bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of faultline and incentive schemes on knowledge-sharing behaviour
Authors: Adi Maria Paramastri Hayuning , Nahartyo Ertambang
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of faultline based on job responsibility and their interaction with the incentive scheme on knowledge-sharing behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is an experimental study with a 2 × 2 factorial design between subjects. Faultline and incentive schemes are manipulated into two groups (strong faultline–weak faultline and group incentive–individual incentives). This study involved 89 undergraduate accounting students as participants.

Findings

This research shows that a strong faultline created a strong social identity effect. Hence, the knowledge-sharing behavior among group members tends to be lower than the weak faultline. Knowledge-sharing behavior tends to be higher in group incentive schemes than individual ones. However, there is no support for interactions between incentive schemes and faultline effects on knowledge-sharing behavior. The results indicate that forming a working subgroup based on informational characteristics attributes reduces cooperative behavior and knowledge sharing between groups.

Originality/value

This study adds a new addition to faultline literature by examining the effect of faultline and incentive schemes on knowledge-sharing behavior based on informational characteristics attributes. Previous research on faultline and knowledge sharing was limited and primarily focused on faultlines created by demographic attributes. This study also enriches faultline literature on knowledge-sharing behavior using an experimental design.
Prokaryotic maintenance respiration and growth efficiency field patterns reproduced by temperature and nutrient control at mesocosm scale
Authors: Verma Ashish , Amnebrink Dennis , Pinhassi Jarone , Wikner Johan
Published: December 2022

The distribution of prokaryotic metabolism between maintenance and growth activities has a profound impact on the transformation of carbon substrates to either biomass or CO2. Knowledge of key factors influencing prokaryotic maintenance respiration is, however, highly limited. This mesocosm study validated the significance of prokaryotic maintenance respiration by mimicking temperature and nutrients within levels representative of winter and summer conditions. A global range of growth efficiencies (0.05–0.57) and specific growth rates (0.06–2.7 d−1) were obtained. The field pattern of cell‐specific respiration versus specific growth rate and the global relationship between growth efficiency and growth rate were reproduced. Maintenance respiration accounted for 75% and 15% of prokaryotic respiration corresponding to winter and summer conditions, respectively. Temperature and nutrients showed independent positive effects for all prokaryotic variables except abundance and cell‐specific respiration. All treatments resulted in different taxonomic diversity, with specific populations of amplicon sequence variants associated with either maintenance or growth conditions. These results validate a significant relationship between specific growth and respiration rate under productive conditions and show that elevated prokaryotic maintenance respiration can occur under cold and oligotrophic conditions. The experimental design provides a tool for further study of prokaryotic energy metabolism under realistic conditions at the mesocosm scale.
Multifamily interventions in the context of inherited genetic conditions: A scoping review
Authors: Guerra Sara , Oliveira Carla , Seidi Catarina , Sousa Liliana , Mendes Álvaro
Published: December 2022

This scoping review sought to examine the existing literature on multifamily interventions with families dealing with inherited genetic conditions. It also seeks to identify gaps in the evidence to help guide future research and intervention development. Four databases (PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus and PsycInfo) were systematically searched and analysed, resulting in five publications for inclusion. The main findings evidence two main themes: characteristics of multifamily interventions, and evaluation of the intervention and impact on participants. These findings suggest that multifamily interventions can provide families with extended support beyond the care usually offered by genetic healthcare services and contribute to enhancing positive change in key aspects of adaptation and coping with an inherited genetic conditions. Multifamily discussion groups are a methodology that is particularly suitable when working with families in this context. Collaboration between genetic healthcare services and accredited systemic family therapists is required to sustain the implementation of multifamily discussion groups and their feasibility. Research on the effectiveness, feasibility and economic viability of multifamily interventions is also needed.
Development and Implementation of State and Federal Child Welfare Laws Related to Drug Use in Pregnancy
Authors: McCOURT ALEXANDER D. , WHITE SARAH A. , BANDARA SACHINI , SCHALL THEO , GOODMAN DAISY J. , PATEL ESITA , McGINTY EMMA E.
Published: December 2022

Policy Points

Over the past several decades, states have adopted policies intended to address prenatal drug use. Many of these policies have utilized existing child welfare mechanisms despite potential adverse effects. Recent federal policy changes were intended to facilitate care for substance‐exposed infants and their families, but state uptake has been incomplete.

Using legal mapping and qualitative interviews, we examine the development of state child welfare laws related to substance use in pregnancy from 1974 to 2019, with a particular focus on laws adopted between 2009 and 2019. Our findings reveal policies that may disincentivize treatment‐seeking and widespread implementation challenges, suggesting a need for new treatment‐oriented policies and refined state and federal guidance.

