bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histologic transformation of non‐small‐cell lung cancer in response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors: Current knowledge of genetic changes and molecular mechanisms
Authors: Shiba‐Ishii Aya , Takemura Noriko , Kawai Hitomi , Matsubara Daisuke
Published: May 2024

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and includes two major types: non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC), accounting for 85% and 15% of cases, respectively. Non‐small‐cell lung cancer harboring actionable driver mutations is generally treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) molecularly targeting individual oncogenes. Although TKIs have greatly contributed to better clinical outcomes, acquired resistance to them inevitably occurs. Histologic or lineage transformation is a rare but well‐documented off‐target mechanism associated with acquired resistance, and has been identified in settings following treatment with multiple different TKIs and other drugs. It includes neuroendocrine transformation, squamous cell transformation, and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition. Here, we review the clinicopathologic features of transformed tumors and current understanding of the key genetic alterations and biologic mechanism of lineage transformation in NSCLC, particularly TKI‐triggered transformation.
Fertility and pregnancy outcomes in women with Turner syndrome: A single centre experience
Authors: Burt Elizabeth , Davies Melanie C. , Yasmin Ephia , Cameron‐Pimblett Antoinette , Talaulikar Vikram , La Rosa Clementina , Clarke Sophie A. , Conway Gerard S.
Published: May 2024

Objective

Many women with Turner syndrome (TS) will consider fertility options and pregnancy. We wished to examine the fertility and pregnancy outcomes in women with TS undergoing oocyte donation (OD) treatment or spontaneous pregnancy in a large single‐centre cohort. General population reference data or data from those with idiopathic premature ovarian insufficiency were used as comparators.

Design

A retrospective single‐centre cross‐sectional study.

Patients and Measurements

Seventy‐four women with TS underwent OD treatment with a total of 105 pregnancies, and 31 women with TS had 71 spontaneous conceptions. Fertility outcomes included clinical pregnancy and live birth rate. Pregnancy outcomes included miscarriage rate, prevalence of hypertension, gestational diabetes, lower segment caesarean section (LSCS), small for gestational age (SGA), prematurity and vertical transmission of TS.

Results

In those with TS, OD pregnancies were associated with increased rates of LSCS and SGA compared to spontaneous pregnancies; LSCS (OR: 4.19, 95% CI: 1.6−10.8, p = .003) and SGA (OR: 2.92, 95% CI: 1.02−8.38, p = .04). There were no recorded cardiac events but 5 (17.2%) cases of vertical transmissions of TS in daughters were identified. OD in those with TS was associated with a lower live birth rate per cycle started (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.34−0.84, p = .008) and a higher rate of miscarriage compared to women with POI (40% vs. 26.2%, p = .04).

Conclusions

We show that pregnancy in women with TS, whether OD or spontaneously conceived, carries obstetric risks, and therefore, women with TS, considering pregnancy, should receive comprehensive pre‐pregnancy counselling and optimal obstetric care.
Novel biallelic PISD missense variants cause spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia with disproportionate short stature and fragmented mitochondrial morphology
Authors: Aagaard Nolting Line , Holling Tess , Nishimura Gen , Ek Jakob , Bak Mads , Ljungberg Merete , Kutsche Kerstin , Hove Hanne
Published: May 2024

Biallelic variants in PISD cause a phenotypic spectrum ranging from short stature with spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia (SEMD) to a multisystem disorder affecting eyes, ears, bones, and brain. PISD encodes the mitochondrial‐localized enzyme phosphatidylserine decarboxylase. The PISD precursor is self‐cleaved to generate a heteromeric mature enzyme that converts phosphatidylserine to the phospholipid phosphatidylethanolamine. We describe a 17‐year‐old male patient, born to unrelated healthy parents, with disproportionate short stature and SEMD, featuring platyspondyly, prominent epiphyses, and metaphyseal dysplasia. Trio genome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous PISD variants c.569C>T; p.(Ser190Leu) and c.799C>T; p.(His267Tyr) in the patient. Investigation of fibroblasts showed similar levels of the PISD precursor protein in both patient and control cells. However, patient cells had a significantly higher proportion of fragmented mitochondria compared to control cells cultured under basal condition and after treatment with 2‐deoxyglucose that represses glycolysis and stimulates respiration. Structural data from the PISD orthologue in Escherichia coli suggest that the amino acid substitutions Ser190Leu and His267Tyr likely impair PISD's autoprocessing activity and/or phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis. Based on the data, we propose that the novel PISD p.(Ser190Leu) and p.(His267Tyr) variants likely act as hypomorphs and underlie the pure skeletal phenotype in the patient.
Combined lineage tracing and scRNA‐seq reveal the activation of Sox9+ cells in renal regeneration with PGE2 treatment
Authors: Chen Shang , Liu Yue , Chen Xiaoniao , Tao Hongyan , Piao Yongjun , Huang Haoyan , Han Zhibo , Han Zhong‐Chao , Chen Xiang‐Mei , Li Zongjin
Published: May 2024

