bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rhabdomyosarcoma of the Middle Ear and Mastoid in Children: Experience of the Beijing Children's Hospital—BCH
Authors: Li Yanzhen , Zhang Ge , Su Yan , Liu Zhikai , Zhang Jie , Zhang Xuexi , Liu Qiaoyin , Sun Nian , Liu Zhiyong , Li Xiaodan , Tan Junlong , Mei Lin , Liu Yuwei , Ji Tingting , Wang Shengcai , Ni Xin
Published: February 2025

Objectives

To conduct a retrospective analysis of the clinical characteristics and prognosis of rhabdomyosarcoma of the middle ear and mastoid (MERMS) in children.

Methods

Treatment and outcome of 37 children with MERMS from Beijing Children's Hospital (July 2016–April 2023) were evaluated.

Results

The median age of this cohort was 54 months. Initially, 9 children were misdiagnosed with otitis media and/or granulomas, whereas 11 underwent anti-infective therapy. The disease manifested with a high level of local aggressiveness (T2; 83.8%), often accompanied by meningeal invasion (MI; 27 of 37), encompassing cranial base bone erosion (CBBE; 27 of 27), intracranial extension (ICE; 14 of 27), and cranial nerve paralysis (CNP; 22 of 27), with a predominance of facial nerve involvement in CNP cases. The primary treatment modality for this region was a combination of radiation and chemotherapy. The early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy emerged as a prognostic factor, significantly impacting 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS): complete response (CR), 85.7 and 100%; partial response (PR), 43.7 and 65.2%; and progressive disease/stable disease (PD/SD), 16.7 and 16.7% (p = 0.019 and 0.001, respectively). A total of 13 patients passed away, with 4 fatalities attributed to the dissemination of tumor cells in the cerebrospinal fluid and 9 resulting from intracranial progression that impacted the central nervous system. The 5-year OS and EFS were (67.1 ± 7.8%) and (51.1 ± 9.1%), respectively.

Conclusion

MERMS is a highly aggressive malignancy with complex clinical manifestations and frequent cranial nerve involvement. Early recognition, aggressive multimodal treatment, and close monitoring for treatment response are crucial for improving survival outcomes.
Improved grading method of 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid static renal imaging helps predict the prognosis of urinary tract infection in children
Authors: Ruan Xiemei , Zhang Biying , Chen Zhengguo , Wu Ha
Published: February 2025

Objective

This study aimed to refine the 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (Tc-99m DMSA) renal static imaging (DMSA) rating method and evaluate its prognostic value in children with urinary tract infections (UTIs) associated with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).

Methods

Retrospective analysis was conducted on DMSA data (DMSA1 at the initial visit and DMSA2 at follow-up; imaging interval ≥ 6 months) and clinical data from 117 children. Each kidney was divided into three regions: upper, middle, and lower. Lesions were graded in a blinded manner based on the distribution of the imaging agent and whether the defect area exceeded 50% of the region. Lesion grades were classified as 0 (normal) to 5 (complete defect). DMSA2 ratings were categorized as complete recovery, improvement, similar, or deterioration, and clinical factors influencing each group were analyzed.

Results

A total of 160 diseased kidneys were identified in 117 children. The DMSA1 and DMSA2 image ratings were highly consistent (kappa coefficients: 0.806, 0.839, 0.813, 0.820 for left and right kidneys, respectively). A statistically significant difference in image ratings was observed between DMSA1 and DMSA2 when DMSA1 rating was ≥3b. Changes in DMSA2 ratings were associated only with the initial DMSA1 rating and the presence of breakthrough urinary sensation at follow-up.

Conclusion

Image changes were related solely to breakthrough urinary sensation. When the initial DMSA lesion grade exceeds 3b, improvement in the lesion is unlikely, regardless of subsequent breakthrough urinary sensation. The modified DMSA rating method is effective and can predict prognosis in children with UTIs.
Multifocal FDG Uptake of the Breasts Caused by Autologous Fat Injection for Breast Augmentation
Authors: He Jiani , Dong Aisheng
Published: February 2025

Autologous fat grafting for cosmetic breast augmentation is becoming increasingly popular. Late complications after intramammary fat injection include fat necrosis, liponecrotic cyst, calcification, and lymphadenopathy. We describe FDG PET/CT findings in a patient with multiple-injection-site fat necrosis after intramammary fat injection. FDG PET/CT showed multifocal activity in the subcutaneous and subglandular regions corresponding to the fat injection sites of the bilateral breasts and multiple FDG-avid lymph nodes of the axillae, mimicking malignancy. Careful correlation with clinical history and familiarity with the imaging findings of the complications after intramammary fat injection are helpful for avoiding misdiagnosis.
Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus: an unforeseen cause of abortion in regional Australia
Authors: Owusu-Ansa Immanuella , Ramadas Manjeera , Jacob Nikhitha , Ayeni Femi E.
Published: February 2025

