bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organic management shapes AM fungal community structure and function, partially mitigating the negative effects of conventional agriculture
Authors: Heuck Meike Katharina , Powell Jeff R. , Kath Jarrod , Birnbaum Christina , Frew Adam
Published: December 2024

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are important plant symbionts that provide plants with nutrients and water as well as support plant defences against pests and disease. Consequently, they present a promising alternative to using environmentally damaging and costly fertilisers and pesticides in agricultural systems. However, our limited understanding of how agricultural practices impact AM fungal diversity and functions is a key impediment to using them effectively in agriculture.

We assessed how organic and conventional agricultural management systems shaped AM fungal communities. We also investigated how AM fungal communities derived from these agricultural management systems affected crop biomass and development. Six soil samples from five organically and five conventionally managed agricultural sites were used to cultivate Sorghum bicolor. Plant growth, plant nutrient concentrations and AM fungal colonisation rates were analysed alongside DNA metabarcoding of community composition.

We observed that soil from conventional agricultural fields resulted in a pronounced reduction in sorghum biomass (−53.6%) and a significant delay in flowering compared to plants grown without AM fungi. Sorghum biomass was also reduced with soil from the organic system, but to a lesser extent (−30%) and without a delay in flowering. Organic systems were associated with a large proportion of AM fungal taxa (50.5% of VTs) not found in conventional systems, including Diversispora (r2 = 0.09, p < 0.001), Archaeospora (r2 = 0.07, p < 0.001) and Glomus (r2 = 0.25, p < 0.001) spp., but also shared a large proportion of taxa with conventional systems (42.3% of VTs). Conventional systems had relatively few unique taxa (7.2% of VTs).

Our results suggest that conventional agricultural practices selected against AM fungi that were, in this context, more beneficial for host plants. In contrast, organic management practices mitigate this negative effect, likely due to the presence of specific key AM fungal taxa. However, this mitigation is only partial, as less beneficial AM fungal taxa still persist, probably due to abiotic factors associated with agricultural management and the sensitivity of AM fungi to these factors. This persistence explains why the effect is not entirely eradicated.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Impact of medical and recreational cannabis laws on inpatient visits for asthma
Authors: Jayawardhana Jayani , Fernandez Jose
Published: December 2024

Objective

To examine the impact of medical and recreational cannabis laws on inpatient visits for asthma and by payer‐type.

Study Setting and Design

Quasi‐experimental difference‐in‐differences regression analysis was conducted while accounting for variations in cannabis laws implementation timing by states. Inpatient visits for asthma in states with a given type of cannabis law were compared with those in states that did not implement the specific law. Four different cannabis laws were examined in the study—initial passage of medical cannabis law, opening of a medical cannabis dispensary, home cultivation of medical cannabis, and recreational cannabis legalization.

Data Sources and Analytic Sample

State‐level quarterly inpatient visit data for asthma patients were utilized from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Fast Stats database. The primary analysis included inpatient visits for asthma by all payer adult patients aged 19 and above in 38 states from 2005 to 2017, and the secondary analysis included inpatient visits for asthma by payer‐type (i.e., private, Medicare, Medicaid, uninsured).

Principal Findings

States with medical cannabis dispensaries and legalized recreational cannabis experienced 14.12% (2.14; 95% CI, 0.74–3.53; p < 0.01) and 20.45% (3.08; 95% CI, 1.47–4.69; p < 0.001) increases in inpatient visits for asthma compared with states without these policies, respectively. These increases in inpatient visits for asthma were primarily driven by populations covered by Medicare and private insurance, with Medicare population showing larger effects of both recreational cannabis laws and medical cannabis dispensaries.

Conclusions

States with medical cannabis dispensaries and legalized recreational cannabis experienced higher rate of inpatient visits for asthma compared with states without these policies. Clinicians and policymakers should consider strategies to curb adverse health outcomes of cannabis, that is likely to result in increased costs of healthcare.
Shared occupancy and property tax arrears
Authors: Anim‐Odame Wilfred K. , Brenni Precious A. , Damianov Damian S. , Philip Dennis
Published: December 2024

Shared occupancy arrangements are on the rise in recent years due to affordability constraints in homeownership. This article examines for the first time the property tax compliance behavior of shared dwellings, where homeowners rent out part of their own homes to tenants. Using administrative property‐level data from Ghana, where homeowners are responsible for tax payments, we reveal that shared dwellings, compared to pure owner‐occupied homes, are more likely to be in tax arrears. The noncompliance of shared dwellings is more sensitive to property tax hikes than pure owner‐occupied homes, and greatest among those in the least affluent geographic areas. These effects are moderated by reciprocity, in that compliance levels are higher in locations closer to public services and amenities. The findings provide new insights for policymakers on the tax compliance effects arising in shared occupancies.
Teknonaturalist: A Snakemake Pipeline for Assessing Fungal Diversity From Plant Genome Bycatch
Authors: Bard Nicholas W. , Davies T. Jonathan , Cronk Quentin C. B.
Published: December 2024

