bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Site suitability analysis of urban green parks in Ranchi city using GIS–AHP based multi-criteria decision analysis
Authors: Joy Md Saharik , Jha Priyanka , Yadav Pawan Kumar , Bansal Taruna , Rawat Pankaj , Begam Shehnaz
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The presence of green spaces plays a vital role in promoting urban sustainability. Urban green parks (UGPs) help create sustainable cities while providing fundamental ecological functions. However, rapid urbanization has destroyed crucial green areas in Ranchi City, endangering inhabitants’ health. This study aims to locate current UGPs and predict future UGP sites in Ranchi City, Jharkhand.

Design/methodology/approach

It uses geographic information system (GIS) and analytical hierarchical process (AHP) to evaluate potential UGP sites. It involves the active participation of urban communities to ensure that the UGPs are designed to meet dweller’s needs. The site suitability assessment is based on several parameters, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), land use and land cover (LULC), population distribution, PM 2.5 levels and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The integration of these factors enables an evaluation of potential UGP’s sites.

Findings

The findings of this research reveal that 54.39% of the evaluated areas are unsuitable, 15.55% are less suitable, 12.76% are moderately suitable, 11.52% are highly suitable and 5.78% are very highly suitable for UGPs site selection. These results emphasize that the middle and outer regions of Ranchi City are the most favorable locations for establishing UGPs. The NDVI is the most important element in UGP site appropriateness, followed by LULC, population distribution, PM 2.5 levels and the UHI effect.

Originality/value

This study improves the process of integrating AHP and GIS, and UGPs site selection maps help urban planners and decision-makers make better choices for Ranchi City’s sustainability and greenness.
Biallelic pathogenic variants in the LSS gene cause congenital alopecia‐cataract syndrome
Authors: Chen Yusha , Xie Shengyu , Geng Jia , Li Zhongtao , Yang Yuan , Wang Sheng
Published: October 2024

Biallelic variants in the LSS gene have been reported in individuals affected by alopecia‐intellectual disability syndrome 4, cataract 44, hypotrichosis 14, and palmoplantar keratoderma‐congenital alopecia syndrome type 2. The present report described a Chinese girl with congenital alopecia universalis, cataract, esotropia, and nystagmus caused by compound heterozygous variants of c.1025T>G (p.Ile342Ser) and previously unreported c.1011G>A (p.Pro337=) in the LSS gene. Minigene assay confirmed the synonymous variant Pro337= at the edge of exon 9 could produce a novel splice site, leading to a 46‐bp insertion of the 5′ sequence of the intron 9, likely resulting in a frameshift effect. We consider that the clinical manifestations of this case represent a new type of LSS‐related disease, namely congenital alopecia‐cataract syndrome (CACS). Our data expand the phenotypic and genetic spectrum of LSS‐related diseases.
Cranial endothermy in mobulid rays: Evolutionary and ecological implications of a thermogenic brain
Authors: Arostegui M. C.
Published: October 2024

The large, metabolically expensive brains of manta and devil rays (Mobula spp.) may act as a thermogenic organ representing a unique mechanistic basis for cranial endothermy among fishes that improves central nervous system function in cold waters.

Whereas early hominids in hot terrestrial environments may have experienced a thermal constraint to evolving larger brain size, cetaceans and mobulids in cold marine waters may have experienced a thermal driver for enlargement of a thermogenic brain.

The potential for brain enlargement to yield the dual outcomes of cranial endothermy and enhanced cognition in mobulids suggests one may be an evolutionary by‐product of selection for the mechanisms underlying the other, and highlights the need to account for non‐cognitive functions when translating brain size into cognitive capacity.

Computational scientific imaging offers promising avenues for addressing the pressing mechanistic and phylogenetic questions needed to assess the theory that cranial endothermy in mobulids is the result of temperature‐driven selection for a brain with augmented thermogenic potential.
An individual‐based model trained on multiple data sources estimates population connectivity and facilitates aggregation of harvest management units
Authors: Gonnerman Matthew , Shea Stephanie A. , Sullivan Kelsey , Kamath Pauline L. , Blomberg Erik
Published: October 2024

Management boundaries are often delimited by political and social factors, whereas animal movements are affected by ecological and geophysical constraints. Thus, understanding connectivity among distinct management units is of considerable importance, particularly for harvested species, where quotas set in ignorance of connectivity may fail to meet management goals.

We constructed an individual‐based model (IBM) to better understand wild turkey movements at large scales, benefiting from multiple data sources that are often available for harvested species.

We built an IBM from spring seasonal movements of wild turkey, using data from ringed, radio‐, and GPS‐marked turkeys captured in Maine, USA. Our IBM accommodated variation in individual turkey response to landscape connectivity metrics and identified emergent migratory connectivity dynamics among harvest management regions.

We calculated a low degree of connectivity among wildlife management districts (WMD) which, in combination with the substantial number of boundary crossings observed, indicated a more diffuse distribution of turkeys among WMDs.

