bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Had it not been for her’: Gender, Care Labour and Disability in the British Caribbean, 1788–1834
Authors: Hunt‐Kennedy Stefanie
Published: December 2023

This article explores the intersections between gender, disability and care labour in the slaveholding societies of the British Caribbean from 1788 to 1834. Considered economic burdens by slaveholders, aged and disabled bondswomen were made productive through caring for their enslaved peers, many of whom were themselves temporarily unproductive due to pregnancy, illness, age or impairment. Although slaveowners devalued aged and disabled bondswomen, and assigned them inferior labour positions, in actuality, slaveowners concealed an economic logic: disabled and aged bondspeople were efficient but of a different kind, and their productivity was essential to the healthscape of the plantation. This article explores The History of Mary Prince as a first‐hand account of an enslaved woman who experienced episodic impairment and long‐term disability and who practiced self‐care and received care from multiple different women.
Is there an advantage? Considerations for researchers studying the effects of the type of Medicare coverage
Authors: Nicholas Lauren Hersch , Polsky Dan , Darden Michael , Xu Jianhui , Anderson Kelly , Meyers David J.
Published: December 2023

Objective

To describe common methodological problems that arise in comparisons of Medicare Advantage (MA) and Traditional Medicare (TM) and within‐MA studies and provide suggestions of how researchers can address these issues.

Study Setting

Published research evaluating Medicare coverage options in the United States.

Study Design

We considered key conceptual challenges and promising solutions that have been used thus far and suggest additional directions.

Data Collection

Not available.

Principal Findings

Many existing studies of MA versus TM include significant limitations, such as failing to account for unobserved confounders driving both beneficiary coverage choice and health outcomes once enrolled, not accounting for variation in benefit generosity, provider networks, or plan design across MA plans, and/or having been conducted at a time when MA enrollment was less than a third of all Medicare beneficiaries. We provide a review of methods that can help researchers to overcome these weaknesses and suggest additional methods and data sources that may aid future research.

Conclusions

The MA program is becoming an essential part of the US healthcare system. By accounting for non‐random movement into and out of MA and studying the heterogeneity of beneficiary experience across plan and market characteristics, researchers can provide the high‐quality evidence necessary for policymakers to design the program and reform TM in ways that maximize beneficiary outcomes.
Officer diversity may reduce Black Americans’ fear of the police
Authors: Pickett Justin T. , Graham Amanda , Nix Justin , Cullen Francis T.
Published: December 2023

Would police racial and gender diversification reduce Black Americans’ fear of the police? The theory of representative bureaucracy indicates that it might. We tested the effects of officer diversity in two experiments embedded in a national survey that oversampled Black Americans, producing several findings. First, in early 2022, nearly 2 years after George Floyd's killing, most Black Americans remained afraid of police mistreatment. Second, in a conjoint experiment in which respondents were presented with 11,000 officer profiles, Black Americans were less afraid when the officers were non‐White (Black or Hispanic/Latino) instead of White and when they were female instead of male. Third, in a separate experiment with pictured police teams, Black Americans were less afraid of being mistreated by non‐White and female officers. Fourth, experimental evidence emerged that body‐worn cameras (BWCs) reduced fear among both Black and non‐Black respondents. These findings support calls to diversify police agencies and to require officers to wear and notify civilians of BWC.
Adaptation in brain structure and respiratory and olfactory structures across environmental gradients in African and North American muroid rodents
Authors: TAYLOR Peter J. , NENGOVHELA Aluwani , DENYS Christiane , SCOTT Graham R. , IVY Catherine M.
Published: December 2023

Morphometric studies of 3D micro CT‐scanned images can provide insights into the evolution of the brain and sensory structures but such data are still scarce for the most diverse mammalian order of rodents. From reviewed and new data, we tested for convergence to extreme aridity and high elevation in the sensory and brain morphology of rodents, from morphometric data from micro‐CT X‐ray scans of 174 crania of 16 species of three distantly related African murid (soft‐furred mice, Praomyini, laminate‐toothed rats, Otomyini, and gerbils, Gerbillinae) clades and one North American cricetid (deer mice and white‐footed mice, Peromyscus) clade. Recent studies demonstrated convergent evolution acting on the oval window area of the cochlea (enlarged in extremely arid‐adapted species of Otomyini and Gerbillinae) and on endocranial volume (reduced in high elevation taxa of Otomyini and Peromyscus). However, contrary to our predictions, we did not find evidence of convergence in brain structure to aridity, or in the olfactory/respiratory system (turbinate bones) to high elevation. Brain structure differed, particularly in the petrosal lobules of the cerebellum and the olfactory bulbs, between Otomyini and Gerbillinae, with extreme arid‐adapted species in each clade being highly divergent (not convergent) from other species in the same clade. We observed greater “packing” of the maxillary turbinate bones, which have important respiratory functions, in Peromyscus mice from high and low elevations compared to the high‐elevation African Praomyini, but more complex patterns within Peromyscus, probably related to trade‐offs in respiratory physiology and heat exchange in the nasal epithelium associated with high‐elevation adaptation.
Oral hygiene self‐care: Concept analysis for the development of a new nursing diagnosis
Authors: Souza Elaine de Oliveira , Pedreira Larissa Chaves , Silva Rudval Souza , Góes Roberta Pereira , Cavaleiro Alberto José Barata Gonçalves
Published: December 2023

Objective

This study aims to analyze the concept of oral hygiene self‐care and develop a new problem‐focused nursing diagnosis (ND) based on the NANDA‐I terminology.

