bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-analyte proteomic analysis identifies blood-based neuroinflammation, cerebrovascular and synaptic biomarkers in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Zeng Xuemei , Lafferty Tara K. , Sehrawat Anuradha , Chen Yijun , Ferreira Pamela C. L. , Bellaver Bruna , Povala Guilherme , Kamboh M. Ilyas , Klunk William E. , Cohen Ann D. , Lopez Oscar L. , Ikonomovic Milos D. , Pascoal Tharick A. , Ganguli Mary , Villemagne Victor L. , Snitz Beth E. , Karikari Thomas K.
Published: June 2024

Background

Blood-based biomarkers are gaining grounds for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) detection. However, two key obstacles need to be addressed: the lack of methods for multi-analyte assessments and the need for markers of neuroinflammation, vascular, and synaptic dysfunction. Here, we evaluated a novel multi-analyte biomarker platform, NULISAseq CNS disease panel, a multiplex NUcleic acid-linked Immuno-Sandwich Assay (NULISA) targeting ∼120 analytes, including classical AD biomarkers and key proteins defining various disease hallmarks.

Methods

The NULISAseq panel was applied to 176 plasma samples from the MYHAT-NI cohort of cognitively normal participants from an economically underserved region in Western Pennsylvania. Classical AD biomarkers, including p-tau181, p-tau217, p-tau231, GFAP, NEFL, Aβ40, and Aβ42, were also measured using Single Molecule Array (Simoa). Amyloid pathology, tau pathology, and neurodegeneration were evaluated with [11C] PiB PET, [18F]AV-1451 PET, and MRI, respectively. Linear mixed models were used to examine cross-sectional and Wilcoxon rank sum tests for longitudinal associations between NULISA biomarkers and AD pathologies. Spearman correlations were used to compare NULISA and Simoa.

Results

NULISA concurrently measured 116 plasma biomarkers with good technical performance, and good correlation with Simoa measures. Cross-sectionally, p-tau217 was the top hit to identify Aβ pathology, with age, sex, andAPOEgenotype-adjusted AUC of 0.930 (95%CI: 0.878-0.983). Fourteen markers were significantly decreased in Aβ-PET+ participants, including TIMP3, which regulates brain Aβ production, the neurotrophic factor BDNF, the energy metabolism marker MDH1, and several cytokines. Longitudinally, FGF2, IL4, and IL9 exhibited Aβ PET-dependent yearly increases in Aβ-PET+ participants. Markers with tau PET-dependent longitudinal changes included the microglial activation marker CHIT1, the reactive astrogliosis marker CHI3L1, the synaptic protein NPTX1, and the cerebrovascular markers PGF, PDGFRB, and VEFGA; all previously linked to AD but only reliably measured in cerebrospinal fluid. SQSTM1, the autophagosome cargo protein, exhibited a significant association with neurodegeneration status after adjusting age, sex, andAPOEε4 genotype.

Conclusions

Together, our results demonstrate the feasibility and potential of immunoassay-based multiplexing to provide a comprehensive view of AD-associated proteomic changes. Further validation of the identified inflammation, synaptic, and vascular markers will be important for establishing disease state markers in asymptomatic AD.
Factors Associated with the Frequency of Medical Consultations in 1,355,354 Patients with Various Types of Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Vera-Ponce Víctor Juan , Loayza-Castro Joan A. , Tapia-Limonchi Rafael , Vigil-Ventura Enrique
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Proper management of diabetes mellitus (DM) is essential to prevent long-term complications, improve patients’ quality of life, and reduce the economic burden on healthcare services.

Objective

To determine the factors associated with the number of medical consultations received in the last quarter by patients with different types of diabetes affiliated with the Comprehensive Health Insurance (SIS: acronym in Spanish) in Peru.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis of the database of patients with DM affiliated with SIS in Peru was conducted. Two robust variance regression models were used to identify potential associated factors.

Results

Data from 1,355,354 patients were analyzed. In model 1, which included comorbidities as separate variables, it was found that men, older individuals (especially those aged 60-69), and residents of the jungle region had a higher probability of receiving more medical consultations. The presence of obesity/dyslipidemia, hypertension, and mental health disorders also increased the likelihood of more consultations. In comparison, patients with type 2 DM had fewer consultations compared to those with type 1 DM. The findings were consistent with the first model in model 2, which included the total number of comorbidities instead of each separately. Additionally, a higher total number of comorbidities was associated with an increased number of medical consultations.

