 6 for apo or agonist‐bound A2AR, blocking CB2R activation, to mainly the TM 1/7 interface for antagonist‐bound A2AR, facilitating the independent opening of intracellular cavities for G protein binding. These novel results shed light on a different type of allosteric mechanism and extend the repertoire of GPCR heteromer signalling.
VMF Diffuse: A unified rough diffuse BRDF
Authors: d'Eon Eugene , Weidlich Andrea
Published: July 2024

We present a practical analytic BRDF that approximates scattering from a generalized microfacet volume with a von Mises‐Fischer NDF. Our BRDF seamlessly blends from smooth Lambertian, through moderately rough height fields with Beckmann‐like statistics and into highly rough/porous behaviours that have been lacking from prior models. At maximum roughness, our model reduces to the recent Lambert‐sphere BRDF. We validate our model by comparing to simulations of scattering from geometries with randomly‐placed Lambertian spheres and show an improvement relative to a rough Beckmann BRDF with very high roughness.
MatUp: Repurposing Image Upsamplers for SVBRDFs
Authors: Gauthier A. , Kerbl B. , Levallois J. , Faury R. , Thiery J. M. , Boubekeur T.
Published: July 2024

We propose MatUp, an upsampling filter for material super‐resolution. Our method takes as input a low‐resolution SVBRDF and upscales its maps so that their rendering under various lighting conditions fits upsampled renderings inferred in the radiance domain with pre‐trained RGB upsamplers. We formulate our local filter as a compact Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), which acts on a small window of the input SVBRDF and is optimized using a data‐fitting loss defined over upsampled radiance at various locations. This optimization is entirely performed at the scale of a single, independent material. Doing so, MatUpleverages the reconstruction capabilities acquired over large collections of natural images by pre‐trained RGB models and provides regularization over self‐similar structures. In particular, our light‐weight neural filter avoids retraining complex architectures from scratch or accessing any large collection of low/high resolution material pairs – which do not actually exist at the scale RGB upsamplers are trained with. As a result, MatUpprovides fine and coherent details in the upscaled material maps, as shown in the extensive evaluation we provide.
Neural Histogram‐Based Glint Rendering of Surfaces With Spatially Varying Roughness
Authors: Shah I. , Gamboa L. E. , Gruson A. , Narayanan P. J.
Published: July 2024

The complex, glinty appearance of detailed normal‐mapped surfaces at different scales requires expensive per‐pixel Normal Distribution Function computations. Moreover, large light sources further compound this integration and increase the noise in the Monte Carlo renderer. Specialized rendering techniques that explicitly express the underlying normal distribution have been developed to improve performance for glinty surfaces controlled by a fixed material roughness. We present a new method that supports spatially varying roughness based on a neural histogram that computes per‐pixel NDFs with arbitrary positions and sizes. Our representation is both memory and compute efficient. Additionally, we fully integrate direct illumination for all light directions in constant time. Our approach decouples roughness and normal distribution, allowing the live editing of the spatially varying roughness of complex normal‐mapped objects. We demonstrate that our approach improves on previous work by achieving smaller footprints while offering GPU‐friendly computation and compact representation.
Bridge Sampling for Connections via Multiple Scattering Events
Authors: Schüßler Vincent , Hanika Johannes , Dachsbacher Carsten
Published: July 2024

Explicit sampling of and connecting to light sources is often essential for reducing variance in Monte Carlo rendering. In dense, forward‐scattering participating media, its benefit declines, as significant transport happens over longer multiple‐scattering paths around the straight connection to the light. Sampling these paths is challenging, as their contribution is shaped by the product of reciprocal squared distance terms and the phase functions. Previous work demonstrates that sampling several of these terms jointly is crucial. However, these methods are tied to low‐order scattering or struggle with highly‐peaked phase functions.

We present a method for sampling a bridge: a subpath of arbitrary vertex count connecting two vertices. Its probability density is proportional to all phase functions at inner vertices and reciprocal squared distance terms. To achieve this, we importance sample the phase functions first, and subsequently all distances at once. For the latter, we sample an independent, preliminary distance for each edge of the bridge, and afterwards scale the bridge such that it matches the connection distance. The scale factor can be marginalized out analytically to obtain the probability density of the bridge. This approach leads to a simple algorithm and can construct bridges of any vertex count. For the case of one or two inserted vertices, we also show an alternative without scaling or marginalization.

