bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is cloud computing a game-changer for SME financial performance? Unveiling the mediating role of organizational agility through PLS-SEM
Authors: Kumar Jitender , Rani Vinki , Rani Garima , Rani Manju
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Cloud computing services are game-changing in empowering organizations to drive innovation and unlock new growth opportunities. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the determinants of cloud computing adoption in SMEs and assess their impact on firm financial performance, specifically focusing on the mediating role of organizational agility in driving cloud-enabled financial improvements.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 405 owners and managers of SMEs who used cloud computing. A “variance based-structural equation modelling” (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The PLS-SEM result shows that relative advantage, cost-effectiveness, compatibility and external environment support significantly influence cloud computing adoption in SMEs. However, complexity insignificantly impacts cloud computing adoption. The analysis also revealed that cloud computing adoption substantially influences organizational agility. Similarly, cloud computing adoption and organizational agility significantly influence firms’ financial performance.

Practical implications

The present research provides valuable suggestions to service providers, policymakers and managers on developing and expanding cloud computing in developed and developing nations. Additionally, cloud providers can recognize their role in creating a supportive and adaptable environment that ensures convenient access to cloud computing users.

Originality/value

This research is an initial attempt to blend the strength of diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory with two additional constructs (i.e. cost-effectiveness and external environment support) for making a comprehensive model of cloud computing adoption and its influence on firm financial performance. By doing this, the research adds to the empirical knowledge on cloud computing adoption and provides an institutional framework to interpret the impact of cloud-based information technology.
Racial preferences in sports NFTs? Empirical evidence from NBA Top Shots
Authors: Nguyen Jeremy , Yeomans Carleigh , Karg Adam
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse a large data set of over 2.4 million Top Shot NFT transactions to determine whether there is evidence of revealed racial preferences in the Top Shot market.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines a data set of 2.43 million transactions from 28 July 2020 to 20 March 2021 using Ordinary Least Squares, Weighted Least Squares and Inverse Probability Weighting. Our models include indicator variables for the race of depicted players and examine estimated race coefficients for statistical significance and effect size.

Findings

Our results indicate that the National Basketball Association (NBA) Top Shot NFTs depicting Black players or Black/Mixed players trade for higher prices than those depicting White players, after controlling for other factors including on-court performance. While highly statistically significant, the effect sizes are below conventional thresholds for small effects.

Practical implications

Recent empirical studies present evidence suggesting that Black players may earn less than comparable White players. Our findings challenge implicit justifications for observed earning disparities based on consumer preference.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical analysis into revealed racial preference of consumers for sports memorabilia. It is the first to examine racial preference in NBA NFTs.
DT-fuzzy DEMATEL: a new method for determining important factors for student satisfaction with e-course adoption in a Vietnamese university
Authors: Huynh-Cam Thao-Trang , Nalluri Venkateswarlu , Chen Long-Sheng , White Jonathan , Nguyen Thanh-Huy , Nguyen Van-Canh , Lu Tzu-Chuen
Published: December 2024

Purpose

As emerging e-course providers after the COVID-19 crisis, universities (UNI) policymakers in the Mekong Delta region (MDR) have faced difficulties owing to limited clues about what factors improve student retention and recruitment. This study aims to determine important factors (IF) for student satisfaction with e-course adoption (e-satisfaction) for student retention and recruitment.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data collected from 850 students of the target UNI were analyzed using the DT-fuzzy DEMATEL method. Input factor dimensions included course design, technical infrastructure, interaction, teacher-related and student-related factors. Decision Trees (DT) confirmed the final factors; fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) was used to establish the cause-effect relationships among these factors.

Findings

DT-fuzzy DEMATEL method can identify satisfied and dissatisfied students (accuracy = 94.95%) and determine IFs successfully. The most IFs included new and useful knowledge/information provided, various effective teaching methods and motivation to read provided learning materials.

Originality/value

Although e-satisfaction has been the focus of theories and practices, e-satisfaction in an emerging region like MDR has been studied here for the first time. Most IFs can be used as predictors for e-satisfaction and serve as a primary reference for UNIs’ policymakers. Several practical suggestions were also provided for the sustainable and long-term development of e-programs.
Navigating interactions and challenges in online learning: a qualitative study through social presence theory
Authors: Bali Sandrotua , Chen Tsai-Ching , Liu Ming-Chou , Klangrit Suriya , Lin Cheng-Yi
Published: December 2024

Purpose

With the increasing number of institutions offering online degree programs, there is a growing need to understand the requirements for interactions and the challenges present in online learning environments. Consequently, this qualitative study aims to explore aspects of nontraditional students, typically defined as older than traditional college age, employed full-time or with family responsibilities.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a qualitative approach, conducting in-depth interviews with nine nontraditional students. Grounded in social presence theory, this study analyzed the experiences and viewpoints of nontraditional students in the online learning environment, utilizing thematic analysis.

