bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficiency of local public spending in Cameroon: Does population size matter?
Authors: Ongo Nkoa Bruno Emmanuel , Wangbara Djondandi , Tchoffo Tameko Gautier
Published: June 2024

Promoting decentralization is currently high on the global agenda. To date, the existing literature in the African context, and more specifically in Cameroon, has not established a link between the size of local authorities and the efficiency of their infrastructure spending. This study therefore attempts to fill this gap in the literature by empirically examining the effect of population size on the efficiency of local public spending in Cameroon. Using the two‐stage Data Envelopment Analysis model on a sample of 100 communes for the period 2017–2020 to estimate composite efficiency scores and the censored Tobit model to determine the effect of population size on the efficiency of local public spending, the results show that population size and density positively and very significantly affect the efficiency of local public spending. In light of these results, we recommend that the state make population size the main allocation key for transfers and subsidies to local authorities and that communes organize themselves into inter‐municipalities to benefit from economies of scale and curb spillover effects.
Fossil and modern penguin tarsometatarsi: cavities, vascularity, and resilience
Authors: JADWISZCZAK Piotr , KRÜGER Ashley , MÖRS Thomas
Published: June 2024

Penguin tarsometatarsi are shortened and flattened, and studies devoted to the internal characteristics of these composite bones are very limited. Therefore, we present here a comprehensive, x‐ray‐microscopy‐based analysis based on tarsometatarsi of Eocene stem Sphenisciformes from Seymour Island (Antarctic Peninsula) as well as recent Aptenodytes forsteri, A. patagonicus, and Pygoscelis adeliae penguins. Our study focuses on four aspects: size variability of the medullary cavities, vascularization patterns with emphasis on diaphyseal vessels, cross‐sectional anisotropy, and diaphyseal resistance to bending forces. Small‐sized Eocene penguins (Delphinornis and Marambiornopsis) show well‐developed tarsometatarsal medullary cavities, whereas the cavities of “giant” early Sphenisciformes are either smaller (Palaeeudyptes) or show a conspicuous intermetatarsal size gradient (Anthropornis). Extant penguins exhibit a decrease in cavity dimensions as their body size increases. Distributional tendencies of primary diaphyseal nutrient foramina are quite similar in the smaller Delphinornis, Marambiornopsis, and extant Pygoscelis on one side and in Palaeeudyptes and extant Aptenodytes on the other. Anthropornis shows a unique, plesiomorphic pattern with a prevalence of plantar blood supply to the metatarsals. The diaphyseal nutrient canals diverge in orientation, some obliquely away from the proximal part, others with disparate trajectories. Cross‐sectional anisotropy along the tarsometatarsal shaft generally appears to be rather low. Clustering of coherency curves along certain tarsometatarsal segments may reflect a selection process that exerts a significant influence within biomechanically crucial sections. Diaphyseal resistance to mediolateral bending forces is explicitly more efficient in extant penguins than in Eocene Sphenisciformes. This can be interpreted as an adaptation to the waddling gait of extant penguins.
Microwave‐assisted extraction of mucilage from juá: Characterization and antioxidant activity
Authors: Fernandes Flávio Gomes , Silva Ricácia de Sousa , Oliveira Priscila Mayara de Lima , Petkowicz Carmen Lucia de Oliveira , Borges Graciele da Silva Campelo
Published: June 2024

Microwave‐assisted extraction of mucilage from juá was investigated using response surface methodology. The optimal conditions for extraction were a power of 300 W, an extraction time of 240 s, a pH of 8.0, and a water/sample ratio of 1/6, which achieved a 26.43% yield. The monosaccharide composition and antioxidant activity of the mucilage from juá fruits from different regions of Caatinga were investigated. The fruits from Agreste Paraibano showed the highest mucilage extraction yield (18.64%) compared to that of fruits from Mata Paraibana (MP) (12.37%), Borborema (BB) (11.47%), and Sertão Paraibano (8.31%) (p < 0.05). Glucose (32.8%–50.8%) and arabinose (19.3%–32.9%) were the main monosaccharides found in juá mucilage. The mucilage from fruits in the MP presented the highest antioxidant activity in the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assays. Our results demonstrated the potential for the future exploration and application of juá mucilage in the food industry.

Practical Application

Juá (Ziziphus joazeiro Mart.) mucilage contains phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, and its extraction by MAE is efficient, as it contributed to a higher yield.
Impact of pre‐ and post‐fermentation fining with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone on the chemical stability and aromatic profile of Viognier wine
Authors: Van Buiten Charlene B. , Elias Ryan J.
Published: June 2024

Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) is a synthetic, insoluble polymer that can be added to white wines to improve the chemical stability of the final product by precipitating unstable low molecular weight phenolic compounds responsible for visual defects and undesirable flavor characteristics (e.g., excessive bitterness and/or astringency). The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of PVPP on the quality characteristics of Viognier wine when added pre‐ or post‐fermentation as compared to an untreated control wine. Both PVPP‐treated wines contained significantly lower concentrations of monomeric phenolics and browning pigments than the control wine (p ≤ 0.05). The addition of PVPP prior to fermentation conferred protection against oxidation of the wine as measured by acetaldehyde concentration (p ≤ 0.05). Analysis of the volatile aroma profile of each wine by headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatographymass spectrometry (HS‐SPME‐GC‐MS) revealed that the overarching aroma profiles of the PVPP‐treated wines were significantly different from the control wine, but there was no difference between wines treated with PVPP pre‐fermentation versus those treated post‐fermentation. Specifically, statistically significant differences were observed in 9 of the 22 quantified aroma compounds, including those notably associated with the “stone fruit” aroma of Viognier. A negative correlation was identified between aroma compound concentration removal and the hydrophobicity of each compound, suggesting that the observed differences in aroma may be due to adsorption of aroma compounds by PVPP. The findings from this study present risks and benefits to wine quality upon treatment with PVPP at commercially recommended levels, and provide potentially valuable information for industrial wine producers.
Hindrance to sustainable development: Global inequities, non‐progressive education and inadequate science‐policy dialogue
Authors: Paoli Max
Published: June 2024

Social habits and economies driven by profit are opposing efforts to reach a path of sustainable development. In addition, many communities worldwide have diverged away from nature through consumerism and technology. In the context of the escalating risks and consequences related to global challenges such as the climate crisis and ecosystem degradation, education for sustainable development and science‐driven decision‐making offer tremendous opportunities for improvement.
Psychometric validation of the Positive Drinking Consequences Questionnaire in adolescents
Authors: Lee Mingyeong , Schillinger Emma S. , Zaso Michelle J. , Park Aesoon , Kim Jueun
Published: June 2024

Background

The Positive Drinking Consequences Questionnaire (PDCQ) was developed to measure positive consequences of alcohol use endorsed by college drinkers. Efforts to assess positive drinking consequences experienced by adolescents have been much more limited. The aim of the present study was to advance the psychometric testing and evaluation of the factor structure of the PDCQ in adolescents.

Methods

The current sample consisted of 173 adolescents at T1 (mean age = 15 years, range = 13–17; 61% female) who reported alcohol use in the past 12 months. Data were collected at two time points over a 12‐month interval in the United States. Confirmatory factor analyses, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and discriminant, concurrent, predictive, and incremental validity were tested.

Results

Our analyses supported four factors of positive alcohol‐related consequences: sociability, liquid courage, sexual enhancement, and tension reduction. Internal consistency was moderate to high (α = 0.78–0.94, ω = 0.86–0.91 at T1; α = 0.59–0.93, ω = 0.85–0.93 at T2). Test–retest reliability was fair to good (ICC = 0.46–0.55). The PDCQ total and subscale factor scores demonstrated discriminant validity from negative alcohol expectancy. PDCQ total and subscale factor scores were positively associated with current alcohol consumption (ρs = 0.19–0.50 at T1; ρs = 0.17–0.46 at T2), indicating concurrent validity. Predictive validity analyses showed that the overall PDCQ scale score and the sociability subscale positively predicted maximum drinks 1 year later (ρs = 0.18–0.22). However, the sexual enhancement subscale was negatively predictive of typical drinking frequency 1 year later. Finally, the PDCQ showed incremental validity for concurrent alcohol consumption beyond that for alcohol expectancies and drinking motives.

Conclusion

The present findings support for the reliability and validity of PDCQ for use in adolescents where it may have utility as an assessment tool for characterizing various aspects of positive drinking.
Volumetric study on sheep brain using stereology technique
Authors: Sadeghinezhad Javad , Ebrahimi Mohamad , Lehi Mehdi Heydari
Published: June 2024

Three‐dimensional morphometric data better show the structural and functional characteristics of the brain. The objective of this study was to estimate the volume of the cerebral structures of the sheep using design‐based stereology. The brains of five sheep were used, fixed in formalin 10% and embedded in agar 6%. An average of 10–12 slab was obtained from each brain. All slabs were stained using Mulligan's method and photographs were recorded. The volume of the brain and its structures were estimated using the Cavalieri's estimator and the point counting system. The total volume was 70604.8 ± 132.45 mm3. The volume fractions of the grey and white matters were calculated as 42.55 ± 0.21% and 24.23 ± 0.51% of the whole brain, respectively. The fractional volume of the caudate nucleus and claustrum were estimated at 2.39 ± 0.08% and at 1.008 ± 0.057% of total brain volume. The volumes of corpus callosum, internal capsule and external capsule were 1.24 ± 0.053%, 3.63 ± 0.22% and 0.698 ± 0.049% of total cerebral volume, respectively. These data could help improve the veterinary comparative neuroanatomy knowledge and development of experimental studies in the field.
Letter: Breaking new ground—Understanding the role of ATI‐free diet in managing MASLD
Authors: Spertino Matteo , Roberta Elisa Rossi , Pugliese Nicola
Published: June 2024

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Armandi et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17941 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18119
The implications of farmer‐to‐farmer learning and local knowledge networks for food security in Solomon Islands and beyond
Authors: Hill Deborah , Pamphilon Barbara
Published: June 2024

