bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CENP-C-targeted PLK-1 regulates kinetochore function inC. elegansembryos
Authors: Borja Laura Bel , Taylor Samuel J.P. , Soubigou Flavie , Pelisch Federico
Published: April 2024

Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is present in centrosomes, nuclear envelope, and kinetochores and plays a significant role in meiosis and mitosis. PLK-1 depletion or inhibition has severe consequences for spindle assembly, spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) activation, chromosome segregation, and cytokinesis. BUB1 targets PLK1 to the outer kinetochore and, in mammals, the inner kinetochore PLK1 targeting is mediated by the constitutive centromere associated network (CCAN). BUB1-targeted PLK1 plays a key role in SAC activation and a SAC-independent role through targeting CDC-20. In contrast, whether there is a specific, non-redundant role for inner kinetochore targeted PLK1 is unknown. Here, we used theC. elegansembryo to study the role of inner kinetochore PLK1. We found that CENP-C, the sole CCAN component inC. elegansand other species, targets PLK1 to the inner kinetochore during prometaphase and metaphase. Disruption of the CENP-C/PLK1 interaction leads to an imbalance in kinetochore components and a defect in chromosome congression, without affecting CDC-20 recruitment. These findings indicate that PLK1 kinetochore recruitment by CENP-C has at least partially distinct functions than outer kinetochore PLK1, providing a platform for better understanding the different roles played by PLK1 during mitosis.
Potential use of blockchain technology in construction supply chain management of Brazil
Authors: Pinto Varela Alberte Elaine , de Oliveira Novelli Gabriel
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze practices, processes and outcomes related to construction supply chain management (CSCM) in Brazil to identify opportunities and direct actions and strategies to improve the Brazilian sector through blockchain technology (BT).

Design/methodology/approach

The study collected empirical data through semi-structured interviews with consumers and distributors to identify how the CSCM functions today. The interviews were structured and analyzed around the following topics: processes, digitalization, quality and weakness of the activities performed. The opportunities for using BT in CSCM were identified by crossing these results with evidence in the bibliography.

Findings

The study identified deficiencies, gaps and good practices applied to information management in the sector. Also, it analyzed the features, drivers and barriers of BT from a practical perspective. The findings suggested that BT is feasible and promising, reducing costs and enhancing process transparency. The need to overcome cultural and economic barriers is a challenging task.

Originality/value

This study brings a new perspective on using BT in CSCM, relating it to the demands and particularities of the construction sector in Brazil. The study identifies a limited panorama of chronic CSCM concerns, given BT’s infinite opportunities. And it motivates a gradual transition toward installing a new technological culture based on BT that focuses on priority care for the sector’s chronic deficiencies. The results can guide practical actions for the successful insertion of BT in the CSCM, laying the foundations for significant future research.
What factors determine the intention to use and recommend public autonomous shuttles in a real-life setting?
Authors: Quinones Myriam , Romero Jaime , Schmitz Anne , Díaz-Martín Ana M.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

User acceptance is a necessary precondition to implementing self-driving buses as a solution to public transport challenges. Focusing on potential users in a real-life setting, this paper aims to analyze the factors that affect their willingness to use public autonomous shuttles (PASs) as well as their word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded on Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2), the study was carried out on a sample of 318 potential users in a real-life setting. The hypothesized relationships were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The study reveals that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation and trust are significant predictors of PAS usage intention, which is, in turn, related to WOM communication. Additionally, the factors that impact the intention to use a PAS are found to exert an indirect effect on WOM, mediated by usage intention.

Practical implications

This study includes practical insights for transport decision-makers on PAS service design, marketing campaigns and WOM monitoring.

Originality/value

While extant research focuses on passengers who have tried autonomous shuttles in experimental settings, this article adopts the perspective of potential users who have no previous experience with these vehicles and identifies the link between usage intention and WOM communication in a real-life traffic environment.
The role and effectiveness of occupational therapy in prison rehabilitation programs: systematic review
Authors: Berardi Anna , Galeoto Giovanni , Simeon Rachele , Bandiera Riccardo , Sellitto Giovanni , Seco Calvo Jesús Ángel , González-Bernal Jeronimo
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to research studies in the literature regarding the role of the occupational therapist within penitentiary facilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The study design is a systematic review using five different databases.

Findings

Findings can therefore ascertain the potential role of occupational therapists in penitentiary institutions because they can contribute to the rehabilitation of prisoners both inside and outside prisons with a view to their reintegration into society.

Research limitations/implications

It is necessary for clinical practice, and especially to increase the health of people within prisons, to update the occupational therapist interventions in the literature that are effective within prisons.

Practical implications

According to this study, the intervention of occupational therapists in the prison setting reduces recidivism and contributes to social and work reintegration. This has positive effects in terms of costs related to incarceration.

