bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The multifunctionCoxiellaeffector Vice stimulates macropinocytosis and interferes with the ESCRT machinery
Authors: Bienvenu Arthur , Burette Melanie , Cantet Franck , Gourdelier Manon , Swain Jitendriya , Cazevieille Chantal , Clemente Tatiana , Sadi Arif , Dupont Claire , Fe Manon Le , Bonetto Nicolas , Bordignon Benoit , Muriaux Delphine , Gilk Stacey , Bonazzi Matteo , Martinez Eric
Published: March 2024

Intracellular bacterial pathogens divert multiple cellular pathways to establish their niche and persist inside their host.Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, secretes bacterial effector proteins via its Type 4 secretion system to generate aCoxiella-containing vacuole (CCV). Manipulation of lipid and protein trafficking by these effectors is essential for bacterial replication and virulence. Here, we have characterized the lipid composition of CCVs and discovered that the effector Vice interacts with phosphoinositides and membranes enriched in phosphatidylserine (PS) and lysobisphosphatidic acid (LBPA). Remarkably, eukaryotic cells ectopically expressing Vice present compartments that resemble early CCVs in both morphology and composition. We discovered that the biogenesis of these compartments relies on the double function of Vice. The effector protein initially localizes at the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells where it triggers the internalization of large vacuoles by macropinocytosis. Then, Vice stabilizes these compartments by perturbing the ESCRT machinery and inhibiting the formation of intraluminal vesicles (ILVs). Collectively, our results reveal that Vice is an essentialC. burnetiieffector protein capable of hijacking two major cellular pathways to shape the bacterial replicative niche.

Significance statement

Coxiella burnetiiis a unique bacterial pathogen that secretes more than a hundred effector proteins to manipulate cellular processes and establish a replicative niche, theCoxiella-containing vacuole (CCV). Our study identified host cell lipids that are actively recruited by the bacterium to the CCV. Using a library of effector mutants, we identified the protein Vice (for Vacuole-inducingCoxiellaeffector) as the first bacterial effector capable of interacting with lysobisphosphatydic acid-enriched membranes and accumulating this lipid to CCVs. We show that Vice is also capable of stimulating macropinocytosis and inhibiting the ESCRT machinery. Together, our data show how a single bacterial effector can manipulate different cellular processes to favor the biogenesis of a bacterial pathogen’s niche.
A biological model of nonlinear dimensionality reduction
Authors: Yoshida Kensuke , Toyoizumi Taro
Published: March 2024

Obtaining appropriate low-dimensional representations from high-dimensional sensory inputs in an unsupervised manner is essential for straightforward downstream processing. Although nonlinear dimensionality reduction methods such as t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) have been developed, their implementation in simple biological circuits remains unclear. Here, we develop a biologically plausible dimensionality reduction algorithm compatible with t-SNE, which utilizes a simple three-layer feedforward network mimicking the Drosophila olfactory circuit. The proposed learning rule, described as three-factor Hebbian plasticity, is effective for datasets such as entangled rings and MNIST, comparable to t-SNE. We further show that the algorithm could be working in olfactory circuits in Drosophila by analyzing the multiple experimental data in previous studies. We finally suggest that the algorithm is also beneficial for association learning between inputs and rewards, allowing the generalization of these associations to other inputs not yet associated with rewards.
De novoevolution of transmissible tumors in Hydra
Authors: Tissot Sophie , Meliani Jordan , Boutry Justine , Brazier Lionel , Tökölyi Jácint , Roche Benjamin , Ujvari Beata , Nedelcu Aurora M. , Thomas Frédéric , Dujon Antoine M.
Published: March 2024

While most cancers are not transmissible, there are rare cases where cancer cells have acquired the ability to spread vertically or horizontally to other individuals, and sometimes species, causing epidemics in their hosts. However, as these transmissible cancers are usually detected once they are relatively well disseminated in host populations, the conditions associated with their origin remain poorly understood. Using the freshwater cnidarianHydra oligactis, which exhibits spontaneous tumor development that in some strains became vertically transmitted, this study presents the first experimental observation of the evolution of a transmissible tumor. Specifically, we assessed the initial vertical transmission rate of spontaneous tumors and explored the potential for optimizing this rate through artificial selection. One of the hydra strains, which evolved transmissible tumors over five generations, was characterized by analysis of cell type and microbiome, as well as assessment of life-history traits. Our findings indicate that tumor transmission can be immediate for some strains and can be enhanced by selection. The resulting tumors are characterized by overproliferation of large interstitial stem cells and, in contrast with other transmissible tumors on Hydra, are not associated with a specific microbiome. Furthermore, although tumor transmission has only been established over 5 generations, it was sufficient to alter life-history traits in the host, suggesting a compensatory response. This work, therefore, makes the first contribution to understanding the conditions of transmissible cancer emergence and their short-term consequences for the host.
Primate thalamic nuclei select abstract rules and shape prefrontal dynamics
Authors: Phillips Jessica M , Afrasiabi Mohsen , Kambi Niranjan A , Redinbaugh Michelle J , Steely Summer , Johnson Emily R , Cheng Xi , Fayyad Maath , Mohanta Sounak , Caris Asia , Mikell Charles B , Mofakham Sima , Saalmann Yuri B
Published: March 2024