For practical path sampling, we present a method to sample the number of bridge vertices whose distribution depends on the connection distance, the phase function, and the collision coefficient. While our importance sampling treats media as homogeneous we demonstrate its effectiveness on heterogeneous media.
Methodology for identifying the potential Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) tree species on a global scale
Authors: Davies Katharine , Starnes Thomas , Rivers Malin
Published: July 2024

There is a biodiversity crisis, and to prevent extinctions the most important sites to be effectively conserved must be identified. Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) include sites of importance for species survival. Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites, a subset of KBAs, contain ≥95% of the population of highly threatened species. Currently, only 47 tree species have been identified using the AZE criteria. The Global Tree Assessment, assessing the extinction risk of the world's tree species, has enabled trees to be incorporated into KBA and AZE sites. Here we present a methodology to utilize data from the IUCN Red List to identify potential AZE species for trees. This 10‐part methodology identified 2909 tree species as potential AZE species across the world, representing at least 5% of described tree species. As further tree species are assessments are published on the IUCN Red List, this methodology will be important for identifying potential AZE species. The methodology can be applied and adapted to any taxa on the IUCN Red List. This analysis serves as a prioritization mechanism for identifying species in urgent need of conservation action to prevent extinctions. The species identified can feed into national KBA identification efforts.
Generalizability in real‐world trials
Authors: Näher Anatol‐Fiete , Kopka Marvin , Balzer Felix , Schulte‐Althoff Matthias
Published: July 2024

Real‐world evidence (RWE) trials have a key advantage over conventional randomized controlled trials (RCTs) due to their potentially better generalizability. High generalizability of study results facilitates new biological insights and enables targeted therapeutic strategies. Random sampling of RWE trial participants is regarded as the gold standard for generalizability. Additionally, the use of sample correction procedures can increase the generalizability of trial results, even when using nonrandomly sampled real‐world data (RWD). This study presents descriptive evidence on the extent to which the design of currently planned or already conducted RWE trials takes sampling into account. It also examines whether random sampling or procedures for correcting nonrandom samples are considered. Based on text mining of publicly available metadata provided during registrations of RWE trials on clinicaltrials.gov, EU‐PAS, and the OSF‐RWE registry, it is shown that the share of RWE trial registrations with information on sampling increased from 65.27% in 2002 to 97.43% in 2022, with a corresponding increase from 14.79% to 28.30% for trials with random samples. For RWE trials with nonrandom samples, there is an increase from 0.00% to 0.95% of trials in which sample correction procedures are used. We conclude that the potential benefits of RWD in terms of generalizing trial results are not yet being fully realized.
The concept of onychodermis containing onychofibroblasts has histological (microanatomical), immunohistochemical as well as molecular basis
Authors: Shim Joonho , Park Ji‐Hye , Lee Taemin , Lee Dongyoun , Jang Kee‐Taek
Published: July 2024

The terms “onychofibroblast” (nail‐specific fibroblast) and onychodermis (nail‐specific dermis) were first introduced in 2006 and 2012, respectively, based on distinctive histologic and immunohistochemical features from the dermis of the surrounding skin and have been demonstrated in multiple studies. Recently, based on molecular research, the definition of onychodermis containing onychofibroblasts has been expanded to encompass the area located between the nail matrix and bed epithelium and periosteum. Single‐cell RNA sequencing and in situ hybridization demonstrated that onychofibroblasts within the onychodermis express the genes including RSPO4, MSX1, WIF‐1, and BMP5, which are implicated in nail formation and/or in disorders with nail phenotype. A mutation in RSPO4, a component of the Wnt signaling pathway, causes anonychia congenita. Nail matrix onychodermis and nail bed onychodermis share many similar characteristics which differ from the surrounding normal dermis of the skin. Comparative spatial transcriptomic and single‐cell analyses of human nail units and hair follicles suggest that onychodermis is the counterpart of follicular dermal papilla, which plays a key role in hair follicle growth and morphogenesis. Onychomatricoma, as a nail‐specific tumor, has been demonstrated to be a mesenchymal tumor that originates from onychofibroblasts and is associated with the upregulation of Wnt signaling. Collectively, the onychodermis and onychofibroblasts play crucial roles in nail development and these specialized nail mesenchymal elements are key components in the pathogenesis of onychomatricoma. The concept of onychodermis containing onychofibroblasts is very important for nail biology and pathology.
The implicated role of GDF15 in gastrointestinal cancer
Authors: Xue Yingqi , Zhang Yan , Su Yale , Zhao Jiangqi , Yu Daoquan , Jo Yunju , Joo Jongkil , Lee Hyun Joo , Ryu Dongryeol , Wei Shibo
Published: July 2024

