bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Macroinvertebrate colonisation of macroplastic litter in minimally disturbed river sites, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Authors: Ali Andrew A. , Akamagwuna Frank C. , Nnadozie Chika F. , Odume Oghenekaro N.
Published: January 2025

Macroplastic pollution remains a growing global environmental concern, and our understanding of its interaction with aquatic organisms is underdeveloped. It is also less clear how hydraulic biotopes influence macroinvertebrates colonisation of macroplastic relative to natural substrates. We investigated temporal and spatial patterns of macroinvertebrate colonisation on macroplastic litters in contrasting stream hydraulic biotopes (riffle, pool, and run) in minimally impacted headwater streams of Eastern Cape, South Africa. Plastic substrates of different proportions of natural and plastic litter were deployed across four sites. The Substrate group included 100% natural substrates (NS), 50% natural material and 50% plastic litters (NP), and 100% plastic (PD) litters. Each substrate group was deployed in riffle, pool, and run habitats for six months at each site. Across hydraulic biotopes, macroinvertebrate colonised substrate groups equally (PERMANOVA, p > 0.05). Macroinvertebrate diversity indices were statistically different across substrate groups in pools but not in other hydraulic habitats (PERMANOVA, p < 0.05). We observed that NS had significantly higher macroinvertebrate Margalef’s richness, Shannon, and Simpson diversity values than macroplastic substrates in pools. This difference suggests that specific-hydraulic biotope characteristics, such as sediment accretion and stream discharge, influence macroinvertebrate diversities. However, the dominant taxa had a marked presence in all substrate groups within hydraulic biotopes throughout the study, resulting in temporal variance that was not significant. Our findings highlight the importance of hydraulic biotope influence on macroinvertebrate colonisation of macroplastic substrates. It also provides a baseline for further research involving riverine macroplastic pollution.
Distribution and population structure of introduced rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in Cyprus
Authors: Spairani Michele , Boz Bruno , Papatheodoulou Athina , Polazzo Anna , Tziortzis Iakovos , Dörflinger Gerald , Oggioni Alessandra , Tremolada Paolo , Iacovides Ayis , Balestrieri Alessandro
Published: January 2025

Although rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss has been widely introduced throughout Europe, self-sustaining populations are rare and unevenly distributed. In Cyprus, this invasive salmonid was introduced for recreational fishing at the end of the nineteenth century. To test whether rainbow trout have established in some water catchments of the island, between September 2020 and September 2022 we assessed the species’ distribution and analysed the age structure (by Bhattacharya’s method) and weight-length relationship of its major populations. The rainbow trout was recorded in 17 out of 86 sampling sites (19.7%), belonging to nine rivers and five catchments. Well-structured populations (N of cohorts ≥ 4) occurred in the River Kryos, where water temperatures were suitable for reproduction. Only a few individuals older than 4 years were sampled. Overall, both environmental conditions and population parameters suggest that the rainbow trout may self-sustain at least in the central, mountainous part of the island (rivers Kryos and Limnatis), where it occasionally coexists only with other introduced species. Nonetheless, its impact on native freshwater communities needs to be carefully assessed.
New Zealand Myrtaceae are susceptible to a strain from the Eucalyptus biotype of Austropuccinia psidii present in South America
Authors: Soewarto Julia , Pérez Carlos , Bartlett Michael , Somchit Chanatda , Ganley Beccy , Sutherland Roanne , Simeto Sofía , Stewart Jane E. , Ibarra Caballero Jorge R. , Fraser Stuart , Scott Peter M. , Nadarajan Jayanthi , Waipara Nick , Marsh Alby , Ryan Julie , Miller Elizabeth , Smith Grant R.
Published: January 2025

The international spread of the myrtle rust pathogen, Austropuccinia psidii, can be largely attributed to the “pandemic” biotype that has more than 450 host species. However, within South America, the putative native range of A. psidii, multiple biotypes have been characterised, each with a restricted known number of hosts. These biotypes may pose a significant biosecurity threat to countries already affected by the pandemic biotype. Here, we report the susceptibility of four species of Myrtaceae from New Zealand, pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa), mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium), kānuka (Kunzea ericoides), and rawiri mānuka (Kunzea ericoides ‘gumland ecotype’), to a strain of the Eucalyptus biotype of A. psidii. Symptoms and signs developed on inoculated plants of all species. Qualitative resistance phenotypes, with no disease development, were observed for all four species. However, no hypersensitive responses were observed. As seen for other biotypes, pōhutukawa had the greatest susceptibility, while kānuka had the lowest. These findings are consistent with prior work, showing that the Eucalyptus biotype can infect a broader range of species than its field host association implies. As well as uredinia (asexual spores), telia (sexual spores) developed on several plants, indicating that these species could provide a universal host for sexual reproduction and outcrossing between biotypes. Knowledge that the Eucalyptus biotype of A. psidii is virulent on several indigenous New Zealand Myrtaceae will inform future biosecurity risk assessments. These findings highlight the need to develop diagnostics tools to differentiate between biotypes and allow rapid responses to potential future incursions.
Anodized Ti6Al4V-ELI, electroplated with copper is bactericidal against Staphylococcus aureus and enhances macrophage phagocytosis
Authors: Giraldo-Osorno Paula Milena , Turner Adam Benedict , Barros Sebastião Mollet , Büscher Robin , Guttau Simone , Asa’ad Farah , Trobos Margarita , Palmquist Anders
Published: January 2025