Conclusions

Several vital factors influencing the frequency of medical consultations received by DM patients have been identified. Adapting healthcare services to address regional disparities in access to and use of medical services is crucial.
MUTATE: A Human Genetic Atlas of Multi-organ AI Endophenotypes using GWAS Summary Statistics
Authors: Boquet-Pujadas Aleix , Zeng Jian , Tian Ye Ella , Yang Zhijian , Shen Li , Zalesky Andrew , Davatzikos Christos ,   the MULTI consortium, Wen Junhao
Published: June 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly integrated into imaging genetics to provide intermediate phenotypes (i.e., endophenotypes) that bridge the genetics and clinical manifestations of human disease. However, the genetic architecture of these AI endophenotypes remains largely unexplored in the context of human multi-organ system diseases. Using publicly available GWAS summary statistics from the UK Biobank, FinnGen, and the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, we comprehensively depicted the genetic architecture of 2024 multi-organ AI endophenotypes (MAEs). We comparatively assessed the SNP-based heritability, polygenicity, and natural selection signatures of 2024 MAEs using methods commonly used in the field. Genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization analyses reveal both within-organ relationships and cross-organ interconnections. Bi-directional causal relationships were established between chronic human diseases and MAEs across multiple organ systems, including Alzheimer’s disease for the brain, diabetes for the metabolic system, asthma for the pulmonary system, and hypertension for the cardiovascular system. Finally, we derived polygenic risk scores for the 2024 MAEs for individuals not used to calculate MAEs and returned these to the UK Biobank. Our findings underscore the promise of the MAEs as new instruments to ameliorate overall human health. All results are encapsulated into the MUTATE genetic atlas and are publicly available athttps://labs-laboratory.com/mutate.
Synchronous seasonal plasticity in colouration, behaviour, and visual gene expression in a wild butterfly population
Authors: Hirzel Grace E. , Brady Noah K. , Reed Robert D. , Westerman Erica L.
Published: June 2024

Phenotypic plasticity allows many animals to quickly respond to seasonal changes in their environment. Seasonal changes to physiological systems, such as sensory systems, may explain other more obvious changes in behaviour, often working synergistically with changes in morphology. Here we investigate if there are covarying seasonal changes to morphology, behaviour, and the visual system in the seasonally plastic butterflyJunonia coenia. To describe when seasonal wing patterns occur at our field sites in the central United States and for analysis of gene expression in eye tissue, we collected animals throughout the summer and fall in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. For the first three years we also visited field sites to observe behaviour during focal watches and point counts throughout the flight period. We found that moreJ. coeniaexhibit seasonal dark wing patterns in September and October compared to butterflies collected in previous months. This change in wing pattern correlates to an increase in basking behaviour. Eye tissues of dark fall animals and lighter summer animals exhibit different patterns of gene expression, including clock genes and genes involved in eye pigment synthesis. Subsequent analysis of monthly variation in opsin gene expression in eye tissues confirmed that opsin genes are not differentially expressed throughout the year, thoughperiodgene expression is higher in the fall, and females have higher blue opsin gene expression than males. This concurrent seasonal shift in colouration, behaviour, and underlying visual physiology indicates thatJ. coeniaundergoes a complex shift in phenotype that encompasses more than simple changes to thermoregulation.
Contagious vocal reaction forms avian vocal exchange: an experimental study in Java sparrows
Authors: Kikuchi Sota , Kondo Noriko , Koda Hiroki
Published: June 2024

Vocal exchange or turn-taking - an interaction in which vocalizer alternation occurs at very short intervals to avoid overlapping vocalizations - occurs not only in human conversation but also in animal communications, characterized by temporal regularities in the timing of spontaneous and response vocalizations. This temporal regularity has been observed in social mammals or primates, including humans, but little has been known about vocal exchange of call in birds, a highly vocal animal. Here, we experimentally manipulated a face-to-face setting with Java sparrows to observe their vocal exchange between two birds and analyzed its temporal regularity. The results showed that the temporal regularity of their vocal exchange was significantly different from that of primates. In particular, Java sparrows responded reflexively to the vocalizations of other individuals, but they showed no tendency to await the vocalizations of other individuals. Similar to behavioral synchrony, which is commonly observed in avian species, contagious vocalization possibly shapes avian vocal exchange. These results suggested the need for careful comparative studies of vocal exchange among social animals, considering the differences in the ecological backgrounds of group formation.
Pathogen genomic surveillance as a scalable framework for precision phage therapy
Authors: Koncz Mihály , Stirling Tamás , Mehdi Hiba Hadj , Méhi Orsolya , Eszenyi Bálint , Asbóth András , Apjok Gábor , Tóth Ákos , Orosz László , Vásárhelyi Bálint Márk , Ari Eszter , Daruka Lejla , Polgár Tamás Ferenc , Schneider György , Zalokh Sif Aldin , Számel Mónika , Fekete Gergely , Bohár Balázs , Varga Karolina Nagy , Visnyovszki Ádám , Székely Edit , Licker Monica-Sorina , Izmendi Oana , Costache Carmen , Gajic Ina , Lukovic Bojana , Molnár Szabolcs , Szőcs-Gazdi Uzonka Orsolya , Bozai Csilla , Indreas Marina , Kristóf Katalin , Van der Henst Charles , Breine Anke , Pál Csaba , Papp Balázs , Kintses Bálint
Published: June 2024

Phage therapy is gaining increasing interest in the fight against critically resistant nosocomial pathogens. However, the narrow host range of bacteriophages hampers the development of broadly effective phage therapeutics and demands precision approaches. Here we combine large-scale phylogeographical analysis with high-throughput phage typing to guide the development of precision phage cocktails targeting carbapenem-resistantAcinetobacter baumannii,a top-priority pathogen. Our analysis reveals that a few strain types dominate infections in each world region, with their geographical distribution remaining stable within six years. As we demonstrate in Eastern Europe, this spatio-temporal distribution enables preemptive preparation of region-specific phage collections that target most local infections. Finally, we showcase the efficacy of a four-phage cocktail against the most prevalent strain type in bothin vitroandin vivoanimal infection models. Ultimately, genomic surveillance identifies patients benefiting from the same phages across geographical scales, thus providing a scalable framework for precision phage therapy.

