bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Making Biological Ageing Clocks Personal
Authors: Pusparum Murih , Thas Olivier , Beck Stephan , Ertaylan Gökhan , Ecker Simone
Published: February 2024

Background

Age is the most important risk factor for the majority of human diseases. Addressing the impact of age-related diseases has become a priority in healthcare practice, leading to the exploration of innovative approaches, including the development of predictors to estimate biological age (so-called “ageing clocks”). These predictors offer promising insights into the ageing process and age-related diseases. This study aims to showcase the significance of ageing clocks within a unique, deeply phenotyped longitudinal cohort. By utilising omics-based approaches alongside gold-standard clinical risk predictors, we elucidate the potential of these novel predictors in revolutionising personalised healthcare and better understanding the ageing process.

Methods

We analysed data from the IAM Frontier longitudinal study that collected extensive data from 30 healthy individuals over the timespan of 13 months: DNA methylation data, clinical biochemistry, proteomics and metabolomics measurements as well as data from physical health examinations. For each individual, biological age (BA) and health traits predictions were computed from 29 epigenetic clocks, 4 clinical-biochemistry clocks, 2 proteomics clocks, and 3 metabolomics clocks.

Findings

Within the BA prediction framework, comprehensive analyses can discover deviations in biological ageing. Our study shows that the within-person BA predictions at different time points are more similar to each other than the between-person predictions at the same time point, indicating that the ageing process is different between individuals but relatively stable within individuals. Individual-based analyses show interesting findings for three study participants, including observed hematological problems, that further supported and complemented by the current gold standard clinical laboratory profiles.

Interpretation

Our analyses indicate that BA predictions can serve as instruments for explaining many biological phenomena and should be considered crucial biomarkers that can complement routine medical tests. With omics becoming routinely measured in regular clinical settings, omics-based BA predictions can be added to the lab results to give a supplementary outlook assisting decision-making in doctors’ assessments.

Funding

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APOL1 variants G1, G2 and N264K affect APOL1 plasma protein concentration: a UK Biobank study
Authors: Adamson Walt E. , Noyes Harry , Ogunsola John , Parekh Rulan S. , Cooper Anneli , MacLeod Annette
Published: February 2024

Background

APOL1variants G1 and G2 are common in populations with recent sub-Saharan African ancestry. They are known to influence health conditions: most notably being associated with protection from human African trypanosomiasis and increased risk of susceptibility to chronic kidney disease. Association studies have often considered G1 and G2 as equivalent, however we recently presented evidence of substantial phenotypic differences between carriers of the two variants. An additionalAPOL1variant, N264K, has previously been shown to modify the damaging effect of G2 on the kidney. Here, we examine the influence of these variants on APOL1 protein concentration.

Methods

Using a cohort of 1,050 UK Biobank participants with recent African ancestry, we compared APOL1 protein concentration in carriers of variants G1, G2, and N264K and performed a genome-wide association study to identify additional modifiers of APOL1 concentration. We also compared APOL1 concentration across self-reported ethnicities for all 43,330 UK Biobank participants for whom APOL1 concentration data was available.

Findings

APOL1G1 and G2 are both associated with increased APOL1 protein concentration, however the effect of G2 is more marked, and it was the only locus that reached genome-wide significance in terms of association with APOL1 concentration (p = 3×10−155). In a G2 background, the presence of N264K is associated with a reduction in APOL1 concentration (p = 6 × 10−5). People with self-reported Black or Black British ethnicity have higher APOL1 concentrations all other self-reported ethnicities in the UK Biobank.

Interpretation

These findings demonstrate the influence ofAPOL1variants and APOL1 protein concentration and identify additional phenotypic differences between the G1 and G2, highlighting the value in considering them as distinct in molecular and association studies. This work also provides further detail on the relationship between the G2 and N264K variants, which has significant implications for diagnosis and therapy in kidney disease.
A structured course of disease dataset with contact tracing information in Taiwan for COVID-19 modelling
Authors: Wu Yu-Heng , Nordling Torbjörn E. M.
Published: February 2024

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has flooded open databases with population-level data. However, individual-level structured data, such as the course of disease and contact tracing information, is almost non-existent in open databases.

Aim

Publish a structured and cleaned COVID-19 dataset with the course of disease and contact tracing information for easy benchmarking of COVID-19 models.

Methods

We gathered data from Taiwanese open databases and daily news reports. The outcome is a structured quantitative dataset encompassing the course of the disease of Taiwanese individuals, alongside their contact tracing information.

Results

Our dataset comprises 579 confirmed cases covering the period from January 21, to November 9, 2020, when the original SARS-CoV-2 virus was most prevalent in Taiwan. The data include features such as travel history, age, gender, symptoms, contact types between cases, date of symptoms onset, confirmed, critically ill, recovered, and dead. We also include the daily summary data at population-level from January 21, 2020, to May 23, 2022.