Implants aim to restore skeletal dysfunction associated with ageing and trauma, yet infection and ineffective immune responses can lead to failure. This project characterized the microbiological and host cell responses to titanium alloy with or without electroplated metallic copper. Bacterial viability counting and scanning electron microscopy quantified and visualized the direct and indirect bactericidal effects of the Cu-electroplated titanium (Cu-Ep-Ti) against two different Staphylococcus aureus strains. Human THP-1 macrophage adhesion and viability was analyzed, along with phagocytosis. Results showed potent antimicrobial activity alongside promising host-immunomodulatory properties. Direct and indirect exposure to Cu-Ep-Ti produced potent bactericidal effects resulting in 94–100% reductions in bacterial viability at 24 h, with complete eradication in some cases. As expected, cytotoxicity was observed in THP-1 macrophages without media exchange, though when media was exchanged at 8, 24 and 48 h cell viability was equivalent to Control-Ti. Interestingly macrophages adhered to the copper material or grown in the presence of copper ions showed 7-fold increase in phagocytosis of S. aureus bioparticles compared to Control-Ti, suggesting a dual bactericidal and host immunomodulatory mechanism. In conclusion, this Cu-electroplated Ti biomaterial can limit bacterial contamination on the implant surface, whilst simultaneously promoting a beneficial antimicrobial immune response.

Graphical Abstract
An exact algorithm for disaster-resilience augmentation of planar straight-line graphs
Authors: Westcott Alexander , Ras Charl
Published: January 2025

We consider the problem of adding a minimum length set of edges to a geometric graph so that the resultant graph is resilient against partition from the effect of a single disaster. Disasters are modeled by discs of given maximum radius, and a disaster destroys all edges intersecting its interior. It is assumed that the input and output graphs are planar with a straight-line embedding. We provide a computationally simple characterisation of feasible input instances in terms of the convex hull of the given graph, and present a fast ILP algorithm for generating optimal solutions. We also perform a computational study which shows that our algorithm is able to solve randomly generated instances with hundreds of nodes.
A central pattern generator network for simple control of gait transitions in hexapod robots based on phase reduction
Authors: Namura Norihisa , Nakao Hiroya
Published: January 2025

We present a model of the central pattern generator (CPG) network that can control gait transitions in hexapod robots in a simple manner based on phase reduction theory. Our CPG network consists of six weakly coupled limit-cycle oscillators as the CPG units, where arbitrary smooth limit-cycle oscillators can be employed as the CPG unit. The synchronization dynamics of the six multidimensional limit-cycle oscillators can be described by six one-dimensional phase equations through phase reduction. Utilizing the symmetries in the specific hexapod gaits, the six phase equations of the CPG network can further be reduced to two independent equations for the phase differences, which enables us to analyze the gait transition dynamics easily. By choosing appropriate coupling functions for the CPG network, we can achieve desired synchronization dynamics regardless of the detailed properties of the limit-cycle oscillator used for the CPG unit. The effectiveness of our CPG network is demonstrated by numerical and physical simulations of gait transitions between the wave, tetrapod, and tripod gaits, using the FitzHugh-Nagumo oscillator as the CPG unit.
Distribution of pharmaceuticals in marine surface sediment and macroalgae (ulvophyceae) around Mombasa peri-urban creeks and Gazi Bay, Kenya
Authors: Wanjeri Veronica Wayayi Ogolla , Okuku Eric , Ngila Jane Catherine , Ouma Josephine , Ndungu Patrick Gathura
Published: January 2025