Background

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), a stress‐responsive cytokine from transforming growth factor superfamily, is highly expressed in mammalian tissues, including pancreas, stomach and intestine under pathological conditions. In particular, elevated levels of GDF15 might play an important role in the development and progression of various gastrointestinal cancers (GCs), suggesting its potential as a promising target for disease prediction and treatment.

Methods

In this review, systematic reviews addressing the role of GDF15 in GCs were updated, along with the latest clinical trials focussing on the GDF15‐associated digestive malignancies.

Results

The multiple cellular pathways through which GDF15 is involved in the regulation of physiological and pathological conditions were first summarized. Then, GDF15 was also established as a valuable clinical index, functioning as a predictive marker in diverse GCs. Notably, latest clinical treatments targeting GDF15 were also highlighted, demonstrating its promising potential in mitigating and curing digestive malignancies.

Conclusions

This review unveils the pivotal roles of GDF15 and its potential as a promising target in the pathogenesis of GCs, which may provide insightful directions for future investigations.
Impact of economic crises on corporate‐banking relationship: Evidence from Korea
Authors: Kim Dongwoo , Jung Hoon
Published: July 2024

This study tries to identify the impact of recent economic turmoil including the COVID‐19 pandemic and global financial crisis on a corporation's banking relationships. Using a wide range of unique data from 2008 to 2020 in the Korean loan market, this study compares the two crises periods to the ordinary periods. It is found that the effects of firm‐specific factors on banking relationships are strengthened (for loan amount) or weakened (for corporate size and credit rating) during the two crises. However, for the industrial sector a firm belongs to, the interaction effects of the crises show opposite signs.
Destocking waterways: Evidence that stocked Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii) were extracted at pumped irrigation diversions within 24 hours of release
Authors: Bretzel Joachim B. , Boys Craig A. , Stocks Jerom R. , Rourke Meaghan L. , Brauer Chris , Baumgartner Lee J.
Published: July 2024

Millions of native fish are entrained into irrigation pumps in Australian rivers every year. It is often assumed these fish are wild, but stocked fish may also be affected. During fish entrainment surveys at two pump intakes on the Macquarie River, New South Wales, a noticeable increase of entrained juvenile Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii) was observed. DNA parentage analysis confirmed that a large proportion of these fish were linked to nearby fish restocking events. At both pump intakes, genetic analysis confirmed that at least 70% and 17% of the individuals sampled were stocked fish. This equated to up to 3% of the fish that were stocked – most of which were entrained less than 24 h after their release. Given the large number of unscreened irrigation pumps in this reach of river, and more broadly throughout the Murray–Darling Basin, fish losses at pump intakes have the potential to remove large numbers of stocked fish from the river where they are released to support native fish recovery and boost recreational fishing opportunities. The use of fish‐protection screens at pump intakes may be a suitable solution to reduce the number of fish entrained and thus increase the survival of recently stocked fish in the rivers.
Canopy cover and soil moisture influence forest understory plant responses to experimental summer drought
Authors: Koelemeijer Irena A. , Severholt Isabelle , Ehrlén Johan , De Frenne Pieter , Jönsson Mari , Hylander Kristoffer
Published: July 2024

