bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job satisfaction in green construction projects: antecedent roles of green work climate, pro-environmental construction practice and green human capital
Authors: Onubi Hilary Omatule , Carpio Manuel , Hassan Ahmad Sanusi
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Job satisfaction (JS) of construction workers is important in determining the level of green construction project performance. Despite the importance of construction workers' JS in actualizing green construction projects' objectives, insufficient consideration has been accorded in green construction studies. This study aims to determine the link between green human capital (GHC), pro-environmental construction practice (PCP), green work climate (GWC) and JS. Precisely, the purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating role of GWC on the GHC and PCP relationship while analysing the moderating effect of GWC on the relationship between PCP and JS.

Design/methodology/approach

This research's data were collected through a survey questionnaire with 272 useable responses obtained. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was used in the study's data analysis.

Findings

The findings of this study indicate that GHC was positively related to PCP; GWC had a significant mediating effect on the GHC–PCP relationship; PCP had a significant positive effect on JS; and GWC had a significant moderating effect on the PCP–JS relationship with high GWC yielding the greater effect.

Practical implications

This study gives a clearer picture of how GHC can lead to the adoption of PCP through GWC and translate to JS, thus providing stakeholders with the required information on firm-based initiatives that can promote the needed green behaviour on the construction site.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in its contribution to both theory and practice as it provides greater insight into PCP alongside its antecedents and outcomes as it relates to the JS of construction project/site managers.
Thermo-mechanical deformation and stress analysis of a rotating FG hollow cylindrical body
Authors: Sondhi Lakshman , Sahu Rakesh Kumar , Bhowmick Shubhankar , Madan Royal
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to perform thermo-mechanical deformation and stress analysis in a functionally graded (FG) hollow cylinder considering steady-state temperature distribution under the effect of rotation, gravity and constant heat generation.

Design/methodology/approach

Navier's equation was used to solve the problem, and the obtained results were validated with benchmarks found to be in excellent agreement. The variation of temperature and other material properties such as Young's modulus, density, thermal expansion coefficient and thermal conductivity varied radially as per power-law variation.

Findings

The effect of rotation was found to be vital compared to gravity and heat generation when compared individually and in combination. The results of displacement and stresses were presented for varying grading indices.

Practical implications

FG cylinders have huge industrial applications as it opens the possibility of developing structures with a high strength/weight ratio. The present study will benefit industries in identifying the effective grading index that can be used by industries for fabricating FG structures.

Originality/value

The effect of rotation, body force and heat generation on a cylindrical body has not been studied before. Furthermore, the combined effect of rotation, body force and heat generation has been studied to understand the behaviour of cylinders operating under similar conditions.
Determinants of cash conversion cycle in MENA countries
Authors: Yilmaz Ilker , Nobanee Haitham
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study investigates the determinants of the cash conversion cycle (CCC in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries).

Design/methodology/approach

Using the data of 395 companies from 10 countries in the MENA region for six years (2013–2018), the authors run dynamic panel regressions. The authors developed several models to examine the determinants of CCC and its components. The models included several control variables: firm, industry and country characteristics.

Findings

The results reveal that firm characteristics (e.g. operating cash flow, sales growth rate, operating profit margin, firm size and tangibility) affect CCC. The model in which CCC is a dependent variable produced more significant results than those which the components of CCC were dependent variables.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that corporate managers when making their working capital management decisions should pay equal attention to the components of CCC and develop a comprehensive working capital management policy.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine determinants of CCC in the MENA context in both country and industry details.
Does firm competitiveness affect corporate risk-taking?
Authors: Chang Vincent Y.L.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Few studies utilize insurance sector data to analyze how insurers' competitiveness affects their risk-taking decisions. To fill the research gap, this study aims to investigate the relationship between insurers’ competitiveness and risk-taking decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs unbalanced panel data for the US property-liability insurance companies from 2006 to 2019. Two-Stage estimation is applied to address the endogeneity issue, such as the Two-Step Generalized Method of Moments, General Two-Stage Least Square and Two-Stage Quantile Regression.

Findings

The regression analysis reveals that insurers' competitiveness in their risk-taking decisions is primarily negative. The finding suggests that insurers with low (high) competitiveness tend to take more (less) risk. This study sheds light on how insurers with low competitiveness may alter their risk preference, supporting the fundamental argument of the prospect theory, the CEO hubris argument, the risk-return theory and the risk-sensitivity theory.