Conclusions

Our data can help enhance epidemiological modelling.
Hippocampal purinergic P2X7 receptor level is increased in Alzheimer’s disease patients, and associated with amyloid and tau pathologies
Authors: Maschio Cinzia A. , Wang Junlong , Maheshwari Upasana , Keller Annika , Rominger Axel , Konietzko Uwe , Nordberg Agneta , Hock Christoph , Nitsch Roger M. , Ni Ruiqing
Published: February 2024

INTRODUCTION

The purinergic receptor P2X7R, which is expressed on microglia and astrocytes, plays an important role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We aimed to characterize the alterations in P2X7R expression in AD patients by APOE ε4 allele, age and sex, as well as its association with amyloid and tau pathology.

METHODS

P2X7R staining and quantitative analysis of amyloid, tau, astrocytes and microglia were performed on postmortem hippocampal tissues from 35 AD patients; 31 nondemented controls; caudate/putamen tissue from corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients; and bran tissue from aged 3×Tg mouse model of AD.

RESULTS

Activated microglia and reactive astrocytes were observed in the hippocampi of AD patients and exhibited altered morphology with denser cells and pronounced ramifications. Hippocampal P2X7R intensity was greater in the hippocampal subfields of AD patients than in those of nondemented controls and was correlated with amyloid level and Braak stage and was not affected by sex, APOEε4 allele, or age. P2X7R expression increased around Aβ plaques, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, tau inclusions in the hippocampus from AD patients and tau inclusions in the caudate/putamen from CBD and PSP patients.

DISCUSSION

We found an increased hippocampal P2X7R level in AD compared to non-demented control, which correlated with amyloid and tau pathologies. P2X7R is a potential marker for neuroinflammation in AD.
A nonlinear code for event probability in the human brain
Authors: Foucault Cedric , Bounmy Tiffany , Demortain Sébastien , Thiririon Bertrand , Eger Evelyn , Meyniel Florent
Published: February 2024

Assessing probabilities and predicting future events are fundamental for perception and adaptive behavior, yet the neural representations of probability remain elusive. While previous studies have shown that neural activity in several brain regions correlates with probability-related factors such as surprise and uncertainty, similar correlations have not been found for probability. Here, using 7 Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging, we uncover a representation of the probability of the next event in a sequence within the human dorsolateral prefrontal and intraparietal cortices. Crucially, univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that this representation employs a highly nonlinear code. Tuning curves for probability exhibit selectivity to various probability ranges, while the code for confidence accompanying these estimates is predominantly linear. The diversity of tuning curves we found recommends that future studies move from assuming linear correlates or simple canonical forms of tuning curves to considering richer representations whose benefits remain to be discovered.
Bringing astrocytes into the spotlight of electrical brain stimulation
Authors: Aroso Miguel , Castro Domingos , Silva Sara Costa , Aguiar Paulo
Published: February 2024

Astrocytes, primarily viewed only as supportive units, are now emerging as active players in the information processing of the brain. Accumulated evidence supports that the bidirectional communication between astrocytes and neurons maintains complex animal behaviours such as memory formation and decision-making. The lack of characterisation of astrocytic electrophysiology is, in our opinion, associated with the early idea of a passive electrical nature of astrocytes, in opposition to the electrically active neurons. A better understanding of the effect of electrical stimulation on astrocytes’ physiology and activity will greatly strengthen the current knowledge in neural biology. Here, we assessed if astrocytes may have a role in therapies based on electrical brain stimulation by being able to respond to the same electrical stimulus used to modulate neuronal activity. To do so, we took advantage of microelectrode arrays (MEAs) capability to simultaneously record and deliver extracellular electrical signals. Additionally, we synchronized the recording of electrophysiological data with the recording of calcium activity, a hallmark of astrocytic activity. Here, we show that astrocytes respond to electrical stimulation with the generation of strong membrane voltage oscillations and simultaneous production of calcium waves, demonstrating, unequivocally, that astrocytes respond to electrical stimulation in the same range as neurons do. Importantly, these responses are dependent on the stimuli amplitude. Furthermore, membrane voltage oscillations are significantly reduced in the absence of extracellular calcium, but not abolished, while calcium activity is not detected.
Low microbial abundance and community diversity within the egg capsule of the oviparous cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame) during oviposition
Authors: Takagi Wataru , Masuda Ayami , Shimoyama Koya , Tokunaga Kotaro , Hyodo Susumu , Sato-Takabe Yuki
Published: February 2024

