bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complex in vitro models positioned for impact to drug testing in pharma: a review
Authors: Kang Serah , Chen Eugene C , Cifuentes Helen , Co Julia Y , Cole Gabrielle , Graham Jessica , Hsia Rebecca , Kiyota Tomomi , Klein Jessica A , Kroll Katharina T , Nieves Lopez Lenitza M , Norona Leah M , Peiris Heshan , Potla Ratnakar , Romero-Lopez Monica , Roth Julien G , Tseng Min , Fullerton Aaron M , Homan Kimberly A
Published: August 2024

Recent years have seen the creation and popularization of various complex in vitro models (CIVMs), such as organoids and organs-on-chip, as a technology with the potential to reduce animal usage in pharma while also enhancing our ability to create safe and efficacious drugs for patients. Public awareness of CIVMs has increased, in part, due to the recent passage of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0. This visibility is expected to spur deeper investment in and adoption of such models. Thus, end-users and model developers alike require a framework to both understand the readiness of current models to enter the drug development process, and to assess upcoming models for the same. This review presents such a framework for model selection based on comparative -omics data (which we term model-omics), and metrics for qualification of specific test assays that a model may support that we term context-of-use (COU) assays. We surveyed existing healthy tissue models and assays for ten drug development-critical organs of the body, and provide evaluations of readiness and suggestions for improving model-omics and COU assays for each. In whole, this review comes from a pharma perspective, and seeks to provide an evaluation of where CIVMs are poised for maximum impact in the drug development process, and a roadmap for realizing that potential.
Statistical approach to explore sustainable characteristics of cellulosic Desmostachya bipinnata fiber and its chemically modified conditions
Authors: J David Gnanaraj , V Vignesh , Hashem Mohamed , Fouad Hassan
Published: August 2024

This present work has been intended to investigate the properties of an extracted Desmostachya bipinnata fibers (DBFs). The unmodified/untreated (raw), 10% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and 0.5% potassium permanganate(KMnO4)chemically modified/treated Desmostachya Bipinnata fibers are explored to establish the possibility of designing a large scale natural product or fiber/reinforcement. The raw, alkaline treated and potassium permanganate treated Desmostachya bipinnata fibers are designated as Raw Desmostachya Bipinnata Fibers, Alkali treated Desmostachya Bipinnata Fibers and Potassium Permanganate treated Desmostachya Bipinnata Fibers as samples, respectively. Mechanical, thermal and physio-chemical behaviors and surface morphology of both RDBF and treated Desmostachya Bipinnata Fibers are analyzed. From the results obtained, it is evident that an increase in aspect ratio, due to the diameter reduction by alkalization process, has exhibited high tensile strength with minimum density. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy results have shown variation of chemical bonding, due to different chemical treatments of DBFs. Summarily, the maximum values of Crystallinity Index (CI) and activation energy are obtained with Alkali treated Desmostachya bipinnata fibers sample.
Advancing Fake News Detection with Graph Neural Network and Deep Learning
Authors: Gul Haji , Al-Obeidat Feras , wasim Muhammad , Amin Adnan , Moreira Fernando
Published: August 2024

In the modern era of digital technology, the rapid distribution of news via social media platforms substantially contributes to the propagation of false information, presenting challenges in upholding the accuracy and reliability of information. This study presents an updated approach that utilizes Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) alongside with advanced deep learning techniques to improve the identification of false information. In contrast to traditional approaches that primarily rely on analyzing text and assessing the credibility of sources, our methodology utilizes the structural information of news propagation networks. This allows for a detailed comprehension of the interconnections and patterns that are indicative of misinformation. By analyzing the intricate, graph-based connections between news items, our approach not only overcomes the constraints of conventional fake news detection methods but also demonstrates significant enhancements in detection accuracy. This paper emphasizes the revolutionary nature of utilizing Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) in the field of fake news detection. It also examines the potential consequences of our research in reducing the propagation of false information. Our model achieved an impressive accuracy rate of 97\%, demonstrating a significant improvement in its ability to identify and classify fake news. The findings highlight the substantial improvement in the ability to detect fake news provided by GNNs in comparison to traditional methods, demonstrating promising growth in the struggle against false information.
An exponential reduction in training data sizes for machine learning derived entanglement witnesses
Authors: Rosebush Aiden R , Greenwood Alexander C B , Kirby Brian T , Qian Li
Published: August 2024

We propose a support vector machine (SVM) based approach for generating an entanglement witness that requires exponentially less training data than previously proposed methods. SVMs generate hyperplanes represented by a weighted sum of expectation values of local observables whose coefficients are optimized to sum to a positive number for all separable states and a negative number for as many entangled states as possible near a specific target state. Previous SVM-based approaches for entanglement witness generation used large amounts of randomly generated separable states to perform training, a task with considerable computational overhead. Here, we propose a method for orienting the witness hyperplane using only the significantly smaller set of states consisting of the eigenstates of the generalized Pauli matrices and a set of entangled states near the target entangled states. With the orientation of the witness hyperplane set by the SVM, we tune the plane’s placement using a differential program that ensures perfect classification accuracy on a limited test set as well as maximal noise tolerance. For N qubits, the SVM portion of this approach requires only

