bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential of phenolic compounds in Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume as antioxidant and lipase inhibitors: Multi‐spectroscopic methods and molecular docking
Authors: Gao Hao‐Xiang , Liang Heng‐Yu , Chen Nan , Shi Bi , Zeng Wei‐Cai
Published: January 2022

Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume is traditionally served as a functional tea in China. In this work, the antioxidant activities of L. robustum (Rxob.) Blume extract (LRE) were evaluated and its inhibitory effect and mechanism on pancreatic lipase were further investigated. With the high contents of phenols (139.70 ± 1.41 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract) and flavonoids (326.46 ± 7.36 mg rutin equivalent/g extract), LRE showed significant antioxidant activities (p < 0.05) for scavenging free radicals and hydrogen peroxide, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and providing strong reducing power. Meanwhile, LRE displayed remarkable inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase with a low half‐effective inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 2.469 ± 0.005 mg/ml which was further determined as non‐competitive inhibition. The spectroscopic results showed that LRE inhibited the activity of pancreatic lipase by modifying the tertiary and secondary structures of lipase. Moreover, four phenolic compounds (acteoside, lipedoside A, oleuropein and ligurobustoside C) were identified from LRE by the high performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole‐ time of flight‐mass spectrometry. In addition, according to molecular docking analysis, the four phenols could interact with pancreatic lipase by hydrogen bonds, so as to change the spatial structure of pancreatic lipase and inhibit its catalytic activity. The present results suggest that LRE not only exhibits strong antioxidant capacity but possesses effectively inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase, which might have the potential to be developed as functional food and nutraceuticals for the prevention of metabolic diseases.

Practical Application

Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume extract has been confirmed to possess antioxidant activity and lipase inhibitory activity, which indicates that the L. robustum extract has the potential to prevent oxidative stress and regulate fat metabolism. This work suggests that L. robustum extract can be served as a novel resource to prepare nutraceuticals and functional food in food industries.
Deodorizing effects of rosemary extract on silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and determination of its deodorizing components
Authors: Huang Pimiao , Wang Zhirong , Shi Yue , Zhang Rui , Feng Xiya , Kan Jianquan
Published: January 2022

Fishy odor in fish products severely influences both eating quality and commercial acceptability, and natural plant extracts, particularly spices, have recently become popular for the removal of fishy odor. This study aimed to explore the potential of rosemary extract for the deodorization of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), as well as to identify the deodorizing components in rosemary extract. Results showed that all of the spice extracts used in this study (ginger, garlic, angelica dahurica, fennel, rosemary, nutmeg, white cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaf) significantly reduced the fishy odor value of silver carp, among which rosemary extract was most effective, decreasing the fishy odor value by about 58%. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis and sensory evaluation showed that the fishy odor value and concentrations of the fishy odor‐active compounds were significantly reduced by the application of rosemary extract. However, the lower the total phenolic content of rosemary extract, the poorer the deodorizing effects against silver carp, suggesting that the deodorizing effect was primarily driven by polyphenols. Fourteen phenolic compounds were measured in rosemary extract, and three individual phenolic compounds (rosmarinic acid [RA], carnosic acid [CA], and carnosol [CS]) were chosen for deodorizing experiment. Sensory detection results and changes of contents of volatile showed that these three phenolic compounds are effective at removing the fishy odor. These results suggest that polyphenols are the main deodorizing components, and RA, CA, and CS are the main deodorizing active compounds in rosemary extract.

Practical Application

The results of this study may provide a new way to determine the deodorizing components of spice extracts. Moreover, it can provide guidance for further research in investigating the deodorizing mechanism of sipce extracts.
Encapsulation of Curcumin in a Ternary Nanocomplex Prepared with Carboxymethyl Short Linear Glucan–Sodium–Caseinate–Pectin Via Electrostatic Interactions
Authors: Li Wenhui , Yu Ying , Dai Ziyang , Peng Jielong , Wu Jinhong , Wang Zhengwu
Published: January 2022

This work chemically modified short linear glucan (SLG) by introducing a surface carboxymethyl group to obtain carboxymethylated SLG (CMSLG), then prepared CMSLG‐based ternary nanocomplex particles based on electrostatic interactions with sodium‐caseinate (NaCas) and pectin. These nanocomplex particles are homogeneous, generally exhibiting sizes of <200 nm with spherical shape and negative surface charge. In addition, the results showed the increase in both the mass ratio of CMSLG and NaCas and the synthesis temperature can improve the colloidal stability of nanocomplex particles when they are exposed to simulated gastrointestinal fluids containing digestive enzymes. Moreover, nanocomplex particles have an exceptional capability to encapsulate curcumin, and this encapsulation efficiency increased as the mass ratios of CMSLG and NaCas were increased. The study also investigated the antioxidant activity and in vitro release properties of curcumin encapsulated by nanocomplex particles and found that CMSLG/NaCas/pectin had improved higher ABTS radical scavenging capacity and allowed for the controlled, sustained release of curcumin in simulated gastrointestinal fluid within 6 hours. Thus, this study provides new insights into the design of a CMSLG‐based ternary nanocomplex and its use as a potential oral delivery system for lipophilic bioactive compounds.

