bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Making Social Work Education Relevant under a Popular Authoritarian Regime
Authors: Espenido Gil I. "Jake"
Published: October 2024

A most disappointing phenomenon under the regime of President Duterte was the glaring absence of the social work profession’s response in exposing and condemning the abuse of power committed by the whole government bureaucracy. Worse, at the early part of the war on drugs, the lead government agency, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), was instructed not to extend services to the families of the victims of the extrajudicial killings. In annual board review classes, B.S. in Social Work graduates profess admiration for Duterte’s authoritarian brand of leadership. They even justify their support though it runs counter to their social work ethical foundations and values. Duterte’s regime perverted the justice system; thoroughly mangled and distorted the human rights discourse and practice; and, had no respect for human dignity whereby drug addicts and pushers were not regarded as human beings. The social work curriculum should gradually include and integrate fundamental human rights principles as major content. The more than one hundred schools offering social work education should promote and operationalize the pedagogy of human rights in all social work courses. These efforts can be sustained by also building corps of social work educators who can be advocates and trainers in developing a pedagogy of human rights education in social work, both in the classroom and in field instruction. All these will contribute to the realization of social work as a human rights profession in the country.
Italian Social Workers as Agents of Change
Authors: Sanfelici Mara , Campanini Annamaria
Published: October 2024

This chapter focus on Italian social workers’ engagement in policy-shaping processes to advance social justice. The first section, after a brief historical contextualization of social work in Italy, discusses the available literature exploring social workers’ participation in the policy arena, as well as the first attempts of the National Council of Social Workers to give voice to critical analyses on laws and policies and to formulate proposals at the political level as a collective professional group. The second part focuses on the findings from the first national mixed-method study aimed at understanding the characteristics and the frequency of policy engagement of Italian social workers.

In particular, it examines the barriers limiting social workers’ policy practice in the field, as well as the factors that can allow social workers to overcome such barriers, pointing to possible transformations. The conclusion provides suggestions on how to strengthen policy practice competencies in social work education, as well as variables that can facilitate social workers’ involvement in the national and international policy arena.
The Social Media Paradox
Authors: Kajiita Robert Mutemi , Hendricks Eleanor A.
Published: October 2024

The core strength of social work practice is building social relationships among individuals, groups, communities, and families during the helping process. Traditionally, this has assumed a face-to-face interface. However, technological advancement in the 21st century has significantly influenced human-related services and interactions within the client systems. Thus, the proliferation of social media and digital platforms impacts various dimensions of social work practice. The use of social media for both professional and personal purposes in the context of social work practice attracts ethical and legal implications for societal and individual well-being. Therefore, social workers ought to recognize the threats, dangers, and benefits of digital technology and social media to their clients. For instance, social media facilitates reporting realities in communities and organizing lobbying and advocacy campaigns with minimal cost. However, some social media platforms are potential avenues for undermining the privacy, confidentiality, and human dignity of individuals, especially vulnerable ones. Against the benefits associated with technology in transformation communities, this phenomenon presents a developmental paradox on whether social media is a tool for promoting positive social change and expeditious service delivery or a platform for perpetuating social injustices. In this chapter, issues of social media ethics and how they may inform and impact the future of social work globally are critically discussed. The discussion is useful in informing social work policies and standards on the use of technology and social media tools to deliver services that promote human dignity and the well-being of individuals and communities.
A Life-Span Perspective on the Effects of Early-Life Adversity on Cognitive Aging
Authors: Manavbasi Ilber E. , Stine-Morrow Elizabeth A. L.
Published: October 2024

The effects of early-life adversity on cognition and school achievement during childhood and adolescence are well documented, as are the effects of early-life advantages (“reserve”) on cognitive aging, but less well documented are the long-term effects of early-life adversity on adult cognitive development. This chapter examines conceptual models of early-life adversity and mechanisms through which it may shape intellectual development through adulthood, and considers evidence for the long reach of adversity in impacting cognition into late life. It concludes that early-life adversity is not simply the absence of reserve and that adversity can influence adult cognitive development through multiple pathways, depending on the type of adversity, its timing, and the existence of moderating factors.
Punishment and Resources
Authors: White Mark D.
Published: October 2024

Philosophers of punishment have paid little attention to resource constraints, which have an undeniable impact on how various approaches to punishment work in the real world. It has fallen on economists, with their central focus on scarcity and opportunity cost, to analyze the resource demands of different philosophies of punishment. However, the utilitarian nature of mainstream economics limits the scope of economic theories of punishment to deterrence, which fits naturally into mathematical economic techniques, as opposed to retributivism, the principled nature of which resists quantification. This chapter explores the resource implications of punishment. It starts by identifying shortcomings of the economic analysis of deterrence, and then considers proposals from economists and legal scholars to incorporate resource constraints into retributivism, many of which introduce some degree of quantification or consequentialism. The rest of the chapter proposes an alternative choice procedure, based on the theory of judicial decision-making of Ronald Dworkin, which enables incommensurate principles and goals to be considered and balanced against each other, with resource constraints serving a secondary role in resolving conflicts. This way of including resource concerns into discussions of punishment emphasizes their importance while avoiding the reduction of all aspects of punishment to the terms of efficiency, which would distort their true nature and introduces unnecessary noise and inaccuracy to the analysis.
Byron in Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century Literature
Authors: Sandy Mark
Published: October 2024

