bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
N
-body antibunching in a degenerate Fermi gas of
He*3
atoms
Authors: Thomas Kieran F. , Li Shijie , Abbas A. H. , Truscott Andrew G. , Hodgman Sean S.
Published: April 2024

A key set of observables for investigating quantum systems are the n-body correlation functions, which provide a powerful tool for experimentally determining coherence and directly probing the many-body wave function. While the (bosonic) correlations of photonic systems are well explored, the correlations present in matter-wave systems, particularly for fermionic atoms, are still an emerging field. In this work, we use the unique single-atom detection properties of He*3 atoms to perform simultaneous measurements of the n-body quantum correlations, up to the fifth order, of a degenerate Fermi gas. In a direct demonstration of the Pauli exclusion principle, we observe clear antibunching at all orders and find good agreement with predicted correlation volumes. Our results pave the way for using correlation functions to probe some of the rich physics associated with fermionic systems.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Design Principles for Fast and Efficient Self-Assembly Processes
Authors: Gartner Florian M. , Frey Erwin
Published: April 2024

Self-assembly is a fundamental concept in biology and of significant interest to nanotechnology. Significant progress has been made in characterizing and controlling the properties of the resulting structures, both experimentally and theoretically. However, much less is known about kinetic constraints and determinants of dynamical properties like time efficiency, although these constraints can become severe limiting factors of self-assembly processes. Here, we investigate how the time efficiency and other dynamical properties of reversible self-assembly depend on the morphology (shape) of the building blocks for systems in which the binding energy between the constituents is large. As paradigmatic examples, we stochastically simulate the self-assembly of constituents with triangular, square, and hexagonal morphology into two-dimensional structures of a specified size. We find that the constituents’ morphology critically determines the assembly time and how it scales with the size of the target structure. Our analysis reveals three key structural parameters defined by the morphology: the nucleation size and attachment order, which describe the effective order of the chemical reactions by which clusters nucleate and grow, respectively, and the growth exponent, which determines how the growth rate of an emerging structure scales with its size. Using this characterization, we formulate an effective theory of the self-assembly kinetics, which we show exhibits an inherent scale invariance. This allows us to identify general scaling laws that describe the minimal assembly time as a function of the size of the target structure. We show how these insights on the kinetics of self-assembly processes can be used to design assembly schemes that could significantly increase the time efficiency and robustness of artificial self-assembly processes.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
The influence of perceived country of origin image on Chinese consumers’ purchase intention of imported wine
Authors: Zhou Yichen , Gao Lisa
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine how consumers’ propensity to purchase imported wines is influenced by their attitudes and perceptions toward the countries of origin (COO) of those wines.

Design/methodology/approach

The questionnaires were distributed online and 298 valid completed questionnaires were received. This study measured the perception of the wines’ countries of origin by adopting two independent dimensions of competence and warmth in the stereotype content model.

Findings

The results show a relationship between the purchase intention and the perception of the country of origin of the wine. Furthermore, the perceived image of the country of origin impacts the brand image of the wine and the quality of wine from its country of origin.

Research limitations/implications

This study’s questionnaire was distributed online. Future research would benefit from in-depth qualitative investigation and a wider range of sample sizes across countries.

Practical implications

The results of this study guide imported wine companies in product marketing design and advertising. By promoting the countries of origin of premium wines to target consumers, trust in the quality of imported wine can be improved, thereby increasing consumers’ purchase intention.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the understanding of consumer perception of the country of origin in the context of wine marketing. It provides valuable implications for wine companies’ marketing positioning and strategy, benefiting wine marketers, distributors and importers.
How can leaders spark employee creativity? An interpersonal emotion management perspective
Authors: Yu Guangyu , Nie Qi , Peng Jian
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This paper seeks to examine how leaders shape employee creativity by using interpersonal emotion management (IEM) strategies. Drawing on the social information processing (SIP) theory, the authors argue that psychological safety translates leader problem-focused IEM into employee creativity, an impact which is moderated by organizational justice.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected in two waves from 201 employees and their leaders in China. Regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Leader problem-focused IEM is positively related to employee creativity, and this relationship is mediated by psychological safety. Organizational justice positively moderates the relationship between leader problem-focused IEM and psychological safety as well as the indirect relationship between leader problem-focused IEM and employee creativity via psychological safety.

Originality/value

This paper identifies a novel and useful predictor of employee creativity from the perspective of leader problem-focused IEM and provides practical insights for organizations regarding ways of improving employee creativity.
IFRS, financial development and pollutant emissions: an empirical analysis of developed and developing countries
Authors: Akisik Orhan
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between pollutant emissions, financial development and IFRS in developed and developing countries between 1998 and 2022.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from World Development Indicators and World Governance Indicators of the World Bank.

Findings

Using FGLS and GMM estimators, the results provide evidence that financial development has a significant positive impact on a variety of pollutant emissions. However, this positive impact is moderated by IFRS for the overall sample and country income groups.

