bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘It's like a compass which I use to find direction’: Findings and learning from an evaluation of an App designed to support the teaching of reading comprehension in rural and township schools in South Africa
Authors: Carter Jane , Pillay Pravina , Podpadec Tessa , Gina Jethro , Khumalo Nontobeko , Knight Ben , Matthews Paul , Mthethwa Lindiwe , Vickers‐Hulse Karan
Published: January 2024

South Africa has low literacy levels and teachers face multiple challenges in their endeavours to elevate levels of literacy. This is especially prevalent in rural and township schools where teachers face the additional challenges of isolation, limited resources and access to professional development. This article reports on the findings and learning from a preliminary research study which piloted a handheld mobile phone App. This collaborative project, between a university in KwaZulu‐Natal and one in England, aimed to support in‐service and preservice teachers in rural and township settings to use the App to assess and match books to learners' (aged 9–12) stage of reading development in order to facilitate their independent reading and provide teachers with a range of strategies for teaching comprehension that could supplement other professional development available. In‐service teachers (n = 120) and preservice teachers (n = 93) took part in this mixed‐methods study. The main finding from the study was that whilst participants were positive about the App, many did not access the App independently. This article discusses the broader issues, including participants' foundational knowledge and literacy research participation considerations, that may have underpinned this finding in this collaborative Global North and South research.
Perspective: Connecting the dots between domestic livestock ownership and child linear growth in low‐ and middle‐income countries
Authors: Lowe Callum , Sarma Haribondhu , Gray Darren , Kelly Matthew
Published: January 2024

Child stunting due to linear growth faltering remains a pervasive issue in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Two schools of thought have existed pertaining to the role of domestic livestock ownership (DLO) in child linear growth. On one hand, it is argued that DLO leads to greater income and financial security, resulting in better child‐raising conditions, including greater animal‐source food (ASF) consumption, having protective effects towards child stunting. On the other hand, researchers argue that DLO contributes to faecal contamination and transmission of zoonotic enteric infections from animals to children, thus having destructive effects on child growth. Reviews of this association have revealed ambiguous findings. In this perspective, we argue that measuring the association between exposures to domesticated animals and child stunting is difficult and the ambiguous associations revealed are a result of confounding and differences in the management of DLO. We also argue that the increasingly prominent area of research of environmental enteric dysfunction, a sub‐clinical condition of the small intestine thought to be due to frequent faecal pathogen exposure and associated with stunting, will be a useful tool to measure the potential destructive effects of DLO on child growth. We present our argument and identify challenges and considerations and directions for future research.
The type VI secretion system of Stenotrophomonas rhizophilaCFBP13503 limits the transmission of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris 8004 from radish seeds to seedlings
Authors: Garin Tiffany , Brin Chrystelle , Préveaux Anne , Brault Agathe , Briand Martial , Simonin Marie , Barret Matthieu , Journet Laure , Sarniguet Alain
Published: January 2024

Stenotrophomonas rhizophila CFBP13503 is a seedborne commensal bacterial strain, which is efficiently transmitted to seedlings and can outcompete the phytopathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc8004). The type VI secretion system (T6SS), an interference contact‐dependent mechanism, is a critical component of interbacterial competition. The involvement of the T6SS of S. rhizophila CFBP13503 in the inhibition of Xcc8004 growth and seed‐to‐seedling transmission was assessed. The T6SS cluster of S. rhizophila CFBP13503 and nine putative effectors were identified. Deletion of two T6SS structural genes, hcp and tssB, abolished the competitive advantage of S. rhizophila against Xcc8004 in vitro. The population sizes of these two bacterial species were monitored in seedlings after inoculation of radish seeds with mixtures of Xcc8004 and either S. rhizophila wild‐type (wt) strain or isogenic hcp mutant. A significant decrease in the population size of Xcc8004 was observed during confrontation with the S. rhizophila wt in comparison with T6SS‐deletion mutants in germinated seeds and seedlings. We found that the T6SS distribution among 835 genomes of the Stenotrophomonas genus is scarce. In contrast, in all available S. rhizophila genomes, T6SS clusters are widespread and mainly belong to the T6SS group i4. In conclusion, the T6SS of S. rhizophila CFBP13503 is involved in the antibiosis against Xcc8004 and reduces seedling transmission of Xcc8004 in radish. The distribution of this T6SS cluster in the S. rhizophila complex could make it possible to exploit these strains as biocontrol agents against X. campestris pv. campestris.
Cytochrome c levels affect the TOR pathway to regulate growth and metabolism under energy‐deficient conditions
Authors: Canal María Victoria , Mansilla Natanael , Gras Diana E. , Ibarra Agustín , Figueroa Carlos M. , Gonzalez Daniel H. , Welchen Elina
Published: January 2024

Mitochondrial function is essential for plant growth, but the mechanisms involved in adjusting growth and metabolism to changes in mitochondrial energy production are not fully understood.

We studied plants with reduced expression of CYTC‐1, one of two genes encoding the respiratory chain component cytochrome c (CYTc) in Arabidopsis, to understand how mitochondria communicate their status to coordinate metabolism and growth.

