bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Causal associations between prodromal infection and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wang Liang , Zhou Lei , ZhangBao Jingzi , Huang Wenjuan , Tan Hongmei , Fan Yuxin , Lu Chuanzhen , Yu Jian , Wang Min , Lu Jiahong , Zhao Chongbo , Zhang Tiansong , Quan Chao
Published: August 2023

Background and purpose

Prodromal infections are associated with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), but it remains unclear which type of infection has a causal association with NMOSD. We aimed to explore the causal associations between four herpesvirus infections (chickenpox, cold sores, mononucleosis and shingles) and NMOSD, as well as between other types of infections and NMOSD.

Methods

For data on infections, we used the genome‐wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics from the 23andMe cohort. For outcomes, we used the GWAS data of participants of European ancestry, including 215 NMOSD patients (132 anti‐aquaporin‐4 antibody [AQP4‐ab]‐positive patients and 83 AQP4‐ab‐negative patients) and 1244 normal controls. Single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identification and two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were then performed.

Results

In the 23andMe cohort, we identified one SNP for chickenpox (rs9266089 in HLA‐B gene), one SNP for cold scores (rs885950 in the POU5F1 gene), one SNP for mononucleosis (rs2596465 in the HCP5 gene), and three SNPs for shingles (rs2523591 in the HLA‐B gene; rs7047299 in the IFNA21 gene; rs9260809 in the MICD gene). The association between cold sores and AQP4‐ab‐positive NMOSD reached statistical significance (odds ratio [OR] 745.318; 95% confidence interval [CI] 22.176, 25,049.53 [p < 0.001, Q < 0.001]). The association between shingles and AQP4‐ab‐positive NMOSD was also statistically significant (OR 21.073; 95% CI 4.271, 103.974 [p < 0.001, Q < 0.001]). No significant association was observed between other infections and AQP4‐ab‐positive or AQP4‐ab‐negative NMOSD.

Conclusion

These findings suggest there are positive associations between cold sores and shingles and AQP4‐ab‐positive NMOSD, indicating there may be causal links between herpes simplex virus and varicella‐zoster virus infection and AQP4‐ab‐positive NMOSD.
The ant Lasius niger shows no relationship between task efficiency and body size variation among workers
Authors: Okrutniak Mateusz , Grześ Irena M. , Kucharska Anna K. , Turza Filip , Zimocha Małgorzata , Kerdiane Sabrina , Jabłoński Patryk
Published: August 2023

In ants, workers of different sizes may perform various tasks, even in so‐called monomorphic species with relatively low body size variation. However, it is unclear if the body size diversity of monomorphic workers correlates with task efficiency, especially in stressful contingencies. Here we tested if the body size variation of workers corresponds with its efficiency in transferring pupae. Transferring brood is a pre‐set behavioral response to stress, e.g. suboptimal temperature. Here we applied a laboratory experiment simulating nest damage. The study was performed on the common garden ant (Lasius niger (Linnaeus, 1758)) – a species with no distinct worker subcastes. The efficiency of workers was measured as the latency of transferring pupae from a lit part of the experimental colony to a darkened part, while the body size diversity was expressed as the within‐colony coefficient of variation in head width. We did not find any significant correlation between efficiency and body size variation. Summarizing the existing studies and the present results, we propose the hypothesis that the body size diversity of L. niger may have implications for workers’ division of labor but not for their task efficiency in a stressful contingency.
The Dublin Regulation, mutual trust and fundamental rights: No exceptionality for children?
Authors: Smyth Ciara
Published: August 2023

Mutual trust in the Dublin III Regulation is justified by the assumption that all Member States respect the fundamental rights of asylum seekers and that it is therefore immaterial which Member State processes any given claim. This justification has been questioned in light of the treatment of asylum seekers in some Member States. Nonetheless, in order to circumvent a Dublin transfer on fundamental rights grounds, the Court of Justice of the EU has held that the risked violation must meet the threshold for inhuman or degrading treatment in Article 4 of the Charter. Recently, the Court rejected the proposition that another Charter right—the principle of the best interests of the child—could block Dublin transfers of families with children. Through a child‐rights analysis of the jurisprudence, this article explores the idea of exceptionality for children, concluding that there is potential for the best interests principle to trump mutual trust.
The protease ADAM17 at the crossroads of disease: revisiting its significance in inflammation, cancer, and beyond
Authors: Saad Mohamed I. , Jenkins Brendan J.
Published: August 2023

The protease A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) plays a central role in the pathophysiology of several diseases. ADAM17 is involved in the cleavage and shedding of at least 80 known membrane‐tethered proteins, which subsequently modulate several intracellular signaling pathways, and therefore alter cell behavior. Dysregulated expression and/or activation of ADAM17 has been linked to a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In this review, we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge from preclinical models and clinical data on the diverse pathophysiological roles of ADAM17, and discuss the mechanisms underlying ADAM17‐mediated protein shedding and the potential therapeutic implications of targeting ADAM17 in these diseases.
The silent world of assisted reproduction: A qualitative account of communication between doctors and patients undergoing in vitro fertilisation in Australia
Authors: Taffs Louis , Kerridge Ian , Lipworth Wendy
Published: August 2023

Context

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is now a common assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedure globally, with 8 million children alive today having been conceived utilising IVF. For many patients, IVF is a difficult experience with many discontinuing treatment because of emotional, relationship and financial stress, or intolerable physical side effects of hormone treatments.

