bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Engaging learners in online learning without external incentives: Evidence from a field experiment
Authors: Zhang Jiayuan , Yi Cheng , Zhang Jiayin 
Published: October 2023

AbstractOnline learning platforms increase opportunities for learners to participate in learning out of interest, without any external incentives such as fulfilling requirements for degree programmes or certificates. However, such forms of online learning often suffer from low sustained learning engagement. Building on theories related to normative influences, this study extends the literature by focusing on the effect of peer information on learning engagement and outcomes in an online learning setting without external incentives. A field experiment was conducted through a leading massive open online course platform in China, and information interventions were manipulated in social media groups associated with the course. Surprisingly, the results revealed that the presence of peers' active learning behaviour information did not always lead to enhanced learning engagement. Specifically, it had a positive influence only when question intervention was applied, that is, when the learners were also presented with questions related to the course content prior to learning. Moreover, question intervention alone was effective in enhancing learning engagement. Our results also showed that the learners with question interventions were more likely to pay attention to their peers' behaviour and align their learning pace with that of their peers. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Virtual reality environment in pharmacy education: A cyclical study on instructional design principles
Authors: Doğan Ezgi , Şahin Yusuf Levent 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundIt is crucial to use innovative tools to gain clinical reasoning skills through experiential learning in pharmacy education, and one of the most effective tools used in this is virtual reality. However, the lack of research that empirically demonstrates the instructional principles of virtual environment design, especially in the clinical setting, has resulted in a significant gap in the current literature.AimIn this study, it was aimed to determine the instructional design principles of a virtual environment for the clinical pharmacy.MethodThe study was conducted as a design‐based research. The data of the study related to three components of the developed virtual reality environment in pharmacy education (VRPE). These components, scenario development interface‐scenario development interface, virtual environment, and scenario, were collected through interviews, observation, document review, and a system usability scale. Instructional design principles for the VRPE were determined through analysis of the collected data.ResultsThe prominent instructional design principles of the VRPE were revealed as immersion, interaction, diversity, flow, aesthetics‐ergonomic‐universal design, informing, and retest availability. The significance of the study was the adoption of a holistic perspective in the design of a virtual reality environment for pharmacy education. In addition, one of the most critical features of the study was eliminating the expertise barrier in virtual environment design. Thus, it was concluded that the VRPE is an extraordinary tool that can be used for pharmacy education to promote experiential learning.
Enhancing concrete structures education: Impact of virtual reality on motivation, performance and usability for undergraduate engineering students
Authors: Al‐Khiami Mohamad Iyad , Jaeger Martin , Soleimani Sayed Mohamad , Kazem Abdulhadi 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackground StudyThe research discusses the need for a paradigm shift in engineering education current practices to accommodate the digital native students. The paper emphasizes the importance of integrating disruptive technologies, namely Virtual Reality (VR) through Head Mounted Displays VR (HMD VR) and Desktop Based VR (DB VR) and comparing it with the traditional teaching methods. The research focuses on second‐year undergraduate students enrolled in a concrete structures course.ObjectivesThe objective of the study is to analyse the impact of DB VR and HMD VR on students' motivation, performance and workload in comparison with traditional 2D drawings. The study also aims to investigate how simulation sickness and system usability could impact students' motivation and performance when interpreting concrete structures.MethodsThe study divided second‐year civil engineering students into three groups, 2D, DB VR and HMD VR. The performance and motivation levels of students were assessed based on the number of mistakes identified and an intrinsic motivation survey. Furthermore, data on system usability and simulation sickness were collected. Spearman rank correlation was conducted to analyse the relationships between the variables tested.ResultsThe results have shown that students' motivation and performance were much higher when using VR in general and HMD VR specifically, students' efficiency and accuracy were also observed. On the other hand, usability was found to be moderately correlated with motivation, with students rating HMD VR as the most usable approach. A moderate inverse correlation was observed between simulation sickness and motivation, indicating that higher simulation sickness led to lower motivation levels.ConclusionThe study concludes that integrating VR in general, DB VR, or HMD VR into a concrete structures course for undergraduate students can significantly improve students' performance and motivation. Furthermore, enhancing usability of any of the methods used can also improve the performance and motivation. On the other hand, simulation sickness inversely affects motivation and performance, therefore, VR developers and educators should not neglect it.
Thy‐1 knockdown promotes the osteogenic differentiation of GMSCs via the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway
Authors: Liu Gufeng , Zhu Guixin , Wu Xiaoyi , Tang Ziqiao , Shao Wenjun , Wang Min , Xia Haibin , Sun Quan , Yan Mingdong 
Published: October 2023

AbstractGingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) are newly developed seed cells for tissue engineering owing to their easy isolation, abundance and high growth rates. Thy‐1 is an important regulatory molecule in the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this study, we investigated the function of Thy‐1 in the osteogenic differentiation of GMSCs by reducing the expression of Thy‐1 using a lentivirus. The results demonstrated that Thy‐1 knockdown promoted the osteogenic differentiation of GMSCs in vitro. Validation by RNA‐seq revealed an obvious decrease in Vcam1 and Sox9 gene expression with Thy‐1 knockdown. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis suggested that the differentially expressed genes were enriched in the Wnt signalling pathway. We further demonstrated that Thy‐1 knockdown promoted osteogenic differentiation of GMSCs by activating the Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway. Therefore, Thy‐1 has a key regulatory role in the differentiation of GMSCs and maybe a core molecule connecting transcription factors related to the differentiation of MSCs. Our study also highlighted the potential of Thy‐1 to modify MSCs, which may help improve their use in tissue engineering.
Dose reduction of olaparib in older patients: Insights from an analysis of a National Database in Japan
Authors: Sato Masakazu , Goto Tadahiro 
Published: October 2023

AbstractAimAlthough the advent of a poly polymerase inhibitors has greatly advanced the tailoring of cancer treatment, there is a dearth of real‐world evidence on the actual use of olaparib in aging populations, especially those using national‐level data.MethodsWe extracted and analyzed all prescriptions of olaparib in female outpatients from the National Database Open Data Japan (NDB Open Data) from April 2019 to March 2021. The recommended standard dose of olaparib is four tablets of the 150 mg formulation per day, while the 100 mg formulation of olaparib can be considered as an alternative dose in the occurrence of hematologic toxicity. We calculated the proportion of 100 mg compared to the 150 mg prescriptions across age groups. A Cochrane–Armitage trend test was used to examine the association of age groups with the proportion of 100 mg prescriptions.ResultsThe total number of prescriptions of the 100 mg formulation and the 150 mg formulation were 1449 222, and 4233 625, respectively. Overall, 45.1% (2567 513/5682 847 prescriptions) of olaparib were prescribed for patients 65 years of age or older in females. Stratified by age group, the proportion of 100 mg compared to the 150 mg prescriptions significantly increased with age (p < 0.0001).ConclusionsGiven that the 100 mg formulation of olaparib can be considered as an alternative dose in Japan in the occurrence of hematologic toxicity, our observations indicate the dose reduction of olaparib in older patients in Japan. Further investigations are necessary to assess its efficacy and safety at a reduced dose.
Adjunctive use of omega‐3 fatty acids in combination with low‐dose aspirin in periodontitis: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Neprelyuk Olga A. , Zhad'ko Sergey I. , Romanenko Inessa G. , Kriventsov Maxim A. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractPeriodontitis is one of the most common dental diseases with a range of treatment approaches, including pathogenetically reasonable use of various host immune modulators. One such approach is the use of omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in combination with low‐dose aspirin. This systematic review and meta‐analysis were performed to compare the standard treatment alone and adjunctive use of omega‐3 PUFAs in combination with low‐dose aspirin with or without standard treatment in patients with periodontitis. A systematic review of the literature was performed using MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Central and Google Scholar databases. Selection criteria included the following: randomized controlled trials in subjects with periodontitis in the age group above 18 years old, with follow‐up periods ranging from 6 weeks to 6 months. The meta‐analysis was performed using standard methodological procedures according to Cochrane recommendations, including assessment of risk‐of‐bias and level of evidence (GRADE). Meta‐analysis was performed for such clinical outcomes as plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP) and bleeding index (BI) based on data from seven randomized clinical trials conducted between 2010 and 2020. It was shown that adjunctive use of omega‐3 PUFAs in combination with low‐dose aspirin results in significant clinical improvement in PD, CAL and GI during both short and prolonged follow‐up periods. The use of omega‐3 PUFAs and low‐dose aspirin in periodontitis patients may be promising as an adjunct therapy, however, due to a limited number of patients and significant heterogeneity, further studies need to be conducted.
