bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Silent responsiveness: How public opinion affects party discourse on wedge issues
Authors: MALET GIORGIO , THIÉBAUT CYRILLE
Published: January 2024

How does public opinion affect political discourse on issues that parties struggle to deal with? Although scholars tend to analyse party–voter linkages in terms of policy positions, parties can respond to public opinion by changing both the positions and the salience of their policy agenda. Based on original time‐series data of party discourse and voter preferences in France, Italy and the United Kingdom (1992–2016), this paper analyses how mainstream parties have changed their political discourse on European integration in response to an increasingly Eurosceptic public. Results show that mainstream parties have adapted their positions to changes in public opinion and have at the same time deemphasized European Union issues in their discourse as the public grew Eurosceptic. Parties did not talk more about Europe even when they followed the tides of public opinion. These findings challenge our current understanding of party responsiveness, have implications for theories of party competition, and contribute to debates on the legitimacy of the European project.
Disillusionment and hope with transnational mothers: Avenues of change in education through acompañamiento
Authors: Contreras Ana
Published: January 2024

This critical ethnographic study explores a participatory action research group consisting of Latin American immigrant mothers seeking to involve their community in school decision‐making. Drawing from pedagogies of acompañamiento, I describe how the mothers responded to decision‐making challenges and leveraged reflections on their struggles to co‐create knowledge and belonging. I demonstrate how their collective learning highlights transformation outside of formal policy channels, pushing us to consider alternative ways of making social change.
Editorial: The unquenchable thirst for drinks and diets as treatments for constipation
Authors: Mazor Yoav , Malcolm Allison
Published: January 2024

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to van der Schoot et al paper. To view this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17782
Induced pluripotent stem cell models as a tool to investigate and test fluid biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia
Authors: McInvale Julie J. , Canoll Peter , Hargus Gunnar
Published: January 2024

Neurodegenerative diseases are increasing in prevalence and comprise a large socioeconomic burden on patients and their caretakers. The need for effective therapies and avenues for disease prevention and monitoring is of paramount importance. Fluid biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases have gained a variety of uses, including informing participant selection for clinical trials, lending confidence to clinical diagnosis and disease staging, determining prognosis, and monitoring therapeutic response. Their role is expected to grow as disease‐modifying therapies start to be available to a broader range of patients and as prevention strategies become established. Many of the underlying molecular mechanisms of currently used biomarkers are incompletely understood. Animal models and in vitro systems using cell lines have been extensively employed but face important translatability limitations. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, where a theoretically unlimited range of cell types can be reprogrammed from peripheral cells sampled from patients or healthy individuals, has gained prominence over the last decade. It is a promising avenue to study physiological and pathological biomarker function and response to experimental therapeutics. Such systems are amenable to high‐throughput drug screening or multiomics readouts such as transcriptomics, lipidomics, and proteomics for biomarker discovery, investigation, and validation. The present review describes the current state of biomarkers in the clinical context of neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. We include a discussion of how iPSC models have been used to investigate and test biomarkers such as amyloid‐β, phosphorylated tau, neurofilament light chain or complement proteins, and even nominate novel biomarkers. We discuss the limitations of current iPSC methods, mentioning alternatives such as coculture systems and three‐dimensional organoids which address some of these concerns. Finally, we propose exciting prospects for stem cell transplantation paradigms using animal models as a preclinical tool to study biomarkers in the in vivo context.
Perception of beach safety at a destination beach on the Great Lakes
Authors: Houser Chris , Smith Alex
Published: January 2024

Surf‐related drowning fatalities are a public health concern in the Great Lakes region of North America, and within Canada there are few beaches with lifeguards and no regional beach safety strategy. This short paper presents the results of a survey completed in the northern hemisphere summer of 2022 to determine the perceptions of beach users at Station Beach in Kincardine, Ontario, a popular tourist beach town on Lake Huron. Results suggest that beach safety knowledge and choice of location to occupy along the beach depend on experience with the beach, with frequent visitors tending to select quieter locations located further from a jetty that can result in a structural rip current. Infrequent visitors tended to be closer to the jetty and selected that location based on convenience (e.g., close to parking), suggesting the need for structural changes to guide behaviour towards safer areas of the beach. Results also highlight the challenges of developing an effective warning system to inform beach users of potentially dangerous surf and currents in the absence of an investment in lifeguards or a regional/provincial beach safety strategy.
Clinical phenotypic spectrum of CTNNB1 neurodevelopmental disorder
Authors: Sudnawa Khemika K. , Garber Alison , Cohen Ryan , Calamia Sean , Kanner Cara H. , Montes Jacqueline , Bain Jennifer M. , Fee Robert J. , Chung Wendy K.
Published: January 2024

