bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring Homicide by Police
Authors: Renner Matthew
Published: March 2024

When police officers end a human life, the social ramifications can be immense. Recent high-profile instances of homicide by police in the United States have served as a reminder of their potential impacts. Beyond the tragic loss of life and their acute effect on the people directly involved, these incidents have become a source of broad social conflict. At many points throughout American history, homicides by police have sparked protest and civil unrest, as well as catalyzed major social movements and countermovements that have profoundly altered the direction of the nation’s politics. Social scientists have long recognized the importance of studying homicides by police to understand their causes and consequences. Efforts to do so have historically been hampered by the poor quality of data on the phenomenon. Traditional methods of measuring homicides by police that rely on voluntary reporting by law enforcement agencies or information from death certificates have been shown to be inadequate for most empirical research applications. New and improved methods of measurement began emerging around 2010. They involve compiling information on homicides by police reported by news media and/or combining multiple sources of information to measure the phenomenon, and represent a tremendous improvement. These new methods have led to the production of data that have deepened people’s knowledge of homicide by police. Even so, these data are not perfect. Researchers should be aware of the various measurement issues that may arise when employing them. Finally, as measurement of homicide by police has improved, the ability to measure nonfatal police violence has not done so correspondingly. Poor measurement of nonfatal police violence continues to limit scientific understanding of homicide by police and police violence more generally.
Were-Tigers of Odisha in Adivasi Folklore
Authors: Beggiora Stefano
Published: March 2024

The Meriah Wars, a series of conflicts that bloodied the central districts of the state of Odisha (India) in the 19th century, pitted the indigenous populations of the Konds against the British army. Historiographic sources demonstrate that although the apparent British casus belli claimed an intent to suppress the Konds because of their practice in human sacrifice, the evidence remains unreliable and incomplete on how the Konds actually followed this ritual and indicates that the British Raj’s true motivations lay elsewhere. Sources instead illustrate concretely that the British Raj focused its actual attention on areas that, until recently, drew scarce interest but reflected its increasingly urgent need to extend and consolidate the colonial rule in the belt of central-eastern India. This cultural clash with the Konds would later highlight the limited understanding of Europeans about the crucial role that many indigenous peoples played in the political balance and as social subjects in the buffer zones on the edge of the forests.

If it has been reported that the Konds were often chased, persecuted, and shot down like beasts and that their villages were set on fire in this dark page of colonial history, it is also true that their communities were fluid entities capable of evading peace treaties, using the harsh and unexplored jungle terrain to their advantage and sometimes mounting a strenuous resistance. This uncontrollability is probably the main reason for their misrepresentation in colonial sources, which often emphasize the gruesome aspects of human sacrifice and the Konds’ prowess in the witchcraft arts. It is in this context that the ability of some tribesmen to transform themselves into were-tigers and possibly prevail over an otherwise stronger enemy is first recorded. The practice of theriomorphism has survived to this day, along with a shamanic-type religiosity among the Kond minorities still populating the Kandhmal district. Therefore, an ethnographic approach allows not only for a detailed investigation into this still little-known phenomenon and a clearer analysis of certain aspects of this community’s history but also a deeper understanding of the wide relational spectrum of the Konds with their territory and the wildlife surrounding them and as they coped with the challenges imposed by modernity.
Language Policy and Planning in Mainland Southeast Asia
Authors: Bradley David
Published: March 2024

In five mainland Southeast Asian nations—Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam—there are national languages and language policies. There is a distinction between language policy (decisions about language by governments and official bodies) and language planning (the implementation of this policy), which emerged from their history and development.

Each modern nation has a dominant standard-majority language with a long literary tradition and various regional sub-varieties. Each nation also has various ethnic-minority groups, including some who live in several of these nations and also in China. Official recognition of and policy for minority languages differs, but in general there is little provision for them in education or elsewhere. Two of these minority languages, Mon and Cham, were the languages of former kingdoms in the area.

Four countries give explicit constitutional recognition to the national language; in Thailand this is simply assumed. In each country, there have been centralized efforts to standardize and develop the national language and to expand its use. In three, Burma, Thailand, and Cambodia, these efforts are now under the guidance of a separate official-language-policy body; Laos had such a body up to 1975. In Vietnam, language policy is among the responsibilities of the Ministry of Education. In each country, the ministry of education and other parts of government play a key role in language planning.
The History of the Makonde of Mozambique
Authors: Israel Paolo
Published: March 2024

The Makonde people of northern Mozambique coalesced during the convulsions generated by the Indian Ocean slave trade. Originally an acephalous society composed of independent hamlets under the loose leadership of a lineage head, the Makonde engaged en masse in the armed struggle for the liberation of Mozambique, which was fought for ten years against Portuguese colonialism (1964–1974). The war and the socialist revolution that ensued thoroughly reshaped Makonde society. The Makonde relocated into communal villages; partook in collective production; scattered throughout the country; and embraced Mozambique’s single party, Frelimo, as a cornerstone of their identity. The liberation struggle also wrought important changes in gender relations, with the engagement of women in guerrilla and political activities. These transformations entailed the adoption of a hierarchical social structure, which superseded—and conflicted with—the horizontal organization of Makonde precolonial society.

