bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Pentecostal theology of radical sharing: Sam‐Ae and ubuntu as critical hermeneutics of engaged love
Authors: Kgatle Mookgo Solomon , Kaunda Chammah J.
Published: October 2023

The article argues that although Pentecostal churches in Africa have the potential to challenge and transform the reality of inequalities in Africa, instead, they are reproducing and perpetuating these inequalities by creating an inequality gap among themselves, especially, between the pastors and their fellow congregants. A closer look at some of these churches reveals that some of them are propagating social, political, and economic inequalities demonstrated in the gap that exists between the pastors and their ordinary members. In response, we construct a Pentecostal theology of radical sharing to argue for a balanced distribution of wealth between the rich and the poor to deal with the challenges of inequalities. It demonstrates that indigenous idioms such as sam‐ae (Korea) and ubuntu (Africa) are critical hermeneutics from the margins for interpretative translation/contextualization of the Christian faith into a theology of radical sharing in the fight against inequalities within African Indigenous Pentecostalism.
Sustained metabolic benefits of ΔTRTX‐Ac1, a tarantula venom‐derived peptide, when administered together with exenatide in high‐fat fed mice
Authors: Coulter‐Parkhill Aimee , Tanday Neil , Cobice Diego , McLaughlin Christopher M. , McClean Stephen , Gault Victor A. , Irwin Nigel
Published: October 2023

Aim

The aim of the present study was to assess the long‐term therapeutic efficacy of a recently discovered 28 amino acid peptide, Δ‐theraphotoxin‐Ac1 (Δ‐TRTX‐Ac1), originally isolated from venom of the Aphonopelma chalcodes tarantula. Δ‐TRTX‐Ac has previously been shown to improve pancreatic beta‐cell function and suppress appetite.

Materials and Methods

Δ‐TRTX‐Ac1 was administered twice daily in high‐fat fed (HFF) mice with streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced insulin deficiency, namely HFF/STZ mice, for 28 days both alone and in combination with the venom‐derived glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) mimetic, exenatide.

Results

Initial pharmacokinetic profiling of ΔTRTX‐Ac1 revealed a plasma half‐life of 2 h in mice, with ΔTRTX‐Ac1 also evidenced in the pancreas 12 h post‐injection. Accordingly, HFF‐STZ mice received twice‐daily injections of Δ‐TRTX‐Ac1, exenatide or a combination of both peptides for 28 days. As anticipated, HFF/STZ mice presented with hyperglycaemia, impaired glucose tolerance, decreased plasma and pancreatic insulin and disturbed pancreatic islet morphology. Administration of ΔTRTX‐Ac1 reduced body weight, improved glucose tolerance and augmented pancreatic insulin content while decreasing glucagon content. Exenatide had similar benefits on body weight and pancreatic hormone content while also reducing circulating glucose. ΔTRTX‐Ac1 decreased energy expenditure on day 28 whereas exenatide had no impact. All treatment regimens restored pancreatic islet and beta‐cell area towards lean control levels, which was linked to significantly elevated beta‐cell proliferation rates. In terms of benefits of combined ΔTRTX‐Ac1 and exenatide treatment over individual agents, there was augmentation of glucose tolerance and ambulatory activity with combination therapy, and these mice presented with increased pancreatic glucagon.

Conclusion

These data highlight the therapeutic promise of ΔTRTX‐Ac1 for diabetes, with suggestion that benefits could be enhanced through combined administration with exenatide.
Multi‐colony tracking of two pelagic seabirds with contrasting flight capability illustrates how windscapes shape migratory movements at an ocean‐basin scale
Authors: Amélineau Françoise , Tarroux Arnaud , Lacombe Simon , Bråthen Vegard S. , Descamps Sebastien , Ekker Morten , Fauchald Per , Johansen Malin K. , Moe Børge , Anker‐Nilssen Tycho , Bogdanova Maria I. , Bringsvor Ingar S. , Chastel Olivier , Christensen‐Dalsgaard Signe , Daunt Francis , Dehnhard Nina , Einar Erikstad Kjell , Ezhov Aleksey , Gavrilo Maria , Hansen Erpur S. , Harris Mike P. , Helgason Hálfdán H. , Langset Magdalene , Léandri‐Breton Don‐Jean , Lorentsen Svein‐Håkon , Merkel Benjamin , Newell Mark , Olsen Bergur , Reiertsen Tone K. , Systad Geir H. R. , Thorarinsson Thorkell L. , Åström Jens , Strøm Hallvard
Published: October 2023

