bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A framework to integrate virtual reality into international standard safety trainings
Authors: Abotaleb Ibrahim S. , Elhakim Yasmin , El Rifaee Mohamed , Bader Sahar , Hosny Osama , Abodonya Ahmed , Ibrahim Salma , Sherif Mohamed , Sorour Abdelrahman , Soliman Mennatallah
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The objective of this research is to propose an immersive framework that integrates virtual reality (VR) technology with directives international safety training certification bodies to enhance construction safety training, which eventually leads to safer construction sites.

Design/methodology/approach

The adopted methodology combines expert insights and experimentation to maximize the effectiveness of construction safety training. The first step was identifying key considerations for VR models such as motion sickness prevention and adult learning theories. The second step was developing a game-like VR model for safety training, with multiple hazards and scenarios based on the considerations of the previous step. After that, safety experts evaluated the model and provided valuable feedback on its alignment with international safety training practices. Finally, the developed model is tested by senior students, where the testing format followed the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) working safely exam structure.

Findings

An advanced immersive VR safety training model was developed based on extensive lessons learned from the literature, previous work and psychology-informed adult learning theories. Model testing – through focus groups and hands-on experimentation – demonstrated significant benefit of VR in upgrading and complementing traditional training methods.

Originality/value

The findings presented in this paper make a significant contribution to the field of safety training within the construction industry and the broader context of immersive learning experiences. It also fosters further exploration into immersive learning experiences across educational and professional contexts.
Barriers to collaboration between school teachers and child care workers: implications for HRM and school leadership
Authors: Verheijen-Tiemstra Rachel , Ros Anje , Vermeulen Marc , Poell Rob F.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Whilst an urgent need for collaboration is increasingly seen in education to better respond to socio-educational challenges, in practice, collaboration between primary school teachers and their partners is hampered by barriers. The aim of this study is to shed light on these barriers from a human resource management (HRM) angle, using the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative and qualitative data were collected amongst staff in 16 child centres offering joint pre-school, education and childcare.

Findings

The authors' findings suggest that in general, both teachers and childcare workers perceive themselves as skilled and motivated for collaboration. They perceive aspects of opportunity to perform as most important barriers.

Practical implications

Based on this research, school leaders are advised to organise opportunities for collaboration, especially by fostering an inclusive organisational climate and scheduling sufficient time for collaboration.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the relatively scarce body of research on HRM within the education sector. Furthermore, it illustrates the applicability of the AMO model for gaining insight into how educational management can be utilised to foster increased collaboration between teachers and childcare workers.
Education in collaboration with cities: the intentions of transdisciplinary courses
Authors: Bohm Nina Lotte , Klaassen Renate G. , van Bueren Ellen , den Brok Perry
Published: December 2023

Purpose

In collaboration with their home cities, universities increasingly develop courses in which students investigate urban sustainability challenges. This paper aims to understand how far-reaching the collaboration with urban stakeholders in these courses is and what students are meant to learn from the transdisciplinary pedagogies.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is designed as a qualitative multiple-case study into the intentions of transdisciplinary courses in which universities collaborate with their home cities: Delft University of Technology in Delft and Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions in Amsterdam. The study compares the written intentions of eight courses in course descriptions with the ideal intentions that teachers describe in interviews.

Findings

First, seven of the eight investigated courses were designed for urban stakeholders to participate at a distance or as a client but rarely was a course intended to lead to a collaborative partnership between the city and students. Second, the metacognitive learning objectives, such as learning to deal with biases and values of others or getting to know one’s strengths and weaknesses in collaboration, were often absent in the course descriptions. Learning objectives relating to metacognition are at the heart of transdisciplinary work, yet when they remain implicit in the learning objectives, they are difficult to teach.

Originality/value

This paper presents insight into the levels of participation intended in transdisciplinary courses. Furthermore, it shows the (mis)alignment between intended learning objectives in course descriptions and teachers’ ideals. Understanding both the current state of transdisciplinarity in sustainability courses and what teachers envision is vital for the next steps in the development of transdisciplinary education.
Do information disputes work: the effect of perceived risk, news disputes and credibility on consumer attitudes and trust toward biotechnology companies
Authors: Overton Holly K. , Yang Fan
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study examines a controversial issue (biotechnology) and how news disputes about misinformation related to the issue impacts individuals' attitudes toward a biotechnology company and their trust in the media source.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducts a 2 (risk: low vs. high) x 2 (pre-existing attitude: anti gene-editing technology vs. pro gene-editing technology) x 2 (dispute message: absent vs. present) x 2 (media source: Buzzfeed vs NYT) factorial online experiment using a Qualtrics panel (N = 1,080) to examine the impact on individuals' attitudes toward a biotechnology company and trust in the media source.

Findings

Results indicate that dispute messages enhance attitudes toward the company but decrease trust in media sources. Interaction effects between pre-existing attitude and the dispute message, along with perceived risk and the dispute message, illustrate stark differences in how individuals with favorable vs. unfavorable pre-existing attitudes assessed the company after viewing the dispute message.

