bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship investment and local corruption environment: Evidence from China
Authors: Li Zhaohua , Pan Xiaofei
Published: June 2023

We examine how firms interact with government officials within a corruption environment. Using corruption convictions to measure the extent of political corruption at the province level and a sample of Chinese listed firms, we find that firms located in more corrupt provinces invest more in building connections than firms located in less corrupt provinces. These results are robust to the instrumental variable approach, adjacent province matching, propensity score matching and alternative measurement of political corruption. We also show that the effect of political corruption is more pronounced in non‐state‐owned enterprises (non‐SOEs), smaller firms, firms with financial constraints and firms without political connections. Additionally, we find that those firms that invest more on connection building are less likely to restate financial reports and have lower financial statement comparability. Overall, the evidence from China is consistent with the political connection view that firms respond to political corruption by investing in relationship building, which contrasts with the evidence from the US.
Time preferences and obesity: Evidence from urban India
Authors: Dang Archana
Published: June 2023

This article examines the relationship between agents’ behavioral attributes (or time preferences) and the problem of obesity and, more generally, problems of both overnutrition and undernutrition. Through a primary survey in western Delhi data were gathered on participants’ food choices and body mass index. Time preferences, as posited by the () quasi‐hyperbolic discounting model, were elicited using an incentivized, choice‐based experiment. Estimating a simultaneous two‐equation model, the article finds that individuals in the sample with lower β and/or lower δ (or higher time preferences) make unhealthy food choices, which, in turn, significantly increases their BMI. In addition, a supplementary empirical exercise analyzes a large, secondary unit record data set, with savings as a proxy for time preferences, to provide evidence that these behavioral attributes also explain the problem of underweight (germane in developing countries).
The Adelaide Score: An artificial intelligence measure of readiness for discharge after general surgery
Authors: Kovoor Joshua G. , Bacchi Stephen , Gupta Aashray K. , Stretton Brandon , Malycha James , Reddi Benjamin A. , Liew Danny , O'Callaghan Patrick G. , Beltrame John F. , Zannettino Andrew C. , Jones Karen L. , Horowitz Michael , Dobbins Christopher , Hewett Peter J. , Trochsler Markus I. , Maddern Guy J.
Published: June 2023

Background

This study aimed to examine the performance of machine learning algorithms for the prediction of discharge within 12 and 24 h to produce a measure of readiness for discharge after general surgery.

Methods

Consecutive general surgery patients at two tertiary hospitals, over a 2‐year period, were included. Observation and laboratory parameter data were stratified into training, testing and validation datasets. Random forest, XGBoost and logistic regression models were evaluated. Each ward round note time was taken as a different event. Primary outcome was classification accuracy of the algorithmic model able to predict discharge within the next 12 h on the validation data set.

Results

42 572 ward round note timings were included from 8826 general surgery patients. Discharge occurred within 12 h for 8800 times (20.7%), and within 24 h for 9885 (23.2%). For predicting discharge within 12 h, model classification accuracies for derivation and validation data sets were: 0.84 and 0.85 random forest, 0.84 and 0.83 XGBoost, 0.80 and 0.81 logistic regression. For predicting discharge within 24 h, model classification accuracies for derivation and validation data sets were: 0.83 and 0.84 random forest, 0.82 and 0.81 XGBoost, 0.78 and 0.79 logistic regression. Algorithms generated a continuous number between 0 and 1 (or 0 and 100), representing readiness for discharge after general surgery.

Conclusions

A derived artificial intelligence measure (the Adelaide Score) successfully predicts discharge within the next 12 and 24 h in general surgery patients. This may be useful for both treating teams and allied health staff within surgical systems.
Job crafting to ensure a balance between focus and connection
Authors: Randel Amy E. , Galvin Benjamin M. , Alves Thais da C. L.
Published: June 2023

Recent work environment developments coupled with the pandemic have provided employees with increased opportunities to shape their workspaces. In semi‐structured interviews conducted with 40 employees working on large‐scale construction projects in two different work environments (open office and virtual work settings), we examined how and why job crafting was undertaken. Our analysis of the interview data revealed that, across both types of work environments, environmental disruptions that resulted in a perceived imbalance between focus and connection with colleagues were responded to with job crafting efforts. These job crafting efforts took the form of building bridges (to connect or coordinate with others more closely) and constructing barriers (to make it easier to focus). Individuals built bridges through the use of space or physical location, signaling, and coordination, whereas they constructed barriers via physical barriers, scheduling/prioritization, and mindfulness of others. This work contributes to job crafting research by expanding our understanding beyond work–life considerations of how and why individuals make adjustments within two relatively new types of work environments. Additionally, this research offers the contributions of increasing our understanding of interrelationships among types of job crafting and expanding our knowledge about how to make open office and virtual work arrangements more effective.
Transient shifts in composition of degraded temperate native grassland following grazing exclusion
Authors: Farmilo Brad , Duncan David , Moxham Claire , Buchan Anne , Turner Vivienne , Ballentine Michelle , White Matt , Schultz Nick
Published: June 2023

Questions

Globally, grassy ecosystems are threatened and are still declining in extent in many areas. Improving the management of degraded native temperate grasslands that are grazed by livestock is important to the conservation of this critically endangered ecosystem. Questions remain about the role of grazing in the management of such grasslands, particularly in the face of climate change and given the sensitivity of these systems to inter‐annual rainfall variability. Here, we investigate the effect of livestock exclusion on grassland composition.