Design and Participants

A qualitative study, in which 31 professionals and 25 patients from the ART sector in Australia were interviewed. The interviews were analysed using codebook thematic analysis.

Results

Our data indicates there are ‘silences’ within the therapeutic relationship of IVF, which may limit the capacity for patients to prepare emotionally, financially, or medically for the procedure, and may contribute to psychological distress and dissatisfaction with care. These ‘silences’ include what the patient ‘is not told’ by their clinician or ‘does not hear’ and what the patient feels they ‘cannot say’.

Discussion

Drawing upon the work of Jay Katz, Charis Thompson, and Miles Little on ‘silences’ and performance in clinical practice, we argue that although IVF is a complex and multifaceted procedure that is often conducted in a commercial setting, the clinical and therapeutic relationship between doctor and patient remains pivotal to the experiences of patients. The ‘silences’ within this relationship may impact negatively on decision‐making, and on the delivery and experience of care.

Conclusions

Careful attention to the realities of IVF treatment in the clinic room (and awareness of the performances that hide them) should allow for more present and compassionate care. Such care may leave patients more satisfied with their experience and their choices, regardless of treatment outcomes.

Patient or Public Contribution

This article draws on interviews with patients who had undergone or were currently undergoing IVF, as well as a range of representatives from the ART community (including reproductive medicine specialists, general practitioners, fertility nurses, counsellors, administrators in ART businesses and embryologists).
Uncoupling of Natural Killer cell functional maturation and cytolytic function in NOD mice
Authors: Bourel Capucine , Mullins‐Dansereau Victor , Al Khaldi Maher , Chabot‐Roy Geneviève , Lombard‐Vadnais Félix , Lesage Sylvie
Published: August 2023

NK cells are innate immune cells that target infected and tumor cells. Mature NK (mNK) cells undergo functional maturation characterized by four distinct stages, during which they acquire their cytotoxic properties. mNK cells from non‐obese diabetic (NOD) mice exhibit a defect in functional maturation and have impaired cytotoxic functions. Hence, we tested whether the impaired cytotoxic function observed in mNK cells from NOD mice can be explained by their defect in functional maturation. By comparing the function of mNK cells from B6, B6g7 and NOD mice, we show that the expression of granzyme B is severely impaired in mNK cells from NOD mice, agreeing with their inability to control tumor growth in vivo. The low level of granzyme B expression in mNK cells from NOD mice is found at all stages of functional maturation and is therefore independent of their functional maturation defect. Consequently, this study demonstrates that phenotypic functional maturation of mNK cells can be uncoupled from the acquisition of cytotoxic functions.
A meta‐analysis of effects of self‐directed learning in online learning environments
Authors: Doo Min Young , Zhu Meina
Published: August 2023

Background

Online learning has become more prevalent over the past three decades, especially during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Educators and scholars have increasingly emphasized the significance of self‐directed learning (SDL) on successful learning outcomes in online learning environments.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to synthesize the research on the effects of SDL on learning achievement in online learning environments.

Methods

This study synthesized the research findings on the effects of SDL on learning achievement in online learning environments using a meta‐analysis method. We analysed 152 samples from 43 studies that have reported the effects of SDL on learning achievement or correlations in online learning.

Results and Conclusions

The overall effect size of SDL on learning achievement in online learning showed a medium effect size (g = 0.508). The dimensions of SDL moderated the effects of SDL on learning achievement, and the effects of self‐management were statistically smaller than motivation and self‐monitoring. The types of learning achievement, learning domains, and participant levels did not moderate the effects of SDL on learning achievement. However, the effects of SDL on learning achievement in the cognitive domain were significantly smaller than the effects of SDL in the affective domain.

What Are the 1 or 2 Major Takeaways from the Study?

This study confirmed the importance of SDL in online learning environments. SDL can be effective for any learner group, not just for adult learners, in online learning environments. Online instructors should facilitate students' self‐management to obtain successful learning achievement.
SPI1 involvement in malignant melanoma pathogenesis by regulation of HK2 through the AKT1/mTOR pathway
Authors: Liu Chunlei , Qiu Xiujuan , Gao Jun , Gong Zhifan , Zhou Xiaogang , Luo Haichao , Geng Xuerui
Published: August 2023

