bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Achieving sufficient milk supply supports mothers to cope with premature birth
Authors: Schwab Isabella , Wullenkord Ricarda , Ohnhäuser Tim , Dresbach Till , Scholten Nadine
Published: June 2024

Aim

To explore whether and how expressing breast milk is perceived as helpful in coping with negative emotions due to premature birth by mothers of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

Methods

Qualitative interviews and a retrospective cross‐sectional questionnaire with mothers of VLBW infants were conducted and analysed using an exploratory sequential mixed‐method design. Hypotheses were built using qualitative content analysis and quantitatively tested using multivariate regression analysis.

Results

Interviews with 12 mothers and questionnaires of 518 mothers were analysed. Coping with prematurity by expressing milk was seen as a way to maintain the caregiving role for the mothers, where three relevant factors arouse: making up for what happened, providing the best for their infant and fear of low milk supply. Quantitative analysis showed that mothers with a high milk supply (Coef. = 1.1, p < 0.000) and more feelings of guilt due to premature birth (Coef. = −0.1; p = 0.015) perceived expressing breast milk significantly more as a resource for coping.

Conclusion

This study adds knowledge on how expressing breast milk for their VLBW infant may support mothers in coping with premature birth, by revealing the association with milk supply and feelings of guilt due to premature birth.
Psychiatric disorders in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A large US cohort of commercially insured individuals
Authors: Patel Mausam J. , Jones Alex , Jiang Yue , Gowda Prajwal , VanWagner Lisa B. , Cotter Thomas G. , Seif El Dahan Karim , Louissaint Jeremy , Patel Madhukar , Rich Nicole E. , Singal Amit G. , Lieber Sarah R.
Published: June 2024

Background/Aims

Patients with hepatocellular cancer (HCC) are vulnerable to psychological distress given a new cancer diagnosis superimposed on pre‐existing chronic liver disease. We aimed to characterise the psychiatric burden in HCC, risk factors for incident diagnosis and treatment patterns over time.

Methods

Using IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus for Academics—a nationally representative claims database of the commercially insured US population—we identified psychiatric diagnoses and treatment among patients with newly diagnosed HCC. Multivariable logistic regression modelling identified factors associated with psychiatric diagnosis and treatment.

Results

Of 11,609 patients with HCC, 2166 (18.6%) had a psychiatric diagnosis after cancer diagnosis with depression (58.3%) and anxiety (53.0%) being most common. Women (aOR 1.33, 95% CI [1.19–1.49]), pre‐existing psychiatric diagnoses (aOR 9.12 [8.08–10.3]) and HCC treatment type (transplant: aOR 2.15 [1.66–2.77]; locoregional therapies: aOR 1.74 [1.52–1.99]; hospice: aOR 2.43 [1.79–3.29]) were significantly associated with psychiatric diagnosis. Female sex, ascites, higher comorbidity and treatment type were associated with incident psychiatric diagnosis. Pharmacotherapy was used in 1392 (64.3%) patients with a psychiatric diagnosis, with antidepressants (46.2%) and anxiolytics (32.8%) being most common. Psychiatric diagnoses increased from 14.8% in 2006–2009 to 21.1% in 2018–2021 (p < 0.001). In almost 20% of patients with pre‐existing psychiatric conditions, therapy was discontinued after HCC diagnosis.

Conclusions

Nearly 2 of 10 patients with HCC were diagnosed with a psychiatric condition after cancer diagnosis with unique sociodemographic and clinical risk factors identified. This highlights a risk for increased psychological burden in need of early evaluation and treatment among patients with newly diagnosed HCC.
Financial hardship and cost‐related nonadherence to medication in patients with liver disease in the United States
Authors: Kim Donghee , Manikat Richie , Wijarnpreecha Karn , Ahmed Aijaz
Published: June 2024

Background

Economic hardship associated with chronic liver disease (CLD) may delay timely access to healthcare.

Aim

To estimate the national burden of financial hardship across the spectrum of CLD in the United States (US) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic.

Methods

A cross‐sectional analysis was performed using the 2020–2021 US National Health Interview Survey database. The questionnaire defined financial hardship from medical bills and cost‐related nonadherence to medications in patients with CLD. We used weighted survey analysis to obtain the national estimates.

Results

While 6.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.7%–7.2%) out of 60,689 US adults (weighted sample: 251 million) reported financial hardship and inability to pay medical bills; 10.6% (95% CI: 8.3%–13.4%), 18.2% (95% CI: 14.5%–22.6%), 22.6% (95% CI: 11.0%–41.0%) with hepatitis, CLD/cirrhosis, and liver cancer experienced an inability to pay their medical bills due to financial hardship, respectively. 19.8% (95% CI: 15.9%–24.5%) and 23.3% (95% CI: 12.5%–39.3%) with CLD/cirrhosis and liver cancer, respectively experienced cost‐related nonadherence to medications, compared to a tenth of US adults (10.7%, 95% CI: 10.3%–11.2%). CLD/cirrhosis demonstrated an independent association with financial hardship from medical bills and cost‐related nonadherence to medications. Overall, these disparities were more pronounced in individuals aged <65 years old. In addition, over 40% of individuals with CLD/cirrhosis reported difficulties accessing medical care during the COVID‐19 pandemic. CLD/cirrhosis showed an independent association with difficulties accessing medical care due to COVID‐19.

