bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interrogating diversity: Feminism and the destructuration of Australian board appointment practices
Authors: Wright Claire , Cortese Corinne , Al‐Mamun Abdullah , Ali Searat
Published: October 2023

Research Question/Issue

How have social movements influenced the diversity of Australian corporate leadership? Although board diversity is crucial for corporate governance, the research in this topic is bifurcated between studies examining interlocking directorates and the presence of boardroom gender diversity.

Research Findings/Insights

In this study, we use a novel dataset and method to understand board diversity. We integrate the analysis of social diversity (structural connections) and demographic diversity among ASX50 boards in 2019 and 2023. Social network analysis (SNA) reveals a closely connected corporate community, with prosopography data identifying a narrow range of “acceptable” demographic characteristics.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

We extend institutional theory by examining the role of global social movements (GSMs) for the destructuration of board appointment practices and the resulting uneven progress on equality. Activism from the global feminist movement has applied multi‐dimensional coercive and normative pressures to develop a “pipeline” and “catalyst” for women's board appointments. Simultaneously, the absence of targeted action on other diversities and the intensification of directors' professional requirements have institutionalized the group's social and demographic profile.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

These findings are relevant to policymakers and corporations, highlighting the role of social movements for disrupting the status quo and the multidimensional institutional pressures needed to destructure entrenched appointment practices.
Role of ascorbic acid in cardiac allograft vasculopathy
Authors: Chang Alyssa , Martin Kathleen A. , Colvin Monica , Bellumkonda Lavanya
Published: October 2023

Purpose of the Review

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a progressive fibroproliferative disease which occurs after heart transplantation and is associated with significant long‐term morbidity and mortality. Currently available strategies including statins, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, and revascularization, have limited overall effectiveness in treating this pathology once the disease process is established. mTOR inhibitors, while effective when used early in the disease process, are not well tolerated, and hence not routinely used in post‐transplant care.

Recent Data

Recent work on rodent models have given us a novel mechanistic understanding of effects of ascorbic acid in preventing CAV. TET methyl cytosine dioxygenase2 (TET2) reduces vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) apoptosis and intimal thickening. TET2 is repressed by interferon γ (IFNγ) in the setting of CAV. Ascorbic acid has been shown to promote TET2 activity and attenuate allograft vasculopathy in animal models and CAV progression in a small clinical trial.

CAV remains a challenging disease process and needs better preventative strategies. Ascorbic acid improves endothelial dysfunction, reduces reactive oxygen species, and prevents development of intimal hyperplasia by preventing smooth muscle cell apoptosis and hyperproliferation. Further large‐scale randomized control studies of ascorbic acid are needed to establish the role in routine post‐transplant management.
Calibration and validation of fatigue design models for railway car bodies considering uncertainty
Authors: Kraft Sönke , Blum Helene Luise , Gomes Alves Christian
Published: October 2023

The fatigue design of railway vehicles is a requirement for resource‐ and energy‐efficient lightweight design. A simulation‐based design process makes high demands on the reliability of results. Therefore, this work focuses on the calibration of weld quality parameters for the simulation‐based fatigue design of railway car bodies. Since the direct measurement of weld parameters is costly, an indirect Bayesian calibration approach is implemented, effectively combining limited testing with numerical simulations. Fatigue tests have been performed on the probe, component, and structure level for the load‐bearing section of the Next Generation Train (NGT) car body within the SimbaCon (Simulation‐based Conception) project at DLR. Based on the distribution of the measured life spans for component tests, the corresponding weld seam quality factors are calibrated using Bayesian calibration. The resulting weld seam qualities are used for the fatigue assessment of the complex car body structure.
Livelihoods and poverty in small‐scale fisheries in western Amazonia
Authors: Poissant David , Coomes Oliver T. , Robinson Brian E. , Takasaki Yoshito , Abizaid Christian
Published: October 2023

Small‐scale fisheries are vital to millions of rural people, but surprisingly little is known about the environmental and socio‐economic factors that guide rural peoples' decisions to adopt a fishery‐oriented livelihood. We analyzed data from a large‐scale household survey of 3929 households in 235 rural communities in the Peruvian Amazon to develop multi‐scalar quantitative models to explain engagement in fishing and the relationship between fishing livelihoods and poverty. Households harvested an average of 1000 kg of fish and sold 450 kg over the 12 months preceding interviews. The mean total annual income was 3119 USD per household and fishing contributed 27% to total income. Access to extensive floodplain habitat, geographical isolation, and an available workforce were important drivers of fishing activity, while poor market connectivity and limited financial capital restricted households from increasing the scale of market‐oriented fishing. Wealthier households generally harvested more fish, whereas reliance on fisheries was greatest among poorer households who harvested less fish. Fisheries management and conservation initiatives in developing regions must consider the distinct drivers of fishing specialization across the full wealth spectrum with particular attention to “high reliance‐high harvest” households.
Understanding Changes in Spatial Accessibility to Restaurants During the COVID‐19 Pandemic: Disentangling Closures, Inequity, Neighborhood, and Transportation Mode
Authors: Kim Kyusik , Horner Mark W. , Alam Md. Shaharier , Alisan Onur , Ghorbanzadeh Mahyar , Ozguven Eren Erman
Published: October 2023

