bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of knowledge management in driving academic advancement: empirical examination from the lens of the social cognitive theory
Authors: Ngo Quang Huan , Le Thanh Tiep , Dang Huu Phuc , Nguyen-Viet Bang
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the attitudes, skills and knowledge-based researchers’ competencies (ASK-RC), academic affiliation (AA) and knowledge management (KM) and its effect on promoting the growth of scholarly international publications (SIPs).

Design/methodology/approach

This research takes a quantitative approach relying on primary data gathered through a questionnaire-based survey. The study’s target population includes lecturers, managers and researchers involved in research activities in educational institutions. To operationalize the research framework, this study used social cognitive theory (SCT) and the academic community served as an empirical field of study.

Findings

The primary findings of this research are twofold: ASK-RC and AA are positively and statistically significantly associated with SIP; KM moderates the influence of ASK-RC on SIP.

Originality/value

This research adds to the current body of literature on research productivity by providing new information and empirical evidence on improving research productivity and international publication. Moreover, this research offers a new approach to the existing literature stream by operationalizing an underexplored framework from the lens of SCT. This study explains why scientific research productivity is becoming increasingly important to academia and stakeholders. Because scientific works are motivated by the goal of addressing general socioeconomic and environmental concerns, it is possible to address this concern based on SCT. Therefore, this research offers theoretical and managerial implications that may interest academics, professionals and policymakers.
Nitrogen fixation responds to soil nitrogen at low but not high light in two invasive understory species
Authors: Schmidt Colleen B. , Funk Jennifer L. , Wolf Amelia A. , Akana Palani R. , Palmer Matthew I. , Menge Duncan N. L.
Published: January 2023

Light and soil nitrogen availability can be strong controls of plant nitrogen (N) fixation, but data on how understory N‐fixing plants respond to these drivers are limited despite their important role in ecosystem N cycling. Furthermore, ecosystem N cycling can be altered by the introduction of species with nutrient use patterns that differ from natives. We assessed how N fixation of two exotic, understory species responded to varying light and soil N environments.

We sampled leaf tissue from Mimosa pudica L., Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC., and a nonfixing reference plant (Axonopus) growing in control and two N fertilization treatments under either N‐fixing or non‐N‐fixing trees, which may alter local soil nutrient cycling, across a range of light conditions. We measured N fixation with 15N isotope dilution, and ensured that N‐fixing neighbour trees were in fact fixing N. All understory plants were wild‐growing species not native to the study location.

Desmodium and Mimosa acquired 82.6% and 71.6% of their nitrogen from fixation (%Ndfa) in the control, compared to 66.8% and 58.1% in the +10 g N m−2 year−1 treatment and 73.1% and 64.7% in the +15 g N m−2 year−1 treatment. These subtle %Ndfa differences across fertilization treatments were more apparent at low light availability and disappeared at high light availability. The amount of N fixed by neighbouring trees did not influence %Ndfa in the understory species.

Synthesis. Our study shows some differences in N fixation across different nutrient environments at low light for two N‐fixing species, though the changes were small, and both species derived most of their N from fixation. These findings imply that introduced N‐fixing species could exacerbate ecosystem N enrichment, particularly under high soil N conditions.
Water potential governs the effector specificity of the transcriptional regulator XylR of Pseudomonas putida
Authors: Dvořák Pavel , Galvão Teca Calcagno , Pflüger‐Grau Katharina , Banks Alice M. , de Lorenzo Víctor , Jiménez Jose I.
Published: January 2023

The biodegradative capacity of bacteria in their natural habitats is affected by water availability. In this work, we have examined the activity and effector specificity of the transcriptional regulator XylR of the TOL plasmid pWW0 of Pseudomonas putida mt‐2 for biodegradation of m‐xylene when external water potential was manipulated with polyethylene glycol PEG8000. By using non‐disruptive luxCDEAB reporter technology, we noticed that the promoter activated by XylR (Pu) restricted its activity and the regulator became more effector‐specific towards head TOL substrates when cells were grown under water subsaturation. Such a tight specificity brought about by water limitation was relaxed when intracellular osmotic stress was counteracted by the external addition of the compatible solute glycine betaine. With these facts in hand, XylR variants isolated earlier as effector‐specificity responders to the non‐substrate 1,2,4‐trichlorobenzene under high matric stress were re‐examined and found to be unaffected by water potential in vivo. All these phenomena could be ultimately explained as the result of water potential‐dependent conformational changes in the A domain of XylR and its effector‐binding pocket, as suggested by AlphaFold prediction of protein structures. The consequences of this scenario for the evolution of specificities in regulators and the emergence of catabolic pathways are discussed.
Performing anti‐colonial military identities in the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, 1943–1945: War, diasporic women and decolonisation
Authors: Lahiri Shompa
Published: January 2023