Conclusions

Financial hardship from medical bills and cost‐related nonadherence to medication can negatively impact individuals with CLD and need further evaluation.
Seeding success: Integrating seed dispersal networks in tropical forest restoration
Authors: Lussier Nicole M. , Crafford Rachel E. , Reid J. Leighton , Kwit Charles
Published: June 2024

While the reassembly of fruit‐frugivore interactions remains at the forefront of tropical forest restoration, seed dispersal networks emerge as a potential approach to enhance restoration success. This review explores the integration of seed dispersal networks in tropical forest restoration, with the aims of (1) synthesizing important findings in the literature, (2) detailing potential biases in utilizing network theory, and (3) addressing current knowledge gaps and future directions for the field. We first highlight the importance of combining phytocentric and zoocentric approaches when sampling for seed dispersal interactions, as different methodologies have varying effects on network measures, and combining approaches can foster a more comprehensive understanding of dispersal interactions. Furthermore, when integrating seed dispersal networks into restoration goals, we suggest a highly connected and species‐rich network is desirable for earlier stages of forest succession where community turnover and transient interactions are pivotal. Nested patterns may emerge throughout varying stages of forest succession, and identifying generalist species that make up nested patterns may be useful for restoration practitioners in both early and later stages of forest regeneration. Modularity should be highest at later stages of succession to maintain community structure and stability, and connector species may play important roles in facilitating seed dispersal across temporal scales. Finally, we emphasize the importance of site‐specific long‐term datasets, chronosequences, and studies at large spatial scales to continue to understand network reassembly as a function of tropical forest succession and to develop effective strategies that enhance the recovery of tropical forest ecosystems.
Exploring anticancer properties of the phytoconstituents and comparative analysis of their chemical space parameters with USFDA‐approved synthetic anticancer agents
Authors: Thapliyal Somesh , Vishnoi Ritu , Murti Yogesh , Kumar Roshan , Chavan Nirja , Rawat Pramod , Joshi Gaurav , Dwivedi Ashish Ranjan , Goel Kapil Kumar
Published: June 2024

The present review article thoroughly analyses natural products and their derived phytoconstituents as a rich source of plausible anticancer drugs. The study thoroughly explores the chemical components derived from various natural sources, thus emphasizing their unique structural characteristics and therapeutic potential as an anticancer agent. The review contains the critical chemical constituents' in‐depth molecular mechanisms, their source's chemical structures and the categories. The review also comprises an exhaustive and comprehensive analysis of different chemical spacing parameters of the anticancer agents derived from natural products. It compares them with USFDA‐approved synthetic anticancer drugs up to 2020, thus providing a meaningful understanding of the relationship between natural and synthetic compounds portraying the anticancer assets. The review also delves more deeply into the chemical analysis of the heterocyclic moieties from the natural product arena, illustrating the anticancer mechanisms. The present article is, therefore, expected to serve as a valuable resource for natural product and medicinal chemists, encouraging and promoting an integrated approach to exploit the potential of natural products in drug discovery development and translational research, which have a prerequisite of bench to bedside approach. The work could guide researchers toward innovative approaches for the ever‐evolving field of anticancer drug discovery.
Non‐syndromic retinal dystrophy associated with biallelic variation of SUMF1 and reduced leukocyte sulfatase activity
Authors: Lin Siying , Robson Anthony G. , Thompson Dorothy A. , Stepien Karolina M. , Lachmann Robin , Footitt Emma , Czyz Ola , Chandrasekhar Shwetha , Schiff Elena , Iosifidis Christos , Black Graeme C. , Michaelides Michel , Mahroo Omar A. , Arno Gavin , Webster Andrew R.
Published: June 2024

Biallelic variants in SUMF1 are associated with multiple sulfatase deficiency (MSD), a rare lysosomal storage disorder typically diagnosed in early infancy or childhood, marked by severe neurodegeneration and early mortality. We present clinical and molecular characterisation of three unrelated patients aged 13 to 58 years with milder clinical manifestations due to SUMF1 disease variants, including two adult patients presenting with apparent non‐syndromic retinal dystrophy. Whole genome sequencing identified biallelic SUMF1 variants in all three patients; Patient 1 homozygous for a complex allele c.[290G>T;293T>A]; p.[(Gly97Val);(Val98Glu)], Patient 2 homozygous for c.866A>G; p.(Tyr289Cys), and Patient 3 compound heterozygous for c.726‐1G>C and p.(Tyr289Cys). Electroretinography indicated a rod‐cone dystrophy with additional possible inner retinal dysfunction in all three patients. Biochemical studies confirmed reduced, but not absent, sulfatase enzyme activity in the absence of extra‐ocular disease (Patient 1) or only mild systemic disease (Patients 2, 3). These cases are suggestive that non‐null SUMF1 genotypes can cause an attenuated clinical phenotype, including retinal dystrophy without systemic complications, in adulthood.
World Federation of Neurology
Authors: Grisold Wolfgang
Published: June 2024

Background and purpose

To acknowledge the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the formation of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), the World Federation of Neurology was invited to contribute its perspective on the formation of the EAN and its activities over the past decade.