Method

A concept analysis was performed based on the Walker and Avant framework, including a scoping review phase according to the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, Web of Science, Virtual Health Library, and specific gray literature databases. The development of the diagnostic structure followed the NANDA‐I guidelines with a focus on Orem's self‐care theory.

Results

Including 51 studies, the analysis facilitated the formulation of attributes, antecedents, and consequences of oral hygiene self‐care. The ND “Oral hygiene self‐care deficit” was created and included 17 defining characteristics, 9 related factors, 5 associated conditions, and 5 high‐risk populations. Two cases were constructed to illustrate the use of key terms.

Conclusions

The conceptual analysis provided insight into the concept of oral hygiene self‐care and supported the structure of a new ND.

Implications for nursing practice:

This study contributes to the implementation of the nursing process by focusing on the identification of individuals with oral hygiene self‐care deficit. It will facilitate the promotion of oral health, thereby impacting the individual's quality of life. In addition, it will aid in the development of public policy for the prevention of oral diseases.
Influence of psychosocial characteristics of patients and opinions of their relatives on indication for surgical treatment of pectus excavatum
Authors: Kostic Marko , Sretenović Aleksandar , Radulović Danka , Milačić Vidaković Ivona , Savić Milan , Popović Marko , Bostanci Korkut , Stamenovic Davor
Published: December 2023

Background

To assess the subjective experience of patients and their parents or relatives about the existing pectus excavatum deformity and to contribute to the definition of indications for surgical treatment of this deformity.

Methods

The initial sample of psychosocial characteristics consisted of self‐assessments and observations of patients (and parents) regarding their health, self‐image, health care, possible environmental response to their physical appearance, expectations regarding treatment. A modified version of the original Nuss questionnaire on quality of life was used in the psychological part of the examination.

Results

The study included a sample of 58 patients aged 10 to 30 years, and a sample of 58 family members of the patient (parents, relatives). The experience of poor emotional status, withdrawals, and bad self‐image in patients older than 15 years than younger were significant. The tendency for female patients to have a worse experience is pronounced and significant. The largest percentage of parents have an ‘indecisive’ or ‘weakly expressed’ attitude towards surgery. Parents at a significantly higher rate show greater concern for female children.

Conclusion

A systematic evaluation of the psychosocial perception of patients and their relatives (who will consent for the operation) may be a useful diagnostic assessment before correcting an anterior chest wall malformation.
Inhibition of TRPM8 function by prostacyclin receptor agonists requires coupling to Gq/11 proteins
Authors: Trif Cosmin , Banica Alexandra‐Maria , Manolache Alexandra , Anghel Sorina Andreea , Huţanu Debora‐Elena , Stratulat Teodora , Badea Rodica , Oprita George , Selescu Tudor , Petrescu Stefana M. , Sisignano Marco , Offermanns Stefan , Babes Alexandru , Tunaru Sorin
Published: December 2023

Background and Purpose

The TRPM8 ion channel is involved in innocuous cold sensing and has a potent anti‐inflammatory action. Its activation by lower temperature or chemical agonists such as menthol and icilin induces analgesic effects, reversing hypersensitivity and reducing chronic pain. On the other hand, prostacyclin (PGI2) enhances pain and inflammation by activating the IP receptors. Due to the critical roles of TRPM8 and IP receptors in the regulation of inflammatory pain, and considering their overlapping expression pattern, we analysed the functional interaction between human TRPM8 and IP receptors.

Experimental Approach

We transiently expressed human TRPM8 channels and IP receptors in HEK293T cells and carried out intracellular calcium and cAMP measurements. Additionally, we cultured neurons from the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) of mice and determined the increase in intracellular calcium triggered by the TRPM8 agonist, icilin, in the presence of the IP receptor agonist cicaprost, the IP receptor antagonist Cay10441, and the Gq/11 inhibitor YM254890.

Key Results

Activation of IP receptors by selective agonists (cicaprost, beraprost, and iloprost) inhibited TRPM8 channel function, independently of the Gs‐cAMP pathway. The potent inhibition of TRPM8 channels by IP receptor agonists involved Gq/11 coupling. These effects were also observed in neurons isolated from murine DRGs.

