bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Northern Gannet foraging trip length increases with colony size and decreases with latitude
Authors: Clark Bethany L. , Vigfúsdóttir Freydís , Wanless Sarah , Hamer Keith C. , Bodey Thomas W. , Bearhop Stuart , Bennison Ashley , Blackburn Jez , Cox Sam L. , d’Entremont Kyle J. N. , Garthe Stefan , Grémillet David , Jessopp Mark , Lane Jude , Lescroël Amélie , Montevecchi William A. , Pascall David J. , Provost Pascal , Wakefield Ewan D. , Warwick‐Evans Victoria , Wischnewski Saskia , Wright Lucy J. , Votier Stephen C.
Published: September 2024

Density-dependent competition for food influences the foraging behaviour and demography of colonial animals, but how this influence varies across a species’ latitudinal range is poorly understood. Here we used satellite tracking from 21 Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus
colonies (39% of colonies worldwide, supporting 73% of the global population) during chick-rearing to test how foraging trip characteristics (distance and duration) covary with colony size (138–60 953 breeding pairs) and latitude across 89% of their latitudinal range (46.81–71.23° N). Tracking data for 1118 individuals showed that foraging trip duration and maximum distance both increased with square-root colony size. Foraging effort also varied between years for the same colony, consistent with a link to environmental variability. Trip duration and maximum distance also decreased with latitude, after controlling for colony size. Our results are consistent with density-dependent reduction in prey availability influencing colony size and reveal reduced competition at the poleward range margin. This provides a mechanism for rapid population growth at northern colonies and, therefore, a poleward shift in response to environmental change. Further work is required to understand when and how colonial animals deplete nearby prey, along with the positive and negative effects of social foraging behaviour.
Precision phenotyping from routine laboratory parameters for machine learning out-of-hospital survival prediction using 4D time-dependent SHAP plots in an all-comers prospective PCI registry
Authors: Călburean Paul-Adrian , Scurtu Anda-Cristina , Grebenisan Paul , Nistor Ioana-Andreea , Vacariu Victor , Drincal Reka-Katalin , Sulea Ioana Paula , Oltean Tiberiu , Hadadi László
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Out-of-hospital mortality in coronary artery disease (CAD) is particularly high and established adverse event prediction tools are yet to be available. Our study aimed to investigate whether precision phenotyping can be performed using routine laboratory parameters for the prediction of out-of-hospital survival in a CAD population treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Materials and methods

All patients treated by PCI and discharged alive in a tertiary center between January 2016 – December 2022 that have been included prospectively in the local registry were analyzed. 115 parameters from the PCI registry and 266 parameters derived from routine laboratory testing were used. An extreme gradient-boosted decision tree machine learning (ML) algorithm was trained and used to predict all-cause and cardiovascular-cause survival.

Results

A total of 7186 PCI hospitalizations for 5797 patients were included with more than 610.000 laboratory values. All-cause and cardiovascular cause mortality was 17.5% and 12.2%, respectively, during a median follow-up time of 1454 (687 – 2072) days. The integrated area under the receiver operator characteristic curve for prediction of all-cause and cardiovascular cause mortality by the ML on the validation dataset was 0.844 and 0.837, respectively (all p<0.001). The integrated area under the precision-recall curve for prediction of all-cause and cardiovascular cause mortality by the ML on the validation dataset was 0.647 and 0.589, respectively (all p<0.001).

Conclusion

Precise survival prediction in CAD can be achieved using routine laboratory parameters. ML outperformed clinical risk scores in predicting out-of-hospital mortality in a prospective all-comers PCI population.
Visual experience-dependent auditory and visual plasticity in the mouse visual cortex
Authors: Terra Huub , Kraker Leander de , Levelt Christiaan N
Published: September 2024

A lack of early visual experience causes pronounced auditory and visual cross-modal changes. However, the visual cortical region-specific cross-modal organization down to the single neuron level remains unknown. Here we used two-photon calcium imaging in awake mice that were reared in darkness from birth to map auditory and visual responsiveness of single neurons. We targeted neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) and higher visual cortical areas (HVAs) that resemble the ventral and dorsal stream regions. We found that lateral dorsal stream areas showed a pronounced increase in auditory response strength, even after accounting for tone-induced whisker movement. Strikingly, this was accompanied by a decreased visual drive, measured in number of recruited neurons and response strength, although these visual effects were more widespread across cortical regions. Together, these results provide a comprehensive functional map of auditory and visual cross-modal changes after a lack of early visual experience across the mouse visual cortex. Moreover, our results suggest that a lack of visual drive of dorsal stream regions might provide an opportunity for remaining senses to take over.
Anti-cancer effect of memantine as adjunctive therapy in metastatic colon cancer: A pilot randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Jannesar Kosar , Roosta Yousef , Masoudi Naser , Asghari Rahim , Rasouli Javad , Soraya Hamid
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Colon cancer, one of the three deadliest cancers worldwide, has a high prevalence, especially in developing societies. Recently, our preclinical study demonstrated the strong anti-tumor effects of memantine on colon cancer in rats. This study aimed to investigate the effects of memantine (an NMDA receptor antagonist) in patients with metastatic colon cancer.

