bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Roadmap on optical sensors
Authors: Ferreira Mário F S , Brambilla Gilberto , Thévenaz Luc , Feng Xian , Zhang Lei , Sumetsky Misha , Jones Callum , Pedireddy Srikanth , Vollmer Frank , Dragic Peter D , Henderson-Sapir Ori , Ottaway David J , Strupiechonski Elodie , Hernandez-Cardoso Goretti G , Hernandez-Serrano Arturo I , González Francisco J , Castro Camus Enrique , Méndez Alexis , Saccomandi Paola , Quan Qimin , Xie Zhongcong , Reinhard Björn M , Diem Max
Published: November 2023

Optical sensors and sensing technologies are playing a more and more important role in our modern world. From micro-probes to large devices used in such diverse areas like medical diagnosis, defence, monitoring of industrial and environmental conditions, optics can be used in a variety of ways to achieve compact, low cost, stand-off sensing with extreme sensitivity and selectivity. Actually, the challenges to the design and functioning of an optical sensor for a particular application requires intimate knowledge of the optical, material, and environmental properties that can affect its performance. This roadmap on optical sensors addresses different technologies and application areas. It is constituted by twelve contributions authored by world-leading experts, providing insight into the current state-of-the-art and the challenges their respective fields face. Two articles address the area of optical fibre sensors, encompassing both conventional and specialty optical fibres. Several other articles are dedicated to laser-based sensors, micro- and nano-engineered sensors, whispering-gallery mode and plasmonic sensors. The use of optical sensors in chemical, biological and biomedical areas is discussed in some other papers. Different approaches required to satisfy applications at visible, infrared and THz spectral regions are also discussed.
Product stewardship for solar photovoltaic panels
Authors: Chhillar Ishika , Sandhu Sukhbir , Majewski Peter , Parida Subhadarsini , Sardeshmukh Shruti
Published: November 2023

The uptake of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for the generation of clean energy has almost exponentially increased over the past 10 years and can be expected to further exponentially increase until 2030. Organisations like the International Renewable Energy Agency have clearly outlined the need and benefits of robust end-of-life (EoL) management legislations, such as a product stewardship scheme or extended producer responsibility, to cope with the significant expected waste volume arising from solar PV panels during the next 30 years or so. However, effective EoL management legislation is still not existing in many countries despite having significant solar PV capacity installed. This article explores a possible strategy for a product stewardship legislation for solar PV panels including options for necessary levies to support an emerging recycling industry for solar panels. Given that currently almost 3 billion solar PV panels are installed worldwide, considerations are also given for a legislation which supports and encourages a second hand economy for solar PV panels.
Assessment of conservation status of riparian vascular plant species in a dry season exposed flood plain area of the Incalaue river catchment, Niassa Special Reserve, Northern Mozambique
Authors: Natumanya Ezrah , Ribeiro Natasha , Mwanjalolo Majaliwa Jackson-Gilbert , Steinbruch Franziska
Published: November 2023

Riparian vegetation usually gets less focus in biodiversity assessments and yet species diversity is important knowledge when applying patch specific conservation value in the Niassa Special Reserve (NSR). This study assessed the composition and conservation status of riparian species in an exposed river basin downstream location. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of sites and respondents to maximize data collection. The study found 19 species belonging to 15 families with 52.63% of them having a frequency of ⩾50% in sampling plots. There were 10 species that are endemic to the sub-Sharan Africa Region. Fabaceae was the dominant family with 5 species. The species with the highest population was Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr. Species richness ranged from 0.35 to 0.98 with a mean of 0.66 ± 0.22. The IVI ranged from 34.70 (F. indica (Burm. f.) Merr) to 4.43 (Tribulus cistoides L.) with a mean of 15.79 ± 7.79. Threats of species loss and ecosystem disturbance were agriculture, infrastructure development and plant harvests. There was a reported decline in species availability over the previous 10 years by 18.7% of the respondents. The results added to existing studies and records of vegetation species of conservation value in areas exposed to loss in the NSR. This study advances research on vegetation range dynamics in the NSR and presents a need to mitigate human land use impacts on riparian vegetation species composition.
Environmental Justice
Authors: McWilliams Ojala Ballard Rebecca
Published: November 2023

