bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perioperative care of neonates with critical pulmonary stenosis: Case report
Authors: He Qiong , Song Min , Huang Yanping , Wan Ling
Published: February 2024

Rationale:

Summarizing the perioperative nursing experience in the successful treatment of 4 neonates with critical pulmonary stenosis (CPS).

Patient concerns:

Of the 4 patients, 3 had postnatal shortness of breath and varying degrees of cyanosis, aggravated by crying and noise, and 1 had no obvious shortness of breath and cyanosis. The preoperative auscultation of the precordial region could be heard 3-4/6 systolic murmur; echocardiography was diagnosed as CPS, combined with patent ductus arteriosus, right ventricular dysplasia, and severe tricuspid regurgitation. Four children were treated with prostaglandin 5 ng/(kg-min) to maintain a certain degree of pulmonary blood flow to improve hypoxemia, effectively preventing ductus arteriosus from closure, and the infusion was discontinued 2 hours prior to the operation. Three of the children required ventilator-assisted respiration to relieve severe hypoxia and correct acidosis before surgery.

Diagnosis:

Neonatal CPS was diagnosed.

Interventions:

Four neonates with rapidly developing conditions were admitted to the hospital, a multidisciplinary in-hospital consultation was organized immediately, and a multidisciplinary collaborative team was set up, consisting of medical doctors and nurses from the medical department, the neonatal intensive care unit, cardiovascular medicine, cardiac ultrasound room, anesthesiology department, and radiology and interventional medicine department. The multidisciplinary team evaluated the treatment modality of the children and finally decided to perform percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty. The surgical team included specialists from the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Interventional Radiology, Cardiac Ultrasound Unit, and Department of Anesthesiology.

Outcomes:

All 4 neonates were successfully operated and discharged from the hospital. Multidisciplinary follow-up interventions were carried out 1 year after discharge, and the children were in good condition.

Lessons:

The specialty nursing-led multidisciplinary collaboration model significantly improves the professional competence of nurses from various specialties, promotes the integration and development of multispecialty disciplines, and provides better quality services for children, which is the key to improving the success rate of percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in neonates.
Red blood cells as biomarkers and mediators in complications of diabetes mellitus: A review
Authors: Obeagu Emmanuel Ifeanyi
Published: February 2024

Red blood cells (RBCs), traditionally recognized for their oxygen transport role, have garnered increasing attention for their significance as crucial contributors to the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus. In this comprehensive review, we elucidate the multifaceted roles of RBCs as both biomarkers and mediators in diabetes mellitus. Amidst the intricate interplay of altered metabolic pathways and the diabetic milieu, RBCs manifest distinct alterations in their structure, function, and lifespan. The chronic exposure to hyperglycemia induces oxidative stress, leading to modifications in RBC physiology and membrane integrity. These modifications, including glycation of hemoglobin (HbA1c), establish RBCs as invaluable biomarkers for assessing glycemic control over extended periods. Moreover, RBCs serve as mediators in the progression of diabetic complications. Their involvement in vascular dysfunction, hemorheological changes, and inflammatory pathways contributes significantly to diabetic microangiopathy and associated complications. Exploring the therapeutic implications, this review addresses potential interventions targeting RBC abnormalities to ameliorate diabetic complications. In conclusion, comprehending the nuanced roles of RBCs as biomarkers and mediators in diabetes mellitus offers promising avenues for enhanced diagnostic precision, therapeutic interventions, and improved patient outcomes. This review consolidates the current understanding and emphasizes the imperative need for further research to harness the full potential of RBC-related insights in the realm of diabetes mellitus.
Risk prediction model construction for asthma after allergic rhinitis by blood immune T effector cells
Authors: Wang Jian , Jiang Tao , Hu Jian-Dao
Published: February 2024

Background:

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma (AS) are prevalent and frequently co-occurring respiratory diseases, with mutual influence on each other. They share similar etiology, pathogenesis, and pathological changes. Due to the anatomical continuity between the upper and lower respiratory tracts, allergic inflammation in the nasal cavity can readily propagate downwards, leading to bronchial inflammation and asthma. AR serves as a significant risk factor for AS by potentially inducing airway hyperresponsiveness in patients. Currently, there is a lack of reliable predictors for the progression from AR to AS.

Methods:

In this exhaustive investigation, we reexamined peripheral blood single cell RNA sequencing datasets from patients with AS following AR and healthy individuals. In addition, we used the bulk RNA sequencing dataset as a validation lineup, which included AS, AR, and healthy controls. Using marker genes of related cell subtype, signatures predicting the progression of AR to AS were generated.

