bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decentralization, Supervision, and Chinese Local Government Debt
Authors: Yang Chunfei , Li Yongyou , Qi Yu , Xu Yanzhe
Published: July 2024

Decentralization can alter the incentive structure of local governments and one outcome of this is debt accumulation. Based on the “Province‐Managing‐County” pilot policy, a fiscal decentralization reform devolving fiscal power from the prefecture‐level city to the county level, we assess the impact of fiscal decentralization on local government debt using a difference‐in‐differences model with a unique county‐level dataset from 2011 to 2019. According to the study findings, the “Province‐Managing‐County” reform resulted in an average increase of 5.758 percent in the local government debt ratio across the pilot counties. Mechanism analyses suggest that this may have arisen from changes in the incentive structure, including external pressures from government assessments and internal developmental needs for promotion, leading to a rise in expenditure pressures on local governments. The role of supervision in mitigating the impact of fiscal decentralization on debt growth was also demonstrated, indicating that an appropriate supervision mechanism must be in place in conjunction with a decentralization policy.
Development of a new social prescribing intervention for families of children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Ostojic Katarina , Karem Isra , Dee‐Price Betty‐Jean , Paget Simon P. , Berg Alison , Burnett Heather , Scott Timothy R. , Strnadová Iva , Woolfenden Susan R. ,   EPIC‐CP Group
Published: July 2024

Aim

To co‐design a social prescribing intervention (the EPIC‐CP programme: Equitable Pathways and Integrated Care in Cerebral Palsy) with children with cerebral palsy (CP), their families, and clinicians to address unmet social needs.

Method

The study was conducted (August 2021 to March 2023) at the paediatric rehabilitation departments of the three tertiary paediatric hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. Eligible participants attended or worked at one of the departments, including children with CP, parents/caregivers, and clinicians. Mixed‐methods co‐design was used in intervention co‐production and prototyping. The project was overseen by research advisors with lived experience of CP.

Results

More than 200 participants contributed to the co‐design research. Families experienced a substantial burden of unmet social needs. Co‐designed interventions involved systematic identification of unmet social needs with (1) targeted community resources and (2) engagement with a ‘community linker’ who supported children/young people and their families to access health, education, and social services that matched their identified needs and preferences. Research participants co‐developed the programme logic model and prototype. This was piloted in research action cycles and iteratively refined until consensus was achieved.

Interpretation

We co‐designed a social prescribing programme responsive to the needs of its end‐users and purposefully developed to be embedded in the Australian health setting. A pilot randomized controlled trial will further evaluate this intervention.
Disease and treatment burden of patients with haemophilia entering the explorer6 non‐interventional study
Authors: Windyga Jerzy , Apte Shashikant , Frei‐Jones Melissa , Fujii Teruhisa , Lyu Chuhl Joo , Villarreal Martinez Laura , Sathar Jameela , Stasyshyn Oleksandra , Tran Huyen , Zozulya Nadezhda , Brown Frandsen Renée , Neergaard Jesper Skov , Thaung Zaw Jay Jay , Mahlangu Johnny
Published: July 2024

Objectives

We aimed to characterise baseline disease and treatment burden in a large population with haemophilia A/B, both with (HAwI/HBwI) and without (HA/HB) inhibitors.

Methods

The prospective, non‐interventional explorer6 study included patients ≥12 years old with severe HA, severe/moderate HB or HAwI/HBwI of any severity, treated according to local standard of care (excluding previous/current exposure to concizumab or emicizumab). Baseline characteristics and historical clinical data were collected and patient‐reported outcomes, including treatment burden, were assessed.

Results

The explorer6 study enrolled 231 patients with haemophilia (84 HAwI/HBwI) from 33 countries. At baseline, patients with HA/HB treated with prophylaxis had the lowest median annualised bleeding rates (ABRs; 2.0), irrespective of haemophilia type; of these patients, 27.5% (HA) and 31.4% (HB) had target joints. Patients with HAwI/HBwI treated episodically reported the highest treatment burden. Of these patients, 28.5% (HAwI) and 25.1% (HBwI) performed sports activities in the month before screening.

Conclusion

Despite receiving routine clinical care, historical and baseline information from patients enrolled in explorer6 showed that patients with HA/HB treated episodically and patients with HAwI/HBwI had higher ABRs, higher treatment burden and participated in sports less than those with HA/HB treated with prophylaxis. Emerging treatments could be beneficial in addressing these unmet medical needs.
Identification of Aerobic ETBE‐Degrading Microorganisms in Groundwater Using Stable Isotope Probing
Authors: Nicholls Henry C.G. , Mallinson H. Emma , Thornton Steven F. , Hjort Markus , Rolfe Stephen A.
Published: July 2024

