bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physiological plateaus during normal labor and birth: A novel definition
Authors: Weckend Marina , McCullough Kylie , Duffield Christine , Bayes Sara , Davison Clare
Published: May 2024

Background

Diagnoses of labor dystocia, and subsequent labor augmentation, make one of the biggest contributions to childbirth medicalization, which remains a key challenge in contemporary maternity care. However, labor dystocia is poorly defined, and the antithetical concept of physiological plateaus remains insufficiently explored.

Aim

To generate a definition of physiological plateaus as a basis for further research.

Methods

This qualitative study applied grounded theory methods and comprised interviews with 20 midwives across Australia, conducted between September 2020 and February 2022. Data were coded in a three‐phase approach, starting with inductive line‐by‐line coding, which generated themes and subthemes, and finally, through axial coding.

Results

Physiological plateaus represent a temporary slowing of one or multiple labor processes and appear to be common during childbirth. They are reported throughout the entire continuum of labor, typically lasting between a few minutes to several hours. Their etiology/function appears to be a self‐regulatory mechanism of the mother‐infant dyad. Physiological plateaus typically self‐resolve and are followed by a self‐resumption of labor. Women with physiological plateaus during labor appear to experience positive birth outcomes.

Discussion

Despite appearing to be common, physiological plateaus are insufficiently recognized in contemporary childbirth discourse. Consequently, there seems to be a significant risk of misinterpretation of physiological plateaus as labor dystocia. While findings are limited by the qualitative design and require validation through further quantitative research, the proposed novel definition provides an important starting point for further investigation.

Conclusion

A better understanding of physiological plateaus holds the potential for a de‐medicalization of childbirth through preventing unjustified labor augmentation.
RUNX1::ETO and CBFβ::MYH11 converge on aberrant activation of BCAT1 to confer a therapeutic vulnerability in core‐binding factor‐acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Wang Siyang , Liu Yabin , Zhao Xujie , Wang Xiaoling , Lou Jiacheng , Jin Peng , Zhang Yi , Yu Jinyi , Wang Kankan
Published: May 2024

Effectively targeting transcription factors in therapeutic interventions remains challenging, especially in core‐binding factor‐acute myeloid leukaemia (CBF‐AML) characterized by RUNX1::ETO and CBFβ::MYH11 fusions. However, recent studies have drawn attention towards aberrant amino acid metabolisms as actionable therapeutic targets. Here, by integrating the expression profile and genetic makeup in AML cohort, we found higher BCAT1 expression in CBF‐AML patients compared with other subtypes. Metabolic profiling revealed that high BCAT1 expression led to reprogrammed branch amino acid metabolism in CBF‐AML and was associated with sphingolipid pathway relating to the fitness of leukaemia cells, supported by transcriptomic profiling. Mechanistically, we demonstrated in cell lines and primary patient samples that BCAT1 was directly activated by RUNX1::ETO and CBFβ::MYH11 fusion proteins similarly in a RUNX1‐dependent manner through rewiring chromatin conformation at the BCAT1 gene locus. Furthermore, BCAT1 inhibition resulted in blunted cell cycle, enhanced apoptosis and myeloid differentiation of CBF‐AML cells in vitro, and alleviated leukaemia burden and prolonged survival in vivo. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of BCAT1 using the specific inhibitor Gabapentin demonstrated therapeutic effects, as evidenced by delayed leukaemia progression and improved survival in vivo. In conclusion, our study uncovers BCAT1 as a genetic vulnerability and a promising targeted therapeutic opportunity for CBF‐AML.
Assessment of fatigue in adult patients with sickle cell disease: Use of the functional assessment of chronic illness therapy—Fatigue (FACIT‐fatigue) questionnaire
Authors: Cheminet Geoffrey , Corbasson Anne , Charmettan Marie , Namaoui Walid , Khimoud Djamal , Flamarion Edouard , Michon Adrien , Lafont Emmanuel , Pouchot Jacques , Ranque Brigitte , Arlet Jean‐Benoît
Published: May 2024

Few studies have used validated scales to assess the intensity and determinants of fatigue, a major symptom of sickle cell disease (SCD). We aimed to assess the level of basal fatigue in adult patients with SCD, using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy—Fatigue (FACIT‐Fatigue) questionnaire. We prospectively included 102 stable adult outpatients with SCD over 2 months, who answered the FACIT‐Fatigue (ranging from 0 (worst imaginable fatigue) to 52 (no fatigue)) and reported on the intensity of fatigue and its impact on quality of life. The cut‐off for significant fatigue was <34. The median [IQR] FACIT‐Fatigue score was 29 [22–37], indicating moderate‐to‐severe fatigue. In a multivariate analysis, the FACIT‐Fatigue score was significantly associated with female sex, high body mass index, high level of stress, poor sleep quality, and number of previous episodes of acute chest syndrome, but not with the genotype or the haemoglobin level. Most adult patients with SCD experience significant and sometimes intense fatigue; this is probably due to several factors, including disease activity. Fatigue should be evaluated systematically during consultations and in patient education programmes and as an end‐point in therapeutic trials.
International Order and Latin American Reticent Support for Ukraine
Authors: Rodriguez J. Luis
Published: May 2024

