bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulation and governance for the implementation and management of point-of-care testing in Australia: a scoping review
Authors: Prestedge Jacqueline , Kaufman Claire , Williamson Deborah A.
Published: February 2025

Background

Point-of-care testing (PoCT) is an increasingly important diagnostic tool in the healthcare system for accessible pathology testing in hospital, primary care, and community care settings. Clear regulation and governance models are important to ensure quality of PoCT results for patient care.

Methods

This review aimed to identify existing regulation and guidelines for management of PoCT and how this has been implemented within Australian healthcare services. We conducted a search of academic publications in PubMed and grey literature (national, state, and independent organisations) and other publicly available information from internet searches for governance of PoCT in Australia. Relevant data from these sources were extracted and narratively synthesised.

Results

Forty-seven sources (17 studies from PubMed, 30 grey literature) were included in the final review. Of the grey literature sources, fifteen current PoCT governance documents comprising of six standards, five guidelines and four frameworks at the international, national and jurisdictional level were included with an increasing number of grey literature sources since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The seventeen included research articles were categorised according to implementation barriers and facilitators with the themes of workforce, clinical governance, PoCT workflow, and cost. An understanding of the clinical and cultural context for PoCT was the most frequently reported facilitator of PoCT, while the most frequently reported barrier was related to inadequate data management.

Conclusion

This review demonstrated limited and inconsistent sources on regulatory and governance models for implementing and managing PoCT in Australia. Identified PoCT programs showcased diverse implementation and governance models to support quality PoCT, with few reporting formal accreditation. Streamlined, practical regulation and governance for PoCT may increase adoption across healthcare settings while ensuring quality results and meeting the needs of patients and healthcare practitioners.
Association between maternal overprotection and premenstrual disorder: a machine learning based exploratory study
Authors: Tsuyuki Kaori , Egawa Miho , Ohsuga Takuma , Ueda Akihiko , Shimada Kazuki , Ueno Tsukasa , Hiyoshi Kazuko , Ueda Keita , Mandai Masaki
Published: February 2025

Background

Premenstrual disorder (PMD), which includes premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, has a complex pathogenesis and may be closely related to emotional cognition and memory. However, the mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. Therefore, this study used machine learning to explore the roles of various factors that are not typically considered risk-factors for PMD.

Methods

A predictive model for PMD was constructed using a dataset of questionnaire responses and heartrate variability data collected from 60 participants during their follicular and luteal phases. Based on the Japanese version of the Premenstrual Symptom Screening Tool, the binary objective variable (PMD status) was defined as “PMD” for moderate-to-severe premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder and other conditions as “non-PMD.” The contribution of each feature to the predictive model was assessed using the Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) model-interpretation framework.

Results

Of the 58 participants (providing 117 data points), 17 (34 data points) were in the PMD group and 41 (83 data points) were in the non-PMD group. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.90 (95% confidence interval: 0.82–0.98). Among the top 20 features with the highest SHAP values, six were associated with maternal bonding. Four of the six mother-related characteristics were associated with overprotection.

Conclusions

Based on these findings, parental bonding experiences, including maternal overprotection, may be associated with the presence of PMD.
Trauma outcomes differences in females: a prospective analysis of 76 000 trauma patients in the Asia-Pacific region and the contributing factors
Authors: Bin Kunji Mohamad Mohamad Iqhbal , Jamaluddin Sabariah Faizah , Ahmad Norhaiza , Bahar Arifah , Khalid Zarina Mohd , Binti Mohd Zaki Nuraina Aqilah , Norzan Nurul Azlean , Shin Sang Do , Shaun Goh E. , Chiang Wen-Chu , Kajino Kentaro , Song Kyoung Jun , Son Do Ngoc
Published: February 2025

Background

Trauma is a leading cause of mortality, particularly in low and middle-income countries. While extensively studied in North America and Europe, data from the Asia-Pacific are limited. An important area of research is the difference in trauma outcomes, which are theoretically noted to be better among females. However, the clinical findings are inconclusive among Asians. This study examines sex-based differences in trauma outcomes in Asia Pacific, focusing on in-hospital mortality and functional recovery at discharge.

Methods

This observational study, from the Pan-Asia Trauma Outcomes Study (PATOS), included 76,645 trauma patients from 12 Asian Pacific countries. We analysed in-hospital mortality and functionality at discharge using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Logistic regression models were built to test the association of sex on the outcomes.

