bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Content Governance Dilemma
Authors: Celeste Edoardo , Palladino Nicola , Redeker Dennis , Yilma Kinfe
Published: July 2023

Social media content moderation faces a complex normative dilemma. The central question is: Which rules should govern online content? Private norms or democratically voted laws? If more national laws or international standards are simultaneously applicable, which law to choose? How to avoid the risk of having one single approach imperialistically imposed on the others? This dilemma exposes a tension between the risk of normative authoritarianism, imperialism and anomie. A process of ‘constitutionalisation’ of the social media environment seems to be needed. An input to this process is increasingly originating from civil society actors. Over the past few years, a significant number of ‘bills of rights’ have been proposed to articulate constitutional rights for social media. This phenomenon has been described in terms of the emergence of a movement of ‘digital constitutionalism’.
Texts Complying with Societal Pressures: Changing Genres in Finnish Companies’ CSR Reporting
Authors: Koskela Merja , Enell-Nilsson Mona , Hjerppe Cecilia
Published: July 2023

Drawing from the Nordic tradition of sakprosa research, this chapter aims at analysing how generic and intertextual resources are used in Finnish companies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. Longitudinally, we study the reporting format, that is, whether the companies are reporting about their sustainability issues separately or as part of their annual report. A comparable synchronic approach is applied to intertextuality between reports and sustainability pages on corporate websites. The data stems from companies listed in the Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange (OMX25 index). It comprises CSR reporting from the financial years 2016–2020 and sustainability pages of three companies. The study shows a tendency of keeping the chosen reporting format irrespective of its kind. However, two types of variability occur: selective variability referring to one format change in the investigated time span, and hybridity, combining features of different formats. Three intertextual strategies between the texts of reports and web pages were detected: convergence, adaptation, and divergence. Our results show how choices of reporting format and intertextual strategies are governed by the company context and practices, and also by governance issues and regulation. In this way, the complexity of text-society relationships as postulated by sakprosa research is illustrated in the context of business texts.
Sheep, Watch Dogs and Wolves: How the Master in Non-Fiction Writing Formed Actors for the Field of sakprosa in Norway
Authors: Brinch Iben , Nergaard Siri
Published: July 2023

The chapter concerns a master’s programme in non-fiction writing as part of the development of the field of sakprosa (non-fiction) in Norway. The chapter is based on experience from teaching at a master’s programme in non-fiction writing (Master i faglitterær skriving) at the University of South-Eastern Norway 2007–2020. The programme developed along with the growing field of sakprosa in Norway, a field of institutions and actors from the traditional literary field as well as dedicated policy makers and academic scholars. Our claim is that the programme was embedded in the evolving episteme of sakprosa in Norway while teaching and practicing understandings of non-fiction. The chapter forms a case study of the programme in terms of its position in the literary, cultural and academic field of non-fiction. We explore the ideas and pedagogy adopting an ethnographic approach using our own experiences as teachers and administrators and by the analysis of student texts from the programme. The purpose is to clarify how the programme contributed to the development of the episteme of sakprosa and what kind of agents (or authors)—sheep, watch dogs and wolves—the programme has made for the greater field of non-fiction in Norway.
Teaching Chinese in the Anglophone World: An Overview of the New Zealand Case
Authors: Wang Danping , East Martin
Published: July 2023

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of Chinese language teaching in New Zealand within the context of declining foreign language learning in Anglophone countries. By examining the macrosociological and demographic factors that have shaped the development of Chinese language teaching in New Zealand, this chapter identifies critical milestones and multilevel factors that have influenced the growth of Chinese as an additional language in the country’s formal educational sectors. Enrolment statistics will be provided to illustrate the uptake of Chinese in comparison to other major languages offered in New Zealand schools and universities. The chapter introduces the key concepts, terms, and frameworks used in the studies included in this edited volume, outlines the organisation of the book, and emphasises its significance in international Chinese language education research. Overall, this chapter provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Chinese language teaching in the Anglophone world by shedding light on the experiences and outcomes of Chinese language teaching in New Zealand.
The Teaching of Mandarin Chinese in New Zealand’s Schools: Where Have We Come From? Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going?
Authors: East Martin
Published: July 2023

The learning of Mandarin Chinese in schools in Aotearoa /New Zealand has been on an upwards trajectory, in particular over the last few years, and specifically in the primary and intermediate school sectors (Years 1–6 and Years 7–8). In very large part, growth has been attributable to the Mandarin Language Assistant (MLA) programme, originally instigated as part of the Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and China signed in April 2008, and supported by both the New Zealand and Chinese Education Ministries. This chapter explores the state of Mandarin teaching and learning in New Zealand’s schools over the past several decades. The success story is placed within a broader overview of language teaching and learning in New Zealand and historical factors that have played their part in encouraging the learning of Asian languages. The chapter also explores factors that continue to constrain the implementation of successful language programmes in schools. Finally, the chapter acknowledges the disruptions to the MLA programme caused by COVID-19, and speculates on the need to move beyond strong reliance on one mode of support for Mandarin language teaching in schools.
Evaluating Prototypes and Criticisms for Explaining Clustered Contributions in Digital Public Participation Processes
Authors: Schütz Lars , Bade Korinna , Nürnberger Andreas
Published: July 2023