Across the Pacific, socio‐cultural networks are a key way to share knowledge and skills. However, as peer‐to‐peer learning is contextually and culturally located, it is important to understand the place‐based specifics of such learning. This article draws on the evaluation of a series of household‐based workshops on agricultural development and food security in a remote area of Solomon Islands. It outlines this community's kinship ecology for farmer learning pathways and demonstrates the interdependence of gender and kinship‐based social networks, showing how topics related to ethics of living were shared within clans, while food and agriculture topics were shared within households. The article concludes that understanding local knowledge networks can contribute to the design of more effective peer learning for food security and rural development.
Short stature and dysmorphic features in Asian Indian siblings with DAAM2‐associated steroid‐resistant nephrotic syndrome: Expansion of the phenotypic spectrum or a blended phenotype?
Authors: Pragna Lakshmi T. , Saini Neelam , Shah Mehul A. , Gowrishankar Swarnalata , Dalal Ashwin , Ranganath Prajnya
Published: June 2024

Variants in more than 60 different genes, most of which code for podocyte‐related proteins, have been found to be associated with monogenic forms of nephrotic syndrome (NS). Biallelic variants in DAAM2, a member of the formin family, were recently identified to cause autosomal recessive (AR) NS type 24 in four unrelated families with steroid‐resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). This case report represents only the fifth reported family of DAAM2‐associated NS and the first from India, with two sibs who presented with a complex phenotype characterized by steroid‐resistant nephrotic syndrome, short stature, dysmorphic facial features, deep‐set toenails, myopia, increased thickness of the calvarium of the skull, and sloping ribs. Both sibs were found to have a homozygous likely pathogenic nonsense variant c.196C>T (p.Arg66Ter; NM_001201427.2) in exon 3 of the DAAM2 gene through whole exome sequencing. The dysmorphic features could possibly be part of the DAAM2‐related phenotype which has hitherto not been reported or could represent a blended phenotype, with the extrarenal manifestations resulting from a yet to be identified coexisting genetic condition.
Scoping review of clinical decision support systems for multiple sclerosis management: Leveraging information technology and massive health data
Authors: Demuth Stanislas , Ed‐Driouch Chadia , Dumas Cédric , Laplaud David , Edan Gilles , Vince Nicolas , De Sèze Jérôme , Gourraud Pierre‐Antoine
Published: June 2024

Background and purpose

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, with numerous therapeutic options, but a lack of biomarkers to support a mechanistic approach to precision medicine. A computational approach to precision medicine could proceed from clinical decision support systems (CDSSs). They are digital tools aiming to empower physicians through the clinical applications of information technology and massive data. However, the process of their clinical development is still maturing; we aimed to review it in the field of MS.

Methods

For this scoping review, we screened systematically the PubMed database. We identified 24 articles reporting 14 CDSS projects and compared their technical and software development aspects.

Results

The projects position themselves in various contexts of usage with various algorithmic approaches: expert systems, CDSSs based on similar patients' data visualization, and model‐based CDSSs implementing mathematical predictive models. So far, no project has completed its clinical development up to certification for clinical use with global release. Some CDSSs have been replaced at subsequent project iterations. The most advanced projects did not necessarily report every step of clinical development in a dedicated article (proof of concept, offline validation, refined prototype, live clinical evaluation, comparative prospective evaluation). They seek different software distribution options to integrate into health care: internal usage, “peer‐to‐peer,” and marketing distribution.

Conclusions

This review illustrates the potential of clinical applications of information technology and massive data to support MS management and helps clarify the roadmap for future projects as a multidisciplinary and multistep process.
Mobile digital gait analysis captures effects of botulinum toxin in hereditary spastic paraplegia
Authors: Ibrahim Alzhraa A. , Ollenschläger Malte , Klebe Stephan , Schüle Rebecca , Jeschonneck Nicole , Kellner Melanie , Loris Evelyn , Greinwalder Teresa , Eskofier Bjoern M. , Winkler Jürgen , Gaßner Heiko , Regensburger Martin
Published: June 2024

Background and purpose

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) comprise a group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressive spasticity and weakness. Botulinum toxin has been approved for lower limb spasticity following stroke and cerebral palsy, but its effects in HSPs remain underexplored. We aimed to characterize the effects of botulinum toxin on clinical, gait, and patient‐reported outcomes in HSP patients and explore the potential of mobile digital gait analysis to monitor treatment effects and predict treatment response.

Methods

We conducted a prospective, observational, multicenter study involving ambulatory HSP patients treated with botulinum toxin tailored to individual goals. Comparing data at baseline, after 1 month, and after 3 months, treatment response was assessed using clinical parameters, goal attainment scaling, and mobile digital gait analysis. Machine learning algorithms were used for predicting individual goal attainment based on baseline parameters.

Results

A total of 56 patients were enrolled. Despite the heterogeneity of treatment goals and targeted muscles, botulinum toxin led to a significant improvement in specific clinical parameters and an improvement in specific gait characteristics, peaking at the 1‐month and declining by the 3‐month follow‐up. Significant correlations were identified between gait parameters and clinical scores. With a mean balanced accuracy of 66%, machine learning algorithms identified important denominators to predict treatment response.