Results

Males exhibited higher in-hospital mortality (1.6%) compared to females (1.06%) ( p < 0.001). Adjusted logistic regression models showed that the female sex is not independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Females have a better functional outcome at discharge for patients younger than 50 years with ISS < 16. However, no significant differences existed between those > 50 years and ISS > 15.

Conclusion

This study indicates no difference in the general trauma outcomes in the Asia Pacific between females and males. Although younger females with less severe injuries had better functional outcomes, this advantage disappeared in severe injuries and those over 50 years. These results align with some previous studies, and understanding the nuances may lead to more tailored trauma care, potentially improving patient outcomes.
Giardiavirus infection alleviates growth restriction and intestinal damage caused by the intestinal parasite Giardia duodenalis
Authors: Li Lu , Cao Lili , Yang Qiankun , Zhao Zhiteng , Yuan Jianqi , Liu Shaoxiong , Jin Qinqin , Li Jianhua , Li Xin , Wang Xiaocen , Zhang Nan , Jiang Weina , Gong Pengtao
Published: February 2025

Background

Giardia duodenalis is a prevalent intestinal pathogen causing giardiasis, a condition characterized by diarrhea and frequently linked to malnutrition and growth impairments in children. The virulence of Giardiavirus (GLV) may efficiently clear Giardia parasites from infected patients. However, we have a limited understanding of GLV transmission among Giardia species and GLV-infected Giardia’s impact on pathogenicity.

Methods

This study investigated extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated via ultracentrifugation or exosome assay kit to detect the presence of GLV in EVs, the results were detected using ultrastructure and molecular methods, including transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and dot blot. Transwell migration assays confirmed the spread of GLV-enveloped EVs among Giardia species using inhibitor experiments and immunofluorescence. Mice gavaged with Giardia, with or without GLV infection, were assessed for disease progression, including growth parameters (weight and size gains), intestinal permeability, and pathology.

Results

Parts of GLV exploit the Giardia EVs pathway to reach the extracellular environment, allowing GLV to spread among Giardia species via these EVs. The uptake of GLV-containing EVs by Giardia results in rapid trophozoite infection, and GLV wrapped in EVs also offers protection against external interference. Importantly, EV-coated GLV-infected Giardia leads to divergent clinical symptoms in mice, posing less risk to mice and reducing symptoms, such as emaciation, stunted growth, and lesion damage, compared with GLV-free Giardia-infected mice.

Conclusions

Our studies show that GLV wrapped in EVs can spread among Giardia species, and GLV infection alleviates the lesions caused by Giardia. These findings reveal that GLV could be a target for the development of novel intervention strategies against Giardia.

Graphical abstract
“Bad timing for illness relapse!” Mood symptoms, challenges and strategies for wellbeing in the first year postpartum among infant mothers with bipolar disorder: a mixed-methods study
Authors: Anke Teija MS , Skjelstad Dag Vegard
Published: February 2025

Background

The postpartum period is associated with a high risk of illness episodes in women with bipolar disorder (BD) and is a critical developmental phase for both a new mother and her infant. This mixed-methods study aimed to investigate the occurrence of mood symptoms among infant mothers with BD in the first year postpartum, as well as their perceptions of the first year, their challenges and their strategies for wellbeing.

Methods

Twenty-six women with BD participated. Mood symptoms were assessed at 3 and 12 months postpartum with the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology and Young Mania Rating Scale. Occurrences of additional postpartum mood deviations were investigated through an interview at 12 months, which also covered the women’s postpartum experiences. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative dataset (interviews and field notes).

Results

42% of the women were euthymic or had only mild mood symptoms at 3 and 12 months. 58% had moderate to severe symptoms at either or both time points. A positive (38%) vs. mixed (62%) perception of the first year was strongly associated with euthymia-mild vs. moderate-severe mood deviations, as was the experience of maternal developmental achievement vs. struggles. The women experienced postpartum mood deviations and illness episodes as being particularly poorly timed. Further challenges included balancing self-care and infant mothering, familial relations, and negative experiences with the health and care systems. Illness acceptance with mindfulness of one’s own and the infant’s needs was a primary strategy for wellbeing, which was complemented by the support of one’s partner and family and postpartum treatment.

Conclusions

Our findings propose that without impeding mood deviations and concomitant challenges, infant mothers with BD can enjoy their new motherhood and experience phase-specific growth equally to healthy mothers. On the other hand, moderate to severe mood deviations can adversely impact the experience of the postpartum year and one’s own sense of mothering. Efforts to prevent postpartum mood deviations need to be complemented with interventions that target phase-specific BD challenges and support wellbeing strategies for both the mother and her infant. In summary, women’s needs to function as infant mothers must be considered in the postpartum treatment of BD.
A novel PTH1R mutation causes primary failure of eruption via the cAMP-PI3K/AKT pathway
Authors: Lu Kejie , Qian Ying , Gong Jiaxing , Li Zhiyong , Yu Mengfei , Wang Huiming
Published: February 2025

Background

Primary failure of eruption (PFE) is a rare disorder characterized by a posterior open bite. While mutations in the parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R) gene have been demonstrated to cause PFE, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown.

