bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subregional activity in the dentate gyrus is amplified during elevated cognitive demands
Authors: Castillon Charlotte C.M. , Otsuka Shintaro , Armstrong John N. , Contractor Anis
Published: November 2024

Neural activity in the dentate gyrus (DG) is required for the detection and discrimination of novelty, context and patterns, amongst other cognitive processes. Prior work has demonstrated that there are differences in the activation of granule neurons in the supra and infrapyramidal blades of the DG during a range of hippocampal dependent tasks. Here we used an automated touch screen pattern separation task combined to temporally controlled tagging of active neurons to determine how performance in a cognitively demanding task affected patterns of neural activity in the DG. We found an increase in the blade-biased activity of suprapyramidal mature granule cells (mGCs) during the performance of a high cognitive demand segment of the task, with a further characteristic distribution of active neurons along the apex to blade, and hilar to molecular layer axes. Chemogenetic inhibition of adult-born granule cells (abDGCs) beyond a critical window of their maturation significantly impaired performance of mice when cognitive demand was high, but not when it was low. abDGC inhibition also elevated the total activity of mGCs and disturbed the patterned distribution of active mGCs even in mice that eventually succeeded in the task. Conversely chemogenetic inhibition of mGCs reduced success in the high cognitive demand portion of this task and decreased the global number of active GCs without affecting the patterned distribution of active cells. These findings demonstrate how a high cognitive demand pattern separation task preferentially activates mGCs in subregions of the DG and are consistent with an inhibitory role for abDGCs on the dentate circuit which in part governs the spatially organized patterns of activity of mGCs.
Microbial transcriptional responses to host diet maintain gut microbiome homeostasis in the American cockroach
Authors: DePoy Amber N. , Wall Helen , Tinker Kara A , Ottesen Elizabeth A
Published: November 2024

Diet is considered a key determinant of gut microbiome composition and function. However, studies in the American cockroach have revealed surprising stability in hindgut microbiome taxonomic composition following shifts in host diet. To discover microbial activities underlying this stability, we analyzed microbial community transcriptomes from hindguts of cockroaches fed diverse diets. We used a taxon-centric approach in which we clustered genomes based on taxonomic relatedness and functional similarity and examined the transcriptional profiles of each cluster independently. In total, we analyzed a set of 18 such "genome clusters", including key taxa within Bacteroidota, Bacillota, Desulfobacterota, and Euryarcheaeota phyla. We found that microbial transcriptional responses to diet varied across diets and microbial functional profiles, with the strongest transcriptional shifts seen in taxa predicted to be primarily focused on degradation of complex dietary polysaccharides. These groups upregulated genes associated with utilization of diet-sourced polysaccharides in response to bran and dog food diets, while they upregulated genes for degradation of potentially host-derived polysaccharides in response to tuna, butter, and starvation diets. In contrast, chemolithotrophic taxa, such as Desulfobacterota and Methanimicrococcus, exhibited stable transcriptional profiles, suggesting that compensatory changes in the metabolism of other microbial community members are sufficient to support their activities across major dietary shifts. These results provide new insight into microbial activities supporting gut microbiome stability in the face of variable diets in omnivores.
Triple labeling resolves a GPCR intermediate state by 3-color single molecule FRET
Authors: Bonhomme Leo , Bilgen Ecenaz , Clerté Caroline , Pin Jean-Philippe , Rondard Philippe , Margeat Emmanuel , Lamb Don C. , Quast Robert B.
Published: November 2024

The correlation of individual conformational changes in dynamic protein complexes remains challenging as most structural methods rely on averaged information over large numbers molecules. Single molecule FRET is a powerful tool for monitoring such conformational changes. When performed using three distinct probes, it enables the correlation of domain movements by providing up to three simultaneous distance measurements with high temporal resolution. Nevertheless, a major challenge lies in the site-specific attachment of three probes to unique positions within the target protein. Here, we propose an orthogonal triple-labeling strategy that is not compromised by native, reactive amino acid functionalities. It combines genetic code expansion and biorthogonal labeling of two different non-canonical amino-acids with an enzymatic self-labeling SNAP tag. We demonstrate its application by establishment of a 3-color sensor on the human metabotropic glutamate receptor 2, a dimeric, multidomain G protein-coupled neuroreceptor, and describe a previously unknown conformational intermediate state using 3-color single molecule FRET.
The effect of internal control on earnings response coefficient
Authors: Liu Zhiqiang , Saidin Saidatunur Fauzi , Osman Mohammad Noor Hisham
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of internal control (IC) on earnings quality from the perspective of the capital market. Specifically, it examines the effect of IC on earnings response coefficients.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the moderated regression analysis on a sample of 1,310 Chinese listed firms on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) from 2020 to 2022. It employed an earnings response coefficient model by Holthausen and Verrecchia (1988) and used the IC score produced by the index created by the Shenzhen Dibo Enterprise Risk Management Technology, i.e. DIB IC, and risk management database.

