bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oral TIX100 protects against obesity‐associated glucose intolerance and diet‐induced adiposity
Authors: Jo SeongHo , Jing Gu , Chen Junqin , Xu Guanlan , Shalev Anath
Published: February 2025

Aims

Glucagon‐like peptide 1 receptor agonists and dual agonists have changed the treatment landscape of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D), but significant limitations have emerged due to their gastrointestinal side effects, loss of lean mass, and necessity for ongoing subcutaneous injections. Our objective was, therefore, to test a novel small molecule as a different and potentially better tolerated oral medications to improve obesity‐associated impairment in glucose homeostasis.

Materials and Methods

High‐fat diet (HFD)‐fed mice or severely obese, leptin‐deficient ob/ob mice were randomly assigned to serve as controls or receive oral TIX100, a novel thioredoxin‐interacting protein (TXNIP) inhibitor just approved by the FDA as an investigational new drug for type 1 diabetes (T1D). The TIX100 effects on glucose intolerance and weight control were then assessed.

Results

TIX100 protected against HFD‐induced glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperglucagonemia. TIX100 also reduced diet‐induced adiposity resulting in 15% lower weight in treated mice as compared with controls on HFD (p <0.05), while preserving lean mass. Even though the TIX100 weight effects were lost in ob/ob mice, TIX100 improved glucose control leading to a dramatic 2.3% reduction in HbA1C (p <0.05), independent of any weight loss. This is consistent with the beneficial effects of TIX100 in non‐obese diabetes models and its protection against elevated TXNIP and islet cell stress common to all diabetes types.

Conclusions

Thus, TIX100 may provide a novel, oral therapy for T2D that targets underlying disease pathology including islet cell dysfunction and hyperglucagonemia and promotes metabolic health and weight control without aggressive weight loss.
Fibroblast growth factor 23 predicts incident diabetic kidney disease: A 4.6‐year prospective study
Authors: Liu Dan , Yu Shujie , Zhang Ying , Li Qian , Kang Piao , Wang Lihong , Han Rui , Cheng Di , Chen Anran , Hou Xuhong , Wu Liang , Zang Shufei , Fang Qichen , Jia Weiping , Li Huating
Published: February 2025

Aims

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 is a bone‐derived phosphaturic hormone that participates in the regulation of mineral metabolism and the development of chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate the association between FGF23 and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in a community‐based prospective cohort.

Materials and Methods

Of 7230 individuals who completed a 4.6‐year follow‐up survey, 1614 individuals with diabetes at baseline were included in this study. Baseline serum FGF23 levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Multiple and ordinal logistic regression analyses were used to examine the predictive performance of baseline FGF23 for incident DKD.

Results

Baseline serum FGF23 levels exhibited an earlier elevation in the course of DKD and a gradual increase with the progressive stages of DKD (p < 0.05), while no statistical changes were observed in serum calcium and phosphorus levels. Over a 4.6‐year follow‐up, 198 individuals with diabetes developed incident DKD. Baseline FGF23 was significantly associated with the incidence of DKD (odds ratio 1.290 [95% CI 1.063, 1.565]) after adjusting for conventional DKD risk factors, especially in individuals with lower body mass index (<24 kg/m2), worse glycaemic control (HbA1c ≥7%), and shorter duration of diabetes (<5 years). Moreover, FGF23 models exhibited great performances in DKD risk prediction and yielded increments compared to traditional DKD risk factors (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Serum FGF23 level increased at early stages of DKD, and it was an independent predictor of incident DKD, suggesting its potential for early identification of individuals at risk.
Risk factors of dementia in a cohort of individuals with mild cognitive impairment in the Italian Interceptor project
Authors: Carrarini Claudia , Caraglia Naike , Quaranta Davide , Vecchio Fabrizio , Miraglia Francesca , Giuffrè Guido Maria , Pappalettera Chiara , Cacciotti Alessia , Nucci Lorenzo , Vanacore Nicola , Redolfi Alberto , Perani Daniela , Spadin Patrizia , Tagliavini Fabrizio , Cotelli Maria , Cappa Stefano , Marra Camillo , Rossini Paolo M. ,   the Interceptor Network
Published: February 2025

Background

The Italian Interceptor project is aimed at identifying a prodromal dementia phase and developing a nationwide organizational model. This study compares the sociodemographic and neuropsychological characteristics of mild cognitive impairment non‐converters (MCI‐NC) and MCI‐converters (MCI‐C) to dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), enrolled during the Interceptor project.

Methods

Sociodemographic, clinical, and neuropsychological data of MCI individuals were collected at baseline (December 2018 to October 2020) and every six‐month follow‐up visit for 3 years. Logistic regression and Random Forest classifier were used to describe the study population.

