bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender Affirming Surgeries of the Trunk
Authors: Park Rachel H. , Stranix John T.
Published: April 2024

Purpose of Review

This review aims to explore the current concept, techniques, outcomes and safety of gender affirming surgeries of the trunk for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

Recent Findings

Gender affirming surgery is increasingly becoming more accessible to patients with gender dysphoria. Chest surgery is the most popular form with various surgical techniques that one can utilize. It is critical for operating surgeons to understand the nuances of these procedures when compared to cis-gender body contouring procedures. Recent outcome data show that these procedures are safe and well tolerated with high patient satisfaction and mental health benefits. Further long-term outcome data are needed.

Gender affirming surgery of the trunk is a safe and well-tolerated treatment for patients with gender dysphoria with high patient satisfaction and mental health benefits.

Graphical Abstract
Virtual Reality Relaxation for Mental Health Service Users with Complex Care Needs: a Pilot Study in Residential Care Homes and Supported Accommodation
Authors: Williams Grace , Drini Eugenia , Riches Simon
Published: April 2024

Virtual reality (VR) relaxation is a promising, novel intervention for service users with a range of mental health conditions and has potential wellbeing benefits such as promoting relaxation and reducing stress and anxiety. Less is known about the implementation of VR relaxation for service users in complex care mental health services. This study aimed to investigate implementation of a single session of VR relaxation for service users in residential care homes and supported accommodation, who were supported by a South London community team. Participants could explore relaxing, natural environments in VR. Pre- and post-VR visual analogue scales of mood, immersiveness, helpfulness, narrative feedback and clinician reflections were recorded. Participants (N = 20) had psychotic disorders and other serious mental health conditions. Post-VR, there were significant increases in relaxation (large effect), happiness and connectedness to nature (both medium effects), and decreases in anxiety and sadness (both medium effects). Stress was low at baseline and there was no significant effect post-VR. Helpfulness and immersion scores were high (both > 8). Participants reported the intervention was very relaxing, exciting, uplifting and were enthusiastic about engaging in more VR relaxation and further psychological interventions, including therapy and other digital interventions. Participants reported finding a session facilitator helpful. Technical issues were minor and resolved by the facilitator. Findings indicate scope to widen access to VR relaxation within complex care services. More facilitators could offer multiple sessions to larger, more diverse groups of service users. Future research with more robust methodologies is needed to test effectiveness and longer-term impact.
Life Expectancy at Birth and Infant Mortality Rates of Indigenous Populations in Canada from 2004 to 2016
Authors: Dion Patrice , Tremblay Marilyn-Anne , Gagnon Roxanne , Sirag Elham
Published: April 2024

Life expectancy and infant mortality rates are two important indicators of the well-being of a population. However, it is not possible to compute these indicators for specific Indigenous populations in Canada from vital statistics databases because information about the identity of individuals is lacking. We use alternative data sources, linkages between the long-form census questionnaire and the Canadian Vital Statistics, namely the Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohorts and the Canadian Birth Census Cohorts, to compute life expectancy at birth and infant mortality rates among Indigenous populations. We describe the data, explain the methodology, and analyze the results to demonstrate the usefulness of these databases for the regular reporting of these health outcomes and monitoring of trends.
Fortify the defense frontline: MAPKs phosphorylate receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase to maintain plant resistance in soybean
Authors: Rui Lu , Wang Wei
Published: April 2024

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation is one of the significant immune events that respond to pathogens in plants. A MAPK cascade often contains a MAPK kinase kinase (MAPKKK), a MAPK kinase (MAPKK/MKK), and a MAPK. The well-characterized MAPK cascade, to date, is the MAPKKK3/4/5-MKK4/5-MPK3/6 module. Soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) is one of the most devastating soybean pathogens. However, the early immune components contributing to soybean resistance to SCN and the role of the MAPK cascade in the soybean–SCN interaction remain unclear. A recent study published in Plant Cell discovered that GmMPK3/6 phosphorylates a receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase (RLCK), CDG1-LIKE1 (GmCDL1), and maintains the stability of GmCDL1 in soybean. Remarkably, GmCDL1 enhances GmMPK3/6 activation and resistance to SCN by phosphorylating GmMAPKKK5 and activating the GmMAPKKK5-GmMKK4-GmMPK3/6 cascade. In addition, two L-type lectin receptor kinases (LecRKs), GmLecRK02g and GmLecRK08g, are involved in the GmCDL1 function after the perception of SCN. taken together, this study not only discovers a complete early immune pathway that responds to SCN infection in soybean, but also reveals a molecular mechanism by which plants maintain the activation of the MAPK cascade and resistance.
Inconsistent metaphysical dependence: cases from the Kyoto School
Authors: Casati Filippo , Fujikawa Naoya
Published: April 2024

