bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Tiled-Amplicon Sequencing Assay Targeting theTomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus(ToBRFV) Genome Reveals Widespread Distribution in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems in the Province of Ontario, Canada
Authors: Nash Delaney , Ellmen Isaac , Knapp Jennifer J. , Menon Ria , Overton Alyssa K. , Cheng Jiujun , Lynch Michael D.J. , Nissimov Jozef I. , Charles Trevor C.
Published: November 2023

Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus(ToBRFV) is a plant pathogen that infects importantSolanaceaecrop species and can dramatically reduce tomato crop yields. TheToBRFVhas rapidly spread around the globe due to its ability to escape detection by antiviral host genes, most notablyTm-22, which are used to confer resistance to otherTobamovirusesin tomato plants. Development of robust and reproducible methods for detecting viruses in the environment aids in the tracking and reduction of pathogen transmission. We detectedToBRFVin municipal wastewater influent (WWI) samples, likely due to its presence in human waste, demonstrating a widespread distribution ofToBRFVin WWI throughout Ontario, Canada. To aid in globalToBRFVsurveillance efforts, we developed a tiled-amplicon approach to sequence and track the evolution ofToBRFVgenomes in municipal WWI. Our assay recovers 97.5% of the 6393 bpToBRFVRefSeq genome, omitting the terminal 5’ and 3’ ends. We demonstrate that our sequencing assay is a robust, sensitive, and highly specific method for recoveringToBRFVgenomes. OurToBRFVassay was developed using existing ARTIC Network resources, which includes genome specific primer design, sequencing library prep, and read analysis. Additionally, we adapted our lineage abundance estimation tool, Alcov, to estimate the abundance ofToBRFVclades in samples.
Obtaining Actigraphy Sleep Report Using Garmin Wearable Devices and Labfront App
Authors: Hsu Chang Francis , Huang Han-Ping , Peng Chris , Masys Jordan , Ahn Andrew C.
Published: November 2023

In a collaborative effort between Labfront and Garmin, an actigraphy-based sleep analysis report has been developed for Garmin’s consumer-grade wearable devices, accessible via the Labfront application. Comparative analyses against established medical-grade actigraphic devices, namely Actiwatch-2 and Motionlogger, demonstrate notable concordance in key performance indicators. Specifically, the Garmin device yielded a sensitivity of over 95% for sleep detection, a specificity of over 80% for wake detection, and an overall accuracy exceeding 95%.

The study introduces a transparent methodology for deriving sleep metrics from acceleration data, thereby addressing a current gap in the literature regarding consumer-grade actigraphy solutions. Additionally, the system allows for individual customization of sleep/wake detection parameters, offering adaptability to specific user conditions. These findings suggest that consumer-grade wearable devices may serve as viable alternatives to medical-grade actigraphs for sleep analysis, without sacrificing analytical rigor.
Neutron crystallographic refinement with REFMAC5 from the CCP4 suite
Authors: Catapano Lucrezia , Long Fei , Yamashita Keitaro , Nicholls Robert A. , Steiner Roberto A. , Murshudov Garib N.
Published: November 2023

Hydrogen (H) atoms are abundant in macromolecules and often play critical roles in enzyme catalysis, ligand-recognition processes and protein–protein interactions. However, their direct visualization by diffraction techniques is challenging. Macromolecular X-ray crystallography affords the localization of only the most ordered H atoms at (sub-)atomic resolution (around 1.2 Å or higher). However, many H atoms of biochemical significance remain undetectable by this method. In contrast, neutron diffraction methods enable the visualization of most H atoms, typically in the form of deuterium (2H) atoms, at much more common resolution values (better than 2.5 Å). Thus, neutron crystallography, although technically demanding, is often the method of choice when direct information on protonation states is sought. REFMAC5 from the Collaborative Computational Project No. 4 (CCP4) is a program for the refinement of macromolecular models against X-ray crystallographic and cryo-EM data. This contribution describes its extension to include the refinement of structural models obtained from neutron crystallographic data. Stereochemical restraints with accurate bond distances between H atoms and their parent atom nuclei are now part of the CCP4 Monomer Library, the source of prior chemical information used in the refinement. One new feature for neutron data analysis in REFMAC5 is refinement of the protium/deuterium (1H/2H) fraction. This parameter describes the relative 1H/2H contribution to neutron scattering for hydrogen isotopes. The newly developed REFMAC5 algorithms were tested by performing the (re-)refinement of several entries available in the PDB and of one novel structure (FutA) using either (i) neutron data only or (ii) neutron data supplemented by external restraints to a reference X-ray crystallographic structure. Re-refinement with REFMAC5 afforded models characterized by R-factor values that are consistent with, and in some cases better than, the originally deposited values. The use of external reference structure restraints during refinement has been observed to be a valuable strategy, especially for structures at medium–low resolution.
Foreign bank presence and inclusive growth in Africa: the moderating role of financial development
Authors: Iddrisu Khadijah , Abor Joshua Yindenaba , Banyen Thadious Kannyiri
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the extent to which the nexus between foreign bank presence (FBP) and inclusive growth is being impacted by the financial development.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a two-stage system generalized method of moment (GMM), using 28 African countries from the period 2000 to 2018.

