bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Constructing nursing quality indicators for intraoperative acquired pressure injury in cancer patients based on guidelines
Authors: Zhou Yu , Liu Lu , Rong Rong , Guo Li , Pei Yuquan , Lu Xiuying
Published: January 2024

Cancer patients have a high incidence of intraoperative acquired pressure injury (IAPI). Constructing IAPI quality indicators can reduce the incidence of pressure injury, but there are a lack of these indicators targeting cancer patients. Based on this, this study develops a system of quality indicators for IAPI. Thirty-four potential indicators were included based on the literature review. The 26 experts were asked to rate the importance and feasibility of each indicator using three rounds of email survey. The authoritative coefficient ranged from 0.92 to 0.94. After three rounds of Delphi expert consultation, nine nursing quality indicators were identified for IAPI in cancer patients. The mean importance or feasibility ratings ranged from 4.77 to 5.81 on a six-point scale, with variation coefficients ranging from 0.07 to 0.26. The percentage of full score for potential indicators ranged from 23.10% to 80.80%. Over three rounds, the Kendall’s W coefficients ranged from 0.157 to 0.354 (P < .01). The absolute and relative importance and feasibility of the nine indicators were identified as potentially valid measures of nursing quality indicators for IAPI in cancer patients. This instrument is the first set of IAPI quality indicators developed specifically for cancer patients, and it should be useful for evaluating and improving the quality of IAPI in this population.
Does the number of functional olfactory receptor genes predict olfactory sensitivity and discrimination performance in mammals?
Authors: Martinez Quentin , Amson Eli , Laska Matthias
Published: January 2024

The number of functional genes coding for olfactory receptors differs markedly between species and has repeatedly been suggested to be predictive of a species’ olfactory capabilities. To test this assumption, we compiled a database of all published olfactory detection threshold values in mammals and used three sets of data on olfactory discrimination performance that employed the same structurally related monomolecular odour pairs with different mammal species. We extracted the number of functional olfactory receptor genes of the 20 mammal species for which we found data on olfactory sensitivity and/or olfactory discrimination performance from the Chordata Olfactory Receptor Database. We found that the overall olfactory detection thresholds significantly correlate with the number of functional olfactory receptor genes. Similarly, the overall proportion of successfully discriminated monomolecular odour pairs significantly correlates with the number of functional olfactory receptor genes. These results provide the first statistically robust evidence for the relationship between olfactory capabilities and their genomics correlates. However, when analysed individually, of the 44 monomolecular odourants for which data on olfactory sensitivity from at least five mammal species are available, only five yielded a significant correlation between olfactory detection thresholds and the number of functional olfactory receptors genes. Also, for the olfactory discrimination performance, no significant correlation was found for any of the 74 relationships between the proportion of successfully discriminated monomolecular odour pairs and the number of functional olfactory receptor genes. While only a rather limited amount of data on olfactory detection thresholds and olfactory discrimination scores in a rather limited number of mammal species is available so far, we conclude that the number of functional olfactory receptor genes may be a predictor of olfactory sensitivity and discrimination performance in mammals.
Pay-as-they-get-in: attitudes toward migrants and pension systems
Authors: Boeri Tito , Gamalerio Matteo , Morelli Massimo , Negri Margherita
Published: January 2024

We study whether a better knowledge of the functioning of pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pension systems and recent demographic trends affects natives’ attitudes toward immigration. In two online experiments conducted in Italy and Spain, we randomly treated participants with a video explaining how, in PAYG systems, the payment of current pensions depends on the contributions paid by current workers. The video also informs participants about population aging trends in their countries. The treatment increases knowledge of PAYG systems and future demographic trends for all participants. However, it improves attitudes toward migrants only for treated participants who do not support populist and anti-immigrant parties.
Structural transformation, the knowledge economy, and the geography of low-income work
Authors: von Borries Alvaro , Grillitsch Markus , Lundquist Karl-Johan
Published: January 2024

The structural transformation toward the knowledge economy is often credited with increasing polarization and precarization of the low end of the labor market. Little is known, however, about the geography of low-income work since the literature has largely ignored sub-national variation. This article explores how the knowledge economy as the main driver of the transformation has affected the concentration of low-income work throughout the Swedish regional system for the last 30+ years. We propose a model where the knowledge economy affects the prevalence of low-income work through three mechanisms: polarization, upgrading, and labor market tightening. We find that the prevalence of low-income work in Sweden has decreased, and regions have converged under this metric over time. The penetration of the knowledge economy is, moreover, associated with lower levels of low-income work, and even though the knowledge economy is related to increasing polarization and, through it, an expansion of the low-income sector, the opposite effects of upgrading and tightening outweigh it. We discuss these findings in relation to studies conducted in different contexts and argue that institutional embeddedness, in particular (but not exclusively) labor market institutions, matters greatly in shaping these outcomes.
Ten-year follow-up outcomes of limited resection trial for radiologically less-invasive lung cancer
Authors: Niimi Takahiro , Samejima Joji , Wakabayashi Masashi , Miyoshi Tomohiro , Tane Kenta , Aokage Keiju , Taki Tetsuro , Nakai Tokiko , Ishii Genichiro , Kikuchi Akitomo , Yoshioka Emi , Yokose Tomoyuki , Ito Hiroyuki , Tsuboi Masahiro
Published: January 2024

