bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distinct neural bases of subcomponents of the attentional blink
Authors: Halder Swagata , Raya Deepak Velgapuni , Sridharan Devarajan
Published: March 2024

The attentional blink reflects a ubiquitous bottleneck with selecting and processing the second of two targets that occur in close temporal proximity. An extensive literature has examined the attention blink as a unitary phenomenon, As a result, which specific component of attention – perceptual sensitivity or choice bias – is compromised during the attentional blink, and their respective neural bases, remains unknown. Here, we address this question with a multialternative task and novel signal detection model, which decouples sensitivity from bias effects. We find that the attentional blink impairs specifically one component of attention – sensitivity – while leaving the other component – bias – unaffected. Distinct neural markers of the attentional blink mapped on to distinct subcomponents of the sensitivity deficits. Parieto-occipital N2p and P3 potential amplitudes characterized target detection deficits whereas long-range high-beta band (20-30 Hz) coherence between frontoparietal electrodes signalled target discrimination deficits. We synthesized these results with representational geometry analysis. The analysis revealed that detection and discrimination deficits were encoded along separable neural dimensions, whose configural distances robustly correlated with the neural markers of each. Overall, these findings shed new light on subcomponents of the attentional blink, and reveal dissociable neural bases underlying its detection and discrimination bottlenecks.

Lay summary

In daily life, our attention switches rapidly between different objects. For example, when driving, we may shift focus from a billboard on the roadside to a pedestrian in front, in quick succession. Yet, our ability to process the second object is severely compromised especially when it appears soon after the first: an impairment called the “attentional blink”. In previous work, the attentional blink has been studied essentially as a “monolithic” (indivisible) phenomenon. We design a behavioral model to divide the attentional blink into sub-components and show that the blink affects only one specific component (sensitivity). We also identify key neural markers for deficits associated with this component. Our findings may aid in understanding the neural origins of attention deficit disorders.
Activating soluble adenylyl cyclase protects mitochondria, rescues retinal ganglion cells, and ameliorates visual dysfunction caused by oxidative stress
Authors: Bastola Tonking , Perkins Guy A. , Huu Viet Anh Nguyen , Ju Saeyeon , Kim Keun-Young , Shen Ziyao , Skowronska-Krawczyk Dorota , Weinreb Robert N. , Ju Won-Kyu
Published: March 2024

Oxidative stress is a key factor causing mitochondrial dysfunction and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in glaucomatous neurodegeneration. The cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway is involved in mitochondrial protection, promoting RGC survival. Soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is one of the key regulators of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the sAC-mediated signaling pathway and mitochondrial protection in RGCs that counter oxidative stress are not well characterized. Here, we demonstrate that sAC plays a critical role in protecting RGC mitochondria from oxidative stress. Using mouse models of oxidative stress, we found that activating sAC protected RGCs, blocked AMP-activated protein kinase activation, inhibited glial activation, and improved visual function. Moreover, we found that this is the result of preserving mitochondrial dynamics (fusion and fission), promoting mitochondrial bioenergetics and biogenesis, and preventing metabolic stress and apoptotic cell death in a paraquat oxidative stress model. Notably, sAC activation ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction in RGCs by enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis, preserving mitochondrial structure, and increasing ATP production in oxidatively stressed RGCs. These findings suggest that activating sAC enhances the mitochondrial structure and function in RGCs to counter oxidative stress, consequently promoting RGC protection. We propose that modulation of the sAC-mediated signaling pathway has therapeutic potential acting on RGC mitochondria for treating glaucoma and other retinal diseases.
Simultaneous calculation of elastic scattering, fusion, and direct cross sections for reactions of weakly bound projectiles
Authors: Maridi H. M. , Keeley N. , Rusek K.
Published: March 2024

Simultaneous analyses are performed of cross-section data for elastic scattering, fusion, Coulomb breakup, and other direct yields for the He6+Bi209 system at near Coulomb-barrier energies. The bare and dynamical polarization potentials are constructed microscopically from the structure of the colliding nuclei and they reproduce all the data well with only two adjustable parameters. This method of calculation can be successfully applied to the reactions of weakly bound and exotic projectiles with heavy targets.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Probing parton distribution functions at large
x
via Drell-Yan forward-backward asymmetry
Authors: Fu Yao , Brock Raymond , Hayden Daniel , Yuan C.-P.
Published: March 2024

The forward-backward asymmetry of the Drell-Yan process in dilepton decays at high invariant masses can be used to probe the parton distribution functions at large x. The behavior of three modern parton distribution function sets (CT18NNLO, MSHT20, and NNPDF4.0) are compared, and updated under various scenarios via eump using proton-proton collision pseudodata generated at s=13  TeV with 3000  fb−1 of integrated luminosity.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
The dynamic nexus between agricultural productivity and renewable energy consumption in BRICS: the role of financial inclusion and foreign direct investment
Authors: Soni Shnehal , RL Manogna
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of renewable energy consumption on agricultural productivity while accounting for the effect of financial inclusion and foreign direct investment in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) countries during 2000–2020.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has used the latest data from World Bank and International Monetary Fund databases. The dependent variable in the study is agricultural productivity. Renewable energy consumption, carbon emissions, financial inclusion and foreign direct investment are independent variables. Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach was used to examine the short-run and long-run impact of renewable energy consumption, carbon emissions, foreign direct investment and financial inclusion on agricultural productivity.