Vertebrate embryos are protected from bacterial infection by various maternally derived immune factors before the embryonic organs are fully developed. However, the defense mechanisms employed by elasmobranch embryos during development remain poorly understood. This study attempted to elucidate the embryonic defense mechanism of elasmobranchs by investigating the intracapsular environment of freshly laid eggs of the oviparous cloudy catshark (Scyliorhinus torazame). The egg capsule of oviparous elasmobranchs is tightly sealed until pre-hatching (early opening of the egg capsule), after which seawater flows into the capsule and the embryos are consequently exposed to the surrounding seawater. We first experimentally examined the resistance of embryos to potential bacterial infections and found that the early embryos were highly vulnerable to environmental pathogens, suggesting that the embryos are protected from the threat of infection before pre-hatching. Indeed, the intracapsular environment of freshly laid eggs exhibited a significantly low bacterial density that was maintained until pre-hatching. Furthermore, the microbiome inside eggs just after oviposition differed markedly from the microbiomes of rearing seawater and adult oviducal gland epithelia; these eggs were predominantly populated by an unidentified genus of Sphingomonadaceae. Overall, this study provides compelling evidence that early embryos of oviparous cloudy catshark are incubated in a clean intracapsular environment that potentially plays a significant role in embryonic development in oviparous elasmobranchs. Our results suggest that maintenance of this clean condition might be attributable to bactericidal or bacteriostatic activities associated with the egg jelly and/or oviducal gland.
Prevalence of Class 1 integron in disease-causing carbapenem-resistantEscherichia coliin a tertiary hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal
Authors: Thapa Suchitra , Shrestha Basudha , Shrestha Manisha , Pokhrel Yojana , Tuladhar Reshma , Jauneikaite Elita , Joshi Dev Raj
Published: February 2024

Background

High prevalence of carbapenem resistance genes have been abundantly reported within clinicalE. coliin Nepal but their co-prevalence with class-1 integron is poorly documented. These Class I Integrons play pivotal role in evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Therefore, it is necessary to highlight their epidemiological significance, so this study determined the prevalence of Class 1 integrons within Carbapenem resistanceEscherichia coli(CREc) population.

Methods

Fifty-two clinicalE. coliwith confirmed resistance to Meropenem were collected between January 2020–April 2022 in Kathmandu Model Hospital, and undergone antimicrobial susceptibility testing for 11 antimicrobial classes. Carbapenemase production was confirmed by eCIM and mCIM methods. Presence of Class I integron and carbapenemase genes,blaNDM-1,blaKPC,blaIMP,blaVIM,blaOXA-23,blaOXA-48, was confirmed by PCR method.

Results

The result revealed 92.3% (n=48/52) of the isolates harboredintI1gene. Among integron-positive population, 97.9% (n=47/48) were carbapenemase producers which were further identified as metallo β-lactamase (MBL) producers (82.9%, n=39/47) and serine β-lactamase (SBL) producer (17%, n=8/47). Carbapenemase geneblaNDM-1(79.2%, n=38/48) was highly prevalent within integron-positive isolates, followed byblaOXA-23(62.5%, n=30/48) andblaOXA-48(54.2%, n=26/48). All integron-positive CREc isolates were resistant to minimum 16 antibiotics tested, but were susceptible to Colistin, Polymixin B, and Tigecycline.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Class 1 integrons were highly prevalent within clinical CREc in Nepal, and their co-prevalence with other CRE gene is concerning due to possibility of wider spread. Therefore, an in-depth genomic analysis of Class 1 integrons is needed to understand the integron mediated AMR in high risk clones like CREc and inform intervention measures to stop spread of such pathogens.
A Massively Parallel CRISPR-Based Screening Platform for Modifiers of Neuronal Activity
Authors: Boggess Steven C. , Gandhi Vaidehi , Tsai Ming-Chi , Marzette Emily , Teyssier Noam , Chou Joanna Yu-Ying , Hu Xiaoyu , Cramer Amber , Yadanar Lin , Shroff Kunal , Jeong Claire G , Eidenschenk Celine , Hanson Jesse E. , Tian Ruilin , Kampmann Martin
Published: February 2024

Understanding the complex interplay between gene expression and neuronal activity is crucial for unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying cognitive function and neurological disorders. Here, we developed pooled screens for neuronal activity, using CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) and the fluorescent calcium integrator CaMPARI2. Using this screening method, we evaluated 1343 genes for their effect on excitability in human iPSC-derived neurons, revealing potential links to neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. These genes include known regulators of neuronal excitability, such as TARPs and ion channels, as well as genes associated with autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer’s disease not previously described to affect neuronal excitability. This CRISPRi-based screening platform offers a versatile tool to uncover molecular mechanisms controlling neuronal activity in health and disease.
Long-term survival of asexualZymoseptoria triticispores in the environment
Authors: Kay William T. , O’Neill P. , Gurr Sarah J. , Fones Helen N.
Published: February 2024