Campylobacter fetus (C. fetus) subsp. fetus, a Gram-negative bacterium, is an established cause of abortion and infertility in cattle, sheep and goats. Human infections have been rarely reported. In contrast to TORCH infections, this Campylobacter species is hardly recognized as a cause of abortion in humans. Since 1947 after the first case report in France, there have been only 11 reported cases of pregnant women worldwide and no published reports in Australia, pregnant or otherwise. The case in this study was compared to the first reported infection of C. fetus in 1947 to raise awareness and educate doctors and midwives, subsequently impacting prenatal and antenatal counselling in these regions. A Venn diagram was constructed to highlight the similarities between this and the index case. The similarities found included the clinical state of the patient post-abortion and the all-important history of exposure to farm animals that suffered recent deaths on the farms of both patients. Some of the differences included the time of onset of symptoms to the time of abortion, the choice of antibiotics by both treating teams and the presentation of sepsis, suggesting the importance of C. fetus subsp. fetus as a perinatal infection.
Whole-genome sequencing of the Streptomyces coelicolor bldA39 mutant (J1700) reveals hundreds of previously unknown mutations
Authors: Stone Jack W. , Munnoch John T. , Hoskisson Paul A.
Published: February 2025

We report the genome sequence of the bldA39 (J1700) mutant of Streptomyces coelicolor, a historically important strain that is deficient in sporulation and antimicrobial production. The S. coelicolor J1700 strain was used extensively from the 1980s onwards to underpin important discoveries in development and antibiotic production in Streptomyces. The bldA gene encodes a leucyl tRNA, required for the translation of the rare TTA codon found in ~2% of genes in Streptomyces. The whole genome of S. coelicolor J1700 was obtained via Illumina sequencing and mapped to the S. coelicolor M145 reference genome. Analysis of the genome sequence compared to S. coelicolor M145 identified the known bldA39 mutation (T>C) and revealed more than 300 further mutations, likely associated with the S. coelicolor J1501 genetic background the strain was created in, including the nature of the hisA1 and uraA1 alleles used extensively in genetic mapping experiments and several mutations in natural product biosynthetic gene clusters. This work highlights the importance of whole-genome sequencing of historically important strains.
Early life serological profiles and the development of natural protective humoral immunity toStreptococcus pyogenesin a high burden setting
Authors: Keeley Alexander J , Camara Fatoumata E , Armitage Edwin , de Crombrugghe Gabrielle , Sillah Jainaba , Fofana Modou Lamin , Rollinson Victoria , Senghore Elina , Jammeh Musukoi , Whitcombe Alana L , Bittaye Amat , Ceesay Haddy , Ceesay Isatou , Samateh Bunja , Manneh Muhammed , Carducci Martina , Rovetini Luca , Boero Elena , Massai Luisa , Sanyang Chilel , Camara Ousman , Cessay Ebrima , Iturriza Miren , Gomes Danilo Moriel , Kucharski Adam , Smeesters Pierre R , Botteaux Anne , Jayne Ya Jankey , Moreland Nicole J , Clarke Ed , Kampmann Beate , Marks Michael , Rossi Omar , Salje Henrik , Turner Claire E , de Silva Thushan I
Published: February 2025

Streptococcus pyogenesleads to 500,000 deaths annually; many due to rheumatic heart disease in low-income settings. Limited understanding of natural protective immunity toS. pyogeneshinders vaccine development. We describe the evolution of serological profiles to conserved vaccine-antigens and type-specific M peptides from birth and throughout the life course in The Gambia. As placentally-transferred IgG waned after birth, serological evidence of new exposure was seen in 23% infants during the first year of life. Following culture-confirmedS. pyogenesevents, the highest IgG increases occurred in children under two years following both pharyngeal and skin disease, and asymptomatic carriage at both sites. Higher IgG to conserved antigens SLO, SpyCEP and SpyAD correlated with functional activity and were associated with protection from culture-confirmed events following adjustment for age and anti-M protein IgG levels. Our data provide the first evidence of protection associated with humoral immunity to conserved vaccine candidate antigens in humans.
Plasma and neuroimaging biomarkers of small vessel disease and Alzheimer’s disease in a diverse cohort: MESA
Authors: Lockhart Samuel N. , Sutphen Courtney L. , Tanley Jordan , Gonzalez-Ortiz Fernando , Kac Przemysław R. , Habes Mohamad , Heckbert Susan R. , Ashton Nicholas J. , Mielke Michelle M. , Koeppe Robert , Rudolph Marc D. , Whitlow Christopher T. , Hiatt Kevin D. , Craft Suzanne , Register Thomas C. , Hayden Kathleen M. , Rapp Stephen R. , Sachs Bonnie C. , Zetterberg Henrik , Blennow Kaj , Karikari Thomas K. , Hughes Timothy M.
Published: February 2025

INTRODUCTION

Little is known about how Alzheimer’s disease (AD) plasma biomarkers relate to cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) neuroimaging biomarkers.