Uncovering mechanisms of endogenous regeneration and repair through resident stem cell activation will allow us to develop specific therapies for injuries and diseases by targeting resident stem cell lineages. Sox9+ stem cells have been reported to play an essential role in acute kidney injury (AKI). However, a complete view of the Sox9+ lineage was not well investigated to accurately elucidate the functional end state and the choice of cell fate during tissue repair after AKI. To identify the mechanisms of fate determination of Sox9+ stem cells, we set up an AKI model with prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) treatment in a Sox9 lineage tracing mouse model. Single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) was performed to analyse the transcriptomic profile of the Sox9+ lineage. Our results revealed that PGE2 could activate renal Sox9+ cells and promote the differentiation of Sox9+ cells into renal proximal tubular epithelial cells and inhibit the development of fibrosis. Furthermore, single‐cell transcriptome analysis demonstrated that PGE2 could regulate the restoration of lipid metabolism homeostasis in proximal tubular epithelial cells by participating in communication with different cell types. Our results highlight the prospects for the activation of endogenous renal Sox9+ stem cells with PGE2 for the regenerative therapy of AKI.
Current status and future perspectives of robotic liver surgery
Authors: Soyama Akihiko , Hamada Takashi , Adachi Tomohiko , Eguchi Susumu
Published: May 2024

Robotic liver resection has been reported in case series since the early 2000s. The surgical robot is capable of precise operation using articulated forceps with seven degrees of freedom. The robot also eliminates tremors and provides a good surgical field with highly detailed 3D high‐definition images. The clinical results demonstrating their usefulness have been increasing year by year. Initially, a shorter hospital stay was observed in comparison with open hepatectomy. Recent reports have also shown lower conversion and complication rates in comparison with laparoscopic hepatectomy. The clamp and crush method with bipolar forceps, sealing devices, ultrasonic shears, and the combined procedure of Cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator and robotic forceps as hybrid procedures have been reported as effective methods of parenchymal transection in robotic surgery. Theoretically, the advantages of the robotic platform allow for more complex liver resection around hilar structures and major blood vessels, as well as for vascular reconstruction or biliary reconstruction. The application of robotic liver surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma, living donor hepatectomy, and living donor liver transplantation has been reported. Robotic liver surgery is becoming more popular for certain indications; however, it is important to further evaluate its long‐term surgical and oncological outcomes and costs in comparison with conventional laparoscopic and open liver surgery, based on accumulated experience.
Audit team diversity, work quality and affective state outcomes
Authors: Annelin Alice , Svanström Tobias
Published: May 2024

This paper investigates the audit team outcomes of team diversity. Diversity theory suggests that diversity can benefit a team's work quality if the variety of team characteristics improves decision‐making and performance. However, team diversity can have harmful affective outcomes if team members separate into different categories, and thus they feel stressed, intend to leave the profession or experience conflict between team members. We investigated this paradox in team diversity in an audit context at a Big 4 audit firm in Sweden, which provided proprietary team data. In addition, 335 individuals from 185 different audit teams responded to a questionnaire. Each participant responded to a survey about their experience with one specific engagement. Results indicated that team diversity benefits the audit team's affective outcomes of role stress, satisfaction and turnover intentions. However, diverse teams also reduce some audit teams' work quality outcomes, such as dysfunctional behaviour, performance, effort and perceptions of audit quality.
Ulcerated nodules with zosteriform distribution on the upper extremity
Authors: Wang Fan , Wei Zhen‐Dong
Published: May 2024

Eccrine porocarcinoma (EPC) is a rare skin adnexal malignancy with a high potential for metastases. The most common metastatic sites are the lymph nodes and lungs. CCutaneous metastasis is extremely rare, particularly the zosteriform variant, with fewer than 5 cases reported in the literature. Here, we report a unique case of EPC in a 71‐year‐old male, clinically presenting with multiple clusters of ulcerated nodules distributing as a zosteriform pattern throughout his upper left limb, along with draining lymphatic metastases and lymphedema.
Exploring pharmacological treatment for trichotillomania: do we need better education?
Authors: Krajewski Piotr K. , Zirpel Henner , Saceda‐Corralo David , Thaçi Diamant , Szepietowski Jacek C.
Published: May 2024

Background

Trichotillomania, also known as hair‐pulling disorder, is a chronic psychiatric condition with a fluctuating course in which an individual pulls out their hair, leading to visible hair loss and psychosocial sequelae. Due to the unknown pathogenesis, the treatment of this disorder is complex and remains a challenge for dermatologists and psychiatrists. Since guidelines for treating trichotillomania are lacking and, consequently, no common treatment strategy exists, we decided to perform a large‐scale, global retrospective cohort study to assess the characterized real‐world prescription patterns in treating trichotillomania.

Methods

The research used the TrinetX database for patients with trichotillomania (ICD 10 – F63.3) within the European and the United States Collaborative Network (EC and UC, respectively). After consulting with a psychodermatology expert, a list of 25 medications was investigated.