Patients and Methods

In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 32 patients with metastatic colon cancer were randomized into two arms. The first arm received a chemotherapy regimen and the second arm received a chemotherapy regimen plus memantine 20 mg/day. The tumor size, metastasis, hematological parameters, CEA level, and N/L ratio were measured. Additionally, we assessed the safety and tolerability of this combination and its effect on the quality of life (QoL) of metastatic colon cancer patients.

Results

Memantine reduced the colon tumor size in comparison to the control group patients (P=0.04). Also, in the memantine group, the metastasis was lower than in the control group (50% vs 87.5% respectively). Moreover, the memantine-treated group demonstrated reduced levels of CEA (P=0.01) as well as improved some hematological parameters. Also, quality of life was partially improved and no serious adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions

Three-month adjuvant therapy with memantine reduces tumor size, metastasis, CEA level, and the N/L ratio, and also causes relative improvement of hematological parameters as well as the quality of life without causing any serious adverse effects. Therefore, memantine could be suggested as an appropriate adjuvant therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.
YOLOv8 Enables Automated Dragonfly Species Classification Using Wing Images
Authors: Kim Suyeon
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the digitization of insect collections and the application of deep learning models to improve this process. During a one-hour filming session, 141 images of dragonfly specimens from the Cornell University Insect Collection were captured and preprocessed using five distinct methods: (1) adding box annotations around the wings, (2) adding polygon annotations to outline the forewings and hindwings, (3) removing vein system images, (4) retaining only the wing outline images, and (5) grouping by automatically measured wing size and classifying species within those groups. By comparing YOLOv8 models trained on datasets with these different preprocessing methods, the study revealed three key findings: (1) datasets with bounding box annotations result in shorter preprocessing times and superior model performance compared to polygon annotations; (2) although models trained with polygon annotations may have lower accuracy, they provide more detailed information on wing length and phenotypic traits; and (3) the wing vein system, rather than the wing outline, is the critical factor in classification accuracy.
Rapid precision targeting of nanoparticles to lung via caveolae pumping system in endothelium
Authors: Nayak Tapas R. , Chrastina Adrian , Valencia Jose , Yedidsion Robert , Buss Tim , Cederstrom Brittany , Koziol Jim , Levin Michael D. , Olenyuk Bogdan , Schnitzer Jan E.
Published: September 2024

Modern medicine seeks precision targeting, imaging and therapy to maximize efficacy and avoid toxicities. Nanoparticles (NPs) have tremendous, yet unmet clinical potential to carry and deliver imaging and therapeutic agents systemically with tissue precision. But their size contributes to unwanted rapid scavenging by the reticulo-endothelial system (RES) and poor penetration of key endothelial cell (EC) barriers, both limiting target-tissue uptake, safety and efficacy. Here, we discover the extraordinary yet size-dependent ability of the EC caveolae pumping system (CPS) to deliver NPs rapidly and specifically into lungs. Gold and dendritic NPs are conjugated to aminopeptidase-P2 antibodies targeting caveolae of lung microvascular endothelium. SPECT-CT imaging and biodistribution analyses reveal that rat lungs extract most of the intravenously injected dose within minutes to achieve rapid blood clearance, high lung tissue concentrations well beyond peak blood levels, and precision lung imaging and targeting. Active transcytosis by caveolae greatly outperforms passive transvascular delivery and can even outpace RES scavenging. These results reveal how much ECs can both limit and promote tissue penetration of NPs and the power and limitations of the CPS. This study provides a new retargeting paradigm for small NPs to avoid RES uptake and achieve unprecedented rapid precision nanodelivery for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Cholesterol accumulation-induced impairment of AKT signaling in LPS-stimulated macrophages play a dispensable role in suppressing HIF-1α-dependent glycolysis
Authors: Ting Kenneth K.Y. , Cybulsky Myron I.
Published: September 2024

The formation of lipid-laden macrophages (Mφs) is a hallmark of atherosclerosis, yet how the accumulation of cholesterol in Mφs underlies the inflammatory process of atherogenesis remains unclear. It is well recognized that the reprogramming of metabolism in Mφs is critical for supporting their inflammatory responses, which may shed light on how the metabolism of Mφ foam cells is linked to inflammation. Indeed, recent research has now revealed Mφs that accumulate excess cholesterol adopt a distinct metabolic adaptation, a metabolic profile that is unexpectedly associated with a deactivated inflammatory response. Mechanistically, our group has previously shown that upon LPS stimulation, excess cholesterol accumulation in Mφs impaired their induction of AKT-dependent early glycolytic reprogramming and HIF-1α-dependent late glycolytic reprogramming. However, it remains unclear if these events are interconnected and synergistically contribute to the suppression of inflammation observed in these Mφs. Here, we demonstrated that cholesterol loading of Mφs impaired LPS-induced early glycolysis by reducing the phosphorylation of hexokinases, yet complete inhibition of AKT only modestly impaired HIF-1α-dependent glycolytic reprogramming. On the other hand, we confirmed that HIF-1α degradation, but not its reduced synthesis, is the primary mechanism that underlies its impaired expression in cholesterol loaded Mφs. Finally, we showed that cholesterol loading of Mφs alone was sufficient to induce oxidative stress, such as the production of 4-HNE, and deplete the levels of reduced KEAP1 proteins. Mφs lacking NRF2 resisted the effects of cholesterol loading on suppressing the expression of glycolytic and pro-inflammatory proteins.
Circular RNAs correlate with DNA damage in ageing human placental tissue and in stillbirth
Authors: Arthurs Anya L. , Jackson Matilda R. , McCullough Dylan , Scott Hamish S. , Barnett Christopher P. , Webb Stuart T. , Smith Melanie D. , Jankovic-Karasoulos Tanja , Dekker Gustaaf A. , Roberts Claire T.
Published: September 2024