Conclusions

Our study provides evidence supporting the beneficial effects of botulinum toxin in HSP when applied according to individual treatment goals. The use of mobile digital gait analysis and machine learning represents a novel approach for monitoring treatment effects and predicting treatment response.
Cross‐species signaling pathways analysis inspire animal model selections for drug screening and target prediction in vascular aging diseases
Authors: Sun Fei , Chen Xingxing , Zhang Shuqing , Jiang Haihong , Chen Tianhong , Xing Tongying , Li Xueyi , Sultan Rabia , Wang Zhimin , Jia Jia
Published: June 2024

Age is a significant contributing factor to the occurrence and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Pharmacological treatment can effectively alleviate CVD symptoms caused by aging. However, 90% of the drugs have failed in clinics because of the loss of drug effects or the occurrence of the side effects. One of the reasons is the disparity between animal models used and the actual physiological levels in humans. Therefore, we integrated multiple datasets from single‐cell and bulk‐seq RNA‐sequencing data in rats, monkeys, and humans to identify genes and pathways with consistent/differential expression patterns across these three species. An approach called “Cross‐species signaling pathway analysis” was developed to select suitable animal models for drug screening. The effectiveness of this method was validated through the analysis of the pharmacological predictions of four known anti‐vascular aging drugs used in animal/clinical experiments. The effectiveness of drugs was consistently observed between the models and clinics when they targeted pathways with the same trend in our analysis. However, drugs might have exhibited adverse effects if they targeted pathways with opposite trends between the models and the clinics. Additionally, through our approach, we discovered four targets for anti‐vascular aging drugs, which were consistent with their pharmaceutical effects in literatures, showing the value of this approach. In the end, software was established to facilitate the use of “Cross‐species signaling pathway analysis.” In sum, our study suggests utilizing bioinformatics analysis based on disease characteristics can help in choosing more appropriate animal models.
A symbolic violence approach to gender inequality in academia
Authors: Owusu‐Kwarteng Afua , Forson Cynthia , Dada Olufunmilola (Lola) , Jack Sarah
Published: June 2024

Feminist scholars have long recognized the gender‐based challenges that women in academia face relative to men. Although numerous strategies have been designed and implemented to tackle this problem, the attainment of gender equality in academia has proved futile globally. Integrating Acker's notion of the ideal worker with Bourdieu's concepts of symbolic violence and capital, we undertake a qualitative study of how women in African universities navigate the masculinized ideal academic norm, and how their efforts to break free from this symbolic image reproduces and legitimizes gender inequality. Drawing on the narratives of 36 women researchers in Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Kenya, Botswana, and Zambia, our analysis reveals how the perpetual struggle for power, positions, and resources in academia influences women researchers within these contexts to enact three strategies for legitimacy―(1) ‘Engage the patriarchal order,’ (2) ‘Contest normative femininity,’ and (3) ‘Appropriate normative femininity.’ In contributing to the ongoing efforts to achieve sustainable development goals 5 and 8, we develop a theoretical framework that illuminates the subtle and sophisticated mechanisms that (re)produce, sustain, and legitimize the gendered structures and cultures in academia that serve to disadvantage women. The implications of these findings for theory and practice are outlined.
Pediatric post‐dural puncture headache and paraplegia
Authors: Schievink Wouter I. , Maya Marcel M. , Taché Rachelle B. , Walker Corey T.
Published: June 2024

A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak developed in a 14‐year‐old girl and a 12‐year‐old boy following a diagnostic lumbar puncture. Two days and sixteen years later, respectively, paraplegia developed due to a functional disorder. Imaging revealed an extensive extradural CSF collection in both patients and digital subtraction myelography was required to pinpoint the exact site of a ventral dural puncture hole where the lumbar spinal needle had gone “through and through” the dural sac. The CSF leak was complicated by cortical vein thrombosis in one patient. Both patients underwent uneventful surgical repair of the ventral dural puncture hole with prompt resolution of the paraplegia. Iatrogenic ventral CSF leaks may become exceptionally long standing and may be complicated by paraplegia on a functional basis both in the acute and chronic phases.
Molecular classification of metastatic and recurrent endometrial endometrioid carcinoma: prognostic relevance among low‐ and high‐stage tumours
Authors: McHenry Austin , Devereaux Kelly , Ryan Emily , Chow Stephanie , Allard Grace , Ho Chandler C , Suarez Carlos J , Folkins Ann , Yang Eric , Longacre Teri A , Charu Vivek , Howitt Brooke E
Published: June 2024

Aims

Molecular classification according to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) improves endometrial endometrioid carcinoma (EEC) prognostication and has specific treatment implications; however, original data were skewed towards low‐grade and low‐stage tumours. Herein, we molecularly classify EECs metastatic at the time of diagnosis or with subsequently documented recurrent/metastatic disease to examine correlation with clinical outcomes.

Methods

TCGA categories include POLE‐mutated, microsatellite instability (MSI), p53 abnormal (p53 abnl) and no specific molecular profile (NSMP). POLE targeted sequencing at exons 9, 11, 13 and 14 and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for PMS2, MSH6 and p53 were performed to establish molecular classification.