Relatively little is known of the host associations and compatibility of fungal plant pathogens and endophytes. Publicly available plant genomic DNA can be mined to detect incidental fungal DNA, but taxonomic assignment can be challenging due to short lengths and variable discriminative power among different genomic regions and taxa. Here, we introduce a computationally lightweight and accessible Snakemake pipeline for rapid detection and classification (identification and assignment to taxonomic rank) of pathogenic and endophytic fungi (and other fungi associated with plants) that targets the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, a fungal barcode standard. We include methods for maximising query sequence length, which gives higher support for ITS1 and ITS2 taxonomic classifications by extending to other fragments of the ITS region and providing taxon‐specific local cut‐off and confidence scores. We demonstrate our pipeline with a case study using public genomic sequence data for six diverse plant species, including four species within Betula, an ecologically and economically important broadleaved forest tree genus, a shrub and a grass. Our pipeline classified fungi within minutes to a few hours per host individual, with 204 different fungal genera identified at high confidence (≥ 70%). Our pipeline detected and classified pathogenic and endophytic genera known to associate with Betula, and many others with no prior record of association. Our pipeline, leveraging existing sequence data, has several potential applications, including detecting cryptic fungal pathogens and helping characterise the endophytic fungal microbiome, bioprospecting commercially useful fungal species, and determining the plant host range of fungi.
Edible insects: Maybe environmentally friendly, maybe healthy, maybe tasty—But are we ready to farm them?
Authors: Kozak Marcin , Jupowicz‐Kozak Justyna
Published: December 2024

For some time, environmental researchers and activists have been trying to convince the world that there is an urgent need to change the dietary habits of the modern human population. Their reasoning is based on several issues, with two main pillars supporting the whole concept. One involves mitigating global hunger, and the other addresses the impact that today's agricultural production has on the environment, particularly due to extensive and intensive agricultural practices, especially in developing countries and regions that help feed their populations. Perhaps the most promising proposal—and, as bibliometric analysis shows, more and more popular in the scientific community—is to replace animal protein with insect protein. It would allow for shifting agricultural production from animal‐based to insect‐based. In order to address this concept, the research community has been deeply involved in studying edible insects over the last decade. In doing so, researchers have examined nutritional value, sustainable production and environmental impact, consumer acceptance, and the challenges and opportunities from various perspectives. One might think that with such deep knowledge, the agricultural industry is well‐equipped to initiate this shift. In this article, we argue that this statement is far from true. It appears that the scientific literature on edible insects fails to address what is likely the most important aspect for producers: farming techniques and practices, along with related topics such as feeding, protection from diseases, pathogens, and pests, rearing conditions, breeding, and many other factors. The critical need to improve the sustainability of global agricultural production and reduce its environmental impact calls for rapid changes, so the agricultural research community should stop waiting for others to decide whether edible insects are the way to go. Instead of waiting, they should focus on addressing the most critical aspects of insect farming. The industry is, in fact, ahead of science, as insect farms are spreading across the world. However, for them to succeed, strong support from agricultural science is urgently needed.
Genome‐wide association study on chronic postsurgical pain after abdominal surgeries in the UK Biobank
Authors: Li Song , Toneman Masja K. , Mangnus Judith P. M. , Strocchi Stefano , van Boekel Regina L. M. , Vissers Kris C. P. , ten Broek Richard P. G. , Coenen Marieke J. H.
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Chronic pain is one of the most common and severe complications after surgery, affecting quality of life and overall wellbeing of patients. Several risk factors have been identified but the mechanisms of chronic postsurgical pain development remain unclear. This study aimed to identify single‐nucleotide polymorphisms associated with developing chronic postsurgical pain after abdominal surgery, one of the most common types of surgery.

Methods

A genome‐wide association study was performed on 27,603 patients from the UK Biobank who underwent abdominal surgery. The robustness of identified loci was validated by split‐half validation analysis. Functionally related top loci were selected for expression validation in clinical samples of adhesions from patients with and without pain.

Results

One locus (rs185545327) reached genome‐wide significance for association with chronic postsurgical pain development, and 10 loci surpassed the suggestively significant threshold (p < 1 × 10‐6). In the robustness analysis, eight loci had at least nominal significance. The loci passing the suggestively significant threshold were mapped to 15 genes, of which two loci contained pain‐related genes (SRPK2, PDE4D). Although marginally approaching statistical significance in the expression validation of clinical samples, the detection rate and expression level of PDE4D were modestly higher in patients with pain compared with those in the control group.