Plants with CYTc deficiency show decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and lower ATP content, even when carbon sources are present. They also exhibit higher free amino acid content, induced autophagy, and increased resistance to nutritional stress caused by prolonged darkness, similar to plants with triggered starvation signals. CYTc deficiency affects target of rapamycin (TOR)‐pathway activation, reducing S6 kinase (S6K) and RPS6A phosphorylation, as well as total S6K protein levels due to increased protein degradation via proteasome and autophagy. TOR overexpression restores growth and other parameters affected in cytc‐1 mutants, even if mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels remain low.

We propose that CYTc‐deficient plants coordinate their metabolism and energy availability by reducing TOR‐pathway activation as a preventive signal to adjust growth in anticipation of energy exhaustion, thus providing a mechanism by which changes in mitochondrial activity are transduced to the rest of the cell.
How a boiling river is helping to highlight the risks of warming for tropical forests
Authors: Posch Bradley C.
Published: January 2024

This article is a Commentary on Kullberg et al. (2024), 241: 1447–1463.
Screening tools used in primary health care settings to identify health behaviours in children (birth–16 years); A systematic review of their effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability
Authors: Dutch Dimity , Bell Lucinda , Zarnowiecki Dorota , Johnson Brittany J. , Denney‐Wilson Elizabeth , Byrne Rebecca , Cheng Heilok , Rossiter Chris , Manson Alexandra , House Eve , Davidson Kamila , Golley Rebecca K.
Published: January 2024

Background

Child health behaviour screening tools have potential to enhance the effectiveness of health promotion and early intervention. This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness, acceptability and feasibility of child health behaviour screening tools used in primary health care settings.

Methods

A systematic review of studies published in English in five databases (CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO and Web of Science) prior to July 2022 was undertaken. Eligible studies described: 1) screening tools for health behaviours (dietary, physical activity, sedentary or sleep‐related behaviours) used in primary health care settings in children birth to 16 years; 2) tool effectiveness for identifying child health behaviours and changing practitioner behaviour; 3) tool acceptability or feasibility from child, caregiver or practitioner perspective and/or 4) implementation of the screening tool.

Results

Of the 7145 papers identified, 22 studies describing 14 screening tools were included. Only four screening tools measured all four behaviour domains. Fourteen studies reported changes in practitioner self‐reported behaviour, knowledge and practice. Practitioners and caregivers identified numerous benefits and challenges to screening.

Conclusions

Health behaviour screening can be an acceptable and feasible strategy to assess children's health behaviours in primary health care. Further evaluation is needed to determine effectiveness on child health outcomes.
Diagnosis of differentiated dysplasia as a variant of oral epithelial dysplasia
Authors: Becker Anne‐Sophie , Holm Maximiliane , Liese Jan , Engel Nadja , Zimpfer Annette Helene
Published: January 2024

Objectives

The World Health Organization's definition of oral epithelial dysplasia includes differentiated dysplasia, which is defined by purely architectural abnormalities of oral mucosa without cytological changes. We analysed differentiated dysplasia's frequency, progression risk and correlation with oral brush cytology.

Materials and Methods

Cytoarchitectural criteria and expression patterns of keratin 13/17 and ki67 were studied in oral biopsies clinically diagnosed with leukoplakia. Biopsies were assessed for dysplasia and its grade. Available brush cytology findings were obtained from clinical records.

Results

We included 159 biopsies from 112 patients (33% differentiated dysplasia; 27% keratosis without dysplasia; oral epithelial dysplasia with atypia of mild, moderate and severe degree including invasive cancers in 9%, 8% and 7%, respectively). Keratin 13 loss and keratin 17 gain were higher in differentiated‐dysplasia cases (p < 0.0001), which had the highest hypergranulosis frequency. Keratin 17 expression was associated with higher malignant‐transformation rates (p = 0.0028). The transformation rate and time were comparable between dysplasia with atypia and differentiated‐dysplasia cases, which had higher progression rates and shorter time periods than keratosis cases without dysplasia (p = 0.08). Cytology prior to differentiated dysplasia all indicated normal oral mucosa.

Conclusions

Keratin 17 but not oral brush cytology can help identify patients with differentiated dysplasia with higher risk for malignant transformation.
The association between chronotype profile and temporomandibular disorders among college students
Authors: Dan Ruichen , Li Jiaheng , Zhao Kangning , Yang Zijiang , Dong Yanhua , Fan Peidi , Cheng Qiaoyu , Wang Jun , Xiong Xin
Published: January 2024

Background

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) are common in young adults, and the link between chronotype profile and TMDs is unclear.

Objective

This study examined TMD prevalence and chronotype distribution and explored the relationship between chronotype and TMDs in young adults.

Materials and Methods

A total of 663 students from Sichuan University completed questionnaires. Chronotype profiles were assessed using the Morningness‐Eveningness Questionnaire, and TMDs were screened using the Fonseca Memory Index. To validate the findings, 68 TMD patients and 136 controls were enrolled.

