bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of hairpin loops and cruciforms across 118,065 genomes spanning the tree of life
Authors: Chantzi Nikol , Moeckel Camille , Chan Candace S. Y , Nayak Akshatha , Wang Guliang , Mouratidis Ioannis , Chartoumpekis Dionysios , Vasquez Karen M. , Georgakopoulos-Soares Ilias
Published: September 2024

Inverted repeats (IRs) can form alternative DNA secondary structures called hairpins and cruciforms, which have a multitude of functional roles and have been associated with genomic instability. However, their prevalence across diverse organismal genomes remains only partially understood. Here, we examine the prevalence of IRs across 118,065 complete organismal genomes. Our comprehensive analysis across taxonomic subdivisions reveals significant differences in the distribution, frequency, and biophysical properties of perfect IRs among these genomes. We identify a total of 29,589,132 perfect IRs and show a highly variable density across different organisms, with strikingly distinct patterns observed in Viruses, Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryota. We report IRs with perfect arms of extreme lengths, which can extend to hundreds of thousands of base pairs. Our findings demonstrate a strong correlation between IR density and genome size, revealing that Viruses and Bacteria possess the highest density, whereas Eukaryota and Archaea exhibit the lowest relative to their genome size. Additionally, the study reveals the enrichment of IRs at transcription start and termination end sites in prokaryotes and Viruses and underscores their potential roles in gene regulation and genome organization. Through a comprehensive overview of the distribution and characteristics of IRs in a wide array of organisms, this largest-scale analysis to date sheds light on the functional significance of inverted repeats, their contribution to genomic instability, and their evolutionary impact across the tree of life.
Glutamate Transport Proteins and Metabolic Enzymes are Poor Prognostic Factors in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma
Authors: Young Todd A. , Bahnassy Shaymaa , Abalum Theresa C. , Pope Eden A. , Rivera Amanda Torres , Fernandez Aileen I. , Olukoya Ayodeji O. , Mobin Dua , Ranjit Suman , Libbey Nicole E. , Persaud Sonali , Rozeboom Aaron M. , Chaldekas Krysta , Harris Brent T. , Madak-Erdogan Zeynep , Sottnik Joseph L. , Sikora Matthew J. , Riggins Rebecca B.
Published: September 2024

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) is a subtype of breast cancer characterized by distinct biological features, and limited glucose uptake coupled with increased reliance on amino acid and lipid metabolism. Our prior studies highlight the importance of glutamate as a key regulator of ILC tumor growth and therapeutic response. Here we examine the expression of four key proteins involved in glutamate transport and metabolism – SLC3A2, SLC7A11, GPX4, and GLUD1/2 – in a racially diverse cohort of 72 estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) ILC and 50 ER+ invasive ductal carcinoma, no special type (IDC/NST) patients with primary disease. All four proteins are associated with increased tumor size in ILC, but not IDC/NST, with SLC3A2 also specifically linked to shorter overall survival and the presence of comorbidities in ILC. Notably, GLUD1/2 expression is associated with ER expression in ILC, and is most strongly associated with increased tumor size and stage in Black women with ILC from our cohort and TCGA. We further explore the effects of GLUD1 inhibition in endocrine therapy-resistant ILC cells using the small-molecule inhibitor R162, which reduces ER protein levels, increases reactive oxygen species, and inhibits oxidative phosphorylation. These findings highlight a potentially important role for glutamate metabolism in ILC, particularly for Black women, and position several of these glutamate-handling proteins as potential targets for therapeutic intervention in ILC.
Localization of the Free Energy in Supergravity
Authors: Benetti Genolini Pietro , Gauntlett Jerome P. , Jiao Yusheng , Lüscher Alice , Sparks James
Published: September 2024

We derive a general formula for the gravitational free energy of Euclidean supersymmetric solutions to D=4, N=2 gauged supergravity coupled to vector multiplet matter. This allows one to compute the free energy without solving any supergravity equations, just assuming the solutions exist. As well as recovering some known results in the literature with ease, we also present new supergravity results that match with holographically dual field theory computations.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis, and calculations of intermolecular interaction energies and energy frameworks of 1-[(1-hexyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl]-3-(1-methylethenyl)-benzimidazol-2-one
Authors: El Atrassi Zakaria , Benzekri Zakaria , Blacque Olivier , Hökelek Tuncer , Mazzah Ahmed , Cherkaoui Hassan , Sebbar Nada Kheira
Published: September 2024

The benzimidazole moiety in the title molecule, C19H25N5O, is almost planar and oriented nearly perpendicular to the triazole ring. In the crystal, C—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into a network structure. There are no π–π interactions present but two weak C—H...π(ring) interactions are observed. A Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H...H (62.0%), H...C/C...H (16.1%), H...N/N...H (13.7%) and H...O/O...H (7.5%) interactions. Evaluation of the electrostatic, dispersion and total energy frameworks indicate that the stabilization is dominated via the dispersion energy contributions in the title compound.
2-Bromoacetamide
Authors: Schwarzer Anke , Stapf Manuel
Published: September 2024