Even though metaphysical dependence has been a subject of a lively debate in contemporary metaphysics, it is rare in such a debate to seriously consider the possibility that the metaphysical dependence relations among the things in the reality is inconsistent. This paper focuses on two philosophers of the Kyoto School, Kitaro Nishida and Keiji Nishitani, who challenge the common supposition that the structure of reality is consistent. In this paper, we show that Nishida’s logic of place is a version of inconsistent foundationalism, according to which absolute nothingness as a foundational element does not depend on anything but depends on itself, and that Nishtani’s theory of the field of emptiness is a version of inconsistent coherentism, according to which emptiness does not depend on anything but depends on everything else (and possibly on itself).
Shear wave ultrasound elastography for estimating cartilage stiffness: implications for early detection of osteoarthritis
Authors: Georgas Elias , Rayes Adnan , Zhang Junhang , Zhou Qifa , Qin Yi-Xian
Published: April 2024

Current osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosis relies on radiographic abnormalities found in later stages of the disease, posing a challenge to the treatment efficacy. Therefore, earlier detection of OA is essential for improving therapeutic outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of shear wave ultrasound elastography (SWUE) to detect changes in cartilage mechanical properties under OA conditions ex-vivo. Bovine osteochondral units were harvested from femoral condyles and subjected to either trypsin degradation, cartilage surface roughness defect using varying degrees of sandpaper, or subchondral bone degeneration using formic acid (FA) injection. Shear waves were generated using a mechanical shaker, while a high-frequency ultrasound system operating at 18 MHz was employed to detect wave propagation along the samples. The elasticity of cartilage was estimated by the shear wave speed (SWS) through the auto-correlation method. Our results show that the estimated SWS of cartilage after 24, 48, and 72 hours of trypsin incubation significantly decreased by 37%, 43%, and 59%, respectively, compared to the control group. Surface roughness treatment using 150-grit sandpaper significantly decreased the SWS by 35% compared to the control. Samples treated with 7% FA showed a significant increase in SWS by 62%, 89%, and 53% compared to control, 1% FA, and 3% FA, respectively. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of SWUE to differentiate the elastic properties of cartilage under different OA conditions. This study presents the potential of a noninvasive, nonionizing tool for early detection of OA, representing a significant step toward its clinical implementation.

Graphical Abstract
Effectiveness of a Fire Disaster PFA Simulation Game: A Single-Blinded Trial
Authors: Choi Yun-Jung , Song Heewon
Published: April 2024

Objective:

As societies become more complex, disasters are increasing in frequency and magnitude. To respond to the psychological problems that may arise in such situations, it is necessary to develop the psychological first aid (PFA) training program that is more engaging for disaster relief workers and less limited in time and space. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a web-based PFA simulation game for disaster relief workers to provide to fire disaster victims.

Methods:

This was a non-randomized controlled experimental study with 30 participants in the experimental and control groups. The experimental group learned through the web-based PFA simulation game developed in this study, and the control group was provided with written educational materials regarding general disaster. The effects of time between groups and interaction between groups were tested.

Results:

Compared to the control group, the experimental group showed significant effects on core competencies in disaster response, self-efficacy, and problem-solving process, and the persistence of the effects was also significantly different.

Conclusion:

The web-based PFA simulation game was found to be effective in improving core competencies in disaster response, self-efficacy, and problem-solving process of disaster relief workers. These results suggest that simulation games can be an effective learning method for learning PFA for disaster relief workers. Since it is difficult to learn through direct participation in disaster situations, a web-based simulation game may be a more effective way to improve and maintain the competence of PFA.
Empirical evidence and computational assessment on design knowledge transferability
Authors: Rahman Molla H. , Bayrak Alparslan E. , Sha Zhenghui
Published: April 2024

Developing an artificial design agent that mimics human design behaviors through the integration of heuristics is pivotal for various purposes, including advancing design automation, fostering human-AI collaboration, and enhancing design education. However, this endeavor necessitates abundant behavioral data from human designers, posing a challenge due to data scarcity for many design problems. One potential solution lies in transferring learned design knowledge from one problem domain to another. This article aims to gather empirical evidence and computationally evaluate the transferability of design knowledge represented at a high level of abstraction across different design problems. Initially, a design agent grounded in reinforcement learning (RL) is developed to emulate human design behaviors. A data-driven reward mechanism, informed by the Markov chain model, is introduced to reinforce prominent sequential design patterns. Subsequently, the design agent transfers the acquired knowledge from a source task to a target task using a problem-agnostic high-level representation. Through a case study involving two solar system designs, one dataset trains the design agent to mimic human behaviors, while another evaluates the transferability of these learned behaviors to a distinct problem. Results demonstrate that the RL-based agent outperforms a baseline model utilizing the first-order Markov chain model in both the source task without knowledge transfer and the target task with knowledge transfer. However, the model’s performance is comparatively lower in predicting the decisions of low-performing designers, suggesting caution in its application, as it may yield unsatisfactory results when mimicking such behaviors.
Direct numerical simulations of microlayer formation during heterogeneous bubble nucleation
Authors: Saini M. , Chen X. , Zaleski S. , Fuster D.
Published: April 2024

