bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring factors impacting haplotype‐based noninvasive prenatal diagnosis for single‐gene recessive disorders
Authors: Kong Lingrong , Li Shaojun , Zhao Zhenhua , Feng Jun , Fu Xinyu , Li Huanyun , Zhu Jingqi , Wang Yanan , Tang Weiqin , Yuan Chao , Li Feifei , Han Xiujuan , Wu Di , Kong Xiangdong , Sun Luming
Published: October 2023

Haplotype‐based noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) is applicable for various recessive single‐gene disorders in proband families. However, a comprehensive exploration of critical factors influencing the assay performance, such as fetal fraction, informative single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) count, and recombination events, has yet to be performed. It is critical to identify key factors affecting NIPD performance, including its accuracy and success rate, and their impact on clinical diagnostics to guide clinical practice. We conducted a prospective study, recruiting 219 proband families with singleton pregnancies at risk for eight recessive single‐gene disorders (Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, phenylketonuria, methylmalonic acidemia, hemophilia A, hemophilia B, non‐syndromic hearing loss, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia) at 7–14 weeks of gestation. Haplotype‐based NIPD was performed by evaluating the relative haplotype dosage (RHDO) in maternal circulation, and the results were validated via invasive prenatal diagnosis or newborn follow‐ups. Among the 219 families, the median gestational age at first blood draw was 8+5 weeks. Initial testing succeeded for 190 families and failed for 29 due to low fetal fraction (16), insufficient informative SNPs (9), and homologous recombination near pathogenic variation (4). Among low fetal fraction families, successful testing was achieved for 11 cases after a redraw, while 5 remained inconclusive. Test failures linked to insufficient informative SNPs correlated with linkage disequilibrium near the genes, with F8 and MMUT exhibiting the highest associated failure rates (14.3% and 25%, respectively). Homologous recombination was relatively frequent around the DMD and SMN1 genes (8.8% and 4.8%, respectively) but led to detection failure in only 44.4% (4/9) of such cases. All NIPD results from the 201 successful families were consistent with invasive diagnostic findings or newborn follow‐up. Fetal fraction, informative SNPs count, and homologous recombination are pivotal to NIPD performance. Redrawing blood effectively improves the success rate for low fetal fraction samples. However, informative SNPs count and homologous recombination rates vary significantly across genes, necessitating careful consideration in clinical practice. We have designed an in silico method based on linkage disequilibrium data to predict the number of informative SNPs. This can identify genomic regions where there might be an insufficient number of SNPs, thereby guiding panel design. With these factors properly accounted for, NIPD is highly accurate and reliable.
Understanding patients' perspectives when unprepared for the emergence of a parastomal bulge—a qualitative study
Authors: Krogsgaard Marianne , Dreyer Pia , Thomsen Thordis
Published: October 2023

Aim

The aim was to investigate patients' experiences of being prepared for the development of a parastomal bulge in relation to a stoma.

Methods

The paper draws on a qualitative interview study conducted with 20 Danish patients participating in five focus groups. Analysis was performed using a phenomenological‐hermeneutic approach.

Results

We identified three themes. The first theme is ‘The unforeseen bulge gives rise to increasing concern and a search for an explanation’. Patients searched for explanations in their own life and suspected that their behaviour or previous illness induced the bulge. The second theme is ‘Missing or confusing information leads to counterproductive behaviour’. Patients lacked information on the prevention and treatment of parastomal bulging which led to disappointment with healthcare professionals. The third theme is ‘Weighing the pros and cons of life with the bulge against the gamble of surgical repair’. Some patients came to terms with their situation, but for others a deadlocked situation arose when surgical repair was not an option.

Conclusion

Healthcare communication directly impacts on patients' experiences and outcomes. When unprepared for the emergence of a parastomal bulge, patients' emotional and psychological well‐being are affected and likewise patients' possibility of using their own health beliefs as a preventive strategy. To preserve patient autonomy, satisfaction and well‐being, surgeons and stoma nurses should provide patients with tailored information bearing in mind the current lack of clear evidence on the prevention and treatment of parastomal bulging.
Combining resilience and resistance with threat‐based approaches for prioritizing management actions in sagebrush ecosystems
Authors: Chambers Jeanne C. , Brown Jessi L. , Bradford John B. , Doherty Kevin E. , Crist Michele R. , Schlaepfer Daniel R. , Urza Alexandra K. , Short Karen C.
Published: October 2023

