bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imaging in retinal vascular disease: A review
Authors: Häner Nathanael U. , Dysli Chantal , Munk Marion R.
Published: January 2023

Retinal vascular diseases represent a broad field of ocular pathologies. Retinal imaging is an important tool for diagnosis, prognosis and follow up of retinal vascular diseases. It includes a wide variety of imaging techniques ranging from colour fundus photography and optical coherence tomography to dynamic diagnostic options such as fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography angiography. The newest developments in respective imaging techniques include widefield imaging to assess the retinal periphery, which is of especial interest in retinal vascular diseases. Automatic image analysis and artificial intelligence may support the image analysis and may prove valuable for prognostic purposes. This review provides a broad overview of the imaging techniques that have been used in the past, today and maybe in the future to stage and monitor retinal vascular disease with focus on the main disease entities including diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and retinal artery occlusion.
Buccal and palatal alveolar bone dimensions in the anterior maxilla: A micro‐CT study
Authors: Todorovic Vladimir S. , Postma Thomas C. , Hoffman Jakobus , van Zyl Andre W.
Published: January 2023

Objective

Anterior maxillary immediate implant placement has become a popular procedure. It has aesthetic and functional risks. A prerequisite for success is sufficient alveolar bone for primary stability. Many cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) studies have assessed alveolar bone dimensions in the anterior maxilla, with varying results. More accurate information on the alveolar bone dimensions in the anterior maxilla is required. The objective of the present study was to evaluate bone dimensions in the anterior maxilla using micro‐CT, a high‐resolution imaging tool.

Materials and Methods

Seventy‐two human skulls were scanned using micro‐CT at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation. Specialized software was used for 3‐D rendering, segmentation, and visualization of the reconstructed volume data. Axial planes were created over each alveolus/tooth from canine to canine. Buccal and palatal bone dimensions were measured at crestal, 3 mm, 6 mm, and 9 mm levels.

Results

Buccal bone rarely exceeded 0.5 mm, consisting of bundle bone only for all investigated teeth at all levels. Up to a third of teeth showed buccal fenestrations. Alveolar bone on the palatal side was thicker than buccal and increased from <1 mm at crestal level up to 3.77 mm, 4.56 mm, and 5.43 mm for centrals, laterals, and canines at the 9 mm level, respectively.

Conclusions

Immediate implants in the anterior maxillae has anatomical risks. Alveolar bone on the buccal aspect is very thin, with fenestrations in certain positions. Therefore, a thorough planning and individual approach are needed to avoid possible complications and achieve stable aesthetic and functional results in the long‐term.
Management thresholds shift under the influence of multiple stressors: Eelgrass meadows as a case study
Authors: Dunic Jillian C. , Côté Isabelle M.
Published: January 2023

As human activities increase in intensity and extent, ecosystems face growing threats from multiple stressors. Successful management requires identifying measurable targets, which is challenging because of data limitations, nonlinear ecosystem responses, and potentially shifting targets under multiple stressors. To identify critical management values and determine whether these values shift in the presence of multiple stressors, we use eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows as a model system. We reviewed 20 studies that measured the effects of light and temperature on eelgrass performance, providing 109 unique study–site–treatment combinations. We modeled the interactive effect of temperature and light on eelgrass population growth rate (i.e., lateral shoot production rates) using a hierarchical generalized additive model and predicted population growth rates across a range of light levels and temperatures. We found that two critical performance metrics of population growth, zero‐growth and maximum growth rates, shifted across a gradient of light and temperature, suggesting that fixed management targets linked to population growth rates might be unsuitable for managing meadows under multiple stressors. Our approach bridges the gap between data from laboratory and field studies and could be developed into an interactive management tool.
Velvet antler water extract protects porcine oocytes from lipopolysaccharide‐induced meiotic defects
Authors: Chen Jingyue , Wang Rui , Liu Chunxiao , Xiong Bo , Miao Yilong , Rao Cong , Sun Huimin , Gao Qian , Xu Baozeng
Published: January 2023

Previous studies have demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as a central toxic factor of gram‐negative bacteria, can induce oxidative stress and cellular inflammation to result in the impairment of female fertility in different organisms. Particularly, it has harmful effects on the oocyte quality and subsequent embryonic development. However, the approach concerning how to prevent oocytes from LPS‐induced deterioration still remains largely unexplored. We assessed the effective influences of velvet antler water extract (VAWE) by immunostaining and fluorescence intensity quantification on the meiotic maturation, mitochondrial function and sperm binding ability of oocytes under oxidative stress. Here, we report that VAWE treatment restores the quality of porcine oocytes exposed to LPS. Specifically, LPS exposure contributed to the failed oocyte maturation, reduced sperm binding ability and fertilization capability by disturbing the dynamics and arrangement of meiotic apparatuses and organelles, including spindle assembly, chromosome alignment, actin polymerization, mitochondrial dynamics and cortical granule distribution, the indicators of oocyte nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation. Notably, VAWE treatment recovered these meiotic defects by removing the LPS‐induced excessive ROS and thus inhibiting the apoptosis. Collectively, our study illustrates that VAWE treatment is a feasible strategy to improve the oocyte quality deteriorated by the LPS‐induced oxidative stress.
Post‐cardioversion atrial stunning – Not to be forgotten
Authors: Kurt Merve , Naqvi Tasneem Z.
Published: January 2023

