bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Editorial: bariatric surgery to reduce the risk of liver cancer—authors' reply
Authors: Ramai Daryl , Facciorusso Antonio
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Ramai et al and Pirola & Sookoian papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16335 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16357
Medication use and microscopic colitis: a multicentre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zylberberg Haley M. , Kamboj Amrit K. , De Cuir Nicole , Lane Conor M. , Khanna Sahil , Pardi Darrell S. , Lebwohl Benjamin
Published: September 2023

Background

Medication use has been implicated in the development of microscopic colitis (MC). However, studies have demonstrated inconsistent findings and there exist variations in design.

Aim

To measure the association between medication use and MC.

Methods

Patients who underwent a colonoscopy over a 10‐year period at two academic medical centres (Columbia University Medical Centre and Mayo Clinic) were identified. Cases were patients with biopsy‐proven MC and controls were patients who underwent colonoscopy for evaluation of diarrhoea with biopsies negative for MC. Cases were matched by age, gender and calendar period with up to two controls. Demographics, medication use, smoking history and coeliac disease status were collected. Conditional logistic regression was used with and without adjustment for smoking.

Results

A total of 344 patients with MC were matched to 668 controls. After adjusting for smoking, there was an inverse association between MC and use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.47‐0.87), H2 blockers (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.24‐0.88) and oral diabetes medications (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.27‐0.81). There was a positive association with nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and MC (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.12‐2.38).

Conclusions

NSAID use was associated with MC, while use of PPIs, H2 blockers and oral diabetes medications were inversely related to MC. Our use of a control group with diarrhoea, as opposed to healthy controls, may have contributed to these inverse associations. Future studies of drug‐induced microscopic colitis should include control groups with diarrhoea, and not only healthy controls.
Considerations on implementation of the newest treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids: Oral GnRH antagonists
Authors: de Lange Maria E. , Semmler Annika , Clark T. Justin , Mol Ben Willem J. , Bet Pierre M. , Huirne Judith A. F. , Hehenkamp Wouter J. K.
Published: September 2023

Novel gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist treatments have recently been developed in combination with hormonal add‐back therapy, as an oral treatment option for women suffering from uterine fibroids. Registration trials assessing the GnRH antagonist combination preparations with relugolix, elagolix and linzagolix have assessed treatment efficacy for fibroid‐related heavy menstrual blood loss in comparison to placebo. Marketing authorization has been granted by several agencies including those in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. While the registration trials report a robust effect on the reduction of heavy menstrual blood loss and improvement in quality of life scores, reticence is advised before widespread prescription. In this review, we demonstrate limitations in the trial data, namely a lack of generalizability due to the restricted study population, the lack of transparency in the distribution of disease‐level characteristics limiting the predictability of treatment success in the real‐world diverse population, and the absence of any comparison to current alternative treatment methods. Importantly, no clinically meaningful volume reductions were found with GnRH antagonist combination preparations, and long‐term safety data, particularly concerning modest but stable bone mineral density decline, need further addressing. Symptoms related to uterine fibroids adversely affect many women's quality of life and effective medical treatments are lacking. However, despite the urgent need for conservative treatments, it is vitally important that novel drugs, like combination oral GnRH antagonists, undergo sufficiently rigorous evaluation of safety, effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness in a representative population and are compared with alternative treatment methods before introduction into mainstream clinical practice.
Astragalus polysaccharide protects experimental colitis through an aryl hydrocarbon receptor‐dependent autophagy mechanism
Authors: Ying Yi , Song Li‐yun , Pang Wen‐lin , Zhang Si‐qi , Yu Jing‐ze , Liang Peng‐tao , Li Tian‐gang , Sun Yi , Wang Yin‐ying , Yan Jin‐yuan , Yang Zhong‐shan
Published: September 2023

Background and Purpose

Disruption of intestinal barriers plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of colitis. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a recognition sensor that mediates intestinal immune homeostasis and minimizes intestinal inflammation. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) exerts pharmacological actions in colitis; however, the mechanism has not been elucidated. We investigated whether APS protects through AhR‐dependent autophagy.

Experimental Approach

The symptoms of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced colitis in mice involving intestinal barrier function and inflammatory injury were evaluated after APS administration. Intestinal‐specific Becn1 conditional knockout (Becn1 cKO) mice were constructed and compared with wild‐type mice. Autophagy and the effects of APS were investigated after the deactivation of AhRs. The relationship between APS‐induced AhRs and autophagic Becn1 was investigated using a dual‐luciferase reporter system and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Caco‐2 cells were used to investigate inflammatory responses and AhR‐dependent autophagy.

Key Results

APS improved intestinal barrier function in inflammatory injury in colitis mice. APS triggered autophagic flow; however, knockout of Becn1 in the gut increased susceptibility to colitis, leading to diminished epithelial barrier function and severe intestinal inflammation, impairing the protective effects of APS. Mechanistically, APS‐triggered autophagy depends on AhR expression. Activated AhR binds to the promoter Becn1 to operate transcription of genes involved in anti‐inflammation and intestinal barrier repair, while deactivation of AhR correlated with intestinal inflammation and the therapeutic function of APS.