Results

From 356 participants, 104 were MCI‐C, whereas 252 were MCI‐NC. Compared to MCI‐NC, MCI‐C were predominantly female (p = 0.020), older (p < 0.001), and more cognitively impaired (p < 0.001). Higher physical activity was protective for progression (p < 0.001), but no difference was observed for smoking exposure (p = 0.312) between the two groups. Similar results were found for AD individuals compared to MCI‐C/non‐AD. The ROC curve based on a Random Forest classifier distinguishing MCI‐C from MCI‐NC showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.7347.

Conclusions

Our findings confirm previous evidence in literature and may increase the insight on dementia pathology and help in defining intervention strategies to prevent or slow down disease progression.
De‐Escalation of Disease‐Modifying Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis—A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Elberling Frederik , Mahler Mie Reith , Pontieri Luigi , Sellebjerg Finn , Magyari Melinda ,   for the DMSG Study Group
Published: February 2025

Background and Objective

High‐efficacy (HE) disease‐modifying therapies (DMT) are increasingly used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). Concerns arise when considering the decreasing efficacy and increasing risk of adverse events in aging patients. We aimed to describe disease activity and treatment trajectories in patients with MS who de‐escalated from an HE DMT to an moderate‐efficacy (ME) DMT.

Methods

We performed a cohort study based on data from the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry (DMSR) including patients with relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS), who switched from an HE DMT to an ME DMT as defined by Danish authorities. We included patients from October 2007 to July 2023. Median follow‐up time was 0.8 years (IQR 0.3–2.5).

Results

In total 333 patients (76.0% females, mean age: 45.1 years) de‐escalated for various reasons. Most patients de‐escalated from natalizumab or fingolimod (43.8% and 42.0%, respectively) to dimethyl fumarate (47.5%). At 2 years after de‐escalation, the cumulative risk of relapse was 38% (95% CI 31–44) and 53% (95% CI 46–60) for inflammatory disease activity (relapses and/or radiological disease activity). Age (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94–0.98) and inflammatory disease activity prior to de‐escalation (HR 2.05, 95% CI 1.45–2.91) were associated with inflammatory disease activity post de‐escalation.

Discussion

De‐escalation from primarily natalizumab and fingolimod did not effectively ensure disease stability in this cohort. Younger age and inflammatory disease activity prior to de‐escalation were risk factors for inflammatory disease activity post de‐escalation, which can help guide future studies on de‐escalation.
“An inner core feeling”?: Nationalism, Western capitalism, and Bengali women's class‐based mothering ideologies
Authors: Datta Heeya , Becker Sarah
Published: February 2025

Objective

We analyze motherhood identities among middle‐ and working‐class women in urban Bengal.

Background

Westernized societies encourage women to pursue careers and childrearing. Researchers examine this tension in diverse Western contexts and the Indian middle class. We add to existing work by comparing Indian women's motherhood ideologies across social class.

Methods

We use in‐depth qualitative interviews with mothers in structured (i.e., middle‐class) and unstructured (i.e., working‐class) economic sectors.

Results

Economically privileged mothers diminished the importance of paid work and emphasized Western mothering strategies. Mothers in unstructured sectors drew on nation‐building rhetoric to construct socially valued mothering identities.

Conclusions

Mainstream mothering approaches (i.e., popular images of childrearing by upper‐class women) benefit patriarchal capitalist social structures by encouraging women to work for pay and take primary responsibility for home and family. Mothers' social class and status positions in historical and societal context(s) influence the tools (i.e., forms of capital) they have available to parent their children and construct valued mothering identities.

Implications

Strategies marginalized mothers use to construct mothering identities when faced with dominant exclusionary narratives of a “good mother” can be understood and used strategically. Embracing ideologies that allow women to maintain integrity in the face of stigmatization has transformative potential for policymaking and service provision.
Effects of Temperature and Microstructure on Short Crack Growth of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Ni‐Based Superalloy
Authors: Zhang Feng , Li Yonghua , Shi Tao , Wang Zibiao , Liu Wenqi , Fu Qiang , Wu Changbo , Qian Guian
Published: February 2025

This paper utilized an in‐situ electron microscopy technique along with high‐temperature fatigue tests conducted at 298, 573, and 923 K to observe the initiation and propagation of short fatigue cracks (SFC) in the nickel‐based superalloy GH4169 and to examine changes in grain boundaries. The study examined how temperature and local microstructure affect the growth behavior of SFC in GH4169, which was fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The growth rate of SFC increased with higher temperature and stress amplitude, while the GH4169 alloy exhibited a combination of intergranular and transgranular fractures. Using the modified Paris model, the SFC growth model with Young's modulus (E) as an independent variable successfully predicted the crack propagation rate under various temperature loading conditions.
The Influence of Occupational Licensing on Workforce Transitions to Retirement
Authors: Oh Yun taek , Kleiner Morris M.
Published: February 2025