Findings

The study found a positive effect of FBP on inclusive growth. While financial development magnifies the positive effect of FBP, inclusive growth nexus, it has a direct effect on inclusive growth.

Practical implications

For Africa to ascertain the positive effect of FBP on inclusive growth, financial system must be developed to reduce the cream-skim behavior of foreign banks.

Originality/value

This paper assess the extent to which developing economy's developed financial system form synergies with FBP to further enhance the inclusiveness of growth.
Social housing development: a case study in Bac Ninh province, Vietnam
Authors: Dinh Trung Nguyen , Phuong Nam Pham
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the overall social housing development, point out factors affecting it and propose some policy implications for social housing development.

Design/methodology/approach

The research investigated investors, credit institutions and officials involved in social housing development. Bac Ninh province currently has 51 social housing projects that have been and are being implemented. The hypothetical regression model has seven latent variables and is tested by the criteria through the SPSS25.0 software.

Findings

There are 29 factors belonging to seven groups affecting housing development. Their impact rates range from 3.47% to 30.25%.

Research limitations/implications

The study has only identified the factors affecting social housing development but has not undertaken an in-depth assessment of its development status and forecast for the future. Therefore, this gap needs to be further studied. The proposed research method could also be applied when researching social housing developments in other countries around the world.

Practical implications

To develop social housing to meet the needs of the real estate market, it is necessary to improve the policies that have the strongest impact first. Then, it is necessary to improve the factors with a smaller impact.

Social implications

The study proposes policy implications for faster housing development for low-income people that improve their living standards.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the paper has studied for the first time social housing development and the factors affecting it. The paper also shows the level of their impact so that priority policies can be applied to each factor.
Transforming food systems: a case of Eat Right India
Authors: Kaladharan Sanju , Dhanya M. , Rejikumar G.
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Eat Right India (ERI) is a flagship initiative by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to transform the food system to ensure sustainable, safe and healthy food for all. The study summarizes the strategies, policies and programs using the NOURISHING framework.

Design/methodology/approach

This study identifies and reviews documents related to ERI through a comprehensive search of research literature, policy documents and information available from the institutional websites. The NOURISHING framework, which proposes a methodology to categorize, report and monitor actions to promote healthy eating, is used as a guiding framework.

Findings

Upon analyzing various strategies put forward by the ERI initiative, it was found that there are many inter-sectoral collaborations, successful institutionalizations and behavioral interventions implemented through the initiative. However, there are a few areas that require attention, which include health taxation, children's exposure to unhealthy food marketing, regulations in food advertisements and the incentivization of retailers and consumers for healthy food delivery and consumption. There is a need for a holistic approach with a congruence of health and food systems in the backdrop of a strong and efficient policy and regulatory framework to tackle the threat of Non-communicable diseases (NCD).

Originality/value

This article contributes to a significant discussion about transforming food systems to tackle (NCDs). It summarizes the existing initiatives in India for establishing healthy food environments and also suggests a few strategies for taking it forward. The study calls the policymakers to action for restructuring the food and health system into resilient, contextually relevant and interoperable mechanisms to address the threat of NCDs.
Readiness level assessment for lean Six Sigma implementation in the healthcare sector
Authors: Costa Federica , Portioli-Staudacher Alberto , Alemsan Najla , Tortorella Guilherme Luz
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the critical readiness factors (CRFs) that mainly affect the implementation of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in an organization and their interactions, and to develop a model that allows the management to assess the Lean Implementation Readiness Level.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is separated into two main parts: the literature review and the assessment model development. In the literature review, the main CRFs and their interactions for LSS implementation in Scopus Data Base were identified. The second part of the methodology is the model development. It was built on a stepwise framework that considers the relations among the CRFs and their importance. Moreover, it was used fuzzy-based linguistic variables given by the experts working in the company to consider the actual performance rating of each CRF. The model has been validated in the healthcare sector in nine hospitals.

Findings

From the model application, it is possible to note that the most frequent level among the nine hospitals interviewed is “Average Ready”. Also, the most extreme level of readiness occurred ones while the most extreme level of not readiness never occurred. Results show that in 78% of the cases, there would have been a high probability of implementation failure. Also, it was possible to identify for each hospital if the CRFs are good, if they are weak and need to change or if another factor needs to be improved before it and what this factor is.