Originality/value

This study applies arguments from extant literature about prebunking and debunking misinformation. Specifically, this study investigates how dispute messages, a form of debunking through source derogation, actually impact individuals' perceptions of media credibility and/or their attitudes about the content they are reading. The study findings also reveal new insights regarding the interaction between pre-existing attitudes and perceived risk, as well as how dispute messages interact with each of the aforementioned factors.
The mediating role of corporate social responsibility in good corporate governance and firm value relationship: evidence from European financial institutions
Authors: Ben Fatma Hanen , Chouaibi Jamel
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the direct and indirect links between good corporate governance (GCG) and firm value using corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a mediating variable.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in this research was collected from the Thomson Reuters Eikon ASSET4 database, involving 108 financial institutions belonging to 12 European countries listed on the stock exchange between 2007 and 2019. A multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to test the hypotheses of this study.

Findings

Our results show that GCG has a positive effect on the firm value and CSR practices. Interestingly, the results indicate that CSR positively influences firm value. The results also reveal that CSR partially mediates the relationship between GCG and firm value.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by providing evidence on how GCG increases firm value with the mediation mechanism of CSR in the link between GCG and firm value. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first research work documenting that GCG leads to better CSR, which ultimately results in increasing firm value of companies from the financial sector by bridging the information gap for this critical industry in the context of a developed market like Europe.
Combination of streamers' product description and viewers' comments: moderating effect of streamer–viewer relationship strength
Authors: Peng Yuhong , Ding Jianwei , Zhang Yueyan
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study examines the relationship between streamers' product descriptions, customer comments and online sales and focuses on the moderating effect of streamer–viewer relationship strength.

Design/methodology/approach

Between June 2021 and April 2022, the structured data of 965 livestreaming and unstructured text data of 42,956,147 characters from two major live-streaming platforms were collected for the study. Text analysis and regression analysis methods were employed for data analysis.

Findings

First, the authors' analysis reveals an inverted U-shaped relationship between comment length and product sales. Notably, comment volume and comment emotion positively influence product sales. Furthermore, the semantic richness, emotion and readability of streamers' product descriptions also positively influence product sales. Secondly, the authors find that the strength of streamer–viewer relationship weakens the positive effects of comment volume and comment emotion without moderating the inverted U-shaped effect of comment length. Lastly, the strength of streamer–viewer relationship also diminishes the positive effects of emotion, semantics and readability of streamers' product descriptions on product sales.

Originality/value

This study is the first to concurrently examine the direct and interactive effects of user-generated content (UGC) and marketer-generated content (MGC) on consumer purchase behaviors in livestreaming e-commerce, offering a novel perspective on individual decision-making and cue utilization in the social retail context.
The key to human performance: elevating wellbeing by bridging skills with meaningful work
Authors: Miller Andrea J.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the pivotal role of human resources (HR) in fostering employee engagement and well-being in a workplace transformed by digitalization. It addresses how HR can integrate meaningful work with enhanced well-being to create a more fulfilling and productive workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is grounded in a synthesis of recent surveys, academic research and thought leadership in HR, providing a strategic framework for enhancing employee engagement in the digital age.

Findings

The research reveals that employees crave not only professional growth but also meaningful work and genuine connections, which are integral to their well-being. It suggests that HR strategies should align employee roles with organizational purpose and personal values and use technology to break down barriers to collaboration to increase trust and purpose-driven culture.

Originality/value

By combining insights from various fields, this paper contributes a unique perspective on the transformation of HR into a strategic force that aligns business objectives with employee well-being and the need for a purposeful work life.
‘Our therapeutic direction is towards Light’: transcendence and a non‐secular politics of difference in Islamic Counselling training
Authors: Dharamsi Sabnum , Liberatore Giulia
Published: December 2023

The Islamic Counselling training model discussed in this article first emerged in 1990s multicultural Britain within the newly expanding field of cross‐cultural counselling and psychotherapy. It is informed by classical Sufi notions of the self, the development of an Islamic psychology, and decolonial scholarship. Based on ethnographic research on the current training in Islamic Counselling, this article explores the ways in which this model trains students to engage with relational differences through non‐secular notions of reality, the self, and its relation to multiple others. Differences are made sense of through notions of ‘worldview’ and ‘journey’ that go beyond categories of culture, religion, and race, and while these differences are similarly ‘acknowledged’, there is also the possibility of surpassing them through an experiential process of ‘witnessing’. Islamic Counselling's therapeutic goal, therefore, is not the forging of a pious self, but transcendence: the establishing of a deeply felt understanding of Oneness or Truth. Through this process, Islamic Counselling holds difference and connection in view simultaneously, while challenging a relativist notion of cultural difference inherent in ethno‐psychiatry and cross‐cultural counselling. It offers a radically new mode of relating with differences within and beyond the counselling setting.
Preparation and evaluation of goat cream cheese analogue for phenylketonuria
Authors: Soleimani Ahmad , Maghsoudlou Yahya , Khomeiri Morteza , Sadeghi‐Mahonak Ali Reza
Published: December 2023