Practical implications

Governments and regulatory organizations should support companies’ investments in clean energy and technologies to slow down environmental degradation. Tax credits and subsidies may be helpful to achieve this goal. Also, governments may encourage companies to cooperate with universities and research institutions to develop environment-friendly production and distribution methods to reduce pollution. Although stakeholders may obtain information about environmental issues in financial statements that are prepared in accordance with IFRS, there is a need for standardization of their contents.

Social implications

Greenhouse gases are major contributors to climate change and global warming. In addition to private costs borne by producers, the production and consumption of products have social costs arising from pollution that affects air, water, and soil. Pollution adversely affects people's physiological and psychological health, which decreases labor productivity, thereby leading to a decrease in economic growth.

Originality/value

According to the author’s knowledge, this is the first study that examines the impact of IFRS on the relationship between financial development and pollutant emissions.
Contextual bias in forensic toxicology decisions: A follow‐up empirical study from China
Authors: He Ning , Hao Hongxia
Published: April 2024

The impact of contextual bias has been demonstrated repeatedly across forensic domains; however, research on this topic in forensic toxicology is very limited. In our previous study, experimental data from only one context version were compared with the actual forensic biasing casework. As a follow‐up, this controlled experiment with 159 forensic toxicology practitioners was conducted, to test whether knowledge of different contextual information influenced their forensic decision‐making. Participants in different context groups were tasked to identify testing strategies for carbon monoxide and opiate drugs. The results of chi‐squared tests for their selections and two context groups exhibited statistically significant differences (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). These findings show contextual information can bias forensic toxicology decisions about testing strategies, despite it is a relatively objective domain in forensic science.
Identifying signs and symptoms of urinary tract infection from emergency department clinical notes using large language models
Authors: Iscoe Mark , Socrates Vimig , Gilson Aidan , Chi Ling , Li Huan , Huang Thomas , Kearns Thomas , Perkins Rachelle , Khandjian Laura , Taylor R. Andrew
Published: April 2024

Background

Natural language processing (NLP) tools including recently developed large language models (LLMs) have myriad potential applications in medical care and research, including the efficient labeling and classification of unstructured text such as electronic health record (EHR) notes. This opens the door to large‐scale projects that rely on variables that are not typically recorded in a structured form, such as patient signs and symptoms.

Objectives

This study is designed to acquaint the emergency medicine research community with the foundational elements of NLP, highlighting essential terminology, annotation methodologies, and the intricacies involved in training and evaluating NLP models. Symptom characterization is critical to urinary tract infection (UTI) diagnosis, but identification of symptoms from the EHR has historically been challenging, limiting large‐scale research, public health surveillance, and EHR‐based clinical decision support. We therefore developed and compared two NLP models to identify UTI symptoms from unstructured emergency department (ED) notes.

Methods

The study population consisted of patients aged ≥ 18 who presented to an ED in a northeastern U.S. health system between June 2013 and August 2021 and had a urinalysis performed. We annotated a random subset of 1250 ED clinician notes from these visits for a list of 17 UTI symptoms. We then developed two task‐specific LLMs to perform the task of named entity recognition: a convolutional neural network‐based model (SpaCy) and a transformer‐based model designed to process longer documents (Clinical Longformer). Models were trained on 1000 notes and tested on a holdout set of 250 notes. We compared model performance (precision, recall, F1 measure) at identifying the presence or absence of UTI symptoms at the note level.

Results

A total of 8135 entities were identified in 1250 notes; 83.6% of notes included at least one entity. Overall F1 measure for note‐level symptom identification weighted by entity frequency was 0.84 for the SpaCy model and 0.88 for the Longformer model. F1 measure for identifying presence or absence of any UTI symptom in a clinical note was 0.96 (232/250 correctly classified) for the SpaCy model and 0.98 (240/250 correctly classified) for the Longformer model.

Conclusions

The study demonstrated the utility of LLMs and transformer‐based models in particular for extracting UTI symptoms from unstructured ED clinical notes; models were highly accurate for detecting the presence or absence of any UTI symptom on the note level, with variable performance for individual symptoms.
The microenvironment in antibiotic susceptibility testing
Authors: Høiby Niels , Moser Claus , Ciofu Oana
Published: April 2024

Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) by agar diffusion has been repeatedly standardized and, in most cases, gives results which predict clinical success when antibiotic treatment is based on such results. The formation of the inhibition zone is due to a transition from planktonic to biofilm mode of growth. The kinetics of the interaction of antibiotics with bacteria is similar during AST by agar diffusion and during administration of antibiotics to the patients. However, the Mueller‐Hinton agar (MHA) recommended for AST agar diffusion test is fundamentally different from the composition of the interstitial fluid in the human body where the infections take place and human cells do not thrive in MH media. Use of RPMI 1640 medium designed for growth of eucaryotic cells for AST of Pseudomonas aeruginosa against azithromycin results in lower minimal inhibitory concentration, compared to results obtained by MHA. The reason is that the RPMI 1640 medium increases uptake and reduces efflux of azithromycin compared to MHA. During treatment of cystic fibrosis patients with azithromycin, mutational resistance occur which is not detected by AST with MHA. Whether this is the case with other antibiotics and bacteria is not known but it is of clinical importance to be studied.
YTHDC1‐dependent m6A modification modulated FOXM1 promotes glycolysis and tumor progression through CENPA in triple‐negative breast cancer
Authors: Shen Xi , Zhong Jianxin , Yu Pan , Liu Feng , Peng Haoran , Chen Nianyong
Published: April 2024