Migration is a common trait among many animals allowing the exploitation of spatiotemporally variable resources. It often implies high energetic costs to cover large distances, for example between breeding and wintering grounds. For flying or swimming animals, the adequate use of winds and currents can help reduce the associated energetic costs. Migratory seabirds are good models because they dwell in habitats characterized by strong winds while undertaking very long migrations. We tested the hypothesis that seabirds migrate through areas with favourable winds. To that end, we used the SEATRACK dataset, a multi‐colony geolocator tracking dataset, for two North Atlantic seabirds with contrasting flight capabilities, the black‐legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla and the Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica, and wind data from the ERA5 climate reanalysis model. Both species had on average positive wind support during migration. Their main migratory routes were similar and followed seasonally prevailing winds. The general migratory movement had a loop‐shape at the scale of the North Atlantic, with an autumn route (southward) along the east coast of Greenland, and a spring route (northward) closer to the British Isles. While migrating, both species had higher wind support in spring than in autumn. Kittiwakes migrated farther and benefited from higher wind support than puffins on average. The variation in wind conditions encountered while migrating was linked to the geographical location of the colonies. Generally, northernmost colonies had a better wind support in autumn while the southernmost colonies had a better wind support in spring, with some exceptions. Our study helps understanding how the physical environment shapes animal migration, which is crucial to further predict how migrants will be impacted by ongoing environmental changes.
Development and psychometric properties of a questionnaire about knowledge of lay people about traumatic dental injury
Authors: Magno Marcela Baraúna , Jural Lucas Alves , Ribeiro‐Lages Mariana Batista , Silva Kenderson , Coqueiro Raildo Silva , Pithon Matheus Melo , Maia Lucianne Cople
Published: October 2023

Background/Aims

The level of knowledge about traumatic dental injuries (TDI) of lay people from a national point of view has never been studied and there is currently a lack of validated research instruments on this issue. The present study aims to develop and validate a questionnaire (TDI‐Q) to assess the knowledge of lay people about TDI, including participants from the five regions of Brazil.

Material and Methods

TDI‐Q was drafted, in Brazilian Portuguese, based on the recommendations of the International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT). Before its application, TDI‐Q was evaluated by dentists, lay people, linguists, and psychometrists. The questionnaire was applied to measure temporal stability at two distinct times, with an interval of 15–20 days between the two applications: test (n = 110) and retest (n = 50). The presence of floor and ceiling effects were investigated by analyzing the frequency of responses of the questionnaire; convergent construct validity was tested through Spearman's correlation; the Mann–Whitney test was applied to discriminant construct validity. Temporal stability and internal consistency were evaluated through intraclass correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha, respectively.

Results

The floor and ceiling effects were not observed (0.9% and 2.7%, respectively); convergent validity analysis indicated a positive and strong correlation (r = 0.50; p < .001). Significant discriminant construct validity (p < .05) was observed. Satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.7) and temporal stability (ICC = 0.82, p < .001) were also achieved.

Conclusion

TDI‐Q proved to have good psychometric properties and to be a reliable tool for evaluating the knowledge of lay people regarding TDI in the Brazilian population.
A systematic review of factors prolonging or reducing the duration of untreated psychosis for people with psychosis in low‐ and middle‐income countries
Authors: Paquin‐Goulet Marianne , Krishnadas Rajeev , Beattie Louise
Published: October 2023

Aim

This review aims to identify factors that may prolong or reduce the duration of untreated psychosis for people with psychosis in low‐ and middle‐income countries.

Methods

Electronic searches of six databases were conducted, to find studies from low‐ and middle‐income countries on people with psychotic disorders provided they statistically measured an association between factors that may prolong or reduce the duration of untreated psychosis. Studies were critically appraised and a narrative synthesis exploring differences between and within studies is presented. A socio‐ecological model is used to convey the main findings.

Results

Thirty studies of 16 473 participants in total were included in this review. Taken together participants were 51.5% male and 48.5% female. Various factors potentially associated with longer duration of untreated psychosis for people with psychosis in low‐ and middle‐income countries were found. Examples of these factors are an insidious mode of onset, greater family stigma and low social class. Other factors, such as marital status, educational level, diagnostic type, predominant symptoms and employment status, yielded inconsistent results.

Conclusions

The methodological quality of the included studies limits the conclusions of this review. The results indicate an urgent need for further high‐quality research in these countries. The socio‐ecological model is a helpful framework for clinicians, scholars, and decision‐makers to conceptualize factors that may affect the duration of untreated psychosis, highlight gaps in the literature as well as reflect on potential prevention strategies that may ultimately support early intervention services for people with psychosis in developing countries.
MDS/CMML from resource‐limited region: Characteristics and comparison to tertiary reference European center
Authors: Sevoyan Anna , Mekinian Arsène , Chermat Fatiha , Adès Lionel , Ivanyan A. , Fenaux Pierre , Hakobyan Yervand
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) and Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML) are clonal myeloid malignancies, characterized by bone marrow failure leading to cytopenias (and possible myeloproliferation for CMML) and a high propensity to evolve to Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

Objective and Methods

The aim of our retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical and hematological features; the prevalence of MDS subtypes, R‐IPSS, and the outcome of 106 Armenian MDS/CMML patients diagnosed over the 2008–2020 period in a single Armenian Hematology center and compare them to French MDS patients included in the GFM registry.

Results

Median age in the Armenian cohort was 64 years (range 19–84) and 55% were males. The main MDS subtypes were MDS‐MLD (29.2%) and MDS‐SLD (27.3%), the least frequent was del 5q (0.9%). By comparison, a higher prevalence of MDS‐MLD, MDS‐EB2, and MDS‐RS was found in the French cohort. Armenian patients’ cohort generally had poor access to standard MDS treatment and 42.3% of the patients were transfusion dependent. Overall survival, however, did not significantly differ between Armenian and French cohorts.