Research limitations/implications

The critical findings of this study provide policy implications when evaluating and drafting insurance legislation. Regulators must pay close attention to insurers' riskier decisions while insurers with low competitiveness or during periods of economic recession.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature by assessing whether insurers' competitiveness influences their risk-taking decisions. The empirical findings suggest that insurers with low competitiveness take on greater risks to gamble for survivability and boost profits to strengthen their financial standing. The evidence indicates that insurers may risk-seeking or irrational decision-making when facing a competitive disadvantage.
Recent advances in bioactive nanocrystal‐stabilized Pickering emulsions: Fabrication, characterization, and biological assessment
Authors: Yang Dan , Feng Yuqi , Yao Xiaolin , Zhao Baofu , Li Dan , Liu Ning , Fang Yapeng , Midgley Adam , Liu Dechun , Katsuyoshi Nishinari
Published: December 2022

Numerous literatures have shown the advantages of Pickering emulsion (PE) for the delivery of bioactive ingredients in the fields of food, medicine, and cosmetics, among others. On this basis, the multi‐loading mode of bioactives (internal phase encapsulation and/or loading at the interface) in small molecular bioactives nanocrystal‐stabilized PE (BNC‐PE) enables them higher loading efficiencies, controlled release, and synergistic or superimposed effects. Therefore, BNC‐PE offers an efficacious delivery system. In this review, we briefly summarize BNC‐PE fabrication and characterization, with a focus on the processes of possible evolution and absorption of differentially applied BNC‐PE when interacting with the body. In addition, methods of monitoring changes and absorption of BNC‐PE in vivo, from the nanomaterial perspective, are also introduced. The purpose of this review is to provide an accessible and comprehensive methodology for the characterization and evaluation of BNC‐PE after formulation and preparation, especially in relation to biological assessment and detailed mechanisms throughout the absorption process of BNC‐PE in vivo.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic gland type (chief cell predominate type): Four years’ experience from a tertiary hospital
Authors: He Meng Jiang , Liu Xin Yang , Xu Jia Xin , Xu Xiao Yue , Li Quan Lin , Chen Wei Feng , Zhou Ping Hong
Published: December 2022

Objective

To summarize the endoscopic and clinicopathological features of gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic gland type (GA‐FG), and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the treatment of GA‐FGs.

Methods

From September 2017 to August 2021, patients treated with ESD who were pathologically confirmed to have GA‐FGs were included. Those with lymphovascular and distal metastasis were excluded before ESD. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed to obtain information regarding patient demographics, clinicopathological characteristics, tumor features, complete resection rate, and complications, etc. All patients underwent follow‐up for at least 12 months to evaluate any local recurrence or distant metastasis.

Results

A total of 15 patients with an average age of 56.9 ± 10.7 years were recruited, including 11 men and 4 women. Lesions were found at the upper third (13 [86.7%]) or middle third (2 [13.3%]) of the stomach. The average lesion size was 9.1 ± 4.8 mm. Macroscopically, lesions presented as a flat elevated type with reddish or erosion on top (n = 7, 46.7%), depressed type with pale color (n = 5, 33.3%), or submucosal tumor (SMT)‐like appearance type (n = 3, 20.0%). En bloc resection, complete resection and curative resection were achieved in 14 (93.3%), 13 (86.7%), and 11 (73.3%) patients, respectively. Nine (60.0%) of the lesions had submucosal invasion. One patient underwent additional surgery. No local recurrence or metastasis was detected during the follow‐up duration.

Conclusions

GA‐FGs present with various endoscopic features. ESD appears to be effective and safe for treating early‐stage GA‐FGs.
Cell‐to‐cell non‐conjugative plasmid transfer between Bacillus subtilis and lactic acid bacteria
Authors: Morawska Luiza P. , Kuipers Oscar P.
Published: December 2022

Bacillus subtilis is a soil‐dwelling bacterium that can interact with a plethora of other microorganisms in its natural habitat. Due to the versatile interactions and its ability to form nanotubes, i.e., recently described membrane structures that trade cytoplasmic content between neighbouring cells, we investigated the potential of HGT from B. subtilis to industrially‐relevant members of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). To explore the interspecies HGT events, we developed a co‐culturing protocol and provided proof of transfer of a small high copy non‐conjugative plasmid from B. subtilis to LABs. Interestingly, the plasmid transfer did not involve conjugation nor activation of the competent state by B. subtilis. Moreover, our study shows for the first time non‐conjugative cell‐to‐cell intraspecies plasmid transfer for non‐competent Lactococcus lactis sp. cremoris strains. Our study indicates that cell‐to‐cell transformation is a ubiquitous form of HGT and can be potentially utilized as an alternative tool for natural (non‐GMO) strain improvement.
Posterior quadratus lumborum block versus epidural analgesia for postoperative pain management after open radical cystectomy: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Korgvee Andrus , Veskimae Erik , Huhtala Heini , Koskinen Heikki , Tammela Teuvo , Junttila Eija , Kalliomaki Maija‐Liisa
Published: December 2022

Background

In open abdominal surgery, continuous epidural analgesia is commonly used method for postoperative analgesia. However, ultrasound (US)‐guided fascial plane blocks may be a reasonable alternative.