Synthesis and applications: Estimates of turkeys moving between districts provided a clear delineation of where immigration was strongest, identifying which WMDs should be managed as singular population units. This approach has widespread utility for any species or system where harvest management decisions are made at finer spatial scales than the movement dynamics affecting population processes.
How Does Judges’ Personal Exposure to Financial Fraud Affect White‐Collar Sentencing?
Authors: NGUYEN TRUNG , RAGHUNANDAN ANEESH , SCHERF ALEXANDRA
Published: October 2024

We study whether federal judges’ personal exposure to financial fraud affects their professional behavior, in the form of sentencing outcomes in white‐collar cases. Following the methodology outlined in our registered report, we construct a novel measure of financial fraud exposure based on judges’ direct shareholdings in firms that commit financial fraud. Using this measure, we exploit the random assignment of cases to judges to examine whether judges exposed to fraud in one firm are (1) less likely to rule in favor of defendants in white‐collar cases involving other firms and (2) less likely to grant favorable pretrial motions to defendants. We find minimal evidence in support of either (1) or (2), concluding that for all but the most serious frauds, judges are unlikely to let their personal victimhood experience affect their professional sentencing behavior with respect to related cases. Our study broadens our understanding of the spillover effects of financial fraud enforcement and contributes to the literature on how judges’ personal experiences can shape judicial decision‐making.
Relationship between residual gastric content and peri‐operative semaglutide use assessed by gastric ultrasound: a prospective observational study
Authors: Nersessian Rafael S. F. , da Silva Leopoldo M. , Carvalho Marco Aurélio S. , Silveira Saullo Q. , Abib Arthur C. V. , Bellicieri Fernando N. , Lima Helidea O. , Ho Anthony M.‐H. , Anjos Gabriel S. , Mizubuti Glenio B.
Published: October 2024

Background

Semaglutide is a long‐acting glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist known to delay gastric emptying. Despite a growing body of evidence, its peri‐operative safety profile remains uncertain, particularly with regard to the risk of increased residual gastric content and aspiration of gastric contents during anaesthesia. We hypothesised that semaglutide interruption of ≤ 10 days before elective surgical procedures is insufficient to reduce or normalise the residual gastric content, despite fasting intervals that comply with current guidelines.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, we recruited patients who received pre‐operative once‐weekly subcutaneous semaglutide within 10 days of the procedure (semaglutide group) and control patients who had not been exposed to semaglutide (non‐semaglutide group). On the day of surgery, all patients underwent pre‐operative point‐of‐care gastric ultrasound to evaluate their residual gastric content. Increased residual gastric content was defined as any solid content or > 1.5 ml.kg‐1 of clear fluids as assessed by gastric ultrasound.

Results

We recruited 220 patients, 107 in the semaglutide group and 113 in the non‐semaglutide group. Increased residual gastric content was found in 43/107 patients (40%) in the semaglutide group and 3/113 (3%) in the non‐semaglutide group (p < 0.001). In propensity‐weighted analysis, semaglutide use (OR 36.97, 95%CI 16.54–99.32), age (OR 0.95, 95%CI 0.93–0.98) and male sex (OR 2.28, 95%CI 1.29–4.06) were significantly associated with increased residual gastric content. There were no cases of pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents.

Conclusion

Pre‐operative semaglutide use within 10 days of elective surgical procedures was independently associated with increased risk of residual gastric content on pre‐operative gastric ultrasound assessment.
An invisible knife to add to your toolkit: a narrative review of how podcasts have audibly shaped, styled, and sharpened surgical education
Authors: Mansour Kristy , Neasey Christopher , Hamilton Jordan , Fryer Denna , Pailthorpe Caitlin , Nestel Debra
Published: October 2024

Podcasts as a mobile learning platform to augment surgical expertise and dialogue have been embraced by many surgical educators and learners. Podcasts are digital audio files that can be streamed or downloaded from the internet to individual devices. Surgical podcast literature was appraised with a search using the keywords ‘surgery’ AND ‘podcast’ in the PubMed database which found 639 results with titles and abstracts screened to identify and review 28 relevant articles. This narrative review explores podcast origins, aims, structure and availability for diverse surgical audiences. It also appraises quality, strengths and limitations, highlighting optimal surgical podcast features. Finally, it proposes how to better implement podcasts into surgical training and clinical practice.
A retrospective longitudinal study of 52 Finnish patients with X‐linked retinoschisis
Authors: Järvinen Mira A. , Baraas Rigmor C. , Majander Anna , Backlund Michael P. , Krootila Julia , Paavo Maarjaliis , Lindahl Päivi , Vasara Kristiina , Sankila Eeva‐Marja , Kivelä Tero T. , Turunen Joni A.
Published: October 2024

Purpose

To describe clinical characteristics in Finnish patients with X‐linked retinoschisis (XLRS) longitudinally with emphasis on retinal morphology and genotype–phenotype correlations.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study reviewed medical records from patients with genetically confirmed XLRS from the Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Hospital. Best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refraction, colour fundus photography, spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography and genetic information were collected.

