bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward a new framework for teaching algorithmic literacy
Authors: Archambault Susan Gardner
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Research shows that postsecondary students are largely unaware of the impact of algorithms on their everyday lives. Also, most noncomputer science students are not being taught about algorithms as part of the regular curriculum. This exploratory, qualitative study aims to explore subject-matter experts’ insights and perceptions of the knowledge components, coping behaviors and pedagogical considerations to aid faculty in teaching algorithmic literacy to postsecondary students.

Design/methodology/approach

Eleven semistructured interviews and one focus group were conducted with scholars and teachers of critical algorithm studies and related fields. A content analysis was manually performed on the transcripts using a mixture of deductive and inductive coding. Data analysis was aided by the coding software program Dedoose (2021) to determine frequency totals for occurrences of a code across all participants along with how many times specific participants mentioned a code. Then, findings were organized around the three themes of knowledge components, coping behaviors and pedagogy.

Findings

The findings suggested a set of 10 knowledge components that would contribute to students’ algorithmic literacy along with seven behaviors that students could use to help them better cope with algorithmic systems. A set of five teaching strategies also surfaced to help improve students’ algorithmic literacy.

Originality/value

This study contributes to improved pedagogy surrounding algorithmic literacy and validates existing multi-faceted conceptualizations and measurements of algorithmic literacy.
Impact of accrual and real earnings management on the stock liquidity: the month-of-the-year and Ramadan effects
Authors: Salehi Allah Karam , Soleimanizadeh Elham
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The abnormality of the month-of-the-year and Ramadan effects has extensively existed in the stock and other markets. The commercial strategy pattern and the computation of such predictable patterns in the market allow investors to make money. By using anomalies such as the month-of-the-year and the Ramadan effects on earnings management (EM), it is possible to achieve such a goal. This study aims to investigate the month-of-the-year effect and the Ramadan effect on the relationship between accrual earnings management and real earnings management (AEM and REM, respectively) and liquidity in the Iranian capital market.

Design/methodology/approach

This empirical analysis comprises a panel data set of 80 listed firms (400 observations) on the Tehran Stock Exchange from 2016 to 2020.

Findings

The findings exhibit that when AEM and REM increase, information asymmetry also increases. The simultaneous increase of these variables leads to a decrease in stock liquidity. Furthermore, the results indicate that the month-of-the-year and Ramadan effects intensify the negative relationship between AEM and REM with stock liquidity. Therefore, EM is affected by the investor’s behavior in specific months.

Practical implications

Anomalies caused by the Ramadan effect and the month-of-the-year effect on reducing liquidity in the Iranian stock market were confirmed. Investors can use these anomalies to identify predictable patterns, exchange securities according to those patterns and earn abnormal returns.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that empirically examined the simultaneous effect of Gregorian and Islamic calendar anomalies on the relationship between EM and liquidity, and while helping managers and other readers, it can be the basis for future research.
The impact of westernisation on the purchase intention of cruelty-free products: a study based on the Sri Lankan cosmetic market
Authors: Dodanwala Kavisha Lashindri , Weerasekera Sandun
Published: December 2023

Purpose

A surge in demand for ethical products, including cruelty-free products, has been well documented in recent years, with direct ramifications for businesses. This trend towards ethical consumption seemed to be swiftly replicated in Eastern countries, especially in South Asian nations, as a result of westernisation. Based on the theory of planned behaviour and the concept of the attitude-behaviour gap, this study aims to investigate the impact of westernisation on the purchase intention of cruelty-free cosmetic products.

Design/methodology/approach

A positivist research paradigm was utilised in this study. Accordingly, an online self-administered questionnaire was shared among 242 consumers of cosmetic products in Sri Lanka in order to collect responses. The statistical techniques of correlation analysis, the Sobel test and moderator regression analysis have been utilised in this study.

Findings

It was found that there seems to be a positive impact of westernisation and the cruelty-free purchase intention of consumers. Moreover, consumer empowerment appears to mediate this relationship, while the attitude behaviour gap tends to further impact the relationship between consumer empowerment and the purchase intention of cruelty-free products.

Originality/value

This study seems to shed light upon the impact of westernisation on the purchase intention of consumers, especially from an ethical dimension and this study is likely to extend existing studies which have focussed on consumer empowerment, attitude-behaviour gap as well as the theory of planned behaviour, especially in the context of South Asia, where there seems to be a dearth of such investigations. Moreover, this study has attempted to contextualise the construct of “Westernisation” to the South Asian region in line with the tone set by an editorial article Dewasiri et al. (2021).
Redefining the “shape” of things to come – a case study on marketing a taboo product and averting a potential crisis
Authors: Anam Rumana Liza
Published: December 2023

Research methodology

The case is based on interviews in 2022 with the founder of Shape, Monoshita Ayruani, supplemented by classroom testing and secondary sources such as textbooks, journals, newspapers and other pertinent sources such as reports produced by marketing and consulting firms.

