bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High power short duration versus low power long duration ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation: A meta‐analysis of randomized trials
Authors: Parlavecchio Antonio , Vetta Giampaolo , Coluccia Giovanni , Pistelli Lorenzo , Caminiti Rodolfo , Ajello Manuela , Magnocavallo Michele , Dattilo Giuseppe , Foti Rosario , Carerj Scipione , Crea Pasquale , Chierchia Gian Battista , de Asmundis Carlo , Della Rocca Domenico Giovanni , Palmisano Pietro
Published: October 2023

Background

High‐power‐short‐duration (HPSD) radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a viable alternative to low‐power‐long‐duration (LPLD) RF for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Nevertheless, trials showed conflicting results regarding atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrences and few data concerning complications. Therefore, we conducted a meta‐analysis of randomized trials comparing HPSD versus LPLD.

Methods

We systematically searched the electronic databases for studies published from inception to March 31, 2023 focusing on HPSD versus LPLD. The study endpoints were AF recurrence, procedural times and overall complications.

Results

Five studies enrolling 424 patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age 61.1 years; 54.3% paroxysmal AF; mean LVEF 58.2%). Compared to LPLD, HPSD showed a significantly lower AF recurrence rate [16.3% vs. 30,1%; RR: 0.54 (95% CI: 0.38–0.79); p = 0.001] at a mean 10.9 months follow‐up. Moreover, HPSD led to a significant reduction in total procedural time [MD: −26.25 min (95%CI: −42.89 to −9.61); p = 0.002], PVI time [MD: −26.44 min (95%CI: −38.32 to −14.55); p < 0.0001], RF application time [MD: −8.69 min (95%CI: −11.37 to −6.01); p < 0.00001] and RF lesion number [MD: −7.60 (95%CI: −10.15 to −5.05); p < 0.00001]. No difference was found in either right [80.4% vs. 78.2%; RR: 1.04 (95% CI: 0.81–1.32); p = 0.77] or left [92.3% vs. 90.2%; RR: 1.02 (95% CI: 0.94–1.11); p = 0.58] first‐pass isolation and overall complications [6% vs. 3.7%; RR: 1.45 (95%CI: 0.53–3.99); p = 0.47] between groups.

Conclusion

In our metanalysis of randomized trials, HPSD ablation appeared to be associated to a significantly improved freedom from AF and shorter procedures, without increasing the risk of complications.
Airway topicalization in pediatric anesthesia: An international cross‐sectional study
Authors: Iliff H. A. , Baxter A. , Chakladar A. , Endlich Y. , McGuire B. , Peyton J.
Published: October 2023

Background

There is no national or international consensus or guideline on recommended dosing of lidocaine for airway topicalization in children. Doses quoted in the literature vary substantially.

Aims

The primary aim of the study was to ascertain current international dosing practices (mg.kg−1and concentration of solution) for lidocaine airway topicalization in children. The secondary aims included examining aftercare instructions for those receiving lidocaine airway topicalization and instances of local anesthetic systemic toxicity secondary to the use of lidocaine for airway topicalization in pediatric patients.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study consisted of 11–20 questions across three domains—population demographics, clinical practice, and local anesthetic systemic toxicity. It adhered to the consensus‐based checklist for reporting of survey studies. Responses were collected over 14 weeks using a combination of probability (cluster and simple random) and nonprobability (purposive, convenience and snowball) sampling. Data were analyzed based on the response rate per question with proportions expressed as percentages and nonparametric data expressed as median (interquartile range [range]) in an effort to minimize nonresponse error. No weighting of items or propensity scoring was applied.

Results

After initial exclusions, 1501 participants from 69 countries, across six continents, were included. Consultant anesthetists or those with an equivalent level of experience accounted for 1262/1501 (84.1%) of responses. Results showed heterogeneity in dosing and timing regimens and evidence that dosing may contribute to adverse outcomes. The maximum dose reported by participants who use lidocaine for airway topicalization as part of their normal practice was 5 mg.kg−1(4–6 mg.kg−1[0.5–50]) median (interquartile range [range]) over 2 h (1‐4 h [0–30]).

Conclusion

The results support the need for further research and consensus in this area, in order to provide safe provision of lidocaine airway topicalization in children. It is hoped the results of this study can support future collaborative work in this area.
Banana MaNAC1 activates secondary cell wall cellulose biosynthesis to enhance chilling resistance in fruit
Authors: Yin Qi , Qin Wenqi , Zhou Zibin , Wu Ai‐Min , Deng Wei , Li Zhengguo , Shan Wei , Chen Jian‐ye , Kuang Jian‐fei , Lu Wang‐jin
Published: October 2023

