bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
circ_HMGCS1 modulates hepatocellular carcinoma chemoresistance via miR‐338‐5p/IL‐7 pathway
Authors: Zhang Siyu , Ma Jun , Yu Tingdong , Song Zhengrui , Lau Wan Yee , Zha Yong
Published: March 2024

Hepatocellular cancer is one of the most serious types of cancer in the world, with high incidence and mortality rates. Most HCC patients with long‐term chemotherapy develop chemoresistance, leading to a poor prognosis. However, the underlying mechanism of circRNAs in HCC chemoresistance remains unclear. Our research found that circ_0072391(circ_HMGCS1) expression was significantly upregulated in cisplatin‐resistant HCC cells. The silence of circ_HMGCS1 attenuated the cisplatin resistance in HCC. Results showed that circ_HMGCS1 regulated the expression of miR‐338‐5p via acting as microRNA sponges. Further study confirmed that miR‐338‐5p regulated the expression of IL‐7. IL‐7 could remodel the immune system by improving T‐cell function and antagonising the immunosuppressive network. IL‐7 is an ideal target used to enhance the function of the immune system. circ_HMGCS1 exerts its oncogenic function through the miR‐338‐5p/IL‐7 pathway. Inhibition of circ_HMGCS1/miR‐338‐5p/IL‐7 could effectively attenuate the chemoresistance of HCC. IL‐7 might be a promising immunotherapy target for HCC cancer treatment.
Analysis of the genetic structure of the introduced clearhead icefish (Protosalanx chinensis) populations in northern China
Authors: Zheng Yi , Tang Fujiang , Zheng Xianhu , Na Rongbin , Li Zhe , Lu Wanqiao , Lu Cuiyun
Published: March 2024

When species are introduced to a new environment, they can quickly adapt to the environment and may differ from the indigenous species. The indigenous population of Protosalanx chinensis has a high level of genetic diversity, but it is unclear on the genetic diversity of the introduced populations in northeast China, which supports the major production of P. chinensis in the world. A total of 556 individuals of P. chinensis were collected during 2016–2021, from Lianhuan Lake (LHL), Xingkai Lake (XK), and Shuifeng Reservoir (SF), and one population was collected from the indigenous Taihu Lake (TH). Overall, 36 haplotypes were detected, and the genetic differences in P. chinensis populations within and between river basins were investigated. The nucleotide diversity (π) of the populations ranged from 0.0005 to 0.0032, and the haplotype diversity (Hd) ranged from 0.455 to 0.890, with the highest genetic diversity in the TH population, followed by the SF population, and lower genetic diversity in the XK and LHL populations. The analysis of the genetic differentiation index (Fst) and the genetic distance between populations showed that there was significant genetic differentiation between the TH population and the other populations. More sampling points have been set up in LHL for further analysis; the Dalong Lake (DL) and the Xiaolong Lake (XL) populations were far from the other populations within the LHL population. In this study, we didn't find a correlation between population size, stability, and genetic diversity, and the ecological measures of management should be decisive to the population dynamics. These results provide a basis for the rational utilization and effective management of P. chinensis.
Pulsed light processing of low sugar, added fiber RTD mango beverage
Authors: Pravallika Kosana , Shaik Lubna , Alzahrani Khalid J. , Misra N. N. , Chakraborty Snehasis
Published: March 2024

Ready‐to‐drink (RTD) mango beverage enriched with short‐chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS) was developed to reduce added sugar and incorporate a soluble prebiotic fiber. The impact of pulsed light (PL) technology on microbial inactivation, enzyme activity, and quality attributes in scFOS‐enriched mango RTD beverages was investigated. Effective PL fluence of 0.12–1.2 J/cm2 was employed on mango beverage in order to maximize the retention of nutritional properties along with inactivation of microbial and enzymatic activity. There is complete inactivation of microbial load and enzymatic activity with 72.45, 84.17, 88, 78.79, and 77.63% retention of ascorbic acid, antioxidants, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and total carotenoids in 6% scFOS mango beverage at an effective fluence of 1.2 J/cm2. There is no wide change in TSS, pH, and TA in all the PL treatments. The scFOS increased viscosity, and it also protected bioactives, namely, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and phenolics, from photoxidation caused by PL. Results showed that scFOS allowed a substantial reduction in added sugar and increased soluble fiber content in the beverage. Sensory score of 3 and 6% scFOS‐enriched beverages were closely comparable with control. The study showcases the potential of scFOS to enhance the nutritional profile of beverages. It also highlights the effectiveness of PL processing in pasteurization fruit beverages, meeting stakeholders' demands for microbial safety, enzymatic stability, and nutrient retention.

