bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of EU funding in EU member states: building administrative capacity to advance administrative reforms
Authors: Nakrošis Vitalis , Dan Sorin , Goštautaitė Rasa
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Despite the growing volume of European Union (EU) investments into reforms and public administration, how EU support contributes to administrative reform and capacity building at domestic level is still unclear. The article explains the EU's influence, domestic politicisation and previous administrative capacity on organisational change whilst implementing European Social Fund-financed projects during the programming period 2014–2020.

Design/methodology/approach

By going beyond the EU-centred approach and based on different strands of the new institutionalism, the authors offer three explanations on the influence of EU support. The authors performed the qualitative content analysis of 29 case studies and matched the implementation of the projects with the authors' explanations.

Findings

The authors' research results indicate that progress in the implementation of the projects was determined by domestic factors rather than EU conditionalities. The influence of domestic politicisation was found to be mixed, but higher levels of initial administrative capacity proved to be most important to achieving organisational change.

Research limitations/implications

The authors' judgement of the project implementation and their success was based on the information provided in the case studies at the time of implementation.

Practical implications

The authors' research points to the essential need for the initial and gradual development of administrative capacity to achieve good reform results.

Originality/value

Based on the different logics of the new institutionalism, we developed specific mechanisms for organisational change. The authors' research results deepen the understanding of how politicisation positively or negatively shapes reform implementation, as well as how pre-existing administrative capacity and further development of pre-existing administrative capacity dynamically occurs through a process of socialisation and learning.
Application of the stereotype content model in marketing: a three-level review and future research
Authors: Guo Xiaoling , Liu Hao , Zhang Yicong
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The aim of this research is to examine the application of the stereotype content model (SCM) in the field of marketing from macro (the country of origin), meso- (corporate image) and micro (service providers, brands, advertising and promotions) levels.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper collects, reviews and summarizes the relevant literature, and prospects future research directions from three levels on this research topic.

Findings

First, the authors contend that competence primacy popularizes in the early work but warmth becomes more influential recently. Second, they identify and discuss two doubts of the SCM in marketing, namely the moral dimension and the link between brands as intentional agents framework (BIAF) and the brand personality theory. Finally, they suggest several research avenues for the use of SCM in marketing research, including research on nation branding, emerging global brands and Confucianist cultures at macro level, artificial intelligence and warmth-as-competence strategy at meso-level, and brand personality and the brand animal logo at micro level.

Originality/value

As an established framework in social psychology, the SCM has been increasingly applied in marketing research and a literature review in this light appears timely. This paper conducts for the first time a comprehensive review of the SCM in the marketing field on three levels, projects promising research directions, and thus contributes to the academia of marketing.
Between progress and struggle: young PR-scholars’ contribution to theory building and progress in public relations research
Authors: Seiffert-Brockmann Jens , Hackl Laura , Ihlen Øyvind
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The paper aims to analyze the contribution of young academics to the field of public relations (PR) and shows which authors exert most influence on them. The study thereby contributes to the assessment of the state of the art of theory building in the field. The authors analyzed the study data against the background of two approaches on progress in the field: Nothhaft et al.’s (2018) idea of strategic communication as an elusive concept and Winkler et al.’s (2021) narrative approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The study comprises two parts. First, the authors conducted a survey among participants of the EUPRERA PhD-workshops between 2007 and 2019, asking respondents about their perception of the state of the field. Second, the authors performed a bibliometric (co-)citation analysis of the young scholars’ most important works.

Findings

Results indicate that though the field has progressed in terms of quantity and diversified with regard to established paradigms, it has not matured in a sense that it has settled on a generally accepted theoretical underpinning. However, the data show how the dominant paradigms in the field map onto the co-citation networks that emerged out of the works of young scholars. The authors’ findings imply that this new generation might signal their allegiance to a paradigm by citing the works of its emblematic authors.

Originality/value

Unlike most bibliometric studies, this one uses an author-centered approach, thus studying works that matter most to young academics themselves. Not only do the authors thereby contribute to the analysis of the state of theory building in PR research, but also expand the scope in looking at research as a social system, in which young researchers need to position themselves.
Construction planning through 4D BIM-based virtual reality for light steel framing building projects
Authors: Rashidi Ali , Yong Wei Yin , Maxwell Duncan , Fang Yihai
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The construction industry has actively attempted to tackle the low-productivity issues arising from inefficient construction planning. It is imperative to understand how construction practitioners perceive technology integration in construction planning in light of emerging technologies. This study intended to uncover unique experimental findings by integrating 4D-building information modelling (BIM) to virtual reality (VR) technology during construction planning among construction professionals at light steel framing (LSF) projects.

Design/methodology/approach

The building industry participants were invited to provide inputs on two different construction planning methods: conventional and innovative methods. The conventional method involved the participants using traditional platforms such as 2D computer-aided design (CAD) and physical visualisation of paper-based construction drawings for the LSF assembly process with a Gantt Chart tool to complete construction planning-related tasks for the targeted project. Comparatively, participants are required to perform the same tasks using more innovative platforms like 4D-BIM in a VR environment.

