bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictive Capabilities of Polygenic Scores in an East-Asian Population-based Cohort: The Singapore Chinese Health Study
Authors: Chang Xuling , Shih Chih Chuan , Chen Jieqi , Lee Ai Shan , Tan Patrick , Wang Ling , Liu Jianjun , Li Jingmei , Yuan Jian-Min , Khor Chiea Chuen , Koh Woon-Puay , Dorajoo Rajkumar
Published: February 2025

Background

Existing polygenic scores (PGS) are derived primarily from studies performed in European populations. It is still unclear how these perform in improving risk predictions in East-Asians.

Methods

We generated 2,173 PGSs from 519 traits and assessed their associations with 58 baseline phenotypes in the Singapore Chinese Health Study (SCHS), a prospective cohort of 23,622 middle-aged and older Chinese residing in Singapore. We used linear regression to evaluate PGS performances for quantitative traits by calculating the explained variance (r²). For dichotomized phenotypes, we employed logistic regression to estimate the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in predictive models.

Results

Overall, traits with higher heritability scores exhibited stronger associations with PGSs, while behavioural traits, for example sleep duration and hours spent watching TV, showed weaker associations. Height and type 2 diabetes (T2D) exhibited the largest SNP-based heritability estimates with the largest increments in explained variance and AUC, respectively, compared to phenotypic models. We explored the effect of T2D risk factors on the association between the T2D PGS (PGS003444) and incident T2D. The PGS association was significantly mediated and modified by hypertension (Pindirect=1.56×10−18,Pinteraction=1.11×10−6) and body mass index (BMI,Pindirect=1.25×10−36,Pinteraction=2.10×10−3). The prediction ability of PGS003444 for incident T2D was stronger was stronger among individuals who were non-overweight without hypertension (AUC=0.774) than in overweight individuals with hypertension (AUC=0.709).

Conclusions

In conclusion, our study demonstrated the divergent ability of PGSs in predictions of complex traits, and showed that for certain traits, such as T2D, PGSs may have the potential for improving risk prediction and personalized healthcare.
RNA virus ecogenomics along a subarctic permafrost thaw gradient
Authors: Pratama Akbar Adjie , Dominguez-Huerta Guillermo , Wainaina James M. , Bolduc Benjamin , Tian Funing , Ellenbogen Jared , Guo Jiarong ,   EMERGE Field Team,   EMERGE Coordinators, Wrighton Kelly C. , Zayed Ahmed A. , Sullivan Matthew B
Published: February 2025

Climate change thaws permafrost, which releases greenhouse gases partly from dormant microorganisms awakening and metabolizing organic matter. Though DNA viruses that infect these soil microbes have been studied, little is known on soil RNA viruses, which typically infect microeukaryotes. Here we identify and characterize 2,651 RNA viruses from a 4-year time series of bulk soil metatranscriptomes derived from the climatically fragile Stordalen Mire ecosystem - a long-studied permafrost peatland. RNA virus diversity was structured by habitat (palsa, bog, and fen), and these patterns correlated with pH and carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Further, host prediction, virus-encoded metabolite-transforming and information-processing functions suggested roles in ecosystem-scale carbon fluxes and contribute to greenhouse gases emissions. Together, these RNA virus ecogenomic data in permafrost provide essential baseline information for integration into predictive models to support hypothesis testing.
Molecular dynamics simulations reveal DNA gate opening mechanisms forM. smegmatistopoisomerase 1A
Authors: Sigdel Deepesh , Mills Maria
Published: February 2025

Type 1A topoisomerases relax torsional strain in DNA via a strand passage mechanism in which a protein mediated DNA gate must open during the enzyme’s catalytic cycle. This gate-open conformational state of the enzyme has been challenging to observe via experimental methods. In this study, we first used equilibrium Molecular Dynamics simulations to probe the structural properties of the gate closed state for the DNA-free apo system and a system with a ssDNA bound at the DNA binding site. For both systems, we followed the equilibrium simulations with Umbrella Sampling simulations. Umbrella sampling allowed us to bias the protein to adopt a gate-open state to study the properties of this conformation, as well as the pathways leading to it. We observed that several electrostatic interactions contribute to the closed-state stability of the protein which were broken during the gate opening. The gate opening comprised of three major domain motions that were determined from simulation trajectories and Principal Component Analysis. Finally, umbrella sampling results combined with the Weighted Histogram Analysis Method allowed us to reconstruct the free energy profiles of gate opening for all simulations.

