bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postfracture survival in a population-based study of adults aged ≥66 yr: a call to action at hospital discharge
Authors: Vincent Geneviève , Adachi Jonathan D , Schemitsch Emil , Tarride Jean-Eric , Ho Nathan , Wani Rajvi J , Brown Jacques P
Published: January 2024

Postfracture survival rates provide prognostic information but are rarely reported along with other mortality outcomes in adults aged ≥50 yr. The timing of survival change following a fracture also needs to be further elucidated. This population-based, matched-cohort, retrospective database study examined 98 474 patients (73% women) aged ≥66 yr with an index fracture occurring at an osteoporotic site (hip, clinical vertebral, proximal non-hip non-vertebral [pNHNV], and distal non-hip non-vertebral [dNHNV]) from 2011 to 2015, who were matched (1:1) to nonfracture individuals based on sex, age, and comorbidities. All-cause 1- and 5-yr overall survival and relative survival ratios (RSRs) were assessed, and time trends in survival changes were characterized starting immediately after a fracture. In both sexes, overall survival was markedly decreased over 6 yr of follow-up after hip, vertebral, and pNHNV fractures, and as expected, worse survival rates were observed in older patients and males. The lowest 5-yr RSRs were observed after hip fractures in males (66–85 yr, 51.9%–63.9%; ≥86 yr, 34.5%), followed by vertebral fractures in males (66–85 yr, 53.2%–69.4%; ≥86 yr, 35.5%), and hip fractures in females (66–85 yr, 69.8%–79.0%; ≥86 yr, 52.8%). Although RSRs did not decrease as markedly after dNHNV fractures in younger patients, relatively low 5-yr RSRs were observed in females (75.9%) and males (69.5%) aged ≥86 yr. The greatest reduction in survival occurred within the initial month after hip, vertebral, and pNHNV fractures, indicating a high relative impact of short-term factors, with survival-reduction effects persisting over time. Therefore, the most critical period for implementing interventions aimed at improving post-fracture prognosis appears to be immediately after a fracture; however, considering the immediate need for introducing such interventions, primary fracture prevention is also crucial to prevent the occurrence of the initial fracture in high-risk patients.
Association of secondhand smoke with fracture risk in community-dwelling nonsmoking adults in Korea
Authors: Ahn Junyeong , Park Hye-Sun , Cho Sung Joon , Baek Seungjin , Rhee Yumie , Hong Namki
Published: January 2024

Although the detrimental effects of active smoking on bone health have been widely recognized, the impact of secondhand smoke exposure on fracture risk in non-smokers remains less understood. A total of 4843 nonsmokers aged 40–69 yr, who participated in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study from 2001 to 2018, were analyzed. The participants were categorized into two groups based on their exposure status to secondhand smoke: currently exposed and unexposed. The exposure group was subsequently divided into two subgroups based on the median weekly exposure time (high vs low). The incidence of new fractures was determined using self-reported questionnaires. The identified fractures were categorized according to the fracture site: overall, vertebral, hip, non-vertebral, and non-vertebral non-hip fractures. The mean age of the participants was 52.4 yr (84.1% women). Exposure to secondhand smoke was associated with an increased risk of fracture (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.27, P = 0.028) after adjusting for multiple covariates including age, sex, BMI, household income, bone density of mid-shaft tibia, C-reactive protein, alcohol consumption, and fracture history. Secondhand smoke remained as a significant risk factor for fracture, independent of the major osteoporotic fracture probabilities estimated using a fracture risk assessment tool (aHR: 1.24, P = 0.038). The high exposure group had higher risk of fracture than that of the unexposed group (aHR: 1.33, P = 0.025), whereas the fracture risk did not differ significantly between low exposure and unexposed groups (aHR: 1.18, P = 0.253), suggesting a potential dose–response relationship. Secondhand smoke showed robust association with increased risk of non-vertebral (aHR: 1.37, P = 0.008) or non-vertebral non-hip fractures (aHR: 1.36, P = 0.013), while its association with vertebral fracture was attenuated (aHR: 1.03, P = 0.908). Secondhand smoke was associated with an elevated risk of fracture in nonsmokers, independent of clinical risk factors.
Becoming the Father of Modern India: Rammohun Roy and the Politics of Paternity
Authors: Kulkarni Parashar
Published: January 2024

This article examines the posthumous reception of India’s most famous religious reformer, hailed as the ‘Father of Modern India’, Raja Rammohun Roy, from the 1830s to the present decade. During the late colonial period, the British administration and Bengali elites used class networks and print capitalism to establish Roy as the father to show compradorship amidst calls for independence. After independence, the INC retained Roy to counter the rise of more popular Hindu movements. In the period of INC decline, the BJP elevated Swami Vivekananda instead of Roy as a representative of majoritarian Hinduism. Economic and political coalitions in control of legitimating institutions elevate and sustain fathers as positive cultural symbols in response to competing claims. By emphasising party competition and issue ownership within multi-national federalism, this article complements decolonisation, cult-of-personality, and regime change as explanations for the rise and fall of public fathers.
Health and productivity management initiatives to promote worker health and improve the workplace environment at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant
Authors: Mori Takahiro , Ito Ryotaro , Moriya Kenta , Tateishi Seiichiro , Kubo Tatsuhiko , Okazaki Ryuji , Suzuki Katsunori , Kikuchi Hiroshi , Mori Koji
Published: January 2024

