bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lubricity performance of Jatropha oil incorporated PTFE and h-BN as additives for electric vehicles transmission lubrication
Authors: Opia Anthony Chukwunonso , Abdollah Mohd Fadzli , Amiruddin Hilmi
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Concerns over the pollution caused by internal combustion vehicles have increased owing to population and industrialization increment. Addressing the confrontations, the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) as a combustion engine substitute became necessary in responding to environmental worries from internal combustion. The development of bio lubricant in lubricating the sliding parts of EVs is required to maintain the sustainability idea and to improve the system performance, which this research tends to explore.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, the enhancement of base Jatropha oil was done using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and hexagonal boron nitrate (h-BN) as additives. Different characterization was conducted on the new formulation to ascertain its anticorrosion tendency. The wear and friction behavior of the formulations on the tribo-pairs surfaces in contact were investigated using ball on flat tribometer to determine their tribological responsiveness as mineral lubricant alternative. To explore the surface topography, surface profilometer, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray investigations were PTFE, lubrication and EV carried out.

Findings

The test’s input parameters were EVs’ usual load and sliding speed, and the addition concentrations for PTFE were 0.3 Wt.%, 0.4 Wt.%, 0.5 Wt.% and 0.6 Wt.%, whereas h-BN were 0.4 Wt.%, 0.8 Wt.% and 1.2 Wt.%, respectively. The study on corrosion demonstrated resistance when applied PTFE and h-BN additives in Jatropha oil. The analysis revealed that 0.5 Wt.% PTFE + 0.8 Wt.% h-BN concentrations significantly improved the tribological characteristics when compared to the base Jatropha oil. The application of formulations yielded percentage reduction of 8.67%, 10.98%, 7.34% and 7.35%, respectively, for 0.5% poly + 0.5% h-BN, 0.5% poly + 0.6% h-BN, 0.5% poly + 0.7% h-BN, 0.5% poly + 0.8% h-BN against base Jatropha oil under 20 N.

Originality/value

The formulation of PTFE and h-BN for electric transmission with wear and friction effects was accomplished in this paper. The mechanism of particle diffusing at the sliding contact on tribological behavior could be examined based on the created model of operation.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-07-2023-0235/
Social workers dealing with situations of abuse against adults and older people: a research study in an Italian region
Authors: Corradini Francesca
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the point of view and the interventions of social workers working in local authority social services on the issue of abuse against vulnerable adults and older people. The cases are analyzed from the perspective of dangerous care, considering the interpersonal level of violence and the structural and contextual conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a qualitative methodology; 49 semistructured interviews with social workers across seven districts in a province in Northern Italy were carried out. The interviews included both open-ended questions and the description of specific cases.

Findings

This study highlights how the shortcomings in the welfare system (lack of legislation, dedicated services and protocols between different services) and the complexity of cases (often involving family members with personal issues) negatively impact social workers’ professional practice. Social workers often operate in solitude and encounter ethical dilemmas. This isolation can lead them to adopt an approach aimed at controlling situations, which may not always take into account the preferences of the individuals directly involved.

Research limitations/implications

This study captures the perspectives of social workers within a limited geographic area. To gain a more comprehensive understanding, it would be beneficial to extend research to a national level. Another limitation is the absence of the opinion of those directly involved.

Originality/value

There is currently no research in Italy that explores the opinions of social workers on this issue, which, in general, is little studied. The findings of this research can be highly valuable for professionals and policymakers to organize services and develop intervention protocols, which are currently lacking in the areas where the study was conducted.
The power of persuasion: exploring the relationship between advertising and nuclear energy in Spain
Authors: Aramendia-Muneta Maria Elena , Rubio-Varas Mar , De la Torre Joseba
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine how the nuclear energy issue was used for advertising purposes at the dawn of the atomic era in Spain.

Design/methodology/approach

Newspapers and magazines from the atomic era were reviewed to assess the impact of nuclear energy on advertising campaigns for all kinds of unrelated products. This study interprets the message and information contained in several marketing campaigns from the detonation of the first nuclear bomb in 1945 until the inauguration of the first nuclear facility in Spain in 1968.

Findings

Private companies leapt at the chance to use the new technology, with its promises of a brighter future, to promote their products, including watches, Venetian blinds, anisette, chocolates, pencils and fountain pens, spa resorts, books and encyclopaedias, laundry detergents, pressure cookers, concentrate feeds and hair restorers. This study makes a major contribution to the history of marketing literature, focusing on nuclear energy as an influential agent in industry, advertising agencies and popular culture. It shows how advertising campaigns used terms such as “nuclear”, “atomic” and “atomic bomb” and images of mushroom clouds or atom symbols to denote modernity and allure and explores how government policies – in this case, concerning nuclear energy – can influence marketers and advertisers.

