bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maternal Perceptions and Responsiveness to Cry in Armed Conflict Zones: Links to Child Behavior Problems
Authors: Levavi Kinneret , Yatziv Tal , Yakov Porat , Pike Alison , Deater-Deckard Kirby , Hadar Amnon , Bar Guy , Froimovici Miron , Atzaba-Poria Naama
Published: June 2024

Crying is a typical infant behavior that activates parental caregiving behaviors, acting as “human alarms” important for the infant’s survival. When living under war-related threat, the auditory system may be sensitized given its importance for survival, potentially impacting maternal cry processing. Children living in armed-conflict zones are at increased risk for behavior problems, which may relate to both direct exposure and indirect effects through their parents’ perceptions and behaviors. This hypothesis was examined in a sample of mothers and their first-born children (aged 10–45 months) living in the Gaza vicinity area in Israel, chronically exposed to missile alarms (high-exposure; n = 45), and a comparison group (low-exposure; n = 86). Group differences in child behavior problems and maternal perceptions of and responsiveness to cry were investigated. A moderated indirect-effect of maternal cry perceptions on child behavior problems via maternal responsiveness to cry was examined. In the high-exposure group, children had more externalizing problems and mothers rated cries as more aversive. Maternal cry perception was indirectly related to child behavior problems via responsiveness to cry only in the high-exposure group: higher perceptions of cry as aversive or the child as distressed were related to faster responding to crying, and faster cry responsiveness was linked with fewer behavior problems. Results suggest that in armed-conflict zones with auditory warning signals, the parental caring system may be easily activated by cries due to the strong association between alarms and threat. Furthermore, children may need their mothers to react faster when feeling distressed, possibly because of the surrounding threat.
Sleeping Sound Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Cost-Effectiveness of a Brief Behavioural Sleep Intervention in Primary School-Aged Autistic Children
Authors: Engel Lidia , Chiotelis Oxana , Papadopoulos Nicole , Hiscock Harriet , Howlin Patricia , McGillivray Jane , Bellows Susannah T. , Rinehart Nicole , Mihalopoulos Cathrine
Published: June 2024

Disordered sleep is common in autistic children. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a brief behavioural sleep intervention, the ‘Sleeping Sound intervention’, in primary school-aged autistic children in Australia. A cost-effectiveness analysis was undertaken alongside a randomised controlled trial over a 6-month follow-up period from both a societal and healthcare sector perspective. Resources used by participants were collected from a resource-use questionnaire and administrative data; intervention costs were determined from study records. Mean costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were compared between the intervention and treatment as usual (TAU) groups. Uncertainty analysis using bootstrapping and sensitivity analyses were conducted. The sample included 245 children, with 123 participants randomised to the intervention group and 122 to TAU. The mean total costs were higher for the Sleeping Sound intervention with a mean difference of A$745 (95% CI 248; 1242; p = 0.003) from a healthcare sector perspective and A$1310 (95% CI 584; 2035, p < 0.001) from a societal perspective. However, the intervention also resulted in greater QALYs compared with TAU, with a mean difference of 0.038 (95% CI 0.004; 0.072; p = 0.028). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was A$24,419/QALY (95% CI 23,135; 25,703) from a healthcare sector perspective and A$41,922/QALY (95% CI 39,915; 43,928) from a societal perspective; with a probability of being cost-effective of 93.8% and 74.7%, respectively. Findings remained robust in the sensitivity analyses. The Sleeping Sound intervention offers a cost-effective approach in improving sleep in primary school-aged autistic children.

Trial registration The trial was registered with the International Trial Registry (ISRCTN14077107).
Overqualified Employees’ Actual Turnover: The Role of Growth Dissatisfaction and the Contextual Effects of Age and Pay
Authors: Mah Sunghyuck , Huang Chengquan , Yun Seokhwa
Published: June 2024

Overqualified employees are those with more knowledge, skills, and abilities than their job requires. While these competent workers can bring benefits to firms, they also pose a high risk of turnover. However, the evidence is insufficient on whether, why, and when they actually leave and how organizations can manage their turnover effectively. Based on self-determination theory, we propose that unfulfilled internal aspirations for personal growth can be a major driving force of turnover among overqualified employees. Moreover, we explore how such a mechanism varies by employee’s age and whether pay can exert a mitigating influence. Using longitudinal data over three years (from 2017 to 2019) with a large sample of workers (N = 2473), we found an indirect effect where perceived overqualification reduces growth satisfaction, which in turn leads to actual turnover. Further, we found a three-way moderating effect of pay and age on the relationship between growth satisfaction and turnover, indicating that pay’s effect of deterring turnover was stronger for older employees. This study has theoretical implications for a better understanding of overqualified employees’ turnover driven by their internal impetus, as well as implications for pay policies that effectively manage overqualified workers in age-diverse modern organizations.
Problematic Gambling Behavior in a Sample of Gamblers: The Role of Alexithymia, Dissociation Features, and External Locus of Control
Authors: Gori Alessio , Topino Eleonora
Published: June 2024