Findings

The study finds that the capital market placed lower earnings reliability on companies with high IC. This suggests that investors perceived negatively on the IC score of China listed companies, possibly due to their negative perception on the reason for implementation of high IC by those companies. A high IC score may raise suspicion amongst investors that the company has internal issues.

Research limitations/implications

This study adds to the limited studies on less regulated internal governance mechanisms from the perspective of the capital market. The contradictory result suggests the need for more studies before deriving a solid conclusion.

Originality/value

This study focusses on the under research area of IC rather than the common board of directors and from the perspective of Chinese economies, limited studies of developed countries.
An analytical hierarchical process approach to assessing local food preferences among foreign tourists
Authors: Gupta Vikas , Sharma Karishma
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study evaluates the relative preference for local foods among foreign tourists. It also assessed how the sociodemographic profiles of tourists influence their local food preferences.

Design/methodology/approach

This research utilized a mixed-methods approach. The initial qualitative analysis phase involved semi-structured, in-depth interviews with stakeholders in Fiji’s local food sector, providing feedback on tourists’ preferred dishes. In the second phase, 204 foreign tourists were surveyed through the location intercept approach at various local restaurants, street food joints and eateries across Fiji. The preferences of these foreign tourists for the local food were subsequently analyzed utilizing the analytical hierarchical process (AHP) model and Chi-square statistics.

Findings

This research identified 25 local food dishes most preferred by foreign tourists. A pairwise comparison matrix revealed that “Kokoda” was most preferred, while “Tuna Ika Vakalolo” was the least preferred, and the normalized matrix presented the estimated overall priorities of the local foods based on taste and flavor. Among all the factors analyzed for their potential influence on the local food preferences of foreign tourists, “education attainment” and “marital status” were found to have no significant influence.

Originality/value

This study highlights the varied local dishes preferred by tourists, assessed through the AHP model, and provides the sociodemographic factors influencing these preferences. By identifying and presenting local Fijian dishes across regions and examining sociodemographics’ impact on food preference, this research provides invaluable implications for significantly benefiting the local food vending sector.
(Re)framing used goods: marketing strategies in second-hand retail
Authors: Hedegård Lars
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to identify marketing strategies incentivizing consumers to purchase used goods and explain how socio-material arrangements frame second-hand retail (SHR). The growing significance and professionalization of SHR underscore the pivotal role of marketing, necessitating an exploration of how second-hand stores can stimulate the consumption of used items.

Design/methodology/approach

Ethnographically inspired fieldwork was conducted across a second-hand shopping mall with 17 stores in Sweden, utilizing actor-network theory (ANT) concepts to examine marketing activities and how these form strategies.

Findings

The findings reveal two marketing strategies: enrolling sustainability supporters and second-hand shoppers. Additionally, the findings provide examples of how SHR can be framed as environmentally friendly, socially sustainable, value for money, creatively experiential and facilitating sustainable consumer behavior.

Practical implications

Understanding the framing processes inherent in second-hand retailing presents opportunities to reinforce the transition to a circular economy. Second-hand retailers can leverage marketing to imbue used goods with greater significance for consumers, which necessitates marketing competencies.

Originality/value

The paper delves into activities that enhance the attractiveness of used goods, a research area that warrants increased attention.
Spillover effects among cryptocurrencies in a pandemic: a time frequency approach
Authors: Seyram Kumah Pearl , Baafi Joseph Antwi
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study investigates the time-varying volatility spillover connectedness among seven major cryptocurrencies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to understand contagion risk and its implications for diversification and financial stability, especially during periods of extreme price volatility.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the frequency-domain spillover index, the study analyzes the interconnectedness of cryptocurrency markets with daily data from 10 August 2015 to 10 December 2021. This method allows for examining volatility spillovers across different time frequencies.

Findings

The study finds that cryptocurrencies are highly interconnected at higher frequencies, indicating significant contagion risk and limited short-term diversification opportunities. The spillover effects are frequency-dependent, varying across different time horizons.

Practical implications

The findings suggest the need for targeted regulatory policies focused on short-term cryptocurrency behavior to maintain financial stability. Investors should exercise caution when using cryptocurrencies for portfolio diversification, given the high interconnectedness and contagion risk.

Originality/value

This study uniquely contributes to the literature by applying a frequency-domain approach to analyze volatility spillovers across multiple cryptocurrencies, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides novel insights into the frequency-dependent nature of spillover effects, offering a deeper understanding of the contagion risk in cryptocurrency markets.
Work, wander and repeat: modeling the enablers of digital nomadic lifestyle
Authors: Vohra Vivek , Banishetty Shanthi , Dutta Tanusree , Joshi Aanchal
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The study aims to outline and hierarchically rank the key enablers that support the digital nomad lifestyle, identifying their interrelationships and contextual importance within the ecosystem.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilizes a multi-method approach encompassing modified total interpretive structural modeling (m-TISM) and matrice d’impacts croisés multiplication appliquée à un classement (MICMAC) analysis, complemented by a one-tailed t-test to validate the model.