The Environmental Justice Movement emerged in the 1980s as a political framework uniting diverse struggles by multiply marginalized communities (especially communities of color) against disproportionate exposure to environmental harm. Since then, environmental justice has expanded to encompass not just the pollution and hazardous waste issues that first inspired it but a range of other environmental health concerns and environmental rights, and it is best understood as an extensive network of political projects that extends in time and space beyond its 1980s US origins. Despite a common narrative situating environmental justice as one relatively recent stage of the environmental movement, environmental justice has important historical precedents in the organizing work of minoritized communities outside of mainstream Western environmental thought or politics. Similarly, beyond social movements, philosophical work on environmental justice puts pressure on many assumptions of Western environmental thought, revising environmental critiques of anthropocentrism to situate human concerns in multispecies contexts and centering Indigenous and non-Western ways of understanding and living in relation to land. Environmental justice issues have been represented in diverse literatures and across genres (nonfiction prose, literary fiction, poetry, drama, popular and speculative genres, etc.) since the emergence of the Environmental Justice Movement in the 1980s. However, the concerns of the Environmental Justice Movement are evident in earlier literary works as well, particularly those by variously minoritized writers, and literary scholarship on environmental justice has often focused on reclamation and canon revision, seeking to identify the presence of environmental and especially environmental justice themes in literary works not previously articulated as environmental because they did not fit neatly into “nature writing.” Climate change produces a range of environmental justice problems relating to exposure, vulnerability, dispossession, and displacement, and 21st-century literature’s increasing engagements with climate change have led to both the telling presence and the telling absence of climate justice concerns. Environmental justice ecocriticism thus does not merely trace connections between the Environmental Justice Movement and literature explicitly responding to it but operates as an interpretive framework that considers the full range and broader implications of literature’s engagement (or lack thereof) with issues affiliated with environmental justice.
Immigration and International Trade
Authors: Erhardt Katharina , Lassmann Andrea
Published: November 2023

International trade involves the movement of goods across borders, while immigration pertains to the movement of people across national boundaries. These two phenomena are strongly correlated. To some extent, the similarity between barriers to trade and migration explains this correlation, with distance being a crucial factor in both trade and migration. Geographically closer countries tend to engage in both trade and migration because of closer cultural connections. Immigration is itself also an important determinant of trade flows. Migrant networks play a vital role in reducing trade barriers by improving information sharing and facilitating business connections. This, in turn, leads to an increase in both exports and imports between countries. As trade increasingly relies on efficient firm and supplier matching, particularly within global supply chains, the influence of migrant networks becomes more significant. Finally, immigration also drives demand for goods and services from migrants’ home countries. Migrants often maintain strong ties to their home countries and prefer consuming products and services from those regions. This preference fosters increased bilateral trade flows between the home country and the country of immigration. In summary, international trade and immigration are closely linked, and understanding the interplay between international trade and immigration is crucial for comprehending the dynamics of the global economy.
Home-Based Labor
Authors: Boris Eileen
Published: November 2023

Home-based labor has persisted over time and space but has varied in processes performed, earnings gained, and working conditions. Women and men have made and assembled goods, copied and manipulated data, minded dependents, and conducted enterprises in their residences or entered other people’s homes as domestic workers and caregivers. They have done so as unwaged family laborers and slaves, as employees, and as the self-employed. From rural outworkers in early America to urban immigrant homeworkers into the 20th century, from New England to the South and Puerto Rico, mothers and daughters sought to generate income along with engaging in unpaid work for the family. Most found it impossible to combine caring and earning without lengthening the workday into the night. Concentrated in seasonal and fashion industries, in which workers were paid by the piece, homeworkers were at the mercy of national and global markets. Though a family survival strategy, home-based labor challenged the ideology of separate spheres, the separation of home from work that made such labor invisible.

Trade unionists joined women reformers to campaign against the home sweatshop for violating domesticity and undermining the male breadwinner wage. The resulting protective laws—minimum wages, maximum hours, and limits on child labor—rarely included home-based work, while the tenement location complicated enforcement of labor standards. New Deal reforms banned the most pervasive forms of industrial homework but excluded the often home-based domestic and agricultural sectors in which African Americans predominated. By the 1990s, new campaigns against the sweatshop linked the local and the global, while domestic workers organized to fight for inclusion in standards related to wages, working hours, and health and safety. Emerging after World War II, white-collar, home-based labor only expanded with the COVID-19 pandemic. Adding new forms of surveillance, such remote work continued to extend the working day, especially for women with care responsibilities.
The Caribbean Frontier During World War II
Authors: Bolívar Fresneda Jose L.
Published: November 2023

Though World War II is part of the Caribbean’s popular imaginary and cultural production, World War II scholars have relegated the region to a footnote. It should not be so. From January 1942 to July 1943, 20 percent of all the allied shipping was sunk as a result of the one-sided naval battles that occurred there. German submarine warfare was sinking one oil tanker or merchant ship per day in Caribbean waters in the worst months of 1942.

Nazi Germany’s aggressiveness in the Caribbean was strategic. In 1942 Aruba, Curaçao, and the Venezuelan oil fields and refineries provided roughly 95 percent of the oil required to sustain the East Coast of the United States—59 million gallons a day. The supply of bauxite from British Guiana and Surinam was crucial for the war effort. Moreover, control of the Caribbean meant control of the Panama Canal, which since 1914 had allowed the US Navy to control the eastern Pacific and the western Atlantic. The US Merchant Marine suffered heavy losses of ships and men, while the Allies struggled to contain the damage done to the supply of oil from Venezuela and airplane fuel from Curaçao to the United States.

