bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intraflagellar transport protein IFT172 contains a C-terminal ubiquitin-binding U-box-like domain involved in ciliary signaling
Authors: Zacharia Nevin K. , Kuhns Stefanie , Boegholm Niels , Christensen Anni , Wang Jiaolong , Petriman Narcis A. , Lorentzen Anna , Fialova Jindriska L. , Menguy Lucie , Saunier Sophie , Christensen Soren T. , Andersen Jens S. , Bhogaraju Sagar , Lorentzen Esben
Published: November 2024

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is a fundamental process driving ciliogenesis in most eukaryotic organisms. IFT172, the largest protein of the IFT complex, plays a crucial role in cilium formation and is associated with several disease variants causing ciliopathies. While IFT172 is tethered to the IFT-B complex via its N-terminal domains, the function of its C-terminal domains has remained elusive. Here, we reveal that the C-terminal part of IFT172 interacts with IFT-A complex subunits, providing a molecular basis for the role of IFT172 in bridging IFT-A and IFT-B complexes. We determine the crystal structure of the C-terminal part of IFT172, uncovering a conserved U-box-like domain often found in E3 ubiquitin ligases. This domain exhibits ubiquitin-binding properties and auto-ubiquitination activity. The IFT172 auto-ubiquitination activity is reduced in the C1727R patient ciliopathy variant. We use CRISPR-engineered RPE-1 cells to demonstrate that the U-box-like domain is essential for IFT172 protein stability and proper cilium formation. Notably, RPE-1 cells with heterozygous deletion of the U-box domain show altered TGFB signaling responses, particularly in SMAD2 phosphorylation levels and AKT activation. Our findings suggest a novel dual role for IFT172 in both structural support within IFT trains and regulation of ciliary ubiquitination and signaling pathways, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying IFT172-related ciliopathies.
Advancing Plant Metabolic Research By Using Large Language Models To Expand Databases And Extract Labelled Data
Authors: Knapp Rachel , Johnson Braidon , Busta Lucas
Published: November 2024

Premise: Recently, plant science has seen transformative advances in scalable data collection for sequence and chemical data. These large datasets, combined with machine learning, revealed that conducting plant metabolic research on large scales yields remarkable insights. A key next step in increasing scale has been revealed with the advent of accessible large language models, which, even in their early stages, can distill structured data from literature. This brings us closer to creating specialized databases that consolidate virtually all published knowledge on a topic. Methods: Here, we first test different prompt engineering technique / language model combinations in the identification of validated enzyme-product pairs. Next, we evaluate automated prompt engineering and retrieval augmented generation applied to identifying compound-species associations. Finally, we build and determine the accuracy of a multimodal language model-based pipeline that transcribes images of tables into machine-readable formats. Results: When tuned for each specific task, these methods perform with high accuracies (80-90 percent for enzyme-product pair identification and table image transcription), or with modest accuracies (50 percent) but lower false-negative rates than previous methods (down to 40 percent from 55 percent) for compound-species pair identification. Discussion: We enumerate several suggestions for working with language models as researchers, among which is the importance of the user’s domain-specific expertise and knowledge.

Significance Statement

Scientific databases have played a major role in advancing metabolic research. However, even today’s advanced databases are incomplete and/or are not built to best suit certain research tasks. Here, we explored and evaluated the use of large language models and various prompt engineering techniques to expand and subset existing databases in task-specific ways. Our results illustrate the potential for high-accuracy additions and restructurings of existing databases using language models, assuming the specific methods by which the models are used are tuned and validated for the specific task. These findings are important because they outline a method by which we could greatly expand existing databases and rapidly tailor them to specific research efforts, leading to greater research productivity and effective utilization of past research findings.

All authors collected data, analyzed data, prepared the manuscript, and approved its final version. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Mitochondrial dysfunction Impairs the Nuclear Pore Complex in Parkinson’s Disease Pathogenesis
Authors: Riaz Zainab , Chang Yuan-Teng , Zenitsky Gary , Jin Huajun , Anantharam Vellareddy , Kanthasamy Arthi , Kanthasamy Anumantha
Published: November 2024

The mislocalization of transcription factors and irregularities in the nuclear envelope of dopaminergic neurons affected by Parkinson’s disease (PD) implicates the nuclear pore in disease pathogenesis. While mitochondrial dysfunction is an integral component of PD pathophysiology, the involvement of channel-forming nucleoporins (Nups) in mitochondrial dysfunction-related neurodegeneration has not been investigated. Here we have identified pathological changes in the levels and distribution of a set of Nups, which are key structural and functional components of the nuclear pore complex, in dopaminergic neuronal models of PD. We observed that mitochondrial dysfunction reduces the expression of these Nups and disrupts the localization of Ran GTPase in both in vitro and in vivo dopaminergic neuron models. Furthermore, the nuclear pore central channel component, Nup62, mislocalizes and accumulates in the cytoplasm of these neurons under mitochondrial stress conditions. Mitochondrial stress also interferes with classical nuclear export of proteins in dopaminergic neural cells. Notably, we observed Nup pathology and Ran gradient loss in nigral dopaminergic neurons of PD patient brains, which highlights the clinical relevance of nuclear pore dysfunction as a disease mechanism. These findings provide direct evidence of the critical role of Nup-related abnormalities in mitochondrial dysfunction-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, ultimately connecting nuclear pore complex and nucleocytoplasmic transport dysregulation to cell death in the development of PD.

