bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Militant Democracy Unmoored? The Limits of Constitutional Analogy in International Law
Authors: Kuo Ming-Sung
Published: May 2024

As constitutional democracies are faced with authoritarianism and other anti-constitutionalist threats, international law is seeing its own challenge from the increasing influence of authoritarian states. Yet, departing from the recent tendency to model the international legal order after constitutional governance, international lawyers seem to show little interest in the concept of militant democracy, while the latter lies at the centre of current debates surrounding constitutional self-defence. This article aims to bring to light the current limits of constitutional analogy in international law through an investigation into the discrepancy between constitutional and international lawyers in responding to authoritarian co-optation. A three-pronged argument is submitted. First, in contrast to other appeals for constitutional self-defence, the concept of militant democracy is contentious where it stands in tension with the constitutional ethos. Second, while militant democracy as a constitutional concept presupposes a democratic and normative version of constitutional ordering, the absence of militant democracy on the international plane betrays the non-democratic, albeit representative, character of the international legal order. Third, attempts to internationalize the concept of militant democracy should be rejected as an international version of militant democracy would only portend an (un)holy alliance of militant democracies and exacerbate the political division in international society. It is suggested that, from out of a realignment of international law with the constitutional project of progress, a new constitutional analogy may emerge, giving fresh impetus to the realization of international law’s universal liberating promise.
Reach and public health implications of proposed new food marketing regulation in Germany: an updated analysis
Authors: Leibinger Anna , Holliday Nicole , Huizinga Oliver , Klinger Carmen , Okanmelu Elochukwu , Geffert Karin , Rehfuess Eva , von Philipsborn Peter
Published: May 2024

Advertising for unhealthy foods adversely affects children’s food preferences and intake. The German government published plans to restrict such advertising in February 2023 and has revised them several times since. We assess the reach of the current draft from June 2023, and discuss its public health implications. We show that across 22 product categories covered by the current draft law, the median share of products permitted for marketing to children stands at 55%, with an interquartile range of 11–73%. Resistance from industry groups and from within government poses hurdles and leaves the prospects of the legislation uncertain.
Genome Evolution and Introgression in the New Zealand mud Snails Potamopyrgus estuarinus and Potamopyrgus kaitunuparaoa
Authors: Fields Peter D , Jalinsky Joseph R , Bankers Laura , McElroy Kyle E , Sharbrough Joel , Higgins Chelsea , Morgan-Richards Mary , Boore Jeffrey L , Neiman Maurine , Logsdon John M
Published: May 2024

We have sequenced, assembled, and analyzed the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes and transcriptomes of Potamopyrgus estuarinus and Potamopyrgus kaitunuparaoa, two prosobranch snail species native to New Zealand that together span the continuum from estuary to freshwater. These two species are the closest known relatives of the freshwater species Potamopyrgus antipodarum—a model for studying the evolution of sex, host–parasite coevolution, and biological invasiveness—and thus provide key evolutionary context for understanding its unusual biology. The P. estuarinus and P. kaitunuparaoa genomes are very similar in size and overall gene content. Comparative analyses of genome content indicate that these two species harbor a near-identical set of genes involved in meiosis and sperm functions, including seven genes with meiosis-specific functions. These results are consistent with obligate sexual reproduction in these two species and provide a framework for future analyses of P. antipodarum—a species comprising both obligately sexual and obligately asexual lineages, each separately derived from a sexual ancestor. Genome-wide multigene phylogenetic analyses indicate that P. kaitunuparaoa is likely the closest relative to P. antipodarum. We nevertheless show that there has been considerable introgression between P. estuarinus and P. kaitunuparaoa. That introgression does not extend to the mitochondrial genome, which appears to serve as a barrier to hybridization between P. estuarinus and P. kaitunuparaoa. Nuclear-encoded genes whose products function in joint mitochondrial-nuclear enzyme complexes exhibit similar patterns of nonintrogression, indicating that incompatibilities between the mitochondrial and the nuclear genome may have prevented more extensive gene flow between these two species.
Sex Differences in the Trajectories of Cognitive Decline and Affected Cognitive Domains Among Older Adults With Controlled and Uncontrolled Glycemia
Authors: Cochar-Soares Natália , de Oliveira Dayane C , Luiz Mariane M , Aliberti Márlon J R , Suemoto Claudia K , Steptoe Andrew , de Oliveira Cesar , Alexandre Tiago S
Published: May 2024

Background

We aimed to analyze the trajectories of cognitive decline as a function of the presence of type 2 diabetes and glycemic control in analyzes stratified by sex in an 8-year follow-up period.