Conclusions and Implications

APS protects colitis mice by targeting autophagy, especially as the AhR stimulates the repair of damaged intestinal barrier functions.
Enhanced meta‐heuristic methods for industrial winding process modelling
Authors: Albashish Dheeb , Mustafa Hossam M. J. , Khurma Ruba Abu , Hasan Basela , Bani‐Ahmad Sulieman , Abdullah Azizi , Arram Anas
Published: September 2023

Nonlinear industrial system modelling entails two critical phases: The first is selecting a method in order to estimate the parameter list values, and the second is selecting a proper model structure with a relatively short parameter list. Developing a comprehensive model for an industrial design process is critical for the model‐based control system. This article presents a model‐based strategy that aims to develop three linear and three nonlinear dynamic models using three well‐known meta‐heuristic optimization algorithms to simulate a challenging plant‐wide process. As a case study, an industrial real winding process (WP) is targeted to accomplish the aim of this study. The algorithms have been optimized to find the best weights of the inputs of the WP with a key issue to effectively describe the behaviour aspects of the process. To test the validity of the developed models, a series of experiments were carried out on each of the developed linear and nonlinear models. Several relevant evaluation metric measures are used to demonstrate the models' performance level. The experimental results for training and test sets of 1250 independent samples for each set based upon the proposed modelling schemes show that the mean square error to correctly model the WP occurred in less than 0.001. A comparison of the developed intelligent linear and nonlinear models with the Auto‐Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) models obtained through the evaluation criteria asserts the effectiveness of the proposed models‐based approaches.
Bees exposed to climate change are more sensitive to pesticides
Authors: Albacete Sergio , Sancho Gonzalo , Azpiazu Celeste , Rodrigo Anselm , Molowny‐Horas Roberto , Sgolastra Fabio , Bosch Jordi
Published: September 2023

Bee populations are exposed to multiple stressors, including land‐use change, biological invasions, climate change, and pesticide exposure, that may interact synergistically. We analyze the combined effects of climate warming and sublethal insecticide exposure in the solitary bee Osmia cornuta. Previous Osmia studies show that warm wintering temperatures cause body weight loss, lipid consumption, and fat body depletion. Because the fat body plays a key role in xenobiotic detoxification, we expected that bees exposed to climate warming scenarios would be more sensitive to pesticides. We exposed O. cornuta females to three wintering treatments: current scenario (2007–2012 temperatures), near‐future (2021–2050 projected temperatures), and distant‐future (2051–2080). Upon emergence in spring, bees were orally exposed to three sublethal doses of an insecticide (Closer, a.i. sulfoxaflor; 0, 4.55 and 11.64 ng a.i./bee). We measured the combined effects of wintering and insecticide exposure on phototactic response, syrup consumption, and longevity. Wintering treatment by itself did not affect winter mortality, but body weight loss increased with increasing wintering temperatures. Similarly, wintering treatment by itself hardly influenced phototactic response or syrup consumption. However, bees wintered at the warmest temperatures had shorter longevity, a strong fecundity predictor in Osmia. Insecticide exposure, especially at the high dose, impaired the ability of bees to respond to light, and resulted in reduced syrup consumption and longevity. The combination of the warmest winter and the high insecticide dose resulted in a 70% longevity decrease. Smaller bees, resulting from smaller pollen–nectar provisions, had shorter longevity suggesting nutritional stress may further compromise fecundity in O. cornuta. Our results show a synergistic interaction between two major drivers of bee declines, and indicate that bees will become more sensitive to pesticides under the current global warming scenario. Our findings have important implications for pesticide regulation and underscore the need to consider multiple stressors to understand bee declines.
Endogenous ascorbic acid prevents fresh‐cut potato from browning
Authors: Tang Yueming , Luo Jinghong , Luo Fangyao , Hu Xuemei , Hu Jianjun , Li Wanchen , Fu Fengling , Gao Jia
Published: September 2023

Previous studies found that the browning characteristics of ten potato cultivars were closely related to their ascorbic acid (AsA) content. In order to reveal the relationship between endogenous AsA and potato browning, we quantified endogenous AsA, dehydroascorbic acid (DHA). Among seven cultivars, 181–25, 182–9 and 41–2 had little colour alteration within 48 h, 51–2 and 39–1 were severely browned at fresh‐cut 3 h. A correlation analysis of seven potato cultivars discovered that colour alteration was significantly negatively correlated with total AsA (AsA + DHA), AsA, and AsA/DHA ratio. In addition, the results of exogenous AsA treatment of fresh‐cut potato showed that the higher the concentration, the weaker the browning of fresh‐cut potatoes and promoted the accumulation of endogenous AsA content and increased the AsA/DHA ratio at the late of storage. Overall, endogenous AsA content and redox status were linked to differences in the browning susceptibility of potato, and a high level of endogenous AsA prevents browning of fresh‐cut potato.
Developing a soft margarine with modified fatty acid profile having low trans fatty acids
Authors: Punvichai Teerasak , Wachiratreeyakul Tharawee , Chanasriphum Anawin , Kritsanapuntu Sirusa , Chotimarkorn Chatchawan , Detarun Preeyabhorn
Published: September 2023

