bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In-hospital outcomes after SAVR or TAVI in patients with severe aortic stenosis
Authors: Takeji Yasuaki , Taniguchi Tomohiko , Morimoto Takeshi , Shirai Shinichi , Kitai Takeshi , Tabata Hiroyuki , Kitano Kazuki , Ohno Nobuhisa , Murai Ryosuke , Osakada Kohei , Murata Koichiro , Nakai Masanao , Tsuneyoshi Hiroshi , Tada Tomohisa , Amano Masashi , Watanabe Shin , Shiomi Hiroki , Watanabe Hirotoshi , Yoshikawa Yusuke , Nishikawa Ryusuke , Yamamoto Ko , Obayashi Yuki , Toyofuku Mamoru , Tatsushima Shojiro , Kanamori Norio , Miyake Makoto , Nakayama Hiroyuki , Nagao Kazuya , Izuhara Masayasu , Nakatsuma Kenji , Inoko Moriaki , Fujita Takanari , Kimura Masahiro , Ishii Mitsuru , Usami Shunsuke , Sawada Kenichiro , Nakazeki Fumiko , Okabayashi Marie , Shirotani Manabu , Inuzuka Yasutaka , Ando Kenji , Komiya Tatsuhiko , Minatoya Kenji ,   on behalf of the CURRENT AS registry-2 Investigators, Kimura Takeshi
Published: June 2023

There were no data comparing the in-hospital outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with those after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in Japan. Among consecutive patients with severe AS between April 2018 and December 2020 in the CURRENT AS Registry-2, we identified 1714 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (TAVI group: 1134 patients, and SAVR group: 580 patients). Patients in the TAVI group were much older (84.4 versus 73.6 years, P < 0.001) and more often had comorbidities than those in the SAVR group. In-hospital death rate was numerically lower in the TAVI group than in the SAVR group (0.6% versus 2.2%). After excluding patients with dialysis, in-hospital death rate was very low and comparable in the TAVI and SAVR groups (0.6% versus 0.8%). The rates of major bleeding and new-onset atrial fibrillation during index hospitalization were higher after SAVR than after TAVI (72% versus 20%, and 26% versus 4.6%, respectively), while the rate of pacemaker implantation was higher after TAVI than after SAVR (8.1% versus 2.4%). Regarding the echocardiographic data at discharge, the prevalence of patient-prosthesis mismatch was lower in the TAVI group than in the SAVR group (moderate: 9.0% versus 26%, and severe: 2.6% versus 4.8%). In this real-world data in Japan, TAVI compared with SAVR was chosen in much older patients with more comorbidities with severe AS. In-hospital death rate was numerically lower in the TAVI group than in the SAVR group.
Attitudes and Perception of the REFLECT Communication Curriculum for Clinical Oncology Graduate Medical Education
Authors: Laughlin Brady S. , Langley Natalie , Patel Samir H. , Kough Katherine , Ernst Brenda , Ashman Jonathan B. , Rule William G. , Vern-Gross Tamara Z.
Published: June 2023

Communication and interpersonal skills are essential components of oncology patient care. The REFLECT (Respect, Empathy, Facilitate Effective Communication, Listen, Elicit Information, Compassion, and Teach Others) curriculum is a novel framework to improve and refine physician/patient interactions for oncology graduate medical trainees. We seek to evaluate the attitudes and perceptions of the REFLECT communication curriculum among oncology trainees. Seven-question and 8-question Likert scale surveys (1 = not beneficial and 5 = beneficial) were distributed to resident/fellow participants and faculty mentors, respectively. Questions asked trainees and faculty about their perceptions of improvement in communication, handling of stressful situations, the value of the curriculum, and overall impression of the curriculum. Descriptive statistics determined the survey’s baseline characteristics and response rates. Kruskal–Wallis rank sum tests were used to compare the distribution of continuous variables. Thirteen resident/fellow participants completed the participant survey. Six (43.6%) Radiation Oncology trainees and 7 (58.3%) Hematology/Oncology fellows completed the trainee survey. Eight (88.9%) Radiation Oncologists and 1 (11.1%) Medical Oncologist completed the observer survey. Faculty and trainees generally felt that the curriculum increased communication skills. Faculty responded more favorably to the program’s impact on communication skills (median 5.0 vs. 4.0, p = 0.008). Faculty were more assertive about the curriculum’s capabilities to improve a learner’s ability to handle stressful situations (median 5.0 vs. 4.0, p = 0.003). Additionally, faculty had a more favorable overall impression of the REFLECT curriculum than the residents/fellows (median 5.0 vs. 4.0, p < 0.001). Radiation Oncology residents felt more strongly that the curriculum enhanced their ability to handle stressful topics, compared to Heme/Onc fellows (median 4.5 vs. 3.0, range 1–5, p = 0.379). Radiation Oncology trainees felt more consistently that the workshops improved their communication skills, compared to Heme/Onc fellows (median 4.5 vs. 3.5, range 1–5, p = 0.410). The overall impression between Rad Onc resident and Heme/Onc fellows was similar (median 4.0, p = 0.586). Conclusions: Overall, the REFLECT curriculum enhanced communication skills of trainees. Oncology trainees and faculty physicians feel that the curriculum was beneficial. As interactive skills and communication is critical to build positive interactions, further work is needed to improve the REFLECT curriculum.
Canis MitoSNP database: a functional tool useful for comparative analyses of human and canine mitochondrial genomes
Authors: Kowal Krzysztof , Tkaczyk-Wlizło Angelika , Jusiak Marcin , Grzybowska-Szatkowska Ludmiła , Ślaska Brygida
Published: June 2023

