bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Iatrogenic systemic botulism after intragastric botulinum neurotoxin injection: Case report
Authors: Kılboz Bekir Burak , Ervatan Zekeriya , Dumlu Rıdvan , Akan Onur
Published: July 2023

Background and purpose

The recent off‐label use of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) for intragastric obesity treatment has led to 67 cases of systemic botulism in Türkiye, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This case report highlights the potential risks and adverse effects associated with this treatment.

Case report

A 36‐year‐old female presented to the emergency room with shortness of breath, fatigue, difficulty in eating and holding her head, constipation and double vision after receiving intragastric BoNT injection for obesity treatment. She had bilateral orbicularis oculi weakness, facial diplegia, weak tongue, masseter, neck and extremity muscles. Electromyography showed a presynaptic type neuromuscular junction disorder. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit and administered botulinum heptavalent equine‐derived antitoxin, but the medication had to be stopped due to a reaction. The patient was started on pyridostigmine for symptomatic treatment and was transferred to an inpatient clinic after minimal improvement. She was discharged after 7 days of follow‐up.

Conclusion

Clinicians should be cautious of the potential risks of intragastric BoNT injection for obesity treatment and consider systemic botulism as a potential adverse effect. Antitoxin treatment should be considered in clinically progressing patients despite negative botulinum toxin testing.
Quantifying and controlling the impact of regression to the mean on randomized controlled trials in epilepsy
Authors: Goldenholz Daniel M. , Goldenholz Eliana B. , Kaptchuk Ted J.
Published: July 2023

Objective

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in epilepsy for drug treatments are plagued by high costs. One potential remedy is to reduce placebo response via better control over regression to the mean (RTM). Here, RTM represents an initial observed seizure rate higher than the long‐term average, which gradually settles closer to the average, resulting in apparent response to treatment. This study used simulation to clarify the relationship between eligibility criteria and RTM.

Methods

Using a statistically realistic seizure diary simulator, the impact of RTM on placebo response and trial efficacy was explored by varying eligibility criteria for a traditional treatment phase II/III RCT for drug‐resistant epilepsy.

Results

When the baseline period was included in the eligibility criteria, increasingly larger fractions of RTM were observed (25%–47% vs. 23%–25%). Higher fractions of RTM corresponded with higher expected placebo responses (50% responder rate [RR50]: 2%–9% vs. 0%–8%) and lower statistical efficacy (RR50: 47%–67% vs. 47%–81%). The exclusion of baseline from eligibility criteria was shown to decrease the number of patients needed by roughly 30%.

Significance

The manipulation of eligibility criteria for RCTs has a predictable and important impact on RTM, and therefore on placebo response; the difference between drug and placebo was more easily detected. This in turn impacts trial efficacy and therefore cost. This study found dramatic improvements in efficacy and cost when baseline was not included in eligibility.
Patient‐derived SLC6A1 variant S295L results in an epileptic phenotype similar to haploinsufficient mice
Authors: Lindquist Britta E. , Voskobiynyk Yuliya , Goodspeed Kimberly , Paz Jeanne T.
Published: July 2023

The solute carrier family 6 member 1 (SLC6A1) gene encodes GAT‐1, a γ‐aminobutyric acid transporter expressed on astrocytes and inhibitory neurons. Mutations in SLC6A1 are associated with epilepsy and developmental disorders, including motor and social impairments, but variant‐specific animal models are needed to elucidate mechanisms. Here, we report electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings and clinical data from a patient with a variant in SLC6A1 that encodes GAT‐1 with a serine‐to‐leucine substitution at amino acid 295 (S295L), who was diagnosed with childhood absence epilepsy. Next, we show that mice bearing the S295L mutation (GAT‐1S295L/+) have spike‐and‐wave discharges with motor arrest consistent with absence‐type seizures, similar to GAT‐1+/− mice. GAT‐1S295L/+ and GAT‐1+/− mice follow the same pattern of pharmacosensitivity, being bidirectionally modulated by ethosuximide (200 mg/kg ip) and the GAT‐1 antagonist NO‐711 (10 mg/kg ip). By contrast, GAT‐1−/− mice were insensitive to both ethosuximide and NO‐711 at the doses tested. In conclusion, ECoG findings in GAT‐1S295L/+ mice phenocopy GAT‐1 haploinsufficiency and provide a useful preclinical model for drug screening and gene therapy investigations.
Influence of hard phase size and spacing on the fatigue crack propagation in tool steels—Numerical simulation and experimental validation
Authors: Brackmann Lukas , Wingender Dennis , Weber Sebastian , Balzani Daniel , Röttger Arne
Published: July 2023

