bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reduction of chromosomal instability and inflammation is a common aspect of adaptation to aneuploidy
Authors: Hintzen Dorine C. , Schubert Michael , Soto Mar , Medema René H. , Raaijmakers Jonne A.
Published: December 2023

Aneuploidy, while detrimental to untransformed cells, is notably prevalent in cancer cells. This indicates that cancer cells have the ability to surmount the initial stress responses associated with aneuploidy, enabling rapid proliferation despite aberrant karyotypes. To generate more insight into key processes and requirements underlying the adaptation to aneuploidy, we generated a panel of aneuploid clones in p53-deficient RPE-1 cells and studied their behavior over time. As expected,de novogenerated aneuploid clones initially displayed reduced fitness, enhanced levels of chromosomal instability and an upregulated inflammatory response. Intriguingly, after a prolonged period of culturing, aneuploid clones exhibited increased proliferation rates while maintaining aberrant karyotypes, indicative of an adaptive response to the aneuploid state. Interestingly, all adapted clones displayed reduced chromosomal instability (CIN) and reduced inflammatory signaling, suggesting that these are common aspects of adaptation to aneuploidy. Collectively, our data suggests that CIN and concomitant inflammation are key processes that require correction to allow for fast growth. Finally, we provide evidence that amplification of oncogenic KRAS can promote adaptation.
Product-based marketing strategies: pork consumption in Taiwan and Japan
Authors: Ip Ching Yin , Liang Chaoyun
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The present study surveyed consumers in Taiwan and Japan to analyse the influence of marketing mix on purchase intention and the willingness to pay for Taiwanese pork and to establish a marketing-oriented model of consumer behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 1,134 valid Internet surveys were collected, which included 526 Taiwanese respondents and 608 Japanese respondents.

Findings

An analysis of the results indicated that product quality constitutes the foundation of marketing strategies and significantly affects purchase intention and willingness to pay through physical evidence, promotional activities, place and price. Both physical evidence and product strongly affect the purchase intention of Taiwanese consumers, followed by price, whereas price and physical evidence significantly affect willingness to pay. For Japanese consumers, price, product and promotion strongly affect purchase intention, but place and physical evidence exert negative effects; by contrast, price and promotion significantly affect willingness to pay.

Originality/value

The results determined that a modified marketing mix should be applied for agricultural products. In the domestic market, marketing should promote the modernisation and scale of pork farms and possibly the brand value or market rarity. In international markets, particularly those of neighbouring countries, marketing should focus on the promotion of Taiwanese pork as a high-quality, reasonably-priced product with transparent product information and convenient purchase channels. This study contributes to the application of marketing theory to the market for staple foods by incorporating considerations for domestic and international markets.
Firm’s openness and innovation in Industry 4.0
Authors: Capone Francesco , Innocenti Niccolò , Baldetti Filippo , Zampi Vincenzo
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of firms’ features on innovation performance in Industry 4.0, focusing on the concepts of breadth and depth of openness in the innovation process.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data gathered from 96 firms active in Industry 4.0 (I4.0) in Italy, a Poisson regression analysis is conducted to investigate the relationship between the openness of firms’ innovation processes at the level of knowledge sources and their innovation performance in I4.0.

Findings

The results highlight the relationship between the level of openness and innovative performance in I4.0. In particular, the breadth of the openness of the innovation process of enterprises is curvilinearly related to innovation in I4.0, taking an inverted U-shape.

Practical implications

Managers of firms operating in I4.0 should consider openness as a strategic response to the knowledge requirements and risks associated with the innovation process in complex technologies.

Originality/value

Through the questionnaires administered mainly to highly qualified individuals, an original and unique database has been created with information on the openness of the innovative process and the innovation performances in I4.0.
How do pandemics affect your self-preservation instinct? Disentangling the mediation effect of secondary traumatic stress
Authors: Deng Xiaohu , Fu Mengyao , Deng Shasha , Tan Chee-Wee , Jiang Zhibin
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Contemporary focus on infections and deaths in the event of pandemics may distract health institutions and medical practitioners from the psychosocial consequences of the outbreak in individuals. In light of the devastation, persistency and scarcity of pandemics, it is imperative to delve into individuals' psychological state and self-preservation instincts when confronted with the environmental danger arising from pandemic conditions and the environmental restrictions being imposed.

Design/methodology/approach

Guided by the self-preservation theory, the authors advance a research model to elucidate the moderated mediation effect of secondary traumatic stress on an individual's reactions when faced with environmental danger and restriction. The authors also consider the moderating influence of environmental restriction and media use diversity. The authors subsequently validated the research model via a survey with 2,016 respondents in China. The authors employed PLS-SEM to analyze the data and assess the hypothesized paths.

