bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monthly macroalgal surveys reveal a diverse and dynamic community in an urban intertidal zone
Authors: Schenk Siobhan , Supratya Varoon P , Martone Patrick T , Parfrey Laura W
Published: September 2024

Baseline data are critical to measuring how communities shift in response to climate change and anthropogenic activity. Macroalgae are marine foundation species that are vulnerable to climate change, but baseline macroalgal biodiversity data are lacking for many areas of British Columbia, particularly at a high temporal resolution over years. This presents an obstacle for measuring how communities change in response to shifting average conditions as well as after extreme events, such as the 2021 heat dome. To increase baseline macroalgae biodiversity data in British Columbia, we established a monthly transect-based macroalgal survey in 2021 at an urban intertidal site with a low-cost and easily replicable survey protocol, in addition to publishing a previously unpublished 1983-1984 historical dataset of the same area. Our datasets and our survey protocol are freely available. Over 35 months we have recorded 61 taxa of macroalgae, including the canopy forming kelpNereocystis luetkeanaand the introduced fucoidSargassum muticum. Surveying throughout the year at regular intervals has revealed large-scale seasonal shifts in macroalgal community composition, the timing of kelp recruitment, and a decrease in abundance ofFucus distichusin the upper intertidal zone over multiple years. Our publicly accessible data constitute the most comprehensive survey of intertidal macroalgal diversity in Burrard Inlet, illustrating how simple surveying methods can provide high resolution records of macroalgae biodiversity, particularly in easily accessible urban environments.
Towards Longitudinal Characterization of Multiple Sclerosis Atrophy Employing SynthSeg Framework and Normative Modeling
Authors: Gordaliza Pedro M. , Molchanova Nataliia , Wynen Maxence , Maggi Pietro , Janssen Joost , Banus Jaume , Cagol Alessandro , Graziera Cristina , Cuadra Meritxell Bach
Published: September 2024

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease characterized by heterogeneous progression patterns. Traditional clinical measures like the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) inadequately capture the full spectrum of disease progression, highlighting the need for advanced Disease Progression Modeling (DPM) approaches. This study harnesses cutting-edge neuroimaging and deep learning techniques to investigate deviations in subcortical volumes in MS patients. We analyze T1-weighted and Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data using advanced DL segmentation models,SynthSeg+andSynthSeg-WMH, which address the challenges of conventional methods in the presence of white matter lesions. By comparing subcortical volumes of 326 MS patients to a normative model from 37,407 healthy individuals, we identify significant deviations that enhance our understanding of MS progression. This study highlights the potential of integrating DL with normative modeling to refine MS progression characterization, automate informative MRI contrasts, and contribute to data-driven DPM in neurodegenerative diseases.
Detailed Colocalization Analysis of A- and B-type Nuclear Lamins: a Workflow Using Super-Resolution STED Microscopy and Deconvolution
Authors: Stiekema Merel , Gibson Owen N. , Veltrop Rogier J.A. , Ramaekers Frans C.S. , Broers Jos L.V. , van Zandvoort Marc A.M.J.
Published: September 2024

The inner nuclear membrane is covered by a filamentous network, the nuclear lamina, consisting of A- and B-type lamins as its major components. The A- and B-type lamins form independent but interacting and partially overlapping networks, as demonstrated by previous super-resolution studies. The nuclear lamina in fibroblast cultures derived from laminopathy patients shows an increased segregation of the A- and B-type lamin networks, which can be quantitatively expressed by the Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient (PCC). Blurring and noise (convolution), however, significantly affect the quality of microscopy images, which led us to optimize the deconvolution approach for Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy (CSLM) and Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy images. For that purpose, the differences in using a theoretical, experimental, or semi-experimental Point Spread Function (PSF), an important parameter for deconvolution, was evaluated for its use in deconvolution of CSLM and STED microscopy images of double immunolabeled healthy and laminopathy patient fibroblasts. The semi-experimental is a new PSF introduced in this study, which combines the theoretical and experimental PSF to solve issues that arise from noisy PSF recordings due to very small and thereby low intensity fluorescent beads. From these deconvoluted images, the colocalization of the lamin networks could not only be quantified at the level of the nucleus as a whole, but also at a subnuclear level. The latter was achieved by dividing the nucleus into multiple equal rectangles using a custom-made ImageJ macro in Fiji. In this detailed analysis, we found heterogeneity in the colocalization of lamins A/C and B1 within and between nuclei in both healthy and laminopathy dermal fibroblasts, which cannot be detected in one single analysis for the entire nucleus.
PangeBlocks: customized construction of pangenome graphs via maximal blocks
Authors: Avila Cartes Jorge , Bonizzoni Paola , Ciccolella Simone , Della Vedova Gianluca , Denti Luca
Published: September 2024

Background

The construction of a pangenome graph is a fundamental task in pangenomics. A natural theoretical question is how to formalize the computational problem of building an optimal pangenome graph, making explicit the underlying optimization criterion and the set of feasible solutions. Current approaches build a pangenome graph with some heuristics, without assuming some explicit optimization criteria. Thus it is unclear how a specific optimization criterion affects the graph topology and downstream analysis, like read mapping and variant calling.