Case overview/synopsis

Shape is a private limited company operating in Bangladesh, a country in South Asia. Bangladesh is a fast-developing country where the people (the vast majority of whom are young) are practical and forward thinking, conservative, yet also generally tolerant. Its CEO is Monoshita Ayruani, who has had several years of experience in a PR and Marketing agency before starting Shape. It produces and sells “innerwear” or undergarments, which are their staple products, as well as clothing, bath products, sleepwear and various other products targeted at women. Starting off as an online business in 2019, it was about to find its footing in the market when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The problem faced by Shape at the beginning was that digital marketing was not resulting in word of mouth for the product, as undergarments were considered too “taboo” to talk or share about with most people. The second problem faced was the sudden protests about Westernised clothing and culture in 2022, which may potentially threaten the company.

Complexity academic level

This case would be well suited for an undergraduate or graduate-level Marketing or Strategic Management course that exposes students to the challenges of promoting a new brand and marketing taboo products imported from abroad, in a largely conservative and culturally sensitive market, and preventing a potential crisis when protests break out. The case also touches on international supply chain problems, so may also be taught in an International Business course. The level of difficulty is intermediate as the problems are nuanced.
Decrease in climatic disequilibrium associated with climate change and species abundance shifts in Mediterranean plant communities
Authors: Pérez‐Navarro María Angeles , Lloret Francisco , Ogaya Romà , Estiarte Marc , Peñuelas Josep
Published: December 2023

Climate change induces changes in plant communities according to species' climatic requirements. These changes can be assessed by community climatic disequilibrium (CD), which corresponds to the difference between the climate inferred from the climatic requirements of the species in a community (community‐inferred climate, CIC) and the local observed climate.

We assessed changes in CIC and CD during a long‐term climatic manipulation (warming and drought treatments), embedded within the ongoing trends of climate change, in a Mediterranean shrubland (NE Iberian Peninsula) during 1999–2014. We used plant censuses, species distribution and climate layers since 1979 to create a multivariate environmental space where CIC and CD trends were estimated for 1999–2014.

CD consistently decreased, concomitant with an overall climate change‐derived increase in aridity (higher temperature and lower precipitation). CIC significantly changed during 1999–2014, reflecting the reshuffling of the community composition due to an increase in the abundance of species distributed in warmer, drier and more seasonal localities. Overall, treatments simulating greater climate change did not accelerate the decrease in CD. However, a trend of steeper diminution of CD was observed under warming treatment. In turn, under drought treatment the species less adapted to seasonality and aridity became less abundant. This community tracking of climate did not follow yearly climatic variability; instead, it was detected by the CD trend at the decadal scale.

Synthesis. The procedure developed to measure CD reflects demographic behaviours, thus providing a reliable method to assess the impact of climate change on species and communities. The study demonstrates the current, rapid tracking of Mediterranean woody plant communities to climate change. This tracking results from changes in the abundance of species according to their climatic requirements, inferred from their distribution. However, inertia in demographic processes implies that plant communities do not immediately fit current climate change at local level, as supported by the minor effect of experimentally accentuated climate change.
Effects of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia on sleep and alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers: A randomized pilot study
Authors: Verlinden Justin J. , Moloney Mairead E. , Vsevolozhskaya Olga A. , Ritterband Lee M. , Winkel Fiona , Weafer Jessica
Published: December 2023

Background

Insomnia is a well‐established, prospective risk factor for Alcohol Use Disorder. Thus, targeting sleep problems could serve as a novel and efficacious means of reducing problematic drinking. Here, we examined the potential utility of a well‐validated, interactive, easy to use, self‐paced digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia program. In a randomized, single‐blind pilot study, we examined the impact of treatment with Sleep Healthy Using the Internet (SHUTi) on drinking and sleep outcomes in a sample of heavy drinkers with insomnia.

Methods

Heavy drinking men (n = 28) and women (n = 42) with insomnia were randomly assigned to complete either the SHUTi program or a control patient education program. Subjective measures of sleep and alcohol use were administered at baseline, immediately following completion of the intervention, 3 months post‐intervention, and 6 months post‐intervention. Sleep outcomes were assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Drinking outcomes were assessed using the 30‐Day Timeline Follow‐Back calendar. We used linear mixed effects models to compare groups on both insomnia and drinking outcomes.

Results

Data from all 70 subjects (SHUTI: n = 40; control: n = 30) were analyzed. Linear mixed effects models showed that SHUTi significantly reduced insomnia symptoms (p = 0.01) and drinking outcomes (ps < 0.05) more than the control condition over time. Trend‐level effects on sleep quality (p = 0.06) were also observed. No adverse events were reported.

Conclusions

Improving sleep may be an effective treatment intervention for reducing hazardous drinking in at‐risk individuals. Further, findings provide preliminary support for the implementation of an easily accessible health behavior intervention with significant public health impact in a high‐risk population.
Mindfulness‐based interventions for body image dissatisfaction among clinical population: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Gopan Hrishi , Rajkumar Eslavath , Gopi Aswathy , Romate John
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Mindfulness‐based interventions (MBIs) are well‐validated interventions to enhance the favourable body image of individuals. Despite their wide application, the efficacy of MBIs in reducing body image dissatisfaction (BID) among various clinical populations remains unclear. This study aims to expand the literature on MBIs for BID and identify effective types of MBIs for reducing BID in diverse clinical populations for future research and practice.