Findings

Analytical results revealed that secondary traumatic stress fully mediated the impact of environmental danger on external reliance but suppresses the mediating effects on internal reliance. The authors further confirmed that environmental restriction moderated the relationship between environmental danger and reliance. Furthermore, the authors attest to the moderating influence of media use diversity on the relationship between secondary traumatic stress and external reliance.

Originality/value

This study not only extends the theoretical lens of self-preservation to public health emergencies but also yields practical guidelines for coping with pandemics. Insights from this study can be harnessed to aid populations worldwide in coping and recovering from pandemics.
Enhancing prosocial behavior in the aviation industry through responsible leadership and importance of ethics and social responsibility: examining a moderated mediation model
Authors: Özkan Osman Seray , Aksoy Kürü Seval , Üzüm Burcu , Ulu Önder
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The aim of this research, which uses the theories of social identity and social exchange, is to investigate the relationship between responsible leadership, prosocial behavior and the mediating role of psychological ownership in this relationship. In addition, the moderating role of ethical and social responsibility in the relationship between responsible leadership and psychological ownership is tested in the study.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample of the research consists of 246 participants who work full-time at İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport in ground handling services (GHS). The convenience sampling method was used in the research, and the research data were collected by the face-to-face survey method. The hypotheses of the research were tested with the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) and SPSS Process Macro.

Findings

According to the results, it was determined that responsible leadership affects prosocial behavior positively and significantly, and psychological ownership plays a mediating role in this relationship. In addition, the moderating effect of ethical and social responsibility on the relationship between responsible leadership and psychological ownership was determined. When ethical and social responsibility is perceived as high by the employees, it was revealed that the conditional indirect effect of responsible leadership on prosocial behavior through psychological ownership was strong.

Research limitations/implications

When responsible leadership encourages employees to take psychological ownership, they are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior. This study contributes to the field by evaluating the structures discussed with social identity and social exchange theory. In the management practice of organizations, responsible leadership should be strengthened and training should be given to develop responsible leadership.

Originality/value

In the literature review, it was observed that although there are studies conducted with responsible leadership, the concept was not examined with prosocial behavior, and it was not studied in the aviation sector, which has become indispensable for the world economy. With these features, the study distinguishes itself from others and constitutes a source of motivation for researchers.
Leave for informally admitted patients: a review of written guidance produced by mental health services in England and Wales
Authors: Ashmore Russell
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on the use and content of written guidance produced by mental health services in England and Wales describing hospital leave for informally admitted patients.

Design/methodology/approach

Guidance on leave was requested from National Health Service (NHS) mental health trusts in England and health boards in Wales (n = 61) using a Freedom of Information submission. Data were analysed using content analysis.

Findings

In total, 32 organisations had a leave policy for informal patients. Policies varied considerably in content and quality. The content of policies was not supported by research evidence. Organisations appeared to have developed their policies by either adapting or copying the guidance on section 17 leave outlined in the Mental Health Act Codes of Practice for England and Wales (Department of Health, 2016; Welsh Government, 2016). Definitions of important terms, for example, leave and hospital premises, were either absent or poorly defined. Finally, some organisations appeared to be operating pseudo-legal coercive contracts to prevent informal patients from leaving hospital wards.

Research limitations/implications

Research should be undertaken to explore the impact of local policies on the informal patient’s right to life and liberty.

Practical implications

All NHS organisations need to develop an evidence-based policy to facilitate the informal patient’s right to take leave. A set of national standards that organisations are required to comply with would help to standardise the content of leave policies.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to examine the use and content of local policies describing how informal patients can take leave from hospital.
Compensation alters estimates of the number of species required to maintain ecosystem functioning across an emersion gradient: A case study with intertidal macroalgae
Authors: Hagan James G.
Published: December 2023

Whether more species are required to maintain ecosystem functioning as spatial scale increases or across environmental gradients has frequently been studied by examining whether different species drive ecosystem functioning in different sites. However, this approach does rule out the counterfactual scenario where a few species could potentially maintain ecosystem functioning across sites as this requires examining which species can (or cannot) compensate for the loss of others.

Here, I used an observational study and a field‐based transplant experiment to examine the effects of species loss on biomass productivity in an intertidal marine macroalgal system. I calculated the number of species required to maintain biomass productivity across four depth zones reflecting a water emersion gradient using two commonly used observational approaches. Then, I combined hypothetical simulated extinction scenarios with field‐based transplant data of relative growth rates of all species across the four depth zones to explore how the number of species required to maintain biomass productivity across depth zones changed under counterfactual scenarios where species compensated for species loss.

The observational analyses suggested that between three and four species were required to maintain productivity across the depth zones. The simulated extinction scenarios did not. Rather, decreases in biomass productivity due to the loss of some species (e.g. Fucus spiralis, Ascophyllum nodosum) were easily compensated by other species (e.g. Fucus vesiculosus). However, for some species like F. vesiculosus, the extinction simulations suggested that compensation would be unlikely.

