bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AAV-Mediated Delivery of Plakophilin-2a Arrests Progression of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy in Murine Hearts: Preclinical Evidence Supporting Gene Therapy in Humans
Authors: van Opbergen Chantal J.M. , Narayanan Bitha , Sacramento Chester B. , Stiles Katie M. , Mishra Vartika , Frenk Esther , Ricks David , Chen Grace , Zhang Mingliang , Yarabe Paul , Schwartz Jonathan , Delmar Mario , Herzog Chris D. , Cerrone Marina
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND:

Pathogenic variants in PKP2 (plakophilin-2) cause arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a disease characterized by life-threatening arrhythmias and progressive cardiomyopathy leading to heart failure. No effective medical therapy is available to prevent or arrest the disease. We tested the hypothesis that adeno-associated virus vector–mediated delivery of the human
PKP2
gene to an adult mammalian heart deficient in PKP2 can arrest disease progression and significantly prolong survival.

METHODS:

Experiments were performed using a PKP2-cKO (cardiac-specific, tamoxifen-activated PKP2 knockout murine model). The potential therapeutic, adeno-associated virus vector of serotype rh.74 (AAVrh.74)-PKP2a (PKP2 variant A; RP-A601) is a recombinant AAVrh.74 gene therapy viral vector encoding the human PKP2 variant A. AAVrh.74-PKP2a was delivered to adult mice by a single tail vein injection either before or after tamoxifen-activated PKP2-cKO. PKP2 expression was confirmed by molecular and histopathologic analyses. Cardiac function and disease progression were monitored by survival analyses, echocardiography, and electrocardiography.

RESULTS:

Consistent with prior findings, loss of PKP2 expression caused 100% mortality within 50 days after tamoxifen injection. In contrast, AAVrh.74-PKP2a–mediated PKP2a expression resulted in 100% survival for >5 months (at study termination). Echocardiographic analysis revealed that AAVrh.74-PKP2a prevented right ventricle dilation, arrested left ventricle functional decline, and mitigated arrhythmia burden. Molecular and histological analyses showed AAVrh.74-PKP2a–mediated transgene mRNA and protein expression and appropriate PKP2 localization at the cardiomyocyte intercalated disc. Importantly, the therapeutic benefit was shown in mice receiving AAVrh.74-PKP2a after disease onset.

CONCLUSIONS:

These preclinical data demonstrate the potential for AAVrh.74-PKP2a (RP-A601) as a therapeutic for PKP2-related arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in both early and more advanced stages of the disease.
Effects of Habituation on Spatiotemporal Gait Measures in Younger Adults
Authors: Padilla Alejandra S. , Toepfer Max , Peer Alex , Ponto Kevin , Pickett Kristen A. , Mason Andrea H.
Published: January 2024

Virtual reality (VR) has potential benefits for training and rehabilitation (Lei et al., 2019; Rutkowski et al., 2020). In some instances, understanding how performance in VR relates to performance in the real world is a necessary step in building effective environments. This study was designed to determine whether gait in VR changes over time (adaptation), and whether it approaches natural environment performance over time (habituation). Nineteen young adults walked over a gait mat in a real hallway for five minutes and a virtual hallway for three 10-minute blocks. Results indicated that gait was significantly different in the natural environment compared to the first five minutes of immersion (p < 0.05). Group averages also demonstrated that after 10–15 minutes of immersion, there was no statistical difference between the virtual and natural environments across any of the gait measures (p > 0.05). However, individual differences in gait behavior were also evident. While some participants matched performance between virtual and natural environments by the end of the 30-minute session, others did not. These findings provide evidence that individuals adapt differently to motor tasks in VR and suggest that when gait is required in VR, the environment may need to be tailored to the individual to achieve desired outcomes.
Attic Black-Glazed Plates from Olbia Pontica
Authors: Chechulina Iryna
Published: January 2024

Attic black-glazed ware is undoubtedly a common material in the Northern Black Sea region. The majority of such finds can provide information for a profound understanding of ancient materials. Together with pottery decoration, the morphology of forms not only allows to determine the most correct dating for the particular ware, but also to identify dates for closed archaeological complexes and larger objects. For instance, specific types of pottery decoration, such as particular motifs or styles, can contribute to the dating process. This article presents the analysis of a specific group of glossed pottery – plates – covering roughly the time from the late Archaic to the Hellenistic period. Multiform plates and bowls were one of the most popular types of the black-glazed pottery.
The unranked infrageneric names validly published in Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae) by Alwin Berger in 930 revisited, with publication of five names at the rank of section and one at the rank of subgenus
Authors: SMITH GIDEON F.
Published: January 2024