Methods

This article is based on the experiences of the author in several functions with the European Union of Medical Specialists, the European Federation of Neurology and the European Neurological Society and with the World Federation of Neurology as a trustee since 2009. This article is supported by the author's own archive as well as by several publications.

Results

The formation of the EAN was influenced by the activities of the two main predecessor societies, the European Neurological Society and European Federation of Neurology, which left an imprint on the structure of the EAN. The newly formed EAN underwent rigorous structural and organizational changes and has been acting as a successful and independent regional society, expanding increasingly in worldwide activities.

Conclusion

The EAN, with its 47 member countries, strong democratic leadership and structure, is an excellent example of a regional society with expanding global influence that uses its advocacy skills to influence and improve the structure of neurology in Europe.
Privacy preserving security using multi‐key homomorphic encryption for face recognition
Authors: Wang Jing , Xin Rundong , Alfarraj Osama , Tolba Amr , Tang Qitao
Published: June 2024

Recently, face recognition based on homomorphic encryption for privacy preservation has garnered significant attention. However, there are two major challenges with homomorphic encryption methods: the security and efficiency of face recognition systems. We present a more efficient and secure PUM (Privacy preserving security Using Multi‐key homomorphic encryption) mechanism for facial recognition. By integrating feature grouping with parallel computing, we enhance the efficiency of homomorphic operations. The use of multi‐key encryption ensures the security of the facial recognition system. This approach improves the security and speed of facial recognition systems in cloud computing scenarios, increasing the original 128‐bit security to a maximum of 1664‐bit security. In terms of efficiency, comparing encrypted images takes only 0.302 s, with an accuracy rate of 99.425%. When applied to a campus scenario, the average search time for a facial template library containing 700 encrypted features is approximately 1.5 s. Consequently, our solution not only ensures user privacy but also demonstrates superior operational efficiency and practical value. In comparison to recently emerged ciphertext facial recognition systems, our solution has demonstrated notable enhancements in both security and time efficiency.
A supervised learning tool for heatwave predictions using daily high summer temperatures
Authors: Iqbal Gazi Md Daud , Rosenberger Jay , Rosenberger Matthew , Alam Muhammad Shah , Ha Lidan , Anoruo Emmanuel , Gregory Sadie , Mazzone Tom
Published: June 2024

Global temperature is increasing at an alarming rate, which increases the number of heatwaves. Heatwaves have significant impacts, both directly and indirectly, on human and natural systems and can create considerable risk to public health. Predicting the occurrence of a heatwave can save lives, increase the production of crops, improve water quality, and reduce transportation restrictions. Because of its geographical location, Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, floods, and heatwaves. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department collects temperature data at multiple weather stations, and we use data from 10 weather stations in this research. Data show that most heatwaves occur in the summer months, namely, April, May, and June. In this research, we develop Classification and Regression Tree (CART) models that use daily temperature data for the months of March, April, May, and June to predict the likelihood of a heatwave within the next 7 days, the next 28 days, and on any particular day based on daily high temperatures from the previous 14 days. We also use different model parameters to evaluate the accuracy of the models. Finally, we develop treed Stepwise Logistic Regression models to predict the probability of heatwaves occurring. Even though this research uses data from Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the developed modeling approach can be used in other geographic regions.
A modest increase in fire weather overcomes resistance to fire spread in recently burned boreal forests
Authors: Whitman Ellen , Barber Quinn E. , Jain Piyush , Parks Sean A. , Guindon Luc , Thompson Dan K. , Parisien Marc‐André
Published: June 2024

Recently burned boreal forests have lower aboveground fuel loads, generating a negative feedback to subsequent wildfires. Despite this feedback, short‐interval reburns (≤20 years between fires) are possible under extreme weather conditions. Reburns have consequences for ecosystem recovery, leading to enduring vegetation change. In this study, we characterize the strength of the fire‐fuel feedback in recently burned Canadian boreal forests and the weather conditions that overwhelm resistance to fire spread in recently burned areas. We used a dataset of daily fire spread for thousands of large boreal fires, interpolated from remotely sensed thermal anomalies to which we associated local weather from ERA5‐Land for each day of a fire's duration. We classified days with >3 ha of fire growth as spread days and defined burned pixels overlapping a fire perimeter ≤20 years old as short‐interval reburns. Results of a logistic regression showed that the odds of fire spread in recently burned areas were ~50% lower than in long‐interval fires; however, all Canadian boreal ecozones experienced short‐interval reburning (1981–2021), with over 100,000 ha reburning annually. As fire weather conditions intensify, the resistance to fire spread declines, allowing fire to spread in recently burned areas. The weather associated with short‐interval fire spread days was more extreme than the conditions during long‐interval spread, but overall differences were modest (e.g. relative humidity 2.6% lower). The frequency of fire weather conducive to short‐interval fire spread has significantly increased in the western boreal forest due to climate warming and drying (1981–2021). Our results suggest an ongoing degradation of fire‐fuel feedbacks, which is likely to continue with climatic warming and drying.
Aridity‐dependent shifts in biodiversity–stability relationships but not in underlying mechanisms
Authors: Sasaki Takehiro , Berdugo Miguel , Kinugasa Toshihiko , Batdelger Gantsetseg , Baasandai Erdenetsetseg , Eisenhauer Nico
Published: June 2024

