bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quorum quenching effect of cyclodextrins on the pyocyanin and pyoverdine production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Fekete-Kertész Ildikó , Berkl Zsófia , Buda Kata , Fenyvesi Éva , Szente Lajos , Molnár Mónika
Published: March 2024

Various virulence determinants in Pseudomonas aeruginosa are regulated by the quorum sensing (QS) network producing and releasing signalling molecules. Two of these virulence determinants are the pyocyanin and pyoverdine, which interfere with multiple cellular functions during infection. The application of QS-inhibiting agents, such as cyclodextrins (CDs), appears to be a promising approach. Further to method development, this research tested in large-volume test systems the effect of α- and β-CD (ACD, BCD) at 1, 5, and 10 mM concentrations on the production of pyocyanin in the P. aeruginosa model system. The concentration and time-dependent quorum quenching effect of native CDs and their derivatives on pyoverdine production was tested in a small-volume high-throughput system. In the large-volume system, both ACD and BCD significantly inhibited pyocyanin production, but ACD to a greater extent. 10 mM ACD resulted in 58% inhibition, while BCD only ~40%. Similarly, ACD was more effective in the inhibition of pyoverdine production; nevertheless, the results of RMANOVA demonstrated the significant efficiency of both ACD and BCD, as well as their derivatives. Both the contact time and the cyclodextrin treatments significantly influenced pyoverdine production. In this case, the inhibitory effect of ACD after 48 h at 12.5 mM was 57%, while the inhibitory effect of BCD and its derivatives was lower than 40%. The high-level significant inhibition of both pyocyanin and pyoverdine production by ACD was detectable. Consequently, the potential value of CDs as QS inhibitors and the antivirulence strategy should be considered.

Keypoints

• Applicability of a simplified method for quantification of pyocyanin production was demonstrated.

• The cyclodextrins significantly affected the pyocyanin and pyoverdine production.

• The native ACD exhibited the highest attenuation in pyoverdine production.
Revising Alpine summer temperatures since 881 CE
Authors: Kuhl Eileen , Esper Jan , Schneider Lea , Trouet Valerie , Kunz Marcel , Klippel Lara , Büntgen Ulf , Hartl Claudia
Published: March 2024

Europe experienced severe heat waves during the last decade, which impacted ecological and societal systems and are likely to increase under projected global warming. A better understanding of pre-industrial warm-season changes is needed to contextualize these recent trends and extremes. Here, we introduce a network of 352 living and relict larch trees (Larix decidua Mill.) from the Matter and Simplon valleys in the Swiss Alps to develop a maximum latewood density (MXD) chronology calibrating at r = 0.8 (p > 0.05, 1901–2017 CE) against May–August temperatures over Western Europe. Machine learning is applied to identify historical wood samples aligning with growth characteristics of sites from elevations above 1900 m asl to extend the modern part of the chronology back to 881 CE. The new Alpine record reveals warmer conditions in the tenth century, followed by an extended cold period during the late Medieval times, a less-pronounced Little Ice Age culminating in the 1810s, and prolonged anthropogenic warming until present. The Samalas eruption likely triggered the coldest reconstructed summer in Western Europe in 1258 CE (-2.32 °C), which is in line with a recently published MXD-based reconstruction from the Spanish Pyrenees. Whereas the new Alpine reconstruction is potentially constrained in the lowest frequency, centennial timescale domain, it overcomes variance biases in existing state-of-the-art reconstructions and sets a new standard in site-control of historical samples and calibration/ verification statistics.
Role of pH-sensing receptors in colitis
Authors: Hausmann Martin , Seuwen Klaus , de Vallière Cheryl , Busch Moana , Ruiz Pedro A. , Rogler Gerhard
Published: March 2024

Low pH in the gut is associated with severe inflammation, fibrosis, and colorectal cancer (CRC) and is a hallmark of active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Subsequently, pH-sensing mechanisms are of interest for the understanding of IBD pathophysiology. Tissue hypoxia and acidosis—two contributing factors to disease pathophysiology—are linked to IBD, and understanding their interplay is highly relevant for the development of new therapeutic options. One member of the proton-sensing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, GPR65 (T-cell death-associated gene 8, TDAG8), was identified as a susceptibility gene for IBD in a large genome-wide association study. In response to acidic extracellular pH, GPR65 induces an anti-inflammatory response, whereas the two other proton-sensing receptors, GPR4 and GPR68 (ovarian cancer G protein-coupled receptor 1, OGR1), mediate pro-inflammatory responses. Here, we review the current knowledge on the role of these proton-sensing receptors in IBD and IBD-associated fibrosis and cancer, as well as colitis-associated cancer (CAC). We also describe emerging small molecule modulators of these receptors as therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of IBD.
Identification roles of NFE2L3 in digestive system cancers
Authors: Li Fan , Wen Zhili
Published: March 2024

Background

Morbidity and mortality rates of Digestive System Cancers (DSC) continue to pose human lives and health. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-like protein 3 (NFE2L3) is aberrantly expressed in DSC. This study aimed to explore the clinical value and underlying mechanisms of NFE2L3 as a novel biomarker in DSC.

