bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sinefungin, a natural nucleoside analog of S-adenosyl methionine, impairs the pathogenicity ofCandida albicans
Authors: Nayak Anushka , Chavarria Alejandro , Sanders Kyla N. , Ghalei Homa , Khoshnevis Sohail
Published: October 2023

Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungal human pathogen, is a major threat to the healthcare system due to both infections in immunocompromised individuals and the emergence of antifungal resistance. Fungal infection caused byC. albicans, candidiasis, is a life-threatening condition in immunocompromised patients and the current treatments are mostly restricted to polyenes, azoles, and echinocandins. Use of these antifungals is limited by toxicity, drug-drug interactions, and the emergence of resistance, underscoring the importance of identifying novel therapeutic targets and the need for new treatment approaches.C. albicanscan undergo a morphological transition from yeast to hyphae and this transition is central toC. albicansvirulence. Here, we determine the impact of sinefungin, a natural nucleoside analog of S-adenosyl methionine, on the virulence ofC. albicansstrain SC5314 by evaluating treatment effects on the morphological transition, human epithelial cell adhesion, and biofilm formation. Our data indicate that sinefungin impairs pathogenic traits ofC. albicansincluding hyphal lengthening, biofilm formation and the adhesion to the human epithelial cell lines, without adversely affecting human cells, therefore highlighting sinefungin as a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention. We determine that the formation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is particularly disturbed by sinefungin. More broadly, this study underscores the importance of considering the post-transcriptional control mechanisms of pathogenicity when designing therapeutic solutions to fungal infection.
Phospholipid isotope tracing reveals β-catenin-driven suppression of phosphatidylcholine metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: VanSant-Webb Chad , Low Hayden K. , Kuramoto Junko , Stanley Claire E. , Qiang Hantao , Su Audrey , Ross Alexis N. , Cooper Chad G. , Cox James E. , Summers Scott A. , Evason Kimberley J. , Ducker Gregory S.
Published: October 2023

Background and Aims

Activating mutations in theCTNNB1gene encoding β-catenin are among the most frequently observed oncogenic alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC withCTNNB1mutations show profound alterations in lipid metabolism including increases in fatty acid oxidation and transformation of the phospholipidome, but it is unclear how these changes arise and whether they contribute to the oncogenic program in HCC.

Methods

We employed untargeted lipidomics and targeted isotope tracing to quantify phospholipid production fluxes in an inducible human liver cell line expressing mutant β-catenin, as well as in transgenic zebrafish with activated β-catenin-driven HCC.

Results

In both models, activated β-catenin expression was associated with large changes in the lipidome including conserved increases in acylcarnitines and ceramides and decreases in triglycerides. Lipid flux analysis in human cells revealed a large reduction in phosphatidylcholine (PC) production rates as assayed by choline tracer incorporation. We developed isotope tracing lipid flux analysis for zebrafish and observed similar reductions in phosphatidylcholine synthesis flux accomplished by sex-specific mechanisms.

Conclusions

The integration of isotope tracing with lipid abundances highlights specific lipid class transformations downstream of β-catenin signaling in HCC and suggests future HCC-specific lipid metabolic targets.

Synopsis

In this work, we show by lipid specific isotope tracing that mutations in the oncogeneCTNNB1leads to conserved changes in lipid metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma. These include the stimulation of fatty acid oxidation and a suppression of phosphorylcholine synthesis.
5-hydroxymethylcytosine sequencing in plasma cell-free DNA identifies unique epigenomic features in prostate cancer patients resistant to androgen deprivation therapies
Authors: Li Qianxia , Huang Chiang-Ching , Huang Shane , Tian Yijun , Huang Jinyong , Bitaraf Amirreza , Dong Xiaowei , Nevalanen Marja T. , Patel Manishkumar , Wong Jodie , Zhang Jingsong , Manley Brandon J. , Park Jong Y. , Kohli Manish , Gore Elizabeth M. , Kilari Deepak , Wang Liang
Published: October 2023

Background

Currently, no biomarkers are available to identify resistance to androgen-deprivation therapies (ADT) in men with hormone-naive prostate cancer. Since 5-hydroxymethylcytosines (5hmC) in gene body are associated with gene activation, in this study, we evaluated whether 5hmC signatures in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) predicts early resistance to ADT.

