bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contrasting nidification behaviors facilitate diversification and colonization of the Music frogs under a changing paleoclimate
Authors: Lyu Zhi-Tong , Zeng Zhao-Chi , Wan Han , Li Qin , Tominaga Atsushi , Nishikawa Kanto , Matsui Masafumi , Li Shi-Ze , Jiang Zhong-Wen , Liu Yang , Wang Ying-Yong
Published: May 2024

In order to cope with the complexity and variability of the terrestrial environment, amphibians have developed a wide range of reproductive and parental behaviors. Nest building occurs in some anuran species as parental care. Species of the Music frog genus Nidirana are known for their unique courtship behavior and mud nesting in several congeners. However, the evolution of these frogs and their nidification behavior has yet to be studied. With phylogenomic and phylogeographic analyses based on a wide sampling of the genus, we find that Nidirana originated from central-southwestern China and the nidification behavior initially evolved at ca 19.3 Ma but subsequently lost in several descendants. Further population genomic analyses suggest that the nidification species have an older diversification and colonization history, while N. adenopleura complex congeners that do not exhibit nidification behavior have experienced a recent rapid radiation. The presence and loss of the nidification behavior in the Music frogs may be associated with paleoclimatic factors such as temperature and precipitation. This study highlights the nidification behavior as a key evolutionary innovation that has contributed to the diversification of an amphibian group under past climate changes.
Foldamers controlled by functional triamino acids: structural investigation of α/γ-hybrid oligopeptides
Authors: Just David , Palivec Vladimír , Bártová Kateřina , Bednárová Lucie , Pazderková Markéta , Císařová Ivana , Martinez-Seara Hector , Jahn Ullrich
Published: May 2024

Peptide-like foldamers controlled by normal amide backbone hydrogen bonding have been extensively studied, and their folding patterns largely rely on configurational and conformational constraints induced by the steric properties of backbone substituents at appropriate positions. In contrast, opportunities to influence peptide secondary structure by functional groups forming individual hydrogen bond networks have not received much attention. Here, peptide-like foldamers consisting of alternating α,β,γ-triamino acids 3-amino-4-(aminomethyl)-2-methylpyrrolidine-3-carboxylate (AAMP) and natural amino acids glycine and alanine are reported, which were obtained by solution phase peptide synthesis. They form ordered secondary structures, which are dominated by a three-dimensional bridged triazaspiranoid-like hydrogen bond network involving the non-backbone amino groups, the backbone amide hydrogen bonds, and the relative configuration of the α,β,γ-triamino and α-amino acid building blocks. This additional stabilization leads to folding in both nonpolar organic as well as in aqueous environments. The three-dimensional arrangement of the individual foldamers is supported by X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, chiroptical methods, and molecular dynamics simulations.
Sequence-based data-constrained deep learning framework to predict spider dragline mechanical properties
Authors: Pandey Akash , Chen Wei , Keten Sinan
Published: May 2024

Spider dragline silk is known for its exceptional strength and toughness; hence understanding the link between its primary sequence and mechanics is crucial. Here, we establish a deep-learning framework to clarify this link in dragline silk. The method utilizes sequence and mechanical property data of dragline spider silk as well as enriching descriptors such as residue-level mobility (B-factor) predictions. Our sequence representation captures the relative position, repetitiveness, as well as descriptors of amino acids that serve to physically enrich the model. We obtain high Pearson correlation coefficients (0.76–0.88) for strength, toughness, and other properties, which show that our B-factor based representation outperforms pure sequence-based models or models that use other descriptors. We prove the utility of our framework by identifying influential motifs and demonstrating how the B-factor serves to pinpoint potential mutations that improve strength and toughness, thereby establishing a validated, predictive, and interpretable sequence model for designing tailored biomaterials.
Anomalous properties in normal and superconducting states of Sc2Ir4-xSix due to flat band effect driven by spin-orbit coupling
Authors: Zhu Zhengyan , Wu Yuxiang , Fan Shengtai , Fan Yiliang , Li Yiwen , Ye Yongze , Zhu Xiyu , Zhang Haijun , Wen Hai-Hu
Published: May 2024

Correlation effect may be induced by the flat band(s) near the Fermi energy, as demonstrated in twisted graphene, Kagome materials, and heavy Fermion materials. Unconventional superconductivity may arise from this correlation effect and show deviation from the phonon-mediated pairing as well as the Landau Fermi liquid in the normal state. Here, we report the anomalous properties in normal and superconducting states in the Laves phase superconductor Sc2Ir4-xSix with a kagome lattice and silicon doping. By doping silicon to the iridium sites, a phase diagram with nonmonotonic and two-dome-like doping dependence of the superconducting transition temperature Tc was observed. The samples in the region of the second dome, including Sc2Ir3.5Si0.5 with the optimal Tc, exhibit non-Fermi liquid behavior at low temperatures after superconductivity is suppressed, as evidenced by the divergence of the specific heat coefficient and the semiconducting-like resistivity, together with a strong superconducting fluctuation in the optimally doped samples. Combined with first-principles calculations, we attribute the anomalous properties in normal and superconducting states to the correlation effect, which is intimately induced by the flat band effect when considering the strong spin-orbit coupling.
Hydrogen and silicon are the preferred light elements in Earth’s core
Authors: Liu Tao , Jing Zhicheng
Published: May 2024