Findings

A Charrette Test Method was used to validate the findings, highlighting an improvement in usability (+10.3%), accuracy (+89.1%) and speed (+30%) using 4D BIM with VR compared to the conventional paper-based method. The findings are also validated by a paired t-test, which is supported by the rationality of the same findings. This study posits positive results for construction planning through the utilisation of modern practices and technologies. These findings are significant for the global construction industry facing low productivity issues, delays and certainty in terms of building delivery timelines due to poor construction planning.

Originality/value

This new blend of technologies—combining 4D BIM and VR in industrialised construction projects—potentially directs future initiatives to drive the efficiency of construction planning in the building lifecycle. The interactive BIM-based virtual environment would purposefully transform construction planning practices in order to deliver modern and more certain building construction methods with a focus on prefabrication processes.
A multicomponent approach to studying cultural propensities during foraging in the wild
Authors: Mannion Kelly Ray , Ballare Elizabeth F. , Marks Markus , Gruber Thibaud
Published: October 2022

Determining the cultural propensities or cultural behaviours of a species during foraging entails an investigation of underlying drivers and motivations.

In this article, we propose a multicomponent approach involving behaviour, ecology, and physiology to accelerate the study of cultural propensities in the wild.

We propose as the first component the use of field experiments that simulate natural contexts, such as foraging behaviours and tool use opportunities, to explore social learning and cultural tendencies in a variety of species. To further accelerate this component, we discuss and advocate for the use of modern machine learning video analysis tools.

In conjunction, we examine non‐invasive methods to measure ecological influences on foraging such as phenology, fruit availability, dietary intake; and physiological influences such as stress, protein balance, energetics, and metabolism. We feature non‐invasive urine sampling to investigate urea, creatinine, ketone bodies, the thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3), cortisol and connecting peptides of insulin.

To conclude, we highlight the benefits of combining ecological and physiological conditions with behavioural field experiments. This can be done across wild species, and provides the framework needed to test ecological hypotheses related to cultural behaviour.
Handing back the Benin Bronzes
Authors: Phillips Barnaby
Published: October 2022

Starting with the Horniman Museum's announcement, this guest editorial analyses recent pledges by several institutions in the UK and elsewhere to return Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. Which institutions have pledged to return, and what are the issues involved? Why has the British Museum not followed suit? How prepared is Nigeria to receive these items?
Documents that matter: Sterilization paperwork in rural India
Authors: Lukšaitė Eva
Published: October 2022

Female sterilization, or tubal ligation, is rural India's most prevalent form of contraception. The paperwork surrounding this procedure provides an interesting lens through which to investigate the state, its institutions and their material conditions. The production and circulation of this paperwork uncover the state as an illegible and unpredictable entity that materializes in people's everyday lives through bureaucratically futile certificates. In this article, the author looks at sterilization paperwork as a tool to tell stories about the state and its institutions as individual women seek and undergo tubal ligation in a government facility in rural India.
The invisible lives of cobalt miners and green traceability discourses
Authors: Panella Cristiana , De Putter Thierry
Published: October 2022

The mobilization for greenhouse gas reduction has significantly boosted our interest in electric cars and green mobility. E‐powered technology and lithium‐ion (Li‐ion) batteries are now cornerstones of our green tech discourse. These technologies rest on the fast‐growing demand for rare metals such as cobalt, an essential component in Li‐ion batteries. This article focuses on the invisible lives of the artisanal diggers who mine much of the world's cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Their lives in Katanga fade behind the ore they produce. In the dominant green energy discourse, these workers become invisible actors whose corporeality, work and struggle are concealed and denied. We risk smothering cobalt miners’ human rights under an ecologically friendly banner.
ANTHROPOLOGY'S THREE ONTOLOGICAL TURNS: It is time for a fourth, from anti‐anthropology back to anthropology
Authors: Lowrey Kathleen
Published: October 2022

More than ‘an’ ontological turn, during recent decades, anthropology has taken three distinct ontological turns. It has turned away from the human, away from evolution and away from sex. As a result, a lively and prolific anti‐anthropology is steadily displacing anthropology. This new work has run the gamut from very interesting to very silly. At this juncture, a return to traditional anthropological approaches would be salutary.
Expressivist objections to prenatal screening and testing: Perceptions of people living with disability
Authors: Boardman Felicity , Thomas Gareth
Published: October 2022