Results

The prevalence of TMDs was 69.7%, with significant differences among chronotype profiles. The intermediate profile was the most common chronotype. Eveningness profile was associated with higher TMDs prevalence and severity. Muscle pain and side movement difficulty scores were higher in eveningness and intermediate profiles. Female gender (OR 2.345; 95% CI 1.668–3.297) was a TMD risk factor, while morningness profile (OR 0.537; 95% CI 0.297–0.970) was protective. Validation with TMD patients and controls supported these findings, showing higher eveningness profile prevalence in the TMD groups.

Conclusions

TMDs have a high prevalence in college students, chronotype profiles shown to be associated with TMDs. Morningness is the protection factor in TMDs and PT, eveningness is a risk factor for IT.
Measuring Union Formalization for a New Generation of Family Demography: A Case Study from Urban Kenya
Authors: Stoebenau Kirsten , Madhavan Sangeetha , Kim Seungwan , Wainaina Carol
Published: January 2024

Despite repeated calls for improved measures of marriage as a process in sub‐Saharan Africa, large‐scale surveys continue to rely on static marital status. As a result, there is an incomplete understanding of the effects of marriage on outcomes of interest. We use qualitative and survey data from a longitudinal study of 1,203 young mothers residing in informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya, to (1) describe the development of an innovative measure of union formalization (UF) defined as the steps through which a union attains social legitimacy; (2) compare UF with a conventional current marital status measure; (3) examine the distribution of UF steps across union history; and (4) examine the sequence and timing of pregnancy and childbearing within the UF process. We find UF steps indicative of both increasing individualization of marriage and the ongoing importance of kin involvement hold meaning. We demonstrate extensive heterogeneity in the sequence and extent of UF steps completed and interrogate the classification of premarital childbearing using sequence analysis. We argue that measuring UF is feasible and necessary for the next generation of family demography in Africa; UF measures facilitate understanding the linkages among family dynamics, health, and social stratification within the context of ongoing socioeconomic change.
A newly evolved rice‐specific gene JAUP1 regulates jasmonate biosynthesis and signalling to promote root development and multi‐stress tolerance
Authors: Muzaffar Adnan , Chen Yi‐Shih , Lee Hsiang‐Ting , Wu Cheng‐Chieh , Le Trang Thi , Liang Jin‐Zhang , Lu Chun‐Hsien , Balasubramaniam Hariharan , Lo Shuen‐Fang , Yu Lin‐Chih , Chan Chien‐Hao , Chen Ku‐Ting , Lee Miin‐Huey , Hsing Yue‐Ie , Ho Tuan‐Hua David , Yu Su‐May
Published: January 2024

Root architecture and function are critical for plants to secure water and nutrient supply from the soil, but environmental stresses alter root development. The phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA) regulates plant growth and responses to wounding and other stresses, but its role in root development for adaptation to environmental challenges had not been well investigated. We discovered a novel JA Upregulated Protein 1 gene (JAUP1) that has recently evolved in rice and is specific to modern rice accessions. JAUP1 regulates a self‐perpetuating feed‐forward loop to activate the expression of genes involved in JA biosynthesis and signalling that confers tolerance to abiotic stresses and regulates auxin‐dependent root development. Ectopic expression of JAUP1 alleviates abscisic acid‐ and salt‐mediated suppression of lateral root (LR) growth. JAUP1 is primarily expressed in the root cap and epidermal cells (EPCs) that protect the meristematic stem cells and emerging LRs. Wound‐activated JA/JAUP1 signalling promotes crosstalk between the root cap of LR and parental root EPCs, as well as induces cell wall remodelling in EPCs overlaying the emerging LR, thereby facilitating LR emergence even under ABA‐suppressive conditions. Elevated expression of JAUP1 in transgenic rice or natural rice accessions enhances abiotic stress tolerance and reduces grain yield loss under a limited water supply. We reveal a hitherto unappreciated role for wound‐induced JA in LR development under abiotic stress and suggest that JAUP1 can be used in biotechnology and as a molecular marker for breeding rice adapted to extreme environmental challenges and for the conservation of water resources.
Successful topical minoxidil treatment for hair density and length in trichorhinophalangeal syndrome type 1
Authors: Choi Mira , Han Allison , Eichenfield Lawrence F.
Published: January 2024

A 9‐year‐old girl presented with slow hair growth and hair thinning since birth. Additionally, she had short stature and abnormally short fingers; genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis of trichorhinophalangeal syndrome (TRPS) type 1. After 4 months of topical minoxidil treatment, hair density and length significantly improved diffusely throughout the scalp without evidence of hypertrichosis. This case underscores the therapeutic potential of topical minoxidil for TRPS, paving the way for improved patient quality of life.
Digital surface model generation from high‐resolution satellite stereos based on hybrid feature fusion network
Authors: Zheng Zhi , Wan Yi , Zhang Yongjun , Hu Zhonghua , Wei Dong , Yao Yongxiang , Zhu Chenming , Yang Kun , Xiao Rang
Published: January 2024