Pollution in marine creeks has been increasing due to anthropogenic activities and has been a global concern. Limited research has been conducted on pharmaceuticals in marine sediment and macroalgae in African countries. In the present study, the levels of pharmaceuticals were assessed in surface sediment and different species of macroalgae (ulvophyceae; Cladophora sudanensis, Chaetomorpha crassa, Chaetomorpha indica, Enteromorpha kylinii, Ulva reticulate, Ulva lactuca and Cladophora sibugae) in Mombasa peri-urban creeks (Tudor, Makupa and Mtwapa creek) and Gazi bay during dry and wet seasons. The concentration of pharmaceuticals in the surface sediment during dry and wet seasons ranged between 0.04–686.8 ng/g and 0.01–2580.6 ng/g, respectively. The highest concentration of pharmaceuticals was observed in Tudor creek in dry and wet seasons, with a sum concentration of ∑1013 ng/g and ∑3111 ng/g, respectively. Gazi Bay was used as a reference environment for this study, and pharmaceuticals were detected in dry and wet seasons with a concentration of 0.10–686.8 ng/g and 0.18–93.5 ng/g, respectively. There was no seasonal variation in the pharmaceutical concentration during the dry and wet seasons. For macroalgae of ulvophyceae species, pharmaceutical concentration ranged below the detection limit (DL)–11059 ng/g. Compared to surface sediment, macroalgae showed a high concentration of pharmaceuticals in Tudor, Makupa and Mtwapa creeks. Tetracycline was higher in sediment and macroalgae in all the creeks than other pharmaceutical compounds. A high concentration of pharmaceuticals confirms sewage effluent into the marine environment of Mombasa peri-urban creek. Pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, carbamazepine and nevirapine) in sediment posed a medium (− 1 < Log10 RQ < 0) to higher risk (Log10 RQ > 0) to algae, invertebrates and fish in the dry and wet seasons. There is a need to sensitise the residents of coastal cities on the impact of sewage effluent into the marine environment and enact strict measures to limit the discharge of sewage effluents containing these contaminants into the marine environment. Nevertheless, it is recommended to conduct further research on the distribution of pharmaceuticals in the marine environment and the long-term combined impacts of these substances of these compounds on marine biota.
Green infrastructure, native gentrification, and socialist property regimes in Shenzhen, China
Authors: Herrmann-Pillath Carsten , Xu Han , Liqun Pan , Yuxuan Ren , Ying Peng , Jing Cheng , Ling Li , Man Guo
Published: January 2025

Urban villages have been essential for rapid growth of the megacity Shenzhen, home of millions of migrant workers and built by native villagers. Recent initiatives of redeveloping the urban villages emphasize green infrastructure, which is often associated with the downside of gentrification. In Shenzhen, shareholding cooperatives of native villagers play a significant role in those developments, against the background of varying property arrangements across urban communities. The article compares two neighboring communities, one without a shareholding cooperative and dominant state-ownership of land and one with remaining land-use rights of native villagers that are managed by a shareholding cooperative. The paper identifies the distinct pattern of native gentrification that is manifest in the arrangements of green infrastructure and the changes in the settlement structures. Native gentrification is mediated by the ritual spaces of the original village communities.
Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Two Species of Ligophorus (Monogenea: Ancyrocephalidae) in Mullets from the Yucatán Peninsula, with Comments on the Geographical Distribution of L. mediterraneus
Authors: Andrade-Gómez Leopoldo , da Silva Reinaldo José , Pérez-Ponce de León Gerardo
Published: January 2025

Background

Ligophorus Euzet and Suriano, 1977 is a specious genus of ancyrocephalid monogeneans parasitizing mullets around the world, with most species distributed in the western Pacific and the Mediterranean Sea. Only nine out of the 62 species in the genus have been reported from the Americas, and from them, only two have been sequenced.

Methods

We analyzed two species of Mugil (L.) from Northern Yucatán Peninsula. Specimens of Ligophorus were sampled from the gills of their hosts. The morphology of the specimens was examined. In addition, 28S and ITS rDNA sequences were obtained and compared with previous sequences downloaded from GenBank.

Results

We discovered two species of Ligophorus using morphological and molecular characters, L. mediterraneus, parasitizing the stripped mullet Mugil cephalus off the coast of Celestún, and L. yucatanensis, parasitizing the silver mullet M. curema in four coastal lagoons. Sequence data of the latter species are reported for the first time.

Conclusion

Our findings showed that two species of Ligophorus occur in mugilids of the Yucatán Peninsula. One represents a widely distributed marine species with records in the Mediterranean Sea and the Yucatán Peninsula, whereas the second one, L. yucatanensis, represents an endemic species restricted to coastal lagoons of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Therapeutic Potential of Propolis and Royal Jelly in Encephalitozoon Intestinalis Infection: An in Vitro Study
Authors: Gülpinar Derya Gül , Polat Zübeyda Akın , Çetinkaya Ülfet
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Encephalitozoon intestinalis is an obligate intracellular microsporidian fungus that causes severe gastrointestinal infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Propolis (PROP), a resinous substance derived from bees, has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, while royal jelly (RJ) has immunomodulatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of PROP and RJ against E. intestinalis.

Methods

The phenolic composition of PROP was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection, and the chemical components of RJ were evaluated according to ISO12824 standards. The cytotoxicity of PROP and RJ on HEK-293 cells was evaluated using the XTT assay. The three highest non-cytotoxic concentrations of each sample were tested for their effects on E. intestinalis spores by qRT-PCR. Trichrome-stained photomicrographs were used to assess spore density in HEK-293 cells treated with PROP and RJ.

Results

PROP analysis revealed flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, pinocembrin and galangin, as well as phenolic acids such as caffeic and cinnamic acids, known for their bioactive properties. RJ contained mainly proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and sugars, reflecting its role as a nutritionally and biologically active substance. According to the results of this first study evaluating the effect of PROP and RJ on E. intestinalis, all concentrations evaluated in the study showed a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of E. intestinalis spores compared to the control group.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we believe that PROP and RJ should be considered as an alternative option in the development of antimicrosporidial drugs due to their potential medicinal and pharmaceutical properties.
Approaches of Inducing Tolerance to Murine Schistosomiasis mansoni applying Biomphalaria and Bulinus Proteins
Authors: Mossalem Hanan S. , Nasr Sami Mohamed , Fahmy Azza Moustafa , Atta Shimaa , Abuelenain Gehan Labib
Published: January 2025

Background

The freshwater snails Biomphalaria alexandrina and Bulinus trancatus are key contributors to the transmission of S.
mansoni and S.
haematobium, respectively, for being their intermediate hosts.

