bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insight from industry: Moet Hennessy’s development of an innovative supplier diversity program in the wine and beverage industry
Authors: van Hoek Remko , Lebigot Dominique , Bagot Antoine , Sexton Shannon
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Supplier diversity has roots in US supply chains going back 50  years. Unfortunately, supplier diversity programs have been hindered by less than wholehearted buyer adoption and stakeholder engagement. The original scoping of supplier diversity also holds limitations when comparing to the multidimensionality of the diversity and inclusion concept. The purpose of this article is to share lessons learned from the development of an innovative supplier diversity program by Moet Hennessy aimed at more sustainably scoping, scaling and stimulating supplier diversity programs.

Design/methodology/approach

The development and the design of Moet Hennessy’s supplier diversity program is presented. The design was informed, and partially supported by, a collaboration with the author. Critical reflections on pitfalls and outstanding questions are developed based upon the program design.

Findings

Moet Hennessy developed a supplier diversity program that is more comprehensively defined, targets a more global scale and includes innovative stakeholder engagement techniques such as the development of supplier diversity champions in the business. The program also is embedded in existing environmental social and governance initiatives.

Originality/value

Moet Hennessy’s supplier diversity program was not mandated by one of its customers but sourced from an academic collaboration and stimulated by competitive opportunity. The program was designed bottoms up, not top down. The program is sponsored outside of procurement and has champions throughout the business. The program expands beyond the traditional scoping of supplier diversity programs. Pathways and pitfalls for managers are identified based upon insights from Moet Hennessy’s experience. These inform suggestions for further research.
Plastic warriors: a study on self-help group’s contribution to economic, social value creation and sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Jayakumar M. Dominic , Ramasundaram Aiswarya , Vanathayan Arokiyadass
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Solid, liquid and e-waste pose serious health hazards, environmental pollution and contribute to climate change. To address these issues of solid waste management (SWM), amidst many policy decisions, the Government of India roped in several institutions, including self-help groups (SHGs), into the Swachh Bharat Movement (Clean India Mission). This study aims to illustrate the significant contributions of SHG’s in tackling SWM, particularly the plastic waste menace in India, while fostering socio-economic values and sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Design/methodology/approach

Using a from-the-field approach, qualitative data were collected from 30 members of three SHGs to understand their significant contributions in mitigating plastic waste.

Findings

This research identifies three major themes: economic value creation, social value creation and SDGs via collection and reduction of plastic waste landfills. Furthermore, several related subthemes are identified.

Practical implications

This study offers pragmatic solutions to deal with plastic waste at personal, community, institutional and governmental levels. Moreover, it recommends engaging SHGs to promote sustainable waste management practices such as segregating wastes at source, regulating plastic bag usage, advocating behavioural change towards waste generation and protecting the environment.

Originality/value

The authors consider a proven case of SHG’s contribution to protect the environment and emphasize the need to involve more such groups in waste management practices.
Measuring insoluble calcium content in curds during cheesemaking
Authors: Swaminathan Aakash Varsha , Lillevang Søren K , Lucey John A
Published: September 2023

A rapid water‐soluble calcium (WSC) extraction was evaluated as an in‐process method to quickly quantify insoluble calcium (ICa) phosphate content during cheesemaking and compare it with existing methods for finished cheese, that is cheese juice and acid–base titration. Although there were some differences in methods when evaluated using string cheese and Mozzarella, results for ICa obtained from the WSC method were consistent with the cheese juice. This WSC method was successful in measuring the ICa in curds during manufacture of Mozzarella made with varying pH values at whey drainage. Meltability of cheese correlated with ICa content at 1 month of storage.
Blood pressure targets for prevention of cognitive decline in patients with diabetes and hypertension: Design of the Blood Pressure Control Target in Diabetes (BPROAD) Cognitive Study
Authors:   The BPROAD Study Group
Published: September 2023

Background

Both hypertension and diabetes are risk factors of dementia. Proper management of blood pressure (BP) and blood glucose is critical in delaying cognitive decline in the elderly. However, little is known regarding the optimal BP target in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) for the management of cognitive decline.

Methods

The Blood Pressure Control Target in Diabetes (BPROAD) study is a nationwide, multicenter, randomized controlled trial that will enroll 12 702 T2DM patients with elevated systolic BP and increased cardiovascular risk from approximately 150 study centers across mainland China to undergo randomly antihypertensive treatment achieving systolic BP <120 mm Hg or systolic BP <140 mm Hg for up to 5 years. All BPROAD participants will take part in the BPROAD Cognitive Study for the assessment of cognitive function at baseline and annual visits by blinded outcome assessors to determine whether intensive BP treatment reduces risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) compared with standard BP treatment in patients with T2DM. In addition, approximately 1000 BPROAD participants will be enrolled in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) substudy to receive brain MRI at baseline and at closeout. The primary outcome of BPROAD Cognitive Study is a composite of all‐cause dementia and MCI.