Originality/value

This work proposes a new methodology that eliminates the negative aspects and limitations of the total interpretive structural modeling methodology and the fuzzy logic approach currently applied to evaluate the LSS readiness of a company. The present methodology lies in the fact that it provides a solution not only by defining the weak CRFs but also by giving an indication of priority as it identifies the weak antecedent factors that inhibit the preparedness of the depending factors.
The (big) role of family constellations in return migration and transnationalism
Authors: Kopliku Bresena , Drishti Elvisa
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The Albanian migration has always reflected a family character, be that before 1945 when Albania was not yet completely isolated, as well as after 1990 when borders were reopened. This feature characterized all types of movement, internal or international, permanent or seasonal migration, return migration or transnational movements and remigration. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of the family as a very important factor in making decisions regarding migration and answering questions from why to how to migrate, from when to where, whom to ask for help or how to invest remittances.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the case study of a rural area in Northern Albania, the Administrative Unit of Dajç, this paper explores in detail the roles of family and kinship on decisions regarding return migration, the re-adjustment process, remigration or transnational life.

Findings

By exploring the role of the family context in remigration and vice-versa, the paper reflects that the family biography – including the lifestyle, plans for the future or expectations – has changed due to previous migration experiences or challenges and difficulties when returning to the home country.

Originality/value

It demonstrates how individual decisions to migrate or to “return home” are negotiated and supported within families making transnational life a family project. The paper adopts a new approach in the Albanian Migration Studies, which may be implied on broader areas for further research in the future.
Budget ratcheting in museums
Authors: Sandalgaard Niels , Bukh Per Nikolaj
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study focuses on ratcheting and budget behavior in nonprofit museums. Specifically, the authors examine how performance compared with the budget affects future revenue budgets, and how this differs from the extant literature focused on for-profit organizations. The study focuses specifically on the relationship between museums and their sources of public funding and how this affects how museums prepare budgets.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on four years of data covering 97 state-subsidized Danish museums, the authors analyze budget ratcheting using least absolute deviation (LAD) estimations in the form of median regressions.

Findings

The authors find that when actual revenue from admission charges is below the budget, the decrease in the following year's budget is greater than the increase in the following year's budget when actual revenue from admission charges is above the budget (i.e. the authors find asymmetrical ratcheting).

Research limitations/implications

The findings are based on a specific setting (Danish museums), and the results may not be generalizable to other settings.

Practical implications

This study provides insights into the museum sector and other sectors with similar characteristics and contributes to understanding the differences between museums and for-profit organizations when it comes to budgeting. As private-sector management practices are gaining ground in the museum sector, it is important to learn more about budgeting-related issues in this sector.

Originality/value

The asymmetrical ratcheting the authors find is the opposite of ratcheting typically found in for-profit organizations. The authors attribute the results to the incentive conflict between museums and their public funding sources. The authors point to the museums' dependence on public funding as an explanation for the results and, thereby, extend the knowledge on ratcheting to organizations with different characteristics than traditional, for-profit organizations.
Development of a cross-border regional brand management model: an analysis of its applicability in the Brazil–Argentina and Italy–Austria bordering localities
Authors: Krüger Caroline , Lourenção Marina , Guimarães Fábio Henrique Correa Bogado , Meneguzzo Marco , Passador Claudia Souza , Caldana Adriana Cristina Ferreira
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a cross-border regional brand management model to help enhance cooperation for developing such localities. It analyzed its applicability in the Brazil–Argentina and Italy–Austria cross-border regions comprising several cities.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was conducted to obtain a theoretical basis and select elements for creating the cross-border regional brand management (CRBM) model. To apply the model, in-depth interviews were conducted with 19 specialists of different nationalities and distinct expertise on cross-border governance and regional branding. In addition, to validate the proposed model, a focus group was carried out, and specialists were consulted using forms, providing 22 additional opinions.

Findings

The results show good managerial practices and gaps that must be overcome to create and manage the brands from the two regions analyzed.

Research limitations/implications

The theoretical contributions consist in extending the literature in place branding by presenting the first CRBM model and the conceptual explanation of each of the model's elements.

Practical implications

The study's practical implications occur through the suggestion of good management practices for the studied localities arising from the applicability of the CRBM model. Furthermore, it is expected that the model developed can be applied in other locations, bringing practical contributions to the management and creation of cross-border regional brands in other countries.

Originality/value

This study presents the first CRBM model and its applicability to two cross-border regions.
How to flourish under constraints: imitation or innovation? The mediation role of innovation and absorptive capacity on firm performance
Authors: Azhdary Moghadam Mojtaba , Akbari Mohsen , Mahfoozi Gholamreza , Mohaghegh Montazeri Mahyar
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to simultaneously investigate a comprehensive analysis of the extent to which strategic orientations, namely, imitation and innovation orientations, and knowledge management affect firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of the resource-based view and dynamic capability theory, this scholarly inquiry has proposed a comprehensive framework that delineates the relationships amongst imitation, innovation, absorptive capacity (ACAP), innovation performance and financial performance. To scrutinize the proposed research model, bootstrap routines were used through Smart partial least squares to estimate the procedures. To collect the necessary data, a questionnaire and financial statements were acquired from a sample of 100 Iranian firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. The findings of the study have important implications for both scholars and practitioners seeking to enhance firm performance through the effective utilization of imitation, innovation and ACAP.