Context

Amid increasing drug use among pregnant individuals, legislators have pursued policies intended to reduce substance use during pregnancy. Many states have utilized child welfare mechanisms despite evidence that these policies might disincentivize treatment‐seeking. Recent federal changes were intended to facilitate care for substance‐exposed infants and their families, but implementation of these changes at the state level has been slowed and complicated by existing state policies. We seek to provide a timeline of state child welfare laws related to prenatal drug use and describe stakeholder perceptions of implementation.

Methods

We catalogued child welfare laws related to prenatal drug use, including laws that defined child abuse and neglect and established child welfare reporting standards, for all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC), from 1974 to 2019. In the 19 states that changed relevant laws between 2009 and 2019, qualitative interviews were conducted with stakeholders to capture state‐level perspectives on policy implementation.

Findings

Twenty‐four states and DC have passed laws classifying prenatal drug use as child abuse or neglect. Thirty‐seven states and DC mandate reporting of suspected prenatal drug use to the state. Qualitative findings suggested variation in implementation within and across states between 2009 and 2019 and revealed that implementation of changes to federal law during that decade, intended to encourage states to provide comprehensive social services and linkages to evidence‐based care to drug‐exposed infants and their families, has been complicated by existing policies and a lack of guidance for practitioners.

Conclusions

Many states have enacted laws that may disincentivize treatment‐seeking among pregnant people who use drugs and lead to family separation. To craft effective state laws and support their implementation, state policymakers and practitioners could benefit from a treatment‐oriented approach to prenatal substance use and additional state and federal guidance.
Perceptions of strategic decision‐making by crisis management teams during exercising: Establishing key dimensions
Authors: Curnin Steven , Brooks Benjamin , Owen Christine , Brooks Oliver
Published: December 2022

To survive and thrive in a crisis requires crisis management teams (CMTs) to make sound strategic decisions. This paper examines the perceptions of CMTs from a group of nonresponse organisations to identify dimensions of the strategic decision‐making process during a crisis management exercise. The paper draws on data collected during a series of exercises with seven Australian government agencies and businesses. Using principal component analysis, this paper outlines four dimensions that are perceived to support strategic decision‐making in this context—psychological safety, critical thinking, managing expectations and adaptive capability. Embedding these dimensions within key systems and processes can provide CMTs with the structure they need to effectively respond to a crisis and enhance organisational resilience.
Advances in riboswitch‐based biosensor as food samples detection tool
Authors: Dong Xiaoze , Qi Shuo , Khan Imran Mahmood , Sun Yuhan , Zhang Yin , Wang Zhouping
Published: December 2022

Food safety has always been a hot issue of social concern, and biosensing has been widely used in the field of food safety detection. Compared with traditional aptamer‐based biosensors, aptamer‐based riboswitch biosensing represents higher precision and programmability. A riboswitch is an elegant example of controlling gene expression, where the target is coupled to the aptamer domain, resulting in a conformational change in the downstream expression domain and determining the signal output. Riboswitch‐based biosensing can be extensively applied to the portable real‐time detection of food samples. The numerous key features of riboswitch‐based biosensing emphasize their sustainability, renewable, and testing, which promises to transform engineering applications in the field of food safety. This review covers recent developments in riboswitch‐based biosensors. The brief history, definition, and modular design (regulatory mode, reporter, and expression platform) of riboswitch‐based biosensors are explained for better insight into the design and construction. We summarize recent advances in various riboswitch‐based biosensors involving theophylline, malachite green, tetracycline, neomycin, fluoride, thrombin, naringenin, ciprofloxacin, and paromomycin, aiming to provide general guidance for the design of riboswitch‐based biosensors. Finally, the challenges and prospects are also summarized as a way forward stratagem and signs of progress.
Forensic archeology as a high‐impact practice
Authors: Kolpan Katharine E. , Passalacqua Nicholas V.
Published: December 2022

High‐impact practices (HIPs) are educational modalities that focus on experiential and deep learning to affect student success in higher education, particularly among students matriculating from historically underserved communities. HIPs are designed to provide students with the intellectual and practical skills to succeed in an increasingly unstable global world beyond college. Utilizing a private‐public partnership forensic archeological contract project, this paper examines how this venture employed a HIP‐based contractor model that hired students as a professional archeological field crew and provided them with a living wage, transportation, and room and board. It also provided students without the means to participate in international fieldwork with the wherewithal to do so, supporting underserved students and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives. Utilizing this HIP‐based contract model resulted in greater student investment and collaboration in a fieldwork situation more akin to the real world, where students learned to solve problems, communicate, and network in an international setting, resulting in new opportunities, such as professional jobs, and academic projects and publications. The paid contractor model ensured students with limited resources could participate, broadening the type of student who can receive this type of training, expanding diversity in forensic anthropology. These models are not limited to forensic archeological fieldwork; they can also be applied to forensic anthropology laboratory projects. Utilizing HIPs and employing a more equitable contractor model contributes to student professionalization, strengthens professional prospects beyond the university, and contributes to DEIB initiatives, all of which benefit forensic anthropology as a subdiscipline.
The sexual recidivism drop in Canada: A meta‐analysis of sex offender recidivism rates over an 80‐year period
Authors: Lussier Patrick , McCuish Evan , Proulx Jean , Chouinard Thivierge Stéphanie , Frechette Julien
Published: December 2022