Originality/value

The paper’s originality stems from its analysis of Spanish advertisements to explore marketing history through the terms and imagery associated with nuclear energy and its industry. It further contributes to the understanding of how nuclear energy is represented and conceptualised for various purposes in popular culture.
Curbing recidivism in Ghana: the nexus between career self-efficacy and psychological empowerment
Authors: Hevi Stewart Selase , Agbenorxevi Clemence Dupey , Malcalm Ebenezer , Obuobisa-Darko Theresa
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the moderated-mediation roles of career crafting as well as leader-member exchange (LMX) between career decision self-efficacy and psychological empowerment among ex-offenders in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

A purposive sampling technique was used in selecting of 412 ex-offenders at various religious rehabilitation units in Ghana. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to investigate the hypothesized paths.

Findings

The findings show that LMX moderates the mediated link between career crafting and psychological empowerment.

Research limitations/implications

Guided by the positivist paradigm deployed in the study, some methodological limitations such as the inability to provide an in-depth explanation of cause-and-effect relationships are worth noting for future studies to explore.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the empirical work is unique, as it is the first to extend the scope of career development through the perspective of recidivism in an emerging economy.
A Cross‐Community Comparison of Antecedents of Hurricane Ian Risk Perceptions and Evacuation Behaviours
Authors: Zhang Xiaochen Angela , Borden Jonathan
Published: December 2024

This study seeks to understand how historical models of risk perception and protective action antecedents, as predicted by The Protective Action Decision Model (PADM), apply across micro‐regional differences in the context of Florida counties during the 2022 Hurricane Ian, and how these regional differences may lead to differences in reception, perception and response to information and evacuation warnings across the state. Two Florida communities (Southwest vs. Central and Eastern regions) with different typography, historical disaster experience, demographics and existing hazard adjustment programs were surveyed and compared. Results showed that, within the same hurricane event and broader geographic region (Florida), the two community locations differ in their reliance on information sources, social cues and prior hurricane experiences to inform risk perceptions and evacuation decisions. Additionally, different mediation patterns of risk perceptions were found between the antecedents and evacuation behaviours for the different community locations. The findings imply the importance to consider regional variations and to strategize messaging communicating risk and self‐protective behaviours accordingly.
Bank FinTech and corporate disclosure: Evidence from China
Authors: Yang Qingqing , Shen Yu , Wu Qiannan , Zhong Xueyi
Published: December 2024

Drawing on the lending relationships between banks and companies, this study investigates the impact of bank FinTech on corporate voluntary information disclosure. We find that bank FinTech promotes corporate information disclosure and increases the number of conference calls holds. The results remain robust across a series of robustness checks, particularly for the instrumental variables approach and difference‐in‐differences (DID) analysis to address endogeneity concerns. We discuss the potential mechanisms through financing and monitoring. The results show that the effects of bank FinTech are particularly pronounced in companies facing financial constraints and exhibiting weak governance. Our findings suggest that companies strategically adjust their disclosures in response to evolving banking relationships under the development of FinTech.
Sleeve gastrectomy plus single anastomosis sleeve ileal bipartition versus sleeve gastrectomy alone: The role of bipartition
Authors: Qin Xiaoguang , Mao Zhongqi , Lee Wei‐Jei , Zhang Min , Wu Guoqiang , Zhou Xiaoqing
Published: December 2024

Background

Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) with single anastomosis sleeve ileal bipartition (SASI) is a novel procedure for increasing the anti‐metabolic efficacy of SG in severely people with obesity.

Objectives

This study aimed to compare 1‐year results between SASI and SG, thereby assessing the role of bipartition.

Setting

The study was conducted at the Medical University hospital.

Methods

Between November 2021 and December 2022, 39 patients received an SG + SASI surgery, a total of 35 patients completed 1‐year follow‐up after the surgery. They were matched with a group of 70 patients with SG that were equal in age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Operative risk, weight loss, and remission of comorbidities were evaluated after 12 months.

Results

The operation time of the SASI group was significantly longer than the SG group (140.3 ± 22.8 vs. 114.9 ± 21.6 min; p < .001). At 12 months after surgery, the SASI group had better weight loss (total weight loss: 37.0% vs. 29.7%; p = .001) and achieved a lower BMI than SG (23.4 ± 2.6 kg/m2 vs. 24.6 ± 2.9 kg/m2; p = .046). Reduction of A1C and remission of T2D was greater in the SASI group. The SASI group had a higher reduction in uric acid, low‐density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels after operation than the SG group. However, the SG group is superior to the SASI group in mean corpuscular volume, calcium, and iron levels.

Conclusions

In this study, adding an ileum bipartition to SG increases the weight loss, glycemic, and blood lipid control of SG only.
Ten‐year survival and pattern of recurrence in patients with locally recurrent rectal or sigmoid cancer undergoing resection
Authors: Wiig J. N. , Dagenborg Vegar Johansen , Larsen Stein Gunnar
Published: December 2024

Aim

The aim of this work is to report actual overall survival (AOS) at 5 and 10 years after multimodal treatment for locally recurrent rectal or sigmoid cancer (LRRC) and the importance of local re‐recurrence (reLRRC) and distant metastases for AOS.

Method

All patients resected for LRRC at a single centre between years 1990 and 2007 were included. Resections were based on images taken after neoadjuvant treatment. Patients were prospectively followed up for 5 years. After a minimum of 10 years, the records of referring hospitals were analysed.

