bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting the causal relationship between polyunsaturated fatty acids and cerebral aneurysm risk from a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Yu Weijie , Zhou Liwei , Li Chongfei , Lu Zhenwei , Chen Xiaoyu , Yu Hao , Chen Xiaoyan , Huang Qionghui , Li Zhangyu , Xiao Deyong , Mei Yunyun , Wang Zhanxiang
Published: November 2023

Introduction

No conclusive evidence for a link between polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and cerebral aneurysm has been found in observational research. The aim of our study was to determine the causal impact of PUFA on cerebral aneurysm.

Methods

Two sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed using genetic instruments derived from a recent genome wide association study (GWAS) of fatty acids from UK Biobank and outcome data obtained from the large-scale cerebral aneurysm GWASs in European ancestry which include IA, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and unruptured intracranial aneurysm (uIA). Sensitivity analyses were implemented with MVMR, MR-Egger intercept test, MR-PRESSO, leave-one-out analysis and so on. Bayesian colocalization (COLOC) methods was conducted to focus on the association between the fatty acid gene expression and cerebral aneurysm.

Results

Genetically predicted assessed omega-3 fatty acids decreased the risk for IA (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.69 - 0.91, P = 1.01ⅹ10-3) and aSAH (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.61 - 0.84, P = 3.73ⅹ10-5). Furthermore, the Docosahexaenoic acid decreased the risk for IA (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.63 - 0.87, P = 3.12ⅹ10-4) and aSAH (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.55 - 0.8, P = 2.32ⅹ10-5). The same results were discovered from ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to total fatty acids. While the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids increased the risk of IA (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.12 – 1.44, P = 1.53ⅹ10-4) and aSAH (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17 – 1.56, P = 5.78ⅹ10-5). The result of the COLOC suggested that the above four kinds of fatty acids and IA, aSAH likely share causal variants in gene fatty acid desaturase 2, separately.

Conclusion

This study utilized integrative analysis of MR and colocalization to discover causal relationships between genetic variants, PUFA and cerebral aneurysm.

Funding

This study was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China (82072777), the Natural Science Foundation of Xiamen (3502Z20227097), Fujian Provincial Health Commission, Provincial Health and Health Young and Middle-aged Backbone Talent Training Project (2022GGB010).
Barriers and enablers to accessing HIV services at South Sudan military facilities: Using qualitative data for program improvement
Authors: Lasu Ally A. R. , Changjowk Awin , Fezeu Meyou Shanice , Awongo Habib D. , Lefebvre R. Craig , Tongun Justin , Elinana John Woja , Courtney Lauren Pindzola
Published: November 2023

Introduction

South Sudan established an HIV program for the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) in 2006, recognizing the potential national security threat posed by HIV’s impact in post-conflict settings. By 2018, the SSPDF program’s scope had expanded to include three VMMC clinics and four ART service delivery facilities. This qualitative study examined participant feedback on two existing HIV services, ART and VMMC, with the goal of identifying and prioritizing barriers and improving program performance. We used focus group discussions to gather information from male and female participants chosen at random across the four main project sites.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study from March to April 2022 involving 177 people (108 men and 69 women) within fifteen focus group discussions. We collected data on enablers and barriers to HIV service uptake and utilization using a thematic framework approach.

Results

Perceived high-quality HIV services in a secure environment, organizational support systems, peer-led mobilization, and transportation facilitation were all identified as HIV service delivery enablers. HIV service delivery was hampered by knowledge gaps, poverty and food insecurity, access issues, a lack of treatment support groups, transportation challenges, social cultural barriers (stigma and discrimination), and the need for permission from commanders.

Conclusions

The findings show some overlap in client needs for VMMC and ART services. To increase ART retention and overall HIV service demand, the program will focus on improving the quality of HIV services and tailored client support, as well as addressing barriers resulting from structural and social cultural challenges to increase ART retention and overall HIV service demand.
Gender inequalities in the disruption of long-term life satisfaction trajectories during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of time use: evidence from the 1970 British birth cohort
Authors: Moreno-Agostino Darío , Chanfreau Jenny , Knowles Gemma , Pelikh Alina , Das-Munshi Jayati , Ploubidis George B.
Published: November 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women’s mental health, although most evidence has focused on mental illbeing outcomes. Previous research suggests that gendered differences in time-use may explain this disparity, as women generally spend more time doing psychologically taxing activities than men. We investigated gender differences in the long-term trajectories of life satisfaction, how these were impacted during the pandemic, and the role of time-use differences in explaining gender inequalities.

Methods

We used data from 6766 (56.2% women) members of the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70), a nationally representative birth cohort of people born in Great Britain in 1970, who were alive and residing in the UK between May 2020 and March 2021. Life satisfaction was prospectively assessed between the ages of 26 (1996) and 51 (2021) using a single question with responses ranging from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest). We analysed life satisfaction trajectories using piecewise latent growth curve models and investigated whether gender differences in the change in the life satisfaction trajectories with the pandemic were explained by self-reported time spent doing different paid and unpaid activities.