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) exhibits heightened aggressiveness compared with other breast cancer (BC) subtypes, with earlier relapse, a higher risk of distant metastasis, and a worse prognosis. Transcription factors play a pivotal role in various cancers. Here, we found that factor forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) expression was significantly higher in TNBC than in other BC subtypes and normal tissues. Combining the findings of Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and a series of experiments, we found that knockdown of the FOXM1 gene attenuated the ability of TNBC cells to proliferate and metastasize both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, Spearman's test showed that FOXM1 significantly correlated with glycolysis‐related genes, especially centromere protein A (CENPA) in datasets (GSE76250, GSE76124, GSE206912, and GSE103091). The effect of silencing FOXM1 on the inhibition of CENPA expression, TNBC proliferation, migration, and glycolysis could be recovered by overexpression of CENPA. According to MeRIP, the level of m6A modification on FOMX1 decreased in cells treated with cycloleucine (a m6A inhibitor) compared with that in the control group. The increase in FOXM1 expression caused by YTHDC1 overexpression could be reversed by the m6A inhibitor, which indicated that YTHDC1 enhanced FOXM1 expression depending on m6A modification. Therefore, we concluded that the YTHDC1‐m6A modification/FOXM1/CENPA axis plays an important role in TNBC progression and glycolysis.
Contemporary results from the PelvEx collaborative: improvements in surgical outcomes for locally advanced and recurrent rectal cancer
Authors:   The PelvEx Collaborative
Published: April 2024

Aim

The PelvEx Collaborative collates global data on outcomes following exenterative surgery for locally advanced and locally recurrent rectal cancer (LARC and LRRC, respectively). The aim of this study is to report contemporary data from within the collaborative and benchmark it against previous PelvEx publications.

Method

Anonymized data from 45 units that performed pelvic exenteration for LARC or LRRC between 2017 and 2021 were reviewed. The primary endpoints were surgical outcomes, including resection margin status, radicality of surgery, rates of reconstruction and associated morbidity and/or mortality.

Results

Of 2186 patients who underwent an exenteration for either LARC or LRRC, 1386 (63.4%) had LARC and 800 (36.6%) had LRRC. The proportion of males to females was 1232:954. Median age was 62 years (interquartile range 52–71 years) compared with a median age of 63 in both historical LARC and LRRC cohorts. Compared with the original reported PelvEx data (2004–2014), there has been an increase in negative margin (R0) rates from 79.8% to 84.8% and from 55.4% to 71.7% in the LARC and LRRC cohorts, respectively. Bone resection and flap reconstruction rates have increased accordingly in both cohorts (8.2%–19.6% and 22.6%–32% for LARC and 20.3%–41.9% and 17.4%–32.1% in LRRC, respectively). Despite this, major morbidity has not increased.

Conclusion

In the modern era, patients undergoing pelvic exenteration for advanced rectal cancer are undergoing more radical surgery and are more likely to achieve a negative resection margin (R0) with no increase in major morbidity.
Engaging with peers to integrate community care: Knowledge synthesis and conceptual map
Authors: Panaite Andreea‐Cătălina , Desroches Odile‐Anne , Warren Émilie , Rouly Ghislaine , Castonguay Geneviève , Boivin Antoine
Published: April 2024

Context

Engaging with peers is gaining increasing interest from healthcare systems in numerous countries. Peers are people who offer support by drawing on lived experiences of significant challenges or ‘insider’ knowledge of communities. Growing evidence suggests that peers can serve as a bridge between underserved communities and care providers across sectors, through their ability to build trust and relationships. Peer support is thus seen as an innovative way to address core issues of formal healthcare, particularly fragmentation of care and health inequalities. The wide body of approaches, goals and models of peer support speaks volumes of such interest. Navigating the various labels used to name peers, however, can be daunting. Similar terms often hide critical differences.

Objectives/Background

This article seeks to disentangle the conceptual multiplicity of peer support, presenting a conceptual map based on a 3‐year knowledge synthesis project involving peers and programme stakeholders in Canada, and international scientific and grey literature.

Synthesis/Main Results

The map introduces six key questions to navigate and situate peer support approaches according to peers' roles, pathways and settings of practice, regardless of the terms used to label them. As a tool, it offers a broad overview of the different ways peers contribute to integrating health and community care.

Discussion

We conclude by discussing the map's potential and limitations to establish a common language and bridge models, in support of knowledge exchange among practitioners, policymakers and researchers.