Practical Application

Curcumin, as a sort of natural polyphenolic compound, has many physiologic functions such as anti‐oxidation, anticancer, and prevention of Alzheimer's disease. However, the application of the curcumin has been limited by its poor water solubility and unstable physicochemical property. To solve this problem, the nanotechnology has been used to prepare the nano‐delivery carriers for curcumin. This work prepared a ternary nanoparticle based on the carboxymethyl short linear glucan, sodium‐caseinate, and pectin. The ternary nanoparticle can achieve a higher encapsulation efficiency for curcumin. In addition, the ternary nanoparticle can enhance the ABTS radical scavenging capacity and provided control and sustained release of curcumin in the simulated gastrointestinal fluid.
The effect of short‐term intensive insulin therapy on inflammatory cytokines in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes
Authors: He Junyu , Dai Peiji , Liu Liyi , Yang Yanqing , Liu Xibo , Li Yanbing , Liao Zhihong
Published: January 2022

Background

Diabetes mellitus was a chronic low‐grade inflammatory disease and had increased circulating inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins. We aimed to identify the changes of inflammatory cytokines in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients after short‐term intensive insulin therapy using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII).

Methods

Thirty‐three newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients were enrolled between September 2020 to December 2020. Expression of 40 inflammatory cytokines of the patients were tested with RayBiotech antibody array before and after 1 week of intensive insulin therapy of CSII. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis was carried out to explore the signaling pathway involved in the therapy.

Results

Five inflammatory cytokines were downregulated significantly after 1 week of CSII therapy. They were interleukin‐6 receptor (IL‐6R), regulated upon activation normal T‐cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐1 (TIMP‐1), and platelet‐derived growth factor type BB (PDGF‐BB) (p < 0.05 and foldchange <0.83). Among patients with baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) < 10%, three proinflammatory cytokines were decreased significantly after therapy: IL‐6R, RANTES, and ICAM‐1. As for the patients with baseline HbA1c ≥ 10%, eight inflammatory cytokines were inhibited significantly after the treatment, including ICAM‐1, IL‐6R, RANTES, TIMP‐1, TIMP‐2, macrophage inflammatory protein‐1 beta (MIP‐1β), PDGF‐BB, and tumor necrosis factor receptor type II (TNF RII). No matter which subgroup of baseline HbA1c level was considered, the decreased cytokines after CSII therapy were significantly involved in TNF signaling pathway. Nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) signaling pathway was mainly enriched in patients with baseline HbA1c ≥ 10%.

Conclusions

A panel of 40 inflammatory cytokines, measured by protein microarray, were evaluated for 1 week of CSII treatment in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients. After treatment, many proinflammatory cytokines decreased. In the higher baseline HbA1c subgroup, more proinflammatory cytokines improved. No matter which subgroup of HbA1c level was considered, IL‐6R, RANTES, and ICAM‐1, which were involved in TNF signaling pathway, decreased significantly after CSII therapy. This was the first report showing that the cytokines of IL‐6R, TIMP‐2, PDGF‐BB, and TNF RII decreased after the CSII therapy.
Lights, camera, pliman! An R package for plant image analysis
Authors: Olivoto Tiago
Published: January 2022

Manual measurements of quantitative traits are time consuming and error prone. Therefore, high‐throughput phenotyping methods that allow a rapid and accurate assessment are vital to a growing range of researchers such as agronomists, breeders, phytopathologists, geneticists, ecologists and biologists.

Here, I describe the pliman R package, a collection of functions designed (but not limited) to conduct plant image analysis. The package will help researchers to (a) manipulate, segment and compute image indexes based on Red, Green, Blue, Red‐Edge and Near‐Infrared bands; (b) measure leaf area and shape; (c) quantify plant disease severity; (d) count and extract features (e.g. area, perimeter, radius, circularity and eccentricity) of objects such as grains, leaves, pods, pollen and cells; and (e) compute RGB indexes for each object in an image.

In this paper, I describe the main features implemented in the package, guiding the user along a gentle learning curve with practical and reproducible examples. The results of validation studies implemented to count objects in different scenarios (combination of seed sizes, background colour and image resolution), measure leaf area, and quantify plant disease severity have shown that pliman measurements are highly concordant with existing ‘gold standard’ tools.

