bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Relationships and Tooth Loss in Adults Aged 60 Years and Older: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Yoshida‐Kohno Eiko , Fueki Kenji , Wanigatunga Amal A. , Cudjoe Thomas K. M. , Aida Jun
Published: October 2024

Objective

To systematically assess current evidence on the extent to which social relationships are associated with tooth loss in adults aged 60 years and older.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and The Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant studies published from 1966 up to March 2024. Cross‐sectional or cohort studies investigating the association between structural, functional and/or combined (structural and functional) components of social relationships and the number of remaining teeth or edentulism among community‐dwelling or institutionalised older adults were included. Data were extracted on participants' and study characteristics, including study design, the type of measures used to assess social relationships (structural, functional, and combined), outcome measures and association estimates. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cohort studies and the adapted NOS for cross‐sectional studies. The reported association between social relationships and the number of remaining teeth or edentulism was summarised using meta‐analysis with robust variance estimation.

Results

Twenty studies were included in the review and 12 studies (125 553 participants) in the meta‐analysis. Across the 12 studies, the average odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.15 (1.01–1.32), indicating a 15% higher likelihood of having a lower number of teeth or edentulism for those with weaker social relationships. The GRADE certainty of the body of evidence was low.

Conclusions

Weak social relationships were associated with a lower number of teeth or edentulism in older adults. Our findings may inform potential public health approaches that target and modify social relationships to prevent and address older adults' oral diseases. Still, the directionality and the underlying mechanisms connecting social relationships and tooth loss need to be further explored by longitudinal studies with follow‐up long enough for oral health outcomes or changes in social relationships to occur.

Trial Registration

Protocol Registration: PROSPERO (CRD42023417845)
A Frameshift Variant in ANKRD24 Implicates Its Role in Human Non‐Syndromic Hearing Loss
Authors: Kazemi Negar , Rezvani Rezvandeh Raziye , Zare Ashrafi Farzane , Shokouhian Ebrahim , Edizadeh Masoud , Booth Kevin T. A. , Kahrizi Kimia , Najmabadi Hossein , Mohseni Marzieh
Published: October 2024

Hearing loss (HL) is the most prevalent sensorineural disorders, affecting about one in 1000 newborns. Over half of the cases are attributed to genetic factors; however, due to the extensive clinical and genetic heterogeneity, many cases remain without a conclusive genetic diagnosis. The advent of next‐generation sequencing methodologies in recent years has greatly helped unravel the genetic etiology of HL by identifying numerous genes and causative variants. Despite this, much remains to be uncovered about the genetic basis of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Here, we report an Iranian consanguineous family with postlingual, moderate‐to‐severe autosomal recessive SNHL. After first excluding plausible variants in known deafness‐causing genes using whole exome sequencing, we reanalyzed the data, using a gene/variant prioritization pipeline established for novel gene discovery for HL. This approach identified a novel homozygous frameshift variant c.1934_1937del; (p.Thr645Lysfs*52) in ANKRD24, which segregated with the HL phenotype in the family. Recently, ANKRD24 has been shown to be a pivotal constituent of the stereocilia rootlet in cochlea hair cells and interacts with TRIOBP, a protein already implicated in human deafness. Our data implicate for the first time, ANKRD24 in human nonsyndromic HL (NSHL) and expands the genetic spectrum of HL.
Efficient Environment Map Rendering Based on Decomposition
Authors: Wu Yu‐Ting
Published: October 2024

This paper presents an efficient environment map sampling algorithm designed to render high‐quality, low‐noise images with only a few light samples, making it ideal for real‐time applications. We observe that bright pixels in the environment map produce high‐frequency shading effects, such as sharp shadows and shading, while the rest influence the overall tone of the scene. Building on this insight, our approach differs from existing techniques by categorizing the pixels in an environment map into emissive and non‐emissive regions and developing specialized algorithms tailored to the distinct properties of each region. By decomposing the environment lighting, we ensure that light sources are deposited on bright pixels, leading to more accurate shadows and specular highlights. Additionally, this strategy allows us to exploit the smoothness in the low‐frequency component by rendering a smaller image with more lights, thereby enhancing shading accuracy. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method significantly reduces shadow artefacts and image noise compared to previous techniques, while also achieving lower numerical errors across a range of illumination types, particularly under limited sample conditions.
Spinal Adhesive Arachnoidopathy, the Disorder More Than Simply Adhesive Arachnoiditis: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 510 Cases
Authors: Zhang Weikang , Liu Zhenlei , Wang Kai , Zhang Lei , Liu Shaocheng , Zhang Xiangyu , Wang Yutian , He Kun , Wu Hao
Published: October 2024

Background

Spinal adhesive arachnoidopathy (SAA) is a chronic pathology associated with persistent inflammatory responses in the arachnoid. Adhesive arachnoiditis (AA) is one of the major forms of SAA, with accompanying secondary complications. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review both clinical and animal model studies related to SAA to gain a deeper understanding of this unique pathology.