Ways of leaving the labor force have been an understudied aspect of labor market outcomes. Labor market institutions such as occupational licensing may influence how individuals transition to retirement. When and how workers transition from career jobs to full retirement may contribute to pre‐ and post‐retirement well‐being. Previous investigations of retirement pathways focused on the patterns and outcomes of retirement transitions, yet the influence of occupational licensing on retirement transition has not been analyzed. In this study, we use the Current Population Survey to investigate how occupational licensing influences American later‐career workers' choice of retirement pathways. Our results show that older licensed workers are less likely to choose to make career transitions but more likely to reduce work hours in transitioning out of the labor force. These results are consistent with the findings that licensed workers receive more benefits in the form of preferable retirement options, suggesting that these workers tend to have higher wages, benefits, and flexibility even toward the end of their careers.
Advanced Practice Nurses' Roles and Responsibilities in Advance Care Planning for Older Persons—A Mixed Methods Systematic Review
Authors: Pedersen Jan Eilert , Eide Hilde , Sandsleth Marit Gjone , Taylor Ingrid , Førsund Linn Hege
Published: February 2025

Aim

To systematically identify, evaluate and synthesise the research literature about (a) the roles and responsibilities of advanced practice nurses (APNs) in the context of advance care planning (ACP) for older persons, (b) the characteristics of APNs' ACP practices and (c) the facilitators and barriers influencing APNs' involvement in ACP.

Design

Mixed‐methods systematic review.

Methods

Followed the mixed methods systematic review guidelines outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Three researchers independently screened studies for eligibility using the Covidence Screening Application. The screening involved two stages: titles and abstracts, followed by full‐text evaluation. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used for quality assessment. A convergent integrated synthesis combined quantitative and qualitative data by ‘qualitising’ quantitative findings into text, enabling integration and thematic analysis to synthesise the results.

Data Sources

Medline, CINAHL and Embase were searched from 2012 to 2024 for original research in English, focusing on APNs involved in ACP for individuals aged 65 or older, using qualitative, quantitative or mixed method designs.

Results

The review included 19 studies: seven qualitative, nine quantitative and three mixed method designs. Thematic analysis revealed that APNs play a key role in ACP, aligning care with patient preferences through discussions and documentation. Studies from the United States (12), United Kingdom (4), Canada (2) and Australia (1) show varying APN roles and responsibilities.

Conclusion

APNs are crucial to ACP, but barriers limit their impact. Overcoming these is key to improving outcomes.

Implications for the Profession and Patient Care

APNs clinical expertise and close patient relationships are crucial for aligning care with patient preferences and needs in ACP. However, to fully maximise their contribution, it is essential to overcome barriers such as time constraints, lack of role recognition and insufficient training. Addressing these challenges will enhance the effectiveness of APNs in providing person‐centred care.

Reporting Method

This review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) statement.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Career Growth as a Mediator Between Scope of Practice, Importance of Practice and Emergency Nursing Competency Among School Nurses
Authors: Zoromba Mohamed Ali , El‐Gazar Heba Emad , Malek Mohamed Gamal Noaman , El‐Sayed Mona Metwally , Atta Mohamed Hussein Ramadan , Amin Shaimaa Mohamed
Published: February 2025

Background

School nurses are sometimes the sole healthcare professionals in schools, highlighting their significant role in delivering emergency care and the vital necessity of their competence in emergency nursing care. The scope of practice and ongoing professional development are hypothesized to play significant roles in enhancing these competencies.

Aim

Investigate the direct and indirect effects of the scope of current practice and the importance of training on the emergency nursing care competency of school nurses, with career growth serving as a potential mediator.

Methods

A multi‐center cross‐sectional study was conducted with a convenient sample of 219 school nurses. Data were collected using the career growth of nurses' scale, the emergency nursing care competency scale for school nurses and the scope of school nursing practice tool. Mediation analysis was used to explore the direct and indirect effects of studied variables.

Results

Mediation analysis indicated that the scope of current practice had a significant direct effect on career growth (β = 0.179) and emergency nursing care competency (β = 0.389). The importance of practice also had significant direct effects on career growth (β = 0.164) and emergency nursing care competency (β = 0.220). Additionally, career growth significantly mediated the relationship between both the scope of current practice (β = 0.110) and the importance of practice (β = 0.120) with emergency nursing care competency.

Conclusions

The findings emphasis the critical role of career growth as a mediator between the scope and importance of practice and emergency nursing care competency among school nurses. Expanding the scope of practice and emphasising the importance of professional activities can enhance career growth and improve emergency nursing care competencies.

Implications

Nurses scope of practice and clear career advancement through mentorship, advanced certifications, further education and enforcing policies mandating regular emergency care is crucial. Establishing a regulatory framework to define and expand the scope of practice for school nurses is also important.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
The Perceptions of Male Accessibility to the Fields of Nursing Practice by Those Studying or Teaching Nursing in England: Cross‐Sectional Survey
Authors: Carter Daniel , Milasan Lucian Hadrian , Clifton Andrew , Mcgill George , Stribling Julian , De Vries Kay
Published: February 2025

Aims

Investigate the perception of male accessibility to the fields of nursing practice by those studying or teaching nursing in England.