Originality/value

Findings can therefore ascertain the potential role of occupational therapists in penitentiary institutions because they can contribute to the rehabilitation of prisoners both inside and outside prisons with a view to their reintegration into society.
Repowerment beyond empowerment: collaborative accountability of citizens, corporations and civil servants
Authors: Lee Junesoo
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This article conceptualizes and constructs a comprehensive framework that can better help to answer that question – Who is accountable for social and public problems? – theoretically and practically.

Design/methodology/approach

Tracing the drivers behind two phenomena “accountability hole” and “accountability black hole”, stemming from “pushing power game” and “pulling power game”, respectively, this study considers (1) the three actors of society: citizens (civil society), corporations (market) and civil servants (government), and (2) the principal-agent relationship between the three actors in the face of social and public problems. As a result, the 4CAs framework that contains the three actors’ collaborative accountabilities to one another is presented.

Findings

The 4CAs model emphasizes (1) all three actors function as agents that are accountable to one another, (2) collaborative accountability beyond collaborative governance and (3) repowering citizens and corporations beyond just empowering them, i.e. returning their inherent rights and obligations to serve one another.

Originality/value

The 4CAs model may function as a descriptive and prescriptive lens through which the trilemma between market failure, government failure and citizen failure can be re-assessed and balanced. The model can also be used as a set of indicators for assessing and helping a society to better resolve the social and public problems collectively.
External Shariah auditing in Islamic banks: what do internal auditors think?
Authors: Mohd Haridan Nurfarahin , Sheikh Hassan Ahmad Fahmi , Mohammed Shah Sabarina
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the pragmatic issues on the radical call for the establishment of an external Shariah auditor (ESA) in the governance framework of Islamic banks (IBs).

Design/methodology/approach

From 11 well-established Malaysian IBs, 16 internal auditors were interviewed to provide an in-depth understanding on how ESA can provide greater assurance to stakeholders in Malaysian IBs.

Findings

This study reported mixed acceptance from internal auditors on the proposed additional governance layer to be undertaken by the ESA. Generally, internal auditors reluctantly agreed that Shariah auditing by the ESA would enhance the quality of Shariah assurance but maintain several practical concerns regarding lack of guidelines on Shariah auditing, the additional cost to be borne by IBs and the possible tensions between the ESA and Shariah board (SB) amid the diverse Shariah interpretations available for experts in the field.

Practical implications

The critical point on the manifestation of an ESA in the contemporary IB practice brought by this study highlights the need for regulation and policy promulgation that embrace a comprehensive approach to Shariah audit process within the religio-ethical dogma of Islamic banking and the pragmatic approach to banking.

Originality/value

This study provides evidence on the expected role and competency of an ESA and explores the implications produced by its implementation in Malaysian IBs. This study also clarifies how IBs should delineate the role of Shariah assurance from SB to ESA.
What's good for the gander is even better for the goose: Women buying commercial sex in China
Authors: Tsang Eileen Y. H.
Published: April 2024

Research about the commercial sex industry rarely examines the women who are the clients purchasing sexual services. Examining how this challenges gender stereotypes through the undoing gender framework reveals how gender norms can be reshaped through contextual changes. Based on 3 years of ethnographic data from a high‐end bar in Tianjin, interviews with 27 female clients and 47 MSWs paint a complex picture of how some women adopted ungendered strategies regarding sexuality. As women take control of their own sexual behavior, they free themselves of some traditional societal expectations about their identity. Primarily motivated by pleasure and control, purchasing sex becomes a means for women to experience empowerment and self‐confidence by breaking with traditional gender norms and expectations. Undoing gender involves expanding gendered repertoires, with women finding empowerment in adopting a masculine model of sexuality. However, social stigma and personal efficacy indicate that gender deconstruction is a gradual process. The research contributes to understanding complex gender dynamics and sexual behaviors within commercial sex transactions, shedding light on societal norms and individual agency.
Bridging Theory and Empirical Research in Accounting
Authors: BREUER MATTHIAS , LABRO EVA , SAPRA HARESH , ZAKOLYUKINA ANASTASIA A.
Published: April 2024

Formal theory and empirical research are complementary in building and advancing the body of knowledge in accounting in order to understand real‐world phenomena. We offer thoughts on opportunities for empiricists and theorists to collaborate, build on each other's work, and iterate over models and data to make progress. For empiricists, we see room for more descriptive work, more experimental work on testing formal theories, and more work on quantifying theoretical parameters. For theorists, we see room for theories explicitly tied to descriptive evidence, new theories on individuals' decision making in a data‐rich world, theories focused on accounting institutions and measurement issues, and richer theories for guiding empirical work and providing practical insights. We also encourage explicitly combining formal theory and empirical models by having both in one paper and by structural estimation.
A scale development study: Primary Caregiver Burden Scale Individuals Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment
Authors: Kosar Sahin Cansu , Ceylan Hatice , Demir Barutcu Canan
Published: April 2024

Introduction

As hemodialysis is a long‐term treatment method requiring significant self‐management skills, it affects both the patient and the caregiver in many ways. It is inevitable that changes in the burden perceived by the caregiver over time will not affect the patient's health care outcomes. The aim of this study was to develop an up‐to‐date scale by examining the psychometric properties of items created specifically for the care burden perceived by individuals who provide care for patients receiving hemodialysis treatment.