Commonly used observational approaches may overestimate the number of species required to maintain ecosystem functioning across environmental gradients and spatial scales.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Joint spatial modelling of malaria incidence and vector's abundance shows heterogeneity in malaria‐vector geographical relationships
Authors: Kouame Ruth Marie A. , Edi Ako V. Constant , Cain Russell John , Weetman David , Donnelly Martin James , Sedda Luigi
Published: December 2023

Limited attention from the modelling community has been given to ecological approaches which aim to predict geographical patterns of malaria by accounting for the joint effects of different vectors and environmental drivers.

A hierarchical multivariate joint spatial Gaussian generalised linear model was developed to provide joint parameters inference and mapping of counts ofAnopheles gambiae,An. funestus,An. niliand malaria incidence collected in an area of Cote d'Ivoire. Variable‐selection methods were applied to select important predictors for each mosquito species and malaria incidence.

The proposed joint model led to a general reduction of the variance in the estimates compared to independent modelling. There was high variability in the composition ofAnophelesmosquito species in the villages with each species suitability only partly overlapping geographically.

Abundances ofAn. gambiae,An. funestusandAn. niliwere primarily determined by temperature. None of the species were found as a significant predictor for the others.Anopheles gambiaewas the predominant species and onlyAn. gambiaefemale abundance was an important variable (linear predictor) for malaria incidence. However, the geographic correlation analyses show that the rest ofAnophelesspecies are likely playing a role in malaria suitability.

Residuals from the models of mosquito abundance and malaria cases are also correlated with each other and overlapping but in geographic patches, meaning that local drivers of vector‐malaria suitability are still present and not represented by the predictors used in the model.

Synthesis and applications: Joint modelling improve predictive estimation compared to individual modelling. The accurate predictions highlighted high diversity in the association between malaria and vector species, with most of the area having more than one species suitability correlated with malaria suitability. These zones are unlikely to benefit from species‐specific interventions. Areas with correlated malaria and vector species suitability residuals contain local information, not included in the model, that requires further investigation. This will identify additional communal malaria and vectors factors that need to be considered for optimal malaria control and elimination strategies since these factors are expected to be linked to the local malaria transmission.
Relationship between physical and psychological functioning and health‐related quality of life in congenital Aniridia
Authors: Landsend Erlend Christoffer Sommer , von der Lippe Charlotte , Mediå Line , Miller Jeanette Ullmann , Berge Knut Erik , Sigurdardottir Solrun
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Congenital aniridia is a serious eye disease characterized by absence of iris to various degrees. The aims of this study were to investigate health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with aniridia and assess the relationships between HRQoL, psychological status, ocular health and obesity.

Methods

Twenty‐nine adults with congenital aniridia (48% male, aged 18–79 years) participated. HRQoL was measured with SF‐36 and the EQ visual analogue scale (VAS). The physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summaries of the SF‐36 were calculated with higher scores indicating better HRQoL. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Obesity was assessed with the Patient‐Reported Outcomes in Obesity (PROS). Sociodemographic characteristics, genetic variants and ocular and medical health variables were also analysed.

Results

The participants scored significantly lower in the general health domain of the SF‐36 than the general population (65.2 vs. 75.3, p = 0.017). The EQ VAS score was also lower in the aniridia group (64.9 vs. 77.9, p = 0.021). Low PCS score was correlated with presence of ocular pain (p = 0.019), high HADS score (p = 0.017) and high PROS score (p = 0.009). Low MCS score was related to higher educational level (p = 0.038) and high HADS score (p < 0.001). High HADS and PROS scores were both related to low EQ VAS scores.

Conclusion

Adults with congenital aniridia scored worse on certain measures of HRQoL than the general population. Poorer HRQoL was associated with increased symptoms of anxiety, depression and obesity and with presence of ocular pain.
Aetiology, risk factors and microbiota composition in children with prolonged diarrhoea: A prospective case–controlled cohort study
Authors: Lo Vecchio Andrea , Quitadamo Paolo , Poeta Marco , Buccigrossi Vittoria , Siani Paolo , Cioffi Valentina , Ercolini Danilo , Guarino Alfredo
Published: December 2023

Aim

Prolonged diarrhoea (ProD) refers to acute‐onset diarrhoea that persists for longer than 1 week. As the aetiology, risk factors and management are poorly defined, we prospectively enrolled children hospitalised in a high‐income setting to assess these outcomes and investigate the potential role of gut microbiota.

Methods

All children aged 30 days to 14 years admitted for acute‐onset diarrhoea lasting 7–14 days were included. Children consecutively admitted in the same period for acute diarrhoea (AD) served as controls. High‐throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons was used to analyse stool samples from a subset of patients and healthy controls.

