bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HES1 contributes to high salt stress response as an enhancer of NFAT5-DNA binding
Authors: Ryuno Hiroki , Hanafusa Yusuke , Naguro Isao , Ichijo Hidenori
Published: October 2022

High salt conditions and subsequent hyperosmolarity are injurious cellular stresses but can activate immune signaling. Nuclear factor of activated T-cells 5 (NFAT5) is an essential transcription factor that induces osmoprotective genes such as aldose reductase (AR) and betaine-GABA transporter 1 (BGT1). High salt stress-mediated NFAT5 activation is also reported to accelerate the inflammatory response and autoimmune diseases. However, the systemic regulation of NFAT5 remains unclear. Here, we performed a genome-wide siRNA screen to comprehensively identify the upstream factors of NFAT5. We monitored NFAT5 nuclear translocation and identified one of the Notch signaling effectors, Hairy and enhancer of split-1 (HES1), as a novel positive regulator of NFAT5. HES1 was induced by high salinity via ERK signaling and facilitated NFAT5 recruitment to its target promoter region, resulting in the proper induction of osmoprotective genes and cytoprotection under high salt stress. These findings suggest that although HES1 is well known as a transcriptional repressor, it positively regulates NFAT5-dependent transcription in the context of a high salinity/hyperosmotic response.

One Sentence Summary

HES1 contributes to high salinity/hyperosmotic response through positive regulation of NFAT5-dependent transcription.
Heart failure risk is accurately predicted by certain serum proteins
Authors: Emilsson V , Jonsson BG , Gudmundsdottir V , Axelsson GT , Frick EA , Jonmundsson T , Steindorsdottir AE , Launer LJ , Aspelund T , Kortekaas KA , Lindeman JH , Lamb JR , Jennings LL , Gudnason V
Published: October 2022

Aim

To investigate the utility of serum proteins to predict new-onset heart failure (HF), including those with reduced or preserved ejection fraction (HFrEF or HFpEF), with or without the consideration of known HF-associated clinical variables.

Methods and results

The study included 612 participants with HF events from the prospective population-based AGES-Reykjavik cohort of the elderly (N = 5457), 440 of whom were incident cases, with a median follow-up time of 5.45 years. The incident HF population with echocardiographic data included patients with HFrEF (n = 167) and HFpEF (n = 188). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) model in conjunction with bootstrap resampling validation (500 replications) were used to select predictor variables based on the analysis of 4782 serum proteins and numerous clinical variables related to HF. In at least 80% of bootstrap replications, a subset of 8 to 13 serum proteins had non-zero coefficients for predicting all incident HF, HFpEF, or HFrEF separately. We used C-statistics to assess the goodness of fit when modeling a prognostic risk score for incident HF. In the null model, which did not take age, sex or clinical variables into account, 13 proteins combined had a C-index of 0.80 for all incident HF, whereas for incident HFpEF and HFrEF, the C-index for a subset of 8 or 10 protein predictors combined was 0.78 and 0.80, respectively. The concordance gain for each set of protein predictors was also investigated in the context of the approved biomarker NPPB as well as a number of clinical variables such as Framingham risk score components and calcium in the coronary artery and thoracic aorta. We show that these proteins improve prediction of future HF events even when a large number of HF-associated clinical variables are not included in the model.

Conclusion

A small number of circulating proteins were found to accurately predict new-onset HF when no demographic or other information was included, and they also improved the prediction when the main known biomarker NPPB and many HF-associated clinical risk factors of the condition were taken into account.
Exploration of the single-cell transcriptomic landscape identifies aberrant glomerular cell crosstalk in a murine model of WT1 kidney disease
Authors: Chandler Jennifer C , Jafree Daniyal J , Malik Saif , Pomeranz Gideon , Ball Mary , Kolatsi-Joannou Maria , Piapi Alice , Mason William J , Woolf Adrian S , Winyard Paul J , Mason Andrew S , Waters Aoife M , Long David A
Published: October 2022

The glomerulus mediates kidney ultrafiltration through specialised epithelial cells called podocytes which line a basement membrane shared with blood capillary endothelium. Cell-cell crosstalk is critical for glomerular function, but its investigation in childhood glomerular diseases has received little attention.WT1encodes a transcription factor expressed in podocytes, whose heterozygous variants cause devastating kidney disease in childhood. We used single-cell RNA sequencing and ligand-receptor interaction analysis to resolve the glomerular transcriptional landscape of mice that carry an orthologous human mutation in WT1 (Wt1R394W/+). Podocytes were the most dysregulated cell type in early disease, with disrupted angiogenic signalling preceding glomerular capillary loss. Comparative analyses with additional murine and human glomerular disease datasets identified unique transcriptional changes in WT1 glomerular disease, reflecting a non-immunological pathology, whilst revealing a common injury signature across multiple glomerular diseases. Collectively, this work advocates vascular-based therapies over immunosuppressive drugs in the treatment of WT1 glomerular disease.
A genome-wide CRISPR interference screen using an engineered trafficking biosensor reveals a role for RME-8 in opioid receptor regulation
Authors: Novy Brandon , Adoff Hayden , De Maria Monica , Kampmann Martin , Tsvetanova Nikoleta G. , von Zastrow Mark , Lobingier Braden
Published: October 2022