This chapter explores how many twentieth- and twenty-first century poets and novelists self-consciously respond to Byron. The first and second sections focus, respectively, on twentieth-century poetic and prose responses to Byron. A darkly existential Byronic selfhood haunts W. B. Yeats’s poetic mythmaking and struggle for transcendence. By contrast, W. H. Auden’s Letter to Lord Byron (1937) celebrates the ingenuity of wit and accompanying mobility of self championed by Byron’s serio-comic poetry. Byronic questions about a self constantly in flux also inform the writings of Virginia Woolf and William Faulkner. The chapter’s final section summarizes late twentieth- and twenty-first century novelists’ reimaginings of Byron’s character, life, and legacy. Prompted by Caroline Lamb’s portrayal of Byron in Glenarvon (1816), writers ranging from Tim Powers to John Crawley have found Byron’s biography and literary legacy a source of inspiration for a diverse range of novels across an array of genres.
Byron’s Cosmopolitanism
Authors: Bowers Will
Published: October 2024

Throughout his career Byron is intent on considering what it is and what it takes to be cosmopolitan, but such considerations often give rise to cynicism about the notion of cosmopolitanism itself. Much of this cynicism comes from Byron’s worry about how an attempt to be a citizen of the world can be deemed genuine or authentic, which rests on a paradox between public and private truth: to be authentic is to be true to yourself, and yet the judgement as to whether someone’s cosmopolitanism is credible is usually public. The chapter is in three parts. It begins by establishing the facets of Byron’s cosmopolitanism, those tools he used to shape his attitude towards cultures. It then explores Byron’s cosmopolitan voices in the notes to his poems. The final part of this chapter presents a close reading of a section of the greatest product of Byron’s cosmopolitanism, Don Juan. With Juan near the end of his stay on an idyllic Greek island, Byron meditates on what it means to ‘ “do at Rome as Romans do” ’ (DJ, III, 84).
Examples of Diachronic Decay of Vowel Harmony
Authors: Nikulin Andrey
Published: October 2024

This chapter is concerned with specific cases of diachronical decay of vowel harmony. In total, 18 varieties belonging to 7 language families (Indo-European, Turkic, Chukotko-Kamchatkan, Uralic, Japonic, Kawapanan, and Sumerian) are surveyed. In each case, vowel harmony is shown to have been diachronically affected by processes such as sound change involving trigger vowels, sound change involving target vowels, reduction of harmony domain, analogical generalization of counter-harmonic allomorphs of affixes, and language contact (by means of horizontal transmission of disharmonic vocabulary). In some cases, this results in a complete loss of vowel harmony, while in others harmony survives only in a very restricted set of items, or persists in a different form—for example, as a static condition on morpheme structure.
Vowel Harmony in Chukotko-Kamchatkan Languages
Authors: Kenstowicz Michael J.
Published: October 2024

This chapter reviews the literature on dominant–recessive vowel harmony (VH) in the Chukotko-Kamchatkan languages with a focus on its distinctive typological characteristics in the better-documented Chukchi and Koryak, where it remains largely productive. The canonical five vowels split into stable (dominant) {a,o} versus alternating (recessive) {i,u} that lower to {e,o} in the presence of a dominant vowel. The remaining {e} presents considerable analytic indeterminacy, sometimes alternating with {a} like a recessive vowel and sometimes triggering the harmonic change like a dominant vowel. Dialectal divergences raise questions of whether dominant–recessive {e} is distinguished phonetically or is the site of a historical merger. The largely epenthetic schwa presents a similar dominant–recessive contrast. The harmonic change can be triggered by a dominant vowel located in a stem or affix (prefix or suffix); it operates bidirectionally and can create long harmonic spans in these agglutinative languages.
Vowel Harmony in Australian Languages
Authors: Pensalfini Rob
Published: October 2024

Vowel alternations are not a widespread phenomenon among Australian languages. Canonical vowel harmony, the iterative spreading of vowel features within a word, is reliably reported for only three Australian languages, which are unrelated and geographically removed from one another. These are discussed in some detail, in particular Jingulu’s unusual harmony in which affixes trigger iterative raising in roots, alongside the more common, though still somewhat unusual, local alterations which affect a single vowel at the edge of specific morphemes in the presence of specific triggers. While some descriptions have called this latter sort ‘vowel harmony,’ the current loose consensus among Australianists is that these are better characterized as ‘assimilation.’
Kant on Consciousness and Self-Consciousness
Authors: Boyle Matthew
Published: October 2024