The Makonde are renowned for their vibrant artistic expression. Their mapiko masks are striking both as plastic objects and for the multifarious performances in which they take life. In the late colonial period, prompted by the patronage of missionaries and traders, a new sculptural tradition emerged, often referred to as “Makonde modern carving.” Executed on African blackwood, largely for an export market, these artworks are characterized by their intricate patterns. The two most recognizable genres are ujamaa, which represents the unity of socialist village life, and shetani, depicting creatures from the spirit world. The Makonde also possess rich song and musical traditions, which convey poignant narratives and criticisms of the dramatic transformations their society underwent.

Since late 2017, the Makonde have been severely impacted by the Islamist insurgency that has exploded in the province of Cabo Delgado, resulting in massive displacement and remilitarization.
Arab Spring
Authors: Abushouk Ahmed
Published: March 2024

The phrase “Arab Spring,” “Arab Awakening,” or “Arab Uprisings” refers to the series of prodemocracy protests and demonstrations that erupted in the Arab world. It began in Tunisia in 2010 and spread to other countries, most notably Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Yemen, in 2011. The demonstrators expressed their political and economic grievances and called for regime change: “The people want to bring down the regime.” Under the increasing pressure of the mass protests, Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (r. 1978–2011) fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14, 2011; Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak (r. 1981–2011) resigned on February 11, 2011; Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi (r. 1969–2011) was deposed on August 23, 2011, and killed on October 20, 2011, in his hometown of Sirte after the National Transitional Council took control of the city; and Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh (r. 1990–2012) resigned in favor of his vice president, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Hadi became president for a two-year transitional period on February 25, 2012, but Yemen remained deeply divided between government supporters and the Houthi rebels who killed Saleh on December 4, 2017, in Sanaa. This change of leadership did not improve the political and economic situation in the Arab Spring countries but rather led to a contentious struggle between remnants of the old regimes and prodemocracy supporters, which finally turned into devastating civil wars in Syria, Libya, and Yemen. The second wave of the Arab Spring took place in Algeria, Sudan, Iraq, and Lebanon, confirming the persistent conditions that led to the outbreak of the first wave against tyranny and exploitation in the early 2010s. The two waves of the Arab Spring have drawn global attention. Tawakkol Karman was awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for her role in organizing peaceful protests in Yemen. Spanish photographer Samuel Aranda won the 2011 World Press Photo Award for his photograph of a Yemeni woman carrying an injured family member, taken during the civil uprising in Yemen.
The Almohad Empire, c . 1120–1269
Authors: Bennison Amira
Published: March 2024

The Almohad empire was founded during the mid-12th century by a militant religio-political movement that originated among the Maṣmūda tribes of the High Atlas Mountains in what is now Morocco. At its height, the empire extended across North Africa to modern Tunisia and also incorporated the southern parts of modern Spain and Portugal. The original religious leader of the movement was Muḥammad b. Tūmart, but the empire was ruled by a dynasty known as the Muʾminids after ʿAbd al-Muʾmin, Ibn Tūmart’s successor as leader of the Almohads. The empire was one of the largest Islamic political formations of its time and played an important role in the western Mediterranean and beyond prior to its demise in the mid-13th century.

The empire was distinctive in several ways. The Almohads saw their interpretation of Islam as a revival of Muḥammad’s message to which all Abrahamic monotheists should convert, a radical position leading to a black myth that they were persecutors of religious minorities, although the limited reach of medieval government meant that they could not always implement their objectives. As a Maṣmūda-backed empire, the Almohads also promoted public use of the Maṣmūda language, one of the Berber or Amazigh family of languages, alongside Arabic, and created an imperial elite from across their empire. They are also famous for their promotion of new styles of urban architecture, especially their huge square-tower minarets, and for patronage of the arts and sciences at court, making the Almohad century one of intellectual ferment as well as religious and political change.
The Young Women’s Christian Association in Anglophone Africa
Authors: Tiplady Higgs Eleanor
Published: March 2024

The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), founded in England in 1855, went on to become a worldwide movement by the end of the Victoria era, under the umbrella organization of the World YWCA. As it spread through the British Empire, it responded to a combination of concerns for young white women’s spiritual and physical well-being and provided a venue for middle-class women to act on Christian charity and piety. Owing to the YWCA’s formal and informal links with empire and mission, its histories on different parts of the African continent bear many similarities to one another. For this reason, it would be easy to overlook the diversity of African YWCA forms, activities, and experiences. However, this variety attests to a key feature of YWCA work from its outset: a willingness and ability to adapt to and meet the local context in which it operates. The first YWCA in English-speaking Africa was established in Cape Town in 1886, followed by Lagos (est. 1906), Nairobi (est. 1911), Freetown (est. 1915), and Monrovia (est. 1941).