Conclusion

Our study stresses issues regarding epidemiology, access to diagnosis, difficulties of risk stratification, and access to treatment.
Niche types and community assembly
Authors: Davison John , Gerz Maret , Hiiesalu Inga , Moora Mari , Semchenko Marina , Zobel Martin
Published: October 2023

Studies of niche differentiation and biodiversity often focus on a few niche dimensions due to the methodological challenge of describing hyperdimensional niche space. However, this may limit our understanding of community assembly processes. We used the full spectrum of realized niche types to study arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities: distinguishing abiotic and biotic, and condition and resource, axes. Estimates of differentiation in relation to different niche types were only moderately correlated. However, coexisting taxon niches were consistently less differentiated than expected, based on a regional null model, indicating the importance of habitat filtering at that scale. Nonetheless, resource niches were relatively more differentiated than condition niches, which is consistent with the effect of a resource niche‐based coexistence mechanism. Considering niche types, and in particular distinguishing resource and condition niches, provides a more complete understanding of community assembly, compared with studying individual niche axes or the full niche.
Treatment reduces the incidence of newly appearing multiple sclerosis lesions evolving into chronic active, slowly expanding lesions: A retrospective analysis
Authors: Calvi Alberto , Mendelsohn Zoe , Hamed Weaam , Chard Declan , Tur Carmen , Stutters Jon , MacManus David , Kanber Baris , Wheeler‐Kingshott Claudia A. M. Gandini , Barkhof Frederik , Prados Ferran
Published: October 2023

Background and purpose

Newly appearing lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS) may evolve into chronically active, slowly expanding lesions (SELs), leading to sustained disability progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of newly appearing lesions developing into SELs, and their correlation to clinical evolution and treatment.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of a fingolimod trial in primary progressive MS (PPMS; INFORMS, NCT 00731692) was undertaken. Data were available from 324 patients with magnetic resonance imaging scans up to 3 years after screening. New lesions at year 1 were identified with convolutional neural networks, and SELs obtained through a deformation‐based method. Clinical disability was assessed annually by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Nine‐Hole Peg Test, Timed 25‐Foot Walk, and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test. Linear, logistic, and mixed‐effect models were used to assess the relationship between the Jacobian expansion in new lesions and SELs, disability scores, and treatment status.

Results

One hundred seventy patients had ≥1 new lesions at year 1 and had a higher lesion count at screening compared to patients with no new lesions (median = 27 vs. 22, p = 0.007). Among the new lesions (median = 2 per patient), 37% evolved into definite or possible SELs. Higher SEL volume and count were associated with EDSS worsening and confirmed disability progression. Treated patients had lower volume and count of definite SELs (β = −0.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.07 to −0.01, p = 0.015; β = −0.36, 95% CI = −0.67 to −0.06, p = 0.019, respectively).

Conclusions

Incident chronic active lesions are common in PPMS, and fingolimod treatment can reduce their number.
Added value of corpus callosotomy following vagus nerve stimulation in children with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome: A multicenter, multinational study
Authors: Roth Jonathan , Bergman Lottem , Weil Alexander G. , Brunette‐Clement Tristan , Weiner Howard L. , Treiber Jeffrey M. , Shofty Ben , Cukiert Arthur , Cukiert Cristine Mella , Tripathi Manjari , Sarat Chandra Poodipedi , Bollo Robert J. , Machado Hélio Rubens , Santos Marcelo Volpon , Gaillard William D. , Oluigbo Chima O. , Ibrahim George M. , Jallo George I. , Shimony Nir , O'Neill Brent R. , Budke Marcelo , Pérez‐Jiménez María Ángeles , Mangano Francesco T. , Iwasaki Masaki , Iijima Keiya , Gonzalez‐Martinez Jorge , Kawai Kensuke , Ishishita Yohei , Elbabaa Samer K. , Bello‐Espinosa Luis , Fallah Aria , Maniquis Cassia A. B. , Ben‐Zvi Ido , Tisdall Martin , Panigrahi Manas , Jayalakshmi Sita , Blount Jeffrey P. , Dorfmüller Georg , Bulteau Christine , Stone Scellig S. , Bolton Jeffrey , Singhal Ashutosh , Connolly Mary , Alsowat Daad , Alotaibi Faisal , Ragheb John , Uliel‐Sibony Shimrit
Published: October 2023

Objective

Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe form of epileptic encephalopathy, presenting during the first years of life, and is very resistant to treatment. Once medical therapy has failed, palliative surgeries such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) or corpus callosotomy (CC) are considered. Although CC is more effective than VNS as the primary neurosurgical treatment for LGS‐associated drop attacks, there are limited data regarding the added value of CC following VNS. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of CC preceded by VNS.

Methods

This multinational, multicenter retrospective study focuses on LGS children who underwent CC before the age of 18 years, following prior VNS, which failed to achieve satisfactory seizure control. Collected data included epilepsy characteristics, surgical details, epilepsy outcomes, and complications. The primary outcome of this study was a 50% reduction in drop attacks.