The sagebrush biome is a dryland region in the western United States experiencing rapid transformations to novel ecological states. Threat‐based approaches for managing anthropogenic and ecosystem threats have recently become prominent, but successfully mitigating threats depends on the ecological resilience of ecosystems. We used a spatially explicit approach for prioritizing management actions that combined a threat‐based model with models of resilience to disturbance and resistance to annual grass invasion. The threat‐based model assessed geographic patterns in sagebrush ecological integrity (SEI) to identify core sagebrush, growth opportunity, and other rangeland areas. The resilience and resistance model identified ecologically relevant climate and soil water availability indicators from process‐based ecohydrological models. The SEI areas and resilience and resistance indicators were consistent—the resilience and resistance indicators showed generally positive relationships with the SEI areas. They also were complementary—SEI areas provided information on intact sagebrush areas and threats, while resilience and resistance provided information on responses to disturbances and management actions. The SEI index and resilience and resistance indicators provide the basis for prioritizing conservation and restoration actions and determining appropriate strategies. The difficulty and time required to conserve or restore SEI areas increase as threats increases and resilience and resistance decrease.
MIJ821 (onfasprodil) in healthy volunteers: First‐in‐human, randomized, placebo‐controlled study (single ascending dose and repeated intravenous dose)
Authors: Gomez‐Mancilla Baltazar , Levy Jeffrey A. , Ganesan Subramanian , Faller Thomas , Issachar Gil , Peremen Ziv , Laufer Offir , Shani‐Hershkovich Revital , Biliouris Kostas , Walker Ela , Healy Mark P. , Sverdlov Oleksandr , Desai Sachin , Ghaemi S. Nassir , Cha Jang‐Ho , Shanker Y. Gopi
Published: October 2023

This single‐center study administered MIJ821 (onfasprodil) as an intravenous infusion to healthy volunteers and included two parts: a single ascending dose study (Part 1) and a repeated intravenous dose study (Part 2). Primary objective was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of single ascending intravenous doses infused over a 40‐min period and of two repeated doses (1 week apart) of MIJ821 in healthy volunteers. Secondary objectives were to assess the pharmacokinetics of MIJ821 after intravenous infusion in Part 1 and Part 2 of the study. Overall, 43 subjects in Part 1 and 12 subjects in Part 2 were randomized in the study. Median age in Part 1 and Part 2 was 45.0 and 43.5 years, respectively, with the majority being Caucasian (Part 1: 84%; Part 2: 92%). 19 subjects (44.2%) in Part 1 and 8 subjects (66.7%) in Part 2 experienced at least one adverse event (AE). Following single dose in Part 1 and Part 2, the AUCinf values of MIJ821 increased in a dose‐proportional manner across the dose range 0.016–0.48 mg/kg and the Cmax values in a slight overproportional manner across the dose range 0.048–0.48 mg/kg. At the highest dose of 0.48 mg/kg, the geometric mean AUCinf was 708 h ng/mL and the geometric mean Cmax was 462 ng/mL. Inspection of 1‐h post‐dose resting electroencephalography activity across cohorts showed a relationship to administered dose, providing exploratory evidence of distal target engagement. In conclusion, MIJ821 showed a good safety and tolerability profile in healthy volunteers. Dissociative AEs were mild, transient, and dose‐dependent.
Efficacy of finerenone in patients with type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease and altered markers of liver steatosis and fibrosis: A FIDELITY subgroup analysis
Authors: Perakakis Nikolaos , Bornstein Stefan R. , Birkenfeld Andreas L. , Linkermann Andreas , Demir Münevver , Anker Stefan D. , Filippatos Gerasimos , Pitt Bertram , Rossing Peter , Ruilope Luis M. , Kolkhof Peter , Lawatscheck Robert , Scott Charlie , Bakris George L. ,   FIDELIO‐DKD and FIGARO‐DKD investigators
Published: October 2023

Aim

Investigating the effect of finerenone on liver function, cardiovascular and kidney composite outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes, stratified by their risk of liver steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis.

Materials and Methods

Post hoc analysis stratified patients (N = 13 026) by liver fibrosis and enzymes: high risk of steatosis (hepatic steatosis index >36); elevated transaminases [alanine transaminase (ALT) >33 (males) and >25 IU/L (females)]; and fibrosis‐4 (FIB‐4) index scores >3.25, >2.67 and >1.30. Liver enzymes were assessed by changes in ALT, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma‐glutamyl transferase. Composite kidney outcome was defined as onset of kidney failure, sustained estimated glomerular filtration rate decline ≥57% from baseline over ≥4 weeks or kidney death. Composite cardiovascular outcome was defined as cardiovascular death, non‐fatal myocardial infarction, non‐fatal stroke or hospitalization for heart failure.

Results

ALT, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma‐glutamyl transferase levels were consistent between treatment groups and remained stable throughout. Finerenone consistently reduced the risk of composite kidney outcome, irrespective of altered liver tests. Higher FIB‐4 score was associated with higher incidence rates of composite cardiovascular outcome. Finerenone reduced the risk of composite cardiovascular outcome versus placebo in FIB‐4 subgroups by 52% (>3.25), 39% (>2.67) and 24% (>1.30) (p values for interaction = .01, .13 and .03, respectively).

