bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retrospective study of the clinical significance of the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio in 79 patients with palmoplantar pustulosis
Authors: Watanabe Tomoya , Watanabe Yuko , Asai Chika , Asami Miho , Takamura Naoko , Yamaguchi Yukie
Published: May 2024

Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease characterized by multiple vesicles, pustules, and erythematous plaques on the palms and soles. The exacerbation of PPP is strongly associated with focal infections, such as tonsillitis, dental infections, and sinusitis, in Japan. Recently, the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been widely used as a convenient and useful marker for clinical conditions and various diseases; however, an association between PPP and NLR has not yet been established. We retrospectively analyzed 79 patients with PPP from our hospital to evaluate the clinical significance of the NLR. The average NLR value in patients with PPP was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (2.30 ± 1.02 vs 1.69 ± 0.45, P < 0.001). A comparative analysis of patients with PPP with and without infectious complications showed that there was a statistical difference in the NLR between patients with PPP with and without focal infections, whereas no significant difference was found for metal allergy, smoking, and pustulotic arthro‐osteitis. Multivariate analysis indicated that the NLR was significantly associated with focal infections (odds ratio = 18.38, 95% confidence interval 3.86–87.35, P < 0.001). The NLR was also significantly correlated with C‐reactive protein levels (P = 0.013, r = 0.2857). Interestingly, after symptom improvement, the NLR significantly decreased from the baseline levels. Furthermore, statistical analysis using the Youden's index revealed that an NLR of 2.28 or higher was associated with the risk of any focal infections in patients with PPP. These results suggest that the NLR has potential applications as a biomarker of the presence of focal infections in patients with PPP.
RESIDUALIZED PUBLIC HOUSING IN ROMANIA: Peripheralization of ‘the Social’ and the Racialization of ‘Unhouseables’
Authors: Vincze Enikő
Published: May 2024

This study analyzes public housing residualization as a multiscalar phenomenon, providing specific details about how it happened in a Central and East European context via the marketization of the housing system, the peripheralization of ‘the social’ and the racialization of ‘unhouseables’. It employs secondary statistical data, interviews, and document analyses to examine the endemic features of global capitalism within Romania's housing regime. The study shows that the dismantlement of the state‐socialist establishment has resulted in a lower social rental rate than in core capitalist countries. It observes that when the public housing stock has generally been depleted, newly established social housing is relocated to the peripheries of cities as a nonmarketable component of the dualist public housing sector. In Baia Mare, the municipality has created social housing enclaves for vulnerable groups associated with dangerous behavior by excluding them from other forms of public housing, whereas in Cluj‐Napoca, it has attempted to exclude marginalized people from public housing by turning it into a site of class warfare. In both cases, the housing stock under scrutiny is associated with the racialized Roma ethnicity. The approach adopted in the study enables the residualization of public housing to be addressed across the peripheralization–racialization nexus.
Government Subsidies and Corporate Misconduct
Authors: RAGHUNANDAN ANEESH
Published: May 2024

I study whether firms that receive targeted U.S. state‐level subsidies are more likely to subsequently engage in corporate misconduct. I find that firms are more likely to engage in misconduct in subsidizing states, but not in other states that they operate in, after receiving state subsidies. Using data on both federal and state enforcement actions, and exploiting the legal principle of dual sovereignty for identification, I show that this finding reflects an increase in the underlying rate of misconduct and that this increase is attributable to lenient state‐level misconduct enforcement. Collectively, my findings present evidence of an important consequence of targeted firm‐specific subsidies: nonfinancial misconduct that potentially could impact the very stakeholders subsidies are ostensibly intended to benefit.
Aging‐associated decrease of PGC‐1α promotes pain chronification
Authors: Wu Xinbo , Yang Liuyue , Li Zihua , Gu Chenzheng , Jin Kaiyan , Luo Andrew , Rasheed Nabeel Faiyaz , Fiutak Isabella , Chao Kristina , Chen Amy , Mao Jianren , Chen Qian , Ding Weihua , Shen Shiqian
Published: May 2024

Aging is generally associated with declining somatosensory function, which seems at odds with the high prevalence of chronic pain in older people. This discrepancy is partly related to the high prevalence of degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis in older people. However, whether aging alters pain processing in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), and if so, whether it promotes pain chronification is largely unknown. Herein, we report that older mice displayed prolonged nociceptive behavior following nerve injury when compared with mature adult mice. The expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α) in S1 was decreased in older mice, whereas PGC‐1α haploinsufficiency promoted prolonged nociceptive behavior after nerve injury. Both aging and PGC‐1α haploinsufficiency led to abnormal S1 neural dynamics, revealed by intravital two‐photon calcium imaging. Manipulating S1 neural dynamics affected nociceptive behavior after nerve injury: chemogenetic inhibition of S1 interneurons aggravated nociceptive behavior in naive mice; chemogenetic activation of S1 interneurons alleviated nociceptive behavior in older mice. More interestingly, adeno‐associated virus‐mediated expression of PGC‐1α in S1 interneurons ameliorated aging‐associated chronification of nociceptive behavior as well as aging‐related S1 neural dynamic changes. Taken together, our results showed that aging‐associated decrease of PGC‐1α promotes pain chronification, which might be harnessed to alleviate the burden of chronic pain in older individuals.
Elimination of damaged mitochondria during UVB‐induced senescence is orchestrated by NIX‐dependent mitophagy
Authors: Cavinato Maria , Martic Ines , Wedel Sophia , Pittl Annabella , Koziel Rafal , Weinmmüllner Regina , Schosserer Markus , Jenewein Brigitte , Bobbili Madhusudhan Reddy , Arcalis Elsa , Haybaeck Johannes , Pierer Gerhard , Ploner Christian , Hermann Martin , Romani Nikolaus , Schmuth Matthias , Grillari Johannes , Jansen‐Dürr Pidder
Published: May 2024