Results

A total of 224 patients underwent resection. At 5 and 10 years 33% and 17%, respectively, had survived. Median survival was 38 months [interquartile range (IQR) 62 months]. Patients with complete resections had 5‐ and 10‐year survival of 56% and 28%, respectively, versus 22% and 11% for those with microscopic remaining tumour; none with macroscopic remains survived beyond 4 years. Median survival was 71 months (IQR 106 months), 33 months (IQR 35 months) and 15 months (IQR 17 months), respectively. With a median survival of 123 months (IQR 80 months), the 54 patients without recurrence had 5‐ and 10‐year survival of 69% and 59%, respectively. The independent predictor of survival was R‐stage. Of the 197 patients who had radical resection, 83 developed reLRRC and 108 distant metastases. ReLRRC appeared at a median of 18 months (IQR 21 months) and distant metastases at 12 months (IQR 21 months). Lung metastases were the most common form of distant disease.

Conclusion

More than 5 years postoperatively the mortality from cancer was substantial. Most metastases appeared not to be secondary to reLRRC. Planning surgery from pretreatment images might reduce reLRRC.
Co‐benefits between biodiversity and hydrological ecosystem services allow an efficient conservation planning proposal for the Riviera Maya, Mexico
Authors: Aguilar‐Sánchez Juan Alberto , Kolb Melanie
Published: December 2024

Including biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES) spatial priorities in reserve design through quantitative methods known as systematic conservation planning has been proposed to identify spatial solutions that achieve both elements in a spatially efficient manner. The aim of this study is to evaluate the differences between priority sites for biodiversity and hydrological ecosystem services (HES) and to identify opportunities for co‐benefits that allow an efficient conservation planning proposal, using as a case study the Riviera Maya, Mexico. The results confirm the following: (1) biodiversity and HES priority sites have different spatial patterns, sharing only 24% of priority sites; (2) HES priority sites achieve a high percentage (95%) of biodiversity conservation targets, showing that they can potentially be used for biodiversity representation; and (3) integrating HES and biodiversity into one model is more efficient to represent conservation targets than considering both elements individually (46% vs. 66% of the study area). These results reflect the lack of irreplaceable sites for biodiversity conservation, and as <8% of the study area is currently covered by protected areas, this means that there are numerous opportunities to align cobenefits of biodiversity and HES conservation actions.
Multicenter, Real‐World Clinical Evaluation of Alemtuzumab and Anti‐Thymocyte Globulin for Severe Acute T Cell‐Mediated Kidney Transplant Rejection
Authors: van Vugt Lukas K. , Tegzess Erzsi , van der Zwan Marieke , Clahsen‐van Groningen Marian C. , de Winter Brenda C. M. , Vart Priya , Reinders Marlies E. J. , Sanders Jan Stephan F. , Berger Stefan P. , Hesselink Dennis A.
Published: December 2024

Background

Alemtuzumab can be an alternative to rabbit anti‐thymocyte globulin (rATG) to treat severe or glucocorticoid‐resistant acute T cell‐mediated kidney transplant rejection (TCMR). Yet, there are few reports in which these two treatments are evaluated let alone, compared. This study describes the real‐world clinical experience of both therapies and compares their efficacy and toxicity.

Methods

Kidney transplant recipients of two Dutch transplant centers who received lymphocyte‐depleting antibody therapy for severe or glucocorticoid‐resistant TCMR were retrospectively evaluated. In the first, alemtuzumab was the standard treatment for this indication, in the second, it was rATG. Patient survival, graft survival and function, and the occurrence of infections and malignancies were reported and compared.

Results

One hundred and forty‐three patients treated with alemtuzumab and 57 patients with rATG were evaluated. Patient survival was not significantly different during follow‐up (p = 0.55), and 5‐year survival rates were 71.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 63.0–79.9) after alemtuzumab and 70.7% (95% CI: 58.3–85.7) after rATG. Graft survival was not significantly different during follow‐up either (p = 0.24), and 5‐year graft loss rates were 32.3% (95% CI: 24.2–40.5) after alemtuzumab and 29.2% (95% CI: 16.0–42.4) after rATG. The occurrence of infections and malignancies did not differ between groups.

Conclusion

Mostly, severe TCMRs have good long‐term graft survival and function after either alemtuzumab or rATG therapy. No significant differences between the two therapies were found in this real‐world clinical experience. Alemtuzumab is an effective alternative to rATG for the treatment of severe TCMR.
Macro‐evolutionary dynamics dominated by dispersal promote the formation of regional biodiversity hotspot‐insights from hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in South China
Authors: Wang Ying , Yang Cai‐qing , Zheng Yu‐xuan , Hao Meng‐di , Zhu Chao‐dong , Orr Michael C. , Zhang Ai‐bing
Published: December 2024

Aim

Rapid loss in global insect diversity has generated substantial public worry due to their critical ecological roles. However, there is controversy about the effectiveness of the global‐scale hotspots in guiding the conservation of diversity at the regional scale. Even worse, little is known about the knowledge of insect distributional dynamics in many understudied regions, such as East and Southeast Asia. Here, to guide for setting regional‐scale conservation priorities for insect diversity, we explore hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) for their distributional dynamics and identify regional hotspots requiring protection.