We present a case of a 60‐year‐old male who was found to be in atrial fibrillation during routine evaluation. Anticoagulation was initiated for 36 h and he was referred for TEE‐guided electrical cardioversion. There was no thrombus identified in the left atrial appendage, however, the appendage was large and had a tongue‐like accessory lobe along with spontaneous contrast in the left atrium and its appendage. TEE probe was not withdrawn, patient underwent successful cardioversion with 200 joules and developed a marked increase in left atrial and left atrial appendage spontaneous contrast along with the development of tear drop shaped thrombus in the left atrial appendage immediately after cardioversion, which rapidly became more dense. There was an associated marked decrease in appendage velocities. Patient was hospitalized to initiate low molecular weight heparin. This case highlights the need for vigilance in patients with an unknown duration of atrial fibrillation, who have received a short duration of anticoagulant therapy and who have adverse appendage anatomy as thrombus may develop immediately after cardioversion despite anticoagulation.
Hematological and genetic profiles of persons with co‐inherited heterozygous β‐thalassemia and supernumerary α‐globin genes
Authors: Sundaresan Durga Devi , Hira Jasbir Kaur , Chhabra Sanjeev , Trehan Amita , Khadwal Alka Rani , Malhotra Pankaj , Sharma Prashant , Das Reena
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Thalassemias are common monogenic autosomal recessive hemoglobin disorders. The usually asymptomatic heterozygotes (β‐thalassemia traits, βTT) may rarely develop non‐transfusion‐dependent‐thalassemia (NTDT) due to co‐inheritance of supernumerary α‐globin genes. Literature on phenotypic/genotypic features of these rare combinations is limited.

Materials and Methods

We studied the demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from 47 persons with co‐inherited βTT + supernumerary α‐globin genes. HBB mutations were tested for by ARMS‐PCR and/or Sanger sequencing, ααα(anti3.7)/ααα(anti4.2) and deletional α‐thalassemia testing by multiplex gap‐PCRs, and Xmn1Gγ genotyping by PCR‐RFLP.

Results

The 47 cases comprised 0.08% of 61 010 hemoglobinopathy screenings during the study period. Mean age was 31.9 ± 14.7 years (range 5.5–83 years), with 57.4% males. Thirty (63.8%) had NTDT‐phenotype, 16 (34%) were asymptomatic/minimally symptomatic, and 1 became transfusion‐dependent at the age of 20 years. Anemia/pallor and jaundice were the commonest complaints (76% each); 40% had required blood transfusions. Twenty‐one had splenomegaly, 14 had hepatomegaly. Mean hemoglobin was 9.0 ± 1.9 g/dl (range 4.0–13.0). HbA2 was 5.1 ± 0.7% (3.4%–6.3%) and HbF% 4.2 ± 3.2% (0.5%–18.4%). Forty‐four (93.6%) had αααanti3.7, while 3 (6.4%) had αααanti4.2 triplications. HBB:c.92+5G>C (47%), HBB:c.27_28insG (14.9%), and HBB:c.47G>A (8.5%) were the commonest β‐globin mutations. One case showed HBB:c.‐138C>T (β++), while the rest had β0 or severe‐β+ mutations. Symptomatic cases had significantly lower hemoglobins and higher HbF% than asymptomatic ones.

Conclusion

This largest Indian and globally second‐largest study reports the βTT + ααα4.2 state for the first time in such genotypically‐complex Indian cases. Supernumerary α‐genes should be suspected in all βTT with disproportionate clinical symptoms, mild‐to‐moderately elevated HbF, and unexplained anisopoikilocytosis.
Ordeal by innocence in the big‐data era: Intended data breach disclosure, unintended real activities manipulation
Authors: Liu Jinyu , Ni Xiaoran
Published: January 2023

We demonstrate an unintended consequence of mandatory disclosure of data breaches: the distortion of firms' real business activities. Employing the staggered adoption of data breach disclosure laws across various US states, we show that mandatory disclosure exacerbates CEOs' real earnings manipulation through production and operation management, which is more pronounced for firms of which the outbreak of data breaches is more of a concern and under stronger short‐term market pressure. The law adoption is associated with higher stock price crash risk and fewer patenting activities. Our findings reveal side effects of certain customer‐protection regulations in view of dampened information quality.
Do new CEOs really care about innovation?
Authors: Ahmad Wasim , Farag Hisham , Wang Yaopeng
Published: January 2023

This study asks whether new chief executive officers (CEOs) care about innovation postturnover. Using a large sample of Chinese listed firms between 2008 and 2019, our identification strategy relies on the exogenous variation in CEO turnovers. Our difference‐in‐difference estimates indicate that new CEOs improve R&D efficiency and generate more and higher quality patents. We further show that this positive effect is more pronounced when CEOs have longer career horizons and overseas experience. Overall, our findings indicate that CEO turnover represents an effective mechanism for fostering innovation and new CEOs indeed care about innovation. Our results could benefit several groups of stakeholders with respect to CEO selection process.
The FEBS Journal in 2023: building back better
Authors: Martin Seamus J.
Published: January 2023

