bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Option of Chronotherapy of Hypertension
Authors: Chrysant Steven G.
Published: March 2024

The aim of the present paper is to explore the option of chronotherapy of hypertension and its effectiveness in blood pressure (BP) lowering compared with its standard daily treatment. The treatment of BP has gone through many different schemes over the years. From no treatment in the early 1930s, to step care, to multiple drug combinations, or to single daily drug combinations with 2–3 drugs, still BP is not well controlled in a significant number of patients. Recently, the role of the circadian rhythm in the treatment of hypertension has been tested by several studies comparing the evening versus the morning drug administration with no clear evidence of superiority of either mode of drug administration. However, in cases of morning surge of BP, nocturnal hypertension, and renal disease, the evening drug administration has been more effective than the morning drug administration, and thus, more preferable. In order to get a better perspective on this approach of hypertension treatment, a Medline search of the English literature was contacted between 2010 and 2023 using the terms BP control, circadian rhythm, morning drug administration, evening drug administration, and 38 pertinent papers were selected for analysis. Careful review of the selected papers showed that chronotherapy of hypertension is effective. However, the overall effectiveness of evening drug administration compared with the morning administration is not significantly more effective compared to the morning administration and more work is needed in this field.
Quantifying partial volume effect in SPECT and planar imaging: optimizing region of interest for activity concentration estimation in different sphere sizes
Authors: Jalilifar Mostafa , Sadeghi Mahdi , Emami-Ardekani Alireza , Geravand Kouhyar , Geramifar Parham
Published: March 2024

Introduction

To quantify the partial volume effect in single photon emission tomography (SPECT) and planar images of Carlson phantom as well as providing an optimum region of interest (ROI) required to more accurately estimate the activity concentration for different sphere sizes.

Methods

131I solution with the 161.16 kBq/ml concentration was uniformly filled into the different spheres of Carlson phantom (cold background condition) with the diameters of 7.3, 9.2, 11.4, 14.3, 17.9, 22.4 and 29.9 mm, and there was no background activity. In the hot background condition, the spheres were filled with the solution of 131I with the 1276.5 kBq/ml addition to the background activity concentration of 161.16 kBq/ml in all the phantoms. The spheres were mounted inside the phantom and underwent SPECT and planar images. ROI was drawn closely on the boundary of each sphere image and it was extended to extract the true count.

Results

In the cold background condition, the recovery coefficient (RC) value for SPECT images ranged between 0.8 and 1.03. However, in planar imaging, the RC value was 0.72 for the smallest sphere size and it increased for larger spheres until 0.98 for 29.9 mm. In the hot background condition, the RC value for sphere diameters larger than 20 mm was overestimated more than in the cold background condition. The ROI/size required to more accurately determine activity concentration for the cold background ranged from 1.18 to 2.7. However, in the hot background condition, this ratio varied from 1.34 to 4.05.

Conclusion

In the quantification of partial volume effects, the spill-out effect seems to play a crucial role in the distribution of the image counts beyond the boundaries of the image pixels. However, more investigations are needed to accurately characterize limitations regarding the object size, background levels, and other factors.
Lives Saved Through Increasing Adherence to Follow-Up After Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Results
Authors: Harper Diane M. , Yu Tiffany M. , Fendrick A. Mark
Published: March 2024

OBJECTIVE:

To model the potential number of cancers prevented and life-years saved over a range of adherence rates to cervical cancer screening, surveillance follow-up, and follow-up colposcopy that may result from removing financial barriers to these essential clinical services.

METHODS:

A previously validated decision-analytic Markov microsimulation model was used to evaluate the increase in adherence to screening, surveillance, and colposcopy after an abnormal cervical cancer screening result. For each incremental increase in adherence, we modeled the number of cervical cancer cases avoided, the stages at which the cancers were detected, the number of cervical cancer deaths avoided, and the number of life-years gained.

RESULTS:

Compared with current adherence rates, the model estimated that an optimized scenario of perfect screening, surveillance, and colposcopy adherence per 100,000 women currently eligible for screening in the United States was 128 (95% CI, 66–199) fewer cervical cancers detected (23%), 62 (95% CI, 7–120) fewer cervical cancer deaths (20%), and 2,135 (95% CI, 1,363–3,057) more life-years saved. Sensitivity analysis revealed that any increase in adherence led to clinically meaningful health benefits.

CONCLUSION:

The consequences of not attending routine screening or follow-up after an abnormal cervical cancer screening result are associated with preventable cervical cancer morbidity and premature mortality. Given the potential for the removal of consumer cost sharing to increase the use of necessary follow-up after abnormal screening results and to ultimately reduce cervical cancer morbidity and mortality, public and private payers should remove cost barriers to these essential services.
The Outcome of A Centralization Program in Biliary atresia
Authors: Davenport Mark , Makin Erica , Ong Evelyn GP , Sharif Khalid , Dawrant Michael , Alizai Naved
Published: March 2024

Objective:

Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare disease and reported outcomes of surgical management, typically a Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE), vary considerably across the world. Centralization has been proposed to improve this.