Conclusions

The BPROAD Cognitive Study will provide crucial clinical trial data on the possible benefit of an intensive systolic BP lowering strategy in reducing dementia and MCI in patients with T2DM.
Barriers and enablers to access and utilization of mental health care services across Southeast Asia: A preliminary scoping review
Authors: Andary Sleiman , Bassani Jason , Burrell Gus , Cole Eliza , Evans Rhiannon , Redman Emily , Kumar Saravana
Published: September 2023

While the importance of mental health and its impact on overall health and well‐being has been widely recognized, there continue to be ongoing barriers to accessing mental health services. This is particularly poignant in countries in Southeast Asia (SEA) where there may be further stigma in accessing mental health services. As no reviews have been undertaken on this topic, this review aims to outline the barriers and enablers to access and utilization of mental health care services in SEA. Searches were undertaken in commercially produced and gray literature sources. Two independent reviewers screened the results. The data were then independently extracted, which was then collated and synthesized, using the Health Belief Model (HMB) as a framework. Twelve studies were included in the review. Under the HBM, barriers were grouped into: stigma, poor health literacy, internalized reasons, cultural beliefs, lack of training of health professionals, quality of service, and poor distribution of resources. Enablers included: social support, outreach services, structural stigma, self‐awareness, resources and information, accessibility and affordability, and positive attitudes and beliefs about health professionals. Those accessing mental health care in SEA are confronted by complex barriers and few enablers. Ongoing stigma and a distinct lack of resources pose the greatest challenges, which are even more amplified for those in rural areas and minority groups. A multifaceted strategy that improves the structures, processes, and outcomes of mental health is required within these communities.
Paediatric‐onset Evans syndrome: Breaking away from refractory immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Aladjidi Nathalie , Pincez Thomas , Rieux‐Laucat Frédéric , Nugent Diane
Published: September 2023

Since its first description by Evans in 1951, this syndrome has been linked to chronic immune thrombocytopenia with the concurrent or delayed onset of autoimmune haemolytic anaemia or neutropenia. For decades, the evolution of Evans syndrome (ES) has carried a poor prognosis and often resulted in chronic steroid exposure, multiple immune suppressing medications directed against T or B lymphocytes, and splenectomy. This paper presents a new view of ES based on recent advances in genomics which begin to classify patients based on their underlying molecular variants in previously described primary immune disorders. This has opened up new avenues of targeted therapy or bone marrow transplant at rather than broad long‐term immune suppression or splenectomy. Importantly, recent studies of the full lifespan of ES suggest that at least 80% of those paediatric patients will progress to various clinical or biological immunopathological manifestations with age despite the resolution of their cytopenias. Those patients merit long‐term follow‐up and monitoring in dedicated transition programs to improve outcome at the adult age.
The role of T cells and myeloid‐derived suppressor cells in refractory immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Yazdanbakhsh Karina , Provan Drew , Semple John W.
Published: September 2023

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is characterized by a dysregulated immune response against platelets, affecting both their destruction and production. A role for an abnormal T‐cell compartment has been established in ITP pathogenesis and treatments that increase platelet counts in patients with ITP have shown improvements in T‐cell profiles. On the other hand, patients who were refractory to treatment appear to retain the T‐cell abnormalities as before. Myeloid‐derived suppressive cells (MDSCs) are also emerging as key contributors to the immune pathology of ITP and response to treatment. In this review, we will discuss how various treatments affect the T‐cell and MDSC compartments in ITP. The review will focus on studies that have examined the underlying mechanisms and/or genetic basis responsible for refractoriness to a given treatment and highlight remaining challenges in identifying factors and mechanisms to predict response to treatment.
Interactions between pre‐existing structures and rift faults: Implications for basin geometry in the northern South China Sea
Authors: Guan Wei , Huang Lei , Liu Chiyang , Peng Guangrong , Li Han , Liang Chao , Zhang Lili , Li Hongbo , Wu Zhe , Li Xin , Hu Ruining
Published: September 2023

