bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Mixed Method Study of Nursing Students' Experiences of Discrimination Within Their Programs
Authors: Dhari Shivinder , Slemon Allie , Handlovsky Ingrid
Published: January 2025

Aim

This research aimed to explore nursing students' experiences and perspectives on discrimination within nursing programs across classroom and clinical contexts, as well as structural discrimination through institutional policies and processes.

Design

Convergent mixed methods.

Methods

Survey and individual interviews to capture students' experiences and perspectives on discrimination within nursing programs.

Results

Quantitative findings suggest that the majority of nursing students (79.2%) self‐reported experiencing discrimination during their nursing program. These experiences stem from racism, homophobia, transphobia, and mental health stigma. While most of these experiences were reported in clinical contexts from nurses, patients, and clinical educators, students also reported experiencing discrimination in classroom and program contexts through nurse educators, peers, and policies. Qualitative findings provided nuanced insights into these discriminatory experiences across contexts and sources. Additionally, findings suggest that the majority of the students perceive stigma and discrimination to be a significant issue within nursing education and recommend priorities for addressing this issue.

Conclusions

Despite nursing professions' central commitment to addressing discrimination and promoting social justice, stigma and discrimination faced by nursing students within nursing programs remain a significant concern.

Implications for Profession

Preventing discrimination and promoting social justice within nursing is a central responsibility of the nursing profession. Student‐identified priorities suggest an upstream approach that involves education for nurse educators and staff to redress ongoing discrimination experienced by nursing students.

Impact

This research contributes to the growing empirical evidence that nursing students experience discrimination within nursing programs across clinical, classroom, and program contexts and highlights student‐identified priorities for addressing discrimination.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.
The Effect of CEO Overconfidence on Corporate Disclosures Amid a Pervasive Shock: Evidence From the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Authors: Jory Surendranath , Ngo Thanh , Susnjara Jurica
Published: January 2025

We investigate how CEO overconfidence affect firms’ voluntary reporting of COVID‐19 exposure using text‐based measures of firm‐level COVID‐19 pandemic exposure reports. Our analysis of 3038 firm‐quarter earnings conference calls in 2020 reveals that overconfident CEOs express a less pessimistic tone, compared to non‐overconfident CEOs when discussing their firms’ exposure to the pandemic, and these results hold under various robustness checks. Additionally, a more pronounced negative pandemic exposure sentiment predicts weaker subsequent operating performance among non‐overconfident and overconfident CEOs alike. While increased negative sentiment leads to worse stock performance among firms with non‐overconfident CEOs, this predictive power is significantly weakened for overconfident CEOs. Our findings provide insights into how CEO overconfidence can affect firms’ disclosure behavior during a crisis and contribute to the literature on CEO overconfidence and pandemic‐related disclosures.
Bayesian‐optimized deep learning for identifying essential genes of mitophagy and fostering therapies to combat drug resistance in human cancers
Authors: Jin Wenyi , Chen Junwen , Li Zhongyi , Yubiao Zhang , Peng Hao
Published: January 2025

Dysregulated mitophagy is essential for mitochondrial quality control within human cancers. However, identifying hub genes regulating mitophagy and developing mitophagy‐based treatments to combat drug resistance remains challenging. Herein, BayeDEM (Bayesian‐optimized Deep learning for identifying Essential genes of Mitophagy) was proposed for such a task. After Bayesian optimization, BayeDEM demonstrated its excellent performance in identifying critical genes regulating mitophagy of osteosarcoma (area under curve [AUC] of ROC: 98.96%; AUC of PR curve: 100%). CERS1 was identified as the most essential gene regulating mitophagy (mean (|SHAP value|): 4.14). Inhibition of CERS1 sensitized cisplatin‐resistant osteosarcoma cells to cisplatin, restricting their growth, proliferation, invasion, migration and colony formation and inducing apoptosis. Mechanistically, inhibition of CERS1 restricted mitophagy to destroy the mitochondrial quality control in cisplatin‐resistant osteosarcoma cells, including mitochondrial membrane potential loss and unfavourable mitochondrial dynamics, rendering them susceptible to cisplatin‐induced apoptosis. More importantly, mitophagy facilitated the immunosuppressive microenvironment formation by significantly modulating T‐cell differentiation, adhesion and antigen presentation, and mitophagy mainly affects malignant osteoblasts in the early‐mid developmental stage. Immunologically, mitophagy potentially modulated the MIF signalling transmission between malignant osteoblasts and B cells, DCs, CD8+ T cells, NK cells and monocytes through the MIF‐(CD74 + CXCR4) receptor–ligand interaction, thereby modulating the biological functions of these immune cells. Collectively, BayeDEM emerged as a promising tool for oncologists to identify pivotal genes governing mitophagy, thereby enabling mitophagy‐centric therapeutic strategies to counteract drug resistance.
Hypotonic Swelling Method for the Isolation of Pure Mitochondria From Primary Human Skeletal Myoblasts for Proteomic Studies
Authors: Aksu‐Menges Evrim , Kumtepe Eray Taha , Akpinar Gurler , Balci‐Hayta Burcu
Published: January 2025