Methods

This study is a methodological study with the use of the COSMIN Checklist. The sample of the study included 404 individuals who were the primary caregivers of patients receiving hemodialysis treatment. Data were collected using descriptive characteristics form and the draft form of the Primary Caregiver Burden Scale Individuals Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and predictive validity were used to evaluate validity. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient, item analysis, and test–retest method were employed to evaluate reliability.

Results

According to exploratory factor analysis, a scale structure with four subdimensions was determined, and goodness of fit was achieved using confirmatory factor analysis. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the final form of the scale consisting of 34 items was found to be 0.95 for the total scale, 0.93 for the self‐management support subscale, 0.91 for the psychological support subscale, 0.91 for the caregiver symptom subscale, and 0.93 for the caregiver individual coping subscale.

Conclusion

The Primary Caregiver Burden Scale Individuals Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment, which was found to meet the validity and reliability criteria, has a four‐point Likert‐type scoring structure, 34 items, and four subdimensions. It is thought that the scale can make significant contributions to the international literature if its validity and reliability are established with nursing practices and research.
A potent and selective activator of large‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ channels induces preservation of mitochondrial function after hypoxia and reoxygenation by handling of calcium and transmembrane potential
Authors: de Souza Itanna Isis Araujo , da Silva Barenco Thais , Pavarino Maria Eduarda Maciel Fernandes , Couto Marcos Tadeu , de Resende Gabriel Oliveira , de Oliveira Dahienne Ferreira , Ponte Cristiano Gonsalves , Nascimento José Hamilton Matheus , Maciel Leonardo
Published: April 2024

Aims

Ischaemic heart disease remains a significant cause of mortality globally. A pharmacological agent that protects cardiac mitochondria against oxygen deprivation injuries is welcome in therapy against acute myocardial infarction. Here, we evaluate the effect of large‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ channels (BKCa) activator, Compound Z, in isolated mitochondria under hypoxia and reoxygenation.

Methods

Mitochondria from mice hearts were obtained by differential centrifugation. The isolated mitochondria were incubated with a BKCa channel activator, Compound Z, and subjected to normoxia or hypoxia/reoxygenation. Mitochondrial function was evaluated by measurement of O2 consumption in the complexes I, II, and IV in the respiratory states 1, 2, 3, and by maximal uncoupled O2 uptake, ATP production, ROS production, transmembrane potential, and calcium retention capacity.

Results

Incubation of isolated mitochondria with Compound Z under normoxia conditions reduced the mitochondrial functions and induced the production of a significant amount of ROS. However, under hypoxia/reoxygenation, the Compound Z prevented a profound reduction in mitochondrial functions, including reducing ROS production over the hypoxia/reoxygenation group. Furthermore, hypoxia/reoxygenation induced a large mitochondria depolarization, which Compound Z incubation prevented, but, even so, Compound Z created a small depolarization. The mitochondrial calcium uptake was prevented by the BKCa activator, extruding the mitochondrial calcium present before Compound Z incubation.

Conclusion

The Compound Z acts as a mitochondrial BKCa channel activator and can protect mitochondria function against hypoxia/reoxygenation injury, by handling mitochondrial calcium and transmembrane potential.
Prescribed psychostimulants and other pro‐cognitive medications in bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of recurrence of manic symptoms
Authors: Chiorean Andreea , Jones Brett D. M. , Murong Mijia , Gonzalez‐Torres Christina , Kloiber Stefan , Ortiz Abigail , Rosenblat Joshua D. , Mulsant Benoit H. , Husain M. Ishrat
Published: April 2024

Objectives

Clinicians are often hesitant to prescribe psychostimulants in bipolar disorder (BD) due to concerns of inducing (hypo)mania, despite limited published evidence on associations between prescribed psychostimulant use and recurrence of mood episodes in BD. The current systematic review and meta‐analysis evaluated the emergence of (hypo)manic symptoms in patients with BD receiving prescribed psychostimulants or other pro‐cognitive medications in euthymic or depressive states.

Methods

A systematic search was performed of MEDLINE, Embase, and PsychINFO from inception to April 5, 2023 and search of Clinicaltrials.gov and Clinicaltrialsregister.eu for unpublished data. References of included studies were hand‐searched. Randomized trials and prospective longitudinal studies that evaluated psychostimulants and non‐stimulant medications recommended for the treatment of ADHD by the Canadian ADHD practice guidelines were included. The review was reported in line with PRISMA guidelines and was preregistered on PROSPERO (CRD42022358588).

Results

After screening 414 unique records, we included 27 studies, of which five reported data that was quantitatively synthesized (n = 1653). The use of psychostimulants in BD was not associated with increased scores on the Young Mania Rating Scale in patients who were in a euthymic or depressed state (SMD IV −0.17; 95% CI, −0.40 to 0.06) compared to placebo. There was a high degree of study‐level heterogeneity (I2 = 80%). A qualitative synthesis of studies revealed a limited risk of medication‐induced manic symptoms.