Results

The distribution in our cohort of 141 EECs was similar to that generally reported in EEC, with nine POLE‐mutated (6%), 45 MSI (32%), 16 p53 abnl (11%) and 71 NSMP (50%), with similar distributions between low‐ and high‐stage cohorts. We demonstrate that when stratified by molecular subtype, disease‐specific survival from the time of high‐stage (stages III–IV) presentation or time of recurrence in low‐stage (stages I–II) disease among metastatic and/or recurrent EEC is strongly associated with TCGA classification (high‐stage P = 0.02, low‐stage P = 0.017). Discordant molecular classification between primary and metastatic/recurrent tumours occurred in four of 105 (3.8%) patients, two related to PMS2/MSH6 IHC and two related to p53 IHC.

Conclusions

We demonstrate that molecular classification is prognostically relevant not only at the time of diagnosis, but also at the time of recurrence and in the metastatic setting. Rare subclonal alterations occur and suggest a role for confirming TCGA classification in recurrent/metastatic tumours.
Characterization of a Peruvian coastal fishery targeting the Pacific guitarfish Pseudobatos planiceps
Authors: Jimenez Astrid , Pingo Sergio , González‐Pestana Adriana , Alfaro‐Shigueto Joanna , Mangel Jeffrey C.
Published: June 2024

From December 2012 to June 2014, 796 Pacific guitarfish were caught in 183 fishing sets in northern Peru. Catch occurred in 86.3% of sets. Most individuals caught were mature with a bias toward males. The mean total length for females and males was 83.4 cm, and 91.1 cm, respectively. The capture per unit effort (CPUE) was 12.6 ± 3.4 guitarfish (km.12 h)−1. The length–weight relationships showed that this species presents a sexual dimorphism in growth. These results support the importance of Sechura Bay as a key area for this species. This study represents the first species‐specific fishery data for the Pacific guitarfish.
Information Aggregation with Asymmetric Asset Payoffs
Authors: ALBAGLI ELIAS , HELLWIG CHRISTIAN , TSYVINSKI ALEH
Published: June 2024

We study noisy aggregation of dispersed information in financial markets without imposing parametric restrictions on preferences, information, and return distributions. We provide a general characterization of asset returns by means of a risk‐neutral probability measure that features excess weight on tail risks. Moreover, we link excess weight on tail risks to observable moments such as forecast dispersion and accuracy, and argue that it provides a unified explanation for several prominent cross‐sectional return anomalies. Simple calibrations suggest the model can account for a significant fraction of empirical returns to skewness, returns to disagreement, and interaction effects between the two.
Biological variation in cervical spinal cord MRI morphometry in healthy individuals and people with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Cook Sarah R. , Vasamreddy Kritin , Combes Anna , Vandekar Simon , Visagie Mereze , Houston Delaney , Wald Lily , Kumar Ashwin , McGrath Megan , McKnight Colin D. , Bagnato Francesca , Smith Seth A. , O'Grady Kristin P.
Published: June 2024

Background and Purpose

Conclusions from prior literature regarding the impact of sex, age, and height on spinal cord (SC) MRI morphometrics are conflicting, while the effect of body weight on SC morphometrics has been found to be nonsignificant. The purpose of this case‐control study is to assess the associations between cervical SC MRI morphometric parameters and age, sex, height, and weight to establish their potential role as confounding variables in a clinical study of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to a cohort of healthy volunteers.

Methods

Sixty‐nine healthy volunteers and 31 people with MS underwent cervical SC MRI at 3 Tesla field strength. Images were centered at the C3/C4 intervertebral disc and processed using Spinal Cord Toolbox v.4.0.2. Mixed‐effects linear regression models were used to evaluate the effects of biological variables and disease status on morphometric parameters.

Results

Sex, age, and height had significant effects on cord and gray matter (GM) cross‐sectional area (CSA) as well as the GM:cord CSA ratio. There were no significant effects of body weight on morphometric parameters. The effect of MS disease duration on cord CSA in the C4 level was significant when controlling for all other variables.

Conclusions

Studies of disease‐related changes in SC morphometry should control for sex, age, and height to account for physiological variation.
In vitro analysis of monomer leaching in modern dental materials: CAD milled, printed, traditional heat‐processed, and auto‐polymerizing denture base resins
Authors: Smidt Greta , Gao Shang , Iyer Divya , Srivastava Samanvaya , Shah Kumar C.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Denture fabrication has shifted from traditional heat‐processed and auto‐polymerizing materials to computer‐aided design and computer‐aided manufacturing (CAD‐CAM) milled and printed materials. The monomer in traditional materials can induce an allergic reaction in some patients. With the rise in the edentulous population and increasing demand for the fabrication of dentures, these newer materials should be studied for monomer leaching. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ratio of residual monomer in materials being used for denture bases: CAD‐milled polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), printed denture base resin, heat‐processed PMMA, and auto‐polymerizing PMMA comparatively.