Results:

We identified a subtype of immune-activating effector T cells that can distinguish patients with AS after AR. By combining specific marker genes of effector T cell subtype, we established prediction models of 16 markers. The model holds great promise for assessing AS risk in individuals with AR, providing innovative avenues for clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Conclusion:

Subcluster T effector cells may play a key role in post-AR AS. Notably, ACTR3 and HSPA8 genes were significantly upregulated in the blood of AS patients compared to healthy patients.
Effectiveness analysis of herbal medicine for gastroesophageal reflux disease: A retrospective study
Authors: Lee Hesol , Yang Changsub , Kwon Ojin , Kim Ki-Byoung , Lee Wongu , Kim Sungha
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to identify the clinical features of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in primary clinics and the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicine (HM). Thirty-five patients with gastroesophageal-reflux symptom who visited the 16 Korean medicine (KM) primary clinics from June 2022 to October 2022 were included in the study. We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 35 patients and collected clinical characteristics, HM, and outcome variables such as the numerical rating scale, gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire, frequency scale for symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, Euro-Quality Of Life-5 Dimension, and adverse events. Of the 35 patients, 12 (34.3%) were men, and the average age of all patients was 47.0 ± 14.3 years. HM was prescribed for all 35 patients; Pinelliae Tuber (n = 31, 88.57%), Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens (n = 30, 85.71%), and Poria Sclerotium (n = 28, 80%) were the most prescribed herbs. All scores including numerical rating scale, frequency scale for symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire, and Euro-Quality Of Life-5 Dimension after 30 and 60 days from baselines showed significant improvement, and there were only a few adverse events. This study supports the effectiveness and safety of HM in reducing GERD symptoms in primary Korean medicine clinics. The most frequently used herbs may play significant roles in GERD symptom management.
Blood urea nitrogen and clinical prognosis in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective study
Authors: Yin Jiangtao , Wang Yuchao , Jiang Hongyan , Wu Caixia , Sang Ziyi , Sun Wen , Wei Junfei , Wang Wenli , Liu Dadong , Huang Hanpeng
Published: February 2024

The aim of this study was to estimate the association between blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and clinical prognosis in patients with COVID-19. A multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in adult patients with COVID-19 in 3 hospitals in Zhenjiang from January 2023 to May 2023. Patients were divided into survival and death group based on whether they survived at day 28. The demographic, comorbidities, and laboratory data were independently collected and analyzed, as well as clinical outcomes. Total 141 patients were enrolled and 23 (16.3%) died within 28 days. Patients who died within 28 days had a higher level of BUN compared with survivors. Bivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BUN was a risk factor for 28-day mortality in patients with COVID-19. ROC curve showed that BUN could predict 28-day mortality of COVID-19 patients (AUC = 0.796, 95%CI: 0.654–0.938, P < .001). When the cutoff value of BUN was 7.37 mmol/L, the sensitivity and specificity were 84.62% and 70.31%. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that hyper-BUN (≥7.37 mmol/L) was associated with increased 28-day mortality among COVID-19 patients. Patients with COVID-19 who died within 28 days had a higher level of BUN, and hyper-BUN (≥7.37 mmol/L) was associated with increased 28-day mortality.
Malignant melanoma located in the ureter and gallbladder: A case report and literature review
Authors: Zheng Yanghuang , Shi Hongjin , Wang Haifeng , Wang Jiansong , Hai Bing , Zhang Jinsong
Published: February 2024

Rationale:

Melanoma is one of a common cutaneous malignancy. Currently, metastatic malignant melanoma is difficult to be diagnosed through imaging examinations. Furthermore, the incidence of metastatic melanoma affecting the gallbladder and ureter is exceptionally rare.

Patient concerns:

A 54-year-old female was admitted to the hospital with a half-month history of left lower back pain. Correlative examination revealed an occupying lesion in the mid-left ureter and the neck of the gallbladder.

Diagnoses:

The patient was initially diagnosed with gallbladder cancer and left ureteral carcinoma based on imaging. Following 2 operations, immunohistochemical staining confirmed the presence of metastatic melanoma involving both the gallbladder and ureter.

Intervention:

After multidisciplinary consultation and obtaining consent from the patient and her family, the patient underwent left radical nephroureterectomy, radical cholecystectomy, laparoscopic partial hepatectomy (Hep IV, Hep V), and lymph node dissection of hepatoduodenal ligament.

Outcomes:

One month after treatment, the patient imaging showed no disease progression, and at 6 months of follow-up, the patient was still alive.

Lessons:

It is difficult to distinguish metastatic melanoma from carcinoma in situ by imaging. In addition, metastatic malignant melanoma lacks specific clinical manifestations and is prone to misdiagnosis, which emphasizes the highly aggressive nature of malignant melanoma.
Extensive Cutaneous-Mucosal and Muscular Involvement of Gamma/Delta Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma on 18F-FDG PET/CT
Authors: Peslier Hugo , Reichart Julien , Boursot Charles , Cohen-Tannugi Kevin , Lacoeuille Franck
Published: February 2024

