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Background: The aims of this bibliometric analysis were (1) a longitudinal analysis of the publication landscape in the field of pain (1975–2020) and (2) to characterize the overall publication profiles for two selected journals: European Journal of Pain and PAIN® utilizing an automated approach. Methods: Database searches in Scopus extracted all journals with 'pain' in their title. For the two specific journals, papers were manually/automatically profiled into preclinical, human and translational studies. Results: A gross list of 64 journals in the field of pain consisting of both active and ceased journals in Scopus were included in this analysis which identified 62,565 papers with approximately 4000 papers published/year. These papers include 2759 and 9156 papers in Eur. J. Pain and PAIN®, respectively. Currently, there are 24 active 'pain' journals. Authors/paper increase from 2 to 7 indicating a development from mono‐disciplinary to multi‐disciplinary studies. The overall publication profiles assessing preclinical, human (experimental/clinical) and translational papers in Eur. J. Pain and PAIN® were almost similar (14%, 75% and 10% versus 26%, 63% and 10%). Papers have changed over the years from mono‐disciplinary studies (e.g. behavioural studies) to multi‐disciplinary studies (e.g. combined behavioural and cell studies). After optimization, the search model matched the manual screening by 100%, 98% and 96% for the preclinical, clinical and healthy volunteer categories. Conclusions: Over the last 45 years, more than 60,000 pain‐related papers have been published. Papers develop over the years from mono‐disciplinary to multi‐disciplinary studies. The overall publication profile including preclinical, human (experimental/clinical) and translational papers was almost similar in Eur. J. Pain and PAIN®. Significance: The bibliometric analysis of a pain journal provides information on which specific areas of research are published, how this may have changed over the years and how a journal is positioned compared with other journals in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: We aimed to describe daily restraint practices and the factors which influence their use, from an outsider's perspective., Background: A reduction in restraint use is recommended in health care. However, somatic acute care hospital settings currently lack effective reduction strategies. Thus far, hospital restraint practice is described in terms of quantitative assessments and the 'insider' view of healthcare professionals. However, as factors such as routine or personal beliefs seem to play a relevant role in restraint use, these approaches might be incomplete and biased., Design: A qualitative observation study design was employed., Methods: Fieldwork with unstructured participant observation was conducted at a department of geriatrics and a department of intensive care in Switzerland between November 2019 and January 2020. Data were recorded as field notes. The analysis was conducted iteratively in two coding cycles using descriptive coding followed by pattern coding. We adhered to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR)., Results: A total of 67 hours of observation were conducted. We found that daily restraint practice can be described in three categories: the context in which restraints are used, the decision-making process on the use and continued use of restraints, and the avoidance of restraint use. Most processes and decisions seem to take place unconsciously, and their standardisation is weak., Conclusions: The lack of standardisation favours intuitive and unreflective action, which is prompted by what is also known as heuristic decision-making. To transform daily restraint practice, a technical solution that leads restraint management in line with ethical and legal requirements might be useful., Relevance to Clinical Practice: The outsider perspective has allowed daily restraint practice to be described independently of existing routines, departmental cultures and personal attitudes. This is important to comprehensively describe restrictive practices, which is a prerequisite for the development of effective restraint reduction strategies., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aim: To describe the experiences of patients and relatives with any form of restraints in somatic acute care hospitals., Design: Qualitative explorative design., Methods: Qualitative research methods were used. Participants were recruited through clinical nursing specialists in participating departments of a university hospital between June and August 2020. Individual interviews were conducted and analysed using content analysis., Results: Four interviews with patients and five interviews with relatives were conducted with a mean duration of 25 min. The following three topics emerged in the analysis as important: What was perceived as restraints, Assessing the experiences of restraint use on a continuum, and Lack of information about restrictive measures. Patients and relatives defined restraint very broadly and assessed the experiences of restraint on a continuum from positive to negative, with a more critical view from patients. Relatives clearly seemed to approve of the use of restraints in acute care hospitals because it provided them with a sense of security. In general, there seemed to be a lack of information about the use of restraint and its effects on patients and relatives alike., Conclusion: The involvement of patients and relatives in the decision-making process about restraint use seems to be low. Healthcare professionals need to be better educated to be able to pass on adequate information and to involve patients and their relatives adequately in all processes of restraint use. However, when relatives are involved in decision-making as proxies for patients, it is important to consider that patients' and relatives' opinions on restraints may differ., Patient or Public Contribution: Patients and relatives agreed to participate in the study and shared their experiences with us., (© 2023 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