The primary treatment for individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) is a lifetime diet with low phenylalanine (Phe) to achieve neurological health. The objective of this study was to make a highly nutritious and palatable low‐Phe cream cheese analogue based on the partial replacement of fresh goat cream cheese with two levels of glycomacropeptide (GMP; 7 or 10%), GUM (0.6 or 0.8), nondairy creamer (0.5 or 2%) and whey protein concentrate (WPC; 0 or 2%). The chemical composition, texture, viscosity, protein digestibility and sensory attributes of the resulting cheeses were evaluated. Incorporation of the GMP at different levels significantly changed the chemical properties of the cheese. With increased levels of GMP and GUM, viscosity and firmness significantly increased as the protein–protein and protein–gum interaction produced stronger gels in comparison with the systems containing nondairy creamer and WPC due to their inactive filler, whereas adhesiveness decreased. Sensory characteristics of cheese indicated that formula made with high concentration of variables seems to be superior for PKU patients, which contained 12.44 mg Phe per gram of protein, and 82.4% protein digestibility after 6 h of enzymatic hydrolysis. According to the results, the method used in this study can be employed in achieving cream cheese analogue with reduced Phe content, appropriate for PKU patients.
A streamlined Emergency Department approach to moderate risk chest pain in patients with no pre‐existing coronary artery disease: A pilot study
Authors: Jones Christopher L , Gallagher Robyn , Quinn Paddy , Lan Nick S R , Thomas David‐Raj , Wood Christopher , Lau Christopher , Chow Weng Man Sofia , Raju Vikram , Rankin James M , Ihdayhid Abdul Rahman , Arendts Glenn
Published: December 2023

Objective

Moderate risk patients with chest pain and no previously diagnosed coronary artery disease (CAD) who present to ED require further risk stratification. We hypothesise that management of these patients by ED physicians can decrease length of stay (LOS), without increasing patient harm.

Methods

A prospective pilot study with comparison to a pre‐intervention control group was performed on patients presenting with chest pain to an ED in Perth, Australia between May and October 2021, following the introduction of a streamlined guideline consisting of ED led decision making and early follow up. Patients had no documented CAD and were at moderate risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Electronic data was used for comparison. Primary outcomes were total LOS and LOS following troponin.

Results

One hundred eighty‐six patients were included. Median total LOS was reduced by 62 min, but this change was not statistically significant (482 [360–795] vs 420 [360–525] min, P = 0.06). However, a significant 60 min decrease in LOS was found following the final troponin (240 (120–571) vs 180 (135–270) min, P = 0.02). There was no difference in the rate of MACE (0% vs 2%, P = 0.50), with no myocardial infarction or death.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that patients with no pre‐existing CAD can be safely managed by emergency physicians streamlining their ED management and decreasing LOS. This pathway could be used in other centres following confirmation of the results by a larger study.
A deceased doctor healing the living in the enchanted world of the Brazilian Northeast
Authors: Greenfield Sidney M. , Cavalcante Antônio Mourão
Published: December 2023

The theme of this paper is that people in Northeast Brazil refuse to let a good person who helped them during his (or her) lifetime die. They do this through several of the religious traditions practiced in the region. Beings, human and other, now in another plane of reality established in modern thinking, cross the conceptual divide and return through mediums or other intermediaries to heal the living. We examine two religious traditions, “folk” or “popular” Catholicism and Kardecist‐Spiritism, focusing on the spirit of Argeu Hebster, a medical doctor who lived in the municipality of Marangaupe in the state of Ceará until his death in 1977. The return of the doctor is told in stories told to the authors while doing ethnography that provide the data used in analyzing the enchanted worlds of the two religions.
Vacancy as Precarious Property in Dublin's Temporary Urbanism Moment
Authors: O'Callaghan Cian
Published: December 2023

This paper makes a case for viewing vacancy as “precarious property” (Blomley 2020; Antipode 52[1]:36–57), i.e. less a material object defined by absence of use than the property relation (understood as a bundle of social, economic, legal, and political relationships) put under strain by the visibility of non‐use. Focusing on Dublin's temporary urbanism moment (2008–2017), the paper has two aims. Firstly, it gives a critical account of this recent urban history of experimentation, documenting how the possibilities of the period following the crash were (fore)closed through governmental interventions. Secondly, the empirical case is used to make a wider conceptual argument about the conjunctural role that vacancy plays in urbanisation and urban politics, developing three main arguments: that vacancy is a vulnerable axis within the ownership model of property; that claims to vacancy are articulated in conjunctural and contextual ways; and that vacancy epitomises the dual nature of precarity.
Efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine for treatment of mild SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and prevention of COVID‐19 severity in pregnant and postpartum women: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: González Raquel , Goncé Anna , Gil Mª. del Mar , Mazarico Edurne , Ferriols‐Pérez Elena , Toro Paloma , Llurba Elisa , Saéz Elisa , Rodríguez‐Zambrano Miguel Ángel , García‐Otero Laura , López Marta , Santacruz Belén , Román Mª. Ángeles , Payà Antoni , Alonso Sofia , Cruz‐Lemini Mónica , Pons‐Duran Clara , Herrera Luis Bernardo , Chen Haily , Bardají Azucena , Quintó Llorenç , Menendez Clara ,   the COVID‐Preg research group
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Pregnant women have an increased risk of severe COVID‐19. Evaluation of drugs with a safety reproductive toxicity profile is a priority. At the beginning of the pandemic, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was recommended for COVID‐19 treatment.