The northern South China Sea (SCS) margin evolved from the Mesozoic convergent to Cenozoic divergent continental margin, and thus, it developed on a heterogeneous crystalline basement with inherited Mesozoic structures. Pre‐existing structures and their interactions with rift faults have historically not been described or interpreted in the intensely stretched Baiyun sub‐basin. Large‐scale 3D seismic reflection data allow us to identify four types of Mesozoic tectonic fabrics within the basement and explain their genesis: (1) Thin, isolated and north‐dipping seismic reflections 1, interpreted as thrust faults representing orogenic processes. Tilted thick seismic reflections 2 are formed by reactivation of seismic reflections 1 during post‐orogenic extension, which are all related to the NW‐ward subduction of the palaeo‐Pacific plate. (2) Thin, isolated and shallowly dipping seismic reflections 3 and low‐amplitude, semi‐transparent and chaotic seismic reflections 4 represent the low‐angle thrust system and the associated nappe units, which are related to the shift from NW‐ to NNW‐ward subduction of the paleo‐Pacific plate. Subsequently, we investigate the structural interaction between Mesozoic intra‐basement and Cenozoic rift structures. Syn‐rift, post‐rift and long‐term faults are developed in Cenozoic strata, and quantitative statistical and qualitative analyses revealed two main types of structural interactions between them and underlying intra‐basement structures: (1) Rift faults develop with inheritance of intra‐basement structures, including fully and partially inherited faults. (2) Rift faults modify intra‐basement structures, although they are controlled by intra‐basement structures at an earlier stage. Finally, our results reveal the control of pre‐existing structures on the geometry of the Baiyun sub‐basin, especially the selective reactivation of NE‐trending shear zones (SR2), which are influenced by the regional stress field and the width and dip of the shear zones.
Staff engagement through action learning enabling the practice of developing new services in a publicly funded university
Authors: Dreyer‐Gibney Katrin , Coughlan Paul , Coghlan David
Published: September 2023

Today, universities operate in an exceptionally challenging environment characterized by financial constraints and state‐imposed restrictions on critical strategic and operational issues. At the same time, they face rising student numbers and a more diverse student population. One way to address these challenges is through new service development (NSD). This paper examines how staff engagement through action learning can facilitate the development of new services in a complex organizational setting, such as a well‐established publicly funded university. En route, staff engagement in action learning enables the creation of capabilities for NSD. The empirical work involved four action learning projects carried out over a 15‐month period focused on the development of various service types. Applying action learning research, we describe and reflect on how different actors collaborated to develop new services and capabilities for NSD simultaneously. This study contributes a framework that identifies how action learning serves as an enabler for NSD and capability development, providing guidance for researchers and practitioners alike.
NRF1 mitigates motor dysfunction and dopamine neuron degeneration in mice with Parkinson's disease by promoting GLRX m6A methylation through upregulation of METTL3 transcription
Authors: Gong Xin , Huang Mengyi , Chen Lei
Published: September 2023

Objective

The feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the heavy dopaminergic neuron loss of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), while glutaredoxin (GLRX) has been discovered to modulate the death of dopaminergic neurons. In this context, this study was implemented to uncover the impact of GRX1 on motor dysfunction and dopamine neuron degeneration in PD mice and its potential mechanism.

Methods

A PD mouse model was established via injection with 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) into mice. After gain‐ and loss‐of‐function assays in mice, motor coordination was assessed using rotarod, pole, and open‐field tests, and neurodegeneration in mouse SNpc tissues was determined using immunohistochemistry of tyrosine hydroxylase and Nissl staining. NRF1, methyltransferase‐like 3 (METTL3), and GLRX expression in SNpc tissues were evaluated using qRT‐PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. The N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) levels of GLRX mRNA were examined using MeRIP. The relationship among NRF1, METTL3, and GLRX was determined by RIP, ChIP, and dual luciferase assays.

Results

Low GLRX, METTL3, and NRF1 expression were observed in MPTP‐induced mice, accompanied by decreased m6A modification level of GLRX mRNA. GLRX overexpression alleviated motor dysfunction and dopamine neuron degeneration in MPTP‐induced mice. METTL3 promoted m6A modification and IGF2BP2‐dependent stability of GLRX mRNA, and NRF1 increased METTL3 expression by binding to METTL3 promoter. NRF1 overexpression increased m6A modification of GLRX mRNA and repressed motor dysfunction and dopamine neuron degeneration in MPTP‐induced mice, which was counteracted by METTL3 knockdown.

Conclusion

Conclusively, NRF1 constrained motor dysfunction and dopamine neuron degeneration in MPTP‐induced PD mice by activating the METTL3/GLRX axis.
The prevalence and prognosis of asymptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis in a community‐based population: Results based on high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Li Shengde , Tang Mingyu , Zhang Dingding , Han Fei , Zhou Lixin , Yao Ming , Li Mingli , Cui Liying , Zhang Shuyang , Peng Bin , Jin Zhengyu , Zhu Yicheng , Ni Jun
Published: September 2023

Background and purpose

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is a major cause of ischemic stroke in China, but the prevalence and prognosis of asymptomatic ICAD detected using high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR‐MRI) is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and prognosis in order to guide neurologists in interpreting ICAD detected on HR‐MRI.

Methods

We included stroke‐free participants from a community‐based prospective cohort (Shunyi study participants) who underwent HR‐MRI between July 2014 and April 2016. The participants were divided into two groups: those with or without ICAD (ICAD+ and ICAD−, respectively). ICAD included intracranial artery stenosis and non‐stenotic plaque. The primary outcome was ischemic stroke. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between ICAD and event outcomes.