O
(

6
N

)

training states, whereas an existing method needs

O
(

2

4
N

)

. We use this method to construct witnesses of 4 and 5 qubit GHZ states with coefficients agreeing with stabilizer formalism witnesses to within 3.7 percent and 1 percent, respectively. We also use the same training states to generate novel 4 and 5 qubit W state witnesses. Finally, we computationally verify these witnesses on small test sets and propose methods for further verification.
The Narrowing of Legal Positivism
Authors: Priel Dan
Published: August 2024

Jurisprudence purports to be an account of the nature of law in all times and places. Yet, reading a survey of civil-law legal positivism and some of its central debates raises a question: why do these debates seem so different from debates conducted by legal positivists in common-law countries? I consider the view that these differences merely reflect different interests or emphases but propose a different answer: That law in different jurisdictions has changed along different paths. I further raise the possibility that jurisprudential writings have played a role in this process of parting of ways, because jurisprudents are not mere external observers on legal practice but can influence the shape it takes. If this is true, then history, including the history of jurisprudence, matters to jurisprudence in unappreciated ways. One sense in which the study of jurisprudence may be illuminating is by showing how legal positivism has become narrower over the years, losing sight of its purported aim of explaining law and increasingly mired in debates whose significance for understanding law is unclear. I suggest that this insular outlook is partly the result of the emphasis on studying law ‘from the internal point of view’, which may also explain why civilian jurisprudence looks alien to those versed in Anglophone jurisprudence. Against this view, I suggest naturalism as a means for reconnecting with more significant questions, as well as helping erode the common law–civil law jurisprudential divide.
Antinomies and Gaps
Authors: Chiassoni Pierluigi , Huerta Carla
Published: August 2024

The chapter purports to provide a primer to current Civil Law theory about antinomies and gaps, as reconstructed and developed by the authors. The first section, dealing with antinomies, provides, in turn, a definition of the concept of antinomy, a typology of normative conflicts, coping with the twin capital problems of antinomies-identification and antinomies-resolution, and bringing to bear the rules/principles distinction in its relevance to the solving of conflicts between fundamental rights. The second section, dealing with gaps, is likewise structured. After singling out a few concepts of gap, and distinguishing between normative and non-normative gaps, it considers the standard theory of normative gaps, revisits it by introducing the distinction between textual and metatextual gaps, and deals with the twin capital problems of gaps-identification and gaps-filling.
Legal Reasoning
Authors: Canale Damiano
Published: August 2024

The essay is divided into two parts. The first part offers a critical reconstruction of the most influential conceptions of legal reasoning in the civil law world over the last two centuries. Beginning with the eighteenth-century doctrine of legal syllogism, the essay focuses on the formalist and anti-formalist accounts of judicial reasoning that have long monopolised the debate on the subject. The second part of the essay outlines the inferential structure of the justification of judicial decisions in civil law adjudication. The analysis of this structure shows how the study of legal reasoning can be of assistance in evaluating and reviewing judicial decision-making.
Legal Reasoning from Precedent and the Common Law
Authors: Baum Levenbook Barbara
Published: August 2024

The purpose of this comment is to use Canale’s presentation to orient the student of civil law jurisprudence to perspectives of and challenges for common law legal theory regarding legal reasoning. The method is comparison and a great deal of contrast. The beginning of the chapter features a comparison and contrast between Dworkin’s theory of adjudication, which is also his theory of legal content, and Canale’s ‘external justification’ ‘explicative theory’ of ‘interpretive arguments’ to legal content. The main focus of the chapter is on the many aspects of common law legal systems for which Canale’s and other civil law theorists’ accounts of legal reasoning that he describes are inapt. These aspects include the way fact-finding occurs, the standard of proof at trial, the existence of unlegislated and unwritten law, and the practice of distinguishing precedent. The comment ends with a brief account of difficulties that face common law theories about the structure of legal reasoning from precedent.
On the Nature of Legal Science
Authors: Penner James
Published: August 2024

After a brief discussion of the nature of science, and how an inquiry into the nature of law may be conceived of a science, the comment turns to several different matters. First, the interaction between legal norms and their formulations in language is discussed. Second, Duarte’s distinction between legal theory and legal philosophy is considered. Third, Duarte’s particular conception of the pursuit of understanding the law as ‘legal science’ is contrasted with the conception of legal philosophy most associated with philosophers of law in the common law world. The comment concludes with a reflection upon what Duarte argues are the particular attributes of legal science, in particular its relationship to truth and the challenges it currently faces.
Founders, principles, and early years
Authors: Tonge Jonathan , Braniff Máire , Hennessey Thomas , McAuley James W , Rice Clare , Whiting Sophie A
Published: August 2024