Materials and Methods

Milled, printed, heat‐activated, and auto‐polymerizing denture base specimens (n = 3 for each group, each test run three times) were fabricated according to manufacturer recommendations. Specimens were first immersed in deuterated chloroform (CDCl3), a deuterated organic solvent, to evaluate monomer leaching and to observe physical properties of the materials. NMR spectroscopy was used to evaluate the dissolution of materials and residual monomer to crosslinked polymer ratios at 1, 4, and 9 days. A second group of specimens was then immersed in deuterium oxide (D2O) to evaluate if the residual monomers would leach out of the system. The solution was then analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for 1 month. The deuterated forms of chloroform (CDCl3) and water (D2O) were used to enable sample characterization by NMR.

Results

While the heat‐processed, auto‐polymerizing, and milled specimens possessed residual monomers, no significant monomer leaching was noted in the printed specimen, while immersed in CDCl3. Similarly, the printed specimen was most resistant to dissolution, as compared to the rest; dissolution of the specimen is indicative of little to no cross‐linking. No detectable dissolution of monomer was seen when all specimens were immersed in D2O for up to 1 month.

Conclusions

Residual monomers were not found in the printed denture material in this study in either CDCl3 or D2O, whereas CAD‐milled and traditionally processed denture bases still have residual monomers within their respective systems when immersed in organic solvent. None of the specimens tested leached monomers into D2O.
Neuronal Mechanisms Underlying Face Recognition in Non‐human Primates
Authors: Amita Hidetoshi , Koyano Kenji W. , Kunimatsu Jun
Published: June 2024

Humans and primates rely on visual face recognition for social interactions. Damage to specific brain areas causes prosopagnosia, a condition characterized by the inability to recognize familiar faces, indicating the presence of specialized brain areas for facial‐recognition processing. A breakthrough finding came from a non‐human primate (NHP) study conducted in the early 2000s; it was the first to identify multiple face‐processing areas in the temporal lobe, termed “face patches.” Subsequent studies have demonstrated the unique role of each face patch in the structural analysis of faces. More recent studies have expanded these findings by exploring the role of face‐patch networks in social and memory functions and the importance of early face exposure in the development of the system. In this review, we discuss the neuronal mechanisms responsible for analyzing facial features, categorizing faces, and associating faces with memory and social contexts within both the cerebral cortex and subcortical areas. Use of NHPs in neuropsychological and neurophysiological studies can highlight the mechanistic aspects of the neuronal circuit underlying face recognition at both the single‐neuron and whole‐brain network levels.
Regimes of pain: The geopolitics of cancer palliation in Pakistan
Authors: Hayat Zahra
Published: June 2024

This article examines how militarized regimes of narcotics and price control sustain unpalliated cancer pain in Pakistan. It shows how these regimes of control—reimagined as “regimes of pain”—render morphine, a cheap, effective opiate analgesic, scarce in hospitals. Meanwhile, heroin, morphine's illegal derivative, proliferates in illicit circuits. The article highlights a devastating consequence of the global wars against drugs and “terror”: the consignment of cancer patients to agonizing end‐of‐life pain. Widening the analytic lens upon palliation beyond bodies and their clinical encounters, the article offers a geopolitics of palliation. It shows how narcovigilance targeting illicit drugs has the perverse effect of throttling morphine's licit supply. It shows further how unviably low price ceilings, purported to ensure a poor population's access to morphine, render it scarce on the official market. These mutually reinforcing regimes of control thus thwart their own purported objectives, consigning cancer patients to preventable, yet unpalliated, pain.
Understanding the impact of selective fishery and bycatch on stock dynamics
Authors: Takashina Nao
Published: June 2024

Age/size selective fishery, which targets large individuals and retains immature individuals, is practiced worldwide. Yet, selective fishing can result in bycatch of undersized target species, posing a serious problem in stock management. In addition, there is a growing concern that intensive selective removal alters the composition of a population. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of selective fishery on stock dynamics is essential for sustainable fishery management. In this study, an age‐structured model based on the Schaefer model assumptions was used to investigate the effects of selective fisheries and their bycatch on stock dynamics. Local stability analyses suggest that selective fishery can cause undesirable oscillatory stock dynamics in fishery management. Numerical simulations revealed that maximum sustainable yield‐based management with a large age at maturity is more likely to lead to stock oscillations. Notably, bycatch, which is detrimental to the sustainability of the fishery, was found to reduce the oscillatory dynamics. Overall, selective fisheries tend to cause oscillatory stock dynamics in various situations. Selective fishing also tends to reduce the critical fishing effort that causes stock extinction; therefore, a precautionary approach is necessary to mitigate such issues.

Recommendations for Resource Managers

Age/size selective fishing that retains immature individuals is practiced worldwide and often cause unwanted bycatch, thus requiring a solid understanding for successful management.

Selective fishing can cause fluctuations in stock dynamics that are undesirable for sustainable fisheries. This situation may be more likely to occur when the minimum age for fishing is large. It may also occur in fisheries based on maximum sustainable yield.

