bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Responding to social and emotional vulnerability: Child welfare investigations involving older adolescents
Authors: King Bryn , Fallon Barbara , Lyons Olive , Alman Isayah
Published: September 2023

In 2018, the child welfare system in Ontario, Canada, expanded the age of protection to include 16 and 17 year olds for the purpose of mitigating risk of harm for older adolescents. To date, there is little information regarding investigations of older adolescents, particularly in Ontario; this study will address this gap. Data used for this analysis were drawn from the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect‐2018. The Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect‐2018 sample data were weighted to derive an annual incidence estimate of 155 649 maltreatment‐related investigations conducted in Ontario in 2018. Child, caregiver, household, and investigation characteristics were compared across three age groups: children (0–10), younger adolescents (11–15), and older adolescents (16–17). Characteristics and differences in the likelihood of a service response (referral to nonchild welfare services, transfer to ongoing child welfare services, or placement in out‐of‐home care during the investigation) were examined descriptively and using chi‐square automatic interaction detection. Half of investigations involving older adolescents received a service response, and they were more likely to receive a service response when there were concerns about future risk of harm, where there were concerns about the relationship between the adolescent and their caregivers, where internalizing or externalizing symptoms were noted, where caregivers had few social supports, and where the household experienced economic hardship. These findings suggest that older adolescents are being triaged for circumstances that reflect concerns about their vulnerability, including mental health needs, attachment concerns, and caregiver isolation.
Prospects and challenges of CRISPR/Cas9 gene‐editing technology in cancer research
Authors: Ning Li , Xi Jiahui , Zi Yin , Chen Min , Zou Qingjian , Zhou Xiaoqing , Tang Chengcheng
Published: September 2023

Cancer, one of the leading causes of death, usually commences and progresses as a result of a series of gene mutations and dysregulation of expression. With the development of clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 gene‐editing technology, it is possible to edit and then decode the functions of cancer‐related gene mutations, markedly advance the research of biological mechanisms and treatment of cancer. This review summarizes the mechanism and development of CRISPR/Cas9 gene‐editing technology in recent years and describes its potential application in cancer‐related research, such as the establishment of human tumor disease models, gene therapy and immunotherapy. The challenges and future development directions are highlighted to provide a reference for exploring pathological mechanisms and potential treatment protocols of cancer.
On how to live while being thrown away: Black people who use drugs and the politics of anti‐disposability, North Philadelphia, circa 2007 to 2010
Authors: Eisenberg‐Guyot Nadja
Published: September 2023

Drawing on 3 years of fieldwork (2007–2010) in North Central Philadelphia with homeless and transiently‐housed Black people who use drugs, this article explores the politics of mutual aid and community survival during a period of city‐sponsored redevelopment. Drawing on Black feminist theory, I show how this community responded to and resisted their marginalization from urban space and Philadelphia history through developing a theory and practice of collective care. Resisting narratives that would position them as “worthless throwaways,” my informants responded to and reworked dominant narratives about what being a Black person who uses drugs means. As redevelopment threatened their neighborhood with increasing velocity, I reflect on how policing and incarceration disrupted my informants'—and my—relationship to history and urban space. I argue that in the shooting galleries, I learned the politics of anti‐disposability: the right to live (and not just die) a junky.
The Social Route to Abstraction: Interaction and Diversity Enhance Performance and Transfer in a Rule‐Based Categorization Task
Authors: Tylén Kristian , Fusaroli Riccardo , Østergaard Sara Møller , Smith Pernille , Arnoldi Jakob
Published: September 2023

Capacities for abstract thinking and problem‐solving are central to human cognition. Processes of abstraction allow the transfer of experiences and knowledge between contexts helping us make informed decisions in new or changing contexts. While we are often inclined to relate such reasoning capacities to individual minds and brains, they may in fact be contingent on human‐specific modes of collaboration, dialogue, and shared attention. In an experimental study, we test the hypothesis that social interaction enhances cognitive processes of rule‐induction, which in turn improves problem‐solving performance. Through three sessions of increasing complexity, individuals and groups were presented with a problem‐solving task requiring them to categorize a set of visual stimuli. To assess the character of participants’ problem representations, after each training session, they were presented with a transfer task involving stimuli that differed in appearance, but shared relations among features with the training set. Besides, we compared participants’ categorization behaviors to simulated agents relying on exemplar learning. We found that groups performed superior to individuals and agents in the training sessions and were more likely to correctly generalize their observations in the transfer phase, especially in the high complexity session, suggesting that groups more effectively induced underlying categorization rules from the stimuli than individuals and agents. Crucially, variation in performance among groups was predicted by semantic diversity in members’ dialogical contributions, suggesting a link between social interaction, cognitive diversity, and abstraction.
Antigen loss following CAR‐T cell therapy: Mechanisms, implications, and potential solutions
Authors: Mishra Archana , Maiti Rituparna , Mohan Prafull , Gupta Pooja
Published: September 2023

