bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intestinal crosstalk between bile acids and microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Deng Xuehong , Xiao Lin , Luo Mei , Xie Peiwei , Xiong Lishou
Published: March 2023

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a relatively common functional gastrointestinal disease with a disturbance of intestinal bacteria. Bile acids, gut microbiota, and the host have close and complex interactions, which play a central role in modulating host immune and metabolic homeostasis. Recent studies suggested that the bile acid–gut microbiota axis played a key role in the development of IBS patients. In order to investigate the role of bile acids in the pathogenesis of IBS and present potentially relevant clinical implications, we conducted a literature search on intestinal interactions between bile acid and gut microbiota. The intestinal crosstalk between bile acids and gut microbiota shapes the compositional and functional alterations in IBS, manifesting as gut microbial dysbiosis, disturbed bile acid pathway, and alteration of the microbial metabolites. Collaboratively, bile acid conducts the pathogenesis of IBS through the alterations of the farnesoid‐X receptor and G protein‐coupled receptor. Diagnostic markers and treatments targeting the bile acids and its receptor showed promising potential in the management of IBS. Bile acids and gut microbiota play a key role in the development of IBS and make attractive biomarkers for treatments. Individualized therapy aiming at bile acids and its receptor may provide significant diagnostic and requires further investigation.
Non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis is independently associated with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Boustany Antoine , Onwuzo Somtochukwu , Zeid Hadi Khaled Abou , Almomani Ashraf , Kumar Prabhat , Hitawala Asif , Asaad Imad
Published: March 2023

Background and Aim

A recent study has demonstrated that women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are more likely to develop non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease than those without GDM. In contrary to non‐alcoholic fatty liver, the association of GDM with non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has still not been well established in the current literature. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the association of a history of GDM and the development of NASH throughout their lives independently of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

A validated research database of more than 360 hospitals was utilized to construct this study. Adult females included were divided into two groups: those with NASH (case) and individuals without NASH (control). Regression analysis was performed to account for potential cofounders.

Results

There were 70 632 640 individuals above the age of 18 years screened in the database. In patients with a history of GDM, NASH was most prevalent in middle age people compared with NASH alone, which was more prevalent in people aged 65 years and above. Compared with those without, patients with NASH tend to be Caucasian (odds ratio [OR]: 2.13), obese (OR: 4.83), have a history of GDM (OR: 1.23), diagnosed with hyperlipidemia (OR: 2.59), T2DM (OR: 4.52), metabolic syndrome (OR: 3.07), polycystic ovaries disease (OR: 1.72), and hypothyroidism (OR: 1.59).

Conclusion

We demonstrated for the first time an increased odd of developing NASH in women who have had a diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus throughout their lives independently of any other factors that could interfere with the results.
A system for preventing internal fistula needle dislodgement: Delphi study and pilot evaluation
Authors: Ding Qing
Published: March 2023

Aim

To establish a scoring system for risk assessment (SSRA) for internal fistula needle dislodgement (IND) in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods

The SSRA was constructed based on literature search, medical history review, expert consultations, expert meeting (Delphi study), and analytic hierarchy process. Then, a pilot test was conducted at our hospital between August 1, 2020, and July 30, 2021. Consecutive patients requiring HD were included and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (1:1 ratio). Control group was treated with the routine procedures, while the experimental group was treated with strengthened nursing measures based on the individual risk assessed by SSRA. Finally, the incidence of IND was compared between the two groups.

Results

For the Delphi study, 16 experts in dialysis nursing in Zhejiang, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Qinghai were included. The final draft of the SSRA included three first‐level indices, 11 second‐level indices, and 26 third‐level indices. A total of 218 HD patients were included. The IND rate in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < .01).

Conclusion

We established a scientific, reliable, and feasible SSRA for timely identification of HD patients with high risk of IND and the corresponding nursing procedures to prevent IND.
Information Aggregation Bias and Samuelson's Dictum
Authors: CHOI YONGOK , RONDINA GIACOMO , WALKER TODD B.
Published: March 2023

Under the assumption of incomplete information, idiosyncratic shocks may not dissipate in the aggregate. An econometrician who incorrectly imposes complete information and applies the law of large numbers may be susceptible to information aggregation bias. Tests of aggregate economic theory will be misspecified even though tests of the same theory at the microlevel deliver the correct inference. A testable implication of information aggregation bias is “Samuelson's Dictum” or the idea that stock prices can simultaneously display “microefficiency” and “macroinefficiency;” an idea accredited to Paul Samuelson. Using firm‐level data from the Center for Research in Security Prices, we present empirical evidence consistent with Samuelson's dictum. Specifically, we conduct two standard tests of the linear present value model of stock prices: a regression of future dividend changes on the dividend‐price ratio and a test for excess volatility. We show that the dividend price ratio forecasts the future growth in dividends much more accurately at the firm level as predicted by the present value model, and that excess volatility can be rejected for most firms. When the same firms are aggregated into equal‐weighted or cap‐weighted portfolios, the estimated coefficients typically deviate from the present value model and “excess” volatility is observed; this is especially true for aggregates (e.g., S&P 500) that are used in most asset pricing studies. To investigate the source of our empirical findings, we propose a theory of aggregation bias based on incomplete information and segmented markets. Traders specializing in individual stocks conflate idiosyncratic and aggregate shocks to dividends. To an econometrician using aggregate data, these assumptions generate a rejection of the present value model even though individual traders are efficiently using their available information.
Tragedy or transformation? Online survey of nurse spirituality during the COVID pandemic
Authors: Taylor Elizabeth Johnston , Ada Hazel M. , Dupée Carrie , Jordan Michael , Radovich Patti , Boyd Kendal C. , Dehom Salem
Published: March 2023

Aim

To describe positive and negative spiritual responses to providing COVID‐related nursing care among nurses working in hospitals.