The fungal phytopathogenZymoseptoria tritici, causal agent of the economically damaging Septoria tritici blotch of wheat, is different from most foliar fungal pathogens in that its germination occurs slowly and apparently randomly after arrival on the leaf surface and is followed by a potentially prolonged period of epiphytic growth and even reproduction, during which no feeding structures are formed by the fungus. Thus, understanding the cues for germination and the mechanisms that underpin survival in low-nutrient environments could provide key new avenues for disease control. In this work, we examine survival, culturability, and virulence of spores following transfer from a high nutrient environment to water. We find that a sub-population ofZ. triticispores can survive and remain virulent for at least 7 weeks in water alone, during which time multicellular structures split to single cells. The fungus relies heavily on stored lipids; however, if cell suspensions in water are dried, the cells survive without lipid utilisation. Changes in gene expression in the first hours after suspension in water reflect adaptation to stress, while longer term starvation (7 days) induces changes particularly in primary metabolism and cytochrome P450 (CYP) gene expression. Importantly, we also found thatZ. triticispores are equally or better able to survive in soil as in water, and that rain-splash occurring 49 days after soil inoculation can transfer cells to wheat seedlings growing in inoculated soil and cause Septoria leaf blotch disease.
Non-Markovian dynamics of open quantum systems via auxiliary particles with exact operator constraint
Authors: Bode Tim , Kajan Michael , Meirinhos Francisco , Kroha Johann
Published: February 2024

We introduce an auxiliary-particle field theory to treat the non-Markovian dynamics of driven-dissipative quantum systems of the Jaynes-Cummings type. It assigns an individual quantum field to each reservoir state and provides an analytic, faithful representation of the coupled system-bath dynamics. We apply the method to a driven-dissipative photon Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) coupled to a reservoir of dye molecules with electronic and vibronic excitations. The complete phase diagram of this system exhibits a hidden, non-Hermitian phase transition separating temporally oscillating from biexponentially decaying photon density correlations within the BEC. On one hand, this provides a qualitative distinction of the thermal photon BEC from a laser. On the other hand, it shows that one may continuously tune from the BEC to the lasing phase by circumventing a critical point. This auxiliary-particle method is generally applicable to the dynamics of open, non-Markovian quantum systems.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Gene Expression Tradeoffs Determine Bacterial Survival and Adaptation to Antibiotic Stress
Authors: Kratz Josiah C. , Banerjee Shiladitya
Published: February 2024

To optimize their fitness, cells face the crucial task of efficiently responding to various stresses. This necessitates striking a balance between conserving resources for survival and allocating resources for growth and division. The fundamental principles governing these tradeoffs is an outstanding challenge in the physics of living systems. In this study, we introduce a coarse-grained theoretical framework for bacterial physiology that establishes a connection between the physiological state of cells and their survival outcomes in dynamic environments, particularly in the context of antibiotic exposure. Predicting bacterial survival responses to varying antibiotic doses proves challenging due to the profound influence of the physiological state on critical parameters, such as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and killing rates, even within an isogenic cell population. Our proposed theoretical model bridges the gap by linking extracellular antibiotic concentration and nutrient quality to intracellular damage accumulation and gene expression. This framework allows us to predict and explain the control of cellular growth rate, death rate, MIC, and survival fraction in a wide range of time-varying environments. Surprisingly, our model reveals that cell death is rarely due to antibiotic levels being above the maximum physiological limit, but instead survival is limited by the inability to alter gene expression sufficiently quickly to transition to a less susceptible physiological state. Moreover, bacteria tend to overexpress stress response genes at the expense of reduced growth, conferring greater protection against further antibiotic exposure. This strategy is in contrast to those employed in different nutrient environments, in which bacteria allocate resources to maximize growth rate. This highlights an important tradeoff between the cellular capacity for growth and the ability to survive antibiotic exposure.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Limitations of Linear Cross-Entropy as a Measure for Quantum Advantage
Authors: Gao Xun , Kalinowski Marcin , Chou Chi-Ning , Lukin Mikhail D. , Barak Boaz , Choi Soonwon
Published: February 2024

Demonstrating quantum advantage requires experimental implementation of a computational task that is hard to achieve using state-of-the-art classical systems. One approach is to perform sampling from a probability distribution associated with a certain class of highly entangled many-body wave functions. It has been suggested that such a quantum advantage can be certified with the (XEB). We critically examine this notion. First, we consider a “benign” setting, where an honest implementation of a noisy quantum circuit is assumed, and characterize the conditions under which the XEB approximates the of quantum dynamics. Second, we assume an “adversarial” setting, where all possible classical algorithms are considered for comparisons, and show that achieving relatively high XEB values does not imply faithful simulation of quantum dynamics. Specifically, we present an efficient classical algorithm that achieves high XEB values, namely 5–12% of those obtained in the state-of-the-art experiments, within just a few seconds using a single GPU machine. This is made possible by identifying and exploiting several vulnerabilities of the XEB, which allows us to achieve high XEB values without simulating a full quantum circuit. Remarkably, our algorithm features with the system size than a noisy quantum device for commonly studied random circuit ensembles in various architecture. We quantitatively explain the success of our algorithm and the limitations of the XEB by using a theoretical framework, in which the dynamics of the average XEB and fidelity are mapped to classical statistical mechanics models. Using this framework, we illustrate the relation between the XEB and the fidelity for quantum circuits in various architectures, with different choices of gate sets, and in the presence of noise. Taken together, our results demonstrate that XEB’s utility as a proxy for fidelity hinges on several conditions, which should be independently checked in the benign setting, but cannot be assumed in the general adversarial setting. Therefore, the XEB on its own has a limited utility as a benchmark for quantum advantage. We briefly discuss potential ways to overcome these limitations.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Unveiling leadership priorities: a comparative study of principal time use across high school types
Authors: Ni Yongmei , Li Bichu , Su Yu , Xia Jiangang
Published: February 2024