We examine the use of prototypes and criticisms for explaining clusterings in digital public participation processes of the e-participation domain. These processes enable people to participate in various life areas such as landscape planning by submitting contributions that express their opinions or ideas. Clustering groups similar contributions together. This supports citizens and public administrations, the main participants in digital public participation processes, in exploring the submitted contributions. However, explaining clusterings remains a challenge. For this purpose, we consider the use of prototypes and criticisms. Our work generalizes the idea of applying the $$k$$-medoids algorithm for computing prototypes on raw data sets. We introduce a centroid-based clusterings method that solely considers clusterings. It allows the retrieval of multiple prototypes and criticisms per cluster. We conducted a user study with 21 participants to evaluate our centroid-based clusterings method and the MMD-critic algorithm for finding prototypes and criticisms in clustered contributions. We examined whether these methods are suitable for text data. The related contributions originate from past, real-life digital public participation processes. The user study results indicate that both methods are appropriate for clustered contributions. The results also show that the centroid-based clusterings method outperforms the MMD-critic algorithm regarding accuracy, efficiency, and perceived difficulty.
Background of Urban Redevelopment
Authors: Li Bin
Published: July 2023

This chapter aims to analyse the geographic and institutional background, within an authoritarian regime, to understand the changing process of governance over the field of urban redevelopment. A brief introduction of Guangzhou will be displayed. Based on geographic information, relevant institutions are introduced. Institutional resources and power are distributed between different departments in government, and between government, markets, and communities. This distribution constrains and constructs the patterns of collective behaviours in redevelopment process in terms of influencing preference, locating resources and formulating strategies of different entities. Urban redevelopment is a crucial channel for authoritarian local state to pursue economic growth and political performance.
Role of apple pomace in the formulation of a novel healthy mayonnaise
Authors: Mangiapelo Luciano , Ianni Federica , Pagano Cinzia , Grispoldi Luca , Blasi Francesca , Cenci-Goga Beniamino , Perioli Luana , Cossignani Lina
Published: July 2023

Currently, there is a growing interest in valorizing agro-food byproducts having interesting bioactives with functional and health properties. This paper deals with the use of apple pomace (AP), the most abundant by-product of apple juice industry, to formulate a novel value-added mayonnaise (AP mayo). The effect of AP on the chemical and rheological characteristics, microbiological quality, and sensory attributes of the new product was studied during a 30-day storage at refrigerated temperature. A comparison with two commercial mayo samples was also carried out. The results highlighted that the AP mayo showed a total phenol content of 2.12 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g, and improved antioxidant properties (DPPH radical-scavenging activities 2.47 mg TE/g; 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt, ABTS 3.18 mg TE/g; ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP 2.78 mg TE/g). After 30 days, it was more stable than the other two mayo. Moreover, AP mayo showed even higher overall acceptability scores by the assessors than the commercial samples. The results confirm that the addition of AP represents a valid approach to increase the health properties of spreads and sauces, satisfying the demand of health-conscious consumers, even those who prefer plant-based foods. The proposed healthy mayonnaise confirm the AP is a multifunctional ingredient with interesting potential applications in the formulation of new spreads/sauces with antioxidant properties.
A Succinct Characterization of Period Annuli in Planar Piecewise Linear Differential Systems with a Straight Line of Nonsmoothness
Authors: Carmona Victoriano , Fernández-Sánchez Fernando , Novaes Douglas D.
Published: July 2023

We close the problem of the existence of crossing period annuli in planar piecewise linear differential systems with a straight line of nonsmoothness. In fact, a characterization for the existence of such objects is provided by means of a few basic operations on the parameters.
Double layer acceleration of ions with differently charged states in a laser induced plasma
Authors: Yao Xiang , Schneider Christof W. , Bulgakova Nadezhda M. , Bulgakov Alexander V. , Lippert Thomas
Published: July 2023

The electric field driven acceleration of plasma ions is an intrinsic effect in laser-induced plasma plumes and is responsible for the generation of high-energy ions. At high laser fluences (≥ 2 J/cm2), multiply charged ions are formed and affect the plume expansion dynamics. In this paper, we used kinetic energy-resolved mass spectrometry to investigate the relative abundance and kinetic energy distributions of singly- and doubly-charged ions produced by KrF-laser ablation of nine different oxide targets. The doubly charged metal ions with a lower mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio show narrow energy distributions at high average kinetic energies coinciding with the cutoff energies for the singly-charged ion distributions. The observation suggests that the recombination of higher charged ions plays a prominent role in the formation of the high-energy tail for singly-charged ions. The results are discussed in terms of component volatility and a dynamic double layer, where ions with different m/z values experience different accelerations.
Role of expectations in clinical outcomes after deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review
Authors: Mameli Francesca , Zirone Eleonora , Girlando Roberta , Scagliotti Elena , Rigamonti Giulia , Aiello Edoardo Nicolò , Poletti Barbara , Ferrucci Roberta , Ticozzi Nicola , Silani Vincenzo , Locatelli Marco , Barbieri Sergio , Ruggiero Fabiana
Published: July 2023