Hydrogen is an important light element in the Earth’s core for its high cosmochemical abundance and strong affinity to iron under core-formation conditions. Thus, constraining the core composition requires knowledge on the distribution of hydrogen between the liquid outer core and solid inner core. Here we investigate the chemical equilibrium of hydrogen at the inner-core boundary by calculating the chemical potential of hydrogen in solid and liquid iron-hydrogen alloys, respectively, using first-principles molecular dynamic simulations and neural network methods. We find that hydrogen partitions preferentially into the outer core and provides a major contribution to the density jump across the inner-core boundary. Combining geophysical constraints, mineral physics data, and chemical equilibrium, we evaluated light element abundances in the outer and inner cores simultaneously. Our results suggest hydrogen and silicon are the preferred light elements in the core, implying a relatively reduced environment during the Earth’s accretion and core-formation processes.
Plasmonic nano-aperture label-free imaging of single small extracellular vesicles for cancer detection
Authors: Ohannesian Nareg , Mallick Mohammad Sadman , He Jianzhong , Qiao Yawei , Li Nan , Shaitelman Simona F. , Tang Chad , Shinn Eileen H. , Hofstetter Wayne L. , Goltsov Alexei , Hassan Manal M. , Hunt Kelly K. , Lin Steven H. , Shih Wei-Chuan
Published: May 2024

Background

Small extracellular vesicle (sEV) analysis can potentially improve cancer detection and diagnostics. However, this potential has been constrained by insufficient sensitivity, dynamic range, and the need for complex labeling.

Methods

In this study, we demonstrate the combination of PANORAMA and fluorescence imaging for single sEV analysis. The co-acquisition of PANORAMA and fluorescence images enables label-free visualization, enumeration, size determination, and enables detection of cargo microRNAs (miRs).

Results

An increased sEV count is observed in human plasma samples from patients with cancer, regardless of cancer type. The cargo miR-21 provides molecular specificity within the same sEV population at the single unit level, which pinpoints the sEVs subset of cancer origin. Using cancer cells-implanted animals, cancer-specific sEVs from 20 µl of plasma can be detected before tumors were palpable. The level plateaus between 5–15 absolute sEV count (ASC) per µl with tumors ≥8 mm3. In healthy human individuals (N = 106), the levels are on average 1.5 ASC/µl (+/− 0.95) without miR-21 expression. However, for stage I–III cancer patients (N = 205), nearly all (204 out of 205) have levels exceeding 3.5 ASC/µl with an average of 12.2 ASC/µl (±9.6), and a variable proportion of miR-21 labeling among different tumor types with 100% cancer specificity. Using a threshold of 3.5 ASC/µl to test a separate sample set in a blinded fashion yields accurate classification of healthy individuals from cancer patients.

Conclusions

Our techniques and findings can impact the understanding of cancer biology and the development of new cancer detection and diagnostic technologies.
Overcoming challenges in the economic evaluation of interventions to optimise antibiotic use
Authors: Roope Laurence S. J. , Morrell Liz , Buchanan James , Ledda Alice , Adler Amanda I. , Jit Mark , Walker A. Sarah , Pouwels Koen B. , Robotham Julie V. , Wordsworth Sarah ,   on behalf of the STEPUP team, Anyanwu Philip E. , Borek Aleksandra J. , Bright Nicole , Butler Christopher C. , Campbell Anne , Costelloe Céire , Hayhoe Benedict , Holmes Alison , Hopkins Susan , Majeed Azeem , McLeod Monsey , Moore Michael , Tonkin-Crine Sarah , Wright Carla , Yadav Sara , Zalevski Anna
Published: May 2024

Bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, reducing our ability to treat infections and threatening to undermine modern health care. Optimising antibiotic use is a key element in tackling the problem. Traditional economic evaluation methods do not capture many of the benefits from improved antibiotic use and the potential impact on resistance. Not capturing these benefits is a major obstacle to optimising antibiotic use, as it fails to incentivise the development and use of interventions to optimise the use of antibiotics and preserve their effectiveness (stewardship interventions). Estimates of the benefits of improving antibiotic use involve considerable uncertainty as they depend on the evolution of resistance and associated health outcomes and costs. Here we discuss how economic evaluation methods might be adapted, in the face of such uncertainties. We propose a threshold-based approach that estimates the minimum resistance-related costs that would need to be averted by an intervention to make it cost-effective. If it is probable that without the intervention costs will exceed the threshold then the intervention should be deemed cost-effective.
Label-free liquid crystal-based optical detection of norfloxacin using an aptamer recognition probe in soil and lake water
Authors: Das Sayani , Sil Soma , Pal Santanu Kumar , Kula Przemysław , Sinha Roy Susanta
Published: May 2024