In this study, the fatigue crack growth rate in four different tool steel microstructures (hot rolled, powdermetallurgically processed, as‐cast, and carbide‐free) is experimentally measured and correlated with hard phase size and spacing, as well as with the roughness of the fracture surface that is created by crack kinking. Numerical simulations of crack growth in carbide‐containing microstructures are conducted and investigated. The results indicate a favorable influence of carbides with a larger size and higher degree of roundness, as they create the largest mean free path between the individual carbides at the same hard phase volume content. This facilitates the formation of a plastic zone in the matrix, which dissipates crack energy and reduces the effective stress intensity. In addition, the effect of crack kinking is increased at larger carbide sizes. Concerning practical application, the results suggest that a high degree of deformation is favorable regarding the fatigue growth resistance of tool steels, and that the use of powder metallurgically (PM) grades with small carbides is discouraged, if the lifetime of a tool is mainly controlled by the crack growth rate and not crack initiation.
Long‐term assessment of relationships between changing environmental conditions and the physiology of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus)
Authors: Fry Tricia L. , Friedrichs Kristen R. , Ketz Alison C. , Duncan Colleen , Van Deelen Timothy R. , Goldberg Tony L. , Atwood Todd C.
Published: July 2023

Climate change is influencing polar bear (Ursus maritimus) habitat, diet, and behavior but the effects of these changes on their physiology is not well understood. Blood‐based biomarkers are used to assess the physiologic health of individuals but their usefulness for evaluating population health, especially as it relates to changing environmental conditions, has rarely been explored. We describe links between environmental conditions and physiologic functions of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears using data from blood samples collected from 1984 to 2018, a period marked by extensive environmental change. We evaluated associations between 13 physiologic biomarkers and circumpolar (Arctic oscillation index) and regional (wind patterns and ice‐free days) environmental metrics and seasonal and demographic co‐variates (age, sex, season, and year) known to affect polar bear ecology. We observed signs of dysregulation of water balance in polar bears following years with a lower annual Arctic oscillation index. In addition, liver enzyme values increased over time, which is suggestive of potential hepatocyte damage as the Arctic has warmed. Biomarkers of immune function increased with regional‐scale wind patterns and the number of ice‐free days over the Beaufort Sea continental shelf and were lower in years with a lower winter Arctic oscillation index, suggesting an increased allocation of energetic resources for immune processes under these conditions. We propose that the variation in polar bear immune and metabolic function is likely indicative of physiologic plasticity, a response that allows polar bears to remain in homeostasis even as they experience changes in nutrition and habitat in response to changing environments.
From globalisation to the planetary: Towards a critical framework of planetary thinking in geography
Authors: Mould Oli
Published: July 2023

With climate change and pandemics, the last few years has ushered in a planetary age. Moreover, the concept of the ‘globalisation’—a totalising and capitalist‐centric concept that homogenises the entire planet into a territory to conquer—has become incapable of adequately accounting for the planetary events taking place. To date, geographical literature has used the term ‘planetary’ in important, but disparate ways; and in so doing, underplaying the emancipatory potential the concept has in resisting the totalising concept of the ‘globalisation’. This paper looks to the wider humanities and social science to offer four propositions—materiality, human as praxis, antinational and safeguarding—the planetary can be more coherently conceptualised geographically.
Black soybean cooking water (aquasoya) powder as a novel clean‐label ingredient in plant‐based vegan patties
Authors: Echeverria‐Jaramillo Esteban , Shin Weon‐Sun
Published: July 2023

Black soybean cooking water (BSCW), a by‐product of the soybean paste industry, is a novel foaming and emulsifying material. Its application, however, is limited to sauces and bakery goods. To expand its use, this research explored its binding and texturising abilities on a plant‐based patty. This vegan patty was developed including methylcellulose (MC) at 3% or BSCW powder at 3, 6 and 12%, and their functional and textural characteristics were analysed. Adding BSCW powder at 12% resulted in enhanced fluid retention parameters, namely, decreased cooking loss (9.98 ± 0.72%; control: 12.64 ± 0.36%) and increased binding capacity (86.18 ± 0.47%; control: 83.26 ± 1.94%). Texturally, BSCW powder enhanced the hardness and adhesiveness of the patties. Consequently, BSCW powder could improve the characteristics of a minced‐type vegan food similar to MC constituting an alternative plant‐based ingredient that is environmentally friendly due to being sourced from an upcycled material.
Analysis and comparison of fungal communities in wheat Qus and Lin‐fan yeast starters used as traditional starter cultures of Shaoxing Huangjiu
Authors: Yang Huanyi , Kong Xiangwei , Sun Guochang , Du Zhenna , Fu Zukang , Shao Shengnan , Shen Chi , Zang Wei , Sun Jianqiu , Zhou Jiandi
Published: July 2023

The wheat Qu and Lin‐fan yeast starter are two vital components of Huangjiu brewing, the microbiome composition of which can have a major impact on the end product's quality. This investigation aimed to investigate and compare the fungal diversity of eight starters, including four wheat Qus and four Lin‐fan yeast starters collected from different manufacturers of Shaoxing Huangjiu using high‐throughput sequencing (HTS) technology. Significant variation was observed in the fungal community composition among different starter samples. Fusarium, Epicoccum, Aspergillus and Alternaria were the most predominant fungal genera in wheat Qus. In contrast, Lin‐fan yeast starters possessed relatively simple fungal communities and were predominated by Saccharomyces and Saccharomycopsis. LEfSe analysis showed that nine genus‐level fungal taxa could be retrieved to differentiate the two starter types. Furthermore, the complicated association among the dominant fungi in traditional starters was revealed by utilising Spearman's correlation‐based network analysis. A total of 42 positive and 28 negative correlations were identified respectively. Ultimately, this investigation described the fungal communities in wheat Qus and Lin‐fan yeast starters and will aid in screening fermentation strains, which can remarkably enhance the quality of Shaoxing Huangjiu.
Recent advance in the biological activity of chlorogenic acid and its application in food industry
Authors: Li Ziqiang , Niu Li , Chen Yangfeng , Qiu Xiaoyan , Du Tiantian , Zhu Miaohua , Wang Minglei , Mo Huiying , Xiao Shengen
Published: July 2023

