bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The mechanistic, genetic and evolutionary causes of bird eye colour variation
Authors: Corbett Eamon C. , Brumfield Robb T. , Faircloth Brant C.
Published: October 2023

Birds display a rainbow of eye colours, but this trait has been little studied compared with plumage coloration. Avian eye colour variation occurs at all phylogenetic scales: it can be conserved throughout whole families or vary within one species, yet the evolutionary importance of this eye colour variation is under‐studied. Here, we summarize knowledge of the causes of eye colour variation at three primary levels: mechanistic, genetic and evolutionary. Mechanistically, we show that avian iris pigments include melanin and carotenoids, which also play major roles in plumage colour, as well as purines and pteridines, which are often found as pigments in non‐avian taxa. Genetically, we survey classical breeding studies and recent genomic work on domestic birds that have identified potential ‘eye colour genes’, including one associated with pteridine pigmentation in pigeons. Finally, from an evolutionary standpoint, we present and discuss several hypotheses explaining the adaptive significance of eye colour variation. Many of these hypotheses suggest that bird eye colour plays an important role in intraspecific signalling, particularly as an indicator of age or mate quality, although the importance of eye colour may differ between species and few evolutionary hypotheses have been directly tested. We suggest that future studies of avian eye colour should consider all three levels, including broad‐scale iris pigment analyses across bird species, genome sequencing studies to identify loci associated with eye colour variation, and behavioural experiments and comparative phylogenetic analyses to test adaptive hypotheses. By examining these proximate and ultimate causes of eye colour variation in birds, we hope that our review will encourage future research to understand the ecological and evolutionary significance of this striking avian trait.
The causes and implications of sex role diversity in shorebird breeding systems
Authors: Székely Tamás , Carmona‐Isunza Maria C. , Engel Noémie , Halimubieke Naerhulan , Jones William , Kubelka Vojtĕch , Rice Romy , Tanner Claire E. , Tóth Zsófia , Valdebenito José O. , Wanders Kees , McDonald Grant C.
Published: October 2023

Males and females often exhibit different behaviours during mate acquisition, pair‐bonding and parenting, and a convenient label to characterize these behaviours is sex role. The diverse roles that male and female shorebirds (plovers, sandpipers and allies) exhibit in mating and parenting have played a key role in advancing mainstream theories in avian ecology and behavioural biology including sexual selection, sexual conflict and parental cooperation. Recent advances in shorebird research have also highlighted the significance of the social environment in driving sex role behaviours by linking the adult sex ratio with breeding behaviour and population demography. Here we review the key advances in sex role research using shorebirds as an ecological model system. We identify knowledge gaps and argue that shorebirds have untapped potential to accelerate diverse research fields including evolutionary genomics, movement ecology, social networks and environmental changes. Future studies of sex roles will benefit from individual‐based monitoring using advanced tracking technologies, and from multi‐team collaborations that are facilitated by standardized data collection methodologies across different species in the field. These advances will not only contribute to our understanding of reproductive strategies, but they will also have knock‐on effects on predicting population resilience to environmental changes and on prioritizing species for conservation.
The dynamics of value co‐creation behavior: A systematic review and future research agenda
Authors: Jain Shanu , Sharma Kavita , Devi Sarita
Published: October 2023

Value co‐creation (VCC) continues to gain traction as a marketing concept in several service contexts. Given the limited understanding of how the VCC process translates into customers' actual behavior, VCC behavior (VCCB) describes the involvement of customers in the VCC process and includes active behavior during physical, virtual, and mental processes. Extant research on co‐creation unveils the antecedents and consequences of VCCB; however, no single study has assimilated the various factors that interplay in the actual co‐creation process. This systematic literature review of 136 research papers published from 2004 to June 2023, obtained from the Web of Science database, provides an overview of the existing empirical studies on VCCB. We used the established integrated theories, contexts, and methods‐antecedents, decisions, and outcomes (TCM‐ADO) framework and identified the important TCM used in the VCCB research. This review further identified 88 distinct antecedents classified into seven broad categories, decisions, and outcomes of VCCB. Additionally, we synthesized the mediators, moderators, and control variables used in extant studies. The review‐based research findings demonstrate future research directions for each dimension of the TCM‐ADO framework. The research questions presented in this study are set as a future research agenda to further comprehend the nuances of the VCCB that will help service firms implement the VCC process to its full potential.
An OBP gene highly expressed in non‐chemosensory tissues affects the phototaxis and reproduction of Spodoptera frugiperda
Authors: Han Wei‐Kang , Tang Feng‐Xian , Yan Yang‐Yang , Wang Yan , Zhang Yi‐Xi , Yu Na , Wang Kan , Liu Ze‐Wen
Published: October 2023