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of membrane-bound signaling molecules. Activity of these receptors is critically regulated by their trafficking through the endo-lysosomal pathway. Identifying the genes involved in GPCR trafficking is challenging due the complexity of sorting operations and low affinity protein-protein interactions. Here we present a chemical biology fluorescence-based technique to interrogate GPCR trafficking. We show that the engineered enzyme APEX2 is a highly sensitive biosensor for GPCR trafficking to the lysosome, and this trafficking can be monitored through APEX-based activation of fluorogenic substrates such as Amplex UltraRed (AUR). We used this approach to perform a genome-wide CRISPR interference screen focused on the delta type opioid receptor (DOR), a GPCR which modulates anxiety, depression, and pain. The screen identified 492 genes including known- and novel-regulators of DOR expression and trafficking. We demonstrate that one of the novel genes, RME-8, localizes to early endosomes and plays a critical role in regulating DOR trafficking to the lysosome. Together, our data demonstrate that GPCR-APEX2/AUR is a flexible and highly sensitive chemical biology platform for genetic interrogation of receptor trafficking.
Critical pollination chemistry: Specific sesquiterpene floral volatiles in carrot inhibit honey bee feeding
Authors: Quarrell Stephen R. , Weinstein Alyssa M. , Hannah Lea , Bonavia Nicole , del Borrello Oscar , Flematti Gavin R. , Bohman Björn
Published: October 2022

Although many plant species are reliant on insect pollination, agricultural plant breeding programs have primarily focused on traits that appeal to growers and consumers, rather than on floral traits that enhance pollinator attraction. In some vegetable seed production systems, this has led to declining pollinator attraction and poor seed yields.

We predicted that low-yielding crop varieties would be less attractive to pollinators due to deficiencies in nectar rewards or volatile floral attractants. To test our prediction, we used a chemical phenotyping approach to examine how floral chemical traits of five carrot lines affect honey bee visitation.

In bioassays, honey bees avoided feeders containing nectar from all carrot lines indicating a general non-attractant effect. Certain compounds in carrot flowers and nectar not only failed to elicit attraction but functioned as repellents, including the sesquiterpenes α-selinene and β-selinene. Others enhanced attraction, e.g. β-ocimene.

The repellent sesquiterpenes have previously been implicated in plant defense suggesting a fine balance between pollination and plant protection, which when disrupted in artificial selection in plant breeding programs can impact the crop yield. These new insights highlight the importance of bioactive compounds in attracting pollinators toward floral resources in both ecological and agricultural settings.
Genome-wide identification of putative disease resistance genes (R genes) in carrot (Daucus carotasubsp.sativus) by homology-based gene prediction
Authors: Boudichevskaia Anastassia , Berner Thomas , Keilwagen Jens , Dunemann Frank
Published: October 2022

The cultivated carrot (Daucus carotassp.sativus) is one of the most important root vegetable crops grown worldwide. Carrots are highly susceptible to several pests and diseases, and disease resistance is currently among the main breeding aims. The inheritance of resistance has been reported for a few carrot foliar diseases and root-knot nematodes, but no functionally characterized resistance gene (R gene) has yet been linked as a candidate gene to any resistance locus in carrot. Knowledge about the inventory of NLR genes (nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors) and other R genes encoding transmembrane proteins such as receptor-like proteins (RLPs) and kinases (KIN) would be necessary to associate major QTLs (quantitative trait loci) identified by bi-parental QTL analyses or GWAS (genome-wide association analysis) with functional candidate R genes. In this study, we describe a combination of a genome-wide inventory of putative full-length carrot R genes based on a homology-based gene prediction approach called GeMoMa and subsequent classification by usage of the recent version of PRGdb 4.0 database (Calle-Garcia et al. 2022). A total of 320 putative carrot R genes were identified and bioinformatically characterized, including 72 newly identified gene models, that have not yet been annotated in the currently available carrot whole genome sequence. Based on the DRAGO 3 pipeline, totally 137 putative NLR genes were found, whereas 162 putative functional RLP and KIN genes were identified in the carrot genome. About one third of the R genes was found to be organized in clusters consisting only of NLR, RLP or KIN genes. To determine the evolutionary relationships of carrot R gene predictions, we generated a phylogenetic tree based on the alignment of all 320 R proteins. Three large clades (NLR, RLP and KIN) and a small clade (RLK) were identified, which reflect well the classification obtained after DRAGO 3 analysis. The presented carrot R gene inventory might be useful for resistance gene isolation, the development of (functional) molecular markers and resistance breeding in carrot.
Ethidium tetraphenylborate acetonitrile disolvate
Authors: Shimazaki Runa , Sadakiyo Masaaki
Published: October 2022