Findings

The research identified nine crucial enablers that facilitate the digital nomad lifestyle. The study effectively maps out their hierarchical relationships and the dynamics of their interactions.

Research limitations/implications

While the study offers significant insights, it relies heavily on expert opinions, which may introduce subjective bias. Additionally, the dynamic nature of digital nomadism might limit the long-term applicability of the findings.

Practical implications

The findings have substantial implications for policymakers and corporate leaders. By understanding the key enablers and their interactions, stakeholders can develop targeted strategies that enhance support for digital nomads, potentially increasing organizational flexibility and global reach.

Originality/value

This study contributes original insights by applying an advanced m-TISM approach to the digital nomad sector, a topic of growing relevance in post-pandemic work arrangements. It provides a comprehensive framework that integrates various theoretical and practical perspectives, which were fragmented previously.
Research on hydroacoustic signal processing algorithm based on B-spline and Hilbert transform
Authors: Wei Tianzuo , Zhang Guojun , Wu YuDing , Zhang Wenqing , Dai Wenshu
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to solve the problems of baseline drift, susceptibility to abnormal data interference during baseline drift processing, and phase inconsistency in underwater acoustic target detection and signal processing of single microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) vector hydrophone. To this end, this paper proposes a baseline drift removal algorithm based on Huber regression model with B-spline interpolation (H-BS) and a phase compensation algorithm based on the Hilbert transform.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the Huber regression model is innovatively introduced into the conventional B-spline interpolation (B-spline) to solve the control point vectors more accurately and to improve the anti-interference ability of the abnormal data when the B-spline interpolation fitting removes baseline drift and the baseline drift components in the signals are fitted accurately and removed by the above method. Next, the Hilbert transform is applied to the three-channel output signals of the MEMS vector hydrophone to calculate the instantaneous phase and the phase compensation is performed on the vector X/Y signals with the scalar P signal as the reference.

Findings

Through simulation experiments, it is found that H-BS proposed in this paper has smaller processing error and better robustness than variational modal decomposition and B-spline, but the H-BS algorithm takes slightly longer than the B-spline. In the actual lake test experiments, the H-BS algorithm can effectively remove the baseline drift component in the original signal and restore the signal waveform, and after the Hilbert transform phase compensation, the direction of arrival estimation accuracy of the signal is improved by 1°∼2°, which realizes high-precision orientation to the acoustic source target.

Originality/value

In this paper, the Huber regression model is introduced into B-spline interpolation fitting for the first time and applied in the specialized field of hydroacoustic signal baseline drift removal. Meanwhile, the Hilbert transform is applied to phase compensation of hydroacoustic signals. After simulation and practical experiments, these two methods are verified to be effective in processing hydroacoustic signals and perform better than similar methods. This study provides a new research direction for the signal processing of MEMS vector hydrophone, which has important practical engineering application value.
Elementary school teacher candidates’ perceptions on defining and integrating civic literacy
Authors: Willis Jana M. , Baker Sheila F. , Shulsky Debby
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The need for strong civic education is constant, and teachers are essential to the delivery of civic education in the classroom. Teachers need confidence and competence to transform students’ civic literacy beyond basic levels to deeper levels preparing them to navigate complexities of American democracy. This study explored the impact of an intentional course experience examining teacher candidates’ perceptions of civic literacy and their perceived ability to integrate civic literacy into the curriculum.

Design/methodology/approach

This mixed methods study explored teacher candidates (n = 119) perceptions of civic literacy and their perceived ability to integrate civic literacy into the curriculum. Data were collected using pre- and post-surveys. Data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Results were analyzed using paired sample t-tests. Qualitative data were analyzed using a general inductive coding process.

Findings

Study results indicated a significant difference in pre- and post-responses for both increased knowledge of civic literacy and teacher candidates' perceptions regarding the ability to integrate civic literacy into their future curriculum. Qualitative data indicated teacher candidates expanded civic literacy understanding.

Originality/value

This study emphasized the importance of teacher candidates understanding and integrating civic literacy into their curriculum. Findings show candidates start with low civic literacy and lack integration skills. Education must move beyond compartmentalized social studies. Teachers need both knowledge and skills to educate students in civic literacy effectively, preparing learners for civic engagement. Future studies should embed in-depth qualitative data within quantitative responses and examine professors’ pedagogical practices and focus on civic literacy.
Optimal pricing scheme for addictive goods
Authors: Triviza Eleftheria
Published: November 2024