Results

Data on the prescription drugs of 1,275 patients from the EC and 109,741 patients from the UC were collected. In both the EC and UC cohorts, benzodiazepine derivatives, particularly lorazepam and midazolam, were the most commonly prescribed sedatives/hypnotics. Antipsychotic prescriptions, primarily haloperidol, followed benzodiazepines. After the trichotillomania diagnosis, notable changes in drug prescriptions for the EC cohort, including an increased likelihood of receiving acetylcysteine, haloperidol, quetiapine, sertraline, olanzapine, and risperidone were observed. The UC cohort showed minimal changes. Overall, both cohorts leaned toward benzodiazepine prescriptions (37% UC, 21% EC) and had limited antidepressant usage. Haloperidol (19.3%) and quetiapine (15.1%) were commonly prescribed in both cohorts.

Conclusions

The results of our study indicate that the real‐world prescription patterns for trichotillomania differ significantly from the expert‐proposed therapeutic approach and point toward the necessity of creating standards of pharmacological care and better education.
Soy protein isolate with higher solubility and improved gel properties when co‐assembled with walnut protein
Authors: Li Junyou , Chen Yunqi , Hua Xiaohan , Yin Lijun , Zang Jiachen , Yu Wenhua , Zhang Tuo
Published: May 2024

Phytoproteins have been widely implemented in the food industry benefiting from their good functionalities, vast reserves and relatively low cost. However, phytoproteins frequently experience poor solubility, which limits their applications. In our study, the solubility of soy protein isolate (SPI) treated with pH‐shifting increased over 1.8 times; however, the transglutaminase‐induced gel properties were sacrificed. To solve this problem, walnut protein (WP) was used to co‐assemble with SPI during the treatment. The co‐assembly hybrid protein shows significantly better solubility, meanwhile, maintaining the transglutaminase‐induced gel properties and improving the cohesiveness and resilience properties compared with untreated SPI, which behaved an improved water holding capacity during storage. The detailed mechanisms were investigated with rheological analysis, SEM, textural analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Overall, our study provided a promising strategy to develop SPI/WP hybrid composites with high solubility and improved gel properties to extend the application of SPI in the food industry.
Climate change, tax avoidance, and shareholder value: Evidence from the Paris Agreement
Authors: Chatjuthamard Pattanaporn , Chintrakarn Pandej , Jiraporn Pornsit , Lee Sang Mook
Published: May 2024

Motivated by the rapidly emerging literature on climate change and finance, we explore the effect of corporate tax avoidance on shareholder value around the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement. Companies engaging in greater tax avoidance experience significantly more favorable stock market reactions. Companies that achieve greater savings through tax avoidance have a larger surplus of resources that can be directed toward climate‐related actions in alignment with the Paris Agreement, resulting in enhanced shareholder value. Furthermore, the advantageous impact of tax avoidance on shareholder wealth is significantly less pronounced for companies that pay out larger dividends.
Effect of the cycle number of multistep sintering on the properties of FeSe0.4Te0.6 superconductors
Authors: Miao Chaohang , Liu Linfei , Li Yijie
Published: May 2024

FeSe0.4Te0.6 polycrystal bulks were synthesized using the solid‐state sintering method. We developed a novel multistep sintering process and studied the impact of the sintering cycle number. Different cycles of multistep sintering, ranging from one to four cycles were systematically arranged. It was found that the superconducting properties of the FeSe0.4Te0.6 polycrystal bulk using three cycles of sintering surpassed those of other samples, reaching a maximum of  = 13.4 K,  = 14.7 K, and a minimum of ∆  = 1.3 K. And the superconducting current density at 4 K reached 1.77 × 104 A/cm2, exhibiting a weak fishtail effect. At 9 K, a composite pinning effect emerged, consisting of normal point pinning and ∆κ surface pinning. The enhancement in superconductivity is attributed to improve uniformity in grain arrangement and more effective element diffusion. After multiple sintering cycles, the stacked grains exhibited increased thickness and the grain arrangement became dense.
Measurement of medical students' knowledge, attitude and practice towards antibiotic use and resistance: A scoping review
Authors: Sun Hui , Gao Yinyan , Liu Wenqi , Zhang Jiajia , Wu Irene Xy
Published: May 2024

Objective

Medical students are demanders and future suppliers of antibiotic use. Understanding their knowledge, attitude and practice is important for appropriately using antibiotics and controlling antibiotic resistance. The objective of this study was to assess the measurement properties of existed instruments and summarize measurement items and results.

Methods

Five English and Chinese databases were searched to comprehensively identify related studies between January 2000 and May 2023. Included instruments were assessed using consensus‐based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments checklist. Descriptive tables and narrative texts were applied to summary the data.

Results

Of 3524 studies identified, 25 were finally included, from which 22 measurement instruments were included. Of these, 14 instruments were found with adequate content validity, only one study reported structural validation process and two studies reported reliability test results. Similar items were divided into different dimensions in different studies. Gaps and misconceptions in knowledge and attitude were indicated in antibiotic use principles, including antibiotic use indications and selection.