"If certain tensions are present, it affects everyone": Multiple case study on processes of coercive measures. Abstract: Background: There is an urgent need to reduce coercive measures in psychiatric care. The interaction between patients, nursing staff and medical professionals influences the course of a coercive measure. Aim: The interaction before, during and after coercive measures will be described and compared from the perspectives of the parties involved in order to identify a potential for prevention and quality improvement. Methods: A multiple case study of three coercive measures was conducted, each consisting of interviews with three participants, case documentation, photos, and observation. The data material was analysed thematically with subsequent single-case and cross-case analysis. Results: The thematic analysis revealed three areas of tension: tension and relaxation, humaneness and dehumanisation, as well as safety and autonomy. The stage before coercion was characterised by interacting tensions and the influence of emotions and stress. In all cases, a verbal communication gap was present. During the coercive measure, the quality of interactions between patients and nurses determined their experience. After coercion, the impacts of the measure on the persons and their relationships as well as reflections were the focus. Conclusions: De-escalation techniques turn out to be a key issue, whereby special attention should be paid to emotional and nonverbal aspects in the future. The results underline the relevance of empathy and respect throughout the process for prevention as well as for quality of care. Debriefings of coercive measures should be conducted routinely.

Problem: Preterm birth is a stressful event. Paternal experiences of having a preterm infant indicate a need for tailored support. However, it is unclear which interventions work best. This review presents the evidence on existing healthcare interventions to support fathers of preterm infants in early parenthood, how effective they are and paternal experiences with the interventions., Eligibility Criteria: The integrative review process of Whittemore and Knafl was used to guide the study. A structured and comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, SweMed+, and Proquest Dissertation & Thesis Global., Sample: A total of 18 qualitative and quantitative studies were included in the review. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess quality., Results: Three overall themes were identified in the analysis: 1) Skin-to-skin contact supported interaction between infant and father, 2) information impacted paternal experiences of stress, anxiety, and development of fatherhood, 3) fathers' relationships with the nurses oscillated between conflict and assistance., Conclusions: Our findings show that targeted interventions could support father-infant interaction and reduce stress among fathers of preterm infants., Implications: Fathers of preterm infants rely on nurses to support their engagement in early parenthood, while nurses facilitate the interventions that engage the fathers. It is also essential to develop a culture within the neonatal intensive care unit that encourages the presence of fathers and enhances educational nursing strategies for supporting fathers of preterm infants during early parenthood., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted profoundly on the wellbeing and social interactions of the world population, and all dimensions of sexual health were potentially affected by globally implemented preventive measures., Objectives: The scoping review aimed to compile existing research investigating possible effects of COVID-19 lockdowns on adult sexual health, that is, sexual behavior, functioning, and satisfaction. Further, studies on the interplay between mental health and sexual well-being during the pandemic were reviewed., Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with guidelines established by the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist. On October 11-12, 2021, PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, Cinahl, Cochrane, Sociological Abstracts and Scopus were systematically searched for relevant peer-reviewed papers employing quantitative methodology. Additionally, unpublished ("grey") research studies on the subject were retrieved. The screening, data extraction, and analysis of evidence were conducted by 4 independent reviewers using an iterative approach., Results: Based on 107 studies included, the scoping review showed that the pandemic had had a wide impact on all dimensions of sexual health. Except for solo sex activities, mainly negative COVID-19 implications were identified, although findings were, in sum, characterized by complexity and unpredictability. Thus, sexual behavior, functioning, and satisfaction during the pandemic appeared to be mitigated by a broad range of sociodemographic and contextual factors. Finally, sexual health seemed deeply entwined with overall mental health., Conclusion: The scoping review revealed a broad range of COVID-19-related effects on sexual health, including an overall decline in partnered sex and a concurrent increase in solo sex activities. It also emphasized a need for future research to shed light on possible long-term consequences of the pandemic in various population groups and on all aspects of sexual health., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022, International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier.)