Discussion

This study provides preliminary evidence for genetic risk factors implicated in chronic postsurgical pain following abdominal surgery, particularly the PDE4D gene, which has been associated with pain in previous studies. The findings add to evidence suggesting potential for the future development of a clinically applicable tool for personalised risk prediction, aiding clinicians in stratifying patients and enhancing clinical decision‐making through individualised risk assessments.
Optimized GVHD Prevention in HLA‐Mismatched Unrelated Allogeneic HCT Using a PTCY‐Based Approach
Authors: Pinto Filipe R. , Suárez‐Lledó María , Guardia Laia , Charry Paola , Cid Joan , Lozano Miquel , Pedraza Alexandra , de Llobet Noemi , Corrius Gerard , Moreno Cristina , Esteve Jordi , Serra Carles , Carreras Enric , Rosiñol Laura , Fernández‐Avilés Francesc , Rovira Montserrat , Martinez Carmen , Salas María Queralt
Published: December 2024

Although post‐transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCY)‐based prophylaxis has become a widely adopted strategy for preventing graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) in 9 out of 10 HLA‐mismatched unrelated donors (MMUDs), allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplants (allo‐HCTs), data on the safety and efficacy of PTCY in this setting remain limited. This single‐center study investigates the outcomes of 94 adults with hematological malignancies undergoing MMUD allo‐HCT with PTCY and tacrolimus (Tac) (PTCY‐Tac) between 2014 and 2023. The median age was 53 years, and 60.6% were male. Peripheral blood stem cells were infused in all cases. By Day +100, the cumulative incidence of Grades II–IV and Grades III and IV acute GVHD were 33.0% and 9.7%, with 2‐year incidence of moderate‐to‐severe chronic GVHD at 12.6%. By Day +30, 40.8% of patients experienced bacterial bloodstream infections, and 52.4% had cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation before letermovir prophylaxis. With letermovir's introduction, CMV reactivation rates dropped significantly, with only one case reported. At 3 years, overall survival was 60.8%, non‐relapse mortality was 23%, and the cumulative incidence of relapse was 24.5%. HLA Class I or II mismatches did not affect key outcomes or GVHD rates. These findings demonstrate that PTCY‐Tac offers effective GVHD prevention and favorable outcomes in MMUD allo‐HCT, supporting its application for patients without fully matched donors.
Fenfluramine treatment for Dravet syndrome: Long term real‐world analysis demonstrates safety and reduced health care burden
Authors: Boncristiano Alessandra , Balestrini Simona , Doccini Viola , Specchio Nicola , Pietrafusa Nicola , Trivisano Marina , Darra Francesca , Cossu Alberto , Battaglia Domenica , Quintiliani Michela , Gambardella M. Luigia , Parente Eliana , Monni Rita , Matricardi Sara , Marini Carla , Ragona Francesca , Granata Tiziana , Striano Pasquale , Riva Antonella , Guerrini Renzo
Published: December 2024

Objective

Fenfluramine (FFA), stiripentol (STP), and cannabidiol (CBD) are approved add‐on therapies for seizures in Dravet syndrome (DS). We report on the long‐term safety and health care resource utilization (HCRU) of patients with DS treated with FFA under an expanded access program (EAP).

Methods

A cohort of 124 patients received FFA for a median of 2.8 years (34.4 months). We compared data on safety and HCRU during FFA treatment with those from a same pre‐treatment period. Echocardiography was conducted every 6 months. Information collected included gender, age, and auxological parameters (height, weight, and body mass index [BMI]) at the start (T0) and follow‐up (T1); FFA treatment details (start, withdrawal, dosage); adverse events (AEs); and HCRU data including hospital admissions, status epilepticus (SE) episodes, and rescue medication use. We grouped patients by weight: ≤37.4 kg (n = 68, 54.8%) and ≥37.5 kg (n = 56; 45.1%), with FFA dosing adjusted accordingly. Statistical analyses included paired t test, Wilcoxon signed‐rank test, Kaplan–Meier analysis, and Bonferroni correction to adjust for multiple testing.

Results

Mean age was 47 months at clinical diagnosis and 81 months at T0. The last follow‐up average FFA dose was .5 mg/kg/day, with a median of .4 mg/kg/day. FFA led to a 9.5% reduction in prior treatment load. At last follow‐up, 118 of 124 (91.5%) remained on FFA. Rescue medication use decreased significantly from 4.5 to 1, hospitalizations from 1 to 0, and SE episodes from 0–240 to 0–180 (p < .001 for all). Seizure freedom was achieved in 9 of 118 patients (7.6%). AEs occurred in 39 of 124 patients (31.5%), with no cardiac issues or deaths. There was an overall mean reduction in BMI, with no statistical significance, and never requiring FFA withdrawal.

Significance

FFA is well tolerated, without cardiac toxicity, and reduces treatment load and HCRU, suggesting improved patient management. BMI reduction in young children highlights the need for growth and nutritional monitoring.
Hypoxia‐induced increase in sphingomyelin synthase 2 aggravates ischemic skeletal muscle inflammation
Authors: Mizugaki Hinano , Nagane Masaki , Sato‐Akaba Hideo , Kmiec Maciej , Kuppusamy Periannan , Yasui Hironobu , Inanami Osamu , Murakami Hironobu , Aihara Naoyuki , Kamiie Junichi , Mizunoya Wataru , Yasuda Ibuki , Fukuyama Tomoki , Naya Yuko , Yamashita Tadashi
Published: December 2024