Results

We collected a total of 139 serial plasma samples from 55 prostate cancer patients receiving ADT at three time points including baseline (prior to initiating ADT, N=55), 3-month (after initiating ADT, N=55), and disease progression (N=15) within 24 months or 24-month if no progression was detected (N=14). To quantify 5hmC abundance across the genome, we used selective chemical labeling sequencing and mapped sequence reads to individual genes. Differential methylation analysis in baseline samples identified significant 5hmC difference in 1,642 of 23,433 genes between patients with and without progression (false discovery rate, FDR<0.1). Patients with disease progression showed significant 5hmC enrichments in multiple hallmark gene sets with androgen responses as top enriched gene set (FDR=1.19E-13). Interestingly, this enrichment was driven by a subgroup of patients featuring a significant 5hmC hypermethylation in the gene sets involvingAR,FOXA1andGRHL2. To quantify overall activities of these gene sets, we developed a gene set activity scoring algorithm and observed significant association of high activity scores with poor progression-free survival (P<0.05). Longitudinal analysis showed that the high activity scores were significantly reduced after 3-months of initiating ADT (P<0.0001) but returned to higher levels when the disease was progressed (P<0.05).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that 5hmC-based activity scores from gene sets involved inAR,FOXA1andGRHL2may be used as biomarkers to determine early treatment resistance, monitor disease progression, and potentially identify patients who would benefit from upfront treatment intensification.
Early Real-world Implant Experience with a Helix-fixation Ventricular Leadless Pacemaker
Authors: Nair Devi G. , Exner Derek V. , Reddy Vivek Y. , Badie Nima , Ligon David , Miller Marc A. , Lee Bridget , Doty Brandon , Thomaides Athanasios , Eldadah Zayd , Islam Malick , Hadadi Cyrus
Published: October 2023

Background

Roughly 1 in 6 patients receiving conventional transvenous pacemaker systems experience significant complications within 1 year of implant, mainly due to the transvenous lead and subcutaneous pocket. A new helix-fixation single-chamber ventricular leadless pacemaker (LP) system capable of pre-deployment exploratory electrical mapping is commercially available. Such an LP may mitigate complications while streamlining the implantation.

Objectives

Evaluate the initial real-world implant experience of the helix-fixation LP following its commercial release.

Methods

In patients indicated for single-chamber right ventricular pacing, helix-fixation Aveir VR LPs (Abbott, Abbott Park, IL) were implanted using the dedicated loading tool, introducer, and delivery catheter. Implant procedural characteristics, electrical parameters, and any 30-day procedure-related adverse events of consecutive implant attempts were retrospectively evaluated.

Results

A total of 167 patients with Class I indication for permanent pacing received implants in 4 North American centers (57% male, 70 years old). Pre-fixation electrical mapping of potential sites allowed repositioning to be avoided in 95.7% of patients. Median [interquartile range] LP procedure and fluoroscopy durations were 25.5 min [20.0, 35.0] and 5.7 min [4.0, 9.2], respectively. Pacing capture threshold, sensed R-wave amplitude, and impedance were 0.8 V [0.5, 1.3], 9.0 mV [6.0, 12.0], and 705 Ω [550, 910], respectively. Implantation was successful in 98.8% of patients, with 98.2% free from acute adverse events.

Conclusion

The initial, real-world experience of the helix-fixation ventricular leadless pacemaker demonstrated safe and efficient implantation with minimal repositioning, viable electrical metrics, and limited acute complications.
TEclass2: Classification of transposable elements using Transformers
Authors: Bickmann Lucas , Rodriguez Matias , Jiang Xiaoyi , Makalowski Wojciech
Published: October 2023

Motivation

Transposable elements (TEs) are interspersed repetitive sequences that are major constituents of most eukaryotic genomes and are crucial for genome evolution. Despite the existence of multiple tools for their classification and annotation, none of them can achieve completely reliable results making it a challenge for genomic studies. In this work, we introduce TEclass2, a new software that uses a deep learning approach based upon a linear Transformer architecture with a k-mer to-kenizer and further adaptations to handle DNA sequences. This software has an easy configuration that allows training models on new datasets and the classification of TE models providing multiple metrics for a reliable evaluation of the results.

Results

This work shows a successful adaptation of deep learning with Transformers for the classification of TE models from consensus sequences, and these results lay a foundation for novel methodologies in bioinformatics. We provide a tool for the training of models and the classification of consensus sequences from TE models on custom data and a web page interface with a pre-trained dataset based on curated and non-curated TE libraries allowing a fast and simple classification of TEs.

Availability

https://bioinformatics.uni-muenster.de/tools/teclass2/index.pl

Contact

wojmak@uni-muenster.de

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available atBioinformaticsonline.
TEPEAK : A novel method for identifying and characterizing polymorphic transposable elements in non-model species populations
Authors: Burke Devin , Chuong Edward , Taylor William , Layer Ryan
Published: October 2023