Location

South China (including Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong and Macau) and northern Vietnam (17°~26.5° N, 102°~117.5° E).

Methods

Species distribution models were generated for 194 hawkmoth species based on 3597 occurrence records to predict their distributions. We calculated the spatial patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity and identified regional hotspots. Furthermore, the potential assembly mechanisms underlying insect diversity were explored by analysing the rates of speciation, extinction and dispersal between phyloregions.

Results

(a) The coastal regions of South China and northern Vietnam represent a regional hotspot of hawkmoths in East and Southeast Asia, with significantly higher α‐diversity than that in inland regions. (b) Dispersal played a more important role than local speciation and extinction in the formation of regional hawkmoth hotspots.

Main Conclusions

In this study, the ‘Out‐of‐the‐tropics model’ can explain the formation of the hawkmoth regional hotspots and the enhanced version of the ‘Pure dispersal model’ can explain the formation of the hotspots in Hainan Island. Compared with the local speciation and extinction, dispersal is the main driving factor that promoted the formation of the regional biodiversity hotspot of hawkmoths in South China. The case of Hainan Island suggests that protection within hotspots needs to account for specific regional macro‐evolutionary dynamics rather than indiscriminate coverage of identified hotspots.
A biweekly DPP‐4 inhibitor cofrogliptin monotherapy in Chinese patients with impaired glucose tolerance: A phase 2, multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group trial
Authors: He Qinghua , Cheng Zhifeng , Li Yufeng , Xing Xiaoyan , Li Liping , Li Xinsheng , Zhang Junqing , Xu Lingling , Song Weihong , Li Fangqiong , Zhang Zhanhui , Guo Lixin
Published: December 2024

Aims

To assess the efficacy and safety of cofrogliptin for impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).

Methods

In this multicenter, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled phase 2 trial, IGT patients were randomized 1:1:1 to receive cofrogliptin 10 mg, cofrogliptin 25 mg or placebo once biweekly. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in glucose total AUC0–3 h during meal tolerance test (MTT) at week 12.

Results

Among 261 subjects screened, 99 were enrolled. At week 12, significant mean reductions from baseline in glucose total AUC0–3 h during MTT were observed in cofrogliptin groups (10 mg: −1.75 mmol h/L, p = 0.01; 25 mg: −1.54 mmol h/L, p = 0.02) versus placebo (0.36 mmol h/L). Significant benefits were also seen with cofrogliptin for secondary endpoints of the change from baseline in Cmax of glucose during MTT 0–3 h at week 12, and the change from baseline in glucose total AUC0–3 h and Cmax of glucose during OGTT 0–3 h at week 10 versus placebo. Additionally, more cofrogliptin‐treated patients achieved normoglycaemia versus placebo at week 10. The incidence of AEs was generally comparable in all groups, and all of AEs were mild or moderate. No serious AEs or severe hypoglycaemia were reported.

Conclusion

A 12‐week treatment with cofrogliptin provided significant glucose‐lowering, and was safe, well tolerated.
The clinical importance of measuring glycaemic variability: Utilising new metrics to optimise glycaemic control
Authors: Ajjan R. A.
Published: December 2024

With the widespread use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), glycaemic variability (GV) is a glucose metric that has been gaining increasing attention. However, unlike other glucose metrics that are easily defined and have clear targets, GV has a large number of different measures given the complexity involved in assessment. While variabilities in HbA1c, fasting and postprandial glucose have been incorporated under the GV banner, short‐term variability in glucose, within day and between days, is more in keeping with the correct definition of GV. This review is focused on short‐term GV, as assessed by CGM data, although studies calculating GV from capillary glucose testing are also mentioned as appropriate. The different measures of GV are addressed, and their potential role in microvascular and macrovascular complications, as well as patient‐related outcomes, discussed. It should be noted that the independent role of GV in vascular pathology is not always clear, given the inconsistent findings in different populations and the close association between GV and hypoglycaemia, itself an established risk factor for adverse outcomes. Therefore, this review attempts, where possible, to disentangle the contribution of GV to diabetes complications from other glycaemic parameters, particularly hypoglycaemia. Evidence to date strongly suggests an independent role for GV in vascular pathology but future large‐scale outcome studies are required to fully understand the exact contribution of this metric to vascular complications. This can be followed by setting appropriate GV measures and targets in different diabetes subgroups, in order to optimise glycaemic management and limit the risk of complications.
Gender Stereotypes in French Pre‐Schools: Between Construction and Deconstruction
Authors: Stoppa Lola , Molina Guylaine , Hache Caroline
Published: December 2024

Stereotypes are social representations that help us understand the world around us, and yet endanger our conception of the world. Indeed, using stereotypes can lead to generalisations; in other words, it can lead to neglecting the personal characteristics of individuals. This article studies gender stereotypes and their part in the French early school system; kindergarten. In France, school is mandatory from an early age and promotes equality. Yet, gender equality is hard to reach as long as gender stereotypes persist. The overall question this paper addresses is that of gender stereotypes in French schools’ hidden curriculum: does it help construct them, deconstruct them, or is it neutral? This study, in which school books and online video recordings were observed and analysed with the concepts of stereotypes, counter‐stereotypes and non‐stereotypes, shows how gender stereotypes still exist in French kindergarten schools, although counter‐stereotypes and non‐stereotypes are found as well.
Investigating the Role of AI Tools in Enhancing Translation Skills, Emotional Experiences, and Motivation in L2 Learning
Authors: Kruk Mariusz , Kałużna Agnieszka
Published: December 2024