Design

Cross‐sectional survey.

Methods

Online questionnaire with three closed‐scale questions and two open‐text questions designed to elicit perceptions on the accessibility of men to the fields of nursing practice. The questionnaire was distributed to the staff and students at 61 nursing schools in England. Inferential and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the closed questions data and inductive content analysis was used to analyse open‐text questions data.

Results

Students (n = 52) and staff (n = 51) responded to the survey. Adult (Mdn = 6, IQR = 2) and mental health (Mdn = 6, IQR = 2) were perceived as the most accessible fields of nursing practice to men, and child (Mdn = 4, IQR = 2) the least. Specialised practice areas in acute and emergency (Mdn = 6, IQR = 2), education (Mdn = 6, IQR = 2), leadership (Mdn = 7, IQR = 1), prison services (Mdn = 7, IQR = 1), and research (Mdn = 7, IQR = 2) were rated the most accessible to men and neonatal care (Mdn = 3, IQR = 3) the least. Societal stereotyping and stigma were seen as barriers to men entering the nursing profession. The perception that nursing is a feminised profession persists and a distrust of men is associated with child nursing. Men were viewed as progressing to leadership roles with greater ease than women.

Conclusion

Societal level stereotyping and stigma are perceived as prevalent in nursing practice areas considered less accessible to men entering the nursing profession.

Impact

This study adds insight into the gendered nature of nursing and highlights the barriers to men entering a profession with a workforce crisis.

Reporting Methods

STROBE cross‐sectional studies guidelines. COREQ guidelines for content analysis.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
Prevalence of Periodontitis in a 70‐Year‐Old Population in Western Norway According to the ACES 2018 Classification Framework: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Elabdeen Hager R. Zein , Berggreen Ellen , Jensen Knut Helge , Sulo Gerhard , Kvalheim Siri Flagestad , Hasselgren Linda C. , Gerdts Eva , Iversen Marjolein Memelink , Bolstad Anne Isine , Bunæs Dagmar F.
Published: February 2025

Aim

To assess the prevalence and severity of periodontitis in an older adult population in Western Norway using the periodontitis definition by the recently published ACES 2018 Classification Framework.

Materials and Methods

In the present study, 1298 70‐year‐old subjects answered a questionnaire and underwent a full‐mouth periodontal examination. The prevalence of periodontitis, stages, extents and grades was presented according to the Framework applying the 2018 periodontal classification scheme in epidemiological survey (ACES). Descriptive analyses were used, and results were expressed as percentages of the total number of observations.

Results

According to ACES, periodontitis was detected in 100% of the study population, and Stage II, Stage III and Stage IV were present in 21%, 75% and 4% of the individuals, respectively. The majority of periodontitis cases demonstrated generalised periodontitis and Grade B was the predominant grade in the periodontitis cases. The mean number of teeth in the study population was 25.3.

Conclusion

There is a high burden of periodontitis in the present population of old individuals, and the majority of participants were classified as Stage III periodontitis. The cut‐offs for interdental clinical attachment loss in the definition of periodontitis affect the estimate of cases, stages and extent of periodontitis in older age groups.
Application of the 2018 Periodontal Status Classification to Epidemiological Survey Data (ACES) Framework to Estimate the Periodontitis Prevalence in the United States
Authors: Tay John Rong Hao , Holtfreter Birte , Baumeister Sebastian‐Edgar , Peres Marco A. , Nascimento Gustavo G.
Published: February 2025

Aims

To compare periodontitis prevalence estimates based on the Application of the 2018 periodontal status Classification to Epidemiological Survey data (ACES) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/American Academy of Periodontology (CDC/AAP) classification.

Materials and Methods

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data for the years 2009/2010, 2011/2012 and 2013/2014 were survey‐weighted and post‐stratified to estimate the prevalence of periodontitis. Estimates based on ACES and CDC/AAP were cross‐classified and stratified by age group. Prevalence estimates using different partial recording protocols were examined.

Results

Using the ACES framework, the prevalence of adults with periodontitis was 93.1% (95% CI: 91.9–94.2) (Stage I: 17.9%; Stage II: 46.2%; Stage III: 16.7%; Stage IV: 12.4%). Complexity factors did not alter Stage II prevalence. The CDC/AAP classification yielded a periodontitis prevalence of 38.9% (95% CI: 36.4–41.4) (Mild: 3.5%; Moderate: 28.1%; Severe: 7.3%). Partial recording protocols resulted in increased prevalence in the lower stages of periodontitis.