Flexible behavior depends on abstract rules to generalize beyond specific instances, and outcome monitoring to adjust actions. Cortical circuits are posited to read out rules from high-dimensional representations of task-relevant variables in prefrontal cortex (PFC). We instead hypothesized that converging inputs from PFC, directly or via basal ganglia (BG), enable thalamus to select rules. We measured activity across PFC and connected thalamic nuclei of monkeys applying rules. Abstract rule information first appeared in ventroanterior thalamus (VA), the main thalamic hub between BG and PFC. Mediodorsal thalamus (MD) also represented rule information before PFC, persisting to help maintain activation of relevant PFC cell ensembles. MD, a major recipient of midbrain dopamine input, was first to represent information about behavioral outcomes. A PFC-BG-thalamus model reproduced key findings, and thalamic-lesion modeling disrupted PFC rule representations. This suggests that thalamus selects high-level cognitive information from PFC and monitors behavioral outcomes of these selections.
Pan-cellular organelles and suborganelles—from common functions to cellular diversity?
Authors: Schieweck Rico , Götz Magdalena
Published: March 2024

Cell diversification is at the base of increasing multicellular organism complexity in phylogeny achieved during ontogeny. However, there are also functions common to all cells, such as cell division, cell migration, translation, endocytosis, exocytosis, etc. Here we revisit the organelles involved in such common functions, reviewing recent evidence of unexpected differences of proteins at these organelles. For instance, centrosomes or mitochondria differ significantly in their protein composition in different, sometimes closely related, cell types. This has relevance for development and disease. Particularly striking is the high amount and diversity of RNA-binding proteins at these and other organelles, which brings us to review the evidence for RNA at different organelles and suborganelles. We include a discussion about (sub)organelles involved in translation, such as the nucleolus and ribosomes, for which unexpected cell type-specific diversity has also been reported. We propose here that the heterogeneity of these organelles and compartments represents a novel mechanism for regulating cell diversity. One reason is that protein functions can be multiplied by their different contributions in distinct organelles, as also exemplified by proteins with moonlighting function. The specialized organelles still perform pan-cellular functions but in a cell type-specific mode, as discussed here for centrosomes, mitochondria, vesicles, and other organelles. These can serve as regulatory hubs for the storage and transport of specific and functionally important regulators. In this way, they can control cell differentiation, plasticity, and survival. We further include examples highlighting the relevance for disease and propose to examine organelles in many more cell types for their possible differences with functional relevance.
A serine metabolic enzyme is flexing its muscle to help repair skeletal muscle
Authors: Baráth Benjámin R. , Nagy Laszlo
Published: March 2024

Metabolic reprogramming of stem cells is a targetable pathway to control regeneration. Activation of stem cells results in down-regulation of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and turns on glycolysis to provide fuel for proliferation and specific signaling events. How cell type-specific events are regulated is unknown. In this issue ofGenes & DevelopmentCiuffoli and colleagues (pp. 151–167) use metabolomic, gene inactivation, and functional approaches to show that phosphoserine aminotransferase (Psat1), an enzyme in serine biosynthesis, is activated in muscle stem cells and contributes to cell expansion and skeletal muscle regeneration via the production of α-ketoglutarate and glutamine.
The structure, function, and evolution of plant centromeres
Authors: Naish Matthew , Henderson Ian R.
Published: March 2024

Centromeres are essential regions of eukaryotic chromosomes responsible for the formation of kinetochore complexes, which connect to spindle microtubules during cell division. Notably, although centromeres maintain a conserved function in chromosome segregation, the underlying DNA sequences are diverse both within and between species and are predominantly repetitive in nature. The repeat content of centromeres includes high-copy tandem repeats (satellites), and/or specific families of transposons. The functional region of the centromere is defined by loading of a specific histone 3 variant (CENH3), which nucleates the kinetochore and shows dynamic regulation. In many plants, the centromeres are composed of satellite repeat arrays that are densely DNA methylated and invaded by centrophilic retrotransposons. In some cases, the retrotransposons become the sites of CENH3 loading. We review the structure of plant centromeres, including monocentric, holocentric, and metapolycentric architectures, which vary in the number and distribution of kinetochore attachment sites along chromosomes. We discuss how variation in CENH3 loading can drive genome elimination during early cell divisions of plant embryogenesis. We review how epigenetic state may influence centromere identity and discuss evolutionary models that seek to explain the paradoxically rapid change of centromere sequences observed across species, including the potential roles of recombination. We outline putative modes of selection that could act within the centromeres, as well as the role of repeats in driving cycles of centromere evolution. Although our primary focus is on plant genomes, we draw comparisons with animal and fungal centromeres to derive a eukaryote-wide perspective of centromere structure and function.
Maglev for dark matter: Dark-photon and axion dark matter sensing with levitated superconductors
Authors: Higgins Gerard , Kalia Saarik , Liu Zhen
Published: March 2024