Kant’s views on the nature and importance of self-consciousness have been extensively discussed, but his remarks about the nature of consciousness have received less attention. The present essay argues that a sound understanding of the latter topic is a precondition for making sense of Kant’s claims about self-consciousness, and that an understanding of the relation between these two topics is crucial to an appreciation of what is distinctive in his theory of cognition. Questions addressed include: why cognition requires consciousness, whether non-rational animals have consciousness, how the unity of consciousness is related to the capacity for apperception, and how Kant’s views on consciousness bear on contemporary debates about the nature and function of consciousness.
Constitutionalizing Platform Governance
Authors: Tambini Damian
Published: October 2024

This chapter proposes a normative framework for understanding the value of digital constitutionalism in a democracy. In contrast with other accounts of digital constitutionalism that are concerned with the power of private actors such as intermediaries and their impact on fundamental rights more generally, the focus of this chapter is on how public and private governance of communication platforms impacts public opinion and the implications of these processes and institutions for democratic legitimacy. It examines contemporary EU developments including the code of conduct on disinformation, the Digital Services Act, and the Media Freedom Act as examples of co-regulatory ‘regulation by design’ and ‘duty of care’ governance. After discussing the legitimacy deficit of such governance tools, it outlines constitutionalism as a normative theory to guide digital governance and institution building in Europe.
Work and Power in Digitally Mediated Capitalism
Authors: Adams Zoe
Published: October 2024

This chapter draws on theories of ‘digital constitutionalism’ to explore and critique the institutional framework that has evolved to mediate the exercise of power in the context of an increasingly digitally mediated world of work, a world in which practices of algorithmic management are becoming increasingly wide-spread, and the use of digital technologies to organize, control, and monitor, work and working processes, extremely common. Criticizing the liberal approach to digital constitutionalism and its application in the context of labour law regulation, the chapter goes on to develop a Marxian inspired ‘societal’ model of digital constitutionalism, and explores the scope for such an approach to shape our ‘digital constitution’ today.
Digital Constitutionalism and Consumer Protection
Authors: van de Kerkhof Jacob , Goanta Catalina
Published: October 2024

Digital constitutionalism has traditionally focused on limiting private power in the digital realm in a constitutionalist manner, focusing on the public role platforms fulfil. However, the New Social Media is characterized by increased commercialization of the digital realm through content monetization structures. In light of the commercial nature of the digital realm, it makes sense to turn to consumer protection in the search for digital constitutionalism. Consumer protection has a track record of limiting private power through mandatory limitations in the freedom of contract, and a strong enforcing power regarding private entities, which is relatively absent in fundamental rights law. In levelling the power imbalance between consumer and platform, consumer protection law fits the paradigm of digital constitutionalism well. Aside from its enforcing power, consumer protection law has gained recognition as a fundamental right in Article 38 of the Charter for Fundamental Rights of the European Union, underlining its normative importance. Such recognition reflects the central role the European Union has given to consumer protection in its law and policy. This chapter investigates the role consumer protection law can take in the search for digital constitutionalism, proposing that consumer protection law can lead to a new facet of digital constitutionalism: ‘commercial constitutionalism’.
Using social media to communicate competence, ordinariness, and authenticity in political leadership
Authors: Middleton Alia , Randall Nick
Published: October 2024

Understanding how political leaders use social media during election campaigns is a growing area of research, with existing literature focussing on single-election examinations of platform usage (Smith 2021). This paper instead conducts a longitudinal examination of political leadership on Twitter/X at the 2015, 2017, and 2019 UK general elections, focussing on the different ways in which leaders portray their competence, ordinariness, and authenticity. In analysing 2,694 posts during the short campaign period by the various leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, and the Scottish National Party, enables the examination of both changing social media behaviours and individual constructions of leadership under the same party label.
Local roots and rebellion: Constituency connections and legislative behaviour of British MPs, 2010–21
Authors: Reuter Christin , Stolz Klaus
Published: October 2024

This study explores the relationship between the local roots of Westminster MPs and parliamentary party discipline, a central principle of the British system of responsible party government. While recently the local base of MPs has attracted increasing academic attention, only little effort has been put into investigating how this might influence the political behaviour of parliamentarians. In order to do so, this study utilizes a comprehensive database on the local base of British parliamentarians, which includes data on all Westminster MPs from 2010 to 2021, supplemented with information on parliamentary dissent. Contrary to theoretical assumptions and existing international studies, localness is shown to have no positive influence on MPs propensity for parliamentary rebellion. This suggests that the increasing recruitment of local candidates does not challenge the traditional functionality of the responsible party system of government, yet nor should localness be seen as a panacea for the perceived representational deficits of British democracy.
A posteriori Russellian physicalism: a new solution to the meta-problem of consciousness
Authors: Botin Marcelino
Published: October 2024