Location

Temperate grassland, Victoria, Australia.

Methods

Over 9 years (2009–2017), we monitored plant functional groups in plots open‐to‐grazing or ungrazed exclusion plots within five fields of degraded native temperate grassland on private land.

Results

In the years after grazing had been excluded, we found significant differences in cover between grazed and ungrazed plots for some functional groups (e.g. native perennial graminoids) in some years, but we did not observe long‐term divergence in cover or composition of the treatments. At the final monitoring point there were no significant differences in native or exotic species richness between the grazed and ungrazed plots. We show that the years in which differences were observed correspond with the 2010–2011 La Niña high‐rainfall event, suggesting that grazing exclusion effects are mediated by rainfall, and are likely to be evident only under certain conditions.

Conclusion

In grassy ecosystems already degraded by long‐term grazing, excluding grazing has limited potential to shift plant species composition in favour of native dominance. Such grasslands may persist in the medium term in a stable but degraded state with or without continued light to moderate livestock grazing pressure. Hence, managed livestock grazing need not be incompatible with the conservation of degraded temperate grasslands particularly where biomass management is important for the maintenance of faunal habitat. However, improving the function and diversity of these degraded grasslands will seemingly require additional management, including seed addition and experimentation with alternative disturbance regimes.
High prevalence of hepatitis A and B nonimmunity in pediatric liver transplant recipients
Authors: de St Maurice Annabelle , Ng G , Aryasomayajula C , Liman A , McDiarmid SV , Venick RS , Wozniak Laura J
Published: June 2023

Background

Pediatric liver transplant recipients are at increased risk of post‐transplant infections. The purpose of this study was to quantify hepatitis A and B non‐immunity based on antibody titers in liver transplant recipients.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review of 107 pediatric liver transplant recipients at a single medical center from 2000 to 2017. We compared hepatitis immune patients to non‐immune patients and studied response to vaccination in patients immunized post‐transplantation.

Results

Eighty‐one percent of patients had pre‐transplant immunity to hepatitis A whereas 68% had pre‐transplant immunity to hepatitis B. Post‐transplant hepatitis B immunity decreased to 33% whereas post‐transplant hepatitis A immunity remained high at 82%. Older age and time since transplantation were significantly associated with hepatitis B non‐immunity. Most patients responded to doses post‐transplantation with 78% seroconversion following hepatitis A re‐immunization and 83% seroconversion following hepatitis B re‐immunization.

Conclusions

Pediatric liver transplant recipients are at risk of hepatitis A and B non‐immunity, particularly with respect to hepatitis B. Boosters post‐transplant may improve immunity to hepatitis viruses.
Cytological diagnosis of cribriform adenocarcinoma at a rare site
Authors: Mohamedali Rasheeda , Handa Uma , Verma Ravneet R. , Punia Rajpal Singh
Published: June 2023

Cribriform adenocarcinoma of the salivary gland is a rare infiltrative tumour with a dearth of literature explaining the cytomorphology. There is no case reported in the tonsil on fine needle aspiration cytology. It can be differentiated from other salivary gland malignancies on the basis of pattern recognition and molecular analysis of cell blocks.
Demographic and clinical correlates of suicidal ideation in individuals with at‐risk mental state (ARMS): A study from Pakistan
Authors: Husain M. Omair , Chaudhry I. B. , Khoso A. B. , Foussias G. , Shafique M. , Shakoor S. , Lane S. , Abid M. , Riaz M. , Husain N. , Qurashi I.
Published: June 2023

Background

Suicide is a major public health concern and one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. People with an at‐risk‐mental‐state (ARMS) for psychosis are more vulnerable to psychiatric co‐morbidity and suicide, however, there are limited data from low‐middle‐income countries. The present study aimed to identify the prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation along with sociodemographic and clinical correlates of suicidal ideation in individuals with ARMS from Pakistan.

Method

Participants between the age of 16 and 35 years who met the criteria for ARMS based on the Comprehensive Assessment of At‐Risk Mental State (CAARMS), were recruited from the community, general practitioner clinics and psychiatric units across Pakistan (n = 326). Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Social‐Occupational‐Functional‐Assessment‐Scale (SOFAS) were administered to participants.

Results

The prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts in the sample at baseline were 91.1% (n = 297) and 61.0% (n = 199), respectively. There were significant mean differences between groups (mean difference [95% CI]; p‐value) without suicidal ideation and with suicidal ideation on measures of MADRS (−5.47 [−7.14, −3.81]; p < .001), CAARMS non‐bizarre ideas (−0.29 [−0.47, −0.11]; p = .002) and perceptual abnormalities (−0.23 [−0.41, −0.04]; p = .015).