Findings

Thematic analysis unveiled two major themes: interactions in online learning and challenges in online learning. Four sub-themes emerged from interactions in online learning (interaction with instructors, interaction with peers, content interaction and interface interaction). In addition, three sub-themes emerged from challenges in online learning (timing inflexibility, tools and technological barriers and diverse learning modes). The findings of this suggest that nontraditional students derived benefits from online learning, yet they faced limitations in peer interaction and experienced technological barriers.

Originality/value

This study is based on primary data collected from nontraditional students, offering valuable insights into the needs and challenges they face in higher education while engaged in online learning.
Law and Order in Exile Communities in Early Modern Norfolk
Authors: JOBY CHRISTOPHER
Published: December 2024

In November 1565, Queen Elizabeth issued Letters Patent permitting thirty textile masters from the Low Countries to settle in Norwich and practice their trade. By early 1566, two language communities, one Dutch and the other French, had been established, each with its own church. However, in the wake of the Iconoclastic Fury in the Low Countries, which began in August 1566, many Calvinists left their homes and moved to Norwich. By 1568, the number of exiles in the town exceeded 2000. This led to tensions between the exile community and local people. Alongside a raft of regulations setting limits on the exiles’ commercial activities, the local authorities asked the Dutch and French communities to elect officials to maintain order within their communities and to act as a bridge in relations with the Anglophone community. These officials, known as politicke mannen in Dutch and hommes politiques in French, were elected annually for over 150 years. This article examines how they kept order within their communities and how they maintained relations with the local authorities, above all the mayor and the town council. It does so using correspondence and two minute‐books of the weekly meetings of these officials in the town's Guildhall. Furthermore, the article examines how this ad hoc solution to the sudden influx of migrants provided a template for the maintaining of law and order in other English towns with significant exile communities.
Ecological and DNA barcoding analysis of Lema (Lema) diversipes for biological control of the invasive Pueraria lobata in Korea
Authors: Kim Joong Youb , Han Yeong‐Deok , Park Jinyoung , Lee Jong Eun
Published: December 2024

Despite the medicinal benefits of Pueraria lobata (kudzu), it stands as an invasive species that disrupts forest ecosystems, prompting the exploration of natural predators for its control. This study presents the first comprehensive report on Lema (Lema) diversipes, Pic, 1921, a beetle species that uses kudzu as its host, with significant implications for forest ecosystem dynamics. Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations of its larva stage are provided for the first time. Additionally, partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, a domestic distribution map, and biological notes are included.
Actinomycetota From Macroalgae as Rich Source for Natural Products Discovery Revealed Through Culture‐Dependent and ‐Independent Approaches
Authors: Girão Mariana , Rego Adriana , Fonseca Ana C. , Cao Weiwei , Jia Zhongjun , Urbatzka Ralph , Leão Pedro N. , Carvalho Maria F.
Published: December 2024

Actinomycetota are unrivalled producers of bioactive natural products, with strains living in association with macroalgae representing a prolific—yet largely unexplored—source of specialised chemicals. In this work, we have investigated the bioactive potential of Actinomycetota from macroalgae through culture‐dependent and ‐independent approaches. A bioprospecting pipeline was applied to a collection of 380 actinobacterial strains, recovered from two macroalgae species collected in the Portuguese northern shore—Codium tomentosum and Chondrus crispus—in order to explore their ability to produce antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer and lipid‐reducing compounds. Around 43% of the crude extracts showed activity in at least one of the screenings performed: 111 presented antimicrobial activity at 1 mg/mL, 83 significantly decreased cancer cells viability at 15 μg/mL and 5 reduced lipid content in zebrafish > 60% at 15 ug/mL. Dereplication of active extracts unveiled the presence of compounds that could explain most of the recorded results, but also unknown molecules in the metabolome of several strains, highlighting the opportunity for discovery. The bioactive potential of the actinobacterial community from the same macroalgae specimens, which served as the source for the aforementioned Actinomycetota collection, was also explored through metagenomics analysis, allowing to obtain a broader picture of its functional diversity and novelty. A total of 133 biosynthetic gene clusters recovered from metagenomic contigs and metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs). These were grouped into 91 gene cluster families, 83 of which shared less than 30% of similarity to database entries. Our findings provided by culture‐dependent and ‐independent approaches underscore the potential held by actinomycetes from macroalgae as reservoirs for novel bioactive natural products.
Optimising Sampling Design for Landscape Genomics
Authors: Bishop Anusha P. , Terasaki Hart Drew E. , Wang Ian J.
Published: December 2024

