bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From the ground up: assessing the face validity of the Quality of Life – Aged Care Consumers (QOL-ACC) measure with older Australians
Authors: Cleland Jenny , Hutchinson Claire , McBain Candice , Khadka Jyoti , Milte Rachel , Cameron Ian , Ratcliffe Julie
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the face validity to inform content validity of the Quality of Life – Aged Care Consumers (QOL-ACC), a new measure for quality assessment and economic evaluation in aged care.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with older adults (66–100 years) receiving aged care services at home (n = 31) and in residential care (n = 28). Participants provided feedback on draft items to take forward to the next stage of psychometric assessment. Items were removed according to several decision criteria: ambiguity, sensitive wording, not easy to answer and/or least preferred by participants.

Findings

The initial candidate set was reduced from 34 items to 15 items to include in the next stage of the QOL-ACC development alongside the preferred response category. The reduced set reflected the views of older adults, increasing the measure’s acceptability, reliability and relevance.

Originality/value

Quality of life is a key person-centred quality indicator recommended by the recent Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Responding to this policy reform objective, this study documents a key stage in the development of the QOL-ACC measure, a new measure designed to assess aged care specific quality of life.
Stochastic contracts and subjective evaluations
Authors: Lang Matthias
Published: February 2023

Subjective evaluations are widely used, but call for different contracts from classical moral‐hazard settings. Previous literature shows that contracts require payments to third parties. I show that the (implicit) assumption of deterministic contracts makes payments to third parties necessary. This article studies incentive contracts with stochastic compensation, like payments in stock options or uncertain arbitration procedures. These contracts incentivize employees without the need for payments to third parties. In addition, stochastic contracts can be more efficient and can make the principal better off compared to deterministic contracts. My results also address the puzzle about the prevalence of labor contracts with stochastic compensation.
One‐year myopia control efficacy of cylindrical annular refractive element spectacle lenses
Authors: Liu Xinting , Wang Pengqi , Xie Zhu , Sun Muhan , Chen Minfeng , Wang Jiefang , Huang Jing , Chen Siyun , Chen Zhaohe , Wang Yanli , Li Yiyu , Qu Jia , Mao Xinjie
Published: February 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the 1‐year myopia control efficacy of a spectacle lens with annular cylindrical microstructures.

Methods

A total of 118 consecutive eligible children aged 8–12 years with −1.00 D to −4.00 D of spherical component myopia and <1.50 D astigmatism were enrolled between August 2020 and November 2020 at the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Participants were randomly assigned to wear cylindrical annular refractive element (CARE) (n = 61) or single‐vision (n = 57) spectacle lenses. Cycloplegic autorefraction (spherical equivalent refraction [SER]) and axial length (AL) were measured at baseline and 6‐month intervals. Adaptation and compliance questionnaires were administered during all visits.

Results

Among 118 randomized participants, 96 (81.4%) were included in the analyses (mean [SE] age, 10.4 [0.6] years; 49 [51.0%] were female; mean [SE] spherical equivalent refractive error, −2.67 [0.66] D; mean [SE] axial length, 24.75 [0.77] mm). Adjusted 1‐year myopia progression was −0.56 D for CARE and −0.71 D for single‐vision spectacle lenses. The difference in progression was 0.14 D (95% CI, −0.04 to 0.32) for CARE vs single vision. Adjusted 1‐year eye growth was 0.27 mm for CARE and 0.35 mm for single vision. The difference in eye growth was 0.09 mm (95% CI, −0.15 to −0.02) for CARE vs single vision. All groups adapted to their lenses with no reported adverse events, complaints, or discomfort.

Conclusions

Among children with myopia, treatment with cylindrical annular refractive element spectacle lenses significantly reduced the rate of axial elongation over 1 year compared with single‐vision spectacle lenses.
Inside the black box of responsible consumers: Novel perspectives from an integrative literature review
Authors: Lanzini Pietro , Tencati Antonio
Published: February 2023

As consumers represent a key actor for the success of businesses implementing socially responsible strategies, companies need to gain further insights on the determinants of responsible behaviors. In this study, we provide a contribution to the ongoing debate on responsible consumers by means of an integrative literature review, which analyzes a set of competing models mainly from social psychology and marketing. Stemming from this preliminary analysis of the existing evidence, we develop a new conceptual model, that is, a framework based on (i) a flexible setting of the boundaries of analysis, (ii) a broader lens taking into account interrelations across behaviors, and (iii) a dynamic approach. The framework, for which an exemplary use is illustrated, represents the basis for advancing a rich agenda for future research. The latter is aimed at overcoming current criticalities in responsible consumer research, and it develops around the need for an integrative, dynamic, and cross‐cultural approach on the one hand, and the elaboration of new perspectives on single antecedents, on the other.
Different types of redundancy and their effect on learning and cognitive load
Authors: Albers Fabian , Trypke Melanie , Stebner Ferdinand , Wirth Joachim , Plass Jan L.
Published: February 2023

Background

What is redundancy? While most studies confirm that redundancy is harmful to learning, there are two theoretical approaches to redundancy. The first understands redundancy as a contentual overlap that puts demand on the limited cognitive capacities of the learner. The second understands redundancy as an ineffective combination of sources leading to an overload of the limited working memory modalities.