Conclusions

Finerenone has neutral effects on liver parameters in patients with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes. Finerenone showed robust and consistent kidney benefits in patients with altered liver tests, and profound cardiovascular benefits even in patients with higher FIB‐4 scores who were at high risk of developing cardiovascular complications.
Ultra rapid lispro (Lyumjev®) shortens time to recovery from hyperglycaemia compared to Humalog® in individuals with type 1 diabetes on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion
Authors: Leohr Jennifer , Dellva Mary Anne , LaBell Elizabeth , Coutant David E. , Arrubla Jorge , Plum‐Mörschel Leona , Zijlstra Eric , Fukuda Tsuyoshi , Hardy Thomas
Published: October 2023

Aims

To compare the time to hyperglycaemia recovery after ultra rapid lispro (URLi; Lyumjev®) versus Humalog in a randomized, double‐blind crossover study.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐two adults with type 1 diabetes on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion participated in two periods: each period included hyperglycaemia induced by a missed mealtime bolus (day 1) and by suspension of basal insulin delivery (day 2). When hyperglycaemia [plasma glucose (PG) >240 mg/dl] occurred, a correction bolus of URLi or Humalog was given and time to hyperglycaemia recovery (PG = 140 mg/dl), pharmacokinetics and glucodynamics were compared.

Results

Following a missed mealtime bolus, URLi significantly reduced maximum PG (−13 mg/dl; p = .02), and produced numerically more rapid decline in PG (23 mg/dl/h; p = .07), and faster recovery from hyperglycaemia (−23 min; p = .1) versus Humalog, although differences were not significant. Following basal suspension, URLi significantly reduced maximum PG (−6 mg/dl; p = .02), and produced faster PG decline (24 mg/dl/h; p < .001) and faster recovery from hyperglycaemia (−16 min; p < .01) vs. Humalog. Following a correction bolus of URLi, accelerated insulin lispro absorption was observed versus Humalog: early 50% tmax was reduced by 6 or 12 min, and AUC0‐15min was increased 2.5‐ or 4.3‐fold after correction boluses by subcutaneous infusion (day 1) or injection (day 2), respectively (all p < .001).

Conclusions

During episodes of hyperglycaemia commonly experienced in people with type 1 diabetes, URLi provided a faster recovery versus Humalog from a missed mealtime bolus or during basal insulin suspension. URLi shows significant acceleration of insulin absorption versus Humalog when boluses are administered by subcutaneous infusion or injection.
The importance of network spatial structure as a driver of eco‐evolutionary dynamics
Authors: Lamarins Amaïa , Prévost Etienne , Carlson Stephanie M. , Buoro Mathieu
Published: October 2023

Investigating eco‐evolutionary responses of populations to environmental changes requires a solid understanding of the spatial context in which they evolve. While the interplay between local adaptation and dispersal in guiding evolutionary outcomes has been studied extensively, it is often in a context of divergent selection and simplified spatial structure. Alternatively, we used a spatially‐explicit demo‐genetic agent‐based model to simulate a complex network of interconnected populations of Atlantic salmon facing a perturbation shifting their genetic composition to create diversity among populations. Our model allowed us to track emerging demographic, phenotypic, and evolutionary changes from the individual to the metapopulation in a single, spatially realistic framework. We analyzed the influence of the spatial structure of genetic diversity and populations on the evolutionary dynamics under convergent selection (toward a common optimum). Our simulations showed adaptation and demographic recovery of local populations was enhanced by dispersal between initially diverse populations, providing general support for the adaptation network theory. This was particularly true for increased dispersal rates and a random spatial genetic structure. Importantly, our spatially realistic model emphasized that the evolutionary and demographic trajectories of local populations are context‐dependent and can be heavily influenced by the spatial configuration of populations linked by dispersal. Overall, the adaptive capacity of the network depended on the ‘opportunity for adaptation' provided by immigration patterns that emerged from the connectivity structures of the scenarios tested. We highlight the importance of spatial diversity and population structure for the ability of species to respond to environmental change, with implications for management and conservation of spatially structured populations.
The self‐perceived impact of sexual abuse on daily life and general health ‐ an issue to consider in dental care
Authors: Wolf Eva , Priebe Gisela
Published: October 2023

Background/Aim

To analyse, from the perspective of adults with a history of sexual abuse, the impact of the experience on their general health and well‐being.

Material and Methods

The participants comprised 12 strategically selected informants (10 women), aged 19–56; all sexually abused during child‐ and/or adulthood. They were interviewed in‐depth and encouraged to describe the impact of the sexual abuse on their daily lives. The consequences of sexual abuse on oral health have previously been reported. The interviews were recorded digitally, transcribed verbatim and analysed according to qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach.

Results

The overall theme illustrating the latent content was Sexual abuse experience—limiting long‐term consequences, always present in body and mind. The first category covering the manifest content was ‘A lost foothold’, with two subcategories: (i) emotional repercussions and (ii) physical health repercussions. The second category was ‘The significance of distance to trauma’, with two subcategories (i) keeping a distance and tending to escape and (ii) processing the trauma experience—a struggle towards balance.