This chapter examines the founding principles upon which the Alliance Party was founded in 1970: the healing and reconciliation of a divided society. The chapter stresses the determination of the Party’s founders to create a non-sectarian party recruiting from both the Protestant and Catholic sections of Northern Ireland’s population to form a genuinely cross-community movement. The chapter analyses how the party evolved from the looser network of the New Ulster Movement into a definitive political party and assesses why other small non-sectarian parties were seen as inadequate. The chapter then analyses the leadership of Oliver Napier and the basis on which Alliance backed the ill-fated Sunningdale Agreement in the 1970s and the Prior Assembly of the 1980s.
Peace and the Good Friday Agreement
Authors: Tonge Jonathan , Braniff Máire , Hennessey Thomas , McAuley James W , Rice Clare , Whiting Sophie A
Published: August 2024

Chapter 3 analyses the role of John Alderdice, leader of Alliance from 1987 to 1998, in steering Alliance towards the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Alderdice had predicted movement towards peace several years previously and wished to maximize Alliance’s contribution to the Agreement’s political arrangements even though this would be difficult given their focus on unionism and nationalism. Alderdice found a role for his party in the road-testing of ideas from the UK and Irish governments. If Alliance supported proposals, was it feasible that unionist and nationalist parties would do likewise? Alderdice also had a role as ‘sheriff of the peace’, monitoring the bona fides of paramilitary ceasefires. The chapter considers the extent to which Alliance was included or marginalized in the framing of political arrangements and also considers the Party’s relations with the Women’s Coalition, the other ‘other’ party in the negotiations.
Religion, education, and social issues
Authors: Tonge Jonathan , Braniff Máire , Hennessey Thomas , McAuley James W , Rice Clare , Whiting Sophie A
Published: August 2024

The chapter begins by analysing the religious composition of Alliance. Having once been a mainly Protestant party but with a sizeable minority of Catholics, the largest single category of members now states they are of ‘no religion’. We examine the significance of this in terms of Alliance’s support for integrated education (those of no religion are most in favour); same-sex marriage (those of no religion are less in favour of opt-outs for churches regarding same-sex unions), and abortion (the religiously practicing are much more socially conservative in wanting lower time limits or prohibitions upon abortion). We find differences within the party membership over whether Alliance should retain its current position of treating abortion as a conscience issue, with some members wanting a policy of abortion rights.
Diversity and representation
Authors: Tonge Jonathan , Braniff Máire , Hennessey Thomas , McAuley James W , Rice Clare , Whiting Sophie A
Published: August 2024

Alliance is a party with a philosophy of unity in diversity, arguing that differences in national background should not form the only basis for political structures. It has long had niche status as a party recruiting from a range of religious backgrounds, but what of other forms of identity? This chapter examines the roles of women within the Party, as both representatives and staff workers. It explores how Alliance, despite eschewing quotas, has had a healthy proportion of women elected to local councils and to the Assembly. Alliance also had the first Assembly members elected from the LGBTQ+ community. This section assesses the debates on quotas and examines selection procedures for Alliance election candidates.
Venture Capital's Role in Advancing Plastic Surgery
Authors: Dhawan Ravi , Shay Denys , Brooks Kendall , Losken Albert
Published: August 2024

Plastic surgery sector has experienced significant growth, driven by an aging population's demand for minimally invasive procedures and technological innovation. Despite this, the role of venture capital (VC) in driving innovation within this sector remains underexplored. This study aimed to analyze the trends in VC investments in plastic surgery over the last 20 years, providing insights into the financial landscape of the sector. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted on VC investments in plastic and aesthetic surgery companies worldwide from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2023, utilizing PitchBook (Seattle, WA). Companies were categorized into therapeutic and thematic areas, with investment trends analyzed by deal and company values, average investment size, and total capital invested. The study found 543 VC firms made 402 investments in 163 companies, totaling $1.98 billion, increasing by 15,143% over the study period, and focused on general plastic surgery and facial cosmetic procedures. Significant investments were also made in surgical software (25.3%), biotechnology and drug discovery (22.8%), and clinic and outpatient services (20.3%). Geographically, most investments were made in companies registered in Asia (45%) and North America (33.2%). VC investments have contributed to the growth and innovation in the plastic surgery sector, particularly in minimally invasive devices. The focus on general and facial cosmetic surgery aligns with market demand trends for aesthetic procedures. These findings underscore the importance of VC in shaping the future of plastic surgery and suggest the potential for strategic investments to further drive innovation.

Level of Evidence:5 (Diagnostic)
ZMIX: estimating ancestry proportions using GWAS association Z-scores
Authors: Dennis Trent , Lee Donghyung
Published: August 2024

Motivation

With larger and more diverse studies becoming the standard in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), accurate estimation of ancestral proportions is increasingly important for summary-statistics-based methods such as those for imputing association summary statistics, adjusting allele frequencies (AFs) for ancestry, and prioritizing disease candidate variants or genes. Existing methods for estimating ancestral proportions in GWAS rely on the availability of study reference AFs, which are often inaccessible in current GWAS due to privacy concerns.