Chilling injury has a negative impact on the quantity and quality of crops, especially subtropical and tropical plants. The plant cell wall is not only the main source of biomass production, but also the first barrier to various stresses. Therefore, improving the understanding of the alterations in cell wall architecture is of great significance for both biomass production and stress adaptation. Herein, we demonstrated that the cell wall principal component cellulose accumulated during chilling stress, which was caused by the activation of MaCESA proteins. The sequence‐multiple comparisons show that a cold‐inducible NAC transcriptional factor MaNAC1, a homologue of Secondary Wall NAC transcription factors, has high sequence similarity with Arabidopsis SND3. An increase in cell wall thickness and cellulosic glucan content was observed in MaNAC1‐overexpressing Arabidopsis lines, indicating that MaNAC1 participates in cellulose biosynthesis. Over‐expression of MaNAC1 in Arabidopsis mutant snd3 restored the defective secondary growth of thinner cell walls and increased cellulosic glucan content. Furthermore, the activation of MaCESA7 and MaCESA6B cellulose biosynthesis genes can be directly induced by MaNAC1 through binding to SNBE motifs within their promoters, leading to enhanced cellulose content during low‐temperature stress. Ultimately, tomato fruit showed greater cold resistance in MaNAC1 overexpression lines with thickened cell walls and increased cellulosic glucan content. Our findings revealed that MaNAC1 performs a vital role as a positive modulator in modulating cell wall cellulose metabolism within banana fruit under chilling stress.
CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated mutation of Eil1 transcription factor genes affects exogenous ethylene tolerance and early flower senescence in Campanula portenschlagiana
Authors: Holme Inger B. , Ingvardsen Christina R. , Dionisio Giuseppe , Podzimska‐Sroka Dagmara , Kristiansen Kell , Feilberg Anders , Brinch‐Pedersen Henrik
Published: October 2023

Improving tolerance to ethylene‐induced early senescence of flowers and fruits is of major economic importance for the ornamental and food industry. Genetic modifications of genes in the ethylene‐signalling pathway have frequently resulted in increased tolerance but often with unwanted side effects. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to knockout the function of two CpEil1 genes expressed in flowers of the diploid ornamental plant Campanula portenschlagiana. The ethylene tolerance in flowers of the primary mutants with knockout of only one or all four alleles clearly showed increased tolerance to exogenous ethylene, although lower tolerance was obtained with one compared to four mutated alleles. The allele dosage effect was confirmed in progenies where flowers of plants with zero, one, two, three and four mutated alleles showed increasing ethylene tolerance. Mutation of the Cpeil1 alleles had no significant effect on flower longevity and endogenous flower ethylene level, indicating that CpEil1 is not involved in age‐dependent senescence of flowers. The study suggests focus on EIN3/Eils expressed in the organs subjected to early senescence for obtaining tolerance towards exogenous ethylene. Furthermore, the observed allelic dosage effect constitutes a key handle for a gradual regulation of sensitivity towards exogenous ethylene, simultaneously monitoring possibly unwanted side effects.
Bark water uptake through lenticels increases stem hydration and contributes to stem swelling
Authors: Beckett Holly A. A. , Webb Daryl , Turner Michael , Sheppard Adrian , Ball Marilyn C.
Published: October 2023

Foliar water uptake can recharge water storage tissue and enable greater hydration than through access to soil water alone; however, few studies have explored the role of the bark in facilitating water uptake. We investigated pathways and dynamics of bark water uptake (BWU) in stems of the mangrove Avicennia marina. We provide novel evidence that specific entry points control dynamics of water uptake through the outer bark surface. Furthermore, using a fluorescent symplastic tracer dye we provide the first evidence that lenticels on the outer bark surface facilitate BWU, thus increasing stem water content by up to 3.7%. X‐ray micro‐computed tomography showed that BWU was sufficient to cause measurable swelling of stem tissue layers increasing whole stem cross‐sectional area by 0.83 mm2 or 2.8%, implicating it as a contributor to the diel patterns of water storage recharge that buffer xylem water potential and maintain hydration of living tissue.
Lycium barbarum polysaccharide inhibits blue‐light‐induced skin oxidative damage with the involvement of mitophagy
Authors: Wu Fen , Dang Bingrong , Hu Liming , Zhu Sen , Liu Zuohao , Cao Xinhui , Li Zhen , Wang Chunming , Lin Changjun
Published: October 2023

Although blue light can damage the skin to a certain extent, the pathogenesis of its damage remains still unclear. The available evidence suggests that oxidative stress may be the main cause of its damage. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has antioxidative effects in a variety of cells. In this paper, we investigated the protective role of LBP and its mechanism of action related to mitophagy in blue‐light‐damaged skin cells. The findings indicated that in HaCaT cells and mouse skin, LBP pretreatment was effective in reducing blue‐light‐induced apoptosis and ameliorating the elevated level of cellular autophagy/mitophagy caused by excessive blue light exposure. The markers reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were used to assess oxidative stress. LBP could effectively inhibit blue‐light‐induced oxidative stress. It was also found that blue light exposure caused mitochondrial dysfunction in HaCaT cells, including increased intracellular calcium ion levels and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. LBP pretreatment significantly relieved mitochondrial dysfunction in HaCaT cells. These findings imply that LBP pretreatment protects skin cells from damage induced by blue light irradiation and that mitophagy may be a significant factor in skin photodamage.
A multimodality therapeutic application on Toxoplasma gondii encephalitis utilizing Spiramycin and ‘de novo’ Ferula asafetida in immunodeficient mice
Authors: Almurshidi Badria Hassan , Fahmy Zeinab , El‐Shennawy Amal , Selim Eman A. H. , Hammam Olfat Ali , Okasha Hend , Al‐Hajj Wissam , Mahmoud Salma Awad , Abuelenain Gehan Labib
Published: October 2023

