bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growing old in the digital era: a qualitative study of internet use and outcomes among urban Indian older adults
Authors: Bansal Nidhi , Choudhary Heena
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This study acknowledges the existing digital divide in India, particularly for marginalised populations, and highlights the need for exceptional attention to address their unique needs, challenges and demands. Although previous research and policies have primarily focused on physical access and internet skills, this study shifts the focus to the outcomes of internet use. By understanding how older adults in marginalised communities incorporate the internet into their daily routines, this study aims to contribute to the development of an operational framework that charts the disadvantages of the digital divide.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws from Helsper’s (2015) internet outcomes framework to identify the outcomes that older adults can derive from being online. By using a qualitative approach, the study seeks to understand how educational and economic backgrounds influence internet usage among older adults and how this can promote advantageous internet use.

Findings

The findings indicate that highly educated individuals are more likely to experience positive outcomes across various societal domains than their less educated counterparts. However, it was observed that the highly educated participants also try to limit the impact of internet use on their personal lives by intentionally disconnecting from the internet whenever possible.

Research limitations/implications

By offering programmes and interventions to encourage internet use and improve digital skills, as well as by enhancing digital accessibility and incentive systems, the government should go forward with its plan to close the outcomes gap in internet use among older adults. For policymakers, it turns the spotlight on creating an environment conducive to the digital inclusion of older adults, consistent with sociocultural structures.

Originality/value

This study contributes to understanding the nuanced dynamics of internet use among older adults, shedding light on the role of educational background and sociocultural factors in shaping internet outcomes. It highlights the need to consider qualitative approaches in digital inequality research to capture the complexities underlying the digital divide.
Monocarboxylate transporter 4 protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by inducing oxidative phosphorylation/glycolysis interconversion and inhibiting oxidative stress
Authors: Pan Qiao , Xie Xiaobo , Yuan Qingxia
Published: September 2023

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is the primary cause of heart damage in the treatment of myocardial infarction, and the imbalance of the energy metabolism in the pathogenesis of myocardial I/R is one of the main triggers of cardiac dysfunction. Monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) is a key transporter of lactate, which plays a vital role in cellular metabolism. The present study investigated the role and underlying mechanism of MCT4 in myocardial I/R injury. The results of this study showed that MCT4 was upregulated during oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) and restored after reoxygenation in cardiomyocytes HL‐1. Interestingly, the overexpression of MCT4 increased cell viability and decreased apoptosis of OGD/R‐induced HL‐1 cells. Furthermore, MCT4 boosted glucose uptake and lactate levels and promoted protein expression of glycolysis regulator LDHA, while also impeding oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) regulators C‐MYC and NDUFB8 in OGD/R‐induced HL‐1 cells. A reduction in reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress markers malonaldehyde and superoxide dismutase was also observed within the OGD/R stimulated HL‐1 cells. Additionally, the in vivo exogenous application of MCT4 restored cardiac function, as demonstrated by the reduced infarct size and decreased myocardial apoptosis in I/R rats. OXPHOS and oxidative stress declined, while glycolysis was activated when the I/R mice were injected with AAV‐MCT4. Our findings indicate that MCT4 could exert a cardioprotective effect after myocardial I/R injury by inducing OXPHOS/glycolysis interconversion and inhibiting oxidative stress.
Sweet victory, bitter defeat: The amplifying effects of affective and perceived ideological polarization on the winner–loser gap in political support
Authors: JANSSEN L. (LISA)
Published: September 2023

Accepting defeat in the aftermath of elections is crucial for the stability of democracies. But in times of intense polarization, the voluntary consent of electoral losers seems less obvious. In this paper, I study whether affective and perceived ideological polarization amplify the winner–loser gap in political support. Using multilevel growth curve modelling on pre and post‐election panel data from the British Election Study Internet Panel collected during the 2015 and 2019 UK general elections, I show that the winner–loser gap is indeed more pronounced amongst voters with higher levels of affective and perceived ideological polarization. Moreover, the results illustrate that polarized voters experience a stark decrease in their support for the political system following their electoral loss. Given the high and, in some Western democracies, rising polarization levels, these findings have important implications for losers’ consent and the stability of democracies in election times.
Insect cell‐derived human CD200‐Fc increases zonula occludens‐1 tight junction protein in urothelial carcinoma cells
Authors: Lee Da Won , Lee Yong Seong , Lee Jeong Hwan , Chung Hyun Joo , Lee Chae Eun , Lim Jong Seok , Ko Kisung , Kim Jin Wook , Choi Joongwon , Myung Soon Chul
Published: September 2023