Objectives

This research study aimed to investigate the potency of the nucleoproteins (NPs) extracted from both snail species on the host immune reactions as an approach to developing a potential vaccine.

Methods

Three groups of six-week-old Swiss-Webster mice (n = 18; 15–20 g each) were injected intraperitoneally for three consecutive weeks with single doses (once a week) of B. alexandrina, B. truncatus, or a mixture of their nucleoproteins (50 µg each). On day 21st, the nucleoprotein-treated mice altogether, with six more mice, received subcutaneously S. mansoni cercariae (60/mouse). Eight weeks later, the experimental mice were sacrificed for evaluation of certain parasitological, molecular and immunological responses.

Results

The data of mice immunized with the various types of nucleoproteins showed a significant increase of FAS/R gene expressions in hepatic tissues and anti-IgG antibody levels in sera on the one hand and a significant decrease of worm loads and β-actin/R gene expression levels on the other hand when compared to the infected control mice.

Conclusion

These findings highlight the role of snails in immunomodulation and shed light on the possibility of antagonizing effects that might occur when the nucleoproteins of different species are mixed. Moreover, this research study might promote the literature spotting the importance of snail proteins against schistosomiasis.
Input-Factor Mobility and the Impact of Host Country Institutions on Foreign Direct Investment in Natural Resources
Authors: Sandoval Andres A. , Egan Patrick J. W. , Weinberg Joe
Published: January 2025

The apparent association between authoritarian governance and foreign direct investment (FDI) in natural resource industries conceals important variation within the primary sector. Existing analyses often fail to distinguish between mining/extractive industries, which must invest where specific resources exist and may contribute to endogenous processes of authoritarian entrenchment, and agriculture, where democratic regimes may offer stronger incentives for investment. Given the dramatic increases in agricultural investments in the last three decades, this distinction is not trivial and augurs against blanket statements concerning natural resources. Yet, analysts routinely refer to the primary sector as shorthand for mining, despite this heterogeneity. Using subsector FDI data, we investigate the institutional determinants of agricultural investment in 50 emerging economies from 1980 to 2010, an historical period during which inward primary sector investment surged in many developing countries with diverse institutional attributes. We consider how intrinsic characteristics of both agricultural and mining/extractive industries connect to political institutions. We find that in subsectors such as agriculture where firms may consider multiple locations for investment and sunk costs are lower than in mining, higher democratic quality corresponds with increased investment. This has consequences for the politics of FDI as well as broader political implications for natural resource endowments.
Effect of width-to-height ratio on the strength and behaviour of chromitite rock
Authors: Watson Bryan Philip , Maphosa Tatenda John , Stacey Thomas Richard , Theron Willie , Fernandes Noel
Published: January 2025

The South African Bushveld Complex, Upper Group 2 (UG2) Reef pillar design has been based on a strength formula originally determined for quartzite. This formula was modified to cater for the weaker UG2 chromitite material. However, there is evidence that the pillars are stronger than predicted by the modified formula. In this study, UG2 chromitite samples were tested at a wide range of width-to-height ratios to determine the material behaviour and the relationship between strength and width-to-height ratio. Such test results on this material have not been published in the past. All testing was performed in a servo-controlled stiff testing machine (MTS 815) at a constant deformation rate of 0.08 mm/min. Specially prepared load spreader end-pieces were used to minimise any bending effects of the loading platens on the sample behaviour. The analysis showed a non-linear strengthening with increasing width-to-height ratio, best described using a power formula. A change in failure mode from pure shear to extension was observed at a width-to-height ratio of one, which has been documented previously for other materials. The change in fracture mode did not appear to affect the strength of the material. Further tests were conducted to determine the critical strain at which extension fractures initiate in chromitite. It was found that extension fracturing initiated at a critical strain of between − 2.2 mε and 3.0 mε, which was about 10 times the strain calculated by existing formulae. This new information has not been previously published for chromitite. An additional useful product of the work is an equation that can be utilised to evaluate the true uniaxial strength from samples prepared with a w/h ratio of one. Strain softening was observed on all samples up to a w/h ratio of eight. Samples with w/h ratios of three and higher were able to sustain high stresses for large strains, but almost all samples finally failed with complete loss of load. The final sudden loss of load is believed to be associated with radial cracks observed in these samples after failure.
Nutritional Interventions to Attenuate Quadriceps Muscle Deficits following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury and Reconstruction
Authors: Smith Miriam J. , Hoffman Nolan J. , Jose Argell J. San , Burke Louise M. , Opar David A.
Published: January 2025