Conclusions

The European Federation of Periodontology/American Academy of Periodontology Classification (using the ACES framework) overestimates periodontitis cases compared with the CDC/AAP classification. Including complexity factors in the ACES framework provides limited benefits in staging periodontitis. Partial‐mouth recording protocols overestimate health and early disease stages while underestimating more severe disease.
The Experience of Setting up a Vascular Access Unit in a South European Large Hospital: The Step‐by‐Step Description of the First Year of Activity
Authors: Benvenuti Stefano , Porteri Elena , Ceresoli Rosanna , Pintossi Cristian , Bartolini Gabriele , Zanatta Francesca , Bevilacqua Patrizia , Musatti Paolo , Beretti Sonia , Comberti Enrico , Marinoni Fabio , Costabile Davide , Zanetti Elisabetta , Gazzaneo Marta , Finetti Federico , Mussa Baudolino , Verzeletti Andrea , Alberti Daniele , Rossi Camillo
Published: February 2025

Aim

The article aims to describe the establishment and development of the Vascular Access Unit in a major hospital in Southern Europe during the SARS‐COV2 pandemic and to evaluate the benefits brought by the Unit.

Implications for the Profession and Patient Care

The advantages of having a vascular access service for managing various vascular devices are widely recognized in many countries, due to the perceived benefits of reducing complications, increasing efficiency, and lowering costs.

Methods

Operators were thoroughly and appropriately trained, enhancing the quality and suitability of vascular access by forming a multidisciplinary team to redesign the vascular access process.

Results

In the first year, starting from July 2021, we implanted 6125 catheters. The Vascular Access Team achieved a higher percentage of first‐attempt cannulation success, which correlated with fewer complications, such as bleeding, and improved patient satisfaction. The complication rate was very low, with most issues arising from improper management.

Conclusion

Establishing Vascular Access Teams should be a priority in large hospitals, as they can positively impact ward organization and significantly enhance patient satisfaction.
TUNA‐EBSD‐CL correlative multi‐microscopy study, on the example of Cu(In,Ga)S2 solar cell absorber
Authors: Hu Yucheng , Kusch Gunnar , Adeleye Damilola , Siebentritt Susanne , Oliver Rachel
Published: February 2025

Multi‐microscopy offers significant benefits to the understanding of complex materials behaviour by providing complementary information from different properties. However, some characterisations may strongly influence other measurements in the same workflow. To acquire reliable and valid datasets, optimising multi‐microscopy procedure is necessary. In present work, we studied the influence of the measurement order on the quality of multi‐microscopy datasets. Multi‐microscopy incorporating tunnelling current AFM (TUNA), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and cathodoluminescence (CL) on a polycrystalline solar cell absorber, Cu(In,Ga)S2 (CIGS), is used as an example. The investigation revealed potential characterisation‐induced contaminations, such as surface oxidation and hydrocarbon layer coating, of the sample surface. Their subsequent influence on the measurement results of following correlation techniques was examined. To optimise the dataset quality, multi‐microscopy should be carried out in TUNA‐EBSD‐CL order, from the most to the least surface sensitive techniques. With the optimised multi‐microscopy measurement order on a CIGS absorber, we directly correlated the local changes in electrical and opto‐electronic properties with the microstructure of grain boundaries (GBs). The described methodology may also provide insightful concepts for applying other AFM‐SEM‐based multi‐microscopy on different semiconductor materials.
“It was a good opportunity for us to be in touch with public health”: Independent community pharmacists’ experiences working with public health before and during COVID‐19
Authors: Rubinstein Ellen B. , Preugschas Anna‐Helena , Skoy Elizabeth , Nagel Lisa , Larson Mary
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Pharmacies have been a significant part of improving population health since before the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, little is known about the working relationships between pharmacies and public health entities. This exploratory study describes independent community pharmacists' perceptions during COVID‐19 of both pre‐existing and newly created relationships with public health.

Methods

This paper is based on 42 qualitative interviews conducted as part of a broader study on North Dakota pharmacy's role in the COVID‐19 pandemic. Authors analyzed interview data both deductively (based on a priori interview questions) and inductively (based on emergent themes). We used key quotes to map working relationships between pharmacy and public health on two axes: personal interactions and service provision.

Findings

Interviewees worked at 42 pharmacies (21 urban and 21 rural) and described relationships with public health entities that fell into four categories: (i) service provision with personal interactions predating the pandemic; (ii) service provision without personal interactions predating the pandemic; (iii) personal interactions that evolved during the pandemic; and (iv) service provision that evolved during the pandemic. Rural pharmacists described personal interactions and pre‐pandemic service provision more often than urban pharmacists. Most urban pharmacists developed working relationships with public health entities solely because of the pandemic.