The ‘expressivist objection’ (EO) refers to the notion that using reproductive (genetic) technologies to prevent the birth of future would‐be disabled people contain, and express, a negative valuation of life with disability. Whilst the EO has received increased attention in recent years in line with rapid technological and genomic developments, there remains scant research on how EO concerns are experienced and expressed by disabled people and their families, especially within and between impairment groups. Bringing together two studies—one with adults and family members living with genetic conditions (n = 62) and one with parents of children with Down’s syndrome (n = 22)—we argue that disabled people and their families variously embrace, reject or rework the EO across contexts, and yet also frequently situate it within broad support for reproductive technologies. We present three key factors that mediate responses to the EO: (1) the nature of impairment and its integration within identity; (2) social and cultural contexts relating to disability and (3) the (individual and collective) imagined futures of disabled people. In so doing, we blend the conceptual architecture of medical sociology and disability studies, arguing that this allows us to accurately illuminate the nuanced responses of disabled people and their families.
The diagnostic and prognostic utility of serum cystatin C and angiopoietin 2 in patients with liver cirrhosis complicated by acute kidney injury
Authors: Abd El Wahab Ahmed M. , Awadeen Abeer , Mansour Mostafa M. , Shemies Rasha
Published: October 2022

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) frequently affects patients with liver cirrhosis, diagnosed by changes in serum creatinine and urine output. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic utility of serum cystatin C (Cys C) and angiopoietin 2 (Ang 2) in patients with liver cirrhosis complicated by AKI.

Methods

A total of 81 cirrhotic patients with AKI were included. AKI was diagnosed according to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. All patients were assessed clinically and biochemically. Baseline serum Cys C and Ang 2 were assessed, and patients were prospectively followed‐up to assess patients' and renal survival.

Results

Cys C significantly predicted AKI (p < 0.001). Ang 2 (≤179.7 pg/ml) was an independent predictor of mortality in multivariate analysis. Marked ascites and partial pressure of carbon dioxide ≤ 29 were significant predictors of nonrenal recovery.

Conclusion

Cys C showed validity AKI diagnosis in cirrhotic patients while Ang 2 was an independent predictor of mortality.
Quality improvement of gluten‐free rice flour bread through the addition of high‐temperature water during processing
Authors: Saito Kumiko , Okouchi Maya , Yamaguchi Mana , Takechi Tayori , Hatanaka Yoshiro , Kitsuda Koji , Mannari Takayo , Takamura Hitoshi
Published: October 2022

Recently, there has been an increase in the demand for gluten‐free bread due to health reasons. One of the flours used to produce gluten‐free bread is rice flour; flour characteristics are very important for breadmaking. Although a study has shown that the addition of high‐temperature water can improve the quality of rice flour bread, studies are yet to consider different rice properties. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of adding high‐temperature water and rice flour characteristics on the quality of rice flour bread using six commercially available rice flours. The rice flours used in the sample had amylose content from 12.1% to 24.5%, damaged starch content from 2.4% to 5.5%, mode diameter from 16.3 to 63.3 µm, protein content from 5.4% to 6.1%, and moisture content in the range of 12.0%–15.0%. The results showed that regardless of the rice characteristics, breads prepared at the optimum watering temperature were puffier and softer than those prepared using cold water (5°C). For rice flours with similar particle size, the optimal water temperature and degree of gelatinization for breadmaking increased with rice flours with lower amylose content. Furthermore, the rheological properties of dough prepared at the optimum water addition temperature were stable, with loss modulus (G″) being dominant over the entire frequency range in the frequency sweep test. Since the water temperature added to the dough affects breadmaking properties more than the characteristics of the rice flour, adjusting the water temperature may enable the production of high‐quality bread even with rice flour unsuitable for making.

Practical Application

Presently, the addition of high‐temperature water to rice flour has been shown to improve the bread quality. In this study, we investigated the effects of high‐temperature water addition on the quality of rice flour bread using rice flour varieties with different flour characteristics. Even in rice flour with small particle size and low amylose content, which is not suitable for breadmaking, bread quality can be improved by adding hot water at around 70°C. This is a simple and practical method to improve the quality of gluten‐free rice flour bread without adding thickeners.
Effects of gellan gum and calcium fortification on the rheological properties of mung bean protein and gellan gum mixtures
Authors: Israkarn Kamolwan , Buathongjan Chonchanok , Gamonpilas Chaiwut , Methacanon Pawadee , Wisetsuwannaphum Sirikarn
Published: October 2022

In this study, the effects of gellan gum types and CaCl2 addition on the rheological characteristics of mung bean protein (MBP)‐gellan gum mixtures at varying protein contents (1–7 wt%) were investigated. Two types of gellan gum, high acyl gellan (HAG) and low acyl gellan (LAG), at 0.5 wt% were used. MBP–HAG system showed soft and elastic gels at below 3 wt% MBP content, but gel became weaker due to protein network disruption at higher MBP content. In contrast, MBP–LAG system exhibited a liquid‐like behavior and a synergistic interaction between LAG and MBP. High calcium concentration can cause proteins to aggregate leading to protein precipitation. However, such phenomenon could be retarded by both types of gellan gum in the MBP–gellan gum mixtures studied herein. The calcium addition of up to 50 mM did not significantly alter the overall viscoelastic property of MBP–HAG system. In contrast, MBP–LAG system fortified with calcium formed solid gel at low protein content (1 wt%), but excessive calcium ions were required to maintain the strong gel characteristic at higher protein concentration (≥ 3 wt%) due to the competitive binding of calcium between the protein and gellan gum. These results were also supported by their microstructure observed through CLSM and SEM experiments.