Conclusions

A history of sexual abuse cannot be understood in isolation: the long‐term repercussions pervade daily life. However, after disclosure of the abuse and processing the trauma, it is possible to ameliorate some of the negative effects. In this context, the dental setting emerges as a potentially important venue for disclosure as almost every person, sooner or later, visits the dentist.
Towards a central origin of nociceptive hypersensitivity in adult rats after a neonatal maternal separation
Authors: Gieré Clémence , Menger Yannick , Illouz Hannah , Melchior Meggane , Lelièvre Vincent , Poisbeau Pierrick
Published: October 2023

Early life adversities influence a nervous system still in development with long‐term consequences for later life. These include nociceptive circuit alterations critical to shape an adaptive pain response to protect the organism from potential damage. Adult rats with a history of neonatal maternal separation (NMS) display visceral and somatic nociceptive hypersensitivity and inefficient analgesic responses to stress. In this study, we have characterized the consequences of NMS on wide dynamic range neurons (WDR) in the spinal cord of anaesthetized adult rats during the nociceptive processing of hot and cold noxious information. We found that WDR neurons of NMS rats display an excessive coding of mechanical and thermal information applied at the rat's hindpaws. This nicely explains the hypernociceptive behaviours seen after noxious mechanical, cold and hot peripheral stimulation. A peripheral change in the expression of molecular transducers for these stimuli (i.e., TRPV1, TRPM8 and TRPA1) does not seem to account for this general hyperexcitability. Instead, a decreased chloride‐mediated inhibitory tone on WDR neurons may play a role as indicated by the abnormal elevation of the type 1 Na‐K‐Cl cotransporter transcripts. Altogether, we propose that long‐term consequences of NMS are associated with reduced spinal cord inhibition favouring the expression of pain hypersensitivity. We cannot exclude that this phenomenon is also present at supraspinal sites, as other NMS‐associated symptoms include excessive anxiety and impaired sociability.
Hydraulic variability of tropical forests is largely independent of water availability
Authors: Smith‐Martin Chris M. , Muscarella Robert , Hammond William M. , Jansen Steven , Brodribb Timothy J. , Choat Brendan , Johnson Daniel M. , Vargas‐G German , Uriarte María
Published: October 2023

Tropical rainforest woody plants have been thought to have uniformly low resistance to hydraulic failure and to function near the edge of their hydraulic safety margin (HSM), making these ecosystems vulnerable to drought; however, this may not be the case. Using data collected at 30 tropical forest sites for three key traits associated with drought tolerance, we show that site‐level hydraulic diversity of leaf turgor loss point, resistance to embolism (P50), and HSMs is high across tropical forests and largely independent of water availability. Species with high HSMs (>1 MPa) and low P50 values (< −2 MPa) are common across the wet and dry tropics. This high site‐level hydraulic diversity, largely decoupled from water stress, could influence which species are favoured and become dominant under a drying climate. High hydraulic diversity could also make these ecosystems more resilient to variable rainfall regimes.
Blood–brain barrier permeability is associated with different neuroinflammatory profiles in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Bruno Matilde , Bonomi Chiara Giuseppina , Ricci Francesco , Di Donna Martina Gaia , Mercuri Nicola Biagio , Koch Giacomo , Martorana Alessandro , Motta Caterina
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Inflammation is an important player in Alzheimer's disease (AD), whose effects can be influenced by the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Here, we investigated the relationship between BBB permeability, indicated by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/plasma albumin quotient (Qalb), and CSF indexes of neuroinflammation in a cohort of biologically defined AD patients.

Methods

Fifty‐nine consecutive patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early AD (Mini‐Mental State Examination [MMSE] >22) underwent CSF analysis for inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐7, IL‐8, Il‐10, IL‐12, IL‐13, IL‐17, tumor necrosis factor‐α [TNF‐α], interferon‐γ [IFN‐γ], granulocyte‐monocyte colony‐stimulating factor [GM‐CSF], granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor [G‐CSF]). Using backward stepwise linear regression analysis, we explored the potential influence of each cytokine CSF level on Qalb considering age, sex, and apolipoprotein E (APOE) as covariates.

Results

Higher levels of IL‐4 (β = 0.356, 0.005) and IL‐8 (β = 0.249, 0.05) were associated with higher Qalb values, while macrophage inflammatory protein‐1α (MIP‐1β) (β = −0.274; p = 0.032) and TNF‐α (β = −0.248; p = 0.031) showed a significant negative association with BBB permeability. Age was also positively associated with Qalb (β = 0.283; p = 0.016).

Conclusions

Despite the overall integrity of the BBB, its permeability could either influence or be influenced by central neuroinflammation, reflected by CSF cytokine levels. This is in line with previous studies that showed that patients with a more intact barrier are those with more prominent neurodegeneration. Our findings suggest that different neuroinflammatory profiles can be associated with different levels of BBB permeability in AD.
Anti‐seizure medication response and the glymphatic system in patients with focal epilepsy
Authors: Kim Sung‐Tae , Kim Sung Eun , Lee Dong Ah , Lee Ho‐Joon , Park Kang Min
Published: October 2023

Background and purpose

We aimed to evaluate (i) glymphatic system function in patients with focal epilepsy in comparison with healthy controls, and (ii) the association between anti‐seizure medication (ASM) response and glymphatic system function by using diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI‐ALPS).

