bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Masking Ability of Subtractively and Additively Manufactured Dental Ceramic Restorations: A Systematic Review
Authors: Du Karen , Muao Teuila , Plaksina Polina , Hung Sharon Tsz‐Han , Cameron Andrew B , Choi Joanne Jung Eun
Published: January 2025

Objective

To conduct a systematic review on the masking ability of subtractively and additively manufactured dental ceramics.

Materials and Methods

The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The electronic search was carried out through MEDLINE, Scopus, and Website of Science databases with a date restriction being from 2001 onwards. Publications in English, in vitro studies, and studies regarding the evaluation of the masking ability of crown materials that were subtractively and additively manufactured were included.

Results

Out of 619 eligible articles, 13 were included. A thickness of 1.5 mm for lithium disilicate (LD) resulted in a dramatic decrease in ∆Eab/∆E00 across all substrates compared to a 1 mm thickness. Low‐translucent LD appeared to have the best masking ability regardless of the shade of the try‐in paste. Layering flowable composite over the substrates improved masking ability. Darker substrates were the hardest to mask no matter the type of restorative material, try‐in paste used, and layering technique. Bilayered restorative materials proved to be superior to monolithic materials regarding masking ability.

Conclusion

Increasing the thickness of subtractively manufactured ceramics materials improves the masking ability. 1.5 mm thickness is found to provide the best masking ability for most ceramic materials. Darker substrates prove to be difficult to mask in comparison to lighter substrates and require either thicker materials and/or more opaque cements. Bilayered crowns are recommended for achieving optimal masking while preserving tooth structure. Despite the increasing demand, there is no study available on 3D‐printed (additively manufactured) restoration's masking ability.

Clinical Significance

This review provides a comparison of masking abilities of multiple subtractively manufactured ceramic materials and highlight the lack of current knowledge on additively manufactured crown materials. It also emphasizes the importance of having a universal approach to interpreting and communicating color changes between collaborative dental professionals to ensure the same shade predictions. In addition, when masking darker shades, clinicians should be aware that alternative material choice or clinical and technical procedures are essential.
Reply to: “Comment on: Differences in Setting of Initial Dementia Diagnosis Among Fee‐for‐Service Medicare Beneficiaries”
Authors: White Elizabeth , Bayer Thomas , Rahman Momotazur
Published: January 2025

See the related comment by Wu et al.
A Realist Scoping Review of Community Nutrition Interventions in the UK: Implications for the ‘Nutrition Skills for Life’ Programme
Authors: Lisa Williams J. , Wallace Carolyn , Filipponi Teresa
Published: January 2025

Background

Nutrition Skills for Life (NSFL) provides training and support for communities and organisations to implement Community Nutrition Interventions (CNIs) that meet identified needs. To inform future NSFL evaluation, this scoping review, using a realist approach sought to determine the underpinning initial programme theory (IPT) for how CNIs support socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) communities to access a healthy diet, as detailed in the protocol doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/D56FK.OSF.IO/D56FK.

Methodology

Reporting standards for realist syntheses (RAMESES) and scoping reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) were used. Four electronic databases and grey literature were searched. Of the 1920 documents identified, 45 were included in the analysis. Data relating to Context, Mechanism and Outcomes were extracted and presented as C‐M‐O configurations (CMOCs). Documents were assessed for relevance to the research question and usefulness in terms of their contribution towards the IPT.

Results

The IPT, underpinned by the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, comprises 17 consolidated CMOCs. These are narratively discussed as follows: understanding community needs; consistent nutrition messages; knowledgeable, skilled, confident practitioners/facilitators and practising new skills.

Conclusions

Realist research and analysis of CMOCs provided a deeper understanding of how CNIs can be implemented to support SED communities in accessing a healthy diet. Interventions ‘worked’ when they acknowledged and addressed identified barriers to healthy eating, provided reliable, trusted, easy‐to‐understand nutrition messages, were delivered by confident, knowledgeable practitioners, and facilitated strategies such as meal preparation. Further realist evaluation to refine the IPT could inform the evaluation of other complex public health interventions.
How did home care nurses support COVID‐19 patients in Japan? A qualitative study
Authors: Shirouchi Mana , Sumikawa Yuka , Yoshioka‐Maeda Kyoko , Yamamoto‐Mitani Noriko
Published: January 2025

Aim

Home care nurses support patients with COVID‐19 with mild to moderate symptoms at home due to the lack of community‐based support. Little is known about how nurses initiated and maintained support for patients with COVID‐19. This study explored the experiences of home care nurses in supporting patients with COVID‐19 at home.

Methods

Using snowball sampling, 21 home care nurses participated in semi‐structured interviews conducted either in person or online between September 2021 and February 2023. A qualitative study using a grounded theory approach was conducted.

Results

Home care nurses faced a situation where “suffering patients are overflowing” due to inadequate support from public health centers and designated hospitals. Despite their anxiety, they acted as a “flexible safety net by quickly compensating for uncertain support systems” for patients, families, and local health workers. They “built tentative support systems immediately” and “updated tentative support systems, own knowledge, skills, and mindset.” Home care nurses also “rushed to patient/family” to provide timely support and “avoided preventable death.”