Names at the rank of section are here published for five of the nine unranked infrageneric names that were validly published in Kalanchoe by Alwin Berger in 1930. These are: [1] K. sect. Scapigerae; [2] K. sect. Linearifoliae; [3] K. sect. Socotranae; [4] K. sect. Integrifoliae; and [5] K. sect. Pumilae. These five section names have the corresponding unranked infrageneric names of Berger (1930) as basionyms. For two of Berger’s nine validly published unranked names, [6] K. sect. Stellatopilosae and [7] K. sect. Trichanthae, names had already been validly published at the rank of section, in 2020 and 2023, respectively, with these also having been based on the corresponding two unranked infrageneric names of Berger. For a further one, a new name at the rank of section, [8] K. sect. Raveta, was validly published in 2022. For [9] K. [infragen. unranked] Pubescentes the new status of K. subg. Pubescentes is published. The 10th (and final) unranked name, “K. [infragen. unranked] Crenatae”, of Berger (1930) was not validly published because it included the type of the genus Kalanchoe, and did not repeat the genus name unaltered as its epithet.
Revision of the genus Apterodela Rivalier, 1950 (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae)
Authors: MATALIN ANDREY V. , WIESNER JÜRGEN , XIONG XINXIN , ARAKI TAKASHI
Published: January 2024

A revision of the genus Apterodela Rivalier, 1950 is presented. The new subgenus Protoapterodela subgen. nov. with Apterodela shirakii (W. Horn, 1927) as its type species is established. The lectotype and the paralectotype of Cicindela ovipennis Bates, 1883 and Cicindela shirakii W. Horn, 1927 as well as the neotype of Cicindela lobipennis Bates, 1888 are designated. Apterodela (s. str.) bivirgulata (Fairmaire, 1889), stat. rest. is extracted from the synonym of Apterodela (s. str.) lobipennis (Bates, 1888) and is considered as a separate species. Two new species and one new subspecies from China are described as well: Apterodela (s. str.) alopecomma sp. nov.—from Sichuan Province, Apterodela (s. str.) latissima sp. nov.—from Yunnan Province, and Apterodela (s. str.) bivirgulata occidentalis ssp. nov.—from Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi, Sichuan Provinces, and Inner Mongolia Autonomus Region. A key to identifying the species of the genus Apterodela is provided, and its taxonomic status is examined.
Description of a new leafhopper species of the genus Sophonia Walker (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Evacanthinae) from China
Authors: GOU GUANGLI , XING JICHUN
Published: January 2024

A new leafhopper species Sophonia furcata sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Sichuan Province, China. A key is given to distinguish all Chinese species of the genus. The type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (GUGC).
2. Classical Music has a Diversity Problem
Authors: Farnsworth Brandon
Published: January 2024

This chapter gives an overview of a recent profusion of statistics on classical music repertoire, performers, and education from across several countries showing how success is overwhelmingly coded as cis-male, white, middle class and European. It argues that improving the inclusivity and equality of classical music conflicts with closely held beliefs in meritocracy and high musical quality, and suggests that explorations of its existing contexts and infrastructures could offer avenues of engagement that better align with contemporary values of inclusivity and equality. To avoid engaging in a politics of visibility that ignores deeper unjust structures, the chapter closes by arguing that creating statistics to make visible inequalities must be the beginning, not the end, of revealing deeper unjust structures collectively and undermining the categories on which statistics are built in the first place.
3. Roundtable 2: Documenting Change
Authors: Smith Neil Thomas
Published: January 2024

This chapter considers three recent sets of best-practice guidelines that address urgent areas requiring change within the UK classical music sector and beyond: the way that organisations work with composers; the representation of women at all levels of the music industry; and the way organisations work with neurodiverse artists and participants. Each document seeks to crystallise practical steps that organisations can take to begin bringing about change in these areas. At the same time, the documents themselves become vital parts of the efforts to make change happen. The authors describe both the contents and the goals of their documents, as well as the way in which they were created. The aim is to provide a practical insight for people who may wish to create or use such guidelines, but also to critically assess the role of such documents in processes of change
5. The Voice Party
Authors: Lixenberg Lore
Published: January 2024

In 2017 I launched a new political party, The Voice Party. This chapter, taking the structure of a polemical party political broadcast, explores the emergence of The Voice Party, as a political movement conceptualised as a participatory opera. Standing in the UK election of 2019, The Voice Party challenged conventional political structures by advocating for the central role of music in daily life and proposing the governance of society based on the laws of pure sound and music. By examining the activities and events surrounding The Voice Party's involvement in this particular UK general election, this chapter aims to provide an overview of The Voice Party manifesto points and their implications.