A limited number of microorganisms have been identified with the capability to degrade ethyl tert‐butyl ether (ETBE) in the environment. Knowledge of the identity and distribution of ETBE‐degrading microorganisms is important for the implementation of management measures such as natural attenuation and bioremediation at ETBE‐release sites. In this study, DNA‐stable isotope probing (SIP) was used to identify microorganisms able to aerobically degrade 13C‐labeled ETBE in laboratory microcosms constructed with groundwater and aquifer material from an ETBE‐release site. Microorganisms in the Class γ‐proteobacteria, Order β‐proteobacteriales, Family Burkholderiaceae, and classified as Methylibium and Leptothrix, respectively, were identified as primary ETBE degraders. Comparisons with ETBE‐responsive microorganisms (those which increased in abundance after the addition of ETBE), identified by high‐throughput sequencing of microcosms established from the same site, showed that only a small proportion of the ETBE‐responsive organisms were primary degraders as determined by SIP. ETBE degraders were taxonomically related to microorganisms able to degrade other gasoline components, but not ETBE, implying that this functionality results from acquisition of the eth gene cluster by these organisms. These ETBE degraders could also be identified at ETBE‐release sites, but at low relative abundance and generally only in those locations from which the microcosms had been established. Therefore, we recommend that molecular investigations of ETBE‐contaminated sites focus on functional genes (i.e., the eth gene cluster) rather than specific taxa.
Defining angioinvasion and lymphatic invasion in papillary thyroid carcinoma: morphological criteria, utility of D2‐40/CD31/ERG immunohistochemistry and correlation with clinicopathological characteristics
Authors: Xu Bin , Roy Dibisha , Serrette Rene , Ghossein Ronald
Published: July 2024

Aims

While CAP and ICCR protocols mandate the separation of angioinvasion (AI) and lymphatic invasion (LI) in thyroid carcinoma, distinction between them can be difficult. Because the presence of AI is used to stratify patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), there is a need to accurately diagnose AI and LI.

Methods and results

AI and LI were evaluated in 162 cases of PTC (n = 155) and high‐grade differentiated thyroid carcinoma, papillary phenotype (HGDTCp, n = seven) using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E), D2‐40 and CD31/ERG. In encapsulated carcinomas, vascular invasion (VI) was only of AI nature. Infiltrative carcinomas showed LI (46 of 131, 35%) and AI (19 of 131, 16%). The frequency of nodal metastasis (NM) and large volume of NM was 93 and 85%, respectively, in tumours with LI, and 39 and 26%, respectively, in those without LI. Luminal red blood cells and smooth muscle in the wall of large‐calibre vessels were not reliable criteria to exclude LI and were seen in 23 and 6% of LI, respectively. LI was an independent predictor for NM, whereas AI is an independent predictor for distant metastasis at presentation in PTC/HGDTCp.

Conclusion

VI in encapsulated carcinomas, including follicular variant PTC, is only of AI nature, confirming the position of this variant as a close entity to follicular carcinoma rather than classic PTC, whereas infiltrative PTC/HGDTCp may have LI or, less frequently, AI. As no morphological features reliably distinguish LI from AI, D2‐40 and CD31/ERG immunostains should be considered for separating AI from LI when dealing with vascular invasion in an infiltrative PTC.
Not too shy to point! Exploring the relationship between shyness and pointing in the second year
Authors: Colonnesi Cristina , Salvadori Eliala A. , Oort Frans J. , Messinger Daniel S.
Published: July 2024

Infants' use of pointing gestures to direct and share attention develops during the first 2 years of life. Shyness, defined as an approach‐avoidance motivational conflict during social interactions, may influence infants’ use of pointing. Recent research distinguished between positive (gaze and/or head aversions while smiling) and non‐positive (gaze and/or head aversions without smiling) shyness, which are related to different social and cognitive skills. We investigated whether positive and non‐positive shyness in 12‐month‐old (n = 38; 15 girls) and 15‐month‐old (n = 45; 15 girls) infants were associated with their production of pointing gestures. Infants' expressions of shyness were observed during a social‐exposure task in which the infant entered the laboratory room in their parent's arms and was welcomed by an unfamiliar person who provided attention and compliments. Infants' pointing was measured with a pointing task involving three stimuli: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. Positive shyness was positively associated with overall pointing at 15 months, especially in combination with high levels of non‐positive shyness. In addition, infants who displayed more non‐positive shyness pointed more frequently to direct the attention of the social partner to an unpleasant (vs. neutral) stimulus at both ages. Results indicate that shyness influences the early use of pointing to emotionally charged stimuli.
‘Safer, Not Safe’: Service Users' Experiences of Psychological Safety in Inpatient Mental Health Wards in the United Kingdom
Authors: Vogt Katharina Sophie , Baker John , Kendal Sarah , Griffin Bethany Leigh , Mizen Emily , Sharp Hannah , Johnson Judith
Published: July 2024

Research on patient safety in mental health settings is limited compared to physical healthcare settings. Recent qualitative studies have highlighted that patient safety is more than just physical safety but includes psychological safety. Traditionally, psychological safety has been defined as the belief that it is safe to take interpersonal risks, such as speaking up, without a fear of negative consequences. However, to date, it is not clear what constitutes psychological safety for service users of inpatient mental health settings. To understand this, we conducted 12 interviews with former inpatient mental health service users. Interviews were analysed with Reflexive Thematic Analysis, and five themes were developed. All themes had subthemes. Overall, we found that participants were more readily able to draw on situations where they felt psychologically unsafe, rather than safe. Psychological safety in service users was influenced by (1) healthcare staff attitudes and behaviours towards them, (2) their relationships with other service users, (3) whether they felt they had any control over their environment and medical decision‐making regarding their care, (4) their experiences of physically safety, feeling listened to and believed and (5) access to meaningful occupation on the wards. These findings suggest that changes are needed to enhance inpatient mental health service users' general experiences of psychological safety. Further research will need to (1) further develop understanding of the concept of psychological safety for service users and (2) identify interventions, and such interventions should be co‐designed with service users.
Hierarchical goal programming approaches to solve a discrete‐time formulation for the aircraft recovery problem of a Brazilian oil and gas company
Authors: Fantazzini Tarley Mansur , Vieira Thiago , Morabito Reinaldo , Munari Pedro
Published: July 2024

