bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overcoming organizational politics and unlocking meaningful work through ethical leadership
Authors: Mosquera Pilar , Tigre Fernanda Bethlem , Alegre Miriam
Published: September 2024

Purpose

New generations actively seek employment in organizations that resonate with their values, mission and sense of purpose. However, perceptions of organizational politics (POP) associated with unethical practices detrimentally affects meaningful work experiences and employee retention. Ethical leadership emerges as a critical factor in mitigating these negative effects. This study aims to propose a comprehensive model that examines the impact of ethical leadership on two crucial work outcomes: meaningful work and turnover intention. The mediating role of POP is explored, shedding light on the intricate dynamics within organizational contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the model, the authors use a sample of 261 respondents who completed an online questionnaire shared on social networks. Partial least squares is used for data analysis.

Findings

Results evidence that ethical leadership reduces employees’ POP, increases meaningful work and reduces turnover intention. One dimension of POP – communication – mediates the relationship between ethical leadership and work outcomes. Furthermore, meaningful work mediates the relationship between ethical leadership and turnover intention.

Practical implications

The study offers practical suggestions for managers to mitigate the negative impact of POP on meaningful work and employee retention.

Originality/value

This study adds to previous research by analyzing the separate and combined effects of ethical leadership on five dimensions of POP – communication, resources, decisions, reputation and relationships. Furthermore, this study adds empirical evidence on how POP influence meaningful work and employee retention.
Learning organization culture and knowledge sharing: the mediating role of social capital
Authors: Lee Sumi , Han Seung-hyun
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the underlying process through which learning organization culture positively influences knowledge sharing. It specifically explored the mediating role of social capital, underscoring its critical impact on enhancing both knowledge sharing and fostering learning organization culture.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the proposed hypotheses, structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted with a sample of 231 employees from a manufacturing firm in South Korea.

Findings

The results of this study indicate significant direct effects of learning organization culture on social capital. Also, social capital indicates a positive effect on knowledge sharing. Although learning organization culture had no direct effect on knowledge sharing, it indirectly affected learning organization culture and knowledge sharing by mediating social capital.

Practical implications

This study proposes that a learning organization culture will be interconnected with social capital and knowledge sharing. Organizations that can effectively harness the wealth of knowledge unlocked by social capital, and subsequently integrate this knowledge into their activities, are poised for competitive advantage.

Originality/value

First, this study places a special emphasis on the mediating role of social capital between learning organization culture and knowledge sharing. Despite extensive research exploring diverse knowledge-sharing factors (Wang and Noe, 2010), it is plausible that examining social capital as a mediator could offer insights for facilitating knowledge sharing through its structural, relational and cognitive dimensions. Second, while a plethora of literature examines knowledge sharing, this study also seeks to unravel the multifaceted pathways through which the learning organization culture influences knowledge sharing and how these processes could be optimized in organizations.
Hybrid price prediction method combining TCN-BiGRU and attention mechanism for battery-grade lithium carbonate
Authors: Peng Zhanglin , Yin Tianci , Zhu Xuhui , Lu Xiaonong , Li Xiaoyu
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To predict the price of battery-grade lithium carbonate accurately and provide proper guidance to investors, a method called MFTBGAM is proposed in this study. This method integrates textual and numerical information using TCN-BiGRU–Attention.

Design/methodology/approach

The Word2Vec model is initially employed to process the gathered textual data concerning battery-grade lithium carbonate. Subsequently, a dual-channel text-numerical extraction model, integrating TCN and BiGRU, is constructed to extract textual and numerical features separately. Following this, the attention mechanism is applied to extract fusion features from the textual and numerical data. Finally, the market price prediction results for battery-grade lithium carbonate are calculated and outputted using the fully connected layer.

Findings

Experiments in this study are carried out using datasets consisting of news and investor commentary. The findings reveal that the MFTBGAM model exhibits superior performance compared to alternative models, showing its efficacy in precisely forecasting the future market price of battery-grade lithium carbonate.

Research limitations/implications

The dataset analyzed in this study spans from 2020 to 2023, and thus, the forecast results are specifically relevant to this timeframe. Altering the sample data would necessitate repetition of the experimental process, resulting in different outcomes. Furthermore, recognizing that raw data might include noise and irrelevant information, future endeavors will explore efficient data preprocessing techniques to mitigate such issues, thereby enhancing the model’s predictive capabilities in long-term forecasting tasks.

Social implications

The price prediction model serves as a valuable tool for investors in the battery-grade lithium carbonate industry, facilitating informed investment decisions. By using the results of price prediction, investors can discern opportune moments for investment. Moreover, this study utilizes two distinct types of text information – news and investor comments – as independent sources of textual data input. This approach provides investors with a more precise and comprehensive understanding of market dynamics.

