bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lidocaine-Loaded Iontophoresis-Driven Fiber-Based Microneedle Patch for Controllable and Long-Lasting Transdermal Local Analgesia
Authors: Wang Ting , Shi Xiaoyu , Wang Yue , Sun Hengda , Sun Yu , Wang Gang , Jiang Hong
Published: September 2024

The acute pain induced by clinical procedures, such as venipuncture, dental operations, and dermatological treatments, as well as postoperative pain, drives the advancement of anesthetic techniques aimed at alleviating discomfort. This situation underscores the ongoing significance of effective pain management strategies within the field of anesthesia. This paper presents an integrated iontophoresis (ITP)-driven fiber-based microneedle patch (IFMP) regulated by a smartphone for controllable, long-lasting lidocaine transdermal delivery. The IFMP integrates pure cotton fiber canvas-based dissolving microneedles (MNs) with ITP into a patch, with the MNs tips and gel layers significantly increasing the drug-loading capacity, achieving a one-step drug administration strategy of “dissolution, diffusion, and ITP.” Lidocaine is released via the microchannels of MNs by passive diffusion. Additionally, an electric current initiates active ITP for lidocaine delivery, creating synergy. User-requirement-based drug release by precisely modulating electrical signals in rat pain models is described herein. A smartphone application enables precise dosage control. It offers three different delivery modes: single-dose, pulse delivery, and sustained-release, ensuring rapid onset, and long-lasting pain relief. This versatility makes the system suitable for various pain conditions. The IFMP represents a promising system for patient-controlled local analgesia treatment, enabling active and long-term local self-controlled pain management in a safe and regulated manner.

Graphical Abstract

The iontophoresis-driven fiber-based microneedle patch combines fiber-based dissolving microneedles with iontophoresis, facilitating controlled lidocaine release through diffusion and electrical activation for enhanced effect. Precise modulation of electrical signals allows user-requirement-based drug release in rat pain models. A smart application supports precise dosing in single-dose, pulse, or sustained-release modes, ensuring efficient and prolonged pain management.
Beyond compliance: evaluating the role of environmental, social and governance disclosures in enhancing firm value and performance
Authors: Tamasiga Phemelo , Onyeaka Helen , Bakwena Malebogo , Ouassou El houssin
Published: September 2024

The growing emphasis on sustainability has underscored the importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in evaluating corporate performance. While research explores the connection between ESG scores and financial outcomes, the role of ESG disclosures in mediating this relationship remains unclear. This study bridges this gap by systematically reviewing the impact of ESG disclosures on firm value and profitability across various industries. We employed a rigorous selection process based on the PRISMA framework, searching Scopus and Web of Science databases for relevant studies. Ultimately, 52 studies were analyzed to determine the relationship between ESG disclosures and financial performance. The results reveal a nuanced dynamic. Industries like food and retail showed positive correlations between strong ESG disclosures and improved financial performance. The utility sector displayed high accounting performance linked to social metrics, with less focus on environmental disclosures. Interestingly, the connection between ESG and financial performance in developing economies was either negative or insignificant. The agriculture sector presented a unique case where governance disclosures specifically enhanced market performance. This multi-industry exploration underscores the need to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach when analyzing ESG performance. We recommend policy measures that consider specific industry characteristics and contextual factors to enhance the quality and transparency of ESG disclosures.
Imaginative Hope
Authors: HUBER JAKOB
Published: September 2024

While political philosophers often assume that we need to imagine a better future in order to hope for it, philosophers of hope doubt that hope and imagination are constitutively intertwined. In order to solve this puzzle, the article introduces a particular kind of hope in which we imaginatively inhabit a desired future. Combining insights from the philosophy of hope and of imagination, I unpack what imaginative hope is and why it is particularly significant in political contexts. I contend that in cases where we pursue a goal the realization of which requires collective action over a long time-scale (as it is paradigmatically the case in politics), the imagination has the potential to bolster the practical value of hope, i.e., its power to guide and sustain our agency.
Contemporary Narratives on Yoruba History, Modern Society in Nigeria, and the Meaning of Decolonized Humanity in the African Context
Authors: Arukwe Nnanna Onuoha
Published: September 2024

Instead of being merely a historical occurrence, colonization is a structural feature of civilizations that have been touched by colonialism, which affects the prospects for the colonial subjects. This process is still ongoing in various forms among the so-called postcolonial societies today. Therefore, decolonization is a response to both the negative stereotypes and falsehoods about Indigenous peoples and cultures as well as the structural injustices of colonially impacted society that disproportionately afflict Indigenous peoples. Even though decolonization is a hot issue in academia right now, Indigenous peoples have been fighting against colonialism for millennia and claiming their own spaces, sovereignty, and right to self-determination ever since they first came into contact with colonizers.
Biocontrol Agents: Risks and Opportunities from Farm to Fork
Authors: Paganizza Valeria
Published: September 2024

One of the less popular and less investigated topics of law is the use of biocontrol agents (BCAs). Despite the general growing attention to the use of BCAs in primary production, a comprehensive regulatory framework is still lacking. When shifting to possible uses of BCAs in the following phases of the food chain, legislation is even more incomplete (and inadequate) despite the challenging opportunities they offer both for pest control and for pathogen control. The paper will provide an overview of the uses of BCAs taking into consideration all the food chain stages, the relevant partial EU regulatory scheme and its critical issues.
Top management team gender diversity and power dynamics in times of change
Authors: Parola Heather R. , Ellis Kimberly M. , Golden Peggy
Published: September 2024