Background

The JCOG0804/WJOG4507L single-arm confirmatory trial indicated a satisfactory 10-year prognosis for patients who underwent limited resection for radiologically less-invasive lung cancer. However, only one prospective trial has reported a 10-year prognosis.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter prospective study coordinated by the National Cancer Center Hospital East and Kanagawa Cancer Center. We analyzed the long-term prognosis of 100 patients who underwent limited resection of a radiologically less-invasive lung cancer in the peripheral lung field. We defined radiologically less-invasive lung cancer as lung adenocarcinoma with a maximum tumor diameter of ≤2 cm, tumor disappearance ratio of ≥0.5 and cN0. The primary endpoint was the 10-year local recurrence-free survival.

Results

Our patients, with a median age of 62 years, included 39 males. A total of 58 patients were non-smokers; 87 had undergone wide wedge resection and 9 underwent segmentectomy. A total of four cases were converted to lobectomy because of the presence of poorly differentiated components in the frozen specimen or insufficient margin with segmentectomy. The median follow-up duration was 120.9 months. The 10-year recurrence-free survival and overall survival rates of patients with lung cancer were both 96.0%. Following the 10-year long-term follow-up, two patients experienced recurrences at resection ends after wedge resection.

Conclusions

Limited resection imparted a satisfactory prognosis for patients with radiologically less-invasive lung cancer, except two cases of local recurrence >5 years after surgery. These findings suggest that patients with this condition who underwent limited resection may require continued follow-up >5 years after surgery.
Prognostic factors and treatment outcomes in patients with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Kobayashi Hiroshi , Okajima Koichi , Zhang Liuzhe , Hirai Toshihide , Ishibashi Yuki , Tsuda Yusuke , Ikegami Masachika , Kawai Akira , Tanaka Sakae
Published: January 2024

Background

Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare sarcoma in adults. The clinical characteristics, outcomes and prognostic factors associated with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma remain unclear.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from the Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Registry of Japan, and enrolled patients with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma. Disease-specific overall survival, local recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method; Cox regression model was used to identify prognostic factors.

Results

In total, 182 patients with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma were included. Median age was 63 (range 20–95) years. The lower extremity (48%) was the most frequent tumor origin site, while head and neck were rare (4%). A total of 43 patients (24%) had distant or regional nodal metastases at first presentation. In all cases, the 2-year and 5-year survival rates were 66.3% and 54.1%, respectively. Distant metastasis was a significant poor prognostic factor (Hazard ratio 6.65; 95% confidence intervals, 3.00–14.75, P < 0.0001), with median survival of such patients being 9.4 (95% confidence intervals: 5.3–12.2) months. In 134 localized cases, the 2-year and 5-year survival rates were 91.5% and 68.3%, respectively. Large tumor size and older age were associated with poorer prognosis. Through data from localized and locally curative cases extracted and adjusted by propensity score matching, we found that perioperative chemotherapy did not improve disease-specific overall survival, distant metastasis-free survival or local recurrence-free survival.

Conclusions

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma are similar to those of other high-grade soft tissue sarcomas. Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma may be less chemosensitive, and a strategy other than the standard cytotoxic chemotherapy is required to improve its prognosis.
Short-term economic evaluation of physical activity-based corporate health programs: a systematic review
Authors: Bonatesta Lorenzo , Palermi Stefano , Sirico Felice , Mancinelli Mario , Torelli Pierpaolo , Russo Ettore , Annarumma Giada , Vecchiato Marco , Fernando Frederik , Gregori Giampietro , Niebauer Josef , Biffi Alessandro
Published: January 2024

Objectives: Corporate health programs (CHPs) aim to improve employees’ health through health promotion strategies at the workplace. Physical activity (PA) plays a crucial role in primary prevention, leading many companies to implement PA-based CHPs. However, there is limited examination in the scientific literature on whether PA-based CHPs (PA-CHPs) lead to economic benefits. This systematic review aimed to summarize the available literature on the economic aspects of PA-CHPs.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted to identify studies focused on PA-CHPs targeting healthy sedentary workers and reporting at least one economic outcome, such as return on investment (ROI), costs, or sick leave.

Results: Of 1036 studies identified by our search strategy, 11 studies involving 60 020 participants met the inclusion criteria. The mean (±SD) cost per capita for PA-CHPs was estimated as 359€ (±238€) (95% CI, 357-361€). In 75% of the studies, the net savings generated by PA-CHPs in 12 months were reported, with an average of 1095€ (±865€) (95% CI, 496-1690€). ROI was assessed in 50% of the included studies, with an average of 3.6 (±1.41) (95% CI, 2.19-5.01).