Summary Background Data:

A national centralization programme was started in Jan. 1999, involving 3 English units with co-located liver transplant facilities. As the program has now reached the 20-year point, the main aim was to update outcome statistics and identify trends.

Methods:

Prospective registry and database. The main measures of outcome were (i) time to KPE, (ii) Clearance of Jaundice (CoJ), defined as reaching a bilirubin value of <20µmol/L (≈1.5 mg/dL), and (iii) actuarial native liver survival (NLS) and overall survival (OS). Data are quoted as median (IQR) and non-parametric statistical comparison used with P<0.05 regarded as significant.

Results:

867 infants were born with BA and managed between January 1999 and December 2019. Death occurred without intervention (n=10, 1.1%) or were subject to primary transplant (n=26, 3.0%); leaving 831 (95.9%) infants who underwent KPE at median age of 51 (IQR 39-64) days. Age at KPE reduced over the period (P=0.0001) becoming 48(35-57) days in the last 5-year era. CoJ was achieved in 505/831 (60.6%), also increasing over the period (P=0.002). 42 (5.0%) died post-KPE and 384 were transplanted, leaving 405 alive with their native livers at last follow-up. Of the 412 children transplanted, there were 23 (5.6%) deaths, leaving 387 alive. 5-year and 10-year native liver survival were 51.3% (95% CI 54.8-47.8) and 46.5% (95% CI 50.1 - 42.9) and overall survival were 91.5% (95% CI 93.2 – 89.4) and 90.5% (95% CI 92.3 – 88.2%) respectively.

Conclusions:

There have been continued improvements in efficiency over the period of centralization with a significant reduction in time to KPE and improved CoJ following KPE. Overall survival in this disease remains >90%.
Current opinion: Racial and ethnic health disparities in multiple sclerosis: considering the social determinants of health
Authors: Robers Michael V. , Amezcua Lilyana
Published: March 2024

Purpose of review

We discuss racial and ethnic disparities in multiple sclerosis (MS), outcomes, and social determinants of health (SDoH). We also provide essential considerations needed to bridge the gap in inequalities, including broader representation of racial and ethnic people in clinical trials and research in general and the inclusion of better measures of living conditions.

Recent findings

The incidence and prevalence of MS have become more diverse in the USA. There is increased recognition that racial and ethnic health disparities and inequities exist due to adverse social conditions. Clinical trials have failed to be inclusive and diverse. Training in health disparity is an essential priority of funding sources, and designing clinical trials that consider the barriers these populations face can close significant gaps.

The incidence, prevalence, and awareness of MS have seen an incline in diverse racial and ethnic populations. Health disparities exist in MS with Black, Hispanic, and indigenous populations appearing to have worse outcomes. SDoH play a significant role in causing these health disparities. Accessibility to clinical trials and treatment are barriers these populations face. Strategic and earnest interventions considering SDoH are critically needed to develop solutions that collectively improve health and MS care for all.
Evidence for hybridization-driven heteroplasmy maintained across generations in a ricefish endemic to a Wallacean ancient lake
Authors: Nuryadi Handung , Mandagi Ixchel F. , Masengi Kawilarang W. A. , Kusumi Junko , Inomata Nobuyuki , Yamahira Kazunori
Published: March 2024

Heteroplasmy, the presence of multiple mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes within cells of an individual, is caused by mutation or paternal leakage. However, heteroplasmy is usually resolved to homoplasmy within a few generations because of germ-line bottlenecks; therefore, instances of heteroplasmy are limited in nature. Here, we report heteroplasmy in the ricefish species
Oryzias matanensis
, endemic to Lake Matano, an ancient lake in Sulawesi Island, in which one individual was known to have many heterozygous sites in the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene. In this study, we cloned the ND2 gene for some additional individuals with heterozygous sites and demonstrated that they are truly heteroplasmic. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the extra haplotype within the heteroplasmic
O. matanensis
individuals clustered with haplotypes of
O. marmoratus
, a congeneric species inhabiting adjacent lakes. This indicated that the heteroplasmy originated from paternal leakage due to interspecific hybridization. The extra haplotype was unique and contained two non-synonymous substitutions. These findings demonstrate that this hybridization-driven heteroplasmy was maintained across generations for a long time to the extent that the extra mitochondria evolved within the new host.
Testing alternative hypotheses for the decline of cichlid fish in Lake Victoria using fish tooth time series from sediment cores
Authors: Ngoepe Nare , Merz Alenya , King Leighton , Wienhues Giulia , Kishe Mary A. , Mwaiko Salome , Misra Pavani , Grosjean Martin , Matthews Blake , Mustaphi Colin Courtney , Heiri Oliver , Cohen Andrew , Tinner Willy , Muschick Moritz , Seehausen Ole
Published: March 2024

