bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An experimental study on reading in high‐immersion virtual reality
Authors: Kaplan‐Rakowski Regina , Gruber Alice
Published: October 2023

High‐immersion virtual reality (VR) is an increasingly valued environment for language learners. Although reading constitutes a core language skill, practicing reading in VR has received little attention. In this between‐subject, quantitative study, 79 intermediate learners of English at a German university were randomly assigned to view an interactive, multimedia‐rich story under two conditions. In the experimental condition, subjects (the VR group) experienced the story using a high‐immersion VR headset. In the comparison condition, subjects (the video group) watched a video recording (ie, screencast) of the same VR experience. In both conditions, the story was presented using identical captions in English, which served as the reading comprehension text. In addition to measuring the impact of VR on reading comprehension, validated questionnaires yielded data on the subjects' intrinsic motivation, sense of presence and cognitive load. The analysis produced several findings. First, t‐tests revealed the VR group was associated with statistically significantly higher reading comprehension scores compared with the video group (p = 0.03). Second, Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests showed that the VR treatment elicited statistically significantly higher levels of motivation (p ≤ 0.0001) and sense of presence (p ≤ 0.0001). Cognitive load was not significantly different between the groups (p = 0.22). Our main implication is that VR can be beneficial for reading practice.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

High‐immersion virtual reality (VR) is engaging and motivational.

Engaging students to practice reading is important.

Research on practicing reading in VR has received little attention.

What this paper adds

It examines the effectiveness of using VR for practicing reading.

It shows that VR enhances motivation and the sense of presence when reading.

Students report equal levels of cognitive load while reading subtitles in VR and reading subtitles in videos.

Implications for practice and/or policy

Our main implication is that VR can be beneficial for reading practice.

VR could be used as a motivational tool to engage students in reading activities.
Boys, girls, and everyone else: Ontario public school board responses to gender diversity
Authors: Greey Ali Durham
Published: October 2023

Trans and nonbinary youth issue a challenge to K‐12 schools, which regularly assume gender is binary and immutable. Although scholars have explored how educational institutions are responding to trans and nonbinary students, fewer have examined the assumptions implicit within these responses. By analyzing policy solutions as diagnostics of institutions’ implicit representations of social problems, I examine how educational institutions construct the terms of membership for trans and nonbinary students. This article examines all publicly‐available Ontario public school board documents (N = 359) including the terms “gender identity” and/or “gender expression.” The findings show patterns in school board approaches. Roughly 80% of responses focus on a case‐by‐case, individual‐level response. The remaining 20% adopt a systemic approach to trans and nonbinary inclusion. Few responses challenge binary‐sorting practices. This article addresses the broader social issue of how public organizations deal with difference and the limits of individual accommodation responses to systemic inequity.
IFN‐γ promotes radioresistant Nestin‐expressing progenitor regeneration in the developing cerebellum by augmenting Shh ligand production
Authors: Hu Jian , Wang Zixuan , Gong Biao , Feng Liyuan , Song Yan , Zhang Shuo , Wang Lin , Qu Yanghui , Li Gen , Zhang Li , Zheng Chaonan , Du Fang , Li Peng , Wang Yuan
Published: October 2023

Background

Patients with brain tumors, especially pediatric brain tumors such as cerebellar medulloblastoma, always suffer from the severe side effects of radiotherapy. Regeneration of neural cells in irradiation‐induced cerebellar injury has been reported, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive.

Methods

We established an irradiation‐induced developing cerebellum injury model in neonatal mice. Microarray, KEGG analysis and semi in vivo slice culture were performed for mechanistic study.

Results

Nestin‐expressing progenitors (NEPs) but not granule neuron precursors (GNPs) were resistant to irradiation and able to regenerate after irradiation. NEPs underwent less apoptosis but similar DNA damage following irradiation compared with GNPs. Subsequently, they started to proliferate and contributed to granule neurons regeneration dependent on the sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway. In addition, irradiation increased Shh ligand provided by Purkinje cells. And microglia accumulated in the irradiated cerebellum producing more IFN‐γ, which augmented Shh ligand production to promote NEP proliferation.

Conclusions

NEP was radioresistant and regenerative. IFN‐γ was increased post irradiation to upregulate Shh ligand, contributing to NEP regeneration. Our study provides insight into the mechanisms of neural cell regeneration in irradiation injury of the developing cerebellum and will help to develop new therapeutic targets for minimizing the side effects of radiotherapy for brain tumors.
Poor utilization of deceased donor pancreata in the United States: Time for action
Authors: Singh Neeraj , Stratta Robert J.
Published: October 2023

