bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Engineering and characterization of carbohydrate-binding modules to enable real-time imaging of cellulose fibrils biosynthesis in plant protoplasts
Authors: Jayachandran Dharanidaran , Smith Peter , Irfan Mohammad , Sun Junhong , Yarborough John M. , Bomble Yannick J. , Lam Eric , Chundawat Shishir P.S.
Published: January 2023

Carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs) are non-catalytic domains associated with cell wall degrading carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) that are often present in nature tethered to distinct catalytic domains (CD). Fluorescently labeled CBMs have been also used to visualize the presence of specific polysaccharides present in the cell wall of plant cells and tissues.

Previous studies have provided a qualitative analysis of CBM-polysaccharide interactions, with limited characterization of optimal CBM designs for recognizing specific plant cell wall glycans. Furthermore, CBMs also have not been used to study cell wall regeneration in plant protoplasts.

Here, we examine the dynamic interactions of engineered type-A CBMs (from families 3a and 64) with crystalline cellulose-I and phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC). We generated tandem CBM designs to determine their binding parameters and reversibility towards cellulose-I using equilibrium binding assays. Kinetic parameters - adsorption (kon) and desorption (koff) rate constants-for CBMs towards nanocrystalline cellulose were determined using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Our results indicate that tandem CBM3a exhibits a five-fold increased adsorption rate to cellulose compared to single CBM3a, making tandem CBM3a suitable for live-cell imaging applications. We next used engineered CBMs to visualizeArabidopsis thalianaprotoplasts with regenerated cell walls using wide-field fluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).

In summary, tandem CBMs offer a novel polysaccharide labeling probe for real-time visualization of growing cellulose chains in living Arabidopsis protoplasts.
A simple and efficientin plantatransformation method based on the active regeneration capacity of plants
Authors: Mei Guoguo , Chen Ao , Wang Yaru , Li Shuquan , Wu Minyi , Liu Xu , Hou Xingliang
Published: January 2023

Plant genetic transformation strategies serve as essential tools for the genetic engineering and advanced molecular breeding of plants. However, the complicated operational protocol and low efficiency of the current transformation strategies restrict the genetic modification of most plant species. This paper describes the development of aRegenerativeActivity-dependentinPlantaInjectionDelivery (RAPID) method based on the active regeneration capacity of plants. In this method,Agrobacterium tumefacienswas delivered to plant meristems via injection for inducing transfected renascent tissues. Stable transgenic plants were obtained by subsequent vegetative propagation of the positive renascent tissues. The method was successfully applied for the transformation of plants with strong regeneration capacity, including different genotypes of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), potato (Solanum tuberosum), and bayhops (I. pes-caprae). Compared to the traditional transformation methods, RAPID has a markedly high transformation efficiency (up to ~ 40%), shorter duration (less than 4 weeks), and does not require tissue culture procedures. The RAPID method therefore overcomes the limitations of traditional methods for achieving rapidin plantatransformation, and can be potentially applied to a wide range of plant species that are capable of active regeneration.
Chronic social stress blunts core body temperature and molecular rhythms ofRbm3andCirbpin mouse lateral habenula
Authors: Haniffa Salma , Narain Priyam , Hughes Michelle Ann , Petković Aleksa , Šušić Marko , Mlambo Vongai , Chaudhury Dipesh
Published: January 2023

Chronic social stress in mice causes behavioral and physiological changes that result in perturbed rhythms of body temperature, activity and sleep-wake cycle. To further understand the link between mood disorders and temperature rhythmicity in mice that are resilient or susceptible to stress, we measured core body temperature (Tcore) before and after exposure to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). We found that Tcore amplitudes of stress-resilient and susceptible mice are dampened during exposure to CSDS. However, following CSDS, resilient mice recovered temperature amplitude faster than susceptible mice. Furthermore, the interdaily stability (IS) of temperature rhythms was fragmented in stress-exposed mice during CSDS, which recovered to control levels following stress. There were minimal changes in locomotor activity after stress exposure which correlates with regular rhythmic expression ofProk2- an output signal of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. We also determined that expression of thermosensitive genesRbm3andCirbpin the lateral habenula (LHb) were blunted 1-day after CSDS. Rhythmic expression of these genes recovered 10 days later. Overall, we show that CSDS blunts Tcore and thermosensitive gene rhythms. Tcore rhythm recovery is faster in stress-resilient mice, butRbm3andCirbprecovery is uniform across the phenotypes.
Photomanipulation of minimal synthetic cells: area increase, softening and interleaflet coupling of membrane models doped with azobenzene-lipid photoswitches
Authors: Aleksanyan Mina , Grafmüller Andrea , Crea Fucsia , Georgiev Vasil N. , Yandrapalli Naresh , Block Stephan , Heberle Joachim , Dimova Rumiana
Published: January 2023