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 100 patients with focal epilepsy who had normal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and classified them as “poor” or “good” ASM responders according to their seizure control at the time of brain MRI. We also included 79 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. All patients and healthy controls underwent conventional brain MRI and diffusion tensor imaging. The DTI‐ALPS index was calculated using the DSI studio program.

Results

Of the 100 patients with focal epilepsy, 38 and 62 were poor and good ASM responders, respectively. The DTI‐ALPS index differed significantly between patients with focal epilepsy and healthy controls and was significantly lower in patients with focal epilepsy (1.55 vs. 1.70; p < 0.001). The DTI‐ALPS index also differed significantly according to ASM response and was lower in poor ASM responders (1.48 vs. 1.59; p = 0.047). Furthermore, the DTI‐ALPS index was negatively correlated with age (r = −0.234, p = 0.019) and duration of epilepsy (r = −0.240, p = 0.016) in patients with focal epilepsy.

Conclusion

Our study is the first to identify, in focal epilepsy patients, a greater reduction in glymphatic system function among poor ASM responders compared to good responders. To confirm our results, further prospective multicenter studies with large sample sizes are needed.
The genomic response to urbanization in the damselfly Ischnura elegans
Authors: Babik W. , Dudek K. , Marszałek M. , Palomar G. , Antunes B. , Sniegula S.
Published: October 2023

The complex and rapid environmental changes brought about by urbanization pose significant challenges to organisms. The multifaceted effects of urbanization often make it difficult to define and pinpoint the very nature of adaptive urban phenotypes. In such situations, scanning genomes for regions differentiated between urban and non‐urban populations may be an attractive approach. Here, we investigated the genomic signatures of adaptation to urbanization in the damselfly Ischnura elegans sampled from 31 rural and urban localities in three geographic regions: southern and northern Poland, and southern Sweden. Genome‐wide variation was assessed using more than 370,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped by ddRADseq. Associations between SNPs and the level of urbanization were tested using two genetic environment association methods: Latent Factors Mixed Models and BayPass. While we found numerous candidate SNPs and a highly significant overlap between candidates identified by the two methods within the geographic regions, there was a distinctive lack of repeatability between the geographic regions both at the level of individual SNPs and of genomic regions. However, we found “synapse organization” at the top of the functional categories enriched among the genes located in the proximity of the candidate urbanization SNPs. Interestingly, the overall significance of “synapse organization” was built up by the accretion of different genes associated with candidate SNPs in different geographic regions. This finding is consistent with the highly polygenic nature of adaptation, where the response may be achieved through a subtle adjustment of allele frequencies in different genes that contribute to adaptive phenotypes. Taken together, our results point to a polygenic adaptive response in the nervous system, specifically implicating genes involved in synapse organization, which mirrors the findings from several genomic and behavioral studies of adaptation to urbanization in other taxa.
CogNLG: Cognitive graph for KG‐to‐text generation
Authors: Lai Peichao , Ye Feiyang , Fu Yanggeng , Chen Zhiwei , Wu Yingjie , Wang Yilei , Chang Victor
Published: October 2023

Knowledge graph (KG) has been fully considered in natural language generation (NLG) tasks. A KG can help models generate controllable text and achieve better performance. However, most existing related approaches still lack explainability and scalability in large‐scale knowledge reasoning. In this work, we propose a novel CogNLG framework for KG‐to‐text generation tasks. Our CogNLG is implemented based on the dual‐process theory in cognitive science. It consists of two systems: one system acts as the analytic system for knowledge extraction, and another is the perceptual system for text generation by using existing knowledge. During text generation, CogNLG provides a visible and explainable reasoning path. Our framework shows excellent performance on all datasets and achieves a BLEU score of 36.7, which increases by 6.7 compared to the best competitor.
Vermicompost derived from mushroom residues improves soil C/P cycling, bacterial community, and fungal abundance
Authors: Jiang Dongqi , Wu Chenran , Wang Shuqiang , Zhang Yulan , Chen Zhenhua , Jiang Nan , Zhang Ying , Xie Hongtu
Published: October 2023

The utilization of agricultural waste organic materials through composting technology has gained significant traction in agricultural production as an effective means of crop nutrient management. However, the differences in the impact of organic amendments prepared by traditional composting and vermicomposting on soil properties still deserve further research. Based on field experiments conducted in greenhouse, compared to chemical fertilizer treatments as control, we utilized traditional compost (OF) and vermicompost (VcF) derived from agricultural organic waste edible mushroom bran and cow manure (2:8). Variations in soil physiochemical properties, activities of soil enzymes related C and P cycling, abundances and diversities of bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS gene at total DNA level were analyzed. Both compost treatments enhanced soil organic carbon, soil total phosphorus, and soil available P content significantly and also increased the activities of soil α‐glucosidase, β‐glucosidase, acid phosphomonoesterase, and alkaline phosphomonoesterase significantly. The above results suggested that soil C and P transformations were stimulated effectively by both organic amendments. OF and VcF increased the fungal ITS absolute abundances significantly while diversity indices of soil bacterial community increased significantly under both treatments. Correlation analysis indicated that bacterial community composition was strongly correlated with several soil property indexes while fungal community composition was only significantly correlated with soil total phosphorous content. In conclusion, similar to traditional compost, vermicompost significantly improved soil nutrient cycling (especially C and P aspects). In terms of soil microbes, bacteria and fungi showed different responding mechanism to vermicompost: bacteria adjust microbial structure, while fungi tend to proliferated. In consideration of the advantages of vermicompost in technology and economic cost, it could be applied in the subsequent agricultural production more frequently.
Temporally robust occupancy frequency distributions in riverine metacommunities explained by local biodiversity regulation
Authors: O'Sullivan Jacob D. , Terry J. Christopher D. , Rossberg Axel G.
Published: October 2023