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T‐cell (CAR‐T cell) therapy has emerged as a groundbreaking immunotherapeutic approach for treating various hematological malignancies. CAR‐T cells are engineered to express synthetic receptors that target specific antigens on cancer cells, leading to their eradication. While the therapy has shown remarkable efficacy, a significant challenge that has been observed in 30%–70% of patients showing recurrent disease is antigen loss or downregulation. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google scholar for articles on antigen loss/escape following Chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapy in malignancies. Antigen loss refers to the loss or reduction in the expression of the target antigen on cancer cells, rendering CAR‐T cells ineffective. This phenomenon poses a significant clinical concern, as it can lead to disease relapse and limited treatment options. This review explores the mechanisms underlying antigen loss following CAR‐T cell therapy, its implications on treatment outcomes, and potential strategies to overcome the problem.
Partitioning the biodiversity effects on productivity into density and size components
Authors: Tatsumi Shinichi , Loreau Michel
Published: September 2023

Plant density and size — two factors that represent plant survival and growth — are key determinants of yield but have rarely been analysed explicitly in the context of biodiversity–productivity relationships. Here, we derive equations to partition the net, complementarity and selection effects of biodiversity into additive components that reflect diversity‐induced changes in plant density and size. Applications of the new method to empirical datasets reveal contrasting ways in which plant density and size regulate yield in species mixtures. In an annual plant diversity experiment, overyielding is largely explained by selection effects associated with increased size of highly productive plant species. In a tree diversity experiment, the cause of overyielding shifts from enhanced growth in tree size to reduced mortality by complementary use of canopy space during stand development. These results highlight the capability of the new method to resolve crucial, yet understudied, demographic links between biodiversity and productivity.
Associations between feeding and glucagon‐like peptide‐2 in healthy ponies
Authors: Sibthorpe Poppy E. M. , Fitzgerald Danielle M. , Sillence Martin N. , de Laat Melody A.
Published: September 2023

Background

Gastrointestinal peptides, such as glucagon‐like peptide‐2 (GLP‐2), could play a direct role in the development of equine hyperinsulinaemia.

Objectives

To describe the secretory pattern of endogenous GLP‐2 over 24 h in healthy ponies and determine whether oral administration of a synthetic GLP‐2 peptide increases blood glucose or insulin responses to feeding.

Study Design

A cohort study followed by a randomised, controlled, cross‐over study.

Methods

In the cohort study, blood samples were collected every 2 h for 24 h in seven healthy ponies and plasma [GLP‐2] was measured. In the cross‐over study, 75 μg/kg bodyweight of synthetic GLP‐2, or carrier only, was orally administered to 10 ponies twice daily for 10 days. The area under the curve (AUC0–3h) of post‐prandial blood glucose and insulin were determined before and after each treatment.

Results

Endogenous [GLP‐2] ranged from <0.55 to 1.95 ± 0.29 [CI 0.27] ng/mL with similar peak concentrations in response to meals containing 88–180 g of non‐structural carbohydrate, that were ~4‐fold higher (P < 0.001) than the overnight nadir. After GLP‐2 treatment peak plasma [GLP‐2] increased from 1.1 [0.63–1.37] ng/mL to 1.54 [1.1–2.31] ng/mL (28.6%; P = 0.002), and AUC0–3h was larger (P = 0.01) than before treatment. The peptide decreased (7%; P = 0.003) peak blood glucose responses to feeding from 5.33 ± 0.45 mmol/L to 5.0 ± 0.21 mmol/L, but not AUC0–3h (P = 0.07). There was no effect on insulin secretion.

Main Limitations

The study only included healthy ponies and administration of a single dose of GLP‐2.

Conclusions

The diurnal pattern of GLP‐2 secretion in ponies was similar to other species with no apparent effect of daylight. Although GLP‐2 treatment did not increase post‐prandial glucose or insulin responses to eating, studies using alternative dosing strategies for GLP‐2 are required.
“Work through it on your own”: parent‐centered emotion socialization beliefs and parenting stress
Authors: Nelson Jackie A. , Aguas Alyssa B. , Katz Julia M.
Published: September 2023

Parent‐centered emotion socialization beliefs that children should manage their emotions on their own without parent support may seem convenient for parents but may actually relate to greater parenting stress if this approach is incompatible with children's developmental needs. We explored relations between mothers' and fathers' parent‐centered autonomy beliefs about children's emotions and their parenting stress, controlling for child behavior problems and parent education. We also examined whether these associations varied depending on child age. Participants included 142 mothers and 60 paired fathers with a 5‐ to 8‐year‐old child who completed survey measures on parenting and child behavior. The sample was primarily White (59%) or Hispanic (20%) and low (44%) to middle income (47%). Path analyses revealed significant actor effects, such that mothers and fathers who endorsed more parent‐centered emotion socialization beliefs reported greater parenting stress. Partner effects showed that mothers also reported greater parenting stress when their partners endorsed more parent‐centered emotion socialization beliefs. Child age did not moderate these associations. Findings are discussed in terms of developmentally appropriate parenting expectations, gender roles for family emotion work, and practical implications.
Diagnostics for asset pricing models
Authors: He Ai , Zhou Guofu
Published: September 2023