Methods

A systematic search for studies published in English on the effectiveness of MBIs for BID among the clinical population was done on APA PsycNet, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases in August 2023. Of the 1962 articles initially identified, 17 were found eligible and evaluated based on the JBI checklist.

Results

Random effects meta‐analyses on six MBIs revealed their effectiveness in reducing BID among the clinical population (SMD = −.59 and 95% CI = −1.03 to −.15, p = .009), with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) (SMD = −1.29, 95% CI = −2.06 to −.52, p = .001) and My Changed Body (MyCB) (SMD = −.24, 95% CI = −.46 to −.01, p = .04) reporting significant effect sizes. Among the patients with breast cancer, MyCB (SMD = −.24, 95% CI = −.46 to −.01, p = .04) showed a significant effect size.

Conclusions

MBIs appear to be promising interventions in reducing BID among the clinical population. However, findings should be considered cautiously due to the possible publication bias, high heterogeneity and fewer available studies.
Is conservative opposition to climate change threat‐based? Articulating an integrated threat model of climate change attitudes
Authors: Stanley Samantha K. , Jylhä Kirsti M. , Leviston Zoe , Walker Iain
Published: December 2023

Throughout the literature, there are assertions that those endorsing conservative ideologies reject the science and solutions of climate change due to perceived threat. That is, they fear that accepting climate change means accepting problems with a favoured socioeconomic system and supporting action on climate change threatens to disrupt these systems. We draw together lines of research and reasoning on this topic to outline three key predictions this perspective makes about the drivers of conservative denial of climate change and opposition to climate policy. The first is that an asymmetry exists in climate‐related threat perceptions, whereby greater endorsement of conservative ideology predicts lower perceived threat from climate change and greater perceived threat from climate reform. Second, climate‐related threat perceptions are multifaceted, such that threats to economic and cultural well‐being can be experienced, at personal or collective levels. Third, the asymmetry in threat perceptions explains conservatives' lower support for pro‐climate reforms. We then specify a new integrated threat model of climate change attitudes, review the current evidence for and against each prediction in this model and outline ways to interrogate these theoretical predictions with empirical research. Doing so will advance understanding of the underpinnings of ideological disagreement on climate change.
Short‐term psychosocial outcomes of adding a non‐contrast abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan to the thoracic CT within lung cancer screening
Authors: Usher‐Smith Juliet A. , Godoy Angela , Kitt Jessica , Farquhar Fiona , Waller Jo , Sharp Stephen J. , Shinkins Bethany , Cartledge Jon , Kimuli Michael , Burge Sarah W. , Burbidge Simon , Eckert Claire , Hancock Neil , Marshall Catriona , Rogerson Suzanne , Rossi Sabrina H. , Smith Andrew , Simmonds Irene , Wallace Tom , Ward Matthew , Callister Matthew E.J. , Stewart Grant D.
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To evaluate psychological, social, and financial outcomes amongst individuals undergoing a non‐contrast abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan to screen for kidney cancer and other abdominal malignancies alongside the thoracic CT within lung cancer screening.

Subjects and Methods

The Yorkshire Kidney Screening Trial (YKST) is a feasibility study of adding a non‐contrast abdominal CT scan to the thoracic CT within lung cancer screening. A total of 500 participants within the YKST, comprising all who had an abnormal CT scan and a random sample of one‐third of those with a normal scan between 14/03/2022 and 24/08/2022 were sent a questionnaire at 3 and 6 months. Outcomes included the Psychological Consequences Questionnaire (PCQ), the short‐form of the Spielberger State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the EuroQoL five Dimensions five Levels scale (EQ‐5D‐5L). Data were analysed using regression adjusting for participant age, sex, socioeconomic status, education, baseline quality of life (EQ‐5D‐5L), and ethnicity.

Results

A total of 380 (76%) participants returned questionnaires at 3 months and 328 (66%) at 6 months. There was no difference in any outcomes between participants with a normal scan and those with abnormal scans requiring no further action. Individuals requiring initial further investigations or referral had higher scores on the negative PCQ than those with normal scans at 3 months (standardised mean difference 0.28 sd, 95% confidence interval 0.01–0.54; P = 0.044). The difference was greater in those with anxiety or depression at baseline. No differences were seen at 6 months.