Methods

In this paper, by leveraging the notion of maximal block in a Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA), we reframe the pangenome graph construction problem as an exact cover problem on blocks calledMinimum Weighted Block Cover(MWBC). Then we propose an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) formulation for the MWBC problem that allows us to study the most natural objective functions for building a graph.

Results

We provide an implementation of the ILP approach for solving the MWBC and we evaluate it on SARS-CoV-2 complete genomes, showing how different objective functions lead to pangenome graphs that have different properties, hinting that the specific downstream task can drive the graph construction phase.

Conclusion

We show that a customized construction of a pangenome graph based on selecting objective functions has a direct impact on the resulting graphs. In particular, our formalization of the MWBC problem, based on finding an optimal subset of blocks covering an MSA, paves the way to novel practical approaches to graph representations of an MSA where the user can guide the construction.
Realistic mossy fiber input patterns to unipolar brush cells evoke a continuum of temporal responses comprised of components mediated by different glutamate receptors
Authors: Huson Vincent , Regehr Wade G.
Published: September 2024

Unipolar brush cells (UBCs) are excitatory interneurons in the cerebellar cortex that receive mossy fiber (MF) inputs and excite granule cells. The UBC population responds to brief burst activation of MFs with a continuum of temporal transformations, but it is not known how UBCs transform the diverse range of MF input patterns that occurin vivo. Here we use cell-attached recordings from UBCs in acute cerebellar slices to examine responses to MF firing patterns that are based onin vivorecordings. We find that MFs evoke a continuum of responses in the UBC population, mediated by three different types of glutamate receptors that each convey a specialized component. AMPARs transmit timing information for single stimuli at up to 5 spikes/s, and for very brief bursts. A combination of mGluR2/3s (inhibitory) and mGluR1s (excitatory) mediates a continuum of delayed, and broadened responses to longer bursts, and to sustained high frequency activation. Variability in the mGluR2/3 component controls the time course of the onset of firing, and variability in the mGluR1 component controls the duration of prolonged firing. We conclude that the combination of glutamate receptor types allows each UBC to simultaneously convey different aspects of MF firing. These findings establish that UBCs are highly flexible circuit elements that provide diverse temporal transformations that are well suited to contribute to specialized processing in different regions of the cerebellar cortex.
Which type of information’s quality in live streaming commerce captures consumers’ attention the most? Considering the moderating role of network size
Authors: Shi Hailing , Wang Yaqi , Gong Xiaoya , Deng Fumin
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aims to identify which types of information quality influence purchase intentions the most in live streaming commerce and to examine the role of network size in this context.

Design/methodology/approach

We propose a model to investigate the correlation among the quality of different information in live streaming commerce, consumer trust, network size and purchase intention. An empirical analysis of 505 questionnaires was conducted by constructing a structural equation model.

Findings

The empirical findings indicate that information quality can directly enhance purchase intention and exert an indirect influence through the mediating factors of trust in products and streamers. Perceived network size positively moderates the relationship between information quality and trust in products. Of the five types of information, the quality of bullet-screen comments information is most important to consumers.

Originality/value

This study represents the first systematic analysis of how the quality of multiple types of information in live streaming commerce influences consumer trust and purchase intention, integrated within a unified framework. It uniquely introduces network size as a moderating variable, offering both theoretical insights and practical guidance for balancing information quality with network size in live streaming commerce environments.
How enterprises in the digital age can “break through the cocoon and become new”: a study based on social media strategic capability
Authors: Zhao Xin , Li Zhengwei
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Social media is booming in the digital age, and its rich availability provides many opportunities for companies to innovate across borders. In reality, how enterprises use social media to achieve cross-border innovation also faces important challenges such as breaking path dependency.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explores how social media can facilitate cross-border innovation from the perspective of strategic capability, combined with the path dependency theory and attention-based view. Hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrap method are adopted to test the hypotheses based on survey data provided by 173 firms in China.

Findings

The findings show a positive relationship between social media strategic capability and cross-border innovation, with path dependency playing a mediating role. In addition, two internal and external contextual factors, namely customer embeddedness and competitive pressure, play moderating roles, with customer embeddedness negatively moderating the negative relationship between social media strategic capability and path dependency and competitive pressure negatively moderating the negative relationship between path dependency and cross-border innovation.