Results

Fifty‐two males were diagnosed at the median age of 7 years (range 1–57) and followed for a median of 8 years (range, 1–49). Baseline findings included macular retinoschisis in 92 (89%), macular atrophy in 25 (24%) and peripheral retinoschisis in 22 (21%) eyes. Vitreous haemorrhage occurred in 10 (10%) eyes, more frequently with peripheral schisis (p < 0.001). Nearly half of the patients, 22 (42%) were classified as visually impaired according to WHO. Median central retinal thickness was similar between initial (355 μm) and latest visits (360 μm) (p = 0.781). Low BCVA was associated with macular atrophy (p < 0.001), ellipsoid zone disruption (p = 0.007) and peripheral retinoschisis (p = 0.006). The three Finnish founder mutations c.214G >A, c.221G >T, and c.325G >C in exon 4 of retinoschisin 1 (RS1) were identified in 40 patients (77%). No associations were found between the genotypes and phenotypes.

Conclusion

Three‐fourths of the patients carried the Finnish founder mutations in RS1, but we did not detect any genotype–phenotype association. Macular atrophy was associated with the poorest visual acuity. Ocular compilations were associated with peripheral retinoschisis, suggesting that these patients should be followed more frequently.
Preferential trade liberalization with endogenous cartel discipline: Implications for trade and welfare
Authors: Agnosteva Delina E. , Syropoulos Constantinos , Yotov Yoto V.
Published: October 2024

We consider an international cartel whose members interact repeatedly in their own as well as in third‐country markets. Cartel discipline—an inverse measure of the degree of competition between firms—is endogenously determined by the cartel's incentive compatibility constraint, which strategically links markets that are otherwise independent. This linkage implies that trade cost reductions induce cartel members to adjust their sales, not only because of direct but also because of spillover effects. We apply these ideas to preferential trade agreements and show that the indirect effects can give rise to trade diversion. We also characterize the welfare effects of preferential tariff cuts for all countries and identify circumstances under which preferential trade liberalization is welfare‐reducing.
Expression of AQP8 in Serum of Patients With Meniere's Disease and Its Value in Evaluating the Degree of Hydrolabyrinth and Predicting Prognosis
Authors: Zhao Rui , Yi Tianhua , Wu Qinqin , Liu Xuemei , He Jianqiao , Tan Yufang
Published: October 2024

Objective

This study aims to explore the role of serum aquaporin 8 (AQP8) expression in evaluating the degree of hydrolabyrinth and predicting prognosis in patients with Meniere's disease.

Methods

One hundred and five patients diagnosed with Meniere's disease in our hospital were enrolled in the Meniere's disease group. Another 102 healthy subjects were enrolled as the control group. The expression of serum AQP8 mRNA was determined by the quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was carried out to analyse the predictive value of serum AQP8 mRNA expression for poor prognosis in Meniere's disease patients. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse the influencing factors of poor prognosis in patients with Meniere's disease.

Results

The expression level of serum AQP8 mRNA in the Meniere's disease group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). In the severe hydrops group, serum AQP8 mRNA expression levels were higher than in the mild hydrops group and the no endolymphatic hydrops group. Additionally, the mild hydrops group had higher serum AQP8 mRNA levels than the no endolymphatic hydrops group (p < 0.05). The disease course, proportion of severe hydrops and serum AQP8 mRNA expression were all higher in the poor prognosis group compared to the good prognosis group (p < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) for serum AQP8 mRNA in predicting poor prognosis in Meniere's disease patients was 0.812 (95%CI: 0.702–0.922).

Conclusion

AQP8 mRNA is associated with the degree of hydrolabyrinth in patients with Meniere's disease and plays an important role in predicting prognosis.
The need for carbon finance schemes to tackle overexploitation of tropical forest wildlife
Authors: Milson Caroline E. , Lim Jun Ying , Ingram Daniel J. , Edwards David P.
Published: October 2024

Defaunation of tropical forests, particularly from unsustainable hunting, has diminished populations of key seed dispersers for many tree species, driving shifts in forest community composition toward small‐fruited or wind‐dispersed trees with low wood density. Such shifts can reduce aboveground biomass, prompting calls for overexploitation to be included in bioeconomic policy, but a synthesis of existing literature for wildlife impacts on carbon stores is lacking. We evaluated the role of wildlife in tropical forest tree recruitment and found that it was critical to tropical forest carbon dynamics. The emerging financial value of ecosystem services provided by tropical forest fauna highlights the need for carbon‐based payments for ecosystem services schemes to include wildlife protection. We argue for three cost‐effective actions within carbon finance schemes that can facilitate wildlife protection: support land security opportunities for Indigenous peoples and local communities; provide support for local people to protect forest fauna from overexploitation; and focus on natural regeneration in restoration projects. Incorporating defaunation in carbon‐financing schemes more broadly requires an increased duration of carbon projects and an improved understanding of defaunation impacts on carbon stores and ecosystem‐level models. Without urgent action to halt wildlife losses and prevent empty forest syndrome, the crucial role of tropical forests in tackling climate change may be in jeopardy.
Amazonian conservation across archipelagos of Indigenous territories
Authors: Esbach Michael S. , Correia Joel E. , Valdivia Gabriela , Lu Flora
Published: October 2024