Aim

The mechanisms determining the distribution of the number of sites species occupy, the occupancy frequency distribution (OFD), remain incompletely understood despite decades of research. To explore the dominant mechanisms responsible for the shape and temporal dynamics of empirical OFD, we develop a simple patch occupancy framework with intrinsically regulated local richness and fit the model to a highly replicated dataset describing macroinvertebrate, macrophyte and diatom occupancy.

Location

England.

Time period

Up to years between 1990 and 2020.

Major taxa studied

Macroinvertebrates, macrophytes and diatoms.

Methods

We study the OFD in a highly replicated dataset of freshwater metacommunities in England across time. We consider temporal change in species richness, composition, and in the shape of the OFD. Goodness‐of‐fit of the steady state of a simple patch occupancy model—which predicts a log‐series OFD—to the empirical observations is assessed. Additionally, we test the capacity of the model to predict metacommunity‐scale processes.

Results

Our model provides a consistently good fit to empirical OFDs. It can additionally be used to predict metacommunity‐scale species turnover.

Main conclusions

Our results support the view that metacommunity structure reflects a dynamic steady state controlled by local limits to coexistence.
The biogeography of embolism resistance across resource gradients in the Amazon
Authors: Garcia Maquelle N. , Domingues Tomas F. , Oliveira Rafael S. , Costa Flávia R. C.
Published: October 2023

Aim

Understanding tree mortality under climate change‐induced droughts requires knowledge of hydraulic trait distribution across environmental gradients. The spatial distribution of embolism resistance (i.e., P50), a key trait linked to hydraulic failure, is currently unknown across the Amazon. Here, we tested how precipitation, water table depth (WTD) and soil fertility interact as filters modulating the geographic hydraulic trait distribution.

Location

Four sites in three key regions across the Amazon basin: Central, Western peripheral area and Brazilian Shield.

Time Period

Present.

Major Taxa Studied

Tree species.

Method

We measured hydraulic vulnerability curves of 64 tree species (165 individuals) using an orthogonal design contrasting seasonal precipitation gradients, soil fertility and WTD. To estimate the geographical distribution of hydraulic traits for the basin scale, we use the coefficients of the best generalized linear model, projected on a 1 km grid in each environmental layer.

Results

We show that WTD and soil fertility are the main drivers of embolism resistance, while precipitation has a secondary effect. Trees in shallow WTD and fertile soils had riskier hydraulic strategies. Our spatial projection identified the Amazonian southern band and valleys across the basin as the most vulnerable areas. High soil fertility in these regions increases the variability of hydraulic traits and thus uncertainty in predictions of drought responses.

Main Conclusion

At the scale of the Amazon basin, we show that dominant tree species traits converge toward hydraulic resistance when resource (water and nutrients) levels are low and towards hydraulic vulnerability (but with higher trait variability) when resources increase. These results highlight the importance of WTD and soil fertility in structuring hydraulic traits and their effects on tree mortality under climate change‐induced droughts. Further empirical tests covering a wider spatial range and more tree species will help validate our biogeographical distribution model.
Towards a revanchist British rural in post‐COVID times? A challenge to those seeking a good countryside
Authors: Halfacree Keith
Published: October 2023

The last decade has seen at least three still ongoing shocks impact strongly on rural Britain: Brexit, COVID‐19 and the Russia–Ukraine war. This paper introduces all three of these after setting the scene prior to the 2016 Brexit vote by first summarising the seeming shift across rural Britain from productivism to post‐productivism in the years after 1945. Each of the three sources of rural disruption are then described, but also argued to be building what is termed a ‘revanchist rural’. This development seeks to challenge many of the post‐productivist attempts to diversify the countryside by restating a narrower conservative ‘traditional’ rural geography. It is also a rural vision largely in opposition to Mark Shucksmith's utopian Good Countryside, introduced in the final section. However, a revanchist rural is not the only option for the British countryside in 2023 and the paper goes on to note a broader revival of debate and interest in the rural in recent years. This has let loose a variety of currents, briefly noted, more in tune with the Good Countryside, such that the future for rural Britain in 2023, it is concluded, is very much still there for the making.
Determinants of functional disability trajectories: An assessment of the disablement model and life‐course perspective
Authors: He Shuxuan , Lai Siow Li
Published: October 2023

Aim

Functional disability is a widespread challenge faced by the older population in China, where those with functional disabilities demand greater healthcare and geriatric services. This study performs a longitudinal analysis examining the effects of physiological conditions, intra‐, and extra‐individual factors, and life‐course socioeconomic status risk factors on the disability levels and change rates of functional disability trajectories in old age.