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the most advanced stage of peripheral arterial disease, posing a high risk of mortality. Sphingomyelin, a sphingolipid synthesized by sphingomyelin synthases (SMSs) 1 and 2, plays an essential role in signal transduction as a component of lipid rafts. However, the role of sphingomyelin in the inflammation of ischemic skeletal muscles remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the roles of sphingomyelin and SMSs in CLI‐induced myopathy using a mouse hindlimb ischemia model. We observed that hypoxia after CLI triggered an increase in SMS2 levels, thereby elevating sphingomyelin concentrations in ischemic skeletal muscles. The expression of SMS2 and sphingomyelin was induced by hypoxia in C2C12 myotubes and regulated by the prolyl hydroxylase domain enzyme. Additionally, SMS2 deficiency suppressed skeletal muscle inflammation after CLI, attenuated the phosphorylation of inhibitor of κBα (IκBα), and reduced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB (NFκB) p65. Meanwhile, the administration of sphingomyelin hampered skeletal muscle inflammation by inhibiting IκBα phosphorylation and NFκB p65 nuclear translocation and extending inflammation post‐CLI. Our results suggest that hypoxia‐induced enhancement in SMS2 levels and the consequent increase in sphingomyelin expression levels promote inflammation in ischemic muscle tissues via the NFκB pathway and propose sphingomyelin as a potential therapeutic target in patients with CLI and other hypoxia‐related inflammatory diseases.
Stress‐inducible phosphoprotein 1 (Sti1/Stip1/Hop) sequesters misfolded proteins during stress
Authors: Rutledge Benjamin S. , Kim Young J. , McDonald Donovan W. , Jurado‐Coronel Juan C. , Prado Marco A. M. , Johnson Jill L. , Choy Wing‐Yiu , Duennwald Martin L.
Published: December 2024

Co‐chaperones are key elements of cellular protein quality control. They cooperate with the major heat shock proteins Hsp70 and Hsp90 in folding proteins and preventing the toxic accumulation of misfolded proteins upon exposure to stress. Hsp90 interacts with the co‐chaperone stress‐inducible phosphoprotein 1 (Sti1/Stip1/Hop) and activator of Hsp90 ATPase protein 1 (Aha1) among many others. Sti1 and Aha1 control the ATPase activity of Hsp90, but Sti1 also facilitates the transfer of client proteins from Hsp70 to Hsp90, thus connecting these two major branches of protein quality control. We find that misbalanced expression of Sti1 and Aha1 in yeast and mammalian cells causes severe growth defects. Also, deletion of STI1 causes an accumulation of soluble misfolded ubiquitinated proteins and a strong activation of the heat shock response. We discover that, during proteostatic stress, Sti1 forms cytoplasmic inclusions in yeast and mammalian cells that overlap with misfolded proteins. Our work indicates a key role of Sti1 in proteostasis independent of its Hsp90 ATPase regulatory functions by sequestering misfolded proteins during stress.
MoS2@porous biochar derived from rape pollen as anode material for lithium‐ion batteries
Authors: Wang Yifei , Wang Chunmei , Wang Shengqiang , Zhang Huakang , Liu Zhigang , Wang Jing , Yang Lirong
Published: December 2024

Preparation of porous carbon from natural biomass offers attractive features to facilitate the specific capacity and promote the rate capability of lithium‐ion battery (LIB). Herein, the hollow mesh porous rape pollen carbon (RPC) microsphere derived from treated RP (TRP) was utilized as a skeleton to load MoS2 nanoparticles. The MoS2@porous biochar‐derived RP (MoS2@RPC) anode materials were obtained by the hydrothermal–pyrolysis route. Attributing to the synergistic effect of spherical, hollow, and mesh porous carbon skeletons, larger specific surface areas, evenly distributed MoS2 nanoparticles, and an appropriate amount of TRP, the MoS2@RPC‐1.0 (TRP amount of 1.0 g) anode material reveals exceptional rate capability and cycling stability. A high specific capacity of ∼800 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 is observed after 100 cycles, and that of ∼600 mAh g−1 at 500 mA g−1 is also obtained after 500 cycles. In conclusion, the MoS2@porous biochar composite is expected to become one of the most promising anode materials for LIBs.
Analysing the Effects of Organisational Politics on Nurses' Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Nurses' Professional Self‐Concept
Authors: Garcia‐Pereyra Facundo , Matute Jorge , Argilés‐Bosch Josep Maria
Published: December 2024

Aims

To analyse how organisational politics can affect behavioural responses such as organisational deviance and organisational citizenship behaviour towards the organisation among nurses. It also investigates the mediating effect of affective commitment between organisational politics and behavioural responses, and assesses the moderating effect of nurses' professional self‐concept in the relationship between organisational politics and its outcomes.

Design

A cross‐sectional study was performed among 229 nurses.

Methods

Data were collected between May and November 2019. The sample demonstrates its representativeness of the nursing population based on several demographic characteristics.

Results

The study reveals that organisational politics has a positive effect on organisational deviance and nurses' professional self‐concept has a positive moderating effect on this relationship. Affective commitment mediates the relationship between organisational politics and organisational citizenship behaviour towards the organisation.

Conclusions

From a social exchange perspective, this research identifies the moderating role of nurses' professional self‐concept in the relationship between organisational politics and organisational deviance. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, our study contributes to a better understanding of how the non‐significant relationship between organisational politics and organisational citizenship behaviour towards the organisation is mediated by affective commitment.