Purpose

As responsibilities of high school principals continue to expand, their workweeks become longer, and their attention is stretched in multiple directions. How principals from various school types use their time is influenced by their organizational structures and external policies. To gain deeper insights into the workload, priorities and constraints faced by high school principals, this study examines principal time use (PTU) patterns across different school types, including traditional public schools (TPSs), charter schools, Catholic schools and non-Catholic private schools.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the national representative data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 in the USA, this study examines and compares PTU in various leadership tasks across different school types, controlling for school and principal characteristics.

Findings

Among various high school types, principals in TPS had the longest workweeks. However, the extended workweek did not necessarily result in significantly more hours or a larger proportion of their time dedicated to instructional leadership. Instead, TPS principals allocated more time to administrative tasks and student affairs than principals in other school types.

Originality/value

By examining PTU of different school types, this study adds new evidence on the influence of contextual factors on leadership behavior. It also offers policy implications to enhance principals’ capacities, alleviate their workload and to prioritize time use in different leadership domains.
An exploration of mock juror experience during the deliberations of a defendant diagnosed with a personality disorder
Authors: Wootton Sophie , Tkazky Sophia , Bergstrøm Henriette
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how mock jurors’ experiences of deliberations are impacted by the defendant having a personality disorder.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a qualitative approach to explore mock jurors’ experiences during the deliberations of a fictional defendant, Sarah Priest. Ten participants formed two mock juries, and each mock jury were given two case studies to deliberate. Case study one described Priest as having “Severe Personality Disorder, Borderline Pattern” whereas case study two described Priest as having “Complex Mental Health Problems”. There were no changes to the content of the case studies aside from the change in language used to describe the defendant.

Findings

An inductive thematic analysis identified two main themes relating to juror experience: “Interaction with Other Mock Jurors” and “Language as a Barrier to a Verdict”. Participants constructed that prosocial interactions with other mock jurors in the deliberations helped them make a verdict decision, but some of these interactions led to disagreements between participants due to a wide variation of opinion. Second, the different description of the defendant in each case study were constructed to have made the deliberations and decision-making difficult, but for different reasons. In case study one, a lack of knowledge surrounding BPD was the reason for this difficulty, and in case study two, participants thought that the applicability of diminished responsibility criteria were unclear, making it hard to reach a verdict.

Practical implications

The findings have key implications for the judicial system; common experiences can be identified and recorded to implement procedures to protect jurors from adverse experiences.

Originality/value

There is a lack of studies that have investigated juror experience in the UK, and the few studies available have used a quantitative methodology. The approach taken in the current study is, therefore, unique in a UK context. The findings have key implications for the judicial system; common experiences can be identified and recorded to implement procedures to protect jurors from adverse experiences.
The role of metaverse and blockchain in enhancing digital Islamic finance: empirical perspective
Authors: Al-Okaily Manaf , Alsmadi Ayman Abdalmajeed
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the connections between the adoption of technology, user experience (UX), financial transparency and accountability, specifically focusing on the moderating influence of cultural sensitivity in the Jordanian context.

Design/methodology/approach

This study gathered data from 272 participants who are working in the operational Islamic banks in Jordan. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used for the hypotheses testing.

Findings

The results indicate that cultural sensitivity plays a significant role in shaping the UX, consequently influencing perceptions of financial transparency and accountability in e-Islamic finance within the metaverse. This study underscores the intricate interplay between technological advancements, adherence to Sharia principles and diverse cultural expectations, forming the crux of the research.

Originality/value

This research brings a novel perspective by examining the complex connections among technology adoption, UX, financial transparency and accountability, specifically within the distinctive context of Jordan. This research study innovates by checking out how social sensitivity moderates these partnerships, specifically in the context of e-Islamic finance in the metaverse. It adds value to the academic area by shedding light on the intricate interaction between technological development, adherence to Sharia concepts and differing cultural expectations. Ultimately, this adds to a much deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of this domain.
Longitudinal examination of alcohol use motives, item‐level protective behavioral strategies, and alcohol‐related consequences
Authors: Schultz Nicole R. , Smith‐LeCavalier Kirstyn N. , Walukevich‐Dienst Katherine , Prince Mark A. , Larimer Mary E.
Published: February 2024

Background

Alcohol misuse among college students is a public health concern. Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) can be used before, during, after, or instead of drinking to reduce alcohol use and negative consequences, but findings on their utility at the aggregate level are mixed. Although recent work has provided important information on the performance of individual PBS items, it is limited by research designs that are cross‐sectional, do not examine consequences, or do not examine other important correlates, such as drinking motives. This study examines both the association between item‐level PBS and alcohol‐related negative consequences and the moderating effect of drinking motives longitudinally.