The number of solid organ pancreas transplants performed in the United States has declined over the past two decades despite improving outcomes and the known benefits associated with this procedure. Although the reasons are multifactorial, high rates of deceased donor pancreata nonrecovery and nonuse have at least in part contributed to the reduction in pancreas transplant activity. The pancreas has higher nonrecovery and nonuse rates compared to the kidney and liver because of more stringent donor selection criteria, particularly with respect to donor age and body mass index, although even marginally inferior donor pancreata likely still benefit some patients compared to alternative therapies. In this editorial, we present several donor‐, candidate‐, and center‐specific factors that are either confirmed or suspected of being associated with inferior outcomes, which contribute to high pancreas nonrecovery and nonuse rates. In addition, we have discussed several measures to increase pancreas recovery and reduce pancreas nonutilization.
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography training and education
Authors: Chen Jiann‐Hwa , Wang Hsiu‐Po
Published: October 2023

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an advanced endoscopic technique used to diagnose and treat biliary and pancreatic diseases. It is one of the most technically demanding endoscopic procedures. ERCP training programs must ensure trainees have adequate knowledge of the anatomy and physiology associated with biliopancreatic diseases. The variety of ERCP procedures included in training programs should provide sufficient basic training for novice trainees and advanced training for experienced endoscopists. The main endoscopic procedures should be trained in ascending order of difficulty. Incorporating models capable of simulating various clinical and anatomical conditions could provide an effective means of fulfilling training requirements, although they are not easily available due to expensive facilities and void of standard assessment. Competency assessment is crucial in ERCP training to ensure trainees can independently and safely perform ERCP. Because of the rapid advancement of diagnostic and therapeutic methods, postgraduate training is critical for ERCP practitioners. Once certificates are attained, practitioners are solely responsible for maintaining their competency, credentialing, and quality.
Spatial phenotypic variability is higher between island populations than between mainland populations worldwide
Authors: Csergő Anna M. , Healy Kevin , O'Connell Darren P. , Baudraz Maude E. A. , Kelly David J. , Ó Marcaigh Fionn , Smith Annabel L. , Villellas Jesus , White Cian , Yang Qiang , Buckley Yvonne M.
Published: October 2023

Spatial isolation is a key driver of population‐level variability in traits and genotypes worldwide. Geographical distance between populations typically increases isolation, but organisms face additional environmental barriers when dispersing between suitable habitat patches. Despite the predicted universal nature of the causes of isolation, global comparisons of isolation effects across taxa and geographic systems are few. We assessed the strength of isolation due to geographic and macroclimatic distance for paired marine island and paired mainland populations within the same species. Our meta‐analysis included published measurements of phenotypic traits and neutral genetic diversity from 1608 populations of 108 plant and animal species at a global scale. As expected, phenotypic differentiation was higher between marine islands than between populations on the mainland, but we found no consistent signal for differences in spatial patterns of neutral genetic diversity between the two systems. Geographic distance had comparatively weak effects on the spatial patterns of phenotypes and neutral genetic diversity. These results suggest that spatial patterns of phenotypic variation are determined by eco‐evolutionary pressures that differ more between islands than between mainland populations, while the spatial variability of neutral genetic diversity might be shaped by rather similar processes in the two systems. Our approach demonstrates that global biodiversity models that include island biology studies may progress our understanding of the interacting effects of spatial habitat structure, geographic‐ and environmental distances on biological processes underlying spatial population variability. We formulate future research directions for empirical tests and global syntheses in the field.
Immunitas and (un)desirable teacher knowledge in teacher education
Authors: Unsworth Ruth , Clarke Matthew , Hansen Dion Rüsselbæk
Published: October 2023

Since the latter half of the 20th century many political efforts and initiatives have been launched to ensure that teacher education provides teachers with a positive (orderly) knowledge base. This includes things like professional teacher standards and notions like ‘best practices’ and ‘evidence‐based practice’. Building on the work of Esposito and with inspiration from psychoanalytic theory, we argue that today's educational policy can be seen as an attempt to immunise (teacher) education from risks associated with negativity ‐ disorderly, disruptive and ‘destructive’ matters that can problematise and question the normal order of things within political debates and policy‐based reforms. Drawing on examples from England and Denmark – contexts in which the authors work – we demonstrate how a dichotomy between desirable sound/healthy knowledge and undesirable unsound/unhealthy knowledge exist within teacher education. We examine how this produces epistemic injustice in that negative modes of thought and practice are rendered invisible, unthinkable and illegitimate. Being able to traverse such injustice, teachers must be encouraged to approach any and all sources of influence on their professional knowledge base with a sort of agonistic pragmatism, which may allow them to be faithful to the ethico‐political situation they are engaged in. What we suggest in this regard is that teacher education must provide time and space for (student) teachers to engage with plurality, contingency and absence because such negative ‘stumbling blocks’ (always) play a vital part in education, preventing control, stability and harmony.
Slowing of EEG waves correlates with striatal [18F]fluorodopa PET/CT uptake and executive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Lorek Karolina , Mączewska Joanna , Królicki Leszek , Siemiatycka Magdalena , Chalimoniuk Małgorzata , Kisiel‐Sajewicz Katarzyna , Marusiak Jarosław
Published: October 2023