Drawing inspiration from the Deleuzian notion of 'Assemblage,' which emphasizes fluidity and connectivity, a future is envisioned, where musical performance intertwines with and shapes the fabric of society, rather than existing as a separate entity apart from it. It also investigates strategies for achieving this vision, considering how participatory musical principles can be integrated into political frameworks. This chapter aims to broaden the discourse on the intersection of arts and politics, prompting a reevaluation of traditional political engagement methods inviting readers to reimagine the potential outcomes that arise from placing music at the centre of political decision-making, utilising the transformative power of participatory opera in redefining political participation and fostering a re-evaluation of democratic systems.
6. Becoming a Classical Musician of the Future
Authors: Pitts Stephanie , Burland Karen , Spurgin Tom
Published: January 2024

This chapter draws upon 26 survey responses and four interviews with musicians from our two partner orchestras, in which the musicians reflect on their training and the extent to which this prepared them for professional orchestral playing. These exploratory findings raise questions about the role of conservatoires in supporting or inhibiting innovation in the profession, highlight the challenges of work-life balance that were altered by the pandemic, and show how musicians themselves can be agents for change. The second half of the chapter will report on a conversation between musicians and directors at the two orchestras, in which they respond to the findings and help set the agenda for future research and innovation. Little research has so far focused on the impact of innovation in classical music on performers’ experience and wellbeing, or upon the resultant changes that might be needed in conservatoire and university music education to equip performers for this new age (Burland & Bennett, 2022). In our collaboration between the Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC), Manchester Collective and the Philharmonia Orchestra, we are raising questions about how performers in heritage and alternative classical music organisations are adapting to changing circumstances.
11. The Environmental Sustainability of Symphony Orchestras
Authors: Skovbon Stine
Published: January 2024

This chapter will be concerned with the importance of sustainability for classical music orchestras by addressing opportunities for symphony orchestras to become more sustainable, and indicating how enhancing environmental sustainability can be advantageous at the levels of both the individual orchestras and the classical music sector as a whole.

The chapter begins with an overview of the conditions in which symphony orchestras find themselves. The UN sustainable development goals are used as an example illustrating the general consensus that it is of great importance for organizations to engage in sustainable initiatives and why there seems to be an urgent need for increasing the environmental awareness within the classical music sector. The chapter continues with a brief overview of the factors that contribute most to the environmental impact of symphony orchestras, and then move on to discuss relevant initiatives developed by nonprofit charity organizations such as the UK-based Julie’s Bicycle, which offer useful suggestions for the music sector to reduce their environmental footprint. Finally, it is argued that prioritizing sustainable practices within symphony orchestras can serve as a means to safeguarding the future of classical music by making sure the values and endeavours of the sector regarding sustainability are in line with the goals set to address the ecological challenges for society as a whole.
15. Monsieur Croche
Authors: Walker Tal
Published: January 2024

This chapter is a case study of the concert series, Monsieur Croche (Antwerp). Founded in 2017, the concert series brings French music to its audience in an approachable and engaging way. The series’ performances take place in unconventional concert venues such as art galleries, museums, and cathedrals. The small venue and the proximity to the artists, make the events intimate and exclusive - at eye level with our audience. The venue itself is rich with art and provides a creative environment. Each concert is one-of-a-kind, as it tells the story of one specific composer. Monsieur Croche did not survive four seasons without any challenges regarding institutional barriers, finance, and instrument and audience logistics. These will be the focus of the chapter to provide a model that others can emulate. Bringing classical music to the audience in an approachable, engaging, and interdisciplinary way is the Monsieur Croche vision. It fosters awareness, inclusion, and interaction, believing that these are key elements in keeping classical music alive and relevant today.
16. Strategies of Proximity
Authors: Uhde Folkert , Gögl Hans-Joachim
Published: January 2024

Since 2015, the two authors have been developing exceptional event concepts for, among others, the Montforter Zwischentöne festival, which they founded in Feldkirch, Austria, in the state of Vorarlberg. While it is clear that classical, new, improvised music and jazz invariably play a role at this festival with relatively traditional concert formats, there are moments when such forms of music are not the main focal point but support the exploration of other themes. Music may provide the impetus for dealing with a particular social or political issue, but it can also provide a resonating space for the spoken word. Such themes arise when dealing with the specific region in which the events take place and can stem from politics or regional development, touch on aspects of personal development, or address societal challenges. This chapter describes the authors‘ approaches to a new curatorial attitude in their event conception as ‘strategies of proximity‘. The authors also provide practical case studies from their work in Austria to accompany the theory offered in this text.
19. Ghosts of the Hidden Layer
Authors: Walshe Jennifer
Published: January 2024

This chapter will be a wide-ranging discussion of composer Jennifer Walshe’s interactions with AI, covering various projects including her acclaimed CD ‘A Late Anthology of Early Music Vol. 1’. This will be an edited version of a talk given at the Darmstadt Summer Courses in 2018 and is the fullest explication of this leading artist’s vision for how music can engage with AI, particularly in terms of language and the voice. The full text is available at: http://milker.org/ghosts-of-the-hidden-layer
Glacial Abrupt Climate Change as a Multiscale Phenomenon Resulting from Monostable Excitable Dynamics
Authors: Riechers Keno , Gottwald Georg , Boers Niklas
Published: January 2024

