bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) as a tool for the management of Pine Pitch Canker forest disease
Authors: Bocos-Asenjo I.T. , Amin H. , Mosquera S. , Díez-Hermano S. , Ginésy M. , Diez J.J. , Niño-Sánchez J.
Published: March 2024

Global change is exacerbating the prevalence of plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi in forests worldwide. The conventional use of chemical fungicides, which is commonplace in agricultural settings, is not sanctioned for application in forest ecosystems, so novel control strategies are imperative. The promising approach SIGS (Spray-Induced Gene Silencing) involves the external application of specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which can modulate the expression of target genes through environmental RNA interference in eukaryotes. SIGS exhibited notable success in reducing virulence when deployed against some crop fungal pathogens, such asFusarium graminearum,Botrytis cinereaandSclerotinia sclerotiorum, among others. However, there is a conspicuous dearth of studies evaluating the applicability of SIGS for managing forest pathogens. This research aimed to determine whether SIGS could be used to controlFusarium circinatum, a widely impactful forest pathogen that causes Pine Pitch Canker disease. To achieve this, we designed and produced though a bacterial synthesis, dsRNA molecules to target fungal essential genes involved to vesicle trafficking (Vps51,DCTN1, andSAC1), signal transduction (Pp2a,Sit4,Ppg1, andTap42), and cell wall biogenesis (Chs1,Chs2,Chs3b,Gls1) metabolic pathways. We confirmed thatF. circinatumis able to uptake externally applied dsRNA, triggering an inhibition of the pathogen’s virulence. Furthermore, this study pioneers the demonstration that recurrent applications of dsRNAs in SIGS are more effective in protecting plants than single applications. Therefore, SIGS emerges as an effective and sustainable approach for managing plant pathogens, showcasing its efficacy in controlling a globally significant forest pathogen subject to quarantine measures.
Heavy-ion collisions, Gubser flow, and Carroll hydrodynamics
Authors: Bagchi Arjun , Kolekar Kedar S. , Mandal Taniya , Shukla Ashish
Published: March 2024

Gubser flow provides an analytic model for describing the spacetime dynamics of the quark-gluon plasma produced in heavy-ion collisions. Along with boost and rotation invariance along the beam axis, the model assumes invariance under a combination of translations and special conformal transformations in the transverse plane, leading to a flow profile which evolves not just along the beam axis, but also radially. We argue that Gubser flow and its associated symmetry assumptions arise naturally as a consequence of Carrollian symmetries for a conformal Carroll fluid, thereby providing a dual geometric picture for the flow. Given the inherent ultrarelativistic nature of the flow, this duality with Carroll hydrodynamics which arises in the c→0 limit of relativistic hydrodynamics, is natural. We provide a precise map between Gubser flow and the conformal Carroll fluid, appropriate to capture the duality between the two, not just at the ideal level, but also with the inclusion of hydrodynamic derivative corrections.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Democratic Lagrangians from topological bulk
Authors: Evnin Oleg , Joung Euihun , Mkrtchyan Karapet
Published: March 2024

Chiral form fields in d dimensions can be effectively described as edge modes of topological Chern-Simons theories in d+1 dimensions. At the same time, manifestly Lorentz-invariant Lagrangian description of such fields directly in terms of a d-dimensional field theory is challenging and requires introducing nontrivial auxiliary gauge fields eliminated on shell with extra gauge symmetries. A recent work by Arvanitakis demonstrates (emphasizing the case of 2d chiral bosons) that the two approaches are related, and a peculiar reduction on the (d+1)-dimensional topological Lagrangian automatically leads to d-dimensional Lagrangians with appropriate sets of auxiliary fields. We develop this setup in three distinct directions. First, we demonstrate how arbitrary Abelian self-interactions for chiral forms can be included using nonlinear boundary terms in the Chern-Simons theory. Second, by generalizing the Chern-Simons theory to the BF-theory, we obtain an analogous democratic description of nonchiral form fields, where electric and magnetic potentials appear as explicit dynamical variables. Third, we discuss the effects of introducing topological interactions in the higher-dimensional bulk, which produce extra interaction terms in the boundary theory. When applied to a topological 4-form field in 12 dimensions, this construction results in a democratic description of the 3-form gauge field of the eleven-dimensional supergravity.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
First Constraints on the Photon Coupling of Axionlike Particles from Multimessenger Studies of the Neutron Star Merger GW170817
Authors: Dev P. S. Bhupal , Fortin Jean-François , Harris Steven P. , Sinha Kuver , Zhang Yongchao
Published: March 2024

We use multimessenger observations of the neutron star merger event GW170817 to derive new constraints on axionlike particles (ALPs) coupling to photons. ALPs are produced via Primakoff and photon coalescence processes in the merger, escape the remnant, and decay back into two photons, giving rise to a photon signal approximately along the line of sight to the merger. We analyze the spectral and temporal information of the ALP-induced photon signal and use the Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) observations of GW170817 to derive our new ALP constraints. We also show the improved prospects with future MeV γ-ray missions, taking the spectral and temporal coverage of Fermi-LAT as an example.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Resonances of Supernova Neutrinos in Twisting Magnetic Fields
Authors: Jana Sudip , Porto Yago
Published: March 2024

