bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding and conceptualising the daily work of human resource practitioners
Authors: Wallo Andreas , Coetzer Alan
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore how human resource (HR) practitioners conceive of their practice, reveal challenges they grapple with in daily work and generate a conceptual framework of HR praxis.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on interviews with HR practitioners in Sweden and a review of articles that examine aspects of HR practitioners' work.

Findings

The HR practitioners' work is fragmented and reactive, filled with meetings and affords few opportunities to work undisturbed. Operational tasks are prioritised over strategic work, and their work sometimes involves tasks that are not HR's responsibility. The nature of HR practitioners' daily work mimics the work of their main “customer”, i.e. managers within the organisations.

Practical implications

The HR practitioners were working mainly in the service of managers, which suggests that they have an internal focus. Consistent with current, prescriptive HR discourse, HR practitioners should adopt a multi-stakeholder perspective of human resource management (HRM) and a more external focus that is necessary to contribute to wider, organisational effectiveness. The findings could enrich what is taught in higher education by providing students with an account of the reality of HR practitioners' daily work.

Originality/value

The study provides a situated account of the daily work of HR practitioners, which is largely absent from the literature.
Driving a difference: the role of the Covid-19 pandemic in U.S. consumers’ information search behaviors and purchasing of Japanese automobiles
Authors: Namin Aidin , Ketron Seth
Published: November 2022

Purpose

While prior research has investigated factors that predict consumers’ information search behaviors as they relate to automobiles, such studies were conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Given that the pandemic has necessitated lockdowns, social distancing, business closures and other disruptions to normal shopping activities, consumer information search behaviors have also been substantially altered as the psychological distance between consumers and marketers has increased. Thus, this study aims to examine these changes and identify patterns of search behavior for a major durable product: automobiles.

Design/methodology/approach

Using survey data from before and during the pandemic, the study implements Finite Mixture Modeling to unveil latent segments of U.S. consumers’ search behaviors and choices for Japanese automobiles. This analytic method enables capturing consumer unobserved heterogeneity through mixing probabilities guided by individual characteristics. These segments are determined based on consumers’ information search for online and offline marketer-controlled and nonmarketer-controlled sources.

Findings

The study identifies that two segments of consumers emerge both prior to the pandemic and during the pandemic. These empirically validated findings indicate that the pandemic has led to shifts in consumers’ information search behaviors for Japanese automobiles by relying more on nonmarketer-controlled sources of information.

Originality/value

This work is among the first comprehensive empirical analyses of consumer search for a major durable product by comparing pre- and during pandemic patterns. Using analytics and econometrics, the first-hand analysis findings offer meaningful implications for marketers and product managers in the automotive industry.
Rosmarinic acid protects against lipopolysaccharide‐induced cardiac dysfunction via activating Sirt1/PGC‐1α pathway to alleviate mitochondrial impairment
Authors: Peng Ke , Yang Fengyuan , Qiu Chenming , Yang Yongjian , Lan Cong
Published: November 2022

Sepsis‐induced cardiomyopathy is a decisive factor that plays a critical role in the high mortality of septic patients in the critically ill. Mitochondrial dysfunction occurring during sepsis is a vital contributor to the pathogenesis of myocardial damage. Rosmarinic acid (RA), a natural poly‐phenolic compound, has showed cardio‐protective and mitochondrial protective effect. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of RA on sepsis‐induced cardiomyopathy. Adult mice were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of saline (control) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg/kg) to mimic sepsis‐induced cardiomyopathy. Immediately after LPS challenge, vehicle or RA (100 mg/kg/day) was administrated via gavage. Cardiac function was examined with echocardiographic analyses 12 hours after LPS challenge and cumulative survival of mice was recorded for 8 days. Heart tissues were harvested 12 hours after LPS challenge to perform histological analyses and determine mitochondrial function. We found RA significantly improved cardiac function and survival of LPS‐injected mice. Histologically, RA attenuated LPS‐mediated cardiomyocyte damage, indicated by decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and improved myocardial swollen and disarrangement. Moreover, RA attenuated LPS‐mediated myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction, indicated by improved mitochondrial ultrastructure, increased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), markedly decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and alleviated oxidative stress in heart tissues. RA treatment downregulated protein expression of Sirt1 and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α), and Sirt1 inhibition blocked protective effect of RA on LPS‐induced myocardial damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. Collectively, RA attenuates LPS‐induced cardiac dysfunction via activating Sirt1/PGC‐1α pathway to alleviate mitochondrial impairment. It may be a promising cardio‐protective drug to be used for septic patients.
Linear scaling between microbial predator and prey densities in the global ocean
Authors: Rajakaruna Harshana , Omta Anne Willem , Carr Eric , Talmy David
Published: November 2022