Implications for the Profession

Nursing managers should pay special attention to organisational political perceptions among nurses with elevated professional self‐concepts and address them through a collaborative organisational culture and clear norms to mitigate the adverse organisational consequences of organisational politics among nurses. In this sense, managers should actively listen and communicate effectively, as they represent the organisation's values.

No Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution was involved in this study.

Impact

The results of this study provided a better understanding of the organisational politics' effects among nurses on relational and behavioural responses and the moderating role of professional self‐concept in these relationships.
Multicriteria assessment of optical coherence tomography using non‐raster trajectories
Authors: Osinde Nahashon O. , Andreff Nicolas
Published: December 2024

This article presents a qualitative, quantitative, and experimental analysis of optical coherence tomography (OCT) volumes obtained using different families of non‐raster trajectories. We propose a multicriteria analysis to be used in the assessment of scan trajectories used in obtaining OCT volumetric point cloud data. The novel criteria includes exploitation/exploration ratio of the OCT data obtained, smoothness of the scan trajectory and fast preview of the acquired OCT data in addition to conventional criteria; time and quality (expressed as volume similarity rather than slice‐by‐slice image quality). The set of criteria proposed will be useful in assessing OCT scan trajectories for optimisation in various applications including robot assisted in vivo optical biopsy. We show in this paper that the rate of data acquisition is improved without degrading the OCT volume quality by scanning using non‐raster trajectories (they are fast, smooth, and make the galvanometer scanners have less wear and tear). In particular, the rosette scan trajectory, which was the preferred non‐raster trajectory, provided a balanced performance in having better clarity at the centre and periphery of the scanned object.
Snoring as a Possible Protective Factor for Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Authors: Wu Yi , Xu Yan , Bi Zhijun , Chen Jintian , Song Xin , Liao Shiyu , Jin Long , Bi Zhiguo , Han Yu , Liu Jianguo
Published: December 2024

Background

Previous studies have linked sleep quality to temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD), suggesting a role for snoring in this association. However, the directionality of this relationship remains a subject of debate. This investigation aimed to elucidate the connections between snoring and TMD.

Methods

This research employed a two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, leveraging publicly available large‐scale genome‐wide association study (GWAS) data on snoring and TMD. We utilised a suite of analytical methods, including the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, maximum likelihood estimation, adjusted profile score, weighted median, MR–Egger regression, and a series of sensitivity analyses, to rigorously assess the existence of relationships.

Results

Our findings indicate that a greater genetic predisposition to snoring is significantly associated with a reduced risk of TMD (IVW method; odds ratio [OR] = 0.156, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.028–0.843, p = 0.0309). Conversely, the analysis did not support a potential influence of TMD on snoring susceptibility (IVW method; 95% CI = 0.990 to 1.002, p = 0.1926). Additionally, our sensitivity analyses did not reveal any significant pleiotropy that could bias these findings.

Conclusion

This MR study provides limited but novel genetic evidence supporting a potential causal link between snoring and a decreased risk of developing TMD. On the other hand, it does not substantiate an effect of TMD on the likelihood of snoring.
Region of Chief Complaint is Associated With Aesthetic Expectation in Prosthodontic Patients: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Zhu Rui , Zhang Zihan , Yan Zhebin , Yi Xiao , Zheng Yunhao , Zhan Meijun , Pei Yapeng , Xiong Xin , Yu Haiyang
Published: December 2024

Objective

This study aims to explore the association between aesthetic expectation and possible variables such as region of chief complaint, gender, age, chief complaint, duration and its influencing mechanism.

Subjects and Methods

One hundred and ninety‐four patients seeking prosthodontic treatment were recruited and completed the questionnaires including the Oral Health Impact Profile 5‐item (OHIP‐5), the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness 8‐item (SSCI‐8), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7‐item (GAD‐7), the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire 23‐item (PIDAQ‐23), aesthetic expectation and other demographic and disease‐related information.

Results

Aesthetic expectation showed significant correlations with region of chief complaint (r = 0.363, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis after stratified analysis showed that aesthetic expectation was significantly positively related to social impact (1.10, 95% CI [0.30, 1.91], p = 0.009), aesthetic concern (1.29, 95% CI [0.19, 2.40], p = 0.025) and dental self‐confidence (0.94, 95% CI [0.35, 1.54], p = 0.003) while presenting a negative correlation with psychological impact (−1.24, 95% CI [−2.53, 0.05], p = 0.065) only in prosthodontic patients of aesthetic zone. Mediation analysis revealed a significant direct association between aesthetic expectation and the aesthetic zone (0.77, 95% CI [0.03, 1.53]), as well as between the aesthetic zone and the nonaesthetic zone (1.17, 95% CI [0.33, 2.00]) via PIDAQ‐23. A significant indirect association between aesthetic expectation and the aesthetic zone (0.76, 95% CI [0.41, 1.17]) as well as between the aesthetic zone and the nonaesthetic zone (1.06, 95% CI [063, 1.56]) via PIDAQ‐23 was also observed.