Mitochondria play a fundamental role in energy metabolism, particularly in high‐energy‐demand tissues such as skeletal muscle. Understanding the proteomic composition of mitochondria in these cells is crucial for elucidating the mechanisms underlying muscle physiology and pathology. However, effective isolation of mitochondria from primary human skeletal muscle cells has been challenging due to the complex cellular architecture and the propensity for contamination with other organelles. Here, we compared four different methods to isolate mitochondria from primary human skeletal myoblasts regarding total protein yield, mitochondrial enrichment capacity and purity of the isolated fraction. We presented a modified method that combines differential centrifugation with a hypotonic swelling step and a subsequent purification process to minimise cellular contamination. We validated our method by demonstrating its ability to obtain highly pure mitochondrial fractions, as confirmed by Western Blot with mitochondrial, cytosolic and nuclear markers. We demonstrated that proteomic analysis can be performed with isolated mitochondria. Our approach provides a valuable tool for investigating mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis and function in the context of skeletal muscle biology in health and disease. This methodological advancement opens new avenues for mitochondrial research and its implications in myopathies, sarcopenia, cachexia and metabolic disorders.
Topographic Analysis of the Periorbital Region Including Orbicularis Oculi Muscle Based on Ultrasonography Interpretation
Authors: Lee Kyu‐Lim , Kim Hee‐Jin
Published: January 2025

Objective

Ultrasonographic examination is easy, fast, safe, and used in various fields; however, its application to the facial area has been limited. Complex anatomical structures are mixed within thin, soft tissues in the facial region; therefore, understanding their structural characteristics is crucial. This study aimed to use ultrasonography to obtain information on the layered structure and soft tissue thickness of the eye area around the orbicularis oculi muscle and provide guidance for clinical practice.

Methods

Healthy volunteers (33 men and 19 women; mean age: 28.4 years) underwent ultrasonography with nine reference points. The soft tissue thickness, including the orbicularis oculi muscle, was measured on monochromatic images. Ultrasonographic scans were performed at facial landmarks using linear transducers (IO8‐17, E‐CUBE15, Alpinion Medical System, Seoul, Korea), with images scanned transversely. The thickness was measured using ImageJ (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA).

Results

The mean thickness of the orbicularis oculi muscle was 1.56 ± 0.45 mm (range 1.03–2.31 mm). The highest thickness was measured at the points VII (2.31 ± 0.68 mm) and VI (2.15 ± 0.48 mm). The mean depth of the orbicularis oculi muscle was 1.63 ± 0.62 mm (range 0.88–2.80 mm), and the most superficial point was 0.88 ± 0.99, at point VII.

Conclusion

This study provides critical anatomical data that can enhance the precision of ultrasound‐guided procedures in the periorbital area, allowing clinicians to accurately target the muscle layer and soft tissue structures. By utilizing these findings, practitioners can optimize treatment effectiveness, reduce complications, and improve outcomes in cosmetic procedures such as botulinum toxin injections, filler placements, and other non‐invasive facial treatments. The detailed anatomical insights gained from this study will help bridge the gap between anatomical understanding and clinical application, promoting safer and more efficient aesthetic interventions.
Birth and pregnancy numbers decreased during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Japan: A time series analysis with the ARIMA model
Authors: Yamamoto Keiko , Uchiyama Koji , Abe Yoshiko , Takaoka Nobuko , Haruyama Yasuo , Kobashi Gen
Published: January 2025

Aim

The long‐term effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on birth and pregnancy trends in Japan remain unclear. Although major sporting events are usually followed by an increase in births 9 months later, Japan's fifth wave of COVID‐19 occurred during the Olympics held in Japan during the summer of 2021. In this study, we analyzed how the number of births and pregnancies changed during the COVID‐19 pandemic and large‐scale events in Japan.

Methods

We utilized monthly vital statistical data from birth certificates spanning the years 2010 to 2022. Our analysis followed the identification, estimation, and forecasting stages of autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling. We found the ARIMA (1, 12, 12) model to be adequate for forecasting the monthly number of births.

Results

Comparing actual birth data from 2020 to 2022 with our forecast, we observed a significant decrease in births across all of Japan, urban residential areas, and 13 prefectures—primarily metropolitan regions—in January 2021 and May 2022. We also observed a decrease in pregnancy notifications in May 2020, May 2021, and October 2021. The decrease in births in May 2022 in Japan aligns with the decrease in pregnancy notifications 8 months earlier in October 2021.