Patient or Public Contribution

Our team includes one experienced peer support worker. She contributed to the design of the conceptual map and the production of the manuscript. More than 10 peers working across Canada were also involved during research meetings to validate and refine the conceptual map.
Self‐assembling bioactive peptides for gastrointestinal delivery—Bioinformatics‐driven discovery and in vitro assessment
Authors: Petit Noémie , Dyer Jolon M. , Richena Marina , Domigan Laura J. , Gerrard Juliet A. , Clerens Stefan
Published: April 2024

Food‐derived peptides are promising materials for oral delivery purposes as they are readily available, can be generated using common techniques, and their self‐assembly properties can be tuned for specific applications. A method for identifying such self‐assembling bioactive peptides (SABP) candidates based on in silico analysis was developed and allowed for the discovery of a bovine‐derived SABP: FFVAPFPEVFGK. This peptide was then successfully generated from the αs1‐casein using enzymatic hydrolysis and isolated with size exclusion chromatography. Furthermore, we assessed the in vitro potential of the peptide for oral delivery to the lower gastrointestinal tract, using the INFOGEST standardised protocol. Transmission electron microscopy and mass spectrometry analyses showed that both the natural and the synthetic peptide were able to resist degradation in the oral and gastric phases. Indeed, the peptides remained assembled at the end of the gastric phase with some of the structure eroded from the action of pepsin and/or the pH. This article provides further insight into the potential of food‐derived peptides as functional food ingredients for oral delivery.
Fast freezing, slow tempering: The key to tuna (Thunnus albacares) quality retention
Authors: Duanmu Zhenze , Zhang Yajin , Li Feng , Yao Yao , Shi Hu , Kong Fanbin , Jiao Yang
Published: April 2024

There is a debate on the optimal tempering rate for preserving the quality of aquatic muscle products. An adjustable and uniform tempering method is required to address this. Radio frequency (RF) heating, with its rapid and volumetric heating characteristics and adjustable tempering rate, has shown great potential in frozen food tempering. In this study, we utilised a developed improved RF heating method with controlled heating rates and uniformity to investigate the quality attributes of yellowfin tuna flesh samples subjected to two freezing rates (0.35 and 0.47 cm h−1) and three tempering rates (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 °C min−1), respectively, to reveal the influence of freezing and tempering rates influence on tuna quality attributes. In the majority of treatment groups, the differences in drip loss, TBARS, TVB‐N, MetMb, colour, and protein solubility between the high‐speed freezing and slow‐thawing groups were minimal. It was found that fast freezing allows smaller‐scale ice crystal generation, which has the least influence on muscle fibre, and a low tempering rate could gently regulate the influence of ice crystal size on muscle structures.
Yield of capsule endoscopy and subsequent device‐assisted enteroscopy: experience at an Australian tertiary centre
Authors: Selvanderan Shane , Noguchi Makiko , Banh Xuan , Ket Shara , Brown Gregor
Published: April 2024

Background

Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) and device‐assisted enteroscopy (DAE) have an established role in the investigation and management of small bowel pathology. Previous studies have reported on the yield of SBCE (60%) and DAE (57%), but none have been in an Australian setting.

Aims

To determine the yield of SBCE and any DAE performed as a direct consequence of SBCE in an Australian referral centre.

Methods

A single‐centre retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Australia, enrolling consecutive patients between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2021 undergoing SBCE. Data were collected with respect to demographics, procedural factors and findings, as well as findings and interventions of any DAE procedures performed after the SBCE.

Results

1214 SBCEs were performed, with a median age of 66 years old (60.8% men). The predominant indications were anaemia (n = 853, 70.2%) and overt gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 320, 26.4%). Of the complete small bowel studies (1132/1214, 93.2%), abnormal findings were detected in 588 cases (51.9%), most commonly angioectasias (266/588, 45.2%), erosions (106/588, 18.0%) and ulcers (97/588, 8.6%). 165 patients underwent a DAE (117 antegrade, 48 retrograde). Antegrade DAE had a higher yield than retrograde DAE (77.8% vs 54.2%; P = 0.002) and a higher rate of intervention (69.2% vs 37.5%; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

In this largest single‐centre cohort of patients undergoing SBCE to date, there is a similar yield of abnormal findings compared to existing literature. DAE, especially with an antegrade approach, had high diagnostic and therapeutic yield when pursued after a positive SBCE study.
Shared Trauma: An evolutionary model concept analysis in light of COVID‐19
Authors: Hutto April , Raynor Phyllis , Baliko Beverly
Published: April 2024

Shared trauma (ST) is a term historically applied to social work experiences, but other healthcare professionals (HCP) also experience ST. With the occurrence of COVID‐19, ST has impacted HCP globally and has led to new discoveries and more questions regarding its scope, impact and duration. This article aims to explore the concept of ST applied to nurses in light of COVID‐19 using the Rogers and Knafl Evolutionary Model for Concept Analysis. Further examination and evolution of ‘shared trauma’, particularly during COVID‐19, has led to the development of an adapted model to explore the implications of ST on health‐related outcomes for nurses.
RhoA/rho kinase pathway activation in age‐associated endothelial cell dysfunction and thrombosis
Authors: Palomo Iván , Wehinger Sergio , Andrés Vicente , García‐García Francisco J. , Fuentes Eduardo
Published: April 2024