Background

The COVID pandemic has intensified and publicised the threats to nurse well‐being. Absent from the recommendations for promoting nurse well‐being is recognition of how nurses' spirituality and/or religiosity is affected by the strain of COVID caring or how it may be affecting their well‐being.

Design

Cross‐sectional, descriptive observational, mixed methods study.

Methods

Data were collected from 523 registered nurses employed in three Southern California hospitals during March–May, 2022 when these hospitals' COVID case counts were <15%. Using Online survey methods, data were obtained using the Religious/Spiritual Struggles Scale–Short Form, Moral Injury Symptom Scale–Healthcare Professionals, Post‐traumatic Growth Inventory and demographic and work‐related items. STROBE guidelines for cross‐sectional observational studies were observed.

Results

The mean for religious/spiritual struggles was 1.98 (range of 1–5, comparable to a little bit). Although roughly half of the sample reported the struggles were not experienced/did not apply, 23%–36.5% reported experiencing these struggles at least somewhat. The most frequent struggle was to find ultimate meaning. The mean observed for moral injury was 6.5 (range of 1–10); applying established criteria indicated it was troubling for at least 50%. The mean for post‐traumatic growth was 4 (on a scale of 0–6); using established criteria, 41% experienced PTG. Quantitative findings were illustrated by the qualitative responses that occasionally expressed spiritual tragedy and transformation concurrently.

Conclusion

The professional work of nursing impacts nurses in invisible, spiritual ways that can be tragic and/or transformative.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Interventions to address nurses' mental health challenges must include attention to these invisible struggles. Nurses' mental health challenges must be met in part by addressing how they can surmount spiritual tragedy—and allow spiritual transformation.
Health‐Promoting School Culture: How Do We Measure it and Does it Vary by School Neighborhood Deprivation?*
Authors: Kalubi Jodi , Riglea Teodora , O'Loughlin Erin K. , Potvin Louise , O'Loughlin Jennifer
Published: March 2023

Background

The context in which school‐based health‐promoting interventions are implemented is key for the delivery and success of these interventions. However, little is known about whether school culture differs by school deprivation.

Methods

Using data from PromeSS, a cross‐sectional study of 161 elementary schools in Québec, Canada, we drew from the Health Promoting Schools theoretical framework to develop four measures of health‐promoting school culture (i.e., school physical environment, school/teacher commitment to student health, parent/community engagement with the school, ease of principal leadership) using exploratory factor analysis. One‐way ANOVA with post‐hoc Tukey‐Kramer analyses was used to examine associations between each measure and social and material deprivation in the school neighborhood.

Results

Factor loadings supported the content of the school culture measures and Cronbach's alpha indicated good reliability (range: 0.68‐0.77). As social deprivation in the school neighborhood increased, scores for both school/teacher commitment to student health and parent/community engagement with the school decreased.

Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity

Implementation of health‐promoting interventions in schools located in socially deprived neighborhoods may require adapted strategies to address challenges related to staff commitment and parental and community involvement.

Conclusion

The measures developed herein can be used to investigate school culture and interventions for health equity.
The future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander oral health lies in the footprints of the past: Re‐framing oral health discourse
Authors: Poirier Brianna , Hedges Joanne , Jamieson Lisa
Published: March 2023

Objective

The history of oral health research and dental care provision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples has been framed by oppressive colonial values and wrought with maltreatment and unethical behavior. This commentary aims to collate evidence regarding the healthy history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander oral health, the implications of colonization on oral health, and the current portrayal of oral health.

Conclusion

We argue the need to reframe deficit focused discussions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander oral health to strengths‐based narratives by critically engaging with the ways in which the future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander oral health lies in the footprints of the past.
The COVID‐19 pandemic impact on independent and provider‐based rural health clinics’ operations and cancer prevention and screening provision in the United States
Authors: Zahnd Whitney E. , Silverman Allie F. , Self Stella , Hung Peiyin , Natafgi Nabil , Adams Swann Arp , Merrell Melinda A. , Owens Otis L. , Crouch Elizabeth L. , Eberth Jan M.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The COVID‐19 pandemic has disrupted cancer care, but it is unknown how the pandemic has affected care in Medicare‐certified rural health clinics (RHCs) where cancer prevention and screening services are critical for their communities. This study examined how the provision of these cancer services changed pre‐ and peri‐pandemic overall and by RHC type (independent and provider‐based).