Research summary

In the past, the Canadian government followed in the footsteps of its American counterpart by enacting “sex offender laws.” Since the 1990s, however, the Canadian criminal justice system has taken a different approach to the issue of sex offender recidivism (SOR), focusing on treatment, rehabilitation, and community risk management. This evidence‐based approach has been criticized for not doing enough to prevent convicted offenders from sexually reoffending. This criticism has not been addressed empirically, leaving open the question of whether this Canadian policy shift is associated with changes in the rate of sexual recidivism. The present study uses a meta‐analytic framework to look at 185 Canadian‐based studies involving over 50,000 offenders, making it possible to combine 226 sexual recidivism rates. After controlling for factors such as follow‐up length and the independence of samples, weighted pooled recidivism rates have declined since the 1970s by more than 60%. This trend may have gone unnoticed because it is not related to the year of publication but to the period in which the data were collected.

Policy implications

The findings have significant implications for criminal justice practices including the importance of using risk assessment tools that are regularly calibrated to reflect the evolution of sexual recidivism rates over time. Although the current study cannot provide firm conclusions about the factors responsible for this gradual drop, several hypotheses are discussed. Knowledge‐based criminal justice practices, better training for professionals, and improvements in treatment programs may have had a subtle and cumulative impact on sexual recidivism rates. The importance of examining period effects on SOR using a comparative and international perspective is discussed.
Can microbiology help to make aviation more sustainable?
Authors: Segura Ana , Jiménez Lorena , Molina Lázaro
Published: December 2022

Production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) using microbes still requires huge research efforts to fulfill the needs of aviation, both in the biological utilization of raw materials as well as in the biological processes to convert these materials (oils, sugars, aromatic compounds and others) into SAFs. However, we should also be aware of the microbiology constraints that, in some cases, will not allow us to reach the commercial level and that, by creating false expectations we will harm the credibility of microbiologists. However, in our opinion microbiologists can and should continue to find new avenues for producing SAFs, and for evaluating the advantages and feasibility of their production. This last step will require a close collaboration between researchers and industry.
Conditions for mission‐led companies to humanize the economy: An Aristotelian perspective
Authors: Ezvan Cécile , Langohr Patricia
Published: December 2022

With the creation of the legal status of “benefit corporations,” mission‐led companies have been developing since 2010 in the United States, but also in the United Kingdom, Italy, and recently France. Shareholders of mission‐led companies define a social, scientific, or environmental mission for their companies in addition to the pursuit of profits. Given this specific characteristic, these companies seem more likely than traditional firms to serve human flourishing in an authentic way. But are these legal forms and strategic objectives sufficient? This article builds on Aristotelian virtue ethics and the concept of the “good life” to identify necessary conditions to build a mission‐led approach to firms that can truly humanize the economy. We explain mechanisms through which the mission‐led approach may provide an essential lever for humanization for the individual person, the company, its industry, and the broader economy. We also identify several factors that may limit or prevent the mission company's ability to contribute to the good life. This conceptual article is inspired by the context of the emergence of mission companies in France since 2019, which has led many companies to question their purpose and their mission towards society and their mission's implementation.
Self‐enhancement values and academic achievement: An interaction with students' parental level of education and gender?
Authors: Aelenei Cristina , Jury Mickaël , Darnon Céline , Sicard Alyson , Maggio Severine , Martinot Delphine
Published: December 2022

Background

We investigated the link between the endorsement of self‐enhancement values (e.g., ambition, influence, authority and social power) and school achievement (i.e., grades).

Aim

Adopting an intersectional framework, we argued that the link may be qualified by both students' gender and their parents' education level. We hypothesized that depending on students' different experiences in the school system as a function of their gender and their parents' level of educational attainment, the endorsement of self‐enhancement values might be either beneficial or detrimental to their academic achievement.

Samples

We conducted two studies: a pilot study (N = 191) and a preregistered main study (N = 652).

Method

High‐school students reported their endorsement of self‐enhancement values, their gender and their parents' education level. The school administration provided students' grade average.

