bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ejaculatory function following transperineal laser ablation vs TURP for benign prostatic obstruction: a randomized trial
Authors: Bertolo Riccardo , Iacovelli Valerio , Cipriani Chiara , Carilli Marco , Vittori Matteo , Antonucci Michele , Maiorino Francesco , Signoretti Marta , Petta Filomena , Travaglia Stefano , Panei Massimo , Bove Pierluigi
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To evaluate the reliability of transperineal interstitial laser ablation of the prostate (TPLA) in preserving antegrade ejaculation compared to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

Patients and Methods

In this single‐centre, prospective, randomized, open‐label study, consecutive patients with indication for surgical treatment for benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) were enrolled between January 2020 and September 2021 (NCT04781049). Patients were randomized to one of two treatment arms: Group A: TPLA (experimental group) and Group B: TURP (reference standard group). The primary endpoint was change in ejaculatory function (assessed by the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire – Ejaculatory function domain [EJ‐MSHQ]) at 1 month after surgery. Secondary endpoints included comparison of visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, changes in sexual function (assessed using the five‐item International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF‐5]), change in International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS], change in quality of life score, and maximum urinary flow rate [Qmax] improvement at 1–6 months, as appropriate.

Results

Fifty‐one patients (26 TPLA vs 25 TURP) were analysed. No differences in the perception of pain assessed by VAS and no differences in IIEF‐5 score were found between the groups. The distribution of ejaculatory function assessed by the EJ‐MSHQ remained unmodified after TPLA (P = 0.2), while a median 30% decrease in EJ‐MSHQ score was observed after TURP (P = 0.01). Absence of antegrade ejaculation was reported in one patient in the TPLA group (vs 18 patients in the TURP group). A statistically significant difference between the treatment groups was found in terms of postoperative Qmax (TPLA vs TURP: 15.2 [interquartile range 13.5–18.3] mL/s vs 26.0 [interquartile range 22.0–48.0] mL/s; P < 0.001). Both treatments significantly improved Qmax, with a mean 23.9 mL/s improvement after TURP (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.1–30.7) vs 6.0 mL/s after TPLA (95% CI 5.0–7.0), and IPSS, with a mean decrease of 11.6 (95% CI 9.7–13.5) vs 5.8 after TPLA (95% CI.2–9.6) with respect to baseline.

Conclusion

In our study, TPLA preserved ejaculatory function in 96% of cases in addition to providing significant relief from BPO.
Chlorogenic acid reduces inflammation by inhibiting the elevated expression of KAT2A to ameliorate lipopolysaccharide‐induced acute lung injury
Authors: Lv Bin , Guo Jinhe , Du Yaodong , Chen Yang , Zhao Xin , Yu Bin , Liu Jiarui , Cui Tianyi , Mao Haoping , Wang Xiaoying , Gao Xiumei
Published: March 2023

Background and Purpose

Respiratory diseases have become a global health problem and may lead to acute lung injury (ALI) in severe cases. ALI progression is associated with complex pathological changes; however, there are currently no effective therapeutic drugs. Excessive activation and recruitment of immunocytes in the lungs and the release of large amounts of cytokines are considered the primary causes of ALI, but the cellular mechanisms involved remain unknown. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies need to be developed to control the inflammatory response and prevent the further aggravation of ALI.

Experimental Approach

Lipopolysaccharide was administered to mice via tail vein injection to establish an ALI model. Key genes regulating lung injury in mice were screened by RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq), and their regulatory effects on inflammation and lung injury were assessed in in vivo and in vitro experiments.

Key Results

The key regulatory gene KAT2A up‐regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines and induced lung epithelial injury. Chlorogenic acid, a small natural molecule and KAT2A inhibitor, inhibited the inflammatory response and significantly improved the decreased respiratory function caused by lipopolysaccharide administration in mice by inhibiting the expression of KAT2A.

Conclusion and Implications

Targeted inhibition of KAT2A suppressed the release of inflammatory cytokines and improved respiratory function in this murine model of ALI. Chlorogenic acid, a specific KAT2A‐targeting inhibitor, was effective in treating ALI. In conclusion, our results provide a reference for the clinical treatment of ALI and contribute to the development of novel therapeutic drugs for lung injury.
Drainage area estimates for synorogenic clastic wedges in the Central Appalachian Basin (sink) with implications for terrane accretion in the hinterland (source)
Authors: Eriksson Kenneth A. , McClung Wilson S. , Simpson Edward L.
Published: March 2023