Methods

We administered a cross‐sectional survey to a stratified random sample of RHCs to assess clinic characteristics, pandemic stressors, and the provision of cancer prevention and control services among RHCs pre‐ and peri‐pandemic. We used McNemar's test and Wilcoxon signed rank tests to assess differences in the provision of cancer prevention and screening services pre‐ and peri‐pandemic by RHC type.

Results

Of the 153 responding RHCs (response rate of 8%), 93 (60.8%) were provider‐based and 60 (39.2%) were independent. Both RHC types were similar in their experience of pandemic stressors, though a higher proportion of independent RHCs reported financial concerns and challenges obtaining personal protective equipment. Both types of RHCs provided fewer cancer prevention and screening services peri‐pandemic—5.8 to 4.2 for provider‐based and 5.3 to 3.5 for independent (P<.05 for both). Across lung, cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer‐related services, the proportion of both RHC groups providing services dropped peri‐pandemic.

Discussion

The pandemic's impact on independent and provider‐based RHCs and their patients was considerable. Going forward, greater resources should be targeted to RHCs—particularly independent RHCs—to ensure their ability to initiate and sustain evidence‐based prevention and screening services.
Nocturnal sodium oxybate increases the anterior cingulate cortex magnetic resonance glutamate signal upon awakening
Authors: Dornbierer Dario A. , Zölch Niklaus , Baur Diego M. , Hock Andreas , Stucky Benjamin , Quednow Boris B. , Kraemer Thomas , Seifritz Erich , Bosch Oliver G. , Landolt Hans‐Peter
Published: March 2023

Clinical guidelines recommend sodium oxybate (SXB; the sodium salt of γ‐hydroxybutyrate) for the treatment of disturbed sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness in narcolepsy, yet the underlying mode of action is elusive. In a randomised controlled trial in 20 healthy volunteers, we aimed at establishing neurochemical changes in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) following SXB‐enhanced sleep. The ACC is a core neural hub regulating vigilance in humans. At 2:30 a.m., we administered in a double‐blind cross‐over manner an oral dose of 50 mg/kg SXB or placebo, to enhance electroencephalography‐defined sleep intensity in the second half of nocturnal sleep (11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.). Upon scheduled awakening, we assessed subjective sleepiness, tiredness and mood and measured two‐dimensional, J‐resolved, point‐resolved magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PRESS) localisation at 3‐Tesla field strength. Following brain scanning, we used validated tools to quantify psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) performance and executive functioning. We analysed the data with independent t tests, false discovery rate (FDR) corrected for multiple comparisons. The morning glutamate signal (at 8:30 a.m.) in the ACC was specifically increased after SXB‐enhanced sleep in all participants in whom good‐quality spectroscopy data were available (n = 16; pFDR < 0.002). Further, global vigilance (10th–90th inter‐percentile range on the PVT) was improved (pFDR < 0.04) and median PVT response time was shorter (pFDR < 0.04) compared to placebo. The data indicate that elevated glutamate in the ACC could provide a neurochemical mechanism underlying SXB's pro‐vigilant efficacy in disorders of hypersomnolence.
A novel missense variant in the L2HGDH gene in a cat with L‐2‐hydroxyglutaric aciduria and multicystic cerebral lesions
Authors: Christen Matthias , Gonzalo‐Nadal Veronica , Kaczmarska Adriana , Dyrka Magdalena , Guevar Julien , Jagannathan Vidhya , Leeb Tosso , Gutierrez‐Quintana Rodrigo
Published: March 2023

Case Description

A 9‐month‐old intact male domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for increasing frequency of generalized tonic‐clonic seizures.

Clinical Findings

The cat was reported to have had episodes of circling between the seizures. Upon examination, the cat had bilateral inconsistent menace response but otherwise normal physical and neurological examinations.

Diagnostics

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain identified multifocal, small, rounded intra‐axial lesions within the subcortical white matter containing fluid with similar characteristics as cerebrospinal fluid. Evaluation of urine organic acids showed increased excretion of 2‐hydroxyglutaric acid. An XM_023255678.2:c.397C>T nonsense variant in the L2HGDH gene encoding L‐2‐hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase was identified using whole genome sequencing.

Treatment and Outcome

Levetiracetam treatment was initiated at 20 mg/kg PO q8h, but the cat died after a seizure 10 days later.

Clinical Relevance

We report the second pathogenic gene variant in L‐2‐hydroxyglutaric aciduria in cats and describe for the first time multicystic cerebral lesions on MRI.
Substitution effect of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) by‐product for Saccharina japonica in feeds on growth, carcass chemical composition, and air exposure resistance of abalone (Haliotis discus, Reeve 1846)
Authors: Li Ran , Dai Qihu , Cho Sung Hwoan
Published: March 2023