The title compound, C2H4BrNO, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The almost planar molecules are organized via N—H...O hydrogen bonds into a ladder-type network, which can be characterized by the graph sets R
2
2(8) and R
2
4(8). In addition, the molecules are connected by C—H...O and C—H...Br contacts.
Unlocking the influence of psychosocial safety climate on work engagement and job satisfaction: exploring the mediating role of job demands
Authors: Gan Kia Hui , Kee Daisy Mui Hung
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the influence of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) on work engagement, job satisfaction and the mediating role of job demands among young academics in Malaysian research universities.

Design/methodology/approach

The study participants consisted of 177 full-time lecturers employed by Malaysian research universities for at least one year. Respondents were selected using a purposive sampling technique.

Findings

The findings reveal the significance of PSC in fostering work engagement and job satisfaction by mitigating the impact of job demands. However, the finding indicates that the relationship between job demands and work engagement was not statistically significant.

Research limitations/implications

The necessity for a thorough three-wave research to precisely analyze the model’s longitudinal impacts was discovered in all correlation and cross-sectional studies.

Practical implications

The results indicate that the university should focus on job design and PSC support to enable university management to investigate further avenues for minimizing the impact of job demands to support academicians in RUs and enhance their job satisfaction. The results also indicated that young academicians’ work engagement might be improved by appropriate job demands.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine these relationships among young academic staff in Malaysian universities. This paper offers recommendations to university policymakers on enhancing PSC, work engagement and job satisfaction among young academicians. It highlights the mediating role of job demands in Malaysian research universities.
Can logistics enterprises improve their competitiveness through ESG in the context of digitalization? Evidence from China
Authors: Fan Mingyue , Tang Yue , Qalati Sikandar Ali , Ibrahim Blend
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This investigation endeavors to examine the routes by which environmental–social–governance (ESG) performance influences the competitive landscape for logistics enterprises, with a particular emphasis on the function of digitalization in this complex process. The research underscores the significance of the ESG context in the realm of digitalization, providing valuable insights into its impact on the overall competitiveness of logistics enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

This research gathers information from a total of 90 logistics enterprises that are publicly traded on the Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share stock markets for analysis and model testing. Due to the multiple pathways of influence and the constrained size of the sample, it has been decided that the Piecewise structural–equation–modeling (SEM) approach will be employed.

Findings

The research reveals that ESG factors positively impact enterprises' competitiveness (EC). The augmentation of competitiveness is attributed to the moderating role of green technology innovation (GTI) and agency costs between ESG and EC. In the context of digitalization, the level of digitalization of logistics enterprises may create a capital squeeze effect on environmental performance, weakening competitiveness. Conversely, the level of digitalization positively regulates the promoting effect of governance performance on competitiveness.

Originality/value

This research provides a sound theoretical foundation for understanding how ESG contributes to boosting the competitiveness of Chinese logistics enterprises and extends the application of Piecewise SEM in the research field of logistics enterprise competitiveness. Furthermore, it offers a practical pathway for companies to implement ESG practices and foster competitiveness in digital environments.
Cultivating resilience: Camburi Quilombo’s role in preserving local knowledge amid climate change
Authors: Carvalho Aline Vieira de , Campos Luana Cristina da Silva , Fachini Cristina , Silva João Paulo Soares , Otoni João Pedro
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This paper examines how the Camburi Quilombo community in Ubatuba, Brazil, can be empowered to develop cultural resilience and conserve its Afro-Brazilian heritage in the face of challenges posed by climate change, urbanization and cultural erosion with the adverse consequences of tourism and inadequate infrastructure.

Design/methodology/approach

Emphasizing traditional knowledge, the project consisted of data collection, climate risk assessments and the development of an action plan in collaboration with academic institutions, governmental bodies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Findings

Aligned with sustainable development goals (SDGs), the project contributes to zero hunger, quality education, sustainable cities, climate action and life on land. Seed exchange fairs, decentralized seed banks and education initiatives foster environmental awareness and sustainable agriculture, impacting the community directly and over 1,000 individuals indirectly. While demonstrating short-term changes and mid-term viability, the project faced some challenges due to local communication complexities and overlapping jurisdiction.

Originality/value

Serving as a bridge between scientific research and local knowledge, the project aims to promote a paradigm shifts toward recognizing, respecting and incorporating indigenous practices, so that a more environmentally aware future can be envisioned for these communities amidst climate challenges. Reflecting on achievements, the project underscores integrating diverse cultural knowledge for community resilience.
Virtual reality hindrances in industrial training program: a Grey-DEMATEL analysis
Authors: Oliveira Carolina Pacheco de , Fettermann Diego Castro , Delgado Edwin Guillermo Castro , Moncayo Francisco Antonio
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the relationship between users’ perceived barriers to using virtual and augmented reality technology from stakeholders, identifying perspectives and gaps regarding technology acceptance.