SIGNIFICANCE

Multi-drug resistant bacterial strains necessitate newer ways of targeting bacteria. Type 1A topoisomerases are potential anti-bacterial drug targets. Current strategies are to either block the protein binding to DNA or prevent the cut DNA being religated during the catalytic cycle. A possible alternative to these methods would be to trap the protein at an open conformation. Structural information about the transient open state is crucial to this approach. Results of this study provide mechanistic details of gate opening. This information furthers the understanding of the topoisomerase catalytic cycle which will aid in anti-topoisomerase drug design efforts.
The Opposing Roles of H2A and H2B Ubiquitination on Nucleosome Dynamics Revealed by Molecular Simulations
Authors: Baweja Lokesh , Wereszczynski Jeff
Published: February 2025

Nucleosome ubiquitination at lysine 119 of histone H2A (H2AK119Ub) and lysine 120 of histone H2B (H2BK120Ub) are prominent post-translational modifications with opposing roles in chromatin regulation. While H2AK119Ub is associated with transcriptional repression, H2BK120Ub promotes activation, yet the structural mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood due to experimental limitations. To address this, we employed microsecond-scale all-atom molecular dynamics and coarse-grained simulations to investigate the impact of ubiquitination at these sites on nucleosome dynamics. Our results reveal that ubiquitin interacts weakly with DNA in both cases but exhibits higher affinity in H2AK119Ub. Notably, H2AK119Ub stabilizes the nucleosome by strengthening tetramer-dimer and dimer-dimer interactions, particularly at the L1-L1 loop regions, through long-range contacts. In contrast, H2BK120Ub disrupts these interactions, destabilizing the nucleosome and promoting transitions toward hexasomal and tetrasomal states, as observed in coarse-grained nucleosome folding simulations. These findings suggest that ubiquitination directly modulates nucleosome stability and dynamics in a site-dependent manner, providing a mechanistic framework for how chromatin structure is tuned through post-translational modifications.
The effect of chronic stress and chronic alcohol intake on behavior, brain structure, and functional connectivity in a rat model
Authors: Rasgado-Toledo Jalil , Angeles-Valdez Diego , Carranza-Aguilar César J. , Lopez-Castro Alejandra , Trujillo-Villarreal Luis A. , Medina-Sánchez David , Serrano-Ramirez Mariana S. , Débora Elizarrarás-Herrera A. , Alcauter Sarael , Delint-Ramirez Ilse , Gutierrez Ranier , Devenyi Gabriel A. , Mallar Chakravarty M. , Garza-Villarreal Eduardo A.
Published: February 2025

Pathological chronic stress is stress exceeding the organism’s ability to cope physiologically, which may act as a risk factor in the onset and relapse of alcohol use disorder. Chronic- restraint stress (CRS) and ethanol intake are independently known to induce changes in brain structure and function, however, their combined effects on neurodevelopment over long periods of time remains largely unexplored. We conducted an in vivo longitudinal rat model with three main goals. 1) to determine if chronic stress increases ethanol intake; 2) to determine the effect of chronic- stress and ethanol intake in behavioral measures, brain structure, and function; and 3) to investigate the effect of sex. This observational study included Wistar rats assigned to four groups: 1) ethanol consumption (EtOH+/CRS-), 2) stress exposure (EtOH-/CRS+), 3) both ethanol and stress exposure (EtOH+/CRS+), and 4) control group (EtOH-/CRS-). Our results showed that chronic stress did not affect ethanol intake but led to reduced body weight gain, elevated corticosterone levels, and impaired recognition memory. Structural MRI revealed that both exposures produced additive brain volume changes in regions such as the olfactory bulb, orbitofrontal cortex, caudate-putamen, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Functional connectivity analysis using network-based statistics identified disrupted cortical-subcortical connections. Results found here were sex-dependent in terms of volumetric changes (higher effects on males) and functional connectivity (higher effects on females). Findings suggest sex-dependent mechanisms where both chronic- ethanol intake and stress affect brain plasticity during neurodevelopment. Understanding these region-specific vulnerabilities is crucial for addressing alcohol use disorders and stress-related neuropathology.Graphical abstract

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TF2TG: an online resource mining the potential gene targets of transcription factors inDrosophila
Authors: Hu Yanhui , Rodiger Jonathan , Liu Yifang , Gao Chenxi , Liu Ying , Qadiri Mujeeb , Veal Austin , Bulyk Martha L. , Perrimon Norbert
Published: February 2025

Sequence-specific transcription factors (TFs) are key regulators of many biological processes, controlling the expression of their target genes through binding to the cis-regulatory regions such as promoters and enhancers. Each TF has unique DNA binding site motifs, and large-scale experiments have been conducted to characterize TF–DNA binding preferences. However, no comprehensive resource currently integrates these datasets forDrosophila. To address this need, we developed TF2TG (“transcription factor to target gene”), a comprehensive resource that combines bothin vitroandin vivodatasets to link transcription factors (TFs) to their target genes based on TF–DNA binding preferences along with the protein-protein interaction data, tissue-specific transcriptomic data, and chromatin accessibility data. Although the genome offers numerous potential binding sites for each TF, only a subset is actually boundin vivo, and of these, only a fraction is functionally relevant. For instance, some TFs bind to their specific sites due to synergistic interactions with other factors nearby. This integration provides users with a comprehensive list of potential candidates as well as aids users in ranking candidate genes and determining condition-specific TF binding for studying transcriptional regulation inDrosophila.
Evidence accumulation from experience and observation in the cingulate cortex
Authors: Chen Ruidong , Radkani Setayesh , Valluru Neelima , Yoo Seng Bum , Jazayeri Mehrdad
Published: February 2025