Substitutability of broccoli by‐products (BBP) for Saccharina japonica in feed on growth, carcass chemical composition, and air exposure resistance of abalone (Haliotis discus) was investigated. One thousand and two hundred sixty abalones were randomly assigned into 18 cages (3 cages/diet; 70 abalone/cage). Two hundred g/kg of S. japonica was included in the control diet (BBP0). The BBP250, BBP500, BBP750, and BBP1000 diets were prepared by substituting 250, 500, 750, and 1000 g/kg of S. japonica with an equal amount of BBP. Additionally, dry S. japonica was prepared. Abalone were fed daily for 7 days a week for 16 weeks. Following the completion of the feeding trial, 20 abalone from each cage were exposed to air for 20 h prior to being monitored for the following 5 days. The greatest weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) were achieved in abalone fed the BBP250 diet. Superior survival was obtained in abalone fed the BBP250, BBP500, BBP750, and BBP1000 diets to abalone fed the S. japonica control diet. The BBP250 and BBP500 diets achieved the highest survival of abalone. BBP appears to be a novel replacer for S. japonica in abalone diets, and 250 g/kg replacement of BBP for S. japonica produced the best weight gain and SGR.
Cognitive and Sociopsychological Individual Differences, Experience, and Naturalistic Second Language Speech Learning: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Sun Hui , Saito Kazuya , Dewaele Jean‐Marc
Published: March 2023

This study longitudinally examined the effects of cognitive and sociopsychological individual differences (aptitude, motivation, personality) and the quantity and quality of second language (L2) experience on L2 speech gains in naturalistic settings. We elicited L2 spontaneous speech from 50 Chinese learners of English at the beginning and the end of their first 4 months of study abroad. Then, we linked the participants’ gains in comprehensibility (ease of understanding) and accentedness (linguistic nativelikeness) to their individual difference and experience profiles. The participants’ gains in comprehensibility were associated mainly with the amount of their interaction with fluent English speakers during immersion and secondarily with certain cognitive (grammatical inferencing) and sociopsychological (extraversion) individual differences. Furthermore, the amount of interactive L2 use mediated the effect of sociopsychological individual differences (extraversion and potentially ideal L2 self). In contrast, gains in accentedness tended to be less subject to experience effects but could be affected by certain pronunciation‐related cognitive individual differences (phonemic coding).
Disparate population and holobiont structure of pocilloporid corals across the Red Sea gradient demonstrate species‐specific evolutionary trajectories
Authors: Buitrago‐López Carol , Cárdenas Anny , Hume Benjamin C. C. , Gosselin Thierry , Staubach Fabian , Aranda Manuel , Barshis Daniel J. , Sawall Yvonne , Voolstra Christian R.
Published: March 2023

Global habitat degradation heightens the need to better understand patterns of genetic connectivity and diversity of marine biota across geographical ranges to guide conservation efforts. Corals across the Red Sea are subject to pronounced environmental differences, but studies so far suggest that animal populations are largely connected, excepting evidence for a genetic break between the northern‐central and southern regions. Here, we investigated population structure and holobiont assemblage of two common pocilloporid corals, Pocillopora verrucosa and Stylophora pistillata, across the Red Sea. We found little evidence for population differentiation in P. verrucosa, except for the southernmost site. Conversely, S. pistillata exhibited a complex population structure with evidence for within‐reef and regional genetic differentiation, in line with differences in their reproductive mode (P. verrucosa is a broadcast spawner and S. pistillata is a brooder). Analysis for genomic loci under positive selection identified 85 sites (18 of which were in coding sequences) that distinguished the southern P. verrucosa population from the remainder of the Red Sea population. By comparison, we found 128 loci (24 of which were residing in coding sequences) in S. pistillata with evidence for local adaptation at various sites. Functional annotation of the underlying proteins revealed putative roles in the response to stress, lipid metabolism, transport, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and ciliary function (among others). Microbial assemblages of both coral species showed pervasive association with microalgal symbionts from the genus Symbiodinium (former clade A) and bacteria from the genus Endozoicomonas that exhibited significant differences according to host genotype and environment. The disparity of population genetic and holobiont assemblage patterns even between closely related species (family Pocilloporidae) highlights the need for multispecies investigations to better understand the role of the environment in shaping evolutionary trajectories. It further emphasizes the importance of networks of reef reserves to achieve conservation of genetic variants critical to the future survival of coral ecosystems.
Context matters in curriculum reform: An analysis of change in surgical training
Authors: Shah Adarsh P. , Walker Kim A. , Walker Kenneth G. , Cleland Jennifer
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Education and training reforms are typically devised by accreditation bodies and rolled out nationally. This top‐down approach is positioned as contextually independent, yet context is highly influential in shaping the impact of change. Given this, it is critical to consider how curriculum reform plays out as it meets local settings. We have therefore used a national‐level curriculum reform process of surgical training, Improving Surgical Training (IST), to examine the influence of context in IST implementation across two UK countries.

Methods

Adopting a case study approach, we used document data for contextualisation purposes and semi‐structured interviews with key stakeholders across multiple organisations (n = 17, plus four follow‐up interviews) as our main source of data. Initial data coding and analysis were inductive. We followed this with a secondary analysis using Engeström's second‐generation activity theory nested within an overarching framework of complexity theory to help tease out some key elements of IST development and implementation.

Results

The introduction of IST into the surgical training system was historically situated within a landscape of previous reforms. IST's aims collided with existing practices and rules, thus creating tensions. In one country, the systems of IST and surgical training came together to some extent, mostly due to processes of social networks, negotiation and leverage nested in a relatively cohesive setting. These processes were not apparent in the other country, and instead of transformative change, the system contracted. Change was not integrated, and the reform was halted.