Methods

We utilized data from databases and clinical gastric cancer specimens to validate the aberrant expression level of NFE2L3 and further assessed the clinical value of NFE2L3. To investigate the potential molecular mechanism of NFE2L3, we analyzed the correlation of NFE2L3 with immune molecular mechanisms, constructed PPI network, performed GO analysis and KEGG analysis, and finally explored the biological function of NFE2L3 in gastric cancer cells.

Results

NFE2L3 expression is up-regulated in DSC and has both prognostic and diagnostic value. NFE2L3 correlates with various immune mechanisms, PPI network suggests proteins interacting with NFE2L3, GSEA analysis suggests potential molecular mechanisms for NFE2L3 to play a role in cancer promotion, and in vitro cellular experiments also confirmed the effect of NFE2L3 on the biological function of gastric cancer cells.

Conclusion

Our study confirms the aberrant expression and molecular mechanisms of NFE2L3 in DSC, indicating that NFE2L3 could serve as a novel biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of DSC.
Analyzing the associations between tertiary lymphoid structures and postoperative prognosis, along with immunotherapy response in gastric cancer: findings from pooled cohort studies
Authors: Peng Haoxin , Wu Xiangrong , Zhang Cheng , Liang Yueting , Cheng Siyuan , Zhang Honglang , Shen Lin , Chen Yang
Published: March 2024

Background

The clinical significance of tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) in gastric cancer (GC) was uncertain.

Methods

A systematic search was performed in public databases for eligible studies as of April 2, 2023. Meta-analyses were performed to interrogate the associations between TLS levels and prognosis and immunotherapy response of GC. Bioinformatic analyses based on the nine-gene signature of TLS were further conducted to capture the biological underpinnings.

Results

Eleven studies containing 4224 GC cases were enrolled in the meta-analysis. TLS levels positively correlated with smaller tumor size, earlier T stage and N stage. Moreover, higher TLS levels were detected in diffuse and mix subtypes of GC (P < 0.001). Higher TLS levels strongly predicted favorable postoperative overall survival of GC, with HR of 0.36 (95%CI 0.26–0.50, P < 0.001) and 0.55 (95%CI 0.45–0.68, P < 0.001) of univariate and multivariate Cox analysis, respectively. Higher TLS levels were also in favor of the treatment response of anti-PD-1 inhibitors as later-line therapy of GC. TLS levels positively correlated with immune effector cells infiltration, diversity and richness of T cell receptor and B cell receptor repertoire, immune checkpoint genes expression, and immune-related genes mutation of GC in the TCGA-STAD cohort, representing higher immunogenicity and immunoactivity. Moreover, moderate accuracy of TLS levels in predicting benefit from anti-PD-1 inhibitors in the PRJEB25780 cohort was also validated (AUC 0.758, 95%CI 0.583–0.933), higher than the microsatellite instability-score and Epstein-Barr virus status.

Conclusions

TLS levels demonstrated potential in predicting the postoperative prognosis and immunotherapy response of GC.
Entanglement in Few-Nucleon Scattering Events
Authors: Kirchner Tanja , Elkamhawy Wael , Hammer Hans-Werner
Published: March 2024

We investigate the spin entanglement in few-nucleon scattering processes involving nucleons and deuterons. For this purpose, we consider the entanglement power introduced by Beane et al. We analyze different entanglement entropies as a basis to define the entanglement power of the strong interaction and calculate the corresponding entanglement powers for proton–neutron, neutron–deuteron, proton–deuteron, and deuteron–deuteron scattering. For the latter two processes, we also take into account the modification from the Coulomb interaction. In contrast to proton–neutron scattering, no universal low-energy features are evident in the spin entanglement in neutron–deuteron, proton–deuteron, and deuteron–deuteron scattering.
Evaluating risk factors and complications in mandibular ramus block grafting: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Bayram Ferit , Göçmen Gökhan , Özkan Yaşar
Published: March 2024

Objectives

This retrospective cohort study aimed to identify the complications and risk factors associated with alveolar grafting using autologous mandibular ramus grafts, guided by the research question: What are the complications encountered in patients undergoing alveolar bone grafting using autologous mandibular ramus block and what are the risk factors associated with the development of these complications?

Materials and methods

The study included 70 patients who underwent alveolar crest augmentation with autologous mandibular ramus block grafting. Intraoperative, early postoperative, and late postoperative complications were analyzed, as were various risk factors.

Results

The results showed that the majority of patients had successful outcomes with minimal complications. Sex was found to significantly influence the visibility of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). Early postoperative complications were associated with IAN visibility and the use of a single screw for graft fixation. Late postoperative complications were significantly associated with the presence of infection.

Conclusion

The findings emphasize the importance of careful surgical techniques, infection prevention, and patient selection in minimizing complications.

Clinical relevance

This article may contribute to clinicians’ and so patients’ understanding of potential risk factors associated with over all ramus block grafting procedure. Based on this information, clinicians can also improve their ability to manage risk factors and associated complications and compare ramus block grafting with other alternatives to determine the best treatment approach for that particular patient.
Molecular monitoring of viral infections in immunocompromised patients in a large university hospital in Italy: reflections after thirteen years of real-life activity
Authors: Cinti Lilia , Roberto Piergiorgio , Rossi Matteo , Napoli Anna , Russo Gianluca , Iori Anna Paola , Gentile Giuseppe , Augurusa Maria , Girmenia Corrado , Antonelli Guido , Gaeta Aurelia
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and viral reactivations of clinical interest in the immunocompromised patient with particular focus on hematologic and solid organ transplant recipients.