Extant research examining the effects of top management team (TMT) gender diversity on firm performance report equivocal findings. We seek to enhance understanding of this critical relationship in the context of an acquisition, which necessitates changes in one or both firms during a process characterized by non-routine decisions, time pressures, high uncertainty, and frequent debates among strategic leaders. Specifically, we examine the effects of gender diversity of top management and female executives’ formal and informal power on post-deal performance. Our results indicate gender diversity has negative effects on post-deal performance. Further, in a subsample of acquirers with gender diverse teams, our results reveal that female executives’ structural power and ownership power have negative performance effects, while power conferred through an elite education has positive performance effects. Our findings highlight the need to expand gender diversity research to consider the strategic context facing diverse TMTs and power dynamics among them.
Weather conditions at Timau National Observatory from ERA5
Authors: Priyatikanto Rhorom , Admiranto Agustinus Gunawan , Djamaluddin Thomas , Rachman Abdul , Wijaya Dudy
Published: September 2024

A new observatory site should be investigated for its local climate conditions to see its potential and limitations. In this respect, we examine several meteorological parameters at the site of Timau National Observatory, Indonesia using the ERA5 dataset from 2002 to 2021. Based on this dataset, we conclude that the surface temperature at Timau is around

$18.9^{\circ}$

C with relatively small temperature variation (

$\sim$

$1.5^{\circ}$

C) over the day. This temperature stability is expected to give advantages to the observatory. In terms of humidity and water vapour, Timau is poor for infrared observations as the median precipitable water vapour exceeds 18 mm, even during the dry season. However, near-infrared observations are feasible. Even though our cloud cover analysis confirms the span of the observing season in the region, we find a significant discrepancy between the clear sky fraction derived from the ERA5 dataset and the one estimated using satellite imagery. Aside from the indicated bias, our results provide insights and directions for the operation and future development of the observatory.
‘From Theory to Practice’ Origins of the Ottoman Grand Vizierate and the Köprülü Restoration: A New Research Framework for the Office of the Grand Vizier
Authors: Yılmaz Yasir
Published: September 2024

At the core of this article lies the argument that the Ottoman grand vizierate and the rise of the Köprülü family to power in the seventeenth century should be studied and analyzed mainly within two analytical and comparative frameworks. First, we should situate the office of the grand vizier in a diachronic view of the Islamic vizierate. Second, the Köprülü grand vizierate, in particular, should be viewed as one part of a synchronic ‘Eurasian age of the chief minister,” in a historical domain stretching from early modern Mughal and Safavid worlds to European empires and kingdoms. This article presents preliminary observations that may form a blueprint for future investigations into this global aspect of the grand vizierate and chief ministry. A broad perspective that merges these diachronic and synchronic approaches will allow us to detect theoretical and practical peculiarities of the Ottoman grand vizierate in comparison to its peers in Islamic history and across early modern Eurasia. Using that Eurasian macro perspective, I argue that the Köprülü grand viziers spearheaded the restoration of an independent vizierial authority that was idealized by generations of pre-Ottoman and Ottoman political writers and had numerous precedents in Islamic history.1
ISOMORPHISM OF RELATIVE HOLOMORPHS AND MATRIX SIMILARITY
Authors: GEBHARDT VOLKER , HERNANDEZ ALVARADO ALBERTO J. , SZECHTMAN FERNANDO
Published: September 2024

Let V be a finite dimensional vector space over the field with p elements, where p is a prime number. Given arbitrary

$\alpha ,\beta \in \mathrm {GL}(V)$

, we consider the semidirect products

$V\rtimes \langle \alpha \rangle $

and

$V\rtimes \langle \beta \rangle $

, and show that if

$V\rtimes \langle \alpha \rangle $

and

$V\rtimes \langle \beta \rangle $

are isomorphic, then

$\alpha $

must be similar to a power of

$\beta $

that generates the same subgroup as

$\beta $

; that is, if H and K are cyclic subgroups of

$\mathrm {GL}(V)$

such that

$V\rtimes H\cong V\rtimes K$

, then H and K must be conjugate subgroups of

$\mathrm {GL}(V)$

. If we remove the cyclic condition, there exist examples of nonisomorphic, let alone nonconjugate, subgroups H and K of

$\mathrm {GL}(V)$

such that

$V\rtimes H\cong V\rtimes K$

. Even if we require that noncyclic subgroups H and K of

$\mathrm {GL}(V)$

be abelian, we may still have

$V\rtimes H\cong V\rtimes K$

with H and K nonconjugate in

$\mathrm {GL}(V)$

, but in this case, H and K must at least be isomorphic. If we replace V by a free module U over

${\mathbb {Z}}/p^m{\mathbb {Z}}$

of finite rank, with

$m>1$

, it may happen that

$U\rtimes H\cong U\rtimes K$

for nonconjugate cyclic subgroups of

$\mathrm {GL}(U)$

. If we completely abandon our requirements on V, a sufficient criterion is given for a finite group G to admit nonconjugate cyclic subgroups H and K of

