bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decoupling of uptake‐ and transport‐related traits in absorptive roots across coexisting herbaceous species in alpine meadows
Authors: Zheng Zhi , Wang Cong , Wang Yidi , Zhang Yurui , Valverde‐Barrantes Oscar J. , Zhang Wen‐Hao , Kong Deliang
Published: January 2024

The anatomical structure of roots determines their function. Coexisting species complementarily forage nutrients by roots themselves (e.g. root strategy) and their fungal partners (e.g. mycorrhizal strategy), leading to a trade‐off between root strategy and mycorrhizal strategy. However, few studies have specifically evaluated whether and how the root anatomical structures are involved in this trade‐off, especially for species in alpine ecosystems limited by extreme climate.

Here, absorptive root anatomical and chemical traits and three key root traits commonly associated with nutrient foraging strategies, that is root strategy indicated by first‐order root length and root branching intensity and mycorrhizal strategy indicated by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization, were examined across 68 herbaceous species in alpine meadows of the Tibetan Plateau.

We observed that absorptive roots with higher branching intensity had more protoxylem poles, thinner cortices and smaller cortical cells, whereas absorptive roots with higher mycorrhizal colonization and longer first‐order roots consistently had thicker cortices and larger cortical cells. Unexpectedly, root cortical traits responsible for nutrient uptake were decoupled from stelar traits specialized in water and nutrient transportation. The decoupling may be related to the non‐coordinated changes in soil water and nutrient availability in the meadows of the Tibetan Plateau. In addition, we found that root cortical thickness and stelar radius increased at a similar rate rather than well‐reported different rates with increasing root diameter.

Synthesis: Our results demonstrate that root internal makeup plays an integral role in forming the diverse nutrient foraging strategies in below‐ground. These findings provide new insights into our understanding of plant coexistence and the responses of alpine meadows to climate change on the Tibetan Plateau.
Assessing the Impact of the 340B Drug Pricing Program: A Scoping Review of the Empirical, Peer‐Reviewed Literature
Authors: LEVENGOOD TIMOTHY W. , CONTI RENA M. , CAHILL SEAN , COLE MEGAN B.
Published: January 2024

Policy Points

The 340B Drug Pricing Program accounts for roughly 1 out of every 100 dollars spent in the $4.3 trillion US health care industry. Decisions affecting the program will have wide‐ranging consequences throughout the US safety net.

Our scoping review provides a roadmap of the questions being asked about the 340B program and an initial synthesis of the answers. The highest‐quality evidence indicates that nonprofit, disproportionate share hospitals may be using the 340B program in margin‐motivated ways, with inconsistent evidence for increased safety net engagement; however, this finding is not consistent across other hospital types and public health clinics, which face different incentive structures and reporting requirements.

Context

Despite remarkable growth and relevance of the 340B Drug Pricing Program to current health care practice and policy debate, academic literature examining 340B has lagged. The objectives of this scoping review were to summarize i) common research questions published about 340B, ii) what is empirically known about 340B and its implications, and iii) remaining knowledge gaps, all organized in a way that is informative to practitioners, researchers, and decision makers.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review of the peer‐reviewed, empirical 340B literature (database inception to March 2023). We categorized studies by suitability of their design for internal validity, type of covered entity studied, and motivation‐by‐scope category.

Findings

The final yield included 44 peer‐reviewed, empirical studies published between 2003 and 2023. We identified 15 frequently asked research questions in the literature, across 6 categories of inquiry—motivation (margin or mission) and scope (external, covered entity, and care delivery interface). Literature with greatest internal validity leaned toward evidence of margin‐motivated behavior at the external environment and covered entity levels, with inconsistent findings supporting mission‐motivated behavior at these levels; this was particularly the case among participating disproportionate share hospitals (DSHs). However, included case studies were unanimous in demonstrating positive effects of the 340B program for carrying out a provider's safety net mission.

Conclusions

In our scoping review of the 340B program, the highest‐quality evidence indicates nonprofit, DSHs may be using the 340B program in margin‐motivated ways, with inconsistent evidence for increased safety net engagement; however, this finding is not consistent across other hospital types and public health clinics, which face different incentive structures and reporting requirements. Future studies should examine heterogeneity by covered entity types (i.e., hospitals vs. public health clinics), characteristics, and time period of 340B enrollment. Our findings provide additional context to current health policy discussion regarding the 340B program.
Prevalence and blood concentrations of benzodiazepines and opioids in opioid‐positive death investigations in Ontario, Canada, from 2017 to 2021
Authors: Mocanu Cora , Woodall Karen L. , Solbeck Patricia
Published: January 2024