Conclusions and Implications

Our results demonstrate an unusual signalling pathway of IP receptors by coupling to Gq/11 proteins to inhibit TRPM8 channel function. This pathway may contribute to a better understanding of the role of TRPM8 channels and IP receptors in regulating pain and inflammation.
Nationwide prospective registry database of patients with newly diagnosed untreated pleural mesothelioma in Japan
Authors: Hasegawa Seiki , Shintani Yasushi , Takuwa Teruhisa , Aoe Keisuke , Kato Katsuya , Fujimoto Nobukazu , Hida Yasuhiro , Morise Masahiro , Moriya Yasumitsu , Morohoshi Takao , Suzuki Hidemi , Chida Masayuki , Endo Shunsuke , Kadokura Mitsutaka , Okumura Meinoshin , Hattori Satoshi , Date Hiroshi , Yoshino Ichiro
Published: December 2023

Due to the scarcity of large‐sized prospective databases, the Japanese Joint Committee for Lung Cancer Registry conducted a nationwide prospective registry for newly diagnosed and untreated pleural mesothelioma. All new cases diagnosed pathologically as any subtype of pleural mesothelioma in Japan during the period between April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2019, were included before treatment. Data on survival were collected in April 2021. The eligible 346 patients (285 men [82.3%]; 61 women [17.7%]; median age, 71.0 years [range, 44–88]) were included for analysis. Among these patients, 138 (39.9%) underwent surgery, 164 (47.4%) underwent non‐surgical therapy, and the remaining 44 (12.7%) underwent best supportive care. The median overall survival for all 346 patients was 19.0 months. Survival rates at 1, 2, and 3 years for all patients were, 62.8%, 42.3%, and 26.5%, respectively. Median overall survival was significantly different among patients undergoing surgery, non‐surgical treatment, and best supportive care (32.2 months vs. 14.0 months vs. 3.8 months, p < 0.001). The median overall survival of patients undergoing pleurectomy/decortication and extrapleural pneumonectomy was 41.8 months and 25.0 months, respectively. Macroscopic complete resection resulted in longer overall survival than R2 resection and partial pleurectomy/exploratory thoracotomy (41.8 months vs. 32.2 months vs. 16.8 months, p < 0.001). Tumor shape, maximum tumor thickness, and sum of three level thickness were significant prognostic factors. The data in the prospective database would serve as a valuable reference for clinical practice and further studies for pleural mesothelioma.
IGF‐1 as screening tool for acromegaly and adult‐onset growth hormone deficiency in the Netherlands
Authors: Postma Mark R. , van Beek André P. , van der Klauw Melanie M. , Lentjes Eef G. W. M. , Muller Kobold Anneke C.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) measurements play a central role in the diagnosis and follow‐up of acromegaly and growth hormone deficiency. However, improving health care outcomes for these patients involves an intricate process of laboratory diagnostics and skilled health care professionals. The integrated effects of IGF‐1 reports on diagnosis and treatment decisions are yet unknown.

Design, Patients and Measurements

Extended quality assessment, distributing the description of five (real) patient cases with accompanying blood samples. Patients suspected or during follow up for acromegaly or adult onset of growth hormone deficiency were included. Laboratory specialists and endocrinologists in the same centre were asked to interpret their centre‐specific IGF‐1 results by using a laboratory and medical questionnaire. This way, insight could be obtained into the combined effects of different assays, assay harmonisation, reference value sets, and individual physician interpretation in relation to guidelines, thus reviewing the entire diagnostic and management process.

Results

Limited variation (CV 13.8 ± 2.8) was found in IGF‐1 concentrations despite different use of the harmonization sample and factor among laboratories. This interlaboratory variation increased upon conversion to SD scores (CV 15.7 ± 40.7) as a consequence of the use of different reference value sets. Furthermore, there was a lack of adherence to international guidelines among endocrinologists.

Conclusions

Highly variable diagnostic and treatment outcomes in acromegaly and AGHD in the Netherlands can be attributed to increased variability of IGF‐1 upon conversion to SD scores and low adherence to clinical guidelines.
Quality of patch testing patient's own material in patients with suspected occupational skin diseases throughout Germany: Interim results of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) research project FB 317b
Authors: Symanzik Cara , Dicke Katja , Weinert Patricia , Weisshaar Elke , Brans Richard , Skudlik Christoph , John Swen M. , Obermeyer Lara
Published: December 2023

Background

Due to limited availability of commercial test preparations, patch testing patient's own material (POM) is of great importance to diagnose occupational allergic contact dermatitis.

Objectives

To assess the quality of performance and documentation of patch testing with POM in patients with suspected occupational skin diseases (OSD) in Germany.

Methods

Retrospective‐prospective analysis of protocols of patch tests with POM was conducted between 2013 and 2021 in patients with suspected OSD and submitted to statutory accident insurance institutions. Assessments were done by predefined criteria.

Results

Three thousand and four patch tests with POM from 460 patients were included. A full description of the POM was provided in 73.3% of all tests. The test concentration, test vehicle and pH value were documented in 74.3%, 70.5% and 42.2% of tests, for which the respective parameters were considered relevant. One hundred and sixty‐one positive reactions to POM were documented. In 72%, sufficient patch testing with commercial test substances was conducted to investigate the positive reaction. In 30.4%, consecutive patch testing of all ingredients of the POM was done.