Originality/value

These findings provide not only new insights into social media and cross-border innovation but also theoretical guidance on how companies can effectively use social media in practice.
Creative research with indigenous women: challenging marginalisation through collective spaces and livelihoods practices
Authors: Armijos M. Teresa , Ramirez Loaiza Viviana
Published: September 2024

Purpose

In this paper we ask: “What are the opportunities and challenges that creative methods pose in terms of conducting research processes with indigenous peoples impacted by emergencies and disasters?” To do that, we critically examine the creative and collaborative methodological approaches applied in the research project, Moving with Risk: Forced Displacement and Vulnerability in Colombia. This project sought to understand the trajectories of risk of families who were forcibly displaced as a result of the armed conflict in Colombia and resettled in areas at risk of disaster.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is intentionally written from the perspective of the researchers’ positionality. In doing so, we embrace writing that is situated and embodied in the researcher’s experiences and positionalities. This reflexive writing allows us to question the methodological experience of the research project we are analysing and, at the same time, ourselves, “the researchers” be questioned by it.

Findings

In this paper, we show how creative methods and participatory research can foster awareness and become the basis for inclusive and reciprocal research processes with indigenous communities in disaster studies. Specifically, we show that the use of creative methods helped us recognise that agency needs to be framed in collective spaces with the indigenous women we were working with and in relation to their livelihoods needs. We argue that finding spaces to conduct collaborative research and recognize agency is inextricably related to how the researchers reflect on their positionality.

Originality/value

This article contributes to critical perspectives in Disaster Studies and to an overall understanding of the role that creative methodologies play in research processes with people affected by disasters. It provides a novel perspective on the opportunities and challenges of applying arts-based methods in disaster risk studies with indigenous communities in Latin America.
AgriVijay’s social venture: balancing growth and social mission beyond the incubation horizon
Authors: Rai Soumi , Mukherjee Shreya
Published: September 2024

Learning outcomes

The case study aims to help students/learners to analyse the role of perception and its linkage to an entrepreneur’s decision-making process in setting up a social entrepreneurship venture during the COVID-19 pandemic without any prior entrepreneurial experience; understand the definition and meaning of social enterprises based on concepts/theories of social entrepreneurship; identify if AgriVijay fits the outline of a social enterprise based on its vision, challenges faced and journey as an agriculture-based technology-oriented social venture (AgTech SE); and outline the future path of AgriVijay as an independent business (post its incubation support period) using suitable strategy and funding models related to for-profit social enterprises.

Case overview/synopsis

This case study details the fascinating journey of a social AgTech venture – AgriVijay – through the perspectives of the protagonist Vimal Panjwani, a budding agri-business entrepreneur. Fuelled by a desire to empower the farming communities, Panjwani with the support of his dynamic mother, Shobha Chanchlani, embarked on the challenging task of crafting a business model that sought to merge community welfare with profitable enterprise. The case study illuminates the protagonist's background, revealing Panjwani’s motivations, risk-taking tendencies and the pivotal role played by his co-partner and mother, Chanchlani. It also highlights the challenges encountered by the protagonist in setting up a technology-based social entrepreneurship venture along with its success in making a social impact across marginalised farming communities. Through all this, the case study also highlights the major dilemma of the protagonist – that of continuing to balance AgriVijay’s core mission of “empowering the farmers” with profitability and long-term growth beyond its limited incubation support period, and his own dilemma of venturing into a social enterprise as a start-up venture without any prior entrepreneurial experience. The case study through its narrative encourages the readers/learners to understand the evolving dynamics of a nascent social entrepreneurial venture in a developing economy and how such a balanced model can actually be the harbinger of social impact and change in similar economies with large rural farming and marginalised communities.

Complexity academic level

The case study is most suitable for postgraduate management, weekend executive learning or distance learning students in agri business, sustainable business, social entrepreneurship and allied management domains. It can be used for teaching and learning topics related to entrepreneurship, new venture strategy, leadership and motivation, with a specific focus on agriculture business, agricultural entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and sustainable ventures.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Technology and service quality: achieving insurance industry customer satisfaction and loyalty under crisis conditions
Authors: Skaf Yahya , Eid Charbel , Thrassou Alkis , El Nemar Sam , Rebeiz Karim S.
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This research addresses the critical challenge of fostering customer loyalty within the highly competitive landscape of the insurance industry. The study investigates the interplay between customer satisfaction, loyalty, and the influence of technology and service quality in the context of insurance services and in periods of crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research approach was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed among diverse insurance customers in Lebanon during crisis conditions. The data were analyzed using SPSS-Amos, incorporating descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

This research emphasizes the crucial role of customer satisfaction in fostering loyalty in the insurance sector, especially during crises. High satisfaction levels, influenced by user-friendly online platforms, positively correlate with increased customer loyalty. Technology plays a vital role in maintaining and improving satisfaction, making it a key driver during challenging times. Positive interactions between service quality and satisfaction further highlight the multifaceted impact of technology on shaping customer loyalty.