Conclusions

Although major sporting events are expected to lead to an increase in the number of births approximately 9 months later, the number of births decreased in May 2022 during the fifth wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Japan. These findings suggest that the number of pregnancies and births should be monitored in future pandemics with particular attention to fertility trends.
Are you judging me or my idea? How feedback impacts future idea success in web‐based idea management systems
Authors: Lehmann Selina L. , Beretta Michela , Dao Hung M. , Ebersberger Bernd
Published: January 2025

Companies increasingly rely on web‐based idea management systems (IMS) to source innovative ideas from their employees and external contributors. While existing research emphasizes the critical role of expert feedback in shaping ideators' subsequent contributions, there remains a limited understanding of how various types of feedback—and their interplay—affect future idea success. Grounded in feedback intervention theory, this study examines how success feedback (task‐level), idea‐related failure feedback (task‐level), and ideator‐related failure feedback (self‐level) affect future idea success through shifting ideators' attention and activating different processes. Furthermore, we investigate the moderating roles of feedback readability and timing. Study 1 analyzes 1143 ideas submitted over 5 years by shopfloor employees of an automotive company, while Study 2 examines the causal effects and the underlying processes through an online experiment. The findings reveal that success feedback and constructive idea‐related failure feedback significantly enhance future idea success by activating task motivation and task learning, respectively, while ideator‐related failure feedback shows diminishing returns by activating the meta‐task process. Additionally, lower feedback readability weakens the positive impact of idea‐related failure feedback; however, no significant moderating effect is found for feedback timing. Our research contributes to the IMS literature by demonstrating how different feedback types uniquely influence future idea success. Practically, our findings highlight that experts and managers should prioritize feedback on ideas rather than ideators when providing IMS guidance.
Investigation of Sleep Quality and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Savsar Adile , Karayurt Özgül , Kiliç Murat , Kul Gülay Aksu
Published: January 2025

Liver transplant recipients experience many uncertainties after transplantation. Also, sleep problems are common among them. This study aimed to examine intolerance of uncertainty and sleep quality in liver transplant recipients. A descriptive and cross‐sectional study was conducted with 117 liver transplant recipients followed in the outpatient clinic of a liver transplant center. Data were collected using a sociodemographic and clinical features form, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale‐12 and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index between May and September in 2023. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The recipients had a high mean score of 41.04 ± 13.11 (min–max: 12–60) on the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale‐12. Age was predictive of uncertainty. Indeed, young recipients had higher intolerance of uncertainty. The recipients had a low score of 7.33 ± 3.57 (min–max: 1–21) on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The prevalence of sleep problems was 65%. Experiencing complications after transplantation was predictive of and worsened sleep quality. The sleep quality of the recipients had no relation with intolerance of uncertainty and inhibitory anxiety, but it had a relation with prospective anxiety.
Nursing and Midwifery Students' COVID‐19 Vaccine Regrets and Future Vaccination Intentions: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Tayhan Ali , Bozhan Tayhan Esra , Şahin Büyük Damla
Published: January 2025

Regret over COVID‐19 vaccine decisions is a post‐pandemic phenomenon that needs further research. This mixed‐method research was conducted to examine nursing‐midwifery students' COVID‐19 vaccine decision regret and their intention to get vaccinated in the next pandemic. The research includes quantitative and qualitative research processes. In the first phase, a quantitative (cross‐sectional) study was conducted, collecting data from 602 participants who met the inclusion criteria. In the second phase, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants. Data were collected using the Decision Regret Scale and semi‐structured interview form. Data were analyzed using Student's t‐test, one‐way anova test, and inductive content analysis, and reported using Good Reporting of a Mixed Methods Study. In the study, it was determined that 96.3% of the participants had received the COVID‐19 vaccine and 50.0% regretted getting vaccinated. As a result of the analysis of qualitative data, the following themes emerged that could reveal the reasons for vaccine regret; forced compliance, a strange pandemic, unknown effects, and vaccine hesitancy. Students' experiences in the COVID‐19 pandemic have the potential to increase negative attitudes towards their vaccines.
Effect of Thickened Fluids on Swallowing Function in Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: Impact of Shear Rheology and Disorder Subtype
Authors: Omari T. , Ross A. , Schar M. , Campbell J. , Thompson A. , Besanko L. , Lewis D. A. , Robinson I. , Farahani M. , Cock C. , Mossel B.
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Fluid thickeners used in the management of oropharyngeal dysphagia exhibit non‐Newtonian shear‐thinning rheology, impacting their viscosity during deglutition. This study investigated how the rheological properties of thickened fluids affect pharyngeal swallowing parameters in patients with oropharyngeal motor disorders diagnosed by pharyngeal high‐resolution manometry impedance (P‐HRM‐I).