Results and Conclusions

In the pilot study, we found an interaction effect between the endorsement of self‐enhancement values, gender and parental level of education on grades: For male students, the endorsement of self‐enhancement values was associated with lower grades when their parents had a lower education level, but there was no such association for male students whose parents had a higher education level. No such effect was found for female students. With an improved methodology, the main study found an interaction effect between the endorsement of self‐enhancement values and gender on grades. Independent of parental education level, the endorsement of self‐enhancement values had a positive effect on grades among male students. No effect of self‐enhancement values on grades was found among female students.
Children's services and the COVID‐19 pandemic in Italy: A study with educators and parents
Authors: Bosoni Maria Letizia
Published: December 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic has caused disruptive changes across different life experiences essential to children's growth and development, including early childcare services and schools, thus threatening precious opportunities for children in early childhood to learn. The pandemic has also undermined the collaborative and alliance relationship between childcare services and families which has been widely considered an important aspect of modern services. This paper presents and discusses results from a mixed‐method exploratory study with early childcare services for children between 0 and 6 years in Italy in 2021, involving both teachers and parents, to understand experiences, educational practices put in place in childcare services, feelings, resources and risks perceived by families and teachers.
A roadmap integrating research, policy, and actions to conserve Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds at a flyway scale
Authors: Marcacci Gabriel , Briedis Martins , Diop Ngoné , Diallo Aïssatou Yvette , Kebede Fanuel , Jacot Alain
Published: December 2022

The populations of Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds (breeding in Europe and overwintering in Africa) are declining and conservation efforts to halt or reverse their decline have failed to meet their targets. Yet, most studies and conservation measures focus on migratory landbirds’ breeding grounds, whereas knowledge about threats, drivers of their decline and conservation actions in their nonbreeding grounds, where they spend most of their annual cycle, is largely limited. Here, we provide a four‐step roadmap to integrate research, policy and actions for conserving Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds at a flyway scale: (1) assessing and monitoring population trends and defining priority species accordingly; (2) maximizing tracking data to identify important areas for the conservation of priority species; (3) conducting ground‐based studies on the nonbreeding grounds to identify conservation challenges; (4) implementing conservation measures, for the benefit of both the avifauna and the local human communities. Alongside these steps, international conventions may facilitate new collaborations across range‐states and institutions to engage diverse stakeholders and involve local communities, with particular emphasis on evidence‐based policymaking, law enforcement in addition to capacity strengthening and knowledge transfer of new technologies. This four‐step roadmap provides guidance for future work on Afro‐Palearctic migratory landbirds and will ultimately contribute to their conservation.
Drivers of human–black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) conflict in Indigenous communities in the North Rupununi wetlands, southwestern Guyana
Authors: Pierre Meshach A. , Jacobsen Kim S. , Hallett Matthew T. , Harris Arianne‐Elise M. , Melville Alyssa , Barnabus Howard , Sillero‐Zubiri Claudio
Published: December 2022

Recovering populations of large carnivores impact the people that live alongside them, sometimes leading to conflict and lethal retaliation. One such carnivore, the black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) has been implicated in the destruction of fishing equipment, depredation of livestock and pets, and attacks on humans. In order to understand how various stakeholder groups are affected by the negative impacts of living alongside caiman, and their resulting attitudes and behaviors towards caiman, we conducted semistructured interviews in seven Indigenous communities in southwestern Guyana from November 2017 to October 2019. We used logistic and ordinal regression to identify demographic indicators of fishing behavior and factors that are associated with negative attitudes and antagonistic behavior. Loss of pets in addition to an effect of gender, rather than competition overfishing resources (as hypothesized) may drive conflict between Indigenous communities and black caiman. We propose site differences, such as ecotourism may affect attitudes about and behavior towards caiman. The presence of impacts on communities and retaliatory behavior indicates that human–wildlife and wildlife–human impacts involving black caiman may be a concern for the recovery of the species' populations, and the communities that coexist with them.
Small‐bodied fish species from the western United States will be under severe water stress by 2040
Authors: Theis Sebastian , Castellanos‐Acuña Dante , Hamann Andreas , Poesch Mark S.
Published: December 2022

Human need to appropriate freshwater in combination with climate change has intensified the rapid decline in freshwater biodiversity. Based on 216 currently imperiled freshwater species in the United States, the Southwest, and the Rocky Mountains, were predicted to experience the highest increase in future water stress for 2040 in 41 minor watersheds. Resident‐small species in the Southwest, found in single locations (21.6%) or on local level (62.2%), were listed as endangered (n = 37) and are predicted to experience severe water stress increases by 2040. Endangered species in the Rocky Mountains (n = 9), were found on a basin or local level (33.3%), exhibiting predominantly potamodromous behavior (66.7%). Furthermore, many endangered species in key regions lack life‐history data (41%). Our results highlight that determining priority of species for conservation using biodiversity as an indicator may not be useful for identifying future impacts to imperiled species, since many regions undergoing high water stress did not coincide with biodiversity hotspots.
Everyday Politics of Dadan Contracts in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh
Authors: Chakma Bablu
Published: December 2022