The pliman package offers a flexible, intuitive and richly documented working environment for image‐based phenotyping, being an interesting alternative to free and commercial ‘point‐and‐click’ solutions. R users will find the package fairly easy to use and will be surprised at how the setting of a few arguments will allow processing thousands of images while they enjoy a cup of coffee.
Do acquiring firms achieve their mergers and acquisitions objectives? Evidence from Japan
Authors: Amano Yoshiaki
Published: January 2022

This study assessed whether acquiring firms achieve the objectives of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) that are presented in their press releases and financial statements. It examined the usefulness of disclosing the M&A objectives to investors by analysing a sample of 232 M&A conducted between Japanese firms. The findings show that disclosed M&A objectives regarding profitability, efficiency, and growth are not usually realised. The results also show that describing M&A objectives in financial statements leads to higher short‐term stock returns while the stock market adjusts the valuation of firms based on their actual performance in the long run.
Functional connectivity in reward‐related networks is associated with individual differences in gambling strategies in male Lister hooded rats
Authors: Tjernström Nikita , Li Tie‐Qiang , Holst Sarah , Roman Erika
Published: January 2022

Individuals with gambling disorder display deficits in decision‐making in the Iowa Gambling Task. The rat Gambling Task (rGT) is a rodent analogue that can be used to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying gambling behaviour. The aim of this explorative study was to examine individual strategies in the rGT and investigate possible behavioural and neural correlates associated with gambling strategies. Thirty‐two adult male Lister hooded rats underwent behavioural testing in the multivariate concentric square field™ (MCSF) and the novel cage tests, were trained on and performed the rGT and subsequently underwent resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R‐fMRI). In the rGT, stable gambling strategies were found with subgroups of rats that preferred the suboptimal safest choice as well as the disadvantageous choice, that is, the riskiest gambling strategy. R‐fMRI results revealed associations between gambling strategies and brain regions central for reward networks. Moreover, rats with risky gambling strategies differed from those with strategic and intermediate strategies in brain functional connectivity. No differences in behavioural profiles, as assessed with the MCSF and novel cage tests, were observed between the gambling strategy groups. In conclusion, stable individual differences in gambling strategies were found. Intrinsic functional connectivity using R‐fMRI provides novel evidence to support the notion that individual differences in gambling strategies are associated with functional connectivity in brain regions important for reward networks.
The prevalence of non‐allergic rhinitis phenotypes in the general population: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Avdeeva Klementina S. , Fokkens Wytske J. , Segboer Christine L. , Reitsma Sietze
Published: January 2022

Background

Non‐allergic rhinitis (NAR) can be subdivided into several phenotypes: rhinorrhea of the elderly, rhinitis medicamentosa, smokers', occupational, hormonal, drug‐induced, gustatory, and idiopathic rhinitis. There are two pathophysiological endotypes of NAR: inflammatory and neurogenic. Phenotypes may serve as an indicator of an underlying endotype and, therefore, help to guide the treatment. The prevalence of each phenotype in the general population is currently unknown.

Methodology/Principal

Cross‐sectional questionnaire‐based study in the general population of the Netherlands.

Results

The prevalence of chronic rhinitis in the general population was 40% (N = 558, of those, 65% had NAR and 28% AR, in 7% allergy status is unknown). Individuals with NAR (N = 363) had significantly more complaints in October–February. Those with AR (N = 159) had significantly more complaints in April–August. The most common NAR phenotypes were idiopathic (39%) and rhinitis medicamentosa (14%), followed by occupational (8%), smokers' (6%), hormonal (4%), gustatory (4%), and rhinorrhea of the elderly (4%). The least prevalent phenotype was drug induced (1%). Nineteen percent of the NAR group could not be classified into any of the phenotypes.

Conclusions

This is the first study to describe the prevalences of NAR phenotypes in the general population. AR and NAR have a distinct seasonality pattern with NAR being more prevalent in autumn/winter and AR in spring/summer. Our data on the prevalence of phenotypes may help clinicians to anticipate the type of patients at their clinic and help guide a tailored treatment approach. The high prevalence of rhinitis medicamentosa is alarming, since this is a potentially preventable phenotype.
Clinical quality registries: urgent reform is required to enable best practice and best care
Authors: Brown Wendy A. , Ahern Susannah , MacCormick Andrew D. , Reilly Jennifer R. , Smith Julian A. , Watters David A.
Published: January 2022

Clinical quality registries (CQRs) systematically collect data on pre‐agreed markers of quality of care for a given procedure, that can be reliably and reproducibly defined and collected across multiple sites. Data is then risk adjusted, and comparisons may be used to benchmark performance. These data then inform quality improvement initiatives. CQRs require an overarching independent governance structure and surety of funding. CQRs rely upon whole of population enrolment to minimize the risk of selection bias, and often rely on the secondary use of sensitive health information, meaning that the processes for ethical review and consent to participation are different to clinical trials. Despite several local examples of CQR improving practice in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, providing substantial cost–benefit to the community, there remain significant barriers to CQR implementation and functions. These include the difficulty of accurate data capture, lack of a fit for purpose ethical review system, the constraints of existing Qualified Privilege legislations and the need for protected funding. Whilst the Australian Government has released a 10‐year strategy for CQR reform, and the Aotearoa New Zealand Government has included registries in the planned Health New Zealand reforms for the public sector, we believe more urgent implementation of strategies to overcome these barriers is needed if CQRs are to have the impact on quality of care our Communities deserve.
Editorial: testing for Epstein‐Barr virus and treating autoimmune hepatitis—still a long way to go!
Authors: Bolia Rishi , Srivastava Anshu
Published: January 2022