Graphical Abstract
Two H3K23 histone methyltransferases, SET-32 and SET-21, function synergistically to promote nuclear RNAi-mediated transgenerational epigenetic inheritance inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Zhebrun Anna , Ni Julie Z. , Corveleyn Laura , Roy Siddharth Ghosh , Sidoli Simone , Gu Sam G.
Published: November 2024

Nuclear RNAi inC. elegansinduces a set of transgenerationally heritable marks of H3K9me3, H3K23me3, and H3K27me3 at the target genes. The function of H3K23me3 in the nuclear RNAi pathway is largely unknown due to the limited knowledge of H3K23 histone methyltransferase (HMT). In this study we identified SET-21 as a novel H3K23 HMT. By taking combined genetic, biochemical, imaging, and genomic approaches, we found that SET-21 functions synergistically with a previously reported H3K23 HMT SET-32 to deposit H3K23me3 at the native targets of germline nuclear RNAi. We identified a subset of native nuclear RNAi targets that are transcriptionally activated in theset-21;set-32double mutant. SET-21 and SET-32 are also required for robust transgenerational gene silencing induced by exogenous dsRNA. Theset-21;set-32double mutant strain exhibits an enhanced temperature-sensitive mortal germline phenotype compared to theset-32single mutant, while theset-21single mutant animals are fertile. We also found that HRDE-1 and SET-32 are required for cosuppression, a transgene-induced gene silencing phenomenon, inC. elegansgermline. Together, these results support a model in which H3K23 HMTs SET-21 and SET-32 function cooperatively to ensure the robustness of germline nuclear RNAi and promotes the germline immortality under the heat stress.
Selective Enhancement of the Interneuron Network and Gamma-Band Power via GluN2C/GluN2D NMDA Receptor Potentiation
Authors: Camp Chad R. , Banke Tue G. , Xing Hao , Yu Kuai , Perszyk Riley E. , Epplin Matthew P. , Akins Nicholas S. , Zhang Jing , Benke Tim A. , Yuan Hongjie , Liotta Dennis C. , Traynelis Stephen F.
Published: November 2024

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) comprise a family of ligand-gated ionotropic glutamate receptors that mediate a slow, calcium-permeable component to excitatory neurotransmission. The GluN2D subunit is enriched in GABAergic inhibitory interneurons in cortical tissue. Diminished levels of GABAergic inhibition contribute to multiple neuropsychiatric conditions, suggesting that enhancing inhibition may have therapeutic utility, thus making GluN2D modulation an attractive drug target. Here, we describe the actions of a GluN2C/GluN2D-selective positive allosteric modulator (PAM), (+)-EU1180-453, which has improved drug-like properties such as increased aqueous solubility compared to the first-in-class GluN2C/GluN2D-selective prototypical PAM (+)-CIQ. (+)-EU1180-453 doubles the NMDAR response at lower concentrations (< 10 µM) compared to (+)-CIQ, and produces a greater degree of maximal potentiation at 30 µM. Usingin vitroelectrophysiological recordings, we show that (+)-EU1180-453 potentiates triheteromeric NMDARs containing at least one GluN2C or GluN2D subunit, and is active at both exon5-lacking and exon5-containing GluN1 splice variants. (+)-EU1180-453 increases glutamate efficacy for GluN2C/GluN2D-containing NMDARs by both prolonging the deactivation time and potentiating the peak response amplitude. We show that (+)-EU1180-453 selectively increases synaptic NMDAR-mediated charge transfer onto P11-15 CA1stratum radiatumhippocampal interneurons, but is without effect on CA1 pyramidal cells. This increased charge transfer enhances inhibitory output from GABAergic interneurons onto CA1 pyramidal cells in a GluN2D-dependent manner. (+)-EU1180-453 also shifts excitatory-to-inhibitory coupling towards increased inhibition and produces enhanced gamma band power from carbachol-induced field potential oscillations in hippocampal slices. Thus, (+)-EU1180-453 can enhance overall circuit inhibition, which could prove therapeutically useful for the treatment of anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Significance Statement