Design/methodology/approach

The Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory method is useful for quantitatively evaluating the causal relationship between factors. Combining this method with the grey approach ensures greater accuracy even with limited information. A Scoping Review was conducted to identify the barriers, and data were extracted from a questionnaire administered to experts in the field.

Findings

Seven diverse barriers were identified by users, and cause-and-effect relationships were estimated. The results indicate three primary causal barriers and three highly dependent barriers. One of the identified barriers is not relevant in this model.

Originality/value

Virtual and augmented reality technologies have been gaining popularity since 2018, allowing users to interact with a virtual environment. These technologies are primarily used in training and education areas. However, due to the innovative nature of the topic, there are a small number of studies on technology acceptance, especially in the Brazilian context. Therefore, this paper contributes to the literature and assists in applying technologies in industries.
The influence of transformational and transactional leadership on employee retention: mediating role of employee engagement
Authors: Ali Mohammad , Niu Xiongying , Rubel Mohammad Rabiul Basher
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the relationship between transformational, transactional leadership and employee retention with the mediating effect of employee engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

Using judgemental sampling, data were collected from 650 employees serving at different levels in the pharmaceutical industry of Bangladesh. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships using AMOS.

Findings

The study found that transformational and transactional leadership significantly impact employee retention. The direct effects of transformational leadership (TFL) on employee engagement were found to be significant, while transactional leadership (TSL) has no significant direct influence on employee engagement. The output of the mediation analysis revealed that employee engagement significantly mediates the relationship between TFL and employee retention, whereas it showed an insignificant relationship between TSL and employee retention.

Practical implications

Based on the findings and the literature support, it can be postulated that an appropriate leadership style, especially TFL, that drives employee engagement can influence employees to stay with the organization longer. The study recommends that managers and leaders comprehend the importance of leadership and its appropriateness to retain valued employees by ensuring high workplace engagement.

Originality/value

The study would provide a unique insight into TFL and TSL practices and their impact on the pharmaceutical industry’s employee retention. This study also extends the research on employee engagement as a mediator between TFL and TSL and employee retention.
Utility of computed tomography brain scans in intubated patients with overdose
Authors: Lousick Michael , Edwards Serena , Keijzers Gerben , Pellatt Richard A F
Published: September 2024

Objective

Describe the yield of computed tomography brain (CTB) scans in patients intubated for drug overdose.

Methods

Retrospective descriptive study using existing registry data from two Australian EDs between February 2021 and June 2022.

Results

Two hundred and six patients were intubated; 159 (77%) received a post‐intubation CTB scan. Of these, 38 out of 159 (24%) had a documented indication (i.e. head injury and seizure) for their scans, with a yield of 5.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5–17%). Of the 121 out of 159 (76%) patients without an indication, the yield of CTB was 0% (95% CI = 0–3%).

Conclusions

Routine imaging of patients intubated for overdose without clinical indication is unjustified.
Streptococcus constellatus appendicitis in children: A case series
Authors: Shnaider Morya , Khalil Hadel , Zaitoon Hussein
Published: September 2024

Background

Streptococcus constellatus (SC) is a pathogen well‐known for its involvement in pyogenic infections, with a notable preference for manifesting within the oral cavity, head and neck, and abdomen. This bacterium, belonging to the Streptococcus milleri group, has garnered attention for its propensity to incite inflammatory processes, especially in the abdominal region.

Objectives

This study aims to present and characterise nine cases of paediatric patients with SC appendicitis.

Methods

We conducted a report on nine cases of SC appendicitis, all of whom presented to the emergency room with typical symptoms of appendicitis.

Results

Patients diagnosed with SC appendicitis exhibited a severe clinical course, necessitating appendectomy at presentation and requiring prolonged parenteral antimicrobial therapy. Furthermore, a higher readmission rate was observed among these patients, even several months after their initial discharge.