Practical applications

The practical applications of this research hold significant promise for the food and beverage industry. The innovative formulations of ready‐to‐drink (RTD) mango beverages not only reduce added sugar by up to 52% but also increase fiber content from 0.6 to 6%, meeting consumer demands for healthier options. The integration of pulsed light technology effectively targets microbial and enzyme inactivation, complying with Food and Drug Administration standards and offering a viable processing method. The incorporation of short‐chain fructooligosaccharides enhances the protection of bioactive compounds during pulsed light treatment, ensuring higher retention of antioxidants, vitamins, and other valuable components. This advancement contributes to improved nutritional profiles while maintaining sensory appeal. These findings have the potential to revolutionize RTD beverage production, addressing health‐conscious consumer preferences, and enhancing product quality.
National Institute on Aging's 50th anniversary: Advancing aging research and the health and well‐being of older adults
Authors: Kelley Amy , Addie Siobhan , Carrington‐Lawrence Stacy , Ferrucci Luigi , Jones Patricia , Hadley Evan , Haim Todd , Harper Jessica , Kahana Shoshana , Kelley Melinda , Kohanski Ronald , Masliah Eliezer , McConnell Cindy , Morrison Stephanie , Nielsen Lisbeth , Santora Kenneth , Hodes Richard
Published: March 2024

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was founded in 1974 to support and conduct research on aging and the health and well‐being of older adults. Fifty years ago, the concept of studying aging generated much skepticism. Early NIA‐funded research findings helped establish the great value of aging research and provided the foundation for significant science advances that have improved our understanding of the aging process, diseases and conditions associated with aging, and the effects of health inequities, as well as the need to promote healthy aging lifestyles. Today, we celebrate the many important contributions to aging research made possible by NIA, as well as opportunities to continue to make meaningful progress. NIA emphasizes that the broad aging research community must continue to increase and expand our collective efforts to recruit and train a diverse next generation of aging researchers.
Response of nitrergic system in the brain of rat conditioned to intracranial self‐stimulation
Authors: Choudhary Amit G. , Awathale Sanjay N. , Dudhabhate Biru B. , Pawar Namrata , Jadhav Gouri , Upadhya Manoj A. , Khedkar Trupti , Gadhikar Yashashree A. , Sakharkar Amul J. , Subhedar Nishikant K. , Kokare Dadasaheb M.
Published: March 2024

The role of nitrergic system in modulating the action of psychostimulants on reward processing is well established. However, the relevant anatomical underpinnings and scope of the involved interactions with mesolimbic dopaminergic system have not been clarified. Using immunohistochemistry, we track the changes in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) containing cell groups in the animals conditioned to intracranial self‐stimulation (ICSS) via an electrode implanted in the lateral hypothalamus‐medial forebrain bundle (LH‐MFB) area. An increase in the nNOS immunoreactivity was noticed in the cells and fibers in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh), the primary loci of the reward system. In addition, nNOS was up‐regulated in the nucleus accumbens core (AcbC), vertical limb of diagonal band (VDB), locus coeruleus (LC), lateral hypothalamus (LH), superficial gray layer (SuG) of the superior colliculus, and periaqueductal gray (PAG). The brain tissue fragments drawn from these areas showed a change in nNOS mRNA expression, but in opposite direction. Intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of nNOS inhibitor, 7‐nitroindazole (7‐NI) showed decreased lever press activity in a dose‐dependent manner in ICSS task. While an increase in the dopamine (DA) and 3, 4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) efflux was noted in the microdialysates collected from the AcbSh of ICSS rats, pre‐administration of 7‐NI (icv route) attenuated the response. The study identifies nitrergic centers that probably mediate sensory, cognitive, and motor components of the goal‐directed behavior.

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First report of Fusarium redolens causing root rot of Goji berry cv. ‘Ningqi‐7’ in China
Authors: Xu C. Y. , Gao H. H. , Han Q. , Jia C. B. , Swingle B. , Gao M. , Su J. Y.
Published: March 2024

Goji berry is an important cash crop of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China. In the summer of 2019 and 2020, a root rot outbreak appeared in Zhongning County Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The correct identification of the causal agent is very important for prevention and cure of this root rot disease. The rotten root samples of symptomatic trees were dug for strain isolation using tissues separation method. The fungi were identified based on both morphological characteristics and molecular signatures. Five healthy 1‐year‐old goji berry cv. ‘Ningqi‐7’ seedlings inoculated with F. redolens QT114 showed root rot symptoms and F. redolens was re‐isolated from the rotted roots of inoculated seedlings. This is the first report of F. redolens causing root rot of Chinese wolfberry (L. barbarum L. cv. ‘Ningqi‐7’).
Research on soil‐borne diseases of ginseng due to root exudates
Authors: Jia Sen , Yang Shiyou
Published: March 2024

In a monocropping pattern for the crop domestication process, the interspecific and intraspecific interaction modes can be changed. In domesticated crops, the intraspecific interactions may have detrimental effects. Moreover, soil‐borne diseases in consecutive monocropped medicinal crops can be a critical challenge that has been difficult to solve. This study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of monoculture and intercropped cultivation on soil‐borne diseases caused by root secretions in American ginseng. The results of the correlation analysis showed that the polyethylenes in the roots had a more negative correlation with the occurrence of soil‐borne diseases than ginsenosides. Therefore, polyethylenes can be considered as an important factor in replanting failure of American ginseng. Furthermore, polyethylenes were able to remain in the soil and have a greater impact on the incidence of soil‐borne diseases than ginsenosides.
Colletotrichum siamense is associated with post‐harvest anthracnose of red onion in the Philippines
Authors: Dimayacyac Deborah Anne , Balendres Mark Angelo
Published: March 2024