Findings

The findings imply that consumption of renewable energy, carbon emissions and foreign direct investment have a positive impact on agricultural productivity while financial inclusion in terms of access does not seem to have any significant impact on agricultural productivity. Providing farmers, access to financial services can be beneficial, but its usage holds more importance in impacting rural outcomes. The problem lies in the fact that there is still a gap between access and usage of financial services.

Research limitations/implications

Policymakers should encourage the increase in the usage of renewable energy and become less reliant on non-renewable energy sources which will eventually help in tackling the problems associated with climate change as well as enhance agricultural productivity.

Originality/value

Most of the earlier studies were based on tabular analysis without any empirical base to establish the causal relationship between determinants of agricultural productivity and renewable energy consumption. These studies were also limited to a few regions. The study is one of its kind in exploring the severity of various factors that determine agricultural productivity in the context of emerging economies like BRICS while accounting for the effect of financial inclusion and foreign direct investment.
Health risk assessment of the concentration of heavy metals in Pistacia species: a global systematic review
Authors: Asadi Touranlou Fateme , Raeesi Ahmad , Rezaei Mitra
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to systematically review the health risk assessment of the concentration of heavy metals in Pistacia species globally.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors systematically searched PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar to identify all articles published between 1 January 2002 and 20 August 2022. A total of 33 studies met the authors’ inclusion criteria, and their data were extracted. Additionally, the potential risk to human health was assessed by calculating the target hazard quotient and hazard index for both child and adult consumers.

Findings

The estimated daily intake for heavy metals in the included studies ranged from 9.72 × 10–9 to 7.35 (mg/day) in the following order: zinc (Zn) > mercury (Hg) > iron (Fe) > lead (Pb) > copper (Cu) > aluminum (Al) > nickel (Ni) > chromium (Cr) > manganese (Mn) > cadmium (Cd) > arsenic (As) > selenium (Se) > cobalt (Co). Among the studies that investigated heavy metals in Pistacia species around the world, the non-carcinogenic risk for all species of Pistacia was determined to be less than 1, except for Pb and Hg in Pistacia lentiscus.

Originality/value

The soil near the industrial area contained excessive amounts of heavy metals, which led to the transfer of heavy metals to plants. Owing to the insufficiency of the number of studies that examined heavy metals in Pistacia species, further monitoring and investigations were recommended.
Analyzing India's coal, natural gas, and biomass energy consumption: Evidence from a Fourier technique to promote sustainable development
Authors: Eweade Babatunde Sunday , Joof Foday , Adebayo Tomiwa Sunday
Published: March 2024

Inalignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN‐SDGs),which pinpoint vital aspects such as SDG‐7 and SDG‐8, this study delves intothe impact of biomass energy on economic growth in the Indian context. It alsoconsiders the roles of fossil fuels, specifically natural gas and coal. Toaccomplish this, a comprehensive analysis is initiated, making use of annualdata spanning from 1975 to 2022. A unique Fourier ARDL test serves as a centralanalytical tool alongside the Fourier Toda Yamamoto test. The empirical resultsunveil the presence of co‐integration among the variables scrutinized. Moreover,it becomes evident that coal and biomass make positive contributions toeconomic growth, whereas natural gas appears to exert a negative influence oneconomic growth. To validate these findings, a Fourier‐based Toda‐Yamamoto testis applied, demonstrating that natural gas, coal, and biomass possesspredictive capabilities concerning economic growth. These discoveries carrysubstantial implications for comprehending the factors influencing economicgrowth in India.
Physiological role of potassium channels in mammalian germ cell differentiation, maturation, and capacitation
Authors: Delgado‐Bermúdez Ariadna , Yeste Marc , Bonet Sergi , Pinart Elisabeth
Published: March 2024

Background

Ion channels are essential for differentiation and maturation of germ cells, and even for fertilization in mammals. Different types of potassium channels have been identified, which are grouped into voltage‐gated channels (Kv), ligand‐gated channels (Kligand), inwardly rectifying channels (Kir), and tandem pore domain channels (K2P).

Material‐Methods

The present review includes recent findings on the role of potassium channels in sperm physiology of mammals.