In recent years, people have been paying more attention to food safety and dietary health. An increasing number of natural active ingredients are used in the field of food and nutrition. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), as a phenolic acid compound extensive present in the diet, has been reported to have a variety of beneficial biological activities in alleviating and preventing various diet‐related chronic diseases. Moreover, it has various applications in food safety and food nutrition as a new type of food additive. In this context, this paper reviews the role of CGA as an antioxidant, antibacterial, hypotensive, hypoglycaemic, antiobesity and gastrointestinal health agent starting from its distribution, source, in vivo metabolism and isolation. Furthermore, the practical application of chlorogenic acid in active food packaging, food quality control and nutritional dietary supplements is discussed. Finally, the future development and challenges of CGA in the field of food is described, providing new ideas for the application of CGA in food safety and dietary supplements and future research.
It takes two to tango: Reconceptualizing union power and union effectiveness in a relational perspective
Authors: Jemine Grégory
Published: July 2023

This paper reports on a public transport company in which local unions, by repeatedly threatening to strike, managed to significantly enhance their negotiating position and exert considerable power over their management. While extant literature has mostly paid attention to ‘weak’ unions struggling for renewal and revitalization, the present study rather explores a situation in which unions manage to become ‘strong’ by making aggressive uses of power, as well as the implications for union effectiveness. It is shown that management deficiencies can provide unions with unprecedented opportunities for exerting power, yet hamper their ability to reach greater effectiveness as the absence of an engaged managerial line makes it difficult to secure decisions favouring workers and the organization. This paper contributes to theory on union power and effectiveness by offering an alternative to the resource‐based view of union power that has been prevalent in prior research. Union power and effectiveness in the workplace appear to be deeply rooted in the power relations that unions sustain with other organizational actors, demonstrating the relevance of a relational perspective that goes beyond union‐centred action, resources and capabilities to include the complex dynamics of their interactions with other organizational actors.
Bactericidal role of epidermal mucus of freshwater fish treated withAeromonas hydrophila
Authors: Ali Shandana , Shah Syed Ata Ur Rahman , Rauf Muhammad , Hassan Maizom , Ullah Waheed , Dawar Farman Ullah
Published: July 2023

This study explored the bactericidal role of the epidermal mucus (EM) of five freshwater Cyprinid fish species namelyCtenopharyngodon idella,Labeo rohita,Catla catla,Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, andCirrhinus mrigalaafter treatment withAeromonas hydrophila. Extracts of EM (crude and acidic) of each species showed bactericidal activity against various Gram −ve (Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Escherichia coli,Aeromonas hydrophila,Edwardsiella tarda,Salmonella enterica,Klebsiella pneumonia,Serratia marcescens, andEnterobacter cloacae) and Gram +ve (Bacillus wiedmanniiandStaphylococcus aureus) bacteria compared with standard antibiotics (Fosfomycin). The zone of inhibition (ZOI) was measured in millimetres against antibiotics (Fosfomycin). Variations in bactericidal activity of EM were observed against bacteria from the same and different fish species. The acidic extract was more effective than the crude extract and showed significantly higher ZOI values against various bacteria and Fosfomycin antibiotics. This result shows that fish EM may perform an important role in fish defence against bacteria. Therefore, this study may hint towards the substitution of synthetic antibiotics with fish EM that may be used as a novel ‘bactericidal’ in aquaculture as well as in humans against bacterial infections.
Apolipoprotein A2 isoforms associated with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in early chronic pancreatitis
Authors: Futagami Seiji , Agawa Shuhei , Nakamura Ken , Watanabe Yoshiyuki , Habiro Mayu , Kawawa Rie , Yamawaki Hiroshi , Tsushima Rina , Kirita Kumiko , Akimoto Teppei , Ueki Nobue , Tomohide Tanabe , Itokawa Norio , Suzuki Nami , Naito Yutaka , Takeuchi Keiko , Kashiro Ayumi , Ohta Ryu , Mizutani Satoshi , Taniai Nobuhiko , Yoshida Hiroshi , Iwakiri Katsuhiko , Honda Kazufumi
Published: July 2023

Background and Aim

Apolipoprotein A2 (apoA2) isoforms have been reported to undergo the aberrant processing in pancreatic cancer and pancreatic risk populations compared with that in healthy subjects. This study aimed to clarify whether apoA2 isoforms were as useful as N‐benzoyl‐p‐aminobenzoic acid (BT‐PABA) test for exocrine pancreatic dysfunction markers in patients with early chronic pancreatitis (ECP).

