bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide identification of tandem repeats associated with splicing variation across 49 tissues in humans
Authors: Hamanaka Kohei , Yamauchi Daisuke , Koshimizu Eriko , Watase Kei , Mogushi Kaoru , Ishikawa Kinya , Mizusawa Hidehiro , Tsuchida Naomi , Uchiyama Yuri , Fujita Atsushi , Misawa Kazuharu , Mizuguchi Takeshi , Miyatake Satoko , Matsumoto Naomichi
Published: March 2023

Tandem repeats (TRs) are one of the largest sources of polymorphism, and their length is associated with gene regulation. Although previous studies reported several tandem repeats regulating gene splicing incis(spl-TRs), no large-scale study has been conducted. In this study, we established a genome-wide catalog of 9537 spl-TRs with a total of 58,290 significant TR–splicing associations across 49 tissues (false discovery rate 5%) by using Genotype-Tissue expression (GTex) Project data. Regression models explaining splicing variation by using spl-TRs and other flanking variants suggest that at least some of the spl-TRs directly modulate splicing. In our catalog, two spl-TRs are known loci for repeat expansion diseases, spinocerebellar ataxia 6 (SCA6) and 12 (SCA12). Splicing alterations by these spl-TRs were compatible with those observed in SCA6 and SCA12. Thus, our comprehensive spl-TR catalog may help elucidate the pathomechanism of genetic diseases.
A sheep pangenome reveals the spectrum of structural variations and their effects on tail phenotypes
Authors: Li Ran , Gong Mian , Zhang Xinmiao , Wang Fei , Liu Zhenyu , Zhang Lei , Yang Qimeng , Xu Yuan , Xu Mengsi , Zhang Huanhuan , Zhang Yunfeng , Dai Xuelei , Gao Yuanpeng , Zhang Zhuangbiao , Fang Wenwen , Yang Yuta , Fu Weiwei , Cao Chunna , Yang Peng , Ghanatsaman Zeinab Amiri , Negari Niloufar Jafarpour , Nanaei Hojjat Asadollahpour , Yue Xiangpeng , Song Yuxuan , Lan Xianyong , Deng Weidong , Wang Xihong , Pan Chuanying , Xiang Ruidong , Ibeagha-Awemu Eveline M. , Heslop-Harrison Pat (J.S.) , Rosen Benjamin D. , Lenstra Johannes A. , Gan Shangquan , Jiang Yu
Published: March 2023

Structural variations (SVs) are a major contributor to genetic diversity and phenotypic variations, but their prevalence and functions in domestic animals are largely unexplored. Here we generated high-quality genome assemblies for 15 individuals from genetically diverse sheep breeds using Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) high-fidelity sequencing, discovering 130.3 Mb nonreference sequences, from which 588 genes were annotated. A total of 149,158 biallelic insertions/deletions, 6531 divergent alleles, and 14,707 multiallelic variations with precise breakpoints were discovered. The SV spectrum is characterized by an excess of derived insertions compared to deletions (94,422 vs. 33,571), suggesting recent active LINE expansions in sheep. Nearly half of the SVs display low to moderate linkage disequilibrium with surrounding single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and most SVs cannot be tagged by SNP probes from the widely used ovine 50K SNP chip. We identified 865 population-stratified SVs including 122 SVs possibly derived in the domestication process among 690 individuals from sheep breeds worldwide. A novel 168-bp insertion in the 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR) ofHOXB13is found at high frequency in long-tailed sheep. Further genome-wide association study and gene expression analyses suggest that this mutation is causative for the long-tail trait. In summary, we have developed a panel of high-quality de novo assemblies and present a catalog of structural variations in sheep. Our data capture abundant candidate functional variations that were previously unexplored and provide a fundamental resource for understanding trait biology in sheep.
Design method for high-power high-frequency magnetic-resonance air-core transformer
Authors: Chen Bin , Tao Xin , Wan Nina , Tang Bo
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the multi-objective optimization design method of high-power high-frequency magnetic-resonance air-core transformer (ACT).

Design/methodology/approach

First, this paper studies the interleaved winding technology, the process of modeling and simulation, the calculation method of high-frequency loss of Litz wire and the design of magnetic shielding in detail. Second, the multi-objective optimization design process of high-frequency magnetic-resonance ACT is established by parametric scanning method and orthogonal experiment method.

Findings

An ACT model of 2 kV/100 kW/81.34 kHz was designed. The efficiency, weight power density and volume power density are 99.61%, 21.6 kW/kg and 5.1 kW/kg, respectively. Finally, the multi-physical field coupling simulation method is used to calculate the port excitation voltages and currents and temperature field of ACT. The maximum temperature of the ACT is 95.5 °C, which meets the design requirements.