Insect odorant binding proteins (OBPs) were initially regarded as carriers of the odorants involved in chemosensation. However, it had been observed that a growing number of OBP genes exhibited broad expression patterns beyond chemosensory tissues. Here, an OBP gene (OBP31) was found to be highly expressed in the larval ventral nerve cord, adult brain and male reproductive organ of Spodoptera frugiperda. An OBP31 knockout strain (OBP31−/−) was generated by CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. For OBP31−/−, the larvae needed longer time to pupate, but there was no difference in the pupal weight between OBP31−/− and wild type (WT). OBP31−/− larvae showed stronger phototaxis than the WT larvae, indicating the importance of OBP31 in light perception. For mating rhythm of adults, OBP31−/− moths displayed an earlier second mating peak. In the cross‐pairing of OBP31−/− and WT moths, the mating duration was longer, and hatchability was lower in OBP31−/− group and OBP31+/−♂ group than that in the WT group. These results suggested that OBP31 played a vital role in larval light perception and male reproductive process and could provide valuable insights into understanding the biological functions of OBPs that were not specific in chemosensory tissues.
What is the optimal capital ratio implying a stable European banking system?
Authors: Jakubik Petr , Moinescu Bogdan Gabriel
Published: October 2023

This paper aims to determine the ‘new normal’ for banking stability in terms of capital adequacy, reviewing the incidence of banking stress episodes by lagged solvency ratios, based on the experience at the European level after the global financial crisis. We provide rating ladders for both risk‐weighted solvency ratios and a simple gearing (leverage) ratio for time horizons of up to 3 years using well‐known credit risk scoring procedures. Our findings empirically confirm that the recent dual metric structure of the capital adequacy framework is conducive to enhancing the accuracy of banking stability assessment. Specifically, our empirical analysis suggests that both tier 1 capital ratio and leverage ratio generally remain statistically significant in multivariate combinations for crisis probability measurement purposes. Robustness checks with well‐established macrofinancial indicators as control variables suggest that this tandem is hardly replaceable in multivariate early warning systems by combinations of macroimbalance and financial soundness indicators traditionally employed as leading factors of banking crises. Moreover, the pandemic period provides meaningful evidence that robust capital positions, in line with our estimate, have so far been ‘part of the solution’ for dealing with systemic events.
Balancing the scales: Does public debt and energy poverty mitigate or exacerbate ecological distortions in Nigeria?
Authors: Ezenekwe Uju Regina , Okere Kingsley Ikechukwu , Dimnwobi Stephen Kelechi , Ekesiobi Chukwunonso
Published: October 2023

Amid Nigeria's economic growth and energy challenges, the escalating public debt (PB) levels and persistent energy poverty (EP) raise critical questions about their potential impacts on the environment. Given the potential conflict among economic development, EP alleviation and ecological conservation, it becomes pertinent to understand whether increased PB and efforts to address EP inadvertently contribute to or alleviate ecological imbalances within the country. Hence, this research investigates the effect of PB and EP on the load capacity factor (LCF) in Nigeria. Using the STIRPAT model and annual data from 1990 to 2021, the study explores the relationships among total PB, EP, gross domestic product per capita, urbanization and LCF. Descriptive analysis, correlation assessments and unit‐root tests precede the data analysis conducted with the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and dynamic ARDL (DARDL) technique. Key findings reveal significant negative effects of urbanization and EP on LCF. Additionally, the ARDL and DARDL procedure highlights a positive long‐term relationship between PB and LCF. Both ARDL and DARDL analyses show a negative short‐term relationship between GDP growth per capita and LCF, signalling the need for sustainable economic practices. The study concludes with policy recommendations that aim to promote sustainable development and address ecological imbalances by tackling EP and PB challenges in Nigeria.
Effect of a portable light emitting diode device on wound healing in a rat model
Authors: Cha Han Gyu , Hur Joon , Pak Changsik John , Hong Joon Pio , Suh Hyunsuk Peter
Published: October 2023

Light‐emitting diode (LED) lights produce a variety of wavelengths that have demonstrable efficacy in therapeutic and aesthetic fields. However, a repetitive treatment regimen is required to produce treatment outcomes, which has created a need for portable LED devices. In this study, we aimed to develop a portable therapeutic LED device and investigate its healing effect on excisional wounds in a rat model. The 35 × 35 mm‐sized LED device was used on a total of 30 rats with full‐thickness wounds that were divided into two groups depending on radiation intensity (11.1 and 22.2 mW/cm2 group). LED irradiation was performed every 24 h for 30 min, over 14 days, in direct contact with the wound. Percentage wound closure was measured by photographic quantification and was assessed histologically using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson's Trichrome staining, and immunohistochemistry for Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD31. Percentage wound closure was significantly higher in 22.2 mW/cm2 irradiated wounds than that in the control wounds on days 7 and 10. The area of collagen deposition was remarkably larger in 22.2 mW/cm2 irradiated wounds than that in the control, with more horizontally organized fibres. CD31 immunostaining confirmed a significant increase in the number of microvessels in 22.2 mW/cm2 irradiated wounds than that in the control wounds, although there was no difference in VEGF immunostaining. Our novel portable LED device accelerates wound healing in a rat model, raising the possibility that portable LED devices can combine convenience with accessibility to play an innovative role in wound dressing.
Lizard richness in mainland China is more strongly correlated with energy and climatic stability than with diversification rates
Authors: Liang Tao , Meiri Shai
Published: October 2023