Methods

College students from two universities (n = 200, 62.5% female, Mage = 20.16) completed the Drinking Motives Questionnaire‐Revised, Protective Behavioral Strategies Survey, the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index, and a measure of the quantity of alcohol use at baseline and 3‐month follow‐up. Generalized linear models were conducted to assess direct effects of item‐level PBS on alcohol‐related consequences and the moderating effects of drinking motives.

Results

Two PBS items were associated with fewer alcohol‐related consequences at follow‐up, and two items were associated with greater alcohol‐related consequences at follow‐up. Drinking motives differentially moderated associations between item‐level PBS and alcohol‐related consequences for a proportion in the sample. Enhancement motives moderated the greatest number of associations, followed by coping, conformity, and social motives. Certain PBS (e.g., drink slowly, rather than gulp or chug) were moderated by several drinking motives, whereas other PBS items were not moderated by any motives.

Conclusion

Consistent with previous research, some item‐level PBS were associated longitudinally with increased negative consequences, and some were associated with decreased negative consequences. Drinking motives, particularly enhancement, moderated several item‐level PBS and consequence associations, suggesting that reasons for drinking may be important for understanding the associations between PBS strategies and alcohol‐related consequences.
Effectiveness and diagnostic accuracy of teledermatology for the assessment of skin conditions
Authors: Patel Nikesh , Aboukhatwah Nada , Esdaile Ben
Published: February 2024

Background

Teledermatology provides a platform for swift specialist advice without the potential need for face‐to‐face review. Our objectives were to investigate the effectiveness, accuracy and diagnostic concordance of the platform with regard to the remote management of skin conditions.

Methods

We undertook a single‐centre, retrospective chart review over a 1‐year period, comprising a total of 1703 teledermatology referrals. Two physicians independently assessed the diagnostic concordance between telederm diagnosis (TD), in‐person diagnosis (ID) and histopathological diagnosis (HD).

Results

There were a total of 1703 TD referrals, of which 341 were rejected, leaving 1362 referrals for evaluation. Sixty‐five per cent of these referrals were managed remotely and discharged with advice, although 4.6% of these were later re‐referred for an in‐person review. A total of 20% of referrals were rejected, of which the majority was due to a lack of appropriate imaging. The total concordance of TD compared to ID was 76.4%. When comparing the TD and ID/HD, we obtained a Kappa value of 0.636 indicating substantial agreement. In terms of accuracy, there were 49 biopsy‐proven skin cancers picked up by the service in this cohort of data. Of these, 61.2% were given an accurate diagnosis on first impression via teledermatology, 14.3% were given a different diagnosis but correctly categorised as skin cancer and 24.5% could not be assessed; however, they were triaged and escalated based upon clinical suspicion.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that teledermatology is an effective platform in terms of diagnosis and remote management, with adequate diagnostic accuracy and concordance to in‐person diagnosis.
A detection model of testis‐derived circular RNAs in serum for predicting testicular sperm retrieval rate in non‐obstructive azoospermia patients
Authors: Lv Mo‐qi , Yang Yan‐qi , Li Yi‐Xin , Zhou Liang , Ge Pan , Sun Rui‐fang , Zhang Jian , Gao Jun‐cheng , Qu Liu‐qing , Jing Qi‐ya , Li Pin‐cheng , Yan Yu‐jia , Wang Hai‐xu , Li He‐cheng , Zhou Dang‐xia
Published: February 2024

Background

Microdissection testicular sperm extraction is an effective method to retrieve sperm from non‐obstructive azoospermia patients. However, its successful rate is less than 50%.

Objectives

To identify the predictive value of circular RNAs in serum for sperm retrieval rate in non‐obstructive azoospermia patients.

Materials and methods

180 non‐obstructive azoospermia patients were recruited in this study, including 84 individuals with successful sperm retrieval and 96 individuals with failed sperm retrieval. Our study contained two phases. First, 20 patients, selected from the 180 patients, were included in screening cohort. In this cohort, the top 20 circular RNAs from our previous testicular circRNA profiles were verified between successful and failed sperm retrieval groups using real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Six circular RNAs with the most significantly different expressions were selected for further verification. Second, the 180 patients were included as discovery cohort to verify the six circular RNAs. Circular RNAs were extracted from serum in each participant. Logistic regression analysis was further performed to identify the predictive value and the area under the curve analysis was used to evaluate diagnostic efficiency, sensitivity, and specificity.