Transposable elements (TEs) replicate within genomes and are an active source of genetic variability in many species. Their role in immunity and domestication underscores their biological significance. However, analyzing TEs, especially within lesser-studied and wild populations, poses considerable challenges. To address this, we introduce TEPEAK, a simple and efficient approach to identify and characterize TEs in populations without any prior sequence or loci information. In addition to processing user-submitted genomes, TEPEAK integrates with the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Sequence Read Archive (SRA) to increase cohort sizes or incorporate proximate species. Our application of TEPEAK to 256 horse genomes spanning 11 groups reaffirmed established genetic histories and highlighted disruptions in crucial genes. Some identified TEs were also detectable in species closely related to horses. TEPEAK paves the way for comprehensive genetic variation analysis in traditionally understudied populations by simplifying TE studies. TEPEAK is open-source and freely available athttps://github.com/mrburke00/TEPEAK.
Omicron COVID-19 Immune Correlates Analysis of a Third Dose of mRNA-1273 in the COVE Trial
Authors: Zhang Bo , Fong Youyi , Fintzi Jonathan , Chu Eric , Janes Holly E. , Carpp Lindsay N. , Kenny Avi , Carone Marco , Benkeser David , van der Laan Lars W. P. , Deng Weiping , Zhou Honghong , Wang Xiaowei , Lu Yiwen , Yu Chenchen , Borate Bhavesh , Houchens Christopher R. , Martins Karen , Jayashankar Lakshmi , Huynh Chuong , Fichtenbaum Carl J. , Kalams Spyros , Gay Cynthia L. , Andrasik Michele P. , Kublin James G. , Corey Lawrence , Neuzil Kathleen M. , Priddy Frances , Das Rituparna , Girard Bethany , El Sahly Hana M. , Baden Lindsey R. , Donis Ruben O. , Koup Richard A. , Gilbert Peter B. , Follmann Dean ,   Moderna, Inc. Team,   Coronavirus Vaccine Prevention Network (CoVPN)/Coronavirus Efficacy (COVE) Team,   USG/CoVPN Biostatistics Team
Published: October 2023

In the coronavirus efficacy (COVE) phase 3 efficacy trial of the mRNA-1273 vaccine, IgG binding antibody (bAb) concentration against Spike (BA.1 strain) and neutralizing antibody (nAb) titer against Spike (BA.1 strain) pseudovirus were assessed as correlates of risk of Omicron COVID-19 and as correlates of relative boost efficacy in per-protocol recipients of a third (booster) dose. Markers were measured on the day of the boost (BD1) and 28 days later (BD29). For SARS-CoV-2 naive individuals, BD29 Spike IgG-BA.1 strain bAbs and BD29 BA.1-strain nAbs inversely correlated with Omicron COVID-19: hazard ratio (HR) per 10-fold marker increase [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 0.16 (0.03, 0.79); P=0.024 and 0.31 (0.10, 0.96); P = 0.042, respectively. These markers also inversely correlated with Omicron COVID-19 in non-naive individuals: HR = 0.15 (0.04, 0.63); P = 0.009 and 0.28 (0.07, 1.08); P = 0.06, trend. Fold-rise in markers from BD1 to BD29 had similarly strong inverse correlations. For SARS-CoV-2 naive individuals, overall booster relative (three-dose vs two-dose) efficacy was 46% (95% CI: 20%, 64%) and correlated with BA.1 strain nAb titer at exposure. At 56, 251, and 891 arbitrary units (AU)/ml (10th, 50th, and 90thpercentile), the booster relative efficacies were −8% (95% CI: −126%, 48%), 50% (25%, 67%), and 74% (49%, 87%), respectively. Similar relationships were observed for Spike IgG-BA.1 strain bAbs and for the markers measured at BD29. The performance of bAb and nAb markers as correlates of protection against Omicron COVID-19 supports their continued use as surrogate endpoints for mRNA vaccination against Omicron COVID-19.
Genetic variants in UNC93B1 predispose to childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Al-Azab Mahmoud , Idiiatullina Elina , Lin Meng , Hrovat-Schaale Katja , Xian Huifang , Zhu Jianheng , Yang Mandy , Lu Bingtai , Liu Ziyang , Zhao Zhiyao , Liu Yiyi , Chang Jingjie , Li Xiaotian , Guo Caiqin , Zeng Ping , Cui Jun , Gao Xia , Zhang Yan , Zhang Yuxia , Masters Seth L.
Published: October 2023

Rare genetic variants in TLR7 are known to cause lupus in humans and mice. UNC93B1 is a transmembrane protein that regulates TLR7 localisation into endosomes, however it has only been genetically linked to lupus in mice and dogs. We now identify a novel variant in UNC93B1 (T314A) located proximally to the TLR7 transmembrane domain, in a patient with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Further examination in a cohort of East Asian patients revealed seven who encode UNC93B1 (V117L), which is a rare but highly significant risk factor for this disease, when compared to the corresponding general population. The variant is associated with increased expression of type I IFNs and NF-kB cytokines in patients plasma and PBMC. This was confirmed using cell line models, with exaggerated responses to stimulation of TLR7/8, but not TLR3 or TLR9, and the process can be inhibited by targeting the TLR signaling molecules IRAK1/4. For UNC93B1 (V117L) we then created the orthologous mutation in mice (V138L), which results in a spontaneous lupus-like disease in heterozygotes, that is more severe in homozygotes and again hyperresponsive to TLR7 stimulation. Together, this work formally identifies genetic variants in UNC93B1 that can predispose to childhood-onset SLE.