Results

Sixty‐eight with ProD and 104 with AD were enrolled. Intestinal infections were the main aetiology of diarrhoea in both groups (ProD 92.9% vs. AD 97.8%). ProD children showed a higher prevalence of bacterial infections compared to AD (30.8% vs. 8.9%, p = 0.024). Neither age, host‐related factors, nor microbiome alterations were specifically linked to ProD. However, ProD children had a more severe initial clinical presentation than AD.

Conclusion

ProD is often the result of an unusually severe intestinal infection that runs a course longer than expected but generally resolves without further problems. No specific management or therapies should be undertaken in most cases.
Cancer cell‐derived exosomal miR‐20a‐5p inhibits CD8+ T‐cell function and confers anti‐programmed cell death 1 therapy resistance in triple‐negative breast cancer
Authors: Li Weina , Han Guohui , Li Feng , Bu Peng , Hao Yating , Huang Li , Bai Xiangdong
Published: December 2023

Circulating miRNAs (cirmiRNAs) can be packaged into the exosomes, participating in intercellular communication, which affects the malignant progression and therapy resistance of triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC). Currently, immune checkpoint inhibitors that regulate T‐cell function, especially antibodies against programmed cell death 1 (PD‐1) or its ligand PD‐L1, are emerging as new promising therapy for TNBC patients. However, only very limited patients showed complete or partial response to anti‐PD‐1 treatment. Dysfunction of CD8+ T cells is one of the key reasons for the immune escape of TNBC. The regulation of exosome‐derived cirmiRNAs on CD8+ T cells in TNBC deserves more investigation. Here, the cirmiR‐20a‐5p level was significantly upregulated in the plasma of TNBC patients and culture supernatant of TNBC cells. High abundance of cirmiR‐20a‐5p was correlated with a worse prognosis of TNBC. cirmiR‐20a‐5p was secreted in the form of exosomes by TNBC cells. Exosomal cirmiR‐20a‐5p was internalized into CD8+ T cells and resulted into the dysfunction of CD8+ T. A mechanism study uncovered that cirmiR‐20a‐5p targeted the nuclear protein ataxia‐telangiectasia (NPAT) and decreased NPAT expression in CD8+ T cells. An in vivo xenograft mouse model showed that cirmiR‐20a‐5p conferred TNBC to anti‐PD‐1 treatment resistance. Collectively, these findings indicated that cirmiR‐20a‐5p released by TNBC cells via exosome promotes cancer cell growth and leads to the immunosuppression by inducing CD8+ T cell dysfunction. This study suggests that targeting cirmiR‐20a‐5p might be a novel strategy for overcoming the resistance of TNBC to anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy.
REV7 is involved in outcomes of platinum‐based chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer by controlling the DNA damage response
Authors: Tamaki Akihiro , Kato Takuya , Sakurai Yasutaka , Sato Keita , Adachi Kai , Tadehara Masayoshi , Kogami Taro , Matsushita Masahiro , Hoshino Akiyoshi , Sanoyama Itaru , Numata Yoshiko , Umezawa Atsuko , Ichinoe Masaaki , Ichihara Masatoshi , Kusano Chika , Murakumo Yoshiki
Published: December 2023

REV7 is a multifunctional protein implicated in various biological processes, including DNA damage response. REV7 expression in human cancer cells affects their sensitivity to DNA‐damaging agents. In the present study, we investigated the significance of REV7 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). REV7 expression was immunohistochemically examined in 92 resected PDAC specimens and 60 endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration biopsy (EUS‐FNAB) specimens of unresectable PDAC treated with platinum‐based chemotherapy, and its association with clinicopathologic features was analyzed. Although REV7 expression was not significantly associated with the progression of primary tumors (T‐factor and Stage) in either resected or unresectable PDAC, decreased levels of REV7 expression in EUS‐FNAB specimens of unresectable PDAC were significantly associated with better outcomes of platinum‐based chemotherapy and a favorable prognosis. REV7‐deficient PDAC cell lines showed suppressed cell growth and enhanced sensitivity to cisplatin in vitro. Tumor‐bearing mice generated using REV7‐deficient PDAC cell lines also showed enhanced sensitivity to cisplatin in vivo. RNA sequencing analysis using WT and REV7‐deficient PDAC cell lines revealed that REV7 inactivation promoted the downregulation of genes involved in the DNA repair and the upregulation of genes involved in apoptosis. Our results indicate that decreased expression of REV7 is associated with better outcomes of platinum‐based chemotherapy in PDAC by suppressing the DNA damage response. It is also suggested that REV7 is a useful biomarker for predicting the outcome of platinum‐based chemotherapy and the prognosis of unresectable PDAC and is a potential target for PDAC treatment.
The impact of sufferers’ wealth status on pain perceptions: Its development and relation to allocation of healthcare resources
Authors: Shu Yuhang , Li Huisi (Jessica) , Ma Shaocong , Bian Lin
Published: December 2023