After 1948, the World YWCA officially prioritized building the YWCA movement on the continent. New or renewed associations were established in Ghana (est. 1952), South Africa, Uganda (est. 1955), Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia, est. 1962), Botswana, Tanzania, and Zambia (est. 1963). Until the 1950s, the World YWCA had been almost exclusively a domain in which white women led, and women of color were expected to follow. As states gained flag independence, YWCAs also transferred power into the hands of local women. In 1960, African YWCA work was well established enough to draw representatives together for the first “World YWCA All-Africa Conference” in Harare (then Salisbury). The English-speaking African YWCA movement then comprised independent organizations in eleven former British colonies, which began new programs of “development” work with support from international partners and donors during the United Nations Decade for Women (1975–1985). The World YWCA was an active supporter of the South African YWCA during apartheid, and African YWCA staff and leaders helped shaped the race politics of the movement throughout the latter 20th century. The YWCA’s legacy in Africa is thus more complex and positive than that of many other organizations with colonial origins.
Chinese Images of Africa
Authors: Mock Tara
Published: March 2024

Africa and China have maintained relations for hundreds of years. The earliest known depictions of Africanity were informed by broad notions of difference that enveloped those originating from outside the known limits of Chinese society. The trajectory of Chinese racial consciousness formed during the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties, as examples, cast African people and spaces as culturally different to the point of inferior. Though an influx of nonnative visitors to the middle kingdom hastened development of Han identity, the contemporary framing and tone of China’s relationship with the continent, and the individual polities within it, differs greatly from these earliest depictions of African people. During the “solidarity” period of the 1950s–1970s, negative feelings toward the African “other” were subverted as a result of Mao Zedong’s desire to unite revolutionary forces in the Global South against a common threat of imperialism. Contemporary Africa-China relations (2000–) since the First Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) signal a moment of confusion, whereby Chinese depictions of Africa reflect both unity and disharmony, as synergistic images of Afro-Chinese friendship, brotherhood, and solidarity cultivated during the 1950s–1970s are diffused by competing images of racial difference from nonstate actors reminicent of the Tang and Song dynasties.
Documents on South-Central and Southeast Africa to 1890
Authors: Hannaford Matthew
Published: March 2024

Much research on the history of south-central and southeast African societies prior to colonial rule has made use of historical documents to a greater or lesser degree. Here, the contents and coverage of available written sources are examined over a near-millennial period from the end of the 1st millennium ce to 1890. While the argument that follows is that documents over this period provide valuable historical material beyond the activities of colonial societies, it is inescapable that they are generally “external” narratives written for external purposes, foremost among which was the exploitation of the land and people. This imbues documentation with a multitude of biases but does not preclude careful and critical use of documentary records for the study of African societies and environments. This is especially true when documents are used alongside other source types from other disciplines such as archaeology, oral history, linguistics, paleoecology, and paleoclimatology. Many pre-19th-century documents are housed in European archives, which poses challenges around accessibility. However, endeavors to produce source databases and develop digital archives are beginning to change this picture, providing scope for renewed scholarship on aspects of the history of Africa from the early 16th century through to the end of the 19th century.
Fiction, Fact, and Gen Z in International Relations and Comparative Pedagogy
Authors: Atchison Amy L.
Published: March 2024

Interchangeably called Gen Z, Generation Z, Gen Zers, and Zoomers, the generation born between the mid-1990s and early to mid-2010s now makes up the majority of postsecondary students. In countries as diverse as Brazil, India, Malaysia, and the United States, and across such disparate disciplines as engineering, legal studies, and nursing, faculty are working toward modernizing the learning environment to support Gen Z learners.

The Gen Z pedagogy movement is necessary for two reasons. First, Gen Z learners are experientially different from their instructors, many of whom are baby boomers and Gen Xers. Gen Zers’ childhoods were dominated by the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Their early experiences with economic uncertainty have left Gen Zers with a strong need for practical, hands-on education that develops marketable skills. Learning for the sake of learning does not motivate them. Second, Gen Z learners are cognitively different than any previous generation due to the pervasive presence of social media in their lives. Constant exposure to social media has rewired Gen Zers’ brains, making them more responsive to visual images than to text or audio while also shrinking their attention spans. Gen Zers are interested in learning but feel educational practices have fallen behind the experiential and cognitive changes in the student body.