Results

A total of 1060 stroke‐free participants evaluated by HR‐MRI were included from the Shunyi study. The median age at HR‐MRI was 56 years and 64.7% were female. The ICAD prevalence was 36.3% (n = 385). The ICAD+ group was older and had more cerebrovascular risk factors. The rates of ischemic stroke in the ICAD− and ICAD+ groups were 1.3% (n = 9) and 5.2% (n = 20), respectively, with a median follow‐up time of 54 months. ICAD was associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke in the unadjusted and adjusted Cox models, with hazard ratios of 4.12 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.87–9.05) and 2.50 (95% CI 1.05–5.94), respectively. The greatest risk of an event outcome was observed in participants with ≥70% stenosis or occlusion. The features of high‐risk plaques were also identified.

Conclusions

We found that ICAD detected using HR‐MRI increases the long‐term risk of a first‐ever ischemic stroke in a stroke‐free population, suggesting that the current primary prevention protocol of stroke awaits further optimization.
Evolutionary history and climate co‐determine the geographical variation in pollination modes of angiosperms in China
Authors: Wang Yunyun , Li Yichun , Luo Ao , Lyu Tong , Freckleton Robert P. , Dimitrov Dimitar , Wang Zhiheng
Published: September 2023

Aim

Pollination is an essential stage of angiosperm reproduction, and the mode of pollination plays a major role in driving evolutionary and ecological responses of plants to environmental changes. However, the effects of climate, evolutionary history and floral traits (i.e. plant sexual systems) on pollination mode variation remain unclear. Here, we explored the biogeographic patterns in pollination mode frequency and tested the hypothesis that insect pollination prevails in warm humid regions with old floras due to high pollinator dependence, whereas wind pollination is more frequent in arid regions with younger floras and is more strongly associated with dioecy.

Location

China.

Time period

Since the Last Glacial Maximum.

Major taxa studied

Angiosperms.

Methods

Using data on pollination modes and geographic ranges of 29,719 angiosperm species in China, we mapped the biogeographic pattern of pollination mode frequency. Phylogenetic logistic regressions and generalized linear mixed models were employed to evaluate the relative importance of climate, evolutionary history (represented by phylogenetic conservatism and grid‐level mean genus age) and sexual systems on variations in pollination modes across species and space.

Results

Evolutionary history was the strongest correlate of pollination mode variation across species and space. The proportion of insect‐pollinated species was higher in humid regions with old floras, but lower in arid regions with young floras. Evolutionary history and temperature dominated variations in pollination mode frequency in humid areas, while precipitation dominated in arid areas. Climate influenced geographic pattern in pollination mode frequency both directly and indirectly via its effects on species richness and plant sexual systems.

Main Conclusions

Our results showed that geographic pattern in angiosperm pollination mode frequency is dominated by evolutionary history followed by climate, which extended previous findings of climate‐driven mechanisms. Our findings demonstrate the importance to incorporate evolutionary history in understanding the mechanisms underlying the functional biogeography of plant traits.
Does the pandemic effect still exist? A comparative analysis of online food services in India and Spain
Authors: Singh Nidhi , Alcántara‐Pilar Juan Miguel , Liébana‐Cabanillas Francisco J. , Pavluković Vanja
Published: September 2023

The COVID‐19 pandemic appears to be winding down. But has its psychological effect of the pandemic also faded? This next stage remains uncertain, which needs to be explored further. This article aims to understand changing consumer attitudes in post‐pandemic times. In this regard, the present study conducts a cross‐country analysis to examine and compare the COVID‐19 fear appeals of consumers in India and Spain (if they still exist) that may have an influence on the future use (FU) and recommendation of online food services (OFS). The study integrates the concept of fear appeal, the theory of planned behaviour and cultural values to observe differences between Indian and Spanish consumers, in influencing their intention to use OFS. The findings confirm the importance of hygiene risk, with very low or no significance of perceived COVID‐19 risk on OFS usage in both countries.
Automating social assistance: Exploring the use of robotic process automation in the Swedish personal social services
Authors: Germundsson Nora , Stranz Hugo
Published: September 2023

Many European countries employ Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in the administration of public benefits. However, there is limited understanding of how RPA is applied at the client level. This article investigates the utilization and impact of RPA use on social assistance (SA) distribution in Sweden, drawing on a sample of 800 SA applications in four Swedish municipalities. The results show that RPA use correlates with applicants' country of birth, age and duration of SA receipt. Additionally, RPA implementation coincides with less generous decisions, disproportionately affecting financially vulnerable groups. Rather than a correlation between generosity and the technology itself, the results suggest a conflict between the reorganisation of SA administration during RPA implementation and the principle of individualized judgments inherent in SA casework. Hence, public organisations are encouraged to ensure that their adoption of RPA neither exacerbates unequal access to services nor compromises professional discretion in favour of efficiency‐driven measures.
Response and innovations of advanced practice nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A scoping review
Authors: Ziegler Erin , Martin‐Misener Ruth , Rietkoetter Sarah , Baumann Andrea , Bougeault Ivy Lynn , Kovacevic Nikolina , Miller Minna , Moseley Jessica , Wong Frances Kam Yuet , Bryant‐Lukosius Denise
Published: September 2023

Aim:

Identify and map international evidence regarding innovations led by or involving advanced practice nurses in response to COVID‐19.