Findings

Women had consistently higher life satisfaction than men prior to the pandemic (Δintercept,unadjusted=0.213 [95% CI: 0.087, 0.340],p=.001) and experienced a more accelerated decline with the pandemic onset (Δquad2,unadjusted=−0.018 [−0.026, −0.011],p<.001). Time-use differences did not account for the more accelerated decrease in women’s life satisfaction levels with the pandemic (Δquad2,adjusted=−0.016 [−0.031, −0.001],p=.035).

Interpretation

Our study shows pronounced gender inequalities in the impact of the pandemic on the long-term life satisfaction trajectories of adults in their 50s, with women losing their historical advantage over men. Self-reported time-use differences did not account for these inequalities, suggesting that they could be linked to other factors including the ‘mental load’ (invisible, unrecognised labour disproportionately undertook by women) or the menopausal transition.
FooDOxS: A Database of Oxidized Sterols Content in Foods
Authors: Medina-Meza Ilce Gabriela , Vaidya Yashasvi , Barnaba Carlo
Published: November 2023

This research addresses the knowledge gap regarding dietary oxidized lipids (DOxS) in foods classified under the NOVA and WWEIA systems. We present the FooDOxS database, a comprehensive compilation of DOxS content in over 1,680 food items from 120 publications across 25 countries, augmented by internal lab data. Our analysis discerns DOxS exposure in diverse diets, differentiating between plant-based and animal-based sources. Notably, we evaluate the efficacy of NOVA and WWEIA classifications in capturing DOxS variations across food categories. Our findings provide insights into the strengths and limitations of these systems, enhancing their utility for assessing dietary components. This research contributes to the understanding of DOxS in food processing and suggests refinements for classification systems, holding promise for improved food safety and public health assessments.
Homologs of the plastidal preprotein translocase Tic20 mediate organelle assembly in bacteria
Authors: Paulus Anja , Ahrens Frederik , Schraut Annika , Hofmann Hannah , Schiller Tim , Sura Thomas , Becher Dörte , Uebe René
Published: November 2023

Organelle-specific protein translocation systems are essential for organelle biogenesis and maintenance in eukaryotes but thought to be absent from prokaryotic organelles. Here, we identified that MamF-like proteins involved in the formation of bacterial magnetosome organelles share an ancient origin with Tic20 protein translocases found in chloroplasts. Deletion ofmamF-like genes in the alphaproteobacteriumMagnetospirillum gryphiswaldenseresults in severe defects in organelle positioning, biomineralization, and magnetic navigation. Consistent with translocase-like functions, these defects are caused by the loss of magnetosome targeting of a subset of organellar proteins containing C-terminal glycine-rich integral membrane domains. Our findings suggest that organelle-specific protein translocation systems may indeed play a role in bacterial organelle formation.
Spatiotemporal expression of thyroid hormone transporter MCT8 andTHRAmRNA in human cerebral organoids recapitulating first trimester cortex development
Authors: Graffunder Adina Sophie , Julie Bresser Audrey Amber , Fernandez-Vallone Valeria , Megges Matthias , Stachelscheid Harald , Kühnen Peter , Opitz Robert
Published: November 2023

Thyroid hormones (TH) play critical roles during nervous system development and patients carrying coding variants of MCT8 (Monocarboxylate transporter 8) or THRA (Thyroid hormone receptor alpha) present a spectrum of neurological phenotypes resulting from perturbed local TH action during early brain development. Recently, human cerebral organoids (hCOs) emerged as powerful three-dimensionalin vitrotools for disease modelling recapitulating key aspects of early human cerebral cortex development. To begin exploring prospects of this model for thyroid research, we performed a detailed characterization of the spatiotemporal expression of the TH transporter MCT8 and TH receptor THRA in developing hCOs. Immunostaining of hCOs showed MCT8 membrane expression in neuronal progenitor cell types including early neuroepithelial cells, SOX2+/Nestin+ radial glia cells (RGCs), TBR2+ intermediate progenitors and HOPX+ outer RGCs. In addition, we detected robust MCT8 protein expression in CTIP2+ deep layer neurons and at later developmental stages in SATB2+ upper layer neurons. SpatiotemporalSLC16A2mRNA expression, detected by fluorescentin situhybridization (FISH), was highly concordant with MCT8 protein expression across cortical cell layers. FISH detectedTHRAmRNA expression already in neuroepithelium before the onset of neurogenesis andTHRAexpression was maintained in RGCs of the ventricular zone. IncreasedTHRAexpression was later detected in the subventricular zone whereas highestTHRAexpression was observed in excitatory neurons in peripheral hCO regions. In combination with strong up-regulation of known T3 response genes following short-term T3 treatment of hCOs, these observations show that hCOs provide a promising and experimentally tractable model to probe local TH action during human cortical neurogenesis and eventually to model the consequences of impaired TH function for early cortex development.
Developing deep learning-based strategies to predict the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease from electronic health records
Authors: Li Zhao , Lan Lan , Zhou Yujia , Li Ruoxing , Chavin Kenneth D. , Xu Hua , Li Liang , Shih David J. H. , Zheng W. Jim
Published: November 2023