Skin aging is the result of two types of aging, “intrinsic aging” an inevitable consequence of physiologic and genetically determined changes and “extrinsic aging,” which is dependent on external factors such as exposure to sunlight, smoking, and dietary habits. UVB causes skin injury through the generation of free radicals and other oxidative byproducts, also contributing to DNA damage. Appearance and accumulation of senescent cells in the skin are considered one of the hallmarks of aging in this tissue. Mitochondria play an important role for the development of cellular senescence, in particular stress‐induced senescence of human cells. However, many aspects of mitochondrial physiology relevant to cellular senescence and extrinsic skin aging remain to be unraveled. Here, we demonstrate that mitochondria damaged by UVB irradiation of human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) are eliminated by NIX‐dependent mitophagy and that this process is important for cell survival under these conditions. Additionally, UVB‐irradiation of human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) induces the shedding of extracellular vesicles (EVs), and this process is significantly enhanced in UVB‐irradiated NIX‐depleted cells. Our findings establish NIX as the main mitophagy receptor in the process of UVB‐induced senescence and suggest the release of EVs as an alternative mechanism of mitochondrial quality control in HDF.
Hydroxycitrate delays early mortality in mice and promotes muscle regeneration while inducing a rich hepatic energetic status
Authors: Espadas Isabel , Cáliz‐Molina María Ángeles , López‐Fernández‐Sobrino Raúl , Panadero‐Morón Concepción , Sola‐García Alejandro , Soriano‐Navarro Mario , Martínez‐Force Enrique , Venegas‐Calerón Mónica , Salas Joaquin J. , Martín Franz , Gauthier Benoit R. , Alfaro‐Cervelló Clara , Martí‐Aguado David , Capilla‐González Vivian , Martín‐Montalvo Alejandro
Published: May 2024

ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitors have the potential of modulating central processes in protein, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism, which can have relevant physiological consequences in aging and age‐related diseases. Here, we show that hepatic phospho‐active ACLY correlates with overweight and Model for End‐stage Liver Disease score in humans. Wild‐type mice treated chronically with the ACLY inhibitor potassium hydroxycitrate exhibited delayed early mortality. In AML12 hepatocyte cultures, the ACLY inhibitors potassium hydroxycitrate, SB‐204990, and bempedoic acid fostered lipid accumulation, which was also observed in the liver of healthy‐fed mice treated with potassium hydroxycitrate. Analysis of soleus tissue indicated that potassium hydroxycitrate produced the modulation of wound healing processes. In vivo, potassium hydroxycitrate modulated locomotor function toward increased wire hang performance and reduced rotarod performance in healthy‐fed mice, and improved locomotion in mice exposed to cardiotoxin‐induced muscle atrophy. Our findings implicate ACLY and ACLY inhibitors in different aspects of aging and muscle regeneration.
Prognostic factors in Kaposi sarcoma, single centre experience
Authors: Değerli Ezgi , Oruç Kerem , Şentürk Öztaş Nihan , Alkan Şen Gülin , Bedir Şahin , Demirci Nebi Serkan , Demirelli Hulusi Fuat
Published: May 2024

Background

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a multicentric vascular and lymphatic neoplasm caused by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8). It generally concerns the elderly and immunosuppressed population. Four major clinical types of KS have been described. The most common subtype is Classical KS (CKS).

Objectives

Our retrospective study aimed to better define prognostic subgroups among patients with CKS, which is the most common in our country.

Method

Between 2014 and 2020, 43 patients with CKS were treated with local excision, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Reviewed information included demographics, clinical features, laboratory findings, treatment responses and overall survival.

Results

During the follow‐up, eight patients (18.6%) died of CKS. The complete response rate was 46.5%, partial response and stable disease 51.2%, and progressive disease 2.3% of all patients. Gender, haemoglobin level at diagnosis, and disseminated involvement were prognostic factors affecting survival in all patients.