Gamma/delta T-cell lymphoma is a rare and aggressive subtype of primary cutaneous lymphoma. Clinical manifestations typically include the development of subcutaneous nodules and ulcerated plaques. Some forms present as panniculitis with hemophagocytic syndrome. Prognosis is bleak, with a 10% 5-year survival rate. In this report, we present the case of a 20-year-old man from French Polynesia, referred for 18F-FDG PET/CT because of the progressive worsening of febrile cutaneous-mucosal infiltration on the face persisting for 1 month. PET examination guided a biopsy from the right deltoid muscle, and expert histological analysis confirmed a CD8+ not otherwise specified T-cell lymphoma, granzyme+ and TCR gamma/delta.
Renal Collision Tumor
Authors: Singh Aparna , Shah Hina J. , Dabiri Borna E. , Landman Wendy
Published: February 2024

A 68-year-old woman presented with chest pain and shortness of breath. Imaging revealed a left hilar mass biopsy-proven as small cell cancer. Concurrently, a macroscopic fat-containing renal lesion consistent with an angiomyolipoma was observed. Systemic therapy achieved stability in the lungs and bones, and palliative radiation targeted the left hilum. However, progressive lung disease and brain metastases necessitated stereotactic radiosurgery for brain lesions. Notably, the renal angiomyolipoma exhibited increased soft tissue component and new focal uptake on FDG PET/CT. Biopsy confirmed metastatic small cell lung cancer within the renal lesion. This case highlights a rare occurrence of a renal collision tumor involving small cell cancer and angiomyolipoma.
Relation Between Masticatory Performance and Skeletal Properties in Patients With Skeletal Class III Malocclusion
Authors: Lim Ho-Kyung , Song In-Seok , Park Jung-Eun , Choi Won-Cheul , Hwang Jiyoung , Choi Young-Jun , Kim Don-Kyu , Lee Ui-Lyong
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to measure masticatory performance (MP) using β-carotene gummy jelly to investigate its relationship with skeletal properties in decompensated patients diagnosed with skeletal class III malocclusion. The study included 78 patients (38 men and 40 women) diagnosed with skeletal class III malocclusion without temporomandibular joint disorder and periodontal disease. MP was measured using a new masticatory measuring device and β-carotene in the gummy jelly. Lateral and posteroanterior cephalograms were obtained, and skeletal properties (Me deviation, ANB, SNB, APDI, Wits, ODI, facial axis, body length, ramus length, SN-GoGn, anterior facial height, posterior facial height, saddle angle, articular angle, and gonial angle) were evaluated. MP differences according to age and sex and the effect of skeletal properties on MP were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. The MP of all patients was 3690.55±1428.77 mm², MP of the male group was 4043.05±1498.09 mm², and MP of the female group was 3355.68±1272.19 mm². Among the items investigated, the variable that affected MP was posterior facial height. Posterior facial height showed a positive correlation (P=0.022). There was no significant difference between MP and other skeletal properties (P>0.05). The severity of the hypodivergency in skeletal class III could affect MP. The relationship between facial asymmetry or skeletal relation and MP could not be explained in this study.
Distinguishing Clinical from Statistical Significances in Contemporary Comparative Effectiveness Research
Authors: Gikandi Ajami , Hallet Julie , Koerkamp Bas Groot , Clark Clancy J. , Lillemoe Keith D. , Narayan Raja R. , Mamon Harvey J. , Zenati Marco A. , Wasif Nabil , Safran Dana Gelb , Besselink Marc G. , Chang David C. , Traeger Lara N. , Weissman Joel S. , Fong Zhi Ven
Published: February 2024

Objective:

To determine the prevalence of clinical significance reporting in contemporary comparative effectiveness research (CER).

Background:

In CER, a statistically significant difference between study groups may or may not be clinically significant. Misinterpreting statistically significant results could lead to inappropriate recommendations that increase healthcare costs and treatment toxicity.

Methods:

CER studies from 2022 issues of Annals of Surgery, Journal of the American Medical Association, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of Surgical Research, and Journal of the American College of Surgeons were systematically reviewed by two different investigators. The primary outcome of interest was whether authors specified what they considered to be a clinically significant difference in the Methods.

Results:

Of 307 reviewed studies, 162 were clinical trials and 145 were observational studies. Authors specified what they considered to be a clinically significant difference in 26 studies (8.5%). Clinical significance was defined using clinically validated standards in 25 studies and subjectively in 1 study. Seven studies (2.3%) recommended a change in clinical decision-making, all with primary outcomes achieving statistical significance. Five (71.4%) of these studies did not have clinical significance defined in their methods. In randomized controlled trials with statistically significant results, sample size was inversely correlated with effect size (r=−0.30, P=0.038).