The validity of asset pricing models implies white‐noise pricing errors (PEs). However, we find that the PEs of six well‐known factor models all exhibit a significant reversal pattern and are predictable by their lagged values up to 12 months. Moreover, the predictability of the PEs can produce substantial economic profits. Similar conclusions hold for recently developed machine learning models too. Additional analysis reveals that the significant PE profits cannot be explained by common behavioral biases. Our results imply that much remains to be done and there is a great need to develop new asset pricing models.
Larval newts from turbid and transparent waterbodies exhibit different morphological and behavioural traits
Authors: Zamora‐Camacho Francisco Javier , Aragón Pedro
Published: September 2023

Turbidity represents an obstacle to visual acuity underwater that might entail considerable consequences for multiple faunal traits. Morphology, especially eye size, could be adjusted to cope with reduced visibility in turbid water. Moreover, turbidity could interfere with colour signals or crypsis. Turbid water may simultaneously impair the ability of prey and predators to detect each other, which may cause reduced speed, flight initiation distance, activity time, boldness, and exploratory behaviour by prey.

In this work, we compared these traits in larvae of the newt Pleurodeles waltl from transparent and turbid ponds (around 100 and 300 FTU, respectively). Body size did not differ between pond types, but larvae from turbid ponds had smaller eyes, probably because visual acuity is structurally hindered by the environment. Colouration did not differ between transparent and turbid ponds on average, but it was more variable in larvae from transparent than turbid ponds, probably because transparent ponds trigger crypsis towards diverse background colours, whereas turbid ponds promote reduced pigmentation in all cases.

In addition, behavioural traits were gauged in larvae from both types of ponds, in tests conducted in either transparent or turbid water. Speed was unaffected by turbidity, but larvae from turbid ponds increased their flight initiation distance when tested in transparent water. In all cases, larvae from transparent ponds were more active, and bolder in transparent water, and all larvae were more exploratory when tested in transparent water (regardless of which pond type they came from).

Turbidity could trigger more cautious behaviours, probably because it makes predators harder to track. Alternatively, transparent water could stimulate a more expansive use of space through improved visibility, or it might encourage a more active search for shelter.

These results shed light on the role of turbidity as a promotor of morphological and behavioural variability in amphibian larvae. These ecological consequences of water turbidity can be framed in terms of energy allocation and detectability in the context of predator–prey interactions.
Challenges and recommendations for advancing respite care for families of children and youth with special health care needs: A qualitative exploration
Authors: Woodgate Roberta L. , Isaak Corinne A. , Kipling Ardelle , Kirk Sue
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Caring for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) is a significant undertaking for families. While respite care is intended to address this burden, demand continues to exceed supply. Exploring the perspectives of respite service providers (SPs) and stakeholders (SKs) provides unique insight into families' needs and respite care systems.

Methods

We conducted semistructured interviews with 41 respite care SPs and SKs across four Canadian provinces to ascertain perspectives on current and ideal respite care for families of CYSHCN. The analysis included delineating units of meaning from the data, clustering units of meaning to form thematic statements and extracting themes. The second‐level analysis involved applying themes and subthemes to cross‐functional process maps.

Findings

Participants noted the critical, but sometimes absent role of Community Service Workers, who have the ability to support families accessing and navigating respite care systems. SPs and SKs identified current respite systems as operating in crisis mode. New findings suggest an ideal respite care system would incorporate advocacy for families, empower families and value CYSHCN, their families and respite workers.

Conclusion

The evidence of unmet respite care needs of families of CYSHCN across Canada has long been available. Our findings identifying respite system challenges and solutions can be used by funders and policymakers for planning and enhancing resources, and by healthcare professionals, respite care providers and SKs to understand barriers and take action to improve respite outcomes to meet the respite needs of all families and CYSHCN.

Patient or Public Contribution

The research team is composed of patients, researchers, clinicians and decision‐makers along with our Family Advisory Committee (FAC) composed of members of families of CYSHNC. The FAC was formed and met regularly with research team members, knowledge users and collaborators throughout the study to provide input on design, review themes and ensure findings are translated and disseminated in a meaningful way.
Molecular characterisation of tumours of the lacrimal apparatus
Authors: Vibert Roseline , Cyrta Joanna , Girard Elodie , Vacher Sophie , Dupain Célia , Antonio Samantha , Wong Jennifer , Baulande Sylvain , De Sousa Juliana Monteiro Ferras , Vincent‐Salomon Anne , Masliah‐Planchon Julien , Girard Nicolas , Le Tourneau Christophe , Kamal Maud , Bièche Ivan
Published: September 2023

Aims

Malignant tumours of the lacrimal apparatus are rare and frequently show a poor prognosis, with no clear therapeutic standards. Characterisation of the genetic landscape of these rare tumours is sparse, and therefore therapeutics generally follow those of their common salivary gland counterparts. To further clarify the pathophysiology and discover potential therapeutic targets, we investigated the genetic landscape of eight tumours of the lacrimal apparatus.