The FEBS Journal publishes high impact research on diverse topics in the life sciences, with a focus on molecular mechanisms underpinning biological processes. Here, Editor‐in‐Chief Seamus Martin discusses highlights of the journal from the past year and gives a glimpse into what's in store for 2023.
The application of the Theory of Critical Distances to nonhomogeneous materials
Authors: Marsavina Liviu , Sapora Alberto , Susmel Luca , Taylor David
Published: January 2023

The Theory of Critical Distances (TCD) has undoubtedly represented a breakthrough in the brittle failure assessment of engineering materials containing defects, crack, or notches. The basic idea on which the simplest formulation of the TCD is based is to evaluate an effective stress at a characteristic distance from the tip of the defect/crack/notch and compare it with an inherent fracture strength. Is the critical distance related to the material (micro) structure? Whereas a correlation was already proved for homogeneous materials, the current attention to nonhomogeneous ones has brought the question back to the fore. The goal of the present work is therefore twofold: (i) to extend the use of the TCD, through the simple yet effective Point Method (PM), for the static failure assessment of inhomogeneous materials, such as cellular, biological, and additively manufactured (AM) materials; and (ii) to look for a correlation between critical distance and internal (micro) structure.
Understanding the effects of phosphorus on diatom richness in rivers and streams using taxon–environment relationships
Authors: Yuan Lester L. , Mitchell Richard M. , Pollard Amina I. , Nietch Christopher T. , Pilgrim Erik M. , Smucker Nathan J.
Published: January 2023

Changes in phosphorus concentrations affect periphytic diatom composition in streams, yet we rarely observe strong relationships between diatom richness and phosphorus. In contrast, changes in conductivity are strongly associated with differences in both diatom composition and richness. We hypothesised that we could better understand the mechanisms that control the phosphorus–richness relationship by examining relationships between phosphorus and the occurrence of individual diatom taxa, comparing these with relationships between conductivity and taxon occurrence, and documenting how niche breadths of taxa affect richness patterns.

We estimated relationships between phosphorus and taxon occurrence using DNA metabarcoding data of diatoms collected from 1,811 sites distributed across the conterminous U.S.A. and contrasted patterns in these relationships with those between conductivity and taxon occurrence.

The distribution of taxon optima for phosphorus was bimodal, with most optima located at either the maximum or minimum observed phosphorus concentration. The distribution of taxon optima for conductivity was unimodal. Niche breadths of taxa for phosphorus and for conductivity both generally increased with optimum values.

The distribution of conductivity optima gave rise to a prominent hump‐shaped relationship between richness and conductivity. The relationship between richness and phosphorus was also slightly hump‐shaped, but this relationship would not be expected from the bimodal distribution of optima. Instead, we determined that broad niche breadths caused the hump‐shaped relationship between richness and phosphorus.

Our results highlight the nuanced effects that increased P loadings exert on diatom assemblages in rivers and streams and identify reasons that weak relationships between taxon richness and increased phosphorus have been observed. These findings allow us to better describe how excess phosphorus and subsets of taxa and their niche breadths contribute to patterns of taxa richness in diatom assemblages, and to improve the tools used to manage phosphorus pollution.
Are diatom community assembly processes scale invariant in streams?
Authors: Soininen Janne
Published: January 2023

Biological communities are structured by deterministic and stochastic factors often regarded to as community assembly processes. Deterministic factors comprise environmental filtering and biotic interactions while stochastic factors include random dispersal and ecological drift. Earlier research suggests that the relative importance of assembly processes may vary with scale. This is because biotic interactions typically occur at fine spatial scales, whereas heterogeneous environment filters species more efficiently at larger scales. The aim of this study was to investigate whether stream diatom community assembly processes varied among three spatial scales, ranging from within‐site scales to across drainage‐system scales in Finland.

The smallest spatial scale was a single riffle where a local community was defined as diatoms living on a single stone. The next larger spatial scale was a drainage system while the largest spatial scale comprised the pooled data from the eight drainage systems. To test whether the diatom communities were stochastically or deterministically assembled, the null model approach based on Raup–Crick dissimilarities (βRC) was used. Redundancy analyses were also run to visualise diatom community variation and to investigate the main environmental variables associated with community variation.

At the within‐riffle scale, mean and median βRC values were approaching −1, suggesting that environmental filtering shaped the communities. At the within‐drainage system scale, mean and median βRC values were also negative, but notably larger than within riffles. Across drainages, βRC values were at similar level to the within‐drainage system scale. At the riffle scale, water depth and light had the strongest influence on diatom community variation followed by current velocity along the stream. At the drainage scale, conductivity, pH, latitude, total phosphorus, and water colour had the largest influence on diatom community variation.