Wealth‐based disparities in health care wherein the poor receive undertreatment in painful conditions are a prominent issue that requires immediate attention. Research with adults suggests that these disparities are partly rooted in stereotypes associating poor individuals with pain insensitivity. However, whether and how children consider a sufferer's wealth status in their pain perceptions remains unknown. The present work addressed this question by testing 4‐ to 9‐year‐olds from the US and China. In Study 1 (N = 108, 56 girls, 79% White), US participants saw rich and poor White children experiencing identical injuries and indicated who they thought felt more pain. Although 4‐ to 6‐year‐olds responded at chance, children aged seven and above attributed more pain to the poor than to the rich. Study 2 with a new sample of US children (N = 111, 56 girls, 69% White) extended this effect to judgments of White adults’ pain. Pain judgments also informed children's prosocial behaviors, leading them to provide medical resources to the poor. Studies 3 (N = 118, 59 girls, 100% Asian) and 4 (N = 80, 40 girls, 100% Asian) found that, when evaluating White and Asian people's suffering, Chinese children began to attribute more pain to the poor than to the rich earlier than US children. Thus, unlike US adults, US children and Chinese children recognize the poor's pain from early on. These findings add to our knowledge of group‐based beliefs about pain sensitivity and have broad implications on ways to promote equitable health care.

Research Highlights

Four studies examined whether 4‐ to 9‐year‐old children's pain perceptions were influenced by sufferers’ wealth status.

US children attributed more pain to White individuals of low wealth status than those of high wealth status by age seven.

Chinese children demonstrated an earlier tendency to attribute more pain to the poor (versus the rich) compared to US children.

Children's wealth‐based pain judgments underlied their tendency to provide healthcare resources to people of low wealth status.
Reduced incidence of diabetes during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Alberta: A time‐segmented longitudinal study of Alberta's Tomorrow Project
Authors: Ye Ming , Vena Jennifer E. , Shen‐Tu Grace , Johnson Jeffrey A. , Eurich Dean T.
Published: December 2023

Aim

To characterize the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on diabetes diagnosis using data from Alberta's Tomorrow Project (ATP), a population‐based cohort study of chronic diseases in Alberta, Canada.

Materials and Methods

The ATP participants who were free of diabetes on 1 April 2018 were included in the study. A time‐segmented regression model was used to compare incidence rates of diabetes before the COVID‐19 pandemic, during the first two COVID‐19 states of emergency, and in the period when the state of emergency was relaxed, after adjusting for seasonality, sociodemographic factors, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle behaviours.

Results

Among 43 705 ATP participants free of diabetes (65.5% females, age 60.4 ± 9.5 years in 2018), the rate of diabetes was 4.75 per 1000 person‐year (PY) during the COVID‐19 pandemic (up to 31 March 2021), which was 32% lower (95% confidence interval [CI] 21%, 42%; p < 0.001) than pre‐pandemic (6.98 per 1000 PY for the period 1 April 2018 to 16 March 2020). In multivariable regression analysis, the first COVID‐19 state of emergency (first wave) was associated with an 87.3% (95% CI −98.6%, 13.9%; p = 0.07) reduction in diabetes diagnosis; this decreasing trend was sustained to the second COVID‐19 state of emergency and no substantial rebound (increase) was observed when the COVID‐19 state of emergency was relaxed.

Conclusions

The COVID‐19 public health emergencies had a negative impact on diabetes diagnosis in Alberta. The reduction in diabetes diagnosis was likely due to province‐wide health service disruptions during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Systematic plans to close the post‐COVID‐19 diagnostic gap are required in diabetes to avoid substantial downstream sequelae of undiagnosed disease.
Family issues and custodial mothers' quest for justice: Evidence from Colombia
Authors: Guarin Angela , Cuesta Laura , Eickmeyer Kasey J.
Published: December 2023

Access to justice is limited for many worldwide. Although prior research generally recognizes the legal needs and barriers faced by women, less is known about mothers. This study examined the legal needs of mothers in different family configurations and the actions they took in response to these needs through the lens of help‐seeking theories. We used unique data from the 2016 Colombian Quality of Life Survey (QLS) to produce descriptive statistics on the legal needs of mothers in two‐parent families and custodial mothers. We then conducted multivariate analyses to examine the factors associated with having a family issue and seeking institutional help. Custodial mothers were more likely than mothers in two‐parent families to have reported any legal need, and to report a family legal issue. The most frequent legal issues related to the family were issues with child support, custody, and/or visitation. The most frequent action taken to resolve issues was through an institutional actor. Among custodial mothers, single, younger mothers and mothers with more children were more likely to experience family legal issues, but they were not the ones seeking institutional help—those mothers were often more socioeconomically advantaged. That more socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers are more likely to experience a family legal issue but less likely to seek institutional help, the most frequent route to action, calls for research that examines the barriers faced by these mothers and policies to improve their access to justice.
Stressor pileup, family and couple relational well‐being, and parent stress during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Brik Anis Ben , Williams Natalie A. , Ladd Sarah Barker
Published: December 2023

Objective

The goal was to explore mechanisms linking cumulative stressors with parent stress during COVID‐19.