Aim

Contemporary environmental, historical and evolutionary factors are increasingly used to decipher the drivers of spatial patterns of species richness. Evidence of such correlations for Chinese reptiles is scarce and poorly understood. We therefore explored the validity of the environmental capacity, historical climatic stability and diversification rates hypotheses on Chinese lizard richness.

Location

Mainland China.

Taxon

Squamata: Sauria.

Methods

We mapped the distribution ranges of all 237 lizards in mainland China using a combination of different datasets. We used current environmental conditions (ambient energy, environmental productivity, and habitat heterogeneity), historical climate stability indices (long term: since ~3.3 Ma and short term: since the last glacial maximum) and mean tip diversification rates, to test whether current environmental conditions, historical climate change and diversification rates drive contemporary richness patterns of lizards in China. We applied piecewise structural equation models (pSEM) to jointly evaluate our hypotheses, considering direct and indirect effects.

Results

Chinese lizards showed strong latitudinal diversity gradients. We found consistent support for contemporary climatic and environmental factors relationships with richness. Richness was also positively correlated with short‐term climatic stability, but less so with long‐term stability. Diversification rates were seldom found to be positively correlated with lizard richness.

Main Conclusions

Our results support the environmental capacity and historical climate hypotheses, which link high richness to highly productive warm and stable regions (and low richness to cold and unstable regions). We conclude that post‐speciation dispersal and short‐term climatic oscillations quickly swamp the long‐term signal of diversification rates and climatic fluctuations, creating strong current climate–richness associations.
Feedforward‐ or feedback‐based group regulation guidance in collaborative groups
Authors: Yildiz Durak Hatice
Published: October 2023

Background

Collaboration is a crucial concept in learning and has the potential to foster learning. However, the fact that collaborative groups act with a common understanding in a common task brings many difficulties. Therefore, there is a need for group regulation and guidance to support effective group regulation in collaborative learning. On the other hand, the focus should be on the effect of group regulation guidance intervention on the improvement of both individual and group performance, modes of motivational regulation strategies, and the progression of group metacognition.

Objectives

In this study, group regulation guidance approaches were developed to support the collaborative learning of Computer Science university students. The developed group regulation guidance approach consists of feedback and a feedforward mechanism. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of these approaches on academic performance, group regulation performance perception, self‐, co‐, and socially shared regulation of intrinsic motivation, and group metacognition levels.

Methods

The study was patterned with a quasi‐experimental design. 65 students participated in the study, and various scales were used to collect data. Data were analysed using paired sample t‐tests, analysis of covariance, and multivariate analysis of covariance.

Results and Conclusion

According to the research results, academic achievement showed an increase in the experimental groups after the intervention compared with the pre‐intervention. The group in which the feedforward‐supported regulation guidance approach was used showed better learning success. In the group using the feedback‐supported regulation guidance approach, better group regulation, motivational regulation strategies, and group metacognition scores were obtained. Modes of motivational regulation strategies and group metacognition scores differed according to the experimental groups.

Implications

While the results provide important clues for teachers and instructional designers, the developed approaches can be used as a framework for different fields.
Early recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia indicates pulmonary vein reconduction independent of blanking period duration in the RACE‐AF trial
Authors: Sørensen Samuel K. , Johannessen Arne , Worck René , Hansen Morten L. , Ruwald Martin H. , Hansen Jim
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence during the blanking period (early ATA) after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is associated with an increased risk of later recurrence, but its relationship with pulmonary vein reconduction (PVR) is poorly understood. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between early ATA and PVR. Second, to provide data on the optimal blanking period by (a) evaluating how the predictive values of ATA for PVR are affected by blanking period duration, and (b) assessing the temporal development in atrial fibrillation (AF) burden.

Methods

In this RACE‐AF substudy, 91 patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing PVI randomized to radiofrequency or cryoballoon ablation were included. All patients received an implantable cardiac monitor and underwent a protocol‐mandated repeat procedure after 4–6 months for assessment of PVR. ATA ≥ 30 s. ≤ 90 days after PVI constituted early ATA.

Results

PVR was found in 37/54 (69%) patients with early ATA and in 11/37 (30%) patients without (p < .001). The positive predictive value of ATA for PVR was independent of blanking period duration (range 0–90 days). In both patients with and without PVR, AF burden was higher in the first month after PVI, but AF burden from the second month was similar to AF burden after the conventional blanking period.