Methods

Molecular screening data of CMV, EBV, JCV and BKV from 2011 to 2023 were analyzed. This extensive time span allowed the access to more than 100,000 samples from over 20,000 patients treated at Policlinico Umberto I. It was possible to temporally investigate patient attendance patterns, average age distribution, seasonality of infections, and positivity rates of the analyzed viruses.

Results

Between 2019 and 2022 a significant reduction in organ transplants performed and in the positive molecular detection of EBV, JCV and BKV was observed. Additionally, there has been a noteworthy decrease in CMV reactivations, with a reduction of up to 50% starting in 2019. A remarkable reduction of 39% in the rate of CMV viral reactivation has been also achieved in SOT between 2016 and 2023.

Conclusion

The years following 2019 were profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic era. This period resulted in a substantial reduction in healthcare services and hospital visits. Furthermore, the introduction of the drug Letermovir in Italy in 2019 demonstrated remarkable efficacy, evidenced by a reduction in CMV reactivations. Additionally, the adoption of a novel clinical approach centered on personalized therapy facilitated improved management of immunocompromised patients.
Use of Cranberry Bush (Viburnum opulus L.) Fruit Pomace as a Renewable Substrate for Biobutanol Production by Clostridium beijerinckii in the Presence of Sodium Dithionite
Authors: Çelik Mariye Nur , Tekin Nazlıhan , Karatay Sevgi Ertuğrul , Dönmez Gönül
Published: March 2024

The present study aims to evaluate the use of cranberry bush fruit pomace (CBFP) (Viburnum opulus L.), which has recently become popular raw material, as a substrate in the presence of a reducing agent to increase biobutanol production by Clostridium beijerinckii DSMZ 6422. For this purpose, some factors were optimized, including the pretreatment, initial concentration of CBFP (5–20%), different types of reducing agents (ascorbic acid, L-cysteine, sodium dithionite and sodium sulfite), different concentrations of sodium dithionite (2.5–15 mM), inoculum concentration (5%, 10%, and 20%), and fermentation time (24–96 h). The maximum biobutanol, total ABE, biobutanol yield, and biobutanol productivity were 9.45 g/L, 12.08 g/L, 0.21 g/g, and 0.13 g/L/h in the medium containing enzymatically hydrolyzed 10% CBFP, 10 mM sodium dithionite, and 20% inoculum at the end of 72 h, respectively. These findings demonstrate that CBFP can be considered as a sustainable, economical, and viable substrate on biobutanol production for the first time in the literature.
Transnational juku: Japanese shadow education institutions in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai
Authors: Kato Mako , Kobakhidze M. Nutsa
Published: March 2024

Japan has a longstanding history of shadow education, which has evolved, transformed, and extended beyond its borders. Japanese shadow education institutions, known as juku, have expanded worldwide, including in Asia, the US, and Europe, offering offline and online tutoring services mainly for Japanese expatriates. This study examines the role and features of juku, specifically in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. It identifies 20 different juku, analyzes their types, and explains a different type of juku, the “Japanese cultural supplementary school,” that caters to expatriate parents aiming to nurture Japanese culture and traditions in their children. Although the Japanese juku phenomenon has previously attracted the attention of scholars, there is a gap in the literature when it comes to transnational juku and its operation outside Japan. This paper contributes to informing scholars, policymakers, and the public on the transnational movement of shadow education as a global phenomenon.
Biochemical and molecular analyses of insecticide resistance in greenhouse populations of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Türkiye
Authors: Erdogan Cem , Toprak Umut , Gurkan M. Oktay
Published: March 2024

The sweet potato/cotton whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is one of the most destructive vegetable pests in greenhouses in Türkiye. While the preferred method of control primarily relies on insecticides such as neonicotinoids, organophosphates and pyrethroids, their intensive use has caused whiteflies to rapidly become resistant. Samples were collected from 13 Turkish B. tabaci greenhouse populations. Bioassays from the Marmara Region identified as high as a 53-fold increase in resistance to chlorpyrifos-ethyl, a 303-fold increase to imidacloprid and a 282-fold increase to acetamiprid. Bioassays in the Central Anatolia Region reported a 76-fold increase in resistance to deltamethrin and—15-fold increase to thiamethoxam. Most of the populations showed cross-resistance for neonicotinoids. All collected B. tabaci populations were determined to be MEAM 1 (also referred to as biotype B) for diagnostic band E0.14. The E0.14 esterase variant that helps to diagnose biotype B insects was found in all individuals from field populations. Almost all populations showed higher non-specific esterase, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and monooxygenase activity when compared to susceptible SUD-S population. AChE insensitivity assays for individual B. tabaci suggest a target-site modification as a mechanism of resistance to chlorpyrifos-ethyl. This is the first report of AChE variants identified based on their sensitivities to chlorpyrifos ethyl-oxon and pirimicarb in Turkish B. tabaci populations. Fixed ace mutations in the target-site of organophosphates and pyrethroids were identified in six populations. Resistance to organophosphates and neonicotinoids were at least partially related to both ace mutations and insensitive AChE and monooxygenase activities, respectively. The results will help develop effective resistance management programs of B. tabaci in Türkiye.