Canis MitoSNP is a tool allowing assignment of each mitochondrial genomic position a corresponding position in the mitochondrial gene and in the structure of tRNA, rRNA, and protein. The main aim of this bioinformatic tool was to use data from other bioinformatic tools (TMHMM, SOPMA, tRNA-SCAN, RNAfold, ConSurf) for dog and human mitochondrial genes in order to shorten the time necessary for the analysis of the whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) as well as amino acid and protein analyses. Each position in the canine mitochondrial genome is assigned a position in genes, in codons, an amino acid position in proteins, or a position in tRNA or rRNA molecules. Therefore, a user analysing changes in the canine and human mitochondrial genome does not need to extract the sequences of individual genes from the mitochondrial genome for analysis and there is no need to rewrite them into amino acid sequences to assess whether the change is synonymous or nonsynonymous. Canis mitoSNP allows the comparison between the human and canine mitochondrial genomes as well. The Clustal W alignment of the dog and human mitochondrial DNA reference sequences for each gene obtained from GenBank (NC_002008.4 dog, NC_012920.1 human) was performed in order to determine which position in the canine mitochondrial genome corresponds to the position in the human mitochondrial genome. This function may be useful for the comparative analyses. The tool is available at: https://canismitosnp.pl.
Association of albumin, globulin and albumin/globulin ratio with renal injury in type 2 diabetic nephropathy patients
Authors: Liu Dao-qin , Fu Xia , Yang Cheng-cheng , Zhou Ru , Zhao Hong-jing , Zhuang Ling-dan , Wu Qi-wen
Published: June 2023

Background

Studies have shown that albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) can assess the extent of kidney damage in type 2 diabetic nephropathy (T2DN). However, there is a lack of similar clinical data to support this.

Objectives

This study sought to inquire into the correlation of albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB) and albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) with renal injury in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 82 patients with T2DM (Control group) and 110 patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy (T2DN) who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College from October 2019 to April 2022. T2DN patients were classified into mild renal impairment group (n = 75) and moderate renal impairment group (n = 35) according to urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER). Then, the general data of all groups were compared. Furthermore, Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation of serum ALB, GLB and AGR with UAER in the three groups. A receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was utilized to evaluate the diagnostic value of ALB, GLB and AGR for moderate renal injury in T2DN patients.

Results

There were significant differences in course of disease, history of hypertension, levels of fasting plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin among the three groups. Besides, compared with the Control group, the levels of ALB and AGR were lower while GLB levels were higher in the mild and moderate renal impairment group. In particular, ALB and AGR levels were lower in the moderate renal impairment group relative to the mild renal impairment group, but the GLB levels exhibited no significant difference between the two groups. According to the results of Pearson correlation analysis, a negative correlation of ALB and AGR levels with UAER was revealed in T2DN patients. ROC curves displayed the area under the curve (AUC) of ALB (0.88) and AGR (0.71) predicting moderate renal injury in T2DM patients (p < 0.05). However, GLB has no significant diagnostic value for moderate renal injury in patients with T2DN.

Conclusion

The course of disease, hypertension and glycemic control may affect the occurrence and development of T2DN. ALB and AGR are of high value in predicting renal injury in patients with T2DN and can serve as the foundation for the clinical diagnosis of the condition.
Historiographical approaches to biogeography: a critical review
Authors: Bueno-Hernández Alfredo , Barahona Ana , J. Morrone Juan , Espinosa David , Juárez-Barrera Fabiola
Published: June 2023

We performed a critical review of the historiographical studies on biogeography. We began with the pioneering works of Augustin and Alphonse de Candolle. Then, we analyzed the historical accounts of biogeography developed by (1) Martin Fichman and his history on the extensionism-permanentism debate; (2) Gareth Nelson and his critique of the Neo-Darwinian historiography of biogeography; (3) Ernst Mayr, with his dispersalist viewpoint; (4) Alan Richardson, who wrote a microhistory on the biogeographic model constructed by Darwin; (5) Michael Paul Kinch and the ideas discussed in the 19th century about the geographical distribution of living beings; (6) Janet Browne, who highlighted the importance of the pre-Darwinian naturalists; (7) Peter Bowler, who focused mainly on the influence of paleontology on biogeography; (8) James Larson, who looked into the practices of the naturalists of Northern Europe in the late 18th century; and (9) Malte Ebach, who like Larson, was more interested in analysing the practices rather than the ideas of naturalists who studied the geographical distribution of organisms. Finally, these works are compared with each other. There has not been a dominant paradigm in the construction of historical narratives of biogeography; however, they provide a useful context for understanding problems of biogeography that continue to be debated to this day.
Spatial variation of physical and mechanical properties of tailings under different rainfall intensities and the interaction pattern
Authors: Nie Wen , Li Chenxi , Hu Jingwen , Saffari Pooya , Wang Wensong , Luo Minghua
Published: June 2023