A schematic representation of the liquid crystal-based aptasensor for the optical detection of norfloxacin in soil and lake water.
Spin-polarized p-block antimony/bismuth single-atom catalysts on defect-free rutile TiO2(110) substrate for highly efficient CO oxidation
Authors: Shi Jinlei , Yang Fengyuan , Zhao Xingju , Ren Xiaoyan , Tang Yanan , Li Shunfang
Published: May 2024

We establish a new strategy for constructing spin-polarized single Bi/Sb atoms on defect-free TiO2(110), showing excellent catalytic activities for spin-triplet O2 activation and CO oxidation with low rate-limiting reaction barrier of ∼0.6 eV.
Methods for the analysis, interpretation, and prediction of single-molecule junction conductance behaviour
Authors: Gorenskaia Elena , Low Paul J.
Published: May 2024

This article provides an overview of measurement methods and interpretations of data in the field of molecular electronics, together with a summary of predictive models that assist in establishing robust structure–property relationships.
An effective lithium incorporation strategy to boost the charge-storage capacity of bimetallic metal–organic frameworks with theoretical insights and solid-state lithium-ion capacitors
Authors: Sahoo Gopinath , Senthamaraikannan Thillai Govindaraja , Jeong Hyeon Seo , Bandyopadhyay Parthasarathi , Lim Dong-Hee , Nayak Saroj Kumar , Jeong Sang Mun
Published: May 2024

An effective strategy of Li incorporation into MOFs is achieved with a high-capacity of 1133 mA h g−1 and DFT confirms that the Li-incorporation into the O–Co–O site of MOF improves the conductivity and Li-diffusion.
Engineering a CoMnOx nanocube core catalyst through epitaxial growth of CoAlOx hydrotalcite shell nanosheets for efficient elimination of propane
Authors: Wu Shixing , Wu Shilin , Dong Fang , Ma Siyi , Meng Yu , Zhang Haitao , Tang Zhicheng
Published: May 2024

In this work, we successfully designed a core–shell structured CoMnOx@CoxAl1 catalyst for the catalytic combustion of propane (C3H8).
Glyphosate: a review on its widespread prevalence and occurrence across various systems
Authors: Ahuja Mishika , Kumar Lakhan , Kumar Krishan , Shingatgeri Vyas Madhavrao , Kumar Saroj
Published: May 2024

Glyphosate (GLY), a versatile herbicide with several applications, has become quite popular for controlling weed growth in residential, commercial, and agricultural settings.
Theoretical and experimental studies on the self‐healing properties of metallised capacitor films under multiple stresses
Authors: Wu Zhiyuan , Liu Shangshu , Tong Tong , Zhong Shaolong , Wang Jiantao , Qi Hongbin , Dang Zhimin , Wang Wei
Published: May 2024

Metallised film capacitors, for the most important merits is the excellent self‐healing property, have significant electrical insulation advantage. The essential factors affecting the self‐healing properties of metallised polypropylene film capacitors (MPPFCs) are first analysed, and a self‐healing performance characterisation test platform for metallised polypropylene capacitor films was built. Both the voltage/current waveforms and discharge patterns of the self‐healing process under multiple stresses including temperature, voltage and inter‐layer pressure were recorded and discussed. The correlation between self‐healing performance characterisation and the carbon that appeared on the surface of the dielectric layer during the arc extinction time is clarified. Finally, by virtue of an equivalent dynamic circuit model, the influence of square resistance and the equivalent capacitance of the power grid on self‐healing has been theoretically studied.
A lightweight multiscale smoke segmentation algorithm based on improved DeepLabV3+
Authors: Chen Xin , Hou Qingshan , Fu Yan , Zhu Yaolin
Published: May 2024

Fires not only cause devastating consequences for human life and property, but also lead to soil erosion in forests. Therefore, it is necessary to design a novel algorithm that can quickly monitor smoke from fires. Most existing smoke segmentation methods do not consider the segmentation accuracy of algorithms under limited computational resources. To address this research gap, this paper proposes a lightweight smoke segmentation algorithm based on DeepLabV3+ that achieves fast inference speed and high accuracy for different sizes smoke. To reduce the number of parameters, the feature extraction network of the DeeplabV3+ algorithm is replaced by MobileNetV2, which enhances the extraction ability of the algorithm in segment smoke images. Then, the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) is added to the encoder part to enhance the perception of the algorithm for small smoke and effectively alleviates smoke mis‐segmentation. Furthermore, a newly designed loss function is used in the network. The experimental results show that the proposed method has improved by 1.27% in Smoke IoU and 1.21% in mPA compared with other methods. The weight size has been reduced to 10.76% of the original DeepLabV3+, and the inference time is only 33.71ms. Therefore, it is a more suitable early fire detection algorithm for resource‐constrained environments.
Adjusting laser power to control the heat generated by nanoparticles at the site of a patient's cells
Authors: Razavi Seyed Ehsan , Khodadadi Hamed , Goharimanesh Masoud
Published: May 2024