Light can effectively interrogate biological systems in a reversible and physiologically compatible manner with high spatiotemporal precision. Understanding the biophysics of photo-induced processes in bio-systems is crucial for achieving relevant clinical applications. Employing membranes doped with the photolipid azobenzene-phosphatidylcholine (azo-PC), we provide a holistic picture of light-triggered changes in membrane kinetics, morphology and material properties obtained from correlative studies on cell-sized vesicles, Langmuir monolayers, supported lipid bilayers and molecular dynamics simulations. Light-induced membrane area increase as high as ∼25% and a 10-fold decrease in the membrane bending rigidity is observed upontrans-to-cisazo-PC isomerization associated with membrane leaflet coupling and molecular curvature changes. Vesicle electrodeformation measurements and atomic force microscopy reveal thattransazo-PC bilayers are thicker than POPC bilayer but have higher specific membrane capacitance and dielectric constant suggesting an increased ability to store electric charges across the membrane. Lastly, incubating POPC vesicles with azo-PC solutions resulted in the insertion of azo-PC in the membrane enabling them to become photoresponsive. All these results demonstrate that light can be used to finely manipulate the shape, mechanical and electric properties of photolipid-doped minimal cell models and liposomal drug carriers, thus, presenting a promising therapeutic alternative for the repair of cellular disorders.
Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis Reveals APEX1 as a Potential Biomarker for Septic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Pu Junxing , Gao Fan , He Ying
Published: January 2023

Background

A severe threat to human health is septic cardiomyopathy (SCM), a condition with high morbidity and fatality rates throughout the world. However, effective treatment targets are still lacking. Therefore, it is necessary and urgent to find new therapeutic targets of SCM.

Methods

We obtained gene chip datasets GSE79962, GSE53007 and GSE13205 from the GEO database. After data normalization, GSE79962 was used as the training set and screened for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Then, the module genes most related to SCM were identified via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The potential target genes of SCM were obtained by intersection of DEGs and WGCNA module genes. We further performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) function and pathway enrichment analyses on these genes. In addition, potential biomarkers were screened using machine learning algorithms and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was then used to explore the mechanisms underlying the involvement of potential biomarkers. Finally, we validated the obtained potential biomarkers in test sets (GSE53007 and GSE13205).

Results

A total of 879 DEGs were obtained by differential expression analysis. WGCNA generated 2939 module genes significantly associated with SCM. The intersection of the two results produced 479 potential target genes. Enrichment analysis showed that these genes were involved in the positive regulation of protein kinase A signaling, histone deacetylase activity and T cell receptor signaling pathway, etc. Then, the results of machine learning algorithm and ROC analysis revealed that NEIL3, APEX1, KCNJ14 and TKTL1 had good diagnostic efficacy. GSEA results showed that these genes involved in signaling pathways mainly enriched in base excision repair and glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis pathways, etc. Notably, APEX1 was significantly up-regulated in the SCM groups of the two test sets and the AUC (area under curve) > 0.85.

Conclusions

Our study identified NEIL3, APEX1, KCNJ14 and TKTL1 may play important roles in the pathogenesis of SCM through integrated bioinformatics analysis, and APEX1 may be a novel biomarker with great potential in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of SCM in the future.
The Potential of the Primitive: a Network Analysis of Early Arthropod Evolution
Authors: Ostachuk Agustín
Published: January 2023

2

It is often thought that the primitive is simpler, and that the complex is generated from the simple by some process of self-assembly or self-organization, which ultimately consists of the spontaneous and fortuitous collision of elementary units. This idea is included in the Darwinian theory of evolution, to which is added the competitive mechanism of natural selection. To test this view, we studied the early evolution of arthropods. Twelve groups of arthropods belonging to the Burgess Shale, Orsten Lagerstätte, and extant primitive groups were selected, their external morphology abstracted and codified in the language of network theory. The analysis of these networks through different network measures (network parameters, topological descriptors, complexity measures) was used to carry out a PCA and a hierarchical clustering, which allowed us to obtain an evolutionary tree with distinctive/novel features. The analysis of centrality measures revealed that these measures decreased throughout the evolutionary process, and led to the creation of the concept of evolutionary developmental potential. This potential, which measures the capacity of a morphological unit to generate changes in its surroundings, is concomitantly reduced throughout the evolutionary process, and shows that the primitive is not simple but has a potential that unfolds during this process. This means for us the first evolutionary empirical evidence of our theory of evolution as a process of unfolding.