The processes by which diasporic colonised Indian women were constituted as anti‐colonial military subjects offer a valuable corrective to the neglected role of colonised women in the scholarship on decolonisation and war. This article addresses how female officers of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment staged and performed anti‐colonial gendered military identities across several novel sites. Reworking Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity, it investigates the punitive consequences and agential possibilities of militarised anti‐colonial performance of gender and considers how anti‐colonial military identities, performed through the body and emotion, reproduced and disrupted gender norms.
Denial of pregnancy and neonaticide: A historical overview and case report
Authors: Sablone Sara , Margari Anna , Introna Francesco , Catanesi Roberto , Mandarelli Gabriele
Published: January 2023

While denial of pregnancy and neonaticide are rare, they are potentially associated and share some risk factors. Neonaticide has been proposed as the extreme outcome of a denial of pregnancy. However, the process leading to such a possible outcome is not yet fully understood. The primary goal of this essay is to examine the various definitions and ambiguities surrounding the denial of pregnancy. The case of a young woman with a history of two denied pregnancies with diverse characteristics and outcomes, the latest of which resulted in neonaticide, is then reported and examined. A forensic psychiatric evaluation was also performed to reconstruct the woman's mental state at the time of the crime. The forensic pathological analysis of the newborn, abandoned near the sea while still alive, is described. The victim's body showed signs of shaken baby syndrome. We contend that differing levels of awareness during a denial of pregnancy might not be predictive of the potential delivery outcome in terms of threat to the newborn's survival, according to the forensic pathological and psychopathological data of the current case. Early identification of women affected by denial of pregnancy who pose a danger of committing infanticide is hampered by both intrinsic traits (dissimulation, unawareness, low propensity to seek assistance) and environmental factors (isolation, low socioeconomic level, poor education.). A previous history of denial of pregnancy should activate health and support services to reduce the potential risks for the mother and the child.
Multimarker omnibus tests by leveraging individual marker summary statistics from large biobanks
Authors: Zigarelli Angela M. , Venera Hanna M. , Receveur Brody A. , Wolf Jack M. , Westra Jason , Tintle Nathan L.
Published: January 2023

As biobanks become increasingly popular, access to genotypic and phenotypic data continues to increase in the form of precomputed summary statistics (PCSS). Widespread accessibility of PCSS alleviates many issues related to biobank data, including that of data privacy and confidentiality, as well as high computational costs. However, questions remain about how to maximally leverage PCSS for downstream statistical analyses. Here we present a novel method for testing the association of an arbitrary number of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) on a linear combination of phenotypes after adjusting for covariates for common multimarker tests (e.g., SKAT, SKAT‐O) without access to individual patient‐level data (IPD). We validate exact formulas for each method, and demonstrate their accuracy through simulation studies and an application to fatty acid phenotypic data from the Framingham Heart Study.
‘Nocturomics’: transition to omics‐driven biomarkers of nocturia, a systematic review and future prospects
Authors: Gong Susan , Bou Kheir George , Kabarriti Abdo , Khosla Lakshay , Gong Fred , Van Laecke Erik , Weiss Jeffrey , Everaert Karel , Hervé François
Published: January 2023

Objective

To systematically review studies that investigated different biomarkers of nocturia, including omics‐driven biomarkers or ‘Nocturomics’.

Materials and Methods

PubMed®, Scopus®, and Embase® were searched systematically in May 2022 for research papers on biomarkers in physiological fluids and tissues from patients with nocturia. A distinction was made between biomarkers or candidates discovered by omics techniques, referred to as omics‐driven biomarkers, and classical biomarkers, measured by standard laboratory techniques and mostly thought from pathophysiological hypothesis.

Results

A total of 13 studies with 18 881 patients in total were included, eight of which focused on classical biomarkers including: atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP), C‐reactive protein (CRP), aldosterone, and melatonin. Five were ‘Nocturomics’, including one that assessed the microbiome and identified 27 faecal and eight urinary bacteria correlated with nocturia; and four studies that identified candidate metabolomic biomarkers, including fatty acid metabolites, serotonin, glycerol, lauric acid, thiaproline, and imidazolelactic acid among others. To date, no biomarker is recommended in clinical practice. Nocturomics are in an embryonic phase of conception but are developing quickly. Although candidate biomarkers are being identified, none of them are yet validated on a large sample, although some preclinical studies have shown a probable role of fatty acid metabolites as a possible biomarker of circadian rhythm and chronotherapy.

Conclusion

Further research is needed to validate biomarkers for nocturia within the framework of a diagnostic and therapeutic precision medicine perspective. We hope this study provides a summary of the current biomarker discoveries associated with nocturia and details future prospects for omics‐driven biomarkers.
Peri‐implantitis: A bibliometric network analysis of top 100 most‐cited research articles
Authors: Sabri Hamoun , Wang Hom‐Lay
Published: January 2023

Background

Over the past decades, there has been an increase in research publications focusing on peri‐implantitis. When facing limited healthcare resources, bibliometric analyses can guide researchers and funding parties toward areas where reallocation or more focus on research activity is warranted. The main objective of this study was to identify the trends of the top 100 cited articles on peri‐implantitis research as the first study of its kind.

Methods

A Web of Science search, using the keywords “peri‐implantitis or periimplantitis” was built to create a database of the most‐cited articles. Articles were ranked by citation count and screened by two independent reviewers. The bibliometric characteristics of the studies were gathered and analyzed using several bibliometric software. Author collaborations, author clusters, and keyword co‐occurrence network analyses were also performed. The correlation between the citation count and the age of each article was tested.