A healthy diet cannot comprise only one single natural fat or oil. The American Health Association (AHA) recommends for consumption a balanced fatty acid ratio of approximately 1:1:1 for PUFA: MUFA: SFA. Such proportions of fatty acids can promote health and reduce the level of blood LDL‐cholesterol. In this study, we developed a margarine formulation with modified fatty acid profile and low trans fatty acids. For formulation of a margarine with PUFA: MUFA: SFA ratio of 1:1:1, having equal amounts of poly‐ and mono‐unsaturated and saturated fats, the data on fatty acid profiles on vegetable oils indicated that the proportions palm stearin 30%, rice bran oil 40%, and soybean oil 30% was appropriate. The oil mixture gave the PUFA: MUFA: SFA ratio 1.00:0.97:1.00 and a trans fatty acid level below the limit recommended by the US FDA, namely less than 0.5 mg/serving size. The developed margarine had the higher rating for general appearance (6.7–8.9), when compared to a commercial brand. Its peroxide value was 6.19 ± 0.83 mEq/kg fat after storage for 90 days at refrigerated 4–5 °C temperature, which is below the FDA standard limit of 10.0 mEq/kg fat.
Effects of traditional preparatory techniques on the chemical and pasting characteristics of yellow‐fleshed cassava roots (Manihot esculenta)
Authors: Alamu Emmanuel Oladeji , Maziya‐Dixon Busie , Dixon Alfred Gilbert
Published: September 2023

Understanding the interactions between chemical and pasting properties and conventional cooking methods will help utilise yellow‐fleshed cassava roots. Thus, the study examined how conventional processing affected Nigerian yellow‐fleshed cassava's chemical and pasting properties. Three improved, yellow‐fleshed genotypes were harvested 12 months after planting: 01/1371 (high carotenoids, 7.3 μg/g on Fresh weight basis (FW)), 01/1235 (medium, 4.8 μg/g FW), and 94/0006 (low, 2.6 μg/g FW). The peeled and washed roots were processed into various products, and chemical and pasting properties were tested. Processing techniques affect all chemical and pasting properties except pasting temperature. High‐carotenoid cassava produced boiled roots with high ash and protein, while low‐carotenoids produced amylose and starch. High‐carotenoid cassava roots yielded flour with high ash, amylose, and starch. The gari product from high‐carotenoid cassava roots had higher ash, amylose, sugar, and starch concentrations. Cooked fufu from low‐carotenoid cassava had high protein and starch, while high‐carotenoid fufu had high ash and amylose. High‐carotenoid cassava roots produce the best flour and raw fufu, while low‐carotenoid roots produce chips, and medium‐carotenoid roots produce gari with suitable pasting parameters.
Effects of steam explosion treatment on the physicochemical properties and biological activities of okara‐derived soluble dietary fibre
Authors: Li Tiange , Liu Ruiqi , Wang Tianlin , Fu Yankun , Qiao Mingwu , Huang Xianqing , Song Lianjun
Published: September 2023

Okara is the by‐product of soybean during processing, which is rich in dietary fibre. In this study, the effects of steam explosion (SE) treatment on the physicochemical properties and biological activities of soluble dietary fibre (SDF) from okara were investigated. Results showed that SE increased the water‐holding capacity, oil‐holding capacity, swelling capacity, water solubility, foaming ability, foaming stability, emulsifying activity and emulsion stability of SDF. The structure of okara‐derived SDF was changed after SE treatment, and the surface was poriferous, rough and collapsed. SDF from okara modified by SE exhibited significantly higher glucose adsorption capacity, cholesterol adsorption capacity and antioxidant activity manifested by the increase in DPPH and ABTS‐radical scavenging activity as well as ferric ion‐reducing antioxidant power. In vitro colonic fermentation and 16S rDNA sequencing showed that SE treatment up‐regulated the short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentrations and increased diversity of gut microbiota. Moreover, SE treatment increased the relative abundance of specific beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus, whereas decreased the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Enterococcus, Escherichia‐Shigella and Proteus. In conclusion, these results highlight the potential of SE in improving the physicochemical and functional properties of okara‐derived SDF and promoting its future application.
Breathing better: A tech‐monitored study of positive expiratory pressure and reading aloud for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Özden Gürkan , Parlar Kılıç Serap
Published: September 2023

Background

Breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing and positive expiratory pressure (PEP), relieve breathlessness in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Aim

This study aimed to investigate the effects of breathing exercises with PEP and reading aloud on vital signs, fatigue level, severity of dyspnoea and respiratory function parameters in patients with COPD.

Design

The study followed a randomized controlled trial of COPD patients from a single hospital in eastern Turkey.

Methods

The study included 103 patients who were randomly assigned to receive pre‐reading exercises, breathing exercises with a PEP device or no intervention for 8 weeks.

Results

The use of a PEP device improved oxygen saturation, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) values and reduced fatigue and dyspnoea severity. Reading aloud lowered the mean arterial pressure and reduced fatigue and dyspnoea severity.