Cancer treatment often involves heat therapy, commonly administered alongside chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The authors address the challenges posed by heat treatment methods and introduce effective control techniques. These approaches enable the precise adjustment of laser radiation over time, ensuring the tumour's core temperature attains an acceptable level with a well‐defined transient response. In these control strategies, the input is the actual tumour temperature compared to the desired value, while the output governs laser radiation power. Efficient control methods are explored for regulating tumour temperature in the presence of nanoparticles and laser radiation, validated through simulations on a relevant physiological model. Initially, a Proportional‐Integral‐Derivative (PID) controller serves as the foundational compensator. The PID controller parameters are optimised using a combination of trial and error and the Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA). ICA, known for its swift convergence and reduced computational complexity, proves instrumental in parameter determination. Furthermore, an intelligent controller based on an artificial neural network is integrated with the PID controller and compared against alternative methods. Simulation results underscore the efficacy of the combined neural network‐PID controller in achieving precise temperature control. This comprehensive study illuminates promising avenues for enhancing heat therapy's effectiveness in cancer treatment.
Pediatric Myringoplasty using the Periosteum: An Institutional Overview
Authors: Awad Al Hussein , Hamed Mahmood A.
Published: May 2024

Introduction Myringoplasty is a common otologic procedure to restore the integrity of the tympanic membrane in cases of traumatic or pathologic perforations. Many grafting materials have been used with different techniques.

Objective In the present work, we evaluate the surgical and audiological outcomes of periosteal graft overlying the mastoid cortex through a retroauricular incision in a pediatric cohort.

Methods A retrospective study was carried out involving all children aged ≤ 16 years who underwent periosteal graft myringoplasty for the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media with dry central perforation in our hospital from April 2019 to April 2021. All patients were followed up for one year to assess the anatomical success and functional outcomes by comparing the preoperative and postoperative (after six months) results of pure tone audiometry (PTA).

Results The sample was composed of 36 patients; 20 of them were female (55.6%) and 16 were male (44.4%) subjects, with ages ranging from 7 to 16 (mean: 12.7) years. Four patients underwent surgery in both ears (with an interval of 6 to 9 months). Out of 40 surgeries performed, 38 ears have shown anatomical success (95%). A highly significant improvement in hearing was obtained (the mean difference between the pre- and postoperative results of the PTA was of 14.6 ± 3.45 dB (p < 0.001).

Conclusion We advocate the use of periosteal graft in the pediatric population as a good alternative for other types of grafts, with comparable and even better functional and anatomical outcomes.
Functional Language in Children from a Public Cochlear Implant Program in a Developing Country
Authors: Silva Alice Lang , Roberto Anderson Claudio , Ramos Maithe Antonello , Alves Debora Milene Ferreira , Stumpf Isadora Martins Silva , Lacroix Laura Prolla , Rosito Letícia Petersen Schmidt
Published: May 2024

Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that ∼ 32 million children worldwide are affected by hearing loss (HL). Cochlear implant is the first-line treatment for severe to profound sensorineural HL. It is considered one of the most successful prostheses developed to date.

Objective To evaluate the oral language development of pediatric patients with prelingual deafness implanted in a reference hospital for the treatment of HL in southern Brazil.

Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study with a review of medical records of patients undergoing cochlear implant surgery between January 2009 and December 2018. Language development was assessed by reviewing consultations with speech therapy professionals from the cochlear implant group.

Results A total of 152 children were included in the study. The mean age at cochlear implant surgery was of 41 months (standard deviation [SD]: ± 15). The patients were divided into six groups considering the type of language most used in their daily lives. We found that 36% of children use oral language as their primary form of communication. In a subanalysis, we observed that patients with developed or developing oral language had undergone cochlear implant surgery earlier than patients using Brazilian Sign Language (Língua Brasileira de Sinais, LIBRAS, in Portuguese) or those without developed language.

Conclusion The cochlear implant is a state-of-the-art technology that enables the re-establishment of the sense of hearing and the development of oral language. However, language development is a complex process known to present a critical period to properly occur. We still see many patients receiving late diagnosis and treatment, which implies a delay and, often, the impossibility of developing oral communication.

Level of Evidence Level 3 (cohort study).
Treatments for Olfactory Dysfunction in COVID-19: A Systematic Review
Authors: Mehraeen Esmaeil , Yarmohammadi Soudabeh , Mirzapour Pegah , Zadeh Seyed Saeed Tamehri , Dehghani Soheil , Molaeipour Leila , Molla Ayoob , Karimi Elaheh , Abbaspour Faeze , SeyedAlinaghi SeyedAhmad
Published: May 2024

Introduction Olfactory dysfunction (OD) has emerged as a notable symptom among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, with its prevalence varying among different populations. Recognizing the need to provide therapeutic solutions for these individuals, the present study seeks to comprehensively review the current evidence on potential underlying mechanisms and treatment modalities to manage OD in COVID-19 patients.