Graphical Abstract
Upper limit estimate to wellhead flowing pressure and applicable gas production for a downhole throttling technique in high-pressure–high-temperature gas wells
Authors: Wang Faqing , Qin Deyou , Zhang Bao , He Jianfeng , Wang Fangzhi , Zhong Ting , Zhang Zhida
Published: March 2024

In recent years, China has explored and exploited several high-pressure deep gas fields. Normally, high-pressure gas wells are gathered and processed through multichoke manifolds on well sites, creating hazards such as high wellhead flowing pressure (Pt) and high risk for on-site operation personnel. Moreover, downhole chokes have been used in place of surface chokes. In doing this, the Joule–Thomson (JT) effect is geothermally regulated, alleviating the formation of hydrates in surface facilities. However, its applicability to high-pressure gas wells is less explored. In an effort to guide its use, the objective of this study is to set selection criteria in terms of the allowable wellhead Pt and gas flow rate. First, isenthalpic lines are separately estimated for dry gas and high liquid hydrocarbon (LHC) content gas condensate at various inlet temperatures with the use of commercial software. Next, by analysis of the resulting isenthalpic curves, several results are obtained on the JT inversion curves and throttling process through a choke. Third, building on these insights, a method for projecting the maximum Pt is presented, leading to a value of 52.5 MPa. Finally, multiparameter models are separately run for two deep gas wells (8100 m and 5000 m), reinforcing the result of the pressure upper limit while maintaining a maximum daily gas production of 14 E4 m3. Both upper limits with a maximum Pt of 52.5 MPa and daily gas production of 14 E4 m3 are corroborated with field data records. These findings are vital to the selection of a viable high-pressure gas well for applying the downhole throttling technique.
Cyclical hydraulic pressure pulses reduce breakdown pressure and initiate staged fracture growth in PMMA
Authors: Mouli-Castillo Julien , Kendrick Jackie E. , Lightbody Alexander , Fraser-Harris Andrew , Edlmann Katriona , McDermott Christopher Ian , Shipton Zoe Kai
Published: March 2024

Using unique experimental equipment on large bench-scale samples of Polymethylmethacrylate, used in the literature as an analogue for shale, we investigate the potential benefits of applying cyclical hydraulic pressure pulses to enhance the near-well connectivity through hydraulic fracturing treatment. Under unconfined and confined stresses, equivalent to a depth of up to 530 m, we use dynamic high-resolution strain measurements from fibre optic cables, complemented by optical recordings of fracture development, and investigate the impact of cyclical hydraulic pressure pulses on the number of cycles to failure in Polymethylmethacrylate at different temperatures. Our results indicate that a significant reduction in breakdown pressure can be achieved. This suggests that cyclic pressure pulses could require lower power consumption, as well as reduced fluid injection volumes and injection rates during stimulation, which could minimise the occurrence of the largest induced seismic events. Our results show that fractures develop in stages under repeated pressure cycles. This suggests that Cyclic Fluid Pressurization Systems could be effective in managing damage build-up and increasing permeability. This is achieved by forming numerous small fractures and reducing the size and occurrence of large fracturing events that produce large seismic events. Our results offer new insight into cyclical hydraulic fracturing treatments and provide a unique data set for benchmarking numerical models of fracture initiation and propagation.
3D Numerical Cross-Section Analysis of a Tapered Beam Slice
Authors: Sarhadi Ali , Eder Martin A.
Published: March 2024

Cross-section analysis is an important tool used to recover stresses and strains in a structure at specific cross-sections of arbitrary geometries, without the need for a full 3D model. This is particularly essential for large-scale structures such as aircrafts, wind turbine blades, etc. where making a full model can be computationally very expensive or impractical. The majority of currently available cross-section analysis frameworks are based on stepwise prismatic assumptions, which are hardly suited for the analysis of tapered beams. In fact, high-fidelity stress analysis obtained from analytical and full 3D models shows that predictions of stepwise prismatic approximations can significantly deviate from the correct solution of tapered beams. In this work, a prismatic 3D cross-section analysis method is extended to analyze a symmetrically tapered finite cross-section slice. In this study, the cross-section slice is discretized with 8-node and 20-node solid elements. The boundary conditions are applied as six constraint equations via the Lagrange multiplier method. The external nodal forces acting on the cross-section faces are obtained from the equivalent tractions induced by the cross-section forces. The developed numerical model is validated against the exact analytical solutions of a wedge as well as commercial finite element (FE) software COMSOL and it is shown that the numerically predicted displacement and stress fields agree well with those provided by the wedge’s analytical solution and the FE COMSOL results. This work contributes to the advancement of high-fidelity numerical tapered cross-section analysis methods with an application for many engineering structures.
Internet of things (IoT)-based structural health monitoring of laboratory-scale civil engineering structures
Authors: Saravanan T. Jothi , Mishra Mayank , Aherwar Abhishek Dilip , Lourenço Paulo B.
Published: March 2024