This study investigated a ‘de Novo’ medicinal herb, Ferula asafetida (FA), against toxoplasma encephalitis either alone or combined with spiramycin (SP). Female Swiss‐Webster mice (n = 72) were divided into three batches. Batch‐I received no DMS to serve as an immunocompetent control, batch‐II was immune‐suppressed with the DMS (0.25 mg/g/day) for 14 days pre‐infection, whilst batch‐III was immune‐suppressed with the DMS on the same day of infection. All experimental mice were inoculated with Toxoplasma gondii ME49 cysts (n = 75). Each batch was split into four subgroups: Mono‐SP, mono‐FA, combined drug (SP + FA), or neither. Therapies were administered on day zero of infection in batches (I and II) and 35 days post‐infection in batch (III). Treatments lasted for 14 days, and mice were sacrificed 60 days post‐infection. Histopathological changes, cysts load, and CD4 and CD8 T‐cells were counted in brain tissues. The cyst‐load count in mice receiving SP + FA was significantly (p < .0001) the least compared to the mono treatments in all protocols. Interestingly, the combined therapy demolished the T‐cell subsets to zero in immunocompetent and immunocompromised infected mice. In conclusion, F. asafetida might be a powerfully natural, safe vehicle of SP in the digestive system and/or across the brain–blood barrier to control toxoplasmosis even through immunodeficient conditions.
Large‐scale analysis of trihelix transcription factors reveals their expansion and evolutionary footprint in plants
Authors: Wu Tong , Yang Qihang , Zhou Rong , Yu Tong , Shen Shaoqin , Cao Rui , Ma Xiao , Song Xiaoming
Published: October 2023

The trihelix transcription factor (TTF) gene family is an important class of transcription factors that play key roles in regulating developmental processes and responding to various stresses. To date, no comprehensive analysis of the TTF gene family in large‐scale species has been performed. A cross‐genome exploration of its origin, copy number variation, and expression pattern in plants is also unavailable. Here, we identified and characterized the TTF gene family in 110 species representing typical plant phylogenetic taxa. Interestingly, we found that the number of TTF genes was significantly expanded in Chara braunii compared to other species. Based on the available plant genomic datasets, our comparative analysis suggested that the TTF gene family likely originated from the GT‐1‐1 group and then expanded to form other groups through duplication or deletion of some domains. We found evidence that whole‐genome duplication/triplication contributed most to the expansion of the TTF gene family in dicots, monocots and basal angiosperms. In contrast, dispersed and proximal duplications contributed to the expansion of the TTF gene family in algae and bryophyta. The expression patterns of TTF genes and their upstream and downstream genes in different treatments showed a functional divergence of TTF‐related genes. Furthermore, we constructed the interaction network between TTF genes and the corresponding upstream and downstream genes, providing a blueprint for their regulatory pathways. This study provided a cross‐genome comparative analysis of TTF genes in 110 species, which contributed to understanding their copy number expansion and evolutionary footprint in plants.
Dynamic all the way down
Authors: Donati Donatella , Gozzano Simone
Published: October 2023

In this paper we provide an analysis of dynamic dispositionalism. It is usually claimed that dispositions are dynamic properties. However, there is no exhaustive analysis of dynamism in the dispositional literature. We will argue that the dynamic character of dispositions can be analyzed in terms of three features: (i) temporal extension, (ii) necessary change and (iii) future orientedness. Roughly, we will defend the idea that dynamism entails a continuous view of time, to be analyzed in mathematical terms, where intervals are its constitutive elements, whose duration lasts as much as a certain change takes to occur (in support of i). Such changes are the necessary components for the flowing of time because we think there cannot be time without change, (thus supporting ii) and that the forward‐looking feature of properties is what determines the direction of time (as per iii). The paper is structured in 5 sections. In the first section, we set the problem: we outline and criticize some dispositional theories that defend an unsatisfying notion of dynamism. In the second, third and fourth sections we defend each desideratum for a disposition to be dynamic. Finally, we draw some conclusions and consider potential future research.
On the correlation of self‐reported and behavioral risk attitude measures: The case of the General Risk Question and the Investment Game following Gneezy and Potters (1997)
Authors: Gaertner Christine , Steinorth Petra
Published: October 2023

Risk attitudes play a pivotal role to understand economic decision‐making, and several measures are used to elicit them in the lab and survey them in the field. We provide a literature review on the most commonly used risk elicitation methods by Holt and Laury (HL) and the Investment Game (IG) by Gneezy and Potters and the General Risk Question (GRQ) utilized in the German Socioeconomic Panel. Based on the metadata from three experiments, we show that the GRQ has a robust and economically relevant association with the IG.
Resource rents and environmental pollution in developing countries: Does the quality of institutions matter?
Authors: Achuo Elvis D. , Miamo Clovis Wendji , Kouhomou Clémence Zite
Published: October 2023