METHODS

The study involved 251 Wake Forest Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Exam 6 participants with plasma AD biomarkers, MRI, amyloid PET, and adjudicated cognitive status. Multivariable models examined cross-sectional relationships between plasma and neuroimaging biomarkers, considering comorbidities.

RESULTS

Lower Aβ42/Aβ40, and higher GFAP, NfL, and p-tau217 were associated with greater neurodegeneration. Lower plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 and higher p-tau217 and p-tau231 were associated with greater Aβ PET deposition. NfL was positively associated with WMH and WM Free Water. P-tau measures were positively associated with WM Free Water. Lower Aβ42/Aβ40 was associated with presence of microbleeds. GFAP was positively associated with WMH.

DISCUSSION

We observed expected associations of plasma biomarkers with cognitive status and imaging biomarkers. GFAP, NfL, p-tau181, p-tau217, and p-tau231 are associated with cSVD in addition to AD-related pathology.
Variable processing shifts during perceptual acceleration: Evidence from temporal integration
Authors: Wolff Michael J. , Akyürek Elkan G.
Published: February 2025

The perception of a stimulus can be accelerated by another that precedes it. Research to date has focused on quantifying this acceleration, and localizing it in the chain of perceptual and cognitive processes that are involved. This is challenging, because these processes may interact unexpectedly, and because traditional (univariate) analyses of brain activity and behaviour may conflate processes with the representations they act on. By using multivariate pattern analysis of EEG data from a missing element task, designed to measure the visual temporal integration of two successive stimulus displays, we were able to track the representation associated with the integrated percept. We manipulated the delay between our displays, and observed commensurate acceleration of the resultant integrated representation. Furthermore, regardless of the delay, we found that although processing was already accelerated during the earliest processing stages at around 100ms after stimulus onset, intermediate stages, at around 200ms, were even more accelerated. In contrast, later processing stages, at around 400ms, again showed less acceleration. The results thus suggest that perceptual acceleration during temporal integration is nonlinear, and that some time that is gained at one moment in the process can be lost again at another.
Energy and environmental efficiency: role of institutional quality, human capital, R&D and knowledge systems
Authors: Premkumar Prashant , Sumod S.D. , Rajeev A. , Ram Kumar P.N.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The present study examines the impact of sustainable transitions on the energy and environmental efficiency (EEE) of nations across the developed and developing world. It studies the temporal shift in the share of renewable sources in energy generation. It also analyses the shift in the efficiency frontier of nations using data envelopment analysis (DEA). Further, it studies the macro-level drivers of EEE in the countries.

Design/methodology/approach

As the first step, we benchmark the EEE of the developed and developing nations using DEA. Subsequently, we look at the influence of institutional quality, human capital, R&D and knowledge systems on EEE, to develop a comprehensive understanding of the macro-level drivers of EEE.

Findings

Our analyses reveal that a country’s institutional quality, human capital and R&D are critical determinants of EEE. The results show that while human capital has a significant positive impact on EEE, R&D expenditure alone has no substantial impact. The findings also suggest that knowledge diffusion disperses best practices across nations and bridges EEE gaps.

Practical implications

Attempts to promote sustainable energy transitions and improve EEE have met with varying levels of success. The results of this study will provide a useful guideline for the governments to achieve the goal of EEE through sustainable energy transitions (SET).

Originality/value

Unlike previous studies, we adopt a multi-factor EEE assessment. We also examine additional influences like the human capital of a nation and its knowledge management system to develop a comprehensive understanding of the macro-level drivers of EEE.
Experimentation in “everyday” small business ventures
Authors: Talvinko Maria , van den Broek Antonius , Koria Mikko
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Entrepreneurial experimentation is often studied in the context of tech, retail and high-growth startups. Current interpretations lean on limited empirical data and suggest structured and deliberate approaches. Our empirical observations in the food and beverage industry expand these perspectives by revealing emergent and impulsive experimentation practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative multiple case study of 20 small food and beverage ventures examined experimentation within non-tech and “everyday” contexts. Applying an abductive research design, the authors investigate experimentation practices through the conceptual lenses of transformation, social learning model, play, improvisation and entrepreneurial hustle.

Findings

The study reveals three forms of experimentation in the food and beverage sector: informative decision-making, transformative learning and improvisational exploring. These forms vary in their deliberateness and differ from those seen in the context of tech, retail and high-growth start-ups. In the food and beverage sector, not all uncertainties and opportunities can be rationally validated, but they require transformational social interactions with stakeholders, and swiftly changing situations need to be addressed in ways other than rationally pre-planned experiments.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by extending the dominant rational view of experimentation. By refining deliberateness in entrepreneurial actions and synthesizing and categorizing experimentation in three forms, this study constructs a more nuanced picture of what entrepreneurial experimentation consists of in the work of “everyday” ventures.
The impact of contingency factors on the degree of digitization and the operational performance in accounting firms
Authors: Hentati Helmi , Jardak Maha Khemakhem , Boulila Neila
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of contingency factors, namely, strategy and the technological environment, on the degree of digitalization and on operational performance in accounting firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used in this research relies on the utilization of a structural equation model. Data was collected from the perspectives of 128 directors and managers from various accounting firms. We try to test the moderator effect of strategy and technological environment affecting the digitalization level and the operational performance in accounting firms.