Unexplained stillbirth may occur due to premature placental ageing, with unexpected deterioration of placental function for gestational age. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are enzyme-resistant RNA molecules that accumulate in ageing tissues. Furthermore, circRNAs bind gDNA directly, forming circRNA:DNA complexes which can induce DNA breaks. This study investigated circRNA accumulation with gestational age in healthy and stillbirth placentae and determined whether circRNAs directly interact with placental DNA causing DNA damage. Placenta samples (n=60 term uncomplicated; n=4 unexplained stillbirth) were assessed. Compared with earlier gestations (37, 38, 39, 40 weeks’), placental DNA damage and expression of 6 candidate circRNAs (circ_0009000, circ_0024157, circ_0061017, circ_0036877, circ_0054624 and circ_0111277), but not their linear transcripts, were increased in 40 and 41+ weeks’ gestation samples, and in stillbirth. DRIP-qPCR signal size was significantly larger in term placentae than in enzyme-treated controls, confirming that all candidate circRNA loci bind to placental DNA. Depletion of circ_0009000 by specific siRNA in HEK293T cells, significantly reduced DNA damage compared to control, and increased expression of senescence-associated genes.

Stillbirth placentae show accelerated ageing with premature accumulation of candidate circRNAs at levels consistent with older gestation tissue. These circRNAs bind to DNA and circ_0009000 causes DNA breaks and senescence in placenta. Therefore, circRNAs play a role in placental ageing and associate with stillbirth, likely via DNA damage.

Graphical Abstract
Disease-associated microglia and activation of CD8+T cells precede neuronal cell loss in a model of hereditary spastic paraplegia
Authors: Frolov A , Huang H , Schütz D , Köhne M , Blank-Stein N , Osei-Sarpong C , Büttner M , Elmzzahi T , Khundadze M , Becker M , Bonaguro L , Hübner CA , Händler K , Stumm R , Mass E , Beyer M
Published: September 2024

In central nervous system (CNS) diseases characterized by late-onset neurodegeneration, the interplay between innate and adaptive immune responses remains poorly understood. This knowledge gap is amplified by the prolonged nature of these diseases, complicating the delineation of brain-resident and infiltrating cells. Here, we conducted a comprehensive profiling of innate and adaptive immune cells across various CNS regions in a murine model of spastic paraplegia 15 (SPG15), a complicated form of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). Using fate-mapping of bone marrow-derived cells via genetic labeling, we identified microgliosis and microglial MHC-II upregulation accompanied by infiltration and local expansion of T cells in the CNS ofSpg15-/-mice. Single-cell analysis revealed an increase of disease-associated microglia (DAM) and clonal expansion of effector CD8+T cells across CNS regions occurring prior to neuronal loss. Analysis of potential cell-cell communication pathways suggested bidirectional interactions between DAM and effector CD8+T cells potentially contributing to disease progression inSpg15-/-mice. In summary, we identified a shift in microglial phenotypes associated with recruitment and clonal expansion of T cells as a new characteristic ofSpg15-driven neuropathology. Targeting activated microglia, CD8+T cells and their communication represent promising avenues to prevent the loss of neuronal function in HSP.
Diurnal variation in skeletal muscle mitochondrial function dictates time of day-dependent differences in exercise capacity
Authors: Khatri Subhash , Das Souparno , Singh Anshit , Shabbir A , Kashiv Mohit , Laxman Sunil , Kolthur-Seetharam Ullas
Published: September 2024

Exercise impinges on almost all physiological processes at an organismal level and is a potent intervention to treat various diseases. Exercise performance is well established to display diurnal rhythm, peaking during the late active phase. However, the underlying molecular/metabolic factors and mitochondrial energetics that possibly dictate time-of-day exercise capacity remain unknown. Here, we have unraveled the importance of diurnal variation in mitochondrial functions as a determinant of skeletal muscle exercise performance. Our results show that exercise-induced muscle metabolome and energetics are distinct at ZT3 and ZT15. Importantly, we have elucidated key diurnal differences in mitochondrial functions that are well correlated with disparate time-of-day dependent exercise capacity. Providing causal evidence, we illustrate that loss of Sirtuin4 (SIRT4), a well-known mitochondrial regulator, abrogates diurnal variation in mitochondrial functions and consequently abolishes time-of-day dependent exercise performance. Therefore, our findings unequivocally demonstrate the pivotal role of baseline skeletal-muscle mitochondrial functions in dictating diurnal exercise capacity.
Evaluating Cross-linking-driven integrative modeling in peptide-HLAII complexes prediction with insights for refining predictive accuracy
Authors: Di Ianni Andrea , Barbero Luca M. , Cowan Kyra , Riccardi Sirtori Federico
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT

In silicoprediction of peptide-HLAII (human leucocyte antigen class II) complexes has emerged as a crucial approach in bioinformatics for deciphering antigen presentation mechanisms. Severalin silicotools have been developed to predict peptide binding to HLAII alleles, trying to deconvolute the intricate peptide-HLAII binding specificity. These approaches integrate bases from molecular modeling, machine learning, and bioinformatics to predict peptide-HLAII interactions. Initially, structure-based methods relying on molecular docking algorithms were widespread, utilizing structural data of HLAII molecules and peptides to infer plausible binding conformations. These methods often faced challenges in accuracy due to the dynamic nature of peptide-HLAII interactions. Besides, the high flexibility of peptide sidechains makes their placement into the HLA-binding site even more complex. In recent years, machine learning techniques have drawn attention to peptide-HLAII binding predictions. Supervised learning algorithms, such as support vector machines (SVMs), neural networks, and ensemble methods, have been considerably applied to discriminate patterns from large datasets of experimentally validated peptide-HLAII binding affinities (like Immune Epitope Data Base, IEDB) and more recently mass spectrometry- eluted ligands from MHC-associated peptide proteomics (MAPPs) assay. The role of experiment- assisted integrative modeling in aiding peptide-HLAII complexes prediction still needs to be clarified. In this work, we benchmarked the use of AlphaLink2 (AlphaFold2 + cross-links restraints) and compared it to AlphaFold2 Multimer in predicting correct peptide binding motifs. These results can pave the way to an integrated strategy for vaccine development and protein deimmunization or autoimmunity mitigation.
How the zebra got its stripes: Curvature-dependent diffusion orients Turing patterns on three-dimensional surfaces
Authors: Staddon Michael F.
Published: September 2024

Many animals have patterned fur, feathers, or scales, such as the stripes of a zebra. Turing models, or reaction-diffusion systems, are a class of mathematical models of interacting species that have been successfully used to generate animal-like patterns for many species. When diffusion of the inhibitor is high enough relative to the activator, a diffusion-driven instability can spontaneously form patterns. However, it is not just the type of pattern but also the orientation that matters, and it remains unclear how patterns are oriented in practice. Here, we propose a mechanism by which the curvature of the surface influences the rate of diffusion, and can recapture the correct orientation of stripes on models of a zebra and of a cat in numerical simulations. Previous work has shown how anisotropic diffusion can give stripe forming reaction-diffusion systems a bias in orientation. From the observation that zebra stripes run around the direction of highest curvature, that is around the torso and legs, we apply this result by modifying the anisotropic diffusion rates based on the local curvature. These results show how local geometry can influence the reaction dynamics to give robust, global-scale patterns. Overall, this model proposes a coupling between the system geometry and reaction-diffusion dynamics that can give global control over the patterning by using only local curvature information. Such a model can give shape and positioning information in animal development without the need for spatially dependent morphogen gradients.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
How does obsolescence risk influence consumer resistance to smartwatches?
Authors: Acikgoz Fulya , Borulu Burak , Bölen Mehmet Cem
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Due to advances in both software and hardware, obsolescence risk refers to the fear that a product will soon become obsolete, which can be very high for technological products such as smartwatches or smartphones. Drawing on the perceived risk theory and innovation resistance, this study examines the effects of different obsolescence risks on consumer resistance to smartwatches.

Design/methodology/approach

A sequential explanatory approach using a mixed method was adopted in this study. In Study 1, we conducted semi-structured and in-depth face-to-face interviews with 16 individuals to identify the most important obsolescence risks affecting consumers’ resistance to smartwatches. This qualitative study develops a novel theoretical model based on interpretive results, including technological, economic, functional, and aesthetic obsolescence risks. In Study 2, we tested our theoretical model by applying partial least-squares structural equation modeling to a sample of 298 smartwatch users.

Findings

The results show that consumer resistance to smartwatches is affected by technological, economic, functional, and aesthetic obsolescence risks.

Originality/value

Although most extant studies have focused on the factors influencing the adoption and use of consumer electronics, little is known about the role of obsolescence risk in consumers’ resistance to these products.
Financing options for logistics firms considering product quality loss
Authors: Bi Gongbing , Wu Yue , Xu Hang
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of quality loss in transit on e-commerce supply chain pricing, production and financing decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors consider a Stackelberg game model with a supplier, logistics firm and e-commerce platform. The logistics firm is capital-constrained and obtains funding from the e-commerce platform by debt financing or equity financing. Through backward induction, this paper first solves the equilibrium results under the two financing schemes and then reveals the financing preferences of all parties.