Parkinson's disease (PD) research on specific neuroimaging and neurophysiological biomarkers revealing executive dysfunction mechanisms is limited, necessitating validation. Thus, our study aimed to assess associations between electroencephalographic power spectral density (PSD‐EEG), striatal [18F]Fluorodopa uptake and neuropsychological executive function (EF) testing parameters in PD, while also estimating their diagnostic accuracy. We compared resting PSD‐EEG, striatal [18F]Fluorodopa uptake ratios based on positron emission computed tomography ([18F]FDOPA PET/CT) and neuropsychological EF tests outcomes [Trail Making Test (TMT) and Stroop Test (ST)] between PD patients and healthy controls (HCO) and then calculated correlations among these measures separately for each group. Additionally, we estimated PD diagnostic accuracy of the PSD‐EEG and [18F]FDOPA PET/CT parameters. In PD patients, we observed the following: (i) slower EEG waves, reflected in increased power of the EEG theta and lower‐alpha bands in frontal lobe areas; (ii) reduced [18F]FDOPA PET/CT uptake in the putaminal and caudate nuclei, along with a decreased putamen‐to‐caudate ratio ([18F]FDOPA PET/CT PCR); and (iii) longer performance times evident in nearly all EF tests' parameters. Slower EEG waves correlated negatively with [18F]FDOPA PET/CT PCR and positively with most of the EF test parameters. Furthermore, we found negative correlations between [18F]FDOPA PET/CT PCR and certain EF measures related to ST. [18F]FDOPA PET/CT ratios and several PSD‐EEG parameters, particularly those from the prefrontal cortex, demonstrated clinically reasonable diagnostic accuracy for PD. In conclusion, EEG waves slowing in the frontal lobe were correlated with striatal dopaminergic deficiency and impaired executive function in mild PD patients and showed promise as a biomarker of PD‐related executive dysfunction.
Closing the gap in the Janzen–Connell hypothesis: What determines pathogen diversity?
Authors: Bruijning Marjolein , Metcalf C. Jessica E. , Visser Marco D.
Published: October 2023

The high tree diversity in tropical forests has long been a puzzle to ecologists. In the 1970s, Janzen and Connell proposed that tree species (hosts) coexist due to the stabilizing actions of specialized enemies. This Janzen–Connell hypothesis was subsequently supported by theoretical studies. Yet, such studies have taken the presence of specialized pathogens for granted, overlooking that pathogen coexistence also requires an explanation. Moreover, stable ecological coexistence does not necessarily imply evolutionary stability. What are the conditions that allow Janzen–Connell effects to evolve? We link theory from community ecology, evolutionary biology and epidemiology to tackle this question, structuring our approach around five theoretical frameworks. Phenomenological Lotka–Volterra competition models provide the most basic framework, which can be restructured to include (single‐ or multi‐)pathogen dynamics. This ecological foundation can be extended to include pathogen evolution. Hosts, of course, may also evolve, and we introduce a coevolutionary model, showing that host–pathogen coevolution can lead to highly diverse systems. Our work unpacks the assumptions underpinning Janzen–Connell and places theoretical bounds on pathogen and host ecology and evolution. The five theoretical frameworks taken together provide a stronger theoretical basis for Janzen–Connell, delivering a wider lens that can yield important insights into the maintenance of diversity in these increasingly threatened systems.
Immunomodulatory effects of intravenous and subcutaneous immunoglobulin in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: An observational study
Authors: Svačina Martin K. R. , Meißner Anika , Schweitzer Finja , Ladwig Anne , Pitarokoili Kalliopi , Kofler David M. , Sprenger‐Svačina Alina , Schneider Christian , Kohle Felix , Klein Ines , Wüstenberg Hauke , Lehmann Helmar C.
Published: October 2023

Background and purpose

It is not known whether the route of administration affects the mechanisms of action of therapeutic immunoglobulin in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). The aim of this study, therefore, was to compare the immunomodulatory effects of intravenous (IVIg) and subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg) in patients with CIDP and in IVIg‐treated common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) patients.

Methods

Serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples were obtained from 30 CIDP patients receiving IVIg, 10 CIDP patients receiving SCIg, and 15 patients with CVID receiving IVIg. Samples and clinical data were obtained prior to IVIg/SCIg and at 3 days, 7 days, and, in CIDP patients receiving IVIg, 21 days post‐administration. Serum cytokines were assessed by Luminex‐based multiplex assay and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Immune cells were characterized by flow cytometry.

Results

Immune cell profiles of CIDP and CVID patients differed in frequencies of myeloid dendritic cells and cytotoxic natural killer cells. During treatment with IVIg or SCIg in CIDP patients, cellular immunomarkers were largely similar. CIDP patients receiving IVIg had higher macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)‐1α (p = 0.01), interleukin (IL)‐4 (p = 0.04), and IL‐33 (p = 0.04) levels than SCIg recipients. IVIg treatment more broadly modulated cytokines in CIDP than SCIg treatment.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that the modulation of cellular immunomarkers in CIDP is independent of the application route of therapeutic immunoglobulin. Minor differences were observed between CIDP and CVID patients. In contrast, cytokines were differentially modulated by IVIg and SCIg in CIDP.
Clinical features and outcome of 40 horses with mesodiverticular bands identified during exploratory laparotomy for management of acute colic
Authors: Shanklin Alexander J. , Archer Debra C. , Baldwin Christopher M.
Published: October 2023

Background

Mesodiverticular bands (MDBs) are an embryonic remnant of the vitelline artery. Information about the clinical significance of equine MDBs is currently limited.