Despite global concerted efforts to enhance environmental sustainability, environmental quality has continued degrading following upsurges in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The rising pollution emissions in recent decades have largely been blamed on the growing exploitation of natural resources and institutional dynamics. Consequently, this study empirically examines the effect of resource rents on environmental pollution. The system Generalised Method of Moments approach is adopted to analyse data for a panel of 39 developing African countries over the 1996–2020 period. The key results reveal that resource rents significantly contribute to pollution emissions in the context of African economies. This positive relationship between resource rents and environmental pollution is globally validated by the various sensitivity analysis and robustness checks. However, this relationship is divergent for alternative measures of natural resources and across sub‐regional economic blocs. Furthermore, the results reveal the critical role of good governance in modulating the environmental damaging role of natural resource dependence. Besides the key findings, the study equally highlights the importance of ICTs and the need to increase investments in green technologies and promote the consumption of clean energies. Indeed, the key findings suggest that for resource rents to effectively contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing CO2 emissions there is need for policymakers to reinforce the legislation through the enhancement of institutional quality. Particularly, African governments should develop and reinforce strategies aimed at curbing corruption which constitutes a major obstacle to environmental sustainability.
Kernel mean embedding of probability measures and its applications to functional data analysis
Authors: Hayati Saeed , Fukumizu Kenji , Parvardeh Afshin
Published: October 2023

This study intends to introduce kernel mean embedding of probability measures over infinite‐dimensional separable Hilbert spaces induced by functional response statistical models. The embedded function represents the concentration of probability measures in small open neighborhoods, which identifies a pseudo‐likelihood and fosters a rich framework for statistical inference. Utilizing Maximum Mean Discrepancy, we devise new tests in functional response models. The performance of new derived tests is evaluated against competitors in three major problems in functional data analysis including Function‐on‐Scalar regression, functional one‐way ANOVA, and equality of covariance operators.
“The giving birth of a world”: Fanon, Husserl, and the imagination
Authors: De Schryver Carmen
Published: October 2023

This article examines the role of the imagination in Fanon's and Husserl's work in order to rethink Fanon's relationship with Husserlian phenomenology. I begin with an investigation of the oft‐overlooked ways in which the imagination appears inWretched of the Earth.Here, I argue that Fanon puts a great deal of stock in the imagination, ultimately calling upon this faculty in order to presage the novel ways of being, thinking, and acting, which are a recurrent signature of his vision of decolonization. In the latter half of the article, I then offer an account of the decisive methodological significance of the imagination within Husserl's work. Revisiting the methodological infrastructure of phenomenology with Fanonian concerns in mind casts Husserl's project in a surprising new light, bringing to the fore the revolutionary potential of both the epoché and the method of eidetic variation. For at the core of Husserlian methodology lies a resolve to exceed the limits of our present empirical reality—aleitmotivof Fanon's own thinking. I ultimately show that Fanon's work can thus be imagined as a reactivation, indeed a revolution, inaugurated at the heart of phenomenology and its most basic methodological commitments.
On the effects of active labour market policies among individuals reporting to have severe mental health problems
Authors: Tübbicke Stefan , Schiele Maximilian
Published: October 2023

On the one hand, unemployment is known to have detrimental effects on individuals' mental health. On the other hand, poor mental health reduces re‐employment chances quite drastically, creating a vicious cycle. Active labour market policies (ALMPs) such as training programs or wage subsidies have been shown to ameliorate negative effects on mental health and improve labour market integration on average for the general unemployed population. In the context of individuals with severe mental health issues, however, it is unclear whether these interventions can be expected to deliver similar positive effects. In fact, one may argue that they have the potential to worsen employment prospects of individuals by adding additional stress to their pre‐existing mental health problems. Hence, this paper estimates the long‐term causal effects of ALMPs on the labour market integration of individuals with self‐reported severe mental health issues and compares estimates to individuals without such issues using unique combined survey and administrative data. Effects are estimated using the innovative double machine learning method and show that ALMPs do not only improve labour market integration of unemployed individuals with severe mental health issues, but they do so more effectively than for other unemployed individuals.
Biobased residues sustain crop productivity and soil health in a maize–soybean rotation
Authors: Badewa Emmanuel A. , Yeung Chun C. , Whalen Joann K. , Oelbermann Maren
Published: October 2023

Biobased residues are local and cost‐effective sources of soil amendments that can efficiently provide nutrients to crops, enhance soil health and serve as alternatives to mineral fertilizers. The objective of our study was to comprehensively evaluate the soil health and crop productivity of temperate agroecosystems amended with different types of organic residues (biobased residues), including composted food waste (compost), biosolid slurry (biosolids) and liquid anaerobic digestate (digestate), compared with nitrogen fertilizer. The experiment was conducted on a silt loam soil under maize–soybean rotation in Canada, where a wide range of physical, chemical and biological indicators were measured and integrated into a soil health score. Biobased residues resulted in about 50%–60% increase in soil‐exchangeable potassium and 10% soil‐exchangeable sodium over levels found in nitrogen fertilizer. Soil microbial biomass and the capacity of soil microbes to utilize carbon substrates differed among growing seasons but not among amendment types (p > .05). Crop productivity was similar among amendment types (p > .05). We found that the soil health score of biosolids was positively correlated with shoot and root biomass and negatively correlated with shoot nitrogen (p < .05), while that of nitrogen fertilizer was positively correlated with shoot carbon (p < .05). This was likely because of a variation in the availability of labile carbon and nitrogen among amendment types. Our research also suggests that temperate silt loam soil amended with biobased residues, especially biosolids, supplied sufficient nitrogen without the need for additional nitrogen fertilizer.
Anchored phylogenomics and revised classification of the Miltogramminae (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)
Authors: Johnston Nikolas P. , Pape Thomas , Piwczyński Marcin , Wallman James F. , Wiegmann Brian M. , Cassel Brian K. , Akbarzadeh Kamran , Szpila Krzysztof
Published: October 2023