Background: Since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) accident in 2011, measures have been taken to address occupational health risks, such as heat illness and infectious diseases, and ensure fitness for duty with the Tokyo Electric Power Company and its contractors. However, with the decommissioning operations set to span several decades and an aging workforce, there arose a need for proactive occupational health strategies that not only addressed these risks but also promoted employee health and created a comfortable work environment. With the Japanese government’s promotion of health and productivity management (HPM) for corporations, an HPM-based initiative was launched at the FDNPP in 2019.

Case: We designed an HPM questionnaire tailored to the unique conditions at the FDNPP for contractors in 2019. Subsequently, we adjusted the questionnaire annually in light of evolving societal contexts and insights derived from contractors’ feedback. This initiative also involved the annual recognition of outstanding contractors. These efforts have led to a steady increase in the number of contractors participating in the HPM survey, with respondents’ scores continually improving. We also emphasized dissemination of HPM practices from contractors to their subcontractors due to the complex subcontracting structure at FDNPP, and our results showed that more contractors have been extending these efforts to their subcontractors.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that individual contractors are steadily enhancing their HPM efforts. We are committed to continually offering support to advance HPM throughout the FDNPP.
The secretory function of adipose tissues in metabolic regulation
Authors: Liu Yang , Qian Shu-Wen , Tang Yan , Tang Qi-Qun
Published: January 2024

In addition to their pivotal roles in energy storage and expenditure, adipose tissues play a crucial part in the secretion of bioactive molecules, including peptides, lipids, metabolites, and extracellular vesicles, in response to physiological stimulation and metabolic stress. These secretory factors, through autocrine and paracrine mechanisms, regulate various processes within adipose tissues. These processes include adipogenesis, glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammation, and adaptive thermogenesis, all of which are essential for the maintenance of the balance and functionality of the adipose tissue micro-environment. A subset of these adipose-derived secretory factors can enter the circulation and target the distant tissues to regulate appetite, cognitive function, energy expenditure, insulin secretion and sensitivity, gluconeogenesis, cardiovascular remodeling, and exercise capacity. In this review, we highlight the role of adipose-derived secretory factors and their signaling pathways in modulating metabolic homeostasis. Furthermore, we delve into the alterations in both the content and secretion processes of these factors under various physiological and pathological conditions, shedding light on potential pharmacological treatment strategies for related diseases.
The World of Sound as a Prison: Ideal and Actual Concepts of Music in the Writings of Huldrych Zwingli
Authors: Lundberg Mattias
Published: January 2024

Huldrich Zwingli held a highly censorious view of music in private and public worship. It has often been noted that his stance was almost the polar opposite of that of Martin Luther. A more specific disagreement between Zwingli and Luther, however, seems to have gone largely unnoticed in the vast modern literature on music and theology in sixteenth-century reformation movements, namely that of the ontology of music as sounding, sensory object vis-à-vis music as a silently imagined and grasped (ideal) entity. A number of passages from Zwingli’s writings suggest a rather peculiar version of the distinction between body and spirit as regards aural perception in general, and music in particular. The present study scrutinizes what seems to be Zwingli’s arguments against sound and music as sensory elements in conflict with the ideal realm of the highest order of music theory.
Past Political Asymmetry and Present Public Opinion: How Has the Asymmetrical Federation of the EU Shaped Popular Opinion of Its Optimal Shape?
Authors: Moland Martin
Published: January 2024

Asymmetries in the formal obligations and rights afforded to sub-units are mainstays of many federations that have been extensively studied from many angles. However, we know relatively little about how these asymmetries shape views on federalism in the future. By leveraging data on differentiated integration in the European Union (EU), conceptually very similar to asymmetrical federalism, and survey data on attitudes toward the optimal future of it, I show that historical exposure to differentiated integration resulting from a bottom-up process of demands for sub-unit autonomy correlates to increased support for permanent differentiation in the future, especially among those critical of the EU. However, the opposite applies to differentiation imposed by the EU. A legacy of asymmetric federalism may thus breed opposition or support for unitary European federalism, depending on both the mode of past asymmetry that citizens have been exposed to and their views of the EU.
Can atherogenic indices and the triglyceride-glucose index be used to predict erectile dysfunction?
Authors: Sambel Murat , Erdogan Abdullah , Caglayan Volkan , Avci Sinan , Kilic Sahin , Yildiz Halil Emre , Keskin Ercument
Published: January 2024

Background

Atherosclerosis and insulin resistance play an important role in the development of erectile dysfunction (ED), and few studies have comprehensively evaluated more specific indicators like atherogenic indices and the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index in the assessment of ED.