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established treatment that significantly improves the motor symptoms of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD); however, patients may experience post-operative psychological distress and social maladjustments. This phenomenon has been shown to be related to patients’ pre-operative cognitive representations, such as expectations. In this systematic review, we discuss the findings on the role of the expectations of patients with PD regarding the clinical outcomes of DBS to identify areas of intervention to improve pre-operative patient education and promote successful post-operative psychosocial adjustment. PubMed was searched for relevant articles published up to 16 January 2023. Of the 84 identified records, 10 articles focusing on the treatment expectations of patients with PD undergoing DBS were included in this review. The selected studies were conducted among cohorts of patients with different DBS targets, among which the most common was the bilateral subthalamic nucleus. Overall, the data showed that patients’ expectations contribute to treatment efficacy. Experiments investigating the placebo effect itself have shown clinical improvement after the induction of positive therapeutic expectations; conversely, unrealistic treatment expectations can affect patient satisfaction after surgery, clinical outcomes, and subjective well-being. This review highlights the need for routine clinical practice to better investigate and manage patients' pre-operative expectations, as well as multidisciplinary education to improve patient satisfaction and psychosocial adjustment after DBS.
Effects of 7-day polyphenol powder supplementation on cycling performance and lung function in an ozone-polluted environment
Authors: Morton Lillian C. , Paton Carl D. , Merry Troy , Braakhuis Andrea J.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Polluted environments can adversely affect lung function and exercise performance. Evidence suggests that some nutrient supplements may offset pollution’s detrimental effects. This study examined the effect of polyphenol supplementation on lung function and exercise performance in an ozone-polluted environment.

Methods

Ten male cyclists (mean ± SD: age, 43.8 ± 12.4 years; height, 177.8 ± 7.1 cm; weight, 76.03 ± 7.88 kg; VO2max 4.12 ± 0.72 L min−1) initially completed a baseline maximal incremental test and maximal effort 4 km time trial in ambient air. Thereafter cyclists completed two trials in an ozone-polluted environment (0.25 ppm) following seven days of supplementation with either polyphenol (PB) or placebo (PL). Experimental trials consisted of a three-stage submaximal test (50%, 60% and 70% incremental peak power) followed by a 4 km time trial. Lung function was measured pre- and post-exercise via spirometry and adverse respiratory symptoms with a Likert scale.

Results

Ozone exposure significantly reduced (p < 0.05) lung function relative to ambient air. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in measured variables across the three submaximal intensities. There was a small (d = 0.31) non-significant difference (p = 0.09) in 4 km performance in PB (406.43 ± 50.29 s) vs. PL (426.20 ± 75.06 s). Oxygen consumption during the time trial was greater in PB (3.49 ± 0.71 L min−1) vs PL (3.32 ± 0.71 L min−1, p = 0.01, d = 0.24). Cough severity (SOC) was lower (p = 0.03) with PB relative to PL.

Conclusion

PB supplementation may provide small benefits to performance and reduce cough symptoms during high-intensity exercise in ozone-polluted environments.
Genome size of grass Festuca mountain species from the southwestern European Pyrenees: variation, evolution, and new assessments
Authors: Garnatje Teresa , Catalán Pilar , Inda Luis A. , Vallès Joan , Pyke Samuel
Published: July 2023

Festuca is one of the most ecologically and economically important genera of temperate grasses. Species of its type subgenus, Festuca, are common components of cool-seasonal pastures and are especially frequent in mountainous areas, where there are often several morphologically similar species that grow in the same or comparable habitats and sometimes live in sympatry. Nuclear DNA assessments by flow cytometry can be used to identify taxa and uncover new ploidy levels in species complexes for which new chromosome data are provided or previous chromosome counts and genome sizes are known. Holoploid (2C) values of newly studied Pyrenean Festuca subgen. Festuca sects. Eskia, Festuca and Aulaxyper species fall within the expected ranges for these taxonomic groups and include 2x, 4x, 6x and 8x ploidy levels. Monoploid (1Cx) genome sizes of diploids and polyploids are larger in the species of the more ancestral F. sect. Eskia group showing a decreasing trend in the species of the more recently evolved F. sects. Festuca and Aulaxyper lineages. 1Cx values of high polyploid Aulaxyper taxa are among the smallest of the three Festuca sections, corroborating previous findings. Our analysis provides new genome size values and inferred ploidy levels for hexaploid F.heteromalla and octoploid F.trichophylla and highlights the genomic and ecological differentiation of tetraploid F.gautieri susbsp. gautieri from diploid F.gautieri subsp. scoparia.
Changes in the incidence of early-onset breast cancer in Germany between 2010 and 2022
Authors: Gremke Niklas , Wagner Uwe , Kalder Matthias , Kostev Karel
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study was to identify the mean age at which breast cancer (BC) was first diagnosed in 2010 or 2022, and to evaluate whether there were any changes in age groups at first BC diagnosis.