Conclusions

Home care nurses act as a flexible safety net, preventing patient deaths by quickly compensating for uncertain support systems before and after initiating care. Their efforts complemented the inadequacies of traditional infectious disease control systems, typically managed by public health centers. Strengthening secondary and tertiary prevention systems is essential for home care nurses to save lives while delivering individualized care during the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Making Zoning Relevant for Business Students: An Interactive Exercise in Selecting a Business Location
Authors: Grow Lara
Published: January 2025

This article describes an in‐class exercise that can be used when teaching zoning law to a Real Estate Law or Legal Environment of Business undergraduate course. The exercise requires students to utilize Salt Lake City's zoning code to locate the best site for a restaurant chain given certain locational and operational requirements, and to research the likelihood of a variance request. The exercise is an effective means for instructors to connect an increasingly relevant area of the law to a practical business objective.
Regulation of neural stem cells by innervating neurons
Authors: Dittmann Nicole Leanne , Chen Lauren , Voronova Anastassia
Published: January 2025

The adult central nervous system (CNS) hosts several niches, in which the neural stem and precursor cells (NPCs) reside. The subventricular zone (SVZ) lines the lateral brain ventricles and the subgranular zone (SGZ) is located in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. SVZ and SGZ NPCs replace neurons and glia in the homeostatic as well as diseased or injured states. Recently, NPCs have been found to express neurotransmitter receptors, respond to electrical stimulation and interact with neurons, suggesting that neuron‐NPC communication is an emerging critical regulator of NPC biology. In this review, we discuss reports that demonstrate neuronal innervation and control of the neurogenic niches. We discuss the role of innervating neurons in regulating NPC fates, such as activation, proliferation, and differentiation. Our review focuses primarily on the innervation of the SVZ niche by the following neuronal types: glutamatergic, GABAergic projection and interneurons, cholinergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, neuropeptidergic, nitrergic, and noradrenergic. We also discuss the origins of SVZ niche innervating neurons, such as striatum, cortex, basal ganglia, raphe nuclei, substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area, hypothalamus, and locus coeruleus. Our review highlights the various roles of innervating neurons in SVZ NPC fates in a spatiotemporal manner and emphasizes a need for future investigation into the impact of neuronal innervation on NPC gliogenesis.

image
Successful pain control of lymphangioma‐suspected lesions in pregnancy with acetaminophen and opioids: A case report and literature review
Authors: Kawatani Haruna , Shibata Takashi , Kotsuji Fumikazu , Kato Hiroki , Nishikawa Shigeki , Nakago Satoshi
Published: January 2025

Lymphangioma causing pain during pregnancy is not widely reported, but surgical treatment was performed in each of the reported cases. In our patient, lesions arose in the retroperitoneal cavity and caused intense pain from 17 weeks of gestation. However, surgical treatment was considered difficult because of the location of the lesion. The maximum dose of acetaminophen was administered, but pain relief remained unsatisfactory, and there were concerns about possible side effects of long‐term use of high‐dose acetaminophen on the fetus. Following attempts to control pain and reduce the acetaminophen dose, adding opioids was effective in controlling the pain and minimizing both dosages as much as possible. The patient was able to continue her pregnancy to term, avoiding highly invasive surgery during pregnancy. The combination of acetaminophen and opioids is reported here as an alternative treatment option to surgical procedures for intense pain caused by lesions such as lymphangioma in pregnancy.
Epidemiology and outcomes of alpha‐1 antitrypsin deficiency in Sweden 2002–2020: A population‐based cohort study of 2286 individuals
Authors: Wahlin Staffan , Widman Linnea , Hagström Hannes
Published: January 2025

Objective

To estimate the incidence, prevalence, and outcomes of patients with diagnosed alpha‐1‐antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) in Sweden, 2002–2020.

Study design and setting

The Swedish National Patient Registry was utilized to identify patients with a first diagnosis of AATD between 2002 and 2020. Each patient was matched with up to 10 comparators from the general population. AATD incidence and prevalence were estimated. Causes of death and rates of mortality, transplantation, lung disease, liver cirrhosis, and previous neonatal cholestasis were estimated.

Results

The incidence rate of AATD was 1.83 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.58–2.11) per 100,000 person‐years and the total prevalence was 21.04 (95%CI = 20.17–21.94) per 100,000 persons at the end of 2020. Mortality was 3.55 times higher (95%CI = 3.15–3.99) for patients with AATD. Rates of liver—(hazard ratio [HR] = 22.95, 95%CI = 12.61–41.75), lung—(HR = 12.09, 95%CI = 8.87–16.47), and cardiovascular (HR = 1.90, 95%CI = 1.45–2.90) related death were higher in patients with AATD. The cumulative incidence after 10 years of follow‐up was 1.69% (95%CI = 1.15–2.41) for liver transplantation and 4.14% (95%CI = 3.20–5.26) for lung transplantation. About 20% of patients were estimated to be alive without lung disease or liver cirrhosis 20 years after an AATD diagnosis. Neonatal cholestasis codes were found in 3.0% of AATD patients and 0.5% of comparators (odds ratio 6.28, 95%CI = 3.81–10.36).