Conclusion

The study concludes that PEP devices and reading aloud can improve respiratory function in patients with COPD. Additionally, reading aloud is an accessible, easy‐to‐implement and economically feasible method for treating COPD symptoms.
The reliability of recall measurement in assessing migrant reintegration: Evidence from Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan
Authors: Dennison James
Published: September 2023

This article asks whether and under what conditions the use of retrospective or “recall” measurement is reliable. Migration researchers are often forced to retrospectively measure baselines when evaluating the impact of interventions due to the transitory nature of migration, developing country contexts, and hastily assembled policy programmes, a situation exacerbated by Covid‐19. This article first theoretically considers the extent to which this approach is reliable and likely to result in biased estimates, as well as its broader advantages, disadvantages, and recommendations for best practice. It then considers the case of the “IMPACT” evaluation of the EU‐IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration in which 1774 Ethiopian, Somalia, and Sudanese migrant returnees in 2021 were assessed on a range of reintegration measures, 1095 of whom were measured retrospectively. Regression analyses demonstrate that those measured retrospectively give more negative scores on several “Reintegration Sustainability Scores” in line with some theoretical expectations but contrary to others. However, this—mostly non‐statistically significant—effect is largely diminished when the small minority who report finding it difficult to remember the baseline period are removed—suggesting that any retrospective measurement effect results from memory bias rather than, for example, consistency bias. No evidence is found to support several theoretically derived interaction effects. Determinants of self‐reported memory are demonstrated and recommendations for usage of retrospective measurement are provided, based on these findings.
Caregiver‐reported dental manifestations in individuals with genetic neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Ming Neil R. , Noble Deanna , Chussid Steven , Ziegler Alban , Chung Wendy K.
Published: September 2023

Background

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) often have poor oral health and dental abnormalities. An increasing number of genes have been associated with neurodevelopmental conditions affecting the oral cavity, but the specific dental features associated with many genes remain unknown.

Aim

To report the types and frequencies of dental manifestations in children with neurodevelopmental conditions of known genetic cause.

Design

A 30‐question survey assesing ectodermal and dental features was administered through Simons Searchlight, with which formed a recontactable cohort of individuals with genetic NDDs often associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Results

Data were collected from a largely paediatric population with 620 affected individuals across 39 genetic conditions and 145 unaffected siblings without NDDs for comparison. Drooling, difficulty accessing dental care, late primary teeth eruption, abnormal primary and permanent teeth formation, misshapen nails, and hair loss were more frequent in individuals with NDDs. Additionally, we evidenced an association between three new pathogenic gene variant/oral manifestation pairs: CSNK2A1/unusual primary teeth, DYRK1A/late primary teeth eruption, and PPP2R5D/sialorrhea.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that genetic NDDs caused by mutations in CSNK2A1, DYRK1A, and PP2R5D are associated with unique dental manifestations, and knowledge of these features can be helpful to personalize dental care.
Reduced bone dimension in patients affected by oligodontia: A retrospective study on maxillary and mandibular CBCT
Authors: Dupré Nicolas , Fournier Benjamin P. J. , Gondel Orianne , Riou Margot C. , Isaac Juliane , Garrec Pascal , Vi‐Fane Brigitte , Kribel Samia , De La Dure‐Molla Muriel , Carra Maria Clotilde , Felizardo Rufino , Kerner Stephane P.
Published: September 2023

Aim

Oligodontia (OD) is a rare developmental condition characterized by the absence of six or more teeth. Dental implant placement may be challenging due to anatomical factors. This study aims to evaluate the alveolar bone dimensions in OD patients compared with controls.

Materials and Methods

On maxillary and mandibular cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT), bone height and width were measured at every tooth and edentulous site. The distance to the inferior alveolar nerve was also measured. Fifty‐three OD patients (40 maxillary and 32 mandibular CBCT) and 82 controls (51 maxillary and 31 mandibular CBCT) were compared using mixed models.

Results

Compared with those in OD patients, maxillary permanent teeth and edentulous sites showed significantly higher mean height in control patients (incisive‐canine site height: +2.12 mm; edentulous incisive‐canine site height: +4.46 mm [p > .001]). For the mandibular permanent teeth, mean height was higher in controls than in OD patients at the incisive‐canine (+3.82 mm [p > .001]) and premolar areas (+2.06 mm [p > .001]). Only edentulous incisive‐canine sites were significantly different between controls and OD patients (mean: +0.52 mm [p > .001]). Changes in alveolar nerve position were observed in case of molar agenesis.

Conclusion

Maxillary and mandibular bone dimensions are reduced in OD patients compared with controls both in sites with permanent teeth and in edentulous areas.
Cognitive performance in relation to MIND and MEPA III dietary pattern accordance of NHANES participants
Authors: Derdiger Samara , Friedeborn Sophia , Tangney Christy C.
Published: September 2023

Background

There is growing evidence that Mediterranean‐DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) and Mediterranean‐like diets are associated with better cognitive performance.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional sample from two NHANES cycles (2011–2014), scores for the MIND dietary pattern (maximum score = 14) and for the Mediterranean Eating Pattern for Americans (MEPA) III (maximum score = 22) were calculated based on the reported foods consumed on two nonconsecutive 24‐h dietary recalls. Only adults with two completed recalls and cognitive testing were studied (n = 2598). Cognitive assessments included the word learning and recall components from the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Animal Fluency test (AFT) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test.