Recent studies have demonstrated that deep learning‐based stereo matching methods (DLSMs) can far exceed conventional ones on most benchmark datasets by both improving visual performance and decreasing the mismatching rate. However, applying DLSMs on high‐resolution satellite stereos with broad image coverage and wide terrain variety is still challenging. First, the broad coverage of satellite stereos brings a wide disparity range, while DLSMs are limited to a narrow disparity range in most cases, resulting in incorrect disparity estimation in areas with contradictory disparity ranges. Second, high‐resolution satellite stereos always comprise various terrain types, which is more complicated than carefully prepared datasets. Thus, the performance of DLSMs on satellite stereos is unstable, especially for intractable regions such as texture‐less and occluded regions. Third, generating DSMs requires occlusion‐aware disparity maps, while traditional occlusion detection methods are not always applicable for DLSMs with continuous disparity. To tackle these problems, this paper proposes a novel DLSM‐based DSM generation workflow. The workflow comprises three steps: pre‐processing, disparity estimation and post‐processing. The pre‐processing step introduces low‐resolution terrain to shift unmatched disparity ranges into a fixed scope and crops satellite stereos to regular patches. The disparity estimation step proposes a hybrid feature fusion network (HF2Net) to improve the matching performance. In detail, HF2Net designs a cross‐scale feature extractor (CSF) and a multi‐scale cost filter. The feature extractor differentiates structural‐context features in complex scenes and thus enhances HF2Net's robustness to satellite stereos, especially on intractable regions. The cost filter filters out most matching errors to ensure accurate disparity estimation. The post‐processing step generates initial DSM patches with estimated disparity maps and then refines them for the final large‐scale DSMs. Primary experiments on the public US3D dataset showed better accuracy than state‐of‐the‐art methods, indicating HF2Net's superiority. We then created a self‐made Gaofen‐7 dataset to train HF2Net and conducted DSM generation experiments on two Gaofen‐7 stereos to further demonstrate the effectiveness and practical capability of the proposed workflow.
Looking for trouble: (Infra‐)law enforcement, penal populism, and professional habitus against squatting in Italy
Authors: Pozzi Giacomo
Published: January 2024

This paper reflects ethnographically on law enforcement against squatting in Milan. To this end, it examines labor practices, moral economies, and everyday narratives of those who work with the institutional mandate of tackling squatting in public housing. I propose to grasp these processes considering two specific political and legal configurations that traverse the arena under investigation: the entrenched presence, in the Italian context, of what has been defined as penal populism; additionally, the increasingly pronounced prominence of an infra‐legal dimension of law. Squatting—and the way in which it is publicly managed and punished—represents a privileged lens for examining the specific forms of normative and political governance in contemporary cities.
Estimating the effect of diuretics and inhaled corticosteroids for evolving bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants
Authors: Slaughter Jonathan L. , Klebanoff Mark A. , Hade Erinn M.
Published: January 2024

Background

Off‐label treatment of extremely preterm infants with diuretics and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for evolving bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is common. Their effectiveness in reducing mortality or BPD severity, and optimal treatment timing, are unclear.

Objectives

To determine whether diuretic treatment or ICS administration for infants with early evolving (between 10–27 days postnatal) and progressively evolving (28th‐day–36th‐week postnatal) BPD are independently associated with reduced mortality and moderate or severe BPD at 36‐weeks postmenstrual age (PMA).

Methods

We examined neonates born before 28 weeks' gestation and admitted to neonatal intensive care units on postnatal Day 0 between 2006 and 2016 using data collected during routine care recorded within the Paediatric Health Information System (PHIS). An early evolving BPD cohort consisted of infants treated with oxygen, positive pressure or mechanical ventilation at 10 days postnatal. The progressively evolving BPD cohort consisted of infants treated with these modalities at 28 days. In new users, we evaluated the effect of diuretic and ICS treatment on mortality or BPD severity at 36 weeks PMA, adjusting for time‐dependent confounding by respiratory status using marginal structural models.

Results

Early evolving BPD was present in 10,135 patients; progressively evolving BPD in 11,728. New diuretic exposure during early evolving BPD (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65, 0.93) was associated with decreased mortality or moderate/severe BPD risk. New diuretics (aRR 0.86, 95% CI 0.75, 0.99) during progressively evolving BPD between 28‐days–36‐weeks PMA were less strongly associated with mortality or moderate/severe BPD reduction. There was no strong association for ICS in patients with early evolving (aRR: 1.40; 95% CI: 0.79, 2.51) or progressively evolving BPD (aRR 1.16, 95% CI 0.95, 1.49).