With the continuous mining, a huge amount of mine waste has accumulated in tailing dams in China. The increasing frequency of abnormal rainfall in China poses a significant threat to the stability of tailings dams. It is important to study spatial variation of physical and mechanical properties of tailings for the process of dam destabilization due to rainfall. The Luomukeng tailings dam, Jiangxi province, China, was selected as the research object and the changes of physical parameters of tailings at different spatial locations under different rainfall intensities and influence on the tailing’s mechanical properties were studied. The correlations between the parameters were analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. The results showed that rainfall led to particle migration, with a high number of fine particles repositioning. The greater the intensity of rainfall, the more significant the migration of particles, the more obvious the changes of physical and mechanical properties of tailings. Based on Spearman correlation analysis results, it was obtained that the change of inhomogeneity coefficient of tailings has the strongest effect on cohesion, and the change of water content has the strongest effect on friction angle.
Impact of composition and salinity on swelling and gel strength of poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) preformed particle gel
Authors: Ben Ali Ahmed , Elaf Reem , Saad Mohammed , Hussein Ibnelwaleed A. , Bai Baojun
Published: June 2023

The effects of various material
compositions and reservoir environments on the ultimate strength and swelling kinetics of a commercial preformed particle gel (PPG) have been investigated. This study used different ratios of acrylamide and acrylic acid copolymers with a specific crosslinker concentration. Results have indicated that increasing the acrylic acid proportion enhances the PPGs’ ability to swell but weakens their network structure. In contrast, increasing the crosslinker content decreases the swelling ratio and increases the gel strength. The highest equilibrium swelling capacity among the six preformed particle gel samples was obtained for PPG2, which has the highest acrylic acid amount and the lowest crosslinker content, with a swelling ratio of 2400 g/g in deionized water and 59.8 g/g in brine 1 (67535.8 mg/l). On the contrary, PPG5, with the lowest acrylic acid and highest crosslinker content, has a swelling capacity of 239 g/g and more than 17 g/g in distilled and brine 1, respectively. Yet, PPG5 has the highest swollen gel strength of 615.5 Pa in deionized water and 3344 Pa in brine 1. The PPGs’ swelling ratios showed stepwise improvements along with increasing temperature, notably after 50 °C, yet, the storage modulus (G′) was negatively affected. The PPGs revealed the highest swelling behavior in pH 6–8, decreasing dramatically in more acidic and basic conditions. The swelling ratios of the PPGs in brine 1 at 50 °C were between 12 and 32 g/g, having strengths in the range of 566–5508 Pa, depending on the crosslinker ratio. The PPGs also demonstrated the ability to compete with other commercial PPGs as they have shown physical and thermal stability when aging at 50 °C, specifically those with high crosslinker content (PPG5).
Trait-Anxious People Take Longer to Search for Happy Faces in the Presence of Neutral and Fearful Distractors
Authors: Tipura Eda , Souto David , Fox Elaine
Published: June 2023

A large body of evidence suggests that processing of affective information is typically disrupted in anxiety. It has also been hypothesized that anxious individuals are less able to evaluate contextual cues and to respond in an adaptive way to stress. In the present study, 25 participants (16 females; 9 males) scoring high (scores of 45 or above) and 26 participants (13 females; 13 males) scoring low (scores of 35 and below) on a standardized measure of trait anxiety performed an emotion search task to investigate attentional biases when the task provides an explicit emotional context. An emotional context was set in each block by asking participants to look as quickly as possible at a face expressing a specific emotion, while eye movements were being recorded. On each trial, two faces appeared, one of them expressing the target emotion and the other one expressing a distractor emotion. High trait-anxious participants showed slower response times (time to look at the instructed emotion), regardless of the affective context, compared to the control group. Additionally, we found slower responses to happy faces (positive context) in the anxious group in the presence of neutral and fearful distractors. Cognitive control may therefore be disrupted in anxiety, as anxious people take longer to process (search for) happy faces, presumably because attentional resources are drawn by neutral and fearful distractors. Those differences were not observed in a simple reaction times task, which suggests that attentional biases, and not differential processing of low-level facial features, are responsible for those differences.
Artificial Bone Graft Substitutes for Curettage of Benign and Low-Grade Malignant Bone Tumors: Clinical and Radiological Experience with Cerasorb
Authors: Wittig Ulrike Susanne , Friesenbichler Jörg , Liegl-Atzwanger Bernadette , Igrec Jasminka , Andreou Dimosthenis , Leithner Andreas , Scheipl Susanne
Published: June 2023

Background

Artificial bone graft substitutes (ABGS) for curettage of bone tumors are becoming increasingly popular. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to determine the efficacy of the ABGS Cerasorb (Curasan-AG, Kleinostheim, Germany), a beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP), concerning resorption profile, bone healing, and remodeling after surgery and to evaluate potential complications.

Methods

Forty-three patients suffering from benign and low-grade malignant bone tumors were treated with curettage and refilling of the bony cavity using the ABGS Cerasorb between 2018 and 2021 and included in the final analysis. Clinical follow-up exams with X-rays in two planes were performed 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery.

Results

After a mean follow-up period of 14.6 months, radiological consolidation following curettage was observed in all patients. Total resorption was observed in 16.3% of patients; in the other 83.7%, resorption was partial. In four patients, of whom two had a tumor in the distal femur and two in the humeral diaphysis, fractures occurred within 6 weeks after primary surgery.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the beta-TCP Cerasorb seems to be a reliable bone graft substitute with low complication rates and is a suitable alternative to autologous bone grafts or allografts. Nonetheless, it shows a tendency of delayed resorption.