The small GTPase RhoA and the downstream Rho kinase (ROCK) regulate several cell functions and pathological processes in the vascular system that contribute to the age‐dependent risk of cardiovascular disease, including endothelial dysfunction, excessive permeability, inflammation, impaired angiogenesis, abnormal vasoconstriction, decreased nitric oxide production and apoptosis. Frailty is a loss of physiological reserve and adaptive capacity with advanced age and is accompanied by a pro‐inflammatory and pro‐oxidative state that promotes vascular dysfunction and thrombosis. This review summarises the role of the RhoA/Rho kinase signalling pathway in endothelial dysfunction, the acquisition of the pro‐thrombotic state and vascular ageing. We also discuss the possible role of RhoA/Rho kinase signalling as a promising therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of age‐related cardiovascular disease.
CircPVT1 promotes migration and invasion by regulating miR‐490‐5p/HAVCR2 axis in osteosarcoma cells
Authors: Zhou Chunbin , Balmer Lois , Song Manshu , Wu Kezhou , Wang Wei , Wang Hu
Published: April 2024

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play an important role in the progression of osteosarcoma. However, the precise function of circPVT1 in osteosarcoma remains elusive. This study aims to explore the molecular mechanism underlying the involvement of circPVT1 in osteosarcoma cells. We quantified circPVT1 expression using qRT‐PCR in both control and osteosarcoma cell lines. To investigate the roles of circPVT1, miR‐490‐5p and HAVCR2 in vitro, we separately conducted overexpression and inhibition experiments for circPVT1, miR‐490‐5p and HAVCR2 in HOS and U2OS cells. Cell migration was assessed through wound healing and transwell migration assays, and invasion was measured via the Matrigel invasion assay. To elucidate the regulatory mechanism of circPVT1 in osteosarcoma, a comprehensive approach was employed, including fluorescence in situ hybridization, qRT‐PCR, Western blot, bioinformatics, dual‐luciferase reporter assay and rescue assay. CircPVT1 expression in osteosarcoma cell lines surpassed that in control cells. The depletion of circPVT1 resulted in a notable reduction in the in vitro migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Mechanism experiments revealed that circPVT1 functioned as a miR‐490‐5p sequester, and directly targeted HAVCR2. Overexpression of miR‐490‐5p led to a significant attenuation of migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, whereas HAVCR2 overexpression had the opposite effect, promoting these abilities. Additionally, circPVT1 upregulated HAVCR2 expression via sequestering miR‐490‐5p, thereby orchestrating the migration and invasion in osteosarcoma cells. CircPVT1 orchestrates osteosarcoma migration and invasion by regulating the miR‐490‐5p/HAVCR2 axis, underscoring its potential as a promising therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.
Development, synthesis and validation of improved c‐Myc/Max inhibitors
Authors: Yıldırım Sümbül , Kocabaş Fatih , Mermer Arif
Published: April 2024

The pathophysiological foundations of various diseases are often subject to alteration through the utilization of small compounds, rendering them invaluable tools for the exploration and advancement of novel therapeutic strategies. Within the scope of this study, we meticulously curated a diverse library of novel small compounds meticulously designed to specifically target the c‐Myc/Max complex. We conducted in vitro examinations of novel c‐Myc inhibitors across a spectrum of cancer cell lines, including PANC1 (pancreatic adenocarcinoma), MCF7 (breast carcinoma), DU‐145 (prostate carcinoma), and A549 (lung cancer). The initial analysis involved a 25 μM dose, which enabled the identification of potent anticancer compounds effective against a variety of tumour types. We identified c‐Myc inhibitors with remarkable potency, featuring IC50 values as low as 1.6 μM and up to 40 times more effective than the reference molecule in diminishing cancer cell viability. Notably, c‐Myc‐i7 exhibited exceptional selectivity, displaying 37‐fold and 59‐fold preference for targeting prostate and breast cancers, respectively, over healthy cells. Additionally, we constructed drug‐likeness models. This study underscores the potential for in vitro investigations of various tumour types using novel c‐Myc inhibitors to yield ground‐breaking and efficacious anticancer compounds.
Thiazide‐associated hyponatremia in arterial hypertension patients: A nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Kwon Soie , Kim Hasung , Lee Jungkuk , Shin Jungho , Kim Su Hyun , Hwang Jin Ho
Published: April 2024

Objective

Thiazides are the first‐line treatment for hypertension, however, they have been associated with hospitalizations for thiazide‐associated hyponatremia (TAH). The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of TAH and other drug‐associated hyponatremia in a Korean population.

Methods

The study used big data from the National Health Insurance Sharing Service of 1,943,345 adults treated for hypertension from January 2014 to December 2016. The participants were divided into two groups based on the use of thiazides. Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify independent risk factors for the occurrence of hyponatremia.

Results

The study found that hyponatremia‐related hospitalizations were significantly higher in the thiazide group than the control group (2.19% vs. 1.45%). The risk increased further with concurrent use of other diuretics or desmopressin, and thiazide+spironolactone+desmopressin and hospitalization risk further increased (4.0 and 6.9 times). Multivariate analysis showed that hyponatremia occurrence increased with age, diabetes mellitus, depression, and thiazide use (hazard ratio = 1.436, p < 0.001). The thiazide group had better 6‐year overall survival than the control group but had more fractures and hyponatremia.