The meta-problem of consciousness is the problem of explaining why we believe that there is a hard problem of consciousness. A solution to the former promises to take us one step closer to solving the latter. While many hope for a physicalist realist solution to the meta-problem, I argue that the two prominent physicalist realist positions in the literature, orthodox Russellian and type-B physicalism, cannot deliver a solution. I then introduce a posteriori Russellian physicalism, a Russellian version of the phenomenal concept strategy, and show that it can overcome the difficulties of traditional Russellian and type-B physicalism. If successful, the paper shows that physicalists need not turn to illusionism because the prospects for a physicalist realist answer to the meta-problem are bright.
Liquidity and the strategic value of information
Authors: Kadan Ohad , Manela Asaf
Published: October 2024

In Kyle (1985), the ratio of fundamental variance to price impact measures the value of information to a monopolist strategic informed investor. We show that this same statistic provides an approximation for the value of information in a more general setting with multiple differentially informed investors, and estimate it using high-frequency stocks data. We find that the value of information rises during crises. The value of information is higher for large, growth, and momentum stocks. Its most dramatic spikes occur at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and the financial crisis of 2008, when the Fed announces liquidity facilities.
Interracial and Interethnic Marriages: Given Recent History, Have Things Been Getting Better?
Authors: Woolley Michael E , Greif Geoffrey L , Stubbs Victoria D
Published: October 2024

Interracial and interethnic marriages have been increasing in the United States, growing from 7.4 percent in 2000 to 10.2 percent by 2016. Given the growing number of such marriages, more research is needed to inform social work practice, policy, and programming to effectively serve these couples, and their multiracial families. The current research reports on findings from a 2022 survey of 413 partners in interracial or interethnic marriages. Respondents were asked whether over the past five years they felt things have been getting better, about the same, or worse for intermarried couples in our society. Predictive of feeling things had been getting better included reporting support from extended family, living in a community with a number of multiracial and/or multiethnic families, intentionally seeking out social groups or settings with other interracial/interethnic couples, and having children. A few variables predicted feeling things have been about the same or getting worse. These included being male, the couple discussing recent racially related traumatic events such as the murder of George Floyd, and reporting being more frequently consciously aware of the interracial or interethnic nature of their marriage. Implications for practice with interracial and interethnic couples are discussed.
Early clubfoot recurrence can lead to more frequent and earlier second recurrences
Authors: Schaibley Claire , Torres-Izquierdo Beltran , Hosseinzadeh Pooya
Published: October 2024

The frequency of multiple clubfoot recurrences following Ponseti casting and the effect on final outcomes have not been well studied. This study aims to evaluate the effect of early recurrence (during the first 2 years) on the timing and rate of subsequent recurrences. A retrospective review was conducted of children treated with Ponseti casting at a single institution from 2002 to 2023 with minimum follow-up until age 5. Patients who required comprehensive soft tissue surgery to obtain initial correction were excluded. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System data were collected when available. A total of 86 patients were included; 69.8% (60) had idiopathic clubfoot. Average follow-up was 5.8 years. Early recurrence (recurrence before age 2) occurred in 26.7% (23). The rate of late recurrence (recurrence after age 2) was higher in the early recurrence group, 73.9% (17) vs. 39.7% (25), P = 0.005. Survival analysis revealed that patients with early recurrence experience late recurrence at a younger age of 3.9 vs. 6.7 years, P ≤ 0.001. The early recurrence group experienced more frequent recurrences, with a median of 3 [interquartile range (IQR): 1–5] total recurrences vs. 0 (IQR: 0–1), P ≤ 0.001. Patients with early recurrence had lower final mobility scores, 40.83 ± 10.88 vs. 48.00 ± 10.60, P = 0.029. In conclusion, this study suggests that early clubfoot recurrence leads to more frequent subsequent recurrence and earlier second recurrence. Patients with early recurrence had comparatively lower outcome scores, primarily due to multiple recurrences. Care providers could use this knowledge to educate parents about the natural history of recurrent clubfeet and emphasize the importance of brace compliance and routine monitoring.
Postmenopausal dyspareunia
Authors: Streicher Lauren
Published: October 2024

Dyspareunia in the postmenopausal woman is often multifactorial and requires a thorough history, a targeted physical examination, and coordination of multiple disciplines, including medical professionals, pelvic floor physical therapists, and sex therapists. Although we have come a long way since early assessments of painful sex, evaluation and treatment of dyspareunia remain an unmet need. This is particularly true in postmenopausal women in whom it is commonly assumed that pain with penetrative sex is solely a consequence of atrophy.
ASSESSMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOFTWARE FOR AUTOMATIC SCREENING OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY BASED ON FUNDUS PHOTOGRAPHS IN MELANODERM SUBJECTS
Authors: Mbaye Soda , Aw Aïssatou , Sy El Hadji Malick , Ka Aly Mbara , Diagne Jean Pierre , Diallo Hawo Madina , Samra Audrey , Ndiaye Papa Amadou
Published: October 2024

Purpose:

To assess the Gaiha Prio Retino +™ Artificial Intelligence (AI) software for detecting diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods:

This prospective study was conducted from March 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022, in the Ophthalmology Department of the Abass NDAO Hospital (Dakar, Senegal). The clinical classification of DR was based on American Academy of Ophthalmology. The clinical results were compared with those obtained from the automated reading of retinophotos taken using Gaiha Prio Retino +™, a software designed to detect DR.