Source‐to‐sink studies typically utilize the sedimentary record preserved in basins to infer source area parameters such as estimates of drainage area and discharges of fluvial systems in the hinterland, the characterization of which remains elusive as few geomorphic elements of the hinterland are preserved. Clastic wedges within foreland basin settings often contain fluvial deposits, and the scale of fluvial architectural elements can be used to estimate drainage area and discharge within the accreted hinterland. This study uses thicknesses of fluvial architectural elements within the Late Ordovician Taconic, the Late Devonian‐Early Mississippian Acadian, and the Late Mississippian to Early and Middle Pennsylvanian Alleghanian clastic wedges, together with climatic conditions interpreted from palaeosol data, to estimate the drainage areas and discharges of the river systems which drained the hinterlands of the accreted Taconic and Acadian terrains and the Alleghanian suture of Laurentia and Gondwana. Published detrital zircon age spectra provide insight into ages of source areas of sediments as well as the timing of terrane accretion. The increase in hinterland drainage areas calculated for Late Devonian Acadian Orogeny river systems compared to Late Ordovician Taconic Orogeny river systems can be attributed to the increase in size of accreted terranes to the east of the foreland basins during that period of time. The decrease in hinterland drainage area from the Late Devonian Acadian Orogeny to the Middle to Late Pennsylvanian Alleghanian Orogeny is attributed to the westward migration of the drainage divide as the Alleghanian orogeny proceeded. It is inferred that the drainage divide migrated towards the drier leeward side of the mountain range and caused drainage basins to shrink and split into smaller drainage basins.
TIP60 is required for tumorigenesis in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Shibahara Daisuke , Akanuma Naoki , Kobayashi Ikei S. , Heo Eunyoung , Ando Mariko , Fujii Masanori , Jiang Feng , Prin P. Nicholas , Pan Gilbert , Wong Kwok‐Kin , Costa Daniel B. , Bararia Deepak , Tenen Daniel G. , Watanabe Hideo , Kobayashi Susumu S.
Published: March 2023

Histone modifications play crucial roles in transcriptional activation, and aberrant epigenetic changes are associated with oncogenesis. Lysine (K) acetyltransferases 5 (TIP60, also known as KAT5) is reportedly implicated in cancer development and maintenance, although its function in lung cancer remains controversial. Here we demonstrate that TIP60 knockdown in non‐small cell lung cancer cell lines decreased tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, analysis of a mouse lung cancer model with lung‐specific conditional Tip60 knockout revealed suppressed tumor formation relative to controls, but no apparent effects on normal lung homeostasis. RNA‐seq and ChIP‐seq analyses of inducible TIP60 knockdown H1975 cells relative to controls revealed transglutaminase enzyme (TGM5) as downstream of TIP60. Investigation of a connectivity map database identified several candidate compounds that decrease TIP60 mRNA, one that suppressed tumor growth in cell culture and in vivo. In addition, TH1834, a TIP60 acetyltransferase inhibitor, showed comparable antitumor effects in cell culture and in vivo. Taken together, suppression of TIP60 activity shows tumor‐specific efficacy against lung cancer, with no overt effect on normal tissues. Our work suggests that targeting TIP60 could be a promising approach to treating lung cancer.
Diversity in verbal fluency performance and its associations with MRI‐informed brain age matrices in normal ageing and neurocognitive disorders
Authors: Lu Hanna , Li Jing , Fung Ada Wai Tung , Lam Linda Chiu Wa
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Category verbal fluency test (CVFT) has been widely used to assess and monitor the cognitive capacities in epidemiological studies and clinical trials. Pronounced discrepancy in CVFT performance has been found in individuals with different cognitive statuses. This study aimed to combine the psychometric and morphometric approaches to decode the complex verbal fluency performance in senior adults with normal ageing and neurocognitive disorders.

Methods

This study adopted a two‐stage cross‐sectional design involving quantitative analyses of neuropsychological and neuroimaging data. In study I, capacity‐ and speed‐based measures of CVFT were developed to evaluate the verbal fluency performance in normal ageing seniors (n = 261), those with mild cognitive impairment (n = 204), and those with dementia (n = 23) whose age range is from 65 to 85 years. In study II, structural magnetic resonance imaging‐informed gray matter volume (GMV) and brain age matrices were calculated in a subsample (n = 52) from Study I through surface‐based morphometry analysis. With age and gender as covariates, Pearson's correlation analysis was used to examine the associations of CVFT measures, GMV, and brain age matrices.

Results

Speed‐based measures showed extensive and stronger associations with other cognitive functions than capacity‐based measures. The component‐specific CVFT measures showed shared and unique neural underpinnings with lateralized morphometric features. Moreover, the increased CVFT capacity was significantly correlated with younger brain age in mild neurocognitive disorder (NCD) patients.

Conclusion

We found that the diversity of verbal fluency performance in normal ageing and NCD patients could be explained by a combination of memory, language, and executive abilities. The component‐specific measures and related lateralized morphometric correlates also highlight the underlying theoretical meaning of verbal fluency performance and its clinical utility in detecting and tracing the cognitive trajectory in individuals with accelerated ageing.
Indication for molecular testing by multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification in parkinsonism
Authors: Mutez E. , Swiderski M. , Devos D. , Moreau C. , Baille G. , Degardin A. , Ryckewaert G. , Carriere N. , Kreisler A. , Simonin C. , Rouaix N. , Tir M. , Krystkowiak P. , Ramdane N. , Génin M. , Sablonnière B. , Defebvre L. , Huin V.
Published: March 2023

Background and purpose

The monogenic forms of Parkinson's disease represent <10% of familial cases and a still lower frequency of sporadic cases. However, guidelines to orient genetic testing are lacking. The aim was to establish the interest of multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA) as a primary screening test and to propose clinical criteria to guide genetic diagnostic tests for patients with suspected Mendelian Parkinson's disease.

Methods

In all, 567 patients with parkinsonism from 547 unrelated families were recruited and two MLPAs were performed for each. All pathogenic G2019S variants in the LRRK2 gene were confirmed by Sanger sequencing and the PRKN gene was screened for a second mutation in the cases of one heterozygous structural variant in the PRKN gene.