Level of Evidence

III; retrospective cohort study.
On the Existence and Multiplicity of Classical and Weak Solutions of a Hamiltonian Integro-Differential System and Their Equivalence Relation
Authors: Abdolrazaghi Fatemeh , dinmohammadi Abdollah
Published: June 2023

This paper is devoted to the study of existence and multiplicity of weak solutions to a Hamiltonian integro-differential system. The main tool used is the theory of min–max based on Mountain-Pass theorem. Hamiltonian integro-differential considered system is of Fredholm type and the imposed Dirichlet boundary conditions are occurred at the integral bounds. Furthermore, we demonstrate some cases in which the weak solutions are equivalent with classical solutions
Value Sensitive Design for Self-Sovereign Identity Solutions: Conceptual Investigation of uNLock Use Case
Authors: Ishmaev Georgy , Noordhoek Roderick , van Steenbergen Marlies , Vermaes Nadia
Published: June 2023

This paper aims to address the research gap in ethical design frameworks for self-sovereign identity (SSI) solutions. We present a case study of value sensitive design (VSD) conceptual investigation applied in the context of SSI-based solutions for the sharing of medical credentials uNLock. We evaluate the applicability and quality of VSD application on the basis of 5 criteria. We validate these findings by comparing the results of the original report with the studies presenting empirically informed insights from the deployment of SSI solutions for the presentation of medical credentials. We identify a problem of “value branching” particular to SSI solutions that can lead to the overinflation of the set of relevant values. We outline the affordances and limitations of the conceptual VSD investigation in our case study. We further reflect on the limits of general SSI principles and argue that the ethical design of SSI solutions always requires context-specific evaluative frameworks.
Identifying and Minimizing Measurement Invariance among Intersectional Groups
Authors: Gordon Rachel A. , Wang Tianxiu , Nguyen Hai , Aloe Ariel M.
Published: June 2023

This Element demonstrates how and why the alignment method can advance measurement fairness in developmental science. It explains its application to multi-category items in an accessible way, offering sample code and demonstrating an R package that facilitates interpretation of such items' multiple thresholds. It features the implications for group mean differences when differences in the thresholds between categories are ignored because items are treated as continuous, using an example of intersectional groups defined by assigned sex and race/ethnicity. It demonstrates the interpretation of item-level partial non-invariance results and their implications for group-level differences and encourages substantive theorizing regarding measurement fairness.
Cohesive sediment: intermediate shear produces maximum aggregate size
Authors: Zhao K. , Vowinckel B. , Hsu T.-J. , Bai B. , Meiburg E.
Published: June 2023

We interpret the Taylor–Green cellular vortex model in terms of the Kolmogorov length and velocity scales, in order to study the balance between aggregation and breakup of cohesive sediment in fine-scale turbulence. One-way coupled numerical simulations, which capture the effects of cohesive, lubrication and direct contact forces on the flocculation process, reproduce the non-monotonic relationship between the equilibrium floc size and shear rate observed in previous experiments. The one-way coupled results are confirmed by select two-way coupled simulations. Intermediate shear gives rise to the largest flocs, as it promotes preferential concentration of the primary particles without generating sufficiently strong turbulent stresses to break up the emerging aggregates. We find that the optimal intermediate shear rate increases for stronger cohesion and smaller particle-to-fluid density ratios, and we propose a simple model for the equilibrium floc size that agrees well with experimental data reported in the literature.
Scaling of turbulent velocity structure functions: plausibility constraints
Authors: Djenidi L. , Antonia R.A. , Tang S.L.
Published: June 2023

The

$n$

th-order velocity structure function

$S_n$

in homogeneous isotropic turbulence is usually represented by

$S_n \sim r^{\zeta _n}$

, where the spatial separation

$r$

lies within the inertial range. The first prediction for

$\zeta _n$

(i.e.

$\zeta _3=n/3$

) was proposed by Kolmogorov (Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, vol. 30, 1941) using a dimensional argument. Subsequently, starting with Kolmogorov (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 13, 1962, pp. 82–85), models for the intermittency of the turbulent energy dissipation have predicted values of

$\zeta _n$

that, except for

$n=3$

, differ from

$n/3$

. In order to assess differences between predictions of

$\zeta _n$

, we use the Hölder inequality to derive exact relations, denoted plausibility constraints. We first derive the constraint

$(p_3-p_1)\zeta _{2p_2} = (p_3 -p_2)\zeta _{2p_1} +(p_2-p_1)\zeta _{2p_3}$

between the exponents

$\zeta _{2p}$

, where

$p_1 \leq p_2 \leq p_3$

are any three positive numbers. It is further shown that this relation leads to

$\zeta _{2p} = p \zeta _2$

. It is also shown that the relation

$\zeta _n=n/3$

, which complies with

$\zeta _{2p} = p \zeta _2$

, can be derived from constraints imposed on

$\zeta _n$

using the Cauchy–Schwarz inequality, a special case of the Hölder inequality. These results show that while the intermittency of

$\epsilon$

, which is not ignored in the present analysis, is not incompatible with the plausible relation