Aims

Since these theoretical differences are rarely acknowledged in operation, this study proposes a classification of two distinct types of redundancy to compare these experimentally to investigate their possible main and interaction effects. The first type, content redundancy, is concerned with the contentual overlap of information. The second type, modal redundancy, is concerned with the modalities in which the information is displayed.

Methods

We used these two types of redundancy as factors in a 2 × 2 within‐subject design, in which we experimentally compared their effects.

Sample

University students (N = 46) learned from specifically designed domain‐general material which aimed to observe redundancy effects without interference from confounding variables.

Results

The results show that content redundancy increases learning outcomes and decreases cognitive load, while modal redundancy decreases learning outcomes and increases cognitive load.

Conclusion

On the theoretical level, these findings confirm the usefulness to distinguish content redundancy from modal redundancy. On the practical level, the empirical findings of the different effects of the two types of redundancy provide educators with important insights that can improve the design of multimedia learning materials.
Perspectives on the future of dissemination and implementation research in oral and craniofacial sciences
Authors: Burgette Jacqueline M. , Randall Cameron L. , Neta Gila , Rindal D. Brad , Ross Alastair J. , Weiner Bryan J.
Published: February 2023

Dissemination and implementation science is a field of research that promotes the adoption and maintenance of evidence‐based interventions in healthcare delivery and community settings and seeks to understand the processes by which such adoption and maintenance occur. While dissemination and implementation science is an established field in health services research, it is relatively new and making inroads in dental, oral and craniofacial research. This article summarizes the proceedings from a scientific panel on ‘Dissemination and Implementation Science for Oral and Craniofacial Health’ that was held during the international Behavioral and Social Oral Health Sciences Summit. The panelists were four experts on dissemination and implementation science in dental and non‐dental academic settings in the United States and Scotland, with affiliations ranging from schools of dentistry and public health to the National Institutes of Health and a healthcare system with integrated dental services. The panel discussion addressed how dissemination and implementation science can be used to further oral health research. The narrative report presented here aims to describe the panelists' reflections and insights on their current initiatives in dissemination and implementation research to inform future research endeavors within the oral and craniofacial sciences. Specifically, this article focuses on six discussion topics: (1) how organizational determinants can serve as facilitators or barriers to the implementation of evidence‐based dental practice; (2) how dentistry can ‘de‐implement’ practices that are not effective; (3) how implementation science can support the delivery of evidence‐based dental practice using adaptation; (4) how to get started in implementation science; (5) how the broader environment can support large‐scale implementation efforts; and (6) how oral and craniofacial science is well suited for advancing dissemination and implementation research.
Giant fecal stone recovered using a novel protective retrieval device
Authors: Nakazawa Kei , Hirata Yuki , Nakamura Shiro
Published: February 2023

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Inter‐decadal variation in diadromous and potamodromous fish assemblages in a near pristine tropical dryland river
Authors: Lear Karissa O. , Ebner Brendan C. , Fazeldean Travis , Whitty Jeff , Morgan David L.
Published: February 2023

Freshwater ecosystems are both incredibly biodiverse and highly threatened globally. Variation in environmental parameters including habitat and flow can substantially affect many ecological processes within riverine aquatic communities, but the ties between such parameters and ecology are neither well studied nor understood. In highly variable tropical dryland river systems, assessing such relationships requires data collection over inter‐decadal time scales, which is not typically permitted on development schedules driven over short periods (including election and funding cycles). Here, we used seine net sampling data collected over an 18‐year period in the tropical dryland Fitzroy River, Western Australia, to assess how environmental and temporal factors including habitat, seasonality, and inter‐annual variation in wet season magnitude affect the community assemblage structure, recruitment, and growth of aquatic species in dryland rivers. Results demonstrated that macrohabitat (main channel vs floodplain creek) and the magnitude of wet season rains and resultant flooding both had a substantial influence on biotic communities, alongside seasonal and diel variation. The magnitude of wet season flooding (measured as river discharge volume) had the greatest impact on assemblage composition within floodplain creek habitats and was a significant driver of recruitment rates and growth of recruits and adults of several species examined. This study highlights key considerations for conserving dryland river systems and constituent biota. Specifically, these are maintaining (a) rhythmicity of flow within each year, (b) diversity of flow volume between years, and (c) a variety of habitat types including ephemeral, semi‐permanent, and permanent shallow floodplain and deeper main channel pools, in order to support a diverse array of generalist and specialist diadromous and potamodromous fishes.
Pelagic food web interactions in a large invaded ecosystem: Implications for reintroducing a native top predator
Authors: Hansen Adam G. , McCoy Allison , Thiede Gary P. , Beauchamp David A.
Published: February 2023