Conclusion:

In contemporary CER, most authors do not specify what they consider to be a clinically significant difference in study outcome. Most studies recommending a change in clinical-decision making did so based on statistical significance alone, and clinical significance was usually defined with clinically validated standards.
Analytical solutions for quantum radiation reaction in high-intensity lasers
Authors: Blackburn T. G.
Published: February 2024

While the Landau-Lifshitz equation, which describes classical radiation reaction, can be solved exactly and analytically for a charged particle accelerated by a plane electromagnetic wave, no such solutions are available for quantum radiation reaction (the recoil arising from the successive, incoherent emission of hard photons). Yet upcoming experiments with ultrarelativistic electron beams and high-intensity lasers will explore the regime where both radiation-reaction and quantum effects are important. Here we present analytical solutions for the mean and variance of the energy distribution of an electron beam that collides with a pulsed plane electromagnetic wave, which are obtained by means of a perturbative expansion in the quantum parameter χ0. These solutions capture both the quantum reduction in the radiated power and the stochastic broadening, and are shown to be accurate across the range of experimentally relevant collision parameters, i.e., GeV-class electron beams and laser amplitudes a0≲200.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Nurturing teamwork and team dynamics in a hybrid work model
Authors: Buła Piotr , Thompson Anna , Żak Agnieszka Anna
Published: February 2024

Purpose

We aimed to analyze the impact of the transition to the hybrid model of teamwork and team dynamics from the perspective of the five key challenges, i.e. communication, coordination, connection, creativity and culture.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the stated aim, we conducted a literature review and then an exploratory qualitative study. We split the research into phases: December 2021 to January 2022 and July to August 2022. In the first phase, we conducted computer-assisted online interviews (CAWIs) with all members of the remote team and an in-depth interview with the manager. After the transition from remote to hybrid work in February 2022, we returned to the team to conduct in-depth interviews with team leaders and the manager.

Findings

We identified key findings, i.e. managerial implications of differences across the 5 Cs (communication, coordination, connection, creativity and culture) noted in the functioning of the analyzed team as the team shifted from fully remote work to the hybrid work model.

Research limitations/implications

We concluded that if people do not spend time together and are not impregnated with the unique culture and values of a given organization, they will not feel a connection to its distinctive ethos and may choose to leave. In the longer-term, the last challenge may be the biggest single opportunity for employees post-pandemic and concurrently the single biggest challenge that organizational leadership will need to address, given that sustainable market success depends on talent.

Originality/value

The results showed that team communication, teamwork coordination, social and emotional connections among team members, nurturing of creativity, as well as of the organizational culture were of high importance to the team in the hybrid work model. Thus, we confirmed the findings of other authors. The study contributes to our understanding of the impact of the hybrid work model on teamwork and team dynamics and provides some guidance on how organizations can mitigate these, in particular through the team manager.
The impact of multiple sources of employees’ capital on judgments regarding potential for career advancement
Authors: Botelho Carlos
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The human resource and talent management fields have been increasingly focusing on the process and criteria to identify employees’ potential for career advancement due to their impact on the competitive advantage of organizations. This paper expands the extant theoretical and empirical evidence regarding these complex decisions, namely through the combined analysis of multidimensional sources of employees' capital.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from 384 individuals assessed by their line managers. The research model and hypotheses were tested using structured equation modeling.

Findings

The results show a positive and significant influence of four employees’ capital sources, namely: human capital (what you know), social capital (whom you know), psychological capital (who you are) and reputational capital (how others perceive us) with regard to judgments of potential for career advancement. The model explains 52% of the total variance in those judgments.

Research limitations/implications

The data were collected using a questionnaire at a single point in time and thus, not allowing cause-effect inferences.

Practical implications

The results provide guidance to organizational leaders to improve the decision-making process regarding judgments of potential for career advancement.

Originality/value

To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine managers’ judgments regarding the potential for career advancement using four sources of employees' capital: human, social, psychological and reputational capital. Furthermore, it considers that reputation plays a mediation role.
Changes in the labour market: the perceptions of Romanian employees regarding the use of telework in the post-pandemic period
Authors: Türkeş Mirela Cătălina , Stăncioiu Aurelia Felicia , Orzan Mihai Cristian , Jugănaru Mariana , Marinescu Roxana-Cristina , Jugănaru Ion Dănuț
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Almost four years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the changes in the labour market and legislation, but also in people's lives, do not stop. At the same time, employees' perceptions regarding the change in the legislative and contractual framework, as well as in the working conditions and the use of telework, also change. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to identify the perceptions of employees regarding the use of telework in the post-pandemic period.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was based on a survey carried out on 128 teleworkers in the post-pandemic period. The statistical hypotheses were tested using Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Kruskal–Wallis tests, multiple linear regression and pairwise comparison analysis.

Findings

The results of the study demonstrate that the modification of the legislative and contractual framework and of the working conditions, as well as of the way of using information and communication technology in the post-pandemic era, generates a positive and significant impact on the use of telework by employees. Some of the main advantages valued by teleworkers included the possibility of benefitting from a flexible work schedule and the possibility of reducing transport costs.