3

Teaser

Primitive is not simple but has a potential that unfolds throughout the evolutionary process.
Contacts on LinkedIn: equity crowdfunding platforms' networks and creators' innovation performance
Authors: Graziano Elvira Anna , Fattobene Lucrezia , Giovando Guido , Pellicelli Annaclaudia
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore whether and how the innovation performance of start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that collect funds using equity crowdfunding (EC), i.e. creators (or proponents), and the EC performance are influenced by the social media networks (SMNs) in which EC platforms' managers and firms exchange their ideas with investors and customers.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical analysis is conducted on a sample composed by all the creators that collected funds in EC platforms over the three-year period 2018–2020. For each creator, the innovation performance is computed as the percentage of sales from new or significantly improved product and services compared to total sales of firm. For each campaign, the EC performance is considered as the ratio between the total amount of funding raised at the end of the campaign and the target capital for the campaign. To investigate EC platform social media activity, LinkedIn profiles of EC platforms managers are analyzed using the social network analysis (SNA) methodology, which permits to observe the quantity and the quality of managers' interactions with other users. A regression analysis is thus performed to observe the relationship between managers' LinkedIn activities, EC performance and creators' innovation performance.

Findings

Data reveal that EC platforms managers display different activities in networking, with some individuals more active than others and more oriented to interact with business profiles rather than personal ones. The variables related to managers' LinkedIn activities are shown to impact both on the EC performance and on the ability of creators to innovate, suggesting the existence of a link between creators, EC platforms and the activity of the subject who manages it.

Originality/value

The present study is the first to examine the link between the ability of creators to innovate and SMNs, focusing on the social links of platforms managers and considering the LinkedIn social media; moreover, the analysis is conducted analyzing the quality of the interactions in addition to their number. The study is original also in that rather than focusing on specific EC platforms it considers all those purposefully authorized by the Italian financial market supervisory authority over a three-year time span. From a managerial point of view, the observation of the relevance of social networks by personnel with specific professional skills reveals it can be a successful driver for operators in the sector, not only to safeguard their reputation, but to stimulate the processes of co-creation of value that is essential in the crowdfunding market.
Decoding the employee influencer on social media: applying Taylor’s six segment message strategy wheel
Authors: Jacobson Jenna , Gomes Rinaldi Adriana , Rudkowski Janice
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The paper aims to examine how employees influence their employer’s brand by applying Taylor’s (1999) six segment message strategy wheel in an employee influencer context.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses a content analysis of employees’ public social media posts – including captions and images – to analyze the message strategies employees use to promote their employers.

Findings

While ego and social were popular message strategies in both the images and captions, the findings evidence the varying message strategies employees use in text-based versus image-based messages. Four “imagined audiences” of employee influencers are identified: current customers, prospective customers, current employees and prospective employees.

Research limitations/implications

The research provides insight into how employees act as influencers in building their employer brand on social media.

Practical implications

A unique measurement tool is developed that can be used by companies and future researchers to decode employees’ online communications.

Originality/value

This research contributes to theory and practice in the following important ways. First, the research provides a modernization of an existing framework from an offline setting to an applied industry context in an online setting. Second, this research focuses on a subtype of social media influencer, the employee influencer, which is an underdeveloped area of research. Third, a unique measurement tool to analyze text-based and image-based social media data is developed that can be used by companies and future researchers to decode employees’ online communications.
Corporate social responsibility and corporate interlocks: Fortune 500 companies’ performance on the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Lee Dasom
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The role that corporations play in environmental and social sustainability has become increasingly important due to their size and embeddedness in our everyday lives. This study aims to examine the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate interlocks for the Fortune 500 companies.

Design/methodology/approach

To collect data, various sources were used including data web scraped from US Securities and Exchange Commission, Bloomberg ESG, ASSET4, Carbon Disclosure Project and data from each companies’ websites. To measure CSR, this paper uses an original United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) index, and to measure corporate interlocks, it uses the Bonacich centrality score and has a sample of 401 companies. To account for missing data, Bayesian multiple imputation was used. For the final analysis, linear regression analysis was conducted, for which all the assumptions are met.

Findings

The findings show that for most SDGs, corporate interlocks is an important predictor, but not for all SDGs. In other words, they indicate that corporate centrality remains to be an important variable in most aspects of CSR, but a more nuanced approach is required.

Originality/value

This paper uses the SDGs to provide a granular perspective of CSR, which is stronger and more methodologically rigorous compared to the existing metrics of CSR. Consequently, it provides an original insight into the corporate interlocks literature, which has not been empirically researched using granular CSR data.
Revisiting the determinants of happiness from a grounded theory approach
Authors: Singh Kamlesh , Saxena Gaurav , Mahendru Mandeep
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the lay notions of happiness and determine the factors that influence one’s experience of happiness.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a qualitative technique to understand better how happiness is conceptualised. This study uses a purposive sample to select a diverse and representative sample (N = 357). Participants responded to an open-ended questionnaire designed to elucidate their understanding of happiness. The data is analysed using grounded theory and a bottom-up approach.

Findings

Happiness is defined as a harmonious state where the individual’s physiological and psychological needs are satisfied in the past, present and future, leading them to live a meaningful and contented life. However, several factors may affect an individual’s level of happiness. Family and friends; health and wellness; personal and professional successes; recreation and personal traits all contributed to the feeling of happiness. On the other hand, factors impeding happiness include unfavourable surroundings, work and play impediments, strained relationships and undesirable behavioural characteristics. The authors compare and contrast these findings to the current empirical literature and hypotheses.