Material and methods

A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial was conducted in eight teaching hospitals in Spain to evaluate the safety and efficacy of HCQ in reducing viral shedding and preventing COVID‐19 progression. Pregnant and postpartum women with a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 PCR (with or without mild COVID‐19 signs/symptoms) and a normal electrocardiogram were randomized to receive either HCQ orally (400 mg/day for 3 days and 200 mg/day for 11 days) or placebo. PCR and electrocardiogram were repeated at day 21 after treatment start. Enrollment was stopped before reaching the target sample due to low recruitment rate. Trial registration EudraCT #: 2020‐001587‐29, on April 2, 2020. Clinical trials.gov # NCT04410562, registered on June 1, 2020.

Results

A total of 116 women (75 pregnant and 41 post‐partum) were enrolled from May 2020 to June 2021. The proportion of women with a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 PCR at day 21 was lower in the HCQ group (21.8%, 12/55) than in the placebo group (31.6%, 18/57), although the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.499). No differences were observed in COVID‐19 progression, adverse events, median change in QTc, hospital admissions, preeclampsia or poor pregnancy and perinatal outcomes between groups.

Conclusions

HCQ was found to be safe in pregnant and postpartum women with asymptomatic or mild SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Although the prevalence of infection was decreased in the HCQ group, the statistical power was insufficient to confirm the potential beneficial effect of HCQ for COVID‐19 treatment.
The effectiveness of taught, self‐help mindfulness‐based interventions on Chinese adolescents' well‐being, mental health, prosocial and difficult behavior, and coping strategy
Authors: Zhou Wanying , McLellan Ros
Published: December 2023

Despite China's enduring historical connection with mindfulness and the growing recognition of mindfulness‐based interventions (MBIs) in Western education, mindfulness remains relatively underexplored in the Chinese education system. This study addresses the scarcity of resources and certified instructors in China by assessing the effectiveness of MBIs in both taught and self‐help forms in improving well‐being and prosocial behavior and regulating negative emotions and behaviors among Chinese adolescents. The analysis included 362 Chinese students (mean age = 13.03, SD = 0.50, 47.5% girls) from 12 classes, assigned to the taught MBI group (N = 129, post), self‐help MBI group (N = 116, post), or control group (N = 117, post). Paired‐sample t‐tests and multi‐level modeling were used, accounting for data nesting and incorporating gender, whether students live in school, and age as covariates. Results revealed a significantly greater improvement in well‐being in the taught group compared with the control, with both MBI groups demonstrating increased prosocial behavior. While the taught group showed a significant decrease in loneliness, it was accompanied by an increase in internalizing problems. Coping strategies varied across the groups, with no significant changes in depression, anxiety, and stress levels. These findings imply the potential value of integrating MBIs into the Chinese educational system, especially given the self‐help approach's favorable outcomes.
Chimeric and mutant CARD9 constructs enable analyses of conserved and diverged autoinhibition mechanisms in the CARD‐CC protein family
Authors: Staal Jens , Driege Yasmine , Van Gaever Femke , Steels Jill , Beyaert Rudi
Published: December 2023

Caspase recruitment domain‐containing protein (CARD)9, CARD10, CARD11, and CARD14 all belong to the CARD‐coiled coil (CC) protein family and originated from a single common ancestral protein early in vertebrate evolution. All four proteins form CARD‐CC/BCL10/MALT1 (CBM) complexes leading to nuclear factor‐kappa‐B (NF‐κB) activation after upstream phosphorylation by various protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms. CBM complex signaling is critical for innate and adaptive immunity, but aberrant activation can cause autoimmune or autoinflammatory diseases, or be oncogenic. CARD9 shows a superior auto‐inhibition compared with other CARD‐CC family proteins, with very low spontaneous activity when overexpressed in HEK293T cells. In contrast, the poor auto‐inhibition of other CARD‐CC family proteins, especially CARD10 (CARMA3) and CARD14 (CARMA2), is hampering characterization of upstream activators or activating mutations in overexpression studies. We grafted different domains from CARD10, 11, and 14 on CARD9 to generate chimeric CARD9 backbones for functional characterization of activating mutants using NF‐κB reporter gene activation in HEK293T cells as readout. CARD11 (CARMA1) activity was not further reduced by grafting on CARD9 backbones. The chimeric CARD9 approach was subsequently validated by using several known disease‐associated mutations in CARD10 and CARD14, and additional screening allowed us to identify several previously unknown activating natural variants in human CARD9 and CARD10. Using Genebass as a resource of exome‐based disease association statistics, we found that activated alleles of CARD9 correlate with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, insomnia, anxiety, and depression, which can occur as comorbidities.
The ‘PD Warrior’ exercise programme improves motor outcomes and quality of life in patients with early Parkinson disease: results of a pilot study
Authors: Tucak Claire , Chih HuiJun , Mastaglia Frank , Rodrigues Julian
Published: December 2023