Ultraprecise mechanical sensors offer an exciting avenue for testing new physics. While many of these sensors are tailored to detect inertial forces, magnetically levitated (Maglev) systems are particularly interesting, in that they are also sensitive to electromagnetic forces. In this work, we propose the use of magnetically levitated superconductors to detect dark-photon and axion dark matter through their couplings to electromagnetism. Several existing laboratory experiments search for these dark-matter candidates at high frequencies, but few are sensitive to frequencies below 1 kHz (corresponding to dark-matter masses mDM≲10−12  eV). As a mechanical resonator, magnetically levitated superconductors are sensitive to lower frequencies, and so can probe parameter space currently unexplored by laboratory experiments. Dark-photon and axion dark matter can source an oscillating magnetic field that drives the motion of a magnetically levitated superconductor. This motion is resonantly enhanced when the dark matter Compton frequency matches the levitated superconductor’s trapping frequency. We outline the necessary modifications to make magnetically levitated superconductors sensitive to dark matter, including specifications for both broadband and resonant schemes. We show that in the Hz≲fDM≲kHz frequency range our technique can achieve the leading sensitivity among laboratory probes of both dark-photon and axion dark matter.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Spin-Orbit Excitons in a Correlated Metal: Raman Scattering Study of
Sr2RhO4
Authors: Wang Lichen , Liu Huimei , Zimmermann Valentin , Yogi Arvind Kumar , Isobe Masahiko , Minola Matteo , Hepting Matthias , Khaliullin Giniyat , Keimer Bernhard
Published: March 2024

Using Raman spectroscopy to study the correlated 4d-electron metal Sr2RhO4, we observe pronounced excitations at 220 meV and 240 meV with A1g and B1g symmetries, respectively. We identify them as transitions between the spin-orbit multiplets of the Rh ions, in close analogy to the spin-orbit excitons in the Mott insulators Sr2IrO4 and α−RuCl3. This observation provides direct evidence for the unquenched spin-orbit coupling in Sr2RhO4. A quantitative analysis of the data reveals that the tetragonal crystal field Δ in Sr2RhO4 has a sign opposite to that in insulating Sr2IrO4, which enhances the planar xy orbital character of the effective J=1/2 wave function. This supports a metallic ground state, and suggests that c-axis compression of Sr2RhO4 may transform it into a quasi-two-dimensional antiferromagnetic insulator.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Emotions, empathy and social justice education
Authors: Smagorinsky Peter
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to consider the role of emotions, especially those related to empathy, in promoting a more humane education that enables students to reach out across kinship chasms to promote the development of communities predicated on a shared value on mutual respect. This attention to empathy includes a review of the rational basis for much schooling, introduces skepticism about the façade of rational thinking, reviews the emotionally flat character of classrooms, attends to the emotional dimensions of literacy education, argues on behalf of taking emotions into account in developmental theories and links empathic connections with social justice efforts. The study’s main thrust is that empathy is a key emotional quality that does not come naturally or easily to many, yet is important to cultivate if social justice is a goal of education.

Design/methodology/approach

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Findings

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Research limitations/implications

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Originality/value

The paper challenges the rational emphasis of schooling and argues for more attention to the ways in which emotions shape thinking.
A review on textile-based humidity sensors for wearable physical monitoring
Authors: Baysal Gülçin
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The aim of this review is to present together the studies on textile-based moisture sensors developed using innovative technologies in recent years.

Design/methodology/approach

The integration levels of the sensors studied with the textile materials are changing. Some research teams have used a combination of printing and textile technologies to produce sensors, while a group of researchers have used traditional technologies such as weaving and embroidery. Others have taken advantage of new technologies such as electro-spinning, polymerization and other techniques. In this way, they tried to combine the good working efficiency of the sensors and the flexibility of the textile. All these approaches are presented in this article.

Findings

The presentation of the latest technologies used to develop textile sensors together will give researchers an idea about new studies that can be done on highly sensitive and efficient textile-based moisture sensor systems.

Originality/value

In this paper humidity sensors have been explained in terms of measuring principle as capacitive and resistive. Then, studies conducted in the last 20 years on the textile-based humidity sensors have been presented in detail. This is a comprehensive review study that presents the latest developments together in this area for researchers.
Institutional quality, FDI inflows, human capital development and poverty: a case of Indonesia
Authors: Goh Lim Thye , Trinugroho Irwan , Law Siong Hook , Rusdi Dedi
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of institutional quality, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows and human capital development on Indonesia’s poverty rate.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantile regression on data ranging from 1984 to 2019 was used to capture the relationship between the impact of the independent variables (FDI inflows, institutional quality and human capital development) on Indonesia’s poverty rate at different quantiles of the conditional distribution.