$\mathrm {Aut}(G)$

such that

$G\rtimes H\cong G\rtimes K$

. This criterion is satisfied by many groups.
Interaction between genetic risk score and dietary fat intake on lipid-related traits in Brazilian young adults
Authors: Wuni Ramatu , Amerah Heyam , Ammache Serena , Cruvinel Nathália T. , da Silva Nara R. , Kuhnle Gunter G. C. , Horst Maria A. , Vimaleswaran Karani S.
Published: September 2024

The occurrence of dyslipidaemia, which is an established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, has been attributed to multiple factors including genetic and environmental factors. We used a genetic risk score (GRS) to assess the interactions between genetic variants and dietary factors on lipid-related traits in a cross-sectional study of 190 Brazilians (mean age: 21 ± 2 years). Dietary intake was assessed by a trained nutritionist using three 24-h dietary recalls. The high GRS was significantly associated with increased concentration of TAG (beta = 0·10 mg/dl, 95 % CI 0·05–0·16; P < 0·001), LDL-cholesterol (beta = 0·07 mg/dl, 95 % CI 0·04, 0·11; P < 0·0001), total cholesterol (beta = 0·05 mg/dl, 95 % CI: 0·03, 0·07; P < 0·0001) and the ratio of TAG to HDL-cholesterol (beta = 0·09 mg/dl, 95 % CI: 0·03, 0·15; P = 0·002). Significant interactions were found between the high GRS and total fat intake on TAG:HDL-cholesterol ratio (Pinteraction = 0·03) and between the high GRS and SFA intake on TAG:HDL-cholesterol ratio (Pinteraction = 0·03). A high intake of total fat (>31·5 % of energy) and SFA (>8·6 % of energy) was associated with higher TAG:HDL-cholesterol ratio in individuals with the high GRS (beta = 0·14, 95 % CI: 0·06, 0·23; P < 0·001 for total fat intake; beta = 0·13, 95 % CI: 0·05, 0·22; P = 0·003 for SFA intake). Our study provides evidence that the genetic risk of high TAG:HDL-cholesterol ratio might be modulated by dietary fat intake in Brazilians, and these individuals might benefit from limiting their intake of total fat and SFA.
The share of ultra-processed foods determines the overall nutritional quality of diet in British vegetarians
Authors: Torquato Beatriz Menezes de Albuquerque , Madruga Mariana , Levy Renata Bertazzi , da Costa Louzada Maria Laura , Rauber Fernanda
Published: September 2024

The aim of this study was to describe the dietary intake of British vegetarians according to the Nova classification and to evaluate the association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the nutritional quality of the diet. We used data from the UK national survey (2008/2019). Food collected through a 4-d record were classified according to the Nova system. In all tertiles of the energy contribution of ultra-processed foods, differences in the average nutrient intake, as well as in the prevalence of inadequate intake, were analysed, considering the values recommended by international authorities. Ultra-processed foods had the highest dietary contribution (56·3 % of energy intake), followed by fresh or minimally processed foods (29·2 %), processed foods (9·4 %) and culinary ingredients (5 %). A positive linear trend was found between the contribution tertiles of ultra-processed foods and the content of free sugars (β 0·25, P < 0·001), while an inverse relationship was observed for dietary fibre (β –0·26, P = 0·002), potassium (β –0·38, P < 0·001), Mg (β –0·31, P < 0·001), Cu (β –0·22, P < 0·003), vitamin A (β –0·37, P < 0·001) and vitamin C (β –0·22, P < 0·001). As the contribution of ultra-processed foods to total energy intake increased (from the first to the last tertile of consumption), the prevalence of inadequate intake of free sugars increased (from 32·9 % to 60·7 %, respectively), as well as the prevalence of inadequate fibre intake (from 26·1 % to 47·5 %). The influence of ultra-processed foods on the vegetarian diet in the UK is of considerable magnitude, and the consumption of this food was associated with poorer diet quality.
Meat intake and type 2 diabetes among Japanese workers: a prospective study
Authors: Nanri Akiko , Irie Sakiho , Kochi Takeshi , Kabe Isamu , Konishi Maki , Mizoue Tetsuya
Published: September 2024

Red meat and processed meat intake has been linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes; however, evidence from Asia is limited and inconsistent. We prospectively examined the association of intake of total meat and its subtype with type 2 diabetes in a Japanese working population. Participants were 2709 workers aged 18–78 years who reported no history of diabetes when they responded to a health survey for the first time between 2012 and 2019. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated self-administered diet history questionnaire. The incidence of type 2 diabetes was assessed via annual health checkups from baseline through March 2023. Type 2 diabetes was defined as fasting blood glucose ≥ 126 mg/dl, casual blood glucose ≥ 200 mg/dl, HbA1c ≥ 6·5 %, self-report of diabetes or current use of anti-diabetic drugs. Hazard ratios according to tertile of meat intake were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression. During 16 119 person-years of follow-up, 135 (5·0 %) workers developed type 2 diabetes. Intakes of total meat, red meat, processed meat and poultry were not associated with risk of type 2 diabetes. After adjustment for covariates, hazard ratios for the highest v. lowest tertile of meat intake were 1·01 (95 % CI 0·63, 1·62) for total meat, 1·02 (95 % CI 0·66, 1·58) for red meat, 0·99 (95 % CI 0·65, 1·49) for processed meat and 1·13 (95 % CI 0·71, 1·80) for poultry. Our findings suggest that meat intake is not associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes among Japanese workers.
Critical thermal maxima in neotropical ants at colony, population, and community levels
Authors: Nascimento Geraldo , Câmara Talita , Arnan Xavier
Published: September 2024