Results

The performance of MLPA was 51/567 (9%) for the entire cohort and included 27 (4.8%) LRRK2 G2019S mutations, 19 (3.4%) PRKN mutations and five (0.9%) SNCA locus duplications. The variables significantly associated with a positive test in the total cohort were North African ancestry (p < 0.0001), female sex (p = 0.004) and younger age at onset (p < 0.0008).

Conclusions

Retrospective analysis allowed us to refine our indication criteria: (i) North African ancestry, (ii) an age at onset <40 years or (iii) a familial history of parkinsonism with at least one affected first‐degree relative. Our study highlights the interest of MLPA testing for other parkinsonism cases with a family history, especially for patients with dementia with Lewy bodies or a multiple‐system‐atrophy‐like phenotype.
Metyrapone abolishes spike–wave discharge seizures in genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg by reducing stress hormones
Authors: Dezsi Gabi , Ozturk Ezgi , Harris Georgia , Paul Cornelius , O'Brien Terence J. , Jones Nigel C.
Published: March 2023

Objective

Stress is one of the most commonly reported triggers for seizures in patients with epilepsy, although the mechanisms that mediate this effect are not established. The clinical evidence supporting this is derived from patients' subjective experience of stress, and how this influences their own seizures. Animal models can be used to explore this phenomenon in controlled environments, free from subjective bias. Here, we used genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS), a genetic rat model of absence epilepsy, to explore the influence of stress and stress hormones on spontaneous seizures.

Methods

Adult male GAERS (n = 38) and nonepileptic control (NEC) rats (n = 4) were used. First, rats were subjected to 30‐min restraint stress to assess hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis function. Next, we assessed the effects of 30‐min noise stress, and cage tilt stress, on spike–wave discharge seizures in GAERS. We then performed pharmacological experiments to assess the direct effects of stress hormones on seizures, including corticosterone, metyrapone, and deoxycorticosterone.

Results

GAERS exhibited elevated baseline corticosterone levels, compared to NEC rats. Noise stress and cage tilt stress significantly enhanced seizure incidence (p < .05), but only during stress periods. Exogenous corticosterone administration also significantly increased seizure occurrence (p < .05). Metyrapone, an inhibitor of corticosterone synthesis, completely abolished seizures in GAERS, and seizures remained suppressed for >2 h. However, deoxycorticosterone, the precursor of corticosterone, increased seizures.

Significance

These results suggest that GAERS exhibit elevations in stress hormones, and this may contribute to seizures. Inhibiting corticosterone synthesis with metyrapone prevents seizures in GAERS, and shows potential for repurposing this drug as a future antiseizure medication.
Strain‐controlled fatigue loading of an additively manufactured AISI 316L steel: Cyclic plasticity model and strain–life curve with a comparison to the wrought material
Authors: Pelegatti Marco , Benasciutti Denis , De Bona Francesco , Lanzutti Alex , Novak Jelena Srnec , Salvati Enrico
Published: March 2023

Low cycle fatigue (LCF) regime was experimentally studied for a 316L steel additively manufactured by laser‐powder bed fusion (L‐PBF), a material widely used in sectors that require a reliable durability analysis. Material cyclic elastoplastic behavior is described by the Chaboche–Voce combined plasticity model, which displayed a great degree of accuracy. The fatigue life was modeled by both invoking the Manson–Coffin curve and other simplified models derived from static properties of the material; some of which showed remarkably good accuracy. A quantitative comparison with a wrought‐processed 316L steel displayed a markedly different cyclic elastoplastic response but comparable fatigue strengths.
Diverting residual biomass to energy use: Quantifying the global warming potential of biogenic CO2 (GWPbCO2)
Authors: Adetona Adekunbi B. , Layzell David B.
Published: March 2023

To calculate the global warming potential of biogenic carbon dioxide emissions (GWPbCO2) associated with diverting residual biomass to bioenergy use, the decay of annual biogenic carbon pulses into the atmosphere over 100 years was compared between biomass use for energy and its business‐as‐usual decomposition in agricultural, forestry, or landfill sites. Bioenergy use increased atmospheric CO2 load in all cases, resulting in a 100GWPbCO2 (units of g CO2e/g biomass CO2 released) of 0.003 for the fast‐decomposing agricultural residues to 0.029 for the slow, 0.084–0.625 for forest residues, and 0.368–0.975 for landfill lignocellulosic biomass. In comparison, carbon emissions from fossil fuels have a 100GWP of 1.0 g (CO2e/g fossil CO2). The fast decomposition rate and the corresponding low 100GWPbCO2 values of agricultural residues make them a more climate‐friendly feedstock for bioenergy production relative to forest residues and landfill lignocellulosic biomass. This study shows that CO2 released from the combustion of bioenergy or biofuels made from residual biomass has a greenhouse gas footprint that should be considered in assessing climate impacts.
Behavioral screening of sleep‐promoting effects of human intestinal and food‐associated bacteria on Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Ko Taro , Murakami Hiroki , Kobayashi Shunjiro , Kamikouchi Azusa , Ishimoto Hiroshi
Published: March 2023