We use our experiences to form and update beliefs about the hidden states of the world. When possible, we also gather evidence by observing others. However, how the brain integrates experiential and observational evidence is not understood. We studied the dynamics of evidence integration in a two-player game with volatile hidden states. Both humans and monkeys successfully updated their beliefs while playing the game and observing their partner, though less effectively when observing. Electrophysiological recordings in animals revealed that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) integrates independent sources of experiential and observational evidence into a coherent neural representation of dynamic belief about the environment’s state. The geometry of population activity revealed the computational architecture of this integration and provided a neural account of the behavioral asymmetry between experiential and observational evidence accumulation. This work lays the groundwork for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying evidence accumulation in social contexts within the primate brain.
Additive effects on craniofacial development upon conditional ablation of PDGFRαand SHP2 in the mouse neural crest lineage
Authors: Fuhr Daniel , Johnston Jessica , Brooks Elliott P. , Fantauzzo Katherine A.
Published: February 2025

Background

Activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase PDGFRαand the tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 are critical for vertebrate craniofacial development. We sought to determine the effect of SHP2 binding to PDGFRαvia phenotypic and biochemical analyses of an allelic series of mouse embryos with combined loss of both proteins in the neural crest lineage.

Results

We demonstrated that SHP2 preferentially binds PDGFRα/αhomodimers among the three PDGFR dimers. Analysis of allelic series mutant embryos revealed increased cell death in the lateral nasal and maxillary processes at E10.5, variably penetrant facial blebbing, facial hemorrhaging, midline clefting and loss of the mandibular region at E13.5, and widespread craniofacial bone and cartilage defects at birth. Further, we showed that loss of SHP2 leads to increased phosphorylation of PDGFRαand the downstream effector Erk1/2 in E10.5 allelic series mutant embryo lysates.

Conclusions

Together, our findings demonstrate additive effects on craniofacial development upon conditional ablation of PDGFRαand SHP2 in the mouse neural crest lineage and indicate that SHP2 may negatively and positively regulate PDGFRαsignaling through distinct mechanisms.
Differential impacts of various bacteria on the health and survival of the sea anemoneExaiptasia diaphana
Authors: Romo Kaitlyn M. , Tran Cawa
Published: February 2025

Coral reefs are threatened by rising ocean temperatures associated with climate change, leading to a breakdown of the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis and growth of pathogenic bacteria. The host response to diverse bacteria can vary from species to species. In this study, the sea anemoneExaiptasia diaphana(commonly referred to as ‘Aiptasia’), a prominent laboratory model for coral-symbiosis research, was used to investigate host responses to three key bacterial species associated with both Aiptasia and corals.Ruegeria mobilis,Vibrio alginolyticus, andAlteromonas macleodiiwere individually inoculated into the seawater of both symbiotic (with dinoflagellates) and aposymbiotic (without dinoflagellates) hosts to determine their effects on host health. Each bacterium was hypothesized to have a different effect on host health— beneficial, pathogenic, or no effect. Various densities of each bacterium were used to assess impacts on host morphology and survival over 14 days at 27°C. Host biomass, protein content, and dinoflagellate abundance (to assess bacterial effects on host bleaching) were examined over 7 days at 27°C in response to an inoculation density of 8×108cells ml-1of each bacterium. When compared to un-inoculated Aiptasia,V. alginolyticusreduced host survival of symbiotic and aposymbiotic hosts, and biomass by 27% and 54% in symbiotic and aposymbiotic Aiptasia, respectively.V. alginolyticusalso diminished dinoflagellate abundance by 20% in symbiotic Aiptasia. In contrast,R. mobilisenhanced survival of symbiotic Aiptasia, biomass by 9%, protein content by 50%, and dinoflagellate abundance by 60%, but had no impacts on aposymbiotic Aiptasia.A. macleodiihad no major effects on host health at all. As a result,V. alginolyticusgenerally has negative impacts on host health, whileR. mobilisappears to be a beneficial bacterium. Moreover, host susceptibility to bacteria is dependent on whether animals have their dinoflagellates to begin with and, therefore, bleached cnidarians may experience more drastic responses to pathogens likeV. alginolyticus, but no benefits from a potential probiotic likeR. mobilis.

Importance

Identification of specific beneficial microbes is a major contribution to conservation techniques, such as microbiome manipulation, that aim to assist cnidarians in adapting to climate change. However, to maintain these conservation efforts in the long term, moving forward, we must prioritize foundational questions that examine dinoflagellate-bacterial interactions and bacterial-colonization dynamics within the cnidarian host.
Triple antimicrobial combinations with potent synergistic activity againstM. abscessus
Authors: Huang Yanqin , Chiaraviglio Lucius , Bode-Sojobi Ibidunni , Kirby James E.
Published: February 2025