Conclusions

Thiazide use is associated with an increased risk of hyponatremia and related complications. However, the mortality rate decreased in those who received thiazides, suggesting that thiazide use itself is not harmful and may help decrease complications and improve prognosis with proper, cautious use in high‐risk patients.
Body image perceptions of pregnant women in the third trimester in Turkey: A qualitative study
Authors: Küçükkaya Muazez , Günaydın Sevil , Yılmaz Tülay , Dinç Kaya Hüsniye
Published: April 2024

Rationale

Body image undergoes significant changes during pregnancy, marking a pivotal phase in a woman's life.

Aim and Objective

This study aimed to explore the body image perceptions of primiparous pregnant women during their third trimester.

Methods

Employing a qualitative research approach grounded in phenomenology, the study involved interviews to explore the experiences of primiparous pregnant women in their third trimester. The interviews were conducted via an online platform, with a sample group of 13 participants chosen through purposive sampling. Data analysis followed a content analysis approach, with the information being transferred to MAXQDA Analytics Pro Qualitative Data Analysis Programme for coding. The study adhered to the reporting guidelines outlined in the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist.

Results

Systematic analysis of the interview transcripts led to the identification of three main themes under the overarching framework of body image experiences among primiparous pregnant women during the third trimester: Physical Changes, Mental Changes, and Behavioural and Social Changes. Among the identified themes, pregnant women demonstrated a relatively lower level of discourse regarding Physical Changes, in contrast to a significant emphasis on Mental Changes. Within the latter theme, pregnant women exhibited significant dissatisfaction with their pregnancy experiences significantly.

Conclusion

It was determined that pregnant women experience physical and psychological changes related to body image during pregnancy.
Question asking in active listening scale for early adolescents: Behavioral measure development and initial validation
Authors: Nalani Andrew , Yoshikawa Hirokazu , Way Niobe
Published: April 2024

Relational theories of human development explain how stereotypes and their underlying ideologies thwart social connections that are fundamental for individuals to thrive, especially in early adolescence. Intervention research to address this crisis of connection is still emergent and active listening is one promising strategy to this end; however, its efficacy has not been examined in part because no validated measures of active listening for this population exist. This validation study is the first to examine whether the behavioral dimensions of one form of active listening can be captured using a coding scheme to assess adolescents' engagement in a live interviewing task (N = 293). Importantly, the measure was developed within the context of a theory‐driven intervention to train adolescents in transformative curiosity and listening to enhance connection. Findings indicate that two dimensions underlie the measure as hypothesized, open‐ended questions and follow‐up questions, with acceptable internal consistency. The measure is sensitive to change in adolescents' questioning skills before and after the intervention. Further, asking follow‐up questions was positively related to empathy and also predicted a respondent's perception of their interviewer as a good listener. The effect for asking open‐ended questions was moderated by dyad‐level tendencies to elicit disclosure from others. The current measure not only examines question asking as a more nuanced behavioral dimension of active listening than previous measures, it is also the first to do so among a sample of early adolescents. The measure will be useful in assessing active listening interventions' efficacy to address the crisis of connection.
Relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and risk of metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease: An updated meta‐analysis
Authors: Mantovani Alessandro , Lando Maria Giovanna , Borella Nicolò , Scoccia Enrico , Pecoraro Barbara , Gobbi Federico , Bisoffi Zeno , Valenti Luca , Tilg Herbert , Byrne Christopher D. , Targher Giovanni
Published: April 2024

Background

Recent observational studies examining the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk of metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) have reported conflicting results. We performed a meta‐analysis to quantify the magnitude of the association between H. pylori infection and the risk of MASLD.

Methods

We systematically searched three large electronic databases to identify eligible observational studies (published up to 30 November 2023) in which liver biopsy, imaging methods or blood‐based biomarkers/scores were used for diagnosing MASLD. Data from selected studies were extracted, and meta‐analysis was performed using common and random‐effects modelling. Statistical heterogeneity among published studies, subgroup analyses, meta‐regression analyses and publication bias were assessed.

Results

A total of 28 observational studies (24 cross‐sectional and 4 longitudinal studies) were identified, including 231 291 middle‐aged individuals of predominantly Asian ethnicity (~95%). Meta‐analysis of cross‐sectional studies showed that H. pylori infection was significantly associated with a small increase in the risk of prevalent MASLD (n = 24 studies; random‐effects odds ratio 1.11, 95% CI 1.05–1.18; I2 = 63%). Meta‐analysis of data from longitudinal studies showed that H. pylori infection was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing incident MASLD over a mean 5‐year follow‐up (n = 4 studies; random‐effects odds ratio 1.20, 95%CI 1.08–1.33; I2 = 44%). Sensitivity analyses did not modify these results. The funnel plot did not reveal any significant publication bias.