$\zeta _n=n/3$

, the prediction

$\zeta _n=n/3 +\alpha _n$

is not plausible, unless

$\alpha _n =0$

.
Investigating seismicity rates with Coulomb failure stress models caused by pore pressure and thermal stress from operating a well doublet in a generic geothermal reservoir in the Netherlands
Authors: Hutka Gergő András , Cacace Mauro , Hofmann Hannes , Mathur Bakul , Zang Arno
Published: June 2023

The utilisation of geothermal energy in the Netherlands is primarily focused on deep sedimentary aquifers, which are often intersected by major faults. Geothermal operations (i.e. fluid production and injection) may alter the effective stress state along these faults and trigger induced seismic events. Pore pressure perturbations have been generally considered the main driver of injection-induced seismicity. However, thermal stresses caused by temperature gradients between the re-injected cold fluid and the reservoir rock may also contribute to the triggering of earthquakes in geothermal reservoirs. While existing geothermal power plants operating in sandstone reservoirs did not produce any major induced seismicity, it is a matter of debate whether a reduction in the temperature of the re-injected fluid could increase the seismic hazard potential. In this study, we applied modified Gutenberg–Richter statistics based on frictional Coulomb stress variations implemented in a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model to estimate the seismic hazard caused by the operation of a geothermal doublet. We conducted a systematic parametric study to assess and rank the impact of different intrinsic (geological) and extrinsic (operational) parameters on the induced seismic hazard potential. We identified a competing mechanism between induced variations in pore pressure and thermal stress within the reservoir in controlling induced seismicity. We found that stress changes induced by pore pressure variations are the main cause of seismic hazard, although thermally induced stresses also contribute significantly. The results indicate that by optimising the operational parameters it is possible to increase production efficiency while maintaining a long-term control over the fluid injection-induced seismicity.
On isometric embeddability of $S_q^m$ into $S_p^n$ as non-commutative quasi-Banach spaces
Authors: Chattopadhyay Arup , Hong Guixiang , Pradhan Chandan , Ray Samya Kumar
Published: June 2023

The existence of isometric embedding of$S_q^m$into$S_p^n$, where$1\leq p\neq q\leq \infty$and$m,n\geq 2$, has been recently studied in [6]. In this article, we extend the study of isometric embeddability beyond the above-mentioned range of$p$and$q$. More precisely, we show that there is no isometric embedding of the commutative quasi-Banach space$\ell _q^m(\mathbb {R})$into$\ell _p^n(\mathbb {R})$, where$(q,p)\in (0,\infty )\times (0,1)$and$p\neq q$. As non-commutative quasi-Banach spaces, we show that there is no isometric embedding of$S_q^m$into$S_p^n$, where$(q,p)\in (0,2)\setminus \{1\}\times (0,1)$$\cup \, \{1\}\times (0,1)\setminus \left \{\!\frac {1}{n}:n\in \mathbb {N}\right \}$$\cup \, \{\infty \}\times (0,1)\setminus \left \{\!\frac {1}{n}:n\in \mathbb {N}\right \}$and$p\neq q$. Moreover, in some restrictive cases, we also show that there is no isometric embedding of$S_q^m$into$S_p^n$, where$(q,p)\in [2, \infty )\times (0,1)$. A new tool in our paper is the non-commutative Clarkson's inequality for Schatten class operators. Other tools involved are the Kato–Rellich theorem and multiple operator integrals in perturbation theory, followed by intricate computations involving power-series analysis.
SUTTON HOO: RE-IMAGING THE SHIP AND CHAMBER
Authors: Fenwick Valerie
Published: June 2023

The cemetery at Sutton Hoo in East Suffolk includes tumuli dating to the sixth–seventh centuries ad. The largest contained an intact ship-burial. The man commemorated is not identifiable, but is often presumed to be Rædwald, rex Anglorum c ad599–624/5. Excavation was curtailed by the outbreak of war in 1939. Despite subsequent re-excavation and lengthy research, questions remain.

Information dispersed in the definitive publication is correlated and developed. Digital 3D imaging of the ship’s iron fastenings are used here to extrapolate curved lines of missing rivets and superimpose them on the burial chamber plan. A digital roof reconstruction is also presented.

Mechanisms of collapse of the objects are deduced from their positioning and damage, revealing space for access to the chamber. A cross-section depicts the calculated height of the deck and known tilt of the ship. Residues of phosphate, Middle Eastern bitumen, tar and tape cumulatively suggest embalming practices. A temporary coffin and a bed on which possessions were placed are proposed.

The most valuable object relinquished is deduced to be the ship. Fragments of a possible anchor are identified. The suggested identification of the iron stand as a raised light would allow supporting ships to follow.
Endogenous Benchmarking and Government Accountability: Experimental Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Becher Michael , Brouard Sylvain , Stegmueller Daniel
Published: June 2023

When do cross-national comparisons enable citizens to hold governments accountable? According to recent work in comparative politics, benchmarking across borders is a powerful mechanism for making elections work. However, little attention has been paid to the choice of benchmarks and how they shape democratic accountability. We extend existing theories to account for endogenous benchmarking. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a test case, we embedded experiments capturing self-selection and exogenous exposure to benchmark information from representative surveys in France, Germany, and the UK. The experiments reveal that when individuals have the choice, they are likely to seek out congruent information in line with their prior view of the government. Moreover, going beyond existing experiments on motivated reasoning and biased information choice, endogenous benchmarking occurs in all three countries despite the absence of partisan labels. Altogether, our results suggest that endogenous benchmarking weakens the democratic benefits of comparisons across borders.
Networking Frictions in Venture Capital, and the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship
Authors: Howell Sabrina T. , Nanda Ramana
Published: June 2023