Results

Six circular RNAs including hsa_circ_0058058, hsa_circ_0008045, hsa_circ_0084789, hsa_circ_0000550, hsa_circ_0007422, and hsa_circ_0004099 showed aberrant expressions between the successful and failed sperm retrieval group. In addition, both single‐circular RNA panels and multi‐circular RNA panels were finally verified to be significant in predicting sperm retrieval rate. Notably, multi‐circular RNAs panels demonstrated better predictive abilities compared with single‐circRNA panels, and the combined panel of six‐circular RNAs (risk score = 1.094×hsa_circ_0058058+0.697×hsa_circ_0008045+0.718×hsa_circ_0084789‐0.591×hsa_circ_0000550‐0.435×hsa_circ_0007422‐1.017×hsa_circ_0004099‐1.561) exhibited the best predictive ability in the present study with an AUC of 0.977, a sensitivity of 91.7% and a specificity of 86.5%. A higher risk score indicated a higher risk of failure in sperm retrieval.

Discussion and conclusion

Our study was the first to report that testis‐derived circular RNAs in serum have the ability to predict sperm retrieval rate in non‐obstructive azoospermia patients, whether it is a single‐circular RNA or a combination of multi‐circular RNAs.
Teaching simple heuristics can reduce the exponential growth bias in judging historic CO2 emission growth
Authors: Lammers Joris , Crusius Jan
Published: February 2024

Across the last 150 years, global CO2 emissions have grown at an increasing, exponential pace. Based on the well‐documented tendency to underestimate such exponential growth, we hypothesize and test in three studies (total N = 1796, including one nationally representative US sample) that people would fail to understand the historical, exponential growth of global CO2 emissions. However, we also show that providing a simple rule of thumb can serve as an effective educational boost that helps overcome this biased perception. Participants who were provided with the heuristic that historically, global CO2 emissions have doubled every thirty years provided highly accurate estimates of past emission levels. Compared to participants who relied on intuition, those who applied this doubling heuristic avoided common errors in understanding the current state of the climate change threat and made more realistic expectations of the future consequences of uninterrupted growth. Together, these studies show that overcoming the exponential growth bias helps people form more accurate perceptions of historic CO2 emissions growth and understand the difficulty of curbing future emissions.
Mitigating the impact of blood shortages in England
Authors: Chowdhury Fateha , Estcourt Lise , Murphy Michael F.
Published: February 2024

The supply of blood components and products in sufficient quantities is key to any effective health care system. This report describes the challenges faced by the English blood service, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), towards the end of the COVID‐19 pandemic, which in October 2022 led to an Amber Alert being declared to hospitals indicating an impending blood shortage. The impact on the hospital transfusion services and clinical users is explained. The actions taken by NHSBT to mitigate the blood supply challenges and ensure equity of transfusion support for hospitals in England including revisions to the national blood shortage plans are described. This report focuses on the collaboration and communication between NHSBT, NHS England (NHSE), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), National Blood Transfusion Committee (NBTC), National Transfusion Laboratory Managers Advisory Group for NBTC (NTLM), National Transfusion Practitioners Network, the medical Royal Colleges and clinical colleagues across the NHS.
Urinary incontinence indicates mortality, disability, and infections in hospitalised stroke patients
Authors: Fry Christopher H. , Fluck Adam , Affley Brendan , Kakar Puneet , Sharma Pankaj , Fluck David , Han Thang S.
Published: February 2024

Objectives

To assess the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) on health outcomes over the entire spectrum of acute stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] scores: 0–42), due to a paucity of data on patients with milder strokes.

Patients and Methods

Data were prospectively collected (2014–2016) from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (1593 men, 1591 women; mean [SD] age 76.8 [13.3] years) admitted to four UK hyperacute stroke units (HASUs). Relationships between variables were assessed by multivariable logistic regression. Data were adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, pre‐stroke disability and intra‐cranial haemorrhage, and presented as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Amongst patients with no symptoms or a minor stroke (NIHSS scores of 0–4), compared to patients without UI, patients with UI had significantly greater risks of poor outcomes including: in‐hospital mortality; disability at discharge; in‐hospital pneumonia; urinary tract infection within 7 days of admission; prolonged length of stay on the HASU; palliative care by discharge; activity of daily living (ADL) support, and new discharge to care home. In patients with more moderate stroke (NIHSS score of 5–15) the same outcomes were identified; being at greater risk for patients with UI, except for palliative care by discharge and ADL support. With the highest stroke severity group (NIHSS score of 16–48) all outcomes were identified except in‐patient mortality, pneumonia, and ADL support. However, odds ratios diminished as NIHSS scores increased.