Conclusion

We confirmed that male gender, low haemoglobin levels, and disseminated involvement are associated with poor prognosis in CKS patients. It is the only Turkish study in which prognostic analysis was performed for this rare cancer.
Definitive single‐stage surgery for treating diabetic foot osteomyelitis: a protocolized pathway including antibiotic bone graft substitute use
Authors: Chow Jason , Imani Sahand , Kavisinghe Isuri , Mittal Rajat , Martin Brian
Published: May 2024

Background

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a challenging complication of diabetes mellitus, often leading to poor clinical outcomes and significant socioeconomic burdens. We evaluated the effectiveness of a definitive single‐stage protocolized surgical management pathway, including the use of local antibiotic bone graft substitute, for the treatment of infected DFUs with associated osteomyelitis.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Medical records were extracted (from January 2017 to December 2020) to establish a database consisting of patients who underwent surgical intervention for the treatment of an infected DFU with osteomyelitis. Patients were divided into conventional (control) and protocolized (intervention) surgical groups depending on the treatment received. Clinical outcomes were assessed over a 12‐month follow‐up period.

Results

A total of 136 consecutive patients were included (conventional = 33, protocolized = 103). The protocolized group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the mean number of operations performed per patient (1.2 vs. 3.5) (P < 0.001) and a shorter accumulative hospital length of stay (12.6 vs. 25.1 days) (P < 0.001) compared to the conventional group. Major amputation rates were significantly lower in the protocolized group (2% vs. 18%) (P < 0.001). Within 12 months of surgical intervention, the protocolized group exhibited an ulcer healing rate of 89%, with a low rate of recurrence (3%).

Conclusion

The protocolized surgical pathway, including local antibiotic bone graft substitute use, demonstrated superior outcomes compared to conventional management for the treatment of infected DFUs with osteomyelitis. Further research is needed to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness and generalizability of this approach.
A deep learning approach to explore the association of age‐related macular degeneration polygenic risk score with retinal optical coherence tomography: A preliminary study
Authors: Sendecki Adam , Ledwoń Daniel , Nycz Julia , Wąsowska Anna , Boguszewska‐Chachulska Anna , Mitas Andrzej W. , Wylęgała Edward , Teper Sławomir
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex eye disorder affecting millions worldwide. This article uses deep learning techniques to investigate the relationship between AMD, genetics and optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans.

Methods

The cohort consisted of 332 patients, of which 235 were diagnosed with AMD and 97 were controls with no signs of AMD. The genome‐wide association studies summary statistics utilized to establish the polygenic risk score (PRS) in relation to AMD were derived from the GERA European study. A PRS estimation based on OCT volumes for both eyes was performed using a proprietary convolutional neural network (CNN) model supported by machine learning models. The method's performance was assessed using numerical evaluation metrics, and the Grad‐CAM technique was used to evaluate the results by visualizing the features learned by the model.

Results

The best results were obtained with the CNN and the Extra Tree regressor (MAE = 0.55, MSE = 0.49, RMSE = 0.70, R2 = 0.34). Extending the feature vector with additional information on AMD diagnosis, age and smoking history improved the results slightly, with mainly AMD diagnosis used by the model (MAE = 0.54, MSE = 0.44, RMSE = 0.66, R2 = 0.42). Grad‐CAM heatmap evaluation showed that the model decisions rely on retinal morphology factors relevant to AMD diagnosis.

Conclusion

The developed method allows an efficient PRS estimation from OCT images. A new technique for analysing the association of OCT images with PRS of AMD, using a deep learning approach, may provide an opportunity to discover new associations between genotype‐based AMD risk and retinal morphology.
Urinary tract infections in young infants with a normal urine dipstick
Authors: Lasry Mor Shalom , Goldman Michael , Paret Michal , Bahat Hilla
Published: May 2024

Aim

To assess missed urinary tract infections (UTI) in febrile infants ≤2 months when adhering to recent guidelines suggesting not to send a urine culture with a negative dipstick.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of 308 infants ≤2 months with a positive urine culture admitted in 2013–2023, divided into subgroups without exposure to urine dipstick results: ‘urosepsis’ (UTI with bacteraemia), ‘UTI’ (positive urine culture, elevated inflammatory markers, no other cause of fever) and ‘bacteriuria’ (positive urine culture, not meeting the above‐mentioned criteria). After retrieving the dipstick results, the ‘missed UTI’ group (UTI+ negative dipstick) was described.

Results

A negative dipstick was found in 2/20 (10%), 32/127 (25%) and 126/161 (78%) of infants with ‘urosepsis’, ‘UTI’ and ‘bacteriuria’, respectively. In the ‘missed UTI’ group (n = 34), there were more non‐Escherichia coli UTI (68% vs. 9% with positive dipstick, p < 0.001), and lower inflammatory markers (leukocytes 15.5 vs. 17.2 k/μL, p = 0.007, C‐reactive protein 21 vs. 58 mg/L, p < 0.001). Three infants had high‐grade vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and renal scarring.