Pathogenic heterozygous loss of function variants in CTNNB1 are associated with CTNNB1 neurodevelopmental disorder. We report the clinical phenotype of individuals with CTNNB1 neurodevelopmental disorder using both caregiver‐reported data (medical history, adaptive function, quality of life, and behavior issues) and in‐person clinical assessments (neurological, motor, and cognitive function) in 32 individuals with likely pathogenic or pathogenic CTNNB1 variants. Most individuals had truncal hypotonia, muscle weakness, hypertonia, dystonia, microcephaly, and many had a history of tethered cord. Visual problems included strabismus, hyperopia, and familial exudative vitreoretinopathy. Half of individuals walked without an assistive device. The mean Gross Motor Functional Measure‐66 score was 56.6 (SD = 14.8). Average time to complete Nine‐Hole Peg Test was slower than norms. Mean general conceptual ability composite scores from Differential Ability Scales Second Edition were very low (M = 58.3, SD = 11.3). Fifty‐five percent of individuals had low adaptive functioning based on the Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scales. Based upon the Child Behavior Checklist total problems score, the majority (65%) of individuals had behavioral challenges. The mean overall Quality of Life Inventory‐Disability score was 81.7 (SD = 11.9). These data provide a detailed characterization of clinical features in individuals with CTNNB1 neurodevelopmental disorder.
The impact of COVID‐19 on price transmission and price volatility in the Canadian beef supply chain
Authors: Zheng Yanan , An Henry , Yang Meng , Qiu Feng
Published: January 2024

The COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in disruptions to the Canadian meat and livestock markets. While prices initially decreased, the shutdowns of beef packing plants led to a large reduction in the supply of beef and a corresponding increase in the wholesale price with ramifications along the entire supply chain. This study examines the effect of COVID‐19 on price transmission and price volatility in the Canadian beef supply chain using monthly farmgate, wholesale, and retail price data covering the period from July 2005 to February 2022. We find evidence indicating that COVID‐19 affected long‐run price transmission from farmgate and wholesale markets to the retail market. Specifically, we find that the pandemic resulted in a 94.42 and 81.48% decrease in price transmission from the farmgate and wholesale market, respectively, to the retail market, indicating that higher prices at the wholesale level were not being passed on to consumers to the same extent. In the short run, we find asymmetric price adjustments and both direct and indirect volatility spillovers among the three levels of markets, implying strong market interactions across the beef supply chain. Overall, our results suggest the resiliency of the Canadian beef sector to COVID‐19 shocks.
A cost−utility study of elective haemorrhoidectomies in Canada
Authors: Guo M. , Karimuddin A. A. , Liu G. , Crump T. , Brown C. J. , Raval M. J. , Phang P. T. , Ghuman A. , Mok J. , Sutherland J. M.
Published: January 2024

Aim

The aim was to estimate the 10‐year cost−utility of haemorrhoidectomy surgery with preference‐based measures of health using Canadian health utility measures and costs.

Methods

Patients undergoing elective haemorrhoidectomies by general and colorectal surgeons in British Columbia, Vancouver, between September 2015 and November 2022, completed preoperatively and postoperatively the EuroQol five‐dimension five‐level health‐related quality of life questionnaire (EQ‐5D‐5L). Quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) attributable to surgery were calculated by discounting preoperative and postoperative health utility values derived from the EQ‐5D‐5L. Costs were measured from a health system perspective which incorporated costs of hospital stay and specialists' fees. Results are presented in 2021 Canadian dollars.

Results

Of 94 (47%) patients who completed both the preoperative and postoperative questionnaires, the mean gain in QALYs 10 years after surgery was 1.0609, assuming a 3.5% annual discounting rate. The average cost of the surgery was $3166. The average cost per QALY was $2985 when benefits of the surgery were assumed to accrue for 10 years. The cost per QALY was higher for women ($3821) compared with men ($2485). Participants over the age of 70 had the highest cost per QALY ($8079/QALY).

Conclusions

Haemorrhoidectomies have been associated with significant gains in health status and are inexpensive relative to the associated gains in quality of life based on patients' perspectives of their improvement in health and well‐being.
Intermediate versus morning chronotype has lower vascular insulin sensitivity in adults with obesity
Authors: Malin Steven K. , Remchak Mary‐Margaret E. , Heiston Emily M. , Battillo Daniel J. , Gow Andrew J. , Shah Ankit M. , Liu Zhenqi
Published: January 2024

Aim

Chronotype reflects a circadian rhythmicity that regulates endothelial function. While the morning chronotype (MORN) usually has low cardiovascular disease risk, no study has examined insulin action on endothelial function between chronotypes. We hypothesized intermediate chronotypes (INT) would have lower vascular insulin sensitivity than morning chronotype (MORN).