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in L2 teaching and learning is poised to revolutionise educational practices by enhancing both instructional methods and language development for L2 learners. This study employed a mixed‐methods design to comprehensively examine the impact of AI tools, machine translation systems, and traditional approaches on students' translation accuracy, emotions, and motivation. A total of forty‐nine undergraduate English majors were divided into three groups: the AI Group (AIG; N = 16) using AI tools, the machine translation group (MTG; N = 20) using machine translation tools, and the traditional group (TG; N = 13) using manual methods. Participants completed four translation tasks with varying levels of linguistic complexity, and their performance was evaluated using quantitative metrics such as meaning retention, grammatical correctness, fluency, and naturalness. Additionally, semi‐structured interviews were conducted to gather qualitative insights into participants' emotional and motivational experiences. Quantitative data analysis included the Kruskal‐Wallis test to assess differences amongst the groups, revealing that AIG students achieved the highest translation accuracy. Qualitative thematic analysis of the interview data indicated that emotions such as curiosity, anxiety, and excitement were prevalent across all groups. While AI tools fostered motivation in the AIG and MTG, some participants expressed concerns about over‐reliance on technology leading to reduced engagement. These findings highlight AI's dual role in enhancing translation accuracy and shaping the emotional and motivational dynamics of L2 learners, suggesting that its integration should be balanced with traditional methods to optimise learning outcomes.
Returning Fire to Degraded Temperate Grassy Woodland Fragments Requires Fine‐Scale Management Interventions to Promote Trees: Insights From the Beaufront Experiment
Authors: French Ben J. , Prior Lynda D. , Johnson Christopher N. , Sculthorpe Andry , von Bibra Julian , Bowman David M. J. S.
Published: December 2024

Temperate grassy woodlands were once widespread in southeast Australia and were shaped by fire regimes imposed by Indigenous peoples. Today, they persist as scattered fragments in matrices of highly modified farmland, where fire is rare and eucalypt trees are in decline. Returning fire to these fragments is a suggested approach to reduce fuels and stimulate eucalypt recruitment. We implemented a single round of small, low‐intensity surface fires in a woodland fragment in the Tasmanian Midlands and assessed adult eucalypt mortality and juvenile recruitment. The fires were set during mild fire weather, were tended by 4–15 people, and fire‐fighting vehicles were used to extinguish burning trees. Still, the fires killed 7% of adult eucalypts (18 trees), mostly due to cambial girdling which occurred where burning litter and coarse woody debris at the base of the trees initiated smouldering fires in thick bark on the lower trunks. Seedling recruitment was restricted to ash beds near trees with viable seed crops. Seedlings survived only if protected from mammalian herbivores. Herbivore protection also increased the growth of lignotuberous sprouts after fire. Our findings demonstrate that eucalypt trees in degraded woodland fragments may be vulnerable to low‐intensity surface fire. We make recommendations as to how managers may burn woodland fragments in ways that avoid killing eucalypt trees and enhance postfire recruitment, enabling transition to more sustainable fire regimes.
A common marker of affect recognition dysfunction in the FTD spectrum of disorders
Authors: Canu Elisa , Castelnovo Veronica , Aiello Edoardo Nicolò , De Luca Giulia , Sibilla Elisa , Freri Fabiola , Tripodi Chiara , Spinelli Edoardo Gioele , Cecchetti Giordano , Magnani Giuseppe , Caso Francesca , Caroppo Paola , Prioni Sara , Villa Cristina , Tremolizzo Lucio , Appollonio Ildebrando , Verde Federico , Ticozzi Nicola , Silani Vincenzo , Sturm Virginia E. , Rankin Katherine P. , Gorno‐Tempini Maria Luisa , Poletti Barbara , Filippi Massimo , Agosta Federica
Published: December 2024

Background

Poor affect recognition is an early sign of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here, we applied the abbreviated version of the Comprehensive Affect Testing System (CATS‐A) battery to Italian FTD cases and healthy controls (HC) to provide cut‐offs of emotional dysfunction in the whole group and in different FTD clinical syndromes.

Methods

One hundred thirty‐nine FTD patients (60 behavioural variant [bvFTD],13 semantic behavioural variant of FTD [sbvFTD], 28 progressive supranuclear palsy [PSP], 21 semantic [svPPA] and 17 nonfluent [nfvPPA] variants of primary progressive aphasia) and 116 HC were administered the CATS‐A, yielding an Affective Recognition Quotient (ARQ), which was used as outcome measure. Age‐ and education‐adjusted, regression‐based norms were derived in HC. In patients, the ARQ was assessed for its internal reliability, factorial validity and construct validity by testing its association with another social cognition paradigm, the Story‐Based Empath Task (SET). The diagnostic accuracy of the ARQ in discriminating patients from HC, genetic cases from HC and patient groups among each other was tested via ROC analyses.