The United States invested billions in military installments on the British and American islands and transformed Puerto Rico into “the Gibraltar of the Caribbean.” Despite these investments Puerto Rico experienced food shortages because of German U-boat warfare in 1942, while Martinique suffered near famine in the aftermath of a British and American blockade induced by the Vichy government’s control of the Caribbean island.
Has a sufficient case been made for the Law Commission’s proposals in respect of section 67?
Authors: Gunning Alexander
Published: November 2023

The Law Commission has recommended reforming the approach to be taken where (i) a challenge is made in the English Courts to an arbitration award on grounds of lack of substantive jurisdiction and (ii) the challenging party has participated in the arbitration under protest. It has recommended including in the Act the power to make rules of court limiting both the grounds for such a challenge and the evidence that may be heard. The Law Commission’s proposed reform stems from concern that the present approach could be wasteful and unfair. This article seeks to explore whether the now extensive experience of challenges under section 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 justifies those apprehensions.
Application of deep learning in cancer epigenetics through DNA methylation analysis
Authors: Yassi Maryam , Chatterjee Aniruddha , Parry Matthew
Published: November 2023

DNA methylation is a fundamental epigenetic modification involved in various biological processes and diseases. Analysis of DNA methylation data at a genome-wide and high-throughput level can provide insights into diseases influenced by epigenetics, such as cancer. Recent technological advances have led to the development of high-throughput approaches, such as genome-scale profiling, that allow for computational analysis of epigenetics. Deep learning (DL) methods are essential in facilitating computational studies in epigenetics for DNA methylation analysis. In this systematic review, we assessed the various applications of DL applied to DNA methylation data or multi-omics data to discover cancer biomarkers, perform classification, imputation and survival analysis. The review first introduces state-of-the-art DL architectures and highlights their usefulness in addressing challenges related to cancer epigenetics. Finally, the review discusses potential limitations and future research directions in this field.
IDESS: a toolbox for identification and automated design of stochastic gene circuits
Authors: Sequeiros Carlos , Pájaro Manuel , Vázquez Carlos , Banga Julio R , Otero-Muras Irene
Published: November 2023

Motivation

One of the main causes hampering predictability during the model identification and automated design of gene circuits in synthetic biology is the effect of molecular noise. Stochasticity may significantly impact the dynamics and function of gene circuits, specially in bacteria and yeast due to low mRNA copy numbers. Standard stochastic simulation methods are too computationally costly in realistic scenarios to be applied to optimization-based design or parameter estimation.

Results

In this work, we present IDESS (Identification and automated Design of Stochastic gene circuitS), a software toolbox for optimization-based design and model identification of gene regulatory circuits in the stochastic regime. This software incorporates an efficient approximation of the Chemical Master Equation as well as a stochastic simulation algorithm—both with GPU and CPU implementations—combined with global optimization algorithms capable of solving Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming problems. The toolbox efficiently addresses two types of problems relevant in systems and synthetic biology: the automated design of stochastic synthetic gene circuits, and the parameter estimation for model identification of stochastic gene regulatory networks.

Availability and implementation

IDESS runs under the MATLAB environment and it is available under GPLv3 license at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7788692.
Mixed mating patterns in morphologically diverse bumblebee-pollinated Salvia species from China
Authors: Xiao Han-Wen , Huang Yan-Bo , Liu Qing-Shan , Claßen-Bockhoff Regine , Tian Ru-Nan , Wei Yu-Kun
Published: November 2023

Flowers of Salvia are characterized by a diversity of staminal lever types mediating pollen transfer. In the East Asian subgenus Glutinaria, species have been categorized based on their distinct flower and stamen morphologies. A hypothesized advantage of degraded-lever types suggests they may optimize pollinator foraging time, increase visitation rates, and potentially trigger autonomous self-pollination. However, this hypothesis remains untested. Here, Salvia castanea, S. miltiorrhiza, and S. liguliloba were selected as test species representing the three major flower and stamen types of the East Asian sages. We compared the species with regard to their inflorescence architecture, floral display, nectar reward, pollinator efficiency, and seed set. We found that S. liguliloba had a degraded-lever type that significantly reduced pollinator foraging time did not significantly increase pollination efficiency. These species have a mixed mating pattern with high seed set, no pollen- or pollinator limitation, and no inbreeding depression. We conclude that the diversity of floral traits is addressed to pollinators, whereas reproductive success emerges from a complex interplay of factors encompassing floral characteristics, pollination efficiency, plant life history, or/and other biotic and abiotic factors. For this reason, the link between floral morphological traits and mating systems should not overestimated.
Sleep tight! Adolescent sleep quality across three distinct sleep ecologies
Authors: Silva-Caballero Andrea , Ball Helen L , Kramer Karen L , Bentley Gillian R
Published: November 2023

Background and objectives

Good sleep quality, associated with few arousals, no daytime sleepiness and self-satisfaction with one’s sleep, is pivotal for adolescent growth, maturation, cognition and overall health. This article aims to identify what ecological factors impact adolescent sleep quality across three distinct sleep ecologies representing a gradient of dense urbanity to small, rural environments with scarce artificial lighting and no Internet.