Originality/value

Despite the substantial study, no uniform definition of happiness exists. The existing body of knowledge is dominated by western viewpoints, which are not necessarily congruent with their eastern counterparts. This study presents a thorough and culturally unique understanding of happiness. This understanding would enable academics, policymakers and educators to develop successful policies that promote happiness. Additionally, this study aid future researchers to develop new measures that enable cross-regional and cross-national comparisons of happiness dynamics
Exploring the consequence of information communication technology-enabled work during non-working hours: a stress perspective
Authors: Wong George Yui-Lam , Kwok Ron Chi-Wai , Zhang Shanshan , Lai Gabriel Chun-Hei , Li Yanyan , Cheung Jessica Choi-Fung
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of information communication technology-enabled work during non-working hours (ICT-enabled WNWHs), as a source of stress, on employee behavioral outcomes –in-role job performance, organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) that benefit organizations and OCBs that benefit individuals, through emotional responses – work exhaustion, nonwork exhaustion and organization-based self-esteem. As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdowns demonstrated that employees frequently engage in ICT-enabled WNWHs, studying stress induced by ICT-enabled WNWHs is essential for understanding employee adaptation to the work-from-home trend that emerged from COVID-19 lockdowns.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative survey comprising 1,178 employees in China was conducted, and the data reliability and validity were confirmed. Partial least squares structural equation modeling analysis was employed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The study results empirically proved that, although ICT-enabled WNWHs had significant effects on employee behavioral outcomes, the related emotional responses were the mediators of the stress transmission mechanism that directly affected employee behavioral outcomes. Notably, work exhaustion and organization-based self-esteem partially mediate the stress transmission mechanism, while nonwork exhaustion exerts a full mediating effect.

Originality/value

This study proposes the stress transmission mechanism of ICT-enabled WNWHs and delineates emotional responses regarding the work environment attributes of ICT-enabled WNWHs, an approach rarely seen in prior IS studies. To our best knowledge, this study is the first to identify and empirically demonstrate organization-based self-esteem as one among the emotional responses to ICT-enabled WNWHs. Furthermore, it expands understanding of the holistic impacts of ICT-enabled WNWHs, which is lacking in information systems (IS) literature.
Effect of fin density and fin height on flow-induced vibration behavior of finned tube arrays subjected to water cross flow
Authors: Desai Sandeep Rangrao , Sonare Mangalsing Narsing
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The prediction of critical velocity at instability threshold for shell and tube heat exchangers is important to avoid failure of tubes as a result of flow-induced vibrations due to water cross flow. The flow-induced vibration in finned tube heat exchangers is affected by various parameters such as fin height, fin pitch, fin material, tube array, pitch ratio, fin type, fluid velocity etc. In this paper, an experimental investigation of fluid elastic instability in shell and tube heat exchangers is carried out by subjecting normal square finned tube arrays of pitch ratio 1.79 to water cross flow.

Design/methodology/approach

The five tube arrays, namely plain array, two finned tube arrays with 3 fpi and 9 fpi fin density, and two finned tube arrays with 3 mm and 6 mm fin height are tested in the experimental test setup with water flow loop and vibration measurement system. The research objective is to evaluate the effect of fin density and fin height on the instability threshold. The critical velocity at instability threshold is determined to characterize the fluid elastic instability behavior of different tube arrays. The vortex shedding behavior of the tube arrays is also studied by determining Strouhal number corresponding to the small peaks before fluid elastic instability.

Findings

The fluid elastic instability behavior of the tube arrays was found to be the function of fin tube parameters. The experimental results indicate that an increase in fin density and fin height results in delaying the instability threshold for finned tube arrays. It is also observed that critical velocity at instability is increased for finned tube arrays compared to plain tube arrays of the same pitch ratio. The design modifications in the outer box have resulted in further reduction in the natural frequency. This enabled to reach clear instability for all the five-tube arrays.

Originality/value

The research data add the value to the present body of knowledge by knowing the effect of fin height and fin density on the fluid elastic instability threshold of normal square finned tube arrays subjected to water cross flow.
Factors affecting populations of the endemic Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) after the first myxomatosis outbreaks in Central Spain
Authors: LÁZARO Carlos , GUZMÁN José Luis , CASAS Fabián , SÁNCHEZ‐GARCÍA Carlos
Published: January 2023

The Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) is an endemic species distributed in Spain and Portugal. Myxomatosis outbreaks affecting this species were detected in 2018 in Central and Southern Spain, spreading afterward. Aiming to evaluate factors affecting the status of hare population after the arrival of myxomatosis, we conducted 108 nocturnal hare counts in Central Spain during two study periods (winter/spring and summer/autumn) in 54 different hunting grounds, covering 1071 km and observing 884 individuals. The mean density in winter/spring was 7.66 hares/100 ha, (range 6.14–9.54/100 ha), while in summer/autumn, it was 3.4 hares/100 ha (range 2.6–4.4/100 ha). Densities of hares were not affected by the dominant habitat and the presence/absence of myxomatosis outbreaks. Hares were more abundant at hunting grounds at a higher altitude and in those conducting targeted management, while detection of myxomatosis was related to lower altitude and higher levels of game management. A MaxEnt model used to generate a risk map for myxomatosis occurrence showed that the temperature annual range was the most important predictor, which suggests that environmental factors affecting myxomatosis vectors (mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks) could play a key role in disease transmission. As myxomatosis in hares is becoming endemic, hare densities may be improved by game management and the monitoring and surveillance of this emerging disease. These surveillance programs could be the basis of effective collaborations between hunters, researchers, and environmental managers.
Genome‐wide association study identified the candidate genes associated with angel wing trait in Pekin duck
Authors: Sun Yun‐xiao , Sang Qiang‐qiang , Yin Zhong‐tao , Zhang Fan , Zhu Feng , Hou Zhuo‐cheng
Published: January 2023

Angel wing is a developmental wing deformity that can influence breeding and reproduction in the commercial duck industry. The nutrition foundation of angel wing trait was initially explored, but the genetic basic remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified candidate genes and single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with angel wing trait in Pekin ducks using a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) and selective sweep analysis. The GWAS results showed that nine SNPs across five chromosomes were significantly correlated with the angel wing trait. In total, 468 selection signals were shown between the angel wing ducks and normal ducks, and these signals harbored 154 genes, which were enriched in the nervous system and metabolism. This study provides the new insights into the genetic factors that may influence duck angel wing.
Predicting the distributions of Pouteria adolfi‐friederici and Prunus africana tree species under current and future climate change scenarios in Ethiopia
Authors: Tadesse Zerihun , Nemomissa Sileshi , Lemessa Debissa
Published: January 2023

Distributions of potential ranges of plant species are not yet fully known in Ethiopia where high climatic variability and vegetation types are found. This study was undertaken to predict distributions of suitable habitats of Pouteria adolfi‐friederici and Prunus africana under current and two future climate scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 in 2050 and 2070) in Ethiopia. Eleven environmental variables with less correlation coefficients (r < 0.7) were used to make the prediction. Shifting in extents of habitat suitability and effects of elevation, solar radiation and topographic position in relation to the current and future climatic scenarios were statistically analysed using independent t‐test and linear model. We found decreasing area of highly suitable habitat from 0.51% to 0.46%, 0.36% and 0.33%, 0.24% for Prunus africana and 1.13% to 1.02%, 0.77% and 0.76%, 0.60% for Pouteria adolfi‐friederici, under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 by 2050 and 2070 respectively. Moist and dry afromontane forests are identified as the most suitable habitat for both species. Overall, our results suggest that climate change can promote dynamic suitable habitat niches under different future climate scenarios. Therefore, biodiversity conservation strategies should take into account habitat suitability dynamics issues and identify where to conserve species before implementing conservation practices.
“The other side of the table…’: Early career gynaecological oncologists' transition from trainee to trainer
Authors: Rao Archana , Smith Julian A. , Nestel Debra
Published: January 2023

Background

The transition to consultant practice represents an important transition from the role of trainee to trainer. We used the theoretical framework of Threshold Concepts to better understand this transition by analysing data from a broader qualitative study examining the experience of early career Certified Gynaecological Oncologists (CGOs) in Australia and New Zealand.

Materials and methods

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with CGOs of <5 years consultant experience. Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, sensitised by the theoretical framework of Threshold Concepts.

Results

Seven early career CGOs were interviewed. Analysis resulted in the construction of five main themes related to the trainer role, each demonstrating characteristics of Threshold Concepts: ‘Part of becoming and being a consultant’; ‘Managing complex work environments and training responsibilities’; ‘Optimising near peer relationships’; ‘Recency informing evolution of training’; and “‘Being responsible and letting go…’ – the next transition.”

Discussion

The themes offer insights into the areas of the transition to trainer that are troublesome, the impact of negotiating these challenges on professional identity formation, and the strategies used by CGOs to negotiate them. Using the lens of Threshold Concepts, these experiences can be normalised, and supported through efforts to facilitate the development of skills in reflection, feedback, coaching and mentorship.
Pulmonary function tests for evaluating the severity of Duchenne muscular dystrophy disease
Authors: Levine Hagit , Goldfarb Itai , Katz Julia , Carmeli Moriah , Shochat Tzippy , Mussaffi Huda , Aharoni Sharon , Prais Dario , Nevo Yoram
Published: January 2023

Aim

In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), lung disease contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of various pulmonary function tests in evaluating DMD severity.