Background

Public health measures helped contain COVID‐19 spread, but disrupted family life and increased parents' stress. Positive family relationships and beliefs about the impact of challenges can foster psychological resilience during adversity and may influence parents' stress.

Method

Participants included parents from the U.S. sample of the internet‐based Covid Family Life Study survey who indicated they were married or living with a romantic partner (n = 1,386). We tested a moderated mediation model predicting parent stress from the pileup of stressors, family and couple relationship satisfaction, and parent resilience beliefs.

Results

High stressor pileup was associated with lower family and couple relationship satisfaction, and higher parent stress. Relationship satisfaction mediated the effect of stressor pileup on parent stress, and the indirect effects were similar across all levels of parent resilience beliefs. Family satisfaction mediated the effect of stressor pileup on parent stress only for parents with low resilience beliefs. Parent resilience beliefs moderated the relations between relational well‐being and parent stress. Higher family satisfaction was associated with lower stress for parents with low and moderate levels of resilience beliefs, but higher stress for parents with high resilience beliefs.

Conclusion

Relationship satisfaction may explain how stressor pileup affects parent stress. Resilience beliefs may affect the explanatory role of family satisfaction.

Implications

Interventions to improve family satisfaction may be most impactful for parents who have low confidence in their ability to adapt to change and bounce back from adversity.
Prevalence and associated factors of work impairment among geriatricians during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Japan
Authors: Ishii Shinya , Jung Hungu , Akishita Masahiro , Kawamura Atsuko
Published: December 2023

Aim

This study investigated work impairment and its associated factors among geriatricians during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was carried out using an anonymous online survey questionnaire administered to members of the Japanese Geriatric Society between October and December 2022. The questionnaire included questions regarding psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), fear of COVID‐19 (Fear of COVID‐19 Scale) and work impairment (Work Functioning Impairment Scale). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine the factors associated with work impairment. Causal mediation analyses were performed to delineate the relationship between work impairment, psychological distress and fear of COVID‐19.

Results

The analytic sample included 386 geriatricians, and work impairment was observed in 24.8% of them. Work impairment was associated with age, prefecture where the institution was located and fear of COVID‐19. Mediation analysis showed that the effect of fear of COVID‐19 on work impairment was almost completely mediated by psychological distress.

Conclusion

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, work impairment was commonly observed among geriatricians. We found that fear of COVID‐19 might cause work impairment; however, this effect was exerted entirely through psychological distress. This implies that interventions to prevent or reduce work impairment among doctors should mainly target psychological distress; however, the fear of COVID‐19, if it causes psychological distress, should also be addressed. Managers of hospitals and long‐term care facilities must take steps to protect healthcare workers' mental well‐being and maintain work productivity. Therefore, understanding the factors related to work impairment might help them devise effective measures. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 215–220.
Generation of inducible mitophagy mice
Authors: Nishiji Toshiyuki , Hoshino Atsushi , Uchio Yuki , Matoba Satoaki
Published: December 2023

Mitophagy is programmed selective autophagy of mitochondria and is important for mitochondrial quality control and cellular homeostasis. Mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired mitophagy are closely associated with various diseases, including heart failure and diabetes. To better understand the pathophysiological role of mitophagy, we generated doxycycline‐inducible mitophagy mice using a synthetic mitophagy adaptor protein consisting of an outer mitochondrial membrane targeting sequence and an engineered LIR. To evaluate the activation of mitophagy upon doxycycline treatment, we also generated mitophagy reporter mito‐QC mice in which mitochondria tandemly express mCherry and GFP, and only GFP signals are lost in acidic lysosomes subjected to mitophagy. With the ROSA26 promoter‐driven rtTA, mitophagy was observed at least in heart, liver, and skeletal muscle. We investigated the relationship between mitophagy activation and pressure overload heart failure or high fat diet‐induced obesity. Unexpectedly, we were unable to confirm the protective effect of mitophagy in these two pathological models. Further titration of the level of mitophagy induction is required to demonstrate the potency of the protective effects of mitophagy in disease models.
Transitioning Thailand: Techno‐professionalism and nation‐building in the transgender entertainment industry
Authors: Farber Reya
Published: December 2023