Five‐year follow‐up of 96 weeks peginterferon plus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in hepatitis D
Authors: Anastasiou Olympia E. , Caruntu Florin A. , Curescu Manuela G. , Yalcin Kendal , Akarca Ulus S. , Gürel Selim , Zeuzem Stefan , Erhardt Andreas , Lüth Stefan , Papatheodoridis George V. , Keskin Onur , Port Kerstin , Radu Monica , Celen Mustafa K. , Idilman Ramazan , Heidrich Benjamin , Mederacke Ingmar , von der Leyen Heiko , Kahlhöfer Julia , von Karpowitz Maria , Hardtke Svenja , Cornberg Markus , Yurdaydin Cihan , Wedemeyer Heiner 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackground & AimsUntil recently, pegylated interferon‐alfa‐2a (PEG‐IFNa) therapy was the only treatment option for patients infected with hepatitis D virus (HDV). Treatment with PEG‐IFNa with or without tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for 96 weeks resulted in HDV RNA suppression in 44% of patients at the end of therapy but did not prevent short‐term relapses within 24 weeks. The virological and clinical long‐term effects after prolonged PEG‐IFNa‐based treatment of hepatitis D are unknown.MethodsIn the HIDIT‐II study patients (including 40% with liver cirrhosis) received 180 μg PEG‐IFNa weekly plus 300 mg TDF once daily (n = 59) or 180 μg PEG‐IFNa weekly plus placebo (n = 61) for 96 weeks. Patients were followed until week 356 (5 years after end of therapy).ResultsUntil the end of follow‐up, 16 (13%) patients developed liver‐related complications (PEG‐IFNa + TDF, n = 5 vs PEG‐IFNa + placebo, n = 11; p = .179). Achieving HDV suppression at week 96 was associated with decreased long‐term risk for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (p = .04) and hepatic decompensation (p = .009). Including complications irrespective of PEG‐IFNa retreatment status, the number of patients developing serious complications was similar with (3/18) and without retreatment with PEG‐IFNa (16/102, p > .999) but was associated with a higher chance of HDV‐RNA suppression (p = .024, odds ratio 3.9 [1.3–12]).ConclusionsLiver‐related clinical events were infrequent and occurred less frequently in patients with virological responses to PEG‐IFNa treatment. PEG‐IFNa treatment should be recommended to HDV‐infected patients until alternative therapies become available. Retreatment with PEG‐IFNa should be considered for patients with inadequate response to the first course of treatment.Clinical Trial registration: NCT00932971.
Zooplankton community and copepod carcasses and non‐predatory mortality in six tropical estuarine systems (Northeast of Brazil)
Authors: da Cruz Maria Mylena Oliveira , Lira Simone Maria de Albuquerque , de Melo Júnior Mauro 
Published: October 2023

AbstractCopepod carcasses and non‐predatory mortality can occur due to natural senescence, disease, pollution, and physicochemical stress. Our objective is to evaluate and characterize the rates of non‐predatory mortality and the contribution of zooplankton community carcasses, represented by the copepods, in tropical estuarine ecosystems with different degrees of urbanization. During the study, there was a significant difference between environments and copepod carcasses, with Suape Bay (moderately urbanized) being the environment with the highest abundance of adult copepod carcasses (93.3%). The average non‐predatory mortality rate of adult copepods was 0.15 day−1: Santa Cruz Channel (sparsely urbanized) contributed the lowest values, with a mortality rate of 0.01 day−1, and Suape (moderately urbanized) had the highest rate (2.80 day−1). The families Paracalanidae (0.554 day−1) and Oithonidae (0.122 day−1) had the highest values, with an average carcass decomposition of 4.7 days. Among the environments studied, there was little differentiation between carcass percentages and mortality rate, not supporting the hypothesis that the higher rates of mortality among non‐predatory copepods were related to large urban centers. However, there was an almost proportional contribution of carcasses and non‐predatory mortality in all but a few areas, agreeing with the hypothesis that there is spatial variation with respect to carcasses in tropical estuaries. With our work, we show that estuaries can provide the estuarine food web with a significant portion of copepod carcasses, which may vary by family, and that it is not necessarily environments with a higher degree of urbanization that will have higher mortality rates.
The interaction of two Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici effectors modulates high‐temperature seedling‐plant resistance in wheat
Authors: Bao Xiyue , Hu Yangshan , Li Yuxiang , Chen Xianming , Shang Hongsheng , Hu Xiaoping 
Published: October 2023