Gambling disorder is a severe condition that significantly compromises the lives of those affected. In light of this clinical relevance, the literature on the antecedents of this form of addiction is constant and continually evolving. Consistently with this framework, the present research aimed at investigating the role of some risk factors in gambling disorder, with a specific focus on alexithymia, dissociation, and locus of control. The research involved a sample of 290 participants (183 males and 107 females; Mage = 34.43, SD = 14.65) who practice gambling at least occasionally. They completed an online survey including the South Oaks Gambling Screen, Twenty-Items Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Dissociative Experience Scale‐II, and Locus of Control of Behavior. ANOVA and a moderated-mediation model were implemented to analyse the collected data. Results showed that 19.0% of the participants were At Risk and Problem Gamblers, while 27.6% fell into the category of Problematic Gamblers. Problematic Gamblers showed significantly higher levels of alexithymia, dissociation, and external locus of control. Moreover, a significant association between alexithymia and the severity of problematic gambling behaviour was found and was significantly mediated by absorption (a dissociation feature). Furthermore, the external locus of control significantly moderated this indirect effect. The role of gender as a covariate was also investigated. Such findings may offer further insights into the field of clinical research on gambling disorder and may provide useful information for effective clinical practice.
Religion and Satisfaction with Life in Polish Seniors: Mediation by Forgiveness and Hope
Authors: Rydz Elżbieta , Tychmanowicz Anna , Zarzycka Beata
Published: June 2024

This study examined the mediating role of forgiveness and hope in the relationship between religiousness and satisfaction with life in late adults in Poland. Participants were 237 people (165 females and 72 males) aged between 60 and 92. The mean age of the sample was 68.37 years (SD = 6.92), and the most represented religious affiliation was Roman Catholic (98.3%). Satisfaction with life is related to the centrality of religiousness. In the surveyed seniors, hope and tendency to forgive mediated the relationship between the centrality of religiousness and satisfaction with life.
Three steps for universities to become entrepreneurial: a case study of entrepreneurial process and dynamic capabilities
Authors: Belitski Maksim , Sikorski Jurek
Published: June 2024

Entrepreneurial universities play a crucial role in supporting regional economy and addressing social challenges. Despite the significant contributions in the entrepreneurial university literature, little is still known about the process of entrepreneurial idea development, validation and commercialisation within the university. Inspired by this gap in the knowledge transfer literature we draw on three pillars of entrepreneurial university–teaching, research and commercialisation and explain how entrepreneurial process set up to nurture entrepreneurial opportunities within university develops dynamic capabilities that shape product commercialisation at university. We use the case study of the Henley Centre of Entrepreneurship at University of Reading in the United Kingdom, secondary data sources and sixteen interviews with university ecosystem stakeholders to explain the role of dynamic capabilities in entrepreneurial process for university to become entrepreneurial. The process which describes the entrepreneurs journey comprises five stages could become part of entrepreneurial university curricular and embedding university practices into regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Standards of care for medical management of acromegaly in pituitary tumor centers of excellence (PTCOE)
Authors: Giustina Andrea , Uygur M. M. , Frara S. , Barkan A. , Biermasz N. R. , Chanson P. , Freda P. , Gadelha M. , Haberbosch L. , Kaiser U. B. , Lamberts S. , Laws E. , Nachtigall L. B. , Popovic V. , Reincke M. , van der Lely A. J. , Wass J. A. H. , Melmed S. , Casanueva F. F.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

A series of consensus guidelines on medical treatment of acromegaly have been produced in the last two decades. However, little information is available on their application in clinical practice. Furthermore, international standards of acromegaly care have not been published. The aim of our study was to report current standards of care for medical therapy of acromegaly, using results collected through an audit performed to validate criteria for definition of Pituitary Tumor Centers of Excellence (PTCOE).

Methods

Details of medical treatment approaches to acromegaly were voluntarily provided by nine renowned international centers that participated in this audit. For the period 2018–2020, we assessed overall number of acromegaly patients under medical treatment, distribution of patients on different treatment modalities, overall biochemical control rate with medical therapy, and specific control rates for different medical treatment options.

Results

Median number of total patients and median number of new patients with acromegaly managed annually in the endocrinology units of the centers were 206 and 16.3, respectively. Median percentage of acromegaly patients on medical treatment was 48.9%. Among the patients on medical treatment, first-generation somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL) monotherapy was used with a median rate of 48.7%, followed by combination therapies with a median rate of 29.3%. Cabergoline monotherapy was used in 6.9% of patients. Pegvisomant monotherapy was used in 7 centers and pasireotide monotherapy in 5 centers, with median rates of 7.9% and 6.3%, respectively.