We find that male participants in Harvard Business School’s New Venture Competition who were randomly exposed to more venture capital (VC) investors on their panel were substantially more likely to start a VC-backed startup post-graduation, indicating that access to investors impacts fundraising independent of the quality of ideas. However, female participants experience no benefit from exposure to male or female venture capitalists (VCs), which appears related to a reduced propensity to reach out to VCs to whom they were exposed. Our results therefore also demonstrate gender-based differences in the degree to which increased exposure to investors can address networking frictions in venture capital.
The secret of September: The 1949 oil agreements between the United States and South Korea
Authors: Kwon Ohsoo
Published: June 2023

After the Second World War, the US government established a new oil order, forming close ties with three major oil companies—Standard Vacuum, Shell, and California-Texas—referred to as the ‘Three Sisters’ in Korea, which was newly liberated from Japanese colonialism. Even after the South Korean government was established, the US government and the Three Sisters worked to maintain the order. Using the carrot of the Economic Cooperation Administration (ECA) funds, in 1949 the US government pressured the South Korean government into oil agreements that would facilitate the supply of petroleum products to the country. The 1949 oil agreements were completed after three rounds of negotiations. The process of signing the agreements was not limited to the import, storage, and sale of petroleum products in exchange for US aid to South Korea. It also sought to respond to the various interests of Koreans who wanted to create an independent economic structure in the midst of establishing a new government. This article explores the three rounds of negotiations for the 1949 oil agreements whereby the symbiotic relationship between the US government and the Three Sisters was realized in partnership with the interests of the South Korean government. Furthermore, it seeks to broaden the research on the history of Korean oil by promoting an understanding of how US oil policy affected Korea immediately after its liberation from Japanese colonial rule.
Disparities in cannabis-related emergency department visits across depressed and non-depressed individuals and the impact of recreational cannabis policy in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Kim Chungah , Dusing Gabriel John , Nielsen Andrew , MacMaster Frank P. , Rittenbach Katherine , Allin Sara , O'Campo Patricia , Penney Tarra L. , Hamilton Hayley A. , Kirst Maritt , Chum Antony
Published: June 2023

Background

Recreational cannabis policies are being considered in many jurisdictions internationally. Given that cannabis use is more prevalent among people with depression, legalisation may lead to more adverse events in this population. Cannabis legalisation in Canada included the legalisation of flower and herbs (phase 1) in October 2018, and the deregulation of cannabis edibles one year later (phase 2). This study investigated disparities in cannabis-related emergency department (ED) visits in depressed and non-depressed individuals in each phase.

Methods

Using administrative data, we identified all adults diagnosed with depression 60 months prior to legalisation (n = 929 844). A non-depressed comparison group was identified using propensity score matching. We compared the pre–post policy differences in cannabis-related ED-visits in depressed individuals v. matched (and unmatched) non-depressed individuals.

Results

In the matched sample (i.e. comparison with non-depressed people similar to the depressed group), people with depression had approximately four times higher risk of cannabis-related ED-visits relative to the non-depressed over the entire period. Phases 1 and 2 were not associated with any changes in the matched depressed and non-depressed groups. In the unmatched sample (i.e. comparison with the non-depressed general population), the disparity between individuals with and without depression is greater. While phase 1 was associated with an immediate increase in ED-visits among the general population, phase 2 was not associated with any changes in the unmatched depressed and non-depressed groups.

Conclusions

Depression is a risk factor for cannabis-related ED-visits. Cannabis legalisation did not further elevate the risk among individuals diagnosed with depression.
Who forms the mass in mass destruction?
Authors: Muppidi Himadeep
Published: June 2023

This essay revisits the question of mass destruction through the perspectives offered by postcolonial thinkers.
Schlafverhalten vermittelt den Einfluss von Kindesmisshandlung auf depressive Symptome bei Mädchen
Authors: White Lars O. , Müller Zarah , Schlesier-Michel Andrea , Radeloff Daniel , Klitzing Kai von , Keil Jan
Published: June 2023

Zusammenfassung: Theoretischer Hintergrund: Kindesmisshandlung stellt ein Risikofaktor für Schlafprobleme in der Kindesentwicklung dar. Fragestellung: Dennoch ist aktuell noch ungeklärt inwiefern das misshandlungsbedingte Risiko für Schlafprobleme, (1) bei Mädchen größer sein könnte als bei Jungen, (2) auf bestimmte Misshandlungsformen zurückführbar ist und (3) die Entstehung von depressiven Symptomen begünstigt. Methoden: 9 bis 16jährige ( N = 470) wurden aus der Bevölkerung ( n = 310) bzw. der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie rekrutiert ( n = 160) und zum Schlafverhalten und depressiven Symptomen (gemeinsam mit ihren Eltern) befragt. Misshandlungserfahrungen wurden auf Basis des Misshandlungsklassifikationssystems ausgewertet. Ergebnisse: Es konnte ein Interaktionseffekt von Misshandlung und Geschlecht auf das Schlafverhalten von Kindern und Jugendlichen nachgewiesen werden. Diskussion/Schlussfolgerungen: Im Vergleich zu Jungen, wiesen Mädchen infolge von Misshandlung mehr Schlafprobleme auf, welches wiederum ihr Depressionsrisiko erhöhte.
Infants’ and Young Children’s Sleep Behavior During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Pelz Janika Denise , Tisborn Katharina , Schneider Silvia , Seehagen Sabine
Published: June 2023