It has been proposed that microbial predator and prey densities are related through sublinear power laws. We revisited previously published biomass and abundance data and fitted Power‐law Biomass Scaling Relationships (PBSRs) between marine microzooplankton predators (Z) and phytoplankton prey (P), and marine viral predators (V) and bacterial prey (B). We analysed them assuming an error structure given by Type II regression models which, in contrast to the conventional Type I regression model, accounts for errors in both the independent and the dependent variables. We found that the data support linear relationships, in contrast to the sublinear relationships reported by previous authors. The scaling exponent yields an expected value of 1 with some spread in different datasets that was well‐described with a Gaussian distribution. Our results suggest that the ratiosZ/P, andV/Bare on average invariant, in contrast to the hypothesis that they systematically decrease with increasingPand B, respectively, as previously thought.
Highly processed foods can be considered addictive substances based on established scientific criteria
Authors: Gearhardt Ashley N. , DiFeliceantonio Alexandra G.
Published: November 2022

Background

There is growing evidence that an addictive‐eating phenotype may exist. There is significant debate regarding whether highly processed foods (HPFs; foods with refined carbohydrates and/or added fats) are addictive. The lack of scientifically grounded criteria to evaluate the addictive nature of HPFs has hindered the resolution of this debate.

Analysis

The most recent scientific debate regarding a substance's addictive potential centered around tobacco. In 1988, the Surgeon General issued a report identifying tobacco products as addictive based on three primary scientific criteria: their ability to (1) cause highly controlled or compulsive use, (2) cause psychoactive (i.e. mood‐altering) effects via their effect on the brain and (3) reinforce behavior. Scientific advances have now identified the ability of tobacco products to (4) trigger strong urges or craving as another important indicator of addictive potential. Here, we propose that these four criteria provide scientifically valid benchmarks that can be used to evaluate the addictiveness of HPFs. Then, we review the evidence regarding whether HPFs meet each criterion. Finally, we consider the implications of labeling HPFs as addictive.

Conclusion

Highly processed foods (HPFs) can meet the criteria to be labeled as addictive substances using the standards set for tobacco products. The addictive potential of HPFs may be a key factor contributing to the high public health costs associated with a food environment dominated by cheap, accessible and heavily marketed HPFs.
FGF9 variant in 46,XY DSD patient suggests a role for dimerization in sex determination
Authors: Croft Brittany , Bird Anthony D. , Ono Makoto , Eggers Stefanie , Bagheri‐Fam Stefan , Ryan Janelle M. , Reyes Alejandra P. , van den Bergen Jocelyn , Baxendale Anne , Thompson Elizabeth M. , Kueh Andrew J. , Stanton Peter , Thomas Tim , Sinclair Andrew H. , Harley Vincent R.
Published: November 2022

46,XY gonadal dysgenesis (GD) is a Disorder/Difference of Sex Development (DSD) that can present with phenotypes ranging from ambiguous genitalia to complete male‐to‐female sex reversal. Around 50% of 46,XY DSD cases receive a molecular diagnosis. In mice, Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) is an important component of the male sex‐determining pathway. Two FGF9 variants reported to date disrupt testis development in mice, but not in humans. Here, we describe a female patient with 46,XY GD harbouring the rare FGF9 variant (missense mutation), NM_002010.2:c.583G > A;p.(Asp195Asn) (D195N). By biochemical and cell‐based approaches, the D195N variant disrupts FGF9 protein homodimerisation and FGF9‐heparin‐binding, and reduces both Sertoli cell proliferation and Wnt4 repression. XY Fgf9D195N/D195N foetal mice show a transient disruption of testicular cord development, while XY Fgf9D195N/− foetal mice show partial male‐to‐female gonadal sex reversal. In the general population, the D195N variant occurs at an allele frequency of 2.4 × 10−5, suggesting an oligogenic basis for the patient's DSD. Exome analysis of the patient reveals several known and novel variants in genes expressed in human foetal Sertoli cells at the time of sex determination. Taken together, our results indicate that disruption of FGF9 homodimerization impairs testis determination in mice and, potentially, also in humans in combination with other variants.
Tracking a killer shrimp: Dikerogammarus villosus invasion dynamics across Europe
Authors: Soto Ismael , Cuthbert Ross N. , Ahmed Danish A. , Kouba Antonín , Domisch Sami , Marquez Jaime R. G. , Beidas Ayah , Amatulli Giuseppe , Kiesel Jens , Shen Longzhu Q. , Florencio Margarita , Lima Herlander , Briski Elizabeta , Altermatt Florian , Archambaud‐Suard Gaït , Borza Peter , Csabai Zoltan , Datry Thibault , Floury Mathieu , Forcellini Maxence , Fruget Jean‐François , Leitner Patrick , Lizée Marie‐Hélène , Maire Anthony , Ricciardi Anthony , Schäfer Ralf B. , Stubbington Rachel , Van der Lee Gea H. , Várbíró Gábor , Verdonschot Ralf C. M. , Haase Peter , Haubrock Phillip J.
Published: November 2022

Aim

Invasive alien species are a growing problem worldwide due to their ecological, economic and human health impacts. The “killer shrimp” Dikerogammarus villosus is a notorious invasive alien amphipod from the Ponto‐Caspian region that has invaded many fresh and brackish waters across Europe. Understandings of large‐scale population dynamics of highly impactful invaders such as D. villosus are lacking, inhibiting predictions of impact and efficient timing of management strategies. Hence, our aim was to assess trends and dynamics of D. villosus as well as its impacts in freshwater rivers and streams.