Conclusions

In this population‐based cohort study on AATD in Sweden, an increasing incidence was observed, and significantly higher rates of death from liver, lung, and cardiovascular causes compared to the general population were found. Only a minority of diagnosed AATD patients were estimated to be free of liver cirrhosis and lung disease after 20 years.
Simultaneous Estimation of Stable Parameters for Multiple Autoregressive Processes From Datasets of Nonuniform Sizes
Authors: Lederer Johannes , Sachs Rainer von
Published: January 2025

We develop a finite‐sample theory for estimating the coefficients and for the prediction of multiple stable autoregressive processes that (i) share an unknown lag order but (ii) can differ in their sample sizes. Our technique is based on penalisation similar to hierarchical, overlapping group‐Lasso but requires a new mathematical set‐up to accommodate (i) and (ii). The set‐up differs from existing work considerably, for example, in that we estimate the common lag order directly from the data rather than using extrinsic criteria. We prove that the estimated autoregressive processes enjoy stability, and we establish rates for both the estimation and prediction error that can outmatch the known rates in our setting. Our insights on lag selection and stability are also of interest in the case of individual autoregressive processes.
Resilience assessment of urban rail transit stations considering disturbance and time‐varying passenger flow
Authors: Liu Xiaowei , Chen Jinqu , Du Bo , Yan Xu , Peng Qiyuan , Shen Jun
Published: January 2025

Unlike most urban rail transit (URT) resilience studies on URT lines or networks under major disturbances, this paper focuses on the resilience assessment of URT stations under high‐frequency daily disturbances with minor impacts. A resilience assessment metric with different resilience levels is proposed, which is calculated based on multiple criteria, including the number of delayed passengers, degree of congestion, economic loss from service suppliers’ perspective, extra in‐station travel time, extra walking distance, and extra waiting time from passengers’ perspective. A two‐stage passenger flow redistribution model is developed with stage one focusing on route adjustment under disturbance, while stage two determining the walking path within the disrupted station. A case study of Simaqiao Station in the Chengdu subway network in China is conducted. The numerical results indicate that this station demonstrates strong resilience in most scenarios, although it faces challenges under certain identified disturbances.
Sudden borders in the north: Regional resilience and nationalism in the Torne Valley during COVID‐19
Authors: Gaber Katrina
Published: January 2025

The Torne Valley used to be described as one of the most peaceful and most integrated border areas in the world. This changed radically during the COVID‐19 pandemic when the border between Sweden and Finland precipitously became materialised through the physical installation of a border fence in 2020. With the help of rich empirical data collected through interviews, this paper examines the social struggle between border region resilience and everyday nationalism in the Sweden–Finland borderland area, the Torne valley, in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic. The aim of the paper is to shed light on the complex processes of identity creation and the relevance of regional and national identities in the north. The analysis examines the processes through which regional and national identities are constructed, the meaning of these identities in this context, and provides novel insights on how the pandemic affected social ties in the north.
Insertion of the β‐ketoacyl‐CoA synthase MdKCS2 promoter segment causes wax biosynthesis difference in apple peel
Authors: Zhang Lizhi , Yin Shaobo , Wang Mingqian , Liu Zhi , Lv Tianxing , Wang Yanan , Wang Aide , Tan Dongmei , Ji Yinglin
Published: January 2025

Cuticular wax is essential for fruit to maintain moisture. Although the wax content of peel surface in apple (Malus spp.) varies, the detailed molecular mechanism remains unclear.

Here, we identified the β‐ketoacyl‐CoA synthase 2 (MdKCS2) differentially expressed between apple peel with low and high wax content by integrating bulked segregant analysis‐sequencing and RNA‐seq. We found that a 63‐bp insertion in the MdKCS2 promoter was the primary reason for apple peel with low wax content. The 63‐bp insertion reduced MdKCS2 promoter activity and enhanced the DNA binding with the suppressor MdDOF4.6, decreasing wax biosynthesis by reducing C24 very‐long‐chain fatty acid (VLCFA).

ECERIFERUM 2 (MdCER2) was co‐expressed with MdKCS2 and suppressed by MdMYB56, MdbHLH137 and MdDOF4.6, further decreasing C29 alkane content in apple peel with low C24 VLCFA content.

Overall, MdKCS2 and MdCER2 are coordinately involved in the wax production of apple peel surface.
Soil microbes influence the ecology and evolution of plant plasticity
Authors: Bolin Lana G.
Published: January 2025

Stress often induces plant trait plasticity, and microbial communities also alter plant traits. Therefore, it is unclear how much plasticity results from direct plant responses to stress vs indirect responses due to stress‐induced changes in soil microbial communities.

To test how microbes and microbial community responses to stress affect the ecology and potentially the evolution of plant plasticity, I grew plants in four stress environments (salt, herbicide, herbivory, and no stress) with microbes that had responded to these same environments or with sterile inoculant.

Plants delayed flowering under stress only when inoculated with live microbial communities, and this plasticity was maladaptive. However, microbial communities responded to stress in ways that accelerated flowering across all environments. Microbes also affected the expression of genetic variation for plant flowering time and specific leaf area, as well as genetic variation for plasticity of both traits, and disrupted a positive genetic correlation for plasticity in response to herbicide and herbivory stress, suggesting that microbes may affect the pace of plant evolution.