In this article, we present direct numerical simulation results for the expansion of spherical cap bubbles attached to a rigid wall due to a sudden drop in the ambient pressure. The critical pressure drop beyond which the bubble growth becomes unstable is found to match well with the predictions from classical theory of heterogeneous nucleation imposing a quasi-static bubble evolution. When the pressure drop is significantly higher than the critical value, a liquid microlayer appears between the bubble and the wall. In this regime, the interface outside the microlayer grows at an asymptotic velocity that can be predicted from the Rayleigh–Plesset equation, while the contact line evolves with another asymptotic velocity that scales with a visco-capillary velocity that obeys the Cox–Voinov law. In general, three distinctive regions can be distinguished: the region very close to the contact line where dynamics is governed by visco-capillary effects, an intermediate region controlled by inertio-viscous effects away from the contact line yet inside the viscous boundary layer, and the region outside the boundary layer dominated by inertial effects. The microlayer forms in a regime where the capillary effects are confined in a region much smaller than the viscous boundary layer thickness. In this regime, the global capillary number takes values much larger then the critical capillary number for bubble nucleation, and the microlayer height is controlled by viscous effects and not surface tension.
A comprehensive study on the roles of viscosity and heat conduction in shock waves
Authors: Zhu Qingbo , Wu You , Zhou Wenyuan , Yang Qingchun , Xu Xu
Published: April 2024

Shock waves are of great interest in many fields of science and engineering, but the mechanisms of their formation, maintenance and dissipation are still not well understood. While all transport processes existing in a shock wave contribute to its compression and irreversibility, they are not of equal importance. To figure out the roles of viscosity and heat conduction in shock transition, the existence of smooth shock solutions and the counter-intuitive entropy overshoot phenomenon (the specific entropy is not monotonically increasing and exhibits a peak inside the shock front) are theoretically and numerically investigated, with emphasis on the effects of viscosity and heat conduction. Instead of higher-order hydrodynamics, the Navier–Stokes formalism is employed for its stability and simplicity. Supplemented with nonlinear thermodynamically consistent constitutive relations, the Navier–Stokes equations are adequate to demonstrate the general nature of shock profiles. It is found that heat conduction cannot sustain strong shocks without the presence of viscosity, while viscosity can maintain smooth shock transition at all strengths, regardless of heat conduction. Hence, the critical role in shock compression is played by viscosity rather than heat conduction. Nevertheless, the dispensability of heat conduction would not compromise its essential role in the emergence of an entropy peak. It is the entropy flux resulting from heat conduction that neutralises the positive entropy production and thus prevents the decreasing entropy from violating the second law of thermodynamics. This mechanism of entropy overshoot has not been addressed previously in the literature and is revealed using the entropy balance equation.
Data-driven state-space and Koopman operator models of coherent state dynamics on invariant manifolds
Authors: Constante-Amores C. Ricardo , Graham Michael D.
Published: April 2024

The accurate simulation of complex dynamics in fluid flows demands a substantial number of degrees of freedom, i.e. a high-dimensional state space. Nevertheless, the swift attenuation of small-scale perturbations due to viscous diffusion permits in principle the representation of these flows using a significantly reduced dimensionality. Over time, the dynamics of such flows evolves towards a finite-dimensional invariant manifold. Using only data from direct numerical simulations, in the present work we identify the manifold and determine evolution equations for the dynamics on it. We use an advanced autoencoder framework to automatically estimate the intrinsic dimension of the manifold and provide an orthogonal coordinate system. Then, we learn the dynamics by determining an equation on the manifold by using both a function-space approach (approximating the Koopman operator) and a state-space approach (approximating the vector field on the manifold). We apply this method to exact coherent states for Kolmogorov flow and minimal flow unit pipe flow. Fully resolved simulations for these cases require

$O(10^3)$

and

$O(10^5)$

degrees of freedom, respectively, and we build models with two or three degrees of freedom that faithfully capture the dynamics of these flows. For these examples, both the state-space and function-space time evaluations provide highly accurate predictions of the long-time dynamics in manifold coordinates.
Antiquities in exile: Ottoman Greek refugees’ trauma and Ionian antiquities
Authors: Papatheodorou Artemis
Published: April 2024

This article contributes to our understanding of the links between forced exile, refugee trauma, and antiquities. It zooms in to the case of the Ottoman Greek refugees who fled to Greece in the wake of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the defeat of the Greek army by the Turkish National Movement forces in 1922. It critically discusses memories of ordinary people from Lithri (ancient Erythrai, modern-day Ildırı), Nymphaio (near ancient Sardeis, modern-day Kemalpaşa), and Ayasolouk (ancient Ephesus, modern-day Selçuk). It also looks at aspects of the literary world of Smyrna-born poet and Nobel Laureate George Seferis. It is argued that, for these refugees, antiquities served as conduits, symbols, metaphors, and allegories for expressing the trauma linked to their state of uprootedness and forced exile. The refugees in question employed reverse “rescue archaeologies,” where it was for antiquities to salvage refugees rather than the other way round. The main primary material consulted consists of refugee testimonies from the Oral Tradition Archive of the Centre for Asia Minor Studies and Seferis’s diary. The approach is interdisciplinary and, besides Ottoman Greek history, draws on cultural geography, anthropology, archaeology as well as broader discussions in memory studies and critical heritage studies.
Latest Pleistocene glacial chronology and paleoclimate reconstruction for the East River watershed, Colorado, USA
Authors: Quirk Brendon J. , Larsen Isaac J. , Hidy Alan J.
Published: April 2024