One sentence summary

Rare genetic variants in UNC93B1 predispose to childhood-onset lupus via TLR7-IRAK1/4, validated with a corresponding mouse model.
Hyperglycemia-induced cathepsin L maturation: Linking to diabetic comorbidities and COVID-19 mortality
Authors: He Qiong , Zhao Miao-Miao , Li Ming-Jia , Li Xiao-Ya , Jin Jian-Min , Feng Ying-Mei , Zhang Li , Huang Wei-Jin , Yang Fang-Yuan , Yang Jin-Kui
Published: October 2023

Diabetes, a prevalent chronic condition, significantly increases the risk of mortality from COVID-19, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Emerging evidence implicates Cathepsin L (CTSL) in diabetic complications, including nephropathy and retinopathy. Our previous research identified CTSL as a pivotal protease promoting SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we demonstrate elevated blood CTSL levels in individuals with diabetes, facilitating SARS-CoV-2 infection. Chronic hyperglycemia correlates positively with CTSL concentration and activity in diabetic patients, while acute hyperglycemia augments CTSL activity in healthy individuals.In vitrostudies reveal high glucose, but not insulin, promotes SARS-CoV-2 infection in wild-type cells, withCTSLknockout cells displaying reduced susceptibility. Utilizing lung tissue samples from diabetic and non-diabetic patients, alongside db/db diabetic and control mice, we illustrate increased CTSL activity in both humans and mice under diabetic conditions. Mechanistically, high glucose levels promote CTSL maturation and translocation from the endoplasmic reticulum to the lysosome via the ER-Golgi-lysosome axis. Our findings underscore the pivotal role of hyperglycemia-induced CTSL maturation in diabetic comorbidities and complications.
Double data extraction was insufficient for minimizing errors in evidence synthesis: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Tang Lijun , Wang Ruoxi , Doi Suhail A.R. , Furuya-Kanamori Luis , Lin Lifeng , Qin Zongshi , Tao Fangbiao , Xu Chang
Published: October 2023

Objectives

The objective was to investigate the role of double extraction in reducing data errors in evidence synthesis for pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions.

Design

Crossover randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Setting

University teaching center and hospital evidence-based medicine center.

Participants

Eligible 100 participants were 2ndyear or above post-graduate students (e.g., masters, doctoral program), who were randomly (1:1) assigned for data extraction tasks of either 10 RCTs of pharmaceutical interventions or 10 of non-pharmaceutical interventions, followed by a cross-over pattern and a further double-checking process.

Intervention

The intervention of this trial was double-checking process for data extraction.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcome was the error rates for RCTs in the pharmaceutical versus non-pharmaceutical intervention group, in terms of both study level and cell level (2 by 2 table). The secondary outcome was the absolute difference in the error rates before and after the double-checking process for both the pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical intervention groups, again, in terms of both study level and cell level (2 by 2 table).

Results

The error rates in RCTs of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical groups were 64.65% and 59.90%, with an absolute difference of 4.75% and an odds ratio (OR) of 1.29 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06 to 1.57,P= 0.01] when measured at the study level. After double-checking, the error rates decreased to 44.88% and 39.54%, and the difference between the two groups remained at 5.34%, with the OR of 1.27 (95%CI: 1.1 to 1.46;P< 0.01). Similar results were observed when measured at the cell level.

Conclusion

Double-checking reduced data extraction errors, but the error rate still remained high after the process. Further evidence synthesis research may consider to use triple data extraction or else effective methods to minimize potential errors.

Trial registration number

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Center (Identifier: ChiCTR2200062206)

Strengths and limitations of the study

This is the third randomized trial focusing on data extraction strategies and the first one in the Asia-Pacific region.

This is the first randomized trial that compares error rates of data extraction in trials of pharmaceutical interventions and non-pharmaceutical interventions.

We validated the effectiveness of double data extraction while also identifying its limitations, providing valuable evidence for future data extraction strategies.

To ensure the feasibility of the trial, we restricted subjects to 2 post-graduate students or above, which may affects the representativeness of the sample.

The readability of the chosen randomized controlled trials for pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions may vary, potentially resulting in selection bias that can distort the outcomes.
Disease and Economic Burden of Stillbirths in India in 2019
Authors: Wadhwani Vidhi , Shrinivas Divya , Dubey Sweta , Zadey Siddhesh
Published: October 2023

Background

India has the highest number of stillbirths worldwide. However, disease and economic burdens assessment of stillbirths in India remain missing.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis using stillbirth data from the health management information system (HMIS), and civil and sample registration systems (CRS and SRS) for India and its 21 states. We calculated disease burden in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and economic burden in value of life-years (VLYs). We conducted multiple sensitivity analyses for DALY and VLY assessments.

Results

Indian HMIS reported 263,342 stillbirths in 2019. Stillbirths led to 18.3 million DALYs and a monetary loss of INR 6.4 trillion. Five states contributed to more than 40% burden. Sensitivity analyses showed consistency in findings.