This article analyses how consumers' habit formation and addiction affect firms' pricing policies. I consider both sophisticated consumers, who realize that their current consumption will affect future tastes, and “naive” consumers, who do not. The optimal contract for sophisticated consumers is a two‐part tariff. The main result is that the optimal pricing pattern when the consumer is naive is a “bargain then rip‐off” contract, namely a fixed fee, with the first units priced below cost, and then priced above marginal cost. This holds both under symmetric and asymmetric information about the consumers' degree of sophistication.
Variation of subclinical psychosis as a function of population density across different European settings: Findings from the multi‐national EU‐GEI study
Authors: D'Andrea Giuseppe , Quattrone Diego , Tripoli Giada , Spinazzola Edoardo , Gayer‐Anderson Charlotte , Jongsma Hannah E. , Sideli Lucia , Stilo Simona A. , La Cascia Caterina , Ferraro Laura , La Barbera Daniele , Tortelli Andrea , Velthorst Eva , de Haan Lieuwe , Llorca Pierre‐Michel , Santos Jose Luis , Arrojo Manuel , Bobes Julio , Sanjuán Julio , Bernardo Miguel , Arango Celso , Kirkbride James B. , Jones Peter B. , Rutten Bart P. , Schürhoff Franck , Szöke Andrei , van Os Jim , Vassos Evangelos , Selten Jean‐Paul , Morgan Craig , Di Forti Marta , Tarricone Ilaria , Murray Robin M.
Published: November 2024

Background

Urbanicity is a well‐established risk factor for psychosis. Our recent multi‐national study found an association between urbanicity and clinical psychosis in Northern Europe but not in Southern Europe. In this study, we hypothesized that the effect of current urbanicity on variation of schizotypy would be greater in North‐western Europe countries than in Southern Europe ones.

Methods

We recruited 1080 individuals representative of the populations aged 18–64 of 14 different sites within 5 countries, classified as either North‐western Europe (England, France, and The Netherlands) with Southern Europe (Spain and Italy). Our main outcome was schizotypy, assessed through the Structured Interview for Schizotypy‐Revised. Our main exposure was current urbanicity, operationalized as local population density. A priori confounders were age, sex, ethnic minority status, childhood maltreatment, and social capital. Schizotypy variation was assessed using multi‐level regression analysis. To test the differential effect of urbanicity between North‐western and Southern European, we added an interaction term between population density and region of recruitment.

Results

Population density was associated with schizotypy (β = 0.248,95%CI = 0.122–0.375;p < 0.001). The addition of the interaction term improved the model fit (likelihood test ratio:χ2 = 6.85; p = 0.009). The effect of urbanicity on schizotypy was substantially stronger in North‐western Europe (β = 0.620,95%CI = 0.362–0.877;p < 0.001) compared with Southern Europe (β = 0.190,95%CI = 0.083–0.297;p = 0.001).

Conclusions

The association between urbanicity and both subclinical schizotypy and clinical psychosis, rather than being universal, is context‐specific. Considering that urbanization is a rapid and global process, further research is needed to disentangle the specific factors underlying this relationship.
Climate and host plant availability are favourable to the establishment of Lycorma delicatula in Europe
Authors: Chartois Marguerite , Fried Guillaume , Rossi Jean‐Pierre
Published: November 2024

Lycorma delicatula, the spotted lanternfly, is a highly successful invasive phloem‐feeding planthopper native to southern China. It has invaded South Korea, Japan, and the United States, where it continues to expand geographically, but it remains absent from Europe. We investigated two key ecological factors influencing the risk of its establishment: climate suitability and the availability of compatible host plants.

We developed an ensemble species distribution model using three algorithms to assess the potential geographic range of L. delicatula under current and future climate conditions. We reviewed the literature to evaluate its host repertoire and identified host species present in Europe.

Current climate conditions are highly suitable for L. delicatula across much of Europe. Climate change is expected to only slightly alter climate suitability by 2060. Numerous known host plants are also widely distributed throughout Europe.

We conclude that neither climate conditions nor the availability of compatible host plants pose a barrier to the establishment of L. delicatula in Europe. Both current and future climate suitability, along with the list of potential host species, can provide valuable guidance for surveillance efforts and enhance the preparedness of phytosanitary authorities.
The influence of lifestyle and environmental factors on host resilience through a homeostatic skin microbiota: An EAACI Task Force Report
Authors: Kortekaas Krohn Inge , Callewaert Chris , Belasri Hafsa , De Pessemier Britta , Diez Lopez Celia , Mortz Charlotte G. , O'Mahony Liam , Pérez‐Gordo Marina , Sokolowska Milena , Unger Zsofia , Untersmayr Eva , Homey Bernhard , Gomez‐Casado Cristina
Published: November 2024