Conclusions

Current standards of care in PTCOEs include use of first-generation SRLs as the first medical option in about 50% of patients, as recommended by consensus guidelines. However, some patients are kept on this treatment despite inadequate control suggesting that cost-effectiveness, availability, patient preference, side effects, and therapeutic inertia may play a possible role also in PTCOE. Moreover, at odds with consensus guidelines, other monotherapies for acromegaly appear to have a marginal role as compared to combination therapies as extrapolated from PTCOE practice data. Presence of uncontrolled patients in each treatment category suggest that further optimization of medical therapy, as well as use of other therapeutic tools such as radiosurgery may be needed.
Public-private Job Satisfaction Differential: The Case of Egypt
Authors: Mikhaeil Ebshoy , Okulicz-Kozaryn Adam
Published: June 2024

We use the 2018 round of the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey (ELMPS) to investigate the public-private job satisfaction differential in the case of Egypt. Descriptive statistics show that public sector employees report higher job satisfaction levels compared to their private sector counterparts. For instance, the mean reported overall job satisfaction is 4.57, on a scale from 1 to 5, for public sector employees compared to 3.92 for private sector workers. We find that the difference persists, even after controlling for confounding factors in our regression models. We discuss the possible explanations of this public-private job satisfaction differential.
Gradual de-idealisation and progress in political science: a case study
Authors: Wajzer Mateusz
Published: June 2024

This article contributes to the discussion regarding the relationship between idealisation, de-idealisation and cognitive scientific progress. In this, I raise the question of the significance of the gradual de-idealisation procedure for constructing political science theories. I show that conceptions that assume the reversibility of the idealisation process can be an extremely useful theoretical perspective in reconstructions of political science modelling and analyses of scientific progress in political science. I base my position on the results of the methodological reconstruction of Richard Jankowski’s theory of voting. My reconstruction and results of empirical studies show that by gradually removing simplifying assumptions, models can emerge that more accurately identify the determinants of the voting decision and the corresponding relationships. In the case I analysed, the transition from coarse-grained to fine-grained models likely demarcates the line of scientific progress.
Comparison of Mechanical Properties of Bulk NiAl-Re-Al2O3 Intermetallic Material Manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion and Hot Pressing
Authors: Bochenek Kamil , Arneitz Siegfried , Sommitsch Christof , Basista Michał
Published: June 2024

The low fracture toughness of NiAl at room temperature is one of the critical issues limiting its application in aircraft engines. It has been previously shown that a small addition of rhenium and alumina significantly improves the fracture toughness of hot-pressed NiAl. In this work, NiAl with an admixture of rhenium and alumina was produced by laser powder bed fusion additive technology (LPBF). The purpose was to compare the fracture toughness, bending strength, and microhardness of the NiAl-Re-Al2O3 material produced by LPBF and hot pressing (HP). Our results show that the LPBF material has lower fracture toughness and bending strength compared to its hot-pressed equivalent. Microcracks generated by thermal stresses during the LPBF process were the primary cause of this behavior. To improve the LPBF material, a post-processing by HP was applied. However, the fracture toughness of the (LPBF + HP) material remained at 50% of the KIC of the HP material. This study supports hot pressing as a suitable processing method for NiAl with rhenium and alumina additions. However, a hybrid approach combining LPBF and HP proved to be highly effective on the raw NiAl powder, resulting in superior fracture toughness of the final material compared to that consolidated by singular HP.
Skeletal trauma in an Iron age context: new insight into the Etruscan population from Spina (Ferrara, Italy)
Authors: Manzon Vanessa S. , Rinaldo Natascia , Gualdi-Russo Emanuela
Published: June 2024

The analysis of traumatic injuries in human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts offers important challenges for the reconstruction of past populations’ behaviors. In this study, a sample of 303 buried skeletons retrieved from the Etruscan necropolis of Spina (Ferrara, Italy) and dated back to the 5th to the 3rd century BC, were macroscopically analyzed for traumatic injuries. The sample consisted of 38% males, 22% females, and 40% undetermined individuals. Subadults represented 25% of the entire sample. The aim of this study was to collect and describe new data on antemortem and perimortem injuries in the Spina Etruscans, bringing a new perspective to the understanding of social behaviors in this population. In the sample of Etruscans examined 16 individuals showed evidence of one injury and two individuals of two injuries. The analysis revealed 18 cases of antemortem trauma and 2 cases of perimortem trauma. No traumatic injuries were detected among subadults, while men and women presented different types of traumas: women were more prone to stress fractures involving the spine, whereas men were affected by antemortem and perimortem inflicted traumas, suggesting a division of labor and a major exposition of the latter to interpersonal violence. The reduced presence of sharp force traumas found exclusively in males (3 cases, 1.3% of the adult sample) is basically consistent with archaeological and historical data that described this site as a free port without an explicit history of violence.
Does Virtual Reality Training Increase Mindfulness in Aboriginal Out-of-Home Care Children?
Authors: Rowland Georgia , Hindman Emily , Jomeen Julie , Hassmén Peter
Published: June 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to address the negative impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on Aboriginal children and young people in out-of-home care (OOHC) using mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) delivered via virtual reality (VR). MBIs can improve emotion regulation and executive functioning, but engagement can be challenging, especially for children with other health conditions and trauma.