Biological systems have the capacity to not only build and robustly maintain complex structures but also to rapidly break up and rebuild such structures. Here, using primitive societies of Polistes wasps, we show that both robust specialization and rapid plasticity are emergent properties of multi-scale dynamics. We combine theory with experiments that, after perturbing the social structure by removing the queen, correlate time-resolved multi-omics with video recordings. We show that the queen-worker dimorphism relies on the balance between the development of a molecular queen phenotype in all insects and colony-scale inhibition of this phenotype via asymmetric interactions. This allows Polistes to be stable against intrinsic perturbations of molecular states while reacting plastically to extrinsic cues affecting the whole society. Long-term stability of the social structure is reinforced by dynamic DNA methylation. Our study provides a general principle of how both specialization and plasticity can be achieved in biological systems. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests W.R. and S.B. are consultants and shareholders of Cambridge Epigenetix., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The focus was to explore the perceptions and experiences of healthcare workers with respect to the use of restraints in acute care hospitals., Design: The study followed a qualitative design., Methods: Three topic-based focus group interviews were conducted, involving 19 participants from the fields of nursing, physical therapy and medicine. For data collection and analysis, the method of mapping techniques for rapid qualitative data analysis was used. After discussing and validating the individual mind maps, all data were condensed to identify the key findings., Results: Participants described restraints as safety measures for the patients. The implementation of most restraints was led by nurses. The use of restraints differed significantly, even in the interprofessional team. Attitudes and experiences were the main determinants for restraint use. Nurses asked for more discussion about restraints in the team, for more support at an interprofessional level and for better guidelines to help with the decision-making process., (© 2022 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: A reduction in restraint use is recommended for all health care settings. For this purpose, local or national quality measurement and improvement initiatives have been implemented in various countries, primarily in the mental health and long-term care settings. However, restraints are also frequently used in the somatic acute care hospital setting, and strong variations in their prevalence rates have been reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to reanalyse existing data on restraint use in Swiss hospitals in order to assess the potential of restraint use as a national quality indicator for the hospital setting., Methods: Using a cross-sectional, multicentre design, data were collected between 2016 and 2018 as part of the ANQ"s (Swiss National Association for Quality Development in Hospitals and Clinics) "falls and pressure ulcers" national prevalence measurement in acute care hospitals in Switzerland. The hospitals measured restraint use on a voluntary basis in addition to falls and pressure ulcers. All medical specialities and patients aged 18 and over who gave their informed consent were included in the measurement. Descriptive and multilevel regression analyses were performed using institutional, ward and patient-level data relating to restraint use., Results: The sample consisted of 18,938 inpatients from 55 hospitals. The 30-day prevalence rate of patients with at least one restraint was 10.2% (n = 1933). The risk-adjusted hospital comparison revealed that hospitals in Switzerland differ significantly in their restraint use, even after adjusting for patient characteristics. In total, 10 hospitals used restraints significantly less and 12 used them significantly more than the national average., Conclusion: Restraint use varies significantly between Swiss hospitals: 40% of all hospitals used restraints either significantly more or significantly less often than the average. In comparison to the other quality indicators, this is a very high value, indicating potential for improvements in the quality of care. Since restraint use is associated not only with quality of care, but also with human rights, these large differences seem questionable from a professional, ethical and legal point of view. Clearer and binding regulations in combination with monitoring and benchmarking of restraint use in hospitals, such as with a national quality indicator, seem necessary. These would help to ensure that restraint use is in alignment with professional values, as well as ethical and legal requirements.