Methods

In this randomized controlled trial, we compared posterior quadratus lumborum block (QLB) with epidural analgesia for postoperative pain after open radical cystectomy (ORC). Adult patients aged 18–85 with bladder cancer (BC) scheduled for open RC were randomized in two groups. Exclusion criteria were complicated diabetes mellitus type I, lack of cooperation, and persistent pain for reasons other than BC. In one group, a bilateral US‐guided single injection posterior QLB was performed with 3.75 mg/ml ropivacaine 20 ml/side. In the other group, continuous epidural analgesia with ropivacaine was used. Basic analgesia was oral paracetamol 1000 mg three times daily, and long‐acting opioid twice daily in both groups. All patients had patient‐controlled rescue analgesia with oxycodone. Postoperative cumulative rescue opioid consumption was recorded for the day of surgery, and the following 2 postoperative days (POD 0–2). Secondary outcomes were postoperative pain and nausea and vomiting.

Results

In total, 20 patients (QLB), and 19 patients (epidural analgesia) groups, were included in the analyses. Cumulative rescue opioid consumption on POD 0, being of duration 9–12 h, was 14 mg (7.6–33.3) in the QLB group versus 6.1 mg (2.0–16.1) in the epidural analgesia group, p = 0.089, and as doses, 8 doses (3.6–15.7) versus 4 doses (1.3–8.5), p = .057. On POD 1 consumption was 25.3 mg (11.0–52.9) versus 18.0 mg (14.4–43.7), p = .749, and as doses 12 (5.5–23.0) versus 10 (8–20), p > .9, respectively. On POD 2 consumption was 19.1 mg (7.9–31.0) versus 18.0 mg (5.4–27.6) p = .749, and as doses 8.5 (5.2–14.7) versus 11 (3.0–18.0) p > .9, respectively.

Conclusion

Opioid consumption did not differ significantly between posterior QLB and an epidural infusion with ropivacaine for the first 2 postoperative days following RC. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03328988.
Age of gambling onset and resultant gambling behavior during young adulthood in the United States
Authors: Quinn Anthony , Chamberlain Samuel R. , Grant Jon E.
Published: December 2022

Background and Objectives

Previous research has examined how the age at which an individual first gambles (age of gambling onset) correlates with problematic behavior later in life, such as problematic alcohol or substance use; however, much less is known about how age of gambling onset, particularly as a child or as a young adult, might influence future gambling. We assessed how self‐reported age of gambling onset may have shaped more recent gambling and propensity to take risks.

Methods

We analyzed questionnaire data and neurocognitive assessment data collected from young adults in the United States (n = 579) and conducted ordinal logistic regression to model our study variables.

Results

Upon examining three distinct age categories (under 18, 18–20, 21, and over), we found that earlier age of gambling onset was significantly associated with betting a higher overall proportion during a neurocognitive task.

Conclusions and Scientific Significance

Gambling more points on a laboratory‐based task was correlated to earlier age of gambling onset. There were no statistically significant associations between age of gambling onset and severity of recent pathological gambling, nor gambling expenditure in the past year, nor gambling frequency in the past week. Future longitudinal study should discern the causality of these findings in both directions and ascertain whether these findings can be extended to older and clinical populations. Future work should explore other variables, such as ethnicity and socioeconomic background, that may be relevant to understanding variations in age of gambling onset and its repercussions.
East Timor in Australia–Indonesia Relations, 1974–83
Authors: Booth Miranda
Published: December 2022

Between 1975 and 1983, Indonesia's handling of the integration of East Timor caused a decline in Australia–Indonesia relations. This article argues that Australian foreign policy to isolate East Timor from its bilateral relationship with Indonesia failed because it conflicted with the activities of interested Australians who exposed Indonesia's military campaigns in East Timor. Activists created a powerful counter‐narrative about the conflict that mobilised public opposition to the official policy, and complicated Australia's co‐operative policies towards Indonesia. To demonstrate the challenge of public opinion to Australian foreign policy, the article examines a brief prepared by the First Assistant Secretary at the Department of Defence, William Beale Pritchett in October 1975, which warned that Indonesia's integration of East Timor would involve “force on a scale that could not be hidden from the Australian public eye”. Applying Pritchett's brief to three case studies — Balibo (October 1975), invasion and occupation (1975–76), and humanitarian crises (1977–82) — the article demonstrates the conflict between public and official policy to illustrate why the official Australian policy failed, and how the East Timor issue had become inseparable from Australia–Indonesia relations by 1983.
Study on the correlation between false‐positive filling defect in LAA CT and LAA structure in patients with atrial fibrillation based on TEE
Authors: Guo Tian‐Jiao , Xu Yan‐Feng , Dong Ya‐Peng , Yu Shu‐Jing
Published: December 2022

Objective

This study aims to explore the actual meaning of “false positive filling defect” in left atrial appendage (LAA) computed tomography (CT) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as the gold standard.

