bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current therapies and challenges for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm‐related infections
Authors: Tran Nikki N. , Morrisette Taylor , Jorgensen Sarah C. J. , Orench‐Benvenutti José M. , Kebriaei Razieh
Published: May 2023

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of nosocomial and community‐acquired infections and contributes to significant increase in morbidity and mortality especially when associated with medical devices and in biofilm form. Biofilm structure provides a pathway for the enrichment of resistant and persistent phenotypes of S. aureus leading to relapse and recurrence of infection. Minimal diffusion of antibiotics inside biofilm structure leads to heterogeneity and distinct physiological activity. Additionally, horizontal gene transfer between cells in proximity adds to the challenges associated with eradication of biofilms. This narrative review focuses on biofilm‐associated infections caused by S. aureus, the impact of environmental conditions on biofilm formation, interactions inside biofilm communities, and the clinical challenges that they present. Conclusively, potential solutions, novel treatment strategies, combination therapies, and reported alternatives are discussed.
The influence of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection on expression of drug‐metabolizing enzymes and transporters in a hACE2 murine model
Authors: Deshpande Kiran , Lange Keith R. , Stone William B. , Yohn Christine , Schlesinger Naomi , Kagan Leonid , Auguste Albert J. , Firestein Bonnie L. , Brunetti Luigi
Published: May 2023

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection and the resulting Coronavirus disease 2019 emerged in late 2019 and is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. A hallmark of severe COVID‐19 is exaggerated systemic inflammation, regarded as a “cytokine storm,” which contributes to the damage of various organs, primarily the lungs. The inflammation associated with some viral illnesses is known to alter the expression of drug‐metabolizing enzymes and transporters. These alterations can lead to modifications in drug exposure and the processing of various endogenous compounds. Here, we provide evidence to support changes in the mitochondrial ribonucleic acid expression of a subset of drug transporters (84 transporters) in the liver, kidneys, and lungs and metabolizing enzymes (84 enzymes) in the liver in a humanized angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 receptor mouse model. Specifically, three drug transporters (Abca3, Slc7a8, Tap1) and the pro‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐6 were upregulated in the lungs of SARS‐CoV‐2 infected mice. We also found significant downregulation of drug transporters responsible for the movement of xenobiotics in the liver and kidney. Additionally, expression of cytochrome P‐450 2f2 which is known to metabolize some pulmonary toxicants, was significantly decreased in the liver of infected mice. The significance of these findings requires further exploration. Our results suggest that further research should emphasize altered drug disposition when investigating therapeutic compounds, whether re‐purposed or new chemical entities, in other animal models and ultimately in individuals infected with SARS‐CoV‐2. Moreover, the influence and impact of these changes on the processing of endogenous compounds also require further investigation.
Statistical concepts and data requirements for valid failure rate estimation
Authors: Bukowski Julia V. , Summers Angela E.
Published: May 2023

The distinction between point estimation and confidence interval estimation for failure rates is described. Why the upper bounds of failure rate confidence intervals are prescribed by safety standards for use in safety metric computations is explained. Statistical formulas for the failure rate upper bounds are provided. The requirements that the field failure data (FFD) must meet to ensure the validity of the failure rate estimations are discussed from both mathematical and engineering perspectives. The need to understand the underlying causes of failure in determining when FFD can be aggregated is explained. Examples illustrating the impacts on failure rate estimation when the data requirements are and are not met are presented.
Wheat doubled haploids have a marked prevalence of chromosomal aberrations
Authors: Shrestha Sandesh , Koo Dal‐Hoe , Evers Byron , Wu Shuangye , Walkowiak Sean , Hucl Pierre , Pozniak Curtis , Fritz Allan , Poland Jesse
Published: May 2023

Double haploid (DH) population development is widely used in many crops, including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), to rapidly produce fixed germplasm for breeding and genetic studies. The genome shock that takes place during DH induction could induce chromosomal aberrations that can impact genome integrity and subsequently plant fitness and agronomic performance. To evaluate the extent of chromosomal aberrations that exist as a result of the DH process, we studied two wheat DH populations: CDC Stanley×CDC Landmark and KS13H9×SYMonument. We utilized high‐throughput skim sequencing to construct digital karyotypes of these populations to quantify deletions and aneuploidy with high resolution and accuracy, which was confirmed in selected plants by cytological analysis. The two populations studied showed high proportion of abnormal primary DH lines, 55 and 45%, respectively, based on at least one abnormality per progeny. The chromosomal abnormalities are genetically unstable and were observed segregating in the subsequent generations. These observations have important implications for the use of DH lines in genetics and breeding.
Translation machinery captured in motion
Authors: Zafar Hassan , Hassan Ahmed H. , Demo Gabriel
Published: May 2023

Translation accuracy is one of the most critical factors for protein synthesis. It is regulated by the ribosome and its dynamic behavior, along with translation factors that direct ribosome rearrangements to make translation a uniform process. Earlier structural studies of the ribosome complex with arrested translation factors laid the foundation for an understanding of ribosome dynamics and the translation process as such. Recent technological advances in time‐resolved and ensemble cryo‐EM have made it possible to study translation in real time at high resolution. These methods provided a detailed view of translation in bacteria for all three phases: initiation, elongation, and termination. In this review, we focus on translation factors (in some cases GTP activation) and their ability to monitor and respond to ribosome organization to enable efficient and accurate translation.