Conclusion

Early ATA indicates PVR, and the positive predictive value is independent of the blanking period duration. Altogether, the results of this study support substantially shortening the blanking period after PVI for paroxysmal AF.
Cost‐effectiveness analysis of leadless cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: Wijesuriya Nadeev , Mehta Vishal , Vere Felicity De , Howell Sandra , Behar Jonathan M. , Shute Andrew , Lee Michael , Bosco Paolo , Niederer Steven A. , Rinaldi Christopher A.
Published: October 2023

Background

The Wireless Stimulation Endocardially for CRT (WiSE‐CRT) system is a novel technology used to treat patients with dyssynchronous heart failure (HF) by providing leadless cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Observational studies have demonstrated its safety and efficacy profile, however, the treatment cost‐effectiveness has not previously been examined.

Methods

A cost‐effectiveness evaluation of the WiSE‐CRT System was performed using a cohort‐based economic model adopting a “proportion in state” structure. In addition to the primary analysis, scenario analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed to test for uncertainty in input parameters. Outcomes were quantified in terms of quality‐adjusted life year (QALY) differences.

Results

The primary analysis demonstrated that treatment with the WiSE‐CRT system is likely to be cost‐effective over a lifetime horizon at a QALY reimbursement threshold of £20 000, with a net monetary benefit (NMB) of £3781 per QALY. Cost‐effectiveness declines at time horizons shorter than 10 years. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that average system battery life had the largest impact on potential cost‐effectiveness.

Conclusion

Within the model limitations, these findings support the use of WiSE‐CRT in indicated patients from an economic standpoint. However, improving battery technology should be prioritized to maximize cost‐effectiveness in times when health services are under significant financial pressures.
MCM4 acts as a biomarker for LUAD prognosis
Authors: Tan Yue , Ding Lei , Li Guiyuan
Published: October 2023

MCM4 forms the pre‐replication complex (MCM2‐7) with five other minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins. This complex binds to replication origins at G1 stage in cell cycle process, playing a critical role in DNA replication initiation. Recently, MCM4 is reported to have a complex interaction with multiple cancer progression, including gastric, ovarian and cervical cancer. Here, this study mainly focused on the expression of MCM4 and its values in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). MCM4 was highly expressed in LUAD tumours and cells, and had an important effect on the overall survival. Overexpression of MCM4 promoted the proliferation, and suppressed the apoptosis in LUAD cells. However, MCM4 silence led to the opposite results. In vivo, knockdown of MCM4 inhibited tumour volume and weight in xenograft mouse model. As a member of DNA helicase, knockdown of MCM4 caused cell cycle arrest at G1 stage through inducing the expression of P21, a CDK inhibitor. These findings indicate that MCM4 may be a possible new therapeutic target for LUAD in the future.
MSAEM Estimation for Confirmatory Multidimensional Four‐Parameter Normal Ogive Models
Authors: Liu Jia , Meng Xiangbin , Xu Gongjun , Gao Wei , Shi Ningzhong
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we develop a mixed stochastic approximation expectation‐maximization (MSAEM) algorithm coupled with a Gibbs sampler to compute the marginalized maximum a posteriori estimate (MMAPE) of a confirmatory multidimensional four‐parameter normal ogive (M4PNO) model. The proposed MSAEM algorithm not only has the computational advantages of the stochastic approximation expectation‐maximization (SAEM) algorithm for multidimensional data, but it also alleviates the potential instability caused by label‐switching, and then improved the estimation accuracy. Simulation studies are conducted to illustrate the good performance of the proposed MSAEM method, where MSAEM consistently performs better than SAEM and some other existing methods in multidimensional item response theory. Moreover, the proposed method is applied to a real data set from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to demonstrate the usefulness of the 4PNO model as well as MSAEM in practice.
Applying EBM epistemology and the GRADE system to address practitioners' disagreements in medical malpractice allegations during COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Azevedo Marco A. , Baetu Tudor M.
Published: October 2023

Rationale

The GRADE system of clinical recommendations has deontic implications and can discriminate between mandatory, prohibited, and merely permitted medical decisions.

Aims and Objectives

The recommendation categories of the GRADE framework map onto deontological imperatives that can lead to a better understanding and management of allegations of imprudence and appropriateness of treatments. Allegations made during the worst phase of COVID‐19 pandemic are used as a case study for exploring the deontic implications of GRADE.

Method

Conceptual theoretical analysis, case study analysis, and argumentation in defence of hypotheses.

Results

Strong GRADE recommendations for or against treatment are justified by high–quality evidence and can be construed as ethical obligations and prohibitions. In contrast, when evidence for benefit or harm is of lower quality, GRADE yields weak, discretionary recommendations. In such grey area cases, the absence of a duty to prescribe or refuse to prescribe a requested treatment is compatible with the privilege of considering unproven but possibly beneficial options in a private setting. This privilege, however, does not extend to healthcare policymakers, who have a duty to promote actions that serve the public and whose recommendations should not be guided by personal or idiosyncratic preferences or values.