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is an important crop widely cultivated in the Philippines. In the Philippines, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides sensu lato and C. circinans have been reported to cause anthracnose twister disease and onion smudge, respectively. This study reports C. siamense from anthracnose‐infected onion bulbs. The fungus was identified using morpho‐cultural characterization and multi‐locus analyses of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer with 5.8S region (ITS) glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GAPDH) and beta‐tubulin (TUB2). Koch's postulates were established in pathogenicity assays where the fungus caused diseases in wounded and non‐wounded onion bulbs. This study is the first scientific report of C. siamense as a post‐harvest anthracnose pathogen of onion bulbs in the Philippines.
Molecular detection of ‘Candidatus phytoplasma aurantifolia’ associated with virescence and phyllody of Zinnia peruviana: A new record for India
Authors: Mahadevakumar S. , Sarma P. V. S. R. N. , Danteswari C. , Joy Josna , Chandranayaka S. , Patro T. S. S. K.
Published: March 2024

Zinnia peruviana (Asteraceae) is an annual flowering plant cultivated in various gardens of Mysore, the south of Karnataka state, India. During 2021, phytoplasma‐like symptoms such as virescence and phyllody were observed on Zinnia in Mysore local gardens. A total of 10 symptomatic and five asymptomatic samples were collected, and the DNA was amplified by PCR using primers specific to 16S RNA and secA genes. The nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the 16S RNA and SecA gene sequences were most similar to those of ‘Ca. P. aurantifolia’, with identities greater than 99%. The phytoplasma sequence from this study shared a common clade with ‘Ca. P. aurantifolia’ when phylogenetic analysis was done. Similarly, the reference sequences for the 16S rRNA and SecA region confirmed the identity of the phytoplasma associated with the leaves of Zinnia. This is the new host record for ‘Ca. P. aurantifolia’ (16SrII‐D) phytoplasma associated with Z. peruviana from India.
First report of Trichothecium roseum causing pink mould on strawberry fruit in Iran
Authors: Maghsoodi Fatemeh , Taheri Parissa , Tarighi Saeed
Published: March 2024

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is one of the most important fruit crops, worldwide. In June 2023, strawberry fruits with pink mould symptoms were collected from a storage facility in Khorasan Razavi province of Iran. Trichothecium roseum was isolated from symptomatic fruit and identified through morphological characteristics. Molecular identification was carried out based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) using ITS1 and ITS4 primers. Pathogenicity was confirmed according to Koch's postulates. Cell wall–degrading enzyme secretion was investigated as a potential factor in fungal pathogenicity. The results of morphological identification, ITS analysis and pathogenicity test indicated that the causal agent was T. roseum. Enzyme activity assays revealed that T. roseum obtained from strawberry with a high level of aggressiveness was able to secrete cellulase and pectinase. To our knowledge, this is the first report of post‐harvest pink mould of strawberry caused by T. roseum in Iran.
A recycling quality improvement project to engage the multidisciplinary team with sustainability efforts
Authors: Gray Phoebe , Gubb Samuel , Butler Jessica , Walton Benjamin
Published: March 2024

Background

The provision of healthcare itself contributes to the global health crisis of the climate emergency. As critical care is a carbon hotspot within hospital medicine, healthcare professionals must take collaborative action to mitigate the environmental impact of the sector.

Aim

The purpose of the project was to engage the critical care multidisciplinary team with sustainability efforts, through involvement in a recycling Quality Improvement Project (QIP). The central QIP aimed to increase the recycling rates of single‐use plastic enteral feed bottles in the intensive care unit (ICU) over a 31‐day period.

Study Design

A recycling ‘challenge month’ was launched, and staff opinion was surveyed before and after this intervention.

Results

The QIP demonstrated an increase in feed bottle recycling by 53.2%, representing a carbon‐saving effect of up to 6.02 kg CO2e for the intervention month. Following the central QIP, all survey respondents felt encouraged to consider their ICU's environmental impact.

Conclusions

Simple successful QIPs can act as a springboard to engage the staff body with sustainability initiatives and ignite wider conversation and consideration of the climate emergency in daily practice.

Relevance for Clinical Practice

Effective recycling constitutes only one element of responsible environmental stewardship, but authors discuss that it is an effective focus for QIPs. To maximize impact and success within critical care, nursing involvement in leading and participation is essential.
Can large language models reason and plan?
Authors: Kambhampati Subbarao
Published: March 2024

While humans sometimes do show the capability of correcting their own erroneous guesses with self‐critiquing, there seems to be no basis for that assumption in the case of LLMs.
No Difference in Bone Tunnel Enlargement and Clinical Outcome between Cortical Suspension and Hybrid Femoral Fixation in Hamstring Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Lin Yucheng , Zhang Lu , Shen Sinuo , Chen Yuzhi , Xu Li , Ji Mingliang , Guo Yudong , Wei Jinan , Li Yonggang , Wu Xiaotao , Lu Jun
Published: March 2024

Objective

The best method for femoral fixation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) remains controversial. The study assesses the bone tunnel enlargement and clinical outcome in hamstring ACLR using cortical suspension or hybrid (cortical suspension and compression) femoral fixation.