Indigenous stewardship is essential to the conservation of biocultural diversity, yet conventional conservation models often treat Indigenous territories (ITs) as homogeneous or isolated units. We propose that archipelagos of Indigenous territories (AITs), clusters of ITs that span geographies but are connected through shared cultural or political ties maintained by Indigenous nations, are crucial for understanding and enhancing conservation strategies that recognize the complexity of Indigenous stewardship. We classified 3572 ITs in the Amazon into 4 categories—single or multiple nations with either singular IT or AIT—to assess their spatial heterogeneity, governance, and conservation potential. We then assessed species richness, carbon stocks, and pressures across these different categories. To examine how AITs can enhance biocultural conservation efforts, we conducted a case study of the Cofán Nation in Ecuador. AITs covered 45% of the Amazonian land area and had higher species richness and carbon stocks than single IT configurations. However, AITs faced greater pressures from development and extractive activities. In the case study, the Cofán AIT was shaped by colonization and land titling challenges, but their community‐driven governance, cross‐territorial collaboration, and adaptive responses—such as comanagement agreements and resisting extractive activities—enhanced their ecological and cultural resilience amid growing development pressures. Our findings suggest that AITs facilitate the exchange of resources, knowledge, and cultural practices, which strengthens social connectivity, reinforces governance structures, and enables adaptive management across ITs, thereby enhancing biocultural resilience across discontinuous spaces. This work advocates for a paradigm shift in conservation planning and practice that recognizes the vital role of AITs in sustaining Amazonian ecosystems and Indigenous lifeways, particularly in the face of increasing pressures.
Legal and economic perspectives on fair and equitable benefit sharing in the Nagoya Protocol
Authors: Park Tae Jung , Park Sung‐Pil
Published: October 2024

Adopted in 2010 as a supplementary agreement to the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity, the Nagoya Protocol (NP) mandates the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources provided by Indigenous peoples. Member states must newly enact or amend domestic laws to align with the NP. Consequently, many countries are currently implementing legislative, administrative, and policy measures to ensure fair benefit sharing from the use of Indigenous genetic resources. We examined the inclusion of intellectual property (IP) protection in the sharing of benefits from research and development that utilizes Indigenous genetic resources. The NP does not specify guidelines for IP‐related benefit sharing, leaving each member state to establish its own rules. We used an economics‐based approach to explore the optimal scope and duration of IP protection for maximizing stakeholder interests, including those of Indigenous peoples, at the national level. The optimal duration of IP protection was when the marginal social cost and benefit of IP protection were equal. When this point occurred varied depending on various factors, such as the type of genetic resources in the country, existence of alternatives, number of users, and competing actors. The optimal scope of IP protection was when the social benefit of investment in fundamental research equaled the social benefit of application development. Likewise, this point of implementation also varied based on various factors, such as the type, uniqueness, potential for further discovery, and diversity of providers in the country.
Consuming ‘God Juice’: Using ‘ethnopharmacological‐connoisseurship’ to situate trenbolone use and knowledge among image and performance enhancing drug communities
Authors: Piatkowski Timothy , Gibbs Nick , Neumann David , Dunn Matthew
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Trenbolone, a potent anabolic‐androgenic steroid (AAS), is used for its muscle growth benefits but poses significant health risks, including psychosocial issues. Existing research among humans is limited by lack of targeted investigation. This study addresses gaps in existing research by leveraging the ethnopharmacological expertise of trenbolone consumers. By engaging with the community's connoisseurship, we sought to enhance harm reduction strategies and foster collaboration between consumers, scholars and health practitioners.

Methods

An international sample of trenbolone consumers (N = 30) were interviewed. Interviews explored trenbolone use, knowledge levels and harm reduction strategies. Analysis involved an iterative categorisation approach, incorporating the lead author's lived experience with trenbolone.

Results

Participants described trenbolone as both a physical enhancer and a source of psychological boosts, tempered by adverse effects such as emotional volatility and intrusive thoughts. Despite warnings about its dangers the drug's allure was amplified by social media and community visibility. Consumers spoke of a developing connoisseur‐like knowledge about trenbolone through personal and shared experiences. Through this collective expertise, they developed harm reduction strategies such as conservative dosing and regular health monitoring.

Discussion and Conclusions

This study demonstrates the importance of integrating ethnopharmacological‐connoisseurship from the image and performance enhancing drug community to develop a contextually relevant understanding of AAS use—trenbolone being one of these. By elevating community insights, we advocate for a collaborative approach to harm reduction. Ultimately, we call for partnerships between researchers, health professionals and consumers to enhance health and reduce harm in image and performance enhancing drug communities.
Association between delay in diabetes development and mortality in people with obesity: Up to 33 years follow‐up of the prospective Swedish Obese Subjects study
Authors: Carlsson Lena M. S. , Carlsson Björn , Jacobson Peter , Andersson‐Assarsson Johanna C. , Karlsson Cecilia , Kristensson Felipe M. , Ahlin Sofie , Näslund Ingmar , Karason Kristjan , Svensson Per‐Arne , Taube Magdalena , Peltonen Markku , Sjöholm Kajsa
Published: October 2024

Aims

Life expectancy is reduced in people with obesity and is further reduced in those with concomitant type 2 diabetes. The aim of the study was to assess whether a 2‐year delay in diabetes development influences life expectancy in people with obesity.