Following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, quadriceps muscle atrophy persists despite rehabilitation, leading to loss of lower limb strength, osteoarthritis, poor knee joint health and reduced quality of life. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for these deficits in hypertrophic adaptations within the quadriceps muscle following ACL injury and reconstruction are poorly understood. While resistance exercise training stimulates skeletal muscle hypertrophy, attenuation of these hypertrophic pathways can hinder rehabilitation following ACL injury and reconstruction, and ultimately lead to skeletal muscle atrophy that persists beyond ACL reconstruction, similar to disuse atrophy. Numerous studies have documented beneficial roles of nutritional support, including nutritional supplementation, in maintaining and/or increasing muscle mass. There are three main mechanisms by which nutritional supplementation may attenuate muscle atrophy and promote hypertrophy: (1) by directly affecting muscle protein synthetic machinery; (2) indirectly increasing an individual’s ability to work harder; and/or (3) directly affecting satellite cell proliferation and differentiation. We propose that nutritional support may enhance rehabilitative responses to exercise training and positively impact molecular machinery underlying muscle hypertrophy. As one of the fastest growing knee injuries worldwide, a better understanding of the potential mechanisms involved in quadriceps muscle deficits following ACL injury and reconstruction, and potential benefits of nutritional support, are required to help restore quadriceps muscle mass and/or strength. This review discusses our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in muscle hypertrophy and disuse atrophy, and how nutritional supplements may leverage these pathways to maximise recovery from ACL injury and reconstruction.
Underground encased freight delivery system (EFDS) contributing to sustainability
Authors: Manola Evangelia , Tokenova Zhuldyz , Li Zhenghao , Shen Yuhan , Lai Shuyi , Godagampala Dinu , Varga Liz
Published: January 2025

The growing demand for freight logistics in urban areas has led to traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and noise pollution, which have negative environmental impacts and contribute to the rising cost of freight delivery transportation. An alternative radical solution is to provide an encased freight delivery system (EFDS), sending freight in wagons on rails, powered by electro-motive green energy. The EFDS design is secure, intelligent and is a low carbon footprint transport system for delivering freight through buried, suspended or overground pipes. Demonstrating the value of an EFDS includes finding optimal routes connecting the highest demand in a region providing highest social value, as well as maximizing the efficiency of the system. At the same time, the system should be commercially viable and have a low environmental impact during the implementation and operation phases. Results of modelling reveal that when EFDS is used, less HGVs are used in the form of traditional logistics to deliver the same number of parcels. On the other hand, when the number of vehicles (wagons) of the EFDS is increased, as well as their capacity, this enables the effective delivery of more parcels while the speed of these vehicles was found to have little impact. A case study in East London indicates 925 number of trucks can be removed from roads, and capacity for growth in freight movement would be provided when the EFDS is at full capacity, noting that new pipes can always be added to different locations if viable routes are found.
Community Wellbeing and Public Management Theory: How Theory can Explain Pandemic Responses
Authors: Drew Joseph , Kim Yunji
Published: January 2025

COVID-19 has wrought havoc on the lives of people across the globe. In response, public officials have actively used government resources and authority to try to mitigate matters. We explore how public policy responses to COVID-19 can be understood with respect to two different lenses – one that focuses on creating public value and another that focuses on human flourishing. Specifically, we examine mask mandates and lockdowns in the state of Victoria in Southern Australia that had been celebrated for its success in COVID-19 responses. Our examination shows that the type of lens we apply to public policy decisions matter for both the institution of government as well as community well-being. We conclude with some remarks on how it might now be time to shift the focus from creating public value to human flourishing in public policy responses to pandemics.
Wind Turbines
Authors: Anderson Colin G.
Published: January 2025

This expanded new edition of Wind Turbines introduces key topics in offshore wind, alongside carefully revised and updated coverage of core topics in wind turbine technology. It features two new chapters on offshore wind, covering offshore resources, metocean data, wind turbine technologies, environmental impact, and loading and dynamics for fixed-bottom and floating platforms. Real-world case studies are introduced from Europe and the USA, and a new chapter examines wind power in the context of broader decarbonisation, practical energy storage, and other renewable energy sources. Updated coverage of turbine energy yield calculations, blade-element momentum theory, and current economic trends is presented, and over 100 varied end-of-chapter problems are included, with solutions available for instructors. Combining key topics in aerodynamics, electrical and control theory, structures, planning, economics, and policy, the clear language of this multidisciplinary textbook makes it ideal for undergraduate and graduate students, and professional engineers, in the renewable energy sector.
THE URUK BEVEL-RIM BOWL: NEW INSIGHTS ON TECHNOLOGY, MULTI-FUNCTION AND DISPERSAL
Authors: Goulder Jill
Published: January 2025

