bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nutrient learning, perception and generalization differ among wild pollinator species
Authors: Pietrantuono Ana Laura , Fernández-Arhex Valeria , Sandoz Jean-Christophe , Requier Fabrice
Published: August 2023

Learning is the process through which skills, knowledge, behaviors are acquired and developed. Through life experiences, pollinator insects, learn to associate odor or visual stimuli from flowers with a rewarding food as pollen or nectar. This capability allows them to obtain resources efficiently and provides a valuable pollination service. Here, we compared the learning capability among different wild pollinator insects by mean of experiments based on the recent Free-Moving Proboscis Extension Response (FMPER) technique. Specifically, we evaluated the process of perception, learning and generalization between pollen enriched with different concentrations of fatty acid (which play a critical role in the survival, development and reproduction of many animals). We compared the associative learning in two castes of bumble bees (queens and workers ofBombus terrestris), honey bees (Apis mellifera), solitary bees (Ruizanthedella mutabilis) and non-bee pollinator species (the hoverflyEristalis tenax). Our results reveal that learning performances differed among bumble bee social castes, with queens acquiring learning odorants more effectively than workers. Likewise, learning performances differed among the four species of insect pollinators. Honey bees acquired odor-sucrose association more rapidly than the other species. Likewise, bumble bees learned better than the solitary bee species and the hoverfly. The pattern of generalization among odorant stimuli as also different among the studied species, with honey bees showing stronger generalization and hoverflies showing more specific response patterns. Studying the learning behavior in insect pollinators provides valuable information for the conservation of these species and services they provide, through adapted pollinator-friendly schemes matching their behavioral performances.
Cell growth and nutrient availability control the mitotic exit signaling network in budding yeast
Authors: Talavera Rafael A. , Prichard Beth E. , Sommer Robert A. , Leitao Ricardo M. , Sarabia Christopher J. , Hazir Semin , Paulo Joao A. , Gygi Steven P. , Kellogg Douglas R.
Published: August 2023

Cell growth is required for cell cycle progression. The amount of growth required for cell cycle progression is reduced in poor nutrients, which leads to a reduction in cell size. In budding yeast, nutrients influence cell size by modulating the duration and extent of bud growth, which occurs predominantly in mitosis. However, the mechanisms are unknown. Here, we used mass spectrometry to identify proteins that mediate the effects of nutrients on bud growth. This led to the discovery that nutrients regulate numerous components of the Mitotic Exit Network (MEN), which controls exit from mitosis. A key component of the MEN undergoes gradual multi-site phosphorylation during bud growth that is dependent upon growth and correlated with the extent of growth. Furthermore, activation of the MEN is sufficient to over-ride a growth requirement for mitotic exit. The data suggest a model in which the MEN integrates signals regarding cell growth and nutrient availability to ensure that mitotic exit occurs only when sufficient growth has occurred.
Delineation of two multi-invasion-induced rearrangement pathways that differently affect genome stability
Authors: Reitz Diedre , Djeghmoum Yasmina , Watson Ruth A. , Rajput Pallavi , Argueso Juan Lucas , Heyer Wolf-Dietrich , Piazza Aurèle
Published: August 2023

Punctuated bursts of structural genomic variations (SVs) have been described in various organisms, but their etiology remains incompletely understood. Homologous recombination (HR) is a template-guided mechanism of repair of DNA double-strand breaks and stalled or collapsed replication forks. We recently identified a DNA break amplification and genome rearrangement pathway originating from the endonucleolytic processing of a multi-invasion (MI) DNA joint molecule formed during HR. Genome-wide approaches confirmed that multi-invasion-induced rearrangement (MIR) frequently leads to several repeat-mediated SVs and aneuploidies. Using molecular and genetic analysis and a novel, highly sensitive proximity ligation-based assay for chromosomal rearrangement quantification, we further delineate two MIR subpathways. MIR1 is a universal pathway occurring in any sequence context, which generates secondary breaks and frequently leads to additional SVs. MIR2 occurs only if recombining donors exhibit substantial homology and results in sequence insertion without additional breaks or SVs. The most detrimental MIR1 pathway occurs late on a subset of persisting DNA joint molecules in a PCNA/Polδ-independent manner, unlike recombinational DNA synthesis. This work provides a refined mechanistic understanding of these HR-based SV formation pathways and shows that complex repeat-mediated SVs can occur without displacement DNA synthesis. Sequence signatures for inferring MIR1 from long-read data are proposed.
Assessing transcriptomic reidentification risks using discriminative sequence models
Authors: Sadhuka Shuvom , Fridman Daniel , Berger Bonnie , Cho Hyunghoon
Published: August 2023