Objective To review the recent evidence on treatments for OD in COVID-19. From the beginning of the study until August 2nd, 2023, we conducted a systematic search on four electronic databases, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science, to find relevant publications.

Data Synthesis In the present study, 37 articles were selected for data extraction and included in the final review. The total number of patients was of 3,560 (2,098 female and 1,462 male subjects). The predominant disorders reported were hyposmia, anosmia, and parosmia. In most of the studies, the pre and postintervention assessments were the same, except for one study, in which the pre-intervention assessment of the disorder was through the SST, Sniffin' Sticks Test (SST), and the post-intervention assessment was through the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22). The findings suggest olfactory training (OT), ivermectin, palmitoylethanolamide, luteolin, and systemic corticosteroids, in combination with topical corticosteroids, are potential therapies for COVID-19 patients with olfactory impairment.

Conclusion Although the review suggested several medications for OD treatment, further research must delve into the specific impact of OT, a non-pharmacological modality, regarding the mitigation of OD. By continuing to investigate and refine these therapeutic approaches, we can better support COVID-19 patients and improve their quality of life while navigating the challenges posed by OD.
Vestibular Disorders Limited to the Vertical Semicircular Canals
Authors: Albernaz Pedro Luiz Mangabeira , Cusin Flavia Salvaterra , Ramos Bernardo Faria , Cal Renato , Maia Francisco Carlos Zuma e
Published: May 2024

Introduction The advent of the video head impulse test (vHIT) enables the study of each one of the six semicircular canals. In the present study, certain patients present disorders related only to the vertical semicircular canals, and they were carefully evaluated.

Objective To investigate vestibular disorders limited to the vertical semicircular canals.

Methods In total, 9,891 patients were submitted to the vHIT in our clinic; 26 (2.63%) of them, 11 men and 15 women, showed reduced vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) limited to the vertical canals. All of these patients had vestibular symptoms.

Results These patients presented different disorders of the vestibular system, and ten of them presented vestibular neuritis.

Conclusion Now, vestibular disorders limited the vertical canals can be evaluated through the vHIT. These disorders, however, may relate do different labyrinthine diseases.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and continuous banking service intentions
Authors: Rezaei Sajad , Amin Muslim , Herjanto Halimin
Published: May 2024

Despite the increasing popularity of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and search engine optimization within the financial industry, there is a notable lack of research on the effectiveness of PPC on bank customers' continuous search intention and banking services intention. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the use of PPC as a tool on customers' search intention and continuous services intention in a retail banking context. Utilizing a quantitative design, we collected data and employed maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) for path analysis to analyze the empirical data. Our findings reveal several substantial results. Firstly, continuous search intentions significantly influence continuous banking services intentions. Secondly, attitude toward PPC advertising significantly affects both continuous search and banking services intentions. Thirdly, satisfaction with PPC advertising is crucial in shaping attitudes toward PPC, continuous search intention, and continuous banking services intention. Fourthly, perceived usefulness directly influences attitudes toward PPC, satisfaction with PPC, and continuous search intention. Lastly, while PPC advertising's perceived ease of use and perceived confirmation are linked to perceived usefulness, they do not directly affect attitude toward PPC. By adopting a dual intentions approach, this study contributes to banking literature by highlighting the importance of understanding the distinct roles of PPC attributes in shaping short- and long-term customer behavioral intentions.
Neither right nor wrong? Ethics of collaboration in transformative research for sustainable futures
Authors: Wittmayer Julia M. , Huang Ying-Syuan , Bogner Kristina , Boyle Evan , Hölscher Katharina , von Wirth Timo , Boumans Tessa , Garst Jilde , Hendlin Yogi Hale , Lavanga Mariangela , Loorbach Derk , Mungekar Neha , Tshangela Mapula , Vandekerckhove Pieter , Vasques Ana
Published: May 2024

Transformative research is a broad and loosely connected family of research disciplines and approaches, with the explicit normative ambition to fundamentally question the status quo, change the dominant structures, and support just sustainability transitions by working collaboratively with society. When engaging in such science-practice collaborations for transformative change in society, researchers experience ethical dilemmas. Amongst others, they must decide, what is worthwhile to be researched, whose reality is privileged, and whose knowledge is included. Yet, current institutionalised ethical standards, which largely follow the tradition of medical ethics, are insufficient to guide transformative researchers in navigating such dilemmas. In addressing this vacuum, the research community has started to develop peer guidance on what constitutes morally good behaviour. These formal and informal guidelines offer a repertoire to explain and justify positions and decisions. However, they are only helpful when they have become a part of researchers’ practical knowledge ‘in situ’. By focusing on situated research practices, the article addresses the need to develop an attitude of leaning into the uncertainty around what morally good behaviour constitutes. It also highlights the significance of combining this attitude with a critical reflexive practice both individually and collaboratively for answering questions around ‘how to’ as well as ‘what is the right thing to do’. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, the authors of this paper share their own ethical dilemmas in doing transformative research, discuss those, and relate them to a practical heuristic encompassing axiological, ontological, and epistemological considerations. The aim is to support building practical wisdom for the broader research community about how to navigate ethical questions arising in transformative research practice.
How spirituality affects individuals’ attitudes towards corporate social responsibility: a moderated mediation model
Authors: Huang Wenchuan , Chen Shouming , Hussain Talib , Rabeeu Ahmed
Published: May 2024