Methods

Whole exome sequencing was conducted to identify PTH1R variants in a PFE family. MG63 cells that stably expressed the corresponding mutant PTH1R were established using lentiviruses. Next, osteogenesis was assessed by measuring cell alkaline phosphatase activity, conducting alizarin red staining, and evaluating osteoblast-specific gene expression. Then, computational analysis of binding affinity and RNA sequencing were carried out. Lastly, rescue experiments were performed to validate the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of PFE.

Results

A novel PTH1R missense mutation (c.904G > A, p.E302K) was identified in a Chinese family affected by PFE. Moreover, the E302K mutation inhibited the expression of osteogenic-specific genes and proteins in MG63 cells. Computational analysis revealed the E302K mutation decreased the binding affinity of Gαs to the PTH1R protein. Consistently, cAMP accumulation assays demonstrated that the E302K mutation impaired the intracellular PTH1-34 -induced accumulation of cAMP. Further RNA sequencing analysis and validation experiments revealed that the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway was predominantly down-regulated in response to the E302K mutation. Finally, forskolin partially restored the effects of the E302K mutation on osteogenesis.

Conclusions

This study indicated that the E302K mutation in PTH1R decreased the binding affinity of PTH1R protein for Gαs, down-regulated the cAMP-PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and inhibited osteogenesis, eventually leading to PFE. This study not only expands the genotypic spectrum of PTH1R mutations but also elucidates the underlying pathogenic mechanism of PTH1R-associated PFE.
Dialysis-related amyloidosis: a review from case series
Authors: Ubara Yoshifumi , Suwabe Tatsuya , Wada Takehiko , Sawa Naoki
Published: February 2025

In Japan, dialysis first started in 1963 with intermittent peritoneal dialysis, followed by hemodialysis in 1966. The introduction of dialysis made it possible to treat end-stage renal failure, which at that time was a fatal or malignant disease, making it a benign disease and enabling long-term survival. However, patients who survived on dialysis for more than 10 years often developed dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA), a serious dialysis complication that causes bone and joint lesions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, cervical destructive spondyloarthropathy (DSA), and lumbar DSA. DRA led to impaired activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL), and ultimately, death. Because DRA was caused by the deposition of beta-2 microglobulin (β2MG), treatment methods were devised to remove serum β2MG, i.e., dialysis fluid was purified, dialyzers with dialysis membranes were developed, and hemodiafiltration was introduced. These approaches not only greatly reduced the β2MG concentration in the blood, but they also significantly increased the number of years until the onset of DRA and decreased the amount of deposited amyloid. Unfortunately, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) removes less β2MG than hemodialysis and patients who undergo CAPD for more than ten years can develop lumbar DSA, which decreases their ADL and can cause death. This article describes the history of treatment of dialysis amyloidosis at our hospital, a pioneering institution for dialysis in Japan, with reference to relevant publications.
The HIF-1α/miR-145b/Angpt2 axis attenuates renal fibrosis induced by unilateral renal ischemia–reperfusion
Authors: Cheng Bingyou , Huang Shang , Zhou Lin , Zhu Pei , Li Zhongpu , Hu Liang , Liu Jingsong , Zhu Kejian
Published: February 2025

Background

Renal fibrosis is a major pathological feature in chronic kidney disease, and is considered the final common pathway for virtually all progressive kidney diseases. Although a large amount of progress has been made in understanding renal fibrosis, the pathogenesis is very complex and still incompletely understood.

Methods

Renal fibrosis was induced by unilateral renal ischemia–reperfusion (uIR) operation. In some experiments, microRNA-145b (miR-145b) mimic or locked nucleic-acid-modified (LNA-modified) anti-miR-145b was delivered to mice through tail vein injection every 2 days, for a total of seven injections following uIR operation. In some experiments, YC-1 (a selective HIF-1α inhibitor) was given intraperitoneally on the day of uIR operation and continued until the mice were euthanized. The mice were euthanized 2 weeks after uIR operation for further analysis.