Landscape genomic approaches for detecting genotype‐environment associations (GEA), isolation by distance (IBD) and isolation by environment (IBE) have seen a dramatic increase in use, but there have been few thorough analyses of the influence of sampling strategy on their performance under realistic genomic and environmental conditions. We simulated 24,000 datasets across a range of scenarios with complex population dynamics and realistic landscape structure to evaluate the effects of the spatial distribution and number of samples on common landscape genomics methods. Our results show that common analyses are relatively robust to sampling scheme as long as sampling covers enough environmental and geographic space. We found that for detecting adaptive loci and estimating IBE, sampling schemes that were explicitly designed to increase coverage of available environmental space matched or outperformed sampling schemes that only considered geographic space. When sampling does not cover adequate geographic and environmental space, such as with transect‐based sampling, we detected fewer adaptive loci and had higher error when estimating IBD and IBE. We found that IBD could be detected with as few as nine sampling sites, while large sample sizes (e.g., greater than 100 individuals) were crucial for detecting adaptive loci and IBE. We also demonstrate that, even with optimal sampling strategies, landscape genomic analyses are highly sensitive to landscape structure and migration—when spatial autocorrelation and migration are weak, common GEA methods fail to detect adaptive loci.
Photoreceptor‐RPE loss ratio and fundus autofluorescence patterns as predictive factors for lesion progression in geographic atrophy
Authors: Egger Daniel , Doll Barbara , Gonzalez Corinne , Ahmadzai Philipp , Heger Katharina A. , Kreid Barbara , Montuoro Alessio , Link Jasmin , Yamaguchi Taffeta Chingning , Esmaeelpour Marieh , Waldstein Sebastian M.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

To assess the impact of the ratio between photoreceptor (PR) loss and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) loss on the progression of geographic atrophy (GA) and to explore correlations between abnormal fundus autofluorescence (FAF) patterns and the PR‐RPE loss ratio.

Design

Single‐centre, retrospective case series.

Methods

Multimodal images from 87 treatment‐naïve patients with GA and a follow‐up of 6–24 months were included. Geographic atrophy areas on FAF images and areas of PR‐RPE loss on optical coherence tomography images at baseline were manually annotated, and FAF patterns were classified. The impact of these biomarkers on GA progression through month 24 as measured on FAF was evaluated using random slope and intercept models and Spearman correlation coefficients (ρ).

Results

Mean square‐root GA growth rate was 0.27 ± 0.28 mm per year. Mean PR‐RPE loss ratio at baseline was 2.16 ± 1.75. Fundus autofluorescence patterns “diffuse” and “diffuse trickling” showed higher PR‐RPE loss ratios at baseline and contributed statistically significantly to the slope of GA progression (p = 0.01 and p = 0.0019). Baseline GA lesion size was negatively correlated to PR‐RPE loss ratios at baseline (ρ = −0.47, p < 0.0001). Overall, GA growth was higher in patients with higher PR‐RPE loss ratios at baseline (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.0011), and the ratio's contribution to the slope of GA progression was statistically significant (p = 0.0001).

Conclusion

Eyes with higher PR‐RPE loss ratios were more likely to exhibit FAF patterns “diffuse” and “diffuse trickling” and showed higher GA progression rates. Baseline characteristics derived from FAF and OCT images may thus offer information on lesion progression.
Face and voice identity matching accuracy is not improved by multimodal identity information
Authors: Smith Harriet M. J. , Ritchie Kay L. , Baguley Thom S. , Lavan Nadine
Published: December 2024

Identity verification from both faces and voices can be error‐prone. Previous research has shown that faces and voices signal concordant information and cross‐modal unfamiliar face‐to‐voice matching is possible, albeit often with low accuracy. In the current study, we ask whether performance on a face or voice identity matching task can be improved by using multimodal stimuli which add a second modality (voice or face). We find that overall accuracy is higher for face matching than for voice matching. However, contrary to predictions, presenting one unimodal and one multimodal stimulus within a matching task did not improve face or voice matching compared to presenting two unimodal stimuli. Additionally, we find that presenting two multimodal stimuli does not improve accuracy compared to presenting two unimodal face stimuli. Thus, multimodal information does not improve accuracy. However, intriguingly, we find that cross‐modal face‐voice matching accuracy predicts voice matching accuracy but not face matching accuracy. This suggests cross‐modal information can nonetheless play a role in identity matching, and face and voice information combine to inform matching decisions. We discuss our findings in light of current models of person perception, and consider the implications for identity verification in security and forensic settings.
Biogas Purification by Methane and Acetate Manufacturing
Authors: Klein J. R. Mueller
Published: December 2024