Commensal microbes influence various aspects of vertebrate and invertebrate brain function. We previously reported that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SBT2227 promotes sleep in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. However, how widely the sleep‐promoting effects are conserved in gut bacterial species remains unknown. In this study, we orally administered human intestinal and food‐associated bacterial species (39 in total) to flies and investigated their effects on sleep. Six species of bacteria were found to have significant sleep‐promoting effects. Of these, we further investigated Bifidobacterium adolescentis, which had the greatest sleep‐promoting effect, and found that the strength of the sleep effect varied among strains of the same bacterial species. The B. adolescentis strains BA2786 and BA003 showed strong and weak effects on sleep, respectively. Transcriptome characteristics compared between the heads of flies treated with BA2786 or BA003 revealed that the gene expression of the insulin‐like receptor (InR) was increased in BA2786‐fed flies. Furthermore, a heterozygous mutation in InR suppressed the sleep‐promoting effect of BA2786. These results suggest that orally administered sleep‐promoting bacteria (at least BA2786), may act on insulin signaling to modulate brain function for sleep.
4‐octyl itaconate improves the viability of D66H cells by regulating the KEAP1‐NRF2‐GCLC/HO‐1 pathway
Authors: Chen Yanrui , Wang Zhenying , Song Yali , Chen Nan , Guo Jing , Liu Wenmin , Guo Keying , Ling Xia , Zhang Li
Published: March 2023

As a novel nuclear factor E2‐related factor 2 (NRF2) activator, the itaconate has shown significant therapeutic potential for oxidative stress diseases. However, its role in Vohwinkel syndrome in relation to the gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2) mutation is still unclear. This study aimed at investigating the effect of 4‐octyl itaconate (OI) on HaCaT and D66H cells and clarify its potential mechanism in vitro. The optimal concentration and treatment time of OI on HaCaT cells and D66H cells were determined by CCK‐8 and LDH experiments. The effect of OI on cell proliferation was detected by EdU staining and FACS analysis of PI, while the apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL staining and FACS analysis of Annexin V. The ROS staining was performed, and the levels of SOD, MDA, GSH and GSH/GSSG were detected to evaluate the effect of OI on oxidative damage induced by D66H‐type mutation. CO‐IP, Western blot, immunofluorescence and qPCR analyses were employed to detect the activation of KEAP1‐NRF2‐GCLC/HO‐1 pathway by OI. Finally, sh‐NRF2 was used to confirm the activation of this pathway by OI. Results showed that OI could improve the cell viability decreased by GJB2 gene mutation by regulating the balance between cell growth and apoptosis induced by oxidative damage. Furthermore, this alleviation process was regulated by the KEAP1‐NRF2‐HO‐1/GCLC pathway. In conclusion, OI could improve the viability of HaCaT and D66H cells via regulating the KEAP1‐NRF2‐GCLC/HO‐1 pathway, which provided a wide spectrum of potential targets for effective therapeutic treatments of Vohwinkel syndrome in the clinic.
Effect of size grading on growth of yellow Pacific shortfin eel (Anguilla bicolor pacifica)
Authors: Aya Frolan A. , Unida John Carlo L. , Garcia Luis Maria B.
Published: March 2023

Heterogeneous growth, which is common among farmed fish, can be remedied by size grading. This study focused on whether the size grading process, which is commonly practiced in aquaculture, improves the subsequent growth performance of the Pacific shortfin eel Anguilla bicolor pacifica. Eels [338.70 ± 4.70 mm total length (TL) and 84.93 ± 1.87 g body weight (BW)] were initially reared for 60 days (pre‐size grading period) and manually divided into three size groups: small (≤115 g), large (>150 g) and mixed (>115 g but <170 g), all maintained at a density of 5 kg m−3 and reared until day 150 (size grading period). After size grading, mean BW and TL at harvest significantly differed in all eel groups, suggesting growth was size specific. Nonetheless, at day 150, except for biomass, size grading had no significant effect on growth and survival, coefficient of variation of length and weight, and Fulton's condition factor. Large eels had a significantly higher feed intake than mixed or small eels, whereas feed efficiency did not differ among eel groups. Results suggest that size grading promotes size‐specific growth but did not improve the overall growth performance of yellow stage of A. bicolor pacifica.
Comparative histopathology of livers from Baltic cod infected with the parasitic nematode Contracaecum osculatum
Authors: Behrens Jane W. , Ryberg Marie Plambech , Chondromatidou Virginia , Iburg Tine Moesgaard
Published: March 2023

Infection levels with the parasitic nematode Contracaecum osculatum in Eastern Baltic cod have increased in the last decades. Eastern Baltic cod is transport host for this parasite that has a high affinity for the liver of the fish. The liver is a highly vital organ and damage to the liver tissue can result in reduced functionality of the organ. Previous studies have revealed that cod with high infections loads reveal impaired physiological performance, reduced nutritional condition and show signs of having a liver disease. Yet, little is known about the pathological changes and inflammatory reactions of the cod liver related to the infections. In this study, we performed histological examinations on 30 Baltic cod livers caught in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea (length; 38 ± 0.9 cm, weight; 454 ± 34.8 gram) and three Sound cod livers (length; 63 ± 2.9 cm, weight; 3396 ± 300.2 gram) to categorize the degree of inflammation and its relation to pathological changes in infected cod livers. We further investigated how C. osculatum infection levels varied with intensity of inflammation and co‐infections. We found that high infection loads with C. osculatum caused severe inflammation in the liver tissue of cod and reduced fat content of the hepatocytes. Conspicuous amounts of glycogen were found in the muscle and intestinal epithelial cells of the nematodes and parasitic co‐infections occurred more frequently in the most heavily infected livers.
Cutaneous angiomatosis‐like presentation in koi carp (Cyprinus carpio koi): Clinical–pathological investigations
Authors: Mandrioli Luciana , Barbé Tim , Foselli Marco Bonazza , Brocca Ginevra , Verin Ranieri , Errani Francesca , Volpe Enrico , Montesi Francesco , Sirri Rubina , Morini Maria , Budai Jane , Toffan Anna , Ciulli Sara
Published: March 2023