Background

COVID‐19 necessitated unprecedented innovation in the organization and delivery of healthcare. Although advanced practice nurses have played a pivotal role during the pandemic, evidence of their contributions to innovations has not been synthesized. Evidence is needed to inform policies, practices, and research about the optimal use of advanced practice nurses.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted and reported using the PRISMA‐ScR checklist. Electronic databases were searched for peer‐reviewed articles published between January 2020 and December 2021. Papers were included that focused on innovations emerging in response to COVID‐19 and involved advanced practice nurses.

Results

Fifty‐one articles were included. Four themes were identified including telehealth, supporting and transforming care, multifaceted approaches, and provider education. Half of the articles used brief and mostly noncomparative approaches to evaluate innovations.

Conclusion

This is the first synthesis of international evidence examining the contributions of advanced practice nurses during the pandemic. Advanced practice nurses provided leadership for the innovation needed to rapidly respond to healthcare needs resulting from COVID‐19. Innovations challenged legislative restrictions on practice, enabled implementation of telehealth and new models of care, and promoted evidence‐informed and patient‐centered care.

Implications for practice

Advanced practice nurses led, designed, implemented, and evaluated innovations in response to COVID‐19. They facilitated the use of telehealth, supported or transformed models of care, and enabled health providers through education, mentorship, and mental health support.

Implication for policy

Advanced practice nurses are a critical resource for innovation and health system improvement. Permanent removal of legislative and regulatory barriers to their full scope of practice is needed.
The expected impact of the 2019 Brazilian pension reform on survivors’ pensions
Authors: Silva Rodrigo Souza , Afonso Luís Eduardo
Published: September 2023

This study analyses the expected changes in survivors’ pensions resulting from the permanent rules of the 2019 pension reform in Brazil. Actuarial annuities are used for representative worker profiles. The dispersion in the replacement rate values decreases, except for the highest income level. The rates needed to finance survivors’ pensions decrease relatively more than do the rates for old‐age pensions. The internal rates of return significantly decrease. There is a heterogeneous change in the distributive aspects of the pension system. The reform shall affect the adequacy and intragenerational equity of old‐age and survivors’ pensions.
Effect of open surgical and percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy on postoperative wound complications in patients: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Meng Xun , Shao Yihao , Zhu Wenying
Published: September 2023

Tracheostomy is one of the most common operations. The two main methods of tracheostomy are open surgical tracheostomy (OST) and percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT). In critical cases, the combination of these two approaches is especially crucial, with the possibility of successful outcomes and low complications. Thus, the purpose of this system is to analyse the effects of both methods on the outcome of postoperative wound. In this research, we performed a systematic review of Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science and Embase, to determine all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that are comparable in terms of postoperative injury outcomes. Eleven RCTs were found after screening. This study will take the necessary data from the selected trials and evaluate the documentation for RCTs. PDT was associated with a lower incidence of infection at the wound site than OST (OR, 4.46; 95% CI: 2.84–7.02 p < 0.0001), and PDT decreased blood loss (OR, 2.88; 95% CI: 1.62–5.12 p = 0.0003). But the operation time did not differ significantly in both PDT to OST (MD, 4.65; 95% CI: −1.19–10.48 p = 0.12). The meta‐analyses will assist physicians in selecting the best operative procedure for critical cases of tracheostomy. These data can serve as guidelines for clinical management and in the design of future randomized, controlled studies.
Development and psychometric validation of the gum health experience questionnaire
Authors: Broomhead T. , Gibson B. J. , Parkinson C. , Robinson P. G. , Vettore M. V. , Baker S. R.
Published: September 2023

Aim

To develop and validate a new health‐related quality of life measure to capture a wide range of gum‐related impacts.

Materials and Methods

The measure was developed using a multi‐stage approach and a theoretical model. Development involved semi‐structured interviews, pilot testing, cross‐sectional analysis among a general population (n = 152) to assess psychometric properties and test–retest reliability among a subsample (n = 27).

Results

Psychometric analysis supports the validity and reliability of the measure's impact scale. The measure has excellent internal reliability (nearly all item‐total correlations above .4; Cronbach's alpha between .84 and .91 for subscales), with test–retest reliability also performing well (Intra‐class correlation coefficient [ICC] of .91–.97 for subscales). Good content validity (indicated by large standard deviations for item and total scores) and construct validity (correlations of .54–.73 with global gum health rating for subscales, all p < .05) were also observed. Qualitative and quantitative data indicate that people with gum health‐related symptoms experience different degrees of discomfort and impacts caused by their condition.