Background

Deep learning models showed great success and potential when applied to many biomedical problems. However, the accuracy of deep learning models for many disease prediction problems is affected by time-varying covariates, rare incidence, and covariate imbalance when using structured electronic health records data. The situation is further exasperated when predicting the risk of one disease on condition of another disease, such as the hepatocellular carcinoma risk among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease due to slow, chronic progression, the scarce of data with both disease conditions and the sex bias of the diseases.

Objective

The goal of this study is to investigate the extent to which time-varying covariates, rare incidence, and covariate imbalance influence deep learning performance, and then devised strategies to tackle these challenges. These strategies were applied to improve hepatocellular carcinoma risk prediction among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Methods

We evaluated two representative deep learning models in the task of predicting the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in a cohort of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (n = 220,838) from a national EHR database. The disease prediction task was carefully formulated as a classification problem while taking censorship and the length of follow-up into consideration.

Results

We developed a novel backward masking scheme to evaluate how the length of longitudinal information after the index date affects disease prediction. We observed that modeling time-varying covariates improved the performance of the algorithms and transfer learning mitigated reduced performance caused by the lack of data. In addition, covariate imbalance, such as sex bias in data impaired performance. Deep learning models trained on one sex and evaluated in the other sex showed reduced performance, indicating the importance of assessing covariate imbalance while preparing data for model training.

Conclusions

Devising proper strategies to address challenges from time-varying covariates, lack of data, and covariate imbalance can be key to counteracting data bias and accurately predicting disease occurrence using deep learning models. The novel strategies developed in this work can significantly improve the performance of hepatocellular carcinoma risk prediction among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Furthermore, our novel strategies can be generalized to apply to other disease risk predictions using structured electronic health records, especially for disease risks on condition of another disease.
The readiness to implement digital humanities data curation of four institutional repositories in Indonesia
Authors: Laksmi Laksmi , Suhendra Muhammad Fadly , Shuhidan Shamila Mohamed , Umanto Umanto
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study aims to identify the readiness of institutional repositories in Indonesia to implement digital humanities (DH) data curation. Data curation is a method of managing research data that maintains the data’s accuracy and makes it available for reuse. It requires controlled data management.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a qualitative approach. Data collection was carried out through a focus group discussion in September–October 2022, interviews and document analysis. The informants came from four institutions in Indonesia.

Findings

The findings reveal that the national research repository has implemented data curation, albeit not optimally. Within the case study, one of the university repositories diligently curates its humanities data and has established networks extending to various ASEAN countries. Both the national archive repository and the other university repository have implemented rudimentary data curation practices but have not prioritized them. In conclusion, the readiness of the national research repository and the university repository stand at the high-capacity stage, while the national archive repository and the other university repository are at the established and early stages of data curation, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

This study examined only four repositories due to time constraints. Nonetheless, the four institutions were able to provide a comprehensive picture of their readiness for DH data curation management.

Practical implications

This study provides insight into strategies for developing DH data curation activities in institutional repositories. It also highlights the need for professional development for curators so they can devise and implement stronger ownership policies and data privacy to support a data-driven research agenda.

Originality/value

This study describes the preparations that must be considered by institutional repositories in the development of DH data curation activities.
Determination of library staff skills to enhance visibility of intellectual output in Nigerian universities
Authors: Emezie Nkeiru A. , Chukwu Scholastica A.J. , Nwaohiri Ngozi M. , Emerole Nancy , Bernard Ijeoma I.
Published: November 2023

Purpose

University intellectual output such as theses and dissertations are valuable resources containing rigorous research results. Library staff who are key players in promoting intellectual output through institutional repositories require skills to promote content visibility, create wider outreach and facilitate easy access and use of these resources. This study aims to determine the skills of library staff to enhance the visibility of intellectual output in federal university libraries in southeast Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey research design was adopted for the study. The questionnaire was used to obtain responses from library staff on the extent of computer skills and their abilities for digital conversion, metadata creation and preservation of digital content.

Findings

Library staff at the university libraries had high skills in basic computer operations. They had moderate skills in digital conversion, preservation and storage. However, they had low skills in metadata creation.

Practical implications

The study has implications for addressing the digital skills and professional expertise of library staff, especially as it concerns metadata creation, digital conversion, preservation and storage. It also has implications for the university management to prioritize the training of their library staff in other to increase the visibility of indigenous resources and university Web ranking.