We investigate the effect of resonant spin conversion of the neutrinos induced by the geometrical phase in a twisting magnetic field. We find that the geometrical phase originating from the rotation of the transverse magnetic field along the neutrino trajectory can trigger a resonant spin conversion of Dirac neutrinos inside the supernova, even if there were no such transitions in the fixed-direction field case. We have shown that, even though resonant spin conversion is too weak to affect solar neutrinos, it could have a remarkable consequence on supernova neutronization bursts where very intense magnetic fields are quite likely. We demonstrate how the flavor composition at Earth can be used as a probe to establish the presence of non-negligible magnetic moments, potentially down to 10−15μB in upcoming neutrino experiments like the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment and the Hyper-Kamiokande. Possible implications are analyzed.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Dynamical simulation via quantum machine learning with provable generalization
Authors: Gibbs Joe , Holmes Zoë , Caro Matthias C. , Ezzell Nicholas , Huang Hsin-Yuan , Cincio Lukasz , Sornborger Andrew T. , Coles Patrick J.
Published: March 2024

Much attention has been paid to dynamical simulation and quantum machine learning (QML) independently as applications for quantum advantage, while the possibility of using QML to enhance dynamical simulations has not been thoroughly investigated. Here we develop a framework for using QML methods to simulate quantum dynamics on near-term quantum hardware. We use generalization bounds, which bound the error a machine learning model makes on unseen data, to rigorously analyze the training data requirements of an algorithm within this framework. Our algorithm is thus resource efficient in terms of qubit and data requirements. Furthermore, our preliminary numerics for the XY model exhibit efficient scaling with problem size, and we simulate 20 times longer than Trotterization on IBMQ-Bogota.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Unfolding system-environment correlation in open quantum systems: Revisiting master equations and the Born approximation
Authors: Babu A. P. , Alipour S. , Rezakhani A. T. , Ala-Nissila T.
Published: March 2024

Understanding system-environment correlations in open quantum systems is vital for various quantum information and technology applications. However, these correlations are often overlooked or hidden in derivations of open-quantum-system master equations, especially when applying the Born approximation. To address this issue, given a microscopic model, we demonstrate how to retain system-environment correlation within commonly used master equations, such as the Markovian Lindblad, Redfield, second-order time convolutionless, second-order Nakajima-Zwanzig, and second-order universal Lindblad-like equations. We show that each master equation corresponds to a particular approximation on the system-environment correlation operator. In particular, our analysis exposes the form of the hidden system-environment correlation in the Markovian Lindblad equation derived using the Born approximation. We also identify that the processes leading to the Redfield equation yield an inaccurate initial-time system-environment correlation approximation. By fixing this problem, we propose a corrected Redfield equation with an improved prediction for early stages of the time evolution. We further illustrate our results in two examples, which imply that the second-order universal Lindblad-like equation captures correlation more accurately than the other standard master equations.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Transferable Hirshfeld atom model for rapid evaluation of aspherical atomic form factors
Authors: Chodkiewicz Michał , Patrikeev Leonid , Pawlędzio Sylwia , Woźniak Krzysztof
Published: March 2024

Form factors based on aspherical models of atomic electron density have brought great improvement in the accuracies of hydrogen atom parameters derived from X-ray crystal structure refinement. Today, two main groups of such models are available, the banks of transferable atomic densities parametrized using the Hansen–Coppens multipole model which allows for rapid evaluation of atomic form factors and Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR)-related methods which are usually more accurate but also slower. In this work, a model that combines the ideas utilized in the two approaches is tested. It uses atomic electron densities based on Hirshfeld partitions of electron densities, which are precalculated and stored in a databank. This model was also applied during the refinement of the structures of five small molecules. A comparison of the resulting hydrogen atom parameters with those derived from neutron diffraction data indicates that they are more accurate than those obtained with the Hansen–Coppens based databank, and only slightly less accurate than those obtained with a version of HAR that neglects the crystal environment. The advantage of using HAR becomes more noticeable when the effects of the environment are included. To speed up calculations, atomic densities were represented by multipole expansion with spherical harmonics up to l = 7, which used numerical radial functions (a different approach to that applied in the Hansen–Coppens model). Calculations of atomic form factors for the small protein crambin (at 0.73 Å resolution) took only 68 s using 12 CPU cores.
The physical space model of the Tsai-type quasicrystal
Authors: Buganski Ireneusz , Strzalka Radoslaw , Wolny Janusz
Published: March 2024