CD200 is a ligand that interacts with the CD200 receptor 1, with an anti‐inflammatory effect. CD200 inhibits the nuclear factor kappa‐light‐chain‐enhancer of activated B cells (NF‐κB) pathway, attenuating the inflammatory response and maintaining barrier function. In this study, human CD200 was fused with the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) to generate the recombinant CD200‐Fc protein, produced in insect cells using the baculovirus expression vector system. The CD200‐Fc gene was cloned under the control of the polyhedrin promoter in the pFastBac‐1 vector of the baculovirus expression vector system. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the expression of CD200‐Fc in insect cells. The CD200‐Fc protein was successfully purified using protein A affinity chromatography. 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay revealed that purified CD200‐Fc protein inhibited the proliferation of TCCSUP cells, a bladder epithelial cancer cell expressing CD200 receptor 1, at concentrations of 1, 10 and 100 ng/mL. Quantitative real‐time reverse transcription PCR (qRT‐PCR) and immunoblot analyses confirmed that the mRNA and protein levels of zonula occludens‐1, a tight junction protein for barrier protection in epithelial tissues, were increased in TCCSUP cells treated with insect cell‐derived CD200‐Fc. These results suggest that insect cell‐derived CD200‐Fc could alter zonula occludens‐1 expression in bladder epithelial cancer cells, enhancing the function of the cell barrier protein, which could inhibit cancer metastasis. Taken together, the baculovirus expression vector system can be applied to express antitumor therapeutic CD200‐Fc protein for the inhibition of bladder cancer.
A window into local adaptation
Authors: Otte Kathrin A.
Published: September 2023

How organisms adapt to their environment is not only a central topic of evolutionary biology but also a pressing question in the light of recent global change. Unravelling the genetic basis of these local adaptations can help to predict the response of a population to an increase in temperature or the more frequent occurrence of droughts. A popular approach to study the genes that drive local adaptation is the analysis of genotype–environment associations (GEA), testing the correlation of genomic features (typically single‐nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs) and environmental conditions. In this issue of Molecular Ecology Resources, Booker et al. (Molecular Ecology Resources, 2023) present a new approach to GEA, introducing genomic window analysis. They combine the information of neighbouring SNPs instead of analysing each SNP independently, therefore gaining power for detecting genomic signals of environmental adaptation. Using simulations of local adaptation to a heterogeneous environment as well as previously published real data from a natural population of lodgepole pine, they prove the superiority of their method over several established GEA approaches, especially in the case of small sample sizes. Leveraging the information present in closely linked genomic sites, Booker et al. (Molecular Ecology Resources, 2023) take genotype–environment association studies to the next level.
The Economic Public Interest in a World of Oligopoly*
Authors: Garnaut Ross
Published: September 2023

The Australian economy has performed well compared with comparable countries over the last three decades only if we average the excellent performance in the 1990s and the poor performance over the past decade. Real wages over the past decade have stagnated—to an extent without historical parallel. We cannot understand the economy's underperformance without recognising the increasing claims of economic rents on national income. Correction of weaknesses requires coordination of many policy instruments including measures to reduce the prevalence of rents (competition policy and regulation of oligopoly where competition is not feasible or inefficient) and changes in taxation arrangements to shift the burden of business taxation from firms in competitive activities to firms relying heavily on economic rents.
The Jabal al‐Yamh and Ḥattā Valley survey (Emirate of Dubai, UAE): GIS tools applied to archaeological survey and research
Authors: Valente Tatiana , Fernández‐Sánchez Adrián , Contreras Fernando , Ali Bader Al , Karim Mansour , Zein Hassan
Published: September 2023

The survey of extensive and topographically irregular landscapes is not easy. Survey teams often must be creative to cover the largest area possible, in a short time, with limited budgets, without losing quality and effectiveness in their work. The use of techniques employing geographic information system (GIS) tools has tremendously improved the efficiency and quality of the surveys. Such techniques were employed in the Jabal al‐Yamh and Ḥattā Valley (Emirate of Dubai, UAE), and their methodology, implementation and effectiveness are discussed in this paper. The Jabal al‐Yamh Research Project, which began in 2018 to survey, excavate, restore and research the prehistoric tombs in the Jabal al‐Yamh and the surrounding Ḥattā Valley, thus used primarily GIS tools employing remote sensing and probabilistic analysis to identify a large number of tombs in this rugged topography, delimitating areas more likely to contain tombs. On the other hand, identifying tomb distribution and orientation patterns through GIS data queries also allowed us to answer several sociocultural questions posed during the development of this project. This paper will thus discuss two primary purposes of this project's survey: methods for identifying new tombs for further excavation and protection, on the one hand, and the interpretation of those same tombs' emplacement, attending to their distribution and orientation pattern, on the other, thus developing a theoretical and predictive model of the distribution of prehistoric tombs in the area.
A novel score for predicting 1‐year mortality of intensive care patients
Authors: Pietiläinen Laura , Hästbacka Johanna , Bäcklund Minna , Selander Tuomas , Reinikainen Matti
Published: September 2023

Background

We aimed to develop a simple scoring table for predicting probability of death within 1‐year after admission to an intensive care unit. We analysed data on emergency admissions from the nationwide Finnish intensive care quality registry.