Methods

Patients with AF undergoing cardiac CT angiography and TEE examinations for proposed radiofrequency catheter ablation between October 2020 and October 2021 were selected as the study subjects. Transesophageal echocardiography was taken as the “gold standard,” and spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC) and thrombus events were defined as positive events. The CT manifestations were classified into three groups (true positive, false positive, and true negative) to evaluate the differences in left atrium (LA) anterior–posterior diameter (LAAP), LA anterior wall thickness, and LAA orifice long diameter and short diameter, area, and depth between the three groups.

Results

(1) There was no statistical difference in LA anterior wall thickness between the three groups (p > .05); there was a statistical difference in LAAP (only) between the true‐positive group and the true‐negative group (p < .05). (2) There was a statistical difference in LAA orifice long diameter, short diameter, and area between the true‐positive group and the true‐negative group as well as between the false‐positive group and the true‐negative group (p < .05). (3) There was a statistical difference in LAA depth between the true‐positive group and the false‐positive group as well as between the true‐positive group and the true‐negative group (p < .05). (4) The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of LAA depth affecting the LAA thrombus and SEC was 0.863 (confidence interval = 0.718–1.000), the sensitivity was 77.8%, and the specificity was 90.6% for predicting the occurrence of LAA thrombus and SEC in patients with nonvalvular AF (NVAF) and an LAA depth of ≥50.84 mm.

Conclusions

There was a difference in LAA diameter between the TEE‐based CT false‐positive group and the other groups. A “CT false positive” is an objectively existing state, and CT might be able to identify the LAA hemodynamic disorder earlier than TEE. Furthermore, a CT + TEE combined application could more accurately evaluate LAA hemodynamics in patients with AF.
Creation of a globally informed and locally relevant KMC implementation model for population‐impact in Amhara, Ethiopia
Authors: Gobezayehu Abebe Gebremariam , Lijalem Mulusew , Endalamaw Lamesgin Alamineh , Mohammad Hajiria , Beyene Tariku , Mekonnen Tadesse Biru , Abay Girma Guadie , Sibley Lynn M. , Cranmer John N.
Published: December 2022

Aim

As part of a multi‐country implementation trial, we tested a regionally specific model of kangaroo mother care (KMC). Effective KMC was defined as ≥8 h of newborn‐caregiver skin‐to‐skin contact daily plus exclusive breast feeding. The study was designed to achieve ≥80+% effective KMC coverage at the population level.

Methods

The Amhara KMC model was designed using global evidence, formative research in the region and input from government officials, clinicians, newborn families and global scientists. We optimised the initial model using continuous quality improvement with process feedback, outcome measurement and collaborative re‐design. Outcomes from the evaluation period are reported.

Results

At discharge, the final model resulted in a median of 16 h per day of skin‐to‐skin contact with 63% effective KMC coverage. Fifty‐three percent sustained effective KMC to 7 days post‐discharge.

Conclusions

It is possible to achieve high coverage (63%), high‐quality KMC at public hospitals without prior KMC services using government‐owned, multisectoral collaborative design. Targeted co‐design, real‐time data and customisation of KMC interventions with input from impacted stakeholders was critical in achieving high coverage and sustained quality.
Potential benefit and lack of serious risk from corticosteroids in drug‐induced liver injury: An international, multicentre, propensity score‐matched analysis
Authors: Niu Hao , Ma Jiayi , Medina‐Caliz Inmaculada , Robles‐Diaz Mercedes , Bonilla‐Toyos Elvira , Ghabril Marwan , Lucena Mª Isabel , Alvarez‐Alvarez Ismael , Andrade Raul J.
Published: December 2022

Background

The use of corticosteroids to treat patients with idiosyncratic drug‐induced liver injury (DILI) relies on empirical clinical decisions.

Aim

To investigate the relationship between corticosteroids and risk of acute liver failure (ALF) in patients with DILI and to assess if corticosteroid therapy was associated with improved outcomes in DILI patients.

Methods

We analysed bona fide idiosyncratic DILI cases from the Spanish DILI Registry and Indiana University School of Medicine. Patients treated with corticosteroids were compared to those who did not receive any treatment. Nearest neighbour propensity score matching analyses were conducted.

Results

We enrolled 724 patients, 106 under corticosteroid therapy, in whom there was over‐representation of more severe injury and autoimmune features, and 618 who did not receive any treatment. In an analysis of 80 pairs of propensity score‐matched patients, corticosteroid administration was not associated with an increased risk of developing ALF (odds ratio = 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.18–2.40; p = 0.518). Furthermore, in an additional analysis, a Cox regression model that included 41 propensity score‐matched pairs showed that patients receiving corticosteroids had a significantly higher normalisation rate of liver enzymes than untreated patients (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.02–3.32; p = 0.043), particularly in patients with serious injury who did not resolve within 30 days (HR = 2.79; 95% CI: 1.20–6.50; p = 0.018).