Originality/value

The above research provides guidance and basis for the optimization design of high-power high-frequency magnetic-resonance ACT.
Hybrid negotiation simulations: how mixing fact and fiction can lead to a more comprehensive learning experience
Authors: Gutmann Martin , Jentges Erik , MacKevett Douglas
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe an innovative approach to overcoming a common dilemma in designing negotiation simulations – that of situating a simulation in a real-life or fictitious context. This binary choice, which the authors call the negotiation designer’s dilemma, has profound implications for the types of learning activities and outcomes that can be integrated into the overall learning experience. As a way of overcoming the trade-offs inherent in this dilemma, the authors developed what they term hybrid simulations, which blend elements of fact and fiction in its contextual design in a particular way.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors were part of a negotiation simulation design team that used Design Thinking to understand the negotiation designer’s dilemma and to prototype and test a corresponding solution.

Findings

This paper demonstrates the benefits, potential applications and the how-to of hybrid simulations within the context of two such simulations the authors have designed at two different Swiss business schools. This paper concludes by discussing the potential and limitations for the application of hybrid simulations, as well as areas of potential further development.

Originality/value

The concept of a hybrid negotiation is a novel design trick that can be used in a variety of negotiation simulation contexts.
Does emotional labor affect nurses suffering from workplace violence? A moderated mediation model
Authors: Erkutlu Hakan , Chafra Jamel , Ucak Hatice , Kolutek Rahsan
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between emotional labor and workplace violence based on the social exchange theory. Drawing on the social exchange theory, this paper aims to investigate the relationship between emotional labor and workplace violence. Specifically, the authors take a relational approach by introducing positive patient treatment as the mediator. The moderating role of organizational support in the relationship between emotional labor and workplace violence is also considered.

Design/methodology/approach

The data of this study encompasses 536 nurses from 10 university hospitals in Turkey. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the proposed model.

Findings

The findings of this study support the negative effect of emotional labor on workplace violence and the mediating effect of patient-positive treatment. Moreover, when organizational support is low, the relationship between emotional labor and workplace violence is strong. In contrast, the effect is weak when organizational support is high.

Practical implications

The findings of this study suggest that health-care administrators should offer more training to nurses to help them manage their emotions while interacting with their patients. This leads to positive interpersonal relationships, which, in turn, lowers workplace violence. Moreover, health-care administrators should pay more attention to the buffering role of perceived organizational support for those subordinates with low emotional labor and higher workplace violence.

Originality/value

The study provides new insights into emotional labor’s influence on workplace violence and the moderating role of organizational support in the link between emotional labor and workplace violence. The paper also offers practical assistance to nurses in the health-care industry interested in building positive patient treatment and trust with their patients and minimizing workplace violence.
Managing knowledge loss: a systematic literature review and future research directions
Authors: Daghfous Abdelkader , Amer Noha Tarek , Belkhodja Omar , Angell Linda C. , Zoubi Taisier
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Job market shifts, such as workforce mobility and aging societies, cause the exit of knowledgeable personnel from organizations. The ensuing knowledge loss (K-loss) has broad negative effects. This study analyzes the knowledge management literature on K-loss published from 2000 to 2021 and identifies fruitful directions for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a systematic literature review of 74 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2021. These articles were retrieved from ProQuest Central, Science Direct, EBSCOhost and Emerald databases. The analysis utilizes Jessonet al.’s (2011) six principles: field mapping, comprehensive search, quality assessment, data extraction, synthesis and write-up.

Findings

Three sub-topics emerge from the systematic literature review: K-loss drivers, positive and negative impacts of K-loss and mitigation strategies. Over half of the literature addresses mitigation strategies and provides solutions for K-loss already in progress, rather than proposing preventive measures.

Research limitations/implications

This study has limitations related to the time span covered. Moreover, it focuses on articles published in refereed journals. Therefore, important contributions from conference papers, books and professional reports were excluded.

Originality/value

This research comprehensively synthesizes the K-loss literature and proposes future avenues of research to address under-investigated areas and potentially lead to theoretical and empirical advancements in the field. This study also provides suggestions for improving managerial practices.
Next generation supply chain management: the impact of cloud computing
Authors: Gammelgaard Britta , Nowicka Katarzyna
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of cloud computing (CC) on supply chain management (SCM).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual and based on a literature review and conceptual analysis.

Findings

Today, digital technology is the primary enabler of supply chain (SC) competitiveness. CC capabilities support competitive SC challenges through structural flexibility and responsiveness. An Internet platform based on CC and a digital ecosystem can serve as “information cross-docking” between SC stakeholders. In this way, the SC model is transformed from a traditional, linear model to a platform model with the simultaneous cooperation of all partners. Platform-based SCs will be a milestone in the evolution of SCM – here conceptualised as Supply Chain 3.0.

Research limitations/implications

Currently, SCs managed holistically in cyberspace are rare in practice, and therefore empirical evidence on how digital technologies impact SC competitiveness is required in future research.

Practical implications

This research generates insights that can help managers understand and develop the next generation of SCM with the use of CC, a modern and commonly available Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tool.