Aims and Objectives: To explore the perception and issues regarding the ability of nursing teams to manage patient and visitor aggression in clinical practice, from ward managers' perspectives., Background: Patient and visitor aggression causes substantial human suffering and financial damage in healthcare organisations. Nurse managers are key persons for developing their teams' efficacy in dealing with patient and visitor aggression. However, their perception of patient and visitor aggression in clinical practice has rarely been explored, and issues relating to team management in this context are underinvestigated., Design: A secondary, qualitative thematic analysis of focus group interviews., Methods: Five focus groups consisting of a total of 30 ward and deputy ward managers from five Swiss hospitals were interviewed with audio recording between December 2015-January 2016. Since the recordings were rich in additional content exceeding the primary research question, a secondary analysis was conducted to answer the questions: (1) Which factors influence team efficacy in regard to patient and visitor aggression? (2) What are the implications for nurse leadership? The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research was followed in the conduct and reporting of this study., Results: Three themes emerged from our analysis: (a) contextual factors (organisational safety culture and collaboration), (b) influences from within the team (team culture, nursing aggression and general management principles) and (c) implications for nurse leadership., Conclusions: Managing patient and visitor aggression is a challenge for nurse managers. A team's ability to prevent, de-escalate and debrief after PVA incidents is an important leadership task in which ward managers are neither supported in nor trained for within their organisations., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Nurse managers in general hospitals require more support to enable their teams to cope effectively with patient and visitor aggression. Policy and guideline implementation need to be prioritised., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Parents at risk for preterm birth frequently receive prematurity education when the mother is hospitalized for premature labor. Parental ability to learn and consider the information is limited because of the stress of the hospitalization. A promising approach is dissemination of information to at-risk parents before the birth hospitalization., Purpose: This article describes formative research used to develop smartphone-based prematurity education app for parents at-risk for preterm birth., Methods: Stakeholders were parents with a prior preterm birth. Using stakeholder meeting transcripts, constant comparative analysis was used to reflect upon the parental voice., Results: The parents named the app, Preemie Prep for Parents (P3). Parent perspectives revealed desire for information in the following 5 categories. (1) Power in knowledge and control: parents want autonomy when learning information that may influence medical decision-making. (2) Content and framing of information: they desire information from a trusted resource that helps promote prenatal health and provides neonatal intensive care information. (3) Displaying content: parents want personalization, push notifications, photographs displaying fetal development, and easy-to-understand statistics. (4) Providing information without causing harm: they desire non-value-laden information, and they do not support "gamifying" the app to enhance utilization. (5) Decision making: parents want information that would benefit their decision making without assuming that parents have a certain outlook on life or particular values., Implications for Practice: These findings support the need for the P3 App to aid in decision making when parents experience preterm birth., Implications for Research: The findings highlight the need to study the effects of smartphone-based prematurity education on medical decision-making.

Background: In 2012, Washington and Colorado became the first U.S. states to legalise recreational marijuana. By 2016, eight states and the District of Columbia had legalised recreational marijuana, with more expected to consider it in 2018. Despite this trend, little academic research explains what drives ballot-initiative vote choice on marijuana legalisation., Methods: This paper uses a pre-election random sample voter survey to examine the individual characteristics that correlated with Washington voters' support for legal recreational marijuana., Results: We find that voting on marijuana ballot initiatives largely reflects public opinion about marijuana and is particularly shaped voters' political ideology, party affiliation, religious affiliation and practice, and education. Notably, we find that those reporting experiences (i.e., someone they know) with the criminal justice system are more supportive of legalisation than those who do not., Conclusion: We conclude that marijuana legalisation voting behavior generally aligns with public opinion on the issue. However, one key aspect of Washington's legalisation campaign-the criminal injustices of marijuana illegality-helped shape Washington state voting behavior. Further research is needed to examine if, when, and in what contexts criminal justice campaign themes are likely to strengthen or undermine future states' marijuana legalisation efforts., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