Findings

The results demonstrate that equity financing reduces financing costs and promotes production significantly. However, it may also lead to overproduction, particularly in markets with poor profitability and high cost factors. When the percentage of product quality loss is large, equity financing is preferable. With the increasing of transportation level, the benefits of debt finance are steadily growing. In addition, equity financing is the Pareto dominant scheme for all firms under certain circumstances. The extensions consider hybrid financing and another quality loss type.

Practical implications

The paper derives the equilibrium solutions and financing preferences, then specifies the threshold for applying financing schemes. Provide guidance for logistics firms’ finance model innovation and core enterprise involvement in the logistics industry.

Originality/value

The paper investigates how logistics firms’ financing strategies are impacted by product quality loss.
Employee disengagement: the catalytic role of leader-induced defensive cognitions and perceptual politics
Authors: Tahir Muhammad Zohaib , Mughal Farooq , Awan Tahir Mumtaz , Waheed Aamer
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The study aims to attain insights into the role of destructive leadership and perceived organizational politics as catalysts for employee disengagement through the perspective of social identity theory. The research further considers employees’ defensive cognitions for a comprehensive understanding of these interrelated phenomena in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to ascertain the pertinence and contextual relevance of the proposed framework, literary review was complemented by a survey-based study encompassing 114 full-time employees purposively selected from the six systemically important banks of Pakistan.

Findings

The findings accentuate the significance of destructive leadership in inducing withdrawal behaviours among employees directly and indirectly through continuance commitment. The results also underline perceptions of politics as a significant work environment impediment amplifying employees’ propensity to undergo psychological withdrawal.

Originality/value

The study contributes to strategic human resource management literature by offering an identity-based explanation for employees’ disengagement, considering Pakistan’s power-distant and collectivist orientation. The research further introduces an empirical novelty by postulating a total effect moderation model.
Improved elastic full‐waveform inversion of ocean bottom node data
Authors: Wu Bo , Yao Gang , Zheng Qingqing , Niu Fenglin , Wu Di
Published: September 2024

Elastic full‐waveform inversion enables the quantitative inversion of multiple subsurface parameters, significantly enhancing the interpretation of subsurface lithology. Simultaneously, with the ongoing advancements in ocean bottom node technology, the application of elastic full‐waveform inversion to marine ocean bottom node data is receiving increasing attention. This is attributed to the capability of ocean bottom node to acquire high‐quality four‐component data. However, elastic full‐waveform inversion of ocean bottom node data typically encounters two challenges: First, the presence of low S‐wave velocity layers in the seabed leads to weak energy of converted S‐waves, resulting in significantly poorer inversion results for S‐wave velocity compared to those for P‐wave velocity; second, the cross‐talk effect of multiple parameters further exacerbates the difficulty in inverting S‐wave velocity. To effectively recover the S‐wave velocity using ocean bottom node data, we modify the S‐wave velocity gradient in conventional elastic full‐waveform inversion to alleviate the impact of cross‐talk from multiple parameters on the inversion of S‐wave velocity. Furthermore, to invert for density parameters, we adopt a two‐stage inversion strategy. In the first stage, P‐wave and S‐wave velocities are updated simultaneously with a single‐step length. Because the initial density model is far from the true one, density is updated using an empirical relationship derived from well‐log data. In the second stage, velocities and density are updated simultaneously with multi‐step length to further refine the models obtained in the first stage. The high effectiveness of the improved elastic full‐waveform inversion is validated by numerical examples.
Comparing cost‐effectiveness of radio and drone telemetry with playback surveys for assessing translocation outcomes
Authors: Stone Zoë L. , Macdermid Kara , Muller Chris G. , Armstrong Doug P. , Parker Kevin A.
Published: September 2024

Post‐release monitoring is critical for assessing translocation outcomes. Yet the quality of information gained from monitoring can vary greatly, and perceived monitoring costs often results in reduced monitoring effort. Selecting cost‐effective monitoring strategies that provide high quality data are therefore important for assessing translocation outcomes and making informed management decisions.

To compare how monitoring strategy affects information gained, we monitored a toutouwai/North Island robin (Petroica longipes) reintroduction in Aotearoa New Zealand, based on monitoring objectives of determining survival, site fidelity and whether the extent of management was large enough to protect dispersing individuals. We compared how these objectives were met through four monitoring strategies: (1) comprehensive surveys with ground radio telemetry and playback; (2) aerial drone telemetry; (3) dedicated playback by trained surveyors and (4) opportunistic playback by predator control contractors. We undertook a viewshed analysis to determine search coverage of each strategy and compared detection rates, efficiency and cost.

Comprehensive ground telemetry and playback, while costly, covered the largest area and provided the most accurate data on dispersal, survival and the translocation outcome. In comparison, opportunistic playback monitoring detected substantially fewer individuals, giving a false impression of low site fidelity and survival and a failed translocation. Although drone telemetry had considerable site‐specific limitations, which limited its effectiveness during our study, it was the most cost‐effective with a high detection rate and low search effort.