Results

A total of 127 cases were reviewed (80 males). The median age at epilepsy onset was 6 months (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.12–22.75). The median age at VNS surgery was 7 years (IQR = 4–10), and CC was performed at a median age of 11 years (IQR = 8.76–15). The dominant seizure type was drop attacks (tonic or atonic) in 102 patients. Eighty‐six patients underwent a single‐stage complete CC, and 41 an anterior callosotomy. Ten patients who did not initially have a complete CC underwent a second surgery for completion of CC due to seizure persistence. Overall, there was at least a 50% reduction in drop attacks and other seizures in 83% and 60%, respectively. Permanent morbidity occurred in 1.5%, with no mortality.

Significance

CC is vital in seizure control in children with LGS in whom VNS has failed. Surgical risks are low. A complete CC has a tendency toward better effectiveness than anterior CC for some seizure types.
Conditional reciprocity in invertebrates is robust to disturbances
Authors: Lorenzi Maria Cristina , Laura Picchi , Claire Ricci‐Bonot , Elise Jeanne
Published: October 2023

Reciprocity, one of the evolutionary explanations for cooperation, evolves between individuals when helping is conditional upon receiving help in return (“A helps B because B helped A before”). Often tested in controlled laboratory conditions, its robustness to external disturbances has rarely been evaluated. Here, we investigated whether reciprocity is robust when disturbances occur in between the donation by one individual and its return by a partner. As model system, we used a simultaneously hermaphroditic polychaete worm (Ophryotrocha diadema), where partners in isolated dyads engage in iterated exchanges of eggs for sperm (eggs are a costly donation relatively to sperm). If a partner donates eggs and the other fertilizes them, the latter is likely to donate eggs a couple of days later. (Eggs and larvae are then cared by the parents which sit at the nest and only leave it for foraging.) We removed the eggs from the nests daily or weekly and found that reciprocity decisions were not substantially altered; focal worms were more likely to lay if the partner laid before. We also found that, irrespective of treatment, worms exchanged comparable number of eggs, and were stimulated to lay significantly sooner if the partners laid a second clutch before they reciprocated. These results show that reciprocity is robust to disturbances which may happen in the 2 days’ time gap between egg donation and egg reciprocation.
DNA methylation and transcriptome analysis reveal epigenomic differences among three macaque species
Authors: Wang Jiao , Liu Xuyuan , Lan Yue , Que Tengcheng , Li Jing , Yue Bisong , Fan Zhenxin
Published: October 2023

Macaques (genus Macaca) are the most widely distributed non‐human primates, and their evolutionary history, gene expression profiles, and genetic differences have been extensively studied. However, the DNA methylomes of macaque species are not available in public databases, which hampers understanding of epigenetic differences among macaque species. Epigenetic modifications can potentially affect development, physiology, behavior, and evolution. Here, we investigated the methylation patterns of the Tibetan macaque (M. thibetana; TM), Chinese rhesus macaque (M. mulatta lasiota; CR), and crab‐eating macaque (M. fascicularis; CE) through whole‐genome bisulfite sequencing from peripheral blood. We compared genome‐wide methylation site information for the three species. We identified 12,128 (CR vs. CE), 59,165 (CR vs. TM), and 39,751 (CE vs. TM) differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the three macaques. Furthermore, we obtained the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among the three macaque species. The differences between CR and CE were smaller at both the methylome and transcriptome levels than compared with TM (CR vs. TM and CE vs. TM). We also found a change in the density of single nucleotide mutations in DMRs relative to their flanking regions, indicating a potential mechanism through which genomic alterations may modulate methylation landscapes, thereby influencing the transcriptome. Functional enrichment analyses showed the DMR‐related genes were enriched in developmental processes and neurological functions, such as the growth hormone‐related pathway, insulin secretion pathway, thyroid hormone synthesis pathway, morphine addiction, and GABAergic synapses. These differences may be associated with variations in physiology and habitat among the macaques. Our study provides one of the first genome‐wide comparisons of genetic, gene expression, and epigenetic variations across different macaques. Our results should facilitate further research on comparative genomic and genetic differences in macaque species.
Loss of ARHGAP40 expression in basal cell carcinoma via CpG island hypermethylation
Authors: Yu Na , Yuan Bei , Cai Jian , Liu Jie , Zhang Wei , Bao Wei , Wang Jiandong
Published: October 2023

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignant tumour arising from the basal cells of the epidermis or follicular structures. The aetiology of BCC is a multifactorial combination of genotype, phenotype and environmental factors. The pathogenesis of BCC remains unclear, with diverse and complex signalling pathways involved. ARHGAP40 is a Rho GTPase‐activating protein (RhoGAP). Rho GTPases play a crucial role in the formation and progression of numerous cancers. The expression levels and roles of ARHGAP40 in BCC have not been explored. Here, ARHGAP40 expression was detected in a set of formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) samples of basal cell carcinoma, paracancerous normal skin and benign skin lesions. The epigenetic mechanism that downregulates ARHGAP40 in basal cell carcinoma was investigated. We found that ARHGAP40 is expressed in normal basal cells and most benign skin lesions but lost in most basal cell carcinomas. We detected CpG island hypermethylation at the promoter‐associated region of ARHGAP40. Our data suggest that ARHGAP40 is downregulated in BCC due to hypermethylation. ARHGAP40 protein is a potential novel biomarker for distinguishing trichoblastoma from BCC. This report is preliminary, and extensive research into the role of ARHGAP40 in BCC carcinogenesis and its potential as a treatment target is required in the future.
Cooperative resilience: Toward a heuristic model of collective action in a crisis
Authors: Mangan Anita , Ward Anne Marie
Published: October 2023