Aim

This study aimed to reveal the role of atherogenic indices (atherogenic index of plasma [AIP], Castelli risk index-1/2 [CRI-1/2], and atherogenic coefficient [AC]) based on plasma lipid ratios, which have been used as more sensitive indicators of atherosclerosis in recent years, and the TyG index, a practical indicator of insulin resistance, in predicting vasculogenic ED.

Methods

The study included a total of 199 patients who met the inclusion criteria and a total of 51 control subjects without ED complaints according to the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) scores (>21) between May 2021 and October 2022. For all participants, the demographic and biochemical parameters were evaluated, and atherogenic indices, namely CRI-1 (total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein [HDL]), CRI-2 (LDL/HDL) AIP [log10(triglycerides/HDL)], and AC (non-HDL/HDL), as well as the TyG index [Ln {fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2}] were calculated.

Outcomes

The TyG index, which is an indicator of insulin resistance, and atherogenic indices such as CRI-1, AIP, and AC were significantly associated with ED, and especially AIP and the TyG index seem to be more important in the evaluation of ED.

Results

According to the univariate analysis, the patient group had significantly higher CRI-1 (5.3 ± 1.4 vs 4.7 ± 1.3; P = .005), AIP (0.31 ± 0.26 vs 0.13 ± 0.2; P < .001), AC (4.1 ± 1.4 vs 3.70 ± 1.2; P = .026), and TyG (9.16 ± 0.71 vs 8.77 ± 0.52; P < .001) values compared with the control group. In the correlation analysis, a significant negative correlation was found between the AIP and TyG index and the IIEF-5 scores (r2 = 0.120, P < .001 between AIP and IIEF-5; r2 = 0.091, P < .001 between TyG index and IIEF-5). The multivariate analysis revealed AIP and the TyG index as independent predictive factors for ED.

Clinical Implications

The use of atherogenic indices and TyG index in daily urology practice can help physicians in the diagnosis and follow-up of ED.

Strengths and Limitations

The lack of sex hormone–binding globulin and free testosterone levels represents a limitation of our study. Another limitation is that the severity of ED was determined using the IIEF-5 scores, rather than a more objective method, such as penile artery ultrasound.

Conclusion

Atherogenic indices and the TyG index can be used as inexpensive and practical markers to predict the severity of arteriogenic ED.
Coexisting Lower Back Pain in Patients With Cervical Myelopathy
Authors: Nakarai Hiroyuki , Kato So , Hirao Yujiro , Maayan Omri , Kawamura Naohiro , Higashikawa Akiro , Takeshita Yujiro , Ono Takashi , Fukushima Masayoshi , Hara Nobuhiro , Azuma Seiichi , Iwai Hiroki , Taniguchi Yuki , Matsubayashi Yoshitaka , Takeshita Katsushi , Tanaka Sakae , Oshima Yasushi
Published: January 2024

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Objective:

The aim of the present study is to investigate the coexisting lower back pain (LBP) in patients with cervical myelopathy and to evaluate changes in LBP after cervical spine surgery.

Summary of Background Data:

Only a few studies with a small number of participants have evaluated the association between cervical myelopathy surgery and postoperative improvement in LBP.

Methods:

Patients who underwent primary cervical decompression surgery with or without fusion for myelopathy and completed preoperative and 1-year postoperative questionnaires were reviewed using a prospectively collected database involving 9 tertiary referral hospitals. The questionnaires included the patient-reported Japanese Orthopaedic Association (PRO-JOA) score and Numerical Rating Scales (NRS). The minimum clinically important difference (MCID) for NRS-LBP was defined as >30% improvement from baseline. Patient demographics, characteristics, and PRO-JOA score were compared between patients with and without concurrent LBP, and the contributor to achieving the MCID for LBP was analyzed using logistic regression analysis.

Results:

A total of 786 consecutive patients with cervical myelopathy were included, of which 525 (67%) presented with concurrent LBP. LBP was associated with a higher body mass index (P<0.001) and worse preoperative PRO-JOA score (P<0.001). Among the 525 patients with concurrent LBP, the mean postoperative NRS-LBP significantly improved from 4.5±2.4 to 3.4±2.7 (P<0.01) postoperatively, with 248 (47%) patients reaching the MCID cutoff. Patients with a PRO-JOA recovery rate >50% were more likely to achieve MCID compared with those with a recovery rate <0% (adjusted odd ratio 4.02, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

More than 50% of patients with myelopathy reported improvement in LBP after cervical spine surgery, and 47% achieved the MCID for LBP, which was positively correlated with a better PRO-JOA recovery rate. Treating cervical myelopathy in patients with concomitant LBP may be sufficient to mitigate concomitant LBP.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
Surgeon Experience Is the Most Important Predictor of Case Failure Rate for Anterior Odontoid Screw Fixation
Authors: Fan Yichen , Sauer Andrew , Kark Jonathan , Wright James , Yoo Jung U.
Published: January 2024

Study Design:

Retrospective database analysis.