Results

We demonstrated a significant increase of microRNA-145b (miR-145b) in renal tubular cells in mice following a uIR operation. The uIR operation led to the activation of HIF-1α in renal tubular cells, and inhibition of HIF-1α prevented the increase of miR-145b. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays further verified HIF-1α directly binding to the miR-145b gene promoter upon uIR operation. Functionally, inhibiting miR-145b using locked nucleic-acid-modified (LNA-modified) anti-miR-145b could aggravate renal tubular injury and promote the progression of renal fibrosis following uIR operation, indicating that miR-145b serves as an anti-fibrotic factor. Further, our study also found miR-145b in vivo transfection suppressed the expression of angiopoietin-2 (Angpt2) in mice after uIR operation. Luciferase microRNA target reporter assays further verified Angpt2 as a direct target of miR-145b.

Conclusions

This study unveiled a HIF-1α/microRNA-145b/Angpt2 axis that could ameliorate tubular injury and delay the development and progression of renal fibrosis.
Attitudes of Ukrainian refugees in Austria: gender roles, democracy, and confidence in international institutions
Authors: Riederer B. , Buber-Ennser I. , Setz I. , Kohlenberger J. , Rengs B.
Published: February 2025

The perception of cultural differences between refugee populations and host societies is central to political debates on integration. This study examines cultural values within the context of the Ukrainian refugee flows to Austria, following the Russian war of aggression. Previous research has shown that Ukrainian refugees represent a self-selected group in terms of their socioeconomic profile. However, there is limited evidence on whether and how their beliefs differ from those in their home society and align with those in their host society. Our research addresses this gap by offering a comparative analysis of two value dimensions: (1) gender roles, and (2) political attitudes. We utilize three large-scale data sources for our analyses to compare Ukrainian arrivals in Austria with the Austrian and Ukrainian resident populations. These sources include a rapid-response survey among Ukrainian arrivals in Austria conducted in 2022, and the most recent waves of the World Values Survey (WVS Ukraine 2020) and the European Values Study (EVS Austria 2018). Our results reveal a complex pattern. The gender role attitudes of Ukrainian arrivals deviate from both their home and host societies. Ukrainian refugees tend to hold more liberal gender role attitudes than the Ukrainian resident population and more traditional gender role attitudes than the Austrian resident population. When controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, the differences with the home country decrease, whereas the differences with the host country increase. This suggests that the selection of refugees in terms of education or age accounts for their in-between position in gender roles. Regarding beliefs in democracy, Ukrainian arrivals tend to align more closely with their home country than their host country. However, they indicate much more confidence in the EU than their compatriots and the Austrian resident population. The differences in attitudes towards democracy and confidence in international institutions remain stable even after accounting for sociodemographic characteristics, indicating that these differences are not due to socioeconomic self-selection processes. Finally, we find that Ukrainian arrivals from Kyiv stand out in both value dimensions, as they tend to hold less traditional gender role attitudes and have a more positive evaluation of democracy compared to those from other regions of Ukraine.
Benzodiazepines induced stupor in a four-year-old child: when EEG meets toxicology
Authors: Montanari Eva , Siliquini Sabrina , Faro Alfredo Fabrizio Lo , Rotolo Maria Concetta , Busardò Francesco Paolo , Vidua Raghvendra Kumar , De Simone Stefania , Montana Angelo
Published: February 2025

Background

The differential diagnosis of stupor is complex, especially in emergency settings. Idiopathic recurrent stupor, linked to the "endozepine-4" effect, must be considered, too. Stupor associated with endozepine has recently been questioned because more sophisticated toxicological tests have revealed that it is just an unreported exogenous exposure to benzodiazepines.

Case presentation

A four-year-old child in a stupor state was admitted to the Emergency Department. The EEG carried out during the state of stupor showed a typical pattern of acute drug abuse. Toxicological analyses revealed a high concentration of benzodiazepine, while second-level analyses identified both lorazepam and lormetazepam. Benzodiazepines chronic exposure was detected in unconventional matrices analysis, such as hair. It was an acute lorazepam and lormetazepam intoxication in a chronic tox history.