Together, these results highlight an important role for soil microbes in plant plastic responses to stress and suggest that microbes may alter the evolution of plant plasticity.
Circadian Proteomics Reassesses the Temporal Regulation of Metabolic Rhythms by Chlamydomonas Clock
Authors: Jadhav Dinesh Balasaheb , Roy Sougata
Published: January 2025

Circadian clocks execute temporal regulation of metabolism by modulating the timely expression of genes. Clock regulation of mRNA synthesis was envisioned as the primary driver of these daily rhythms. mRNA oscillations often do not concur with the downstream protein oscillations, revealing the importance to study protein oscillations. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a well‐studied miniature plant model. We quantitatively probed the Chlamydomonas proteome for two subsequent circadian cycles using high throughput SWATH‐DIA mass spectrometry. We quantified > 1000 proteins, half of which demonstrate circadian rhythms. Among these rhythmic proteins, > 90% peak around subjective midday or midnight. We uncovered key enzymes involved in Box C/D pathway, amino acid biosynthesis, fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis and peroxisomal β‐oxidation of FAs are driven by the clock, which were undocumented from earlier transcriptomic studies. Proteins associated with key biological processes such as photosynthesis, redox, carbon fixation, glycolysis and TCA cycle show extreme temporal regulation. We conclude that circadian proteomics is required to complement transcriptomic studies to understand the complex clock regulation of organismal biology. We believe our study will not only refine and enrich the evaluation of temporal metabolic processes in C. reinhardtii but also provide a novel understanding of clock regulation across species.
The Vacuolar Inositol Transporter BvINT1;1 Contributes to Raffinose Biosynthesis and Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging During Cold Stress in Sugar Beet
Authors: Berg Johannes , Rodrigues Cristina Martins , Scheid Claire , Pirrotte Yana , Picco Cristiana , Scholz‐Starke Joachim , Zierer Wolfgang , Czarnecki Olaf , Hackenberg Dieter , Ludewig Frank , Koch Wolfgang , Neuhaus H. Ekkehard , Müdsam Christina , Pommerrenig Benjamin , Keller Isabel
Published: January 2025

Despite a high sucrose accumulation in its taproot vacuoles, sugar beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is sensitive to freezing. Earlier, a taproot‐specific accumulation of raffinose was shown to have beneficial effects on the freezing tolerance of the plant. However, synthesis of raffinose and other oligosaccharides of the raffinose family depends on the availability of myo‐inositol. Since inositol and inositol‐metabolising enzymes reside in different organelles, functional inositol metabolism and raffinose synthesis depend on inositol transporters. We identified five homologues of putative inositol transporters in the sugar beet genome, two of which, BvINT1;1 and BvINT1;2, are localised at the tonoplast. Among these, only the transcript of BvINT1;1 is highly upregulated in sugar beet taproots under cold. BvINT1;1 exhibits a high transport specificity for inositol and sugar beet mutants lacking functional BvINT1;1 contain increased inositol levels, likely accumulating in the vacuole, and decreased raffinose contents under cold treatment. Due to the quenching capacity of raffinose for Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which accumulate under cold stress, bvint1;1 sugar beet plants show increased expression of both, ROS marker genes and detoxifying enzymes. Based on these findings, we conclude that the vacuolar inositol transporter BvINT1;1 is contributing to ROS‐homoeostasis in the cold metabolism of sugar beet.
Deep metabolomics revealed trajectories of jasmonate signaling‐mediated primary metabolism in Arabidopsis upon Spodoptera litura herbivory
Authors: Kundu Anish , Bera Paramita , Mishra Shruti , Vadassery Jyothilakshmi
Published: January 2025

Plants defend against chewing herbivores by up‐regulating jasmonic acid (JA) signaling, which activates downstream signaling cascades and produces numerous secondary metabolites that act as defense molecules against the herbivores. Although secondary metabolism always remains a focus of research, primary metabolism is also reported to be realigned upon herbivory. However, JA signaling‐mediated modulation of primary metabolites and their metabolic pathways in plants are mostly unexplored. Here, we applied gas chromatography–mass spectrometry‐based untargeted metabolomics aided with computational statistical frameworks on wild type Arabidopsis, mutants of active JA receptor (i.e., CORONATINE‐INSENSITIVE 1, COI1‐1) and downstream transcription factor (i.e., MYC2) to navigate the JA signaling‐mediated primary metabolism alterations during herbivory. Pathway and metabolite's chemical class enrichment analysis revealed JA signaling is crucial for constitutive as well as herbivore‐induced primary metabolism and topology of their interaction networks. JA signaling majorly modulated alterations of sugars, amino acids and related metabolites. Herbivory‐mediated sugar depletion and induction of methionine for aliphatic glucosinolates are also dependent on JA signaling. Taken together, our results demonstrate trails of JA signaling‐mediated primary metabolic alterations associated with herbivory.
Assisting recolonization of near‐shore seagrasses
Authors: Torres‐Conde Eduardo G. , Alvarez‐Rocha Mariana , van der Heide Tjisse , Didderen Karin , Lengkeek Wouter , van Tussenbroek Brigitta I.
Published: January 2025