Wastewater treatment plants have two persistent financial and energetic drains, the carbon dioxide content of biogas, which limits its commercial sale, and the presence of trace organics in the wastewater effluent, which damages the aquatic ecosystem, like the Great Barrier Reef. Biogas is a renewable methane resource that is underutilized due to the variable CO2 content (~40%). Biogas is energy intensive to purify and limited by the economy of scale (> 8.85 GJ/h) to large‐scale purification methods, thus small‐scale processes require development. Electrocatalytic microbes native to wastewater have been shown to convert CO2 to CH4 and acetate, however complete conversion of the CO2 content to CH4 is energy intensive. Here we show a low power bioelectrochemical fuel cell design to purify biogas to pipeline quality methane (98%), manufacture methane and/or acetate, and remove trace organics, using HCO3− as the transport charge carrier from dissolved CO2 from the biogas through an anion exchange membrane. This decreased the power required to separate CO2 from methane in biogas on a molar basis, resulting in a net energy recovery similar to current industrial systems. Magnesium anode use resulted in an energy positive system. Tests evaluated the influence of cathode potential on the current density, HCO3− ion flux and the rates and efficiencies of methane production, resulting in optimization at −0.7 V versus standard hydrogen electrode (SHE). A techno‐economic analysis modeled a positive return on investment for scaled‐up production to purify small biogas streams that are otherwise financially unrecoverable. Carbon sequestration by production of methane, acetate and solid fertilizers demonstrated profitable and energy efficient waste‐to‐resource conversion.
Co‐production in the criminal justice system: Introducing the DEVICES principles
Authors: Morgan Gemma , Jones Debbie , Walker Charlotte , Prideaux Gayle , Jones Emma
Published: December 2024

While the concept of co‐production is becoming embedded in mental health and social care, the criminal justice system (CJS) has been slower in embracing this approach. In this article, we draw on the findings of a process evaluation of the Include UK Hub – a co‐produced service for people with offending histories in Swansea, UK and, in doing so, introduce the DEVICES principles of co‐production. The DEVICES is derived from the empirical evaluation data and includes the following principles – Development, Empathy, Voices, Individual, Change, Empowerment, and Spaces. These principles will appeal globally to practitioners and policymakers looking to meaningfully utilise co‐production to develop services and support for people in the criminal justice system.
Utilization of graphite tailings and coal gangue in the preparation of foamed ceramics
Authors: Li Lixin , Chai Wei , Kang Jian , Liu Jixuan , Xing Jie , Li Guanglai , Zhan Zhaozhun
Published: December 2024

To enhance the effective utilization of graphite tailings and coal gangue (CG), both considered typical industrial solid waste materials, we synthesized foamed ceramics incorporating these materials. The optimization process led to improvements in compressive strength, water absorption, and thermal conductivity by regulating critical parameters, including the proportions of SiC and Na2O, as well as the duration of ball milling. Employing techniques such as X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry, we investigated the phase composition, high‐temperature reactions, and microstructural characteristics of the foamed ceramics. The incorporation of graphite tailings (GT) facilitated the formation of a rich network of pore structures and amorphous glass phases, which enhanced the lightweight nature, mechanical strength, and thermal insulation properties of the foamed ceramics. By analyzing the GT content as a variable, we determined that the G50C40 (GT:CG:potassium feldspar = 40:50:10) sample exhibited optimal performance overall. Under these experimental conditions, the foamed ceramic demonstrated a bulk density of 0.749 g/cm3, a compressive strength of 12.37 MPa, a thermal conductivity of 0.21 W/(m·K), and a water absorption rate of 0.79%. Therefore, it is posited that GT possesses considerable potential to broaden the application spectrum of foamed ceramics within the domain of building insulation materials.
The challenges and needs of international nurses who are assimilating to healthcare systems in the United Kingdom: Experience from the field
Authors: Laing Daphne , Smythe Analisa
Published: December 2024

Aim

The paper explores the barriers and enablers for international nurses who are assimilating to new healthcare systems in the United Kingdom and implications for the global healthcare context.

Background

The worldwide shortage of nurses has led to high levels of global mobility. It is therefore essential to acknowledge the international nature of healthcare and the diversity of experience within the nursing workforce. The paper reflects on the authors’ experiences of designing and delivering acculturation and communication skills training for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) who work in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.

Discussion

The paper highlights the challenges of assimilating to a new healthcare environment, the importance of support and the value of ‘two‐way learning’. The author discusses the hidden processes of social and personal adjustment, which are not widely reported.

Conclusion

Successful cultural integration should be multifaceted and include opportunities for two‐way learning. Nurses require ongoing and directed support to deliver high‐quality care in diverse and changing health systems.

Implications for nursing policy

As healthcare in the UK is and continues to become increasingly international, the benefits and challenges this presents need to be acknowledged by both government and healthcare management in the form of policy recommendations, guidelines and regulatory frameworks which go beyond testing clinical and linguistic skills on arrival and aims to promote well‐being, retention, and reduced stress at work.
Heritability of children's Secure Base Script Knowledge in middle childhood: a twin study with the Attachment Script Assessment
Authors: Runze Jana , Witte Annemieke M. , van IJzendoorn Marinus H. , Bakermans‐Kranenburg Marian J.
Published: December 2024

Background

Are individual differences in attachment security inborn or shaped by the social environment? In infancy and early childhood, the evidence points to a substantial role of the environment, but a large twin study in early adolescence showed considerable heritability. Here we examined the twin heritability of attachment in middle childhood. We hypothesized that in middle childhood some heritability would emerge. Furthermore, we expected a role for cognitive and language abilities in explaining variance in attachment in middle childhood, partly related to the measurement of attachment, and we therefore examined associations with IQ.