Precautionary management, such as the establishment of marine protected areas, is therefore required.
Search patterns, resource regeneration, and ambush locations impact the competition between active and ambush predators
Authors: Scharf Inon
Published: June 2024

Many predators ambush prey rather than pursue them or shift between foraging modes. Active predators typically encounter prey more frequently than ambush predators. I designed a simulation model to examine whether this always holds and how active and ambush predators fare in capturing mobile prey. Prey foraged for clumped resources using area‐restricted search, shifting from directional movement before resource encounter to less directional movement afterward. While active predators succeeded more than ambush predators, the advantage of active predators diminished when ambush predators were positioned inside resource patches rather than outside. I investigated the impact of eight treatments and their interactions. For example, regeneration of prey resources increased the difference between ambush predators inside and outside patches, and uncertain prey capture by predators decreased this difference. Several interactions resulted in outcomes different from each factor in isolation. For instance, reducing the directionality level of active predators impacted moderately when applied alone, but when combined with resource regeneration it led to the worst success of active predators against ambush predators inside patches. Ambush predators may not always be inferior to active predators, and one should consider the key traits of the studied system to predict the relative success of these two foraging modes.
Effects of bariatric surgery on muscle strength and quality: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Ibacache‐Saavedra Paulina , Martínez‐Rosales Elena , Jerez‐Mayorga Daniel , Miranda‐Fuentes Claudia , Artero Enrique G. , Cano‐Cappellacci Marcelo
Published: June 2024

Obesity is a major health burden worldwide. Although bariatric surgery (BS) is recognized as an effective strategy for weight loss and comorbidities improvement, its impact on muscle strength and quality is still unclear. We aimed to examine postoperative changes in muscle strength and quality and their relationship with body mass index (BMI) changes among adults undergoing BS. To this end, we systematically searched the WoS, PubMed, EBSCO, and Scopus databases. The meta‐analyses, which included 24 articles (666 participants), showed that BS reduces absolute lower‐limb isometric strength (ES = −0.599; 95% CI = ‐0.972, −0.226; p = 0.002). Subjects who experienced a more significant reduction in BMI after BS also suffered a higher loss of absolute muscle strength. Similarly, absolute handgrip strength showed a significant decrease (ES = −0.376; 95% CI = −0.630, −0.121; p = 0.004). We found insufficient studies investigating medium‐ and long‐term changes in muscle strength and/or quality after BS. This study provides moderate‐quality evidence that BS‐induced weight loss can reduce the strength of appendicular muscles in the short term, which should be addressed in management these subjects. More high‐quality studies are needed to evaluate the impact of BS on muscle strength and the different domains of muscle quality in the medium and long term (registered on PROSPERO CRD42022332581).
Upper eyelid morphology and age‐related changes in Japanese and Chinese females
Authors: Udodaira Kumiko , Yokoyama Emilie , Zhu Tingting , Wang Yang , Zhao Lina
Published: June 2024

Background

Many consumers use cosmetic eye products to counteract age‐related changes in appearance. Measurements of eyelid shape in Asian women have been reported in the frontal view or 45‐degree profile only. The aim of this study was to describe morphological characteristics of the upper eyelid in Japanese and Chinese females from the frontal and profile aspects and examine morphological changes with age.

Materials and methods

Standardized digital photographs of 772 Japanese and 346 Chinese women (15‐79 years of age) were acquired in frontal and 90‐degree profile aspects. Eleven upper eyelid parameters (e.g., width, length, depth, aperture, and curvature) were measured using image analysis to determine age‐related changes and compare by ethnicity.

Results

Eyelid width, area between eyebrow and eyelid, and eyelid curvature were comparable for both ethnicities under age 40, but the aging effect was more pronounced in Chinese subjects. Eyelid height, depth, and upper eyelid aperture angle were also comparable for both ethnicities under age 40, but the aging effect was more evident in Japanese subjects. Upper eyelid incline angle, eye orientation, and upper eyelid protrusion angle changed comparably with age for both ethnicities. No prominent age‐related changes were evident for eyelid length or area between eyebrow and eye with the eye closed.

Conclusion

Upper eyelid morphology changes with age in Japanese and Chinese females, starting around 40 years of age. Ethnic differences are limited in younger age groups but become more prominent with age. The findings suggest that aging affects some upper eyelid features earlier than others.
Racial resentment, sexism, and evaluations of Kamala Harris in the 2020 U.S. presidential election
Authors: Knuckey Jonathan , Mathews Adrienne
Published: June 2024

Objective

This article examines the effect of racial attitudes and sexism on evaluations of Kamala Harris. It also compares the effect of these variables on evaluations of other Democratic politicians: Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton.

Methods

Data are taken from the 2020 American National Election Studies, using feeling thermometers for Harris, Biden, and Obama, and from the 2016 American National Election Studies for Clinton. Our primary independent variables are racial resentment and three measures of sexism: modern, hostile, and traditional sexism.

Results

Racial resentment, modern sexism, and traditional sexism exerted an effect on evaluations of Kamala Harris above and beyond other explanatory variables, including party identification and ideology. However, these effects did not differ considerably from those found for Biden, Obama, and Clinton.