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Nayagam et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16708 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16759
Can TikTok promote a healthier ageing paradigm? A case study of older digital celebrities from China
Authors: Yu Yi , Zhao Bo
Published: January 2022

TikTok, as an emerging digital geography, has transformed remote communication to a live, instant, and uncannily realistic interaction. To explore the implications of TikTok on older adults, this paper examines the accounts of older Chinese TikTok celebrities – their participation in TikTok as well as the major discourses of ageing mediated by TikTok. An empirical study was conducted by quantitatively analysing web‐scraped comments on older TikTok celebrities and by interpreting the themes present in these popular TikTok accounts. The empirical results unveil that TikTok facilitates the social interactions of older digital celebrities by creating a caring environment. However, the healthy ageing paradigm promoted by the Chinese government is also promoted by TikTok's recommendation algorithm and platform capitalism. The healthy ageing paradigm prioritises older adults who are healthy and independent, and as a result marginalises those who have a disease or disability or are dependent on others in some way. As a result, the healthy ageing paradigm promoted by TikTok constitutes another form of ageism. Responding to the call to go beyond “the digital”, our research contributes to digital geography by examining the geographies of ageing mediated by TikTok.
Reflections on the afterlives of a PhD thesis
Authors: Hulme Mike
Published: January 2022

Most readers of this paper will likely have written a PhD thesis, will be in the throes of writing one, or perhaps will be aspiring to write one. There is a huge literature on the practice and experience of PhD research – on designing a thesis, on writing and research, on the student–supervisor relationship, on the doctoral student experience, and so on. In this paper, however, I reflect on a specific question less often asked: in what ways does a PhD thesis live on beyond the time when it can only be thought of as “work in progress”? I develop an answer to this question along four dimensions – the material, instrumental, epistemic, and personal afterlives of a PhD thesis. For this reflection I use my own PhD thesis, awarded in 1985, as the case study. While the paper is therefore autobiographic, it is intended to provoke more general considerations about the longevity of PhD theses and their formative role for their authors and their authors' subsequent careers. While a PhD thesis can be understood as having a variety of afterlives, those that matter the most are perhaps also those that are less easily recognised.
Disputes in the South China Sea: Does the Arctic Council offer a viable regional governance model?
Authors: Yilmaz Serafettin , Liu Fu‐kuo
Published: January 2022

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea (SCS) over sovereignty, jurisdictional boundaries, and entitlements continue to demand attention from policymakers and analysts. Under the pressure of the intensifying China‐US strategic rivalry, the region has also become a primary theater for military and political muscle‐flexing. Maintaining regional peace and development has therefore become a greater urgency. In this article, we argue that a regional actors‐led institutional mechanism consisting of a core and integrated periphery may provide the required formalized space to govern the SCS through clearly defined rules and legally binding regulations drawn both from the regimes that exist in the region and from the international conventions. We analyze the conditions behind and implications for the formal institutionalization in the SCS modeled after the Arctic Council. This article claims that a new thinking on regional maritime governance in the SCS is now a strategic imperative.
SmartPAN: In vitro and in vivo proof‐of‐safety assessments for an intra‐operative predictive indicator of postoperative pancreatic fistula
Authors: Pausch Thomas M. , Bartel Marc , Cui Jiaqu , Aubert Ophelia , Mitzscherling Clara , Liu Xinchun , Gesslein Bodil , Schuisky Peter , Kommoss Felix K. F. , Bruckner Thomas , Golriz Mohammad , Mehrabi Arianeb , Hackert Thilo
Published: January 2022

Pancreatic surgery is complicated by untreated fluid leakage, but no tenable techniques exist to detect and close leakage sites during surgery. A novel hydrogel called SmartPAN has been developed to meet this need and is here assessed for safety before trials on human patients. First, resazurin assays were used to test the cytotoxic effects of SmartPAN's active bromothymol blue (BTB) indicator and its solution of phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) on normal (HPDE: human pancreatic duct epithelial) or carcinomic (FAMPAC) human pancreatic cells. Cells incubated with BTB showed no significant reduction in cell viability below threshold safety levels. However, PBS had a mild cytotoxic effect on FAMPAC cells. Second, SmartPAN's pathological effects were evaluated in vivo by applying 4‐ml SmartPAN to a porcine (Sus scrofa domesticus) model of pancreatic resection. There were no significant differences in macroscopic and microscopic pathologies between pigs treated with SmartPAN or saline. Third, measurements using HPLC‐MS/MS demonstrate that BTB does not cross into the bloodstream and was eliminated from the body within 2 days of surgery. Overall, SmartPAN appears safe in the short term and ready for first‐in‐human trials because its components are either biocompatible or quickly neutralized by dilution and drainage.
Towards equitable genomics governance in Africa: Guiding principles from theories of global health governance and the African moral theory of Ubuntu
Authors: Munung Nchangwi Syntia , de Vries Jantina , Pratt Bridget
Published: January 2022