Results

The top 100 cited papers were published from 1994 to 2018 and the total citation counts ranged from 119 to 972 with 244.5 citations/paper on average. There was no correlation between the age of the articles and the citation count (p‐value = 0.67). 21% of the studies consisted of prospective clinical studies. 35% of the papers focused on treatment and prevention of peri‐implantitis while 65% concerned epidemiology. The top three most prolific countries were Sweden (n = 31), Germany (n = 15), and Switzerland (n = 13). We found 12 authors who had greater than five publications on the list. Also, the most published journal was Clinical Oral Implants Research.

Conclusion

This study provides insight into the characteristics and quality of the most highly cited peri‐implantitis literature. This revealed a deficiency in terms of the number of studies on treatment strategies as well as a higher level of evidence studies among the most‐ impactful papers on peri‐implantitis at the moment.
Identifying diabetogenic drugs using real world health care databases: A Danish and Australian symmetry analysis
Authors: Lund Lars Christian , Jensen Patricia Hjorslev , Pottegård Anton , Andersen Morten , Pratt Nicole , Hallas Jesper
Published: January 2023

Aims

Drug‐induced diabetes is underreported in conventional drug safety monitoring and may contribute to the increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we used routinely collected prescription data to screen all commonly used drugs for diabetogenic effects.

Methods

Leveraging the Danish nationwide health registries, we used a case‐only symmetry analysis design to evaluate all possible associations between drug initiation and subsequent diabetes. The study was conducted among individuals aged ≥40 years with a first‐ever prescription for any antidiabetic drug 1996‐2018 (n = 348 996). Sequence ratios (SRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained for all possible drug class‐diabetes combinations. A lower bound of the 95% CI >1.00 was considered a signal. Signals generated in Denmark were replicated using the Services Australia, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme 10% data extract.

Results

Overall, 386 drug classes were investigated, of which 70 generated a signal. In total, 43 were classified as previously known based on the SIDER database or a literature review, for example, glucocorticoids (SR 1.67, 95% CI 1.62‐1.72) and β‐blockers (SR 1.20, 95% CI 1.16‐1.23). Of 27 new signals, three drug classes yielded a signal in both the Danish and Australian data source: digitalis glycosides (SR 2.15, 95% CI 2.04‐2.27, and SR 1.76, 95% CI 1.50‐2.08), macrolides (SR 1.20, 95% CI 1.16‐1.24, and SR 1.11, 95% CI 1.06‐1.16) and inhaled β2‐agonists combined with glucocorticoids (SR 1.35, 95% CI 1.28‐1.42, and SR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06‐1.22).

Conclusion

We identified 70 drug‐diabetes associations, of which 27 were classified as hitherto unknown. Further studies evaluating the hypotheses generated by this work are needed, particularly for the signal for digitalis glycosides.
Support for small businesses amid COVID‐19
Authors: Goodhart Charles A.E. , Tsomocos Dimitrios P. , Wang Xuan
Published: January 2023

How should the government support small and medium‐sized enterprises amid a pandemic crisis while balancing the trade‐off between short‐run stabilization and long‐run allocative efficiency? We develop a two‐sector equilibrium model featuring small businesses with private information on their likely future success and a screening contract. Businesses in the sector adversely affected by a pandemic can apply for government loans to stay afloat. A pro‐allocation government sets a harsh default sanction to deter entrepreneurs with poorer projects, thereby improving long‐run productivity at the cost of persistent unemployment, whereas a pro‐stabilization government sets a lenient default sanction. Interest rate effective lower bound leads to involuntary unemployment in the other open sector and shifts the optimal default sanction to a lenient stance. The rise in firm markups exerts the opposite effect. A high creative destruction wedge polarizes the government's hawkish and dovish stances, and optimal default sanction is more lenient, exacerbating resource misallocation. The model illuminates how credit guarantees might be structured in future crises.
Different neuroanatomical correlates for temporal and spectral supra‐threshold auditory tasks and speech in noise recognition in older adults with hearing impairment
Authors: Neuschwander Pia , Schmitt Raffael , Jagoda Laura , Kurthen Ira , Giroud Nathalie , Meyer Martin
Published: January 2023