Synthesis and applications: Our study shows the value of intensive monitoring in facilitating management decisions for wildlife translocations. Comprehensive telemetry and playback, while costly, were invaluable for gaining high quality information on the translocation outcome. Without suitable monitoring, reintroduction outcomes can be difficult to assess and potentially result in unnecessary, ineffective or overly expensive management actions. We recommend that monitoring intensity and methodology should reflect the site, species and level of uncertainty regarding the translocation outcome. Prioritising monitoring can help reduce long‐term costs, increase quality of information gained and allow for more informed management decisions that can improve subsequent translocation outcomes.
Rapid detection of guttae area using aniline blue staining in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy mouse model
Authors: Zhang Xueling , Qiu Jini , Feng Yalan , Zheng Jijia , Xiang Jun , Gu Jiayu , Shan Kun , Shi Qian
Published: September 2024

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a leading cause of corneal endothelial degeneration resulting in impaired visual acuity. Excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (guttae) on Descemet's membrane (DM) is the hallmark of FECD. We sought to detect the guttae area rapidly using aniline blue (AB) staining in FECD mouse model. FECD mouse model was established via ultraviolet A (UVA) exposure. Masson's trichrome staining was utilized to stain the corneal sections. AB staining was utilized to stain both whole cornea tissues and stripped Descemet's membrane‐endothelium complex (DMEC) flat mounts, while immunofluorescence staining of collagen I was employed to stain guttae areas. In Masson's trichrome staining, corneal collagen fibrils were stained blue with AB. The DMEC flat mounts were stained into relative dark blue areas and relative light blue areas using 2% AB staining. The areas of dark blue could almost overlap with collagen I‐positive areas, and have an acellular centre and a moderately distinct boundary line with the surrounding corneal endothelial cells. In conclusion, AB staining is a rapid and effective method for the evaluation of the guttae areas in the FECD mouse model.
THE DARK SIDE OF PLANETARY URBANIZATION: Operational Landscapes, Crisis and the ‘Peripheral Condition’
Authors: Canettieri Thiago
Published: September 2024

In this article I present the concept of the ‘peripheral condition’ in the context of theoretical discussion on planetary urbanization. Inspired by Neil Brenner and Christian Schmid's interpretation of urbanization, which draws from Lefebvre's oeuvre, I suggest taking into consideration Robert Kurz's key insights about the internal contradiction of capital. In this study I seek to integrate the ‘critique of value’ theory's crisis‐centric approach into the literature on planetary urbanization, as it allows us to move beyond accounts that focus on extensive urbanization through operational landscapes and instead encompass the social relations that accompany it. Consequently, I argue that this comprehension reveals the periphery‐form as a relevant idea to qualify discussions on planetary urbanization once an ever‐growing population faces situations of precarity that were previously considered restricted to the peripheries. Hence, I suggest that planetary urbanization cannot be fully understood without considering its dark side, the peripheral condition.
On the EPA's Radar: The Role of Financial Reports in Environmental Regulatory Oversight
Authors: LI BIN , WANG ANNIKA YU
Published: September 2024

This paper investigates the role of corporate financial reports in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulatory activities. By tracking the EPA's direct retrieval of SEC filings, we identify three key findings. First, the EPA retrieves a large volume of financial reports, especially from firms in high‐pollution industries. Second, the EPA is more likely to access financial reports during enforcement investigations and significant rule proposals, but less so during compliance monitoring, with patterns varying predictably across firms. Third, the EPA's reliance on financial reports is potentially driven by its demand for information on firm liquidity, solvency, and profitability. Overall, our study highlights the usefulness of financial reports for the EPA as an environmental regulator.
Neurodevelopmental outcomes following paracetamol use for treatment of patent ductus arteriosus: A review
Authors: Pearce Adam , Saunders Lewis , Dunlop Amber , Abbas Asad
Published: September 2024

Aim

Concerns exist regarding potential adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with paracetamol exposure during pregnancy and early infancy. This review evaluates the evidence for the impact of paracetamol use for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) treatment on neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.

Methods

A literature search was performed via Medline, Ovid Embase and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases. The search details are below: (‘Infant, Newborn’ [MeSH] OR ‘neonate*’ [Title/Abstract]) AND (‘Paracetamol’ [MeSH] OR ‘Acetaminophen’ [Title/Abstract]) AND (‘Ductus Arteriosus, Patent/drug therapy’ [MeSH] OR ‘patent ductus arteriosus’ [Title/Abstract]) AND (‘Neurodevelopmental Disorders’ [MeSH] OR ‘neurodevelopment*’ [Title/Abstract] OR ‘Child Development’ [MeSH] OR ‘Developmental Disabilities’ [MeSH]). All studies were critically appraised and synthesised.

Results

Seven studies reported neurodevelopmental outcomes after paracetamol use for PDA treatment in preterm infants <32 weeks gestation. The studies varied in dosage, route, and duration of paracetamol administration and in the methods used to assess neurodevelopmental outcomes. None of the studies revealed different outcomes between paracetamol‐exposed preterm infants and controls.