Methodology

We analyze variation of sleep efficiency, a quantitative measure of sleep quality—defined as the ratio of total time spent asleep to total time dedicated to sleep—in two agricultural indigenous populations and one post-industrial group in Mexico (Campeche = 44, Puebla = 51, Mexico City = 50, respectively). Data collection included actigraphy, sleep diaries, questionnaires, interviews and ethnographic observations. We fit linear models to examine sleep efficiency variation within and between groups.

Results

We found that sleep efficiency varied significantly across sites, being highest in Mexico City (88%) and lowest in Campeche (75%). We found that variation in sleep efficiency was significantly associated with nightly exposure to light and social sleep practices.

Conclusions and implications

Our findings point toward contextual cost-benefits of sleep disruption in adolescence. We highlight the need to prioritize research on adolescent sleep quality across distinct developmental ecologies and its impact on health to improve adolescent wellbeing through evidence-based health practices.
Financial Risk Aversion Among Older Black and White Adults
Authors: Han S Duke , Barnes Lisa L , Leurgans Sue , Yu Lei , Lamar Melissa , Glover Crystal M , Bennett David A , Boyle Patricia A
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Risk aversion has a substantial impact on decision making and is associated with key demographic characteristics. However, few studies have investigated whether risk aversion varies by race.

Methods

We investigated racial differences in financial risk aversion in 684 older Black and White adults without dementia in the Minority Aging Research Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project matched for age, education, sex, and cognition using Mahalanobis distance. We also investigated whether select contextual factors (self-reported discrimination, socioeconomic status, and literacy) mediated or affective factors (trust, loneliness, and neuroticism) moderated any observed racial differences.

Results

In regression models adjusted for age, education, sex, and cognitive function, older Black adults were more risk averse than older White adults (Beta = 0.1264, standard error = 0.0227, p value ≤ .00001). None of the contextual or affective factors mediated or moderated this association.

Discussion

Older Black adults are more financially risk averse than older White adults. Because risk aversion may be associated with important financial and health outcomes in older age, more research is needed to investigate the reasons for this difference.
Constitutionalizing conflict: Beyond constituent power—Afterword to the Foreword by Sergio Verdugo
Authors: Bell Christine
Published: November 2023

This Afterword affirms Verdugo’s thesis that the concept of “constituent power” is not helpful to evaluating the legality or legitimacy of constitutional replacement moves, drawing on experience of how constitutional revisions are fashioned to attempt to end violent intrastate conflict. I sketch an alternative approach to that of constituent power reasoning for evaluating the legality and legitimacy of constitutional revisions. This approach involves determining whether the constitutional move seeks to replace the underlying political settlement or not, and if so how, including whether it does so in a way that makes the settlement more democratic and pluralist or less so—recognizing that commitments to democracy and pluralism also require to be reconciled.
Minimax estimation of distances on a surface and minimax manifold learning in the isometric-to-convex setting
Authors: Arias-Castro Ery , Alain Chau Phong
Published: November 2023

We start by considering the problem of estimating intrinsic distances on a smooth submanifold. We show that minimax optimality can be obtained via a reconstruction of the surface, and discuss the use of a particular mesh construction—the tangential Delaunay complex—for that purpose. We then turn to manifold learning and argue that a variant of Isomap where the distances are instead computed on a reconstructed surface is minimax optimal for the isometric variant of the problem.
Building a community-based taxonomic resource for digitization of parasites and their hosts
Authors: Sullivan Kathryn A , Tucker Erika M , Dowdy Nicolas J , Allen Julie M , Barve Vijay , Boone James H , Bush Sarah E , Evenhuis Neal L , Hastriter Michael , Light Jessica E , Mayfield-Meyer Teresa , OConnor Barry M , Poelen Jorrit H , Racz Gabor R , Seltmann Katja C , Zaspel Jennifer M
Published: November 2023