AbstractWheat cultivar Xiaoyan 6 (XY6) has high‐temperature seedling‐plant (HTSP) resistance to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). However, the molecular mechanism of Pst effectors involved in HTSP resistance remains unclear. In this study, we determined the interaction between two Pst effectors, PstCEP1 and PSTG_11208, through yeast two‐hybrid (Y2H), bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), and pull‐down assays. Transient overexpression of PSTG_11208 enhanced HTSP resistance in different temperature treatments. The interaction between PstCEP1 and PSTG_11208 inhibited the resistance enhancement by PSTG_11208. Furthermore, the wheat apoplastic thaumatin‐like protein 1 (TaTLP1) appeared to recognize Pst invasion by interacting with PSTG_11208 and initiate the downstream defence response by the pathogenesis‐related protein TaPR1. Silencing of TaTLP1 and TaPR1 separately or simultaneously reduced HTSP resistance to Pst in XY6. Moreover, we found that PstCEP1 targeted wheat ferredoxin 1 (TaFd1), a homologous protein of rice OsFd1. Silencing of TaFd1 affected the stability of photosynthesis in wheat plants, resulting in chlorosis on the leaves and reducing HTSP resistance. Our findings revealed the synergistic mechanism of effector proteins in the process of pathogen infection.
Chemical induction of hypocotyl rooting reveals extensive conservation of auxin signalling controlling lateral and adventitious root formation
Authors: Zeng Yinwei , Verstraeten Inge , Trinh Hoang Khai , Lardon Robin , Schotte Sebastien , Olatunji Damilola , Heugebaert Thomas , Stevens Christian , Quareshy Mussa , Napier Richard , Nastasi Sara Paola , Costa Alex , De Rybel Bert , Bellini Catherine , Beeckman Tom , Vanneste Steffen , Geelen Danny 
Published: October 2023

Summary

Upon exposure to light, etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings form adventitious roots (AR) along the hypocotyl. While processes underlying lateral root formation are studied intensively, comparatively little is known about the molecular processes involved in the initiation of hypocotyl AR.

AR and LR formation were studied using a small molecule named Hypocotyl Specific Adventitious Root INducer (HYSPARIN) that strongly induces AR but not LR formation. HYSPARIN does not trigger rapid DR5‐reporter activation, DII‐Venus degradation or Ca2+ signalling. Transcriptome analysis, auxin signalling reporter lines and mutants show that HYSPARIN AR induction involves nuclear TIR1/AFB and plasma membrane TMK auxin signalling, as well as multiple downstream LR development genes (SHY2/IAA3, PUCHI, MAKR4 and GATA23).

Comparison of the AR and LR induction transcriptome identified SAURs, AGC kinases and OFP transcription factors as specifically upregulated by HYSPARIN. Members of the SAUR19 subfamily, OFP4 and AGC2 suppress HYS‐induced AR formation. While SAUR19 and OFP subfamily members also mildly modulate LR formation, AGC2 regulates only AR induction.