Spi‐1 proto‐oncogene (SPI1) plays a vital role in carcinogenesis. Our work aimed to investigate the potential regulatory mechanism of SPI1 in melanoma. The mRNA and protein levels were measured via qRT–PCR and Western blotting. Cell viability was assessed by CCK‐8 assay. The target relationship between SPI1 and hexokinase 2 (HK2) was determined using dual‐luciferase reporter detection. ChIP was conducted to confirm the targeted relationship between SPI1 and the HK2 promoter. Immunohistochemistry analysis was conducted to measure the positive cell number of SPI1 and HK2 in melanoma tissues. The cell migration abilities were determined using a wound healing assay. Glucose consumption, pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, lactate production and ATP levels were measured to assess glycolysis. SPI1 transcription in melanoma cells and tissues was dramatically higher than that in adjacent normal tissues and epidermal melanocyte HEMa‐LP, respectively. Knockdown of SPI1 restrained cell viability, metastasis and glycolysis in melanoma cells. SPI1 directly targeted HK2, and knockdown of SPI1 repressed HK2 expression. Overexpression of HK2 weakened the inhibitory effects of SPI1 knockdown on the viability, metastasis and glycolysis of melanoma cells. The serine–threonine kinase 1 (AKT1)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) axis is involved in melanoma progression. SPI1 knockdown restrained melanoma cell proliferation, metastasis and glycolysis by regulating the AKT1/mTOR pathway.
(‐)‐Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate induced apoptosis by dissociation of c‐FLIP/Ku70 complex in gastric cancer cells
Authors: Shahriari Felordi Mahtab , Alikhani Mehdi , Farzaneh Zahra , Alipour Choshali Mahmoud , Ebrahimi Marzieh , Aboulkheyr Es Hamidreza , Piryaei Abbas , Najimi Mustapha , Vosough Massoud
Published: August 2023

Anti‐cancer properties of (‐)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) are mediated via apoptosis induction, as well as inhibition of cell proliferation and histone deacetylase. Accumulation of stabilized cellular FLICE‐inhibitory protein (c‐FLIP)/Ku70 complex in the cytoplasm inhibits apoptosis through interruption of extrinsic apoptosis pathway. In this study, we evaluated the anti‐cancer role of EGCG in gastric cancer (GC) cells through dissociation of c‐FLIP/Ku70 complex. MKN‐45 cells were treated with EGCG or its antagonist MG149 for 24 h. Apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and quantitative RT‐PCR. Protein expression of c‐FLIP and Ku70 was analysed using western blot and immunofluorescence. Dissociation of c‐FLIP/Ku70 complex as well as Ku70 translocation were studied by sub‐cellular fractionation and co‐immunoprecipitation. EGCG induced apoptosis in MKN‐45 cells with substantial up‐regulation of P53 and P21, down‐regulation of c‐Myc and Cyclin D1 as well as cell cycle arrest in S and G2/M check points. Moreover, EGCG treatment suppressed the expression of c‐FLIP and Ku70, decreased their interaction while increasing the Ku70 nuclear content. By dissociating the c‐FLIP/Ku70 complex, EGCG could be an alternative component to the conventional HDAC inhibitors in order to induce apoptosis in GC cells. Thus, its combination with other cancer therapy protocols could result in a better therapeutic outcome.
Care manager, older adult, and caregiver perspectives on co‐occurring care management among high‐need older adults
Authors: Nothelle Stephanie , Nkodo Amelie , Fiddler Kathryn , Litman Jessica , Sleppy Rosalie , Brancati Francesca , Boyd Cynthia M. , Wolff Jennifer L.
Published: August 2023

Background

Care management programs are widely used to improve care coordination and management of chronic conditions for high‐need older adults. With many care management programs targeting a small number of people, high‐need older adults may receive services from more than one care management program (co‐occurring care management), the implications of which are unknown.

Methods

We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 37 care managers, 15 older adults, and 13 caregivers, who were recruited through an urban academic medical center and a large rural health system in Maryland. We analyzed interview transcripts using qualitative content analysis with the aim of understanding contributors to, implications of, and strategies to manage co‐occurring care management among high‐need older adults.

Results

Contributors to co‐occurring care management included siloed programs due to program‐specific financial incentives and inability to easily identify other involved care managers, and the complex needs of the enrolled older adult population, which motivated involvement of more than one program. Implications of co‐occurring care management included older adults and caregivers feeling cared for and safe when they had multiple care management programs involved and reporting value in their relationships with care managers. Older adults were identified as having greater access to resources and improved care when care manager roles were aligned in a complementary way; however, misaligned roles posed the potential for confusion about care manager accountability for tasks and resulted in frustration and lack of follow‐through. Strategies for managing co‐occurring care management included alignment of care manager roles through communication and negotiation and older adults and caregivers identifying and relying on a single care manager with whom they had the strongest relationship.

Conclusions

Initiatives that clarify strengthen the relationship between care managers and older adults, increase care manager visibility, and facilitate communication across care managers may help foster collaboration.
Randomized trial of advice from healthcare professionals to eliminate constriction by maternal clothing on the trunk to prevent preterm birth and improve health status
Authors: Kato Sachiko , Takehara Kenji , Sasaki Aiko , Suganuma Hitomi , Kakee Naoko , Inoue Eisuke , Tanigaki Shinji , Sago Haruhiko
Published: August 2023

Aim

Women's clothing during pregnancy may influence perinatal outcomes. A preliminary study suggested that midwives' advice to avoid wearing tight clothing during pregnancy may reduce the risk of preterm delivery. We examined the effects of such advice to pregnant women on the risk of preterm birth and health status during pregnancy.