Originality/value

The paper presents a conceptual basis of how CC enables structural flexibility of SCs through easy, real-time resource and capacity reconfiguration. CC not only reduces cost and increases flexibility but also offers an effective solution for disruptive new business models with the potential to revolutionise current SCM thinking.
Improving supplier performance and strategic sourcing decisions by integrating jobshop scheduling, inventory management and agile new product development
Authors: Kumar K.R. Anil , Dhas J. Edwin Raja
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to improve supplier performance and strategic sourcing decisions by integrating jobshop scheduling, inventory management and agile new product development. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizations have struggled a lot to maintain the supplier performance and strategic sourcing decisions in the organizational benefit. However, in this context, the organization’s agile new product development (ANPD) process must be aligned with this requirement by maintaining the inventory and jobshop scheduling. As a result, identifying ANPD indicators, performance metrics and developing a structural framework to guide practitioners at various stages for smooth adoption is essential to improve the overall performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive literature review is conducted to identify jobshop scheduling, inventory management and ANPD indicators along with the performance metrics, and the hierarchical structure is developed with the help of expert opinion. The modified stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) and weighted aggregated sum product assurance (WASPAS) techniques, along with expert judgement, are used in this study to calculate the weights of the indicators and the ranking of the performance metrics.

Findings

As per the weight computation by SWARA method, the strategy indicators have the highest relative weight, followed by the product design indicators, management indicators, technical indicators, supply chain indicators and organization culture indicators. According to the ranking of performance metrics obtained through WASPAS, the “frequency of new product development is at the top”, followed by “advances in product design and development” and “estimated versus actual time to market”.

Research limitations/implications

It is believed that the framework developed will help industrial practitioners to plan effectively to improve supplier performance. The indicators identified may guide the ANPD penetration, and performance metrics may be useful for evaluation and comparison.

Practical implications

The outcomes of the present study will be extremely beneficial for the industry practitioners to improve the supplier performance. The indicators identified may guide the ANPD penetration, and performance metrics may be useful for evaluation and comparison.

Originality/value

A unique combination of modified SWARA–WASPAS technique has been used in this study which would be beneficial for organizations willing to adopt the jobshop scheduling and inventory management and ANPD for improving supply chain performance.
Telepresence robots in libraries: applications and challenges
Authors: Tella Adeyinka , Ogbonna Oluchi Precious
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to explore telepresence robots are being used in libraries to facilitate library services and also to explain the future trend in the application of robots in libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a review of the literature, this paper analyzes various library websites and consults literature relating to the use of telepresence robots in libraries; the current application of robots in libraries has been highlighted along with case studies of libraries currently adopting telepresence robots.

Findings

The uses of telepresence technology in libraries help to enhance library services, reach new users and provide a more inclusive and accessible library experience. Telepresence robots enhance the quality and accessibility of library services, expand library outreach and provide new opportunities for virtual engagement and programming. The application of telepresence robots in libraries can offer many benefits, but there are also several challenges that libraries must address to ensure successful implementation.

Originality/value

This paper highlights how the application of telepresence robots in libraries improves service productivity in libraries and creates a more engaging environment for the user group. The benefits and challenges of using robots in the library and the future trend in the application of telepresence robots in libraries are also discussed.
Modelling the importance of collaborative culture and its dimensions for supply chain collaboration: a necessary condition analysis
Authors: Acquah Innocent Senyo Kwasi
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This paper assumes necessity rather than sufficiency logic to model the relationship between collaborative culture and supply chain collaboration as triangular rather than linear. Specifically, this study aims to determine whether overall collaborative culture and its dimensions (i.e. collectivism, long-term orientation, power symmetry and uncertainty avoidance) are necessary for supply chain collaboration and the minimum levels of overall collaborative culture and its dimensions that are required for high levels of supply chain collaboration.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature, collaborative culture and its four dimensions, namely, collectivism, long-term orientation, power symmetry and uncertainty avoidance, were modelled as conditions having supply chain collaboration as their outcome. The study used the necessary condition analysis to test the triangular relationships between the conditions and the outcome among a sample of firms (N = 166) in the downstream petroleum sector.

Findings

The results revealed that collaborative culture and its dimensions are necessary conditions for supply chain collaboration, and that high levels of collaboration are possible, although not guaranteed when at least a basic level of collaborative culture or its dimensions are present. Hence, different levels of supply chain collaboration require firms to have different levels of collectivism, long-term orientation, power symmetry and uncertainty avoidance. Thus, at 30% supply chain collaboration, only overall collaborative culture is necessary.

Research limitations/implications

A significant limitation of this research is that, although several antecedents of supply chain collaboration exist, this study explored only the cultural antecedents of supply chain collaboration.

Practical implications

The dimensions of collaborative culture are necessary but not sufficient for supply chain collaboration. Therefore, managers should adopt a holistic approach to investment in a collaborative culture, as an over-investment in any of the dimensions may not compensate for an under-investment in the others.