Abstract: Theoretical background: Sleep is a vital factor in early development. Altered child sleep behavior has been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Sharma et al., 2021 ). Objective: We describe young children’s sleep behavior during the lockdown. Method: Caregivers of children aged 0 to 47 months ( N = 2001) living in Germany completed an online survey during the first lockdown. We then compared aspects of children’s sleep and their caregivers’ mental well-being health before and during the lockdown. We explored the factors predicting changes in time spent awake at night, a central aspect of sleep quality. Results: Overall, caregiver-reported sleep was negatively affected. Some predictors of changes in time spent awake at night differed between infants (aged 0 – 12 months) and toddlers (aged 13 – 47 months). Discussion and conclusion: Infants’ and toddlers’ sleeping behavior was differently affected during the lockdown. Age-related differences in factors predicting changes in time spent awake at night highlight the need for developmentally sensitive sleep interventions.
Salinity Impacts on Floc Size and Growth Rate With and Without Natural Organic Matter
Authors: Abolfazli Ehsan , Strom Kyle
Published: June 2023

Due to the flocculation process, suspended mud aggregates carried by rivers to the coastal ocean are thought to undergo changes in size and shape in response to environmental drivers such as turbulence, sediment concentration, organic matter (OM), and salinity. Some have assumed that salt is necessary for floc formation, and that mud, therefore, reaches the estuary unflocculated. Yet mud flocs exist in freshwater systems long before the estuarine zone, likely due to the presence of OM acting as a floc‐promoting binder. Therefore, it is important to consider how salinity affects flocculation, if at all, in the presence of OM. Here, we used experiments to examine the flocculation of a natural mud with and without OM. Results showed that the rate of floc growth and equilibrium size both increase with salinity regardless of the presence or absence of OM. However, the response of both to salinity was stronger when OM was present. In deionized water, natural sediment with OM was seen to produce large flocs. However, the size distribution of the suspension tended to be bimodal. With the addition of salt, increasing amounts of unflocculated material became bound within flocs, producing a more unimodal size distribution. Here, the enhancing effects of salt were noticeable at even 0.5 ppt, and increases in salinity past 3–5 ppt only marginally increased the floc growth rate and final size. Data from the experiment were used to develop a salinity‐dependent model to account for changes in floc growth rate and equilibrium size.
Balancing Volume, Temperature, and Salinity Budgets During 2014–2018 in the Tropical Pacific Ocean State Estimate
Authors: Verdy Ariane , Mazloff Matthew R. , Cornuelle Bruce D. , Subramanian Aneesh C.
Published: June 2023

A state estimate of the tropical Pacific Ocean is used to analyze regional volume, temperature, and salinity budgets during 2014–2018. The simulated ocean state is constrained by both model dynamics and assimilated observations. Comparisons with independent mooring data show that the state estimate is consistent with the observed variability in temperature and velocity. Budgets are analyzed between 5°S and 5°N in the upper 300 m, inside a box defined to represent the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. Transports through the faces of this box are quantified to understand the processes responsible for variability in box‐mean properties. Vertical mixing across 300 m is negligible; temperature and salinity tendencies are balanced by surface fluxes and advective divergence, which is decomposed into geostrophic and ageostrophic components. The onset and recovery of the 2015/2016 El Niño event is found to be dominated by anomalous surface fluxes and horizontal advection. During the onset phase, weaker trade winds cause the shallow meridional overturning circulation to slow down, which reduces the poleward transport of heat and leads to upper ocean warming. Anomalous precipitation and advection of fresh water from the western Pacific drive the net freshening of the region. Relaxation from El Niño conditions is dominated by wind‐driven meridional advection at 5°N. As the meridional advection regains strength, Ekman advection efficiently exports the warm, fresh surface water out of the equatorial region. Quantifying the heat and salt transport changes in response to wind variability strengthens our understanding of global ocean heat transport.
Efficacy of Nano Silver Fluoride and/or Diode Laser In Enhancing Enamel Anticariogenicity around orthodontic brackets
Authors: Alsherif Aya Anwar , Farag Mohamed Ali , Helal Mai Badreldin
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This in vitro study aimed to compare the anticariogenic effect of using diode laser irradiation and/or nano silver fluoride varnish around orthodontic brackets.

Materials and methods

60 caries-free and intact premolars were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups as follow: (1) Group I (nano silver fluoride treated group, n = 20), (2) Group II (diode laser treated group, n = 20) and (3) Group III (combined nano silver fluoride and diode laser treated group, n = 20). Anticariogenicity was assessed using polarized light, scanning electron microscope, elemental and shear bond strength analyses.

Results

PLM and SEM showed presence of few demineralized areas in group I. Group II revealed a dramatic increased demineralization. Group III disclosed almost typical homogenous surface enamel. elemental analysis showed a highly significant difference between Group III and II and a significant difference between Group III and I. Shear bond strength analysis revealed a significant difference between group I and II and between group III and II. The difference between group III and I was non-significant.