Climate change will affect the way biodiversity influences the stability of plant communities. Although biodiversity, associated species asynchrony, and species stability could enhance community stability, the understanding of potential nonlinear shifts in the biodiversity–stability relationship across a wide range of aridity (measured as the aridity index, the precipitation/potential evapotranspiration ratio) gradients and the underlying mechanisms remain limited. Using an 8‐year dataset from 687 sites in Mongolia, which included 5496 records of vegetation and productivity, we found that the temporal stability of plant communities decreased more rapidly in more arid areas than in less arid areas. The result suggests that future aridification across terrestrial ecosystems may adversely affect community stability. Additionally, we identified nonlinear shifts in the effects of species richness and species synchrony on temporal community stability along the aridity gradient. Species synchrony was a primary driver of community stability, which was consistently negatively affected by species richness while being positively affected by the synchrony between C3 and C4 species across the aridity gradient. These results highlight the crucial role of C4 species in stabilizing communities through differential responses to interannual climate variations between C3 and C4 species. Notably, species richness and the synchrony between C3 and C4 species independently regulated species synchrony, ultimately affecting community stability. We propose that maintaining plant communities with a high diversity of C3 and C4 species will be key to enhancing community stability across Mongolian grasslands. Moreover, species synchrony, species stability, species richness and the synchrony between C3 and C4 species across the aridity gradient consistently mediated the impacts of aridity on community stability. Hence, strategies aimed at promoting the maintenance of biological diversity and composition will help ecosystems adapt to climate change or mitigate its adverse effects on ecosystem stability.
The rise and fall of shark functional diversity over the last 66 million years
Authors: Cooper Jack A. , Pimiento Catalina
Published: June 2024

Aim

Modern sharks are a diverse and highly threatened group playing important roles in ecosystems. They have an abundant fossil record spanning at least 250 million years (Myr), consisting primarily of isolated teeth. Throughout their evolutionary history, sharks have faced multiple environmental changes and extinction events. Here, we aim to use dental characters to quantify how shark functional diversity has changed during the last 66 Myr.

Location

Global.

Time period

Cenozoic era (66–0 million years ago; Ma).

Major taxa studied

Sharks (Selachii).

Methods

We complied a dataset of over 9000 shark teeth belonging to 537 taxa from museum collections and scientific literature and measured six dental characters strongly linked with functional traits. We then quantified different functional diversity metrics across Cenozoic time bins, compared them against null expectations and identified the most important taxa contributing to maintaining functional diversity.

Results

Sharks displayed relatively high functional diversity during the Cenozoic, with 66%–87% of the functional space being occupied for ~60 Myr (Palaeocene to Miocene). High levels of functional redundancy during this time resulted in larger‐than‐expected functional richness; but a large decline (−45%) in redundancy in the Oligocene (~30 Ma) left shark functional diversity highly vulnerable to further loss. Shark functional diversity declined from the late Miocene (~10 Ma) onwards, losing 44% of functional richness by the Recent. Extinct sharks disproportionally contributed to the Cenozoic functional diversity and spanned a wider range of functional space than extant sharks, with the loss of mid‐sized suction feeders and large‐bodied predators driving functional declines.

Main conclusions

After maintaining high levels of functional diversity for most of the Cenozoic, sharks lost nearly half of their functional diversity in the last ~10 Myr. Current anthropogenic pressures are therefore likely eroding an already diminished shark functional diversity, leaving future communities ecologically deprived compared with their thriving geological past.
Elevated serum hepatic transaminases in apical periodontitis individuals
Authors: Bordagaray María José , Pellegrini Elizabeth , Garrido Mauricio , Hernández‐Ríos Patricia , Villalobos Thomas , Fernández Alejandra , Hernández Marcela
Published: June 2024

Aim

Apical periodontitis (AP) is the chronic inflammation of the periradicular tissues in response to root canal infection. Whilst AP has been linked with systemic inflammation and noncommunicable diseases, its potential association with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels as surrogate markers of hepatic injury, and the systemic inflammatory burden in otherwise healthy individuals with and without AP diagnosis.

Methodology

Cross‐sectional study. Individuals with AP (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 29) were recruited. The number, mean diameter (mm) and periapical index of the apical lesions of endodontic origin (ALEO) were assessed. ALT and AST levels (pg/mL) were measured through enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. The serum levels of TNF‐α, IL‐4, IL‐9, IL‐10, IL‐17A and IL‐22 were evaluated by Multiplex assay. Inferential analysis was performed using t‐test or Mann–Whitney tests according to data distribution and linear regression models. Data were analysed with StataV16 (p < .05).