Objectives

To report the clinical features, surgical findings and outcomes of horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy where a MDB was identified.

Study design

Retrospective case series.

Methods

Case records of horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy for colic over a 14‐year period (2009–2022) were reviewed. MDBs identified at laparotomy were classified as the primary or contributory cause of abdominal pain, or as incidental.

Results

MDBs were identified in 40/1943 horses (2.1%) and 15 were primary (32.5%), 10 contributory (25%) and 15 incidental (32.5%). Horses with primary MDBs (median 2 years, IQR 1–12) were significantly younger than horses with incidental MDBs (median 8 years, IQR 6–16; P = 0.01). MDBs were more likely to be incidental if located in the mid‐jejunum (5/5) (P < 0.001) or where a mesenteric pocket was absent (11/15) (P = 0.01). Primary MDBs caused extra‐mural obstruction due to mesenteric shortening (n = 4), small intestinal entrapment within the MDB pocket (n = 5) or in an adjacent mesenteric rent (n = 4), and volvulus around the MDB (n = 2), with intestinal resection required in 8/15 cases. For horses with primary MDBs, survival to hospital discharge was 60% overall (9/15) and 75% for horses that stood following anaesthesia (9/12) with 88.9% of cases discharged from hospital (8/9) surviving >1 year. Excision of MDB tissue was not associated with complications but 3/4 non‐incidental MDBs left in situ required relaparotomy to treat MDB‐associated colic.

Main limitations

Retrospective single centre data.

Conclusions

Most MDBs in horses undergoing surgical treatment of colic in this population were not incidental. MDB‐associated colic was most commonly classified as strangulating obstruction, but non‐strangulating extra‐mural compression was also identified. Excision of MDB tissue should be undertaken where possible, particularly in non‐incidental cases.
Association of 2‐oxoacid dehydrogenase complexes with respirasomes in mitochondria
Authors: Plokhikh Konstantin S. , Nesterov Semen V. , Chesnokov Yuriy M. , Rogov Anton G. , Kamyshinsky Roman A. , Vasiliev Aleksandr L. , Yaguzhinsky Lev S. , Vasilov Raif G.
Published: October 2023

In the present study, cryo‐electron tomography was used to investigate the localization of 2‐oxoacid dehydrogenase complexes (OADCs) in cardiac mitochondria and mitochondrial inner membrane samples. Two classes of ordered OADC inner cores with different symmetries were distinguished and their quaternary structures modeled. One class corresponds to pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes and the other to dehydrogenase complexes of α‐ketoglutarate and branched‐chain α‐ketoacids. OADCs were shown to be localized in close proximity to membrane‐embedded respirasomes, as observed both in densely packed lamellar cristae of cardiac mitochondria and in ruptured mitochondrial samples where the dense packing is absent. This suggests the specificity of the OADC–respirasome interaction, which allows localized NADH/NAD+ exchange between OADCs and complex I of the respiratory chain. The importance of this local coupling is based on OADCs being the link between respiration, glycolysis and amino acid metabolism. The coupling of these basic metabolic processes can vary in different tissues and conditions and may be involved in the development of various pathologies. The present study shows that this important and previously missing parameter of mitochondrial complex coupling can be successfully assessed using cryo‐electron tomography.
Frailty and visual, auditory, olfactory, and taste senses in older patients visiting a frailty outpatient clinic
Authors: Sable‐Morita Sayuri , Sugiura Saiko , Suzuki Hirokazu , Fukuoka Hideki , Matsui Yasumoto , Arai Hidenori
Published: October 2023

Aim

Although studies have analyzed the relationship between frailty and human senses, few have comprehensively evaluated and examined their correlations. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between frailty and the senses of sight, hearing, smell, and taste.

Methods

The subjects were outpatients at the Locomo Frail Outpatient Clinic. Sensory organ items were evaluated subjectively, and frailty was classified as nonfrail or frail using the Kihon Checklist. Univariate analysis was performed using the presence or absence of frailty as the dependent variable. Logistic regression analysis (forced entry method) was performed for the variables that showed significant differences.

Results

A total of 269 and 226 participants were assigned to the nonfrail and frail groups, respectively. The frequency of sensory organ impairment was 10.1% for taste, 12.7% for smell, 44.6% for vision, and 58.3% for hearing. Univariate analysis using the presence or absence of frailty as the dependent variable was determined to be significant for years of education, number of medications, Geriatric Depression Scale, Mini‐Mental State Examination, Mini Nutritional Assessment–Short Form, grip strength, gait speed, sense of taste, sense of smell, sense of vision, and sense of hearing. Logistic regression analysis using the presence or absence of frailty as the dependent variable, adjusted for age, showed significant correlations with the Geriatric Depression Scale, gait speed, Mini Nutritional Assessment–Short Form, and olfactory impairment.

