bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Revision of a self‐assessment tool for research ethics committees in low‐ and middle‐income countries: Incorporation of elements that safeguard participants' rights and welfare
Authors: Sleem Hany , Silverman Henry J. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractEvaluating the quality of research ethics committees (RECs) is crucial but challenging due to the difficulty of developing meaningful quality measures. Recently, commentators assessed ten quality instruments for RECs, including the Research Ethics Committee Quality Assurance Self‐Assessment Tool developed for RECs in the Arab Middle East. They identified several missing items in this tool regarding safeguarding participants' rights and welfare.To address these gaps, we aimed to redesign the tool. Using the Delphi method, we involved 15 REC chairs to provide feedback and recommendations for a revised tool. This process led to a modified instrument that incorporated the missing items and additional elements regarding the monitoring of research conduct (an essential oversight function of RECs), and the independence of the RECs from institutional and external influences.We conclude that the revised tool effectively addresses the quality of RECs by including elements relevant to participant outcomes, board deliberations, and participant protection. The added focus on ethics oversight enhances its robustness, significantly impacting participants' rights and welfare.
Diagnostic Value of Regional Wall Motion Abnormalities on Resting Transthoracic Echocardiography for Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Hatfield Jess , Woods Michael D. , Pham Alex , Mayo Scott , Wahab Laith , Hammonds Kendall , Nguyen Vinh , Widmer Robert J. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTPurposeRegional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is used as a clinical decision‐making tool to assess systolic function, but there is limited data regarding the validity of this tool to predict obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). This study evaluates the utility of RWMA on TTE for detecting obstructive CAD in patients with no prior CAD history.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed charts of adults who underwent resting TTE and coronary angiography within 30 days, analyzing RWMA in relation to angiographic luminal stenosis.ResultsAmong 754 patients (mean age 62, 60% male), TTE sensitivity varied with timing relative to angiography: 68.7% after angiography versus 49.5% before. In ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients (n = 126 after vs. n = 4 before), sensitivity was 89.8%. RWMA correlated with CAD severity, particularly in STEMI cases.ConclusionsTTE specificity remains high, but sensitivity varies significantly by timing, with the highest sensitivity in STEMI patients. These findings could refine decision‐making in uncertain STEMI cases, supporting TTE as a valuable adjunctive diagnostic tool.
Queer Civics, Hermeneutical Injustice, and the Cis‐Straight Nation‐State: Reading the Illusion of LGBTQ+ Inclusion through the (Queer) Child
Authors: Coleman James Joshua , Wargo Jon M. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractIn this article, James Joshua Coleman and Jon Wargo interrogate the (queer) child as a concept and specter that haunts civic life in the United States. Whereas scholars across a range of fields and standpoints have questioned the value of LGBTQ+ inclusion in public school curricula, and society more broadly, together Coleman and Wargo wonder at the capacity of civics education to include queer (as opposed to LGBTQ+) citizens within the cis‐straight nation‐state. To explore this possibility, they read across two bills: (1) H.R. 9197 (Stop the Sexualization of Children Act), and (2) Illinois House Bill 246 (Inclusive Curriculum Law). In so doing, they highlight how the (Queer) Child operates as an organizing binary logic within these bills and examine how hermeneutical injustice impedes the formation of a truly queer civics education. Specifically, Coleman and Wargo demonstrate how hermeneutical injustice limits the nature of inclusion for LGBTQ+ citizens, both for exclusionary, anti‐LGBTQ+ policy and for seemingly inclusive legislation. Pointing to scenes that demonstrate hermeneutical justice and queer survivance, they conclude by suggesting the construction of a queer civics education that stands outside the binary logics of the cis‐straight nation‐state.