Results

In the whole FTD cohort, CATS‐A proved to be underpinned by a mono‐component factor (51.1%) and was internally consistent (McDonald's ω = 0.76). Moreover, the ARQ converged with the SET (r(122) = 0.50; p < 0.001) and optimally discriminated HC from both the whole cohort (AUC = 0.89) and each clinical syndrome (AUC range: 0.83–0.92). Conversely, CATS‐A subtests were able to distinguish patient groups.

Conclusions

The ARQ score from the CATS‐A distinguishes FTD clinical syndromes from HC with high accuracy, making it an excellent tool for immediate use in clinical practice.
The Imaging Database for Epilepsy And Surgery (IDEAS)
Authors: Taylor Peter N. , Wang Yujiang , Simpson Callum , Janiukstyte Vytene , Horsley Jonathan , Leiberg Karoline , Little Beth , Clifford Harry , Adler Sophie , Vos Sjoerd B. , Winston Gavin P. , McEvoy Andrew W. , Miserocchi Anna , de Tisi Jane , Duncan John S.
Published: December 2024

Objective

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a crucial tool for identifying brain abnormalities in a wide range of neurological disorders. In focal epilepsy, MRI is used to identify structural cerebral abnormalities. For covert lesions, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms may improve lesion detection if abnormalities are not evident on visual inspection. The success of this approach depends on the volume and quality of training data.

Methods

Herein, we release an open‐source data set of pre‐processed MRI scans from 442 individuals with drug‐refractory focal epilepsy who had neurosurgical resections and detailed demographic information. We also share scans from 100 healthy controls acquired on the same scanners. The MRI scan data include the preoperative three‐dimensional (3D) T1 and, where available, 3D fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), as well as a manually inspected complete surface reconstruction and volumetric parcellations. Demographic information includes age, sex, age a onset of epilepsy, location of surgery, histopathology of resected specimen, occurrence and frequency of focal seizures with and without impairment of awareness, focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures, number of anti‐seizure medications (ASMs) at time of surgery, and a total of 1764 patient years of post‐surgical followup. Crucially, we also include resection masks delineated from post‐surgical imaging.

Results

To demonstrate the veracity of our data, we successfully replicated previous studies showing long‐term outcomes of seizure freedom in the range of ~50%. Our imaging data replicate findings of group‐level atrophy in patients compared to controls. Resection locations in the cohort were predominantly in the temporal and frontal lobes.

Significance

We envisage that our data set, shared openly with the community, will catalyze the development and application of computational methods in clinical neurology.
Piriform cortex is an ictogenic trigger zone in the primate brain
Authors: Gale Karen , Dybdal David , Wicker Evan , Campos‐Rodriguez Carolina , Maior Rafael S. , Elorette Catherine , Malkova Ludise , Forcelli Patrick A.
Published: December 2024

Objective

Area tempestas, a functionally defined region in the anterior piriform cortex, was identified as a crucial ictogenic trigger zone in the rat brain in the 1980s. However, whether the primate piriform cortex can trigger seizures remains unknown. Here, in a nonhuman primate model, we aimed to localize a similar trigger zone in the piriform cortex and, subsequently, evaluated the ability of focal inhibition of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) to suppress the evoked seizures.

Methods

Focal microinjection of the γ‐aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) antagonist bicuculline methiodide into the piriform cortex was performed, in macaque monkeys, on a within‐subject basis to map the ictogenic regions within this area. Glutamate antagonists were used to characterize the local circuit pharmacology. Focal inhibition of the substantia nigra by infusion of the GABAA agonist muscimol suppressed seizures evoked from piriform cortex.

Results

We documented a well‐defined region highly susceptible to bicuculline‐induced seizures in the piriform cortex, just posterior to the junction of the frontal and temporal lobes, indicating that a functional homolog to the rodent area tempestas is present in the primate brain. Focal infusion of glutamate receptor antagonists into the area tempestas revealed that α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid receptor‐mediated, but not N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate‐mediated, neurotransmission was necessary for the expression of seizures. Pharmacological inhibition of the SNpr robustly suppressed area tempestas‐evoked seizures.

Significance

Together, these data point to the area tempestas as a potent ictogenic zone in the primate brain and underscore the antiseizure effects of inhibition of the SNpr. Building on decades of studies in rodents, our present findings emphasize the relevance of these targets to the primate brain and provide further rationale for exploring these targets for clinical use.
Insulin resistance versus dysregulation—a distinction without a difference
Authors: Kellon E. M.
Published: December 2024

For the last 10 years, the term ‘insulin dysregulation’ has replaced ‘insulin resistance’ when referring to horses with hyperinsulinaemia. The rationale was that this was an all‐inclusive term that covered all possible causes of hyperinsulinaemia. The implication is that hyperinsulinaemia has been shown to occur outside of insulin resistance; with insulin resistance being defined as failure of the insulin‐sensitive cells to respond normally to insulin, as best documented by the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp. This article will show the evidence for that is weak to nonexistent in the horse and the term ‘insulin dysregulation’ is a misnomer that should be abandoned.
Zone Oriented Binary Multi‐Objective Charged System Search Based Feature Selection Approach for Multi‐Label Classification
Authors: Dhal Pradip , Azad Chandrashekhar
Published: December 2024