Methods

This retrospective study analysed lung function tests of patients with DMD‐treated in the multidisciplinary respiratory neuromuscular clinic at Schneiders' Children Medical Center of Israel. Data were analysed according to age, ambulatory status and glucocorticoid treatment.

Results

Among 90 patients with DMD, 40/63 (63.5%) ambulatory patients and 22/27 (81.5%) nonambulatory patients successfully performed spirometry. Significant annual declines were demonstrated among nonambulatory patients, in percentile predicted forced vital capacity (3.8%) and in total lung capacity (5.5%) per year. The decline correlated with age and loss of ambulation but not with steroid treatment. Peak cough flow values were randomly distributed and did not correlate with age, ambulation or treatment. In nonambulatory patients, transcutaneous carbon dioxide measurement correlated significantly with age (r = 0.55, p = 0.02).

Conclusion

Forced vital capacity, total lung capacity and transcutaneous carbon dioxide correlated with the clinical severity of disease in children with DMD. These measures may be useful in follow‐up and clinical trials. A comparable correlation was not found for peak cough flow.
Assessment of a compounded synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone product in 17 healthy dogs
Authors: Yang W , Hosgood G , Foster S , Langner K , Hayward D , Thompson M
Published: January 2023

Objectives

Synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone or tetracosactide is routinely used in the diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism and frequently in the diagnosis and treatment of hyperadrenocorticism. There have been repeated shortages of tetracosactide in recent years in Australia.

This study investigated the agreement of serum cortisol after a compounded tetracosactide (Bova Aus), compared to commercial tetracosactide (Synacthen®) in healthy dogs.

Methods

Prospective crossover study using 20 dogs. Ten dogs received 5 μg/kg Synacthen® on day 1 and 5 μg/kg compounded tetracosactide on Day 2. The other 10 dogs received the reverse order. Cortisol concentrations in each dog 1 h after injection were compared for agreement, which was defined as the limits of agreement of the Bland–Altman ratio to be within a range of 0.8–1.25. Passing‐Bablok regression analysis examined for constant and proportional biases.

Results

Three dogs were excluded with post‐stimulation serum cortisol concentrations markedly outside reference interval. For the remaining 17 dogs, Bland–Altman ratio analysis of cortisol concentration (tetracosactide/Synacthen®) at 1 h found virtually no constant bias (mean of ratios 1.01;95% CI 0.97–1.05) and 95% limits of agreement were 0.88 (95% CI 0.78–0.90) and 1.17 (95% CI 1.13–1.25). This met our criteria for agreement between cortisol concentrations. Bias of the Bland–Altman difference was 2.8 nmol/L (95% CI −7.2 to 12.8); 95% limits of agreement −35.2 nmol/L (95% CI −57.0 to −26.1) and 40.8 nmol/L (95% CI 31.7–62.6). Passing‐Bablok regression analysis did not identify bias.

Conclusion

In healthy dogs, cortisol concentrations were in agreement after compounded tetracosactide compared to commercial tetracosactide, Synacthen®.
In vitro gastrointestinal digestion and bioavailability of lithium from processed lithiated and nonlithiated white Agaricus bisporus mushrooms
Authors: Pankavec Sviatlana , Falandysz Jerzy , Eun Heesoo , Barałkiewicz Danuta , Fernandes Alwyn R.
Published: January 2023

Aim

In order to avoid side effects of lithium doses in some patients, some commonly cultivated mushroom species including A. bisporus have been successfully lithiated, with the potential to provide more acceptable sources of Li. This study assessed the in vitro release (potential bioaccessibility) and possible intake of Li using the action of artificial gastrointestinal juices on lithiated and nonlithiated (control) button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) that were subjected to certain modes of culinary processing.

Methods

In the in vitro release study, mushrooms were processed using a number of routinely used domestic treatments including rehydrating dried mushrooms, blanching and blanching followed by pickling of fresh or frozen mushrooms. The in vitro digestion procedure used artificial gastrointestinal juices in a two‐stage methodology that was adapted from ‘The Bioaccessibility Research Group of Europe’ method. The Li concentrations were determined using an inductively coupled argon plasma–dynamic reactive cell–mass spectrometer.

Results

Lithium was found to be more bioaccessible from caps of lithiated mushrooms compared with nonlithiated. Releases from the caps and stipes of blanched or blanched and then pickled mushrooms through gastric digestion ranged from 32 ± 2 to 50 ± 1% relative to the dried product and was lower for gastrointestinal digestion, which ranged from 16 ± 1 to 20 ± 1%.