The workplace is a key site through which sex and gender are organizationally produced and unequal gender relations take place. Technologies, which are embedded with and impacting gendered power relations, are also integral to work and workplaces worldwide. As nation‐states promote technologies and rebrand themselves, how do technologies catalyze new forms of gendered embodiment and work—and how might this contribute to a nation‐state's development plans and rebranding efforts? How do the intersections between states, labor, and technologies also reify inequalities, both in and beyond workplace settings? Based on 14 months of fieldwork and interviews with 62 participants, this article analyzes how Thai transgender women's work in the entertainment industry simultaneously advances technological growth and national rebranding efforts. In 2016, the Thai state launched “Thailand 4.0,” an economic plan centered on technological growth, alongside efforts to restore its reputation from a sex tourism destination. In this context, Thai transgender entertainers promote what I call “techno‐professionalism,” or professionalism that is not only enhanced by technologies, but that also supports state development plans and rebranding efforts. The concept of techno‐professionalism underscores how technologies figure centrally into new iterations of state development and nation‐branding promoted in global workplaces, adding to our understanding of the linkages between gender, labor, and national development. By highlighting how state development plans intersect with technologies and norms of professionalism, this article reveals how the economy and professions are made up of intimate social relations, including gendered technologies and gendered social roles.
‘Safety is about partnership’: Safety through the lens of patients and caregivers
Authors: Kuluski Kerry , Asselbergs Maaike , Baker Ross , Burns Katharina (Kathy) Kovacs , Bruno Frances , Saragosa Marianne , MacLaurin Anne , Flintoft Virginia , Jeffs Lianne
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Creating safer care is a high priority across healthcare systems. Despite this, most systems tend to focus on mitigating past harm, not creating proactive solutions. Managers and staff identify safety threats often with little input from patients and their caregivers during their health encounters.

Methods

This is a qualitative descriptive study utilizing focus groups and one‐to‐one interviews with patients and caregivers who were currently using (or had previously used) services in health systems across Canada. Data were analysed via inductive thematic analysis to understand existing and desired strategies to promote safer and better quality care from the perspectives of patients and caregivers.

Findings

In our analysis, we identified three key themes (safety strategies) from patients' and caregivers' perspectives and experiences: Using Tools and Approaches for Engaging Patients and Caregivers in their Care; Having Accountability Processes and Mechanisms for Safe Care; and Enabling Patients and Caregivers Access to Information.

Conclusions

Safety is more than the absence of harm. Our findings outline a number of suggestions from patients and caregivers on how to make care safer, ranging from being valued on teams, participating as members of quality improvement tables, having access to health information, having access to an advocate to help make sense of information and having processes in place for disclosure and closure. Future work can further refine, implement and evaluate these strategies in practice.

Patient or Public Contributions

An advisory group guided the research and was co‐chaired by a patient partner. Members of the advisory group spanned patient and caregiver organizations and health sectors across Canada and included three patient partners and leaders who work closely with patients and caregivers in their day‐to‐day work. In the research itself, we engaged 28 patients and caregivers from across Canada to learn about their safety experiences and learn what safer care looks like from their perspectives.
RETRACTED: The impact of ulinastatin on wound infection and healing in patients with burn wounds: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Wang Peng‐Jun , Qin Gui‐Jing , Shu Yan‐Ze , Zhang Wei‐Ning
Published: December 2023

Burn injuries result in localised tissue damage and precipitate systemic responses; routine clinical treatments, which typically include metabolic nutritional support and anti‐infection therapies, do not yield optimal outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of ulinastatin on wound infection and healing in patients with burns to provide reliable evidence‐based recommendations for burn treatment. An electronic search of the Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Wanfang, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases, supplemented by manual searches, was conducted from database inception to October 2023 to collect randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of ulinastatin for the treatment of burns. Two researchers screened all retrieved articles according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria; the included studies were evaluated for quality, and the relevant data were extracted. Stata 17.0 software was employed for data analysis. Overall, 8 RCTs with 803 patients were included, with 404 and 399 in the ulinastatin and conventional treatment groups, respectively. The analysis revealed that wound infections (odds ratio [OR] = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.02–0.35, p = 0.001) and complications (OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.10–0.42, p < 0.001) were significantly lower, and wound healing time (standardised mean differences [SMD] = −1.31, 95% CI: −2.05 to −0.57, p = 0.001) was significantly shorter, in the ulinastatin groups than in the control group. This meta‐analysis revealed that ulinastatin can effectively reduce the incidence of wound infections and complications and significantly shorten the duration of wound healing in patients with burns, thereby promoting early recovery in these patients.
Guidelines of integrated Chinese and western medicine for diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2022)
Authors: Li Jiansheng , Chen Rongchang , Yu Xueqing , Liu Huiguo
Published: December 2023

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with high prevalence rate, mortality, disability rate, and heavy disease burden, has become a critical chronic disease seriously threatening public health worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine both have shown advantages in diagnosing and treating COPD, which has been widely applied in the clinics. In order to improve the diagnostic and treatment level for COPD with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, the Guidelines of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Diagnosis and Treatment of COPD were developed by the Internal Medicine Committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies. First, a multidisciplinary working group was established. Development methods and processes of international clinical practice guidelines were adopted in the whole research. In final, a total of 13 recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of COPD were established based on available evidence with the best quality. Meanwhile, characteristics of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in treating COPD were taken into account with pros and cons of each intervention. The guidelines could be used as a reference for physicians in respiratory medicine departments (traditional Chinese medicine, integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, and Western medicine) at various levels of medical institutions in their diagnosis and treatment.
Effect of antioxidant on tooth sensitivity after bleaching
Authors: Nabil Mohamed , Hasan Mostafa Mohamed , Shebl Eman Abd Elghany
Published: December 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the effect of antioxidant (sodium ascorbate) on tooth sensitivity after two in‐office bleaching techniques (light‐activated and chemical bleaching).