We address the aircraft recovery problem faced by a Brazilian oil and gas company during its offshore operations. This problem involves hiring helicopters from an outsourced company to transport personnel from an airport to maritime units. The performed flights are subject to disruptions and might require rescheduling. To assist with decision‐making in such situations, we introduce a discrete‐time integer linear programming (ILP) model that considers company‐specific attributes, including a lexicographic objective function that prioritizes (i) the reduction of flight transfers to the next day; (ii) the reduction of helicopter utilization; and (iii) the reduction of flight delays of the day. We develop four different solution approaches using hierarchical goal programming based on the proposed model, aided by enhancements and valid inequalities. Computational experiments using both real‐world and simulated instances demonstrate that our approaches can provide effective solutions for most instances using a general‐purpose ILP solver within acceptable computation times.
Identifying High‐Yielding and Drought‐Tolerant Wheat Cultivars Based on Ideotypic Traits and Yield Responses to Stress
Authors: Li Yibo , Tao Fulu , Hao Yuanfeng , Xiao Yonggui , He Zhonghu , Reynolds Matthew
Published: July 2024

Drought is one of the most adverse factors affecting plant growth and productivity. Identifying elite genotypes and their ideotypic traits conferring high yield potential and drought tolerance is critical in selecting and breeding drought‐tolerant wheat cultivars. In this study, we conducted field experiments at the Xinxiang Agricultural Comprehensive Experimental station in the North China Plain from 2018 to 2020 and assessed 209 wheat cultivars released since the 1940s under irrigated and nonirrigated conditions. Then, we selected drought‐tolerant cultivars by classifying them into four groups based on yield response to drought stress and several drought indices. Finally, the key ideotypic traits associated with high yield potential and drought tolerance were identified. Results indicated that the grain yield of the 209 cultivars decreased on average by 10.4% and 9.4% under nonirrigated treatment in 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, respectively, relative to full irrigation. The high‐yielding cultivars under both irrigation treatments are characterised by a compact plant type, larger thousand‐grain weight, larger chlorophyll content, higher leaf photosynthesis, shorter plant height and stay‐green traits. The stomatal and nonstomatal limitations are strongly associated with genotype yield performance, elucidating a potential mechanism underlying drought tolerance. Drought tolerance and yield stability of wheat cultivars have been improved through breeding over the past 70 years. Our findings enhance understanding of drought tolerance and identify genotypes and traits beneficial for breeding high‐yielding and drought‐tolerant cultivars.
Prognosticating global functional outcome in the recurrent ischemic stroke using baseline clinical and pre‐clinical features: A machine learning study
Authors: Dao Tran Nhat Phong , Dang Hien Nguyen Thanh , Pham My Thi Kim , Nguyen Hien Thi , Tran Chi Cuong , Le Minh Van
Published: July 2024

Background and Purpose

Recurrent ischemic stroke (RIS) induces additional functional limitations in patients. Prognosticating globally functional outcome (GFO) in RIS patients is thereby important to plan a suitable rehabilitation programme. This study sought to investigate the ability of baseline features for classifying the patients with and without improving GFO (task 1) and identifying patients with poor GFO (task 2) at the third month after discharging from RIS.

Methods

A total of 86 RIS patients were recruited and divided into the training set and testing set (50:50). The clinical and pre‐clinical data were recorded. The outcome was the changes in Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) (task 1) and the mRS score at the third month (mRS 0–2: good GFO, mRS >2: poor GFO) (task 2). The permutation importance ranking method selected features. Four algorithms were trained on the training set with five‐fold cross‐validation. The best model was tested on the testing set.

Results

In task 1, the support vector machine (SVM) model outperformed the other models, with the high performance matrix on the training set (sensitivity = 0.80; specificity = 1.00) and the testing set (sensitivity = 0.80; specificity = 0.95). In task 2, the SVM model with selected features also performed well on both datasets (training set: sensitivity = 0.76; specificity = 0.92; testing set: sensitivity = 0.72; specificity = 0.88).

Conclusion

A machine learning model could be used to classify GFO responses to treatment and identify the third‐month poor GFO in RIS patients, supporting physicians in clinical practice.
An interdisciplinary treatment to reshape upper anterior displaced teeth by using dynamic occlusal recording with an intraoral scanner
Authors: Han Tianxiao , Xie Siyu , Cheng Shi , Jiang Qingsong
Published: July 2024

Objective

This article describes an interdisciplinary treatment that helped a patient with displaced upper anterior teeth. A gingivectomy, root canal therapies, digital smile design, digital wax‐up, and guided tooth preparations were applied.