Conclusion

Region of chief complaint is associated with aesthetic expectation via PIDAQ‐23 in prosthodontic patients. Researchers and dentists should take region of chief complaint and psychosocial impact into account when using aesthetic expectations for aesthetic analysis.
Temporomandibular Disorders in Psychiatric Outpatients: A Hidden Epidemic?
Authors: Lima Bastos Poliana , Fontenele Rodrigo , de Oliveira Debora , D'Escragnolle Taunay Tauily Claussen , Fagundes Charles , Salles Ottoboni Guilherme , Moura Batista Leonardo
Published: December 2024

Background

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a multimodal group of orofacial pain syndromes that rank behind only chronic low back pain in the list of most prevalent musculoskeletal conditions causing pain and disability. Previous studies have recorded high rates of comorbid anxiety, depression, and poor sleep quality among TMD patients.

Methods

Eighty five outpatients recruited from Rhode Island Hospital's Latino and Portuguese Mental Health Programs completed the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire (PSQI). The latest meta‐analysis of TMD prevalence in the general population was used for the reference population (n = 3159).

Results

The most prevalent psychiatric disorders were depressive disorders (75.3%), anxiety disorders (57.6%), and sleep–wake disorders (47.1%). Fifty patients (58.8%) met criteria for TMD, versus 29.3% in the reference population (p < 0.001). In our sample, the PSQI cut‐off for poor sleep was crossed in 96.2% of patients with TMD and 82.9% of those without TMD (p = 0.041).

Objectives

We sought to establish the prevalence of TMD in a significant sample of psychiatric outpatients, considering their psychiatric diagnoses and sleep quality.

Conclusion

The very high prevalence of TMD among patients with depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders reinforces their association and alerts us to the possibility of TMD constituting a widespread, though largely ignored, comorbidity of psychiatric outpatients that may be impacting their mental health outcomes. Further studies are needed to clarify the value of screening this population for TMD and to establish which cases merit treatment.
Investigating risk profiles of smartphone activities and psychosocial factors in adolescents during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Haag Ann‐Christin , Nick Elizabeth A. , Chen Mark S. , Telzer Eva H. , Prinstein Mitchell J. , Bonanno George A.
Published: December 2024

Associations of adolescents' smartphone use and well‐being have been contradictory. The present study investigates patterns of smartphone use and psychosocial risk / protective factors in US adolescents during COVID‐19 and examines their associations with depression symptom trajectories from 5 yearly waves beginning prior to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Latent profile analyses revealed three risk profiles, including a high risk profile (18.9% adolescents) characterized by elevated social media use, high levels of psychosocial risk, and low levels of protective variables. Latent growth mixture modeling identified three depression trajectories; stable low, moderate‐increasing, and high‐severely increasing depression. Both the moderate‐increasing and high‐severely increasing depression trajectories were associated with membership in the high risk profile. Results highlight the impacts of type of smartphone activity rather than use per se and can inform targeted intervention strategies.
Social support is fundamentally important for mental health among adolescents and emerging adults: Evidence across relationships and phases of the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Mitchell Alicia , Johnson Chloe L. , Schroeder Emily , Ng G. Wei , Booker Jordan A.
Published: December 2024

People are fundamentally driven to seek support, care, and validation from others. These are aspects of social support. Feeling sufficiently supported and cared for is important for wellness and mental health across adolescent and emerging adult development. Further, social support is valuable for wellness across both “mundane” periods of daily life as well as during times of turmoil and uncertainty. Guided by multiple frameworks on social motivation, social cognition, and ecological frameworks of development, we aimed to replicate and expand insights about social support, wellness, and mental health for adolescents and emerging adults, studying people living through periods of the COVID‐19 pandemic. We studied reports of social support, coping and distress, and mental health concerns (i.e., depression and anxiety) from middle and high school age adolescents, as well as college‐going emerging adults recruited during periods of COVID quarantine and following returns to in‐person activities in the United States. Across eight samples, social support showed positive relations with coping strategies and negative relations with depressive and anxious problems. These findings were relevant for both adolescents and emerging adults; supported across multiple time points; involved support from family, friends, and other peers; and were sustained during periods of quarantine and the return to face‐to‐face daily activities. Our work both replicates and extends insights on the essential needs of feeling supported by close others for wellness and mental health and underscores the value of investing in additional infrastructure that can foster social support across multiple relationship domains (i.e., improving family relations and building spaces for peer and friend engagement in schools).
LGBTQ+ youth policy and mental health: Indirect effects through school experiences
Authors: Moran Samantha A. , Bishop Meg D. , Watson Ryan J. , Fish Jessica N.
Published: December 2024