The binary Cd5.7Yb phase representing the Tsai-type category of the icosahedral quasicrystals is solved by the assignment of a unique atomic decoration to rhombohedral units in the Ammann–Kramer–Neri tiling. The unique decoration is found for units with an edge length of 24.1 Å and 3
m internal point symmetry. The structural refinement was carried out for two underlying tilings generated by the projection method for 6D space. The difference lies in the location of the origin point which for one tiling is in the vertex and for the second one in the center of the 6D unit cell. The two tilings exhibit mutual duality. The choice of the tiling has a minor effect on the final structural model as both converge to an R factor of ∼11.5%. The main difference is related to the treatment of the Cd4 tetrahedral motif which is either orientationally ordered and aligned with the threefold axis or disordered and modeled as a partially occupied icosahedron. Both models can be presented as a covering by rhombic triacontahedral clusters with identical positions of clusters within rhombohedral units. The shell structure is Tsai-type in the case of the first tiling and Bergman-type for the other.
Exploring the mechanism of digital technology affordance on manufacturing enterprises’ digital competitive advantage
Authors: Zhu Jianxin , Jin Yu
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Digital technology is crucial to improving a firm’s core competitiveness. However, the existing research on the relationship therein shows heterogeneity. Using digital technology can enhance competitive advantage, which is crucial for enterprises and scholars. Thus, based on the digital technology affordance theory, this study explores the relationship between digital technology affordance and digital competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 509 large and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises in China, and multiple regression and structural equation modelling were used to test the hypotheses. Specifically, we discuss the mediating role of digital business capability and the moderating role of organisational legitimacy.

Findings

Editability, association and visibility positively affect digital competitive advantage, and their coordination is strong. Further, they can help enterprises gain a competitive advantage through the mediating role of digital business capability (digital strategy, digital integration and regulation). However, the influence effect and action path differ per in different dimensions. Organisational legitimacy positively moderates the mediating effect of digital integration and regulation, and there is a moderated mediating effect. However, the moderating effect on the mediating effect of digital strategy is not significant.

Originality/value

Existing studies neglect the relationship between the coordination of digital technology functions and digital competitive advantage. This study provides a new theoretical explanation for an in-depth understanding of these issues. These findings promote the development of innovation theory and provide valuable insights for guiding the application of digital technology in enterprises.
Secure futures? A mixed methods study on opportunities for helping young people referred to secure children’s homes for welfare reasons
Authors: Williams Annie , Bayfield Hannah , Elliott Martin , Lyttleton-Smith Jennifer , Young Honor , Evans Rhiannon , Long Sara
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Using a mixed methodology comprising interviews, case file analysis and descriptive statistics, this study aims to examine the experiences of all 43 young people in Wales subject to secure accommodation orders between 1st April 2016 and 31st March 2018.

Design/methodology/approach

Children in the UK aged 10–17 years who are deemed to be at a significant level of risk to themselves or others may be subject to a secure accommodation order, leading to time spent in a secure children’s home (SCH) on welfare grounds. Following a rise in the number of children in Wales referred to SCHs for welfare reasons, this paper describes these young people’s journeys into, through and out of SCHs, giving insight into their experiences and highlighting areas for policy and practice improvements.

Findings

Findings indicate that improvements in mental health support and placement availability are key in improving the experiences of this particularly vulnerable group of young people throughout their childhood.

Practical implications

Other practical implications of the study’s findings, such as improvements in secure transport arrangements, are also discussed.

Originality/value

While the findings are limited by the reliance on self-report methods and the size of the study, namely, the small number of young people with experience of SCHs who were able to participate, the findings build on the existing knowledge base around children’s residential accommodation and provide new insights into how best to support these children.
Advance selling and service cancelation when consumers are overconfident
Authors: Sun Zhongfeng , Ji Guojun , Tan Kim Hua
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to study the joint decision making of advance selling and service cancelation for service provides with limited capacity when consumers are overconfident.

Design/methodology/approach

For the case in which consumers encounter uncertainties about product valuation and consumption states in the advance period and are overconfident about the probability of a good state, we study how the service provider chooses the optimal sales strategy among the non-advance selling strategy, the advance selling and disallowing cancelation strategy, and the advance selling and allowing cancelation strategy. We also discuss how overconfidence influences the service provider’s decision making.

Findings

The results show that when service capacity is sufficient, the service provider should adopt advance selling and disallow cancelation; when service capacity is insufficient, the service provider should still implement advance selling but allow cancelation; and when service capacity is extremely insufficient, the service provider should offer spot sales. Moreover, overconfidence weakens the necessity to allow cancelation under sufficient service capacity and enhances it under insufficient service capacity but is always advantageous to advance selling.

Practical implications

The obtained results provide managerial insights for service providers to make advance selling decisions.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first to explore the effect of consumers’ overconfidence on the joint decision of advance selling and service cancelation under capacity constraints.
Understanding regional growth of social enterprises: the art of the state
Authors: Song Chengcheng , Wang Echo Lei
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The paper examines the key driving factors behind the rapid and uneven growth of social enterprises in China based on Kerlin’s Macro-Institutional Social Enterprise (MISE) model of social enterprise development, with an emphasis on testing key local institutional factors.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts the quantitative method approach. The hypotheses have been tested based on a cross-regional empirical analysis with two national datasets on China.