Methods

This pre‐registered study included 415 same‐sex twin pairs (52% girls, 58% monozygotic) between 8 and 11 years old (M = 9.59, SD = 0.79). Participants were recruited from an experimental cohort‐sequential study including two age‐overlapping longitudinal cohorts. Secure Base Script Knowledge was assessed with the Middle Childhood Attachment Script Assessment . Zygosity of the twins was determined using DNA samples. In the younger cohort, cognitive development was assessed with the Dutch version of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence . In the older cohort, the Dutch version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children was used .

Results

Significant additive heritability (38%) was found in the absence of a common environment component. This result diverges from findings in infancy and early childhood and aligns with the results in early adolescence.

Conclusions

The gene–environment correlation hypothesis suggesting that older children more actively shape their experiences in social contexts may offer a plausible explanation for the heritability of attachment in middle childhood. In middle childhood this mechanism might tip the balance toward a larger role for additive genetics. Larger longitudinal twin studies are needed to replicate the heritability of attachment after preschool age.
Postmarketing Safety Surveillance of Topiramate: A Signal Detection and Analysis Study Based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System Database
Authors: Lin Kai , He Mengjiao , Ding Zuoqi
Published: December 2024

Objective

This study aims to investigate the occurrence of adverse events associated with topiramate by analyzing data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System. The goal is to provide a basis for the safe clinical use of topiramate.

Methods

Adverse event data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, from its inception through the first quarter of 2024, were extracted. Signal detection was conducted using three methods: the reporting odds ratio, the medicines and healthcare products regulatory agency method, and the Bayesian confidence propagation neural network. Adverse events were statistically analyzed according to the preferred term and system organ class classifications from the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities version 27.0. Positive signals were then compared against the drug label and the Important Medical Event list.

Results

A total of 12,168 adverse event reports involving topiramate as the primary suspect were analyzed, resulting in the extraction of 244 positive signals across 15 system organ classes. Among these, 21 signals were identified as serious adverse reactions not included in the drug label, encompassing 5 system organ classes. Notable signals included hypospadias, spina bifida, abortion spontaneous, renal tubular dysfunction, uveitis, retinal detachment, and choroidal effusion. Additionally, signals such as osmotic demyelination syndrome and Arnold‐Chiari malformation were identified as requiring further monitoring.

Conclusion

This study identified several unexpected and serious adverse reaction signals that align with previously reported cases. These findings underscore the need for ongoing study, focused attention, and vigilant monitoring during the clinical use of topiramate.
Decision‐making using the Iowa gambling test in unaffected first‐degree relatives of obsessive‐compulsive disorder: Comparison with healthy controls and patients with obsessive‐compulsive disorder
Authors: Murayama Keitaro , Tomiyama Hirofumi , Ohono Aikana , Kato Kenta , Matsuo Akira , Kang Mingi , Nakao Tomohiro
Published: December 2024

Decision‐making has been suggested as an endophenotype candidate for obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD). However, few studies have examined whether decision‐making under ambiguity is an endophenotype of OCD. This study aimed to investigate decision‐making under ambiguity, as assessed by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), in patients with OCD and unaffected first‐degree relatives (UFDR). Forty‐seven non‐medicated, non‐co‐morbid patients with OCD, 30 UFDR, and 47 healthy controls (HC) were compared in terms of decision‐making using the IGT. The correlation between obsessive‐compulsive symptoms and IGT performance was also investigated. Patients with OCD and UFDR performed worse than HC on the IGT. No correlation was found between obsessive‐compulsive symptoms and IGT performance. A deficit in decision‐making under ambiguity may be a trait and an endophenotype candidate for OCD.
Assessment of Attack Frequency in PFAPA Patients Based on Therapeutic Modalities
Authors: Kalayci Furkan , Yigit Metin , Kuruc Aylin Irmak , Cevirici Tevfik , Celikel Acar Banu
Published: December 2024

Aim

This study aims to present the clinical characteristics of patients with PFAPA syndrome, and to compare the effects of corticosteroid usage, colchicine prophylaxis, and tonsillectomy on the frequency of attacks in patients with PFAPA syndrome.

Methods

Patients aged between 6 months and 18 years presenting to our Paediatric Rheumatology clinic between 2017 and 2021 who were diagnosed with PFAPA syndrome and followed up for a minimum of 12 months were included in this study. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients, laboratory findings, attack durations, and treatments were recorded.