Results

ALT and AST levels were significantly higher in individuals with AP compared to controls (p < .05). Serum inflammatory biomarkers showed no significant differences between the study groups. Bivariate and multivariate analyses confirmed that AP diagnosis was independently associated with ALT and AST elevations (p < .05). Additionally, the number of ALEO positively influenced AST levels (p = .002). IL‐22 on the other hand, was associated with reduced ALT levels (p = .043).

Conclusion

AP is associated with higher serum hepatic transaminases ALT and AST, potentially contributing to NAFLD physiopathology in young adults.
Evaluation of GlassNet for physics‐informed machine learning of glass stability and glass‐forming ability
Authors: Allec Sarah I. , Lu Xiaonan , Cassar Daniel R. , Nguyen Xuan T. , Hegde Vinay I. , Mahadevan Thiruvillamalai , Peterson Miroslava , Du Jincheng , Riley Brian J. , Vienna John D. , Saal James E.
Published: June 2024

Glassy materials form the basis of many modern applications, including nuclear waste immobilization, touch‐screen displays, and optical fibers, and also hold great potential for future medical and environmental applications. However, their structural complexity and large composition space make design and optimization challenging for certain applications. Of particular importance for glass processing and design is an estimate of a given composition's glass‐forming ability (GFA). However, there remain many open questions regarding the underlying physical mechanisms of glass formation, especially in oxide glasses. It is apparent that a proxy for GFA would be highly useful in glass processing and design, but identifying such a surrogate property has proven itself to be difficult. While glass stability (GS) parameters have historically been used as a GFA surrogate, recent research has demonstrated that most of these parameters are not accurate predictors of the GFA of oxide glasses. Here, we explore the application of an open‐source pre‐trained neural network model, GlassNet, that can predict the characteristic temperatures necessary to compute GS with reasonable performance and assess the feasibility of using these physics‐informed machine learning (PIML)‐predicted GS parameters to estimate GFA. In doing so, we track the uncertainties at each step of the computation—from the original ML prediction errors to the compounding of errors during GS estimation, and finally to the final estimation of GFA. While GlassNet exhibits reasonable accuracy on all individual properties, we observe a large compounding of error in the combination of these individual predictions for the PIML prediction of GS, finding that random forest models offer similar accuracy to GlassNet. We also break down the performance of GlassNet on different glass families and find that the error in GS prediction is correlated with the error in crystallization peak temperature prediction. Lastly, we utilize this finding to assess the relationship between top‐performing GS parameters and GFA for two ternary glass systems: sodium borosilicate and sodium iron phosphate glasses. We conclude that to obtain true ML predictive capability of GFA, significantly more data needs to be collected.
To participate or not to participate: The troublesome question of nurses' conscientious objection to abortion: A qualitative study
Authors: Fleming Valerie , Maxwell Clare , Hanlon Claire , Robb Yvonne , Vermeulen Joeri , Dobrowolska Beata
Published: June 2024

Aim

To report a study investigating the implementation of the “conscience clause” by practising nurses in two National Health Service Hospital Trusts in the UK.

Design

A qualitative study.

Methods

Data were collected from 2018 to 2020 through qualitative face‐to‐face interviews with 20 nurses, transcribed verbatim and analyzed by thematic analysis.

Results

Major themes were developing conscience, negotiating conscience and parameters of participation.

Conclusion

Participants had varied views on conscientious objection, reflecting a continuum from unwillingness to be near anything related to abortion to being willing to participate in the whole process. Most participants framed involvement as fulfilling their “duty of care” to their patient. Direct experience of witnessing abortion overrode faith‐based foundations to shape participants' beliefs as objectors or non‐objectors. Non‐objectors were supportive of objecting colleagues.

Implications for the Profession

The complex nature of conscience as a fundamental human right is inherently related to the cultural and social context of nursing. “Employability” raised important questions over the real world of a nurse's legal right to invoke conscientious objection without consequences.

Impact

Problem addressed Conscientious objection to abortion continues to affect nursing. Main findings There was little knowledge of the law and a reluctance to make formal objections. Where and on whom will the research have an impact It highlights the need for delineated and implemented guidelines on conscientious objection in practice for nurses. Its findings, while local, may be applicable to other abortion services.

Patient and Public Contribution

Representatives of each were key in our advisory group.

Reporting Method

COREQ checklist for qualitative research.
Psychiatric care for people with Prader‐Willi syndrome—characteristics, needs and barriers
Authors: Wieting Jelte , Herrmann Theresa , Deest‐Gaubatz Stephanie , Eberlein Christian Karl , Bleich Stefan , Frieling Helge , Deest Maximilian
Published: June 2024

Background

Prader‐Willi syndrome (PWS) is commonly associated with intellectual disability, but also with a specific behavioural phenotype and a high predisposition to psychiatric comorbidity. This study examines the psychiatric care situation of people with PWS.

Method

A structured online questionnaire was administered to carers of people with PWS living in Germany, asking about demographic, diagnostic and treatment parameters as well as personal experiences.