Gene expression data provide molecular insights into the functional impact of genetic variation, for example, through expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs). With an improving understanding of the association between genotypes and gene expression comes a greater concern that gene expression profiles could be matched to genotype profiles of the same individuals in another data set, known as a linking attack. Prior works show such a risk could analyze only a fraction of eQTLs that is independent owing to restrictive model assumptions, leaving the full extent of this risk incompletely understood. To address this challenge, we introduce the discriminative sequence model (DSM), a novel probabilistic framework for predicting a sequence of genotypes based on gene expression data. By modeling the joint distribution over all known eQTLs in a genomic region, DSM improves the power of linking attacks with necessary calibration for linkage disequilibrium and redundant predictive signals. We show greater linking accuracy of DSM compared with existing approaches across a range of attack scenarios and data sets including up to 22,288 individuals, suggesting that DSM helps uncover a substantial additional risk overlooked by previous studies. Our work provides a unified framework for assessing the privacy risks of sharing diverse omics data sets beyond transcriptomics.
Escape our Lab: creating an escape room game in the field of materials science and crystallography
Authors: Schimpf Christian , Lachmann Jonas , Wetzel Marius H. , Fischer Peter D. B. , Leineweber Andreas , Rafaja David
Published: August 2023

Although many challenges of the 21st century need solutions which are directly connected with the development of new technologies, the preferences of prospective students in Germany are often far from mathematics, physics and chemistry. Moreover, the acceptance and recognition of new achievements in these disciplines are quite low in society, even if these achievements are the basis for the development of new technologies that positively affect daily life. As a part of a campaign intended to increase the number of students in the fields of materials science and materials technology (and related fields), the authors created an escape room focused on materials science and crystallography, which illustrates the approaches used by materials scientists and the beauty of crystallography. The fundamental features of the escape room, which are presented in this contribution, are its variability and the ability to inspire participants who have different backgrounds in physics, chemistry and/or materials science. By varying the level of difficulty and the game play duration, the escape room structure makes it possible to appeal to a broad audience, offer an authentic escape room experience and impart lasting knowledge through reflection after completion. The authors' experiences with the escape room and the feedback from the attendees are summarized at the end of the contribution.
Announcing the launch of Protein Data Bank China as an Associate Member of the Worldwide Protein Data Bank Partnership
Authors: Xu Wenqing , Velankar Sameer , Patwardhan Ardan , Hoch Jeffrey C. , Burley Stephen K. , Kurisu Genji
Published: August 2023

The Protein Data Bank (PDB) is the single global archive of atomic-level, three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules experimentally determined by macromolecular crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy or three-dimensional cryo-electron microscopy. The PDB is growing continuously, with a recent rapid increase in new structure depositions from Asia. In 2022, the Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB; https://www.wwpdb.org/) partners welcomed Protein Data Bank China (PDBc; https://www.pdbc.org.cn) to the organization as an Associate Member. PDBc is based in the National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai which is associated with the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and the iHuman Institute of ShanghaiTech University. This letter describes the history of the wwPDB, recently established mechanisms for adding new wwPDB data centers and the processes developed to bring PDBc into the partnership.
9-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-9H-carbazole
Authors: Ganesan Prabhu , Jasmine Nithianantham Jeeva , Darious Robert Swinton , Soundararajan Krishnan , Rajalingam Renganathan
Published: August 2023

In the title compound, C19H15NO, the dihedral angle between the benzene rings of the carbazole moiety is 1.73 (12)° and the methoxy-substituted phenyl ring deviates from the mean plane of the carbazole grouping (r.m.s. deviation = 0.020 Å) by 56.78 (8)°. In the crystal, weak C—H...π interactions link the molecules. The two-dimensional fingerprint plots derived from the Hirshfeld surface indicate that H...H (51.2%) and C...H/H...C (39.9%) contacts dominate the packing.
Linking high-performance work systems and happiness at work: role of career aspiration and thriving
Authors: Qamar Faisal , Soomro Shuaib Ahmed , Kundi Yasir Mansoor
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study utilizes self-determination theory (SDT) to understand how high-performance work systems (HPWS) may foster happiness at work through serial transmission pathways of career aspiration and thriving at work.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses data collected from a sample of 309 employees working in various organizations. It uses multilevel, multisource and time-lagged data and applied Mplus 8.0 for hypotheses testing.

Findings

The study findings reveal a positive relationship between HPWS and career aspiration. Career aspiration was positively related to thriving at work and thriving at work was positively associated with happiness at work. Moreover, career aspiration mediated the relationship between HPWS and thriving at work. Whereas, thriving at work mediated the relationship between career aspiration and happiness at work. The results also support the serial mediation of career aspiration and thriving at work between HPWS and happiness at work.