Methods

Seventy‐two patients (18–89 years) referred for P‐HRM‐I were diagnostically assessed with a 10 mL thin bolus. In 57 of the patients, 10 mL swallows of two moderately thick formulations—xanthan gum (XG) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose gum (CMC)—were also tested. The XG and CMC fluids had equivalent empirical thickness but different viscosity at pharyngeal phase shear rates: XG 87 mPa.s (83–91) versus CMC mean 157 mPa.s (148–164) at 300 s−1. Standard metrics of pharyngeal and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) function were derived from P‐HRM‐I recordings and analyzed to characterize patients into one of four disorder subtypes: (i) No Disorder, (ii) UES Disorder, (iii) Pharyngeal Disorder, and (iv) Combination UES/Pharyngeal Disorder. Impedance recordings also assessed pharyngeal bolus transit.

Results

Patients with a Combination UES/Pharyngeal Disorder were most likely to have abnormal bolus transit (82%, p < 0.001). Increasing bolus viscosity significantly influenced UES residual pressure, UES opening area, and post‐swallow residue. Patients with UES Disorder exhibited pronounced increases in UES residual pressure with CMC compared to XG. Pharyngeal contractility was unaffected by viscosity changes. Post‐swallow residue increased with CMC, particularly in patients with a Combination Disorder. Case‐by‐case analysis revealed individual variability in response to the different viscosities.

Conclusion

The rheological properties of thickened fluids significantly affect swallowing function, with these effects dependent upon the disorder subtype.
Disrupted Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus Functional Connectivity in Parkinson's Disease With Constipation
Authors: Hou Xiaorong , Zhou Hongfei , Zhou Qiugui , Zhang Jiajian , Tang Xuxiong , Gong Ziwei , Tang Ying , Duan Junhong , Peng Song , Li Lifeng , Jiang Hong , Tang Beisha , Liu Yin , Lei Lifang
Published: January 2025

Background

Constipation is one of the most common non‐motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), which could manifest during the early stage of the disease. However, the etiology of constipation in PD remains largely unknown. Previous studies supported that gastrointestinal dysfunction may be associated with functional connectivity alterations in paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential contribution of the PVN to the pathogenesis of constipation in a cohort of early‐stage patients with PD and to compare brain network organization between PD patients with and without constipation.

Methods

A total of 66 PD patients (PD with constipation and without constipation) and 30 healthy controls were prospectively enrolled. All participants acquired T1‐weighted and resting‐state fMRI scans. Then we employed voxel‐based morphometry analysis and functional connectivity analysis.

Results

We observed a decreased functional connectivity in the PVN‐pontine tegmentum pathway in PD patients with constipation compared to the patients without constipation (p = 0.006, t = 5.37), while we did not find any changes in basal ganglia circuitry between these two groups. In addition, we found that the functional connectivity between PVN and pontine tegmentum was negatively associated with the UPDRS I, II, III and NMSS scores (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, these two types of patients also showed substantial differences in functional connections linking the inferior frontal gyrus and cerebellum with multiple brain regions. We discovered no statistical difference in gray matter volume among these two groups.

Conclusions

Our study provides further insights into the dysfunctional mechanisms of constipation, suggesting that abnormal PVN functional connectivity may be related to the mechanism of constipation in PD. Meanwhile, the inferior frontal gyrus and cerebellum may be involved in the occurrence of constipation in PD patients.
Loops and the geometry of chance
Authors: Jäger Jens
Published: January 2025

Suppose your evil sibling travels back in time, intending to lethally poison your grandfather during his infancy. Determined to save grandpa, you grab two antidotes and follow your sibling through the wormhole. Under normal circumstances, each antidote has a 50% chance of curing a poisoning. Upon finding young grandpa, poisoned, you administer the first antidote. Alas, it has no effect. The second antidote is your last hope. You administer it—and success: the paleness vanishes from grandpa's face, he is healed. As you administered the first antidote, what was the chance that it would be effective? This essay offers a systematic account of this case, and others like it. The central question is this: Given a certain time travel structure, what are the chances? In particular, I'll develop a theory about the connection between these chances and the chances in ordinary, time‐travel‐free contexts. Central to the account is a Markov condition involving the boundaries of spacetime regions.
Apoplastic pH is a chemical switch for extracellular H2O2 signaling in abscisic acid‐mediated inhibition of cotyledon greening
Authors: Zhou Miao , Ye Jia Yuan , Shi Yi Ju , Jiang Yi Jie , Zhuang Yao , Zhu Qing Yang , Liu Xing Xing , Ding Zhong Jie , Zheng Shao Jian , Jin Chong Wei
Published: January 2025

The apoplastic pH (pHApo) in plants is susceptible to environmental stimuli. However, the biological implications of pHApo variation have remained largely unknown.

The universal stress phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) as well as the major environmental stimuli drought and salinity were selected as representative cases to investigate how changes in pHApo relate to plant behaviors in Arabidopsis. Variations in pHApo negatively regulated the cotyledon greening inhibition to the universal stress hormone ABA or environmental stimuli through the action of extracellular hydrogen peroxide (eH2O2).