Methods

We included first admissions of adult patients with data available on 1‐year vital status (dead or alive) and all five variables included in a premorbid functional status score, which is the number of activities the person can manage independently of the following five: get out of bed, move indoors, dress, climb stairs and walk 400 m. We analysed data on patient characteristics and admission‐associated factors from 2012 to 2014 to find predictors of 1‐year mortality and to develop a score for predicting probability of death. We tested the performance of this score in data from 2015. We assessed the 1‐year functional status score of survivors with data available.

Results

Out of 25,261 patients, 20,628 (81.7%) patients were able to perform all five functional activities independently prior to the intensive care unit admission. At 1‐year post admission, 19,625 (77.7%) patients were alive. 1‐year functional status score was known for 11,011 patients and 8970 (81.5%) patients achieved functional status score 5, managing all five activities independently. The score based on age, sex, preceding functional status, type of intensive care unit admission, severity of acute illness and the most significant diagnoses predicted 1‐year mortality with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.78 (95% CI, 0.76–0.79). The calibration of our prediction model was good, with calibration intercept −0.01 (−0.07 to 0.05) and calibration slope 0.96 (0.90 to 1.02).

Conclusion

Our score based on data available at intensive care unit admission predicted 1‐year mortality with fairly good discrimination. Most survivors achieved good functional recovery.
Population stratification correction using Bayesian shrinkage priors for genetic association studies
Authors: Liu Zilu , Turkmen Asuman S. , Lin Shili
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Population stratification (PS) is a major source of confounding in population‐based genetic association studies of quantitative traits. Principal component regression (PCR) and linear mixed model (LMM) are two commonly used approaches to account for PS in association studies. Previous studies have shown that LMM can be interpreted as including all principal components (PCs) as random‐effect covariates. However, including all PCs in LMM may dilute the influence of relevant PCs in some scenarios, while including only a few preselected PCs in PCR may fail to fully capture the genetic diversity.

Materials and methods

To address these shortcomings, we introduce Bayestrat—a method to detect associated variants with PS correction under the Bayesian LASSO framework. To adjust for PS, Bayestrat accommodates a large number of PCs and utilizes appropriate shrinkage priors to shrink the effects of nonassociated PCs.

Results

Simulation results show that Bayestrat consistently controls type I error rates and achieves higher power compared to its non‐shrinkage counterparts, especially when the number of PCs included in the model is large. As a demonstration of the utility of Bayestrat, we apply it to the Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Variants and genes associated with serum triglyceride or HDL cholesterol are identified in our analyses.

Discussion

The automatic and self‐selection features of Bayestrat make it particularly suited in situations with complex underlying PS scenarios, where it is unknown a priori which PCs are potential confounders, yet the number that needs to be considered could be large in order to fully account for PS.
Cultural loss and compensation in the anthropology of Aboriginal Australia
Authors: Martin Richard
Published: September 2023

Cultural loss has been neglected in the study of Aboriginal Australia. This neglect reflects the impact of changes in Australian society involving the recognition and celebration of Indigenous culture. Yet new jurisprudence relating to compensation under Australian land rights legislation has refocused attention on cultural loss. This article draws on ethnography from North West Queensland's Gulf Country to examine how the concept of loss relates to change. Reflecting on the rise of the juridical notion of a “compensable act,” I ask, When does “loss” occur and to whom, and what solace may be found for cultural loss? I argue that these questions focus attention on the fraught relationship between Indigenous people, anthropology, and the law in Australia, while also offering an opportunity to reformulate those relations.
A Gibbs‐INLA algorithm for multidimensional graded response model analysis
Authors: Lin Xiaofan , Zhang Siliang , Tang Yincai , Li Xuan
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we propose a novel Gibbs‐INLA algorithm for the Bayesian inference of graded response models with ordinal response based on multidimensional item response theory. With the combination of the Gibbs sampling and the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA), the new framework avoids the cumbersome tuning which is inevitable in classical Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm, and has low computing memory, high computational efficiency with much fewer iterations, and still achieve higher estimation accuracy. Therefore, it has the ability to handle large amount of multidimensional response data with different item responses. Simulation studies are conducted to compare with the Metroplis‐Hastings Robbins‐Monro (MH‐RM) algorithm and an application to the study of the IPIP‐NEO personality inventory data is given to assess the performance of the new algorithm. Extensions of the proposed algorithm for application on more complicated models and different data types are also discussed.
Enhanced Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease surveillance in the older population: Assessment of a protocol for screening brain tissue donations for prion disease
Authors: Peden Alexander H. , Libori Adriana , Ritchie Diane L. , Yull Helen , Smith Colin , Kanguru Lovney , Molesworth Anna , Knight Richard , Barria Marcelo A.
Published: September 2023