Conclusions

Surgeons should be vigilant regarding SC appendicitis and its severe clinical course. Prolonged treatment with antimicrobial agents may be necessary for these patients to achieve better outcomes.
Harnessing the Potential of Living Labs in European Research Projects on Agriculture. The Case of Promoting Prudent Use of Antimicrobials in Livestock
Authors: Oehen Bernadette , Spaans Annick , Bonnet‐Beaugrand Florence , Fortané Nicolas , Kongsted Hanne , Vaarst Mette
Published: September 2024

The urgency to reduce the use of antimicrobials in the livestock sector has become part of the European Farm‐to‐Fork agenda. To develop innovations and pave the way for prudent antimicrobial use (AMU), the H2020 four‐year‐long ROADMAP project implemented the approach of Living Labs (LL). It stands for a process that involves a heterogeneous group of stakeholders in co‐creation, testing and evaluating innovations in real‐world contexts. The use of LLs has gained momentum to accelerate transformation of European agriculture by developing innovations through end‐user (farmer) involvement. However, the LL‐approach is new in the livestock sector. During the project, 11 LLs were established in seven European countries, each with its own settings but linked to the project's overarching goals. Some LLs developed a common understanding of AMU within the sector or between farmers and veterinarians, while others focussed on policy development or better management practices. During the ROADMAP project, we learned about the potential and limitations of the LL approach in the livestock sector. Using the approach of social innovations, we developed recommendations on how to realise the potential of LLs in a research context to meet the goals of the EU Farm‐to‐Fork strategy of prudent AMU.
Left to Live and Die: Resource Security and the Biopolitics of Land Stockpiling in China
Authors: Doll Ross
Published: September 2024

Beginning in 2007, the Chinese state used liberalising policy and funding to encourage the expansion of large‐scale grain farming. Despite this support, many of the new farms have struggled financially and folded. Drawing on Foucauldian biopolitics and resource security literature, I argue that, with modernised agriculture, the state primarily sought to create not commercial farms, but the redundant farming infrastructure needed to buffer its growing reliance on food imports, abide by global trade regulations, and sustain its urban export manufacturing economy. These balancing efforts harmed commercial farmers: land commodification and policy funding incentivised urban government officials to intervene in rural land‐use planning, but low global market aligned grain prices disincentivised them from considering the place‐particular viability of their plans for producers. This article contributes to critical agrarian change literature by highlighting how modernist states become beholden to rational scientific techniques and sacrifice rural areas for increasingly vulnerable urban areas.
Plasma volume response patterns and a physiologic model of ultrafiltration in hemodialysis
Authors: Pietribiasi Mauro , Mitsides Nicos , Waniewski Jacek , Mitra Sandip
Published: September 2024

Background

Ultrafiltration (UF) is an essential process of restoring fluid homeostasis during hemodialysis (HD). Fluid shifts across the extracellular compartments during UF, predominantly across the capillary interface and between the macro‐ and microcirculation. A mismatch between UF and transcapillary fluid transport can lead to hemodynamic instability leading to cardiac morbidity. We wished to study intradialytic fluid transport characteristics and their variation during UF to identify factors that govern variability in transcapillary fluid movement in HD.

Methods

Twenty‐two patients undergoing stable HD sessions were studied to measure and monitor absolute blood and plasma volume throughout UF. A computational mathematical model of predicted plasma volume decay during UF was analyzed with respect to the intradialytic real‐time data profile. Pre‐ and post‐dialysis fluid status was assessed using multifrequency bioimpedance spectroscopy. Serum electrolytes, osmolality, and total protein concentration were measured pre‐ and post‐dialysis and during the intradialytic phase.

Results

Two distinct profiles of PV responses were detected. 60% of the patients presented plasma volume decline, characterized by a high percentage of volume decrease during the first hour, and a subsequent slower decrease with early rebound. The model was modified to achieve a proper fit of these volume profiles, assuming time‐dependent changes in selected parameters governing the refilling flow.

Conclusions

Although the modified model could more accurately fit the data, the new parameter values often fell outside of a physiologically acceptable range, suggesting that other factors not included in the classic description of transcapillary fluid transport might be the cause of the observed patterns.
TMEM56 deficiency impairs the haem metabolism and cell cycle progression during human erythropoiesis
Authors: Wang Jingwei , Zhang Yingnan , Liu Jinhua , Wu Jing , Liang Yipeng , Xu Changlu , Ma Jinfa , Liang Jing , Zhao Yanhong , Zhang Xiaoru , Li Yue , Wang Di , Zheng Lingyue , Wang Ding , Jin Xu , Song Haoze , Zhu Xu , Cheng Qimei , Lin Lexuan , Gao Jie , Tong Jingyuan , Shi Lihong
Published: September 2024

TMEM56, a gene coding a transmembrane protein, is abundantly expressed in erythroid cells. Despite this, its role in erythropoiesis has not been well characterized. In this study, we sought to clarify the function of TMEM56 in erythroid development, focusing specifically on its involvement in haem biosynthesis and cell cycle progression. To do this, we used CD34+ haematopoietic stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood and differentiated them into erythroid cells in an ex vivo model. Our results indicate that the loss of TMEM56 disrupts haem biosynthesis and impairs erythroid differentiation. Furthermore, deletion of Tmem56 in the erythroid lineage in murine models using erythropoietin receptor (EpoR)‐Cre revealed defects in erythroid progenitors within the bone marrow under both normal conditions and during haemolytic anaemia. These observations underscore the regulatory role of TMEM56 in maintaining erythroid lineage homeostasis. Taken together, our results unveil a previously unrecognized function of TMEM56 in erythroid differentiation and suggest its potential as an unfounded target for therapeutic strategies in the treatment of erythropoietic disorders.
Paediatric Laryngeal Ultrasound: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Aotearoa New Zealand and an International Survey
Authors: Marinone Lares Silvia Giovanna , Mackay Georgia , Clark Sita Tarini , Saniasiaya Jeyasakthy , McCaffer Craig
Published: September 2024