Multi‐label learning is used in situations when each instance has many labels. Due to the high‐dimensional feature space and noise in multi‐label datasets, multi‐label learning algorithms face substantial problems. Researchers have researched multi‐label FS techniques to minimise data dimensionality in multi‐label classification (MLC) problems. Global optimization approaches, such as evolutionary algorithm (EA) optimizers, scale well to high‐dimensional problems. This paper proposes a hybrid multi‐objective FS approach based on the charged system search (CSS) and grey wolf optimization (GWO) methods for the MLC problem. The first objective is to minimise the hamming loss (HLoss) value, and the second objective is to minimise the features from the feature set. A novel concept feature zone based on informative and non‐informative features has been added here. Here, we have added the Preference Ranking Organisation METHod for Enrichment of Evaluations (PROMETHEE) approach to the objective function in the FS approach. Here, we have added the new velocity equation for the updated charge particles in the CSS algorithm. The GWO property has been added to the new velocity equation to improve the exploration and exploiting property in the CSS algorithm. For experimental verification, we have utilised six publically accessible multi‐label datasets: CAL500, Emotions, Medical, Enron, Scene, and the Yeast. The findings show that the proposed approach gets the best value regarding various performance metrics. The proposed method achieves optimal Jaccard Score (JC) and HLoss values of 0.4408 and 0.0645 for CAL500, 0.8169 and 0.0719 for Emotions, 0.9486 and 0.0019 for Medical, 0.5950 and 0.0205 for Enron, 0.7391 and 0.0495 for Scene, and 0.6452 and 0.0766 for Yeast datasets. In particular, according to empirical data on a popular six‐label benchmark multi‐label datasets, the proposed method obtains competitive performance when labels are constrained.
Effect of Oral Screen Training After Stroke—A Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Dalum Jesper , Skott Pia , Åkesson Elisabet , Persson Emmelie , Karlsson Åsa , Häbel Henrike , Seiger Åke , McAllister Anita , Johansson Kerstin , Sandborgh‐Englund Gunilla
Published: December 2024

Objective

To assess the effects of oral screen training in patients with dysphagia post‐stroke.

Background

Oral screen training has been identified as an effective method for improving orofacial and oropharyngeal motor functions. However, the evidence supporting a positive transfer effect on swallowing capacity post‐primary stroke rehabilitation is still unclear. The aim of this randomised controlled trial was to investigate the effect of a 12‐week oral screen training programme using a prefabricated oral screen, with swallowing capacity as the primary outcome.

Materials and Methods

In a randomised trial, stroke survivors with residual dysphagia post‐rehabilitation were randomised into intervention group (n = 12) and control group (n = 12). The intervention group underwent 12 weeks of oral screen training. The main outcome was swallowing capacity, with lip force as a training indicator. Secondary outcomes were assessed by the Eating Assessment Tool, Masticatory performance, Nordic Orofacial Test—Screening, Life Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System.

Results

At the 3‐month follow‐up, the group that trained with an oral screen showed a significantly greater increase in lip force than the control group (mean lip force increase 10.2 N vs. 3.1 N; p = 0.02). There was no significant improvement in swallowing capacity (mean increase 0.7 mL/min vs. 0.8 mL/min; p = 0.43), or in any of the secondary variables in the intervention group relative to the control group.

Conclusion

The findings from this study showed that oral screen training initiated after completion of regular rehabilitation post‐stroke can increase lip force. However, there was no indication of any transfer effect on swallowing capacity.

Trial Registration

Clinicaltrial.gov identifier: NCT03167892
Giving Choice a Voice: Commentary on Development of the World Federation of Hemophilia Shared Decision‐Making Tool
Authors: Valentino Leonard A. , Khair Kate
Published: December 2024

The shared decision‐making (SDM) tool developed by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) provides a clear and concise overview of the process by which people with haemophilia (PwH) can collaborate with their healthcare professionals (HCPs) to engage and arrive at a therapeutic decision. This tool will be useful for all people with all bleeding disorders, not just PwH.
Obtaining Premium When Luxury Is Far Away: Masstige's Antecedents, Moderators and Consequences
Authors: Anning‐Dorson Thomas , Tackie Nii Nookwei
Published: December 2024

This study examines the interplay between masstige brands and key consumer factors, including the need for uniqueness, pride, bandwagon effect, conspicuous consumption, and consumer brand engagement. Employing a two‐stage sampling method and PLS–SEM analysis, the research focuses on middle‐income individuals as prospective masstige consumers. Findings reveal that pride and the need for uniqueness significantly drive masstige consumption, while masstige consumption strongly influences conspicuous consumption and consumer brand engagement. The study contributes to the masstige literature by validating the MMI scale and demonstrating the pivotal roles of pride and uniqueness in navigating the masstige market. These insights underscore the strategic importance of masstige brands in fostering consumer‐brand relationships and provide direction for targeted engagement strategies.
Overcoming or Removing Gendered Barriers? Support for Individualistic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Interventions Among Those in Power
Authors: Wong C. Y. Edwina , Kirby Teri A. , Ryan Michelle K. , Rink Floor
Published: December 2024