Conclusions

Olfactory impairment had the strongest correlation with frailty. Although the sense of smell decreases with disease and aging, olfactory impairment may be correlated with frailty as a symptom of neurodegenerative diseases. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 871–876.
Urban Thirst and Rural Water: The Saga of the Southern Nevada Groundwater Development Project
Authors: Jones Norman L. , Mayo Alan L.
Published: October 2023

In 1989, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) launched the Southern Nevada Groundwater Development Project—a bold plan to construct a series of deep wells in east‐central Nevada to pump groundwater and send it to the Las Vegas region through 300 miles of pipeline. Before starting work on the project, SNWA conducted an environmental impact study and secured water rights in the valleys. Applications for additional new water rights were filed with Nevada State Engineer on the basis of uncaptured evapotranspiration. The SNWA spent decades and millions of dollars studying the hydrogeology of the region and developing computer models to demonstrate that the project would not have an unduly negative impact on the ecology or water users in the region. The project was opposed by environmental groups, native American tribes, and existing water rights holders. One of the protestants was the Cleveland Ranch in Spring Valley. Using the SNWA's own groundwater model, the ranch argued that the project would result in substantial harm to the ranch's water rights which included springs, wells, and a stream, and that the project would result in perpetual groundwater mining, which is forbidden by Nevada state policy. The Nevada State Engineer approved the project, but the decision was eventually reversed by Seventh District Court, which sided with the ranch and ruled that the project would never be sustainable and is therefore not compatible with Nevada policy. The project was formally abandoned in 2020.
Neuroinflammatory markers in patients with haemophilia and healthy controls: Where are the differences?
Authors: Wehmeier Udo F. , Orth Valerie , Höppe Vanessa , Valentino Leonard A. , Hilberg Thomas
Published: October 2023

Introduction

People with haemophilia (PwH) suffer from haemophilic arthropathy which is accompanied by acute and chronic inflammation. The aim of this study was to examine the neuroinflammatory network operative in PwH and to compare it to healthy controls.

Material and Methods

Blood samples were collected from 41 PwH (age 54.7 ± 11.7 years) and 33 healthy controls (age 50.9 ± 10.5 years) and the levels of 13 neuroinflammatory markers were analyzed by applying an antibody‐based detection kit in a flow cytometer.

Results

From 13 analyzed markers, three—ß‐nerve growth factor (ß‐NGF), soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (sRAGE) and Interleukin‐18 (IL‐18) differed significantly between the groups (ß‐NGF p = .045; sRAGE p = .003; IL‐18 p = .007). While ß‐NGF was downregulated in PwH, sRAGE and IL‐18 were upregulated. None of the analyzed markers corelated to the joint status of PwH while CCL2 (C‐C motif ligand 2 chemokine) correlated to HIV infections in PwH (r = .313, p = .007). Correlation analyses of the markers studied also revealed many differences between PwH and controls suggesting a number of deregulations in PwH.

Conclusion

The altered levels of sRAGE and ß‐NGF in PwH, which have not been analyzed in PwH before, may help to understand the neuroinflammatory network operative in PwH. The general inflammatory processes in PwH and the involved biomarkers in PwH remain poorly understood. PwH could benefit from new therapies against neuroinflammation which may help to reduce inflammation or also chronic pain.
Rho GTPase‐activating protein 1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via modulation by CircPIP5K1A/MiR‐101‐3p
Authors: Xu Yanni , Liu Xiaodi , Cao Jincheng , Wu Ye , Jiang Qiongchao , Luo Baoming
Published: October 2023

Aim

There has been an increased focus on regulating cell function with Rho family GTPases, including proliferation, migration/invasion, polarity, and adhesion. Due to the challenges involved in targeting Rho family GTPases directly, it may be more effective to target their regulators, such as Rho GTPase‐activating protein 1 (ARHGAP1). This present research was performed to define the clinical significance of ARHGAP1 expression, as well as its regulatory mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods

ARHGAP1 and miR‐101‐3p expression of liver cancer patients, and their relevance with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis were analyzed by the Cancer Genome Atlas sequencing data, and verified using samples of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. The interactions between miR‐101‐3p and ARHGAP1 or circPIP5K1A were validated by bioinformatic analyses, as well as confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and dual‐luciferase reporter analysis. Plate clonality assays, cell adhesion and migration experiments, and proliferation experiments were used for assessing the participation of the circPIP5K1A/miR‐101‐3p/ARHGAP1 pathway in cell proliferation and motility.

Results

Elevated ARHGAP1 and reduced miR‐101‐3p expression are related to poorer survival. MiR‐101‐3p targets ARHGAP1 to suppress hepatocellular carcinoma cell colony formation and invasion, whereas miR‐101‐3p inhibitor reverses liver cancer proliferation and metastasis suppression caused by ARHGAP1 knockdown. In addition, circPIP5K1A, which is mainly distributed in the cytosol, showed carcinogenic effects by sponging miR‐101‐3p, thus regulating ARHGAP1 expression.