Varying degrees of pure‐tone hearing loss in older adults are differentially associated with cortical volume (CV) and thickness (CT) within and outside of the auditory pathway. This study addressed the question to what degree supra‐threshold auditory performance (i.e., temporal compression and frequency selectivity) as well as speech in noise (SiN) recognition are associated with neurostructural correlates in a sample of 59 healthy older adults with mild to moderate pure‐tone hearing loss. Using surface‐based morphometry on T1‐weighted MRI images, CT, CV, and surface area (CSA) of several regions‐of‐interest were obtained. The results showed distinct neurostructural patterns for the different tasks in terms of involved regions as well as morphometric parameters. While pure‐tone averages (PTAs) positively correlated with CT in a right hemisphere superior temporal sulcus and gyrus cluster, supra‐threshold auditory perception additionally extended significantly to CV and CT in left and right superior temporal clusters including Heschl's gyrus and sulcus, the planum polare and temporale. For SiN recognition, we found significant correlations with an auditory‐related CT cluster and furthermore with language‐related areas in the prefrontal cortex. Taken together, our results show that different auditory abilities are differently associated with cortical morphology in older adults with hearing impairment. Still, a common pattern is that greater PTAs and poorer supra‐threshold auditory performance as well as poorer SiN recognition are all related to cortical thinning and volume loss but not to changes in CSA. These results support the hypothesis that mostly CT undergoes alterations in the context of auditory decline, while CSA remains stable.
From bottom‐up to top‐down control of invertebrate herbivores in a retrogressive chronosequence
Authors: Kempel Anne , Allan Eric , Gossner Martin M. , Jochum Malte , Grace James B. , Wardle David A.
Published: January 2023

In the long‐term absence of disturbance, ecosystems often enter a decline or retrogressive phase which leads to reductions in primary productivity, plant biomass, nutrient cycling and foliar quality. However, the consequences of ecosystem retrogression for higher trophic levels such as herbivores and predators, are less clear. Using a post‐fire forested island‐chronosequence across which retrogression occurs, we provide evidence that nutrient availability strongly controls invertebrate herbivore biomass when predators are few, but that there is a switch from bottom‐up to top‐down control when predators are common. This trophic flip in herbivore control probably arises because invertebrate predators respond to alternative energy channels from the adjacent aquatic matrix, which were independent of terrestrial plant biomass. Our results suggest that effects of nutrient limitation resulting from ecosystem retrogression on trophic cascades are modified by nutrient‐independent variation in predator abundance, and this calls for a more holistic approach to trophic ecology to better understand herbivore effects on plant communities.
SBMYv3: Improved MobYOLOv3 a BAM attention‐based approach for obscene image and video detection
Authors: Samal Sonali , Zhang Yu‐Dong , Gadekallu Thippa Reddy , Nayak Rajashree , Balabantaray Bunil Kumar
Published: January 2023

Countless cybercrime instances have shown the need for detecting and blocking obscene material from social media sites. Deep learning methods (DLMs) outperformed in recognizing obscene content flooded on many online platforms. However, these contemporary DLMs primarily treat the recognition of obscene content as a simple task of binary classification, rather than focusing on the labelling of obscene areas. Hence, many of these methods could not pay attention to the fact that misclassification samples are so diverse. Therefore, this paper focuses on two aspects (i) developing a deep learning model that could classify and label the obscene portion, and (ii) generating a labelled obscene image dataset with a wide variety of obscene samples to minimize the risks of inaccurate recognition. We have proposed a method named S3Pooling based bottleneck attention module (BAM) embedded MobileNetV2‐YOLOv3 (SBMYv3) for automatic detection of obscene content using an attention mechanism and a suitable pooling strategy. The key contributions of our article are: (i) generation of a well‐labelled obscene image dataset with a variety of augmentation strategies using Pix‐2‐Pix GAN (ii) modifications to the backend architecture of YOLOv3 using MobileNetV2 and BAM to ensure focused and accurate feature extraction, and (iii) selection of an optimal pooling strategy, that is, S3Pooling strategy, while taking the design of the feature extractor into account. The proposed SBMYv3 model outperformed other state‐of‐the‐art models with 99.26% testing accuracy, 99.39% recall, 99.13% precision, and 99.13% IoU values respectively.
BWOA based metaheuristic approach for uncertain nonlinear milling CNC machine system
Authors: Pathak Pawan Kumar , Yadav Anil Kumar , Shastri Anshuman
Published: January 2023

The scientific advances in the machining process inculcate intelligence in computer numerical control (CNC), to enhance reliability and quality production. The study made in this article has been directed towards the metaheuristic‐based intelligent control of a nonlinear uncertain CNC machine for milling purposes. The presence of cutting force and frictional type constraints, along with parametric uncertainties, degrade the production quality in milling operations. Moreover, enhanced performance of milling operation can be achieved via intelligent control of position and velocity of machine table and tool. In this work, the black widow optimization algorithm (BWOA) driven proportional–integral–derivative (PID) and PI controllers are employed for the position and the velocity of machine table and tool, respectively. Servo and regulatory are the two important control problems that are considered, analysed, and addressed in this work. The most challenging task of simultaneous tuning of PI and PID controllers is also addressed in this brief. Finally, a vivid comparative analysis of five state‐of‐the‐art optimization techniques is also performed, and the obtained results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed control scheme. While dealing with the servo performance of x‐axis, the proposed controller gives a 100% improvement in overshoot and 61.54% improvement in settling time, and for regulatory performance, it gives a 98.45% improvement in undershoot. Moreover, for z‐axis control, the proposed controller gives a 100% improvement in overshoot and 61.54% improvement in settling time and for regulatory performance gives a 100% improvement in undershoot compared to published literature.
Protective effect of GK2 fused BLVRA protein against oxidative stress‐induced dopaminergic neuronal cell damage
Authors: Choi Yeon Joo , Kwon Hyun Jung , Shin Min Jea , Kim Dae Won , Youn Gi Soo , Park Jung Hwan , Yeo Hyeon Ji , Yeo Eun Ji , Kim Hyeong Seop , Lee Lee Re , Kim Na Yeon , Kwon Su Yeon , Kim Duk‐Soo , Kim Gun Woo , Park Jinseu , Han Kyu Hyung , Lee Keun Wook , Park Jong Kook , Lee Chan Hee , Eum Won Sik , Choi Soo Young
Published: January 2023