Global warming is exposing many organisms to severe thermal conditions and is having impacts at multiple levels of biological organisation, from individuals to species and beyond. Biotic and abiotic factors can influence organismal thermal tolerance, shaping responses to climate change. In eusocial ants, thermal tolerance can be measured at the colony level (among workers within colonies), the population level (among colonies within species), and the community level (among species). We analysed critical thermal maxima (CTmax) across these three levels for ants in a semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. We examined the individual and combined effects of phylogeny, body size (BS), and nesting microhabitat on community-level CTmax and the individual effects of BS on population- and colony-level CTmax. We sampled 1864 workers from 99 ant colonies across 47 species, for which we characterised CTmax, nesting microhabitat, BS, and phylogenetic history. Among species, CTmax ranged from 39.3 to 49.7°C, and community-level differences were best explained by phylogeny and BS. For more than half of the species, CTmax differed significantly among colonies in a way that was not explained by BS. Notably, there was almost as much variability in CTmax within colonies as within the entire community. Monomorphic and polymorphic species exhibited similar levels of CTmax variability within colonies, a pattern not always explained by BS. This vital intra- and inter-colony variability in thermal tolerance is likely allows tropical ant species to better cope with climate change. Our results underscore why ecological research must examine multiple levels of biological organisation.
Antarctic civics: how tourists to Antarctica view their role as “Antarctic ambassadors” and how to change it
Authors: Sammells Clare A. , Roedel Claudia , Griffin Duane , Busato Alexander , Brice Lilly , Brown Haley
Published: September 2024

“Antarctic Ambassadorship” has emerged as an important concept in tourism, conservationist, and polar research communities. This article investigates tourists’ perceptions of “Antarctic Ambassadorship” through surveys and interviews conducted during and shortly after their travel to Antarctica, from 2015 to 2018. Interpretations of the term “Antarctic ambassador” varied widely but most hesitated to identify themselves this way. Tourists were not sure how to enact “Ambassadorship” or whether the actions they did take would “count.” Our findings suggest that the industry has great potential to promote Antarctic Ambassadorship by providing concrete ideas about what Ambassadorship might entail and offering tools for tourists to take concrete actions. We suggest a shift towards a focus on “Antarctic Civics” that would educate travellers about how Antarctica is governed and which institutions are responsible for its conservation, in order to empower tourists to engage in political advocacy in addition to personal lifestyle changes.
Meta-learning modeling and the role of affective-homeostatic states in human cognition
Authors: Cea Ignacio
Published: September 2024

The meta-learning framework proposed by Binz et al. would gain significantly from the inclusion of affective and homeostatic elements, currently neglected in their work. These components are crucial as cognition as we know it is profoundly influenced by affective states, which arise as intricate forms of homeostatic regulation in living bodies.
The meta-learning toolkit needs stronger constraints
Authors: Grant Erin
Published: September 2024

The implementation of meta-learning targeted by Binz et al. inherits benefits and drawbacks from its nature as a connectionist model. Drawing from historical debates around bottom-up and top-down approaches to modeling in cognitive science, we should continue to bridge levels of analysis by constraining meta-learning and meta-learned models with complementary evidence from across the cognitive and computational sciences.
Dominican Devotion in Fourteenth Fifteenth-Century England
Authors: Murray Desmond
Published: September 2024

You would hardly expect to find any remains of the effigies of the
Dominican saints in England today, after the great clearance made at the
time of the Reformation, From 1221, the year St Dominic died, until the end
of Mary's reign in 1558, or for three hundred years, there had been a
continuous Dominican life throughout the kingdom.

It is amazing how quickly it spread and took root in most of the
principal towns of England and Wales. In no other country were so many
priories founded in so short a space of time. At the suppression, there were
over a hundred, with an estimated number of nearly two thousand
friars.

The eastern counties seem to have been the stronghold, and it is here
that relics—strange as it may seem—have survived to the present day, in
stone, alabaster, wood and glass.
Truth in the Gospel of St John
Authors: Vink Jordan
Published: September 2024

To the people St John addresses, the question ‘What is truth?’ (xviii,
38) was not simply a matter of intellectual curiosity or scepticism. The
gospel offers an answer to the deepest needs of a sophisticated society, in
search of ‘life', ‘light’ and ‘truth'. Although we are pressed by questions
of a similar kind, yet John's answers are not immediately understandable to
us. The problem what the meaning is of the concept ‘truth’ in the fourth
gospel is best approached along three separate ways: in what contexts does
it appear in the gospel, what were the connotations attached to it in the
contemporary world, and how far is all this relevant to us?

As for the first point, it is most helpful to return to the context of
Pilate's question; because the account of our Lord's trial before the Roman
procurator has a far greater importance in the evangelist's mind than just
that of a chronicle of certain juridical facts.
The Liturgy of the Synagogue and the Christian Liturgy
Authors: Dalmais Irenaeus
Published: September 2024

This question covers a wide, largely unexplored field. It will not be easy to draw parallels before we know what to choose as a type for comparison in the synagogal liturgy on the one hand, and in the wealth of Christian liturgies On the other. Jewish prayers comprise not only those which were codified and organized as such and may be termed liturgy proper, but also an abundance of another type of prayer which is not official, but where we may yet find traces of the early Jewish prayer. In the Christian liturgy the best witness will not be the Roman, but some of the Eastern rites, especially the Coptic and Syriac.