A series of species introductions, overexploitation, and habitat modification preceded the extirpation of Lahontan cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi; LCT), historically the apex predator, from Lake Tahoe, California‐Nevada, USA. Studies evaluating limiting factors for LCT emphasise the need to elucidate food web interactions, yet important knowledge gaps regarding trophic interactions among nonnative pelagic fishes and invertebrates remain. We quantified the abundance and consumption demand of planktivores with an emphasis on kokanee (Oncorhynchus nerka) and Mysis diluviana. We synthesised this new information with existing information for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). The seasonal supply of copepods satisfied the consumption demand of kokanee, but only supported low feeding and growth rates. Kokanee relied heavily on Mysis as prey, an unusual result. Mysis exhibited a high degree of herbivory initially followed by heavier consumption on copepods by larger individuals. Consumption demand for Mysis on copepods exceeded that of kokanee during all seasons. Mysis contributed to over 50% of the annual energy budget for lake trout up to 625 mm. Consumption of Mysis by lake trout and kokanee represented a significant source of mortality when compared to the production of Mysis. Predation on kokanee was sustainable, only involved lake trout >625 mm, and was focused on prespawning aggregations. Despite the presence of Mysis‐fueled lake trout, kokanee have persisted; a noteworthy pattern when considering the negative responses of kokanee to nonnative lake trout and Mysis observed elsewhere. This pattern suggests that there may still be an effective niche for LCT in the invaded Lake Tahoe ecosystem.
Mergers and acquisitions research in finance and accounting: Past, present, and future
Authors: Cumming Douglas , Jindal Varun , Kumar Satish , Pandey Nitesh
Published: February 2023

This study presents an analysis of publication patterns and major themes in research on mergers and acquisitions in finance and accounting. We find that takeovers as mechanisms of governance, drivers of mergers, mechanisms of mergers, bank mergers, cross‐border mergers, shareholder wealth effects of mergers and related events, and the role of financial experts and ownership structure form major themes of research in the finance area, while in accounting area major themes are corporate governance and accounting outcomes, predicting takeovers and their outcomes, valuation, financial reporting and takeover decisions, and financial reporting and performance.
Linear ubiquitination improves NFAT1 protein stability and facilitates NFAT1 signalling in Kawasaki disease
Authors: Miao Ying , Qian Guanghui , Zhang Renxia , Yuan Yukang , Zuo Yibo , Ding Yueyue , Li Xuan , Tang Yunjia , Zheng Hui , Lv Haitao
Published: February 2023

NFAT1 is known for its roles in T cell development and activation. So far, the phosphorylation of NFAT1 has been extensively studied, but the other post‐translational modifications of NFAT1 remain largely unknown. In this study, we reported that NFAT1 is a linearly ubiquitinated substrate of linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC). LUBAC promoted NFAT1 linear ubiquitination, which in turn inhibited K48‐linked polyubiquitination of NFAT1 and therefore increased NFAT1 protein stability. Interestingly, the linear ubiquitination levels of NFAT1 in patients with the Kawasaki disease were upregulated. Further studies demonstrated that the patients with the Kawasaki disease had increased mRNA levels of HOIL‐1L. These findings revealed a linearly ubiquitinated substrate of LUBAC and an important biological function of NFAT1 linear ubiquitination in the Kawasaki disease and therefore may provide a novel strategy for the treatment of the Kawasaki disease.
Revealing the relationship between nitrogen use efficiency‐related QTLs and carbon and nitrogen metabolism regulation in poplar
Authors: Du Changjian , Zhang Min , Zhou Xinglu , Bai Yongxia , Wang Lijuan , Zhang Lei , Hu Jianjun
Published: February 2023

Poplar provides a large amount of bioenergy and wood, but the lack of soil nitrogen in poplar plantations has seriously restricted its wood production. Using Populus deltoides ‘Danhong’, P. simonii ‘Tongliao1’, and their F1 populations as materials, nitrogen fertilizer and no nitrogen fertilizer were applied in the field. Under different nitrogen conditions, the wood yield of ‘Danhong’ was much higher than that of ‘Tongliao 1’, which indicated that ‘Danhong’ had excellent genetic resources related to nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Based on a high‐density genetic map, we performed quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses for ground diameter, plant height, stem biomass, and nitrogen response index. A total of 276 QTLs and 774 candidate genes were identified. We analysed the metabolites related to carbon and nitrogen metabolism and the transcriptome of the developing xylem in 10 clones under high‐ and low‐nitrogen conditions. Through weighted gene coexpression network analysis, it was found that the MEyellow module was closely related to biomass, carbon, and nitrogen metabolism, and a gene coexpression network was established. Finally, candidate genes NRT3.1, NPF5.1, NPF5.10, and NPF8.1 related to nitrogen transport; transcription factors NLP8.1, NLP8.2, and NLP2 regulating nitrogen transport; genes Potri.010G070900, GDH2, and SHM2 related to amino acid metabolism; and genes Necap2, Dscr3, trappc2l, Potri.013G072600, and LAX2 related to carbon metabolism were identified. This work provides abundant genetic resources for the genetic improvement of poplar NUE and provides new insights into the linkage mechanism between NUE and biomass yield.
Tooth loss and dementia amongst older adults residing in long‐term care facilities in Vancouver: A case‐control study
Authors: Yoon Joon‐Ho , Tong Nicholas , Wyatt Chris C.L.
Published: February 2023

Objective

The purpose of this case‐control study was to determine the association between dementia and the number of missing teeth, functional occlusal units and denture use in older adults residing in Long‐Term Care (LTC) facilities.

Background

Many studies have shown an association between dementia and tooth loss. However, few studies with a large sample size have been reported describing the relationship between dementia and the number of missing teeth, remaining teeth and functional occlusal units.