Materials and Methods

Adults with obesity were classified per Morningness‐Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) as either MORN (n = 27, 22 female, MEQ = 63.7 ± 4.7, 53.8 ± 6.7 years, 35.3 ± 4.9 kg/m2) or INT (n = 29, 23 female, MEQ = 48.8 ± 6.7, 56.6 ± 9.0 years, 35.7 ± 6.1 kg/m2). A 120 min euglycaemic‐hyperinsulinaemic clamp (40 mU/m2/min, 90 mg/dl) was conducted to assess macrovascular insulin sensitivity via brachial artery flow‐mediated dilation (%FMD; conduit artery), post‐ischaemic flow velocity (resistance arteriole), as well as microvascular insulin sensitivity via contrast‐enhanced ultrasound [e.g. microvascular blood volume (perfusion)]. Fasting plasma arginine and citrulline, as well as fasting and clamp‐derived plasma endothelin‐1 and nitrate/nitrite, were assessed as surrogates of vasoconstriction and nitric oxide‐mediated vasodilation. Aerobic fitness (VO2max) and body composition (dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry) were also collected.

Results

MORN had a higher VO2max compared with INT (p < .01), although there was no difference in fat mass. While fasting FMD was similar between groups, insulin lowered FMD corrected to shear stress and microvascular blood volume in INT compared with MORN after co‐varying for VO2max (both p ≤ .02). INT also had a lower fasting nitrate (p = .03) and arginine (p = .07). Higher MEQ correlated with elevated FMD (r = 0.33, p = .03) and lower post‐ischaemic flow velocity (r = −0.33, p = .03) as well as shear rate (r = −0.36, p = .02) at 120 min.

Conclusion

When measured during the morning, INT had a lower vascular insulin sensitivity than MORN. Additional work is needed to understand endothelial function differences among chronotypes to optimize cardiovascular disease risk reduction.
Projecting community trophic structures for the last 120 000 years
Authors: González‐Trujillo Juan David , Mendoza Manuel , Araújo Miguel B.
Published: January 2024

Studying past community dynamics can provide valuable insights for anticipating future changes in the world's biota. However, the existing fossil record is too sparse to enable continuous temporal reconstructions of wholesale community dynamics. In this study, we utilise machine learning to reconstruct Late Quaternary community structure, leveraging the climate–trophic structure relationship. We followed a four‐stage approach: 1) identify and map trophic structure units (TSUs) at the global scale based on the guild richness and composition of terrestrial mammal species weighing over 3 kg; 2) train a random forest classifier to predict the observed distribution of TSUs based on contemporary climatic conditions; 3) hindcast the global distribution of TSUs using climatic conditions as reconstructed over the past 120 000 years; and 4) compare TSU hindcasts against elements of community structure as estimated with the fossil record. Models project significant shifts in the geographical distribution of community trophic structures, with more pronounced changes occurring during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. These shifts exhibit regional variations, particularly in Eurasia and North America, where the models project reductions in the distribution of less‐complex trophic structures over the last 24 000 years. Hindcasts partially identified the alterations in community structure seen in the fossil record, demonstrating a match between the observed and predicted times of change in mammal community structure (between 24 and 8 ka BP). However, projections of trophic guilds diverged from fossil records during the Holocene. While the fossil record indicated a decrease in the number of grazers and carnivores, our models projected an increase in these numbers. Characterising community‐wide responses to climatic changes is essential to address key questions about past and future impacts of such changes. Although further research is needed to refine the models, our approach offers a perspective for addressing the complex interactions among climate and trophic structures and model their distributions over time.
Rates of species turnover across elevation vary with vertical stratum in rainforest ant assemblages
Authors: Leahy Lily , Scheffers Brett R. , Andersen Alan N. , Williams Stephen E.
Published: January 2024

Climatic variation at local scales can influence both exposure and sensitivity of organisms and thereby scale up to influence population persistence and community composition across broader geographic extents. Tropical forest canopies are more climatically dynamic than the understorey. Consequently, the niche space of forest canopies has higher overlap in thermal conditions along elevation gradients, which imposes less of a climatic barrier to arboreal species than their ground‐dwelling counterparts. We use ant communities of the Australian Wet Tropics to test the prediction that ground communities should have higher rates of species turnover over elevation compared to arboreal communities. We sampled ground and arboreal ants along elevation gradients at a bioregional scale that includes four mountain sub‐regions. We assessed community composition at three spatial resolutions (regional, elevation, vertical) and then calculated beta diversity (species turnover) over elevation for ground and arboreal communities using null modelling procedures to compare different sized species pools. Vertical niche affinity was a strong contributor to overall biogeographic patterns; indicated by a strong interaction between vertical niche and elevation in beta diversity models. On average, the ground community exhibited a pronounced elevational distance–decay pattern while the arboreal community showed no pattern. Mean species turnover was 36% higher in ground than arboreal communities. Our findings suggest that the vertical niche has a pronounced effect on biogeographic patterns which has important implications for understanding the role of local scale climate conditions in shaping communities and for potential responses to future climate change.
Evolution of realized niche breadth diversity driven by community dynamics
Authors: Kyogoku Daisuke
Published: January 2024