Location

Europe.

Methods

We analysed 96 European time series between 1994 and 2019 and identified trends in the relative abundance (i.e. dominance %) of D. villosus in invaded time series, as well as a set of site‐specific characteristics to identify drivers and determinants of population changes and invasion dynamics using meta‐regression modelling. We also looked at the spread over space and time to estimate the invasion speed (km/year) of D. villosus in Europe. We investigated the impact of D. villosus abundance on recipient community metrics (i.e. abundance, taxa richness, temporal turnover, Shannon diversity and Pielou evenness) using generalized linear models.

Results

Population trends varied across the time series. Nevertheless, community dominance of D. villosus increased over time across all time series. The frequency of occurrences (used as a proxy for invader spread) was well described by a Pareto distribution, whereby we estimated a lag phase (i.e. the time between introduction and spatial expansion) of approximately 28 years, followed by a gradual increase before new occurrences declined rapidly in the long term. D. villosus population change was associated with decreased taxa richness, community turnover and Shannon diversity.

Main Conclusion

Our results show that D. villosus is well‐established in European waters and its abundance significantly alters ecological communities. However, the multidecadal lag phase prior to observed spatial expansion suggests that initial introductions by D. villosus are cryptic, thus signalling the need for more effective early detection methods.
Resetting our expectations for parasites and their effects on species interactions: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Hasik Adam Z. , de Angeli Dutra Daniela , Doherty Jean‐François , Duffy Meghan A. , Poulin Robert , Siepielski Adam M.
Published: November 2022

Despite the ubiquitous nature of parasitism, how parasitism alters the outcome of host–species interactions such as competition, mutualism and predation remains unknown. Using a phylogenetically informed meta‐analysis of 154 studies, we examined how the mean and variance in the outcomes of species interactions differed between parasitized and non‐parasitized hosts. Overall, parasitism did not significantly affect the mean or variance of host–species interaction outcomes, nor did the shared evolutionary histories of hosts and parasites have an effect. Instead, there was considerable variation in outcomes, ranging from strongly detrimental to strongly beneficial for infected hosts. Trophically‐transmitted parasites increased the negative effects of predation, parasites increased and decreased the negative effects of interspecific competition for parasitized and non‐parasitized heterospecifics, respectively, and parasites had particularly strong negative effects on host species interactions in freshwater and marine habitats, yet were beneficial in terrestrial environments. Our results illuminate the diverse ways in which parasites modify critical linkages in ecological networks, implying that whether the cumulative effects of parasitism are considered detrimental depends not only on the interactions between hosts and their parasites but also on the many other interactions that hosts experience.
Effect of speed sintering of monolithic zirconia with different yttria contents on color and crystal phase
Authors: Miura Shoko , Shinya Akikazu , Koizumi Hiroyasu , Fujisawa Masanori
Published: November 2022

This study evaluated the color and microstructure of monolithic zirconia crowns with different yttrium oxide (Y2O3) contents treated by conventional or speed sintering. Four types of zirconia ceramics were assessed: two monolayer zirconia, and two multilayer zirconia. The monolithic zirconia crowns were fabricated using a dental computer‐aided design/computer‐aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system and in two shades (A2 and BL). After milling, the zirconia crowns were sintered using either speed sintering or conventional sintering. For each combination of zirconia (4), shade (2), and sintering condition (2), the color parameters were determined at three positions of each of nine crowns using a non‐contact dental spectrophotometer. In addition, the zirconia phases in the specimens were quantified using X‐ray diffractometry. Significant differences in the ΔE00 values at different measurement positions were observed for the Multi2 crown of the BL shade group. The color difference resulting from conventional and speed sintering programs was not affected by the difference in yttria content of Mono1, Mono2, and Multi1. However, in Multi2, containing 3Y‐TZP and 5Y‐PSZ, a color change was caused by the use of speed sintering. Therefore, when performing speed sintering with Multi2, it is necessary to select the color in consideration of these results or take measures for staining.
Relationships between lexical coverage, learner knowledge, and teacher perceptions of the usefulness of high‐frequency words
Authors: Dang Thi Ngoc Yen , Webb Stuart , Coxhead Averil
Published: November 2022

The Challenge

Foreign language learners should learn the words that are most useful for them. Information from various sources (corpora, teachers, and learners) has been used to identify these words. One question that arises is to what extent these data sets correlate to one another. This study aims to address this question.
Incorporation of the emotional indicators of the patient journey into healthcare organization management
Authors: Rodríguez‐Fuertes Alfredo , Reinares‐Lara Pedro , Garcia‐Henche Blanca
Published: November 2022

Background

In recent years, attempts have been made to incorporate patients' experiences into healthcare processes, to complement clinical indicators, with what are known as patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient‐reported experience measures (PREMs). While the research into PROMs is more developed, the application of PREMs faces some difficulties. The incorporation of emotional indicators into assessments of the experience is an area that remains to be explored.