The link between state policies and LGBTQ+ youth mental health is well‐established, yet less well‐understood are the mechanisms that drive these associations. We used a sample from the LGBTQ+ National Teen Survey (n = 8368) collected in 2022 to examine whether and to what degree LGBTQ+ inclusive school strategies, student perceptions of school safety, and experiences with bias‐based bullying and peer victimization explain the association between state LGBTQ+ youth‐focused policies and LGBTQ+ youth mental health symptomology. We observed significant indirect effects between policy and LGBTQ+ youth mental health through all four constructs, suggesting that each of these more proximal school experiences was independently implicated in this association. Findings underscore how state policies shape LGBTQ+ youth mental health symptomology via more proximal contexts and emphasize the importance of policy implementation following enactment.
Age‐related changes in large muscle group movements during sleep
Authors: Mogavero Maria P. , Congiu Patrizia , Lanza Giuseppe , Ferini Strambi Luigi , Marelli Sara , Castelnuovo Alessandra , Puligheddu Monica , Bruni Oliviero , Ferri Raffaele
Published: December 2024

This study aims to investigate large muscle group movements (LMM) during sleep across the lifespan, from school‐aged children to older adults, and to examine their relationship with sleep architecture (REM and NREM). A total of 141 healthy participants were included, divided into five age groups: school‐aged children (n = 43), adolescents (n = 31), young adults (n = 27), adults (n = 16), and older adults (n = 24). Polysomnography (PSG) was used to record sleep data and LMM, along with LMM associated with arousals (LMMA) and awakenings (LMMW), were scored according to recently established criteria. The LMM indices and durations were analysed for each group, and statistical comparisons were made between age groups and across REM and NREM sleep. LMM indices significantly increased with age, with older adults exhibiting the highest frequency of LMM, LMMA, and LMMW. The LMM duration was longer in younger participants and shorter in older adults. Significant differences in LMM patterns between REM and NREM sleep were observed, particularly in adults and older adults, where LMM and LMMA were more prevalent in REM sleep. No significant sex differences were found across age groups. LMM during sleep showed clear age‐related trends, increasing in frequency and decreasing in duration with advancing age. These movements are more prevalent during REM sleep in older adults, reflecting age‐related sleep fragmentation and instability. The findings provide important normative data for LMM across the lifespan and demonstrate that sleep‐related motor activity is closely linked to changes in sleep architecture.
How Ukrainians' wartime unity changes the usefulness of ethnic categories
Authors: Kulyk Volodymyr , Hale Henry E
Published: December 2024

Theory suggests that the meaning of identity categories can vary across populations and change with time. By implication, the analytical usefulness of a given category as a measure of ethnic identity can also change, varying along with its cognitive and social usefulness to the examined population. In a prior study, we claimed that the usefulness of different measures of ethnic identity in Ukraine had changed in response to a revolution and the initiation of violent conflict with Russia in 2014. We now test this theory with new data on a new cataclysm, Russia's 2022 full‐blown invasion of Ukraine. Our analysis confirms that international conflict enhances the usefulness of categories related to external delimitation from foreigners while rendering less useful those pertaining to internal differentiation in Ukrainian society.
Popliteal Artery Injury After Arthroscopic Knee Surgery: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study
Authors: Xu Zhenmu , Jiang Kai , Chen Yueming , He Hao , Zhu Weihong
Published: December 2024

Objective

Popliteal artery injury is a rare but serious complication of arthroscopic knee surgery. The absence of comprehensive data and standardized guidelines underscores the urgent need for further investigation. This study examines the incidence, risk factors, management strategies, and long‐term outcomes of popliteal artery injury in the context of arthroscopic knee procedures.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study utilizing data from 21 medical institutions in Hunan Province, China, from January 2018 to December 2022. We identified patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and complained of postsurgical popliteal artery injury. Patients were followed up for 43.1 ± 13.23 months (ranging from 22 to 58 months). The primary outcome was joint function, which was evaluated by a postoperative range of motion (ROM), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores, Lysholm knee scores, and Visual Vascular Quality of Life Questionnaire (VascuQoL) scores. These data from different postoperative periods were compared via paired t‐test to assess postoperative recovery. The secondary outcome was vascular patency of the affected limb, which was evaluated through vascular color Doppler ultrasound.

Results

Among the 17,000 knee arthroscopic procedures analyzed, 10 patients were identified with popliteal artery injury (0.059%). The surgeries performed included arthroscopic cystectomy for popliteal cysts, cruciate ligament reconstruction, and posterior horn of the lateral meniscus repair. Treatments for popliteal artery injury included percutaneous intravascular stent implantation (one patient), direct suture repair (four patients), allograft vascular transplantation (one patient), and reconstruction with an autogenous greater saphenous vein (four patients). After a mean follow‐up time of 43.1 ± 13.23 months (ranging from 22 to 58 months), no complications were reported. Compared with patients at 1 month after surgery, patients at 2 years after surgery presented improved knee function and ROM. The average Lysholm score increased significantly from 13.8 ± 4.21 to 68.2 ± 15.50, the IKDC score increased from 11.6 ± 2.46 to 48.1 ± 11.75, and the VascuQoL score improved from 54.8 ± 9.54 to 92.5 ± 15.90. Knee extension improved from 13.3° ± 2.36° to 3.5° ± 4.12°, and knee flexion increased from 49.5° ± 12.57° to 107° ± 21.63°. All patients successfully resumed daily activities postoperatively.