Practical Application

The application of hydrocolloids as rheology modifiers is useful to improve the stability and textural properties of plant‐based protein drinks. Results from this study are helpful for the industry to understand the textural properties of mung bean protein at varying concentrations in the presence of gellan gum and calcium. Especially, at high calcium fortification which is desirable in plant‐based protein drinks, protein aggregation could be retarded by gellan gum. Overall, the finding demonstrated that a range of rheological characteristics of mung bean protein and gellan gum mixtures could be manipulated as desired to meet both nutritional quality and product stability.
Synergistic effect of high hydrostatic pressure, allyl isothiocyanate, and acetic acid on the inactivation and survival of pathogenic Escherichia coli in ground chicken
Authors: Sheen Shiowshuh , Huang Chi‐Yun , Chuang Shihyu
Published: October 2022

Meat and poultry are prone to contamination with foodborne pathogens sourced from the livestock or introduced from the processing environments. In this study, for retention of meat quality while assuring microbial food safety, mild levels of high hydrostatic pressure were hurdled with food‐grade additives (i.e., allyl isothiocyanate [AITC] and acetic acid [AA], functioned as antimicrobials) to inactivate pathogenic Escherichia coli in ground chicken. The reductions of Shiga toxin‐producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7 and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) were described as a function of high hydrostatic pressure (200–350 MPa), process‐holding time (10–25 min), AITC concentration (0.05–0.20% w/w), and AA concentration (0.10‐–0.30% w/w) using a full factorial design. The antimicrobials had little influence on bacterial inactivation without high pressure. Without the antimicrobials, a high‐pressure treatment at 300 MPa and 4°C for 15 min reduced E. coli O157:H7 and UPEC by 1.52 and 2.52 log, respectively. A 5‐log reduction was achieved when AITC and AA were combined with high pressure, indicating a synergistic effect. The survivors were further reduced to below the detection limit of 1 log CFU/g after subsequent storage tests at 4 and 10°C for 10 days. The STEC O157:H7 was found slightly more resistant than UPEC in our test matrix. The developed models showed good fits with experimental data (R2 > 0.95 for linear models; Pr > F (<0.0001) for dimensionless nonlinear models); which may help processors find/optimize the processing parameters to achieve target foodborne pathogens reduction for food safety requirement.

Practical Application

Models were developed to predict the inactivation of pathogenic Escherichia coli in ground chicken by high‐pressure processing (HPP) in combination with natural antimicrobial compounds. These models can be used to estimate/determine the HPP operation parameters and antimicrobial usage levels (i.e., allyl isothiocyanate and acetic acid) needed to achieve a specific microbial log reduction within the selected factor ranges. The operation parameters and clean‐label ingredients are of interest in the food industry, which may benefit from the application of the models in achieving microbial safety, process optimization, and operation cost reduction.
Use of vasoactive agents in non‐cardiac surgery: Protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Bækgaard Emilie S. , Møller Morten Hylander , Vester‐Andersen Morten , Krag Mette
Published: October 2022

Background

An increasing number of patients undergo surgical procedures worldwide each year, and despite advances in quality and care, morbidity and mortality rates remain high. Perioperative hypotension is a well‐described condition, and is associated with adverse outcomes. Both fluids and vasoactive agents are commonly used to treat hypotension, however, whether one vasoactive agent is preferable over another has yet to be explored.

Methods

In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) statement, we plan to conduct a scoping review of studies assessing the use of vasoactive agents in patients undergoing non‐cardiac surgery. We will provide an overview of indications, agents used and outcomes assessed. We will assess and report the certainty of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

Results

We will provide descriptive analyses of the included studies accompanied by tabulated results.

Conclusion

The outlined scoping review will provide a summary of the body of evidence on the use of vasoactive agents in the non‐cardiac surgical population.
Single‐cell RNA‐seq reveals early heterogeneity during aging in yeast
Authors: Wang Jincheng , Sang Yuchen , Jin Shengxian , Wang Xuezheng , Azad Gajendra Kumar , McCormick Mark A. , Kennedy Brian K. , Li Qing , Wang Jianbin , Zhang Xiannian , Zhang Yi , Huang Yanyi
Published: October 2022