Results‐Discussion

While most studies conducted thus far have been focused on the physiological role of voltage‐ (Kv1, Kv3, and Kv7) and calcium‐gated channels (SLO1 and SLO3) during sperm capacitation, especially in humans and rodents, little data about the types of potassium channels present in the plasma membrane of differentiating germ cells exist. In spite of this, recent evidence suggests that the content and regulation mechanisms of these channels vary throughout spermatogenesis. Potassium channels are also essential for the regulation of sperm cell volume during epididymal maturation and for preventing premature membrane hyperpolarization. It is important to highlight that the nature, biochemical properties, localization, and regulation mechanisms of potassium channels are species‐specific. In effect, while SLO3 is the main potassium channel involved in the K+ current during sperm capacitation in rodents, different potassium channels are implicated in the K+ outflow and, thus, plasma membrane hyperpolarization during sperm capacitation in other mammalian species, such as humans and pigs.

Conclusions

Potassium conductance is essential for male fertility, not only during sperm capacitation but throughout the spermiogenesis and epididymal maturation.
Maternal gestational hypertension, smoking and pre‐eclampsia are associated with metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease in overweight offspring
Authors: de Ruyter Hanna , Aitokari Linnea , Lahti Siiri , Riekki Hanna , Huhtala Heini , Lakka Timo , Laivuori Hannele , Kurppa Kalle
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Due to a steep increase in obesity, metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has also become the most common chronic hepatic condition among children and adolescents. Various maternal and pregnancy‐related factors have also been implicated in the development of MAFLD, but human studies remain scarce.

Material and methods

Comprehensive data of 460 overweight or obese children aged 2–16 years were collected and combined with data on selected maternal and pregnancy‐related factors for a case–control study. MALFD was defined as alanine aminotransferase >2× upper limit of normal. Children with and without MAFLD were compared regarding to the study variables and multivariable regression analysis was utilized.

Results

Median age of the study children was 11.8 (quartiles 9.1–14.2) years; 44% were girls and 17.8% had MAFLD. Children with MAFLD were older (12.7 vs. 11.6 years, p = 0.002), while the groups did not differ age‐standardized body mass index (BMI‐SDS) or gender. Factors associated with MAFLD in a multivariable model considering also the offspring's present BMI‐SDS, sex, and maternal prepregnancy overweight, were child's older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06–1.28), maternal gestational smoking (OR 2.01, 95% CI: 1.16–3.47), gestational hypertension (OR 3.44, 95% CI: 1.08–11.0) and pre‐eclampsia (OR 2.93, 95% CI: 1.15–7.45). There was no significant association between MAFLD and maternal BMI, birth anthropometrics or perinatal complications.

Conclusions

Maternal smoking, gestational hypertension and pre‐eclampsia were associated with MAFLD among overweight or obese children. Further prospective studies are needed to verify causal relationships.
A structured programme to promote breastfeeding improved the rates in very preterm infants at discharge
Authors: Perugi Silvia , Ciarcià Martina , Coviello Caterina , Fusco Monica , Lunardi Clara , Remaschi Giulia , Sarcina Davide , Sassudelli Giovanni , Pratesi Simone , Dani Carlo ,   PROBREAST Study Group
Published: March 2024

Aim

We developed the Promotion of Breastfeeding (PROBREAST) programme and evaluated what effect it had on the breastfeeding rate in infants born at less than 32 weeks of gestation or weighing ≤1500 grams.

Methods

We compared the breastfeeding rate in two cohorts of patients who were born before (n = 72; January 2017 to June 2018) and after (n = 80; July 2018 to December 2019) the application of the programme. Moreover, we compared the correlation between type of feeding at discharge and post‐discharge breastfeeding rate, between exclusive breastfeeding, postnatal growth and neurodevelopment.

Results

Infants in the PROBREAST group had an exclusive breastfeeding rate at discharge higher (42 vs. 16%, p < 0.001) than that in the historical control group. Exclusive breastfeeding was negatively correlated with weight z‐score at discharge, but not at 12 and 24 months corrected age, and was positively correlated with cognitive score at 24 months corrected age.

Conclusion

The application of a structured programme for the promotion of breastfeeding improved the breastfeeding rate in very preterm infants. We demonstrated that exclusive breastfeeding at discharge improved their neurodevelopment without impairing growth.
The influence of attachment style on support and feedback seeking and depression severity among mothers during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Capute Caroline , Quigley Leanne , Bate Jordan
Published: March 2024

Objectives

The ways that people seek support during times of stress influence their mental health outcomes, including depression. Insecure attachment is a risk factor for depression and may also interfere with adaptive support and feedback‐seeking behaviour during stress. The purpose of the present study was to test theorized associations between insecure attachment, support and feedback seeking, and changes in depression symptoms over 1 year, in a sample of mothers of school‐age children in the context of stress elicited by the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

Participants (N = 70 mothers) completed self‐report measures of anxious and avoidant attachment and depression severity at baseline in spring 2020 and then completed measures of past‐year engagement in direct and indirect support seeking and excessive reassurance seeking (ERS), preference for negative feedback, and depression severity at a follow‐up assessment in summer 2021.