Findings

The study confirmed the contingency theory in the digital transformation process, impacting operational performance. Accounting firms have demonstrated that the adoption of digital strategies contributes to enhancing the relationship between digitalization levels and operational performance. However, the risky technological environment poses a challenge, as it has a negative moderating influence on the degree of digitization and the performance of accounting firms.

Research limitations/implications

The study adds a valuable nuance to the understanding of digitalization and technological transitions in accounting firms. The research enriches the existing literature by highlighting the consistency of contingency theory explaining the success or failure of the digital transformation of accounting firms.

Practical implications

This research encourages managers to proactively adopt technological advances and provides recommendations on aligning strategies with technology, considering the technological environment. Managers must be aware that the success of the digital transformation process in accounting firms depends on two important factors: actively engaging in the development of clear digital strategies and encouraging technology adoption within their teams. By equipping themselves with an environment that accounts for financial, resistance, regulatory, dependency and security risks, managers can better manage the risks associated with digitization to optimize operational performance.

Originality/value

The added value of this research lies in its significant contribution to the understanding of digital transformation within accounting firms, particularly by highlighting the relevance of contingency theory in this specific context. It confirms how accounting firms can optimize their performance by crucially aligning their contingency variables: strategy and environment.
Critical success and failure factors in the AI lifecycle: a knowledge graph-based ontological study
Authors: Hao Xinyue , Demir Emrah , Eyers Daniel
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide a holistic understanding of the factors that either promote or hinder the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in supply chain management (SCM) and operations management (OM). By segmenting the AI lifecycle and examining the interactions between critical success factors and critical failure factors, this study aims to offer predictive insights that can help in proactively managing these factors, ultimately reducing the risk of failure, and facilitating a smoother transition into AI-enabled SCM and OM.

Design/methodology/approach

This study develops a knowledge graph model of the AI lifecycle, divided into pre-development, deployment and post-development stages. The methodology combines a comprehensive literature review for ontology extraction and expert surveys to establish relationships among ontologies. Using exploratory factor analysis, composite reliability and average variance extracted ensures the validity of constructed dimensions. Pearson correlation analysis is applied to quantify the strength and significance of relationships between entities, providing metrics for labeling the edges in the resource description framework.

Findings

This study identifies 11 dimensions critical for AI integration in SCM and OM: (1) setting clear goals and standards; (2) ensuring accountable AI with leadership-driven strategies; (3) activating leadership to bridge expertise gaps; (4) gaining a competitive edge through expert partnerships and advanced IT infrastructure; (5) improving data quality through customer demand; (6) overcoming AI resistance via awareness of benefits; (7) linking domain knowledge to infrastructure robustness; (8) enhancing stakeholder engagement through effective communication; (9) strengthening AI robustness and change management via training and governance; (10) using key performance indicators-driven reviews for AI performance management; (11) ensuring AI accountability and copyright integrity through governance.

Originality/value

This study enhances decision-making by developing a knowledge graph model that segments the AI lifecycle into pre-development, deployment and post-development stages, introducing a novel approach in SCM and OM research. By incorporating a predictive element that uses knowledge graphs to anticipate outcomes from interactions between ontologies. These insights assist practitioners in making informed decisions about AI use, improving the overall quality of decisions in managing AI integration and ensuring a smoother transition into AI-enabled SCM and OM.
Toxic leadership and spiritual capital: Japanese organizations in the USA and India
Authors: Ashta Ashok , Stokes Peter
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to contextualize the recently developed process of toxic leadership (PTL) model to international business (IB) intercultural (IC) contexts. This is important because of the potential for cultural conflict to compromise organizational spiritual capital, a crucial driver for success defined by the bottom-line and employee satisfaction. Thus, the paper addresses the gap that is imperative for practical societal reasons of realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), because the bottom-line is an important driver for international partnerships, a crucial element of SDG 17 and inclusivity is a contributing element of SDG 8 that pertains to decent work.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study design was adopted to facilitate modification of existing theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Japanese (IB/IC) contexts to understand the lived experience of Japanese business leaders and host country managers (followers) in the USA and India. A social constructivist thematic analysis was deployed to examine the data.

Findings

Our study illustrates the degree to which the PTL model ports to IB situations, with a refinement on the workarounds for resistance by host country employees. The findings suggest that policymakers seduced by IB business market opportunities also need to address the dark side of these activities by ensuring proactive measures, such as language training and cross-cultural awareness, to ensure decent work as perceived by the follower.