This article is categorized under:

Translation > Ribosome Structure/Function

Translation > Mechanisms
Negative Rényi entropy and brane intersection
Authors: Tian Jia , Xu Xiaoge
Published: May 2023

Abstract

In this work, we revisit the calculation of Rényi entropy in AdS3/(B)CFT2. We find that gravity solutions with brane intersection will lead to negative Rényi entropy.
Reliability and correlation of weight-bearing cone beam CT and Foot Posture Index (FPI) for measurements of foot posture: a test-retest study
Authors: Hansen Philip , Brinch Signe , Radev Dimitar Ivanov , Nybing Janus Uhd , Toftgaard Sanne , Johannsen Finn Elkjær
Published: May 2023

Objective

To assess test-retest reliability and correlation of weight-bearing (WB) and non-weight-bearing (NWB) cone beam CT (CBCT) foot measurements and Foot Posture Index (FPI)

Materials and methods

Twenty healthy participants (age 43.11±11.36, 15 males, 5 females) were CBCT-scanned in February 2019 on two separate days on one foot in both WB and NWB positions. Three radiology observers measured the navicular bone position. Plantar (ΔNAVplantar) and medial navicular displacements (ΔNAVmedial) were calculated as a measure of foot posture changes under loading. FPI was assessed by two rheumatologists on the same two days. FPI is a clinical measurement of foot posture with 3 rearfoot and 3 midfoot/forefoot scores. Test-retest reproducibility was determined for all measurements. CBCT was correlated to FPI total and subscores.

Results

Intra- and interobserver reliabilities for navicular position and FPI were excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) .875–.997). In particular, intraobserver (ICC .0.967–1.000) and interobserver reliabilities (ICC .946–.997) were found for CBCT navicular height and medial position.

Interobserver reliability of ΔNAVplantar was excellent (ICC .926 (.812; .971); MDC 2.22), whereas the ΔNAVmedial was fair-good (ICC .452 (.385; .783); MDC 2.42 mm). Using all observers’ measurements, we could calculate mean ΔNAVplantar (4.25±2.08 mm) and ΔNAVmedial (1.55±0.83 mm). We demonstrated a small day-day difference in ΔNAVplantar (0.64 ±1.13mm; p<.05), but not for ΔNAVmedial (0.04 ±1.13mm; p=n.s.).

Correlation of WBCT (WB navicular height - ΔNAVmedial) with total clinical FPI scores and FPI subscores, respectively, showed high correlation (ρ: −.706; ρ: −.721).

Conclusion

CBCT and FPI are reliable measurements of foot posture, with a high correlation between the two measurements.
Improved visualization of hepatic tumors in magnetic resonance–guided thermoablation using T1-inversion-recovery imaging with variable inversion time
Authors: Kübler J. , Krumm P. , Martirosian P. , Winkelmann M. T. , Gohla G. , Nikolaou K. , Hoffmann R.
Published: May 2023

Objectives

In magnetic resonance (MR)–guided interventions, visualization of hepatic lesions may be difficult using standard unenhanced T1-weighted gradient-echo volume-interpolated breath-hold (VIBE) sequence due to low contrast. Inversion recovery (IR) imaging may have the potential to improve visualization without the necessity to apply contrast agent.

Methods

Forty-four patients (mean age 64 years, female 33%) scheduled for MR-guided thermoablation due to liver malignancies (hepatocellular carcinoma or metastases) were prospectively included in this study between March 2020 and April 2022. Fifty-one liver lesions were intra-procedurally characterized before treatment. Unenhanced T1-VIBE was acquired as part of the standard imaging protocol. Additionally, T1-modified look-locker images were acquired with eight different inversion times (TI) between 148 and 1743 ms. Lesion-to-liver contrast (LLC) was compared between T1-VIBE and IR images for each TI. T1 relaxation times for liver lesions and liver parenchyma were calculated.

Results

Mean LLC in T1-VIBE sequence was 0.3 ± 0.1. In IR images, LLC was highest at TI 228 ms (1.04 ± 1.1) and significantly higher compared to T1-VIBE (p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, lesions of colorectal carcinoma showed the highest LLC at 228 ms (1.14 ± 1.4), and hepatocellular carcinoma showed the highest LLC at 548 ms (1.06 ± 1.16). T1-relaxation times in liver lesions were higher compared to the adjacent liver parenchyma (1184 ± 456 vs. 654 ± 96 ms, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

IR imaging is promising to provide improved visualization during unenhanced MR-guided liver interventions compared to standard T1-VIBE sequence when using specific TI. Low TI between 150 and 230 ms yields the highest contrast between liver parenchyma and malignant liver lesions.

Clinical relevance statement

Improved visualization of hepatic lesions during MR-guided percutaneous interventions using inversion recovery imaging without the necessity to apply contrast agent.

Key points

• Inversion recovery imaging is promising to provide improved visualization of liver lesions in unenhanced MRI.

• Planning and guidance during MR-guided interventions in the liver can be performed with greater confidence without necessity to apply contrast agent.