Materials and Methods

Ten patients aged 18–25 were bleached in four groups according to bleaching materials and/or antioxidant used. Group A: Maxillary right quadrant received light‐activated bleaching with antioxidant. Group B: Maxillary left quadrant received light‐activated bleaching without antioxidant. Group C: Mandibular right quadrant received chemical bleaching without antioxidant. Group D: Mandibular left quadrant received chemical bleaching with antioxidant. The tooth sensitivity was recorded using Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and Schiff Scale (SS) immediately after treatment, 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month follow‐up periods.

Results

Group B exhibited higher sensitivity values than Group A. This difference was statistically significant on the first day after treatment (p = 0.027* in NRS and p = 0.046* in SS). Furthermore, antioxidant incorporation in Group D led to a reduction in teeth sensitivity values compared to Group C. This disparity was highly significant on the first day after treatment (p = 0.001* in NRS and p < 0.001** in SS).

Conclusions

The antioxidant (10% sodium ascorbate) reduces the intensity of tooth sensitivity at the different follow‐up periods, especially after 1 day from bleaching.

Clinical Significance

Using 10% sodium ascorbate after bleaching is advisable to reduce post‐operative tooth sensitivity.
Analysis of the efficacy of blunt separation combined with uncrosslinked sodium hyaluronate composite solution for the treatment of tear trough deformity in Asians
Authors: Dong Richeng , Jin Qingmei , Zhi Jiahui , Jin Meilin , Gao Yang , Nan Meilan , Jin Zhehu , Jin Chenglong
Published: December 2023

Background

Filling therapy is becoming increasingly popular for correcting tear trough deformities (TTD). However, its therapeutic effect and retention time are limited.

Aims

To improve the clinical efficacy and safety of TTD treatment in Asians, we used a blunt separation technique to break the adhesion site of periorbital subcutaneous tissue, and while repairing skin dermis after injury, it was combined with uncrosslinked hyaluronic acid compound solution to promote collagen regeneration and treat TTDs.

Patients/Methods

Twenty‐six Chinese patients (21 women and 5 men) with TTD, with a mean age of 34.54 ± 9.21 (range, 20–56) years, were enrolled. Symptom improvement, recurrence rates, treatment safety, and patient satisfaction were evaluated.

Results

All patients' tear trough rating scale (TTRS) scores decreased significantly immediately after treatment. The TTRS scores at 1, 3, and 6 months, and 1 year after treatment demonstrated significant differences from those before treatment (all p < 0.05). All patients' experienced mild pain, erythema, and swelling during the treatment. Three patients developed postinjection bruising after treatment, which lasted for 6–7 days and subsequently disappeared. No other adverse reactions were observed during the follow‐up. There were no recurrent cases, and patient satisfaction was very high.

Conclusions

Blunt separation combined with an uncrosslinked sodium hyaluronate composite solution is safe and effective for treating TTDs in Asians with few side effects and has good clinical application prospects.
Anticancer drugs are the first cause of drug‐induced liver injury in a reference hospital
Authors: Pocurull Anna , Moreta Maria José , Heitman David , Olivas Ignasi , Collazos Cristina , Canga Elia , Sáez‐Peñataro Joaquin , Andrade Raul J. , Lucena M. Isabel , Mariño Zoe , Díaz Alba , Lens Sabela , Londoño María Carlota , Forns Xavier
Published: December 2023

Drug‐induced liver injury (DILI) is a challenging liver disorder for hepatologists. We aimed to assess the pattern and causes of DILI in a tertiary hospital. We registered prospectively all patients referred with suspicion of DILI from 2018 to 2023. A total of 106 patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria (30 caused by paracetamol were excluded; total number 76). The pattern of liver injury was hepatocellular in 55 (72%). Drugs causing DILI were antineoplastic (26%), antibiotics (24%), analgesics (12%), and recreational drugs (9%). Regarding clinical outcomes, 39 (51%) required hospitalization and 7 (9%) underwent a liver transplantation or died from acute liver injury. We identified 126 additional patients with DILI due to immune check‐point inhibitors who were not referred to a liver disease specialist. Antineoplastic drugs have become the first cause of DILI in hospitals. A multidisciplinary approach and specific educational tools to increase DILI awareness are needed among different specialists.