Practical implications

The research findings provide valuable insights with practical implications for insurers aiming to boost customer loyalty. The study recommends strategic investments in critical areas like claims processing, customer service, communication strategies, digitalization initiatives, and employee training. The study provides insights applicable particularly to insurance companies navigating crisis conditions.

Originality/value

This research contributes both to academic understanding and practical applications by shedding light on the distinctive challenges and opportunities faced by insurers in cultivating customer loyalty within the insurance industry during crisis. The elucidations provided serve as a foundation for developing targeted strategies to address these challenges and to leverage opportunities for enhanced customer loyalty.
Comparative analysis of aggregate and sectoral time-varying market efficiency in the Russian stock market during the COVID-19 outbreak and the Russia–Ukraine conflict (RUC)
Authors: Rehan Muhammad , Alvi Jahanzaib , Lakhani Umair
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The primary purpose of this research is to identify and compare the multifractal behavior of different sectors during these crises and analyze their implications on market efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

We used multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) to analyze stock returns from various sectors of the Moscow Stock Exchange (MOEX) in between two significant periods. The COVID-19 pandemic (January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021) and the Russia–Ukraine conflict (RUC) (January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023). This method witnesses multifractality in financial time series data and tests the persistency and efficiency levels of each sector to provide meaningful insights.

Findings

Results showcased persistent multifractal behavior across all sectors in between the COVID-19 pandemic and the RUC, spotting heightened arbitrage opportunities in the MOEX. The pandemic reported a greater speculative behavior, with the telecommunication and oil and gas sectors exhibiting reduced efficiency, recommending abnormal return potential. In contrast, financials and metals and mining sectors displayed increased efficiency, witnessing strong economic performance. Findings may enhance understanding of market dynamics during crises and provide strategic insights for the MOEX’s investors.

Practical implications

Understanding the multifractal properties and efficiency of different sectors during crisis periods is of paramount importance for investors and policymakers. The identified arbitrage opportunities and efficiency variations can aid investors in optimizing their investment strategies during such critical market conditions. Policymakers can also leverage these insights to implement measures that bolster economic stability and development during crisis periods.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a comprehensive analysis of multifractal properties and efficiency in the context of the MOEX during two major crises. The application of MF-DFA to sectoral stock returns during these events adds originality to the study. The findings offer valuable implications for practitioners, researchers and policymakers seeking to navigate financial markets during turbulent times and enhance overall market resilience.
Unveiling the impact of remittances on productive efficiencies: investigating productivity growth of prominent remittance-receiving developing nations
Authors: Verma Balraj , Bhardwaj Mandeep , Arora Sugandh , Oberoi Sumit
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The present study reviews the theoretical and empirical literature about the significance of international migrants' remittance to empirically analyse the effect of remittance on the productivity growth of developing countries using a panel dataset from 1991 to 2021.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilised the data envelopment analysis (DEA)-based Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) to measure nationwide production efficiencies. It first performed a unit root test, cointegration test and pool mean group autoregressive distributed lag (PMG-ARDL) technique. To assess the robustness of the findings, the study also uses dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and fully modified OLS (FMOLS) estimators.

Findings

The results demonstrated that remittances are a significant source of funding that promotes innovation [i.e. technological progress (TEC)] and hastens the country's total factor productivity (TFP) growth. However, the study needed to have established the effect of inward remittances on the nation's technical efficiency (EFF).

Research limitations/implications

As remittances encourage innovation and TFP growth (TFPG), the concerned governments must create favourable and enabling economic environments to increase remittance inflows, which will have far-reaching growth repercussions.

Originality/value

The present study emphasises the connection between remittances and productivity growth, the disintegration of TFP, advanced econometric techniques and contribution to research policy. Despite prior literature exploring the effect of remittances on economic growth, a dearth of literature exists on how remittances affect a country's productivity. The output-based MPI methodology used in this study offered a nuanced understanding of how remittances affect many facets of productivity growth in developing nations.
Process mining-enhanced quality management in food processing industries
Authors: Loacker Philipp , Pöchtrager Siegfried , Fikar Christian , Grenzfurtner Wolfgang
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present a methodical procedure on how to prepare event logs and analyse them through process mining, statistics and visualisations. The aim is to derive roots and patterns of quality deviations and non-conforming finished products as well as best practice facilitating employee training in the food processing industry. Thereby, a key focus is on recognising tacit knowledge hidden in event logs to improve quality processes.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied process mining to detect root causes of quality deviations in operational process of food production. In addition, a data-ecosystem was developed which illustrates a continuous improvement feedback loop and serves as a role model for other applications in the food processing industry. The approach was applied to a real-case study in the processed cheese industry.

Findings

The findings revealed practical and conceptional contributions which can be used to continuously improve quality management (QM) in food processing. Thereby, the developed data-ecosystem supports production and QM in the decision-making processes. The findings of the analysis are a valuable basis to enhance operational processes, aiming to prevent quality deviations and non-conforming finished products.