Methods

An open‐label evaluator‐blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted at the National Centre for Child Health and Development in Tokyo, Japan. Normal pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive constrictive clothing elimination care or standard care at 20 weeks gestation. The control group was issued leaflets concerning anemia prevention at entry and skin care at 30 weeks' gestation, along with a brief explanation and answers to questions by midwives as standard care. The intervention group received advice from midwives concerning avoiding constrictive clothing in addition to standard care. The primary outcome was the incidence of preterm birth (<37 weeks). The secondary outcomes were 12 indicators related to preterm delivery or health status.

Results

Among 624 randomly assigned women, 599 (intervention group, n = 306; control group, n = 293) completed the study between February 2015 and August 2016. The incidence of preterm birth in the intervention and control groups was 4.2% (13/306) and 5.1% (15/293), respectively (p = 0.614). There were no significant differences regarding any secondary outcomes, including obstetric outcomes and physical/mental indicators, during pregnancy.

Conclusions

Advice from midwives to avoid constrictive clothing during pregnancy did not influence the incidence of preterm birth or maternal health status.

Trial registration: UMIN000016853 (March 30, 2015).
Mesobiliverdin IXα‐enriched microalgae feed additive eliminates reliance on antibiotic tylosin to promote intestinal health of weaning piglets
Authors: Liao Tz‐Shian , Chen Ching‐Yi , Lin Chuan‐Shun , Chang Cheng‐Wei T. , Takemoto Jon Y. , Lin Yuan‐Yu
Published: August 2023

Weaning is a critical period in raising pigs. Novel animal feed additives that promote gut health and regulate immune function of piglets without antibiotics are needed. In this study, we aimed to test the ability of mesobiliverdin IXα‐enriched microalgae (MBV IXα‐enriched microalgae) to eliminate reliance on antibiotics to promote intestinal health in piglets. Eighty 28‐day‐old weaned piglets were randomly allocated to four groups each with four replicate pens and five piglets per pen. The dietary treatments were a basal diet as control (NC), basal diet plus 0.05% tylosin (PC), basal diet plus 0.1% or 0.5% MBV IXα‐enriched microalgae as low (MBV‐SP1) or high (MBV‐SP2) dose respectively. All treated animals showed no significant differences in live weight, average daily gain and feed efficiency compared to control animals. Histological examination showed that MBV‐SP1 and particularly MBV‐SP2 increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the jejunum and ileum compared to NC (p < 0.05). Similarly, tylosin treatment also increased villi lengths and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the jejunum and ileum compared to the NC (p < 0.05). MBV‐SP1 and particularly MBV‐SP2 reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin‐6 and tumour necrosis factor‐alpha in the small intestine. MBV‐SP2 and tylosin similarly reduced the lipid peroxidation marker (TBARS value) in the duodenum and ileum. In conclusion, feed supplementation with MBV IXα‐enriched microalgae improved gut health by villus height and production of immunomodulators that correlated with down‐regulated secretion of inflammatory cytokines.
Examining the reproductive success of bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana, Phaeophyceae, Laminariales) in climate change conditions
Authors: Korabik Angela R. , Winquist Tallulah , Grosholz Edwin D. , Hollarsmith Jordan A.
Published: August 2023

Climate change is affecting marine ecosystems in many ways, including raising temperatures and leading to ocean acidification. From 2014 to 2016, an extensive marine heat wave extended along the west coast of North America and had devastating effects on numerous species, including bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana). Bull kelp is an important foundation species in coastal ecosystems and can be affected by marine heat waves and ocean acidification; however, the impacts have not been investigated on sensitive early life stages. To determine the effects of changing temperatures and carbonate levels on Northern California's bull kelp populations, we collected sporophylls from mature bull kelp individuals in Point Arena, CA. At the Bodega Marine Laboratory, we released spores from field‐collected bull kelp, and cultured microscopic gametophytes in a common garden experiment with a fully factorial design crossing modern conditions (11.63 ± 0.54°C and pH 7.93 ± 0.26) with observed extreme climate conditions (15.56 ± 0.83°C and 7.64 ± 0.32 pH). Our results indicated that both increased temperature and decreased pH influenced growth and egg production of bull kelp microscopic stages. Increased temperature resulted in decreased gametophyte survival and offspring production. In contrast, decreased pH had less of an effect but resulted in increased gametophyte survival and offspring production. Additionally, increased temperature significantly impacted reproductive timing by causing female gametophytes to produce offspring earlier than under ambient temperature conditions. Our findings can inform better predictions of the impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems and provide key insights into environmental dynamics regulating the bull kelp lifecycle.
Within‐individual covariation masks an among‐individual performance tradeoff in the prairie lizard
Authors: Lang K. L. , Gifford M. E.
Published: August 2023