Balancing brain metabolic states during sickness and recovery sleep
Authors: Noya Sara B. , Sengupta Arjun , Yue Zhifeng , Weljie Aalim , Sehgal Amita 
Published: November 2024

AbstractSickness sleep and rebound following sleep deprivation share humoral signals including the rise of cytokines, in particular interleukins. Nevertheless, they represent unique physiological states with unique brain firing patterns and involvement of specific circuitry. Here, we performed untargeted metabolomics of mouse cortex and hippocampus to uncover changes with sickness and rebound sleep as compared with normal daily sleep. We found that the three settings are biochemically unique with larger differences in the cortex than in the hippocampus. Both sickness and rebound sleep shared an increase in tryptophan. Surprisingly, these two sleep conditions showed opposite modulation of the methionine–homocysteine cycle and differences in terms of the energetic signature, with sickness impinging on glycolysis intermediates whilst rebound increased the triphosphorylated form of nucleotides. These findings indicate that rebound following sleep deprivation stimulates an energy rich setting in the brain that is devoid during sickness sleep.
Amyloid beta–activated alpha‐1‐syntrophin has ramifications on Rac1 activation, ROS production and neuronal cell death
Authors: Mushtaq Umar , Ganai Rais A. , Ahmad Muzamil , Khanday Firdous Ahmad 
Published: November 2024

AbstractAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of β‐amyloid (Aβ)—containing extracellular neuritic plaques and phosphorylated tau—containing intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. It remains the primary neuropathological criteria for the diagnosis of AD. Additionally, several other processes are currently being recognized as significant risk factors for AD development, including the brain's susceptibility to reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ROS production is among the early signs in the progression of AD. However, the underlying mechanisms behind increased ROS production in AD remain poorly understood. We have observed SNTA1 plays critical role in regulating ROS levels in different pathological conditions. Here, we wanted to gain further insight into the role of SNTA1 in the development of AD by using IMR32 cell line. Our results show that the accumulation of Aβ plaques in Alzheimer's model neuroblastoma cells significantly increases the expression and activation of SNTA1 and MKK6 kinase. The activation of MKK6 results in the phosphorylation of SNTA1, creating a binding site for Rac1, leading to its activation and subsequent production of ROS. Excessive ROS production leads to cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, a hallmark of AD. Our study provides new insight into the mechanism of Aβ‐mediated cell death in AD and suggests that MKK6‐mediated activation of alpha‐1‐syntrophin promotes ROS production in neuronal cells, resulting in cell death. This study presents a mechanistic insight into Aβ‐mediated cell death and could serve as a paradigm for reducing neuronal cell death in AD.
Gender variability in palpation performance for temporomandibular disorders with three different methods: An experimental study
Authors: Faghihian Hessamoddin , Böthun Alicia , Häggman‐Henrikson Birgitta , Lalouni Maria , Svensson Peter , Hellström Fredrik , Andersson Linus , Lövgren Anna 
Published: November 2024

AbstractGender differences in pain reporting and prevalence have been demonstrated. As gender of examiner also affects reporting of pain on palpation, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of examiner gender on palpation performance using three different palpation methods. Examiners of both genders were instructed on the correct technique for each palpation method by either a female or male instructor. The target was to achieve a pressure of 100 kPa, corresponding to the 1 kg of force for muscle palpation described in the diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD). All examiners performed traditional palpation with the index finger, palpation with a palpometer, and a novel bimanual palpation with visual feedback, in a randomized order. The examiner's gender, and its interaction with the gender of the instructor did not significantly affect magnitude, accuracy, or precision of the pressure applied. The method of palpation was the only factor that significantly impacted all metrics. The palpometer achieved the lowest palpation magnitude (mean pressure applied = 113.7 kPa, 95% CI: 109.8–117.6), the highest accuracy (absolute difference = 15.7 kPa, 95% CI: 12.3–19.1), and the highest precision (mean coefficient of variation = 6.8, 95% CI: 6.0–7.6), followed by bimanual palpation and traditional palpation. The results suggest that gender differences in pain reporting in patients are not likely to be a result of the technical aspects associated with the gender of the examiner. Instead, these differences may be attributed to other factors, such as sociocultural influences.