Objective:

Determine risk factors and failure rate of anterior odontoid screw fixation surgery.

Summary of Background Data:

Anterior odontoid screw fixation (AOSF) stabilizes type II dens fractures while preserving cervical motion. Despite having potential advantages, AOSF’s failure rate and factors contributing to failure remain unknown.

Materials and Methods:

We identified AOSF patients in the national claims database Pearldiver using CPT code 22318. Failure was defined as the requirement of supplementary posterior fusion surgery in the C1–C2 or occiput-C2 region after the AOSF. We considered potential predictors of failure including age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), surgeon experience, history of osteoporosis, obesity, and tobacco use. Univariate comparison analysis and logistic regression were conducted to identify factors associated with the need for additional posterior surgery.

Results:

For 2008 identified cases of AOSF, 249 cases (12.4%) required additional posterior fusion. Seventy-one of the 249 cases (28.5%) underwent revision surgery on the same day as the AOSF. Over 86% of revisions (215 cases) occurred within 200 days of the initial procedure. Posterior fusion rates are inversely correlated with surgeon experience, with the most experienced surgeons having a rate of 10.0%, followed by 11.5% for moderately experienced surgeons, and 15.0% for the least experienced surgeons. When comparing moderate and inexperienced surgeons to experienced surgeons, the odds ratios for posterior fusion were 1.18 (P>0.05) and 1.61 (P<0.006), respectively. Logistic regression revealed that both lesser experience (odds ratio=1.50) and osteoporosis (odds ratio=1.44) were the only factors significantly associated with failure (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate a correlation between AOSF success and surgeon experience. While currently published results suggest higher success rates, most of this data originates from experienced surgeons and specialized centers, therefore, they may not accurately reflect the failure rate encountered in a more general practice setting.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
The slave trade and the origins of matrilineal kinship
Authors: Lowes Sara , Nunn Nathan
Published: January 2024

Matrilineal kinship systems—where descent is traced through mothers only—are present all over the world but are most concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa. We explore the relationship between exposure to Africa’s external slave trades, during which millions of people were shipped from the continent during a 400-year period, and the evolution of matrilineal kinship. Scholars have hypothesized that matrilineal kinship, which is well-suited to incorporating new members, maintaining lineage continuity and insulating children from the removal of parents (particularly fathers), was an adaptive response to the slave trades. Motivated by this, we test for a connection between the slave trades and matrilineal kinship by combining historical data on an ethnic group’s exposure to the slave trades and the presence of matrilineal kinship following the end of the trades. We find that the slave trades are positively associated with the subsequent presence of matrilineal kinship. The result is robust to a variety of measures of exposure to the slave trades, the inclusion of additional covariates, sensitivity analyses that remove outliers, and an instrumental variables estimator that uses a group’s historical distance from the coast as an instrument. We also find evidence of a complementarity between polygyny and matrilineal kinship, which were both social responses to the disruption of the trades.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Social norm change: drivers and consequences’.
Cultural influences on the effects of social norm appeals
Authors: Liu Rain Wuyu , Lapinski Maria Knight
Published: January 2024

This study reports on an experimental test of the effects of descriptive and injunctive norm appeals on intentions to prevent food waste in China and the United States (
N
= 1449), testing the role of cultural context and group orientation in this process. Results showed that the main effects of descriptive and injunctive norm messages on behavioural intentions were mediated by normative perceptions, and cultural context moderated both paths of this mediation. Specifically, with the same message exposure, Chinese participants perceived food waste prevention as more prevalent and socially approved compared to US participants. Normative perceptions interacted with cultural context to influence behavioural intentions, such that both descriptive and injunctive norm perceptions predicted stronger intentions to prevent food waste among Chinese participants compared to Americans. Group orientation yielded a main effect on behavioural intentions, instead of the moderation effects as expected. Findings suggest the need for culturally grounded and contextualized approaches to communication of social norms, as well as building cultural concepts into theories of social norms.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Social norm change: drivers and consequences’.
Language matters: how normative expressions shape norm perception and affect norm compliance
Authors: Kuang Jinyi , Bicchieri Cristina
Published: January 2024

Previous studies have used various normative expressions such as ‘should’, ‘appropriate’ and ‘approved’ interchangeably to communicate injunctions and social norms. However, little is known about whether people's interpretations of normative language differ and whether behavioural responses might vary across them. In two studies (totaln= 2903), we find that compliance is sensitive to the types of normative expressions and how they are used. Specifically, people are more likely to comply when the message is framed as an injunction rather than as what most people consider good behaviour (social norm framing). Behaviour is influenced by the type of normative expression when the norm is weak (donation to charities), not so when the norm is strong (reciprocity). Content analysis of free responses reveals individual differences in the interpretation of social norm messages, and heterogeneous motives for compliance. Messages in the social norm framing condition are perceived to be vague and uninformative, undermining their effectiveness. These results suggest that careful choice of normative expressions is in order when using messages to elicit compliance, especially when the underlying norms are weak.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Social norm change: drivers and consequences’.
Navigating contradictions:SalmonellaTyphimurium chemotactic responses to conflicting effector stimuli
Authors: Franco Kailie , Gentry-Lear Zealon , Shavlik Michael , Harms Michael J. , Baylink Arden
Published: January 2024