Objectives

This study proposes a new technique to analyse the emotions experienced by patients during the care process, examines how these emotions influence their satisfaction and propose that if healthcare services focus more on patients' emotions, they can improve the effectiveness of the sector.

Methods

The first, qualitative stage, gathered data from patients to design a patient journey (PJ). The PJ was then reproduced as a video. In a subsequent, quantitative stage, the video was shown to experimental participants, and their emotions were measured through facial expression analysis and a questionnaire.

Results

A new technique to gather emotional data showed that the emotions patients experience do not affect their satisfaction with their clinical care or the physical aspects of the process. However, their emotions did affect their satisfaction with people and organizations.

Conclusions

The importance of the emotional component of patients' experiences was underlined. Therefore, healthcare organizations should take account of this dimension, as well as the cognitive, to increase patient satisfaction and improve their care processes. Understanding the impact of the emotions identified at the subconscious level can help improve the patient experience. A new methodology was applied that may help health professionals to collect emotional data about patients' experiences and to develop PREMs.

Patient/Public Contribution

Patients were involved in all stages of this research. In the exploratory phase, some helped define the touchpoints of the PJ. The data from the subsequent experimental phase were collected from another group, and the emotions they experienced were identified through the analysis of their facial expressions. Based on the results of this study, a working group including patients has been established to work on improvements in the PJ.
Overview and perspectives of solid electrolytes for sodium batteries
Authors: Vasudevan Sudharshan , Dwivedi Sushmita , Balaya Palani
Published: November 2022

Quoting the abundance and cost of sodium reserve and robustly safe and high‐energy solid electrolytes, sodium solid‐state batteries (SSBs) exhibit huge promise for future energy storage applications compared to battery systems using organic liquid electrolytes and Li counterparts. However, the progress and application are still in infancy, experiencing numerous challenges for sodium SSBs due to inherent properties, interface complications, and fabrication. These are recently receiving unprecedented research attention by understanding and steadily resolving the issues associated with sodium SSBs. In this review, the governing bulk and interfacial issues and dynamics, background research correlations from Li counterparts, and strategies to address them are investigated for various ceramic‐, polymer‐, and ceramic–polymer composite based solid electrolytes. Particular attention is devoted to issues with ceramic electrolytes (such as interfacial stability, brittleness, porosity, and grain–grain boundary resistance) and polymer electrolytes (like dendrite formation, passivation layer, electrochemical instability, and ionic conductivity), and finally, robustness in overall performance and a few drawbacks (such as filler agglomeration, interface dynamics, and crack propagation) on the composited state‐of‐the‐art ceramic–polymer electrolytes are highlighted. To end with, crucial inferences and future research perspectives are condensed on the development of enhanced solid electrolytes for sodium SSBs overcoming the shortcomings illustrated for different electrolytes.
Association between the interleukin‐1B polymorphism at rs16944 T>C and diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Lin Nengbo , Lu Hua , Cheng Xiaoling , Zhao Ya , Wan Qin , Luo Yi , Miao Ying , Bai Xue , Liu Dan , Wang Chao
Published: November 2022

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness at working age. DR is considered to be a chronic low‐grade inflammatory subclinical disease, and its pathogenesis is related to genetic and environmental factors. Interleukin (IL)‐1 is an important inflammatory cytokine. An association between DR and the rs16944 (IL‐1B‐511) T>C gene polymorphism has not been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the rs16944 T>C gene polymorphism and DR in the Han population in southwest China. Participants in this study were 272 patients with DR, 274 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and 335 healthy controls (NC). The polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to detect the rs16944 T>C genotype of participants. The distribution frequencies of the rs16944 T>C genotype and allele were significantly different among the three groups (p < .05). The distribution frequency of TT, CT, CC genotype (χ2 = 9.893, p = .007; χ2 = 6.567, p = .037) and each allele (χ2 = 5.585, p = .018; χ2 = 9.187, p = .002) in the DR group was significantly different from the NC and T2DM groups, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that the TT + CT genotype was a risk factor for DR, with an odds ratio of 1.731 (95% confidence interval 1.140–2.627, p = .01). The rs16944 T>C gene polymorphism may be associated with DR, and the TT+CT genotype may increase the risk of DR.
Board governance of Strategic Change: An assessment of the literature and avenues for future research
Authors: Klarner Patricia , Yu Qiwen , Yoshikawa Toru , Hitt Michael A.
Published: November 2022

