bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dapagliflozin alleviates high glucose‐induced injury of endothelial cells via inducing autophagy
Authors: Li Gen , Hou Ningxin , Liu Huagang , Li Jun , Deng Hongping , Lan Hongwen , Xiong Sizheng 
Published: February 2024

AbstractHyperglycaemia is a key factor in the progression of diabetes complications. Dapagliflozin (DAPA), a new type of hypoglycaemic agent, has been shown to play an important role in anti‐apoptotic, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Previous studies have demonstrated an endothelial protective effect of DAPA, but the underlying mechanism was still unclear. Autophagy is a homeostatic cellular mechanism that circulates unfolded proteins and damaged organelles through lysosomal dependent degradation. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether DAPA plays a protective role against high glucose (HG)‐induced endothelial injury through regulating autophagy. The results showed that DAPA treatment resulted in increased cell viability. Additionally, DAPA treatment decreased interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, and tumour necrosis factor‐α levels in endothelial cells subjected to HG conditions. We observed that HG inhibited autophagy, and DAPA increased the autophagy level by inhibiting the protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway. Chloroquine reversed all of these beneficial effects as an autophagy inhibitor. In summary, the endothelial protective effect of DAPA in HG can be attributed in part to its role in activating of autophagy via the AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. Therefore, suggesting that the activation of autophagy by DAPA may be a novel target for the treatment of HG‐induced endothelial cell injury.
Income diversification patterns and their impact on bank risk
Authors: Kaur Parneet , Bansal Aanchal 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis study focuses on the crucial topic of income diversification and its implications for bank risk, using the context of India's public and private Sector banks. The research spans the years 2005–2021, investigating the influence of varying degrees of non‐interest income on the risk profiles of Indian banks. Employing a program impact evaluation methodology, the study employs the generalised propensity score‐fractional dose–response function technique to ascertain the impact of different levels of non‐interest income on bank risk. The outcomes underscore the diverse effects of diversification contingent upon factors like bank size and ownership type, including large and small banks as well as public and private sector institutions. Notably, the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis introduced distinctive dynamics to income diversification's impact. By segmenting the study timeline into two periods—2005–2013 and 2014–2021—it emerges that income diversification lowered bank risk in the earlier period, while conversely amplifying risk in the latter phase. These insights bear significance as an early warning mechanism for bank executives, policymakers, and regulatory authorities, enabling them to navigate strategic transitions associated with non‐interest income. Employing a novel approach, this research contributes to the literature by evaluating the interplay between income diversification and bank risk across diverse levels of non‐interest income mix. In contrast to conventional econometric methods, the use of the generalised propensity score method stands out as a robust technique to mitigate confounding biases inherent in non‐experimental inquiries.
Energy agendas: A longitudinal analysis of Finnish parliamentary debates
Authors: Mykkänen Juri , Repo Petteri , Matschoss Kaisa 
Published: February 2024

AbstractEnergy agendas in national parliaments are crucial when countries seek to develop their energy futures while adhering to international obligations. This article examines how energy agendas emerge and evolve in parliamentary debates using data from Finland over a period of 12 years. By relying on topic modelling, we can show how the key energy agendas relate to an overall energy solution, promoting domestic energy production and seeking carbon‐neutral energy, and how they evolve successively alongside general concerns for the country's task ahead in the field. Examining more detailed agendas, in turn, validates the first analysis and exposes some differences in the agendas of political parties. These differences were few. This further specifies the nature of Finnish energy politics, which is often considered consensual except for nuclear power and peat as sources of energy. The article demonstrates that scholars who examine parliamentary politics may benefit from the use of language‐based computational methodologies to uncover insights that have previously been difficult to attain.
A comparative study on the moderating impact of renewable energy and innovation on environmental quality
Authors: Pal Shreya , Villanthenkodath Muhammed Ashiq , Ansari Mohd Arshad 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis study explores the complex interactions between renewable energy production, innovation, economic growth, institutional quality, economic globalization, and CO2 emissions in OECD countries and emerging economies from 1996 to 2021. Results from Driscoll–Kraay standard error and feasible generalized least square reveal distinct trends: renewable energy production leads to increased CO2 emissions in emerging economies but significantly reduces emissions in OECD countries. Besides, residential and non‐residential innovation, along with total innovation, show similar effects. Notably, technology‐moderated renewable energy production effectively lowers CO2 emissions in both country groups. Similarly, economic growth enhances environmental quality in both sets of countries. However, institutional quality needs improvement in emerging economies, while current levels suffice in OECD nations to maintain environmental quality. Moreover, the study emphasizes the importance of considering globalization's impact on CO2 emissions, advocating for international agreements to leverage globalization for environmental benefits. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights for shaping renewable energy policies, fostering innovation, promoting economic growth, enhancing institutional quality, and harnessing globalization efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and enhance environmental quality.
Homicides involving Black victims are less likely to be cleared in the United States
Authors: Campedelli Gian Maria 
Published: February 2024