Conclusions

The results not only show considerable shortcomings mainly in documentation but also to some extent performance of patch tests with POM in patients with suspected OSD in Germany.
Quantifying access to on‐demand alcohol in New Zealand
Authors: Crossin Rose , Norriss Dru , McKerchar Christina , Martin Gemma , Pocock Tessa , Curl Angela
Published: December 2023

Introduction

On‐demand delivery (<2 h from ordering) of alcohol is relatively new to New Zealand. We aimed to quantify the number of services available and the number of outlets available to purchase from within on‐demand services. We then tested whether access differed by neighbourhood demographics.

Methods

We identified six on‐demand alcohol services and quantified access to these in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Eighty‐one addresses were sampled according to three variables: (i) density of physical alcohol outlet tertile; (ii) socio‐economic deprivation tertile; and (iii) areas within the top 20th percentile of Māori within each city.

Results

The median number of alcohol outlets to purchase from across all on‐demand delivery services was five, though this was higher in Christchurch. For all three cities combined, and for Wellington, the number of outlets available on‐demand was highest in areas with the highest density of physical outlets. However, the number of outlets available virtually was not associated with physical outlet density in Auckland or Christchurch. There were no significant differences in access observed for neighbourhood socio‐economic deprivation.

Discussion and Conclusions

On‐demand delivery services are changing local alcohol environments, and may be increasing overall access to alcohol at a neighbourhood level. On‐demand access patterns do not consistently reflect the physical alcohol environment. The current legislative and policy environment in New Zealand pre‐dates the emergence of on‐demand alcohol services. Local councils need to consider ‘virtual’ access as well as physical access when developing Local Alcohol Policies.
Safety and efficacy of eltrombopag in patients with post‐CAR T cytopenias
Authors: Wesson William , Ahmed Nausheen , Rashid Aliya , Tabak Carine , Logan Emerson , Marchena‐Burgos Jose , Nelson Maggie , Davis James A. , McGann Mary , Shune Leyla , Hoffmann Marc , Abdallah Al‐Ola , Hashmi Hamza
Published: December 2023

Background

While chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy has revolutionized the treatment outcomes of relapsed/refractory hematological malignancies, this therapy is associated with post‐treatment cytopenias, which can pose a challenge to its safe administration. This study describes the management of post‐CAR T cytopenias using the thrombopoietin mimetic eltrombopag.

Methods

This retrospective analysis included adult patients with lymphoma or myeloma who received CAR T‐cell therapy at two academic medical centers. Eltrombopag was initiated for patients who had persistent high‐grade leukopenia and/or thrombocytopenia beyond 21 days post‐CAR T infusion. Risk factors and outcomes were assessed and compared for patients who did or did not receive eltrombopag.

Results

Among the 185 patients analyzed, a majority (88%) experienced thrombocytopenia or leukopenia at day +30 post‐CAR T infusion. A total of 42 patients met the criteria for eltrombopag treatment and initiated therapy. Patients who received eltrombopag were more likely to have pre‐existing cytopenias at lymphodepletion, receive bridging therapy, experience an infection, or require intensive care. Recovery from cytopenias occurred within 180 days for a majority (94%) of patients.

Conclusions

The use of eltrombopag for post‐CAR T leukopenia and thrombocytopenia was considered safe without any significant toxicities. The use of eltrombopag for post‐CAR T cytopenias might be effective in a high‐risk patient population but requires further study.
Impaired reversal learning in the Dlg2+/− rat model of genetic risk for psychiatric disorder: Important questions regarding the neuro‐behavioral mechanisms of reversal learning
Authors: Bast Tobias , Grasmeder Allen Rachel , Maggi Silvia , Renstrom Jacco
Published: December 2023

In this issue, Griesius et al report that heterozygous Dlg2+/‐ rats showed a reversal learning impairment on a specific bowl‐digging task, whereas other reversal tasks were unaffected. The study suggests that Dlg2 gene disruption, which has been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, may cause relatively specific impairments in reversal learning, an important aspect of cognitive flexibility. The study draws attention to two important issues regarding the neuro‐behavioral mechanisms of reversal learning, namely that hippocampal dysfunction, which is prominent in Dlg2+/‐ rats, may contribute to reversal learning impairments and that, depending on the task and previous experience, brain and behavioral mechanisms of reversal learning may differ.
Morphological and ultrastructural changes in fungal agents after LASER application
Authors: Fernandes Fernanda A. V. , Arruda Denise C. , Santana Gilglécia N. P. , Longo Larissa V. G. , Cesar Maria C. M. , da Matta Daniel A. , Borba Orion S. M. , Monteiro Ruan C. , de Moura Bello Marina , de Moura Luís H. B. , Neto Domingos J. , Yarak Samira , de Camargo Zoilo P. , Gompertz Olga F. , Ogawa Marília M.
Published: December 2023

Background

Onychomycosis is a fungal nail infection of difficult treatment due to the fungal survival capacity and reduced number of effective therapies. The present study aimed to isolate fungal agents that cause onychomycosis in immunocompetent patients and evaluate how LASER treatments affect the growth and ultrastructure of isolates.

Methods

In total, 21 patients with positive direct microscopic examination (DME) for onychomycosis had nail samples collected for cultivation and phenotypic identification of microorganisms. From these patients, 12 underwent LASER treatment, divided in Group 1 (n = 5) treated with Nd: YAG 1,064 nm, and Group 2 (n = 7) treated with Nd: YAG 1,064 nm + Er: YAG 2,940 nm + topical isoconazole. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was performed to evaluate ultrastructural changes after treatment.