Originality/value

We propose a novel price prediction method based on TCN-BiGRU Attention for “text-numerical” information fusion. We separately use two types of textual information, news and investor comments, for prediction to enhance the model's effectiveness and generalization ability. Additionally, we utilize news datasets including both titles and content to improve the accuracy of battery-grade lithium carbonate market price predictions.
Revenue management method and critical techniques of railway passenger transport
Authors: Shan Xinghua , Lv Xiaoyan , Wu Jinfei , Zhao Shuo , Zhang Junfeng
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Revenue management (RM) is a significant technique to improve revenue with limited resources. With the macro environment of dramatically increasing transit capacity and rapid railway transport development in China, it is necessary to involve the theory of RM into the operation and decision of railway passenger transport.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes the theory and framework of generalized RM of railway passenger transport (RMRPT), and the thoughts and methods of the main techniques in RMRPT, involving demand forecasting, line planning, inventory control, pricing strategies and information systems, are all studied and elaborated. The involved methods and techniques provide a sequential process to help with the decision-making for each stage of RMRPT. The corresponding techniques are integrated into the information system to support practical businesses in railway passenger transport.

Findings

The combination of the whole techniques devotes to railway benefit improvement and transit resource utilization and has been applied into the practical operation and organization of railway passenger transport.

Originality/value

The development of RMRPT would provide theoretical and technical support for the improvement of service quality as well as railway benefits and efficiency.
Soil seedbanks are shaped by the timing of fires in a Mediterranean‐type ecosystem
Authors: Plumanns Pouton Ella , Kasel Sabine , Penman Trent D. , Swan Matthew , Kelly Luke T.
Published: September 2024

Many plants rely on soil seedbanks to persist in fire‐prone ecosystems. However, knowledge of plant responses to fire is largely based on above‐ground dynamics. Quantifying how fire influences the seedbank of a diverse range of species will improve fire management.

Here, we aim to understand how the timing of fires influences species occurrence in the soil seedbank, and how this relates to species traits, in a Mediterranean‐type ecosystem. We sampled the soil seedbank across 57 sites that represent a range of fire frequencies (1–9 fires in 81 years) and time since fire (1–81 years). Through a 15‐month germination experiment, we identified 39,701 germinates from 245 plant species. Using nonlinear models, we quantified the responses of 75 species' soil seedbanks to fire history and compared these to above‐ground responses.

Fire influenced species' soil seedbanks according to seed longevity and species' life‐history traits. We observed a response of 15 species' seedbanks to time since fire: All were species with long‐lived seed, including eight annuals, five resprouters and an obligate seeder. Similarly, we observed a response of 17 species' seedbanks to fire frequency, 16 of which had long‐lived seed. Extensive periods without fire (>40 years) increase seedbank availability for annuals that form a long‐lived seedbank, and frequent fire (every ≤15 years) depletes it. We did not detect a consistent influence of fire on species from several other functional types. Many (53%) species found in the soil seedbank were not found in the above‐ground vegetation, and seven of the 22 modelled displayed an above‐ground influence of fire.

Synthesis and applications: Fire frequency influences the probability of species occurrence in the soil seedbank. Frequent fire depletes seed availability of species that depend on long‐lived soil seedbanks for persistence. Yet, other species, including perennials with short‐lived seed storage, appear to be resilient to the frequency of fires experienced to date. We suggest fire management should aim to generate variation in fire frequencies within the landscape, including areas of low fire frequency, tailored to maintain rich plant diversity within the soil seedbank.
Knowledge brokering for public sector reform
Authors: Cuffe Honae
Published: September 2024

Better use of evidence is at the centre of the ambitious Australian Public Sector Reform agenda, providing an authorising environment in which to test new ideas, tools, and approaches to bridge the research–practice gap. As the interlocutors between research and practice, knowledge brokers have a critical role to play in promoting the structural and behavioural changes necessary to build the knowledge networks and new capabilities that enable an evidence ecosystem. In particular, this article makes a case for harnessing the relational nature of knowledge brokering and trialling new mechanisms for research–practitioner collaboration and evidence innovation. It is hoped that this article can serve as the foundation for a future research and practice agenda examining how knowledge brokering operates and where university‐produced research can best support evidence‐based reform.

Points for practitioners

As the interlocutors between research and practice, knowledge brokers can encourage the cross‐boundary thinking, genuine partnerships, and new capabilities to support evidence‐based reform.

The Australian Public Sector Reform agenda provides a unique opportunity to trial new mechanisms and approaches to expand understanding of how knowledge brokering operates in practice and the conditions that support successful research–practice collaboration.

Mechanisms should be formal and accompanied by bureaucratic‐level support and incentives, providing them with the legitimacy needed to embed new mindsets, capabilities, and ways of working.

A key consideration for public sector practitioners is how to establish arrangements and incentives that are mutually beneficial for researchers and practitioners alike and monitor the effectiveness of these initiatives over time.
Evaluating cardiac risks of TASER: An in‐depth case study through probable current analysis
Authors: Seo Hojeong , Park Saehan , Kim Sanghee , Lee Sookyoung , Choi Changho
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the cardiac safety concerns related to TASER discharges centering on a pivotal case that marked the first TASER‐related fatality in South Korea. Employing Pratt et al.'s theoretical framework, the research evaluates the potential for ventricular fibrillation (VF) from these discharges. The methodology incorporated a high‐resolution waveform analysis using sophisticated equipment and considered specific incident details, including dart impact locations verified through a forensic examination. A human body impedance of 500 Ω, chosen based on empirical studies and coupled with non‐inductive resistance for high‐voltage handling, was utilized in the model. By applying a heart‐current factor from IEC 60479 standards, the study found a VF risk of up to 5% depending on the impact location and current pathways. In this specific case, although the calculated risk did not exceed critical thresholds, the VF risk was high enough to suggest that TASER discharges played a role in the fatal outcome. This study underscores the importance of dart impact location in TASER safety evaluations, contributing to a broader understanding of TASER cardiac risks and providing a basis to advocate for rigorous safety protocols.
From Voltaire's Quakers to John Boyle's Methodists: Religious Dispute, Bardolatry, and ‘Patriot Enthusiasm’
Authors: Sell Jonathan P.A.
Published: September 2024