Research on individuals’ attitudes toward corporate social responsibility (CSR) from a micro level has increasingly emerged in recent years, yet the role of spiritual values and principles has been ignored as its antecedents in extant literature. To fill the research gap, we examine the relationship between spirituality and individual CSR attitudes and further analyze this relationship by revealing the mediating role of idealism and the moderating role of relativism. Data were gathered from a two-wave survey conducted in Pakistan and 147 questionnaires were collected. The results indicate that spirituality is positively related to CSR attitudes, and this relationship is mediated by idealism. Relativism strengthens not only the positive relationship between spirituality and idealism but also the indirect relationship between spirituality and CSR attitudes via idealism. The findings contribute to the research on the micro-foundations of CSR by taking spirituality into account. Theoretical and practical implications for future research are also discussed.
Adapting Road Transport to Horse Behavior
Authors: Cregier Sharon E.
Published: May 2024

Transport of horses by land has a record of refusals to load, injuries or death to handlers or horses during loading, transport, and unloading. Poor health outcomes for the horse during transport may persist following a journey. The author contends that there is a poor understanding of how to accommodate a horse’s balance on a moving platform, or how to design transport around a horse’s need for security behind itself. As a result, transport problems are common. The horse, in attempting to maintain its balance, frequently leaves scramble or kick marks on the transport partitions or ramps, gets a leg stuck high on the partition, or jumps forward into the manger area. In one case, the horse came through the wall separating the horse stalls and into a passenger seat. Well-designed transport allows the horses to maintain their balance and rest hindquarters during travel. Proper placement helps to keep the transport on the road during mountainous stretches or driving events such as braking. For example, travelling horses facing away from the direction of travel counteracts the tendency to pitch toward the cab on braking. Such transport eliminates the handler-hazardous space common during standard loading and unloading. When properly designed and used, it has been shown safe enough for children to load and unload their own mounts.

Information

© The Author 2024
‘The Sanctuary’ – developing a human-animal model to promote health in a supported residential aged care setting
Authors: Simic Tijana , Young Janette
Published: May 2024

Human-animal relationships are vital for many older persons. Finding ways to include animals in aged care settings can be part of reorienting aged care settings from a solely humancentric focus to a human-animal inclusive one for the 21st century. This case study project report describes the development of an animal inclusive model of care for a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) in a regional town in Australia. The model’s primary objective was to facilitate residents’ empowerment through safe engagements with animals as a source of health and wellbeing while incorporating best practise animal-care and husbandry. Exemplars used to inform the model included The Eden AlternativeTM and Care Farms. The Sanctuary model sought to cover several gaps identified in these approaches. These included clear policies and protocols regarding animal welfare, infrastructure needs (animal housing and designated human-animal interaction areas), staffing models, stakeholder engagement approaches (both within the RACF and the local community) and developing sustainable resourcing and financial frameworks. A vision to establish a refuge for both humans and animals was inherent in the design of the Sanctuary model, and to operationalize this vision, policies, resourcing plans and practical processes were formulated informed by multi-species ethical understandings. Regrettably, it was not possible to fully implement the model. However, this case study is presented with the aim of seeking to redress the noted 85% wastage of global health research; a wastage that includes human-animal research knowledge. Insights into opportunities and barriers and experiential knowledge are shared with the aim of facilitating future endeavours to implement parallel visions that embed human and animal inclusive models in residential aged care in the future.
Assessing mental health treatment receipt among Asian adults with limited English proficiency using an intersectional approach
Authors: Nguyễn Charlie H , Dean Lorraine T , Jackson John W
Published: May 2024

US Asian adults and people with limited English proficiency (LEP) confront mental health treatment receipt disparities. At the intersection of racial and language injustice, Asian adults with LEP may face even greater disparity, but studies have not assessed this through explicitly intersectional approaches. Using 2019 and 2020 National Survey of Drug Use and Health data, we computed disparities in mental health treatment among those with mental illness comparing: non-Hispanic (NH) Asian adults with LEP to NH White adults without LEP (joint disparity), NH Asian adults without LEP to NH White adults without LEP (referent race disparity), NH Asian adults with LEP to those without LEP (referent LEP disparity), and the joint disparity versus the sum of referent disparities (excess intersectional disparity). In age- and gender-adjusted analyses, excess intersectional disparity was 26.8% (95% CI, −29.8 to 83.4) of the joint disparity in 2019 and 63.0% (95% CI, 29.1-96.8) in 2020. The 2019 joint disparity was 1.37 (95% CI, 0.31-2.42) times that if the race-related disparity did not vary by LEP, and if LEP-related disparity did not vary by race; this figure was 2.70 (95% CI, 0.23-5.17) in 2020. These findings highlight the necessity of considering the intersection of race and LEP in addressing mental health treatment disparities.