Methods and results

DNA and RNA sequencing were performed to identify genetic mutations and gene fusions. Immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in‐situ hybridisation and reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction followed by Sanger sequencing were performed to confirm the identified molecular alterations. Genetic alterations were detected in six tumours. Among five adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC), four had confirmed alterations of MYB or MYBL1 genes, including a MYB::NFIB fusion, a MYBL1::NFIB fusion, a MYB amplification and a novel NFIB::THSD7B fusion. Mutations in genes encoding epigenetic modifiers, as well as NOTCH1, FGFR2 and ATM mutations, were also identified in ACCs. A carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma showed TP53 and CIC mutations and an amplification of ERBB2. A transitional cell carcinoma was associated with HPV16 infection. No genetic alteration was found for one adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified.

Conclusions

Our study highlights the variety of molecular alterations associated with lacrimal system tumours and emphasises the importance of molecular testing in these tumours, which can reveal potentially targetable mutations. Our results also reinforce the hypothesis of a common physiopathology of all ACCs, regardless of their primary location.
Water in cosmetics and Caenorhabditis elegans as an alternative model for lifespan assessment
Authors: Richaud Myriam , Rasasombat Sarah , Cuq Pierre , Galas Simon , Marti‐Mestres Gilberte
Published: September 2023

Objective

Water, often considered a fundamental component of life, is the most commonly used ingredient in the formulation of dermocosmetic products, with waterless products being the exception. Dermocosmetic products can contain anywhere from 50% to 85% water, which contributes to their texture and specific characteristics. The chemical composition of water varies depending on its origin and can be categorized as highly mineralized or low mineralized. These compositions could impact the water's efficacy in anti‐aging applications. In this study, the objective is evaluating the anti‐aging properties of highly and low mineralized water with the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans.

Methods

In this article, we employed the alternative model organism C. elegans to assess the impact of 5 branded waters, one physiological water and one ultra‐pure water on the model's lifespan, using the survival medium conventionally used for C. elegans as a comparison.

Results

Waters may have either a positive or a negative impact on the C. elegans lifespan expectancy. Our results indicate that only one of the water brands we assessed (Volvic®) had a significantly positive effect on worm longevity. In contrast, we found that two other brands (Hepar® and Contrex®) had a negative impact on the later stages of the worm's adulthood. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the impact of the brand water samples on lifespan expectancy varied depending on their physicochemical composition, in particular when ion concentrations were most extreme.

Conclusion

This study shows that the highly mineralized waters studied have a detrimental effect on the survival of C. elegans, and a preliminary test with ultra‐pure water could not be completed due to its deleterious effect on the worms. This suggests the hypothesis that both highly mineralized and completely demineralized waters may not be the most suitable for skin formulations.
Male vitellogenin regulates gametogenesis through a testis‐enriched big protein in Chrysopa pallens
Authors: Liu Xiao‐ping , Liu Chang‐yan , Feng Yan‐jiao , Guo Xing‐kai , Zhang Li‐sheng , Wang Meng‐qing , Li Yu‐yan , Zeng Fan‐rong , Nolan Tony , Mao Jian‐jun
Published: September 2023

In insects, vitellogenin (Vg) is generally viewed as a female‐specific protein. Its primary function is to supply nutrition to developing embryos. Here, we reported Vg from the male adults of a natural predator, Chrysopa pallens. The male Vg was depleted by RNAi. Mating with Vg‐deficient male downregulated female Vg expression, suppressed ovarian development and decreased reproductive output. Whole‐organism transcriptome analysis after male Vg knockdown showed no differential expression of the known spermatogenesis‐related regulators and seminal fluid protein genes, but a sharp downregulation of an unknown gene, which encodes a testis‐enriched big protein (Vcsoo). Separate knockdown of male Vg and Vcsoo disturbed the assembly of spermatid cytoplasmic organelles in males and suppressed the expansion of ovary germarium in mated females. These results demonstrated that C. pallens male Vg signals through the downstream Vcsoo and regulates male and female reproduction.
Refractory Helicobacter pylori infection in Australia: updated multicentre antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Schubert Jonathon P. , Ingram Paul R. , Warner Morgyn S. , Rayner Christopher K. , Roberts‐Thomson Ian C. , Costello Samuel P. , Bryant Robert V.
Published: September 2023

Background and Aim

Helicobacter pylori infection is responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide and eradication rates are falling globally because of increasing antimicrobial resistance. However, there is a paucity of local data to guide the choice of eradication therapy in Australia. This study aimed to evaluate current Australian rates of H. pylori antibiotic resistance in patients who had failed prior eradication therapy.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of routine culture and antibiotic susceptibility data from two pathology laboratories servicing multiple tertiary referral hospitals in Western Australia (WA) and South Australia (SA), between 2018 and 2022, was performed. Rates of antimicrobial resistance and prevalence of multiresistant isolates in both SA and WA were calculated and comparison of temporal trends and differences between the two states was conducted.