Conclusions

Limitations existed in the current measurement instrument including lacking validation, inconsistent classification of item and lacking item regarding the perspective of suppliers. Scientific tools for objective and accurate measure are needed.
Metabolic organization of pregnant freshwater stingray and their offspring
Authors: da Silva Natalia Carvalho Fabricio , de Sousa Rangel Bianca , dos Santos Zacheo Évillyn , de Castro Ribeiro Douglas , da Silva Ribeiro Cristiéle
Published: May 2024

The elucidation of energetic patterns in adult viviparous elasmobranchs and their offspring can contribute to understanding ecophysiological questions, such as maternal‐fetal metabolism and group life‐history traits. We characterized the energetic substrates in pregnant individuals and stages of offspring development in the freshwater stingray Potamotrygon amandae. Our results show that the energetic distribution of the yolk is composed of more lipids than proteins, whereas the inverse pattern is observed in the egg and uterus, proving the plasticity of the energy provision of the species. As a novelty, we describe that yolk/intestine transfer occurs in this species.
Immune signature and therapeutic approach of natural killer cell in chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Shin Seung Kak , Oh Sooyeon , Chun Su‐Kyung , Ahn Min‐Ji , Lee Seung‐Min , Kim Kayun , Kang Hogyeong , Lee Jeongwoo , Shin Suk Pyo , Lee Jooho , Jung Young Kul
Published: May 2024

Natural killer (NK) cells are one of the key members of innate immunity that predominantly reside in the liver, potentiating immune responses against viral infections or malignant tumors. It has been reported that changes in cell numbers and function of NK cells are associated with the development and progression of chronic liver diseases (CLDs) including non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, and chronic viral hepatitis. Also, it is known that the crosstalk between NK cells and hepatic stellate cells plays an important role in liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. In particular, the impaired functions of NK cells observed in CLDs consequently contribute to occurrence and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Chronic infections by hepatitis B or C viruses counteract the anti‐tumor immunity of the host by producing the sheddases. Soluble major histocompatibility complex class I polypeptide‐related sequence A (sMICA), released from the cell surfaces by sheddases, disrupts the interaction and affects the function of NK cells. Recently, the MICA/B‐NK stimulatory receptor NK group 2 member D (NKG2D) axis has been extensively studied in HCC. HCC patients with low membrane‐bound MICA or high sMICA concentration have been associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, reversing the sMICA‐mediated downregulation of NKG2D has been proposed as an attractive strategy to enhance both innate and adaptive immune responses against HCC. This review aims to summarize recent studies on NK cell immune signatures and its roles in CLD and hepatocellular carcinogenesis and discusses the therapeutic approaches of MICA/B‐NKG2D‐based or NK cell‐based immunotherapy for HCC.
Medicare advantage initiative to improve social determinants of health
Authors: Kumar Amit
Published: May 2024

This editorial comments on the article by Richards et al.
Relationship between social support and self‐care ability among patients with breast cancer during rehabilitation: The multiple mediating roles of resilience and depression
Authors: Tang Xiu‐Ying , Wei Yu‐Xian , Kong Ling‐Na , Lu Fang
Published: May 2024

Aims

To identify the multiple mediating effects of resilience and depression between social support and self‐care ability among patients with breast cancer during rehabilitation to provide reference for developing and implementing targeted interventions.

Design

A cross‐sectional study reported according to the STROBE checklist.

Methods

A convenience sample of 320 patients with breast cancer during rehabilitation was recruited from one hospital in China. Data were collected from April to August 2022 using a self‐report questionnaire, including the demographic and clinical information, Appraisal of Self‐Care Agency Scale‐Revised, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale‐10 item, and Patient Health Questionnaire‐9. The mediation analysis was conducted using the SPSS Process macro.

Results

Self‐care ability was positively associated with social support (β = .229) and resilience (β = .290), and negatively associated with depression (β = −.208). The relationship between social support and self‐care ability was mediated by resilience and depression, respectively, and together in serial. The multiple mediating effects accounted for 34.0% of the total effect of social support on self‐care ability.

Conclusion

Our findings identify resilience and depression as multiple mediators between social support and self‐care ability and highlight the important roles of social support, resilience and depression in improving self‐care ability.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Healthcare providers should pay great attention to the underlying mechanisms of how social support affects patients' self‐care ability during breast cancer rehabilitation. Integrated intervention programmes targeted at enhancing social support, building resilience and alleviating depression might be beneficial to the improvement of self‐care ability.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.

Reporting Method

The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist for cross‐sectional studies was applied to report the results.
Measurement properties of patient‐reported outcome measures for women with dysmenorrhea: A systematic review
Authors: de Arruda Guilherme Tavares , Driusso Patricia , de Godoy Amanda Garcia , de Sousa Ana Paula , Avila Mariana Arias
Published: May 2024

Background

Dysmenorrhea, or menstrual pain, is a subjective experience, and can only be assessed by patient‐reported outcomes. These instruments should be reliable, valid and responsive.

Aim

To identify and critically appraise the available evidence for the measurement properties of specific patient‐reported outcome measures used for dysmenorrhea.