Again similarities with the synagogal prayer will be found more easily in the Divine Office than in the Mass. Although we know very little about the origins of the breviary and how it was constituted, one notices a convergence of private and monastic piety, as well as liturgical tradition, part of the latter going back to the Synagogue.
Approaches towards legal protection for holy places: The example of the Alexander Nevsky Church in the Old City of Jerusalem
Authors: Hammer Leonard
Published: September 2024

Given the varying degrees of importance that a holy place holds for different parties and the variety of laws used to regulate them, laws pertaining to holy places integrate a broad array of legal, political, social, religious, and economic interests. Acknowledging the difficulty of capturing a singular standard of protection merits examining different existing modalities to discern the means of protection for holy places.

A 2022 Israeli District Court case concerning ownership rights over a Russian Orthodox church in the Old City of Jerusalem shall provide the platform for scrutinizing the relevant laws and variety of interests at play for holy places in Israel, providing insights into the importance of accounting for divergent interests in the cultural heritage protection milieu. This article shall highlight the approaches used towards holy place protection in a difficult and complex context, Israel, to better understand heritage protection methods for unique or significant cultural sites in other regions.
The influence of zinc levels on osteoarthritis: A comprehensive review
Authors: Tekeoğlu İbrahim , Şahin Muhammed Zahid , Kamanlı Ayhan , Nas Kemal
Published: September 2024

Osteoarthritis (OA), a disease with a multifactorial aetiology and an enigmatic root cause, affects the quality of life of many elderly patients. Even though there are certain medications utilised to reduce the symptomatic effects, a reliable treatment method to reverse the disease is yet to be discovered. Zinc is a cofactor of over 3000 proteins and is the only metal found in all six classes of enzymes. We explored zinc’s effect on the immune system and the bones as OA affects both. We also discussed zinc-dependent enzymes, highlighting their significant role in the disease’s pathogenesis. It is important to note that both excessive and deficient zinc levels can negatively affect bone health and immune function, thereby exacerbating OA. The purpose of this review is to offer a better understanding of zinc’s impact on OA pathogenesis and to provide clarity regarding its beneficial and detrimental outcomes. We searched thoroughly systematic reviews, meta-analysis, review articles, research articles and randomised controlled trials to ensure a comprehensive review. In brief, using zinc supplementation in the treatment of OA may act as a doubled-edged sword, offering potential benefits but also posing risks.
Sensitive periods and other timing hypotheses in developmental psychopathology: A tutorial
Authors: Deer LillyBelle K. , Harrall Kylie K. , Glueck Deborah H. , Davis Elysia Poggi , Muller Keith E. , Dabelea Dana , Doom Jenalee R.
Published: September 2024

Researchers often aim to assess whether repeated measures of an exposure are associated with repeated measures of an outcome. A question of particular interest is how associations between exposures and outcomes may differ over time. In other words, researchers may seek the best form of a temporal model. While several models are possible, researchers often consider a few key models. For example, researchers may hypothesize that an exposure measured during a sensitive period may be associated with repeated measures of the outcome over time. Alternatively, they may hypothesize that the exposure measured immediately before the current time period may be most strongly associated with the outcome at the current time. Finally, they may hypothesize that all prior exposures are important. Many analytic methods cannot compare and evaluate these alternative temporal models, perhaps because they make the restrictive assumption that the associations between exposures and outcomes remains constant over time. Instead, we provide a tutorial describing four temporal models that allow the associations between repeated measures of exposures and outcomes to vary, and showing how to test which temporal model is best supported by the data. By finding the best temporal model, developmental psychopathology researchers can find optimal windows for intervention.
Longitudinal pathways between parent depression and child mental health in families of autistic children
Authors: Piro-Gambetti Brianna , Greenlee Jessica , Bolt Daniel , Litzelman Kristin , Hartley Sigan L.
Published: September 2024

Autistic children and their parents are at risk for mental health problems, but the processes driving these connections are unknown. Leveraging three data cycles (spaced M = 11.76 months, SD = 2.77) on 162 families with autistic children (aged 6–13 years), the associations between parent–child relationship quality (warmth and criticism), child mental health problems, and parent depression symptoms were examined. A complete longitudinal mediation model was conducted using structural equation modeling. Father depression mediated the link between child mental health problems and father critical comments (β = −0.017, p = 0.018; CI [−.023 – −.015]). Father report of child mental health problems mediated the association between father depression and father critical comments (β = 0.016, p = 0.040; CI [0.003–0.023]) as well as the association between father positive remarks and father depression (β = −0.009, p = 0.032; CI [−0.010 – −0.009]). Additionally, father positive remarks mediated the connection between father depression and child mental health problems (β = 0.022, p = 0.006; CI [0.019–0.034]). No mediation effects were present for mothers. Findings highlight that the mental health of parents and autistic children are intertwined. Interventions that improve the parent–child relationship may reduce the reciprocal toll of parent and child mental health problems.
How does adversity relate to performance across different abilities within individuals?
Authors: Young Ethan S. , Vermeent Stefan , Frankenhuis Willem E. , Nivison Marissa D. , Simpson Jeffry A. , Roisman Glenn I.
Published: September 2024