Background

‘PD Warrior’ (PDW) is a popular exercise programme for Parkinson disease; however, there are no published studies on the outcomes of the programme.

Aims

To investigate short‐term functional and quality of life (QoL) outcomes after the PDW 10‐week programme in a pilot study of individuals with early Parkinson Disease (PD).

Methods

Twenty individuals with PD (Hoehn & Yahr 1–3) attending a hospital outpatient clinic were recruited into the PDW 10‐week programme, comprising a weekly 1‐h supervised class complemented by an individualised daily home exercise programme. Participants had the following assessments at baseline and after completion of the programme: Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS) Part III, timed up‐and‐go (TUG), 10‐m walk test (10mWT), 6‐min walking test (6MWT), balance tests, fine motor skills, 7‐day Parkinson KinetiGraph (PKG) and PDQ‐39 QoL scale.

Results

Seventeen individuals completed the programme. Significant improvements were observed in MDS‐UPDRS motor score (P = 0.019, d = 0.68, MCID 7); 6MWT distance (P < 0.001, d = 1.16); walking time during motor or cognitive dual tasking (P = 0.006, d = 0.77; P = 0.005, d = 0.79, respectively); and the PDQ‐39 emotional well‐being subdomain (P = 0.009; MCID 4.2); as well as improvements trending to significance in bradykinesia (P = 0.025, d = 0.73), 10mWT walking time (P = 0.023, d = 0.61) and borderline improvement in balance (P = 0.056, d = 0.50).

Conclusions

The outcomes of this study support the efficacy of the PDW programme in individuals with early PD and provide justification for future trials and investigation of its effects.
‘What if I'm no longer around?’: An evaluative description of a structured group conversation about the care for persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities when they outlive their parents
Authors: Kruithof Kasper , Olsman Erik , Willems Dick , Volkers Karin , Kleijwegt Bas , Nieuwenhuijse Appolonia
Published: December 2023

Background

Persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) increasingly outlive their parents. Therefore, we designed a structured group conversation to support family members and care professionals in exploring together how parental roles may be taken over by others when necessary.

Method

We conducted a mixed methods study, with a focus on the qualitative data, to describe and evaluate three group conversations.

Results

Family members (n = 22) of persons with PIMD who live in residential care facilities and care professionals (n = 9) evaluated the structured group conversation as valuable. While both parties reported that the group conversation (re)sparked their attention for the topic, mostly family members planned to take concrete action as a result of it.

Conclusions

The group conversation encourages parents to communicate explicitly about the future care for their child with PIMD, and offers both family members and care professionals support in exploring this future care together.
Astragalus polysaccharide promotes the regeneration of intestinal stem cells through HIF‐1 signalling pathway
Authors: Ding Qianqian , Zu Xianpeng , Chen Wei , Xin Jiayun , Xu Xike , Lv Yanhui , Wei Xintong , Wang Jie , Wei Yanping , Li Zhanhong , Cai Jianming , Du Jicong , Zhang Weidong
Published: December 2023

Ionizing radiation (IR)‐induced intestinal injury is usually accompanied by high lethality. Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) are critical and responsible for the regeneration of the damaged intestine. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), one of the main active ingredients of Astragalus membranaceus (AM), has a variety of biological functions. This study was aimed to investigate the potential effects of APS on IR‐induced intestine injury via promoting the regeneration of ISCs. We have established models of IR‐induced intestinal injury and our results showed that APS played great radioprotective effects on the intestine. APS improved the survival rate of irradiated mice, reversed the radiation damage of intestinal tissue, increased the survival rate of intestinal crypts, the number of ISCs and the expression of intestinal tight junction‐related proteins after IR. Moreover, APS promoted the cell viability while inhibited the apoptosis of MODE‐K. Through organoid experiments, we found that APS promoted the regeneration of ISCs. Remarkably, the results of network pharmacology, RNA sequencing and RT‐PCR assays showed that APS significantly upregulated the HIF‐1 signalling pathway, and HIF‐1 inhibitor destroyed the radioprotection of APS. Our findings suggested that APS promotes the regeneration of ISCs through HIF‐1 signalling pathway, and it may be an effective radioprotective agent for IR‐induced intestinal injury.
The EU's Response to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Invoking Norms and Values in Times of Fundamental Rupture
Authors: Bosse Giselle
Published: December 2023