Conclusions

Our review provides preliminary evidence to suggest psychostimulants and non‐stimulant ADHD medications have a limited risk of precipitating (hypo)mania symptoms. More extensive studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of these medications are warranted.
The role of proliferating stem‐like plasma cells in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: Insights from single‐cell RNA sequencing and proteomic analysis
Authors: Xu Jiadai , Li Panpan , Wang Yawen , Li Jing , Xu Bei , Zhao Jiangyan , Chen Chen , Gu Shiyang , Ding Chen , Liu Peng
Published: April 2024

The management and comprehension of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) continues to pose a significant challenge. By integrating single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) data of 15 patients with plasma cell disorders (PCDs) and proteomic data obtained from mass spectrometry‐based analysis of CD138+ plasma cells (PCs) from 144 PCDs patients, we identified a state of malignant PCs characterized by high stemness score and increased proliferation originating from RRMM. This state has been designated as proliferating stem‐like plasma cells (PSPCs). NUCKS1 was identified as the gene marker representing the stemness of PSPCs. Comparison of differentially expressed genes among various PC states revealed a significant elevation in LGALS1 expression in PSPCs. Survival analysis on the MMRF CoMMpass dataset and GSE24080 dataset established LGALS1 as a gene associated with unfavourable prognostic implications for multiple myeloma. Ultimately, we discovered three specific ligand–receptor pairs within the midkine (MDK) signalling pathway network that play distinct roles in facilitating efficient cellular communication between PSPCs and the surrounding microenvironment cells. These insights have the potential to contribute to the understanding of molecular mechanism and the development of therapeutic strategies involving the application of stem‐like cells in RRMM treatment.
Positive GLI1/INHBA feedback loop drives tumor progression in gastric cancer
Authors: Sun Jingguo , Zhu Wenshuai , Luan Muhua , Xing Yuanxin , Feng Zhaotian , Zhu Jingyu , Ma Xiaoli , Wang Yunshan , Jia Yanfei
Published: April 2024

GLI1, a key transcription factor of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, plays an important role in the development of cancer. However, the function and mechanisms by which GLI1 regulates gene transcription are not fully understood in gastric cancer (GC). Here, we found that GLI1 induced the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells, accompanied by transcriptional upregulation of INHBA. This increased INHBA expression exerted a promoting activity on Smads signaling and then transcriptionally activated GLI1 expression. Notably, our results demonstrate that disrupting the interaction between GLI1 and INHBA could inhibit GC tumorigenesis in vivo. More intriguingly, we confirmed the N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) activation mechanism of the Helicobacter pylori/FTO/YTHDF2/GLI1 pathway in GC cells. In conclusion, our study confirmed that the GLI1/INHBA positive feedback loop influences GC progression and revealed the mechanism by which H. pylori upregulates GLI1 expression through m6A modification. This positive GLI1/INHBA feedback loop suggests a novel noncanonical mechanism of GLI1 activity in GC and provides potential therapeutic targets for GC treatment.
Mechanistic insights into targeting caspase‐3 activation and alveolar macrophage pyroptosis by Ephedra and bitter almond compounds for treating pediatric pneumonia via network pharmacology and bioinformatics
Authors: Wang Lei , Guo Yinan , Sun Xiaozhou , Wang Dan , Xie Tianlong , Liu Liang , Sun Liping , Wei Lina
Published: April 2024

This study investigates the molecular mechanism of Ma Huang‐Ku Xing Ren, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, in treating pediatric pneumonia. The focus is on the regulation of caspase‐3 activation and reduction of alveolar macrophage necrosis through network pharmacology and bioinformatics analyses of Ephedra and bitter almond components. Active compounds and targets from ephedrine and bitter almond were obtained using TCMSP, TCMID, and GeneCards databases, identifying pediatric pneumonia‐related genes. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and core targets were screened. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses identified relevant genes and pathways. An acute pneumonia mouse model was created using the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhalation method, with caspase‐3 overexpression induced by a lentivirus. The mice were treated with Ephedra and bitter almond through gastric lavage. Lung tissue damage, inflammatory markers (IL‐18 and IL‐1β), and cell death‐related gene activation were assessed through H&E staining, ELISA, western blot, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. The study identified 128 active compounds and 121 gene targets from Ephedra and bitter almond. The PPI network revealed 13 core proteins, and pathway analysis indicated involvement in inflammation, apoptosis, and cell necrosis, particularly the caspase‐3 pathway. In vivo results showed that Ephedra and bitter almond treatment significantly mitigated LPS‐induced lung injury in mice, reducing lung injury scores and inflammatory marker levels. It also decreased caspase‐3 activity and cell death in alveolar macrophages. In conclusion, the active ingredients of Ma Huang‐Ku Xing Ren, particularly targeting caspase‐3, may effectively treat pediatric pneumonia by reducing apoptosis in alveolar macrophages, as demonstrated by both network pharmacology, bioinformatics analyses, and experimental data.
CircRNA‐associated ceRNA regulatory networks as emerging mechanisms governing the development and biophysiopathology of epilepsy
Authors: Kohansal Maryam , Alghanimi Yasemin Khudiar , Banoon Shaimaa R. , Ghasemian Abdolmajid , Afkhami Hamed , Daraei Abdolreza , Wang Zhangling , Nekouian Najmeh , Xie Jindong , Deng Xinpei , Tang Hailin
Published: April 2024