Why many herbivorous insects are host plant specialists, with non‐negligible exceptions, is a conundrum of evolutionary biology, especially because the host plants are not necessarily optimal larval diets. Here, I present a novel model of host plant preference evolution of two insect species. Because habitat preference evolution is contingent upon demographic dynamics, I integrate the evolutionary framework with the modern coexistence theory. The results show that the two insect species can evolve into a habitat specialist and generalist, when they experience both negative and positive frequency‐dependent community dynamics. This happens because the joint action of positive and negative frequency dependence creates multiple (up to nine) eco‐evolutionary equilibria. Furthermore, initial condition dependence due to positive frequency dependence allows specialization to poor habitats. Thus, evolved habitat preferences do not necessarily correlate with the performances. The model provides explanations for counterintuitive empirical patterns and mechanistic interpretations for phenomenological models of niche breadth evolution.
Identification of the ambrosia beetle Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg, 1837) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) from frass and adult DNA by TaqMan Probe real‐time‐PCR
Authors: Rizzo Domenico , Stabile Igor , Marrucci Andrea , Ranaldi Chiara , Zubieta Claudia Gabriela , d'Agostino Andrea , Bartolini Linda , Pennacchio Fabrizio , Rossi Elisabetta , Garonna Antonio P.
Published: January 2024

A molecular tool has been set up for the unambiguous molecular identification of the ambrosia beetle, Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg, 1837) (Coleoptera Curculionidae Scolytinae), the cosmopolitan fruit‐tree pinhole borer, widely distributed in temperate regions of the five continents, where it infests a wide range of hardwoods and softwoods. The test was based on real‐time PCR with TaqMan probe technology and was developed on whole insect bodies (adults) as well as on frass produced by the beetle. The test was shown to meet the criteria established by EPPO for the harmonization of molecular diagnostic methods. In particular, the test gave good results in terms of analytical specificity (inclusivity and exclusivity) and analytical sensitivity, and was fully repeatable and reproducible. Since X. saxesenii is one of the most commonly intercepted ambrosia beetles during phytosanitary controls worldwide, this practical diagnostic tool will be useful for its rapid identification of the beetle in biological material (frass, body fragments). The test can be useful in countries where X. saxesenii is a quarantine species, as well as in the EPPO region.
Beyond accuracy: The development of syntactic complexity in middle school Spanish immersion
Authors: Menke Mandy R.
Published: January 2024

Language immersion programs seek to develop multilingual, multiliterate individuals able to engage with academic content. Studies of immersion students' language development provide details regarding language proficiency and accuracy, yet they generally do not address how features of written, academic language, for example, syntactic and lexical complexity, develop. To this end, this study seeks to understand if and how the syntactic complexity of written texts produced by middle school Spanish immersion students differs across grades. It examines discipline‐related, persuasive texts written by 186 Grade 6–8 Spanish immersion students from five programs, analyzing syntactic complexity at the phrasal, clausal, and supraclausal levels and considering both length‐based and subordination measures. Findings suggest that syntactic complexity does not change significantly in middle school for immersion students unlike findings with nonimmersion students. Explanations for and implications of the findings are explored.
Meta‐analyses of anxiety, motivation, performance, satisfaction, and self‐efficacy in virtual reality‐assisted language education
Authors: Yu Zhonggen , Duan Peng
Published: January 2024

The popularity of virtual reality (VR) technologies has increased since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, there is a paucity of meta‐analytic studies that have investigated the use of VR technologies in language education. This current study addresses this gap by conducting a systematic analysis of 41 randomized controlled studies conducted between 2008 and 2021, examining the effects of VR technologies on language educational outcomes. The findings indicate that VR technologies reduce anxiety levels while enhancing motivation, performance, satisfaction, and self‐efficacy in language learning when compared to traditional learning methods. These outcomes are observed regardless of whether learners engage with immersive or nonimmersive environments and whether they use head‐mounted displays or nonhead‐mounted displays. Future research can investigate the impact of VR on intercultural communicative competence and collaborative problem‐solving abilities.
Recent increases in annual, seasonal, and extreme methane fluxes driven by changes in climate and vegetation in boreal and temperate wetland ecosystems
Authors: Feron Sarah , Malhotra Avni , Bansal Sheel , Fluet‐Chouinard Etienne , McNicol Gavin , Knox Sara H. , Delwiche Kyle B. , Cordero Raul R. , Ouyang Zutao , Zhang Zhen , Poulter Benjamin , Jackson Robert B.
Published: January 2024