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of benzodiazepines in opioid‐positive death investigations, including trends in frequency and combination of drugs, as well as demographic data and blood concentrations, where available. Additionally, naloxone concentrations in polysubstance compared to opioid‐only cases were analyzed. This was a retrospective study that consisted of all post‐mortem toxicology cases in Ontario, Canada, from January 01, 2017, to December 31, 2021, with an opioid finding in any analyzed autopsy specimen. There were 11,033 death investigations identified. The overall rate of benzodiazepine co‐involvement was 54.5%. Males accounted for the majority of cases (71%), and the most affected age group was 30‐ to 39‐year‐olds. The most frequently detected opioid was fentanyl and the most frequently detected benzodiazepine was etizolam, which was also the most frequently observed opioid/benzodiazepine combination. Findings related to differences in concentrations of opioids when naloxone was also present were mostly non‐significant, except for methadone. The rate of benzodiazepine detection with opioids grew faster than opioid detections overall, potentially due to the increasingly toxic drug supply. Detection of novel psychoactive drugs fluctuated more unpredictably than opioids and benzodiazepines associated with clinical use. These findings can help inform policy decisions by public health agencies in exploring harm reduction efforts, for example, education and drug‐checking services.
The relevance of current forensic firearms examination techniques when applied to 3D printed firearms
Authors: Wenzinger Zara Ellen , Wetzel Stephanie , Bernarding Benjamin , Viator John , Kohlhepp Brian , Marshall Pamela
Published: January 2024

This research project had two major objectives. The first was to successfully print and fire the Liberator, a 3D‐printed firearm, to assess its feasibility as a lethal weapon. The second objective was to identify any individual characteristics that might be deposited during the firing process by the firearm. The Liberator was printed using unchanged files downloaded from the internet using PLA and ABS filament. The Liberator was fired remotely into newspapers at the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office. The printing of the Liberator was both inexpensive and relatively quick with only minor hand modifications made after printing. The Liberator fractured beyond repair after firing but successfully fired and penetrated three newspapers. Neither the bullet nor the cartridge case exhibited any individual characteristics that could be used for identification purposes. Suspected thermoplastic deposits were identified on both the bullet and cartridge case, but additional testing must be done for confirmation purposes. In conclusion, the Liberator can be used reliably for one shot and will not yield any evidence for Firearms and Toolmark Examination.
Evidence of active oviposition avoidance to systemically applied imidacloprid in the Colorado potato beetle
Authors: Edison Alitha , Michelbach Anja , Sowade Dominique , Kertzel Hanna , Schmidt Luise , Schäfer Martin , Hackhausen Maximilian , Nauen Ralf , Duchen Pablo , Xu Shuqing
Published: January 2024

Agricultural pests can develop behavioral resistance to insecticides by choosing to feed or oviposit on insecticide‐free hosts. As young larvae have relatively low mobility, oviposition preferences from female adults may play a critical role in shaping the evolutionary trajectory of pest populations. While oviposition avoidance of insecticide‐treated hosts was found in different agriculture pests, it remains unclear whether female adults actively choose to occupy insecticide‐free hosts. To address this question, we investigated feeding and oviposition preferences between imidacloprid‐treated and imidacloprid‐free plants in the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, a major potato pest. We performed behavioral choice assays on two strains that differed in both fecundity and insecticide resistance. We found that one strain preferred to feed on the insecticide‐free plants and that this preference is not innate. Meanwhile, the other strain chose plants for feeding and oviposition randomly. Further analyses of the moving patterns of the beetles suggested that the oviposition preference in the first strain is likely due to active learning.
Effect of constant and variable temperature drying processes on drying characteristics, quality, and volatile profile of rose petals in infrared‐assisted spouted bed drying
Authors: Li Linlin , Bao Yunfei , Guo Fuzhen , Chen Junliang , Zhao Mengyue , Cao Weiwei , Liu Wenchao , Duan Xu , Ren Guangyue
Published: January 2024

The edible rose (Rosa Crimson Glory) petals were dried using infrared‐assisted spouted bed drying technology. The effects of different drying temperature conditions (30, 35, 40, 45, and 50°C, as well as stepped heating drying [SHD] and stepped cooling drying) on the drying characteristics, physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, and changes in volatile flavor compounds of the rose petals were investigated. The results showed that the drying time was shortened with increasing drying temperature. Both variable temperature drying processes gave the shortest drying times. Optimal color retention of rose petals was achieved at a constant temperature of 40°C and SHD. Increased drying temperature resulted in higher water‐soluble polysaccharide content in the dried rose petals, whereas lower temperatures facilitated anthocyanin preservation. The variable temperature drying processes favored the retention of water‐soluble polysaccharides in rose petals, but not anthocyanins. Regarding antioxidant capacity, the samples dried at 40°C and those subjected to the two variable temperature drying processes performed better. This study also analyzed the differences in volatile flavor compounds of rose petals dried under different drying conditions. It was found that the majority of volatile flavor compounds in the rose petals dried by SHD exhibited higher content levels than the other drying conditions. Therefore, considering a thorough evaluation of all relevant factors, it was clear that utilizing the SHD process was the most efficient method for obtaining the best quality rose petals overall.
Expression and characterization of β‐1,3‐1,4‐glucanase of Aspergillus usamii in Escherichia coli and its application in sourdough bread making
Authors: Huang Jing , Zhang Dong , Lin Wenqian , Omedi Jacob Ojobi , Wu Minchen , Huang Weining
Published: January 2024