This paper examines financial cooperatives (credit unions) in Ireland and their response to COVID‐19. The paper offers two contributions. The first is the Cooperative Resilience Framework, which highlights the importance of iterative, heuristic responses in building capabilities that enable routine‐based responses. These responses, in turn, avoid and absorb the effects of disruption in subsequent similar crises. The second contribution is empirical, demonstrating the how of resilience by offering a better understanding of how the credit unions’ collective actions created dynamic, agile responses that helped them to “bounce forward” after the crisis. Key themes identified include agility, strong social relationships, and decentralized decision‐making (empowerment).
Parents' marital satisfaction, self‐compassion, and harsh discipline in China: A dyadic analysis
Authors: Wang Die , Xie Ruibo , Yan Ru , Ding Wan , Lin Xiuyun
Published: October 2023

Objective

Using actor–partner interdependence modeling, this study examined the dyadic associations of marital satisfaction and harsh discipline and the mediating role of self‐compassion.

Background

Harsh discipline is a negative parenting style commonly used by parents, especially Chinese parents. This parenting approach has been reported by some researchers as harmful and universal. It is important to identify the causes and internal mechanisms supporting use of harsh discipline.

Method

Participants were 349 Chinese father–mother dyads with school‐age children (Mage of father = 35.4 years, SDage = 5.4 years; Mage of mother = 34.4 years, SDage = 4.9 years). Father and mother self‐reported their marital satisfaction, self‐compassion, and use of harsh discipline at three time points.

Results

The results revealed that fathers' and mothers' marital satisfaction negatively predicted the fathers' and mothers' harsh discipline, respectively. However, fathers' and mothers' marital satisfaction did not significantly predict the mothers' and fathers' harsh discipline. Second, we also found that mothers' marital satisfaction positively predicted fathers' and mothers' self‐compassion, while fathers' marital satisfaction did not significantly predict the fathers' and mothers' self‐compassion. Finally, fathers' self‐compassion played a mediating role in the relationship between mothers' marital satisfaction and fathers' harsh discipline.

Conclusion

Parents' marital satisfaction promotes the development of self‐compassion and reduces the use of harsh discipline.

Implications

Enhancing parents' marital satisfaction may play a role in reducing parents' use of harsh discipline. The researchers highlight the importance of mothers' marital satisfaction in improving mothers' and fathers' self‐compassion, which may be an effective measure to mitigate fathers' harsh discipline.
Concentration and condition of American lobster postlarvae in small‐scale convergences
Authors: Pineda Jesús , Tepolt Carolyn , Starczak Vicke , Alatalo Phil , Shapiro Sara
Published: October 2023

Invertebrate larvae are often abundant in the surface ocean, which plays a key role in their dispersal and connectivity. Pelagic microhabitats characterized by small‐scale hydrographic variability are complex and ubiquitous in the coastal ocean, but their study is challenging, and they have been largely neglected in meroplankton ecology. Surface convergences, i.e., surface microhabitats featuring convergent horizontal currents, may aggregate the last larval stage of the American lobster and could provide shelter and food for Stage IV postlarvae and thus enhance their condition. We tested these hypotheses by conducting a series of cruises in the southwestern Gulf of Maine in summer 2021, sampling 15 paired sets of potential convergences and off‐convergence unstructured habitat. We measured postlarval abundance, surface hydrography, acoustic backscatter, and circulation. Experiments and image analysis compared condition, color, and morphology of postlarvae sampled inside and outside potential convergences. Potential convergences varied in near‐surface hydrographic patterns, with most displaying consistency among two transects and diverse patterns in salinity and temperature (e.g., across‐convergence gradients with equal or different signs). While the highest postlarval abundances were found in convergences, abundance patterns on and off convergences were not consistent, and another analysis indicated higher abundance in convergences than in a 7‐year untargeted surface ocean data set. Experiments indicated no survivorship differences among convergence and non‐convergence individuals at two temperatures, while image analyses revealed differences in color and size. Physical measurements and qualitative neuston community analyses indicated substantial heterogeneity among potential convergences. Our results reinforce that small‐scale heterogeneities are highly variable but important to the ecology of meroplankton, including the pelagic and neustonic habitats where lobster postlarvae are abundant.
Variations in the yield and moisture content of ears of forage corn varieties with different relative maturity
Authors: Akamatsu Yuki , Morita Soichiro , Sunaga Yoshihito , Kanno Tsutomu
Published: October 2023