Results

A total of 796 H. pylori isolates revealed a clarithromycin resistance rate of 82%, metronidazole 68%, amoxicillin 4.4% and tetracycline 0.5%. Resistance to levofloxacin was observed in 22% and rifampicin 14%. Rates of resistance to clarithromycin were lower in SA compared with WA (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.69, P = 0.0001). Multiresistant isolates were discovered in 63% of patients, with lower rates in SA compared with WA (IRR: 0.74, P = 0.002).

Conclusion

This first multicentre, multistate study of H. pylori resistance in Australian patients exposed to prior therapy demonstrated high rates of antimicrobial resistance, including levofloxacin (>20%). This raises concern about recommending levofloxacin in empirical second‐line therapies. Increased monitoring and awareness of current H. pylori resistance rates in Australia are needed to guide local eradication practices.
Barriers and enablers to the implementation of Safewards and the alignment to the i‐PARIHS framework – A qualitative systematic review
Authors: Björkdahl Anna , Johansson Ulf , Kjellin Lars , Pelto‐Piri Veikko
Published: September 2023

Inpatient mental healthcare settings should offer safe environments for patients to heal and recover and for staff to provide high‐quality treatment and care. However, aggressive patient behaviour, unengaged staff approaches, and the use of restrictive practices are frequently reported. The Safewards model includes ten interventions that aim to prevent conflict and containment. The model has shown promising results but at the same time often presents challenges to successful implementation strategies. The aim of this study was to review qualitative knowledge on staff experiences of barriers and enablers to the implementation of Safewards, from the perspective of implementation science and the i‐PARIHS framework. A search of the Web of Science, ASSIA, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases resulted in 10 articles. A deductive framework analysis approach was used to identify barriers and enablers and the alignment to the i‐PARIHS. Data most represented by the i‐PARIHS were related to the following: local‐level formal and informal leadership support, innovation degree of fit with existing practice and values, and recipients' values and beliefs. This indicates that if a ward or organization wants to implement Safewards and direct limited resources to only a few implementation determinants, these three may be worth considering. Data representing levels of external health system and organizational contexts were rare. In contrast, data relating to local (ward)‐level contexts was highly represented which may reflect Safewards's focus on quality improvement strategies on a local rather than organizational level.
The effect of triclosan‐coated sutures on the incidence of surgical site infection in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, laparoscopic appendicectomy or laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A multi‐centre, double‐blind, randomized, intra‐individual study
Authors: Erfan Moatasem A. , Thabet El Ashraf M. , Rageh Mahmoud A. , Mohy Sara M. , El Wardany Ibrahim
Published: September 2023

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common cause of post‐operative morbidity. According to the latest report announced by CDC, the SSI accounts for 20% of healthcare‐associated infection with a high risk of mortality up to twofold to 11‐fold increase with high economic burden for the prolonged hospital stay. Port site infection (PSI) is a subgroup of SSI occurring at the ports of laparoscopy. We tried to determine the efficacy of polyglactin 910 suture coated with triclosan in lowering the rate of PSI in some of the clean‐contaminated wound surgeries. This study included 480 individuals eligible for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendicectomy or sleeve operations. Polyglactin 910 sutures coated with triclosan were used in one port site incision while polyglactin 910 sutures were used in the other port sites incisions. In patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and appendicectomy, the incidence of PSI was significantly lower in the triclosan‐coated sutures. In sleeve gastrectomy patients, although a lower number of triclosan‐coated sutures developed PSI, there was no statistically significant difference between triclosan and non‐triclosan‐coated sutures. This study showed that using sutures coated with antiseptics like triclosan has clinical benefits to prevent SSIs in most of the laparoscopic surgeries.
Development of ethical conflict scale for nurses in extraordinary circumstances and psychometric testing
Authors: Çiriş Yıldız Cennet , Yildirim Dilek , Ergin Emine , Korkmaz Irem , Coşkun Zeynep
Published: September 2023

Aim

The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically test the Ethical Conflict Scale for Nurses in Extraordinary Circumstances (ECSNEC).

Design

This study is designed to develop and validate an instrument.

Methods

There are four basic steps in the development process of ECSNEC: (1) establishment of the conceptual framework, (2) creation of the item pool, (3) preliminary evaluation and (4) psychometric evaluation. The data were gathered from 519 nurses who worked in two different hospitals operating in Istanbul between June 2022 and October 2022.

Results

The scale had good content validity. The exploratory factor analysis revealed a three‐factor construct which explained 47.31% of the total variance in the measured variable. The corresponding construct was confirmed by the confirmatory factor analysis. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients were greater than .60 for all dimensions. The test–retest reliability coefficient value of the scale was 0.90.

Conclusion

ECSNEC is a valid and reliable tool to determine the ethical conflict experienced by nurses in extraordinary circumstances.