Originality/value

Process mining is still rarely used in the food industry. Thereby, the proposed method helps to identify tacit knowledge in the food processing industry, which was shown by the framework for the preparation of event logs and the data ecosystem.
Content validation of the nursing diagnosis “Insufficient breast milk production (00216)”
Authors: Almeida‐Hamasaki Beatriz Pera , Ribeiro Bruna Cristina , Emidio Suellen Cristina Dias , Bordignon Simoní Saraiva , Jones Dorothy A. , Carmona Elenice Valentim
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To review and validate the elements of the nursing diagnosis (ND) “Insufficient breast milk production” (00216) based on the literature and expert consensus, and to construct operational definitions (ODs) for its defining characteristics (DCs).

Methods

It is a methodological study carried out in two phases. In the first phase, a scoping review was conducted, and in the second, a committee of experts reviewed the elements’ content. Items with a Content Validity Index ≥0.8 were validated for relevance, clarity, and precision. Discussions were conducted until a consensus was reached on all items and criteria evaluated. The Ethics Committee approved the study.

Findings

The final scoping review sample consisted of 61 articles, and 19 experts evaluated the content of the ND. All DCs were revised. Three at‐risk populations, three associated conditions, and one related factor were added. Three elements had their category changed, and an element was deleted. Experts also validated ODs developed for all DCs.

Conclusion

“Insufficient breast milk production (00216)” was validated by experts. This study improved the ND through literature and expert consensus. New elements were added, and existing ones were revised.

Implications for Nursing Practice

This study improves this ND based on scientific evidence and clinical expertise and potentially improves nurses’ diagnostic accuracy through ODs.
Can the male germline offer insight into mammalian brain size expansion?
Authors: Bush Stephen J. , Goriely Anne
Published: September 2024

Recent advances in single‐cell transcriptomic data have greatly expanded our understanding of both spermatogenesis and the molecular mechanisms of male infertility. However, this growing wealth of data could also shed light on a seemingly unrelated biological problem: the genetic basis of mammalian brain size expansion throughout evolution. It is now increasingly recognized that the testis and brain share many cellular and molecular similarities including pivotal roles for the RAS/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways, mutations in which are known to have a pronounced impact on cell proliferation. Most notably, in the stem cell lineages of both organs, new mutations have been shown to increase cellular output over time. These include ‘selfish’ mutations in spermatogonial stem cells, which disproportionately increase the proportion of mutant sperm, and—to draw a parallel—human‐specific mutations in neural stem cells which, by increasing the number of neurons, have been implicated in neocortical expansion. Here we speculate that the origin for many ‘expansion’‐associated mutations is the male germline and that as such, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms controlling testicular turnover may yield fresh insight into the biology and evolution of the brain.
Competition in the labor market: The wage effect of employer concentration in China
Authors: Liu Jianan , Cai Hongbo , Lin Carl
Published: September 2024

Competition in the labor market theoretically leads to higher wages, yet empirical evidence to substantiate it, particularly in developing countries, has been sparse. Our study delves into the impact of increased competition in the labor market on workers' wages using a panel dataset from Chinese industrial firms spanning 1998 to 2013. Employing OLS and IV regressions, we demonstrate that a decrease in employer concentration is significantly linked to higher wages. The elasticities of employer concentration on wages fall within the range of −0.034 and −0.107. Additionally, our findings suggest that state‐owned enterprises gained the most from this upswing in competition, primarily due to restructuring. Furthermore, we demonstrate that total factor productivity serves as an important channel linking employer concentration to wages.
The neuronal signature of surprised facial expression processing under different attentional focuses: A time‐domain and time‐frequency study
Authors: Lin Huiyan , Liang Jiafeng
Published: September 2024

Previous studies have shown that high‐arousal positive and negative facial expressions influence event‐related potential (ERP) and time‐frequency responses depending on attentional focuses. However, little is known about how relevant neural responses are influenced by surprised facial expressions, which are also high in arousal but ambiguous in valence. To address the issue, 38 participants were presented with surprised, happy, angry and neutral facial expressions. Attention was manipulated to focus on facial emotional attributes, facial non‐emotional attributes, non‐facial attributes, or was free to the participants. ERP results showed larger N170 responses to surprised compared to neutral facial expressions when attention focused on facial attributes and to surprised compared to angry and neutral facial expressions when attention focused on facial non‐emotional attributes. Time‐frequency analyses revealed reduced power of early occipital theta to surprised compared to happy and angry expressions when attention focused on facial emotions and to surprised compared to angry expressions when attention focused on non‐facial stimuli. Parietal delta power was smaller for surprised facial expressions than for angry facial expressions when attention focused on facial emotions and for surprised facial expressions than for angry and neutral facial expressions when attention was directed to non‐facial stimuli. These findings might suggest that neural responses to surprised facial expressions are modulated by attentional focus.
Validity and reliability of the Mobile Toolbox Faces and Names memory test
Authors: Rentz Dorene M. , Slotkin Jerry , Kaat Aaron J. , Young Stephanie Ruth , Dworak Elizabeth M. , Shono Yusuke , Adam Hubert , Nowinski Cindy J. , Pila Sarah , Novack Miriam A. , Hosseinian Zahra , Amagai Saki , Diaz Maria Varela , Almonte‐Correa Anyelo , Alperin Keith , Camacho Monica R. , Landavazo Bernard , Nosheny Rachel L. , Weiner Michael W. , Gershon Richard C.
Published: September 2024