Methods

The PRISMA statement was used to report this systematic review. Databases searched were PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar (April 2021; updated on February 2023). Original studies with primary data collection, with no restriction on language and publication date that reported psychometric properties of one or more dysmenorrhea‐related patient‐reported outcome measure. The literature searches, selection of studies, data extraction and assessment of the risk of bias were performed independently by two reviewers and followed the COSMIN guidelines.

Results

Thirty studies were analysed in this review, and 19 patient‐reported outcome measures were evaluated. The instruments varied in relation to the measured construct and measurement properties (validity, reliability and responsiveness). The methodological quality of the studies and the quality of evidence of the patient‐reported outcome measures were variable. Among the 13 studies that reported the development of patient‐reported outcome measures, most had inadequate methodological quality, and the overall rating was insufficient or inconsistent.

Conclusions

The Dysmenorrhea Symptom Interference (DSI) scale was the only identified patient‐reported outcome measure that has the potential to be recommended because of its sufficient rating combined with moderate quality of evidence for content validity. Future studies should further evaluate the measurement properties of the existing patient‐reported outcome measures, or develop new patient‐reported outcome measures following the COSMIN methodology.

Patient or public contribution

Not applicable as this is a systematic review.

Trial registration

PROSPERO protocol: CRD42021244410. Registration on April 22, 2021.
Referred pain is associated with greater odontogenic spontaneous pain and a heightened pain sensitivity in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis
Authors: de Souza Paulo Roberto Jara , Ardestani Soraya Salmanzadeh , Costa Vanessa Abreu Sanches Marques , Alcalde Murilo Priori , Hungaro Duarte Marco Antônio , Vivan Rodrigo Ricci , Conti Paulo César Rodrigues , Costa Yuri Martins , Bonjardim Leonardo Rigoldi
Published: May 2024

Background

Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis often results in heightened reactions to thermal stimuli such as pain evoked by a cold stimulus, and spontaneous odontogenic pain (unprovoked pain).

Objective

This study primarily compared the clinical manifestations of odontogenic spontaneous pain and pain provoked by cold stimulus specifically focusing on their sensory discriminative characteristics (intensity, duration and quality) between symptomatic irreversible pulpitis patients with and without referred pain.

Methods

Twenty‐three patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis with referred pain and 12 patients without referred pain were included in this cross‐sectional study. The following outcomes were assessed: odontogenic spontaneous pain and its descriptors; pain evoked by cold stimulus and qualitative sensory testing before and after local anaesthesia; referred pain location; use of analgesic medication; complementary anaesthesia efficacy. T‐test, chi‐squared and McNemar tests were applied to the data (p < .50).

Results

Patients with referred pain presented a greater odontogenic pain intensity (p < .05) when considered the average of the last 24 h. These patients also showed higher pain rating and pain descriptors (p < .05). Intensity and duration of the pain evoked by cold stimulus in the non‐affected contralateral tooth at baseline were higher for patients with referred pain (p < .05).

Conclusion

Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis patients with referred pain present greater odontogenic spontaneous pain and a heightened pain sensitivity. Therefore, patients with referred pain seem more complex from a pain severity perspective, supporting the clinical utility of discriminating symptomatic irreversible pulpitis with and without referred pain.
Stable and efficient networks with neighborhood‐influenced externalities
Authors: Sun Ping , Parilina Elena
Published: May 2024

This paper analyzes the incentives of individuals to add or sever links that imply the formation of stable and efficient networks when a society is partitioned into groups. In terms of group partitioning, we determine cost topology by arranging a model in which a pair of players pays equally for the link connecting them and in which such a cost depends on the neighborhood composition of the pair when they belong to different groups. To be more precise, the cost of a link between players can be reduced if at least one of these players has neighbors from the group the other player belongs to. We examine specific network structures (i.e., minimal networks, minimally connected networks, complete networks, majority complete networks, and complete bipartite networks) when they are stable and efficient. Our analysis demonstrates how players' distribution among groups modifies the conditions of stability and efficiency. More significantly, we identify some fascinating phenomena which sharply contrast with most literature dealing with stable and efficient networks: (i) the nonminimal network can be stable in the absence of a benefit decay through the path; (ii) a player may prefer to link with players in other groups with a higher average link cost abandoning connection with the partners from her own group; (iii) it is impossible to ensure that the complete network will be efficient for partition with certain characteristics irrespective of the decay factor and the value of costs. The numerical examples are provided to illustrate our theoretical findings.
‘We are pulled to the four corners’: Qualitative role descriptions of advanced practice children's nurses in Malawi
Authors: North Natasha , Brysiewicz Petra , Coetzee Minette
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study investigated emerging roles among specialist child health nurses (CHNs) in Malawi. Advanced nursing role development is globally advocated. Nursing role descriptions provide an evidential basis for workforce planning. Rigorously developed role descriptions are scarce worldwide, especially for Africa. Advanced nursing roles were introduced in Malawi's child health system a decade ago.

Design and Methods

We followed guidance on generating nursing role descriptions to collect and analyse qualitative data from interviews and focus groups, using qualitative content analysis. We used COREQ reporting standards.