Highlights

A few carbapenem-resistantAcinetobacter baumanniitypes dominate infections worldwide

Phylogeography reveals stable strain composition of individual countries over a six-year period

This spatio-temporal distribution allows preemptive preparation of region-specific phage collections

A four-phage cocktail is efficacious against the most prevalent strain type in Europe.
Deciphering the molecular landscape of human peripheral nerves: implications for diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Authors: Ferreira Diana Tavares , Shen Breanna Q , Mwirigi Juliet M , Shiers Stephanie , Sankaranarayanan Ishwarya , Kotamarti Miriam , Inturi Nikhil N , Mazhar Khadijah , Ubogu Eroboghene E , Thomas Geneva , Lalli Trapper , Wukich Dane , Price Theodore J
Published: June 2024

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a prevalent complication of diabetes mellitus that is caused by metabolic toxicity to peripheral axons. We aimed to gain deep mechanistic insight into the disease process using bulk and spatial RNA sequencing on tibial and sural nerves recovered from lower leg amputations in a mostly diabetic population. First, our approach comparing mixed sensory and motor tibial and purely sensory sural nerves shows key pathway differences in affected nerves, with distinct immunological features observed in sural nerves. Second, spatial transcriptomics analysis of sural nerves reveals substantial shifts in endothelial and immune cell types associated with severe axonal loss. We also find clear evidence of neuronal gene transcript changes, likePRPH,in nerves with axonal loss suggesting perturbed RNA transport into distal sensory axons. This motivated further investigation into neuronal mRNA localization in peripheral nerve axons generating clear evidence of robust localization of mRNAs such asSCN9AandTRPV1in human sensory axons. Our work gives new insight into the altered cellular and transcriptomic profiles in human nerves in DPN and highlights the importance of sensory axon mRNA transport as an unappreciated potential contributor to peripheral nerve degeneration.
Age-related changes in Higuchi’s fractal dimension in healthy human EEG are anti-correlated with changes in oscillatory power and 1/f slope
Authors: Aggarwal Srishty , Ray Supratim
Published: June 2024

Non-linear dynamical methods such as Higuchi’s fractal dimension (HFD) are often used to study the complexities of brain activity. In human electroencephalogram (EEG), while power in the gamma band (30-70 Hz) and the slope of the power spectral density (PSD) have been shown to reduce with healthy aging, there are conflicting findings regarding how HFD and other measures of complexity vary with aging. Further, the dependence of HFD on features obtained from PSD (such as gamma power and slope) has not been thoroughly probed. To address these issues, we computed time and frequency resolved HFD for EEG data collected from elderly population (N=217), aged between 50-88 years, for baseline (BL) eyes open state and during a fixation task in which visual grating stimuli that induce strong gamma oscillations were presented. During BL, HFD increased with age at frequencies upto 150 Hz, but surprisingly showed an opposite trend at higher frequencies. Interestingly, this change in HFD was opposite to the age-related change in PSD 1/f slope. Further, stimulus-related changes in HFD were anti-correlated with the changes in oscillatory power. However, age classification using HFD was slightly better than classification using spectral features (power and slope). Therefore, HFD could effectively integrate various spectral features as well as some non-linearities not captured using spectral analysis, which could enhance our understanding of brain dynamics underlying healthy aging.

Significance Statement

Higuchi’s fractal dimension (HFD) is used widely to understand the complexity and non-linearities in brain signals. Previous studies have found inconsistent results regarding the change of HFD with aging. We tested whether this could be due to changes in spectral measures like oscillatory power and slope with aging by computing time-frequency resolved HFD for EEG data from elderly subjects (N=217; 50-88 years). We found that HFD increased with age upto 150 Hz, but decreased at higher frequencies. Interestingly, age-related changes in HFD were negatively correlated to the corresponding changes in slope and oscillatory power. Age classification using HFD was slightly better than spectral features, suggesting that HFD effectively integrates spectral as well as non-linear changes in brain signals with aging.
“Parvalbumin interneuron activity induces slow cerebrovascular fluctuations in awake mice”
Authors: Rakymzhan Adiya , Fukuda Mitsuhiro , Kozai Takashi Daniel Yoshida , Vazquez Alberto Luis
Published: June 2024