Rapid advances in the Internet of Things (IoT) domain have made it a crucial technology for the real-time structural health monitoring (SHM) of civil engineering infrastructures. The availability of quick and accurate vibration data is essential for SHM, and such data can be obtained through IoT devices mounted on the structures. This study proposes a real-time damage prediction and localization approach using a low-cost "do-it-yourself" wireless sensor node with IoT capabilities for SHM. The proposed sensor node comprised a microcontroller (NODE MCU ESP8266) and a 6-axis accelerometer (MPU6050). The IoT devices track the real-time frequency of the laboratory-scale structure indirectly via measurement of acceleration-time history, and their results are compared with conventional industry-standard accelerometers. Promising results, with a <6% average difference from the conventional accelerometer (difference ranging from 1.3 to 14.3%), provided an innovative SHM for vibration-based real-time SHM using the IoT paradigm. The performance of the proposed methodology was validated numerically and experimentally on two laboratory-scale structures, and the potential of IoT technology for enhancing the efficiency of SHM was demonstrated. The proposed method thus can enable the early detection of damages in infrastructures such as buildings and bridges and thus can reduce the likelihood of accidents via continuous SHM.
Long-term assessment of social amplification of risk during COVID-19: challenges to public health agencies amid misinformation and vaccine stance
Authors: Unlu Ali , Truong Sophie , Sawhney Nitin , Sivelä Jonas , Tammi Tuukka
Published: March 2024

This study employs the Social Amplification of Risk Framework to investigate the stance on COVID-19 vaccines and the spread of misinformation on Twitter in Finland. Analyzing over 1.6 million tweets and manually annotating 4150 samples, the research highlights the challenges faced by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in steering online vaccination communication. Using BERT models, Botometer, and additional computational methods, the study classifies text, identifies bot-like accounts, and detects malicious bots. Social network analysis further uncovers the underlying social structures and key actors in Twitter discussions during the pandemic. The THL remained a primary source of COVID-19 information throughout the pandemic, maintaining its influence despite challenges posed by malicious bots spreading misinformation and adopting negative vaccine stances. However, THL ceased its Twitter activity at the end of 2022 because its posts were being exploited to gain visibility and traction for misinformation and negative vaccine stance. The study also identifies key influencers in online vaccine discussions, suggesting avenues for improving public health communication. Overall, the research underscores the need to understand social media dynamics to counter misinformation and foster accurate public communication on COVID-19 and vaccination.
Concept and Feasibility Analysis of the Alba Cubesat Mission
Authors: Mozzato M. , Bemporad G. , Enzo S. , Filippini F. , Lazzaro R. , Minato M. , Visentin D. , Via A. Dalla , Farina A. , Pilone E. , Basana F. , Olivieri L. , Colombatti G. , Francesconi A.
Published: March 2024

AlbaSat is a 2-Unit CubeSat which is being developed by a student team at the University of Padova. The Alba project aims to design, build, test, launch, and operate the first student CubeSat of the University of Padova, featuring four different payloads. The first goal is to collect data regarding the debris environment in Low Earth Orbit, the second goal is the study of the satellite vibrations, the third one is about CubeSat attitude determination through laser ranging technology, and the fourth goal concerns satellite laser and quantum communication. The Alba CubeSat mission has been selected by the European Space Agency to join the Fly Your Satellite! Design Booster program in December 2022. This paper presents the feasibility study of the Alba CubeSat mission reproduced in the framework of the “Space Systems Laboratory” class of Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Padova. In the beginning, a mission requirements definition was conducted. After that, the mission feasibility was considered, with preliminary requirements verification to assess the ability of the spacecraft to survive the space environment, including compliance with Debris Mitigation Guidelines, ground station visibility and minimum operative lifetime evaluation. The Alba mission sets a base for a better understanding of the space environment and its interaction with nanosatellites, and an improvement of the accuracy of debris models. Furthermore, this paper, describing the educational experience and the results achieved, will provide a useful example for future students’ studies on CubeSat mission design.
Human Dignity, Rights and Victim Participation in Criminal Justice
Authors: Holder Robyn L. , Dearing Albin
Published: March 2024

Human dignity is the cornerstone of human rights and central to the Treaty on European Union (EU) and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It is embedded within constitutions across EU countries. This strong commitment to human dignity has given rise to extensive reflection on its centrality to correcting rights violations, inequality, discrimination and the oppressive conduct of state institutions. This article explores the work that human dignity does for people victimised by crime in the EU. We argue that the agentic human, central to the idea of victim participation, originates in human dignity. However, using a dignity lens, an analysis of victims’ rights documents and rights research reveals a paradox within the victim-friendly civil law jurisdictions of Europe. That is, the procedural position of the victim established in tradition and law is undermined by justice professionals’ attachment to the idea of the state’s ownership of the violation. We then discuss jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights relevant to the protection of human dignity to identify how this tension between the protection of individual victim rights, especially the right to remedy, and public interest is adjudicated. We suggest that the Court’s attention to individual rights should be harnessed by victim rights advocates and lawyers. While the victim’s procedural role matters to their substantive and meaningful participation in criminal proceedings, it is their right and capacity to act independent of the state that may matter more.
A tale of two Southeast Asian states: media governance and authoritarian regimes in Singapore and Vietnam
Authors: Haenig Martin Albrecht , Ji Xianbai
Published: March 2024