Overall, negative Raup–Crick dissimilarities indicated that environmental filtering dominated diatom community assembly at all scales but especially at small, within‐riffle scales. There was no consistent support for limiting similarity even at the smallest scales and the effect of stochastic, dispersal‐related factors became stronger at larger scales. These results support the idea that chemical conditions in streams are decisive factors for freshwater diatom biodiversity especially at regional scales.
Effects of climate on fall migration phenology of monarch butterflies departing the northeastern breeding grounds in Canada
Authors: Ethier Danielle M. , Mitchell Greg W.
Published: January 2023

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) undergo an iconic multi‐generational migration, traveling thousands of kilometers from the summer breeding grounds in southern Canada to overwintering sites in central Mexico. This migration phenomena can be affected by climate change, which may have important implications on fitness and ultimately populations status. We investigated the long‐term trends in fall migration phenology of monarchs using a 25‐year dataset collected along the coast of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada. We also investigated local long‐term trends in weather covariates that have the potential to influence migration phenology at this site. Patterns in standardized daily counts of monarchs were compared with local weather covariates using two methods (i.e., monthly averages and moving windows) to assess difference in outputs between analytical approaches. Our results suggest that monarch migration timing (migration midpoint, average peak, first peak, and late passage) and weather covariates have been consistent over time, in direct contrast to a similar study in Cape May, New Jersey, which showed a significant increase in both fall temperature and a 16‐ to 19‐day shift in monarch migration timing. Furthermore, our results differed between analytical approaches. With respect to annual variability in air temperature, our monthly average analysis suggested that for each degree increase in September air temperature, late season passage would advance 4.71 days (±1.59 SE, p = .01). However, the moving window analysis suggested that this result is likely spurious and found no significant correlations between migration timing and any weather covariates. Importantly, our results caution against extrapolating the effects of climate change on the migration phenology of the monarch across study regions and the need for more long‐term monitoring efforts to better understand regional drivers of variability in migration timing.
Vitamin D intakes among women living with and without HIV in Canada
Authors: King Elizabeth M. , Swann Shayda A. , Prior Jerilynn C. , Berger Claudie , Mayer Ulrike , Pick Neora , Campbell Amber R. , Côté Hélène C. F. , Murray Melanie C. M. ,   the CIHR team on Cellular Aging and HIV Comorbidities in Women and Children (CARMA)
Published: January 2023

Background

Patterns of vitamin D intake are relatively unexplored among women living with HIV, despite its importance for women's health. We compared vitamin D dietary and supplement intakes in women with HIV and population‐based national controls and investigated barriers to intake.

Methods

In this case–control study, women with HIV in the Children and Women: AntiRetrovirals and Markers of Aging (CARMA) cohort were matched with Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos) controls. Participants were queried for vitamin D in dairy consumption, supplementation/dosage, and sociodemographic variables. We assessed barriers to supplementation and factors associated with dietary intake by regression modelling.

Results

Ninety‐five women living with HIV were age‐matched to 284 controls. Women with HIV had lower income and bone mineral density and were more likely to smoke, take multiple medications and be non‐white. Vitamin D dietary intake was lower in women living with HIV versus controls [0.76 vs. 1.79 μg/day; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for greater than or equal to median intake 0.29 (0.12–0.61), p = 0.002], but any supplementation was higher [62.2% vs. 44.7%; aOR = 3.44 (95% CI: 1.16–11.00), p = 0.03]. Total vitamin D intake was similar between groups. Smoking was associated with no supplementation; non‐white ethnicity and low income were related to lower dietary intake.

Conclusions

Women living with HIV showed lower dietary vitamin D intake but higher supplementation rates, suggesting that care providers are promoting supplementation. Women living with HIV who smoke, have low incomes and are non‐white may particularly benefit from targeted efforts to improve vitamin D intake.
Seasonal and spatial variation of stream macroinvertebrate taxonomic and functional diversity across three boreal regions
Authors: Baker Nathan Jay , Welti Ellen A. R. , Pilotto Francesca , Jourdan Jonas , Beudert Burkhard , Huttunen Kaisa‐Leena , Muotka Timo , Paavola Riku , Göthe Emma , Haase Peter
Published: January 2023

The exploration of biodiversity has predominantly been based on taxonomic measures, whereas functional diversity, a key component of biodiversity, is comparatively understudied. Therefore, studies simultaneously investigating patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity change in biological communities are of increasing interest.

We collated high‐resolution macroinvertebrate and environmental data from 70 boreal headwater stream sites across three European countries (Germany, Finland, Sweden) to (1) investigate seasonal variation in taxonomic diversity, functional diversity, and redundancy, and (2) identify their potential drivers of spatial and seasonal variation.

Seasonal changes in boreal macroinvertebrate taxonomic diversity were decoupled from changes in functional diversity. Seasonal shifts in environmental conditions, including acidity and nutrient variability, drove fluctuations in taxonomic diversity which were far more pronounced than those of functional diversity.