Methods

An oral health assessment database of 2160 older adults admitted to LTC facilities in Vancouver, Canada, between 2015–2019 was utilised. Participants with a diagnosis of dementia in their medical records (N = 1174) were compared to those without dementia (N = 986). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore a potential association between the number of missing teeth, functional occlusal units and the use of dentures and dementia.

Results

The number of remaining teeth (OR = 1.0, 95% Confidence Interval = 1.0–1.0; P = .054) and number of functional occlusal units (OR = 1.0, 95% CI = 1.0–1.0; P = .059) were not associated with dementia after adjusting for age, sex, oral self‐care and systemic conditions. Denture use (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.5–2.4; P = .790) was not associated with dementia in edentulous patients.

Conclusion

There was no association between dementia and the number of remaining teeth, functional occlusal units or wearing dentures.
Experiences of psilocybin treatment for clinical conditions: A qualitative meta‐synthesis
Authors: Crowe Marie , Manuel Jenni , Carlyle Dave , Lacey Cameron
Published: February 2023

There is increasing clinical interest in the use of psilocybin. There is emerging evidence of the efficacy of psilocybin for the treatment of a range of clinical conditions. Mental health nurses have a unique set of skills for caring for people who are hallucinating. To expand these skills to meet the developing clinical interest in the therapeutic use of psilocybin, it is helpful to understand the experience from the perspective of the person being treated with psilocybin. A qualitative meta‐synthesis was conducted to examine how those with psilocybin described their experiences to identify whether its effects are similar across different health conditions. Ten studies were included in the review. The health conditions studied were cancer, depression, HIV, substance use disorder, smoking cessation and trauma. The synthesis of findings identified three themes that were common across the studies despite the health condition: acceptance, connection and transformation. The review provides helpful insights into how people experience psilocybin and its effects on their health condition.
Risk factors and the nomogram model for intraoperatively acquired pressure injuries in children with brain tumours: A retrospective study
Authors: Qu Hong , Tang Xurong , Zeng Wei , Fu Shaochuan , Zhou Rong , Mou Shaoyu
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to investigate the clinical features and incidence of Intraoperatively Acquired Pressure Injuries (IAPIs) of brain tumours in children, to screen the risk factors and to establish a nomogram model for making prevention strategies against the development of IAPIs. Clinical data of 628 children undergoing brain tumour surgery from August 2019 to August 2021 were extracted from the adverse events and the electronic medical systems. They were randomly divided into a training cohort(n = 471) and a validation cohort(n = 157). The univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to identify the risk factors in training cohort; R software was used to construct a nomogram model; the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration plots were used to judge the predictive performance of the nomogram model; decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to assess the clinical usefulness of the nomogram model. Age, haemorrhage, use of vasopressor, temperature, operation time and operation position were considered as significant risk factors, and enrolled to construct a nomogram model. The results of AUC showed satisfactory discrimination of the nomogram; the calibration plots indicated favourable consistency between the prediction of the nomogram and actual observations in both the training and validation cohorts; DCA showed better net benefit and threshold probability of the nomogram model. The nomogram model illustrates significant predictive ability, which can provide scientific and individual guidance for preventing development of IAPIs.
Effect of daily chlorhexidine bathing on reducing infections caused by multidrug‐resistant organisms in intensive care unit patients: A semiexperimental study with parallel controls
Authors: Huang Wenzhi , Qiao Fu , Cai Lin , Zong Zhiyong , Zhang Wei
Published: February 2023

Objective

To assess the effectiveness of daily bathing by chlorhexidine bathing on multidrug‐resistant organisms in ICU, especially on carbapenem‐resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), carbapenem‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), and carbapenem‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE).

Methods

Semiexperimental study which employed both precontrols and a parallel control was conducted. In the intervention period (from July 1 to December 31, 2016), strengthened infection control measures and daily bathing with 2% CHG‐impregnated wipes once daily was performed in the ICU. Fifty‐seven non‐ICU wards with the occurrence of multidrug‐resistant organisms (MDRO) infections during the same time were selected as parallel control group (only CHG bathing was not performed). The net effect of the 2% CHG daily bathing was evaluated by the difference in difference (DID) model.

Results

The DID model analysis showed that CHG bathing reduced the incidence of CRAB‐ and CRPA‐caused infections in ICU by 1.56 and 2.15 cases/1000 patient days, and bathing of every 19 patients (95CI% 13 to 41) and 39 patients (95CI% 24 to 110) were able to prevent one case of HAIs of total MDROs and CRPA, respectively. However, CHG bathing showed no effect on MRSA, VRE, and CRE (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Daily bathing with 2% CHG‐impregnated wipes can reduce HAIs caused by CRAB and CRPA, while it is not effective for the prevalence of infections caused by MRSA, VRE, and CRE.
Definition of low‐value care in a low‐risk preoperative population: A scoping review
Authors: F. John Josiane , B. S. Etges Ana Paula , A. Z. Marcolino Miriam , D. Urman Richard , Marques‐Gomes João , A. Polanczyk Carisi
Published: February 2023

Rationale

Preoperative care is one of the main areas in which to address low‐value care. A detailed definition of what low‐value care is in this period of the surgical care journey paves the way for new scientific research, clinical improvements, and reduction of unnecessary costs in this field.