Originality/value

As one of the first studies to use necessity rather than sufficiency logic to test the relationship between collaborative culture and supply chain collaboration, this research unearthed the non-linear (triangular) relationship between the constructs. It contributes to understanding how collaborative culture and its dimensions serve as bottleneck conditions constraining supply chain collaboration.
Experimental warming increases the vulnerability of high‐elevation plant populations to a specialist herbivore
Authors: Buckley James , Widmer Alex , Mescher Mark C. , De Moraes Consuelo M.
Published: March 2023

Ongoing climate change may impact alpine plant populations via both direct effects of increased temperature and climate‐driven changes in interactions between plants and other organisms, such as insect herbivores. Rates of herbivory in high‐elevation environments are predicted to increase with warmer temperatures, which may also lead to changes in morphological and physiological traits that influence plant resistance. Yet, we currently know little about how temperature‐mediated changes in traits will impact alpine plant vulnerability to herbivores, as well as the extent to which populations from high‐elevation environments might need to rapidly adapt to increasing herbivore pressure with rising temperatures.

We assessed the effect of experimental warming on the relative vulnerability of populations of the alpine plant Arabis alpina from different elevations to a specialist herbivore. Herbivore performance was measured on plants from nine populations grown in climate chambers at two temperatures, representing low (warm) and high (cold) elevations. We also measured changes in putative drivers of performance: plant phenological, chemical and defence traits. Assuming populations would be adapted to local climates and levels of herbivory, we predicted that low‐elevation populations would be more resistant to herbivores under warmer temperatures than high‐elevation populations.

We found reduced performance of a specialist herbivore on A. alpina grown under warm rather than cold conditions, though this effect varied with elevation. Larvae grew faster on high‐elevation populations than low‐elevation populations when grown under warm temperatures, whereas similar growth rates were observed for plants grown under colder temperatures, consistent with plant adaptation to the lower existing herbivore pressure in cold, high‐elevation environments. Regression analyses suggested that polar metabolite variation explained more variance in larval performance than changes in defensive glucosinolates or morphological traits.

Our results suggest that although physiological responses to warming may increase the resistance of cold‐adapted plants to herbivory, populations from different elevations may differ in their interactions with herbivores under climate warming. Without genetic adaptation, existing physiological responses of high‐elevation populations to warmer temperatures may leave these populations vulnerable to the increases in herbivore pressure predicted under climate change.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Bedtime negotiations: Unravelling normative complexity in hospital‐based prevention
Authors: Peeters Hugo , Oldenhof Lieke E. , van der Scheer Wilma , Putters Kim
Published: March 2023

This study explores how actors deal with normative complexity in the design and implementation of practices of preventative care. Previous studies have identified conflicting (e)valuations of prevention within health care at large, but little empirical research describes how these conflicts are resolved in day‐to‐day interactions. Zooming in on the work of a single actor, our ethnographic study describes a Dutch psychiatrist developing a novel type of hospital bed that provides preventative psychiatric care for women in the post‐partum period. Drawing on pragmatic sociology of justification, we construe ‘beds’—and the time, people and resources they represent—as points of convergence between conflicting valuations of care. The results show that embedded modes of valuation in a curative hospital setting generate significant normative complexity during implementation. We identify three main strategies through which normative complexity is managed: (a) translating between different modes of valuing prevention, (b) compromising in (material) design of care beds and (c) transcending embedded valuations through moral appeals. By showing the normative complexity of prevention in practice, our study highlights the need for a diverse and situated accounting for preventative care.
Determination of emergency nurse practitioner and plastic surgery trainee disposition decision agreement for plastic surgery emergency department presentations: A prospective study
Authors: Salter Mark D , Beaver Sarah , Hasler Linda , Manivel Vijay , Aziz Omar , Mallows James L
Published: March 2023

Objective

To examine if there was a high degree of agreement for disposition decisions of emergency nurse practitioners (ENP) compared to plastic surgery trainees (PST) for plastic surgery presentations.

Methods

A prospective study of disposition decision agreement from February 2020 to January 2021 for patients who required plastic surgery consultation and managed exclusively by an ENP. Absolute percentages were used to determine the exact disposition decision accuracy of ENP and the PST, while Cohen's kappa compared disposition decision agreement. Sub‐analyses of age, gender, ENP experience and presenting condition agreement were also completed. To mitigate confounding factors, operative management (OM) and non‐OM groups were analysed.

Results

The study recruited 342 patients who presented mostly with finger or hand‐related conditions (82%, n = 279) and managed by an ENP with less than 10 years of experience (65%, n = 224). Disposition decisions by ENP compared to PST were the same in 80% (n = 274) of cases. Disposition agreement for all patients was 0.72 (95% confidence interval 0.66–0.78). For the OM and non‐OM groups, disposition decisions were the same in 94% (n = 320), with a Cohen's kappa 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.79–0.91). Seven patients (2%) were discharged to GP care by the ENP when determined to need further plastic surgery involvement by the PST.