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) has relatively short lifespan and is genetically tractable, making it a widely used model organism in aging research. Here, we carried out a systematic and quantitative investigation of yeast aging with single‐cell resolution through transcriptomic sequencing. We optimized a single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) protocol to quantitatively study the whole transcriptome profiles of single yeast cells at different ages, finding increased cell‐to‐cell transcriptional variability during aging. The single‐cell transcriptome analysis also highlighted key biological processes or cellular components, including oxidation–reduction process, oxidative stress response (OSR), translation, ribosome biogenesis and mitochondrion that underlie aging in yeast. We uncovered a molecular marker of FIT3, indicating the early heterogeneity during aging in yeast. We also analyzed the regulation of transcription factors and further characterized the distinctive temporal regulation of the OSR by YAP1 and proteasome activity by RPN4 during aging in yeast. Overall, our data profoundly reveal early heterogeneity during aging in yeast and shed light on the aging dynamics at the single cell level.
Shape differences of the Carina sterni in birds of various locomotion types
Authors: Gündemir Migena Gjoni , Szara Tomasz , Spataru Constantin , Demircioglu Ismail , Turek Bernard , Petrovas Georgios , Spataru Mihaela Claudia
Published: October 2022

The anatomy of the sternum in birds varies according to their habitats and type of locomotion. In particular, the carina sterni manifest different shape variations. In this study, the shape of the carina sterni was investigated by means of geometric morphometrics. Birds of different types of locomotion were used in the study: flying, swimming, and terrestrial. Ducks and chickens show a wider variety of shapes. Pigeons are the species with the least differences. The margo cranialis carinae in a turkey is the flattest compared to other species. In chickens, the apex carinae is more caudally than the base of the carina sterni. The margo cranialis of the carina sterni in ducks is concave. The differences in centroid size and shape differences between species collectively are statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The most distinct shape contrast is between the duck and turkey (p: 0.0003). Form differences between the ducks and geese as well as between the chicken and turkey are statistically insignificant. There is less variation in the shape of the carina sterni among avian species representing the same type of locomotion. Although there are many comparative morphological and morphometric studies of birds, shape analysis studies revealing the interspecific differences and similarities of the sternum are very limited. Morphology of the carina sterni can be useful in taxonomic investigations.
Hospital discharge planning: A systematic literature review on the support measures that social workers undertake to facilitate older patients' transition from hospital admission back to the community
Authors: Dimla Bernadette , Parkinson Lynne , Wood Denise , Powell Zalia
Published: October 2022

Objectives

To systematically review the literature on measures social workers undertake to facilitate discharge planning for older people in a resource‐scarce environment.

Methods

Systematic search of electronic databases for peer‐reviewed articles published in English between January 1990 and August 2020. Articles on hospital discharge planning facilitated by social workers for older patients returning home from hospital admission were included. The Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess quality and risk of bias. The systematic literature review protocol has been registered with PROSPERO on 27 August 2021.

Results

Six studies from Canada and the United States met the eligibility criteria. The most common support measures employed by hospital social workers when discharge planning for older patients were assessment, education, care co‐ordination, liaison and engagement with families and providers, conflict resolution, counselling and postdischarge follow‐up. Barriers to effective discharge planning were medical complexity, lack of communication, time constraints, limited family support, availability of resources and patient safety. These studies were published between 1993 and 2014 and were not within the Australian context.

Conclusions

There are limited studies on Social Work discharge planning within the Australian context, particularly on how this important service has been impacted by recent aged care reforms. More research on the topic is necessary to fully understand how aged care reforms such as the National Prioritisation System for Home Care Packages have influenced hospital discharge planning and how social workers have adapted their practice to this challenge.
Does Co‐CEO Adoption Lead to Better Stock Performance? An Empirical Analysis Focusing on High‐growth Firms
Authors: Shin Jae Eun , Lee Gun
Published: October 2022

While there is an increasing debate about whether having multiple CEOs is beneficial to firms, few empirical studies have examined stock returns' consequences after adopting the co‐CEO structure. Set in the Korean context, where the co‐CEO structure is a common corporate practice, we find that co‐CEO adoption has subsequently led to better stock performance than adherence to a sole‐CEO structure. Moreover, given the diverse circumstances in which firms operate, co‐CEO structure adoption does not guarantee success. We find evidence that the co‐CEO structure's superior performance over the sole‐CEO structure is concentrated in high‐growth subsamples.
Antiphosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies (aPS/PT) and risk of obstetric anti‐phospholipid syndrome
Authors: Zhang Xiaoxin , Liu Zhilan , Guo Feng , Wang Qiaohong , Bai Wenxin , Zhao Aimin
Published: October 2022

Objective

Assessment of the prevalence of anti‐phosphatidylserine‐prothrombin antibodies (aPS/PT) with OAPS and SN‐OAPS in Chinese patients.

Methods

This retrospective study proceeded at Ren Ji Hospital,

Shanghai, China, from January 2019 to January 2020. Two hundred eleven OAPS, 68 SN‐OAPS, 81 disease controls, and 30 healthy donors were enrolled. IgM and IgG aPS/PT, IgM/IgG ‐ aCL, and IgM/ IgG/ anti‐β2GPI antibodies were tested by ELISA while LAC was tested by clotting assays. All the patients were followed up and tested at least twice over 12 weeks apart.