The skin represents an indicator of an animal's health status. Causes of cutaneous diseases in fish most often trace back to biological agents. However, fish skin diseases can also arise from a complex interaction of infectious and non‐infectious causes, making it more difficult to identify a specific aetiology. In the period between April and September of the years 2019–2022, four koi carp (Cyprinus carpio koi) from two European countries presented with multifocal, irregularly round, few mm to 1 cm, variably raised cutaneous reddened areas. The fish displayed good general condition. Cutaneous samples, investigated by microbiological and molecular methods and microscopy, did not indicate a primary pathogenic agent. Gross and histological findings of the cutaneous biopsies were consistent with a multifocal/reactive process centred on dermal vessels. The histological features were reminiscent of angiomatosis, a benign proliferative condition affecting the dermal vessels of mammals, including human patients. The clinical–pathological presentation and the dermatologic condition that affected the koi carp are discussed and compared with the veterinary and human literature.
“Out of the clear blue sky she tells me she loves me”: Connection experiences between caregivers and people with dementia
Authors: Sideman Alissa Bernstein , Merrilees Jennifer , Dulaney Sarah , Kiekhofer Rachel , Braley Tamara , Lee Kirby , Chiong Winston , Miller Bruce , Bonasera Stephen J. , Possin Katherine L.
Published: March 2023

Background

Dementia can impede the relationship and connection between the person with dementia (PWD) and their caregiver. Yet, caregiving in dementia also offers opportunities for connection, which has implications for caregiver and PWD well‐being. In this qualitative study, we describe and characterize ways caregivers felt connected to the person with dementia they care for.

Methods

We conducted a telephone‐based survey with caregivers of people with dementia. For this paper, we analyzed responses to an open‐ended question focused on when caregivers feel most connected to the person they are caring for. Responses were analyzed and coded and themes were identified through an iterative process involving a multidisciplinary team of researchers and clinicians.

Results

437 caregivers participated in this study. We identified two domains of connection: activity‐based and emotion‐based connections. Within activity‐based connections, the following themes emerged: everyday activities; reminiscing; activities of caregiving; novel experiences; and time with family and friends. Within emotional connections, the following themes emerged: expressions of love, appreciation, and gratitude; physical affection; sharing an emotion or emotional experience; and times when the PWD seems like “themself” again.

Conclusions

Findings provide insights into ways caregivers experience a sense of connection with the person they care for. There is a call to shift away from focusing on reducing stress and toward optimizing positive experiences as a way to better support caregivers' health and well‐being. Interventions that leverage these insights to foster caregiver – PWD connection could lead to better health and well‐being for both members of the dyad. The amplification of a positive experience may be particularly important for caregivers who are struggling with limited support or respite. Clinicians may be interested in using a question about connection as a way to more fully understand a caregiver's current experience.
Joy at work and vocational identity during COVID‐19: A structural equation model
Authors: Liske Carole , Tutticci Naomi , Diño Michael Joseph S.
Published: March 2023

Objective

This study aims to explore the interrelations between joy at work, vocational identity, and COVID‐19‐related latent variables.

Design

A cross‐sectional design was adopted to survey 253 registered nurses through nursing organizations and social networking sites during the time of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

Structural Equation Modeling through Partial Least Squares (SEM‐PLS) was employed to accurately analyze and estimate relationships among joy at work, vocational identity, and COVID‐19‐related constructs in compliance with published standards and guidelines.

Results

Thirty‐one items received convergent validity measures to represent the five study constructs related to joy at work, vocational identity, and Work life Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic: Meaning, Engagement, and Growth (MEG), Compassion, Sensitivity, and Respect (CSR), Trust, Support, and Flexibility (TSF), Vocational Identity Questionnaire (VIQ), and Work life Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic (CI). The generated model exhibited good model fit and consistent quality indices. The data fit statistically with the model: (Average Path Coefficient = 0.195, p < 0.000); Average R‐Squared = 0.156, p < 0.003; Average Adjusted R‐Squared = 0.151, p < 0.004; Average Variance Inflation Factor = 2.193 (within the ideal range); Average Full collinearity VIF = 2.388 (within the ideal range), and Tenenhaus Goodness of Fit (GoF) = 0.329. The perceived Work life Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic (CI) was a significant predictor of joy at work constructs (MEG, CSR, and TSF) and VIQ with direct effects. It also exerted a negative influence over MEG and TSF, but positively on CSR and VIQ. Notably, joy at work constructs significantly mediated the effects of CI on VIQ.

Conclusion

A structural model was developed that offers insights and a parsimonious explanation for the interrelations of COVID‐19, joy at work, and vocational identity variables. The pandemic unquestionably influences the nurses' perceived joy, sense of calling, and meaning in life's work, and joy at work enhances nurses' work‐life worth during challenging times.