Climate warming is expected to increase global methane (CH4) emissions from wetland ecosystems. Although in situ eddy covariance (EC) measurements at ecosystem scales can potentially detect CH4 flux changes, most EC systems have only a few years of data collected, so temporal trends in CH4 remain uncertain. Here, we use established drivers to hindcast changes in CH4 fluxes (FCH4) since the early 1980s. We trained a machine learning (ML) model on CH4 flux measurements from 22 [methane‐producing sites] in wetland, upland, and lake sites of the FLUXNET‐CH4 database with at least two full years of measurements across temperate and boreal biomes. The gradient boosting decision tree ML model then hindcasted daily FCH4 over 1981–2018 using meteorological reanalysis data. We found that, mainly driven by rising temperature, half of the sites (n = 11) showed significant increases in annual, seasonal, and extreme FCH4, with increases in FCH4 of ca. 10% or higher found in the fall from 1981–1989 to 2010–2018. The annual trends were driven by increases during summer and fall, particularly at high‐CH4‐emitting fen sites dominated by aerenchymatous plants. We also found that the distribution of days of extremely high FCH4 (defined according to the 95th percentile of the daily FCH4 values over a reference period) have become more frequent during the last four decades and currently account for 10–40% of the total seasonal fluxes. The share of extreme FCH4 days in the total seasonal fluxes was greatest in winter for boreal/taiga sites and in spring for temperate sites, which highlights the increasing importance of the non‐growing seasons in annual budgets. Our results shed light on the effects of climate warming on wetlands, which appears to be extending the CH4 emission seasons and boosting extreme emissions.
Artificial light at night affects the timing of roosting by Chimney Swifts
Authors: Dougherty Emma , Parzer Harald F. , Morton Elise R.
Published: January 2024

Understanding the impact of anthropogenic threats, such as light pollution, on biodiversity is necessary to establish effective guidelines to protect diminishing wildlife. In this study, we examined the effect of artificial light at night (ALAN) on the roosting behaviour of Chimney Swifts Chaetura pelagica, a highly threatened migratory bird species that lives commensally with humans, where it often breeds and roosts in artificial structures such as chimneys. Although Chimney Swifts are known to use time of sunset in combination with temperature, wind and season to coordinate roost entry, we predicted that high ALAN exposure would override these natural cues and lead to a delayed entry compared with sites with less light pollution. To test this, we examined the effects of ALAN on the start and end times of entry to 21 roosting sites located along a light pollution gradient in New Jersey and the New York Metropolitan area. We found that ALAN was a significant predictor of roosting entry time, with birds entering later in sites with more light pollution. While Chimney Swifts initiated roosting earlier in the summer months compared with the autumn, this effect was absent in areas with high light pollution. These findings highlight the need to determine the causes and consequences of light pollution effects.
Adult‐onset linear IgA bullous dermatosis: a retrospective single‐center cohort study of 81 patients and literature review
Authors: Wang Katherine L. , Lehman Julia S. , Todd Austin , Davis Dawn M. R.
Published: January 2024

Background

Linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD) is a rare autoimmune blistering disorder that may be drug‐induced or paraneoplastic. We aim to characterize features of LABD and determine differentiating factors among idiopathic, drug‐induced, or malignancy‐associated diseases.

Methods

We conducted a single‐center retrospective chart review of adult patients with linear IgA bullous dermatosis at a large tertiary referral center and a literature review of adult linear IgA bullous dermatosis.

Results

Eighty‐one patients were included in the study. Ten patients (12.3%) had comorbid malignancy and nine (11.1%) had inflammatory bowel disease. Median disease duration was significantly shorter in both drug‐induced (1.2 vs. 48.8 months; P < 0.001) and malignancy‐associated (1.7 vs. 48.8 months; P < 0.001) LABD compared with idiopathic LABD. Recurrent episodes occurred significantly more often in idiopathic LABD compared to those with drug‐induced (76.1 vs. 11.5%; P < 0.001) or malignancy‐associated disease (76.1 vs. 33.3%; P = 0.019). Time to diagnosis was significantly shorter in the drug‐induced (0.2 vs. 5.4 months; P < 0.001) and malignancy‐associated groups (0.7 vs. 5.4 months; P = 0.049) compared with idiopathic; similarly, time to improvement was significantly shorter in both drug‐induced (0.4 vs. 3.0 months; P < 0.001) and malignancy‐associated disease (1.1 vs. 3.0 months; P = 0.016). Clinical morphology was indistinguishable between groups. Limitations included retrospective data collection, data from tertiary referral centers, and limited racial and ethnic diversity.