Conclusions: In addition to promoting a healthy lifestyle, PA-CHPs have the potential to generate significant economic returns. However, the heterogeneity among the existing studies highlights the need for standardization and accurate reporting of costs in future research.
Networks as interpretative frameworks: using co-citation analysis to explore large corpora of early modern letters
Authors: Rossini Paolo
Published: January 2024

The analysis of co-citations, which occurs when two publications or authors are mentioned together in the same text, has long been established as a practice within scientometrics, particularly in the field of “science mapping”. However, historiography has shown less openness to utilizing co-citation analysis for distant reading purposes. To address this gap, this article presents a comprehensive methodology for applying co-citation analysis to extensive collections of historical documents, specifically 17th-century letters indexed in the ePistolarium database. In science mapping, co-citation serves as an indicator for tracking the development of scientific fields. Similarly, I employ co-citation to map the Dutch socio-intellectual landscape during the Scientific Revolution period (1623–87) and evaluate the strengths and limitations of this approach.
Second Latin American migratory boom in Spain: From recovery to COVID-19
Authors: Domingo Andreu , Bayona-i-Carrasco Jordi
Published: January 2024

At the end of the second decade of the 21st century, Latin American migration to Spain showed a new quantitative increase in flows of such magnitude that we can speak of the existence of a second migratory boom. In contrast to what happened with the first migration boom at the beginning of the century, when pull factors dominated (mainly due to the expansion of the Spanish labour market), after the economic crisis of 2008 push factors played a more important role. Three processes leading to large-scale emigration are identified in Latin America: high levels of political instability in many Latin American countries such as Venezuela; growing insecurity, especially—but not only—in Central American countries, where it also coincides with increasing difficulties in entering the USA; and the effect of neoliberal policies, with growing tensions in many countries, as would be the case of Argentine migrants. COVID-19 has slowed down these flows and has led to increased numbers of returnees although the previous migratory intensities began to recover at the end of 2021.
On the comparison of AGN with GRMHD simulations – II. M87
Authors: Anantua Richard , Ricarte Angelo , Wong George , Emami Razieh , Blandford Roger , Oramas Lani , West Hayley , Duran Joaquin , Curd Brandon
Published: January 2024

Horizon-scale observations of the jetted active galactic nucleus M87 are compared with simulations spanning a broad range of dissipation mechanisms and plasma content in three-dimensional general relativistic flows around spinning black holes. Observations of synchrotron radiation from radio to X-ray frequencies can be compared with simulations by adding prescriptions specifying the relativistic electron-plus-positron distribution function and associated radiative transfer coefficients. A suite of time-varying simulations with various spins, plasma magnetizations and turbulent heating and equipartition-based emission prescriptions (and piecewise combinations thereof) is chosen to represent distinct possibilities for the M87 jet/accretion flow/black hole system. Simulation jet morphology, polarization, and variation are then ‘observed’ and compared with real observations to infer the rules that govern the polarized emissivity. Our models support several possible spin/emission model/plasma composition combinations supplying the jet in M87, whose black hole shadow has been observed down to the photon ring at 230 GHz by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). Net linear polarization and circular polarization constraints favour magnetically arrested disc (MAD) models whereas resolved linear polarization favours standard and normal evolution (SANE) in our parameter space. We also show that some MAD cases dominated by intrinsic circular polarization have near-linear V/I dependence on un-paired electron or positron content while SANE polarization exhibits markedly greater positron-dependent Faraday effects – future probes of the SANE/MAD dichotomy and plasma content with the EHT. This is the second work in a series also applying the ‘observing’ simulations methodology to near-horizon regions of supermassive black holes in Sgr A* and 3C 279.
MeerKAT Pulsar Timing Array parallaxes and proper motions
Authors: Shamohammadi M , Bailes M , Flynn C , Reardon D J , Shannon R M , Buchner S , Cameron A D , Camilo F , Corongiu A , Geyer M , Kramer M , Miles M , Spiewak R
Published: January 2024

We have determined positions, proper motions, and parallaxes of 77 millisecond pulsars (MSPs) from ∼3 yr of MeerKAT radio telescope observations. Our timing and noise analyses enable us to measure 35 significant parallaxes (12 of them for the first time) and 69 significant proper motions. Eight pulsars near the ecliptic have an accurate proper motion in ecliptic longitude only. PSR J0955−6150 has a good upper limit on its very small proper motion (<0.4 mas yr−1). We used pulsars with accurate parallaxes to study the MSP velocities. This yields 39 MSP transverse velocities, and combined with MSPs in the literature (excluding those in Globular Clusters) we analyse 66 MSPs in total. We find that MSPs have, on average, much lower velocities than normal pulsars, with a mean transverse velocity of only 78(8) km s−1 (MSPs) compared with 246(21) km s−1 (normal pulsars). We found no statistical differences between the velocity distributions of isolated and binary MSPs. From Galactocentric cylindrical velocities of the MSPs, we derive 3D velocity dispersions of σρ, σϕ, σz  = 63(11), 48(8), 19(3) km s−1. We measure a mean asymmetric drift with amplitude 38(11) km s−1, consistent with expectation for MSPs, given their velocity dispersions and ages. The MSP velocity distribution is consistent with binary evolution models that predict very few MSPs with velocities >300 km s−1 and a mild anticorrelation of transverse velocity with orbital period.
Time variability of ultra-fast BAL outflows using SALT: C iv absorption depth based analysis
Authors: Aromal P , Srianand R , Petitjean P
Published: January 2024