Human prion diseases, including Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (CJD), occur in sporadic, genetic, and acquired forms. Variant Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (vCJD) first reported in 1996 in the United Kingdom (UK), resulted from contamination of food with bovine spongiform encephalopathy. There is a concern that UK national surveillance mechanisms might miss some CJD cases (including vCJD), particularly in the older population where other neurodegenerative disorders are more prevalent. We developed a highly sensitive protocol for analysing autopsy brain tissue for the misfolded prion protein (PrPSc) associated with prion disease, which could be used to screen for prion disease in the elderly. Brain tissue samples from 331 donors to the Edinburgh Brain and Tissue Bank (EBTB), from 2005 to 2022, were analysed, using immunohistochemical analysis on fixed tissue, and five biochemical tests on frozen specimens from six brain regions, based on different principles for detecting PrPSc. An algorithm was established for classifying the biochemical results. To test the effectiveness of the protocol, several neuropathologically confirmed prion disease controls, including vCJD, were included and blinded in the study cohort. On unblinding, all the positive control cases had been correctly identified. No other cases tested positive; our analysis uncovered no overlooked prion disease cases. Our algorithm for classifying cases was effective for handling anomalous biochemical results. An overall analysis suggested that a reduced biochemical protocol employing only three of the five tests on only two brain tissue regions gave sufficient sensitivity and specificity. We conclude that this protocol may be useful as a UK‐wide screening programme for human prion disease in selected brains from autopsies in the elderly. Further improvements to the protocol were suggested by enhancements of the in vitro conversion assays made during the course of this study.
Dual role of autotaxin as novel biomarker and therapeutic target in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms
Authors: Toyohara Tadashi , Yoshida Michihiro , Miyabe Katsuyuki , Hayashi Kazuki , Naitoh Itaru , Kondo Hiromu , Hori Yasuki , Kato Akihisa , Kachi Kenta , Asano Go , Sahashi Hidenori , Adachi Akihisa , Kuno Kayoko , Kito Yusuke , Matsuo Yoichi , Kataoka Hiromi
Published: September 2023

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (panNENs) are rare pancreatic neoplasms, and descriptions of treatment remain limited. Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted autocrine motility factor involved in the production of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a lipid mediator that promotes the progression of various cancers. The aim of this study was to clarify the importance of the ATX‐LPA axis in panNENs and to confirm its contribution to panNEN progression using clinical data, cell lines, and a mouse model. Serum ATX level was higher in patients with panNEN than in patients with other pancreatic diseases (chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [PDAC], intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, autoimmune pancreatitis) and healthy controls, and 61% of clinical specimens stained strongly for ATX. In a case we encountered, serum ATX level fluctuated with disease progression. An in vitro study showed higher ATX mRNA expression in panNEN cell lines than in PDAC cell lines. Cell proliferation and migration in panNEN cell lines were stimulated via the ATX‐LPA axis and suppressed by RNA interference or inhibitors. An in vivo study showed that intraperitoneal injection of GLPG1690, an ATX inhibitor, suppressed tumor progression in a xenograft model. These findings revealed that ATX expression is significantly elevated in panNEN and is related to the progression of panNEN. We showed the potential of ATX as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target.
Evolutionary response of cold‐adapted chasmophytic plants to Quaternary climatic oscillations in the Mountains of Central Asia (a world hotspot of biodiversity)
Authors: Nobis Marcin , Klichowska Ewelina , Vintsek Lizaveta , Wróbel Anna , Nobis Agnieszka , Zalewska‐Gałosz Joanna , Nowak Arkadiusz
Published: September 2023

Aim

Past climatic oscillations are the main driving force of evolutionary changes in alpine species. Species' response to paleoclimatic oscillations is crucial in forecasting their future response in face of climate warming. The aim of this research is to explore the effect of climatic fluctuations on the evolutionary history, demography, and distribution of high‐mountain bellflowers (Campanula lehmannianacomplex), the flagship and taxonomically problematic members of chasmophytic vegetation within an underexplored biodiversity hotspot, the Mountains of Central Asia.

Location

Central Asia (Tian Shan, Alai and Zeravshan‐Hissar Mountains).

Methods

We used molecular data (ITS, cpDNA, DArTseq‐based SNPs) of 262 individuals (70 for the phylogeny reconstruction, and 247 from 31 localities for population studies). We analysed the data using phylogenetic and molecular clock reconstructions, coalescent simulations, and ecological niche modelling.

Results

Tertiary isolation between the Tian‐Shanian and Pamir‐Alaian populations led to the differentiation of the two main lineages (~5–6 Mya) corresponding toC. eugeniaeandC. lehmanniana, whereas further Quaternary isolation into subregions led to intraspecific genetic differentiation, which starts almost simultaneously for both species (~2.7–1.5 Mya). The relatively small genetic admixture among populations indicates rare historic events of connectivity. In response to Holocene warming, the analysed species experienced a substantial decline in effective population size. Currently, the distribution of both taxa is highly influenced by precipitation in the coldest and driest quarters.