Results

The ages of participants were (mean ± SD) 69.2 ± 0.3 years, with almost equal proportions of men and women. MIND score was 5.0 ± 0.0, and MEPA III score was 8.6 ± 2.1. Positive associations between continuous MIND scores and education‐dependent standardised cognitive scores for each test and global cognition were observed, unadjusted or adjusted for covariates; no such associations were observed for MEPA III. Compared to adults in the lowest MIND tertile, those in the highest were less likely to exhibit low cognitive performance on the AFT [0.45 (0.29–0.69)], CERAD Delayed Recall [0.52 (0.32–0.83)] and global cognition [0.50 (0.27–0.94)]. Similar observations were noted with MEPA III with AFT [0.58 (0.43–0.79)] and CERAD Delayed Recall [0.66 (0.46–0.94)].

Conclusions

Older Americans were generally non‐accordant to MIND and MEPA III patterns. However, those who reported greater MIND or MEPA III diet accordance exhibited better cognitive performance.
Plk2 promotes synaptic destabilization through disruption of N‐cadherin adhesion complexes during homeostatic adaptation to hyperexcitation
Authors: Abdel‐Ghani Mai , Lee Yeunkum , Akli Lyna Ait , Moran Marielena , Schneeweis Amanda , Djemil Sarra , El Choueiry Rebecca , Murtadha Ruqaya , Pak Daniel T. S.
Published: September 2023

Synaptogenesis in the brain is highly organized and orchestrated by synaptic cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) such as N‐cadherin and amyloid precursor protein (APP) that contribute to the stabilization and structure of synapses. Although N‐cadherin plays an integral role in synapse formation and synaptic plasticity, its function in synapse dismantling is not as well understood. Synapse weakening and loss are prominent features of neurodegenerative diseases, and can also be observed during homeostatic compensation to neuronal hyperexcitation. Previously, we have shown that during homeostatic synaptic plasticity, APP is a target for cleavage triggered by phosphorylation by Polo‐like kinase 2 (Plk2). Here, we found that Plk2 directly phosphorylates N‐cadherin, and during neuronal hyperexcitation Plk2 promotes N‐cadherin proteolytic processing, degradation, and disruption of complexes with APP. We further examined the molecular mechanisms underlying N‐cadherin degradation. Loss of N‐cadherin adhesive function destabilizes excitatory synapses and promotes their structural dismantling as a prerequisite to eventual synapse elimination. This pathway, which may normally help to homeostatically restrain excitability, could also shed light on the dysregulated synapse loss that occurs in cognitive disorders.

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Negotiating good motherhood: Foodwork, emotion work, and downscaling
Authors: Fielding‐Singh Priya , Cooper Marianne
Published: September 2023

Objective

This study examined how lower‐income mothers engage in emotion work in order to feel like good mothers within broader contexts of stigmatization, economic insecurity, and precarity.

Background

Despite the pervasiveness of the intensive mothering ideology, research shows that lower‐income mothers in the United States also routinely diverge from the ideology's norms due to structural and cultural factors. In doing so, these mothers simultaneously work to reframe and negotiate what it means to be a good mother. While scholarship reveals how mothers cognitively and behaviorally carry out this work, less attention has been paid to how mothers perform this work on an emotional level.

Method

Drawing on in‐depth interviews with 33 lower‐income mothers in the San Francisco Bay Area, this study investigated, through the lens of maternal foodwork, how mothers work on their emotions to feel like good mothers. Data were analyzed abductively.

Results

Mothers worked on their emotions as part of an effort to negotiate what good mothering looks like and to feel like good mothers as they performed maternal foodwork. To do so, mothers engaged in the gendered and classed emotion work strategy of downscaling. Downscaling involved working to inhibit negative emotions and evoke positive ones. Downscaling was facilitated by three key approaches: reflecting on harder times, redefining good foodwork, and leveraging social comparison.

Conclusion

Downscaling serves as a rational, effective emotion work strategy to help mothers navigate ongoing hardships, cultivate a positive maternal identity, and feel like good mothers within contexts of stigmatization, economic insecurity, and precarity.
Atopic outcomes at 2 years in the CORAL cohort, born in COVID‐19 lockdown
Authors: Hurley Sadhbh , Franklin Ruth , McCallion Naomi , Byrne Aideen M. , Fitzsimons John , White Martin , O'Mahony Liam , Hourihane Jonathan O'B.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The CORAL study is a cohort of infants born during the first weeks of the first SARS‐CoV‐2 (COVID‐19) lockdown. This cohort has had lower antibiotic exposure, higher breastfeeding rates and lower infection rates, especially in the first year of life. We hypothesized that the altered early‐life environment of infants born during lockdown would change the incidence of allergic conditions.

Methods

This longitudinal, observational study followed 365 infants born between March and May 2020 from enrolment to the age of 2 years. Infants attended three research appointments at 6‐, 12‐, and 24‐months and completed detailed questionnaires. At research appointments, children had skin prick testing, and atopic dermatitis (AD) assessment. Statistical analysis focused on changes within the group at different time points, the influence of specific environmental factors on allergic risk and compared the incidence of atopic conditions with a pre‐pandemic Irish infant cohort, BASELINE.