Research limitations/implications

This research discusses implications for the evolving zeitgeist of human-centrism in organizations. Although the adopted subjectivist interpretivism presents a concomitant limitation of generalization, the research nevertheless successfully raises flags against the hegemonic positive assessment of the UN SDGs.

Practical implications

Connections to international subsidiary leadership selection are offered. Additionally, the research raises the specter of breach in leader–follower trust compromising organizational spiritual capital.

Social implications

Our research shows that society should consider potential misalignments with human centricity when promoting international partnerships, such as in the name of the UN SDG 17.

Originality/value

The PTL model is relatively new to leadership scholarship. The present paper is novel in extending it to IB’s intercultural contexts. Moreover, as an exemplar of its application, it challenges and adds nuance through adjustment and ambiguity to the generally positive assessment of Japanese leadership in the conventional leadership literature.
Bank acquisitions of AI and FinTech: impact on performance
Authors: de Boyrie Maria E. , Pavlova Ivelina
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper investigates the impact of financial technology innovation on bank performance. Using a large sample of FinTech mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals by major and regional US banks as well as artificial intelligence (AI) patent applications and grants by banks from 2010 to 2022, their impact on bank return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) is explored.

Design/methodology/approach

System GMM estimators created for dynamic panel models are employed to evaluate the impact of a bank’s acquisitions of technology-oriented, AI and FinTech corporations and the filing of technology-oriented patents on profitability.

Findings

A positive association between the number of FinTech M&A deals and bank performance is documented; however, none of the patent variables (grant, filing or publication) appear to have a significant effect.

Originality/value

A large sample of FinTech M&A deals and patents by US major and regional banks is used to study the impact on bank performance. A comprehensive empirical analysis is performed while controlling for bank size and other bank characteristics.
Weighting in-text citation location and context meanings for proposing citation quality score metric
Authors: Yaniasih Yaniasih , Budi Indra
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The assessment of citation value necessitates considering the number of citations and the specific characteristics of in-text citations. This article establishes the significance of location and contextual meaning attributes in determining the citation value. It also aims to create a framework for assessing the quality score metric of citations.

Design/methodology/approach

The ground truth weights are created using expert opinion through the best-worst method (BWM). Automatic weighting is required for future metric development. Therefore, ground truth weights are compared to five objective multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods: (1) standard deviation, (2) Gini coefficient, (3) entropy, (4) criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation (CRITIC) and (5) method based on criteria removal effects (MEREC). The selected weights are then utilized to create the metric framework.

Findings

The highest ground truth weight for the citation attributes is in the method section location (0.2176), positive sentiment (0.4455), role source from the method (0.3537) and function as a comparison (0.2554). The objective method closest to the ground truth is MEREC. Three types of citation quality score (CQS) metrics are developed to assess the significance of citation in a single appearance in a text, within a citing document and across all available data. Notably, a significant correlation exists between proposed metrics and expert judgment.

Originality/value

This article presents a novel citation metric that prioritizes quality factors over traditional metrics, focusing solely on numbers. Comparing various MCDM approaches is a novel approach to scientific measurement research.
A localised participatory research agenda for social enterprises: an application in Palestine
Authors: Testi Enrico , Kattan Fadi , Morrar Rabeh , Vineis Vittoria
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology to create a localised participatory research agenda (LPRA) for social enterprises (SEs) to bridge the gap between the information needs of stakeholders in SE ecosystems (SEEs) and academics.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology incorporates a literature review, semi-structured key informant interviews and a questionnaire. A participatory approach was used engaging stakeholders of the SE sector in Palestine to elaborate the research agenda.

Findings

The proposed LPRA methodology, centred on localised and participatory engagement, has shown effectiveness in bridging the gap between stakeholders and academics in SEs research. Piloted in Palestine, it provided relevant insights and enabled the grassroots identification of policy directions to improve the local SEE. Being tested in the specific context of Palestine, the methodology demonstrates considerable adaptability to different maturity levels of SEEs and varied socio-economic environments. Nonetheless, further research is necessary to refine the LPRA methodology and determine its suitability in diverse SE contexts.

Practical implications

The present methodology offers the advantage of involving local stakeholders, enabling their participation in the construction of knowledge and serving as a possible tool for researchers to fulfil the Third Mission of the university. The methodology could be particularly useful in contexts that have uncommon political, economic or social features and need a tailored approach when building research questions and answers for local stakeholders; in contexts where non-local researchers could use the methodology to mitigate biases stemming from the application of non-local perspectives; and when the research is aimed at the creation of useful knowledge for the development of the ecosystem.