Paleoclimate proxies reveal abrupt transitions of the North Atlantic climate during past glacial intervals known as Dansgaard–Oeschger (DO) events. A central feature of DO events is a sudden warming of about 10°C in Greenland marking the beginning relatively mild phases termed interstadials. These exhibit gradual cooling over several hundred to a few thousand years until a final abrupt decline brings the temperatures back to cold stadial levels. As of now, the exact mechanism behind this millennial-scale variability remains inconclusive. Here, we propose an excitable model to explain Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles, where interstadials occur as noise-induced state-space excursions. Our model comprises the mutual multiscale interactions between four dynamical variables representing Arctic atmospheric temperatures, Nordic seas’ temperatures and sea ice cover, and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. The model’s atmosphere–ocean heat flux is moderated by the sea ice, which in turn is subject to large perturbations dynamically generated by fast-evolving intermittent noise. If supercritical, perturbations trigger interstadial-like state-space excursions during which all four model variables undergo qualitative changes that consistently resemble the signature of interstadials in corresponding proxy records. As a physical intermittent process generating the noise, we propose convective events in the ocean or atmospheric blocking events. Our model accurately reproduces the DO cycle shape, return times, and the dependence of the interstadial and stadial durations on the background conditions. In contrast with the prevailing understanding that DO variability is based on bistability in the underlying dynamics, we show that multiscale, monostable excitable dynamics provides a promising alternative to explain millennial-scale climate variability associated with DO events.

Significance Statement

Recent research has highlighted the risk that some Earth system components might undergo abrupt and qualitative change in response to global warming. Proxy records provide evidence for past abrupt climatic changes fundamentally proving the possibility for highly nonlinear state transitions in the climate system. Understanding the dynamics that drove past changes of this kind may help to assess the risk of future tipping events. Here, we propose a new mechanism for the repeated sudden warming events over Greenland that punctuated the last glacial’s climate and reproduce the warmer interstadial intervals drawing on a multiscale, excitable conceptual climate model. Therein, the warmer intervals appear as state-space excursions following stochastic supercritical excitations caused by non-Gaussian noise, which is dynamically generated via fast intermittent dynamics.
Prediction of Diverse Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation in the GFDL SPEAR Model
Authors: Xiang Baoqiang , Wang Bin , Chen Guosen , Delworth Thomas L.
Published: January 2024

Boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) is a primary source of predictability for summertime weather and climate on the subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) time scale. Using the GFDL SPEAR S2S prediction system, we evaluate the BSISO prediction skills based on 20-yr (2000–19) hindcast experiments with initializations from May to October. It is revealed that the overall BSISO prediction skill using all hindcasts reaches out to 22 days as measured by BSISO indices before the bivariate anomalous correlation coefficient (ACC) drops below 0.5. Results also show that the northeastward-propagating canonical BSISO (CB) event has a higher prediction skill than the northward dipole BSISO (DB) event (28 vs 23 days). This is attributed to CB’s more periodic nature, resulting in its longer persistence, while DB events are more episodic accompanied by a rapid demise after reaching maximum enhanced convection over the equatorial Indian Ocean. From a forecaster’s perspective, a precursory strong Kelvin wave component in the equatorial western Pacific signifies the subsequent development of a CB event, which is likely more predictable. Investigation of individual CB events shows a large interevent spread in terms of their prediction skills. For CB, the events with weaker and fluctuating amplitude during their lifetime have relatively lower prediction skills likely linked to their weaker convection–circulation coupling. Interestingly, the prediction skills of individual CB events tend to be relatively higher and less scattered during late summer (August–October) than those in early summer (May–July), suggestive of the seasonal modulation on the evolution and predictability of BSISO.

Significance Statement

The advance of subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) prediction largely depends on dynamical models’ ability to predict some major intrinsic modes in the climate system, including the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO). Using a newly developed S2S prediction system, we thoroughly evaluated its performance in predicting BSISO, and revealed the skill dependence on the BSISO propagation diversity. Here we provide physical explanations of what influences the BSISO predictions and identify different precursory signals for two types of BSISO, which have important implications for operational forecasts.
Regional Comparison of Performance between EnKF and EnOI in the North Pacific
Authors: Lee Seung-Tae , Cho Yang-Ki , Jung Jihun , Choi Byoung-Ju , Kim Young-Ho , Kim Sangil
Published: January 2024