This article analyses processes of dadan contract negotiations between Bengali intermediaries and indigenous Tanchangya peasants of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh, in the culantro sector. The research extends the debates on the dadan system and interlocked market relationships by highlighting everyday dynamics of dadan and the issue of ‘just price’ that arises from such contracts. The article argues that the dadan loan system leads to greater spaces for exploitation. While it facilitates peasants’ access to credit for agricultural and social reproduction and the supply of culantro to wider national markets, it also creates a dependency of Tanchangya peasants on Bengali moneylending traders. Such an analysis reveals the limitations of existing studies on dadan in accounting for the social, cultural and political aspects of dadan contracts, alongside their economic aspects. The article concludes that contested moralities associated with the pursuit of familial subsistence and contractual obligations shape peasants’ decisions and strategies concerning such contracts.
Impact of heat waves on egg survival and biological performance across life stages in the Asian corn borer
Authors: Quan Yudong , Mason Charles E. , He Kanglai , Wang Zhenying , Wei Hongyi
Published: December 2022

One of the many extreme events as a result of climate change is the frequent appearance of extraordinarily daily high temperatures that can directly drive an insect's adaptive response. Insects have complex life cycles that may uncouple temperature's effects in one stage from the physiology in the next. In this study we focused on the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), one of the most important pests of maize (corn) in Asia, investigated the consequences of eggs exposed to ecologically relevant heat shock regimes, simulating heat waves at extreme high temperature. This consisted of five 90‐min heat treatments separated by two degrees that ranged from 37 to 45°C for three consecutive days compared to a constant temperature of 25°C. Temperature that triggered mortality was between 39 and 41°C. Egg hatching significantly declined when temperature was 41°C or higher. There was no egg hatching at 45°C. Developmental times were significantly prolonged and the larval growth rate became slower in treatments of 41 and 43°C. There were no significant differences in pupal mass, fecundity, and sex ratio among treatments. Life table parameters showed significant adverse effects at treatments of 41 and 43°C. Depending on the fitness response of the ACB, environmental heat waves can be classified into three categories based on temperature criteria, i.e., adaptable (35–39°C), critical (39–45°C), and fatal (≥45°C). The findings of the present study will serve as an important reference for forecasting the population dynamics of the ACB.
Speaking in gestures: Left dorsal and ventral frontotemporal brain systems underlie communication in conducting
Authors: Musso Mariacristina , Altenmüller Eckart , Reisert Marco , Hosp Jonas , Schwarzwald Ralf , Blank Bettina , Horn Julian , Glauche Volkmar , Kaller Christoph , Weiller Cornelius , Schumacher Martin
Published: December 2022

Conducting constitutes a well‐structured system of signs anticipating information concerning the rhythm and dynamic of a musical piece. Conductors communicate the musical tempo to the orchestra, unifying the individual instrumental voices to form an expressive musical Gestalt.

In a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment, 12 professional conductors and 16 instrumentalists conducted real‐time novel pieces with diverse complexity in orchestration and rhythm. For control, participants either listened to the stimuli or performed beat patterns, setting the time of a metronome or complex rhythms played by a drum.

Activation of the left superior temporal gyrus (STG), supplementary and premotor cortex and Broca's pars opercularis (F3op) was shared in both musician groups and separated conducting from the other conditions.

Compared to instrumentalists, conductors activated Broca's pars triangularis (F3tri) and the STG, which differentiated conducting from time beating and reflected the increase in complexity during conducting. In comparison to conductors, instrumentalists activated F3op and F3tri when distinguishing complex rhythm processing from simple rhythm processing.

Fibre selection from a normative human connectome database, constructed using a global tractography approach, showed that the F3op and STG are connected via the arcuate fasciculus, whereas the F3tri and STG are connected via the extreme capsule.

Like language, the anatomical framework characterising conducting gestures is located in the left dorsal system centred on F3op. This system reflected the sensorimotor mapping for structuring gestures to musical tempo. The ventral system centred on F3Tri may reflect the art of conductors to set this musical tempo to the individual orchestra's voices in a global, holistic way.
Anodal online transcranial direct current stimulation facilitates visual motion perceptual learning
Authors: Wu Di , Zhang Pan , Wang Yifan , Liu Na , Sun Kewei , Wang Panhui , Xiao Wei
Published: December 2022