Conclusion

Losses of Li sustained through blanching or blanching followed by pickling of fresh mushrooms (41–87% wet weight) combined with limited accessibility during gastrointestinal release (16–55%) result in much lower bioavailability of the dose from lithiated products. A 300‐g meal would provide <5% of the Li (6 mg) required for potential preventative treatments, such as reducing suicide rates and lowering dementia risk.
Bayesian Design of Multi-Regional Clinical Trials with Time-to-Event Endpoints
Authors: Bean Nathan William , Ibrahim Joseph George , Psioda Matthew Austin
Published: January 2023

Sponsors often rely on multi-regional clinical trials (MRCTs) to introduce new treatments more rapidly into the global market. Many commonly used statistical methods do not account for regional differences, and small regional sample sizes frequently result in lower estimation quality of region-specific treatment effects. The International Council for Harmonization E17 guidelines suggest consideration of methods that allow for information borrowing across regions to improve estimation. In response to these guidelines, we develop a novel methodology to estimate global and region-specific treatment effects from MRCTs with time-to-event endpoints using Bayesian model averaging (BMA). This approach accounts for the possibility of heterogeneous treatment effects between regions, and we discuss how to assess the consistency of these effects using posterior model probabilities. We obtain posterior samples of the treatment effects using a Laplace approximation, and we show through simulation studies that the proposed modeling approach estimates region-specific treatment effects with lower mean squared error than a Cox proportional hazards model while resulting in a similar rejection rate of the global treatment effect. We then apply the BMA approach to data from the LEADER trial, an MRCT designed to evaluate the cardiovascular safety of an anti-diabetic treatment.
Effect sizes in ANCOVA and difference‐in‐differences designs
Authors: Hedges Larry V. , Tipton Elizabeth , Zejnullahi Rrita , Diaz Karina G.
Published: January 2023

It is common practice in both randomized and quasi‐experiments to adjust for baseline characteristics when estimating the average effect of an intervention. The inclusion of a pre‐test, for example, can reduce both the standard error of this estimate and—in non‐randomized designs—its bias. At the same time, it is also standard to report the effect of an intervention in standardized effect size units, thereby making it comparable to other interventions and studies. Curiously, the estimation of this effect size, including covariate adjustment, has received little attention. In this article, we provide a framework for defining effect sizes in designs with a pre‐test (e.g., difference‐in‐differences and analysis of covariance) and propose estimators of those effect sizes. The estimators and approximations to their sampling distributions are evaluated using a simulation study and then demonstrated using an example from published data.
Lateral migration and channel bend morphology around growing folds (Niger Delta continental slope)
Authors: Bouchakour Massine , Zhao Xiaoming , Miclăuș Crina , Yang Baoquan
Published: January 2023

Understanding the interactions of submarine channels with seafloor deformations is challenging as these channels more often involve a wide variety of responses relying on both autogenic and allogenic factors. The effect of active growing structures on channel pathways is well documented, but the evolution of lateral migration and the internal architectures along the deflected channel bends around ongoing active structures remain poorly constrained. Here, we use 3D seismic interpretation and quantitative geomorphologic methods to examine the channel bend morphology and the kinematics of lateral migration near gravity‐driven tectonic deformation. Using high‐resolution seismic reflection data acquired from the offshore Niger Delta, two‐channel levee systems (Amaku Major System and Amaku Channel Levee System) have been recognized in the seismic survey. Each system consists of three channel complexes, recording five types of deflected channel bends, defined here as: (i) avulsed bend, (ii) confined bend, (iii) chute cut‐off bend, (iv) blocked bend and (v) kinked bend. Geomorphologic parameters including bend sinuosity, bend amplitude, along‐bend length, straight‐bend length, channel depth and width, were considered within the deflected channels. Lateral migration estimators; channel lateral shift (SH), and channel lateral spacing (CS), were assessed throughout the distances of cross‐sectional channel patterns. The lateral migration estimators (SH and CS) were used to estimate the expression of internal architectures and the evolution of lateral migration around seabed deformation at the scale of the channel complex. The results show that the morphology and internal architecture of the deflected bends, although developing in the same structural context, display varied responses to structural deformation. Unlike previously published models of channel‐fold interactions asserting tectonics as the solitary driver, here we demonstrate that the channel deflections around structures are sensitive to the lateral confinement produced by sediment relief of the outer levees, and the autogenic forcing of channel mechanisms. This study provides new insights into the evolution of submarine channels in active tectonic settings, shows detailed mechanisms of channel bends at a small scale and offers a better understanding of the distribution of sediments in the deep sea.
Early childhood naps initiate emotional memory processing in preparation for enhanced overnight consolidation
Authors: Hanron Olivia , Mason Gina M. , Holmes Jennifer F. , Spencer Rebecca M. C.
Published: January 2023