Boards of directors play a central role in governing corporate strategic change. We systematically review corporate governance research on strategic change published over the past 40 years, differentiating between strategic change types and board characteristics. We identify three developments: a focus on specific strategic change types, board composition and structure, and North American listed firms as a dominant study context. Yet, our analysis of the literature shows that research on board governance of interrelated strategic changes, on different board roles and behaviour, and on the governance of strategic changes across different contexts remains underdeveloped. To address these research gaps, we suggest three future research avenues: (1) examining how boards govern interrelated changes in a strategic change portfolio and its evolution over time; (2) studying the mediating relationship between board governance (particularly different board roles and behaviour), strategic changes, and corresponding outcomes; and (3) gaining a better understanding of the role of context in board governance of interrelated strategic changes. We contribute to corporate governance research by developing a framework that synthesizes extant research on the relationships between different board governance variables and strategic change types, highlights important research gaps, and outlines several future research directions to address these gaps. Our framework and literature overview serve as analytical tools to examine whether boards are well‐designed and prepared to govern multiple and interrelated strategic changes.
The right to exit as national and transnational governance: The case of Eritrea
Authors: Milena Belloni , Cole Georgia
Published: November 2022

In this article, we seek to explain some of the seeming paradoxes of extreme restrictions on the right to exit in the case of Eritrea. While the government has denied passports and exit visas to all but a few categories of Eritrean resident citizens in order to avoid a mass exodus from the country, and imposed harsh punishments on those found crossing the border illegally, the government has also institutionalised policies to “welcome” absconders back. We argue that restrictions on the “right to exit” make this ostensibly more conciliatory position possible because they constitute such a powerful tool of both national and transnational governance. We show the long‐term impacts that people's inability to leave Eritrea legally has on their access to other rights, in particular the right to family life, and how this enables the Eritrean government to continue to discipline people's behaviour long after they have crossed the border. Alongside the ways in which the Eritrean government thus benefits financially and politically from large‐scale emigration from the country, despite its protestations to the contrary, we show how limits on the right to exit provide yet another way for authoritarian governments to exercise transnational reach.
Outcomes of catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia in patients with sarcoidosis: Insights from the National Inpatient Sample database (2002–2018)
Authors: Tan Jian Liang , Jin Chengyue , Lee Justin Z. , Gaughan John , Iwai Sei , Russo Andrea M.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Data on utilization, major complications, and in‐hospital mortality of catheter ablation (CA) for sarcoidosis‐related ventricular tachycardia (VT) are limited. We sought to determine the outcomes of sarcoidosis‐related VT, and incidence and predictors of complications associated with the CA procedure.

Methods

We queried the 2002–2018 National Inpatient Sample database to identify patients aged ≥18 years with sarcoidosis admitted with VT. A 1:3 propensity score‐matched (PSM) analysis was used to compare patient outcomes between CA and medically managed groups. Multivariable regression was performed to determine independent predictors of in‐hospital mortality and procedural complications associated with the CA procedure.

Results

Of 3220 sarcoidosis patients with VT, 132 (4.1%) underwent CA. Patients who underwent CA were younger, male predominant, more likely Caucasian, had differences in baseline comorbidities including more likely to have heart failure, less likely to have prior myocardial infarction, COPD, or severe renal disease, had a higher mean household income, and more likely admitted to a larger/urban teaching hospital. After PSM, we examined 106 CA cases and 318 medically managed cases. There was a trend toward a lower in‐hospital mortality rate in the CA group when compared to the medically managed group (1.9% vs. 6.6%, p = 0.08). The most common complications were pericardial drainage (5.3%), postoperative hemorrhage (3.8%), accidental puncture periprocedure (3.0%), and cardiac tamponade (2.3%). Independent predictors of in‐hospital mortality and procedural complications among the CA group included congestive heart failure (odds ratio [OR], 13.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7–104.2) and mild to moderate renal disease (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.1–13.3).

Conclusions

Compared to patients with sarcoidosis‐related VT who received medical therapy alone, those who underwent CA have a trend for a lower mortality rate despite procedure‐related complications occurring as high as 9.1%. Additional studies are recommended to better evaluate the benefits and risks of VT ablation in this group.
Dofetilide use is not associated with increased mortality in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and atrial fibrillation
Authors: Wann Daniel G. , Medoff Brent S. , Mehdi Noor‐ul‐huda A. , Sezer Ahmet , Thoma Floyd W. , Mulukutla Suresh , Bhonsale Aditya , Estes NA Mark , Saba Samir , Jain Sandeep K. ,   and other members of the UPMC Study Group
Published: November 2022

Background

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is common in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), however, many antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) are contraindicated. US guidelines recommend avoiding pure class III antiarrhythmics such as dofetilide in patients with significant LVH due to concern for an increased risk of death, however, clinical data is lacking. We sought to determine if dofetilide use was associated with increased mortality in patients with LVH.

Methods

Patients ≥18 years of age with AF and LVH ≥ 1.4 cm were included. A group of patients treated with dofetilide and a control group of patients without a history of AAD use were propensity matched. The primary outcome was all‐cause mortality at 3 years and secondary outcomes were total number of all‐cause hospitalizations and hospitalizations related to AF.