Conclusion

These findings indicate that suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in individuals with ARMS in Pakistan. Given the pivotal developmental stages that ARMS presents, and the poor outcomes associated with co‐morbid depression, there is an urgent need to prioritize the development of low‐cost and scalable evidence‐based interventions to address psychiatric comorbidity and suicidality in the ARMS population in Pakistan.
Pediatric epilepsy surgery from 2000 to 2018: Changes in referral and surgical volumes, patient characteristics, genetic testing, and postsurgical outcomes
Authors: Eriksson Maria H. , Whitaker Kirstie J. , Booth John , Piper Rory J. , Chari Aswin , Martin Sanfilippo Patricia , Caballero Ana Perez , Menzies Lara , McTague Amy , Adler Sophie , Wagstyl Konrad , Tisdall Martin M. , Cross J. Helen , Baldeweg Torsten
Published: June 2023

Objective

Neurosurgery is a safe and effective form of treatment for select children with drug‐resistant epilepsy. Still, there is concern that it remains underutilized, and that seizure freedom rates have not improved over time. We investigated referral and surgical practices, patient characteristics, and postoperative outcomes over the past two decades.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of children referred for epilepsy surgery at a tertiary center between 2000 and 2018. We extracted information from medical records and analyzed temporal trends using regression analyses.

Results

A total of 1443 children were evaluated for surgery. Of these, 859 (402 females) underwent surgical resection or disconnection at a median age of 8.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 4.6–13.4). Excluding palliative procedures, 67% of patients were seizure‐free and 15% were on no antiseizure medication (ASM) at 1‐year follow‐up. There was an annual increase in the number of referrals (7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.3–8.6; p < .001) and surgeries (4% [95% CI = 2.9–5.6], p < .001) over time. Duration of epilepsy and total number of different ASMs trialed from epilepsy onset to surgery were, however, unchanged, and continued to exceed guidelines. Seizure freedom rates were also unchanged overall but showed improvement (odds ratio [OR] 1.09, 95% CI = 1.01–1.18; p = .027) after adjustment for an observed increase in complex cases. Children who underwent surgery more recently were more likely to be off ASMs postoperatively (OR 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01–1.08; p = .013). There was a 17% annual increase (95% CI = 8.4–28.4, p < .001) in children identified to have a genetic cause of epilepsy, which was associated with poor outcome.

Significance

Children with drug‐resistant epilepsy continue to be put forward for surgery late, despite national and international guidelines urging prompt referral. Seizure freedom rates have improved over the past decades, but only after adjustment for a concurrent increase in complex cases. Finally, genetic testing in epilepsy surgery patients has expanded considerably over time and shows promise in identifying patients in whom surgery is less likely to be successful.
Hybrid firefly particle swarm optimisation algorithm for feature selection problems
Authors: Ragab Mahmoud
Published: June 2023

Feature selection techniques play a vital role in the processes that deal with enormous amounts of data. These techniques have become extremely crucial and necessary for data mining and machine learning problems. Researchers have always been in a race to develop and provide libraries and frameworks to standardise this procedure. In this work, we propose a hybrid meta‐heuristic algorithm to facilitate the problem of feature selection for classification problems in machine learning. It is a python based, lucid and efficient algorithm geared towards optimising and striking a balance between the number of features selected and accuracy. The proposed work is a binary hybrid of existing meta‐heuristic algorithms, the particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm, and the firefly algorithm (FA) such that it blends the best of each algorithm to provide an optimised and efficient way of solving the said problem. The suggested approach is assessed against six datasets from different domains that are publicly available at the UCI repository to demonstrate its validity. The datasets are Breast cancer, Iris, WBC, Mushroom, Glass ID, and Abalone. This approach has also been evaluated against similar, such evolutionary‐based approaches to prove its superiority. Various metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, f1 score, number of selected features, and run time have been analysed, measured, and compared. The hybrid firefly particle swarm optimisation algorithm is found to be suitable for feature selection problems.
Exploring the impact of online news sentiment and relevance on stock market risks: A signalling theory perspective
Authors: Xia Huosong , Tian Yaqi , Zhang Justin Zuopeng , Liu Yulong
Published: June 2023

Based on the frame theory and signalling theory, this article uses financial technology (fintech) to analyse online news sentiment and proposes the relevant hypothesis of the influence of news relevance on stock market risk, and conducts an empirical study on the VAR model of the stock return rate by using the news relevance and news sentiment data of the Uqer database. The results show a two‐way Granger causality between news sentiment and stock returns. News relevance is not Granger causality of yield but Granger causality of news sentiment. In addition, combined with the impulse response, variance decomposition, and relevance analysis, it is found that the news relevance degree positively affects news sentiment and then indirectly affects the stock return rate. Our findings indicate that news relevance is an essential variable in analysing online text sentiment and stock market volatility, and online news will increase the volatility of stock market risk. These results contribute to the financialization literature and guide fintech enterprises to balance market risk by combining signalling and frame theory to improve news relevance.
The effect of COVID‐19 vaccine literacy on attitudes towards COVID‐19 vaccine among university students
Authors: Durmuş Iskender Mahinur , Eren Handan , Durmuş Ayşenur
Published: June 2023

Objective

University students are a large group of the population who should be vaccinated to prevent the spread of the pandemic. This research aimed to determine the effect of COVID‐19 vaccine literacy on the attitudes towards the COVID‐19 vaccine among university students.