Synergy of antimicrobial combinations was tested against contemporaryMycobacteroidesabscessus isolates using 2-D and 3-D checkerboard assays. Triple combinations of omadacycline-azithromycin-clofazimine, tigecycline-azithromycin-clofazimine, omadacycline-azithromycin-linezolid and omadacycline-azithromycin-contezolid demonstrated synergy (FIC ≤ 0.5) against 33%, 31%, 62%, and 66% of isolates, respectively. Notably, in all triple combinations, macrolide resistantM. abscessussubsp.abscessusandM. abscessussubsp.bolletiiisolates were fully sensitized to azithromycin at the FIC index, as were isolates with elevated clofazimine MICs.
Deep-water closure model for surface waves on axisymmetric swirling flows
Authors: Zuccoli Emanuele , Brambley Edward J. , Barkley Dwight
Published: February 2025

We consider the propagation of linear gravity waves on the free surface of steady, axisymmetric flows with purely azimuthal velocity. We propose a two-dimensional set of governing equations for surface waves valid in the deep-water limit. These equations come from a closure condition at the free surface that reduces the three-dimensional Euler equations in the bulk of the fluid to a set of two-dimensional equations applied only at the free surface. Since the closure condition is not obtained rigorously, it is validated numerically through comparisons with full three-dimensional calculations for vortex flows, including for a Lamb-Oseen vortex. The model presented here overcomes three limitations of existing models: namely, it is not restricted to potential base flows, it does not assume the base flow to have a flat free surface, and it does not require the use of infinite-order differential operators [such as tanh(∇)] in the governing equations. The model can be applied in the case of rapid swirl (large Froude number) where the base free surface is substantially deformed. Since the model contains only derivatives of finite order, it is readily amenable to standard numerical study.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Observation of nonreciprocal polarization modulations induced by an intense terahertz electric-field pulse in an electronic-type molecular ferroelectric
Authors: Kubo T. , Miyamoto T. , Takamura N. , Yamamoto M. , Ikeda R. , Sato T. , Okamoto H.
Published: February 2025

An intense terahertz pulse has the potential to control the polarization of ferroelectrics at the subpicosecond time scale. In some ferroelectrics, it has been reported that irradiation with a terahertz pulse on the order of 100 kV/cm modulates the polarization in a manner proportional to the electric field. If a stronger electric field is applied, it may be possible to alter the polarization nonlinearly or even cause it to disappear. However, such attempts have not been reported to date. In this paper, we aim to nonlinearly control ferroelectric polarization by irradiating an organic molecular compound tetrathiafulvalene-p-chloranil (TTF-CA), a typical electronic-type ferroelectric, with a terahertz pulse having an electric-field amplitude of up to 2.2 MV/cm. When the temperature is reduced, TTF-CA undergoes a neutral () to ionic () phase transition at Tc=81K, and the degree of charge transfer ρ from CA to TTF changes from 0.3 to 0.6. In the phase, it shows the ferroelectricity owing to the collective intermolecular charge transfer at Tc. Therefore, if the -to- conversion is induced by a strong electric field, the ferroelectric polarization P may change significantly. To investigate the changes in ρ and P along the electric-field waveform of the terahertz pulse in the ferroelectric phase of TTF-CA, in this paper, a terahertz pump-optical reflectivity probe and second harmonic generation (SHG) probe measurements are performed. For the terahertz electric-field amplitudes ETHz<0.5MV/cm, the changes in ρ and P are proportional to

E

THz

. When ETHz>0.5MV/cm is applied parallel to P, the increases in ρ and P tend to become saturated. The increase in is only ∼10% at a maximum electric-field amplitude of 2.2 MV/cm. In contrast, when ETHz is antiparallel to P, the decreases in ρ and P are proportional to ETHz up to 1.5 MV/cm. When ETHz is further increased to values >1.5 MV/cm, a partial -to- conversion occurs via quantum electron tunneling processes, and P decreases in a nonlinear manner. The decrease in reaches ∼30% at 2.2 MV/cm. These nonreciprocal changes in ρ and P are discussed while considering the valence instability characteristic of TTF-CA. Furthermore, several coherent oscillations are observed in the changes of reflectivity and SHG, which reflect the modulations of ρ and P due to molecular vibrations (lattice modes), respectively. A detailed analysis of the amplitudes and phases of these coherent oscillations reveals that a molecular vibration with a frequency of ∼90 cm−1 is driven by changes in ρ induced by a terahertz electric field and modulates P significantly through the changes in the dimeric molecular displacements along the molecular stacking axis, that is, the polarization direction.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Honeycombs – their variety, topology and symmetry
Authors: Dauter Zbigniew , Jaskolski Mariusz
Published: February 2025