Results:

The study covered 305 eyes. Referable DR was observed in 104 eyes by the ophthalmologist and in 96 eyes by AI, corresponding with a sensitivity of 92.31%, a specificity of 99%, and an area under the curve of 0.989. Vision-threatening DR was detected in 102 eyes by the ophthalmologist and in 94 eyes by AI, with a corresponding sensitivity of 92.16%, specificity of 99.01%, and an area under the curve of 0.975. Maculopathy was identified in 93 eyes by the ophthalmologist and in 89 eyes by AI, with a corresponding sensitivity of 95.7%, specificity of 97.17%, and an area under the curve of 0.988.

Conclusion:

Considering these results, the authors may conclude that Gaiha Prio Retino +™ is an effective tool for screening referable DR.
Defining the urology nurse practitioner in Australia and New Zealand: A Delphi study
Authors: Quallich Susanne , Cuthbertson-Chin Adam , Crowe Helen
Published: October 2024

Background:

Nurse practitioners with roles in specialty environments face challenges including uncertain role expectations and achieve urology expertise with on-the-job training, mentoring, and independent study. This creates a wide variety of preparation and role descriptions.

Purpose:

This study employed Delphi methodology to identify essential components of the urology nurse practitioner (NP) role in Australia and New Zealand, representing an inaugural description of the role.

Methodology:

This Delphi study was completed in two rounds. Participants were a nonrandom panel of experts with experience as a full-time urology NP.

Results:

A definition for the urology NP in Australia and New Zealand is proposed: “The urology nurse practitioner uses critical thinking, complex decision-making, clinical reasoning, advanced assessment skills and clinical expertise, offering acute and chronic care to individuals needing urologic health care, including office-based urology procedures as appropriate. This care is provided in an environment of autonomous practice, with a basis of graduate education and relevant specialty clinical experience, and this practice can extend across health care settings and serve as a model to the wider NP profession.”

Conclusions:

Outpatient urology procedures were ranked highly and deemed integral to the Urology NP role. This may reflect the declining number of urologists and efforts to maintain urology access for local populations. Professional roles of the NP were given less weight by participants.

Implications:

The project offers a contemporary definition of the urology NP role that can be offered to educators and other stakeholders as the role continues to evolve in Australia and New Zealand.
Platelet-rich plasma applications in the larynx: snake oil or stupendous?
Authors: Mackay Georgia , Allen Jacqui
Published: October 2024

Purpose of review

To explore and summarize recent work examining the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) applications for vocal fold disorder.

Recent findings

Intrachordal PRP injections have recently emerged as a treatment option for patients with damage to the lamina propria of the vocal fold (scar, atrophy, sulcus and inflammatory lesions). Studies support significant improvements in patient-reported and clinician-reported outcomes, and objective phonatory parameters. PRP demonstrates a good safety profile, absence of immune reactions, affordable cost model and improvement in mucosal wave features with resultant improved voice quality up to 12 months following treatment.

PRP injection of the vocal folds is a novel repurposing of a previously validated technique, and emerging data shows consistent results across multiple centres, increasing confidence in use of this freely available material. Current published studies confirm improved voice outcomes compared with pretreatment measures and high patient satisfaction. Further research is required to properly assign the role of and ideal candidate for PRP applications, and to delineate durability of treatment.
Toward Equity in Global Access to SoHO-based Therapies: Recommendations for Action
Authors: Martin Dominique E. , Van Assche Kristof , Cervantes Lilia , Forsythe John L. R. , Muller Thomas , Perez-Blanco Alicia , Trias Esteve , Bengochea Milka , Capron Alexander M. , Fadhil Riadh A.S. , Forsberg Anna , Gracious Noble , Herson Marisa R. , Kazancioğlu Rumeyza , Noel Luc , Padilla Benita , Lopez-Fraga Marta
Published: October 2024