Conclusions

H. pylori infection is associated with a mildly increased risk of prevalent and incident MASLD. Further well‐designed prospective and mechanistic studies are required to better decipher the complex link between H. pylori infection and the risk of MASLD.
The pragmatic view on dual character concepts and expressions
Authors: Baumgartner Lucien
Published: April 2024

This article introduces a new pragmatic framework for dual character concepts and their expressions, offering an alternative to the received lexical‐semantic view. On the prevalent lexical‐semantic view, expressions such as “philosopher” or “scientist” are construed as lexical polysemes, comprising both a descriptive and a normative dimension. Thereby, this view prioritizes established norms, neglecting normative expressions emerging in specific contexts. In contrast, the pragmatic view integrates pragmatic modulation as a central element in explaining context‐dependent dual character concepts and expressions. This not only accounts for a wider range of phenomena but also addresses several theoretical shortcomings of the lexical view.
Global field collection data confirm an affinity of brown rot fungi for coniferous habitats and substrates
Authors: Simpson Hunter J. , Andrew Carrie , Skrede Inger , Kauserud Håvard , Schilling Jonathan S.
Published: April 2024

Unlike ‘white rot’ (WR) wood‐decomposing fungi that remove lignin to access cellulosic sugars, ‘brown rot’ (BR) fungi selectively extract sugars and leave lignin behind. The relative frequency and distribution of these fungal types (decay modes) have not been thoroughly assessed at a global scale; thus, the fate of one‐third of Earth's aboveground carbon, wood lignin, remains unclear.

Using c. 1.5 million fungal sporocarp and c. 30 million tree records from publicly accessible databases, we mapped and compared decay mode and tree type (conifer vs angiosperm) distributions. Additionally, we mined fungal record metadata to assess substrate specificity per decay mode.

The global average for BR fungi proportion (BR/(BR + WR records)) was 13% and geographic variation was positively correlated (R2 = 0.45) with conifer trees proportion (conifer/(conifer + angiosperm records)). Most BR species (61%) were conifer, rather than angiosperm (22%), specialists. The reverse was true for WR (conifer: 19%; angiosperm: 62%). Global BR proportion patterns were predicted with greater accuracy using the relative distributions of individual tree species (R2 = 0.82), rather than tree type.

Fungal decay mode distributions can be explained by tree type and, more importantly, tree species distributions, which our data suggest is due to strong substrate specificities.
Parity and Pareto
Authors: Hedden Brian
Published: April 2024

Pareto principles are at the core of ethics and decision theory. The Strong Pareto principle says that if one thing is better than another for someone and at least as good for everyone else, then the one is overall better than the other. But a host of famous figures express it differently, with ‘not worse’ in place of ‘at least as good.’ In the presence of parity (or incommensurability), this results in a strictly stronger Pareto principle, which I call Super‐Strong Pareto. Super‐Strong Pareto, however, yields cyclic betterness and is therefore false. I point out a number of influential arguments—concerning population ethics, collective action problems, and decision‐making in the face of parity and uncertainty—that crucially rely on Super‐Strong Pareto and are therefore unsound. I then turn to the most influential argument against the possibility of parity—Broome's collapsing argument—and argue that it likewise relies on Super‐Strong Pareto reasoning and is therefore question‐begging. Finally, I turn to the much‐neglected question of how to justify Strong Pareto. The answer I arrive at, which emphasizes tie‐breaking, yields a striking insight, namely that Super‐Strong Pareto amounts to the denial of insensitivity to mild sweetening. That is what makes it problematic in the presence of parity.
Ascorbic acid releases dormancy and promotes germination by an integrated regulation of abscisic acid and gibberellin in Pyrus betulifolia seeds
Authors: Niu Junpeng , Xu Mingzhen , Zong Na , Sun Jia , Zhao Lei , Hui Wei
Published: April 2024

Seed dormancy is an important life history state in which intact viable seeds delay or prevent germination under suitable conditions. Ascorbic acid (AsA) acts as a small molecule antioxidant, and breaking seed dormancy and promoting subsequent growth are among its numerous functions. In this study, a germination test using Pyrus betulifolia seeds treated with exogenous AsA or AsA synthesis inhibitor lycorine (Lyc) and water absorption was conducted. The results indicated that AsA released dormancy and increased germination and 20 mmol L−1 AsA promoted cell division, whereas Lyc reduced germination. Seed germination showed typical three phases of water absorption; and seeds at five key time points were sampled for transcriptome analysis. It revealed that multiple pathways were involved in breaking dormancy and promoting germination through transcriptome data, and 12 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the metabolism and signal transduction of abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GA) were verified by subsequent RT‐qPCR. For metabolites, exogenous AsA increased endogenous AsA and GA3 but reduced ABA and the ABA/GA3 ratio. In addition, three genes regulating ABA synthesis were downregulated by AsA, while five genes mediating ABA degradation were upregulated. Taken together, AsA regulates the pathways associated with ABA and GA synthesis, catalysis, and signal transduction, with subsequent reduction in ABA and increase in GA and further the balance of ABA/GA, ultimately releasing dormancy and promoting germination.
Systemic lupus erythematosus: Adding another piece to the connective tissue disease‐associated interstitial lung disease puzzle
Authors: Khor Yet H.
Published: April 2024