Analysis of HYSPARIN‐induced AR formation uncovers an evolutionary conservation of auxin signalling controlling LR and AR induction in Arabidopsis seedlings and identifies SAUR19, OFP4 and AGC2 kinase as novel regulators of AR formation.
A narrative review of pulsed radiofrequency for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome
Authors: Gupta Himanshu , Vance Colm , Bansal Vishal , Siva Ahilraj 
Published: October 2023

AbstractObjectiveCarpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which is the most common peripheral nerve entrapment syndrome, can commonly persist despite conservative treatment modalities such as wrist splinting or medications. Pulsed radiofrequency represents a minimally invasive pain intervention technique to alleviate pain. The literature was reviewed to establish the effectiveness of PRF therapy for CTS.Study DesignThis is a narrative review of relevant articles on the effectiveness of PRF for CTS.MethodFour databases, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, OVID Emcare, and Web of Science, were systematically searched. 804 records were screened, and the reference lists of eligible articles were examined. For this review, eight extracted studies were narratively explored.ResultsOne case report, three retrospective cohorts, one observational prospective study, and three randomized‐controlled trials were included. PRF likely provides both an analgesic and functional benefit in patients with mild to severe CTS, and it also shows benefit as an adjunct to carpal tunnel release surgery. Long‐term data is limited. It also appears likely that steroid injection may represent a comparable treatment modality to PRF, and there have been positive results when these modalities are used together. Notably, all studies differed in their methodology, making direct comparisons between studies challenging.ConclusionsThe evidence for PRF in the treatment of CTS, across the range of spectrum of severity or peri‐operative to CTS surgery, appears favorable and avoids known side effects of steroid injections. Potential mechanisms for PRF and future directions for research are explored.
Characterizing the cutaneous late effects of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A systematic review
Authors: Bourkas Adrienn N. , Sibbald Cathryn , Chan An‐Wen , Schechter Tal , Ali Muhammad , Pullattayil Abdul Kareem , Levy Rebecca 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundThere is a well‐documented risk of secondary cutaneous malignancies following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), but data on risk in pediatric populations are limited. The objective of this study is to perform a systematic review of reported features and outcomes of skin cancers in pediatric allogeneic HSCT recipients.MethodsMEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science were systematically searched (Prospero CRD42022342139). Studies reporting cutaneous cancer outcomes were included if the age at transplant was ≤19 years. Titles, abstracts, and full‐text articles were screened in duplicate.ResultsOut of 824 citations that were screened, 12 articles were selected for analysis. The final sample included 67 pediatric HSCT recipients, comprising 65 allogeneic transplant recipients and 2 cases of HSCT with an unknown donor type. The median age at transplant and skin cancer diagnosis were 7.4 and 13 years, respectively. Out of the 67 pediatric HSCT recipients, some patients developed more than one lesion, resulting in 71 lesions. The most common skin cancer type was cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (32 lesions), followed by basal cell carcinoma (25 lesions). The median latency period between HSCT and skin cancer diagnosis ranged from 0 to 29 years. Identified risk factors for skin cancers included younger age at the time of transplant, exposure to total body irradiation, prolonged post‐transplant immunosuppression, graft versus host disease, and sunburn.ConclusionSkin cancers are reported in pediatric allogeneic HSCT recipients, and the risk appears to be increased. More data are needed to better characterize this risk.
Understanding Iraqi society: Reading Ali Al‐Wardi (1913–1995)
Authors: Rabiei Kamran 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe present article addresses Al‐Wardi's efforts to study Iraqi society and the foundations he set out to understand Arab society. Al‐Wardi is one of the pioneers of secular intellectuals in Iraq and one of the greatest social thinkers in the Arab world. Al‐Wardi's sociology is a kind of non‐Marxist conflict sociology whose roots can be found in the works of Ibn Khaldun. By reacting to the main issues of his society and conducting research and writing books about them, as a public sociologist, Al‐Wardi provoked many debates and controversies among people and intellectuals. He shows how the foundations of Bedouin culture continue and take on new forms in the modern urban and rural society of Iraq. He considers Bedouin culture to be the foundation of Arab culture. Political repression and censorship in the Baathist regime of Iraq prevented Al‐Wardi from continuing teaching and research and unable to establish a school of thought in Iraq. This issue is considered in the present article under the title of Tragedy of Discontinuity in Middle East sociology. Al‐Wardi's ultimate goal was to develop sociology at the national level and help create an Arab Sociology, which seems to have remained an idea and its future and feasibility cannot be judged.