Results

Greater attachment anxiety at baseline predicted more frequent direct support seeking, indirect support seeking, and ERS during the 1‐year follow‐up period. In turn, greater indirect support seeking predicted greater increases in depression from baseline to follow‐up. Greater attachment avoidance at baseline predicted less direct support seeking during the 1‐year follow‐up period. Greater attachment avoidance at baseline also predicted depression severity at follow‐up, particularly among mothers with moderate to high levels of attachment anxiety, although none of the examined support and feedback‐seeking behaviours mediated this association.

Conclusions

These results provide support for the role of activated attachment systems in determining support and feedback‐seeking behaviour during stress, as well as the role of support and feedback‐seeking behaviour in the maintenance and exacerbation of depression.
Mapping stakeholders to maximise the impact of research on health inequalities for people with learning disabilities: The development of a framework for the Making Positive Moves study
Authors: Beeken Francesca , Katsampa Dafni , Duxbury Moureen , Caird Helen‐Ellis , Head Annabel , Prowse Sam , Wellsted David , Zormati Pashtana , Mengoni Silvana E. , Rhodes Louisa
Published: March 2024

Background

People with learning disabilities experience health and social inequalities, and research that could improve health services may not be implemented in real‐life settings. Building stakeholder networks that can share and implement research findings may address this. This paper presents a framework for building a stakeholder network that maximises the likelihood of research recommendations being implemented in practice. This was developed as part of the ‘Making Positive Moves’ (MPM) study, which explores the experiences of people with learning disabilities following discharge from a residential stay within a hospital inpatient setting.

Methods

We reviewed the literature on existing theoretical frameworks to support the development of a model for dissemination of the MPM findings. Stakeholder categories were identified through consultation with the MPM researchers, experts by experience and the steering group and a hub and spoke model to represent all stakeholder categories was created. These categories include person moving; family of the person moving; specialist schools; social care; care providers; regulators; third sector organisations; policy organisations; academic community; and NHS professionals. After establishing the categories, we consulted with people with learning disabilities and other stakeholders and conducted online searches to create a stakeholder database. Through information gathering and direct contact with stakeholders, we assessed levels of interest, power and engagement to determine which stakeholders to prioritise in our dissemination activities. The Stakeholder Wheel was created to present the data captured within the database and engagement profiles in an illustrative way.

Findings

We use two stakeholder sub‐categories, user‐led organisations and care providers, to demonstrate the methodological approach. The examples illustrate how a scoring system helped us to identify high‐priority stakeholders who we then contacted to collaborate within developing our dissemination strategy to maximise the impact of the MPM research findings.

Conclusions

We developed a framework to map stakeholders for the MPM study and enable targeted dissemination to increase the impact of the research. This approach has the potential to reduce health inequalities among people with learning disabilities by increasing the awareness of and ability to implement evidence‐based recommendations in real‐life settings. The stakeholder mapping framework could be applied to research projects associated with learning disabilities to bridge the gap between research and practice and reduce health inequalities.
Does iodine fortification affect the risk of atrial fibrillation in incident hyperthyroidism? A national register‐based cohort
Authors: Møllehave Line T. , Knudsen Nils , Prescott Eva , Pedersen Inge B. , Ravn‐Haren Gitte , Carlé Allan , Linneberg Allan
Published: March 2024

Objective

Iodine fortification (IF) induces an initial increase followed by a decrease in the incidence of hyperthyroidism in the general population. Within the population of hyperthyroid patients, the sex‐, age‐ and subtype distribution changes after IF. The risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in hyperthyroid patients may be influenced by these factors. Therefore, we aimed to examine how the association between incident hyperthyroidism and AF was affected by IF increasing the population iodine intake from moderate‐mild iodine deficiency to low adequacy.

Design, Patients and Measurements

Incident hyperthyroid patients were included at the date of first inpatient or outpatient diagnosis, and AF diagnoses within 3 months before to 6 months after the index date were identified in Danish nationwide registers, 1997–2018. The relative risk (RR) of AF each calendar year (reference: 1997; IF introduced: 2000) was analyzed in Poisson regression models adjusted for age, sex, educational level, geographic region, and comorbidities.

Results

Overall, in 62,201 patients with incident hyperthyroidism 7.9% were diagnosed with AF. There was a minor nonsignificantly increased risk of AF during the first years after IF followed by a gradual decrease to RR 0.76 (0.62–0.94) in 2017. There were no statistically significant differences in the development in the risk of AF by sex, age group, or geographic region.