Chemotaxis controls motility and colonization in many enteric pathogens, yet most studies have examined bacterial responses to single effectors in isolation. Previously, we reported thatSalmonellaTyphimurium uses the chemoreceptor Tsr to detect L-serine (L-Ser) in human blood serum, promoting invasion of damaged vasculature (Glenn et al., eLife20241). Tsr also mediates sensing of indole, a microbiota-derived chemorepellent and bactericide proposed to protect against enteric infection by deterring pathogen colonization. The major biological reservoir of indole in the gut is feces, where it accumulates to millimolar levels. Here, we tested whether indole-rich human fecal material is protective against infection and found that exposure to feces instead enhances intestinal invasion in an explant model. Surprisingly, diverse non-typhoidalSalmonellaserovars were strongly attracted to feces despite its high indole content. We found that while pure indole is a strong repellent sensed through Tsr, its effects are overridden in the presence of nutrient attractants, including L-Ser. Moreover, indole only minimally impairs growth in the presence of sufficient nutrients. Using video microscopy, we observed that Tsr integrates L-Ser and indole signals in real time, biasing bacterial movement based on the relative concentrations of attractant and repellent. We propose that this chemotactic compromise optimizes pathogen fitness by guiding bacteria to niches with a favorable L-Ser-to-indole ratio, balancing nutrient acquisition and avoidance of high microbial competitor density. These findings highlight the limitations of single-effector studies in predicting bacterial navigation in complex environments, where chemotaxis is shaped by the integration of multiple, often opposing, chemical cues.
Context dependent contributions of the direct and indirect pathways in the associative and sensorimotor striatum
Authors: Cuevas Nisa , Llanos-Moreno Argelia , Ramírez-Armenta Kathia I. , Alatriste-León Hector , Ramírez Jarquin Josué O. , Tecuapetla Fatuel
Published: January 2024

To determine whether the contributions of striatal projection neurons from the direct (dSPNs) and indirect (iSPNs) pathways of the basal ganglia to action selection and locomotion can be generalized across the associative (DMS) and sensorimotor (DLS) striatum we compared the optogenetic activation or inhibition of these pathways on different tests. We show that self-modulation of dSPNs or iSPNs in either compartment has opposite contributions to real-time place preference, and to selecting an action in the DMS but not in the DLS. During reward seeking displacements, activation of either pathway in both compartments, or inhibition of dSPNs in the DMS slows movement. During spontaneous displacements, dSPNs activation showed opposing effects depending on the compartment modulated. Remarkably, inhibition of either pathway in the DLS decreases while only iSPNs inhibition in the DMS facilitates these displacements. These findings support a model of opposite, complementary and undescribed contributions of the striatal pathways depending on the compartment and context.
Single cell analysis reveals an antiviral network that controls Zika virus infection in human dendritic cells
Authors: Moore Kathryn M. , Pelletier Adam-Nicolas , Lapp Stacey , Metz Amanda , Tharp Gregory K. , Lee Michelle , Bhasin Swati Sharma , Bhasin Manoj , Sékaly Rafick-Pierre , Bosinger Steven E. , Suthar Mehul S.
Published: January 2024

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that caused an epidemic in the Americas in 2016 and is linked to severe neonatal birth defects, including microcephaly and spontaneous abortion. To better understand the host response to ZIKV infection, we adapted the 10x Genomics Chromium single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) assay to simultaneously capture viral RNA and host mRNA. Using this assay, we profiled the antiviral landscape in a population of human moDCs infected with ZIKV at the single cell level. The bystander cells, which lacked detectable viral RNA, expressed an antiviral state that was enriched for genes coinciding predominantly with a type I interferon (IFN) response. Within the infected cells, viral RNA negatively correlated with type I IFN dependent and independent genes (antiviral module). We modeled the ZIKV specific antiviral state at the protein level leveraging experimentally derived protein-interaction data. We identified a highly interconnected network between the antiviral module and other host proteins. In this work, we propose a new paradigm for evaluating the antiviral response to a specific virus, combining an unbiased list of genes that highly correlate with viral RNA on a per cell basis with experimental protein interaction data. Our ZIKV-inclusive scRNA-seq assay will serve as a useful tool to gaining greater insight into the host response to ZIKV and can be applied more broadly to the flavivirus field.
Healthy Japanese Dietary Pattern Is Associated with Slower Biological Aging in Older Men: WASEDA’S Health Study
Authors: Kawamura Takuji , Higuchi Mitsuru , Ito Tomoko , Kawakami Ryoko , Usui Chiyoko , McGreevy Kristen M. , Horvath Steve , Zsolt Radak , Torii Suguru , Suzuki Katsuhiko , Ishii Kaori , Sakamoto Shizuo , Oka Koichiro , Muraoka Isao , Tanisawa Kumpei
Published: January 2024