Conclusion

Corticosteroid therapy did not worsen outcome in DILI patients. Indeed, corticosteroid administration was associated with a greater rate of normalisation of liver enzymes in patients with serious DILI.
Remeshing‐free Graph‐based Finite Element Method for Fracture Simulation
Authors: Mandal A. , Chaudhuri P. , Chaudhuri S.
Published: December 2022

Fracture produces new mesh fragments that introduce additional degrees of freedom in the system dynamics. Existing finite element method (FEM) based solutions suffer from increasing computational cost as the system matrix size increases. We solve this problem by presenting a graph‐based FEM model for fracture simulation that is remeshing‐free and easily scales to high‐resolution meshes. Our algorithm models fracture on the graph induced in a volumetric mesh with tetrahedral elements. We relabel the edges of the graph using a computed damage variable to initialize and propagate fracture. We prove that non‐linear, hyper‐elastic strain energy density is expressible entirely in terms of the edge lengths of the induced graph. This allows us to reformulate the system dynamics for the relabelled graph without changing the size of the system dynamics matrix and thus prevents the computational cost from blowing up. The fractured surface has to be reconstructed explicitly only for visualization purposes. We simulate standard laboratory experiments from structural mechanics and compare the results with corresponding real‐world experiments. We fracture objects made of a variety of brittle and ductile materials, and show that our technique offers stability and speed that is unmatched in current literature.
Assisted gene flow from outcrossing shows the potential for genetic rescue in an endangered salmon population
Authors: Pregler Kasey C. , Obedzinski Mariska , Gilbert‐Horvath Elizabeth A. , White Benjamin , Carlson Stephanie M. , Garza John Carlos
Published: December 2022

Genetic rescue has emerged as an important tool to prevent extinction and improve fitness of declining populations. In principle, genetic rescue increases genetic variation in a population through translocation of unrelated individuals from an outside source population. Genetic rescue remains uncommon in conservation management due to concerns about the risk of outbreeding depression. Lack of data evaluating success of genetic rescue interventions has hampered willingness to use this technique to improve the genetic viability of inbred, bottlenecked populations. Here, we evaluate the success of a genetic rescue intervention within the endangered Central California Coast Coho Salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit using ∼17 years of genetic and demographic data, including pre‐ and postoutcrossing with fish from a nearby watershed. We assessed fitness of outcrossed F1 and F2 progeny in a captive setting, and then used mark–recapture to estimate survival of juveniles released into streams. We found that outcrossing decreased relatedness among adults, and their hybrid progeny had higher fitness in both captive and stream settings relative to nonhybrids. Importantly, we did not observe evidence of outbreeding depression in either the F1 or F2 generations. This study highlights that genetic rescue can be a useful tool in the conservation of imperiled salmonids.
Farmer Lifeways and the Lived Experience of Adaptation to Water Policy Change in Idaho's Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer Region
Authors: du Bray Margaret V. , Burnham Morey , Running Katrina , Quimby Barbara
Published: December 2022

Anthropologists developed the lifeways construct to understand how communities make a way of life on certain landscapes. In this paper, we pair the lifeways construct with that of “lived experiences” to include processes of change in lifeways. Using a case study of farmers in Idaho's Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer region, we explore farmers' efforts to adapt to changes in agricultural water policy. Based on interviews with farmers, we identify several components of farmers' lifeways, including place‐based identity, stewardship, trust in decision‐makers, and financial well‐being. Our findings suggest that the relationships between farmers and their landscapes are shifting as a result of water governance changes. When combined with dynamic global economic factors, ever‐shifting regulatory and governance priorities and social‐ecological changes are likely to continue producing new and interacting challenges to which farmers—and their lifeways—will need to adapt to survive.
The competition–compensation account of developmental language disorder
Authors: Harmon Zara , Barak Libby , Shafto Patrick , Edwards Jan , Feldman Naomi H.
Published: December 2022

Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) regularly use the bare form of verbs (e.g., dance) instead of inflected forms (e.g., danced). We propose an account of this behavior in which processing difficulties of children with DLD disproportionally affect processing novel inflected verbs in their input. Limited experience with inflection in novel contexts leads the inflection to face stronger competition from alternatives. Competition is resolved through a compensatory behavior that involves producing a more accessible alternative: in English, the bare form. We formalize this hypothesis within a probabilistic model that trades off context‐dependent versus independent processing. Results show an over‐reliance on preceding stem contexts when retrieving the inflection in a model that has difficulty with processing novel inflected forms. We further show that following the introduction of a bias to store and retrieve forms with preceding contexts, generalization in the typically developing (TD) models remains more or less stable, while the same bias in the DLD models exaggerates difficulties with generalization. Together, the results suggest that inconsistent use of inflectional morphemes by children with DLD could stem from inferences they make on the basis of data containing fewer novel inflected forms. Our account extends these findings to suggest that problems with detecting a form in novel contexts combined with a bias to rely on familiar contexts when retrieving a form could explain sequential planning difficulties in children with DLD.