Methods

This descriptive and cross‐sectional study was conducted with 2384 university students via online survey in September and October 2021. ‘Demographic Information Form’, ‘COVID‐19 Vaccine Literacy Scale’, and ‘Attitudes towards the COVID‐19 Vaccine Scale’ were used to collect the data. Data were evaluated via descriptive statistics, independent group t‐test, ANOVA, Tukey HSD, and Pearson Correlation analysis.

Results

The mean score on the COVID‐19 Vaccine Literacy Scale was 27.26 ± 6.49 (moderate). Demographic differences that significantly affected students' vaccine literacy scales included parents' education levels (lower levels of parental education associated with higher communicative/critical vaccine literacy). Health sciences students had more positive attitudes to the COVID vaccine than students of other disciplines. The higher the level of mother's education, the more positive the student's attitude towards the vaccine, and similarly the higher the student's socio‐economic background the higher the positive attitude towards the vaccine. Examination of the relationship between the vaccine literacy scale and the attitudes towards the vaccine showed low levels of correlation.

Discussion

Students who had parents of lower education levels may have more responsibilities for explaining vaccination to their parents, thus improving their communicative/critical vaccine literacy.

Conclusion

A vaccine literacy scale with separate functional literacy score and critical/communicative score helps to explain some of socio‐demographic differences in students' scores, and similarly for attitude towards the COVID‐19 vaccine (positive and negative attitude sub‐scales).
RETRACTED: The effect of the cortical bone trajectory screw fixation and traditional pedicle screw fixation on surgical site wound infection in posterior lumbar fusion wound: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Mao Hanze , Wang Zhigang , Li Qiang
Published: June 2023

A meta‐analysis investigation was performed to measure the influence of cortical bone trajectory screw fixation (CBTSF) and traditional pedicle screw fixation (TPSF) on surgical site wound infection (SSWI) in posterior lumbar fusion (PLF). A comprehensive literature inspection till February 2023 was applied and 1657 interrelated investigations were reviewed. The 13 chosen investigations enclosed 1195 individuals with PLF in the chosen investigations' starting point, 578 of them were using CBTSF, and 617 were using TPSF. Odds ratio (OR) in addition to 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilised to compute the value of the effect of the CBTSF and TPSF on SSWI in PLF by the dichotomous approaches and a fixed or random model. No significant difference was found between individuals using CBTSF and TPSF in SSWI (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.35–1.33, P = .26), superficial SSWI (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.22–1.79, P = .38), and deep SSWI (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.06–1.50, P = .14) in PLF. No significant difference was found between individuals using CBTSF and TPSF in SSWI, superficial SSWI, and deep SSWI in PLF. However, care must be exercised when dealing with its values because of the small sample sizes of several chosen investigations for this meta‐analysis and the low number of selected investigations for a certain type of SSWI.
CuO‐modified LaNi0.4Al0.6O3−δ with improvement performance in MSR at low temperature
Authors: Li Shian , Zhang Xin , Shao Zicheng , Shen Qiuwan , Cai Zhongwen , Chen Gaokui , Yang Guogang
Published: June 2023

The novel CuO/LaNi0.4Al0.6O3−δ catalyst was synthesized by the impregnation method and characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), TEM, BET, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. The effects of CuO loading amount on the microstructure and the hydrogen production performance from methanol steam reforming (MSR) were investigated. Results demonstrate that the sample with 15 wt% CuO loading has the best hydrogen production performance. Furthermore, compared with the unloaded LaNi0.4Al0.6O3−δ perovskite catalysts, the methanol conversion of 15 wt% CuO/LaNi0.4Al0.6O3−δ was improved, and the catalytic temperature of MSR was reduced. LaNi0.4Al0.6O3−δ as support will form a strong interaction with Cu particles exposed on or around its surface and improve the catalytic performance. The XPS results show that the structure of LaNi0.4Al0.6O3−δ perovskite oxide is not destroyed after reduction treatment, whereas CuO is reduced to elemental Cu, which is consistent with the XRD results. The reduced catalyst has a porous structure, which helps to increase the contact area between the reaction medium and the active components. This improves the efficiency of the reaction. In addition, the optimal catalytic temperature, water–methanol ratio, and liquid hourly space velocity were determined to be 350°C, 2.5:1, and 15 h−1, respectively. Therefore, the CuO/LaNi0.4Al0.6O3−δ developed in this study is a promising catalyst for MSR applications.
High‐strength SiC joints fabricated at a low‐temperature of 1400°C using a novel low activation filler of Praseodymium
Authors: Xu Jie , Tatarko Peter , Chen Lianghao , Shan Xu , Huang Qing , Zhou Xiaobing
Published: June 2023