Results

In this study, we propose ZMIX (Z-score-based estimation of ethnic MIXing proportions), a novel method for estimating ethnic mixing proportions in GWAS using only association Z-scores, and we compare its performance to existing reference AF-based methods in both real-world and simulated GWAS settings. We found that ZMIX offered comparable results to the reference AF-based methods in simulation and real-world studies. When applied to summary-statistics imputation, all three methods produced high-quality imputations with almost identical results.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/statsleelab/gauss.
Drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization combined with apatinib/camrelizumab for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with hepatic arterioportal shunts
Authors: Ren Yanqiao , Sun Bo , Zhu Licheng , Chen Lei , Sun Tao , Dong Xiangjun , Zheng Chuansheng
Published: August 2024

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of drug eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (D-TACE) combined with apatinib/camrelizumab in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hepatic arterioportal shunts (APSs).

Methods

From January 2021 to December 2022, the consecutive medical records of patients with advanced HCC and APS receiving D-TACE combined with apatinib/camrelizumab were reviewed for eligibility. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), tumour response, and adverse events (AEs) were assessed.

Results

A total of 23 patients were included in this study, with a median follow-up of 11 months (range, 2-26 months). Eight patients (34.8%) achieved partial response; 13 (56.5%), stable disease; and 2 (8.7%), progressive disease. The objective response and disease control rates were 34.8% and 91.3%, respectively. The OS and PFS rates were 11 and 7 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that the tumour number was an independent prognostic factor for PFS. AEs occurred in 19 patients after oral apatinib treatment and in 8 patients after camrelizumab treatment. No treatment-related death occurred during the study period.

Conclusions

D-TACE combined with apatinib/camrelizumab showed meaningful efficacy and controllable AEs in these patients, making it a promising treatment option.

Advances in knowledge

(1) We investigated a new treatment strategy for patients with advanced HCC and hepatic APS and (2) D-TACE combined with apatinib/camrelizumab demonstrated meaningful efficacy and manageable AEs, making it a promising treatment option.
Single-cell analysis reveals the implication of vascular endothelial cell-intrinsic ANGPT2 in human intracranial aneurysm
Authors: Yu Guo , Li Jia , Zhang Hongfei , Zi Huaxing , Liu Mingjian , An Qingzhu , Qiu Tianming , Li Peiliang , Song Jianping , Liu Peixi , Quan Kai , Li Sichen , Liu Yingjun , Zhu Wei , Du Jiulin
Published: August 2024

Aims

While previous single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies have attempted to dissect intracranial aneurysm (IA), the primary molecular mechanism for IA pathogenesis remains unknown. Here, we uncovered the alterations of cellular compositions, especially the transcriptome changes of vascular endothelial cells (ECs), in human IA.

Methods and results

We performed scRNA-seq to compare the cell atlas of sporadic IA and the control artery. The transcriptomes of 43 462 cells were profiled for further analysis. In general, IA had increased immune cells (T/NK cells, B cells, myeloid cells, mast cells, neutrophils) and fewer vascular cells (ECs, vascular smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts). Based on the obtained high-quantity and high-quality EC data, we found genes associated with angiogenesis in ECs from IA patients. By EC-specific expression of candidate genes in vivo, we observed the involvement of angpt2a in causing cerebral vascular abnormality. Furthermore, an IA zebrafish model mimicking the main features of human IA was generated through targeting pdgfrb gene, and knockdown of angpt2a alleviated the vascular dilation in the IA zebrafish model.

Conclusion

By performing a landscape view of the single-cell transcriptomes of IA and the control artery, we contribute to a deeper understanding of the cellular composition and the molecular changes of ECs in IA. The implication of angiogenic regulator ANGPT2 in IA formation and progression, provides a novel potential therapeutical target for IA interventions.
Optical coherence tomography assessment of the impact of colchicine on non-culprit coronary plaque composition after myocardial infarction
Authors: Psaltis Peter J , Nguyen Mau T , Singh Kuljit , Sinhal Ajay , Wong Dennis T L , Alcock Richard , Rajendran Sharmalar , Dautov Rustem , Barlis Peter , Patel Sanjay , Salagaras Thalia , Marathe Jessica A , Bursill Christina A , Montarello Nicholas J , Nidorf Stefan M , Thompson Peter L , Butters Julie , Cuthbert Alana R , Yelland Lisa N , Ottaway Juanita L , Kataoka Yu , Di Giovanni Giuseppe , Nicholls Stephen J
Published: August 2024

Aims

Low-dose colchicine reduces the risk of cardiovascular events after myocardial infarction (MI). The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of colchicine post-MI on coronary plaque morphology in non-culprit segments by optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods and results