Latin America has promoted the nonintervention principle as a fundamental tenet of the international order. The region defends this principle to prevent abuses of force by great powers. Why, then, have Latin American governments been reticent to support Ukraine against the ongoing Russian invasion? The Latin American reactions to the Russian invasion do not represent a normalisation of aggression or a rejection of the international order. The Latin American responses are anchored in two regional approaches to the international order favouring nonintervention: republicanism promotes collective responses while pluralism defends non‐Western values. If the West wants to win more Latin American support for Ukraine, it is necessary to disentangle supporting Ukraine and defending the international order.
The potential of lacustrine sedimentary ancient DNA for revealing human postglacial recolonization patterns in northern Sweden – a review
Authors: Johnson Ernst , Regnéll Carl , Heintzman Peter D. , Linderholm Anna
Published: May 2024

The postglacial recolonization of Fennoscandian flora and fauna was initiated when the land became accessible as the last ice sheet retreated. In northern Sweden, plants are represented in pollen and macrofossil records, but there is no genetic evidence from the first plants, animals or humans in the region, mainly owing to an absence of osteological finds. The questions of who the first postglacial peoples, or pioneers, were and where they came from therefore remain unanswered. Previous palaeogenomic analyses from remains from adjacent regions have suggested that two main routes into Sweden could have been taken by the pioneers, one from the SW through modern‐day Denmark and Norway, and one from the east via Finland. However, no direct genetic evidence from the pioneers of northern Sweden exists. Modern technology has provided the ancient DNA field with an updated toolbox that could allow for novel approaches for revealing the origin and genetic profiles of the first Scandinavians, of which sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) is well placed. Lake sediments are now a routine source of sedaDNA that have been used to record environmental changes and detect species that lived in the surrounding lake catchment. This review will provide context and background, a summary of the ground‐breaking studies within the field of lacustrine sedaDNA, and relevant methodology to address the scientific questions at hand. We conclude that the field is mature enough to provide insight into the origins and arrival times of the first postglacial humans that migrated into northern Sweden.
Seasonal precipitation variability on Svalbard inferred from Holocene sedimentary leaf wax δ2H
Authors: Kjellman Sofia E. , Thomas Elizabeth K. , Farnsworth Wesley R. , Cowling Owen C. , Allaart Lis , Brynjólfsson Skafti , Schomacker Anders
Published: May 2024

Svalbard spans large climate gradients, associated with atmospheric circulation patterns and variations in ocean heat content and sea ice cover. Future precipitation increases are projected to peak in the northeast and to mainly occur in winter, but uncertainties underscore the need for reconstructions of long‐term spatial and temporal variations in precipitation amounts and seasonality. We use lipid biomarkers from four sedimentary lake records along a climatic gradient from western to northeastern Svalbard to reconstruct Holocene water cycle changes. We measured the leaf wax hydrogen isotopic composition of long‐chain (terrestrial) and mid‐chain (aquatic) n‐alkanoic acids, reflecting δ2H of precipitation (δ2Hprecip) and lake water (δ2Hlake), respectively. δ2Hprecip values mainly reflect summer precipitation δ2H and evapotranspiration, whereas δ2Hlake values can reflect various precipitation seasonality due to varying lake hydrology. For one lake, we used the difference between δ2Hprecip and δ2Hlake (εprecip‐lake) to infer summer evapotranspiration changes. Relatively 2H‐enriched δ2Hprecip values and higher εprecip‐lake in the Early and Middle Holocene suggest warm summers with higher evapotranspiration, and/or more proximal summer moisture. After c. 6 cal. ka BP, 2H‐depleted δ2Hprecip values and lower εprecip‐lake indicate summer cooling, less evapotranspiration, or more distally derived moisture. Early to Middle Holocene decrease in δ2Hlake values in two northern Spitsbergen lakes reflects an increase in the proportion of winter relative to summer precipitation, associated with regional warming and increased moisture supply, which may be due to increased distal moisture supply and/or reduced sea ice cover. Our northern Svalbard δ2Hlake records suggest great Late Holocene climate variability with periodic winter precipitation increases or decreases in summer precipitation inflow to the lakes. We find that Holocene summer precipitation δ2H values mainly follow changes in summer insolation and temperature, whereas the seasonal distribution of precipitation is sensitive to catchment hydrology, regional ocean surface conditions, and moisture source changes.
Highlights and hot topics in GPCR research from ‘Down Under’
Authors: Smith Nicola J. , May Lauren T. , Grimsey Natasha L.
Published: May 2024

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue Therapeutic Targeting of G Protein‐Coupled Receptors: hot topics from the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v181.14/issuetoc
Dipeptidylpeptidase‐4‐targeted activatable fluorescent probes visualize senescent cells
Authors: Tanaka Hisamichi , Sugawara Sho , Tanaka Yoko , Loo Tze Mun , Tachibana Ryo , Abe Atsuki , Kamiya Mako , Urano Yasuteru , Takahashi Akiko
Published: May 2024