Practical implications

The findings have important implications for organizational practice. Practitioners should consider implementing pro-employee HPWS to support employees' career aspirations and enhance their thriving experience, which may increase their happiness at work.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies investigating individual-level serial mediators between departmental-level HPWS and employee happiness at work.
Recognising the recovering addict with Honneth: an intervention into the stigmatising language debate in the alcohol and other drugs field
Authors: Walmsley Ian
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of the recommendation to replace identity-first language with person-first language on people who self-identify as recovering addicts as part of a recovery programme. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) will be used to illustrate the contextualised nature of the recovering addict identity.

Design/methodology/approach

To demonstrate the value of the recovering addict identity and social relations in NA, this paper draws on Axel Honneth’s theory of mutual recognition and self-formation.

Findings

Person-first language overlooks the significance of identity-first language to people in 12-step recovery. This oversight is linked to the logic of stigma reduction which excludes all identity-first language by association rather than assessing the impact of such terms on a case-by-case basis. Honneth’s theory is used to show how the recovering addict identity facilitates self-confidence and self-esteem through relations of mutual recognition in NA.

Research limitations/implications

The argument excludes people who identify as recovering addicts, but do not attend 12-step groups. Further research would be needed to understand how the recommendation to use person-first language instead of identity-first language impacts upon other recovery communities and pathways.

Practical implications

The recommendation to replace identity-first language with person-first language might result in 12-step fellowships becoming marginalised within the broader academic and policy and practice arena. Language preferences can become a contentious issue when 12-step groups and their members enter the wider recovery arena where their preferred terminology is viewed as stigmatising and dehumanising.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first article to propose an alternative theoretical framework to stigma reduction for judging morally appropriate language in the alcohol and drugs field.
Review of tribological properties of polyimide-based composite materials
Authors: Yan Jiayuan , Zhang Xiaoliang , Wang Yanming
Published: August 2023

Purpose

As a high-performance engineering plastic, polyimide (PI) is widely used in the aerospace, electronics and automotive industries. This paper aims to review the latest progress in the tribological properties of PI-based composites, especially the effects of nanofiller selection, composite structure design and material modification on the tribological and mechanical properties of PI-matrix composites.

Design/methodology/approach

The preparation technology of PI and its composites is introduced and the effects of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon fibers (CFs), graphene and its derivatives on the mechanical and tribological properties of PI-based composites are discussed. The effects of different nanofillers on tensile strength, tensile modulus, coefficient of friction and wear rate of PI-based composites are compared.

Findings

CNTs can serve as the strengthening and lubricating phase of PI, whereas CFs can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of the matrix. Two-dimensional graphene and its derivatives have a high modulus of elasticity and self-lubricating properties, making them ideal nanofillers to improve the lubrication performance of PI. In addition, copolymerization can improve the fracture toughness and impact resistance of PI, thereby enhancing its mechanical properties.

Originality/value

The mechanical and tribological properties of PI matrix composites vary depending on the nanofiller. Compared with nanofibers and nanoparticles, layered reinforcements can better improve the friction properties of PI composites. The synergistic effect of different composite fillers will become an important research system in the field of tribology in the future.
Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage for sustainable development. The case of traditional salt activity
Authors: del Valle Laura
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The authors have carried out a research project on artisanal salt activity in the Gulf of Cadiz, providing a new vision of the theories of intangible cultural heritage. The main objective has been to characterise artisanal salt activity in terms of its cultural and sustainable values, a perspective that had not been addressed until now. Moreover, the replacement of this activity by a more industrialised one has contributed to problems in the preservation of this heritage and a transformation of its places.

Design/methodology/approach

The research has combined qualitative methodology, based on observation and fieldwork, with a statistical review of the phenomenon under study. Finally, the data has been triangulated to understand the heritage and sustainable value, as well as its historical evolution.

Findings

All this contributes to understanding the importance of artisanal salt activity as an element of the intangible cultural heritage of the region, for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable ways of life in the marshes of the Gulf of Cadiz, and the possibility of preserving it in the face of the problems of globalisation.

Originality/value

To date, there has been no research that combines sustainability and heritage in the field of salt activity. Likewise, until this study was carried out, there had been no research on salt activity from the perspective of intangible cultural heritage.
The impact of fast-food restaurant customers’ digital transformation on perceived value and well-being
Authors: Helal Mohamed Youssef Ibrahim
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Hospitality businesses are changing digitally to meet customer demands, provide value and stay competitive. Prior hospitality studies examined customers’ technology acceptance rather than digital technology readiness and acceptance. In addition, no studies have explored how restaurant customers’ digital transformation influences hedonic and utilitarian values and customer well-being. Therefore, this study aims to examine how fast-food restaurant customers’ digital transformation (i.e. technical readiness and acceptance) influences their perceived value and well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

This study provides a conceptual framework with six constructs. The data for this study were collected from fast-food restaurant customers in Egypt using a self-administered questionnaire.

Findings

According to the findings, customers’ technical readiness for digital transformation in fast-food restaurants substantially impacts their technology acceptance. In addition, customers’ perceived hedonic and utilitarian values are greatly influenced by their acceptance of fast-food restaurant digital technologies, and these perceived values significantly impact customer well-being.