In the title solvated salt, (C21H20N3){B(C6H5)4}·2CH3CN (systematic name 3,8-diamino-5-ethyl-6-phenylphenanthridin-5-ium tetraphenylborate acetonitrile disolvate), the dihedral angle between the tricyclic fused ring system (r.m.s. deviation = 0.021 Å) and the pendant phenyl group of the ethidium cation is 84.91 (7)°. The {B(C6H5)4}− anion has a typical tetrahedral structure. The acetonitrile solvent molecules do not accept hydrogen bonds from the –NH2 groups of the ethidium ions.
Missing voices in GRI standards? Distinct material concerns of Latin American stakeholders revealed by COVID-19
Authors: Hazelton James , Leong Shane , Tello Edward
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the extent to which global reporting initiative (GRI) standards reflect the material concerns of stakeholders in developing countries, with particular reference to Latin America.

Design/methodology/approach

The main dataset was a sample of 120 media articles that discussed corporate conduct related to COVID-19 from both developing (Chile, Mexico and Peru) and developed (Australia, UK and the USA) countries. Concerns evident from those articles were compared and then mapped to applicable GRI standards to identify relevant disclosures and gaps. Findings were triangulated by drawing on two additional datasets: Latin American GRI-related academic literature (in Spanish) and submissions to GRI standards.

Findings

Media analysis reveals significant differences between developing and developed country concerns, as well as gaps in GRI disclosure requirements in relation to customers, labour standards and corporate interactions with non-government organisations and governments. Analysis of Latin American literature corroborates the concerns raised in media articles regarding employment. Additionally, it points out country-specific issues and calls for increased reporting of corruption. Analysis of the GRI standards development process reveals marked underrepresentation of developing countries, which may contribute to the observed deficiencies in the GRI standards.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the (surprisingly rare) research concerning the quality of GRI standards and responds to calls for greater attention to developing countries in the SEA literature by showing that GRI standards may not fully meet the needs of users in the developing country context of Latin America. The paper also contributes to practice via specific recommendations for improvement to GRI standards and the standard-setting process and provides a summary of the key findings from Spanish-language Latin American literature.
Influence of relational learning and job autonomy in associations between social capital resources and newcomer adjustment: a moderated mediation study
Authors: Harris Lisa , Cooper–Thomas Helena , Smith Peter , Cheung Gordon W.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study aims to test the propositions of socialization resources theory, specifically focusing on social capital resources and their prediction of proximal (relational learning) and distal (job satisfaction and intent to quit) outcomes. The authors include the job design characteristic of job autonomy as a moderator of these associations.

Design/methodology/approach

Cheung et al.’s (2021) four-step SEM procedure was used to test our mediation, moderation and moderated mediation hypotheses. The sample consisted of newcomers (N = 175) measured at two time points.

Findings

The results support the proposed model. Relational learning mediates the associations between social capital resources and outcomes; the utility of these social capital resources is stronger when job autonomy is lower.

Practical implications

Organizations can use social capital resources to reduce newcomers' uncertainty during socialization, facilitating learning and positive outcomes. Organizations should also carefully consider the amount of job autonomy they grant to newcomers, as too much can be detrimental.

Originality/value

Despite the acknowledged importance of workplace resources and relationships, few studies have focused on social resources provided during socialization. Moreover, job design is rarely included in socialization research, despite its influence on workplace processes. Thus, this study provides information about two novel areas of investigation: socially-oriented socialization resources and the impact of job autonomy.
Corporate governance and sustainability disclosure: evidence from Jordan
Authors: Alodat Ahmad Yuosef , Salleh Zalailah , Hashim Hafiza Aishah
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of corporate governance (CG) on sustainability disclosure (SD) from the perspectives of resource dependence, agency and stakeholder theories in the context of Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

The analyses were based on 405 observations from non-financial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange, spanning the period of 2014–2018. The CG that influences SD was examined using panel data regression models.

Findings

The results of the current study show a positive and significant relationship between the extent of SG and the audit committee and board of directors’ effectiveness. In terms of ownership structure, both institutional and foreign ownerships yielded an insignificant relationship with the extent of SDs.

Practical implications

The analyses have implications for practitioners, policymakers, top management and corporate executives. Firms are encouraged to restructure their board of directors to enhance the effectiveness of the board to better monitor and support better SD.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the determinants of SD in Jordan firms. This paper adopted a newly developed global reporting initiative-based reporting index that identifies companies with good sustainability practices. This adds value to the existing sustainability literature.
Untangling the complexity generating material delivery “schedule instability”: insights from automotive OEMs
Authors: Shurrab Hafez , Jonsson Patrik
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Changes frequently made to material delivery schedules (MDSs) accumulate upstream in the supply chain (SC), causing a bullwhip effect. This article seeks to elucidate how dynamic complexity generates MDS instability at OEMs in the automotive industry.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory multiple-case study methodology involved in-depth semistructured interviews with informants at three automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Findings

Dynamic complexity destabilizes MDSs primarily via internal horizontal interactions between product and process complexities and demand and SC complexities. A network of complexity interactions causes and moderates such instability through complexity absorption and generation and complexity importation and exportation.