Methods

This retrospective cross-sectional study included adult women (18 years or older) who were diagnosed with BC (ICD-10: C50) for the first time in 2010 or 2022 in office-based practices in Germany (in 300 general practices or 95 gynecological practices). We examined the mean age at diagnosis and the percentage of patients in three age groups (18–49, 50–65, and > 65) for both 2010 and 2022. The average age difference between 2010 and 2022 was analyzed using Wilcoxon rank tests, and the proportions of the three age groups were analyzed using chi-squared tests. These analyses were performed separately for patients in general and gynecological practices.

Results

The mean age at which BC was initially diagnosed in 2022 was found to be significantly greater than that in 2010 for both general practices (66.9 years vs. 64.0 years p < 0.001) and gynecological practices (62.2 years vs. 60.3 years, p < 0.001). Early-onset BC decreased from 15.6 to 12.0% in general practices and from 23.2 to 18.2% in gynecological practices between 2010 and 2022. The proportion of new BC diagnoses in the age group 50–65 increased from 36.6 to 40.9% in gynecological practices, but did not increase in general practices.

Conclusion

The study found that BC was diagnosed at an older age in 2022 than in 2010. In addition, the proportion of early-onset BC cases decreased, while the proportion of cases in the age group 50–65 increased in gynecological practices in Germany.
On the Continuum Fallacy: Is Temperature a Continuous Function?
Authors: Jha Aditya , Campbell Douglas , Montelle Clemency , Wilson Phillip L.
Published: July 2023

It is often argued that the indispensability of continuum models comes from their empirical adequacy despite their decoupling from the microscopic details of the modelled physical system. There is thus a commonly held misconception that temperature varying across a region of space or time can always be accurately represented as a continuous function. We discuss three inter-related cases of temperature modelling — in phase transitions, thermal boundary resistance and slip flows — and show that the continuum view is fallacious on the ground that the microscopic details of a physical system are not necessarily decoupled from continuum models. We show how temperature discontinuities are present in both data (experiments and simulations) and phenomena (theory and models) and how discontinuum models of temperature variation may have greater empirical adequacy and explanatory power. The conclusions of our paper are: a) continuum idealisations are not indispensable to modelling physical phenomena and both continuous and discontinuous representations of phenomena work depending on the context; b) temperature is not necessarily a continuously defined function in our best scientific representations of the world; and c) that its continuity, where applicable, is a contingent matter. We also raise a question as to whether discontinuous representations should be considered truly de-idealised descriptions of physical phenomena.
Retraction-Based Direct Search Methods for Derivative Free Riemannian Optimization
Authors: Kungurtsev Vyacheslav , Rinaldi Francesco , Zeffiro Damiano
Published: July 2023

Direct search methods represent a robust and reliable class of algorithms for solving black-box optimization problems. In this paper, the application of those strategies is exported to Riemannian optimization, wherein minimization is to be performed with respect to variables restricted to lie on a manifold. More specifically, classic and linesearch extrapolated variants of direct search are considered, and tailored strategies are devised for the minimization of both smooth and nonsmooth functions, by making use of retractions. A class of direct search algorithms for minimizing nonsmooth objectives on a Riemannian manifold without having access to (sub)derivatives is analyzed for the first time in the literature. Along with convergence guarantees, a set of numerical performance illustrations on a standard set of problems is provided.
New species of Foleyellides (Nematoda: Onchocercidae: Waltonellinae), parasite of Lithobates brownorum (Amphibia: Ranidae) from South-eastern Mexico and genetic barcodes of the Mexican species of the genus
Authors: Velázquez-Urrieta Yanet , Velarde-Aguilar María Guadalupe , Oceguera-Figueroa Alejandro , León-Règagnon Virginia
Published: July 2023

Specimens of Foleyellides were collected from the body cavity of frogs in different regions of Mexico; Lithobates brownorum from Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Campeche; L. megapoda from Jalisco and Rhinella marina, from Guerrero. Foleyellides calakmulesisn. sp. is described based on specimens found parasitizing L. brownorum. The new species is distinguished from the other members of the genus by the combination of the following male characters: four pairs of caudal papillae different in size and the presence of a preanal plaque. Partial DNA sequences of the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase C, subunit I of the four known Mexican species of Foleyellides and two potentially new species collected in this study were generated and compared, validating the erection of the new species.
Faster RCNN based robust vehicle detection algorithm for identifying and classifying vehicles
Authors: Alam Md Khorshed , Ahmed Asif , Salih Rania , Al Asmari Abdullah Faiz Saeed , Khan Mohammad Arsalan , Mustafa Noman , Mursaleen Mohammad , Islam Saiful
Published: July 2023

Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have shown tremendous success in the detection of objects and vehicles in recent years. However, when using CNNs to identify real-time vehicle detection in a moving context remains difficult. Many obscured and truncated cars, as well as huge vehicle scale fluctuations in traffic photos, provide these issues. To improve the performance of detection findings, we used multiscale feature maps from CNN or input pictures with numerous resolutions to adapt the base network to match different scales. This research presents an enhanced framework depending on Faster R-CNN for rapid vehicle recognition which presents better accuracy and fast processing time. Research results on our custom dataset indicate that our recommended methodology performed better in terms of detection efficiency and processing time, especially in comparison to the earlier age of Faster R-CNN models.
Examining the Impact and Moderating Effects of an 8-Week Mindfulness-Based Program in Grade 4
Authors: Limpo Teresa , Vieira Ana I. , Magalhães Sofia , Rocha Renata , Cordeiro Carolina , Rodrigues Rui , Coelho António , Nóbrega Rui , Jacob João , Cardoso Pedro , Pinheiro Marisa , Castro São Luís
Published: August 2023

Objectives

There is a growing interest in mindfulness-based programs. Yet, research in the area is limited, and little is known about the factors that moderate the effects of these programs. The two-fold aim of this study was (1) to examine the effects of a mindfulness-based program on dispositional mindfulness, inattention and emotional lability, handwriting fluency, spelling accuracy, and composing quality, as well as school achievement; and (2) to evaluate the moderating role of lesson absences, intervention-related knowledge, and social validity.

Method

Using a quasi-experimental design, 257 fourth graders were assigned to an experimental group receiving a mindfulness-based program (n = 130) or an active control group receiving a health-based program (n = 127). Both programs were implemented in the classroom for 8 weekly units, which included two 30-min sessions delivered by psychologists, followed by three 5-min sessions delivered by teachers. All children were evaluated before and after the programs.

Results

Compared to the control condition, the mindfulness-based program resulted in higher levels of internal and external awareness, and decentering and nonreactivity, as well as better composing quality and mathematics grades. Lesson absences, intervention-related knowledge, and social validity did not moderate the effects of the mindfulness-based program.

Conclusions

These findings support the integration of mindfulness practices in primary school as a means to improve children’s academic-related skills and ability to be mindful.
Inhalable dry powder product (DPP) of mRNA lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for pulmonary delivery
Authors: Sarode Ashish , Patel Priyal , Vargas-Montoya Natalia , Allawzi Ayed , Zhilin-Roth Alisa , Karmakar Saswata , Boeglin Lianne , Deng Hongfeng , Karve Shrirang , DeRosa Frank
Published: August 2023

Pulmonary delivery of mRNA via inhalation is a very attractive approach for RNA-based therapy for treatment of lung diseases. In this work, we have demonstrated successful development of an mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) dry powder product (DPP), wherein the LNPs were spray dried using hydroalcoholic solvent along with mannitol and leucine as excipients. The desired critical attributes for the DPP were accomplished by varying the excipients, lipid composition, concentration of LNPs, and weight percentage of mRNA. Leucine alone or in combination with mannitol improved the formulation by increasing the mRNA yield as well as decreasing the particle size. Intratracheal administration of the DPP in mice resulted in luciferase expression in the trachea and lungs indicating successful delivery of functional mRNA. Our results show formulation optimization of mRNA LNPs administered in the form of DPP results in an efficacious functional delivery with great promise for future development of mRNA therapeutics for lung diseases.

Graphical Abstract
AlterNet-K: a small and compact model for the detection of glaucoma
Authors: D’Souza Gavin , Siddalingaswamy P. C. , Pandya Mayur Anand
Published: July 2023

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of permanent blindness in the world. It is caused due to an increase in the intraocular pressure within the eye that harms the optic nerve. People suffering from Glaucoma often do not notice any changes in their vision in the early stages. However, as it progresses, Glaucoma usually leads to vision loss that is irreversible in many cases. Thus, early diagnosis of this eye disease is of critical importance. The fundus image is one of the most used diagnostic tools for glaucoma detection. However, drawing accurate insights from these images requires them to be manually analyzed by medical experts, which is a time-consuming process. In this work, we propose a parameter-efficient AlterNet-K model based on an alternating design pattern, which combines ResNets and multi-head self-attention (MSA) to leverage their complementary properties to improve the generalizability of the overall model. The model was trained on the Rotterdam EyePACS AIROGS dataset, comprising 113,893 colour fundus images from 60,357 subjects. The AlterNet-K model outperformed transformer models such as ViT, DeiT-S, and Swin transformer, standard DCNN models including ResNet, EfficientNet, MobileNet and VGG with an accuracy of 0.916, AUROC of 0.968 and F1 score of 0.915. The results indicate that smaller CNN models combined with self-attention mechanisms can achieve high classification accuracies. Small and compact Resnet models combined with MSA outperform their larger counterparts. The models in this work can be extended to handle classification tasks in other medical imaging domains.
Tra le carte di Gino Fano: le ricerche sulle varietà a tre dimensioni
Authors: Scalambro Elena
Published: July 2023