Lake Victoria is well known for its high diversity of endemic fish species and provides livelihoods for millions of people. The lake garnered widespread attention during the twentieth century as major environmental and ecological changes modified the fish community with the extinction of approximately 40% of endemic cichlid species by the 1980s. Suggested causal factors include anthropogenic eutrophication, fishing, and introduced non-native species but their relative importance remains unresolved, partly because monitoring data started in the 1970s when changes were already underway. Here, for the first time, we reconstruct two time series, covering the last approximately 200 years, of fish assemblage using fish teeth preserved in lake sediments. Two sediment cores from the Mwanza Gulf of Lake Victoria, were subsampled continuously at an intra-decadal resolution, and teeth were identified to major taxa: Cyprinoidea, Haplochromini, Mochokidae and Oreochromini. None of the fossils could be confidently assigned to non-native Nile perch. Our data show significant decreases in haplochromine and oreochromine cichlid fish abundances that began long before the arrival of Nile perch. Cyprinoids, on the other hand, have generally been increasing. Our study is the first to reconstruct a time series of any fish assemblage in Lake Victoria extending deeper back in time than the past 50 years, helping shed light on the processes underlying Lake Victoria's biodiversity loss.
Lewis Wolpert. 19 October 1929—28 January 2021
Authors: Tickle FRS Cheryll , Smith FRS Jim
Published: March 2024

Lewis Wolpert was a theoretical biologist who, through his background as an engineer, introduced insightful ways of thinking about embryonic development. As a charismatic speaker and writer, he had a parallel career as a public spokesman and advocate for science. Wolpert's most significant scientific contribution was the concept of positional information, which provides a model for the way in which cellular activities are controlled in space and time, in defining the body plan of the embryo and in generating organized arrays of differentiated cells. Wolpert studied sea urchin development, and is known for saying ‘gastrulation is truly the most important time in your life’. He illustrated the problem of pattern regulation by analogy to the French flag, which has the same pattern of coloured stripes irrespective of size. Wolpert applied the concept of positional information to regeneration in
Hydra
and to pattern formation in the developing chick limb. He was involved in the discovery that retinoic acid can change positional values in the limb, and when developmental genes were uncovered his work provided the basis for understanding their functions. He thought deeply about development, contributing to discussions on handedness and evolution. Wolpert edited journals and wrote an influential textbook on developmental biology. In his parallel career, Wolpert was a highly visible public intellectual, speaking up for science as a broadcaster, author and journalist. One of his greatest contributions to the public understanding of science was his book about depression,
Malignant
sadness
, which brought scientific understanding, solace and hope to many.
Oscillatory differentiation dynamics fundamentally restricts the resolution of pseudotime reconstruction algorithms
Authors: Vo Huy K. , Dawes Jonathan H. P. , Kelsh Robert N.
Published: March 2024

The challenge to understand differentiation and cell lineages in development has resulted in many bioinformatics software tools, notably those working with gene expression data obtained via single-cell RNA sequencing obtained at snapshots in time. Reconstruction methods for trajectories often proceed by dimension reduction, data clustering and then computation of a tree graph in which edges indicate closely related clusters. Cell lineages can then be deduced by following paths through the tree. In the case of multi-potent cells undergoing differentiation, this trajectory reconstruction involves the reconstruction of multiple distinct lineages corresponding to commitment to each of a set of distinct fates. Recent work suggests that there may be cases in which the cell differentiation process involves trajectories that explore, in a dynamic and oscillatory fashion, propensity to differentiate into a number of possible cell fates before commitment finally occurs. Here, we show theoretically that the presence of such oscillations provides intrinsic constraints on the quality and resolution of the trajectory reconstruction process, even for idealized noise-free data. These constraints point to inherent common limitations of current methodologies and serve both to provide additional challenge in the development of software tools and also may help to understand features observed in recent experiments.
A Matlab-based application for quantification of yeast cell growth on solid media
Authors: Wahid Ehtisham , Ocheja Ohiemi Benjamin , Guaragnella Nicoletta , Guaragnella Cataldo
Published: March 2024

Quantitative assessment of growth and survival is a suitable technique in studying biochemical, genetic and physiological processes in the cells. The budding yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
is one of the most widely used eukaryotic model organisms for studying cellular mechanisms and processes in evolutionarily distant species, including humans. Yeast growth can be evaluated on both liquid and solid media by measuring cell suspension turbidity and colony forming units, respectively. Several software tools utilizing different parameters have been proposed to quantify yeast growth on solid media. Here, we developed a Matlab-based application which provides a rapid and robust quantitative yeast growth analysis from spot plating assay. Spot plating assay is a typical procedure to evaluate yeast growth in low-throughput laboratory settings, including growth on different nutrient sources or treatment with specific stressors. The app has a one-step installation process, a self-explanatory interface and shorter analysis steps compared with previous established methods, providing a useful tool for both expert and non-expert yeast researchers.
A hybrid neural ordinary differential equation model of the cardiovascular system
Authors: Grigorian Gevik , George Sandip V. , Lishak Sam , Shipley Rebecca J. , Arridge Simon
Published: March 2024