Objective

Vocal fold immobility (VFI) is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in the paediatric population. Laryngoscopy is the current first‐line investigation for patients with suspected VFI. Laryngeal ultrasound (LUS) has recently emerged as an alternative method of identifying VFI. Compared to laryngoscopy, LUS is less invasive, does not require anaesthesia, and can be performed by non‐otolaryngologists. The objectives of this study are to evaluate LUS as a diagnostic method for the identification of VFI in a cohort of paediatric patients in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) and to estimate the frequency of use of LUS in the paediatric population by clinicians around the world.

Methods

A retrospective, single‐centre cohort study was performed on all paediatric patients who had undergone laryngoscopy and LUS at Starship Children's Health in Auckland, NZ, between 2020 and 2023. An eight‐question survey was also developed and distributed to better understand clinicians' use of LUS in their clinical practice to diagnose paediatric VFI globally.

Results

Twenty‐nine paediatric patients met the inclusion criteria. LUS demonstrated good sensitivity (80.95%) for detecting VFI and increased to 93.33% for the detection of unilateral VFI. Of the 87 respondents to the survey, 41.38% utilise LUS in their clinical practice in the paediatric population. The main barriers to implementation of LUS as identified by non‐users were lack of equipment, expertise, and training.

Conclusions

These findings support the use of LUS as an accurate diagnostic tool for the detection of unilateral VFI. Further studies in non‐surgical populations and in patients with bilateral VFI, as well as standardised guidelines for LUS technique and reporting, are required.
Humanitarianism as a tool of statecraft: contested authority, sovereign violence, and humanity in the Syrian civil war
Authors: Seven Ümit
Published: September 2024

This research explores the dynamics of interaction between the sovereign state and international humanitarian organisations in alleviating human suffering in the Syrian civil war. Considering civil wars as a rupture in sovereignty, its focus is on the practices of the sovereign state within its social context and the resulting implications for aid organisations. I argue that the Syrian regime has employed state violence, in tandem with administrative and bureaucratic impediments, to reassert its sovereign authority in humanitarian decision‐making processes. This exercise of sovereign power is intertwined with the actions of aid organisations, thereby reshaping power dynamics among the state, aid organisations, and vulnerable populations. Through a qualitative method, I show that the deployment of state violence concomitantly pushes aid organisations, specifically the United Nations, towards enforcing the state sovereignty defined by the regime. As an effect of assertive sovereignty, interpretations of humanitarian principles and practices are continuously negotiated and constructed differently by aid organisations, even though they share a common overarching goal.
Diosgenin ameliorating non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease via Nrf2‐mediated regulation of oxidative stress and ferroptosis
Authors: Zhang Xin , Yin Guoliang , Chen Suwen , Meng Decheng , Yu Wenfei , Liu Hongshuai , Wang Linya , Zhang Fengxia
Published: September 2024

Aim

This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms through which diosgenin inhibits the pathogenesis of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease, focusing particularly on ferroptosis‐related pathways and its reliance on nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2.

Materials and Methods

Using a rat model, we showed diosgenin's efficacy in reducing lipid deposition throughout the body and examined its impact on ferroptosis‐related gene expression in vivo. Moreover, in vitro experiments using human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line cells were conducted to assess oxidative stress and ferroptosis levels.

Results

Diosgenin decreased lipid accumulation and steatosis; lowered serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase; reduced interleukin‐1β and tumour necrosis factor‐α; diosgenin decreased malondialdehyde levels; and increased serum superoxide dismutase levels in a rat model of high‐fat diet‐induced non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease. Diosgenin upregulated the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 and its downstream ferroptosis‐related genes to inhibit ferroptosis in the livers of rats with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease. Diosgenin decreased reactive oxygen species levels and enhanced the expression of ferroptosis‐related genes in human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cells induced by free fatty acids, with its effects being dependent on nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2.