Practical implications

This study presents several suggestions to improve customers’ readiness for digital transformation in fast-food restaurants and the impact on their technology acceptance and perceived value and well-being. Also, this study’s results could impact fast-food restaurants’ decisions to adopt new digital technologies (e.g. service robots) for their customers.

Originality/value

The study adds to the existing literature review by attempting to present a comprehensive picture of fast-food restaurant customers’ digital transformation (i.e. technical readiness and acceptance) and its impact on customers’ perceived values. A potential antecedent of fast-food restaurant customers’ well-being was also investigated: perceived hedonic and utilitarian values.
What factors drive consumers’ desire to continue using food delivery apps (FDA) in Taiwan after the COVID-19 pandemic?
Authors: Teng Yi-Man , Wu Kun-Shan , Wang Wen-Cheng , Chen Lin-Wen
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aims to establish a comprehensive model integrating variables from the updated unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), expectation-confirmation model (ECM) and trust to determine what factors influence consumers’ decision to continue using food delivery apps (FDA) after the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected from 350 respondents living in Taiwan via Line using a Google Forms link. A total of 333 valid responses were analyzed after 17 invalid questionnaires were eliminated. To test the suggested study paradigm, partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used as the data analysis approach.

Findings

The results indicate FDA users’ continuance intention (CI) is directly significantly affected by performance expectancy, satisfaction and habit. All the constructs of the updated UTAUT theory, confirmation and trust significantly influence the satisfaction of FDA, and users’ satisfaction significantly positively impacts users’ CI.

Originality/value

Although consumers’ intentions toward FDA have previously been the topic of research, there is a paucity of literature that discusses the connections between the variables that influence FDA users’ CI after the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan. By focusing on the relationships between the multiple antecedents of FDA users’ CI, this study contributes to reducing the existing literature gap. Explanation surrounding the elements influencing FDA users’ CI is provided by examining several aspects of FDA usage, including technological and psychological postadoption issues.
The paradox of resource access: influence on location decision comprehensiveness and new venture performance
Authors: Simarasl Nastaran , Tabesh Pooya , Lee Younggeun
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This research aims to theorize how a critical factor, resource access, can paradoxically impact the comprehensiveness of venture location decision processes and the relationship between decision comprehensiveness and new venture performance. To do so, the authors focus on nascent entrepreneurs’ venture location decision processes and introduce resource access as a double-edged sword.

Design/methodology/approach

In this conceptual article, the authors draw from the strategic decision-making and resource mobilization literature to theorize about the new venture location decision-making process and its performance implications.

Findings

By uncovering the paradox of resource access, the authors propose that high levels of resource access create a paradoxical situation in which nascent entrepreneurs are less likely to use comprehensive decision processes when their benefits are at their greatest.

Originality/value

This work contributes to entrepreneurship research on new venture location and resource mobilization in three important ways. First, the authors advance the literature on nascent entrepreneurs’ location decision-making processes by introducing “location decision comprehensiveness” as a decision process construct and juxtaposing it with resource access to uncover the entrepreneurial decision-making process. Second, the authors develop a more nuanced theorization of the location choices made by nascent entrepreneurs instead of relying on generalized conclusions drawn from well-established corporations’ location decisions. Last, the authors extend the literature on resource mobilization in entrepreneurship by shedding light on the paradoxical aspect of resource access. While previous research has emphasized the favorable effects of resource access on new venture processes and outcomes, the authors contend that it can also negatively impact entrepreneurs’ ability to make effective decisions.
On mimicking human’s manipulation for robot-assisted spine ultrasound imaging
Authors: Huang Qinghua , Wang Yingchen , Luo Hao , Li Jianyi
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a new robotic ultrasound system for spine imaging with more anthropomorphic scanning manipulation in comparison with previously reported techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

The system evaluates the imaging quality of ultrasound (US) B-scans by detecting vertebral landmarks and groups the images with relatively low quality into several sub-optimal types. By imitating the scanning skills of sonographers, the authors defined a set of adjustment strategies for certain sub-optimal types. In this way, the robot can recollect the US images with high quality by adaptively adjusting the pose of the probe like a sonographer.

Findings

The results from phantom experiments and in vivo experiments showed that the proposed method could improve the quality of B-scans during the scanning. The 3 D US volume reconstruction has also verified the feasibility of the proposed method.

Originality/value

This paper demonstrates how to adapt a robotic spinal ultrasound scanning using a preliminary anthropomorphic approach.
Factors affecting the recovery of Mexican wolves in the Southwest United States
Authors: Breck Stewart W. , Davis Amy J. , Oakleaf John K. , Bergman David L. , deVos Jim , Greer J. Paul , Pepin Kim
Published: August 2023

Recovering and maintaining large carnivore populations is a global conservation challenge that requires better knowledge of the factors affecting their populations, particularly in shared landscapes (i.e. non‐protected areas where people occupy and or utilize the land).

The Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is an endangered wolf subspecies being recovered on shared landscapes in the Southwest United States and Mexico. We used data from the U.S. program to model population growth, evaluate the impact of management removal and illegal killing relative to other demographic factors, and test hypotheses about factors influencing rates of management removal and illegal killing.

From 1998 to 2019, the population growth averaged 12% per year. Rates of natural reproduction, illegal killing and other mortality remained consistent over the 22 years; while releases, translocations and management removals varied markedly between two time periods, phase 1:1998–2007 and phase 2:2008–2019.

The number of wolves removed for conflict management was higher during phase 1 (average ~ 13 per year, rate = 24.8%) than phase 2 (average of ~5 per year, rate = 5.2%). This decrease in management removal resulted in the wolf population resuming growth after a period of population stagnation. Two factors influenced this decrease, a change in policy regarding removal of wolves (stronger modelling support) and a decrease in the number of captive‐reared adult wolves released into the wild (weaker modelling support).

Illegal mortality was relatively constant across both phases, but after the decrease in management removal, illegal mortality became the most important factor (relative importance shifted from 28.2% to 50.1%). Illegal mortality was positively correlated with rates of reintroduction and translocation of wolves and negatively correlated with the rate of management removal.

Synthesis and applications. Using management removal to reduce human–carnivore conflict can have negative population impacts if not used judiciously. Recovering and maintaining carnivore populations in shared landscapes may require greater tolerance of conflict and more emphasis on effective conflict prevention strategies and compensation programs for affected stakeholders.
Housing Fever in Australia 2020–23: Insights from an Econometric Thermometer
Authors: Shi Shuping , Phillips Peter C. B.
Published: August 2023

Australian housing markets experienced widespread and, in some cases, extraordinary growth in prices between 2020 and 2023. Using recently developed methodology that accounts for fundamental economic drivers, we assess the existence and degree of speculative behaviour, as well as the timing of exuberance and downturns in these markets. Our findings indicate that speculative behaviour was indeed present in six of the eight capital cities at some time over the period studied. The sequence of events in this nation‐wide housing bubble began in the Brisbane market and concluded in Melbourne, Canberra, and Hobart following the interest rate rise implemented by the Reserve Bank of Australia in May 2022. As of March 2023, the housing markets in Sydney, Canberra and Hobart had broadly regained stability, while Melbourne's return to its normal state is more gradual. In addition, over‐corrections against fundamentals are evident in the housing markets of Brisbane, Adelaide, Darwin and Perth. For regular updates on the housing markets, readers may visit the authors' website at https://www.housing-fever.com.
Discordant temporalities of migration and childhood★
Authors: Allerton Catherine
Published: August 2023

Childhood, though it is understood cross‐culturally in very different ways, always has a distinctive temporal framework, since children's growth and development cannot be undone. Yet, in many contexts, the times of childhood have become discordant with the rhythms, timescales, and temporal controls of migration. Focusing on the children of Indonesian and Filipino migrants in Sabah, Malaysia, this article explores the contemporary clash between the temporalities of migration and childhood. Children face separations and ruptures in shared time due to Malaysia's migration regime, and experience the temporariness of migrant life differently to their parents. Educational exclusion leads to temporal discontinuities between Malaysian‐citizen and migrant childhoods, and racialized understandings of national time emphasize the negative potentiality of migrants’ children. Overall, the article argues for the importance of considering the interaction between the temporal conflicts of capitalism and forms of natural time such as childhood.
Breaking waves: A bibliometric odyssey on crisis communication in tourism and hospitality (1980–2022) and paving the path for future research
Authors: Upadhyay Shalini , Chaskar Amrita , Sigala Marianna
Published: August 2023

Tourism and hospitality crisis communication research (THCCR) has produced a large corpus of literature with a disparate set of themes since 1980. Few studies have traced the growth of crisis communication in tourism research. In this paper, we attempt a state‐of‐the‐art examination of the growth and development of THCCR by adopting a quantitative bibliometric approach. The analysis traces the development of the social, intellectual and conceptual structures of the field along with its thematic evolution. The analysis reveals three dominant clusters of themes, namely: crisis communication and social media; tourism, crisis and disaster and crisis management and COVID‐19. The findings provide several theoretical and practical implications. The study concludes by providing directions for future research.
Effects of malnutrition on length of stay in patients hospitalized in an acute psychiatric ward
Authors: Giménez‐Palomo Anna , Gomes‐da‐Costa Susana , Borràs Roger , Pons‐Cabrera M. T. , Doncel‐Moriano Antonio , Arbelo Néstor , Leyes Pere , Forga Maria , Mateu‐Salat Manuel , Pereira‐Fernandes Pedro Miguel , Benabarre Antonio , Pacchiarotti Isabella , Vieta Eduard
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Psychiatric patients are considered at risk for malnutrition due to pharmacological treatments, lifestyle habits and the mental illness by itself. Even though metabolic risk factors have been related to worse outcomes in certain conditions, the evidence regarding the nutritional status and its impact on the length of stay in psychiatric inpatients is scarce. This study aims to characterize the nutritional status in acute psychiatric patients, to correlate it with the length of stay, and to find specific potential indicators of malnutrition.