Conclusions

Results indicate that IF may reduce the risk of concomitant AF in hyperthyroid patients. If these results are confirmed, IF may not only reduce the population incidence of hyperthyroidism but also reduce the burden of morbidity in the remaining hyperthyroid patients.
A multicentre, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized, parallel comparison, phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pioglitazone add‐on therapy in type 2 diabetic patients treated with metformin and dapagliflozin
Authors: Lim Soo , Lee Seung‐Hwan , Min Kyung‐Wan , Lee Chang Beom , Kim Sang Yong , Yoo Hye Jin , Kim Nan Hee , Kim Jae Hyeon , Oh Seungjoon , Won Jong Chul , Kwon Hyuk Sang , Kim Mi Kyung , Park Jung Hwan , Jeong In‐Kyung , Kim Sungrae
Published: March 2024

Aim

To investigate the efficacy and safety of pioglitazone compared to placebo when added to metformin plus dapagliflozin, a sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials and Methods

In a multicentre study, with a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled design, 249 Korean patients with T2DM suboptimally managed on metformin and dapagliflozin were assigned to receive either pioglitazone (15 mg daily) or placebo for 24 weeks, followed by a 24‐week pioglitazone extension. Primary outcomes included changes in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), with secondary outcomes assessing insulin resistance, adiponectin levels, lipid profiles, liver enzymes, body weight and waist circumference.

Results

Pioglitazone administration resulted in a significant reduction in HbA1c levels (from 7.80% ± 0.72% to 7.27% ± 0.82%) compared with placebo (from 7.79% ± 0.76% to 7.69% ± 0.86%, corrected mean difference: −0.42% ± 0.08%; p < 0.01) at 24 weeks. Additional benefits from pioglitazone treatment included enhanced insulin sensitivity, increased adiponectin levels, raised high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and reduced liver enzyme levels, resulting in improvement in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease liver fat score. Despite no serious adverse events in either group, pioglitazone therapy was modestly but significantly associated with weight gain and increased waist circumference.

Conclusions

Adjunctive pioglitazone treatment in T2DM inadequately controlled with metformin and dapagliflozin demonstrates considerable glycaemic improvement, metabolic benefits, and a low risk of hypoglycaemia. These advantages must be weighed against the potential for weight gain and increased waist circumference.
A look at duodenal mucosal resurfacing: Rationale for targeting the duodenum in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Hoyt Jonah A. , Cozzi Emily , D'Alessio David A. , Thompson Chris C. , Aroda Vanita R.
Published: March 2024

Affecting 5%–10% of the world population, type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is firmly established as one of the major health burdens of modern society. People with T2DM require long‐term therapies to reduce blood glucose, an approach that can mitigate the vascular complications. However, fewer than half of those living with T2DM reach their glycaemic targets despite the availability of multiple oral and injectable medications. Adherence and access to medications are major barriers contributing to suboptimal diabetes treatment. The gastrointestinal tract has recently emerged as a target for treating T2DM and altering the underlying disease course. Preclinical and clinical analyses have elucidated changes in the mucosal layer of the duodenum potentially caused by dietary excess and obesity, which seem to be prevalent among individuals with metabolic disease. Supporting these findings, gastric bypass, a surgical procedure which removes the duodenum from the intestinal nutrient flow, has remarkable effects that improve, and often cause remission of, diabetes. From this perspective, we explore the rationale for targeting the duodenum with duodenal mucosal resurfacing (DMR). We examine the underlying physiology of the duodenum and its emerging role in T2DM pathogenesis, the rationale for targeting the duodenum by DMR as a potential treatment for T2DM, and current data surrounding DMR. Importantly, DMR has been demonstrated to change mucosal abnormalities common in those with obesity and diabetes. Given the multifactorial aetiology of T2DM, understanding proximate contributors to disease pathogenesis opens the door to rethinking therapeutic approaches to T2DM, from symptom management toward disease modification.
Future climate‐induced distribution shifts in a sexually dimorphic key predator of the Southern Ocean
Authors: Ouled‐Cheikh Jazel , March David , Borras‐Chavez Renato , Drago Massimiliano , Goebel Michael E. , Fariña José M. , Gazo Manel , Coll Marta , Cardona Luis
Published: March 2024