Conclusion

If there is no prima facie evidence that a proposed treatment is harmful, doctors are not negligent in considering it in shared doctor‐patient decision‐making. But these clinical decisions under uncertainty do not transfer obligations to health authorities, who are not part of the decision‐making process in clinical settings. The clinical decision‐making process concerns particulars and is guided by contextual and specific reasons that do not fall within the scope of a general policy. Thus, in the context of a serious epidemic in which patients need and demand treatments, if the body of evidence is still changing and fragile, an attitude of tolerance and connivance may ensure a smoother transition to a more stable phase of progress, both in scientific and clinical medicine.
Zebrafish: A smart tool for heart disease research
Authors: Zhang Lantian , Zhou Jinrun
Published: October 2023

The increasing prevalence of heart disease poses a significant threat to human survival and safety. However, the current treatments available for heart disease are quite limited. Therefore, it is important to utilize suitable animal models that can accurately simulate the physiological characteristics of heart disease. This would help improve our understanding of this disease and aid in the development of new treatment methods and drugs. Zebrafish heart not only exhibits similarities to mammalian hearts, but they also share ~70% of homologous genes with humans. Utilizing zebrafish as an alternative to expensive and time‐consuming mammalian models offers numerous advantages. Zebrafish models can be easily established and maintained, and compound screening and genetic methods allow for the development of various economical and easily controlled zebrafish and zebrafish embryonic heart disease models in a short period of time. Consequently, zebrafish have become a powerful tool for exploring the pathological mechanisms of heart disease and identifying new effective genes. In this review, we summarize recent studies on different zebrafish models of heart disease. We also describe the techniques and protocols used to develop zebrafish models of myocardial infarction, heart failure, and congenital heart disease, including surgical procedures, forward and reverse genetics, and drug and combination screening. This review aims to promote the utilization of zebrafish models in investigating diverse pathological mechanisms of heart disease, enhancing our knowledge and comprehension of heart disease, and offering novel insights and objectives for exploring the prevention and treatment of heart disease.
Plugging the holes: Identifying potential avenues and limitations for furtheringDutchcivil society contributions towards flood resilience
Authors: Koers Gerben J. , Forrest Steven A. , van Popering‐Verkerk Jitske
Published: October 2023

Climatic changes can cause unpredictability in flood regimes that traditional flood risk management (FRM) approaches may struggle with. Therefore, flood resilience is seen as a supplementation to these approaches, putting a larger emphasis on flood acceptance and minimising consequences. An (emergent) group contributing towards flood resilience is civil society. This paper examines how civil society contributions can be furthered and guided in the Netherlands as well as exploring potential limitations in doing so. To achieve this, England is used as a good practice example due to a more developed and defined role for civil society being present here. Data were collected on both actual (England and the Netherlands) and potential (The Netherlands) civil society contributions. These were compared to identify potential avenues for Dutch civil society contributions to flood resilience that can be further investigated. The research shows that the most promising avenues are improving advocacy from citizens, improving local flood awareness and developing relationships between FRM authorities and existing citizen groups that can be harnessed and mobilised to support flood resilience. Additionally, the research also provides insights into potential limitations for transferring resilience approaches from one context to another beyond the cases discussed in this publication.
Recommendations to improve the interpretation of global flood forecasts to support international humanitarian operations for tropical cyclones
Authors: Speight Linda , Stephens Elizabeth , Hawker Laurence , Baugh Calum , Neal Jeffrey , Cloke Hannah , Grey Stephen , Titley Helen , Marsden Katherine , Sumner Tim , Ficchi Andrea , Prudhomme Christel , Archer Leanne , Bazo Juan , Dambo Jânio , Dolan Siobhan , Huhn Anna Lena , Moschini Francesca , Savage James , Smith Andy , Towner Jamie , Wanzala Maureen
Published: October 2023

International humanitarian organisations increasingly turn to forecast teams to support the coordination of efforts to respond to disasters caused by hazards such as tropical cyclones and large‐scale fluvial floods. Such disasters often occur where there is limited local capacity or information available to support decision making and so global forecasting capacity is utilised to provide impact‐based flood forecast bulletins. A multidisciplinary team joined together to provide forecast bulletins and expertise for such events through the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO). This paper captures the successes and challenges from two cyclones: Hurricane Iota in Central America (November 2020) and Cyclone Eloise in Mozambique (January 2021). Recommendations to improve global forecasting systems are made which will benefit the international community of researchers and practitioners involved in disaster prediction, anticipatory action and response. These include the need for additional data and expertise to support the interpretation of global models, clear documentation to support decision makers faced with multiple sources of information, and the development of user relevant metrics to assess the skill of global models. We discuss the value of effective partnerships and improving synergies between global models and local contexts, highlighting how global forecasting can help build local forecasting capability.
Trem2 deficiency attenuates microglial phagocytosis and autophagic‐lysosomal activation in white matter hypoperfusion
Authors: Pang Xiao‐Wei , Chu Yun‐Hui , Zhou Luo‐Qi , Chen Man , You Yun‐Fan , Tang Yue , Yang Sheng , Zhang Hang , Xiao Jun , Deng Gang , Wang Wei , Shang Ke , Qin Chuan , Tian Dai‐Shi
Published: October 2023