Originality/value

Conventional research agendas are typically developed by academics based on literature reviews. Such agendas, even if valuable for furthering research, often do not have a geographical focus and neglect the needs of diverse stakeholders in the SEE. The LPRA for SEs addresses this gap by providing a methodology able to include local SE stakeholders in building a research agenda tailored to address their specific information needs.
Serological Evidence of Cetacean Morbillivirus Infection in Common Bottlenose Dolphins in Japan
Authors: Tashiro Kaede , Segawa Takao , Konishi Kiyotaka , Seki Fumio , Katoh Hiroshi , Ishibashi Toshiaki , Takeda Makoto , Itou Takuya
Published: February 2025

This study revealed that 41.9% of wild‐born Japanese captive dolphins (18 out of 43 dolphins) have neutralizing antibodies specific to cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV). This finding indicates a widespread yet undetected CeMV infection among wild dolphins in the waters around Japan, occurring without notable epidemic or mass mortality of dolphins.
Highly Dynamic Archaeal and Bacterial Communities From the Surface to the Deep in the Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Yoshimura Kristin M. , Shah Walter Sunita R. , Tully Benjamin J. , Biddle Jennifer F.
Published: February 2025

Though archaea are ubiquitous in the oceans, at times present in quantities equal to bacteria, in general, archaea are underreported when compared with bacteria, and little is known about archaeal connectivity in the ocean. Here, we present the first time series data of size‐fractionated archaea with temporal resolution of days across a depth transect in the oligotrophic Atlantic Ocean. Archaeal communities were variable from day to day, both in regards to community composition and relative abundance. In the context of the total prokaryotic community, we found that water depth and particle size were both determinants of the archaeal share of microbial populations, though the archaeal portion of the community was less discriminating between size and depth classes than the rest of the community. Quantitative PCR shows lower relative abundances of archaea in the deep Atlantic Ocean than previously reported. Overall, we find far lower connectivity between depths in the Atlantic Ocean than suggested by previous studies.
Physical Fit: The Role of Sports in Elite Hiring in Norway
Authors: Sølvberg Lisa M. B. , Rivera Lauren A.
Published: February 2025

Sports participation serves as an important marker of elite distinction that is useful for getting in and getting on in elite workplaces. However, much of the work on the stratifying power of sports in the workplace has focussed on highly unequal societies, like the United Kingdom and the United States, and workplaces within the economic elite. In this paper, we examine elite hiring in Norway, a country that is more egalitarian with respect to social class and gender than countries that are typically the focus of elite research. Drawing from 50 interviews with hiring agents and ethnographic observation of hiring processes in nine organisations, we examine whether and how (1) sports are used in elite Norwegian hiring, and (2) these processes vary between elite labour market sectors that have different compositions of economic and cultural capital. We find that sports are indeed a salient basis of elite hiring in Norway. As in more unequal countries, elite employers intentionally seek out candidates with extensive sporting histories, especially in traditionally high‐class, stereotypically masculine sports. However, we find two departures from prior research. First, we find that the emphasis on sports participation—especially extensive participation in high‐level organised sporting leagues during adulthood—was strongest in the economic and balanced fractions of the Norwegian elite and least pronounced in the cultural fraction. Second, employers in the economic and balanced fractions favoured current athletes in part because they believed the bodies of athletes brought direct symbolic and economic value to their firms, due to unique aspects of the Norwegian employment landscape. Our work highlights how local features of labour markets shape the construction and deployment of evaluative criteria in hiring. It also shows that physical capital has economic conversion value in certain elite labour markets.
The influence of perceived difficulty, availability of marks, and examination time on the conclusions of firearms examiners
Authors: Monson Keith L. , Smith Erich D. , Peters Eugene M.
Published: February 2025

Concurrent with studies on the accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility of decisions based on comparisons of fired bullet and cartridge cases, we also collected the opinions of the participating examiners as to the characteristics of the specimens provided and the difficulty of making comparisons. Examiners rated the ease with which they determined every conclusion (easy, average, hard) and estimated qualitatively the amount of visual information available to them in determining a conclusion (limited, some, extensive). Comparisons deemed hard were perceived generally to have somewhat fewer markings conducive for assessment, while comparisons where the markings were limited produced a larger number of inconclusive determinations. Perceived difficulty increased with wider separation in firing order (within or between three defined segments of 700–850 total firings). The repeatability of these qualitative assessments exceeded 60% and their average reproducibility was ~50%. Examination times did not vary significantly when rendering decisions of identification, elimination, or inconclusive, although bullet identifications appear to have taken slightly longer than those for cartridge cases. Hard comparisons, where the amount of information was limited, were not treated substantially differently from any other types of comparison. No correlation was found between difficulty and number of comparisons attempted. These results tend to contradict assertions by critics that examiners are tempted to declare inconclusive decisions to save time and avoid rendering an elimination or identification conclusion, or that the results are non‐representative of casework, or that perceived difficulty affected the degree of examiner participation.
Association between patient primary language, physical restraints, and intramuscular sedation in the emergency department
Authors: Kumar Anusha , Ryus Caitlin R. , Carreras Tartak Jossie A. , Nath Bidisha , Faustino Isaac V. , Shah Dhruvil , Robinson Leah , Desai Riddhi , Heckmann Rebekah , Taylor R. Andrew , Wong Ambrose H.
Published: February 2025

Background

Despite the importance of effective communication during verbal de‐escalation, research regarding patient primary language during management of agitation symptoms is limited. We evaluated associations between patient primary language and use of physical restraints and intramuscular (IM) sedation in the emergency department (ED).