With an incidence of 68 new cases per 100,000 people per year, an estimated total number of up to 350,000 new non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases are diagnosed each year in the European Union. Up to 10% of NSCLC patients are eligible for therapy with novel ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) inhibitors, as they have been diagnosed with a mutation in the gene coding for ALK. The ALK inhibitor therapy costs add up to approx. 9,000 € per patient per month, with treatment durations of up to one year. Recent studies have shown that up to 10% of ALK cases are misdiagnosed by nearly 40% of pathologic investigations. The current state-of-the-art ALK diagnostic procedure comprises a Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH) assay accompanied by ALK inhibitor therapy (Crizotinib). The therapy success ranges between a full therapy failure and the complete remission of the tumor (i.e., healing), but the biomedical and systemic reasons for this range remain unknown so far. It appears that the variety of different ALK mutations and variants contributes to the discrepancy in therapy results. Although the major known fusion partner for ALK in NSCLC is the Echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4), of which a minimum of 15 variants have been described, an additional 20 further ALK fusion variants with other genes are known, of which three have already been found in NSCLC. We hypothesize that the wide variety of known (and unknown) ALK mutations is associated with a variable therapy success, thus rendering current companion diagnostic procedures (FISH) and therapy (Crizotinib) only partly applicable in ALK-related NSCLC treatment. In cell culture, differing sensitivity to Crizotinib has been shown for some fusion variants, but it is as yet unknown which of them are really biologically active in cancer patients, and how the respective variants affect the response to Crizotinib treatment. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that translocated ALK genes can also be observed in healthy tissues and are not compulsorily associated with tumors. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that even for the known variants of ALK fusion genes, the biological function is not known for all variants, and that no information is available on the homogeneity of ALK fusion variants within a single tumor. These facts, in concert with data for ALK mutation prevalence and therapy outcomes of a German cohort of NSCLC patients, support the hypothesis that, by using novel companion diagnostic tools in combination with therapy outcome predictions, massive cost savings could be possible in European Health Care systems without a loss of patient care., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

Insect pollinators such as bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are in global decline. A major cause of this decline is habitat loss due to agricultural intensification. A range of global and national initiatives aimed at restoring pollinator habitats and populations have been developed. However, the success of these initiatives depends critically upon understanding how landscape change affects key population-level parameters, such as survival between lifecycle stages, in target species. This knowledge is lacking for bumblebees, because of the difficulty of systematically finding and monitoring colonies in the wild. We used a combination of habitat manipulation, land-use and habitat surveys, molecular genetics and demographic and spatial modelling to analyse between-year survival of family lineages in field populations of three bumblebee species. Here we show that the survival of family lineages from the summer worker to the spring queen stage in the following year increases significantly with the proportion of high-value foraging habitat, including spring floral resources, within 250-1,000 m of the natal colony. This provides evidence for a positive impact of habitat quality on survival and persistence between successive colony cycle stages in bumblebee populations. These findings also support the idea that conservation interventions that increase floral resources at a landscape scale and throughout the season have positive effects on wild pollinators in agricultural landscapes.

Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are important pollinators of both crops and wildflowers. Their contribution to this essential ecosystem service has been threatened over recent decades by changes in land use, which have led to declines in their populations. In order to design effective conservation measures, it is important to understand the effects of variation in landscape composition and structure on the foraging activities of worker bumble bees. This is because the viability of individual colonies is likely to be affected by the trade-off between the energetic costs of foraging over greater distances and the potential gains from access to additional resources. We used field surveys, molecular genetics, and fine resolution remote sensing to estimate the locations of wild bumble bee nests and to infer foraging distances across a 20-km² agricultural landscape in southern England, UK. We investigated five species, including the rare B. ruderatus and ecologically similar but widespread B. hortorum. We compared worker foraging distances between species and examined how variation in landscape composition and structure affected foraging distances at the colony level. Mean worker foraging distances differed significantly between species. Bombus terrestris, B. lapidarius, and B. ruderatus exhibited significantly greater mean foraging distances (551, 536, and 501 m, respectively) than B. hortorum and B. pascuorum (336 and 272 m, respectively). There was wide variation in worker foraging distances between colonies of the same species, which was in turn strongly influenced by the amount and spatial configuration of available foraging habitats. Shorter foraging distances were found for colonies where the local landscape had high coverage and low fragmentation of semi-natural vegetation, including managed agri-environmental field margins. The strength of relationships between different landscape variables and foraging distance varied between species, for example the strongest relationship for B. ruderatus being with floral cover of preferred forage plants. Our findings suggest that management of landscape composition and configuration has the potential to reduce foraging distances across a range of bumble bee species. There is thus potential for improvements in the design and implementation of landscape management options, such as agri-environment schemes, aimed at providing foraging habitat for bumble bees and enhancing crop pollination services.

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats., Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits., Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation.