Classification of the biological diversity on Earth is foundational to all areas of research within the natural sciences. Reliable biological nomenclatural and taxonomic systems facilitate efficient access to information about organisms and their names over time. However, broadly sharing, accessing, delivering, and updating these resources remains a persistent problem. This barrier has been acknowledged by the biodiversity data sharing community, yet concrete efforts to standardize and continually update taxonomic names in a sustainable way remain limited. High diversity groups such as arthropods are especially challenging as available specimen data per number of species is substantially lower than vertebrate or plant groups. The Terrestrial Parasite Tracker Thematic Collections Network project developed a workflow for gathering expert-verified taxonomic names across all available sources, aligning those sources, and publishing a single resource that provides a model for future endeavors to standardize digital specimen identification data. The process involved gathering expert-verified nomenclature lists representing the full taxonomic scope of terrestrial arthropod parasites, documenting issues experienced, and finding potential solutions for reconciliation of taxonomic resources against large data publishers. Although discordance between our expert resources and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility are relatively low, the impact across all taxa affects thousands of names that correspond to hundreds of thousands of specimen records. Here, we demonstrate a mechanism for the delivery and continued maintenance of these taxonomic resources, while highlighting the current state of taxon name curation for biodiversity data sharing.
What Counts as Transitional Justice Scholarship? Citational Recognition and Disciplinary Hierarchies in Theory and Practice
Authors: Davidović Maja , Turner Catherine
Published: November 2023

Since its emergence as a field of scholarship and practice, transitional justice has coalesced around a set of mechanisms to deal with a legacy of violence. The “pull” toward mechanisms, institutions, and structures as a means of delivering justice has led to certain kinds of knowledge being recognized as “transitional justice research” in the mainstream. Drawing on the theory of epistemic positioning, we reveal how hierarchies of academic knowledge and the dominant “ways of knowing” in and of transitional justice are created. Through citation analysis, we reveal an emerging canon, a central body of valuable and seemingly “inevitable” knowledge of transitional justice consisting primarily of structure and outcome-oriented inquiries in the disciplines of politics, international relations, and law and consolidating a standardized model of how to “do” transitional justice. We argue that this canonization comes at the expenses of alternative approaches that challenge the core assumptions of the field. Inquiries that prioritize agency or process and reimagine what transitional justice could be remain bounded to their disciplines and subfields. We demonstrate how certain anxieties about the survival of the field result in policing of the boundaries of the field, creating hierarchies of “valuable” knowledge, and resisting the “decolonizing” impulse.
Evaluating the impact of alternative phenotype definitions on incidence rates across a global data network
Authors: Makadia Rupa , Shoaibi Azza , Rao Gowtham A , Ostropolets Anna , Rijnbeek Peter R , Voss Erica A , Duarte-Salles Talita , Ramírez-Anguita Juan Manuel , Mayer Miguel A , Maljković Filip , Denaxas Spiros , Nyberg Fredrik , Papez Vaclav , Sena Anthony G , Alshammari Thamir M , Lai Lana Y H , Haynes Kevin , Suchard Marc A , Hripcsak George , Ryan Patrick B
Published: November 2023

Objective

Developing accurate phenotype definitions is critical in obtaining reliable and reproducible background rates in safety research. This study aims to illustrate the differences in background incidence rates by comparing definitions for a given outcome.

Materials and Methods

We used 16 data sources to systematically generate and evaluate outcomes for 13 adverse events and their overall background rates. We examined the effect of different modifications (inpatient setting, standardization of code set, and code set changes) to the computable phenotype on background incidence rates.

Results

Rate ratios (RRs) of the incidence rates from each computable phenotype definition varied across outcomes, with inpatient restriction showing the highest variation from 1 to 11.93. Standardization of code set RRs ranges from 1 to 1.64, and code set changes range from 1 to 2.52.

Discussion

The modification that has the highest impact is requiring inpatient place of service, leading to at least a 2-fold higher incidence rate in the base definition. Standardization showed almost no change when using source code variations. The strength of the effect in the inpatient restriction is highly dependent on the outcome. Changing definitions from broad to narrow showed the most variability by age/gender/database across phenotypes and less than a 2-fold increase in rate compared to the base definition.

Conclusion

Characterization of outcomes across a network of databases yields insights into sensitivity and specificity trade-offs when definitions are altered. Outcomes should be thoroughly evaluated prior to use for background rates for their plausibility for use across a global network.
Urine and hair drug test results associated with daily consumption of codeine-predominant poppy seed food products
Authors: Reisfield Gary M , Teitelbaum Scott A , Jones Joseph T , Mathias Kent , Lewis Ben
Published: November 2023

This study examined the urine and hair opiate profiles associated with the daily consumption of presumptive codeine-predominant poppy seed food products. Ten participants consumed one of five food products at breakfast for 10 consecutive days. Baseline urine and hair samples were collected on Day 1. The urine samples were collected 4, 8 and 12 h following poppy seed consumption on Days 1 and 10, and the first morning void urine samples were collected on Days 2–10. A second hair specimen was collected on Day 20 ± 2. Urine drug test results: Three of the food products were associated with opiate-negative urine drug test results at all time points at a 300 ng/mL cut-off. Two of the food products were associated with opiate-positive drug test results at all non-baseline time points at a 300 ng/mL cut-off. Of these, all samples (n = 60) were codeine-positive, and 27 (45%) were morphine-positive. Codeine concentrations exceeded morphine concentrations in every sample and always by multiples. Thirty-nine of the 60 samples (65%) were codeine-positive at a 2,000 ng/mL cut-off, while none of these samples were morphine-positive at this cut-off. None of the 60 samples reached an opiate threshold of 15,000 ng/mL, although one participant produced a maximum codeine concentration of 13,161 ng/mL (13,854 ng/mg creatinine). There was no clear trend toward increasing urinary opiate concentrations over the course of the study. Hair drug test results: The hair samples of two participants produced quantifiable codeine (41 pg/mg and 51 pg/mg), but no sample reached a common reporting threshold of 200 pg/mg for codeine or morphine.
In-situ TEM study from the perspective of holders
Authors: Yaguchi Toshie , Gabriel Mia L San , Hashimoto Ayako , Howe Jane Y
Published: November 2023