Political scientists have crafted intricate taxonomies to classify nations beyond liberal democracy, positioning these societies along an authoritarian continuum. Despite the pivotal role of journalists in accelerating political dynamics, there exists a lack of comparative research on media governance in these regimes. Consequently, this study scrutinizes the media governance ecosystems in Vietnam and Singapore. Vietnam is a one-party authoritarian state, whereas Singapore represents a hybrid political system. However, both countries exhibit a stable and uninterrupted rule by the respective ruling party. Our research uncovers the nuances of Singapore’s media regulation, which embeds trusted stakeholders with financial interests in key press roles to reinforce the implicit political norms. Conversely, Vietnam employs a more direct, coercive, and state-centric approach. Media actors in both nations occasionally test the boundaries of acceptable discourses, with each government’s responses being shaped by specific contexts and broader history. Reforms in Vietnam, embracing privatization and commercialization, mirror Singapore’s integration of capitalism, public ownership, and commercial interests when governing media. These findings highlight diverse yet effective authoritarian media governance strategies, unique features, and commonalities in both systems. Overall, media structures in these Southeast Asian countries have undergone profound evolutions towards more sophisticated regulatory tools to manage societal and political transformations.
Scaphitid ammonites from the lower Maastrichtian of Nahoryany (western Ukraine) and discussion on the origin of Hoploscaphites constrictus
Authors: Machalski Marcin
Published: March 2024

The lower Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) section at Nahoryany, south of Lviv (western Ukraine), has been known as a rich source of fossils since 1843. However, the section is not available since a long time ago and fossils collected from it can only be studied in museum collections. In the present paper, ammonites of the scaphitid genus Hoploscaphites are studied based on Nahoryany material, comprising Hoploscaphites pumilus, H. constrictus and H. sp. Specimens from Nahoryany in museum collections lack data on their provenance level within the section so it cannot be determined whether or not they occurred together or formed a succession; data on inoceramid bivalves indicate the presence of two successive zones at Nahoryany. Some specimens from Nahoryany here referred to as H. pumilus are similar to the controversial H. constrictus anterior from the lower Maastrichtian of Poland. This morphology suggests an ancestor–descendant relationship between H. pumilus and H. constrictus, a common species once considered as an informal index for the Boreal Maastrichtian in Europe. The inferred evolutionary transition from H. pumilus to H. constrictus was towards a less robust, recoiled shell, which would have enhanced the horizontal swimming ability and manoeuvrability of these cephalopods. Recoiling trends occurred in several lineages of Late Cretaceous scaphitids.
Are Mathematical Explanations Causal Explanations in Disguise?
Authors: Jha Aditya , Campbell Douglas , Montelle Clemency , Wilson Phillip L.
Published: March 2024

There is a major debate as to whether there are non-causal mathematical explanations of physical facts that show how the facts under question arise from a degree of mathematical necessity considered stronger than that of contingent causal laws. We focus on Marc Lange’s account of distinctively mathematical explanations to argue that purported mathematical explanations are essentially causal explanations in disguise and are no different from ordinary applications of mathematics. This is because these explanations work not by appealing to what the world must be like as a matter of mathematical necessity but by appealing to various contingent causal facts.
Indexical utility: another rationalization of exponential discounting
Authors: Spohn Wolfgang
Published: March 2024

This paper is about time preferences, the phenomenon that the very same things are usually considered the less valuable the farther in the future they are obtained. The utilities of those things are discounted at a certain rate. The paper presents a novel normative argument for exponential discount rates, whatever their empirical adequacy. It proposes to take indexical utility seriously, i.e. utilities referring to indexical propositions (that speak of ‘I’, ‘now’, etc.) as opposed to non-indexical propositions. Economic focus is only on the latter, while the former are neglected. The potential ignorance of when is now generates a difference between indexical and non-indexical utility that can be exploited for a novel argument in favour of exponential discount rates.
Implicit and explicit processes in phonological concept learning
Authors: Moreton Elliott , Pertsova Katya
Published: March 2024

Non-linguistic pattern learning uses distinct implicit and explicit processes, which differ in behavioural signatures, inductive biases and proposed model architectures. This study asked whether both processes are available in phonotactic learning in the lab. Five Internet experiments collected generalisation, learning curves, response times and detailed debriefings from 671 valid participants. Implicit and explicit learners were found in all conditions and experiments. Objective measures of implicitvs.explicit learning were correlated with introspective self-report. Participants spontaneously discovered and named phonetic features. These findings contradict the common (usually tacit) assumption that ‘artificial-language’ participants learn only implicitly. Learning mode also affected inductive bias: Implicit learning improved performance on family-resemblance patterns relative to biconditionals (if-and-only-if, exclusive-or) in two experiments. The direction of this effect is unexpected under many current theories of how implicit and explicit concept learning differ, and is consistent with models of explicit learning which take pattern-irrelevant features into account.
Impact of age and apolipoprotein E ε4 status on regional white matter hyperintensity volume and cognition in healthy aging
Authors: Van Etten Emily J. , Bharadwaj Pradyumna K. , Grilli Matthew D. , Raichlen David A. , Hishaw Georg A. , Huentelman Matthew J. , Trouard Theodore P. , Alexander Gene E.
Published: March 2024

Objective:

White matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume is a neuroimaging marker of lesion load related to small vessel disease that has been associated with cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk.