We probe the small-scale absorption line variability using absorption depth based analysis of a sample of 64 ultra-fast outflow (UFO) C iv broad absorption line (BAL) quasars monitored using the Southern African Large Telescope. We confirm the strong monotonic increase in the strength of variability with increasing outflow velocity. We identify regions inside the BAL trough for each source where the normalized flux difference between two epochs is >0.1 for a velocity width ≥500 km s−1 (called ‘variable regions’). We find that the total number of variable regions increases with the time interval probed and the number of BALs showing variable regions almost doubles from short (<2 yr) to long (>2 yr) time-scales. We study the distributions of variable region properties such as its velocity width, depth, and location. These regions typically occupy a few-tenths of the entire width of the BAL. Their widths are found to increase with increasing time-scales having typical widths of ∼2000 km s−1 for Δt > 2 yr. However, their absolute velocity with respect to zem and their relative position within the BAL profile remain random irrespective of the time-scale probed. The equivalent width variations of the BALs are strongly dependent on the size and depth of the variable regions but are little dependent on their total number. Finally, we find that ∼17 per cent of the UFO BALs show uncorrelated variability within the BAL trough.
NGC 2403 XMM4: evidence for a super-Eddington neutron star with a possible transient pulsation
Authors: Luangtip Wasutep , Roberts Timothy P
Published: January 2024

We present a study of the X-ray source NGC 2403 XMM4 (4XMM J073702.2+653934) based on 20 yr of archival observations with XMM–Newton, Chandra, Swift, and NuSTAR. Although it has previously been classified as an ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX), we show that its luminosity rarely, if ever, passes the $10^{39} \rm \, erg \, s^{-1}$ threshold luminosity for a ULX. It does, however, behave very similarly to ULXs, with its 0.3–10 keV spectra well described by two thermal components, the softer of which behaves consistently with the expectations for an advection-dominated disc (L ∝ T1.49±0.85), and we find tentative evidence for an extra spectral component above 10 keV. We also find moderately significant evidence for an absorption feature in one spectrum that could originate in an outflowing wind, although a cyclotron resonance scattering feature is also a possibility. Most intriguingly, we find a possible transient pulsation at ∼3.32 Hz in a short segment of one observation using an accelerated pulsation search. This evidence suggests that NGC 2403 XMM4 is displaying many of the hallmarks of super-Eddington accretion at luminosities in the range $5 \!-\! 10 \times 10^{38} \rm \, erg \, s^{-1}$ that, when considered alongside the putative pulsation, points to the presence of a neutron star as the accreting object this system.
Gamma-ray blazar classification using machine learning with advanced weight initialization and self-supervised learning techniques
Authors: Bhatta Gopal , Gharat Sarvesh , Borthakur Abhimanyu , Kumar Aman
Published: January 2024

Machine learning has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of gamma-ray astrophysics. The algorithms can distinguish between different source types, such as blazars and pulsars, and help uncover new insights into the high-energy universe. The Large Area Telescope onboard the Fermi gamma-ray telescope has significantly advanced our understanding of the Universe. The instrument has detected a large number of gamma-ray-emitting sources, among which a significant number of objects have been identified as active galactic nuclei. The sample is primarily composed of blazars; however, more than one-third of these sources are either of an unknown class or lack a definite association with a low-energy counterpart. In this work, we employ multiple machine learning algorithms to classify the sources based on their other physical properties. In particular, we utilized smart initialization techniques and self-supervised learning for classifying blazars into BL Lacertae (BL Lac, also BLL) objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs). The core advantage of the algorithm is its simplicity, usage of minimum number of features and easy deployment due to lesser number of parameters without compromising on the performance along with increase in inference speed (at least seven times more than existing algorithms). As a result, the best-performing model is deployed on multiple platforms so that any user irrespective of their coding background can use the tool. The model predicts that out of the 1115 sources of uncertain type in the 4FGL-DR3 catalogue, 820 can be classified as BL Lacs and 295 can be classified as FSRQs.
Reflection physics in X-ray-emitting symbiotic stars
Authors: Toalá Jesús A
Published: January 2024