Conclusions

ARHGAP1 serves as an oncogenic gene in liver cancer, and the expression thereof is regulated by circPIP5K1A through sponging miR‐101‐3p.
Physiological, transcriptional and metabolomic evidence for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Lactobacillus plantarum in peanut resistance to salinity stress
Authors: Si Tong , Lu Jinhao , Cao Yidan , Tang Zhaohui , Ci Dunwei , Yu Xiaona , Zhang Xiaojun , Wang Yuefu , Zou Xiaoxia
Published: October 2023

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) play pivotal roles in plant salinity resistance; however, difficulties are still exist in ascertaining their synergistic effects in counteracting legume soil salinity. Here, two peanut cultivars (salt‐tolerant and salt‐sensitive) were subjected to salinity stress, and the alleviation effects of combined microbial agent (CMA, inoculation with AMF + application with LP) on peanut salinity tolerance have been comprehensively characterized. CMA significantly enhanced the biomass production, leaf relative water content, increased the net photosynthetic rate, the maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) and strengthened the antioxidant system, while dramatically decreased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, lipid peroxidation and relative electrolyte conductivity under salinity conditions. Moreover, transcriptional and metabolomic evidence advocated that a subset of stress‐responsive pathways involved in plant growth (e.g. sucrose and starch), photosystem, antioxidant response, signal transduction (e.g. phytohormone and MAPK), osmotic homeostasis (e.g. total soluble sugar and amino acids) and root metabolism (e.g. asparagine and phenylpropanoid) have been regulated by CMA. Taken together, the physiological, transcriptional and metabolomic results indicate that CMA could induce peanut salinity tolerance through increasing plant growth performance, maintaining photosynthetic apparatus integrity, enhancing antioxidant system and regulating root metabolism. This study provides a promising CMA product and would be important for deepening the knowledge of the mechanisms regarding bacterial–fungal interactions.
Student nurses' experiences of remote learning during Covid‐19 pandemic: A qualitative evidence synthesis
Authors: Giltenane Martina , Dowling Maura
Published: October 2023

Aim

To systematically synthesize undergraduate student nurses' experience of online, blended or distance learning during Covid‐19 pandemic.

Design

A qualitative evidence synthesis (QES).

Review Methods

A QES. Themes were organized using the ‘best fit’ framework approach. Methodological limitations and confidence in the review findings were informed by GRADE‐CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research).

Data Sources

Qualitative literature from five databases including CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson) and ERIC were searched from March 2020 to November 2021.

Results

Nine qualitative and two mixed method studies were included in this ‘best fit’ framework using Chickering and Gamson's Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. Importance of the social presence of the teacher through effective communication and interpersonal relationships is highlighted. Clinical placement and in‐person practical skills training are needed for effective nursing education.

Conclusions

This review highlighted that online content can be developed into efficient and high‐quality learner‐centred education within blended undergraduate nursing programmes incorporating essential face‐to‐face and practical components. Various supporting measures are required for both students and faculty. We suggest an adaptation of a ‘Blending with Purpose: The Multimodal Model’ with key considerations for undergraduate nursing programmes where pedagogical objectives and activities drive the approaches to achieve intended learning outcomes and student satisfaction.

Implications for the Profession

Well‐designed online programmes using digital tools that support interaction and teamwork are required for undergraduate nursing education.

Impact

Blended learning approaches offer more flexibility than online learning alone which leads to improved student engagement.

Clinical placement and in‐person practical skills training are needed for effective nursing education.

Reporting Method

‘Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research’ (ENTREQ) for QES.

No Patient or Public Contribution

No Patient or Public Contribution.
Truth in myth: Ancient Stories' windows on treating modern trauma
Authors: Kieran Kathryn
Published: October 2023

Aim

Examine frameworks of myth in the theory and treatment of sequalae of intimate and interpersonal traumas, often seen and experienced by practicing nurses.

Design

A discursive narrative review using a trauma‐informed lens.

Methods

Review of existing frameworks using myth to understand or treat trauma. Due to limited literature from 1945 to 2023, a strategy akin to snowball sampling was used: exploration of source references, an unstructured interview, and a synthesis of existing approaches to interpersonal and intimate trauma.

Results

Effective treatments for post‐traumatic stress disorder exist, but reach is limited. Nursing is under‐represented in the existing literature on myth and trauma, which does not sufficiently include intimate and interpersonal traumas.

Conclusion

Encounters with myths encourage healing from interpersonal violence by making clear connections to universal themes while engaging intellect and emotions.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Encounters with myths could help to mitigate trauma sequalae. Nurses are positioned to develop and test evidence‐based, highly flexible, patient‐centred interventions using myth.

Impact

Identified gap: research using myth to address intimate and interpersonal violence.

Under‐studied intervention: a few works suggest myth encounters benefit combat trauma survivors.

All nurses encounter individuals with trauma histories. Myths may build empathy and efficacy.

Reporting Method

No EQUATOR guidelines were discovered for the paper format.