Reconstructing Pleistocene glaciation timing and extent is vital for understanding paleoclimate. Whereas late Pleistocene glaciation has been studied extensively in western North American mountain ranges, the glacial history of the western Elk Range in Colorado remains understudied, particularly in the East River watershed, a site of intense scientific focus. Here we use cosmogenic nuclide exposure and depth–profile dating methods to determine the timing of glaciation in the East River watershed. We use glacier modeling to reconstruct paleoglacier extents and quantify past climate conditions. Our findings indicate that the East River glacier retreated from its maximum position approximately 17–18 ka, moving to recessional positions between 13 and 15 ka, before experiencing more substantial retreat to high-elevation cirques around 13 ka. Glacier modeling suggests that the maximum ice extents at 17–18 ka could have been sustained by temperature depressions of approximately −6.5°C compared to modern conditions, assuming consistent precipitation. Additionally, the ice position at 13–15 ka could have been supported by temperature depressions of around −4.0°C. These results offer insights into the deglaciation timeline in the East River watershed and broader western Elk Range as well as paleoclimate conditions during the late Pleistocene, which may aid future research on critical zone evolution in the East River watershed.
Opisthorchis viverrini: ultrastructure and cytochemistry of the glycocalyx of the tegument
Authors: Apinhasmit W. , Sobhon P. , Tarasub C. , Mothong W. , Saitongdee P. , Sretarugsa P. , Wanichanon C. , Upatham E.S.
Published: April 2024

The ultrastructure and cytochemistry of the glycocalyx of the tegument of Opisthorchis viverrini during maturation from newly excysted juvenile to adult stages were investigated using colloidal iron, ruthenium red and lectin stainings. The results showed that the glycocalyx was intensely stained by the first two dyes, thus indicating the presence of relatively high amounts of negative charges. However, the thickness and intensity of the staining decreased during the fluke's maturation. Binding studies using lectin probes on the surface of adult parasites showed that binding sites for Canavaliaensiformis (Con A), Triticum vulgaris (WGA) and Ricinus communis I(RCA I) were present in relative large amounts on the glycocalyx of the adult tegument, whereas those for Dolichos biflorus (DBA) were relatively fewer in number, and those for Ulex europaeus I (UEA I) were absent. The binding patterns of Con A, WGA, RCA I and DBA were generally similar, and the reaction product was uniformly distributed over the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the parasite's body. These bindings, therefore, indicate the presence of D-mannose/D-glucose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine/sialic acid, D-galactose and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine residues on the glycocalyx of the adult tegument.
Ultrastructural study of spermiogenesis and the spermatozoon in Catenotaenia pusilla, an intestinal parasite of Mus musculus
Authors: Hidalgo C. , Miquel J. , Torres J. , Marchand B.
Published: April 2024

The ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and the mature spermatozoon in Catenotaenia pusilla (Cestoda: Catenotaeniidae) is described. Spermiogenesis is characterized by the presence of a single axoneme which grows on the outside of a cytoplasmic extension at an angle of 45°. Flagellar rotation and proximodistal fusion are produced in this process. The centrioles lack striated roots and an intercentriolar body. In the mature spermatozoon four different regions are described. The anterior extremity is capped by an apical cone and presents two helical crest-like bodies of unequal length. The axoneme, of the 9 + ‘1’ pattern of the Trepaxonemata, presents a periaxonemal sheath. The cortical microtubules form a spiral pattern at an angle of about 40° to the hypothetical spermatozoon axis. The nucleus is kidney- to horseshoe-shaped in cross section. Granules and proteinaceus walls are not observed in the spermatozoon of C. pusilla.
A cytogenetic study on the rodent tapeworm Rodentolepis myoxi
Authors: Casanova J.C. , Spakulová M. , Laplana N.
Published: April 2024

The karyotype of glirid tapeworm Rodentolepismyoxi (Rudolphi, 1819) (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae) comprises six pairs of small bi-armed chromosomes (2n = 12). All pairs of chromosomes possess uniform morphology, i.e. metacentric, submetacentric or meta-submetacentric types of structures. The formula of the karyotype structure is n = 2m + 1m-sm + 3sm. The absolute chromosome length ranges from 3.78 to 2.00 μm. The mean total length of the haploid complement is 15.98 μm. The first pair (group A) is the largest, pairs 2 and 3 can be grouped into group B while pairs 4–6 are smaller and can be classified as group C. The number of chromosomes of R. myoxi is the same for the congeneric species, however, karyological characteristics differ from all recently known karyotypes of rodent hymenolepidids.
Strongyloides ratti: chemotactic responses of third-stage larvae to selected serum proteins and albumins
Authors: Koga M. , Tada I.
Published: April 2024

Experiments were carried out in vitro to investigate whether the sera of several animals as well as albumins and peptides might act as attractants for larvae of Strongyloidesratti. Samples of sera from several mammal species were dialysed and the aliquots were further centrifuged using ultrafiltration cartridges to remove any remaining small molecules. Additional test substances included commercially obtained ovalbumin, rat and bovine serum albumins, polypeptides such as peptone, tryptone and tryptose, amino nitrogens, monosaccharides, and reduced glutathione (triaminopeptide). Larvae were strongly attracted to the dialysed mammalian sera, which mainly consisted of serum albumin and globulins. Ov- and serum albumins, and polypeptides also acted as attractants. On the other hand, reduced glutathione, 16 kinds of amino acids and four kinds of monosaccharides did not attract this nematode.
Analysis of excretory–secretory and somatic antigens of Gastrothylax crumenifer
Authors: Saifullah M.K. , Ahmad Gul , Nizami W.A.
Published: April 2024