Findings

The empirical results reveal that low-quantile institutional quality is detrimental to poverty eradication, whereas FDI inflows and human capital development are significant at higher quantiles of distribution. This implies that higher-value FDI and advanced human capital development are critical to lifting Indonesians out of poverty.

Practical implications

Policymakers should prioritise strategies that advance human capital development, create an enticing investment climate that attracts high-value investments and improve institutional quality levels.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing literature because, compared to previous studies that focussed on estimating the conditional mean of the explanatory variable on the poverty rate. It rather provides a more comprehensive understanding of the quantiles of interest of FDI inflows and institutional quality on the Indonesian poverty rate, allowing for more targeted policies.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-09-2023-0733
Research data management practices of faculty members in Ghanaian universities
Authors: Arthur Beatrice , van der Walt Thomas
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current research data management practices among researchers in Ghana and their impact on data reuse and collaborative research. The study aims to identify the methods used by researchers to store and preserve their research data, as well as to determine the extent to which researchers share their data with others.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a mixed-method research strategy to blend qualitative and quantitative data and is conducted at two public and two private universities in Ghana.

Findings

The study revealed that researchers in Ghana currently store and preserve their research data using personal devices, such as laptops, CDs and external flash drives, rather than keeping the data in university data repositories. They also do not share their research data with others, which negatively affects collaborative research. The current practice of storing data on personal devices and not sharing data with others hinders collaborative research. The study recommends that universities in Ghana revise their research policy documents to address RDM-related issues such as data storage, data preservation, data sharing and data reuse.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted at two public and two private universities in Ghana, but the findings were placed in a wider context through appropriate references.

Practical implications

This study emphasises the need for sound research data management procedures to support research collaboration and data reuse in Ghana. Universities should provide incentives to academics to disclose their data to encourage data sharing and collaboration.

Social implications

The government and management of universities should consciously invest in the needed technologies and equipment to implement research data management in their universities.

Originality/value

This study looks at how researchers in Ghana manage their research data and how it affects data reuse and collaborative research.
From bonus to burden: The cost of ruling from a new(s) perspective
Authors: THESEN GUNNAR , GREEN‐PEDERSEN CHRISTOFFER , MORTENSEN PETER
Published: March 2024

Studies have repeatedly documented the cost of ruling: governing parties generally suffer electoral defeats. We approach this empirical law of political science from the perspective of another empirical law: the incumbency bonus, the fact that incumbents get more media attention than the opposition. Our claim is that the bonus constitutes an electoral liability because it reflects the critical approach of media to government power. News featuring incumbents is therefore associated with a more negative tone than news featuring the opposition. This incumbency burden in turn affects government support negatively. Empirically, we draw on an extensive news corpus covering four European countries over two decades, combined with monthly poll data. Analyses show that the incumbency burden in political news is an empirical reality, and that variations in the burden contribute substantially to predictions of government support. Finally, the negative burden effect is stronger for single‐party cabinets, but stable throughout government tenure.
Long noncoding RNA LRG modulates Drosophila locomotion by sequestering Synaptotagmin 1 protein
Authors: Cui Ming‐Yang , Xu Meng‐Bo , Wang Ying‐Xuan , Bai Bao‐Yan , Chen Run‐Sheng , Liu Li , Li Mei‐Xia
Published: March 2024

Apparently, the genomes of many organisms are pervasively transcribed, and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) make up the majority of cellular transcripts. LncRNAs have been reported to play important roles in many biological processes; however, their effects on locomotion are poorly understood. Here, we presented a novel lncRNA, Locomotion Regulatory Gene (LRG), which participates in locomotion by sequestering Synaptotagmin 1 (SYT1). LRG deficiency resulted in higher locomotion speed which could be rescued by pan‐neuronal overexpression but not by limited ellipsoid body, motoneuron or muscle‐expression of LRG. At the molecular level, the synaptic vesicles (SVs) release and movement‐related SYT1 protein was recognized as LRG‐interacting protein candidate. Furthermore, LRG had no effects on SYT1 expression. Genetically, the behavioral defects in LRG mutant could be rescued by pan‐neuronal knock‐down of Syt1. Taken together, all the results suggested LRG exerts regulatory effects on locomotion via sequestering SYT1 thereby blocking its function without affecting its expression. Our work displays a new function of lncRNA and provides insights for revealing the pathogenesis of neurological diseases with motor disorders.
Competition, cooperation, and parental effects in larval aggregations formed on carrion by communally breeding beetles Necrodes littoralis (Staphylinidae: Silphinae)
Authors: Lis Natalia , Mądra‐Bielewicz Anna , Wydra Jędrzej , Matuszewski Szymon
Published: March 2024