Early childhood naps support emotional memory, but benefits are only observed after overnight sleep. Whether emotional memory consolidation occurs during naps, or whether napping only prepares memories for overnight consolidation is unknown. We investigated whether naps protect emotional memories from interference, indicating consolidation. Between 2018 and 2020, 63 children in western Massachusetts preschools (30 female, 33 male; 33–67 months; 23.8% Hispanic, 87.3% White) learned faces paired with negative or neutral descriptions, followed by nap or wake. Before delayed recognition, half completed an interference task. Without interference, napping benefited recognition. With interference, children recognized fewer negative faces post‐nap (compared to wake), with overnight sleep attenuating this difference. Results suggest that naps initially destabilize emotional memories, possibly reflecting partial processing that promotes long‐term consolidation.
The significance of vertical platform discrepancies and splinting on marginal bone levels for adjacent dental implants
Authors: Lin Guo‐Hao , Tran Christine , Brzyska Karolina , Kan Joseph Y. , Wang Hom‐Lay , Curtis Donald A. , Kao Richard T.
Published: January 2023

Objective

The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the influence of vertical platform discrepancies for splinted and non‐splinted adjacent implants on radiographic marginal bone loss (RMBL).

Methods

Data from January 2000 to February 2021 were collected from the electronic charts of 156 patients with 337 implants at the UCSF School of Dentistry. Five different implant restoration categories were evaluated for radiographic evidence of proximal RMBL. Patients with (1) two adjacent single crowns, (2) two adjacent splinted crowns, (3) three‐unit bridges supported by two implants, (4) three adjacent single crowns, and (5) three adjacent splinted crowns. Inclusion required baseline radiograph taken at the time of prosthesis delivery or final impression, and follow‐up radiographs at least 12 months after restorations have been in function. Measurements assessed included vertical distance between adjacent implant platforms and proximal RMBL around implants. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of implants with ≥1 mm RMBL between different type of restorations were calculated.

Results

In general, prostheses supported by splinted adjacent implants demonstrated a significant association with the presence of ≥1 mm RMBL (OR = 2.55, 95% CI = 1.17–5.17, p = 0.018) when compared to prostheses supported by non‐splinted adjacent implants. In addition, prostheses with a vertical platform discrepancy ≥0.5 mm demonstrated a significant association with the presence of ≥1 mm RMBL (OR = 4.30, 95% CI = 1.85 to 10.01, p = 0.007) when compared to prostheses with a vertical platform discrepancy <0.5 mm. When adjacent implants had ≥0.5 mm vertical platform discrepancy, the majority (66.67%) of three splinted adjacent crowns had at least one implant with ≥1 mm RMBL. This was followed by two splinted adjacent crowns (58.97%), three‐unit bridge (25.93%), two single adjacent crowns (24.24%), and three single adjacent crowns (18.18%). When adjacent implants had ≥1 mm vertical platform discrepancy, there was an increased percentage of implants with ≥1 mm RMBL. The restorative design associated with the highest percent of implants with bone loss was three splinted adjacent crowns (70%), two splinted adjacent crowns (61.11%), three single adjacent crowns (40%), and three‐unit bridge and two single adjacent implants (21.05%). Three splinted adjacent crowns were significantly associated with ≥1 mm RMBL when compared to three‐unit bridge (OR 6.56, 95% CI 1.59–27.07). Similarly, two splinted crowns were significantly associated with ≥1 mm RMBL when compared to two single crowns (OR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.08–5.79).

Conclusion

Two or three adjacent implants placed with a vertical platform discrepancy, when splinted together, are associated with higherincidence of ≥1 mm RMBL than non‐splinted restorations.
Instance selection using one‐versus‐all and one‐versus‐one decomposition approaches in multiclass classification datasets
Authors: Fang Ching‐Lin , Wang Ming‐Chang , Tsai Chih‐Fong , Lin Wei‐Chao , Liao Pei‐Qi
Published: January 2023

Instance is important in data analysis and mining; it filters out unrepresentative, redundant, or noisy data from a given training set to obtain effective model learning. Various instance selection algorithms are proposed in the literature, and their potential and applicability in data cleaning and preprocessing steps are demonstrated. For multiclass classification datasets, the existing instance selection algorithms must deal with all the instances across the different classes simultaneously to produce a reduced training set. Generally, every multiclass classification dataset can be regarded as a complex domain problem, which can be effectively solved using the divide‐and‐conquer principle. In this study, the one‐versus‐all (OVA) and one‐versus‐one (OVO) decomposition approaches were used to decompose a multiclass dataset into multiple binary class datasets. These approaches have been widely employed when constructing the classifier but have never been considered in instance selection. The results of instance selection performance obtained with the OVA, OVO, and baseline approaches were assessed and compared for 20 different domain multiclass datasets as the first study and five medical domain datasets as the validation study. Furthermore, three instance selection algorithms were compared, including IB3, DROP3, and GA. The results demonstrate that using the OVO approach to perform instance selection can make the support vector machine (SVM) and k‐nearest neighbour (k‐NN) classifiers perform significantly better than the OVA and baseline approaches in terms of the area under the ROC curve (AUC) rate, regardless of the instance selection algorithm used. Moreover, the OVO approach can provide reasonably good data reduction rates and processing times, which are all better than those of the OVA approach.