Research limitations/implications

The multiple-case study contributes to empirical knowledge about the dynamics of MDS instability. Deductive research to validate the identified relationships remains for Future research.

Practical implications

In revealing antecedents of complexity’s effect on MDS instability, the findings imply the need to develop strategies, programs, and policies dedicated to improving capacity scalability, supplier flexibility, and the flexibility of material order fulfillment.

Originality/value

Building on complexity literature, the authors operationalize complexity transfer and develop a framework for analyzing dynamic complexity in SCs, focusing on complexity interactions. The identification and categorization of interactions provide a granular view of the dynamic complexity that generates MDS instability. The identified and proposed importance of readiness of the SC to absorb complexity challenges the literature focus on external factors for explaining complexity outcomes. The results can be used to operationalize such dynamic interactions by introducing new variables and networks of relationships. Moreover, the work showcases how a complexity perspective could be used to discern the root causes of a complex phenomenon driven by non-linear relationships.
Bank-specific factors and credit risk: evidence from Italian banks in different local markets
Authors: Barra Cristian , Ruggiero Nazzareno
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Using bank-level data over the 1994–2015 period, the authors aim to investigate the role of bank-specific factors on credit risk in Italy by considering two different groups of banks, namely, cooperative and non-cooperative (commercial and popular), in different local markets.

Design/methodology/approach

Relying on highly territorially disaggregated data at labour market areas’ level, the authors estimate the impact of the role of bank-specific factors on credit risk in Italy from the estimation of a fixed-effect estimator. Non-performing loans to total loans has been used as a proxy of credit risk; the bank-specific factors are as follows: growth of loans, reflecting credit policy; log of total assets, controlling for banks’ size; loans to total assets, reflecting the volume of credit market; equity to total assets, capturing the solvency of banks and reflecting their capital strength; return on assets, reflecting the profitability of banks; deposits to loans, reflecting the intermediation cost; cost of total assets, reflecting the banks’ efficiency or volume of intermediation cost.

Findings

The empirical findings suggest that regulatory credit policy, capitalisation, volume of credit and volume of intermediation costs are the main bank-specific factors affecting non-performing loans. Nevertheless, the present analysis suggests that the behaviour of cooperative banks’ behaviour seems to be in line with that of commercial rather than popular banks, casting doubts about the feasibility of their credit policies. It turns out that recent reforms involving popular and cooperative banks represent the first step toward the enhancement of the stability and efficiency of the Italian banking system. While the present study’s benchmark results are not particularly affected by the degree of competition in the banking sector and by banks’ size, it shows that both cooperative and non-cooperative banks have undertaken more prudent credit policies after the advent of the financial crisis and the introduction of the Basel regulation.

Originality/value

The relationship between bank-specific factors and credit risk has been analysed using a rich sample of cooperative, commercial and popular banks in Italy over the 1994–2015 period. The authors rely on labour market areas being sub-regional geographical areas where the bulk of the labour force lives and works. The contribution is motivated by the financial distress experienced after the 2008 financial crisis, which has significantly hit the Italian banking system and cooperative banks in particular.
A quantitative crack monitoring method based on crack disturbed voltage
Authors: Fan Xianghong , He Yuting
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The flexible eddy current array sensor has the characteristics of lightweight and flexibility, which has a great application prospect in the field of fatigue crack monitoring. But the exciting layout and feature signal extraction have a great influence on the crack monitoring characteristics of the sensor. This paper aims to propose a method using crack disturbed voltage as sensitivity to characterize crack propagation.

Design/methodology/approach

Flexible eddy current array sensors with reverse and codirectional exciting layout are proposed, and the advantages and disadvantages of three characterization methods based on the change of trans-impedance amplitude, the change of the trans-impedance’s real and imaginary part and the crack disturbed voltage are compared and analyzed by finite element simulation. Finally, the fatigue crack monitoring experiment is carried out.

Findings

The crack disturbed voltage and the change of trans-impedance’s imaginary part can effectively characterize the crack propagation for sensors with different exciting layouts. The codirectional exciting layout sensor has better crack identification sensitivity than the reverse exciting layout sensor, especially the induction coil 2. When the distance between the exciting coil and the induction coil is 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mm, it is increased by 372.09%, 295.24% and 231.43%, respectively.

Originality/value

Crack disturbed voltage can effectively characterize the crack propagation for sensors with two different exciting layouts.
A Bayesian stable isotope mixing model for coping with multiple isotopes, multiple trophic steps and small sample sizes
Authors: Heikkinen Risto , Hämäläinen Heikki , Kiljunen Mikko , Kärkkäinen Salme , Schilder Jos , Jones Roger I.
Published: October 2022

We introduce a Bayesian stable isotope mixing model for estimating the relative contributions of different dietary components to the tissues of consumers within food webs. The model is implemented with the probabilistic programming language Stan.