X-ray-emitting symbiotic stars exhibit a variety of spectral shapes classified as α, β, γ, δ, and β/δ types, which have been attributed to different phenomena such as thermonuclear burning on the surface of the white dwarf component, shocks between winds and jets with the red giant companion’s extended atmosphere, the presence of heavily extinguished hot plasma from the inner region from an accretion disc, and/or a combination of these. However, there is observational evidence that this classification scheme is not definite and, for example, some sources change from one type to another within months or years. In this work, it is proposed that a simple disc-like model can be used to explain the X-ray properties observed from reflection-dominated symbiotic stars. For this purpose, we use the Stellar Kinematics Including Radiative Transfer (skirt) code, which has been recently upgraded to include radiative transfer from X-ray photons. It is found that the properties of the accretion disc (geometry and density) in combination with the viewing angle can be invoked to explain the spectral properties of β, δ, and β/δ X-ray-emitting symbiotic stars. Spectral variations and type swaps observed for some X-ray-emitting sources can also be explained by variations in the disc properties.
Music Therapy Educators’ Perspectives on Practica Community Partnerships
Authors: Broder Shelly R Z , Fugita Lily
Published: January 2024

Music therapy educators are tasked by the American Music Therapy Association with creating practica placements for students. However, open-ended instructions result in many differing structures of placements and no formal guidelines or codifying supports for educators working with community partners. The purpose of this descriptive survey study was to provide an understanding of music therapy educators’ perspectives on successful and challenging elements of community partnerships and evaluative factors educators use when creating, monitoring, or discontinuing practica placements. Of the 139 participants, 100 currently teach or previously taught music therapy, and their quantitative and qualitative responses were included in data analysis. Educators perceived relational elements of partnerships as greater contributors to success than logistical elements. They identified pro-active and consistent communication (23.69%, n = 59), commitment to the partnership (18.07%, n = 45), and partners’ perception of students providing meaningful services (18.07%, n = 45) as necessary to successful partnerships. The most prominent challenging element was partners who did not value or understand music therapy. However, only 2.9% of educators (n = 2) indicated teaching partners about music therapy and its benefits as a part of their processes for establishing and monitoring community partnerships. The recognition that education and advocacy of music therapy play an underlying role in practica relationships can help guide educators toward more successful partnerships. Recommended future research should include perspectives of community partners and students on practica relationships.
N-Nitrosodimethylamine investigations in Muta™Mouse define point-of-departure values and demonstrate less-than-additive somatic mutant frequency accumulations
Authors: Lynch Anthony M , Howe Jonathan , Hildebrand Deon , Harvey James S , Burman Mark , Harte Danielle S G , Chen Liangfu , Kmett Casey , Shi Wei , McHugh Charles F , Patel Kinnari K , Junnotula Venkat , Kenny Julia , Haworth Richard , Wills John W
Published: January 2024

The N-nitrosamine, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), is an environmental mutagen and rodent carcinogen. Small levels of NDMA have been identified as an impurity in some commonly used drugs, resulting in several product recalls. In this study, NDMA was evaluated in an OECD TG-488 compliant Muta™Mouse gene mutation assay (28-day oral dosing across seven daily doses of 0.02-4 mg/kg/day) using an integrated design that assessed mutation at the transgenic lacZ locus in various tissues and at the endogenous Pig-a gene-locus, along with micronucleus frequencies in peripheral blood. Liver pathology was determined together with NDMA exposure in blood and liver. The additivity of mutation induction was assessed by including two acute single-dose treatment groups (i.e. 5 and 10 mg/kg dose on Day 1), which represented the same total dose as two of the repeat dose treatment groups. NDMA did not induce statistically significant increases in mean lacZ mutant frequency (MF) in bone marrow, spleen, bladder, or stomach, nor in peripheral blood (Pig-a mutation or micronucleus induction) when tested up to 4 mg/kg/day. There were dose-dependent increases in mean lacZ MF in the liver, lung, and kidney following 28-day repeat dosing or in the liver and kidney after a single dose (10 mg/kg). No observed genotoxic effect levels (NOGEL) were determined for the positive repeat dose–response relationships. Mutagenicity did not exhibit simple additivity in the liver since there was a reduction in MF following NDMA repeat dosing compared with acute dosing for the same total dose. Benchmark dose modelling was used to estimate point of departure doses for NDMA mutagenicity in Muta™Mouse and rank order target organ tissue sensitivity (liver > kidney or lung). The BMD50 value for liver was 0.32 mg/kg/day following repeat dosing (confidence interval 0.21–0.46 mg/kg/day). In addition, liver toxicity was observed at doses of ≥ 1.1 mg/kg/day NDMA and correlated with systemic and target organ exposure. The integration of these results and their implications for risk assessment are discussed.
Beyond Empathy: Familial Incarceration, Stress Proliferation, and Depressive Symptoms Among African Americans
Authors: Smith Nicholas C , Coleman Max E
Published: January 2024