Conclusions

Disposition decisions by ENP and PST were the same in most cases and had a high overall level of agreement. This may lead to greater autonomy of ENP care and reduced ED length of stay and occupancy.
Identifying direct and indirect associations among traits by merging phylogenetic comparative methods and structural equation models
Authors: Thorson James T. , Maureaud Aurore A. , Frelat Romain , Mérigot Bastien , Bigman Jennifer S. , Friedman Sarah T. , Palomares Maria Lourdes D. , Pinsky Malin L. , Price Samantha A. , Wainwright Peter
Published: March 2023

Traits underlie organismal responses to their environment and are essential to predict community responses to environmental conditions under global change. Species differ in life‐history traits, morphometrics, diet type, reproductive characteristics and habitat utilization.

Trait associations are widely analysed using phylogenetic comparative methods (PCM) to account for correlations among related species. Similarly, traits are measured for some but not all species, and missing continuous traits (e.g. growth rate) can be imputed using ‘phylogenetic trait imputation’ (PTI), based on evolutionary relatedness and trait covariance. However, PTI has not been available for categorical traits, and estimating covariance among traits without ecological constraints risks inferring implausible evolutionary mechanisms.

Here, we extend previous PCM and PTI methods by (1) specifying covariance among traits as a structural equation model (SEM), and (2) incorporating associations among both continuous and categorical traits. Fitting a SEM replaces the covariance among traits with a set of linear path coefficients specifying potential evolutionary mechanisms. Estimated parameters then represent regression slopes (i.e. the average change in trait Y given an exogenous change in trait X) that can be used to calculate both direct effects (X impacts Y) and indirect effects (X impacts Z and Z impacts Y).

We demonstrate phylogenetic structural‐equation mixed‐trait imputation using 33 variables representing life history, reproductive, morphological, and behavioural traits for all >32,000 described fishes worldwide. SEM coefficients suggest that one degree Celsius increase in habitat is associated with an average 3.5% increase in natural mortality (including a 1.4% indirect impact that acts via temperature effects on the growth coefficient), and an average 3.0% decrease in fecundity (via indirect impacts on maximum age and length). Cross‐validation indicates that the model explains 54%–89% of variance for withheld measurements of continuous traits and has an area under the receiver‐operator‐characteristics curve of 0.86–0.99 for categorical traits.

We use imputed traits to classify all fishes into life‐history types, and confirm a phylogenetic signal in three dominant life‐history strategies in fishes. PTI using phylogenetic SEMs ensures that estimated parameters are interpretable as regression slopes, such that the inferred evolutionary relationships can be compared with long‐term evolutionary and rearing experiments.
Patch size and breeding status influence movement patterns in the threatened Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata)
Authors: Stenhouse Peri , Moseby Katherine E.
Published: March 2023

Information on the movement ecology of species can assist with identifying barriers to dispersal and appropriate management actions. We focus on the threatened Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) whose ability to move and disperse within fragmented landscapes is critical for their survival. We also investigate the possible effects of climate change on Malleefowl movement. We used solar‐powered GPS telemetry to collect movement data and determine the influence of breeding status, remnant vegetation patches and environmental variables. Seven Malleefowl were tracked between 1 and 50 months, resulting in 20 932 fixes. While breeding, Malleefowl had significantly smaller home ranges (92 ± 43 ha breeding; 609 ± 708 ha non‐breeding), moved shorter daily distances (1283 ± 605 breeding; 1567 ± 841 non‐breeding) and stayed closer to the incubation mound (349 ± 324 m breeding; 3293 ± 2715 m non‐breeding). Most Malleefowl effectively disassociated from the mound once breeding stopped, with two birds dispersing up to 10.2 km. Movement patterns were significantly correlated with the size of the remnant native vegetation patch, with smaller home ranges being utilized in small patches than in large patches. One male almost exclusively remained within a 107‐ha patch for over 4 years, but a female crossed between closely spaced uncleared patches. Long‐range movements of nearly 10 km daily displacement were recorded in large remnants almost exclusively when not breeding. Temperature and rain had a significant effect on movement: modelling suggests daily distances decline from 1.3 km at 25°C to 0.9 km at 45°C, with steeper declines over 30°C. The influence of patch size on movement patterns suggests that Malleefowl movement may be governed by the size of remnant patches and that habitat continuity may be important for facilitating recolonization after catastrophic events and maintaining genetic diversity. Climate change may reduce Malleefowl movement during hot, dry periods possibly affecting breeding success.
Integrative genomics analysis highlights functionally relevant genes for equine behaviour
Authors: Holtby Amy R. , Hall Thomas J. , McGivney Beatrice A. , Han Haige , Murphy Keith J. , MacHugh David E. , Katz Lisa M. , Hill Emmeline W.
Published: March 2023