Conclusions

Should a patient in a stupor show up in an emergency, it becomes of primary importance to perform EEG and high-sensibility toxicological tests. Once the acute intoxication has been resolved, it is essential to analyze alternative matrices, such as hair, to reconstruct the patient's previous tox history. This suggestion is highly recommended in case of children. Chronic benzodiazepine intoxication may be a manifestation of chronic abuse, especially when directed towards children.
Sidewalk matching: a smartphone-based GNSS positioning technique for pedestrians in urban canyons
Authors: Weng Duojie , Chen Wu , Ding Mengyu , Liu Simin , Wang Jingxian
Published: February 2025

In urban canyons, most of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals are blocked or reflected by high-rising buildings. The lack of redundant fault-free measurements poses a great challenge for detecting and isolating faulty measurements, degrading the GNSS positioning accuracy, particularly in the cross-street direction. The current GNSS positioning accuracy in urban canyons is not sufficient for identifying the sides of a street, which is highly demanded by numerous pedestrian applications. To address this issue, this study proposes a sidewalk matching technique to improve the redundancy of fault-free measurements and achieve positioning accuracy at sidewalk level in urban canyons. The technique relies on a simple pedestrian map and smartphone sensors, without Three-Dimensional (3D) building models. A new algorithm is proposed to identify the sides of the street, and a searching algorithm is developed to find GNSS position under constraints of the sidewalk. Extensive evaluation of the proposed technique based on a real-time platform demonstrated that the accuracy of GNSS positioning was less than 5 m, enabling seamless determination of the street sides in urban canyons. The new sidewalk matching technique can be used in various real-life applications, including pedestrian collision avoidance systems, online ride-hailing service, and jaywalking monitoring.
Improving cancer prevention and control through implementing academic-local public health department partnerships – protocol for a cluster-randomized implementation trial using a positive deviance approach
Authors: Mazzucca-Ragan Stephanie , Allen Peg , Amos Kathleen , Barker Abigail R. , Brewer Madisen , Erwin Paul C. , Gannon Jessica , Gao Feng , Jacob Rebekah R. , Lengnick-Hall Rebecca , Brownson Ross C.
Published: February 2025

Background

Local public health departments in the United States are responsible for implementing cancer-related programs and policies in their communities; however, many staff have not been trained to use evidence-based processes, and the organizational climate may be unsupportive of evidence-based processes. A promising approach to address these gaps is through academic-public health department (AHD) partnerships, in which practitioners and academics collaborate to improve public health practice and education through joint research projects and educational opportunities. Prior research has demonstrated the benefits of AHD partnerships to public health practice and education. However, knowledge about how AHD partnerships should be structured to support implementation of programs and policies is sparse.

Methods

This is a mixed methods, two-phase study, guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) Framework, in which AHD partnerships are a relational type of bridging factor. A positive deviance approach will be used to understand how AHD partnerships are best structured and supported. In the formative phase, we will survey academics and local health department staff (n = 500) to characterize AHD partnerships and understand contextual influences. We will conduct in-depth interviews with eight AHD partnerships (four high and four low engagement), to identify differences between high and low engagement partnerships. The second, experimental phase will be a paired group randomized trial with 28 AHD partnerships (n = 14 randomized to implementation arm and n = 14 to the control arm). A menu of strategies will be refined through survey and interview findings, literature, and our team’s previous work. The trial will assess whether these strategies can be used to strengthen partnerships and improve adoption of cancer prevention and control programs and policies. We will evaluate changes in AHD partnership engagement and implementation of evidence-based programs and policies.

Discussion

This first-of-its-kind study will focus on collaborations that leverage complementary expertise of health department staff and academics to improve public health practice. Our results can impact the field by identifying new, sustainable models for how public health practitioners and academics can work together to meet common goals, increase the use of evidence-based programs and policies, and expand our understanding of bridging factors within the EPIS framework.

Trial registration

Prospective registered on 9/17/2024 at clinicaltrials.gov no. NCT06605196 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06605196).
The KMT2 complex protein ASH2L is required for meiotic prophase progression but dispensable for mitosis in differentiated spermatogonia
Authors: Lin Zhen , Rong Bowen , Wu Meixia , Yan Junyi , Hong Tong , Hou Linjun , Tang Xinzhe , Liu Qiang , Peng Xiaozhong , Chen Yao , Lan Fei , Tong Ming-Han
Published: February 2025

ASH2L is a core component of KMT2 complexes, crucial for H3K4 trimethylation. However, its role in spermatogenesis remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate an essential role of Ash2l for meiotic prophase but dispensable for mitosis in differentiated spermatogonia. Using a germ cell-specific Ash2l knockout mouse model, we reveal that Ash2l deficiency leads to meiotic arrest and sterility in both sexes. Ash2l-deficient spermatocytes exhibit failures in chromosomal synapsis associated with persistent DMC1 foci and γH2AX, resulting in meiocyte loss due to apoptosis. Conversely, Ash2l-deficient differentiated spermatogonia show normal development. Mechanistically, Ash2l deficiency results in a global loss of H3K4me3 in promoter regions and significantly decreases expression of thousands of genes. Among these are genes involved in epigenetic silencing pathways like H3K9 di-methylation, DNA methylation, and piRNA pathways, which are crucial for transposon repression during meiotic prophase I progression. Supporting this, we observe that Ash2l mutant spermatocytes display ectopic expression of LINE1-ORF1P. Our findings thus reveal the previously unappreciated role of ASH2L-dependent H3K4me3 modification in spermatogenesis and provide clues to the molecular mechanisms in epigenetic disorders underlying male infertility.
Tuberculosis Case Finding Using Self-Assessment Paradigm Through the E-TIBI Application in HIV Patients
Authors: Triyono Erwin Astha , Arini Merita , Tan Feriawan , Masyfufah Lilis
Published: February 2025