A β‐1,3‐1,4‐glucanase gene (Auglu12A) from Aspergillus usamii was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The recombinant enzyme, reAuglu12A was efficiently purified using the one‐step nickel‐nitrilotriacetic acid affinity chromatography. The specific activity of reAuglu12A was 694.8 U/mg, with an optimal temperature of 55°C and pH of 5.0. The reAuglu12A exhibited stability at temperatures up to 60°C and within the pH range of 4.0–5.5. The reAuglu12A hydrolytic activity was increased in the presence of metal ions, especially K+ and Na+, whereas it exhibited a Km and Vmax of 8.35 mg/mL and 1254.02 µmol/min/mg, respectively, toward barley β‐glucan at pH 5.0 and 55°C. The addition of reAuglu12A significantly increased the specific volume (p < 0.05) and reduced crumb firmness and chewiness (p < 0.05) of wheat–barley sourdough bread during a 7‐day storage period compared to the control. Overall, the quality of wheat–barley sourdough bread was improved after incorporation of reAuglu12A (especially at 3000 U/300 g). These changes were attributed to the synergistic effect of acidification by sourdough and its metabolites which provided a conducive environment for the optimal action of reAuglu12A in the degradation of β‐glucans of barley flour in sourdough. This stabilized the dough structure, thereby enhancing the quality, texture, and shelf life of the bread. These findings suggest that reAuglu12A holds promise as a candidate for β‐glucanase application in the baking industry.
Evaluation of assessable telemedicine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review
Authors: Safikhani Morteza , Rezaieyazdi Zahra , Khodashahi Mandana
Published: January 2024

Objective

Nowadays, the use of telemedicine diagnosis and treatment of various diseases has been considered by physicians, especially in such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), where patients have more weakness and inability to move. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the extent of measurable and nonmeasurable factors in patients with RA and their satisfaction with this method of care.

Methods

The articles published by March 3, 2022, were searched in four databases, including Web of Sciences, Medline, PubMed, and Scopus. This research was conducted using the seven steps of the Cochrane Handbook as a guide. The searched keywords included telemedicine, tele‐rheumatoid, rheumatoid arthritis, and immune diseases.

Results

A total of 18 articles were included in the present study. In most of these studies, physicians and patients were satisfied with this approach. Nonetheless, there was a dearth of studies on the measurement of evaluable and nonevaluable factors.

Conclusion

Studies on the benefits of telemedicine for rheumatology are still limited. The effectiveness of this new healthcare approach in diagnosing and evaluating disease activity is still unclear. Some studies demonstrated patient and physician satisfaction with this treatment. In some cases, there is a tendency to show a high risk of bias. In addition, it is unclear to what extent the use of rheumatology traps affects the establishment of medical relationships. It is recommended that more clinical trials be conducted to examine this relationship.
When Buffett meets Bollinger: An integrated approach to fundamental and technical analysis
Authors: Zhu Zhaobo , Sun Licheng
Published: January 2024

Motivated by the implication of return extrapolation models that a joint consideration of past price changes and firm fundamentals could efficiently identify stock mispricing, we propose an integrated approach that combines fundamental and technical information. This integrated approach generates substantial economic gains, which are comparable to those of strategies double‐sorted on characteristics related to high turnover and trading costs and state‐of‐the‐art machine learning strategies in existing studies. The performance net of transaction costs is still attractive. Simple transaction cost mitigation approaches could further enhance the performance of the integrated approach by reducing portfolio turnover. Consistent with behavioural models, limits to arbitrage and information asymmetry play a significant role in explaining the super performance of this integrated approach.
Pregnancy complications in wild vervet monkeys in an urban mosaic landscape
Authors: Pillay Kerushka R. , Downs Colleen T.
Published: January 2024

Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) are a widespread, typically seasonally breeding African primate. We report pregnancy complications in wild females in the urban mosaic landscape of Durban, South Africa, that required admittance to a wildlife rehabilitation centre. We found pregnancy complications in 13 female vervet monkey adults and subadults, with most cases (69.2%) in spring. Dystocia (difficult or obstructed labour) was the main cause of admission (46.2%), and in 69.2% of cases, a veterinarian attended to the animal. However, most pregnancy complications resulted in death (86.6%). Concerns about increased anthropogenic food causing increased birth size need further investigation.
Can Law Manufacture a Party System? The Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Experience with Party‐Strengthening Legislation
Authors: Fraenkel Jon
Published: January 2024

Two western Pacific states — the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (PNG) — experimented with unusual and ambitious reforms aimed at strengthening political parties in the new millennium. In this paper, we look at what those laws entailed and how they worked in practice. In both cases, we find that unforeseen repercussions dominated. In PNG, the new laws encouraged candidates who formerly contested as independents to now nominate as members of microscopic one‐ or two‐member parties whereas in the Solomon Islands many formerly party‐affiliated candidates adjusted by contesting as independents. In PNG, the law was one of a range of devices aimed at strengthening incumbent governments, but money politics and manipulation of parliamentary procedure proved more significant. Core anti‐defection provisions in the new law were ruled unconstitutional in 2010, but other still valid clauses preserved an advantage for the “largest party” in government formation. In the Solomon Islands, the law created a shadow world of free‐floating individuals able to switch at liberty between formally constrained hermit crab shell parties. In neither country did these laws succeed in strengthening party systems.
The Kerguelen Archipelago and Australian Security Anxieties
Authors: Lee Alexander Mitchell
Published: January 2024