Conclusion

Screening for underlying malignancy, as well as for a predisposing medication or possibly inflammatory bowel disease, may be advisable in patients with LABD, particularly when it is newly diagnosed.
Comparison of influenza viral load in nasopharyngeal and midturbinate swabs
Authors: Bernasconi Corrado , Katugampola Laurie , Wildum Steffen
Published: January 2024

Different specimen types are used for influenza diagnosis but comparative data for viral loads from different swab types are limited. We compared influenza viral loads (determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT‐PCR]) in 93 paired midturbinate and nasopharyngeal swab aliquots from influenza infected patients enrolled in a phase 3 randomized‐controlled study with the objective of maximizing the number of swabs available for sequence analysis. Midturbinate swabs yielded a 53% lower viral load versus nasopharyngeal swabs, and this difference was similar for influenza A and B. These data suggest that nasopharyngeal swabs might be preferred in diagnostic settings when obtaining higher viral load is important.
The effects of telecommunication technology and leadership quality on private consumption in Malaysia
Authors: Tang Chor Foon , Lim Yu Syuen
Published: January 2024

We estimate the long‐run impacts of telecommunication technologies, information and communication technology (ICT), and national leadership on private consumption in Malaysia. To accomplish this objective, the research employs the unit root and cointegration tests on a quarterly sample from 1995:Q1 to 2020:Q4. Our results show that private consumption, ICT, leadership quality and other determinants are cointegrated. In the long‐run, we find that ICT and leadership quality both have a significance positive impact on private consumption. We also discovered that better ICT development and leadership quality will moderate the effects of disposable income on private consumption. Interestingly, the impact of ICT on private consumption is also found to be contingent upon the degree of leadership quality. Thus, policy initiatives aimed to improve ICT infrastructure and nurturing first‐class leadership talents should be prioritised in an effort to promote private consumption, which eventually leads to economic growth and development.
Conditionality as an Instrument of European Governance – Cases, Characteristics and Types
Authors: Becker Peter
Published: January 2024

The principle of conditionality has evolved in the European Union from a European foreign policy tool to an instrument of European governance. European conditionality developed as a hard mode of soft governance. This article describes the different forms and cases of using conditionality in European policy so far. Based on this analysis, it elaborates characteristics and patterns of European conditionality policy and tries to distinguish different types of conditionality. This article thus tries to conceptualise the principle, takes a view on the effect and development of the principle in the European Union and finally tries to develop a typology of European conditionality.
Assessing circularity of wastewater treatment systems: A critical review of indicators
Authors: Samberger Caroline , Imen Sanaz , Messologitis Katerina , Umble Arthur , Jacangelo Joseph G.
Published: January 2024

Global energy demand, water demand, and raw materials extraction are major challenges for society as population grows. While a traditional linear economy approach leads to depletion of finite resources, damage to the Earth's ecosystems, and adverse impacts on human health, a paradigm shift toward implementation of circular economy principles is paramount to the reversal of world resources' exhaustion. The wastewater, or “used water,” sector can contribute to offsetting resource scarcity challenges by adopting circular economy principles to recover and reintroduce recovered resources into the economy. Transitioning to a circular economy model requires monitoring and tracking progress via metrics in the form of indicators. In this paper, a bibliometric analysis followed by a systematic literature review was conducted on available circular economy indicators in the used water treatment sector. Over 200 indicators were categorized into three impact categories: environmental, social, and economic to identify gaps in the existing literature. Results showed that less than 50% of the available circularity indicators are applied in the used water sector and environmental indicators represent the highest percentage among the potential applicable indicators. Research gaps in the circular economy literature in relation to used water treatment systems were identified and future research directions discussed.
Sexual jokes and conversations at the workplace and their relation to employee well‐being: Results from a longitudinal study
Authors: Hommelhoff Sabine , Richter David , Scheibe Susanne
Published: January 2024

Ambient social sexual behaviour at work refers to sexual jokes and conversations at the workplace. Prior cross‐sectional studies indicate that this behaviour is relatively widespread and tends to be associated with negative well‐being. We revisit this research by investigating the outcomes of sexual jokes and conversations at work after 1 year in a comparatively large employee sample. The perceived frequency of sexual jokes and conversations at work was negatively related to job satisfaction and positively related to sick days and anger 1 year later, controlling for baseline levels. Moderating effects of gender and age were not significant. Half of the sample reported that such jokes and conversations were relatively common in their workplace, both before and after the onset of the MeToo movement. We discuss implications and propose ideas for studying the theoretical mechanisms of this phenomenon.
The first step in developing an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Vision Loss: A systematic review
Authors: Billiet Lorenzo , van Nispen Ruth M. A. , De Baets Stijn , de Vries Ralph , Van de Velde Dominique , van der Aa Hilde P. A.
Published: January 2024

Aim

As a first step in developing an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set for adults with vision loss, this systematic review sought to identify the researchers' perspective by identifying the most often used outcome measures and research topics obtained from studies on adults with vision loss.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, APA PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched for studies on vision loss. Meaningful outcome measures and research topics were linked to the ICF components: environmental factors, body functions, body structures and the Activities and Participation life domains.