Reaching Gen Z requires an understanding not just of their generational distinctiveness but also of their ability gaps and learning needs. Research indicates that Gen Zers struggle with focus, close reading, and critical thinking. While no single pedagogical tool will address all of their needs, practices that work best with Gen Zers include hands-on and experiential learning, short videos, and low-stakes group work. In addition, they benefit from specific instructions and regular feedback. If international relations and comparative politics faculty are to engage with Gen Z effectively, their pedagogical practices need to meet Gen Zers’ interests and needs.
Language and (Trans)nationalism
Authors: Kozminska Kinga
Published: March 2024

Language has always been entangled in vernacular-cosmopolitan visions. Transnational modes of transformation in the 21st century cannot, therefore, be understood without a close examination of changing ideals of linguistic legitimacy, their entanglement in politics of listening and embodied knowledges of the “listener.” A close examination of these developments enables us to see how language has been historically linked to modernity, rationality, technology, and society, and how an ideal of standard language ideology emerged in relation to particular politics of modernity and history of colonial legacy. This in turn has shaped the global order and contributes to social inequalities worldwide. To search for strategies for “understanding how time and space feel” and get transformed through interactions between the material and the social in the 21st century, research focuses on scale-making practices among transnational individuals and groups, their embodied enactments and entanglement in network cultures and specific rearrangements of materials. By doing so, it highlights sociolinguistic research’s capacity to counter unequal expectations in transnational space. Collected evidence promotes a holistic study of discourse, where recognition of changing research possibilities, positionalities, ecologies of media, and aesthetics may enable a better understanding of the continual processes of political linguistic figuration, see all communication as care, and study how its multiple readings are embedded in theory, politics, and technology.
Islam, Gender, and Sexualities
Authors: Shanneik Yafa
Published: March 2024

Mapping a discussion on gender and sexualities in Islam needs to move beyond an understanding of Islamic law (shariah) and its interpretations that has traditionally been made by male religious scholars (ulamā). It is important to also pay attention to the lived experiences of people on the ground and move away from a homogeneous universal construct of what gender is and what sexualities are. It should include an examination of various power structures that highlights the experiences and voices of not only women but also other subjected and subaltern groups. What are the intersections and overlapping viewpoints and arguments on gender and sexualities in Islam? Who is talking on behalf of which group?

The examination of gender and sexualities within Islam is a complex topic that needs consideration of socioeconomic and political shifts as well as ongoing processes of modernization and globalization. This includes the formation of nation-states, the codification of Islamic law, the shift in family relations and mobility, the increase in level of education and waged labor, and transnational migration. International organizations, such as the United Nations, also exert pressure on governments of Muslim-majority countries to adhere to established international human rights standards. This pressure has played a role in prompting changes in legislations particularly regarding the personal status law that affects women’s and other minority rights.

The aftermath of the latest political uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) since 2011 has placed gender at the heart of not only religious but also political contestations. Displacement and the sociopolitical marginalization of minority groups have contributed to the changing understandings of gender orders within the MENA region and beyond. As a consequence, normative understandings of gender and sexualities have been renegotiated and readjusted and have resulted in new gender power relations. This disruption of conventional gender power relations creates tensions and causes divergences between what, for generations, has been perceived as traditional gender norms. This is primarily evident within familial structures and conjugal relationships where the lived realities do not always reflect current Islamic jurisprudence or the law set by the state.
Theology Issues in North America
Authors: Mixon Candace
Published: March 2024

Muslims have been present in North America long before the transatlantic slave trade; Western and North African Muslims were an (involuntary) part of “New World” expeditions as early as the 1500s. Muslims who arrived enslaved during the transatlantic slave trade were often prohibited from practicing, writing about, or discussing Islam. Later, immigration waves, new religious movements, and eventually dedicated centers for teaching about Muslims and Islam and centers of Muslim education and debate yielded sophisticated responses to the specific challenges and benefits of North American Muslim life. Authenticity and connection to Arabo-centric Islam have often characterized theological movements, while the variety of North American Muslim communities developed an ever-changing pallet of Islams and identity markers that still do not coalesce neatly into traditional theological schools.

The concept and translation of Islamic theology, or kalam, does not map onto its comparative Christian counterpart. Kalam has historically been employed to define modes of correct Muslim practice within Muslim communities while defending against questions, attacks, or degradations by other religious groups. Islamic theology can be considered from two directions: foundations of practicing Islam that form Muslims’ obligations derived from many Qur’anic interpretations and through the discipline of theology, focused on the rational and technical inquiry of doctrines and arguments to determine correct practice. Both approaches delve into intra-Muslim dialogues, which are vital to the outcome of believers’ performance in this world to prepare for the next. North American experiences inform Muslim approaches to theology, whether attributed to transcontinental migration or developed within the boundaries of North America. Such approaches may sometimes be disparate or even oppositional, accumulated through the lack of a singular religious authority. Numerous leadership groups, histories, informal leaders, and recognized pathfinders who could be considered leading the charge to promote particular theologically driven movements in North America can be pointed to. At the same time, many Muslims in North America do not belong to any particular Muslim organization; they may connect with ethnic or regional communities instead.