The Kerguelen archipelago in the Southern Indian Ocean was never militarised and never posed a realistic naval threat to Australia or the British Empire during the twentieth century. However, there were two episodes, once in the Federation Era and during the Second World War, when there was debate within Australia as to whether this outlying French possession posed a threat to Australian security. By examining these periods of Australian anxiety surrounding the Kerguelen archipelago, it becomes possible to see that these concerns were more reflective of Australian strategic angst than any tangible threat posed by a remote, unpopulated, nominal French possession. This episode is an example of a broader Australian angst in the early and mid‐twentieth century that remote colonial possessions could be weaponised to isolate Australia and threaten it. The Kerguelens represent one of the most peculiar examples of the manifestations of Australian strategic insecurity.
Global prevalence of perinatal depression and anxiety during the COVID‐19 pandemic: An umbrella review and meta‐analytic synthesis
Authors: Caffieri Alessia , Gómez‐Gómez Irene , Barquero‐Jimenez Carlos , De‐Juan‐Iglesias Paula , Margherita Giorgia , Motrico Emma
Published: January 2024

Introduction

The prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID‐19 pandemic was assessed by several systematic reviews (SRs) and meta‐analyses which provided contrasting and different results. We aimed to summarize the evidence relating to the global prevalence of anxiety and depression among pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Material and methods

An umbrella review of SRs and meta‐analyses was performed. Searches were conducted in electronic databases up to April 2023. SRs and meta‐analyses reporting the prevalence of perinatal anxiety and depression during the COVID‐19 pandemic were selected for eligibility. Primary studies extracted from eligible meta‐analyses were included in the quantitative synthesis. The research protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020173125).

Results

A total of 25 SRs (198 primary studies) and 12 meta‐analyses (129 primary studies) were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis, respectively. Studies involved data from five continents and 45 countries. The pooled prevalence of antenatal and postpartum depression was 29% (n = 55; 95% CI: 25%–33%) and 26% (n = 54; 95% CI: 23%–30%), respectively. In the case of anxiety, the pooled antenatal and postnatal prevalence was 31% (n = 44; 95% CI: 26%–37%; n = 16; 95% CI: 24%–39%). Differences emerged between continents, with Africa having the highest prevalence of perinatal depression and Oceania and Europe having the highest prevalence of antenatal and postnatal anxiety. The prevalence also varied depending on the assessment tools, especially for antenatal anxiety. A medium‐high quality of the studies was observed. One SR assessed strength‐of‐evidence, reporting very low strength.

Conclusions

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, depression and anxiety were common, affecting almost one in three perinatal women globally. A high heterogeneity and a risk of publication bias were found, partially due to the variety of assessment tools and cut‐offs. The results may not be generalized to minorities. Studies on the prevalence of clinical diagnoses are needed. Based on our results it is not possible to firmly affirm that the COVID‐19 pandemic was the main factor that directly increased perinatal depression and anxiety during the past few years. Future studies should study other factors' impact.
Routing of Kv7.1 to endoplasmic reticulum plasma membrane junctions
Authors: Serrano‐Novillo Clara , Estadella Irene , Navarro‐Pérez María , Oliveras Anna , de Benito‐Bueno Angela , Socuéllamos Paula G. , Bosch Manel , Coronado María José , Sastre Daniel , Valenzuela Carmen , Soeller Christian , Felipe Antonio
Published: January 2024

Aim

The voltage‐gated Kv7.1 channel, in association with the regulatory subunit KCNE1, contributes to the IKs current in the heart. However, both proteins travel to the plasma membrane using different routes. While KCNE1 follows a classical Golgi‐mediated anterograde pathway, Kv7.1 is located in endoplasmic reticulum‐plasma membrane junctions (ER‐PMjs), where it associates with KCNE1 before being delivered to the plasma membrane.

Methods

To characterize the channel routing to these spots we used a wide repertoire of methodologies, such as protein expression analysis (i.e. protein association and biotin labeling), confocal (i.e. immunocytochemistry, FRET, and FRAP), and dSTORM microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, proteomics, and electrophysiology.

Results

We demonstrated that Kv7.1 targeted ER‐PMjs regardless of the origin or architecture of these structures. Kv2.1, a neuronal channel that also contributes to a cardiac action potential, and JPHs, involved in cardiac dyads, increased the number of ER‐PMjs in nonexcitable cells, driving and increasing the level of Kv7.1 at the cell surface. Both ER‐PMj inducers influenced channel function and dynamics, suggesting that different protein structures are formed. Although exhibiting no physical interaction, Kv7.1 resided in more condensed clusters (ring‐shaped) with Kv2.1 than with JPH4. Moreover, we found that VAMPs and AMIGO, which are Kv2.1 ancillary proteins also associated with Kv7.1. Specially, VAP B, showed higher interaction with the channel when ER‐PMjs were stimulated by Kv2.1.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that Kv7.1 may bind to different structures of ER‐PMjs that are induced by different mechanisms. This variable architecture can differentially affect the fate of cardiac Kv7.1 channels.
Exploring the role of oxidative stress and the effect of N‐acetylcysteine in thiopurine‐induced liver injury in inflammatory bowel disease: A randomized crossover pilot study
Authors: van Asseldonk Dirk P. , Crouwel Femke , Seinen Margien L. , Scheffer Peter G. , Veldkamp Agnes I. , de Boer Nanne K. , Lissenberg‐Witte Birgit , Peters Godefridus J. , van Bodegraven Adriaan A.
Published: January 2024