Therapies derived from substances of human origin (SoHOs) such as organs, cells, and tissues provide life-saving or life-changing treatment for millions of people worldwide each year. However, many people lack timely access to SoHO-based therapies because of insufficient supplies of these exceptional health resources and/or broader barriers in access to healthcare. Despite well-established governmental commitments to promote health equity in general and equity of access to SoHOs in particular, information about inequities in access to most SoHO-based therapies is scarce. Furthermore, the issue of equitable allocation of SoHO-based therapies has received little attention from policymakers and ethicists, except in the context of organ allocation for transplantation. Consequently, the extent and nature of potential inequities within and between countries are largely unknown, and few sources of guidance are available to support progress toward equity in global access to SoHO-based therapies. We present here the findings of an international ethics working group convened in preparation for the 2023 Global Summit on Convergence in Transplantation, organized in Santander, Spain. The group sought to assess potential gaps in knowledge about inequities involving SoHO-based therapies, to elucidate systemic factors that may influence access to these therapies, and to consider how policies and frameworks governing access to and allocation of SoHO-based therapies may promote equity when it is necessary to define boundaries in access because of insufficiency of supply. In discussing these challenges, we also outline several recommendations for action by governments and health authorities.
Developing and Expanding Deceased Organ Donation to Its Maximum Therapeutic Potential: An Actionable Global Challenge From the 2023 Santander Summit
Authors: Gardiner Dale , McGee Andrew , Kareem Al Obaidli Ali Abdul , Cooper Matthew , Lentine Krista L. , Miñambres Eduardo , Nagral Sanjay , Opdam Helen , Procaccio Francesco , Shemie Sam D. , Spiro Michael , Torres Martín , Thomson David , Waterman Amy D. , Domínguez-Gil Beatriz , Delmonico Francis L.
Published: October 2024

On November 9 and 10, 2023, the Organización Nacional de Trasplantes (ONT), under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, convened in Santander a Global Summit entitled “Towards Global Convergence in Transplantation: Sufficiency, Transparency and Oversight.” This article summarizes two distinct but related challenges elaborated at the Santander Summit by Working Group 2 that must be overcome if we are to develop and expand deceased donation worldwide and achieve the goal of self-sufficiency in organ donation and transplantation. Challenge 1: the need for a unified concept of death based on the permanent cessation of brain function. Working group 2 proposed that challenge 1 requires the global community to work toward a uniform, worldwide definition of human death, conceptually unifying circulatory and neurological criteria of death around the cessation of brain function and accepting that permanent cessation of brain function is a valid criterion to determine death. Challenge 2: reducing disparities in deceased donation and increasing organ utilization through donation after the circulatory determination of death (DCDD). Working group 2 proposed that challenge 2 requires the global community to work toward increasing organ utilization through DCDD, expanding DCDD through in situ normothermic regional perfusion, and expanding DCDD through ex situ machine organ perfusion technology. Recommendations for implementation are described.
Receiver response to high-intensity courtship differs with courter status in spotted bowerbirds
Ptilonorhynchus maculatus
Authors: Spezie Giovanni , Mann Dan C. , Knoester Job , MacGillavry Thomas , Fusani Leonida
Published: October 2024

Understanding sexual communication requires assessing the behaviour of both the sender and the receiver. Receiver responses to sexual displays carry relevant information, but such signals or cues may be subtle and therefore technically challenging to investigate. Here, we focus on receiver body movements in response to high-intensity courtship in spotted bowerbirds (
Ptilonorhynchus maculatus
). Male bowerbirds perform a vigorous courtship choreography on dedicated display structures—bowers. Bower owners tolerate other non-territorial males at their bowers, yet the courtship displays of these so-called ‘subordinate’ males rarely result in successful copulations. Males that display at high intensity are preferred by females in this species, yet excessively aggressive displays may be threatening, hence scaring prospective mates away. In this study, we hypothesized that bower owners are better able to exhibit high-intensity movements without startling their audience compared with subordinate males. To address this question, we used a combination of behavioural coding and AI-based tracking of body movements, which allows precise spatial and temporal resolution for the study of subtle behavioural responses. Contrary to our predictions, we found that bower owners evoked stronger startle responses than subordinate males. We discuss these unexpected results and suggest further experimental approaches for future investigations.
Equilibrium configurations of two-dimensional bubbles in a channel:
N
-bubble case
Authors: Torres-Ulloa C. , Grassia P. , Hernández-Montelongo J.
Published: October 2024

Two-dimensional liquid foam systems comprised of an odd number

N

of bubbles arranged in a staircase configuration are studied as they are packed within a confined straight channel. Energy minimization is employed to characterize the permitted topology and geometry of the system at equilibrium. It is known that in an infinite staircase, bubble films are flat. The configuration for a finite number of bubbles, however, deviates from that of an infinite staircase at the edges. It is known that films near the edges are not flat and structures with a few bubbles (up to

N
=
3

) are well characterized. To study what happens as more bubbles are added, and how the behaviour approaches that of an infinite staircase, structures comprised of

N
=
[
5
,
7
,
…
]

bubbles are studied here. For these

N

values, minimum and maximum bubble areas are found that can pack in a staircase configuration within a straight channel. However, for an infinite staircase and also for

N
=
3

, there are maximum areas, but no minima. Staircases with very short films, which make the structure susceptible to break in various ways, are also identified.
Energy allocation theory for bacterial growth control in and out of steady state
Authors: Cylke Arianna , Serbanescu Diana , Banerjee Shiladitya
Published: October 2024