Results

DME, cultivation, and phenotypic identification showed that the most identified fungus was Trichophyton rubrum spp. After LASER therapy, sample cultivation showed alterations in the fungal morphology with reduction of hyphae, conidia, and reproductive structures. Alterations in fungal cell wall structure, cytoplasm density, and organelles were observed by TEM.

Conclusion

LASER irradiation causes changes in the fungal cells, especially in the number of hyphae and the presence of conidia. In addition, it affects fungal growth and reproduction capacity, which interferes with their infection ability and virulence.
A Highly Adaptive Testing Design for PISA
Authors: Frey Andreas , König Christoph , Fink Aron
Published: December 2023

The highly adaptive testing (HAT) design is introduced as an alternative test design for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The principle of HAT is to be as adaptive as possible when selecting items while accounting for PISA's nonstatistical constraints and addressing issues concerning PISA such as item position effects. HAT combines established methods from the field of computerized adaptive testing. It is implemented in R and code is provided. HAT was compared to the PISA 2018 multistage design (MST) in a simulation study based on a factorial design with the independent variables response probability (RP; .50, .62), item pool optimality (PISA 2018, optimal), and ability level (low, medium, high). PISA‐specific conditions regarding sample size, missing responses, and nonstatistical constraints were implemented. HAT clearly outperformed MST regarding test information, RMSE, and constraint management across ability groups but it showed slightly weaker item exposure. Raising RP to .62 did not decrease test information much and is therefore a viable option to foster students’ test‐taking experience with HAT. Test information for HAT was up to three times higher than for MST when using a hypothetical optimal item pool. Summarizing, HAT proved to be a promising and applicable test design for PISA.
Thinking strategies used by registered nurses during drug administration in nursing homes—An observational study
Authors: Solberg Hege , Devik Siri Andreassen , Bell Hege Therese , Olsen Rose Mari
Published: December 2023

Aim

To explore registered nurses' thinking strategies during the drug administration process in nursing homes.

Design

An exploratory qualitative design.

Methods

Eight registered nurses, one male and seven female, in five nursing home wards in Mid‐Norway were observed during 15 drug dispensing rounds (175 drug dispensing episodes). Think Aloud sessions with follow‐up individual interviews were conducted. The Think Aloud data were analysed using deductive qualitative content analysis based on Marsha Fonteyn's description of 17 thinking strategies. Interview data were used to clarify missing information and validate the content of Think Aloud data.

Results

The registered nurses used all 17 thinking strategies described by Fonteyn, including several variants of each strategy. The three most frequent were ‘providing explanations’, ‘setting priorities’ and ‘drawing conclusions’. In addition, we found two novel thinking strategies that did not fit into Fonteyn's template, which were labelled ‘controlling’ and ‘interacting’. Among all strategies, ‘controlling’ was by far the most used, serving as a means for the registered nurses to stay on track and navigate through various interruptions, while also minimising errors during drug dispensing.

Conclusion

The study highlights the diverse thinking strategies employed by registered nurses in nursing homes during medication administration. The findings emphasise the multifaceted nature of medication administration and underscore the importance of skilled personnel in ensuring medication safety. Recognising the significance of these findings is crucial for maintaining patient well‐being and upholding medication safety standards in healthcare settings.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Understanding the thinking strategies employed by registered nurses can inform training programmes and enhance the clinical judgements of health care professionals involved in medication administration, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and reduced medication errors in practice.

Patient or Public Contribution

Patients were involved in this study as recipients of drugs which the nurses distributed during the observations. The patients were involved as a third party and consent to the observations was either given by the patients themselves or relatives in cases where the patient was not competent to consent. No personal information was collected about the patients.

Reporting Method

The reporting of this study adhered to the COREQ checklist.
Depicting the genetic and metabolic panorama of chemical diversity in the tea plant
Authors: Qiu Haiji , Zhang Xiaoliang , Zhang Youjun , Jiang Xiaohui , Ren Yujia , Gao Dawei , Zhu Xiang , Usadel Björn , Fernie Alisdair R. , Wen Weiwei
Published: December 2023

As a frequently consumed beverage worldwide, tea is rich in naturally important bioactive metabolites. Combining genetic, metabolomic and biochemical methodologies, here, we present a comprehensive study to dissect the chemical diversity in tea plant. A total of 2837 metabolites were identified at high‐resolution with 1098 of them being structurally annotated and 63 of them were structurally identified. Metabolite‐based genome‐wide association mapping identified 6199 and 7823 metabolic quantitative trait loci (mQTL) for 971 and 1254 compounds in young leaves (YL) and the third leaves (TL), respectively. The major mQTL (i.e., P < 1.05 × 10−5, and phenotypic variation explained (PVE) > 25%) were further interrogated. Through extensive annotation of the tea metabolome as well as network‐based analysis, this study broadens the understanding of tea metabolism and lays a solid foundation for revealing the natural variations in the chemical composition of the tea plant. Interestingly, we found that galloylations, rather than hydroxylations or glycosylations, were the largest class of conversions within the tea metabolome. The prevalence of galloylations in tea is unusual, as hydroxylations and glycosylations are typically the most prominent conversions of plant specialized metabolism. The biosynthetic pathway of flavonoids, which are one of the most featured metabolites in tea plant, was further refined with the identified metabolites. And we demonstrated the further mining and interpretation of our GWAS results by verifying two identified mQTL (including functional candidate genes CsUGTa, CsUGTb, and CsCCoAOMT) and completing the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway of the tea plant.
Public perceptions of pollsters in the United States: Experimental evidence
Authors: Johnson Timothy P. , Silber Henning , Darling Jill E.
Published: December 2023