Further studies revealed that an increase in pHApo diminishes the chemical reactivity of eH2O2, effectively functioning as an ‘off’ switch for its action in oxidizing thiols of plasma membrane proteins. Consequently, this suppresses the eH2O2‐mediated cotyledon greening inhibition to environmental stimuli and ABA, alongside inhibiting the eH2O2‐mediated intracellular Ca2+ signaling. Conversely, a decrease in pHApo serves as an ‘on’ switch for the action of eH2O2.

In summary, the pHApo is a crucial messenger and chemical switch for eH2O2 in signal transduction, notwithstanding the apparent simplicity of the underlying mechanism. Our findings provide a novel fundamental biological insight into the significance of pH.
Size matching between fruits and bill gapes differentially affects gulper and masher frugivorous birds
Authors: Rojas Tobias Nicolas , Pizo Marco A. , Blendinger Pedro G. , Mangini G. Giselle , Barberá Iván
Published: January 2025

Birds feeding on fruits (frugivores) affect seed dispersal, seedling establishment and, ultimately, plant assemblage composition. Thus, the mechanisms underlying fruit consumption by birds are central to disentangling the assembly dynamics of mutualistic interactions and their effects on ecosystem functioning. In this regard, the size‐matching hypothesis states that the bill gape width is an anatomical filter that allows a bird to ingest a fruit. However, handling behaviour could allow birds to overcome anatomical constraints that limit the consumption of certain fruit species. Here we tested how size matching affects consumption rates and probabilities of frugivores that swallow the fruit unprocessed (gulpers) and those that mandibulate the fruits before ingestion (mashers). Gulpers showed a weak augment in both the rate and probability of fruit consumption as bill‐gape width increased relative to fruit diameter. On the other hand, mashers did not respond to size matching either in consumption rate or probability. Altogether our results highlight that other factors besides size are affecting the consumption rate and probability of frugivorous birds. Thus, gulpers and mashers fruit consumption could be subject to different mechanisms regardless size matching. In this regard, fruit traits and animal abilities interact leading to consumption by mashing or gulping the fruit highlighting the dynamic nature of handling behaviour. Altogether, our results warn about the unevaluated overutilization of size‐matching as the main mechanism to test the multiple facets of the ecology and evolution of frugivory and seed dispersal. Thus, including handling behaviour and other factors into the mechanisms underlying fruit–frugivore interactions could greatly improve our understanding of mutualistic interactions.
Love first
Authors: White P. Quinn
Published: January 2025

How should we respond to the humanity of others? Should we care for others' well‐being? Respect them as autonomous agents? Largely neglected is an answer we can find in the religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism: we should love all. This paper argues that an ideal of love for all can be understood apart from its more typical religious contexts and moreover provides a unified and illuminating account of the the nature and grounds of morality. I defend a novel account of love for all that avoids serious worries about the incoherence or impossibility of loving everyone. Doing so requires countenancing a neglected form of love. Love admits as its object not just individual entities like people and groups; we can also bear a love for the Fs in general—for all the Joneses, all the philosophers, or even all the human beings. I go on to argue that while it is possible for ordinary agents like us to love all, we shouldn't. Instead, we should approximate love for all. The minimal approximation of love for all is, surprisingly, respect; I derive the basic, structural features of deontological ethics (including anti‐paternalism and anti‐aggregation) from the ideal of loving all.
Relationship between apathy/post‐stroke depression and gait training in patients with stroke
Authors: Maeda Takashi , Shishido Kenichiro , Ouchida Tomoki , Moriuchi Yasuyuki , Hayashi Atsuko
Published: January 2025

Background

We examined the effect of gait training on apathy/post‐stroke depression (PSD) in patients with walking disorders after stroke, and the effect of apathy/PSD on gait reacquisition in subacute stroke.

Methods

Fifty‐five participants with gait disorders after stroke underwent gait training for 6 weeks. Outcome measurements included Apathy Scale (AS), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D), Mini‐Mental State Examination, Lower Extremity Function of Stroke Impairment Assessment Set, and Functional Independence Measure‐TRANSFER and ‐WALK scores. These scores of the participants were divided into groups with or without apathy based on AS scores for statistical analysis.

Results

Both groups showed significant differences in all outcomes after gait training. In addition, even if the participants had apathy at baseline, there were no significant differences in outcomes other than AS/CES‐D between the two groups after gait training. Logistic regression analysis showed that only Mini‐Mental State Examination and Lower Extremity Function of Stroke Impairment Assessment Set scores affected the reacquisition of independent walking (odds ratio: 1.332, P = 0.015; odds ratio: 1.364, P = 0.005, respectively). AS and CES‐D scores had no effects on gait reacquisition.