Aging is the greatest risk factor for numerous diseases and mortality, and establishing geroprotective interventions targeting aging is required. Previous studies have suggested that healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, are associated with delayed biological aging; however, these associations depend on nationality and sex. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns identified through principal component analysis and biological aging in older men of Japan, one of the countries with the longest life expectancies. Principal component analysis identified two dietary patterns: a healthy Japanese dietary pattern and a Western-style dietary pattern. Eight epigenetic clocks, some of the most accurate aging biomarkers, were identified using DNA methylation data from whole-blood samples. Correlation analyses revealed that healthy Japanese dietary patterns were significantly negatively or positively correlated with multiple epigenetic age accelerations (AgeAccel), including AgeAccelGrim, FitAgeAccel, and age-adjusted DNAm-based telomere length (DNAmTLAdjAge). Conversely, the Western-style dietary pattern showed no significant correlation with any of the examined epigenetic AgeAccels or age-adjusted values. After adjusting for confounders, the healthy Japanese dietary pattern remained significantly negatively correlated with AgeAccelPheno and AgeAccelGrim and positively correlated with DNAmTLAdjAge. These findings suggest that a Western-style dietary pattern is not associated with biological aging, whereas a healthy Japanese dietary pattern is associated with delayed biological aging in older Japanese men. Our findings provide evidence that healthy dietary patterns may have beneficial effects on delayed biological aging in older Japanese men.
Microplastics from disposable paper cups are enriched in the placenta and fetus, leading to metabolic and reproductive toxicity during pregnancy
Authors: Chen Qiong , Peng Chen , Xu Haoteng , Su Zhuojie , Yilihan Gulimire , Wei Xin , Shen Yueran , Jiang Chao
Published: January 2024

The health implications of microplastics (MPs), especially those originating from hot drinks in disposable paper cups (DPCs), are increasingly alarming. We investigated the accumulation and metabolic and reproductive toxicological effects of MPs from DPCs filled with hot water in various tissues in a pregnant mouse model. Simulating human intake of 0.3, 3.3, and 33.3 cups daily, we found MPs exposure-induced dose-responsive harmful effects on murine fetal development and maternal physiology. MPs were detected in all 13 examined tissues, with the highest accumulation in the cecal contents, followed by significant depositions in the fetus, placenta, kidney, spleen, lung, and heart. A higher proportion of smaller MPs (90.35% < 10 μm) was identified in brain tissues. Dose-responsive changes in functional microbiome and gene pathways were observed. Moderate MPs intake of 3.3 cups daily significantly altered cecal microbiome composition and metabolic functions. The transcriptomic functional variations in maternal blood, placenta, and mammary gland underscore the significant impacts of realistic MPs exposure on metabolic and immune health and posing neurodegenerative and miscarriage risks. The benchmark dose framework analysis using tissue-specific gene biomarkers revealed safe exposure limits at 2 to 4 cups/day during pregnancy. Our results indicate selective tissue accumulation and potential metabolic and reproductive toxicities of MPs at exposure levels presumed non-hazardous. Such risks remain unaddressed within current food safety regulations, impacting vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and fetuses.

Research Highlights

Microplastics released from disposable paper cups filled with hot water showed preferential accumulations in the murine fetus, placenta, kidney, spleen, lung, and heart, with significant adverse impacts on fetal development.

Microplastic exposure led to dose-responsive maternal microbiome changes associated with increased fatty acid biosynthesis and elevated expressions of genes related to viral infections, neurodegenerative diseases, oxidative stress, and miscarriage risk.

A consumption level of 3.3 cups/day was sufficient to elicit systemic metabolic and reproductive toxicity, with a predicted safe exposure limit of 2 to 4 cups/day during pregnancy by benchmark dose framework analysis with molecular biomarkers.
Microbial Community Structure of an Anaerobic Side-stream Coupled Anoxic-aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AOMBR-ASSR) for an In-situ Sludge Reduction Process
Authors: Ning Xinqiang , Hu Jialun , Yue Jiao , Tang Tang , Zhang Bin
Published: January 2024