Results

Of 77 people with PWS, 44.2% had at least one psychiatric comorbid diagnosis. The main reasons for seeking psychiatric care were emotional outbursts and aggressive behaviour. 34.9% reported that they were currently seeking psychiatric care without success. However, 32.5% of PWS had been treated with psychotropic medication, mainly antipsychotics.

Conclusions

Psychiatric comorbidity appears to be undertreated in PWS, especially in the ambulatory setting. Uncertainty among mental health care providers may also lead to frequent off‐label use of psychotropic medications.
Escape the Professor's Office: An Exercise of Collaboration and Game‐Play
Authors: Aikey Kylie S.
Published: June 2024

This teaching note illustrates how escape rooms can be utilized as a tool to teach or review business law concepts, encourage student collaboration, and provide an opportunity for gameplay. Escape rooms can be adapted to any topic, made asynchronous, and scaled up to accommodate larger groups. This note also describes the value of incorporating gameplay and collaborative pedagogy activities into the classroom and gives a complete overview of everything needed to complete “Escape the Professor's Office.”
What Drives Variation in the U.S. Debt‐to‐Output Ratio? The Dogs that Did not Bark
Authors: JIANG ZHENGYANG , LUSTIG HANNO , VAN NIEUWERBURGH STIJN , XIAOLAN MINDY Z.
Published: June 2024

A higher U.S. government debt‐to‐output (D‐O) ratio does not forecast higher surpluses or lower returns on Treasurys in the future. Neither future cash flows nor discount rates account for the variation in the current D‐O ratio. The market valuation of Treasurys is surprisingly insensitive to macro fundamentals. Instead, the future D‐O ratio accounts for most of the variation because the D‐O ratio is highly persistent. Systematic surplus forecast errors may help account for these findings. Since the start of the Global Financial Crisis, surplus projections have anticipated a large fiscal correction that failed to materialize.
Cyberincivility among Adolescents: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Evidence
Authors: Kim Joy , Scroggins Jihye Kim , Ledbetter Leila , De Gagne Jennie Chang
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

The ubiquitous use of social media places adolescents at high risk for cyberincivility (disrespectful, insensitive, or disruptive online behaviors). Adolescents who experience cyberincivility can have mental health issues including depression and suicidal ideation. However, no reviews synthesized findings from qualitative studies on cyberincivility among adolescents, which was the aim of this review.

METHODS

Eleven articles were extracted from MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Education Full Text. Study qualities were assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. A meta‐ethnographic framework guided the thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified: forms of cyberincivility, platforms used for cyberincivility, perceptions and understanding of cyberincivility, adverse impact on health, and perceptions of seeking support. Social media was often used for cyberincivility, and common forms of cyberincivility included impersonation, aggressive verbal behaviors, and social exclusion. Adolescents perceived cyberincivility as persistent and relentless, with severe health impacts including depression, but they hesitate to seek support.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering the negative impact of cyberincivility on adolescents' physical and mental well‐being, it is important to develop anti‐cyberincivility programs in schools. Schools have opportunities to efficiently reach both perpetrators and victims of cyberincivility with anti‐cyberincivility programs rooted in trust building and engagement from family, community, and peers.
Legislating landlords: Private interests, issue emphasis, and policy positions
Authors: Müller Stefan , Ncib Jihed
Published: June 2024

Do private interests predict politicians' rhetoric? Focusing on housing policy, we compare issue emphasis and positions of landlord politicians and politicians who do not own multiple properties. Ireland provides a unique opportunity to study legislating landlords' behavior as housing has become one of the most important political issues. We construct a novel dataset of politicians' homeownership status between 2013 and 2022, a period characterized by rising rent and property prices. We fine‐tune a transformer‐based machine learning model and apply text scaling and sentiment analysis to identify issue salience and positions on housing in over 870,000 tweets and parliamentary questions. Contrary to our expectations, landlord politicians do not avoid the topic of housing, nor do they take different positions. We also find that government status does not influence this relationship. The results imply that private financial interests do not influence rhetoric on housing policy.
Evidence for within‐species transition between drought response strategies in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Asadyar Leila , de Felippes Felipe Fenselau , Bally Julia , Blackman Chris J. , An Jiyuan , Sussmilch Frances C. , Moghaddam Lalehvash , Williams Brett , Blanksby Stephen J. , Brodribb Timothy J. , Waterhouse Peter M.
Published: June 2024

Nicotiana benthamiana is predominantly distributed in arid habitats across northern Australia. However, none of six geographically isolated accessions shows obvious xerophytic morphological features.

To investigate how these tender‐looking plants withstand drought, we examined their responses to water deprivation, assessed phenotypic, physiological, and cellular responses, and analysed cuticular wax composition and wax biosynthesis gene expression profiles.

Results showed that the Central Australia (CA) accession, globally known as a research tool, has evolved a drought escape strategy with early vigour, short life cycle, and weak, water loss‐limiting responses. By contrast, a northern Queensland (NQ) accession responded to drought by slowing growth, inhibiting flowering, increasing leaf cuticle thickness, and altering cuticular wax composition. Under water stress, NQ increased the heat stability and water impermeability of its cuticle by extending the carbon backbone of cuticular long‐chain alkanes from c. 25 to 33. This correlated with rapid upregulation of at least five wax biosynthesis genes. In CA, the alkane chain lengths (c. 25) and gene expression profiles remained largely unaltered.