Thiopurine treatment is regularly complicated by drug‐induced liver injury. It has been suggested that oxidative stress may play a synergistic role. To assess whether thiopurine‐induced liver injury coincides with increased oxidative stress and whether co‐administration with N‐acetylcysteine is protective, we performed a randomized open label crossover pilot study in inflammatory bowel disease patients with thiopurine‐induced increased serum liver tests. The study comprised four stages of 4 weeks. Patients received no additional therapy followed by N‐acetylcysteine 1200 mg twice a day, or the other way around, alongside ongoing thiopurine treatment. The third and fourth stages comprised a washout period and thiopurine reintroduction period. Nine patients completed the study, and the addition of N‐acetylcysteine decreased myeloperoxidase concentrations (33.6–24.5 pmol/L, p = 0.038). The other biomarkers remained unchanged, including thiopurine metabolites, xanthine oxidase activity, thiopurine S‐methyltransferase activity and serum liver enzyme activity tests. Reintroduction of thiopurines led to an increase of F2‐isoprostanes (101–157 ng/mmol, p = 0.038), but not of serum liver enzyme activity tests. Results suggests that thiopurines may increase oxidative stress and although the addition of N‐acetylcysteine led to a decrease in plasma myeloperoxidase concentrations, it does not protect from thiopurine‐induced increase of serum liver tests.
Fentanyl overdose: Temporal effects and prognostic factors in SKH1 mice
Authors: Newman Mackenzie , Lynch Cayla , Connery Heather , Goldsmith William , Nurkiewicz Timothy , Raylman Raymond , Boyd Jonathan
Published: January 2024

Fentanyl exposure and overdose are growing concerns in public health and occupational safety. This study aimed to establish parameters of fentanyl lethality in SKH1 mice for future overdose research. Lethality was determined using the up‐down procedure, with subjects monitored post‐administration using pulse oximetry (5 min) and then whole‐body plethysmography (40 min). Following the determination of subcutaneous dose–response, [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F‐FDG PET) was performed after LD10 fentanyl at 40 min, 6 h, 24 h or 7 days post‐dose. LD10 and LD50 were observed to be 110 and 135 mg/kg, respectively, and consistent with four‐parameter logistic fit values of 111.2 and 134.6 mg/kg (r2 = 0.9996). Overdose (LD10 or greater) yielded three distinct cardiovascular groups: survival, non‐survival with blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) minimum ≥37% and non‐survival with SpO2 <37%. Breaths per minute, minute volume and inspiratory quotient were significantly different between surviving and non‐surviving animals for up to 40 min post‐injection. 18F‐FDG PET revealed decreased glucose uptake in the heart, lungs and brain for up to 24 h. These findings provide critical insights into fentanyl lethality in SKH1 mice, including non‐invasive respiratory effects and organ‐specific impacts that are invaluable for future translational studies investigating the temporal effects of fentanyl overdose.
Strategic capital taxation, tradable emission permits and global pollution
Authors: Tsakiris Nikos , Hatzipanayotou Panos , Michael Michael S.
Published: January 2024

The paper considers a two‐country model with international capital mobility and production‐generated cross‐border pollution. It examines the effectiveness of alternative policy combinations consisting of capital taxes and nationally or internationally tradable emissions permits in reducing global pollution. The internationally mobile capital is taxed according to three different rules, namely, capital tax exemptions, capital tax credits and capital tax deductions. Our key result is that, under certain conditions, the lowest Nash equilibrium level of global pollution is achieved with a policy mix combining either capital tax exemptions or capital tax credits with internationally, rather than nationally, tradable emission permits.
Effects of the Resident Basic Medical Insurance Reform on Household Consumption in China
Authors: Yu Shuheng , Ma Xinxin , Zhan Peng
Published: January 2024

This paper investigates the causal relationship between the Urban and Rural Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URRBMI) reform and household consumption in urban China using data from the Chinese Household Income Project survey and employing combination of the propensity score matching and difference‐in‐differences methods. The results yield three conclusions. First, the reform affected both the amount and share of household consumption. Specifically, the reform led to an increase in total household consumption, encompassing both medical and nonmedical expenditures. Among these, the proportion of medical consumption increased, while the proportion of nonmedical consumption reduced. Second, the impact of the URRBMI reform varied across consumption categories within nonmedical expenditure. Specifically, consumption for education and entertainment industries are positively impacted by the URRBMI reform in terms of both quantity and proportion. Third, low‐income households benefit more from the URRBMI reform compared to middle‐ and high‐income households. The main channels through which the URRBMI reform affects household consumption were the price effect and the crowding out effect on precautionary savings.
Import Policy Uncertainty and Innovation
Authors: Chen Lingshan , Li Yunong , Xie Qian , Zhou Mao
Published: January 2024