Originality/value

The study highlights the need to continuously develop and update labour policies and strategies in line with current and future labour market requirements, considering the implications of telework on the perceptions of employees, so that government organisations and managers who want to protect the rights and interests of teleworkers, aspects of their lives and organise an appropriate work environment manage to do so in order to achieve the expected results.
Discrimination malaise: exploring an unorthodox view
Authors: Vasconcelos Anselmo Ferreira
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the prejudice and discrimination constructs through the lens of a transcendent knowledge concept.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper seeks to demonstrate that Spiritism or Spiritist Doctrine (SD) – regarded here as a source of transcendent knowledge – offers compelling arguments and provides suitable explanations (i.e. transcendent ontology) in relation to the issue of discrimination

Findings

Overall, this paper contributes to a better understanding of diversity and inclusive perspectives by examining the antecedents and consequences of discrimination through the insightful lens of SD tenets. In this sense, the findings suggest that the discriminators and prejudiced people may ironically pass through – as a result of the law of cause and effect – the same hard situations (i.e. ordeals or nightmares) – even though in their future lives – that they impose in their current victims to forcefully open their minds, support universal values, enhance their own feelings and spiritual intelligence.

Practical implications

Evidence presented here (although conceptually in nature) could be somewhat integrated into training sections of diversity management. At a minimum, it may encourage the shift of attitudes, revision of embedded values and reflections about the spiritual consequences to the perpetrators of discrimination against minorities.

Originality/value

Taken as a whole, the SD tenets prompt us to understand that the acts of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination engender suffering for their perpetrators, even in their future lives (i.e. reincarnations). Broadly speaking, the SD principles compel us to consider transcendent knowledge even in the context of organizational life.
Exploring tensions of Industry 4.0 adoption in lean production systems from a dialectical perspective
Authors: Margherita Emanuele Gabriel , Braccini Alessio Maria
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This paper uses dialectical inquiry to explore tensions that arise when adopting Industry 4.0 technologies in a lean production system and their reconciliation mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted an in-depth qualitative case study over a 3-year period on an Italian division of an international electrotechnical organisation that produces electrical switches. This organisation successfully adopted Industry 4.0 technologies in a lean production system. The study is based on primary data such as observations and semi-structured interviews, along with secondary data.

Findings

We identify four empirically validated dialectic tensions arising across different Industry 4.0 adoption stages due to managers’ and workers’ contrasting interpretations of technologies. Consequently, we define the related reconciliation mechanisms that allow the effective adoption of various Industry 4.0 technologies to support a lean production system.

Originality/value

This is the first empirical investigation of tensions in the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in a lean production system. Furthermore, the paper presents four theoretical propositions and a conceptual model describing which tensions arise during the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in a lean production system and the reconciliation mechanisms that prevent lean production system deterioration.
How do physical and social servicescapes shape the effects of positive affective displays on customer purchase outcomes?
Authors: Chen Pei-Chi
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aims to use emotions-as-social information theory to investigate how physical (customer perceived store atmosphere) and social servicescapes (customer information searching) influence the effects of employees’ positive affective displays on customer outcomes via customer positive moods and positive expectation disconfirmation.

Design/methodology/approach

This research included two studies, each using a distinct research design, to empirically test the proposed model. Study 1 involved 200 observational data points on objective purchase amounts from designer watch shops. In Study 2, data were collected from 230 customers in designer jewelry stores.

Findings

The results of path analyses revealed that: employee positive affective displays are positively associated with customer purchase outcomes; employee positive affective displays had positive indirect effects on customer purchase outcomes by enhancing customer positive moods and positive expectation disconfirmation; these positive indirect effects were strengthened when customers engaged in information search behaviors; and these positive indirect effects were attenuated when customers perceive store atmosphere as favorable, indicating a substitution effect of customer perceived store atmosphere.

Originality/value

Previous research has not thoroughly examined the role of the servicescape in moderating the effects of employees’ positive affective displays on customer purchase outcomes. This present study not only clarified the affective and cognitive mechanisms that link employees’ positive affective displays on purchase outcomes but also identified servicescape as a critical boundary condition of these effects.
Was Einhard a widower?
Authors: Rembold Ingrid
Published: February 2024

The ‘widow’ is a gendered, socially contingent category. Women who experienced spousal bereavement in the early middle ages faced various socio‐economic and legal ramifications; the ‘widow’ was further a rhetorical figure with a defined emotional register. The widower is, by contrast, an anachronistic category. In the absence of developed models of male ‘widowhood’, this article considers the case study of Einhard, whose letter of bereavement appears to offer a rare glimpse into early medieval interiority. Einhard did not experience the same socio‐economic and legal consequences of female widowhood. But was he, in his own rhetorical self‐expression, a male widow?
Digital resilience framework for managing crisis: A qualitative study in the higher education and research sector
Authors: Mahmood Samreen , Chadhar Mehmood , Firmin Selena
Published: February 2024