Neuronal regulation of cerebrovasculature underlies brain imaging techniques reliant on cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes. However, interpreting these signals requires understanding their neural correlates. Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons are crucial in network activity, but their impact on CBF is not fully understood. Optogenetic studies show that stimulating cortical PV interneurons induces diverse CBF responses, including rapid increases, decreases, and slower delayed increases. To clarify this relationship, we measured hemodynamic and neural responses to optogenetic stimulation of PV interneurons expressing Channelrhodopsin-2 during evoked and ongoing resting-state activity in the somatosensory cortex of awake mice. Two-photon microscopy (2P) Ca2+ imaging showed robust activation of PV-positive (PV+) cells and inhibition of PV-negative (PV-) cells. Prolonged PV+ cell stimulation led to a delayed, slow CBF increase, resembling a secondary peak in the CBF response to whisker stimulation. 2P vessel diameter measurements revealed that PV+ cell stimulation induced rapid arterial vasodilation in superficial layers and delayed vasodilation in deeper layers. Ongoing activity recordings indicated that both PV+ and PV-cell populations modulate arterial fluctuations at rest, with PV+ cells having a greater impact. These findings show that PV interneurons generate a complex depth-dependent vascular response, dominated by slow vascular changes in deeper layers.
The value of initiating a pursuit in temporal decision-making
Authors: Sutlief Elissa , Walters Charlie , Marton Tanya , Hussain Shuler Marshall G
Published: June 2024

Reward-rate maximization is a prominent normative principle commonly held in behavioral ecology, neuroscience, economics, and artificial intelligence. Here, we identify and compare equations for evaluating the worth of initiating pursuits that an agent could implement to enable reward-rate maximization. We identify two fundamental temporal decision-making categories requiring the valuation of the initiation of a pursuit—forgo and choice decision-making—over which we generalize and analyze the optimal solution for how to evaluate a pursuit in order to maximize reward rate. From this reward-rate-maximizing formulation, we derive expressions for the subjective value of a pursuit, i.e. that pursuit’s equivalent immediate reward magnitude, and reveal that time’s cost is composed of anapportionment, in addition to, anopportunitycost. By re-expressing subjective value as a temporal discounting function, we show precisely how the temporal discounting function of a reward-rate-optimal agent is sensitive not just to the properties of a considered pursuit, but to the time spent and reward acquired outside of the pursuit for every instance spent within it. In doing so, we demonstrate how the apparent discounting function of a reward-rate-optimizing agent depends on the temporal structure of the environment and is a combination of hyperbolic and linear components, whose contributions relate the apportionment and opportunity cost of time, respectively. We further then show how purported signs of suboptimal behavior (hyperbolic discounting, the Delay effect, the Magnitude effect, the Sign effect) are in fact consistent with reward-rate maximization. Having clarified what features are andare notsigns of optimal decision-making, we analyze the impact of the misestimation of reward rate-maximizing parameters in order to better account for the pattern of errors actually observed in humans and animals. We find that error in agents’ assessment of the apportionment of time that underweights the time spent outside versus inside a considered pursuit type is the likely driver of suboptimal temporal decision-making observed behaviorally. We term this the Malapportionment Hypothesis. This generalized form for reward-rate maximization and its relation to subjective value and temporal discounting allows the true pattern of errors exhibited by humans and animals to be more deeply understood, identified, and quantified, which is key to deducing the learning algorithms and representational architectures actually used by humans and animals to evaluate the worth of pursuits.
Single-cell variations of circadian clock and immune gene expression in microglia and neurodegeneration
Authors: Ouk Koliane , Yalçin Müge , Rigat Ludovica , Keren-Shaul Hadas , David Eyal , Knop Anniki , Böttcher Chotima , Kramer Achim , Amit Ido , Relógio Angela , Priller Josef
Published: June 2024

We investigated the diurnal rhythmicity of gene expression in microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, in health and disease. Using RNA sequencing and single-cell analysis by RNAscope, we examined wild-type mice and the R6/2 transgenic mouse model of Huntington’s disease (HD). Our findings suggest context-dependent rhythmic gene expression in microglia, exhibiting substantial variability between individual cells and brain regions over 24 hours. Notably, we observed loss of rhythmic gene expression of key clock genes in microglia from symptomatic but not presymptomatic R6/2 mice. Moreover, we identifiedde novo24-hour rhythmic gene expression and altered diurnal patterns of immune-related genes associated with neurodegenerative diseases in microglia from symptomatic R6/2 mice. Our findings suggest circadian reprogramming of microglia in the context of neurodegeneration.
The baboon as a statistician: Can non-human primates perform linear regression on a graph?
Authors: Ciccione Lorenzo , Brecht Thomas Dighiero , Claidière Nicolas , Fagot Joël , Dehaene Stanislas
Published: June 2024