In the human cardiovascular system (CVS), the interaction between the left and right ventricles of the heart is influenced by the septum and the pericardium. Computational models of the CVS can capture this interaction, but this often involves approximating solutions to complex nonlinear equations numerically. As a result, numerous models have been proposed, where these nonlinear equations are either simplified, or ventricular interaction is ignored. In this work, we propose an alternative approach to modelling ventricular interaction, using a hybrid neural ordinary differential equation (ODE) structure. First, a lumped parameter ODE model of the CVS (including a Newton–Raphson procedure as the numerical solver) is simulated to generate synthetic time-series data. Next, a hybrid neural ODE based on the same model is constructed, where ventricular interaction is instead set to be governed by a neural network. We use a short range of the synthetic data (with various amounts of added measurement noise) to train the hybrid neural ODE model. Symbolic regression is used to convert the neural network into analytic expressions, resulting in a partially learned mechanistic model. This approach was able to recover parsimonious functions with good predictive capabilities and was robust to measurement noise.
A nanobody inhibitor of Fascin-1 actin-bundling activity and filopodia formation
Authors: Burgess Selena G. , Paul Nikki R. , Richards Mark W. , Ault James R. , Askenatzis Laurie , Claydon Sophie G. , Corbyn Ryan , Machesky Laura M. , Bayliss Richard
Published: March 2024

Fascin-1-mediated actin-bundling activity is central to the generation of plasma membrane protrusions required for cell migration. Dysregulated formation of cellular protrusions is observed in metastatic cancers, where they are required for increased invasiveness, and is often correlated with increased Fascin-1 abundance. Therefore, there is interest in generating therapeutic Fascin-1 inhibitors. We present the identification of Nb 3E11, a nanobody inhibitor of Fascin-1 actin-bundling activity and filopodia formation. The crystal structure of the Fascin-1/Nb 3E11 complex reveals the structural mechanism of inhibition. Nb 3E11 occludes an actin-binding site on the third β-trefoil domain of Fascin-1 that is currently not targeted by chemical inhibitors. Binding of Nb 3E11 to Fascin-1 induces a conformational change in the adjacent domains to stabilize Fascin-1 in an inhibitory state similar to that adopted in the presence of small-molecule inhibitors. Nb 3E11 could be used as a tool inhibitor molecule to aid in the development of Fascin-1 targeted therapeutics.
Contextual measurement model and quantum theory
Authors: Khrennikov Andrei
Published: March 2024

We develop a contextual measurement model (CMM) that is used for the clarification of the quantum foundations. This model matches Bohr’s views on the role of experimental contexts. CMM is based on a contextual probability theory that is connected with generalized probability theory. CMM covers measurements in classical, quantum and semi-classical physics. The CMM formalism is illustrated by a few examples. We consider the CMM framing of classical probability, the von Neumann measurement theory and the quantum instrument theory. CMM can also be applied outside of physics, e.g. in cognition, decision-making and psychology, the so-called quantum-like modelling.
Febrile Seizure Risk Following Monovalent COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in US Children Aged 2-5 Years
Authors: Anderson Steven A , Smith Elizabeth R , Wan Zhiruo , Amend Kandace L , Secora Alex , Djibo Djeneba Audrey , Kazemi Kamran , Song Jennifer , Parlett Lauren E , Seeger John D , Selvam Nandini , McMahill-Walraven Cheryl N , Hu Mao , Chillarige Yoganand , Forshee Richard A
Published: March 2024

Objective

To evaluate febrile seizure risk following monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccination among children aged 2-5 years.

Methods

The primary analysis evaluated children who had a febrile seizure outcome in the 0-1 days following COVID-19 vaccination. A self-controlled case series analysis was performed in three commercial insurance databases to compare the risk of seizure in the risk interval (0-1 days) to a control interval (8-63 days).

The exposure of interest was receipt of dose 1 and/or dose 2 of monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations.

The primary outcome was febrile seizure (0-1 day risk interval).

A conditional Poisson regression model was used to compare outcome rates in risk and control intervals and estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-analyses were used to pool results across databases.

Results

The primary meta-analysis found a statistically significant increased incidence of febrile seizure, in the 0-1 days following mRNA-1273 vaccination compared to the control interval (IRR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.35 to 4.69, risk difference (RD)/100,000 doses = 3.22 (95%CI -0.31 to 6.75)). For the BNT162b2 vaccination, the IRR was elevated but not statistically significant (IRR: 1.41, 95%CI: 0.48 to 4.11, RD/100,000 doses = -0.25 (95%CI -2.75 to 2.24).

Conclusions

Among children aged 2-5 years, the analysis showed a small elevated incidence rate ratio of febrile seizures in the 0-1 days following the mRNA-1273 vaccination. Based on the current body of scientific evidence, the safety profile of the monovalent mRNA vaccines remains favorable for use in young children.