Efficient allocation of energy resources to key physiological functions allows living organisms to grow and thrive in diverse environments and adapt to a wide range of perturbations. To quantitatively understand how unicellular organisms utilize their energy resources in response to changes in growth environment, we introduce a theory of dynamic energy allocation that describes cellular growth dynamics by partitioning metabolizable energy into key physiological functions: growth, division, cell shape regulation, energy storage and loss through dissipation. By optimizing the energy flux for growth, we develop the equations governing the time evolution of cell morphology and growth rate in diverse environments. The resulting model accurately captures experimentally observed dependencies of bacterial cell size on growth rate, superlinear scaling of metabolic rate with cell size and predicts nutrient-dependent trade-offs between energy expended for growth, division and shape maintenance. By calibrating model parameters with experimental data for the model organism
Escherichia coli
, our model describes bacterial growth control in dynamic conditions, particularly during nutrient shifts and osmotic shocks. Integrating both the mechanical properties of the cell and underlying biochemical regulation, our model predicts the driving factors behind a wide range of observed morphological and growth phenomena with minimal added complexity.
The disruption of birds’ double mutualistic interactions in novel ecosystems
Authors: Nereu Mauro , Silva Joaquim S. , Timóteo Sérgio
Published: October 2024

Non-native trees disrupt ecological processes vital to native plant communities. We studied how forests dominated by
Acacia dealbata
and
Eucalyptus globulus
affect the role of birds as dual pollinators and seed dispersers in a region heavily impacted by these two non-native species. We compared bird–plant interactions in the native and in the two non-native forest types. We constructed a multilayer regional network for each forest type and evaluated differences in network dissimilarity between networks. We also calculated the bird’s importance in connecting processes and variables associated with module diversity. To determine how the networks react to changes in species richness, we did a simulation of species richness gradient and link percentage for each forest type. The number of birds acting both as pollinators and seed dispersers was higher in native than in non-native forests. However, birds in non-native forests still play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological services provided to native plant communities. However, the eucalyptus network exhibited a concerning simplification, forcing bird species to fully exploit the few remaining resources, leaving little room for structural adjustments and limiting the ecosystem’s ability to withstand further species loss. These findings highlight how non-native trees may trigger cascading effects across trophic levels.
Approximation to the phylogenetic position and morphological variability of Levanderina fissa in Acapulco Bay, with observations on diatom feeding behavior
Authors: Hernández Márquez Sinuhé , Zamudio-Resendiz María Eugenia , Nuñez-Resendiz María Luisa , Calvillo Ana Karen Balboa , Dreckmann Kurt Martin , Márquez-Valdelamar Laura Margarita , Sentíes Abel
Published: October 2024

Levanderina fissa, a globally distributed mixotrophic dinoflagellate, is known for its ability to photosynthesize and phagocytize microorganisms. This study aims to approximate the phylogenetic position and explore the morphological variability of L. fissa in Acapulco Bay, Mexico, while providing observations on its diatom feeding behavior. Phylogenetic analysis based on 28S and 18S ribosomal DNA sequences suggests the existence of a monophyletic group within the Gymnodiniales, though with low phylogenetic resolution, indicating potential cryptic species within the genus. Morphological analysis reveals variability that may be influenced by regional environmental factors. Observations on diatom ingestion provide further, albeit limited, insights into the mixotrophic behavior of L. fissa. These findings emphasize the need for further research to better understand the species' ecological role and phylogenetic position, particularly concerning its feeding strategies in tropical ecosystems.
On the analysis of functional PET (fPET)-FDG: baseline mischaracterization can introduce artifactual metabolic (de)activations
Authors: Coursey Sean E. , Mandeville Joseph , Reed Murray B. , Hartung Grant A. , Garimella Arun , Sari Hasan , Lanzenberger Rupert , Price Julie C. , Polimeni Jonathan R. , Greve Douglas N. , Hahn Andreas , Chen Jingyuan E.
Published: October 2024

Functional Positron Emission Tomography (fPET) with (bolus plus) constant infusion of [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose FDG), known as fPET-FDG, is a recently introduced technique in human neuroimaging, enabling the detection of dynamic glucose metabolism changes within a single scan. However, the statistical analysis of fPET-FDG data remains challenging because its signal and noise characteristics differ from both classic bolus-administration FDG PET and from functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), which together compose the primary sources of inspiration for analytical methods used by fPET-FDG researchers. In this study, we present an investigate of how inaccuracies in modeling baseline FDG uptake can introduce artifactual patterns to detrended TAC residuals, potentially introducing spurious (de)activations to general linear model (GLM) analyses. By combining simulations and empirical data from both constant infusion and bolus-plus-constant infusion protocols, we evaluate the effects of various baseline modeling methods, including polynomial detrending, regression against the global mean time-activity curve, and two analytical methods based on tissue compartment model kinetics. Our findings indicate that improper baseline removal can introduce statistically significant artifactual effects, although these effects characterized in this study (~2-8%) are generally smaller than those reported by previous literature employing robust sensory stimulation (~10-30%). We discuss potential strategies to mitigate this issue, including informed baseline modeling, optimized tracer administration protocols, and careful experimental design. These insights aim to enhance the reliability of fPET-FDG in capturing true metabolic dynamics in neuroimaging research.
Does Unfairness Evoke Anger or Disgust? A Quantitative Neurofunctional Dissection Based on 25 Years of Neuroimaging
Authors: Gan Xianyang , Zhang Ran , Zheng Zihao , Wang Lan , Yang Xi , Klugah-Brown Benjamin , Xu Ting , Qiu Nan , Kendrick Keith M , Mathiak Klaus , Tiwald Justin , Yao Dezhong , Becker Benjamin
Published: October 2024