Impact

The established scale allows the identification of factors influencing the ethical challenges nurses face in extraordinary circumstances. Thus, policies can be developed to prevent such ethical conflicts.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
The iceberg of genomics: New perspectives in the use of genomics and epigenetics in oncology nursing clinical reasoning. A discursive paper
Authors: Milani Alessandra , Misurelli Eliana , Bottaccioli Anna Giulia , Bottaccioli Francesco , Lacapra Silvana , Ciccarelli Chiara , Magon Giorgio , Mazzocco Ketti
Published: September 2023

Background

Although, there is a wealth of information in the medical literature on the usefulness of genomic testing in assessing risk and its application in medical oncology decision making, there are no theoretical reflections in the nursing field.

Aim

To understand the implications of molecular biology in nursing practice and highlight the role of Nursing Theory in guiding nurses’ reasoning.

Materials and Methods

Searching literature published between 2000 and 2022 in Medline and Google Scholar. Scientific evidence was analysed by the authors expert in different fields.

Results

Based on the findings of the literature, concerns have been raised about the proper care of cancer patients who have a genomic risk profile determination. In particular, the absence of theoretical thinking and conceptual models that consider developments in molecular biology and their impact on nursing, in addition to the prevalence of heuristic thinking and the application of clinical patterns in nursing practice, could induce patient misjudgement with inadequate planning of preventive, curative, rehabilitative and educational nursing interventions. Nurses working in the field of oncology should be aware that the risk profile determined by genomics tests is merely the visible and stated portion of the cancer patient: the tip of iceberg.

Discussion

This study demonstrates how genomic testing takes into account a fraction of genes discovered in tumour tissue to establish a risk profile. This subset differs, for example, from the social genome, which can determine the risk of dementia, cancer and cardiovascular disease, but in response to social adversity. Nursing theory, which views the environment as a metaparadigm, must consider a conceptual model that can integrate the findings of genomic testing with recommendations from studies on the social genome of humans to make it easier to build nursing treatments that can better reduce these risks.

Conclusion

A nursing theoretical discourse on genomics is a paramount requirement for developing effective nursing care.
The oral protective efficacy of magnolol against Aeromonas hydrophila and A. veronii infection via enhancing anti‐inflammatory ability in goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Li Jing , Wang Gaoxue , Ling Fei
Published: September 2023

Aeromonas hydrophila and A. veronii are widespread and important critical pathogenic bacteria in the aquaculture industry and cause severe economic damage. At present, magnolol has been proved to be a broad‐spectrum antibacterial activity, such as A. hydrophila, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. In order to explore the cause of in vivo disease resistance of magnolol and promote its safe application in aquaculture, the pathological detection and changes in immune indicators of fish after feeding with magnolol were conducted in this paper. Results showed that the diets supplemented with magnolol (3 g magnolol/kg commercial feed) significantly increase the expression level of anti‐inflammatory cytokines (IL‐10, TGF‐β and IL‐4) in the liver of goldfish (p < .05). Additionally, the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL‐1β, IL‐8 and IFN‐γ) did not increase significantly. Subsequently, this study investigated the resistance of goldfish to A. hydrophila and A. veronii infection after feeding with magnolol. The results showed that the survival rates of treatment groups fed 3 g magnolol/kg commercial feed daily increased by 23.1% and 38.5% after 10 days post A. hydrophila and A. veronii (p = .0351) infection, respectively. Meanwhile, growth performance (body weight and length), major internal organs (liver, spleen, kidney and intestine) and the serum biochemistry indicators (ATL and AST) all exhibited no significant adverse effects after the goldfish fed with magnolol for 30 days. TP showed an increasing concentration in the treatment group (p < .05). Results of the mRNA expression of stress response indicated that the expression level of cyp1a and hsp70 was significantly down‐regulated after a 30‐day treatment (p < .05), and the two genes recovered to the similar level as the control group after a commercial feed diet. In brief, the diets supplemented with magnolol protected the host from the excessive immune response caused by A. hydrophila and A. veronii via enhancing its anti‐inflammatory capacity and had no adverse effects with feeding.
Ultrasound and enzyme‐pretreated extraction for the valorization of pea pod proteins
Authors: Karabulut Gulsah , Yildiz Semanur , Karaca Asli Can , Yemiş Oktay
Published: September 2023

Pea pod (PP) is an agricultural by‐product with 10%–13% protein content which has a potential to be converted to value‐added ingredients. In this study, different protein extraction strategies including three different solvents (water, salt, and alkaline) and two different pretreatments (ultrasound [US] and enzyme such as pectinase and Viscozyme®) before conventional alkaline extraction were employed to maximize the extraction yield. The US‐pretreated alkaline extraction achieved the highest yield (21.1%) in protein extracts under optimum conditions (30% amplitude for 5 min). PP protein concentrates showed significant differences in solubility, sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein patterns, scanning electron microscopy images, and color depending on the applied extraction method. All PP residues after extraction still remained protein (5.2–8.0 g/100 g) regardless of the extraction techniques, representing the challenges in protein extraction from agricultural by‐products with a lignocellulosic matrix. The combined use of US and enzyme treatments should be further investigated for higher extraction yields.