Conclusions

The gum health experience questionnaire holds substantial promise as a measure of gum‐related quality of life in people across the gum health–disease continuum. Further face validity, refining and reducing the number of items and longitudinal studies to test evaluative properties are required before the measure can be used with confidence.
Association between serum uric acid‐to‐high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Zhou Xinhe , Xu Jing
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Previous studies have shown that the serum uric acid‐to‐high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (UHR) is related to metabolic syndrome. However, no existing study has examined the relationship between UHR and insulin resistance (IR). Therefore, this study aims to explore the association between the UHR and IR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (1,532 males and 1,013 females) were enrolled. Insulin resistance was measured by homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) and was defined as HOMI‐IR ≥ 2.69. Pearson correlation, multiple logistic regression, ROC analysis, and subgroup analysis were used to evaluate the association between UHR and IR.

Results

UHR was associated with HOMA‐IR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.274 in males and 0.337 in females, P < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that UHR was significantly correlated with insulin resistance (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 1.03–1.08 in males and OR = 1.11, 95%CI = 1.08–1.15 in females). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of UHR (AUC = 0.665 for males and 0.717 for females, all P < 0.01) was the largest compared with that of UA and HDL‐C in insulin resistance. Subgroup analysis showed that there was a more significantly positive correlation among subjects with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2, age < 60 years old, HbA1c < 7%, non‐hypertension, or in female subjects.

Conclusion

Elevated UHR is significantly correlated with insulin resistance, which can be used as an indicator of insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Reply to: The importance of assessing the safe and effective use of oral anticoagulants in older adults
Authors: Semla Todd P. , Steinman Michael A.
Published: September 2023

This letter comments on the letter by Creixell and Harxhi in this issue.
Can oral diadochokinesis be used as an assessment tool of oral function in older adults requiring care in nursing home?
Authors: Konishi Masaru
Published: September 2023

Background

Oral diadochokinesis (OD) test is an articulation test that analyses fine movements of the lips, cheeks and tongue. It is difficult to perform the test accurately in older people with reduced physical and cognitive functions.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the number of older adults who could not be tested for OD and to investigate their characteristics.

Methods

The participants included 145 older residents of an aged care nursing home. They were divided into two groups: those who could be tested for OD and those who could not, and their characteristics were compared. The degree of requiring long‐term care was classified into five levels. The degree of dementia was classified into five levels. Those having difficulty in performing daily activities alone and having degree III or higher dementia were considered to have severe dementia.

Results

The participants included 41 men and 104 women with a median age of 89 years (range, 64–105 years). Sixty‐eight participants failed the OD test (46.9%). In univariate and multivariate analyses, degree of dementia and oral care (among other characteristics in univariate analysis) showed statistically significant differences between the two groups. Cut‐off values for older adults who could not perform OD test were level 4 or higher in need of care and degree III or higher in dementia.

Conclusion

This study suggests that additional assessment tools for oral function should be considered for older adults requiring a nursing care level of 4 or higher and a dementia degree of III or higher.
Taking workers' rights to unexpected places
Authors: Massoud Mark Fathi
Published: September 2023

To help prevent discrimination, particularly against women and ethnic minorities, policymakers in the United States (US) have written and passed civil rights laws that require employers to address hate or harassment at workplaces. Sometimes, however, the programs that corporate managers create do not actually give workers a full opportunity to resolve their complaints; the programs are, instead, symbolic attempts to comply with federal and state civil rights legislation. Moreover, judges have come to see the mere existence of these programs, inadequate as they are, as evidence that corporations protect workers' rights.
Nonlocality, nonlinearity, and time inconsistency in stochastic differential games
Authors: Lei Qian , Pun Chi Seng
Published: September 2023

This paper studies the well‐posedness of a class of nonlocal fully nonlinear parabolic systems, which nest the equilibrium Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) systems that characterize the time‐consistent Nash equilibrium point of a stochastic differential game (SDG) with time‐inconsistent (TIC) preferences. The nonlocality of the parabolic systems stems from the flow feature (controlled by an external temporal parameter) of the systems. This paper proves the existence and uniqueness results as well as the stability analysis for the solutions to such systems. We first obtain the results for the linear cases for an arbitrary time horizon and then extend them to the quasilinear and fully nonlinear cases under some suitable conditions. Two examples of TIC SDG are provided to illustrate financial applications with global solvability. Moreover, with the well‐posedness results, we establish a general multidimensional Feynman–Kac formula in the presence of nonlocality (time inconsistency).
Cost of migration and migratory timing in Western Australian humpback whales
Authors: Russell Grace , Cagnazzi Daniele , Colefax Andrew , Sprogis Kate R. , Christiansen Fredrik
Published: September 2023