Over the last decades, the traditional ‘Homo economicus’ model has been increasingly challenged by convergent evidence underscoring the impact of emotions on decision-making. A classic example is the perception of unfairness operationalized in the Ultimatum Game where humans readily sacrifice personal gains to punish those who violate fairness norms. While the emotional mechanism underlying costly punishments has been widely acknowledged, the distinct contributions of moral emotions (anger or disgust) remain debated, partly due to methodological limitations of the conventional experiments. Here, we capitalize on a quantitative neurofunctional dissection approach by combining recent developments in neuroimaging meta-analyses, behavioral-level, network-level, and neurochemical-level decoding and data from 3,266 participants from functional neuroimaging studies to determine the common and distinct neural representations between unfairness and the two moral emotions. Experience of unfairness engaged a widespread bilateral network encompassing insular, cingulate, and frontal regions, with dorsal striatal regions mediating the decision to reject unfair offers. Disgust engaged a defensive-avoidance circuit encompassing amygdalar, occipital, and frontal regions, while anger engaged non-overlapping systems including mid-cingulate, thalamic, and frontal regions. Unfairness and anger or disgust respectively commonly engaged the anterior and mid-insula, while the latter additionally showed common recruitment of ventrolateral prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices. Multimodal network, behavioral, and serotonergic decoding provided a more granular and convincing dissection of these results. Findings indicate a shared neuroaffective basis underlying the impact of emotions on unfairness-induced punishment behavior and suggest a common brain circuit has been evolutionarily shaped to protect individuals from personal harm and enforce societal norms.
Cytoplasmic accumulation of a splice variant of hnRNPA2/B1 contributes to FUS-associated toxicity in a mouse model of ALS
Authors: Rossi S. , Milani M. , Della Valle I. , Bisegna S. , Durante V. , Addesse M. , D’Avorio E. , Di Salvio M. , Serafino A. , Cestra G. , Apolloni S. , D’Ambrosi N. , Cozzolino M.
Published: October 2024

Genetic and experimental findings point to a crucial role of RNA dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Evidence suggests that mutations in RBPs such as FUS, a gene associated with ALS, affect the regulation of alternative splicing. We have previously shown that the overexpression of wild-type FUS in mice, a condition that induces ALS-like phenotypes, impacts the splicing of hnRNP A2/B1, a protein with key roles in RNA metabolism, suggesting that a pathological connection between FUS and hnRNP A2/B1 might promote FUS-associated toxicity. Here we report that the expression and distribution of different hnRNP A2/B1 splice variants are modified in the affected tissues of mice overexpressing wild-type FUS. Notably, degenerating motor neurons are characterized by the cytoplasmic accumulation of splice variants of hnRNP A2/B1 lacking exon 9 (hnRNP A2b/B1b).In vitrostudies show that exon 9 skipping affects the nucleocytoplasmic distribution of hnRNP A2/B1, promoting its localization into stress granules (SGs), and demonstrate that cytoplasmic localization is the primary driver of hnRNP A2b recruitment into SGs and cell toxicity. Finally, boosting exon 9 skipping using splicing switching oligonucleotides exacerbates disease phenotypes in wild-type FUS mice. Altogether, these findings reveal that alterations of the nucleocytoplasmic distribution of hnRNP A2/B1, driven by FUS-induced splicing changes, likely contribute to motor neuron degeneration in ALS.
Subject Instructions for Improved Characterization of Auditory Representations Using Reverse Correlation
Authors: Gezae Gidey W. , Barnett Nelson V. , Parrell Benjamin , Chari Divya A. , Lammert Adam C.
Published: October 2024

Reverse Correlation (RC) is an established method for reconstructing auditory representations, that has recently emerged as a tool for characterizing the sounds experienced by tinnitus patients. Toward further optimizing RC for auditory research, the present work investigated the influence of subject instructions on characterization quality of tinnitus-like sounds. A validation study was conducted in which eighteen normal-hearing subjects were randomly assigned one of three candidate instruction sets, each inspired by the RC literature. Results show a significant effect of instruction set on characterization quality, and reveal that instructing subjects to detect a hidden signal in the RC stimuli resulted the best reconstruction.