Through the prism of Voltaire's letters on the Quakers (1733) and John Boyle's riposte in his preface to Father Brumoy's The Greek Theatre (1759), some Shakespeare criticism of the period is shown to have drawn on issues of religious controversy, in this case, Methodist enthusiasm, to formulate some of the principal tenets of fledgling bardolatry. Further, as one strand within ‘patriot enthusiasm’, by instituting a national congregation of admirers, the surrogate faith of bardolatry achieved in part the comprehension ruled out by the Toleration Act (1689), while its irrationality sheltered the supernatural on its eviction from rationalized religion.
Tuberculosis reactivation following apremilast therapy for psoriasis: Time to consider routine TB screening?
Authors: Adams Lucinda , Smith Emma L. , Tilakaratne Dev , Krause Vicki
Published: September 2024

Apremilast is a relatively new oral treatment for psoriasis, which reduces expression of pro‐inflammatory factors, including tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNFα), critical to the immune control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. In randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for apremilast no new cases of active tuberculosis (TB) were identified, thus, screening for latent TB infection (LTBI) is not currently recommended prior to apremilast initiation. We describe a case of M.tuberculosis reactivation shortly after commencement of apremilast for psoriasis. We are recommending clinicians perform LTBI risk assessment in all patients, and appropriate LTBI screening in select populations prior to apremilast initiation.
Proving injustice: Smuggler killings, impunity work, and vernacular counterforensics in Turkey's Kurdish borderlands
Authors: Bozçalı Fırat
Published: September 2024

Kurdish smugglers have been targeted and killed by security forces in Turkey's Van borderlands systematically and with impunity. In response, the killed smugglers’ families and their lawyers conducted what I call vernacular counterforensics—the forensic examination both of the killings and of the legal authorities’ failure to investigate them properly. Associating the Kurdish borderlands with terrorism, the legal authorities often avoided collecting evidence on the killings to make potential perpetrators remain unknown or legally authorize the killings. By documenting this impunity work through their counterforensics, Kurdish complainants and lawyers demonstrated the judiciary's complicity in the systemization of state anti‐Kurdish violence. While anthropological studies show that criminal law operates by individualizing violation claims and perpetrators, vernacular counterforensics illustrates a distinct use of criminal law that reveals, rather than blurs, the state crimes’ systematic‐collective aspects. Rather than differentiating technoscientifically produced crime scene evidence from the political circumstances of state crimes, Kurdish complainants and their lawyers used the selective production of such evidence to corroborate the killings’ unlawfulness and their systematic‐collective character. This dual use of forensic evidence permits us to rethink analytical and methodological premises that view forensic evidence as fully verifiable and universally applicable and contrast it against contextual and contingent knowledge forms.
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing prior to radical cystectomy: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Guo Allen Ao , Zeng Kieran , Bushati Ymer , Kim Paul , Zhong Wenjie , Chalasani Venu , Winter Matthew
Published: September 2024

Objective

To identify the association between cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and outcomes of radical cystectomy (RC), as RC is historically associated with high rates of short‐ and long‐term morbidity and mortality.

Methods

This quantitative systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis guidelines. An electronic literature search was conducted to identify all relevant studies evaluating the relationship between CPET parameters and RC outcomes. The primary outcome was short‐term mortality. Secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay (LOS) and rate of serious adverse events as defined by the Clavien–Dindo classification.

Results

The search identified six studies for inclusion. A total of 546 patients underwent CPET prior to RC. There were significantly more deaths following RC observed in patients with poorer cardiopulmonary function (risk ratio RR 5.80, 95% confidence interval 4.96–6.78). There was no significant association between CPET parameters and adverse events or hospital LOS.

Conclusions

The present systematic review and meta‐analysis identified a greater risk of 90‐day mortality in patients with poorer cardiorespiratory function, as measured by CPET. However, there remains a paucity of robust clinical data and further high‐quality studies are required to verify these results.
Low sensitivity of a self‐report questionnaire for hand eczema in hairdressing apprentices
Authors: Kovačić Jelena , Franić Zrinka , Bjelajac Adrijana , Macan Jelena
Published: September 2024

Background

The validity of the self‐report questionnaire for hand eczema (HE) among Croatian hairdressers was not investigated previously, leading to uncertainty in the prevalence estimated from self‐reported data.

Objectives

To (1) investigate the validity of the self‐report questionnaire for HE in hairdressing apprentices and (2) examine the differences between apprentices who recognised their HE symptoms and those who did not.