Aggregations of juveniles are dominant forms of social life in some insect groups. Larval societies are shaped by competitive and cooperative interactions of the larvae, in parallel with parental effects. Colonies of necrophagous larvae are excellent systems to study these relationships. Necrodes littoralis (Staphylinidae: Silphinae), a carrion beetle that colonizes cadavers of large vertebrates, forms massive juvenile aggregations. By spreading over carrion anal and oral exudates, the beetles form the feeding matrix, in which the heat is produced and by which adults presumably affect the fitness of the larvae. We predict that exploitative competition shapes the behavior of N. littoralis larvae in their aggregations. However, cooperative interactions may also operate in these systems due mainly to the benefits of collective exodigestion. Moreover, indirect parental effects (i.e., formation of the feeding matrix) probably modulate larval interactions within the aggregations. By manipulating parental effects (present/absent) and larval density (0.02−1.9 larvae/g of meat), we found a strong negative group‐size effect on fitness components of N. littoralis, in colonies with parental effects over almost the entire density range, and in colonies without parental effects for densities larger than 0.5 larva/g. This was accompanied by positive group‐size effects in terms of development time (it shortened with larval density) and thermogenesis (it increased with larval density). A pronounced positive group‐size effect on juvenile fitness was found only in colonies without parental effects and only in the low‐density range. These results support the hypothesis that larval societies of N. littoralis are shaped by exploitation competition.
Epistemic competition in global governance: The case of pharmaceutical patents
Authors: Couette Cynthia
Published: March 2024

Expert consensus helps policymakers solve complex problems by identifying and legitimizing policy solutions. Yet, persistent hesitation remains among policymakers regarding the technically adequate policy solution despite the existence and mobilization of epistemic communities. This paper contends that more attention should be given to studying the epistemic competition that may arise when multiple epistemic communities grapple with the same problem but have divergent understandings of its technical nature and its adequate policy solutions. Building on Science and Technology Studies and on the literature on polarization, this paper suggests that two social dynamics, namely the mobilization of resources and increased polarization, may complexify the technical disagreement among experts. In turn, these dynamics may lead to a deadlock in the debates, negatively impacting the institutional context where they take place. To illustrate this, this paper analyzes the case of the pharmaceutical innovation system, which has been prone to tensions between experts arguing for strong patent protection and experts arguing for greater flexibility to meet public health needs. This paper builds on a mixed method combining a social network analysis of experts invited to provide their expertise in the WHO‐WTO‐WIPO Trilateral Cooperation events and on semi‐structured interviews with 24 of these experts.
General practitioner prescription patterns for atopic eczema in children—Are they affected by telemedicine advice?
Authors: Ying Geoffrey , Koch Karen
Published: March 2024

Traditionally, patients presenting to primary care with severe eczema would be referred to a dermatology clinic for an in‐person specialist appointment. With the rise of teledermatology, dermatologists are instead dispensing tailored written advice based on information provided in the referral. However, there is currently minimal literature assessing whether this advice translates into relevant prescriptions. This clinical audit examines GP prescribing practices and how they correlate to dermatologist recommendations with the objective of assessing whether this form of teledermatology is a viable method of providing care to paediatric eczema patients.
Multiplex PCR for respiratory bacteria in acute care
Authors: Saarela Elina , Renko Marjo , Uhari Matti , Pokka Tytti , Kauma Heikki , Ruuska Terhi S.
Published: March 2024

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the clinical utility of multiplex PCR for detecting bacterial respiratory pathogens in nasopharyngeal samples. Acutely ill adults in the emergency department with respiratory infection symptoms, fever, chest pain or poor general condition were enrolled for this cohort study. Samples were stored at –70 °C until being analysed with multiplex PCR for seven respiratory bacteria. Of the 912 patients enrolled, those with positive bacterial samples (n = 130, 14%) were significantly younger than those with a negative finding (55.5 years vs 62.2 years, p < 0.001), and their mean C‐reactive protein (CRP) concentration was higher (110 mg/L vs 59 mg/L, p < 0.0001). Patients with a positive respiratory bacterial finding had a higher probability of pneumonia (35% vs 13%, p < 0.001) and a higher likelihood of receiving a prescription for antibiotics than those with a negative finding (79% vs 59%, p < 0.0001). Positive detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae was associated with a 4.5‐fold risk of pneumonia in a multivariate model and detection of an atypical respiratory pathogen with a 9‐fold risk. Bacterial PCR performed on nasopharyngeal samples appeared to offer a valuable addition to the diagnostics of infections in adults in acute care.
Mechanisms underlying the relations between parents' perfectionistic tendencies and young children's mathematical abilities
Authors: Cheung Sum Kwing , Chan Winnie Wai Lan , Fong Ricci Wai‐tsz
Published: March 2024

Background

Parents' high academic expectations are positively associated with young children's mathematical abilities. However, minimal attention has been devoted to whether, and how, different ways of conveying the performance targets would result in different outcomes.