It is well known that oxidative stress is highly associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), and biliverdin reductase A (BLVRA) is known to have antioxidant properties against oxidative stress. In this study, we developed a novel N‐acetylgalactosamine kinase (GK2) protein transduction domain (PTD) derived from adenosine A2A and fused with BLVRA to determine whether the GK2‐BLVRA fusion protein could protect dopaminergic neuronal cells (SH‐SY5Y) from oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo using a PD animal model. GK2‐BLVRA was transduced into various cells, including SH‐SY5Y cells, without cytotoxic effects, and this fusion protein protected SH‐SY5Y cells and reduced reactive oxygen species production and DNA damage after 1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium (MPP+) exposure. GK2‐BLVRA suppressed mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation and modulated apoptosis‐related protein (Bcl‐2, Bax, cleaved Caspase‐3 and ‐9) expression levels. In the PD animal model, GK2‐BLVRA transduced into the substantia nigra crossed the blood–brain barrier and markedly reduced dopaminergic neuronal cell death in 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)‐induced animals. These results indicate that our novel PTD GK‐2 is useful for the transduction of protein, and GK2‐BLVRA exhibits a beneficial effect against dopaminergic neuronal cell death in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that BLVRA can be used as a therapeutic agent for PD.
Cognitive effects of cilostazol in Alzheimer's dementia patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease: A case–control study
Authors: Chien Ching‐Fang , Huang Ling‐Chun , Li Kuan‐Ying , Yang Yuan‐Han
Published: January 2023

Aim

Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is a slowly progressing neurodegenerative disease, characterized by beta‐amyloid deposition and neurofibrillary tangles. Peripheral atherosclerosis may deteriorate these processes via endothelial cell dysfunction and microvascular impairment. Cilostazol – a phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor – is a standard treatment for peripheral arterial occlusive disease and a potential treatment for preserving cognitive function in AD patients. We aimed to determine whether cilostazol is beneficial in AD patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease by evaluating Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) domains.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective case–control study of 62 AD patients in Taiwan. Thirty‐one patients had peripheral arterial occlusive disease and were receiving cilostazol plus acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AchEIs) or N‐methyl d‐aspartate antagonists, whereas 31 others were receiving AchEIs. Therapeutic responses were measured using neuropsychological assessments. The CASI was administered at baseline and 12 months later; different domains were analyzed between the groups using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

Age, sex, education duration, ApoE ε4 gene status, and initial Mini‐Mental State Examination scores were not different between the two groups. Except for fluency, no CASI domains showed a statistical difference between the groups. A significant difference was observed in category fluency (P = 0.010). In the logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for covariate effects, category fluency still showed a significant difference between the groups (P = 0.013).

Conclusions

In AD patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease who have received Food and Drug Administration‐approved pharmacotherapy, cilostazol, as an antiplatelet, may help to preserve general cognitive function, with significant preservation in category fluency. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 194–199.
On the General Deviation Measure and the Gini coefficient
Authors: Nisani Doron
Published: January 2023

The General Deviation Measure introduces a progressive definition for financial risk measurement, which presents an alternative to the Coherent Risk Measure. This definition replaces the Translation Invariance and Monotonicity axioms with the Shift Invariance and Nonnegativity axioms, and it includes the Mean Absolute Deviation measure and other variations of the Value‐at‐Risk measurements. This research shows that Coherent Risk Measure holds an intrinsic contradiction regarding riskless assets, and it proves that the Gini coefficient is also a General Deviation Measure. These contributions improve the efficiency of risk measurement and asset pricing in the financial markets.
The union default: Effects and implications of regulated opting‐out
Authors: Harcourt Mark , Gall Gregor , Wilson Margaret
Published: January 2023

A union default would automatically enrol workers in a union with bargaining coverage over their work. Though there would be a right to opt‐out, it would facilitate recruitment and retention of members, especially in sectors with small employers and high staff turnover. Research indicates it would receive majority support and, where available, induce most workers to membership of unions. This study looks at whether two potential features of a union default would influence the intention to remain a union member if defaulted or support for a union default. The first is a mandatory 30‐day waiting period until opt‐out is permitted. The second is a standardised, online process to facilitate opting out.
Managerial ability, CEO age and the moderating effect of firm characteristics
Authors: Desir Rosemond , Rakestraw Joseph , Seavey Scott , Wainberg James , Young George
Published: January 2023

Recent surveys indicate that America's chief executive officers (CEOs) are getting older. While aging is often associated with greater experience, improved skill sets and higher job performance, prior research warns that aging can also lead to a significant decrease in cognitive function, energy, ambition and, consequently, the ability of CEOs to manage their firms. We examine this issue and find that older CEOs display significantly lower managerial ability as compared to younger CEOs. Exploring differences in firm factors, we further find that older CEOs exhibit significantly lower managerial ability when managing high‐technology firms and significantly higher managerial ability when managing more mature, highly regulated firms. Collectively, our study provides new evidence that while managerial ability decreases with age, firm characteristics significantly moderate this relationship.
The relationship between the COVID‐19 pandemic and children's emotional and behavioral problems
Authors: Özcan Meltem , Akça Kamile , Aydoğdu Fatih
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This research was conducted to determine the relationship of the COVID‐19 pandemic with the emotional and behavioral problems of children.