Seasonal shifts in environmental conditions including variation in the quantity, quality, and state of organic carbon (dissolved vs particulate) facilitate an exchange of taxa, leading to taxonomically unique communities that exploit the pool of available seasonal resources. Thus, similar levels of functional diversity across seasons—even as taxonomic diversity changes—suggest limited differences in interspecific changes in community function, potentially indicating functional resistance rooted in redundancy.

We highlight the spatial and seasonal discrepancies of freshwater communities, emphasising the need for both taxonomic and functional diversity patterns to be assessed in future biodiversity monitoring programmes.
Clinical nurses' patient safety competency, systems thinking and missed nursing care: A cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Chang Hyoung Eun , Manojlovich Milisa
Published: January 2023

Aim

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships among patient safety competency, systems thinking and missed nursing care.

Background

Patient safety competency and systems thinking are important nurse attributes that promote patient safety. Missed nursing care is known to negatively impact patient safety. However, how nurses' patient safety competency and systems thinking relate to missed nursing care is unknown.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey design was used to collect data from nurses practicing in two general hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected between 3 March and 17 April 2020. Questionnaires were distributed to nurses providing direct care in general and specialty units. Patient safety competency, systems thinking and missed nursing care were measured using reliable and valid instruments. A total of 432 complete sets of data were used in final analysis.

Results

Higher patient safety competency of nurses was associated with lower missed nursing care. Systems thinking partially mediated the relationship between knowledge of patient safety competency and missed nursing care, and attitudes of patient safety competency and missed nursing care.

Conclusions

The knowledge, skills and attitudes sub‐scales of patient safety competency showed somewhat different effects in the relationship between missed nursing care and systems thinking, suggesting that each attribute may tap into a separate aspect of patient safety.
Recent evidence and progress for developing precision nursing in symptomatology: A scoping review
Authors: Liu Qian , Wang Fang , Wang Guan , Liu Li , Hu Xiuying
Published: January 2023

Aim

To summarize the omics results of symptomatic research that can help nurses identify intervention targets and design precision interventions for pain, mental health, cognitive impairment, sleep disorder, fatigue, lymphedema, and quality of life, so as to provide a comprehensive summary of help and inspire to precision nursing.

Methods

CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases were searched. Retrieval time was from January 2012 to December 2021. Symptomatology research applying omics that can be used to guide nurses in designing targeted interventions was included.

Results

Forty‐six studies were included in the final review. Symptomatology research that can be integrated with nursing science to develop precision nursing focused on pain, mental health, cognitive impairment, sleep disorder, fatigue, lymphedema, and quality of life. Most studies were related to cognitive impairment (n = 10; 21.74%), pain (n = 9; 19.57%), and mental health (n = 8; 17.39%). Moreover, the included studies involved various omics technologies, such as whole genome, epigenome, transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome.

Conclusion

The rapid development of various omic technologies promotes symptomatology research, which can help nurses fully understand the information of patients. Phenotypic characteristics and biomarkers shown in symptomatology research help nurses identify intervention targets and develop individualization interventions, so as to prevent and reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Implication for nursing and health policy

This scoping review is the first synthesis of all peer‐reviewed literature to summarize and provide important information and references from the omic results of symptomatology studies to develop precision nursing, highlighting the status and development of precision nursing. Nursing education policies should introduce the development and importance of precision nursing. Further research could consider investing more attention in precision nursing. Nursing researchers can carry out some studies applying omics technology to explore more biomarkers, helping guide the formulation of clinical intervention for symptoms.
Editorial perspective: Leaving the baby in the bathwater in neurodevelopmental research
Authors: Wass Sam , Jones Emily J.H.
Published: January 2023

Neurodevelopmental conditions are characterised by differences in the way children interact with the people and environments around them. Despite extensive investigation, attempts to uncover the brain mechanisms that underpin neurodevelopmental conditions have yet to yield any translatable insights. We contend that one key reason is that psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists study brain function by taking children away from their environment, into a controlled lab setting. Here, we discuss recent research that has aimed to take a different approach, moving away from experimental control through isolation and stimulus manipulation, and towards approaches that embrace the measurement and targeted interrogation of naturalistic, user‐defined and complex, multivariate datasets. We review three worked examples (of stress processing, early activity level in ADHD and social brain development in autism) to illustrate how these new approaches might lead to new conceptual and translatable insights into neurodevelopment.
One judge to rule them all: Single‐member courts as an answer to delays in criminal trials
Authors: Kalliris Konstantinos , Alysandratos Theodore
Published: January 2023

This paper is a discussion of whether single‐member judicial panels are an effective way of accelerating the delivery of criminal justice. We use a reform which introduced single‐member courts in Greece, where delays in court proceedings are common according to the European Justice Scoreboard and the European Court of Human Rights. We use a novel dataset of 1463 drug trafficking cases tried between June 2012 and January 2014. As our measure of efficiency we use the time to issue a decision, and we find that single‐member panels are as efficient as three‐member ones. We take advantage of a feature of the reform to control for several confounding factors and support a causal interpretation of our findings. We complement our analysis with a survey of 142 judges to guide our interpretation of the results.
Protracted eclogite‐facies metamorphism of the Dulan area, North Qaidam ultrahigh‐pressure terrane: Insights on zircon growth during continental subduction and collision
Authors: Hernández‐Uribe David , Mattinson Chris G. , Regel Megan E. , Zhang Jianxin , Stubbs Katie A. , Kylander‐Clark Andrew R. C.
Published: January 2023