Bumble bees are essential pollinators that provide critical ecosystem services yet, studies are documenting global species declines while recognizing those declines may be understated due to insufficient baseline data. This study investigates bumble bee species richness and abundance across urban and natural sites in Prince Edward Island, Canada, focusing on Charlottetown (urban) and Prince Edward Island National Park (natural). We conducted fieldwork in August and September 2019 using a non-invasive photographic survey technique. We used published keys and sought feedback from citizen science platforms like iNaturalist and Bumble Bee Watch to verify species identification. Our results revealed nine bumble bee species, with Bombus impatiens being the most abundant and Bombus perplexus the rarest. Species richness was higher in natural sites, while urban sites demonstrated moderate levels of bumble bee diversity. Additionally, our findings suggest that sites containing a mix of natural and human-cultivated plant types, predominantly found in our urban study sites, may support higher diversity and evenness levels than those of homogenized plant types (natural or human-cultivated). This research illustrates the practicality of photographic surveys to document the species richness and diversity of bumble bees while avoiding disturbance to populations in urban and natural habitats of Prince Edward Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media resources are a central component of families' learning ecologies in the U.S. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the information ecosystem was flooded with content about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and personal protection measures. However, much of the coverage came through channels for adult audiences, and the 'infodemic' added to the difficulty of interpreting information from media sources. This article presents an analysis of the media learning ecologies of 109 families of 5–11-year-old children in the United States and describes how asynchronous modes of joint media engagement facilitated learning about Covid-19 during the early months of the pandemic. Findings call for a broader conceptualization of joint media engagement for learning in technologically saturated families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: We conducted an investigation into the foraging behavior of Dinoponera quadriceps, which is an ant species that forages solitarily. The ants were subjected to a range of foraging scenarios that included varying distances to food sources, differing prey sizes, and varying capture success rates. The findings revealed that these ants display a significant preference for returning to previously successful foraging sites, irrespective of the distance, prey size, or reward rate. Conversely, in instances where the ants were unsuccessful in capturing prey, they exhibited a heightened tendency to explore new foraging areas. When searching for food, animals often make decisions about where to go, how long to stay in a foraging area, and whether to return to the most recently visited spot. These decisions can be enhanced by cognitive traits and adjusted based on previous experience. In social insects, such as ants, foraging efficiency has an impact at both the individual and colony levels. The present study investigated the effect of the distance to, capture success, food size, and the reward rate on decisions of where to forage in Dinoponera quadriceps, a ponerine ant that forages solitarily and makes individual foraging decisions, in laboratory studies. We also investigated the influence of learning on the workers' performance over successive trips to search for food by measuring the patch residence time in each foraging trip. Four scenarios were created that differed in the food reward rates, the food size offered, and the distances from the colony to the food site. Our work demonstrated that as a general rule, the D. quadriceps workers return to the place where a prey item was found on the previous trip, regardless of the distance, food size, and reward rate. When the ants did not capture prey, they were more likely to change their route to search for food. Our results also indicated a learning process for the routes of exploration, as well as the food site conditions for exploration. After repeated trips, the foragers reduced the patch residence time in areas where they did not capture food and quickly changed foraging areas, increasing their foraging efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines copper thin films under tensile stress and their shape and percentage change in electrical resistance (PCER) as a function of applied strain. Copper films of 100 and 200 nm thickness were sputtered onto polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates and were then sequentially stretched to examine how film thickness affects strain-induced morphological changes and electrical resistance. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to track crack patterns, and electrical resistance was monitored throughout tensile testing. Thinner films (100 nm) had quick crack initiation and propagation, leading to an increase in PCER under strain, while thicker films (200 nm) had more gradual morphological and electrical resistance changes. This differential reaction demonstrates the importance of film thickness in mechanical deformation and strain sensitivity, which could affect the design of flexible electronic devices that require mechanical durability and reliable electrical performance. These findings will help to optimize film thickness for stretchable sensors and wearable electronics to balance strain sensitivity and morphological degradation. This study will help designers and users of sensors, stretchable electronics, and other devices that require mechanical durability and electrical performance to understand the relationship between mechanical deformation and electrical properties in thin films. This paper aligns with the ninth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Target 9.5: Enhance Research and Upgrade Industrial Technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although much research has been devoted to how political interest is related to different political outcomes, little is known about its influence on attitudes toward immigration. In line with deliberative theory, political interest should facilitate greater exposure to various perspectives via political discussions and other forms of political engagement that, in turn, should contribute to more positive attitude toward those with differing views or backgrounds. Using data from the European Social Survey, including 39 countries across 10 survey rounds 2002–2021, this study shows that political interest is positively related to immigrant acceptance. However, there is moderation effect of conservative values. Being politically interested is associated with a higher probability of holding pro-immigrant attitudes among weak conservatives, while there is no significant association among strong conservatives. This finding can be explained by the motivated cognition theory, which states that individuals tend to seek out and pay more attention to information that supports their strong pre-existing ideologies. For