Findings

This study shows that among the state, market and civil society, local government support in terms of favorable policies is the sole determinant factor driving China’s social enterprise growth. On the other hand, the market is irrelevant and local civil society impedes social enterprise growth. This demonstrates that the current growth model is the result of government intervention.

Research limitations/implications

The datasets have a limited sample size. We suggest that future studies may collect a larger sample size with more comprehensive information. We think this study will encourage more comparative qualitative studies at the local level to reveal the underlying mechanisms of growth.

Practical implications

Since government policy is the determinant factor, the quality and quantity of government-backed incubation programs and platforms would matter the most for social enterprise growth. Our study also helps social entrepreneurs understand what factors matter when they try to develop social enterprises in China. They are advised to work on aspects of gaining legal legitimacy and political support in order to grow the sector.

Social implications

This conclusion suggests that professionals and practitioners should review the implications of the current growth of social enterprises in China, in terms of their sustainability, given their institutional isolation from other sectors.

Originality/value

Current studies have yet to thoroughly explore the role of meso- and micro-institutional factors in social enterprise development, especially in different contexts. With reference to Kerlin’s framework and the tri-sector model, this paper advances the understanding of social enterprise growth in China.
Multi‐geophysical methods for characterizing fractures in an open pit mine, western Bushveld Complex, South Africa
Authors: Rapetsoa Moyagabo K. , Gomo Sikelela , Manzi Musa S. D. , James Ian , Dildar Jureya , Sihoyiya Mpofana , Mutshafa Ndamulelo , Durrheim Raymond J.
Published: March 2024

In the Bushveld Complex, South Africa, open pit mines are faced with a challenge of rock slope stability due to geological structures (fractures, faults and dykes) that compartmentalize the rock mass. Geophysical surveys (seismics, magnetics and electrical methods) were conducted in a 0.2 km2 area at Tharisa mine, with the goal to delineate fractures that may be potential conduits for water migration into the pit. Special processing techniques were applied to the dataset to obtain good quality seismic, magnetic and resistivity models. The P‐wave velocity models show distinct low velocities in the centre of the seismic profile, indicating the presence of weak zones associated with faulting or fracturing. Seismic reflection method was used to image the deeper discontinuities and mineralization contacts. Near surface reflections are observed throughout the profiles and are correlated with the contact between the chromitite and host rock. Ground magnetic surveys were conducted to delineate dykes and fractures. De‐trending and de‐culturing techniques were applied on the magnetic data for correcting regional and temporal variations. The low magnetic regions indicate the presence of fracture systems in the subsurface, whereas the high magnetic region is correlated with the dolerite dyke that crosscuts the pit. The electrical resistivity tomography exhibits linear low resistivity contrast zones that differentiate between the fractured and undisturbed hard rock at an estimated depth of 4–10 m. Resistivity shows discontinuities that suggests the presence of fracturing and dyke‐host rock contacts. Correlation among magnetics, P‐wave velocity models, resistivity section and seismic data is evident when overlaying the different datasets, implying that the low magnetic regions are highly weathered and prone to fracturing. The integration of geophysical data is encouraging, because it was able to image the depth to the bedrock, fractures within the host rock and dyke in a complex mining environment.
Features of tattoo‐associated cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia on reflectance confocal microscopy and line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography
Authors: Ariasi C. , Licata G. , Perazzolli G. , Tonon F. , Venturini M. , Calzavara‐Pinton P. G. , Soglia S.
Published: March 2024

The popularity of tattoos has led to an increase in associated skin reactions, including complications such as infection, allergic reactions and rare conditions such as tattoo‐induced cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia (CLH). CLH is a benign lymphoproliferative reaction with clinical features resembling malignant cutaneous lymphomas. Non‐invasive diagnostic tools like reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and the new line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC‐OCT) are being studied in dermatology better to understand the morphological patterns of many dermatological diseases. Between September 2021 and May 2023, patients with suspicious lesions for tattoo‐related CLH were analysed using RCM and LC‐OCT before confirming the diagnosis of CLH through skin biopsy and histopathological examination. The study included five cases of CLH. It focused on the analysis of high‐quality LC‐OCT images/videos and RCM images to investigate the features of CLH in tattooed individuals. Most (80%) cases exhibited a mixed T and B lymphocyte infiltration subtype, while 20% showed a predominant T infiltration subtype. RCM and LC‐OCT revealed characteristic features, including architectural disarray, fibrosis, lymphoid infiltrates, and pigment deposits in the epidermis and dermis. Non‐invasive tools such as RCM and LC‐OCT are valuable in diagnosing tattoo‐related CLH. While skin biopsy remains the current standard for diagnosis, RCM and LC‐OCT can serve as helpful adjuncts in identifying the most representative area for biopsy. They may potentially become alternative diagnostic options in the future, offering benefits in terms of cost, diagnostic efficiency, aesthetics and patient satisfaction as the prevalence of tattoo‐related adverse reactions continues to rise.
The contestable peoplehood account of democratically legitimate boundaries
Authors: Ginnane Tara
Published: March 2024