Methods

A literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases to retrieve relevant publications up to October 2022. Clinical manifestations, etiologies, imaging modalities, treatments, and prognosis in patients with SAA were collected. Data from animal experiments related to SAA were also extracted.

Results

A total of 176 studies, including 147 clinical and 29 animal model studies, with a total of 510 patients were enrolled in this study. Pain (37.5%), abnormal nerve sensations (39.58%), and abnormal motor function (78.75%) were the top three common symptoms of SAA. Major etiologies included trauma (22.7%), infection (17.73%), surgery (15.37%), and hemorrhage (13.48%). MRI was widely used to confirm the diagnosis. AA could be involved in cervical (96/606, 15.84%), thoracic (297/606, 49.01%), lumbar (174/606, 28.71%), and sacrococcygeal (39/606, 6.44%) vertebral segments. Patients with AA in cervical segments had a higher post‐surgery recovery rate (p = 0.016) compared to that of other segments. The common pathological diagnoses of SAA were AA (80.82%), AA combined with arachnoid cyst (12.79%), arachnoid calcification/scars (3.43%), and arachnoid web/fibrosis (2.97%). Patients with AA were more likely to develop syringomyelia, compared with patients with other forms of SAA (p < 0.001). Animal studies mainly focused on new AA therapeutic agents (n = 14), the pathomechanism of AA (n = 14), and the development of new MRI sequences for improved diagnosis (n = 1).

Conclusions

The pathological consequences of SAA are more complex than AA and manifest in different forms, such as AA combined with arachnoid cyst, arachnoid calcification/scars, and arachnoid web/fibrosis. In many instances, AA was associated with secondary syringomyelia. Unspecific clinical manifestations of SAA may easily lead to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. Although SAA may result from multiple etiologies, including spinal trauma, meningitis, spinal surgery, and hemorrhage, the pathogenesis and treatment of SAA have still not been standardized.
Modified local Granger causality analysis based on Peter‐Clark algorithm for multivariate time series prediction on IoT data
Authors: Lv Fei , Si Shuaizong , Xiao Xing , Ren Weijie
Published: October 2024

Climate data collected through Internet of Things (IoT) devices often contain high‐dimensional, nonlinear, and auto‐correlated characteristics, and general causality analysis methods obtain quantitative causality analysis results between variables based on conditional independence tests or Granger causality, and so forth. However, it is difficult to capture dynamic properties between variables of temporal distribution, which can obtain information that cannot be obtained by the mean detection method. Therefore, this paper proposed a new causality analysis method based on Peter‐Clark (PC) algorithm and modified local Granger causality (MLGC) analysis method, called PC‐MLGC, to reveal the causal relationships between variables and explore the dynamic properties on temporal distribution. First, the PC algorithm is applied to compute the relevant variables of each variable. Then, the results obtained in the previous stage are fed into the modified local Granger causality analysis model to explore causalities between variables. Finally, combined with the quantitative causality analysis results, the dynamic characteristic curves between variables can be obtained, and the accuracy of the causal relationship between variables can be further verified. The effectiveness of the proposed method is further demonstrated by comparing it with standard Granger causality analysis and a two‐stage causal network learning method on one benchmark dataset and two real‐world datasets.
Rx for Legal Troubles: CEO Medical Degree and Corporate Litigation
Authors: Unsal Omer
Published: October 2024

Research Question/Issue

This study examines the relationship between CEOs' medical degrees (MDs) and corporate litigations targeting US pharmaceutical firms.

Research Findings/Insights

CEOs with a medical background are significantly more susceptible to securities class actions, while facing fewer patent lawsuits. The results indicate that the lack of management skills among MD CEOs comes at the cost of firm value. After lawsuit announcements, companies led by MD CEOs experience a significantly negative effect on their stock prices. Markets show no tolerance for failures by MD CEOs, as evidenced by the impact of clinical trial disappointments.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

The findings contribute to our understanding of the impact of CEOs' medical backgrounds on corporate litigation outcomes. The results suggest that when examining how a CEO's qualifications affect legal issues and the value of a company, we should consider the unique context of having an MD.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

Practically, the study implies that firms should carefully consider the balance of managerial and medical expertise in CEO appointments, recognizing the potential legal and financial consequences. Policymakers might see it as beneficial to encourage a mix of different skills among top executives. This could make pharmaceutical companies more resilient in the face of legal issues, which, in turn, helps maintain confidence among investors.
Cesarean Section Is a Risk Factor That Prevents Organ Transplantation by Increasing the Development of Anti‐HLA Antibodies in Women
Authors: Akyüz Gökhan , Doğan Hasan
Published: October 2024

Background

In this study, prenatal and postnatal blood samples were taken from pregnant women who had 35 or more gestational weeks and had not developed anti‐HLA positivity yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors that may be effective in the development of panel reactive antibody (PRA) positivity during pregnancy.