Conclusion

Both diode laser and nano silver fluoride positively affected dental enamel with the most superior enhancement in enamel criteria was achieved by surface pretreatment by combined nano silver fluoride varnish and diode laser irradiation.
Genetics and orofacial clefts: a clinical perspective
Authors: Kini Usha
Published: June 2023

Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are the most common congenital craniofacial anomaly seen in humans. Most OFCs are sporadic and isolated - these are thought to be multifactorial in origin. Chromosomal and monogenic variants account for the syndromic forms and for some of the non-syndromic inherited forms. This review discusses the importance of genetic testing and the current clinical strategy to deliver a genomics service that is of direct benefit to patients and their families.
Mdm2/p53 levels in bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells are essential for maintaining the hematopoietic niche in response to DNA damage
Authors: Pourebrahim Rasoul , Heinz Montoya Rafael , Alaniz Zoe , Ostermann Lauren , Lin Patrick P. , Liu Bin , Ayoub Edward , Burks Jared K. , Andreeff Michael
Published: June 2023

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a key component of the bone marrow (BM) niche, providing essential support required for the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells. To advance our understanding of physiological functions of p53 and Mdm2 in BM-MSCs, we developed traceable conditional mouse models targeting Mdm2 and/or Trp53 in vivo. We demonstrate that Mdm2 is essential for the emergence, maintenance, and hematopoietic support of BM-MSCs. Mdm2 haploinsufficiency in BM-MSCs resulted in genotoxic stress–associated thrombocytopenia, suggesting a functional role for Mdm2 in hematopoiesis. In a syngeneic mouse model of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), Trp53 deletion in BM-MSCs improved survival, and protected BM against hematopoietic toxicity from a murine Mdm2i, DS-5272. The transcriptional changes were associated with dysregulation of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and Hif-1α in BM-MSCs. Our results reveal a physiologic function of Mdm2 in BM-MSC, identify a previously unknown role of p53 pathway in BM-MSC–mediated support in AML and expand our understanding of the mechanism of hematopoietic toxicity of MDM2is.
The HCN1 p.Ser399Pro variant causes epileptic encephalopathy with super-refractory status epilepticus
Authors: Kobayashi Yu , Tohyama Jun , Akasaka Noriyuki , Yamada Kei , Hojo Moemi , Seki Eijun , Miura Masaki , Soma Noriko , Ono Takeshi , Kato Mitsuhiro , Nakashima Mitsuko , Saitsu Hirotomo , Matsumoto Naomichi
Published: June 2023

HCN1 is one of four genes encoding hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels. The phenotypic spectrum associated with HCN1 variants ranges from neonatal developmental and epileptic encephalopathy to idiopathic generalized epilepsy. We report a Japanese patient with repetitive focal seizures and super-refractory status epilepticus since early infancy caused by a de novo HCN1 variant, NM_021072.4, c.1195T>C, p.(Ser399Pro). This variant might have a dominant-negative effect on channel function, leading to severe epileptic encephalopathy.
Mechanistic insights into the aggregation pathway of the patient-derived immunoglobulin light chain variable domain protein FOR005
Authors: Pradhan Tejaswini , Sarkar Riddhiman , Meighen-Berger Kevin M. , Feige Matthias J. , Zacharias Martin , Reif Bernd
Published: June 2023

Systemic antibody light chain (AL) amyloidosis is characterized by deposition of amyloid fibrils. Prior to fibril formation, soluble oligomeric AL protein has a direct cytotoxic effect on cardiomyocytes. We focus on the patient derived λ-III AL variable domain FOR005 which is mutated at five positions with respect to the closest germline protein. Using solution-state NMR spectroscopy, we follow the individual steps involved in protein misfolding from the native to the amyloid fibril state. Unfavorable mutations in the complementary determining regions introduce a strain in the native protein structure which yields partial unfolding. Driven by electrostatic interactions, the protein converts into a high molecular weight, oligomeric, molten globule. The high local concentration of aggregation prone regions in the oligomer finally catalyzes the conversion into fibrils. The topology is determined by balanced electrostatic interactions in the fibril core implying a 180° rotational switch of the beta-sheets around the conserved disulfide bond.
A joint proteomic and genomic investigation provides insights into the mechanism of calcification in coccolithophores
Authors: Skeffington Alastair , Fischer Axel , Sviben Sanja , Brzezinka Magdalena , Górka Michał , Bertinetti Luca , Woehle Christian , Huettel Bruno , Graf Alexander , Scheffel André
Published: June 2023

Coccolithophores are globally abundant, calcifying microalgae that have profound effects on marine biogeochemical cycles, the climate, and life in the oceans. They are characterized by a cell wall of CaCO3 scales called coccoliths, which may contribute to their ecological success. The intricate morphologies of coccoliths are of interest for biomimetic materials synthesis. Despite the global impact of coccolithophore calcification, we know little about the molecular machinery underpinning coccolithophore biology. Working on the model Emiliania huxleyi, a globally distributed bloom-former, we deploy a range of proteomic strategies to identify coccolithogenesis-related proteins. These analyses are supported by a new genome, with gene models derived from long-read transcriptome sequencing, which revealed many novel proteins specific to the calcifying haptophytes. Our experiments provide insights into proteins involved in various aspects of coccolithogenesis. Our improved genome, complemented with transcriptomic and proteomic data, constitutes a new resource for investigating fundamental aspects of coccolithophore biology.