Methods

Clinical examination for HE signs on hands and wrists was performed by the Osnabrueck Hand Eczema Severity Index for 408 apprentices at four visits covering the entire schooling period. Self‐report HE was based on the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire.

Results

Low sensitivity (7%–37%) with high specificity (≥95%) was observed, with both measures improving from baseline to last visit. The severity of HE signs was the only factor associated with the correct identification of HE signs in analyses adjusted for previous HE signs, health‐related quality of life, and atopic dermatitis (adjusted odds ratios of 1.58 with 95% confidence interval [1.06–2.35] and 1.74[1.38–2.19] at second and third follow‐up visit, respectively).

Conclusions

Self‐report questionnaire for HE showed low sensitivity in hairdressing apprentices, especially at the beginning of training and in those with mild symptoms. Further validation studies following questionnaire modifications aimed at adolescent population are advised.
Einfluss von Alkoholabusus und Lebensstil bei Patienten mit Psoriasis auf das Ansprechen auf IL‐17‐ und IL‐23‐Inhibitoren
Authors: Mastorino Luca , Daniele Rebecca , Dapavo Paolo , Frigatti Giada , Ponti Renata , Giunipero di Corteranzo Isotta , Bongiovanni Eleonora , Quaglino Pietro , Ribero Simone
Published: September 2024

Hintergrund

Alkoholabusus ist mit Manifestation und Exazerbation der Psoriasis assoziiert, aber wie beim Rauchen ist der Einfluss dieser Genussdroge auf biologische Therapien noch nicht hinreichend untersucht.

Material und Methoden

Diese Studie untersucht die Prävalenz von Alkoholabusus sowie weiteren Lebensstilfaktoren (wie Rauchen oder Bewegungsmangel) bei Patienten mit Psoriasis, die mit topischen Arzneimitteln, konventionellen Systemtherapeutika oder Biologika behandelt werden. Das zweite Studienziel ist, den Einfluss des persönlichen Lebensstils (mit Schwerpunkt Alkoholabusus) auf das Ansprechen auf Biologika zu untersuchen. Zur Identifikation einer Alkoholabhängigkeit verwendeten wir bei den Patienten unserer Poliklinik den CAGE‐Fragebogen.

Ergebnisse

Insgesamt wurden 305 Patienten eingeschlossen. Von diesen hatten 18% ein hohes Risiko für Alkoholabusus. Bei den Patienten mit erhöhtem Risiko für Alkoholabusus fanden sich Psoriasis guttata und Psoriasis‐Arthritis überdurchschnittlich häufig. Außerdem hatten Patienten mit Alkoholproblemen zu Beginn einer Therapie mit Biologika höhere PASI‐Werte im Vergleich zu denjenigen, die weniger tranken. Keine der hier betrachteten Variablen schien assoziiert zu sein mit einem Absetzen der Medikation oder mit einer schlechteren Erreichbarkeit der untersuchten Ergebnisparameter (PASI100, PASI90 und PASI≤3). Die Assoziation zur Alkoholabhängigkeit war bei Patienten unter konventioneller Therapie deutlicher ausgeprägt als bei mit Biologika behandelten Patienten.

Schlussfolgerungen

Die Wirksamkeit von Biologika schien durch Alkoholkonsum, Rauchen oder Bewegungsmangel nicht beeinträchtigt zu sein.
Intravenöse Behandlung der Calcinosis cutis mit Natriumthiosulfat – eine Fallserie
Authors: Bruns Tom , Sunderkötter Cord , Wohlrab Johannes
Published: September 2024

Als Calcinosis cutis definiert man die Ablagerung von Kalziumsalzen in der Haut. Die dystrophische Variante ist die häufigste Form und tritt meist bei chronischen Entzündungen im Zusammenhang mit Kollagenosen auf. Als Therapieoptionen stehen die operative Exzision sowie wenige medikamentöse Behandlungen zur Verfügung. Insgesamt ist die Evidenz der bekannten Therapiemaßnahmen sehr niedrig und folgend fehlen valide Handlungsempfehlungen.

Natriumthiosulfat wird intravenös bereits mit Erfolg bei der Therapie der Calciphylaxie eingesetzt. In unserer Fallserie erhielten fünf Patienten mit dystropher Calcinosis cutis Natriumthiosulfat intravenös über mindestens sechs Zyklen jeweils an fünf aufeinanderfolgenden Tagen pro Monat, mit Einzeldosen von 12,5 g beziehungsweise 25,0 g. Eine Abnahme der kalzifizierten Herde konnte dabei nicht sicher belegt, aber stabile Krankheitsverhältnisse erzielt werden.