Methods

Data for this study came from the four waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey. A latent growth model was used to analyze the functional disability of 5044 older adults aged 60 and over in 2011 who survived to 2018.

Results

Pathologies are closely associated with functional disability trajectories, and higher numbers of comorbidities relate to more disabilities. Risk factors and intra‐ and extra‐individual factors affect functional disability trajectories and work through independent and shared mechanisms. The effects of risk factors can be traced to childhood conditions, and higher childhood and adulthood socioeconomic status is related to fewer functional disabilities.

Conclusion

Functional disability trajectories are dynamic processes related to pathologies, intra‐, and extra‐individual factors, and life‐course risk factors, and thus prevention and control measures should focus on both childhood and adulthood. Promoting working in later life and improving childhood socioeconomic status deserve prompt attention. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 817–829.
Effects of interventions on life‐space mobility for community‐dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Yoshikawa Hiroki , Uzawa Hironobu , Ishida Takeki , Asakawa Takashi , Kubo Jin
Published: October 2023

Aim

The present study aimed to conduct a meta‐analysis to evaluate the methods and effects of interventions to increase life‐space mobility among community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods

Records were identified through nine databases. Eligible study designs for inclusion in the review were randomized controlled trials of interventions on life‐space mobility for community‐dwelling older adults. The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 tool. We followed the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to summarize the evidence.

Results

Four studies (558 participants) identified via search strategies were included. Two studies involved individualized exercise and lifestyle interventions. In three out of the four studies, individual interventions were applied. Overall, when compared with a control group, the intervention group was more likely to positively affect increasing life‐space mobility (standardized mean difference 0.47, 95% confidence interval [0.020 to 0.92]). The heterogeneity statistic indicated considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 84%). The evidence was downgraded one step owing to imprecision.

Conclusions

Interventions on increasing life‐space mobility for community‐dwelling older adults have a positive effect. Combination interventions may be more effective than single interventions, and individual interventions may be more effective than group interventions. However, owing to the limited number of studies, conducting further research to enhance the generalizability of results is crucial. Additionally, subgroup analysis should be conducted to clarify differences in intervention methods and effects. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 842–848.
Information quality of videos related to Helicobacter pylori infection on TikTok: Cross‐sectional study
Authors: Tan Wei , Liu Yilong , Shi Zhiwen , Zheng Bainan , Feng Lingmei , Wang Jian , Wang Xiaohang , Yuan Zongli
Published: October 2023

Background

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) poses serious threats to human health. TikTok (Douyin in Chinese), a major social media platform focused on sharing short videos, has demonstrated great potential in spreading health information, including information related to H. pylori infection. This study aims to evaluate the content and quality of the information shared in TikTok videos about H. pylori infection in mainland China.

Methods

We collected a sample of 116 videos in Chinese related to H. pylori infection from TikTok. Video contents were evaluated by the coding schema proposed by Goobie et al., and the Hexagonal Radar Schema was used to intuitively display the spotlight and weight of each aspect of the videos. The DISCERN questionnaire was used to evaluate the quality of the videos.

Results

We identified two major sources of videos related to H. pylori: individual users (n = 89) and organizational users (n = 27). Regarding content, the Hexagonal Radar Charts showed that more than 35% of the videos delivered moderate to high quality content (>1 point) in terms of definition, symptoms and management of the disease, whereas risk factors, evaluation and outcomes of the disease were less discussed. The DISCERN classification data showed that 0.9% of the videos were “very poor,” 5.2% “poor,” 68.7% “fair,” 20.0% “good,” and only 5.2% “excellent”. Regarding total DISCERN scores, videos published by nonprofit organizations had the highest scores, followed by videos uploaded by health professionals.

Conclusion

Although the overall quality of TikTok videos related to H. pylori infection was medium, users should be careful when obtaining information related to H. pylori infection on TikTok and opt for videos uploaded by nonprofit organizations and health professionals.
Analysis of thermal strain of metallized silicon nitride substrate under cyclic thermal loading by digital image correlation
Authors: Ngo Minh Chu , Miyazaki Hiroyuki , Hirao Kiyoshi , Fukushima Manabu
Published: October 2023

In this research, a digital image correlation method was employed to measure the thermal strain of a metallized silicon nitride substrate subjected to multiple successive thermal cycles from −40 to 250°C. In all the thermal strain curves observed during the 1000 thermal cycles, consistent hysteresis loops were detected. At the beginning of the heating or cooling process, the curves display slopes nearly identical to the theoretical coefficient of the thermal expansion (CTE) of the metallized composite. Subsequently, the slope gradually decreased until the completion of heating or cooling and eventually reached the CTE of the plain silicon nitride substrate. However, as the number of thermal cycles increased, the deviation temperature from the theoretical CTE during heating increased, whereas the temperature decreased during cooling, but it did so to a lower temperature. The maximum expansion and contraction observed during each cycle increased equally between the initial thermal cycle and the 100th cycle, after which a saturation point was reached. The relationship between the increase, saturation, and cyclic hardening of copper plates on a metallized silicon nitride substrate is further discussed in this study, shedding light on the overall strain range over thermal cycles.
Friction and wear characteristics of β‐Sialon prepared from secondary aluminum dross
Authors: Zheng Changjiang , Hang Kepeng , Wang Longlong , Li Mingke , Liu Jun , Yi Xuemei
Published: October 2023