Senescent cells promote cancer development and progression through chronic inflammation caused by a senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Although various senotherapeutic strategies targeting senescent cells have been developed for the prevention and treatment of cancers, technology for the in vivo detection and evaluation of senescent cell accumulation has not yet been established. Here, we identified activatable fluorescent probes targeting dipeptidylpeptidase‐4 (DPP4) as an effective probe for detecting senescent cells through an enzymatic activity‐based screening of fluorescent probes. We also determined that these probes were highly, selectively, and rapidly activated in senescent cells during live cell imaging. Furthermore, we successfully visualized senescent cells in the organs of mice using DPP4‐targeted probes. These results are expected to lead to the development of a diagnostic technology for noninvasively detecting senescent cells in vivo and could play a role in the application of DPP4 prodrugs for senotherapy.
Children's physical activity in family child care homes: Influence of quality status, environment and policy features, and child characteristics
Authors: McIver Kerry L. , Zaltz Daniel A. , Neelon Brian , Bucko Agnes , Benjamin‐Neelon Sara E. , Pate Russell R.
Published: May 2024

Background

About half of preschool‐age children are not meeting recommendations of 15 min/h of physical activity (PA), and nearly one out of seven children between the ages of 2–5 years are living with obesity. Furthermore, children attending family child care homes (FCCHs), compared with larger child care centers, engage in lower levels of PA and appear to be at a higher risk of obesity. Therefore, examining PA and multi‐level factors that influence PA in children who attend FCCHs is essential.

Methods

The Childcare Home Eating and Exercise Study (CHEER) examined PA behaviors of 184 children enrolled in 56 FCCHs and FCCH quality status, environment and policy features, and child characteristics. PA was assessed by accelerometer, and FCCH environment and policy was assessed via structured observation. Multiple linear regression was used to model associations between school day total PA and FCCH quality status, environment and policy features, and child characteristics.

Results

Child participants were on average 3.1 years old; participants were non‐Hispanic Black (47.3%), Non‐Hispanic White (42.9%), other race/ethnicity (7.1%), and Hispanic/Latin (2.7%). Children in FCCH settings participated in 11.2 min/h of total PA, which is below the recommended 15 min per hour. The PA environment and policy observation yielded a score of 11.8 out of a possible 30, which is not supportive of child PA. There were no associations between total child PA and FCCH quality status, environment and policy features, and child characteristics in these FCCH settings.

Conclusions

This study was unique in its examination of PA and a comprehensive set of factors that may influence PA at the individual, organizational, environmental, and policy levels in a diverse sample of children attending FCCHs in South Carolina. Additional research is needed to better understand how to increase children's physical activity while they are in the FCCH setting. This research should use multi‐level frameworks and apply longitudinal study designs.
Redefining ITT cortisol thresholds on Abbott platforms to prevent misdiagnosis of adrenal insufficiency
Authors: Lazarus Katharine , Hayes Annabel , Narula Kavita , Papadopolou Debbie , Tan Tricia M.‐M. , Meeran Karim , Choudhury Sirazum
Published: May 2024

Background

Adrenal insufficiency (AI) is a life‐threatening condition which requires long term glucocorticoid replacement. The insulin tolerance test (ITT) is the current gold standard test for diagnosis of secondary AI, but the widely accepted cut‐off value of a peak cortisol of less than 500 nmol/L assumes that anyone who does not reach this value has AI and thus requires full replacement. The cut‐off used to diagnose AI is also founded on outdated assays. Use of this cut‐off in an era of more specific immunoassays therefore risks misdiagnosis, subsequent unnecessary glucocorticoid exposure and associated adverse effects with increased mortality risk.

Design, Patients and Measurements

This retrospective analysis assessed 300 ITT cortisol responses using the Abbott Architect and Alinity analyser platforms in patients with suspected AI over a period of 12 years (August 2010 to January 2022), at a tertiary centre.

Results

Patients were classified as having AI or not, based on a comprehensive clinical review of electronic patient records from the point of test to the present day by a panel of pituitary and adrenal specialists. Using the current institutional cut‐off value of 500 nmol/L, receiver operating characteristic analysis identified a 100.0% sensitivity and 43.6% specificity (area under the curve 0.979). Using a lower cortisol threshold value of 416 nmol/L on the Abbott analyser platform maintained a sensitivity of 100.0% and improved the specificity to 86.7%.

Conclusion

This data supports lowering the Abbott analyser ITT peak cortisol threshold to 416 nmol/L. Use of this improved cut‐off avoids unnecessary glucocorticoid replacement therapy in 104 (34.7%) of individuals in this study. All patients remained well with at least 1 year longitudinal follow up of glucocorticoid replacement.
Diverse approaches to protecting biodiversity: The different conservation measures discussed as possible other effective area‐based conservation measures
Authors: Cook Carly N.
Published: May 2024