Materials and Methods

Participants from the Swedish Obese Subjects study without diabetes at baseline and known diabetes status at the 2‐year follow‐up were included: bariatric surgery (n = 1471) and usual obesity care (n = 1392). Median follow‐up was 26.1 years (interquartile range: 22.7–28.7 years). The Swedish Cause of Death Register, case sheets and autopsy reports were assessed to determine the direct cause of death. Analyses were adjusted for preselected risk factors: inclusion year, sex, baseline age, body mass index (BMI) and smoking.

Results

Across both study arms, 146 participants were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the 2‐year examination, whereas 2717 remained diabetes‐free. Most participants diagnosed with diabetes (n = 140) were from the usual care control group. During the follow‐up, there were 18.3 deaths per 1000 person‐years (95% confidence interval [CI]:14.1–23.9) in the group with diagnosed diabetes at the 2‐year follow‐up and 10.9 deaths per 1000 person‐years (95% CI:10.2–11.8) in the group that remained diabetes‐free (adjusted hazard ratio [HRadj] 1.60, 95% CI: 1.19–2.15, p = 0.002). The adjusted median life expectancy in the diabetes group was 3.7 years (95% CI: 1.4–6.0, p = 0.002) shorter than in the diabetes‐free group. Specifically, cardiovascular mortality was higher in the group with diabetes (adj sub‐hazard ratio [sub‐HR] 1.74 [95% CI: 1.09–2.77], p = 0.021).

Conclusions

A 2‐year delay in diabetes development may be linked to increased life expectancy, possibly due to a reduction in cardiovascular mortality. Future studies should confirm these findings.
Trends in anti‐diabetic medication use, severe hyperglycaemia and severe hypoglycaemia among American Indian and Alaska Native Peoples, 2009–2013
Authors: Dai Jiahui , Chang Jenny , Choi Jung M. , Bullock Ann , Manson Spero M. , O'Connell Joan , Jiang Luohua
Published: October 2024

Aims

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its complications disproportionally affect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) peoples. Prescribing decisions for anti‐diabetic medications are complicated and require balancing medication benefits, costs and side effects. Little is known about trends in anti‐diabetic medication use as well as acute diabetes complications among AI/AN adults. Here, we examined patterns and trends in anti‐diabetic medication use and rates of hospital admissions or emergency department (ED) visits due to severe hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia among AI/AN adults with T2D.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of Indian Health Service (IHS) Improving Health Care Delivery Data Project. A total of 39 183 AI/AN adults aged ≥18 years with T2D who used IHS or Tribal health services during any of the fiscal years (FYs) 2009–2013 were included. Utilization rates of each class of anti‐diabetic medications and rates of severe hypoglycaemia and severe hyperglycaemia in emergency room and/or inpatient discharge diagnoses were calculated for each year. Longitudinal statistical models were fitted to examine time trends of anti‐diabetic medication use and complications.

Results

During 2009–2013, use of metformin (56.0%–60.5%), insulin (31.4%–35.9%) and dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors (1.4%–9.0%) increased, whereas the use of sulfonylureas (40.3%–32.9%) and thiazolidinediones (TZDs, 31.6%–8.8%) decreased significantly. Trends in severe hypoglycaemia (1.6%–0.8%) and severe hyperglycaemia (2.0%–1.6%) declined gradually.

Conclusions

There were significant changes in the utilization of different anti‐diabetic medication classes during 2009–2013 among AI/AN adults with T2D. Concurrently, there were significant reductions in severe hypoglycaemia and severe hyperglycaemia.
Investigation of exon skipping therapy in kidney organoids from Alport syndrome patients derived iPSCs
Authors: Yabuuchi Kensuke , Horinouchi Tomoko , Yamamura Tomohiko , Nozu Kandai , Takasato Minoru
Published: October 2024

Alport syndrome (AS) is a hereditary disease caused by mutations in the COL4A5 gene and leads to chronic kidney disease. Currently, no specific treatment has been developed. However, a recent study using AS‐model mice demonstrated that the exon skipping method could partially rescue the symptoms. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the exon skipping method using kidney organoids generated from AS‐patient‐derived induced pluripotent stem cells (AS‐iPSCs). We generated kidney organoids from AS‐iPSCs, which exhibited nephron structures. As expected, the C‐terminus of COL4A5 was not expressed in AS‐organoids. Interestingly, anti‐sense oligonucleotides restored the expression of the C‐terminus of COL4A5 in vitro. Next, we transplanted AS‐organoids into mice and evaluated glomerular basement membrane formation in vivo. We found that AS‐organoids formed a lower slit diaphragm ratio compared to control organoids. Finally, we assessed the effects of exon skipping on transplanted organoids but observed minimum effects. These studies suggest that AS‐iPSCs can generate kidney organoids lacking the C‐terminus of COL4A5, and that exon skipping can induce its expression in vitro.
The importance of the vibrational entropy in the mixing stabilization for complex ceramics
Authors: Tang Xiaochuan , Thompson Gregory B. , Weinberger Christopher R.
Published: October 2024