• Low TI between 150 and 230 ms yields the highest contrast between liver parenchyma and malignant liver lesions.
Paths are Turán-good
Authors: Gerbner Dániel
Published: May 2023

We show that among $$K_{k+1}$$

K

k
+
1

-free n-vertex graphs, the Turán graph contains the most copies of any path.
Protein intake and risk of urolithiasis and kidney diseases: an umbrella review of systematic reviews for the evidence-based guideline of the German Nutrition Society
Authors: Remer Thomas , Kalotai Nicole , Amini Anna M. , Lehmann Andreas , Schmidt Annemarie , Bischoff-Ferrari Heike A. , Egert Sarah , Ellinger Sabine , Kroke Anja , Kühn Tilman , Lorkowski Stefan , Nimptsch Katharina , Schwingshackl Lukas , Zittermann Armin , Watzl Bernhard , Siener Roswitha ,   the German Nutrition Society
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Changes in dietary protein intake metabolically affect kidney functions. However, knowledge on potential adverse consequences of long-term higher protein intake (HPI) for kidney health is lacking. To summarise and evaluate the available evidence for a relation between HPI and kidney diseases, an umbrella review of systematic reviews (SR) was conducted.

Methods

PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Database of SRs published until 12/2022 were searched for the respective SRs with and without meta-analyses (MA) of randomised controlled trials or cohort studies. For assessments of methodological quality and of outcome-specific certainty of evidence, a modified version of AMSTAR 2 and the NutriGrade scoring tool were used, respectively. The overall certainty of evidence was assessed according to predefined criteria.

Results

Six SRs with MA and three SRs without MA on various kidney-related outcomes were identified. Outcomes were chronic kidney disease, kidney stones and kidney function-related parameters: albuminuria, glomerular filtration rate, serum urea, urinary pH and urinary calcium excretion. Overall certainty of evidence was graded as ‘possible’ for stone risk not to be associated with HPI and albuminuria not to be elevated through HPI (above recommendations (> 0.8 g/kg body weight/day)) and graded as ‘probable’ or ‘possible’ for most other kidney function-related parameters to be physiologically increased with HPI.

Conclusion

Changes of the assessed outcomes may have reflected mostly physiological (regulatory), but not pathometabolic responses to higher protein loads. For none of the outcomes, evidence was found that HPI does specifically trigger kidney stones or diseases. However, for potential recommendations long-term data, also over decades, are required.
Changes in brain rhythms and connectivity tracking fear acquisition and reversal
Authors: Pirazzini Gabriele , Starita Francesca , Ricci Giulia , Garofalo Sara , di Pellegrino Giuseppe , Magosso Elisa , Ursino Mauro
Published: May 2023

Fear conditioning is used to investigate the neural bases of threat and anxiety, and to understand their flexible modifications when the environment changes. This study aims to examine the temporal evolution of brain rhythms using electroencephalographic signals recorded in healthy volunteers during a protocol of Pavlovian fear conditioning and reversal. Power changes and Granger connectivity in theta, alpha, and gamma bands are investigated from neuroelectrical activity reconstructed on the cortex. Results show a significant increase in theta power in the left (contralateral to electrical shock) portion of the midcingulate cortex during fear acquisition, and a significant decrease in alpha power in a broad network over the left posterior-frontal and parietal cortex. These changes occur since the initial trials for theta power, but require more trials (3/4) to develop for alpha, and are also present during reversal, despite being less pronounced. In both bands, relevant changes in connectivity are mainly evident in the last block of reversal, just when power differences attenuate. No significant changes in the gamma band were detected. We conclude that the increased theta rhythm in the cingulate cortex subserves fear acquisition and is transmitted to other cortical regions via increased functional connectivity allowing a fast theta synchronization, whereas the decrease in alpha power can represent a partial activation of motor and somatosensory areas contralateral to the shock side in the presence of a dangerous stimulus. In addition, connectivity changes at the end of reversal may reflect long-term alterations in synapses necessary to reverse the previously acquired contingencies.
Magmatic source, petrogenesis, and tectonic setting of the Concepción del Oro Igneous Complex: a geochemical and isotopic (Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd) study of a late complex of the Cretaceous–Eocene Mexican Magmatic Arc
Authors: González-Guzmán Reneé , Velasco-Tapia Fernando , Weber Bodo , Schaaf Peter , Sosa-Valdés Rogelio , Solari Luigi
Published: May 2023