The post‐genomics era promises a revolution characterized by precision medicine and the integration of genomics into almost every area of biomedical research. At the same time, there are concerns that if care is not taken, the genomics revolution may widen global inequities in science and health. In Africa, these concerns are primarily linked to the underrepresentation of African populations in genomics research, limited genomics research capacity in Africa and associated macro‐level justice issues such as benefit sharing, inequitable international research collaborations, and the contribution of genomics to the health and research priorities of Africa. Addressing these concerns requires an in‐depth reflection on how the ideals of global justice and equity may be advanced in genomics research. To contribute to the limited but growing scholarship on global genomics equity, especially in the African context, we performed a conceptual analysis of three accounts of justice and governance namely, Ubuntu, shared health governance and global governance of health, with the aim of identifying principles that could inform genomics governance in Africa. We used a convergence approach in the conceptual analysis, resulting in the identification of nine principles namely: solidarity, furthering the ideals of health justice, reciprocity, shared decision‐making, shared resources, shared responsibility, mutual trust, transparency, and mutual collective accountability. Examples of how the principles may be applied are provided. We recommend that these principles should form the foundation of any mechanism that seeks to systematically advance justice, fairness and equity in genomics research in Africa and more broadly, global health and science equity.
Assisted suicide for prisoners: An ethical and legal analysis from the Swiss context
Authors: Della Croce Yoann
Published: January 2022

Should prisoners be allowed to access assisted suicide? Whereas the ethical and legal issues regarding assisted suicide have now been extensively discussed in the literature, surprisingly scarce attention has been given to the pressing issue of inmates requesting assistance in dying. Through an analysis supported by the Swiss legal framework, I first argue that the principle of equivalence in prison medicine, which states that prisoners ought to receive the same level of health care as the general population does not prove a solid basis in arguing for prisoners’ right to assisted suicide. Over the course of the paper, I defend the view that the right to access assisted suicide is to be understood as a liberty that cannot be removed from incarcerated individuals. I argue that removing such a liberty cannot be consistently held within a legal framework where the death penalty does not exist, for doing so necessarily forgoes the State's ability to decide on when and how prisoners' lives end, in turn necessarily leaving them the liberty to end theirs when they decide so. I finally argue against the position that the capacity for autonomous choice is lacking in inmates by disentangling the particular features of the prison‐setting and show that the context of incarceration is not so substantially different from regular cases of suicide assistance that it warrants a difference in treatment. The position I propose proves important in order to both respect prisoners' rights and ensure they retain a minimum level of control over their existences.
Age‐related qualitative differences in post‐error cognitive control adjustments
Authors: Dubravac Mirela , Roebers Claudia M. , Meier Beat
Published: January 2022

Detecting an error signals the need for increased cognitive control and behavioural adjustments. Considerable development in performance monitoring and cognitive control is evidenced by lower error rates and faster response times in multi‐trial executive function tasks with age. Besides these quantitative changes, we were interested in whether qualitative changes in balancing accuracy and speed contribute to developmental progression during elementary school years. We conducted two studies investigating the temporal and developmental trajectories of post‐error slowing in three prominent cognitive conflict tasks (Stroop, Simon, and flanker). We instructed children (8‐, 10‐, and 12‐year‐old) and adults to respond as fast and as accurately as possible and measured their response times on four trials after correct and incorrect responses to a cognitive conflict. Results revealed that all age groups had longer response times on post‐error versus post‐correct trials, reflecting post‐error slowing. Critically, slowing on the first post‐error trial declined with age, suggesting an age‐related reduction in the orienting response towards errors. This age effect diminished on subsequent trials, suggesting more fine‐tuned cognitive control adjustments with age. Overall, the consistent pattern across tasks suggests an age‐related change from a relatively strong orienting response to more balanced cognitive control adaptations.
When the internet is wrong: Children’s trust in an inaccurate internet or human source
Authors: Tong Yu , Wang Fuxing , Danovitch Judith , Wang Weijun
Published: January 2022

Prior studies have shown that children can select and evaluate information based on the previous accuracy of an informant. The current study examines how 5‐ to 6‐year‐old kindergarteners (N = 46) and 7‐ to 8‐year‐old second‐graders (N = 48) in China judge scientific information provided by the internet or a teacher, and how a source's history of inaccuracy influences participants’ judgments. When lacking explicit information about previous accuracy, neither younger children nor older children showed differential trust in the internet or a teacher. After observing the internet providing inaccurate information, children in both age groups decreased their trust in statements from the internet. When the teacher was consistently inaccurate, children in both age groups also showed reduced preference for the teacher's statements. These findings demonstrate that 5‐ to 8‐year‐old children take into account history of inaccuracy when deciding whether to request or endorse information from the internet or a teacher.
Targeted disruption of mitochondria potently reverses multidrug resistance in cancer therapy
Authors: Liu Dingkang , Rong Haibo , Chen Ye , Wang Qun , Qian Sijia , Ji Yue , Yao Wenbing , Yin Jun , Gao Xiangdong
Published: January 2022

Background and purpose

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle to the successful treatment of cancer. Ample evidence shows that ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporters and high‐energy states in cells are linked to cancer drug resistance. Our previous work reported an engineered therapeutic protein named PAK, which selectively inhibited tumour progression by targeting mitochondria.