Aims

The current study investigated whether and how parents' perfectionistic strivings and concerns were associated with young children's mathematical abilities through home mathematical activities, children's approach motivation to learn mathematics, and children's avoidance motivation to learn mathematics.

Sample

Participants included 211 kindergarteners in Hong Kong and their parents.

Methods

Data were collected through individual child tests and parent questionnaires.

Results

Structural equation modelling revealed that parents' perfectionistic strivings had a direct positive link with children's mathematical abilities, an indirect link via approach motivation to learn mathematics, and an indirect link via home mathematical activities, and then approach motivation. Parents' perfectionistic concerns had a direct negative link with children's mathematical abilities, an indirect link via approach motivation to learn mathematics, and an indirect link via avoidance motivation to learn mathematics.

Conclusions

Early childhood practitioners are recommended to raise parents' awareness of how to communicate high‐performance targets to children in a constructive manner.
Diethoxyphosphoryloxy‐oleanolic acid is a nanomolar‐inhibitor of butyrylcholinesterase
Authors: Petrova Anastasiya V. , Poptsov Alexandr I. , Heise Niels V. , Csuk René , Kazakova Oxana B.
Published: March 2024

A series of new betulin, lupeol, erythrodiol, and oleanolic acid phosphoryloxy‐ and furoyloxy‐derivatives has been synthesized and their structure was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. Synthesized compounds were subjected to Ellman's assays to determine their ability to inhibit the enzymes AChE and BChE. Among them, diethoxyphosphoryloxy‐oleanolic acid inhibited BChE with a value of 99%, thereby acting as a mixed‐type inhibitor holding very low Ki values of Ki = 6.59 nM and Ki’ = 1.97 nM, respectively.
Theory and application of TTFields in newly diagnosed glioblastoma
Authors: Yu Ao , Zeng Juan , Yu Jinhui , Cao Shuo , Li Ailin
Published: March 2024

Background

Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults. TTFields is a therapy that use intermediate‐frequency and low‐intensity alternating electric fields to treat tumors. For patients with ndGBM, the addition of TTFields after the concurrent chemoradiotherapy phase of the Stupp regimen can improve prognosis. However, TTFields still has the potential to further prolong the survival of ndGBM patients.

Aim

By summarizing the mechanism and application status of TTFields in the treatment of ndGBM, the application prospect of TTFields in ndbm treatment is prospected.

Methods

We review the recent literature and included 76 articles to summarize the mechanism of TTfields in the treatment of ndGBM. The current clinical application status and potential health benefits of TTFields in the treatment of ndGBM are also discussed.

Results

TTFields can interfere with tumor cell mitosis, lead to tumor cell apoptosis and increased autophagy, hinder DNA damage repair, induce ICD, activate tumor immune microenvironment, reduce cancer cell metastasis and invasion, and increase BBB permeability. TTFields combines with chemoradiotherapy has made progress, its optimal application time is being explored and the problems that need to be considered when retaining the electrode patches for radiotherapy are further discussed. TTFields shows potential in combination with immunotherapy, antimitotic agents, and PARP inhibitors, as well as in patients with subtentorial gliomas.

Conclusion

This review summarizes mechanisms of TTFields in the treatment of ndGBM, and describes the current clinical application of TTFields in ndGBM. Through the understanding of its principle and application status, we believe that TTFields still has the potential to further prolong the survival of ndGBM patients. Thus,research is still needed to explore new ways to combine TTFields with other therapies and optimize the use of TTFields to realize its full potential in ndGBM patients.
The association of postoperative morbidity and age on 5‐year survival after colorectal surgery in the elderly population: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Ose Ilze , Rosen Andreas Weinberger , Bräuner Karoline , Colov Emilie Barbara Palmgren , Christensen Mathilde Glud , Mashkoor Maliha , Vogelsang Rasmus Peuliche , Gögenur Ismail , Bojesen Rasmus Dahlin
Published: March 2024

Aim

This study aimed to evaluate the association of age and postoperative morbidity on 5‐year overall survival (OS) after elective surgery for colorectal cancer.

Method

Patients undergoing elective, curatively intended surgery for colorectal cancer Union for International Cancer Control Stages I–III between January 2014 and December 2019 were selected from four Danish nationwide healthcare databases. Patients were divided into four groups: group I 65–69 years old; group II 70–74 years old; group III 75–79 years old; and group IV ≥80 years old. Propensity score matching was used to reduce potential confounding bias. The primary outcome was the association of age and postoperative morbidity with 5‐year OS. The secondary outcome was conditional survival, given that the patient had already survived the first 90 days after surgery.