Patient/Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
The role of psychosocial factors and biological sex on rural Thai adolescents' drinking intention and behaviours: A structural equation model
Authors: Kantawong Eakachai , Kao Tsui‐Sui Annie , Robbins Lorraine B. , Ling Jiying , Anderson‐Carpenter Kaston D.
Published: October 2023

Aims

To examine the contributions of psychosocial factors (attitude towards drinking, perceived drinking norms [PDNs], perceived behavioural control [PBC]), and biological sex on drinking intention and behaviours among rural Thai adolescents.

Design

A cross‐sectional study design.

Methods

In 2022, stratified by sex and grade, we randomly selected 474 rural Thai adolescents (Mage = 14.5 years; SD = 0.92; 50.6% male) from eight public district schools in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, to complete a self‐administered questionnaire. Structural equation modelling with the weighted least square mean and variance adjusted was used for data analysis.

Results

All adolescents' psychosocial factors contributed significantly to the prediction of drinking intention, which subsequently influenced their drinking onset, current drinking and binge drinking pattern in the past 30 days. PDNs emerged as the strongest psychosocial predictor of drinking intention, followed by PBC. Rural adolescents' drinking intention significantly mediated the relationship between all psychosocial factors and drinking behaviours either fully or partially. The path coefficient between drinking attitude and drinking intention was significantly different between males and females.

Conclusion

Different from previous studies focus on adolescents' drinking attitude, rural Thai adolescents' PDNs play a significant role on their drinking intention and subsequently their drinking onset and patterns. This nuanced understanding supports a paradigm shift to target adolescents' perceived drinking norms as a means to delay their drinking onset and problematic drinking behaviours.

Impact

Higher levels of perceived drinking norms significantly led to the increase in drinking intention among adolescents. Minimizing adolescents' perceptions of favourable drinking norms and promoting their capacity to resist drinking, especially due to peer pressure, are recommended for nursing roles as essential components of health education campaigns and future efforts to prevent underage drinking.

Patient or Public Contribution

In this study, there was no public or patient involvement.
Effectiveness of online collaborative problem‐solving method on students' learning performance: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Tian Qian , Zheng Xudong
Published: October 2023

Background

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, online collaborative problem solving (online CPS) has become one of the most crucial learning methods to develop students' learning performance. However, it remains unclear of the effectiveness of the online CPS method on students' learning performance.

Objectives

To explore the overall effect of online CPS methods on students' learning performance and identify the moderating factors that influence this impact, we employed a meta‐analysis approach to analyse the combined effects of 31 articles.

Results

The results showed that the online CPS method had a medium impact on students' learning performance, with an overall effect size of 0.526. The moderator analysis indicated that the online CPS method was more effective for (a) college preparatory learners, (b) the discipline of Economics, (c) grouping method of assigned, (d) teacher‐led instruction, (e) study duration of 2 to 4 weeks, (f) group size of 3–5 members, (g) synchronous online environment and (h) cognitive performance.

Implications

Based on these findings, we recommend using the online CPS to improve students' cognitive and affective learning performance. To enhance students' social learning performance, instructors should design reasonably to use collaborative scaffolding to engage students purposefully and constructively in online CPS activities.
Recommendations for successful virtual patient‐assisted esthetic implant rehabilitation: A guide for optimal function and clinical efficiency
Authors: Li Junying , Joda Tim , Revilla‐León Marta , Saleh Muhammad H. A. , Chen Zhaozhao , Wang Hom‐Lay
Published: October 2023

Objective

Complete arch implant rehabilitation necessitates meticulous treatment planning and high‐level collaboration between surgical and prosthetic dental teams. Emerging virtual technologies hold considerable promise in streamlining this process. The aim of this article is to extend recommendations to clinicians venturing into the virtual patient‐assisted esthetic implant rehabilitation workflow.

Overview

This article summarizes recommendations for virtual patient‐assisted esthetic implant rehabilitation in the following five aspects: three‐dimensional data handling and superimposition, occlusion and virtual articulator integration in creating virtual patients, streamlined face‐ and prosthetic‐driven surgical planning, reuse of presurgical data (“Copy & Paste”), and final impression for passive fitting of final restoration. To illustrate these principles, a case with complete‐mouth implant rehabilitation completed within six visits using this virtual patient workflow is presented.

Conclusion

The virtual patient workflow serves as an invaluable tool to perform treatment planning, enhance efficiency, and ensure predictable outcomes in esthetic complete arch implant rehabilitation.

Clinical Significance

Virtual workflows are increasingly prevalent in esthetic implant rehabilitation. Nevertheless, these workflows necessitate a distinct set of knowledge and tools divergent from conventional dentistry practices. This article offers guidelines and recommendations for dental clinicians who are new to this field.
A guide for selecting the intraoral scan extension when fabricating tooth‐ and implant‐supported fixed dental prostheses
Authors: Revilla‐León Marta , Gómez‐Polo Miguel , Kois John C.
Published: October 2023

Objectives

To describe a new classification for intraoral scans based on the scan extension and to introduce a decision guideline to choose the scan extension for fabricating tooth‐ and implant‐supported fixed dental prostheses (FDPs).