Natural recolonization of seagrasses may take decades after disturbances and is particularly challenging in near‐shore environments, where sediment mobility inhibits seagrass establishment. We assisted recolonization in fifteen 4x10 m unvegetated experimental plots in a Mexican Caribbean near‐shore fringe where the seagrasses had died due to massive inundations of holopelagic Sargassum species, and where a containment barrier was placed to avoid future inundations. The applied treatments were: artificial substrate (AS: 90 belowground, artificial, biodegradable, 15x15 cm‐sized substrates, cut from a 0.91 x 0.45m Biodegradable EcoSystem Engineering sheet), transplant (TR: 90 cores, 4.5 cm diameter, with Halodule wrightii), and control (C: no manipulation), each with five replicates. After 6 months, 63% of H. wrightii transplants survived, presenting mean rhizome extension of 7.6 cm, and H. wrightii from natural surrounding patches started to colonize the plots. After approximately 8 months, AS and TR plots already showed higher light conditions and lower fluctuations in sediment levels than the controls. After 14 months, the AS and TR plots reached higher mean (± SE) density (respectively, 4024 ± 620 and 3484 ± 360 shoots/m2) and cover (60.3 ± 3.85 and 53.7 ± 2.84 %), compared to the control plots (2043 ± 381 shoots/m2, 35.3 ± 5.7 % cover). Higher density of H. wrightii likely favored the natural establishment of Thalassia testudinum seedlings, with an average of 2.07 (± 0.15) and 1.87 (± 0.18) seedlings in AS and TR plots, respectively, compared to 0.48 (± 0.23) in the controls. Both techniques accelerated seagrass recolonization, but artificial substrates required less effort and avoided harvesting of donor meadows.
The Nexus Between Flush Toilet Use and Off‐Farm Performance of Rural Households
Authors: Li Junpeng , Liu Xiao , Meng Xianghai , Zhang Wenguang
Published: January 2025

This study examines the impact of flush toilet use on farmers' off‐farm performance. We analyse data from 2012, 2014 and 2016 China Labour‐force Dynamics Survey (CLDS) by employing the two‐stage residual inclusion (TSRI) model to address the endogeneity issues associated with flush toilet use. The results show that flush toilet use not only significantly increases the probability of farmers' participation in off‐farm work by 3.5% but also improves their off‐farm income by 2100 yuan/capita/year. Disaggregated analyses reveal that farmers characterised as female, well‐educated and aware of water pollution benefit the most from using flush toilets in terms of off‐farm work participation and off‐farm income. Our mediation analysis confirms that farmers' use of flush toilet enhances their health conditions, which links them to improved off‐farm performance. Our findings highlight a practical pathway to enhance farmers' economic welfare by demonstrating the significance of flush toilets in improving the performance of rural households' off‐farm.
Urban poverty and the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic: Evidence from American cities
Authors: Andreoli Francesco , Mertens Arnaud , Mussini Mauro , Prete Vincenzo
Published: January 2025

This article investigates empirically whether urban poverty in American cities has affected the spread of COVID‐19 at the early onset of the pandemic and whether such an effect was mitigated or amplified by mobility restriction policies. Using ACS data combined with data on mobility and confirmed cases, and after addressing bias arising from measurement error and unobserved confounders, we find that an increase in urban poverty is associated with a rise in COVID‐19 cases. stay‐at‐home orders are found to be ineffective and instead reinforce the speed of contagion in cities where poverty is less evenly distributed across neighborhoods.
The effects of compassionate care on oral health outcomes: A scoping review
Authors: Mendes Mariana Sarmet Smiderle , Ferreira Camila Lopes , Jardini Maria Aparecida Neves , Childs Christopher Andrew , Marchini Leonardo
Published: January 2025

Purpose

To access and synthesize the existing literature about the effects of compassionate care on oral health outcomes.

Methods

A scoping review was performed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify articles from six electronic databases: MEDLINE via the PubMed interface, Embase, Age‐Line, Scopus, CINAHL, and Cochrane.

Results

Among 30 studies reporting on compassion in dental treatment, only two reported on the effects of compassionate care on oral health outcomes. One study is cross‐sectional and evaluated oral health outcomes in children, while the other is a cohort study evaluating oral health outcomes in older adults. Each study used different tools to assess oral health outcomes. However, both studies used the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) to assess empathy among dental students, dentists, or dental hygienists.

Conclusion

The retrieved studies used different methodologies and had discrepant results. More clinical studies investigating the effects of compassionate care on the outcomes of dental treatment are necessary.
A paired study comparing mononuclear cell collection using a new in‐line system with an off‐line extracorporeal photopheresis apheresis system
Authors: Monsalvo Silvia , Quintana Claudia , Mosquera Claudia , Bocanegra Ana , Aguilar Myriam , León Ana García‐de , de Miguel Carlos , Forés Rafael , Laporta Rosalía , Bautista Guiomar , Fernández Roberto , Almonacid Carlos , Duarte Rafael F. , Bueno José L.
Published: January 2025

Background

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) product characteristics are not well established. The aim of this study was to compare mononuclear cells (MNCs) collection using the new Amicus blue (AB) In‐line ECP system to our standard Off‐line ECP system using the Optia apheresis device and the MacoGenic G2 inactivation system (OM).

Study Design and Methods

We assessed the ECP products and procedure parameters, patient characteristics, and adverse events for both AB and OM systems in paired patients. Comparisons were made with t‐test for paired samples.

Results

Thirteen patients underwent 15 double, paired procedures using both ECP protocols and processing the same blood volume of 4000 mL. Total MNC collected in the product were 51.6 × 108 (95% CI 30.0–73.1) and 42.2 × 108 (95% CI 22.4–62.0) for the AB and OM, respectively (not significant). Both products were also similar regarding volume, MNC concentration, purity, and hematocrit. However, total platelet count (×1011) was significantly lower in the AB products: 0.25 (95% CI 0.15–0.36) versus 1.2 (95% CI 0.9–1.5). The new AB system reduced significantly also the time invested and anticoagulant used per procedure compared with OM, albeit with similar collection efficiency and percentage of MNC captured per procedure. Hypocalcemia was the commonest adverse event with both systems, but it was not severe.