The etiology of epilepsy is ascribed to the synchronized aberrant neuronal activity within the brain. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a class of non‐coding RNAs characterized by their circular structures and covalent linkage, exert a substantial influence on this phenomenon. CircRNAs possess stereotyped replication, transience, repetitiveness, and paroxysm. Additionally, MicroRNA (miRNA) plays a crucial role in the regulation of diverse pathological processes, including epilepsy. CircRNA is of particular significance due to its ability to function as a competing endogenous RNA, thereby sequestering or inhibiting miRNA activity through binding to target mRNA. Our review primarily concentrates on elucidating the pathological and functional roles, as well as the underlying mechanisms, of circRNA–miRNA–mRNA networks in epilepsy. Additionally, it explores the potential utility of these networks for early detection and therapeutic intervention.
A cognitive script perspective on how early caregiving experiences inform adolescent peer relationships and loneliness: A 14‐year longitudinal study of Chinese families
Authors: Yang Rui , Gu Yufei , Cui Lixian , Li Xuan , Way Niobe , Yoshikawa Hirokazu , Chen Xinyin , Okazaki Sumie , Zhang Guangzhen , Liang Zongbao , Waters Theodore E. A.
Published: April 2024

Leveraging data from a longitudinal study of Chinese families (n = 364), this research aims to understand the role of secure base script knowledge as a cognitive mechanism by which early caregiving experiences inform adolescents’ friendship quality and feelings of loneliness. Results showed that observed maternal sensitivity at 14 and 24 months old was negatively associated with adolescents’ self‐reported conflicts with close friends (β = −0.17, p = 0.044) at 15 years old, and this association was partially mediated by their secure base script knowledge assessed at 10 years old. Further, secure base script knowledge moderated the link between adolescents’ friend conflict and feelings of loneliness (β = −0.15, p = 0.037). The results support a cognitive script perspective on the association between early caregiving experiences and later socio‐emotional adjustment. Furthermore, this study adds to the developmental literature that has previously focused on more stringent and authoritarian aspects of parenting in Chinese families, thereby contributing to our understanding of how sensitive and supportive parenting practices contribute to socio‐emotional development outside of Western contexts.

Research Highlights

Maternal sensitivity during infancy and toddlerhood has a long‐term association with adolescents’ friendship quality and adolescents' secure base script partially explains the association.

First evidence to demonstrate that the secure base script in attachment relationships mediates the association between early maternal caregiving and socio‐emotional development in Chinese adolescents.

Adolescents lacking secure base script knowledge are particularly vulnerable to feelings of loneliness when facing high levels of conflict in close friendships.
Autism and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children with Dravet syndrome: A population‐based study
Authors: Reilly Colin , Bjurulf Björn , Hallböök Tove
Published: April 2024

Aim

To identify on a population basis the prevalence of autism and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with Dravet syndrome and factors associated with symptoms of autism and ADHD.

Method

Forty‐one of 48 children with Dravet syndrome living in Sweden, born between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2018 underwent assessment including measures of autism and ADHD. Diagnoses of autism and ADHD were made with respect to DSM‐5 criteria. Factors associated with features of autism and ADHD were analysed via regression.

Results

Twenty‐five of the 41 children fulfilled DSM‐5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder and 12 of 37 children considered for an ADHD diagnosis fulfilled DSM‐5 criteria for ADHD. Severe intellectual disability was significantly associated with a greater degree of autistic features (p < 0.001) and a DSM‐5 diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (p = 0.029). Younger children had significantly more features of ADHD (p = 0.004) and features of inattention were significantly more common than features of hyperactivity/impulsivity (p < 0.001).

Interpretation

Children with Dravet syndrome often have significant features of autism and ADHD, primarily inattentive type. Screening for autism and ADHD should be routine in children with Dravet syndrome.

What this paper adds

In total, 25 of 41 assessed children with Dravet syndrome fulfilled DSM‐5 criteria for autism.

Twelve of 37 assessed children with Dravet Syndrome met DSM‐5 criteria for attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Severe intellectual disability was significantly associated with a greater degree of autism spectrum disorder features.