During the Mexican fold-and-thrust belt tectonics, the inboard migration of long-term cordilleran magmatism typifies the geological setting during the Cretaceous–Paleogene period. The Concepción del Oro Igneous Complex (COIC) represents one of the most internal and isolated magmatic pulses that occurred during this magmatic activity. In this work, plutonic rocks from the COIC were studied using petrography, U–Pb geochronology, whole rock and zircon geochemistry, and Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd isotopes. Petrographic observations reveal mainly fine-to-coarse-grained granodioritic composition for most plutonic masses. U–Pb zircon analyzes of four samples from the largest plutonic center of the COIC yielded ages ranging from 42.6 ± 0.2 Ma to 41.8 ± 0.1 Ma. The granodiorites exhibit geochemical features typical of I-type, high-K calc-alkaline, Magnesian rocks. The chondrite-normalized REE diagram summarizes enrichment of LREE ([La/Yb]N = 5.94–19.19) and moderate to slightly negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.63–0.94). In addition, the mantle-normalized spider diagram shows enrichment of LILE, such as Rb and Ba, and depletion of HFSE, such as Nb, Ta, Ti, and P. Whole-rock and zircon geochemistry indicate a post-collisional setting with an inherited magmatic arc fingerprint. Ti-in-zircon temperatures and zircon saturation thermometry suggest a magmatic origin from evolved and relatively cold melts (~ 700 °C). Moreover, the systematic variations in the ratios of highly incompatible elements, such as La/Sm (6.54–3.79) and Rb/Sr (0.32–0.10), and relatively narrow ranges in Zr/Hf (36.25–48.84) and147Sm/144Nd (0.0941–0.1261), suggest fractional crystallization as the main petrogenetic process involved in the formation of the COIC rocks. Whole-rock isotopic data suggest a magma source mixing juvenile material with older continental crust, as indicated by87Sr/86Sr(t= 40)ratios between 0.704583 and 0.707783,143Nd/144Nd(t= 40)ratios varying in the ranges of 0.512478–0.512702 (εNd(t= 40) = from + 2.18 to − 2.10), and TDM(Nd)ranging from 1.03 to 0.62 Ga. We conclude that the parental source of the COIC was derived from partial melting of the lower crust triggered by emplacement of an underplated magma at the base of the crust during the end of an orogenic cycle.
Porphyromonas gulae and PPAD antibodies are not related to citrullination in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Castellar-Mendoza Camilo , Castillo Diana Marcela , Chila-Moreno Lorena , Bautista-Molano Wilson , Romero-Sánchez Consuelo
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Porphyromonas gulae have the enzyme PPAD, as P. gingivalis, which is responsible for citrullination related to the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis; this implies the presence of two species of PPAD-producing bacteria in the mouth as well as the presence of citrullinated proteins. There are no previous reports or studies investigating an association between P. gulae PPAD in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Objective

To assess the presence of P. gulae and anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies of P. gulae PAD in patients with RA and their possible relationship with clinical activity markers.

Subjects and methods

A total of 95 patients with RA and 95 controls were included. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein, anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) and rheumatoid factor (RF) were measured. Activity index-28 (DAS28) and SCDAI. The periodontal diagnosis was established. Presence of P. gulae and P. gingivalis. An ELISA was used to determine antibodies against citrullinated peptides of P. gulae PAD.

Results

A P. gulae frequency of 15.8% was observed in the RA group and 9.5% in the control group. Higher levels of ACPA were found in the P. gulae-positive patients of the RA group, finding no significant difference, but if in patients positive for P. gingivalis with statistical significance (p = 0.0001). The frequency of anti-VDK-cit and anti-LPQ-cit9 antibodies to PPAD of P. gulae was higher in the RA group than in the control group without significant difference. No relationship was found with the clinical variables despite the presence of P. gulae and anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies of P. gulae PPAD in patients with RA

Conclusions

It was not possible to establish a connection with clinical variables in RA and P. gulae; as a result, the presence of P. gingivalis continues to contribute significantly to the increase in antibodies against citrullinated proteins/peptides from exogenous sources of citrullination in RA and periodontitis.
Surgical management of perianal fistula using an ovine forestomach matrix implant
Authors: Hsu A. , Schlidt K. , D’Adamo C. R. , Bosque B. A. , Dowling S. G. , Wolf J. H.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Invasive surgical management of cryptoglandular perianal fistulas (PF) is challenging because of high recurrence rates and the potential for injury to the sphincter complex. In the present technical note, we introduce a minimally invasive treatment for PF using a perianal fistula implant (PAFI) comprising ovine forestomach matrix (OFM).

Methods

This retrospective observational case series highlights 14 patients who had undergone a PAFI procedure at a single center between 2020 and 2023. During the procedure, previously deployed setons were removed and tracts were de-epithelialized with curettage. OFM was rehydrated, rolled, passed through the debrided tract, and secured in place at both openings with absorbable suture. Primary outcome was fistula healing at 8 weeks, and secondary outcomes included recurrence or postoperative adverse events.

Results

Fourteen patients underwent PAFI using OFM with a mean follow-up period of 37.6 ± 20.1 weeks. In follow-up, 64% (n = 9/14) had complete healing at 8 weeks and all remained healed, except one at last follow-up visit. Two patients underwent a second PAFI procedure and were healed with no recurrence at the last follow-up visit. Of all patients that healed during the study period (n = 11), the median time to healing was 3.6 (IQR 2.9–6.0) weeks. No postprocedural infections nor adverse events were noted.