Method

In this study, carried out using the descriptive survey model, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used with 205 mothers.

Results

Significant differences were observed in the emotional and behavioral problems of children according to their mother's working status, having COVID‐19 in the family, and being in contact. According to mothers' perceptions, the level of emotional and behavioral problems differed before and after the pandemic.

Conclusions

It can be concluded that the pandemic and related factors have an effect on children's emotional and behavioral problems.
Strategies of vascularization of the ethmoid labyrinth in selected even‐toed ungulates (Artiodactyla) and carnivores (Carnivora)
Authors: Zdun Maciej , Ruszkowski Jakub J. , Hetman Mateusz , Melnyk Oleksii O. , Frąckowiak Hieronim
Published: January 2023

The anatomy of the nasal cavity and its structures, as well as other elements building a scaffold for olfactory organs, differs significantly among various groups of mammals. Understanding anatomical conditions of quality of olfaction are being studied worldwide and is a complex problem. Among many studies regarding bone and epithelial structures of turbinates and connected anatomical structures, few studies describe the vascularization of turbinates. Ethmoid turbinates are above all covered in olfactory epithelium containing branched axons that receive olfactory stimuli and as olfactory nerves penetrate the cribriform lamina of the ethmoid bone conveying information from smell receptors to the brain. Differences in vascularization of the cribriform plate and turbinates may add crucial information complementing studies regarding the olfactory organ's bone and soft tissue structures. In the study, we describe the vascularization of the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone of 54 Artiodactyla and Carnivora.
Topical niacinamide (Nicotinamide) treatment for discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE): A prospective pilot study
Authors: Nouh Ahmed H. , Elshahid Ahmed R. , Kadah Ahmed S. , Zeyada Youssef A.
Published: January 2023

Background

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus is an umbrella term for a group of autoimmune connective tissue disorders affecting the skin. Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is the chronic condition and most common form of cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

Aims

Current therapies of DLE are challenging and not completely satisfactory, highly expensive, off‐label, or poorly available (like antimalarials due to COVID‐19 outbreaks). Nicotinamide, also called niacinamide, is a water‐soluble form of vitamin B3 (niacin). Its multiple effects let us think that nicotinamide could be a therapy for lupus‐associated skin lesions.

Methods

We performed a prospective randomized double‐blind clinical trial on 60 subjects diagnosed with Discoid lupus erythematosus using topical Nicotinamide 2% and 4% preparations in form of cream and gel on skin and scalp lesions. Control group was included using only cream/gel base as placebo control.

Results

Obtained data showed that topical Nicotinamide can be used for the treatment of DLE as adjuvant to other treatment regimens with good cosmetic results and minimal side effects. Topical 4% Nicotinamide is superior to 2% preparation in response but associated with a higher incidence of irritation.

Conclusion

Topical Nicotinamide can be used for the treatment of DLE as an adjuvant to other treatment regimens with good cosmetic results and minimal side effects. Further trials with long‐term therapy, follow‐up period, and bigger sample sizes are required.
Liver phenotypes in PCOS: Analysis of exogenous and inherited risk factors for liver injury in two European cohorts
Authors: Smyk Wiktor , Papapostoli Ifigeneia , Żorniak Michał , Sklavounos Panagiotis , Blukacz Łukasz , Madej Paweł , Koutsou Andreani , Weber Susanne N. , Friesenhahn‐Ochs Bettina , Cebula Maciej , Bosowska Joanna , Solomayer Erich‐Franz , Hartleb Marek , Milkiewicz Piotr , Lammert Frank , Stokes Caroline S. , Krawczyk Marcin
Published: January 2023

Background & Aims

Fatty liver disease (FLD) is common in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Here, we use non‐invasive tests to quantify liver injury in women with PCOS and analyse whether FLD‐associated genetic variants contribute to liver phenotypes in PCOS.

Methods

Prospectively, we recruited women with PCOS and controls at two university centres in Germany and Poland. Alcohol abuse was regarded as an exclusion criterion. Genotyping of variants associated with FLD was performed using TaqMan assays. Liver stiffness measurements (LSM), controlled attenuation parameters (CAP) and non‐invasive HSI, FLI, FIB‐4 scores were determined to assess hepatic steatosis and fibrosis.