Objective:

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the term “pollster” has, in recent years, become stigmatized in the United States. We explore this and a subsequent question as to whether negative perceptions of pollsters affect people's perceived trustworthiness of survey findings.

Methods:

Survey experiments were administered to national probability‐based samples after the 2016 and 2020 elections.

Results:

In each study, pollsters obtained significantly more negative ratings when compared to “survey researchers” and “public opinion researchers,” suggesting that the general public views pollsters, who are more likely to be viewed as partisan, as being less honest/ethical. In line with social identity theory, interaction models revealed that those rating pollster critic Donald Trump most favorably had the most negative ratings of pollsters and public opinion researchers, compared to survey researchers. Yet, the vignette experiment showed that negative perceptions of pollsters did not affect the perceived trustworthiness of survey result reports.

Conclusions:

We conclude that while there appears to be a stigmatization of pollsters, those negative perceptions do not translate into less trust in the findings of public opinion.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐A*02:01:01:243 allele by next generation sequencing in a Greek individual
Authors: Kouniaki Diamanto , Fotopoulos Konstantinos , Tsirogianni Alexandra
Published: December 2023

HLA‐A*02:01:01:243 differs from the HLA‐A*02:01:01:01 allele by one nucleotide substitution in the 5′UTR.
A Comparative Investigation on the Metaphors in Chinese and American Mainstream Media
Authors: Liu Jiaxing , Wan Fakhruddin Wan Farah Wani
Published: December 2023

Since COVID-19 outbreak in December 2019, there is a “narrative battle” between China and the US. Through rhetorical devices, such as metaphors, mainstream media plays a significant role in society in shaping public opinions. Although scholars have started to explore the metaphors employed between Chinese and American media during the pandemic, there is less information about a systematic comparative study on the COVID-19 related metaphors in Chinese and American media. This study provides a comparison of the metaphors in the COVID-19 editorials in the China Daily (CD) and the New York Times (NYT) through grounded theory. In general, it determines CD employs more metaphors than that in the NYT. In addition, the employment of war metaphor in NYT to describe the coronavirus is way more less than that in CD. Also, both CD and NYT tries to envoke the public through the employment of impressive historical issues.
Cabaran Pelaksanaan Didik Hibur oleh Guru bagi Pengajaran Simpulan Bahasa dalam kalangan Murid Sekolah Rendah
Authors: Hanapiah Norhafidah , Mohd Rusli Nur Farahkhanna
Published: December 2023

This paper aims to explain the challenges of the implementation of fun learning emphasizes by teachers for teaching idioms among primary school students. This qualitative study involves a Malay subject teacher in a primary school in Kuala Selangor. Data was obtained through interview methods. The results of the study show that there are four aspects that are a challenge in the implementation of fun education in the classroom, namely professional training, time, teaching aids and students. In terms of implications, this study emphasizes that didik hibur is an approach that is suitable for teaching about idiom topics because it is fun and can actively involve students in the activities carried out in the classroom, but the approach also has challenges that need to be addressed for enabling fun educational activities to be implemented holistically in all teaching situations.
Type-2 Intuitionistic Interpolation Cubic Fuzzy Bézier Curve Modeling using Shoreline Data
Authors: Ahmad Azmi Nur Batrisyia , Zakaria Rozaimi , Ismail Isfarita
Published: December 2023

The notion of fuzzy sets is fast becoming a key instrument in defining the uncertainty data and has increasingly been recognised by practitioners and researchers across different disciplines in recent decades. The uncertainty data cannot be modeled directly and this causes hindrance in obtaining accurate information for analysis or predictions. Hence, this paper contributes to another approach in which an application of type-2 intuitionistic fuzzy set (T-2IFS) in geometric modeling onto complex uncertainty data where the data are defined using the type-2 fuzzy concept. T-2IFS is the generalized forms of fuzzy sets, intuitionistic fuzzy sets, interval-valued fuzzy sets, and interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets. Based on the concept of T2IFS, type-2 intuitionistic fuzzy point (T-2IFP) is defined in order to generate a type-2 intuitionistic fuzzy control point (T-2IFCP). Following, the T-2IFCP will be blended with the Bernstein blending function through the interpolation method, resulting to a type-2 intuitionistic interpolation cubic fuzzy Bézier curve. Shoreline data is used as the data and further verifies that the model can be conceivably accepted. In conclusion, the proposed methods are reliable and can be expanded to many other areas.
Impact of Missing Data on Correlation Coefficient Values: Deletion and Imputation Methods for Data Preparation
Authors: Shantal Mohamed , Othman Zalinda , Abu Bakar Azuraliza
Published: December 2023