Clinical Considerations

A patient with pathologically migrated teeth asked for treatment without orthodontic involvement due to a primary failed orthodontic treatment history. A smile photo was taken and superimposed with the dentition in a CAD software to accomplish a digital smile design. The jaw movements were recorded with two different methods, a mechanical articulator and an intraoral scanner with Patient‐Specific‐Motion function. The occlusal contacts during protrusive and lateral movements were compared and the digital wax‐up was designed according to the later occlusal data. An aesthetic crown lengthening and pre‐op root canal treatment were carried out in advance accordingly. After guided tooth preparation with a silicone index, the final fixed restorations were manufactured and cemented. A 2‐year follow‐up showed that our prosthesis functions well.

Conclusions

This clinical report revealed that an intraoral scanner with Patient‐Specific‐Motion function can effectively record individual dynamic occlusal patterns and these data can be integrated into the CAD/CAM process to enhance the fulfillment of clinical requirements.

Clinical Significance

This clinical procedure with a 2‐year follow‐up demonstrated that a prosthodontic‐based interdisciplinary treatment of pathologically migrated teeth using dynamic occlusal recording with an intraoral scanner could achieve satisfactory esthetics in a relatively short treatment period. The Patient Specific Motion module may be used to record a personalized functional movement and the data can be integrated into the design process of the final restorations.
The ties that bind: Questions for studying families in neighborhood contexts
Authors: Riina Elizabeth M.
Published: July 2024

Scholars agree that understanding of family is incomplete without attention to context. Research and theory establish that neighborhoods are a proximal context for family life. However, research on the connections between neighborhoods and family processes remains limited in several ways. The overarching goal of this paper is to advance on existing knowledge of neighborhoods and families to elucidate key issues for future research. This paper begins with a brief review of existing theory and research on the connections between neighborhoods and families. Building on prior work, this paper then introduces a set of conceptually and methodologically driven questions that address limitations in: (1) how neighborhood qualities, as they relate to family wellbeing, are currently defined and measured, (2) how neighborhood effects are transmitted and if there are mutual influences between neighborhood and family processes, and (3) how transmission between neighborhoods and families varies according to sociocultural characteristics. These questions outline initial steps in clarifying and synthesizing previous conceptualizations and empirical study of neighborhoods and family dynamics. In addition, these ideas bring attention to understudied factors in research on neighborhoods and families and offer suggestions for future investigations.
Officer gunpoint during police stops: Repercussions for youth mental health and perceived safety
Authors: Jackson Dylan B. , Fix Rebecca L. , Semenza Daniel C. , Testa Alexander , Ward Julie A. , Crifasi Cassandra K.
Published: July 2024

Youth‐police contact is increasingly acknowledged as a stressor and a racialized adverse childhood experience that can undermine youths' mental health. The present study investigates a particularly distressing feature of youths' direct and witnessed in‐person police stops—officer gunpoint (i.e., officers drawing of firearms and pointing them at youth, their peers, or other community members). We examine patterns of youths' officer gunpoint exposure and associations with youth mental health and safety perceptions. Data come from the Survey of Police‐Adolescent Contact Experiences (SPACE), a cross‐sectional survey of a community‐based sample of Black youth ages 12–21 in Baltimore City, Maryland (n = 335), administered from August 2022 to July 2023. Findings indicate that ~33% of youth reporting in‐person police stops had been exposed to officer gunpoint during stops. Officer gunpoint was significantly and positively associated with being male, unemployed, having an incarcerated parent, living in a neighborhood with greater disorder, and having been directly stopped by police, in addition to youth delinquency and impulsivity. Net of covariates, experiencing officer gunpoint was associated with a significantly higher rate of youth emotional distress during stops. Significant associations between officer gunpoint and youths' current police violence stress, police avoidance, and diminished safety perceptions also emerged and were largely explained by youths' heightened emotional distress at the time of police stops. Trauma‐informed approaches are needed to mitigate the mental health harms of youth experiencing officer gunpoint.
Differentiating idiopathic inflammatory myopathies by automated morphometric analysis of MHC‐1, MHC‐2 and ICAM‐1 in muscle tissue
Authors: Nishimura Anna , Nelke Christopher , Huber Melanie , Mensch Alexander , Roth Angela , Oberwittler Christoph , Zimmerlein Björn , Krämer Heidrun H. , Neuen‐Jacob Eva , Stenzel Werner , Müller‐Ladner Ulf , Ruck Tobias , Schänzer Anne
Published: July 2024

Aims

Diagnosis of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) is based on morphological characteristics and the evaluation of disease‐related proteins. However, although broadly applied, substantial bias is imposed by the respective methods, observers and individual staining approaches. We aimed to quantify the protein levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)‐1, (MHC)‐2 and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)‐1 using an automated morphometric method to mitigate bias.

Methods

Double immunofluorescence staining was performed on whole muscle sections to study differences in protein expression in myofibre and endomysial vessels. We analysed all IIM subtypes including dermatomyositis (DM), anti‐synthetase syndrome (ASyS), inclusion body myositis (IBM), immune‐mediated‐necrotising myopathy (IMNM), dysferlinopathy (DYSF), SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and vaccination‐associated myopathy. Biopsies with neurogenic atrophy (NA) and normal morphology served as controls. Bulk RNA‐Sequencing (RNA‐Seq) was performed on a subset of samples.