Results

A total of 42 German (age range 18–53 years) and 143 Polish (age range 18–40 years) women with PCOS, as well as 245 German and 289 Polish controls were recruited. In contrast to Polish patients, Germans were older, presented with more severe metabolic profiles and had significantly higher LSM (median 5.9 kPa vs. 3.8 kPa). In the German cohort, carriers of the PNPLA3 p.I148M risk variant had an increased LSM (p = .01). In the Polish cohort, the minor MTARC1 allele was linked with significantly lower serum aminotransferases activities, whereas the HSD17B13 polymorphism was associated with lower concentrations of 17‐OH progesterone, total testosterone, and androstenedione (all p < .05).

Conclusions

FLD is common in women with PCOS. Its extent is modulated by both genetic and metabolic risk factors. Genotyping of variants associated with FLD might help to stratify the risk of liver disease progression in women suffering from PCOS.
Can philosophy be an academic discipline?
Authors: Kaeslin Isabel
Published: January 2023

Richard Rorty notoriously maintained that philosophy is not an academic discipline. He thought that the only viable candidate for philosophy to be an academic discipline—where philosophy consists in a collection of permanent, pure topics—depends on a Cartesian conceptual framework. Once we overcome this framework, he maintained, there will be nothing left to be the distinct subject matter of philosophy. This article argues that there is a conception of philosophy that can be an academic discipline, even if we take Rorty's challenge seriously. It remains even if we overcome the Cartesian conceptual framework. In the end the article goes beyond Rorty's challenge and considers two further criteria for philosophy to be an academic discipline: that it have a distinct method, and that it be able to be done for the public good. The article argues that philosophy can fulfill these two criteria, and therefore that it can be an academic discipline.
Ethylene‐responsive SbWRKY50 suppresses leaf senescence by inhibition of chlorophyll degradation in sorghum
Authors: Chen Wei , Zheng Yuchen , Wang Jingyi , Wang Zijing , Yang Zhen , Chi Xiaoyu , Dai Lingyan , Lu Guihua , Yang Yonghua , Sun Bo
Published: January 2023

The onset of leaf de‐greening and senescence is governed by a complex regulatory network including environmental cues and internal factors such as transcription factors (TFs) and phytohormones, in which ethylene (ET) is one key inducer. However, the detailed mechanism of ET signalling for senescence regulation is still largely unknown.

Here, we found that the WRKY TF SbWRKY50 from Sorghum bicolor L., a direct target of the key component ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE 3 in ET signalling, functioned for leaf senescence repression. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR‐associated protein9‐edited SbWRKY50 mutant (SbWRKY5O‐KO) of sorghum displayed precocious senescent phenotypes, while SbWRKY50 overexpression delayed age‐dependent and dark‐induced senescence in sorghum.

SbWRKY50 negatively regulated chlorophyll degradation through direct binding to the promoters of several chlorophyll catabolic genes. In addition, SbWRKY50 recruited the Polycomb repressive complex 1 through direct interaction with SbBMI1A, to induce histone 2A mono‐ubiquitination accumulation on the chlorophyll catabolic genes for epigenetic silencing and thus delayed leaf senescence. Especially, SbWRKY50 can suppress early steps of chlorophyll catabolic pathway via directly repressing SbNYC1 (NON‐YELLOW COLORING 1). Other senescence‐related hormones could also influence leaf senescence through repression of SbWRKY50.

Hence, our work shows that SbWRKY50 is an essential regulator downstream of ET and SbWRKY50 also responds to other phytohormones for senescence regulation in sorghum.
The saponin bomb: a nucleolar‐localized β‐glucosidase hydrolyzes triterpene saponins in Medicago truncatula
Authors: Lacchini Elia , Erffelinck Marie‐Laure , Mertens Jan , Marcou Shirley , Molina‐Hidalgo Francisco Javier , Tzfadia Oren , Venegas‐Molina Jhon , Cárdenas Pablo D. , Pollier Jacob , Tava Aldo , Bak Søren , Höfte Monica , Goossens Alain
Published: January 2023

Plants often protect themselves from their own bioactive defense metabolites by storing them in less active forms. Consequently, plants also need systems allowing correct spatiotemporal reactivation of such metabolites, for instance under pathogen or herbivore attack.

Via co‐expression analysis with public transcriptomes, we determined that the model legume Medicago truncatula has evolved a two‐component system composed of a β‐glucosidase, denominated G1, and triterpene saponins, which are physically separated from each other in intact cells.

G1 expression is root‐specific, stress‐inducible, and coregulated with that of the genes encoding the triterpene saponin biosynthetic enzymes. However, the G1 protein is stored in the nucleolus and is released and united with its typically vacuolar‐stored substrates only upon tissue damage, partly mediated by the surfactant action of the saponins themselves. Subsequently, enzymatic removal of carbohydrate groups from the saponins creates a pool of metabolites with an increased broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity.

The evolution of this defense system benefited from both the intrinsic condensation abilities of the enzyme and the bioactivity properties of its substrates. We dub this two‐component system the saponin bomb, in analogy with the mustard oil and cyanide bombs, commonly used to describe the renowned β‐glucosidase‐dependent defense systems for glucosinolates and cyanogenic glucosides.
StomaAI: an efficient and user‐friendly tool for measurement of stomatal pores and density using deep computer vision
Authors: Sai Na , Bockman James Paul , Chen Hao , Watson‐Haigh Nathan , Xu Bo , Feng Xueying , Piechatzek Adriane , Shen Chunhua , Gilliham Matthew
Published: January 2023

Using microscopy to investigate stomatal behaviour is common in plant physiology research. Manual inspection and measurement of stomatal pore features is low throughput, relies upon expert knowledge to record stomatal features accurately, requires significant researcher time and investment, and can represent a significant bottleneck to research pipelines.