Findings

The results indicate that imitation activities have directly led to the improvement in innovation performance, even in the presence of innovation and ACAP. However, the relationship has not been confirmed by financial performance.

Originality/value

Imitation and innovation orientations have been identified as pivotal strategic orientations that can significantly affect firm performance. As far as the authors know, this investigation represents the first comprehensive examination of both imitation and innovation activities as a critical transition in emerging markets (EMs) characterized by complex economies, such as Iran. The findings may aid firms in enhancing their performance by providing insight into the strategic importance of imitation and innovation orientations in EMs.
Quality 4.0 in higher education: reinventing academic-industry-government collaboration during disruptive times
Authors: Wawak Slawomir , Teixeira Domingues José Pedro , Sampaio Paulo
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore the conditions of successful implementation of Quality 4.0 in higher education institutions (HEIs) and the key factors affecting it, as well as the role of the Triple Helix collaborative (THC) framework in enhancing the integration of Quality 4.0 principles and Industry 4.0 technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey-based strategy was adopted, adopting questionnaires distributed amongst researchers chosen based on their publications related to the aforementioned fields.

Findings

The successful integration of disruptive technologies, Quality 4.0 and THC in HEIs heavily relies on educators' continuous learning and professional development. Faculty members must acquire digital skills and competencies to effectively adopt disruptive technologies and implement Quality 4.0 principles in their teaching practices. HEIs should provide opportunities for faculty members to engage in ongoing training programmes, workshops and communities of practice that focus on enhancing their technological proficiencies, pedagogical strategies and collaborative skills.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported study linking the concepts of Quality 4.0 and the Triple Helix of Innovation in HEIs.
Mapping 30 years of tourism and hospitality research in the Arab world: a review based on bibliometric analysis
Authors: Al Rousan Ramzi , Khasawneh Nermin , Sujood Sujood
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The Arab world has witnessed a remarkable surge in the growth of its tourism and hospitality (T&H) industry, positioning it as a vital cornerstone for sustainable development. However, an exclusive bibliometric analysis of T&H research contributed by the Arab world has not yet been conducted in the past 30 years, that is, 1993–2022. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide a first-of-its-kind bibliometric assessment and visualization of T&H research produced by the Arab world spanning from 1993 to 2022.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive collection of 1,327 scientific publications related to T&H research contributed by the Arab world was acquired from the Web of Science Core Collection database. To perform a large-scale bibliometric analysis, encompassing performance analysis, science mapping and network analysis, this study used state-of-the-art analytical tools, namely, Bibliometrix package of R Studio and VOSviewer.

Findings

The findings of this study show that the Arab world’s research on T&H has significantly surged since COVID-19, contributing nearly half (50.56%) of the total literature in the T&H domain between 2020 and 2022. Elshaer IA (Suez Canal University, Egypt) emerged as the most productive author, while Nusair K (Sultan Qaboos University, Oman) was identified as the most impactful author in the T&H domain in the Arab world. The most productive journal was found to be Sustainability (MDPI), while Tourism Management (Elsevier) was identified as the most impactful journal in the field of T&H. Furthermore, the thematic analysis highlights that research themes in T&H are not static but rather constantly evolving in response to dynamic changes in the industry, such as emerging trends, shifts in tourist preferences and the impact of global events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first bibliometric analysis of T&H research contributed by the Arab world, specifically covering the period from 1993 to 2022. This study's findings can inform the development of strategies and policies for the sustainable and competitive growth of the T&H industry in the Arab world. This study highlights the importance of continued research and collaboration among industry professionals, academics and policymakers to promote innovation and drive positive change in the T&H sector in the Arab world.
How much does issue salience matter? A model with applications to the UK elections
Authors: ADAMS JAMES , MERRILL SAMUEL , ZUR ROI
Published: November 2023

Extensive research applies counterfactual simulation methodology to study parties’ optimal policy positions in multiparty elections. In recent years, this methodology has been extended to the study of variation in issue salience. We employ this method to estimate the electoral effects of changes in the salience of specific positional issue dimensions on parties’ success. Applied to British Election Study survey data from 2017 and 2019, we find that plausible issue salience changes could have shifted the parties’ projected vote shares by several percentage points. Our approach implies that the governing Conservative Party had electoral incentives to downplay positional issues, to magnify the relative effects of its non‐policy advantage due to perceived competence and performance, among other factors. Labour would also have benefitted from reduced salience of Left‐Right ideology. By contrast, the Liberal Democrats had strong electoral incentives to emphasize their moderate Left‐Right position.
A classification of combined homicide‐suicide: An update—Part III: Extrafamilial homicide‐suicide
Authors: Felthous Alan R. , Masood Yasir , Safari Delavar , Rodgers Emily , Chennu Navreet , Kahlon Chanchal , Angly Mary
Published: November 2023