High‐strength SiC joints were successfully obtained by electric current field‐assisted sintering technique at a low temperature of 1400°C using a Pr coating (100 nm) as the initial joining filler. A Pr3Si2C2 transient phase was formed in situ by the interfacial reaction, while the eutectic reaction between Pr3Si2C2 and SiC at ∼1150°C resulted in the formation of a liquid phase. The liquid phase promoted the atomic diffusion at the interface and improved consolidation of the newly precipitated nano‐sized SiC with the SiC matrix. This led to the formation of partially seamless joints of SiC. When the thickness of the joining layer decreased from 1 to 100 nm, the content of the residual Pr‐O phase at the interface decreased, while the bending strength of the joints increased. A sound SiC joint with a bending strength of 227 ± 12 MPa was obtained at such a low temperature as 1400°C when a 100 nm Pr coating was applied.
Who cares? A scoping review about the experiences of parental caregivers of autistic adults
Authors: Ljungberg Malin , Schön Ulla‐Karin
Published: June 2023

Background

The autistic population is growing and ageing and this also applies to the parents. Despite this, research about parental experiences is still relatively scarce. Even though studies show, compared with adults with other disabilities, parents of autistic adolescents and adults report a decrease in well‐being and that caregiving is often a lifelong commitment.

Method

This scoping review maps, synthesises and identifies gaps in previous research as regards the experiences of parental caregivers of adult autistic children. The review was based on Arksey and Malley's framework and six databases were searched.

Results

The results show how the research has focused on the well‐being and consequences of daily caregiving for an American middle‐class mother who co‐resides with an adult son.

Conclusion

To enhance knowledge about formal services and service needs, more research is necessary on different welfare regimes and social contexts.
Association between periodontal disease and microstructural brain alterations in the Hamburg City Health Study
Authors: Mayer Carola , Walther Carolin , Borof Katrin , Nägele Felix L. , Petersen Marvin , Schell Maximilian , Gerloff Christian , Kühn Simone , Heydecke Guido , Beikler Thomas , Cheng Bastian , Thomalla Götz , Aarabi Ghazal
Published: June 2023

Aim

The aim of the PAROBRAIN study was to examine the association of periodontal health with microstructural white matter integrity and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) in the Hamburg City Health Study, a large population‐based cohort with dental examination and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials and Methods

Periodontal health was determined by measuring clinical attachment loss (CAL) and plaque index. Additionally, the decayed/missing/filled teeth (DMFT) index was quantified. 3D‐FLAIR and 3D‐T1‐weighted images were used for white matter hyperintensity (WMH) segmentation. Diffusion‐weighted MRI was used to quantify peak width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD).

Results

Data from 2030 participants were included in the analysis. Median age was 65 years, with 43% female participants. After adjusting for age and sex, an increase in WMH load was significantly associated with more CAL, higher plaque index and higher DMFT index. PSMD was significantly associated with the plaque index and DMFT. Additional adjustment for education and cardiovascular risk factors revealed a significant association of PSMD with plaque index (p < .001) and DMFT (p < .01), whereas effects of WMH load were attenuated (p > .05).

Conclusions

These findings suggest an adverse effect of periodontal health on CSVD and white matter integrity. Further research is necessary to examine whether early treatment of periodontal disease can prevent microstructural brain damage.
Uncertainty in Developmental Origins of Health and Disease research: commentary on Nomura et al. (2023)
Authors: Gilman Stephen E. , Govender Theemeshni , Augustin Diana , Yu Jing
Published: June 2023

Nomura et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2023) reported that children whose mothers were pregnant when Superstorm Sandy struck the Eastern Seaboard of the United States had elevated risk of psychopathology. Their study leverages data from a unique cohort of children established prior to Sandy that enabled researchers to investigate children's mental health depending on their prenatal exposure to the storm. Their findings add to mounting evidence that various types of prenatal stressors instigate stress responses that are transmitted to the developing fetus and impart enduring risk for neuropsychiatric disorders.
Bioinformatics‐based analysis of mechanistic differences in vascular endothelial injury ischemic stroke induced by atrial fibrillation and atherosclerosis
Authors: Li Jia , Yang Rui , Wang Shenglin , Shen Ziyi , Wu Bowen , Ren Yu , Ke Sha , Jiang Guohui
Published: June 2023

Studies of the intracranial vasculature in patients with ischemic stroke caused by atherosclerosis (AS) and cardiac embolism have revealed significantly different degrees of AS, plaque, and vascular stenosis. And the endothelium has a great influence on the vasculature throughout the circulatory system, especially in the brain. This study aimed to investigate the mechanistic differences in endothelial injury between atrial fibrillation (AF)‐ and AS‐induced ischemic stroke. All target genes of AF, AS, and the vascular endothelial cell (VC) were obtained from the GeneCards database; the differential genes of AF and AS separately associated with the VC were established by a Venn diagram. A protein–protein interaction network was created, and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases were used to perform genomic enrichment and functional enrichment analysis. Hub genes were selected by Maximal Clique Centrality algorithm ranking and correlation linkage in the STRING database, and then, clinical serum samples were used to verify the quantitative expressions in the AF, AF stroke, AS, and AS stroke groups. Fifty‐five AF‐VC‐related genes and ninety‐three AS‐VC‐related genes were screened, which differed in biological function, cellular composition, and molecular function. The genes correlation between AF and vascular endothelial cells (VCs) was KRAS and PTPN11, and those correlation between AS and VCs was IL‐4, IFNG, IL‐17A, and CSF‐2. IL‐4 and CSF‐2 may be relevant proteins involved in the differences in stroke mechanisms between AF and AS, and they may act by further influencing the function of their downstream cells. This study provides a preliminary theoretical basis for investigating the differences in mechanisms of endothelial injury between AF‐ and AS‐induced ischemic stroke.