Continental subduction and collision are recorded by ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) terranes; UHP terranes that form at early stages of an orogeny tend to be small and experience short residence at eclogite‐facies depths, whereas terranes that form at mature stages of an orogeny tend to be larger and experience longer residence at these depths, but accurately determining eclogite‐facies residence time requires a large geochronologic dataset tied to metamorphic conditions (via trace elements and/or inclusions). In the Dulan area, North Qaidam UHP terrane, China, it remains unclear whether the terrane experienced a long residence at eclogite‐facies depths, marking the mature stage of an orogeny or two distinct (ultra)high pressure ([U]HP) events (with short residence times), interpreted as the transition from oceanic subduction to continental collision, where one (U)HP event is related to the former and second (U)HP event to the latter. To address this issue, we report new zircon U–Pb ages and trace‐element data from eclogite and host paragneiss from the Dulan area and show that this terrane records ~42 Myr of eclogite‐facies metamorphism at (U)HP conditions, similar to other large UHP terranes. Zircon from 11 eclogite and 2 gneiss samples yields weighted mean ages of 463–425 Ma, flat heavy rare earth element (HREE) patterns without negative Eu anomalies, and eclogitic mineral inclusions, indicating eclogite‐facies conditions. Paragneiss metamorphic ages overlap with ages from eclogite but are generally younger, suggesting that a lack of internally generated fluids may have inhibited zircon growth and/or recrystallization until early decompression and white mica consumption in felsic gneiss generated fluids; thus, we interpret that these felsic rocks record the later stages of continental collision. Dataset patterns from all new and previously published analyses for the Dulan area (34 eclogite and 14 gneiss) suggest that metamorphic zircon in eclogite records prograde, peak and possibly early retrograde conditions, in contrast to the prediction from mass balance models that metamorphic zircon should only grow during exhumation and cooling. We reconcile our observations with these model predictions by recognizing that differential solubility can lead to grain‐scale zircon growth or recrystallization over a large segment of the pressure–temperature (P–T) path even where zircon abundance decreases at the whole‐rock scale.
Enhancement of receptor‐mediated calcium responses by phenytoin through the suppression of calcium excretion in human gingival fibroblasts
Authors: Minowa Erika , Hayashi Yoshinobu , Goh Kenji , Ishida Narumi , Kurashige Yoshihito , Nezu Akihiro , Saitoh Masato , Tanimura Akihiko
Published: January 2023

Background and Objectives

Gingival overgrowth caused by phenytoin is proposed to be associated with Ca2+ signaling; however, the mechanisms that increase the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) are controversial. The current study aimed to elucidate the mechanism underlying the phenytoin‐induced increase in [Ca2+]i in human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs).

Methods

Effects of 100 μM phenytoin on [Ca2+]i in HGFs were examined at the single‐cell level using fluorescence images of fura‐2 captured by an imaging system consisting of an EM‐CCD camera coupled to an inverted fluorescence microscope at room temperature.

Results

Exposure of HGFs to 100 μM phenytoin induced a transient increase in [Ca2+]i in the absence of extracellular Ca2+, indicating that the phenytoin‐induced increase in [Ca2+]i does not require an influx of extracellular Ca2+. In addition, phenytoin increased [Ca2+]i in HGFs depleted of intracellular Ca2+ stores by thapsigargin, indicating that neither Ca2+ release from stores nor inhibition of Ca2+ uptake is involved. Furthermore, the phenytoin‐induced [Ca2+]i elevation was reduced to 18.8% in the absence of extracellular Na+, and [Ca2+]i elevation upon removal of extracellular Na+ was reduced to 25.9% in the presence of phenytoin. These results imply that phenytoin increases [Ca2+]i of HGFs by suppressing the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. Suppression of intracellular Ca2+ excretion is thought to enhance the Ca2+ responses induced by various stimuli. Analysis at the single‐cell level showed that stimulation with 1 μM ATP or 3 μM histamine increased [Ca2+]i in 20–50% of cells, and [Ca2+]i increased in many unresponsive cells in the presence of phenytoin.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that phenytoin induced increase in [Ca2+]i by the inhibition of Ca2+ efflux in HGFs. It was also found that phenytoin strongly enhanced small Ca2+ responses induced by stimulation with a low concentration of ATP or histamine by inhibiting Ca2+ efflux. These findings suggest a possibility that phenytoin causes drug‐induced gingival overgrowth by interacting with inflammatory bioactive substances in the gingiva.
DDX3‐mediated miR‐34 expression inhibits autophagy and HBV replication in hepatic cells
Authors: Mishra Amit Kumar , Hossain Md Musa , Umar Mohd , Sata Teja Naveen , Yadav Ajay K. , Sah Amrendra Kumar , Ismail Md , Nayak Baibaswata , Shalimar  , Venugopal Senthil Kumar
Published: January 2023