Conclusion

Diuretics, but not ICS, for evolving BPD were associated with mortality and BPD risk reduction.
Guided bone regeneration in implant dentistry: Basic principle, progress over 35 years, and recent research activities
Authors: Buser Daniel , Urban Istvan , Monje Alberto , Kunrath Marcel F. , Dahlin Christer
Published: January 2024

Bone augmentation procedures are frequent today in implant patients, since an implant should be circumferentially anchored in bone at completion of bone healing to have a good long‐term stability. The best documented surgical technique to achieve this goal is guided bone regeneration (GBR) utilizing barrier membranes in combination with bone fillers. This clinical review paper reflects 35 years of development and progress with GBR. In the 1990s, GBR was developed by defining the indications for GBR, examining various barrier membranes, bone grafts, and bone substitutes. Complications were identified and reduced by modifications of the surgical technique. Today, the selection criteria for various surgical approaches are much better understood, in particular, in post‐extraction implant placement. In the majority of patients, biodegradable collagen membranes are used, mainly for horizontal bone augmentation, whereas bioinert PTFE membranes are preferred for vertical ridge augmentation. The leading surgeons are using a composite graft with autogenous bone chips to accelerate bone formation, in combination with a low‐substitution bone filer to better maintain the augmented bone volume over time. In addition, major efforts have been made since the millenium change to reduce surgical trauma and patient morbidity as much as possible. At the end, some open questions related to GBR are discussed.
Fresh‐frozen allogeneic bone blocks grafts for alveolar ridge augmentation: Biological and clinical aspects
Authors: Stavropoulos Andreas , Marcantonio Camila Chierici , de Oliveira Vithor Xavier Resende , Marcantonio Élcio , de Oliveira Guilherme José Pimentel Lopes
Published: January 2024

The possibilities for oral bone regeneration procedures vary depending on the type of bone defect to be treated, which in turn dictate the type of graft to be used. Atrophic alveolar ridges are non‐contained defects and pose a challenging defect morphology for bone regeneration/augmentation. Successful results are regularly obtained with the use of particulate grafts in combination with barrier membranes. In cases of very narrow ridges with need of larger amount of bone augmentation, block grafts are often used. Fresh‐frozen allogeneic bone block grafts have been proposed as an alternative to autogenous (AT) bone blocks. Based on a systematic appraisal of pre‐clinical in vivo studies and clinical trials including a direct comparison of fresh‐frozen bone (FFB) blocks versus AT bone blocks it can be concluded that a FFB block graft: (a) cannot be considered as a reliable replacement of a AT bone block, and (b) should only be considered in cases where the amount of necessary augmentation—in a lateral direction—is relatively limited, so that the main portion of the body of the implant lies within the inner (i.e., the vital) aspect of the block.
Vegetation variety affected by local environments in a coral reef lagoon
Authors: Tozaki Kandai , Nishihara Gregory N. , Kawate Azusa , Konishi Teruko , Sato Yoichi , Ito Michihiro , Fujimura Hiroyuki , Tanaka Atsuko
Published: January 2024

From shore to sea, coral reefs can generally be divided into a lagoon zone, a reef crest, and a fore reef. Environmental variables, such as nutrient fluxes, light availability, and water temperature, vary among the zones and influence the biodiversity of submerged macrophytes. Additionally, the biodiversity of vegetation within the lagoon appears to be affected by multiple and extremely localized conditions. We investigated the impact of small‐scale variations on vegetation diversity, and implemented an ecological survey within a well‐defined area inside of a lagoon at Bise Point, Okinawa, Japan. A total of 20 macroalgal species (four green algae, six brown algae, and ten red algae) and four seagrass species were identified from the surveyed quadrats over a period of 19 months, from October 2019 to March 2021. Patterns in species occurrence were spatially and temporally heterogeneous. Notably, water motion and sediment flux were highly variable among the monitoring sites. Redundancy analysis allowed us to evaluate the significance of environmental factors on the vegetation of each monitoring area. Six environmental factors were considered in this study, but their impacts on local vegetation were not equivalent. Redundancy analysis suggested that water depth, flow velocity, and the ratio of the small fraction of deposition particles were the three factors with the strongest influence on local vegetation. This study provides some crucial insights into the determinants of vegetation in a coral reef lagoon. Our findings suggest that the factors we examined exert more influence on the vegetation than seasonal effects.
Accounting for diversity in the treatment of suicide and self‐injury: A systematic review of the past 50 years of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Maria Guzmán Eleonora M. , LeDuc Michael K. , Cha Christine B. , Goger Pauline , Ng Mei Yi , Huang Xieyining , Ribeiro Jessica D. , Fox Kathryn R.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Patients receiving treatment for self‐injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) have diverse backgrounds, yet it remains unclear exactly who is represented in the current SITB treatment literature.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of the past 50 years of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing SITB treatments to evaluate sampling practices and reporting of sample characteristics, as well as inclusion of global populations across the included 525 papers. We also assessed changes over the past five decades in these three domains.

Results

SITB RCTs frequently reported age and sex (98.6%–95.1%), less frequently reported race (83.4%–38.6%), socioeconomic status (48.1%–46.1%) and ethnicity (41.9%–8.1%), and rarely reported LGBTQ+ status (3.7%–1.6%). U.S.‐based RCTs featured predominantly White, non‐Hispanic, and non‐LGBTQ+ samples. Most RCTs were conducted in high‐income North American or European countries. Sample reporting practices, sample representativeness, and inclusion of global populations modestly and inconsistently improved over time.