Behavioural plasticity enables horses entering an exercise training programme to adapt with reduced stress. We characterised SNPs associated with behaviour in yearling Thoroughbred horses using genomics analyses for two phenotypes: (1) handler‐assessed coping with early training events [coping] (n = 96); and (2) variation in salivary cortisol concentration at the first backing event [cortisol] (n = 34). Using RNA‐seq derived gene expression data for amygdala and hippocampus tissues from n = 2 Thoroughbred stallions, we refined the SNPs to those with functional relevance to behaviour by cross‐referencing to the 500 most highly expressed genes in each tissue. The SNPs of high significance (q < 0.01) were in proximity to genes (coping – GABARAP, NDM, OAZ1, RPS15A, SPARCL1, VAMP2; cortisol – CEBPA, COA3, DUSP1, HNRNPH1, RACK1) with biological functions in social behaviour, autism spectrum disorder, suicide, stress‐induced anxiety and depression, Alzheimer's disease, neurodevelopmental disorders, neuroinflammatory disease, fear‐induced behaviours and alcohol and cocaine addiction. The strongest association (q = 0.0002) was with NDN, a gene previously associated with temperament in cattle. This approach highlights functionally relevant genes in the behavioural adaptation of Thoroughbred horses that will contribute to the development of genetic markers to improve racehorse welfare.
A mixed methods study investigating the quality of urinary and faecal continence assessment and management in residential aged care: Challenges, implications and solutions
Authors: Golenko Xanthe , McLeod Kate , Lowthian Judy A.
Published: March 2023

Objective

Incontinence is one of the main reasons for institutionalisation into residential aged care. It is linked with increased falls, skin breakdown, depression, social isolation and impaired quality of life. Studies over the past decade have demonstrated poor‐quality incontinence care, which has led to ongoing development of best practice guidelines and educational resources. This study investigated current practices, and staff and resident experiences with continence assessment and management, in comparison with best practice guidelines.

Methods

This concurrent mixed methods study was conducted in a 120‐bed residential aged care home. Secondary analysis of data from clinical records provided a snapshot of how continence was assessed and managed. Semistructured interviews with four staff and five residents explored their experiences to understand the impact of current practice on resident emotional well‐being. Mixing methods allowed for comparison between quantitative and qualitative findings, enabling a deeper understanding.

Results

Findings from the two data sets were highly congruent and identified: (1) lack of communication with residents and family members about continence needs; (2) heavy reliance on product usage and limited other conservative strategies; (3) staff frustration at inability to respond to calls in a timely manner; and (4) positive staff–resident relationships protect resident emotional well‐being.

Conclusions

Current practices are not consistent with best practice guidelines, which raises the question as to why nothing has changed. We argue that a stronger focus on implementation underpinned by a relationship‐centred approach is required to improve continence care practices among residential care staff, and the quality of life for adults living with incontinence.
Exercise modifies fatty acid perception and metabolism
Authors: Shanmugamprema Deepankumar , Muthuswamy Karthi , Ponnusamy Vinithra , Subramanian Gowtham , Vasanthakumar Keerthana , Krishnan Vasanth , Subramaniam Selvakumar
Published: March 2023

Aim

Obesity is a major public health issue, which is associated with several chronic diseases. In rodents, voluntary wheel running (VWR) is a type of exercise that influences ingestive behavior. This study aims to investigate the possible function of VWR activity in the perception of fat taste and if it mitigates the immediate effects of fatty acid (FA) ingestion.

Methods

Male C57BL/6 mice were arbitrarily assigned to either a sedentary (SED) lifestyle or free access to a running wheel after 5 weeks of dietary regimen. Later these mice groups were used in the investigations on fat preference, metabolic tolerance, and electrophysiology. Diet‐induced alterations in CD36 and GPR120 expression that are related to fat perception and the capacitative calcium signaling caused by FA in taste bud cells (TBCs) were also examined.

Results

In obese groups, VWR temporarily reduced body weight, demonstrated improvement in preference scores for FA, and recovered from a deterioration in glucose homeostasis. In CD36‐positive TBCs, electrophysiological investigations showed alterations in [Ca2+]i caused by FA. Further, in the TBCs of circumvallate papillae, there are differences in the expression of the genes CD36 and GPR120 between the active and SED controls. Obese mice also show lower incentive salience for long‐chain fatty acids (LCFA) and adapted to the reward system of VWR which may lead to improved incentive salience accredited to wheel running.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study provides the first evidence that VWR causes orosensory adaptations to fat and appears to alter taste preference for LCFAs.
Initiation of glucose‐lowering drugs reduces the anticoagulant effect of warfarin—But not through altered drug metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Dunvald Ann‐Cathrine Dalgård , Nielsen Flemming , Olsen Dorte Aalund , Ernst Martin Thomsen , Donnelly Louise , Soto‐Pedre Enrique , Kristiansen Maja Refshauge , Nielsen Jens Steen , Persson Frederik , Højlund Kurt , Madsen Jonna Skov , Søndergaard Jens , Pearson Ewan , Pottegård Anton , Stage Tore Bjerregaard
Published: March 2023

Aims

Drug metabolism might be altered in patients with type 2 diabetes. We aimed to evaluate if initiation of glucose‐lowering drugs impacts warfarin efficacy and drug metabolism.