Conclusions

The new AB system collected MNC products comparable to our current experience with OM, although in a significantly shorter time, with a reduced use of anticoagulant and lower contamination with platelets, which are all valuable advantages of the new system.
Prevalence of Multiple RNA Virus Infections in Nine Types of Commonly Used Laboratory Animals in China
Authors: He Qiyu , Shu Jingyi , Liang Zhaochao , Li Manyu , Li Shuangshuang , Liu Tianxu , Yang Xinyue , Lu Qinghui , Wang Ling , Wang Lin
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Laboratory animals are widely used in biomedical research. Surveillance of naturally occurring virus in laboratory animals is important to fully understand the results of animal experiment, control laboratory‐acquired infections among research personnel and manage viral transmission within laboratory animal populations. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of multiple RNA viruses in laboratory animals commonly used in China.

Methods

We screened viral RNA for five different potentially zoonotic RNA viruses (astrovirus, coronavirus, hepevirus, hepatovirus and picornavirus) that can be transmitted via the faecal‐oral route in 759 faecal samples collected from nine commonly used laboratory animals (mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, pigs, dogs, ferrets, goats and tree shrews) in China. Viral RNA was screened by broad‐spectrum reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) using primers annealing in genome‐conserved regions. The laboratory mice and rats used in this study were specific‐pathogen‐free. The other laboratory animals were conventional animals.

Results

At least one selected virus was detected in each of the nine sampled laboratory animal types, except tree shrews. The total positive rates of viral RNA for astroviruses, coronaviruses, hepeviruses and picornaviruses in the selected laboratory animals were 4.3%, 7.6%, 8.0% and 1.1%, respectively. Among these, the positivity rates for hepevirus RNA in laboratory ferrets (41.3%) and rabbits (17.8%), astrovirus RNA in laboratory pigs (75.0%) and coronavirus RNA in laboratory ferrets (45.7%) were relatively high. Viral RNA for hepatovirus was negative in all selected laboratory animals. Co‐infection with multiple viruses has also been observed in laboratory dogs, pigs, ferrets and rabbits.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the need for the surveillance of natural viral infections in laboratory animals.
Suturing the City
Authors: De Boeck Filip , Baloji Sammy
Published: January 2025

Focusing upon the ‘urban now’, a moment suspended between lingering precolonial references, the broken dreams of a colonial past, and the not yet realised promises of neoliberal futures, this book provides an ethnographic and photographic investigation of the complex meanings of living – and living together – in Congo’s urban worlds today.

The authors, anthropologist Filip De Boeck and photographer Sammy Baloji, take the reader on a tour of specific urban sites in Kinshasa and beyond. In their detailed analysis these sites emerge as suturing points in which the possibilities of collective urban action and dreams of a shared future continue to be explored.
Are there individual acoustic signatures in the damselfish Dascyllus albisella?
Authors: Laboury Salomé , Parmentier Eric , Lobel Phillip S.
Published: January 2025

Many animal species are known to show individuality in their acoustic communication. This variation in individual male signatures can be decisive for female choice. Within the damselfishes, Dascyllus species are known for prolific sound production during the realization of movements associated with courtship (i.e., the signal jump) and spawning (mating sounds). However, the ability to distinguish the individuality of male Dascyllus sound signatures is unknown. We investigated the variability in the courtship and mating sounds of 17 males of Dascyllus albisella at Johnston Atoll, Central Pacific Ocean, to determine whether it was possible to distinguish them from one another and thus have information on their ability to convey individual information. Acoustic analyses confirmed that courtship sounds differed from mating sounds. Comparative analyses suggest that acoustic signals cannot serve as distinctive traits unless the individuals are of different sizes. Males of D. albisella do not use individual signatures in a reproductive behavioral context. However, it cannot be ruled out that variations in the sound production rate may serve as a discriminative feature.
A positive feedback loop between germ cells and gonads induces and maintains sexual reproduction in a cnidarian
Authors: Curantz Camille , Doody Ciara , Horkan Helen R. , Krasovec Gabriel , Weavers Paris K. , DuBuc Timothy Q. , Frank Uri
Published: January 2025

The fertile gonad includes cells of two distinct developmental origins: the somatic mesoderm and the germ line. How somatic and germ cells interact to develop and maintain fertility is not well understood. Here, using grafting experiments and transgenic reporter animals, we find that a specific part of the gonad—the germinal zone—acts as a sexual organizer to induce and maintain de novo germ cells and somatic gonads in the cnidarian
Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus
. Germ cells express a member of the transforming growth factor–β family,
Gonadless
(
Gls
), that induces gonad morphogenesis. Loss of
Gls
resulted in animals lacking gonads but having nonproliferative germ cells. We propose that primary germ cells drive gonad development though Gls secretion. The germinal zone in the newly formed gonad provides positive feedback to induce secondary germ cells by activating
Tfap2
in resident pluripotent stem cells. The contribution of germ cell signaling to the patterning of somatic gonadal tissue may be a general animal feature.
Crossing exceptional points in non-Hermitian quantum systems
Authors: Klauck Friederike U. J. , Heinrich Matthias , Szameit Alexander , Wolterink Tom A. W.
Published: January 2025