Results

Our study highlights the significance of MHC‐1, MHC‐2 and ICAM‐1 in diagnosing IIM subtypes and reveals distinct immunological profiles. RNASeq confirmed the precision of our method and identified specific gene pathways in the disease subtypes.

Notably, ASyS, DM and SARS‐CoV‐2‐associated myopathy showed increased ICAM‐1 expression in the endomysial capillaries, indicating ICAM‐1‐associated vascular activation in these conditions. In addition, ICAM‐1 showed high discrimination between different subgroups with high sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusions

Automated morphometric analysis provides precise quantitative data on immune‐associated proteins that can be integrated into our pathophysiological understanding of IIM. Further, ICAM‐1 holds diagnostic value for the detection of IIM pathology.
Electroacupuncture at different frequencies improves visceral pain in IBS rats through different pathways
Authors: Chang Xiaoli , Wang Lijun , Sun Hongwei , Wang Zhen , Yang Zongbao , Chen Shaozong
Published: July 2024

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency dependence of electroacupuncture (EA) in alleviating chronic visceral pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the differences in the gut microbiota and metabolites as potential mechanisms to explain frequency dependence.

Methods

A visceral hyperalgesia model was established by colorectal instillation of 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid in rats, and EA treatment at 2/10 Hz, 2/50 Hz and 2/100 Hz was applied at ST25. Visceral sensation was quantified by the abdominal withdrawal reflex score and the area under the curve of the rectus abdominis electromyogram in response to colorectal distension. Ultrastructural morphological damage of colonic tissue of the rats was examined by transmission electron microscopy. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and 1H‐nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were applied to study the differences in the gut microbiota and to perform metabonomic profiling of the colonic tissue.

Key Results

EA at ST25 at different frequencies attenuated chronic visceral pain, ultrastructural morphological damage to colonic tissue and disruption of the gut microbiota in IBS rats. The frequency of 2/100 Hz has more regulatory pathways than 2/10 Hz and 2/50 Hz. In addition, IBS rats exhibited colonic metabolic disorders, and pantothenate was significantly upregulated after EA treatment at different frequencies. Very low‐density lipoprotein and 2‐hydroxybutyrate were significantly increased in the 2/10 Hz group, while low density lipoprotein, very low‐density lipoprotein, 2‐hydroxybutyrate, methylmalonate and alpha‐hydroxyisobutyric acid were significantly increased in the 2/100 Hz group.

Conclusions and Inferences

EA at ST25 at different frequencies attenuated chronic visceral pain through different gut microbiota and metabolic pathways.
PhieDBEs: a DBD‐containing, PAM‐flexible, high‐efficiency dual base editor toolbox with wide targeting scope for use in plants
Authors: Zheng Zhiye , Liu Taoli , Chai Nan , Zeng Dongchang , Zhang Ruixiang , Wu Yang , Hang Jiaxuan , Liu Yuxin , Deng Qindi , Tan Jiantao , Liu Jialin , Xie Xianrong , Liu Yao‐Guang , Zhu Qinlong
Published: July 2024

Dual base editors (DBEs) enable simultaneous A‐to‐G and C‐to‐T conversions, expanding mutation types. However, low editing efficiency and narrow targeting range limit the widespread use of DBEs in plants. The single‐strand DNA binding domain of RAD51 DBD can be fused to base editors to improve their editing efficiency. However, it remains unclear how the DBD affects dual base editing performance in plants. In this study, we generated a series of novel plant DBE‐SpGn tools consisting of nine constructs using the high‐activity cytidine deaminase evoFERNY, adenosine deaminase TadA8e and DBD in various fusion modes with the PAM‐flexible Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) nickase variant SpGn (with NG‐PAM). By analysing their editing performance on 48 targets in rice, we found that DBE‐SpGn constructs containing a single DBD and deaminases located at the N‐terminus of SpGn exhibited the highest editing efficiencies. Meanwhile, constructs with deaminases located at the C‐terminus and/or multiple DBDs failed to function normally and exhibited inhibited editing activity. We identified three particularly high‐efficiency dual base editors (C‐A‐SpGn, C‐A‐D‐SpGn and A‐C‐D‐SpGn), named PhieDBEs (Plant high‐efficiency dual base editors), capable of producing efficient dual base conversions within a narrow editing window (M5 ~ M9, M = A/C). The editing efficiency of C‐A‐D‐SpGn was as high as 95.2% at certain target sites, with frequencies of simultaneous C‐to‐T and A‐to‐G conversions as high as 81.0%. In summary, PhieDBEs (especially C‐A‐D‐SpGn) can produce diverse mutants and may prove useful in a wide variety of applications, including plant functional genomics, precise mutagenesis, directed evolution and crop genetic improvement, among others.
Genetic Analysis of Cotton Fiber Traits in Gossypium Hybrid Lines
Authors: Wang Heng , Cai Xiaoyan , Umer Muhammad Jawad , Xu Yanchao , Hou Yuqing , Zheng Jie , Liu Fang , Wang Kunbo , Chen Mengshan , Ma Shuping , Yu Jingzhong , Zhou Zhongli
Published: July 2024