Tracing the history of Islam in North America is a framework for following North American approaches to theological debates that serve to create, police, or multiply the variety of Muslim experiences in North America. The decentralized development and diversification of Islam in North America contribute to a diversity of theological practices that are better embraced in their multiplicities rather than treated as a cohesive body.
Palm Oil and Afro-Brazilian Cultures
Authors: Watkins Case
Published: March 2024

Palm oil is fundamental in Afro-Brazilian cultures, economies, and ecologies. Perhaps no other single material is as essential to Afro-Brazilian identities and cosmologies as is palm oil. Known in Brazil as dendê, or more precisely, azeite de dendê, palm oil exemplifies the intricate relations linking cultures and environments in the African diaspora. During colonial overseas expansion, the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) crossed the Atlantic to become a transformative but underappreciated African contribution to cultures and ecologies in the Americas. In Brazil, the palm interspersed within mangrove ecosystems, secondary forests, shifting agriculture, and diversified agroforests on the coasts of Bahia, creating complex landscapes and economies that supplied palm oil for a variety of Afro-Brazilian cultural expressions. In complement to those landscapes of domestically produced dendê, by the 18th century, transatlantic commercial networks had begun importing palm oil in bulk from West and Central Africa to Bahia. Along with a range of other ancestral goods, including colorful West African textiles and stimulating kola nuts, African palm oil served as an essential base material in growing Afro-Brazilian foodways, aesthetics, and religions. When these trades fell into decline in the late 19th century, demand for locally produced palm oil spiked, and Bahia’s domestic economy consolidated regional dendê cultures, ecologies, and markets. In the 21st century, palm oil remains integral in Afro-Brazilian identities and cultures, and complex traditional landscapes continue to supply local and national markets. Enduring as a living monument to resistance in the African diaspora, dendê provides livelihoods for rural communities, the unmistakeable flavor of Afro-Brazilian foodways, and a sacred symbol and ritual element in Afro-Brazilian religions.
Dialectometry in the Romance Languages: The Salzburg School
Authors: Goebl Hans
Published: March 2024

This article describes, after brief references to other methodological traditions, the dialectometric methods used in Salzburg for the global processing of mass data stored in linguistic atlases. The main goal is the discovery of deep structures hidden in these data and the quantitative patterns underlying them. It explains the main steps of the quantitative analysis and the subsequent visualization of the computed data. The following seven map types are properly introduced and discussed: working maps, similarity maps, parameter maps, isogloss syntheses, beam maps, dendrograms, and correlation maps. All the discussed examples are drawn from the French linguistic atlas Atlas linguistique de la France (ALF).
Standardization of key performance indicators and metrics for investigational drug services: Consensus recommendations among IDS specialists
Authors: Schmidt Molly , Carlson Lisa Janssen , Murphy Jennifer , Amin Sapna R , Lockhorst Robin , Luedtke Kyle
Published: March 2024

Purpose

There are currently no consensus guidelines on establishing metrics for investigational drug services (IDS). Because of the complexity of research protocols, it remains difficult for sites to track pharmacy productivity and create a baseline for IDS growth within the institution, as well as to perform benchmarking with peer institutions. The goal of this study was to help establish practical guidance for IDS metrics and site utility as applicable.

Methods

This was a survey-based project conducted by the metrics subgroup of the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) IDS special interest group (SIG), which was formed specifically for this analysis. Three surveys developed by the metrics subgroup were sent to members of the IDS HOPA SIG to gather metrics. The first survey included questions about what metrics IDS sites currently collect. The identified metrics were then condensed into categories. Through a consensus-based approach, standardized definitions were established and applied to future surveys. The 2 subsequent surveys sent to HOPA SIG members helped create a list of top recommended metrics that are recommended for every IDS site to track.

Results

A total of 3 surveys were sent to 75 recipients, with the response rate ranging from 24% to 38%. From these surveys and consensus with the metrics subgroup, 5 top recommended metrics were identified: (1) active protocols; (2) dispenses; (3) new clinical trials initiated; (4) patients treated; and (5) clinical interventions.