The model incorporates isotopes of multiple elements (e.g. C, N, H) for two trophic levels, when the structure of the food web is known. In addition, the model allows inclusion of latent trophic levels (i.e. for which no empirical data are available) intermediate between sources and measured consumers. Running the model in simulations driven by a real dataset from Finnish lakes, we tested the sensitivity of the posterior distributions by altering critical prior parameters and assumptions in the data‐generating process.

Importantly, we found that the model estimations were particularly sensitive to the assigned prior value for ω (the fraction of H in aquatic consumer tissue that is derived from environmental water rather than diet) so that reliable empirical data for this parameter are required. When reliable information is not available for ω, we suggest that an uninformative prior should be used.

The proposed model and inferences are suitable for studies where resources for collecting new data are limited, but useful prior information for each specific trophic level is available from earlier studies.
COVID‐19 and neurodegeneration: The mitochondrial connection
Authors: Denaro Christopher A. , Haloush Yara I. , Hsiao Samuel Y. , Orgera John J. , Osorio Teresa , Riggs Lindsey M. , Sassaman Joshua W. , Williams Sarah A. , Monte Carlo Anthony R. , Da Costa Renata T. , Grigoriev Andrey , Solesio Maria E.
Published: October 2022

There is still a significant lack of knowledge regarding many aspects of the etiopathology and consequences of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection in humans. For example, the variety of molecular mechanisms mediating this infection, and the long‐term consequences of the disease remain poorly understood. It first seemed like the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection primarily caused a serious respiratory syndrome. However, over the last years, an increasing number of studies also pointed towards the damaging effects of this infection has on the central nervous system (CNS). In fact, evidence suggests a possible disruption of the blood–brain barrier and deleterious effects on the CNS, especially in patients who already suffer from other pathologies, such as neurodegenerative disorders. The molecular mechanisms behind these effects on the CNS could involve the dysregulation of mitochondrial physiology, a well‐known early marker of neurodegeneration and a hallmark of aging. Moreover, mitochondria are involved in the activation of the inflammatory response, which has also been broadly described in the CNS in COVID‐19. Here, we critically review the current bibliography regarding the presence of neurodegenerative symptoms in COVID‐19 patients, with a special emphasis on the mitochondrial mechanisms of these disorders.
Parapatry of Phanaeus splendidulus and P. dejeani (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in two mountain ranges in the Atlantic Forest
Authors: Araújo Cristina de Oliveira , Weber Marcelo M. , Araújo Rodrigo de Oliveira , Dufrayer Raissa , Monteiro Ricardo F. , Macedo Margarete V.
Published: October 2022

Parapatry occurs when species exhibit adjacent distributions in space, with contact in their boundaries, with or without overlapping. Many factors can generate this pattern, such as environmental conditions and interspecific competition. Mountains are excellent systems to study parapatry because they exhibit large environmental heterogeneity within a small geographical area. Phanaeus splendidulus and P. dejeani are two similar dung beetle species with apparent sympatric distributions at geographical scale, but with a hypothesized parapatric distribution in mountains. We assessed whether P. splendidulus and P. dejeani indeed exhibit a parapatric distribution in two mountain ranges in the Atlantic Forest. We also tested the effects of environmental conditions and interspecific competition on the observed pattern of abundance for both species for one mountain. We placed pitfall traps at every 50 m of elevation from 600 to 2400 m a.s.l. at Itatiaia National Park and from 100 to 2050 m a.s.l. at Serra dos Órgãos National Park in Brazil. We used temperature, vegetation cover, litter volume and soil granulometry as environmental predictors of each species abundance and the abundance of its congeneric species as a measure of interspecific competition. Phanaeus splendidulus and P. dejeani indeed exhibited a parapatric distribution and a small overlapping area, with P. splendidulus reaching up to 1450 m a.s.l. in Itatiaia National Park and 1250 m a.s.l. in Serra dos Órgãos National Park, and P. dejeani occurring above to 1000 m a.s.l. Only maximum temperature was significantly related to species abundance. Maximum temperature affected positively P. splendidulus abundance and negatively P. dejeani, suggesting that these species have opposite climate preferences. The abundance of the congeneric species was not significant for either species. Understand species distributions and what drives them is critical to understand the evolution of species interaction, their responses to the environment and for conservation, in a world of climate change.
A New Perspective on Motivations Behind Chinese Overseas Investment: A Case Study on the Darwin Port Deal
Authors: Zu Haoyue
Published: October 2022

This article explores the motivations underlying China's overseas investment by taking the Landbridge Group's takeover of the lease of Darwin Port as a case study. It discusses whether the Landbridge Group's deal was a government‐driven investment for particular strategic purposes. By studying the financing process of the Landbridge Group's deal, this article finds that contrary to the usual assumption that there are some clear political motives underlying the lease, the deal itself did not include a detailed investment plan or specific political goals, and was mainly driven by commercial interests. Additionally, it analyses the role of a local Chinese government in the deal and shows that it acted more like a benefit‐seeker after the deal was completed for its own bureaucratic interests.
Crossing a River without a Horse
Authors: McClean Page
Published: October 2022