Extreme droughts are globally increasing in frequency and severity. Most research on drought in forests focuses on the response of trees, while less is known about the impacts of drought on forest understory species and how these effects are moderated by the local environment. We assessed the impacts of a 45‐day experimental summer drought on the performance of six boreal forest understory plants, using a transplant experiment with rainout shelters replicated across 25 sites. We recorded growth, vitality and reproduction immediately, 2 months, and 1 year after the simulated drought, and examined how differences in ambient soil moisture and canopy cover among sites influenced the effects of drought on the performance of each species. Drought negatively affected the growth and/or vitality of all species, but the effects were stronger and more persistent in the bryophytes than in the vascular plants. The two species associated with older forests, the moss Hylocomiastrum umbratum and the orchid Goodyera repens, suffered larger effects than the more generalist species included in the experiment. The drought reduced reproductive output in the moss Hylocomium splendens in the next growing season, but increased reproduction in the graminoid Luzula pilosa. Higher ambient soil moisture reduced some negative effects of drought on vascular plants. Both denser canopy cover and higher soil moisture alleviated drought effects on bryophytes, likely through alleviating cellular damage. Our experiment shows that boreal understory species can be adversely affected by drought and that effects might be stronger for bryophytes and species associated with older forests. Our results indicate that the effects of drought can vary over small spatial scales and that forest landscapes can be actively managed to alleviate drought effects on boreal forest biodiversity. For example, by managing the tree canopy and protecting hydrological networks.
Tooth Anatomy Inspector: A comprehensive assessment of an extended reality (XR) application designed for teaching and learning of root canal anatomy by students
Authors: Diegritz Christian , Fotiadou Christina , Fleischer Felix , Reymus Marcel
Published: July 2024

Aim

To develop and evaluate a suitable software application for mobile devices designed for teaching root canal anatomy to undergraduate students in an informative and engaging manner.

Methodology

Extracted human teeth were scanned by μCT and digitized by converting into STL files. An extended reality (XR) application illustrating the root canal anatomy of the scanned teeth was developed. Prior to deployment, undergraduate dental students were voluntarily asked about their expectations regarding an educational application on tooth anatomy. After a testing phase of the application on a mobile device and within a virtual reality environment, a subsequent evaluation was conducted to assess their overall experience in relation to their initial expectations. Data were analysed using Kolmogorov‐Smirnov test and Mann‐Whitney U test. The level of significance was set to .05 (p = .05).

Results

The application was able to meet the expectations of the students in all categories (p < .466–.731). Furthermore, it was evaluated as user‐friendly (98.2%) and highly motivating for the purpose of learning more on root canal anatomy (100%).

Conclusion

Given the overwhelmingly positive reception from undergraduate dental students, the application emerges to be a promising supplementary teaching method for the endodontic curriculum.
Achieving high adhesion and low‐temperature sintering for multilayer ceramic capacitors by tunning the structure of SrO‐ZnO‐B2O3‐SiO2 glass
Authors: Chen Chunyu , Yang Yali , Li Ao , Zhu Jiayi , Zhang Liangzhu , Zeng Huidan
Published: July 2024

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are one of the most widely used and rapidly advancing chip electronic components for high frequency and high integration applications. It is challenging to develop low‐temperature sintering copper pastes for fabricating MLCC terminal electrodes with high adhesion and reliability. Herein, our work demonstrates a novel SrO‐ZnO‐B2O3‐SiO2 glass as a fluxing agent for lowering the sintering temperature of copper paste to enhance adhesion and reliability for MLCCs. It is found that Sr ions as glass modifiers can not only effectively lower the sintering temperature of the glass to 775°C, but also contribute a promotion to the thermal expansion coefficient, which originates from the conversion of the stable [ZnO4] network into a loose [ZnO6] network. The copper paste containing 12.5 SrO‐32.5 ZnO‐40 B2O3‐15 SiO2 (mol.%) was applied for practical terminal electrode sintering at 775°C, exhibiting a dense surface without cracks, integrated cross‐sectional morphology, and high adhesion force (10.2 LB). Furthermore, MLCCs showed lower square resistance (5.65 mΩ/sq), higher reliability in reflow soldering testing (265°C,110 cm/min), and resistance to soldering heat testing (235 ± 5°C, 30 s). Therefore, this work blazes the trail of preparing a novel low‐melting glass for terminal electrode applicable copper paste for the practical MLCCs industry.
Prediction of internal stress in alumina laminates induced by shrinkage mismatch based on elastic model modification
Authors: Kanno Teruyoshi , Sakatani Arisa , Kurita Hiroki , Narita Fumio
Published: July 2024