Corn production for concentrated feed is increasing in Japan, and cultivation techniques are necessary to obtain higher yields. To expand the corn production for concentrated feed in the Kanto region of Japan, corn varieties based on their earliness was evaluated. Changes in ear yield and moisture content were compared among 12 commercial varieties, which were divided into three groups based on their relative maturity (RM): extremely early (RM 95–100), early (RM 113–115) and medium (RM 125). The varieties were sown at three different times (late April, middle May and late May) for three cultivation years. Our experiment found that the ear dry weights of both early and medium groups were higher than that of the extremely early group. Ear moisture of the extremely early group decreased rapidly and reached 35% as a standard for harvesting time we defined, at 60 days after silking, while that of the early group reached 35% at 70 days after silking, and that of the medium group did not reach 35% during the experimental period. Late sowing decreased ear dry weight and delayed ear moisture decreasing. The extremely early group had the advantage of early harvesting at 60 days after silking, and the early group obtained a higher yield than the extremely early group at the harvesting at 70 days after silking. These results suggest that extremely early and early groups are suitable for corn production for concentrated feed in the Kanto region.
Valuation of domestic work: Construction of stay‐at‐home motherhood among elite Chinese migrants in Singapore
Authors: Mu Zheng , Oh Eunsil
Published: October 2023

This study contributes to the literature on migration, motherhood, and work by exploring how migrant stay‐at‐home mothers view and interpret the values of the unpaid work that they are conducting. Using semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with 36 college‐educated Chinese stay‐at‐home mothers in Singapore, we demonstrate migrant mothers' agency, efforts, and strategies in valuing domestic work and their stay‐at‐home mother status. Drawing on their migration status and relatively privileged educational backgrounds, elite migrant mothers re‐imagine and construct values of stay‐at‐home motherhood by framing their role as productive workers and by linking private and public spheres. Findings demonstrate four distinctive yet related processes that shape how mothers value and validate their domestic work and current status: emphasizing the agentic nature of their work decision, framing their maternal practice as having high quality, identifying the merits of current stay‐at‐home motherhood experiences on their future career pathway, and constructing a shared value of domestic work with their spouses. In the end, this study highlights the importance of going beyond the separate‐spheres ideology in understanding how skilled migrant mothers construct the productive meaning of their stay‐at‐home motherhood.
The relationship between skeletal muscle mass and exercise capacity in patients undergoing hemodialysis: An exploratory secondary‐analysis
Authors: Zhang Xuanrui , Zhuang Yan , Qin Wen , Yang Lun , Song Yan
Published: October 2023

Background

Protein‐energy wasting is commonly observed in patients undergoing hemodialysis, leading to reduced muscle mass and, in severe cases, sarcopenia, which significantly impacts the patients' quality of life and clinical outcomes. Exercise interventions are frequently employed to address muscle loss in these patients. However, the relationship between exercise capacity and skeletal muscle mass in this context remains uncertain. In this study, researchers conducted a series of body composition analysis and exercise capacity test to explore the relationship between exercise capacity and skeletal muscle mass.

Methods

This study recruited 32 patients undergoing hemodialysis and analyzed their demographic and clinical parameters. To assess aerobic exercise capacity, the incremental shuttle walking test (ISWT) was conducted, while the handgrip strength test was used to evaluate muscle strength. The patients' body compositions were assessed using the Fresenius Body Composition Monitor, and the appendicular skeletal muscle was scanned using a GE Healthcare Lunar iDXA scanner. Three sequential linear models were employed to model the relationship between ISWT and skeletal muscle mass. Model 1 regressed ISWT against gender and age; Model 2 added handgrip strength, fat tissue index, and Davies comorbidity scores as additional predictors; and Model 3 further included the appendicular skeletal muscle index (appendicular skeletal muscle/height).

Findings

After controlling for age and gender (Model 1: R2 = 0.373), and subsequently including handgrip strength, fat tissue index, and Davies comorbidity score effects (Model 2: R2 = 0.581), the impact of appendicular skeletal muscle on ISWT was found to be non‐significant (Model 3: R2 = 0.600).

Conclusion

There was no significant correlation observed between exercise capacity and skeletal muscle mass in patients undergoing hemodialysis, indicating the factors influencing exercise capacity in this patient population are complex and that increasing skeletal muscle mass may not necessarily involve solely addressing the improvement of exercise capacity.
Witnessing bullying at work: Employee silence in higher education institutions
Authors: Mazzone Angela , Karakolidis Anastasios , Pitsia Vasiliki , Freeney Yseult , O’Higgins Norman James
Published: October 2023

Workplace bullying is a widespread phenomenon within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Employee tendency to remain silent is one of the most common reactions to workplace bullying. Yet, employee silence in the context of workplace bullying is poorly studied. Building on the Conservation of Resources Theory (COR) and the Learned Helplessness Theory (LHT), this study investigated employee reluctance to take action when witnessing workplace bullying (employee silence). The sample comprised 560 employees working in 20 HEIs in Ireland. Respondents filled out a survey measuring employee silence, victimisation, and team psychological safety. Results showed a negative association between team psychological safety and employee silence, indicating a reluctance to report bullying among respondents with low levels of team psychological safety. In line with the COR and the LHT, a positive association was found between victimisation and employee silence. The paper concludes with a discussion of possible actions for bullying prevention in HEIs.
Experiences and perceptions of continuous deep sedation: An interview study among Dutch patients and relatives
Authors: Jonker Louise Annemoon , Heijltjes Madelon T. , Rietjens Judith A. C. , van der Heide Agnes , Hendriksen Geeske , van Delden Johannes J. M. , van Thiel Ghislaine J. M. W.
Published: October 2023

Background

The incidence of continuous deep sedation (CDS) has more than doubled over the last decade in The Netherlands, while reasons for this increase are not fully understood. Patients and relatives have an essential role in deciding on CDS. We hypothesize that the increase in CDS practice is related to the changing role of patients and relatives in deciding on CDS.