Methods

Adult patients admitted to the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona acute psychiatric ward throughout a 1‐year period were included in this cross‐sectional study. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were registered, including length of stay and the nutritional status measured with the CONUT score.

Results

Malnutrition was observed in 42.5% of patients. Plasmatic transferrin saturation, protein and iron levels were inversely correlated with length of stay, having low iron levels an association with longer hospitalizations. The length of stay was not influenced by diagnosis or treatment. Negative correlations with the nutritional status were found in: BMI, cholesterol, triglycerides, albumin, total proteins, prealbumin, iron, lymphocytes and zinc levels, and transferrin saturation. The multivariate analysis showed a significant association for cholesterol and zinc levels, lymphocyte count, and BMI.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that nutritional status might influence the course of psychiatric admissions. Cholesterol and zinc levels, lymphocyte count, and BMI might be factors strongly associated with malnutrition. This consideration might allow the identification of profiles in which lifestyle interventions could be implemented.
Local Newspaper Layoffs and Workplace Safety*
Authors: Kim Min , Lee Kwangjin , Shin Jason
Published: August 2023

We investigate the role of the local media in curtailing undesirable behaviors of local corporations. We examine the effects of local newspaper layoffs on the workplace safety levels of local firms, finding that firms' total case rates of workplace injuries increase following newspaper layoffs. We also show the mechanisms of reductions in safety‐related expenditures and increased workloads. Cross‐sectional tests find that the monitoring role of these newspapers is more important for firms with weaker labor unions or lower institutional ownership. Overall, our results suggest that local newspapers serve as key corporate monitors and essential information intermediaries, mitigating firms' undesirable behavior.
Inpatient vs outpatient management of pregnancies with vasa previa: A historical cohort study
Authors: Villani Linda A. , Al‐Torshi Rashida , Shah Prakesh S. , Kingdom John C. , D'Souza Rohan , Keunen Johannes
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Vasa previa, a condition where unprotected fetal blood vessels lie in proximity to the internal cervical opening, is a potentially lethal obstetric complication. The precarious situation of these vessels increases the risk of fetal hemorrhage with spontaneous or artificial rupture of membranes, frequently causing fetal/neonatal demise or severe morbidity. As a result, in many centers, inpatient management forms the mainstay when vasa previa is diagnosed antenatally. This study aimed to determine whether a subpopulation of pregnancies diagnosed antenatally with vasa previa could be safely managed as outpatients.

Material and methods

We reviewed all cases of vasa previa in singleton pregnancies, with no fetal anomalies, diagnosed at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, from January 2008 to December 2017. Cases were categorized into three arms for analysis: outpatients (OP), asymptomatic hospitalized (ASH) and symptomatic hospitalized (SH). The SH arm included patients admitted with any antepartum bleeding or suspicious fetal non‐stress test. Those that presented with symptomatic uterine activity/threatened preterm labor and delivered within 7 days of diagnosis were excluded from the study. Records were analyzed for details on hospitalization, antenatal corticosteroid administration, cervical length measurements, and fetal/neonatal mortality and morbidity.

Results

Of the 84 antenatally‐diagnosed cases of vasa previa, 47 fulfilled eligibility criteria. A total of 15 cases were managed as OP, 22 as ASH and 10 as SH. Unplanned cesareans were highest in the SH arm (40% vs. 0% ASH vs. 13.3% OP). Those in the SH arm delivered earliest (median 33.8 weeks, interquartile range (IQR) 33.2–34.3 weeks). Of the asymptomatic patients, those in the ASH arm delivered earlier than those in the OP arm (35.3 [34.6–36.2] weeks vs. 36.7 [35.6–37.2] weeks, p = 0.037). There were no cases of fetal/neonatal death, anemia or severe neonatal morbidity and no significant differences between groups based on cervical length or antenatal corticosteroid administration.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that asymptomatic women with an antenatal diagnosis of vasa previa, singleton pregnancies, and at low risk for preterm birth may safely managed as outpatients, as long as they are able to access hospital promptly in the event of antepartum bleeding or early labor.
A severe case of disseminated cryptococcosis in a young French bulldog living in South‐East Queensland caused by Cryptococcus gattii VGII
Authors: Reddrop C , Yarsley E , Kelly‐Bosma M , Malik R
Published: August 2023