Cracks induced by internal stresses compromise the structural integrity of ceramic laminates. Such stresses can be classified into thermal stress derived from thermal expansion mismatch and shrinkage stress derived from shrinkage mismatch. Analytical models have been proposed for the former, whereas only numerical predictions have been explored for the latter. In this study, an equation is constructed to predict the shrinkage stress by modifying an elastic solution proposed in previous studies. We fabricated laminates with three‐layer sandwiched structures using only alumina specimens with high and low densities to control the shrinkage and avoid thermal mismatch. Surface cracks were initiated when the shrinkage stress exceeded the flexural strength of the surface layer. Although the original strength of the surface layer was 308.8 MPa, the laminates’ flexural strength was lower than that because of shrinkage constraint. Our results demonstrate that the shrinkage stress was successfully estimated analytically using a few material properties measured in an ordinary environment. This study will ensure the structural integrity of ceramic laminates in laminate designs.
On the Choice of Parameters for the Lognormal Model for Response Times: Commentary on Becker et al. (2013)
Authors: van der Linden Wim J.
Published: July 2024

In a recently published article in this journal, Becker et al. claim that, because of a missing slope parameter, the lognormal model for response times on test items almost never holds in practice. However, the authors' critique rests on a misrepresentation of the model, which already does have the equivalent of a slope parameter. More importantly, their extra parameter spoils the interpretation of the parameters for the test‐takers' speed and labor intensity of the items necessary for a response‐time model to be empirically meaningful while their proposed interpretation of the extra parameter seems unwarranted. An analysis of the authors' earlier empirical comparison between the original and their alternative version of the model does not seem to support much of a conclusion about the relative fit of the two models. Also, their simulation study conducted to demonstrate the necessity of the extra slope parameter appears to be based on data simulated in favor of their parameter.
Potential applicability of SPLAT® Verb for management of European spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus (L.)
Authors: Löcken Helge , Frühbrodt Tobias , Du Baoguo , Fettig Christopher J. , Biedermann Peter H. W. , Kreuzwieser Jürgen , Burzlaff Tim , Delb Horst
Published: July 2024

The European spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus (L.), is the most important forest pest in Europe due to the profound impacts of periodic outbreaks on ecosystem goods and services. Herein, we evaluated the responses of I. typographus to different doses of verbenone (SPLAT® Verb, 10% (−)‐verbenone by weight; ISCA Inc., Riverside, CA, USA) in traps baited with its aggregation pheromones. Results are based on 1,492,289 I. typographus collected in five experiments over 3 years. SPLAT® Verb inhibited the response of I. typographus to baited traps out to 14 m from the point of release (dollop) and for >80 days at a dose of 75 g per dollop. Reductions in trap catch ranged from 34% to 93% depending on the dose of verbenone, age of SPLAT® Verb dollops, distance from dollops and the environment. In forest stands, significant reductions in trap catch were observed at distances up to 14 m from the point of release, with the largest reductions observed at 0 m (93%) and 2 m (64%). In an open area, significant reductions in trap catch were observed at distances up to only 2 m from the point of release, with the largest reduction observed at 0 m (66%). The much lower active inhibitory range of verbenone in the open area appears to be explained by less stable accumulations of verbenone in the surrounding air. There was a significant negative correlation between trap catch and the amount of verbenone measured in air in the vicinity of traps. We also observed inhibition of the sixtoothed spruce bark beetle, Pityogenes chalcographus (L.), another important forest pest in Europe, at all doses (20, 40, 75 and 100 g) of SPLAT® Verb that were evaluated. The implications of these and other results to the management of I. typographus are discussed.
Altered Abdominal Muscle Recruitment and Declined Physical Function in Postpartum Individuals With Pregnancy‐Related Pelvic Girdle Pain: A Matched Case‐Control Study
Authors: Chua Sze Chee , Wu Meng‐Hsing , Kuo Yi‐Liang , Lin Kuan‐Yin , Tsai Yi‐Ju
Published: July 2024

Introduction

The influence of pregnancy‐related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) on lumbopelvic muscles has not been comprehensively examined in postpartum individuals. Previous research also presented self‐reported activity limitations without objective measures.

Methods

Thirty postpartum individuals with PPGP (PPGP group) and 30 age‐, parity‐, and postpartum duration–matched asymptomatic individuals (healthy group) were recruited. Transabdominal ultrasonography was used to measure muscle thickness or activation changes of the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), transverse abdominals, lumbar multifidus, and pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) during rest and while performing the active straight leg raise (ASLR). Muscle changes were compared separately in the painful and nonpainful sides between the PPGP and health control group. Physical function was assessed using the ASLR fatigue (ASLRF), timed up‐and‐go, and 6‐m walking (6MW) tests.