Objective

To describe perceptions and experiences of patients and relatives with regard to CDS. This insight may help professionals and policymakers to better understand and respond to the evolving practice of CDS.

Methods

Qualitative interviews were held with patients and relatives who had either personal experience with CDS as a relative or had contemplated CDS for themselves.

Results

The vast majority of respondents appreciated CDS as a palliative care option, and none of the respondents reported (moral) objections to CDS. The majority of respondents prioritized avoiding suffering at the end of life. The patients and families generally considered CDS a palliative care option for which they can choose. Likewise, according to our respondents, the decision to start CDS was made by them, instead of the physician. Negative experiences with CDS care were mostly related to loss of sense of agency, due to insufficient communication or information provision by healthcare professionals. Lack of continuity of care was also a source of distress. We observed a variety in the respondents' understanding of the distinction between CDS and other end‐of‐life care decisions, including euthanasia. Some perceived CDS as hastening death.

Conclusion

The traditional view of CDS as a last resort option for a physician to relieve a patient's suffering at the end of life is not explicit among patients and relatives. Instead, our results show that they perceive CDS as a regular palliative care option. Along with this normalization of CDS, patients and relatives claim a substantial say in the decision‐making and are mainly motivated by a wish to avoid suffering and exercise control at the end of life. These distinct views on CDS of patients, their relatives and healthcare providers should be reconciled in guidelines and protocols for CDS.

Patient or Public Contribution

One of the authors in our team (G. H.) has experience with CDS as a relative and ensured that the patient/relative viewpoint was adequately reflected in the design and conduct of our study. In the preliminary phase of our study, G. H. adjusted the topic list so it was better adapted to the current practice of CDS. During the data analysis, G. H. read several interviews and took part in the open and critical discussion on central themes and core concepts as an important member of the author team, thereby guaranteeing the central position of the patient/relative perspective in our final research outcome.
Calcium hypochlorite cytotoxicity mechanism in fibroblasts and effect on osteoblast mineralization
Authors: Coaguila‐Llerena Hernán , Ochoa‐Rodríguez Victor Manuel , Passos Barbieri Isadora , Ramos Simone Gusmão , Faria Gisele
Published: October 2023

Aim

To determine the cytotoxicity mechanism of 2.5% calcium hypochlorite [Ca(OCl)2] in L929 fibroblasts and the effect of this solution on human osteoblast‐like cells (Saos‐2) mineralization, compared to that of 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).

Methodology

L929 fibroblasts were exposed to Ca(OCl)2 and NaOCl at different dilutions for 10 min. Cell metabolism was assessed by methyl‐thiazole‐tetrazolium (MTT); lysosome integrity, by neutral red (NR) assay; type of cell death, by flow cytometry (apoptosis/necrosis); cytoskeleton, by actin and α‐tubulin fluorescence and cell ultrastructure, by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralized nodule formation were determined in Saos‐2 by thymolphthalein release and alizarin red staining (ARS), respectively. The data were analysed by two‐way anova and Bonferroni's post‐test (α = .05).

Results

Ca(OCl)2 promoted higher cell viability and a lower percentage of apoptosis and necrosis than NaOCl (p < .05). Ca(OCl)2 and NaOCl decreased cell metabolism and lysosome integrity, induced the breakdown of microtubules and actin filaments, promoted alterations of rough endoplasmic reticulum and disruption of mitochondrial cristae. Additionally, Ca(OCl)2 did not induce ALP activity and had no effect on mineralized nodules formation.

Conclusions

Although Ca(OCl)2 and NaOCl promoted the same cytotoxicity mechanism, Ca(OCl)2 was less cytotoxic than NaOCl. As for ALP activity, no differences were observed between NaOCl and Ca(OCl)2. The production of mineralized nodules induced by Ca(OCl)2 was lower than those induced by NaOCl, but was not different from those induced by the control group.
Outcome of single‐visit root canal treatment with or without MTAD: A randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Yildiz Berkcan , Dumani Aysin , Isci Adile Sehnaz , Sisli Selen Nihal , Tumani Ustdal Berkhas , Yoldas Oguz
Published: October 2023

Aim

This study aimed to investigate 2‐year changes in periapical trabecular patterns in single‐rooted teeth with apical periodontitis using fractal analysis and periapical index (PAI) after root canal treatment performed with or without BioPure MTAD solution.

Methodology

In this randomized clinical trial, 100 patients were selected and randomized to either the BioPure MTAD or the control groups. Initial periapical radiographs were obtained for each participant before and 2 years after root canal treatment. The region of interest in the periapical lesion around the root apex was selected from the paired periapical radiographs, and then, the fractal dimension (FD) was calculated. With regards to the classification of periapical status, PAI was labelled as “healed” (PAI ≤ 2) or “unhealed” (PAI ≥ 3).