Methods

From January 2010 to December 2021, 102 patients who underwent quadruple hamstring ACLR using cortical suspension (39 patients) or hybrid (63 patients) fixation on the femoral side were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical evaluation was conducted using the international knee documentation committee score, the Lysholm score, the Tegner activity level scale, the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (quality of life score), the Lachman test, and the side‐to‐side difference by the KT‐1000 arthrometer. The complications after the surgery were also evaluated. These data were compared at baseline and last follow‐up. The diameters of the femoral tunnel were calculated at three sites: the width of the entrance of the femoral tunnel, 1 cm proximal to the entrance of the femoral tunnel and the largest diameter of the femoral tunnel on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) coronal images. Bone tunnel widening data were contrasted between MRI images conducted at least 2 years and within 2 weeks after surgery. The morphology of bone tunnel enlargement was also observed and recorded. The categorical parameters were analyzed using the χ2‐test and Fisher's exact test. The continuous variables conforming to a normal distribution were analyzed using Student's t‐test, and the Mann–Whitney U‐test was undertaken between the two groups without normal distribution.

Results

Both cortical suspension and hybrid femoral fixation in quadruple hamstring ACLR achieved significantly improved patient‐reported outcome scores and knee stability compared to preoperative data. However, no significant differences were found between these two methods in clinical evaluations, postoperative complications, and patient‐reported outcome scores. Although the mean diameter of the enlarged bone tunnel was lowered by an additional bioabsorbable interference screw fixation near the joint line, a statistically insignificant difference was found between the hybrid and cortical suspension fixation on the femoral side. There was no statistical difference in the distribution of enlarged bone tunnel morphology between groups.

Conclusions

No significant difference was found in the bone tunnel enlargement and clinical outcome between cortical suspension and hybrid femoral fixation in ACLR using hamstring autograft.
The importance of clinical history in the diagnosis of drug hypersensitivity in children
Authors: Liccioli Giulia , Tomei Leonardo , Pessina Benedetta , Caubet Jean‐Christoph , Barni Simona , Giovannini Mattia , Sarti Lucrezia , Mori Francesca
Published: March 2024

Background

In case of suspected hypersensitivity reactions (HRs) to drugs, a challenging area for pediatricians is detecting relevant elements in the parent‐reported history, in order to reach a definite diagnosis. We analyzed the concordance between the description of the HR and the medical reports documented at the time of the event. Furthermore, we studied any correlation between clinical history variables and the prediction of true allergy.

Methods

We retrospectively collected 50 charts of children referred to our Allergy Unit, after a previous access to the Emergency Department. We compared the description of the HR at acute phase to the history told by parents. Type and timing of the HR and culprit drug were classified as “known” or “unknown.” The diagnosis was confirmed or excluded at the end of the investigations. Logistic regression analysis was performed to find any significant association.

Results

The type of the HR was known in 74%, the timing in 28%, and the culprit drug in 98%. We showed that having had a severe HR had an increased odds of remembering the timing; being older >6 years and having had an immediate HR had an increased odds of remembering the type; time to diagnostic was lower in patients whose parents remembered the type of HR.

Conclusion

Our paper underlines the importance of an accurate anamnesis at the time of the event. Providing the physicians with a standardized Case Report Form could be a useful tool to simplify the diagnostic work‐up and minimize mistakes due to lack of memory.
Mining exotic germplasm for genetic improvement of protein quantity and quality in soybean (Glycine max)
Authors: Souza Renan , Buckley Blair , Mian M. A. Rouf , Li Zenglu
Published: March 2024

Soybean meal is the main protein source for animal feed, but it has low content of the essential amino acids cysteine (Cys) and methionine (Met). In this research, an exotic germplasm (PI 399000) was crossed with ‘Woodruff’ to develop an F5‐derived recombinant inbred line (RIL) population for mapping quantitative trait loci for seed composition. The population was grown in six environments, and protein, oil, Cys, and Met were determined with near‐infrared spectroscopy. RILs were genotyped with the SoySNP6K BeadChip, and 1865 SNPs were used for analysis. QTL analysis identified three loci on chromosomes (Chrs) 6, 15 and 17 in at least five environments for protein; two QTLs on Chrs 14 and 17 in all environments for oil; three QTLs on Chrs 3, 6 and 10 for Cys and Met in at least three environments; and two QTLs for seed size on Chrs 17 and 20 in all environments. Stacking of protein and Cys + Met QTLs can increase both traits simultaneously, and 13 breeding lines were identified with improved seed composition. The markers linked to the QTLs can be used to assist the development of cultivars with improved meal quality.
Corticostriatal causality analysis in children and adolescents with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Zhang Fanyu , Li Yilu , Liu Lin , Liu Yefen , Wang Pan , Biswal Bharat B.
Published: March 2024

Aim

The effective connectivity between the striatum and cerebral cortex has not been fully investigated in attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Our objective was to explore the interaction effects between diagnosis and age on disrupted corticostriatal effective connectivity and to represent the modulation function of altered connectivity pathways in children and adolescents with ADHD.