Results

More than half (41/80) of Malawi's child health nursing workforce participated. Richly descriptive accounts of roles elicited three themes: leading and developing new services and improving existing ones; holding rare knowledge which uplifts care quality; and responsibility for developing the role. These responsibilities are experienced as a privilege and a burden, often meaning CHNs are ‘pulled to the four corners’.

Practice Implications

We found evidence of remarkable achievements by Malawi's CHNs but also suggestions that they are under heavy strain. Because multi‐stakeholder agreement about role content is crucial to successfully implementing advanced nursing roles, we hope the approach taken by this study, and the information generated, could be useful as part of human resources for health strategy development in other lower‐resourced countries globally.
The sun's position at birth is unrelated to subjective well‐being: Debunking astrological claims
Authors: Joshanloo Mohsen
Published: May 2024

Beliefs linking zodiac signs to personality traits, life outcomes, and well‐being remain widespread across various cultures. This study examined the relationship between Western zodiac signs and subjective well‐being in a nationally representative American sample from the General Social Survey (N = 12,791). Well‐being was measured across eight components: general unhappiness, depressive symptoms, psychological distress, work dissatisfaction, financial dissatisfaction, perceived dullness of one's life, self‐rated health, and unhappiness with marriage. Parametric and nonparametric analyses consistently revealed no robust associations between zodiac signs and any of the well‐being variables, regardless of whether demographic factors were controlled for. The effect sizes were negligible, accounting for 0.3% or less of the variance in well‐being, demonstrating that zodiac signs lack predictive power for well‐being outcomes. An additional analysis revealed that astrological signs were no more predictive of than random numbers. Thus, a randomly generated number between 1 and 12 is statistically as predictive of one's well‐being as one's zodiac sign. These findings challenge popular astrological claims about the influence of zodiac signs on well‐being and quality of life.
Investment projects and the protection of indigenous peoples and territories in Colombia
Authors: Lizarazo‐Rodríguez Liliana , De Lombaerde Philippe , Lizarazo Carrera Miguel Andrés , Londono‐Escudero Carolina
Published: May 2024

This article addresses the protection of indigenous peoples and their natural habitats in Colombia when investment projects are planned or implemented. Special attention is paid to the mechanisms of prior informed consultation; and free, prior, and informed consent. The Colombian case is relevant because it is at the vanguard of protecting the rights of indigenous peoples and their territories, and it is home to tough policy choices, balancing indigenous rights, the environment (as a megadiverse country), and the economy (highly dependent on mining exports). From a law and sustainable development perspective, this article analyzes a novel combination of various statistical data sets and case law and includes tests of the outcomes of prior informed consultation processes and their interaction with environmental licensing based on regression analyses. The conclusions point to the scale of the use of the protection mechanisms, the patterns in the behavior of indigenous peoples and in the outcomes of the mechanisms, the need to reinterpret transaction costs, and the crucial role of the constitutional court.
Two‐stage nonparametric framework for missing data imputation, uncertainty quantification, and incorporation in system identification
Authors: Zhang Wen‐Jing , Yuen Ka‐Veng , Yan Wang‐Ji
Published: May 2024

In many engineering applications, missing data during system identification can hinder the performance of the identified model. In this paper, a novel two‐stage nonparametric framework is proposed for missing data imputation, uncertainty quantification, and its integration in system identification with reduced computational complexity. The framework does not require functional forms for both the imputation model and the identified mathematical model. Moreover, through the construction of a single imputation model, analytical expressions of predictive distributions can be given for missing entries across all missingness patterns. Furthermore, analytical expressions of the expectation and variance of distribution are provided to impute missing values and quantify uncertainty, respectively. This uncertainty is incorporated into a single mathematical model by mitigating the influence of samples with imputations during training and testing. The framework is applied to three applications, including a simulated example and two real applications on structural health monitoring and seismic attenuation modeling. Results reveal a minimum reduction of 21% in root mean squared error values, compared to those achieved by directly removing incomplete samples.
Deep learning framework with Local Sparse Transformer for construction worker detection in 3D with LiDAR
Authors: Zhang Mingyu , Wang Lei , Han Shuai , Wang Shuyuan , Li Heng
Published: May 2024

Autonomous equipment is playing an increasingly important role in construction tasks. It is essential to equip autonomous equipment with powerful 3D detection capability to avoid accidents and inefficiency. However, there is limited research within the construction field that has extended detection to 3D. To this end, this study develops a light detection and ranging (LiDAR)‐based deep‐learning model for the 3D detection of workers on construction sites. The proposed model adopts a voxel‐based anchor‐free 3D object detection paradigm. To enhance the feature extraction capability for tough detection tasks, a novel Transformer‐based block is proposed, where the multi‐head self‐attention is applied in local grid regions. The detection model integrates the Transformer blocks with 3D sparse convolution to extract wide and local features while pruning redundant features in modified downsampling layers. To train and test the proposed model, a LiDAR point cloud dataset was created, which includes workers in construction sites with 3D box annotations. The experiment results indicate that the proposed model outperforms the baseline models with higher mean average precision and smaller regression errors. The method in the study is promising to provide worker detection with rich and accurate 3D information required by construction automation.
A highly resolved nuclear phylogeny uncovers strong phylogenetic conservatism and correlated evolution of fruit color and size in Solanum L.
Authors: Messeder João Vitor S. , Carlo Tomás A. , Zhang Guojin , Tovar Juan David , Arana César , Huang Jie , Huang Chien‐Hsun , Ma Hong
Published: May 2024

Mutualisms between plants and fruit‐eating animals were key to the radiation of angiosperms. Still, phylogenetic uncertainties limit our understanding of fleshy‐fruit evolution, as in the case of Solanum, a genus with remarkable fleshy‐fruit diversity, but with unresolved phylogenetic relationships.