Conclusion

Screening for kidney cancer and other abdominal malignancies using abdominal CT alongside the thoracic CT within lung cancer screening is unlikely to cause significant lasting psychosocial or financial harm to participants with incidental findings.
Considerations for enhanced mesenchymal stromal/stem cell myogenic commitment in vitro
Authors: Grobbelaar Simone , Mercier Anne E. , van den Bout Iman , Durandt Chrisna , Pepper Michael S.
Published: December 2023

The generation of tissue from stem cells is an alluring concept as it holds a number of potential applications in clinical therapeutics and regenerative medicine. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from a number of different somatic sources, and have the capacity to differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, and myogenic lineages. Although the first three have been extensively investigated, there remains a paucity of literature on the latter. This review looks at the various strategies available in vitro to enhance harvested MSC commitment and differentiation into the myogenic pathway. These include chemical inducers, myogenic‐enhancing cell culture substrates, and mechanical and dynamic culturing conditions. Drawing on information from embryonic and postnatal myogenesis from somites, satellite, and myogenic progenitor cells, the mechanisms behind the chemical and mechanical induction strategies can be studied, and the sequential gene and signaling cascades can be used to monitor the progression of myogenic differentiation in the laboratory. Increased understanding of the stimuli and signaling mechanisms in the initial stages of MSC myogenic commitment will provide tools with which we can enhance their differentiation efficacy and advance the process to clinical translation.
Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of the Flinders Chronic Condition Management Program in outpatient drug and alcohol settings in Australia
Authors: Oster Candice , Hunter Sarah , Schultz Timothy , Harvey Gillian , Lawless Michael , Battersby Malcolm
Published: December 2023

Introduction

There has been a growing call for drug and/or alcohol dependence to be managed as a chronic condition. The Flinders Chronic Condition Management Program (Flinders Program) was implemented in a drug and alcohol service in Australia in 2019–2022 to explore the feasibility of chronic condition management in outpatient clinics. Implementation involved: adaptation of the Flinders Program; adaptation of clinical procedures; training clinicians and managers; training Flinders Program Accredited Trainers; and system integration. This study aims to explore barriers and enablers to implementation.

Methods

A qualitative formative evaluation was undertaken. Data included implementation documents (n = 7), responses to open‐ended questions in post‐training surveys (n = 27), and focus groups and interviews with implementation staff, clinicians, managers and a trainer (n = 16). Data were analysed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research in a ‘coding reliability’ approach to thematic analysis.

Results

Participants responded positively to the Flinders Program's philosophy, processes, tools and training. However, barriers were identified across three Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domains: (i) outer setting (client suitability and incompatibility with external policies and incentives); (ii) characteristics of individuals (low self‐efficacy); and (iii) inner setting (lack of system and workflow integration).

Discussion and Conclusions

Executive support and systems integration are important for the implementation of the Flinders Program in drug and alcohol services. This needs to be achieved within externally mandated key performance indicators for outpatient services. Further research is needed to fully evaluate the potential of a chronic condition management framework in Australian outpatient drug and alcohol services.
Safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of HRS‐7535, a novel oral small molecule glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist, in healthy participants: A phase 1, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, single‐ and multiple‐ascending dose, and food effect trial
Authors: Wu Jingying , Zhou Renpeng , Zhang Qian , Zhang Qin , Qin Huiling , Ye Zi , Xu Yimei , Feng Sheng , Shu Chang , Shen Yu , Fan Yang , Wang Quanren , Du Yijun , Hu Wei
Published: December 2023

Aim

To assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PKs) and pharmacodynamics of HRS‐7535, a novel glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1RA), in healthy participants.

Materials and Methods

This phase 1 trial consisted of single‐ascending dose (SAD), food effect (FE) and multiple‐ascending dose (MAD) parts. In the SAD part, participants were randomized (6:2) to receive HRS‐7535 (at doses of 15, 60 and 120 mg; administered orally once daily) or placebo. In the FE part, participants were randomized (8:2) to receive a single dose of 90‐mg HRS‐7535 or placebo, in both fed and fasted states. In the MAD part, participants were randomized (18:6) to receive daily HRS‐7535 (120 mg [30/60/90/120‐mg titration scheme]) or placebo for 28 days. The primary endpoints were safety and tolerability.

Results

Nausea and vomiting were the most frequently reported AEs across all three parts. In the SAD part, the median Tmax was 5.98‐5.99 hours and the geometric mean t1/2 was 5.28‐9.08 hours across the HRS‐7535 dosing range. In the MAD part, the median Tmax was 5.98‐10.98 hours and the geometric mean t1/2 was 6.48‐8.42 hours on day 28 in participants on HRS‐7535. PKs were approximately dose‐proportional. On day 29 in the MAD part, the mean (percentage) reduction in body weight from baseline was 4.38 kg (6.63%) for participants who received HRS‐7535, compared with 0.8 kg (1.18%) for those participants who received a placebo.