The Miltogramminae (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) includes ~600 species across >40 genera, which constitute ~20% of global Sarcophagidae. While molecular phylogenetic hypotheses have been produced for this group, critical problems persist, including the presence of paraphyletic genera, uncertain relationships between genera, a bias of sampling towards Palaearctic taxa, and low support for many branches. The present study remedies these issues through the application of Anchored Hybrid Enrichment (AHE) to a sample including ~60% of the currently recognised genera (16% of known species) representing all biogeographic regions except the Neotropical. An alignment of 1,281 concatenated loci was analysed with maximum likelihood (RAxML, IQ‐TREE), Bayesian inference (ExaBayes) and coalescent‐based approaches (ASTRAL, SVDquartets), which resulted in highly supported and concordant topologies, providing unprecedented insight into the relationships of this subfamily of flesh flies, allowing a major update to miltogrammine classification. The AHE phylogenetic hypothesis supports the monophyly of a large proportion of genera. The monophyly of Metopia Meigen is restored by synonymy with Aenigmetopia Malloch, syn.n. To achieve monophyly of Miltogramma Meigen, eight species are transferred from Pterella Robineau‐Desvoidy. The genus Pterella is shown to be paraphyletic in its current circumscription, and to restore generic monophyly Pterella is restricted to contain only Pt. grisea (Meigen). Erioprocta Enderlein, stat.rev., is resurrected. The genus Senotainia Macquart is reconstructed as paraphyletic. The monotypic genus Metopodia Brauer & Bergenstamm is synonymised with Taxigramma Macquart, syn.n. In light of our phylogenetic hypotheses, a new Miltogramminae tribal classification is proposed, composed of six tribes.
More doubts on verb‐stranding VP ellipsis: Reply to Simpson 2023
Authors: Landau Idan
Published: October 2023

Advocating a verb‐stranding‐VP‐ellipsis analysis for object‐gap sentences, Andrew Simpson (“In defense of verb‐stranding VP ellipsis”) argues that under negation the “adjunct reading” is missing because it depends on focal stress, which cannot be realized on unpronounced material. No such condition holds, I maintain, and the absence of the adjunct reading reflects a syntactic absence: argument‐ellipsis sites contain no VP adjuncts. The adjunct reading emerges in some languages when the antecedent sentence is negative too, an inexplicable contingency for the verb‐stranding‐VP‐ellipsis analysis; in fact, these constructions involve polarity ellipsis (of TP), in which VP adjuncts are included. However, this derivation is not available to all languages, explaining some crosslinguistic differences in adjunct readings under negation. Finally, an optional adjunct reading may emerge in affirmative object‐gap sentences due to pragmatic enrichment, a process sensitive to context in ways that go beyond the predictions of the syntactic analysis advocated by Simpson.
Interval Timing as a Computational Pathway From Early Life Adversity to Affective Disorders
Authors: Harhen Nora C. , Bornstein Aaron M.
Published: October 2023

Adverse early life experiences can have remarkably enduring negative consequences on mental health, with numerous, varied psychiatric conditions sharing this developmental origin. Yet, the mechanisms linking adverse experiences to these conditions remain poorly understood. Here, we draw on a principled model of interval timing to propose that statistically optimal adaptation of temporal representations to an unpredictable early life environment can produce key characteristics of anhedonia, a transdiagnostic symptom associated with affective disorders like depression and anxiety. The core observation is that early temporal unpredictability produces broader, more imprecise temporal expectations. As a result, reward anticipation is diminished, and associative learning is slowed. When agents with such representations are later introduced to more stable environments, they demonstrate a negativity bias, responding more to the omission of reward than its receipt. Increased encoding of negative events has been proposed to contribute to disorders with anhedonia as a symptom. We then examined how unpredictability interacts with another form of adversity, low reward availability. We found that unpredictability's effect was most strongly felt in richer environments, potentially leading to categorically different phenotypic expressions. In sum, our formalization suggests a single mechanism can help to link early life adversity to a range of behaviors associated with anhedonia, and offers novel insights into the interactive impacts of multiple adversities.
Stress combinations and their interactions in plants database: a one‐stop resource on combined stress responses in plants
Authors: Priya Piyush , Patil Mahesh , Pandey Prachi , Singh Anupriya , Babu Vishnu Sudha , Senthil‐Kumar Muthappa
Published: October 2023