The double-layer honeycomb with hexagonal cells, three rhombic faces between the two layers and p
3
m1 layer space-group symmetry, used universally by honeybees, is often considered to be the most efficient (from the point of view of wax economy) and the only honeycomb manufactured by bees. However, another variant of a symmetric and periodic double-layer hexagonal honeycomb with two hexagons and two rhombi between the two layers and slightly better wax economy was discovered theoretically in 1964 by Fejes Tóth and found in nature some years later. The present work shows that there is yet another possibility, with the interface formed by one hexagon and two quadrangles, in addition to the trivial case with flat hexagonal cell bottoms and very poor wax economy. Moreover, we demonstrate that the geometry of the Fejes Tóth honeycomb can be optimized for even better wax economy. All the theoretical honeycomb types are derived using the principle of Dirichlet-domain construction and shown to have more and less symmetric variants. Wax economy is calculated for each case, confirming that indeed the modified Fejes Tóth honeycomb is the most efficient, while the trivial flat-bottom case is the least.
Synthesis and structure of 1,1′,1′′-[(2-bromoethoxy)methanetriyl]tribenzene and 1,1′,1′′-[(2-iodoethoxy)methanetriyl]tribenzene
Authors: Fischer Julian , Hebenbrock Marian
Published: February 2025

The present study reports on the molecular structures and syntheses of 1,1′,1′′-[(2-bromoethoxy)methanetriyl]tribenzene, C21H19BrO, and 1,1′,1′′-[(2-iodoethoxy)methanetriyl]tribenzene, C21H19IO. Both compounds crystallized from a saturated solution in THF by slow vapour diffusion of n-hexane in the monoclinic space group P21/c. While the two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit of 1,1′,1′′-[(2-iodoethoxy)methanetriyl]tribenzene show no close contacts to other molecules, in the structure of 1,1′,1′′-[(2-bromoethoxy)methanetriyl]tribenzene the molecules interact with each other via C—H...π contacts.
Why do players continue playing esports? A mixed-method study based on uses and gratifications theory
Authors: Nguyen Dung Minh , Daxauer Georg
Published: February 2025

Purpose

In the growing esports landscape, understanding esports players’ motivations and behaviors is crucial to academics and practitioners. However, research on what motivates individuals to play esports and their effects on players’ affective engagement and behavioral responses remain limited. Drawing on the uses and gratifications (U&G) theory, this study explores key motivations that drive players to play esports and examines how these factors influence players’ affective engagement and intentions to continue playing.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study using open-ended essays with 60 Taiwanese esports players was conducted to identify key factors motivating individuals to play esports. Subsequently, a quantitative survey with 328 esports players was undertaken to test the research model using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The qualitative results identified five key motivations (i.e. entertainment, escapism, achievement, self-presentation and social interaction), which were classified into utilitarian, hedonic and social gratifications. The quantitative analysis results revealed that all identified motivations positively influenced two dimensions of affective engagement (i.e. dedication and enthusiasm), which, in turn, led to esports continuance intention.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates the power of the U&G theory in identifying different gratifications associated with esports. Furthermore, by using a mixed-method approach incorporating both qualitative and quantitative techniques, this study offers a fresh perspective on esports-related research. The findings provide practical guidance for game developers and marketers to sustain player engagement, fostering sustainable growth in the esports industry.
Information precarity and microaggressions: how race-based trauma mediates Latinx people’s information practices
Authors: Vasquez Fátima Espinoza , Oltmann Shannon
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper explores the concept of information precarity, tracing some of its foundations to microaggressions and systemic injustices experienced by marginalized populations over time as race-based trauma, which functions as a mediating mechanism affecting the information practices of individuals and communities.

Design/methodology/approach

We describe the conceptual background of information precarity, information practices, microaggressions and race-based trauma, then illustrate these concepts through interviews and focus groups from a network of people and organizations helping a Latinx community navigate the COVID crisis.

Findings

The conceptual framework connecting information precarity with microaggressions and race-based trauma provides context and explanation for the information practices of marginalized communities living in information precarity.

Research limitations/implications

The study primarily explored adverse experiences such as microaggressions, which means that instances where Latinx individuals successfully navigated systemic barriers should be further explored. The study is based on the lived experiences of a specific group of Latinx individuals from a particular geographic area. Thus, findings may not be generalizable to all Latinx populations or other marginalized groups. This study’s findings suggest that efforts to improve information access must go beyond providing resources or making more policies. We recommend actions. Recognizing that race-based trauma affects how people engage with information highlights the importance of building and maintaining trust with marginalized communities.

Practical implications

In this study, we suggest actions. Recognizing that race-based trauma affects how people engage with information highlights the importance of building and maintaining trust with marginalized communities. Culturally sensitive outreach strategies such as support networks, community advisory boards, cultural liaisons or information brokers are crucial. Institutions can and should create environments where individuals feel safe to seek and share information with more personalized or community-specific approaches and a long-term commitment to information accessibility.

Originality/value

First, it illustrates the mechanisms through which precarity persists by showing how microaggressions are a systemic barrier that significantly shapes information practices and perpetuates vulnerability. Second, we demonstrated that race-based trauma is a mediating factor in information precarity, highlighting how racism emerges tangibly in everyday interactions as a mediating factor in information practices. Third, we show that information precarity, mediated by race-based trauma, can result in an information practice of avoidance as a protective mechanism to steer clear of unfair treatment and racist behavior.
Influence of personalised citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) on health, social participation, and life satisfaction: Perspectives from older adults and attendants
Authors: Gobeil Janie , Dubois Marie‐France , Levasseur Mélanie
Published: February 2025

Introduction

The personalised citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) is promising to foster health and social participation of older adults with disabilities, especially when working in collaboration with occupational therapists. When implemented by community organisations, little is known about the influence of APIC on older adults, including perspectives of older adults and attendants. This study aimed to explore the short‐term influence of APIC on physical and mental health, social participation, and life satisfaction of older adults with disabilities by considering the perspectives of older adults and their attendant.