Validation of the Mobile Toolbox Faces and Names associative memory test is presented. Ninety‐two participants self‐administered Faces and Names in‐person; 956 self‐administered Faces and Names remotely but took convergent measures in person; and 123 self‐administered Faces and Names remotely twice, 14 days apart. Internal consistency (.76–.79) and test–retest reliability (ICC = .73) were acceptable. Convergent validity with WMS‐IV Verbal Paired Associates was satisfactory (immediate .54; delayed .58). The findings suggest the remotely administered Faces and Names is a reliable instrument.
Real‐World Clinical Experience With an Allograft Adipose Matrix for Replacing Volume Loss in Face, Hands, and Body
Authors: Gold Michael , Biesman Brian , Cohen Joel , Day Doris , Goldberg David , Guénin Sophie , Lain Ted , Schlesinger Todd , Shamban Ava , Chilukuri Suneel
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Real‐world experience using an allograft adipose matrix (AAM) (Renuva) is presented as a series of seven cases demonstrating successful use of the matrix by nine expert cosmetic physicians across the United States. AAM is donated tissue that is aseptically processed without terminal irradiation into a transplantable adipose matrix that functions as a natural, versatile, and nonimmunogenic cushioning and volume‐restoring tissue. When injected, the adipose matrix is replaced with the body's own fat cells and provides the cellular scaffold required for volume restoration and retention.

Methods

Nine expert dermatologists were selected to share and discuss real‐world patient cases using AAM. The experts discussed a variety of cases and selected 7 cases that demonstrated successful, novel use of AAM to present in this manuscript.

Results

Experts agreed that the novel AAM is an easy‐to‐use, effective, and safe alternative to traditional fillers and fat grafting.

Conclusion

The use of the AAM is recommended for the face, hands, and other adipose tissue‐containing parts of the body. The presented real‐world cases provide guidance on how to identify ideal candidates to ensure optimal volume restoration results.
Psychophysical changes after total sleep deprivation and experimental muscle pain
Authors: Hertel Emma , Sathiyalingam Elaxmi , Pilgaard Linea , Brommann Simone Juline , Giordano Rocco , Petersen Kristian Kjær‐Staal
Published: September 2024

Sleep disturbances exacerbate chronic pain, increase psychological load, and increase inflammation. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) mimics aspects of chronic pain, predominantly affecting peripheral pain mechanisms, while experimental sleep provocations have been shown to impact central pain mechanisms. This study aimed to combine a DOMS model with total sleep deprivation (TSD) to create a novel model affecting both peripheral and central pain mechanisms. A total of 30 healthy participants attended two sessions (baseline and follow‐up) separated by 24 h of TSD and a home rating after 48 h. Assessments of interleukin 6 (IL‐6) levels, sleep quality, pain catastrophising, affect, and symptoms of depression and anxiety were included in the baseline and follow‐up sessions. Additionally, pressure pain and tolerance thresholds, temporal summation, and conditioned pain modulation (CPM) were assessed using cuff‐pressure algometry in the baseline and follow‐up sessions. DOMS was induced with eccentric calf raises during the baseline session followed by 24 h of TSD. At follow‐up pain tolerance (p = 0.012) was significantly reduced, and CPM (p = 0.036) was significantly impaired compared to baseline. Psychological changes included decreases in pain catastrophising (p = 0.027), positive affect (p < 0.001), negative affect (p = 0.003), and anxiety (p = 0.012). Explorative regression models predicted 58% and 68% of DOMS pain intensity after 24 and 48 h, respectively, based on baseline body mass index, pain thresholds, psychological measures, and IL‐6 (p < 0.01). Combining DOMS with 1 night of TSD induced pain hypersensitivity, impaired CPM, and altered psychological states. A combination of baseline inflammation, psychological measures, and pain sensitivity significantly predicted DOMS pain intensity after 24 and 48 h.
Overwintering humpback whales adapt foraging strategies to shallow water environments at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, USA
Authors: Shearer Jeanne M. , Foley Heather J. , Swaim Zachary T. , Janik Vincent M. , Read Andrew J.
Published: September 2024