This study highlights complex genetic and environmental control over cuticle composition and provides evidence for divergence into at least two fundamentally different drought response strategies within the N. benthamiana species in < 1 million years.
Clinical severity of Omicron and Delta SARS‐CoV‐2 infections in children
Authors: Ng David Chun‐Ern , Liew Chuin‐Hen , Tan Kah Kee , Chin Ling , Awang Elida Hanan Binti , Chandirasekharan Debashini a/p , Surdi Roslan Maryam Jamilah Binti , Jamil Munzir Bin , Zainol Abidin Nor Zanariah , Cheah Yee Keat , Alias Mohd Ferous Bin , Khoo Erwin Jiayuan
Published: June 2024

Background

We aimed to compare the clinical features and severity of the Omicron and Delta variant infections among children hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19).

Methods

Children 12 years old or less hospitalized for COVID‐19 across five hospitals between January 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022 were identified using the state's pediatric COVID‐19 registry. Delta and Omicron‐infected patients without previous COVID‐19 infection, COVID‐19 vaccination, or co‐infections were propensity‐score matched 1:1 to control for differences in baseline characteristics. Clinical manifestations, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. Disease severity was assessed using an adapted WHO ordinal scale.

Results

Of the initial 1367 patients, 668 had Delta infection and 699 had Omicron infection. Propensity‐score matching produced 558 matched pairs. Patients with Omicron infection were more likely to present with croup (the odds ratio, OR, was 10.87, with a 95% confidence interval, CI, ranging from 2.54 to 46.59), lower respiratory tract infection (OR 2.32, 95% CI, 1.48–3.64) and seizures (OR 8.39, 95% CI, 5.04–13.99) compared with those with Delta infection. Omicron was associated with increased odds of moderate/severe disease (OR 6.14, 95% CI, 4.72–7.99) and a greater need for intravenous fluid therapy (OR 6.00, 95% CI, 4.29–8.39), corticosteroids (OR 3.08, 95% CI, 1.66–5.72), empirical antibiotics (OR 1.70, 95% CI, 1.10–2.64), and low‐flow nasal oxygen therapy (OR 3.68, 95% CI, 2.17–6.22) in comparison with Delta.

Conclusion

Children hospitalized with Omicron infection demonstrated a distinct clinical profile compared to those with Delta infection, with increased likelihood of moderate/severe disease and higher utilization of health‐care resources.
Clinical characteristics and risk factors for kidney involvement in children with immunoglobulin A vasculitis
Authors: Chatpaitoon Boonyapohn , Rianthavorn Pornpimol , Chanakul Ankanee , Khaosut Parichat
Published: June 2024

Background

Immumoglobulin A (IgA) vasculitis (IgAV), formerly known as Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP), is a self‐limiting systemic vasculitis in children. Kidney involvement is associated with a long‐term unfavorable outcome and can lead to significant morbidity. This study was conducted to describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics of childhood IgAV with kidney involvement and to identify risk factors associated with IgAV nephritis (IgAVN).

Methods

This was an ambidirectional descriptive study of 77 children with IgAV. All demographic data, clinical features, and laboratory tests were collected from electronic medical records from January 2010 to December 2022. Risk factors for kidney involvement in IgAV were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to calculate the time to commencement of kidney involvement.

Results

Twenty‐five children (32.4% of the IgAV patients) developed IgAVN. The common findings in IgAV with kidney involvement were microscopic hematuria (100%), nephrotic range proteinuria (44%), and non‐nephrotic range proteinuria (40%). Multivariate logistic regression showed that age greater than 10 years (adjusted hazard ratio, AHR 4.66; 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.91–11.41; p = 0.001), obesity (body mass index, BMI, z‐score ≥ +2 standard deviations, SDs) (AHR 3.59; 95% CI 1.41–9.17; p = 0.007), and hypertension at onset (AHR 4.78; 95% CI 1.76–12.95; p = 0.002) were associated significantly with kidney involvement. During follow up, most IgAV patients developed nephritis within the first 9 months.

Conclusion

Age greater than 10 years, obesity, and hypertension at presentation were predictive factors for IgAVN. Our study emphasized that IgAV patients with risk factors should be closely monitored for at least 1 year after the onset of the disease.
Renaissance culture, emblems, and interdisciplinary research: the reception of Alciato in Coimbra☆
Authors: Araújo Filipa
Published: June 2024

Bearing in mind that emblem books were a manifestation of humanistic culture and its natural interdisciplinary, this paper discusses how the early reception of Alciato's Emblemata in Coimbra (Portugal) had an impact on artists, literary authors, jurists, and Jesuit teachers. This emblem book attracted readers from diverse fields of knowledge, and in this essay, special attention is drawn to the role played by Sebastian Stockhamer's commentaries on the Emblemata, published by the Lyonnaise printer, Jean de Tournes, in 1556. From the analysis of textual evidence, this contribution aims to demonstrate that Stockhamer's work was built upon an interdisciplinary method. His example provides a very strong argument for considering Coimbra as pioneering in the early history of the reception of Alciato's work across Europe. This study case embraces therefore a wider range of engagement, involving cultural studies, literature, arts, legal history, educational science, philosophy, and classical culture, among others.
Adaptive sampling method to monitor low‐risk pathways with limited surveillance resources
Authors: Le Thao P. , Waring Thomas K. , Bondell Howard , Robinson Andrew P. , Baker Christopher M.
Published: June 2024