Method

Virtual reality goggles with a head-mounted display, head tracking, and handheld controls were used. Measures included heart rate variability (HRV), the State Mindfulness Scale, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function 2. The procedure involved a baseline assessment of state mindfulness, a 5-min sitting baseline HRV measurement, VR orientation, exploration of the VR landscape, a mindfulness body scan, a second HRV measurement during the body scan, and completing a post-VR questionnaire.

Results

No significant improvement in state mindfulness was found as measured by the State Mindfulness Scale. However, a significant improvement with moderate effect size was seen pre-to-post-intervention on the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (p = 0.007, d =  − 0.69). We also explored the impact of age, sex, and diagnosis on the intervention and found significant improvements in state mindfulness across subgroups. HRV did not show a significant change pre-to-post-intervention.

Conclusions

Our study highlights the potential for MBI-VR to improve mindfulness in Aboriginal children and young people in OOHC who have experienced abuse and trauma. Brief mindfulness sessions were effective at enhancing state mindfulness as measured by the MAAS; the older participants and those with mental health concerns benefitted the most. Further research with more diverse samples is needed to validate the findings and examine potential interactions between demographic and clinical factors.

Preregistration

This study is not preregistered.
Toward Greater Clarity in Defining and Understanding Nonattachment
Authors: Tremblay Lindsay , Van Gordon William , Elander James
Published: June 2024

Nonattachment is a key positive element of several psychotherapeutic approaches, including mindfulness-based interventions. However, it has been defined in the academic literature largely as a construct of negation, whereby one should not become attached to objects, people, or experiences. This approach may foster resistance to nonattachment in general through confusion associated with what it means along with uncertainty in how to practise it as there are currently no evidence-based courses or clear guidelines. Furthermore, there is currently no empirical exploration of interventions that are specifically nonattachment-based in terms of their value in applied settings.

The purpose of this paper is to propose an affirmative, action-based definition of nonattachment in order to improve understanding and implementation. A further objective is to provide examples of exercises within existing therapeutic modalities through which nonattachment may already be cultivated and to use the example of post-traumatic stress (PTS) as a focus area to discuss the potential value and implications of using nonattachment in a clinical context. Four psychotherapeutic approaches currently applying nonattachment-based concepts including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Compassion-Focussed Therapy, and Mindfulness are critically assessed for ways in which they cultivate nonattachment, using symptoms of PTS as an example.

Based on existing therapeutic and contemplative practices that embody nonattachment principles, as an affirmative definition we propose that nonattachment involves the intentional practices of acceptance, letting go, deep presence, opening to a universally interconnected self-schema, and perceptual distancing from stimuli and response. An affirmative understanding of what nonattachment is, along with a targeted approach to its cultivation, may facilitate a clearer pathway toward the predictive and intervention outcome value of nonattachment in applied settings.
Deciphering the role of zinc homeostasis in the tumor microenvironment and prognosis of prostate cancer
Authors: Guo Tao , Wang Jian , Meng Xiangyu , Wang Ye , Lou Yihaoyun , Ma Jianglei , Xu Shuang , Ni Xiangyu , Jia Zongming , Jin Lichen , Wang Chengyu , Chen Qingyang , Li Peng , Huang Yuhua , Ren Shancheng
Published: June 2024

Background

Dysregulation of zinc homeostasis is widely recognized as a hallmark feature of prostate cancer (PCa) based on the compelling clinical and experimental evidence. Nevertheless, the implications of zinc dyshomeostasis in PCa remains largely unexplored.

Methods

In this research, the zinc homeostasis pattern subtype (ZHPS) was constructed according to the profile of zinc homeostasis genes. The identified subtypes were assessed for their immune functions, mutational landscapes, biological peculiarities and drug susceptibility. Subsequently, we developed the optimal signature, known as the zinc homeostasis-related risk score (ZHRRS), using the approach won out in multifariously machine learning algorithms. Eventually, clinical specimens, Bayesian network inference and single-cell sequencing were used to excavate the underlying mechanisms of MT1A in PCa.

Results

The zinc dyshomeostasis subgroup, ZHPS2, possessed a markedly worse prognosis than ZHPS1. Moreover, ZHPS2 demonstrated a more conspicuous genomic instability and better therapeutic responses to docetaxel and olaparib than ZHPS1. Compared with traditional clinicopathological characteristics and 35 published signatures, ZHRRS displayed a significantly improved accuracy in prognosis prediction. The diagnostic value of MT1A in PCa was substantiated through analysis of clinical samples. Additionally, we inferred and established the regulatory network of MT1A to elucidate its biological mechanisms.