Methods

A mixed methods study was carried out by a team, including two occupational therapists. Twelve attendants were interviewed, and 12 older adults completed questionnaires about their health, social participation, and life satisfaction before and after the APIC.

Results

Improvements in mental health, social participation, and life satisfaction were found. The influence of APIC was generally more subtle than expected and greatly affected by older adults' personal and environmental factors.

Consumer and community involvement

This study was possible because of the collaboration between researchers, health‐care professionals, community organisations, volunteers, and older adults.

Conclusion

The APIC might have a limited influence on the physical health of older adults with disabilities. Future studies examining the effects of this intervention on different levels of disabilities are recommended to target the best suited population.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

The personalised citizen assistance for social participation (APIC) is a 12‐month intervention in which an older adult with disabilities (i.e., having difficulty to perform daily activities) meets weekly with a volunteer to experiment social activities. Although promising, little is known about the influence of APIC on older adults. This study explores the influence of APIC on the health, social participation (i.e., involvement in activities that provide interactions with others), and life satisfaction of older adults with disabilities. The perspective of 12 older adults and 12 volunteers were considered. Improvements in mental health, social participation, and life satisfaction of older adults were observed, but the influence of APIC was greatly affected by other factors such as their physical capabilities and their place of residence. APIC seems to have a limited influence on the physical health of older adults with disabilities.
Responding to Menopause at Work as an Identity Threat: Resilience as Resource for Cognitive and Emotional Identity Work
Authors: Steffan Belinda , Potočnik Kristina
Published: February 2025

Menopause can be an emotional transition and can affect resilience, confidence, quality of life and work identity. This transition is a catalyst for emotional identity work, which is done to achieve a plausible, coherent sense of self. Menopause symptoms can disrupt a sense of self with new‐felt feelings of fear, shame and vulnerability. Fear can hinder cognitive flexibility, or being open to introspection, which impacts on how identity work is resourced. We contribute to menopause at work and identity work literatures by highlighting how life transitions without viable alternatives are experienced and responded to as hitherto unexplored internally driven identity threats. Drawing on a mixed‐method study, we show how compromised resilience, due to menopause, disrupts identity work. We also show how restored and realistic resilience, developed through better awareness of menopause and a post‐menopause reflection, enables both effective cognitive identity work and consequently enhanced engagement with emotional identity work.
Evaluation of Reference Genes for Quantitative Real‐Time PCR in Honey Bee, Apis mellifera, Under Various Miticide Exposure Conditions
Authors: Kim HeeJin , Kim Young Ho
Published: February 2025

Various miticides are being applied to apiaries to prevent mites. However, abuse of miticides could seriously damage bee health. To understand the physiological response of honey bees caused by inappropriate exposure to miticides, it is necessary to identify the marker genes whose expression alters in honey bees following exposure to miticides. Although quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) is widely used for gene expression analysis, selecting appropriate stably expressed reference gene(s) across various conditions is essential for accurately determining target gene expression levels. Therefore, this study assessed the expression stabilities of 10 candidate reference genes (RPS5, RPS18, GAPDH, ARF1, RAB1a, PPI, PGK, SDH, TBP, and EF1) using Cq distribution and four algorithm programs (NormFinder, BestKeeper, geNorm, and RefFinder). Subsequently, we validated various normalization methods using each of the 10 reference genes and a combination of multiple genes by calculating the expression of the target gene (SOD2). Based on the various analysis methods used in this study, RPS5 is suggested as the most optimal reference gene for qRT‐PCR analysis in honey bees under multiple conditions of miticide exposure.
Characterizing the odor of New Zealand native plants using sensory analysis and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
Authors: Hutchings Scott C. , Deb‐Choudhury Santanu , Subbaraj Arvind K. , Guerrero Luis , Torrico Damir D. , Ham Elizabeth E. , Realini Carolina E.
Published: February 2025