This paper investigates G. Fano’s contributions to the study of three-dimensional varieties—the so called Fano threefolds—starting from unpublished manuscripts kept in Turin’s Special Mathematical Library. The main aspects examined are the evolution of the research path, the placing into the wake of the Italian school of algebraic geometry, Fano’s links with the English geometers and his legacy on later studies.
The impact of vascular access type on survival in haemodialysis: time for a paradigm shift? A prospective cohort study
Authors: Paparella Maria , Cassia Matthias , De Leonardis Rossella , Cozzolino Mario
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Although arteriovenous autologous fistula is the vascular access of choice due to better long-term outcome than central venous catheters, the use of central venous catheters is increasing. Our study aims to describe the survival and epidemiological features of a cohort of dialysis patients with a focus on the role of vascular access.

Methods

Our study comprises a follow-up period from 2001 to 2020 in a single center. Descriptive analysis was performed on baseline data. Moreover, we analysed predictive variables of death with univariable and multivariable logistic regressions. Predictors of survival were analysed by univariable and multivariable Cox regression.

Results

Our analysis includes 754 patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis. In the multivariable logistic regression, the use of tunnelled catheters resulted protective against death from any cause (Odds Ratio 0.43; p = 0.017). In the multivariable Cox analysis, being “late referral” was associated with decreased survival in the first 6 months since haemodialysis start (Hazard Ratio 3.79; p = 0.001). In the subgroup of elderly (age ≥ 75 years) patients (n = 201/472) with a follow up of 7–60 months, multivariable logistic regression showed that tunnelled catheters at the start of haemodialysis were associated with lower mortality (Odds Ratio, 0.25; p = 0.021), whereas vascular disease was found to be the main risk factor for death (Odds Ratio, 5.11; p = 0.000). Moreover, vascular disease was confirmed as the only independent risk factor by Cox analysis (Hazard Ratio, 1.58; p = 0.017).

Conclusions

In our cohort, mortality was found to be more closely associated with comorbidities than with the type of vascular access. Tunnelled central venous catheters might be a viable option for haemodialysis patients.

Graphical abstract
‘I’ve Got Nothing Against Vegans… But’: To Divulge, Dissemble or Divert Positionality in Rural Research Settings
Authors: Nye Caroline , Wheeler Rebecca
Published: August 2023

Changes in diet and related purchasing habits at a societal level have become a significant source of stress for farmers in recent years. The rise of vegetarianism and veganism means that the use of these dietary terms, and those who identify with them, may act as potential triggers for those working with livestock. This paper considers the specific methodological issue of how to position oneself within the research process in rural domains, with regards to personal identity related to diet. Focussing on non-meat eaters conducting research with livestock farmers, it explores the moral implications and appropriateness of how and whether authors choose to truthfully present their own diet-related identities in research settings. Using ethnographic descriptions of personal experience as well as secondary source material, the authors conclude that three possible response behaviours at the farmer-researcher interface are available when it comes to potentially ‘exposing’ one’s dietary identity – to divulge, to dissemble, or to divert, and that each comes with its own ethical and moral challenges. We argue that the research field and the researcher’s personal world are separate, though blurred, realms and, while the collection of quality data is important to any study, behavioural decisions should always be undertaken with boundaries of safety, and emotional and moral comfort in mind.
Risk potential of international fruit trade for viroid spreading - case study on hop viroids in Europe
Authors: Hagemann Michael Helmut , Treiber Charlotte , Born Ute , Schrader Gritta , Stampfl Johannes , Jakše Jernej , Radišek Sebastjan
Published: August 2023

Most hops are produced in Europe; therefore, it is alarming that the citrus bark cracking viroid (CBCVd), the causal agent of the severe hop stunt disease, was detected in different nonadjacent hop growing countries. It is still unclear how the initial infection occurred since CBCVd is typically found in citrus and not in hops. To extent data for a viroid risk assessment, potential hosts were tested for the presence of viroids in grocery stores in the hop producing areas of Slovenia and Germany. Samples positive for hop-pathogenic viroids were further used for infection studies. The surveys covered CBCVd, hop stunt viroid (HSVd), citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd), citrus dwarfing viroid (CDVd), citrus viroid V (CVdV), and citrus bent leaf viroid (CBLVd). The results show that all tested viroids can be found in fruits sold in grocery stores, thus there is a risk of introducing CBCVd, HSVd, and other viroids into the hop growing regions via imported fruits and their remains. Furthermore, the transmission study reveals that CBCVd and HSVd infected citrus fruits can lead to infected plants, irrespective of the type of inoculum whether in the form of RNA extract, injected sap, or fruit peel in the soil. Finally, the phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequence diversity within viroid samples is high and that CBCVd and HSVd sequence variants can be found, which are almost identical to variants confirmed in hop. We assumed that fruit imports contribute to international viroid spreading and inappropriate handling like fruit waste deposition to agricultural lands is a serious risk factor.
An Arbitrarily High Order and Asymptotic Preserving Kinetic Scheme in Compressible Fluid Dynamic
Authors: Abgrall Rémi , Nassajian Mojarrad Fatemeh
Published: August 2023