The correlation coefficient is one of the essential statistical techniques used to discover relationships among variables. Various techniques can quantify correlation, such as Pearson's, Spearman's, and Kendall's correlation coefficients, depending on the data type. As with any use of data, missing data will impact the availability of data, reducing it and potentially affecting the results. Furthermore, the removal of missing-value data from the study when using complete case analysis or available case analysis may result in selection biases. In this paper, we investigate the impact of missing data on the correlation coefficient value by calculating the difference between the correlation coefficient of the original complete dataset and that of a dataset with missing data. Two deletion strategies (Listwise and Pairwise) and three imputation strategies (Mean, k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN), and Expectation-Maximization) were used to prepare the data before calculating the correlation coefficient. Unique correlation coefficient values were created by converting unique values to a one-dimensional array, and RMSE metrics were used to evaluate the experiments. Eight UCI and Kaggle datasets with different sizes and numbers of attributes were used in this study. The experiment results demonstrate that the Pairwise strategy and k-NN give good results on the correlation coefficient, respectively, when the missing rate is moderate or less. Pairwise uses all the available values and discards only the missing values of the related attribute, while k-NN fills the missing values with new values that produce correlation coefficient values close to the actual values.
A Multi-Criteria Generalised L-R Intuitionistic Fuzzy TOPSIS with CRITIC for River Water Pollution Classification
Authors: Shafie Muhammad Asyran , Mohamad Daud , Awang Kechil Seripah
Published: December 2023

A generalised L-R intuitionistic fuzzy numbers is an L-R intuitionistic fuzzy numbers that incorporates confidence level for both membership and non-membership functions. Therefore, this intuitionistic fuzzy number is suitable for classifying the river water pollution. This study aims to introduce the generalised L-R intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (GLRIFNs) which includes the membership and non-membership functions to classify the river water pollution using TOPSIS with CRITIC method. Due to the insufficient river data, this study has simulated the river data using the bootstrap method. This study had classified river water pollution for several rivers in Johor, Malaysia, namely Kim Kim River, Sayong River, Telor River, Pelepah River, and Bantang River from 2017 to 2021. The result shows that the Bantang River is the cleanest river, while the Kim Kim River is the most polluted river. The results proved that the GLRIFNs is quite a reliable method to classify river water pollution.
Production of Vanillin from Pumpkin Peels via Microbiological Fermentation using Aspergillus niger
Authors: Mohd Rifaie Raisatul Mirza , Karim Latiffah
Published: December 2023

Vanilla is the main natural flavouring agent used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, flavouring, and fragrance, in which vanillin is the major component. Vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde) is a secondary metabolite of plants and the major organoleptic aroma component of natural vanilla. The vanillin compound can be produced using the following routes: direct vanilla bean extraction, chemical synthesis, and biotechnological processes (bio-vanilla production). Nowadays, the chemical synthesis method used for vanillin production has been rejected by the United States and European legislation, while plant-derived vanillin is expensive. The current study demonstrates vanillin production from pumpkin peels (Cucurbita moschata) by Aspergillus niger via one-step fermentation approach. This study implements different concentrations of sodium hydroxide (1.0 M and 2.0 M) during alkaline hydrolysis pretreatment and different feeding volumes of hydrolysates during the biotransformation processes of ferulic acid into vanillin, classified as small feeding volumes (SFV) and large feeding volumes (LFV). Detection and quantification analysis were carried out using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), resulting in vanillin yield of 0.49 mg/L (1.0 M SFV), 0.5 mg/L (1.0 M LFV), 0.33 mg/L (2.0 M SFV), 0.59 mg/L (2.0 M LFV). Analysis with ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectrophotometry using thiobarbituric acid as reagent was carried out as well, resulting in vanillin yield of 2.76 µg/ml (1.0 M SFV), 3.78 µg/ml (1.0 M LFV), 2.68 µg/ml (2.0 M SFV), 3.05 µg/ml (2.0 M LFV). In conclusion, pumpkin peels can be considered a great source of ferulic acid and Aspergillus niger was reported as an efficient fungus in converting ferulic acid to vanillic acid, which will then be transformed into vanillin.
Acute inflammation elicits decreased blood pressure but similar arterial stiffness in young African American adults
Authors: Eagan Lauren E. , Mascone Sara E. , Chesney Catalina A. , Ranadive Sushant M.
Published: December 2023