Results

Thirty‐three OAPS (15.64%) and 31 SN‐OAPS (45.59%) were positive for aPS/PT. aPS/PT IgM showed a high Youden index (.813), which classified OAPS and SN‐OAPS patients from healthy controls and other autoimmune diseases. aPS/PT showed a stronger relationship with LAC. Of the 25 OAPS women positive for IgM aPS/PT, 19 (79%) LAC were positive, while of the eight women positive for IgG aPS/PT, 100% were found LAC positive.

Conclusion

aPS/PT antibody showed an efficient diagnostic value for Chinese patients with OAPS and SN‐OAPS, which could be a potential risk predictor for obstetric complications.
Roles of fundamentalism and authoritarianism in relations between religiosity and civil liberties among Muslims
Authors: Ok Üzeyir
Published: October 2022

Two cross‐sectional studies were conducted with undergraduate and graduate students (mean age = 22 years) in two university campuses in different regions of Turkey to investigate confrontations between conservative religious people and secular‐liberal people and the roles of fundamentalism and authoritarianism for these groups. Study 1 investigated the connections between traditional religiosity and liberties and the impact of religious fundamentalism with a sample of 482 participants. Using hierarchical multiple linear regression and bootstrapping analysis, religiosity was seen as negatively connected to three components of liberties. It was shown that religious fundamentalism had an indirect effect on this connection. In Study 2, with a sample of 260 participants, the negative connection between traditional religiosity with liberties was confirmed. Further, it was found that particularly the conservatism dimension of right‐wing authoritarianism played an explanatory role in this connection. In addition, as an extension of the two studies, it was observed that secular‐liberal participants supported civil liberties in general, but they expressed opposition to freedom of religion in particular, indicating that the antagonism between religious and secular people may also stem from secular‐liberal people. It was found that dimension of aggression of left‐wing authoritarianism played an explanatory role in connection to this aspect.
On screen experiment showed that becoming a parent for the first time shifted people's priorities from themselves to their infant at 1 year of age
Authors: Hoegholt Nadia F. , Buus Svend , Fernandes Henrique M. , Sui Jie , Vuust Peter , Kringelbach Morten L.
Published: October 2022

Aim

This study used a screen‐based perceptual matching task to see how non‐parents, people trying to get pregnant, and those who had given birth prioritised shapes and labels relating to self or infant conditions.

Methods

The study took place at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark from December 2016 to November 2021. Recruitment methods included family planning clinics, social media, online recruitment systems and local bulletin boards. The modified perceptual matching task linked five shapes to five labels, including self and infant.

Results

We found that 67 males and females with a mean age of 24.4 ± 3 years, who had no plans to become parents in the near future, reacted faster and more accurately to self‐shapes and labels (p < 0.001), which validated the experiment. The 56 participants aged 27.1 ± 4.4 years who were actively trying to become parents showed no statistically significant prioritisation. A subset of 21 participants aged 28.7 ± 4.4 years showed faster response times to infant than self‐shapes and labels 1 year after giving birth (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Healthy first‐time parents showed faster reactions to infant than self‐conditions 1 year after giving birth, in contrast to the other two groups.
Classification of acute poisoning exposures with machine learning models derived from the National Poison Data System
Authors: Mehrpour Omid , Hoyte Christopher , Delva‐Clark Heather , Al Masud Abdullah , Biswas Ashis , Schimmel Jonathan , Nakhaee Samaneh , Goss Foster
Published: October 2022

The primary aim of this pilot study was to develop a machine learning algorithm to predict and distinguish eight poisoning agents based on clinical symptoms. Data were used from the National Poison Data System from 2014 to 2018, for patients 0–89 years old with single‐agent exposure to eight drugs or drug classes (acetaminophen, aspirin, benzodiazepines, bupropion, calcium channel blockers, diphenhydramine, lithium and sulfonylureas). Four classifier prediction models were applied to the data: logistic regression, LightGBM, XGBoost, and CatBoost. There were 201 031 cases used to develop and test the algorithms. Among the four models, accuracy ranged 77%–80%, with precision and F1 scores of 76%–80% and recall of 77%–78%. Overall specificity was 92% for all models. Accuracy was highest for identifying sulfonylureas, acetaminophen, benzodiazepines and diphenhydramine poisoning. F1 scores were highest for correctly classifying sulfonylureas, acetaminophen and benzodiazepine poisonings. Recall was highest for sulfonylureas, acetaminophen, and benzodiazepines, and lowest for bupropion. Specificity was >99% for models of sulfonylureas, calcium channel blockers, lithium and aspirin. For single‐agent poisoning cases among the eight possible exposures, machine learning models based on clinical signs and symptoms moderately predicted the causal agent. CatBoost and LightGBM classifier models had the highest performance of those tested.
Public overspending in higher education
Authors: Brotherhood Luiz , Delalibera Bruno R. , Torres de Mello Pereira Luciene
Published: October 2022