The European Union's response to the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has been widely perceived as unprecedented. This article examines how this could be, considering the long track record of disagreement amongst EU member states over foreign policy vis‐à‐vis Russia. It is argued that whilst the Russian invasion had a decisive impact on member states' security threat perceptions, realist explanations of the EU's forceful response encounter limitations: Germany and France, the EU's most influential powers, were not the drivers of the EU's joint actions during the first months following the invasion, as they struggled to redefine their national security interests. Against this background, this article takes a different perspective. It asks in what kind of intersubjective context the EU's initial response became meaningful and rational, allowing for agreement to emerge amongst the member states on a set of unprecedented measures. This article proposes a theoretical approach that takes into account the role of norms, rationalities and speech acts in a changing context and of social interaction therein. It is demonstrated that, given the dramatic rupture following the invasion, the EU's response in 2022 was embedded in, and structured by, a priori understandings and justifications generated by the EU in response to Russia's war against Ukraine starting in 2014, including normative considerations.
Detecting adolescent depression through passive monitoring of linguistic markers in smartphone communication
Authors: Funkhouser Carter J. , Trivedi Esha , Li Lilian Y. , Helgren Fiona , Zhang Emily , Sritharan Aishwarya , Cherner Rachel A. , Pagliaccio David , Durham Katherine , Kyler Mia , Tse Trinity C. , Buchanan Savannah N. , Allen Nicholas B. , Shankman Stewart A. , Auerbach Randy P.
Published: December 2023

Background

Cross sectional studies have identified linguistic correlates of major depressive disorder (MDD) in smartphone communication. However, it is unclear whether monitoring these linguistic characteristics can detect when an individual is experiencing MDD, which would facilitate timely intervention.

Methods

Approximately 1.2 million messages typed into smartphone social communication apps (e.g. texting, social media) were passively collected from 90 adolescents with a range of depression severity over a 12‐month period. Sentiment (i.e. positive vs. negative valence of text), proportions of first‐person singular pronouns (e.g. ‘I'), and proportions of absolutist words (e.g. ‘all’) were computed for each message and converted to weekly aggregates temporally aligned with weekly MDD statuses obtained from retrospective interviews. Idiographic, multilevel logistic regression models tested whether within‐person deviations in these linguistic features were associated with the probability of concurrently meeting threshold for MDD.

Results

Using more first‐person singular pronouns in smartphone communication relative to one's own average was associated with higher odds of meeting threshold for MDD in the concurrent week (OR = 1.29; p = .007). Sentiment (OR = 1.07; p = .54) and use of absolutist words (OR = 0.99; p = .90) were not related to weekly MDD.

Conclusions

Passively monitoring use of first‐person singular pronouns in adolescents' smartphone communication may help detect MDD, providing novel opportunities for early intervention.
Not screens but their context of use impact cognitive development: a commentary on Yang et al. (2023)
Authors: Bediou Benoit , Cekic Sezen , Bavelier Daphné
Published: December 2023

There have been extensive debates about the impact of the digital transformation on human development. A recent study by Yang and colleagues highlights the importance of considering context of use, beyond amount of use. In their study, children from parents who reported having TV‐on during family meals when they were 2 years old showed poorer cognitive development at age 3.5 as compared to those with TV‐off during family meals. This highlights the importance of considering the context of use when studying effect of screen use. While Yang et al. discuss the distracting effects of TV‐on sensory processing, we propose an alternative – and not mutually exclusive – interpretation based on TV induced deprivation of family interactions. On a more practical note, this should encourage to preserve screen‐free time, especially during structured time such as family meals, in order to maintain family interactions known to be critical to development.
Structure‐preserving fixation allows scanning electron microscopy to reveal biofilm microstructure and interactions with immune cells
Authors: Wells Marilyn , Mikesh Michelle , Gordon Vernita
Published: December 2023

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogen that forms robust biofilms which are commonly associated with chronic infections and cannot be successfully cleared by the immune system. Neutrophils, the most common white blood cells, target infections with pathogen‐killing mechanisms that are rendered largely ineffective by the protective physicochemical structure of a biofilm. Visualisation of the complex interactions between immune cells and biofilms will advance understanding of how biofilms evade the immune system and could aid in developing treatment methods that promote immune clearance with minimal harm to the host. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) distinguishes itself as a powerful, high‐resolution tool for obtaining strikingly clear and detailed topographical images. However, taking full advantage of SEM's potential for high‐resolution imaging requires that the fixation process simultaneously preserve both intricate biofilm architecture and the morphologies and structural signatures characterising neutrophils responses at an infection site. Standard aldehyde‐based fixation techniques result in significant loss of biofilm matrix material and morphologies of responding immune cells, thereby obscuring the details of immune interactions with the biofilm matrix. Here we show an improved fixation technique using the cationic dye alcian blue to preserve and visualise neutrophil interactions with the three‐dimensional architecture of P. aeruginosa biofilms. We also demonstrate that this technique better preserves structures of biofilms grown from two other bacterial species, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Burkholderia thailandensis.
Association between schizophrenia and psoriasis: A two‐sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Ou Yanting , Qi Xiaoyi , Zhang Yihan , Liu Dandan , Luo Lin , Wu Mengfan , Xu Xiangwen , Cui Yongyan
Published: December 2023