Main Conclusions

Our results highlight a general principle that glacial–interglacial cycles and contemporary island‐like habitats distribution, shape the genomic variation of high‐mountain species. The similar declining demographic trend of examined taxa may suggest the overall response to ongoing climate warming. The results underline also the urgent need for conservation action in alpine regions to preserve their biodiversity.
CDKL5 deficiency disorder and other infantile‐onset genetic epilepsies
Authors: Daniels Carolyn , Greene Caitlin , Smith Lacey , Pestana‐Knight Elia , Demarest Scott , Zhang Bo , Benke Timothy A. , Poduri Annapurna , Olson Heather E. ,   CDKL5 Study Group
Published: September 2023

Aim

To differentiate phenotypic features of individuals with CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) from those of individuals with other infantile‐onset epilepsies.

Method

We performed a retrospective cohort study and ascertained individuals with CDD and comparison individuals with infantile‐onset epilepsy who had epilepsy gene panel testing. We reviewed records, updated variant classifications, and compared phenotypic features. Wilcoxon rank‐sum tests and χ2 or Fisher's exact tests were performed for between‐cohort comparisons.

Results

We identified 137 individuals with CDD (110 females, 80.3%; median age at last follow‐up 3 year 11 months) and 313 individuals with infantile‐onset epilepsies (156 females, 49.8%; median age at last follow‐up 5 years 2 months; 35% with genetic diagnosis). Features reported significantly more frequently in the CDD group than in the comparison cohort included developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (81% vs 66%), treatment‐resistant epilepsy (95% vs 71%), sequential seizures (46% vs 6%), epileptic spasms (66% vs 42%, with hypsarrhythmia in 30% vs 48%), regression (52% vs 29%), evolution to Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (23% vs 5%), diffuse hypotonia (72% vs 36%), stereotypies (69% vs 11%), paroxysmal movement disorders (29% vs 17%), cerebral visual impairment (94% vs 28%), and failure to thrive (38% vs 22%).

Interpretation

CDD, compared with other suspected or confirmed genetic epilepsies presenting in the first year of life, is more often characterized by a combination of treatment‐resistant epilepsy, developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, sequential seizures, spasms without hypsarrhythmia, diffuse hypotonia, paroxysmal movement disorders, cerebral visual impairment, and failure to thrive. Defining core phenotypic characteristics will improve precision diagnosis and treatment.
Sensory reactivity assessment in children: A systematic review
Authors: Watkyns Ann F. , Cloete Lizahn Gracia , Parham Linda D.
Published: September 2023

Aim

To identify sensory reactivity assessments published in the literature for children aged 3 to 12 years and evaluate their psychometric properties to select the most appropriate one for adaptation to South Africa, with implications for other low‐ and middle‐income countries.

Method

We addressed the following two review questions. What tests have been published in the literature in the past 30 years to evaluate sensory reactivity with children aged 3 to 12 years? What is the validity and reliability of the tests reported in the studies? The COnsensus‐based standards for the Selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) methodology was used. We searched eight databases. Two reviewers independently screened and selected the studies.

Results

The reviewers identified 41 studies, representing 19 assessments. The most common type of assessment was the proxy‐reported caregiver questionnaire. Sensory systems most often assessed were visual, tactile, auditory, and vestibular. Study populations included those with autism spectrum disorder, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and children born preterm. Ratings for measurement properties of most assessments were moderate to low.

Interpretation

Limited psychometric information was reported, with low ratings for many properties. The Sensory Processing 3‐Dimensions Scale was selected on the basis of its psychometric properties and alignment with best‐practice recommendation to use a caregiver questionnaire and a performance test to assess sensory reactivity.
Impact of stroke history on procedural cerebrovascular insult probability and long‐term outcome after TAVI
Authors: Demirel Caglayan , Sulzgruber Patrick , Winter Max Paul , Mascherbauer Katharina , Halavina Kseniya , Heitzinger Gregor , Dona Carolina , Koschatko Sophia , Jantsch Charlotte , Andreas Martin , Hengstenberg Christian , Bartko Philipp E.
Published: September 2023

Background

In TAVI procedural stroke is one of the most feared complications and for this reason also extensively studied. But there is a lack of data concerning the impact of previous stroke on procedural stroke and on long‐term survival. The aim of this registry‐based cohort study is to evaluate the prevalence of previous stroke in TAVI patients and its impact on procedural stroke risk as well as long‐term outcome.

Methods

We included all patients treated with TAVI between January 2007 and December 2020 and investigated concerning previous stroke in their medical history. Among 958 patients, 55 patients had previous stroke and were included in the present analysis.

Results

The salient finding of the present study is that previous stroke is significantly associated with higher all‐cause mortality and has established itself as a predictor for poor outcome after TAVI. This is also observed after adjusting for confounders like EuroSCORE II (European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation) and AF (atrial fibrillation) as one of the main underlying diseases for cerebrovascular insult (CVI). However, previous stroke is not associated with higher rates of procedural CVI.

