bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Strong Purifying Selection in Haploid Tissue–Specific Genes of Scots Pine Supports the Masking Theory
Authors: Cervantes Sandra , Kesälahti Robert , Kumpula Timo A , Mattila Tiina M , Helanterä Heikki , Pyhäjärvi Tanja 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
The masking theory states that genes expressed in a haploid stage will be under more efficient selection. In contrast, selection will be less efficient in genes expressed in a diploid stage, where the fitness effects of recessive deleterious or beneficial mutations can be hidden from selection in heterozygous form. This difference can influence several evolutionary processes such as the maintenance of genetic variation, adaptation rate, and genetic load. Masking theory expectations have been confirmed in single-cell haploid and diploid organisms. However, in multicellular organisms, such as plants, the effects of haploid selection are not clear-cut. In plants, the great majority of studies indicating haploid selection have been carried out using male haploid tissues in angiosperms. Hence, evidence in these systems is confounded with the effects of sexual selection and intraspecific competition. Evidence from other plant groups is scarce, and results show no support for the masking theory. Here, we have used a gymnosperm Scots pine megagametophyte, a maternally derived seed haploid tissue, and four diploid tissues to test the strength of purifying selection on a set of genes with tissue-specific expression. By using targeted resequencing data of those genes, we obtained estimates of genetic diversity, the site frequency spectrum of 0-fold and 4-fold sites, and inferred the distribution of fitness effects of new mutations in haploid and diploid tissue–specific genes. Our results show that purifying selection is stronger for tissue-specific genes expressed in the haploid megagametophyte tissue and that this signal of strong selection is not an artifact driven by high expression levels.
Menthol and Other Flavor Chemicals in Cigarettes from Vietnam and the Philippines
Authors: Cohen Joanna E , Czaplicki Lauren , Crespi Elizabeth , Brown Jennifer L , Luo Wentai , McWhirter Kevin J , Masanga Braden C , Pankow James F 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Introduction
Tobacco product flavors can increase product appeal, adolescent initiation and experimentation, and difficulty quitting. Flavored tobacco products are not restricted in Vietnam or the Philippines despite the high smoking prevalence among those 15 years of age and older (24% and 23%, respectively). There are no published reports to our knowledge on the levels of flavor chemicals in the cigarettes sold in these two countries.

Methods
Cigarettes were purchased in Vietnam (32 brand variants) and the Philippines (19 brand variants) during 2020. Chemical analyses gave the mg/filter, mg/rod, and mg/stick (= mg/(filter + rod)) values for 180 individual flavor chemicals. Values were calculated for menthol, clove-related compounds, and “other flavor chemicals” (OFCs).

Results
Five flavor groupings were found among the brand variants purchased in Vietnam: menthol + OFCs (n = 15), OFCs only (n = 8), nonflavored (n = 7), menthol + OFCs with a clove flavorant (n = 1) and menthol only (n = 1). Three flavor groupings were found among the brand variants purchased in the Philippines: menthol + OFCs (n = 10), nonflavored (n = 5), and menthol only (n = 4).

Conclusions
A range of flavored cigarette products are being offered by tobacco companies in Vietnam and the Philippines, presumably to maximize cigarette sales. Regulation of flavor chemicals should be considered in these two countries.

Implications
Article 9 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), ratified by both Vietnam and the Philippines, states that “there is no justification for permitting the use of ingredients, such as flavoring agents, which help make tobacco products attractive.” Flavors increase product appeal, adolescent initiation and experimentation, and difficulty quitting. These analyses found that cigarettes purchased in Vietnam and the Philippines contained menthol and other flavor chemicals. Tobacco companies are offering multiple flavor chemical profiles and nominally nonflavored versions in these countries; regulation of flavor chemicals should be considered in these two countries.
Diagnostic Stewardship: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Blood Collection Diversion Devices Used to Reduce Blood Culture Contamination and Improve the Accuracy of Diagnosis in Clinical Settings
Authors: Callado Gustavo Yano , Lin Vivian , Thottacherry Elizabeth , Marins Tássia Aporta , Martino Marinês Dalla Valle , Salinas Jorge L , Marra Alexandre R 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Background
Blood culture contamination may lead to misdiagnosis, overutilization of antibiotics, and prolonged length of stay. Blood specimen diversion devices can reduce contamination rates during blood culture collection procedures. We performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis evaluating the influence of blood specimen diversion devices in blood culture contamination rates.