Article Summary

In this self-controlled case series study, researchers evaluated whether there is an elevated risk of febrile seizure immediately following monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.

What’s Known on This Subject

The United States Food and Drug Administration previously noted a potential safety concern for seizure in children aged 2-5 years receiving the ancestral monovalent COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.

What This Study Adds

In this self-controlled case series that included participants aged 2-5 years from three commercial insurance databases, the incidence rate ratio of febrile seizures was significantly elevated in the 0-1 days following mRNA-1273 administration. Absolute risk was small.
Angular momentum in fission fragments
Authors: Døssing T. , Åberg S. , Albertsson M. , Carlsson B. G. , Randrup J.
Published: March 2024

We suggest that the angular momentum in fission fragments is generated by statistical excitation at scission. The magnitude of the angular momentum is determined by excitation energy and shell structure in the level density. Treating the prescission shape evolution as a diffusive process, implemented as a Metropolis walk on a five-dimensional potential-energy surface, the average magnitudes of the fission fragment angular momenta are calculated for U235(nth,f), assuming that they are perpendicular to the fission axis. The sawtooth behavior of the average angular momentum magnitude as function of mass number is discussed in connection with the similar observed behavior of the average neutron multiplicity, and a good understanding is achieved. The magnitudes of the angular momenta of light and heavy fragments are found to have a weak negative correlation, in accordance with recent experimental results. This correlation arises from the microcanonical sharing of excitation energy by the fragments at scission, where each energy provides a distribution of angular momenta.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Entropy and heat capacity of the transverse momentum distribution for
pp
collisions at RHIC and LHC energies
Authors: Rosales Herrera D. , Alvarado García J. R. , Fernández Téllez A. , Ramírez J. E. , Pajares C.
Published: March 2024

We investigate the transverse momentum distribution (TMD) statistics from three different theoretical approaches. In particular, we explore the framework used for string models, wherein the particle production is given by the Schwinger mechanism. The thermal distribution arises from the Gaussian fluctuations of the string tension. The hard part of the TMD can be reproduced by considering heavy tailed string tension fluctuations, for instance, the Tsallis q-Gaussian function, giving rise to a confluent hypergeometric function that fits the entire experimental TMD data. We also discuss the QCD-based Hagerdon function, another family of fitting functions frequently used to describe the spectrum. We analyze the experimental data of minimum bias pp collisions reported by the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments (from s=0.2 TeV to s=13 TeV). We extracted the corresponding temperature by studying the behavior of the spectra at low transverse momentum values. For the three approaches, we compute all moments, highlighting the average, variance, and kurtosis. Finally, we compute the Shannon entropy and the heat capacity through the entropy derivative with respect to the temperature. We found that the q-Gaussian string tension fluctuations lead to a monotonically increasing heat capacity as a function of the center-of-mass energy, which is also observed for the Hagedorn fitting function. This behavior is consistent with the experimental observation that the temperature slowly rises with increments of the collision energy.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Inclusive leadership and employee involvement in proactive behavior at the workplace: the mediating role of gratitude
Authors: Xia Jingbo , Xu Hongxiang , Xie Luling
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study examined how inclusive leadership in the workplace promotes proactive behavior in employees based on self-determination theories and a model of motivation for proactive behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 270 employees from various provinces in China, we investigated the relationship between inclusive leadership (measured at Time 1), workplace gratitude (measured at Time 1) and proactive behaviors (measured at Time 2). To test our hypotheses, SEM analysis was conducted to measure the path coefficients, followed by bootstrapping analysis to assess the indirect impacts of gratitude at work.

Findings

The results suggest that inclusive leadership could enhance subordinates’ propensity to be grateful, which in turn will increase the frequency of their proactive behaviors.

Originality/value

First, the evidence presented further validates the proposed association between inclusive leadership and proactive behavior, and it also enriches related theories. Second, our study introduced workplace gratitude as a mediator, deepening the understanding of the mechanisms linking inclusive leadership and proactive behavior.
How accurate are drug cryptomarket listings by content, weight, purity and repeat purchase?
Authors: Barratt Monica J. , Coomber Ross , Kowalski Michala , Aldridge Judith , Munksgaard Rasmus , Ferris Jason , Malm Aili , Martin James , Décary-Hétu David
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Drug cryptomarkets increase information available to market actors, which should reduce information asymmetry and increase market efficiency. This study aims to determine whether cryptomarket listings accurately represent the advertised substance, weight or number and purity, and whether there are differences in products purchased from the same listing multiple times.

Design/methodology/approach

Law enforcement drug purchases – predominantly cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA and heroin – from Australian cryptomarket vendors (n = 38 in 2016/2017) were chemically analysed and matched with cryptomarket listings (n = 23). Descriptive and comparative analyses were conducted.