The excretory/secretory (ES) metabolic products released by Gastrothylax crumenifer (Trematoda: Digenea) during in vitro incubations and the somatic extract of the adult parasite were analysed using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Immunogenicity of ES and somatic extracts were evaluated by immunoblotting and ELISA using sera raised against ES and somatic antigens in rabbits. The electropherograms of ES and somatic extracts have been resolved into 38 and 41 polypeptides, respectively. The apparent molecular weights of these polypeptides range from < 29 to > 205 kDa. A total of 14 polypeptides were found to be common to both of the samples. The analysis of immunoblot results revealed 22 and 27 antigenic polypeptides in ES and somatic extracts respectively. Only 11 and 13 antigenic polypeptides were found specific to ES and tissue extract respectively. The molecular weights of these specific polypeptides were calculated to be < 14.4, 16, 20, 25, 33, 42, 119, 125 and > 205 kDa for metabolic products and < 14.4, 25, 30, 35, 78, 84 and > 205 kDa for the tissue extracts, respectively. Analysis of ELISA results revealed that a dilution of up to 1:3200 of the test sera could react with the ES product. Further, when the ES antigens were allowed to react with antisomatic extracts in hyperimmune sera the titre of IgG increased up to a dilution of 1:12800. The potential importance of these antigens in the immunodiagnosis of amphistomiasis is discussed.
Genetic diversity among isolates of Trichinella spiralis from the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Authors: Sequeira A. , Molina V. , Monfellano M. , Bolpe J. , Guarnera E.
Published: April 2024

Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs, (RAPDs) are used to study the occurrence of Trichinella britovi and T5 among domestic animals in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina and to assess the genetic diversity among isolates of T. spiralisfrom this area in a number of infected hosts. All the local isolates proved to be T. spiralis. Six of the eight primers used indicate that the Buenos Aires isolates are distinct from each other as they produce a considerable number of polymorphic bands. Our overall estimates are relatively higher than other intraspecific distances previously estimated within species of this genus and among T. spiralis isolates. Such high degrees of variability observed among local isolates and between isolates from Buenos Aires and Spain should be taken into account when defining isolates within this species, and considering differences in the epidemiology of T. spiralis.
Acquisition of parasites correlated with social rank and behavioural changes in a fish species
Authors: Bartoli P. , Morand S. , Riutort J.-J. , Combes C.
Published: April 2024

A survey of parasites was conducted on 258 Symphodus ocellatus (Teleostei: Labridae) collected in Corsica National Park (west Mediterranean). In addition, the total length, sex and social status were recorded for each individual fish. Three species of trematodes were found in the digestive tract. One of the parasites, Genitocotyle mediterranea, was only present, with one exception, in males of large size, and principally in the individuals that had the highest status and that were involved in nest construction. Two hypotheses are suggested to explain this particular distribution of a parasite: the immunocompetence handicap and the changing trophic behaviour as the fish grows.
Larval anisakids parasitizing the blue whiting, Micromesistius poutassou, from Motril Bay in the Mediterranean region of southern Spain
Authors: Valero A. , Martín-Sánchez J. , Reyes-Muelas E. , Adroher F.J.
Published: April 2024

A total of 301 blue whiting, Micromesistius poutassou Risso, 1826, ranging in length from 17 to 28 cm, from Motril Bay (Mediterranean coast, south Spain) were examined for anisakid nematodes, as these fish are common items in the Spanish Mediterranean diet. Three anisakid species were morphologically identified with a total prevalence of 10.63%. Anisakis simplex s.l. Rudolphi, 1809 had a prevalence value of 6.65%, compared with 2.66% for A. physeteris Baylis, 1923 and 2.33% for Hysterothylacium aduncum Rudolphi, 1802. Variations in prevalence values with season and host size are discussed. Allozyme markers (leucine aminopeptidase-1) were used to identify anisakid nematodes assigned to the A. simplex complex and all examined larvae were found to correspond genetically to A. pegreffii Nascetti et al., 1986.
Water temperature influencing dactylogyrid species communities in roach, Rutilus rutilus, in the Czech Republic
Authors: Šimková A. , Sasal P. , Kadlec D. , Gelnar M.
Published: April 2024

Dactylogyrid species (Monogenea) communities were studied in roach, Rutilus rutilus, collected from two localities in the basin of Morava river, Czech Republic, during the period from April to November 1997 and March to September 1998 to determine the effect of water temperature on parasite abundance, species richness and diversity. Dactylogyrid species were found to co-occur on the gills of roach with up to six species found on the same host individual. Nine dactylogyrid species were identified with the abundance of each reaching a very low level. Niche size was considered to increase with species abundance even when water temperature was high. There was a strong effect of water temperature on abundance of the common dactylogyrid species (D. crucifer, D. nanus, D. rutili and D. suecicus) as well as of the rare species D. rarissimus. The temporary occurrence of the rare species was found without any temperature effect. Water temperature did not affect the relationship between abundance and niche size. Niche size increased with abundance, even when the water temperature was high, which suggests that negative interspecific interactions are not important within dactylogyrid communities.
Effects observed in numerical simulation of high-beta plasma with hot ions in an axisymmetric mirror machine
Authors: Chernoshtanov I.S. , Chernykh I.G. , Dudnikova G.I. , Boronina M.A. , Liseykina T.V. , Vshivkov V.A.
Published: April 2024