Methods
We searched Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science, from database inception to 1 March 2023, for studies evaluating the impact of a diversion device on blood culture contamination. Blood culture contamination was a positive blood culture with microorganisms not representative of true bacteremia, but rather introduced during collection or processing the blood sample. Random-effects models were used to obtain pooled mean differences, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 test.

Results
Of 1768 screened studies, 12 met inclusion criteria for this systematic literature review. Of them, 9 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Studies were substantially heterogeneous, but stratified analyses considering only high-quality studies revealed that venipuncture using a diversion device was associated with a significant reduction in blood culture contamination in comparison to the standard procedure of collection (pooled odds ratio [OR], 0.26 [95% confidence interval {CI}, .13–.54]; I2 = 19%). Furthermore, the stratified analysis showed that the adoption of a diversion device did not reduce the detection of true infection (pooled OR, 0.85 [95% CI, .65–1.11]; I2 = 0%).

Conclusions
Blood culture diversion devices was associated with decreased contamination rates and could improve quality of care, reduce costs, and avoid unnecessary antibiotic use.
CALMODULIN6 negatively regulates cold tolerance by attenuating ICE1-dependent stress responses in tomato
Authors: Lin Rui , Song Jianing , Tang Mingjia , Wang Lingyu , Yu Jingquan , Zhou Yanhong 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Chilling temperatures induce an increase in cytoplasmic calcium (Ca2+) ions to transmit cold signals, but the precise role of Calmodulins (CaMs), a type of Ca2+ sensor, in plant tolerance to cold stress remains elusive. In this study, we characterized a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) CaM gene, CALMODULIN6 (CaM6), which responds to cold stimulus. Overexpressing CaM6 increased tomato sensitivity to cold stress whereas silencing CaM6 resulted in a cold-insensitive phenotype. We showed that CaM6 interacts with Inducer of CBF expression 1 (ICE1) in a Ca2+-independent process and ICE1 contributes to cold tolerance in tomato plants. By integrating RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) assays, we revealed that ICE1 directly altered the expression of 76 downstream cold-responsive (COR) genes that potentially confer cold tolerance to tomato plants. Moreover, the physical interaction of CaM6 with ICE1 attenuated ICE1 transcriptional activity during cold stress. These findings reveal that CaM6 attenuates the cold tolerance of tomato plants by suppressing ICE1-dependent COR gene expression. We propose a CaM6/ICE1 module in which ICE1 is epistatic to CaM6 under cold stress. Our study sheds light on the mechanism of plant response to cold stress and reveals CaM6 is involved in the regulation of ICE1.
“I do not consent”: political legitimacy, misinformation, and the compliance challenge in Australia’s Covid-19 policy response
Authors: Dowling Melissa-Ellen , Legrand Tim 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
This paper examines the relationship between policy compliance, the emergence of alternate epistemes and authorities in online spaces, and the decline of trust and legitimacy in democratic institutions. Drawing on insights from public policy, regulation theory, and political theory, the paper critically engages with scholarship on “policy-takers” to illuminate the tensions of compliance and legitimacy in liberal states. It proposes a compliance–legitimacy matrix that identifies the features of policy compliance—including consent, legitimacy, expertise, and trust—and their relationship to the disaggregation of policy knowledge. The article applies this framework to a case study of social media posts that respond to policy information during the management of the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia. Through analysis of these posts, the study reveals the distrust in “the science” and experts advocated by government and the calls from skeptic groups for noncompliance with public health measures. The paper argues that public policy faces an epistemic crisis of public confidence, with significant downstream consequences for compliance with public policy initiatives that has been brought on both by the failures of states to cultivate trust in science and the government. The compliance–legitimacy matrix offers a useful tool for policymakers to anticipate and address objections from policy-takers and to preempt and diffuse their fears.
Shareholder Monitoring through Voting: New Evidence from Proxy Contests
Authors: Brav Alon , Jiang Wei , Li Tao , Pinnington James 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
We present the first comprehensive study of mutual fund voting in proxy contests. Among contests where voting takes place, passive funds are 10 percentage points less likely than active funds to vote for dissidents. The gap shrinks significantly when accounting for votes withheld from management nominees, settled contests, and votes by non-“Big-Three” fund families. Passive and active funds are equally informed about firm fundamentals, although passive funds view contest-related SEC filings more often than active funds during contests, in absolute levels and incrementally relative to noncontest periods. We conclude that passive funds are engaged shareholders in high-stakes voting events.
Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online
Masculinity on the Margins: Boundary Work Among Immobile Fathers in Indonesia’s Transnational Families
Authors: Chang Andy Scott 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Scholars underline the persistence of gender disparities in the household division of labor. However, it remains understudied how working-class men manage family life amid the physical absence of breadwinning women. Drawing on fifty-four in-depth interviews and over 22 months of fieldwork in Indonesia, this article investigates how non-migrant fathers navigate conjugal and paternal responsibilities in families headed by migrant mothers. I argue that the reproduction of mother-away transnational families hinges on a refashioning of male conduct for the accomplishment of immobile fatherhood—a model of parenthood developed by non-migrant fathers to accommodate the migration of mothers. I examine the boundary work that men engage in to affirm their selfhood when confronted with the diminution of labor market prospects. In response to their status anxieties surrounding the mounting autonomy of transnational mothers, immobile fathers craft moral boundaries around a commitment to the family. Furthermore, immobile fathers reconstitute masculinity away from providership toward an assemblage of waged labor, childrearing, financial management, and housework that comprises the hallmarks of working-class femininities. By positioning themselves as “family men” in contradiction to irresponsible men and women, immobile fathers realize self-respect through their maintenance of transnational families.
Model-Based Community Analyses Identify Fungal Endophytes that May Modulate Symptom Development of Charcoal Rot Disease in Soybean
Authors: Brown Shawn P. , Shahrtash Maryam , Stokes C. Elizabeth , Baird Sonya , Baird Richard , Lu Shien 
Published: August 2023