Among one of the more significant societal impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic, restrictions on people's movement accelerated, and in some cases outright caused, restaurant closures. By considering people's potential for both driving and walking to restaurants, this study aims to examine how restaurant closures are associated with neighborhood characteristics during the pandemic. To do so, we investigated changes in spatial accessibility to restaurants, identified hot spots of communities with large accessibility reductions, and explored relationships between the reductions and neighborhood characteristics in Leon County, Florida. Analysis showed that the area experiencing the largest reductions in spatial access to restaurants varied by transportation modes and the overall geographic patterns in accessibility reductions significantly differed. Communities with significant reductions in car‐based accessibility were areas with a small percentage of the older and non‐White populations and a longer distance to the central area. On the other hand, only being a shorter distance to the central area was more related to hot spots of changes in walking accessibility. Findings show geographic patterns of restaurant closures, which interacted with people's modes of transportation. As such, the closures most substantially affected people in more suburban areas who might rely on driving during the pandemic.
Reactive oxygen species and gastric carcinogenesis: The complex interaction between Helicobacter pylori and host
Authors: Wu Shiying , Chen Yongqiang , Chen Ziqi , Wei Fangtong , Zhou Qingqing , Li Ping , Gu Qing
Published: October 2023

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a highly successful human pathogen that colonizes stomach in around 50% of the global population. The colonization of bacterium induces an inflammatory response and a substantial rise in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), mostly derived from host neutrophils and gastric epithelial cells, which play a crucial role in combating bacterial infections. However, H. pylori has developed various strategies to quench the deleterious effects of ROS, including the production of antioxidant enzymes, antioxidant proteins as well as blocking the generation of oxidants. The host's inability to eliminate H. pylori infection results in persistent ROS production. Notably, excessive ROS can disrupt the intracellular signal transduction and biological processes of the host, incurring chronic inflammation and cellular damage, such as DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation. Markedly, the sustained inflammatory response and oxidative stress during H. pylori infection are major risk factor for gastric carcinogenesis. In this context, we summarize the literature on H. pylori infection‐induced ROS production, the strategies used by H. pylori to counteract the host response, and subsequent host damage and gastric carcinogenesis.
Cosmetic UV filters in the environment—state of the art in EU regulations, science and possible knowledge gaps
Authors: Pawlowski Sascha , Luetjens Laura Henriette , Preibisch Alina , Acker Stephanie , Petersen‐Thiery Mechtild
Published: October 2023

Objective

The aim of this work was to review the principals of environmental hazard and risk assessment (ERA) of cosmetic UV filters registered under EU REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals). Furthermore, effects as obtained from non‐standardized testing methods and organisms from scientific literature were compared against the predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs) as derived based on standardized test methods for the various environmental compartments under REACH.

Methods

The REACH dossiers at the ECHA webpage were screened for available information related to basic physico–chemical data (i.e. water solubility, octanol–water partitioning coefficient), PNECs and associated data (data basis, assessment factors (AFs)). Scientific literature was screened for available ecotoxicity data and the adverse effect levels were compared against the derived PNECs under REACH. Current approaches for environmental risk assessments of UV filters were evaluated for its applicability for a direct release scenario.

Results

Under REACH, PNECs were derived for all hazardous UV filters. Although, PNECs were often derived for various environmental compartments (i.e. freshwater, marine water, sediment, soil), results from literature focused on aquatic data. Effects as observed within scientific literature matches in principle with the hazardous profile of the UV filters. Effects levels both on the acute and the chronic toxicity as retrieved from the non‐standardized test organisms (literature) were above the derived PNECs under REACH. Currently, ERAs performed for cosmetic UV filters under REACH are solely tonnage driven and thus do not fully capture the use in sunscreens and associated leisure activities.

Conclusion

Existing EU REACH regulation is considered as sufficient to evaluate the environmental safety of UV filters used in sunscreens. To cover the direct release of UV filters due to various leisure activities into the aquatic freshwater and marine environment, an additional application‐based ERA is considered necessary.
Sunscreens – another endangered species?
Authors: Matts Paul J. , Nash J Frank
Published: October 2023

Skin cancer continues to increase in incidence year‐on‐year and represents the most common form of cancer across the globe. Every human undergoes premature ageing, particularly on the face, neck and hands. Both phenomena are driven primarily by chronic, daily exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR). While sunscreen products play a primary role in the prevention of UVR skin damage, the active ingredients, i.e., UVR filters, are facing unprecedented challenges in the coming 10 years and their future is by no means certain. This article, therefore, reviews afresh the facts around photoprotection and the role of sunscreen products in the prevention of acute (sunburn) and chronic (cancer, photoageing) skin damage and compares/contrasts these with various emerging questions and opinions around UVR filter technology. We present a passionate defence of this remarkable technology, but also attempt to imagine a world without it.
Nanomaterials in sunscreens: Potential human and ecological health implications
Authors: Keller Arturo A.
Published: October 2023