Aims and Objective

To identify how low‐value care in low‐risk preoperative population has been defined in the scientific literature and propose a low‐value care framework with potential consequences in this setting.

Methods

Scoping review of theoretical studies and peer‐reviewed papers, including reviews, commentaries, or expert opinions, were considered eligible for inclusion. The following databases were consulted: MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, and SCOPUS (from inception to July 24, 2021), using a structured search with the keywords “low value care”, “clinical waste”, “preoperative”, and “elective procedures.” Two independent reviewers performed study selection and data extraction. The definition of low‐value care in the preoperative period and their consequences were described after extracting previous low‐value care concepts and summarising the contents. Also, a visual framework was built with this information.

Results

From 1519 publications identified in the initial searches, 22 underwent full‐text assessment, and 11 conceptual studies were included in the review. A total of four studies (36%) presented a general low‐value care definition, and all studies report some situations considered low‐value care in the preoperative field of low‐risk surgeries. The most common example of preoperative low‐value care, listed in nine studies (81%), was having asymptomatic patients undergo screening tests before surgery. The main clinical and nonclinical consequences of low‐value care in the preoperative phase included false‐positive results from exams as well as psychological distress, increased costs, and delay in surgery.

Conclusions

Revisiting and integrating previous definitions of low‐value care in low‐risk surgery into a scoping review is a starting point for de‐implementing unnecessary care and promoting improvements in surgical pathways.
From cause and effect to causes and effects
Authors: Sturmberg Joachim P. , Marcum James A.
Published: February 2023

It is now—at least loosely—acknowledged that most health and clinical outcomes are influenced by different interacting causes. Surprisingly, medical research studies are nearly universally designed to study—usually in a binary way—the effect of a single cause. Recent experiences during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic brought to the forefront that most of our challenges in medicine and healthcare deal with systemic, that is, interdependent and interconnected problems. Understanding these problems defy simplistic dichotomous research methodologies. These insights demand a shift in our thinking from ‘cause and effect’ to ‘causes and effects’ since this transcends the classical way of Cartesian reductionist thinking. We require a shift to a ‘causes and effects’ frame so we can choose the research methodology that reflects the relationships between variables of interest—one‐to‐one, one‐to‐many, many‐to‐one or many‐to‐many. One‐to‐one (or cause and effect) relationships are amenable to the traditional randomized control trial design, while all others require systemic designs to understand ‘causes and effects’. Researchers urgently need to re‐evaluate their science models and embrace research designs that allow an exploration of the clinically obvious multiple ‘causes and effects’ on health and disease. Clinical examples highlight the application of various systemic research methodologies and demonstrate how ‘causes and effects’ explain the heterogeneity of clinical outcomes. This shift in scientific thinking will allow us to find the necessary personalized or precise clinical interventions that address the underlying reasons for the variability of clinical outcomes and will contribute to greater health equity.
Identification by whole genome sequencing of genes associated with delayed postoperative hemorrhage in Scottish deerhounds
Authors: Court Michael H. , Kiser Jennifer N. , Neibergs Holly L. , Zhu Zhaohui , Dillberger John E.
Published: February 2023

Background

Delayed postoperative hemorrhage (DEPOH) is an important health concern for Scottish deerhounds.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Identify genes associated with DEPOH in Scottish deerhounds.

Animals

Two hundred sixty‐nine privately owned Scottish deerhounds.

Methods

Retrospective case‐control study. DEPOH cases and controls were identified through an owner health survey. Genome‐wide association analysis was performed using whole genome sequences from 8 cases and 17 controls. All cases and controls were genotyped for selected variants.

Results

Of 269 dogs, 10 met inclusion and exclusion criteria for DEPOH, while 62 controls had undergone similar surgical procedures without DEPOH. Genome‐wide association analysis identified a single locus on chromosome 9 spanning 40 genes. One of these genes (SERPINF2 encoding alpha‐2 antiplasmin) was directly linked to the pathophysiology of DEPOH. The entire cohort was genotyped for a missense SERPINF2 variant (c.605 C>T; p.A202V). Compared to dogs with the reference C/C genotype, the likelihood of DEPOH was significantly higher for dogs with the T/T genotype (odds ratio [OR] = 1235; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 23‐6752; P = 0.0005) and with the C/T genotype (OR = 28; 95% CI = 1.4‐542; P = 0.03).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

SERPINF2 is associated with DEPOH in Scottish deerhounds. Genetic testing might be able to identify dogs that are susceptible to DEPOH.
MerA functions as a hypothiocyanous acid reductase and defense mechanism in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Shearer Heather L. , Loi Vu V. , Weiland Paul , Bange Gert , Altegoer Florian , Hampton Mark B. , Antelmann Haike , Dickerhof Nina
Published: February 2023