Methods

We performed Granger causality analysis on 300 participants from a publicly available Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder‐200 dataset. By computing the correlation coefficients between causal connections between striatal subregions and other cortical regions, we estimated the striatal inflow and outflow connection to represent intermodulation mechanisms in corticostriatal pathways.

Results

Interactions between diagnosis and age were detected in the superior occipital gyrus within the visual network, medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate gyrus, and inferior parietal lobule within the default mode network, which is positively correlated with hyperactivity/impulsivity severity in ADHD. Main effect of diagnosis exhibited a general higher cortico‐striatal causal connectivity involving default mode network, frontoparietal network and somatomotor network in ADHD compared with comparisons. Results from high‐order effective connectivity exhibited a disrupted information pathway involving the default mode‐striatum‐somatomotor‐striatum‐frontoparietal networks in ADHD.

Conclusion

The interactions detected in the visual‐striatum‐default mode networks pathway appears to be related to the potential distraction caused by long‐term abnormal information input from the retina in ADHD. Higher causal connectivity and weakened intermodulation may indicate the pathophysiological process that distractions lead to the impairment of motion planning function and the inhibition/control of this unplanned motion signals in ADHD.
“I'm so stressed!”: The relational consequences of stress bragging
Authors: Rodell Jessica B. , Shanklin Braydon C. , Frank Emma L.
Published: March 2024

Feeling stressed is an unfortunately common experience among employees—and one with significant consequences for personal and professional well‐being. Yet, in addition to trying to manage high stress levels, some employees are actively bragging about it to others at work. Given the general negativity of stress, however, the idea of bragging about stress and its relational implications are unclear. To investigate this phenomenon, we introduce the concept of stress bragging and draw on person‐perception theorizing to examine its potential workplace consequences for both braggarts and their coworkers. In a combination of a lab experiment (Study 1) and a multi‐source field study (Study 2), we show that stress bragging has resoundingly negative implications for braggarts as they are evaluated as less competent and less warm by coworkers, reducing their receipt of citizenship behaviors. Additionally, in Study 2, we find that coworkers of stress braggarts also suffer by experiencing higher levels of burnout due to enhanced stress crossover effects. This research on stress bragging integrates and extends the literatures on stress and self‐promotion, while also providing insight into the relational ramifications of this unconventional behavior.
How couples think about money: Types of money motives and relationship satisfaction
Authors: Peetz Johanna , Joseph Morgan
Published: March 2024

Two studies examined how financial values held by romantic partners were linked with relationship satisfaction. Across a sample of married individuals (N = 628), and a dyadic sample (N = 236), results suggest that holding or perceiving a romantic partner to hold integrated money motives—wanting to earn money to feel pride, establish one's worth, facilitate freedom, and enrich leisure activities—was linked with better relationship satisfaction. Holding or perceiving a romantic partner to hold nonintegrated money motives—wanting to earn money to enable impulse spending, to feel better than others, and to overcome self‐doubt—was linked with worse relationship satisfaction. In both samples, perceived similarity in money motives between the self and the partner was also linked to higher relationship satisfaction. Study 2 further showed that actual similarity between partners in nonintegrated money motives was also linked to better relationship satisfaction, suggesting that even nonintegrated money motives might benefit relationships, as long as both partners share these motives. Overall, these studies suggest that while holding similar financial values as your partner is linked with better relationships, some financial values are more conducive to relationship satisfaction than others.
Indoor point cloud semantic segmentation based on direction perception and hole sampling
Authors: Chen Xijiang , Li Peng , Zhao Bufan , Lu Tieding , Gong Xunqiang , Deng Hui
Published: March 2024

Most existing point cloud segmentation methods ignore directional information when extracting neighbourhood features. Those methods are ineffective in extracting point cloud neighbourhood features because the point cloud data is not uniformly distributed and is restricted by the size of the convolution kernel. Therefore, we take into account both multiple directions and hole sampling (MDHS). First, we execute spherically sparse sampling with directional encoding in the surrounding domain for every point inside the data to increase the local perceptual field. The data input is the basic geometric features. We use the graph convolutional neural network to conduct the maximisation of point cloud characteristics in a local neighbourhood. Then the more representative local point features are automatically weighted and fused by an attention pooling layer. Finally, spatial attention is added to increase the connection between remote points, and then the segmentation accuracy is improved. Experimental results show that the OA and mIoU are 1.3% and 4.0% higher than the method PointWeb and 0.6% and 0.7% higher than the baseline method RandLA‐Net. For the indoor point cloud semantic segmentation, the segmentation effect of the proposed network is superior to other methods.
Changing the narrative: Loneliness as a social justice issue
Authors: Barreto Manuela , Doyle David Matthew , Qualter Pamela
Published: March 2024