Möglicherweise kann Natriumthiosulfat intravenös einem Progress der Calcinosis cutis entgegenwirken. Die in der Literatur beschriebene, erfolgreiche Anwendung epikutan applizierten Natriumthiosulfats legt nahe, dass hier möglicherweise eine höhere kutane Bioverfügbarkeit erzielt wird, um einen lytischen Effekt auf die Calcinosis cutis zu erzielen. Dafür spricht auch die beschriebene Wirksamkeit von hochdosiertem Natriumthiosulfat bei der Calciphylaxie.
Sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and the risk of Parkinson disease in real‐world patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Guo Jingchuan , Tang Huilin , Shao Hui , Lu Ying , Shi Lizheng , Fonseca Vivian A. , Cho Hwayoung , Guo Yi , Bian Jiang
Published: September 2024

Importance

Diabetes increases the risk of Parkinson disease (PD). Sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, a new glucose‐lowering therapeutic class, have shown neuroprotective effects in mechanistic studies. However, the association between SGLT2 inhibitors and PD risk in real‐world populations with type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains unclear.

Objective

The aim was to assess the association between SGLT2 inhibitors and the risk of PD in older populations with T2D.

Design, Setting and Participants

This retrospective cohort analysis used Medicare claims data from 2016 to 2020 to identify fee‐for‐service beneficiaries ≥65 years diagnosed with T2D and without pre‐existing PD.

Exposures

The initiation of an SGLT2 inhibitor was compared with that of a dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP4) inhibitor.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The outcome was the first incident PD ever since the date initiating either an SGLT2 inhibitor or a DPP4 inhibitor. We employed a 1:1 propensity score matching to balance the baseline covariates between treatment groups, including sociodemographics, comorbidities and co‐medications. We applied Cox regression models to assess the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors versus DPP4 inhibitors on incident PD.

Results

Of 89 330 eligible Medicare beneficiaries (mean age: 75 ± 7 years, 52% women), 0.6% (n = 537) had incident PD over the follow‐up. After 1:1 propensity matching, the PD incidence was 2.5 and 3.5 events per 1000 person‐years in the SGLT2 inhibitor group and DPP4 inhibitor group, respectively. The SGLT2 inhibitor group was associated with a significantly lower risk of incident PD than the DPP4 inhibitor group (hazard ratio: 0.70 [95% confidence interval: 0.55–0.89]). There is a potential trend that the risk reduction in incident PD was profound in non‐Hispanic Black individuals and insulin users.

Conclusion and Relevance

Compared to DPP4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a significantly lower risk of incident PD in older populations with T2D.
Milking a spherical cow: Toy models in neuroscience
Authors: Beer Randall D. , Barwich Ann‐Sophie , Severino Gabriel J.
Published: September 2024

There are many different kinds of models, and they play many different roles in the scientific endeavour. Neuroscience, and biology more generally, has understandably tended to emphasise empirical models that are grounded in data and make specific, experimentally testable predictions. Meanwhile, strongly idealised or ‘toy’ models have played a central role in the theoretical development of other sciences such as physics. In this paper, we examine the nature of toy models and their prospects in neuroscience.
Effects of auricular vagus nerve stimulation and electrical earlobe stimulation on motor‐evoked potential changes induced by paired associative stimulation
Authors: Haakana Piia , Nätkynmäki Anna , Kirveskari Erika , Mäkelä Jyrki P. , Kilgard Michael P. , Tarvainen Mika P. , Shulga Anastasia
Published: September 2024

Paired associative stimulation (PAS) is a combination of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS). PAS can induce long‐term potentiation (LTP)‐like plasticity in humans, manifested as motor‐evoked potential (MEP) enhancement. We have developed a variant of PAS (“high‐PAS”), which consists of high‐frequency PNS and high‐intensity TMS and targets spinal plasticity and promotes rehabilitation after spinal cord injury (SCI). Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) promotes LTP‐like plasticity and enhances recovery in SCI and stroke in humans and animals when combined with repetitive motor training. We combined high‐PAS with simultaneous noninvasive transcutaneous auricular VNS (aVNS) to determine if aVNS enhances the extent of PAS‐induced MEP amplitude increase. Sixteen healthy participants were stimulated for 20 min in four different sessions (PAS, PAS + aVNS, PAS + shamVNS, and aVNS) in a randomized single‐blind setup. MEPs were measured before, immediately after, and at 30, 60, and 90 min post‐stimulation. Stimulation protocols with PAS significantly potentiated MEPs (p = 0.005) when compared with aVNS (p = 0.642). Although not significant, MEP enhancement observed after PAS (43.5%) is further increased by aVNS (49.7%) and electrical earlobe stimulation (63.9%). Our aVNS setup failed to significantly enhance the effect of PAS, but sham VNS revealed a trend towards enhanced plasticity. Optimization of auricular VNS stimulation setup is required for possible tests of patients with SCI.
Intra‐individual modulations and inter‐individual variations of female signals in the domestic canary (Serinus canaria)
Authors: Le Gal Camille , Derégnaucourt Sébastien , Amy Mathieu
Published: September 2024