During the in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, the diverse functionalities of different specimen holders play a crucial role. We hereby provide a comprehensive overview of the main types of holders, associated technologies and case studies pertaining to the widely employed heating and gas heating methods, from their initial developments to the latest advancement. In addition to the conventional approaches, we also discuss the emergence of holders that incorporate a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) chip for in situ observations. The MEMS technology offers a multitude of functions within a single chip, thereby enhancing the capabilities and versatility of the holders. MEMS chips have been utilized in environmental-cell designs, enabling customized fabrication of diverse shapes. This innovation has facilitated their application in conducting in situ observations within gas and liquid environments, particularly in the investigation of catalytic and battery reactions. We summarize recent noteworthy studies conducted using in situ liquid TEM. These studies highlight significant advancements and provide valuable insights into the utilization of MEMS chips in environmental-cells, as well as the expanding capabilities of in situ liquid TEM in various research domains.
The Scorpionfly (Panorpa cognata) Genome Highlights Conserved and Derived Features of the Peculiar Dipteran X Chromosome
Authors: Lasne Clementine , Elkrewi Marwan , Toups Melissa A , Layana Lorena , Macon Ariana , Vicoso Beatriz
Published: November 2023

Many insects carry an ancient X chromosome—the Drosophila Muller element F—that likely predates their origin. Interestingly, the X has undergone turnover in multiple fly species (Diptera) after being conserved for more than 450 My. The long evolutionary distance between Diptera and other sequenced insect clades makes it difficult to infer what could have contributed to this sudden increase in rate of turnover. Here, we produce the first genome and transcriptome of a long overlooked sister-order to Diptera: Mecoptera. We compare the scorpionfly Panorpa cognata X-chromosome gene content, expression, and structure to that of several dipteran species as well as more distantly related insect orders (Orthoptera and Blattodea). We find high conservation of gene content between the mecopteran X and the dipteran Muller F element, as well as several shared biological features, such as the presence of dosage compensation and a low amount of genetic diversity, consistent with a low recombination rate. However, the 2 homologous X chromosomes differ strikingly in their size and number of genes they carry. Our results therefore support a common ancestry of the mecopteran and ancestral dipteran X chromosomes, and suggest that Muller element F shrank in size and gene content after the split of Diptera and Mecoptera, which may have contributed to its turnover in dipteran insects.
The role of minimally invasive surgery within a multidisciplinary approach for patients with metastatic spine disease over a decade: A systematic review
Authors: Schupper Alexander J , Patel Shrey , Steinberger Jeremy M , Germano Isabelle M
Published: November 2023

Background

Metastatic spine disease (MSD) occurs commonly in cancer patients causing pain, spinal instability, devastating neurological compromise, and decreased quality of life. Oncological patients are often medically complex and frail, precluding them form invasive procedures. To address this issue, minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS) techniques are desirable. The aim of this study is to review published peer-reviewed literature and ongoing clinical trials to provide current state of the art.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, assessing MISS in MSD patients for the period 2013–2023. Innovations under development were assessed by querying and reviewing data from currently enrolling U.S. registered clinical trials.

Results

From 3,696 articles, 50 studies on 3,196 patients focused on spinal oncology MISS. The most commonly reported techniques were vertebral augmentation (VA), percutaneous spinal instrumentation, and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Surgical instrumentation/stabilization techniques were reported in 10/50 articles for a total of 410 patients. The majority of studies focused on pain as a primary outcome measure, with 28/50 studies reporting a significant improvement in pain following intervention. In the United States, 13 therapeutic trials are currently recruiting MSD patients. Their main focus includes radiosurgery, VA and/or RFA, and laser interstitial thermal therapy.