Findings

Almost all samples contained the advertised substance. In most of these cases, drugs were either supplied as-advertised-weight or number, or overweight or number. All listings that quantified purity overestimated the actual purity. There was no consistent relationship between advertised purity terms and actual purity. Across the six listings purchased from multiple times, repeat purchases from the same listing varied in purity, sometimes drastically, with wide variation detected on listings purchased from only one month apart.

Research limitations/implications

In this data set, cryptomarket listings were mostly accurate, but the system was far from perfect, with purity overestimated. A newer, larger, globally representative sample should be obtained to test the applicability of these findings to currently operating cryptomarkets.

Originality/value

This paper reports on the largest data set of forensic analysis of drug samples obtained from cryptomarkets, where data about advertised drug strength/dose were obtained.
Very weak finite element methods: discretisation and applications
Authors: Ramalho Queiroz Pacheco Douglas
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to propose and numerically assess different ways of discretising a very weak formulation of the Poisson problem.

Design/methodology/approach

We use integration by parts twice to shift smoothness requirements to the test functions, thereby allowing low-regularity data and solutions.

Findings

Various conforming discretisations are presented and tested, with numerical results indicating good accuracy and stability in different types of problems.

Originality/value

This is one of the first articles to propose and test concrete discretisations for very weak variational formulations in primal form. The numerical results, which include a problem based on real MRI data, indicate the potential of very weak finite element methods for tackling problems with low regularity.
Can mutual fund characteristics predict future performance? Evidence from Portugal
Authors: Sá Maria Inês , Leite Paulo , Correia Maria Carmo
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate not only the performance of Portuguese mutual funds investing in domestic and international equities but also which fund characteristics, such as age, size, family size, expense ratios and flows, influence future performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Fund performance is evaluated over the 2005–2022 period by a robust six-factor model, while the impact of fund characteristics on performance is assessed by a set of fixed-effects panel data regressions with two-way cluster-robust standard errors.

Findings

The results show that, while funds investing in domestic equities predominantly exhibit neutral performance, most international equity funds have significantly negative alphas. The authors document a negative and statistically significant relationship between fund age and performance for all fund categories. Total expense ratios have an inverse relationship with domestic equity fund performance but do not impact the performance of international equity funds significantly. Though fund flows have a neutral effect on performance across the overall period, they are important determinants of both domestic and international funds’ performance in more recent years.

Originality/value

The authors contribute to the literature by carrying out a comprehensive analysis, based on recent and robust methodologies, of the impact of mutual fund characteristics on the future performance of Portuguese equity funds. The research findings serve as a premise for advising investors on how to choose the top-performing funds.
A case of bullous pemphigoid following administration of anti‐IL‐31 receptor A antibody
Authors: Masuyuki Ryosuke , Sato Emi , Imafuku Shinichi
Published: March 2024

Bullous pemphigoid (BP), an autoimmune bullous dermatosis, occurs predominantly in older individuals. Nemolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against the interleukin (IL)‐31 receptor A, is used to treat severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in Japan. However, it can cause several adverse events, such as exacerbation of AD, erythema, and eosinophilia. Herein, we describe a case of prurigo‐type AD developing BP after nemolizumab administration. A 62‐year‐old man with prurigo‐type AD and asthma presented with serious, refractory itching. After nemolizumab injection, his pruritus was relieved for 2 days. However, on day 3, erythema with blisters and erosions suddenly appeared throughout his body. Pathological examination showed typical BP and the patient's serum anti‐BP180‐NC16a antibody level was 882.5 U/mL. Oral prednisolone (PSL) was initiated and nemolizumab was never used again. Despite high‐dose PSL, new blisters continued to develop, with a rapid elevation of anti‐BP180‐NC16a antibodies to 6930 U/mL. Adding high‐dose cyclosporine and intravenous gamma globulin reduced new blister formation after 9 weeks, and PSL and cyclosporine were gradually tapered. Dupilumab, an anti‐IL‐4 receptor antibody, was initiated after 16 weeks, resulting in continued remission without PSL and cyclosporine. The sudden occurrence of BP in this case suggested that the patient had occult BP before the nemolizumab initiation and that nemolizumab exacerbated BP and made it overt. Blocking the IL‐31 pathway may exacerbate inflammation in AD or BP, resulting in the acceleration of blister formation. This may be countered by blocking the IL‐4/13 pathway with dupilumab. To our knowledge, this is the first case of nemolizumab‐exacerbated BP.
Between‐ versus within‐species variation in plant–soil feedback relates to different functional traits, but exudate variability is involved at both scales
Authors: Yacine Youssef , Kuťáková Eliška , in ‘t Zandt Dina , Hadincová Věroslava , Semerád Jaroslav , Cajthaml Tomáš , Münzbergová Zuzana
Published: March 2024

Plant–soil feedback—feedback from plant‐induced changes in soil properties to plant fitness—is increasingly shown to drive the maintenance of local plant diversity at both interspecific and intraspecific levels. A robust understanding of the relationships between plant–soil feedback and functional plant traits, which would improve our ability to generalize plant–soil feedback results beyond specific study systems, is, however, still lacking. This is especially true at the intraspecific plant level.