The subclassification of homicide‐suicide into psychopathology and intrafamilial homicide‐suicides having been presented in the foregoing Parts I and II, this Part III concerns extrafamilial homicide‐suicides. Extrafamilial homicide‐suicides are divided into adversarial, autogenic mass, cult, and terrorist homicide‐suicides. Adversarial homicide‐suicides involve a “formal” relationship between actor and homicide victims, further divided according to the role of the actor in their relationship as employee, current or former pupil/student as in school shootings, patient, and litigant. For comparison, school shootings were divided into those resulting in 10 or more homicide victims and those with fewer. The autogenic mass homicide‐suicide, wherein victims are strangers to the actor, was heuristically bifurcated here depending on the number of homicide victims, 10 or more or fewer. As expected, the homicide‐suicides with larger numbers of victims were more homogenous.
Circ_0004140 promotes lung adenocarcinoma progression by upregulating NOVA2 via sponging miR‐330‐5p
Authors: Xia Fan , Xie Mei , He Jinqi , Cheng Deyun
Published: November 2023

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a significant role in the tumorigenesis and progression of diverse human cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma. A previous study suggested that circ_0004140 expression was increased in lung adenocarcinoma cells. However, the molecular mechanism of circRNA circ_0004140 involved in lung adenocarcinoma is poorly defined.

Methods

Circ_0004140, microRNA‐330‐5p (miR‐330‐5p), and NOVA alternative splicing regulator 2 (NOVA2) expression were determined by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis ability were assessed using 5‐ethynyl‐2’‐deoxyuridine (EdU), flow cytometry, wound healing, transwell, and capillary‐like network formation assays. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1, and NOVA2 protein levels were detected using Western blot assay. The interaction between miR‐330‐5p and circ_0004140 or NOVA2 was verified by dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Xenograft tumor model was utilized to assess the role of circ_0004140 in tumor growth in vivo.

Results

Circ_0004140 was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and cell lines. Circ_0004140 silencing suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and tube formation ability, and triggered the apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Circ_0004140 acted as a molecular sponge for miR‐330‐5p, and miR‐330‐5p silencing largely reversed circ_0004140 knockdown‐induced effects in lung adenocarcinoma cells. NOVA2 was a target of miR‐330‐5p, and NOVA2 overexpression might largely overturn miR‐330‐5p overexpression‐induced influences in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Circ_0004140 upregulated NOVA2 expression via sponging miR‐330‐5p in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Circ_0004140 silencing restrained xenograft tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusion

Circ_0004140 knockdown might suppress the malignant biological behaviors of lung adenocarcinoma cells via miR‐330‐5p‐dependent regulation of NOVA2.
An investigation of the distributions of ferroptosis and necroptosis mediators in the maternal–fetal interface at different days of rat pregnancy
Authors: Tatar Musa , Tüfekci Kıymet Kübra
Published: November 2023

Ferroptosis and necroptosis are recognized as playing major roles in the regulation of various physiological processes. However, the physiological role of the cell death mediated by these two pathways in the developmental process has not yet been clearly established. This study investigated ferroptosis and necroptosis signalling pathways in maternal–fetal tissue in the different gestational days (GD) of rat pregnancy using immunohistochemical and western blot methods in order to fill this gap. Twenty‐four female Wistar albino rats were mated and divided into three groups. Maternal–fetal tissue samples were collected on GD 5, 12 and 19 of pregnancy. Expression and total protein levels of the markers glutathione peroxidase‐4, soluble transporter family 7 member 11, transferrin receptor, receptor‐interacting serine/threonine‐protein kinase 1, receptor‐interacting serine/threonine‐protein kinase 3 and mixed lineage kinase domain‐like protein were investigated on both the maternal and fetal surfaces of the placenta using immunohistochemical and western blot methods. The results showed varying levels of protein expression of both ferroptosis and necroptosis mediators in the GD 5, 12 and 19 of pregnancy. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that these mediators were located on both the maternal (decidua and metrial gland) and fetal surfaces (labyrinth zone, yolk sac and basal zone) and that their expression levels changed in the different GD. The findings revealed the existence of important ferroptosis and necroptosis pathway mediators in rat maternal–fetal tissue. These results may provide a molecular framework for a better understanding of the communication between the placenta, decidua and fetus during the developmental process.
Organisation of UK hospitals and anaesthetic departments in the treatment of peri‐operative cardiac arrest: an analysis from the 7th National Audit Project (NAP7) local co‐ordinator baseline survey
Authors: Kursumovic E. , Soar J. , Nolan J. P. , Plaat F. , Kane A. D. , Armstrong R. A. , Davies M. T. , Oglesby F. C. , Cortes L. , Taylor C. , Moppett I. K. , Agarwal S. , Cordingley J. , Dorey J. , Finney S. J. , Kunst G. , Lucas D. N. , Nickols G. , Mouton R. , Patel B. , Pappachan V. J. , Scholefield B. R. , Smith J. H. , Varney L. , Cook T. M. ,   Collaborators
Published: November 2023