The North Pacific is divided into different regions based on ocean currents and sea surface temperature (SST) distribution. Data assimilation is a useful tool for generating accurate ocean estimates because of the limited availability of observational data. This study compared the performances of two data assimilation methods, ensemble optimal interpolation (EnOI) and ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), in various North Pacific subregions using an ocean model configured with the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). Both methods assimilated spaceborne SST observations, and the simulation results varied by subregion. The study found that EnKF and EnOI methods performed better than the control model in all regions when compared against satellite SST. EnOI reproduced SST as well as EnKF and required fewer computational resources. However, EnOI performed worse than the control model at sea surface height (SSH) in the equatorial region, while EnKF’s performance improved. This was due to the crushed mean state in the EnOI, which used long-term historical data as an ensemble member. El Niño–Southern Oscillation at the equator drove substantial interannual variability that crushed the ensemble mean of SSH in the EnOI. It is crucial to use a suitable assimilation method for the target area, considering the regional properties of ocean variables. Otherwise, the performance of the assimilated model may be even worse than that of the control model. While EnKF is better suited for regions with high variability in ocean variables, EnOI requires fewer computational resources. Thus, it is crucial to use a suitable assimilation method for accurately predicting and understanding the dynamics of the North Pacific.
Extreme Weather Events and Expected Parental Roles in Bangladesh and Beyond: A Review of Literature
Authors: Atiqul Haq Shah Md , Arno Arnika Tabassum , Aziz Lalin Shamim Al , Ahmed Mufti Nadimul Quamar
Published: January 2024

Extreme weather events (EWEs) linked to climate change are expected to increase in frequency in the coming years, putting the entire world in danger. Parents exert a significant influence on the lives of their children and the overall function of the family unit. However, natural disasters have a significant impact on daily life and pose an immediate danger, resulting in loss of life, injuries, and property damage. In addition, disasters can also have an impact on the responsibilities that parents play in their house. This study examines the evolving dynamics of parental roles in the context of EWEs, examining the shifting expectations and actual realities of fatherhood and motherhood. The study examines the various effects of EWEs on family structures, gender roles, and parental obligations by conducting a comprehensive review of 30 relevant articles. Our findings indicate that in severe weather conditions, men tend to adopt the position of “father” and are perceived as heroic figures, rescuers, and guardians/protectors who prioritize the well-being of their children and families, as well as take on financial obligations. On the other hand, women are often viewed as caregivers/rescuers/victims during such conditions. Moreover, in many countries, women are expected to care for other family members, including younger children and the elderly, which may limit their mobility during severe weather. Extreme weather conditions affect men and women differently, and there may also be significant differences in gender-related expectations and dimensions within a country. It is therefore essential to thoroughly study how these roles change in response to extreme weather events. We recommend conducting additional rigorous studies, both quantitative and qualitative, to comprehensively examine this relationship. This study will aid in designing initiatives aimed at fostering parenting attributes, particularly in regions susceptible to disasters.
Cyber and contentious politics: Evidence from the US radical environmental movement
Authors: Zeitzoff Thomas , Gold Grace
Published: January 2024

Much of the focus of cyber conflict has been on interstate conflict. This article focuses on two interrelated questions in the important but neglected area of cyber contentious politics. First, how does the public feel about the use of different eco tactics including cyber-based tactics carried out by activists involved in the radical environmental movement, a movement that uses protest and sabotage in service of environmental causes? Second, how do anti-technology sentiment and concerns about climate change influence support for different eco tactics? To answer these questions, we conduct a survey and survey experiment on a nationally diverse sample of Americans. We find that Americans are less supportive of certain eco tactics, particularly those that involve property destruction or physical sabotage compared to cyber-based tactics. We further show that anti-technology sentiment and perceived threat from climate change are correlated with increased support for eco direct actions. Using a survey experiment we show that cyber direct actions that result in sabotage are viewed as more acceptable than kinetic actions even though they both result in the same level of destruction. Finally, we include qualitative data from interviews with activists to better understand the strategy and role that new technology and tactics play in the broader radical environmental movement.
Learning with Leaders: Taking care of self and others: Melvin Brown
Authors: Lane James F.
Published: January 2024

Melvin J. Brown, superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools in Alabama, talks with PDK CEO James Lane about the importance of self-care and networks of support in times of crisis. He shares how he has prioritized listening to the community to develop a vision for his district and build programs that students are interested in so that all students can achieve their goals.
A hospital-wide group approach to promote open dialogues of workplace issues and staff wellbeing with Schwartz Rounds
Authors: Leung Kelvin CY , Lele Kiran , Peisah Carmelle
Published: January 2024

Objectives

This study aims to explore the feasibility and impact of Schwartz Rounds® led by psychiatrists/mental health professionals in an urban Australian public hospital setting and to develop strategies for optimising participants’ experiences.

Methods

Being a mixed-methods study collecting qualitative and quantitative data through post-Rounds evaluation surveys, this study thematically analysed responses from 105 participants attending four consecutive monthly Rounds between February and May 2023 to assess the perceived benefits and challenges of Schwartz Rounds.