Conclusions

Our use of a case study approach and complexity theory deepens understanding of how history, systems and contexts interact to facilitate or inhibit change within one area of medical education. Our study paves the way for further empirical work examining the influence of context in curriculum reform, and thus determining how best to bring about change in practice.
When I say … removing barriers
Authors: Jain Neera R. , Scott Ian
Published: March 2023

'The authors explain how helping one surmount barriers can reinforce problematic norms and values. Instead, they advocate for critically evaluating current practice to eliminate barriers that are not critical to healthcare.
Functional dissection of rice jasmonate receptors involved in development and defense
Authors: Wang Xinjue , Chen Yumeng , Liu Shuting , Fu Wenjie , Zhuang Yunqi , Xu Jie , Lou Yonggen , Baldwin Ian T. , Li Ran
Published: March 2023

The phytohormones, jasmonates (JAs), mediate many plant developmental processes and their responses to important environmental stresses, such as herbivore attack. Bioactive JAs are perceived by CORONATINE INSENSITIVE (COI)‐receptors, and associated JAZ proteins, to activate downstream responses. To date, the JA receptors of the important monocot crop plant, rice, remain to be explored.

Here, we studied all three rice COI proteins, OsCOI1a, OsCOI1b, and OsCOI2, by ligand binding, genome editing, and phenotyping and examining some of the responsible mechanisms for the different responses.

OsCOI2 binds to most individual OsJAZs in the presence of endogenous JA ligands, as OsCOI1a /1b do, albeit with greater partner selectivity. Single mutants of each OsCOI and OsCOI1a/1b double mutants were constructed by CRIPSR‐Cas9‐based genome editing and used to phenotype developmental and defense responses. OsCOI1b is involved in root growth and grain‐size control and plays overlapping roles with OsCOI1a in spikelet development, while OsCOI2 regulates leaf senescence, male sterility, root growth, and grain size. All OsCOIs mediated resistance to the devastating rice pest, the brown planthopper. However, the defense sectors regulated by OsCOI1a/1b and OsCOI2 clearly differed.

Our results revealed that all three OsCOIs are functional JA receptors that play diverse roles in regulating downstream JA responses.
Evapotranspiration‐linked silica deposition in a basal tracheophyte plant (Lycopodiaceae: Lycopodiella alopecuroides): implications for the evolutionary origins of phytoliths
Authors: Whalen Niall S. , Hunt Tyler C. , Erickson Gregory M.
Published: March 2023

Phytoliths, microscopic deposits of hydrated silica within plants, play a myriad of functional roles in extant tracheophytes – yet their evolutionary origins and the original selective pressures leading to their deposition remain poorly understood. To gain new insights into the ancestral condition of tracheophyte phytolith production and function, phytolith content was intensively assayed in a basal, morphologically conserved tracheophyte: the foxtail clubmoss Lycopodiella alopecuroides.

Wet ashing was employed to perform phytolith extractions from every major anatomical region of L. alopecuroides. Phytolith occurrence was recorded, alongside abundance, morphometric information, and morphological descriptions.

Phytoliths were recovered exclusively from the microphylls, which were apicodistally silicified into multiphytolith aggregates. Phytolith aggregates were larger and more numerous in anatomical regions engaging in greater evapotranspirational activity.

The tissue distribution of L. alopecuroides phytoliths is inconsistent with the expectations of proposed adaptive hypotheses of phytolith evolutionary origin. Instead, it is hypothesized that phytoliths may have arisen incidentally in the L. alopecuroides‐like ancestral plant, polymerizing from intraplant silicon accumulations arising via bulk flow and ‘leaky’ cellular micronutrient channels. This basal, nonadaptive phytolith formation model would provide the evolutionary ‘raw material’ for later modification into the useful, adaptative, phytolith deposits seen in later‐diverging plant clades.
Cuticle architecture and mechanical properties: a functional relationship delineated through correlated multimodal imaging
Authors: Reynoud Nicolas , Geneix Nathalie , D'Orlando Angelina , Petit Johann , Mathurin Jeremie , Deniset‐Besseau Ariane , Marion Didier , Rothan Christophe , Lahaye Marc , Bakan Bénédicte
Published: March 2023

Cuticles are multifunctional hydrophobic biocomposites that protect the aerial organs of plants. During plant development, plant cuticles must accommodate different mechanical constraints combining extensibility and stiffness, and the corresponding relationships with their architecture are unknown. Recent data showed a fine‐tuning of cuticle architecture during fruit development, with several chemical clusters which raise the question of how they impact the mechanical properties of cuticles.

We investigated the in‐depth nanomechanical properties of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticle from early development to ripening, in relation to chemical and structural heterogeneities by developing a correlative multimodal imaging approach.

Unprecedented sharps heterogeneities were evidenced including an in‐depth mechanical gradient and a ‘soft’ central furrow that were maintained throughout the plant development despite the overall increase in elastic modulus. In addition, we demonstrated that these local mechanical areas are correlated to chemical and structural gradients.