The major pathogen Staphylococcus aureus has to cope with host‐derived oxidative stress to cause infections in humans. Here, we report that S. aureus tolerates high concentrations of hypothiocyanous acid (HOSCN), a key antimicrobial oxidant produced in the respiratory tract. We discovered that the flavoprotein disulfide reductase (FDR) MerA protects S. aureus from this oxidant by functioning as a HOSCN reductase, with its deletion sensitizing bacteria to HOSCN. Crystal structures of homodimeric MerA (2.4 Å) with a Cys43–Cys48 intramolecular disulfide, and reduced MerACys43S (1.6 Å) showed the FAD cofactor close to the active site, supporting that MerA functions as a group I FDR. MerA is controlled by the redox‐sensitive repressor HypR, which we show to be oxidized to intermolecular disulfides under HOSCN stress, resulting in its inactivation and derepression of merA transcription to promote HOSCN tolerance. Our study highlights the HOSCN tolerance of S. aureus and characterizes the structure and function of MerA as a major HOSCN defense mechanism. Crippling the capacity to respond to HOSCN may be a novel strategy for treating S. aureus infections.
Two nucleotide sugar transporters are important for cell wall integrity and full virulence of Magnaporthe oryzae
Authors: Chen Deng , Kamran Muhammad , Chen Shen , Xing Junjie , Qu Zhiguang , Liu Caiyun , Ren Zhiyong , Cai Xuan , Chen Xiao‐Lin , Xu Jingbo
Published: February 2023

Cell wall polysaccharides play key roles in fungal development, virulence, and resistance to the plant immune system, and are synthesized from many nucleotide sugars in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)‐Golgi secretory system. Nucleotide sugar transporters (NSTs) are responsible for transporting cytosolic‐derived nucleotide sugars to the ER lumen for processing, but their roles in plant‐pathogenic fungi remain to be revealed. Here, we identified two important NSTs, NST1 and NST2, in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Both NSTs were localized in the ER, which was consistent with a function in transporting nucleotide sugar for processing in the ER. Sugar transport property analysis suggested that NST1 is involved in transportation of mannose and glucose, while NST2 is only responsible for mannose transportation. Accordingly, deletion of NSTs resulted in a significant decrease in corresponding soluble saccharides abundance and defect in sugar utilization. Moreover, both NSTs played important roles in cell wall integrity, were involved in asexual development, and were required for full virulence. The NST mutants exhibited decreasing external glycoproteins and exposure of inner chitin, which resulted in activation of the host defence response. Altogether, our results revealed that two sugar transporters are required for fungal cell wall polysaccharides accumulation and full virulence of M. oryzae.
Effects of mutant huntingtin in oxytocin neurons on non‐motor features of Huntington's disease
Authors: Bergh Sofia , Gabery Sanaz , Tonetto Simone , Kirik Deniz , Petersén Åsa , Cheong Rachel Y.
Published: February 2023

Background

Early non‐motor features including anxiety, depression and altered social cognition are present in Huntington's disease (HD). The underlying neurobiological mechanisms are not known. Oxytocin (OXT) is involved in the regulation of emotion, social cognition and metabolism, and our previous work showed that the OXT system is affected early in HD. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential causal relationship between the selective expression of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) in OXT neurons and the development of non‐motor features and neuropathology.

Methods

To express mHTT only in OXT neurons, we used a novel flex‐switch adeno‐associated viral vector design to selectively express either mHTT or wild‐type HTT in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus using OXT‐Cre‐recombinase mice. We also performed a mirror experiment to selectively delete mHTT in OXT neurons using the BACHD mouse model. Mice underwent a battery of behavioural tests to assess psychiatric and social behaviours 3 months post‐injection or at 2 months of age, respectively. Post‐mortem analyses were performed to assess the effects on the OXT system.

Results

Our results show that selective expression of mHTT in OXT neurons was associated with the formation of mHTT inclusions and a 26% reduction of OXT‐immunopositive neurons as well as increased anxiety‐like behaviours compared with uninjected mice. However, selective deletion of mHTT from OXT neurons alone was not sufficient to alter the metabolic and psychiatric phenotype of the BACHD mice at this early time point.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that mHTT expression can exert cell‐autonomous toxic effects on OXT neurons without affecting the non‐motor phenotype at early time points in mice.
Volatile organic compounds as potential biomarkers of irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review
Authors: Zhang Valencia Ru‐Yan , Ramachandran Gokula Krishnan , Loo Evelyn Xiu Ling , Soh Alex Yu Sen , Yong Wei Peng , Siah Kewin Tien Ho
Published: February 2023

Background

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disease characterized by intermittent abdominal pain with altered bowel habits. Due to the condition's chronicity, patients suffer from poor quality of life, while the healthcare burden continues to grow. There is currently no reliable biomarker for the diagnosis of IBS, and the current approach depends on ruling‐out organic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer by markers of inflammation like fecal calprotectin and C‐reactive protein, or invasive procedures like a colonoscopy. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are growing in popularity as a biomarker due to its accuracy and ease of use.