While stories sit with you, their meanings may shift over time. This piece of creative ethnographic nonfiction shares the experience of what it is like to be there, live this life, and know this person. Beyond crossing rivers and runaway horses, I highlight the complexity, risk, and ingenuity of rural living in a part of Chilean Patagonia that the government calls “extreme,” “isolated,” and “backward.” This is a story about relationships and different forms of knowledge and expertise that become increasingly muddied across gendered town and country divides. It explores what it means to belong to a place and to make it one's own. [Patagonia, risk, knowledge, place, relationships]
Misdiagnosis-Related Harm Quantification Through Mixture Models and Harm Measures
Authors: Zhu Yuxin , Wang Zheyu , Newman-Toker David
Published: October 2022

Investigating and monitoring misdiagnosis-related harm is crucial for improving health care. However, this effort has traditionally focused on the chart review process, which is labor intensive, potentially unstable, and does not scale well. To monitor medical institutes' diagnostic performance and identify areas for improvement in a timely fashion, researchers proposed to leverage the relationship between symptoms and diseases based on electronic health records or claim data. Specifically, the elevated disease risk following a false-negative diagnosis can be used to signal potential harm. However, off-the-shelf statistical methods do not fully accommodate the data structure of a well-hypothesized risk pattern and thus fail to address the unique challenges adequately. To fill these gaps, we proposed a mixture regression model and its associated goodness-of-fit testing. We further proposed harm measures and profiling analysis procedures to quantify, evaluate, and compare misdiagnosis-related harm across institutes with potentially different patient population compositions. We studied the performance of the proposed methods through simulation studies. We then illustrated the methods through data analyses on stroke occurrence data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. From the analyses, we quantitatively evaluated risk factors for being harmed due to misdiagnosis, which unveiled some insights for health care quality research. We also compared general and special care hospitals in Taiwan and observed better diagnostic performance in special care hospitals using various new evaluation measures.
Fish community composition in small lakes: The impact of lake genesis and fisheries management
Authors: Matern Sven , Klefoth Thomas , Wolter Christian , Hussner Andreas , Simon Janek , Arlinghaus Robert
Published: October 2022

Gravel pit lakes are common across Europe. These novel ecosystems serve as model systems to study human‐induced and natural colonisation of isolated lakes by fish. Fisheries‐management activities can quickly spread species over large distances, possibly homogenising fish communities across ecosystems, while fostering local fish diversity.

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of lake genesis (gravel pit lakes < 100 years old vs. natural lakes of glacial genesis ~10,000 years old) and fisheries management (fish stocking activities present vs. absent) on the fish community in small lakes, while controlling for key environmental variables known to affect lake fish communities.

We sampled fish communities by electrofishing and multimesh gillnetting in 47 isolated lakes managed for fisheries, and 19 unmanaged and isolated lakes of both natural and artificial origin in northern Germany. Unmanaged lakes were used as reference to assess fisheries‐management impacts in small natural and artificial lakes.

We caught 178,506 fish from 30 species and found that the accumulation of native lake fish species in lakes was associated with fisheries management, which increased local species richness (α‐diversity) and number of predatory species, and reduced among‐lake variation in fish community composition (β‐diversity; i.e., homogenisation). The homogenisation‐effect associated with fisheries happened with introduced native fish species, whereas non‐native species were rarely detected.

In unmanaged gravel pit lakes, the littoral fish community composition was substantially different to the communities present in both types of managed lakes and unmanaged natural lakes. Therefore, the relatively young unmanaged gravel pit lakes revealed evidence of ongoing, stochastic colonisation processes that resulted in comparatively species‐poor fish communities.

We concluded that fisheries management by anglers speeds up the colonisation of gravel pit lakes with native fish species in the study area. For planning initial fish introductions in newly created gravel pit lakes, it is recommended that fish communities from ecologically similar natural lakes within the same geographical region are used as references to maintain the biotic integrity of newly created fish communities.
Seeing a talking face matters: Infants' segmentation of continuous auditory‐visual speech
Authors: Tan Sok Hui Jessica , Kalashnikova Marina , Burnham Denis
Published: October 2022

Visual speech cues from a speaker's talking face aid speech segmentation in adults, but despite the importance of speech segmentation in language acquisition, little is known about the possible influence of visual speech on infants' speech segmentation. Here, to investigate whether there is facilitation of speech segmentation by visual information, two groups of English‐learning 7‐month‐old infants were presented with continuous speech passages, one group with auditory‐only (AO) speech and the other with auditory‐visual (AV) speech. Additionally, the possible relation between infants' relative attention to the speaker's mouth versus eye regions and their segmentation performance was examined. Both the AO and the AV groups of infants successfully segmented words from the continuous speech stream, but segmentation performance persisted for longer for infants in the AV group. Interestingly, while AV group infants showed no significant relation between the relative amount of time spent fixating the speaker's mouth versus eyes and word segmentation, their attention to the mouth was greater than that of AO group infants, especially early in test trials. The results are discussed in relation to the possible pathways through which visual speech cues aid speech perception.
Impact of peripherally inserted central venous catheter‐associated phlebitis in neonate guided by intracavitary electrocardiogram: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Gan Wenyi , Hu Lin , Luo Yulan , Tang Menglin
Published: October 2022