Interpretation of the function and role of the Mesopotamian – and peri-Mesopotamian – bevel-rim bowl (BRB) is enriched by recent residue analysis methods. A promising theme of secondary and even alternative primary uses of the BRB in the Uruk periphery during the fourth millennium B.C. is emerging. I make the case for such uses hinging not on its general utility as a small rough bowl (where it would compete with a range of conical cups) but on its pivotal characteristics: a sophisticated system of rapid, low skilled, production line manufacture of containers with specific features (notably thick walls for heat retention), and with an elegant technology-transfer concept of a single BRB as a portable manufacturing template and mould, notably suited to mobile groups. The BRB’s novel ‘system’ suggests it was initially devised for one specific purpose – as I argue, for large-scale baking of leavened bread, perhaps for commensal feasting events. But the renowned BRB discard stacks or stockpiles (perhaps from single-use commensality events or seasonal batch BRB manufacture) lent them readily to secondary use, notably in the Uruk periphery, where their original cultural resonance may have been diluted. The BRB’s virtues of speed and ease of manufacture might well then have encouraged production for more general purposes and new needs, including culinary – an evolution potentially detectable through morphology. The residue analysis to date additionally suggests a specific functional factor in the adoption of BRBs for secondary and eventually primary use: their heat retentive capabilities, making them specifically valuable as ‘thermal paint-pots’ for meltable materials such as bitumen, beeswax and animal fats. These materials could be heated in a larger vessel and decanted into thermally efficient BRBs for use, perhaps with a form of paintbrush, for coating, in a wide range of industrial and other uses.
WALLABY Pilot Survey: kNN identification of perturbed galaxies through H 1 morphometrics
Authors: Holwerda Benne Willem , Dénes Helga , Rhee Jonghwan , Leahy Denis , Koribalski Bärbel Silvia , Yu Niankun , Deg Nathan , Westmeier T. , Lee-Waddell Karen , Ascasibar Yago , Saraf Manasvee , Lin Xuchen , Catinella Barbara , Hess Kelley
Published: January 2025

Galaxy morphology in stellar light can be described by a series of ‘non-parametric’ or ‘morphometric’ parameters, such as concentration-asymmetry-smoothness, Gini,

$M_{20}$

, and Sérsic fit. These parameters can be applied to column density maps of atomic hydrogen (H 1). The H 1 distribution is susceptible to perturbations by environmental effects, for example, intergalactic medium pressure and tidal interactions. Therefore, H 1 morphology can potentially identify galaxies undergoing ram-pressure stripping or tidal interactions. We explore three fields in the WALLABY Pilot H 1 survey and identify perturbed galaxies based on a k-nearest neighbour (kNN) algorithm using an H 1 morphometric feature space. For training, we used labelled galaxies in the combined NGC 4808 and NGC 4636 fields with six H 1 morphometrics to train and test a kNN classifier. The kNN classification is proficient in classifying perturbed galaxies with all metrics – accuracy, precision, and recall – at 70–80%. By using the kNN method to identify perturbed galaxies in the deployment field, the NGC 5044 mosaic, we find that in most regards, the scaling relations of perturbed and unperturbed galaxies have similar distribution in the scaling relations of stellar mass versus star formation rate and the Baryonic Tully–Fisher relation, but the H 1 and stellar mass relation flatter than of the unperturbed galaxies. Our results for NGC 5044 provide a prediction for future studies on the fraction of galaxies undergoing interaction in this catalogue and to build a training sample to classify such galaxies in the full WALLABY survey.
Supermarkets, do they make the healthy choice the easy choice? A review of the healthfulness of the supermarket food environment
Authors: Mahony Sinead O , Collins Nuala , Gibney Eileen R. , Doyle Gerardine
Published: January 2025

The over consumption of high fat, sugar, and salt foods increases population risk of overweight, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases. The food environment mediates consumer food choices and thus plays an important role in diet quality and related health outcomes. The built food environment, where most people in high income countries access their food, has been found to be obesogenic. The aim of this review was to investigate the healthfulness of the supermarket food environment. Supermarkets are an important source of healthy foods in the built food environment. However, there are disparities in access to supermarkets, and in several countries, supermarkets located in areas of higher deprivation have an unhealthier consumer food environment. This double burden limits access to healthy foods amongst lower socio-economic groups, contributing to widening disparities in food-related ill health. There is a strong body of evidence supporting improved purchase of healthy foods by increasing the healthfulness of the supermarket consumer food environment. Voluntary measures co-designed with retailers to improve the healthfulness of the supermarket consumer food environment through restriction of product placement and private label reformulation have led to an increase in healthier food purchases. However, evidence also shows that mandatory, structural changes are most effective for improving disparities in relation to access to healthy food and diet-related ill health. Future research and policy related to the supermarket food environment should consider equitable access to healthy sustainable foods in the context of growth in online supermarkets.
Capturing food insecurity data and implications for business and policy
Authors: Furey Sinéad
Published: January 2025