We present the results of numerical simulation by two-dimensional hybrid particle-in-cell code of high-beta plasma with hot ions in an axisymmetric mirror machine. Two particular effects are discussed: the self-rotating of plasma with Maxwellian ions in regime of diamagnetic confinement and the excitation of axisymmetric magnetosonic waves in a high-beta plasma with sloshing ions.
The spectre of Ma Phyu? Loyalty, competence, and the spatial dynamics of imperial administration in colonial Burma
Authors: Ren Chao
Published: April 2024

This article explores the spatial dynamics of imperial administration in colonial Burma through the lens of gender, bureaucracy, and frontier. Focusing on the story of Hugh Ernest McColl, a British administrative officer in Burma who struggled for promotion as a result of his marriage to a Burmese woman, the article sheds light on the spatial dynamics regarding loyalty, competence, and political priorities in the imperial administration of frontiers. Such spatial dynamics were most clearly manifested in the diverging attitudes between central authorities and local governments towards McColl’s case. Drawing on archival sources and secondary literature that contextualize McColl’s case within the broader textures of colonial governance, this article argues that McColl’s case reveals the internal contradiction of the imperial administration, which saw a constant tension between the ideological imperatives of control and the practical demands of how to control. McColl’s story is therefore a story of broader significance—of the inherent structural contradiction of colonial rule and its inability to overcome it.
Missing millions: Java’s 1944–45 famine in Indonesia’s historiography
Authors: van der Eng Pierre
Published: April 2024

This article asks why the victims of the 1944–45 famine in Indonesia’s main island of Java are largely missing from Indonesia’s public memory and historiography. It surveys relevant studies, to conclude that there is no consensus on the human toll of the famine. The article then traces the origins of an initial estimate of four million mentioned by Indonesia’s authorities to data on mortality and births uncovered in late 1945. It discusses the outcomes of a recent study that analysed these data to re-estimate excess deaths of, respectively, 0.7 and 1.2 million during 1944 and 1945. The difference with the initial estimate is that it also included unborn children and an unsubstantiated approximation of victims in 1946. The article analyses the likely reasons why the millions of victims of the famine went missing from Indonesia’s public memory and historiography during the 1950s and 1960s.
Genomic characterization of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales isolated from abdominal surgical patients
Authors: Kondo Sumalee , Phornsiricharoenphant Worawich , Na-rachasima Lalita , Phokhaphan Pimonwan , Ruangchai Wuthiwat , Palittapongarnpim Prasit , Apisarnthanarak Anucha
Published: April 2024

Rectal swabs of 104 patients who underwent abdominal surgery were screened for ESBL producers. Sequence types (STs) and resistance genes were identified by whole-genome sequencing of 46 isolates from 17 patients. All but seven isolates were assigned to recognized STs. While 18 ESBL-producing E. coli (EPEC) strains were of unique STs, ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae (EPKP) strains were mainly ST14 or ST15. Eight patients harboured strains of the same ST before and after abdominal surgery. The most prevalent resistant genes in E. coli were blaEC (69.57%), blaCTX-M (65.22%), and blaTEM (36.95%), while blaSHV was present in only K. pneumoniae (41.30%). Overall, genes encoding β-lactamases of classes A (blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaZ), C (blaSHV, blaMIR, and blaDHA), and D (blaOXA) were identified, the most prevalent variants being blaCTX-M-15, blaTEM-1B, blaSHV-28, and blaOXA-1. Interestingly, blaCMY-2, the most common pAmpC β-lactamase genes reported worldwide, and mobile colistin resistance genes, mcr-10-1, were also identified. The presence of blaCMY-2 and mcr-10-1 is concerning as they may constitute a potentially high risk of pan-resistant post-surgical infections. It is imperative that healthcare professionals monitor intra-abdominal surgical site infections rigorously to prevent transmission of faecal ESBL carriage in high-risk patients.
Intravenous iron infusion ameliorates anaemia and protein-losing enteropathy in patients after Fontan surgery: case series
Authors: Kairiku Mio , Aoki Hisaaki
Published: April 2024

Protein-losing enteropathy is a severe complication of Fontan surgery and is associated with anaemia. Few studies have reported on the efficacy of an intravenous iron infusion for treating protein-losing enteropathy and low albuminemia after Fontan surgery. Herein, we present two cases of female patients who suffered from protein-losing enteropathy and low albuminemia following Fontan surgery, both of whom improved after an intravenous iron infusion.
Cardiology across continents: an interactive, case-based learning series
Authors: Peck Daniel , Neal Ashley , Redington Andrew , Jacobs Jeffrey P. , Wirth Scott , Brandewie Katie , Bastero Patricia , Tretter Justin T. , Kumar Raman Krishna
Published: April 2024

Heart University [https://www.heartuniversity.org/] is a free educational website providing structured training curricula with knowledge-based testing and access to webinars and conference recordings for practicing and in-training providers of paediatric and congenital cardiac care. To date, there are over 15,000 registered website users from over 140 countries on Heart University, with over 2,000 training modules and/or recorded educational videos. Heart University has developed an “asynchronous” educational lecture series entitled “Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Care in Resource-Limited Settings.” This recorded lecture series is specifically focused on topics relevant to practicing paediatric and/or congenital cardiac care in low-resource settings.