Background The goal of eliminating tuberculosis has not yet shown a bright spot. Specifically for HIV patients (PLHIV), WHO has made it a special category as a pillar for eliminating tuberculosis. The tuberculosis screening has not yet reached the national target because it is carried out manually by health workers, requiring optimization following technological developments. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of tuberculosis case finding using a self-assessment paradigm in HIV patients. Methods This research was cross-sectional. The data obtained from HIV patients before and after using the E-TIBI application for 3 months each was analyzed using the compare mean independent t-test. Then the Chi-squared test was carried out on the E-TIBI screening characteristic variables. Result In total, there were 921 respondents with 148 (16%) presumptive TB. It was found that there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the number of presumptive TB cases found in HIV patients before and after using the E-TIBI application. The person with presumptive TB showed 20 of 24 characteristic variables that were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion E-TIBI can increase the tuberculosis case finding in HIV patients so it has the potential to be implemented as a screening tool in the PLHIV community.
Asking the experts: A focus group and review on eyewitness memory in the multicultural context of South Africa
Authors: Weiss Laura Anne , van Rosmalen Eva A. J. , Vredeveldt Annelies
Published: February 2025

Background The purpose of this study was to create a theoretical overview of cultural differences and intercultural communication in eyewitness interviews in a multicultural context. Specifically, we focused on the context of South Africa, one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Methods We conducted a critical review of the relevant literature and organized a focus group with 12 international experts from different academic fields and cultural informants from South Africa to identify and deepen our understanding of cultural factors that may play a role in eyewitness interviews. We differentiated between eyewitness factors (e.g., emotional response) and the interaction between interviewer and eyewitness (e.g., miscommunication). Results The main factors that emerged from the analysis were: individualism/collectivism, perception and presentation of facts, influence of demographics, presentation of self and personal style, subjective descriptions, emotional response, language, influencing behaviors in high-/low-context cultures, characteristics of the interaction and miscommunication. Each of these factors has a number of subcategories. Conclusions The present article contributes to our understanding of cultural differences in eyewitness memory and intercultural communication by systematically collecting and analysing expert knowledge and situating it within the existing literature for the first time.
The genome sequence of the click beetle, Ampedus sanguinolentus sanguinolentus (Schrank, 1776)
Authors: Sivell Duncan , Telnov Dmitry , Geiser Michael F. , Barclay Maxwell V. L. ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: February 2025

We present a genome assembly from a female specimen of Ampedus sanguinolentus sanguinolentus (click beetle; Arthropoda; Insecta; Coleoptera; Elateridae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 1,574.76 megabases and 1,572.87 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (97.13%) is scaffolded into 10 chromosomal pseudomolecules, while haplotype 2 is a scaffold-level assembly. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.99 kilobases in length.
The genome sequence of the Hawthorn Mining Bee, Andrena chrysosceles (Kirby, 1802)
Authors: Crowley Liam M. ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: February 2025

We present a genome assembly from a male Andrena chrysosceles (Hawthorn Mining Bee; Arthropoda; Insecta; Hymenoptera; Andrenidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 520.22 megabases. Most of the assembly (68.55%) is scaffolded into 4 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 21.08 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 12,610 protein-coding genes.
The genome sequence of the Tropical Bluetail Damselfly, Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842)
Authors: Willink Beatriz ,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective
Published: February 2025

We present a genome assembly from a specimen of Ischnura senegalensis (Tropical Bluetail; Arthropoda; Insecta; Odonata; Coenagrionidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 1,599.82 megabases and 1,602.78 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (96.41%) is scaffolded into 14 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the X sex chromosome, which haplotype 2 is a scaffold-level assembly. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 18.11 kilobases in length.
The genome sequence of the Large Birch Bell moth, Large Birch Roller, Epinotia brunnichana (Linnaeus, 1767)
Authors: Boyes Douglas , Hutchinson Finley , Crowley Liam M. ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: February 2025