We report the results of the Royal College of Anaesthetists' 7th National Audit Project organisational baseline survey sent to every NHS anaesthetic department in the UK to assess preparedness for treating peri‐operative cardiac arrest. We received 199 responses from 277 UK anaesthetic departments, representing a 72% response rate. Adult and paediatric anaesthetic care was provided by 188 (95%) and 165 (84%) hospitals, respectively. There was no paediatric intensive care unit on‐site in 144 (87%) hospitals caring for children, meaning transfer of critically ill children is required. Remote site anaesthesia is provided in 182 (92%) departments. There was a departmental resuscitation lead in 113 (58%) departments, wellbeing lead in 106 (54%) and departmental staff wellbeing policy in 81 (42%). A defibrillator was present in every operating theatre suite and in all paediatric anaesthesia locations in 193 (99%) and 149 (97%) departments, respectively. Advanced airway equipment was not available in: every theatre suite in 13 (7%) departments; all remote locations in 103 (57%) departments; and all paediatric anaesthesia locations in 23 (15%) departments. Anaesthetic rooms were the default location for induction of anaesthesia in adults and children in 148 (79%) and 121 (79%) departments, respectively. Annual updates in chest compressions and in defibrillation were available in 149 (76%) and 130 (67%) departments, respectively. Following a peri‐operative cardiac arrest, debriefing and peer support programmes were available in 154 (79%) and 57 (29%) departments, respectively. While it is likely many UK hospitals are very well prepared to treat anaesthetic emergencies including cardiac arrest, the survey suggests this is not universal.
Threatened by others or by everything? The effects of momentary and trait loneliness on daily appraisals of social company and being alone in young adults
Authors: Piejka Aleksandra , Wiśniewska Marcelina , Okruszek Łukasz
Published: November 2023

Theoretical accounts of loneliness suggest that it may lead to psychopathological consequences by increasing the perception of social threat. However, it is unclear whether the real‐life effects of both trait and state loneliness are specific to social situations. To answer this question, two experience sampling studies were conducted with prestratified samples of young adults (18–35) with moderate (Study 1, N = 64) or low and high (Study 2, N = 103) levels of loneliness. Participants were asked to report their emotional states and appraisals of social and nonsocial situations. Multilevel modelling of momentary and time‐lagged associations revealed that trait loneliness was associated with less positive (Study 1) and more negative (Study 2) company appraisals. Importantly, in Study 2, trait loneliness was also related to less positive and more negative appraisals of being alone. Momentary loneliness was related to less positive and more negative appraisals of both types and predicted negative social appraisals over time in both studies. In Study 2, time‐lagged interaction effects on social appraisals were found between the two levels. The results suggest that in highly lonely individuals, both levels of loneliness may lead to a general negativity bias and have a synergistic effect.
Development of a predictive model for nephrotoxicity during tacrolimus treatment using machine learning methods
Authors: Noda Tsubura , Mizuno Shotaro , Mogushi Kaoru , Hase Takeshi , Iida Yoritsugu , Takeuchi Katsuyuki , Ishiwata Yasuyoshi , Nagata Masashi
Published: November 2023

Aim

When administering tacrolimus, therapeutic drug monitoring is recommended because nephrotoxicity, an adverse event, occurs at supra‐therapeutic whole‐blood concentrations of tacrolimus. However, some patients exhibit nephrotoxicity even at the recommended concentrations, therefore establishing a therapeutic range of tacrolimus concentration for the individual patient is necessary to avoid nephrotoxicity. This study aimed to develop a model for individualized prediction of nephrotoxicity in patients administered tacrolimus.

Methods

We collected data, such as laboratory test data at tacrolimus initiation, concomitant drugs and tacrolimus whole‐blood concentration, from medical records of patients who received oral tacrolimus. Nephrotoxicity was defined as an increase in serum creatinine levels within 60 days of tacrolimus initiation. We built 13 prediction models based on different machine learning algorithms: logistic regression, support vector machine, gradient‐boosting trees, random forest and neural networks. The best performing model was compared with the conventional model, which classifies patients according to the tacrolimus concentration alone.