Results

Our study, comprised of 195 patients, included four groups: untreated (n = 58), corticosteroid (n = 43), colchicine (n = 62), and tonsillectomy (n = 32). There was no significant difference between the treatment groups in terms of attack frequencies before treatment initiation (p > 0.05). When attack frequencies before and after treatment initiation were observed, a decrease in attack frequency compared to the pre‐treatment period was observed in the tonsillectomy group (from 12 to 3 attacks) (p < 0.001) and the colchicine group (from 12 attacks to 1 attack) (p < 0.001). It was noted that using steroids during three or more attacks increased attack frequency compared to the pre‐treatment period (p < 0.0001). Tonsillectomy resulted in a more significant reduction in attack frequency compared to the colchicine group (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Using corticosteroids during an attack has been shown to effectively control attacks. However, the repeated use of corticosteroids increases the frequency of attacks. Colchicine prophylaxis leads to a reduction in attack frequency in the majority of cases. Tonsillectomy can successfully control the disease in most cases.
Museomics Sheds Light on Evolutionary Diversity in a Critically Endangered Cockatoo Species From Wallacea
Authors: Andersson Astrid A. , Sands Arthur F. , Reid Kerry , Hains Taylor , Momigliano Paolo , Lee Jessica G. H. , Lee Geraldine , Rheindt Frank E. , Merilä Juha , Dingle Caroline
Published: December 2024

Accurate identification of evolutionarily significant units of rare and threatened organisms provides a foundation for effective management and conservation. Up to seven subspecies of the critically endangered Yellow‐crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) have been described, four of which were commonly recognised pre‐2014. In the absence of genotypic data, C. sulphurea subspecies delimitation has been based on morphology, behaviour and biogeography. To clarify genetic relationships and shed light on the diversification of this parrot radiation, whole genomes were sequenced for 16 museum specimens, covering the geographic range of the proposed seven subspecies as well as one C. galerita galerita. Combined with four museum‐derived wild Cacatua sequences from NCBI, the results indicate there are three distinct C. sulphurea subspecies clusters centred in different biogeographic subregions of Wallacea (Timor; Sumba; as well as the Sulawesi Region and the main Lesser Sunda chain), separated by shallow genetic distances (da < 0.148%). The results raise questions about the recent species‐level elevation of the phenotypically most distinct subspecies, C. s. citrinocristata, and about the origins of C. s. abbotti, the only subspecies west of Wallace's Line. Our analyses suggest C. s. abbotti is unlikely to be embedded within C. sulphurea, suggesting its origin on the remote Masalembu islands may be due to human translocation via historical trade routes. These genomic results inform the prioritisation and streamlining of conservation measures for the critically endangered C. sulphurea by identifying and delimiting likely conservation units.
Both Structural Variant and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Load Impact Lifetime Fitness in a Threatened Bird Species
Authors: Stuart Katarina C. , Tan Hui Zhen , Whibley Annabel , Bailey Sarah , Brekke Patricia , Ewen John G. , Patel Selina , Santure Anna W.
Published: December 2024

The field of conservation genomics is becoming increasingly interested in whether, and how, structural variant (SV) genotype information can be leveraged in the management of threatened species. The functional consequences of SVs are more complex than for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as SVs typically impact a larger proportion of the genome due to their size and thus may be more likely to contribute to load. While the impacts of SV‐specific genetic load may be less consequential for large populations, the interplay between weakened selection and stochastic processes means that smaller populations, such as those of the threatened Aotearoa hihi/New Zealand stitchbird (Notiomystis cincta), may harbour a high SV load. Hihi were once confined to a single remnant population, but have been reestablished into six sanctuaries and reserves, often via secondary bottlenecks, resulting in low genetic diversity, low adaptive potential, and inbreeding depression. In this study, we use whole genome resequencing of 30 individuals from the Tiritiri Matangi population to identify the nature and distribution of both SNPs and SVs within this small avian population. We find that SNP and SV individual mutation load is only moderately correlated, likely because SVs arise in regions of high recombination and that are less evolutionarily conserved. Finally, we leverage a long‐term monitoring dataset of pedigree and fitness data to assess the impact of SNP and SV mutation loads on individual fitness, and find that SNP and SV realised load had similar negative correlations with lifetime fitness. However, of the masked load metrics, only SVs had a positive significant correlation with lifetime fitness, indicating that masking of deleterious alleles may be more important for SVs than for SNPs. The results of this study indicate that only examining SNPs neglects important aspects of intra‐specific variation and that studying SVs has direct implications for linking genetic diversity and genomic health to inform management decisions.
Development of Intragenic InDel Markers From RNA‐Seq Data for Map‐Based Cloning and Marker‐Assisted Selection in Maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Yang Sijia , Liu Zhiqin , Liang Ting , Wu Junle , Mi Hang , Bao Ruifan , Meng Pengxu , Ni Jixing , Wang Xueying , Deng Wujiao , Wu Haimei , Yang Jinchang , Rong Tingzhao , Liu Jian
Published: December 2024