The concept of high‐entropy materials has been introduced based on the idea that multiple principal components can be mixed through the increase in configurational entropy. Implicit in this idea is that the vibrational entropy, the other component of the mixing entropy, is small compared to the configurational entropy. To explore this relationship, we examined the mixing enthalpy, configurational entropy, and vibrational entropy of two binary ceramic systems—the transition metal carbides and transition metal diborides. We computed the vibrational entropy directly using the dynamical matrices obtained from density functional theory and the quasiharmonic approximation. The mixing vibrational entropy of the mixed diborides is at least as large as the configurational entropy while it is smaller for the carbides. Utilizing the phonon density of states, we further demonstrate the origin of the high mixing vibrational entropy arises because of a large number of new low‐frequency modes that appear in the diborides. Similar modes occur in the carbides but occur at larger frequencies. These differences ultimately arise because of the structural differences where metal atoms share nearest neighbors in the diborides, while they do not in the carbides. This increased vibrational mixing entropy dramatically enhances the mixing of the diborides and demonstrates that this type of entropy cannot be neglected when considering what stabilizes mixtures and provides a new perspective on what is considered high entropy.
Preparation of high‐strength Si3N4 ceramics via vat photopolymerization: A bi‐phase particle size gradation strategy
Authors: Wang Xuye , Duan Wenyan , Li Shan , Huang Zhifeng , Liu Bingshan , Wang Gong , Chen Fei
Published: October 2024

This paper introduces an approach to preparing high‐strength Si3N4 ceramics using vat photopolymerization with a bi‐phase particle size gradation strategy. The influence of different ratios of coarse β‐Si3N4 powders (Cβ) and fine α‐Si3N4 powders (Fα) on the slurry performance, microstructure evolution, and final ceramic strength was systematically studied. It was found that an appropriate particle size gradation can significantly reduce the viscosity of the slurry. The curing depth of Si3N4 slurries decreases with increasing Fα content, while the stability increases. During sintering, dissolved Fα‐Si3N4 not only directly precipitates into small elongated β‐Si3N4 grains but also onto the neighboring Cβ‐Si3N4, promoting the development of large elongated β‐Si3N4 grains and resulting in a bimodal microstructure distribution. The highest strength of Si3N4 ceramics was achieved with a ratio of 6:4 Cβ to Fα Si3N4 powders. Under these conditions, the Si3N4 ceramics exhibited a flexural strength of 472 MPa, significantly higher than that of Si3N4 ceramics prepared using pure Cβ/Fα powders. The strength improvement is primarily due to the well‐designed bi‐phase particle size gradation strategy, which optimizes slurry performance, minimizes defects that may be introduced during the green part printing process while controlling the microstructure evolution during sintering, achieves the ideal bimodal microstructure distribution. The outcomes of this research demonstrate the feasibility of using vat photopolymerization with bi‐phase particle size gradation for the preparation of high‐strength Si3N4 ceramics, which has great potential for application in the manufacturing of various ceramic products.
Evaluating allied health primary contact models of care: A mixed methods analysis of current practice
Authors: Brandenburg Caitlin , Ward Elizabeth C. , Schwarz Maria , Palmer Michelle , Hartley Carina , Byrnes Joshua , Coccetti Anne , Phillips Rachel , Wishart Laurelie R.
Published: October 2024

Rationale

Allied Health Primary Contact Clinic (AHPCC) models of care are increasingly used to manage growing demands on health service capacity. There is a critical need for new models of care to demonstrate value, however comprehensive evaluation of AHPCCs, including use of metrics frameworks like the Moretto framework, have been slow to uptake, and the reasons for this are unclear.

Aims and Objectives

To understand current evaluation practices as mapped to the Moretto framework, and explore clinician attitudes to the process of service evaluation across a variety of AHPCC models implemented within a metropolitan health service in Queensland, Australia.

Method

A convergent mixed methods approach was used. Data were collected in 2022 using a quantitative presurvey, followed by a qualitative descriptive interview with AHPCC lead clinicians. Thirty AHPCCs were eligible, and all potential participants who provided consent were included. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used for quantitative and qualitative data respectively, then merged and reported jointly.

Results

Twenty‐three clinicians representing 22 different AHPCCs participated. AHPCC models were found to be complex and varied. Evaluation practices were variable across AHPCCs, although more than half collected most of the Moretto framework measures. Quality of life and resource use measures were least commonly collected. Themes regarding participants' experience of AHPCCs evaluation were that: Evaluation is complex and challenging; Evaluation is important; and Evaluation needs to be enabled.