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Frequent attenders in primary health care: a mixed‐methods study of patient and staff perspectives
Authors: Sharabani Rachel , Kagan Ilya , Cojocaru Stefan
Published: June 2023

Aims and Objective

To understand the frequent attendance phenomenon from the perspective of patients and healthcare professionals and how it can be reduced.

Background

Frequent attenders (FAs) are characterised by the consumption of a disproportionate number of medical consultations and a high number of visits per year to primary care physicians (PCP). Although FAs constitute about 10% of all primary clinic attendees, they are responsible for ~40–50% of clinic visits, affecting the efficiency, accessibility and quality of health services provided to other patients.

Design

Mixed methods (STROBE Statement: Data S1; COREQ checklist: Data S2).

Methods

Eighteen FAs were interviewed in a qualitative approach. PCPs and nurses (n = 184) completed a cross‐sectional survey.

Results

FAs are driven by their personal, emotional and mental state. FAs viewed clinics as a source for information and resolving medical problems. They perceived PCPs as authoritative and knowledgeable, and nurses as treatment managers and mediators between PCPs and patients. In contrast, FAs evoked more negative emotions than positive ones among medical staff. PCPs and nurses attributed frequent visits to FAs' personal and emotional states. A model based on the findings was constructed to provide a framework for grasping frequent attendance from a sociological perspective and for planning and managing it.

Conclusions

The accessibility and availability of health services at primary clinics, and collaboration and trust in medical staff facilitate the frequent attendance phenomenon.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

The frequent attendance phenomenon should be proactively prevented, even before patients become FA, using the model constructed, which serves as a foundation for introducing an intervention program to identify and prevent frequent attendance. PCPs and nurses working in primary care clinics should be made aware of the FA phenomenon and should be educated and given tools to deal with it within the clinic. The process should be facilitated by organisational support.

Patient or Public Contribution

There was no patient or public contribution to the design or conduct of the study, analysis or interpretation of the data, or in the preparation of the manuscript.
Effect of diet composition on glandular gastric disease in horses
Authors: Julliand Samy , Buttet Marjorie , Hermange Tanguy , Hillon Patrick , Julliand Véronique
Published: June 2023

Background

Nutritional factors are suggested to influence the incidence and severity of glandular gastric disease (GGD) in horses.

Objectives

To retrospectively assess whether dietary fermentable carbohydrates increase the severity of GGD and to prospectively evaluate whether the partial substitution of concentrates by dehydrated alfalfa would decrease GGD severity scores.

Animals

In total, 82 trotters from 4 training centers exercised ≥5 days/week.

Methods

Multicenter retrospective observational study, and prospective 2‐arm randomized trial. Glandular mucosae were observed by gastroscopy and scored (0‐4 severity scale) at day 0 (D0). Biochemical composition of the diet fed was compared between ulcerated and nonulcerated groups. After D0, horses either received the same diet (control, n = 41) or pelleted dehydrated alfalfa substituting 50% concentrates (alfalfa, n = 41). Glandular scores were recorded in both groups after 21 (D21) and 42 days (D42). The first end point was a successful outcome, defined as a horse with a glandular score of 2 to 4 on D0, decreasing to a score of 0 to 1 on days 21 or 42.

Results

Horses scored 0 to 1 at D0 ingested more (P = .01) soluble sugars from concentrates than those scored 2 to 4 before D0 (77.5 g/kg BW; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 71.1‐84.0, vs 59.1 g/kg BW; 95% CI: 48.0‐70.3), whereas starch intake did not differ between groups (P = .24). Among horses scored 2 to 4 at D0, fewer were scored 2 to 4 in the alfalfa group (1 out of 6) compared with the control group (6 out of 6) at D42 (P = .02). Clinical success was 47.7 times more likely in horses fed alfalfa compared with horses in the control group (95% CI: 1.6‐1422.8).

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

Relationships were found between diet composition and integrity of the glandular mucosa. Feeding pelleted dehydrated alfalfa could help to reduce the incidence and severity of GGD.
Researcher positionality in linguistics: Lessons from undergraduate experiences in community‐centered collaborative research
Authors: Bucholtz Mary , Campbell Eric W. , Cevallos Teresa , Cruz Veronica , Fawcett Alexia Z. , Guerrero Bethany , Lydon Katie , Mendoza Inî G. , Peters Simon L. , Reyes Basurto Griselda
Published: June 2023