Visual perceptual learning (VPL) has great potential implications for clinical populations, but adequate improvement often takes weeks to months to obtain; therefore, practical applications of VPL are limited. Strategies that enhance visual performance acquisition make great practical sense. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could be beneficial to VPL, but thus far, the results are inconsistent. The current study had two objectives: (1) to investigate the effect of anodal tDCS on VPL and (2) to determine whether the timing sequence of anodal tDCS and training influences VPL. Anodal tDCS was applied on the left human middle temporal (hMT+) during training on a coherent motion discrimination task (online), anodal tDCS was also applied before training (offline) and sham tDCS was applied during training (sham). The coherent thresholds were measured without stimulation before, 2 days after and 1 month after training. All participants trained for five consecutive days. Anodal tDCS resulted in more performance improvement when applied during daily training but not when applied before training. Additionally, neither within‐session improvement nor between‐session improvement differed among the online, offline and sham tDCS conditions. These findings contribute to the development of efficient stimulation protocols and a deep understanding of the mechanisms underlying the effect of tDCS on VPL.
Corticospinal and intracortical responses from both motor cortices following unilateral concentric versus eccentric contractions
Authors: van der Groen Onno , Latella Christopher , Nosaka Kazunori , Edwards Dylan , Teo Wei‐Peng , Taylor Janet L.
Published: December 2022

Cross‐education is the phenomenon where training of one limb can cause neuromuscular adaptations in the opposite untrained limb. This effect has been reported to be greater after eccentric (ECC) than concentric (CON) strength training; however, the underpinning neurophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. Thus, we compared responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in both motor cortices following single sessions of unilateral ECC and CON exercise of the elbow flexors. Fourteen healthy adults performed three sets of 10 ECC and CON right elbow flexor contractions at 75% of respective maximum on separate days. Elbow flexor maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torques were measured before and after exercise, and responses to single‐ and paired‐pulse TMS were recorded from the non‐exercised left and exercised right biceps brachii. Pre‐exercise and post‐exercise responses for ECC and CON were compared by repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs). MVIC torque of the exercised arm decreased (p < 0.01) after CON (−30 ± 14%) and ECC (−39 ± 13%) similarly. For the non‐exercised left biceps brachii, resting motor threshold (RMT) decreased after CON only (−4.2 ± 3.9% of maximum stimulator output [MSO], p < 0.01), and intracortical facilitation (ICF) decreased (−15.2 ± 20.0%, p = 0.038) after ECC only. For the exercised right biceps, RMT increased after ECC (8.6 ± 6.2% MSO, p = 0.014) but not after CON (6.4 ± 8.1% MSO, p = 0.066). Thus, unilateral ECC and CON elbow flexor exercise modulated excitability differently for the non‐exercised hemisphere. These findings suggest that responses after a single bout of exercise may not reflect longer term adaptations.
The decline in stroke hospitalization due to COVID‐19 is unrelated to COVID‐19 intensity
Authors: Sedova Petra , Kent Julia Anna , Bryndziar Tomas , Jarkovsky Jiri , Tomek Ales , Sramek Martin , Skoda Ondrej , Sramkova Tereza , Pokorová Kateřina , Littnerova Simona , Brown Robert D. , Mikulik Robert
Published: December 2022

Background and Purpose

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic many countries reported a decline in stroke volumes. The aim of this study was to analyze if the decline was related to the intensity of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

The first pandemic year (1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021) overall and during the three COVID‐19 waves were compared with the preceding year. Volumes of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS), subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage and recanalization treatments (intravenous thrombolysis [IVT] and mechanical thrombectomy [MT]) were obtained from the National Register of Reimbursed Health Services. Door‐to‐needle time, onset‐to‐door time and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at admission were obtained from the Registry of Stroke Care Quality.

Results

During the pandemic year compared to the preceding year there were 26,453 versus 28,771 stroke admissions, representing an 8.8% decline (p < 0.001). The declines (−10%, −11%, −19%) appeared in COVID‐19 waves (spring 2020, autumn 2020, winter 2021) except for an increase (2%) during summer 2020. Admissions for AIS declined by 10.2% (p < 0.001), whilst hemorrhagic stroke volumes were minimally decreased. The absolute volumes of IVT and MT decreased by 9.4% (p < 0.001) and 5.7% (p = 0.16), respectively. However, the proportions of ischaemic stroke patients receiving IVT (18% vs. 18%; p = 0.72) and MT (6% vs. 6%; p = 0.28) remained unchanged.

Conclusions

There was a decline in stroke admissions, but such decline was not related to COVID‐19 incidence. The frequency of use of recanalization procedures (IVT, MT) and times (onset‐to‐door time, door‐to‐needle time) in AIS were preserved in the Czech Republic during the first year of the pandemic.
A transnational practice between fractured homes: Second‐generation Turkish–German migrants’ experiences of visiting and being visited
Authors: Kılınç Nilay
Published: December 2022