Purpose

This systematic review of Medline and Cochrane's databases aimed to identify VOCs in the diagnosis of IBS. 57% of the studies proved that VOCs could identify IBS patients from healthy controls with AUC ranging from 0.83 to 0.99. Studies that distinguished IBS from IBD patients had slightly higher AUC of 0.87–0.98. Combining VOC into panels allowed the creation of discriminative algorithms. Though current research is limited by areas of heterogeneity in VOC sampling and small sample sizes, our review shows that VOC analysis has the potential to be a noninvasive point‐of‐care test that differentiates IBS from other organic gastrointestinal diseases.
Exploration of associations among dietary tryptophan, microbiome composition and function, and symptom severity in irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Plantinga Anna M. , Kamp Kendra J. , Wu Qinglong , Chen Li , Yoo Linda , Burr Robert L. , Cain Kevin C. , Raftery Daniel , Carnevale Neto Fausto , Badu Shyam , So Sik Yu , Savidge Tor , Shulman Robert J. , Heitkemper Margaret M.
Published: February 2023

Background

Imbalance of the tryptophan (TRP) pathway may influence symptoms among patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study explored relationships among different components that contribute to TRP metabolism (dietary intake, stool metabolite levels, predicted microbiome metabolic capability) in females with IBS and healthy controls (HCs). Within the IBS group, we also investigated relationships between TRP metabolic determinants, Bifidobacterium abundance, and symptoms of IBS.

Methods

Participants with IBS (Rome III) and HCs completed a 28‐day diary of gastrointestinal symptoms and a 3‐day food record for TRP intake. They provided a stool sample for shotgun metagenomics, 16 S rRNA analyses, and quantitative measurement of TRP by mass spectrometry.

Results

Our cohort included 115 females, 69 with IBS and 46 HCs, with a mean age of 28.5 years (SD 7.4). TRP intake (p = 0.71) and stool TRP level (p = 0.27) did not differ between IBS and HC. Bifidobacterium abundance was lower in the IBS group than in HCs (p = 0.004). Predicted TRP metabolism gene content was higher in IBS than HCs (FDR‐corrected q = 0.006), whereas predicted biosynthesis gene content was lower (q = 0.045). Within the IBS group, there was no association between symptom severity and TRP intake or stool TRP, but there was a significant interaction between Bifidobacterium abundance and TRP intake (q = 0.029) in predicting stool character.

Conclusions

Dietary TRP intake, microbiome composition, and differences in TRP metabolism constitute a complex interplay of factors that could modulate IBS symptom severity.
Cross‐sectional associations between physical fitness and biomarkers of inflammation in children—ThePANICstudy
Authors: Haapala Eero A. , Kuronen Emmi , Ihalainen Johanna K. , Lintu Niina , Leppänen Marja H. , Tompuri Tuomo , Atalay Mustafa , Schwab Ursula , Lakka Timo A.
Published: February 2023

Background

Systemic low‐grade inflammation has been proposed as an underlying pathophysiological mechanism for cardiometabolic diseases. We investigated the associations of physical fitness with a systemic low‐grade inflammatory state in a population sample of children.

Methods

Altogether 391 children aged 6–9 years were examined. Cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal power output,Wmax) was assessed by a maximal cycle ergometer test and neuromuscular fitness by hand grip strength, sit‐up, standing long jump, 50‐meter shuttle run, static balance, sit‐and‐reach, and box and block tests. Body fat percentage (BF%) and lean mass (LM) were assessed by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). High sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), leptin, leptin receptor, high molecular weight adiponectin (HMW‐adiponectin), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), and glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) were assessed from fasting blood samples. The modified inflammatory score (IS) was calculated using the population‐specificz‐scores and formula (zhs‐CRP + zleptin + zIL‐6 + zTNF‐α + zGlycA)—zleptin receptor—zHMW‐adiponectin. The data were analyzed using linear regression analyses.

Results

HigherWmax/kg of body mass (β = −0.416, 95% CI = −0.514 to −0.318), higher number of completed sit‐ups (β = −0.147, 95% CI = −0.244 to −0.049), a longer distance jumped in the standing long jump test (β = −0.270, 95% CI = −0.371 to −0.169), and a shorter time in the 50‐meter shuttle run test (β = 0.123, 95% CI = 0.022 to 0.223) were associated with lower IS. None of these associations remained statistically significant after adjustment for BF%.

Conclusions

Higher physical fitness is associated with a more favorable inflammatory biomarker profile in children. However, the associations were explained by BF%.
Applications and mechanisms of anisotropic two-step Si3N4 etching with hydrogen plasma conditioning
Authors: Rui Ying , Chen Meng-Hsien , Pandey Sumeet , Li Lan
Published: February 2023

The ability to precisely form Si3N4 spacers is critical to the success of dynamic random-access memory and NAND (NOT AND) flash memory technology development. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms and process windows of an innovative two-step nitride (Si3N4) etch consisting of H2 plasma processing in an inductively coupled plasma chamber followed by either buffered oxide etch (BOE, a mix of NH4F and HF solution) wet clean or in situ NF3 plasma etch. We obtained layer–by-layer removal with each layer’s removal capable of more than 10 nm. We revealed that H can penetrate more than 20 nm deep into the nitride film to transform pristine Si3N4 into SiON after air exposure, which can be subsequently removed by BOE wet clean. The H2 and BOE steps do not need to run back-to-back; the modified SiON layer is stable enough to sustain elevated temperature processing and can be removed by BOE later down-the-line integration. We also demonstrated that using NF3 plasma can have highly selective etch of nitride over oxide due to the incubation time difference between these two types of films. It takes much longer time to initiate the chemical reaction for oxide compared with nitride. Critically, the role of H2 is not the key for high selectivity; instead, it provides an etch directionality and shortens the incubation time for both nitride and oxide.
Temperature dependence of the infrared dielectric function and the direct bandgap of InSb from 80 to 725 K
Authors: Rivero Arias Melissa , Armenta Carlos A. , Emminger Carola , Zamarripa Cesy M. , Samarasingha Nuwanjula S. , Love Jaden R. , Yadav Sonam , Zollner Stefan
Published: February 2023