Clinical Relevance

An increased understanding of nurses' joy at work during challenging times can potentially influence work culture, informs individual nurses, nurse leaders, and healthcare systems in all professional domains of practice and provides the foundational information to identify barriers to joy and strategies that enhance joy.
The changing face of intimate premarital relationships in Taiwan
Authors: Cheng Yen‐hsin Alice
Published: March 2023

Objective

This paper examines changing intimate premarital relationships in Taiwan.

Background

Marriages have been on the decline. Whether these foregone marriages are associated with a rise in cohabitation or other alternatives have become central to a thorough understanding of family changes, yet relevant research on Taiwan is limited.

Methods

The Taiwan Fertility and Family Survey collected nationally representative samples of 23,495 men and women aged 20–49 in four waves from 1998 to 2016. These were used to investigate changing patterns of cohabitation, marriage plans among cohabiting couples, premarital sex, and bridal pregnancies in addition to how the patterns vary by sex, education, and cohort.

Results

More adults in Taiwan have experienced intimate premarital relationships since 1998, with a shift from no educational gradient to a negative one for cohabitation and premarital conception. These patterns were gendered during 2012–2016. With a persistently short duration and fewer adults living together with the idea of eventually getting married, cohabitation has become less of a prelude to marriage than an alternative to singlehood, and very few of these have involved children. These shifting behaviors have been driven mainly by the cohort replacement effect and intra‐cohort changes.

Conclusion

Cohabitation has yet to become a long‐term stable union involving children. A lower birth rate caused by later and fewer marriages has not been offset by nonmarital births in cohabitation, and bridal pregnancies did not seem to have resulted in more marriages. Taiwan's socio‐cultural context likely plays a crucial role in the quasi‐Second Demographic Transition family changes here.
Flat‐panel detector CT to assess intracranial hemorrhage immediately following mechanical thrombectomy
Authors: Inoa Violiza , Dornbos David , DiNitto Julie , Martineau David , Sullivan Joseph , Angel Jacqueline , Nolan Vikki G. , Arthur Adam S. , Hoit Daniel , Nickele Christopher , Goyal Nitin , Elijovich Lucas
Published: March 2023

Background and Purpose

The risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) approaches 5% despite mechanical thrombectomy (MT) efficacy for ischemic stroke secondary to large vessel occlusion. Flat‐panel detector CT (FDCT) imaging with Syngo Dyna CT imaging (Siemens Medical Solutions, Malvern, PA) can be used immediately following MT to detect ICH.

Purpose

To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of FDCT imaging with Dyna CT compared to conventional post‐MT CT and MRI.

Methods

Head FDCT (20 second, 70 kV) was performed immediately following MT on 26 consecutive patients; postprocedural CT or MRI was obtained ∼24 hours later. Two blinded, independent neuroradiologists evaluated all imaging, identifying ICH, stroke, and presence of subarachnoid contrast. Cohen's κ statistic was used to assess interrater agreement for each imaging outcome and compared the FDCT to conventional imaging.

Results

FDCT for ICH demonstrated a strong degree of interrater reliability (κ = 0.896; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.734‐1.057). Negligible reliability was seen for ischemia determination on immediate post‐MT FDCT (κ = 0.149; 95% CI, –0.243 to 0.541). ICH evaluation between FDCT and post‐MT conventional CT revealed modest interrater reliability (κ = 0.432; 95% CI, –0.100 to 0.965), which did not reach statistical significance. There was no substantive reliability in the evaluation of ICH between FDCT and post‐MT MRI (κ = 0.118, 95% CI, –0.345 to 0.580).

Conclusion

FDCT, such as Dyna CT, immediately post‐MT is a promising tool that can expedite the detection of ICH with a high degree of reliability, although the detection of ischemic parenchymal changes is limited.
TGF‐βRII/EP300/SMAD4 cascade signaling pathway promotes invasion and glycolysis in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Dandan , Peng Yanshuang , Lin Gaoren , Xiao Qian , Liu Han , Nan Xiaoxu , Han Jinpeng , Zhao Runzhe , Wang Yuzhu , Liu Jialin , Liu Ying
Published: March 2023

Introduction

EP300 is considered to be a cancer suppressor gene that plays a role in tumor development, but some studies have reported that it is not an oral squamous cell carcinoma suppressor gene, because there was neither epigenetic inactivation of the gene nor a mutation resulting in functional impairment. However, there is no relevant study on whether EP300 is the exact carcinogenic effect and its mechanisms of carcinogenic effects in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

Western blot analysis and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction experiments verified the protein and mRNA expression of EP300 in oral squamous cell carcinoma; The effects of EP300 knockout on glucose consumption and lactic acid production were detected by glycolysis experiments; The relationship between pathway‐related proteins and EP300 was verified by bioinformatics analysis and co‐immunoprecipitation experiment.

Results

Our experimental results confirm that the protein and mRNA of EP300 are highly expressed in oral squamous cell carcinoma, and after knocking out the EP300, the glycolysis ability, invasion, migration, and other biological functions of oral squamous cell carcinoma, are inhibited at the same time. Pathway‐related experiments have confirmed that EP300 plays a role in promoting cancer through the transforming growth factor‐beta receptor II (TGF‐βRII)/EP300/Smad4 cascade pathway.