Background

Observational studies have showed an association between schizophrenia and risk of psoriasis and vice versa. However, whether schizophrenia is causally associated with psoriasis is unclear.

Methods

A two‐sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed with publicly available genome‐wide association study data including schizophrenia (n = 77 096) and psoriasis (n = 462 933). The inverse‐variance weighted method was performed as the main analysis, with a complementary with the other two analyses: MR‐Egger and weighted median method. A series of sensitivity analyses were also conducted to evaluate the robustness of the results.

Results

MR analyses indicated that genetically predicted schizophrenia was significantly associated with an increased risk of psoriasis [OR: 1.001, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.000–1.002, p = 0.012]. However, no causal effect of genetically predicted psoriasis on schizophrenia (OR: 0.221, 95% CI: 0.029–1.682, p = 0.145) was detected. No pleiotropy or heterogeneity was detected in sensitivity analysis (all p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Our study provides genetic evidence for the causal association between schizophrenia and psoriasis.
People get ready! A new generation of Alzheimer's therapies may require new ways to deliver and pay for healthcare
Authors: Wahlberg Karin , Winblad Bengt , Cole Amanda , Herring William L. , Ramsberg Joakim , Torontali Ilona , Visser Pieter‐Jelle , Wimo Anders , Wollaert Lieve , Jönsson Linus
Published: December 2023

The development of disease‐modifying therapies (DMTs) for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has progressed over the last decade, and the first‐ever therapies with potential to slow the progression of disease are approved in the United States. AD DMTs could provide life‐changing opportunities for people living with this disease, as well as for their caregivers. They could also ease some of the immense societal and economic burden of dementia. However, AD DMTs also come with major challenges due to the large unmet medical need, high prevalence of AD, new costs related to diagnosis, treatment and monitoring, and uncertainty in the therapies’ actual clinical value. This perspective article discusses, from the broad perspective of various health systems and stakeholders, how we can overcome these challenges and improve society's readiness for AD DMTs. We propose that innovative payment models such as performance‐based payments, in combination with learning healthcare systems, could be the way forward to enable timely patient access to treatments, improve accuracy of cost‐effectiveness evaluations and overcome budgetary barriers. Other important considerations include the need for identification of key drivers of patient value, the relevance of different economic perspectives (i.e. healthcare vs. societal) and ethical questions in terms of treatment eligibility criteria.
Utilization of an Educational Liaison for Coordinated Care Between the Medical Home and School‐Based Professionals for Students with Chronic Pain
Authors: Frye William S. , Swan Kimberly , Gardner Lauren M.
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Pediatric programs focused on treating chronic pain often do not include an educational liaison (EL) to coordinate services between the patient's medical home and school. As chronic pain in youth can have deleterious effects on school functioning, collaboration between the medical home and the school system are needed to assure these students receive appropriate accommodations.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEORY

This manuscript describes a model of coordinated care for students with chronic pain that includes a systemic strategy for collaborative care across settings. Specifically, the role of an EL is described in the context of advocating for the patient to receive appropriate educational accommodations.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper provides a guide for caregivers and professionals to assure appropriate access to support services across settings. Recommendations are included for school accommodations and services to improve academic functioning and outcomes for students with chronic pain.
Algal cover as a driver of diversity in communities associated with mussel assemblages across eastern Pacific ecoregions
Authors: Wilbur Lynn , Küpper Frithjof C. , Louca Vasilis
Published: December 2023

Research on intertidal mussel assemblages and associated communities has revealed that complexity and structure are influenced by environmental heterogeneity and local‐scale factors affecting recruitment. Research in situ in eastern and western Pacific intertidal ecosystems has suggested drivers of species diversity and community structure encompassing large geographic scales, however, there are major gaps in geographic coverage. Our aim is to fill some of these gaps by analyzing macrofaunal functional group diversity and effects of environmental factors on intertidal mussel communities from three distinct marine ecoregions in the southern and northern hemispheres. We identified the effects of algal cover and environmental heterogeneity on species richness and evenness, and we modeled factors effecting mussel layer complexity from assemblages in three marine ecoregions. We analyzed macrofaunal species diversity within one of the austral ecoregions based on the width of the coastal shelf. Species richness was highest in samples from the northern hemisphere while evenness was highest in samples from the southern hemisphere. Similarity in functional group structure for all communities sampled was ≤55% (Bray–Curtis dissimilarity) and ≤35% (Chao–Jaccard dissimilarity). Wave exposure had a significant effect on shell length and complexity of mussel matrices on rocky bench platforms. The presence of algal cover had a strong effect on species richness in mussel matrices regardless of complexity, while algal canopies had no effect on species evenness. Overall, this study provides significant new insight on the community complexity of mussel beds in parts of the world which have been poorly studied in this regard.
The first U–Pb age for shocked zircon from the Mien impact structure, Sweden, and implications for metamictization‐induced zircon texture formed during impact events
Authors: Herrmann Maria , Kenny Gavin G. , Martell Josefin , Whitehouse Martin J. , Alwmark Carl
Published: December 2023