Methods

Fifty consecutive patients with functional dyspepsia with pancreatic enzyme abnormalities (FD‐P) (n = 18), with ECP (n = 20), and asymptomatic patients with pancreatic enzyme abnormalities (AP‐P) (n = 12) based on the Rome IV classification and the Japan Pancreatic Association were enrolled in this study. The enrolled patients were evaluated using endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopic ultrasonography elastography. Five pancreatic enzymes were estimated. Pancreatic exocrine function was analyzed using the BT‐PABA test. Lighter and heavier apoA2 isoforms, AT and ATQ levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay methods.

Results

There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics such as age, gender, body mass index, alcohol consumption and smoking among patients with AP‐P, FD‐P, and ECP. The BT‐PABA test and lighter apoA2 isoform, AT level in the enrolled patients had a significant correlation (P < 0.01). The BT‐PABA test in patients with ECP was significantly lower (P = 0.04) than that in AP‐P. ApoA2‐AT level in patients with ECP was lower than that in AP‐P, albeit, insignificantly. Interestingly, apo A2‐AT level was significantly (P = 0.041) associated with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency by multiple logistic regression analysis.

Conclusions

ApoA2‐AT level is a useful tool to evaluate exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in the early stage of chronic pancreatitis.
Nutrition quality and food and packaging waste associated with the school food system: A pilot, citizen science study in an Irish secondary school
Authors: Browne Sarah , Mullen Aoife , Mulholland Beth , Lo Chungwan , Ruttledge Angela
Published: July 2023

Background

School is an important setting for creating healthy and sustainable food environments. Using participatory methods, this pilot study examined food and packaging waste and nutrition quality within the school food system.

Methods

One secondary school in Ireland participated in a waste audit. Eleven male students (15–17 years) participated as citizen scientists. Students collected waste over 1 day and documented data on waste categories. Nutrition labels were photographed for analysis. Students created a video and participated in a focus group. Quantitative data were summarised using descriptive frequencies. A Nutrient Profile Model was applied to summarise nutrition quality. The focus group discussion was analysed using content analysis.

Results

Highest weights of waste were organic waste (14.2 kg), paper and cardboard (5.0 kg), and hard plastics (4.1 kg). Materials banned by the European Union Single Use Plastics Directive were found. Recycling bins were contaminated with food waste. Nutrition labels from 132 food packages were analysed, of which 115 items (87%) were low‐nutrient, energy dense foods. Confectionary, energy bars and desserts and savoury snacks were the most common packaged food groups. Students were not surprised by the unhealthy food choices; however, they were shocked and saddened at the waste practices. Their proposed solutions mapped across individual, community and organisational levels.

Conclusions

The methodologies allowed successful engagement with students on this topic. The use of unnecessary plastics to serve food, poor waste separation practices, and the production of avoidable waste from low‐nutrient, energy‐dense products were key issues identified. Students proposed solutions that are achievable in the short‐term.
Fracture resistance and failure mode of endodontically treated premolars reconstructed by different preparation approaches: Cervical margin relocation and crown lengthening with complete and partial ferrule with three different post and core systems
Authors: Falahchai Mehran , Musapoor Naghmeh , Mokhtari Soroosh , Babaee Hemmati Yasamin , Neshandar Asli Hamid
Published: July 2023

Purpose

To assess the fracture resistance and failure mode of endodontically treated premolars reconstructed by different preparation approaches: cervical margin relocation (CMR) and crown lengthening (CL) with complete ferrule (CLF) and partial ferrule (CLPF) with three different post and core systems.

Materials and Methods

In this in vitro study, 100 maxillary premolars were assigned to the following 10 groups according to their preparation approach and type of post and core system (n = 10): (I) control (intact teeth), (II) prefabricated fiber post (PFP) and composite core with CMR (PFP‐CMR), (III) polyethylene fiber‐reinforced composite (PEFRC) with CMR (PEFRC‐CMR), (IV) casting post (CP) and core with CMR (CP‐CMR), (V) PFP‐CLPF, (VI) PEFRC‐CLPF, (VII) CP‐CLPF, (VIII) PFP‐CLF, (IX) PEFRC‐CLF, and (X) CP‐CLF. After thermomechanical loading, the fracture resistance and failure mode were assessed. Data were analyzed statistically (α = 0.05).

Results

In all post and core systems, the CLPF approach had lower fracture resistance than CMR (p < 0.05); CLF showed higher fracture resistance than CLPF only in the PFP system (p = 0.038). In PEFRC and CP systems, the difference between CLF and CLPF was not significant (p > 0.05). No significant difference was found in fracture resistance of different post and core systems with the same preparation approach (p > 0.05). CLPF showed the highest frequency of favorable, and CLF showed the highest frequency of unfavorable fractures.