This article presents a new way to assess whether laws that grant membership of a democratic people are themselves democratically legitimate. It thus offers a new answer to the old question of whether a democracy's boundaries can be democratic. Thecontestable peoplehoodaccount builds from work that sees boundaries as irresolvable paradoxes that generate legitimacy through contestation. It also shows that boundaries shape identity by implying substantive accounts of peoplehood. Connecting these threads, it argues that boundaries are democratically legitimate when their implied accounts of peoplehood support contestation about what the basis of the people should be. It develops two new criteria to assess this, called contingency and non‐denigration. The contestable peoplehood account offers a more politicized and pluralist way to assess boundaries’ democratic legitimacy than previously available.
The glucocorticoid dexamethasone alleviates allergic inflammation through a mitogen‐activated protein kinase phosphatase‐1‐dependent mechanism in mice
Authors: Lehtola Tiina , Nummenmaa Elina , Nieminen Riina , Hämäläinen Mari , Vuolteenaho Katriina , Moilanen Eeva
Published: March 2024

Glucocorticoids are widely used in the treatment of allergic and inflammatory diseases. Glucocorticoids have a widespread action on gene expression resulting in their pharmacological actions and also an array of adverse effects which limit their clinical use. It remains, however, to be studied which target gene effects are essential for the anti‐allergic activity of glucocorticoids. Mitogen‐activated protein kinase phosphatase‐1 (MKP‐1) inhibits proinflammatory signalling by suppressing the activity of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) pathways. MKP‐1 is one of the anti‐inflammatory genes whose expression is enhanced by glucocorticoids. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the role of MKP‐1 in the therapeutic effects of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone in acute allergic reaction. The effects of dexamethasone were studied in wild‐type and MKP‐1 deficient mice. The mice were first sensitized to ovalbumin, and the allergic reaction was then induced by a subcutaneous ovalbumin injection in the hind paw. Inflammatory edema was quantified with plethysmometer and expression of inflammatory factors was measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Dexamethasone reduced the ovalbumin‐induced paw edema at 1.5, 3 and 6 h time points in wild‐type mice by 70%, 95% and 89%, respectively. The effect was largely abolished in MKP‐1 deficient mice. Furthermore, dexamethasone significantly attenuated the expression of ovalbumin‐induced inflammatory factors cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2); inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS); interleukins (IL) 1β, 6 and 13; C‐C motif chemokine 11 (CCL‐11); tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in wild‐type mice by more than 40%. In contrast, in MKP‐1 deficient mice dexamethasone had no effect or even enhanced the expression of these inflammatory factors. The results suggest that dexamethasone alleviates allergic inflammation through an MKP‐1‐dependent mechanism. The results also demonstrate MKP‐1 as an important conveyor of the favourable glucocorticoid effects in ovalbumin‐induced type I allergic reaction. Together with previous findings, the present study supports the concept of MKP‐1 enhancing compounds as potential novel anti‐inflammatory and anti‐allergic drugs.
Prolonged coagulation times in severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus infection, the indicators of heparin‐like effect and increased haemorrhagic risk
Authors: Tang Ning , Yuan Peihong , Luo Ming , Li Dengju
Published: March 2024

Prolonged coagulation times, such as activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time (TT), are common in patients infected with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and have been confirmed to be related to patient's poor outcome by previous studies. To find out the reason for prolonged coagulation time in patients with SFTSV infection, and whether it predicts haemorrhagic risk or not. Seventy‐eight consecutive patients with confirmed SFTSV infection were enrolled in this prospective, single‐centre, observational study. Several global and specific coagulation parameters of these patients on admission were detected, and the haemorrhagic events during hospitalization and their outcomes were recorded. Most of the enrolled patients had prolonged APTT (82.1%) and TT (80.8%), normal prothrombin time (83.3%) and intrinsic coagulation factors above haemostatic levels (97.4%). The heparin‐like effect was confirmed by a protamine neutralization test and anti‐Xa activity detection in most patients. Interestingly, the APTT and TT results were significantly positively correlated with the levels of endothelial markers and viral load, respectively. The APTT was independently associated with the haemorrhage of patients. The prolonged APTT and TT of SFTS patients may mainly be attributed to endogenous heparinoids and are associated with increased haemorrhagic risk.
Quantitative evaluation of the global impacts of human land modification on raptors
Authors: Zhang Taxing , Xu Yu , Ran Jianghong
Published: March 2024