Shocked zircon from impactites from the Mien impact structure, Sweden, has been investigated with the aim to date the impact event and correlate the degree of U–Pb age resetting with shock‐related microtextures. In situ U–Pb spot isotope analyses of granular and microporous–granular zircon grains from the impact melt rocks give an age of 120.0 ± 1.0 Ma. This essentially confirms the previous best estimate age of 122.4 ± 2.3 Ma, while also increasing precision on the Mien impact age. U–Pb isotope mapping shows that radiation damage likely explains the similar U–Pb age reset associated with different shock‐related microtextures. Microporous and some of the granular and microporous–granular domains yield higher U concentrations along with younger 238U/206Pb dates. Lower U contents with older 238U/206Pb dates are predominately observed in pristine domains. Due to the U‐decay, the zircon lattice is damaged, a process through which Pb can be lost. This would result in younger 238U/206Pb dates, as observed for the high U domains. As the zircon crystal lattices were locally weakened, metamictization possibly facilitated the development of microporous and granular textures during the impact event. Analyses of unshocked Mien zircon confirm that radiation damage already existed before impact. Lead loss from granular domains occurred through recrystallization and from microporous domains through Pb leaching by hydrothermal fluids. In addition, our study demonstrates the utility of combined U–Pb isotope mapping and spot analysis in unraveling the link between U–Pb resetting and shock‐related microtextures, the formation of which was in this case likely promoted by pre‐existing radiation damage.
PDCD4 and MIR‐21 are promising biomarkers in the follow‐up of OED in liquid biopsies
Authors: Arslan Bozdag Leyla , Açik Leyla , Ersoy H. Erhan , Bayir Ömer , Korkmaz M. Hakan , Mollaoglu Nur , Gultekin S. Elif
Published: December 2023

This research aims to examine the impact of programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4), microRNA‐21 (miR‐21) and microRNA‐208a (miR‐208a) transcripts, and protein levels on oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) development in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods

The research investigation involved the collection of saliva, blood, and tissue samples from a total of 20 patients diagnosed with OSCC, 15 patients diagnosed with OED, and 15 healthy individuals. PDCD4, miR‐21, and miR‐208a expression was performed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). PDCD4 protein levels were assessed using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in both saliva and blood samples. For statistical analysis, the Kruskal–Wallis test and the Spearmen rank test were utilised.

Results

PDCD4 expression levels were considerably lower in patients with OSCC and OED (p < 0.05) in three biological samples. In contrast, miR‐21 expression was higher in OED and OSCC patients. Patients with low PDCD4 mRNA levels and strong miR‐21 expression had a significant connection (p < 0.05) with tumor size and depth.

Conclusions

Examining PDCD4 and miR‐21 transcript levels may help detect the transition from OED to OSCC. This work suggests that PDCD4 and miR‐21 expression levels in liquid biopsies may be biomarkers for OED monitoring in the future.
Sleep bruxism and sleep respiratory disorders in children and adolescents: A systematic review
Authors: Orradre‐Burusco Idoya , Fonseca Julio , Alkhraisat Mohammad Hamdan , Serra‐Negra Júnia M. , Eguia Asier , Torre Aintzane , Anitua Eduardo
Published: December 2023

Objective

Sleep bruxism (SB) is a repetitive rhythmic and nonrhythmic activity. It can be a comorbid condition for other disorders, such as sleep breathing disorders (SBD). However, a clear causal link between these factors is yet to be established. Moreover, this relationship is even more unknown in children. Thus, this systematic review aimed to determine the relationship between SB and SBD in children and teenagers and consolidate the current knowledge about the possible association between both phenomena at the pediatric age.

Materials and Methods

Advanced searches were performed in five electronic databases with the last search updated on February 1, 2023. The methodological quality of the selected studies was analyzed using the quality assessment tool for experimental bruxism studies.

Results

Twenty‐nine of 6378 articles were selected for detailed analyses. Most articles found a comorbid relationship between SB and SBD, though no study analyzed a temporary relationship. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a meta‐analysis could not be performed.

Conclusion

Despite the limitations of this systematic review, it can be concluded that there is an association between SB and SBD in children. However, the level of evidence is low.