Conclusion

CLPF yielded lower fracture resistance than CMR. The difference in fracture resistance was not significant between CLF and CMR but the frequency of unfavorable fractures was higher in CLF than in other groups.
Information on sodium reduction modifies how much sodium chloride level can be reduced without affecting the sensory acceptance of salty crackers
Authors: Sant’Anna Laudiane Justo , Araújo Cirila Ionara Almeida , Cornejo Lara Lima , Moreira Eduardo da Silva , Minim Valéria Paula Rodrigues , Della Lucia Suzana Maria , Lima Filho Tarcísio
Published: July 2023

The information present on packages of low‐sodium food can affect the different segment consumers' sensory and affective perceptions. The objective of the study was to investigate to which extent the package information on the reduction of sodium can reduce acceptance (compromised acceptance threshold—CAT) or cause rejection (hedonic rejection threshold—HRT) in different segments of salty crackers consumers. Consumers were segmented into little, medium, and great health concerns (GHC) using the Health Consciousness Scale, but only the two last groups were studied. Three trials were conducted: blind trial, with no information about the product; trial “Love your life!,” with package bringing information about sodium reduction, traffic light alerts and additional information “Love your life!”; and the trial “Great flavor,” with package similar to the previous trial, but with the additional information “Great flavor.” The hedonic thresholds were determined for each trial and for the medium and great health concern segments. Package information on the sodium reduction had no influence on CAT and HRT values for consumers expressing medium health concerns. However, the additional sentence “Great flavor” negatively influenced the CAT values of this segment. For consumers expressing GHC, the presence of the package allowed a more significant sodium chloride reduction without affecting the cracker sensory acceptance. For this segment, the package with the additional sentence “Great flavor” had the most significant favorable influence on the results. Therefore, for most of the population, food industries need not be afraid to report on the reduction of sodium on food labels.

Practical applications

Hedonic threshold values are very useful for industries that intend to reduce the sodium CAT and without HRT of their products. In addition, the results of this study can help industries in the process of package development for low‐sodium products, allowing a more significant reduction of this ingredient without compromising the product's sensory acceptance or without resulting in rejection. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that there is adequate communication, regardless of whether the consumer segment has medium or GHC.
Resolving relationships despite past hybridization in Aliciella subsection Subnuda (Polemoniaceae)
Authors: Saunders Theresa C. , Porter J. Mark , Johnson Leigh A.
Published: July 2023

Phylogenetics is crucial in the study of evolutionary processes and events transpiring in the course of species diversification. Phylogenetic studies within kingdom Plantae often reveal hybridization and introgression. Here, we study a subsection rife with historic hybridization and discuss the impacts of such processes on evolutionary trajectories. Aliciella subsection Subnuda comprises seven species of herbaceous plants occurring in Utah, the Navajo Nation, and the Four Corners region of North America. Previous molecular and morphological work left relationships in the subsection unresolved. Here, we use comparative DNA sequencing of nuclear ITS and chloroplast DNA regions and genome‐wide RAD‐seq data to clarify phylogenetic relationships and examine the role of hybridization in the subsection. We construct haplotype and nucleotype networks from chloroplast and nuclear ITS sequence matrices and compare nuclear and chloroplast phylogenies to identify multiple putative chloroplast capture events. The RAD‐seq maximum likelihood phylogeny and multispecies coalescent species tree robustly resolve relationships between six species‐level clades. We use STRUCTURE and HyDe on the RAD‐seq data to evaluate the influence of hybridization within the subsection. The HyDe results suggest that hybridization has occurred among all species in the subsection at some point in their history. Cytonuclear discordance reveals historic chloroplast capture, and we discuss potential causes of the observed discordance. Our study robustly resolves relationships in Aliciella subsection Subnuda and provides a framework for discussing its speciation despite a history of hybridization and introgression.
Learning from corporate governance: First conceptualization of a liability for political decision‐making
Authors: Follert Florian
Published: July 2023

The institution of liability serves to mitigate the lack of care in almost all areas, whether private or business. However, we have not yet found such an institution in political decision‐making. Surprisingly, the literature has not discussed a specific institution that subjects political actors who fail to exercise due diligence in their decision‐making regarding personal liability. Hence, this paper aims to fill this gap and derive the necessity of internalizing the negative effects resulting from the imperfections of the market for political services in general and the democratic process, particularly by a liability rule. To design the new institution, we draw on the findings of corporate governance, combining economic thinking in incentives and legal knowledge expressed in the law of the corporation. In this respect, this paper is the first to make a concrete proposal for political liability accompanied by a political judgment rule. However, it is important to emphasize that the aim is not to punish a wrong decision but to provide strong incentives to prevent it ex ante. Political liability must be understood as a process‐oriented institution that considers uncertainty and decision‐making complexities. By proposing and analyzing this new institution, this work contributes to a broader discussion of incentive structures in the political process of modern democracies and shows how the political sphere can learn from the corporate world.
Method in Mimetic Theory: René Girard and Christian Theology
Authors: Scordino Anthony J.
Published: July 2023

This article elucidates the persistently nebulous methodological and disciplinary status of René Girard's mimetic theory, particularly vis‐à‐vis Christian theology. Whether “Girardian theology” strikes one as tautologous or oxymoronic, the proliferation of Girardian theological scholarship warrants a sustained analysis of Girard's methodological self‐understanding as it is both proclaimed and performed. Opening with a brief précis of mimetic theory's chief tenets and contributions to anthropology, I proceed to review Girard's corpus according to his preferred designation—social scientist—by adducing and coordinating his sporadic, evolving, and occasionally conflicting methodological manifestos and their textual enactment. After proffering several reasons for Girard's uneasy relationship with the broader social‐scientific community, I turn to theology to consider if there are any apt analogues to mimetic theory amongst Christian theology's many ancillae of ages past. While ultimately proposing four features demarcating mimetic theory as sui generis in this regard, I propose a heuristic characterization of its relationship to theology by utilizing the Aristotelian‐Thomistic category of “subalternate science.” Following this effort to situate mimetic theory more precisely between disciplines and in relation to theology, I offer a broader heuristic classification of mimetic theory intended to resolve or at least mitigate various tensions raised in the preceding analysis. To do so, I propose a suitably paradoxical twofold typology of Girardian mimetic theory as both a revealed scientific anthropology and a postmodern deconstructive Christian apologetic (or apologia for Christianity). Although preoccupation with methodological reflection can be practically debilitating, I hope to demonstrate its fittingness, relevance, and productivity in the inimitable case of René Girard.
Jesus Was a Refugee: Unpacking the Theological Implications
Authors: Aspray Barnabas
Published: July 2023