Conclusions

This study begins mapping the range of relationships that can exist between community pharmacies and public health entities. Our data suggest it may be possible to leverage pharmacists to extend public health's reach and improve the health of medically underserved, rural populations.
Evolution of Hybrid Inviability Associated With Chromosome Fusions
Authors: Boman Jesper , Näsvall Karin , Vila Roger , Wiklund Christer , Backström Niclas
Published: February 2025

Chromosomal rearrangements, such as inversions, have received considerable attention in the speciation literature due to their hampering effects on recombination. Less is known about how other rearrangements, such as chromosome fissions and fusions, can affect the evolution of reproductive isolation. Here, we use crosses between populations of the wood white butterfly (Leptidea sinapis) with different karyotypes to identify genomic regions associated with hybrid inviability. We map hybrid inviability candidate loci by contrasting allele frequencies between F2 hybrids that survived until the adult stage with individuals of the same cohort that succumbed to hybrid incompatibilities. Hybrid inviability candidate regions have high genetic differentiation between parental populations, reduced recombination rates, and are enriched near chromosome fusions. By analysing sequencing coverage, we exclude aneuploidies as a direct link between hybrid inviability and chromosome fusions. Instead, our results point to an indirect relationship between hybrid inviability and chromosome fusions, possibly related to reduced recombination in fused chromosomes. Thus, we map postzygotic isolation to chromosomal rearrangements, providing crucial empirical evidence for the idea that chromosome number differences between taxa can contribute to speciation.
Tea trolley teaching in critical care: Integrating evidence‐based practice with library services
Authors: McGivern H. , Bridge S. , Sutherland S. , Reynolds E. , Ede J.
Published: February 2025

Tea trolley teaching is a tried and tested method of providing bedside education to hospital staff. This project aimed to integrate the tea trolley teaching model, already established in our local critical care unit, with library services. The goal was to equip clinical staff with the necessary training to retrieve literature and support evidence‐based practice. Our evaluation highlights the value of this combined intervention of teaching research skills to upskill staff working in our intensive care units. This paper describes a scalable model of critical care bedside education that integrates library‐focused teaching to upskill nurses in some of the prerequisite skills needed for evidence‐based practice (EBP).
Role of a Dementia Virtual Reality App in Developing Situated Empathy, Attitude and Person‐Centred Care—A Qualitative Approach
Authors: Tan Chin Pei , Howes Dora C. , Manikam Ambelorfam , Lim Sok Mui
Published: February 2025

Background

The demands of any health education programme including nurse education would benefit from innovative ways to support students learning in an effective and efficient manner. Such approaches resonate particularly when caring for older people living with dementia, due to multifactorial manifestations of the condition, patients' difficulty in articulating their needs and the potential for negative care outcomes. Empathy is an important part of understanding dementia and is also recognised as a complex and multidimensional concept.

Objective

This study investigated the impact of undergraduate nursing students' 15‐min use of the Experience Dementia in Singapore (EDIS) virtual reality app in their tutorial lesson for developing their empathy, changing their attitude and increasing their sensitivity for person‐centred care of people with dementia.

Method

We carried out content and thematic analysis of data anonymously collected via the in‐class learning activities at the start and at the end of the lesson.

Results

All participating students (n = 89, 89% response rate) achieved their learning goal to experience a first‐person perspective and gain insights into needs and care for persons living with dementia. The results showed students transitioned from having mainly knowledge foremost in their mind, to more empathetic and care related thoughts when delivering care to persons living with dementia. The experience made more students aware of how they could communicate care, make environmental modifications to support and develop an attitude of person‐centred care for persons living with dementia and their families. The analysis resulted in four themes: (1) immersive learning—walking in the shoes of the person living with dementia (2) feelings evoked from the first‐person perspective (3) little things, big impact; little things, positive impact; and (4) communicating care.

Conclusion

The EDIS virtual reality app was an efficient and effective way for students to develop essential elements, especially empathy, as well as positive attitudes and sensitivity towards person‐centred care for those living with dementia.

Implications for Practice

The first‐hand experience the VR app offers allows students to challenge pre‐conceived perceptions about older people and those living with dementia. As such, it is a versatile tool that can be incorporated into a variety of study and training programmes for students, professionals and caregivers who provide care or care solutions for persons living with dementia and their families.
Barriers and facilitators to engagement in psychological therapy in first episode psychosis: A meta‐ethnography and qualitative comparative analysis
Authors: Fahy Leanne , Lee Linda , Newlove Liberty , Wood Lisa , O'Driscoll Ciarán
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Disengagement from psychological therapies in first‐episode psychosis (FEP) is a common occurrence, with personal costs associated with untreated problems. This study aimed to establish the barriers and facilitators of people experiencing FEP to engagement in psychological therapies by undertaking a meta‐ethnography and Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) of existing qualitative literature.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in multiple databases including Psychinfo, Ovid Medline, Web of Science, EthOs, OPENgrey and Procrest in July 2021 (updated in July 2024). The search identified 6966 titles and 71 full texts that were reviewed for eligibility. Twenty‐three studies were found to meet eligibility and were critically appraised. Data was systematically extracted and synthesized in a meta‐ethnography and QCA.