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion leads to sustained demyelination and a unique response of microglia. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2), which is expressed exclusively on microglia in the central nervous system (CNS), plays an essential role in microglial response in various CNS disorders. However, the specific role of Trem2 in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the specific role of Trem2 in a mouse model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion induced by bilateral carotid artery stenosis (BCAS). Our results showed that chronic hypoperfusion induced white matter demyelination, microglial phagocytosis, and activation of the microglial autophagic‐lysosomal pathway, accompanied by an increase in Trem2 expression. After Trem2 knockout, we observed attenuation of white matter lesions and microglial response. Trem2 deficiency also suppressed microglial phagocytosis and relieved activation of the autophagic‐lysosomal pathway, leading to microglial polarization towards anti‐inflammatory and homeostatic phenotypes. Furthermore, Trem2 knockout inhibited lipid droplet accumulation in microglia in vitro. Collectively, these findings suggest that Trem2 deficiency ameliorated microglial phagocytosis and autophagic‐lysosomal activation in hypoperfusion‐induced white matter injury, and could be a promising target for the treatment of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

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Recipient site scalp necrosis: A rare postoperative complication of hair transplantation
Authors: Chen Jian , Qu Qian , Guo Yilong , Hu Zhiqi , Li Xingdong , Fan Zhexiang , Yang Juanmin , Tang Qiang , Miao Yong
Published: October 2023

Background

Recipient area scalp necrosis is considered a potential complication of hair transplantation, but has rarely been reported. A small number of patients have developed scalp necrosis after hair transplantation with the widely used Follicular unit excision (FUE) technique. There are no guidelines to prevent and manage this complication. The aim of this study was to provide an insight into the pathogenesis, prevention, and management of scalp necrosis following hair transplantation.

Methods

From 2012 to 2021, among more than 10 000 patients who underwent hair transplantation, only three developed scalp necrosis in our clinical experience, besides, one patient transferred to our hospital because of scalp necrosis after undergoing hair transplantation. According to the disease etiology and patients' symptom, a combination of wound management and antimicrobial therapy was employed. This study was approved by the institutional ethics committee of Nanfang Hospital.

Results

Of the four patients, three received timely treatment and had a good prognosis. Necrosis became confined and healed within 2–3 weeks. Grafts in the lesion area partially survived. In case 4, due to improper treatment at the early stage, the lesion developed extensively and deeply, which not only delayed wound healing, but also resulted in complete loss of grafts.

Conclusion

Preoperative prophylaxis, timely diagnosis, and immediate treatment of scalp necrosis can prevent serious complications and reduce morbidity after hair transplantation.
Comparative study on the mutation spectrum of L‐MYC and C‐MYC genes of blood cfDNA in patients with ovarian cancer and healthy females
Authors: Shabir Saba , Asiaf Asia
Published: October 2023

Background

This study aimed at detecting the mutations of L‐MYC and C‐MYC genes in ovarian cancer (OC) patients and healthy female volunteers using cell‐free DNA (cfDNA).

Methods

We evaluated cfDNA of 50 OC patients with different stages (I–IV) and 50 age‐matched healthy female volunteers (controls) in order to access mutations in exon‐1 of L‐MYC (198 bp) and exon‐3 of C‐MYC (165 bp) genes using Sanger sequencing.

Results

The total mutations reported were 43 and 7 in exon‐1 of L‐MYC and exon‐3 of C‐MYC genes, respective. The C‐MYC and L‐MYC gene mutational status recorded in both cases and controls were compared with the already available data on mutations in c‐myc and L‐myc databases viz SNP db—NCBI, ClinVar db, COSMIC, PubMed, and LitVar which suggested that the detected mutations in exon‐1 of L‐MYC and exon‐3 of C‐MYC genes are novel.

Conclusion

Our study showed that cfDNA might be used for noninvasive detection of clinico‐genomic profiles of OC patients and as a prognostic biomarker for the disease.
Stepfamily formation and the educational outcomes of children in Sweden
Authors: Helgertz Jonas , Tegunimataka Anna
Published: October 2023

Objective

We examine the impact of stepfamily exposure on the educational outcomes of children, considering factors such as age at stepfamily formation, gender of the stepparent, presence of step/half‐siblings, and the stepparent's socioeconomic resources.