Conclusion

Due to their disease and economic burdens, stillbirths should be prioritized in the public health agenda.
Angiographic profile among patients with acute coronary syndrome in tertiary care centre: A retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Regmi Shyam Raj , Kurmi Ram Narayan , Hussain Asraf , Shah Dhiranjan Kumar
Published: October 2023

Background

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is characterized by a variable presentation of vessel involvement, which significantly impacts morbidity and mortality rates. In this study, we aimed to investigate the angiographic findings in patients diagnosed with ACS.

Materials and methods

We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study in the Cardiology Unit of the Department of Internal Medicine from January 1, 2022, to December 30, 2022, following ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (reference number: 079/080-161). We employed convenience sampling and calculated point estimates along with 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Among the 192 patients included in the study, 129 (67.18%) were male, with an average age of 61.29 ± 12.50 years. The most prevalent angiographic findings were triple vessel disease (TVD) in 77 (40.10%) cases and involvement of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) in 157 (81.77%) cases. ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) was present in 134 (89.23%) cases. Diabetes mellitus was the most common risk factor, present in 122 (63.54%) patients. Complications arose in 44 (22.91%) patients, with arrhythmia occurring in 18 (40.90%) cases. The mean hospital stay was 4.42 ± 1.87 days, and 10 (5.20%) patients unfortunately passed away during their hospitalization

Conclusion

Our study revealed that triple vessel disease and involvement of the left anterior descending artery were the most frequent angiographic findings in patients with ACS. Additionally, diabetes mellitus emerged as the predominant modifiable risk factor, potentially contributing to the prevalence of multiple vessel involvement.
Engineering Material Properties of Transcription Factor Condensates to Control Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells and Mice
Authors: Fischer Alexandra A.M. , Robertson Hanah B. , Kong Deqiang , Grimm Merlin M. , Grether Jakob , Groth Johanna , Baltes Carsten , Fliegauf Manfred , Lautenschläger Franziska , Grimbacher Bodo , Ye Haifeng , Helms Volkhard , Weber Wilfried
Published: October 2023

Phase separation of biomolecules into condensates is a key mechanism in the spatiotemporal organization of biochemical processes in cells. However, the impact of the material properties of biomolecular condensates on important processes, such as the control of gene expression, remains largely elusive. Here, we systematically tune the material properties of optogenetically induced transcription factor condensates and probe their impact on the activation of target promoters. We demonstrate that transcription factors in rather liquid condensates correlate with increased gene expression levels, whereas stiffer transcription factor condensates correlate with the opposite effect, a reduced activation of gene expression.

We demonstrate the broad nature of these findings in mammalian cells and mice, as well as by using different synthetic and natural transcription factors. We observe these effects for both transgenic and cell-endogenous promoters. Our findings provide a novel materials-based layer in the control of gene expression, which opens novel opportunities in optogenetic engineering and synthetic biology.
Corporate governance meets corporate social responsibility: evidence from Latin America
Authors: Pinheiro Alan Bandeira , dos Santos Joina Ijuniclair Arruda Silva , da Silva Danielle Mantovani Lucena , Segatto Andréa Paula , Korelo Jose Carlos
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of corporate governance mechanisms on social responsibility in Latin America.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses were tested using a sample of 371 companies based in eight Latin American countries, resulting in 4,823 observations.

Findings

The results show that more independent boards, with greater female representation and the presence of a sustainability committee lead companies to behave more ethically. The findings indicate that corporate governance mechanisms play an important role for companies to engage in social responsibility actions.

Practical implications

Governments can use these findings to draft regulations that encourage Latin American companies to disclose more non-financial information and to support a more diverse board composition. The evidence shows that the quality of national governance plays a key role in times of crisis by encouraging more responsible behavior by companies.

Originality/value

This study broadens the scope of application of agency theory and the resource-based view by demonstrating that the board of directors is a unique composition and that organizations must understand how to balance external and internal members on their boards in order to achieve higher social and environmental performance.
Factors influencing micro-entrepreneurship among women SHG members of Sikkim: a propensity score matching approach
Authors: Prasad Smriti , Choubey Manesh
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The paper identifies the influence of socio-economic factors and livelihood training in stimulating micro-entrepreneurship among women self-help group (SHG) members.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a sample of 416 women SHG members drawn from all the four districts of Sikkim using cluster sampling procedure. A multivariate binary logistic model is used to find the impact of socio-economic factors, and a Poisson regression has been used to find the impact of training on fostering micro-entrepreneurship. The result is validated using a propensity score matching approach which corrects for the potential self-selection bias in the sample. Subsequently, a covariate adjustment estimator verifies the robustness of the approach.

Findings

The study finds that “size of landownership”, “amount of loan borrowed”, “member's age”, “number of earning and dependent members”, “number of years of SHG enrolment” as well as the “district to which the member belongs to” have a statistically significant influence on the graduation of SHG members to micro-entrepreneurs. Furthermore, it is found that members attending the livelihood training programmes had a significantly higher number of microenterprises.