The Chinese government has emphasized innovation as the primary driving force for economic development in the new era. This paper studies the effect of import policy uncertainty (IPU) on the innovation activity of Chinese manufacturing firms. It establishes a simple model to show that the presence of IPU encourages innovation and that a reduction in IPU discourages innovation. It distinguishes the almost unnoticed IPU reduction from tariff reduction on China's WTO accession and develops a novel difference‐in‐differences specification that identifies the negative effect of IPU reduction on innovation using updated data for Chinese manufacturing and patent filings. The result holds after a battery of identification assumptions and robustness checks are considered. The import channel explains about two thirds of the effect of IPU on innovation, but not all of the effect. Finally, this paper examines the effect across firms of different levels of productivity and ownership types and patents of different categories.
How pervasive is joint attention? Mother‐child dyads from a Wichi community reveal a different form of “togetherness”
Authors: Taverna Andrea , Padilla Migdalia , Waxman Sandra
Published: January 2024

Theories of early development have emphasized the power of caregivers as active agents in infant socialization and learning. However, there is variability, across communities, in the tendency of caregivers to engage with their infants directly. This raises the possibility that infants and children in some communities spend more time engaged in solitary activities than in dyadic or triadic interactions. Here, we focus on one such community (indigenous Wichi living in Argentina's Chaco Forest) to test this possibility. We examine naturally occurring attentional activity involving the mother and child among the Wichi and among Eurodescendant Spanish‐speaking families living in Argentina. We engaged 16 families—8 Wichi and 8 Eurodescendant—in an observational study of interactions between caregivers and their 1‐ to 2‐year‐olds. A mixed‐analytic approach revealed no differences between communities in the proportion of time infants spent alone, or in mother‐child interaction. What does differ, however, is how mothers engage in these interactions: Wichi mothers spend a greater proportion of their time observing their infants than do Eurodescendant mothers. Moreover, when infants in both groups are alone, they focus their ‘solitary’ activities differently: Wichi infants engaged primarily in observation alone, whereas Eurodescendant infants were more focused on the object. Finally, all mother‐child pairs engaged in dyadic and triadic (object‐infant‐caregiver) patterns of attention, but the triadic patterns differed considerably between cultures: Among Wichi, mothers actively “watched” infants as they engaged with objects, whereas Eurodescendant mothers actively engaged with their infants in joint attentional episodes. This work illustrates how attention and socialization, key mechanisms of early development, are culturally organized. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwsOCLXubKQ.

Research Highlights

Longitudinal, observational investigation of mother‐infant interaction in two distinct Argentine cultural groups (Wichi and Eurodescendants) reveals both commonalities and clear community‐based differences in interactions between mothers and their 1‐ to 2‐year‐olds.

Wichi mother‐infant dyads engaged primarily in visual observation of one another, but their Eurodescendant counterparts tended to engage in more verbal or physical interaction.

We identify a new form of triadic interaction—lateral joint attention—among the Wichi dyads.

This work underscores that attention and socialization, key mechanisms of early development, are culturally organized.
Hammersmith婴儿神经学检查在高危儿发育随访中的应用研究
Authors: 巍 田巍. , 科 赵晓. , 红 徐. , 金 孙耀. , 敏 朱.
Published: January 2024

目的

探讨影响高危儿生命早期Hammersmith婴儿神经学检查(HINE)总分的独立影响因素，并为早期有效筛查和评估干预疗效提供证据。

方法

我们对258名高危儿进行了前瞻性队列研究，分别在矫正3、6、9 和12月龄时接受了 HINE和Gesell发育诊断表的评估。一个多元线性回归模型被建立以探究矫正3月龄时HINE总分的独立影响因素。通过计算不同年龄段的区分效度、同时效度和预测效度，分析HINE 总分的准确性。

结果

高危儿HINE总分在矫正3月龄时有9个独立影响因素。在矫正2月龄时，HINE总分对粗大运动发育迟缓的区分效度、同时效度和预测效度均有统计学意义(P < 0.05)。

结果

不同的新生儿临床状况与其生命早期HINE总分有关。在典型的中国临床环境中，HINE可用于纵向监测高危儿出生后第一年的神经系统发育情况，而且四个年龄段的筛查结果都与矫正12月龄时的神经运动发育结果有关。
Evaluation of lethal and sublethal effects of laminarin on the green peach aphid,Myzus persicae, under extended laboratory conditions
Authors: Lanzoni Alberto , Staiano Antonino , Masetti Antonio , Burgio Giovanni
Published: January 2024