Results

Respondents highly valued the Rounds and felt cared for by the healthcare organisation. Themes related to perceived benefits included (i) Connectedness and shared experience; (ii) Understanding other professionals; (iii) Normalisation of emotional distress, validation and a safe space for vulnerability; and (iv) Fostering authenticity and humanitarian aspects of healthcare. Challenges included (i) Fear of exposure and judgment; (ii) Emotional discomfort; (iii) Unfamiliarity with reflection; and (iv) Safety concerns.

Conclusions

This study suggests acceptability and feasibility of implementing Schwartz Rounds within an Australian public health setting, particularly when facilitated by skilled mental health professionals. The outcomes provide preliminary support for the use of group interventions to enhance staff collegiality and culture in healthcare settings, thereby addressing critical needs for health professional wellbeing.
Street-Based Social Work Praxis: An “Un-Manual” for Advancing Human Rights and Identifying Social Safety Net Failures With Youth of Color Experiencing Poverty
Authors: Tyson McCrea Katherine , Miller Kevin M. , Watson Heather , Moore Amzie , Guthrie Deanna , Malazarte Nicole , Miller Enneseca , Jenkins Gabriel , Lane Diana
Published: January 2024

Street-based social work responds to the “social disaster” of U.S. youth of color experiencing poverty who fall through the cracks of existing social safety nets. Drawing from 17 years of feedback from youth clients about street-based service provision in university–community partnerships, the flexible street-based model uses several trauma-focused, strengths-based, and humanistic modalities to provide youth with a positive childhood experience and support their self-determination, undergirded by a culturally sensitive accompaniment approach. Street-based social work can be a transitional justice, human rights–based counterforce to mass criminalization of youth of color by supporting their efforts at redress. As a translational science approach, street-based social work yields knowledge about social safety net failures, how policies can be improved, and effective scaling of evidence-based interventions.
Monoclonal Antibody Infusions for Outpatient Management of Mild-Moderate COVID-19
Authors: Knox Hannah B. , Dykes Lisa A. , Scott Lancer A. , Presley Bradley C. , Lambert Lara C.
Published: January 2024

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rapid, exponential increase in hospitalizations and morbidity/mortality. In November 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) permitting administration of the first monoclonal antibodies (mAb) for outpatient treatment of COVID-19. Early data showed a reduction in COVID-19-related hospitalizations with few adverse events. However, since these treatments are only authorized under an EUA, real-world data are minimal.

Objective:

To assess efficacy and safety of mAbs in a veteran population.

Methods:

This retrospective study analyzed veterans at the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Health Care System with mild-moderate COVID-19 and screened for mAb eligibility between December 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021. The primary outcome was hospitalizations and/or emergency department (ED) visits within 30 days. Secondary outcomes included 30-day mortality and post-COVID-19 conditions. Adverse events were also evaluated. Outcomes were compared between mAb-treated patients and eligible veterans who were not treated.

Results:

There were 296 and 275 veterans in the mAb and control groups, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found for the primary outcome overall (25.7% vs 25.1%; P = 0.87), nor for COVID-19-related return visits or hospitalizations (13.9% v. 16%; P = 0.4). However, the mAb group had more return ED visits ( P = 0.35), and the control group had significantly more hospitalizations ( P = 0.02). Vaccinated veterans who received an mAb had fewer return visits and hospitalizations ( P = 0.01). More mAb-treated veterans experienced post-COVID-19 conditions. No difference in mortality was found. Four nonsevere adverse events occurred after the mAb therapy.

Conclusion and relevance:

Overall, the mAbs appeared safe and effective. Sicker, higher-risk mAb-treated veterans faired similarly to less-sick, high-risk veterans not treated. Those who were vaccinated seemed to benefit the most from mAb therapy. Future prospective studies with more matched groups are needed to assess full benefits and risks of mAbs shown to neutralize the predominant variants.
ClustML: A measure of cluster pattern complexity in scatterplots learnt from human-labeled groupings
Authors: Hamza Mostafa M , Ullah Ehsan , Baggag Abdelkader , Bensmail Halima , Sedlmair Michael , Aupetit Michael
Published: January 2024

Visual quality measures (VQMs) are designed to support analysts by automatically detecting and quantifying patterns in visualizations. We propose a new VQM for visual grouping patterns in scatterplots, called ClustML, which is trained on previously collected human subject judgments. Our model encodes scatterplots in the parametric space of a Gaussian Mixture Model and uses a classifier trained on human judgment data to estimate the perceptual complexity of grouping patterns. The numbers of initial mixture components and final combined groups quantify visual cluster patterns in scatterplots. It improves on existing VQMs, first, by better estimating human judgments on two-Gaussian cluster patterns and, second, by giving higher accuracy when ranking general cluster patterns in scatterplots. We use it to analyze kinship data for genome-wide association studies, in which experts rely on the visual analysis of large sets of scatterplots. We make the benchmark datasets and the new VQM available for practical use and further improvements.
Wage heterogeneity in the graduate market: Industry and public-private differences in Chile
Authors: Didier Nicolas
Published: January 2024