Results

There were 359 patients in each of the groups. Baseline variables were well‐matched. The primary outcome of all‐cause mortality occurred in 7% of patients in the dofetilide group and 12% of patients in the control group (hazard ratio: 0.90, 95% confidence interval: 0.53–1.53). Total all‐cause hospitalizations were higher in the control group but hospitalizations for AF were no different.

Conclusions

In a propensity‐matched cohort of 718 patients with AF and LVH, dofetilide was not associated with increased mortality at 3 years. Our study adds to prior data demonstrating the safety of dofetilide in this population despite guideline recommendations against its use. Given the limited options for AF management in LVH patients, dofetilide may be reasonable for symptomatic AF management.
Impact of different activation wavefronts on ischemic myocardial scar electrophysiological properties during high‐density ventricular tachycardia mapping and ablation
Authors: Lima da Silva Gustavo , Cortez‐Dias Nuno , Nunes Ferreira Afonso , Nakar Elad , Francisco Raquel , Pereira Mariana , Moreno Javier , Martins Raphaël P. , Pinto Fausto J. , de Sousa João
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Scar‐related ventricular tachycardia (VT) usually results from an underlying reentrant circuit facilitated by anatomical and functional barriers. The later are sensitive to the direction of ventricular activation wavefronts. We aim to evaluate the impact of different ventricular activation wavefronts on the functional electrophysiological properties of myocardial tissue.

Methods

Patients with ischemic heart disease referred for VT ablation underwent high‐density mapping using Carto®3 (Biosense Webster). Maps were generated during sinus rhythm, right and left ventricular pacing, and analyzed using a new late potential map software, which allows to assess local conduction velocities and facilitates the delineation of intra‐scar conduction corridors (ISCC); and for all stable VTs.

Results

In 16 patients, 31 high‐resolution substrate maps from different ventricular activation wavefronts and 7 VT activation maps were obtained. Local abnormal ventricular activities (LAVAs) were found in VT isthmus, but also in noncritical areas. The VT isthmus was localized in areas of LAVAs overlapping surface between the different activation wavefronts. The deceleration zone location differed depending on activation wavefronts. Sixty‐six percent of ISCCs were similarly identified in all activating wavefronts, but the one acting as VT isthmus was simultaneously identified in all activation wavefronts in all cases.

Conclusion

Functional based substrate mapping may improve the specificity to localize the most arrhythmogenic regions within the scar, making the use of different activation wavefronts unnecessary in most cases.
The endogenous calpain inhibitor calpastatin attenuates axon degeneration in murineGuillain‐Barrésyndrome
Authors: McGonigal Rhona , Cunningham Madeleine E. , Smyth Duncan , Chou Michael , Barrie Jennifer A. , Wilkie Andrew , Campbell Clare , Saatman Kathryn E. , Lunn Michael , Willison Hugh J.
Published: November 2022

Axon degeneration accounts for the poor clinical outcome in Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS), yet no treatments target this key pathogenic stage. Animal models demonstrate anti‐ganglioside antibodies (AGAb) induce axolemmal complement pore formation through which calcium flux activates the intra‐axonal calcium‐dependent proteases, calpains. We previously showed protection of axonal components using soluble calpain inhibitors in ex vivo GBS mouse models, and herein, we assess the potential of axonally‐restricted calpain inhibition as a neuroprotective therapy operating in vivo. Using transgenic mice that over‐express the endogenous human calpain inhibitor calpastatin (hCAST) neuronally, we assessed distal motor nerve integrity in our established GBS models. We induced immune‐mediated injury with monoclonal AGAb plus a source of human complement. The calpain substrates neurofilament and AnkyrinG, nerve structural proteins, were assessed by immunolabelling and in the case of neurofilament, by single‐molecule arrays (Simoa). As the distal intramuscular portion of the phrenic nerve is prominently targeted in our in vivo model, respiratory function was assessed by whole‐body plethysmography as the functional output in the acute and extended models.hCASTexpression protects distal nerve structural integrity both ex and in vivo, as shown by attenuation of neurofilament breakdown by immunolabelling and Simoa. In an extended in vivo model, while mice still initially undergo respiratory distress owing to acute conduction failure, the recovery phase was accelerated byhCASTexpression. Axonal calpain inhibition can protect the axonal integrity of the nerve in an in vivo GBS paradigm and hasten recovery. These studies reinforce the strong justification for developing further animal and human clinical studies using exogenous calpain inhibitors.
Linalool: A ubiquitous floral volatile mediating the communication between plants and insects
Authors: Zhang Ling , Su Qia‐Fan , Wang Liang‐Sheng , Lv Meng‐Wen , Hou Yi‐Xuan , Li Shan‐Shan
Published: November 2022