Results

Data from 163 and 41 patients were used to construct models and evaluate the best performing one, respectively. Most of the patients were diagnosed with inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. The best performing model was built using a support vector machine; it showed a high F2 score of 0.750 and outperformed the conventional model (0.500).

Conclusions

A machine learning model to predict nephrotoxicity in patients during tacrolimus treatment was developed using tacrolimus whole‐blood concentration and other patient data. This model could potentially assist in identifying high‐risk patients who require individualized target therapeutic concentrations of tacrolimus prior to treatment initiation to prevent nephrotoxicity.
Designing economic evaluations alongside clinical trials in maternal health care: A guide for clinical trial design
Authors: Callander Emily J. , Bick Debra , Mistry Hema
Published: November 2023

Background

Economic evaluations are being conducted with increasing frequency in the maternity care setting, with more randomized controlled trials containing a health economic component. Key emerging criticisms of economic evaluation in maternity care are lack of robust data collection and measurement, inconsistencies in methodology, and lack of adherence to reporting guidelines.

Methods

This article provides a guide to the design of economic evaluations alongside clinical trials in maternal health. We include economic concepts and considerations for the maternity setting and provide examples from the UK and Australia.

Results

There are many important considerations for the design of economic evaluations alongside clinical trials. To be effective, researchers must select types of economic evaluation, which align with their study objectives; choose an appropriate evaluation perspective, time horizon, and discount rate; and identify accurate ways to measure and evaluate health outcomes and costs.

Discussion

This guide is written for noneconomists and can be used for designing economic evaluations to be conducted as a part of clinical trials. We seek to improve the quality, consistency, and transparency of economic evaluations in maternal health.
The Chalcidoidea bush of life: evolutionary history of a massive radiation of minute wasps
Authors: Cruaud Astrid , Rasplus Jean‐Yves , Zhang Junxia , Burks Roger , Delvare Gérard , Fusu Lucian , Gumovsky Alex , Huber John T. , Janšta Petr , Mitroiu Mircea‐Dan , Noyes John S. , van Noort Simon , Baker Austin , Böhmová Julie , Baur Hannes , Blaimer Bonnie B. , Brady Seán G. , Bubeníková Kristýna , Chartois Marguerite , Copeland Robert S. , Dale‐Skey Papilloud Natalie , Dal Molin Ana , Dominguez Chrysalyn , Gebiola Marco , Guerrieri Emilio , Kresslein Robert L. , Krogmann Lars , Lemmon Emily , Murray Elizabeth A. , Nidelet Sabine , Nieves‐Aldrey José Luis , Perry Ryan K. , Peters Ralph S. , Polaszek Andrew , Sauné Laure , Torréns Javier , Triapitsyn Serguei , Tselikh Ekaterina V. , Yoder Matthew , Lemmon Alan R. , Woolley James B. , Heraty John M.
Published: November 2023

Chalcidoidea are mostly parasitoid wasps that include as many as 500 000 estimated species. Capturing phylogenetic signal from such a massive radiation can be daunting. Chalcidoidea is an excellent example of a hyperdiverse group that has remained recalcitrant to phylogenetic resolution. We combined 1007 exons obtained with Anchored Hybrid Enrichment with 1048 ultra‐conserved elements (UCEs) for 433 taxa including all extant families, >95% of all subfamilies, and 356 genera chosen to represent the vast diversity of the superfamily. Going back and forth between the molecular results and our collective knowledge of morphology and biology, we detected bias in the analyses that was driven by the saturation of nucleotide data. Our final results are based on a concatenated analysis of the least saturated exons and UCE datasets (2054 loci, 284 106 sites). Our analyses support an expected sister relationship with Mymarommatoidea. Seven previously recognized families were not monophyletic, so support for a new classification is discussed. Natural history in some cases would appear to be more informative than morphology, as illustrated by the elucidation of a clade of plant gall associates and a clade of taxa with planidial first‐instar larvae. The phylogeny suggests a transition from smaller soft‐bodied wasps to larger and more heavily sclerotized wasps, with egg parasitism as potentially ancestral for the entire superfamily. Deep divergences in Chalcidoidea coincide with an increase in insect families in the fossil record, and an early shift to phytophagy corresponds with the beginning of the “Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution”. Our dating analyses suggest a middle Jurassic origin of 174 Ma (167.3–180.5 Ma) and a crown age of 162.2 Ma (153.9–169.8 Ma) for Chalcidoidea. During the Cretaceous, Chalcidoidea may have undergone a rapid radiation in southern Gondwana with subsequent dispersals to the Northern Hemisphere. This scenario is discussed with regard to knowledge about the host taxa of chalcid wasps, their fossil record and Earth's palaeogeographic history.
Linking species distribution models with structured expert elicitation for predicting management effectiveness
Authors: Rose Lucy E. , Hemming Victoria , Hanea Anca M. , Wintle Brendan A. , Chee Yung En
Published: November 2023