COCOMO-ACS was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that randomized 64 patients (median age 61.5 years; 9.4% female) with acute non-ST-segment elevation MI to colchicine 0.5 mg daily or placebo for a median of 17.8 months in addition to guideline-recommended therapy. Participants underwent serial OCT imaging within a matched segment of non-culprit coronary artery that contained at least one lipid-rich plaque causing ≥20% stenosis. The primary outcome was the change in minimum fibrous cap thickness (FCT) in non-culprit segments from baseline to final visit. Of those randomized, 57 (29 placebo, 28 colchicine) had evaluable imaging at baseline and follow-up. Overall, colchicine had no effect on relative (placebo +48.0 ± 35.1% vs. colchicine +62.4 ± 38.1%, P = 0.18) or absolute changes in minimum FCT (+29.2 ± 20.9 µm vs. + 37.2 ± 21.3 µm, P = 0.18), or change in maximum lipid arc (−38.8 ± 32.2° vs. −54.8 ± 46.9°, P = 0.18) throughout the imaged non-culprit segment. However, in patients assigned colchicine, cap rupture was less frequent (placebo 27.6% vs. colchicine 3.6%, P = 0.03). In post hoc analysis of 43 participants who had been followed for at least 16 months, minimum FCT increased to a greater extent in the colchicine group (placebo +38.7 ± 25.4% vs. colchicine +64.7 ± 34.1%, P = 0.005).

Conclusion

In this study, OCT failed to detect an effect of colchicine on the minimum FCT or maximum lipid arc of plaques in non-culprit segments post-MI. The post hoc observation that minimum FCT increased to a greater extent with colchicine after more prolonged treatment suggests that longer-term studies may be required to detect the effect of anti-inflammatory therapies on plaque morphology by OCT.

Clinical trial number

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Identifier, ACTRN12618000809235, registered on the 11 May 2018.
Case report: dyslipidaemia—dramatic increase in haemoglobin A1c following statin initiation
Authors: Chen Crystal B , Badri Marwan , Kelly Erik
Published: August 2024

Background

Statin therapy is associated with an increased risk of hyperglycaemia and new-onset diabetes mellitus. The absolute increase in glycosylated haemoglobin (HgbA1c, a measure of average glucose level over the past three months) is typically small; dramatic and clinically relevant increases are rare.

Case summary

A 52-year-old man of South Indian descent with a history of hyperlipidaemia was started on rosuvastatin 40 mg daily for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. He did not have a history of diabetes mellitus. He developed polyuria and weight loss within weeks of starting statin therapy. Laboratory assessment was notable for HgA1c of 12.4% and LDL cholesterol of 84 mg/dL. Rosuvastatin was discontinued. He was not started on antidiabetic therapy as there was suspicion that statin therapy was the culprit for his HgbA1c rise. He soon had symptom resolution, and follow-up HgA1c 3 months later was 5.5%. Two years later, patient presented to the hospital with an acute coronary syndrome. He was discharged on rosuvastatin 40 mg daily and developed polyuria 1 week later. Rosuvastatin was discontinued, and atorvastatin 40 mg daily was initiated. Antidiabetic therapy was not started. He had resolution of his symptoms; follow-up HgA1c was below the diabetes threshold.

Discussion

Statins are associated with a small increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus. The beneficial effects of statins on cardiovascular events typically outweigh any increased risk conferred by hyperglycaemia. While high-intensity statin therapy is routinely used as initial therapy for secondary prevention, we have no documentation explaining the choice of high-intensity statin for primary prevention in this case.
Mesalazine-induced myocarditis in a patient with ulcerative colitis: a case report
Authors: Littlewood Simon , Nikolou Evgenia , Aziz Waqar , Anderson Lisa
Published: August 2024

Background

Mesalazine is an established first-line therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and remains the mainstay of treatment for mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). Both mesalazine and UC are rare but recognized causes of myopericarditis. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is a non-invasive method of assessing for myopericarditis. This case reports highlights the importance of early CMR in diagnosis, and management of myocarditis in a patient with IBD.

Case summary

A 28-year-old male was admitted with a 2-day history of chest pain. Three weeks prior to this presentation, the patient was initiated on mesalazine for UC. Serum troponin T and C-reactive protein were elevated. An echocardiogram showed borderline low left ventricular systolic function (LVEF = 50–55%). A CMR showed extensive patchy late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in the mid to epicardial basal and mid lateral wall. The findings were consistent with acute myocarditis, and a working diagnosis of mesalazine-induced myocarditis was made. Mesalazine was stopped and guideline-directed anti-inflammatories initiated. Oral prednisolone was also introduced for IBD control. Follow-up CMR at four months showed near complete resolution of LGE.