Interneuron dysfunction and diminished GABAergic inhibition in neocortical and hippocampal circuits remains a prominent molecular hypothesis for neuropsychiatric diseases including anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Pharmacological agents that boost GABA receptor function have shown utility in various forms of depression and treating symptoms of schizophrenia. Cortical GABAergic interneurons, unlike their excitatory pyramidal cell counterparts, are enriched for the GluN2D subunit of the NMDA receptor. Thus, GluN2D subunit-selective modulation could be a useful therapeutic tool to enhance local inhibition, improving the prognosis for neuropsychiatric diseases for which interneuron dysfunction is prominent and causal to circuit aberration.
The interaction effect of family ownership, board gender and skills on CSR strategy with ESG performance: evidence from ASEAN-5 countries
Authors: Ab Aziz Noor Hidayah , Abdul Latiff Ahmed Razman , Osman Mohammad Noor Hisham , Alshdaifat Sajead Mowafaq
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine how corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy impacts environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in public listed firms across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-5 countries. Additionally, it examines the interaction effect of family ownership, board gender diversity and board skills on the relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a fixed-effect panel regression to analyse 1,212 observations collected from ASEAN-5 public listed firms, covering the years 2017–2022. To address the endogeneity problem, this study used a two-step GMM.

Findings

The findings indicate that the ESG performance of firms in ASEAN-5 countries is significantly and positively influenced by their CSR strategy, suggesting that robust CSR strategies lead to superior ESG performance. Family ownership is found to weaken the positive impact of CSR strategy on ESG performance, indicating that family firms prioritize CSR less. Furthermore, female and skilful boards are more likely to implement effective CSR strategies, as reflected in their improved ESG performance.

Practical implications

This study urges firms, particularly family-owned firms, to enhance their CSR strategy. It also recommends that policymakers integrate gender diversity and a variety of skills into corporate boards, possibly by revising regulatory frameworks and corporate governance guidelines.

Originality/value

The results of this study are novel and specifically tailored for ASEAN firms. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to examine the roles of board skills, gender diversity and family ownership in the relationship between CSR strategy and ESG performance in the ASEAN context.
Enhancing environmental sustainability through lean construction principles: an industry-based SEM analysis
Authors: Bajjou Mohamed Saad , Chafi Anas
Published: November 2024

Purpose

In the modern era, the concept of sustainability has become pervasive, permeating various sectors, including the construction industry. Driven by growing environmental concerns, construction organizations are increasingly compelled to seek operational excellence while realigning their practices towards environmental sustainability goals. Hence, this paper investigates the capability of lean construction (LC) principles in enhancing environmental performance (EP) within the construction industry using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs SEM to explore the relationship between LC components and environmental performance factors in the construction context. This methodology integrates both empirical and qualitative analyses within a structured framework to explore the relationship between LC components and EP factors in the construction context. By collecting and statistically testing data from 307 Moroccan construction companies, the study evaluates the impact of five LC principles – process transparency and standardization, continuous improvement, waste elimination, planning and scheduling and material flow and pull – on four environmental performance indicators: material use, energy consumption, non-product output and pollutant releases.

Findings

The analysis reveals that, among the five LC principles – process transparency and standardization, continuous improvement, waste elimination, planning and scheduling and material flow and pull – the principles of waste elimination and planning and scheduling significantly contribute to environmental improvements. These practices were shown to impact positively four environmental performance indicators: material use, energy consumption, non-product output and pollutant releases.

Originality/value

This research fills a critical gap in empirical studies on the beneficial effects of LC practices on environmental sustainability in the construction industry. It provides theoretical insights and practical recommendations for managers and practitioners to effectively implement LC principles, thereby promoting more efficient and sustainable practices, particularly in developing countries.
Emergence of global value chains as key driver behind industrial development: evidence from participating African countries
Authors: Edo Samson , Osadolor Nneka
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of global value chains (GVC) in industrial development of emerging economies, with particular focus on participating African countries. The findings of this study are expected to provide insight on the need for more developing countries to participate in GVC.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is built upon the neoclassical and endogenous growth theories, which postulate that savings, physical capital and human capital are the fundamental drivers of development in productive sectors of the economy. The investigation, covering the period 1980–2021, is carried out by using the unrestricted error correction model and dynamic ordinary least squares model.

Findings

The results of this study reveal that GVC stands as the dominant factor driving industrial development, compared to savings, physical capital and human capital. The findings, therefore, seem to contradict the postulation of conventional theories. The policy implications of the findings are not far-fetched. First, industrial development in the participating African countries has benefited largely from GVC; hence, it is necessary to encourage more participation. Second, industrial development also benefited from the control variables (savings, physical capital and human capital), hence the need to sustain their complementary role. Thirdly, only three African countries are actively participating in GVC, which suggests that more countries need to join, to facilitate industrial development.

Originality/value

Previous studies have not given adequate attention to African countries that participate in GVC, thus creating a void that needs to be filled. This study, therefore, produced results that are relevant to policy-making on industrial development in African countries.
Research progress of wearable devices in textile field: a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer, RStudio bibliometrix and CiteSpace software tools
Authors: Xu Tianqi , Wang Min
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze research trends on “Wearable devices in textile filed” from 2010 to 2023 and determine the important keywords, nations and journals associated with this topic.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing journal literature on wearable devices from the 2010 to 2023 Web of Science (WoS) database, this study employs VOSviewer, biblioshiny of the R software package and the specialized software CiteSpace to generate knowledge graphs for measuring retrieval outcomes.