The response to climate change in highly dimorphic species can be hindered by differences between sexes in habitat preferences and movement patterns. The Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella, is the most abundant pinniped in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of the main consumers of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, in the Southern Ocean. However, the populations breeding in the Atlantic Southern Ocean are decreasing, partly due to global warming. Male and female Antarctic fur seals differ greatly in body size and foraging ecology, and little is known about their sex‐specific responses to climate change. We used satellite tracking data and Earth System Models to predict changes in habitat suitability for male and female Antarctic fur seals from the Western Antarctic Peninsula under different climate change scenarios. Under the most extreme scenario (SSP5‐8.5; global average temperature +4.4°C projected by 2100), suitable habitat patches will shift southward during the non‐breeding season, leading to a minor overall habitat loss. The impact will be more pronounced for females than for males. The reduction of winter foraging grounds might decrease the survival of post‐weaned females, reducing recruitment and jeopardizing population viability. During the breeding season, when males fast on land, suitable foraging grounds for females off the South Shetland Islands will remain largely unmodified, and new ones will emerge in the Bellingshausen Sea. As Antarctic fur seals are income breeders, the foraging grounds of females should be reasonably close to the breeding colony. As a result, the new suitable foraging grounds will be useful for females only if nearby beaches currently covered by sea ice emerge by the end of the century. Furthermore, the colonization of these new, ice‐free breeding locations might be limited by strong female philopatry. These results should be considered when managing the fisheries of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean.
Declining calcium concentration drives shifts toward smaller and less nutritious zooplankton in northern lakes
Authors: Bergström Ann‐Kristin , Creed Irena F. , Paltsev Aleksey , de Wit Heleen A. , Lau Danny C. P. , Drakare Stina , Vrede Tobias , Isles Peter D. F. , Jonsson Anders , Geibrink Erik , Kortelainen Pirkko , Vuorenmaa Jussi , Vuorio Kristiina , Kahilainen Kimmo K. , Hessen Dag Olav
Published: March 2024

Zooplankton community composition of northern lakes is changing due to the interactive effects of climate change and recovery from acidification, yet limited data are available to assess these changes combined. Here, we built a database using archives of temperature, water chemistry and zooplankton data from 60 Scandinavian lakes that represent broad spatial and temporal gradients in key parameters: temperature, calcium (Ca), total phosphorus (TP), total organic carbon (TOC), and pH. Using machine learning techniques, we found that Ca was the most important determinant of the relative abundance of all zooplankton groups studied, while pH was second, and TOC third in importance. Further, we found that Ca is declining in almost all lakes, and we detected a critical Ca threshold in lake water of 1.3 mg L−1, below which the relative abundance of zooplankton shifts toward dominance of Holopedium gibberum and small cladocerans at the expense of Daphnia and copepods. Our findings suggest that low Ca concentrations may shape zooplankton communities, and that current trajectories of Ca decline could promote widespread changes in pelagic food webs as zooplankton are important trophic links from phytoplankton to fish and different zooplankton species play different roles in this context.
Sorting paper: The archival labour of digitising land records in Kenya
Authors: Datta Ayona , Muthama Dennis M.
Published: March 2024

Nairobi's land digitisation programme presents continuous challenges to the Kenyan state's aspirations of reforming land administration. By drawing upon insights from archival sciences and digital geographies, this paper argues that digitisation of Kenya's land administration records presents us with an opportunity to pay attention to how information flows from paper to digital systems, and the nature of human condition that makes it possible. Based on research of land digitisation initiatives in Nairobi and its peripheral counties, this paper explores first, how digitisation initiates a large‐scale state exercise of sorting paper in the land records departments that constitutes the archival apparatus of the state; and second, how the archival labour of state officials in this process is at the same time significant, invisible and devalued. Through interviews of state officials in county and state departments, we argue that the digitisation process is far more complex and messier than the rhetoric of seamless transition to automated land administration in Kenya. Digitisation involves a slow embodied labour in sorting paper by state officials who have little power in shaping the design of the platform that they are expected to use. The devaluation of the archival labour of state officials who are not professionally trained in ‘archival practice’ and are seemingly voiceless in the production of national land information platforms leads to subversion and non‐cooperation with the platform itself. The paper concludes that an expansive lens of seeing digital platforms through the tools and technologies of archiving practices enables us to understand why platforms fail, why and how paper increases value within digital systems and how archival labour is central to the politics of digitisation and platformisation in the future.
Co‐designing resources to support older people with intellectual disabilities and their families plan for parental death and transitions in care
Authors: Anderson‐Kittow Rebecca , Keagan‐Bull Richard , Giles Jo , Tuffrey‐Wijne Irene
Published: March 2024

Background

Older people with intellectual disabilities and their families report a lack of support for planning for parental death and transitions in care. This article aims to demonstrate the process of co‐designing resources to support older people with intellectual disabilities and their families to plan for the future.

Methods

Following interviews and focus groups with older people with intellectual disabilities and their families, we used an adapted experience‐based co‐design process to develop planning ahead resources. This included a ‘trigger film’ summarising findings from the earlier interview study, 12 co‐design workshops and a user feedback phase.

Results

The co‐design group developed a set of 102 ‘Planning Ahead Cards’ to help families to talk about the future and prepare for meetings with social care professionals. The group made decisions about the content, format and design of resources, and how co‐design workshops would run. The user feedback phase led to changes to the cards, and families and stakeholder groups suggested that they would be useful for planning ahead.