Charcoal rot disease of soybean is a major threat to soybean harvests in the United States. This disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina (MP), cannot be economically treated in agronomic field conditions, and breeding of resistant cultivars has been largely unsuccessful due to multiple gene resistance. For difficult-to-treat phytopathogens, nascent research has emphasized the potential utility of endophyte modulation of disease symptoms. Most research into biocontrol of MP in soybeans has focused on in vitro or limited greenhouse/pot experiments, which may not emulate field conditions. Here, using a paired framework of diseased and asymptomatic soybeans exposed to MP in a production field setting, coupled with model-based community analyses, we identify several fungal endophytic taxa that apparently modulate disease pathogenicity. We use a multilevel analytical framework to provide evidence of taxa that respond to the disease state by querying plants across years and plant compartments. Additional work is needed to test the mechanisms by which these identified taxa may modulate MP, but this work provides the strongest evidence to date that endophytes may modulate charcoal rot disease levels in production field conditions. We posit that breeding for improved colonization of disease-modulating endophytes is a promising option to manage charcoal rot in soybean. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
CREB‐binding protein and HIF‐1α/β‐catenin to upregulate miR‐322 and alleviate myocardial ischemia‐reperfusion injury
Authors: Dong Wei , Weng Jun‐Fei , Zhu Jian‐Bing , Zheng Yao‐Fu , Liu Lei‐Lei , Dong Chen , Ruan Yang , Fang Xu , Chen Jin , Liu Wen‐Yu , Peng Xiao‐Ping , Chen Xuan‐Ying 
Published: August 2023

AbstractMyocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI) is a prevalent condition associated with numerous critical clinical conditions. miR‐322 has been implicated in MIRI through poorly understood mechanisms. Our preliminary analysis indicated potential interaction of CREB‐binding protein (CBP), a transcriptional coactivator and acetyltransferase, with HIF‐1α/β‐catenin, which might regulate miR‐322 expression. We, therefore, hypothesized that CBP/HIF‐1α/β‐catenin/miR‐322 axis might play a role in MIRI. Rat cardiomyocytes subjected to oxygen‐glucose deprivation /reperfusion (OGD/R) and Langendorff perfused heart model were used to model MIRI in vitro and in vivo, respectively. We used various techniques such as CCK‐8 assay, transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining, western blotting, RT‐qPCR, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), dual‐luciferase assay, co‐immunoprecipitation (Co‐IP), hematoxylin and eosin staining, and TTC staining to assess cell viability, apoptosis, and the levels of CBP, HIF‐1α, β‐catenin, miR‐322, and acetylation. Our results indicate that OGD/R in cardiomyocytes decreased CBP/HIF‐1α/β‐catenin/miR‐322 expression, increased cell apoptosis and cytokines, and reduced cell viability. However, overexpression of CBP or miR‐322 suppressed OGD/R‐induced cell injury, while knockdown of HIF‐1α/β‐catenin further exacerbated the damage. HIF‐1α/β‐catenin bound to miR‐322 promoter to promote its expression, while CBP acetylated HIF‐1α/β‐catenin for stabilization. Overexpression of CBP attenuated MIRI in rats by acetylating HIF‐1α/β‐catenin to stabilize their expression, resulting in stronger binding of HIF‐1α/β‐catenin with the miR‐322 promoter and subsequent increased miR‐322 levels. Therefore, activating CBP/HIF‐1α/β‐catenin/miR‐322 signaling may be a potential approach to treat MIRI.
“Untying the knot”: The primitive orofacial muscle architecture in the gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) as a key to the evolution of hominin facial movement
Authors: Rotenstreich Liat , Marom Assaf 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe anatomical underpinnings of primate facial expressions are essential to exploring their evolution. Traditionally, it has been accepted that the primate face exhibits a “scala natura” morphocline, ranging from primitive to derived characteristics. At the primitive end, the face consists of undifferentiated muscular sheets, while at the derived end there is greater complexity with more muscles and insertion points. Among these, the role of the human modiolus (“knoten” in German) has been emphasized. Recent studies have challenged this view by revealing significant complexity in the faces of several non‐human primates, thereby rejecting the linear notion of facial evolution. However, our knowledge of the facial architecture in gorillas, the second closest living relatives to modern humans, remains a significant gap in the literature. Here, we present new findings based on dissection and histological analysis of one gorilla craniofacial specimen, alongside 30 human hemifaces. Our results indicate that while the number and overall arrangement of facial muscles in the gorilla are comparable to those of chimpanzees and modern humans, several orofacial features distinguish the gorilla's anatomy from that of hominins. Among these are the absence of a modiolus, the continuity of muscular fibers over the region of the mouth corner, the flat (uncurving) sheet of the orbicularis oris muscle, and the insertion of direct labial tractors both anterior and posterior to it. Collectively, the anatomical characteristics observed in the gorilla suggest that the complex anatomy of the hominin face should be considered synapomorphic (shared‐derived) within the Pan‐Homo clade.
Telehealth-delivered Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder: Patient Perspectives in the Age of COVID-19
Authors: Girard Rachel , Foreman Jane , Pinnette Ellen , Bonar Erin E. , Fernandez Anne , Lin Lewei (Allison) 
Published: August 2023

Objectives
The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated increases in alcohol use and ushered in virtually delivered health care, creating an opportunity to examine the impacts of telehealth on alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment. To understand these impacts, we explored perspectives on telehealth-delivered psychotherapy among individuals with AUD.

Methods
This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Participants (N = 31) were patients with AUD who had received telehealth-delivered AUD psychotherapy in the last 2 years (n = 11) or had never experienced AUD psychotherapy (n = 20), recruited from two large academically-affiliated health care systems in Michigan between July and August 2020. Participants were asked about perceived barriers and facilitators to AUD psychotherapy, benefits and drawbacks of telehealth-delivered AUD psychotherapy, and changes needed to improve psychotherapy delivery. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed iteratively using thematic analysis.