This article is part of a Special Collection on Mental Health.
Building transparency and reproducibility into the practice of pharmacoepidemiology and outcomes research
Authors: Wang Shirley V , Pottegård Anton
Published: May 2024

Real-world evidence (RWE) studies are increasingly used to inform policy and clinical decisions. However, there remain concerns about the credibility and reproducibility of RWE studies. While there is universal agreement on the critical importance of transparent and reproducible science, the building blocks of open science practice that are common across many disciplines have not yet been built into routine workflows for pharmacoepidemiology and outcomes researchers. Observational researchers should highlight the level of transparency of their studies by providing a succinct statement addressing study transparency with the publication of every paper, poster, or presentation that reports on an RWE study. In this paper, we propose a framework for an explicit transparency statement that declares the level of transparency a given RWE study has achieved across 5 key domains: (1) protocol, (2) preregistration, (3) data, (4) code-sharing, and (5) reporting checklists. The transparency statement outlined in the present paper can be used by research teams to proudly display the open science practices that were used to generate evidence designed to inform public health policy and practice. While transparency does not guarantee validity, such a statement signals confidence from the research team in the scientific choices that were made.
If epistemic partialism is true, don’t tell your friends
Authors: Woodcock Scott
Published: May 2024

It is generally recognized that friendship justifies a particular set of special permissions and responsibilities. However, a compelling debate has emerged regarding the question of whether we ought to believe claims about our friends that strangers would not. Advocates of epistemic partialism, such as Sarah Stroud and Simon Keller, argue that friendship ought to sometimes lead us to form beliefs that are inconsistent with what is justified from an impartial perspective. In this paper, I identify a puzzle for epistemic partialism that has not received attention. The puzzle is that epistemic partialism fails to meet a publicity condition for agents to transparently endorse the doxastic practices the position recommends. If epistemic partialism is widely acknowledged as true, the goods it produces become more difficult to secure. This is not a decisive objection to epistemic partialism, but it may leave the view less convincing than alternatives.
Spatial patterns and climatic drivers of phylogenetic structure of regional liverwort assemblages in China
Authors: Qian Hong , Vanderpoorten Alain , Dai Zun , Kessler Michael , Kasprzyk Thibault , Wang Jian
Published: May 2024

Background and Aims

Latitudinal diversity gradients have been intimately linked to the tropical niche conservatism hypothesis, which posits that there has been a strong filter due to the challenges faced by ancestral tropical lineages to adapt to low temperatures and colonize extra-tropical regions. In liverworts, species richness is higher towards the tropics, but the centres of diversity of the basal lineages are distributed across extra-tropical regions, pointing to the colonization of tropical regions by phylogenetically clustered assemblages of species of temperate origin. Here, we test this hypothesis through analyses of the relationship between macroclimatic variation and phylogenetic diversity in Chinese liverworts.

Methods

Phylogenetic diversity metrics and their standardized effect sizes for liverworts in each of the 28 regional floras at the province level in China were related to latitude and six climate variables using regression analysis. We conducted variation partitioning analyses to determine the relative importance of each group of climatic variables.

Key Results

We find that the number of species decreases with latitude, whereas phylogenetic diversity shows the reverse pattern, and that phylogenetic diversity is more strongly correlated with temperature-related variables compared with precipitation-related variables.

Conclusions

We interpret the opposite patterns observed in phylogenetic diversity and species richness in terms of a more recent origin of tropical diversity coupled with higher extinctions in temperate regions.
Towards sustainable solar cells: unveiling the latest developments in bio-nano materials for enhanced DSSC efficiency
Authors: Tamilselvan Sethu Narayanan , Shanmugan S
Published: May 2024

Fossil fuels—instrumental in powering the nineteenth-century Industrial Revolution—are now under heightened scrutiny due to environmental concerns and carbon emissions. Consequently, there is a global impetus towards achieving carbon-neutral energy production, with solar energy emerging as a cornerstone in this transition. Over the past three decades, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have gained increasing prominence due to their unique advantages. This review elucidates several crucial elements essential to DSSC construction, notably bio-nano materials, prized for their structural flexibility, cost-effectiveness and high molar absorption coefficient. It delves into the intricate relationship between molecular structure and DSSC performance, showcasing significant advancements with light-to-power conversion efficiencies reaching 11%. A comprehensive analysis of the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs utilizing bio-nano-based dyes offers invaluable insights into the state of this rapidly evolving industry. Key components under scrutiny include transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layers, physical techniques for metal oxide deposition onto TCO thin films, diverse dye variants and foundational knowledge of components ripe for growth and enhancement. Moreover, the review outlines the latest breakthroughs in the field, providing glimpses into the current status of prototype DSSCs.
β1 integrins regulate cellular behaviour and cardiomyocyte organization during ventricular wall formation
Authors: Miao Lianjie , Lu Yangyang , Nusrat Anika , Zhao Luqi , Castillo Micah , Xiao Yongqi , Guo Hongyang , Liu Yu , Gunaratne Preethi , Schwartz Robert J , Burns Alan R , Kumar Ashok , DiPersio C Michael , Wu Mingfu
Published: May 2024