Cotton plays a crucial role in the progress of the textile industry and the betterment of human life by providing natural fibers. In our study, we explored the genetic determinants of cotton architecture and fiber yield and quality by crossbreeding Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium barbadense, creating a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. Utilizing SNP markers, we constructed an extensive genetic map encompassing 7,730 markers over 2,784.2 cM. We appraised two architectural and seven fiber traits within six environments, identifying 58 QTLs, of which 49 demonstrated stability across these environments. These encompassed QTLs for traits such as lint percentage (LP), boll weight (BW), fiber strength (STRENGTH), seed index (SI), and micronaire (MIC), primarily located on chromosomes chr‐A07, chr‐D06, and chr‐D07. Notably, chr‐D07 houses a QTL region affecting SI, corroborated by multiple studies. Within this region, the genes BZIP043 and SEP2 were identified as pivotal, with SEP2 particularly showing augmented expression in developing ovules. These discoveries contribute significantly to marker‐assisted selection, potentially elevating both the yield and quality of cotton fiber production. These findings provide valuable insights into marker‐assisted breeding strategies, offering crucial information to enhance fiber yield and quality in cotton production.
Coral restoration: a mapping review through a scientometric analysis
Authors: Segaran Thirukanthan C. , Soffa Fawzan B. , Lananan Fathurrahman , Sarà Gianluca , Feng Zhihua , Azra Mohamad N. , Safuan Che D. M.
Published: July 2024

Reef restoration has gained attention as it has strategic actions and powerful means in sustaining and maintaining coastal ecosystem services. This scientometric study systematically analyzes the current trends and research hotspot in coral restoration across the last five decades (1971–2022). The metadata (12,667 articles with 652,860 cited references) were obtained from the Clarivate Web of Science platform through the Core Collection database, associated with the CiteSpace and R‐software for further analysis. The results indicated that the trend of coral restoration is increasing in paper/year, with the United States, Australia, and China as major contributors to the related research. Furthermore, James Cook University, Australia had the largest number of articles, and the Consortium of Research Libraries of the United Kingdom was the most influential institution on coral restoration. The highly cited keywords are “Great Barrier Reef,” “climate change,” and “coral reef,” while the most influential keywords are “coral,” “model,” and “Atlantic.” A total of 23 clusters in the field with “coral reef,” “phase shift,” “bacterial communities,” “coral restoration,” “symbiotic dinoflagellate,” “stony coral tissue loss disease,” “bleaching event,” “ocean acidification,” “oyster reef,” and “quantitative reconstruction” are among the top cluster size labeled. Early‐stage researcher may use both keywords and cluster analysis to find topics attractive to their future research projects. In addition, this study contributes toward evaluating recent scientific productivity about coral restoration as well as informing researchers and policymakers regarding funding, future strategic planning, and potential collaboration opportunities.
Learnings from the past to inform future ecosystem restoration projects: an Australian perspective
Authors: Araya‐López Rocio , Wartman Melissa , Duarte de Paula Costa Micheli , Macreadie Peter I.
Published: July 2024

Coastal and marine ecosystems provide valuable ecosystem services and functions. Unfortunately, these habitats have experienced increasing anthropogenic and climate‐related pressures, leading to significant degradation and loss not only in Australia but also globally. Hence, the urgency for coastal and marine ecosystem restoration has never been more pronounced. We present a synthesis of 151 projects on coastal and marine restoration in Australia spanning mangrove, seagrass, tidal marsh, kelp, shellfish reef, and coral ecosystems. Our findings reveal increased restoration efforts over the past 30 years, with an increased focus on coral and shellfish reef habitats. Across Australia, most efforts were in southeastern Australia, with a noticeable gap in the Northern Territory. Restoration strategies focused on enhancing propagule availability (74%) and substrate availability (42%), with additional efforts toward implementing top–down (7%) and bottom–up (4%) controls to boost natural recruitment. Projects were carried out with the participation mostly of research universities (45%), followed by state government entities (42%), philanthropy (34%), and private companies (16%). Funding came primarily from governmental sources, such as state government entities (50%), the commonwealth (44%), and philanthropy (19%). Restoration outcomes are centered on monitoring growth and survival resulting from both single and multiple restoration actions. Our findings highlight key factors influencing natural recruitment across habitat types, where sedimentation and species reproductive biology play a critical role. While acknowledging that our results represent only a small fraction of Australia's coastal and marine restoration efforts, our intent is to contribute insights that can support large‐scale restoration actions not only in Australia but also on a global scale.
Ambivalent attitudes toward life and death and suicide ideation among adolescents—The mediating role of depression
Authors: Toukhy N. , Raviv B. , Haruvi‐Catalan L. , Fennig S. , Barzilay S.
Published: July 2024

Background

Ambivalence in attitudes towards life and death are associated with suicide ideation (SI) among adolescents. However, previous research was mainly cross‐sectional and did not examine through which psychopathological mechanisms (such as depression) attitudes towards life and death are associated with SI.

Objective

The current longitudinal study examined the mediating role of depression at follow‐up in the association between attitudes towards life and death at baseline and SI at follow‐up among at‐risk adolescents referred to an outpatient psychiatric clinic.