Recent studies showed that humans, regardless of age, education, and culture, can extract the linear trend of a noisy graph. Here, we examined whether such skills for intuitive statistics are confined to humans or may also exist in non-human primates. We trained Guinea baboons (Papio papio) to associate arbitrary geometrical shapes with the increasing or decreasing trends of noiseless and noisy scatterplots, while varying the number of points, the noise level, and the regression slope. Many baboons successfully learned this conditional match-to-sample task for both noiseless and noisy plots. Crucially, for successful baboons, accuracy varied as a sigmoid function of the t-value of the regression, the same statistical index upon which humans also base their answers, even after controlling for other variables. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that the human perception of data graphics is based on the pre-emption and recycling of a phylogenetically older competence of the primate visual system for extracting the principal axes of visual displays.
A Novel Susceptibility Locus inNFASCHighlights Oligodendrocytes and Myelination in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Pathology
Authors: García-González Pablo , Lara Héctor Rodrigo , Compta Yaroslau , Fernandez Manuel , van der Lee Sven J. , de Rojas Itziar , Saiz Laura , Painous Celia , Camara Ana , Muñoz Esteban , Marti Maria J. , Valldeoriola Francesc , Puerta Raquel , Illán-Gala Ignacio , Pagonabarraga Javier , Dols-Icardo Oriol , Kulisevsky Jaime , Fortea Juan , Lleó Alberto , Olivé Claudia , de Boer Sterre C.M. , Hulsman Marc , Pijnenburg Yolande A.L. , Belloso Rafael Díaz , Muñoz-Delgado Laura , Rueda Dolores Buiza , Gómez-Garre Pilar , Aldecoa Iban , Aragonés Gemma , Vara Jorge Hernandez , Mendioroz Maite , Pérez-Tur Jordi , Visser Pieter Jelle , den Braber Anouk , Papma Janne M. , Montes Ángel Martín , Rodriguez-Rodriguez Eloy , Blázquez-Folch Josep , Miguel Andrea , García-Gutiérrez Fernando , Cano Amanda , Valero Sergi , Marquié Marta , Capdevila-Bayo María , Rosende-Roca Maitee , Quintela Inés , Carracedo Ángel , Tàrraga Lluís , Real Luis M , Royo Jose Luis , Erro Maria Elena , Guerrero Carmen , Torres Daniela Corte , Blázquez-Estrada Marta , Millán Beatriz San , Teijeira Susana , Rolan Dolores Vilas , Hernández Isabel , Sánchez-Soblechero Antonio , de la Casa-Fages Beatriz , López Soledad Serrano , Baviera-Muñoz Raquel , Lavín Amaya , Taipa Ricardo , Amer Guillermo , Martinez-Saez Elena , Fernández-Matarrubia Marta , Lage-Martínez Carmen , Álvarez Victoria , Molina-Porcel Laura , Holstege Henne , Mir Pablo , Belbin Olivia , Boada Mercè , Fernández Victoria , Bullido María J. , Rábano Alberto , Sánchez-Juan Pascual , Ruiz Agustín
Published: June 2024

We conducted the largest PSP GWAS of the Iberian population to date (522 cases from 22 Spanish and Portuguese institutions). We independently replicated seven known PSP risk variants, and unveiled a novel locus inNFASC/CNTN2after meta-analysing our results with a newly available Dutch cohort and publicly available summary statistics. These findings highlight the importance of neuron-oligodendrocyte interactions in PSP etiopathology.
Tau polarization in neutrino-nucleus interactions at the LHC energy range
Authors: Francener Reinaldo , Gonçalves Victor P. , Gratieri Diego R.
Published: June 2024

Considering that the study of neutrino-nucleus interactions with incident neutrino energy ranges in the GeV–TeV range is feasible at the Large Hadron Collider, we investigate in this paper the degree of polarization P of the (anti)tau lepton produced in (anti)tau neutrino-tungsten interactions. We estimate the differential cross sections and the longitudinal and transverse components of the tau lepton polarization as a function of the tau lepton energy and distinct values of the scattering angle, assuming different values for the energy of the incoming (anti)tau neutrino. Different models for the treatment of the nuclear effects in the parton distribution functions are assumed as input in the calculations. Our results indicate that P<1 for the neutrino energies reached at the LHC and are almost insensitive to the nuclear effects.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Hybrid spectroscopy within the graviton soft-wall model
Authors: Rinaldi Matteo , Vento Vicente
Published: June 2024

In this analysis, the so-called holographic graviton soft-wall (GSW) model, first developed to investigate the glueball spectrum, has been adopted to predict the masses of hybrids with different quantum numbers. Results have been compared with other models and lattice calculations. We have extended the GSW model by introducing two modifications based on anomalous dimensions in order to improve our agreement with other calculations and to remove the initial degeneracy not accounted for by lattice predictions. These modifications do not involve new parameters. The next step has been to identify which of our calculated states agree with the PDG data, leading to experimental hybrids. The procedure has been extended to include hybrids made of heavy quarks by incorporating the quark masses into the model.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
QCD sum rules for positive and negative parity heavy baryons at next-to-leading order in
αs
-expansion
Authors: Nishikawa Tetsuo , Kondo Yoshihiko , Kanada-En’yo Yoshiko
Published: June 2024

QCD sum rules for positive and negative parity heavy baryons in the heavy quark limit are formulated. We apply the method to Λ and Σ channels. We include the next-to-leading order corrections in αs-expansion to dimension 0 and 3 terms in the operator product expansion. The corrections lead to the considerable reduction of the predicted masses and significantly improves the stability with respect to the Borel parameter, especially for negative parity states. It is also found that, in the heavy quark limit, chiral odd condensates do not contribute to the negative parity states.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Adiabatic approach to the trans-Planckian problem in loop quantum cosmology
Authors: Garay Luis J. , González Mario López , Martín-Benito Mercedes , Neves Rita B.
Published: June 2024