Younger children had significantly more features of ADHD.
The European Academy of Neurology NeuroCOVID‐19 Task Force: A lesson for the future
Authors: Cavallieri Francesco , Sellner Johann , Akhvlediani Tamar , Bassetti Claudio L. , Bereczki Daniel , Fanciulli Alessandra , Filipović Saša R. , Guekht Alla , Helbok Raimund , Hochmeister Sonja , Martinelli Boneschi Filippo , von Oertzen Tim J. , Özturk Serefnur , Priori Alberto , Ramankulov Dauren , Willekens Barbara , Rakusa Martin , Moro Elena ,   the NeuroCOVID‐19 Task Force of the European Academy of Neurology
Published: April 2024

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has made its mark on world history forever causing millions of deaths, and straining health systems, economies, and societies worldwide. The European Academy of Neurology (EAN) reacted promptly. A special NeuroCOVID‐19 Task Force was set up at the beginning of the pandemic to promote knowledge, research, international collaborations, and raise awareness about the prevention and treatment of COVID‐19‐related neurological issues.

Methods

Activities carried out during and after the pandemic by the EAN NeuroCOVID‐19 Task Force are described. The main aim was to review all these initiatives in detail as an overarching lesson from the past to improve the present and be better prepared in case of future pandemics.

Results

During the pandemic, the Task Force was engaged in several initiatives: the creation of the EAN NEuro‐covid ReGistrY (ENERGY); the launch of several surveys (neurological manifestations of COVID‐19 infection; the pandemic's impact on patients with chronic neurological diseases; the pandemic's impact of restrictions for clinical practice, curricular training, and health economics); the publication of position papers regarding the management of patients with neurological diseases during the pandemic, and vaccination hesitancy among people with chronic neurological disorders; and the creation of a dedicated “COVID‐19 Breaking News” section in EANpages.

Conclusions

The EAN NeuroCOVID‐19 Task Force was immediately engaged in various activities to participate in the fight against COVID‐19. The Task Force's concerted strategy may serve as a foundation for upcoming global neurological emergencies.
Deciphering the multistage magmatic processes in the Nuqara caldera, the northern Egyptian Nubian‐Shield: Insights from zircon morphology and geochemistry
Authors: Dessouky Osama K.
Published: April 2024

Trace elements in igneous zircon crystals exhibit variability within single crystals or among populations of crystals, demonstrating heightened sensitivity to changes in melt composition. The three distinct types of zircons in the Nuqara caldera complex (659 ± 16 Ma andesites, 602.3 ± 4.4 Ma rhyolites, and 589.4 ± 6.1 Ma rhyolite porphyry; A, B, and C, respectively) signify a collective geological history influencing the multistage magmatic evolution. Significantly, the studied zircons demonstrate growth rate and variable length‐to‐width ratios that progressively increase from A to C. Ti‐in‐zircon geothermometer (TTi‐in‐zrc = 924°C) along with the internal structure and geochemistry of type A zircons, such as very weak cathodoluminescence (CL) brightness, zoning, and higher concentrations of some trace elements content, suggest their formation during the early, hotter, and less‐evolved melt stage of volcanic activity. Type B zircons exhibit TTi‐in‐zrc (833°C) and commonly display resorption with an absence of singular dark CL, indicating substantial reheating of the magma reservoir. The interaction between the incoming evolved magma and the resident magma results in the formation of zircon rims during the magma cooling, featuring significant overlaps in zircon trace elements. This final phase in the Nuqara caldera complex marks the complete hybridization of the initially distinct magmas, culminating in a gradual cooling process. The newly formed zircons (type C) are characterized by light CL features with weak zoning occurring either as the rim of the oscillatory zoned zircon or as an individual zircon grain. Their less evolved chemical signature and TTi‐in‐zrc (708°C) highlight the significance of this final stage in shaping the overall geochemical and thermal evolution. The obtained zircon data, spanning from the initial crystallization to the subsequent recharge, mixing, and hybridization stages, delineate the discernible phases in the formation of the Nuqara caldera, providing insights into the transitions from subduction to collision‐related geological processes.
Effect of degree of esterification on the stability of high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) fabricated with pectin‐whey protein isolate complexes
Authors: Tang Chao , Shi Zhaojuan , Wu Jun , Zhu Tingting , Zeng Qingmei , Yuan Chuanxun , Jin Risheng
Published: April 2024

This study examined the effects of different degree of esterification (DE) on the stability of high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) fabricated using pectin‐whey protein isolate complexes. The modified pectin with different DE was prepared using the alkali de‐esterification method with high methoxyl pectin (HMP). The impact of DE on the conformational changes of pectin and whey protein isolate (WPI) during the complexes formation was examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and fluorescence spectroscopy. Citrus pectin (CP)–WPI complexes and camellia oil were used to create an emulsion with a self‐supporting structure of 75% internal phase volume. The thermal, centrifugal, storage and freeze–thaw stabilities of CP–WPI stabilised HIPPEs with different DE were evaluated and the results revealed that the low methoxyl pectin (LMP) produced via alkali de‐esterification altered the charge density of pectin. Compared with the untreated pectin, the electrostatic interaction between CP–WPI complexes was enhanced and the stability of CP–WPI stabilised HIPPEs was improved. The study will help to better understand the interaction between CP and WPI, enhance the efficiency of the pectin–protein delivery system and improve the utilisation rate of citrus pectin, which has important guiding significance.
Life‐giving Flesh: Deity, Humanity, and the Efficacy of the Atonement – Part Two
Authors: Duby Steven J.
Published: April 2024