Experimental approach

We studied the effects of PAK on reversing drug resistance in MDR phenotypic cells and xenograft mouse models. Effects of PAK on the process of mitochondrial energy production, ABC transporter expression, and drugs enrichment were investigated in cancer cells. RNA‐seq and co‐immunoprecipitation were employed to analyse the mechanism of PAK on the redistribution of ABC transporters.

Key results

PAK promoted the enrichment of drugs in MDR cancer cells, thus enhancing the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Furthermore, PAK was colocalized in the mitochondria and initiated mitochondrial injury by selectively inhibiting the mitochondrial complex V. Also, ABCB1 and ABCC1 were redistributed from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm through the disruption of lipid rafts, which was attributed to the low energy state and decreased cholesterol levels.

Conclusions and implications

Our results revealed a previously unrecognized pattern of reversal of drug resistance and have suggested mitochondria as a clinically relevant target for the treatment of MDR malignant tumours.
The cultural logic of precariousness and the marginalization of the sociological imagination: Signs from Mexican self‐help books
Authors: McLean Scott
Published: January 2022

In recent decades, precariousness has become an increasingly prominent feature of life in many countries. At the same time as precarious forms of social relations have proliferated, self‐help books have become tremendously popular. This article examines five best‐selling self‐help books in Mexico – two promoting mental wellness, one providing financial advice, one about romantic relationships, and one sharing inspirational lessons regarding success – to explore how self‐help texts reflect the cultural logic of precariousness. While encouraging readers to overcome challenges, think positively, and transform bad habits into good ones, the texts present visions of human agency free from social constraint. Self‐help books in Mexico reproduce a cultural logic that corresponds to material realities of precariousness in work and family life. This logic helps account for the expanding popularity of the genre and encourages a marginalization of the sociological imagination in popular culture – a marginalization that sociologists should contest through greater public engagement.
Social isolation, loneliness and accelerated tooth loss among Chinese older adults: A longitudinal study
Authors: Qi Xiang , Pei Yaolin , Wang Katherine , Han Shuyu , Wu Bei
Published: January 2022

Objective

Social isolation and loneliness have been linked to numerous determinants of health and well‐being. However, the effects of social isolation and loneliness on oral health remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social isolation and loneliness on the number of remaining teeth and the rate of tooth loss over time among Chinese older adults.

Methods

We used three waves of data (2011/2012, 2014 and 2018) from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey with 4268 older adults aged 65 and older who were interviewed in at least two waves. The number of remaining teeth was first evaluated at baseline and then subsequently at follow‐up visits. Mixed‐effects Poisson regression was used to examine the associations between social isolation, loneliness, and both the number of remaining teeth and the rate of tooth loss.

Results

Social isolation was associated with fewer remaining teeth (β = −.06, 95% CI = −0.13 to 0.00, p < .05) and accelerated tooth loss (β = −.02, 95% CI = −0.02 to −0.01, p < .01) after adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, lifestyle and oral hygiene behaviours, physical and cognitive health, and loneliness. Loneliness was neither associated with the number of remaining teeth (β = .15, 95% CI = −0.01 to 0.30, p = .06) nor with the rate of tooth loss (β = −.01, 95% CI = −0.02 to 0.00, p = .16) after adjusting for all other factors.

Conclusions

This study provides strong evidence that social isolation was associated with fewer remaining teeth and accelerated tooth loss among Chinese older adults. These findings expand our knowledge about the impact of social disconnection on tooth loss. More future studies are needed to further examine the associations between social connections and oral conditions using longitudinal cohort studies and intervention studies.
Predictors of kindergarten‐reading performance for children with special needs: Do intervention intensity and service provider matter?
Authors: Farnsworth Elyse M. , Cordle Maddie , Sullivan Amanda L.
Published: January 2022

Over 1 million children under age 5 years who have special needs are served by early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) intended to promote academic and non‐cognitive school readiness. Past research suggested these services may have null or negative effects on kindergarten‐reading skills, but these studies did not account for features of the services received by participants. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort, this study explored the relations between kindergarten‐reading performance and EI/ECSE intensity and service provider. Analyses of a nationally representative sample of 550 participants (67% male, 63% White) indicated approximately 30% of the variance in kindergarten‐reading is explained by a combination of child characteristics, hours of service and type of providers. Results suggest EI/ECSE effectiveness varies slightly by service intensity and provider, highlighting the need for additional research about the optimal conditions under which these services may be administered.
Alopecia areata – Aktuelles Verständnis und Management
Authors: Lintzeri Dimitra Aikaterini , Constantinou Andria , Hillmann Kathrin , Ghoreschi Kamran , Vogt Annika , Blume‐ Peytavi Ulrike
Published: January 2022