We study the scalar modes that, being observable today, were trans-Planckian before inflation, within the context of hybrid loop quantum cosmology (LQC). We analyze the dynamics of these highly ultraviolet modes by introducing modified dispersion relations to their equations of motion and discuss the impact that these relations would introduce in the power spectrum by computing the adiabaticity coefficient. More precisely, we consider two different models compatible with observations for the standard linear dispersion relation which are based on different initial conditions for the perturbations and background. One of these models avoids the issue altogether by generating less e-folds of inflation, so that the observable modes are never trans-Planckian, whereas the other suffers (arguably softly) from the trans-Planckian problem. This shows that the existence of the trans-Planckian problem in LQC is model dependent.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
6-[4-(tert-Butyldimethylsilyloxy)phenyl]-1-oxaspiro[2.5]heptane
Authors: Wetzel Edward A. , Lindeman Sergey , Donaldson William A.
Published: June 2024

The title compound, C19H30O2Si, has triclinic (P\overline{1}) symmetry at 100 K. The O atom of the epoxide group has a pseudoaxial orientation and the dihedral angle between the cyclohexyl and benzene rings is 85.80 (8)°. The C—O—Si—C
t
(t = tert-butyl) torsion angle is −177.40 (14)°. In the crystal, pairwise C—H...O links connect the molecules into inversion dimers featuring R
2
2(8) loops.
Cybersecurity, cyber insurance and small-to-medium-sized enterprises: a systematic Review
Authors: Adriko Rodney , Nurse Jason R.C.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study aims to offer insights into the state of research covering cybersecurity, cyber insurance and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It examines benefits of insurance to an SME’s security posture, challenges faced, and potential solutions and outstanding research questions.

Design/methodology/approach

Research objectives were formulated, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol was used to perform a systematic literature review (SLR). A total of 19 papers were identified from an initial set of 451.

Findings

This research underscores the role of cybersecurity in the value proposition of cyber insurance for SMEs. The findings highlight the benefits that cyber insurance offers SMEs including protection against cyber threats, financial assistance and access to cybersecurity expertise. However, challenges hinder SME’s engagement with insurance, including difficulties in understanding cyber risk, lack of cybersecurity knowledge and complex insurance policies. Researchers recommend solutions, such as risk assessment frameworks and government intervention, to increase cyber insurance uptake/value to SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

There is a need for further research in the risk assessment and cybersecurity practices of SMEs, the influence of government intervention and the effectiveness of insurers in compensating for losses. The findings also encourage innovation to address the unique needs of SMEs. These insights can guide future research and contribute to enhancing cyber insurance adoption.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first SLR to comprehensively examine the intersection of cybersecurity and cyber insurance specifically in the context of SMEs.
Analyzing revisitation dynamics: a scholarly analysis of bootstrapping, mediating Muslim-friendly context and impact on determinant factors in Terengganu’s edutourism destinations
Authors: Che Haron Hazrin Izwan , Abdullah Hamdy , Sheikh Ahmad Tajuddin Sheikh Ahmad Faiz , Mohd Zain Fahru Azwa , A. Rahim Nurul Aisyah Awanis
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationships between key mediators, namely, Muslim-friendly context and the intention of tourists to revisit edu-tourism destinations in Terengganu.

Design/methodology/approach

The study engages tourists and visitors who have explored seven distinct edu-tourism destinations, with a total sample size of 384 participants. Data analysis is conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and Analysis of Moment Structures for structural equation modeling.

Findings

Findings indicate that Muslim-friendly does not mediate the relationship between tourism operators, events and investment concerning tourists revisiting Terengganu. However, it plays a significant mediating role between local communities, educational institutions and tourism organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Despite valuable insights, limitations arose due to a lack of Terengganu-specific literature on Muslim-friendliness in edu-tourism, leading to reliance on studies about Sharia-compliant hotels, the broader tourism industry and Islamic tourism.

Practical implications

The thriving halal tourism industry’s growth has heightened awareness of Muslim-friendly destinations, like Terengganu. The state actively promotes diverse halal services for Muslim travelers, encouraging operators to prioritize Sharia-compliant facilities. Strategic marketing and government support for Sharia-compliant edu-tourism investments aim at fostering economic growth and ensuring sustainability.

Social implications

Social implications stress the need for inclusivity and cultural sensitivity in Terengganu’s tourism. Prioritizing Muslim-friendly services not only boosts economic growth but also fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment for diverse travelers. Government support for Sharia-compliant edu-tourism investments aligns development with cultural and religious values, promoting a harmonious and inclusive society.

Originality/value

This research explores Terengganu’s innovative edu-tourism approach, prioritizing Muslim-friendly services for diverse travelers. By emphasizing Sharia-compliant facilities and investments, the region aims to foster economic growth and create an inclusive cultural environment.
Everything is in hand: when and why electronic performance monitoring leads to supervisor undermining
Authors: Zhang Qi , Zhou Kong , Shu Peipei , Liu Wenxing , Ouyang Xi , Sun Ao
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This research aims to address the knowledge gap regarding the influence of electronic performance monitoring (EPM) on supervisors' behavior. Building upon the sociomaterial perspective and the general model of disinhibition, the study explores the internal mechanisms and boundary conditions between supervisor EPM use and supervisor undermining.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was administered via the Sojump platform, inviting supervisors from diverse industries in China to participate in a three-wave study, each wave being approximately two weeks apart. The study gathered multi-wave data from 225 supervisors to assess the conceptual model.