Conclusions

There has not been substantial improvement in reporting practices, sample representativeness, or inclusion of global populations in SITB RCTs over the past 50 years. Acknowledging who is being studied and representing diverse populations in SITB treatment research is key to connecting research advances with those who may need it most.
The novel HLA‐A*68:190:02 allele identified in a Brazilian bone marrow donor
Authors: de Oliveira Anthony Marçal Leão , Massi Fernanda Pelisson , Hirata Bruna Karina Banin , de Lima Neto Quirino Alves , Visentainer Jeane Eliete Laguila
Published: January 2024

HLA‐A*68:190:02 differs from A*68:190:01 by a single synonymous nucleotide change in exon 2.
Adenovirus infection in adult patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Incidence, clinical management, and outcome
Authors: Balletto Elisa , Ponzano Marta , Raiola Anna Maria , Gambella Massimiliano , Grazia Carmen Di , Dominietto Alida , Giannoni Livia , Ghiso Anna , Nicolini Laura Ambra , Sepulcri Chiara , Ullah Nadir , Bruzzone Bianca , Signori Alessio , Angelucci Emanuele , Bassetti Matteo , Mikulska Malgorzata
Published: January 2024

Background

Adenovirus infection (ADVi) is an emergent complication in adult patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) and is associated with poor outcome. Available data on risk factors and optimal management of ADVi in adult allo‐HSCT recipients are limited, and recommendations on monitoring and pre‐emptive therapy are mainly based on pediatric data.

Methods

In this single‐center, retrospective study, we reported all cases of positive ADV‐DNA from adult patients undergoing allo‐HSCT in the period 2014–2019. The study aimed to describe the incidence of ADVi at day +180 post‐transplant. Secondly to describe timing, clinical presentation, risk factors, and outcome of ADVi and to analyze the application of a screening strategy in our cohort.

Results

In 445 allo‐HSCT recipients, the day +180 incidence was: 9% (39/445) for ADVi, 5% (24/445) for ADV viremia (ADVv), and 3% (15/445) for localized ADVi. The median time to ADVi was 65 (IQR 19; 94) days after HSCT. ADVv‐related mortality was 13% (3/24), all cases occurring with blood max‐ADV‐DNA > 10^3 cp/mL. Independent risk factors for ADVi were diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disease (p = .011) and acute graft‐versus‐host‐disease (p = .021).

Conclusions

In our cohort, ADVi and ADVv were more frequent than previously reported. ADVv with max‐ADV‐DNA > 10^3 cp/mL was associated with ADV‐related mortality, thus careful monitoring and early initiation of treatment are advisable.

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Anaemia in the first trimester and poor physiological plasma expansion during pregnancy negatively impact foetal weight and newborn anthropometrics: An observational cohort study in Tanzania
Authors: Schmiegelow Christentze , Møller Sofie Lykke , Yde Anna Mathilde , Nielsen Birgitte Bruun , Hjort Line , Theander Thor Grundtvig , Lusingu John Peter Andrea , Minja Daniel Thomas Remias , Bygbjerg Ib Christian
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Anaemia during pregnancy is a major health challenge affecting pregnancy outcome worldwide. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impact of severe–moderate anaemia in the first trimester, as well as changes in haemoglobin during pregnancy among non‐anaemic women, on foetal weight, placental blood flow and newborn anthropometrics.

Methods

In a prospective cohort study, 346 women residing in rural Tanzania were followed throughout pregnancy with serial ultrasound and newborn anthropometrics assessed within 24 h of delivery. Associations between placental blood flow, foetal weight and newborn anthropometrics with either first trimester severe–moderate anaemia (haemoglobin≤9.5 g/dL) or changes in haemoglobin from the first to the third trimester among non‐anaemic women, were assessed by mixed model regression and multiple linear regression, adjusting for maternal and foetal co‐variables. Foetal weights and birthweight were converted to z‐scores using a population based sex‐specific weight reference.

Results

Severe–moderate anaemia in the first trimester was associated with significantly reduced foetal weight z‐scores (adjusted mean difference (aMD) −0.44 (95% CI −0.81, −0.07)) and newborn anthropometric indices (birth weight z‐score aMD −0.55 (−0.9, −0.13), abdominal circumference aMD −11 mm (95% CI −20, −3)). There were no association between first trimester severe–moderate anaemia and placental blood flow.

Among women who were non‐anaemic in the first trimester, women with the least reduction in haemoglobin (Δ ≥ −0.3 g/dL) delivered significantly smaller newborns (birthweight z‐score aMD −0.55 (−0.91, −0.20), abdominal circumference aMD −10 mm (95% CI −17, −3), compared to women with the greatest reduction (Δ haemoglobin ≤ −1.4 g/dL)).