We study the trade‐off between governmental investments in pretertiary and tertiary education from an efficiency point of view. We develop a model comprising agents with different incomes and abilities, public and private schools, and public universities that select applicants based on an admission exam. Reallocating governmental resources from tertiary to pretertiary education may positively affect aggregate production and human capital if some conditions are satisfied. For instance, in an economy with a high proportion of credit‐constrained students, a reallocation of expenditure toward public schools benefits many students, compensating for the negative effect of a decrease in public university investments. We also quantitatively investigate the optimal allocation of public investment between pretertiary and tertiary education, and we find that a 10% increase in productivity of public investments in pretertiary education could increase the optimal GDP between 2.1% and 3%.
Changes in levels of testosterone, insulin sensitivity and metabolic profiles during GnRH therapy: Reciprocity between insulin sensitivity and pituitary responsiveness to GnRH in teenage and young male patients with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
Authors: Fan Hong‐Qi , Wang Yu‐Cheng , He Wei , Zhou Hong‐Wen , Yang Tao
Published: October 2022

Objectives

A direct evaluation of insulin sensitivity on pituitary response to gonadotropin relasing hormone (GnRH) has not been shown in congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH), despite a growing body of evidence in the association of testosterone concentrations with insulin sensitiviy. The objective of the study was to explore whether increased testosterone concentrations in men with CHH improve insulin sensitivity, or vice versa.

Design

A retrospective study at a tertiary centre.

Patients

Series of male CHH patients were included from Jannuary 2014 to December 2019.

Measurements

Insulin sensitivity indices calculated from oral glucose tolerance test and steroid hormone levels were examined in 52 patients with newly diagnosed CHH and 22 healthy controls. Thirty‐two of the 52 CHH patients received pulsatile GnRH therapy with follow‐up every 3–6 months.

Results

Compared to healthy controls, CHH patients had elevated 2 h post‐load glucose, HbA1c, fasting insulin, HOMA of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) and decreased Matsuda index and testosterone (p ≤ .01). The median follow‐up for patients (n = 32) who received pulsatile GnRH therapy was 13.5 (11.3−24) months (432 person‐months in total). GnRH therapy increased testosterone and Matsuda index (p ≤ .0001), whilst decreased platelet count (p = .04), leptin (p = .04), fasting glucose (p = .01) and HOMA‐IR (p < .0001) compared with baseline. The median treatment duration first time to reach the lower limit of normal testosterone concentrations of patients with high and low baseline insulin sensitivity was 15 (95% CI: 8.1−21.9) and 30 months (21.2−38.8), respectively. Correspondingly, after GnRH therapy, luteinizing hormone responsiveness to GnRH provocative test was more vigorous in patients with high insulin sensitivity than those with low insulin sensitivity [17.0 (9.5−25.9) vs. 8.2 (3.3−13.0), p = .01].

Conclusion

Pulsatile GnRH therapy elevated testosterone levels in male CHH patients, ameliorated impaired insulin sensitivity and attenuated subclinical inflammatory response, increased insulin sensitivity, in turn, may benefit the efficacy of pulsatile GnRH therapy.
The effect of brushing discomfort on peri‐implant health in sites exhibiting inadequate keratinized mucosa width: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Perussolo Jeniffer , Matarazzo Flávia , Dias Debora R. , Oliveira Ricardo P. , Araújo Mauricio G.
Published: October 2022

Objectives

The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to evaluate the effect of brushing discomfort (BD) on peri‐implant health in sites exhibiting inadequate keratinized mucosa (KM) width.

Material and Methods

Patients presenting with at least one implant exhibiting KM <2 mm and in function for ≥1 year were eligible for inclusion. BD was assessed with the visual analogue scale (VAS), and implants were classified into two groups: Absence (aBD; VAS = 0) or Presence (pBD; VAS > 0) of BD. Bleeding on probing (BoP), modified plaque index (mPI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), suppuration (Sup), and marginal bone level (MBL) were recorded. Mann–Whitney, chi‐square test, and a multilevel model were used for analysis.

Results

Fifty‐nine patients with 155 dental implants were analyzed, of which 60 presented no BD, and 95 presented some level of BD. BoP, PD, CAL, and MBL were significantly higher in the pBD than in the aBD group (p < .05). The prevalence of peri‐implant diseases at implant level was also higher in the pBD group than in the aBD group. However, after controlling for confounding factors, only mPI showed an effect on BoP. In addition, difficulty to perform oral hygiene was statistically higher in the pBD group.