This study shed light on fine‐tuning of mechanical properties of cuticles through the modulation of their architecture, providing new insight for our understanding of structure–function relationships of plant cuticles and for the design of bioinspired material.
Has the electoral college grown more disproportional? An analysis of election results, 1876–2020
Authors: Hooghe Marc , Stiers Dieter , Lewis‐Beck Michael S.
Published: March 2023

Especially following the 2000 and the 2016 presidential elections, some authors have denounced the legitimacy of the Electoral College as a presidential selection method. It is alleged that the college is not representative of the electorate as a whole and tends to favor one specific political party. In this article, we compare the popular vote with the composition of the Electoral College for every presidential contest since 1876 (n = 37 elections). We confirm that the college is indeed disproportional as it provides a major bonus to the winning candidate. Although this disproportionality has become slightly stronger during the 1876–2020 period, it does not specifically benefit one political party. Measured at the level of the states, there is no substantial increase in bias with regard to geographic representation. However, to the extent that electoral races become tighter, as was the case in the last quarter of the 19th century, the risk that results fall within a margin of statistical error becomes larger. This suggests that the current controversy finds its source less in the electoral rules and more in the situational and highly competitive balance of party competition.

Related Articles

Ardoin, Phillip J., and Bryan M. Parsons. 2007. “Partisan Bias in the Electoral College: Cheap States and Wasted Votes.”Politics & Policy35(2): 342–64.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2007.00063.x.

Crow, Deserai, and Laura Wolton. 2020. “Talking Policy in Congressional Campaigns: Construction of Policy Narratives in Electoral Politics.”Politics & Policy48(4): 658–99.https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12369.

McKenzie, Mark. 2009. “Attitudes toward Electoral College Reform: Understanding Opinion Formation on Complicated Public Policy Issues.”Politics & Policy37(2): 265–88.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2009.00172.x.
High‐trait anxious individuals show positive relationship between HRV and threat vigilance
Authors: Miller Aaron , Barros Isabel , Callendar Alyssa , Schroeder Grace , Shakeshaft Morgan , St.Ours Sirena , Lucero John , Miller Karissa
Published: March 2023

Selectively attending to threat‐related stimuli in the environment, known as threat bias (TB), is a prominent feature of anxiety. Individuals with high anxiety also tend to show lower heart rate variability (HRV), a reflection of reduced parasympathetic cardiac control. Previous investigations have established associations between low HRV and various attentional processes that facilitate attention to threat, though these have primarily been conducted among non‐anxious individuals. The current analysis, derived from a larger TB modification study, examined the relationship between TB and HRV among a young, nonclinical sample of individuals with either high or low trait anxiety (HTA, LTA, respectively; Mage = 25.8, SD = 13.2, 61.3% female). Consistent with expectations, HTA (β = −.18, p = .087) trended toward an association with higher threat vigilance. A significant moderation effect showed the relationship between HRV and threat vigilance was influenced by TA (β = .42, p = .004). Simple slopes analysis revealed that for the LTA group, lower HRV trended toward higher threat vigilance (p = .123), consistent with expectations. However, this relationship was unexpectedly reversed for the HTA group, for whom higher HRV was a significant predictor of higher threat vigilance (p = .015). These results are interpreted within a cognitive control framework, in which regulatory ability, as assessed via HRV, may influence which cognitive strategy is employed when encountering threatening stimuli. Results suggest that HTA individuals with greater regulatory ability may employ a contrast avoidance mechanism, while those with reduced regulatory ability engage in cognitive avoidance.
Do Confucian values and working experience matter? The impact of provincial governors’ characteristics on the management level of major road accidents in China
Authors: Huang Hong , Liu Tingting , Yang Ruiju
Published: March 2023

Upper echelons theory (UET) proposes that organizational outcomes are directly affected by the experiences, personalities, and values of individuals who occupy critical managerial roles within an organization. Using the lens of UET, this study investigates how governors’ characteristics affect the management level of major road accidents (MLMRA). The empirical work is based on fixed effects regression models that are applied to Chinese provincial panel data from 2008 to 2017. This study uncovers that the MLMRA is associated with governors’ tenure, central background, and Confucian values. We further document that the effect of Confucianism on the MLMRA is stronger when traffic regulation pressure is high. This study has the potential to advance our understanding of the impact of leaders’ characteristics on organizational outcomes in the public sector.
Teaching in the right context: Textbook supply program, language, and learning
Authors: Fujii Tomoki , Nakajima Maki , Xu Sijia
Published: March 2023

An ethnic gap in education is prevalent around the world. This remains the case in Vietnam, a country that has achieved phenomenal economic growth and raised the educational attainment of the public. This paper examines the impact of language policy reorientation represented by the textbook supply program in Vietnam on the ethnic gap in children's learning measured by a vocabulary test. Applying difference‐in‐differences estimation to the Young Lives data between 2006 and 2015, we show that the program became more effective in narrowing the ethnic gap as the education policy became reoriented toward ethnic minority children. A causal mediation analysis reveals that increased study time is possibly a moderate mediator through which the language policy reorientation helped narrow the ethnic gap for the young cohort over and above the direct impact, but this was not the case for the old cohort. This paper, therefore, alludes to the importance of delivering learning materials carefully designed for the target group to bring about meaningful behavioral changes. It also underscores the importance of teaching in the right context, corroborating the findings from recent studies on teaching at the right level.
Establishment of a sequential dual tracer 18F‐NaF/18F‐FDG PET protocol for imaging the equine foot
Authors: Spriet Mathieu , Espinosa‐Mur Pablo , Zhang Xuezhu , Berg Eric , Bec Julien , Katzman Scott , Galuppo Larry
Published: March 2023