Overview

Multiple operator‐ and patient‐related factors have been identified that can decrease the scanning accuracy of intraoral scanners (IOSs), including scan extension. However, the decision criteria for selecting scan extension for fabricating tooth‐ and implant‐supported restorations is unclear. Based on the extension of the intraoral digital scans, three types of scans can be defined: half‐arch (anterior or posterior), extended half‐arch, and complete‐arch scan. Variables to consider when choosing the scan extension include the number and location of units being restored, as well as the extension and location of edentulous areas. Additionally, the accuracy of the virtual definitive cast and the accuracy of the maxillomandibular relationship captured by using IOSs should be differentiated.

Conclusions

A decision tree for selecting the scan extension is presented. The decision is based on the number and location of units being restored, and the extension and location of edentulous areas. Intraoral scans with reduced scan extension are indicated when fabricating tooth‐ and implant‐supported crowns or short‐span fixed prostheses, when the patient does not have more than one missing tooth in the area of the dental arch included in the scan. For the remaining clinical conditions, complete‐arch intraoral scans are recommended.

Clinical Significance

Scan extension is a clinician's decision that should be based on the number and location of units being restored and the extension and location of edentulous areas. Intraoral scans with a reduced scan extension is recommended, when possible.
Effect of thermal and nonthermal techniques on the physicochemical quality of high‐fat coconut cream
Authors: Nimbkar Shubham , Negi Aditi , Thirukumaran R. , Moses J. A. , Sinija V. R.
Published: October 2023

In light of the nutritional properties of coconut and the growing demand for plant‐based foods, this work was aimed toward the development of high‐fat coconut cream. Coconut milk was subjected to novel thermal (microwave, MW, and ohmic heating, OH) and nonthermal (ultrasound, US, and pulsed electric field, PEF) treatments. A high‐fat cream (fat content >60%) was obtained by centrifugation; its microstructure, color, particle size and zeta potential, textural, and rheological properties were evaluated. All treatments resulted in a significant increase in moisture content and a decrease in fat content; thermal treatments resulted in higher yield (up to ~18% higher than control samples). US resulted in the least particle size and highest absolute zeta potential owing to cavitation effects. MW cream had the highest value of firmness (498.38 ± 4.09 g) and consistency (5501.73 ± 178.08 g s), followed by OH cream and PEF cream had the least values. All cream samples showed shear thinning behavior with US cream exhibiting the lowest flow behavior index (0.22 ± 0.01). Sensory scores indicated that US cream was the most acceptable, especially with high preferences in terms of creaminess and spreadability. The findings of this research provide insights into the development of high‐fat plant‐based creams.

Practical applications

Over the years, there has been a surge in the focus on plant‐based foods. The present work focuses on the development of a novel coconut‐based high‐fat cream and the impact of different processing techniques. The developed novel product can be used as a replacer for animal‐based creams, spreads, and emulsified sauces such as mayonnaise, whilst providing the benefits of coconut fats. This study also provides insights into the development of novel plant‐based high‐fat creams and the use of novel processing techniques for improved quality and stability.
Hepatobiliary and pancreatic: Multi‐donor fecal microbiota transplantation attenuated high‐fat diet‐induced hepatic steatosis in mice by remodeling the gut microbiota
Authors: Shou Diwen , Luo Qingling , Tang Wenjuan , Cao Chuangyu , Huang Hongli , Chen Huiting , Zhou Yongjian
Published: October 2023

Background and Aims

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can improve the symptoms of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by restoring the gut microbiota. This study was aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of single‐donor (SD) or multi‐donor (MD) FMT in a mouse model of hepatic steatosis and explore the underlying mechanisms.

Methods

Fecal samples were collected from NAFLD patients and healthy controls with similar baseline characteristics, with gut microbiota analyzed. Mice were fed either a normal‐chow diet (NCD) or a high‐fat diet (HFD) for 3 weeks and then administered fecal microbiota collected from healthy SDs or MDs for 12 weeks.

Results

Fecal samples from NAFLD patients showed significantly lower microbial diversity than those from healthy controls. MD‐FMT reduced liver fat accumulation and body weight and significantly improved serum and liver biochemical indices in HFD‐fed mice. Compared to untreated HFD‐fed mice, MD‐FMT significantly decreased the relative expression of IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α, IFN‐γ, and IL‐1β mRNAs in the liver. The relative protein level of intestinal barrier components, including claudin‐1, occludin, and E‐cadherin, as well as serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) level in mice, were found to be improved following MD‐FMT intervention. Furthermore, FMT reversed HFD‐induced gut dysbiosis and increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Blautia and Akkermansia.

Conclusion

NAFLD patients and healthy controls showed distinct gut microbiota. Likewise, HFD altered gut microbiota in mice compared to NCD‐fed controls. MD‐FMT restored gut dysbiosis in HFD‐fed mice and attenuated liver steatosis, and should be considered as an effective treatment option for NAFLD.