The paper explores the multiple ways in which visits affect the understanding of home for the Turkish–German second generation who have relocated to Turkey. Based on thematic–narrative analysis of 116 life‐story interviews with second‐generation ‘returnees’ in five regions of Turkey, three types of visits are identified: (i) family visits to Turkey whilst growing up in Germany; (ii) visits to Germany after the second generation has ‘returned’ to Turkey; (iii) visits to Turkey by the second generation's Germany‐residing relatives and friends. Each type has different meanings for the visitors and the visited, creating fluid reflections on the meaning of home, which, especially for the second‐generation ‘returnees’, tends to become fractured. Constantly comparing their two home(‐land)s since childhood, they often simultaneously feel both ‘here’ and ‘there’ as a result of changing attachments and a mix of positive and negative experiences in both locales with their families, friends and the dominant others.
RNA viruses alter house dust mite physiology and allergen production with no detected consequences for allergenicity
Authors: Vidal‐Quist José Cristian , Declercq Jozefien , Vanhee Stijn , Lambrecht Bart N , Gómez‐Rial José , Vidal Carmen , Aydogdu Eylem , Rombauts Stephane , Hernández‐Crespo Pedro
Published: December 2022

RNA viruses have recently been detected in association with house dust mites, including laboratory cultures, dust samples, and mite‐derived pharmaceuticals used for allergy diagnosis. This study aimed to assess the incidence of viral infection on Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus physiology and on the allergenic performance of extracts derived from its culture. Transcriptional changes between genetically identical control and virus‐infected mite colonies were analysed by RNAseq with the support of a new D. pteronyssinus high‐quality annotated genome (56.8 Mb, 108 scaffolds, N50 = 2.73 Mb, 96.7% BUSCO‐completeness). Extracts of cultures and bodies from both colonies were compared by inspecting major allergen accumulation by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), allergen‐related enzymatic activities by specific assays, airway inflammation in a mouse model of allergic asthma, and binding to allergic patient's sera IgE by ImmunoCAP. Viral infection induced a significant transcriptional response, including several immunity and stress‐response genes, and affected the expression of seven allergens, putative isoallergens and allergen orthologs. Major allergens were unaffected except for Der p 23 that was upregulated, increasing ELISA titers up to 29% in infected‐mite extracts. By contrast, serine protease allergens Der p 3, 6 and 9 were downregulated, being trypsin and chymotrypsin enzymatic activities reduced up to 21% in extracts. None of the parameters analysed in our mouse model, nor binding to human IgE were significantly different when comparing control and infected‐mite extracts. Despite the described physiological impact of viral infection on the mites, no significant consequences for the allergenicity of derived extracts or their practical use in allergy diagnosis have been detected.
Receptor‐mediated effects of Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on the inflammatory response of alveolar macrophages
Authors: Preteroti Matthew W , Traboulsi Hussein , Greiss Patrick , Lapohos Orsolya , Fonseca Gregory J , Eidelman David H , Baglole Carolyn J
Published: December 2022

Δ9‐Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9‐THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are cannabinoids found in Cannabis sativa. While research supports cannabinoids reduce inflammation, the consensus surrounding receptor(s)‐mediated effects has yet to be established. Here, we investigated the receptor‐mediated properties of Δ9‐THC and CBD on alveolar macrophages, an important pulmonary immune cell in direct contact with cannabinoids inhaled by cannabis smokers. MH‐S cells, a mouse alveolar macrophage cell line, were exposed to Δ9‐THC and CBD, with and without lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Outcomes included RNA‐sequencing and cytokine analysis. Δ9‐THC and CBD alone did not affect the basal transcriptional response of MH‐S cells. In response to LPS, Δ9‐THC and CBD significantly reduced the expression of numerous proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor‐alpha, interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐6, an effect that was dependent on CB2. The anti‐inflammatory effects of CBD but not Δ9‐THC were mediated through a reduction in signaling through nuclear factor‐kappa B and extracellular signal‑regulated protein kinase 1/2. These results suggest that CBD and Δ9‐THC have potent immunomodulatory properties in alveolar macrophages, a cell type important in immune homeostasis in the lungs. Further investigation into the effects of cannabinoids on lung immune cells could lead to the identification of therapies that may ameliorate conditions characterized by inflammation.
Symptom management needs of patients with irritable bowel syndrome and concurrent anxiety and/or depression: A qualitative study
Authors: Kamp Kendra J. , Morgan Hailey , Yoo Linda , Munson Sean A. , Heitkemper Margaret M. , Levy Rona L.
Published: December 2022

Aims

To understand the experiences and needs of symptom management among individuals with irritable bowel syndrome and concurrent symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.

Design

This study used a qualitative descriptive research design.

Methods

Individuals with a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome and concurrent symptoms of anxiety and/or depression participated were recruited through an online ResearchMatch and a listserv. Semi‐structured interviews focused on symptoms and experiences with symptom management interventions conducted from June to August 2020. Interviews were transcribed and data were analysed based on thematic analysis.