Human skin is colonized with skin microbiota that includes commensal bacteria, fungi, arthropods, archaea and viruses. The composition of the microbiota varies at different anatomical locations according to changes in body temperature, pH, humidity/hydration or sebum content. A homeostatic skin microbiota is crucial to maintain epithelial barrier functions, to protect from invading pathogens and to interact with the immune system. Therefore, maintaining homeostasis holds promise to be an achievable goal for microbiome‐directed treatment strategies as well as a prophylactic strategy to prevent the development of skin diseases, as dysbiosis or disruption of homeostatic skin microbiota is associated with skin inflammation. A healthy skin microbiome is likely modulated by genetic as well as environmental and lifestyle factors. In this review, we aim to provide a complete overview of the lifestyle and environmental factors that can contribute to maintaining the skin microbiome healthy. Awareness of these factors could be the basis for a prophylactic strategy to prevent the development of skin diseases or to be used as a therapeutic approach.
Exploring the association between sleep problems and loneliness in adolescents: Potential mediating effects of rumination and resilience
Authors: Shen Ting , Wan Lisha , Lin Shuting , Liu Yuxiao , Zhang Hanshu , Niu Gengfeng , Hao Xin
Published: November 2024

Sleep problems positively predict loneliness to a large extent, which would harm adolescent health. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism. This research investigates the potential mediating roles of rumination and resilience in the relation among adolescents and further examines the changing relationships. In Study 1, 1056 adolescents from two schools completed self‐reported measures of sleep problems, loneliness, rumination, and resilience. We found that sleep problems were positively associated with loneliness, and that rumination and resilience mediated this relationship, both individually and sequentially. To examine the varying relationship between rumination, resilience, and loneliness, Study 2 adopted the cross‐lagged design in a long‐term longitudinal study of 131 students and found that rumination and resilience at T1 significantly predict loneliness at T2. To further directly explore the changing relationship between sleep problems and loneliness, we performed a short‐term longitudinal study across 7 weeks of 242 adolescents in Study 3. The results replicated the findings of Study 2 and found sleep problems at T1 positively predicted loneliness at T2. These results underscore the significance of sleep problems in contributing to loneliness through mediating mechanisms and unveil the possible causal relationships, offering robust insights to alleviate adolescent loneliness.
Do Rearing Group‐Size and Social Rank Influence the Affective State of a Cooperatively‐Breeding Cichlid Fish?
Authors: Langérôme Léa , La Loggia Océane , Voser Bettina , Taborsky Barbara
Published: November 2024

The affective state of animals, that is, their mood and emotions, is altered by stressful (negative) or enriching (positive) experiences. In turn, the affective state influences decision making, thereby helping animals when coping with environmental challenges and opportunities. However, it is largely unknown how social experiences modulate the affective state. Here, we performed a judgement bias test to study the effects of rearing group‐size and experimentally assigned current rank on the affective state of the cooperatively‐breeding cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher. To assess affective state, we developed and validated a judgement bias test for this species. Fish learned to discriminate between a positive and a negative stimulus as shown by different latencies to approach the stimulus. Furthermore, the response curves to the stimuli conformed to the ones expected in judgement bias tests: fish showed an intermediate latency to approach an ambiguous stimulus, which significantly differed from the latencies to approach the positive and the negative stimulus. Unexpectedly, there were no significant effects of rearing group size and current social rank on the affective state of N. pulcher, despite known effects of these two social parameters on behaviours and physiology of this species. This may mean that observed behavioural and physiological differences in the treatment environments do not allow valid predictions about the affective state elicited by these environments. Alternatively, it may need more socioecologically relevant testing paradigms when evaluating the valence of social environments.
Psr1 phosphatase regulates pre‐mRNA splicing through spliceosomal B complex factor Snu66
Authors: Varikkapulakkal Amjadudheen , Pillai Balashankar R. , Mishra Shravan Kumar
Published: November 2024

Regulated precursor messenger RNA (pre‐mRNA) splicing modulates gene expression and promotes alternative splicing. The process is regulated by modifications of spliceosomal proteins and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). Here, we show that the protein phosphatase Psr1, known for its plasma membrane localisation and function in general stress response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also plays a regulatory role in pre‐mRNA splicing. Independently of its presence at the plasma membrane, Psr1 binds and dephosphorylates the core splicing factor Snu66. The enzyme is not an integral component of the spliceosome. Psr1 deletion in yeast, or tethering of its catalytic mutant to Snu66, results in splicing defects of introns with non‐canonical 5′ splice sites (ss). While the Psr1 binding site on Snu66 is distinct from the Hub1 interaction domains (HIND), Hub1 displaces Psr1 from Snu66. Thus, Psr1 phosphatase plays a regulatory role in pre‐mRNA splicing by modulating Snu66 functions.
On the Line and Online: Higher Non‐Response to Web‐Based Surveys Over‐Represents Avid Recreational Fishers Compared With Telephone Surveys
Authors: Ryan Karina L. , Taylor Stephen M. , Lyle Jeremy M. , Stark Kate E. , Tracey Sean R.
Published: November 2024