Loneliness is most often understood as resulting from individual deficits that shape poor social engagement and unsatisfying interactions. As a consequence, interventions to address loneliness most often focus on fixing the lonely individual, for example, by modifying their social appraisals and skills, or encouraging them to get out more. In this paper, we characterize and contribute to changing this dominant narrative by arguing that it is both unhelpful and incomplete. We explain that this dominant narrative (1) increases loneliness and makes people feel worse about this experience, (2) does not account for important predictors of loneliness, (3) guides us to interventions that do not produce sufficiently effective or sustainable change, and (4) hinders broader understandings of the societal impact of loneliness. In this way, we argue that the dominant narrative around loneliness contributes to further setting those who feel lonely apart from the rest of society. We propose that attention to individual factors needs to be complemented by the acknowledgement that loneliness is heavily determined by social and structural conditions that render it unequally distributed in society, a situation that qualifies loneliness as a social justice issue.
Is the “avoidance” group truly defensive? The interplay between perceived risk, efficacy, and behaviors
Authors: Li Ruobing
Published: March 2024

This study examines the inconsistent theories surrounding the roles of perceived threat and efficacy in risk communication theories, focusing on behavioral changes during a public health crisis. Utilizing a two‐wave panel survey, the research found a nuanced interaction between efficacy beliefs and risk perceptions in dictating individuals’ engagement in protective or defensive behaviors. Notably, those with high risk perceptions but lower efficacy beliefs were more likely to engage in future protective behaviors, contradicting previous assumptions about the avoidance group's propensity for defensive reactions. These findings initiate a complex discussion on the dynamics of risk and efficacy perceptions influencing behavior.
Double whammy? Trade and automation in engineering services
Authors: Klügl Franziska , Nordås Hildegunn Kyvik
Published: March 2024

This paper studies the role of trade for the joint uptake of AI‐enabled automation in manufacturing and engineering. It develops an agent‐based model (ABM) where the agents are heterogeneous manufacturers and engineering firms. The ABM features two technology‐related business models: engineering as a face‐to‐face consultancy service and engineering as automated software. The software adoption rate follows an S‐shaped curve for manufacturers and a boom and bust cycle for engineers. In the early phase, shortage of engineers constrains AI uptake, while engineers become abundant when AI is fully adopted. Trade affects the cut‐off productivity level at which manufacturers switch technology, the shape of the adoption rate curve, and the incentives for engineers to develop software. Bulky transactions and different productivity distributions across countries are drivers of trade in their own right.
Systematic analysis of mucosal‐associated invariant T cells in haematological malignancies
Authors: Bacova Barbora , Cierny Jakub , Nemcekova Lucia , Smetanova/Brozova Jitka , Novak Jan
Published: March 2024

Mucosal‐associated invariant T‐cells (MAIT) are unconventional T‐cells with cytotoxic and pro‐inflammatory properties. Previous research has reported contradictory findings on their role in cancerogenesis with data being even scarcer in haematological malignancies. Here, we report the results of a systematic analysis of MAIT cells in treatment‐naïve patients with a broad range of haematological malignancies. We analysed peripheral blood of 204 patients and 50 healthy subjects. The pool of haematological patients had a statistically significant lower both the absolute value (median values, 0.01 × 109/L vs. 0.05 × 109/L) of MAIT cells and their percentage (median values 0.94% vs. 2.56%) among T‐cells compared to the control group. Separate analysis showed that the decrease in the absolute number of MAIT cells is significant in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia, myeloproliferative neoplasms, plasma cell myeloma, B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphomas, otherwise not specified, diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma compared to the control population. Furthermore, in haematological malignancies, MAIT cells overexpress PD‐1 (average values, 51.7% vs. 6.7%), HLA‐DR (average values, 40.2% vs. 7%), CD38 (average values, 25.9% vs. 4.9%) and CD69 (average values, 40.2% vs. 9.2%). Similar results were obtained when comparing patients with individual malignancies to the control population. Our data show that the depletion of circulating MAIT cells is a common observation in a broad spectrum of haematological malignancies. In addition to their reduced numbers, MAIT cells acquire an activated/exhausted phenotype.
Emotional Design of Packaging: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Liu Chang , Samsudin Mat Redhuan , Zou Yuwen
Published: March 2024

This study aims to explain the present research status and trends in the field of Emotional Design of Packaging (EDOP). A total of 129 scholarly articles were selected from high-quality journals in the Web of Science (WoS) database, and a systematic review of the EDOP field was undertaken, utilising a combination of CiteSpace and VOSviewer for bibliometric analysis. The findings reveal substantial advancements over the past two decades, with prospects for continued expansion. There exists a pressing requirement for enhanced collaboration across countries, institutions, and authors within this field. The core research themes in this area are Emotional Communication of Brand Packaging, Emotional Triggers for Packaging Design, Emotional Experience and User Satisfaction, and Emotional Design and Consumer Behaviour. It is worth mentioning that these four research themes correspond to the evolutionary trend of EDOP research history, with crossovers between periods arranged in an overlapping relationship. Additionally, Sensory Characteristics of Food Packaging and Emotional Measurement of Users, Modelling the Relationship between Packaging Design, Branding and Consumer Behaviour, and the Role of Cigarette Packaging Design in Tobacco Marketing collectively form the fundamental knowledge base in this area. This study not only addresses the current research gap in this field but also provides valuable references and guidance for future researchers.
The Influence of Perceived Risk Factors on Emerging-Market Consumers’ Attitude Towards Shopping for Clothes Online
Authors: Makhitha KM , Ngobeni KM
Published: March 2024