Results

After deduplication, 7219 records remained, of which 2328 articles were eligible for further review. For feasibility reasons, approximately 20% were randomly chosen from every publication year, resulting in 446 included articles. After full‐text reading, 349 articles remained, describing 753 outcome measures based on questionnaires and 2771 additional research topics that could be linked to the ICF. Most were linked to the component Activities and Participation, with a focus on recreation and leisure activities (ICF code d920, 70%), reading (d166, 34%) and driving (d475, 27%). For the component body function, seeing functions (b210, 83%) were most often reported. Outcome measures and research topics were least often linked to the body structure component and environmental factors.

Conclusion

The broad range of ICF categories identified in this systematic review represents the variety of functioning typical for adults with vision loss. These results reflect the focus of researchers over the past 21 years by using various vision‐related outcomes. In our next steps to develop the ICF Core Set for Vision Loss, we will include perspectives of experts and lived experience.
d‐amino acids metabolism reflects the evolutionary origin of higher plants and their adaptation to the environment
Authors: Porras‐Dominguez Jaime , Lothier Jérémy , Limami Anis M. , Tcherkez Guillaume
Published: January 2024

d‐amino acids are the
d stereoisomers of the common
l‐amino acids found in proteins. Over the past two decades, the occurrence of
d‐amino acids in plants has been reported and circumstantial evidence for a role in various processes, including interaction with soil microorganisms or interference with cellular signalling, has been provided. However, examples are not numerous and
d‐amino acids can also be detrimental, some of them inhibiting growth and development. Thus, the persistence of
d‐amino acid metabolism in plants is rather surprising, and the evolutionary origins of
d‐amino acid metabolism are currently unclear. Systemic analysis of sequences associated with
d‐amino acid metabolism enzymes shows that they are not simply inherited from cyanobacterial metabolism. In fact, the history of plant
d‐amino acid metabolism enzymes likely involves multiple steps, cellular compartments, gene transfers and losses. Regardless of evolutionary steps, enzymes of
d‐amino acid metabolism, such as
d‐amino acid transferases or racemases, have been retained by higher plants and have not simply been eliminated, so it is likely that they fulfil important metabolic roles such as serine, folate or plastid peptidoglycan metabolism. We suggest that
d‐amino acid metabolism may have been critical to support metabolic functions required during the evolution of land plants.
The effects of gender political inclusion and democracy on environmental performance: Evidence from the method of moments by quantile regression
Authors: Asongu Simplice A. , Ndour Cheikh T. , Ngoungou Judith C. M.
Published: January 2024

Motivated by the difficulty of ensuring gender equality and the chaotic state of democracy, we analyze the effects of gender political inclusion and democracy on environmental policy performance. The study uses a panel of 45 African countries over the period 2012–2018 and employs the method of moments by quantile regression. The results show that gender political inclusion and democracy positively affect environmental performance in all quantiles. These positive effects tend to be stronger at higher quantiles. The magnitude is larger for gender political inclusion. When performance is decomposed into the sub‐indices of environmental health and ecosystem vitality, positive effects of gender political inclusion and democracy are observed in all quantiles. The effects are larger for the gender dimension than for the democracy dimension, regardless of the sub‐index used.

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Bingham, Natasha. 2016. “Fighting for Our Cause: The Impact of Women's NGOs on Gender Policy Adoption in Four Former Soviet Republics.” Politics & Policy 44(2): 294–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12155.

Hankivsky, Olena. 2013. “Gender Mainstreaming: A Five‐Country Examination.” Politics & Policy 41(5): 629–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12037.

Nchofoung, Tii, Simplice Asongu, Vanessa Tchamyou, and Ofeh Edoh. 2022. “Gender, Political Inclusion, and Democracy in Africa: Some Empirical Evidence.” Politics & Policy 51(1): 137–155. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12505.
APN nurses' core competencies for general clinical health assessment in primary health care. A scoping review
Authors: Søndergaard Susanne Friis , Andersen Anne Bendix , Frederiksen Kirsten
Published: January 2024

Background

The field of Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) has developed over the past six decades. However, the definition of roles and responsibilities of APN nurses seem to be contested due to both a lack of a clear definition of the concept and to institutional and cultural barriers that restrict the nurses' opportunities to practise to the full extent of their competencies.

Aim

The objective of this scoping review was to identify, examine and conceptually map the available literature on APN nurses' core competencies for general health assessment in primary health care.

Method

We performed a scoping review, following the methodological guidance for reporting as it is described by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Furthermore, the PRISMA‐ScR statement and checklist for reporting scoping reviews were followed. Guiding the initial process for the search, we used the Population, Concept and Context mnemonic (PCC) to clarify the focus and context of the review.