Conclusion

Current low‐to‐moderate quality evidence suggests no association between paracetamol used for PDA treatment and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. Future well‐powered studies with standardised neurodevelopmental assessments are warranted to strengthen the current evidence base.
Anti‐egalitarianism motivates denial of male privilege
Authors: Austin Darren E. J. , Marques Mathew D. , Stukas Arthur A.
Published: September 2024

Men are privileged economically, politically, and socially, yet some deny this. Previous research suggests that denial of privilege can help to manage the discomfort associated with a privileged identity, but we propose that it serves primarily to preserve privilege. In two preregistered studies (Ntotal = 911 Australian participants) we show that denial of male privilege is not unique to men and that it is strongly predicted by anti‐egalitarianism, even when controlling for gender and other variables known to predict attitudes toward inequality (facets of right‐wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation). In Study 1, a multiple regression model accounted for 59% of the variability in reported male privilege awareness, with anti‐egalitarianism contributing 47% of the explanatory power. In Study 2, the explanatory power of anti‐egalitarianism was more modest (26%) and similar to that of gender (27%), and both also positively predicted claims of female privilege. This suggests that rather than simply reflecting unawareness of male privilege or being a way to manage a privileged identity, denying the existence of male privilege and claiming that women are privileged helps to preserve gender inequality by presenting it as a just result of meritocracy.
Cumulative re‐operation rates during follow‐up after hypospadias repair
Authors: Anttila Annaleena , Lahdes‐Vasama Tuija , Pakkasjärvi Niklas , Taskinen Seppo
Published: September 2024

Objective

To assess the cumulative rates of re‐operations after hypospadias repair and evaluate long‐term surgical outcomes at a tertiary paediatric urology centre.

Patients and Methods

Retrospective analysis of 293 boys born between 1991 and 2003 undergoing hypospadias surgery was conducted. The study included 274 patients: 165 with distal, 34 with midshaft, and 75 with proximal hypospadias. Kaplan–Meier methods were used to evaluate the re‐operation data.

Results

The median age at primary surgery was 1.3 years, with a median follow‐up of 14.4 years. The overall re‐operation rate was 48.2%, with approximately half of the problems detected within the first 3 months after surgery. The risk of re‐operation was correlated with hypospadias severity, with 5‐ and 15‐year re‐operation risks at 39.3% and 51.8%, respectively. Limitations of the study include its retrospective nature and variations in surgical techniques from current standards.

Conclusion

There is a significant risk of unplanned re‐operations following hypospadias repair, increasing with the severity of the original condition. This underscores the need for extended follow‐up and effective communication with patients and their families about the likelihood of requiring multiple surgeries for optimal outcomes.
Healthcare of patients with atopic dermatitis by general practitioners – a nationwide survey in Germany
Authors: Langenbruch Anna , Andrees Valerie , Scherer Martin , Augustin Matthias
Published: September 2024

Background and Objectives

Epidemiological studies on the health care of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) in dermatological treatment in Germany indicate no improvements within 10 years. In addition to dermatologists, general practitioners (GPs) are particularly involved in AD treatment. This study analyzed the health care situation of adult patients with AD by GPs.

Patients and Methods

The cross‐sectional questionnaire survey “PsoADA” was conducted from 2019 to 2021 in general practices throughout Germany and the results were compared with previous data from dermatology care (AtopicHealth2, 2017–19).

Results

Among 150 patients (mean age: 40 years, 62.2% female), 39.2% received additional treatment by a dermatologist (GP+D). 20.7% of GP+D and 5.7% of patients in GP treatment only (GP only) had severe AD (p < 0.01, AtopicHealth2: 27.6%). Major limitations in quality of life were reported by 31.0% (GP+D) versus 3.4% (GP only) (p < 0.001, AtopicHealth2: 31.6%). Most patients received topicals, mainly glucocorticosteroids. Calcineurin inhibitors were currently administered by 2.7% (PsoADA total). Patient education was reported by 5.7% (PsoADA total).

Conclusions

A considerable proportion of patients with AD in GP care shows poor outcomes, as has been observed in dermatological care – possibly due to the lack of use of modern systemic therapy.
Principal–agent trust and adoption of digital financial services: Evidence from India
Authors: Yadav Rajat S. , Kalluru Siva R.
Published: September 2024

The high reliance on cash is a lifestyle for many people, and their low proficiency with smartphone usage acts as an inertial barrier to using digital financial services (DFS). Given low financial or digital literacy, online banking transactions have to be promoted and mediated by DFS agents. This study examines the role of digital platforms, intermediaries such as banks, mobile money agents, payment banks, post offices, and the government's increasing use of digital technologies. This usage of digital platforms is based on the trust relationship between the principals, who are owners of their bank accounts, and agents of DFS, who are intermediaries. A linear probabilistic model is employed to determine the determinants behind the low adoption of DFS between the necessity and nonnecessity groups. We observe that demand‐side factors like education level, identity proof (documentation), and level of smartphone use proficiency increase the probability of a principal's involvement in a digital mode of payment. At the same time, supply‐side factors like digital infrastructure and trust deficit due to unviable commission incentives to DFS agents decrease the principal's likelihood of using digital platforms.
Host egg volatiles are involved in brood parasitism in predatory mites
Authors: Choh Yasuyuki , Janssen Arne
Published: September 2024

Recently, we reported brood parasitism in the tiny predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae); adult females of this species prefer to add their eggs to a cluster of eggs of another predatory mite species, Gynaeseius liturivorus (Acari: Phytoseiidae), which guards its own eggs against egg predators.