Conclusion

Gait training may be beneficial for both physical impairment and psychiatric symptoms in patients with stroke and may prevent poor functional recovery caused by apathy and PSD. As opposed to previous studies that have shown a negative impact of apathy and PSD on functional recovery, our results suggest that apathy/PSD may not negatively affect functional recovery when gait training is conducted in subacute stroke.
Equol Alleviates the In Vitro Aging‐Induced Disruption of Porcine Oocytes
Authors: Chen Rui , Wan Runtian , Peng Ke , Liu Xinxin , Zhou Benliang , He Rijing , Yan Yujun , Zhao Yanan , Yin Ye‐Shi , Xu Huiyan , Yang Xiaogan , Liang Xingwei
Published: January 2025

Oocyte quality is crucial for determining the subsequent embryo developmental capacity and reproductive outcomes. However, aging is detrimental to oocyte quality. Previous studies have demonstrated that soy isoflavones have positive effects on the reproductive performance of female pigs. Equol, the primary metabolite of soy isoflavones, is renowned for its antioxidant properties and its ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the potential role of equol in reversing aging‐mediated oocyte decline has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we treated the porcine oocytes with different concentrations of equol (2.5, 5 and 10 μM) during prolonged in vitro culture. Our findings showed that aging led to decreased embryonic developmental capacity, indicating the decline of oocyte quality. We further found that aging disrupted spindle assembly and chromosome arrangement, impaired actin polymerisation and reduced mitochondrial activity and function. Moreover, aging increased ROS levels; thereafter, DNA damage and apoptosis was induced in the porcine oocytes. Interestingly, treatment with 2.5 μM equol during the aging process significantly mitigated the above‐mentioned defective parameters in porcine oocytes and finally improved embryo development rates. Collectively, these results imply that equol has potential benefits in attenuating the aging‐mediated defects on porcine oocytes.
Does the Background of the Regulator Matter? The Role of Expertise and Diversity on the Perceived Competence of Regulatory Bodies
Authors: Perez‐Duran Ixchel , Papadopoulos Yannis , Redert Bastiaan , Triviño‐Salazar Juan Carlos
Published: January 2025

This paper examines expertise and professional diversity within new (agencies and central banks) and traditional (ministries) regulatory bodies (RBs) and assesses their effect on the perceived competence of RBs. In particular, we address the following research questions: To what extent do members of RBs have expertise and display diversity in terms of their professional trajectories? How do expertise and professional diversity affect the perceived competence of RBs? By using two empirical sources of data, this article provides core information on the educational and professional profiles of RBs staff. In addition, the paper provides evidence that both professional diversity and expertise among RBs do not have a significant effect on their perceived competence by regime actors. However, the study also suggests that regime actors that are more closely aligned to the professional trajectory of RB members (i.e., other regulators and members of the executive branch) tend to have a more positive perception of the competence of RBs. Conversely, societal actors tend to be more critical toward RBs, suggesting that a lack of a shared language creates a greater distance from the regulators.
Anthropometric and Sociodemographic Correlates of Dental Caries and Gingival Health in Children With Special Healthcare Needs at a Saudi Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Al‐Haj Ali Sanaa N. , Alkhudhayr Lama S. , Alwattban Rawan R. , Farah Ra'fat I.
Published: January 2025

Aims

To evaluate the impact of anthropometric and sociodemographic factors on dental caries and gingival health among children with special healthcare needs (SHCN).

Methods and Results

This cross‐sectional study involved 108 children, aged 4–14 years, with congenital heart disease, childhood cancer, bleeding disorders, various syndromes, and multiple conditions. Caregivers completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, and children underwent dental examinations to assess caries, gingival health, and oral hygiene. Anthropometric measures—weight, height, and body mass index (BMI)—were obtained and categorized into percentiles (<10, 10–90, >90) using age‐ and gender‐specific growth charts. Dental caries was highly prevalent (93.5%), with a mean dmft/DMFT value of 7.70 (SD ± 5.22). The mean gingival index was 0.43 (SD ± 0.52). Total dmft/DMFT values were significantly higher in children ≤6 years and those with fathers of lower educational levels. Poor oral hygiene was a strong predictor of adverse outcomes for both caries and gingival health. Higher gingival indices correlated with children in the >90th weight percentile.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the need for comprehensive oral health interventions that integrate meticulous oral hygiene, paternal education, and holistic growth monitoring beyond BMI. The results support implementing a 3‐month recall program for professional dental care, combined with individualized oral hygiene instruction for caregivers. This approach is particularly crucial for the younger age group (≤6 years) where targeted early intervention could significantly reduce caries risk.
“Overdried, Without Curing? F*Ck, this [Is Supposed to be] Government Licensed Skunk!” Medical Cannabis and the Refracted Publics Within an Online Polish Drug Forum
Authors: Wanke Michał , Załęska Olga , Siuda Piotr
Published: January 2025