Lifelong education has proven to be a significant challenge in the policy arena. The combination of formal education and labor-centered institutions has pressed the development of different mechanisms to understand the role of human capital accumulation in socioeconomic mobility and organizational performance. While the narratives of lifelong education have primed labor and educational studies across developed economies, in the case of developing economies, those logics appear contested by development economics conditions. In this paper, I use the context of the expansion of the graduate educational market and its policy reforms to analyze how a developing economy copes with a change in the availability of a highly educated workforce. Using panel and pseudo-panel data, I examine the evolution of educational returns for the graduate workforce in Chile between 1990 and 2018, considering the differences between industries and public and private sectors. The results point out that there are no public-private differences and high heterogeneity across economic sectors. The policy- and individual-level consequences are discussed.
Domestic Violence Against Women in Nepal: A Systematic Review of Risk Factors
Authors: Sapkota Bindu Devkota , Simkhada Padam , Newton Dillon , Parker Sara
Published: January 2024

A systematic review was conducted to examine the factors that put women at risk of domestic violence in Nepal. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), PubMed, Cochrane, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched supplemented by searching of the reference list manually. Of the 143 studies identified 24 were included in the final review. Search strategy was developed, and studies were included if they considered female participants (age 15–49 years) in heterosexual relationship, with exposure of different factors and whose outcomes were the magnitude of any form of violence (physical, sexual, and emotional/psychological). The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess the quality of the studies included. The findings are categorized based on the four levels of the ecological framework. At the individual level, the alcohol consumption level of husband, education level of both women and men, women’s age at the time of marriage and childhood exposure to violence were found to be highly prevalent risk factors. At the relationship level, most prevalent risk factors were controlling husband and decision-making capacity of women. At the community level, belonging to underprivileged community or low caste system and living in Terai region were the risk factors. At the societal level, patriarchal belief and norms supporting violence were the risk factors. The complex nature of violence against women in Nepal requires culturally sensitive interventions along with organized efforts from the local and intra government to improve the status of Nepalese women at all levels of the ecological framework.
Incidence, Prevalence, and Outcomes of Hand Manifestations in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus: A Comprehensive Literature Review
Authors: Knoedler Thomas G. , Gaertner Aidan P. , Wilkinson Paul J. , Neil Salvapongse A.
Published: January 2024

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that results in long-term hyperglycemia. Among the many long-term complications associated with diabetes, manifestations in the hand include Dupuytren’s contracture, trigger finger, compressive neuropathies, and infections. These conditions can have a profound impact on a patient’s quality of life, highlighting the importance of timely recognition and treatment of these manifestations. This review aims to provide updated information regarding the incidence and outcomes of these clinical manifestations in the diabetic versus nondiabetic population. A systematic review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist was performed. The literature search included the use of PubMed and Ovid databases to find relevant articles that were then selected based on an inclusion criterion that required level 4 evidence. Diabetes mellitus results in an increased incidence of Dupuytren’s contracture, trigger finger, carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, and hand infections. Dupuytren’s, trigger finger, and carpal tunnel syndrome all had similar outcomes, while diabetic patients had worse outcomes related to infections. There was a lack of data regarding the effect of diabetes on cubital tunnel syndrome. Future studies should be performed to analyze the effects of diabetes mellitus on hand manifestations, particularly regarding the outcomes of diabetic patients with cubital tunnel syndrome.
Real time estimation of vertical jump height with a markerless motion capture smartphone app: A proof-of-concept case study
Authors: Balsalobre-Fernández Carlos
Published: January 2024

The aim of the present proof-of-concept case study was to explore the potential of a novel technology using artificial intelligence techniques to measure countermovement jump height (CMJ-h) in real time. Four hundred jumps were recorded from a single male participant over a period of 24 consecutive weeks, while CMJ-h was simultaneously registered with a force plate and a newly developed version of the My Jump Lab iOS app that used computer vision to measure CMJ-h in real time with the iPhone camera. A very high correlation ( r = 0.971, 95% CI = 0.963–0.975) and large agreement (ICC = 0.969, 95% CI = 0.963–0.975) were observed between measurements. Statistically significant, large differences were observed between instruments (mean absolute difference = 0.06 ± 0.01 m, d = 4.4, p < 0.001). However, when using the regression equation between devices to correct the app’s raw data ( R2 = 0.94, y  =  1.0004x  –  0.0641), non-significant, trivial differences were observed (mean absolute difference = 0.01 ± 0.008 m, d = 0.1, p = 1.000). Collectively, the findings of this study highlight the potential of this novel artificial intelligence app for the measurement of CMJ-h in real time. However, considering the nature of this investigation, more research is needed to confirm the results observed in a wider population.
Chinese investment and elite sentiment in Southeast Asia: An event study of influence along the belt and road
Authors: Sun Yining , Kapstein Ethan , Shapiro Jake
Published: January 2024