Women tend to be more vulnerable to the adverse psychological effects of “network events” (stressors that occur to loved ones). The cost-of-caring hypothesis is regarded as the primary mechanism for this vulnerability and posits that women’s relatively high level of emotional involvement in the lives of network members causes women to experience greater empathetic reactions when loved ones encounter stressors. Drawing on the stress process model, gender theory, and research on the collateral consequences of incarceration, we theorize stress proliferation, the process by which an initial stressor induces secondary stressors, as an additional mechanism and empirically test our theoretical propositions using the case of African Americans with an incarcerated family member. Using data from the National Survey of American Life, we ask: are African American women more vulnerable to the depressive effects of familial incarceration compared to African American men? If so, to what extent might African American women’s heightened vulnerability be explained by their greater susceptibility to stress proliferation? Results suggest that familial incarceration is associated with greater chronic strains, financial strain, and family conflict only among African American women. Further, the magnitude of the association between familial incarceration and depressive symptoms is significantly larger among African American women; however, after adjusting for stress proliferation variables, the gender difference in vulnerability attenuates and becomes statistically nonsignificant. We conclude that the emotional cost of caring may be compounded by social and economic costs of caregiving, heightening women’s vulnerability to depression following disruptive network events.
Human iPSC-Based Model of COPD to Investigate Disease Mechanisms, Predict SARS-COV-2 Outcome, and Test Preventive Immunotherapy
Authors: Dagher Rania , Moldobaeva Aigul , Gubbins Elise , Clark Sydney , Madel Alfajaro Mia , Wilen Craig B , Hawkins Finn , Qu Xiaotao , Chien Chiang Chia , Li Yang , Clarke Lori , Ikeda Yasuhiro , Brown Charles , Kolbeck Roland , Ma Qin , Rojas Mauricio , Koff Jonathan L , Ghaedi Mahboobe
Published: January 2024

Chronic inflammation and dysregulated repair mechanisms after epithelial damage have been implicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the lack of ex vivo-models that accurately reflect multicellular lung tissue hinders our understanding of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in COPD. Through a combination of transcriptomic and proteomic approaches applied to a sophisticated in vitro iPSC-alveolosphere with fibroblasts model, epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk was explored in COPD and following SARS-CoV-2 infection. These experiments profiled dynamic changes at single-cell level of the SARS-CoV-2-infected alveolar niche that unveiled the complexity of aberrant inflammatory responses, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell death in COPD, which provides deeper insights into the accentuated tissue damage/inflammation/remodeling observed in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Importantly, this 3D system allowed for the evaluation of ACE2-neutralizing antibodies and confirmed the potency of this therapy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in the alveolar niche. Thus, iPSC-alveolosphere cultured with fibroblasts provides a promising model to investigate disease-specific mechanisms and to develop novel therapeutics.
Preclinical cardiovascular safety assessment of pharmacology-toxicology relationship for a set of novel kinase inhibitors
Authors: Koshman Yevgeniya E , Kohnken Rebecca , Logan Michael R , Mittelstadt Scott W , Foley C Michael
Published: January 2024

Cardiovascular toxicity is one of the more common causes of attrition in preclinical and clinical drug development. Preclinical cardiovascular safety assessment involves numerous in vitro and in vivo endpoints which are being continually reviewed and improved to lower the incidence of cardiovascular toxicity that manifests only after the initiation of clinical trials. An example of notable preclinical toxicity is necrosis in the papillary muscle of the left ventricle in dogs that is induced by exaggerated pharmacological effects of vasodilators or positive inotropic/vasodilating off-target drug effects. Two distinct, small-molecule inhibitors that target an intracellular kinase, Compound A and Compound B, were profiled in 2-week dose-range finding and 4-week toxicity studies. Serum cardiac troponin (cTnI) was evaluated after a single dose and after 2-week and 4-week repeat dose studies with each kinase inhibitor. Acute effects on hemodynamic (heart rate, blood pressures, left ventricular contractility) and electrocardiographic (QTcV, PR, QRS intervals) endpoints by each inhibitor were assessed in an anesthetized dog cardiovascular model. Cardiovascular degeneration/necrosis with and without fibrosis was observed in dogs and correlated to increases in serum cTnI in repeat-dose toxicity studies. At the same doses used in toxicologic assessments, both kinase inhibitors produced sustained increases in heart rate, left ventricular contractility, and cardiac output, and decreases in mean arterial pressure. Cardiac pathology findings associated with these 2 kinase inhibitors were accompanied not only by cardiac troponin elevations but also associated with hemodynamic changes, highlighting the importance of the link of the physiologic—toxicologic interplay in cardiovascular safety assessment.
New clades of viruses infecting the obligatory biotroph Bremia lactucae representing distinct evolutionary trajectory for viruses infecting oomycetes
Authors: Forgia Marco , Daghino Stefania , Chiapello Marco , Ciuffo Marina , Turina Massimo
Published: January 2024