Conclusions

There is a non‐negligible rate of infants ≤2 months with UTI and without pyuria, including those with urosepsis, VUR and renal scarring. We suggest obtaining a urine culture regardless of dipstick results.
Failure of an electric rocking device to improve neonatal sleep
Authors: Poets Christian F. , Roller Patricia , Neukamm Ann‐Cathrine , Quante Mirja
Published: May 2024

Aim

We wanted to investigate whether an electric rocking device (Swing2Sleep, Neumünster, Germany), sold with the claim to promote infant sleep, would increase total sleep time or reduce sleep latency once infants are put therein.

Methods

In a randomised crossover design, 20 infants (median gestational age at birth 31.7 weeks, range 25–39) were placed to sleep either first with the device rocking, then not rocking (or vice versa) for 5–7 h each. The device consisted of a hammock with three spiral springs that performed vertical swings at a rate of 100/min and an amplitude of 2.5 cm.

Results

There was no significant difference in %time spent asleep (83 (22–97) vs. 85% (49–96)), sleep latency (7.7 (2–45) vs. 12.3 (4–42) min), sleep fragmentation (1.3 (0.5–2.3) vs. 1.1 (0.2–5.5)) or efficiency (0.8 (0.2–1.0) vs. 0.9 (0.5–1.0)) between both conditions.

Conclusion

At its recommended settings, the device did not achieve its intended effect in these infants.
Returnee executives and corporate fraud: Evidence from China
Authors: Zeng Ping , Ren Ge , Zhong Xi
Published: May 2024

Whether and when returnee executives influence corporate fraud remains an important unresolved theoretical and practical problem. Referencing upper echelons theory and the literature on managerial discretion, we propose that firms with more returnee executives are more likely to engage in corporate fraud. In addition, we propose that the relation between returnee executives and corporate fraud is subject to organizational indicators that reflect executives’ managerial discretion. Specifically, we propose that long‐term performance surplus and corporate visibility diminish the positive impact of returnee executives on corporate fraud. We use privately controlled Chinese public firms, including 11,519 firm‐year observations of 2215 privately controlled Chinese public firms from 2010 to 2021, as our research object and adopt a bivariate probit model to investigate our theoretical assumptions. Our test results are consistent with our predictions. This study enhances the existing understanding of the dark side of returnee executives from a corporate fraud perspective.
Discovery platforms for RNA therapeutics
Authors: Ciucci Giulio , Braga Luca , Zacchigna Serena
Published: May 2024

RNA therapeutics are emerging as a unique opportunity to drug currently “undruggable” molecules and diseases. While their advantages over conventional, small molecule drugs, their therapeutic implications and the tools for their effective in vivo delivery have been extensively reviewed, little attention has been so far paid to the technological platforms exploited for the discovery of RNA therapeutics. Here, we provide an overview of the existing platforms and ex vivo assays for RNA discovery, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as their main fields of application, with specific focus on RNA therapies that have reached either phase 3 or market approval.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed issue Non‐coding RNA Therapeutics. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v182.2/issuetoc
On the importance of sequence alignment inspections in plastid phylogenomics – an example from revisiting the relationships of the water‐lilies
Authors: Roestel Jessica A. , Wiersema John H. , Jansen Robert K. , Borsch Thomas , Gruenstaeudl Michael
Published: May 2024

The water‐lily clade represents the second earliest‐diverging branch of angiosperms. Most of its species belong to Nymphaeaceae, of which the “core Nymphaeaceae”—comprising the genera Euryale, Nymphaea and Victoria—is the most diverse clade. Despite previous molecular phylogenetic studies on the core Nymphaeaceae, various aspects of their evolutionary relationships have remained unresolved. The length‐variable introns and intergenic spacers are known to contain most of the sequence variability within the water‐lily plastomes. Despite the challenges with multiple sequence alignment, any new molecular phylogenetic investigation on the core Nymphaeaceae should focus on these noncoding plastome regions. For example, a new plastid phylogenomic study on the core Nymphaeaceae should generate DNA sequence alignments of all plastid introns and intergenic spacers based on the principle of conserved sequence motifs. In this investigation, we revisit the phylogenetic history of the core Nymphaeaceae by employing such an approach. Specifically, we use a plastid phylogenomic analysis strategy in which all coding and noncoding partitions are separated and then undergo software‐driven DNA sequence alignment, followed by a motif‐based alignment inspection and adjustment. This approach allows us to increase the reliability of the character base compared to the default practice of aligning complete plastomes through software algorithms alone. Our approach produces significantly different phylogenetic tree reconstructions for several of the plastome regions under study. The results of these reconstructions underscore that Nymphaea is paraphyletic in its current circumscription, that each of the five subgenera of Nymphaea is monophyletic, and that the subgenus Nymphaea is sister to all other subgenera of Nymphaea. Our results also clarify many evolutionary relationships within the Nymphaea subgenera Brachyceras, Hydrocallis and Nymphaea. In closing, we discuss whether the phylogenetic reconstructions obtained through our motif‐based alignment adjustments are in line with morphological evidence on water‐lily evolution.
First‐in‐human safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic results of DFV890, an oral low‐molecular‐weight NLRP3 inhibitor
Authors: Gatlik Ewa , Mehes Beata , Voltz Emilie , Sommer Ulrike , Tritto Elaine , Lestini Giulia , Liu Xiaoxi , Pal Parasar , Velinova Maria , Denney Wiliam S. , Fu Yunlin , Opipari Anthony , Dean Dennis , Junge Guido
Published: May 2024