Food insecurity (also known as food poverty) is the inability to afford or access a healthy diet. It has become recognised as a public health emergency and is a priority in the context of the environmental, geopolitical and socio-economic implications on businesses, households and civic society. This review paper aims to discuss the merits of collecting food insecurity data and its importance in informing cross-sectoral government and others’ understanding, policymaking and action on hunger. The review paper’s key findings are that concerted action on measuring and mapping food insecurity with the aim of eliminating or reducing its prevalence represents a triple win for government, business and citizens. However, measurement does not provide solutions to food insecurity but contributes importantly to understanding its extent and severity to inform and evaluate proffered solutions. Government, business and food insecurity researchers and commentators cannot merely continue to simply describe food poverty - but must effect meaningful change amidst our communities to improve life quality in a timely way for those experiencing acute and chronic hunger. This is best done by addressing the structural causes of food insecurity through economically, socially and culturally fair and appropriate policy levers, requiring cross-sectoral collaboration. Ultimately, food insecurity requires a long-term, sustainable solution that addresses the policy issues under focus: low income, under/unemployment, rising food prices and Welfare Reform, informed by routine, Government-supported monitoring and reporting of the extent of food poverty among our citizens.
Long-term depressive symptoms trajectories following CBT delivered in primary care compared to usual treatment
Authors: Prieto-Vila Maider , González-Blanch César , Saunders Rob , Buckman Joshua E. J. , Muñoz-Navarro Roger , Esteller Collado Gabriel , Barrio-Martínez Sara , Moriana Juan A. , Ruiz-Rodríguez Paloma , Carpallo-González María , Cano-Vindel Antonio
Published: January 2025

Background

The course of depression is heterogeneous. The employed treatment is a key element in the impact of the course of depression over the time. However, there is currently a gap of knowledge about the trajectories per treatment and related baseline factors. We aimed to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms and associated baseline characteristics for two treatment arms in a randomized clinical trial: treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU plus transdiagnostic group cognitive behavioral therapy (TAU + TDG-CBT).

Methods

Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms over 12 months post-treatment. Logistic regression models were used to examine associations between baseline characteristics and trajectory class membership in 483 patients (TAU: 231; TAU + TDG-CBT: 251).

Results

We identified different patterns of symptom change in the randomized groups: two trajectories in TAU (‘improvement’ (71.4%) and ‘no improvement’ (28.6%)), and four trajectories in TAU + TDG-CBT (‘recovery’ (69.8%), ‘late recovery’ (5.95%), ‘chronicity’ (4.77%), and ‘relapse’ (19.44%)). Higher baseline symptom severity and comorbidity were associated with poorer treatment outcomes in both treatment groups and worse emotional regulation strategies were linked to the ‘no improvement trajectory’ in TAU. The TAU + TDG-CBT group demonstrated greater symptom reduction compared to TAU alone.

Conclusions

There is heterogeneity in treatment outcomes. Integration of TDG-CBT with TAU significantly improves symptom reduction compared to TAU alone. Patients with higher baseline severity and comorbidities show poorer outcomes. Identification of trajectories and related factors could assist clinicians in tailoring treatment strategies to optimize outcomes, particularly for patients with a worse prognosis.
The cognitive underpinnings of irony comprehension: Fluid intelligence but not working memory modulates processing
Authors: Kyriacou Marianna , Köder Franziska
Published: January 2025

The comprehension of irony involves a sophisticated inferential process requiring language users to go beyond the literal meaning of an utterance. Because of its complex nature, we hypothesized that working memory (WM) and fluid intelligence, the two main components of executive attention, would be involved in the understanding of irony: the former by maintaining focus and relevant information active during processing, the latter by disengaging irrelevant information and offering better problem-solving skills. In this eye-tracking reading experiment, we investigated how adults (N = 57) process verbal irony, based on their executive attention skills. The results indicated a null (or indirect) effect for WM, while fluid intelligence directly modulated the comprehension and processing of irony during reading. As fluid intelligence is an important individual-difference variable, the findings pave the way for future research on developmental and clinical populations who tend to struggle with nonliteral language.
Significance of northwest axis on neonatal electrocardiograms
Authors: Thai Lauren , Rochelson Ellis
Published: January 2025

Purpose:

Northwest axis on an electrocardiogram is conventionally thought to be associated with CHD, but there is a paucity of data regarding the types and incidence of CHD associated with this finding. The purpose of this study was to report the types and incidence of CHD found at our institution to determine the efficacy of electrocardiograms as a screening test in infants.

Methods:

Retrospective, single-centre study of all infants ≤ 60 days of age who underwent a first-time electrocardiogram from 2015 to 2021. Our inclusion criteria included those found to have a northwest axis on electrocardiogram and who also had an echocardiogram performed. Data were described using standard summary statistics.

Results:

Two hundred sixty-eight infants met inclusion criteria (median age 4 days, interquartile range 2–24). The most common reason for an electrocardiogram to be obtained was the presence of a heart murmur (n = 102, 38%). One hundred thirty-one infants (49%) were found to have significant CHD. Cardiac defects included ventricular septal defect (n = 36, 28%), severe pulmonary valve stenosis (n = 17, 13%), atrioventricular canal defect (n = 16, 12%), and single ventricle disease (n = 16, 12%).