Originality/value

The study differentiates itself by providing empirical evidence on how socio-economic factors and livelihood training stimulate micro-entrepreneurship among SHG women of Sikkim, which has so far remained unexplored. Moreover, advanced econometric method has been used to eliminate the possible self-selection bias involved with training participation and thereby provides reliable and robust results.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-01-2023-0070
Fraud analytics practices in public-sector transactions: a systematic review
Authors: Alfian Adhi , Ritchi Hamzah , Adrianto Zaldy
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Increased fraudulent practices have heightened the need for innovation in anti-fraud programs, necessitating the development of analytics techniques for detecting and preventing fraud. The subject of fraud analytics will continue to expand in the future for public-sector organizations; therefore, this research examined the progress of fraud analytics in public-sector transactions and offers suggestions for its future development.

Design/methodology/approach

This study systematically reviewed research on fraud analytics development in public-sector transactions. The review was conducted from June 2021 to June 2023 by identifying research objectives and questions, performing literature quality assessment and extraction, data synthesis and research reporting. The research mainly identified 43 relevant articles that were used as references.

Findings

This research examined fraud analytics development related to public-sector financial transactions. The results revealed that fraud analytics expansion has not spread equally, as most programs have been implemented by governments and healthcare organizations in developed countries. This research also exposed that the analytics optimization in fraud prevention is higher than for fraud detection. Such analytics help organizations detect fraud, improve business effectiveness and efficiency, and refine administrative systems and work standards.

Research limitations/implications

This research offers comprehensive insights for researchers and public-sector professionals regarding current fraud analytics development in public-sector financial transactions and future trends.

Originality/value

This study presents the first systematic literature review to investigate the development of fraud analytics in public-sector transactions. The findings can aid scholars' and practitioners' future fraud analytics development.
Listening to diverse voices: inclusive pedagogy and culturally responsive teaching for library interactions
Authors: Gupta Aditi , Liu Ying , Lin Tsung-Cheng , Zhong Qichen , Suzuki Tad
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the findings from focus group interviews conducted with librarians and library staff, faculty and students. It highlights the significance of implementing inclusive teaching and culturally responsive strategies in instructional settings and interactions with library patrons and seeks to emphasize the importance of developing guidelines, best practices and effective strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

Using focus groups, this study interviewed librarians and library staff, faculty and students. This research approach identified, reviewed and assessed existing programs and practices in instruction and library interactions.

Findings

The findings from this paper indicate that while faculty and librarians are making individual efforts to promote inclusivity in teaching and interacting with patrons, many participants expressed the necessity for institutional-level training, guidelines and good practices on how to achieve and implement culturally responsive and inclusive teaching strategies.

Originality/value

The methodology utilized in this study can be adapted by other libraries or institutions aiming to explore the practice of inclusive pedagogy and culturally responsive teaching within their own context. The insights from the study inform the development of strategies that librarians, faculty and staff can employ to integrate inclusive and culturally responsive teaching into their instruction and services for the wider academic community.
Does religion influence the household finance? Evidence from Europe
Authors: Ashqar Rashed Isam , Lobão Júlio
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the influence of religious backgrounds and religiosity on three dimensions of household finance (the decision to hold secured debt, the likelihood of being in a state of financial distress and the likelihood of being in a state of financial well-being) across a large sample of European countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) data set, spanning from 2004 to 2018. The authors conduct regression analysis to examine the relationship between religion and household financial choices.

Findings

The study finds that belonging to a predominantly Catholic or Orthodox (Protestant) country is negatively (positively) associated with the likelihood of holding a mortgage. Belonging to a mostly Catholic (Protestant) country is negatively (positively) associated with the likelihood of being in a state of financial distress. Belonging to a predominantly Catholic (Protestant) country is positively (negatively) associated with the likelihood of being in a state of financial well-being. These relationships remain robust after controlling for a large number of demographic and economic variables.

Originality/value

In this paper, the authors analyze for the first time the impact of religion on household finance in a wide range of European countries. It is also the first time that the EU-SILC database, which aggregates data on more than three million European households, is used for the study of this topic.
Ambient particulate matter air pollution exposure and ovarian cancer incidence in the USA: An ecological study
Authors: Kentros Peter A. , Huang Yongmei , Wylie Blair J. , Khoury‐Collado Fady , Hou June Y. , de Meritens Alexandre Buckley , St. Clair Caryn M. , Hershman Dawn L. , Wright Jason D.
Published: October 2023

Objective

To investigate associations between air particulate matter of ≤2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) and ovarian cancer.

Design

County‐level ecological study.

Setting

Surveillance, epidemiology, and end results from a collection of state‐level cancer registries across 744 counties. Data from the Environmental Protection Agency's network for PM2.5 monitoring was used to calculate trailing 5‐ and 10‐year PM2.5 county‐level values. County‐level data on demographic characteristics were obtained from the American Community Survey.

Population

A total of 98 751 patients with histologically confirmed ovarian cancer as a primary malignancy from 2000 to 2016.