Australia's Higher Education and Research Sector (HERS) must adopt digital resilience strategies to tackle cybersecurity challenges and manage major crises effectively. In this study, we have developed a digital resilience framework to mitigate these cybersecurity issues. Our findings suggest a range of keystone factors for crisis management, such as implementing cybersecurity awareness programmes, providing cyber support, redefining roles and responsibilities, implying risk management tools, partnerships with external security organizations, introducing policies, reconfiguring technologies, adopting new technologies, and evaluating current changes to combat these issues. These keystone factors will help achieve digital resilience and significantly minimize cybersecurity issues in HERS, not only during the current major crisis but also in the future. This research offers valuable theoretical and practical contributions that can be applied beyond the context of the recent crisis.
Building a reference indicator model using co‐kriging interpolation to determine the geographical origin of the flighted spongy moth complex in China
Authors: Qin Zeshi , Cao Yixia , Wang Yan , Ding Jun , Xia Wujia , Shi Juan
Published: February 2024

Using stable isotopes to detect and analyze the geographical origin of insects represents an important traceability technology, which requires a rich isotope database. In this study, we representatively sampled the Chinese provinces where flighted spongy moth complex (FSMC) has been reported and, for the first time, used co‐kriging interpolation to predict the distribution patterns of FSMC δ13C values in the main distribution areas. From 2020 to 2022, we set up 60 traps in 12 provinces and cities in China and collected 795 FSMCs. Then, 6 main climatic factors were obtained by multi‐collinearity screening from 21 types of meteorological data collected at the sample plots, and a correlation analysis was carried out by combining longitude, latitude, and altitude data with the δ13C values of FSMC. Next, we performed a co‐kriging interpolation using the 2 climatic factors with the highest correlation (isothermality and altitude) and the δ13C values of FSMC. A cross‐validation was performed to systematically test 11 candidate models and select the best semi‐variogram model (“Exponential”), which was then used to build a co‐kriging interpolation model. The geographical distribution patterns of the FSMC δ13C values obtained from the 2 interpolation models (i.e., interpolated with isothermality and altitude, respectively) were almost the same. Moreover, the δ13C values varied significantly at the regional scale, showing regular changes in spatial distribution. Overall, the reference indicator map of the δ13C values generated from stable isotopes can be used to greatly improve the efficiency of discrimination analyses on the geographical origin of FSMC.
A consumer evaluation of salt‐reduced tomato soup and vegetable juice made with grape pomace
Authors: Amyoony Jamal , Gorman Mackenzie , Moss Rachael , McSweeney Matthew B.
Published: February 2024

Obesity and obesity‐related illness have become an increasingly prevalent problem and there is a critical need to combat this by reducing sugar, salt, and fat consumption. Due to this concern, the food industry has been developing salt‐reduced foods, however, these products need to maintain their sensory appeal and flavors, which has proven to be a challenge. Grape pomace (GP), the solids left after pressing grapes for winemaking and consisting of grape seeds and skins, has been proposed as an environmentally friendly solution that can enhance the acceptability of salt‐reduced food products. However, GP is associated with a large number of flavor compounds. As such, the objective of this research is to investigate the acceptability of GP addition in salt‐reduced foods. Two trials were conducted using hedonic scales and temporal check‐all‐that‐apply (TCATA) to evaluate tomato soup (n = 88) and vegetable juice (n = 99). Each trial included a control and sample containing grape pomace. The addition of the GP decreased the consumers’ overall liking and the liking of the flavor, as well as increasing consumers’ perception of saltiness intensity. The samples made with GP were associated with bitterness, sourness, and wine flavor during the TCATA evaluations. The study identified that GP increased saltiness perception, however, it also adds other flavors to the food product, which decreased the acceptability of the food items.

Practical Application

There is a consumer demand to create salt‐reduced foods that do not have altered sensory properties. Furthermore, consumers are interested in sustainable and environmentally friendly ingredients. Grape pomace is a byproduct of the wine industry and has been proposed as an ingredient that can increase the saltiness perception of food products. Grape pomace was added to tomato soup and vegetable juice to evaluate its effect on consumer acceptability and saltiness perception. The grape pomace did increase saltiness perception, but also added bitterness, sourness, and wine flavor to the food products.
Selective brain perfusion improves the neurological outcomes after extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a rat model
Authors: Chang Ru‐Wen , Hsu Man‐Chen , Lee Tzong‐Shyuan , Chen Yih‐Sharng , Wang Chih‐Hsien
Published: February 2024

Background

The major concern in patients who have suffered from cardiac arrest (CA) and undergone successful extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (E‐CPR) is poor neurological outcomes. In this study, we aimed to introduce a rat model of selective brain perfusion (SBP) during E‐CPR to improve the neurological outcome after CA.

Methods

The rats underwent 7 min of untreated asphyxial CA and then were resuscitated with E‐CPR for 30 min. The right external jugular vein and right femoral artery were separately cannulated to the E‐CPR outflow and inflow. The right common carotid artery was cannulated from the proximal to the distal side for SBP. Subsequently, rats were removed from E‐CPR, wounds were closed, and 90 min of intensive care were provided. Neurological deficit scores were tested after 4 h of recovery when the rats were mechanical ventilation‐free. S100 calcium‐binding protein B (S100B) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were detected through immunohistochemistry (IHC) of brain tissue.