Because the application of intracavitary electrocardiogram (IC‐ECG)‐guided peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in the treatment of neonates is controversial in terms of phlebitis reduction compared with traditional X‐ray positioning technique, a systematical evaluation is needed on the impact of IC‐ECG on this common complication following PICC. Literature retrieval was conducted on large databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane library, and CNKI. Randomised controlled trials (RTCs) of intracavitary electrocardiogram‐guided peripherally inserted central catheter tip placement in the treatment of neonates up to July 7, 2022, were collected. Then indicators of included studies were compared and analysed by two researchers. Meta‐analysis was performed on the STATA 17.0 software. After excluding invalid trials, 11 out of 316 randomised controlled trials were included for further analysis. Meta‐analysis results showed that compared with the control group, IC‐ECG‐guided PICC could decrease the incidence of phlebitis (I2 = 0.00%, P = 0.76, OR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.19–0.56) and that no significant difference was observed between preterm neonates and term neonates (P = 0.74). Meanwhile, total complications were decreased in neonates (I2 = 0.00%, P = 0.00 OR = 0.23, 95% CI 0.16–0.33). IC‐ECG‐guided PICC could also improve the accuracy of optimal tip location (I2 = 0.00%, P = 0.53, OR = 5.37, 95% CI 3.80–7.59). IC‐ECG‐guided PICC could achieve reduced phlebitis incidence and total complications in the treatment of neonates, as well as increased accuracy of optimal tip location, no matter if those neonates were preterm or not. This study was registered in inplasy.com with No. INPLASY202280012 (DOI: 10.37766/inplasy2022.8.0012).
Combined pulsed field ablation with ultra‐low temperature cryoablation: A preclinical experience
Authors: Verma Atul , Feld Gregory K. , Cox James L. , Dewland Thomas A. , Babkin Alexei , De Potter Tom , Raju Narayan , Haissaguerre Michel
Published: October 2022

Background

Combining pulsed field ablation (PFA) with ultra‐low temperature cryoablation (ULTC) represents a novel energy source which may create more transmural cardiac lesions. We sought to assess the feasibility of lesions created by combined cryoablation and pulsed field ablation (PFCA) versus PFA alone.

Methods

Ablations were performed using a custom PFA generator, ULTC console, and an ablation catheter with insertable stylets. PFA was delivered in a biphasic, bipolar train. PFCA precooled the tissue for 30 s followed by a concurrent PFA train. Benchtop testing using Schlieren imaging and microbubble volume assessment were used to compare PFA and PFCA. PFA and PFCA lesions using pre‐optimized and optimized ablation protocols were studied in 6 swine. Pre and post‐ECGs were recorded for each ablation and a gross necropsy was performed at 14 days.

Results

Consistent with benchtop comparisons of heat and microbubble generation, PFA deliveries in the animals were accompanied by muscle contractions and significant microbubbles (Grade 2–3) visible on intracardiac echo while neither occurred during PFCA at higher voltage levels. Both PFA and PFCA acutely eliminated or highly attenuated (>80%) local atrial electrograms. Histology of PFA and PFCA lesions indicated depth up to 6–7 mm and nearly all lesions were transmural. Optimized PFCA produced wider cavotricuspid isthmus lesions with evidence of tissue selectivity.

Conclusion

A novel technology combining PFA and ULTC into one energy source demonstrated in‐vivo feasibility for PFCA ablation. PFCA had a more favorable thermal profile and did not produce muscle contraction or microbubbles while extending lesion depth beyond cryoablation.
Birth and growth of the shortnose guitarfish Zapteryx brevirostris (Müller & Henle, 1841) (Chondrichthyes, Rhinobatidae) in captivity
Authors: Maganhe Bruna Larissa , Camilo Laura de Oliveira , Kurokawa Rodrigo E. , Gallo Neto Hugo , Sanches Eduardo Gomes
Published: October 2022

Endemic to the south‐west Atlantic Ocean, the shortnose guitarfish (Zapteryx brevirostris) is a small species, classified as endangered by the IUCN. Although reproduction in captivity has been successful for some species, a range of factors can limit the success of captive breeding programmes for elasmobranchs. In Brazil, the Ubatuba Aquarium was the first public aquarium to reproduce small‐sized elasmobranchs. Since 2018, at least five parturition events have been recorded for Z. brevirostris at the institution. From a total of 13 live neonates that rearing was attempted, the mean ± standard error of weight, total length (TL) and disc width at birth were 17.47 ± 1.6 g, 13.25 ± 0.7 cm and 6.53 ± 0.2 cm, respectively. The mean weight as well as mean TL were higher for females at all births, with 26.15 g and 15.07 cm for females in comparison with 17.09 g and 13.94 cm for males. Considering the increasing risk of extinction that the species is facing, age and growth studies are fundamental for the success of conservation, improving the knowledge of Z. brevirostris life cycle so that a more efficient and sustainable management can be carried out. This study provides important data, as well as directions for captive breeding of the species.
The developing juvenile distal tibia: Radiographic identification of distinct ontogenetic phases and structural trajectories
Authors: Reid Rebecca A. G. , Davies Catriona , Cunningham Craig
Published: October 2022