Raptors are threatened by anthropogenic land modifications, but targeted quantitative assessment of these impacts is lacking. We conducted the first global quantitative evaluation of the impacts of human‐modified land on raptors. We used eBird data from 2001 to 2020 on 425 raptor species and occupancy models to assess the impacts of human‐modified land on raptor distribution. The mean spatiotemporal correlations of human settlement, cropland, and pasture with raptor occupancy probability were −0.048 (SE 0.031), −0.134 (0.032), and −0.145 (0.032), respectively. The mean sensitivity of raptor occupancy probability to settlement, cropland, and pasture was −5.760 (2.266), −3.128 (1.540), and −2.402 (1.551), respectively. The occupancy probability of raptors with a large body mass was more negatively correlated with cropland (phylogenetic generalized least squares regressions: slope = −0.052 [SE 0.022], t = −2.335, df = 1, 407, p = 0.020, λ = 0.006) and more positively correlated with pasture (slope = 0.047 [0.022], t = 2.118, df = 1, 407, p = 0.035, λ = 0.013). The occupancy probability of raptors with a more extensive range size was more positively correlated with cropland (slope = 0.002 [0.004], t = 0.399, df = 1, 407, p < 0.001, λ = 0.000). Raptors that prefer open habitats were more positively correlated with cropland (analysis of variance: F = 3.424, df = 2, p = 0.034, λ = 0.000) and pasture (F = 6.577, df = 2, p = 0.002, λ = 0.000). In Africa and South America, where raptor species are most abundant, raptor occupancy probability decreased over 20 years, most likely due to habitat fragmentation associated with human land modification. Although raptors with different ecological characteristics had different responses to human land modification, the impacts of settlement, cropland, and pasture on mean raptor occupancy probability were negative, regardless of space and time.
Exploring the potential for online data sources to enhance species threat mapping through the case study of global bat exploitation
Authors: Hunter Sara Bronwen , Oedin Malik , Weeds Julie , Mathews Fiona
Published: March 2024

Expanding digital data sources, including social media and online news, provide a low‐cost way to examine human–nature interactions, such as wildlife exploitation. However, the extent to which using such data sources can expand or bias understanding of the distribution and intensity of threats has not been comprehensively assessed. To address this gap, we quantified the geographical and temporal distribution of online sources documenting the hunting and trapping, consumption, or trade of bats (Chiroptera) and compared these with the distribution of studies obtained from a systematic literature search and species listed as threatened by exploitation on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Online records were collected using automated searches of Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Bing and were filtered using machine classification. This yielded 953 relevant social media posts and web pages, encompassing 1099 unique records of bat exploitation from 84 countries. Although the number of records per country was significantly predicted by the number of academic studies per country, online records provided additional locations and more recent records of bat exploitation, including 22 countries not present in academic literature. This demonstrates the value of online resources in providing more complete geographical representation. However, confounding variables can bias the analysis of spatiotemporal trends. Online bat exploitation records showed peaks in 2020 and 2014, after accounting for increases in internet users through time. The second of these peaks could be attributed to the COVID‐19 outbreak, and speculation about the role of bats in its epidemiology, rather than to true changes in exploitation. Overall, our results showed that data from online sources provide additional knowledge on the global extent of wildlife exploitation, which could be used to identify early warnings of emerging threats and pinpoint locations for further research.
Psychometric properties of the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey–Revised among Dutch adults with type 1 diabetes and implications for clinical use
Authors: Embaye Jiska , Hennekes Mareille , Snoek Frank , de Wit Maartje
Published: March 2024

Aims

Disordered eating behaviour (DEB) in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) can be screened with the Diabetes Eating Problem Survey–Revised (DEPS‐R). This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the DEPS‐R among Dutch adults with T1D and to explore the individual items alongside the standard cut‐off score of ≥20 for clinical use.

Methods

The construct validity of the DEPS‐R was assessed with an exploratory factor analysis, through principal axis factoring and with Spearman correlations between clinical variables and the DEPS‐R. Backward logistic regression identified clinical predictors for DEPS‐R scores above the cut‐off. DEPS‐R item responses were summarized with frequencies, means and standard deviations.

Results

Participants were 145 adults with T1D, of whom 79.3% were women and 35.9% presented with DEB based on the cut‐off. A single‐factor solution of the DEPS‐R showed good internal consistency, while a three‐factor solution showed acceptable to good internal consistency within the factors. A younger age, a higher BMI and more diabetes distress were predictors for a DEPS‐R cut‐off score of ≥20. Clinically relevant items were identified that contributed minimally to the DEPS‐R score.