Conclusions

The findings of the present study suggest that although BD around implants exhibiting KM <2 mm did not influence tissue inflammation, it could represent a symptom of peri‐implant diseases. Further clinical trials assessing the long‐term effect of BD must be considered to better ascertain its effects on peri‐implant health.
Quantifying patients' expectations prior to bariatric surgery with the BODY‐Q in an international multicentre cohort
Authors: Dijkhorst Phillip J. , de Vries Claire E. E. , Mou Danny , Poulsen Lotte , Sørensen Jens A. , Hoogbergen Maarten M. , van Veen Ruben N. , Klassen Anne F. , Pusic Andrea L.
Published: October 2022

Many people living with obesity may have unrealistic expectations prior to undergoing bariatric surgery. These expectations can lead to frustration, regret and even worse psychological outcomes after surgery. Prior to undergoing bariatric surgery, patients completed the BODY‐Q Expectations scale. This 15‐item scale asks patients to imagine what their life will be like when 2 years have passed since bariatric surgery. Scores for expectations range from 0 (low) to 100 (high). Linear regression models were used to assess which of the patient characteristics could predict patients' expectations. From 2019 to 2020, a total of 333 patients were recruited from three different countries. The mean score on the BODY‐Q Expectations scale was 73.1, ±20. Out of the 15 items on the Expectation scale, people living with obesity found it most likely that bariatric surgery would make them feel better and improve their energy, while it was reported least likely that they would look good without clothes on. Younger age (p = <.01) and race (non‐white) (p = .046) were found to be significant predictors for higher scores on the Expectations scale. Participants who identified as non‐white from the Netherlands and United States, and those aged under 40 years reported higher expectations compared with participants who identified as white race and were 40 years of age or older. Prior to bariatric surgery, patients aged under 40 years and those who identified as non‐white for race had higher expectations that their life would change after bariatric surgery. These relevant findings should be considered when giving pre‐operative counselling.
Circ‐CTNNB1 drives aerobic glycolysis and osteosarcoma progression via m6A modification through interacting with RBM15
Authors: Yang Feng , Liu Yangyang , Xiao Jun , Li Bo , Chen Yajun , Hu Anpei , Zeng Jin , Liu Zhili , Liu Hucheng
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a subclass of noncoding RNAs, playing essential roles in tumorigenesis and aggressiveness. Recent studies have revealed the pivotal functions of circ‐CTNNB1 (a circular RNA derived from CTNNB1) in cancer progression. However, little is known about the role of circ‐CTNNB1 in osteosarcoma (OS), a highly malignant bone tumour in children and adolescents.

Methods

Circ‐CTNNB1 was analysed by qRT‐PCR, and the results were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The interaction and effects between circ‐CTNNB1 and RNA binding motif protein 15 (RBM15) were analysed through biotin‐labelled RNA pull‐down and mass spectrometry, in vitro binding, and RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assays. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to evaluate the biological functions and underlying mechanisms of circ‐CTNNB1 and RBM15 in OS cells.

Results

Circ‐CTNNB1 was highly expressed in OS tissues and predominantly detected in the nucleus of OS cells. Ectopic expression of circ‐CTNNB1 promoted the growth, invasion, and metastasis of OS cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circ‐CTNNB1 interacted with RBM15 and subsequently promoted the expression of hexokinase 2 (HK2), glucose‐6‐phosphate isomerase (GPI) and phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) through N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) modification to facilitate the glycolysis process and activate OS progression.

Conclusions

Circ‐CTNNB1 drives aerobic glycolysis and OS progression by facilitating RBM15‐mediated m6A modification.
Help‐seeking attitudes and behaviours for mental health problems in adolescents before and during the first COVID‐19 school closures in Germany
Authors: Lustig Sophia , Koenig Julian , Bauer Stephanie , Moessner Markus , Bonnet Sabrina , Becker Katja , Diestelkamp Silke , Eschenbeck Heike , Hiery Alisa , Kohls Elisabeth , Lehner Laya , Rummel‐Kluge Christine , Thomasius Rainer , Kaess Michael ,   the ProHEAD Consortium
Published: October 2022

Aim

Comparing measures of psychological wellbeing and help‐seeking in youths before and within the first school closures due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic enables a better understanding of the effects the pandemic has for those seeking professional help for mental health problems.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Germany‐based ProHEAD school study. Pre‐lockdown and lockdown samples (n = 648) were compared regarding pupils' psychological wellbeing, help‐seeking attitudes and help‐seeking behaviour.

Results

Participants from the lockdown sample showed greater positive attitudes towards seeking professional help, whereas psychological wellbeing and help‐seeking behaviour remained stable.

Conclusions

Possible explanations may include an increased public discourse on mental health or self‐selection bias for participation during lockdown.
The reproductive ecology drivers of egg attendance in amphibians
Authors: Furness Andrew I. , Capellini Isabella
Published: October 2022

Parental care is extremely diverse but, despite much research, why parental care evolves is poorly understood. Here we address this outstanding question using egg attendance, the simplest and most common care form in many taxa. We demonstrate that, in amphibians, terrestrial egg deposition, laying eggs in hidden locations and direct development promote the evolution of female egg attendance. Male egg attendance follows the evolution of hidden eggs and is associated with terrestrial egg deposition but not with direct development. We conclude that egg attendance, particularly by females, evolves following changes in reproductive ecology that are likely to increase egg survival, select for small clutches of large eggs and/or expose eggs to new environmental challenges. While our results resolve a long‐standing question on whether reproductive ecology traits are drivers, consequences or alternative solutions to caring, they also unravel important, yet previously unappreciated, differences between the sexes.