A novel combination of radiographic colour gradient mapping and radiographic absorptiometry was utilised to examine 96 human distal tibiae from 54 individuals ranging in age‐at‐death from the foetal to 23 years. The purpose of this was to identify previously undocumented changes in the internal organisation during the development of the distal tibia and determine whether these changes could be described as distinct phases. Previous studies have demonstrated a rudimentary structural organisation in other skeletal elements that mirror more mature patterns of bone organisation. Results showed that the perinatal tibia did not exhibit a rudimentary structural pattern similar to the architecture observed within the late adolescent tibia. This lack of early internal organisation is hypothesised to be related to the rudimentary ossification process that is being laid down around a pre‐existing vascular template which will be subsequently modified by locomotive forces. Between birth and 2 years of age, the tibia exhibited a period of regression where radiodensity decreased in comparison to the perinatal tibia. This period of regression was postulated to be due to a combination of factors including changing locomotive forces, weaning and growth resulting in a stage of development which is extremely demanding on calcium liberation from the skeleton. After 2 years of age, the distal tibia demonstrated refinement where radiographic trajectories progressively developed into patterns consistent with adult trabecular organisation. These trajectories are linked to the forces associated with the bipedal gait, suggesting a strong influence of biomechanical forces on the development of the distal tibia.
Alterations in maternal plasma exosomal miRNAs revealed selective material exchange between maternal circulation and placenta
Authors: Ge Yuchun , Wei Mengtian , Chang Xinwen , Huang Yiying , Duan Tao , Wang Kai , Li Han , He Qizhi
Published: October 2022

Aim

Exosomes have emerged as important regulators in the communication between maternal peripheral blood and placenta. We aimed to compare maternal plasma exosomal miRNAs profile between healthy pregnant and nonpregnant women, screen for differential expressed miRNAs and their potential regulatory role during pregnancy.

Methods

We isolated exosomes from plasma of mid‐trimester, last trimester, and nonpregnant women (n = 6 each group), analyzed the miRNA profile using next‐generation sequencing.

Results

Several miRNA clusters were expressed in plasma exosomes, such as C19MC, C14MC, and let‐7 family, miRNAs in each cluster may have synergistic effect during pregnancy. We assumed maternal circulating exosomal miRNA could be transported into placenta or selectively uptook by placenta, which was consistent with the fact that many pregnancy‐associated or placenta highly expressed miRNAs reduced in exosomes during pregnancy. Some exosomal miRNAs were mainly secreted by the placenta, which could act as markers that reflect changes in the function and microenvironment of the placenta.

Conclusions

Exosomal miRNAs are associated with placenta development and have potential as molecular markers.
Total sleep deprivation decreases saliva ghrelin levels in adolescents
Authors: Felső Regina , Lányi Éva , Erhardt Éva , Laufer Zsófia , Kardos Dániel , Herczeg Róbert , Gyenesei Attila , Hollódy Katalin , Molnár Dénes
Published: October 2022

Ghrelin, a regulator of food intake and energy expenditure, has been shown to be associated with insufficient sleep. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effect of a single night of total sleep deprivation on fasting saliva ghrelin and on nocturnal variation of saliva ghrelin concentration. A further aim of the study was to investigate the influence of body mass index on changes in saliva ghrelin levels. Altogether 35 adolescents (18 boys; age: 13.8 ± 1.14 years) were studied on two subsequent days (sleep and total sleep deprivation). Saliva samples were collected during the two experimental nights at 21:00 hours, 01:00 hours and 06:00 hours. Total‐ghrelin concentration showed a continuous increase from the evening until 06:00 hours. This increase was blunted significantly (p = 0.003) by total sleep deprivation. Total‐ghrelin level was significantly lower (p = 0.02) during total sleep deprivation at 06:00 hours (median 403.6 pg ml−1; 95% confidence interval: 343.1–468.9 pg ml−1) as compared with values during the sleep condition (median 471.2 pg ml−1; 95% confidence interval: 205.4–1578.7 pg ml−1). Acyl‐ghrelin levels did not present any change at the three time points, and were not affected by total sleep deprivation. Stratifying the study population according to body mass index (normal weight and overweight/obese groups), the blunting effect of total sleep deprivation was more pronounced in the obese/overweight group (sleep: median 428.2 pg ml−1; 95% confidence interval: 331.3–606.9 pg ml−1 versus total sleep deprivation: median 333.1 pg ml−1; 95% confidence interval: 261.5–412.9 pg ml−1; p = 0.0479). Saliva total‐ghrelin concentrations gradually increased during the night, and total sleep deprivation significantly blunted this increase. This blunting effect was mainly observed in subjects with overweight/obesity. The physiological and clinical implications of the present observation are to be clarified by further studies.