There is growing interest by consumers worldwide for edible indigenous plants and wild foods. To highlight and enhance their unique sensory properties, comprehensive sensory characterization is essential to understand and refine their sensory attributes. The aim of this study was to characterize the odor of six edible native New Zealand plants that have significant potential in food applications, using sensory analysis and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and uncover the link between annotated volatile compounds and the desirable odor attributes that drive consumer acceptance. A lexicon of 22 odor attributes was developed through six focus groups of six consumers each (n = 36). A Rate All That Apply (RATA) trial was undertaken with consumers (n = 121) to describe the intensity of the odor attributes and overall consumer liking of the odor of each plant. Results showed the characterization of the plant's odor differed significantly across species. Horopito was characterized as “herby,” “peppery,” “spicy,” “minty,” and “citrus”; kawakawa was “sour,” “sweet,” “floral,” and “fruity”; pikopiko and kiokio were “earthy/musty,” “dry grass/hay,” and “fishy”; red matipo was “sweet,” “fruity,” “sour,” “leafy,” and “green tea”; and lemonwood was “leafy” and “grassy.” Horopito was the most preferred odor by consumers, and pikopiko the least. GC–MS annotated 178 volatile compounds and their peak intensity across the six species. Stepwise regression shortlisted 42 volatile compounds (of which terpenes were the most common) that best explained each of the 22 odor attributes. These results can assist with the application of these native plants as food ingredients.
Mapping Policies and Regulations for Safe and Healthy Digital Environments for Children and Adolescents
Authors: Castro Lopes Sofia , Holly Louise , Kickbusch Ilona
Published: February 2025

Policies and regulations have the potential to shape the dynamics of digital transformations, preventing negative health outcomes and creating healthier and safer digital environments. To gain insight into how countries are approaching safety in digital environments for children and adolescents, the Digital Transformations for Health‐Lab (DTH‐Lab) team analyzed policies and regulations worldwide, mapping national strategies to protect young people from online harms, including restrictions on smartphone use. While existing legislation often addresses the mental and physical health consequences of online sexual exploitation, abuse, and cyberbullying, other online risks like exposure to inappropriate content, addictive applications, and misleading marketing practices, along with their associated health impacts, are largely overlooked. A surprising finding is the limited involvement of health ministries or departments in shaping these policies. These results underscore the urgent need for the health sector to take a more proactive role in improving the safety and well‐being of children and adolescents in digital environments. International agencies, nongovernmental organizations, health professional associations, civil society, and researchers must establish a narrative that encourages and supports the active participation of the health sector, especially through public health approaches that can support and shape effective policy responses with children's and adolescents' well‐being at heart in the digital age.
Spatial close‐kin mark‐recapture models applied to terrestrial species with continuous natal dispersal
Authors: Sévêque Anthony , Lonsinger Robert C. , Waits Lisette P. , Morin Dana J.
Published: February 2025

Close‐kin mark–recapture (CKMR) methods use information on genetic relatedness among individuals to estimate demographic parameters. An individual's genotype can be considered a ‘recapture’ of each of its parent's genotype, and the frequency of kin‐pair matches detected in a population sample can directly inform estimates of abundance. CKMR inference procedures require analysts to define kinship probabilities in functional forms, which inevitably involve simplifying assumptions. Among others, population structure can have a strong influence on how kinship probabilities are formulated. Many terrestrial species are philopatric or face barriers to dispersal, and not accounting for dispersal limitation in kinship probabilities, can create substantial bias if sampling is also spatially structured (e.g. via harvest).

We present a spatially explicit formulation of CKMR that corrects for incomplete mixing by incorporating natal dispersal distances and spatial distribution of individuals into the kinship probabilities. We used individual‐based simulations to evaluate the accuracy of abundance estimates obtained with one spatially naïve and two spatially explicit CKMR models across six scenarios with distinct spatial patterns of relative abundance and sampling probability.

Estimates of abundance obtained with a CKMR model naïve to spatial structure were negatively biased when sampling was spatially biased. Incorporating patterns of natal dispersal in the kinship probabilities helped address this bias, but estimates were not always accurate depending on the model used and the scenario considered.

Incorporating natal dispersal into spatially structured CKMR models can address the bias created by population structure and heterogeneous sampling but will often require additional assumptions and auxiliary data (e.g. relative abundance indices). The models shown here were designed for terrestrial species with continuous patterns of natal dispersal and high year‐to‐year site fidelity but could be extended to other species.
Political diversity in U.S. police agencies
Authors: Ba Bocar , Ge Haosen , Kaplan Jacob , Knox Dean , Komisarchik Mayya , Lanzalotto Gregory , Mariman Rei , Mummolo Jonathan , Rivera Roman , Torres Michelle
Published: February 2025

Partisans are divided on policing policy, which may affect officer behavior. We merge rosters from 99 of the 100 largest local U.S. agencies—over one third of local law enforcement agents nationwide—with voter files to study police partisanship. Police skew more Republican than their jurisdictions, with notable exceptions. Using fine‐grained data in Chicago and Houston, we compare behavior of Democratic and Republican officers facing common circumstances. We find minimal partisan differences after correcting for multiple comparisons. But consistent with prior work, we find Black and Hispanic officers make fewer stops and arrests in Chicago, and Black officers use force less often in both cities. Comparing same‐race partisans, we find White Democrats make more violent crime arrests than White Republicans in Chicago. Our results suggest that despite Republicans' preference for more punitive law enforcement policy and their overrepresentation in policing, partisan divisions often do not translate into detectable differences in on‐the‐ground enforcement.
The Inevitability of Leaving and the Impossibility of Staying Away: Rural Youth Migration in Flores, Indonesia
Authors: Clendenning Jessica N.
Published: February 2025