Conclusions

This study highlights the potential of diosgenin from Dioscoreaceae plants in mitigating oxidative stress and ferroptosis levels through nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 regulation, offering novel insights into the treatment of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease and other metabolic disorders through traditional Chinese medicine.
Efficacy and safety of once‐weekly insulin icodec versus once‐daily basal insulin in Japanese individuals with type 2 diabetes: A subgroup analysis of the ONWARDS 1, 2 and 4 trials
Authors: Watada Hirotaka , Ásbjörnsdóttir Björg , Nishida Tomoyuki , Nishimura Rimei , Yamamoto Yuiko , Yamauchi Toshimasa , Kadowaki Takashi
Published: September 2024

Aim

To explore the efficacy and safety of once‐weekly insulin icodec (icodec) in Japanese adults (≥20 years old) with type 2 diabetes from the global ONWARDS 1, 2 and 4 trials.

Materials and Methods

Insulin‐naive (ONWARDS 1) and insulin‐experienced (ONWARDS 2 and 4) individuals were randomized to icodec or a once‐daily insulin comparator: insulin glargine U100 [ONWARDS 1 (basal insulin only) and 4 (basal–bolus regimen)] or insulin degludec [ONWARDS 2 (basal insulin only)]. The primary outcome was change in glycated haemoglobin from baseline to end of treatment (EOT) (ONWARDS 1: Week 52; ONWARDS 2 and 4: Week 26). Here, we present the Japanese subgroup results.

Results

Similar reductions in glycated haemoglobin from baseline to EOT were observed in each trial for icodec and comparators. The proportion of time in range (blood glucose 3.9–10.0 mmol/L) at EOT was also comparable across treatment groups (time in range: 58%–68%), as was time spent with blood glucose below 3.0 mmol/L (<1.0%). Combined clinically significant (blood glucose <3.0 mmol/L) or severe (requiring external assistance for recovery) hypoglycaemia rates were low, with no severe events (ONWARDS 1 and 2) or a single severe event (ONWARDS 4; icodec group) reported. These results generally aligned with findings from the respective global populations. No new safety issues were identified.

Conclusions

Icodec improved glycaemic control to a similar degree as once‐daily basal insulin comparators while maintaining low levels of clinically significant or severe hypoglycaemia. The findings support icodec use in Japanese individuals with different levels of type 2 diabetes progression.
Are patients with newly diagnosed frozen shoulder more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes? A cohort study in UK electronic health records
Authors: Dyer Brett P. , Burton Claire , Rathod‐Mistry Trishna , Blagojevic‐Bucknall Miliça , van der Windt Danielle A.
Published: September 2024

Aim

To estimate the association between newly diagnosed frozen shoulder and a subsequent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in primary care.

Methods

We conducted an age‐, gender‐ and practice‐matched cohort study in UK primary care electronic medical records containing 31 226 adults diagnosed with frozen shoulder, matched to 31 226 without frozen shoulder. Patients with pre‐existing diabetes were excluded. Variables were identified using established Read codes. A hazard ratio (HR) for the association between incident frozen shoulder and a subsequent type 2 diabetes diagnosis was estimated using shared frailty Cox regression, adjusted for age and gender. To determine whether the association could be explained by increased testing for type 2 diabetes based on other risk factors, a secondary analysis involved re‐running the Cox model adjusting for the mean number of consultations per year, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, obesity, thyroid dysfunction, ethnicity, deprivation, age, and gender.

Results

Participants with frozen shoulder were more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (1559 out of 31 226 patients [5%]) than participants without frozen shoulder (88 out of 31 226 patients [0.28%]). The HR for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in participants with frozen shoulder versus people without frozen shoulder was 19.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] 15.6–24.0). The secondary analysis, adjusting for other factors, produced similar results: HR 20.0 (95% CI 16.0–25.0).

Conclusions

People who have been newly diagnosed with frozen shoulder are more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the following 15.8 years. The value of screening patients presenting with frozen shoulder for type 2 diabetes at presentation, alongside more established risk factors, should be considered in future research.
Cost–utility analysis and drug pricing of once‐weekly insulin icodec versus once‐daily insulin degludec for type 2 diabetes patients treated with basal insulin in China
Authors: Hu Shanshan , Wang Shuowen , Gu Shengying , Qi Chendong , Shi Chenyang , Fan Guorong
Published: September 2024

Aim

Insulin icodec is a first once‐weekly administration basal insulin analogue for type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the price range of icodec for type 2 diabetes in the Chinese market, taking insulin degludec as reference.

Materials and Methods

Long‐term health outcomes and costs for icodec and degludec were simulated using the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study Outcomes Model (version 2.1) over 40 years from the Chinese healthcare provider's perspective. The efficacy and safety data were obtained from the ONWARDS 2 trial (Switching to once‐weekly insulin icodec versus once‐daily insulin degludec in individuals with basal insulin‐treated type 2 diabetes (ONWARDS 2): a phase 3a, randomised, open label, multicentre, treat‐to‐target trial). Cost–utility analysis and a binary search were used to investigate the price range of icodec. Sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the base‐case analysis results.