Background

The prevalence of stepfamilies across the Global North highlights the urgency of the issue. Despite a sizeable existing empirical literature, much research has been conducted on small datasets, characterized by a limited ability to examine heterogeneities in the stepfamily experience.

Method

We analyze Swedish register data, examining a population of 1.1 million individuals born between 1973 and 1998. Examining four separate school outcomes, we investigate the influence of different aspects of the individual's stepfamily experience, measured continuously throughout the individual's childhood and adolescence using OLS regression.

Results

Examining hypotheses based on the risk and resilience framework, there are few indications that children exposed to a stepfamily during childhood or adolescence perform worse in school than a child with parents who divorce but without remarrying. Additionally, the results highlight differences between the consequences of exposure to a stepfather or a stepmother as well as due to the socioeconomic resources possessed by stepparent.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate the complexities that characterize the stepfamily experience, with challenges particularly affecting the stepmother. Despite these, the study highlights the absence of negative effects on children's education, also emphasizing the considerable importance of both intellectual and financial resources brought by stepparents.
A review of field techniques to estimate lion presence and abundance
Authors: Mwampeta Stanslaus B. , Røskaft Eivin , Fyumagwa Robert , Belant Jerrold L.
Published: October 2023

Since the 1990s, the number of lions (Panthera leo) has declined by about 43% across African range states. Reliable lion population estimates can contribute to effective management and inform local and international conservation policies. Though many survey methods have been used to estimate lion abundance, an assessment of their usefulness and effectiveness is lacking.

We reviewed and identified available methods used to estimate lion populations, then investigated their feasibility, cost‐effectiveness and suitability to achieve primary objectives.

We identified 12 methods in two categories: direct (minimum counts, call‐in surveys, capture–recapture, opportunistic sightings, remote cameras, distance‐based and aerial counts) and indirect (track counts, secondary information, prey‐based, genetic samples and roar counts).

We identified 48 studies (57%) in which lion population estimation was not repeatable. Additionally, 38% did not provide any measure of precision. About 28% of the studies were conducted specifically for management purposes, while remaining studies focused on population estimates and dynamics.

Because data from these studies have influenced local management and global lion conservation policies, we recommend basing future policies and management on repeatable, precise and accurate population estimates supported by appropriate and cost‐effective experimental designs. In most cases, these estimates are obtained through actual lion counts derived from direct observation methods including call‐in, capture–recapture and remote camera surveys or through reliable animal signs such as genetic samples.
Tracking the foraging migrations of Marion Island southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) during their first year of life
Authors: McIntyre Trevor , Oosthuizen W. Chris , Bester Marthán N. , Hindell Mark A. , Reisinger Ryan R. , Tosh Cheryl A. , van den Hoff John , de Bruyn P.J. Nico
Published: October 2023

The first year of life is critical for large mammals to acquire foraging and predator avoidance skills. Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) pups wean at approximately three weeks of age and depart on their first foraging trips in midsummer, typically remaining at sea for three to four months before returning to their natal islands. We describe the foraging trips (n = 29) of 16 underyearling southern elephant seals from sub‐Antarctic Marion Island and compare these with trips (n = 152) of 94 older seals from the same population. While subadults (prebreeding age) and adult females (breeding age) displayed directional travel, underyearlings traveled in multiple directions from the island with no evidence of repeatability of travel directions within or between individuals and years. Maiden trips took longer to complete than subsequent trips during the first year of life, but we found no evidence for significant changes in other track metrics between the first three foraging trips. The comparatively inconsistent movement patterns of underyearlings suggest that foraging strategies of individuals are influenced by their learning and/or success during the first year of life and that individual level consistency in successful foraging strategies only become apparent in subsequent years.
C4 maize and sorghum are more sensitive to rapid dehydration than C3 wheat and sunflower
Authors: Bellasio Chandra , Stuart‐Williams Hilary , Farquhar Graham D. , Flexas Jaume
Published: October 2023

The high productive potential, heat resilience, and greater water use efficiency of C4 over C3 plants attract considerable interest in the face of global warming and increasing population, but C4 plants are often sensitive to dehydration, questioning the feasibility of their wider adoption.

To resolve the primary effect of dehydration from slower from secondary leaf responses originating within leaves to combat stress, we conducted an innovative dehydration experiment. Four crops grown in hydroponics were forced to a rapid yet controlled decrease in leaf water potential by progressively raising roots of out of the solution while measuring leaf gas exchange.

We show that, under rapid dehydration, assimilation decreased more steeply in C4 maize and sorghum than in C3 wheat and sunflower. This reduction was due to a rise of nonstomatal limitation at triple the rate in maize and sorghum than in wheat and sunflower.