Recreational fishing surveys have an important role in providing data to inform fisheries management. The selection of a contact method is an important and often challenging consideration that influences the potential for non‐sampling errors that can result in unrepresentative data and biased estimates. Telephones are used for many off‐site recreational fishing surveys, but widespread use of digital technology suggests that online surveys could be a viable alternative. We compared phone surveys with alternative online surveys using probability sampling from a licence database. Response rates were lower for online surveys (13%–26%) than phone surveys (97%–98%). The proportion of respondents who reported marine fishing in the previous 12 months did not differ between survey methods (98% for both survey modes), but the proportion of avid fishers was higher for online surveys (41%–54%) than phone surveys (37%–40%). These differences reflect higher respondent burden for online surveys where data are self‐administered and respondents are more likely to opt‐out. Higher non‐response and over‐representation of avid fishers from online surveys may compromise data reliability. We recommend comparative studies to quantify and correct for biases when evaluating alternative survey modes for new or ongoing surveys.
Moderate Drought Constrains Crop Growth Without Altering Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics in Perennial Cup‐Plant and Silage Maize
Authors: Abdalla Khatab , Uther Hannah , Kurbel Valentin B. , Wild Andreas J. , Lauerer Marianne , Pausch Johanna
Published: November 2024

Silage maize (Zea mays L.) intensification to maximise biomass production increases greenhouse gas emissions, accelerates climate change and intensifies the search for alternative bioenergy crops with high carbon (C) sequestration capacity. The perennial cup‐plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) not only serves as a viable bioenergy source but may also be a promising soil C conservator. However, the dynamics of soil organic C (SOC) under the C3 cup‐plant, exposed to moderate drought conditions, that reduces growth rate without causing crop failure, compared with the drought‐tolerant C4 maize, remains unexplored. Here, we investigated in a lysimeter experiment the effects of moderate drought stress on crop growth and soil CO2 efflux under cup‐plant and silage maize compared with well‐watered conditions. Soil CO2 efflux along with root and shoot biomass, soil moisture and temperature as well as SOC and nitrogen (N) were measured over three consecutive years. Irrespective of the watering regime, cup‐plant induced a greater soil CO2 efflux (16% and 23% for 2020 and 2021, respectively), which was associated with higher root and shoot biomass compared with silage maize suggesting a substantial contribution of the roots to total soil CO2 efflux. In addition, soil CO2 efflux correlated negatively with soil dissolved N and positively with microbial C:N imbalance suggesting that low soil N availability influences soil CO2 efflux through processes related to N‐limitation such as N‐mining. Strikingly, moderate drought had no effect on soil CO2 efflux and C content and microbial biomass C, but increased dissolved organic C and microbial biomass N in both crops suggesting a complex interplay between C availability, N‐limitation and microbial adaptation under these conditions. Although cup‐plant increased soil CO2 efflux, the observed higher root and shoot biomass even under moderate drought conditions suggests a similar soil C management as silage maize; however, this still requires longer‐term investigation.
Lived Experience and Family Engagement in Mental Health and Substance use Health Research: Case Profiles of Five Studies
Authors: Hawke Lisa D. , Quilty Lena , Agic Branka , Courtney Darren B. , Liddell Gray , Sibille Etienne , Jennings Sheila , Orson Joshua , Harris Holly , McKee Shelby , Sullivan Cara , Soklaridis Sophie , Rajji Tarek K. , Sockalingam Sanjeev
Published: November 2024

Introduction

People with lived and living experience (PWLLE) and family members (F) can engage in mental health and substance use health research beyond participant roles, as advisors, co‐researchers, equal partners and research leads. However, implementing meaningful and effective engagement is complex.

Methods

This article profiles five research initiatives involving different lived experience engagement structures, situated in a single tertiary care teaching and research hospital.

Results

The profiled projects feature various study designs and stages, ranging from initial priority setting to implementation efforts. The levels of engagement range from consultation to PWLLE/F leadership. Across diverse populations, all embody high‐quality engagement and illustrate that PWLLE/F can have an important impact on a wide range of mental health and substance use health research.

Conclusions

Engagement can be implemented flexibly within a single research institution to meet a wide range of needs and preferences of researchers and PWLLE/F.

Patient and Public Contribution

Each of the research initiatives profiled was conducted with substantial lived experience engagement, as described herein. People with lived and living experience from each research initiative are also included in the authorship team and contributed to this manuscript.
Erythematous indurated plaques on the palate in a middle‐aged adult
Authors: Ahuja Rhea , Pragya Purn , Yadav Priya , Kaur Kavneet , Gupta Somesh
Published: November 2024

A 45‐year‐old male presented with a 2‐year history of erythematous indurated plaques on the right palate and adjacent palatobuccal mucosa, accompanied by dull pain and loosening of the third molar, necessitating extraction. Radiological imaging revealed soft tissue density with cortical bony erosions in the bilateral upper alveolar ridge. A single sub‐centimetric right cervical lymph node was palpable. Biopsy showed an upper dermal infiltrate composed of cells with nuclear grooving and abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm. Through this case, we highlight a rare manifestation of a systemic disease.
What is the spectrum of kidney pathology associated with COVID‐19?
Authors: Muthya Ankita , Ekinci Elif I. , Lecamwasam Ashani
Published: November 2024