Results

After a 40‐year simulation, the quality‐adjusted life years (QALY) of icodec and degludec were 10.32 and 10.28 years, respectively. At the initial assumption of the same annual costs of icodec and degludec of $455.40, icodec was the dominant therapy compared with degludec, with higher QALYs and lower total cost. After the binary search, we observed that the annual cost range of icodec was $625.17–$855.25. This cost range was finally adjusted to be $597.66–$736.34 using one‐way sensitivity analysis and confirmed using probabilistic sensitivity analysis and scenario analysis. The scenario analysis revealed that the annual cost range of icodec could be $506.70–$736.34 if the price of degludec decreased by 20% in the future.

Conclusion

Insulin icodec appears to be more cost effective than degludec if the annual cost of icodec ranges from $597.66 to $736.34 for patients with type 2 diabetes in China.
U.S. presidential approval and the macroeconomy: 1960–2022
Authors: Coggin T. Daniel
Published: September 2024

U.S. presidential approval is a topic that has long attracted the interest of political pundits, journalists, candidates, and academics. This study focuses on quarterly U.S. presidential approval and measures of the U.S. macroeconomy. This research will expand, update and reinvestigate this relationship using new data, additional variables and the IVX predictive regression model of Kostakis, et al. (2015), specifically developed for time series data with mixed orders of integration such as we have here. We found that (as measured by Gallup data) U.S. presidential approval is a stationary mean‐reverting variable with a long‐term mean of approximately 50%. Our results also suggest that presidential party and the business cycle have no impact on the mean of quarterly presidential approval as standalone variables. However, using a comprehensive set of macroeconomic variables in a single study, we found that macroeconomic variables make a difference in applying predictive regression models to indicate significance. Specifically, before and after controlling for other macroeconomic variables, political party and the business cycle, more immediate “pocketbook issues” like gasoline prices and inflation expectations are important issues to American voters' presidential approval rating. Simply put, our regression results suggest rising prices and the expectation of rising prices consistently lower presidential approval in our sample data. This is a result that will likely interest political practitioners and academics alike.
The influence of genetic variation on pre‐oviposition processes for host‐parasitoid co‐evolution
Authors: Martinez‐Chavez Laura Marcela , Roberts Joe M. , Karley Alison J. , Wamonje Francis O. , Pope Tom W.
Published: September 2024

Despite the importance of parasitoid wasps as biological control agents and the vast literature available on different aspects of their natural history and ecology, it is only recently that an interest in integrating genetics into aphid‐parasitoid studies has emerged.

Some studies have been completed on the effect of genetic variation on aphid parasitism outcomes, especially after the description of aphid physiological resistance to parasitoids and its role in their co‐evolution. The interaction between aphids and parasitoids goes beyond the physiological conflict between the parasitoid egg and the aphid internal defences. A series of aphid and parasitoid attributes, that can be influenced by biotic and abiotic factors, precedes that last step in the oviposition process.

The understanding of how genetic variation can play a crucial role in influencing the pre‐egg‐laying stages of the aphid‐parasitoid interaction remains relatively unexplored.

Here, we review currently available information on this topic. We contextualise the aphid‐parasitoid co‐evolution process exemplified by the post‐oviposition approach. Knowledge gaps are also discussed and the significance of fulfilling them is addressed.

An ecology‐evolutionary perspective on aphid‐parasitoid research is advocated, by incorporating genetic variation into the study of aphid‐parasitoid co‐evolution. This will increase the understanding of the adaptation and evolution of both organism's characteristics in response to each other and abiotic pressures, and also the implications for pest management.
Nitrogen overfertilization: Impact on ecological interactions and floral morphology in a peri‐urban environment
Authors: Brito Vera Gabriel A. , Calderón Ximena , Pérez Fernanda
Published: September 2024

Nitrogen is a crucial element that affects plant metabolic processes and indirectly influences the structure and dynamics of ecological interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. Since the invention of the Haber–Bosch process, human activity has significantly influenced the amount of nitrogen released into the environment. However, how do these overfertilization processes affect flora and fauna in urban ecosystems?

In our experiments, we used elevated nitrogen concentrations to simulate terrestrial eutrophication processes in Nicotiana tabacum L. We evaluated reproductive traits such as floral morphology using geometric morphometrics. Additionally, nectar volume and solute concentration, along with other vegetative traits, were quantified. Subsequently, the impacts of these modifications on herbivory and pollination interactions in a peri‐urban environment were measured.

Overfertilization resulted in notable modifications to the floral shape of the lobes, as well as a significant increase in percentage of herbivory by chewing insects, without affecting floral visitation rates. We also observed that elevated herbivory on fertilised plants did not show a direct correlation with overall pollination rates per plant or seed set. In contrast, the reduction in leaf size during the second phase of the experiment, owing to overfertilization effects, affected seed production. The roles of potential pollinators and their influence on seed quantity in control plants are discussed.