Conclusions

HRS‐7535 exhibited a safety and tolerability profile consistent with other GLP‐1RAs and showed PKs suitable for once‐daily dosing. These findings support further clinical development of HRS‐7535 for type 2 diabetes.
The joint determination of the payment method and the bid premium in M&As: What is the role of firm opacity?
Authors: Battigalli Pierpaolo , Chiarella Carlo , Gatti Stefano , Orlando Tommaso
Published: December 2023

This paper investigates how private information affects the joint determination of the payment method and the bid premium in M&As. The focus is on the uncertainty of the stand‐alone valuations of the firms involved in the transaction induced by their opacity. First, we model M&A negotiations as a signalling game with two‐sided private information and derive correlations between firm opacity and bid characteristics from equilibrium analysis. Then, we analyze a sample of U.S. deals, using an index based on market measures of adverse selection to quantify firm opacity. We find that the likelihood of stock offers and the bid premium increase with the target's opacity, while more opaque bidders are associated with fewer stock offers and smaller bid premiums.
A jack of all trades – ADAM8 as a signaling hub in inflammation and cancer
Authors: Cook Lena , Gharzia Federico Guillermo , Bartsch Jörg W. , Yildiz Daniela
Published: December 2023

As a member of the family of A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinases (ADAM) ADAM8 is preferentially expressed in lymphatic organs, immune cells, and tumor cells. The substrate spectrum for ADAM8 proteolytic activity is not exclusive but is related to effectors of inflammation and signaling in the tumor microenvironment. In addition, complexes of ADAM8 with extracellular binding partners such as integrin β‐1 cause an extensive intracellular signaling in tumor cells, thereby activating kinase pathways with STAT3, ERK1/2, and Akt signaling, which causes increased cell survival and enhanced motility. The cytoplasmic domain of ADAM8 harbors five SRC homology‐3 (SH3) domains that can potentially interact with several proteins involved in actin dynamics and cell motility, including Myosin 1F (MYO1F), which is essential for neutrophil motility. The concept of ADAM8 thus involves immune cell recruitment, in most cases leading to an enhancement of inflammatory (asthma, COPD) and tumor (including pancreatic and breast cancers) pathologies. In this review, we report on available studies that qualify ADAM8 as a therapeutic target in different pathologies. As a signaling hub, ADAM8 controls extracellular, intracellular, and intercellular communication, the latter one mainly mediated by the release of extracellular vesicles with ADAM8 as cargo. Here, we will dissect the contribution of different domains to these distinct ways of communication in several pathologies. We conclude that therapeutic targeting attempts for ADAM8 should consider blocking more than a single domain and that this requires a thorough evaluation of potent molecules targeting ADAM8 in an in vivo setting.
Insertion sequence excision is enhanced by a protein that catalyzes branch migration and promotes microhomology‐mediated end joining
Authors: Kishino Ren , Saito Takashi , Muto Shuntaro , Tomita Yuzuka , Sekine Yasuhiko
Published: December 2023

Insertion sequence (IS)‐excision enhancer (IEE) promotes the excision of ISs in the genome of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157. Because IEE‐dependent IS excision occurs in the presence of transposase, the process of IS transposition may be involved in IS excision; however, little is understood about the molecular mechanisms of IS excision. Our in vitro analysis revealed that IEE exhibits DNA‐dependent ATPase activity, which is activated by branched DNA. IEE also catalyzes the branch migration of fork‐structured DNA. These results suggest that IEE remodels branched structures of the IS transposition intermediate. Sequence analysis of recombination sites in IS‐excision products suggested that microhomologous sequences near the ends of the IS are involved in IS excision. IEE promoted microhomology‐mediated end joining (MMEJ), in which base pairing between 6‐nucleotides complementary ends of two 3′‐protruding DNAs and subsequent elongation of the paired DNA strand occurred. IS‐excision frequencies were significantly decreased in cells producing IEE mutants that had lost either branch migration or MMEJ activity, which suggests that these activities of IEE are required for IS excision. Based on our results, we propose a model for IS excision triggered by IEE and transposase.
Rhodamine B‐based lipase activity assay with natural substrates—development and application
Authors: Stemler Charlotte Dorothea , Lorenz Kim Karolin , Scherf Katharina Anne
Published: December 2023

For the various application fields of lipases in food, an accurate and reliable prediction of their performance is needed. This is not provided by the current artificial substrate‐based assays, because natural substrates should be applied. The fluorescent dye Rhodamine B (RB) enables the tracking of released fatty acids in real time and therefore offers the possibility to assess lipase activity towards any substrate. A high‐throughput assay including RB was established, validated and applied to a range of five fats/oils and two isolated lipids for a range of seven lipases. The results show that lipase reactions under different conditions are not comparable. Besides the substrate and the lipase, the milieu of the reaction has a decisive impact. For the prediction of lipase reactions in foods, further aspects such as the accessibility of substrates need to be taken into consideration.
Recent advances, challenges and functional applications of antifreeze protein in food industry
Authors: Xiao Shujian , Hu Shunyang , Zhu Kaixian , Bai Ting , Wang Wei , Cheng Jie , Zhang Jiamin
Published: December 2023

Freezing is a common food preservation method that can extend the shelf life of food, but the ice crystals and recrystallisation during freezing, storage and transportation cause significant damage to frozen food. Antifreeze proteins are a class of proteins that widely exist in organisms living in cold conditions, such as fish, insects, plants and microorganisms in Antarctica and other cold regions. Antifreeze proteins can reduce the freezing point of water, inhibit recrystallisation effects, modify ice crystal morphology and effectively suppress the quality deterioration caused by ice crystals during food freezing. This review comprehensively introduces the source, antifreeze mechanism, application in food, influencing factors and regulating methods of antifreeze activity of antifreeze proteins, as well as the limitations of antifreeze proteins. It also looks forward to the future application of antifreeze proteins in food.
Is intelligence of preterm children different from full‐term children? Commentary on Rapuc et al. (2023)
Authors: Demetriou Andreas
Published: December 2023