Findings

The research on wearable devices integrated into textiles between 2010 and 2023 can be divided into three stages: initial slow progress, subsequent rapid advancement and final slow progress, indicating a general rise in the quantity of published material. The terms “fabrication,” “wearable electronics” and “design” are closely linked in this field. China is the most globally networked country in this field, according to the World Collaboration Map. NANO ENERGY ranked first in the number of articles published in journals, with 18 articles and 1,151 citations.

Originality/value

The study identified the present state and research trends in the field of “Wearable devices in textile filed,” offering valuable information for researchers to enhance their understanding of the field’s progress.
Females wanna-be entrepreneurs need empathic heroes
Authors: Bonanni Carole , Stervinou Sandrine , Viglia Giampaolo
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Despite the well-documented importance of empathy and mentoring in entrepreneurship, there is a need for a deeper understanding of how empathy influences individuals’ “willingness to be mentored”.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper investigates gender differences in “Willingness to be mentored” based on the mentor’s types of empathy (cognitive vs affective) and entrepreneurship (social vs for-profit). Drawing on the personal identification and the entrepreneurship literature, we measured the respondents’ “Willingness to be mentored” by manipulating the type of empathy and entrepreneurship and comparing its effect between male and female respondents. Primary survey data were collected from master’s degree students in entrepreneurship from diverse business schools. An explanatory qualitative study on female start-uppers complemented the findings.

Findings

The results from the quantitative study show that female respondents prefer to be mentored by an entrepreneur who exhibits some affective empathy rather than only cognitive empathy, with a preference for a social entrepreneur. The qualitative study confirms the evidence. This research contributes to the discussion on developing social capabilities to succeed in new ventures. It extends our understanding of the importance of empathic entrepreneurs as mentors to foster entrepreneurship among women.

Originality/value

Theoretically, we demonstrate the existence of a gender difference in “Willingness to be mentored” based on the type of empathy displayed by the entrepreneur. Additionally, we introduce a new construct in the entrepreneurship literature, “Willingness to be mentored”, and differentiate it from “Attitude toward entrepreneurship”.
Why are satisfied buyers not necessarily loyal?
Authors: Pleshko Larry , Dawes John
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The aim of this study is to identify why some brand buyers are satisfied, but are not necessarily loyal.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on prior literature, this study posits and tests nine potential reasons for why some satisfied buyers are loyal, and others are not. The factors examined are: distribution intensity, familiarity, popularity, customer satisfaction levels, category experience, variety-seeking, service design fit, satisfaction advantages (consumers having higher satisfaction for one brand versus others) and loyalty advantages (consumers showing higher loyalty for one brand versus others). The authors use the context of food retailing, focusing on the fast-food industry in the State of Kuwait.

Findings

The authors find that approximately 70% of fast-food brand users are satisfied, but only 28% of those satisfied users can be classified as highly loyal. While overall, the study finds satisfaction is positively correlated with individual-level buyer loyalty, analysis also finds that brand popularity, overall customer satisfaction levels, experience, variety-seeking, satisfaction advantages and loyalty advantages are factors that explain why many customers are satisfied, but do not have high levels of loyalty.

Originality/value

This study makes a novel and original contribution in assessing a broad range of factors that help explain why many satisfied buyers are not necessarily also loyal. The findings will assist managers to contextualize their firm’s performance on satisfaction and loyalty.
Cross-functional integration between demand and supply processes: a case study about the role of digital technologies
Authors: Lima Francisco Arnaldo Ferraz , Pimenta Marcio Lopes , Fodra Marcelo , Hilletofth Per
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The objective of this article is to analyze the integration between the internal functions related to demand and supply processes. The studied object was an agribusiness company that uses digital technologies to operate its inbound logistics.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study was conducted in a global agribusiness company that went through a restructuring process with the implementation of a shared service center. In-depth interviews were conducted with employees from the demand and supply areas. The analysis involved description of cross-functional integration processes from the areas of demand and supply, the identification of technologies from Industry 4.0 present in the activities of those areas and their role in the integration process.

Findings

The analysis revealed the mediating role of technology in cross-functional integration, the presence of new integration factors and their impact on process performance. A framework was developed that describes the relationship between technology and integration factors, their impacts, and the implications for theory and practice.

Practical implications

Regarding this study, the focal company migrated its activities, which were previously isolated and dispersed across branches, to a centralized shared services unit. This research contributes by providing managers with elements to support their investment decisions in technologies that facilitate the integration process, mainly in the areas of planning and execution. It also contributes to the planning of processes, helping managers who are implementing or migrating activities and areas to new management structures.