Inorganic nanomaterials such as TiO2 and ZnO provide significant benefits in terms of UV protection, and their use generally has increased in commercial sunscreens. However, more recently there have been concerns about their potential human and ecological health implications, mostly driven by perception rather than by formal assessments. The large and increasing body of literature on these nanomaterials indicates that in most circumstances their risk are minimal. Penetration of the human epidermis is minimal for these nanomaterials, significantly reducing the potential effects that these nanomaterials may pose to internal organs. The excess Zn ion dose is very small compared to normal dietary consumption of Zn, which is a necessary element. The levels of residual nanomaterials or released ions in public swimming pools is also low, with minimal effect in case this water is ingested during swimming or bathing. In natural environments with significant water flow due to wind and water currents, the concentrations of nanomaterials and released ions are generally well below levels that would cause effects in aquatic organisms. However, sensitive habitats with slow currents, such as coral reefs, may accumulate these nanomaterials. The number of studies of the levels and effects of nanomaterials in these sensitive habitats is very small; more research is needed to determine if there is an elevated risk to these ecosystems from the use of sunscreens with these nanomaterials.
Effect of icariin surface treatment on the resorption of denuded roots after replantation in rat
Authors: Elhakim Ahmed , Kim Sunil , Shin Su‐Jung , Jung Han‐Sung , Kim Euiseong
Published: October 2023

Aim

Limiting the incidence of resorption associated with delayed replantation of avulsed teeth is critical for long‐term tooth survival. In this study, we assessed whether icariin, a natural product with anti‐osteoclastic properties, could reduce root resorption in a rat model of tooth replantation.

Methodology

Cytocompatibility of icariin (10, 20, 40 and 80 μM) was evaluated by CCK‐8 proliferation assay in vitro, and an osteoclastogenesis assay was performed to evaluate the effect of icariin on the differentiation of rat bone marrow macrophages and human peripheral blood monocytes into tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase‐stained (TRAP+) multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs). Differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) treated with icariin (10 μM) was also evaluated at 5, 10 and 21 days of osteogenic induction. The first maxillary molars of five‐week‐old male Sprague–Dawley rats were extracted, denuded of PDL, then treated either with neutralized collagen solution (Carrier control) or icariin in collagen (3 μg/μL) before replantation into their sockets. The animals were euthanized 2 weeks post‐surgery for micro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT) imaging and histological analyses.

Results

Icariin was cytocompatible and significantly reduced the differentiation of TRAP+ MNGCs in a dose‐dependent manner compared to the control. Moreover, icariin enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity, expression of osteogenic marker genes and proteins, and calcium deposition in hPDLSCs. Micro‐CT imaging of the replanted samples demonstrated a significantly higher volume of remaining roots in the icariin‐treated group than in the control group. Histological analysis revealed a marked number of resorptive lacunae with TRAP activity in the control group, whereas icariin‐treated samples showed signs of functional healing and reduced osteoclastic activity.

Conclusions

Icariin was biocompatible and demonstrated potent anti‐osteoclastic and pro‐osteogenic properties that reduced resorption and promoted functional healing of denuded roots in a rat maxillary first molar model of replantation. These findings indicate that root surface treatment with icariin may be a clinically relevant and practical method for improving the retention and survival of teeth with compromised PDL after delayed replantation following traumatic avulsion.
Effects of cigarette smoke inhalation on the immune‐inflammatory profile of experimental apical periodontitis in rats
Authors: da Silva Ana Claudia Rodrigues , Vasques Ana Maria Veiga , Bueno Carlos Roberto Emerenciano , Ervolino Edilson , Cintra Luciano Tavares Ângelo , Biguetti Claudia Cristina , Matsumoto Mariza Akemi , Dezan‐Junior Eloi
Published: October 2023

Objective

To evaluate the effects of cigarette smoke inhalation on the immune‐inflammatory profile of experimental apical periodontitis in rats.

Methodology

In total, 32 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): AP—induced apical periodontitis; S—cigarette smoke inhalation; APS—induced AP and cigarette smoke inhalation; and C (control)—neither AP nor cigarette smoke inhalation. To induce cigarette smoke inhalation, the animals were kept in a chamber filled with tobacco smoke for 8 min thrice a day for 50 days. AP was induced 20 days after inhalation initiation by exposing their coronary pulp to their oral environment for 30 days. After animals were euthanized, their right hemimaxillae were removed for histopathological, semi‐quantitative and immunohistochemical (F4/80, CD206 and iNOS) analyses.

Results

Quantitative data showed a moderate number of inflammatory infiltrates in AP and an intense number in APS (p < .05). Comparing F4/80+ cells showed no statistically significant differences among groups, but we found more CD206+ cells in AP than in C and S (p > .05). INOS+ immunostaining showed a significant increase in AP and APS, when compared with C and S (p < .05). APS had more iNOS+ cells than AP (p < .05).