Conclusions

The minimally invasive OFM-based PAFI technique for PF treatment was demonstrated to be a safe and feasible option for patients with trans-sphincteric PF of cryptoglandular origin.
Constituent-based quasi-linear viscoelasticity: a revised quasi-linear modelling framework to capture nonlinear viscoelasticity in arteries
Authors: Giudici Alessandro , van der Laan Koen W. F. , van der Bruggen Myrthe M. , Parikh Shaiv , Berends Eline , Foulquier Sébastien , Delhaas Tammo , Reesink Koen D. , Spronck Bart
Published: May 2023

Arteries exhibit fully nonlinear viscoelastic behaviours (i.e. both elastically and viscously nonlinear). While elastically nonlinear arterial models are well established, effective mathematical descriptions of nonlinear viscoelasticity are lacking. Quasi-linear viscoelasticity (QLV) offers a convenient way to mathematically describe viscoelasticity, but its viscous linearity assumption is unsuitable for whole-wall vascular applications. Conversely, application of fully nonlinear viscoelastic models, involving deformation-dependent viscous parameters, to experimental data is impractical and often reduces to identifying specific solutions for each tested loading condition. The present study aims to address this limitation: By applying QLV theory at the wall constituent rather than at the whole-wall level, the deformation-dependent relative contribution of the constituents allows to capture nonlinear viscoelasticity with a unique set of deformation-independent model parameters. Five murine common carotid arteries were subjected to a protocol of quasi-static and harmonic, pseudo-physiological biaxial loading conditions to characterise their viscoelastic behaviour. The arterial wall was modelled as a constrained mixture of an isotropic elastin matrix and four families of collagen fibres. Constituent-based QLV was implemented by assigning different relaxation functions to collagen- and elastin-borne parts of the wall stress. Nonlinearity in viscoelasticity was assessed via the pressure dependency of the dynamic-to-quasi-static stiffness ratio. The experimentally measured ratio increased with pressure, from 1.03 $$\pm$$
±
0.03 (mean $$\pm$$
±
standard deviation) at 80–40 mmHg to 1.58 $$\pm$$
±
0.22 at 160–120 mmHg. Constituent-based QLV captured well this trend by attributing the wall viscosity predominantly to collagen fibres, whose recruitment starts at physiological pressures. In conclusion, constituent-based QLV offers a practical and effective solution to model arterial viscoelasticity.
Simulating the entire rainfall-induced landslide process using the material point method for unsaturated soil with implicit and explicit formulations
Authors: Yamaguchi Yuya , Makinoshima Fumiyasu , Oishi Yusuke
Published: May 2023

Rainfall-induced landslides cause various types of damage, including damage to infrastructure, leading to devastating economic losses and human casualties. Although various numerical methods have been developed to predict landslide occurrence and the extent of sediment flow, three-dimensional analysis of the entire landslide process in a unified manner is still challenging owing to limitations in computational efficiency and the representation of deformation and flow. In this study, we present a numerical method of rainfall-induced landslides using the coupled hydromechanical material point method (MPM) for unsaturated porous media based on implicit and explicit formulations, which enables the efficient analysis of all rainfall-induced landslide processes, including both quasi-static and dynamic processes. The developed method includes an implicit MPM based on a simplified formulation, which is first applied to the quasi-static analysis in the pre-failure stages in which rainwater infiltrates the ground. The explicit MPM is then applied to the dynamic analysis for post-failure stages in which the ground collapses and flows. A constitutive law for soils is improved in the simulation of landslide initiation and sediment flow by incorporating the effect of cohesion in a visco-plastic model for granular materials. The proposed method was applied to a three-dimensional terrain model of Ashikita town, Kumamoto, Japan, where an actual landslide occurred owing to intense rainfall on July 3–4, 2020. Numerical results from the proposed hydromechanical coupling compared with single-phase MPM indicated that pore water plays an important role in understanding all rainfall-induced landslide processes, from landslide initiation to sediment discharge.
Impact of herbivory by Zerenopsis lepida (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) on the endangered Encephalartos eugene-maraisii under field conditions
Authors: Janse van Rensburg P. D. , Bezuidenhout H. , Van den Berg J.
Published: May 2023

Encephalartos eugene-maraisii is an endangered, endemic plant in the Waterberg Mountain range of South Africa. This is the first report of herbivory by Zerenopsis lepida (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) on natural populations of E. eugene-maraisii. The impact of herbivory by folivorous arthropods on this cycad species has not been studied before. This study aimed to determine the incidence and intensity of Z. lepida herbivory on E. eugene-maraisii under field conditions. Local plant dynamics were studied by recording the plant location, sex, size and phenological stage for each plant. Damage surveys were carried out over two consecutive seasons (2020–2021 and 2021–2022). Leaf damage was assessed on 227 plants comprising 692 stems. Approximately 40% of the stems had signs of leaf herbivory by Z. lepida and 10% of the total leaf area was removed by Z. lepida larvae. Less herbivory was recorded in areas where plants synchronously produced new leaf flushes compared to areas with asynchronous leaf flushes. Greater apparency of plants led to a greater incidence of herbivory and level of damage. Repeated damage to plants may delay future leaf and cone flushing events and contribute to the threat against this cycad species.
Seasonal and Station Effects Modelling to Extreme Temperature Data in South Africa
Authors: Diriba Tadele Akeba , Debusho Legesse Kassa
Published: May 2023