Methods

PRA testing was studied by taking the blood of 86 pregnant women 1 month before birth. Blood was taken again 1 month after birth from these women with prenatal PRA negative and it was checked whether PRA positivity developed. As a control group, 40 women without pregnancy were selected for the study.

Results

Of the 86 pregnant, 42 (48.8%) had cesarean sections, 44 (51.2%) had normal births, and PRA positivity developed in 14 (32.5%) of cesarean deliveries and three (8.0%) of normal births. In the control group, there were three (7.5%) PRA positivity. A statistically significant difference was found between cesarean delivery, normal delivery, and control group. Moreover, when compared with the control group, it was found statistically significant that all deliveries increased the development of HLA Class II antibodies.

Discussion

Cesarean delivery was associated with increased PRA positivity compared to normal birth. The new information presented in this study will pave the way for further research and enable healthcare professionals to consider both the individual's potential future need for organ transplantation and the positive impact on public health and more effective management of healthcare costs when making decisions regarding cesarean section.
New South Wales alcohol and other drug service providers' perceptions of the relative importance of client variables for determining treatment need
Authors: Larance Briony , Ingram Isabella , Haynes Chloe , Buckfield Lexi , Goh Choon Wee Melvin , Kelly Peter J.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

This study examines alcohol and other drug (AOD) service providers' perceptions of the most important variables (client complexity and demographic) for determining treatment need and intensity of intervention.

Methods

Online cross‐sectional survey of N = 188 clinicians/service managers working in AOD services across metropolitan and regional/rural New South Wales, Australia. Participants ranked the importance of demographic and family factors, substance use, physical health, mental health, functioning and activities of daily living and youth‐specific variables in identifying treatment need (five‐point Likert scales).

Results

More than 90% of participants ranked 43 out 56 potential variables as ‘very important’/‘essential’ in identifying treatment need. The 10 variables most ranked as ‘very important’/‘essential’ were ‘pregnant or breastfeeding’ (95.2%), ‘suicide/self‐harm’ (95.2%), ‘overdose risk’ (94.7%), ‘abuse/neglect’ (among youth/adolescent populations; 94.1%), ‘mental health severity’ (93.6%), ‘dependent children’ (93.1%), ‘co‐existing mental health concerns’ (93.0%), ‘hospitalisations due to mental health’ (92.5%), ‘child protection concerns’ (among youth/adolescent populations; 92.2%) and ‘disability’ (91.5%). The 10 variables most commonly ranked as ‘slightly important’/‘not at all important’ included ‘citizenship’ (63.3%), ‘sex’ (59.6%), ‘country of birth’ (54.8%), ‘highest education’ (50.0%), ‘sexual orientation’ (44.1%), ‘relationship status’ (33.5%), ‘gender’ (31.4%), ‘transport’ (28.2%), ‘employment’ (23.9%) and ‘refugee status’ (24.0%). Some ratings differed by geographic location (metropolitan vs. regional/rural) and job role (allied health worker, nurse, doctor or manager).

Discussion and Conclusions

This study provides insight into service providers' perceptions of treatment need and intensity associated with a range of client factors. It is a first step towards improvements in routine data collections that are used to inform treatment planning.
How Infants Link Nonce Phrases to Scenes With Objects and Predicates
Authors: Buerkin‐Pontrelli Angelica , Swingley Daniel
Published: October 2024

When infants hear sentences containing unfamiliar words, are some language‐world links (such as noun–object) more readily formed than others (verb–predicate)? We examined English learning 14–15‐month‐olds’ capacity for linking referents in scenes with bisyllabic nonce utterances. Each of the two syllables referred either to the object's identity, or the object's motion. Infants heard the syllables in either a Verb–Subject (VS) or Subject–Verb (SV) order. Learning was tested using preferential looking. The results showed that infants learned the nouns and verbs equally well. In addition, in both the VS‐ and SV‐consistent conditions, infants learned the meaning of the utterance‐final syllable, but not the utterance‐initial one. A follow‐up experiment that manipulated the prosodic cues of the test phrases confirmed that infants had decomposed the bisyllabic phrases into two distinct word‐units. Thus, any biases potentially favoring noun or verb learning played a smaller role than utterance position did when noun and verb learning were equally supported by context.
Financial inclusion, financial stability, and poverty reduction in Africa
Authors: Tweneboah George , Nsiah Anthony Y.
Published: October 2024

Financial inclusion universally remains one of the critical means to end poverty in the world, especially Africa, where the level of poverty is high. It has however been argued that financial inclusion equally has the tendency to destabilize the financial system, thwarting the poverty reduction efforts, which necessitates the interrogation of the relationship between the variables. This study therefore investigates how financial stability mediates the financial inclusion and poverty reduction relationship in Africa. Using the panel Autoregressive Distributive Lag model, covering a period of 2004–2020, the study found that financial inclusion is positively related to financial stability in both short and long‐run, with education, Gross National Income per capita (GNI) and domestic credit to private sector, contributing to financial stability, and trade openness negatively related to financial stability in the long‐run. The study further established that financial stability is positively related to household consumption expenditure as such leads to poverty reduction with trade openness, government expenditure, GNI, education, domestic credit to private sector, and institutional quality contributing significantly to poverty reduction. This confirms the mediating role financial stability plays in enhancing the impact of financial inclusion on poverty reduction in Africa and must therefore be given the necessary attention, through proper regulatory mechanisms.
Characteristics of Individuals Losing Autism Diagnosis: A Comparative Study With Typically Developing and Autism Spectrum Disorder Individuals
Authors: Sevin Ilayda Barankoglu , Dogan Nurhak , Ozbaran Nazli Burcu
Published: October 2024