Findings

The results showed that supervisor EPM use was positively related to sense of power, which in turn positively related to supervisor undermining. Furthermore, supervisors' individual identity orientation moderates the relationship between supervisor EPM use and sense of power, as well as the indirect relationship between supervisor EPM use and supervisor undermining through sense of power.

Practical implications

This study advocates for responsible EPM use to mitigate supervisor undermining (e.g. making subordinates feel incompetent) and minimize negative leadership behaviors.

Originality/value

The presented results signify a substantial progression in comprehending the interplay between supervisor EPM use and individual identity orientation, and their combined impact on the sense of power and subsequent supervisor undermining.
Publish or perish in the era of artificial intelligence: which way for the Kenyan research community?
Authors: Ajwang Stephen Oloo , Ikoha Anselimo Peters
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study aims to shed light on the dilemma of “publish or perish” within the context of artificial intelligence (AI) and to suggest approaches that scholars and organizations can implement to enhance ethical behavior in research and publishing.

Design/methodology/approach

This investigation examined institutional guidelines, policies, processes, norms and prior research to pinpoint ethical patterns that could be leveraged to promote ethical behavior in research and publishing.

Findings

The research outlined various unethical behaviors that have a detrimental impact on research outcomes including falsification, fabrication, plagiarism, p-hacking, authorship conflicts of interest, salami publication, republishing and manipulation of visual data, as well as incorrect selection of statistical analysis techniques. Furthermore, the study recommends optimal strategies for researchers and institutions to improve the quality of research, such as embracing the Open Research Library, forming partnerships and consortia, adhering to established informed consent standards and safeguarding confidentiality and privacy, among other practices.

Practical implications

These findings can serve as a foundation for policies that enable institutions and scholars to heighten their comprehension of ethical research practices and establish mechanisms for supervising research outcomes.

Originality/value

Numerous research and educational institutions are contending with new obstacles brought about by using technologies such as AI. These findings can offer a reference point to stimulate the ongoing discourse regarding the utilization of generative AI in academic settings.
Rightwing populism and public opinion on the Covid‐19 pandemic in Sweden: The role of strategic party positioning and political cues
Authors: Kulin Joakim , Johansson Sevä Ingemar
Published: June 2024

During the early stages of the Covid‐19 pandemic, the Swedish government did not implement the hard lockdowns and coercive measures found in many countries and instead relied on voluntary social distancing measures and work‐from‐home initiatives. Unlike its international counterparts in most countries, the rightwing populist party in Sweden early on took a critical approach toward the government's handling of the Covid‐19 pandemic, calling for stricter government measures to curb virus transmission. Based on theories about strategic party positioning, and theories about political elite cues and framing effects, we use Swedish survey data from the early stages of the pandemic to show that the views of rightwing populist party supporters aligned with the rhetoric of the Swedish rightwing populist party in demanding more (rather than less) government intervention to curb the spread of SARS‐COV‐2. Our results suggest that they did so by drawing on core rightwing populist themes of anti‐elitism and nationalism. Hence, our results speak to the role of elite cues and framing in public opinion formation during times of crisis, particularly among rightwing populists, who generally opposed stricter government measures to fight the Covid‐19 pandemic.
Young people’s use of disposable vapes: A qualitative study
Authors: Notley Caitlin , Varley Anna , Pope Ian , Dawkins Lynne , Ward Emma
Published: June 2024

Background and aims

Youth use of disposable vapes has increased markedly in the United Kingdom in recent years, yet little is known about the motivations, experiences and perceptions of young people themselves. This study aimed to explore young people’s experiences and use of disposable vapes.

Methods

This was a qualitative study recruiting young people reporting regularly vaping disposables, collecting data via dyad guided, individual and group interviews. Data analysis was theoretically informed by the Social Ecological Model. Inductive and deductive coding approaches were used, with resolution of coded interpretations by consensus.

Results

Twenty‐nine young people aged 16–20 years participated in qualitative interviews. At the individual level, participants discussed how characteristics of disposable vapes were important to them—particularly price, accessibility and the attractive designs, colours, names and flavours. Young people frequently engaged in both vaping and tobacco smoking, seeing the behaviours as interchangeable dependent on context, and having inaccurate relative harm perceptions of vaping compared with smoking. Experimentation was widespread and many used vapes as a way of managing stress and anxiety. Vaping was positioned as a social behaviour, common among peers. Parental influence on vaping behaviour was minimal, although vaping initiation could be influenced by family vaping norms. Culturally, vaping was a widespread normalized behaviour. Young people were aware of media reports and potential harms, but were less aware of smoking related harms as a consequence.