To understand fitness consequences of performance, one must determine how underlying physiological traits result in and constrain performance. Biochemical and mechanistic investment in a performance trait may cause decreased performance elsewhere: a performance tradeoff, indicating performance specialization in a population. (Co)variation exists within individuals, and among individuals, populations, and species. Conflicting patterns of among‐individual and within‐individual covariation may eliminate, or mask, the relationship at the phenotypic level. Multivariate mixed‐effects models (MMMs) model within‐individual and among‐individual variation separately. We used MMMs to test for relationships between physiological and performance traits associated with locomotion in the prairie lizard Sceloporus consobrinus, and tested for tradeoffs at multiple hierarchical levels. We then compared these results to the conventional Pearson correlations. We found a significant among‐individual tradeoff between endurance and climbing speed. Positive covariation within individuals masked the tradeoff at the phenotypic level. Sprint speed positively covaried with climbing speed. Excluding anaerobic scope, which was associated with endurance, no measured physiological traits were predictive of locomotor performance. These data indicate that performance specialization exists among prairie lizards and contribute to a growing body of literature that have successfully used MMMs to uncover performance tradeoffs which may have been masked using conventional methods.
Respiratory syncytial virus entry mechanism in host cells: A general overview
Authors: Cadena‐Cruz C. , Villarreal Camacho J. L. , De Ávila‐Arias Marcio , Hurtado‐Gomez Leidy , Rodriguez Alexander , San‐Juan‐Vergara Homero
Published: August 2023

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a virus that causes acute respiratory infections in neonates and older adults. To infect host cells, the attachment glycoprotein (G) interacts with a cell surface receptor. This interaction determines the specific cell types that are susceptible to infection. RSV possesses a type I fusion protein F. Type I fusion proteins are metastable when rearrangement of the prefusion F occurs; the fusion peptide is exposed transforming the protein into postfusion form. The transition between the prefusion form and its postfusion form facilitates the viral envelope and the host cell membrane to fuse, enabling the virus to enter the host cell. Understanding the entry mechanism employed by RSV is crucial for developing effective antiviral therapies. In this review, we will discuss the various types of viral fusion proteins and explore the potential entry mechanisms utilized by RSV. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms will provide valuable insights for the development of novel approaches to treat RSV infections.
Global seed dormancy patterns are driven by macroclimate but not fire regime
Authors: Rosbakh Sergey , Carta Angelino , Fernández‐Pascual Eduardo , Phartyal Shyam S. , Dayrell Roberta L. C. , Mattana Efisio , Saatkamp Arne , Vandelook Filip , Baskin Jerry , Baskin Carol
Published: August 2023

Seed dormancy maximizes plant recruitment in habitats with variation in environmental suitability for seedling establishment. Yet, we still lack a comprehensive synthesis of the macroecological drivers of nondormancy and the different classes of seed dormancy: physiological dormancy, morphophysiological dormancy and physical dormancy.

We examined current geographic patterns and environmental correlates of global seed dormancy variation. Combining the most updated data set on seed dormancy classes for > 10 000 species with > 4 million georeferenced species occurrences covering all of the world's biomes, we test how this distribution is driven by climate and fire regime.

Seed dormancy is prevalent in seasonally cold and dry climates. Physiological dormancy occurs in relatively dry climates with high temperature seasonality (e.g. temperate grasslands). Morphophysiological dormancy is more common in forest‐dominated, cold biomes with comparatively high and evenly distributed precipitation. Physical dormancy is associated with dry climates with strong seasonal temperature and precipitation fluctuations (e.g. deserts and savannas). Nondormancy is associated with stable, warm and wetter climates (e.g. tropical rain forest). Pyroclimate had no significant effect on the distribution of seed dormancy.

The environmental drivers considered in this study had a comparatively low predictive power, suggesting that macroclimate is just one of several global drivers of seed dormancy.
SmCSP4 from aphid saliva stimulates salicylic acid‐mediated defence responses in wheat by interacting with transcription factor TaWKRY76
Authors: Zhang Yong , Fu Yu , Liu Xiaobei , Francis Frédéric , Fan Jia , Liu Huan , Wang Qian , Sun Yu , Zhang Yumeng , Chen Julian
Published: August 2023

Aphid salivary proteins are critical in modulating plant defence responses. Grain aphid Sitobion miscanthi is an important wheat pest worldwide. However, the molecular basis for the regulation of the plant resistance to cereal aphids remains largely unknown. Here, we show that SmCSP4, a chemosensory protein from S. miscanthi saliva, is secreted into wheat plants during aphid feeding. Delivery of SmCSP4 into wheat leaves activates salicylic acid (SA)‐mediated plant defence responses and subsequently reduces aphid performance by deterring aphid feeding behaviour. In contrast, silencing SmCSP4 gene via nanocarrier‐mediated RNAi significantly decreases the ability of aphids to activate SA defence pathway. Protein–protein interaction assays showed that SmCSP4 directly interacts with wheat transcriptional factor TaWRKY76 in plant nucleus. Furthermore, TaWRKY76 directly binds to the promoter of SA degradation gene Downy Mildew Resistant 6 (DMR6) and regulates its gene expression as transcriptional activator. SmCSP4 secreted by aphids reduces the transcriptional activation activity of TaWRKY76 on DMR6 gene expression, which is proposed to result in increases of SA accumulation and enhanced plant immunity. This study demonstrated that SmCSP4 acts as salivary elicitor that is involved in activating SA signalling defence pathway of wheat by interacting with TaWRKY76, which provide novel insights into aphid‐cereal crops interactions and the molecular mechanism on induced plant immunity.
A meta‐analysis of aquaculture technical efficiency studies
Authors: Samat Narimah , Goh Kim Huat , See Kok Fong , Ibrahim Rabiatul Adawiyah , Chan Ngai Weng , Tan Mou Leong , Lee Lai Kuan , Seow Ta Wee , Sabjan Muhammad Azizan
Published: August 2023