Conclusion

Popliteal artery injury is a catastrophic complication that warrants significant attention during knee arthroscopy. This injury can occur in various types of arthroscopic knee procedures. Prompt diagnosis and effective intervention are crucial for minimizing the potential detriment associated with popliteal artery injury.
The future is closer than you imagine: The influence of psychological distance on people's risk perception and intentions for proenvironmental behavior of pesticides
Authors: Thomsen Morten
Published: December 2024

The link between environmental threats and adverse consequences is rarely observable due to delayed consequences. Some scholars have therefore argued that decreasing the psychological distance could increase motivation to engage in proenvironmental behavior. Support for this argument has so far been mixed for climate change, perhaps because behavioral changes to mitigate climate change requires significant changes in lifestyle. This study presents a parallel line of investigation into another environmental issue, where behavioral changes are less invasive, namely, pesticides. Each of the four dimensions of psychological distances on pesticides is manipulated in a survey experiment. The findings suggest that while proximizing can, in some cases, enhance risk perception and promote behavioral intentions, the effect remains weak, supporting the argument that applying construal level theory (CLT) for predicting the effect of psychological distance on environmental issues is an overextension of the theory's original scope, also for issues other than climate change.
Detection of a Reassortant Swine‐ and Human‐Origin H3N2 Influenza A Virus in Farmed Mink in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Kuchinski Kevin S. , Tyson John , Lee Tracy , Detmer Susan , Berhane Yohannes , Burns Theresa , Prystajecky Natalie A. , Himsworth Chelsea G.
Published: December 2024

Introduction

In December 2021, influenza A viruses (IAV) were detected in a population of farmed mink in British Columbia, Canada. Circulation of IAVs in farmed mink populations has raised public health concerns due to similarities between mustelid and human respiratory physiology, potentially facilitating spillover of zoonotic influenzas from livestock.

Methods

Oropharyngeal specimens were collected from mink as part of a surveillance program for SARS‐CoV‐2. Diagnostic RT‐qPCR testing was performed using a multiplex assay targeting SARS‐CoV‐2, IAV, influenza B virus and respiratory syncytial virus. Whole viral genome sequencing was conducted on IAV‐positive specimens, followed by phylogenetic analysis with other animal and human IAV genome sequences from large global databases.

Results

IAVs were detected in 17 of 65 mink by RT‐qPCR. Based on genomic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, these IAVs were subtyped as H3N2s that originated from reassortment of swine H3N2 (clade 1990.4 h), human seasonal H1N1 (pdm09) and swine H1N2 (clade 1A.1.1.3). This reassortant has been subsequently observed in swine in several Midwest American states, as well as in swine and turkeys in Ontario, suggesting its spillover into farmed mink in British Columbia was incidental to its broader dissemination in North American swine populations.

Conclusions

These detections reaffirm the need for extensive genomic surveillance of IAVs in swine populations to monitor reassortments that might become public health concerns. They also highlight the need for closer surveillance of IAVs in mink to preserve animal health, protect agricultural interests, and monitor potential zoonotic threats.
Caucasian/Pontic–Mediterranean disjunction and recolonization of Europe by Pomatias (Hyrcania) species (Caenogastropoda, Pomatiidae)
Authors: Lehmann Henrike , Neiber Marco T. , Hausdorf Bernhard
Published: December 2024

Lehmann, H., Neiber, M. T., & Hausdorf, B. (2024) Caucasian/Pontic–Mediterranean disjunction and recolonization of Europe by Pomatias (Hyrcania) species (Caenogastropoda, Pomatiidae)—Zoologica Scripta, 00, 000‐000. We studied the phylogeny and phylogeography of Pomatias (Hyrcania) species (Caenogastropoda: Pomatiidae) to investigate refugia and the causes of disjunctions in Asia anterior and in southeastern Europe. There is a Caucasian/Pontic–Mediterranean disjunction between the ranges of the sister species P. rivularis from the Caucasus region, the Pontic Mountains and southeastern Europe and P. hyrcanus from the coastal region of the southern Caspian Sea in the north and that of P. glaucus along the Mediterranean coast in the south. The disjunct ranges of the Pomatias (Hyrcania) species are probably relics of a previously more continuous distribution across Anatolia. They became disjunct as a result of the successive aridification of the Anatolian Plateau, which intensified in the late Pliocene following the uplift of the Anatolian Plateau, as has also been shown for several other taxa. The mitochondrial and nuclear genetic diversity of P. rivularis, the most widespread Pomatias (Hyrcania) species, is highest in the populations from the southern Greater Caucasus and the adjacent eastern Pontic Mountains. The southern Greater Caucasus and the coastal regions along the Caspian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean acted as refugia for the Pomatias (Hyrcania) species after the aridification of the Anatolian Plateau. The low genetic diversity of P. rivularis in Eastern Europe and Ciscaucasia suggests that Miocene and Pliocene fossils identified as P. rivularis from these areas cannot be attributed to this species, that the Pomatias (Hyrcania) populations became extinct there by the Pleistocene, and that P. rivularis recolonized these areas later, probably only in the Holocene.