The life‐giving power of Christ's flesh and the unique efficacy of his atoning death is grounded in the fact that the flesh belongs to a divine person, the eternal Word. The previous article critiqued an attempt to explain the life‐giving power of Christ's flesh by way of a divine suffering on the cross and instead sought to ground the efficacy of Christ's atoning death in the proper and instrumental power of Christ's humanity. This second article argues that the efficacy of Christ's atoning death is grounded also in the infinite worth of the ransom that he pays on the cross. The claim that the infinite worth of Christ's ransom is derived from his deity, which itself does not suffer or die, will be articulated in dialogue with several patristic, medieval, and early modern theologians.
The duality of global online labour platforms as restrictive‐expansive sites of workplace learning and skill development
Authors: Margaryan Anoush
Published: April 2024

The paper analyses global online labour platforms (OLPs) through the lens of the Expansive‐Restrictive Learning Environments framework. The framework articulates a set of structural factors that enable or constrain workplace learning and development. The paper draws on multistakeholder, mixed‐method empirical data to illustrate how OLPs are emerging as learning environments, where new and reconfigured skills, learning practices, and new forms of learning support emerge in response to the radically distributed and fragmented nature of this work. Against portrayals of OLPs as places of deskilling work devoid of learning opportunities, the paper contributes a more nuanced understanding of the duality of OLPs as simultaneously restrictive and expansive. Three dualities of OLPs emerge from the study: (i) their espoused vision restricts organisational support for workforce development, yet stimulates self‐directed learning; (ii) their enacted workplace curriculum is patchy and opaque, yet offers novel structural features supporting learning and development; (iii) workplace learning practices in OLPs are autonomous, yet not atomised. The paper illustrates how structure and individual agency interact in OLPs to create and configure learning opportunities for workers and informs practitioners about the current learning and development features and practices in OLPs.
Parent attention‐orienting behavior is associated with neural entropy in infancy
Authors: Williams Cabell L. , Belkowitz Allison R. , Nance Madelyn G. , Mortman Emily T. , Bae Sonie , Ahmed Sheher‐Bano , Puglia Meghan H.
Published: April 2024

Parents use joint attention to direct infants to environmental stimuli. We hypothesized that infants whose parents provide more bids for joint attention will display a more complex neural response when viewing social scenes. Sixty‐one 8‐month‐old infants underwent electroencephalography (EEG) while viewing videos of joint‐ and parallel‐play and participated in a free play interaction. EEG data was analyzed using multiscale entropy, which quantifies neural variability. Free play interactions assessed parent alternating gaze, a behavioral mechanism for directing attention to environmental cues. We found a significant positive association between parent alternating gaze and neural entropy in frontal and central regions. These results suggest a relationship between parent behavior and infant neural mechanisms that regulate social attention, underlying the importance of parental cues in forming neural networks.
Parental acceptability of silver diamine fluoride: The UK and US experiences
Authors: Timms Laura , Choi Sooji , Marshman Zoe , Rodd Helen , Wilson Anne R. , Tiwari Tamanna
Published: April 2024

Background

International data suggest that parents may have reservations about the use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF).

Aim

The aims of this study were to: (1) examine the acceptance of parents/carers towards the use of SDF for the management of caries in children's primary teeth in secondary care dental settings in the UK and the United States and (2) determine which factors may affect the acceptance of the use of SDF.

Design

This was a cross‐sectional questionnaire of SDF acceptability, completed by parents of young children. It was validated and adapted to local populations. Data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

Of the 113 Sheffield parents, 73% reported that they would accept SDF treatment of children's posterior teeth, with 58% reporting this for anterior teeth. Parents having less concern about posterior aesthetics had a statistically significant effect on reported acceptance of SDF (p = .013). In the Colorado sample (n = 104), 72% reported that they would accept SDF on posterior teeth, and 58% reported that they would accept SDF on anterior teeth. Concerns about aesthetics had an effect on decreasing SDF acceptance overall (p = .0065) in anterior (p = .023) and posterior teeth (p = .108).