This first‐in‐human study evaluated the safety, tolerability, single‐ and multiple‐dose pharmacokinetic profiles with dietary influence, and pharmacodynamics (PD) of DFV890, an oral NLRP3 inhibitor, in healthy participants. In total, 122 participants were enrolled into a three‐part trial including single and 2‐week multiple ascending oral doses (SAD and MAD, respectively) of DFV890, and were randomized (3:1) to DFV890 or placebo (SAD [3–600 mg] and MAD [fasted: 10–200 mg, once‐daily or fed: 25 and 50 mg, twice‐daily]). DFV890 was generally well‐tolerated. Neither deaths nor serious adverse events were reported. A less than dose‐proportional increase in exposure was observed with the initially used crystalline suspension (3–300 mg); however, an adjusted suspension formulation using spray‐dried dispersion (SDD; 100–600 mg) confirmed dose‐proportional increase in exposure. Relative bioavailability between crystalline suspension and tablets, and food effect were evaluated at 100 mg. Under fasting conditions, Cmax of the tablet yielded 78% compared with the crystalline suspension, and both formulations showed comparable AUC. The fed condition led to a 2.05‐ and 1.49‐fold increase in Cmax and AUC0–last compared with the fasting condition. The median IC50 and IC90 for ex‐vivo lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated interleukin IL‐1β release inhibition (PD) were 61 (90% CI: 50, 70) and 1340 ng/mL (90% CI: 1190, 1490). Crystalline tablets of 100 mg once‐daily or 25 mg twice‐daily were sufficient to maintain ~90% of the IL‐1β release inhibition over 24 h at steady state. Data support dose and formulation selection for further development in diseases, in which an overactivated NLRP3 represents the underlying pathophysiology.
Deforestation limits evolutionary rescue under climate change in Amazonian lizards
Authors: Azevedo Josué A. R. , Faurby Søren , Colli Guarino R. , Antonelli Alexandre , Werneck Fernanda P.
Published: May 2024

Aim

The impact of climate change on biodiversity is often analysed under a stable evolutionary perspective focused on whether species can currently tolerate warmer climates. However, species may adapt to changes, and particularly under conditions of low habitat fragmentation, standing adaptive genetic variation can spread across populations tracking changing climates, increasing the potential for evolutionary rescue. Here, our aim is to integrate genomic data, niche modelling and landscape ecology to predict range shifts and the potential for evolutionary rescue.

Location

The megadiverse Amazonian rainforest.

Methods

We use genome–environment association analyses to search for candidate loci under environmental selection, while accounting for neutral genetic variation in a widespread Amazonian whiptail lizard (Teiidae: Kentropyx calcarata). We then model the distribution of individuals with genotypes adapted to different climate conditions. We predict range shifts for each genotype in distinct future climate change scenarios by integrating this information with dispersal constraints based on predicted scenarios of forest cover across Amazonia. The predicted ranges of each genotype were then overlapped to infer the potential for evolutionary rescue.

Results

We find that the potential for evolutionary rescue and, therefore, a smaller degree of range loss buffering extinction risk in the future is considerably high, provided that current forest cover is retained and climate change is not extreme. However, under extreme environmental change scenarios, range loss will be high in central and southern Amazonia, irrespective of the degree of deforestation.

Main Conclusions

Our results suggest that protecting the Amazonian rainforest against further deforestation and mitigating climate change to moderate scenarios until 2070 could foster evolutionary rescue of ectothermic organisms. These actions could prevent substantial biodiversity loss in Amazonia, emphasizing the importance of understanding species adaptability in maintaining biodiversity.
Validity of the ESSENCE‐Q neurodevelopmental screening tool in Japan
Authors: Yasumitsu‐Lovell Kahoko , Thompson Lucy , Fernell Elisabeth , Eitoku Masamitsu , Suganuma Narufumi , Gillberg Christopher ,   and the Japan Environment and Children's Study Group
Published: May 2024

Aim

To assess the validity of the Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations–Questionnaire (ESSENCE‐Q), a simple screening tool for neurodevelopmental problems, in Japan.

Method

Parents/caregivers completed the 11‐item ESSENCE‐Q for 77 612 children aged 2 years 6 months included in a national birth cohort study. Information about neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs: autism spectrum disorder; intellectual disability and/or developmental language disorder; motor delay/motor disorder) was collected at age 3 years. Each ESSENCE‐Q item was scored on a binary (0,1) scale, with a total score range of 0 to 11. Total scores and individual items were compared across children with and without NDDs.