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort analysis evaluating physical restraint and IM sedation characteristics using electronic medical records from 13 EDs affiliated with a large regional health care network located in the northeast United States. Data were collected for ED visits from 2013 to 2023 for all adult patients ages 18 and older. We performed logistic regression models using the presence of physical restraint and IM sedation orders as primary outcomes, adjusting for patient primary language, sex assigned at birth, age, race and ethnicity, and chief complaints.

Results

In our analysis of 3,406,474 visits, 3,086,512 included English speakers, 250,912 included Spanish speakers, 9,057 included Portuguese speakers, 6,616 included Arabic speakers, 6,425 included Italian speakers, 39,303 included other language speakers, and 7,649 included unknown language speakers; 18,546 visits included use of physical restraints and 48,277 visits included use of IM sedation. After demographic and clinical characteristics were adjusted for, visits with Spanish‐ and Portuguese‐speaking patients had a reduced likelihood of physical restraints and IM sedation compared to English speakers, with adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 0.70 (0.65–0.76) and 0.82 (0.79–0.87) for Spanish speakers and 0.39 (0.20–0.68) and 0.84 (0.66–1.05) for Portuguese speakers, respectively.

Conclusions

ED visits with Spanish‐ and Portuguese‐speaking patients were found to have lower odds of physical restraints and IM sedation, while Arabic, Italian, other, and unknown language–speaking patients were found to have higher odds. Factors contributing to linguistic differences in physical restraint and IM sedation use, such as cultural interpretations of behavior, quality of clinical interactions, and patient–clinician communication strategies, merit further investigation.
Efficacy of Premedication With Ketorolac on Anaesthetic Success of Mental‐Incisive Nerve Blocks With Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: A Randomised Clinical Trial
Authors: Nagendrababu Venkateshbabu , Subbarao Haritha Jamuna , Saumya Parashar , Menon Neeraj , Khandelwal Priyal , Dummer Paul M. H. , Natanasabapathy Velmurugan , Suresh Nandini
Published: February 2025

This trial aimed to compare the success of mental‐incisive nerve blocks (MINB) on mandibular premolars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP) after oral premedication using 10 mg ketorolac or a placebo. One hundred and two patients were randomly divided into two groups. One hour prior to the administration of a MINB the patients were administered oral premedication's of either ketorolac or dextrose (placebo). The success of anaesthesia was verified by the absence of pain during the access cavity preparation or root canal instrumentation. Descriptive analysis was performed and one‐way ANOVA was utilised for quantitative variables. Categorical data were analysed using chi‐squared tests. Binary logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship among age, sex, type of premedication taken, preoperative pain score and tooth length to the pain outcome. The efficacy of MINB on mandibular premolars with SIP was not influenced significantly by the preoperative oral administration of ketorolac.

Trial Registration: CTRI/2021/11/038115
Understory Diversity Affects Monodominance of Anogeissus leiocarpa
Authors: Yarou Abdel‐Aziz B. , Moutouama Jacob K. , Gaoue Orou G.
Published: February 2025

The persistence of monodominant communities in tropical ecosystems, known for their high diversity, has challenged tropical ecologists. Species diversity could influence the persistence of monodominance by limiting the competitive edge of the monodominant species particularly in the forest understory. However, the role of stand diversity or demographic structure in maintaining monodominance particularly in early life stage in forest understory remains elusive. We studied Anogeissus leiocarpa in monodominant stands in West Africa. We used generalised linear mixed effect models to test the effect of stand species diversity on stem density and dominance of A. leiocarpa in the understory and how this effect changes from the stand centre to the edge. Anogeissus leiocarpa density and dominance decreased from the stand centre to the periphery. Anogeissus leiocarpa dominance in the understory was below 50% on average, suggesting that monodominance emerges during the transition from the understory to the canopy. Increase in community diversity had negative effects on A. leiocarpa seedlings density perhaps due to increased diversity in competition mechanisms. Contrary to our expectation for a pioneer species, A. leiocarpa lacked vigorous recruitment and did not exhibit the expected negative exponential population structure. The diameter‐ and height‐based size class distributions were not correlated across populations, indicating that using the population structure as an ecological diagnostic tool could lead to suboptimal conservation decisions.
Leopard (Panthera pardus) Density and the Impact of Spotted Hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) Occurrence on Leopard Presence in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem, Kenya
Authors: Hills Eve , Penny Samuel , Chelysheva Elena , Omondi Patrick , Ngene Shadrack , Giordano Anthony J. , Tolhurst Bryony A.
Published: February 2025