The rise of globalization has led to a sharp increase in international trade with high volumes of containers, goods, and items moving across the world. Unfortunately, these trade pathways also facilitate the movement of unwanted pests, weeds, diseases, and pathogens. Each item could contain biosecurity risk material, but it is impractical to inspect every item. Instead, inspection efforts typically focus on high‐risk items. However, low risk does not imply no risk. It is crucial to monitor the low‐risk pathways to ensure that they are and remain low risk. To do so, many approaches would seek to estimate the risk to some precision, but increasingly lower risks require more samples. On a low‐risk pathway that can be afforded only limited inspection resources, it makes more sense to assign fewer samples to the lower risk activities. We approach the problem by introducing two thresholds. Our method focuses on letting us know whether the risk is below certain thresholds, rather than estimating the risk precisely. This method also allows us to detect a significant change in risk. Our approach typically requires less sampling than previous methods, while still providing evidence to regulators to help them efficiently and effectively allocate inspection effort.
Emerging roles of plant transcriptional gene silencing under heat
Authors: Torres José Roberto , Sanchez Diego H.
Published: June 2024

Plants continuously endure unpredictable environmental fluctuations that upset their physiology, with stressful conditions negatively impacting yield and survival. As a contemporary threat of rapid progression, global warming has become one of the most menacing ecological challenges. Thus, understanding how plants integrate and respond to elevated temperatures is crucial for ensuring future crop productivity and furthering our knowledge of historical environmental acclimation and adaptation. While the canonical heat‐shock response and thermomorphogenesis have been extensively studied, evidence increasingly highlights the critical role of regulatory epigenetic mechanisms. Among these, the involvement under heat of heterochromatic suppression mediated by transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) remains the least understood. TGS refers to a multilayered metabolic machinery largely responsible for the epigenetic silencing of invasive parasitic nucleic acids and the maintenance of parental imprints. Its molecular effectors include DNA methylation, histone variants and their post‐translational modifications, and chromatin packing and remodeling. This work focuses on both established and emerging insights into the contribution of TGS to the physiology of plants under stressful high temperatures. We summarized potential roles of constitutive and facultative heterochromatin as well as the most impactful regulatory genes, highlighting events where the loss of epigenetic suppression has not yet been associated with corresponding changes in epigenetic marks.
Hong Kong’s Media Representations of China amid COVID-19: A Corpus-Assisted Critical Discourse Analysis
Authors: Hu Xiaolin , Nawar Kasimon Diyana , Wan Abas Wan Anita
Published: June 2024

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, many scholars have noted the significant value of studying media representations of the COVID-19 pandemic everywhere. However, when observing these research results, one will find that more research results are about the Western media, and there are few reports about the Chinese media on the COVID-19 pandemic. This study employs corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis to examine what kinds of discourse Hong Kong media use to represent China in the news. The Sing Tao Daily was chosen for the study because it has been in existence for a long time and has readers all over the world. Its coverage of China COVID-19 will affect Hong Kong people's perception of their motherland. Hong Kong is unique in that it has just recently returned to China. The Hong Kong media's coverage of mainland China will affect China's national image in the minds of Hong Kong people. This study aims to examine what discourses are used by the Hong Kong news media in their coverage of China's fight against the epidemic and what kind of national image of China is presented to the Hong Kong and global audiences. The analysis reveals that China is presented as a victim, and an advantageous cooperative country. China is a responsible big country that has assumed the responsibility of helping countries in difficulty and is a united country. China's actions have had a positive impact on global humanitarian ideology. This study illustrates how the media can effectively utilize discursive strategies to promote cooperation and build a country's image in the midst of a global health crisis.
General Adaptable Design and Evaluation Using Markov Processes
Authors: Sun Zhilin , Wang Kaifeng , Gu Peihua
Published: June 2024

Facing the challenges posed by increasingly complex, dynamic, and unforeseen requirements, the design process is grappling with the critical issue of ensuring sustained product satisfaction amid changing demands. This paper introduces an approach for evaluating design adaptability, considering potential future requirements. Entropy serves as a crucial indicator to quantify design effort and the Markov process is employed to simulate potential requirement changes. The information contents of design requirements and design solutions are defined based on information entropy theory, and the design adaptability of a design candidate is evaluated by calculating the extra design effort for satisfying the design requirements, which is the difference in information content between the design candidate and design requirements. Moreover, a simulation method for requirement evolution is proposed, which integrates information entropy theory and the Markov process to accommodate potential future requirements. The general design adaptability of design solutions is then calculated based on conditional entropy, taking into account the evolving design requirements. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed approach is validated through a case study involving the design and evaluation of a hybrid additive manufacturing device.