Other effective area‐based conservation measures (OECMs) create opportunities for a wide range of area‐based conservation strategies. As countries seek to integrate OECMs into conservation planning, it is useful to consider the types of areas that might meet the formal criteria. To support this goal, I analyzed the different types of measures discussed as possible OECMs in the literature, identifying a wide range of measures, far more diverse than those currently recognized as OECMs. There was a strong emphasis on measures with conservation as a secondary management objective, with most studies being supportive of the potential to balance biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource use. However, many studies have highlighted the need to ensure biodiversity outcomes are achieved and sustained, and that appropriate governance and management structures are in place. Concerns were raised about measures associated with resource extraction, such as fisheries and forestry, which were often considered incompatible with conservation. Very few studies offered a nuanced discussion of specific measures or evaluated whether sites offer conservation outcomes, leaving clear knowledge gaps in translating speculation into evidence. Nevertheless, the current literature offers a strong starting point from which to target potential case studies to build the evidence base necessary to advance OECMs.
1089. Tricyrtis ohsumiensis Masam.: Liliaceae
Authors: Moore Richard , Langhorne Joanna
Published: May 2024

Tricyrtis ohsumiensis Masam. is a rare endemic species of southern Japan with beautiful, ornamental yellow flowers; it is illustrated here with a hand‐coloured engraving; its taxonomic relationships, morphology, ecology and notes on its cultivation are discussed.
Love and Ren (仁) in plague: An analysis of Martin Luther and Wang Yangming's plague narrative from the perspective of emotion studies
Authors: Zhu Yan
Published: May 2024

As the most important reformers of Confucianism and Christianity, early modern thinkers in China and the West, Wang Yangming and Martin Luther both experienced deadly plagues. This article analyzes how they offered emotional direction and assistance to ordinary Christians or the public through their plague narratives, viewed through the lens of emotion studies. By exploring their response to plague, this article aims to facilitate a dialogue between Wang Yangming's doctrine of “extending humanity to form one body with Heaven, Earth and all things” (天地万物一体之仁) and Martin Luther's Christian principle of “loving your neighbor as yourself.”
Luther and Taoism: The early Lutheran interpretation of the Taoist conception of love in the Sino‐Nordic religious encounter
Authors: GAO Yuan
Published: May 2024

The issue of how Chinese Taoism was introduced into the Nordic context of Lutheran theology is not only a fascinating subject of history but also a profound religious theme revealing the underlying conflicts, convergence, and dialogue of core values between Eastern and Western faith traditions. This study presents a survey of the early Lutheran interpretation of the Taoist conception of love with particular focus on whether Taoist doctrines were misunderstood during the encounter. The first section addresses the main line of reception of Taoist classics in Scandinavia. The second section examines some critical evaluations of the Taoist value of love by early Nordic missionaries to China. The third section discusses Luther's theology of love by addressing the doctrine of the two kinds of love according to the Finnish Lutheran School. In relation to this Lutheran picture, the fourth section proceeds to the Taoist concept of love by inquiring into Taoism's ideal of divine spiritual life. Based on the systematic comparison of the sources of love in both Lutheran theology and Taoism, section five explores new approaches in the modern Lutheran–Taoist dialogue on the renewal of love. I argue that the Taoist conception of the metaphysical benevolence (love) in Tao as well as the real‐ontic presence of Tao in one's soul (Te) is not very far from the Finnish interpretation of Luther's idea of “in ipsa fide Christus adest,” compared to which the Taoist worship of certain moral examples cannot be misunderstood as worship of false idols but rather provides a useful image of an ascending love for inspiring ordinary people toward an ideal spiritual life. Thereby, these ontological and epistemological interpretations open a new horizon for deepening the modern Lutheran–Taoist dialogue on the renewal of love toward divinization.
The effect of diabetes management on the workload of district and community nursing teams in the UK
Authors: Martin Lucy , Hill Sue , Holt Richard I. G.
Published: May 2024

Aims

The number of older people with diabetes requiring care from district nursing teams is increasing. The role of district nursing teams in diabetes management has expanded to involve diagnosis, treatment and medication administration. As the complexity of caseloads increases, the current model is likely unsustainable. This study aims to understand the current diabetes workload of district nursing teams.

Methods

An online survey was distributed via social media and key stakeholder networks to district nursing teams. Survey items were designed by the researchers prior to pilot testing with potential participants. Descriptive statistical and qualitative analyses were conducted. Data are median ± IQR.

Results

159 district nursing teams completed the survey. The median caseload per team was 300 (IQR 176–407) patients including 21 with diabetes (IQR 14–40; 8.7% (4–20%)). 1.09 home visits per day per person with diabetes lasting 13.8 minutes (excluding travel time) were needed, with most requiring insulin administration. 96% of nursing teams undertake multiple daily visits for some patients. 91% reported workloads relating to diabetes management had increased over the last 2 years; 76% stated current diabetes workloads were unsustainable. More insulin usage, more referrals and a lack of ability or willingness to self‐administer insulin has increased the diabetes workload. Possible solutions include better collaboration between healthcare professionals, simplification of insulin administration and glucose monitoring, better training and upskilling of healthcare assistants and promotion of self‐efficacy.