Results

After 24 months, 28 patients did not comply with the follow‐up and the data of 72 patients were compared. When the initial and the follow‐up PAI scores were compared, the decrease was statistically significant in 33 of 37 teeth (89.2%) and 32 of 35 teeth (91.4%) in the BioPure MTAD and control group, respectively. In both groups, statistically significant increases were observed in FD values after 2 years in all patients (p < .001). No significant difference was found between the two groups amongst decreased PAI scores and increased FD values.

Conclusions

Root canal treatments with or without BioPure MTAD irrigation contributed to periapical healing in single‐visit root canal treatment. Two years after root canal treatment, the extent of the periapical trabecular bone radiographically increased, as the FD and PAI data revealed.
The mechanical properties and electronic structures of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni atoms doped MoCoB by first‐principles calculation
Authors: Xin Yongfeng , Zhang Tong , Yan Hong , Yin Haiqing
Published: October 2023

MoCoB‐based cermets have been regarded as the potential substitution of WC cermets with high hardness, high melting point and high oxidation resistance. Ternary borides‐based cermets are widely used in extreme environment, such as high‐pressure environment. Therefore, it is significant to explore the mechanical properties and electronic structures of transition elements X (X = V, Mn, Fe, Ni) atoms doped MoCoB under high pressure, which are performed by first‐principles calculations to provide guidance for industry applications. The analysis of cohesive energy and formation enthalpy indicates high pressure leads to unstable states with lower lattice constants and crystal volumes. The deviation of cohesive energy and formation enthalpy indicate Mo4Co3FeB4 and Mo4Co3NiB4 have similar stability. The shear modulus, Young's modulus and bulk modulus increase under high pressure, which consists with the increasing of covalence. The variation of ductility and anisotropy indicate similar upward trend, which is verified by Poisson's ratio, B/G ratio and anisotropy index AU. The analysis of overlap population indicates high pressure leads to the increasing of covalence of B‐Co covalent bonds and the decreasing of the covalence of B‐Mo covalent bonds. The analysis of electronic structures indicates the high pressure leads to higher hybridization and lower density of states of metallic bonds. The analysis of charge density difference consists with the variation of mechanical properties, implying shorter bond length and higher bonds strength under high pressure.
Expansion of the genetic toolbox for manipulation of the global crop pest Drosophila suzukii: Isolation and assessment of eye colour mutant strains
Authors: Yadav Amarish K. , Asokan Ramasamy , Yamamoto Akihiko , Patil Anandrao A. , Scott Maxwell J.
Published: October 2023

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), commonly called spotted wing Drosophila, is an important agricultural pest recognised worldwide. D. suzukii is a pest of soft‐skinned fruits as females can lay eggs in ripening fruit before harvest. While strains for genetic biocontrol of D. suzukii have been made, the development of transgenic D. suzukii strains and their further screening remain a challenge partly due to the lack of phenotypically trackable genetic‐markers, such as those widely used with the model genetic organism D. melanogaster. Here, we have used CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce heritable mutations in the eye colour genes white, cinnabar and sepia, which are located on the X, second and third chromosomes, respectively. Strains were obtained, which were homozygous for a single mutation. Genotyping of the established strains showed insertion and/or deletions (indels) at the targeted sites. A strain homozygous for mutations in cinnabar and sepia showed a pale‐yellow eye colour at eclosion but darkened to a sepia colour after a week. The fecundity and fertility of some of the cinnabar and sepia strains were comparable with the wild type. Although white mutant males were previously reported to be sterile, we found that sterility is not fully penetrant and we have been able to maintain white‐eyed strains for over a year. The cinnabar, sepia and white mutant strains developed in this study should facilitate future genetic studies in D. suzukii and the development of strains for genetic control of this pest.
Molecular insights into the HLA‐B35 molecules' classification associated with HIV control
Authors: Lobos Christian A , Chatzileontiadou Demetra SM , Sok Bonin , Almedia Coral‐Ann , Halim Hanim , D'Orsogna Lloyd , Gras Stephanie
Published: October 2023

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules have been shown to influence the immune response to HIV infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome progression. Polymorphisms within the HLA‐B35 molecules divide the family into two groups, namely, Px and PY. The Px group is associated with deleterious effects and accelerated disease progression in HIV+ patients, whereas the PY group is not. The classification is based on the preferential binding of a tyrosine at the C‐terminal part of the peptide in the PY group, and a nontyrosine residue in the Px group. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the molecular differences between the two groups. Here, we have investigated three HLA‐B35 molecules, namely, HLA‐B*35:01 (PY), HLA‐B*35:03 (Px) and HLA‐B*35:05 (unclassified). We selected an HIV‐derived peptide, NY9, and demonstrated that it can trigger a polyfunctional CD8+ T‐cell response in HLA‐B*35:01+/HIV+ patients. We determined that in the complex with the NY9 peptide, the PY molecule was more stable than the Px molecule. We solved the crystal structures of the three HLA molecules in complex with the NY9 peptide, and structural similarities with HLA‐B*35:01 would classify the HLA‐B*35:05 within the PY group. Interestingly, we found that HLA‐B*35:05 can also bind a small molecule in its cleft, suggesting that small drugs could bind as well.