The idea that some abilities might be enhanced by adversity is gaining traction. Adaptation-based approaches have uncovered a few specific abilities enhanced by particular adversity exposures. Yet, for a field to grow, we must not dig too deep, too soon. In this paper, we complement confirmatory research with principled exploration. We draw on two insights from adaptation-based research: 1) enhanced performance manifests within individuals, and 2) reduced and enhanced performance can co-occur. Although commonly assumed, relative performance differences are rarely tested. To quantify them, we need a wide variety of ability measures. However, rather than using adaptive logic to predict which abilities are enhanced or reduced, we develop statistical criteria to identify three data patterns: reduced, enhanced, and intact performance. With these criteria, we analyzed data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development to investigate how adversity shapes within-person performance across 10 abilities in a cognitive and achievement battery. Our goals are to document adversity-shaped cognitive performance patterns, identify drivers of reduced performance, identify sets of “intact” abilities, and discover new enhanced abilities. We believe principled exploration with clear criteria can help break new theoretical and empirical ground, remap old territory, and advance theory development.
Endogenous innovation scale and patent policy in a monetary schumpeterian growth model
Authors: Yu Po-yang , Lai Ching-chong
Published: September 2024

This paper develops a monetary R&D-driven endogenous growth model featuring endogenous innovation scales and the price-marginal cost markup. To endogenize the step size of quality improvement, we propose a tradeoff mechanism between the risk of innovation failure and the benefit of innovation success in R&D firms. Several findings emerge from the analysis. First, a rise in the nominal interest rate decreases economic growth; however, its relationship with social welfare is ambiguous. Second, either strengthening patent protection or raising the professional knowledge of R&D firms leads to an ambiguous effect on economic growth. Third, the Friedman rule of a zero nominal interest rate fails to be optimal in view of the social welfare maximum. Finally, our numerical analysis indicates that the extent of patent protection and the level of an R&D firm’s professional knowledge play a crucial role in determining the optimal interest rate.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder and suicide: a longitudinal study in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Mu-Hong , Pan Tai-Long , Cheng Chih-Ming , Chang Wen-Han , Bai Ya-Mei , Su Tung-Ping , Chen Tzeng-Ji , Tsai Shih-Jen
Published: September 2024

Aims

Research evidence has established an association of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. However, further investigation is required to determine whether individuals with OCD have higher risk of death by suicide compared with those without OCD.

Methods

Of the entire Taiwanese population, between 2003 and 2017, 56,977 individuals with OCD were identified; they were then matched at a 1:4 ratio with 227,908 non-OCD individuals on the basis of their birth year and sex. Suicide mortality was assessed between 2003 and 2017 for both groups. Time-dependent Cox regression models were used to investigate the difference in suicide risk between individuals with versus without OCD.

Results

After adjustment for major psychiatric comorbidities (i.e., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder), the OCD group had higher risk of suicide (hazard ratio: 1.97, 95% confidence interval: 1.57–2.48) during the follow-up compared with the comparison group. Furthermore, OCD severity, as indicated by psychiatric hospitalizations due to OCD, was positively correlated with suicide risk.

Conclusions

Regardless of the existence of major psychiatric comorbidities, OCD was found to be an independent risk factor for death by suicide. A suicide prevention program specific to individuals with OCD may be developed in clinical practice in the future.
Imaginative Techniken
Authors: Renner Fritz
Published: September 2024

In der Psychotherapie lassen sich imaginative Techniken störungsübergreifend auf vielfältige Weise diagnostisch und therapeutisch einsetzen. Das Buch beschreibt verschiedene, primär verhaltenstherapeutisch orientierte imaginative Techniken und stellt den aktuellen Forschungsstand zur Indikation und Wirksamkeit imaginativer Techniken praxisnah dar.
Das Buch informiert zunächst über wichtige Theorien und zugehörige Modelle des Phänomens Imagination und geht auf individuell unterschiedliche Voraussetzungen für imaginatives Arbeiten aufseiten der Patientinnen und Patienten ein. Weiterhin stellt es diagnostische Verfahren zur Erfassung der Imaginationsfähigkeit, von Vorstellungsbildern oder von intrusiven mentalen Bildern nach traumatischen Erlebnissen vor. Praxisnah werden verschiedene imaginative Techniken beschrieben und es wird veranschaulicht, wie diese mit anderen Interventionen kombiniert und in das therapeutische Gesamtkonzept eingebettet werden können. Unterschieden werden imaginative Techniken zur Entwicklung und Förderung emotionaler Kompetenz, zur Entwicklung und zum Aufbau positiver Gefühle sowie zur Reduktion und Transformation negativer Gefühle. Beispiele aus der klinischen Praxis und Transkripte exemplarischer Sitzungen vermitteln eine konkrete Vorstellung des imaginativen Arbeitens.
The Arabidopsis U1 snRNP regulates mRNA 3′-end processing
Authors: Mangilet Anchilie F. , Weber Joachim , Schüler Sandra , Adler Manon , Mjema Eneza Yoeli , Heilmann Paula , Herold Angie , Renneberg Monique , Nagel Luise , Droste-Borel Irina , Streicher Samuel , Schmutzer Thomas , Rot Gregor , Macek Boris , Schmidtke Cornelius , Laubinger Sascha
Published: September 2024