Rapid reductions in assimilation were previously measured in numerous C4 species across both laboratory and natural conditions. Hence, we deduce that high sensitivity to rapid dehydration might stem from the disturbance of an intrinsic aspect of C4 bicellular photosynthesis. We posit that an obstruction to metabolite transport between mesophyll and bundle sheath cells could be the cause.
The biosynthesis, degradation, and function of cell wall β‐xylosylated xyloglucan mirrors that of arabinoxyloglucan
Authors: Wilson Louis F. L. , Neun Stefanie , Yu Li , Tryfona Theodora , Stott Katherine , Hollfelder Florian , Dupree Paul
Published: October 2023

Xyloglucan is an abundant polysaccharide in many primary cell walls and in the human diet. Decoration of its α‐xylosyl sidechains with further sugars is critical for plant growth, even though the sugars themselves vary considerably between species. Plants in the Ericales order – prevalent in human diets – exhibit β1,2‐linked xylosyl decorations. The biosynthetic enzymes responsible for adding these xylosyl decorations, as well as the hydrolases that remove them in the human gut, are unidentified.

GT47 xyloglucan glycosyltransferase candidates were expressed in Arabidopsis and endo‐xyloglucanase products from transgenic wall material were analysed by electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The activities of gut bacterial hydrolases BoGH43A and BoGH43B on synthetic glycosides and xyloglucan oligosaccharides were measured by colorimetry and electrophoresis.

CcXBT1 is a xyloglucan β‐xylosyltransferase from coffee that can modify Arabidopsis xyloglucan and restore the growth of galactosyltransferase mutants. Related VmXST1 is a weakly active xyloglucan α‐arabinofuranosyltransferase from cranberry. BoGH43A hydrolyses both α‐arabinofuranosylated and β‐xylosylated oligosaccharides.

CcXBT1's presence in coffee and BoGH43A's promiscuity suggest that β‐xylosylated xyloglucan is not only more widespread than thought, but might also nourish beneficial gut bacteria. The evolutionary instability of transferase specificity and lack of hydrolase specificity hint that, to enzymes, xylosides and arabinofuranosides are closely resemblant.
Influence of METTL3 knockdown on PDLSC osteogenesis in E. coliLPS‐induced inflammation
Authors: Chen Hang , Peng Limin , Wang Zhenxiang , He Yujuan , Zhang Xiaonan
Published: October 2023

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the effect of METTL3 knockdown on osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) in the weak inflammation microenvironments, as well as the underlying mechanisms.

Materials and Methods

PDLSCs were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli (E. coli LPS), followed by quantification of METTL3. METTL3 expression was assessed using RT‐qPCR and Western blot analysis in periodontitis. METTL3 knockdown PDLSCs were stimulated with or without E. coli LPS. The evaluation included proinflammatory cytokines, osteogenic markers, ALP activity, and mineralized nodules. Bioinformatics analysis and Western blot determined the association between METTL3 and the PI3K/Akt pathway.

Results

METTL3 was overexpressed in periodontitis. METTL3 knockdown in PDLSCs reduced proinflammatory cytokines, osteogenic markers, ALP activity, and mineralized nodules in both environments. Bioinformatics analysis suggested a link between METTL3 and the PI3K/Akt pathway. METTL3 knockdown inhibited PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activation.

Conclusion

METTL3 knockdown might inhibit osteogenesis in PDLSCs through the inactivation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Concomitant findings might shed novel light on the roles and potential mechanisms of METTL3 in the LPS‐stimulated inflammatory microenvironments of PDLSCs.
Connexin43 reduces LPS‐induced inflammation in hDPCs through TLR4‐NF‐κB pathway via hemichannels
Authors: Long Ping , Xiong Lin , Ding Cancan , Kuang Yanli , He Yuanpei , Li Guangwen , Xiao Jingang , Li Shiting
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Connexin43 (Cx43) is involved in the inflammation of many tissue types. Dental caries is infectious disease resulting from mineralized tissue dissolution by a specific bacterial population, causing pulp inflammation. However, Cx43's role in dental pulp remains unclear. Here, we investigated the function of Cx43 during pulp inflammation.

Materials and Methods

We constructed a dentin injury model in Sprague–Dawley rats to investigate changes in Cx43 expression during pulp inflammation. Cx43 was inhibited in human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) that had been stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to investigate the effect of Cx43 on inflammatory response. Promotion of TLR4‐NF‐κB pathway activity and special Cx43 channel inhibitors were used to clarify the function of Cx43 in hDPCs.

Results

Dentin injury led to low‐level inflammation in dental pulp. Following dentin injury, Cx43 expression initially decreased before gradually recovering to normal levels. Cx43 inhibition reduced LPS‐induced expression of inflammatory cytokines and NF‐κB pathway activity. Promotion of NF‐κB pathway activity counteracted the effect of Cx43 in hDPCs. Furthermore, inhibition of Cx43 hemichannels reduced LPS‐induced inflammatory cytokine expression.

Conclusions

Cx43 is involved in inflammation of dental pulp, while its inhibition reduced LPS‐induced inflammation in hDPCs through NF‐κB pathway via blockage of hemichannels.