Methods

129 adolescents aged 10–18 years (75.2% females) with a history of suicidal thoughts and behaviors were assessed at clinic intake and 1 month follow‐up (80% retention rate at follow‐up). All participants completed a questionnaire assessing attitudes towards life and death and SI severity at clinic intake, and depression and SI severity at 1 month follow‐up.

Results

While controlling for SI severity at intake, attraction towards life at baseline, rather than attraction and repulsion towards death at baseline, led to higher SI severity at follow‐up, while depression at follow‐up fully mediated this association.

Conclusions

Attitudes towards life, as well as depression play critical roles in the development of SI among adolescents. Interventions targeting reasons for living and promoting meaning of life may be beneficial in preventing depression and SI.
Multidimensional effects of history, neighborhood, and proximity on urban land growth: A dynamic spatiotemporal rolling prediction model (STRM)
Authors: Ren Yingjian , Yang Jianxin , Shen Yang , Wang Lizhou , Zhang Zhong , Zhao Zibo
Published: July 2024

Accurate prediction of future urban land demand is essential for effective urban management and planning. However, existing studies often focus on predicting total demand within an administrative region, neglecting the spatiotemporal heterogeneities and interrelationships within its subregions, such as grids. This study introduces a dynamic spatiotemporal rolling prediction model (STRM) that integrates historical trends, neighborhood status, and spatial proximity for spatially explicit prediction of urban land demand at a grid level within an administrative region. STRM leverages historical urban land demand and proximity information from neighborhood grids to predict future demand of the foci grid. By integrating history and neighborhood information into a deep forest model, STRM provides an approach for rolling predictions of grid‐level urban land demand. Parameter sensitivity and structural sensitivity analyses of STRM reveal the impact of historical lags, neighborhood size, and spatial proximity on urban land demand predictions. Application of STRM in Wuhan demonstrated the performance of STRM over a 17‐year period (2000–2017), with an average adjusted R2 of 0.89, outperforming other urban land demand prediction models. By predicting demand on a year‐by‐year basis, STRM effectively captures spatiotemporal heterogeneity and enhances the resolution of urban land demand prediction. STRM represents a shift from static macroscopic to dynamic microscopic prediction of urban land demand, offering valuable insights for future urban development and planning decisions.
Posttranscriptional tuning of gene expression over a large dynamic range in synthetic tobacco chloroplast operons
Authors: Yu Qiguo , Tungsuchat‐Huang Tarinee , Ioannou Alexander , Barkan Alice , Maliga Pal
Published: July 2024

Achieving optimally balanced gene expression within synthetic operons requires regulatory elements capable of providing a spectrum of expression levels. In this study, we investigate the expression of gfp reporter gene in tobacco chloroplasts, guided by variants of the plastid atpH 5′ UTR, which harbors a binding site for PPR10, a protein that activates atpH at the posttranscriptional level. Our findings reveal that endogenous tobacco PPR10 confers distinct levels of reporter activation when coupled with the tobacco and maize atpH 5′ UTRs in different design contexts. Notably, high GFP expression was not coupled to the stabilization of monocistronic gfp transcripts in dicistronic reporter lines, adding to the evidence that PPR10 activates translation via a mechanism that is independent of its stabilization of monocistronic transcripts. Furthermore, the incorporation of a tRNA upstream of the UTR nearly abolishes gfp mRNA (and GFP protein), presumably by promoting such rapid RNA cleavage and 5′ exonucleolytic degradation that PPR10 had insufficient time to bind and protect gfp RNA, resulting in a substantial reduction in GFP accumulation. When combined with a mutant atpH 5′ UTR, the tRNA leads to an exceptionally low level of transgene expression. Collectively, this approach allows for tuning of reporter gene expression across a wide range, spanning from a mere 0.02–25% of the total soluble cellular protein. These findings highlight the potential of employing cis‐elements from heterologous species and expand the toolbox available for plastid synthetic biology applications requiring multigene expression at varying levels.
Cheaper and faster: The role of air services agreements on transportation
Authors: Emlinger Charlotte , Guillin Amelie
Published: July 2024

Rules of international air transportation services that apply to signatories' airlines are defined by air services agreements (ASAs). We assess the impact of bilateral ASAs on air transportation using an unique data set providing direct observations of bilateral air transport cost and time for a standardised good, for 1190 country‐pairs, between 2011 and 2015. Our results show that ASAs reduce transportation cost by 8% while they only impact transportation time for landlocked countries and Regional Trade Agreements (RTA) members. Our estimates also reveal that bilateral trade decreases cost of transport, which highlights the role of backhauling in air transportation.
Mitigating skeletal muscle wasting in unloading and augmenting subsequent recovery
Authors: Michel J. Max , Hettinger Zachary , Ambrosio Fabrisia , Egan Brendan , Roberts Michael D. , Ferrando Arny A. , Graham Zachary A. , Bamman Marcas M.
Published: July 2024