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Mineralogical attributes to the distribution of trace and rare earth elements in alteration zones and copper‐gold veins in the Lepanto copper‐gold deposit, Luzon, Philippines
Authors: Claveria Rene Juna R.
Published: April 2024

In high sulfidation systems, acidic hydrothermal fluids can produce wide alteration zones with specific mineral assemblages/associations as well as identifiable and elemental distribution patterns. The Lepanto Cu‐Au deposit exhibits a consistent zonation pattern of silicic alteration near the Cu‐Au veins evolving outwards to advanced argillic and argillic alteration with chloritic alteration farthest from the vein. Recent exploration of high sulfidation Cu‐Au veins indicated the usefulness of mineralogical assemblages/associations and the complementing information provided by the elemental distribution patterns in the identification and characterization of the different alteration zones. In this study, I characterize the mineral assemblages/associations and interpret their occurrences in the different alteration zones of the Lepanto Cu‐Au deposit. An assemblage that is composed predominantly of chlorite‐epidote/clinozoisite‐calcite‐quartz‐pyrite represents the propylitic/chloritic alteration zone. The argillic alteration has a mineral association of smectite‐sericite‐chlorite‐epidote‐kaolinite‐quartz‐pyrite. The advanced argillic alteration zone has alunite‐kaolinite‐pyrophyllite‐diaspore‐sericite‐quartz‐pyrite as mineral association. In the silicic alteration zone, the mineral association is composed of quartz‐alunite‐diaspore‐anhydrite‐pyrite. Also presented are the distributions of trace and rare earth elements. In the distribution of trace and REEs across alteration zones, there is an observed increase of Te, Au, Mo, Cu, Sn, and Bi values from the chloritic to silicic alteration zones. A corresponding decrease of REE, LILE (Ba, Pb, Rb, K), HFSE (Ti, Nb, U, Th), Al, Na, Ca, Zn, Mn, Co and Cd values are observed. This study also characterizes the ore mineral assemblages/associations of the Cu‐Au veins as well as the distribution patterns of trace and rare earth elements. The Northwest‐NOA, hanging wall branch veins (HWBV), main ore body (MOB), foot wall branch veins (FWBV), and Easterlies are generally made up of enargite‐luzonite‐pyrite‐chalcopyrite‐tennantite‐tetrahedrite‐tellurides‐covellite. The associated gangue minerals are anhydrite‐gypsum‐alunite‐barite‐quartz. In the distribution of elements across the different Cu‐Au veins, there is an observed decrease of Cu, As, and Sb values from the Easterlies towards the Northwest‐NOA Cu‐Au veins. The observed variations in the alteration and ore mineral assemblages/associations have strongly influenced the distribution of elemental values in both alteration zones and Cu‐Au veins. The identification of mineralogical assemblages/associations and elemental distribution patterns may provide possible guides and reference tools in the exploration of Lepanto type Cu‐Au deposits.
Knowledge is not power: Learning in polycentric governance systems
Authors: Rittelmeyer Pamela , Lubell Mark , Hovis Meredith , Heikkila Tanya , Gerlak Andrea , Pozzi Tara
Published: April 2024

The link between knowledge and decision‐making in polycentric systems is shaped by the process of collective learning, where policy actors participate in multiple policy forums to acquire, translate, and disseminate knowledge. This article argues that the relationship between learning and participation in polycentric systems differs for actors with executive responsibilities versus specialized staff. Using a mix of quantitative and qualitative data, we show that executive staff are less likely to learn because of their incentives, resources, and position in the system. In contrast, specialized staff are more likely to learn as they form epistemic communities focused on specific policy issues. The different learning experiences of executive versus technical staff contributes to the disjunction between knowledge and power that is a feature of all polycentric systems. Bridging this gap requires institutional arrangements and training to enable the development of trust‐based relationships between decision‐makers, scientists, and other types of specialized knowledge communities.
The novel HLA‐DRB1*03:210 allele characterised by two different sequencing‐based typing techniques
Authors: Dhuyser Adèle , Pérès Michaël , Clément Sandra , Morel Thomas , Aarnink Alice
Published: April 2024

The novel allele HLA‐DRB1*03:210 differs from HLA‐DRB1*03:01:01:01 by one non‐synonymous nucleotide substitution in exon 3.
The novel HLA‐C*03:94:02 allele identified by next‐generation sequencing in a Chinese individual
Authors: Sun Yamin , Wang Ziqing , Kang Yiqing , Li Jianbin , Liu Zheng
Published: April 2024

HLA‐C*03:94:02 differs from HLA‐C*03:94:01 by a single nucleotide substitution in exon 2 (codon 17 GGA‐>GGG).
Identification of the novel HLA‐C allele, HLA‐C*07:02:150
Authors: Loginova Maria , Obukhov Ivan , Paramonov Igor
Published: April 2024

A novel HLA‐C*07 allele, now officially designated HLA‐C*07:02:150, was identified by next‐generation sequencing.