Results

AD was more common in CORAL group at both 12 (26.5% vs. 15.5%; p < .001) and 24 months (21.3% vs. 15.9%; p = .02) compared with pre‐pandemic BASELINE cohort. Within the CORAL group, those with AD at both 12‐ and 24‐month appointments had a more severe AD phenotype associated with a higher risk of allergic sensitization. There was less milk (0% vs. 1%; p = .09), peanut (0.6% vs. 1.8%; p = .3), and egg allergy (0% vs. 2.9%; p < .001) in the CORAL group at 24 months compared with the BASELINE cohort. Aeroallergen sensitization increased between 12 and 24 months in the CORAL cohort (1.5% vs. 8.9%; p < .001), as did parent‐reported wheezing episodes (9% vs. 24%; p < .001).

Conclusions

Despite higher AD incidence in the CORAL cohort, the incidence of food sensitization and allergy are lower than expected pre‐pandemic rates possibly reflecting the early introduction and maintenance of dietary allergens enhanced by changes in infant infections, antibiotic use, and breastfeeding in the first 2 years of life in the group. These beneficial effects of the lockdown could be outweighing the expected risk of less early‐life microbial encounters outlined by the hygiene hypothesis.
Optimized leaf storage and photosynthetic nitrogen trade‐off promote synergistic increases in photosynthetic rate and photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency
Authors: Hu Wenshi , Zhao Manli , Zhang Shanshan , Li Yinshui , Dai Jing , Gu Chiming , Li Xiaoyong , Yang Lu , Qin Lu , Liao Xing
Published: September 2023

A coordinated increase in the photosynthetic rate (A) and photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) is an effective strategy for improving crop yield and nitrogen (N) utilization efficiency. PNUE tends to decrease with increasing N levels, but there are natural variations. Consequently, leaf functional N partitioning in Brassica napus genotypes under different N rates was measured to explore the optimized N allocation model for synchronously increasing A and PNUE values. The results showed that genotypes whose PNUE increased with increasing N supply (PNUE‐I) produced an approximate A value with a relatively low leaf N content, owing to reduced storage N (Nstore) and close photosynthetic N (Npsn) content. Partial least squares path modeling showed that A was dominated by the Npsn content, and PNUE was directly influenced by A and Nstore. The A value increased with the Npsn content until the Npsn content exceeded the threshold value. The boundary line of PNUE varied with the Npsn and Nstore proportions, indicating that the optimum Npsn and Nstore proportions were 51.6% and 40.3%, respectively. The Nstore proportion of PNUE‐I was closer to the thresholds and benefited from lower increments in Rubisco content and nonprotein form storage N content with improved N supply. Optimized Nstore and Npsn trade‐off by regulating increments in Nstore content with increased N supply, thereby promoting coordinated increases in A and PNUE.
Clearing the fog: Forest Stewardship Council labelling and the World Trade Organization
Authors: Du Ming
Published: September 2023

This article aims to clarify three long‐standing puzzles concerning the place of private standards in the World Trade Organization (WTO) through the lens of FSC labelling. The first question is whether the FSC label falls within the regulatory scope of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement). The second question is the extent of WTO member States’ obligations under the TBT Agreement if the FSC is an active standardizing body in their territories. The third question asks whether the FSC standard may qualify as an ‘international standard’ as defined in the TBT Agreement and thus may exert quasi‐legislative effects on WTO members’ national forest conservation laws and regulations. A detailed case study of the relationship between the FSC labelling and the TBT Agreement shows that the answers to these questions are much more nuanced than the existing scholarship suggests.
Conservation agreements and environmental governance: The role of nongovernmental actors
Authors: Boonrueang Surasak , Reid Colin
Published: September 2023

This article explores how conservation agreements can be used to examine the trend towards environmental governance by multiple players, where nongovernmental bodies play a part in environmental regulation. The laws authorizing the creation of a conservation agreement in three jurisdictions, namely New South Wales (Australia), Scotland (United Kingdom) and Maine (United States), move away from regulation by government, where governmental bodies play the pivotal role in environmental governance, towards governance by multiple players. This article illustrates how the different legal features regarding who can create, oversee and enforce a conservation agreement reflect different styles and levels of engagement in environmental regulation. The Australian law represents a model of nature conservation heavily relying on governmental regulation. This is different from the United States model, where nongovernmental bodies play a significant role in the burgeoning use of conservation agreements. The Scottish model is placed somewhere between those in that while it confers the primary role on specified governmental bodies, some nongovernmental conservation bodies can in some circumstances be designated to fulfil the same function. The different levels of participation by governmental and nongovernmental bodies discussed in this article reveal strengths and weaknesses in involving different ranges of actors in environmental governance and point to lessons as other jurisdictions consider embracing conservation agreements to support their conservation policy.
A Markov chain model to investigate the spread of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria in hospitals
Authors: Chalub Fabio A. C. C. , Gómez‐Corral Antonio , López‐García Martín , Palacios‐Rodríguez Fátima
Published: September 2023