Engagement in online shopping by specific emerging-market consumers in South Africa is on the rise. Nevertheless, the online usage rate remains low. Online retailers need to understand the perceived risk factors influencing consumers’ attitudes and intention in relation to online shopping for clothing products. To that end, an online survey was conducted among emerging-market consumers in Soweto, with 300 respondents being targeted and reached. Convenience sampling was adopted to collect data from the respondents. An independent research company collected data, and various statistical analyses were conducted. The findings revealed that perceived financial, convenience and security risks significantly influenced emerging-market consumers’ attitude towards online shopping. None of the perceived risks were found to influence consumers’ intention to shop online. The perceived financial, convenience and security risks were found to be mediated by attitude. The findings are significant for e-commerce merchants seeking to develop targeted online marketing strategies for emerging-market consumers.
The Social Responsibility of Political Talk Shows in Dealing with Parliamentary Performance
Authors: Abuhasirah Ramez , Salameh Rasha
Published: March 2024

The article aimed to identify the social responsibility dimensions of political talk shows in dealing with the parliamentary performance of the 19th House of Representatives of Jordan. It adopted the content analysis methodology and applied it to the "Kingdom Voice" (Sawt Al-Mamlaka) program. Thirty-one episodes have been analyzed, of which they dealt with the parliamentary functioning of the House of Representatives during its second ordinary session, which began on 13 November 2022 and ended on 7 May 2023. The results of the study showed that the (Sawt Al-Mamlaka) program was committed to all dimensions of social, moral, and professional responsibility the dealing with parliamentary performance but was more committed to the media performance dimension (ethical standards), with a mean of (2.80), then the roles and functions of social responsibility with a mean of (2.76), then the professional standards with a mean of (2.55). The study concluded that talk shows should uphold the principle of serving the public and society, raising the level of freedom of opinion and expression, ensuring that talk shows serve as a platform for thought and criticism within their social responsibility, their role as constructive and positive critics in society, and their oversight function in expressing public opinion.
Folding Miura-Ori of Uniform Thickness With One Degree-of-Freedom
Authors: Yang Jingyi , You Zhong
Published: March 2024

The Miura-ori is an origami pattern with bi-directional folding capable of transforming a large thin sheet into a compact volume with a single degree-of-freedom (DoF). A common Miura-ori pattern consists of identical rigid parallelogram facets that can rotate about the creases without twisting or stretching. However, large gaps along the hinges or uneven surfaces in deployed states are inevitable when thick panels are used. In this paper, the authors add uniform thickness to a Miura-ori tessellation and connect the thick panels by revolute joints on either the top or the bottom facets of the panels for valley creases or mountain creases, respectively. To enable its folding, regular slits are made on some facets not only to remove the excess kinematic constraints but also to accommodate the panel thickness during the folding process. Having made the cuts, we demonstrate that the resultant assembly can fold into a compact package with one DoF. We further notice that although the slits open up during the folding process, they close in the deployed state of the assembly, giving flat and continuous surfaces on both the top and bottom sides. The same method can also be applied to fold the derivatives of the Miura-ori, such as double-corrugated patterns.
Predicting early auditory evoked potentials using a computational model of auditory-nerve processing
Authors: Temboury-Gutierrez Miguel , Encina-Llamas Gerard , Dau Torsten
Published: March 2024

Non-invasive electrophysiological measures, such as auditory evoked potentials (AEPs), play a crucial role in diagnosing auditory pathology. However, the relationship between AEP morphology and cochlear degeneration remains complex and not well understood. Dau [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 113, 936–950 (2003)] proposed a computational framework for modeling AEPs that utilized a nonlinear auditory-nerve (AN) model followed by a linear unitary response function. While the model captured some important features of the measured AEPs, it also exhibited several discrepancies in response patterns compared to the actual measurements. In this study, an enhanced AEP modeling framework is presented, incorporating an improved AN model, and the conclusions from the original study were reevaluated. Simulation results with transient and sustained stimuli demonstrated accurate auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and frequency-following responses (FFRs) as a function of stimulation level, although wave-V latencies remained too short, similar to the original study. When compared to physiological responses in animals, the revised model framework showed a more accurate balance between the contributions of auditory-nerve fibers (ANFs) at on- and off-frequency regions to the predicted FFRs. These findings emphasize the importance of cochlear processing in brainstem potentials. This framework may provide a valuable tool for assessing human AN models and simulating AEPs for various subtypes of peripheral pathologies, offering opportunities for research and clinical applications.
Supporting a National Team During the Overwatch World Cup: Three Confessional Tales
Authors: Brain Jonathan , Wright Oliver , Quartiroli Alessandro , Wagstaff Christopher R.D.
Published: March 2024