Exceptional points facilitate peculiar dynamics in non-Hermitian systems. Yet, in photonics, they have mainly been studied in the classical realm. In this work, we reveal the behavior of two-photon quantum states in non-Hermitian systems across the exceptional point. We probe the lossy directional coupler with an indistinguishable two-photon input state and observe distinct changes of the quantum correlations at the output as the system undergoes spontaneous breaking of parity-time symmetry. Moreover, we demonstrate a switching in the quantum interference of photons directly at the exceptional point, where Hong-Ou-Mandel dips are transformed into peaks by a change of basis. These results show that quantum interference and exceptional points are linked in curious ways that can now be further explored.
A DNA origami–based enzymatic cascade nanoreactor for chemodynamic cancer therapy and activation of antitumor immunity
Authors: Jiao Yunfei , Wang Haiyan , Wang Hong , Xie Yiming , Shang Yingxu , Wu Yushuai , Guo Xinqing , Yu Shuhui , Li Na , Ding Baoquan
Published: January 2025

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is a promising and potent therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer. We developed a DNA origami–based enzymatic cascade nanoreactor (DOECN) containing spatially well-organized Au nanoparticles and ferric oxide (Fe
2
O
3
) nanoclusters for targeted delivery and inhibition of tumor cell growth. The DOECN can synergistically promote the generation of hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
), consumption of glutathione, and creation of an acidic environment, thereby amplifying the Fenton-type reaction and producing abundant reactive oxygen species, such as hydroxyl radicals (•OH), for augmenting the CDT outcome. The DOECN is decorated with targeting groups to achieve efficient cellular uptake and efficiently induce tumor cell apoptosis, ferroptosis, and immunogenetic cell death, thus realizing potent anticancer therapeutic effects. Intravenous injection of the DOECN effectively promoted the maturation of dendritic cells, triggered adaptive T cell responses, and suppressed tumor growth in a murine cancer model. The DOECN provides a programmable platform for the integration of multiple therapeutic components, showing great potential for combined cancer therapy.
Role of the stratosphere in the global mercury cycle
Authors: Saiz-Lopez Alfonso , Cuevas Carlos A. , Acuña A. Ulises , Añel Juan A. , Mahajan Anoop S. , de la Torre Laura , Feng Wuhu , Dávalos Juan Z. , Roca-Sanjuán Daniel , Kinnison Douglas E. , Carmona-García Javier , Fernandez Rafael P. , Li Qinyi , Sonke Jeroen E. , Feinberg Aryeh , Martín Juan Carlos Gómez , Villamayor Julián , Zhang Peng , Zhang Yanxu , Blaszczak-Boxe Christopher S. , Travnikov Oleg , Wang Feiyue , Bieser Johannes , Francisco Joseph S. , Plane John M. C.
Published: January 2025

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant with substantial risks to human and ecosystem health. By upward transport in tropical regions, mercury enters into the stratosphere, but the contribution of the stratosphere to global mercury dispersion and deposition remains unknown. We find that between 5 and 50% (passing through the 400-kelvin isentropic surface and tropopause, respectively) of the mercury mass deposited on Earth’s surface is chemically processed in the lower stratosphere. Our results show the stratosphere as a unique chemical environment where elemental mercury is efficiently converted to long-lived oxidized species. Subsequent downward transport contributes substantially to the oxidized mercury burden in the troposphere. The results show that the stratosphere facilitates the global dispersion of large amounts of mercury from polluted source regions to Earth’s remote environments. We find that stratospheric transport is as important as tropospheric transport in interhemispheric mercury dispersion. Future projections suggest that expected changes in atmospheric circulation will increase the transport of mercury into the stratosphere.
Small-molecule organic ice microfibers
Authors: Cui Bowen , Xu Peizhen , Fan Kailong , Zhen Yuqi , Li Xiangzheng , Lu Rusi , Wang Pan , Guo Xin , Tong Limin
Published: January 2025

Small organic molecules are essential building blocks of our universe, from cosmic dust to planetary surfaces to life. Compared to their well-known gaseous and liquid forms that have been extensively studied, small organic molecules in the form of ice at low temperatures receive much less attention. Here, we show that supercooled small-molecule droplets can be drawn into highly uniform amorphous ice microfibers with lengths up to 5 cm and diameters down to 200 nm. In the experimental test, these fiber-like ices manifest excellent mechanical flexibilities with elastic strain up to 3.3%. Meanwhile, they can guide light with loss down to 0.025 dB/cm that approaches the material absorption limit and offer high optical nonlinearity for low-threshold supercontinuum generation. Notable temperature-dependent Young’s modulus and icing-induced refractive-index increase are also found. These results may open a promising category of low-temperature materials for both scientific research and technological applications.
Eight-electron Pt/Cu superatom encapsulating three “electron-donating” hydrides
Authors: He Ayisha , Zuo Dongjie , Jiang Guangmei , Tang Xiongkai , Wang Lin , Feng Liubin , Zhao Zaiwang , Wei Jianyu , Zheng Nanfeng , Shen Hui
Published: January 2025