AbstractDoes a victim's race explain variation in the likelihood of homicide clearance? Attempts to address this issue date back to the 1970s. Yet, despite its theoretical and policy relevance, we lack a comprehensive and clear empirical answer to this critical question. Here, I causally focus on this problem by investigating racial disparity in homicide clearance in the United States, exploiting two sources covering the 1991–2020 period: the Murder Accountability Project data set (N = 522,278) and the National Incident‐Based Reporting System data set (N = 98,677). I primarily analyze these sources by employing exact matching to achieve perfect covariate balance and subsequently isolate the effect of race on the probability of clearance. For comparative purposes, I also use regression adjustment without matching obtaining complementary estimates. I demonstrate that the likelihood of clearance is 3.4 to 4.8 percent lower for homicides involving Black victims, depending on the sampling and estimation approach. In addition, I empirically show that this race effect is slightly higher for males and that racial disparity has moderately but significantly increased over time. These findings contribute to the extensive amount of evidence on discrimination affecting Black individuals in the administration of justice in the United States, calling for structural efforts to reduce this divide.
Camellia oil exhibits anti‐fatigue property by modulating antioxidant capacity, muscle fiber, and gut microbial composition in mice
Authors: Huang Shiying , Sun Huiyu , Lin Dai , Huang Xinjue , Chen Ruiran , Li Minli , Huang Jialing , Guo Fuchuan 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCamellia seed oil (CO) has high nutritional value and multiple bioactivities. However, the specific anti‐fatigue characteristics and the implied mechanism of CO have not yet been fully elucidated. Throughout this investigation, male C57BL/6J mice, aged 8 weeks, underwent exhaustive exercise with or without CO pretreatment (2, 4, and 6 mL/kg BW) for 28 days. CO could extend the rota‐rod and running time, reduce blood urea nitrogen levels and serum lactic acid, and increase muscle and hepatic glycogen, adenosine triphosphate, and anti‐oxidative indicators. Additionally, CO could upregulate the mRNA and Nrf2 protein expression levels, as well as enhance the levels of its downstream antioxidant enzymes and induce the myofiber‐type transformation from fast to slow and attenuate the gut mechanical barrier. Moreover, CO could ameliorate gut dysbiosis by reducing Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio at the phylum level, increasing the percentage of Alistipes, Alloprevotella, Lactobacillus, and Muribaculaceae, and decreasing the proportion of Dubosiella at the genus level. In addition, specific bacterial taxa, which were altered by CO, showed a significant correlation with partial fatigue‐related parameters. These findings suggest that CO may alleviate fatigue by regulating antioxidant capacity, muscle fiber transformation, gut mechanical barrier, and gut microbial composition in mice.Practical ApplicationOur study revealed that camellia seed oil (CO) could ameliorate exercise‐induced fatigue in mice by modulating antioxidant capacity, muscle fiber, and gut microbial composition in mice. Our results promote the application of CO as an anti‐fatigue functional food that targets oxidative stress, myofiber‐type transformation, and microbial community.
Electroacupuncture at ST36 modulates the intestinal microecology and may help repair the intestinal barrier in the rat model of severe acute pancreatitis
Authors: Xu Huimin , Wen Qian , Hu Hangqi , Yang Sihao , Lu Lingyun , Hu Xiangyun , Li Hao , Huang Xianhao , Li Ning 
Published: February 2024