Conclusions

This study supports a single‐factor and a three‐factor structure of the DEPS‐R while also suggesting an item‐specific or factor‐specific approach in clinical practice.
Can Epistemic Paternalistic Practice Make Us Better Epistemic Agents?
Authors: Fratantonio Giada
Published: March 2024

Can epistemic paternalistic practices make us better epistemic agents? While a satisfying answer to this question will ultimately rest at least partly on empirical findings, considering the epistemological discussion on evidence, knowledge, and epistemic virtues can be insightful. In this paper, Giada Fratantonio argues that we have theoretical reasons to believe that strong epistemic paternalistic practices may be effective at mitigating some evidential mistakes, in fostering true belief, and even for allowing the subject of the intervention to gain knowledge. However, we have reasons to expect that these practices will not be able to make the subject of the intervention an overall better epistemic agent at the dispositional level. She then considers weak epistemic paternalistic practices, e.g., epistemic nudging, and provides some reasons for optimism. Finally, Fratantonio considers the implications that these theoretical considerations have for education.
Health care utilization and mortality for people with epilepsy during COVID‐19: A population study
Authors: Strafford Huw , Hollinghurst Joe , Lacey Arron S. , Akbari Ashley , Watkins Alan , Paterson Jan , Jennings Daniel , Lyons Ronan A. , Powell H. Robert , Kerr Michael P. , Chin Richard F. , Pickrell William O.
Published: March 2024

Objective

This study was undertaken to characterize changes in health care utilization and mortality for people with epilepsy (PWE) during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study using linked, individual‐level, population‐scale anonymized health data from the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage databank. We identified PWE living in Wales during the study “pandemic period” (January 1, 2020–June 30, 2021) and during a “prepandemic” period (January 1, 2016–December 31, 2019). We compared prepandemic health care utilization, status epilepticus, and mortality rates with corresponding pandemic rates for PWE and people without epilepsy (PWOE). We performed subgroup analyses on children (<18 years old), older people (>65 years old), those with intellectual disability, and those living in the most deprived areas. We used Poisson models to calculate adjusted rate ratios (RRs).

Results

We identified 27 279 PWE who had significantly higher rates of hospital (50.3 visits/1000 patient months), emergency department (55.7), and outpatient attendance (172.4) when compared to PWOE (corresponding figures: 25.7, 25.2, and 87.0) in the prepandemic period. Hospital and epilepsy‐related hospital admissions, and emergency department and outpatient attendances all reduced significantly for PWE (and all subgroups) during the pandemic period. RRs [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] for pandemic versus prepandemic periods were .70 [.69–.72], .77 [.73–.81], .78 [.77–.79], and .80 [.79–.81]. The corresponding rates also reduced for PWOE. New epilepsy diagnosis rates decreased during the pandemic compared with the prepandemic period (2.3/100 000/month cf. 3.1/100 000/month, RR = .73, 95% CI = .68–.78). Both all‐cause deaths and deaths with epilepsy recorded on the death certificate increased for PWE during the pandemic (RR = 1.07, 95% CI = .997–1.145 and RR = 2.44, 95% CI = 2.12–2.81). When removing COVID deaths, RRs were .88 (95% CI = .81–.95) and 1.29 (95% CI = 1.08–1.53). Status epilepticus rates did not change significantly during the pandemic (RR = .95, 95% CI = .78–1.15).

Significance

All‐cause non‐COVID deaths did not increase but non‐COVID deaths associated with epilepsy did increase for PWE during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The longer term effects of the decrease in new epilepsy diagnoses and health care utilization and increase in deaths associated with epilepsy need further research.
Immune gene polymorphisms associated with poor response to platelet transfusion and recombinant factor VII administration in Glanzmann thrombasthenia
Authors: Naderi Majid , Mirzaei Ilia , Seidizadeh Omid , Moud Abolfazl Parsi , Sarani Hosna , Avan Amir , Taheri Mohsen , Jahantigh Danial , Keramati Mohammad Reza , Sohrabi Tayebeh
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Poor response to platelet and recombinant factor VII administration is a major problem in patients with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia (GT). The risk factors associated with poor response to treatment in these patients are unknown. Some genetic variations of cytokines may contribute to therapy resistance.

Aims

We evaluated, for the first time, whether genetic polymorphisms on cytokine genes are related to poor treatment response in GT patients.

Methods

We enrolled 30 patients with GT (15 resistant and 15 non‐resistant) and 100 healthy controls. Gene polymorphisms of IL‐10 and TNF‐α were analysed using TaqMan Realtime PCR, and IL‐1, IL‐1R1 and IL‐1RN were investigated with the RFLP method. In‐silico analyses were performed to predict the potential impact of these polymorphisms.

Results

In the resistant group, all patients had a variant of the IL‐10 gene at the ‐1082 position (rs1800896), with a GG genotype that was significantly more frequent than the non‐resistant group. Analysis between healthy controls and GT patients revealed a probable correlation between rs3783550, rs3783553, rs3917356 and rs2234463 and GT. The In‐silico study indicated that TNF‐α rs1800629 and IL‐10 rs1800896 polymorphisms result in different allelic expressions which may contribute to poor response to therapy.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that polymorphisms in the IL‐10 and IL‐1 receptor antagonist genes may play a role in poor therapy response in GT patients. In addition, some polymorphisms in IL‐1α, IL1‐β, IL‐1R1 and IL‐R antagonists might be involved in the GT progression.
Using citizen science image analysis to measure seabird phenology
Authors: Edney Alice J. , Danielsen Jóhannis , Descamps Sébastien , Jónsson Jón Einar , Owen Ellie , Merkel Flemming , Stefánsson Róbert A. , Wood Matt J. , Jessopp Mark J. , Hart Tom
Published: March 2024