We have developed a compendium and interactive platform, named Stress Combinations and their Interactions in Plants Database (SCIPDb; http://www.nipgr.ac.in/scipdb.php), which offers information on morpho‐physio‐biochemical (phenome) and molecular (transcriptome and metabolome) responses of plants to different stress combinations. SCIPDb is a plant stress informatics hub for data mining on phenome, transcriptome, trait‐gene ontology, and data‐driven research for advancing mechanistic understanding of combined stress biology. We analyzed global phenome data from 939 studies to delineate the effects of various stress combinations on yield in major crops and found that yield was substantially affected under abiotic–abiotic stresses. Transcriptome datasets from 36 studies hosted in SCIPDb identified novel genes, whose roles have not been earlier established in combined stress. Integretome analysis under combined drought–heat stress pinpointed carbohydrate, amino acid, and energy metabolism pathways as the crucial metabolic, proteomic, and transcriptional components in plant tolerance to combined stress. These examples illustrate the application of SCIPDb in identifying novel genes and pathways involved in combined stress tolerance. Further, we showed the application of this database in identifying novel candidate genes and pathways for combined drought and pathogen stress tolerance. To our knowledge, SCIPDb is the only publicly available platform offering combined stress‐specific omics big data visualization tools, such as an interactive scrollbar, stress matrix, radial tree, global distribution map, meta‐phenome analysis, search, BLAST, transcript expression pattern table, Manhattan plot, and co‐expression network. These tools facilitate a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant responses to combined stresses.
Land, property, and territory: Mutual embeddedness as understood by thetongbianphilosophy
Authors: Tang Wing‐Shing , Gupte Rupali , Shetty Prasad , Benjamin Solomon
Published: October 2023

The dominant tone of the literature on land's territorial politics misses conceptual complexities by neglecting historical constructions of land practices. An alternative understanding intertwines social and political elements emphasised in the non‐dualistic, beyond dialectics,tongbianphilosophy. This views everything as consisting of two mutually embedded, opposite poles—different yet without alienation; set in a ceaseless interaction as processes of becoming, continuity and change. The concept of focus–field relationship via a spatial story deciphers complexities between viewing land as territory (LaT) and land as property (LaP). Mobilising this formulation in sites of intensive real estate change (Hong Kong's Sham Shui Po and Mumbai's Malad) reveals subtleties of historical antecedents shaping contemporary forces. Here, complex institutional entanglements reveal both diachronic and synchronic interactions wherein the dynamics of control, shifts in power, growth or decline in time and space co‐join LaT and LaP. Such political complexities question views of land's transformation being contingent on archaic ideas of the Westphalian state and uni‐polar framings of capital moving from the North to the South. Thetongbianphilosophy allows the exploring of ideas of difference without alienation, embracing epistemic and ontological equivalence in theory and fieldwork, and between the North and South—themes seldom taken up in the geographical literature. Finally, the paper proposes a study of land dynamics using the concept of land occupancy via the spatial story approach.
Practising future‐making: Anticipation and translocal politics of Tesla's Gigafactory in Shanghai as assemblage
Authors: Han Xiao , Liu Weidong , Jiang Tianhe
Published: October 2023

Human geographers are increasingly concerned with how ‘futures’ are imagined and rendered governable, yet mostly their methods lack the sensitivity to explore the functioning of complex relations between heterogeneous actors across places. The world's electric vehicle (EV) sector is booming, presaging a widely expected decarbonised future, associated with a restructuring of the automobile industry as anticipated by proactive players. This paper interrogates the spatiality and politics of the EV future‐making through disentangling the translocal practices involved in realising Tesla's Gigafactory in Shanghai (TGS) as assemblage. Informed by interviews with industrial insiders and opensource information in Chinese and English, the article finds that, first, TGS's imagined future embodies a multiplicity of interdependent but divergent expectations, the coherence of which underlies the formation and operation of the TGS assemblage by virtue of the concerted actions of its member‐actors. Second, such coherence is conditional as designed by TGS's central planners—namely, Tesla and Chinese government agencies at central and local levels—for their differentiated but overlapping interests. The TGS's imagined future is rendered actionable, enrolling other agents at certain moments, through anticipatory practices of regulatory changes, strategic arrangements interweaving land and financing, firm acquisition and intra‐firm reorganisation linking up places in and outside China, as well as the selection of key suppliers and technological use of critical raw materials. Concluding after a sketch on the TGS's ‘possible futures’ and broader implications, the paper contributes an assemblage‐informed approach to disentangle futuremaking practices and generates timely insights into the ‘future‐oriented’ restructuring of the automobile industry.
Ecological environment value assessment and ecological civilization in the Changjiang River basin
Authors: Ma Zhaoli , Guo Xia
Published: October 2023