Migratory humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) cover the cost of reproduction in low‐latitude breeding grounds with stored energy accumulated from polar feeding grounds. The ability to accumulate sufficient energy reserves during feeding periods is vital for key life history stages during migration, including mating, calving, and lactation. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between migration timing and body condition of Western Australian humpback whales. We used unmanned aerial vehicles to measure body condition (residual of body volume vs. length) in 2017 and 2021. Morphometric measurements were obtained from 460 individuals (71 calves, 83 juveniles, 235 adults, and 71 lactating females) during the northbound (toward breeding grounds) and southbound (toward feeding grounds) migration between May and November. Body condition decreased by 23 and 13 percentage points for juveniles and adults, respectively. The body condition of juveniles was shown to be correlated with migration timing for their northern migration, with individuals in better body condition migrating to the breeding grounds earlier. While stored energy is vital for humpback whales to successfully complete their vast migration to‐and‐from breeding grounds, we found no evidence that body condition affects the migration timing for adults, lactating females, and calves.
‘They tried to evil me’: An explanatory model for Black Africans' mental health challenges
Authors: Tuffour Isaac
Published: September 2023

This paper explores the explanatory models of mental challenges among Black Africans in England. It argues that understanding these models is critical for providing culturally appropriate care to this population. The study employed qualitative methodology, and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Twelve mental health service users who are living in England and self‐identified as first or second‐generation Black Africans were purposively selected. The data were gathered using face‐to‐face semistructured interviews. Data were manually analysed in accordance with IPA concepts of searching for common, unique and idiosyncratic themes across transcripts. The findings revealed three themes Black Africans associated to their explanatory model of mental health challenges: complexities of migration, African‐centred worldview and negative life experiences. To help alleviate the Eurocentric nature of mental health practice in England, it is hoped that this explanatory model will become an integral part of mental health practice in England and around the world.
Calcium image analysis in the moving gut
Authors: Barth Bradley B. , Redington Emily R. , Gautam Nitisha , Pelot Nicole A. , Grill Warren M.
Published: September 2023

Background

The neural control of gastrointestinal muscle relies on circuit activity whose underlying motifs remain limited by small‐sample calcium imaging recordings confounded by motion artifact, paralytics, and muscle dissections. We present a sequence of resources to register images from moving preparations and identify out‐of‐focus events in widefield fluorescent microscopy.

Methods

Our algorithm uses piecewise rigid registration with pathfinding to correct movements associated with smooth muscle contractions. We developed methods to identify loss‐of‐focus events and to simulate calcium activity to evaluate registration.

Key Results

By combining our methods with principal component analysis, we found populations of neurons exhibit distinct activity patterns in response to distinct stimuli consistent with hypothesized roles. The image analysis pipeline makes deeper insights possible by capturing concurrently calcium dynamics from more neurons in larger fields of view. We provide access to the source code for our algorithms and make experimental and technical recommendations to increase data quality in calcium imaging experiments.

Conclusions

These methods make feasible large population, robust calcium imaging recordings and permit more sophisticated network analyses and insights into neural activity patterns in the gut.
A response to Michael Clinton's On Bender's orientation to models: Towards a philosophical debate on covering laws, theory, emergence and mechanisms in nursing science
Authors: Bender Miriam
Published: September 2023

My purpose in this short response to Clinton's interesting article On Bender's orientation to models: Towards a philosophical debate on covering laws, theory, emergence and mechanisms in nursing science, which is published in this issue, is not to provide any counterargument to Clinton's interpretation of my own argument; readers are welcome to interrogate both articles at their leisure and make their own conclusions. What I will do instead is provide a brief critical assessment of my own (il)logic re bringing in the notion of mechanism as conceived by Machamer, Darden and Craver into an argument for models versus theories as a carrier of nursing knowledge.
The role of temperature in the start of seasonal infectious disease epidemics
Authors: Tadiri Christina P. , Ebert Dieter
Published: September 2023

Many infectious diseases display strong seasonal dynamics. When both hosts and parasites are influenced by seasonal variables, it is unclear if the start of an epidemic is limited by host or parasite factors or both. The Daphnia–Pasteuria host–parasite system exhibits seasonal epidemics. We aimed to ascertain how temperature contributes to the timing of P. ramosa epidemics in early spring. To this aim, we experimentally disentangled this effect from the effects of temperature on host development and phenology and from that of host traits on parasite time to visible infection. We hypothesized that the parasite is additionally directly limited by low temperatures beyond its need for available hosts. We found that parasite time to visible infection decreased with increasing temperature at a faster rate than host time to hatching and maturity did, consistent with this hypothesis. We also found that hosts hatched from sexual resting stages are less likely to become infected than those produced clonally, and that hosts resistant to many known parasite strains are slower to show signs of visible infection compared to those susceptible to many. Together, these results imply that climate change could lead to earlier seasonal epidemics for this host–parasite system, which may also impact longer‐term population dynamics.
Rice miR5504 regulates plant height by affecting cell proliferation and expansion
Authors: Wang Huihui , Ouyang Jiexiu , Jian Wenjia , Li Meng , Zhong Jiancong , Yan Xin , Gao Jiadong , Wang Xin , Li Shaobo
Published: September 2023