Background

Cryptococcus is one of the most common systemic mycosis worldwide, infecting young adults of the large to giant breed dogs. Infection is commonly acquired from the environment via the sinonasal cavity as the main portal of entry. It either remains there, or spreads to the central nervous system (CNS) and the eye (optic nerve and retina) by penetration of the cribriform plate, or haematogenously to other viscera. Lung involvement is uncommon in cats and dogs in contrast to human and equine patients. Whilst there is a wide genetic diversity amongst Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii isolates along the West Coast and Northern parts of Australia, the molecular diversity of C. gatti is considered very low on the East Coast of Australia, with a huge preponderance of VGI cases. We report on a young small breed brachycephalic dog that presented with extreme gastrointestinal and respiratory signs, but no CNS involvement. It is the first reported case of C. gattii VGII genotype in a companion animal from Queensland.

Case Report

A 9‐month old female entire French Bulldog presented initially for diarrhoea. Clinical progression was accompanied by the development of respiratory signs, so the patient was referred to a 24 h care facility. Following hospitalisation, the patient became hypoxemic requiring mechanical ventilation. A bronchoalveolar lavage performed antemortem confirmed abundant Cryptococcal spp. Further culturing and genotyping identified the species as Cryptococcus gattii VGII. Post‐mortem findings indicated gross gastrointestinal and mesenteric involvement, with possible dissemination to the local mesenteric lymph node and lungs.

Conclusion

This case describes a rare example of a Cryptococcus spp suspected of disseminating from the gastrointestinal tract to the lungs, without involvement of the CNS. The observation of this finding in a small brachycephalic breed is unusual, and the finding of genotype VGII on the East Coast of Queensland is extremely unusual as there is no prior travel history of the dog or owners. The presence of a miliary lung pattern with primary gastrointestinal disease in a small breed dog warrants adding cryptococcosis to the differential diagnosis.
Inhibition of efflux transporters by poly ADP‐ribose polymerase inhibitors
Authors: Deng Feng , Sistonen Johanna , Neuvonen Mikko , Niemi Mikko
Published: August 2023

Poly ADP‐ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of various cancers. They share a similar mechanism of action but have differences in pharmacokinetic characteristics and potential for drug–drug interactions (DDI). This study evaluated the potential ATP‐binding cassette transporter‐mediated interactions between PARP inhibitors (niraparib, olaparib and rucaparib) and statins (atorvastatin and rosuvastatin). We studied the inhibitory activity of PARP inhibitors on breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), multidrug resistance‐associated protein 3 (MRP3) and P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) using vesicular transport assays and determined the concentrations required for 50% inhibition (IC50). Then, we predicted the increase of statin exposure followed by the administration of PARP inhibitors using a mechanistic static model. Rucaparib was the strongest inhibitor of BCRP‐mediated rosuvastatin transport (IC50 13.7 μM), followed by niraparib (42.6 μM) and olaparib (216 μM). PARP inhibitors did not affect MRP3. While niraparib appeared to inhibit P‐gp, the inhibition showed large variability. The inhibition of intestinal BCRP by rucaparib, niraparib and olaparib was predicted to elevate rosuvastatin exposure by 52%, 37% and 24%, respectively. The interactions between PARP inhibitors and rosuvastatin are probably of minor clinical significance alone, but combined with other predisposing factors, they may increase the risk of rosuvastatin‐associated adverse effects.
AhR–STAT3–HO‐1/COX‐2 signalling pathway may restrict ferroptosis and improve hMSC accumulation and efficacy in mouse liver
Authors: Han Li , Ma Chenhui , Wu Zhitao , Xu Huiming , Li Hai , Pan Guoyu
Published: August 2023

Background and Purpose

The low efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has restricted their application in the treatment of liver disease. Emerging evidence suggested that ferroptosis may provoke hepatocyte dysfunction and exacerbate damage to the liver microenvironment. Here, we have investigated the contribution of liver ferroptosis to the elimination and effectiveness of human MSC (hMSC). Furthermore, potential links between liver ferroptosis and aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhR) were explored.

Experimental Approach

Two mouse models, iron supplement‐induced hepatic ferroptosis and hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, were used to identify effects of ferroptosis on hMSC pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD).

Key Results

AhR inhibition attenuated hepatic ferroptosis and improved survival of hMSCs. hMSC viability was decreased by iron supplementation or serum from I/R mice. The AhR antagonist CH223191 reversed iron overload and oxidative stress induced by ferroptosis and increased hMSC concentration and efficacy in mouse models. Effects of CH223191 were greater than those of deferoxamine, a conventional ferroptosis inhibitor. Transcriptomic results suggested that the AhR–signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)–haem oxygenase 1/COX‐2 signalling pathway is critical to this process. These results were confirmed in a mouse model of hepatic I/R injury. In mice pre‐treated with CH223191, hMSC exhibited more potent protective effects, linked to decreased hepatic ferroptosis.