The combination of 18F‐Sodium Fluoride (18F‐NaF) and 18F‐FluoroDeoxyGlucose (18F‐FDG) for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the equine foot is appealing for detection of both osseous and soft tissue lesions in a single scan. As the combination of tracers could lead to a loss of information, a sequential approach, consisting in imaging with one tracer prior to injecting the second tracer, might be valuable. The goals of this prospective, methods comparison, exploratory study were to establish the order of tracer injection and timing for imaging. Six research horses were imaged under general anesthesia with 18F‐NaF PET, 18F‐FDG PET, dual 18F‐NaF/18F‐FDG PET, and CT. Proper uptake could be identified in tendon lesions as early as 10 min after 18F‐FDG injection. Bone uptake was limited when 18F‐NaF was injected under general anesthesia, even at 1 h after injection, when compared with 18F‐NaF injection prior to anesthesia. The sensitivity and specificity of the dual tracer scans were 0.77 (0.63 to 0.86) and 0.98 (0.96 to 0.99) respectively, to assess 18F‐NaF uptake and 0.5 (0.28 to 0.72) and 0.98 (0.95 to 0.99), respectively, for 18F‐FDG uptake. These results suggest that the sequential dual tracer approach is a pertinent technique to optimize the PET data gained from a single anesthetic episode. Based on dynamics of tracer uptake, the optimal protocol consists in injecting 18F‐NaF prior to anesthesia, acquire 18F‐NaF data then inject 18F‐FDG and start acquisition of dual tracer PET data 10 min later. This protocol should be further validated in a larger clinical study.
Proprioceptors in extraocular muscles
Authors: Blumer Roland , Carrero‐Rojas Génova , Calvo Paula M. , Streicher Johannes , de la Cruz Rosa R. , Pastor Angel M.
Published: March 2023

Proprioception is the sense that lets us perceive the location, movement and action of the body parts. The proprioceptive apparatus includes specialized sense organs (proprioceptors) which are embedded in the skeletal muscles. The eyeballs are moved by six pairs of eye muscles and binocular vision depends on fine‐tuned coordination of the optical axes of both eyes. Although experimental studies indicate that the brain has access to eye position information, both classical proprioceptors (muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organ) are absent in the extraocular muscles of most mammalian species. This paradox of monitoring extraocular muscle activity in the absence of typical proprioceptors seemed to be resolved when a particular nerve specialization (the palisade ending) was detected in the extraocular muscles of mammals. In fact, for decades there was consensus that palisade endings were sensory structures that provide eye position information. The sensory function was called into question when recent studies revealed the molecular phenotype and the origin of palisade endings. Today we are faced with the fact that palisade endings exhibit sensory as well as motor features. This review aims to evaluate the literature on extraocular muscle proprioceptors and palisade endings and to reconsider current knowledge of their structure and function.
Searching Lorentz invariance violation from cosmic photon attenuation
Authors: Li Hao , Ma Bo-Qiang
Published: March 2023

Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) can change the threshold behavior predicted by special relativity and cause threshold anomalies which affect the propagation of cosmic photons. In this work, we focus on the threshold anomaly effect on cosmic photon attenuations by extragalactic background light (EBL) and discuss how to identify LIV from observations of very high energy (VHE) photons propagated from long distance in the universe. We point out that the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), one of the most sensitive gamma-ray detector arrays currently operating at TeV and PeV energies, is an ideal facility for performing such LIV searching. We apply the proposed strategy to discuss the newly observed gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A to demonstrate the predictive ability of our suggestions.
Curcumol Exerts Antitumor Effect via Inhibiting EGFR-Akt-Mcl-1 Signaling
Authors: Li Xiao-Ying , Gao Feng , Wang Xiao-Cong , Liu Lu-Lu , Gan Yu , Han Shuang-Ze , Zhou Li , Li Wei , Li Ming
Published: March 2023