We present a genome assembly from a female Epinotia brunnichana (Large Birch Bell, Large Birch Roller; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Tortricidae). The genome sequence has a total length of 943.10 megabases. Most of the assembly (99.68%) is scaffolded into 29 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.7 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 12,003 protein-coding genes.
Dynamic Stability of Cooperative Investment Under Uncertainty
Authors: Ketelaars Martijn W. , Borm Peter , Kort Peter M.
Published: February 2025

Modeling Cooperative and Noncooperative Incentives in Investment Projects: A Novel Approach Using Cooperative Game Theory and Real Options Theory

In “Dynamic Stability of Cooperative Investment under Uncertainty,” Ketelaars, Borm, and Kort study an investment project involving multiple stakeholders. The research was prompted by the fact that many infrastructure projects, such as Feyenoord City in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and the new Berlin airport, failed or were significantly delayed. Recognizing that the various stakeholders have outside options, the authors combine concepts from cooperative game theory and real options to analyze a coalitional and dynamic stability concept. They characterize the proportional investment scheme as the scheme that maximizes total project value and results in the earliest investment timing. They show that dynamic stability can be present when the market is stable and when the market is growing and volatile. However, the proportional investment scheme is more sensitive to dynamic instability in a market with high profit growth and low profit uncertainty, or vice versa.
Short- and long-distance home-leaving and home-returning: exploring the role of life course transitions
Authors: Warner Cody
Published: February 2025

Coresidence with parents is one of the most common living arrangements for young adults, and many have returned home after first living independently. Shifting trends in home-leaving and home-returning have renewed research in this area, with a primary focus on how residential transitions are connected to other life course transitions. Fewer studies consider the geographic scope of the residential moves that drive home-leaving or home-returning transitions. The current study explores if life course events similarly predict residential transitions that start and end in the same county compared to those that start and end in different counties. Residential transitions are classified by their geographic scope using the 1997 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Multinomial regression models explore if the life course correlates of residential transitions vary by geographic scope. For most life course transitions, associations with same-county or different-county residential transitions vary primarily by a matter of degree. For others, such as parenthood and college degree attainment, links to residential transitions are in opposite directions based on the geographic scope of the residential transition. Results provide additional descriptive information on the geographic scope of the moves young adults make when they leave the parental home or return back to it. Variation in the associations between life course events and residential transitions of different geographic scope have implications for the contemporary transition to adulthood.
Gender, intersectionality and climate smart agriculture in South Asia: A review
Authors: Rao Nitya , Sathe Reema , Grist Natasha
Published: February 2025

Food systems-based livelihoods are precarious for many of the most vulnerable and marginalised people, with climate variability and change posing a grave threat to food security. South Asia is expected to be one of the three most concentrated regions of hunger in the world by 2050. Whilst highly diverse in both socio-cultural systems and ecosystems, the majority depend on smallholder farming throughout the region. Transforming both agriculture and food systems is therefore critical to sustainable and equitable development and achieving food security. Yet the critical role of gender and intersectionality is still inadequately woven into this future. In this paper, we find little evidence of robust intersectional contextualisation in design and analysis of Climate Smart Agriculture practices. We examine existing evidence to illustrate how a nuanced understanding of gender relations and intersectionality can inform a climate smart approach to landscape and uses of the land to ensure food and nutritional security in the face of climate change. Gender segregated data analysis, which helps recognize the most vulnerable, is an essential underpinning to this transformed approach to policymaking and project design. Direct support is required, alongside structured interventions beyond the farm gate in relation to access to credit and finance, leadership and capacity building and an equity focussed transformation of national and regional policy frameworks on climate impacts. Focusing on literature from India, supplemented with wider South Asian research, we find that despite growing evidence on the relationship between gender, agriculture and climate change, an intersectional analysis of climate smart agriculture, including class, and caste and other social identities, remains limited.
Reshaping youth mental health care for optimal system-level outcomes: A dynamic modelling analysis
Authors: Skinner Adam , Perez-Bennetts Eloisa , Iorfino Frank , Varidel Mathew , Richards Matthew , Occhipinti Jo-An , Song Yun Ju Christine , Rosenberg Sebastian , Scott Elizabeth M. , Hickie Ian B.
Published: February 2025