Results

Twelve individuals participated in this study; all reported current irritable bowel syndrome and anxiety/depression symptoms. The data analysis cumulated with three themes related to symptom management: (a) irritable bowel syndrome negatively impacts physical and mental well‐being; (b) a trial and error approach to symptom management; and (c) challenges with healthcare professionals supporting symptom management including negative interactions with healthcare professionals and lack of nutritional expertize and support.

Conclusion

There is a need for individualized approaches which consider patients' current symptoms of anxiety and depression, previous experiences with the trial‐and‐error process and consideration for intervention delivery methods.

Impact

There is a limited qualitative research focusing on the experiences of individuals with irritable bowel syndrome and concurrent symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. This research highlights the need for individualized approaches to enhance symptom management that acknowledges patients' psychological state and past negative experiences with providers and prior dietary regimens.
A scoping review of interventions seeking to improve aspects of patient–provider relationships involving Black pregnant and post‐partum people
Authors: Alexander Karen , Clary‐Muronda Valerie
Published: December 2022

Aims

To provide a map of the evidence related to interventions targeting patient–provider relationships among Black perinatal people.

Design

A scoping review of the literature was conducted.

Data Sources

The database search included English language articles within three databases: PubMed, the Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Medline without date restriction on June 15 and16 2022.

Review Methods

This scoping review used the six‐stage process first described by Arksey and O'Malley and recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute: (1) specify the research question, (2) identify relevant literature, (3) select studies, (4) map out the data, (5) synthesize, and report the results and (6) consult experts. Studies were included if they (1) reported results of intervention studies related to patient–provider interaction, (2) were written in English and (3) were original research. The articles were reviewed with content analysis methodology to categorize and interpret the findings.

Results

Studies included randomized controlled trials (n = 5) and qualitative studies (n = 3) published between 2001 and 2018. Black pregnant people made up more than half of the participants in five of the eight studies (63%). Interventions were divided into three categories: delivery models (n = 4), mHealth risk assessment tools (n = 2) and patient–provider communication tools (n = 2).

Conclusion

This study addressed the unknown role of patient–provider relationship interventions in improving the quality of care received by Black perinatal people. Findings suggest that structural and interpersonal components may have the potential to improve outcomes for Black pregnant people but could be further improved if culturally tailored. Further research is urgently needed to address discrimination and stigma in patient–provider relationships. The findings of this study could inform novel intervention development and should drive research.

Impact

A scoping review determined that there are no interventions with Black pregnant people which targeted discrimination and bias in patient–provider relationships.

No Patient or Public Contribution

The authors did not include stakeholders such as patients, service users, caregivers or members of the public in the development of this scoping review, as it is a work that serves to set the stage for further community‐based work. The results will however be communicated to community members at a planned advisory board in the future.
Preclinical evaluation of semi‐automated laser ablation for pulmonary vein isolation: A comparative study
Authors: Kuroki Kenji , Reddy Vivek Y. , Iwasawa Jin , Kawamura Iwanari , Neuzil Petr , Estabrook Brian , Melsky Gerald , Dukkipati Srinivas R. , Koruth Jacob
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Visually‐guided laser balloon ablation (VGLA) currently requires careful manual rotation of the laser to create overlapping lesions. A novel semi‐automated VGLA may reduce ablation times and lesion gaps. We aimed to compare semi‐automated (SA) VGLA to that of manual (MN) VGLA.

Methods

Acute: Nine swine underwent right superior pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using either SA (n = 3, 13–18 W), MN (n = 3, 8.5–12 W), or radiofrequency (RF, n = 3, 25–40 W) and were killed acutely. Chronic: 16 swine, underwent PVI using either SA (n = 8, 15 W) or MN (n = 8, 10 W), and were survived for 1 month before being killed. All hearts were then submitted for pathological evaluation.

Results

Acute: PVI was successful in all 9/9 swine with lesion counts significantly lower in the SA arm (5.3 ± 5.9, 33.7 ± 10.0, and 28.0 ± 4.4 in SA, MN, and RF arms; p = .007 for SA and MN). At necropsy, circumferentiality and transmurality were 98% and 94% in SA, 98% and 80% in MN, and 100% and 100% in RF arms. A single steam pop was noted on sectioning in the SA arm swine and occurred in the high dose (18 W) strategy. Chronic: PVI was acutely successful in 16/16 swine with no difference in PVI durability rates (62.5% vs. 75.0%), lesion transmurality (95.8 ± 17.4% vs.91.9 ± 25.9%), and circumferentiality (95.8 ± 6.6% vs. 94.8 ± 6.3%) between SA and MN arms. Catheter use time and lesion counts were lower in the SA arm compared to the MN arm (11.5 ± 12.7 vs. 21.8 ± 3.8 min, p = .046 and 4.8 ± 3.83 vs. 35.4 ± 4.4, p < .001).

Conclusion

Motor‐assisted semi‐automated laser balloon ablation can improve upon procedural efficiency by reducing ablation time.