Conclusions

Racial resentment and sexism appear to be related to evaluations of any Democratic presidential or vice presidential nominee, reflecting how they have become salient in defining party identities. We speculate, however, that their effects might be even more visible for black women at the top of a presidential ticket, and provide major headwinds into which Kamala Harris may have to run when contemplating any future presidential candidacy of her own.
Preference-Based Feasibility Study for Premium Apartments in Indonesia
Authors: Rahadi Raden Aswin , Rahmawaty Ameliana , Afgani Kurnia Fajar , Rahmawati Dwi , Putranto Nur Arief Rahmatsyah
Published: June 2024

This research aims to analyze the most optimistic scenario of a financial feasibility study for apartment product in South Bekasi, Indonesia. The location was selected due to the plan by the property developer to conduct a development in the area. It is a premium apartment enthralled-market towards differentiation strategy; by providing luxury facilities; however, the market response is negative. To determine adequate facilities, apartment unit size, and unit prize, the authors have evaluated the most feasible scenarios. These scenarios are developed using the worst to the very optimistic patterns that can be achieved through financial analysis. A market survey was conducted to analyze customer preferences. There are nine factors of customer preferences that have been analyzed in this research encompassing specific location, design and concept, facilities, accessibility, liveability, reinvestment value, the reputation of the developer, physical quality, and floor plan. Data were collected from a total of 252 respondents, consisted of apartment owners and future apartment owners. This study used descriptive statistical analysis via average analysis. The market survey results were then used to develop the scenarios for feasibility studies in this research. Nine scenarios were carried out to evaluate the most optimistic feasibility study. All the scenarios produced positive NPV and accepted IRR, with Payback Period faster than the required and/or requested time. The smallest IRR produced is 12.45%, which is higher than the Weighted Average Cost of Capital of 10.9%. These findings show that even in the worst situation, this project is feasible to use the modified assumptions discussed earlier.
Real Estate-Backed Mortgages and Alternative Recovery Techniques: Evidence from Selected Banks in Tanzania
Authors: Kansheba Jonathan Mukiza Peter , Iddy Judith Jacob
Published: June 2024

Inefficiencies accompanying foreclosures in recovering outstanding debts of real estate-backed mortgages have necessitated banks and other mortgage lenders to opt for alternative recovery techniques. Extant studies have focused much on the application of workouts mainly in developed economies (which are characterized by well-established real estate and financial markets) with less attention from emerging economies. This study aimed at exploring how banks in Tanzania apply alternative recovery techniques in real estate-backed mortgages. A qualitative approach was used to collect the data from multiple commercial banks in Tanzania. Interviews, annual reports, and government documents were used to triangulate the information. Findings revealed that different forms of workouts are preferred. The most preferred technique was mortgage modification, followed by mortgage refinancing. Other workout techniques such as forbearance, transfer of debt to a new borrower and short sale are minimally applied.  Likewise, the banks were found applying the scare-tactics to enforce the customers do all they can to clear their debts before considering the use of the workouts. The study recommends that to facilitate optimal workouts, all stakeholders including the government, the bank systems, borrowers, and real property professionals must jointly cooperate for mutual benefits. The study proposed that further research could explore the fraudulent practice of borrowers that limit operationalization of workouts. Moreover, an investigation on whether borrowers’ benefit by changing terms of their repayment could be made. Finally, further studies are needed to investigate whether there is heterogeneity in the application of workouts between commercial and residential mortgage with a view to establishing whether borrowers’ default intentionally or not.
Assessing the Factors that Account for Variations in Residential Property Investment Returns Relative to Infrastructure Conditions in North Central Nigeria
Authors: Adeogun Adekunle Sunday , Kuma Shien Stephen
Published: June 2024

Variation in the returns on residential property investment in the same region or location in spite of availability of infrastructure is a course for action. This paper assessed the factors that account for the variations in residential property investment returns in relation to infrastructure conditions in the North Central Nigeria. Data were collected and analysed from 765 closed-ended questionnaires administered through stratified sampling technique in Abuja, Jos and Ilorin respectively. Descriptive and inferential methods were adopted to analyse data collected. The result revealed a better rate of return on residential property investment in Abuja than Jos and Ilorin and a significant variation in the rate of returns existed across the 3 cities. Analysis also show that infrastructure conditions are better in Abuja, good in Jos and fair at Ilorin as assessed using condition index developed through the scoring analysis and measured against the standard rating developed by AAPPA (2010). Further, result from factor analysis indicates that, infrastructure conditions has accounted for 74.087% variation in the rate of return on residential property investments in the study area. Two (2) main categories of infrastructure types are responsible for such variation with the first ‘Aesthetic factor’ accounting for 54.56% with infrastructure type such as recreation, drainage, waste disposal and streetlight. The second types are labelled ‘Freedom Factor’ with power (electricity), access roads, security, education, health, and water supply. The study concluded that variation in residential property investment returns is influenced by availability and functionality of infrastructure. A recommendation of stakeholders in real estate investment consultation was made to assist in making best investment decision relative to infrastructures that are responsible for higher returns on property investment.