Aim

This study aims to reveal the characteristics of individuals who have lost an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis and to evaluate their current psychiatric diagnoses. Additionally, the study aims to compare individuals who have lost ASD with typically developing (TD) individuals and those with ASD in terms of current psychopathology, functionality and sociodemographic and clinical variables.

Methods

The study included a total of 85 participants aged between 5 and 18, comprising 30 individuals who no longer meet the criteria for ASD (loss of autism diagnosis or LAD), 32 individuals with ASD and 23 TD individuals. While the sociodemographic data form and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were completed by the clinician, the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) were completed by the parents.

Results

It was found that the LAD group acquired speaking skills earlier, started special education sooner, received preschool education and physical exercise support for a longer duration and exhibited higher mental capacity and lower symptom severity compared to the ASD group. Moreover, 80% of the LAD group had at least one DSM‐5 diagnosis. Scores on the ABC and SRS indicated a significant difference, with ASD > LAD > TD.

Conclusions

Even if ASD regresses, individuals may still experience residual difficulties and remain at risk for other psychopathologies. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain monitoring and support processes.
Equine nonproliferative pododermatitis of the frog (thrush): A review
Authors: O'Grady S. E. , Burns T. D.
Published: October 2024

Thrush is the term commonly used to describe nonproliferative pododermatitis of the frog epidermis caused by a bacterial infection. Thrush is commonly encountered in veterinary and farrier practices yet information on the pathogenesis, treatment and prevention of the disease in the equine veterinary literature is lacking. There is a plethora of proposed products and treatments on the market for thrush, yet most lack clinical evidence of efficacy. Clinical signs of thrush can range from black exudate in the sulci of the frog accompanied by a foul odour to bacterial invasion of the frog corium and digital cushion resulting in lameness. Thrush is primarily encountered in a conformationally compromised hoof capsule that is generally associated with an unhealthy frog. As thrush is rarely encountered in a healthy frog, it is important to focus on the farrier practices that may play a role in both the pathogenesis of thrush and its prevention. For successful treatment and prevention of thrush, good basic farrier principles must be incorporated into the treatment protocol.
Osseous pathologic changes in the thoracic region of the equine vertebral column: A descriptive post‐mortem study in three breeds
Authors: Spoormakers Tijn J. P. , Veraa Stefanie , Graat Elisabeth A. M. , van Weeren P. René , Brommer Harold
Published: October 2024

Background

Data on equine thoracic pathology hardly exist in breeds other than Thoroughbreds.

Objectives

To describe pathological changes of the osseous thoracic vertebral column in Warmblood horses, Shetland ponies and Konik horses, and to compare prevalence and severity.

Study design

Descriptive post‐mortem study.

Methods

Computed tomography was used to examine the thoracic vertebral column of 34 Warmblood horses, 28 Shetland ponies, and 18 Konik horses. Osteoarthritis (OA), periarticular osteolysis, osseous cyst‐like lesions and fragments of articular processes (APJs), costovertebral and costotransverse joints, soft tissue mineralisation surrounding these joints, intervertebral disc (IVD) mineralisation, impingement of spinous processes (SPs) and spondylosis were scored.

Results

APJ aplasia (98%; 58/59) occurred in 14 Shetland ponies. OA predominated in Warmblood horses across all joints (45% vs. 29 and 32%, p < 0.001). OA and periarticular osteolysis were found in particular in the costotransverse joints (p < 0.001) across all breeds. Warmblood and Konik horses had more and severe soft tissue mineralisation than Shetland ponies (2.3%, score 1.5 and 3.2%, score 1.3, respectively, vs. 0.3%, score 0.9, p < 0.01). Mid location was most often affected with highest severity score (4.2%, 1.5, p < 0.001). Konik horses displayed the highest IVD mineralisation (20%, p < 0.001), which notably increased with age (p < 0.001) compared with Warmblood horses (4.5%) and Shetland ponies (1.1%). SPs impingement was absent in Shetland ponies, and most prevalent in Warmblood horses (11.2%, p < 0.001) compared with Konik horses (2.2%). Osseous cyst‐like lesions, fragments and spondylosis were minimal in all breeds and nearly absent in Shetland ponies.

Main limitations

Clinical histories and macroscopic and histologic examinations were unavailable.