Effective biodiversity conservation requires robust and transparent prioritization of management actions. However, this is often hampered by a lack of spatially‐explicit data on habitat variables and empirical data on the effect of management actions. Although approaches exist that integrate structured expert elicitation (SEE) with species distribution models (SDMs) to encode species responses across habitat gradients, difficulties remain in predicting management outcomes under different settings, at a region‐wide scale when key habitat covariates are not spatially explicit. Therefore, we developed an approach to integrate SDMs with SEE to capture expert understanding of likely outcomes of management actions for individual frog species, and use this to spatially predict the effect of management actions. We demonstrate our approach across approximately 4000 wetlands in greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. As a measure of management effectiveness, we used the change in predicted probability of occurrence of seven frog species at wetlands 10 years after conservation actions are implemented (or not implemented). Management effect was elicited from experts under six scenarios. Individual expert estimates were aggregated using generalized linear models that were then used to spatially predict expected management effects, and a measure of uncertainty in the prediction, at all wetlands. Predicted management effect was strongly influenced by species initial probability of occurrence, with enhancing aquatic and surrounding vegetation an effective action for most species. We discuss practical challenges and recommend solutions in the integration of SDMs and SEE for the spatial prediction of management effect.
Postprocedure serum amylase or lipase levels predict postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis: Meta‐analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies and utility assessment
Authors: Hirota Morihisa , Itoi Takao , Morizane Toshio , Koiwai Akinobu , Yasuda Ichiro , Ryozawa Shomei , Mukai Shuntaro , Ikeura Tsukasa , Irisawa Atsushi , Iwasaki Eisuke , Katanuma Akio , Kitamura Katsuya , Takenaka Mamoru , Ito Tetsuhide , Masamune Atsushi , Mayumi Toshihiko , Takeyama Yoshifumi
Published: November 2023

Objectives

We aimed to clarify the clinical utility of measuring serum pancreatic enzymes after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for the purpose of predicting post‐ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) by a meta‐analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies.

Methods

Studies on the prediction accuracy of PEP by serum amylase or lipase measured at 2, 3, and 4 h after ERCP were collected. A literature search was performed in PubMed and the Cochrane Library database for studies published between January 1980 and March 2023. The quality of individual studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies‐2. Data were analyzed using Meta‐DiSc 2.0 software.

Results

We searched the databases and identified 20 observational studies (12,313 participants). PEPs were defined according to criteria by Cotton or modified Cotton, revised Atlanta criteria, or the Japanese criteria. Meta‐analysis of eight studies (4389 participants) showed a pooled sensitivity of 71.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 56.1–82.5) and pooled specificity of 91.2% (95% CI 85.9–94.6) for the serum amylase cut‐off value at 3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). Another meta‐analysis of five studies (1970 participants) showed a pooled sensitivity of 85.8% (95% CI 61.9–95.7) and pooled specificity of 85.3% (95% CI 81.9–88.1) for the serum lipase cut‐off value at 3 times ULN.

Conclusion

Despite a high risk of bias due to various reference standards, this updated meta‐analysis and the utility assessment by a decision tree showed the utility of serum amylase or lipase levels more than 3 times ULN measured 2–4 h after ERCP for predicting PEP.
A precise method of identifying Android application family
Authors: Li Dan , Lu Ning , Wang Siyu , Shi Wenbo , Choi Chang
Published: November 2023

Implementing the necessary countermeasures to detect the growing and highly destructive family of malware is an urgent obligation. The proliferation and diversity of malware make these problems more challenging. For beginners, it is arduous to attain crucial features for multi‐class family classification and extract valuable information from the obtained features. Another issue is that building a classification model that effectively absorbs multi‐class samples and adapts to various features is challenging. This work indicates a precise identification method for Android application families (ANDF) to tackle these issues. It perceptively analyzes the features that multi‐class families can utilize to identify members and further excavates the relationship between implicit information and the severity of those distinctions. A more appropriate classification model is developed for the heterogeneous file formats, and a more beneficial feature with a diverse array of heterogeneous information is chosen as the replacement representation of the sample. It is capable of upgrading learning ability and mastering the multi‐modal traits of the family malware. The application of ANDF to real data sets yields effective classification results. It is capable of 0.9800 in f1‐macro and has a classification accuracy of 98.61%. It performs, respectively, 0.0088 points better than the two‐feature comparison classification model and 0.0872 points better than the single‐feature comparison classification model. The kappa coefficient can also exceed 0.9830, which is at least 0.1044 higher than other contrasting classifiers and is 0.0105 greater than that of the contrasted model containing two features, which is 0.1046 larger than the classifier with a contrasting single feature.