Aims

The mechanisms regulating the cellular behaviour and cardiomyocyte organization during ventricular wall morphogenesis are poorly understood. Cardiomyocytes are surrounded by extracellular matrix (ECM) and interact with ECM via integrins. This study aims to determine whether and how β1 integrins regulate cardiomyocyte behaviour and organization during ventricular wall morphogenesis in the mouse.

Methods and results

We applied mRNA deep sequencing and immunostaining to determine the expression repertoires of α/β integrins and their ligands in the embryonic heart. Integrin β1 subunit (β1) and some of its ECM ligands are asymmetrically distributed and enriched in the luminal side of cardiomyocytes, and fibronectin surrounds cardiomyocytes, creating a network for them. Itgb1, which encodes the β1, was deleted via Nkx2.5Cre/+ to generate myocardial-specific Itgb1 knockout (B1KO) mice. B1KO hearts display an absence of a trabecular zone but a thicker compact zone. The levels of hyaluronic acid and versican, essential for trabecular initiation, were not significantly different between control and B1KO. Instead, fibronectin, a ligand of β1, was absent in the myocardium of B1KO hearts. Furthermore, B1KO cardiomyocytes display a random cellular orientation and fail to undergo perpendicular cell division, be organized properly, and establish the proper tissue architecture to form trabeculae. Mosaic clonal lineage tracing showed that Itgb1 regulates cardiomyocyte transmural migration and proliferation autonomously.

Conclusion

β1 is asymmetrically localized in the cardiomyocytes, and some of its ECM ligands are enriched along the luminal side of the myocardium, and fibronectin surrounds cardiomyocytes. β1 integrins are required for cardiomyocytes to attach to the ECM network. This engagement provides structural support for cardiomyocytes to maintain shape, undergo perpendicular division, and establish cellular organization. Deletion of Itgb1 leads to loss of β1 and fibronectin and prevents cardiomyocytes from engaging the ECM network, resulting in failure to establish tissue architecture to form trabeculae.
Finding the Wise and the Wisdom in a Crowd: Estimating Underlying Qualities of Reviewers and Items
Authors: Carayol Nicolas , Jackson Matthew O
Published: May 2024

Consumers, businesses and organisations rely on others’ ratings of items when making choices. However, individual reviewers vary in their accuracy and some are biased—either systematically over- or under-rating items relative to others’ tastes, or even deliberately distorting a rating. We describe how to process ratings by a group of reviewers over a set of items and evaluate the individual reviewers’ accuracies and biases, in a way that yields unbiased and consistent estimates of the items’ true qualities. We provide Monte Carlo simulations that showcase the added value of our technique even with small data sets, and we show that this improvement increases as the number of items increases. Revisiting the famous 1976 wine tasting that compared Californian and Bordeaux wines, accounting for the substantial variation in reviewers’ biases and accuracies results in a ranking that differs from the original average rating. We also illustrate the power of this methodology with an application to more than 45,000 ratings of ‘en primeur’ Bordeaux fine wines by expert critics. Those data show that our estimated wine qualities significantly predict prices when controlling for prominent experts’ ratings and numerous fixed effects. We also find that the elasticity of a wine price in an expert’s ratings increases with that expert’s accuracy.
Giving patients a voice for healthcare reform in Austria: the qualitative voice-study
Authors: Hoffmann Kathryn , Wojczewski Silvia , Rumpler Nicole , George Aaron , de Boeckxstaens Pauline
Published: May 2024

Background

Inclusion of patients in healthcare service and system planning is an increasingly important tool to improve healthcare systems worldwide. In 2012, a focused healthcare reform was initiated in Austria to strengthen the primary care sector which is still underway in 2023.

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions, desires, and needs of patients in terms of primary care as a necessary building block of the Austrian healthcare reform.

Methods

This study was designed as an exploratory qualitative study using semi-structured interviews between the years 2013 and 2018. Interviews with patients focused on positive and negative experiences with regard to general practice (GP) consultations and perceptions of the primary care system in general, as well as desires for improvement. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the material using the software atlas.ti.

Results

Altogether, 41 interviews were conducted with seven categories identified. These categories include organization and time management around consultation, access, and availability including opening hours, human and professional aspects of consultation, infrastructure and hygiene of the waiting room, healthcare system factors, as well as non-clinical/administrative staff.

Conclusions

Appreciating and responding to patients’ perceptions and needs, healthcare reform in Austria should include improvements regarding consultation/waiting time, coordination, and navigation in Primary Care. Successful healthcare reform has to include the patient voice.