individuals with ideologies that predispose them to adopt very negative attitudes toward immigration (strong conservatives), being politically interested might entail a greater exposure and attention to ideology-congruent perspectives and, as a result, confirmation of initial predispositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) stands as the prevailing chronic airway ailment, characterized by chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Current medications fall short in treatment of these diseases, underscoring the urgent need for effective therapy. Prior research indicated immunoproteasome inhibition alleviated various inflammatory diseases by modulating immune cell functions. However, its therapeutic potential in COPD remains largely unexplored. Here, an elevated expression of immunoproteasome subunits LMP2 and LMP7 in the macrophages isolated from mouse with LPS/Elastase‐induced emphysema and polarized macrophages in vitro is observed. Subsequently, intranasal administration of the immunoproteasome‐specific inhibitor ONX‐0914 significantly mitigated COPD‐associated airway inflammation and improved lung function in mice by suppressing macrophage polarization. Additionally, ONX‐0914 capsulated in PLGA nanoparticles exhibited more pronounced therapeutic effect on COPD than naked ONX‐0914 by targeting immunoproteasome in polarized macrophages. Mechanistically, ONX‐0914 activated autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are not attribute to the ONX‐0914 mediated suppression of macrophage polarization. Intriguingly, ONX‐0914 inhibited M1 polarization through the nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor‐1 (NRF1) and NRF2‐P62 axis, while the suppression of M2 polarization is regulated by inhibiting the transcription of interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4). In summary, the findings suggest that targeting immunoproteasome in macrophages holds promise as a therapeutic strategy for COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breastfeeding offers significant health benefits for both mothers and infants, particularly preterm infants, where it serves as a therapeutic strategy to reduce mortality and morbidities. However, breastfeeding practices are threatened globally by societal norms and systemic barriers at both micro and macro levels. This paper explores the complex interplay of these barriers and facilitators, focusing on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) setting. Preterm infants face specific feeding challenges due to immature physiological functions, yet evidence supports that strategies like cue-based feeding and individualized care can enhance feeding success and health outcomes. For mothers, initiating and maintaining lactation after preterm birth is critical but challenging, with early lactation support and achieving sufficient milk volume being key predictors of success. Partner support significantly influences lactation outcomes, although more inclusive research is needed for diverse family structures. In the NICU, a multidisciplinary approach to lactation care is vital, emphasizing the need for experienced staff and family-centered practices. NICU design, policies promoting parental presence, and adherence to Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative guidelines further support breastfeeding. This paper aims to provide directives for local breastfeeding policies through an integrated approach, considering societal attitudes and healthcare practices. The findings advocate for improved lactation support in NICUs, inclusive language and policies, and further research into diverse familial and gender roles in breastfeeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use changes have threatened populations of many insect pollinators, including bumble bees. Patterns of dispersal and gene flow are key determinants of species' ability to respond to land-use change, but have been little investigated at a fine scale (<10 km) in bumble bees. Using microsatellite markers, we determined the fine-scale spatial genetic structure of populations of four common Bombus species (B. terrestris, B. lapidarius, B. pascuorum and B. hortorum) and one declining species (B. ruderatus) in an agricultural landscape in Southern England, UK. The study landscape contained sown flower patches representing agri-environment options for pollinators. We found that, as expected, the B. ruderatus population was characterized by relatively low heterozygosity, number of alleles and colony density. Across all species, inbreeding was absent or present but weak (FIS  = 0.01-0.02). Using queen genotypes reconstructed from worker sibships and colony locations estimated from the positions of workers within these sibships, we found that significant isolation by distance was absent in B. lapidarius, B. hortorum and B. ruderatus. In B. terrestris and B. pascuorum, it was present but weak; for example, in these two species, expected relatedness of queens founding colonies 1 m apart was 0.02. These results show that bumble bee populations exhibit low levels of spatial genetic structure at fine spatial scales, most likely because of ongoing gene flow via widespread queen dispersal. In addition, the results demonstrate the potential for agri-environment scheme conservation measures to facilitate fine-scale gene flow by creating a more even distribution of suitable habitats across landscapes., (© 2014 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Monitoring insect genetic diversity and population structure has never been more important to manage the biodiversity crisis. Citizen science has become an increasingly popular tool to gather ecological data affordably across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. To date, most insect-related citizen science initiatives have focused on occurrence and abundance data. Here, we show that poorly preserved insect samples collected by citizen scientists can yield population genetic information, providing new insights into population connectivity, genetic diversity and dispersal behaviour of little-studied insects. We analysed social wasps collected by participants of the Big Wasp Survey, a citizen science project that aims to map the diversity and distributions of vespine wasps in the UK. Although Vespula vulgaris is a notorious invasive species around the world, it remains poorly studied in its native range. We used these data to assess the population genetic structure of the common yellowjacket V. vulgaris at different spatial scales. We found a single, panmictic population across the UK with little evidence of population genetic structuring; the only possible limit to gene flow is the Irish sea, resulting in significant differentiation between the Northern Ireland and mainland UK populations. Our results suggest that queens disperse considerable distances from their natal nests to found new nests, resulting in high rates of gene flow and thus little differentiation across the landscape. Citizen science data has made it feasible to perform this study, and we hope that it will encourage future projects to adopt similar practices in insect population monitoring., (© 2023 The Authors. Insect Molecular Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Entomological Society.)