During courtship, animals perform conspicuous and elaborate signals. In birds, courtship involved often mutual engagement by both partners but most research on courtship behaviours has focused on male signals despite of growing interest for female signals in recent years. Here, we show that female domestic canaries (Serinus canaria) have the ability to modulate their sexual response to male songs. To do so, we exposed females to two types of song (very attractive and moderately attractive songs) during two consecutive reproductive cycles. We measured both visual (copulation solicitation displays, CSD) and vocal signals (copulation solicitation trills, CST; contact calls, CC and simple trills, ST) emitted by the females during song broadcast. We observed that females could modify the characteristics of their signals (duration and the number of elements of CSD, duration, frequency and number of notes of calls) depending on song attractiveness and the number of times they were exposed to a male's song. We also found that some females always emitted more signals than others (i.e. stable inter‐individual differences) regardless of the song attractiveness and across reproductive cycles. Further studies are necessary to check whether female signals constitute sexual ornaments and if they could stimulate male canaries during courtship.
Polistes dominula spatial learning abilities while foraging
Authors: Moreyra Sabrina , Lozada Mariana
Published: September 2024

The eusocial “paper wasp” Polistes dominula is an invasive species that has successfully established worldwide. In the present study, we investigate the foraging behaviour of P. dominula wasps when revisiting previously gathered resources. We recorded the number of learning flights and food manipulation efficiency performed by a single target wasp during several consecutive collecting visits. Additionally, we analysed P. dominula relocating behaviour when dealing with changes in food position. We assessed whether wasps choose the previously visited dish containing food or opt for a novel baited dish placed 60 cm away. Then, we trained wasps to collect food either once or three times and compared the time taken to find the novel food position when it was displaced 60 cm away. This is the first study to demonstrate relocating behaviour in P. dominula in which wasps rapidly learned to return to certain food sites. A significant reduction in learning flights after only one collecting visit was observed. Likewise, wasps learned to manipulate the resource spending less time after each experience. Moreover, when two food sources were offered, after just one visit, the majority of wasps collected the resource from the previously rewarded dish. Furthermore, when food was displaced, foragers found the new food location more rapidly after one visit than after three consecutive collecting experiences. Our findings contribute to the understanding of P. dominula behavioural plasticity while collecting food sources in anthropized environments, which highlight the importance of considering such learning experiences.
The family alliance as a facilitator of therapeutic change in systemic relational psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder: A case study
Authors: D'Ascenzo Iolanda , Vilaregut Anna , Zurdo Verónica , Torras Sonia , Cartujo Ignacio Bolaños
Published: September 2024

Managing the Therapeutic Alliance is often complex when it comes to the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD), but the alliance is crucial for the success of the therapy. Combined individual and family interventions have been shown to be very useful in treating of these cases. This study has two objectives. First, to describe how the family therapeutic alliance facilitates therapeutic change through family psychotherapy for families with a member diagnosed with BPD. Second, to analyze how the therapeutic change achieved through combined individual and family systemic relational psychotherapy affects the individual functioning of the patient with BPD. This single case study used the System of Observation of Family Therapy Alliances (SOFTA‐o) to analyze the therapeutic alliance, along with two semi‐structured clinical interviews, one at the beginning and one at the end of therapy. Results show a dynamic and positive evolution of the therapeutic alliance throughout the therapeutic process and how this alliance facilitated therapeutic change, both reducing the symptomatology of the patient with BPD and improving family communication and functioning. Results contribute to highlighting the importance of including family therapy as an intervention unit in protocols for patients with BPD.
Effects of different reheating methods on lipid oxidation in frozen silver carp fish cakes
Authors: Wang Bin , Sun Yudi , Jiang Qixing , Xu Yanshun , Xia Wenshui
Published: September 2024

This study investigated the effect of five different reheating methods (boiling water, steaming, low‐heat microwave at 120 W, medium‐heat microwave at 400 W, high‐heat microwave at 800 W) on lipid oxidation of silver carp fish cake. The changes of lipid content, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value, acid value (AV), peroxide value (POV), volatile flavour components and fatty acid composition were detected. The results indicated that products reheated with medium‐heat microwave had higher lipid content, lower TBA, AV and POV value. The medium‐heat and high‐heat microwave reheated group had larger variety of volatile flavour substances. Moreover, the relative content of hexanal and heptanal related to unpleasant “overcooked taste” was less, and the relative content of 2‐heptanone, which contributed to the reduction of fishy odour, was more in medium‐heated microwave group. The content of monounsaturated fatty acids in the medium‐heat microwave group was higher than other reheating methods, so as the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids. Considering all indicators, medium‐heat microwave reheating is more recommended due to its inhibition of fat oxidation.
Factors Associated With Pain Perception and Management Among Paediatric Nurses and Nursing Students Using Virtual Children: A Comparative Study
Authors: Lee Hyejung , Lee Hyeryeong , Oh Sumi , Park Chang Gi
Published: September 2024

Aim

To identify and compare factors associated with pain perception and management among paediatric nurses and nursing students using virtual human technology.

Design

This study employed a comparative, cross‐sectional design.

Methods

Fifty‐one paediatric nurses from a tertiary hospital and 50 senior nursing students from a nursing college, both located in South Korea, participated in the study. Virtual vignettes, including scenarios with virtual children and their clinical information, were used to assess participants' pain perception and management. The virtual children, created from real face photos, varied in age (young/old), sex (boy/girl) and facial expressions (smile/grimace). Participants rated perceived pain scores and selected management choices for eight virtual vignettes, which were randomly presented. The Korean version of the Paediatric Nurses' Knowledge and Attitude Survey was completed along with demographic information.