Dysfunction of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling plays a critical role in the tumorigenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In the present study, the data analysis results of immunohistochemistry and the TCGA database verified that the expression of EGFR is significantly upregulated in OSCC tumor tissues, and depletion of EGFR inhibits the growth of OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, these results showed that the natural compound, curcumol, exhibited a profound antitumor effect on OSCC cells. Western blotting, MTS, and immunofluorescent staining assays indicated that curcumol inhibited cell proliferation and induced intrinsic apoptosis in OSCC cells via downregulating myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1). A mechanistic study revealed that curcumol inhibited the EGFR-Akt signal pathway, which activated GSK-3[Formula: see text]-mediated Mcl-1 phosphorylation. Further research showed that curcumol-induced Mcl-1 Ser159 phosphorylation is required to disrupt the interaction between deubiquitinase JOSD1 and Mcl-1 and eventually induce Mcl-1 ubiquitination and degradation. In addition, curcumol administration can effectively inhibit CAL27 and SCC25 xenograft tumor growth and is well-tolerated in vivo. Finally, we demonstrated that Mcl-1 is upregulated and positively correlates with p-EGFR and p-Akt in OSCC tumor tissues. Collectively, the present results provide new insights into the antitumor mechanism of curcumol, identifying it as an attractive therapeutic agent that reduces Mcl-1 expression and inhibits OSCC growth. Targeting EGFR/Akt/Mcl-1 signaling could be a promising option in the clinical treatment of OSCC.
Effects of fiber stitching on mechanical properties and friction behaviors of carbon/carbon composites
Authors: Lin Chun Han , Wu Chang Mou , Wang Chung An , Chiu Chang Hsuan
Published: March 2023

In this study, the mechanical properties and friction behavior of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites with and without stitching were investigated. The C/C composites were prepared via high-pressure liquid-phase infiltration, followed by carbonization and graphitization over several cycles. The unstitched C/C composites exhibited better comprehensive mechanical and friction properties and showed excellent application potential for the field of high-temperature friction.
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS AND IMPACT OF AN IMPERFECT VACCINE OF TWO STRAINS OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS INFECTION
Authors: NAYEEM J. , PODDER C. N. , SALEK M. A.
Published: March 2023

A mathematical model considering two strains of hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronic carriers, to assess the impact of dose-structured imperfect vaccine, in a population, is designed and analyzed. The model is shown to have a locally and globally asymptotically stable disease-free equilibrium (DFE) whenever its associated reproduction number is numerically less than unity. Numerical analysis of the model shows that with the expected 50% minimum efficacy of the first vaccine dose, vaccinating 55% of the susceptible population with the first vaccine dose will be sufficient to effectively control the spread of hepatitis B infection. Such effective control can also be achieved if 50% of the first vaccine dose recipients take the second dose. Threshold analysis reveals that an imperfect HBV vaccine should have positive or negative population-level effect. Latin hypercube sampling–PRCC analysis illustrates that disease transmission rate, birth rate, natural death rate and proportion of children born with maternal immunity are most influential parameters in the disease dynamics. In this paper, the sensitivity analysis based on mathematical and in addition statistical techniques have been performed to determine the significance of the model parameters. It is observed that a number of the parameters play an important role to determine the magnitude of the basic reproduction number. Sensitivity analysis is achieved to determine model parameters’ importance in disease dynamics. It is observed that the reproduction number is the most responsive quantity to the potent transmission rate of HBV and in addition also vital to control the spread of the disease.
ASSESSMENT THE PREDICTABILITY IN THE PRICE DYNAMICS FOR THE TOP 10 CRYPTOCURRENCIES: THE IMPACTS OF RUSSIA–UKRAINE WAR
Authors: DE ARAUJO FERNANDO H. A. , FERNANDES LEONARDO H. S. , SILVA JOSÉ W. L. , SOBRINHO KLEBER E. S. , TABAK BENJAMIN MIRANDA
Published: March 2023

This paper has investigated the predictability of the top 10 cryptocurrencies’ price dynamics, ranked by their daily market capitalization and trade volume, via the information theory quantifiers. Our analysis considers the Complexity-entropy causality plane to study the temporal evolution of the price of these cryptocurrencies and their respective locations along this 2D map, bearing in mind after and during the Russia–Ukraine war. Moreover, we apply the permutation entropy and the Jensen–Shannon statistical complexity measure to rank these cryptocurrencies similarly to a complexity hierarchy. Our findings reflect that the Russian–Ukraine war affects the informational efficiency of cryptocurrency dynamics. Specifically, the cryptocurrencies notably showed a decrease in informational inefficiency (USD-coin, Binance-USD, BNB, Dogecoin, and XRP). At the same time, the cryptocurrencies with more expressiveness for the financial market, considering the volume traded and the capitalized market, were strongly impacted, presenting an increase in informational inefficiency (Tether, Cardano, Ethereum, and Bitcoin). It clarifies the potential of cryptocurrencies to mitigate exogenous shocks and their capability to use with portfolio selection, risk diversification and herding behavior.
Phenylboron(III) complexes of tripyrrins: A new class of macrocycles closed by hydrogen-bonding
Authors: Yamagata Kyo , Fernandez-Vera Oscar , Seki Shu , Tanaka Takayuki
Published: March 2023

Dianilinotripyrrin was condensed with phenylboronic acid at high temperature to give its phenylboron(III) complex in which the conjugation system changed to serve as a divalent ligand. As a result, two aniline moieties form an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the NH and iminic N sites, fixing the conformation to stand as a closed macrocycle. The structure of this macrocycle contains both cone-shaped boron center and helical terminal moieties. The twisted helical moieties can be perturbed by the substituents at the aniline moiety, while the optical properties are not drastically altered thereby. [Formula: see text]-Phenylene-bridged face-to-face dimer was also synthesized by the same approach, which exhibited negligible electronic communication between the chromophores.