We used 1786 nuclear genes from 247 species, including 122 newly generated transcriptomes/genomes, to reconstruct the Solanum phylogeny and examine the tempo and mode of the evolution of fruit color and size.

Our analysis resolved the backbone phylogeny of Solanum, providing high support for its clades. Our results pushed back the origin of Solanum to 53.1 million years ago (Ma), with most major clades diverging between 35 and 27 Ma. Evolution of Solanum fruit color and size revealed high levels of trait conservatism, where medium‐sized berries that remain green when ripe are the likely ancestral form. Our analyses revealed that fruit size and color are evolutionary correlated, where dull‐colored fruits are two times larger than black/purple and red fruits.

We conclude that the strong phylogenetic conservatism shown in the color and size of Solanum fruits could limit the influences of fruit‐eating animals on fleshy‐fruit evolution. Our findings highlight the importance of phylogenetic constraints on the diversification of fleshy‐fruit functional traits.
In‐locus gene silencing in plants using genome editing
Authors: Shen Rundong , Yao Qi , Tan Xinhang , Ren Wendan , Zhong Dating , Zhang Xuening , Li Xinbo , Dong Chao , Cao Xuesong , Tian Yifu , Zhu Jian‐Kang , Lu Yuming
Published: May 2024

Gene silencing is crucial in crop breeding for desired trait development. RNA interference (RNAi) has been used widely but is limited by ectopic expression of transgenes and genetic instability. Introducing an upstream start codon (uATG) into the 5′untranslated region (5′UTR) of a target gene may ‘silence’ the target gene by inhibiting protein translation from the primary start codon (pATG).

Here, we report an efficient gene silencing method by introducing a tailor‐designed uATG‐containing element (ATGE) into the 5′UTR of genes in plants, occupying the original start site to act as a new pATG.

Using base editing to introduce new uATGs failed to silence two of the tested three rice genes, indicating complex regulatory mechanisms. Precisely inserting an ATGE adjacent to pATG achieved significant target protein downregulation. Through extensive optimization, we demonstrated this strategy substantially and consistently downregulated target protein expression. By designing a bidirectional multifunctional ATGE4, we enabled tunable knockdown from 19% to 89% and observed expected phenotypes. Introducing ATGE into Waxy, which regulates starch synthesis, generated grains with lower amylose, revealing the value for crop breeding.

Together, we have developed a programmable and robust method to knock down gene expression in plants, with potential for biological mechanism exploration and crop enhancement.
hybridexpress: an R/Bioconductor package for comparative transcriptomic analyses of hybrids and their progenitors
Authors: Almeida‐Silva Fabricio , Prost‐Boxoen Lucas , Van de Peer Yves
Published: May 2024

Hybridization, the process of crossing individuals from diverse genetic backgrounds, plays a pivotal role in evolution, biological invasiveness, and crop breeding.

At the transcriptional level, hybridization often leads to complex nonadditive effects, presenting challenges for understanding its consequences. Although standard transcriptomic analyses exist to compare hybrids to their progenitors, such analyses have not been implemented in a software package, hindering reproducibility.

We introduce hybridexpress, an R/Bioconductor package designed to facilitate the analysis, visualization, and comparison of gene expression patterns in hybrid triplets (hybrids and their progenitors). hybridexpress provides users with a user‐friendly and comprehensive workflow that includes all standard comparative analyses steps, including data normalization, calculation of midparent expression values, sample clustering, expression‐based gene classification into categories and classes, and overrepresentation analysis for functional terms.

We illustrate the utility of hybridexpress through comparative transcriptomic analyses of cotton allopolyploidization and rice root trait heterosis. hybridexpress is designed to streamline comparative transcriptomic studies of hybrid triplets, advancing our understanding of evolutionary dynamics in allopolyploids, and enhancing plant breeding strategies. hybridexpress is freely accessible from Bioconductor (https://bioconductor.org/packages/HybridExpress) and its source code is available on GitHub (https://github.com/almeidasilvaf/HybridExpress).
Identification of drought tolerant inbred lines and assessment of combining ability in maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Shailaja D. S. , Lohithaswa Hirenallur Chandappa , Sowmya M. S. , Mallikarjuna Mallana Gowdra , Banakara Santhoshkumari , Likhithashree T. R. , Kirankumar R. , Basanagouda G. , Patne Nagesh , Vivek B. S.
Published: May 2024