Kidney involvement occurs in almost one third of patients hospitalised with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and is associated with increased disease severity. This review aims to outline the spectrum of kidney pathology involved in COVID‐19. Literature was reviewed systematically on the databases Medline OVID and Scopus in search of case reports, case series, cohort studies and autopsy studies of patients with COVID‐19 who underwent kidney biopsies. Studies were published between August 2020 and November 2021. Fourteen studies consisting of 159 patients were included in this review. Acute tubular necrosis is the most common pathology followed by collapsing glomerulopathy, occurring in 40.1% and 28.9% of patients respectively. Of the 46 patients with collapsing glomerulopathy, 44 were of African descent with high‐risk apolipoprotein L1 genotypes. Less common glomerular diseases include membranous nephropathy, secondary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, minimal change disease and primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis occurring in 5%, 4.4%, 3.1% and 2.5% of patients respectively. Glomerulonephritis occurred in a minority of patients. Direct viral infection has not been found as a definitive aetiology. Acute kidney injury occurs frequently in hospitalised COVID‐19 patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms underpinning acute kidney injury are multifactorial. Acute tubular necrosis is the most common. Collapsing glomerulopathy is the most common glomerular injury and is strongly linked to apolipoprotein L1 genotypes. Improved understanding of COVID‐19‐related kidney pathologies can guide treatment to improve patient outcomes and reduce progression of chronic kidney disease. The longitudinal impact of COVID‐19‐related kidney disease requires further research.
Geriatric education for pharmacy students: A scoping review
Authors: Papillon‐Ferland Louise , Ben Abdelkader Lilia , Maurice Noémie , Choinière Andréa , Awwad Yara , Aredjian Razmig , Huon Jean‐François , Sadowski Cheryl A.
Published: November 2024

Background

Comprehensive medication management for older adults requires specific knowledge and skills. Therefore, pharmacy curricula should include appropriate strategies to prepare students for care of this population. This scoping review aimed to identify how geriatric concepts, such as geriatric topics and competencies, are included in pharmacy curricula, and to map current literature on preferred teaching and assessment methods related to geriatric pharmacy education.

Methods

Four databases were searched to identify papers involving pharmacy learners, education, and geriatrics. Selection process was a two‐step approach, involving independent title/abstract screening by two reviewers, then full‐text retrieval for eligibility assessment. All types of articles were considered except opinion papers. Data extraction included details on methodology, participants, setting, educational activity, teaching method, and outcomes assessed.

Results

A total of 2537 articles were identified from which 189 met the inclusion criteria: 221 documents after citation and gray literature searching. Articles were grouped for analysis as education‐related intervention articles (studies, n = 100 or descriptive articles/case reports, n = 49), studies not including an education‐related intervention (n = 49), and others (e.g., reviews, position papers/statements, n = 23). Various teaching methods were reported including experiential, didactic, interprofessional, or simulation. Most articles reported positive outcomes on skills, knowledge, or attitudes, but few articles used a validated assessment tool. Curricula and student's surveys were consistent with suboptimal geriatric education, with few programs offering mandatory dedicated geriatric courses or rotations.

Conclusions

Gaps remain regarding geriatric inclusion in pharmacy curricula despite decades of evidence, advocacy, and frameworks to guide its development. A wide diversity of teaching methods has been described and their combination may be considered for skills and competency development. There is a need for the scholarship of teaching and learning to be applied to pharmacy programs in order to prepare future pharmacists for an aging society.
Patterns of referral to interprofessional services among frail older adults presenting to emergency departments in Canada
Authors: Nova Amanda A. , Heckman George A. , Gill‐Chawla Navjot , Miles Amy , Costa Andrew P. , Sinha Samir K. , Jantzi Micaela , Hirdes John P. , Hébert Paul C.
Published: November 2024

Background

Geriatric Emergency Department (ED) Guidelines recommend optimizing transitions of care for older patients with complex needs. In this study, we investigated referral patterns to interprofessional services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, dietician, social work, home care, and specialized geriatric services, among older adults presenting to the ED with high‐risk characteristics.

Methods

We recruited community‐dwelling older adults presenting to 10 EDs across Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland, Canada, from April 2017 to July 2018. To observe processes of care in the ED, we deployed a two‐stage high‐risk case‐finding and focused comprehensive assessment process based on the interRAI ED‐Screener and ED Contact Assessment to identify and characterize older adults at high risk. We analyzed the secondary data using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.

Results

We screened 5265 individuals with the ED Screener, further assessed 1479 with the ED Contact Assessment, and analyzed data from a subset of 1055 community‐dwelling older adults assessed with the ED Contact Assessment. Participants in our study sample had a mean age of 83 years, 58% were female, and many had a complex burden of cognitive and functional impairment and social needs. Over half of this high‐needs sample were referred to general home care services (62.7%), occupational therapy (59.3%), and physiotherapy services (55.2%), while 16% were referred to specialized geriatric services. We also found a significant positive association between interprofessional referrals and the Assessment Urgency Algorithm and Institutional Risk Scale. The most important determinants of referral to interprofessional services were hospital province, functional, clinical, and social burden and support measures.