Some humpback whales from the Northwestern Atlantic population forgo migration to the Caribbean, spending winter months feeding along the U.S. mid‐Atlantic coast. We studied the foraging behavior of these whales at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia during winter from 2017 to 2022. While shipping channels here reach depths of up to 30 m, most of the area is 11–15 m deep. This shallow‐water environment poses physical constraints on classical humpback whale feeding modes. We deployed 20 digital acoustic tags (DTAGs) on humpback whales and identified foraging lunges from accelerometer data, detecting 788 lunges from 10 animals. Tagged whales averaged a single lunge per dive, lunging primarily in a horizontal orientation, with limited maneuvering compared to other study sites. Our results indicate that some elements of humpback whale foraging behavior are conserved across environments, but that the shallow depths in our study area constrain how animals are able to feed. The relatively high lunge rates we observed suggest this area is an important foraging ground. However, foraging in shipping channels increases the risk of ship strikes, which frequently occur in this area.
Prognostic impact of caspase‐8 mutation in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Lu Hsueh‐Ju , Su Chun‐Wen , Su Shih‐Chi , Chang Lun‐Ching , Wu Ming‐Fang , Lin Chiao‐Wen , Yang Shun‐Fa
Published: September 2024

Objective

Identifying the drive genes and inhibiting their significant signals were persistently the main concepts in cancer treatment. However, for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC), the most influential genes for overall survival (OS) remain unclear.

Methods

A total of 120 OCSCC patients with corresponding pathologic specimens were collected in Taiwan. Whole‐exome sequencing was done and the prognostic impact of each gene was analyzed. TCGA database was used to validate.

Results

The incidences of caspase‐8 mutation were 22.1% and 10.9% in the Taiwan and TCGA cohort, respectively. In the Taiwan cohort, caspase‐8 mutation was the most significant independent for OS with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) ([95% CI]: 3.83 [1.84–7.99]). It was validated by the TCGA database (HR [95% CI]: 1.51 [1.00–2.29]). The 5‐year OSs of the patients with or without caspase‐8 mutation were 38.1% vs. 75.3% (p < 0.001) (HR [95% CI]: 3.264 [1.645–6.438]) in the Taiwan cohort, and 26.1% vs. 49.0% (p = 0.048) (1.513 [1.001–2.288]) in the TCGA cohorts, respectively. Caspase‐8 mutation was also individually associated with poor prognosis for TNM stage I/II/III/IV, respectively. CASP8 R127* and R494*, defined as pathogenic mutations in ClinVar, were presented in both cohorts.

Conclusions

Caspase‐8 mutation was the most significant genetic alteration impacting prognosis.
From non‐renewables to renewables and high‐tech production: The impact of natural wealth and technology on ecological load capacity in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Nwani Chinazaekpere , Okere Kingsley Ikechukwu , Dimnwobi Stephen Kelechi , Uche Emmanuel , Iorember Paul Terhemba
Published: September 2024

In the face of growing sustainability challenges, this study examines the ecological impacts of natural wealth (NR) and tech‐driven industrial diversification (TID) in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). It employs the load capacity factor (LCF), utilizing a panel dataset spanning from 1991 to 2020. The findings reveal that renewable (forest) resources exert a positive and significant influence on LCF, primarily at lower quantiles. When the resource basket is adjusted to include mineral resources, this impact turns negative across all quantiles, with statistical significance evident at the upper quantiles. Further modifications to the resource basket, including energy extraction such as oil, coal, and natural gas, yield a statistically significant negative impact on LCF across the lower, median, and upper quantiles. Additionally, TID has a positive impact on LCF in the upper quantiles. Robustness analysis confirms that the covariates indeed Granger‐cause LCF. This finding also indicates that the causal equation is significantly influenced by past values of NR and TID. The Half‐Panel Jackknife estimator reaffirms that, on average, TID has a positive effect on LCF in the region. These findings suggest enhancing growth through renewables and industrial capacity in medium‐ and high‐tech industries as part of broader sustainability strategies in the SSA region.
Impacting elementary STEM teacher leadership identities
Authors: Quaisley Kelsey , Funk Rachel , Pai Leilani , Ahrens Sally , Smith Wendy M. , Thomas Amanda
Published: September 2024

Learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects starting at a young age helps prepare students for a variety of careers both inside and outside of the sciences. Yet, addressing integrated STEM in an elementary school setting can be challenging. Teacher leadership is one way to address this challenge. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive case study is to understand how participation in the NebraskaSTEM Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship project impacted elementary STEM teacher leadership identities. Our findings suggest participation in the project contributed to different layers of teacher leadership identity (as a STEM learner, as a STEM teacher, and as a STEM teacher leader). These findings suggest professional development should be tailored to address empowering specific layers of STEM teacher leaders' professional identity. Other teacher leadership development projects may want to consider how to structure their projects to empower teachers based on the identities and experiences of those teachers.
REVITALIZATION OF CRITICAL-SIZED CALVARIAL DEFECTS IN RATS USING HEPARIN-CONJUGATED FIBRIN HYDROGEL WITH BMP-2 AND ADIPOSE-DERIVED PERICYTES
Authors: Mukhlis S. , Kudaibergen G. , Mukhambetova A. , Nurkina A. , Dairov A. , Issabekova A. , Altayeva N. , Ashikbayeva M. , Temirzhan A. , Baidarbekov M. , Umbayev B. , Ogay V.
Published: September 2024

Massive bone defects present challenges in orthopedic surgery, requiring innovative solutions. Hydrogels offer promise due to their resemblance to the extracellular matrix. Adipose tissue-derived pericytes (ADPs) and osteoinductive proteins like BMP-2 show potential for bone tissue engineering. Combining them via heparin-conjugated fibrin hydrogel aims to enhance healing in critical-sized calvarial defects.
The study investigated the use of a heparin-conjugated fibrin (HCF) hydrogel containing BMP-2 and adipose-derived pericytes for repairing critical-sized calvarial defects in rats. ADPs were cultured from rat adipose tissue, and the HCF hydrogel was prepared accordingly. In vitro experiments assessed BMP-2 release kinetics and bioactivity, while mineralization assays were conducted on cultured ADPs. In vivo experiments involved surgically creating calvarial defects in rats and implanting HCF gel alone or with BMP-2, pericytes, or both. Micro-CT imaging and histological analysis were performed post-implantation to evaluate bone formation.
In our study, we prepared the HCF hydrogel by combining heparin-conjugated fibrinogen, human fibrinogen, human thrombin, aprotinin, and calcium chloride. Gelation occurred within 3 minutes at room temperature. SEM analysis revealed an open interconnected pore morphology and macroporous structure, facilitating cell attachment and proliferation. ELISA showed sustained release of BMP-2 from the HCF hydrogel over 28 days. Bioactivity assays demonstrated the ability of released BMP-2 to enhance ALP activity in rat neonatal calvarial osteoblasts. Additionally, BMP-2 induced osteogenic differentiation of rat ADPs, as evidenced by increased ALP activity, osteocalcin expression, and calcium deposition. Implantation of HCF hydrogels containing BMP-2 and/or ADPs into rat calvarial defects significantly promoted bone tissue regeneration compared to controls, with the greatest effect observed in the group receiving both BMP-2 and ADPs. Micro-CT and histological analysis confirmed substantial bone formation and defect closure after three months.
In conclusion, our in vitro findings demonstrated that the HCF hydrogel provided sustained release of BMP-2, retaining its bioactivity and promoting osteogenesis in rat calvarial osteoblasts and ADPs. In vivo results showed that combining allogeneic ADPs with BMP-2 enhanced bone regeneration in critical-sized calvarial defects, indicating the potential of this approach for large bone defect restoration.
ANTI-CANCEROUS POTENTIAL OF POLYSACCHARIDES DERIVED FROM WHEAT CELL CULTURE
Authors: Murtazina A.S. , Marchal J.A. , Tarabayeva A.S. , Bitanova E.Zh. , McDougall G. , Tassi H.B. , Bishimbayeva N.K.
Published: September 2024

There is a global need to discover effective anti-cancerous compounds from natural sources. Cultivated wheat cells can be a valuable source of non-toxic or low toxic plant-derived polysaccharides. In this study we evaluated the antitumor ability of seven fractions of wheat cell culture polysaccharides (WCCPSs) in the HCT-116 colon cancer cell line.
Almost all (6/7) fractions had an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of colon cancer cells, and two fractions (A-b and A-f) had considerable therapeutic indexes. The WCCPS fractions induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase and induced different rates of apoptosis (<48%). Transmission and scanning electron microscopy revealed that WCCPS fractions caused apoptotic changes in the nucleus and cytoplasm, including damage to mitochondria and external morphological signs of apoptosis.
In addition, the WCCPSs induced an increase in the levels of Bax, cytochrome c, caspases 8 and 3, indicating that cell death was assessed through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis. Furthermore, some fractions caused a significant decrease of c-Myc, b-catenin, NFkB2 and HCAM (CD 44) levels, indicating enhanced cell differentiation.  Thus, for the first time, our results provide a proof of concept of the anti-cancer capacity of WCCPS fractions in colorectal cancer.
This research was supported by the FEDER Operational Program 2020/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento/ Project (B-CTS-562-UGR20) and the Chair “Doctors Galera-Requena in cancer stem cell research” (CMC-CTS963); Erasmus+ Mobility Program; “Bolashak” Presidential Scholarship of the Republic of Kazakhstan for scientific work abroad; Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) division.