Ordinary differential equation models used in mathematical epidemiology assume explicitly or implicitly large populations. For the study of infections in a hospital, this is an extremely restrictive assumption as typically a hospital ward has a few dozen, or even fewer, patients. This work reframes a well‐known model used in the study of the spread of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria in hospitals, to consider the pathogen transmission dynamics in small populations. In this vein, this paper proposes a Markov chain model to describe the spread of a single bacterial species in a hospital ward where patients may be free of bacteria or may carry bacterial strains that are either sensitive or resistant to antimicrobial agents. We determine the probability law of theexactreproduction number , which is here defined as the random number of secondary infections generated by those patients who are accommodated in a predetermined bed before a patient who is free of bacteria is accommodated in this bed for the first time. Specifically, we decompose the exact reproduction number into two contributions allowing us to distinguish between infections due to the sensitive and the resistant bacterial strains. Our methodology is mainly based on structured Markov chains and the use of related matrix‐analytic methods. This guarantees the compatibility of the new, finite‐population model, with large population models present in the literature and takes full advantage, in its mathematical analysis, of the intrinsic stochasticity.
Planes in Z4$\mathbb {Z}^4$ and Eisenstein series
Authors: Chinta Gautam , Júnior Valdir Pereira
Published: September 2023

We study the number of two‐dimensional sublattices of of a fixed covolume and construct the associated Dirichlet series. The latter is shown to be related to Eisenstein series on both and its metaplectic double cover.
An Alternative Approach to Assess the Impacts of Countercyclical Fiscal Policy in Developing Countries
Authors: Nguyen Van Hieu , Le Thai Hong
Published: September 2023

In the current literature, theoretical, and empirical studies present varying implications regarding the effectiveness of countercyclical fiscal policy in stabilizing the economy. While most studies suggest that countercyclical fiscal policy stimulates or inhibits economic growth, others document insignificant impact. However, these existing studies solely analyze the impulse of fiscal policy to the economy without distinguishing whether the impulse factor originates from within or outside the economy. Therefore, we aim to explore the effectiveness of countercyclical fiscal policy within an alternative framework that discerns the origin of the impulse factor and revisits the impacts of countercyclical policy in developing countries. Our theoretical framework argues that the countercyclical fiscal policy only makes sense if it is conducted with external debt or other external instruments. Employing the dataset that covers 201 countries over the 1990-2020 periods, we document evidence for the use of countercyclical fiscal policy in developing countries.
Constitutive Model-Based Efficient Creep-Fatigue Damage Computation Technique for Steam Turbine Rotors to Enhance Flexible Operational Capabilities
Authors: Sen Suvadeep , Almstedt Henning
Published: September 2023

In the new era of renewable energy, flexible operation of conventional power plants is inevitable, causing high creep-fatigue life consumption. Conventional life assessment methods are deemed to be conservative to address the current requirements. The use of unified constitutive models for the analysis of damage evolution in steam turbine rotors in the past decade has shown promising results and is closely related to experimental data. However, identification of large number of material constants and high computational time hinder the widespread use of such models. In this paper, the latter is addressed using a novel representative input cycle (RIC) concept together with the noniterative asymptotic numerical method (ANM). Various startup shutdown sequences of a typical steam turbine rotor are studied using a unified constitutive model based on Chaboche's kinematic hardening including the damage parameter, Chaboche–Rousselier's isotropic hardening model including the damage parameter, Norton's viscoplastic flow model, Lemaitre's damage potential function and Kachanov–Rabotnov's creep damage law. First, a conventional finite element method (FEM) technique is used and then the proposed RIC method is used to study the evolution of inelastic variables. The reduction in computational time and the compromise in accuracy using the proposed method are studied.
Effect of Centrifugal Force of Gas Film on the Load Capacity of Thrust Gas Bearing
Authors: Kim Daejong
Published: September 2023

A modified Reynolds equation including centrifugal force of gas film was derived, and it was used to study the effect of gas film centrifugal force and associated streamline on the load capacity of both rigid and foil thrust bearings operating in hydrodynamic and hybrid modes. The thrust bearings have six pads with an outer diameter of 82 mm and an inner diameter of 47 mm with typical aper-flat geometry. The setup for the simulations is a single-acting air thrust bearing operating at various ambient pressures and isothermal temperature. Air was chosen for the gas film for the investigations, but the modified Reynolds equation can handle any general gas films through nondimensional parameter governing the centrifugal force. The simulations were performed with varying ambient pressure from 1 to 9 bar. The simulation results at different ambient pressures and temperatures are presented in forms of pressure profiles, streamlines, and bearing's load capacity. The bearings' load capacity becomes worse when the centrifugal force is considered at very low temperature, and the reduction of the load capacity grows more noticeable with the increase of the ambient pressure and the decrease of the ambient temperature. However, at higher temperature where centrifugal force is not large enough to create large leakage, the centrifugal force helps to redistribute the streamline to favorable way to increase the load capacity.
BRAF
Δβ3-αC
in-frame deletion mutants differ in their dimerization propensity, HSP90 dependence, and druggability
Authors: Lauinger Manuel , Christen Daniel , Klar Rhena F. U. , Roubaty Carole , Heilig Christoph E. , Stumpe Michael , Knox Jennifer J. , Radulovich Nikolina , Tamblyn Laura , Xie Irene Y. , Horak Peter , Forschner Andrea , Bitzer Michael , Wittel Uwe A. , Boerries Melanie , Ball Claudia R. , Heining Christoph , Glimm Hanno , Fröhlich Martina , Hübschmann Daniel , Gallinger Steven , Fritsch Ralph , Fröhling Stefan , O’Kane Grainne M. , Dengjel Jörn , Brummer Tilman
Published: September 2023