Climate has long been suggested to affect population genetic structures of eusocial insect societies. For instance, Hamilton [Journal of Theoretical Biology7 (1964) 17] discusses whether temperate and tropical eusocial insects may show differences in population-level genetic structure and viscosity, and how this might relate to differences in the degree of synchrony in their life cycles or modes of nest founding. Despite the importance of Hamilton's 1964 papers, this specific idea has not been tested in actual populations of wasps, probably due to the paucity of studies on tropical species. Here, we compare colony and population genetic structures in two species of primitively eusocial paper wasps with contrasting ecologies: the tropical species Polistes canadensis and the temperate species P. dominulus. Our results provide important clarifications of Hamilton's discussion. Specifically, we show that the genetic structures of the temperate and tropical species were very similar, indicating that seasonality does not greatly affect population viscosity or inbreeding. For both species, the high genetic differentiation between nests suggests strong selection at the nest level to live with relatives, whereas low population viscosity and low genetic differentiation between nest aggregations might reflect balancing selection to disperse, avoiding competition with relatives. Overall, our study suggests no prevalence of seasonal constraints of the life cycle in affecting the population genetic structure of eusocial paper wasps. These conclusions are likely to apply also to other primitively eusocial insects, such as halictine bees. They also highlight how selection for a kin structure that promotes altruism can override potential effects of ecology in eusocial insects.

Nestmate recognition in ants is based on perceived differences in a multi-component blend of hydrocarbons that are present on the insect cuticle. Although supplementation experiments have shown that some classes of hydrocarbons, such as methyl branched alkanes and alkenes, have a salient role in nestmate recognition, there was basically no information available on how ants detect and perceive these molecules. We used a new conditioning procedure to investigate whether individual carpenter ants could associate a given hydrocarbon (linear or methyl-branched alkane) to sugar reward. We then studied perceptual similarity between a hydrocarbon previously associated with sugar and a novel hydrocarbon. Ants learnt all hydrocarbon-reward associations rapidly and with the same efficiency, regardless of the structure of the molecules. Ants could discriminate among a large number of pairs of hydrocarbons, but also generalised. Generalisation depended both on the structure of the molecule and the animal's experience. For linear alkanes, generalisation was observed when the novel molecule was smaller than the conditioned one. Generalisation between pairs of methyl-alkanes was high, while generalisation between hydrocarbons that differed in the presence or absence of a methyl group was low, suggesting that chain length and functional group might be coded independently by the ant olfactory system. Understanding variations in perception of recognition cues in ants is necessary for the general understanding of the mechanisms involved in social recognition processes based on chemical cues., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Social insects offer unique opportunities to test predictions regarding the evolution of cooperation, life histories and communication. Colony founding by groups of unrelated queens, some of which are later killed, may select for selfish reproductive strategies, honest signalling and punishment. Here, we use a brood transfer experiment to test whether cofounding queens of the ant Lasius niger 'selfishly' adjust their productivity when sharing the nest with future competitors. We simultaneously analysed queen cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles to investigate whether queens honestly signal their reproductive output or produce dishonest, manipulative signals, providing a novel test of the evolutionary significance of queen pheromones. Queens produced fewer workers when their colony contained ample brood, but only in the presence of competitors, suggesting selfish conservation of resources. Several CHCs correlated with reproductive maturation, and to a lesser extent with productivity; the same hydrocarbons were more abundant on queens that were not killed, suggesting that workers select productive queens using these chemical cues. Our results highlight the role of honest signalling in the evolution of cooperation: whenever cheaters can be reliably identified, they may incur sanctions that reduce the incentive to be selfish.