Conclusions

Due to their medical complexity and increased fragility, MSD patients may benefit from minimally invasive approaches. These strategies are effective at mitigating pain and preventing neurological deterioration, while providing other advantages including ease to start/resume systemic/radiotherapy treatment(s).
Photovoltaic fields largely outperform afforestation efficiency in global climate change mitigation strategies
Authors: Stern Rafael , Muller Jonathan D , Rotenberg Eyal , Amer Madi , Segev Lior , Yakir Dan
Published: November 2023

Suppression of carbon emissions through photovoltaic (PV) energy and carbon sequestration through afforestation provides complementary climate change mitigation (CCM) strategies. However, a quantification of the “break-even time” (BET) required to offset the warming impacts of the reduced surface reflectivity of incoming solar radiation (albedo effect) is needed, though seldom accounted for in CCM strategies. Here, we quantify the CCM potential of PV fields and afforestation, considering atmospheric carbon reductions, solar panel life cycle analysis (LCA), surface energy balance, and land area required across different climatic zones, with a focus on drylands, which offer the main remaining land area reserves for forestation aiming climate change mitigation (Rohatyn S, Yakir D, Rotenberg E, Carmel Y. Limited climate change mitigation potential through forestation of the vast dryland regions. 2022. Science 377:1436–1439). Results indicate a BET of PV fields of ∼2.5 years but >50× longer for dryland afforestation, even though the latter is more efficient at surface heat dissipation and local surface cooling. Furthermore, PV is ∼100× more efficient in atmospheric carbon mitigation. While the relative efficiency of afforestation compared with PV fields significantly increases in more mesic climates, PV field BET is still ∼20× faster than in afforestation, and land area required greatly exceeds availability for tree planting in a sufficient scale. Although this analysis focusing purely on the climatic radiative forcing perspective quantified an unambiguous advantage for the PV strategy over afforestation, both approaches must be combined and complementary, depending on climate zone, since forests provide crucial ecosystem, climate regulation, and even social services.
Ten- vs. 14-day antibiotic therapy for culture-positive neonatal sepsis
Authors: Islam Kamirul , Khatun Nazima , Das Kuntalkanti , Paul Sudipto , Ghosh Taraknath , Nayek Kaustav
Published: November 2023

Background

Neonatal sepsis is a major determinant of neonatal mortality. There is a scarcity of evidence-based guidelines for the duration of antibiotics in culture-positive sepsis.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of 10- and 14-day antibiotic therapies in the management of culture-positive neonatal sepsis.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary care center among the neonates suffering from culture-positive sepsis (with signs of clinical remission on day 9 of antibiotic) between January 2023 and May 2023. Newborns with major congenital anomaly, deep-seated infections, multi-organ dysfunction, associated fungal infections/infection by multiple organisms and severe birth asphyxia were excluded. Two hundred and thirty-four newborns were randomized into two groups—study (received 10 days of antibiotics) and control (received 14 days of antibiotics). Treatment failure, hospital stay and adverse effects were compared between the two groups. p < 0.05 was taken as the limit of statistical significance.

Results

Median [interquartile range (IQR)] birth weight and gestational age of the study population (53.8% boys) were 2.424 kg (IQR: 2.183–2.695) and 37.3 weeks (IQR: 35.5–38.1), respectively. Acinetobacter was the most commonly isolated species (56, 23.9%). The baseline characteristics of both groups were almost similar. Treatment failure was similar in the study and control groups (3.8% vs. 1.7%, p = 0.40), with a shorter hospital stay [median (IQR): 14 (13–16) vs. 18 (17–19) days, p < 0.001].

Conclusion

Ten-day antibiotic therapy was comparable with 14-day antibiotic therapy in efficacy, with a shorter duration of hospital stay and without any significant increase in adverse effects.
A nigroincertal projection mediates aversion and enhances coping responses to potential threat
Authors: Ho Ping‐Chen , Hsiao Fu‐Yun , Chiu Shi‐Hong , Lee Syun‐Ruei , Yau Hau‐Jie
Published: November 2023

Recent studies have shown that the non‐DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SN) not only modulate motivational behaviors but also regulate defensive behaviors. While zona incerta (ZI) is a threat‐responsive substrate and receives innervations from the ventral midbrain, the function of the ventral midbrain‐to‐ZI connection remains poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that the ZI receives heterogenous innervations from the ventral midbrain. By utilizing a retrograde AAV preferentially labeling non‐DA neurons in the ventral midbrain, we found that ZI‐projecting non‐DA cells in the ventral midbrain are activated by restraint stress. We focused on the SN and found that SN‐to‐ZI GABAergic input is engaged by a predatory odor. Sustained pan‐neuronal SN‐to‐ZI activation results in aversion and enhances defensive behaviors, likely through a disinhibition mechanism to recruit downstream brain regions that regulate defensive behaviors. Collectively, our results reveal a novel role of nigroincertal projection in mediating negative valence and regulating defensive behaviors.
Malignant pleural effusion due to angiosarcoma
Authors: Meerschaert Ashley N. , DeCoste Robert J.
Published: November 2023