Researcher positionality has come into focus in a number of fields, as scholars increasingly acknowledge the impact of their lived experiences and identities on all aspects of the research process. In most areas of linguistics, however, researcher positionality remains underdiscussed, even as many linguists from dominant groups conduct research on the language of subordinated groups without community self‐determination regarding the research direction and goals. While the growing emphasis on collaborative community‐centered research overcomes some inequities, another key step toward a more inclusive linguistics is the involvement of undergraduate researchers who are members of the partner community or whose backgrounds, experiences, and identities overlap with those of community members. Such undergraduate team members can contribute special insight and knowledge to the research. This article describes the role of a mostly Latinx team of undergraduate research interns in a community language maintenance survey project as part of a collaboration between a Hispanic Serving Institution and a nonprofit organization supporting the Mexican Indigenous community on California’s Central Coast. Undergraduate interns strengthened the project by drawing connections between their own linguistic experiences and those of the survey respondents, thus enabling the research team to better support community goals. The article concludes with recommendations for centering researcher positionality in linguistics in order to produce more inclusive, just, and rigorous linguistic science.
Relationship between noise levels and intensive care patients' clinical complexity: An observational simulation study
Authors: Imbriaco Guglielmo , Capitano Martina , Rocchi Margherita , Suhan Aglaia , Tacci Alice , Monesi Alessandro , Sebastiani Stefano , Samolsky Dekel Boaz Gedaliahu
Published: June 2023

Background

Noise pollution in intensive care units is a relevant problem, associated with psychological and physiological consequences for patients and healthcare staff. Sources of noise pollution include medical equipment, alarms, communication tools, staff activities, and conversations.

Aims

To explore the cumulative effects of noise caused by an increasing number and type of medical devices in an intensive care setting on simulated patients with increasing clinical complexity. Secondly, to measure medical device alarms and nursing activities' sound levels, evaluating their role as potentially disruptive noises.

Study Design

Observational simulation study (reported according to the STROBE checklist). Using an electronic sound meter, the sound levels of an intensive care room in seven simulated clinical scenarios were measured on a single day (09 March 2022), each featuring increasing numbers of devices, hypothetically corresponding to augmented patients' clinical complexity. Secondly, noise levels of medical device alarms and specific nursing activities performed at a distance of three meters from the sound meter were analysed.

Results

The empty room's mean baseline noise level was 37.8 (±0.7) dBA; among the simulated scenarios, noise ranged between 45.3 (±1.0) and 53.5 (±1.5) dBA. Alarms ranged between 76.4 and 81.3 dBA, while nursing tasks (closing a drawer, opening a saline bag overwrap, or sterile packages) and speaking were all over 80 dBA. The noisiest activity was opening a sterile package (98 dBA).

Conclusion

An increased number of medical devices, an expression of patients' higher clinical complexity, is not a significant cause of increased noise. Some specific nursing activities and conversations produce higher noise levels than medical devices and alarms. This study's findings suggest further research to assess the relationships between these factors and to encourage adequate noise reduction strategies.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Excessive noise level in the intensive care unit is a clinical issue that negatively affects patients' and healthcare providers' well‐being. The increase in baseline room noise from medical devices is generally limited. Typical nursing tasks and conversations produce higher noise levels than medical devices and alarms. These findings could be helpful to raise awareness among healthcare professionals to recognize noise sources. The noisiest components of the environment can be modified by staff behaviour, promoting noise reduction strategies and improving the critical care environment.
Histone variant HTB4 delays leaf senescence by epigenetic control of Ib bHLH transcription factor‐mediated iron homeostasis
Authors: Yang Qi , Wang Ting , Cao Jie , Wang Hou‐Ling , Tan Shuya , Zhang Yuan , Park Sanghoon , Park Hyunsoo , Woo Hye Ryun , Li Xiaojuan , Xia Xinli , Guo Hongwei , Li Zhonghai
Published: June 2023

Leaf senescence is an orderly process regulated by multiple internal factors and diverse environmental stresses including nutrient deficiency. Histone variants are involved in regulating plant growth and development. However, their functions and underlying regulatory mechanisms in leaf senescence remain largely unclear.

Here, we found that H2B histone variant HTB4 functions as a negative regulator of leaf senescence. Loss of function of HTB4 led to early leaf senescence phenotypes that were rescued by functional complementation. RNA‐seq analysis revealed that several Ib subgroup basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) involved in iron (Fe) homeostasis, including bHLH038, bHLH039, bHLH100, and bHLH101, were suppressed in the htb4 mutant, thereby compromising the expressions of FERRIC REDUCTION OXIDASE 2 (FRO2) and IRON‐REGULATED TRANSPORTER (IRT1), two important components of the Fe uptake machinery.

Chromatin immunoprecipitation‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that HTB4 could bind to the promoter regions of Ib bHLH TFs and enhance their expression by promoting the enrichment of the active mark H3K4me3 near their transcriptional start sites. Moreover, overexpression of Ib bHLH TFs or IRT1 suppressed the premature senescence phenotype of the htb4 mutant.

Our work established a signaling pathway, HTB4‐bHLH TFs‐FRO2/IRT1‐Fe homeostasis, which regulates the onset and progression of leaf senescence.
Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation and sexual functioning: Treatment outcomes and patient preferences
Authors: Flegge Lindsay G. , Barr Aex , Craner Julia R.
Published: June 2023

Background/Objective

Sexual dysfunction is common for patients experiencing chronic pain. Prior research is limited on how treatment for chronic pain affects patients' sexual functioning. This study reports pre‐/post‐treatment measures of self‐reported sexual functioning among individuals presenting for chronic pain treatment at an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program (IPRP) and reports patient treatment preferences.