Conclusion

Cigarette smoke inhalation worsened AP, leading to a predominantly pro‐ inflammatory profile in our experimental model.
Specialized pro‐resolving mediators enhance the clearance of dead cells
Authors: Fredman Gabrielle , Khan Sayeed
Published: October 2023

The failure to resolve inflammation underpins to several prevalent diseases, like atherosclerosis, and so identifying ways to boost resolution is unmet clinical needs. The resolution of inflammation is governed by several factors such as specialized pro‐resolving mediators (SPMs) that counter‐regulate pro‐inflammatory pathways and promote tissue repair without compromising host defense. A major function of nearly all SPMs is to enhance the clearance of dead cells or efferocytosis. As such, phagocytes, such as macrophages, are essential cellular players in the resolution of inflammation because of their ability to rapidly and efficiently clear dead cells. This review highlights the role of SPMs in the clearance of apoptotic and necroptotic cells and offers insights into how targeting efferocytosis may provide new treatments for non‐resolving diseases, like atherosclerosis.
The evolution of corporate twitter usage
Authors: Al Guindy Mohamed , Naughton James P. , Riordan Ryan
Published: October 2023

We study the evolution of corporate Twitter usage from 2006 to 2021 using a comprehensive dataset of over 19 million tweets covering publicly listed US firms. Overall, we find that Twitter usage has changed substantially over the past 15 years, with a broader set of firms using Twitter and with more firms using Twitter to communicate financial information. The stock market response to tweets, measured using abnormal returns and trading volume, is positive and significant in all periods but has declined over time. Retweeting and “liking” behavior has increased substantially in recent years, suggesting broader dissemination. In addition, although firms continue to use press releases for the most economically important information, our results suggest that firms are increasingly substituting tweets for press releases. Moreover, we find that firms continue to be strategic with both the content and timing of their Twitter usage. Collectively, our findings provide useful context for the interpretation of prior studies and valuable information for the design of future studies on the corporate use of social media.
Quantitative assessment of transient autonomic modulation after single‐shot pulmonary vein isolation with pulsed‐field ablation
Authors: Del Monte Alvise , Cespón Fernández María , Vetta Giampaolo , Della Rocca Domenico Giovanni , Pannone Luigi , Mouram Sahar , Sorgente Antonio , Bala Gezim , Ströker Erwin , Sieira Juan , Almorad Alexandre , Sarkozy Andrea , Chierchia Gian‐Battista , de Asmundis Carlo
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with thermal energy is characterized by concomitant ablation of the surrounding ganglionated plexi (GP). Pulsed‐field ablation (PFA) selectively targets the myocardium and seems associated with only negligible effects on the autonomic nervous system (ANS). However, little is known about the dynamic effects of PFA on the GP immediately after PVI. This study sought to investigate the degree and acute vagal modulation induced by the FarapulseTM PFA system during PVI compared with single‐shot thermal ablation.

Methods

A total of 76 patients underwent first‐time PVI with either FarapulseTM PFA (PFA group, n = 40) or cryoballoon ablation (thermal ablation group, n = 36) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). The effect on the ANS in the two groups was assessed before and after PVI with extracardiac vagal stimulation (ECVS). To capture any transient effects of PFA on the ANS, in a subgroup of PFA patients ECVS was repeated at three predefined timepoints: (1) before PVI (T0); (2) immediately after PVI (T1); and (3) 10 min after the last energy application (T2).

Results

Despite similar baseline values, the vagal response induced by ECVS after PVI almost disappeared in the thermal ablation group but persisted in the PFA group (thermal group: 840 [706–1090] ms, p < .001 compared to baseline; PFA group: 11 466 [8720–12 293] ms, p = .70 compared to baseline). Intraprocedural vagal reactions (defined as RR increase >50%, transitory asystole, or atrioventricular block) occurred more frequently with PFA than thermal ablation (70% vs. 28%, p = .001). Moreover, heart rate 24 h post‐PVI increased more with thermal ablation than with PFA (16.5 ± 9.0 vs. 2.6 ± 6.1 beats/min, p < .001). In the subgroup of PFA patients undergoing repeated ANS modulation assessment (n = 11), ECVS demonstrated that PFA determined a significant acute suppression of the vagal response immediately after PVI (p < .001 compared to baseline), which recovered almost completely within 10 min.