This article is an in‐depth exploration of the divine purpose for Jesus’ refugeehood (recorded in Matthew 2) and its theological implications. Part One finds three reasons for Jesus’ displacement: (1) to recapitulate the displacement in Israel's story, (2) to recapitulate the exile of Adam and Eve, (3) to point forward to the Church's calling to be ‘aliens and strangers’ in the world. From this basis, Part Two draws two contemporary implications: (1) to transform refugees from ‘other’ to ‘same’ in the eyes of Christian citizens, (2) to reassess the notion of a ‘Christian nation’.
Supermarket top‐up of Healthy Start vouchers increases fruit and vegetable purchases in low‐income households
Authors: Thomas Madeleine , Moore J. Bernadette , Onuselogu Diogo Ann , Dalton Alexandra , Rains Tim , Lowry Emer , Sritharan Nilani , Morris Michelle A.
Published: July 2023

Stark, widening health and income inequalities in the United Kingdom underpin the need for increased support for low‐income families to access affordable and nutritious foods. Using anonymised supermarket loyalty card transaction records, this study aimed to assess how an additional Healthy Start voucher (HSV) top‐up of £2, redeemable only against fruit and vegetables (FVs), was associated with FV purchases among at‐risk households. Transaction and redemption records from 150 loyalty card‐holding households, living in northern England, who had engaged with the top‐up scheme, were analysed to assess the potential overall population impact. Using a pre‐post study design, 133 of these households' records from 2021 were compared with equivalent time periods in 2019 and 2020. Records were linked to product, customer and store data, permitting comparisons using Wilcoxon matched‐pairs sign‐ranked tests and relationships assessed with Spearman's Rho. These analyses demonstrated that 0.9 more portions of FV per day per household were purchased during the scheme compared to the 2019 baseline (p = 0.0017). The percentage of FV weight within total baskets also increased by 1.6 percentage points (p = 0.0242), although the proportional spend on FV did not change. During the scheme period, FV purchased was higher by 0.4 percentage points (p = 0.0012) and 1.6 percentage points (p = 0.0062) according to spend and weight, respectively, in top‐up redeeming baskets compared to non‐top‐up redeeming baskets with at least one FV item and was associated with 5.5 more HSV ‘Suggested’ FV portions (p < 0.0001). The median weight of FV purchased increased from 41.83 kg in 2019 to 54.14 kg in 2021 (p = 0.0017). However, top‐up vouchers were only redeemed on 9.1% of occasions where FV were purchased. In summary, this study provides novel data showing that safeguarding funds exclusively for FV can help to increase access to FV in low‐income households. These results yield important insights to inform public policy aimed at levelling up health inequalities.
Implementing micronutrient fortification programs as a potential practical contribution to achieving sustainable diets
Authors: Fatemi Seyedeh Fatemeh , Irankhah Kiyavash , Kruger Johanita , Bruins Maaike J. , Sobhani Seyyed Reza
Published: July 2023

Due to sustainability concerns related to current diets and environmental challenges, it is crucial to have sound policies to protect human and planetary health. It is proposed that sustainable diets will improve public health and food security and decrease the food system's effect on the environment. Micronutrient deficiencies are a well‐known major public health concern. One‐third to half of the world's population suffers from nutrient deficiencies, which have a negative impact on society in terms of unrealised potential and lost economic productivity. Large‐scale fortification with different micronutrients has been found to be a useful strategy to improve public health. As a cost‐effective strategy to improve micronutrient deficiency, this review explores the role of micronutrient fortification programmes in ensuring the nutritional quality (and affordability) of diets that are adjusted to help ensure environmental sustainability in the face of climate change, for example by replacing some animal‐sourced foods with nutrient‐dense, plant‐sourced foods fortified with the micronutrients commonly supplied by animal‐sourced foods. Additionally, micronutrient fortification considers food preferences based on the dimensions of a culturally sustainable diet. Thus, we conclude that investing in micronutrient fortification could play a significant role in preventing and controlling micronutrient deficiencies, improving diets and being environmentally, culturally and economically sustainable.
Understanding early experiences of Chinese frontline nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A text mining and thematic analysis of social media information
Authors: Luo Yunting , Feng Xianqiong , Wang Dandan , Zheng Mingyue , Reinhardt Jan D.
Published: July 2023