AbstractSevere acute pancreatitis (SAP) onset and development are closely associated with intestinal barrier injury. Evidence from clinical practice and research has shown that electroacupuncture (EA) at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint can improve intestinal barrier function and abdominal symptoms in patients with SAP; however, the specific mechanisms of action remain unclear. This study aimed to observe the changes in the intestinal microbiota and metabolites in SAP rats and to explore the effect of EA at ST36 on intestinal barrier injury in SAP rats. 16S rRNA gene sequencing combined with microbial diversity analysis, short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs)‐targeted metabolomics, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and other techniques were used to explore the mechanism of EA at bilateral ST36 acupoints on SAP‐related intestinal barrier injury. Our results showed that EA at ST36 could repair intestinal barrier injury by modulating intestinal microecology, thereby reducing intestinal inflammation, restoring intestinal function, and ultimately alleviating the prognosis of SAP. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms and treatment of intestinal barrier injury in patients with SAP from the perspectives of microbiota and SCFAs regulation.
On the ever‐growing functional versatility of the CRISPR‐Cas13 system
Authors: Montagud‐Martínez Roser , Márquez‐Costa Rosa , Heras‐Hernández María , Dolcemascolo Roswitha , Rodrigo Guillermo 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCRISPR‐Cas systems evolved in prokaryotes to implement a powerful antiviral immune response as a result of sequence‐specific targeting by ribonucleoproteins. One of such systems consists of an RNA‐guided RNA endonuclease, known as CRISPR‐Cas13. In very recent years, this system is being repurposed in different ways in order to decipher and engineer gene expression programmes. Here, we discuss the functional versatility of the CRISPR‐Cas13 system, which includes the ability for RNA silencing, RNA editing, RNA tracking, nucleic acid detection and translation regulation. This functional palette makes the CRISPR‐Cas13 system a relevant tool in the broad field of systems and synthetic biology.
Factors affecting accuracy of clinical staging in resectable non‐small cell lung cancer in a real‐world study
Authors: Gwon Hye Ran , La Woo A. , Yong Seung Hyun , Park Youngmok , Kim Song Yee , Kim Eun Young , Jung Ji Ye , Kang Young Ae , Park Moo Suk , Park Seong Yong , Lee Sang Hoon 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe clinical staging of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is well known to be related to their prognosis. However, there is usually a discrepancy between clinical staging and pathological staging. There are few analyses of clinical staging accuracy in patients with NSCLC. We compared the concordance rate between clinical and pathological staging of NSCLC and evaluated factors affecting the accuracy in real‐world data.MethodsAltogether, 811 patients with primary NSCLC who had undergone curative lung resection surgery in Severance Hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. We used the eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging.ResultsAmong 811 patients, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and positron emission tomography (PET‐CT) were performed in 31.6% and 96.7%, respectively. The concordance rates between clinical and pathological TNM staging, T factor, and N factor, were 68.7%, 77.7%, and 85.8%, respectively. With multivariable logistic regression analysis, current smokers (OR 0.49; 95% CI: 0.32–0.76, p = 0.001) and a higher clinical stage (p < 0.001) contributed to the clinical staging inaccuracy. Additionally, the presence of a bronchoscopy specialist was significantly associated with clinical staging accuracy (OR 1.53; 95% CI: 1.10–2.13, p = 0.011).ConclusionClinical staging accuracy in NSCLC improved compared to before the widespread use of PET‐CT and EBUS in clinical staging work‐up. Smoking history and absence of expert bronchoscopy specialists showed a meaningful correlation with the inaccuracy of clinical staging. Thus, training more bronchoscopy experts would improve the staging accuracy of NSCLC, which could positively affect the prognosis of NSCLC.
The Effect of Gamification on Employee Boredom and Performance*
Authors: Zhao Zhuoyi 
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the effect of gamification on employee boredom and performance in a repetitive work process. In video games, loot is unpredictable, intermittent rewards used to motivate players to repeat boring actions. In a 2 × 1 laboratory experiment, I examine how gamification, featuring nonmonetary loot point rewards, may impact boredom and performance. I find that individuals have mixed opinions. On the one hand, they recognize the emotional value of gamification and find the repetitive work process more attractive. On the other hand, they experience a violation of fairness even though the point rewards do not impact their monetary payoff. My findings help reconcile the seemingly contradictory predictions from two sets of motivation theories. While some conventional theories (e.g., equity theory, expectancy theory, and agency theory) suggest that unpredictable rewards negatively affect motivation, both the reinforcement theory of motivation and findings from neuroscience research indicate a bright side to those rewards. Due to the countervailing effects, I do not find a significant difference in either boredom or performance between conditions. My results show that when gamifying repetitive work processes with unpredictable rewards such as loot points, managers need to address fairness concerns while maintaining the motivational properties of gamification.
Strengthening resilience potential assessments for coral reef management
Authors: Gudka Mishal , Obura David , Treml Eric A. , Nicholson Emily 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

The persistence of diverse yet threatened ecosystems like coral reefs will require urgent action underpinned by effective assessments of resilience. Resilience potential assessments are commonly used to identify coral reefs likely to be more resilient to disturbances, based on indicators of state and function.