Conclusions

The ZHPS classifier and ZHRRS model hold great potential as clinical applications for improving outcomes of PCa patients.
Research Data Management in Simulation Science: Infrastructure, Tools, and Applications
Authors: Flemisch Bernd , Hermann Sibylle , Herschel Melanie , Pflüger Dirk , Pleiss Jürgen , Range Jan , Roy Sarbani , Takamoto Makoto , Uekermann Benjamin
Published: June 2024

Research Data Management (RDM) has gained significant traction in recent years, being essential to allowing research data to be, e.g., findable, accessible, interoperable, and reproducible (FAIR), thereby fostering collaboration or accelerating scientific findings. We present solutions for RDM developed within the DFG-Funded Cluster of Excellence EXC2075 Data-Integrated Simulation Science (SimTech). After an introduction to the scientific context and challenges faced by simulation scientists, we outline the general data management infrastructure and present tools that address these challenges. Exemplary domain applications demonstrate the use and benefits of the proposed data management software solutions. These are complemented by additional measures for enablement and dissemination to foster the adoption of these techniques.
Parametrizing W-weighted BT inverse to obtain the W-weighted q-BT inverse
Authors: Ferreyra D. E. , Thome N. , Torigino C.
Published: June 2024

The core-EP and BT inverses for rectangular matrices were studied recently in the literature. The main aim of this paper is to unify both concepts by means of a new kind of generalized inverse called W-weighted q-BT inverse. We analyze its existence and uniqueness by considering an adequate matrix system. Basic properties and some interesting characterizations are proved for this new weighted generalized inverse. Also, we give a canonical form of the W-weighted q-BT inverse by means of the weighted core-EP decomposition.
Genetic diversity of Apis mellifera complementary sex determiner (csd) in four Australian breeding populations
Authors: Mo Erica Y. Y. , Utaipanon Patsavee , Bates Tiffane , Davies John , Grueber Catherine E. , Lim Julianne , Frost Elizabeth A. , Chapman Nadine C.
Published: June 2024

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) breeding has intensified as populations experience increasing stress and pollination demand increases. Breeding programmes risk genetic diversity losses as mating is focused on a small group of individuals. Loss of diversity at the complementary sex determiner (csd) locus results in decreased viability and reduced honey production. Bees that are homozygous at csd become inviable males rather than workers. We examined csd diversity in four Australian breeding populations: a queen bee breeder from New South Wales, another from Queensland, a Western Australian breeding programme involving 11 bee breeders, and a research population at the NSW Department of Primary Industries. We found 82 unique csd alleles across the four populations, 16 of which have not been previously reported. This study provides a snapshot of csd diversity in Australia which will be useful for the national honey bee genetic improvement programme (Plan Bee).
Development of a Proof-of-Concept Multi-Method Computer Simulation to Support Rural Healthcare Disaster Preparedness Planning
Authors: Berg Thomas A. , Kintziger Kristina W. , Crumly Julie Suzuki , Lawson Scott A. , Myers Carole R. , Stansberry Tracey T.
Published: June 2024

Due to a lack of resources, rural communities often face challenges when planning catastrophic events. This project involved applying systems thinking and model-based systems engineering to develop a proof-of-concept, multi-method computer simulation and then determining whether the simulation could be used to assess the efficacy of disaster planning approaches on health outcomes in rural communities, as a function of primary healthcare. The project focus was a rural or non-urban healthcare system experiencing a natural hazard. Both system dynamics and discrete event models were incorporated to represent subsystem operations, crucial disaster responses, as well as three key response systems: public health, emergency management, and healthcare. The subsystem models included several components: policies/procedures, communications, resources, exercises/drills/training, healthcare space and staff, and the flow of affected people into and through the system. The combined simulation can serve as a first step to a more comprehensive approach to helping rural communities achieve more efficient and effective healthcare planning for disaster responses.
Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) Germplasm from Siena (Italy) Includes Rare Strains and Reveals Population Structuring
Authors: Vignani Rita , Scali Monica , Ciacci Andrea
Published: June 2024

Molecular characterization was carried out on samples of historical grapevine populations that were gathered from within and around the medieval walls of Siena. Forty-nine grapevines were selected based on their age, historical site of growth, grapevines’ ampelography, and for being relict accessions, obsolete to cultivation. SSR profiling data were compared to 44 known grapevines, revealing six functional genetic groups with significant similarity to grapevine types generally grown in Tuscany. The Sienese germplasm is enriched with rare grapevines at risk of extinction, such as Zuccaccio, Gorgottesco, Tenerone, Prugnolo gentile, Occhio di Pernice, Procanico, Rossone, Mammolo, and Canina. Population genetics analysis revealed the existence of five subpopulations structure (-k5) in analogy with cluster analysis.
Location-Specific Microstructure Characterization Within AM Bench 2022 Laser Tracks on Bare Nickel Alloy 718 Plates
Authors: Levine L. E. , Williams M. E. , Stoudt M. R. , Weaver J. S. , Young S. A. , Deisenroth D. , Lane B. M.
Published: June 2024