Results

The rats that received SBP while resuscitated by E‐CPR showed markedly better neurological performances after 4‐h recovery than those resuscitated by E‐CPR only. The IHC staining of GFAP and S100B in the hippocampus was low in the rats receiving SBP during E‐CPR, but only GFAP showed significant differences.

Conclusions

We successfully developed a novel and reproducible rat model of SBP while resuscitated by E‐CPR to ameliorate the neurological performances after CA. This achievement might have opportunities for studying how to improve the neurological outcome in the clinical condition.
Practical approaches for supporting informed consent in neonatal clinical trials
Authors: Wootton Susan H. , Rysavy Matthew , Davis Peter , Thio Marta , Romero‐Lopez Mar , Holzapfel Lindsay F. , Thrasher Tamara , Wade Jaleesa D. , Owen Louise S.
Published: February 2024

The survival and health of preterm and critically ill infants have markedly improved over the past 50  years, supported by well‐conducted neonatal research. However, newborn research is difficult to undertake for many reasons, and obtaining informed consent for research in this population presents several unique ethical and logistical challenges. In this article, we explore methods to facilitate the consent process, including the role of checklists to support meaningful informed consent for neonatal clinical trials.

Conclusion

The authors provide practical guidance on the design and implementation of an effective consent checklist tailored for use in neonatal clinical research.
Neural and behavioural correlates of adolescents changing academic self‐concept
Authors: Rodriguez Buritica Julia , Berboth Stella , Hoferichter Frances , Raufelder Diana
Published: February 2024

Background

Mid‐adolescence is an important phase of self‐development in various domains including academics as well as for changes in the neural mechanisms underlying the self‐concept. Students' academic self‐concept (ASC) is affected by educational achievements and social others (such as teachers and peers). To what extent these external influences relate to neural dynamics during adolescents' self‐ and other‐evaluations (i.e. of friends and teachers) which affect ASC over time is currently unclear.

Aims

The current study aimed to address the question of to what extent the developing ASC is influenced by developmental changes in self‐ and other‐evaluations (friends, teachers) and their underlying neural mechanisms as well as academic achievement.

Methods

In this interdisciplinary longitudinal fMRI study, forty‐seven 13‐year‐olds (at T1) were instructed to indicate whether positive and negative trait adjectives described themselves (self‐evaluations), their teachers, or peers (other‐evaluations) at two time points. We investigated how adolescents' academic self‐concept is influenced by changes in their academic achievement and self‐ and other‐evaluations (teachers and peers) 1.5‐years later.

Results

Behaviourally, both, academic achievement and positive teacher evaluations were important to prevent the observed decline in ASC during mid‐adolescence. Our fMRI results showed that cortical midline structures were linked to self‐evaluation, whereas the precuneus and occipital regions were related to friends‐ and teacher‐evaluation. Here, ASC was predicted by activity changes in the precuneus during friends‐evaluations for students with better academic achievement.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that academic achievement and positive teacher‐evaluations could prevent the decline in ASC observed in mid‐adolescents and that the neural correlates of evaluating close others within the precuneus present an important link to ASC. The current study highlights the importance of educational neuroscience studies to understand the changing ASC during adolescence.
Fallen trees as “natural bridges” for the movement of mammals crossing rivers
Authors: Breviglieri Crasso Paulo Bosco , da Silva Fernando Rodrigues
Published: February 2024

Using remote‐sensing camera traps, we assessed if large fallen trees serve as natural bridges facilitating the movement of mammals between river banks. We recorded 12 species of mammals using fallen trees to cross rivers. Additionally, the use of fallen trees was more pronounced during the rainy than the dry season.

Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.
Lateral bone augmentation with a composite graft covered with a stretched and pinned collagen membrane: A retrospective case series using cone‐beam computed tomography
Authors: Dewilde Florence , Hindryckx Matthijs , Younes Faris , De Bruyckere Thomas , Cosyn Jan
Published: February 2024

Aims

(1) To assess the effectiveness of the Sausage Technique™ when applied for lateral bone augmentation by multiple experienced clinicians; (2) To identify risk indicators for a poor outcome and to assess the need for adjunctive surgery.

Materials and Methods

All patients who had been treated with the Sausage Technique™ for lateral bone augmentation by three experienced surgeons between January 2019 and December 2021 were included in a retrospective case series. The Sausage Technique™ technique includes the use of autogenous bone chips and deproteinized bovine bone mineral (1:1 ratio), covered with a stretched and pinned collagen membrane. The increase in alveolar width between the pre‐operative situation and 9 months was assessed at different levels on superimposed cone‐beam CT scans.

Results

Twenty‐five augmentations performed in 25 patients (17 males, 8 females, mean age 51 years) were available for evaluation. Mean alveolar width increased from 4.35 to 7.43 mm at 3 mm below the crest. The mean increase of 3.08 mm (95% CI 2.10–4.06; p < 0.001) was significant. The outcome of non‐containing single implant sites was significantly worse than the outcome of other sites (MD 2.67 mm; p = 0.008). The need for regrafting was 4% and the need for soft tissue augmentation was 48%. Twenty percent of the patients needed soft tissue augmentation due to a lack of keratinized mucosa width, and 32% due to a lack of buccal convexity. The former was mainly needed at multiple implant sites, whereas the latter was mainly required at single implant sites. All implant survived and remained healthy until the final follow‐up.