Conclusions

Diabetes management forms an increasing component of district nursing workload and is likely to be unsustainable unless new models are found.
Normative Case Studies, Reflective Equilibrium, and the Ethics of Belief in Teacher Education
Authors: Forster Daniella J.
Published: May 2024

Education professionals, such as teachers, policymakers, and school leaders, come to ethical deliberation with diverse views based not only on their different role obligations but also on different epistemic and moral norms. In this paper Daniella Forster argues that mental normativity — the ethics of belief — has professional implications especially significant in education, given the narrowing of teacher education and the polarization of public discourse about educational issues. Using case studies may be useful method for increasing interpersonal reflective equilibrium about ethical issues in education; moreover, Forster suggests here that the moral evaluation of belief practices may also be amendable. Readers are invited to consider how generating insights into the moral evaluation of diverse beliefs and belief practices in education provides additional conceptual tools for elevating public dialogue through normative case‐based dilemmas.
Referral pathways to early intervention services for psychosis and their influence on perceptions of care: An interpretive phenomenological analysis
Authors: Senger Brannon , MacDonald Quinn , Pencer Alissa , Crocker Candice E. , Hughes Jean , Tibbo Philip G.
Published: May 2024

Aim

Most young adults experiencing psychosis enter early intervention services (EIS) via inpatient and emergency departments. These experiences are suggested to negatively impact their views of treatment and engagement in EIS. However, limited research has examined the impact of young adults' prior help‐seeking experiences on these outcomes. The present study aimed to explore how young adults engaged in EIS have experienced initial help‐seeking and make sense of these experiences in the context of their current treatment.

Methods

Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 12 young adults (mean age = 24.83) within their first 3–12 months of treatment in EIS. Interviews aimed to examine their experiences of help‐seeking and referral to EIS as well as the impact of these experiences on their subsequent perception of, and engagement with EIS.

Results

3 superordinate themes emerged: (1) Navigating the Maze of Healthcare (2) Dignity and (3) Impact of Help‐Seeking and Referral Experiences. Participants with referral pathways involving urgent care services described more adversity during their referral pathway and tended to describe help‐seeking experiences as contributing to negative views towards EIS and diminished engagement in treatment.

Conclusions

The impact of early negative experiences with healthcare on views towards EIS and engagement is evident in participants' accounts. Sense making was further contextualized by participants' illness insight, degree of recovery, and social support throughout experiences. Emergent themes highlight the need for psychiatric services to emphasize service users' dignity and for EIS to provide opportunities for patients to process past negative mental healthcare experiences to strengthen engagement.
Rethinking dopamine‐guided action sequence learning
Authors: Song Minryung R. , Lee Sang Wan
Published: May 2024

As opposed to those requiring a single action for reward acquisition, tasks necessitating action sequences demand that animals learn action elements and their sequential order and sustain the behaviour until the sequence is completed. With repeated learning, animals not only exhibit precise execution of these sequences but also demonstrate enhanced smoothness and efficiency. Previous research has demonstrated that midbrain dopamine and its major projection target, the striatum, play crucial roles in these processes. Recent studies have shown that dopamine from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) serve distinct functions in action sequence learning. The distinct contributions of dopamine also depend on the striatal subregions, namely the ventral, dorsomedial and dorsolateral striatum. Here, we have reviewed recent findings on the role of striatal dopamine in action sequence learning, with a focus on recent rodent studies.
Loss of temporal coherence in the circadian metabolome across multiple tissues during ageing in mice
Authors: Buijink M. Renate , van Weeghel Michel , Harms Amy , Murli Devika S. , Meijer Johanna H. , Hankemeier Thomas , Michel Stephan , Kervezee Laura
Published: May 2024

Circadian clock function declines with ageing, which can aggravate ageing‐related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. Understanding age‐related changes in the circadian system at a systemic level can contribute to the development of strategies to promote healthy ageing. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of ageing on 24‐h rhythms in amine metabolites across four tissues in young (2 months of age) and old (22–25 months of age) mice using a targeted metabolomics approach. Liver, plasma, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN; the location of the central circadian clock in the hypothalamus) and the paraventricular nucleus (PVN; a downstream target of the SCN) were collected from young and old mice every 4 h during a 24‐h period (n = 6–7 mice per group). Differential rhythmicity analysis revealed that ageing impacts 24‐h rhythms in the amine metabolome in a tissue‐specific manner. Most profound changes were observed in the liver, in which rhythmicity was lost in 60% of the metabolites in aged mice. Furthermore, we found strong correlations in metabolite levels between the liver and plasma and between the SCN and the PVN in young mice. These correlations were almost completely abolished in old mice. These results indicate that ageing is accompanied by a severe loss of the circadian coordination between tissues and by disturbed rhythmicity of metabolic processes. The tissue‐specific impact of ageing may help to differentiate mechanisms of ageing‐related disorders in the brain versus peripheral tissues and thereby contribute to the development of potential therapies for these disorders.
Beyond the visible: Accounting for ultraviolet and far‐red radiation in vegetation productivity and surface energy budgets
Authors: Wang Yujie , Braghiere Renato K. , Yin Yi , Yao Yitong , Hao Dalei , Frankenberg Christian
Published: May 2024

Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is typically defined as light with a wavelength within 400–700 nm. However, ultra‐violet (UV) radiation within 280–400 nm and far‐red (FR) radiation within 700–750 nm can also excite photosystems, though not as efficiently as PAR. Vegetation and land surface models (LSMs) typically do not explicitly account for UV's contribution to energy budgets or photosynthesis, nor FR's contribution to photosynthesis. However, whether neglecting UV and FR has significant impacts remains unknown. We explored how canopy radiative transfer (RT) and photosynthesis are impacted when explicitly implementing UV in the canopy RT model and accounting for UV and FR in the photosynthesis models within a next‐generation LSM that can simulate hyperspectral canopy RT. We validated our improvements using photosynthesis measurements from plants under different light sources and intensities and surface reflection from an eddy‐covariance tower. Our model simulations suggested that at the whole plant level, after accounting for UV and FR explicitly, chlorophyll content, leaf area index (LAI), clumping index, and solar radiation all impact the modeling of gross primary productivity (GPP). At the global scale, mean annual GPP within a grid would increase by up to 7.3% and the increase is proportional to LAI; globally integrated GPP increases by 4.6 PgC year−1 (3.8% of the GPP without accounting for UV + FR). Further, using PAR to proxy UV could overestimate surface albedo by more than 0.1, particularly in the boreal forests. Our results highlight the importance of improving UV and FR in canopy RT and photosynthesis modeling and the necessity to implement hyperspectral or multispectral canopy RT schemes in future vegetation and LSMs.
Prevalence of multidrug‐resistant Campylobacter species in wastewater effluents: A menace of environmental and public health concern
Authors: Oluwakoya Olufunmilayo Modupe , Okoh Anthony Ifeanyi
Published: May 2024

The prevalence of multidrug‐resistant Campylobacter species in wastewater effluents presents a formidable challenge at the intersection of environmental sustainability and public health. This study examined the presence of multidrug‐resistant Campylobacter in wastewater effluents in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, and its implications for environmental ecosystems and public health. Forty‐five samples from household effluent (HHE) and wastewater treatment plant effluent (WWTPE) were collected at different geographical locations within the province between April and September 2022. The counts of the presumptive Campylobacter genus ranged from 5.2 × 103 to 6.03 × 104 CFU/mL for HHE and 4.93 × 103 to 1.04 × 104 CFU/mL for WWTPE. About 42.55% of the samples were positive for Campylobacter species. Five virulence determinants including the cadF and wlaN were detected in all the isolates; however, flgR (19.23%), ciaB, and ceuE (15.38%) were less prevalent. The antibiogram profiles of confirmed Campylobacter isolates revealed high resistance (>55%) against all tested antibiotics ranging from 55.77% (nalidixic acid) to 92.30% (erythromycin), and resistance against the other antibiotics followed the order ciprofloxacin (51.92%), azithromycin (50%), and levofloxacin (48.08%). On the contrary, gentamicin was sensitive against 61.54% of the isolates, followed by imipenem (57.69%) and streptomycin (51.92%). The WWTPE's antibiotic resistance index (ARI) was 0.19, lower than the permitted Krumperman threshold of 0.2; and HHE's ARIs were higher. The isolates' respective multiple antibiotic resistance indexes (MARI) varied between 0.08 and 1.00. Among the phenotypically resistant Campylobacter isolates examined, 21 resistance determinants encoding resistance against β‐lactam, carbapenems, aminoglycosides, phenicol, quinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides were detected, which explains the phenotypic resistance observed in the study. This study concludes that the wastewaters in the study areas are important reservoirs of multidrug‐resistant and potentially pathogenic Campylobacter species, suggesting the need for proper treatment of the wastewaters to eliminate the organisms in the effluents before discharge the final effluent to the receiving watershed.
Health information and resources in hospital outpatient waiting areas may not meet the needs of older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: A cross‐cultural qualitative study
Authors: McDonald Cassie E. , Granger Catherine L. , Louie Julie , Tran Thy , Remedios Louisa J.
Published: May 2024

Background

Health information and resources are often provided in hospital outpatient waiting areas but may not meet the cultural and health literacy needs of older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

Objectives

To explore the perspectives and experiences of Cantonese‐ and Vietnamese‐speaking patients and carers in this setting.

Methods

This qualitative interview‐based study was conducted from December 2019 to March 2020 at a single outpatient rehabilitation service located at a tertiary public hospital. Four adult consumers (two older adult patients, two caregivers) from CALD backgrounds participated in semi‐structured interviews with bilingual researchers. Data were transcribed, translated and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Five themes were developed which highlighted that older adults' language profiles shaped their health information needs and ability to access resources in waiting areas. Cultural factors such as filial responsibility may also influence health information preferences.

Discussion

Older consumers from CALD backgrounds did not have equitable access to health information and resources in the waiting area compared with English‐literate older adults.

Conclusion

Health information and resources in waiting areas warrant improving to better meet the needs of older patients from CALD backgrounds and their caregivers.
Evaluation of the extent of plaque removal and users' experience of alternative toothbrushes: A randomized single‐blind crossover study
Authors: De Almeida Mello Johanna , Reynaert Louise , Frites Hicham , Vandenbulcke Patricia , Vandamme Katleen , Duyck Joke
Published: May 2024

Introduction

In residential care, tooth brushing with a manual toothbrush can be challenging because of technical difficulties, time consumption and poor patient cooperation, resulting in a sub‐optimal cleaning. The study aimed at comparing the efficiency in plaque removal, brushing time and users' experience between three toothbrushes: a single‐headed conventional manual toothbrush, a triple‐headed manual toothbrush and a U‐shaped electric toothbrush.