Originality/value

This paper brings two new assumptions that may guide future investigations about cross-functional integration and its effects on demand and supply integration (DSI): (1) Digital technologies are able to support cross-functional integration in order to provide information integrity, team alignment, agile and assertive decision making within supply and demand processes; (2) Cross-functional integration, mediated by digital technologies, can generate agility and accuracy of information in the demand and supply processes. This accuracy and agility provide improvements in demand and supply process performance metrics, such as predictability, assertiveness, standardization, productivity and response time.
The exemplary PDS partnership award: an overview and review of publications from award recipients
Authors: Polly Drew
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The National Association for School-University Partnerships ([NASUP], formerly known as the National Association for Professional Development Schools [NAPDS]), annually awards the Exemplary PDS Partnership Award to partnerships who exemplify many or all of the NAPDS Nine Essentials (NAPDS, 2021). This article provides an overview of the Exemplary PDS Award and provides a review of peer-reviewed journal articles published by recipients of the NASUP/NAPDS Exemplary PDS Partnership Award between 2014 and 2024.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a basic review of literature.

Findings

Findings indicate that most Exemplary PDS Awards between 2014 and 2024 cite the NAPDS Essentials 1 and 4. Essential 1 focuses on PDS partnerships have a comprehensive mission and mutually beneficial partnership that advances teaching, learning, and equity. Essential 4 focuses on innovative practice and reflecting on PDS partnership activities.

Originality/value

This article provides a review of peer-reviewed journal articles published by recipients of the Exemplary PDS Award.
Monitoring the anticorrosion performance of developed epoxy-based paint formulations on metallic surfaces by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
Authors: Sariogullari Hidayet , Demirkurt Merve , Yılmazer Zeynep
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of varying solid ratios in epoxy-based formulations on their corrosion resistance. The amounts of epoxy resin in the formulations were kept constant, and the behavior of paints with varying filler ratios was compared. It also examines the tensiometric and rheological properties of these formulations.

Design/methodology/approach

Three distinct epoxy-based formulations cured with amine compounds were prepared. The formulations underwent various testing protocols to evaluate their performance: coating tests: coated panels with cross lines were exposed to humidity and corrosive atmospheres. Tensiometric Measurements: Conducted using pendant and sessile drop methods. Rheological characterizations: ıncluded flow tests, oscillatory amplitude sweeps and three-interval thixotropy tests. Corrosion resistance assessment: after the panels were immersed in methanol for one week, measurements were taken using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Additional tests: neutral salt spray (NSS) and humidity testing.

Findings

The study observed that the coated panels, after exposure to NSS and humidity testing, demonstrated corrosion resistance within acceptable limits as defined by the ISO 12944-6 standard. Results indicate that the epoxy-based formulations show potential for improvements in paints and coatings, suggesting promising advancements in their anticorrosion performance.

Originality/value

This research provides insights into how the solid ratios in epoxy-based formulations influence their performance, particularly in terms of corrosion resistance, tensiometric and rheological properties. The findings contribute to the development of more effective epoxy resin-based coatings for industrial applications.
Mechanisms by which growth and succession limit the impact of fire—A comment on Zylstra et al.'s model
Authors: McCaw Lachlan
Published: November 2024

Zylstra et al. (2023) hypothesise that ecological controls contribute to a decline in the potential behaviour and severity of fires burning in tall open eucalypt forests unburnt for multi‐decadal periods (>52 years). They model potential flame height in forests dominated by Eucalyptus jacksonii in southwestern Australia and argue that self‐thinning of understorey shrubs leads to a decline in suspended litter (woody necromass), which in turn leads to reduced flame heights in older fuels.

Forest floor and suspended litter were not sampled as part of their field survey, and instead they describe the dynamics of these fuel components by fitting equations to data reported from previous studies. The form of equation they use to describe the accumulation of suspended litter does not account for the contributions of woody necromass other than from understorey shrubs. In particular, twig fall from the forest overstorey is likely to make an important contribution to suspended litter and is much slower to decompose than leaves and necromass from understorey shrubs.

Their assumption of a decline in suspended litter is inconsistent with published research on fuel dynamics in tall open forests in southwestern Australia, which demonstrates that dead fine fuel loadings do not decline when the forest remains unburnt.

In the absence of field data to support their assumption of decline in suspended litter, the broader conclusions of Zylstra et al. (2023) regarding changes in potential behaviour and severity of fires in E. jacksonii dominant forest unburnt for >52 years remain open to question.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Spider waste enhances soil nutrient content, soil respiration, and plant growth
Authors: Wilder Shawn M. , Barnes Cody L. , Smith Gabriella , Youssef Noha H. , Hawlena Dror
Published: November 2024

Predators can alter the movement of nutrients through ecosystems by depositing waste products following predation. Whilst the benefits of predator waste for large predators (e.g. bears) or dense accumulations of predators (e.g. seabirds on islands) seem clear, less is known about whether smaller, solitary predators can have measurable effects on local ecosystem processes.