Conclusion

The Sausage Technique™ is an effective bone augmentation technique. Non‐containing single implant sites were associated with a poor outcome and adjunctive soft tissue augmentation was needed in about half of the patients.
The Icing on the Cake. Or Is it Frosting? The Influence of Group Membership on Children's Lexical Choices
Authors: St. Pierre Thomas , Jaffan Jida , Chambers Craig G. , Johnson Elizabeth K.
Published: February 2024

Adults are skilled at using language to construct/negotiate identity and to signal affiliation with others, but little is known about how these abilities develop in children. Clearly, children mirror statistical patterns in their local environment (e.g., Canadian children using zed instead of zee), but do they flexibly adapt their linguistic choices on the fly in response to the choices of different peers? To address this question, we examined the effect of group membership on 7‐ to 9‐year‐olds' labeling of objects in a trivia game, exploring whether they were more likely to use a particular label (e.g., sofa vs. couch) if members of their “team” also used that label. In a preregistered study, children (N = 72) were assigned to a team (red or green) and were asked during experimental trials to answer questions—which had multiple possible answers (e.g., blackboard or chalkboard)—after hearing two teammates and two opponents respond to the same question. Results showed that children were significantly more likely to produce labels less commonly used by the community (i.e., dispreferred labels) when their teammates had produced those labels. Crucially, this effect was tied to group membership, and could not be explained by children simply repeating the most recently used label. These findings demonstrate how social processes (i.e., group membership) can guide linguistic variation in children.
Does metformin reduce the risk of cancer in obesity and diabetes? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Mesquita Leonardo A. , Spiazzi Bernardo F. , Piccoli Giovana F. , Nogara Daniela A. , da Natividade Gabriella R. , Garbin Henrique I. , Wayerbacher Laura F. , Wiercinski Vanessa M. , Baggio Viviane A. , Zingano Carolina P. , Schwartsmann Gilberto , Lopes Gilberto , Petrie John R. , Colpani Verônica , Gerchman Fernando
Published: February 2024

Aim

To evaluate the effect of metformin on cancer incidence in subjects with overweight/obesity and/or prediabetes/diabetes.

Materials and Methods

We searched MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in adults with overweight/obesity and/or prediabetes/diabetes that compared metformin to other interventions for ≥24 weeks. Independent reviewers selected and extracted data including population and intervention characteristics and new diagnoses of cancer. We used the RoB 2.0 risk‐of‐bias tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) framework to assess risk of bias and certainty of evidence.

Results

From 14 895 records after removal of duplicates, 27 trials were included, providing a total of 10 717 subjects in the metformin group and 10 003 in the control group, with 170 and 208 new cases of cancer, respectively. Using a random‐effects model, the relative risk was 1.07 (95% confidence interval 0.87–1.31), with similar results in subgroup analyses by study duration or effect of control intervention on weight. Risk of bias in most studies was low, and no evidence of publication bias was found. Trial sequential analysis provided evidence that the cumulative sample size was large enough to exclude a significant effect of metformin on cancer incidence.

Conclusions

Metformin did not reduce cancer incidence in RCTs involving subjects with overweight/obesity and/or prediabetes/diabetes.
Uncovering the architecture of selection in two Bos taurus cattle breeds
Authors: Rowan Troy N. , Schnabel Robert D. , Decker Jared E.
Published: February 2024

Directional selection alters the genome via hard sweeps, soft sweeps, and polygenic selection. However, mapping polygenic selection is difficult because it does not leave clear signatures on the genome like a selective sweep. In populations with temporally stratified genotypes, the Generation Proxy Selection Mapping (GPSM) method identifies variants associated with generation number (or appropriate proxy) and thus variants undergoing directional allele frequency changes. Here, we use GPSM on two large datasets of beef cattle to detect associations between an animal's generation and 11 million imputed SNPs. Using these datasets with high power and dense mapping resolution, GPSM detected a total of 294 unique loci actively under selection in two cattle breeds. We observed that GPSM has a high power to detect selection in the very recent past (<10 years), even when allele frequency changes are small. Variants identified by GPSM reside in genomic regions associated with known breed‐specific selection objectives, such as fertility and maternal ability in Red Angus, and carcass merit and coat color in Simmental. Over 60% of the selected loci reside in or near (<50 kb) annotated genes. Using haplotype‐based and composite selective sweep statistics, we identify hundreds of putative selective sweeps that likely occurred earlier in the evolution of these breeds; however, these sweeps have little overlap with recent polygenic selection. This makes GPSM a complementary approach to sweep detection methods when temporal genotype data are available. The selected loci that we identify across methods demonstrate the complex architecture of selection in domesticated cattle.