Maize is an important agricultural crop ensuring food and nutritional security throughout the globe. It is highly sensitive to many of the biotic and abiotic stresses, and among them, drought is the most severe abiotic stress limiting maize production. Climate change tends to worsen this scenario by changing precipitation patterns and decreasing water availability. Hence, the present study was undertaken to identify drought‐tolerant inbred lines under well‐irrigated and managed stress conditions in the field toward developing drought‐resilient maize hybrids. The initial in vitro screening of 65 agronomically elite maize inbred lines was undertaken at 15%, 20%, and 25% polyethylene glycol (PEG) concentrations. Subsequently, the 15 inbreds selected for their promising performance under varying concentrations of PEG were evaluated in the pot (100%, 60%, and 40% of field capacity [FC]) and managed field experiments (moisture stress). Various physiological, biochemical, and yield attributing traits were measured among the inbreds to assess their drought tolerance potential. The analysis of variance in the pot and field experiments indicated significant genotypic differences among the inbreds and genotype × treatment interaction for different traits considered. In the pot experiment, the phenotypic correlation analysis showed a significant positive association of shoot fresh weight with plant height (r = .71), number of leaves (r = .58), relative water content (r = .60), root fresh weight (r = .58), shoot dry weight (r = .60), and SPAD meter readings under (r = .71) moisture stress condition. In the field experiment, the grain yield had a significant positive association with plant height, relative water content, SPAD before stress, ear length, ear girth, kernel rows per ear, kernels per row, and per day productivity under stress. Proline accumulation in inbreds during stress was found to be higher compared to nonstress conditions. The inbred lines CML 505, CML 444, CML 451, CML 504, QM 11408, and MAI 214 were promising for most of the drought tolerance imparting traits. These six inbreds along with four inbreds having low DRI (SKV 50, MAI E2‐163, MAI 16, and MAI E2‐241) were crossed in half diallel manner, and crosses involving low × high or high × low DRI inbreds showed higher grain yield. The current study also revealed the need of combining various physiological and yield attributing traits in drought breeding programmes.
The Acute Inflammatory Potential of Particles From the Echinococcus granulosus Laminated Layer Is Moderated by Its Calcium Inositol Hexakisphosphate Component
Authors: Grezzi Leticia , González Carlos , Díaz Álvaro , Casaravilla Cecilia
Published: May 2024

Cystic echinococcosis is caused by the tissue‐dwelling larva (hydatid) of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. A salient feature is that this larva is protected by the acellular laminated layer (LL). As the parasite grows, the LL sheds abundant particles that can accumulate in the parasite's vicinity. The potential of LL particles to induce inflammation in vivo has not been specifically analysed. It is not known how each of its two major components, namely highly glycosylated mucins and calcium inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6) deposits, impacts inflammation induced by the LL as a whole. In this work, we show that LL particles injected intraperitoneally cause infiltration of eosinophils, neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages as well as the disappearance of resident (large peritoneal) macrophages. Strikingly, the absence of calcium InsP6 enhanced the recruitment of all the inflammatory cell types analysed. In contrast, oxidation of the mucin carbohydrates caused decreased recruitment of neutrophils. The carbohydrate‐oxidised particles caused cell influx nonetheless, which may be explained by possible receptor‐independent effects of LL particles on innate immune cells, as suggested by previous works from our group. In summary, LL particles can induce acute inflammatory cell recruitment partly dependent on its mucin glycans, and this recruitment is attenuated by the calcium InsP6 component.
Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses to varying nutrient conditions reveal new insights into pitcher formation in Nepenthes khasiana
Authors: Dkhar Jeremy , Bagri Jayram , Dhiman Kiran , Pareek Ashwani
Published: May 2024

Nepenthes are carnivorous plants that colonize habitats poor in soil nutrients. To survive, Nepenthes develop pitchers capable of capturing and digesting attracted prey. Prey‐derived nutrients are then absorbed to support plant growth and reproduction. So far, pitcher formation in Nepenthes is a poorly understood biological process. To shed light on the formation of Nepenthes pitchers, we grew dissected shoot apices of 3‐month‐old N. khasiana seedlings in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium of varying strengths viz. full‐strength MS (1 MS), quarter‐strength MS (1/4 MS), and one‐eighth strength MS (1/8 MS), including those lacking nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and in the presence of N‐1‐naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA). We sequenced the transcriptome and performed gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to determine changes in gene expression patterns and primary metabolite accumulations in response to the varying nutrient conditions. Shoots grown in 1 MS or NPA‐containing 1/4 MS and 1/8 MS failed to develop pitchers. Remarkably, pitcher formation is restored when N was removed from 1 MS. Transcriptomic response to nutrient‐sufficient and nutrient‐deficient conditions are associated with the enrichment of several defence‐related genes, including two JA‐mediated defence response genes, WRKY51 and WRKY11, respectively. Further, metabolomic response to the varying nutrient conditions identifies glutamic acid as a key metabolite, accumulating at lower and higher levels in shoots with and without pitchers, respectively. Together, our findings suggest that failure to form pitchers may be associated with the suppression of the JA‐signalling pathway, whereas the induction of the JA‐mediated defence response is linked to pitcher formation in N. khasiana.