Despite the critical role of effective treatment in limiting the adverse socioeconomic and health impacts of youth mental disorders, investment in mental health services is widely recognised to be insufficient to meet current demand for care. Using a dynamic model of resource-constrained services provision (constant total expenditure), we assessed the potential for improving mental health care outcomes for young people (aged 12–25 years) through changes in services system composition (i.e., the division of total services capacity between primary care services and specialised services) and policies for managing initial access to specialised treatment. Model analysis indicates that services delivery reforms facilitating direct engagement with specialised care, irrespective of clinical stage, are capable of significantly improving system-level (aggregate) outcomes, reducing total illness progression and disengagement from services, and increasing total treatment-mediated recovery. Restricting the ability of young people with relatively mild mental health problems to access specialised care (an explicit aim of stepped care models) effectively constrains the capacity of specialised services to promote recovery and prevent illness progression (both of which are more probable at earlier clinical stages), and does not make best use of available resources; better system-level outcomes are achieved when young people receive more effective, specialised treatment as early as possible. Provided that young people are not restricted to accessing specialised care only via primary care services, progression and disengagement decline as the proportion of mental health care expenditure allocated to specialised services increases, while the optimal proportion of young people directly accessing specialised care approaches a value of 1, suggesting that the largest improvements in services system performance are likely to be achieved by expanding specialised services capacity with the aim of providing all young people presenting for care with direct access to specialised treatment.
Association between serum neurofilament light chains and Life’s Essential 8: A cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Wang Tao , Yan Li-Ming , Ma Teng-Chi , Gao Xiao-Rong
Published: February 2025

Background and aim

Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL), a protein released into the bloodstream post-neuronal axonal damage, has been validated as a robust biomarker for a range of neurological and systemic diseases. Concurrently, Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) comprises a holistic suite of health behaviors and metabolic markers that are essential for assessing and enhancing cardiovascular health. Nevertheless, the interrelation between LE8 and sNfL is not yet fully elucidated. This investigation seeks to evaluate the association between LE8 and sNfL within the framework of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods

According to data from the 2013–2014 NHANES, the study enrolled a total of 5262 participants aged between 20 and 75 years. We excluded 3035 individuals lacking sNfL measurements, included 2071 subjects for analysis, and further excluded cases from LE8 due to missing data. Ultimately, 1691 valid datasets were obtained. Hierarchical and multiple regression analyses were conducted, supplemented by smooth curve fitting and saturation effect analysis to investigate the relationship between LE8 and sNfL.

Results

An inverse correlation was observed between LE8 scores and sNfL levels. For each SD change increase in LE8, log-transformed sNfL levels decreased by 0.14 (-0.17, -0.11 in the non-adjusted model), 0.08 (-0.10, -0.05 in the minimally adjusted model), and 0.08 (-0.12, -0.05 in the fully adjusted model). The multi-factor adjusted β coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for LE8 categories (<50, 50 ~ 80, and ≥80) were as follows: reference, -0.20 (-0.34, -0.06), and -0.26 (-0.42, -0.10). The inflection point was determined to be 58.12, identified using a two-piece linear regression model.

Conclusion

The analysis indicated a non-linear relationship between LE8 scores and sNfL levels. Associations were noted a positive association between LE8 and sNfL. These results suggest that lifestyle modifications and optimization of metabolic markers could potentially correlate with reduced sNfL levels; further investigation is necessary to confirm a causal relationship.
PCR-based CRISPR/Cas9 system for fluorescent tagging: A tool for studying Candida parapsilosis virulence
Authors: Nemeth Tibor , Zarnocki Andrea , Ladanyi Anett , Papp Csaba , Ayaydin Ferhan , Szebeni Gabor Janos , Gacser Attila
Published: February 2025

Candida parapsilosis is persistent in a hospital environment hence it is often associated with nosocomial infections especially amongst low-birth weight neonates. Genetic modification is therefore important to characterise the physiological and virulence related properties of this fungus. A PCR-based CRISPR/Cas9 system has been adopted to facilitate the generation of fluorescent tagged prototroph isolates. We examined a total of eight fluorescent protein coding genes, out of which three were found to be applicable for simultaneous utilisation. We investigated three clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis in terms of their adherence to silicone and their uptake by J774.2 murine macrophages in competition assays. Interestingly, we found significant differences between them in both experiments where GA1 isolate was significantly less resistant to macrophage uptake and CDC317 was significantly more adherent to silicone material. In silico analysis of the agglutinin-like sequences (Als) exposed remarkable diversity in this protein family and additionally, the thorough analysis of the ALS genes revealed evidence of formation of a new gene by intrachromosomal recombination in the GA1 isolate. Finally, we provide a step by step protocol for the application of the PCR-based CRISPR/Cas9 system for fluorescently labelling C. parapsilosis isolates.