Conclusion

These recommended metrics should serve as guidance and allow for standardization to help ensure adequate resources are available for IDS pharmacy staff. These recommendations should serve as a basis for standardization and benchmarking with peer institutions.
The Innovative and Evolving Landscape of Topical Exosome and Peptide Therapies: A Systematic Review of the Available Literature
Authors: Ash Makenna , Zibitt Meira , Shauly Orr , Menon Ambika , Losken Albert , Gould Daniel
Published: March 2024

Topical antiaging therapies provide noninvasive delivery of active therapeutics. Exosomes, or extracellular nanovesicles, and peptides, small strings of amino acids, have shown promise as topical therapies in early trials, but neither is FDA approved. This review aims to elucidate the current and future landscape of topical exosomes and peptides as therapeutics for skin rejuvenation. A literature search was conducted using the keywords “peptides” OR “exosomes” AND “skin” OR “rejuvenation.” Primary endpoints included mechanisms of action in humans or live animals as well as clinical data supporting the use of exosomes or peptides topically for skin rejuvenation or wound healing. Secondary endpoints were safety, side effects, and efficacy. The articles were collected, organized, and sorted using the Covidence software (Melbourne, Australia) for systematic review. Nine articles evaluating topical application of exosomes and 9 of peptides met inclusion criteria. Topical exosomes were found to increase collagen deposition, accelerate wound healing, and improve overall cosmesis. Several clinical trials are currently underway. Topical peptides were found to improve appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, elasticity and viscoelasticity, skin texture, skin thickness, and the potential for accelerated wound healing. Peptides are quite common in “cosmeceutical” products, and several patents have been filed for topical peptide products aimed at increasing skin rejuvenation. This could indicate a movement toward pursuing FDA approval. The future of topical exosome and peptide products for the purpose of skin rejuvenation appears promising. Preliminary data from the studies reviewed here indicates that these products have the potential to be safe and effective.

Level of Evidence: 3
A modified system using macrophage-conditioned medium revealed that the indirect effects of anti-inflammatory food-derived compounds improve inflammation-induced suppression of UCP-1 mRNA expression in 10T1/2 adipocytes
Authors: Takahashi Hisako , Morikawa Miori , Ozaki Emi , Numasaki Minami , Morimoto Hiromu , Tanaka Miori , Inoue Hirofumi , Goto Tsuyoshi , Kawada Teruo , Eguchi Fumio , Uehara Mariko , Takahashi Nobuyuki
Published: March 2024

Recently, it has been suggested that brown and beige adipocytes may ameliorate obesity because these adipocytes express uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1), which generates heat by consuming lipid. However, obesity-induced inflammation suppresses the expression of UCP-1. To improve such conditions, food components with anti-inflammatory properties are attracting attention. In this study, we developed a modified system to evaluate only the indirect effects of anti-inflammatory food-derived compounds by optimizing the conventional experimental system using conditioned medium. We validated this new system using 6-shogaol and 6-gingerol, which have been reported to show the anti-inflammatory effects and to increase the basal expression of UCP-1 mRNA. In addition, we found that the acetone extract of Sarcodon aspratus, an edible mushroom, showed anti-inflammatory effects and rescued the inflammation-induced suppression of UCP-1 mRNA expression. These findings indicate that the system with conditioned medium is valuable for evaluation of food-derived compounds with anti-inflammatory effects on the inflammation-induced thermogenic adipocyte dysfunction.
Lucretius and the neural consequences of traumatic amputation: the role of descending inhibition?
Authors: Schott Geoffrey D
Published: March 2024

Geoffrey Schott explores the writings of the Roman poet Lucretius on some of the remarkable phenomena associated with sudden amputation of a limb, and considers what those observations can tell us about the brain mechanisms that might underpin those phenomena.
Photoinduced dehydrogenation of protected piperazines
Authors: Nowaki Kokoro , Maeda Bumpei , Murakami Kei
Published: March 2024

Piperazine represents one of the most important building blocks of pharmaceuticals. Hence, the development of various piperazine derivatives is important. Herein we report photoinduced dehydrogenation of protected piperazines. The reaction proceeded with various alkyl-substituted piperazines. The resulting products have electron-rich olefin moieties that can react with benzyne, carbene, or acyl anhydride.
FGCD: a database of fungal gene clusters related to secondary metabolism
Authors: Zhang Fuyuan , Cao Hongzhe , Si Helong , Zang Jinping , Dong Jingao , Xing Jihong , Zhang Kang
Published: March 2024

Fungal secondary metabolites are not necessary for growth, but they are important for fungal metabolism and ecology because they provide selective advantages for competition, survival and interactions with the environment. These various metabolites are widely used as medicinal precursors and insecticides. Secondary metabolism genes are commonly arranged in clusters along chromosomes, which allow for the coordinate control of complete pathways. In this study, we created the Fungal Gene Cluster Database to store, retrieve, and visualize secondary metabolite gene cluster information across fungal species. The database was created by merging data from RNA sequencing, Basic Local Alignment Search Tool, genome browser, enrichment analysis and the R Shiny web framework to visualize and query putative gene clusters. This database facilitated the rapid and thorough examination of significant gene clusters across fungal species by detecting, defining and graphically displaying the architecture, organization and expression patterns of secondary metabolite gene clusters. In general, this genomic resource makes use of the tremendous chemical variety of the products of these ecologically and biotechnologically significant gene clusters to our further understanding of fungal secondary metabolism.