Originality/value

This study serves as a lens to identify library staff skill gaps in many critical areas that require expertise and stimulate conscious effort toward developing adequate skills for effective digital information provision. It sheds light on the challenges that many Nigerian university libraries face in their pursuit of global visibility and university Web ranking.
Exchange on subject pedagogy during lesson study in initial teacher education
Authors: Bakker Carien , Vries Siebrich de , de Glopper Kees
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This exploratory study investigates the extent to which lesson study (LS) in initial teacher education (ITE) teams address subject-pedagogical aspects during their conversations and what subject-pedagogical aspects are addressed.

Design/methodology/approach

The two-case design of the study – one LS team in ITE comprised of an ST and experienced teachers and one comprised of an ST and novice teachers – is aimed to discover similarities and variations in their focus of attention.

Findings

The conversations of both LS teams were to a large degree about subject-pedagogical aspects. Both teams paid relatively less attention to discussing the themes “subject matter” and “learning objectives” and more to “pupils” learning and “teacher activities.” Concerning the theme of “pupils” learning, the LS team with experienced teachers focused more than the novice LS team on discussing the aspects “pupils” initial situation and “expected learning behavior.” The novice LS team focused more than the experienced team on discussing their observations of individual pupils' thinking.

Originality/value

The results indicate that LS in ITE with a mix of ST and experienced teachers can facilitate exchange on subject-pedagogical aspects of the research lesson. This may help develop and deepen the subject-pedagogical knowledge, views and routines of STs. The differences found between the two LS teams provide starting points for differentiation in the support of LS teams in ITE. Follow-up research could focus on the questions of whether and how LS teams in ITE bring more coherence to their attention for subject-pedagogical aspects of the lesson.
Genome sequence and characterisation of a freshwater photoarsenotroph, Cereibacter azotoformans strain ORIO, isolated from sediments capable of cyclic light–dark arsenic oxidation and reduction
Authors: Mehić Sanjin , Saltikov Chad
Published: November 2023

A freshwater photosynthetic arsenite‐oxidizing bacterium, Cereibacter azotoformans strain ORIO, was isolated from Owens River, CA, USA. The waters from Owens River are elevated in arsenic and serve as the headwaters to the Los Angeles Aqueduct. The complete genome sequence of strain ORIO is 4.8 Mb genome (68% G + C content) and comprises two chromosomes and six plasmids. Taxonomic analysis placed ORIO within the Cereibacter genus (formerly Rhodobacter). The ORIO genome contains arxB2AB1CD (encoding an arsenite oxidase), arxXSR (regulators) and several ars arsenic resistance genes all co‐localised on a 136 kb plasmid, named pORIO3. Phylogenetic analysis of ArxA, the molybdenum‐containing arsenite oxidase catalytic subunit, demonstrated photoarsenotrophy is likely to occur within members of the Alphaproteobacteria. ORIO is a mixotroph, oxidises arsenite to arsenate (As(V)) photoheterotrophically, and expresses arxA in cultures grown with arsenite. Further ecophysiology studies with Owens River sediment demonstrated the interconversion of arsenite and As(V) was dependent on light–dark cycling. arxA and arrA (As(V) respiratory reductase) genes were detected in the light–dark cycled sediment metagenomes suggesting syntrophic interactions among arsenotrophs. This work establishes C. azotoformans str. ORIO as a new model organism for studying photoarsenotrophy and light–dark arsenic biogeochemical cycling.
Why are individuals unwilling to report corruption? An inquiry into perception‐based definitions of corruption and employment‐related factors
Authors: Clemente Felippe , de Sousa Luís , Rego Raquel , Calca Patrícia
Published: November 2023

Despite the increasing interest and investment in whistle‐blowing regulations, policies, and mechanisms, people are still hesitant to report corruption. The existing literature explaining what deters people from reporting serious wrongdoing predominantly concentrates on either organisational factors or personal motivations. Only a limited number of studies integrate objective and subjective individual‐level constraints on whistle‐blowing. Using original survey data from Portugal, this article investigates two sets of individual‐level factors that explain the reluctance to report corruption: employment‐related characteristics (objective constraints) and perception‐based definitions of corruption (subjective constraints). A regression analysis of the survey data reveals that individuals working in the private sector are less inclined to report corruption compared to public officials. This finding underscores the significance of job security in influencing people's willingness to report corruption. The results also indicate that individuals with a minimalist definition of corruption, perceiving it solely as a legal offence, are more hesitant to report corruption. This finding supports the notion that whistle‐blowing policies should not be limited to reporting blatant legal violations instead of any suspected wrongdoing of corporate or public significance. Our study emphasises the need for whistle‐blowing policies to not only establish secure and visible mechanisms for reporting serious wrongdoing within organisations, but also to raise awareness of how social norms and job security can impact individuals’ decisions to report such occurrences. This article contributes to whistle‐blowing and governance research by shedding light on how perception‐based definitions and judgements of corruption, as well as employment‐related factors, can influence individuals’ willingness or unwillingness to report corruption.