Organizations are increasingly committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. However, those who have the power to implement DEI interventions and those who ought to benefit from such interventions might have conflicting perspectives about their aims. In three studies, we investigate how those with high (vs. low) power endorse structural versus individualistic interventions for women. In Study 1 (n = 403), we focus on women's evaluation of the intervention. We find that they anticipate that structural interventions will be more successful at alleviating gender barriers at work than individualistic interventions. In Studies 2 (n = 500) and 3 (n = 319), we focus on men and women across different levels of power and find that individuals, regardless of their gender and their hierarchical position, prefer interventions that challenge organizational systems that maintain inequalities than those that support women in coping with DEI issues. However, individuals with stronger system‐legitimacy beliefs showed just as much support for individualistic DEI interventions as for structural ones. The results suggest overall support for structural DEI interventions, but that ongoing meritocratic beliefs can detract from their actual implementation. We discuss how intervention research may benefit from focusing on interventions that target system‐legitimacy beliefs to leverage more support and implementation of structural interventions.
Stephanine Protects Against Osteoporosis by Suppressing Osteoclastogenesis via Inhibition of the RANKL—RANK Interaction
Authors: Liu Titi , Li Jin , Duan Meiyan , Wang Ya , Jiang Zhe , Gan Chunxia , Xiang Zemin , Sheng Jun , Wang Xuanjun , Xu Huanhuan
Published: December 2024

The interaction between the receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL) and its receptor RANK is known to regulate osteoclastogenesis in bone remodelling and has become an important therapeutic target for the treatment of osteoporosis. Stephanine (SA), an isoquinoline aporphine‐type alkaloid isolated from Stephania plants, possesses excellent anti‐inflammatory effects and can be used for rheumatoid arthritis treatment. However, its specific role in osteoclastogenesis and osteoporosis remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the influence of SA on osteoclastogenesis in RANKL‐stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and osteoporosis in an ovariectomised (OVX) mouse model and elucidated the underlying molecular mechanism. In vitro, SA can bind to RANK and RANKL with the KD values of 3.7 and 76.47 μM, respectively, and disrupt the RANKL–RANK interaction, which inhibits RANKL‐stimulated RANK–tumour necrosis factor receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6) binding and RANK signalling pathways activation, downregulates the expression of key osteoclastogenesis‐related regulatory factors in osteoclast precursors, ultimately suppresses osteoclast differentiation and activation. In vivo, SA significantly ameliorated bone loss through inhibiting osteoclastogenesis in OVX mice because of the decreased number of osteoclasts and the increased trabecular bone area. SA markedly inhibited the serum levels of tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP‐5b), c‐telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX‐I), and RANKL, whereas it increased that of osteoprotegerin (OPG) in OVX mice. Additionally, SA strikingly downregulated the OVX‐induced expression of osteoclast‐specific genes and proteins. Taken together, this study elucidated that SA can effectively protect against osteoporosis by suppressing osteoclastogenesis via inhibition of the RANKL–RANK interaction, which supports the potential application of SA as a natural therapeutic agent for osteoporosis.
Associations of the Expression Levels and Risk Variants of CDKN2B‐AS1 Long Noncoding RNA With the Susceptibility and Progression of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Tung Min‐Che , Lin Chia‐Yen , Wen Yu‐Ching , Chang Lun‐Ching , Yang Shun‐Fa , Chien Ming‐Hsien
Published: December 2024

Genetic variants of deregulated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in tumorigenesis, cancer progression and cancer recurrence. Single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the lncRNA cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor 2B antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B‐AS1) have been associated with the risk and progression of various cancers; however, their role in prostate cancer (PCa) remains underexplored. In this case–control study, we investigated the associations of CDKN2B‐AS1 expression levels and variants with PCa risk and progression. For this, five SNPs of CDKN2B‐AS1—rs564398, rs1333048, rs1537373, rs2151280 and rs8181047—were genotyped using a TaqMan allelic discrimination assay; data were collected from 695 patients with PCa and 695 healthy controls. Our findings revealed that, under a dominant model, patients with PCa carrying at least one minor C allele of rs1333048 exhibited an increased risk of developing tumours with high Gleason grades; this risk was particularly high in patients without biochemical recurrence. Data from the Genotype‐Tissue Expression database indicated upregulated CDKN2B‐AS1 expression in the prostates of individuals carrying the polymorphic C allele of rs1333048. Genotype screening of rs1333048 in PCa cell lines showed that cells with at least one minor C allele had higher CDKN2B‐AS1 levels than those with the AA genotype. Furthermore, data from The Cancer Genome Atlas indicated that higher CDKN2B‐AS1 levels in PCa tissues were correlated with larger tumour sizes (T3 + T4), more lymph node metastasis (N1), higher Gleason scores and shorter progression‐free survival. In conclusion, the polymorphic variants of CDKN2B‐AS1 at rs1333048 may modulate CDKN2B‐AS1 expression, thus accelerating PCa progression.