Results

Seven themes were identified as barriers to engagement in psychological therapy (Ambivalence to therapy, Emotional distress, Fluctuating symptoms, Negative expectations, Physical capacity, Service limitations and Therapy preference unmet) and six themes were identified as facilitators (Destigmatizing, Accessibility of digital therapy, Positive expectations of therapy are met, Service factors, Therapists interpersonal approach and skills and Therapy preferences met). The QCA identified a model with the Therapists interpersonal approach and skills, as sufficient (i.e. whenever that condition is present, the outcome is also guaranteed to be present) for engagement in psychological therapy, while Emotional distress was a sufficient barrier to engagement.

Conclusions

Engagement is a multifaceted construct with many factors unique to an individual's experience, impacted by emotional, social, practical and service‐level factors. Strengths, limitations and recommendations of the findings are discussed.
An interpersonal form of faith
Authors: Tian Yuan
Published: February 2025

An athlete has faith in her unathletic partner to run a marathon, a teacher has faith in her currently poor‐performing students to improve in the future, and your friend has faith in you to succeed in the difficult project that you have been pursuing, even, and especially, when your chance of failing is non‐trivial. This paper develops and defends a relational view of interpersonal faith by considering four interesting phenomena: first, in virtue of placing faith in someone, we stand in solidarity with that person; second, interpersonal faith is called for during moments of difficulty, but it can seem inappropriate during moments of ease; third, one's faith in others can feel unwelcomed, and can be rejected; and fourth, when interpersonal faith is frustrated, disappointment, rather than resentment, is warranted. I propose that when the faithor (e.g., your friend) places faith in the faithee (e.g., you) to φ, the faithor does something close to inviting the faithee to (re)commit to φ‐ing. This invitation‐like move, once properly taken up by the faithee, puts both sides of the faith in a new kind of normative relationship that is in the same broad family as a promissory relationship, albeit with a different normative profile.
Temporal and small‐scale spatial variation in standing stock phenology and reproduction of Australian hijiki analogues informs aquaculture potential
Authors: Vairo Daniel , Bellgrove Alecia , Biancacci Cecilia
Published: February 2025

Exploration of Australian fucoids for aquaculture has been limited, despite their high diversity and endemism. Sargassum fusiforme (hijiki in Japanese) is a highly‐valued seaweed worldwide for human consumption, but concerns about high arsenic concentrations limit importation into countries with strict safe‐food regulations. We investigated the temporal and small‐scale spatial variation in distribution, abundance, thallus length, reproduction and biofouling of two Australian fucoids, Cystophora torulosa and Caulocystis uvifera, as candidates for aquaculture production and alternatives to hijiki. Temporal variation was assessed quarterly over a 12‐month period at a single site for each species, while small‐scale spatial variation was assessed at a single site for each species, comparing high‐shore and low‐shore for intertidal C. torulosa, and distance from the shore for subtidal C. uvifera. For C. torulosa, no significant variation in distribution, abundance or reproduction was observed; however, thallus lengths peaked in June (winter). Moreover, biofouling was minimal overall. Significant temporal variation was observed for C. uvifera with peaks in thallus lengths and reproduction in November (spring), and biofouling in February (summer). The temporal and spatial consistency in reproduction and minimal biofouling may render cultivation of C. torulosa more practical for successful commercialization than C. uvifera. Further investigation of these two Australian hijiki analogues is warranted to inform aquaculture investment.
Mapping 60 Years of Psychophysiology: A Bibliometric Analysis of Journal Performance, Authorship Trends, and Thematic Evolution
Authors: Panitz Christian , Dell'Acqua Carola
Published: February 2025

Psychophysiology, the flagship journal of psychophysiological research, has played a key role in the field for 60 years. For the present study, we conducted a bibliometric analysis assessing the journal's development in terms of performance, authorship trends, and thematic content for this time span. Over the years, Psychophysiology has experienced a consistent increase in manuscript submissions, published articles, and impact factor. Authorship trends showed larger, more diverse author teams, with a growing percentage of female first authors now representing about 50% of submissions and an increase in international collaborations. Thematic content has evolved, shifting from peripheral measures to central nervous system measures like EEG and ERPs while maintaining the journal's long‐standing emphasis on methodological advancements. Research topics have expanded from basic stimulus processing to more complex investigations into emotion, cognition, and psychopathology, with growing interdisciplinary integration. This article provides a quantitative overview of Psychophysiology's contributions and development, aimed at offering insights into the journal's past, current state, and potential future directions in psychophysiological research.
Successful Crowdfunding by Lead Investors: The Role of Social Capital
Authors: Zhang Ye , Scholes Louise , Fu Kun , Hughes Mathew , Tang Fangcheng
Published: February 2025