Recent studies have opened the way for using elicitor‐induced resistance in plants as a method to control arthropod pests. In this study, 1,3‐β‐glucan laminarin, an elicitor of disease resistance in plants, was tested on the green peach aphid,Myzus persicae(Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), on peach [Prunus persica(L.) Batsch, Rosaceae] plantlets and evaluated its effects on short‐term mortality and population growth. Laminarin exposure did not affect aphid survival in the short term; however, laminarin‐treated peach plants sustained fewer nymphs and adults in comparison with the control. Aphid populations on plants treated with laminarin declined significantly over the sampling period compared to the control. Moreover, the demographic parameters net reproductive rate (R0), finite rate of increase (λ), and intrinsic rate of increase (rm), all showed decreasing trends in aphid populations reared on laminarin‐treated plants. The decline in aphid populations exposed to laminarin seemed to mainly be linked to reduced adult survival, slower nymph development, and lower nymph survival and only marginally to changes in reproduction outcome. Changes in gene expression causing the final production of defence chemicals by peach plants may contribute to explaining the results. However, potential direct effects of laminarin onM. persicaefeeding activity and probing behaviour cannot be ruled out. This study provides evidence that, although laminarin did not display insecticidal activity in the short term, this elicitor caused sublethal effects, significantly reducing aphid populations.
The missing links: Bee and non‐bee alpine visitor observation networks differ to pollen transport networks
Authors: Encinas‐Viso Francisco , Goodwin Emma , Saunders Manu E. , Florez Jaime , Lumbers James , Rader Romina
Published: January 2024

A majority of the world's flowering plants benefit from insect pollination. Bees in particular are known to carry large amounts of pollen, and the pollen load transported is often highly conspecific. However, there is limited knowledge about the transfer of pollen by other non‐bee flower‐visiting insect taxa.

We observed and collected insects visiting flowers in an Australian alpine plant community. We identified insect body pollen loads to evaluate the relative differences among taxa using visitation and pollen transport networks. We sampled a diverse pollinator community from 39 insect families that visited 31 plant species (n = 488 individual insects).

Pollen abundance and richness on insect bodies varied significantly among Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera both among individuals and across insect families.

Bees carried more pollen overall than the other three insect orders surveyed, yet dipterans were the most frequent flower visitors overall, with six dipteran families observed visiting flowers more frequently than the most frequent hymenopteran visitor (Apis mellifera L.). Apidae was also the only family in this study to carry consistently large quantities of pollen.

At the order level, Diptera carried the second highest quantity of pollen but greater diversity of pollen than other insect orders. Importantly, visitation networks revealed visits to plant taxa that were not identified in pollen transport networks and vice versa.

Given the missing links in both visitor observation and pollen transfer networks, we advocate combining both types of networks to provide a more accurate estimate of the full range of plant–pollinator interactions occurring within and across taxa at the community level. Understanding the variation in plant–pollinator interactions as a result of differences among taxa and between networks of flower visitors, pollen transfer is important to evaluate the level of generalisation/specialisation among plants and their pollinator partners.
Ten tips for effective use and quality assurance of multiple‐choice questions in knowledge‐based assessments
Authors: Ali Kamran , Zahra Daniel
Published: January 2024

Multiple‐choice questions (MCQs) are the most popular type of items used in knowledge‐based assessments in undergraduate and postgraduate healthcare education. MCQs allow assessment of candidates’ knowledge on a broad range of knowledge‐based learning outcomes in a single assessment. Single‐best‐answer (SBA) MCQs are the most versatile and commonly used format. Although writing MCQs may seem straight‐forward, producing decent‐quality MCQs is challenging and warrants a range of quality checks before an item is deemed suitable for inclusion in an assessment. Like all assessments, MCQ‐based examinations must be aligned with the learning outcomes and learning opportunities provided to the students. This paper provides evidence‐based guidance on the effective use of MCQs in student assessments, not only to make decisions regarding student progression but also to build an academic environment that promotes assessment as a driver for learning. Practical tips are provided to the readers to produce authentic MCQ items, along with appropriate pre‐ and post‐assessment reviews, the use of standard setting and psychometric evaluation of assessments based on MCQs. Institutions need to develop an academic culture that fosters transparency, openness, equality and inclusivity. In line with contemporary educational principles, teamwork amongst teaching faculty, administrators and students is essential to establish effective learning and assessment practices.
COVID‐19 stress, marital conflict, social capital, and parenting of preschoolers
Authors: Lee Woon Kyung , Joo Young Sun
Published: January 2024

Objective

This study aimed to examine associations between mothers' COVID‐19 stress, marital conflict, and parenting, focusing on mothers raising children ages 3–5. Specifically, we examined the potentially protective role of mothers' social capital for parenting behaviors.

Background

Despite numerous studies reporting the negative impacts of mothers' stress on marital relationships and parenting behaviors, little is known about how mothers' stress due to COVID‐19 is associated with marital conflict and parenting behaviors.

Method

We collected data from 306 mothers in South Korea in 2021 during the early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Results

We found that marital conflict significantly mediated the relationship between mothers' COVID‐19 stress and positive parenting behaviors. The moderating effect of social capital was not significant in the negative relationship between COVID‐19 stress and positive parenting behaviors but was significant in the negative relationship between marital conflict and positive parenting behaviors. Further analysis showed a significant negative relationship between marital conflict and positive parenting only when the level of social capital was equal to the mean value or higher, and the relationship was stronger with higher levels of social capital.

Conclusion

The findings show that mothers' stress due to COVID‐19 can be associated with increased marital conflict and decreased parental functioning.