Points for practitioners

Job precariousness and limited understanding of corruption are two key factors that limit individuals’ willingness to report corruption.

Policies and measures aimed at improving work conditions and ethical climate within organisations may be more effective in encouraging whistle‐blowing than solely improving formal reporting mechanisms.

Further research is needed to explore individual‐level factors for reporting corruption in different types of organisations and sectors, along with more specific information about whistle‐blowing policies and mechanisms.

Implementing effective whistle‐blowing policies and mechanisms requires not only adopting laws but also creating the institutional conditions and motivating individuals to report corruption, which may require commitment and contextual knowledge from top leadership.
Investigation of the role of perceived access to primary care in mediating and moderating racial and ethnic disparities in chronic disease control in the veterans health administration
Authors: Shannon Evan Michael , Steers W. Neil , Washington Donna L.
Published: November 2023

Objective

To examine the role of patient‐perceived access to primary care in mediating and moderating racial and ethnic disparities in hypertension control and diabetes control among Veterans Health Administration (VA) users.

Data Source and Study Setting

We performed a secondary analysis of national VA user administrative data for fiscal years 2016–2019.

Study Design

Our primary exposure was race or ethnicity and primary outcomes were binary indicators of hypertension control (<140/90 mmHg) and diabetes control (HgbA1c < 9%) among patients with known disease. We used the inverse odds‐weighting method to test for mediation and logistic regression with race and ethnicity‐by‐perceived access interaction product terms to test moderation. All models were adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, rurality, education, self‐rated physical and mental health, and comorbidities.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

We included VA users with hypertension and diabetes control data from the External Peer Review Program who had contemporaneously completed the Survey of Healthcare Experience of Patients‐Patient‐Centered Medical Home. Hypertension (34,233 patients) and diabetes (23,039 patients) samples were analyzed separately.

Principal Findings

After adjustment, Black patients had significantly lower rates of hypertension control than White patients (75.5% vs. 78.8%, p < 0.01); both Black (81.8%) and Hispanic (80.4%) patients had significantly lower rates of diabetes control than White patients (85.9%, p < 0.01 for both differences). Perceived access was lower among Black, Multi‐Race and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders compared to White patients in both samples. There was no evidence that perceived access mediated or moderated associations between Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, and hypertension or diabetes control.

Conclusions

We observed disparities in hypertension and diabetes control among minoritized patients. There was no evidence that patients' perception of access to primary care mediated or moderated these disparities. Reducing racial and ethnic disparities within VA in hypertension and diabetes control may require interventions beyond those focused on improving patient access.
Post‐dam construction and livelihood revitalization of affected communities at Ghana's Bui dam
Authors: Owusu Kwadwo , Obour Peter Bilson , Asiedu Alex Boakye , Dye Barnaby Joseph
Published: November 2023

Evidence around dam building worldwide has revealed that the impacts of dam projects can make the livelihoods of the project‐affected people worse off several years after the dam is commissioned. Despite six decades of Ghana's dam building experience, there is paucity of information on the impact of new programs implemented during post‐dam construction on local livelihoods. This study filled in the gap by examining whether the new livelihood enhancement programs introduced by the Bui Power Authority (BPA) at the Bui dam have revitalized local livelihood activities that had been disrupted by the dam construction and resettlement processes. Explorative qualitative data were collected through key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), and field observation in the seven resettled communities at Bui and Jama Resettlement Townships and in three non‐resettled communities at the Bui dam area, including the host community. Purposive sampling was used to select a total of 130 participants for the KIIs and FGDs. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis approach. Results showed that, in general, the new livelihood support programs in the resettled communities such as cage aquaculture production, weaving, and pottery have positively impacted the socioeconomic livelihood activities of the resettlers in recent years compared to the period soon after resettlement. However, low crop yields due to poor soil fertility and small size of farmlands, lack of appropriate equipment to fish on the open water, and land compensation delays were reported to be undermining the livelihood revitalization efforts of the BPA. For effective revitalization of socioeconomic livelihood activities, the new programs should be more inclusive to cover the elderly, the host community, and possibly the neighboring communities instead of its current tilt toward the youth and the resettled communities. The findings showed the persistent impacts of dams on local population and highlighted how livelihood programs could revitalize local socioeconomic livelihood activities. The study contributed to addressing the conceptual question on whether it is possible for livelihood activities of project‐affected people to be reconstructed several years after disruption.
CBCT in contemporary endodontics
Authors: Chan F , Brown LF , Parashos P
Published: November 2023

Cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a three‐dimensional imaging modality which can aid endodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. While there are guidelines available describing the indications, there are divergent philosophies on when this technology should be applied in clinical practice. This paper reviews the applications of CBCT including the clinical relevance of parameters which can be assessed, highlights the limitations of this technology, and provides guidance on how to maximise its clinical utility.
Between Migration and Exile: Muslim Women's Geographies of Citizenship in India
Authors: Mehdi Wajiha
Published: November 2023

Against the backdrop of India's 2019 Islamophobic Citizenship Amendment Act, this article is based on ethnographic research with young Muslim women from Aligarh which aimed to show that their narratives of displacement and exclusion from citizenship inspired their search for belonging and enabled them to reinscribe spaces with their own, marginalised, but nonetheless real, projects of belonging. From exclusion and debasement springs new imagination of belonging: this is my finding. Drawing on intersectional feminist writings, postcolonial and critical Muslim studies, I propose that Muslim women's geographies become forms of contestation of the national project producing non‐citizens. In this context, I trace the interconnections between physical and spiritual geographies to show us how Muslim women continue to carve space for themselves.
The precautionary principle in public health emergency regime: Ethical and legal examinations of Vietnamese and global response to COVID‐19
Authors: Doan Hai , Nie Jing‐Bao , Fenton Elizabeth
Published: November 2023

Responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic have been widely criticized for being too delayed and indecisive. As a result, the precautionary principle has been endorsed, applauded, and proposed to guide future responses to global public health emergencies. Drawing from controversial issues in response to COVID‐19, especially in Vietnam, this paper critically discusses some key ethical and legal issues of employing the precautionary principle in public health emergencies. Engaging with discussions concerning this principle, especially in environmental law where the precautionary principle first appeared as a guiding principle with objective content(s), this paper formulates the precautionary principle as ‘in dubio pro salus’, which is about advising, justifying and demanding states to proactively prepare for scenarios arising out of any public health emergency. It distinguishes the precautionary principle into moderate and hard versions. A moderate version largely takes a holistic approach and fulfils a series of criteria specified in this paper, while a hard version either permits restrictive measures to be deployed primarily on a hypothetic basis or expresses an instrumental mentality. The hard version should be rejected because of the ethical and legal problems it raises, including risk‐risk tradeoffs, internal paradoxes, unjustified causing of fear and unreasonable presupposition. Ultimately, this paper defends the moderate version.
Degeneration of olivospinal tract in the upper cervical spinal cord of multiple system atrophy patients: Reappraisal of Helweg's triangular tract
Authors: Ando Takashi , Riku Yuichi , Akagi Akio , Miyahara Hiroaki , Uematsu Takashi , Aiba Ikuko , Sone Jun , Katsuno Masahisa , Yoshida Mari , Iwasaki Yasushi
Published: November 2023

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an adult‐onset neurodegenerative disorder that presents with variable combinations of autonomic dysfunction, cerebellar ataxia, parkinsonism, and pyramidal signs. The inferior olivary nucleus is targeted in MSA, with a phenotype of olivopontocerebellar atrophy in particular, and involvement of the olivocerebellar tract is well known. However, degeneration of the olivospinal tract has not been studied in MSA. We examined 97 spinal cords from consecutively autopsied patients with MSA. Myelin staining revealed that 22 cords (22.7%) had small, bilateral, triangular‐shaped tract degeneration in the boundary of the anterior and lateral funiculi, which appeared continuously from C1 to C5. The anatomical pathway of the degenerated tract was consistent with the description of the olivospinal tract provided by Helweg in 1888. The MSA patients showing degeneration of this tract were younger at disease onset (average: 56.4 ± 8.7 years, range: 42–74), and had longer disease duration (average: 10.1 ± 4.8 years, range: 2–25) and more severe olivopontocerebellar changes compared to other MSA patients. Quantitative analyses revealed that patients with olivospinal tract degeneration had a lower neuronal density in the inferior olivary nucleus compared to other patients. Microglial density in this tract was negatively correlated with the neuronal density in the inferior olivary nucleus. The densities of glial cytoplasmic inclusions in the inferior olivary nucleus and in the olivospinal tract were strongly correlated with each other. Neurologically healthy controls (n = 22) and disease controls with Lewy body disease (n = 30), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n = 30), and progressive supranuclear palsy (n = 30) did not present the olivospinal tract degeneration. Our results indicate an impairment of the neural connection between the inferior olivary nucleus and the spinal cord in MSA patients, which may develop in a descending manner.
Longitudinal course of neurofilament light chain levels in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—insights from a completed randomized controlled trial with rasagiline
Authors: Witzel Simon , Statland Jeffrey M. , Steinacker Petra , Otto Markus , Dorst Johannes , Schuster Joachim , Barohn Richard J. , Ludolph Albert C.
Published: November 2023

Background and purpose

Rasagiline might be disease modifying in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The aim was to evaluate the effect of rasagiline 2 mg/day on neurofilament light chain (NfL), a prognostic biomarker in ALS.