Additive manufacturing of metal alloys produces microstructures that are typically very different from those produced by more traditional manufacturing approaches. Computer simulations are useful for connecting processing, structure, and performance for these materials, but validation data that span this full range is difficult to produce. This research is part of a broad effort by the Additive Manufacturing Benchmark Test Series to produce such datasets for laser powder bed fusion builds of nickel Alloy 718. Here, single laser tracks produced with variations in laser power, scan velocity, and laser diameter, and arrays of adjacent laser tracks on bare wrought Alloy 718 plates are examined using optical microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and energy dispersive spectroscopy.
Kidney transplantation in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis is associated with a high incidence of post-transplant cancer
Authors: Perna Alessandro , Campise Mariarosaria , Alfieri Carlo Maria , Regalia Anna , Cresseri Donata , Gandolfo Maria Teresa , Castellano Giuseppe
Published: June 2024

Background

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a rare disease with limited data on outcomes after transplantation.

Methods

In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we describe the outcomes of kidney transplant patients with AAV transplanted at our institute from February 2006 to January 2022.

Results

We identified 9 patients among 1026 with a pre-transplant diagnosis of AAV; all patients had received previous treatment with cyclophosphamide. Maintenance immunosuppression after transplantation was tacrolimus-based in 89% of the patients. At the end of a mean follow-up of 132 ± 61.1 months after transplantation, only one case of extrarenal vasculitis relapse was observed. The relapse rate was 0.01 per patient per year, which is comparable to that reported in the literature. However, seven patients were diagnosed with cancer after a mean follow-up of 81.4 months after transplantation; six had skin cancer and three had renal cell carcinoma (RCC) of the native kidneys (cumulative incidence of 78%). One patient died from metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusion

In this study, we found a noticeable decrease in disease relapse (1 relapse in the present cohort vs 7 relapses in 19 patients in the previous cohort) in kidney transplant patients with AAV compared with previous data from our group (December 1987–January 2006). Conversely, we found a high incidence of post-transplant cancer. This result could be attributed to reduced immunosurveillance due to immunosuppression therapy before and after transplantation. Therefore, constant cancer early diagnosis and prevention is mandatory during the post-transplant follow-up of AAV patients.

Graphical abstract
Beyond prevalence: significance and differential impact of echocardiographic abnormalities in dialysis patients
Authors: Tseng Chih-Hsueh , Hu Yi-An , Chen Yung-Tai , Yu Wen-Chung , Lin Chih-Ching , Li Szu-Yuan
Published: June 2024

Background

Echocardiography is commonly used to assess hydratation status and cardiac function in kidney failure patients, but the impact of structural or functional abnormalities on the prognosis of kidney failure patients was yet to be investigated. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of echocardiographic abnormalities in kidney failure patients.

Methods

This study included 857 kidney failure patients who underwent echocardiography at dialysis initiation. Patients were followed up for a median of 4.2 years for the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality.

Results

Among the 857 patients studied, 77% exhibited at least one echocardiographic abnormality. The most common abnormalities were left ventricular hypertrophy and left atrial enlargement, but they were not significantly correlated with poor outcomes. Instead, the primary predictors of both major adverse cardiovascular events and mortality in kidney failure patients were left ventricular systolic function, right ventricular systolic function, left ventricular volume index, and valvular abnormalities. Although diastolic dysfunction was linked to major adverse cardiovascular events, it was not associated with mortality. Furthermore, the study revealed that increased left ventricular volume index and left ventricular systolic dysfunction had a more significant impact on peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients than on hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Conclusion

This study provides insights into the echocardiographic abnormalities and their association with adverse outcomes in kidney failure patients, which can help clinicians optimize the management of patients and closely monitor possible high-risk populations.

Graphical abstract
Food patch selection by the largest European herbivore
Authors: Kowalczyk Rafał , Kamiński Tomasz , Borowik Tomasz
Published: June 2024

The scaling relationship between digestive system and body mass shapes foraging strategies in herbivores. The Jarman–Bell principle and the forage maturation hypothesis (FMH), two of the most important predictions formulated in herbivore foraging ecology, have been used to explain this relationship.We aimed to test these predictions for the largest European herbivore—the European bison-which is highly sexually dimorphic and recognised as a refugee species in non-optimal forest habitats. We conducted our study in the Białowieża Primeval Forest, where the European bison has been recognized as a refugee species. We estimated vegetation quality and biomass along the foraging paths of male and female European bison, and the vegetation biomass at random points in different habitats and months. We found no support for the Jarmann-Bell principle at the intraspecific level in European bison, as males and females foraged on patches of similar crude protein and fibre content. However, females selected for higher biomass. The quality of vegetation on the bison foraging patches showed a significant spatio-temporal variation. It increased from May to July and then gradually decreased. It also increased with the fertility and wetness of the habitats being the highest in wet forests. Mean biomass on European bison foraging patches (131.5 g/m2), was significantly lower than on random plots (210.5 g/m2), which supported the FMH. Our study suggests that in rich forest habitats, the abundant food resources available in summer may not constrain the metabolic rate/gut capacity ratio of either sex, potentially leading to dietary segregation. In contrast to open habitats, where vegetation maturation is less temporally variable, European bison in rich forest habitats may optimise patch selection and energy intake by tracking a habitat- and species-specific changes in the plant phenology. Understanding the relationship between European bison forage selection and forage nutritional constraints in forest habitats may be critical for conservation programmes, as European bison are better adapted to more open habitats and are recognised as refugee species in suboptimal forest habitats.
CLIMATE-RELATED DISCUSSIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: CRITICAL LESSONS FOR POLICYMAKERS
Authors: Mandal Anandadeep , Kaushal Akshay , Acharjee Animesh
Published: June 2024