Conclusions

Severe–moderate anaemia in early pregnancy was associated with smaller newborn anthropometrics which was reflected in smaller mean foetal weights in the second and third trimester. Furthermore, among women who were non‐anaemic in the first trimester, there was an association between smaller newborn anthropometrics and limited haemoglobin decrease during pregnancy, possibly reflecting insufficient plasma expansion.
Doping engineering: Next step toward room temperature performance of terahertz quantum cascade lasers
Authors: Lander Gower Nathalie , Levy Shiran , Piperno Silvia , Addamane Sadhvikas J. , Reno John L. , Albo Asaf
Published: January 2024

We hereby offer a comprehensive analysis of various factors that could potentially enable terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz QCLs) to achieve room temperature performance. We thoroughly examine and integrate the latest findings from recent studies in the field. Our work goes beyond a mere analysis; it represents a nuanced and comprehensive exploration of the intricate factors influencing the performance of THz QCLs. Through a comprehensive and holistic approach, we propose novel insights that significantly contribute to advancing strategies for improving the temperature performance of THz QCLs. This all-encompassing perspective allows us not only to present a synthesis of existing knowledge but also to offer a fresh and nuanced strategy to improve the temperature performance of THz QCLs. We draw new conclusions from prior works, demonstrating that the key to enhancing THz QCL temperature performance involves not only optimizing interface quality but also strategically managing doping density, its spatial distribution, and profile. This is based on our results from different structures, such as two experimentally demonstrated devices: the spit-well resonant-phonon and the two-well injector direct-phonon schemes for THz QCLs, which allow efficient isolation of the laser levels from excited and continuum states. In these schemes, the doping profile has a setback that lessens the overlap of the doped region with the active laser states. Our work stands as a valuable resource for researchers seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of THz technology. Furthermore, we present a novel strategy for future endeavors, providing an enhanced framework for continued exploration in this dynamic field. This strategy should pave the way to potentially reach higher temperatures than the latest records reached for Tmax of THz QCLs.
Effect of water vapor desorption on the performance of gallium nitride field emitter array
Authors: Bhattacharya Ranajoy , Shih Pao-Chuan , Palacios Tomás , Browning Jim
Published: January 2024

We are exploring the potential of gallium nitride (GaN) field emitter arrays in vacuum channel transistors. This study investigated the impact of ultraviolet (UV) light on the emission properties of large arrays of GaN field emitters. Arrays of 150 × 150 emitters were analyzed before and after UV exposure. With a constant collector voltage of 200 V DC, gate voltage sweeps from 0 to 60 V were applied. The initial I–V measurements showed a rapid increase in emission current, indicating a conditioning effect, settling at a stable value of 1.25 μA after three to five sweeps. Remarkably, exposure to UV light resulted in a fivefold increase in the maximum field emission current, reaching an impressive 6 μA. This significant enhancement highlights the potential of UV treatment for improving the performance of GaN-based field emitters. This surge in current can be attributed to the desorption of water vapor caused by the UV light. To compare with the heating-based water desorption technique, another array of 150 × 150 emitters was characterized before and after heating at 400 °C. While the collector voltage remained constant at 200 V DC, the gate voltage was systematically increased from 0 to 75 V in this experiment. This controlled sweeping of the gate voltage provided a precise method for characterizing the field emission properties of the GaN emitters. The I–V measurements revealed that, similar to the UV exposure case, collector current increased by approximately four times after heat treatment at 400 °C for 10 min. This resulted in a maximum field emission current of around 10 μA at 75 V. As with the UV case, this increase can also be attributed to surface desorption, primarily of water.
Societies of strangers do not speak less complex languages
Authors: Shcherbakova Olena , Michaelis Susanne Maria , Haynie Hannah J. , Passmore Sam , Gast Volker , Gray Russell D. , Greenhill Simon J. , Blasi Damián E. , Skirgård Hedvig
Published: January 2024

Many recent proposals claim that languages adapt to their environments. The linguistic niche hypothesis claims that languages with numerous native speakers and substantial proportions of nonnative speakers (societies of strangers) tend to lose grammatical distinctions. In contrast, languages in small, isolated communities should maintain or expand their grammatical markers. Here, we test these claims using a global dataset of grammatical structures, Grambank. We model the impact of the number of native speakers, the proportion of nonnative speakers, the number of linguistic neighbors, and the status of a language on grammatical complexity while controlling for spatial and phylogenetic autocorrelation. We deconstruct “grammatical complexity” into two separate dimensions: how much morphology a language has (“fusion”) and the amount of information obligatorily encoded in the grammar (“informativity”). We find several instances of weak or moderate positive associations but no inverse correlations between grammatical complexity and sociodemographic factors. Our findings cast doubt on the widespread claim that grammatical complexity is shaped by the sociolinguistic environment.
The aldehyde dehydrogenase ALDH1B1 exerts antiviral effects through the aggregation of the adaptor MAVS
Authors: Sun Nina , Cai Qiaomei , Zhang Yurui , Zhang Rong-Rong , Jiang Jingmei , Yang Heng , Qin Cheng-Feng , Cheng Genhong
Published: January 2024