Methods

First, we conducted a register‐based self‐controlled cohort study on Danish and Scottish warfarin users. Warfarin efficacy (international normalized ratio [INR]) was compared before and after initiation of glucose‐lowering drugs. Second, we conducted a clinical pharmacokinetic trial comprising treatment‐naïve type 2 diabetes patients. Patients ingested probe drugs for drug‐metabolizing enzymes (the Basel Cocktail) before initiating glucose‐lowering treatment, and after 3 and 12 weeks of treatment. Drug metabolism, glycaemic control, and inflammation were assessed on each visit.

Results

In the Danish and Scottish cohorts (n = 982 and n = 44, respectively), initiating glucose‐lowering drugs reduced warfarin efficacy. INR decreased from 2.47 to 2.21 in the Danish cohort (mean difference −0.26; 95% CI −0.35; −0.17) and from 2.33 to 2.13 in the Scottish cohort (−0.21; 95% CI −0.52; 0.11) after initiation of glucose‐lowering treatment. This impact on INR was more pronounced among individuals with stronger effects of glucose‐lowering treatment. In the clinical pharmacokinetic trial (n = 10), initiating metformin did not affect drug metabolism after 3 weeks (geometric mean ratio of CYP3A metabolic ratio: 1.12 [95% CI: 0.95; 1.32]) or 12 weeks of metformin treatment. Glycaemic control improved during treatment, while inflammation remained low and unchanged during treatment.

Conclusions

In conclusion, initiation of glucose‐lowering drugs among chronic warfarin users seems associated with a reduction in INR, particularly among individuals with a large decrease in HbA1c. This effect seems unrelated to CYP enzyme activity and warfarin drug metabolism.
Effect of esketamine on opioid consumption and postoperative pain in thyroidectomy: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wang Penglei , Song Meixian , Wang Xiaoli , Zhang Ye , Wu Yun
Published: March 2023

Aims

Thyroidectomy is frequently associated with substantial postoperative pain. Esketamine, an N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor antagonist, has been demonstrated to be effective in multiple analgesia scenarios. We hypothesized that intraoperative administration of esketamine may reduce perioperative opioid consumption and postoperative pain in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Methods

Sixty patients undergoing thyroidectomy were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in the esketamine group received a pre‐incisional intravenous bolus of esketamine (0.5 mg kg−1) followed by a continuous infusion of 0.24 mg kg−1 h−1 until the beginning of wound closure. Patients in the placebo group received 0.9% NaCl (bolus and infusion). The primary outcome was perioperative sufentanil consumption. The postoperative pain, sleep quality and adverse events during the first postoperative 24 h were also evaluated.

Results

Patients in the esketamine group consumed significantly less sufentanil than those in the saline group (24.6 ± 3.1 μg vs. 33.7 ± 5.1 μg, mean difference, 9.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.9–11.3, P < .001). Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower in the esketamine group than those in the saline group during the first 24 h postoperatively (P < .05). Patients receiving esketamine experienced higher sleep quality than those in the saline group during surgical night (P = .043). There were no significant differences in adverse events between the two groups.

Conclusions

Intraoperative administration of esketamine reduces perioperative sufentanil consumption and postoperative pain without increasing psychotomimetic side effects in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. The development of combined anaesthesia regimens, including esketamine, may foster strategies for pain management during thyroidectomy.
Long‐term psychotherapy in tertiary care: A practice‐based benchmarking study
Authors: Gaskell Chris , Kellett Stephen , Simmonds‐Buckley Melanie , Curran Joe , Hetherington Jack , Delgadillo Jaime
Published: March 2023

Objectives

The literature regarding the effectiveness of long‐term psychological interventions delivered in tertiary care is scarce. This study sought to quantify and evaluate outcomes delivered in a UK tertiary care psychotherapy service against equivalent service benchmarks.

Design

A retrospective analysis of outcomes on the Outcome Questionnaire‐45 (OQ‐45) over a 10‐year period in a tertiary care psychotherapy service. The modalities evaluated were cognitive‐behavioural, cognitive‐analytic, and psychoanalytic psychotherapies.

Methods

Effectiveness was calculated at the service level and for each modality using pre‐post‐effect sizes and recovery rates. Benchmarking included a random‐effects meta‐analysis. Trajectories of change for each modality were examined using growth curve models.

Results

Baseline distress on the OQ‐45 was higher than comparative norms (M = 102.57, SD = 22.79, N = 364). The average number of sessions was 48.68 (SD = 42.14, range = 5–335). There was a moderate pre‐post‐treatment effect (d = .46, 95% CI = .37–.55) which was lower than available benchmarks. The modalities differed in duration but were largely equivalent in terms of outcome. The reliable improvement rate was 29.95%, and the recovery rate was 10.16%, and change over time was best explained using a nonlinear (cubic) time trend.