The temperature dependence of the complex pseudodielectric function of bulk InSb (100) near the direct band gap was measured with Fourier-transform infrared ellipsometry between 30 and 500 meV at temperatures from 80 to 725 K in ultrahigh vacuum. Using the Jellison–Sales method for transparent glasses, the thickness of the native oxide was found to be 25±5 Å, assuming a high-frequency dielectric constant of about 3.8 for the native oxide. After this surface correction, the dielectric function was fitted with a Herzinger–Johs parametric semiconductor model to determine the bandgap and with a Drude term to determine the electron concentration and the mobility. We find that the bandgap decreases from 230 meV at 80 K to 185 meV at 300 K, as expected from thermal expansion and a Bose–Einstein model for electron-phonon scattering renormalization of the bandgap. Between 450 and 550 K, the bandgap remains constant near 150 meV and then increases again at even higher temperatures, presumably due to a Burstein–Moss shift resulting from thermally excited electron-hole pairs. The broadening of the direct bandgap increases steadily with temperature. The electron concentration (calculated from the Drude tail at low energies assuming parabolic bands with a constant electron mass of 0.014m0) increases from 2×1016cm−3 at 300 K to 3×1017cm−3 at 700 K, in reasonable agreement with temperature-dependent Hall measurements. The electron mobility was found to decrease from 105cm2/Vs at 450 K to 2×104cm2/Vs at 700 K, also in good agreement with Hall effect results. We describe a theoretical model that might be used to explain these experimental results.
Upper-Body Pain in Gamers: An Analysis of Demographics and Gaming Habits on Gaming-Related Pain and Discomfort
Authors: Forman Garrick N. , Holmes Michael W.R.
Published: February 2023

With the rapid growth of both the gaming and esports industries, millions of individuals are now playing games as a hobby or career. The intense and repetitive nature of gaming can likely increase an individual’s susceptibility to musculoskeletal injuries and pain. The purpose of this study was to assess demographic information and gaming habits of gamers and determine any association with upper-body, gaming-related pain. An online survey was used to obtain demographic information and gaming habits of individuals, as well as the location and description of upper-body pain experienced when gaming. Of the 522 respondents, 77.8% (n = 406) reported experiencing gaming-related pain in the upper body. The most prevalent areas of pain were the neck (43.9%), lower back (41.4%), and the distal upper limb (37.9%). Few strong correlations were found between any demographics or gaming habits and the presence or intensity of pain in the upper body. The results of this study demonstrate that gaming-related pain is a problem; however, due to its complex nature, it is likely that a multifaceted interaction of both gaming habits and unaccounted lifestyle factors contributes to individualized pain development.
Deletion of the s2m RNA Structure in the Avian Coronavirus Infectious Bronchitis Virus and Human Astrovirus Results in Sequence Insertions
Authors: Keep Sarah , Dowgier Giulia , Lulla Valeria , Britton Paul , Oade Michael , Freimanis Graham , Tennakoon Chandana , Jonassen Christine Monceyron , Tengs Torstein , Bickerton Erica
Published: February 2023

Coronaviruses infect many species, including humans and animals, with substantial effects on livestock, particularly with respect to poultry. The coronavirus RNA genome consists of structural elements involved in viral replication whose roles are poorly understood.
The Hypersaline Archaeal Histones HpyA and HstA Are DNA Binding Proteins That Defy Categorization According to Commonly Used Functional Criteria
Authors: Sakrikar Saaz , Hackley Rylee K. , Martinez-Pastor Mar , Darnell Cynthia L. , Vreugdenhil Angie , Schmid Amy K.
Published: February 2023

Most cells in eukaryotic species—from yeast to humans—possess histone proteins that pack and unpack DNA in response to environmental cues. These essential proteins regulate genes necessary for important cellular processes, including development and stress protection.
Hgc1 Independence of Biofilm Hyphae in Candida albicans
Authors: Sharma Anupam , Solis Norma V. , Huang Manning Y. , Lanni Frederick , Filler Scott G. , Mitchell Aaron P.
Published: February 2023

The
HGC1
gene encodes a cyclin that is required for virulence of the fungal pathogen
Candida albicans
. It is required to produce the elongated hyphal filaments of free-living planktonic cells that are associated with virulence.
Metagenomes from Soils along an Agricultural Transect in Ulster County, New York
Authors: de Santana Carolina Oliveira , Spealman Pieter , Gresham David , Perron Gabriel G.
Published: February 2023

Many modern farming practices negatively impact ecosystems on the local and global scales. Here, we assessed the taxonomic structures of 48 soil microbial communities along an agricultural transect using 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon sequencing. We further characterized the functional structures of a subsample of 12 microbiomes using whole-genome sequencing.