Results

Both paediatric nurses and nursing students rated pain scores lower than the actual pain scores reported by virtual children. Nurses rated higher pain scores and accordingly selected more medication doses compared to students. Beyond pain‐related knowledge, the facial expression of the virtual child influenced pain rating and medication choices, while age and sex had no effect.

Conclusion

Nursing students were more sensitive to the facial expressions of virtual children when rating their pain compared to nurses. Future studies should explore how paediatric nurses' clinical experiences impact their assessment and management of child patient pain.

Implications for the Profession and Patient Care

Paediatric nurses' knowledge of pain is inadequate, necessitating ongoing education in pain management. Both nurses and nursing students should self‐reflect on their pain assessment practices to ensure unbiased care regardless of child patients' characteristics.

Impact

Virtual human technology can be utilised to train nurses and students to identify and address any biases in their assessment of patients' pain perception.

Reporting Method

STROBE checklist, cross‐sectional.

Patient or Public Contribution

Digital face photos of four healthy children were used as the fundamental material for creating virtual children, with their parents' consent.
Brain organoids: A new tool for modelling of neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Aili Yirizhati , Maimaitiming Nuersimanguli , Wang Zengliang , Wang Yongxin
Published: September 2024

Neurodevelopmental disorders are mostly studied using mice as models. However, the mouse brain lacks similar cell types and structures as those of the human brain. In recent years, emergence of three‐dimensional brain organoids derived from human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells allows for controlled monitoring and evaluation of early neurodevelopmental processes and has opened a window for studying various aspects of human brain development. However, such organoids lack original anatomical structure of the brain during maturation, and neurodevelopmental maturation processes that rely on unique cellular interactions and neural network connections are limited. Consequently, organoids are difficult to be used extensively and effectively while modelling later stages of human brain development and disease progression. To address this problem, several methods and technologies have emerged that aim to enhance the sophisticated regulation of brain organoids developmental processes through bioengineering approaches, which may alleviate some of the current limitations. This review discusses recent advances and application areas of human brain organoid culture methods, aiming to generalize optimization strategies for organoid systems, improve the ability to mimic human brain development, and enhance the application value of organoids.
Real‐world effectiveness of adjuvant octreotide therapy in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors at high recurrence risk: A multicenter retrospective cohort study
Authors: Guo Shiwei , Wu Heshui , Gao Suizhi , Hu Weiyu , Jiang Hui , Bian Yun , Zhang Yijie , Li Bo , Li Gang , Xu Xuefeng , Wang Min , Zhu Chenglin , Qu Linlin , Huang Qiang , Qin Renyi , Lou Wenhui , Jin Gang
Published: September 2024

Adjuvant therapy for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) after radical resection lacks evidence‐based data and remains controversial. This study aimed to validate whether long‐acting octreotide is a potential candidate for adjuvant therapy in patients with G2 PanNETs at high recurrence risk by clustering real‐world data. A retrospective review of patients with nonmetastatic grade 2 PanNETs who underwent radical resection at six research centers between 2008 and 2020 was conducted. Propensity score matching and inverse probability of treatment weight analysis were used to control confounding factors. Overall, 357 patients (octreotide group, n = 82; control group, n = 275) were analyzed. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses showed that the octreotide group had longer disease‐free survival (DFS) compared with the control group (36 months: 93.3% vs. 79.0%, p = .0124; 60 months: 71% vs. 67.6%, p = .0596, respectively), as well as overall survival (OS) (60 months: 98% vs. 83.8%, p = .0117, respectively). Multivariate analyses indicated that octreotide long‐acting repeatable (LAR) adjuvant therapy was associated with higher OS (p = .0270) at 60 months. Propensity score matching analysis showed that octreotide adjuvant therapy was associated with higher DFS (p = .0455) and OS (p = .0190) at 60 months. Similar results were obtained via inverse probability of treatment weight analysis. Subgroup analysis indicated that octreotide LAR was associated with a high DFS in patients with lymph node metastasis or Ki‐67 <10% PanNETs. Adjuvant therapy with long‐acting octreotide following radical resection of nonmetastatic G2 PanNETs may be associated with improved DFS and OS in a real‐world setting.
‘Double vision’ in the interlegal: the situated pluri‐legal consciousness of British Muslim women
Authors: KALRA SIMRAN
Published: September 2024

Legal pluralism scholarship has argued that co‐existing legal orders interact. Individuals draw on exogenous norms to strategically resist social and legal constraints. Integrating the concepts of ‘situated legal consciousness’ and ‘interlegality’, I explore how identities within intersecting legal orders influence legal consciousness. To this end, I draw on a case study of the plurality in marriage laws among British Muslim communities in England, where Islamic nikah ceremonies are not by themselves recognized as marriage. My analysis shows that marginalized individuals routinely rely on interlegality to make sense of their realities and choices. This engenders a ‘double vision’, as individuals perceive their identities, social arrangements, and the law through an integrated lens of intersecting laws. They resist the social locations to which they are relegated in plural legal orders and reposition themselves within these with the aid of a composite identity that allows them to see their lifeworlds through a double vision of the law.
Perspectives of Chinese nephrology nurses on discussing sexual dysfunction with patients receiving haemodialysis: A qualitative study
Authors: An Lei , Yodchai Kantaporn , Kongsuwan Waraporn
Published: September 2024

Background

The study underscores the crucial yet often neglected issue of sexual dysfunction in haemodialysis patients. Despite nephrology nurses'close relationships with patients, there is a significant communication gap on this topic. In China, limited research highlights the need for further study.