As the world population grows, the aquaculture sector faces challenges in the use of production systems to ensure the adequacy of the food supply. Technical efficiency analysis has been shown to be useful for improving resource management and production. This study provides a literature update and uses meta‐regression analysis to examine the variations in aquaculture mean technical efficiency (MTE) scores based on 101 studies published from 1998 to 2023. The findings show that studies with larger model dimensions, different output measures, an input‐oriented model specification and that analyse the exogenous variables of efficiency scores, freshwater aquaculture, and European data produce a narrower variance in MTE scores. In contrast, studies that use panel data and nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) generate wider variance in MTE scores. As a result of these investigations, the findings suggest the importance of selecting appropriate variables and sample sizes for efficiency estimates. Robustness checks of efficiency scores from the DEA and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) approaches are recommended for future studies. Different policies and regulations should be implemented in different countries and across different farming systems.
Tibet’s response to state nationalism: Utilising China’s fear of secession
Authors: Jnawali Hari Har
Published: August 2023

Taking document analysis as its method, this paper examines the Tibetans’ response to the Chinese state nationalism. Due to the fear of political secession, the Chinese government has stayed silent about the Tibetans’ right to self‐determination and subjected regional ethnic autonomy to the centralised political system. The Chinese authorities continue to dismiss the Tibetans’ nationalist struggles as an imported foreign design and warn the international community not to sympathise with the Dalai Lama and his supporters. Amidst an adverse national and international political environment, the Tibetans have managed to sustain their nationalist wishes and obtain substantive international attention. Taking this background into account, this paper explores how the Tibetans have succeeded to resist China's state nationalism and position themselves as a champion of inclusion, justice, and minority rights. It argues that the Tibetans recognise the Chinese government’s fear of secession and utilise that fear to forward their nationalist aspirations. The Tibetans shift their demand from independence to autonomy and highlight their own desire for recognition as a distinct community within the Chinese state. This strategy has helped them to claim that they are against the violations of autonomy but not against the Chinese state’s territorial norms.
Myanmar’s military coup: The Rohingya caught “Between the devil and the deep sea”
Authors: Zahed Iqthyer Uddin Md
Published: August 2023

This article explores the consequences of the recent military coup in Myanmar for the Rohingya crisis. Data from seven semi‐structured interviews were collected from academic and Rohingya leaders in the Australian cities of Sydney and Brisbane. The findings suggest that the regime change that has taken place will not resolve the Rohingya crisis unless the Myanmar government moves away from its current anti‐Rohingya, religious nationalism policy agenda. A military coup on 1 February 2021 overthrew the relatively new democratic government in Myanmar. The anti‐military movement now faces the military’s brutal force for restoring democracy in the country. The elected parliament members established an interim National Unity Government (NUG) to lead anti‐military protests. Regarding the military junta and NUG’s strategy concerning the Rohingya crisis, both aim to get international support for their endeavours. The Rohingya became a sacrificial lamb for both of these competitors. The Rohingya now face a dilemma in making the decision to support one or the other political parties, as the leaders of both parties were involved actively in instigating the Rohingya genocide in 2017. The situation for the Rohingya becomes complicated as they now find themselves caught between the ‘devil and the deep sea’.
Negotiating digital urban futures: The limits and possibilities of future‐making in Singapore
Authors: Yeo Si Jie Ivin
Published: August 2023

This paper brings into dialogue recent critical scholarship on smart cities and geographies of the future by examining how city dwellers encounter normative visions of the future supplied by government actors under smart urbanisation. I focus specifically on the prosaic but significant ways in which people (re)interpret and (re)produce urban futures in and through their everyday affective and material engagements with digital technologies. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and semi‐structured interviews, I discuss the extent to which state‐promulgated imaginings of digital urban futures projected by electronic payment infrastructures are negotiated by urban inhabitants in Singapore, at both the levels of the individual and the collective. Although there is a tendency in Urban Studies to read the smart city as depoliticising, the findings in this paper suggest that urban dwellers' lived encounters with digital urban futures are characterised and bound up with politics. Furthermore, this paper casts attention on forms of negotiation that emerge not from grassroots movements and/or democratic activism that have so far attracted social and cultural geographers working on the future, but everyday lived practice around the digital. Such a fine‐grained, practice‐based approach productively foregrounds emancipatory potential for reworking and reimagining normative digital urban futures. Equally importantly, it takes seriously the diverse and uneven future‐making capacities of urban inhabitants in the digitally mediated city, contributing to ongoing projects that seek to develop a globally oriented alternative smart urban agenda for cities and urban spaces in the 21st century.
Autonomous Robotic Bin Picking Platform Generated From Human Demonstration and YOLOv5
Authors: Park Jinho , Han Changheon , Jun Martin B. G. , Yun Huitaek
Published: August 2023