Results

After propensity score matching with a 1:1 ratio, group II contained 2221 patients; group III 952 patients; and group IV 320 patients. There was no significant difference in 5‐year OS between group I (reference) and groups II and III (P = 0.4 and P = 0.9, respectively). Patients with severe postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery had a significantly decreased OS (P < 0.01); however, when patients who died within the first 90 days were excluded from the analysis, the differences in 5‐year OS were less pronounced across all age groups.

Conclusion

Postoperative morbidity, and not patient age, was associated with a lower 5‐year OS. Long‐term survival for patients who experience a complication is similar to patients who did not have a complication when conditioning on 90 days of survival.
Cortical tracking of visual rhythmic speech by 5‐ and 8‐month‐old infants: Individual differences in phase angle relate to language outcomes up to 2 years
Authors: Choisdealbha Áine Ní , Attaheri Adam , Rocha Sinead , Mead Natasha , Olawole‐Scott Helen , Alfaro e Oliveira Maria , Brough Carmel , Brusini Perrine , Gibbon Samuel , Boutris Panagiotis , Grey Christina , Williams Isabel , Flanagan Sheila , Goswami Usha
Published: March 2024

It is known that the rhythms of speech are visible on the face, accurately mirroring changes in the vocal tract. These low‐frequency visual temporal movements are tightly correlated with speech output, and both visual speech (e.g., mouth motion) and the acoustic speech amplitude envelope entrain neural oscillations. Low‐frequency visual temporal information (‘visual prosody’) is known from behavioural studies to be perceived by infants, but oscillatory studies are currently lacking. Here we measure cortical tracking of low‐frequency visual temporal information by 5‐ and 8‐month‐old infants using a rhythmic speech paradigm (repetition of the syllable ‘ta’ at 2 Hz). Eye‐tracking data were collected simultaneously with EEG, enabling computation of cortical tracking and phase angle during visual‐only speech presentation. Significantly higher power at the stimulus frequency indicated that cortical tracking occurred across both ages. Further, individual differences in preferred phase to visual speech related to subsequent measures of language acquisition. The difference in phase between visual‐only speech and the same speech presented as auditory‐visual at 6‐ and 9‐months was also examined. These neural data suggest that individual differences in early language acquisition may be related to the phase of entrainment to visual rhythmic input in infancy.

Research Highlights

Infant preferred phase to visual rhythmic speech predicts language outcomes.

Significant cortical tracking of visual speech is present at 5 and 8 months.

Phase angle to visual speech at 8 months predicted greater receptive and productive vocabulary at 24 months.
Oral health students' perceptions of the learning environment in Australia and New Zealand: A DREEM study
Authors: Pritchard L. , Keshoor S. , Eley D. , Beckett D. , Bromage A. , Knevel R. , Satur J. , Stormon N.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Oral Health Therapists (OHTs) are a growing workforce globally, with skills in oral health prevention, treatment planning and management of disease. These professionals receive their training through a three‐year undergraduate program which leads to the Bachelor of Oral Health degree in Australia and New Zealand. The aim of this study was to describe the learning environment for OHT students in Australia and New Zealand. OHT students were requested to complete the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) to indicate their perceptions of the environment of their educational program.

Materials and Methods

Bachelor of Oral Health students from 10 universities in Australia and New Zealand were invited to participate in the survey. The analysis of the students' experiences focused on five domains of educational environment: learning, teaching, academic self‐perception, atmosphere and social self‐perception. Total DREEM scores were compared to previously published literature for other health professions students.

Results

A total of 336 OHT students completed the study, which represented 30% of all OHT students enrolled in the 10 participating universities. Using the DREEM, participants perception of the environment was more positive than negative with an average DREEM total score of 141 (70.5%) out of a maximum score of 200. The model demonstrates university region to be a major predictor in the overall DREEM score, with regional universities scoring higher than urban universities (p = .012).

Conclusions

The DREEM was used to describe OHT students perceptions of the learning environment in Australia and New Zealand. This study found that the university region is a significant predictor of positive experiences for OHT students. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary Oral Health programs, this study offers insights into future improvements.
Participatory soil citizen science: An unexploited resource for European soil research
Authors: Mason Eloise , Gascuel‐Odoux Chantal , Aldrian Ulrike , Sun Hao , Miloczki Julia , Götzinger Sophia , Burton Victoria J. , Rienks Froukje , Di Lonardo Sara , Sandén Taru
Published: March 2024