We assessed the relationship between plant–soil feedback and several functional traits in 13 co‐occurring grassland species, including 20 genotypes of the dominant grass, Festuca rubra. The traits encompassed various aspects of growth, root properties and root exudate variability. Combining these traits into principal gradients of functional trait variation, we also tested the potential for the conservation and collaboration gradients to explain variation in PSF.

Between‐species plant–soil feedback variation was explained by differences in biomass production and exudate composition, as well as contrasting strategies along the collaboration gradient. Within‐species plant–soil feedback variation—that is between Festuca rubra genotypes—was associated with exudate variability, especially contrasting amounts of exuded phenols. Several traits had a significant effect on plant–soil feedback only via their interaction with exudate composition.

Overall, PSF was associated with different traits at between‐species versus within‐species levels. Root exudate variability was, however, involved at both diversity levels. Our results put forth the role of root exudation patterns as an important driver of variation in plant–soil feedback. Better integration between research on plant–soil feedback and on root exudation would therefore improve our understanding of the processes—both ecological and evolutionary—supporting the maintenance of plant diversity within grassland communities.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Disentangling the relative contributions of factors determining seed physical defence: A global‐scale data synthesis
Authors: Wu La‐Mei , Chen Si‐Chong , Quan Rui‐Chang , Wang Bo
Published: March 2024

Physical defence investment in seeds varies greatly among plant species and is associated with many potential factors. Exploring the factors explaining the interspecific variation in physical defence has long attracted particular attention in both ecology and evolution studies. However, the relative importance of the factors has not yet been quantitatively evaluated, which may lead to the misunderstanding of the main driver generating such interspecific variation.

Here, by compiling a global database of the seed coat ratio (SCR), a proxy of seed physical defence, for 1362 species, we provided the first quantification of the relative explanations of six factors that have been commonly considered to be associated with the interspecific variation in SCR: seed mass, seed desiccation response (desiccation‐sensitive vs. desiccation‐tolerant), seed dormancy (nondormant, physical dormant or other dormant types), growth form (herbaceous vs. woody), fruit type (dry vs. fleshy) and climate (19 bioclimatic variables representing temperature and precipitation). Using partial R2 calculation that can estimate the reduction in explained variance of a given factor after removing it from a full model containing all the other factors, we disentangled the relative contribution of each factor to explain variation in the SCR.

Seed desiccation response was the most important factor associating with SCR variation, followed by seed dormancy, with a partial R2lik value of 9.70% and 1.41%, respectively. Plant growth form, seed mass, climate and fruit type showed little power to explain SCR variation, although they are often cited in the literature as potential factors.

Our results highlight the important roles of seed desiccation response in shaping interspecific variation in the SCR. These findings provide a detailed interpretation of ecological patterns underlying the physical defence mechanisms and allocation strategies of plant seeds.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Proposing a new history of grief’s medicalisation: A critical discourse analysis
Authors: Smith D. Grace
Published: March 2024

Conceptualisations of grief have transformed significantly in recent decades, from an experience accepted and expressed in community spaces to a diagnosable clinical phenomenon. Narratives of this transformation tend to focus on grief’s relationship to major depression, or on recent nosological changes. This paper examines the possibility of a new narrative for medicalisation by grounding in the networks of language and power created around ‘grief’ through a critical discourse analysis of psy‐discipline articles (n = 70) published between 1975 and 1995. Focusing on shifts in definitions of, methods used to approach, and rationales motivating study of the experience, it posits that the psy‐disciplines exerted exclusive expertise over grief decades before its creation as a diagnosis. By reconceptualising grief in the terms of psy‐specific symptoms and functional performance and by approaching it with the decontextualising and interventionist methods of an increasingly scientific psy‐discipline, the psy‐community medicalised grief between 1975 and 1995. Identifying neoliberal and other cultural influences shaping this process of medical construction and reconsidering narratives of grief’s history mindful of the powers exerted in medicalisation, this paper establishes that these moments played a critical role in the development of the present’s grief.
COVID‐19 and Efficiency, Technology and Productivity Change in Australian Private Health Insurance Funds*
Authors: Worthington Andrew C. , Nguyen Lan
Published: March 2024