Conclusions

The referral patterns identified suggest that patient needs and risk intensity did not always guide referral patterns in the Canadian EDs investigated. We suggest that EDs critically examine the appropriateness of their documentation and referral systems for supporting person‐centered care provision.
Pollution Permits and Financing Costs
Authors: ANTONIOU FABIO , DELIS MANTHOS D. , ONGENA STEVEN , TSOUMAS CHRIS
Published: November 2024

Effective environmental policy should consider how the financiers of polluting firms behave. We study phase III of the EU Emission Trading System. Loan spreads for cap‐and‐trade participants are a function of compliance costs, permit market features, and firms’ strategic actions. In contrast with the program intentions, we find that loan spreads fall by approximately 25%. We show that this decrease is almost entirely driven by low permit prices, the firms’ proactiveness to store permits, and imperfect foresight of market conditions in phase III. The drop in spreads cannot be explained by the decline in energy prices and/or other confounding factors.
Insulin‐Like Growth Factor‐Binding Protein 5 Promotes the Cell Proliferation and Osteogenic Potential of Dental Pulp Stem Cells Dependent on Its Nuclear Localisation Sequence
Authors: Sun Ziyan , Li Jing , Liu Huina , Fan Zhipeng
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have been extensively used for tissue regeneration owing to their notable capabilities. Insulin‐like growth factor‐binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) regulates osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs); however, the underlying regulatory mechanisms require further investigation.

Materials and Methods

Carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester, an alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay and Alizarin Red staining were used to reveal the role of IGFBP5 in DPSCs. Protein expression levels were determined using western blotting. Immunofluorescence was used to observe cell sub‐localisation. Subcutaneous transplantation in nude mice was used to observe the osteogenesis of DPSCs in vivo.

Results

IGFBP5 enhanced the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs. Deletion of the nuclear localisation sequence (NLS) of IGFBP5 prevented its nuclear import and abolished all its promoting effects on DPSCs; ivermectin stimulation attenuated the enhancement of ALP activity by IGBFP5. Bone‐like tissue formation promoted by IGFBP5 in vivo vanishes when the NLS is deleted. Inhibition of IGFBP5 nuclear import attenuated the IGFBP5‐induced phosphorylation of JNK (p‐JNK) and phosphorylated ERK (p‐ERK) in DPSCs.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation effects exerted by IGFBP5 on DPSCs are closely associated with their entry into the nucleus, thereby providing a novel potential target for tissue regeneration.
Harnessing the Power of Quasi–Supply Chains: Toward an Ecosystem Perspective for Transformative Supply Chain Management
Authors: Shi Xianwei , Jimenez William David Cordova , Shi Yongjiang , Zhang Yufeng , Liu Zheng
Published: November 2024

Although emerging transformative supply chain management research offers novel insights into tackling extreme conditions beyond the traditional static and engineering view of supply chain management literature, relatively less is known about the underlying mechanisms of such a supply chain transformation process. Through a qualitative study undertaken on Penlon's ESO2 Emergency Ventilator Project in the UK—a project to create a new ventilator supply chain to respond swiftly to the urgent demand that occurred due to the COVID‐19 pandemic—the analysis offers a process model of transformative supply chain management by leveraging the quasi–supply chain that features collaborations with an ecosystem of diverse partners beyond the existing suppliers in the medical device sector. This article enriches the backbones of the emerging transformative supply chain management research and offers new insights into supply chain management for extreme conditions with an ecosystem perspective. The findings also offer managerial and policy implications for cultivating the reciprocities between supply chains and the wider ecosystem to be better prepared for future disruptions.
Risk parity portfolio optimization under heavy‐tailed returns and dynamic correlations
Authors: Paolella Marc S. , Polak Paweł , Walker Patrick S.
Published: November 2024

Risk parity portfolio optimization, using expected shortfall as the risk measure, is investigated when asset returns are fat‐tailed and heteroscedastic with regime switching dynamic correlations. The conditional return distribution is modeled by an elliptical multi‐variate generalized hyperbolic distribution, allowing for fast parameter estimation via an expectation‐maximization algorithm, and a semi‐closed form of the risk contributions. A new method for efficient computation of non‐Gaussian risk parity weights sidesteps the need for numerical simulations or Cornish–Fisher‐type approximations. Accounting for fat‐tailed returns, the risk parity allocation is less sensitive to volatility shocks, thereby generating lower portfolio turnover, in particular during market turmoils such as the global financial crisis or the COVID shock. While risk parity portfolios are rather robust to the misuse of the Gaussian distribution, a sophisticated time series model can improve risk‐adjusted returns, strongly reduces drawdowns during periods of market stress and enables to use a holistic risk model for portfolio and risk management.