In this article, we analyze a Polish drug forum as a refracted public by focusing on the intersection of the digital space and illicit substances. To illuminate the reception of the medical cannabis industry in the social worlds of people who use cannabis, we apply qualitative thematic analysis of the content of the major Polish drug forum. The results reveal that there has been a widespread subcultural accommodation of medical cannabis for non‐therapeutic use in the form of a backchannel about the quality of cannabis products and ways of obtaining it. We observed the emergence of reflexive narratives, where traditional cultural framing of cannabis as a source of fun and pleasure converged with a narrative of medical purposes and advice counteracting potential harms. The forum holds the emerging cannabis industry “accountable” and accumulates knowledge for the consumers that is otherwise lacking due to the illicit or stigmatized nature of cannabis in Poland. Examining digitally enabled discussions sheds light on the possible social accommodation of cannabis ahead of important societal and legislative transformations.
Factors affecting the efficacy of human leukocyte antigen‐selected platelet provision: A large retrospective study in the United Kingdom
Authors: Howell W. M. , Quaye L. , Mumford L. , Phillips S. , Mepani K. , Mohamed S. , Brown C. J.
Published: January 2025

Background

A large, retrospective study was designed to interrogate current NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) HLA matching strategies for the provision of HLA selected platelets (HLA SP) and to determine whether additional factors such as ABO blood group matching, patient diagnosis, patient and/or donor age, sex, ethnicity, age of platelet unit at transfusion and possibly seasonal variation also play a role in transfusion efficacy.

Materials and Methods

Data for 56 640 HLA SP transfusions over a 3‐year period were collected. Transfusions with missing data for any factor under consideration were excluded, resulting in a cohort of 13 044 transfusions for analysis. Univariable and multivariable regression models were used to determine if any factors influenced an increase in platelet count of ≥10 × 109/L. A stepwise logistic regression was applied, such that each influential factor was adjusted for effects on other factors included in the study.

Results

HLA match grade was confirmed as a significant factor in transfusion efficacy, with ABO mismatched units 20% less likely to give an adequate platelet increment (≥10 × 109/L). Platelet donor age, gender and ethnicity were not significant. Conversely, patient diagnosis, ethnicity, gender and age showed significant associations with platelet increments. Some seasonal variation in efficacy of platelet transfusion was also demonstrated.

Conclusion

This study has demonstrated the efficacy of HLA SP transfusions in refractory patients with a wide range of diagnoses, the importance of HLA match grade, plus the marginal effect of ABO matching. A wide range of donor‐related factors was excluded, while a number of patient‐related factors were identified, requiring more extensive investigation in ongoing and independent studies, with implications for donor registry, clinical and laboratory practices.
Dimensional Accuracy of Close Tray vs. Digital Techniques in Implant Impressions– An in vitro study
Authors: Mahdavinaderi Yas , Mobayeni Mahmood Reza , Ansari Lari Homeira , Sayyari Maryam , Mousavi Mohammad Reza
Published: January 2025

Background: Precise dimensional impression accuracy is crucial in dental prosthetics and implantology. This study aims to compare the dimensional accuracy of implant impressions achieved through intraoral scanning and conventional impression methods for parallel and angled implants.
Materials: This study created a partial edentulous maxillary model using heat-cured acrylic, with four fixtures in the premolar areas and two posterior implants inclined 15 degrees lingually on each side. Close tray copings and intraoral scanning with a TRIOS scanner were used for impressions. Distances A1, A2, and A3 (the distance between the most superior point of the central axis of two parallel implants, one parallel, and one angled implant, and two parallel implants, respectively) on the casts were measured using a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS, with a significance set at P < .05, and T-tests were conducted.
Results: The digital method demonstrated statistically significant higher accuracy in the A1 and A3 distances (p-value=0.042 and 0.046, respectively). However, no significant difference was observed in the A2 distance (P = 0.205).
Conclusion: Digital methods proved more effective for transferring implant positions and creating related prosthetics, particularly in cases with notable implant angle variations. Nonetheless, both digital and conventional methods are clinically acceptable for implant position transfer.
Buccal Fat Pad Flap and Buccal Advancement Flap for Closure of Oroantral Fistula: A Systematic Review and a Case Report
Authors: Pizzolante Tommaso , Rasicci Paolo , Saggiomo Anna Pia , Principi Martina , Capogreco Mario , Mummolo Stefano
Published: January 2025

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the success rates of two surgical techniques used for the closure of the oroantral fistula.
Materials and Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies were identified from electronic databases (PubMed, LILACS, Semantic Scholar, Cochrane Library, Rutgers University Library, and Europe PMC) from 1959 to 2021. The inclusion criteria were recent studies in English, studies involving human subjects, and studies comparing the buccal fat pad (BFP) and buccal advancement flap (BAF) techniques.
A total of 1455 records were initially identified. After screening, only 4 studies were included in the final analysis: 1 retrospective study and 3 comparative studies.
Results: The pooled relative risk (RR) indicated a significant difference, with the Buccal Advancement Flap showing a slightly lower probability of success compared to the Buccal Fat Pad Flap for oroantral fistula closure (RR 0.914, 95% CI: 0.836 - 0.998). No heterogeneity was detected among the included studies (I² = 0.0%, P = 0.452).
Conclusion: Both techniques are safe and simple and demonstrate high success rates. The BFP technique is particularly advantageous for closing oroantral fistulas larger than 5 mm when preserving the depth of the vestibular sulcus is required or in cases where the BAF technique has failed.
End-to-end underwater acoustic transmission loss prediction with adaptive multi-scale dilated network
Authors: Sun Zhao , Wang Yongxian , Liu Wei
Published: January 2025