Type I interferons (IFNs) are produced by almost all cell types and play a vital role in host defense against viral infection. Infection with an RNA virus activates receptors such as RIG-I, resulting in the recruitment of the adaptor protein MAVS to the RIG-I–like receptor (RLR) signalosome and the formation of prion-like functional aggregates of MAVS, which leads to IFN-β production. Here, we identified the aldehyde dehydrogenase 1B1 (ALDH1B1) as a previously uncharacterized IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) product with critical roles in the antiviral response. Knockout of ALDH1B1 increased, whereas overexpression of ALDH1B1 restricted, the replication of RNA viruses, such as vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), Zika virus (ZIKV), dengue virus (DENV), and influenza A virus (IAV). We found that ALDH1B1 localized to mitochondria, where it interacted with the transmembrane domain of MAVS to promote MAVS aggregation. ALDH1B1 was recruited to MAVS aggregates. In addition, ALDH1B1 also enhanced the interaction between activated RIG-I and MAVS, thus increasing IFN-β production and the antiviral response. Furthermore,

Aldh1b1
−/−

mice developed more severe symptoms than did wild-type mice upon IAV infection. Together, these data identify an aldehyde dehydrogenase in mitochondria that functionally regulates MAVS-mediated signaling and the antiviral response.
Surface-modified measles vaccines encoding oligomeric, prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins boost neutralizing antibody responses to Omicron and historical variants, independent of measles seropositivity
Authors: Muñoz-Alía Miguel Á. , Nace Rebecca A. , Balakrishnan Baskar , Zhang Lianwen , Packiriswamy Nandakumar , Singh Gagandeep , Warang Prajakta , Mena Ignacio , Narjari Riya , Vandergaast Rianna , Peng Kah-Whye , García-Sastre Adolfo , Schotsaert Michael , Russell Stephen J.
Published: January 2024

Although the live-attenuated measles virus (MeV) is one of the safest and most efficacious human vaccines, a measles-vectored COVID-19 vaccine candidate expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike failed to elicit neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses in a phase-1 clinical trial, especially in measles-immune individuals. Here, we constructed a comprehensive panel of MeV-based COVID-19 vaccine candidates using a MeV with extensive modifications on the envelope glycoproteins (MeV-MR). We show that artificial trimerization of the spike is critical for the induction of nAbs and that their magnitude can be significantly augmented when the spike protein is synchronously fused to a dodecahedral scaffold. Furthermore, preexisting measles immunity did not abolish heterologous immunity elicited by our vector. Our results highlight the importance of antigen optimization in the development of spike-based COVID-19 vaccines and therapies.
The microbial metabolite urolithin A reduces
Clostridioides difficile
toxin expression and toxin-induced epithelial damage
Authors: Ghosh Sweta , Erickson Daniel , Chua Michelle J. , Collins James , Jala Venkatakrishna Rao
Published: January 2024

Therapy for
Clostridioides difficile
infections includes the use of antibiotics, immunosuppressors, and fecal microbiota transplantation. However, these treatments have several drawbacks, including the loss of colonization resistance, the promotion of autoimmune disorders, and the potential for unknown pathogens in donor samples. To date, the potential benefits of microbial metabolites in CDI-induced colitis have not been fully investigated. Here, we report for the first time that the microbial metabolite urolithin A has the potential to block toxin production from
C. difficile
and enhance gut barrier function to mitigate CDI-induced colitis.
The structure and assembly mechanisms of T4-like cyanophages community in the South China Sea
Authors: Li Huifang , Cai Lanlan , Wang Long , Wang Yu , Xu Juntian , Zhang Rui
Published: January 2024

Marine ecosystems contain an immense diversity of phages, many of which infect cyanobacteria (cyanophage) that are largely responsible for primary productivity. To characterize the genetic diversity and biogeographic distribution of the marine T4-like cyanophage community in the northern South China Sea, the T4-like cyanophage portal protein gene (
g20
) was amplified. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that marine T4-like cyanophages were highly diverse, with
g20
operational taxonomic units being affiliated with five defined clades (Clusters I–V). Cluster II had a wide geographic distribution, Cluster IV was the most abundant in the open sea, and Cluster I was dominant in coastal shelf environments. Our results showed T4-like cyanophages (based on
g20
) community was generally shaped via heterogeneous selection. Highly variable environmental factors (such as salinity and temperature) can heterogeneously select different cyanophage communities. Nevertheless, the dominant drivers of the T4-like cyanophage community based on the
g20
and
g23
(T4-like phage major capsid protein gene) were different, probably due to different coverages by the primer sets. Furthermore, the community assembly processes of T4-like cyanophages were affected by host traits (abundance and distribution), viral traits (latent period, burst size, and host range), and environmental properties (temperature and salinity).

IMPORTANCE

Cyanophages are abundant and ubiquitous in the oceans, altering population structures and evolution of cyanobacteria, which account for a large portion of global carbon fixation, through host mortality, horizontal gene transfer, and the modulation of host metabolism. However, little is known about the biogeography and ecological drivers that shape the cyanophage community. Here, we use
g20
and
g23
genes to examine the biogeographic patterns and the assembly mechanisms of T4-like cyanophage community in the northern part of the South China Sea. The different coverages of primer sets might lead to the different dominant drivers of T4-like cyanophage community based on
g20
and
g23
genes. Our results showed that characteristics of viral traits (latent period, burst size, and host range) and host traits (abundance and distribution) were found to either limit or enhance the biogeographic distribution of T4-like cyanophages. Overall, both virus and host properties are critical to consider when determining rules of community assembly for viruses.