In separate experiments with web‐building and wandering spiders, we tested if the presence of predators affected soil nutrient content, soil respiration, soil microbial communities, and plant growth.

In the first experiment with black widow spiders, total nitrogen and nitrate were not affected by spider presence, but ammonia and phosphorus were higher from soil under the edge of the spider web than soil away from the spider. Soil respiration and plant growth were both higher in soil collected from under the spider retreat compared with soil collected away from the spider web.

In a second experiment with wolf spiders, we tested for interactions between spiders and soil microbial communities. There were positive effects of wolf spider presence on all soil nutrients and there were interactions between spiders and soil type (i.e. field‐collected versus autoclaved) for total carbon, total nitrogen, nitrate, and pH. Spider presence and soil type also affected soil respiration and spider presence had a large effect on the composition of the microbial community of the soil. There were also positive effects of wolf spider presence on plant biomass and plant height, with a significant interaction between spiders and soil type for plant height.

Overall, our results show that two spiders with different life histories (i.e. web‐building and wandering) both have significant positive effects on plant growth through the deposition of their waste products. These effects may occur through the direct deposition of nutrients and changes in soil microbial communities. Although, further work is needed to resolve these interactions.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Testing the contribution of vertebrate predators and leaf traits to mainland–island differences in insect herbivory on oaks
Authors: Vázquez‐González Carla , Abdala‐Roberts Luis , Lago‐Núñez Beatriz , Dean Lydia S. , Capó Miquel , de la Mata Raúl , Tack Ayco J. M. , Stenberg Johan A. , Covelo Felisa , Cao Ana , Cursach Joana , Hernández‐Serrano Ana , Hansen Finn , Mooney Kailen A. , Moreira Xoaquín
Published: November 2024

Ecological theory predicts that herbivory should be weaker on islands than on mainland based on the assumption that islands have lower herbivore abundance and diversity. However, empirical tests of this prediction are rare, especially for insect herbivores, and those few tests often fail to address the mechanisms behind island–mainland divergence in herbivory. In particular, past studies have not addressed the relative contribution of top‐down (i.e. predator‐driven) and bottom‐up (i.e. plant‐driven) factors to these dynamics.

To address this, we experimentally excluded insectivorous vertebrate predators (e.g. birds, bats) and measured leaf traits associated with herbivory in 52 populations of 12 oak (Quercus) species in three island–mainland sites: The Channel Islands of California vs. mainland California, Balearic Islands vs. mainland Spain, and the island Bornholm vs. mainland Sweden (N = 204 trees). In each site, at the end of the growing season, we measured leaf damage by insect herbivores on control vs. predator‐excluded branches and measured leaf traits, namely: phenolic compounds, specific leaf area, and nitrogen and phosphorous content. In addition, we obtained climatic and soil data for island and mainland populations using global databases. Specifically, we tested for island–mainland differences in herbivory, and whether differences in vertebrate predator effects or leaf traits between islands and mainland contributed to explaining the observed herbivory patterns.

Supporting predictions, herbivory was lower on islands than on mainland, but only in the case of Mediterranean sites (California and Spain). We found no evidence for vertebrate predator effects on herbivory on either islands or mainland in any study site. In addition, while insularity affected leaf traits in some of the study sites (Sweden‐Bornholm and California), these effects were seemingly unrelated to differences in herbivory.

Synthesis. Our results suggest that vertebrate predation and the studied leaf traits did not contribute to island–mainland variation patterns in herbivory, calling for more nuanced and comprehensive investigations of predator and plant trait effects, including measurements of other plant traits and assessments of predation by different groups of natural enemies.
Teacher perspectives and barriers in implementing inclusive education for Indian children with special needs: A pilot study
Authors: Kaur Ramandeep , Salian Raveena H.
Published: November 2024

Inclusive education is crucial for integrating children with special needs into mainstream educational settings. This pilot study explores the attitudes of teachers in India toward providing inclusive education to children with disabilities, and the challenges they face. As the Indian education system continues to evolve, there are significant gaps in teacher preparedness and the availability of resources, especially given the socio‐cultural and economic diversity of the country. The study aims to assess the perspectives of 30 primary and secondary school teachers regarding their experiences with inclusive education, focusing on their attitudes, challenges, and the resources available for supporting students with special needs. A mixed‐methods approach was employed, utilising surveys and interviews to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. The results indicate that while many teachers hold a positive attitude toward inclusive education, they face numerous challenges in its implementation, including a lack of specialised training, insufficient support services and inadequate teaching materials. Teachers expressed particular difficulty in supporting students with severe disabilities due to the lack of behavioural and psychological services in schools. This study emphasises the importance of continued teacher training and infrastructure improvements to foster effective inclusive education. It also highlights the need for policy changes, such as the integration of the Samagra Shiksha scheme and recognition of the 2016 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, to support teachers in overcoming the barriers they face. The findings from this pilot study will inform a larger, more comprehensive study, and provide the foundation for future reforms of inclusive education in India.
Impact of temperature and concentration on flow behaviour of reconstituted lactose and protein‐rich dairy powders
Authors: Seighalani Fariba Zad Bagher , Johnson David M , Sharma Prateek
Published: November 2024