Recent advances in high throughput sequencing (HTS) approaches allowed a broad exploration of viromes from different fungal hosts, unveiling a great diversity of mycoviruses with interesting evolutionary features. The word mycovirus historically applies also to viruses infecting oomycetes but most studies are on viruses infecting fungi, with less mycoviruses found and characterized in oomycetes, particularly in the obligatory biotrophs. We, here, describe the first virome associated to Bremia lactucae, the causal agent of lettuce downy mildew, which is an important biotrophic pathogen for lettuce production and a model system for the molecular aspects of the plant-oomycetes interactions. Among the identified viruses, we could detect (1) two new negative sense ssRNA viruses related to the yueviruses, (2) the first example of permuted RdRp in a virus infecting fungi/oomycetes, (3) a new group of bipartite dsRNA viruses showing evidence of recent bi-segmentation and concomitantly, a possible duplication event bringing a bipartite genome to tripartite, (4) a first representative of a clade of viruses with evidence of recombination between distantly related viruses, (5) a new open reading frame (ORF)an virus encoding for an RdRp with low homology to known RNA viruses, and (6) a new virus, belonging to riboviria but not conserved enough to provide a conclusive phylogenetic placement that shows evidence of a recombination event between a kitrinoviricota-like and a pisuviricota-like sequence. The results obtained show a great diversity of viruses and evolutionary mechanisms previously unreported for oomycetes-infecting viruses, supporting the existence of a large diversity of oomycetes-specific viral clades ancestral of many fungal and insect virus clades.
GRP/GRPR enhances alcohol-associated liver injury through the IRF1-mediated Caspase-1 inflammasome and NOX2-dependent ROS pathway
Authors: Li Haidi , Chen Xin , Xu Jiejie , Zhu Lin , Li Chao , Sun Xiaolong , Li Xiaofeng , Guo Jianbo , Li Juanjuan , Wang Sheng , He Yong , Wang Hua , Huang Cheng , Meng Xiao-ming , Li Jun
Published: January 2024

Background and Aims:

The common characteristics of alcohol-associated liver injury (ALI) include abnormal liver function, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and generation of oxidative stress. The gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) is activated by its neuropeptide ligand, gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP). GRP/GRPR appears to induce the production of cytokines in immune cells and promotes neutrophil migration. However, the effects of GRP/GRPR in ALI are unknown.

Approach and Results:

We found high GRPR expression in the liver of patients with alcohol-associated steatohepatitis and increased pro-GRP levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of these patients compared with that of the control. Increased expression of GRP may be associated with histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation induced by alcohol, which promotes the expression of GRP and then GRPR binding. Grpr
-/- and Grpr

flox/flox

LysM

Cre
mice alleviated ethanol-induced liver injury with relieved steatosis, lower serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglycerides, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase levels, reduced neutrophil influx, and decreased expression and release of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Conversely, the overexpression of GRPR showed opposite effects. The pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress roles of GRPR might be dependent on IRF1-mediated Caspase-1 inflammasome and NOX2-dependent reactive oxygen species pathway, respectively. In addition, we verified the therapeutic and preventive effects of RH-1402, a novel GRPR antagonist, for ALI.

Conclusions:

A knockout or antagonist of GRPR during excess alcohol intake could have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative roles, as well as provide a platform for histone modification-based therapy for ALI.
Do crude oil, gold and the US dollar contribute to Bitcoin investment decisions? An ANN-DCC-GARCH approach
Authors: Liu Yadong , Naktnasukanjn Nathee , Tamprasirt Anukul , Rattanadamrongaksorn Tanarat
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Bitcoin (BTC) is significantly correlated with global financial assets such as crude oil, gold and the US dollar. BTC and global financial assets have become more closely related, particularly since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this paper is to formulate BTC investment decisions with the aid of global financial assets.

Design/methodology/approach

This study suggests a more accurate prediction model for BTC trading by combining the dynamic conditional correlation generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (DCC-GARCH) model with the artificial neural network (ANN). The DCC-GARCH model offers significant input information, including dynamic correlation and volatility, to the ANN. To analyze the data effectively, the study divides it into two periods: before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. Each period is then further divided into a training set and a prediction set.

Findings

The empirical results show that BTC and gold have the highest positive correlation compared with crude oil and the USD, while BTC and the USD have a dynamic and negative correlation. More importantly, the ANN-DCC-GARCH model had a cumulative return of 318% before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and can decrease loss by 50% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the risk-averse can turn a loss into a profit of about 20% in 2022.

Originality/value

The empirical analysis provides technical support and decision-making reference for investors and financial institutions to make investment decisions on BTC.
The role of mindfulness and self-compassion to ameliorate COVID-19 phobia in frontline employees associated with the Indian services sectors: an empirical analysis
Authors: Kumar Sachin , Arora Ridhi , Panda Tapan Kumar
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This research aims to study the effects of mindfulness and self-compassion in addressing COVID-19 phobia issues. To date, not a single study has examined the influence of these constructs on COVID-19 phobia amongst frontline employees (FLEs) in the services sector. In this context, the present study examined the association between FLE’s trait mindfulness and COVID-19 phobia and the mediating effect of self-compassion on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using 335 FLEs working in the Indian services sector, and the analysis was undertaken using the PROCESS macro of Hayes (2018).

Findings

FLE's trait mindfulness was found to influence COVID-19 phobia negatively, and the mediation role of self-compassion was also noted. Findings for the COVID-19 phobia composite and its four facets are discussed.