Database URL: https://www.hebaubioinformatics.cn/FungalGeneCluster/
ThermoPCD: a database of molecular dynamics trajectories of antibody–antigen complexes at physiologic and fever-range temperatures
Authors: Singh Puneet K , Stan Razvan C
Published: March 2024

Progression of various cancers and autoimmune diseases is associated with changes in systemic or local tissue temperatures, which may impact current therapies. The role of fever and acute inflammation-range temperatures on the stability and activity of antibodies relevant for cancers and autoimmunity is unknown. To produce molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories of immune complexes at relevant temperatures, we used the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics (RCSB) database to identify 50 antibody:antigen complexes of interest, in addition to single antibodies and antigens, and deployed Groningen Machine for Chemical Simulations (GROMACS) to prepare and run the structures at different temperatures for 100–500 ns, in single or multiple random seeds. MD trajectories are freely available. Processed data include Protein Data Bank outputs for all files obtained every 50 ns, and free binding energy calculations for some of the immune complexes. Protocols for using the data are also available. Individual datasets contain unique DOIs. We created a web interface, ThermoPCD, as a platform to explore the data. The outputs of ThermoPCD allow the users to relate thermally-dependent changes in epitopes:paratopes interfaces to their free binding energies, or against own experimentally derived binding affinities. ThermoPCD is a free to use database of immune complexes’ trajectories at different temperatures that does not require registration and allows for all the data to be available for download.

Database URL: https://sites.google.com/view/thermopcd/home
A case report of percutaneous intramyocardial septal radiofrequency ablation in an adult with re-obstruction after Morrow procedure
Authors: Wang Huiyi , Lei Changhui , Liu Liwen
Published: March 2024

Background

Some patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) re-occur with drug-refractory symptoms but are not eligible for re-operation after the Morrow procedure. Traditional treatment options are limited. We present the first case of the use of ultrasound-guided percutaneous intramyocardial septal radiofrequency ablation (PIMSRA) for the treatment of a patient with HCM combined with congenital anatomically corrected malposition of the great arteries (MGA) after Morrow procedure.

Case summary

A 61-year-old male patient with congenital MGA, who had been treated with the Morrow procedure for HCM, had worsening symptoms in recent years that were difficult to control medically. He was diagnosed with occult obstructive HCM by stress echocardiography. After multi-disciplinary discussion, this patient was treated with PIMSRA. The post-operative clinical outcome was remarkable, with a significant decrease in septal thickness and disappearance of the left anterior branch conduction block.

Conclusion

Percutaneous intramyocardial septal radiofrequency ablation is feasible and can be one of the options for the treatment of patients with HCM, especially those who cannot choose Morrow procedure. However, it still needs a large sample of clinical trials to validate its clinical effectiveness.
May Measurement Month 2021: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Hungary
Authors: Nemcsik János , Páll Dénes , Nemes-Nagy Zsuzsanna , Pataki-Turi Lívia , Kovács Tibor , Beaney Thomas , Kiru Gaia , Kerr Gabriele , Poulter Neil , Járai Zoltán
Published: March 2024

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is the most important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are still the leading cause of mortality in Hungary. Therefore, screening programmes identifying subjects with hypertension have an important role in CVD prevention. In 2017, the International Society of Hypertension initiated May Measurement Month (MMM) aimed at raising awareness of elevated BP. Hungary joined the MMM campaigns in 2017, 2019, and 2021, and a summary of the results from 2021 is presented here. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 was carried out in September 2021. Measurement of BP, the definition of hypertension, and statistical analysis followed the standard MMM protocol. In Hungary, 30 sites were set up in primary and secondary care facilities, in pharmacies, and in malls. Both cities and villages were involved in all regions. A total of 1414 individuals were screened, and 558 subjects (39.5%) had hypertension. Out of 1065 participants not on antihypertensive medication, 209 (19.6%) had elevated BP. Among treated individuals (n = 349), 206 (59.0%) had controlled BP (<140/90 mmHg). Almost 40% of the participants had hypertension. Among untreated participants, one in five had elevated BP, while among patients on antihypertensive medication, 41% had uncontrolled BP. These results confirm the importance of screening of hypertension in untreated individuals and that efforts are required to adequately control BP in treated hypertensive patients.
Seedling microbiota engineering using bacterial synthetic community inoculation on seeds
Authors: Arnault Gontran , Marais Coralie , Préveaux Anne , Briand Martial , Poisson Anne-Sophie , Sarniguet Alain , Barret Matthieu , Simonin Marie
Published: March 2024