Conclusion

PVI with the FarapulseTM PFA system is associated with only transitory and short‐lasting vagal effects on the ANS which recover almost completely within a few minutes after ablation. The impact of this phenomenon on AF outcome needs to be further investigated.
Systolic blood pressure levels and mortality in Australian medical inpatients
Authors: Tsang Jin Nuo Joan , Bacchi Stephen , Kovoor Joshua G. , Gupta Aashray K. , Stretton Brandon , Gluck Samuel , Gilbert Toby , Sharma Yogesh , Woodman Richard , Mangoni Arduino A.
Published: October 2023

The epidemiology of elevations in blood pressure is incompletely characterized, particularly in Australia. Given the lack of evidence regarding the frequency and the optimal management of in‐hospital hypertension, the authors performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study of consecutive medical admissions in South Australia over a 2‐year period to investigate systolic blood pressure levels and their association with in‐hospital mortality. Among 16 896 inpatients, 76% had at least one systolic blood pressure reading of ≥140 mmHg and 11.7% of ≥180 mmHg during hospitalization. A statistically significant negative relationship was observed between having at least one reading ≥140 mmHg and a likelihood of in‐hospital mortality (odds ratio 0.41, 95% CI: 0.35 to 0.49, P < .001). Our results suggest that elevations in systolic blood pressure are common in Australian medical inpatients. However, the inverse association observed between systolic blood pressure values ≥140 mmHg and in‐hospital mortality warrants further research to determine the clinical significance and optimal management of blood pressure elevations in this group.
Ethical evaluation in acute stroke decision‐making
Authors: Shamy Michel , Dewar Brian , Fedyk Mark
Published: October 2023

Rationale

The evidentiary standards and epistemic models of clinical care, especially those of evidence‐based medicine, are dissimilar to those used in philosophy and examination of how the two systems intersect may help clinicians make more informed treatment decisions.

Aims and Objectives

This paper examines the use of ethical frameworks in routine clinical decision‐making, using the example of acute stroke treatment decisions to demonstrate that ethical evaluation is integral to clinical practice.

Method

Utilising acute stroke care as a lens through which to examine the phenomenon of ethical evaluation in medical practice, we offer a philosophical analysis of the presence of ethical evaluation in medicine.

Results and Conclusion

We find that the medical establishment should embrace ethical evaluation as intrinsic to medical practice and that medical training and treatment guidelines should reflect this reality. Patients deserve clarity and transparency about how physicians make determinations about their treatment, and physicians should be prepared to offer explanations for those decisions.
Clin‐STAR corner: Practice changing advances in prescribing for geriatric emergency department patients
Authors: Goldberg Elizabeth M. , Dresden Scott M. , Carpenter Christopher R.
Published: October 2023

Reducing adverse drug events among older adults in heterogeneous and often chaotic emergency department (ED) settings requires a multidisciplinary approach. Recent research evaluates the impact of multicomponent protocols designed to reduce ED physician prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), including transdisciplinary training and leveraging electronic health records to provide real‐time alternative safer pharmaceuticals while providing personalized feedback to prescribers. Most new research is not randomized trial data. Although this current research does not consistently demonstrate a reduction in the prescribing of PIMs, these studies provide a foundation for emergency medicine healthcare teams, geriatricians, and pharmacists to collaborate with health informatics to continue advancing the frontiers of safer medication prescribing during episodes of acute care.
“A fine wine, better with age”: Circular economy historical roots and influential publications: A bibliometric analysis using Reference Publication Year Spectroscopy (RPYS)
Authors: Chedrak Chembessi , Paulin Gohoungodji , Rajaonson Juste
Published: October 2023

In this study, we used the Reference Publication Year Spectroscopy (RPYS) method to explore the historical roots and influential publications of circular economy (CE) studies. Unlike traditional literature reviews, this method allows us to analyze frequently cited works over specified years, assisting in tracing the growth of research subjects over time and quantifying the impact of these citations. We reviewed over 8395 publications and 302,377 cited references, ranging from 1521 to 2021. Our study uncovered three distinct periods in the evolution of CE studies: (i) a precursor phase (1521–1988) that presented foundational yet indirectly related ideas; (ii) the “historical roots” (1989–2017) featuring seminal research during 12 notably influential years; and (iii) a recent period (2018–2021) characterized by other highly cited studies. Additionally, we identified several influential publications that have introduced innovative viewpoints and advocated for a systematic approach to CE, shaping the present direction of CE research. Our study not only provides essential context for future studies, helping scholars identify thematic gaps, but also frame their research within the existing body of knowledge, and contribute toward a comprehensive, multifaceted understanding of CE.
The asset‐pricing implications of carbon risk in Korea
Authors: Park Dojoon , Lee Jiyoon , Park Hyejin
Published: October 2023

This study examines the relationship between carbon risk and stock returns for listed firms in Korea, where firms are legally obligated to disclose their carbon emissions. While previous research mostly focuses on major markets like the United States and the European Union, demonstrating the impact of climate change on asset prices, there is a scarcity of studies examining emerging markets. Using data from Korean‐listed firms from 2011 to 2021, we investigate the association between a firm's exposure to carbon risk and cross‐sectional stock returns. We find that stocks with high exposure to carbon risk exhibit higher average returns and the abnormal returns associated with carbon risk are statistically significant and cannot be explained by the Fama‐French three‐ or five‐factor models. Furthermore, this phenomenon is more evident among stocks with high foreign ownership. Finally, the carbon factor commands a significantly positive risk premium, suggesting that carbon risk is an important risk factor even in emerging markets like Korea.
Modification of the association between nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and anxiety by personality trait during early pregnancy: A longitudinal study of Japanese pregnant women
Authors: Maruya Saho , Tamakoshi Koji , Hirose Masami , Takahashi Yuki , Yamada Akiko , Kato Noriko
Published: October 2023

Aim

This study aimed to elucidate whether personality traits modify the relationship between nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) and anxiety, stratified by three pregnancy periods: 5–8 weeks, 9–12 weeks, and 13–20 weeks.