Rapuc et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2023) found that Full‐Scale IQ of preterm children is significantly lower than full‐term children. Also, although the structure of intelligence appeared to involve the same clusters of cognitive ability, relations between abilities were stronger in preterm children, implying that abilities are more differentiated in full‐term than in preterm children. This commentary examined if these findings hold when different modelling methods are used. Instead of the network analysis used in the target article (Rapuc et al., 2023), I used confirmatory factor analysis and special forms of structural equation modelling designed to capture interactions between processes and their differentiation from general cognitive ability. I found, in line with the target article, that premature children scored lower overall in cognitive ability, and that cognitive processes are more strongly related in preterm than in full‐term children. However, in contrast to the target article, specific abilities tended to differentiate with increasing general ability in preterm rather than in full‐term children. In full‐term children, increases in specific abilities were commensurate with increases in general ability. These differences may reflect slower development in preterm children and stronger dependence on executive processes dominating in preschool. Clinical implications are discussed.
DLL4/Notch blockade disrupts mandibular advancement‐induced condylar osteogenesis by inhibiting H‐type angiogenesis
Authors: Hu Yun , Li Hegang
Published: December 2023

Background

Blocking Delta‐like 4 (DLL4)/Notch has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of tumours by deregulating angiogenesis. However, DLL4/Notch serves as a negative regulator of angiogenesis in multiple organs while acting as a positive regulator of H‐type angiogenesis in postnatal long bones. Therefore, the effect of DLL4/Notch signalling blockade on mandibular condylar osteogenesis attracted our attention.

Objective

To explore the effect of blocking DLL4/Notch on mandibular advancement (MA)‐induced condylar osteogenesis.

Methods

Six‐week‐old young male C57BL/6J mice (n = 40) were randomly divided into four groups: control group, MA group, MA + Anti‐DLL4 group and MA + IgG group. Of note, IgG served as the isotype control for the anti‐DLL4. The femurs, tibias and mandibular condyles were collected after sacrificing mice on Day 31 for morphology, micro‐computed tomography, immunofluorescence, histology and immunohistochemistry evaluation.

Results

First, DLL4/Notch blockade shortened femoral length and reduced bone mass by inhibiting H‐type angiogenesis. Second, DLL4/Notch blockade disrupted MA‐induced condylar head volume and quality by inhibiting H‐type angiogenesis. Mechanistically, blocking DLL4/Notch reduced the number of runt‐related transcription factor 2+ (RUNX2+) early osteoprogenitors and the expression of Noggin protein in the condylar subchondral bone by inhibiting H‐type angiogenesis. In addition, blockade of DLL4/Notch also destroyed the condylar cartilage layer.

Conclusion

DLL4/Notch blockade results in shortened femurs and osteopenia, as well as impaired MA‐induced condylar osteogenic volume and quality in growing mice by inhibiting H‐type angiogenesis. Therefore, when blocking DLL4/Notch is used as a treatment target for diseases, attention should be paid to its impact on the bone mass of mandibular condyle.
Evening prolonged relatively low melanopic equivalent daylight illuminance light exposure increases arousal before and during sleep without altering sleep structure
Authors: He Meiheng , Chen Hanyu , Li Siyu , Ru Taotao , Chen Qingwei , Zhou Guofu
Published: December 2023

Light can influence many psychophysiological functions beyond vision, including alertness, circadian rhythm, and sleep, namely the non‐image forming (NIF) effects of light. Melanopic equivalent daylight illuminance (mel‐EDI) is currently recommended as the predictor of the NIF effects of light. Although light dose is also critical for entraining and regulating circadian cycle, it is still unknown whether relatively low mel‐EDI light exposure for prolonged duration in the evening would affect pre‐sleep arousal and subsequent sleep. In all, 18 healthy college students (10 females, mean [standard deviation] age 21.67 [2.03] years) underwent 2 experimental nights with a 1 week interval in a simulated bedroom environment. During experimental nights, participants were either exposed to high or low mel‐EDI light (73 versus 38 lx mel‐EDI, 90 versus 87 photopic lx at eye level, 150 photopic lx at table level) for 3.5 h before regular bedtime, and their sleep was monitored by polysomnography. Subjective sleepiness, mood, and resting‐state electroencephalography during light exposure were also investigated. Results showed no significant differences in sleep structure and sleep quality between the two light conditions, whereas 3.5 h of exposure to high versus low mel‐EDI light induced marginally higher physiological arousal in terms of a lower delta but higher beta power density before sleep, as well as a lower delta power density during sleep. Moreover, participants felt happier before sleep under exposure to high versus low mel‐EDI light. These findings together with the current literature suggest that evening prolonged relatively low mel‐EDI light exposure may mildly increase arousal before and during sleep but affected sleep structure less.
The utility of wearable headband electroencephalography and pulse photoplethysmography to assess cortical and physiological arousal in individuals with stress‐related mental disorders
Authors: Blaskovich Borbala , Bullón‐Tarrasó Esteban , Pöhlchen Dorothee , Manafis Alexandros , Neumayer Hannah , Besedovsky Luciana , Brückl Tanja ,   BeCOME Working Group, Simor Peter , Binder Florian P. , Spoormaker Victor I.
Published: December 2023