Methods

This was a single‐blind crossover study with three pre–post‐test conditions. Participants were 26 dental students divided into fixed pairs to play the role of caregivers and care receivers. Pre/post plaque scores were determined by two independent investigators according to the Quigley–Hein Plaque Index (QHI). Questionnaires evaluated participants' experiences. Statistical tests of significances of differences and ANOVA were performed.

Results

Results showed that plaque removal was more effective for the manual toothbrush and the triple‐headed toothbrush compared to the U‐shaped electric toothbrush (p < 0.001). Brushing time was the longest for the single manual toothbrush (149 s). The U‐shaped electric toothbrush showed significantly better results for aspects related to comfort and salivation. The manual and triple‐headed toothbrush showed better results for aspects related to cleanliness and motivation to use.

Conclusion

Notwithstanding its favourable comfort, tooth plaque removal is not enhanced by a U‐shaped electric toothbrush. The triple‐headed and single‐headed toothbrushes reduced plaque more substantially than the U‐shaped toothbrush. In addition, the triple‐headed manual toothbrush was not only effective in plaque removal, but also had a shorter brushing time and was easy to use, being an adequate alternative for care‐dependent patient groups.
Fermented vegetables in China: overview, novel processes, influencing factors, lactic acid bacteria and industrialisation status
Authors: Lu Yun‐hui , Wu Jia‐min , Huang Jia‐rong , Zheng Ming‐jing , Hong Zhen‐zhen , Manzoor Muhammad Faisal , Huang Yan‐yan , Zeng Xin‐an
Published: May 2024

Fermented vegetables are nutritionally beneficial and promote good health. China possesses abundant raw vegetable materials and has a longstanding history of fermented vegetable production. However, the traditional process of vegetable fermentation heavily relies on individual producers' experience and knowledge, resulting in inconsistent flavours, variable quality, and the potential generation of harmful substances. The utilisation of lactic acid fermentation starters can effectively inhibit pathogenic bacteria during the fermentation process, enhance product flavour, reduce nitrite production, improve functional and nutritional value, as well as extend shelf‐life. This article comprehensively reviews factors influencing vegetable fermentation; diverse functions performed by lactic acid bacteria throughout the fermentation process and assesses the current industrialisation status of vegetable fermentation in China. It serves as a valuable reference for promoting high‐quality development within the fermented vegetable industry.
The structure–activity relationship of marine peptides: a review
Authors: Ashaolu Tolulope Joshua , Pham Bang Phuong , Molnár Zoltán , Varga László , Greff Babett
Published: May 2024

Oceans cover over 70% of the Earth's surface and provide home to structurally diverse marine organisms. These creatures contribute to more than half of the biodiversity of the world and produce several bioactive molecules, including peptides. In the past years, scientific research has been focused on the compositions, sequences and structural features of marine‐derived peptides. Based on their amino acid sequences, they have demonstrated a wide range of biological functions, including antithrombotic, antihypertensive, anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiageing, anti‐inflammatory, immunomodulatory and other multifunctional activities that are based on their structure, hydrophobicity, binding affinity, charge and other factors. This review focuses on novel techniques used to produce marine peptides and explores the structure–function relationships of these peptides derived from representative phyla, namely Cnidaria, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Chordata, Echinodermata and Porifera. Furthermore, notable considerations regarding the structure–function basis of marine peptide applications are discussed.
Effects of ultrasound and microwave treatments on oenological yeast microbiota: comparison with a flash pasteurisation
Authors: García Raquel Muñoz , Fernández‐Bermejo Miguel Ángel , Bevilacqua Antonio , Speranza Barbara , Arévalo‐Villena María
Published: May 2024

The control of yeast biota in wine could be a challenge, as different genera could coexist with different effects on wine quality; generally, SO2 plays an important role in this context, while other approaches have been proposed. In this article, two Microwave (MW) and two Ultrasound treatments (US) were tested and compared to a flash pasteurisation on seven yeast strains (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces bayanus, Brettanomyces spp., Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Hanseniaspora osmophila, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Pichia membranifaciens); viable count (viability) and yeast growth kinetic (vitality) were assessed. The treatments reduced viable count by 27%, with a higher biocidal effect of US, depending on yeast and treatment conditions; they also impaired yeast growth causing a delay, which is a significant increase of the lag phase, while the effect on the growth rate or the maximum OD attained in the steady state was less significant. In conclusion, the US generally exerted a stronger effect than MW and flash pasteurisation and Schizo. pombe and Z. bailii were the less resistant yeasts. A partial uncoupling was found between vitality and viability for Z. bailii, while in Schizo. pombe the delay in the growth was generally related to the decrease in the cell count immediately after the treatment.
Is family meal frequency associated with obesity in children and adolescents? A cross‐sectional study including 155 451 participants from 43 countries
Authors: López‐Gil José Francisco , Ezzatvar Yasmin , Ojeda‐Rodríguez Ana , Galan‐Lopez Pablo , Royo Josefa María Panisello , Gaya Anelise Reis , Agostinis‐Sobrinho Cesar , Martín‐Calvo Nerea
Published: May 2024