Extreme value theory has been widely applied to weather variables, and rigorous approaches have also been employed to investigate the seasonality and dependencies to extreme values of weather variables. To investigate the seasonal and station effects of daily maximum and minimum temperatures data, station and season specific effects model have been introduced in the parameters of general Pareto distribution. Then, the seasonality and station variations that are inherent in the data under consideration were assessed applying mainly the Bayesian approach. Non-informative and informative priors were used for estimation of the parameters. The seasonal and station effects parameters of the general Pareto distribution were estimated through the introduced models, allowing the sharing of information between stations and seasons. Simulation study was also carried out to investigate the precision of estimators for the GPD parameters with and without the effects, station and seasonal, to simulated data. The models employed improved precision of the station and seasonal effects parameter estimators at individual stations and in individual seasons. The study also depicted the significance of introducing seasonal and station variabilities when modelling extreme values using univariate method, which allows information to be pooled across stations and seasons. Results obtained in this study have essential scientific and practical applications. In an extreme temperature setting, designing a level without taking the station and seasonal effects into account could lead to significant under-protection. Hence, it is important to consider what is expected to be colder or warmer than usual by identifying the effects of stations and seasons in the analysis. This would benefit greatly local governments, researchers and farmers, which they can use to suggest adaptation and mitigation steps to improve resilience.
Global, Nordic, or institutional visions? An investigation into how Nordic universities are adapting to the SDGs
Authors: Stensaker Bjørn , Hermansen Hege
Published: May 2023

After their launch by the UN in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been seen as landmarks for global survival. Higher education has been given a key role in the implementation of the SDGs, and the current article investigates how a sample of Nordic higher education institutions have been adapting to the SDGs. Based on the assumption that some SDGs are closely linked to traditional Nordic values such as inclusion and equality, one could expect that higher education institutions in this region would find it easy to adopt (specific parts of) the SDGs. However, although such adaptation is detectable at some institutions, many institutions seem to adapt to the SDGs in more symbolic ways. The findings are discussed in relation to the impact of globalization on Nordic higher education, along with how and to what extent globalized ideas are translated into local contexts.
A Mission Planning Framework for Fleets of Connected UAVs
Authors: Silva Margarida , Reis André , Sargento Susana
Published: May 2023

Currently, several platforms offer solutions for the management and control of fleets of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), addressing a wide range of scenarios, each with its own particular set of objectives. Some of these solutions are mission planning platforms for broader usage, without aiming to solve a single scenario. However, these often either do not support multi-UAV collaboration or generate a static flight trajectory, which does not facilitate the coordination of a fleet of several UAVs in a mission that may need to adapt to the current environment. Through the development of a domain-specific language (DSL) - EasyMission - for UAV mission definition and control, we introduce a mission planning framework that makes it possible to describe mission plans that also enable the user to define adjustments and constraints that may have to be taken into account in real-time according to sensor readings or other events. This framework enables inexperienced users to design missions with low or moderate complexity levels, while still being a useful tool for advanced users due to its versatility in addressing multiple scenarios through a single platform. We show how the mission framework is able to easily define differentiated mission examples with distinct purposes and scenarios, and with real-time decisions and constraints.
Predicting High-Risk Gambling Based on the First Seven Days of Gambling Activity After Registration Using Account-Based Tracking Data
Authors: Auer Michael , Griffiths Mark D.
Published: May 2023

In recent years, several European regulators have introduced mandatory player tracking to identify potentially problematic online gambling. The present study’s aim was to investigate the possibility of predicting future high-risk gambling based on a short time window (i.e., the first seven days after the registration for an online gambling site). The authors were given access to a secondary dataset comprising 37,986 gamblers who registered at a European online gambling operator between January 1 and April 30, 2022. The study examined the association between gambling behavior during the first week after registration and high-risk gambling during the first 90 days after registration. A logistic regression model with high-risk gamblers (based on the first three months of gambling data after initial registration) as the dependent variable and age, gender, and the first week’s gambling behavior as independent variables explained 40% of the variance. Age, gender, and seven player tracking features from the first week after registration were significant. Machine learning models confirmed the high correlation between the first week of gambling and a high-risk classification during the first three months after registration. The most important features reported by a Random Forest and a Gradient Boost Machine model were the total amount of money deposited, the number of deposits, the amount of money lost, and the average number of deposits per session. The study showed that high-risk gambling during the first three months of a player’s lifetime can be predicted very early after registration. These findings suggest that gambling operators should initiate preventive measures (such as limit setting, mandatory play-breaks, personalized messaging) and monitor gambling behavior at a very early stage after a gambler’s initial registration.
The Association Between Adolescent Vaping and Subsequent Use of Other Substances and Risk Factors for Polysubstance Use
Authors: Salmon Samantha , Pappas Katerina V. , Taillieu Tamara L. , Stewart-Tufescu Ashley , Sareen Jitender , MacMillan Harriet L. , Tonmyr Lil , Brownell Marni , Nickel Nathan C. , Afifi Tracie O.
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Adolescent vaping has become a public health concern. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between adolescent vaping and subsequent use of other substances and risk factors for polysubstance use.

Methods

The Well-being and Experiences Study is a longitudinal, intergenerational study conducted in Manitoba, Canada. The sample for this study consisted of adolescents and emerging adults who participated in Waves 1 (N = 1,002; 2017-18; aged 14–17 years) and 2 (n = 756; 2019; aged 15–20 years). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed.