Conclusion

EP300 plays a carcinogenic role in OSCC showed that the TGF‐βRII/EP300/Smad4 cascade pathway is involved in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Endogenous mood state and hedonic responses to pleasant odors
Authors: Marsh Eliza L. , Goodwin Madeline E. , Sayette Michael A. , Marchetti Mary A. , Herz Rachel S.
Published: March 2023

Responses to olfactory cues hold significant practical implications. For instance, emerging research reveals that strategic administration of pleasant olfactory cues can support positive health and well‐being outcomes. The underlying assumption is that pleasantness of odor perception stimulates various downstream benefits. However, olfactory responses vary across individuals and identifying who is most receptive to positive olfactory effects remains an important objective. One key factor may be the perceiver's mood. This study evaluated the association between natural mood state and subjective pleasantness ratings to normatively positive odors. In two experimental sessions, 232 participants with intact olfactory function rated their current mood and the pleasantness of six odorants. Across sessions, individuals with more positive baseline moods rated the odors as being more pleasant than did those with lower baseline mood scores. These findings suggest that individual differences in natural occurring mood should be considered in research examining the positive effects of olfactory cues.

Practical Applications

Pleasant olfactory cues show great potential for interventional research design within sensory science; however, there is little research examining how individual differences may impact the perception and effectiveness of odors. Our data demonstrate that baseline mood state is directly associated with the hedonic perception of pleasant odors. These findings illustrate that individual mood state may be essential to consider for basic research, applied, and consumer sensory panel testing of odor hedonics, and further suggest that inherent mood may influence the degree to which smelling normatively pleasant odors may enhance mental and physical health outcomes.
Site‐specific analysis reveals candidate cross‐kingdom small RNAs, tRNA and rRNA fragments, and signs of fungal RNA phasing in the barley–powdery mildew interaction
Authors: Kusch Stefan , Singh Mansi , Thieron Hannah , Spanu Pietro D. , Panstruga Ralph
Published: March 2023

The establishment of host–microbe interactions requires molecular communication between both partners, which may involve the mutual transfer of noncoding small RNAs. Previous evidence suggests that this is also true for powdery mildew disease in barley, which is caused by the fungal pathogen Blumeria hordei. However, previous studies lacked spatial resolution regarding the accumulation of small RNAs upon host infection by B. hordei. Here, we analysed site‐specific small RNA repertoires in the context of the barley–B. hordei interaction. To this end, we dissected infected leaves into separate fractions representing different sites that are key to the pathogenic process: epiphytic fungal mycelium, infected plant epidermis, isolated haustoria, a vesicle‐enriched fraction from infected epidermis, and extracellular vesicles. Unexpectedly, we discovered enrichment of specific 31–33‐base 5′‐terminal fragments of barley 5.8S ribosomal RNA in extracellular vesicles and infected epidermis, as well as particular B. hordei transfer RNA fragments in haustoria. We describe canonical small RNAs from both the plant host and the fungal pathogen that may confer cross‐kingdom RNA interference activity. Interestingly, we found first evidence of phased small interfering RNAs in B. hordei, a feature usually attributed to plants, which may be associated with the posttranscriptional control of fungal coding genes, pseudogenes, and transposable elements. Our data suggest a key and possibly site‐specific role for cross‐kingdom RNA interference and noncoding RNA fragments in the host–pathogen communication between B. hordei and its host barley.
TREGIFFIAN: THE CHRONOLOGY OF AN ENTRANCE GRAVE
Authors: Jones Andy M. , Hamilton Derek , Quinnell Henrietta
Published: March 2023

The Tregiffian project involved the analysis and dating of the archive from unpublished excavations in the 1960s and 1970s at an entrance grave in Penwith, Cornwall. A major aim of the project was to establish a robust chronological basis for the use of the entrance grave for burial: 10 samples of cremated human bone were submitted for radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling undertaken. The modelling indicates that the use of the chamber for burial between began in 1780–1510 BC and ended in 1595–1425 BC. The results are hugely significant as they provide the first modelled dating from a Penwith entrance grave. This paper discusses the results from the radiocarbon dating project and reconsiders entrance graves in the wider context of the Early Bronze Age megalithic tombs which are found around the Irish Sea.
ICU capacity expansion under uncertainty in the early stages of a pandemic
Authors: Gambaro Anna Maria , Fusai Gianluca , Sodhi ManMohan S. , May Caterina , Morelli Chiara
Published: March 2023

We propose a general modular approach to support decision‐makers' response in the early stages of a pandemic with resource expansion, motivated by the shortage of Covid‐19‐related intensive care units (ICU) capacity in 2020 in Italy. Our approach uses (1) a stochastic extension of an epidemic model for scenarios of projected infections, (2) a capacity load model to translate infections into scenarios of demand for the resources of interest, and (3) an optimization model to allocate this demand to the projected levels of resources based on different values of investment. We demonstrate this approach with the onset of the first and second Covid‐19 waves in three Italian regions, using the data available at that time. For epidemic modeling, we used a parsimonious stochastic susceptible‐infected‐removed model with a robust estimation procedure based on bootstrap resampling, suitable for a noisy and data‐limited environment. For capacity loading, we used a Cox queuing model to translate the projected infections into demand for ICU, using stochastic intensity to capture the variability of the patient arrival process. Finally, we used stochastic dynamic optimization to select the best policy (when and how much to expand) to minimize the expected number of patients denied ICU for any level of investment in capacity expansion and obtain an efficient frontier. The frontier allows a trade‐off between investment in additional resources and the number of patients denied intensive care. Moreover, in the panic‐driven early days of a pandemic, decision‐makers can also obtain the time until which they can postpone action, potentially reducing investment costs without increasing the expected number of denied patients.
Supply chain preparedness: How operational settings, product and disaster characteristics affect humanitarian responses
Authors: Stumpf Jonas , Besiou Maria , Wakolbinger Tina
Published: March 2023