Conclusions

Disposable vapes appear to be attractive and accessible to young people in the United Kingdom. Vaping is normalized in this population, despite being seen as potentially damaging to health, and vaping and smoking are engaged in interchangeably. Underage sales of vapes are reportedly widespread. Strict regulation, such as banning products or increasing prices, may prompt UK youth to switch from vaping to smoking.
Comprehensive Analysis of Damage Associated SNPs of Luteinizing Hormone and Its Receptor: A Computational Approach
Authors: Bhatnager Richa , Gaba Kajal , Dang Amita Suneja
Published: June 2024

Problem

The luteinizing hormone (LH), produced by gonadal and nongonadal cells in the anterior pituitary gland play a critical role in human sexual development and reproduction. It is required for the induction of ovulation in females and sex steroid hormone production in both males and females. It is also an important player in early pregnancy events in oviducts and in absence of LH signalling, the uterus cannot initiate pregnancy. LH works through its receptor LHCGR. Therefore, it is quite important to figure out those mutations that have the potential to affect the structure and function of both LH and LHR.

Materials and Methods

Various in silico tools were employed in the study for the data mining of SNPs and predicting their possible impact on the structure and function of the protein. ConSurf analysis predicted V454I and I161K are exposed residues in the 2D structure of protein and highly conserved in protein structure. PSIPRED and Swiss Modeller were employed to predict the 2D and 3D structure of mutated receptor protein. FT site server predicted both substitutions were involved in the ligand‐binding site

Results

By present analysis, we have found that R59G in LHα, Q74R and T78N in LHβ and V454I and I161K in LHCGR are the most deleterious nsSNPs affecting the structure and function of the protein.

Conclusion

These SNPs are still uncharacterised; hence providing a baseline for validation of their association with the susceptibility of diseases and develop personalised therapeutics.
Clinical implication of PRAME immunohistochemistry in differentiating melanoma in situ and dysplastic nevus in non‐acral nevus‐associated melanoma in situ: An institutional experience and meta‐analysis
Authors: Bui Chau M. , Vuong Huy Gia , Le Minh‐Khang , D'Angelo Josephine , Mannava Kathleen , Smoller Bruce R.
Published: June 2024

Introduction

PReferentially expressed Antigen in MElanoma (PRAME) has shown utility in differentiating benign from malignant melanocytic neoplasms. In this study, we investigated the clinical significance of PRAME expression in dysplastic nevi (DN) and nevus‐associated melanoma in situ (MIS).

Methods

We included 172 DN and 38 nevus‐associated MIS from our institutional archive. PRAME positive expression was defined as nuclear staining in at least 75% of melanocytes. In addition, relevant studies from PubMed and Web of Science were incorporated into a meta‐analysis using the random‐effects model to assess PRAME expression in MIS and DN.

Results

Our institutional data revealed that 71.1% of nevus‐associated MIS cases exhibited positive PRAME expression in the MIS components, whereas all DN components were negative for PRAME. 5.7% of cases diagnosed as DN in our cohort demonstrated diffuse positivity for PRAME. Notably, MIS associated with DN displaying epidermal and dermal components displayed a higher likelihood of PRAME positivity compared to those arising on a background of DN with solely epidermal (junctional) components (84% vs. 46%, p = 0.024). The meta‐analysis indicated that the pooled PRAME positivity in MIS and DN was 54.5% and 1.9%, respectively.

Conclusion

PRAME is a valuable immunohistochemical marker for differentiating MIS from DN, particularly in the context of nevus‐associated MIS.
1101. Spiranthes spiralis (L.) Chevall.
Authors: Fay Michael F. , Langhorne Joanna , Pace Matthew
Published: June 2024

Spiranthes spiralis (autumn lady's tresses) is illustrated here (Plate 1101). It is a widespread, mostly temperate European species, extending in south‐western Asian and North Africa. A detailed description is provided, with notes on cytology, habitat and conservation status. Advice on cultivation is also given.
Combination therapy for Sneddon syndrome to reduce the incidence of cerebrovascular complications
Authors: Narwutsch Albert , Wohlrab Johannes , Sperfeld Anne‐D. , Sunderkötter Cord
Published: June 2024

Background

Sneddon syndrome is an occlusive vasculopathy that presents clinically with generalized livedo racemosa on the skin and transient ischemic attacks, strokes, and cognitive or motor deficits in the central nervous system. Antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy is recommended. Due to the limited therapeutic efficacy and the resulting serious complications, we propose combination therapy with additional infusion cycles of alprostadil and captopril and report initial long‐term results.

Patients and methods

We performed a systematic retrospective analysis of all patients with primary Sneddon syndrome who received combination therapy in our clinic between 1995 and 2020. Therapeutic outcomes were evaluated using descriptive statistics compared to historical controls receiving monotherapy. We also analyzed the event rate of complications when combination therapy was discontinued.

Results

During the 99.7 patient‐years of follow‐up, there were no transient ischemic attacks and the stroke rate dropped to 0.02 per patient‐year. In comparison, the rates of transient ischemic attacks and strokes in the historical controls ranged from 0.08 to 0.035 per patient‐year. After discontinuation of alprostadil therapy, eight events occurred in three patients.

Conclusions

Combination therapy reduces the long‐term incidence of ischemic events in patients with primary Sneddon syndrome.