Several stress‐related mental disorders are characterised by disturbed sleep, but objective sleep biomarkers are not routinely examined in psychiatric patients. We examined the use of wearable‐based sleep biomarkers in a psychiatric sample with headband electroencephalography (EEG) including pulse photoplethysmography (PPG), with an additional focus on microstructural elements as especially the shift from low to high frequencies appears relevant for several stress‐related mental disorders. We analysed 371 nights of sufficient quality from 83 healthy participants and those with a confirmed stress‐related mental disorder (anxiety‐affective spectrum). The median value of macrostructural, microstructural (spectral slope fitting), and heart rate variables was calculated across nights and analysed at the individual level (N = 83). The headbands were accepted well by patients and the data quality was sufficient for most nights. The macrostructural analyses revealed trends for significance regarding sleep continuity but not sleep depth variables. The spectral analyses yielded no between‐group differences except for a group × age interaction, with the normal age‐related decline in the low versus high frequency power ratio flattening in the patient group. The PPG analyses showed that the mean heart rate was higher in the patient group in pre‐sleep epochs, a difference that reduced during sleep and dissipated at wakefulness. Wearable devices that record EEG and/or PPG could be used over multiple nights to assess sleep fragmentation, spectral balance, and sympathetic drive throughout the sleep–wake cycle in patients with stress‐related mental disorders and healthy controls, although macrostructural and spectral markers did not differ between the two groups.
Annotation for computational argumentation analysis: Issues and perspectives
Authors: Lindahl Anna , Borin Lars
Published: December 2023

Argumentation has long been studied in a number of disciplines, including several branches of linguistics. In recent years, computational processing of argumentation has been added to the list, reflecting a general interest from the field of natural language processing (NLP) in building natural language understanding systems for increasingly intricate language phenomena. Computational argumentation analysis – referred to as argumentation mining in the NLP literature – requires large amounts of real‐world text with manually analyzed argumentation. This process is known as annotation in the NLP literature and such annotated datasets are used both as “gold standards” for assessing the quality of NLP applications and as training data for the machine learning algorithms underlying most state of the art approaches to NLP. Argumentation annotation turns out to be complex, both because argumentation can be complex in itself and because it does not come across as a unitary phenomenon in the literature. In this survey we review how argumentation has been studied in other fields, how it has been annotated in NLP and what has been achieved so far. We conclude with describing some important current and future issues to be resolved.
Plant hydraulics at the heart of plant, crops and ecosystem functions in the face of climate change
Authors: Torres‐Ruiz José M. , Cochard Hervé , Delzon Sylvain , Boivin Thomas , Burlett Regis , Cailleret Maxime , Corso Déborah , Delmas Chloé E. L. , De Caceres Miquel , Diaz‐Espejo Antonio , Fernández‐Conradi Pilar , Guillemot Joannes , Lamarque Laurent J. , Limousin Jean‐Marc , Mantova Marylou , Mencuccini Maurizio , Morin Xavier , Pimont François , De Dios Victor Resco , Ruffault Julien , Trueba Santiago , Martin‐StPaul Nicolas K.
Published: December 2023

Plant hydraulics is crucial for assessing the plants' capacity to extract and transport water from the soil up to their aerial organs. Along with their capacity to exchange water between plant compartments and regulate evaporation, hydraulic properties determine plant water relations, water status and susceptibility to pathogen attacks. Consequently, any variation in the hydraulic characteristics of plants is likely to significantly impact various mechanisms and processes related to plant growth, survival and production, as well as the risk of biotic attacks and forest fire behaviour. However, the integration of hydraulic traits into disciplines such as plant pathology, entomology, fire ecology or agriculture can be significantly improved. This review examines how plant hydraulics can provide new insights into our understanding of these processes, including modelling processes of vegetation dynamics, illuminating numerous perspectives for assessing the consequences of climate change on forest and agronomic systems, and addressing unanswered questions across multiple areas of knowledge.
A B‐box transcription factor OsBBX17 regulates saline‐alkaline tolerance through the MAPK cascade pathway in rice
Authors: Shen Tao , Xu Fengjuan , Chen Dan , Yan Runjiao , Wang Qingwen , Li Kaiyue , Zhang Gang , Ni Lan , Jiang Mingyi
Published: December 2023

Rice OsBBX17 encodes a B‐box zinc finger transcription factor in which the N‐terminal B‐box structural domain interacts with OsMPK1. In addition, it directly binds to the G‐box of OsHAK2 and OsHAK7 promoters and represses their transcription.