Results

NDDs were recorded in 854 children (1.1%). With a total ESSENCE‐Q score cut‐off of ≥3, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.91, with sensitivity 84.9%, specificity 84.8%, positive predictive value 5.9%, and negative predictive value 99.8%. The proportion of parental concerns at 2 years 6 months differed significantly by NDD status for communication (89.5% vs 14.2%) and general development (80.2% vs 7.4%). ESSENCE‐Q total scores were moderately negatively correlated (−0.36, p < 0.001) with Japanese Ages and Stages Questionnaire scores.

Interpretation

The parent/caregiver‐completed ESSENCE‐Q is useful as a tool for screening out children with neurotypical development at this early age. Further research into longer‐term predictive validity will be possible as more NDD diagnoses are given as the children grow up.
Cerebral palsy: A neurodevelopmental disorder with motor disability
Authors: Cooper Monica S. , Macdonald‐Laurs Emma , Antolovich Giuliana C.
Published: May 2024

This letter to the editor is a response to the editorial by Dan. To view this paper visit https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15922.
Revisiting the novelty effect from new stadiums: An event study approach
Authors: Bradbury John Charles
Published: May 2024

This analysis examines the impact of new stadiums on consumer demand for sports spectatorship in the four major US‐based professional sports leagues. Estimates from difference‐in‐differences event studies identify a transitory attendance shock from new venues that diminishes to pre‐stadium‐treatment levels within a decade. The updated estimates confirm the existence of the novelty effect in modern facilities and identify subtle differences in magnitude, certainty, and duration across leagues. Revenue estimates indicate that the substantial financial returns from constructing new stadiums likely incentivize the premature replacement of host venues when combined with typical public subsidy levels.
Origin matters: Privatization of state‐owned enterprises and family business internationalization
Authors: Ding Hao
Published: May 2024

The impact of a firm's origins on its strategic decision‐making has attracted scholarly attention in recent years. Focusing on firms' origins, this paper explores the relationship between the privatization of state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) and family business internationalization. Based on data from listed family businesses in China from 2003 to 2022, we find that compared to entrepreneurial family businesses, restructured family businesses have a lower internationalization degree. Moreover, high trade policy uncertainty strengthens the negative relationship between the privatization of SOEs and family business internationalization, while high family involvement plays a weakening role. Several robustness tests later, the findings remain valid. This study introduces the firm's origin as a vital determinant, which may contribute to the prior studies on family business internationalization. Besides, this paper complements research on the economic consequences of the privatization of SOEs in China. Finally, this paper may help Chinese family businesses actively participate in the international cycle to achieve competitive advantage and high‐quality development.
Temporal changes in the composition of parasitoid assemblages associated with the invasive chestnut gall wasp
Authors: Jara‐Chiquito Juan Luis , Oliva Francesc , Lobato‐Vila Irene , Pujade‐Villar Juli
Published: May 2024

Invasive alien species pose a challenge to ecosystem stability and crop production, so understanding their interactions with the natural communities they invade is crucial to mitigate negative effects.

The oriental chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), is an invasive insect that attacks chestnut trees. It was first recorded in Spain in 2012 and is now presumably present in the majority of chestnut stands in the country.

We assessed variation in the abundance of D. kuriphilus galls and the composition of their associated parasitoid community (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) during a 4‐year period (2014–2017) in 12 sampling sites in Catalonia (Spain, northeastern Iberian Peninsula), and identified which species contributed most significantly to the control of D. kuriphilus.

The results show that the abundance of individual parasitoid species varied during the study period and that the number of species increased year after year. There was also a transition in the parasitoid community composition across the years.

Our data suggest that the joint action of the non‐native parasitoid Torymus sinensis Kamijo and the native T. notatus (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Torymidae) led to the decline of D. kuriphilus until it was no longer considered a pest. Also, the observed pool of parasitoid species ended up being relatively homogeneous across sites over the years, which may be due to the high natural dispersal of these parasitoids (both by active flight and passive wind dispersal).
Projecting marine fish distributions during early life stages under future climate scenarios
Authors: Howard Rebecca A. , Rogers Lauren A. , Kearney Kelly A. , Vary Laura L. , Ciannelli Lorenzo
Published: May 2024

Changes to Earth's climate affect organisms globally; in marine systems, these impacts are seen through warming water temperatures, ocean acidification, hypoxia and frequent marine heatwaves. These effects may lead to the movement of species to more favourable conditions. While climate‐driven movement is well studied at the adult stage, how the early life stages of marine fish will respond to future variability is less clear. Many fish species are constrained by specific spawning locations or phenology. Spawning in certain locations allows for local retention of offspring, while precise timing can facilitate transport of offspring to nursery locations through seasonal circulation patterns. Our research investigates how changing oceans impact the location and timing of spawning of Bering Sea groundfishes over the next century. We used ROMS SST and SSS model output and NOAA survey data in species distribution models to hindcast and project distributions and centre of gravity for eggs and larvae of six groundfish species. Our analyses found that most of our study species exhibit flexible geography. However, the speed and direction of egg and larval movement did not track the speed and direction of their respective thermal niches. Hence, the projected distributional patterns of adult stages may be limited by their early life stages. This response is likely to be mirrored globally by other species with planktonic eggs and larvae. These results indicate that life history considerations are critical for the management of commercially important species, as effects on early life stages are strongly connected to the success or failure of adult populations.
The longitudinal impact of an evidence‐based multiple family group intervention (Amaka Amasanyufu) on family cohesion among children in Uganda: Analysis of the cluster randomized SMART Africa‐Uganda scale‐up study (2016–2022)
Authors: Byansi William , Sensoy Bahar Ozge , Small Latoya , Namatovu Phionah , Nabayinda Josephine , Kiyingi Joshua , Mwebembezi Abel , Nakigozi Gertrude , Hoagwood Kimberly , McKay Mary M. , Ssewamala Fred M.
Published: May 2024