Methods

This longitudinal study was conducted from August 2018 to February 2019 at a perinatal outpatient unit in a general hospital. We included 153 pregnant women aged ≥20 years and under 20 weeks of gestation at their first prenatal visit. They completed the Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching, and the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to measure anxiety in terms of both trait (STAI‐T) and state anxiety (STAI‐S), and retook them at follow‐up checkups for a maximum of three times.

Results

Using longitudinal data until 20 weeks' gestation, changes in NVP and trait anxiety were significantly associated with changes in state anxiety independently, with trait anxiety being more strongly involved than the change in NVP. This tendency was pronounced in the high‐trait anxiety group with STAI‐T scores of ≥45. Cross‐sectional analyses by gestational week showed similar results in the low‐trait anxiety group (STAI‐T < 45). In the high‐trait anxiety group, only trait anxiety was significantly associated with state anxiety up to 12 weeks gestation. However, only NVP was significantly associated with state anxiety after 13 weeks.

Conclusions

Pregnant women who tend to be anxious temperamentally may have other factors that cause anxiety besides nausea immediately after the discovery of pregnancy. Understanding personality traits may help reduce anxiety in pregnant women.
Spreading depolarizations pose critical energy challenges in acute brain injury
Authors: Lindquist Britta E.
Published: October 2023

Spreading depolarization (SD) is an electrochemical wave of neuronal depolarization mediated by extracellular K+ and glutamate, interacting with voltage‐gated and ligand‐gated ion channels. SD is increasingly recognized as a major cause of injury progression in stroke and brain trauma, where the mechanisms of SD‐induced neuronal injury are intimately linked to energetic status and metabolic impairment. Here, I review the established working model of SD initiation and propagation. Then, I summarize the historical and recent evidence for the metabolic impact of SD, transitioning from a descriptive to a mechanistic working model of metabolic signaling and its potential to promote neuronal survival and resilience. I quantify the energetic cost of restoring ionic gradients eroded during SD, and the extent to which ion pumping impacts high‐energy phosphate pools and the energy charge of affected tissue. I link energy deficits to adaptive increases in the utilization of glucose and O2, and the resulting accumulation of lactic acid and CO2 downstream of catabolic metabolic activity. Finally, I discuss the neuromodulatory and vasoactive paracrine signaling mediated by adenosine and acidosis, highlighting these metabolites' potential to protect vulnerable tissue in the context of high‐frequency SD clusters.

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Autonomous Agency in Anti‐Dualistic Social Ontologies: A Compatibilist Notion
Authors: Piiroinen Tero
Published: October 2023

Anti‐dualistic social ontologies, those highlighting the intrinsic interdependency of agency and structure as two sides of the same coin, are sometimes criticized for failing to provide a satisfactory account of autonomous – capable and free – agency, or even denying the reality of such agency. This paper contests these claims, arguing that anti‐dualistic ontologies only conflict with autonomous agency when the latter is understood in a highly voluntaristic sense, whose ideational roots go to what philosophers of free will call “incompatibilist” intuitions of freedom. Those intuitions suggest that actions (intentions, decisions) ultimately determined by extrinsic causes lack the kind of freedom presupposed by moral responsibility, so when agentive autonomy is presumed to involve such freedom, it does indeed cohere poorly with the anti‐dualistic picture of intrinsically structured agency. Herein, however, an alternative, “compatibilist” notion of autonomy is advanced, such that does not conflict with extrinsic determination and is therefore congruent with anti‐dualistic social ontologies.
Complementarities among types of education in affecting firms' productivity
Authors: Bolli Thomas , Pusterla Filippo
Published: October 2023