Conclusion

For health services to fully understand the value of their AHPCC services and direct their limited resources appropriately, evaluation activity needs to be better valued and enabled at a local, statewide and national level. Strategies should include protected time, funding, administrative support, leadership support, access to mentorship, development of structures which enable collaborative evaluation at a state‐wide (or broader) level, and a shared understanding of value and core areas for measurement across stakeholders.
Biased career choices? It depends what you believe: Trainee teachers’ aversions to working in low‐income schools are moderated by beliefs about inequality, meritocracy, and growth mindsets
Authors: Doyle Lewis , Easterbrook Matthew J.
Published: October 2024

Schools serving diverse and low‐income communities tend to have disproportionately high numbers of low‐quality or inexperienced teachers, thereby creating an inequality of access to high‐quality teaching. Across two pre‐registered experiments and one exploratory survey (Ntotal = 956), we investigated the factors associated with trainee teachers’ bias in school choices, and the role of teacher education in mitigating this issue. In Studies 1 and 3, trainee teachers demonstrated a preference for working in a school with average (vs. diverse/low‐income) demographics, even though all other aspects of the school were equal. These disparities were most pronounced when trainees more strongly believed that (a) educational inequality can be attributed to external factors; (b) intelligence is fixed, and (c) schooling is truly meritocratic. Study 2 revealed that levels of equity‐related input during initial teacher education vary hugely, but that, where implemented, it may better prepare trainees for the challenges associated with teaching in diverse and low‐income communities. Finally, Study 3 revealed tentative evidence to suggest that a brief intervention that challenges teachers to think beyond the internal causes of inequality could reduce some of these troubling disparities.
Mellowing down the rigour of the concept of ‘trans‐border reputation’ to accommodate bona fide domestic use: The Indian and Sri Lankan perspectives
Authors: Samaranayake Wathsala Ravihari
Published: October 2024

In this era of global trade and digital communication, where geographical borders between states have become virtually redundant, the ‘aura’ of well‐known trademarks easily transgresses national borders. As an upshot of this, the reputation and goodwill attached to well‐known trademarks have become less and less commensurate with the territorial boundaries of individual states. This raises the question of whether strict adherence to the bedrock principle of ‘territoriality’ is both apt and justifiable in the backdrop of modern commerce—not only from a trademark holder's perspective but also from a consumer‐centric viewpoint. Although the judicially crafted concept of ‘trans‐border reputation’ is often hailed as a promising solution to this problem; sometimes it postulates a too‐liberal approach to protecting the interests of the foreign trademark owners. Most significantly, the concern has been raised that the application of an unbridled doctrine of ‘trans‐border reputation’ may unduly thwart the interests of local entrepreneurs. Thus, the argument that the ‘priority of innocent use’ by a local trader should not be superseded by the trans‐border reputation of a foreign well‐known trademark cannot be easily ignored. This paper aims to critically evaluate the application of the trans‐border reputation concept within the Indian and Sri Lankan legal landscapes, discussing in detail the implications of the landmark cases determined by the Indian and Sri Lankan judiciaries. Most importantly, it seeks to introduce a mechanism for minimizing prejudice to the bona fide domestic users of marks, by employing ‘bad faith’ as a balancing tool.
Prey nutrient content is associated with the trophic interactions of spiders and their prey selection under field conditions
Authors: Cuff Jordan P. , Tercel Maximillian P. T. G. , Vaughan Ian P. , Drake Lorna E. , Wilder Shawn M. , Bell James R. , Müller Carsten T. , Orozco‐terWengel Pablo , Symondson William O. C.
Published: October 2024

Consumers are thought to select food resources based on their nutritional content. While laboratory experiments have explored this, the nutritional dynamics of invertebrate predators have been scarcely studied in the field given various methodological constraints. The intersection of these nutritional dynamics with predator traits is also poorly characterised, leading to many gaps in our understanding of how different predators forage and feed in natural systems. Here, we integrate dietary metabarcoding with prey macronutrient (protein, lipid and carbohydrate) content and abundance to assess how nutrients and predator traits (sex, life stage and taxonomy) interactively drive prey preferences in the field, using spider–prey interactions as a model system. Different spider genera, sexes and life stages had nutritionally distinct diets. Our analyses demonstrated disproportionate foraging (selection and avoidance) for prey rich in different macronutrients, with the nature of these relationships differing between spider taxa, life stages and sexes. This may be explained by niche differentiation among spider groups, driven by biases toward prey rich in different nutrients, or nutrient‐specific foraging in which individual spiders vary their nutritional preferences to redress deficits, although further evidence is required to confirm this. This insight into the nutritional dynamics of generalist invertebrate predators extends our understanding beyond lab‐based behavioural assays and provides a novel framework for other complex real‐world systems.
Relationship Between Electrical Parameters and Cardiac Synchrony in Patients Underwent Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing
Authors: Lin Manxin , Huang Shufen , Huang Xinyi , Guo Jincun , Li Linlin , Chen Simei , Li Guiyang , Li Qiang , Chang Dong , Su Maolong , Cai Binni
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The study aims to assess cardiac synchrony under different left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) and evaluate the relationship between different surface or intracardiac electrical parameters and mechanical synchrony.