Objective

To describe the perspectives of Chinese nephrology nurses on discussing sexual dysfunction with patients receiving haemodialysis.

Design

A qualitative descriptive study.

Participants

Ten Chinese nephrology nurses from a tertiary public hospital in Guizhou province, China.

Approach

Semistructured interviews were conducted using an interview guide. Qualitative content analysis approach was utilised in analysis.

Results

There were five themes described: (1) lack of training in sexual education, as nephrology nurses described never being trained to manage patients' sexual health issues; (2) discomfort when discussing sexual topics, Chinese nephrology nurses found the topic of sexual dysfunction embarrassing and avoided discussing it; (3) sexual dysfunction viewed as a nonurgent topic, nephrology nurses prioritise physical health to aid patient survival; (4) belief in physicians as ultimate care advisors, nephrology nurses believed that doctors should handle discussions on sexually related topics; and (5) lack of a suitable environment for discussing sexual dysfunction, nephrology nurses viewed sex as a private matter, inappropriate for discussion in a public unit.

Conclusion

The study identifies barriers to discussing sexual dysfunction in healthcare, including provider knowledge deficits, discomfort and lack of supportive environments. It recommends specialised training and conducive settings to improve communication in renal care. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions.
Natural Occurrence, Morpho‐Molecular Characteristics, and Pathogenicity of Fusarium spp. Associated With Chrysanthemum Wilt in Vietnam
Authors: Le Dung , Ta Tam Thi Thanh , Nguyen Phuong Van , Mai Huyen Thi Thu
Published: September 2024

Chrysanthemum Fusarium wilt (CFW) is a devastating soil‐borne disease affecting the cut chrysanthemum industry globally. In Vietnam, this disease has been occurring silently and is posing a risk of epidemic outbreaks in the southern provinces, especially Lam Dong. Results from a survey in 2023 showed that stunted growth, curved and small stems, dried‐rot roots, leaf drooping and green or yellow wilting of plants after transplanting or at their flower bud initiation were common symptoms observed across the main chrysanthemum‐growing farms in Lam Dong. The occurrence of CFW was recorded in relation with the host cultivar, irrigation method and fungicide‐spraying regime. Among the cultivars grown in Lam Dong, ‘Doa cu’ was the most susceptible to CFW. The use of sprinkler irrigation and infrequent application of fungicides were attributed to increase both disease incidence and severity. Thirty fungal isolates obtained from diseased plants were identified as Fusarium oxysporum and F. falciforme based on morphological features and molecular analysis of ITS and TEF‐1α genes. The detection frequency of these two species was almost equal, which shows their balanced role in the occurrence of CFW in Lam Dong. In‐planta pathogenicity assays of Fusarium isolates against plantlets grown from cuttings and invitro propagation showed a variation in pathogenicity and a specialisation of isolates for these planting materials. These results suggest that the profiles of population and aggressiveness of Fusarium isolates diverged with the type of planting material, and between the stock and the commercial farms.
Associations between real‐life light exposure patterns and sleep behaviour in adolescents
Authors: da Costa Lopes Luísa , Ribeiro da Silva Vallim Julia , Tufik Sergio , Louzada Fernando , D'Almeida Vânia
Published: September 2024

One of the most striking changes in the regulation of sleep–wake behaviour during adolescence is circadian phase delay. Light exposure synchronises circadian rhythms, impacting sleep regulation, however, the influence of real‐life light exposure on sleep variations remains less clear. We aimed to describe the sleep and light exposure patterns of high school students with comparable schedules and socio‐economic backgrounds, and to evaluate whether there was any association between them, considering chronotype. We analysed five school days and two free days of actigraphy records, from 35 adolescents (24 female, mean age: 16.23 ± 0.60). The sample was described using the Sleep Regularity Index (SRI), chronotype (actigraphy MSFsc), and self‐reported diurnal preference (Morning/Evening Scale). Regression models were constructed to assess the impact of light exposure (daytime and nighttime) on subsequent sleep episodes; and to confirm whether the associations could be an indirect consequence of chronotype. Despite following similar routines, the SRI varied considerably (48.25 to 88.28). There was compatibility between the actigraphy proxy for chronotype and the self‐reported diurnal preference, extracted using the circadian rhythm scale for adolescents. Less light exposure during the day was associated with later sleep onset and shorter sleep duration. An increase of 100 lux in average daytime light exposure advance of 8.08 minutes in sleep onset and 7.16 min in sleep offset. When the regressions were controlled for chronotype, these associations persisted. These findings facilitate discussions regarding the behavioural aspect of the impact of real‐life light exposure on sleep and its potential as a target for interventions aiming to enhance adolescents’ sleep quality.