Method:

The present study sought to examine whether regional WMH volume mediates the relationship between APOE ε4 status, a strong genetic risk factor for AD, and cognition and if this association is moderated by age group differences within a sample of 187 healthy older adults (APOE ε4 status [carrier/non-carrier] = 56/131).

Results:

After we controlled for sex, education, and vascular risk factors, ANCOVA analyses revealed significant age group by APOE ε4 status interactions for right parietal and left temporal WMH volumes. Within the young-old group (50-69 years), ε4 carriers had greater right parietal and left temporal WMH volumes than non-carriers. However, in the old-old group (70-89 years), right parietal and left temporal WMH volumes were comparable across APOE ε4 groups. Further, within ε4 non-carriers, old-old adults had greater right parietal and left temporal WMH volumes than young-old adults, but there were no significant differences across age groups in ε4 carriers. Follow-up moderated mediation analyses revealed that, in the young-old, but not the old-old group, there were significant indirect effects of ε4 status on memory and executive functions through left temporal WMH volume.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that, among healthy young-old adults, increased left temporal WMH volume, in the context of the ε4 allele, may represent an early marker of cognitive aging with the potential to lead to greater risk for AD.
Grafomotorische Beeinträchtigungen: Erkennbar in digitalen Handschriftanalysen von Kindern der zweiten Primarklasse
Authors: Hurschler Lichtsteiner Sibylle
Published: March 2024

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund: Grafomotorische Probleme im Einschulungsalter können über den Schriftspracherwerb hinaus den Schulerfolg gefährden. Einige Kinder erfüllen bei der Untersuchung die Kriterien einer Umschriebenen Entwicklungsstörung motorischer Funktionen UEMF. Andere Kinder fallen nicht unter diese Diagnose, zeigen aber ebenso grafomotorische Beeinträchtigungen im Sinne einer Dysgrafie (DD). Die Schwierigkeiten können die Vorläuferfertigkeiten des Schreibens, aber auch die verschiedenen Phasen der Schriftproduktion betreffen. Häufig treten Komorbiditäten mit anderen Entwicklungsstörungen auf. Bei anhaltenden Problemen ist es daher notwendig, den Handschriftprozess direkt untersuchen zu können. Methoden: Diese Studie hat die Leistungen von Kindern mit grafomotorischen Beeinträchtigungen (n = 73) mit denen unauffälliger Gleichaltrigen in der zweiten Klasse (n = 19) verglichen. Dazu wurden mit dem digitalen Schriftanalyseverfahren CSWin die Werte für die Schriftgeschwindigkeit, die Automatisierung, den Druck und die Wiederholgenauigkeit der Buchstaben erhoben. Ergebnisse: Die Resultate belegen signifikant geringere Werte der Untersuchungsgruppe in Bezug auf die Schriftgeschwindigkeit und die Automatisierung, jedoch nicht hinsichtlich der Wiederholgenauigkeit von Buchstaben. Diskussion: Dieser Befund liefert Hinweise, dass Kinder mit grafomotorischen Beeinträchtigungen auch nach dem Schrifterwerb langsamer und weniger gut automatisiert schreiben und entsprechende Unterstützung brauchen.
Effects of Plasma Density on the Spatial and Temporal Scale Sizes of Plasmaspheric Hiss
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Rae I. Jonathan , Liu Kaijun , Watt Clare E. J. , Shi Quanqi , Tian Anmin , Degeling Alexander W. , Guo Ruilong , Wang Mengmeng , Shen Xiao‐Chen , Yao Fei , Li Jing chun
Published: March 2024

The effects of plasma density on the plasmaspheric hiss amplitude and its spatial and temporal scale sizes are investigated using data from Van Allen Probes A and B. The plasmaspheric hiss amplitude and scale sizes are found to be more affected by the small‐scale density variations than the overall density profile of the plasmasphere. In detail, our results suggest that both the hiss wave amplitude and its scale sizes are (a) related to the total electron density when the density is less than ∼1,000 cm−3; (b) independent of the total electron density when the density is greater than ∼1,000 cm−3; and (c) better correlated with the detrended density (removing the background plasmasphere density profile from the total electron density) regardless of the density value.
A high aspect ratio surface micromachined accelerometer based on a SiC-CNT composite material
Authors: Mo Jiarui , Shankar Shreyas , Pezone Roberto , Zhang Guoqi , Vollebregt Sten
Published: March 2024