Conclusion

A history of stroke is significantly associated with higher all‐cause mortality and has established itself as a predictor for poor outcome after TAVI without higher rates of procedural stroke.
Measuring satisfaction with dental education among dentists and dental students in Croatia: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Vrdoljak Mia , Vrdoljak Josip , Tadin Antonija
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The study aimed to determine satisfaction level with the quality of education among dental students and dentists in Croatia based on the acquired knowledge and clinical and soft skills.

Materials and Methods

An online cross‐sectional survey was conducted among 533 dentists and dental students. The questionnaire consisted of four sections with closed‐ended questions. The first section included personal and professional data, whereas the second to fourth sections assessed satisfaction with learned basic dental, professional technical or clinal and interpersonal social or soft skills on a 5‐point Likert scale. The data were analysed using the Mann–Whitney U‐test and linear regression analysis. The significance level was set at .05.

Results

When comparing satisfaction scores between dentists and dental students in terms of basic dental knowledge and skills learned, students showed higher satisfaction scores for the categories of “Emergency Medical Situations” (p = .005) and “Ergonomic Principles of Work” (p = .004). Dentists, on the other hand, showed higher satisfaction for the categories “Selection and use of local anaesthetics and local antibiotics” (p = .005, p = .026; respectively). For the type of technical skills from the different areas of dentistry, dentists were most satisfied with “Oral Surgery” (4.26 ± 0.85), while students were most satisfied with “Oral Medicine” (4.29 ± 0.89). Finally, when comparing satisfaction scores with social skills, dentists had lower satisfaction scores in all categories studied (p ≤ .05).

Conclusion

Dental students showed higher overall satisfaction than dentists. The most significant satisfaction was expressed in technical skills learned, and the most considerable dissatisfaction was recorded in the unmeasurable skills category focused on “Career management”.
Upward‐moving mountain treelines: An indicator of changing climate
Authors: Qiu Jianxiu , Feng Sijia , Yuan Wenping
Published: September 2023

In this commentary, we highlight the recent advancements in the field of mountain treeline response to climate change in the work by He et al. (2023). We summarize their work from the perspectives of mountain treeline spatial distribution, their bioclimatic controls, and their diverse responses to changes in global climate patterns. We expect wide implications from the work of He et al. (2023), and point out future research direction that calls for interdisciplinary attention.
SHRINKING CITIES IN POST‐SOCIALIST EUROPE: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THEIR ANALYSIS FOR THEORY BUILDING TODAY?
Authors: Haase Annegret , Rink Dieter , Grossmann Katrin
Published: September 2023

In the final decades of the twentieth century, the post‐industrial regions of western Europe and the US were hot‐spots of urban shrinkage, and this also affected large areas in post‐socialist countries. Despite ongoing calls for a better integration of diverse global urban experiences into theorization, post‐socialist cities and their trajectories, as well as their experiences with rapid urban change, have been largely disregarded in general theory development.

At the same time, we face a somewhat inconsistent situation in the theoretical discourse on urban development. There are requests for “new geographies of theory” or to regard all cities as “ordinary”, in order to include different types of narratives and experience into overall comparisons and/or theory building.

Set against this background, this paper aims to deal with the case of shrinking post‐socialist cities, that is, cities that are “excluded” from hegemonic discourses for two reasons: they are post‐socialist and they are shrinking. In contrast to this situation, we understand shrinking post‐socialist cities as valuable examples for strengthening the debate on current and future forms of, and determining factors for, general urbanization. At the focus of our paper, therefore, are the questions about what we can learn from the analysis of shrinking post‐socialist cities for the general discourse, as well as for theory building for cities, and how we can overcome the observed reluctance to integrate the post‐socialist experience into general theory development.

The paper draws on an EU 7 FP research project finished in 2012 that comparatively analysed urban shrinkage across several regions of Europe, with a particular focus on post‐socialist countries.
Role of gene sequencing in classifying struma ovarii: BRAF p.G469A mutation and TERT promoter alterations favour malignant struma ovarii
Authors: Neyrand Sophie , Trecourt Alexis , Lopez Jonathan , Just Pierre Alexandre , Descotes Françoise , Borson‐Chazot Françoise , Ray‐Coquard Isabelle , Decaussin‐Petrucci Myriam , Devouassoux‐Shisheboran Mojgan
Published: September 2023

Aims

Struma ovarii (SO) are rare, accounting for 0.3–1% of ovarian tumours, and include benign and malignant lesions. In most cases, histology is not predictive of clinical outcome and prognosis. The prognosis of histologically malignant thyroid‐type carcinomas can indeed be excellent, while SO, composed of normal thyroid tissue, can recur and are designated highly differentiated follicular carcinoma of the ovary. Clearer diagnostic criteria are therefore required.