Results

We found three areas of core competencies on which APN nurse draw in performing general health assessments in primary health care: (1) ‘Collaborative, leadership and management skills’ (2) ‘Person‐centred nursing care skills’ and (3) ‘Academic and educational skills’. Furthermore, we found that the three areas are interrelated, because it is crucial that APN nurses draw on collaborative competencies related to leadership and management to meet the service users' needs and deliver high‐quality and person‐centred care.

Conclusion

There is a need for a more specific investigation into how APN nurses' core competencies play a role during general health assessments of patients in primary care. We suggest an evaluation of what works for whom in what circumstances looking into the interrelation between competencies, skills and knowledge when an APN nurse performs a general health assessment in a primary healthcare setting.
Haematopoietic innate interleukin 17A production drives immunopathology in female mouse genital Chlamydia muridarum infection
Authors: Armitage Charles W. , Bryan Emily R. , Trim Logan , Palframan Ella , Wager Lucas , Beagley Kenneth W. , Carey Alison J.
Published: January 2024

Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the leading cause of bacterial urogenital infection and has been demonstrated to drive inflammation and scarring of the reproductive tract. Recent studies have identified key triggers of proinflammatory adaptive immune responses driven by innate leukocytes and epithelia driving immunopathology. Utilizing chimeric mouse models, we investigated the definitive source and role of IL17 and IL17 signalling receptors during early Chlamydia muridarum infection of the female urogenital tract. Bone marrow transplants from wild‐type (WT) and IL17A−/− mice to recipients demonstrated equivocal infection kinetics in the reproductive tract, but interestingly, adoptive transfer of IL17A−/− immune cells to WT recipients resulted in no infertility, suggesting a haematopoietic (as opposed to tissue) source of IL17 driving immunopathology. To further delineate the role of IL17 in immunopathology, we infected WT and IL17 receptor A (IL17RA)−/− female mice and observed a significant reduction in immunopathology in IL17RA−/− mice. WT bone marrow transplants to IL17RA−/− recipient mice prevented hydrosalpinx, suggesting signalling through IL17RA drives immunopathology. Furthermore, early chemical inhibition of IL17 signalling significantly reduced hydrosalpinx, suggesting IL17 acts as an innate driver of disease. Early during the infection, IL17 was produced by γδ T cells in the cervico‐vagina, but more importantly, by neutrophils at the site of infertility in the oviducts. Taken together, these data suggest innate production of IL17 by haematopoietic leukocytes drives immunopathology in the epithelia during early C. muridarum infection of the female reproductive tract.
Partial Eigenvalues Assignment in Singular Systems Using Brauer and Rado Eigenvalue Embedding for Impulse Elimination
Authors: Araújo José M. , Santos Tito L. M.
Published: January 2024

A partial infinite eigenvalues assignment for singular systems is proposed, inspired by the well-known Brauer theorem for eigenvalue embedding. Removal of infinite eigenvalues is a frequent practice in mechanical systems, for instance, to avoid impulsive acceleration and dangerous jerk of the system degrees-of-freedom with null or highly unbalanced mass. Recent efforts were delivered to extend the Brauer theorem to the generalized singular regular eigenvalue problem. However, removing infinite eigenvalues is treated as a particular example by taking the reciprocal pencil and removing its null eigenvalues. In this note, proof for partial infinite eigenvalues removal is made directly in the original regular singular pencil by updating the descriptor matrix, with no need to take the reciprocal pencil. Multi-step and single-step procedures for impulsive response elimination using Brauer’s and Rado’s type finite eigenvalues embedding are presented. The obtained results are effective, as illustrated in a numerical example.
Serum Vitamin D Levels Mediate the Association Between Physical Activity and Blood Pressure in Adolescents
Authors: Araujo-Moura Keisyanne , Nascimento-Ferreira Marcus Vinicius , Schaan Beatriz , Bloch Kátia , de Carvalho Kênia , Cureau Felipe , Ferreira De Moraes Augusto César
Published: January 2024

Individuals with low levels of vitamin D are associated with cardiovascular risks, such as elevated blood pressure (BP), and are; therefore, more likely to develop hypertension. Patients with vitamin D deficiency may face an increased risk of cardiovascular events. In this study, a multicenter, cross-sectional, and school-based investigation was conducted as part of the ERICA project. The sample comprised 1152 adolescents aged 12–17 years from 4 Brazilian cities. Anthropometric variables, BP measurements, and hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were assessed. A 2-level linear regression was fitted to examine the relationship between each level of BP and independent variables. Our findings indicate that movement behaviors were not associated with BP levels, with the exception of sleep time, which demonstrated a positive association. However, after adjustment, this association was found to be nonsignificant. Our study’s mediation analysis revealed that vitamin D mediates up to 12.9% of the association between physical activity and systolic BP. Vitamin D is inversely associated with BP in adolescents. In addition to mediating the physical activity and systolic BP association, engaging in physical activity, particularly outdoors, can provide a dual benefit for adolescents by increasing serum vitamin D levels and assisting in the control of BP levels.