Conclusions

The elevated distress at baseline appears to create the conditions for relatively lengthy interventions and attenuated clinical outcomes. Suggestions are made regarding the clinical role, function, and evaluation of tertiary care psychotherapy services.
Insulin‐like growth factor‐2 is a promising candidate for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Fitzgerald G. S. , Chuchta T. G. , McNay E. C.
Published: March 2023

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Current AD treatments slow the rate of cognitive decline, but do not restore lost function. One reason for the low efficacy of current treatments is that they fail to target neurotrophic processes, which are thought to be essential for functional recovery. Bolstering neurotrophic processes may also be a viable strategy for preventative treatment, since structural losses are thought to underlie cognitive decline in AD. The challenge of identifying presymptomatic patients who might benefit from preventative treatment means that any such treatment must meet a high standard of safety and tolerability. The neurotrophic peptide insulin‐like growth factor‐2 (IGF2) is a promising candidate for both treating and preventing AD‐induced cognitive decline. Brain IGF2 expression declines in AD patients. In rodent models of AD, exogenous IGF2 modulates multiple aspects of AD pathology, resulting in (1) improved cognitive function; (2) stimulation of neurogenesis and synaptogenesis; and, (3) neuroprotection against cholinergic dysfunction and beta amyloid‐induced neurotoxicity. Preclinical evidence suggests that IGF2 is likely to be safe and tolerable at therapeutic doses. In the preventative treatment context, the intranasal route of administration is likely to be the preferred method for achieving the therapeutic effect without risking adverse side effects. For patients already experiencing AD dementia, routes of administration that deliver IGF2 directly access the CNS may be necessary. Finally, we discuss several strategies for improving the translational validity of animal models used to study the therapeutic potential of IGF2.
Polymethylmethacrylate‐induced foreign body reaction presenting as bilateral parotid lesions: A case report of dermal filler adverse reaction diagnosed on fine needle aspiration
Authors: Saoud Carla , Lossos Chen , Ali Syed Z.
Published: March 2023

Background

Dermal filler injections are being increasingly used as a non‐surgical option for facial cosmetic procedures. However, their use has been implicated in multiple adverse events including immediate, early onset, and late onset complications.

Aim

We present a case of dermal filler‐induced foreign body reaction presenting as bilateral parotid lesions and diagnosed using fine needle aspiration.

Conclusion

This case elucidate the risk of delayed adverse events in patients with dermal filler injections and stresses the importance of awareness by patients and providers for such events.
Evaluation of the diagnostic ability of oral lesions on clinical images among undergraduate dental students
Authors: Antoranz‐Pereda Ana , de Pedro Miguel , Navarrete Natalia , Vizoso‐Noval Beatriz , Cidoncha‐Cabrerizo Gema , Pérez Ruth , Casañas Elisabeth , Muñoz‐Corcuera Marta
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The dentist should be able to carry out systematic oral examinations of the mucosa of patients in order to diagnose any alterations at an early stage.

Materials and Methods

An observational, analytical, prospective, and longitudinal study was carried out. 161 students were evaluated at the beginning of their clinical practice in their 4th year of dental school (September 2019), at the beginning and at the end of their 5th year of dental school (June 2021). Thirty oral lesions were projected, and the students were asked to provide an answer; if the lesions were benign, malignant, or potentially malignant, whether they should be biopsied and/or treated and a presumptive diagnosis.

Results

Significant improvement (p < .001) was obtained between the 2019 and 2021 results, in relation to the classification, need for biopsy and treatment of lesions. For differential diagnosis, no significant difference (p = .985) was obtained between the 2019 and 2021 responses. Malignant lesions and PMD obtained mixed results, with the best results corresponding to OSCC.

Discussion

In this study, a correct lesion classification by the students was over 50%. As for the OSCC, the results were superior to the rest of the images, reaching more than 95% correct.

Conclusion

Theoretical‐practical training from universities and continuing education for graduates in relation to oral mucosal pathologies should be further promoted.
Digital Module 31: Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Authors: Lovett Benjamin J.
Published: March 2023

Students with disabilities often take tests under different conditions than their peers do. Testing accommodations, which involve changes to test administration that maintain test content, include extending time limits, presenting written text through auditory means, and taking a test in a private room with fewer distractions. For some students with disabilities, accommodations such as these are necessary for fair assessment; without accommodations, invalid interpretations would be made on the basis of these students’ scores. However, when misapplied, accommodations can also diminish fairness, introduce new sources of construct‐irrelevant variance, and also lead to invalid interpretation of test scores. This module provides a psychometric framework for thinking about accommodations, and then explicates an accommodations decision‐making framework that includes a variety of considerations. Problems with current accommodations practices are discussed, along with potential solutions and future directions. The module is accompanied by exercises allowing participants to apply their understanding.