Silicon carbide (SiC) is recognized as an excellent material for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), especially those operating in challenging environments, such as high temperature, high radiation, and corrosive environments. However, SiC bulk micromachining is still a challenge, which hinders the development of complex SiC MEMS. To address this problem, we present the use of a carbon nanotube (CNT) array coated with amorphous SiC (a-SiC) as an alternative composite material to enable high aspect ratio (HAR) surface micromachining. By using a prepatterned catalyst layer, a HAR CNT array can be grown as a structural template and then densified by uniformly filling the CNT bundle with LPCVD a-SiC. The electrical properties of the resulting SiC-CNT composite were characterized, and the results indicated that the electrical resistivity was dominated by the CNTs. To demonstrate the use of this composite in MEMS applications, a capacitive accelerometer was designed, fabricated, and measured. The fabrication results showed that the composite is fully compatible with the manufacturing of surface micromachining devices. The Young’s modulus of the composite was extracted from the measured spring constant, and the results show a great improvement in the mechanical properties of the CNTs after coating with a-SiC. The accelerometer was electrically characterized, and its functionality was confirmed using a mechanical shaker.
Adherence to dietary guidelines associated with lower medical service utilization in preschoolers: a longitudinal study
Authors: Chen Yi-Chieh , Lo Yuan-Ting C. , Wu Hsin-Yun , Huang Yi-Chen
Published: March 2024

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the association between dietary guideline adherence and overall, outpatient, and emergency medical service utilization in Taiwanese preschoolers.

Methods

We selected 614 preschoolers (2–6 years) who had one day of 24-h dietary recall data from the 2013–2016 Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan. The Taiwanese Children Healthy Eating Index (TCHEI) was developed on the basis of Taiwanese Food-Based Dietary Guidelines; it assesses dietary adequacy and eating behavior. Data on the participants’ outpatient and emergency medical service utilization were obtained for 2013–2018 from the National Health Insurance Research Database. A multivariable generalized linear model was used to evaluate the association between the TCHEI and medical service utilization for all disease and respiratory diseases.

Results

After adjustment for confounding factors, children aged 2–3 years in the Tertile (T) 2 and T3 groups of the TCHEI exhibited 25% (95% CI 0.69–0.83) and 16% (95% CI 0.77–0.92) lower overall medical visits, respectively. The same pattern was noted in the outpatient and emergency visits for all diseases and respiratory diseases. The children aged 4–6 years in the T2 group exhibited 15% (95% CI 0.80–0.91) and 11% (95% CI 0.82–0.97) lower overall visits and visits for respiratory diseases, respectively. Moreover, preschoolers in the T2 group exhibited lower overall medical expenditures than did those in the T1 group.

Conclusions

TCHEI score was positively correlated with better nutritional status. Optimal dietary intake associated with lower medical service utilization among Taiwan preschoolers.
Perinatal compromise affects development, form, and function of the hippocampus part two; preclinical studies
Authors: White Tegan A. , Miller Suzanne L. , Sutherland Amy E. , Allison Beth J. , Camm Emily J.
Published: March 2024

The hippocampus is a vital brain structure deep in the medial temporal lobe that mediates a range of functions encompassing emotional regulation, learning, memory, and cognition. Hippocampal development is exquisitely sensitive to perturbations and adverse conditions during pregnancy and at birth, including preterm birth, fetal growth restriction (FGR), acute hypoxic–ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE), and intrauterine inflammation. Disruptions to hippocampal development due to these conditions can have long-lasting functional impacts. Here, we discuss a range of preclinical models of prematurity and FGR and conditions that induce hypoxia and inflammation, which have been critical in elucidating the underlying mechanisms and cellular and subcellular structures implicated in hippocampal dysfunction. Finally, we discuss potential therapeutic targets to reduce the burden of these perinatal insults on the developing hippocampus.

Impact

The review explores the preclinical literature examining the association between pregnancy and birth complications, and hippocampal form and function.

The developmental processes and cellular mechanisms that are disrupted within the hippocampus following perinatal compromise are described, and potential therapeutic targets are discussed.
A let-7 microRNA-RALB axis links the immune properties of iPSC-derived megakaryocytes with platelet producibility
Authors: Chen Si Jing , Hashimoto Kazuya , Fujio Kosuke , Hayashi Karin , Paul Sudip Kumar , Yuzuriha Akinori , Qiu Wei-Yin , Nakamura Emiri , Kanashiro Maria Alejandra , Kabata Mio , Nakamura Sou , Sugimoto Naoshi , Kaneda Atsushi , Yamamoto Takuya , Saito Hirohide , Takayama Naoya , Eto Koji
Published: March 2024

We recently achieved the first-in-human transfusion of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived platelets (iPSC-PLTs) as an alternative to standard transfusions, which are dependent on donors and therefore variable in supply. However, heterogeneity characterized by thrombopoiesis-biased or immune-biased megakaryocytes (MKs) continues to pose a bottleneck against the standardization of iPSC-PLT manufacturing. To address this problem, here we employ microRNA (miRNA) switch biotechnology to distinguish subpopulations of imMKCLs, the MK cell lines producing iPSC-PLTs. Upon miRNA switch-based screening, we find imMKCLs with lower let-7 activity exhibit an immune-skewed transcriptional signature. Notably, the low activity of let-7a-5p results in the upregulation of RAS like proto-oncogene B (RALB) expression, which is crucial for the lineage determination of immune-biased imMKCL subpopulations and leads to the activation of interferon-dependent signaling. The dysregulation of immune properties/subpopulations, along with the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, contributes to a decline in the quality of the whole imMKCL population.