HBV entry to the host cells and its successful infection depends on its ability to modulate the host restriction factors. DEAD box RNA helicase, DDX3, is shown to inhibit HBV replication. However, the exact mechanism of inhibition still remains unclear. DDX3 is involved in multitude or RNA metabolism processes including biogenesis of miRNAs. In this study, we sought to determine the mechanism involved in DDX3‐mediated HBV inhibition. First, we observed that HBx protein of HBV downregulated DDX3 expression in HBV‐infected cells. Overexpression of DDX3 inhibited HBx, HBsAg and total viral load, while its knockdown reversed the result in Hep G2.2.15 cells. Expression of miR‐34 was downregulated in HBV‐infected cells. Overexpression of pHBV1.3 further confirmed that HBV downregulates miR‐34 expression. Consistent with the previous finding that DDX3 is involved in miRNA biogenesis, we observed that expression of miR‐34 positively corelated with DDX3 expression. miRNA target prediction tools showed that miR‐34 can target autophagy pathway which is hijacked by HBV for the benefit of its own replication. Indeed, transfection with miR‐34 oligos downregulated the expression of autophagy marker proteins in HBV‐expressing cells. Overexpression of DDX3 in HBV‐expressing cells, downregulated expression of autophagy proteins while silencing of DDX3 reversed the results. These results led us to conclude that DDX3 upregulates miR‐34 expression and thus inhibits autophagy in HBV‐expressing cells while HBx helps HBV evade DDX3‐mediated inhibition by downregulating DDX3 expression in HBV‐infected cells.
A novel DSPP frameshift mutation causing dentin dysplasia type 2 and disease management strategies
Authors: Yuan Minyan , Zheng Xueqing , Xue Yifan , He Zhenru , Song Guangtai , Song Yaling
Published: January 2023

The present study aims to investigate the mutation in a Chinese family with dentin dysplasia type II (DD‐II) and to summarize mutation hotspots, clinical manifestations, and disease management strategies. Phenotype analysis, clinical intervention, mutation screening, and cosegregation analysis within the enrolled family were performed. A summary of the reported mutations in the dentin phosphoprotein (DPP) region of dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) was analyzed. Pathogenicity prediction analysis of the physical properties and function of DSPP variants was performed by bioinformatic processing. Clinical management strategies are discussed. A novel pathogenic mutation (c.2035delA) in the DPP region of DSPP was identified, which was cosegregated in the family. The immature permanent teeth of patients with DD‐II presented with X‐shaped root canal phenotypes. Most of the identified mutations for DD‐II were clustered in the DPP region between nucleotides 1686–2134. Points of differential diagnosis, clinical interventions, and management strategies are proposed. This study revealed a novel DSPP frameshift mutation and presented new clinical features of DD‐II. The locus involving nucleotides 1686–2134 of DSPP may represent a mutational hotspot for the disease. Appropriate management of DD‐II at different stages is important to avoid the development of secondary dental lesions.
Head‐and‐neck dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: Survival analysis and Clinically relevant immunohistochemical indicators
Authors: Dai Zhenlin , He Youya , Zhang Xu , Tian Zhen , Zhu Guopei , Ren Zhenhu , Ye Lulu , Liu Zheqi , Ma Chunyue , Cao Wei , Ji Tong
Published: January 2023

Background

Head and neck dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (HNDFSP) is extremely rare and not entirely understood.

Objective

To investigate the clinicopathological features of HNDFSP and identify the expression of its clinically relevant indicators, with the expectation of improving the existing treatment strategies.

Methods

A long‐term follow‐up of patients with HNDFSP who received treatment between 2000 and 2021 at Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital was conducted. The clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical data of the patients were retrieved and analyzed. The endpoint of the study was the incidence of significant disease‐related clinical events (recurrences or metastasis).

Results

A total of 49 patients with HNDFSP were included in the study, with males (92.7%) predominating than females (7.3%). Eighteen patients developed recurrent disease (36.8%) after surgery, and the median time of recurrence was 48 months (interquartile, 20–74 months). Metastasis occurred in two cases (4.1%). Two patients died during follow‐up, both with local recurrence, and one of them with intestinal metastasis. Post‐operation radiotherapy was administered to eight patients (16.3%) and the effect in local control was remarkable. Age, tumor size, and negative margins with sufficient safety width were the main independent factors affecting the disease‐free survival. Several potential targeted therapeutic indicators, including EZH2 (80.0%), EGFR (91.4%), PDGF (97.1%), PD‐L1 (77.1%), and VEGF (77.1%), were positively expressed in most tumor samples.