There is currently a lack of understanding of how sport psychology practitioners navigate the nuances of working within the esports domain in the applied sport psychology literature. Therefore, the current case study provides three confessional tales, which aim to outline the unique experiences of two sport and exercise psychologists in training, working with a national Overwatch esports team during the World Cup preparation period. We first provide contextual elements of the World Cup format, the roster, the team’s needs, and the program of work. In the form of confessional tales, we share a series of critical reflections concerning the challenges and nuances we experienced, specifically: (a) the limited time afforded to deliver our services, (b) the misalignment in values experienced with the players and staff in the organization, and (c) working without visual cues with the members of the team. We conclude this case study by providing a series of recommendations for practitioners seeking to work with elite esports teams preparing for high-level competitions while delivering ethical and effective services.
Arresting the bad seed: HDAC3 regulates proliferation of different microglia after ischemic stroke
Authors: Zhang Yue , Li Jiaying , Zhao Yongfang , Huang Yichen , Shi Ziyu , Wang Hailian , Cao Hui , Wang Chenran , Wang Yana , Chen Di , Chen Shuning , Meng Shan , Wang Yangfan , Zhu Yueyan , Jiang Yan , Gong Ye , Gao Yanqin
Published: March 2024

The accumulation of self-renewed polarized microglia in the penumbra is a critical neuroinflammatory process after ischemic stroke, leading to secondary demyelination and neuronal loss. Although known to regulate tumor cell proliferation and neuroinflammation, HDAC3’s role in microgliosis and microglial polarization remains unclear. We demonstrated that microglial HDAC3 knockout (HDAC3-miKO) ameliorated poststroke long-term functional and histological outcomes. RNA-seq analysis revealed mitosis as the primary process affected in HDAC3-deficent microglia following stroke. Notably, HDAC3-miKO specifically inhibited proliferation of proinflammatory microglia without affecting anti-inflammatory microglia, preventing microglial transition to a proinflammatory state. Moreover, ATAC-seq showed that HDAC3-miKO induced closing of accessible regions enriched with PU.1 motifs. Overexpressing microglial PU.1 via an AAV approach reversed HDAC3-miKO–induced proliferation inhibition and protective effects on ischemic stroke, indicating PU.1 as a downstream molecule that mediates HDAC3’s effects on stroke. These findings uncovered that HDAC3/PU.1 axis, which mediated differential proliferation-related reprogramming in different microglia populations, drove poststroke inflammatory state transition, and contributed to pathophysiology of ischemic stroke.
Australia’s Tinderbox Drought: An extreme natural event likely worsened by human-caused climate change
Authors: Devanand Anjana , Falster Georgina M. , Gillett Zoe E. , Hobeichi Sanaa , Holgate Chiara M. , Jin Chenhui , Mu Mengyuan , Parker Tess , Rifai Sami W. , Rome Kathleen S. , Stojanovic Milica , Vogel Elisabeth , Abram Nerilie J. , Abramowitz Gab , Coats Sloan , Evans Jason P. , Gallant Ailie J. E. , Pitman Andy J. , Power Scott B. , Rauniyar Surendra P. , Taschetto Andréa S. , Ukkola Anna M.
Published: March 2024

We examine the characteristics and causes of southeast Australia’s Tinderbox Drought (2017 to 2019) that preceded the Black Summer fire disaster. The Tinderbox Drought was characterized by cool season rainfall deficits of around −50% in three consecutive years, which was exceptionally unlikely in the context of natural variability alone. The precipitation deficits were initiated and sustained by an anomalous atmospheric circulation that diverted oceanic moisture away from the region, despite traditional indicators of drought risk in southeast Australia generally being in neutral states. Moisture deficits were intensified by unusually high temperatures, high vapor pressure deficits, and sustained reductions in terrestrial water availability. Anthropogenic forcing intensified the rainfall deficits of the Tinderbox Drought by around 18% with an interquartile range of 34.9 to −13.3% highlighting the considerable uncertainty in attributing droughts of this kind to human activity. Skillful predictability of this drought was possible by incorporating multiple remote and local predictors through machine learning, providing prospects for improving forecasting of droughts.
Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks activate endosomal Toll-like receptors and potentiate immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein trimer
Authors: Alsaiari Shahad K. , Nadeef Seba , Daristotle John L. , Rothwell William , Du Bujie , Garcia Johnny , Zhang Linzixuan , Sarmadi Morteza , Forster Timothy A. , Menon Nandita , Lin Stacey Qiaohui , Tostanoski Lisa H. , Hachmann Nicole , Wang Erika Yan , Ventura John D. , Barouch Dan H. , Langer Robert , Jaklenec Ana
Published: March 2024

Nanomaterials offer unique opportunities to engineer immunomodulatory activity. In this work, we report the Toll-like receptor agonist activity of a nanoscale adjuvant zeolitic imidazolate framework–8 (ZIF-8). The accumulation of ZIF-8 in endosomes and the pH-responsive release of its subunits enable selective engagement with endosomal Toll-like receptors, minimizing the risk of off-target activation. The intrinsic adjuvant properties of ZIF-8, along with the efficient delivery and biomimetic presentation of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein receptor-binding domain trimer, primed rapid humoral and cell-mediated immunity in a dose-sparing manner. Our study offers insights for next-generation adjuvants that can potentially impact future vaccine development.