Recent years have seen growing concerns expressed by political leaders throughout the west about rising Chinese “influence” around the world. Yet, measuring political influence remains a challenge to social science. In this paper, we seek to advance our understanding of influence by comparing the expressed attitudes towards China of politicians within three Southeast Asian states (the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia) whose electoral districts have received Chinese Belt and Road investments versus those who have not. Specifically, we adopt the difference-in-difference design, interacting China-related foreign policy “shocks” with sentiment analysis based on Twitter and Facebook posts. We find little support for the assertion that Chinese investments are leading to increased political influence in these countries, at least in terms of influencing the sentiments expressed by local politicians.
Chain Mediating Effects of Student Engagement and Academic Achievement on University Identification
Authors: Gan Yongtao , Zhang Jiahao , Wu Xia , Gao Jian
Published: January 2024

This study aimed to examine the relationship between the classroom environment (CE) and university identification (UI) and the chain mediating effects of student engagement and academic achievement (AA). 4,463 Chinese university students were assessed using the classroom environment and UI scales, and measures of student engagement. Results show: (1) a significant positive correlation between a supportive CE, high student engagement, high AA, and high UI; (2) AA plays a mediating role between CE and UI, while student engagement mediates CE and UI; and (3) student engagement and AA play a chain mediating role between CE and UI. This study verified that a positive CE helps strengthen university students’ UI, and student engagement, AA, and a series of intermediary roles had a chain mediating effect. Universities should create a positive CE and encourage building good interpersonal relationships between students and others to further increase AA and UI among students.
Occlusive Retinal Vasculitis After a Single Injection of Pegcetacoplan
Authors: Abi Karam Mariana , Davis Janet L. , Schwartz Stephen G.
Published: January 2024

Purpose: To describe a patient with retinal vasculitis after a single intravitreal injection (IVI) of pegcetacoplan. Methods: A case and its findings were analyzed. Results: An 80-year-old woman was treated with pegcetacoplan for subfoveal geographic atrophy. Ten days later, the patient noted “purple iridescent waves” but did not immediately report it. On day 18, she presented with pain and decreased visual acuity from 20/80 (pinhole) preinjection to 20/150 postinjection. No signs of inflammation were observed, and she was treated for high intraocular pressure (30 mm Hg). On day 23, iritis was noted. The fluorescein angiogram showed severe occlusive vasculitis involving all quadrants and the macula. The vasculitis/neuroretinitis laboratory panels were negative, and no contributing systemic features were identified other than well-controlled diabetes. Conclusions: In this patient, occlusive retinal vasculitis occurred shortly after a single IVI of pegcetacoplan.
Patterns of multimorbidity in primary care electronic health records: A systematic review
Authors: Beridze Giorgi , Abbadi Ahmad , Ars Joan , Remelli Francesca , Vetrano Davide L , Trevisan Caterina , Pérez Laura-Mónica , López-Rodríguez Juan A , Calderón-Larrañaga Amaia
Published: January 2024

Background

Multimorbidity, the coexistence of multiple chronic conditions in an individual, is a complex phenomenon that is highly prevalent in primary care settings, particularly in older individuals. This systematic review summarises the current evidence on multimorbidity patterns identified in primary care electronic health record (EHR) data.

Methods

Three databases were searched from inception to April 2022 to identify studies that derived original multimorbidity patterns from primary care EHR data. The quality of the included studies was assessed using a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale.

Results

Sixteen studies were included in this systematic review, none of which was of low quality. Most studies were conducted in Spain, and only one study was conducted outside of Europe. The prevalence of multimorbidity (i.e. two or more conditions) ranged from 14.0% to 93.9%. The most common stratification variable in disease clustering models was sex, followed by age and calendar year. Despite significant heterogeneity in clustering methods and disease classification tools, consistent patterns of multimorbidity emerged. Mental health and cardiovascular patterns were identified in all studies, often in combination with diseases of other organ systems (e.g. neurological, endocrine).

Discussion

These findings emphasise the frequent coexistence of physical and mental health conditions in primary care, and provide useful information for the development of targeted preventive and management strategies. Future research should explore mechanisms underlying multimorbidity patterns, prioritise methodological harmonisation to facilitate the comparability of findings, and promote the use of EHR data globally to enhance our understanding of multimorbidity in more diverse populations.