Results

The PPGP group had greater thickening changes in the bilateral IO during ASLR compared with the healthy group (nonpainful side, 16.34 vs 3.52 mm; P = .010; painful side, 18.83 vs 6.60 mm; P = .02) but became thinner in the EO (nonpainful side, −2.19 vs 19.97 mm; P < .001; painful side, −5.97 vs 21.43 mm; P < .001). Thicker IO and EO on the nonpainful side (IO, 6.60 vs 5.78 mm; P = .004; EO, 5.37 vs 4.54 mm; P = .011) and a lower bladder base (indication of PFMs) (91.87 vs 78.61 mm; P = .002) during rest were also observed in the PPGP group. Furthermore, the performance of the ASLRF and 6MW tests was poorer in the PPGP than in the healthy group (ASLRF nonpainful side, 82.36 vs 59.09 sec; P = .01; painful side, 75.73 vs 59.26 sec; P = .04; 6MW, 3.48 vs 3.17 sec; P = .02).

Discussion

Postpartum individuals with PPGP demonstrated altered abdominal muscle recruitment strategies during loading tasks, with objectively impaired physical functions. These findings are critical for developing effective muscle training interventions for PPGP.
Can short‐ and long‐term maternal and infant risks linked to hypertension and diabetes during pregnancy be reduced by therapy?
Authors: Stephansson Olof , Sandström Anna
Published: July 2024

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), especially preeclampsia, and diabetes during pregnancy pose significant risks for both maternal and infant health, extending to long‐term outcomes such as early‐onset cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. Current strategies for managing HDP focus on screening, prevention, surveillance, and timely intervention. No disease‐modifying therapies exist so far for established preeclampsia; delivery remains the definitive resolution. Preventive measures—including early pregnancy screening, exercise, and low‐dose aspirin—show promise. Antihypertensive treatments reduce severe hypertension risks, whereas magnesium sulfate remains the standard for preventing eclampsia. Planned delivery from gestational week 37 can balance maternal benefits and neonatal risks in women with established preeclampsia. Delivery between 34 and 37 weeks gestation in women with preeclampsia has to balance risks for mother and infant. Lifestyle interventions—particularly diet and physical activity—are pivotal in managing gestational diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes. The oral antidiabetic metformin has shown benefits in glycaemic control and reducing maternal weight gain, although its long‐term effects on offspring remain uncertain. The safety of other peroral antidiabetics in pregnancy is less studied. Advancements in glucose monitoring and insulin administration present encouraging prospects for enhancing outcomes in women with diabetes types 1 and 2. Both HDP and diabetes during pregnancy necessitate vigilant management through a combination of lifestyle modifications, pharmacological interventions, and timely obstetric care. Although certain treatments such as low‐dose aspirin and metformin show efficacy in risk reduction, further research is ongoing to ensure safety for both mothers and their offspring to reduce short‐ and long‐term adverse effects.
Engagement logics: How partners for sustainability‐oriented innovation manage differences between organizational logics
Authors: Watson Rosina , Wilson Hugh N. , Macdonald Emma K.
Published: July 2024

Innovation partnerships frequently experience tensions due to differences in partners' organizational logics. The literature recommends that partners adopt collaborative, empathetic mindsets but even so, tensions can threaten outcomes and partnership continuation. Difficulties can be exacerbated when firms engage stakeholder organizations in sustainability‐oriented innovation projects, where each partner is seeking their own combination of social, environmental, and economic objectives. This study explores strategic responses to these differences in logics through eight case studies of sustainability‐oriented innovation engagements between a focal business and an external organization. The key finding is that partners can respond to their differing logics by shaping a new “engagement logic” that guides members of both (or all) organizations. A logic frame with four value‐related dimensions—value salience, instrumentality, temporality, and language—allows a subtly idiosyncratic engagement logic to be created that is acceptable to both parties. This classification of ingredients of a logic frame forms a wider contribution to the institutional‐logics literature. A complementary range of logic practices is identified, covering logic emergence, logic enactment, and boundary defining. The engagement logic aids the partnership by contributing to four partnership‐level generative outcomes: partnership commitment, capability integration, scope flexibility, and system orientation. A notable finding is the presence of a logic boundary, specified in work, time, and space, enabling the engagement logic to co‐exist with organizational logics; a research direction is whether this boundary also exists in logics at organizational and field levels. The study shows partnerships to be a new context within which novel logics can emerge, contributing to an understanding of how logics evolve.
Emerging therapeutic strategies targeting bone signaling pathways in periodontitis
Authors: Valverde Araceli , George Anne , Nares Salvador , Naqvi Afsar R.
Published: July 2024