We investigate an important platform‐based technological innovation—equity crowdfunding syndicates—where crowd investors (co‐investors) use online platforms to co‐invest with lead investors in the form of syndicates into innovative startups. We concentrate on lead investors and what drives their success in drawing crowd investors to co‐fund innovative startups. Based on conceptualizing internal and external social capital, we investigate the effects of lead investors' social capital developed inside and outside the crowdfunding platform on their fundraising success. Using data from a sample of 178 individual lead investors on AngelList, we find that internal social capital is, as predicted, positively associated with lead investors' fundraising success. Surprisingly, the joint use of internal and external social capital will harm lead investors' fundraising success. This paper contributes to the debate on the role of social capital in crowdfunding and innovation management more generally by unveiling its competing effects and complex nuances as part of a crowdfunding investment strategy.
The impact of risk aversion on the rigidity of insurance premiums
Authors: Tulli Vanda , Weinrich Gerd
Published: February 2025

A risk averse insurance company that knows the quota of coverage demanded by a client at the status‐quo premium but has imperfect information otherwise may choose not to change the premium, although an else identical risk‐neutral company would do so, provided the variance of the company's subjective probability distribution over the quota demanded as a function of the premium displays a kink at the status quo. This is equivalent to risk aversion of order 1. When no such fixed premiums exist, the size of premium adjustment still decreases substantially as risk aversion increases. Moreover, in case of small premium adjustment costs, increasing risk aversion significantly diminishes the size of costs sufficient to keep the premium unchanged.
Efficient taxation of sugar‐sweetened beverages and missing markets for sugar content
Authors: Eichner Thomas , Runkel Marco
Published: February 2025

This paper identifies missing markets for the sugar content of sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSBs) as a novel foundation of soft drink taxation. If the social marginal value of sugar content is negative, then missing price signals imply an inefficiently high sugar content. Efficiency is restored with a tax on the sugar content per unit of the SSB, augmented by a subsidy on the SSB. In an empirical calibration to the UK, the optimal SSB subsidy is small, whereas the optimal sugar content tax is £0.38 per liter and, thus, one and a half to two times larger than the tax rates implemented by the UK's soft drink levy.
Elementary preservice teachers' use of the crosscutting concepts to plan NGSS‐aligned science lessons in explicit versus non‐explicit contexts
Authors: Sherwood Carrie‐Anne , Benedict‐Chambers Amanda
Published: February 2025

As one of the three dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the crosscutting concepts (CCCs) have a presumably equal role in science teaching and learning as the science and engineering practices (SEPs) and disciplinary core ideas (DCIs). While much research has focused on teachers' understanding and use of the DCIs and SEPs, less research has characterized how teachers use the CCCs in combination with the SEPs and DCIs to plan lessons aligned with the three‐dimensional vision of the NGSS. This study examined the lesson plans of elementary preservice teachers (n = 53) in two science methods courses; one course which asked the PSTs to explicitly use CCCs in their lesson plans and one course that did not. We analyzed how the teachers' use of CCCs in their lesson plans influenced alignment to the three‐dimensional vision of the NGSS. While we found higher CCC use in the course that explicitly asked the preservice teachers to use them, the difference between courses was not significant. More importantly, regardless of context, when the CCCs were used often, across the entire lesson, and were a good “fit” with a lesson's DCI, and anchoring phenomenon those lessons were more aligned with the NGSS.
The cost of the production and release of male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes sterilised by irradiation
Authors: Baly A. , Gato R. , Garcia Z. , Rodriguez M. , Van der Stuyft P.
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Classic vector control tools do not sustainably reduce Aedes populations or prevent the surge of arboviruses. The sterile insect technique (SIT) by irradiation relies on mass‐rearing and release of male insects that will not produce viable offspring. It has been successfully integrated into controlling agricultural and livestock pests. Experiments are conducted to determine the effectiveness of the approach for suppressing Aedes aegypti and curbing dengue transmission. Detailed implementation cycle costs have not been reported yet.

Objective

To detail the costs of producing and releasing male A. aegypti mosquitoes sterilised by irradiation.

Method

We carried out a cost analysis during a SIT pilot trial in Havana. We took a provider perspective and used microcosting. From the cost function, we subsequently calculated costs for base case variations in production volume and mosquito release rate per hectare.

Results

The setup expenses to establish the capacity to produce and release 450,000 mosquitoes weekly amounted to 155,452.00 and 2456.40 USD in capital means and training, respectively. The average number of sterile mosquitoes released per hectare per week during the trial was 1500, utilising 17% of the installed capacity. Including capital depreciation, the average cost per 10,000 sterile male mosquitoes released was 110.12 USD. When producing at 85% capacity, this reduces nearly threefold, to 41.06 USD. At that production level, releasing 500 or 4500 sterile male mosquitoes per hectare costs on average 2.70 or 16.54 USD per hectare covered. In densely populated areas with 500 inhabitants per hectare, this corresponds to 0.28 or 1.72 USD per inhabitant per year.

Conclusion

Our cost estimates for SIT by irradiation are within the range of estimates reported for alternative mass‐rearing and release methods to control Aedes populations, and the approach appears competitive with insecticide‐based interventions. The cost‐effectiveness in different contexts remains to be investigated.