Terpenoids, one of the most important plant volatiles, mediate the communication between plants and pollinators, herbivores as well as pathogens. Recently, researchers have shown intensive interest in the complicated interactions. Linalool, an acyclic monoterpene, is one of the common flavor‐related volatiles across the plant kingdom. In this review, we summarized the biosynthesis and transcriptional regulation of terpenoids, and then focused on the biological function of linalool in plant–insect interactions. We found that flowers emitting linalool as the dominant volatile appeal to broad assemblages of pollinators, while some pollinators typically have strong preferences for these flowers as well. Hereinto, moths and bees are the main pollinators of linalool‐dominant flowers. Additionally, linalool produced by plants could defend against insect pests and pathogens. It is noteworthy that the two enantiomers of linalool have distinct functions. (S)‐(+)‐linalool mainly attracts pollinators, while (R)‐(−)‐linalool seems to act as insect repellents. Further research on the biofunctional diversity and genetic mechanisms of linalool enantiomers will reveal the complexity of plant survival strategies, and the increasing understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying their biosynthesis and transcriptional regulation will provide theoretical foundation and practical basis for directional transformation of plants.
Protein acylation links metabolism and the control of signal transduction, transcription regulation, growth, and pathogenicity in Actinobacteria
Authors: Peng Zhi‐Yao , Fu Yu , Zhao Liu‐Chang , Dong Yu‐Qi , Chen Zong‐Qin , You Di , Ye Bang‐Ce
Published: November 2022

Actinobacteria have a complex life cycle, including morphological and physiological differentiation which are often associated with the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Recently, increased interest in post‐translational modifications (PTMs) in these Gram‐positive bacteria has highlighted the importance of PTMs as signals that provide functional diversity and regulation by modifying proteins to respond to diverse stimuli. Here, we review the developments in research on acylation, a typical PTM that uses acyl‐CoA or related metabolites as donors, as well as the understanding of the direct link provided by acylation between cell metabolism and signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, cell growth, and pathogenicity in Actinobacteria.
Oral lichen planus clinician reported outcome measure: Development, content validity, and further development
Authors: Brennan Michael T. , Riordain Richeal Ni , Long‐Simpson Leslie , Bissonnette Caroline , Lizano Marcela , Madsen Lars Siim
Published: November 2022

Objective

To establish and test a clinician‐reported outcome measure of oral lichen planus (OLP): OLP Investigator global assessment (IGA).

Methods

OLP IGA scale was tested with retrospective data from clinical practice and a phase II clinical trial. A comparison of the OLP IGA score with patient‐reported outcomes was completed.

Results

Clinical Practice: The mean (SD) OLP IGA score (0–4) in 107 OLP patients was 1.8 (1.0) with correlation of 0.25–0.48 (p value 0.01 – <0.0001) with symptom scores. There was a significant increase in OLP symptoms based on OLP IGA score.

Clinical Trial: The mean (SD) OLP IGA score in 137 research participants was 2.5 (1.2) with correlation of 0.43–0.52 (all p values <0.0001) with symptoms scores. There was a significant increase in OLP symptoms based on OLP IGA score. Forty‐seven (35%) participants in the phase 2 study had an improvement in the OLP IGA score of ≥2. There were significant improvements in all symptoms scores in relation to the change in IGA score.

Conclusions

The OLP IGA is designed to assess changes in symptomatic OLP lesions and is appropriate for use across the full range of symptomatic OLP severity and represents a scale with utility in clinical practice and clinical trials.
Development of extrahepatic bile ducts and mechanisms of tumorigenesis: Lessons from mouse models
Authors: Tomita Hiroyuki , Hara Akira
Published: November 2022

The biliary system is a highly branched tubular network consisting of intrahepatic bile ducts (IHBDs) and extrahepatic bile ducts (EHBDs). IHBDs are derived from hepatic progenitor cells, while EHBDs originate directly from the endoderm through a separate branching morphogenetic process. Traits that are important for cancer are often found to overlap in developmental and other processes. Therefore, it has been suggested that intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (iCCAs) and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (eCCAs) have different developmental mechanisms. While much evidence is being gathered on the mechanism of iCCAs, the evidence for eCCA is still very limited. The main reason for this is that there are very few appropriate animal models for eCCA. We can gain important insights from these animal models, particularly genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs). GEMMs are immunocompetent and mimic human CCA subtypes with a specific mutational pattern, allowing the development of precancerous lesions, that is, biliary intraepithelial neoplasia (BilIN) and intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB). This review provides a summary of the pathogenesis and mechanisms of eCCA that can be revealed by GEMMs. Furthermore, we discuss several clinical questions, such as whether BilIN and IPNB really become malignant, whether the peribiliary gland is the origin of eCCAs, and others.
Plasma membrane proteomic changes of ArabidopsisDRP1E during cold acclimation in association with the enhancement of freezing tolerance
Authors: Watanabe Etsuko , Kondo Mariko , Kamal Md Mostafa , Uemura Matsuo , Takahashi Daisuke , Kawamura Yukio
Published: November 2022