Results

Adolescent vaping was associated with continued use of alcohol, cannabis, and cigarettes (adjusted relative risk ratio [aRRR] range: 12.92–19.39), new onset use of cannabis (aRRR: 6.04) and cigarettes (aRRR: 3.66), and concurrent and simultaneous polysubstance use (aRRR range: 3.14–24.25). Several risk factors were identified for concurrently using three or four substances in the past year (aRRR range: 1.76–2.86) and simultaneously using alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine (aRRR range: 1.99–3.11). Among those who reported vaping nicotine at Wave 2, 33.6% of males and 24.2% of females reported doing so as a coping mechanism.

Conclusions

Adolescent vaping is a risk factor for subsequent use of other substances and polysubstance use. Efforts are needed to prevent vaping initiation and help adolescents with cessation. Strategies should include selective interventions for those with histories of childhood adversity and mental health disorder.
Chemical shift assignments of retinal guanylyl cyclase activating protein 5 (GCAP5) with a mutation (R22A) that abolishes dimerization and enhances cyclase activation
Authors: Cudia Diana , Ahoulou Effibe O. , Ames James B.
Published: May 2023

Retinal membrane guanylyl cyclases (RetGCs) in vertebrate rod and cone photoreceptors are activated by a family of neuronal Ca2+ sensor proteins called guanylyl cyclase activating proteins (GCAP1-7). GCAP5 from zebrafish photoreceptors binds to RetGC and confers Ca2+/Fe2+-dependent regulation of RetGC enzymatic activity that promotes the recovery phase of visual phototransduction. We report NMR chemical shift assignments of GCAP5 with a R22A mutation (called GCAP5R22A) that abolishes protein dimerization and activates RetGC with 3-fold higher activity than that of wild type GCAP5 (BMRB No. 51,783).
1H, 13C, 15N backbone chemical shift assignments of the extended ARID domain in human AT-rich interactive domain protein 5a (Arid5a)
Authors: von Ehr Julian , Korn Sophie Marianne , Weiß Lena , Schlundt Andreas
Published: May 2023

The family of AT-rich interactive domain (ARID) containing proteins -Arids- contains 15 members that have almost exclusively been described as DNA-binding proteins. Interestingly, a decade ago the family member Arid5a was found to bind and stabilize mRNAs of immune system key players and thereby account for driving inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. How exactly binding to DNA and RNA is coordinated by the Arid5a ARID domain remains unknown, mainly due to the lack of atom-resolved information on nucleic acid-binding. This in particular applies to the protein’s ARID domain, despite the comfortable size of its core unit for NMR-based investigations. Furthermore, the core domain of ARID domains is found to be extended by functionally relevant, often flexible stretches, but whether such elongations are present and crucial for the versatile Arid5a functions is unknown. We here provide a near-complete NMR backbone resonance assignment of the Arid5a ARID domain with N- and C-terminal extensions, which serves as a basis for further studies of its nucleic acid-binding preferences and targeted inhibition by means of NMR. Our data thus significantly contribute to unravelling mechanisms of Arid5a-mediated gene regulation and diseases.
Charting Directions for—and Challenges at Being Able to Undertake—Future Research on African Urban Sexualities
Authors: Tucker Andrew
Published: May 2023

The aim of this article is to summarise and draw out potential synergies across the contributions that preceded it to help chart potential future areas of research interest, and to acknowledge some of the persistent challenges that can hinder future research on the topic of African urban sexualities—and specifically non-heteronormative sexualities. As the second half of this article makes clear, it is vital that various challenges are acknowledged and hopefully addressed if the topic of African urban sexualities is to reach its fuller potential within the academy. First, however, I turn to the question of synergies and potential areas of future research interest.
Interpreting young children’s multiplicative strategies through their drawn representations
Authors: Cartwright Katherin
Published: May 2023

The exploration of children’s drawings as mathematical representations is a current focus in early years mathematics education research. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of 72 kindergarten to Grade 3 (5 to 8 years old) children’s drawings produced during problem-solving tasks centred on multiplicative strategies. Existing frameworks for the developmental sequence of mathematical drawings and the progression of children’s strategies for multiplicative situations were an interpretive lens through which to analyse the drawings. Children used pictographic and iconic drawing types to represent the “story” in the problem and the multiplicative strategies employed to solve the tasks. Exploration of the children’s drawings suggested that as children’s drawings become more structural, schematic in nature, it may be easier for children to show their understanding of the structural elements of multiplicative relationships. Results revealed that structural elements of multiplicative relationships were more easily seen in iconic representations; however, both pictographic and iconic drawings were useful to observe counting, additive, and multiplicative strategies when mathematical elements of the problem were visible. Additional representations attached to the drawings (e.g. numerical) were needed to confirm children’s strategies when their drawings lacked structure. These findings have implications for how young children’s drawings are interpreted by classroom teachers. The interpretation of these drawings suggested that some children may not yet realise how their drawings in mathematics need to shift from illustrations of the problem’s story context to representing mathematical ideas and processes — which requires intentional teaching of the purpose of drawings for mathematical contexts.
On Intuitionistic Fuzzy PMS-Ideals of a PMS-Algebra Under Homomorphism and Cartesian Product
Authors: Alaba Berhanu Assaye , Derseh Beza Lamesgin , Wondifraw Yohannes Gedamu
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we use the concept of an intuitionistic fuzzy set to PMS-ideals in PMS-algebras. We discuss the notion of intuitionistic fuzzy PMS-ideals under homomorphism and Cartesian product and investigate several related properties. The homomorphism of an intuitionistic fuzzy PMS-ideal of a PMS-algebra is studied, and its homomorphic image and inverse image are investigated. The Cartesian product of any two intuitionistic fuzzy PMS-ideals is discussed, and some related results are obtained. The Cartesian product of the intuitionistic fuzzy PMS-ideals is characterized in terms of their level sets. Finally, we discuss the concept of the strongest intuitionistic fuzzy relations on an intuitionistic fuzzy PMS-ideal of a PMS-algebra and investigate the relationships between the strongest intuitionistic fuzzy relations and the intuitionistic fuzzy PMS-ideals.
Las Obras en Verso del Príncipe de Esquilache
Authors: Jimenez-Belmonte Javier
Published: May 2023