Conclusions

Distinct breed differences exist in prevalence and severity of thoracic vertebral column osseous pathologies. Costotransverse joint pathology is more common than APJ pathology in all breeds. Warmblood horses are prone to OA, spondylosis and SPs impingement; Konik horses exhibit significant IVD mineralisation, and Shetland ponies demonstrate a high prevalence of APJ aplasia. Periarticular osteolysis, osseous cyst‐like lesions, fragments and soft tissue mineralisation are notably low in Shetland ponies.
Transcriptomic analysis of genes associated with vitamin D receptor signalling reveals differences between skin cancers
Authors: Ocanha‐Xavier Juliana Polizel , Xavier‐Junior José Cândido Caldeira , Miot Hélio Amante , da Silva Márcia Guimarães , Marques Mariângela Esther Alencar
Published: October 2024

Vitamin D activates the vitamin D receptor (VDR), which dimerizes preferentially with the retinoid X receptor‐α (RXRα). This heterodimer connects with genetic elements responsive to vitamin D, inhibiting or stimulating gene activity. We performed Nanostring® analysis of VDR/RXRα to compare the mRNA expression of this heterodimer and their correlated transcriptomes in non‐melanoma skin cancer (basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC)) and melanocytic lesions (intradermal nevi (IN), and melanomas (MM)) with control skin. To evaluate VDR, RXRα and other 22 correlated genes in BCC, SCC, IN and MM, paraffin samples had their transcriptomes analysed using Nanostring®, a platform that allows multiple mRNA analyses. There were 46 samples, including 11 BCC, 10 SCC, 10 IN, 12 MM and 3 pools of control skins. Most mRNAs differed between the lesion groups and the control group. BCC and SCC NCOR2 were upregulated; in MM and IN, RXRγ was higher than in the control group. TP53, FOXO3 and MED1 showed a significant difference when we compared the BCC group to the SCC group. Melanoma and intradermal nevi differed only in AhR. VDR and RXRα were lower than the control in all groups. The panel shows a clear difference between the non‐melanocytic cancers and, on the other hand, a slight difference between the melanocytic lesions. The study of vitamin D's influence through its receptor and RXRα is an exciting issue for understanding the importance of this pathway, and the present study can impact the prevention and treatment strategies, mainly in non‐melanocytic tumours.
Bias mitigation for fair automation of classification tasks
Authors: Consuegra‐Ayala Juan Pablo , Gutiérrez Yoan , Almeida‐Cruz Yudivian , Palomar Manuel
Published: October 2024

The incorporation of machine learning algorithms into high‐risk decision‐making tasks has raised some alarms in the scientific community. Research shows that machine learning‐based technologies can contain biases that cause unfair decisions for certain population groups. The fundamental danger of ignoring this problem is that machine learning methods can not only reflect the biases present in our society but could also amplify them. This article presents the design and validation of a technology to assist the fair automation of classification problems. In essence, the proposal is based on taking advantage of the intermediate solutions generated during the resolution of classification problems through using Auto‐ML tools, in particular, AutoGOAL, to create unbiased/fair classifiers. The technology employs a multi‐objective optimization search to find the collection of models with the best trade‐offs between performance and fairness. To solve the optimization problem, we introduce a combination of Probabilistic Grammatical Evolution Search and NSGA‐II. The technology was evaluated using the Adult dataset from the UCI repository, a common benchmark in related research. Results were compared with other published results in scenarios with single and multiple fairness definitions. Our experiments demonstrate the technology's ability to automate classification tasks while incorporating fairness constraints. Additionally, our method achieves competitive results against other bias mitigation techniques. A notable advantage of our approach is its minimal requirement for machine learning expertise, thanks to its Auto‐ML foundation. This makes the technology accessible and valuable for advancing fairness in machine learning applications. The source code is available online for the research community.
University Actors Responding to the National Quality Assurance Regime for Higher Education in Malawi: A Case of Instrumentality, Pragmatism and Symbolic Compliance
Authors: Chikazinga Wanangwa W. N.
Published: October 2024

The literature shows that the question of how to integrate quality assurance into higher education institutions is associated with several obstacles including non‐support from university actors. This study explored the university actors' response to the recently implemented external quality assurance and accreditation regime for higher education in Malawi. The findings showed that university actors respond to external quality assurance in divergent ways, mainly characterised by formal instrumentality, professional pragmatism and symbolic compliance. This meant that it would be naïve for external quality assurance agencies to assume that when university actors participate in external accreditation processes, it means that they embrace external quality assurance as a mechanism for enhancing quality. The implication was that national policy makers and quality assurance agencies should not consider university actors as ‘passive recipients’ that mutely accept quality assurance reforms, but rather seriously attend to them as both ‘makers’ and ‘shapers’ of policy in order to develop quality assurance systems that can be genuinely embraced. The study contributes to research that take a critical perspective in interpreting university personnel response to quality assurance.
Effect of pressure on the sintering mechanisms of tantalum carbide ceramics
Authors: Gu Junfeng , Ma Peiyan , Wang Hao , Wang Weimin , Fu Zhengyi
Published: October 2024