Supply chains are dynamic and complex systems. This holds particularly true for humanitarian supply chains that operate under strong uncertainty. In view of an ever‐growing gap of unmet humanitarian needs, it is essential to gain a better understanding of the behavior of humanitarian supply chain systems. Despite a growing academic output in this field, there is a lack of empirical studies that take an integrated view on humanitarian supply chains and support decision makers with fact‐based evidence. Based on four extensive case studies and existing literature, we developed a system dynamics model that reflects the operational reality of humanitarian organizations in form of their centralized, hybrid and decentralized settings. The model provides a holistic supply chain view and measures the operational performance with regard to response cost, delivery lead time and impact on the local economy. Furthermore, we studied the impact of preparedness investments to enhance operational performance in the supply chain and deliver more humanitarian assistance with the limited resources available. Finally, we used our model to analyze the impact of major shocks such as the COVID‐19 pandemic to assess the vulnerability of humanitarian supply chains. The results indicate that operational settings, product and disaster characteristics have a major influence on the supply chain performance both in the noninvestment case as well as in the case where preparedness investments have been made. Specifically, for low‐value items, we find that decentralized settings have the lowest supply chain costs while for high‐value items the price difference between local and international procurement determines which setting is the most cost‐effective one. The preferability of the supply chain setting strongly depends on the indicator chosen. Hence, ultimately, the findings emphasize the need to apply appropriate indicators and identify their trade‐offs to comprehensively analyze the performance of humanitarian supply chain settings. The newly introduced Humanitarian Return‐on‐Investment concept can play an important role in this context.
Interfirm knowledge sharing for energy efficiency
Authors: Lee Jaeseok , Jeong Seongkyoon , Jung Hyun Ju
Published: March 2023

Climate change as a global challenge requires collective responses from stakeholders in society. As the main source of energy consumption generating greenhouse gases (e.g., CO2), firms increasingly share their problems and experiences regarding energy saving in interfirm knowledge communities. By distinguishing knowledge sharing from free‐riding, we investigate how firms that participate in an interfirm knowledge community for energy saving improve their energy efficiency. We use a unique panel dataset collected between 2001 and 2011 from the Energy Saving through Partnership program in South Korea. Our findings show that, within the community for energy saving, firms that share their knowledge through presenting their best practices improve energy efficiency to a greater extent (approximately 11.8–14.8%) than free‐riders. Our results suggest that the improvement in knowledge‐sharing firms’ energy efficiency is attributed to relevant and tailored feedback gained from other participants. Further, we find that the understanding and activeness of other participants, which determine the quality and quantity of feedback respectively, significantly affect knowledge‐sharing firms’ energy efficiency. Overall, our analysis has implications for firms on how they can contribute to a collective response to climate change through their collaborative activities in an interfirm knowledge community.
Effects of a school‐based physical activity intervention on cardiometabolic health 5 years after cessation
Authors: Resaland G. K. , Bartholomew J. B. , Andersen L. B. , Anderssen S. A. , Aadland E.
Published: March 2023

Background

While there have been several school‐based physical activity (PA) interventions targeting improvement in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, few have assessed long‐term effects. The aim of this paper was therefore to determine intervention effects on CVD risk factors 5 years after cessation.

Methods

Two schools were assigned to intervention (n = 125) or control (n = 134). The intervention school offered 210 min/week more PA than the control school over two consecutive years (fourth and fifth grades). Follow‐up assessment was conducted 5‐year post‐intervention (10th grade) where 180–210 (73%–85%) children provided valid data. Outcomes were CVD risk factors: triglyceride, total‐to‐high‐density‐lipoprotein‐cholesterol ratio (TC:HDL ratio), insulin resistance, blood pressure (BP), waist circumference, and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak). Variables were analyzed individually and as a composite score through linear mixed models, including random intercepts for children.

Results

Analyses revealed significant sustained 5‐year intervention effects for HDL (effect sizes [ES] = 0.22), diastolic BP (ES = 0.48), VO2peak (ES = 0.29), and composite risk score (ES = 0.38). These effects were similar to the immediate results following the intervention. In contrast, while TC:HDL ratio initially decreased post‐intervention (ES = 0.27), this decrease was not maintained at 5‐year follow‐up (ES = 0.09), whereas WC was initially unchanged post‐intervention (ES = 0.02), but decreased at 5‐year follow‐up (ES = 0.44).

Conclusion

The significant effects of a 2‐year school‐based PA intervention remained for CVD risk factors 5 years after cessation of the intervention. As cardiometabolic health can be maintained long‐term after school‐based PA, this paper demonstrates the sustainability and potential of schools in the primary prevention of future CVD risk in children.