Assessments are intended to support decision‐making, therefore, using principles from decision‐science and indicator design theory, we evaluated the selection, design and analysis of indicators from 68 resilience potential assessments conducted between 2008 and 2022. These principles include justifying and testing indicators and aggregation approaches, representing key parts of the ecosystem, considering uncertainty and meaningful normalisation of indicators.

Although a broad range of indicators were typically evaluated, assessments rarely present structured processes to guide and justify indicator selection, such as selection criteria and conceptual models of ecosystem function. We also found that certain key ecosystem components that confer resilience were represented by indicators in almost all assessments, such as corals, herbivory, competition and reef structure. Other factors were rarely considered, such as abundance and diversity of key fish trophic groups other than herbivores, for example groupers and corallivores, other aspects of biodiversity and competitive interactions with corals. Reference points used to translate variables into resilience indicators were typically derived from the data, such as the highest indicator value of assessed sites. Ecologically meaningful thresholds, such as collapse or historic levels, were used less often as references. In most cases, indicators were not tested or validated against independent data, uncertainties were not presented, and there was a tendency to simplify results into composite indices to rank sites, without justifying aggregation methods.

Despite resource constraints, most resilience potential assessments collect quantitative data that are useful for coral reef management. However, the shortcomings identified can make indicator interpretation difficult, limiting the capacity to predict the resilience of the system and support decisions. Implementation of robust approaches drawn from indicator design and selection theory can help strengthen resilience potential assessments of coral reefs and other ecosystems, ultimately improving the prospects of conservation.
GRADE pearls and pitfalls—Part 2: Clinical practice guidelines
Authors: Granholm Anders , Al Duhailib Zainab , Alhazzani Waleed , Oczkowski Simon , Belley‐Cote Emilie , Møller Morten Hylander 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach is the de facto standard framework for summarising evidence in systematic reviews and developing recommendations in clinical practice guidelines.MethodsWe describe how the GRADE approach is used in clinical practice guidelines, including key points and examples. The intended audience of this overview of GRADE is clinicians and researchers who are, or plan to be, involved in the development or assessment of clinical practice guidelines.ResultsWe cover guideline endorsement and adaptation; guideline panels and sponsors; conflicts of interest; guideline questions and outcome prioritisation; systematic review creation, updating and re‐use; rating the overall certainty of evidence; development of recommendations and implications; and peer review, publication, implementation and updating of guidelines.ConclusionsThis overview aims to help developers, assessors and users of clinical practice guidelines understand how trustworthy, high‐quality guidelines are developed using the GRADE approach.
Lower versus higher blood pressure targets in comatose patients resuscitated from out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest—Protocol for a secondary Bayesian analysis of the box trial
Authors: Grand Johannes , Wiberg Sebastian , Kjaergaard Jesper , Hassager Christian , Schmidt Henrik , Møller Jacob E. , Mølstrøm Simon , Granholm Anders 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe management of blood pressure targets during intensive care after out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a topic of debate. The blood Pressure and Oxygenation Targets After OHCA (BOX) trial explored the efficacy of two different blood pressure targets in 789 patients during intensive care after OHCA. In the primary frequentist analysis, no statistically significant differences were found for neurological outcome after 90 days.MethodsThis protocol outlines secondary Bayesian analyses of 365‐day all‐cause mortality and two secondary outcomes: neurological outcome after 365 days, and plasma neuron‐specific enolase, a biomarker of brain injury, after 48 h. We will employ adjusted Bayesian logistic and linear regressions, presenting results as relative and absolute differences with 95% confidence intervals. We will use weakly informative priors for the primary analyses, and skeptical and evidence‐based priors (where available) in sensitivity analyses. Exact probabilities for any benefit/harm will be presented for all outcomes, along with probabilities of clinically important benefit/harm (risk differences larger than 2%‐points absolute) and no clinically important differences for the binary outcomes. We will assess whether heterogeneity of treatment effects on mortality is present according to lactate at admission, time to return of spontaneous circulation, primary shockable rhythm, age, hypertension, and presence of ST‐elevation myocardial infarction.DiscussionThis secondary analysis of the BOX trial aim to complement the primary frequentist analysis by quantifying the probabilities of beneficial or harmful effects of different blood pressure targets. This approach seeks to provide clearer insights for researchers and clinicians into the effectiveness of these blood pressure management strategies in acute medical conditions, particularly focusing on mortality, neurological outcomes, and neuron‐specific enolase.