With the rapid growth of urbanization and industrialization, the strain on resources and the environment has intensified, resulting in challenges such as soil erosion and biodiversity loss. To address these issues, the development of a circular economy and eco‐cities has become crucial. This article proposes an ecosystem assessment model based on the backpropagation neural network (BPNN) that incorporates environmental carrying capacity and energy regeneration capacity. The model aims to evaluate the ecological service value of wetlands in the Changjiang River basin. The results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms other comparison methods, exhibiting a high level of accuracy. Furthermore, the simulation outcomes indicate that enhancing eco‐efficiency can enhance the environmental carrying capacity and energy regeneration capacity of the ecosystem, ultimately leading to an overall improvement in ecosystem value.
Parasenecio pentaphyllaria (Asteraceae: Senecioneae), a new species of Parasenecio from Korea
Authors: KWON Min Ji , NAM Gi-Heum , JO Hyeong Jun , KIM Jae Young , JEONG Dae-Hui , JEONG Seon , MOON Byeong Cheol , CHUNG Gyu Young
Published: October 2023

Parasenecio pentaphylla, a new species of the genus Parasenecio from Mt. Ilwol-san, Ilwol-myeon, Yeongyang-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea, is described and illustrated here. In Korea, this species has been recognized as P. adenostyloides, known to be a Japanese endemic species. However, it is clearly distinguished from P. adenostyloides by its involucre shape, the number of phyllaries, the number of florets per capitulum, and the ratio of the tube length to the throat length. A molecular phylogenetic analysis using the Internal Transcribed Spacer region also clearly indicated that P. pentaphyllaria was genetically distinct from P. adenostyloides. Therefore, it is recognized as an independent species, different from P. adenostyloides. The specific epithet “pentaphyllaria” was given based on its characteristic of having five phyllaries.
Comparative morphological analysis reveals a new record of Boehmeria nakashimae (Urticaceae) in Korea
Authors: JO Hyeong Jun , JANG Hyun-Do , JEONG Dae-Hui , KIM Jae Young , CHUNG Gyu Young
Published: October 2023

A newly recorded species, Boehmeria nakashimae Yahara, is confirmed for the first time to be distributed on forest edges on Jejudo Island, Korea. This species is known to be endemic to northern Kyushu, Japan. It is characterized by ovate to broadly ovate, ellipticovate, or sub-orbicular middle leaf shapes, serrulate-dentate and uniform margins, 17–29 teeth on one side, a short caudate or narrowly acute apex, dense glomerules at fruiting, and densely strigillose on the stems, both surfaces of the leaves, the perianth of staminate flowers, and achenes. Therefore, it is given the new name ‘Je-ju-top-mo-si-pul’ in Korean based on its serrulate-dentate leaf margin and geographical distribution. A description, photographs, illustrations, and keys of related taxa in Korea are provided.
Ipomoea heptaphylla and Murdannia nudiflora: New records for the flora of Korea
Authors: KANG Eun Su , KIM Chang Wook , SON Dong Chan , YIM Mean-Young , JI Seong-Jin
Published: October 2023

Ipomoea heptaphylla Sweet and Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan have been discovered on arable land on Jejudo Island, Korea. Ipomoea heptaphylla can easily be distinguished from other Korean Ipomoea species by certain distinctive features, which include thin and coiled long pedicels, small corollas, and, most importantly, palmatisect leaves with five to seven lobes. Murdannia nudiflora is characterized by the absence of a rhizome, the presence of caducous bracteoles, by its bearing of more than one flower, and by its fruits with two seeds per valve and foveolate-reticulate seeds, distinguishing it from M. keisak. In this study, we report the plants I. heptaphylla and M. nudiflora and provide their morphological descriptions, photographs, distribution, and keys.
On Rees algebras of 2‐determinantal ideals
Authors: Ramkumar Ritvik , Sammartano Alessio
Published: October 2023

Let be the ideal of minors of a matrix of linear forms with the expected codimension. In this paper, we prove that the Rees algebra of and its special fiber ring are Cohen–Macaulay and Koszul; in particular, they are quadratic algebras. The main novelty in our approach is the analysis of a stratification of the Hilbert scheme of determinantal ideals. We study degenerations of Rees algebras along this stratification, and combine it with certain squarefree Gröbner degenerations.
In situ metrology of direct-write laser ablation using optical emission spectroscopy
Authors: Cuero Briana , Chien Kun-Chieh , Chang Chih-Hao
Published: October 2023

Direct-write laser ablation is an effective manufacturing method for etching complex microscale patterns, especially on hard ceramics such as sapphire that are difficult to machine using traditional mechanical or micromachining methods. However, the variability of the laser–matter interaction causes inconsistencies that prevent this process from moving beyond the research realm. This work presents the real-time monitoring of the ablation process in sapphire using optical emission spectroscopy to assess the key wavelengths that exhibit strong correlations to the fabricated features. In this process, a focused ultrafast laser is used to create microscale features and morphological changes in sapphire substrates, which are studied by a subsequent wet etching in a hydrogen fluoride solution. The etched sapphire samples are observed to have amorphous sapphire removed, resulting in microstructures with higher profile fidelity. Furthermore, principal component analysis of the measured spectral obtained during the etch process indicates that the emission from a few key wavelengths exhibits strong correlations to the etched sapphire patterns. This result indicates that the use of data-driven techniques to assess the spectral emissions of direct-write laser ablation can be a useful tool in developing in situ metrology methods for laser-matter interactions.
Development of the Esportsmanship Scale and Analysis of Its Relationship to Well-Being, Physical Health Problems, Gaming Addiction Tendencies, Aggressive Feelings, Empathy, and Self-Positivity
Authors: Ohno Shiroh
Published: October 2023