Vision-based robots have been utilized for pick-and-place operations by their ability to find object poses. As they progress into handling a variety of objects with cluttered state, more flexible and lightweight operations have been presented. In this paper, an autonomous robotic bin-picking platform is proposed. It combines human demonstration with a collaborative robot for the flexibility of the objects and YOLOv5 neural network model for faster object localization without prior computer-aided design models or dataset in the training. After a simple human demonstration of which target object to pick and place, the raw color and depth images were refined, and the one on top of the bin was utilized to create synthetic images and annotations for the YOLOv5 model. To pick up the target object, the point cloud was lifted using the depth data corresponding to the result of the trained YOLOv5 model, and the object pose was estimated by matching them with Iterative Closest Points (ICP) algorithm. After picking up the target object, the robot placed it where the user defined it in the previous human demonstration stage. From the result of experiments with four types of objects and four human demonstrations, it took a total of 0.5 s to recognize the target object and estimate the object pose. The success rate of object detection was 95.6%, and the pick-and-place motion of all the found objects was successful.
Greater Core Endurance Identifies Improved Mechanics During Jump Landing in Female Youth Soccer Athletes
Authors: Pfile Kate , Boling Michelle , Baellow Andrea , Zuk Emma , Nguyen Anh-Dung
Published: August 2023

Female soccer athletes are at greater risk for anterior cruciate ligament injury compared with males. Risk factors include altered landing biomechanics and diminished core neuromuscular control, measured using advanced laboratory equipment. There is a need for a clinical measure of core muscle function to better understand kinesiological factors within a female, youth athlete population. The purpose was to determine whether sagittal and frontal plane kinematics during a jump landing task differ based on levels of core endurance in female youth soccer athletes. Participants included healthy, female soccer athletes ages 8–17 years (M = 12.3 years, SD = 2.4 years), height (M = 1.52 m, SD = 0.16 m), and body mass (M = 46.0 kg, SD = 13.7 kg). A quantitative data descriptive laboratory study in a field-based setting was conducted. Sixty-six participants performed the side plank test for time to failure. Three-dimensional biomechanics were collected, and initial contact and peak trunk, hip, and knee joint angles were identified during the deceleration phase of a double-leg jump-landing task. The group with the lowest side plank time displayed decreased knee flexion at initial contact (p = .02) and peak knee flexion (p = .03) and decreased peak hip flexion angles (p = .01). There were no additional statistically significant differences among groups (p > .05). Female youth soccer athletes who have reduced core endurance also display decreased hip and knee flexion, which may place them at risk for anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Female naïve human pluripotent stem cells carry X chromosomes with Xa-like and Xi-like folding conformations
Authors: Patterson Benjamin , Yang Bing , Tanaka Yoshiaki , Kim Kun-Yong , Cakir Bilal , Xiang Yangfei , Kim Jonghun , Wang Siyuan , Park In-Hyun
Published: August 2023

Three-dimensional (3D) genomics shows immense promise for studying X chromosome inactivation (XCI) by interrogating changes to the X chromosomes’ 3D states. Here, we sought to characterize the 3D state of the X chromosome in naïve and primed human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Using chromatin tracing, we analyzed X chromosome folding conformations in these cells with megabase genomic resolution. X chromosomes in female naïve hPSCs exhibit folding conformations similar to the active X chromosome (Xa) and the inactive X chromosome (Xi) in somatic cells. However, naïve X chromosomes do not exhibit the chromatin compaction typically associated with these somatic X chromosome states. In H7 naïve human embryonic stem cells,
XIST
accumulation observed on damaged X chromosomes demonstrates the potential for naïve hPSCs to activate XCI-related mechanisms. Overall, our findings provide insight into the X chromosome status of naïve hPSCs with a single-chromosome resolution and are critical in understanding the unique epigenetic regulation in early embryonic cells.
Single-cell analysis of multiple invertible promoters reveals differential inversion rates as a strong determinant of bacterial population heterogeneity
Authors: Lan Freeman , Saba Jason , Qian Yili , Ross Tyler , Landick Robert , Venturelli Ophelia S.
Published: August 2023

Population heterogeneity can promote bacterial fitness in response to unpredictable environmental conditions. A major mechanism of phenotypic variability in the human gut symbiont
Bacteroides
spp. involves the inversion of promoters that drive the expression of capsular polysaccharides, which determine the architecture of the cell surface. High-throughput single-cell sequencing reveals substantial population heterogeneity generated through combinatorial promoter inversion regulated by a broadly conserved serine recombinase. Exploiting control over population diversification, we show that populations with different initial compositions converge to a similar composition over time. Combining our data with stochastic computational modeling, we demonstrate that the differential rates of promoter inversion are a major mechanism shaping population dynamics. More broadly, our approach could be used to interrogate single-cell combinatorial phase variable states of diverse microbes including bacterial pathogens.
Injectable photocurable Janus hydrogel delivering hiPSC cardiomyocyte-derived exosome for post–heart surgery adhesion reduction
Authors: Wang Ling , Chen Peier , Pan Yuxuan , Wang Zihan , Xu Jie , Wu Xiaoqi , Yang Qiao , Long Meng , Liu Sitian , Huang Wenhua , Ou Caiwen , Wu Yaobin
Published: August 2023