This study aims to explore the early experiences of frontline nurses at the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic in China as expressed through social media posts. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed‐method design. Text mining was used for sentiment analysis. The chi‐square test was used to compare the differences in the composition ratio of sentiment classification of posts in different months. Word frequency was statistically analyzed. Further thematic analysis was also performed. The primary sentiments of the posts were discovered to be positive and neutral. The number of posts containing positive emotions was the lowest in January, peaked in March, and gradually declined in April 2020. The following nurse‐oriented narrative themes were developed: “To see and be seen,” “Moving forward amid adversity and support,” and “Returning to everyday life and constructing meaning.” The sentiments of Chinese nurses in response to the pandemic fluctuated, with positive emotions in the early stage, but it could not be sustained. This study recommends nurses could be encouraged to engage in expressive writing while adhering to ethical guidelines.
Accounting for trait variability and coordination in predictions of drought‐induced range shifts in woody plants
Authors: Martínez‐Vilalta Jordi , García‐Valdés Raúl , Jump Alistair , Vilà‐Cabrera Albert , Mencuccini Maurizio
Published: July 2023

Functional traits offer a promising avenue to improve predictions of species range shifts under climate change, which will entail warmer and often drier conditions. Although the conceptual foundation linking traits with plant performance and range shifts appears solid, the predictive ability of individual traits remains generally low. In this review, we address this apparent paradox, emphasizing examples of woody plants and traits associated with drought responses at the species' rear edge. Low predictive ability reflects the fact not only that range dynamics tend to be complex and multifactorial, as well as uncertainty in the identification of relevant traits and limited data availability, but also that trait effects are scale‐ and context‐dependent. The latter results from the complex interactions among traits (e.g. compensatory effects) and between them and the environment (e.g. exposure), which ultimately determine persistence and colonization capacity. To confront this complexity, a more balanced coverage of the main functional dimensions involved (stress tolerance, resource use, regeneration and dispersal) is needed, and modelling approaches must be developed that explicitly account for: trait coordination in a hierarchical context; trait variability in space and time and its relationship with exposure; and the effect of biotic interactions in an ecological community context.
Dietary intake and occupational status among female youths of Thai Nguyen, Vietnam
Authors: Tran Lan Mai , Nguyen Phuong Hong , Hoang Nga Thu , Truong Duong Thuy Thi , Tran Trang Huyen Thi , Bui Diep Ngoc , Hoa Hanh Thi Hong , Hua Diem Thi , Bergeron Gilles
Published: July 2023

Adolescence is a sensitive transition time that affects rights, roles, and responsibilities in food choice, yet limited evidence exists on dietary intakes during this critical period. This study assessed the food consumption pattern and the adequacy of energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient intakes among female youth belonging to three occupational groups in Vietnam. Dietary intakes were measured for 1001 participants aged 16–22 years using INDDEX24's 24‐h recall method. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to examine differences in diet outcomes among the three occupational groups. Dietary diversity was similar across groups but workers, compared to high school and college students, consumed less baked/grain‐based sweets and fast foods, and more soft drinks, other sweets, and processed meat. Two‐thirds of the sample showed energy intake lower than the estimated energy requirement, while a substantial percentage had insufficient or excessive intake of carbohydrate and fat. The mean probability of adequacy of nutrient intakes was low (0.33) and not different across all three occupational groups except for folate, which favored workers. Our study provides novel evidence supporting the development and implementation of interventions to achieve national targets, with emphasis on female youths who undergo special transitions in education, occupation, and lifestyle.
Characterization of the substernal space with computed tomography imaging in patients with and without median sternotomy: Assessing a novel implant location for extravascular defibrillation lead placement
Authors: Chen Wanlan , Gong Yongjun , Xia Limin , Zhang Yu , Lu Hongyang , Bhatia Varun , Thompson Amy , Cao Jian , Yang Jun , Yao Weiwu , Qiu Zhaohui
Published: July 2023

Background

Implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators (ICDs) provide clinically significant therapy for the prevention of sudden cardiac death. This study aimed to characterize the substernal space using computed tomography (CT) in patients with and without prior midline sternotomy to investigate the feasibility of substernal ICD lead implantation in post‐sternotomy patients.

Methods

High‐quality electrocardiogram‐gated CT images from 100 patients (71% male, average body mass index 23.5 ± 2.9) were retrospectively collected, including 50 patients with prior midline sternotomy (S‐group) and 50 patients with no prior sternotomy (NS‐group). Distances were measured from the retrosternal surface to the epicardial surface of the heart and segmented into four regions from the xiphoid tip and superiorly along the sternum.

Results

Results generally showed a measurable but narrower average sternum‐to‐heart distance in the prior sternotomy group compared to the non‐sternotomy group in all four regions (p < .05). In the S‐group, the sternum‐to‐heart distances across all regions ranged from 0 to 32.0 mm, while in the NS‐group, the distances ranged from 0 to 39.9 mm.