Family functioning plays a critical role in childhood disruptive behavior disorders (The Family Journal, 2003, 11(1), 33–41; Research in Nursing and Health, 2016, 39(4), 229–243). Yet, there is limited research on the impact of evidence‐based family strengthening interventions on improving family cohesion as a protective factor among children experiencing behavioral challenges. To address this gap, we analyzed data (N = 636) from the SMART Africa‐Uganda study (2016–2022), a cluster randomized clinical trial testing an evidence‐based family‐strengthening intervention called Amaka Amasanyufu (translated as "Happy Families" in the local language). Children aged 8–13 and their caregivers were recruited from 26 public primary schools that were randomized to: (1) control condition receiving generalized psychosocial literature (10 schools), (2) intervention delivered via parent peers (eight schools), and (3) intervention delivered via community healthcare workers (eight schools). Children completed the family cohesion questionnaire at baseline, 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and 6 months post‐intervention completion. The intervention effectiveness was evaluated via a three‐level logistic mixed effects model with pairwise comparisons across study conditions within each time point. Participants in the parent–peer intervention group had greater odds of being in the higher family cohesion group than participants in the control group at 8 weeks (OR = 3.24), 16 weeks (OR = 1.88) and 6 months (OR = 2.07). At 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and 6 months, participants in the community health worker group had 3.98, 2.08, and 1.79 times greater odds of being in the higher family cohesion group than participants in the control group, respectively. Our findings strengthen the evidence base for Amaka Amansayufu as an effective intervention that can be utilized in SSA to improve family cohesion in families with children experiencing behavioral challenges.
Unravelling the role of oceanographic connectivity in the distribution of genetic diversity of marine forests at the global scale
Authors: Legrand Térence , Fragkopoulou Eliza , Vapillon Lauren , Gouvêa Lidiane , Serrão Ester A. , Assis Jorge
Published: May 2024

Aim

Genetic diversity of marine forests results from complex interactions of eco‐evolutionary processes. Among them, oceanographic connectivity driven by dispersal through water transport is hypothesized to play a pivotal role, yet its relative contribution has not been addressed at the global scale. Here, we test how present‐day oceanographic connectivity is correlated with the distribution of genetic diversity of marine forests across the ocean.

Location

Global.

Time period

Contemporary.

Major taxa studied

Marine forests of brown macroalgae (order: Fucales, Ishigeales, Laminariales and Tilopteridales).

Methods

Through literature review, we compiled a comprehensive dataset of genetic differentiation, encompassing 699 populations of 30 species. A biophysical model coupled with network analyses estimated multigenerational oceanographic connectivity and centrality across the marine forest global distribution. This approach integrated propagule dispersive capacity and long‐distance dispersal events. Linear mixed models tested the relative contribution of site‐specific processes, connectivity and centrality in explaining genetic differentiation.

Results

We show that spatiality‐dependent eco‐evolutionary processes, as described by our models, are prominent drivers of genetic differentiation in marine forests (significant models in 91.43% of the cases with an average R2 of 0.50 ± 0.07). Specifically, we reveal that 18.7% of genetic differentiation variance is explicitly induced by predicted contemporary connectivity and centrality. Moreover, we demonstrate that long‐distance dispersal is key in connecting populations of species distributed across large water masses and continents.

Main conclusions

Our findings highlight the role of present‐day oceanographic connectivity in shaping the extant distribution of genetic diversity of marine forests on a global scale, with significant implications for biogeography and evolution. This understanding can pave the way for future research aimed at guiding conservation efforts, including the designation of well‐connected marine protected areas, which is particularly relevant for sessile ecosystems structuring species such as brown macroalgae.
The silent shift: Pregnant women doing aesthetic and emotional labor at work
Authors: Hutson David J.
Published: May 2024