Die Alopecia areata (AA) ist eine chronische immunvermittelte Erkrankung, die durch akuten oder chronischen, nicht vernarbenden Haarausfall gekennzeichnet ist. Die klinischen Erscheinungsformen sind sehr unterschiedlich und reichen von kleinen umschriebenen haarlosen Stellen bis hin zum vollständigen Verlust der Kopf‐ und Körperbehaarung. Diese Übersicht soll aktuelles Wissen zu Pathophysiologie und beteiligten Signalwegen vermitteln sowie diagnostische und therapeutische Empfehlungen geben. Aktuell verfügbare Therapieansätze bei AA, einschließlich topischer, systemischer und injizierbarer Interventionen, zeigen unterschiedlich gutes Ansprechen mit häufigen Rezidiven, was den dringenden Bedarf an effektiven zielgerichteten Therapien widerspiegelt. Neue therapeutische Ansätze und Konzepte, einschließlich Januskinase‐Inhibitoren, werden mit großer Spannung erwartet. Diese Übersicht diskutiert traditionelle und neue Therapieansätze für das Management der AA. Diese Erkrankung führt häufig zu einer starken psychosozialen Belastung für die Betroffenen, kann zu Depressionen führen, Angstzustände auslösen und die Lebensqualität beeinträchtigen. Daher sollten psychosoziale Aspekte der Krankheit mit berücksichtigt, beim Patienten angesprochen und die Notwendigkeit einer psychologischen Unterstützung erwogen werden.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic, immune‐mediated disease characterized by acute or chronic non‐scarring hair loss, with a heterogeneity in clinical manifestations ranging from patchy hair loss to complete scalp and body hair loss. An overview of the up‐to‐date pathophysiology and the underlying signaling pathways involved in AA together with diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations will be provided. Current treatments, including topical, systemic and injectable interventions show varying response and frequent relapses reflecting the unmet clinical need. Thus, the new emerging concepts and therapeutic approaches, including Janus kinase inhibitors are eagerly awaited. Traditional and emerging therapies of AA will be discussed, in order to provide physicians with guidance for AA management. Since the latter is so challenging and often tends to take a chronic course, it can have an enormous psychosocial burden on patients, compromising their quality of life and often causing depression and anxiety. Therefore, the psychosocial aspects of the disease need to be evaluated and addressed, in order to implement appropriate psychological support when needed.
Changes in plant species richness due to land use and nitrogen deposition across the globe
Authors: Gallego‐Zamorano Juan , Huijbregts Mark A.J. , Schipper Aafke M.
Published: January 2022

Aim

The effects of land use and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on plant species richness are typically studied in isolation. Here, we quantified the combined effects of these two pressures on terrestrial plant species richness at a 0.25º spatial resolution across the globe.

Location

Global.

Methods

We first used local monitoring and experimental data to determine the proportional changes in plant species richness in relation to different land‐use types and N addition levels according to a meta‐analytical approach. We then developed a new multi‐pressure species–area relationship (mp‐SAR) model to combine the site‐level responses resulting from the meta‐analyses with global land use and N deposition maps to calculate changes in plant species richness at a resolution of 0.25º across the globe.

Results

Both pressures combined resulted in an average plant species richness decline of 26% (± 12% SD) across the grid cells. The combined impact was the largest in Europe, with an average decline of 34% (± 8%), and the smallest in South America (16% ± 11%). Overall, species declines due to land use were considerably larger (19% ± 11%) than declines due to N deposition (6% ± 6%).

Main conclusions

Our new species–area model allows for systematic large‐scale assessments of the combined effects of multiple pressures on species richness based on easily retrievable input data. Overall, land use is a more important driver of plant species richness decline than N deposition, but N deposition may have considerable additional impact in specific regions of Europe, Asia and North America. These findings imply that conservation efforts should simultaneously tackle both pressures to ensure their effectiveness in preserving plant biodiversity.
Salix shrub encroachment along a 1000 m elevation gradient triggers a major ecosystem change in the European Alps
Authors: Cannone Nicoletta , Guglielmin Mauro , Casiraghi Chiara , Malfasi Francesco
Published: January 2022

Shrub encroachment, a globally recognized response to climate warming, usually involves late successional species in mountain environments, without alteration to climax communities. We show that a major ecosystem change is occurring in the European Alps across a 1000 m elevation gradient, with pioneer hygrophilous Salix shrubs, previously typical of riparian forests, wetlands and avalanche ravines, encroaching into the climax communities of subalpine and alpine belts shrublands and grasslands, as well as snowbeds, pioneer vegetation and barren grounds in the nival belt.