Conclusion and Implications

Our findings showed that ferroptosis was a critical factor in determining the fate of hMSCs. Inhibition of AhR decreased hepatic ferroptosis, thereby increasing survival and therapeutic effects of hMSCs in mouse models of liver disease.
Trade‐induced sectoral upgrading and upstream financial flows
Authors: Zhang Haiping
Published: August 2023

This paper shows that deepening trade integration may have non‐monotonic impacts on the direction of financial flows in a world with heterogeneous financial development. By inducing the more financially developed country (North) to specialize towards the financially constrained, high‐return sectors, trade integration reduces the return to capital in the unconstrained, low‐return sectors, which reverses the upstream financial flows, as predicted by Antras and Caballero (2009, Journal of Political Economy). However, if the cross‐country difference in financial development and the investment elasticity in North are sufficiently large, North may offshore the low‐return sectors and specialize fully in the high‐return sectors. In this case, upstream financial flows may not be dampened or reversed in the long run. My findings offer an alternative perspective of understanding the persistent current account imbalances between emerging Asia and the United States.
Carbon tax pass‐through in Canadian retail gasoline markets
Authors: Erutku Can , Hildebrand Vincent
Published: August 2023

A carbon tax's pass‐through is one factor influencing its effectiveness in internalizing the externality created by greenhouse gas emissions. This paper measures the pass‐through of carbon taxes introduced in retail gasoline markets of four Canadian provinces that did not meet the carbon pollution pricing federal benchmark stringency requirements. Those four provinces are Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick. Using daily retail gasoline prices for 40 treated cities and nine control cities we find the pass‐through rates are city‐specific and vary from 0% to over 140%. City‐specific pass‐through rates imply that estimations at a higher level of geographical aggregation assume homogeneous effects where heterogeneous effects might be present. Our results also suggest it would be difficult for a government to impose an optimal and nationwide carbon tax on automotive greenhouse gas emissions. Although the degree of competition can explain city‐specific pass‐through rates, it cannot explain over‐shifting. Over‐shifting can be explained, however, by the demand functional form.
Surveying the Indian research ethics committee response to the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Shetty Yashashri C. , Ramalingam Sudha , Koli Paresh , Shanmugam Karthikeyan , Seetharaman Rajmohan
Published: August 2023

Research ethics committees (RECs) have played a crucial role in expediting the review of research protocols amidst the COVID‐19 pandemic. To improve their performance and identify areas of enhancement, a multicentric study was conducted in India by the Forum for Ethical Review Committees in the Asian and Western Pacific Region (FERCAP). The study aimed to evaluate the preparedness of Indian RECs during the COVID‐19 outbreak while conducting protocol reviews and comprehend the challenges they encountered. After obtaining ethics committee approval, a cross‐sectional observational study was conducted using two validated questionnaires, one for REC member secretaries/chairpersons and another for REC members. The questionnaires consisted of 13 multiple‐choice questions, 10 yes or no questions, and 2 open‐ended questions each. The study was distributed to multiple RECs. A total of 109/200 participants, including 13 REC member secretaries, 12 chairpersons and 84 REC members from a total of 34 REC's, consented to participate in the study. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, 23/25 (92%) of the RECs conducted online meetings. The most common challenges faced by RECs included risk‐benefit analysis (12/25 RECs), review of informed consent (12/25 RECs), and protocols involving vulnerable populations (10/25 RECs). 65% of the REC members reported the need for ethics review training, and 66/84 REC members agreed or strongly agreed that RECs require training in COVID‐19 protocol review. Additionally, 62/84 REC members agreed or strongly agreed that central/joint RECs should review multicenter COVID‐19 protocols. RECs in India encountered difficulties while reviewing risk‐benefit analyses, informed consent documents (ICDs), and COVID‐19 protocols and they suggested providing training on these topics.
Numeracy selectivity of Spanish migrants in colonial America (sixteenth–eighteenth centuries)
Authors: Pérez‐Artés María del Carmen
Published: August 2023

Since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the so‐called New World in 1492, hundreds of thousands of Spaniards settled in Central and South America. This paper assesses the skill selectivity of Spanish migrants who went to Hispanic America during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries for the first time. The age‐heaping method is employed to estimate numeracy levels as a proxy for human capital. With a database of 33 929 individual observations, the findings show that Spaniards who left the country to settle in the Spanish territories were positively self‐selected. Additionally, differences are observed in the human capital of those who chose to settle in Mexico, who had a higher level of numeracy, than those who chose Peru. These differences might be due to the viceroyalty structure and educational institutions that encouraged the emigration of people with greater human capital to Mexico. Finally, when the level of numeracy of Spaniards in Hispanic America is compared with the numeracy of the total population, emigrants still had higher levels of human capital.