Conclusion

The Planning Ahead Cards may facilitate planning for parental death and transitions in care for older people with intellectual disabilities and their families. The co‐design approach was key to ensuring that the resources were useful and accessible for families.

Patient or Public Contribution

People with intellectual disabilities and their families contributed to the design of the resources through the co‐design workshops and feedback phase. The research team includes a research assistant with intellectual disabilities who co‐facilitated co‐design workshops and co‐authored this article.
Supported decision‐making interventions in mental healthcare: A systematic review of current evidence and implementation barriers
Authors: Francis Cathy J. , Johnson Amanda , Wilson Rhonda L.
Published: March 2024

Background

There is a growing momentum around the world to foster greater opportunities for the involvement of mental health service users in their care and treatment planning. In‐principle support for this aim is widespread across mental healthcare professionals. Yet, progress in mental health services towards this objective has lagged in practice.

Objectives

We conducted a systematic review of quantitative, qualitative and mixed‐method research on interventions to improve opportunities for the involvement of mental healthcare service users in treatment planning, to understand the current research evidence and the barriers to implementation.

Methods

Seven databases were searched and 5137 articles were screened. Articles were included if they reported on an intervention for adult service users, were published between 2008 and October 2023 and were in English. Evidence in the 140 included articles was synthesised according to the JBI guidance on Mixed Methods Systematic Reviews.

Results

Research in this field remains exploratory in nature, with a wide range of interventions investigated to date but little experimental replication. Overarching barriers to shared and supported decision‐making in mental health treatment planning were (1) Organisational (resource limitations, culture barriers, risk management priorities and structure); (2) Process (lack of knowledge, time constraints, health‐related concerns, problems completing and using plans); and (3) Relationship barriers (fear and distrust for both service users and clinicians).

Conclusions

On the basis of the barriers identified, recommendations are made to enable the implementation of new policies and programs, the designing of new tools and for clinicians seeking to practice shared and supported decision‐making in the healthcare they offer.

Patient or Public Contribution

This systematic review has been guided at all stages by a researcher with experience of mental health service use, who does not wish to be identified at this point in time. The findings may inform organisations, researchers and practitioners on implementing supported decision‐making, for the greater involvement of people with mental ill health in their healthcare.
Comparative analysis of wound healing techniques in postoperative bladder cancer patients
Authors: Zhong Linlin , Wang Feng
Published: March 2024

Bladder cancer is a highly prevalent malignancy that presents significant difficulties in the management of wounds following surgery. The present study investigated the critical necessity to optimize wound healing techniques in patients undergoing bladder cancer surgery by contrasting conventional approaches with advanced modalities in order to promote recovery and mitigate complications. The study assessed the efficacy of conventional and advanced wound healing methods in these patients, taking into account the complex interaction of patient‐specific factors and surgical complexities. A cross‐sectional analysis was performed on 120 patients who underwent bladder cancer surgery at the first affiliated hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. In addition to medical record evaluations and direct wound assessments, patient interviews were utilized to gather information regarding demographics, surgical specifics, wound healing methodologies and postoperative results. Survival analysis and logistic regression were utilized in statistical analysis, with potential confounding variables such as age, comorbidities and type of surgery being accounted for. Advanced wound healing techniques, such as negative pressure wound therapy, tissue‐engineered products, bioactive dressings and platelet‐rich plasma (PRP), exhibited distinct advantage in comparison with conventional suturing. The aforementioned techniques, especially PRP, resulted in expedited wound healing, decreased rates of complications (p < 0.05) and enhanced secondary outcomes, including curtailed hospital stays and decreased rates of readmissions. PRP therapy, in particular, demonstrated significant improvements with the faster mean time to wound healing of 9 ± 2 days and lower complication incidence of 2 (6.7%) (p < 0.05), indicating its superior efficacy. A subgroup analysis revealed that younger patients, males and those undergoing laparoscopic surgery exhibited superior outcomes (p < 0.05). The results were further supported by logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models, which further indicated that sophisticated techniques, notably PRP therapy with a hazard ratio of 3.00 (2.00–4.50) and adjusted odds ratio of 0.20 (0.09–0.43), were effective in improving postoperative recovery. The research clarified the significant advantages that advanced wound healing techniques offered in postoperative care of patients diagnosed with bladder cancer. By customizing these methods to suit the unique requirements of individual patients and specific circumstances of surgical procedures, they can significantly enhance the recuperation process after surgery and set a new standard for patient care.
Non‐natives are linked to higher plant diversity across spatial scales
Authors: Lefebvre Suzanne , Segar Josiane , Staude Ingmar R.
Published: March 2024

Aim

Although non‐native and invasive plants often pose a significant threat to biodiversity, global‐scale studies have yet to conclusively demonstrate a systematic pattern of reduced native plant diversity in areas affected by these invasions. Here, we aim to explore the association of non‐native and invasive plants with the species richness and evenness of plant communities from the local to global scale.