A steep increase in young people’s participation in esports in Japan has demonstrated potential adverse health effects as well as impacts on their well-being. Therefore, protective guidelines are required to address this issue. Hence, a novel measurement tool was used in this study to understand the social and health effects of esports. Using an online survey (n = 1,612), factor analysis yielded a two-factor structure for the 12-item esportsmanship scale. Analysis of covariance was used to test whether the factors of enjoyable and normative esportsmanship and time spent playing esports were associated with well-being, physical health problems, gaming addiction tendencies, empathy, and self-positivity. Enjoyable esportsmanship was associated with favorable psychological tendencies, such as well-being, empathy, and self-positivity. The findings also suggest that increasing normative esportsmanship may be able to inhibit physical health problems and the degree of gaming addiction. The analysis of covariance demonstrated that more time spent on esports was significantly unfavorably associated with physical health problems, gaming addiction tendencies, and aggressive feelings. Future research should aim to clarify the causal relationship between these psychological tendencies and esportsmanship and conduct a detailed analysis of whether the effects and impacts of esportsmanship differ according to game genre.
Human voltage-gated Na
+
and K
+
channel properties underlie sustained fast AP signaling
Authors: Wilbers René , Metodieva Verjinia D. , Duverdin Sarah , Heyer Djai B. , Galakhova Anna A. , Mertens Eline J. , Versluis Tamara D. , Baayen Johannes C. , Idema Sander , Noske David P. , Verburg Niels , Willemse Ronald B. , de Witt Hamer Philip C. , Kole Maarten H. P. , de Kock Christiaan P. J. , Mansvelder Huibert D. , Goriounova Natalia A.
Published: October 2023

Human cortical pyramidal neurons are large, have extensive dendritic trees, and yet have unexpectedly fast input-output properties: Rapid subthreshold synaptic membrane potential changes are reliably encoded in timing of action potentials (APs). Here, we tested whether biophysical properties of voltage-gated sodium (Na
+
) and potassium (K
+
) currents in human pyramidal neurons can explain their fast input-output properties. Human Na
+
and K
+
currents exhibited more depolarized voltage dependence, slower inactivation, and faster recovery from inactivation compared with their mouse counterparts. Computational modeling showed that despite lower Na
+
channel densities in human neurons, the biophysical properties of Na
+
channels resulted in higher channel availability and contributed to fast AP kinetics stability. Last, human Na
+
channel properties also resulted in a larger dynamic range for encoding of subthreshold membrane potential changes. Thus, biophysical adaptations of voltage-gated Na
+
and K
+
channels enable fast input-output properties of large human pyramidal neurons.
First-in-human immunoPET imaging of COVID-19 convalescent patients using dynamic total-body PET and a CD8-targeted minibody
Authors: Omidvari Negar , Jones Terry , Price Pat M. , Ferre April L. , Lu Jacqueline , Abdelhafez Yasser G. , Sen Fatma , Cohen Stuart H. , Schmiedehausen Kristin , Badawi Ramsey D. , Shacklett Barbara L. , Wilson Ian , Cherry Simon R.
Published: October 2023

With most of the T cells residing in the tissue, not the blood, developing noninvasive methods for in vivo quantification of their biodistribution and kinetics is important for studying their role in immune response and memory. This study presents the first use of dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) and kinetic modeling for in vivo measurement of CD8
+
T cell biodistribution in humans. A
89
Zr-labeled CD8-targeted minibody (
89
Zr-Df-Crefmirlimab) was used with total-body PET in healthy individuals (
N
= 3) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent patients (
N
= 5). Kinetic modeling results aligned with T cell–trafficking effects expected in lymphoid organs. Tissue-to-blood ratios from the first 7 hours of imaging were higher in bone marrow of COVID-19 convalescent patients compared to controls, with an increasing trend between 2 and 6 months after infection, consistent with modeled net influx rates and peripheral blood flow cytometry analysis. These results provide a promising platform for using dynamic PET to study the total-body immune response and memory.
Annual mass budget of Antarctic ice shelves from 1997 to 2021
Authors: Davison Benjamin J. , Hogg Anna E. , Gourmelen Noel , Jakob Livia , Wuite Jan , Nagler Thomas , Greene Chad A. , Andreasen Julia , Engdahl Marcus E.
Published: October 2023

Antarctic ice shelves moderate the contribution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to global sea level rise; however, ice shelf health remains poorly constrained. Here, we present the annual mass budget of all Antarctic ice shelves from 1997 to 2021. Out of 162 ice shelves, 71 lost mass, 29 gained mass, and 62 did not change mass significantly. Of the shelves that lost mass, 68 had statistically significant negative mass trends, 48 lost more than 30% of their initial mass, and basal melting was the dominant contributor to that mass loss at a majority (68%). At many ice shelves, mass losses due to basal melting or iceberg calving were significantly positively correlated with grounding line discharge anomalies; however, the strength and form of this relationship varied substantially between ice shelves. Our results illustrate the utility of partitioning high-resolution ice shelf mass balance observations into its components to quantify the contributors to ice shelf mass change and the response of grounded ice.