Developing standardized methodology to allow efficient and cost‐effective ecological data collection, particularly at scale, is of critical importance for understanding species' declines. Remote camera networks can enable monitoring across large spatiotemporal scales and at relatively low researcher cost, but manually analysing images and extracting biologically meaningful data is time‐consuming. Citizen science image analysis could reduce researcher workload and increase output from large datasets, while actively raising awareness of ecological and conservation issues. Nevertheless, testing the validity of citizen science data collection and the retention of volunteers is essential before integrating these approaches into long‐term monitoring programmes. In this study, we used data from a Zooniverse citizen science project, Seabird Watch, to investigate changes in breeding timing of a globally declining seabird species, the Black‐legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla. Time‐lapse cameras collected >200 000 images between 2014 and 2023 across 11 locations covering the species' North Atlantic range (51.7°N–78.9°N), with over 35 000 citizen science volunteers ‘tagging’ adult and juvenile Kittiwakes in images. Most volunteers (81%) classified images for only a single day, and each volunteer classified a median of five images, suggesting that high volunteer recruitment rates are important for the project's continued success. We developed a standardized method to extract colony arrival and departure dates from citizen science annotations, which did not significantly differ from manual analysis by a researcher. We found that Kittiwake colony arrival was 2.6 days later and departure was 1.2 days later per 1° increase in latitude, which was consistent with expectations. Year‐round monitoring also showed that Kittiwakes visited one of the lowest latitude colonies, Skellig Michael (51.8°N), during winter, whereas birds from a colony at similar latitude, Skomer Island (51.7°N), did not. Our integrated time‐lapse camera and citizen science system offers a cost‐effective means of measuring changes in colony attendance and subsequent breeding timing in response to environmental change in cliff‐nesting seabirds. This study is of wide relevance to a broad range of species that could be monitored using time‐lapse photography, increasing the geographical reach and international scope of ecological monitoring against a background of rapidly changing ecosystems and challenging funding landscapes.
Harnessing antimicrobial peptides in endodontics
Authors: Kong Xinzi , Vishwanath Vijetha , Neelakantan Prasanna , Ye Zhou
Published: March 2024

Endodontic therapy includes various procedures such as vital pulp therapy, root canal treatment and retreatment, surgical endodontic treatment and regenerative endodontic procedures. Disinfection and tissue repair are crucial for the success of these therapies, necessitating the development of therapeutics that can effectively target microbiota, eliminate biofilms, modulate inflammation and promote tissue repair. However, no current endodontic agents can achieve these goals. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are sequences of amino acids, have gained attention due to their unique advantages, including reduced susceptibility to drug resistance, broad‐spectrum antibacterial properties and the ability to modulate the immune response of the organism effectively. This review systematically discusses the structure, mechanisms of action, novel designs and limitations of AMPs. Additionally, it highlights the efforts made by researchers to overcome peptide shortcomings and emphasizes the potential applications of AMPs in endodontic treatments.
RETRACTED: Effect of quality nursing intervention on wound healing in patients with burns: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Liu Ling , Liu Zhu‐Feng , Zhu Hong‐Yu , Xu Hui‐Qin
Published: March 2024

This meta‐analysis aimed to explore the effects of quality nursing intervention on wound healing in patients with burns. A computerised search was conducted for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of quality nursing intervention on wound healing in patients with burns in the PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang databases from the date of database inception to November 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data and performed quality assessment based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Stata 17.0 software was used for the data analysis. Twenty‐nine RCTs involving 2637 patients with burns were included. The meta‐analysis revealed that compared with conventional nursing, the implementation of quality nursing intervention in patients with burns significantly shortened the wound healing time (standardised mean difference [SMD] = −2.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −3.44 to −2.42, p < 0.001). The incidence of wound infections (odds ratio [OR] = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.07–0.27, p < 0.001) and complications (OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.11–0.23, p < 0.001) was also reduced significantly. This meta‐analysis shows that applying quality nursing interventions in patients with burns can significantly shorten the wound healing time and reduce the incidence of wound infection and complications, thus promoting early patient recovery.
Inequality in history: A long‐run view
Authors: Alfani Guido
Published: March 2024

This article provides an overview of long‐term trends in income and wealth inequality, from ca. 1300 until today. It discusses recent acquisitions in terms of inequality measurement, building upon earlier research and systematically connecting preindustrial, industrial, and post‐industrial tendencies. It shows that in the last seven centuries or so, inequality of both income and wealth has tended to grow continuously, with two exceptions: the century or so following the Black Death pandemic of 1347–52, and the period from the beginning of World War I until the mid‐1970s. It discusses recent encompassing hypotheses about the factors leading to long‐run inequality change, highlighting their relative merits and faults, and arguing for the need to pay close attention to the historical context.