Maize is one of the most extensively grown and produced crops in the world. Functional molecular markers (FMM) are essential tools for enhancing the efficiency of both breeding and basic research. The transcriptome obtained from high‐throughput sequencing is a valuable resource for developing FMM. In this study, we precisely identified high‐density and highly polymorphic RNA‐derived InDel markers from 368 high‐quality, high read depth maize RNA‐seq datasets using stringent criteria. The nonredundant marker dataset comprised 13,904 InDel markers with a Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) ≥ 0.5 and a principal allelic difference (length difference between the most and second most frequent alleles) ≥ 3 bp, covering 7749 genes. Subsequently, the polymorphism of InDel markers was verified experimentally. Fifty InDel markers were randomly selected, and their average PIC values in 20 maize inbred lines selected from 368 RNA‐seq samples and 20 newly selected maize inbred lines were 0.53 and 0.54, with range intervals of 0.18 to 0.77 and 0.22 to 0.74, respectively. The high density and polymorphism of RNA‐derived InDel markers identified in this study make them effective tools for maize gene cloning, genetic diversity studies, genome‐wide association analysis, and marker‐assisted selection.
From Venous to Arterial Blood in the Same Tunneled Dialysis Catheter After Starting a Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: A Case Report
Authors: Becquet Amandine , Hermet Pierre Louis , Bertrand Dominique , Verbecke Amandine , Grall Maximilien , Girault Christophe , Nicolas Jonathan
Published: December 2024

Tunneled dialysis catheter is the alternative for dialysis patients who cannot benefit from an arteriovenous fistula. The insertion of such catheters is usually ultrasound‐guided to prevent complications. A 36‐year old patient had an unexpected complication following the insertion of a right femoral tunneled dialysis catheter: Although the blood collected from the catheter was venous after insertion, the blood turned arterial few minutes after initiating a continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). It became venous again after stopping the therapy. The first, yet unlikely hypothesis, was an arterial location of the catheter. In fact, it turned out not to be. We describe the management of such a case.
Disparities in Access to Valganciclovir Cytomegalovirus Prophylaxis in High‐Risk African American Kidney Transplant Patients
Authors: Bethi Shipra R. , Taber David J. , Andrade Erika , Mesmar Zaid M. , Calimlim Isabel , Harris Courtney E.
Published: December 2024

Background

While access and outcomes disparities for African American (AA) kidney transplant recipients are documented, there are limited studies assessing medication access disparities in transplantation. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) causes severe complications for transplant recipients, and we aimed to understand differences in access to CMV prophylaxis valganciclovir and its impact on CMV infection rates in AA transplant recipients.

Methods

This single‐center, retrospective longitudinal cohort study examined high‐risk (CMV serostatus D+/R−) adult kidney transplant recipients between June 1, 2010, and May 31, 202, through EMR abstraction. Standard univariate comparative statistics were employed alongside binary logistic regression for multivariable modeling.

Results

During the 10 year period, 418 kidney transplant recipients were included, with 179 (42.8%) identified as AA and 239 as non‐AA. There were significant differences in mean age (p = 0.001) and private versus Medicaid insurance status (p < 0.001). AAs experienced higher death‐censored graft loss rates (10.6% AA vs. 5.0% non‐AA, p = 0.031). CMV infection rate, opportunistic infection rate, leukopenia incidence, and death did not differ significantly between AA and non‐AA patients. AA patients were 42% less likely to receive valganciclovir out‐of‐pocket cost assistance compared to non‐AA patients (OR 0.58, [0.379–0.892], p = 0.013). When incorporating age, Medicaid status, and donor marginality in a multivariable model, the impact of AA race on utilizing assistance programs became statistically non‐significant (OR 0.70, [0.448–1.094], p = 0.118).

Conclusions

AAs were significantly less likely to leverage assistance programs or utilize personal resources to access valganciclovir. This disparity was partially explained by age, insurance status, and donor type. Despite this, CMV infection rates were similar between AA and non‐AA cohorts.
Exchange Rate Pass‐Through in Asia: Assessing the Relevance of the Inflation Targeting Framework
Authors: Naqvi Bushra , Rizvi Syed Kumail Abbas , Mirza Nawazish , Kazi Irfan
Published: December 2024

This study aims to quantify a possible link between exchange rate pass‐through (ERPT) and inflation targeting framework (IT) while focusing on four Asian economies which have adopted IT during the period of 1990–2010 against a control group of non‐inflation targeters. By deploying a structural VAR model with non‐recursive contemporaneous restrictions imposed on covariance matrix, we identify the impulse response of domestic inflation to the shocks of exchange rate and world commodity prices. The empirical evidence suggests that ERPT is absent in Asian IT and non‐IT economies since 1990s. The adoption of IT has not led to change in ERPT for the group of IT economies compared to their own pre‐targeting period and the experiences of non‐targeters after 2000s which is accepted as the average adoption date. It has been found, however, that the movement in domestic inflation is predominantly explained by world commodity prices in the past and not by the depreciation of local currency in these economies.
Spatial and temporal reconstruction of postcollisional potassic rocks: Implications for mantle flow beneath the SE Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Miao Zhuang , Zhao Zhidan , Xu Bo , Wilde Simon A. , Cawood Peter A. , Hou Zengqian , Kou Guanyu , Zhu Di-Cheng , Mo Xuanxue
Published: December 2024