Postsurgical pericardial adhesions pose increased risks of sequelae, prolonged reoperation time, and reduced visibility in the surgical field. Here, we introduce an injectable Janus hydrogel, which exhibits asymmetric adhesiveness properties after photocrosslinking, sustained delivering induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocyte exosomes (iCM-EXOs) for post–heart surgery adhesion reduction. Our findings reveal that iCM-EXOs effectively attenuate oxidative stress in hydrogen peroxide–treated primary cardiomyocytes by inhibiting the activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2. Notably, in rat cardiac postsurgery models, the Janus hydrogels loaded with iCM-EXOs demonstrate dual functionality, acting as antioxidants and antipericardial adhesion agents. These hydrogels effectively protect iCM-EXOs from GATA
6+
cavity macrophage clearance by inhibiting the recruitment of macrophages from the thoracic cavity. These results highlight the promising potential of iCM-EXO–laden Janus hydrogels for clinical safety and efficacy validation in trials involving heart surgery patients, with the ultimate goal of routine administration during open-heart surgeries.
Supplemental Material: On the crumpling and repaving of the North American continent
Authors: Wilkinson Bruce H. , Pérez-Consuegra N.
Published: August 2023

Table S1: Mapped rock types and assignment to major lithologic groups. Table S2: Lithologic abundances for North America and Earth from this study and other sources.
Feasibility and acceptance of artificial intelligence-based diabetic retinopathy screening in Rwanda
Authors: Whitestone Noelle , Nkurikiye John , Patnaik Jennifer L , Jaccard Nicolas , Lanouette Gabriella , Cherwek David H , Congdon Nathan , Mathenge Wanjiku
Published: August 2023

Background

Evidence on the practical application of artificial intelligence (AI)-based diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening is needed.

Methods

Consented participants were screened for DR using retinal imaging with AI interpretation from March 2021 to June 2021 at four diabetes clinics in Rwanda. Additionally, images were graded by a UK National Health System-certified retinal image grader. DR grades based on the International Classification of Diabetic Retinopathy with a grade of 2.0 or higher were considered referable. The AI system was designed to detect optic nerve and macular anomalies outside of DR. A vertical cup to disc ratio of 0.7 and higher and/or macular anomalies recognised at a cut-off of 60% and higher were also considered referable by AI.

Results

Among 827 participants (59.6% women (n=493)) screened by AI, 33.2% (n=275) were referred for follow-up. Satisfaction with AI screening was high (99.5%, n=823), and 63.7% of participants (n=527) preferred AI over human grading. Compared with human grading, the sensitivity of the AI for referable DR was 92% (95% CI 0.863%, 0.968%), with a specificity of 85% (95% CI 0.751%, 0.882%). Of the participants referred by AI: 88 (32.0%) were for DR only, 109 (39.6%) for DR and an anomaly, 65 (23.6%) for an anomaly only and 13 (4.73%) for other reasons. Adherence to referrals was highest for those referred for DR at 53.4%.

Conclusion

DR screening using AI led to accurate referrals from diabetes clinics in Rwanda and high rates of participant satisfaction, suggesting AI screening for DR is practical and acceptable.
Rationale for the shielding policy for clinically vulnerable people in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study
Authors: Porter Alison , Akbari Ashley , Carson-Stevens Andrew , Dale Jeremy , Dixon Lucy , Edwards Adrian , Evans Bridie , Griffiths Lesley , John Ann , Jolles Stephen , Kingston Mark Rhys , Lyons Ronan , Morgan Jennifer , Sewell Bernadette , Whiffen Anthony , Williams Victoria Angharad , Snooks Helen
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Shielding aimed to protect those predicted to be at highest risk from COVID-19 and was uniquely implemented in the UK during the first year of the pandemic from March 2020. As the first stage in the EVITE Immunity evaluation (Effects of shielding for vulnerable people during COVID-19 pandemic on health outcomes, costs and immunity, including those with cancer:quasi-experimental evaluation), we generated a logic model to describe the programme theory underlying the shielding intervention.

Design and participants

We reviewed published documentation on shielding to develop an initial draft of the logic model. We then discussed this draft during interviews with 13 key stakeholders involved in putting shielding into effect in Wales and England. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically to inform a final draft of the logic model.

Results

The shielding intervention was a complex one, introduced at pace by multiple agencies working together. We identified three core components: agreement on clinical criteria; development of the list of people appropriate for shielding; and communication of shielding advice. In addition, there was a support programme, available as required to shielding people, including food parcels, financial support and social support. The predicted mechanism of change was that people would isolate themselves and so avoid infection, with the primary intended outcome being reduction in mortality in the shielding group. Unintended impacts included negative impact on mental and physical health and well-being. Details of the intervention varied slightly across the home nations of the UK and were subject to minor revisions during the time the intervention was in place.

Conclusions

Shielding was a largely untested strategy, aiming to mitigate risk by placing a responsibility on individuals to protect themselves. The model of its rationale, components and outcomes (intended and unintended) will inform evaluation of the impact of shielding and help us to understand its effect and limitations.