This article uses Swiss firm‐level panel data to show that complementarities among workers with different types of education affect firms' productivity. We consider workers with four different types of education: no post‐secondary education, upper secondary vocational education and training (VET), tertiary professional education, and tertiary academic education. To account for possible endogeneity, we exploit within‐firm variation and employ a structural estimation technique that uses intermediate inputs as a proxy for unobserved productivity shocks. Our results suggest that workers with an upper secondary VET education are complementary to workers with a tertiary academic education, while workers with no post‐secondary education are complementary to workers with a tertiary professional education. Altogether, our findings highlight the importance of vertical and horizontal education diversity within firms.
Comparison of prognostic impact of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab versus lenvatinib in patients with intermediate‐stage hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Tada Toshifumi , Kumada Takashi , Hiraoka Atsushi , Hirooka Masashi , Kariyama Kazuya , Tani Joji , Atsukawa Masanori , Takaguchi Koichi , Itobayashi Ei , Fukunishi Shinya , Tsuji Kunihiko , Ishikawa Toru , Tajiri Kazuto , Ochi Hironori , Yasuda Satoshi , Toyoda Hidenori , Ogawa Chikara , Nishimura Takashi , Hatanaka Takeshi , Kakizaki Satoru , Shimada Noritomo , Kawata Kazuhito , Tada Fujimasa , Ohama Hideko , Nouso Kazuhiro , Morishita Asahiro , Tsutsui Akemi , Nagano Takuya , Itokawa Norio , Okubo Tomomi , Arai Taeang , Imai Michitaka , Kosaka Hisashi , Naganuma Atsushi , Matono Tomomitsu , Aoki Tomoko , Kuroda Hidekatsu , Yata Yutaka , Koizumi Yohei , Nakamura Shinichiro , Kaibori Masaki , Iijima Hiroko , Hiasa Yoichi , Kudo Masatoshi ,   the Real‐life Practice Experts for HCC (RELPEC) Study Group and the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Experts from 48 clinics in Japan (HCC 48) Group
Published: October 2023

Background & Aims

The study goal was to compare the outcomes of patients with intermediate‐stage (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer [BCLC]‐B) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) or lenvatinib (LEN) as first‐line systemic therapy.

Methods

A total of 358 patients with BCLC‐B HCC treated with Atezo/Bev (n = 177) or LEN (n = 181) as first‐line systemic therapy were included.

Results

The median progression‐free survival (PFS) times in the Atezo/Bev and LEN groups were 10.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.8–12.6) and 7.3 months (95% CI, 6.3–8.5), respectively (p = .019). In the propensity score‐matched cohort, the median PFS times in the Atezo/Bev (n = 151) and LEN (n = 151) groups were 10.2 months (95% CI, 7.0–12.3) and 6.9 months (95% CI, 5.9–8.1), respectively (p = .020). Restricted mean survival times of PFS were significantly higher in the Atezo/Bev group than in the LEN group at landmarks of 12 and 18 months (p = .031 and .012, respectively). In a subgroup analysis of patients with HCC beyond the up‐to‐seven criteria, the median PFS times in the Atezo/Bev (n = 134) and LEN (n = 117) groups were 10.5 months (95% CI, 7.0–11.8) and 6.3 months (95% CI, 5.5–7.3), respectively (p = .044).

Conclusions

The use of Atezo/Bev as first‐line systemic therapy in patients with BCLC‐B HCC is expected to result in good PFS.
Endophytic ancestors of modern leaf miners may have evolved in the Late Carboniferous
Authors: Knecht Richard J. , Swain Anshuman , Benner Jacob S. , Emma Steve L. , Pierce Naomi E. , Labandeira Conrad C.
Published: October 2023

Endophytic feeding behaviors, including stem borings and galling, have been observed in the fossil record from as early as the Devonian and involve the consumption of a variety of plant (and fungal) tissues. Historically, the exploitation of internal stem tissues through galling has been well documented as emerging during the Pennsylvanian (c. 323–299 million years ago (Ma)), replaced during the Permian by galling of foliar tissues. However, leaf mining, a foliar endophytic behavior that today is exhibited exclusively by members of the four hyperdiverse holometabolous insect orders, has been more sparsely documented, with confirmed examples dating back only to the Early Triassic (c. 252–250 Ma).

Here, we describe a trace fossil on seed‐fern foliage from the Rhode Island Formation of Massachusetts, USA, representing the earliest indication of a general, endophytic type of feeding damage and dating from the Middle Pennsylvanian (c. 312 Ma).

Although lacking the full features of Mesozoic leaf mines, this specimen provides evidence of how endophytic mining behavior may have originated.

It sheds light on the evolutionary transition to true foliar endophagy, contributes to our understanding of the behaviors of early holometabolous insects, and enhances our knowledge of macroevolutionary patterns of plant–insect interactions.
Probing variation in reaction norms in wild populations: the importance of reliable environmental proxies
Authors: Ramakers Jip J. C. , Reed Thomas E. , Harris Michael P. , Gienapp Phillip
Published: October 2023