Method

This study uses detailed treatment measures across multiple domains of sexual functioning to describe the prevalence and correlates of self‐reported sexual functioning among individuals with chronic pain presenting for and discharging from treatment at an IPRP (N = 71). Domains include sexual interest, satisfaction with sexual functioning, vaginal lubrication, vaginal discomfort, and erectile function. Patients also completed a multiple‐choice treatment preferences questionnaire created for this study.

Results

Results from this study show a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction in chronic pain populations (51.5%) and show no significant difference in sexual functioning after completing outpatient treatment, except for a significant improvement in sexual satisfaction for males only. Results from the patient treatment preferences questionnaire indicate that most patients (83.3%) thought their pain was important to address within the context of an IPRP; however, many patients (58.7%) did not think their treatment addressed sexual functioning. In addition, many patients (34%) would prefer to discuss sexual functioning with their primary care provider or pelvic floor physical therapist.

Conclusion

Findings demonstrate that usual multidisciplinary pain management treatment is not sufficient to address patients' concerns with sexual functioning. Additional creative strategies will need to be studied on how to best treat these overlapping problems. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Identification of a damage‐associated molecular pattern (DAMP) receptor and its cognate peptide ligand in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)
Authors: Lu Hsueh‐Han , Meents Anja K. , Fliegmann Judith , Hwang Ming‐Jing , Suen Ching‐Shu , Masch Diana , Felix Georg , Mithöfer Axel , Yeh Kai‐Wun
Published: June 2023

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is an important tuber crop, but also target of numerous insect pests. Intriguingly, the abundant storage protein in tubers, sporamin, has intrinsic trypsin protease inhibitory activity. In leaves, sporamin is induced by wounding or a volatile homoterpene and enhances insect resistance. While the signalling pathway leading to sporamin synthesis is partially established, the initial event, perception of a stress‐related signal is still unknown. Here, we identified an IbLRR‐RK1 that is induced upon wounding and herbivory, and related to peptide‐elicitor receptors (PEPRs) from tomato and Arabidopsis. We also identified a gene encoding a precursor protein comprising a peptide ligand (IbPep1) for IbLRR‐RK1. IbPep1 represents a distinct signal in sweet potato, which might work in a complementary and/or parallel pathway to the previously described hydroxyproline‐rich systemin (HypSys) peptides to strengthen insect resistance. Notably, an interfamily compatibility in the Pep/PEPR system from Convolvulaceae and Solanaceae was identified.
Protein elicitor GP1pro targets aquaporin NbPIP2;4 to activate plant immunity
Authors: Yubo Sun , Xingyu Ren , Wenhui Guo , Yong Wang , He Yan , Lirong Han , Juntao Feng
Published: June 2023

The novel protein elicitor GP1pro is the protein component of glycoprotein GP‐1 isolated and identified from Streptomyces kanasensis ZX01. GP1pro induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a hypersensitive response (HR), along with the accumulation of resistance‐related genes and secondary metabolites. It ultimately regulates plant defence responses. Further analysis revealed that GP1pro interacts with the PIP2‐family aquaporin protein NbPIP2;4 on the plant plasma membrane (PM) in Nicotiana benthamiana. PM localization is necessary for inducing GP1pro resistance. These results demonstrate that NbPIP2;4 acts as a H2O2 transporter to positively regulate plant immunity and ROS accumulation. In summary, this study elucidates a conserved and novel pathway caused by GP1pro to initiate host cellular defences by targeting the plant aquaporin protein NbPIP2;4 and transporting apoplast‐to‐cytoplast H2O2 to regulate plant immunity.
Autonomous agency, we‐agency, and social oppression
Authors: Mackenzie Catriona
Published: June 2023

Theories of collective intentionality and theories of relational autonomy share a common interest in analyzing the social dynamics of agency. However, whereas theories of collective intentionality conceive of social groups primarily as intentional and voluntarily willed, theories of relational autonomy claim that autonomous agency is both scaffolded and constrained by social forces and structures, including the constraints imposed by nonvoluntary group membership. The question raised by this difference in view is whether social theorizing that overlooks the effects of nonvoluntary social group membership on individual and joint agency overlooks crucial aspects of the social dynamics of agency. To explore this question, this article first evaluates Michael Bratman's planning analysis of individual agency from the perspective of relational autonomy theory and compares it with a narrative self‐constitution account of temporally extended agency. It then evaluates Bratman's analysis of shared agency and discusses Shaun Gallagher and Deborah Tollefsen's concept of we‐narratives, which extends the notion of narrative construction to shared agency. Overall, the argument aims to show that if we are interested in understanding the social dynamics of agency, it is critical to attend to the way that agents exercise their intentional agency in relation to internalized and external social constraints.
Alternative measures of price inflation and the perception of real income in Germany
Authors: Israel Karl‐Friedrich , Schnabl Gunther
Published: June 2023

Since the 1980s inflationary pressures seem to materialise over‐proportionately outside sectors of consumer goods and services. We combine the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices with indices for asset prices, such as stocks and real estate, as well as a proxy for the costs of public goods to develop alternative inflation measures in Germany since the introduction of the Euro. Real economic growth as well as median wage developments are reexamined in light of the alternative inflation estimates. Both turn out to be negative over the past decade in the most pessimistic scenarios.