Conclusion:

In this study, nearly half (49%) of these infants with northwest axis on electrocardiogram were found to have significant CHD. Electrocardiograms remain an important screening tool for infants with findings associated with potential cardiac disease and echocardiogram is warranted for infants found to have northwest axis on a first-time electrocardiogram.
Device closure of an atrial septal defect from the upper caval vein: simplified technique
Authors: Krasemann Thomas , van Beynum Ingrid , Rebel Bas , Papathanasiou Eva , van den Berg Gert
Published: January 2025

Interruption of the inferior caval vein complicates device closure of atrial septal defects. We present a case where a simplified technique was used: from right jugular access the delivery system was directly engaged into the left atrium, where the entire septal occluder was deployed. Both discs were aligned with the interatrial septum, after which the right disc was recaptured and re-deployed in the right atrium under tension. This technique will allow device closure of atrial septal defects from the upper caval vein in selected cases.
Torn spiral patch repair of ventricular septation for single ventricle associated with D-malposition of the great arteries after 40 years
Authors: Kanaya Tomomitsu , Ueno Takayoshi , Taira Masaki
Published: January 2025

A 50-year-old man presented with shortness of breath. The patient underwent ventricular septation for a single ventricle with L-malposition of the great arteries at 6 years of age. Examinations revealed that the calcified patch for septation was torn and perforated, resulting in a left-to-right shunt. We report a rare case of a single ventricle who survived after septation 40 years ago and underwent the reoperation due to a torn calcified patch.
Rock-a-Cha-Cha: The Erased Impact of Latin American Music on the Rhythmic Transformation of US Popular Music
Authors: FLYNN SAM
Published: January 2025

This article interrogates an overlooked claim made by Mario Bauzá, that the impact of Latin American musics on a fundamental change in the rhythm of twentieth-century music has been written out of history. After presenting four original analytical definitions, a corpus analysis establishes that a transition occurred from swung-quaver, compound-metre, and crotchet ‘monorhythm’ to straight-quaver polyrhythm in US popular music, culminating in early 1960s rock ’n’ roll. Focusing on Paul Anka's ‘Diana’ and the style ‘rock-a-cha-cha’, a combination of music analysis and reception history demonstrates that Afro-Latin musics were the predominant influence on the rhythmic transformation – which was erased by rock historians, influenced by three factors. This impact of Latin American music and migration is theorized in terms of cosmopolitanism. The article concludes that the impact of Latin American music on the United States is not a superficial ‘tinge’: it prompted a paradigm shift in the rhythm of twentieth-century music.
A longitudinal, multimodal palliative care curriculum for obstetrics and gynecology residents
Authors: Osborne Shannon M. , Kim Catherine , Levit Elizabeth M. , Marko Emily K. , Roche-Green Alva , Hunter Brett D. , Buery-Joyner Samantha D.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

To incorporate a longitudinal palliative care curriculum into obstetrics and gynecology (Ob-Gyn) residency that could become standardized to ensure competencies in providing end of life (EOL) care.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study conducted among 23 Ob-Gyn residents at a tertiary training hospital from 2021 to 2022. A curriculum intervention was provided via lecture and simulation. An inpatient palliative care rotation was also created for the intern class. Scores for knowledge and confidence were compared pre- and post-curriculum. Performance on patient simulations was compared for interns who had the inpatient palliative rotation versus those that had not in a crossover fashion. Number of palliative care consults was also compared before and during the curriculum. A pooled, weighted rank-based test was used for analysis of the data with a p-value < 0.05 considered significant.

Results

One hundred percent of the 23 eligible participants participated in this study. A statistically significant increase in scores on all quizzes (p-values 0.047, <0.001, and <0.001) and confidence surveys (composite score p-value < 0.001) was seen after curriculum completion. No statistically significant difference was able to be identified in standardized patient simulation performance. Palliative care consultation increased by 55%.

Significance of results

EOL care is a critical component of any physician’s practice including obstetrician gynecologists. However, prior studies demonstrate a lack of standardized training. Our study demonstrates that a multimodal palliative care curriculum is an effective method to train Ob-Gyn residents and improve palliative care involvement in patient care.
Do Unfair Play and Low Performance Go Together?
Authors: Krahé Barbara
Published: January 2025

Abstract: Fair play is a core principle in sports competitions, and unfair play is penalized to prevent unfair advantages. However, the association between unfair play and performance has received little research attention. This study examined the hypothesis that unfair play is associated with lower performance. Taking football as an example, the hypothesis was tested by using archival data from fair play tables (fewer penalty points for fairer teams) and performance tables (more points for higher-performing teams) in the men’s (1st and 2nd Bundesliga; 18 teams) and women’s (1st Bundesliga, 12 teams) top football leagues in Germany over the past 20 years. As predicted, teams’ accumulated penalty points taken from the fair play tables and their points in the performance tables showed significant negative correlations when aggregated across the 20 seasons in all three leagues. Calculated per season, teams with more penalty points had significantly fewer performance points in 13 seasons in the men’s first league, 11 seasons in the men’s second league, and 12 seasons in the women’s first league. Limitations are discussed in terms of the correlational design that does not address the direction of causality between unfair play and low performance. Using observational and experimental methods and extending the analysis to other countries and other sports are discussed as directions for future research.