Methods

In 65 patients with ALS randomized in a 3:1 ratio to rasagiline 2 mg/day (n = 48) or placebo (n = 17) in a completed randomized controlled multicentre trial, NfL levels in plasma were measured at baseline, month 6 and month 12. Longitudinal changes in NfL levels were evaluated regarding treatment and clinical parameters.

Results

Baseline NfL levels did not differ between the study arms and correlated with disease progression rates both pre‐baseline (r = 0.64, p < 0.001) and during the study (r = 0.61, p < 0.001). NfL measured at months 6 and 12 did not change significantly from baseline in both arms, with a median individual NfL change of +1.4 pg/mL (interquartile range [IQR] −5.6, 14.2) across all follow‐up time points. However, a significant difference in NfL change at month 12 was observed between patients with high and low NfL baseline levels treated with rasagiline (high [n = 13], −6.9 pg/mL, IQR −20.4, 6.0; low [n = 18], +5.9 pg/mL, IQR −1.4, 19.7; p = 0.025). Additionally, generally higher longitudinal NfL variability was observed in patients with high baseline levels, whereas disease progression rates and disease duration at baseline had no impact on the longitudinal NfL course.

Conclusion

Post hoc NfL measurements in completed clinical trials are helpful in interpreting NfL data from ongoing and future interventional trials and could provide hypothesis‐generating complementary insights. Further studies are warranted to ultimately differentiate NfL response to treatment from other factors.
Emergency department staff experiences of the Bröset Violence Checklist
Authors: Ilarda Elisa , McIlveen Peter , Tynan Anna , Senz Ainslie
Published: November 2023

Aim

Work‐related violence is a significant problem in healthcare settings and emergency departments are one of the highest at‐risk locations. There have been significant challenges in identifying successful risk‐mitigation strategies to reduce the incidence and impact of work‐related violence in this setting. This research explores the perspectives of clinical staff who routinely use violence risk assessment to provide recommendations for improvements.

Design

This qualitative research used interviews of staff who routinely use of the Bröset Violence Checklist in an emergency department. The study was conducted in April 2022.

Method

Interview transcripts were subjected to Thematic Analysis to explore participants' clinical experiences and judgements about the utility of the Bröset Violence Checklist.

Results

Eleven staff participated in semi‐structured interviews. Participants described themes about the benefits of routine violence risk assessment and the influence of the subjective opinion of the scorer with respect to the emergency department patient cohort. Four categories of violence risk factors were identified: historical, clinical, behavioural and situational. Situational risks were considered important for tailoring the tool for context‐specificity. Limitations of the BVC were identified, with recommendations for context‐specific indicators.

Conclusion

Routine violence risk assessment using the Bröset Violence Checklist was deemed useful for emergency departments, however, it has limitations.

Impact

This study's findings offer potential solutions to reduce violence affecting front‐line workers and practical processes that organizations can apply to increase staff safety.

Implications

The findings produced recommendations for future research and development to enhance utility of the Bröset Violence Checklist.

Reporting Method

EQUATOR guidelines were adhered to and COREQ was used.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution was involved in this study.
The Limits of EU Market Power in Migration Externalization: Explaining Migration Control Provisions in EU Preferential Trade Agreements
Authors: Hoffmeyer‐Zlotnik Paula , Lavenex Sandra , Lutz Philipp
Published: November 2023

The European Union (EU) increasingly seeks cooperation with transit and sending countries to prevent irregular migration and enforce returns. Yet, these countries have little incentives to engage in such cooperation. To overcome interest asymmetries, the EU has sought to link trade and migration control in its preferential trade agreements (PTAs). Drawing on a comprehensive dataset of migration provisions in all PTAs signed between 1960 and 2020 and a qualitative analysis of key policy documents, we show that the inclusion of such provisions does not follow patterns of interdependence and strategic priorities resulting from problem pressure. Rather, the proliferation of migration control provisions in EU PTAs is best explained by the institutional framework guiding the negotiation of these provisions. Whilst reflecting the political will to use PTAs as a ‘carrot’ to incite third‐country cooperation, these findings also show the limits of targeted action on migration control via commercial policies.
New Zealand rickettsia‐like organism and Tenacibaculum maritimum vaccine efficacy study
Authors: Jaramillo D. , Busby B. P. , Bestbier M. , Bennett P. , Waddington Z.
Published: November 2023