Soils are key components of our ecosystems and provide 95%–99% of our food. This importance is reflected by an increase in participatory citizen science projects on soils. Citizen science is a participatory research method that actively involves and engages the public in scientific enquiry to generate new knowledge or understanding. Here, we review past and current citizen science projects on agricultural soils across Europe. We conducted a web‐based survey and described 24 reviewed European citizen science projects in the light of the 10 principles of citizen science and identified success factors for citizen science. Over 66% of the projects generated soil biodiversity data; 54% and 42% of the projects generated data on vegetation cover and soil organic carbon, respectively. Our findings show that soil citizen science projects aligned with the 10 principles of citizen science offer an unexploited resource for European soil health research. We conclude that promoting co‐creation, fostering knowledge‐sharing networks and enabling long‐term communication and commitment with citizens are success factors for further development of citizen science on soils.
Nonrandom foraging and resource distributions affect the relationships between host density, contact rates and parasite transmission
Authors: Gajewski Zachary , McElmurray Philip , Wojdak Jeremy , McGregor Cari , Zeller Lily , Cooper Hannah , Belden Lisa K. , Hopkins Skylar
Published: March 2024

Nonrandom foraging can cause animals to aggregate in resource dense areas, increasing host density, contact rates and pathogen transmission, but when should nonrandom foraging and resource distributions also have density‐independent effects? Here, we used a factorial experiment with constant resource and host densities to quantify host contact rates across seven resource distributions. We also used an agent‐based model to compare pathogen transmission when host movement was based on random foraging, optimal foraging or something between those states. Nonrandom foraging strongly depressed contact rates and transmission relative to the classic random movement assumptions used in most epidemiological models. Given nonrandom foraging in the agent‐based model and experiment, contact rates and transmission increased with resource aggregation and average distance to resource patches due to increased host movement in search of resources. Overall, we describe three density‐independent mechanisms by which host behaviour and resource distributions alter contact rate functions and pathogen transmission.
Poleward catch displacement of blackfin tuna Thunnus atlanticus in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean: Possible effect of increasing water temperatures
Authors: Cardoso Luís Gustavo , Sant'Ana Rodrigo , de Araújo Freire Marcio , Weigert Stefan Cruz , Poubel Marina , Bezerra Natalia Alves , dos Santos Rodrigues Lucas
Published: March 2024

Blackfin tuna Thunnus atlanticus often inhabits warm waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from 40°N (Cape Cod, USA) to 22°S (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). We recorded the first catches of the species in southern Brazil (34°S) and described its new distribution and fishing grounds. Since 2007, annual catches per trip and frequency of blackfin tuna landings increased for three oceanic fishing fleets in Southern Brazil. The spatial distribution of higher catches and the center of gravity of spatial fishing records moved poleward. Sea surface temperature anomalies for the region warmed from 1960 to 2019, and anomalies were primarily positive after 2000. Evidence suggests that the distribution of blackfin tuna moved poleward by six degrees of latitude (~660 km). The causes of this distribution extension were unclear, but ocean warming was the most likely driver.
Accessing care for Long Covid from the perspectives of patients and healthcare practitioners: A qualitative study
Authors: Turk Fidan , Sweetman Jennifer , Chew‐Graham Carolyn A. , Gabbay Mark , Shepherd Jessie , van der Feltz‐Cornelis Christina ,   STIMULATE‐ICP Consortium
Published: March 2024

Background

Long Covid is an emerging long‐term condition, with those affected raising concerns about lack of healthcare support.

Objective

We conducted a qualitative study to identify facilitators and barriers to healthcare access for people with Long Covid, aiming to enhance our understanding of the specific nature of these barriers and how patient experiences may vary.

Setting and Participants

In the context of the Symptoms, Trajectory, Inequalities and Management: Understanding Long‐COVID to Address and Transform Existing Integrated Care Pathways (STIMULATE‐ICP) Delphi study, a nationally distributed online survey was conducted. Eight patients and eight healthcare practitioners (HCP) were interviewed via telephone or video call. Framework analysis, sensitised by the candidacy theory, was used to identify barriers and facilitators over four levels of access to care.

Results

Three themes were identified: (i) patients' efforts to navigate emerging pathways for Long Covid, (ii) the patient–HCP interaction and (iii) service resources and structural constraints. Barriers to specialist care included long waiting times, communication gaps across services and a lack of continuity in care. Facilitators included collaborative, patient‐centred approaches, patients' active role in their healthcare and blended approaches for appointments. The perspectives of both patients and HCPs largely aligned.

Discussion

The candidacy framework was valuable in understanding the experiences of people with Long Covid seeking access to healthcare. Individuals perceived themselves as eligible for care, but they often encountered obstacles in obtaining the expected level of care or, in some cases, did not receive it at all. Our findings are discussed in the context of the candidacy model through multiple processes of identification, negotiation, permeability and appearances at health services. These themes seem to be especially important for the emerging new pathway model and are relevant to both primary and secondary care.

Conclusions

This study highlights that despite these interviews being conducted two years after the start of the COVID‐19 pandemic, people with Long Covid still struggle to access healthcare, emphasising the ongoing need to provide equitable timely healthcare access for people with Long Covid.

Patient or Public Contribution

People with Long Covid advised on all stages of this research.