Practical implications

Corporate leaders could encourage mindfulness and self-compassion training helping in buffering the negative issues associated with COVID-19 phobia among FLEs.

Originality/value

It is one of the few studies conducted in the South-Asian context that highlights how mindfulness can help enhance self-compassion among frontline service sector employees while guiding them to overcome COVID-19 phobia. This could be the first study to examine the mediating effects of self-compassion in the relationships between mindfulness and COVID-19 phobia.
Academic mothers and the practice of embodied care: navigating and resisting uncaring structures in the neoliberal academy
Authors: Pecis Lara , Touboulic Anne
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Recent research has captured the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in widening gender inequalities, by highlighting that academic women have been disproportionately affected. During the COVID-19 pandemic, women assumed most of the care labour at home, whilst working at normal patterns, leaving them unable to perform as normal. This is very concerning because of the short and long-term detrimental consequences this will have on women’s well-being and their academic careers. This article aims to stimulate a change in the current understandings of academic work by pointing towards alternative – and more inclusive – ways of working in academia.

Design/methodology/approach

The two authors engage with autoethnography and draw on their own personal experience of becoming breastfeeding academic mothers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings

To understand the positioning of contemporary academic mothers, this study draws on insights from both cultural studies and organisation studies on the emergence of discursive formations about gender, that is “postfeminist sensibility”. Guided by autoethnographic accounts of academic motherhood, this study reveals that today academia creates an individualised, neutral (disembodied), output-focused and control-oriented understanding of academic work.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the conversation of academic motherhood and the impact of the pandemic on working mothers. The study theoretically contributes with the lens of “motherhood” in grasping what academic work can become. It shows the power of motherhood in opening up an alternative way of conceptualising academic work, centred on embodied care and appreciative of the non-linearity and messiness of life.
The effects of social capital on cross-cultural eWOM communication in minority-mainstream consumer interactions on social media
Authors: Levy Shalom , Gvili Yaniv , Hino Hayiel
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Social media sites facilitate electronic word of mouth (eWOM) communication among consumers of diverse cultures and ethnicities. Based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), the present research proposes a conceptual framework for minority consumers' engagement in eWOM associated with the mainstream culture. The model incorporates social capital and social interaction as key factors that affect cross-cultural eWOM communication between minority and mainstream consumers. This research also aims to explore the responses of minority consumers to eWOM communications originating with members of the majority group.

Design/methodology/approach

A structural equation modelling (SEM) procedure was applied to data collected from social media (Facebook) users (N = 539) from two minority communities: Israeli Arab and Israeli Ultra-Orthodox Jewish minorities.

Findings

The findings show that: (a) minority consumers' engagement with eWOM is indirectly related to social capital, (b) this relationship is mediated by minority consumers' attitudes and their subjective norms regarding eWOM engagement with dominant cultural groups, (c) social interaction of minorities with the dominant culture enhances the influence of social capital on eWOM engagement and (d) behavioural engagement with eWOM varies across cultural minorities, depending on the minority group’s unique cultural characteristics.

Practical implications

The findings have managerial implications for practitioners who use social media in their marketing and business activities, as they demonstrate that the effectiveness of eWOM communication is contingent on the cultural characteristics of the ethnic minority consumer groups being targeted by managers.

Originality/value

The present research contributes to the theory of consumer engagement by demonstrating that engagement is contingent on the intercultural social context in which eWOM is communicated.
Budgetary control and the adoption of consortium blockchain monitoring system in the Ghanaian local government
Authors: Kenetey Gifty , Popesko Boris
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the adoption of consortium blockchain technology to ensure interoperability for the transparency of budgetary control in Ghanaian local government.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on the design science research (DSR) observational technique for developing a consortium blockchain budgetary control system for Ghana's local government.

Findings

The study resulted in the design of a consortium blockchain monitoring and evaluation system to set up a mechanism to monitor various budget projects, processes and transactions for Ghana's local government. The findings also proved Ghana is ideally positioned to gain an advantage from designed artefacts such as ours, given its digital financial service (DFS) policy. In addition, the evaluation of the designed artefact proves there will be a positive impact on budgetary processes by addressing transparency concerns; however, the success of this concern depends on how the local government organisation embraces the artefact.

Research limitations/implications

The study sheds light on budget monitoring and evaluation tied to peer-to-peer (P2P) participation in the public sector via an advanced administrative digitalised networking and communication algorithm (A Distributed Ledger Technology - blockchain). The difference between the designed artefact and the traditional M&E system is argued. The study is limited by the paradoxes and inefficiencies of the integration of blockchain into the Ghanaian local government but, at the same time, presents a high level of certainty and possibility.

Practical implications

The proposed artefact has presented relevance because it is a new solution to existing concerns like trust, transparency, accountability and compliance, thereby improving local government budget administration.

Originality/value

The study has offered unique and new methods, guidelines and designs for tracking various budget projects and processes beyond the conventional technology-driven approach via DSR, exhibiting a unique solution for solving budget transparency, trust, accountability, compliance and data accessibility concerns.