High pressure sintering shows great superiority in promoting the densification of the hard‐to‐densify refractory ceramics, and the underlying mechanisms are thus of great interest. In the present work, the densification process of tantalum carbide (TaC) ceramics affected by pressure was discussed through comparing the microstructural characteristics and sintering kinetics. The TaC ceramics sintered at 30–250 MPa show dense and uniform microstructure without oxide impurities and high‐density dislocations. With the increase of sintering pressure, particle rearrangement becomes prominent at initial stage, whereas grain boundary diffusion rather than lattice diffusion dominants the final stage mechanism. Grain growth is enhanced under high pressure through the plastic deformation process. Our work should facilitate to understand the mass transport mechanisms during the high pressure sintering or deformation process of carbide ceramics.
Environmental Just Wars: Jus ad Bellum and the Natural Environment
Authors: Meisels Tamar
Published: October 2024

War is bad for the environment, yet the environmental ramifications of warfare have not been widely addressed by just war theorists and revisionist philosophers of war. The law and legal scholars have paid more attention to protecting nature during armed conflict. But because the law focuses invariably on rules mitigating the conduct of hostilities rather than on objective justice of cause, environmental jus ad bellum has been explored even less extensively than environmental ethics in war. Setting out with the presumption against the use of force and its exceptions, this article considers whether environmental harm can trigger a new justification for war, at whose behest, and what might be a proportionate response to aggressive or negligent harm to nature. Force is clearly justified against military attacks. Where environmental harm is not caused by military aggression, proportionality points towards a response short of war. Full‐scale warfare will likely be counterproductive in protecting nature. This is less true if war is fought by drones destroying specific targets, or by cyber‐war, or by alternatives (or supplements) to war such as boycotts, ‘lawfare’, and ‘information/media warfare’. Responding in ways that minimize harm to nature also helps demonstrate ‘right intention’.
ICT and academic achievement in secondary education: A hierarchical linear modelling
Authors: Fayda‐Kinik F. Sehkar , Cetin Munevver
Published: October 2024

Background

The unprecedented access to information in the 21st century entails a deep understanding of information and communication technology (ICT)‐related factors in education and their impacts on learning and teaching. The role of attitudes towards ICT is a proven factor in student achievement. However, there is no consensus about the direction of this impact.

Objectives

This study aimed to explore the relationship between student attitudes towards ICT including interest in ICT (INTICT), perceived ICT competence (COMPICT), perceived autonomy related to ICT use (AUTICT) and ICT in social interaction (SOIAICT), and their achievement scores for mathematics, reading, and science by analysing student‐, school‐, and country‐level factors hierarchically in the quartiles of performance.

Methods

The study group was determined as 300,279 15‐year‐old students from 21,903 schools in 53 countries. Descriptive and correlational analyses were carried out in addition to the hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) employed to reveal the relationship between attitudes towards ICT and academic achievement in mathematics, reading, and science through the investigation of student‐, school‐, and country‐level factors hierarchically in the quartiles of performance.

Results and Conclusions

The results detected moderate to weak relationships among the constructs of INTICT, COMPICT, AUTICT and SOIAICT. Based on the HLM findings, complex interactions between ICT attitudes and academic performance were identified with a tendency towards positive associations between specific attitude components and high achievement levels, particularly in mathematics and science. The research identified the significance of considering student‐, school‐, and country‐level factors for high, above‐average, below‐average, and low achievers to comprehensively understand the role of ICT attitudes in shaping educational outcomes.

Takeaways

Policymakers should design educational policies, subject‐specific strategies and ICT‐related interventions by considering the multifaceted factors influencing student performance across different subjects and achievement quartiles. Particularly at the school and country levels, contextual factors should be evaluated when designing interventions to support low achievers.
May Measurement Month 2020: An Analysis of Blood Pressure Screening Results From China
Authors: Chen Xin , Zhang Li‐Ping , Wang Xiao‐Long , Zhang Ning‐Ru , Yu Jing , Xu Li‐Ying , Li Tong‐She , Luan Hong , Zhang Juan , Hu Ya‐Min , Liu Dan , Zheng Qi‐Dong , Li Yan , Wang Ji‐Guang
Published: October 2024