Discussion

Myocarditis in the context of IBD may be infective, immune-mediated or due to mesalazine hypersensitivity. Histological conformation was not available in this case. This case report highlights the importance of access to early CMR in order establish the diagnosis and withdrawal of the culprit medication. In the majority of cases, CMR will replace the need for endomyocardial biopsy; however, this may still be required in the most severe cases.
Who are they? A retrospective study of unidentified bodies in Institute of Medical-Legal Paris from 2018 to 2023
Authors: Biro Alexandre , Ludes Bertrand , Delabarde Tania
Published: August 2024

“I still don’t realize that he’s dead.... I cried over it. It makes me sad to know that he was buried unaccompanied on his last trip. We were all shocked.” This testimony corresponds to a family whose relative was buried in an anonymous grave 6 months after his disappearance was reported to the police. It is estimated that between 1 000 and 3 000 unidentified bodies are buried in anonymous graves in France each year. Most of these decedents have passed through the medico-legal system. However the identification of these bodies, outside the context of mass disasters, remains a complex problem. Several national and international publications have highlighted the prevalent problem of unidentified burials and the consequences for families who do not know the fate of their loved ones, specifically, whether they are alive or deceased. This 6-year retrospective study (2018–2023), covering a total of 2 324 unidentified decedents admitted to the Institute of Medical-Legal Paris (IMLP), aimed to assess the impact of the identification protocol implemented in 2017 on the number of bodies that remain unidentified (n = 164). In addition, this study aimed to establish profiles for individuals who remained unidentified with the objective of identifying the factors that hinder their identification and developing correlated methods to address these issues. The results of this study were compared with other published studies to highlight the global problem and the ongoing need for collaboration between forensic practitioners and relevant authorities.

Key points
The genomes of 5 underutilized Papilionoideae crops provide insights into root nodulation and disease resistance
Authors: Yuan Lihua , Lei Lihong , Jiang Fan , Wang Anqi , Chen Rong , Wang Hengchao , Meng Sihan , Fan Wei
Published: August 2024

Background

The Papilionoideae subfamily contains a large amount of underutilized legume crops, which are important for food security and human sustainability. However, the lack of genomic resources has hindered the breeding and utilization of these crops.

Results

Here, we present chromosome-level reference genomes for 5 underutilized diploid Papilionoideae crops: sword bean (Canavalia gladiata), scarlet runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus), winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus), smooth rattlebox (Crotalaria pallida), and butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea), with assembled genome sizes of 0.62 Gb, 0.59 Gb, 0.71 Gb, 1.22 Gb, and 1.72 Gb, respectively. We found that the long period of higher long terminal repeat retrotransposon activity is the major reason that the genome size of smooth rattlebox and butterfly pea is enlarged. Additionally, there have been no recent whole-genome duplication (WGD) events in these 5 species except for the shared papilionoid-specific WGD event (∼55 million years ago). Then, we identified 5,328 and 10,434 species-specific genes between scarlet runner bean and common bean, respectively, which may be responsible for their phenotypic and functional differences and species-specific functions. Furthermore, we identified the key genes involved in root-nodule symbiosis (RNS) in all 5 species and found that the NIN gene was duplicated in the early Papilionoideae ancestor, followed by the loss of 1 gene copy in smooth rattlebox and butterfly pea lineages. Last, we identified the resistance (R) genes for plant defenses in these 5 species and characterized their evolutionary history.

Conclusions

In summary, this study provides chromosome-scale reference genomes for 3 grain and vegetable beans (sword bean, scarlet runner bean, winged bean), along with genomes for a green manure crop (smooth rattlebox) and a food dyeing crop (butterfly pea). These genomes are crucial for studying phylogenetic history, unraveling nitrogen-fixing RNS evolution, and advancing plant defense research.
Introduction to the Symposium: An Integrative Look at Whole-organism Trade-offs from the Female-centered Perspective of Biology
Authors: Josefson Chloe C , Orr Teri J
Published: August 2024

Synopsis

Trade-offs during reproduction have long been a central focus within biology and much of the foundational work within life history evolution has focused on females, as the fitness of females is more easily quantified for use in theoretical models. However, in many regards, the field of organismal biology has deviated from this early focus on females, particularly as it relates to the nuances and dynamic nature of female reproduction. Regardless, at the organismal level, reproduction is thought to trade-off with other simultaneously occurring processes. Recent papers have sought to outline the issues with our current understanding of whole-organism trade-offs, though the field as a whole has not come to a consensus on what trade-offs mean to a reproducing female. To rectify this important gap in how trade-offs are discussed in organismal biology as well as confusion about what constitutes a trade-off, our overarching goal of this symposium was to discuss trade-offs from an integrative perspective that places female reproduction at the center. By answering what trade-offs are and what they mean to reproducing females, what has been neglected in the context of whole-organism physiology, and how maternal effects fit within this framework, our group of speakers and their associated papers will crystalize nuances of measuring and determining presence (if any) of trade-offs in reproducing females in a range of taxa and subfields.
A Novel Reinforcement Learning Balance Control Strategy for Electric Vehicle Energy Storage Battery Pack
Authors: Tang Zhongsheng , Yang Xiao , Feng Yetao
Published: August 2024