We present a class of arbitrarily high order fully explicit kinetic numerical methods in compressible fluid dynamics, both in time and space, which include the relaxation schemes by Jin and Xin. These methods can use the CFL number larger or equal to unity on regular Cartesian meshes for the multi-dimensional case. These kinetic models depend on a small parameter that can be seen as a “Knudsen” number. The method is asymptotic preserving in this Knudsen number. Also, the computational costs of the method are of the same order of a fully explicit scheme. This work is the extension of Abgrall et al. (2022) [3] to multi-dimensional systems. We have assessed our method on several problems for two-dimensional scalar problems and Euler equations and the scheme has proven to be robust and to achieve the theoretically predicted high order of accuracy on smooth solutions.
Extraction and purification of malaria vaccine candidate CLCT produced by transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana plants
Authors: Knödler Matthias , Buyel Johannes F.
Published: July 2023

Plasmodium falciparum is a malaria parasite that infects more than 220 million people every year. Various non-vaccine campaigns have failed to eradicate malaria and the World Health Organization has recommended only a single malaria vaccine, but this has mediocre efficacy. Additional efforts are therefore required to design and produce medicines that trigger a highly protective immune response. Importantly, the production of such medicines must be cost-efficient to ensure availability in developing countries of the global south, especially sub-Saharan Africa, where they are most needed. Here, we report the development of downstream processing for the novel malaria vaccine candidate CLCT. This fusion protein combines four P. falciparum antigens and was produced by transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana plants using Rhizobium radiobacter (formerly Agrobacterium tumefaciens). The protein accumulated to levels of 118.8 mg kg− 1 and the blanching of plant biomass enabled the efficient precipitation of > 90% of host cell proteins, thereby achieving a ~ 25-fold increase in the purity of the heat-stable target protein in the homogenate. Plant extracts were clarified by a series of bag, depth and sterile filtration steps with an overall recovery of 36.6%. An ultrafiltration/diafiltration step was then used for buffer exchange and to concentrate the product 2.6-fold, with a step recovery of ~ 65%. We optimized a hydrophobic interaction chromatography capture step, achieving a CLCT recovery of ~ 40%. The overall process yield of purified CLCT was ~ 12 mg kg− 1 biomass with a final purity of ~ 83%, which is sufficient for initial activity testing in preclinical animal model immunization studies.
Monitoring, prophylaxis, and treatment of infections in patients with MM receiving bispecific antibody therapy: consensus recommendations from an expert panel
Authors: Raje Noopur , Anderson Kenneth , Einsele Hermann , Efebera Yvonne , Gay Francesca , Hammond Sarah P. , Lesokhin Alexander M. , Lonial Sagar , Ludwig Heinz , Moreau Philippe , Patel Krina , Ramasamy Karthik , Mateos Maria-Victoria
Published: August 2023

Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) are emerging as an important novel class of immunotherapeutic agents for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), and are set to be more widely used in clinical practice. However, this new class of therapies is associated with a distinct adverse event (AE) profile that includes cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, as well as AEs leading to increased infection risk such as cytopenias and hypogammaglobulinemia, and infections themselves. As preliminary data with this class of agents shows an increased risk of infections as compared with conventional MM treatment regimens, such as immunomodulatory drugs, proteasome inhibitors, and anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), guidance on infection monitoring, prophylaxis and treatment is required. This review provides consensus recommendations from a panel of 13 global experts, following a meeting in August 2022. The meeting objective was to review existing literature and identify relevant information on infections with all BsAbs in patients with MM, as well as to discuss clinical experience of experts in managing these infections. The recommendations outlined here can be used to guide management of infection risk factors, such as hypogammaglobulinemia and neutropenia. In addition, they can be used to guide the monitoring, prophylaxis, and treatment of bacterial, viral and fungal infections, including emerging infections of interest, such as coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), and the use of vaccinations prior to and during BsAb treatment. The recommendations have been graded by the panel based on level of data available. Key recommendations include universal herpes simplex and varicella zoster virus prophylaxis, screening for hepatitis B virus reactivation risk in all patients, monthly intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for immunoparesis and in the absence of life-threatening infectious manifestations, use of colony-stimulating factors in patients with Grade 3 neutropenia, universal pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis and no routine anti-fungal prophylaxis.
WWC1/2 regulate spinogenesis and cognition in mice by stabilizing AMOT
Authors: Cao Runyi , Zhu Rui , Sha Zhao , Qi Sixian , Zhong Zhenxing , Zheng Fengyun , Lei Yubin , Tan Yanfeng , Zhu Yuwen , Wang Yu , Wang Yi , Yu Fa-Xing
Published: August 2023