Methods

Generalised linear regression models were developed to estimate the association between PM2.5 and PM10 levels, over 5‐ and 10‐year periods of exposure, and ovarian cancer risk, after accounting for county‐level covariates.

Main outcome measures

Risk ratios for associations between ovarian cancer (both overall and specifically epithelial ovarian cancer) and PM2.5 levels.

Results

For the 744 counties included, the average PM2.5 level from 1990 through 2018 was 11.75 μg/m3 (SD = 3.7) and the average PM10 level was 22.7 μg/m3 (SD = 5.7). After adjusting for county‐level covariates, the overall annualised ovarian cancer incidence was significantly associated with increases in 5‐year PM2.5 (RR = 1.11 per 10 units (μg/m3) increase, 95% CI 1.06–1.16). Similarly, when the analysis was limited to epithelial cell tumours and adjusted for county‐level covariates there was a significant association with trailing 5‐year PM2.5 exposure models (RR = 1.12 per 10 units increase, 95% CI 1.08–1.17). Likewise, 10‐year PM2.5 exposure was associated with ovarian cancer overall and with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Conclusions

Higher county‐level ambient PM2.5 levels are associated with 5‐ and 10‐year incidences of ovarian cancer, as measurable in an ecological study.
Fossil image identification using deep learning ensembles of data augmented multiviews
Authors: Hou Chengbin , Lin Xinyu , Huang Hanhui , Xu Sheng , Fan Junxuan , Shi Yukun , Lv Hairong
Published: October 2023

Identification of fossil species is crucial to evolutionary studies. Recent advances from deep learning have shown promising prospects in fossil image identification. However, the quantity and quality of labelled fossil images are often limited due to fossil preservation, conditioned sampling and expensive and inconsistent label annotation by domain experts, which pose great challenges to training deep learning‐based image classification models.

To address these challenges, we follow the idea of the wisdom of crowds and propose a multiview ensemble framework, which collects Original (O), Grey (G) and Skeleton (S) views of each fossil image reflecting its different characteristics to train multiple base models, and then makes the final decision via soft voting.

Experiments on the largest fusulinid dataset with 2400 images show that the proposed OGS consistently outperforms baselines (using a single model for each view), and obtains superior or comparable performance compared to OOO (using three base models for three the same Original views). Besides, as the training data decreases, the proposed framework achieves more gains. While considering the identification consistency estimation with respect to human experts, OGS receives the highest agreement with the original labels of dataset and with the re‐identifications of two human experts. The validation performance provides a quantitative estimation of consistency across different experts and genera.

We conclude that the proposed framework can present state‐of‐the‐art performance in the fusulinid fossil identification case study. This framework is designed for general fossil identification and it is expected to see applications to other fossil datasets in future work. Notably, the result, which shows more performance gains as train set size decreases or over a smaller imbalance fossil dataset, suggests the potential application to identify rare fossil images. The proposed framework also demonstrates its potential for assessing and resolving inconsistencies in fossil identification.
Associations of religious and existential variables with psychosocial factors and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in bereavement
Authors: Palitsky Roman , Chen Zhuo Job , Rentscher Kelly E. , Friedman Sydney E. , Wilson Da' Mere T. , Ruiz John M. , Sullivan Daniel , Grant George H. , O'Connor Mary‐Frances
Published: October 2023

Bereavement increases in prevalence as people age and is associated with multiple psychological and health risks, including cardiovascular risk. Religious and existential variables may play an important role in the health impacts of bereavement. Theorized pathways linking religious and existential variables with health have suggested these associations are due to intermediary psychosocial variables, but have not been tested in bereavement. This research empirically tested these pathways in a bereaved population. In N = 73 adults within 1 year of bereavement (mean age = 64.36), this study examined associations between (1) religious and existential characteristics (religious and spiritual struggles, intrinsic religiosity, and existential quest) and intermediary psychosocial variables (depression, loneliness, and difficulties in emotion regulation), and between (2) intermediary psychosocial variables and bereavement‐relevant health outcomes (self‐reported health, change in health since last year, grief severity, and cardiovascular biomarkers). Cardiovascular biomarkers (heart rate, heart rate variability, and blood pressure) were collected before, during, and after a laboratory grief recall emotion elicitation. Anticipated associations between self‐reported religious and existential characteristics and intermediary variables, and between intermediary variables and self‐reported bereavement‐relevant outcomes, were consistently observed. However, associations between intermediary variables and cardiovascular biomarkers were largely unobserved. This study examined the role of religious and existential variables in whole‐person health after bereavement and is among the first to include biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. Results suggest that although religious and existential variables are associated with important bereavement‐related outcomes, these associations may be “skin‐deep,” and extensions to cardiovascular functioning should be re‐examined.
‘Know when to fold 'em’: Policy uncertainty and acquisition abandonment
Authors: Ferguson Andrew , Hu Cecilia Wei , Lam Peter
Published: October 2023