Periodontitis is a multifactorial immune‐mediated disease exacerbated by dysregulated alveolar bone homeostasis. Timely intervention is crucial for disease management to prevent tooth loss. To successfully manage periodontitis, it is imperative to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis to develop novel treatment modalities. Non‐surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) such as subgingival instrumentation/debridement has been the underlying treatment strategy over the past decades. However, new NSPT approaches that target key signaling pathways regulating alveolar bone homeostasis have shown positive clinical outcomes. This narrative review aims to discuss endogenous bone homeostasis mechanisms impaired in periodontitis and highlight the clinical outcomes of preventive periodontal therapy to avoid invasive periodontal therapies. Although the anti‐resorptive therapeutic adjuncts have demonstrated beneficial outcomes, adverse events have been reported. Diverse immunomodulatory therapies targeting the osteoblast/osteoclast (OB/OC) axis have shown promising outcomes in vivo. Future controlled randomized clinical trials (RCT) would help clinicians and patients in the selection of novel preventing therapies targeting key molecules to effectively treat or prevent periodontitis.
AI‐powered prediction of HCC recurrence after surgical resection: Personalised intervention opportunities using patient‐specific risk factors
Authors: Zandavi Seid Miad , Kim Christy , Goodwin Thomas , Thilakanathan Cynthuja , Bostanara Maryam , Akon Anna Camille , Al Mouiee Daniel , Barisic Sasha , Majeed Ammar , Kemp William , Chu Francis , Smith Marty , Collins Kate , Wong Vincent Wai‐Sun , Wong Grace Lai‐Hung , Behary Jason , Roberts Stuart K. , Ng Kelvin K. C. , Vafaee Fatemeh , Zekry Amany
Published: July 2024

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence following surgical resection remains a significant clinical challenge, necessitating reliable predictive models to guide personalised interventions. In this study, we sought to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a robust predictive model for HCC recurrence using comprehensive clinical datasets.

Methods

Leveraging data from 958 patients across multiple centres in Australia and Hong Kong, we employed a multilayer perceptron (MLP) as the optimal classifier for model generation.

Results

Through rigorous internal cross‐validation, including a cohort from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), our AI model successfully identified specific pre‐surgical risk factors associated with HCC recurrence. These factors encompassed hepatic synthetic function, liver disease aetiology, ethnicity and modifiable metabolic risk factors, collectively contributing to the predictive synergy of our model. Notably, our model exhibited high accuracy during cross‐validation (.857 ± .023) and testing on the CUHK cohort (.835), with a notable degree of confidence in predicting HCC recurrence within accurately classified patient cohorts. To facilitate clinical application, we developed an online AI digital tool capable of real‐time prediction of HCC recurrence risk, demonstrating acceptable accuracy at the individual patient level.

Conclusion

Our findings underscore the potential of AI‐driven predictive models in facilitating personalised risk stratification and targeted interventions to mitigate HCC recurrence by identifying modifiable risk factors unique to each patient. This model aims to aid clinicians in devising strategies to disrupt the underlying carcinogenic network driving recurrence.
The total picture: Activist artist Virginia Jackson Kiah and the Black house museum beyond the frame
Authors: West Patricia Ann
Published: July 2024

This article presents artist activist Virginia Jackson Kiah as a key figure in the phenomenon of the African American house museum. Readers will benefit from this layer of Kiah scholarship and its contributions to the field of anthropology by looking at a talented artist fueled by her status as a Black woman denied civil, civic, and human rights. Therefore, Virginia Jackson Kiah recreated herself as an artist activist who led a cultural resistance to racism in the arts prior to desegregation and the civil rights movement. As a scholar outside the realm of anthropology, art criticism, and analysis, I approach this project from the stance of a storyteller applying cultural studies methodology and content analysis. I posit that more attention should be given to the total artist—not just the person that had a grasp of brush, paint, pencil, and canvas. Besides her gifts as a painter, little has been written about Virginia Jackson Kiah, the interdisciplinary artist activist who examined culture and history as a musician, composer, singer, pianist, and arts educator. This recovery project fills several voids using archived materials and interviews which recast a total picture of Virginia Jackson Kiah as an artist and activist.
Novel use of a servosphere to study apodous insects: Investigation of blow fly post‐feeding larval dispersal
Authors: Mactaggart Molly , Whitaker Amoret P. , Wilkinson Keith N. , Hall Martin J. R.
Published: July 2024

Blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are arguably the most important providers of an estimate of minimum post‐mortem interval in forensic investigations. They usually undergo a post‐feeding dispersal from the body. While previous studies have looked at dispersal of groups of larvae, recording the dispersal activity of individual larvae has not previously been demonstrated. A servosphere was used here to record the speed, directionality and phototaxis of individual post‐feeding larvae of two species of blow fly on a smooth plastic surface over time. The servosphere rotates to compensate for the movement of an insect placed at its apex, thereby enabling its unimpeded locomotion in any direction to be studied and behavioural changes to external stimuli recorded. To our knowledge, the servosphere has not previously been used to study apodous insects. The objective of our study was to compare dispersal behaviour of Calliphora vicina Robineau‐Desvoidy and Protophormia terraenovae (Robineau‐Desvoidy), both common primary colonisers of human and animal cadavers, but showing different post‐feeding dispersal strategies. Larvae of C. vicina generally disperse from the body while those of P. terraenovae remain on or close to the body. Our aims were to study (1) changes in dispersal speed over a 1‐h period; (2) changes in dispersal speed once a day for 4 days, between the end of feeding and onset of pupariation; and (3) response of dispersing larvae to light. We demonstrated that (1) the movement of three C. vicina larvae tracked for 1 continuous hour on 1 day slowed from an average of 3 to <1.7 mms−1; (2) the average speed of 20 larvae of C. vicina (4.08 mms−1) recorded for 5 min once per day over a 4‐day period between onset of dispersal and pupariation was significantly greater than that of P. terraenovae (2.36 mms−1; p < 0.0001), but that speed of both species increased slightly over the 4 days; (3) the responses of larvae of C. vicina to changes in light direction from the four cardinal directions of the compass, showed that they exhibited a strong negative phototactic response within 5 s, turning to move at approximately 180° away from the new light position. While conducted to observe larval calliphorid post‐feeding behaviour, the results of this proof of concept study show that apodous insects can be studied on a servosphere to produce both qualitative and quantitative data.
Polyploidy and environmental stress response: a comparative study of fern gametophytes
Authors: Blake‐Mahmud Jennifer , Sessa Emily B. , Visger Clayton J. , Watkins James E.
Published: July 2024

Climate change is rapidly altering natural habitats and generating complex patterns of environmental stress. Ferns are major components of many forest understories and, given their independent gametophyte generation, may experience unique pressures in emerging temperature and drought regimes. Polyploidy is widespread in ferns and may provide a selective advantage in these rapidly changing environments. This work aimed to understand whether the gametophytes of allopolyploid ferns respond differently to climate‐related physiological stress than their diploid parents.

The experimental approach involved a multifactorial design with 27 treatment combinations including exposure to multiple levels of drought and temperature over three treatment durations, with recovery measured at multiple timepoints. We measured Chl fluorescence from over 2000 gametophytes to evaluate stress avoidance and tolerance in diploid and polyploid species.

Polyploids generally showed a greater ability to avoid and/or tolerate a range of stress conditions compared with their diploid counterparts, suggesting that polyploidy may confer enhanced flexibility and resilience under climate stress.

Overall, these results suggest that polyploidy may provide some resilience to climate change in mixed ploidy populations. However, all species remain susceptible to the impacts of extreme drought and heat stress.
The Real Effects of Credit Supply Shocks: Evidence from an Emerging Economy
Authors: Kiselev Aleksei , Kolesnik Daria , Mamonov Mikhail , Pestova Anna
Published: July 2024

What role do credit supply shocks (CSS) play in macroeconomic dynamics in emerging economies? We exploit Russia's setting, including the 2014 Western sanctions, and show that a negative CSS normalized to 0.5 p.p. increase in the lending rate leads to a decrease of 2 p.p. in the output growth rate, 1.5 p.p. in the consumption growth rate and 5 p.p. in the investment growth rate within a quarter. The heterogeneity of the household and firm responses to CSS is driven by debt‐to‐income and leverage ratios, with indebted poorer households and larger firms being more sensitive to fluctuations in credit conditions.