To help with designing the drying process, this study investigated the flow behaviour of lactose and protein‐rich reconstituted dairy powders at 25°C and 50°C. Lactose‐rich samples, 50% dried whey (DW) and 60% whey protein concentrate (WPC35) did not follow the Herschel–Bulkley model because of presence of lactose crystals. Reconstituted 50% skim milk powder (SMP) and protein‐rich dairy powders exhibited shear‐thinning behaviour (n < 0.3). With increasing concentration, whey protein concentrate/isolate (WPC80/WPI) and micellar casein concentrate high‐solid dispersions exhibited more shear‐thinning behaviour (n < 0.4). Understanding shear‐thinning behaviour of lactose‐rich and protein‐rich reconstituted dairy powders will provide basis for optimising drying parameters.
BJOG Mini Commentary on Systematic Review of Clinical Prediction Models for the Risk of Emergency Caesarean Births
Authors: Eldamanhoury Hala
Published: November 2024

Linked article: This is a mini commentary on Hunt et al., pp. 231–240 in this issue. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/1471‐0528.17948.
Therapeutic plasma exchange without anticoagulation: Single‐center experience
Authors: Zúñiga‐Rodríguez Eduardo , Peña Danna , Mantilla Juliana , Castellanos‐De La Hoz Juan Camilo , Carvajal‐Abril Maria Patricia , Saravia Bermeo Isabel Cristina , Molano‐Triviño Alejandra
Published: November 2024

Background

Membrane therapeutic plasma exchange (mTPE) is indicated for treating autoimmune, neurological, hematological, and renal diseases. Few studies have assessed the effectiveness and safety of this technique, especially when no anticoagulants are added. This study evaluated the outcomes of mTPE without anticoagulation at a single center.

Methods

Based on registry data, this retrospective cohort study included adult patients treated with mTPE without anticoagulants for different indications.

Results

From October 2021 to October 2022, 46 patients received 385 mTPE treatments. The primary diagnosis leading to the intervention was humoral rejection of the kidney transplant (59.2%). Most procedures (62.1%) were performed in the inpatient department. The complication rate was 1.3%, with 2.1% of patients experiencing device coagulation. Only five patients experienced mild adverse events. There were no cases of mortality.

Conclusions

When indicated, mTPE without anticoagulation is a safe hospital technique. Protocols are needed to guide the use and monitoring of this therapy.
Predicting the risk of treatment‐requiring retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants in Greece. External validation of DIGIROP prognostic models
Authors: Moutzouri Stella , Pivodic Aldina , Haidich Anna‐Bettina , Seliniotaki Aikaterini K. , Lithoxopoulou Maria , Tsakalidis Christos , Hellström Ann , Ziakas Nikolaos , Mataftsi Asimina
Published: November 2024

Purpose

To assess the predictive performance of DIGIROP‐v1.0 models in identifying treatment‐requiring ROP among infants undergoing ROP screening at a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit in Greece.

Methods

Retrospective cohort analysis of 640 consecutive screened preterm infants with gestational age (GA) 240/7 to 306/7 weeks and known ROP outcome in the 2nd Neonatology Department of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2009–2021). The primary outcome was the development of type 1 ROP according to the Early Treatment of ROP criteria or treatment based on the ophthalmologist's judgement. Sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) and calibration plots for the DIGIROP‐v1.0 models were displayed.

Results

The DIGIROP‐Birth‐v1.0 model correctly identified 35/43 treated infants (sensitivity 81.4% [95% CI, 66.6%–91.6%], specificity 61.5% [95% CI, 57.4%–65.4%], AUC 0.82 [95% CI, 0.75–0.90]). During the postnatal weeks 6–14 the sensitivity of the DIGIROP‐Screen‐v1.0 model ranged from 82.6% to 100%. Eleven infants, all with severe comorbidities, that is, congenital malformation(s), syndrome(s), hydrocephalus or history of intestinal surgery, that were treated, were missed by the model, but met criteria for screening according to DIGIROP‐v1.0 models' recommendations, and to our unit's routine standards.