Under saline‐alkaline conditions, the expression of OsBBX17 was inhibited. Meanwhile, activation of the OsMPK1‐mediated mitogen‐activated protein kinase cascade pathway caused OsMPK1 to interact with OsBBX17 and phosphorylate OsBBX17 at the Thr‐95 site. It reduced OsBBX17 DNA‐binding activity and enhanced saline‐alkaline tolerance by deregulating transcriptional repression of OsHAK2 and OsHAK7.

Genetic assays showed that the osbbx17‐KO had an excellent saline‐alkaline tolerance, whereas the opposite was in OsBBX17‐OE. In addition, overexpression of OsMPK1 significantly improved saline‐alkaline tolerance, but knockout of OsMPK1 caused an increased sensitivity. Further overexpression of OsBBX17 in the osmpk1‐KO caused extreme saline‐alkaline sensitivity, even a quick death.

OsBBX17 was validated in saline‐alkaline tolerance from two independent aspects, transcriptional level and post‐translational protein modification, unveiling a mechanistic framework by which OsMPK1‐mediated phosphorylation of OsBBX17 regulates the transcription of OsHAK2 and OsHAK7 to enhance the Na+/K+ homeostasis, which partially explains light on the molecular mechanisms of rice responds to saline‐alkaline stress via B‐box transcription factors for the genetic engineering of saline‐alkaline tolerant crops.
Comparative analysis of two arecoline‐induced oral submucous fibrosis models
Authors: Tang Shijie , Jiang Lanxin , Zhou Ying , Zhou Tong , Peng Yang , Zhou Shuting , Yue Yuan , Xia Xiaoqiang , Li Jing , Chen Qianming , Jiang Yuchen , Feng Xiaodong
Published: December 2023

Objective

The limited understanding of the molecular mechanism for oral submucosal fibrosis (OSF) poses challenges to the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies. The lack of suitable animal models is a major hindrance. Therefore, this study aimed to address this issue by comparing commonly used arecoline‐induced water drinking and injection mouse models.

Materials and Methods

The mice were subjected to two protocols: receiving 2 mg/mL arecoline in drinking water and 4 mg/mL arecoline saline solution injections every other day. Tissues were collected at regular 4‐week intervals, with a final time point of 20 weeks. Stereo microscopy and histomorphological analysis were performed on live and harvested tissues, respectively.

Results

During arecoline treatment, collagen deposition and myofibroblast proliferation progressively increased in both models. Changes in the collagen I/III ratio indicated that both models exhibited characteristics of the early and intermediate stages of OSF after 20 weeks of arecoline induction. The water‐drinking model also demonstrated multi‐organ fibrosis involving the tongue, lungs, and small intestine.

Conclusion

Both the water drinking and injection mouse models effectively induced OSF, but the water‐drinking model better mirrored the observed pathogenesis in patients with OSF. These models provide valuable tools for investigating the mechanisms underlying OSF.
When do bureaucrats choose to unburden clients: A randomized experiment
Authors: Johnson Donavon , Neshkova Milena
Published: December 2023

Prior work refers to burdens in citizen‐state interactions as administrative, even though most originate from the desk of politicians, not administrators. Even more, bureaucrats often act to unburden their clients via the discretionary powers they wield. This perspective has largely been overlooked in extant research. The present study asks under what conditions bureaucrats alleviate the burdens levied by elected officials on their clients. We propose that bureaucrats are more likely to use their discretion to unburden the most vulnerable groups. The study models vulnerability in terms of age and race, using two single‐factorial randomized experiments on a sample of 580 U.S. public managers in a COVID‐19 rental assistance setting. We find that client vulnerability drives bureaucrats' intent to unburden, but only in the context of age, not race. Also, the more administrators perceive themselves as public representatives, the higher their intention to unburden aid seekers. By contrast, bureaucrats with higher self‐efficacy tend to unburden less.
Probing and perturbing riboswitch folding using a fluorescent base analogue
Authors: Hoeher Janson E. , Sande Natalie E. , Widom Julia R.
Published: December 2023

Riboswitches are mRNA segments that regulate gene expression in response to ligand binding. The Class I preQ1 riboswitch consists of a stem‐loop and an adenine‐rich single‐stranded tail (“L3”), which adopt a pseudoknot structure upon binding of the ligand preQ1. We inserted 2‐aminopurine (2‐AP), a fluorescent analogue of adenine (A), into the riboswitch at six different positions within L3. Here, 2‐AP functions both as a spectroscopic probe and as a “mutation” that reveals how alteration of specific A residues impacts the riboswitch. Using fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy, we found that 2‐AP decreases the affinity of the riboswitch for preQ1 at all labeling positions tested, although modified and unmodified variants undergo the same global conformational changes at sufficiently high preQ1 concentration. 2‐AP substitution is most detrimental to ligand binding at sites proximal to the ligand‐binding pocket, while distal labeling sites exhibit the largest impacts on the stability of the L3 domain in the absence of ligand. Insertion of multiple 2‐AP residues does not induce significant additional disruptions. Our results show that interactions involving the A residues in L3 play a critical role in ligand recognition by the preQ1 riboswitch and that 2‐AP substitution exerts complex and varied impacts on this riboswitch.