This study investigates how policy uncertainty affects the acquisition process during the post‐announcement period. Utilising a sample of Australian mining project acquisitions over 1998–2017, we find that rising policy uncertainty after initial acquisition announcements is associated with delays in deal completion. In addition, prolonged high policy uncertainty plays an important role in triggering acquisition abandonment. Further, the stock market reacts less negatively to deal abandonment decisions made amid protracted policy uncertainty, and such reactions are associated with managers' explanations for terminating the deals. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of policy uncertainty as a ‘deal‐breaker’ in acquisitions.
How well do we truly understand clitoral anatomy? An Irish maternity hospital's perspective
Authors: White Maeve , Byrne Hollie , Molphy Zara , Flood Karen
Published: October 2023

Background

The clitoris has long been ignored in medical literature and teaching, with the first paper describing its anatomy only published in 1993. It is essential that those working in women's health understand the anatomy of this important female sexual organ.

Aims

The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of the anatomy of the clitoris across five cohorts in a busy teaching maternity hospital in Ireland.

Materials and Methods

A questionnaire was devised, asking ten consultants, ten non‐consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs), ten midwives, ten midwifery students and ten medical students to name the anatomical parts of a 3D model of the clitoris.

Results

None of the 50 respondents could name all five labelled parts of the clitoris, and 38 of respondents could not correctly name one anatomical part.

Conclusions

It is evident that there is a lack of knowledge of the anatomical parts of the clitoris among the medical staff included in this study. This reflects a lack of adequate teaching in this area in both past and recent years. Despite this, we acknowledge that women's health and sexual health awareness is improving all of the time, and we hope that this study can highlight the need for reformed teaching in this area.
Is it a vicious circle and for whom? The reciprocal association between rumination and somatic symptoms and moderation by stress: A daily diary study among Chinese college students
Authors: Chen Bowen , Xie Mingjun , Zhang Yanjia , Zhang Hongfeng , Yu Nancy Xiaonan , Lin Danhua
Published: October 2023

College students who experienced somatic symptoms during the COVID‐19 pandemic may engage in rumination, but their bidirectional nature remains underexplored. Symptom perception theory suggests a reciprocal relationship between rumination and somatic symptoms, and the multiple‐stressor perspective and the perseverative cognition hypothesis assume that the reciprocal association might be exacerbated by high stress. In this study, we examined temporal associations between rumination and somatic symptoms and variations by patterns of stress related to COVID‐19 and daily hassles. A total of 582 Chinese college students provided daily reports on rumination, somatic symptoms, COVID‐related stress, and daily hassles for seven consecutive days in November 2020. A cross‐lagged panel model showed a positive reciprocal association between rumination and somatic symptoms. Greater rumination predicted more next‐day somatic symptoms, and more somatic symptoms increased next‐day rumination. Dual trajectory analysis identified four stress patterns of COVID‐related stress and daily hassles (i.e. low‐low, low‐high, high‐low, and high‐high), and multi‐group analysis found the reciprocal association only presented in the high‐high group. Our findings indicate a vicious circle between rumination and somatic symptoms that is dependent on heterogeneous stress patterns. Attention should be paid to the high‐risk group with both high levels of COVID‐related stress and daily hassles.
The assessment of segmental healing by the Modified Mayo Endoscopic Score (MMES) complements the prediction of long‐term clinical outcomes in patients with ulcerative colitis
Authors: Lenfant Matthias , Verstockt Bram , Sabino João , Vermeire Séverine , Ferrante Marc
Published: October 2023

Background and aims

Current endoscopic scoring systems for ulcerative colitis (UC) do not consider the extent of mucosal inflammation. The modified Mayo endoscopic score (MMES) was developed to detect segmental endoscopic improvement. We evaluated the ability of the MMES to predict long‐term clinical outcomes and compared it to the widely used Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES).

Methods

Consecutive patients with moderate to severe UC starting biological therapy were enrolled between January 2014 and September 2017 in this prospective observational study. A clinical and endoscopic evaluation was performed at baseline and at week 8/14. A modified Mayo score was used to grade clinical activity, MES and MMES were used to evaluate endoscopic activity. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the evolution of endoscopic activity, namely endoscopic improvement (MES ≤ 1), segmental endoscopic response only (MES > 1, but decrease in MMES ≥ 30%) or no endoscopic response (all others). Over the follow‐up period clinical relapse‐, discontinuation‐ and colectomy‐free survival were assessed.

Results

A total of 150 patients were included (48% female, median age 42 years, median disease duration 7 years) with a median follow‐up of 61 months. We identified 69 patients with endoscopic improvement, 27 with segmental endoscopic response and 54 without endoscopic response. Patients with segmental endoscopic response showed intermediate long‐term clinical outcomes as compared to the other two groups (log rank p = 0.003 for clinical relapse‐, and p < 0.001 for both discontinuation‐ and colectomy‐free survival).

Conclusions

The MMES exhibited a benefit in predicting long‐term outcome in UC even though endoscopic improvement remains the strongest predictor.