To alleviate this, we introduce StomaAI (SAI): a reliable, user‐friendly and adaptable tool for stomatal pore and density measurements via the application of deep computer vision, which has been initially calibrated and deployed for the model plant Arabidopsis (dicot) and the crop plant barley (monocot grass).

SAI is capable of producing measurements consistent with human experts and successfully reproduced conclusions of published datasets.

SAI boosts the number of images that can be evaluated in a fraction of the time, so can obtain a more accurate representation of stomatal traits than is routine through manual measurement. An online demonstration of SAI is hosted at https://sai.aiml.team, and the full local application is publicly available for free on GitHub through https://github.com/xdynames/sai‐app.
Multiple pre‐ and postzygotic components of reproductive isolation between two co‐occurring Lysimachia species
Authors: Jiménez‐López Francisco Javier , Arista Montserrat , Talavera María , Cerdeira Morellato Leonor Patrícia , Pannell John R. , Viruel Juan , Ortiz Ballesteros Pedro L.
Published: January 2023

Genetic divergence between species depends on reproductive isolation (RI) due to traits that reduce interspecific mating (prezygotic isolation) or are due to reduced hybrid fitness (postzygotic isolation). Previous research found that prezygotic barriers tend to be stronger than postzygotic barriers, but most studies are based on the evaluation of F1 hybrid fitness in early life cycle stages.

We combined field and experimental data to determine the strength of 17 prezygotic and postzygotic reproductive barriers between two Lysimachia species that often co‐occur and share pollinators. We assessed postzygotic barriers up to F2 hybrids and backcrosses.

The two species showed near complete RI due to the cumulative effect of multiple barriers, with an uneven and asymmetric contribution to isolation. In allopatry, prezygotic barriers contributed more to reduce gene flow than postzygotic barriers, but their contributions were more similar in sympatry.

The strength of postzygotic RI was up to three times lower for F1 progeny than for F2 or backcrossed progenies, and RI was only complete when late F1 stages and either F2 or backcrosses were accounted for. Our results thus suggest that the relative strength of postzygotic RI may be underestimated when its effects on late stages of the life cycle are disregarded.
Environment‐specific selection alters flowering‐time plasticity and results in pervasive pleiotropic responses in maize
Authors: Choquette Nicole E. , Holland James B. , Weldekidan Teclemariam , Drouault Justine , de Leon Natalia , Flint‐Garcia Sherry , Lauter Nick , Murray Seth C. , Xu Wenwei , Wisser Randall J.
Published: January 2023

Crop genetic diversity for climate adaptations is globally partitioned. We performed experimental evolution in maize to understand the response to selection and how plant germplasm can be moved across geographical zones.

Initialized with a common population of tropical origin, artificial selection on flowering time was performed for two generations at eight field sites spanning 25° latitude, a 2800 km transect. We then jointly tested all selection lineages across the original sites of selection, for the target trait and 23 other traits.

Modeling intergenerational shifts in a physiological reaction norm revealed separate components for flowering‐time plasticity. Generalized and local modes of selection altered the plasticity of each lineage, leading to a latitudinal pattern in the responses to selection that were strongly driven by photoperiod. This transformation led to widespread changes in developmental, architectural, and yield traits, expressed collectively in an environment‐dependent manner. Furthermore, selection for flowering time alone alleviated a maladaptive syndrome and improved yields for tropical maize in the temperate zone.

Our findings show how phenotypic selection can rapidly shift the flowering phenology and plasticity of maize. They also demonstrate that selecting crops to local conditions can accelerate adaptation to climate change.
Identification and fine mapping of a new bacterial blight resistance gene, Xa43(t), in Zhangpu wild rice (Oryza rufipogon)
Authors: Huang F. , He N. , Yu M. , Li D. , Yang D.
Published: January 2023

Bacterial blight (BB) is currently considered one of the most serious rice diseases and is caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Numerous studies have shown that breeding resistant rice varieties is one of the most effective methods to prevent BB, and it is important to identify and isolate more BB resistance (R) genes from different rice resources.

Using a map‐based approach, we identified a new QTL/gene, Xa43(t), from ZhangPu wild rice, which was highly resistant to the BB isolate PX099. We performed bulked segregant analysis combined with candidate gene prediction to identify the candidate gene.

The Xa43(t) gene was narrowed down to a 29‐kb region containing four putative genes. More importantly, the candidate gene Xa43(t) did not affect the main agronomic traits of rice. We also identified a widely applicable molecular marker, namely Inde1‐18, which co‐segregates with the Xa43(t) gene.

The Xa43(t) gene is a new broad‐spectrum BB resistance gene without identified alleles and has good application prospects for rice disease resistance breeding.