Research Highlights

Generalization difficulties with inflectional morphemes in children with Developmental Language Disorder arise from these children's limited experience with novel inflected forms.

Limited experience with a form in novel contexts could lead to a storage bias where retrieving a form often requires relying on familiar preceding stems.

While generalization in typically developing models remains stable across a range of model parameters, certain parameter values in the impaired models exaggerate difficulties with generalization.

Children with DLD compensate for these retrieval difficulties through accessibility‐driven language production: they produce the most accessible form among the alternatives.
In the Lap of Collective Impotentiality: Reexamining a Pragmatic Account of Thinking Through an Agambenian Lens
Authors: Vlieghe Joris
Published: December 2022

The background of the argument Joris Vlieghe develops in this article is the idea, proposed by neopragmatic scholars, that a way of aptly dealing with the societal issues that have come about in the wake of a global ecological crisis consists of engaging in practices of study. This involves thinking, a concept that needs to be reconsidered from an educational perspective. Hence the article turns to John Dewey's classical pragmatic account of thinking, so as to show that this Deweyan approach could be enriched by reading it together with Giorgio Agamben's reflections on this matter. This allows for rendering with greater accuracy certain aspects of thinking that unearth its properly educational meaning: that thinking is necessarily a collective endeavor that is driven by an interruption of our habitual ways of living together with a view toward envisaging truly alternative futures. Thinking is a risky experience in which the foundational subject disappears. Such a view allows, furthermore, for the reconceptualization of thinking in a posthumanist key.
“Making Education Possible Again”: Pragmatist Experiments for a Troubled and Down‐to‐Earth Pedagogy
Authors: Thoilliez Bianca
Published: December 2022

In this article, Bianca Thoilliez draws on pragmatist notions of fallibilism and pluralism to develop proposals for possible educational interventions to address the problem of “post‐truth” conditions. Post‐truth, she contends, is not only a political danger for liberal democracies, but it also poses a serious threat of extinction for our educational practices. With the help of some of Bruno Latour's and Danna Haraway's categories, and with the narrative intervention of Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals, Thoilliez attempts to adapt both Charles Peirce's and William James's classic pragmatist ideas in order to experiment with new horizons of thought capable of overcoming the exhausted pedagogical divides of docility/indocility, conserve/discard, and optimism/pessimism that often seem woven into the definition of educational relationships, the establishment of curriculum content, and the orientation of pedagogical actions. As an alternative, she recommends building communitarian alliances of fallibilistic inquiry and promoting practices of pluralistic cultural provision as more useful educational ends‐in‐view that embody a down‐to‐earth pedagogy capable of reinstating trust, taking care of truths, looking for ways of keeping our lives together, and making education possible again. Thus, here Thoilliez proposes a pedagogy that neither fixes nor evades our troubles, but one that stays with them.
Evolution of developmental plasticity and the potential of host shift in the seed beetle: Insights from laboratory evolution experiments
Authors: Savković Uroš , Đorđević Mirko , Vlajnić Lea , Budečević Sanja , Stojković Biljana
Published: December 2022

Expansion of the host range in phytophagous insects, followed by the specialisation on novel hosts, encompasses changes in many aspects of insects' behaviour, physiology, and the interaction between their life‐history features.

Here, we analyse the roles of insects' developmental plasticity in the process of host shift. Using laboratory populations of the seed beetle (Acanthoscelides obtectus), which have evolved on both optimal (common beans) and suboptimal (chickpea) plant hosts for more than 35 years, we experimentally replicated the process of host shift and analysed the patterns of short‐term and long‐term life‐history responses to host variation.

In order to test whether selection for increased plasticity has an effect on host shifting processes, we used existing bean and chickpea adapted populations to establish new populations in which the host plant offered for insect development was changed each generation (for 13 generations). To test the potential for a short‐term plastic response, beetles from each laboratory population were raised on both hosts for one generation.

Results showed that, in contrast to the populations that evolved on beans, which maintained high levels of developmental plasticity, long‐term host switching to chickpeas was accompanied with specialisation of pre‐adult viability with a simultaneous increase in fecundity. Populations evolved on alternate plant hosts that revealed similar plasticity patterns as their ancestral populations.