Implications

The significant moderating effect of social capital in the relationship between marital conflict and positive parenting behaviors highlights the need to examine social capital's role in the COVID‐19 pandemic.
An estimation method of normalized nonlinear output frequency response functions for fatigue damage detection using stochastic response signal
Authors: Tang Weili , Mao Hanling , Li Xinxin , Huang Zhenfeng , Mao Hanying
Published: January 2024

Nonlinear output frequency response functions (NOFRFs) and its modified version, normalized NOFRFs (norm‐NOFRFs), are composed of multiple spectra, which can sensitively indicate the occurrence of fatigue damage in machinery. However, their application is restricted to a certain extent. Currently, neither NOFRFs nor norm‐NOFRFs can be estimated with only a single response signal. Aimed at this problem, the nonlinear auto‐regressive (NAR) model was introduced, and an estimation method of norm‐NOFRFs is proposed in this paper. Only one stochastic response signal is required in the proposed method, which removes the restrictions on the number and intensity of signals to identify norm‐NOFRFs, and expands the range of scenarios for using norm‐NOFRFs in damage detection. The feasibility and robustness of the proposed method are verified by the nonlinear model in numerical simulation. The effectiveness of revealing and quantifying the fatigue damage is verified by experimental study for three kinds of mechanical parts.
The global‐scale impacts of metallic nanoparticles on soil carbon dioxide emissions
Authors: He Gang , Lu Mingzhu , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel , Yang Yuyi , Ma Lin , Li Siyue , Liu Wenzhi
Published: January 2024

Terrestrial ecosystems are increasingly being exposed to metallic nanoparticles (MNPs). However, the global‐scale impact of MNPs on soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emission remains unknown, limiting our understanding of the role of MNPs in global carbon cycle. We compiled a dataset comprising 1764 pairs of experimental observations to investigate the effects of MNPs exposure on soil respiration parameters, including respiration rates, related enzyme activities, and microbial variables. We found that MNPs could stimulate or suppress soil basal respiration rates across global environments, depending largely on the type of MNPs. We further showed that, although the inhibition of MNPs on most enzyme activities peaked in short‐term exposure (≤28 days), prolonged exposure to MNPs still inhibited soil organic carbon degradation. Finally, we determined that environmental conditions (e.g., soil pH and presence/absence of plants) were also important regulators of the influence of MNPs on soil respiration parameters. Our findings underline that the effects of MNPs on soil CO2 emission depended on MNPs type, exposure design, and environmental factors, which is critical for predicting the role of MNPs in influencing the global carbon cycle and climate change.
A preliminary study on the development of care staff's Final‐Stage Decision‐Making Support Scale for older adults with dementia
Authors: Suzuki Mizue , Asai Yatami , Sato Masako , Kanamori Takuya , Inagaki Keigo , Kanamori Masao
Published: January 2024

Aim

This preliminary study aimed to develop a care staff Final Life‐Stage Decision‐Making Support Scale (FS‐DM) for older adults with dementia (OwDs) in geriatric facilities.

Methods

The FS‐DM items were developed from focus group interviews with care staff and reviewed through discussions with several experts in dementia care. A questionnaire survey was conducted among care staff in geriatric facilities from February to March 2021.

Results

In total, 138 carers (110 [79.7%] women and 28 [20.3%] men, mean age: 41.5 ± 2.3 years) participated. Among them, 91 (65.9%) were professional caregivers, and 36 (26.1%) were nurses. The FS‐DM was developed using a factor analysis, which resulted in 11 items grouped into three factors’, as it is the three factors: (1) support for the realization of the wills of OwDs in their final life‐stages through collaboration with families and multiple professionals; (2) consideration of communication regarding the formation and expression of the wills of OwDs in their final life‐stages; and (3) support for eliciting the wills of OwDs during their final life‐stages according to their decision‐making ability and values. The factor loadings ranged from 0.385 to 0.827, and the accumulated contribution ratio was 61.03%. The reliability analysis yielded a Cronbach's α of 0.740–0.855. The first and second factors of the FS‐DM were significantly correlated with the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire item “Nurses' attitudes towards support for decision‐making.”

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the FS‐DM could provide supportive care for OwDs to formulate, express, and realize their will, and that it has a degree of reliability and validity. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 130–134.
Closed doors: Domestic space, household labor, and the reproduction of gender inequality in the pandemic lockdown
Authors: Cera Michelle , Klinenberg Eric
Published: January 2024

The pandemic offered a unique opportunity to shift gendered expectations and create a more equal division of domestic labor in the home. As an organizational unit, the home represents a significant domain to investigate gendered power relations and transformations. Change was especially possible for couples where employed fathers, who typically left for work, began to spend far more time at home. Surveys show that the opposite happened, and the share of domestic work done by women increased. This article explores the social dynamics that drove these trends. We draw on in‐depth interviews with 20 couples (for a total of 40 parents). We leverage the variation between the accounts of each partner in a couple to explore how gender contributed to inequality in the home during the pandemic. We show that the physical and symbolic division of domestic space contributed to heightened gender inequalities during the pandemic. We divide our sample into three groups: cases where paternal income exceeds maternal income, cases where maternal income exceeds paternal income, and cases with comparable income levels for both parents. We demonstrate how the division of space, both physically and symbolically, contributes to the ongoing gender inequality experienced by all three groups. Our results expand on quantitative studies which show that gender inequality deepened during the pandemic by revealing the mechanisms and lived experinces behind the trend.