miRNAs play critical roles in the regulation of plant growth and development by cleaving mRNA or repressing transcription. In our previous study, miR5504 with unknown functions was captured by small RNA sequencing. Here, the function and characters of miR5504 were extensively analyzed using CRISPR/Cas9, overexpression strategy, Northern blot, cytological analysis, and transcriptomics analysis. We found that the dwarf phenotype of mir5504 mutants (mir5504‐1 and mir5504‐2) appeared on 35‐day seedlings and became more apparent at the mature stage. The cytological results showed a substantial decrease in the vascular bundle number, cell number and cell length in the mir5504 mutant compared with NIP. In addition, we found that miR5504 regulated plant height by targeting LOC_Os08g16914. The results of RNA‐seq revealed that numerous biological processes were mainly enriched, including DNA‐binding transcription factor activity, transferase activity, regulation of transcription, metabolic process, and protein binding. Meanwhile, KEEG analysis showed that numerous proteins were associated with cellular processes and metabolism pathways. Taken together, miR5504 may be involved in the regulation of plant height by affecting cell expansion and division of internode in rice.
Lateral augmentation of the jaw by the split expansion ridge technique. A critical review
Authors: Artzi Zvi
Published: September 2023

Bone augmentation has become a routine procedure to enhance and/or repair a deficient or resorbed alveolar ridge for predictable and successful implant placement. The split expansion ridge i.e., the alveolar ridge splitting (ARS) procedure, is one of the less invasive procedures, and is characterized by minor morbidity. This would allow to widen narrow ridges in order to allow implant reconstruction in a sufficient bone volume. Its efficacy and long‐term stability rely upon clinical opinions and long‐term retrospective studies, while prospective comparative studies and randomized controlled trials are rare. This critical review presents the development of this technique, describes the surgical procedure, and provides technical notes and modifications. The learning curve and in‐depth knowledge of the oral anatomy, as well as the recognition of incidence and management of complications are of utmost importance in the clinical application of the ARS procedure.
Which biologic? New findings from a real‐world study
Authors: Lavoie Gabriel , Pavord Ian D.
Published: September 2023

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Communicating in diverse local cultures: Analyzing Chinese government communication programs around nuclear power projects
Authors: Guo Yue , He Linsheng
Published: September 2023

Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of sociocultural context in the process of government communication, but few studies have elaborated on the underlying mechanisms. By comparing government communication strategies under diverse sociocultural factors, this study aims to explore the role of local culture as a contextual factor in the design of government communication. Drawing on evidence from China's government communication on nuclear power projects, we explore how the central government constructed communication strategies based on different local cultures to enhance public acceptance of nuclear power projects. A comparison of this case in two cities reveals that the government can design communication strategies based on their understanding of local citizens – using local culture as the basis of audience segmentation to create different communication strategies for different citizens.
Surges in participation in global value chains: Drivers and macroeconomic impacts in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Ebeke Christian Hubert
Published: September 2023

This article proposes a cross‐country examination of the drivers and impacts of episodes of surges in countries' participation in international value chains based on event analysis previously used in the empirical literature in studies on export surges or GDP growth accelerations. Using a large sample of developing countries over the period 1990–2018, and relying on the EORA database, the article offers three main results. First, the ‘surges’ are not common, with only 11 episodes recorded in sub‐Saharan Africa over the past three decades. Second, strong FDI inflows and governance quality precede the occurrence of these ‘surges’, while protracted real exchange rate under‐valuations appear to nurture these surges. Third, once they occur, these ‘surges’ are transformative: they are associated with higher real per capita GDP growth, rapid industrialization, stronger diversification, and sophistication of exports, faster poverty reduction and higher urbanisation rate.
Multi-Track Melt Pool Width Modeling in Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Wang Dan , Chen Xu
Published: September 2023

While powder bed fusion (PBF) additive manufacturing offers many advantages and exciting applications, its broader adoption is hindered by issues with reliability and variations during the manufacturing process. To address this, researchers have identified the importance of using both finite element modeling and control-oriented modeling to predict and improve the quality of printed parts. In this paper, we propose a novel control-oriented multi-track melt pool width model that utilizes the superposition principle to account for the complex thermal interactions that occur during PBF. We validate the effectiveness of the model by applying a finite element model of the thermal fields in PBF.