This study investigates the properties of β‐Sialon synthesized from secondary aluminum dross. High‐purity β‐Sialon powders were synthesized through nitriding reduction, followed by spark plasma sintering to obtain dense sintered bodies. The phase composition, microstructure, microhardness, and friction and wear characteristics of the sintered bodies were analyzed using X‐ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, a microhardness tester, and a friction and wear tester, respectively. Fracture analysis revealed a combination of through‐crystal and along‐crystal fractures, with fracture occurrence correlated to crack expansion. The crystalline fractures exhibited a toughening effect. The friction and wear test of the sintered bodies demonstrated a decrease in the friction coefficient with increasing load and speed. The wear behavior of the sintered bodies encompassed abrasive wear, adhesive wear, and fatigue wear. Abrasive wear dominated at low speed and low load, while adhesive wear was prominent at high speed and high load. Increasing speed accentuated adhesive wear characteristics, while increasing load led to the formation of a material layer on the friction ball surface, delaying wear initiation.
Examining statistical literacy, attitudes toward statistics, and statistics self‐efficacy among applied linguistics research students in China
Authors: Zhang Peixin , Han Chao
Published: October 2023

Statistics has played an increasingly important role in applied linguistics research. However, little research has been available that sheds light on statistical literacy among early‐career researchers of applied linguistics. The study reported in this article surveyed statistical literacy, attitudes toward statistics, and statistics self‐efficacy among Chinese applied linguistics research students and further examined the inter‐variable relationships. Based on analyses of the cross‐sectional survey of 211 master's students, we found that: (1) the students’ overall statistical literacy was not satisfying; (2) although they thought positively of statistics, they were not particularly confident with statistics; (3) the three experience‐related variables—the number of statistics courses taken, quantitative research orientation, and self‐training—were important predictors of statistical literacy, attitudes toward statistics, and statistics self‐efficacy; and (4) statistics self‐efficacy seemed to mediate the relationship between attitudes toward statistics and statistical literacy. We discussed these findings in relation to improving statistics courses in applied linguistics program in China and to statistics learning and teaching.
LncRNA CRNDE is downregulated and associated with poor prognostic markers in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Shehata Amira M. F. , Gohar Suzy F. , Muharram Nashwa M. , Soliman Shaimaa Sherif , Shalaby Hadeel M. , Kamal Eldin Samar M. , EL‐Bassal Fathia I.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by a very heterogeneous clinical outcome. Thus, a plethora of prognostic factors and systems has been identified to place patients into different risk categories and to guide therapy decisions. The classic clinical staging models by Rai and Binet have been the cornerstone of patient management for several years. The greater insight into the molecular biology of CLL facilitated the advent of prognostic genetic biomarkers that are expected to impact clinical practice soon in the future. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the expression of long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) CRNDE in patients with CLL, and to analyze its relationship with the clinicopathological parameters of CLL.

Methods

In this study, 40 untreated CLL patients and 30 age‐ and gender‐matched controls were enrolled. The analysis of lncRNA CRNDE expression was determined using reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique.

Results

Our result confirmed the downregulated expression of LncRNA CRNDE in CLL patients compared to controls (p < 0.001). The low expression of CRNDE was significantly associated with poor prognostic markers including advanced stage of CLL, high levels of serum beta‐2 microglobulin and lactic dehydrogenase, and the presence of del17p (p = 0.029, p = 0.013, p = 0.003, p = 0.028; respectively).

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that LncRNA CRNDE is significantly downregulated and associated with poor prognostic markers in CLL. It provides a rationale to assess its biological and prognostic impact in CLL.
PANoptosis: Mechanisms, biology, and role in disease
Authors: Sun Xu , Yang Yanpeng , Meng Xiaona , Li Jia , Liu Xiaoli , Liu Huaimin
Published: October 2023

Cell death can be executed through distinct subroutines. PANoptosis is a unique inflammatory cell death modality involving the interactions between pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, which can be mediated by multifaceted PANoptosome complexes assembled via integrating components from other cell death modalities. There is growing interest in the process and function of PANoptosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that PANoptosis occurs under diverse stimuli, for example, viral or bacterial infection, cytokine storm, and cancer. Given the impact of PANoptosis across the disease spectrum, this review briefly describes the relationships between pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, highlights the key molecules in PANoptosome formation and PANoptosis activation, and outlines the multifaceted roles of PANoptosis in diseases together with a potential for therapeutic targeting. We also discuss important concepts and pressing issues for future PANoptosis research. Improved understanding of PANoptosis and its mechanisms is crucial for identifying novel therapeutic targets and strategies.