The removal of introns by the spliceosome is a key gene regulatory mechanism in eukaryotes, with the U1 snRNP subunit playing a crucial role in the early stages of splicing. Studies in metazoans show that the U1 snRNP also conducts splicing-independent functions, but the lack of genetic tools and knowledge about U1 snRNP-associated proteins have limited the study of such splicing-independent functions in plants. Here we describe an RNA-centric approach that identified more than 200 proteins associated with the Arabidopsis U1 snRNP and revealed a tight link to mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation factors. Interestingly, we found that the U1 snRNP protects mRNAs against premature cleavage and polyadenylation within introns—a mechanism known as telescripting in metazoans—while also influencing alternative polyadenylation site selection in 3′-UTRs. Overall, our work provides a comprehensive view of U1 snRNP interactors and reveals novel functions in regulating mRNA 3′-end processing in Arabidopsis, laying the groundwork for understanding non-canonical functions of plant U1 snRNPs.
Dietary biogenic selenium nanoparticles improve growth and immune-antioxidant indices without inducing inflammatory responses in Nile tilapia
Authors: Al-Wakeel Ahmed H. , Elbahnaswy Samia , Eldessouki Elsayed A. , Risha Engy , Zahran Eman
Published: September 2024

The present study evaluated the use of green-synthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), using the microalgae Pediastrum boryanum as a diet additive in aquaculture to improve the growth performance, health, and immune response of Nile tilapia. Nile tilapia were fed different concentrations of green SeNPs (79.26 nm) as follows: 0, 0.75, and 1.5 mg/kg of SeNPs for 8 weeks. Following the trial, growth performance, biochemical indices, antioxidant and pro-inflammatory cytokine-related genes, and tissue histological examinations were performed. The study showed that SeNPs significantly improved (P < 0.05) growth performance and innate immune parameters (P < 0.001, IgM, and lysozyme) at both supplemented doses compared with the control. The protein profile and liver function enzymes were normal compared with those in the control group (P > 0.05). Serum malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase levels were not significantly changed, while reduced glutathione and catalase were significantly enhanced (P < 0.01, P < 0.05) in the SeNPs 1.5 mg/kg compared to the control group. No inflammatory response was detected upon SeNP supplementation, as indicated by the absence of changes in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes. The earlier assays’ results were histopathologically evidenced, where hepatic and splenic tissue architectures in SeNPs groups did not reveal any deviation from the control group. Our findings indicate that green selenium nanoparticles can potentially improve the growth and immunological response of Nile tilapia, offering opportunities for incorporating health benefits into functional foods and nutraceuticals, which corresponds to the increasing consumer interest in eco-friendly, environmentally sustainable dietary supplements.
A systematic review on passive sensing for the prediction of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
Authors: Büscher Rebekka , Winkler Tanita , Mocellin Jacopo , Homan Stephanie , Josifovski Natasha , Ciharova Marketa , van Breda Ward , Kwon Sam , Larsen Mark E. , Torous John , Firth Joseph , Sander Lasse B.
Published: September 2024

Passive sensing data from smartphones and wearables may help improve the prediction of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB). In this systematic review, we explored the feasibility and predictive validity of passive sensing for STB. On June 24, 2024, we systematically searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO. Studies were eligible if they investigated the association between STB and passive sensing, or the feasibility of passive sensing in this context. From 2107 unique records, we identified eleven prediction studies, ten feasibility studies, and seven protocols. Studies indicated generally lower model performance for passive compared to active data, with three out of four studies finding no incremental value. PROBAST ratings revealed major shortcomings in methodology and reporting. Studies suggested that passive sensing is feasible in high-risk populations. In conclusion, there is limited evidence on the predictive value of passive sensing for STB. We highlight important quality characteristics for future research.
Magnetic resonance reveals early lipid deposition in murine prediabetes as predictive marker for cardiovascular injury
Authors: Heller Katja , Flocke Vera , Straub Tamara , Ding Zhaoping , Srivastava Tanu , Nowak Melissa , Funk Florian , Levkau Bodo , Schmitt Joachim , Grandoch Maria , Flögel Ulrich
Published: September 2024

People with diabetes have an increased cardiovascular risk and a poorer outcome after myocardial infarction (MI). However, the exact underlying mechanisms are still unclear, as is the question of which non-invasive measures could be used to predict the altered risk for the patient at early stages of the disease and adapt personalized treatment. Here, we used a holistic magnetic resonance approach to monitor longitudinally not only the main target heart, but also liver, peripheral/skeletal muscle, bone marrow, and hematopoiesis during disease development and subsequent MI. In prediabetic mice, we found a strong accumulation of lipids in all organs which preceded even a significant whole-body weight gain. Intramyocellular lipids (IMCLs) were most sensitive to reveal in vivo very early alterations in tissue properties during the prediabetic state. Subsequent induction of MI led to a persistent impairment of contractile function in septal/posterior segments of prediabetic hearts which correlated with their lipid load prior MI. At the same time, prediabetic cardiomyocytes exhibited sarcomere function at its limit resulting in overload and lower compensatory contractility of the healthy myocardium after MI. In summary, we identified IMCLs as very early marker in murine prediabetes and together with the cardiac lipid load as predictive for the functional outcome after MI.
Recent advances in cardiovascular disease research driven by metabolomics technologies in the context of systems biology
Authors: Zhang Boyao , Schmidlin Thierry
Published: September 2024