The in-situ sludge reduction process via the insertion of an anaerobic side-stream reactor into the sludge return circuit is an efficient approach to reduce the sludge yield in the activated sludge process. In this study, with the anoxic-aerobic membrane bioreactor (AO-MBR,CP) as a reference, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to reveal the characteristics of the microbial community structure in the anaerobic side-stream anoxic-aerobic membrane bioreactor sludge reduction process (AOMBR-ASSR,SRP). After the stable operation of two processes for 120 days, the average removal efficiencies of TN and TP in the effluent of SRP were increased by 5.63% and 29.85%, respectively. However, there was no significant difference between the two processes in the removal effect of COD and ammonia nitrogen. It is worth noting that the observed sludge yields (Yobs) of the two processes were 0.14 and 0.17 gMLSS/(gCOD), respectively, and the sludge reduction rate of the AOMBR-ASSR reduction process was 19.5%. Compared to the CP, the microbial richness and diversity index of SRP increased significantly. Among 14 major phyla,ProteobacteriaandBacteroideteswere the dominant microorganisms.Chloroflexi, which is responsible for the degradation of organic substances under an anaerobic condition, seemed to be reduced in the SRP. Meanwhile, other phyla that involved in the nitrogen cycle, such asNitrospiraeandPlanctomycetes, were found to be more abundant in the SRP than in the CP. A total of 21 identified classes were observed, and primarily hydrolyzed fermented bacteria (Sphingobacteriia, Betaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, andDeltaproteobacteria) and slow-growing microorganisms (Bacilli) were accumulated in the SRP. At the genus level, the inserted anaerobic side-stream reactor favored the hydrolyzed bacteria (Saprospiraceae, RhodobacterandCandidatus_Competibacter), fermented bacteria (LactococcusandTrichococcus), and slow-growing microorganisms (DechloromonasandHaliangium), which play a crucial role in the sludge reduction. Furthermore, the enrichment of bacterial species related to nitrogen (NitrospirandAzospira) provided the potential for nitrogen removal, while the anaerobic environment of the side-stream reactor promoted the enrichment of phosphorus-accumulating organisms.
Measuring quality-adjusted price changes on the mobile market: a case study from Hungary
Authors: Pápai Zoltán , Nagy Péter , McLean Aliz
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to estimate the quality-adjusted changes in residential mobile consumer prices by controlling for the changes in the relevant service characteristics and quality, in a case study on Hungary between 2015 and 2021; compare the results with changes measured by the traditionally calculated official telecommunications price index of the Statistical Office; and discuss separating the hedonic price changes from the effect of a specific government intervention that occurred in Hungary, namely, the significant reduction in the value added tax rate (VAT) levied on internet services.

Design/methodology/approach

Since the price of commercial mobile offers does not directly reflect the continuous improvements in service characteristics and functionalities over time, the price changes need to be adjusted for changes in quality. The authors use hedonic regression analysis to address this issue.

Findings

The results show significant hedonic price changes over the observed seven-year period of over 30%, which turns out to be primarily driven by the significant developments in the comprising service characteristics and not the VAT policy change.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on hedonic price analyses on complex telecommunications service plans and enhances this methodology by using weights and analysing the content-related features of the mobile packages.
Role of brand attachment and satisfaction in driving customer behaviors for durables: a longitudinal study
Authors: Guru Ramesh Roshan Das , Paulssen Marcel , Japutra Arnold
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to extend research in marketing on two important relational constructs, customer satisfaction and brand attachment, by comparing their long-term effects on customer behaviors with different levels of performance difficulty in a relatively understudied domain of durable products.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a two-stage quantitative study with US customers from five durable product categories, the authors first explored the hierarchy of customers’ loyalty behaviors based on increasing effort in a pretest study (N = 675). Then, the authors tested the effectiveness of satisfaction and brand attachment for customers’ loyalty behaviors over a nine-month period in a longitudinal study (N = 2,284) with customers from the same product categories.

Findings

Compared to satisfaction, brand attachment emerges as a stronger long-term predictor of customer behaviors. The performance difficulty of customer behaviors positively moderates the impact of brand attachment and negatively moderates the impact of customer satisfaction. Brand attachment is particularly effective in predicting difficult-to-perform customer behaviors, which require customers to expend resources such as time and money. Customer satisfaction is mainly effective for predicting easy-to-perform behaviors, but its long-term impact is significantly lower for easy-to-perform behaviors than brand attachment.

Research limitations/implications

The use of consumer durables in the study and samples from only one country restricts the generalizability of the findings.

Practical implications

The complementary roles of customer satisfaction and brand attachment are highlighted. Only satisfying customers is not enough to engage customers in behaviors that require resources such as money, time and energy for the brand.

Originality/value

A comparative study on the long-term effectiveness of two established relational metrics in explaining different customer behaviors varying in their performance difficulty in an understudied domain of durable products.
Convexity of the triple helix of innovation game
Authors: Mêgnigbêto Eustache
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to determine the conditions for the core of the Triple Helix game to exist. The Triple Helix of university-industry-government relationships is a three-person cooperative game with transferable utility. Then, the core, the Shapley value and the nucleolus were used as indicators of the synergy within an innovation system. Whereas the Shapley value and the nucleolus always exist, the core may not.

Design/methodology/approach

The core of a three-person cooperative game with transferable utility exists only if and only if the game is convex. The paper applies the convexity condition to the Triple Helix game.

Findings

The Triple Helix game is convex if and only if there is output within the system; it is strictly convex if and only if all the three bilateral and the trilateral relationships have an output.