Sustainable Land Use Strengthens Microbial and Herbivore Controls in Soil Food Webs in Current and Future Climates
Authors: Sünnemann Marie , Barnes Andrew D. , Amyntas Angelos , Ciobanu Marcel , Jochum Malte , Lochner Alfred , Potapov Anton M. , Reitz Thomas , Rosenbaum Benjamin , Schädler Martin , Zeuner Anja , Eisenhauer Nico 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTClimate change and land‐use intensification are threatening soil communities and ecosystem functions. Understanding the combined effects of climate change and land use is crucial for predicting future impacts on soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in agroecosystems. Here, we used a field experiment to quantify the combined effects of climate change (warming and altered precipitation patterns) and land use (agricultural type and management intensity) on soil food webs across nematodes, micro‐, and macroarthropods. Specifically, we investigated two types of agricultural systems—croplands and grasslands—under both high‐ and low‐intensity management. We focused on assessing the functioning of soil food webs by investigating changes in energy flux to consumers in the main trophic groups: decomposers, microbivores, herbivores, and predators. While the total energy flux and detritivory, herbivory and predation in the soil food web remained unchanged across treatments, low‐intensity land use—compared to high intensity—led to higher microbivory and microbial control under future climate conditions (i.e., warming and summer drought) in croplands and grasslands. At the same time, microbial and herbivore control were higher under low‐intensity land use in croplands and grasslands. Overall, our results underscore the potential benefits of less intensive, more sustainable management practices for soil food‐web functioning under current and future climate scenarios.
Global Distribution of Alien Mammals Under Climate Change
Authors: Biancolini Dino , Pacifici Michela , Falaschi Mattia , Bellard Céline , Blackburn Tim M. , Ficetola Gentile Francesco , Rondinini Carlo 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTThe recent thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control of the Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services reaffirmed biological invasions as a major threat to biodiversity. Anticipating biological invasions is crucial for avoiding their ecological and socio‐economic impacts, particularly as climate change may provide new opportunities for the establishment and spread of alien species. However, no studies have combined assessments of suitability and dispersal to evaluate the invasion by key taxonomic groups, such as mammals. Using species distribution models, we estimated the potential effect of climate change on the future distributions of 205 alien mammal species by the year 2050 under three different climatic scenarios. We used species dispersal ability to differentiate between suitable areas that may be susceptible to natural dispersal from alien ranges (Spread Potential, SP) and those that may be vulnerable to alien establishment through human‐assisted dispersal (Establishment Potential, EP) across 11 zoogeographic realms. Establishment Potential was generally boosted by climate change, showing a clear poleward shift across scenarios, whereas SP was negatively affected by climate change and limited by alien species insularity. These trends were consistent across all realms. Insular ecosystems, while being vulnerable to invasion, may act as geographical traps for alien mammals that lose climatic suitability. In addition, our analysis identified the alien species that are expected to spread or decline the most in each realm, primarily generalists with high invasive potential, as likely foci of future management efforts. In some areas, the possible reduction in suitability for alien mammals could offer opportunities for ecosystem restoration, particularly on islands. In others, increased suitability calls for adequate actions to prevent their arrival and spread. Our findings are potentially valuable in informing synergistic actions addressing both climate change and biological invasion together to safeguard native biodiversity worldwide.