Traditional risk factors and biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have been mainly discovered through clinical observations. Nevertheless, there is still a gap in knowledge in more sophisticated CVD risk factor stratification and more reliable treatment outcome prediction, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive understanding of disease mechanisms at the molecular level. This need has been addressed by integrating information derived from multiomics studies, which provides systematic insights into the different layers of the central dogma in molecular biology. With the advancement of technologies such as NMR and UPLC-MS, metabolomics have become a powerhouse in pharmaceutical and clinical research for high-throughput, robust, quantitative characterisation of metabolic profiles in various types of biospecimens. In this review, we highlight the versatile value of metabolomics spanning from targeted and untargeted identification of novel biomarkers and biochemical pathways, to tracing drug pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interactions for more personalised medication in CVD research (Fig. 1).
Unraveling the orientation of an enzyme adsorbed onto a metal–organic framework
Authors: Xu Zhiyong , Zhou Jian
Published: September 2024

Electrostatic interactions account for 98% of the total energy for β-glucosidase binding onto ZIF-8.
Pd(ii)-catalyzed B(9)-alkynylation of o/m-carboranes
Authors: Zhang Hao-Tian , Gao Yan , Ma Yan-Na , Chen Xuenian
Published: September 2024

Pd(ii)-catalyzed selective B(9)-alkynylation of o-carboranes and m-carboranes with iPr3SiCCBr as the alkynylated reagent was developed. Further transformation of the products provided diverse carborane derivatives.
Appraising groundwater quality and probabilistic human health risks from fluoride-enriched groundwater using the pollution index of groundwater (PIG) and GIS: a case study of adama town and its vicinities in the central main Ethiopian rift valley
Authors: Shube Hassen , Karuppannan Shankar , Haji Muhammed , Paneerselvam Balamurugan , Kawo Nafyad , Mechal Abraham , Fekadu Ashu
Published: September 2024

This research's main objective is to identify the level of contamination in drinking water in Adama town and its environs by employing PIG, GIS and HHRA.
Efficient synergism of concentric ring structures and carbon dots for enhanced methanol electro-oxidation
Authors: Xiang Cong , Ling Yunyun , Zhou Zitong , Zhu Xiaoyu , Xue Fan , Feng Zhijun , Wang Yiwei , Cheng Xinyi , Wang Meifang , Cheng Xiaomei
Published: September 2024

The excellent catalytic performance benefits from the synergistic effect of concentric rings and carbon dots as well as highly exposed active sites.
A facile strategy for the preparation of polylactide nano-microspheres with enhanced stereo-complexations
Authors: Hua Ming , Pan Ying , Jiang Changmei , Yu Peiyan , Li Xingang , Gao Yao , Xu Sijun , Pan Gangwei
Published: September 2024

Stereo-complexed polylactide (sc-PLA) nano-microspheres using phase separation method exhibited regular shape, good sphericity and uniform particle size, and high crystallinity.
Benzenesulfonohydrazide-tethered non-fused and fused heterocycles as potential anti-mycobacterial agents targeting enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) with antibiofilm activity
Authors: Al-Warhi Tarfah , Sabt Ahmed , Korycka-Machala Małgorzata , Kassem Asmaa F. , Shaldam Moataz A. , Ibrahim Hoda Atef Abdelsattar , Kawka Malwina , Dziadek Bożena , Kuzioła Magdalena , Eldehna Wagdy M. , Dziadek Jarosław
Published: September 2024

Because resistant variants of the disease are always emerging, tuberculosis is a global issue that affects economies.
Direct observation of β-alkynyl eliminations from unstrained propargylic alkoxide Cu(i) complexes by C–C bond cleavage
Authors: Tran Ba L. , Fuller Jack T. , Erickson Jeremy D. , Ginovska Bojana , Raugei Simone
Published: September 2024

We report a comprehensive study on the synthesis, reactivity, mechanism, and computation for the β-alkynyl eliminations of secondary and tertiary propargylic alkoxides of Cu(i) complexes supported by N-heterocyclic carbenes and diphosphines.
Visualization of drug release in a chemo-immunotherapy nanoplatform via ratiometric 19F magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Liu Fanqi , Li Xindi , Li Yumin , Xu Suying , Guo Chang , Wang Leyu
Published: September 2024

An imaging-guided chemo-immunotherapy nanoplatform with ratiometric 19F magnetic resonance imaging was developed for visualization of drug release.
Acyloxy, sulfate, and phosphate radicals as hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) agents for direct C(sp3)–H functionalization
Authors: Tu Jia-Lin , Huang Binbin
Published: September 2024

This tutorial review focuses on the recent advancements in HAT-based direct C(sp3)–H bond functionalization with three unique classes of oxygen radicals: acyloxy, sulfate, and phosphate radicals.
Interfacial electronic and defect engineering coupling of S-scheme CsSnBr3/SnSx (x = 1, 2) heterostructures with carrier dynamics for solar cells
Authors: Zhang Minjie , Yao Ningning , Lin Yanming , Jiang Zhenyi , Du Aijun
Published: September 2024

This work theoretically studies the photovoltaic performance and carrier dynamics of S-scheme CsSnBr3/SnSx (x = 1, 2) heterostructures. The VBr(6.3%)–CsSnBr3/SnS-based solar cell device exhibits the highest power conversion efficiency (26.58%).