Skeletal muscle wasting is the hallmark pathophysiological adaptation to unloading or disuse that demonstrates the dependency on frequent mechanical stimulation (e.g. muscle activation and subsequent loading) for homeostasis of normally load‐bearing muscles. In the absence of mitigation strategies, no mammalian organism is resistant to muscle atrophy driven by unloading. Given the profound impact of unloading‐induced muscle wasting on physical capacity, metabolic health and immune function; mitigation strategies during unloading and/or augmentation approaches during recovery have broad healthcare implications in settings of bed‐bound hospitalization, cast immobilization and spaceflight. This topical review aims to: (1) provide a succinct, state‐of‐the‐field summary of seminal and recent findings regarding the mechanisms of unloading‐induced skeletal muscle wasting; (2) discuss unsuccessful vs. promising mitigation and recovery augmentation strategies; and (3) identify knowledge gaps ripe for future research. We focus on the rapid muscle atrophy driven by relatively short‐term mechanical unloading/disuse, which is in many ways mechanistically distinct from both hypermetabolic muscle wasting and denervation‐induced muscle atrophy. By restricting this discussion to mechanical unloading during which all components of the nervous system remain intact (e.g. without denervation models), mechanical loading requiring motor and sensory neural circuits in muscle remain viable targets for both mitigation and recovery augmentation. We emphasize findings in humans with comparative discussions of studies in rodents which enable elaboration of key mechanisms. We also discuss what is currently known about the effects of age and sex as biological factors, and both are highlighted as knowledge gaps and novel future directions due to limited research.

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Morphological and molecular characteristics of Austroglycyphagus geniculatus (Acari: Glycyphagidae)
Authors: Tu Huanxin , Shuai Yujun , Chang Qingquan , Ren Zhili , Xu Yueye , Xu Jingang , Guo Junjie , Li Yuanyuan , Sun Entao , Zhao Jinhong
Published: July 2024

In this study, we aimed to describe the morphological and molecular characteristics of Austroglycyphagus geniculatus (Acari: Glycyphagidae) breeding in fodder. Flour and corn-crushed fodder samples were collected from a small fodder processing mill in Wuhu, Anhui province, China. The detection rate of A. geniculatus was 100% in six samples, and the breeding density was 1.44 mites/g. Under an optical microscope, we observed that the mite body was oval and small in size. The epidermis of the mite was coated with fine particles. We found two obvious, large, and red lateral ventral glands on either side of hysterosoma. The gene sequences for internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (COX 1) of A. geniculatus were amplified and uploaded to the GenBank nucleotide sequence database. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the detailed description of the morphological and molecular characteristics of A. geniculatus. The results of phylogenetic relationships obtained from the ITS and COX 1 support the classification statuses of A. geniculatus to the family Glycyphagidae based on the morphological classification. Our study provides morphological and molecular data for inferring phylogenetic relationship of A. geniculatus.
Five new species of Pavania (Acari: Heterostigmata: Dolichocybidae) associated with Scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from Neotropical and Afrotropical realms 
Authors: Khaustov Alexander , Frolov Andrey
Published: July 2024

Five new species of Pavania (Acari: Heterostigmata: Dolichocybidae) phoretic on scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are described: P. eurysternophila sp. nov. collected on Eurysternus cyclops and E. caribaeus in French Guiana and Brazil; P. tenuiseta sp. nov. on Canthon sp. in French Guiana; P. nicaraguaiensis sp. nov. on Canthon deyrollei in Nicaragua; P. brevisetosa sp. nov. on Canthon humectus in Mexico; and P. lancetosetosa sp. nov. on Scarabaeus rugosus in South Africa. An updated key to species of the genus Pavania is provided. The family Dolichocybidae is reported from the Nicaragua and Mexico for the first time.
A global test of MPA spillover benefits to recreational fisheries
Authors: Franceschini Simone , Lynham John , Madin Elizabeth M. P.
Published: July 2024

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been identified as one of the most effective tools to halt marine biodiversity loss. However, conflicting evidence from disparate, small-scale studies obfuscate a cohesive global picture of the role that MPAs can play in enhancing local fisheries through spillover benefits. We conducted a global analysis of trophy-size fish catches as a proxy for spillover occurring outside of fully protected MPAs, focusing on time series of recreational angling catch records. We show that the accumulation of recreational fishing records accelerates close to MPAs (compared to reference areas) and that this effect grows stronger over time. Our results provide a standardized global assessment of one of the benefits MPAs provide to recreational anglers.
Experimental uncoupling of hosts and endosymbionts
Authors: Feng Honglin , Wilson Alex C. C.
Published: July 2024

Many organisms harbor heritable bacterial symbionts that offer context-specific benefits to their hosts. In some of these symbioses, symbionts live inside host cells as endosymbionts. Studying the biology of endosymbiosis is challenging because it is hard to independently cultivate hosts and endosymbionts. A recent study, using a simple defined growth medium at ambient temperature, established an axenic culture of the pea aphid’s heritable bacterial endosymbiont,
Candidatus
Fukatsuia symbiotica (G. P. Maeda, M. K. Kelly, A. Sundar, and N. A. Moran, mBio 15:e03253-23, 2024,
https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.03253-23
). Notably, the monoculture was capable of host recolonization, was stably transmitted, and returned similar host phenotypes to those observed in native infections. This advance in uncoupling the cultivation of an endosymbiont and its host opens avenues for genetic manipulation of the endosymbiont that will facilitate hypothesis-driven work to explore the mechanisms of host-endosymbiont biology and potentially facilitate the development of symbiont-mediated practical-application biotechnologies.