Evaluating the Usefulness of the C‐S‐R Framework for Understanding AM Fungal Responses to Climate Change in Agroecosystems
Authors: Heuck Meike Katharina , Powell Jeff R. , Kath Jarrod , Birnbaum Christina , Frew Adam 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTArbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play a key role in terrestrial ecosystems by forming symbiotic relationships with plants and may confer benefits for sustainable agriculture, by reducing reliance on harmful fertiliser and pesticide inputs and enhancing plant resilience against insect herbivores. Despite their ecological importance, critical gaps in understanding AM fungal ecology limit predictions of their responses to global change in agroecosystems. However, predicting climate change impacts on AM fungi is important for maintaining crop productivity and ecosystem stability. Efforts to classify AM fungi based on functional traits, such as the competitor, stress‐tolerator, ruderal (C‐S‐R) framework, aim to address these gaps but face challenges due to the obligate symbiotic nature of the fungi. As the framework is still widely used, we evaluate its applicability in predicting global change impacts on AM fungal communities in agroecosystems. Chagnon's adaptation of the C‐S‐R framework for AM fungi aligns with some study outcomes (e.g., under the context of water limitation) but faces challenges when used in complex climate change scenarios, varying agricultural conditions and/or extreme climatic conditions. The reliance on a limited dataset to classify AM fungal families further limits accurate predictions of AM fungal community dynamics. Trait data collection could support a nuanced understanding of AM fungi and leveraging AM fungal databases could streamline data management and analysis, enhancing efforts to clarify AM fungal responses to environmental change and guide ecosystem management practices. Thus, while the C‐S‐R framework holds promise, it requires additional AM fungal trait data for validation and improvement of its predictive power. Conclusively, before designing experiments based on life‐history strategies and developing new frameworks tailored to AM fungi a critical first step is to gain a comprehensive understanding of their traits.
Rapid Eutrophication of a Clearwater Lake: Trends and Potential Causes Inferred From Phosphorus Mass Balance Analyses
Authors: Gonsiorczyk Thomas , Hupfer Michael , Hilt Sabine , Gessner Mark O. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTMany clearwater lakes increasingly show symptoms of eutrophication, but the underlying causes are largely unknown. We combined long‐term water chemistry data, multi‐year sediment trap measurements, sediment analyses and simple mass balance models to elucidate potential causes of eutrophication of a deep temperate clearwater lake, where total phosphorus (TP) concentrations quadrupled within a decade, accompanied by expanding hypolimnetic anoxia. Discrepancies between modeled and empirically determined P inputs suggest that the observed sharp rise in TP was driven by internal processes. The magnitude of seasonal variation in TP greatly increased at the same time, both in surface and deep water, partly decoupled from deep water oxygen conditions. A positive correlation between annual P loss from the upper water column and hypolimnetic P accumulation could hint at a short‐circuited P cycle involving lateral TP transport from shallow‐water zones and deposition and release from sediments in deep water. This hypothesis is also supported by P budgets for the upper 20 m during stable summer stratification, suggesting that sediments in shallow lake areas acted as a P net source until 2018. These changes are potentially related to shifts in submerged macrophytes from wintergreen charophyte meadows (Nitellopsis obtusa) to annual free‐floating hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) and to increased sulfide formation, promoting iron fixation in the sediments. Iron bound to sulfur is unavailable for binding P, resulting in a positive feedback between P release in shallow lake areas, primary productivity, macrophyte community structure and redox‐dependent sediment biogeochemistry. Overall, our results suggest that relationships more complex than the commonly invoked increase in internal P release under increasingly anoxic conditions can drive rapid lake eutrophication. Since the proportion of littoral areas is typically large even in deep stratified lakes, littoral processes may contribute more frequently to the rapid lake eutrophication trends observed around the world than is currently recognized.
Managing Soil Carbon Sequestration: Assessing the Effects of Intermediate Crops, Crop Residue Removal, and Digestate Application on Swedish Arable Land
Authors: Barrios Latorre Sergio Alejandro , Björnsson Lovisa , Prade Thomas 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTPromoting the bioeconomy to aid in the achievement of sustainability goals has increased demand for biomass as feedstock. Residual biomass from agricultural production is an attractive option, as it is a by‐product that does not compete with food production. However, crop residues are important for the preservation of soil quality, especially for the maintenance of soil organic carbon. Therefore, their use can conflict with environmental goals and initiatives that aim to preserve soil fertility and carbon stocks. Nevertheless, the adoption of intermediate crops could compensate for the negative effects of crop residue removal. Moreover, if crop residues are used for a bioeconomy pathway such as biogas production, the resulting digestate derived from the anaerobic digestion process could be returned to the soil, providing an input of highly recalcitrant carbon. In this study, we modeled the effects of removal of crop residues, the cultivation of intermediate crops, and the application of digestate on Swedish soil organic carbon stocks. Our results suggest that the inclusion of intermediate crops could raise the carbon stocks at equilibrium by an average of 1.93 t C ha−1 (~3% increase) with a notable spatial variation. Digestate application showed a higher average increase (3.3 t C ha−1, ~5%) with an even higher variation. The removal of crop residues was detrimental in some areas, resulting in a loss of carbon, which could not be compensated for entirely by the introduction of intermediate crops or digestate recycling. Combining these two practices showed overall positive effects on soil organic carbon stocks; however, the results cannot be generalized at any spatial location, and we emphasize the importance of assessments tailored to local conditions.