Practical Applications

Agricultural wastes and by‐products could be potential protein sources; however, their lignocellulosic structure could be challenging for protein extraction. In the current study, different extraction strategies including ultrasound (US) and enzyme pretreatments were performed for the extraction of proteins from pea pods which is an agro‐industrial by‐product. Results suggest that US pretreatment may have promising applications for the extraction of valuable compounds from agricultural and industrial by‐products, contributing to sustainable food processing strategies.
Malnutrition in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Zainul Omar , Perry Danny , Pan Michael , Lau Jennifer , Zarzuela Kate , Kim Ryan , Konerman Matthew C. , Hummel Scott L. , Goyal Parag
Published: September 2023

Background

Malnutrition may be an important geriatric condition in adults with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but studies on its prevalence and associated clinical outcomes are limited. The aim of this study was to determine if malnutrition is associated with short‐term morbidity and mortality in ambulatory patients with HFpEF.

Methods

We examined 231 patients with a clinical diagnosis of HFpEF seen at two dedicated academic HFpEF programs (Weill Cornell Medicine and Michigan Medicine) from June 2018 to April 2022. Malnutrition was defined by Mini‐Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA‐SF) scores ≤11. The primary endpoint was a 6‐month composite of all‐cause mortality and all‐cause hospitalization. A Cox proportional‐hazard models was used to examine the association between malnutrition and the primary endpoint, adjusting for race, prior hospitalization history, and the validated Meta‐Analysis Global Group in Chronic (MAGGIC) heart failure prognostic risk score.

Results

The median age of the cohort was 73 years (interquartile range 64–81). The most common comorbid conditions included hypertension (prevalence 81%), atrial fibrillation (43%), and obesity (63%). The prevalence of malnutrition was 42% (n = 97), and MNA‐SF scores did not significantly correlate with body mass index (R = −0.02, p = 0.71). At the 6‐month follow‐up, 62 patients (26.8%) were hospitalized and four patients died (1.7%). In a fully‐adjusted analysis, malnutrition was independently associated with the composite outcome of all‐cause mortality and all‐cause hospitalization (HR 1.94 [95% CI: 1.17–3.20], p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Despite a high prevalence of obesity, two out of five ambulatory adults with HFpEF are malnourished. Malnutrition was independently associated with adverse outcomes at 6 months. Future work is necessary to develop interventions that can address malnutrition.
Providing Inclusive Midwifery Care for 2SLGBTQQIA+ People: Supporting Inclusion in Ontario's Midwifery Education Program
Authors: Murdock Melanie
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Research on how midwives in North America are trained to provide inclusive care to Two Spirited, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, or Asexual (2SLGBTQQIA+) clients is limited. The objective of this study was to define 2SLGBTQQIA+ inclusive midwifery care in the Canadian context and to explore the experiences of graduates of Ontario's Midwifery Education Program (MEP) to determine how midwives are trained to provide inclusive care.

Methods

Ethics approval was obtained for this qualitative study to perform semistructured interviews with graduates from the MEP hosted by McMaster, Toronto Metropolitan, and Laurentian University. Eleven midwives were recruited and were required to be (1) graduates of Ontario's MEP, (2) registered midwives under the College of Midwives of Ontario or elsewhere, (3) currently practicing or on leave, and (4) self‐identified advocates for 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals.

Results

When defining 2SLGBTQQIA+ inclusive care, midwives described the following principles: using inclusive language, changing the clinical environment, amending documents and websites, and tailoring care for each client. Participants recognized recent efforts by Ontario's MEP to provide 2SLGBTQQIA+ inclusive education while highlighting the need to expand 2SLGBTQQIA+ content across all courses, practicing inclusive care during placement, and ensuring an inclusive environment in the program.

Discussion

Midwives in this study helped conceptualize inclusive midwifery care for 2SLGBTQQIA+ clients and underlined remaining gaps in Ontario's MEP toward providing student midwives with this competency by graduation. This study helped to fill a gap in the literature on how Canadian midwives are trained to provide 2SLGBTQQIA+ inclusive care and generated recommendations for Ontario's MEP to support prelicensure education that trains inclusive midwives. Having demonstrated gaps in how birth workers are trained to provide 2SLGBTQQIA+ inclusive care, this study points to the need for other prelicensure health professional programs to evaluate their training and to support 2SLGBTQQIA+ inclusive practice.
Household Liquidity Constraints and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from a Danish Mortgage Reform
Authors: HE ALEX XI , MAIRE DANIEL LE
Published: September 2023