Methods

Eighty‐two patients with successful LBBAP were recruited. The electrical synchrony, evaluated by paced QRS duration (pQRSD) and Stim‐LVAT (stimulus to left ventricular activation time), and mechanical synchrony, evaluated by the standard deviation of the time‐to‐peak contraction velocity in 12 left ventricular segments (Tsd‐12‐LV), were compared between groups in patients underwent LBBAP. To investigate the relationship between different electrical parameters with mechanical synchrony under LBBAP, patients were divided into subgroups according to left ventricular activation time (LVAT, < 60, 60–70, and > 70 ms), presence of left bundle branch (LBB) potential (positive, negative), QRS axis (normal, left axis deviation [LAD]), and potential to ventricular interval (PVI, < 20 and > 20 ms). Mechanical synchrony was compared among the subgroups respectively 3 days post LBBAP procedure.

Results

No statistically significant differences were documented in electrical synchrony, evaluated by pQRSD, and mechanical synchrony, evaluated by Tsd‐12‐LV among the subgroups divided by the stim‐LVAT, LBB potential, PVI duration, or paced QRS axis in the LBBAP group.

Conclusions

LBB potential, PVI, or normal paced QRS axis is not the prerequisite for successful LBBAP and optimal cardiac synchrony. Adopting a Stim‐LVAT value of less than 75 ms to attain ideal electrical and mechanical synchrony during the LBBAP procedure may be applicable.

Trial registration

http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: ChiCTR1800021104
Oxyrase‐Mediated Improvement in the Quality and Fertility of Crossbred Boar Spermatozoa During Liquid Storage
Authors: Katiyar Rahul , Chakravarty Himsikha , Deori Sourabh , Singh Mahak , Abedin Sayed Nabil , Rautela Rupali , Khargharia Gautam , Mishra Vinay Kumar
Published: October 2024

The present experiment was carried out to investigate the role of Oxyrase in preserving the in vitro quality, redox status and in vivo fertility of crossbred boar spermatozoa. A total of 24 ejaculates from 6 crossbred (n = 4 from each boar) boars were collected and extended in Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) in 1:2 ratio and divided into three aliquots. The first aliquot served as a control (without Oxyrase). Rest of the two aliquots were supplemented with 0.125 (T1) and 0.25 IU/mL Oxyrase (T2). Semen samples were preserved at 15°C for 5 days and kinematics of spermatozoa by CASA, semen quality parameters and oxidative stress status were evaluated at 0, 72 and 120 h of storage. The findings of studies revealed that supplementation of Oxyrase at 0.25 IU/mL resulted in higher (p < 0.05) total motility, progressive motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and functional integrity of plasma membrane at 72 and 120 h in comparison to the control group. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was higher (p < 0.05) at 72 and 120 h, whereas higher (p < 0.05) DNA integrity was observed at 120 h in T2. The lipid peroxidation (LPO) was lower (p < 0.05) and superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were higher (p < 0.05) in the T2 group at 120 h as compared to control. In vivo fertility trials indicated a higher (p < 0.05) litter size in T2 in comparison to other groups. The study concluded that the inclusion of Oxyrase at 0.25 IU/mL in the extender protects the crossbred boar spermatozoa against oxidative damage and improves the in vivo fertility.
Confidence in Pregnancy Among U.S. Women
Authors: Greil Arthur L. , Lowry Michele H. , McQuillan Julia , Slauson‐Blevins Kathleen , Park Nicholas , Bornstein Marta
Published: October 2024

Researchers often ask women about pregnancy intentions but seldom ask how confident women are that they will be able to become pregnant when they desire. We argue that beliefs about fertility and infertility may function as justifications for behaviors to which one is already committed. Thus, women who have delayed childbearing but who intend to become pregnant may express confidence in their ability to become pregnant, even in the face of diminished odds of conception. Using data from the National Survey of Fertility Barriers, we demonstrate that over 75 percent of women who intend a first or subsequent pregnancy express confidence that they will be able to become pregnant when they wish, even if they perceive themselves as having a fertility problem or meet medical criteria for infertility. Our results are consistent with the motivated reasoning perspective. Our findings suggest that confidence in pregnancy may be a response to social‐structural pressures to delay childbearing among women who intend to become pregnant, but not necessarily the reason for delay.
Pharmaceutical Neuroenhancement in the Quest for Worth at Work
Authors: Doblytė Sigita
Published: October 2024

This article examines the use of psychoactive substances for cognitive enhancement in the context of work. By drawing upon existing qualitative research and sociological theories on meaningful work, valuation, and human agency, I explore cultural and institutional processes encouraging individuals to engage in such practices and argue that pharmaceutical neuroenhancement aids them in navigating contemporary workplaces characterized by increasingly more fragile autonomy, dignity, and recognition. Simultaneously, dominant criteria of worth generate individual worth based on achievement, self‐reliance, and material success. This interplay between institutional orders and public culture creates conditions of possibility for future‐oriented agency that resorts to pharmaceuticals as an instrument of anticipating and mitigating risks such as failure to perform, job loss due to inadequate performance, or accidents and mistakes. Often, they are attributed to individual workers' imperfections rather than to prolonged working hours or a stressful work environment. I conclude that, in the context of fragile meaningful work at the organizational level, pharmaceutical neuroenhancement becomes a tool to struggle for meaningfulness—work autonomy, dignity, and recognition—at the agent level.