Conclusion

HNDFSP is rare, significantly challenging to control locally, and has a worse prognosis with current treatment strategies. Wide local excision and long‐term follow‐up are needed. Radiotherapy could improve the prognosis of patients with HNDFSP.
Impact of nonlocal dispersal and time periodicity on the global exponential stability of bistable traveling waves
Authors: Ma Manjun , Meng Wentao , Ou Chunhua
Published: January 2023

Global exponential stability of bistable traveling wave solutions to a periodic Lotka–Volterra system with nonlocal dispersal is investigated. We first establish refined squeezing upper and lower solutions based on the properties of the bistable wavefront. This important squeezing technique has been successfully applied to study the exponential convergence of solutions.
Impacts of cognition of exercise on physical activity participation in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Huang Mei , Lv Aili , Yang Feng , Tang Yuning , Li Yang , Hua Yan , Gao Julin , Ni Chunping
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Physical inactivity is a strong predictor of mortality in hemodialysis patients. Although regular physical activity reduces mortality, patients remain inactive. Comparing the cognition of exercise in hemodialysis patients with different physical activity status could highlight domains where inactive people experience heightened barriers to physical activity. We therefore assessed patients' perceived benefits and barriers to exercise using a standardized way, thereby informing future exercise interventions to address these barriers experienced by inactive patients.

Methods

ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis were recruited and asked to complete a human activity profile, wear a pedometer for seven consecutive days, and complete the Dialysis Patient‐perceived Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale (DPEBBS). Binominal Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine which benefits and barriers are associated with physical activity. This cross‐sectional observational study was registered as NCT05189795.

Results

A total of 505 patients completed the survey, most of whom were male (67.1%), with an average age of 49.69 ± 13.96 years. And 52.67–76.63% patients on HAP questionnaire were inactive. The co‐benefits in active patients were improving mood and prevention of muscle wasting but did not reach significance in physical activity level. Tiredness, muscle fatigue, and lack of knowledge of exercise were common barriers to patients, and all have a significant impact on a patient's physical activity level.

Conclusions

For inactive patients, exercise during hemodialysis can not only improve physical activity but also reduce family burden. And improving physical activity is a long‐term project that cannot be separated from the support of hemodialysis medical staff.
The full‐length Auxin Response Factor 8 isoform ARF8.1 controls pollen cell wall formation and directly regulates TDF1, AMS and MS188 expression
Authors: Ghelli Roberta , Brunetti Patrizia , Marzi Davide , Cecchetti Valentina , Costantini Marco , Lanzoni‐Rossi Mônica , Scaglia Linhares Francisco , Costantino Paolo , Cardarelli Maura
Published: January 2023

Auxin Response Factor 8 plays a key role in late stamen development: its splice variants ARF8.4 and ARF8.2 control stamen elongation and anther dehiscence. Here, we characterized the role of ARF8 isoforms in pollen fertility. By phenotypic and ultrastructural analysis of arf8‐7 mutant stamens, we found defects in pollen germination and viability caused by alterations in exine structure and pollen coat deposition. Furthermore, tapetum degeneration, a prerequisite for proper pollen wall formation, is delayed in arf8‐7 anthers. In agreement, the genes encoding the transcription factors TDF1, AMS, MS188 and MS1, required for exine and pollen coat formation, and tapetum development, are downregulated in arf8‐7 stamens. Consistently, the sporopollenin content is decreased, and the expression of sporopollenin synthesis/transport and pollen coat protein biosynthetic genes, regulated by AMS and MS188, is reduced. Inducible expression of the full‐length isoform ARF8.1 in arf8‐7 inflorescences complements the pollen (and tapetum) phenotype and restores the expression of the above transcription factors. Chromatin immunoprecipitation‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay revealed that ARF8.1 directly targets the promoters of TDF1, AMS and MS188. In conclusion, the ARF8.1 isoform controls pollen and tapetum development acting directly on the expression of TDF1, AMS and MS188, which belong to the pollen/tapetum genetic pathway.
Mechanical Response of Stress Wave Attenuator With Layered Structure Under Impact Load: Experimental and Numerical Studies
Authors: Yang Zhenglong , Peng Jianming , Ge Dong , Li Yanliang , Li Jiming , Liu Pengcheng
Published: January 2023

The fluidic down-the-hole (DTH) hammer drilling is generally regarded as one of the best means for hot dry rock (HDR) drilling. The fluid oscillator, as the core part of the fluidic DTH hammer, is prone to fracture when subjected to impact loads due to its brittle characteristics. Therefore, a steel-layered structure with different contact areas is developed as a stress wave attenuator to protect the fluid oscillator for the DTH hammer under high-temperature drilling conditions. In this paper, the stress wave attenuation performance with different steel-layered structures is analyzed based on the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) technique. The effects of contact area ratio, the orientation of contact surfaces, and number of layers on the stress wave attenuation are investigated by numerical simulations and laboratory tests. It is found that the attenuation ratios in stress amplitude and impact energy gradually increased with the increase of the contact area ratio. Besides, the orientation of contact surfaces has a significant influence on the attenuation effect. For the layered structure with a two-layer object part, the maximum attenuation ratios of stress amplitude and impact energy are 62.4% and 79.6%, respectively, when the included angle between the two convex structures is increased to 90 deg. Additionally, the attenuation ratio of the layered structure can be improved by increasing the number of layers. The results demonstrate that the stress wave attenuator with layered structures has great potential for brittle materials protection against impact loads.