We reported the blood pressure data obtained in the May Measurement Month (MMM) China project in 2020 during the COVID‐19 control period. The study participants were adults (≥ 18 years), ideally in whom blood pressure had not been measured in the previous year. Blood pressure was measured three times consecutively with a 1‐min interval in the sitting position, using a validated automated BP monitor (Omron HEM‐7081IT), and transmitted to a central database via a smartphone app. The measurement was performed at 136 sites across 29 China provinces. The 100 728 participants had a mean (±SD) age of 45.6 (±18.3) years and included 56 097 (55.7%) women. The mean systolic/diastolic blood pressure was 120.0/76.9 mm Hg. The proportion of hypertension was 28.9% (n  =  29 135), and the awareness, treatment, and control rates of hypertension were 45.3% (n = 13 212), 39.7% (n =  1573), and 24.4% (n = 7101), respectively. After adjustment for age, gender, and use of antihypertensive medication, systolic/diastolic BP were significantly higher with cigarette smoking (n = 8070, +0.5/+1.0 mm Hg, p < 0.05), mild (n = 4369, +1.2/+1.3 mm Hg, p < 0.001) and moderate or heavy alcohol drinking (n = 3871, +0.4/+0.7 mm Hg, p < 0.05), and overweight (+1.8/+1.4 mm Hg, p < 0.001) and obesity (+2.3/+1.5 mm Hg, p < 0.001). In conclusion, our study provided unique blood pressure data during the COVID‐19 period, and suggested that hypertension management might have been even more challenging when the medical professionals had to shift their focus on other urgencies.
Validation of a New Questionnaire for Assessing the Psychosocial Impact of Gingival Aesthetics (PIGAQ)
Authors: Gómez‐Polo Cristina , Sánchez de Martín Manuel Antonio , Curto Adrian , Montero Javier , Martín Casado Ana María
Published: October 2024

Aim

While the importance of gingival aesthetics is increasingly recognized, a questionnaire quantifying its psychosocial impact is still lacking. We have adapted the validated Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) for the gingival context. This study's aim was to develop a new Psychosocial Impact of Gingival Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIGAQ) and test its validity for the general population in Spain, exploring the underlying dimensions of the construct assessed.

Materials and Methods

The PIDAQ was adapted to address gingival aesthetics. PIGAQ (23 items) was completed by 200 patients aged from 18 to 85 years, and socio‐demographic variables were recorded. The four‐dimensional structure of the PIDAQ was respected, adapting the subscales to focus on the gingiva. Descriptive analysis, assessments of reliability and validity and an exploratory factor analysis were performed.

Results

The revised PIGAQ (now containing 20 items) has a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.88 with four underlying factors explaining 61.5% of the total variance. Three items (SI‐1, PI‐2 and PI‐5) were eliminated because of unacceptable fit indices. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the subscales are as follows: Gingival Self‐Confidence, 0.85; Social Impact, 0.84; Psychological Impact, 0.79; and Aesthetic Concern, 0.76.

Conclusion

PIGAQ is a reliable and potentially valid instrument for assessing psychosocial perceptions of gingival aesthetics. The scale was shown to have a satisfactory factor structure and level of internal consistency.
Strategic Corporate Purpose
Authors: Albuquerque Rui , Cabral Luís
Published: October 2024

We propose a theory of strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR). Value‐maximizing shareholders play an industry CSR game where they can opt for an objective function that extends beyond shareholder value, thus conditioning other strategic firm decisions. The theory provides a formalization of the “doing well by doing good” adage in an industry setting. We develop conditions such that the CSR game is a pure coordination game, which provides a natural and novel theory of strategic leadership in CSR: By committing to a CSR objective function, a first mover leads the industry to a Pareto superior equilibrium. The theory can rationalize recent evidence on correlated industry‐wide CSR adoption, and carries implications for competition policy.
Research progress of exosomes in pathogenesis and treatment of preeclampsia
Authors: Xing Yue , Kang Luyao , Chen Lu , Li Youyou , Lu Dan
Published: October 2024

Aim

Preeclampsia (PE) is a critical and severe disease in obstetrics, which seriously affects maternal and neonatal life safety and long‐term prognosis. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of PE are complex, and no unified conclusion has been reached. The types and number of exosomes and their transport substances in PE patients changed. The study of exosomes in PE patients helps clarify the etiology, diagnosis, effective treatment, accurate monitoring, and prognosis.

Method

The published articles were reviewed.

Results

Exosomes may affect endothelial and vascular production and function, participate in maternal‐fetal immune regulation, and transport substances such as miRNAs, lncRNAs, and proteins involved in the development of PE. Detection of the contents of exosomes can help in the early diagnosis of PE, and can help to improve PE by inhibiting the action of exosomes or preventing their binding to target organs.

Conclusion

Exosomes may be involved in the development of PE, and exosomes can be used as markers for predicting the onset of PE and tracking the disease process and determining the prognosis, and exosomes have great potential in the treatment of PE.
Giant Cell Granuloma of the Jaws and Keratin‐Positive Giant Cell‐Rich Tumor of Bone and Soft Tissue
Authors: Coura Bruna Pizziolo , Sant'Ana Maria Sissa Pereira , Fonseca Felipe Paiva , de Sousa Sílvia Ferreira , Gomes Carolina Cavalieri , Gomez Ricardo Santiago
Published: October 2024

Background

Different giant cell‐rich tumors may occur in the jaws. Recently, a new condition known as keratin‐positive giant‐cell rich tumor harboring recurrent HMGA2::NCOR2 fusions has been described. Interestingly, the mononuclear cells of this tumor are immunoreactive with the AE1/AE3 keratin. Considering the similarities of central and peripheral giant cell granuloma of the jaws with the keratin‐positive giant cell‐rich tumor of the soft tissue and bone, we hypothesized whether the keratin‐positive tumors could also occur in the maxillary bones.