Synthetic Communities (SynComs) are being developed and tested to manipulate plant microbiota and improve plant health. To date, only few studies proposed the use of SynCom on seed despite its potential for plant microbiota engineering. We developed and presented a simple and effective seedling microbiota engineering method using SynCom inoculation on seeds. The method was successful using a wide diversity of SynCom compositions and bacterial strains that are representative of the common bean seed microbiota. First, this method enables the modulation of seed microbiota composition and community size. Then, SynComs strongly outcompeted native seed and potting soil microbiota and contributed on average to 80% of the seedling microbiota. We showed that strain abundance on seed was a main driver of an effective seedling microbiota colonization. Also, selection was partly involved in seed and seedling colonization capacities since strains affiliated to Enterobacteriaceae and Erwiniaceae were good colonizers while Bacillaceae and Microbacteriaceae were poor colonizers. Additionally, the engineered seed microbiota modified the recruitment and assembly of seedling and rhizosphere microbiota through priority effects. This study shows that SynCom inoculation on seeds represents a promising approach to study plant microbiota assembly and its consequence on plant fitness.
The Microcystis-microbiome interactions: origins of the colonial lifestyle
Authors: Piccini Claudia , Martínez de la Escalera Gabriela , Segura Angel M , Croci Carolina , Kruk Carla
Published: March 2024

Species of the Microcystis genus are the most common bloom-forming toxic cyanobacteria worldwide. They belong to a clade of unicellular cyanobacteria whose ability to reach high biomasses during blooms is linked to the formation of colonies. Colonial lifestyle provides several advantages under stressing conditions of light intensity, ultraviolet light, toxic substances and grazing. The progression from a single-celled organism to multicellularity in Microcystis has usually been interpreted as individual phenotypic responses of the cyanobacterial cells to the environment. Here, we synthesize current knowledge about Microcystis colonial lifestyle and its role in the organism ecology. We then briefly review the available information on Microcystis microbiome and propose that changes leading from single cells to colonies are the consequence of specific and tightly regulated signals between the cyanobacterium and its microbiome through a biofilm-like mechanism. The resulting colony is a multi-specific community of interdependent microorganisms.
Macrophage pyroptosis induced by Candida albicans
Authors: Zhang Feng-yuan , Lian Ni , Li Min
Published: March 2024

Candida albicans (C. albicans) is a prevalent opportunistic pathogen that causes mucocutaneous and systemic infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Macrophages play a crucial role in eliminating C. albicans in local and bloodstream contexts, while also regulating antifungal immune responses. However, C. albicans can induce macrophage lysis through pyroptosis, a type of regulated cell death. This process can enable C. albicans to escape from immune cells and trigger the release of IL-1β and IL-18, which can impact both the host and the pathogen. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which C. albicans triggers pyroptosis in macrophages and the key factors involved in this process remain unclear. In this review, we will explore various factors that may influence or trigger pyroptosis in macrophages induced by C. albicans, such as hypha, ergosterol, cell wall remodeling, and other virulence factors. We will also examine the possible immune response following macrophage pyroptosis.
Identification and characterization of novel dual-function antioxidant and umami peptides from protein hydrolysates of Huangjiu lees
Authors: Zhang Rongbin , Zhou Zhilei , Ji Zhongwei , Ren Qingxi , Liu Shuangping , Xu Yuezheng , Mao Jian
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Lees are the major by-product of Huangjiu brewing and are prone to decomposition due to abundant protein residues. This study aims to convert the lees into high-value peptides with umami and antioxidant difunctionals.

Materials and Methods

Herein, a one-step hydrolysis method combined with flavorzyme followed by amylase pretreatment was developed and optimized. The target peptide fraction was collected and evaluated after ultrafiltration and ethanol precipitation, and then identified by nano-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The target peptides were filtered through virtual screening, sensory, and radical scavenging verification.

Results

The results show that 80 U/g amylase and 3500 U/g flavorzyme synergistic hydrolysis at 50 °C for 3 h performed best for umami intensity and antioxidant activity. A total of 5266 peptides was identified from the 80% ethanol precipitation fraction,  finally secreened 7 umami peptides. The umami recognition threshold of the 7 peptides ranged from 0.38 to 0.66 mmol/L in water. Among them, DPDGW and DNPNW exhibited good DPPH antioxidant ability with IC50 values of 0.6982 mg/mL and 0.4315 mg/mL, respectively. Additionally, molecular docking studies indicated that all umami peptides tend to interact with the T1R3 receptor through hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces, involving key residues such as ASN68, SER104, HIS145, SER276, VAL277, GLU301, ALA302, THR305, and HIS387.

Conclusion

This study shows that Huangjiu lees is a potential resource for flavor and bioactive peptide development, which provides a reference for other waste protein recycling.