We study the causal effect of liquidity constraints on individual labor market outcomes by exploiting the 1992 mortgage reform in Denmark, which for the first time allowed homeowners to borrow against housing equity for nonhousing purposes. Following the reform, liquidity‐constrained homeowners increased debt levels and had higher earnings growth and lower employment rates. The option to borrow against housing equity enabled liquidity‐constrained individuals to move to high‐wage jobs and invest in valuable human and physical capital. The results imply that relaxing household liquidity constraints during recessions can create better job matches, potentially increasing earnings and output in the longer run.
Timing Assumptions and Efficiency: Empirical Evidence in a Production Function Context
Authors: Ackerberg Daniel A.
Published: September 2023

Recent work estimating production functions has often used methodologies proposed in two literatures: (1) “proxy variable” estimation techniques (Olley, S. and Pakes, A., 1996, Econometrica, 64, pp. 1263–1295), and (2) “dynamic panel” estimation techniques. I illustrate how timing and information set assumptions are key to both, and how these assumptions can be strengthened (or weakened) almost continuously. I examinehow, in some common production datasets, strengthening or weakening these assumptions affects the precision of estimates—comparing these impacts to those achieved by imposing alternative assumptions sometimes utilized in these literatures. This illustrates efficiency tradeoffs between different possible assumptions, at least in the production function context.
The doubly disadvantaged: The motherhood penalty for internal migrants in China
Authors: Kong Siyang , Dong Hao
Published: September 2023

Objective

This study examines hourly earnings differentials among internal migrants in urban China according to motherhood status and child coresidence. It also contemplates the potential mediation of family support and flexible work arrangements.

Background

Existing research has primarily studied the general population of working mothers, most of whom co‐reside with their children and enjoy access to childcare support from local institutions. Our knowledge remains limited regarding international and internal migrant mothers, a large and vulnerable group that often suffers institutional segregation. Moreover, some migrant mothers leave children behind, while others do not; this fact helps us transcend the dichotomous mother/non‐mother distinction to better understand the nuances between theoretical explanations of motherhood status (being a mother) and childcare obligation effects that are otherwise intertwined in the general population.

Method

This study analyzed a representative sample of 41,996 internal married migrant women in China in 2015. Propensity score weighting methods were used to account for potential selection based on a rich set of confounders. Structural equation models were applied for mediation analysis.

Results

Internal migrant mothers in China are disadvantaged in hourly earnings, particularly those who live with their children. Living with the spouse or parents (‐in‐law) does not mediate the motherhood penalty, but working part‐time and self‐employment do.

Conclusion

This study reveals an additional disadvantage for migrant mothers apart from the well‐known difficulties that confront Chinese internal migrants because of institutional segregation. These doubly disadvantaged mothers deserve public attention and policy interventions to attain a family‐friendly employment environment.
miR‐19a may function as a biomarker of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) by regulating the signaling pathway of miR‐19a/GRK6/GPCRs/PKC in a Chinese population
Authors: Chen Jijun , Wang Liang , Ma Danhua , Zhang He , Fan Jiayan , Gao Hongyan , Xia Xinyu , Wu Wei , Shi Yuyuan
Published: September 2023

Background

In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential of miR‐19a as a biomarker of OSCC and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods

We collected serum and saliva samples from 66 OSCC patients and 66 healthy control subjects. Real‐time PCR analysis, bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assays were performed to establish a potential signaling pathway of miR‐19a/GRK6/GPCRs/PKC. Flowcytometry and Transwell assays were performed to observe the changes in cell apoptosis, metastasis and invasion.

Results

We found that miR‐19a, GPR39 mRNA and PKC mRNA were upregulated while GRK6 mRNA was downregulated in the serum and saliva samples collected from OSCC patients. Moreover, in silico analysis confirmed a potential binding site of miR‐19a on the 3′UTR of GRK6 mRNA, and the subsequent luciferase assays confirmed the molecular binding between GRK6 and miR‐19a. We further identified that the over‐expression of miR‐19a could regulate the signaling between GRK6, GPR39 and PKC via the signaling pathway of miR‐19a/GRK6/GPR39/PKC, which accordingly resulted in suppressed cell apoptosis and promoted cell migration and invasion.

Conclusion

Collectively, the findings of our study propose that miR‐19a is a crucial mediator in the advancement of OSCC, offering a potential avenue for the development of innovative therapeutic interventions aimed at regulating GRK6 and its downstream signaling pathways.
Despondent superheroes and cosmic horror: Posthumanism and antihumanism in Jack Kirby's cosmic mythos
Authors: Costello Matthew J.
Published: September 2023

The breakdown of cultural categories in the 1960s was perceived as liberating, but by the 1970s Americans increasingly felt uneasy and directionless. The liminality of social categories was evident in popular culture, such as superhero comics. Examining how Jack Kirby melded superhero and cosmic horror tropes in the Fantastic Four, Fourth World, and Eternals series reveals how Kirby's work initially celebrated human significance but increasingly decentered humans from his narratives. The challenge to cultural and genre boundaries that seemed liberating in the 1960s, left people anomic and directionless by the mid‐1970s, replacing posthumanist optimism with anti‐humanist pessimism.