This paper examines why, despite greater numbers of youth out‐migration, connections to rural land remain strong for young people in a remote farming village on Flores Island, Indonesia. Following recent geographic work on the development of rural young people's aspirations and how the imaginings of “elsewhere” support navigational practices, I explore how rural young people migrate to pursue their aspirations that lay well outside of a farming village. Drawing on household survey data and the life experiences of young and middle generations moving between a rural village and Indonesian cities, I show why many migrate, and why many have retuned, or plan to return, to the village. Their reflections share a common narrative: that the livelihood limitations present in the village made it inevitable young people would leave, while the relative social and economic security of land, along with kin ties, make it seemingly impossible not to return.
The Expert Epistemology of Climate Finance: Re‐Visiting the Depoliticisation Critique
Authors: Barnes Jonathan
Published: February 2025

The response to climate change is orchestrated by international organisations, reflecting the global challenge and collaborative response. There is an established critique that this process is depoliticised—where institutions, policies, and practices foreclose contestation. This paper explores the downstream effects of this, where global knowledge practices intersect with national climate change planning. I nuance the concept of depoliticisation, drawing on the South African experience with the Green Climate Fund. I argue that there is an urgency framing, underlaid by scientific and financial rationales, which is willingly enacted by domestic actors. This limits the scope and participation in climate finance, empowering unevenly, rather than voiding politics. These effects are demonstrated by bringing together the depoliticisation literature with civic epistemology, to clarify how the epistemic geography of climate change in South Africa formulates, contests, and deploys knowledge. Re‐politicisation is evident within the limits of urgency which is missed in depoliticisation literature.
Tetrahydroxy Stilbene Glycoside Reduces Abeta Deposition by Modulating Microglia Activation and via TREM2/PI3K/AKT Pathway in APP/PS1 Mice
Authors: Li Ming , Song Qihan , Jie Shanshan , Wang Chenchen , Zhang Can , Chi Kexin , Gao Yan , Li Tianzuo
Published: February 2025

Tetrahydroxy stilbene glycoside (TSG), which is the primary active substance of Chinese herbal medicine called Polygonum multiflorum, has been acknowledged to alleviate Alzheimer's disease (AD)‐induced learning disorder in the transgene mice. Because the microglia activation is really important during the AD progression, herein, we determined the effects of TSG on AD neuropathology, microglia polarization and its underlying mechanism. We used APP/PS1 mice along with immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence techniques to evaluate the function of TSG as 60, 120 and 180 mg/kg on Aβ deposition, neuronal loss and microglia polarization induced by AD. Additionally, we assessed the effects of TSG on TREM2 signalling using both molecular docking and Western blot analysis. TSG was found to promote neuronal survival and decrease Aβ deposition in APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, TSG reduced microglia M1 polarization and modulated the TREM2/PI3K/AKT signalling pathways. TSG could reduce neuronal impairment by mediating the microglia polarization by TREM2/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway in APP/PS1 mice and is a latent pharmacological research direction for the therapy in the patients with AD.
Shaping a Sustainable Future Through Multilevel Environmental Behaviors Inside and Outside Organizations
Authors: Ullah Irfan , Wang Bo , Fiaz Muhammad , Mughal Yasir Hayat , Din Saif Ud , Durrani Shahzad Khan
Published: February 2025

As the global urgency for environmental sustainability intensifies, leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping eco‐friendly behaviors within organizations and beyond. This study examines the role of green inclusive leadership (GIL) in fostering pro‐environmental behaviors within the hospitality industry, utilizing the ability, motivation, and opportunity (AMO) theory as a conceptual framework to explain how GIL influences sustainable behaviors. The study highlights AMO as a theoretical model that outlines how AMO can drive organizational success, while addressing motivation as a practical driver of employee behavior. Time‐lagged data were gathered from hotel employees and managers in Pakistan. The findings demonstrate that GIL positively affects employees' voluntary green behaviors both at work and in their personal lives. This relationship is mediated by a green work climate and environmental commitment, highlighting the spillover effect from workplace behaviors to daily life. The originality of this work lies in its novel application of AMO theory beyond the workplace, offering insights into how leadership can inspire sustainable actions that extend beyond organizational boundaries, especially in a high‐impact sector like hospitality.
The Role of Controllability and Foreseeability in Children's Counterfactual Emotions
Authors: Jones Alicia K. , Gautam Shalini , Redshaw Jonathan
Published: February 2025

Counterfactual emotions such as regret may aid future decision‐making by encouraging people to focus on controllable features of personal past events. However, it remains unclear when children begin to preferentially focus on controllable features of such events. Across two studies, Australian 4–9‐year‐olds (N = 336, 168 females; data collected during 2021–2022) completed tasks that led to positive or negative personal outcomes, and then reported their emotions toward different aspects of these tasks. In both studies, younger children unexpectedly reported stronger sadness toward uncontrollable or unforeseeable aspects of negative events, and only by 8–9 years did many children report stronger sadness toward controllable or foreseeable aspects. The tendency to focus on more functional counterfactuals may therefore emerge relatively late in development.