Location

Global.

Methods

We use the world's largest vegetation plot repository—sPlot—to compare species richness and community evenness between invaded (by invasive or non‐natives) and native plots of equal size, paired within 32 km2 grid cells distributed across all continents. Aggregating plots at the cell, biome and global level, we also quantified differences in gamma diversity at different spatial scales.

Results

We found that invaded plots had higher species richness and similar community evenness, a trend largely consistent across biomes. The higher total species richness was not the result of additional invasive or non‐native species, as the number of native species was also higher in invaded plots. These patterns persisted at larger spatial scales. Cell, biome and global gamma species richness of invaded plots were consistently higher than of native plots. All these patterns held regardless of whether the non‐native species in a plot were invasive or non‐invasive.

Main Conclusions

Our study reveals a globally consistent pattern: plant diversity, both total and native, is higher when invasive or non‐native plants are present, spanning spatial scales from local to global. Although we cannot infer causal effects, our results challenge the prevailing hypothesis that non‐native and invasive species universally depress plant diversity.
An exploratory study of factors in disordered eating behavior in diabetes self‐management in Japan
Authors: Tsukamoto‐Kawashima Sachiko , Ikeda Kaori , Sone Masakatsu , Ogura Masahito , Okamura Emi , Kondo Aki , Ueba Yoko , Inagaki Nobuya
Published: March 2024

Aims/Introduction

Diet directly affects glucose metabolism, and eating behavior is influenced by various daily life stressors. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between common psychosomatic stressors on endocrine hormones and eating behavior in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

This cross‐sectional study was performed in 40 patients with type 2 diabetes. Resting hormone blood sampling and four self‐reported questionnaires were employed.

Results

Patients who scored higher on the ‘anger/hostility’ (AH) subcategory of the profile of mood state (POMS) questionnaire had significantly higher serum cortisol (β = 0.40, P = 0.01 by least squares adjusted for age and sex). In the eating behavior questionnaire, the subcategories of ‘feeling of hunger/satiation’ (β = 0.49, P < 0.01) and ‘eating as diversion’ (β = 0.39, P = 0.03) were associated with higher serum cortisol. Resting morning cortisol levels were higher in participants who rated high on the POMS‐AH and in those who reported ‘irritated when hungry’ and ‘tend to eat when irritated or anxious’. Sleep quality showed no association with eating behavior.

Conclusions

Mood state is associated with eating behavior. Anger increases cortisol levels and may lead to compulsive eating. Various forms of hostility are important factors in appetite control and increased cortisol secretion, and can be an impediment to successful dietary self‐management in patients with type 2 diabetes. Thus, assessment of mood state and control of negative mood are important therapeutic targets in diabetes management.
Beyond empathy training for practitioners: Cultivating empathic healthcare systems and leadership
Authors: Howick Jeremy , de Zulueta Paquita , Gray Muir
Published: March 2024

Empathic care benefits patients and practitioners, and empathy training for practitioners can enhance empathy. However, practitioners do not operate in a vacuum. For empathy to thrive, healthcare consultations must be situated in a nurturing milieu, guided by empathic, compassionate leaders. Empathy will be suppressed, or even reversed if practitioners are burned out and working in an unpleasant, under‐resourced environment with increasingly poorly served and dissatisfied patients. Efforts to enhance empathy must therefore go beyond training practitioners to address system‐level factors that foster empathy. These include patient education, cultivating empathic leadership, customer service training for reception staff, valuing cleaning and all ancillary staff, creating healing spaces, and using appropriate, efficiency saving technology to reduce the administrative burden on healthcare practitioners. We divide these elements into environmental factors, organisational factors, job factors, and individual characteristics.
Digital Capitalism and Child Labor Exploitation on YouTube
Authors: Bakioğlu Akın
Published: March 2024

This article examines the issue of child labor exploitation on YouTube through the phenomenon of “kidfluencers” ‐ children who create video content and gain a large following on the platform. It discusses kidfluencing within the framework of digital capitalism and platform capitalism, where companies monetize users' data. While kidfluencing can allow children to be creative and gain income, it also risks exploiting their labor and compromising their privacy and well‐being. The article analyzes several popular kidfluencer YouTube channels and finds that some children are producing content in a way that resembles intense work. It highlights how digital capitalism leads to the commodification and alienation of digital labor. While kidfluencers benefit platforms and brands through promotion, they may not receive fair compensation for their efforts. The involvement of parents also raises issues about children's autonomy and protection. Overall, the article argues that while kidfluencing seems like casual play, in some cases it amounts to a hidden form of child labor that fails to uphold children's rights. It calls for stronger regulations to ensure kidfluencers are not subject to exploitation of their immaterial labor.