Many traits are phenotypically plastic, i.e. the same genotype expresses different phenotypes depending on the environment. Genotypes and individuals can vary in their response to the environment and this genetic (G × E) and individual (I × E) variation in reaction‐norm slopes can have important ecological or evolutionary consequences. Studies on I × E/G × E often fail to show slope variation, potentially due to the choice of the environmental covariate. Identifying the genuine environmental driver of phenotypic plasticity (the cue) is practically impossible and hence only proxies can be used. If the proxy is too weakly correlated with the cue, this may lead researchers to conclude there is little or no (variation in) plasticity, and hence lead to downwardly biased estimates of the potential for plastic responses (or evolutionary change in the slope) in response to environmental change. Alternatively, the environment‐specific mean phenotype (ESM) across individuals – which captures all environmental effects on the phenotype – as covariate should be less prone to such bias. We showed by simulation – after verifying the concept analytically – that using weakly correlated proxies indeed biased estimates of slope variation vis‐à‐vis the true cue downward but that ESM as a covariate held up well, even when multiple sources of I × E or an interaction between environments (I × E × E) existed in the data. Analysis of two real datasets revealed that estimated I × E and G × E, respectively, were more sizeable and precise when using ESM as opposed to reasonably informative environmental proxies. We argue that the ESM approach should be adopted by biologists as a yardstick in the study of (variation in) plasticity in the wild and that it may serve as a useful starting point for the search of better environmental proxies and unravelling complex I × E or G × E patterns.
Histone acetylation, BET proteins, and periodontal inflammation
Authors: Clayton Nicholas , Pellei David , Lin Zhao
Published: October 2023

Periodontitis is one of the most common inflammatory diseases in humans. The susceptibility to periodontitis is largely determined by the host response, and the severity of inflammation predicts disease progression. Upon microbial insults, host cells undergo massive changes in their transcription program to trigger an appropriate response (inflammation). It is not surprising that successful keystone pathogens have developed specific mechanisms to manipulate the gene expression network in host cells. Emerging data has indicated that epigenetic regulation plays a significant role in inflammation. Acetylation of lysine residues on histones is a major epigenetic modification of chromatin, highly associated with the accessibility of chromatin and activation of transcription. Specific histone acetylation patterns are observed in inflammatory diseases including periodontitis. Bromo‐ and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins recognize acetylated histones and then recruit transcription factors and transcription elongation complexes to chromatin. BET proteins are regulated in inflammatory diseases and small molecules blocking the function of BET proteins are promising “epi‐drugs” for treating inflammatory diseases.
Actor roles in co‐production—Introducing intermediaries: Findings from a systematic literature review
Authors: Haug Nathalie
Published: October 2023

Public service ecosystems are used to understand how multiple actors co‐produce public services and create public value. Especially interactions between public service providers and service users are essential. However, systematic examinations of these interactions and what roles the different actors play are rare. This study closes this gap by conducting a systematic literature review with three main findings. First, public service providers play an important role: they facilitate co‐production by micromanaging or facilitating collaboration, empowering service users, and translating the results of the process back into the organization. Second, service users contribute to co‐production by providing resources. Third, a new category of actors is proposed: the co‐production intermediary. Intermediaries are formal organizations whose primary role is to support service providers in service delivery. This study comprehensively analyzes the different actors and power constellations between them.
An exploration of the relationship between loneliness, the severity of eating disorder‐related symptoms and the experience of the ‘anorexic voice’
Authors: Marffy Mary‐Jane , Fox John , Williams Marc
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Many individuals with eating disorders (EDs) report the experience of an ‘Anorexic voice’ (AV). Negative experiences of loneliness are also often associated with EDs. This study sought to explore the relationship between experiences of loneliness, the frequency of the AV and the impact of this on ED symptom severity.

Design

165 individuals (mean age 27.54 years) who accessed online forums relating to EDs participated in this study. The sample included individuals who have experienced an AV [AV group (N  = 141)] and those who have not [non‐AV group (N  = 23)].

Methods

The study utilised self‐report measures via an online questionnaire to explore the predictive validity of loneliness and frequency of the AV on ED symptom severity.

Results

Confirmatory analysis (AV group only) demonstrated the significance of the independent variables individually predicting ED symptom severity. However, a significant interaction was not found between the two primary variables in predicting ED symptom severity, more significantly than the influence of either variable alone. Exploratory analysis considered the differences between the two groups (AV and Non‐AV), as well as considering alternate predictors.

Conclusions

The findings offer insight into possible drivers behind engagement with the AV, as part of ED presentations in the community.
Effort discounts reward‐based control allocation: A neurodynamic perspective
Authors: Zheng Ya , Zhang Mang , Wu Menglin
Published: October 2023

The amount of cognitive and neural resources allocated to a task is largely determined by the reward we can expect. However, it remains under‐appreciated how this reward‐expectation‐based control allocation is modulated by effort expenditure. The present event‐related potential study investigated this issue through the lens of neural dynamics. Thirty‐four participants completed an effort‐based monetary incentive delay task while their EEG was recorded. Effort demand was manipulated by adding no (low effort) or much (high effort) noise to the target. Behaviorally, participants exhibited reward‐related speeding regardless of effort expenditure, as revealed by faster RTs for reward than neutral trials. Our ERP results demonstrated a widespread facilitatory influence of reward expectation on neural dynamics extending from cue evaluation as indexed by the cue‐P3, to control preparation as indexed by the contingent negative variation (CNV), and finally to control engagement as indexed by the target‐P3. Critically, the neural facilitation was discounted by effort expenditure during both the control‐preparation and control‐engagement stages instead of the cue‐evaluation stage. Overall, this study provides neurodynamic evidence that control allocation is determined by reward and effort via a cost–benefit analysis.