Nitrogen is a crucial element not only for plants in natural terrestrial ecosystems but also plays a fundamental role in the modification and shaping of reproductive and vegetative structures. Moreover, it affects the functionality of ecological interactions of pollination and herbivory in anthropogenic environments, such as peri‐urban areas.
Does School Consolidation in Rural Areas Affect Students' Education? Empirical Evidence From China
Authors: Li Yu , Gao Bo
Published: September 2024

In the late 1990s, an extensive consolidation of schools in rural China led to the amalgamation of numerous primary and secondary schools into urban schools or their discontinuation. The study aimed to investigate whether China's school consolidation movement has influenced the educational attainment of rural students. The data are sourced from the China Household Income Project (CHIP) and regional statistical yearbooks, and the cross‐section difference‐in‐differences (DID) method is used to analyse the differences in high school enrolment of rural students between regions with different degrees of school consolidation. Empirical analysis results indicate that school consolidation substantially enhances the probability of rural students receiving high school education, as well as having a positive impact on rural students taking the college entrance examination and receiving a longer formal education. Moreover, the findings of the empirical analysis remain significant even after controlling for variations in government educational expenditures, substituting the explained variables, as well as eliminating the influence of school‐entering age. The adjustment of rural schools, as an inevitable historical trend, is beneficial to improving rural educational attainment.
Urodynamic study and its correlation with cardiac meta‐iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) in body‐first and brain‐first subtypes of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Kim Min Seung , Kim Jong Keun , Kwak In Hee , Lee Jeongjae , Kim Young Eun , Ma Hyeo‐Il , Kang Suk Yun
Published: September 2024

Background and purpose

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are frequently observed in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The concept of “body‐first” and “brain‐first” subtypes in PD has been proposed, but the correlation of PD subtype with LUTS remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the disparities in urological dysfunctions between body‐first and brain‐first subtypes of PD using urodynamic studies (UDS).

Methods

We reviewed patients with PD (disease duration <3 years) who had undergone UDS and completed urological questionnaires (Overactive Bladder Symptom Score [OABSS] and International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS]) and a voiding diary. Patients were categorized as having body‐first or brain‐first PD based on cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) using cardiac meta‐iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake and the presence of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD), assessed using a questionnaire (PD with CSD and RBD indicating the body‐first subtype).

Results

A total of 55 patients with PD were categorized into body‐first PD (n = 37) and brain‐first PD (n = 18) groups. The body‐first PD group exhibited smaller voiding volume and first desire volume (FDV) than the brain‐first PD group (p < 0.05 in both). Also, the body‐first PD group had higher OABSS and IPSS scores, and higher prevalence of overactive bladder diagnosed by OABSS, compared to the brain‐first PD group. In multiple linear regression, cardiac MIBG uptake was positively correlated with FDV and voiding volume and negatively correlated with OABSS and IPSS (p < 0.05 in all).

Conclusions

Patients with the body‐first PD subtype exhibited more pronounced overactive bladder symptoms and impaired storage function in the early stage of disease. Additionally, cardiac MIBG was significantly associated with urological dysfunction.
EmoiPlanner: Human emotion and intention aware socially acceptable robot navigation in human‐centric environments
Authors: Yu Weiwei , Kok Siong Yuen , Srivastava Gautam
Published: September 2024

The deployment of robots in human‐centric environments has significantly increased in recent years. It is crucial for robots to navigate human environments while understanding social norms and personal boundaries to ensure a harmonious coexistence between humans and robots. A socially aware robot should be capable of interpreting and responding appropriately to human cues, expressions, and intentions, thereby fostering trust and confidence among humans. However, prior studies were insufficient or unable to address the navigation challenges in human‐populated environments, as they perceive people as obstacles rather than social agents. Recent studies have utilized proxemic areas that are present in interpersonal interactions for human‐robot interaction scenarios, but they have enforced consistent proxemic areas for social robot navigation. This approach fails to fully capture the highly sophisticated behaviour and preferences of humans. Therefore, we propose a psychologically‐based adaptive proxemic area that fluctuates based on the human's emotional state. Furthermore, we integrate this feature into a reinforcement learning‐based social navigation framework, making our navigation framework robust to the unpredictable affections of humans. Additionally, our navigation framework includes human intention prediction to approximate the future proxemic area, thereby avoiding interference with the path to be taken by individuals. We have named our framework the Human Emotion and Intention Aware Path Planner (EmoiPlanner). Our framework has been subjected to case studies involving realistic crowd navigation scenarios, and the results indicate that it enables robots to navigate through crowds without causing discomfort to pedestrians who exhibit stochastic behaviours and emotional states, while also ensuring efficient path planning.