We calculate efficiency change, technological progress and productivity growth in Australian private health insurance (PHI) funds using Malmquist indices from 2016/2017 to 2021/2022. Starting in January 2020, the COVID‐19 pandemic and the various policy responses to it brought significant disruption to the PHI industry with restrictions placed on elective surgery, and hence insured hospital days, and the use of extras cover for dental, physiotherapy, optical and other services. Lockdowns also saw PHI funds implement work‐from‐home arrangements and invest to improve policyholder services; the share of Australians with PHI cover grew counter to trend; global financial markets experienced significant volatility, impacting PHI investment revenue and PHI funds delayed even refunded premiums to offset financial pressures on policyholders. We show that productivity declined during the first 18 months of the pandemic and then grew very strongly. We also find the typical PHI fund is 36.5% more productive at the end of the period than the beginning, with most gains being technological (38.3%), involving a large upward shift in the industry frontier, countering much smaller losses from scale (−0.2%) and pure technical (−1.1%) inefficiency. This suggests that the PHI industry responded well to the disruption associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic.
Changes in attitudes to childbirth in modern times illustrated over three generations in Iraq
Authors: Junaid Fatima , Bradbury Ailsa , Alhaidari Taghreed , Kubba Ali
Published: March 2024

Objective

To describe changes in attitudes and expectations of labor over the previous six decades, comparing the Iraqi generation who labored at home without medical assistance with their descendants.

Study Design

We used semi‐structured telephone interviews with 22 women across three generations of one extended family living and giving birth in Iraq between the 1950s and the 2010s. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically using open, axial, and selective coding.

Results

Each generation experienced a paradigm shift in childbirth, from exclusive home births to hospital‐directed maternity care, to a trend that favors planned cesarean birth, driven by generation‐specific changes in outlook. Emerging themes included social influences, changing technology, and medical professionals' recommendations; all of these affected attitudes toward childbirth and pregnancy. There were generational disconnects in perceptions concerning the reasons childbirth has changed over the past 60 years, with the youngest generation citing wider pressures regarding body image and marital relationships as two of the factors affecting preferences in childbirth options.

Conclusions

Societal changes and availability of healthcare services affect women's choices and experiences of childbirth. To be successful, efforts to improve women's experiences in labor, as well as maternal and neonatal outcomes, must consider these wider sociocultural issues.
Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells' fate after neonatal asphyxia—Puzzling implications for the development of hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy
Authors: Janowska Justyna , Gargas Justyna , Zajdel Karolina , Wieteska Michal , Lipinski Kamil , Ziemka‐Nalecz Malgorzata , Frontczak‐Baniewicz Malgorzata , Sypecka Joanna
Published: March 2024

Premature birth or complications during labor can cause temporary disruption of cerebral blood flow, often followed by long‐term disturbances in brain development called hypoxic–ischemic (HI) encephalopathy. Diffuse damage to the white matter is the most frequently detected pathology in this condition. We hypothesized that oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) differentiation disturbed by mild neonatal asphyxia may affect the viability, maturation, and physiological functioning of oligodendrocytes. To address this issue, we studied the effect of temporal HI in the in vivo model in P7 rats with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), microscopy techniques and biochemical analyses. Moreover, we recreated the injury in vitro performing the procedure of oxygen–glucose deprivation on rat neonatal OPCs to determine its effect on cell viability, proliferation, and differentiation. In the in vivo model, MRI evaluation revealed changes in the volume of different brain regions, as well as changes in the directional diffusivity of water in brain tissue that may suggest pathological changes to myelinated neuronal fibers. Hypomyelination was observed in the cortex, striatum, and CA3 region of the hippocampus. Severe changes to myelin ultrastructure were observed, including delamination of myelin sheets. Interestingly, shortly after the injury, an increase in oligodendrocyte proliferation was observed, followed by an overproduction of myelin proteins 4 weeks after HI. Results verified with the in vitro model indicate, that in the first days after damage, OPCs do not show reduced viability, intensively proliferate, and overexpress myelin proteins and oligodendrocyte‐specific transcription factors. In conclusion, despite the increase in oligodendrocyte proliferation and myelin protein expression after HI, the production of functional myelin sheaths in brain tissue is impaired. Presented study provides a detailed description of oligodendrocyte pathophysiology developed in an effect of HI injury, resulting in an altered CNS myelination. The described models may serve as useful tools for searching and testing effective of effective myelination‐supporting therapies for HI injuries.
Impacts of big birding events in tropical Asia – a case study from Kerala
Authors: Sreekumar E. R. , Syamili M. S. , Praveen J.
Published: March 2024

Big birding events provide a valuable opportunity to develop datasets to supplement systematic bird monitoring. However, the contributions of these big datasets remain unclear. In this study, we examine two big birding events in Kerala, India (Great Backyard Bird Count and Onam Bird Count). Data submitted during these events between 2014 and 2022 were analysed to assess data quantity, species representation, spatial coverage and birder recruitment. The events contributed a disproportionately large amount of data (12% of all Kerala bird data) and effectively recruited volunteers (> 50% recruited in 2 months) into the citizen science programme. Although the data exhibited a spatial bias (missing 18% of Kerala), the reporting frequencies of common birds from these events were in agreement with the semi‐structured birding efforts conducted throughout the rest of the year. The simplicity of their protocols and reasonably high data quality make big birding events a useful component of citizen science. Promoting such events is useful for engaging citizens in bird monitoring and conservation, especially in densely populated and biodiverse countries such as India.