Postcollisional potassic magmatism occurs throughout the Alpine-Himalayan belt, providing a crucial record of crust-mantle interaction and associated ore-forming processes in a collisional orogen. Unravelling its spatial and temporal record is often complicated by intense tectonic deformation, including strike-slip faulting. New Hf-Nd isotope mapping of two Cenozoic potassic rock assemblages along the Ailaoshan−Red River shear zone from the SE Tibetan Plateau, together with Sr-Nd-Hf isotope evidence, establishes that these two segments of potassic magmatism were originally juxtaposed prior to strike-slip faulting. By reconstructing the spatiotemporal distribution of the potassic rocks, we identified a zone of mantle upwelling and lateral flow in response to India-Asia collision. This activity matches the distribution of porphyry Cu-Au and carbonatite-associated rare earth element deposits in the area, demonstrating the significant contribution of mantle materials to the metallogenic processes in collisional settings.
When understanding fails: how diverging norms in medicine and research led to informed consent failures during the pandemic
Authors: Pinto Daniel
Published: December 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many vaccine trials which had significant purposes which participants needed to understand to validly consent. For example, participants needed to understand that the purpose of dose-escalation vaccine trials was to give incremental doses of a vaccine until participants became ill. Likewise, participants needed to understand that even if they received placebos, they could not take a genuine vaccine to preserve the integrity of the trials. Yet, these intuitive judgements about what participants need to understand to validly consent are rejected by recent accounts of consent. According to these accounts, as long as participants were given a good opportunity to learn these purposes, they do not need to actually understand them to consent. In this paper, I reject this consensus, and I argue that participants who failed to understand these aims associated with vaccine trials failed to provide legitimate consent. I defend this claim by developing and defending a new understanding condition for valid consent. According to this understanding condition, a participant must understand when a consent transaction has features which violate the norms which govern the medical practice with which they are acquainted. I argue that this condition is independently plausible and best explains why participants needed to understand these aims associated with vaccine trials to validly consent.
Design and analysis of diisobutoxybenzodithiophene based donor for application in organic solar cell: DFT and TD-DFT Study
Authors: Mubarik Adeel , Shafiq Faiza , Arunkumar Ammasi , Ju Xue-Hai
Published: December 2024

The newly designed chromophores (BT1-BT7) of the highly unsaturated donor-acceptor (D-A) were theoretically analyzed and recommended for applications in organic solar cells (OSCs). Conjugated A-groups have been replaced in the reference (BTR) during its design. The structural and optoelectronic properties of designed molecules were calculated using density functional theory (DFT) and Time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) techniques. The frontier molecular orbitals (FMO) study revealed that BT7 has the lowest energy gap of 2.01 eV, which has significantly less than BTR (2.34 eV), and a significant amount of charge transfer (CT) between HOMO and LUMO has been observed. Out of all the newly designed chromophores in chloroform, the highest absorption spectra were found in the visible region with a bathochromic shift up to 768 nm. The dipole moment values of all the new chromophores (BT1-BT7) were significantly higher than the BTR (5.46 D), which resulted in good solvation. ESP analysis revealed electron distribution on various parts of the molecules by colored maps that are found to be effective for better ICT. The electron transition density resulting from light absorption at different chemical sites was shown using TDM plots. The electron and hole reorganization energy (RE) values were proved as highly efficient in promoting charge mobility and hindered charge recombination for new compounds. By scaling our designed donor to the recognized acceptor Y6, which has demonstrated the creation of OSCs, the open circuit voltage of each molecule was ascertained. The designed molecules exhibited higher open circuit voltages than the reference, indicating improved and fine-tuned optoelectronic properties that would aid in the development of solar cell devices in the future.
Undergraduate setup for measuring the Bell inequalities and performing quantum state tomography
Authors: Lahoz Sanz Raul , Lozano Martín Lidia , Brú i Cortés Adrià , Duocastella Martí , Gomez Jose M. , Juliá-Díaz Bruno
Published: December 2024

The growth of quantum technologies is attracting the interest of many students eager to learn concepts such as quantum entanglement or quantum superposition. However, the non-intuitive nature of these concepts poses a challenge to understanding them. Here, we present an entangled photon system which can perform a Bell test, i.e. the CHSH inequality, and can obtain the complete tomography of the two-photon state. The proposed setup is versatile, cost-effective and allows for multiple classroom operating modes. We present two variants, both facilitating the measurement of Bell inequalities and quantum state tomography. Experimental results showcase successful manipulation of the quantum state of the photons, achieving high-fidelity entangled states and significant violations of Bell’s inequalities. Our setup’s simplicity and affordability enhances accessibility for less specialized laboratories, allowing students to familiarize themselves with quantum physics concepts.