WWC1 regulates episodic learning and memory, and genetic nucleotide polymorphism ofWWC1is associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, the molecular mechanism through which WWC1 regulates neuronal function has not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that WWC1 and its paralogs (WWC2/3) bind directly to angiomotin (AMOT) family proteins (Motins), and recruit USP9X to deubiquitinate and stabilize Motins. Deletion ofWWCgenes in different cell types leads to reduced protein levels of Motins. In mice, neuron-specific deletion ofWwc1andWwc2results in reduced expression of Motins and lower density of dendritic spines in the cortex and hippocampus, in association with impaired cognitive functions such as memory and learning. Interestingly, ectopic expression of AMOT partially rescues the neuronal phenotypes associated withWwc1/2deletion. Thus, WWC proteins modulate spinogenesis and cognition, at least in part, by regulating the protein stability of Motins.
Inhibition of autotaxin alleviates pathological features of hepatic encephalopathy at the level of gut–liver–brain axis: an experimental and bioinformatic study
Authors: Sepehrinezhad Ali , Shahbazi Ali , Joghataei Mohammad Taghi , Larsen Fin Stolze , Sahab Negah Sajad
Published: August 2023

There is accumulating evidence that the circulatory levels of autotaxin (ATX) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) are increased in patients with severe liver disease. However, the potential role of the ATX-LPA axis in hepatic encephalopathy (HE) remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the role of the ATX-LPA signaling pathway in mice with thioacetamide (TAA) induced acute HE. To show the role of the ATX-LPA axis in the context of HE, we first measured the involvement of ATX-LPA in the pathogenesis of TAA-induced acute HE. Then, we compared the potential effects of ATX inhibitor (HA130) on astrocyte responses at in vitro and gut–liver–brain axis at in vivo levels. The inflammatory chemokine (C–C motif) ligand 3 was significantly increased in the hyperammonemic condition and could be prevented by ATX inhibition in astrocytes at in vitro level. Further statistical tests revealed that plasma and tissue pro-inflammatory cytokines were inhibited by HA130 in mice. Furthermore, the stage of HE was significantly improved by HA130. The most surprising result was that HA130 alleviated immune infiltrating cells in the liver and intestine and decreased mucus-secreting cells in the intestine. Further analysis showed that the levels of liver enzymes in serum were significantly decreased in response to ATX inhibition. Surprisingly, our data indicated that HA130 could recover permeabilization of the blood-brain barrier, neuroinflammation, and recognition memory. Besides that, we found that the changes of Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) in HE might have a connection with the glymphatic system based on bioinformatics analyses. Taken together, our data showed that the ATX-LPA axis contributes to the pathogenesis of HE and that inhibition of ATX improves HE.
Polymorphic amyloid nanostructures of hormone peptides involved in glucose homeostasis display reversible amyloid formation
Authors: Horváth Dániel , Dürvanger Zsolt , K. Menyhárd Dóra , Sulyok-Eiler Máté , Bencs Fruzsina , Gyulai Gergő , Horváth Péter , Taricska Nóra , Perczel András
Published: August 2023

A large group of hormones are stored as amyloid fibrils in acidic secretion vesicles before they are released into the bloodstream and readopt their functional state. Here, we identify an evolutionarily conserved hexapeptide sequence as the major aggregation-prone region (APR) of gastrointestinal peptides of the glucagon family: xFxxWL. We determine nine polymorphic crystal structures of the APR segments of glucagon-like peptides 1 and 2, and exendin and its derivatives. We follow amyloid formation by CD, FTIR, ThT assays, and AFM. We propose that the pH-dependent changes of the protonation states of glutamate/aspartate residues of APRs initiate switching between the amyloid and the folded, monomeric forms of the hormones. We find that pH sensitivity diminishes in the absence of acidic gatekeepers and amyloid formation progresses over a broad pH range. Our results highlight the dual role of short aggregation core motifs in reversible amyloid formation and receptor binding.
A genetically encoded sensor for visualizing leukotriene B4 gradients in vivo
Authors: Tamás Szimonetta Xénia , Roux Benoit Thomas , Vámosi Boldizsár , Dehne Fabian Gregor , Török Anna , Fazekas László , Enyedi Balázs
Published: August 2023

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is a potent lipid chemoattractant driving inflammatory responses during host defense, allergy, autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Gradients of LTB4 orchestrate leukocyte recruitment and swarming to sites of tissue damage and infection. How LTB4 gradients form and spread in live tissues to regulate these processes remains largely elusive due to the lack of suitable tools for monitoring LTB4 levels in vivo. Here, we develop GEM-LTB4, a genetically encoded green fluorescent LTB4 biosensor based on the human G-protein-coupled receptor BLT1. GEM-LTB4 shows high sensitivity, specificity and a robust fluorescence increase in response to LTB4 without affecting downstream signaling pathways. We use GEM-LTB4 to measure ex vivo LTB4 production of murine neutrophils. Transgenic expression of GEM-LTB4 in zebrafish allows the real-time visualization of both exogenously applied and endogenously produced LTB4 gradients. GEM-LTB4 thus serves as a broadly applicable tool for analyzing LTB4 dynamics in various experimental systems and model organisms.