The freezing tolerance of plants that live in cold regions increases after exposure to low temperature, a process termed cold acclimation (CA). During CA, restructuring of the plasma membrane (PM) is important to enhance freezing tolerance. We have previously shown that the function of DYNAMIN‐RELATED PROTEIN 1 E (DRP1E), which regulates endocytosis by pinching vesicles from the PM, is associated with the enhancement of freezing tolerance during CA in Arabidopsis. DRP1E is predicted to play a role in reconstituting the PM composition during CA. In this study, to test the validity of this hypothesis, we studied the changes in PM proteome patterns induced by drp1e mutation. In a detailed physiological analysis, after 3 days of CA, only young leaves showed significantly less increase in freezing tolerance in the mutant than in the wild type (WT). Using nano‐liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, 496 PM proteins were identified. Among these proteins, 81 or 71 proteins were specifically altered in the WT or the mutant, respectively, in response to CA. Principal component analysis showed that the proteomic pattern differed between the WT and the mutant upon cold acclimation (CA), suggesting that DRP1E contributes to reconstruction of the PM during CA. Cluster analysis revealed that proteins that were significantly increased in the mutant after CA were biased toward glycosylphosphatidylinositol‐anchored proteins, such as fasciclin‐like arabinogalactan proteins. Thus, a primary target of DRP1E‐associated PM reconstruction during CA is considered to be glycosylphosphatidylinositol‐anchored proteins, which may be removed from the PM by DRP1E in young leaves after 3 days of CA.
Bureaucratic politics, innovation compatibility, and the dynamic diffusion of subnational decentralization reforms in China
Authors: Zhang Youlang , Yang Hongshan
Published: November 2022

Despite the widely recognized significance of policy attributes in explaining innovation diffusion, limited research has emphasized the underlying endogenous mechanisms dictating the construction of innovation attributes. This study points out that bureaucratic politics could dynamically shape an innovation's compatibility with the potential adopters and its diffusion likelihood. Based on the subnational decentralization reforms in China, we note that compared to administrative and fiscal decentralization, political decentralization is less likely to generate personal gains and more likely to negatively affect the career prospects of local officials in a layer‐by‐layer personnel management system. Therefore, the study speculates that political decentralization reforms have a lower level of compatibility, consequently reducing its diffusion likelihood among local governments. We confirmed our theoretical expectations by conducting an in‐depth case study of the top‐down diffusion of three types of “Province‐Managing‐County Reforms” among 102 counties in China's Henan Province (2004–2021).
A Diagnostic Framework for the Bradley–Terry Model
Authors: Wu Weichen , Niezink Nynke , Junker Brian
Published: November 2022

Pairwise comparison data are widely seen in the social sciences, criminology, perception, genetics, bibliometrics, zoology, sports analytics and other fields, and the Bradley–Terry model is among the most commonly used to analyse such data. In this paper, we propose a framework of diagnostics for this class of models, developing diagnostics for both the objects being compared and the subjects making the comparisons. We illustrate the proposed framework in two survey data sets.
Predictors of Becoming not in Education, Employment or Training: A Dynamic Comparison of the Direct and Indirect Determinants
Authors: Gladwell Daniel , Popli Gurleen , Tsuchiya Aki
Published: November 2022

This paper uses a dynamic latent factor model to investigate the determinants of not in education, employment or training (NEET) status among adolescents in the United Kingdom. We bring together within one framework various determinants of NEET status, such as educational achievements, non-cognitive skills, family socio-economic factors, aspirations, mental health and local labour market conditions. We model the educational progress over multiple periods through the life of the young person, up to the completion of compulsory schooling. By taking into account this progression, we can determine the direct and indirect impacts of different determinants of NEET status, and the stage in the life of the young person at which each determinant is important. Our findings suggest that cognitive ability (as measured by educational achievements) remains the key predictor of NEET status. Further, while a range of individual and family factors determines NEET status, the impact of most of these factors is largely indirect, through ability formation and not necessarily direct. To gauge the relative contributions of various determinants, we conduct simulations to predict the probability of the young person being NEET under different scenarios and assumptions. The exercise indicates that the effects of aspirations of the young person, their school engagement, and the local youth unemployment rate on the likelihood of the young person being NEET are as large as boosting their cognitive skills.
Descartes’ Intelligent Agent
Authors: Luo Yueming
Published: November 2022

Neither the natural science explanation about the agent nor the modern and postmodern philosophical interpretation of the agent (subject) have sounded the death knell of the metaphysical subject in the era of information revolution. The artificial intelligence technology represented by Microsoft Avatar Framework has spread to the creative fields such as music and literature, which are unique to human beings, showing a broad application prospect and arousing academic reflection on human subject. Despite the numerous advantages posed intelligent agents, it is neither desirable nor possible to pull out the subject’s power supply and give up AI or give up human social intelligence. Rethinking Descartes' theory of mind and body will lead to in-depth development of AI.
The blocks with four irreducible characters
Authors: Martínez J. Miquel , Rizo Noelia , Sanus Lucia
Published: November 2022

Suppose that is a Brauer ‐block of a finite group with defect group . If exactly contains four ordinary irreducible characters, then we show that has order four or five, assuming the Alperin–McKay conjecture holds for .