Conclusion

The majority of parents in the two study populations accepted the treatment using SDF. However, concern about aesthetics had an influence on acceptability.
Analytical aspects of combining holistic evaluation and decomposition elicitation for preference modeling in the FITradeoff method
Authors: de Almeida Jônatas Araújo , Frej Eduarda Asfora , Roselli Lucia Reis Peixoto , de Almeida Adiel Teixeira
Published: April 2024

Combining the traditional elicitation by decomposition with holistic evaluations within a decision process with multiple criteria is a peculiar aspect of the Flexible and Interactive Tradeoff (FITradeoff) method since two paradigms in preference modeling are integrated. Even though this integration leads to significant benefits to the decision process, it brings several implications that deserve a deep and detailed analysis with regard to some analytical aspects of the mathematical modeling of the method. Integrating the information obtained by these two different protocols causes significant modifications in the space of weights that may have noteworthy impacts on the results. Hence, this paper focuses its efforts on tackling and investigating such aspects of the FITradeoff method. We analyze properties and analytical aspects of FITradeoff in depth, in order to investigate how the information of holistic judgments can be inserted into the mathematical model of FITradeoff and to determine the potential implications of such integration, such as defining preference relationships and identifying potentially optimal alternatives. In addition, a new heuristic to reduce the number of questions in the elicitation by decomposition of FITradeoff is proposed. We also address situations of inconsistencies that may arise due to the conflicting information provided by decomposition and holistic judgments, as well as ways to solve such inconsistencies.
The effect on perioperative anxiety and emergence delirium of the child or parent's preference for parental accompaniment during anesthesia induction in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy surgery
Authors: Yucedag Fatih , Sezgin Arife , Bilge Aysegul , Basaran Betul
Published: April 2024

Background

Pediatric emergence delirium (ED) occurs in the early postoperative period and is defined as a complex psychiatric disorder. Non‐pharmacological methods of treatment, such as perioperative parental presence, have been the focus of many studies, but the impact on preventing ED of which parent accompanies the child during anesthesia induction has not been identified as yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether the selection made by children undergoing adenotonsillectomy of which parent will accompany them during anesthesia induction has the effect of reducing postoperative delirium scores and incidence compared to selections made by the parents.

Methods

The study included 80 children of both genders, aged 5–12 years, who underwent day‐case surgery in the otorhinolaryngology clinic. The patients were separated randomly into two groups of 40. In Group 1, the children were asked to choose which of their parents would accompany them during general anesthesia induction, and in Group 2, the parents were asked to decide who would be the accompanying parent. Evaluation of postoperative delirium was made using the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) scale. The anxiety level of the children was evaluated with the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) both in the preoperative waiting area and during the anesthesia induction. The State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to evaluate the anxiety level of the parents.

Results

The mean PAED scores were similar in both groups (mean difference [95% CI]: −0.1 [−2.8 to 0.7]). The incidence of emergence delirium was also similar in both groups (risk ratio 0.9 [0.4 to 1.8]). The mean mYPAS scores during the induction of anesthesia of Group 1 was lower than that of Group 2 (mean difference [95% CI]: −8.4 [−15.2 to −1.6]). The mean mYPAS scores evaluated in the preoperative waiting area were found to be similar in the two groups (mean difference [95% CI]: −1.9 [−7.5 to 3.5]). The mean STAI anxiety scores of the parents were similar in both groups, with higher scores obtained by mothers compared to fathers, at all measurement times.

Conclusion

The incidence or severity of ED did not decrease significantly even though lower anxiety scores were obtained during anesthesia induction in children who were allowed to make the decision of accompanying parent. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that postoperative delirium is a more complicated process that can be affected by many other variables rather than just the parent–child general interaction.
Associations between accelerometer‐measured circadian rest‐activity rhythm, brain structural and genetic mechanisms, and dementia
Authors: Liu Yue , Feng Hongliang , Du Jing , Yang Lulu , Xue Huachen , Zhang Jihui , Liang Yannis Yan , Liu Yaping
Published: April 2024

Aim

Knowledge of how circadian rhythm influences brain health remains limited. We aimed to investigate the associations of accelerometer‐measured circadian rest‐activity rhythm (CRAR) with incident dementia, cognitive dysfunction, and structural brain abnormalities in the general population and underlying biological mechanisms.

Methods

Fifty‐seven thousand five hundred and two participants aged over 60 years with accelerometer data were included to investigate the association of CRAR with incidental dementia. Non‐parametric CRAR parameters were utilized, including activity level during active periods of the day (M10), activity level during rest periods of the day (L5), and the relative difference between the M10 and L5 (relative amplitude, RA). Associations of CRAR with cognitive dysfunction and brain structure were studied in a subset of participants. Neuroimaging‐transcriptomics analysis was utilized to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Results

Over 6.86 (4.94–8.78) years of follow‐up, 494 participants developed dementia. The risk of incident dementia was associated with decreasing M10 (hazard ratio [HR] 1.45; 95% conference interval [CI], 1.28–1.64) and RA (HR 1.37; 95% CI, 1.28–1.64), increasing L5 (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.07–1.21) and advanced L5 onset time (HR 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02–1.23). The detrimental associations were exacerbated by APOE ε4 status and age (>65 years). Decreased RA was associated with lower processing speed (Beta −0.04; SE 0.011), predominantly mediated by abnormalities in subcortical regions and white matter microstructure. The genes underlying CRAR‐related brain regional structure variation were enriched for synaptic function.

Conclusions

Our study underscores the potential of intervention targeting at maintaining a healthy CRAR pattern to prevent dementia risk.