Angiosarcoma is a rare and aggressive vascular malignancy that typically originates in the skin or soft tissue of the body. It is known to have a propensity for metastasis to the lung parenchyma in the form of pulmonary nodules and cavitary lesions; however, a less commonly described entity is in the form of a malignant pleural effusion. Management of a malignant pleural effusion due to angiosarcoma presents a unique challenge. This article describes the challenges faced during one patient's diagnostic and treatment course, and the anticipated future complications of his aggressive disease.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease management and chronic use of proton pump inhibitors
Authors: Howland Anne M.
Published: November 2023

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs worldwide and have changed the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, these drugs have been associated with several potentially serious adverse reactions if used chronically. Guidelines from the American College of Gastroenterology in 2021 and the American Gastroenterological Association's 2022 clinical practice updates reflect the latest recommendations. This article reviews the management and treatment of GERD and the adverse reactions to long-term PPI use.
Hypoglossal nerve stimulation for adults with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Hardin Laura
Published: November 2023

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common chronic condition in which upper airway collapse interferes with breathing during sleep, reducing sleep quality. Untreated OSA can impair a patient's health and quality of life. The recommended first-line treatment for OSA in adults is positive airway pressure, but difficulty tolerating this device limits adherence to treatment for many patients. Treatment with an implanted hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) device is a relatively new second-line option for these patients, and is gaining more widespread use. Clinicians who treat OSA or provide other healthcare services to patients with HNS implants should be familiar with these devices. This article reviews HNS technology and relevant OSA pathophysiology, along with device candidacy criteria, efficacy, risks, and considerations related to use of other medical technologies for patients with HNS implants.
Vaginal Compared With Oral Misoprostol Induction at Term
Authors: Adhikari Emily H. , McGuire Jennifer , Lo Julie , McIntire Donald D. , Spong Catherine Y. , Nelson David B.
Published: November 2023

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate efficacy in achieving vaginal delivery with a standardized vaginal compared with oral misoprostol regimen for labor induction at term.

METHODS:

In this single-center, cluster randomized trial, we randomized induction method by week among individuals with gestational age of 37 weeks or more, cervical dilation of 2 cm or less, intact membranes, and indication for delivery to either oral (100 micrograms every 4 hours for up to two doses), or vaginal (25 micrograms every 3 hours for up to five doses) misoprostol regimens, followed by a standardized oxytocin protocol. Individuals with an antepartum stillbirth, major fetal anomalies, malpresentation, ruptured membranes, nonreassuring fetal status, or contraindication to prostaglandin were excluded. The primary outcome was vaginal delivery at first induction attempt. Secondary outcomes included time to delivery, need for oxytocin, chorioamnionitis, and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Outcomes were recorded at the individual level and adjusted for clustering, with analysis by intention to treat.

RESULTS:

Between May 24, 2021, to September 19, 2022, 1,322 women were randomized to vaginal misoprostol in 33 clusters and 1,224 to oral misoprostol in 37 clusters. Demographic characteristics or initial cervical dilation did not differ between groups. The primary outcome did not differ between induction regimens and occurred in 1,032 (78.1%) of the vaginal misoprostol arm and 945 (77.2%) of the oral misoprostol arm (adjusted relative risk [RR] 1.01, 95% CI, 0.97–1.05). Tachysystole with fetal heart rate changes occurred less frequently with vaginal compared with oral misoprostol (3.5% vs 5.9%, adjusted RR 0.59, 95% CI, 0.40–0.87). Time to delivery did not differ between groups. Oxytocin was less frequently required before delivery in the vaginal misoprostol group (68.8% vs 78.4%, adjusted RR 0.88, 95% CI, 0.84–0.92).

CONCLUSION:

Induction of labor with vaginal compared with oral misoprostol protocols did not increase the frequency of vaginal delivery at term but did reduce the need for oxytocin use before delivery.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04755218.
Mycosis Fungoides and Granulomatous Slack Skin: A Single Entity With Distinct Clinical Phenotypes
Authors: Bakr Farrah , Ziaj Stela , Cardoso José , Wain E. Mary , Theaker Jeffrey , Whittaker Sean , Child Fiona , Robson Alistair
Published: November 2023

Granulomatous cutaneous T-cell lymphoma includes mycosis fungoides with significant granulomatous inflammation (GMF) and granulomatous slack skin (GSS), listed in the WHO classification as a subtype of mycosis fungoides (MFs).
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These overlapping entities have shared clinical and histopathologic features which can present a diagnostic challenge. The dominance of the granulomatous infiltrate and the often sparse lymphocytic infiltrate frequently with minimal cytological atypia are features that distract from the correct diagnosis, even when raised by the clinician. We describe the clinical and histopathologic characteristics of 3 cases of granulomatous cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, illustrate the close clinical and pathologic relationship between GMF and GSS and emphasize the diagnostic difficulties that the granulomatous infiltrate can present. Furthermore, we demonstrate, for the first time, considerable elastolysis in a significant proportion of classical (Alibert-Bazin) MF lesions and therefore postulate that the differences observed between GMF and GSS are one of degree and secondary to their anatomic location rather than reflecting meaningful separate entities.