These results suggest that short‐term plastic responses could determine the paths of long‐term evolution of life‐history plasticity. However, more time could be needed for plasticity to evolve differently from the initial responses.
The development of a dental light curable PRFe‐loaded hydrogel as a potential scaffold for pulp‐dentine complex regeneration: An in vitro study
Authors: Noohi Parisa , Abdekhodaie Mohammad J. , Saadatmand Maryam , Nekoofar Mohammad H. , Dummer Paul M. H.
Published: December 2022

Aim

The study aimed to develop a bicomponent bioactive hydrogel formed in situ and enriched with an extract of platelet‐rich fibrin (PRFe) and to assess its potential for use in pulp‐dentine complex tissue engineering via cell homing.

Methodology

A bicomponent hydrogel based on photo‐activated naturally derived polymers, methacrylated chitosan (ChitMA) and methacrylated collagen (ColMA), plus PRFe was fabricated. The optimized formulation of PRFe‐loaded bicomponent hydrogel was determined by analysing the mechanical strength, swelling ratio and cell viability simultaneously. The physical, mechanical, rheological and morphological properties of the optimal hydrogel with and without PRFe were determined. Additionally, MTT, phalloidin/DAPI and live/dead assays were carried out to compare the viability, cytoskeletal morphology and migration ability of stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP) within the developed hydrogels with and without PRFe, respectively. To further investigate the effect of PRFe on the differentiation of encapsulated SCAP, alizarin red S staining, RT‐PCR analysis and immunohistochemical detection were performed. Statistical significance was established at p <  .05.

Results

The optimized formulation of PRFe‐loaded bicomponent hydrogel can be rapidly photocrosslinked using available dental light curing units. Compared to bicomponent hydrogels without PRFe, the PRFe‐loaded hydrogel exhibited greater viscoelasticity and higher cytocompatibility to SCAP. Moreover, it promoted cell proliferation and migration in vitro. It also supported the odontogenic differentiation of SCAP as evidenced by its promotion of biomineralization and upregulating the gene expression for ALP, COL I, DSPP and DMP1 as well as facilitated angiogenesis by enhancing VEGFA gene expression.

Conclusions

The new PRFe‐loaded ChitMA/ColMA hydrogel developed within this study fulfils the criteria of injectability, cytocompatibility, chemoattractivity and bioactivity to promote odontogenic differentiation, which are fundamental requirements for scaffolds used in pulp‐dentine complex regeneration via cell‐homing approaches.
Association of class II HLA alleles with susceptibility to develop immune‐mediated diseases in Paraguayan patients
Authors: Acosta‐Colman Isabel , Cabrera‐Villalba Sonia , Ayala‐Lugo Ana , Jolly Valerie , Vazquez Marcos , Morel Zoilo , Langjahr Patricia , Duarte Margarita , Zarate Ruth , Acosta Maria Eugenia , Avila‐Pedretti Gabriela , Julià Antonio , Martinez María Teresa , Marsal Sara
Published: December 2022

Genetic and nongenetic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of immune‐mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). The best‐known genetic factor for susceptibility to IMIDs is the human leukocyte antigen (HLA). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of HLA class II genes with the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the Paraguayan population. We included 254 patients with IMIDs (101 SLE, 103 RA, and 50 SSc) and 50 healthy controls. The haplotypes of five genes corresponding to HLA class II genes and their relationship to the IMIDs studied were determined. Note that 84.6% were women, with a mean age of 43.4 ± 14 years. Among the associated HLA alleles, we found the previously identified risk factors in other populations like HLA‐DRB1*03:01 and HLA‐DRB1*14:02 for RA, as well as new ones not previously identified, such as DPA1*02:01 for SLE and, DB1*02:01 for RA and SSc. In the genetic association analysis, already known associations have been replicated, and unpublished associations have been identified in Paraguayan patients with IMIDs. This is the first genetic association study in Paraguayan patients with IMIDs.
Prevention of breast cancer‐related lymphoedema: Quality of clinical practice guidelines and variations in recommendations
Authors: Li Mingzhen , Liu Boxuan , Chen Cheng , Liu Huan , He Shaohua , Sun Weihua , Yan Qiang , Rao Xiaohua , Jin Yinghui , Tan Liming
Published: December 2022

Aim

We aimed to evaluate the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for breast cancer related lymphoedema (BCRL) and compare the similarities and differences in recommendations.

Background

Many CPGs of BCRL have been developed; however, their recommendations and quality are controversial.

Methods

Relevant papers were retrieved from electronic databases, professional associations and guideline development organizations, from 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2021. The Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument was used to evaluate the quality of the guidelines. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis was used to evaluate the overall consistency among evaluators.

Results

Eight CPGs were included. The ICC values evaluation for CPGs ranged from 0.76 to 0.95, with good consensus among evaluators. The highest median score was 68.75% (61.46, 72.22%) for clarity, and the lowest was 37.50% (25.78, 51.30%) for applicability. The NICE, ACS/ACSO and APTA CPGs were rated well in most areas. Professional health education, individualized exercise programme and regular surveillance are the main methods to prevent lymphoedema.