A cohort of Chinook salmon juveniles was vaccinated, with an autogenous bivalent vaccine against New Zealand RLOs (NZ‐RLO1) and Tenacibaculum maritimum. A proportion of the cohort was not vaccinated to act as controls. At smoltification, the fish were challenged with NZ‐RLO1, NZ‐RLO2, or T. maritimum. We found that challenge with T. maritimum by immersion in (7.5 × 105 cfu/mL of water) did not yield any pathology. Challenge with RLOs produced clinical signs that were more or less severe depending on the challenge route, dose or vaccination status. Survival was significantly higher for vaccinated fish within the groups challenged with NZ‐RLO1 by intraperitoneal injection with a relative percent survival (RPS) of 48.84%. Survival was not significantly different between vaccinated and non‐vaccinated fish for groups challenged with NZ‐RLO2 by intraperitoneal injection or by NZ‐RLO1 by immersion. Yet, anecdotally the clinical disease presentation (manifesting as haemorrhagic, ulcerative skin lesions) was more severe for the non‐vaccinated fish. This study demonstrates that autogenous vaccine against NZ‐RLO is protective against severe disease and death by NZ‐RLO1 challenge which warrants implementation and further evaluation under field conditions. Yet, this study also highlights the importance of the route of administration and dose when evaluating pathogenicity and vaccine efficacy.
Coparenting profiles and children's socioemotional outcomes in unmarried parents with low‐income
Authors: Yoon Susan , Lee Joyce Y. , Yang Junyeong , Wang Jingyi , Zhang Yiran , Kim Minjung , Schoppe‐Sullivan Sarah
Published: November 2023

Objective

This study aimed to examine patterns of mother–father coparenting relationship quality and their associations with child empathy, emotional insecurity, and behavior problems in families with low income.

Background

Given the growing number of nonmarital births and the high risk of relationship dissolution among cohabiting couples living with low income, it is important to examine the coparenting relationships among racially diverse unmarried couples from low‐income contexts. To date, little research has assessed patterns of coparenting relationships and their associations with child socioemotional outcomes among this population.

Methods

Participants were 4,266 unmarried couples and their preschool‐aged children from the Building Strong Families study. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted.

Results

LPA of survey data from mothers and fathers revealed four coparenting patterns: Profile 1: low quality, more negative maternal coparenting perceptions (7.2%); Profile 2: moderate‐high quality, high congruence, slightly more negative paternal coparenting perceptions (25.2%); Profile 3: low congruence, severely more negative maternal coparenting perceptions (11.8%); and Profile 4: mutual high‐quality coparenting (55.8%).

Conclusion

Children of parents with the mutual high‐quality coparenting profile had the most positive outcomes according to maternal reports of child socioemotional development. Highly congruent and positive perceptions of the other parent as a coparent were found to be significant promotive factors for positive child socioemotional development.

Implications

Family strengthening policies and programs for unmarried couples with low income should target and support the development of mutually satisfying, high‐quality coparenting relationships, with the ultimate goal to improve developmental outcomes for young children in such families.
Bioactive functions of chlorogenic acid and its research progress in pig industry
Authors: Dai Chaohui , Li Hui , Zhao Weimin , Fu Yanfeng , Cheng Jinhua
Published: November 2023

Chlorogenic acid (CGA), also known as 3‐caffeioylquinic acid or coffee tannin, is a water‐soluble polyphenol phenylacrylate compound produced through the shikimate pathway by plants during aerobic respiration. CGA widely exists in higher dicotyledons, ferns and many Chinese medicinal materials, and enjoys the reputation of ‘plant gold’. Here, we summarized the source, chemical structure, biological activity functions of CGA and its research progress in pigs, aiming to provide a more comprehensive understanding and theoretical basis for the prospect of CGA replacing antibiotics as a pig feed additive.
Patents and unjustified threats—Legal solutions in Australia
Authors: Guglyuvatyy Evgeny , Stoianoff Natalie , Das Shanti
Published: November 2023

While intellectual property laws protect rights holders from infringement of their intellectual property, these laws also protect against abuse of those rights where rights holders unjustifiably threaten competitors with infringement proceedings. The introduction of additional damages for flagrant unjustified threats under the recent Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Productivity Commission Response Part 1 and Other Measures) Act 2018 (Cth) may benefit an alleged infringer who is not found to have infringed a valid patent. In particular, new section 128(1A) to the Patents Act 1990 allows additional damages to be awarded against a person for making blatant unjustified threats of infringing a patent. In cases where it is difficult to determine the loss and ordinary damages cannot be awarded, a court could award a nominal amount in compensation, but the difficulty lies in whether, in some cases, damages can be awarded at all. This raises the need to consider other legal avenues to address the issue of unjustified threats relating to patented inventions. In this paper we have identified four such other legal avenues being: specific provisions of the Australian Consumer Law; the misuse of market power provisions in s 46 Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth); the duty of care and diligence in s 180 Corporations Act 2001 (Cth); and the law of joint tortfeasorship. Each of these potential legal solutions will be examined in turn however a comparison of remedies, or interactions with the laws of evidence, and exploration of costs are beyond the scope of this analysis. Further while we acknowledge that other Australian legislation provides a cause of action arising from the making of unjustifiable threats, such as in the Copyright Act 1968, the Trade Marks Act 1995, the Designs Act 2003 and the Circuit Layouts Act 1986, this paper is focused on the Patents Act 1990 only.