In-frame
BRAF
exon 12 deletions are increasingly identified in various tumor types. The resultant BRAF
Δβ3-αC
oncoproteins usually lack five amino acids in the β3-αC helix linker and sometimes contain de novo insertions. The dimerization status of BRAF
Δβ3-αC
oncoproteins, their precise pathomechanism, and their direct druggability by RAF inhibitors (RAFi) has been under debate. Here, we functionally characterize BRAF
ΔLNVTAP>F
and two novel mutants, BRAF
delinsFS
and BRAF
ΔLNVT>F
, and compare them with other BRAF
Δβ3-αC
oncoproteins. We show that BRAF
Δβ3-αC
oncoproteins not only form stable homodimers and large multiprotein complexes but also require dimerization. Nevertheless, details matter as aromatic amino acids at the deletion junction of some BRAF
Δβ3-αC
oncoproteins, e.g., BRAF
ΔLNVTAP>F
, increase their stability and dimerization propensity while conferring resistance to monomer-favoring RAFi such as dabrafenib or HSP 90/CDC37 inhibition. In contrast, dimer-favoring inhibitors such as naporafenib inhibit all BRAF
Δβ3-αC
mutants in cell lines and patient-derived organoids, suggesting that tumors driven by such oncoproteins are vulnerable to these compounds.
Spatiotemporal remodeling of extracellular matrix orients epithelial sheet folding
Authors: Tsuboi Alice , Fujimoto Koichi , Kondo Takefumi
Published: September 2023

Biological systems are inherently noisy; however, they produce highly stereotyped tissue morphology.
Drosophila
pupal wings show a highly stereotypic folding through uniform expansion and subsequent buckling of wing epithelium within a surrounding cuticle sac. The folding pattern produced by buckling is generally stochastic; it is thus unclear how buckling leads to stereotypic tissue folding of the wings. We found that the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, Dumpy, guides the position and direction of buckling-induced folds. Dumpy anchors the wing epithelium to the overlying cuticle at specific tissue positions. Tissue-wide alterations of Dumpy deposition and degradation yielded different buckling patterns. In summary, we propose that spatiotemporal ECM remodeling shapes stereotyped tissue folding through dynamic interactions between the epithelium and its external structures.
Silica-water superstructure and one-dimensional superionic conduit in Earth’s mantle
Authors: Li Junwei , Lin Yanhao , Meier Thomas , Liu Zhipan , Yang Wei , Mao Ho-kwang , Zhu Shengcai , Hu Qingyang
Published: September 2023

Water in Earth’s deep interior is predicted to be hydroxyl (OH
−
) stored in nominally anhydrous minerals, profoundly modulating both structure and dynamics of Earth's mantle. Here, we use a high-dimensional neuro-network potential and machine learning algorithm to investigate the weight percent water incorporation in stishovite, a main constituent of the subducted oceanic crust. We found that stishovite and water prefer forming medium- to long-range ordered superstructures, featuring one-dimensional (1D) water channels. Synthesizing single crystals of hydrous stishovite, we verified the ordering of OH
−
groups in the water channels through optical and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and found an average H-H distance of 2.05(3) Å, confirming simulation results. Upon heating, H atoms were predicted to behave fluid-like inside the channels, leading to an exotic 1D superionic state. Water-bearing stishovite could feature high ionic mobility and strong electrical anisotropy, manifesting as electrical heterogeneity in Earth's mantle.
CCR7 acts as both a sensor and a sink for CCL19 to coordinate collective leukocyte migration
Authors: Alanko Jonna , Uçar Mehmet Can , Canigova Nikola , Stopp Julian , Schwarz Jan , Merrin Jack , Hannezo Edouard , Sixt Michael
Published: September 2023

Immune responses rely on the rapid and coordinated migration of leukocytes. Whereas it is well established that single-cell migration is often guided by gradients of chemokines and other chemoattractants, it remains poorly understood how these gradients are generated, maintained, and modulated. By combining experimental data with theory on leukocyte chemotaxis guided by the G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) CCR7, we demonstrate that in addition to its role as the sensory receptor that steers migration, CCR7 also acts as a generator and a modulator of chemotactic gradients. Upon exposure to the CCR7 ligand CCL19, dendritic cells (DCs) effectively internalize the receptor and ligand as part of the canonical GPCR desensitization response. We show that CCR7 internalization also acts as an effective sink for the chemoattractant, dynamically shaping the spatiotemporal distribution of the chemokine. This mechanism drives complex collective migration patterns, enabling DCs to create or sharpen chemotactic gradients. We further show that these self-generated gradients can sustain the long-range guidance of DCs, adapt collective migration patterns to the size and geometry of the environment, and provide a guidance cue for other comigrating cells. Such a dual role of CCR7 as a GPCR that both senses and consumes its ligand can thus provide a novel mode of cellular self-organization.