Objective

This study tried to examine the association between the frequency of family meals and excess weight using large and representative samples of children and adolescents from 43 countries.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study used data from the Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children (HBSC), which included nationally representative samples of children and adolescents aged 10–17 years, involving a total of 155 451 participants (mean age = 13.6 years; standard deviation [SD] = 1.6; 51.4% girls). Family meal frequency was gauged through the following question: ‘How frequently do you and your family typically share meals?’ The possible responses were: ‘never’, ‘less often’, ‘approximately once a week’, ‘most days’ and ‘every day’. The body weight and height of the participants were self‐reported and utilized to calculate body mass index (BMI). Subsequently, BMI z‐scores were computed based on the International Obesity Task Force criteria, and the prevalence of excess weight was defined as +1.31 SD for boys and + 1.24 SD for girls, with obesity defined as +2.29 SD for boys and + 2.19 SD for girls. Generalized linear mixed models were conducted to examine the associations between the frequency of family meals and excess weight or obesity.

Results

The lowest predicted probabilities of having excess weight and obesity were observed for those participants who had family meals every day (excess weight: 34.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 31.4%–37.5%; obesity: 10.8%, 95% CI 9.0%–13.0%).

Conclusions

A higher frequency of family meals is associated with lower odds of having excess weight and obesity in children and adolescents.
A unique human cord blood CD8+CD45RA+CD27+CD161+ T‐cell subset identified by flow cytometric data analysis using Seurat
Authors: Reyes Julen Gabirel Araneta , Ni Duan , Santner‐Nanan Brigitte , Pinget Gabriela Veronica , Kraftova Lucie , Ashhurst Thomas Myles , Marsh‐Wakefield Felix , Wishart Claire Leana , Tan Jian , Hsu Peter , King Nicholas Jonathan Cole , Macia Laurence , Nanan Ralph
Published: May 2024

Advances in single‐cell level analytical techniques, especially cytometric approaches, have led to profound innovation in biomedical research, particularly in the field of clinical immunology. This has resulted in an expansion of high‐dimensional data, posing great challenges for comprehensive and unbiased analysis. Conventional manual analysis is thus becoming untenable to handle these challenges. Furthermore, most newly developed computational methods lack flexibility and interoperability, hampering their accessibility and usability. Here, we adapted Seurat, an R package originally developed for single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) analysis, for high‐dimensional flow cytometric data analysis. Based on a 20‐marker antibody panel and analyses of T‐cell profiles in both adult blood and cord blood (CB), we showcased the robust capacity of Seurat in flow cytometric data analysis, which was further validated by Spectre, another high‐dimensional cytometric data analysis package, and conventional manual analysis. Importantly, we identified a unique CD8+ T‐cell population defined as CD8+CD45RA+CD27+CD161+ T cell that was predominantly present in CB. We characterised its IFN‐γ‐producing and potential cytotoxic properties using flow cytometry experiments and scRNA‐seq analysis from a published dataset. Collectively, we identified a unique human CB CD8+CD45RA+CD27+CD161+ T‐cell subset and demonstrated that Seurat, a widely used package for scRNA‐seq analysis, possesses great potential to be repurposed for cytometric data analysis. This facilitates an unbiased and thorough interpretation of complicated high‐dimensional data using a single analytical pipeline and opens a novel avenue for data‐driven investigation in clinical immunology.
Academic procrastination, loneliness, and academic anxiety as predictors of suicidality among university students
Authors: Hamdan‐Mansour Ayman M. , Hamdan‐Mansour Renad A. , Allaham Dana M. , Alrashidi Mohammed , Alhaiti Ali , Mansour Laith A. Hamdan
Published: May 2024

Suicide is a major public health concern, and university students are at higher risk of suicide than any other age group. The purpose of this study was to examine the prediction power of loneliness, academic anxiety, and academic procrastination on suicidality among university students. A cross‐sectional, correlational design was used to recruit 403 university students using the electronic survey format in Jordan. Data were collected regarding loneliness, academic anxiety, academic procrastination, and suicidality. A two‐step multiple hierarchical regression analysis was performed. Only 17.1% (n = 69) of students were at risk of suicide, low to moderate level of loneliness, moderate level and moderate to high level of academic procrastination of academic anxiety. The model that included the sociodemographic and the psychological factors was significant (F18,390 = 12.3, p < 0.001) where the total variance in suicidality was 37.3% (R2 = 0.373). Being a working student, being on psychotropic medication, romantic and family relationships domains of loneliness, and academic anxiety were found to be predictors of suicidality (p < 0.05). Suicide is a significant problem among university students. Mental health professionals and policymakers need to enhance the use and access to mental health services and seek psychological counselling to combat the increasingly observed phenomenon of suicide among young people.