Methods and Results

An immunohistochemical investigation of AE1/AE3 in a cohort of 16 cases of peripheral and central giant cell granuloma of the jaws was carried out. None of the cases was keratin‐positive.

Conclusions

Although no immunopositivity for keratin was observed in the present giant cell granulomas cohort, we cannot completely exclude the possibility of keratin‐positive giant cell‐rich tumors occurring in the jaws. Therefore, oral pathologists should be aware about this condition and further studies using cohorts from different laboratories are necessary.
Characteristics Associated With Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Coverage and Exemptions After a School Immunization Law Change in Washington, 2019‐2020
Authors: Moore Tyler , Graff Katherine , Bell Teal R.
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND

We aimed to better understand the impact of statewide legislation removing personal belief exemptions (PBEs) for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) school immunization requirement and factors associated with resulting health‐seeking behaviors.

METHODS

We used chi‐squared tests and logistic regression models to determine individual‐ and school‐level characteristics associated with holding a MMR PBE and with post‐law MMR immunization status among students linked to the Washington State Immunization Information System.

RESULTS

Of students with a MMR PBE pre‐law change, 43.0% completed the MMR vaccine series and 40.4% sought another exemption type. Religious exemptions made up most new MMR exemptions signed (71.8%), followed by medical exemptions (18.5%), and religious membership exemptions (9.7%). Students were more likely to complete the vaccine series post‐law change if they attended a school with a low school‐level MMR exemption rate, a public school, or held a lower number of school‐required immunization exemptions.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms previous concerns that parents might replace their PBE with another exemption type; however, nearly half the students in the cohort completed the MMR vaccine series. Our findings suggest that targeted immunization policies can increase MMR coverage 1‐year post‐law change but must account for a replacement effect when exemption categories are eliminated.
Psychological Distress and Associated Factors Among Elementary School Teachers: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Rahmani Farnaz , Asghari Elnaz , Naghdi Sadeh Reza , Hosseinzadeh Mina , Gholizadeh Leila
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND

Teachers can face demanding and stressful working conditions. Classroom environments in elementary schools are dynamic and challenging, which can be mentally and emotionally exhausting for teachers. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of psychological distress and identify associated factors among elementary school teachers.

METHODS

This is an analytical, observational cross‐sectional study. The participants consisted of 450 teachers selected using the cluster sampling method from elementary schools of Tabriz, Iran. Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the associations between teachers' psychological distress and potential factors.

RESULTS

The study found a significant proportion of participants (54.2%) experiencing psychological distress. Multiple regression analysis revealed age, sex, work experience, school type, family income status, teachers' efficacy, emotional labor, and presenteeism were statistically associated with teachers' psychological distress.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY

To address teachers' psychological distress, schools need to adopt policies that promote teacher well‐being and mental health support.

CONCLUSION

The high prevalence of psychological distress among elementary school teachers raises concerns and highlights the need for attention. Schools and administrators must provide teachers with the resources and support they need to succeed in their roles. Interventions targeting the identified associated factors must be planned to improve the mental health of elementary school teachers and enhance their overall performance.
A cry for kelp: Evidence for polyphenolic inhibition of Oxford Nanopore sequencing of brown algae
Authors: Pearman William S. , Arranz Vanessa , Carvajal Jose I. , Whibley Annabel , Liau Yusmiati , Johnson Katherine , Gray Rachel , Treece Jackson M. , Gemmell Neil J. , Liggins Libby , Fraser Ceridwen I. , Jensen Evelyn L. , Green Nicholas J.
Published: October 2024

Genomic resources have yielded unprecedented insights into ecological and evolutionary processes, not to mention their importance in economic and conservation management of specific organisms. However, the field of macroalgal genomics is hampered by difficulties in the isolation of suitable DNA. Even when DNA that appears high quality by standard metrics has been isolated, such samples may not perform well during the sequencing process. We here have compared Oxford Nanopore long‐read sequencing results for three species of macroalgae to those of nonmacroalgal species and determined that when using macroalgal samples, sequencing activity declined rapidly, resulting in reduced sequencing yield. Chemical analysis of macroalgal DNA that would be considered suitable for sequencing revealed that DNA derived from dried macroalgae was enriched for polyphenol–DNA adducts (DNA with large polyphenols chemically attached to it), which may have led to sequencing inhibition. Of note, we observed the strongest evidence of sequencing inhibition and reduced sequence output when using samples dried using silica gel—suggesting that such storage approaches may not be appropriate for samples destined for Oxford Nanopore sequencing. Our findings have wide‐ranging implications for the generation of genomic resources from macroalgae and suggest a need to develop new storage methods that are more amenable to Oxford Nanopore sequencing or to use fresh flash‐frozen tissue wherever possible for genome sequencing.