We analyzed Salix recruitment through dendrochronological methods, and assessed its relationships with climate and atmospheric CO2 concentration. The dendrochronological data indicated that Salix encroachment commenced in the 1950s (based on the age of the oldest Salix individuals, recruited in 1957), and that it was correlated with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration, spring warming and snow cover decrease. Hygrophilous Salix shrubs are expanding their distribution both through range filling and upwards migration, likely achieving competitive replacement of species of subalpine and alpine climax communities. They benefit from climate warming and CO2 fertilization and are not sensitive to spring frost damage and soil limitations, being observed across a gradient of soil conditions from loose glacial sediments in recently deglaciated areas (where soils had not had sufficient time to develop) to mature soils such as podzols (when colonizing late successional subalpine shrublands).

Salix encroachment may trigger ecosystem and landscape transformations, promoting the development of forests that replace pre‐existing subalpine shrublands, and of open woodlands invading alpine grasslands and snowbeds, making the alpine environment similar to sub‐Arctic and Arctic areas. This results in a new threat to the conservation of the plant species, communities and landscapes typical of the alpine biota, as mountain ranges such as the Alps provide limited opportunities for upward migration and range‐shift.
Self‐deceptionand moral interests
Authors: Borman David A.
Published: January 2022

Adult persons normally are taken as prima facie authorities regarding their own avowed interests, so that an accusation of self‐deception with respect to such interests troubles our default presumptions. Furthermore, the difficulty, in practice, of knowing when such accusations are warranted presents a peculiar obstacle to moral justification, inasmuch as knowing how the interests of various persons really are likely to be affected by some act or norm is an accepted preliminary to moral justification across a wide range of theoretical approaches and is, in some cases—such as in contractualist accounts—decisive. I argue that a careful examination of the pragmatics of coherent allegations of self‐deception shows them to rely on a form of ‘proleptic’ argument, and that the truth‐ or validity‐conditions for such utterances lie in the transformative appropriation of the one so accused.
Does spatial sorting explain leading edge personality types in a spider’s non‐native range?
Authors: Chuang Angela , Riechert Susan E.
Published: January 2022

Expanding populations are often characterized by phenotypic shifts across the range. Processes like spatial sorting predict that phenotypes may be distributed along a range based on dispersal ability, where the most dispersive individuals are found at the leading edges and the least dispersive remain at the population core. Thus, traits correlated to dispersal may also become spatially distributed in the same pattern. Cyrtophora citricola is an orb‐web spider with two expanding populations originating from the same core in its non‐native Florida range. Since spiders at the leading edges were previously found to differ in various personality traits from those at the core, we measured dispersal latency and likelihood in laboratory‐raised spiderlings to determine whether spatial sorting can account for these patterns. Only one of the two populations showed evidence of spatial sorting, suggesting this phenomenon is likely context dependent and is not always generalizable to expanding populations. Spiders from the leading edge of the eastern population were more dispersive than those at the core, although western spiders were the least dispersive of the three populations. Dispersal likelihood was correlated with the activity and exploratory tendencies of individuals. Population‐level differences we had previously observed for foraging aggression and activity were not found in the captive‐raised spiders, suggesting that they represent plastic responses to environmental conditions instead of being a result of dispersal‐correlated trait evolution. However, mean population‐level differences in exploration and boldness were maintained in captivity, suggesting that these behaviors have a heritable component. Overall, the eastern spiders were characterized as being bolder, whereas the western spiders were the least bold and exploratory. While this study provides evidence of spatial sorting of more dispersive, exploratory, and active individuals in the eastern population, the divergence in risk‐taking behaviors between the two populations highlights the potential context dependency in spatial sorting and the importance of understanding the interactions between natural and spatial selection.
Crack resistance of fiber‐reinforced asphalt mixtures: Effect of test specimen and test condition
Authors: Hajiloo Hamid Reza , Karimi Hamid Reza , Aliha M. R. M. , Zanjirani Farahani Hossein , Salehi S. M. , Hajiloo Mojtaba , Jafari Haghighatpour Pegah
Published: January 2022

The effect of some important testing conditions including test specimen (SCB and ENDB), fracture mode (I and II), loading rate (0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 mm/min), and temperature (−5°C, −15°C, and −25°C) is evaluated on fracture toughness of asphalt material containing different percentages of fibers (0%, 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1% of unit weight). The experimental and numerical results show that the addition of 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1% of the polyolefin–aramid fiber in asphalt mixture increases the fracture toughness of the control mixture by about 8%, 17%, and 23% in pure mode I and 7%, 16%, and 24% in pure mode II, respectively; which are among the most promising enhancements compared to other fibers. Results also reveal that fracture toughness at mode I obtained from the SCB and ENDB specimens is similar. However, the mode II fracture toughness obtained from the ENDB specimen is about 12% higher than the corresponding value obtained from the SCB specimen.