Practical implications

Convex games are competitive situations in which there are strong incentives towards the formation of large coalitions; therefore, innovation actors must cooperate to maximise their interests. Furthermore, a Triple Helix game may be split into subgames for comprehensive analyses and several Triple Helix games may be combined for a global study.

Originality/value

This paper extends the meaning of the Shapley value and the nucleolus for Triple Helix innovation actors: the Shapley value indicates the quantity a player wins because of the coalitions he involves in and the nucleolus the return for solidarity of an innovation actor.
Examining the advantages and disadvantages of international franchising and licensing from both legal and business perspectives within GCC region
Authors: Al Bakri Anas A. , Kisswani Nazzal M.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to provides the insights on the advantages and disadvantages of international franchising and licensing from the perspectives of legal and business considerations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative research approach, the authors conducted a survey with 150 business owners and franchisees in the GCC and analyzed the data using descriptive statistics, structural equation modeling and frequency analysis.

Findings

The findings reveal that while international franchising and licensing offer significant benefits for business expansion and revenue growth, they also pose risks related to legal compliance, cultural differences and intellectual property protection. Indeed, the results of this study provide valuable insights into the advantages and disadvantages of international franchising and licensing in the GCC from both legal and business perspectives.

Originality/value

There is limited research on the legal and business perspectives of international franchising and licensing in the GCC. This study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of the legal and business perspectives of international franchising and licensing in the GCC.
Examining body mass index and health-related fitness marker progression of incarcerated minority youth engaged in a sport-leadership program
Authors: Wahl-Alexander Zachary , Jacobs Jennifer , Hill Christopher M. , Bennett Gabrielle
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a sport-leadership program on minority incarcerated young adults’ health-related fitness markers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study occurred at an all-male juvenile detention center. A total of 41 participants in this study were obtained from a sample of 103 incarcerated young adults. Data collection entailed body mass index (BMI) evaluation, cardiovascular endurance tests and 1-min pushups and situps at two different time periods (before and after three months). A 2 × 2 mixed factorial analysis of variances was used to test for differences among the within subjects’ factors (time [pre × post]) and between subjects’ factors (groups [flex × control]) for the above-mentioned dependent variables.

Findings

Over the course of three consecutive months of engagement, preliminary indications demonstrated participants had a slight reduction in BMI and significant increases in cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength. Contrarily, during this same time period, non-participating young adults exhibited significant increases in BMI and decreases in cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength.

Originality/value

Integration of sport-leadership programs is generally not free but can be a low-cost alternative for combatting many issues surrounding physical activity, weight gain and recreational time for those incarcerated.
When leadership goes awry: the nexus between tyrannical leadership and knowledge hiding
Authors: Guo Maohong , Khassawneh Osama , Mohammad Tamara , Pei Xintian
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Grounded on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study examines the relationship between tyrannical leadership and knowledge hiding. Additionally, this study aims to investigate the mediating role of psychological distress and the moderating role of psychological safety.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was gathered from 435 employees in the corporate sector in China. The study used the partial least squares structural equation modelling approach to assess the proposed connections and analysed the data collected with the help of SmartPLS 4 software.

Findings

In the study, it was found that there is a positive relationship between tyrannical leadership and knowledge hiding, and this association is mediated by psychological distress. Additionally, the results asserted that the positive effect of tyrannical leadership on knowledge hiding through psychological distress is less pronounced when there is a greater degree of psychological safety.

Practical implications

Leaders should avoid being tyrannical and adopt a supportive leadership style. They should be aware of the effects of their behaviour on employee well-being, provide resources to help employees cope with distress and foster a culture of psychological safety. This approach promotes knowledge sharing, innovation and employee well-being within the organisation.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing literature by investigating a new factor that influences knowledge hiding: tyrannical leadership. Furthermore, it explains that employees who experience tyrannical leadership are more prone to psychological distress, such as anxiety and fear, and are likelier to engage in knowledge-hiding behaviours. Finally, the study identifies psychological safety as a factor that can mitigate the negative effects of tyrannical leadership on knowledge hiding.
Resilience dynamics and their determinants: the transition to coronavirus pandemic recovery
Authors: Duro Juan Antonio , Fernández-Fernández Melchor , Perez-Laborda Alejandro , Rosselló Jaume
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to introduce a dynamic perspective of tourism resilience by analyzing tourism demand in Spain during the 2020 and 2021 summers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses regression and Lasso-type methods to demonstrate a great explanatory capacity of past determinants to explain the tourism demand of the Spanish provinces.

Findings

Results show how the previous specialization of the domestic market, the density and the geographic location related to the type of product are behind the bulk of the territorial differences in demand resilience, although in 2021 there has been a process of adaptation to the new context.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of tourist behavior and tourism destination management by introducing the concept of resilience dynamics of destinations.

Practical implications

The results are useful, on the one hand, for tourist destinations to understand the different stages of recovery from a shock, and on the other hand, to go in deep in consumer behavior after a shock.

Originality/value

These findings represent a paradigm shift in the static conception of resilience in tourism.