Results
Participants identified factors relating to perceptions of and experience with telehealth-delivered AUD psychotherapy. Findings reflected four major themes: treatment accessibility, treatment flexibility, treatment engagement, and stigma. Perceptions about telehealth’s impact on treatment accessibility varied widely and included benefits (e.g., eliminating transportation challenges) and barriers (e.g., technology costs). Treatment flexibility and treatment engagement factors included the ability to use phone and video and perceptions of receiving care via telehealth, respectively. Telehealth impacts on treatment stigma were also a key theme.

Conclusions
Overall, perceptions of telehealth treatment for AUD varied. Participants expressed the importance of options, flexibility, and collaborating on decisions with providers to determine treatment modality. Future research should explore who benefits most from telehealth and avenues to enhance implementation.
Laparoscopic versus open liver resection for treatment of liver tumors: Early experience outcomes
Authors: Wongta Kitti , Rattanasakalwong Mati , Nuchanatanon Jantaluck , Charutragulchai Papot , Tangsirapat Vorapatu 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Background
Although minimally invasive liver surgery has been increasingly practiced worldwide, the lack of experience is a barrier for numerous surgeons to initiate. This study aims to compare the outcome of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) versus open liver resection (OLR) by surgeons who begin to conduct both procedures through the same period.

Materials and Methods
We retrospectively analyzed the demographic data, the perioperative data, and the surgical outcomes of patients who underwent liver resection for the treatment of liver tumors. All procedures were operated by three hepatopancreatobiliary surgeons.

Results
In total, 56 hepatectomies were performed, 13 patients in the LLR group with an average Iwate score of 5 and 43 patients in the OLR group were included in the study. After propensity score matching, comparing 13 patients each of the LLR and OLR groups, the operative time (316.5 vs 315.4 minutes, P = 0.98) and the amount of blood loss (929 vs 1500 mL, P = 0.23) were not different. The postoperative length of stay was significantly shorter in the LR group (6 vs 12 days, P = 0.009). The LLR group had a lower severity of the complications (P = 0.02), and the mortality rate was zero in both groups. The margin-free status did not differ between the LLR and OLR groups (92.3% vs 76.9%, P = 0.28).

Conclusions
For hepatopancreatobiliary surgeons with limited experience, LLR is safe to meticulously proceed for liver lesions. The advantage of LLR is less severity of the complications, decrease postoperative hospital stays, and most importantly the margin-free status is comparable between both groups.
Ensuring Racial and Ethnic Inclusivity in Facial Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation
Authors: Kauke-Navarro Martin , Knoedler Leonard , Knoedler Samuel , Diatta Fortunay , Huelsboemer Lioba , Stoegner Viola A. , Mookerjee Vikram G. , Panayi Adriana C. , Butler Paris D. , Pomahac Bohdan 
Published: August 2023

Background:
Facial vascularized composite allotransplantation (fVCA) represents a valuable surgical option for reconstruction of the most devastating facial defects. There is a mounting body of evidence suggesting that healthcare disparities exist for a variety of other surgical and nonsurgical procedures. We aimed to investigate the potential existence of racial and ethnic disparities in the field of fVCA.

Methods:
A comprehensive literature review was conducted by the authors of this review on PubMed/MEDLINE, and Embase databases from database inception to December 1, 2022 for studies published in the English and French languages. The search terms were (1) “face” OR “facial” AND (2) “transplant” OR “VCA” OR “vascularized composite allotransplantation” OR “vascularized composite allograft” OR “graft.”

Results:
Upon assessment of the racial and ethnic demographics of the 47 global cases of fVCA between 2005 and 2020, 36 were White, 10 were Asian, and one was Black. Sixteen of the 17 fVCA procedures performed in the United States involved White patients. The other patient self-identified as Black, equaling 6% of all US fVCA recipients.

Conclusion:
Our analysis showed that the ethnic and racial distribution of fVCA has not proportionally reflected the racial and ethnic demographics of the general US population, underscoring the risk of such healthcare imbalances. Although large-scale studies are needed before drawing definitive conclusions, leaders in the field should take preventive steps to avoid potential disparities. Further investigations into the factors that facilitate or prohibit access to fVCA referral and surgery will be necessary moving forward.