Climate change is a complex global issue that requires widespread understanding, support and collaboration for effective solutions. This research delves into the crucial role of communication in tackling climate change and reaching net-zero goals. Leveraging advanced machine learning techniques, we focus on 10 core climate change topics derived from social media conversations over time. This analysis underscores the importance of a holistic and interconnected approach, involving a diverse array of policies at local, national and global levels to combat climate change effectively and attain net-zero objectives. We offer key policy suggestions that can significantly contribute to this vital cause.
RNA sequencing screening and gene function analysis uncover G protein-coupled receptor 183 as a key mediator for methionine to stimulate milk synthesis in mouse mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Zhou Yuwen , Fan Sihua , Xu Ming , Zhang Minghui , Gao Xuejun
Published: June 2024

Methionine (Met) can activate the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) to promote milk synthesis in mammary epithelial cells. However, it is largely unknown which G protein-coupled receptor can mediate the stimulation of Met on mTOR activation. In this study, we employed transcriptome sequencing to analyse which G protein-coupled receptors were associated with the role of Met and further used gene function study approaches to explore the role of G protein-coupled receptor 183 (GPR183) in Met stimulation on mTOR activation in HC11 cells. We identified nine G protein-coupled receptors including GPR183 whose expression levels were upregulated by Met treatment through RNA sequencing and subsequent quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Using GPR183 knockdown and overexpression technology, we demonstrate that GPR183 is a positive regulator of milk protein and fat synthesis and proliferation of HC11 cells. Met affected GPR183 expression in a dose-dependent manner, and GPR183 mediated the stimulation of Met (0·6 mM) on milk protein and fat synthesis, cell proliferation and mTOR phosphorylation and mRNA expression. The inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase blocked the phosphorylation of mTOR and AKT stimulated by GPR183 activation. In summary, through RNA sequencing and gene function study, we uncover that GPR183 is a key mediator for Met to activate the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-mTOR signalling and milk synthesis in mouse mammary epithelial cells.
Impact of total parenteral nutrition v. exclusive enteral nutrition on postoperative adverse outcomes in patients with penetrating Crohn’s disease undergoing surgical resection: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Sun Zhenya , Cao Lei , Chen Yusheng , Song Tianrun , Guo Zhen , Zhu Weiming , Li Yi
Published: June 2024

Achieving optimal nutritional status in patients with penetrating Crohn’s disease is crucial in preparing for surgical resection. However, there is a dearth of literature comparing the efficacy of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) v. exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) in optimising postoperative outcomes. Hence, we conducted a case-matched study to assess the impact of preoperative EEN v. TPN on the incidence of postoperative adverse outcomes, encompassing overall postoperative morbidity and stoma formation, among penetrating Crohn’s disease patients undergoing bowel surgery. From 1 December 2012 to 1 December 2021, a retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary centre to enrol consecutive patients with penetrating Crohn’s disease who underwent surgical resection. Propensity score matching was utilised to compare the incidence of postoperative adverse outcomes. Furthermore, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the risk factors associated with adverse outcomes. The study included 510 patients meeting the criteria. Among them, 101 patients in the TPN group showed significant improvements in laboratory indicators at the time of surgery compared with pre-optimisation levels. After matching, TPN increased the occurrence of postoperative adverse outcomes (92·2 % v. 64·1 %, P = 0·001) when compared with the EEN group. In the multivariate analysis, TPN showed a significantly higher OR for adverse outcomes than EEN (OR = 4·241; 95 % CI 1·567–11·478; P = 0·004). The study revealed that penetrating Crohn’s disease patients who were able to fulfil their nutritional requirements through EEN exhibited superior nutritional and surgical outcomes in comparison with those who received TPN.
The future of intergenerational transmission research: A prospective, three-generation approach
Authors: Howland Mariann A. , Glynn Laura M.
Published: June 2024