African Americans (AA) have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) as compared to their White (W) counterparts. CVD is characterized by increased blood pressure (BP), arterial stiffness and systemic inflammation. An acute inflammatory stimulus may explain physiological manifestations responsible for amplified CVD in AA that are not apparent at rest. The purpose of this study was to evaluate central and peripheral BP, central and local arterial stiffness, and indices of pulse wave morphology in young healthy AA and W participants in response to acute inflammation. Concentrations of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and measures of central and peripheral BP, central arterial stiffness (carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV)), local carotid arterial stiffness (β‐stiffness, elastic modulus (Ep)), and indices of pulse wave morphology were assessed in 28 participants (21 ± 2 years, AA: n = 11) at baseline (BL), 24 h and 48 h post‐inflammation. Changes in IL‐6 concentrations (ΔIL‐6) were significantly greater at 24 h as compared to 48 h post‐inflammation (0.652 ± 0.644 vs. −0.146 ± 0.532 pg/μl, P ≤ 0.0001). Among AA participants, central and peripheral diastolic BP were significantly decreased at 24 h post‐inflammation as compared to BL (aortic diastolic BP: −4 ± 4 mmHg, P = 0.016; brachial diastolic BP: −4 ± 4 mmHg, P = 0.014). AA participants also experienced a significant decrease in central and peripheral mean arterial BP at 48 h post‐inflammation as compared to BL (aortic mean arterial pressure: −4 ± 4 mmHg, P = 0.009; brachial mean arterial pressure: −4 ± 4 mmHg, P = 0.012). Despite haemodynamic changes, there were no differences in central or local carotid arterial stiffness or indices of pulse wave morphology.
A Wind Farm Power Maximization Method Based on Multi-Strategy Improved Sparrow Search Algorithm
Authors: Bo Gu , Man Dandan , Meng Zhong , Hongtao Zhang , Hu Hao
Published: December 2023

For large-scale constructed wind farms, reducing wake loss and improving the overall output power are the main objectives for their optimal operation. Therefore, a wind farm power maximization method based on a multi-strategy improved sparrow search algorithm (MS-ISSA) is proposed in this paper. Integrating the wake propagation mechanism of wind turbines and the characteristics of the classic Jensen wake model, the Jensen–Gaussian wake model and wake superposition model were constructed to accurately calculate the wind farm wake distribution. The constructed Jensen–Gaussian wake model and wake superposition model can accurately describe the non-uniform distribution characteristics of wake velocity. The Sin chaotic model, Cauchy distribution, and hyperparameter adaptive adjustment strategy were used to improve the sparrow search algorithm (SSA), and the optimization ability, convergence speed, and stability of the SSA were improved. Accordingly, considering the maximum output power of the wind farm as the optimization target and axial induction factor as the optimization variable, a coordinated optimization model for wind turbines based on MS-ISSA was proposed to realize the coordinated optimal operation of wind turbines with reduced wake loss. Considering the Danish Horns Rev wind farm as the research object, the results of optimization using particle swarm optimization algorithm, whale optimization algorithm, basic sparrow search algorithm, and MS-ISSA were calculated and analyzed. The calculation results revealed that under different incoming wind conditions, the MS-ISSA exhibited better optimization results than the other optimization algorithms.
Differential inhibition of intra- and inter-molecular protease cleavages by antiviral compounds
Authors: Doherty Jennifer S. , Kirkegaard Karla
Published: December 2023

Enteroviruses encode two protease active sites, in the 2A and 3C coding regions. While they target many host proteins, they first need to be excised from the viral polyprotein in which they are embedded. Polyprotein cleavage can occur either intra-molecularly (in
cis
) or inter-molecularly (in
trans
). Previous work suggested that antivirals targeting intra-molecular cleavages could generate inhibitory precursors that can suppress the outgrowth of drug-resistant variants. Therefore, we wanted to evaluate enteroviral cleavage patterns to identify such obligate intra-molecular cleavages as a method of drug target selection. Using translation extracts, we show that
cis
cleavage of the 2A protease N-terminal junction is conserved across three enterovirus clades, while the mechanism for the N-terminal junction of 3C varies, with enterovirus D68 3C cleavage occurring in
cis
and poliovirus 3C cleavage occurring in
trans
. Antiviral agents targeting proteases are generally identified via their ability to block the cleavage of artificial peptide substrates. Here, we show that antivirals identified for their ability to block inter-molecular cleavage can sometimes block intra-molecular cleavage of the protease from its polyprotein but with widely varying efficacy. Additionally, we demonstrate that for three enteroviral species, genomes defective in 2A protease activity suppress the growth of wild-type virus in mixed populations, supporting the hypothesis that preventing intra-molecular cleavage at the VP1·2A junction can create dominantly inhibitory precursors. These data argue that, to reduce the likelihood of drug resistance, protease-targeted antivirals should be evaluated for their ability to block intra-molecular polyprotein cleavages in addition to inter-molecular cleavage of other substrates.

IMPORTANCE

Most protease-targeted antiviral development evaluates the ability of small molecules to inhibit the cleavage of artificial substrates. However, before they can cleave any other substrates, viral proteases need to cleave themselves out of the viral polyprotein in which they have been translated. This can occur either intra- or inter-molecularly. Whether this process occurs intra- or inter-molecularly has implications for the potential for precursors to accumulate and for the effectiveness of antiviral drugs. We argue that evaluating candidate antivirals for their ability to block these cleavages is vital to drug development because the buildup of uncleaved precursors can be inhibitory to the virus and potentially suppress the selection of drug-resistant variants.