Conclusions

Urinary incontinence is a useful indicator of poor short‐term outcomes in older patients with an acute stroke, but irrespective of stroke severity. This provides valuable information to healthcare professionals to identify at‐risk individuals.
“Catastrophic” set size limits on infants’ capacity to represent objects: A systematic review and Bayesian meta‐analysis
Authors: Wang Jinjing (Jenny) , Kibbe Melissa M.
Published: February 2024

Decades of research has revealed that humans can concurrently represent small quantities of three‐dimensional objects as those objects move through space or into occlusion. For infants (but not older children or adults), this ability apparently comes with a significant limitation: when the number of occluded objects exceeds three, infants experience what has been characterized as a “catastrophic” set size limit, failing to represent even the approximate quantity of the hidden array. Infants’ apparent catastrophic representational failures suggest a significant information processing limitation in the first years of life, and the evidence has been used as support for prominent theories of the development of object and numerical cognition. However, the evidence for catastrophic failure consists of individual small‐n experiments that use null hypothesis significance testing to obtain null results (i.e., p > 0.05). Whether catastrophic representational failures are robust or reliable across studies, methods, and labs is not known. Here we report a systematic review and Bayesian meta‐analysis to examine the strength of the evidence in favor of catastrophic representational failures in infancy. Our analysis of 22 experiments across 12 reports, with a combined total of n = 367 infants aged 10–20 months, revealed strong support for the evidence for catastrophic set size limits. A complementary analysis found moderate support for infants’ success when representing fewer than four objects. We discuss the implications of our findings for theories of object and numerical cognitive development.

Research Highlights

Previous work has suggested that infants are unable to concurrently represent four or more objects—a “catastrophic” set size limit.

We reviewed this work and conducted a Bayesian meta‐analysis to examine the robustness of this limit across individual small‐n experiments.

We found strong support for the evidence for catastrophic set size limits, and moderate support for infants’ success when representing fewer than four objects.
Ecological crisis from a Lutheran perspective: Engaging with Pope Francis’ Laudato Si'
Authors: Chen Jiji
Published: February 2024

Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ encompasses concerns about oppressed groups, the relationship between human beings and nature, and the welfare of the poor, and more importantly, how these issues are viewed in the context of the ecological crisis. This paper offers a Lutheran perspective on the encyclical, examining the intricate interplay between humanity and the natural world, the impoverished, anthropocentrism, and the crucial role of advancing intercultural dialogue. Pope Francis has emphasized the use of science and technology to establish an “integral ecology.” However, this paper argues that authentic faith generates personal awareness of the sinful aspects of the environmental crisis and inspires virtuous behavior. God created nature, therefore we need to care for it. This analysis makes an important contribution to the scholarly exploration of the connections between Christian theology and ecological issues. In addition, it provides a critical assessment of anthropocentrism, which should be more concerned with the value of other created beings.
Discrimination announcements, employee opinion, and capital structure: Evidence from the EEOC
Authors: Barnes Spencer
Published: February 2024

This paper investigates the impact of discrimination publicity on employee opinion. The findings suggest that employees reduce their sentiments toward the firm and its leaders when discrimination becomes public via Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announcements. Following the stakeholder theory of capital structure, the effect clusters in firms with above‐average leverage. Additionally, discrimination announcements increase accruals and the E index, reinforcing a culture of negative management at the firm. These results suggest that human capital risk plays a vital role in employee reactions to discrimination announcements.
Higher‐level competence: Results from the Integrated Longitudinal Studies on Aging in Japan (ILSA‐J) on the shape of associations with impaired physical and cognitive functions
Authors: Abe Takumi , Fujiwara Yoshinori , Kitamura Akihiko , Nofuji Yu , Nishita Yukiko , Makizako Hyuma , Jeong Seungwon , Iwasaki Masanori , Yamada Minoru , Kojima Narumi , Iijima Katsuya , Obuchi Shuichi , Shinmura Ken , Otsuka Rei , Suzuki Takao
Published: February 2024

Aim

This study aimed to examine the relationships between levels of competence and impaired physical and cognitive functions in older adults.

Methods

We used a data set of the Integrated Longitudinal Studies on Aging in Japan for 2017 including 5475 community‐dwelling older adults. Levels of competence were assessed using the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence (JST‐IC). Grip strength (low grip strength: <28 kg for men and <18 kg for women) and gait speed (slow gait speed: <1.0 m/s for both sexes) were evaluated as physical function measurements, and the Mini‐Mental State Examination (cognitive decline: <24 on the Mini‐Mental State Examination) was used to assess cognitive function.

Results

The JST‐IC had areas under the curve estimated from receiver operating characteristic analysis ranging from 0.65 to 0.73 for detecting low function as assessed by these tests. Restricted cubic spline curves showed that the shape of the association between the JST‐IC and impaired function depended on sex and the test used. The comparison between perfect and imperfect JST‐IC scores showed significant differences in the prevalence of low grip strength in both sexes, slow gait speed in women, and cognitive decline in men.

Conclusions

It may be insufficient to identify those with impaired physical or cognitive function using the JST‐IC. The shape of the association with the JST‐IC varies across their measurements. Our findings can help interpret JST‐IC scores in the context of low physical and cognitive functions. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 352–358.