Methods and results

We retrospectively studied 31 SO using DNA and RNA sequencing with pan‐cancer gene panels, including eight biologically malignant SO (BMSO) defined based on ovarian serosal or extra‐ovarian dissemination at presentation or during follow‐up, 10 stage IA histologically malignant SO (HMSO) with thyroid‐type carcinoma morphology and 13 biologically and histologically benign SO (BSO), with none of the above‐mentioned characteristics. Molecular alterations were observed in 87.5% of BMSO, 70% of HMSO and 7.7% of BSO (P < 0.001). All patients with a peritoneal dissemination at presentation or during follow‐up had at least one gene alteration. BRAF mutations (44.5%) were only observed in malignant forms (HMSO and BMSO) and TERT promoter alterations (25%) only in cases of BMSO. The BRAF p.G469A mutation, which is extremely rare in thyroid carcinomas, was the molecular alteration most frequently associated with malignant SO (28.5%).

Conclusion

Our results highlight the clinical utility of molecular sequencing in SO, based on this limited number of cases. However, as malignant SO evolve slowly, more extensive molecular studies in SO with more than 10 years’ follow‐up are required to draw any conclusions on the prognostic value of the associated gene alterations.
Incidence of sexually transmitted infections and association with behavioural factors: Time‐to‐event analysis of a large pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) cohort
Authors: Hovaguimian Frédérique , Kouyos Roger D. , Kusejko Katharina , Schmidt Axel J. , Tarr Philip E. , Bernasconi Enos , Braun Dominique L. , Calmy Alexandra , Notter Julia , Stoeckle Marcel , Surial Bernard , Christinet Vanessa , Darling Katharine E. A. , Depmeier Carsten , Läuchli Severin , Reinacher Matthias , Rasi Manuela , Nicca Dunja , Bruggmann Philip , Haerry David , Bize Raphaël , Low Nicola , Vock Florian , El Amari Emmanuelle Boffi , Böni Jürg , Bosshard Philipp P. , Fehr Jan S. , Hampel Benjamin ,   the SwissPrEPared Cohort Study
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Our objective was to obtain long‐term data on the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their association with behavioural factors after widespread pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) implementation.

Methods

This was a time‐to‐event analysis of a national PrEP cohort in Switzerland (SwissPrEPared study). Participants were people without HIV interested in taking PrEP with at least two STI screening visits. Primary outcomes were incidence rate of gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis. The association between behavioural factors and STI diagnosis was expressed using hazard ratios. We adjusted for testing frequency and calendar year.

Results

This analysis included 3907 participants enrolled between April 2019 and April 2022, yielding 3815.7 person‐years of follow‐up for gonorrhoea (15 134 screenings), 3802.5 for chlamydia (15 141 screenings), and 3858.6 for syphilis (15 001 screenings). The median age was 39 years (interquartile range [IQR] 32–47), 93.8% (n = 3664) identified as men who have sex with men (MSM). The incidence was 22.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 21.3–24.4) per 100 person‐years for gonorrhoea, 26.3 (95% CI 24.7–28.0) for chlamydia, and 4.4 (95% CI 3.8–5.1) for syphilis. Yearly incidence rates decreased between 2019 (all bacterial STIs: 81.6; 95% CI 59.1–109.9) and 2022 (all bacterial STIs: 49.8; 95% CI 44.6–55.3). Participants reporting chemsex substance use were at higher risk of incident STIs, as were those reporting multiple sexual partners. Younger age was associated with a higher risk of gonorrhoea and chlamydia.

Conclusions

Incidence rates of bacterial STIs decreased over time. Young MSM, those with multiple partners, and those using chemsex substances were at increased risk of STIs.
The value of herpes zoster prevention in people aging with HIV: A narrative review
Authors: Dauby Nicolas , Motet Christian , Libois Agnès , Martin Charlotte
Published: September 2023

Objective

Review the evidence on the incidence and impact of herpes zoster among people living with HIV and the potential impact of recombinant zoster vaccine for people aging with HIV.

Methods

Narrative review.

Results

Although antiretroviral therapy has substantially reduced the risk of herpes zoster among people living with HIV, they remain at an increased risk compared with the general population. Among people aging with HIV, aging per se is now the main risk factor for herpes zoster. Beyond pain, herpes zoster is also associated with a risk of sight‐threatening complications in case of trigeminal involvement, disseminated diseases and stroke. Post‐herpetic neuralgia is also a potential threat to the quality of life of people aging with HIV. The recombinant zoster vaccine has demonstrated high and sustained efficacy in the prevention of herpes zoster, post‐herpetic neuralgia, and other herpes zoster complications in the general population. Immunogenicity data among people living with HIV with high CD4+ T‐cell count and controlled viral load are comparable to those among the general population. Real‐life effectiveness data indicate high vaccine efficacy among immunocompromised patients other than people living with HIV. High vaccine price, vaccine hesitancy, and limited disease and vaccine awareness represent potential hurdles for high vaccine uptake among people aging with HIV in Europe.