Las Obras de Esquilache como pieza clave para la comprensión del papel del amateurismo aristocrático en la formación del campo literario barroco español.
Blood flow rates to leg bones of extinct birds indicate high levels of cursorial locomotion
Authors: Hu Qiaohui , Miller Case Vincent , Snelling Edward P. , Seymour Roger S.
Published: May 2023

Foramina of bones are beginning to yield more information about metabolic rates and activity levels of living and extinct species. This study investigates the relationship between estimated blood flow rate to the femur and body mass among cursorial birds extending back to the Late Cretaceous. Data from fossil foramina are compared with those of extant species, revealing similar scaling relationships for all cursorial birds and supporting crown bird–like terrestrial locomotor activity. Because the perfusion rate in long bones of birds is related to the metabolic cost of microfracture repair due to stresses applied during locomotion, as it is in mammals, this study estimates absolute blood flow rates from sizes of nutrient foramina located on the femur shafts. After differences in body mass and locomotor behaviors are accounted for, femoral bone blood flow rates in extinct species are similar to those of extant cursorial birds. Femoral robustness is generally greater in aquatic flightless birds than in terrestrial flightless and ground-dwelling flighted birds, suggesting that the morphology is shaped by life-history demands. Femoral robustness also increases in larger cursorial bird taxa, probably associated with their weight redistribution following evolutionary loss of the tail, which purportedly constrains femur length, aligns it more horizontally, and necessitates increased robustness in larger species.
The Politics of Media Format: Printing Poor Sarah During the Removal Crisis in Cherokee Nation
Authors: Hazard Sonia
Published: May 2023

Nineteenth-century Cherokee printers were media theorists who made political arguments through the materiality of Christian tracts. This article turns to the tract Poor Sarah as an illuminating example, especially because Cherokees published it in two editions in 1833 and 1843, affording a comparative analysis from before and after the tribe's forced removal from Cherokee Nation to Indian Territory. The material qualities of the two editions were strikingly different. Before removal, Cherokee printers emulated Anglo-Protestant prototypes in terms of dimensions, layout, and typography. The goal was to increase the likelihood of staying on their lands by winning white patrons and nudging Cherokee readers to see themselves as acculturated reading subjects. After removal, Cherokee printers rethought acculturation as a strategy. They redesigned Poor Sarah to turn away from white audiences and instead address the Cherokee community and its needs. Attention to the evolving materialities of Poor Sarah reveals Cherokee Christian printing as a key site of Indigenous media theory and part of Cherokee Nation's repertory of political action in response to US imperialism and settler colonialism.
Political Sociality in the Narrowing of Time: Hibat al-Din al-Shahrastani and the Late Ottoman Najafi Revival
Authors: Pursley Sara
Published: May 2023

This article explores the pre–World War I writings of the Najafi cleric Hibat al-Din al-Shahrastani (1884–1967), situating them within the broader Islamic revival movement, the Iranian Constitutional Revolution, the Arabic Nahda, and the Ottoman Shiʿi shrine cities in the years preceding the British invasion of Basra in 1914. It makes four arguments. First, al-Shahrastani's calls for constitutionalism, Islamic unity, revival, and the cultivation of the self were all attempts to respond to what he saw as the immediate and existential threat to his world posed by European imperial expansion. Second, he attempted in a variety of ways to mobilize what he called the Islamic social practices against this threat. Borrowing from his own theorization of these practices, I employ the concept of political sociality to gather his attempts to foster various social assemblages—of both newer and older provenance—that would cultivate Muslim subjects with the capacity to resist European aggression. Third, his conceptions of sociality and of political temporality, although often resonant with those of the more widely studied Sunni and Christian reformers of the Nahda, had specificities that I relate to his understandings of subject formation, the sense of impending calamity in his writings, and the borderlands context of the shrine cities. These conceptions were not necessarily affiliated with the nationalist and disciplinary project of the modern territorial state and were animated by a temporality of urgency rather than deferral. Finally, I consider how al-Shahrastani's theorizations of sociality and ultimately of revolution (al-thawra) reveal moments in the historical constitution of a reformist and soon-to-be insurgent Shiʿi public in these cities.