Underwater acoustic propagation is a complex phenomenon in the ocean environment. Traditional methods for calculating acoustic propagation loss rely on solving complex partial differential equations. Deep learning methods, leveraging their robust nonlinear approximation capabilities, can model various physical phenomena effectively, significantly reducing computation time and cost. Despite considerable advancements in the study of various inverse underwater acoustic problems, research focused on forward physical modeling is still nascent. This study proposes an end-to-end architecture for predicting underwater acoustic transmission loss (TL). This architecture employs a data-driven approach capable of swiftly and accurately predicting the complete acoustic field. It employs a U-Net model integrated with an adaptive multi-scale dilated module, named MultiScale-DUNet, which effectively predicts by assimilating multi-scale acoustic field information. It is demonstrated that the MultiScale-DUNet is capable of predicting acoustic TL in complex two-dimensional ocean environments within the end-to-end framework. The results indicate that the MultiScale-DUNet can rapidly predict the acoustic TL while maintaining high accuracy under computationally inexpensive conditions. This end-to-end technology for predicting underwater acoustic TL holds broad application prospects in fields such as underwater exploration and real-time underwater monitoring.
Improving the Use of Lifting Velocity to Predict Repetitions to Failure: A Systematic Review
Authors: Miras-Moreno Sergio , Pérez-Castilla Alejandro , Weakley Jonathon , Rojas-Ruiz Francisco J. , García-Ramos Amador
Published: January 2025

Background: A recent advancement in velocity-based training involves estimating the maximum number of repetitions to failure (RTF) by analyzing the fastest velocity recorded within a set. A systematic review examining the fundamental characteristics of the RTF–velocity relationship is still lacking. Purpose: This study aimed to (1) determine the basic properties of the RTF–velocity relationships (goodness of fit, reliability, and accuracy) and (2) offer guidance on implementing various methodological factors that can impact the RTF accuracy prediction. Methods: Data were sourced from 3 databases: PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus. Studies were qualified for inclusion if they involved at least 2 sets performed to failure with different loads, utilized multijoint weight-lifting exercises, and monitored the RTF and fastest velocity for each set. Results: Six studies demonstrated (1) robust goodness of fit, (2) acceptable to high between-sessions reliability for the velocities associated to each RTF (1–15 RTF), and (3) acceptable RTF prediction accuracy during fatigue-free sessions (long interset rest), but, when fatigued (ie, short interset rest) the accuracy was compromised except for athletes with high training experience (eg, >2 y training-to-failure experience). Conclusions: The relationship properties remain unaffected regardless of the exercise (upper- vs lower-body), equipment (Smith- vs free-weight), velocity variable (mean and peak velocity), and resting time (from 5 to 10 min). However, the modeling procedure used (multiple- vs 2-point) did alter the accuracy. The individualized RTF–velocity relationships can be constructed through a linear regression model, but the failure experience seems to be a critical factor to increase its accuracy.
Future Directions in Understanding Acute and Chronic Effects of Mental Fatigue in Sports: A Commentary on Bridging Laboratory Findings and Real-World Applications
Authors: Lam Hui Kwan Nicholas , Sproule John , Phillips Shaun M.
Published: January 2025

Background: Mental fatigue (MF) is a psychobiological state that could negatively impact physical and cognitive performance, although the extent of this impact remains controversial. While laboratory studies have provided valuable insights into the acute effects of MF, their ecological validity in real-world sport settings remains limited. Recent research indicates that MF can naturally arise during sport activities, leading to chronic effects on endurance and perceptual-cognitive skills. These effects may persist beyond individual sessions, potentially increasing the risk of injury due to their cumulative nature. Purpose: This commentary aims to guide future research by emphasizing the need to investigate the natural occurrence and chronic effects of MF in applied sport settings. Conclusions: Understanding how MF develops and manifests in real-world settings, particularly individual differences in perception and response, is crucial for creating more effective management strategies. Addressing these factors will enable better support for athletes who may experience prolonged periods of MF that could affect their training and competitive performance. Future research should prioritize studying MF in natural sport settings to enhance the ecological validity of findings. By focusing on the chronic and cumulative nature of MF, as well as individual variability, researchers can develop more tailored and effective strategies for managing MF. This research will not only bridge the gap between laboratory studies and real-world applications but also contribute to more precise monitoring and intervention techniques. Ultimately, these advancements will improve athletes’ ability to maintain peak performance and reduce the risk of injury, thereby enhancing overall athletic well-being.