Energy imbalance in electric vehicle energy storage battery packs poses a challenge due to design and usage variations. Traditional balancing control algorithms struggle to cope with large-scale battery data and complex nonlinear relationship modeling, which jeopardizes the stability of energy storage systems. To overcome this issue, we propose a reinforcement learning (RL)-based strategy for battery pack balancing control. Our approach begins with adaptive battery pack modeling followed by the employment of an active balancing control strategy to determine the duration of the balancing charge state and rank the balancing strength of individual battery pack cells. Subsequently, a RL network is employed to learn dynamic parameters that capture battery pack variations, enabling subsequent automatic learning and prediction of effective balancing strategies while simultaneously selecting the optimal control policy. Our simulation experiments demonstrate that our approach ensures an orderly charge and discharge process of battery pack cells, achieving an impressive balance efficiency of 91% when compared to other similar balancing control methods. Furthermore, the optimization of RL methods results in significant improvements in battery pack energy efficiency, stability, and operational costs. Notably, our method also outperforms other similar control methods in terms of energy utilization rates, establishing its superiority in this category.
Interplay Between Viral Shedding, Age, and Symptoms in Individual Infectiousness of Influenza Cases in Households
Authors: Zhang Chengyao , Fang Vicky J , Chan Kwok-Hung , Leung Gabriel M , Ip Dennis K M , Peiris J S Malik , Cowling Benjamin J , Tsang Tim K
Published: August 2024

Background

Understanding factors affecting the infectiousness of influenza cases is crucial for disease prevention and control. Viral shedding is expected to correlate with infectiousness of cases, but it is strongly associated with age and the presence of symptoms.

Methods

To elucidate this complex interplay, we analyze with an individual-based household transmission model a detailed household transmission study of influenza with 442 households and 1710 individuals from 2008 to 2017 in Hong Kong, to characterize the household transmission dynamics and identify factors affecting transmissions.

Results

We estimate that age, fever symptoms, and viral load were all associated with higher infectiousness. However, by model comparison, the best model included age and fever as factors affecting individual infectiousness, and estimates that preschool and school-aged children were 317% (95% credible interval [CrI], 103%, 1042%) and 161% (95% CrI, 33%, 601%) more infectious than adults, respectively, and patients having fever had 146% (95% CrI, 37%, 420%) higher infectiousness. Adding heterogeneity on individual infectiousness of cases does not improve the model fit, suggesting these factors could explain the difference in individual infectiousness.

Conclusions

Our study clarifies the contribution of age, symptoms, and viral shedding to individual infectiousness of influenza cases in households.
Pacifism, the Science of Peace, and the Constitution of War as a Governance Problem
Authors: Rodehau-Noack Johanna
Published: August 2024

Conflict prevention is a core item on the agenda of major international organizations and fora. In this article, I trace how war became a problem accessible to international governance. Adopting an object-centered approach to international relations (O-IR), I argue that war’s constitution as a problem of international governance unfolded in three interrelated processes. Firstly, pacifists and philanthropists designated war as a scientific object, thus giving rise to a “science of peace.” Secondly, scholars and pacifists compiled statistics on war, thus translating it across contexts and representing it as a global phenomenon. Statistics helped to make war accessible to advocacy and policymaking as an object of expertise. Thirdly, peace advocates problematized war as a governance object by representing it as a cost-benefit problem and a major cause in the reversal of economic development. By tracing the historical development of war as an epistemic object that can be investigated systematically, an object of expertise that can be measured and compared, and an object of governance that can be manipulated, this article bridges the strands of O-IR that have previously only focused on either knowledge and expertise or governance. Further, it adds to peace and conflict scholarship by providing an intellectual history of the prevention idea and its entanglement with modernism. Finally, it advances broader IR scholarship by offering an analysis of the role of scientific developments and nonstate activism in producing ideas and enabling policy agendas.
User guide for Social Determinants of Health Survey data in the All of Us Research Program
Authors: Koleck Theresa A , Dreisbach Caitlin , Zhang Chen , Grayson Susan , Lor Maichou , Deng Zhirui , Conway Alex , Higgins Peter D R , Bakken Suzanne
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Integration of social determinants of health into health outcomes research will allow researchers to study health inequities. The All of Us Research Program has the potential to be a rich source of social determinants of health data. However, user-friendly recommendations for scoring and interpreting the All of Us Social Determinants of Health Survey are needed to return value to communities through advancing researcher competencies in use of the All of Us Research Hub Researcher Workbench. We created a user guide aimed at providing researchers with an overview of the Social Determinants of Health Survey, recommendations for scoring and interpreting participant responses, and readily executable R and Python functions.

Target Audience

This user guide targets registered users of the All of Us Research Hub Researcher Workbench, a cloud-based platform that supports analysis of All of Us data, who are currently conducting or planning to conduct analyses using the Social Determinants of Health Survey.