The African large predator guild is one of the last intact large predator guilds globally, and interactions between its members influence ecosystem functioning. We conducted camera‐trapping in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem (MME) to estimate leopard (Panthera pardus) population density and investigate whether lion (Panthera leo) and hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) impact leopard presence, while accounting for potential prey presence and habitat. In 2019, we deployed cameras at 34 stations in the Mara Triangle within the MME for 63 nights. We estimated leopard density using a closed population spatially explicit capture–recapture (SECR) framework and examined potential predictors of leopard presence using generalised linear mixed modelling. We recorded 725 leopard images and estimated population density at 1.90 ± 0.56 individuals 100 km2−1, relatively low compared to other areas and only slightly higher than previous MME estimates of cheetah, an ecologically subordinate competitor. The best model predicting leopard presence contained hyaena occurrence and showed a positive association, indicating ‘co‐occurrence’. Hyaenas commonly kleptoparasitise leopard kills in MME; that is hyaenas may follow leopards for this reason. Although our preliminary results indicate that hyaena populations may limit leopard populations in the MME, further work is required to explicitly test hypotheses relating to hyaena–leopard interactions.
Power, costs, collective action, bargaining, and solidarity
Authors: Abizadeh Arash
Published: February 2025

Some argue that the more costly it would be to exercise one's power over an issue, the less power one inherently has over it. I challenge this thesis with two major objections—one conceptual, the other practical or explanatory—contending that costs influence issue‐power not inherently but contingently in specifically strategic contexts. Since agents’ strategic dispositions are partly shaped by their perception of others’ strategic incentives or dispositions, costs may affect—for better or worse!—one's bargaining power (in cases of conflict) or power to act in concert with others (in cases of shared preferences or aims). In many significant political contexts, greater costs increase actors’ social power. Moreover, a group's collective power, and so its members’ power‐with, depend not only on the external cost structure, but also on opportunities for forging solidarity. The role of costs and solidarity explains why subjection to others can, paradoxically, sometimes increase one's power.
Diplomatic Training and Spaces of Anticolonial Worldmaking
Authors: Craggs Ruth , Harris Jonathan , McConnell Fiona
Published: February 2025

Focusing on training for African diplomats from newly independent countries in Cameroon, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, this paper makes the case for spaces of diplomatic training as sites for anticolonial “worldmaking” (Getachew 2019; Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self‐Determination). Recent scholarship has highlighted the value of African leaders’ visions but largely overlooked the actors, spaces, and practices through which these visions were to be enacted. Drawing on archival evidence from Africa, Europe, and North America, and oral history interviews, we argue that worldmaking projects were grounded, learnt, and transformed in places such as the classrooms and study tours we explore. Whilst many accounts of anticolonial and subaltern geopolitical projects focus on grassroots activism beyond and against the state, we argue we also need to attend to the contributions of those—like African diplomats in training—who critiqued Eurocentric and colonial international relations from subaltern positions whilst remaining privileged within the context of the postcolonial state.
Novel FKBP prolyl isomerase 1A (FKBP12) ligand promotes functional improvement in SOD1G93A amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mice
Authors: Moreno‐Martinez Laura , Gaja‐Capdevila Núria , Mosqueira‐Martín Laura , Herrando‐Grabulosa Mireia , Rodriguez‐Gomez Laura , Gonzalez‐Imaz Klaudia , Calvo Ana C. , Sagartzazu‐Aizpurua Maialen , Moreno‐García Leticia , Fuentes Jose Manuel , Acevedo‐Arozena Abraham , Aizpurua Jesús María , Miranda José Ignacio , López de Munain Adolfo , Vallejo‐Illarramendi Ainara , Navarro Xavier , Osta Rosario , Gil‐Bea Francisco Javier
Published: February 2025

Background and Purpose

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options. ALS pathogenesis involves intricate processes within motor neurons, characterized by dysregulated Ca2+ influx and buffering in early ALS‐affected motor neurones. This study proposes the modulation of ryanodine receptors (RyRs), key mediators of intracellular Ca2+, as a therapeutic target.

Experimental Approach

A novel class of novel FKBP12 ligands that show activity as cytosolic calcium modulators through stabilizing RyR channel activity, were tested in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1)G93A mouse model of ALS. Different outcomes were used to assess treatment efficacy, including electrophysiology, histopathology, neuromuscular function and survival.

Key Results

Among the novel FKBP12 ligands, MP‐010 was chosen for its central nervous system availability and favourable in vitro pharmaco‐toxicological profile. Chronic administration of MP‐010 to SOD1G93A mice produced preservation of motor nerve conduction, with the 61‐mg·kg−1 dose significantly delaying the onset of motor impairment. This was accompanied by improved motor coordination, increased innervated endplates and significant preservation of motor neurones in the spinal cord of treated mice. Notably, MP‐010 treatment significantly extended lifespan by an average of 10 days compared to vehicle.

Conclusions and Implications

FKBP12 ligands, particularly MP‐010, exhibit promising neuroprotective effects in ALS, highlighting their potential as novel therapeutic agents. Further investigations into the molecular mechanisms and clinical translatability of these compounds are needed for their application in ALS treatment.