A relatively new initiative, “Cardiology Across Continents,” supplements the existing educational resources for providers of paediatric and/or congenital cardiac care in low-income countries and lower-middle-income countries by providing an additional live, interactive, case-based forum. Sessions occur every 1–2 months and focus on challenging cases from diagnostic or management perspective with a view to promote collaboration between partnered institutions. “Cardiology Across Continents” is an expanding initiative that facilitates learning and collaboration between clinicians across varied practice settings via interactive case discussions. We welcome trainees and providers of paediatric and congenital cardiac care to join the sessions and invite any insight that can enhance learning for clinicians around the world. This manuscript describes “Cardiology Across Continents” and discusses the development, history, current status, and future plans of Heart University.
Developing a Critical Understanding of Environmental Activism through Active Learning
Authors: Moulton Jeremy F. G.
Published: April 2024

This article presents a short simulation active-learning exercise that can be used in political science undergraduate and postgraduate environmental politics courses to introduce and teach the subject of environmental activism. The exercise, which asks students to role play as determined environmental activists, draws on an analytical framework from Diani and Donati (1999) that provides a typology of nonpartisan political organizations. This “learning through typology” allows students to prioritize critical analysis while engaging with the subject matter in a creative and enjoyable way. The article provides the full process of the exercise, from the grounding in the framework and provision of contextual examples, to the running of the simulation, and finally to the presentation of students’ work and a group debriefing session. This exercise therefore adds to the growing use of simulations and active learning in the increasingly prominent field of environmental politics.
The Global Distribution of Grazing Dynamics Estimated From Inverse Modeling
Authors: Rohr Tyler , Richardson Anthony , Lenton Andrew , Chamberlain Matthew A. , Shadwick Elizabeth H.
Published: April 2024

Grazing dynamics are one of the most poorly constrained components of the marine carbon cycle. We use inverse modeling to infer the distribution of community‐integrated zooplankton grazing dynamics based on the ability of different grazing formulations to recreate the satellite‐observed seasonal cycle in phytoplankton biomass after controlling for physical and bottom‐up controls. We find large spatial variability in the optimal community‐integrated half saturation concentration for grazing (K1/2), with lower (higher) values required in more oligotrophic (eutrophic) biomes. This leads to a strong sigmoidal relationship between observed mean‐annual phytoplankton biomass and the optimally inferred grazing parameterization. This relationship can be used to help constrain, validate and/or parameterize next‐generation biogeochemical models.
The Combined Effects of Ocean Acidification and Respiration on Habitat Suitability for Marine Calcifiers Along the West Coast of North America
Authors: Feely Richard A. , Carter Brendan R. , Alin Simone R. , Greeley Dana , Bednaršek Nina
Published: April 2024

The California Current Ecosystem (CCE) is a natural laboratory for studying the chemical and ecological impacts of ocean acidification. Biogeochemical variability in the region is due primarily to wind‐driven near‐shore upwelling of cold waters that are rich in re‐mineralized carbon and poor in oxygen. The coastal regions are exposed to surface waters with increasing concentrations of anthropogenic CO2 (Canth) from exchanges with the atmosphere and the shoreward transport and mixing of upwelled water. The upwelling drives intense cycling of organic matter that is created through photosynthesis in the surface ocean and degraded through biological respiration in subsurface habitats. We used an extended multiple linear‐regression approach to determine the spatial and temporal concentrations of Canth and respired carbon (Cbio) in the CCE based on cruise data from 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2021. Over the region, the Canth accumulation rate increased from 0.8 ± 0.1 μmol kg−1 yr−1 in the northern latitudes to 1.1 ± 0.1 μmol kg−1 yr−1 further south. The rates decreased to values of about ∼0.3 μmol kg−1 yr−1 at depths near 300 m. These accumulation rates at the surface correspond to total pH decreases that averaged about 0.002 yr‐1; whereas, decreases in aragonite saturation state ranged from 0.006 to 0.011 yr‐1. The impact of the Canth uptake was to decrease the amount of oxygen consumption required to cross critical biological thresholds (i.e., calcification, dissolution) for marine calcifiers and are significantly lower in the recent cruises than in the pre‐industrial period because of the addition of Canth.
Northeastern Caribbean Rainfall Variability Linked to Solar and Volcanic Forcing
Authors: Vieten Rolf , Warken Sophie F. , Zanchettin Davide , Winter Amos , Scholz Denis , Black David , Koltai Gabriella , Spötl Christoph
Published: April 2024