Diseño regulatorio e interacciones de gobernanza en la responsabilidad social impulsada por los trabajadores. Acuerdo de Dindigul
Authors: FUDGE Judy , LEBARON Genevieve 
Published: November 2024

ResumenEn este artículo se investiga el auge de las iniciativas de responsabilidad social impulsada por los trabajadores (RST) para combatir los abusos laborales y la vulneración de los derechos humanos en las cadenas mundiales de suministro. Se analiza el Acuerdo de Dindigul, un caso pionero de RST impulsado por un sindicato independiente de mayoría dalit dirigido por mujeres en Dindigul (India) para abordar la violencia por razón de género en las cadenas de suministro de la confección. Mediante entrevistas con informadores clave y análisis documental codificado en NVivo 12, se estudia la génesis del Acuerdo de Dindigul, su singularidad y sus interacciones con otros instrumentos de gobernanza.
Eficacia del ajuste ocupacional de la formación profesional para personas desocupadas. Datos de la República de Corea
Authors: HWANG Inyoung , PARK Youngseok , CHOE Chung 
Published: November 2024

ResumenLa República de Corea presenta un fuerte desajuste de la calificación y necesita formación profesional para mitigarlo. En este artículo se analiza el impacto, en gran medida inexplorado, de la formación profesional en ese desajuste a partir de datos administrativos (HRD‐Net, 2016–2019). Se examinan las tasas de ocupación ajustada a la calificación (en contraste con la tasa de ocupación convencional) aplicando un modelo de efectos fijos para sondear sus determinantes. Se concluye que las horas de formación tienen un efecto positivo significativamente mayor sobre la tasa de ocupación ajustada que sobre la tasa de ocupación convencional, al contrario de lo que ocurre con las características individuales.
CMAS corrosion resistance of rare earth phosphates at high temperatures for environmental barrier coatings
Authors: Majee Bishnu Pada , Bryce Keith , Huang Liping , Lian Jie 
Published: November 2024

AbstractPhase stability, thermal properties, and calcium–magnesium–alumina–silicate (CMAS) resistance of LuPO4 at 1300°C, 1400°C, and 1500°C were studied to evaluate its potential as an environmental barrier coating (EBC) for SiC‐based ceramic‐matrix composites (CMCs). Its coefficient of thermal expansion (∼5.69 × 10−6°C−1) is close to that of SiC‐based CMCs. At 1300°C, a dense reaction layer of Ca8MgLu(PO4)7 forms and inhibits CMAS penetration; however, no such layer forms at 1400°C and 1500°C, leading to CMAS infiltration along grain boundaries. Prolonged (45 and 96 hours) CMAS corrosion of LuPO4 at 1300°C showed the formation of a disilicate (Lu2Si2O7) phase along with Ca8MgLu(PO4)7. A multicomponent rare earth phosphate (Lu0.2Yb0.2Er0.2Y0.2Gd0.2)PO4 shows improved CMAS resistance at 1400°C due to higher grain boundary stability and slower dissolution rate of rare earth elements into molten CMAS than single component rare earth phosphate. The mechanisms of CMAS corrosion and the kinetics of the formation of protective reaction layers in LuPO4 and (Lu0.2Yb0.2Er0.2Y0.2Gd0.2)PO4 were elucidated. Multicomponent design is needed to increase grain boundary stability and reduce dissolution rate into molten CMAS for REPO4‐based EBCs.