Here, we investigated the cues used by the blind N. californicus to detect eggs of G. liturivorus.

We show that N. californicus locates oviposition sites of G. liturivorus using volatiles emanating from eggs of the latter species.

Adult female G. liturivorus spent more time guarding oviposition sites that contain more eggs, which resulted in a higher per capita survival of the eggs. We therefore hypothesized that N. californicus would prefer oviposition sites with more G. liturivorus eggs.

Indeed, N. californicus preferably laid their egg at oviposition sites containing more than six G. liturivorus eggs, which corresponds to the average number laid by a female G. liturivorus during 1 day.

Our results suggest that N. californicus uses egg volatiles to localize oviposition sites of G. liturivorus, where the eggs of the former are effectively protected against egg predators.
Improved post‐harvest preservation effects of mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) using bacterial cellulose nanocrystals‐gelatin/cinnamon essential oil emulsion coatings
Authors: Golmohammadi Abdollah , Tahmasebi Mohammad , Razavi Mahsa Sadat , Neysari‐Fam Vahid , Carullo Daniele , Farris Stefano
Published: September 2024

This work investigated the effect of bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNCs)‐gelatin (GelA)/cinnamon essential oil (CEO) emulsion coatings (BCNCs‐GelA/CEO) on the shelf‐life extension of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). CEO loadings between 1200 and 2400 μL/L were used in the coatings applied on the mushrooms' surface. The overall quality of coated mushrooms was monitored over 15 days of cold storage (4 ± 0.5 °C). Regardless of the storage time, using the highest amount of CEO within the coating formulation minimised the impact on tested parameters (weight loss, firmness, percentage of opened caps, total soluble solids, content of ascorbic acid and soluble protein, PPO/POD enzymatic activity) as compared to control samples. Interestingly, a linear relationship (R2 = 0.96 on average) between CEO concentration and the respiration rate of coated mushrooms was disclosed. Overall, this study pinpointed the capability of BCNCs‐GelA/CEO coatings to delay the aging process of button mushrooms under cold storage. Our findings could be applied to address the issue of food losses, highlighting the positive role of coating technology in enhancing the efficiency of the early stages of the food supply chain, especially in the case of button mushrooms. However, an assessment of the impact of the concentration of other coating components (BCNC and fish gelatin) on the shelf‐life extension of button mushrooms, as well as an evaluation of the coating's effectiveness in prolonging the shelf‐life of other food items, particularly non‐respiring products, is necessary to widespread the applicability of the proposed technology.
Comparison of complications and indwelling time in midline catheters versus central venous catheters: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Li Xin , Zhang Huixin , Li Hong , Sun Weige
Published: September 2024

Background

Central venous catheters and midline catheters are commonly used as medium‐ to long‐term intravenous infusion tools in clinical nursing. However, there is currently no reliable conclusion on whether there are differences in complications and indwelling time between these two types of catheters.

Aim

To investigate whether there are differences in the incidence of complications and indwelling time between the use of midline catheters and central venous catheters as intravenous infusion tools.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted across various databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Wanfang and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. The selection of studies and assessment of their quality was carried out independently by two reviewers. Meta‐analysis was conducted using the RevMan 5.3 software. Heterogeneity was evaluated, one of the pooled analyses was performed using the random‐effect model, while the others used the fixed‐effect model. Mean differences or odds ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated.

Results

Ten studies (1,554 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Meta‐analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the complication rates [OR = 0.36, 95% CI (0.18, 0.70), p = 0.003], incidence of catheter‐related thrombosis [OR = 0.28, 95% CI (0.11, 0.71), I2 = 0%,p = 0.007], catheter‐related infection[OR = 0.36, 95% CI (0.16, 0.78), I2 = 27%, p = 0.007] and catheter blockage [OR = 0.21, 95% CI (0.09, 0.51), I2 = 18%, p = 0.0005] between midline catheters group and central venous catheters group. There was a statistically significant difference in the catheter indwelling time between the two groups [MD = 0.9, 95% CI (0.33, 1.46), I2 = 0%, p = 0.002]. There was no significant difference in other complications such as phlebitis, catheter dislodgement and leakage between the two groups.

Linking Evidence to Action

Midline catheter was superior to central venous catheter in terms of the overall complication rates and incidence of catheter‐related thrombosis, catheter blockage, catheter‐related infection and indwelling time.