Conclusion

The DIGIROP‐v1.0 models resulted in lower sensitivity and higher specificity in this Greek cohort compared with the Swedish development group. Despite higher GA and BW, infants in our cohort had higher incidence of treated ROP than in Sweden, resulting in an under‐estimation of their risk for treatment‐requiring ROP. Further validation of the DIGIROP‐v2.0 models and potential adjusting are recommended to maximize generalizability in populations with different characteristics.
Dichloroacetate, a pyruvate dehydrogenase activator, alleviates high‐fat‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation in skeletal muscles
Authors: Huang Chuang‐Yen , Han I‐Shan , Hsieh Po‐Shiuan , Tsai Min‐Chien , Chien Hung‐Che
Published: November 2024

Obesity‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation leads to muscle loss and sarcopenia. Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism and is associated with muscle differentiation. However, the effect of dichloroacetate (DCA), a PDH activator, on obesity‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the effects of DCA treatment on high‐fat intake‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation in C2C12 cells and C57BL/6 mice. In C2C12 cells, DCA treatment improved PDH activity that was reduced by palmitate (PAL) and decreased the lactate concentrations in the media. Additionally, DCA reversed PAL‐ and high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced decrease in the expression of myoblast determination protein 1 (MyoD), myogenin (MyoG) and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) in C2C12 cells and C57BL/6 mice. To explore the possible mechanism, DCA treatment restored the levels of p‐Akt, p‐FoxO1, p‐FoxO3a and p‐p38 MAPK levels in PAL‐treated C2C12 cells. Moreover, the protective effects of DCA were reversed by treatment with the Akt inhibitor MK2206 in C2C12 cells. In summary, DCA treatment alleviated high‐fat intake‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation via Akt signalling, suggesting its potential in treating obesity‐associated muscle loss and sarcopenia.
Menstruation experiences and its association with psychological distress among school‐going adolescent girls of Nepal: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Niroula Sadikshya , Paudel Shishir , Chalise Anisha , Acharya Sophiya , Marasine Nirmal Raj
Published: November 2024

This study aimed to assess the relationship between menstruation‐related attributes and mental distress in adolescent girls. A cross‐sectional study was conducted in Rangeli Municipality, Nepal, among 270 adolescent girls. Data were collected using a self‐administered questionnaire. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated at a 5% level of significance to identify factors associated with depression, anxiety and stress. Of 270 adolescent girls, 28.9% (95% CI: 23.5%–35.2%) experienced anxiety, 14.4% (95% CI: 10.0%–18.5%) experienced stress and 32.2% (95% CI: 26.6%–37.4%) experienced depression. Low perceived family support during menstruation (aOR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.03–7.97), low perceived support from friends during menstruation (aOR: 4.09, 95% CI: 1.66–10.07) and experiencing moderate/severe dysmenorrhea (aOR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.105–5.08) were associated with anxiety. Those with moderate/severe dysmenorrhoea had higher odds (aOR: 5.60, 95% CI: 1.56–20.05) of experiencing stress. Low perceived family support (aOR: 3.07, 95% CI: 1.08–8.67), low perceived support from friends (aOR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.11–6.89) and experiencing moderate to severe dysmenorrhoea (aOR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.63–7.79) were associated with depression. The findings underscore the importance of proper management of dysmenorrhoea and need for social support from both family and friends during menstruation as these factors are associated with psychological distress among adolescent girls.
Impact Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Supportive Housing Demonstration Programme for Homeless, Child Welfare–Involved Families
Authors: Lery Bridgette , Rhodes Emily , Thompson Douglas , Haight Jennifer
Published: November 2024

A “Housing First” approach to homelessness, showing promise for single adults, might also be effective for families whose homelessness combined with other challenges bring them to the attention of the child welfare system. This paper reports impact findings from the evaluation of a randomized, controlled trial in San Francisco that tested the effectiveness of an intervention designed to provide permanent housing and supportive services to such families, with the goal of safely reducing the use of foster care. Compared with families in the control group (33 families with 60 children), we found no significant impact on the likelihood of out‐of‐home placement up to 2 years after randomization. For families whose children were already in foster care, children in the treatment group (43 families with 63 children) reunified faster than those in the control group (42 families with 68 children), although nearly always before being housed. There was no difference between groups in time to case closure or likelihood of subsequent child welfare involvement. We discuss these findings in the context of important implementation challenges that have implications for further testing this intervention in tight housing markets.
Inverting Cognitive Models With Neural Networks to Infer Preferences From Fixations
Authors: Russek Evan M. , Callaway Frederick , Griffiths Thomas L.
Published: November 2024

Inferring an individual's preferences from their observable behavior is a key step in the development of assistive decision‐making technology. Although machine learning models such as neural networks could in principle be deployed toward this inference, a large amount of data is required to train such models. Here, we present an approach in which a cognitive model generates simulated data to augment limited human data. Using these data, we train a neural network to invert the model, making it possible to infer preferences from behavior. We show how this approach can be used to infer the value that people assign to food items from their eye movements when choosing between those items. We demonstrate first that neural networks can infer the latent preferences used by the model to generate simulated fixations, and second that simulated data can be beneficial in pretraining a network for predicting human‐reported preferences from real fixations. Compared to inferring preferences from choice alone, this approach confers a slight improvement in predicting preferences and also allows prediction to take place prior to the choice being made. Overall, our results suggest that using a combination of neural networks and model‐simulated training data is a promising approach for developing technology that infers human preferences.