Conclusions

Herpes zoster, and its complications, is a vaccine‐preventable disease of aging people. Given its impact on quality of life, herpes zoster prevention using recombinant zoster vaccine is a safe strategy to be considered in every person aging with HIV.
Denture care and oral health‐related quality of life among complete denture wearers in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Aljubran Hussain , Alshammary Hend , Alamoudi Marwah , Alramadan Hassan , Nazir Muhammad , Gad Mohammed M.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

This study aimed to evaluate denture care and hygiene and oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) among complete denture (CD) wearers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Methodology

This cross‐sectional study was conducted on CD wearers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A pre‐tested questionnaire was administered among study participants. Questionnaire was divided in three sections: (1) patients' demographic data, (2) awareness and maintenance of CD and (3) OHRQoL. Independent sample t‐test and one‐way ANOVA test were performed.

Results

The study included data of 300 participants with 71% of males and 28% of females. Majority of participants (82.7%) cleaned CD daily, removed CD while sleeping (88.0%) and knew that unhygienic dentures can cause oral infection (92.7%). Only 19.3% used denture cleansing tables, 41% used toothpaste, and 60.7% rinsed CD with water. Regarding OHIP‐DENT domains, highest score was for functional limitation domain (2.20 ± 1.67) and the lowest for handicap domain (0.94 ± 1.09). The mean OHIP‐DENT score of the sample was 12.02 ± 8.52. Females (p = 0.006), participants below 65 years of age (p = 0.029), non‐Saudis (p = 0.042), those with university education (p = 0.030) and low monthly income (p = 0.045) and participants who visited dentist due to problem with CD (p = 0.041) demonstrated significantly higher mean OHIP‐DENT score.

Conclusion

Majority of participants demonstrated appropriate denture care behaviours because they were aware of the importance of denture care and hygiene. Female gender, age below 65 years, non‐Saudi nationality, university education, low monthly income and visiting dentist due to problem were related to poor OHRQoL.
Returns from the South: Effects of return migration of Ghanaian migrants from China on livelihoods and wealth inequalities in Ghana
Authors: Kandilige Leander , Yaro Joseph Awetori
Published: September 2023

The sedentary bias that characterizes discourses on migrations from and within the Global South has failed to inform a consistent exploration of international migration from and among global southern countries as normal, desirable and impactful to migrants and their social networks at different spatial levels. Migration‐development nexus analyses are predominantly framed around Global South‐Global North migration episodes whereby cash and social remittances from the North to the South are expected to trigger development in poorer global southern origin countries. This approach neglects the possibility of similar outcomes accruing from south‐south migrations. Drawing on qualitative research methods among Ghanaian migrants to China, our paper addresses the question how does south‐south migration affect livelihoods and wealth inequality? We argue that blunt global categorizations such as “Global South” and “Global North” only serve to obfuscate what is a rather heterogenous bunch of countries, with divergent opportunities for migrants. We recommend that greater focus should be on the contextual factors at the origin and destination, the quality of return preparedness and the human capital of the migrants rather than an arbitrary clustering around a binary Global South‐Global North trajectory as though they are internally homogenous. We conclude that there is heterogeneity in the effects of south‐south migration on household livelihoods and wealth inequalities.
Thirty years of emotional intelligence: A scoping review of emotional intelligence training programme among nurses
Authors: Saikia Monalisa , George Linu Sara , Unnikrishnan Bhaskaran , Nayak Baby S. , Ravishankar N.
Published: September 2023

The stressful environment of any healthcare setting can be detrimental to nurses' mental and emotional health. In recent years, emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as a vital psychological resource that positively impacts mental and emotional health and improves organizational functioning and success. This scoping review aimed to collate, synthesize and outline the research conducted on EI training programmes among nurses to assess their effectiveness in improving staff nurses' EI. Electronic databases of MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane, ProQuest, Embase and Web of Science were comprehensively searched for related studies published between 1990 and 2021 (updated in May 2022). Two investigators independently screened the abstracts of the retrieved studies against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Out of 728 initially retrieved studies, only 7 were included in the final synthesis. The PRISMA‐ScR (2018) checklist was used to report the study findings. All the studies included in the review reported a significant improvement in nurses' EI after a training programme. The results also indicate that EI interventions are an effective way to improve nurses' psychological resources (improve resilience and coping skills; reduce anxiety and stress), leadership qualities, job performance and patient experience of nursing care. As nurses are exposed to a wide range of emotions, human pain and suffering, the results of this review suggest that improving the EI skills of nurses through short training programmes is an effective way to maintain their emotional and mental well‐being. This scoping review is preregistered in Prospero (CRD42020161084).
Impacts of racial diversity and firm size on union voting behavior in Alabama
Authors: Armstrong Robert , Floren Michael , Imbrogno Jason , Malone Keith
Published: September 2023

Private sector unionization drives have recently increased after decades of decline. Previous research largely focused on predictors of unionization internal to firms. In this study, we use historical data from 1986 to 2017 in Alabama to show that racial distribution in the surrounding county also influences the likelihood of successful unionization votes.