Dr. Dante Cicchetti’s pioneering theory and research on developmental psychopathology have been fundamental to the proliferation of research on intergenerational transmission over the last 40 years. In part due to this foundation, much has been learned about continuities and discontinuities in child maltreatment, attachment, parenting, and psychopathology across generations. Looking towards the future, we propose that this field stands to benefit from a prospective, three-generation approach. Specifically, following established prospective, longitudinal cohorts of children over their transition to parenting the next generation will afford the opportunity to investigate the developmental origins of intergenerational transmission. This approach also can address key outstanding questions and methodological limitations in the extant literature related to the confounding of retrospective and prospective measures; examination of mediators and moderators; and investigation of the roles of biology, environment, and their interplay. After considering these advantages, we offer several considerations and recommendations for future research, many of which are broadly applicable to the study of two or more generations. We hope that this discussion will inspire the leveraging of existing prospective cohorts to carry forward Dr. Cicchetti’s remarkable contributions, with the ultimate aim to inform the development of preventions and interventions that disrupt deleterious intergenerational cycles.
Criminal behaviors and substance use disorder in psychiatric patients
Authors: Achilli Francesco , Leo Silvia , Benatti Beatrice , Frediani Alice , Cocchi Maddalena , Molteni Laura , Piccoli Eleonora , Lana Monica , Lucchini Emma , Gobbo Dario , Dell’Osso Bernardo M.
Published: June 2024

Objective

People with mental illness are overrepresented throughout the criminal justice system. In Italy, the Judicial Psychiatric Hospitals are now on the edge of their closure in favor of small-scale therapeutic facilities (REMS). Therefore, when patients end their duty for criminal behaviors, their clinical management moves back to the outpatient psychiatric centers. Elevated risks of rule-violating behavior are not equally shared across the spectrum of psychiatric disorders. To broaden the research in this area, we analyzed sociodemographic, clinical, and forensic variables of a group of psychiatric patients with a history of criminal behaviors, attending an outpatient psychiatric service in Milan, focusing on substance use disorder (SUD).

Methods

This is a cross-sectional single center study, conducted from 2020. Seventy-six subjects with a history of criminal behaviors aged 18 years or older and attending an outpatient psychiatric service were included. Demographic and clinical variables collected during clinical interviews with patients were retrospectively retrieved from patients’ medical records. Appropriate statistical analyses for categorical and continuous variables were conducted.

Results

Data were available for 76 patients, 51.3% of them had lifetime SUD. Lifetime SUD was significantly more common in patients with long-acting injectable antipsychotics therapy, a history of more than 3 psychiatric hospitalizations, and a history of previous crimes, particularly economic crimes. Additionally, this last potential correlation was confirmed by logistic regression.

Conclusions

Data emerging from this survey provide new information about offenders with lifetime SUD attending an Italian mental health service. Our preliminary results should be confirmed in larger sample sizes.
Storylines for Global Hydrologic Drought Within CMIP6
Authors: Bjarke N. , Livneh B. , Barsugli J.
Published: June 2024

Future global increases in the duration and severity of hydrologic drought present an emerging challenge for water resource management. However, projected changes to drought within global climate models are often complex, including potentially co‐occurring changes to the timing, duration, and severity of drought. Here, we apply a storyline approach for interpreting projections of future hydrologic drought to identify coherent narratives that include runoff trends, shifts in the seasonal drought timing, increases in multi‐year drought frequency, and increased drought severity within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6. We develop a framework to classify future drought storylines (2015–2100) and quantify model consensus to determine the most‐likely “dominant” storyline under four emission scenarios Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) 1–2.6, 2–4.5, 3–7.0, and 5–8.5. Under a low‐emission scenario (SSPs 1–2.6) approximately one third of the land‐area is projected to be impacted by a dominant storyline of minimally detectable runoff trend paired with increased frequency of multi‐year drought. However, under the highest‐emission scenarios (SSPs 5–8.5), the most likely storyline shifts to an increase in multi‐year drought frequency, increased severity of drought, and negative long‐term runoff trends for 62% of the area in those same regions. Shifts in the seasonal timing of drought are a component of dominant storylines for the northern latitudes across all emission scenarios. These results provide an alternative mode of interpretation of co‐occurring changes to the features of future drought, framed in a way to support regional adaptation strategies to mitigate future drought impacts.
Interplay of Hydroperiod on Root Shear Strength for Coastal Wetlands
Authors: Jafari N. H. , Harris B. D. , Morris J. T. , Cadigan J. A.
Published: June 2024

The evolution of coastal wetlands is a complex process which is difficult to forecast, made more complicated by the addition of changing climatic conditions. Here, long term ecological and geomorphological data are coupled to geotechnical measurements at a coastal wetland in North Inlet estuary, South Carolina. The coupled methodology is presented and discussed in context of understanding coastal wetland system evolution in a changing climate. Specifically, the root shear strength of Spartina alterniflora across a range of elevations was investigated using a cone penetrometer test. Elevation, shear strength, and biomass are shown to be critically interconnected. Root strength was shown to decrease with increased inundation time and decreased elevation (i.e., mudflats). Conversely, the data set illustrates the importance of maintaining key elevation ranges in relation to sea‐level to optimize wetland resilience.