Hydrides in metal complexes or nanoclusters are typically viewed as electron-withdrawing. Several recent reports have demonstrated the emergence of “electron-donating” hydrides in tailoring the structure, electronic structure, and reactivity of metal nanoclusters. However, the number of such hydrides included in each cluster kernel is limited to one or two. There is even no structure model, neither theoretical nor experimental, for encapsulating a third electron-donating hydride into one cluster entity. Here, we present a structurally precise superatomic nanocluster, PtH
3
Cu
23
(iso-propyl-PhS)
18
(PPh
3
)
4
(PtH
3
Cu
23
), which contains three interstitial electron-donating hydrides. The molecular structure of PtH
3
Cu
23
describes the encapsulation of a PtCu
12
core that contains three interstitial hydrides in a distorted anticuboctahedral architecture, in an outer sphere consisting of copper atoms and thiolate and phosphine ligands. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the three hydrides in PtH
3
Cu
23
contribute their valence electrons to the cluster superatomic electron count of eight. In this regard, the cluster represents a rare Pt-included copper-hydride superatom with eight free electrons.
Non-adapted bacterial infection suppresses plant reproduction
Authors: Yang Jing-Ting , Tan Zhi-Min , Jiang Yu-Tong , Bai Yu-Xuan , Zhang Yan-Jie , Xue Hong-Wei , Xu Tong-Da , Dong Tao , Lin Wen-Hui
Published: January 2025

Environmental stressors, including pathogens, substantially affect the growth of host plants. However, how non-adapted bacteria influence nonhost plants has not been reported. Here, we reveal that infection of
Arabidopsis
flowers by
Xanthomonas oryzae
pv.
oryzae
PXO99A, a bacterial pathogen causing rice blight disease, suppresses ovule initiation and reduces seed number without causing visible disease symptoms. TleB, secreted by the type VI secretion system (T6SS), interacts with plant E3 ligase PUB14 and disrupts the function of the PUB14-BZR1 module, leading to decreased ovule initiation and seed yield. On the other site, PUB14 concurrently promotes TleB’s degradation. Our findings indicate that bacterial infections in nonhost plants directly repress offspring production. The regulatory mechanism by effectors PUB14-BZR1 is widely present, suggesting that plants may balance reproduction and defense and produce fewer offspring to conserve resources, thus enabling them to remain in a standby mode prepared for enhanced resistance.
Large stroke radially oriented MXene composite fiber tensile artificial muscles
Authors: Fu Junsong , Li Yuchen , Zhou Tianzhu , Fang Shaoli , Zhang Mengmeng , Wang Yanlei , Li Kun , Lian Wangwei , Wei Lei , Baughman Ray H. , Cheng Qunfeng
Published: January 2025

Actuation is normally dramatically enhanced by introducing so much yarn fiber twist that the fiber becomes fully coiled. In contrast, we found that usefully high muscle strokes and contractile work capacities can be obtained for non-twisted MXene (Ti
3
C
2
T

x

) fibers comprising MXene nanosheets that are stacked in the fiber direction. The MXene fiber artificial muscles are called MFAMs. We obtained MFAMs that have high modulus in both the radial and axial directions by spinning a solution containing MXene nanosheets dispersed in an aqueous cellulose solution. We observed a highly reversible muscle contraction of 21.0% for a temperature increase from 25° to 125°C. The tensile actuation of MFAMs mainly results from reversible hydrogen bond orientation change during heating, which decreases intra-sheet spacing. The MFAMs exhibited fast, stable actuation to multiple temperature-generating stimuli, which increases their applications in smart textiles, robotic arms, and robotic grippers.
A modified iChip for
in situ
cultivation of bacteria in arid environments
Authors: Nazipi Bushi Seven , Lund Marie B. , Sandfeld Tobias , Nørskov Sanne Sadolin , Fruergaard Simon , Glasius Marianne , Bilde Trine , Schramm Andreas
Published: January 2025

Antimicrobial resistance is an ever-increasing problem for human health, and with only a few novel antimicrobials discovered in recent decades, an extraordinary effort is needed to circumvent this crisis. A promising source of new microbial-derived antimicrobial compounds resides in the large fraction of microbes that are not readily cultured by standard cultivation. It has previously been shown that nests of the social spider
Stegodyphus dumicola
contain a diverse bacterial community, where only a small fraction of the microbes could be recovered by standard cultivation. To improve the recovery of the bacterial diversity cultured from nests, we modified the previously described isolation chip (iChip) to fit the natural arid environment of
S. dumicola
nests. Here we provide a comprehensive analysis of the modified iChip’s performance. We found that the modified iChip improved the overall culturability, performed equally or better at recovering the bacterial diversity from individual nests, and improved the recovery of rare isolates compared to standard cultivation. Furthermore, we show that the modified iChip can be used in the field. In addition, we observed that the nests contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that could serve as substrate for the selective enrichment of rare and iChip-specific isolates. Our modified iChip can be applied for
in situ
cultivation in a broad range of arid habitats that can be exploited for future drug discovery.

IMPORTANCE

The demand for novel antimicrobial compounds is an ever-increasing problem due to the rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant microbes. Therefore, exploring new habitats for microbial-derived antimicrobial compounds is crucial. The nest microbiome of
Stegodyphus dumicola
remains largely unexplored and could potentially serve as a new source of antimicrobial compounds. To access the nest’s microbial diversity, we designed a modified iChip for
in situ
cultivation inside spider nests and tested its applications in both field and laboratory settings. Our study shows that the iChip’s ability to recover
in situ
abundant genera was comparable or superior to standard cultivation, while the recovery of rare (low-abundant genera) was higher. We argue that these low-abundant and iChip-specific isolates are enriched from naturally occurring nest volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during iChip incubation.