Although the U.S. Pregnancy Discrimination Act protects people from discrimination, there remain risks for individuals who become pregnant while working. Therefore, many choose to stay quiet about their pregnancies before beginning to show. Doing so, however, requires a constant management of appearance and behavior that feels necessary for employment. To investigate how pregnant people manage occupational settings while growing visibly pregnant, I draw on data from interviews with 54 women in the U.S. who were employed during their pregnancy. Findings reveal that efforts to manage the pregnant body are both aesthetic and emotional, and they constitute a form of unpaid labor that I term the “silent shift.” The silent shift encompasses two types of labor: the labor of concealing and the labor of dealing. Concealing—typically done during the first trimester—involves trying to strategically hide a pregnancy from co‐workers through alterations to work attire (i.e., aesthetic labor) or behavioral changes, such as napping in the office or discretely running to the bathroom. When concealing was no longer an option, pregnant women had to deal with awkward comments from co‐workers about their bodies. In these instances, women employed emotional labor to keep silent about how such remarks made them feel by suppressing negative emotions, rationalizing co‐workers’ comments, or by laughing them off. These findings suggest that even though laws and institutional policies have created space for pregnant workers, there remains a tension between the professional and pregnant body—a tension that women themselves feel compelled to manage.
Expanding the Frontiers of nail product evaluation: Novel application of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for assessing crosslinking density and predicting nail brittleness and flexibility
Authors: Malinauskyte Ernesta , Mateo Katerin , Castro‐Haly Vanessa , London Laurisa , Parikh Natasha , Tu Xiaoyan
Published: May 2024

Objective

While modern industry advancements have expanded nail beautification options, scientific literature primarily focuses on nail biology and medicine, with limited attention on cosmetic treatments. This study aimed to investigate human nail denaturation properties, including gender impact, blending nails to enlarge the sample pool, nail sensitization through bleaching, and active effectiveness testing. The objective was to understand the DSC and bending fatigue relationship, and define the consumer relevance of the DSC test.

Methods

Nail clippings were collected from adult female and male volunteers. The wet DSC was employed to validate sample preparation, explore the effects of gender, and assess the potential of using blended nails for claims substantiation testing. Nails were sensitized through bleaching using hydrogen peroxide. The effects were confirmed through DSC and nail flexure tests. Furthermore, the ability of actives to address concerns related to nail softness and brittleness was assessed using these techniques.

Results

The results confirmed the viability of equilibrating nails in water for up to 14 h as a standardized testing method. The denaturation temperature results were independent of gender and suitable for claims substantiation testing. Blending nails from different sources did not yield significant variations in denaturation properties. A preliminary study suggested that cadaver nails should be used with caution because they exhibited differences in denaturation temperature, influenced by the sampling location. Bending fatigue tests highlighted the significance of humidity, with higher humidity conditions (80%) enhancing nail flexibility and providing better resolution for claims substantiation.

Sensitizing the nails with hydrogen peroxide induced alterations in both DSC and bending fatigue results. Proof‐of‐principle studies demonstrated an elevation in denaturation temperature and a decrease in the number of cycles to break, indicating a nail‐hardening effect when formaldehyde was applied. The use of a nail softener led to an enhancement in nail fatigue resistance due to a notable reduction in nail crosslinking density.

Conclusions

The measurement of crosslinking density proved to be a sensitive tool for assessing the effects of cosmetic treatments on nails, particularly in predicting outcomes related to nail brittleness and flexibility.
Multisensory contributions to skin‐cosmetic product interactions
Authors: Spence Charles , Zhang Tianyi
Published: May 2024

The human face is one of the most salient regions of the body surface. Ratings of facial attractiveness, as well as judgements of a person's age, are influenced by the appearance of facial skin (not to mention the presence/absence of wrinkles). Unsurprisingly, many consumers spend huge amounts of money on trying to protect, maintain, and/or enhance their facial appearance. As highlighted by the evidence presented in this narrative review, both the skin and the cosmetic products that many consumers use are fundamentally multisensory in nature. The complex interaction between the particular skin site stimulated and the multisensory attributes of the product (e.g., when it is applied) can exert a number of effects on an individual's mood, their emotions, as well as on their self‐perception (and self‐confidence), over‐and‐above any functional effects that the cream or lotion may have on the skin itself. In this narrative historical review, the literature on the multisensory perception of facial skin is summarized and critically evaluated. Multisensory interactions taking place between the cosmetic product, its packaging, as well as its use/application at the sensory, cognitive, and emotional levels are all discussed.
Microrobotics in endodontics: A perspective
Authors: Babeer Alaa , Bukhari Sarah , Alrehaili Rayan , Karabucak Bekir , Koo Hyun
Published: May 2024

Microorganisms are the primary aetiological factor of apical periodontitis. The goal of endodontic treatment is to prevent and eliminate the infection by removing the microorganisms. However, microbial biofilms and the complex root canal anatomy impair the disinfection process. Effective and precise endodontic therapy could potentially be achieved using advanced multifunctional technologies that have the ability to access hard‐to‐reach surfaces and perform simultaneous biofilm killing, removal, and detection of microorganisms. Advances in microrobotics are providing novel therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities with high precision and efficacy to address current biofilm‐related challenges in biomedicine. Concurrently, multifunctional magnetic microrobots have been developed to overcome the disinfection challenges of current approaches to disrupt, kill, and retrieve biofilms with the goal of enhancing the efficacy and precision of endodontic therapy. This article reviews the recent advances of microrobotics in healthcare and particularly advances to overcome disinfection challenges in endodontics, and provides perspectives for future research in the field.