Scope

We introduce 14 constructs evaluated as part of the Social Determinants of Health Survey and summarize construct operationalization. We offer 30 literature-informed recommendations for scoring participant responses and interpreting scores, with multiple options available for 8 of the constructs. Then, we walk through example R and Python functions for relabeling responses and scoring constructs that can be directly implemented in Jupyter Notebook or RStudio within the Researcher Workbench. Full source code is available in supplemental files and GitHub. Finally, we discuss psychometric considerations related to the Social Determinants of Health Survey for researchers.
Deaths involving novel benzodiazepines in Victoria, Australia from 2018 to 2022
Authors: Drummer Olaf H , Joubert Samantha , Di Rago Matthew , Castle Jared W , Crump Kerryn , Glowacki Linda , Gerostamoulos Dimitri
Published: August 2024

Novel benzodiazepine (NBz) detections in Victorian coronial cases started early in 2018 and have continued to increase in number and type up to December 2022. The 11 different NBz detections included etizolam (n = 82), flualprazolam (n = 43), clonazolam or 8-aminoclonazolam (n = 30), bromazolam (n = 15), clobromazolam (n = 13), phenazepam (n = 13), flubromazolam (n = 12), flubromazepam (n = 8), desalkylflurazepam (n = 6), diclazepam (n = 2), and estazolam (n = 1). The pattern of detections varied over the 5-year period, with different compounds appearing over different time frames. The most recent NBz to appear were bromazolam, clobromazolam, flubromazepam, and phenazepam, whereas etizolam had been seen regularly in case work since 2018. Of the total 133 deaths, 95 were considered drug-related deaths by forensic pathologists with at least one additional CNS depressant also present capable of contributing to death. All deaths involved other (non-benzodiazepine) CNS active drugs, although many involved multiple NBz, with five or more different benzodiazepines detected in eight cases.
Resilience in the gig economy: digital skills in online freelancing
Authors: Fiers Floor
Published: August 2024

Research on digital inequality suggests that digital skills are integral to participation on gig platforms. Focusing on the case of online freelancing, this article asks what such skills look like and how gig workers translate them into opportunities. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 21 U.S. online freelancers, I identify moments in which participants approach the gig platform differently because of their digital skills. I find that digital skills enable online freelancers to (1) optimize their use of platform tools, (2) construct alternative pathways when existing tools malfunction, and (3) imagine and blaze new paths that go beyond the platform’s current functionality. These findings suggest that, in the volatile context of gig platforms, digital skills entail not only the ability to leverage platform tools as designed but also the capacity to creatively navigate situations in which the online environment changes, breaks, or proves inadequate for their needs.
Finding love in algorithms: deciphering the emotional contexts of close encounters with AI chatbots
Authors: Li Han , Zhang Renwen
Published: August 2024

AI chatbots are permeating the socio-emotional realms of human life, presenting both benefits and challenges to interpersonal dynamics and well-being. Despite burgeoning interest in human–AI relationships, the conversational and emotional nuances of real-world, in situ human–AI social interactions remain underexplored. Through computational analysis of a multimodal dataset with over 35,000 screenshots and posts from r/replika, we identified seven prevalent types of human–AI social interactions: intimate behavior, mundane interaction, self-disclosure, play and fantasy, customization, transgression, and communication breakdown, and examined their associations with six basic human emotions. Our findings suggest the paradox of emotional connection with AI, indicated by the bittersweet emotion in intimate encounters with AI chatbots, and the elevated fear in uncanny valley moments when AI exhibits semblances of mind in deep self-disclosure. Customization characterizes the distinctiveness of AI companionship, positively elevating user experiences, whereas transgression and communication breakdown elicit fear or sadness.
Fifty-year population trajectory in a marginal American Pika (Ochotona princeps) population
Authors: Smith Andrew T , Millar Constance I , White Easton R
Published: August 2024

The American Pika (Ochotona princeps) has been considered a species at risk due to warming temperatures associated with climate change. Many life-history attributes of pikas contribute to the sensitivity of pikas to warming temperatures. Repeated censuses of a marginal (warm, low-elevation) population of pikas at Bodie State Historic Park, California, conducted from 1972 to 2022, are presented to track the population trajectory of pikas for a time period predating recent awareness of global warming to the present day, thus giving a comprehensive portrayal of how American pikas may be responding to climate change. The northern constellation of anthropogenic habitat patches (mine ore dumps) showed no decline in percent of patches occupied or in total number of pika territories over time, suggesting that pikas in that area have not been at risk of extirpation resulting from climate change. In contrast, the pika population in the southern constellation of patches showed significant declines in percent of patches occupied and number of pika territories occupied. That area was unoccupied for about a decade beginning in 2006, but was recently recolonized from the northern constellation of patches. The most likely cause of the initial decline and transient extirpation in the south appears to result from fragmentation and stochastic population dynamics, independent of climatic factors that we investigated. Assessments of climatic impacts on American pikas should take into account the dynamics documented in the Bodie pika population and its resilience over time.