We present a 500‐year precipitation‐sensitive record based on co‐varying speleothem δ18O values and Mg/Ca ratios from Larga cave in Puerto Rico. This multi‐proxy record shows that the evolution of rainfall in the northeastern Caribbean was characterized by alternating centennial dry and wet phases corresponding to reduced versus enhanced convective activity. These phases occurred synchronous with relatively cool and warm tropical Atlantic sea‐surface temperatures (SSTs), respectively. While the observed pattern suggests a close link of northeastern Caribbean rainfall to the Atlantic Multidecadal Variability, a regional comparison reveals intermittent regional heterogeneity especially on decadal timescales, which may be related to a superimposing influence of the Pacific and Atlantic basins. Furthermore, the speleothem‐based hydroclimate reconstruction indicates a significant volcanic impact during the past two centuries, and further reveals a potential solar signal in the preceding three centuries. We posit that the forcing likely shifted from solar to volcanic during the eighteenth century in being an important source of multidecadal to centennial Caribbean rainfall variability. The link between convective rainfall and natural forcing may be explained through a modulation of SST variations in the tropical Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Thank You to Our 2023 Peer Reviewers
Authors: Huber Matthew , Röhl Ursula (Ulla)
Published: April 2024

We would like to extend our gratitude to our amazing reviewers in 2023. We appreciate your attention to detail, your patience in working together with authors and editors through multiple rounds of revisions to ensure high quality, and of course the occasional flashes of humor and personality that shine through your reviews. Journals are only as good as their reviewers, and Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology is lucky to have the best. Thanks again from both me and Ulla. We wish you all the best in 2024.
Atomic-scale magnetic doping of monolayer stanene by revealing Kondo effect from self-assembled Fe spin entities
Authors: Kumar Nitin , Lan Ye-Shun , Jang Iksu , Lin Yen-Hui , Chen Chia-Ju , Lin Tzu-Hsuan , Jeng Horng-Tay , Chang Po-Yao , Hsu Pin-Jui
Published: April 2024

Atomic-scale spin entity in a two-dimensional topological insulator lays the foundation to manufacture magnetic topological materials with single atomic thickness. Here, we have successfully fabricated Fe monomer, dimer and trimer doped in the monolayer stanene/Cu(111) through a low-temperature growth and systematically investigated Kondo effect by combining scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) with density functional theory (DFT) and numerical renormalization group (NRG) method. Given high spatial and energy resolution, tunneling conductance (dI/dU) spectra have resolved zero-bias Kondo resonance and resultant magnetic-field-dependent Zeeman splitting, yielding an effective spin Seff = 3/2 with an easy-plane magnetic anisotropy on the self-assembled Fe atomic dopants. Reduced Kondo temperature along with attenuated Kondo intensity from Fe monomer to trimer have been further identified as a manifestation of Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction between Sn-separated Fe atoms. Such magnetic Fe atom assembly in turn constitutes important cornerstones for tailoring topological band structures and developing magnetic phase transition in the single-atom-layer stanene.
Identification of the weak-to-strong transition in Alfvénic turbulence from space plasma
Authors: Zhao Siqi , Yan Huirong , Liu Terry Z. , Yuen Ka Ho , Wang Huizi
Published: April 2024

Plasma turbulence is a ubiquitous dynamical process that transfers energy across many spatial and temporal scales in astrophysical and space plasma systems. Although the theory of anisotropic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence has successfully described natural phenomena, its core prediction of an Alfvénic transition from weak to strong MHD turbulence when energy cascades from large to small scales has not been observationally confirmed. Here we report evidence for the Alfvénic weak-to-strong transition in small-amplitude, turbulent MHD fluctuations in Earth’s magnetosheath using data from four Cluster spacecraft. Our observations demonstrate the universal existence of strong turbulence accompanied by weak turbulent fluctuations on large scales. Moreover, we find that the nonlinear interactions of MHD turbulence are crucial to the energy cascade, as they broaden the cascade directions and fluctuating frequencies. The observed connection between weak and strong MHD turbulence systems may be present in many astrophysical environments, such as star formation, energetic particle transport, turbulent dynamos, and solar corona or solar wind heating.
Inferring gene regulatory networks from single-cell multiome data using atlas-scale external data
Authors: Yuan Qiuyue , Duren Zhana
Published: April 2024

Existing methods for gene regulatory network (GRN) inference rely on gene expression data alone or on lower resolution bulk data. Despite the recent integration of chromatin accessibility and RNA sequencing data, learning complex mechanisms from limited independent data points still presents a daunting challenge. Here we present LINGER (Lifelong neural network for gene regulation), a machine-learning method to infer GRNs from single-cell paired gene expression and chromatin accessibility data. LINGER incorporates atlas-scale external bulk data across diverse cellular contexts and prior knowledge of transcription factor motifs as a manifold regularization. LINGER achieves a fourfold to sevenfold relative increase in accuracy over existing methods and reveals a complex regulatory landscape of genome-wide association studies, enabling enhanced interpretation of disease-associated variants and genes. Following the GRN inference from reference single-cell multiome data, LINGER enables the estimation of transcription factor activity solely from bulk or single-cell gene expression data, leveraging the abundance of available gene expression data to identify driver regulators from case-control studies.