Conclusion

In the past 6 years, the quality of BCRL guidelines has varied greatly, especially in the domains of rigour and applicability. Interrater agreement was excellent, but recommendation showed some inconsistencies in the details.
Effect of baroreflex activation therapy on dipping pattern in patients with resistant hypertension
Authors: Wallbach Manuel , Born Ellen , Schäfer Ann‐Kathrin , Koziolek Michael J.
Published: December 2022

A relevant number of patients with resistant hypertension do not achieve blood pressure (BP) dipping during nighttime. This inadequate nocturnal BP reduction is associated with elevated cardiovascular risks. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a nighttime intensification of BAT might improve nocturnal BP dipping. In this prospective observational study, non‐dippers treated with BAT for at least 6 months were included. BAT programming was modified in a two‐step intensification of nighttime stimulation at baseline and week 6. Twenty‐four hours ambulatory BP (ABP) was measured at inclusion and after 3 months. A number of 24 patients with non‐ or inverted dipping pattern, treated with BAT for a median of 44 months (IQR 25–52) were included. At baseline of the study, patients were 66 ± 9 years old, had a BMI of 33 ± 6 kg/m2, showed an office BP of 135 ± 22/72 ± 10 mmHg, and took a median number of antihypertensives of 6 (IQR 4–9). Nighttime stimulation of BAT was adapted by an intensification of pulse width from 237 ± 161 to 267 ± 170 μs (p = .003) while frequency (p = .10) and amplitude (p = .95) remained unchanged. Uptitration of BAT programming resulted in an increase of systolic dipping from 2 ± 6 to 6 ± 8% (p = .03) accompanied with a significant improvement of dipping pattern (p = .02). Twenty four hours ABP, day‐ and nighttime ABP remained unchanged. Programming of an intensified nighttime BAT interval improved dipping profile in patients treated with BAT, while the overall 24 h ABP did not change. Whether the improved dipping response contributes to a reduction of cardiovascular risk beyond the BP‐lowering effects of BAT, however, remains to be shown.
Sustained cannabis use does not predispose clinical hypertension: Findings from a national survey
Authors: Shah Rohan M. , Patel Shiv , Shah Sareena , Doshi Sahil , Li Angela , Diamond Joseph A.
Published: December 2022

Cannabis is among the most used recreational and medicinal drugs in the United States. The effects of chronic use on hypertension remain poorly understood. Our study retrospectively evaluated data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2017 to 2018. Cannabis use was measured with five metrics: (1) sustained use at any point in the past, (2) sustained use within the past year, (3) frequency of use, (4) age of first cannabis use, and (5) current use. Hypertension status was determined by individuals reporting having been diagnosed in the past. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed, controlling for age, race, and gender. A total of 4565 respondents were identified, of which 867 (19.0%) reported sustained cannabis use in the past. Participants who reported past sustained cannabis use did not have statistically different odds of having hypertension (OR: 1.12; 95% CI: .66–1.91; p = .6). Moderate (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: .36–3.25; p = .8) and highly‐frequent users (OR: 1.30; 95% CI: .56–3.03; p = .4) did not have different odds of having hypertension than infrequent users. No relationship between the age of first cannabis use and hypertension was observed. The recency of sustained cannabis use was not associated with hypertension status. Current cannabis users had similar odds of hypertension as past users (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: .59–1.79; p = .9). The findings of this study indicate that neither past nor current cannabis use is associated with clinical hypertension.
Bait‐ER: A Bayesian method to detect targets of selection in Evolve‐and‐Resequence experiments
Authors: Barata Carolina , Borges Rui , Kosiol Carolin
Published: December 2022

For over a decade, experimental evolution has been combined with high‐throughput sequencing techniques. In so‐called Evolve‐and‐Resequence (E&R) experiments, populations are kept in the laboratory under controlled experimental conditions where their genomes are sampled and allele frequencies monitored. However, identifying signatures of adaptation in E&R datasets is far from trivial, and it is still necessary to develop more efficient and statistically sound methods for detecting selection in genome‐wide data. Here, we present Bait‐ER – a fully Bayesian approach based on the Moran model of allele evolution to estimate selection coefficients from E&R experiments. The model has overlapping generations, a feature that describes several experimental designs found in the literature. We tested our method under several different demographic and experimental conditions to assess its accuracy and precision, and it performs well in most scenarios. Nevertheless, some care must be taken when analysing trajectories where drift largely dominates and starting frequencies are low. We compare our method with other available software and report that ours has generally high accuracy even for trajectories whose complexity goes beyond a classical sweep model. Furthermore, our approach avoids the computational burden of simulating an empirical null distribution, outperforming available software in terms of computational time and facilitating its use on genome‐wide data. We implemented and released our method in a new open‐source software package that can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7351736.