Conclusion

Small but measurable separations between the heart and sternum were observed in patients with prior sternotomy, particularly near the xiphoid region, indicating the potential viability of extravascular substernal ICD lead implantation in post‐sternotomy patients.
Adaptation of high‐efficiency CRISPR/Cas9‐based multiplex genome editing system in white lupin by using endogenous promoters
Authors: Zhu Xiaoqi , Xu Weifeng , Liu Bowen , Zhan Yujie , Xia Tianyu
Published: July 2023

White lupin (Lupinus albus L.) is an important crop with high phosphorus (P) use efficiency; however, technologies for its functional genomic and molecular analyses are limited. Cluster regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR‐associated protein 9 (Cas9) (CRISPR/Cas9) system has been applied to gene editing and function genomics in many crops, but its application in white lupin has not been well documented. Here, we adapted the CRISPR/Cas9‐based multiplex genome editing system by using the native U3/U6 and ubiquitin (UBQ) promoters to drive sgRNAs and Cas9. Two target sites (T1 and T2) within the Lalb_Chr05g0223881 gene, encoding a putative trehalase, were selected to validate its efficacy in white lupin based on the Agrobacterium rhizogenes‐mediated transformation. We found that the T0 hairy roots were efficiently mutated at T1 and T2 with a frequency of 6.25%–35% and 50%–92.31%, respectively. The mutation types include nucleotide insertion, deletion, substitution, and complicated variant. Simultaneous mutations of the two targets were also observed with a range of 6.25%–35%. The combination of LaU6.6 promoter for sgRNA and LaUBQ12 promoter for Cas9 generated the highest frequency of homozygous/biallelic mutations at 38.46%. In addition, the target‐sgRNA sequence also contributes to the editing efficiency of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in white lupin. In conclusion, our results expand the toolbox of the CRISPR/Cas9 system and benefit the basic research in white lupin.
Financial inclusion, gender gaps and agricultural productivity in Mali
Authors: Fowowe Babajide
Published: July 2023

Mali is a prominent fragile and post‐conflict country, and armed rebellions have cumulatively resulted in over 20 years of conflict since independence. Agriculture is the mainstay of the Malian economy and accounts for about 40% of GDP and employs 80% of the active population. However, the agricultural sector has performed sub‐optimally and food security has not been attained. Financial exclusion and gender inequality have been identified as critical impediments to agricultural productivity. This study conducted an empirical investigation of the effects of financial inclusion and gender gaps on agricultural productivity in Mali. The study made use of data from the Living Standards Measurement Study—Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS–ISA) for the year 2017 in Mali. The empirical results show that financial inclusion has had a positive and significant effect on agricultural productivity in Mali. In addition, the results demonstrate that gender gaps exist in agricultural productivity, and agricultural productivity of women is lower than that of men. The gender gap in the full specifications was between 44.5% and 49.8%. The study concludes by providing some policy options for improving financial inclusion and thus reducing gender gaps, so as to boost agricultural productivity.
Collective versus individual interests: The varying effects of public goods and services on tax attitudes in Africa
Authors: Olawole Ifeoluwa M.
Published: July 2023

Objective

Taxation is crucial for revenue, political participation, and the demand for accountability in Africa. Most existing theories do not predict tax attitudes in informal economies with weak institutional capacity nor do they demonstrate how service delivery translates to stronger tax regimes. This article examines the fiscal exchange theory— how government's expenditure affects voluntary compliance—across Africa, showing mechanisms through which service delivery affects tax morale.

Methods

The study uses a public opinion survey of over 41,000 respondents from 29 countries in sub‐Saharan Africa. The statistical analysis employs an ordered logit model and linear probability model to test the hypotheses.

Results

The study finds that service delivery determines tax attitudes. In addition, the study examines aspects of service delivery that are of most concern to citizens and finds that services that cater to individual needs are stronger in inducing tax morale than those that address collective needs. The article also finds that citizens’ acknowledgement of receipt of goods is not an indication of inherent incumbent support.

Conclusion

This study sought to understand the relationship between different modes of service delivery and the likelihood of having tax morale among African citizens and ultimately sheds light upon citizen–state relationships, effective governance, and voluntary compliance.
Domains without parabolic minimal submanifolds and weakly hyperbolic domains
Authors: Forstnerič Franc
Published: July 2023

We show that if is an ‐convex domain in for some whose boundary has a tubular neighbourhood of positive radius and is not ‐flat near infinity, then does not contain any immersed parabolic minimal submanifolds of dimension . In particular, if is a properly embedded non‐flat minimal hypersurface in with a tubular neighbourhood of positive radius, then every immersed parabolic hypersurface in intersects . In dimension , this holds if has bounded Gaussian curvature function. We also introduce the class of weakly hyperbolic domains in , characterised by the property that every conformal harmonic map is constant, and we elucidate their relationship with hyperbolic domains, and domains without parabolic minimal surfaces.
Set‐homogeneous hypergraphs
Authors: Assari Amir , Hosseinzadeh Narges , Macpherson Dugald
Published: July 2023

A ‐uniform hypergraph is set‐homogeneous if it is countable (possibly finite) and whenever two finite induced subhypergraphs are isomorphic there is with ; the hypergraph is said to be homogeneous if in addition every isomorphism between finite induced subhypergraphs extends to an automorphism. We give four examples of countably infinite set‐homogeneous ‐uniform hypergraphs that are not homogeneous (two with , one with and one with ). Evidence is also given that these may be the only ones, up to complementation. For example, for there is just one countably infinite ‐uniform hypergraph whose automorphism group is not 2‐transitive, and there is none for . We also give an example of a finite set‐homogeneous 3‐uniform hypergraph that is not homogeneous.