Methods

A total of 1 752 men and 2 232 women aged ≥50 years who participated in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), conducted from 2004 to 2012, were analyzed. The outcomes of interest were performance on the cognitive domains of memory, executive function, and temporal orientation as well as the global cognition score. Cognitive performance was standardized in z-scores in strata based on schooling and age. The participants were classified as without diabetes, with controlled glycemia, and with uncontrolled glycemia, according to medical diagnosis, glucose-lowering medications use and HbA1c levels. Generalized linear mixed models controlled by sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related characteristics were used for the trajectory analyses.

Results

No differences in z-scores were found for global cognition or cognitive domains based on diabetes classification in men and women at baseline. More than 8 years of follow up, women with uncontrolled glycemia had a greater decline in z-scores for global cognition (−0.037 SD/year [95% CI: −0.073; −0.001]) and executive function (−0.049 SD/year [95% CI: −0.092; −0.007]) compared with those without diabetes. No significant difference in trajectories of global cognition or any cognitive domain was found in men as a function of diabetes classification.

Conclusions

Women with uncontrolled glycemia are at greater risk of a decline in global cognition and executive function than those without diabetes.
Convergence of Age Differences in Risk Preference, Impulsivity, and Self-Control: A Multiverse Analysis
Authors: Tisdall Loreen , Frey Renato , Wulff Dirk U , Kellen David , Mata Rui
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Numerous theories exist regarding age differences in risk preference and related constructs, yet many of them offer conflicting predictions and fail to consider convergence between measurement modalities or constructs. To pave the way for conceptual clarification and theoretical refinement, in this preregistered study we aimed to comprehensively examine age effects on risk preference, impulsivity, and self-control using different measurement modalities, and to assess their convergence.

Methods

We collected a large battery of self-report, informant report, behavioral, hormone, and neuroimaging measures from a cross-sectional sample of 148 (55% female) healthy human participants between 16 and 81 years (mean age = 46 years, standard deviation [SD] = 19). We used an extended sample of 182 participants (54% female, mean age = 46 years, SD = 19) for robustness checks concerning the results from self-reports, informant reports, and behavioral measures. For our main analysis, we performed specification curve analyses to visualize and estimate the convergence between the different modalities and constructs.

Results

Our multiverse analysis approach revealed convergent results for risk preference, impulsivity, and self-control from self- and informant reports, suggesting a negative effect of age. For behavioral, hormonal, and neuroimaging outcomes, age effects were mostly absent.

Discussion

Our findings call for conceptual clarification and improved operationalization to capture the putative mechanisms underlying age-related differences in risk preference and related constructs.
Earthquake source impacts on the generation and propagation of seismic infrasound to the upper atmosphere
Authors: Nozuka Y , Inchin P A , Kaneko Y , Sabatini R , Snively J B
Published: May 2024

Earthquakes with moment magnitude (Mw) ranging from 6.5 to 7.0 have been observed to generate sufficiently strong acoustic waves (AWs) in the upper atmosphere. These AWs are detectable in Global Navigation Satellite System satellite signals-based total electron content (TEC) observations in the ionosphere at altitudes ∼250–300 km. However, the specific earthquake source parameters that influence the detectability and characteristics of AWs are not comprehensively understood. Here, we extend our approach of coupled earthquake-atmosphere dynamics modelling by combing dynamic rupture and seismic wave propagation simulations with 2-D and 3-D atmospheric numerical models, to investigate how the characteristics of earthquakes impact the generation and propagation of AWs. We developed a set of idealized dynamic rupture models varying faulting types and fault sizes, hypocentral depths and stress drops. We focus on earthquakes of Mw 6.0–6.5, which are considered the smallest detectable with TEC, and find that the resulting AWs undergo non-linear evolution and form acoustic shock N waves reaching thermosphere at ∼90–140 km. The results reveal that the magnitude of the earthquakes is not the sole or primary factor determining the amplitudes of AWs in the upper atmosphere. Instead, various earthquake source characteristics, including the direction of rupture propagation, the polarity of seismic wave imprints on the surface, earthquake mechanism, stress drop and radiated energy, significantly influence the amplitudes and periods of AWs. The simulation results are also compared with observed TEC fluctuations from AWs generated by the 2023 Mw 6.2 Suzu (Japan) earthquake, finding preliminary agreement in terms of model-predicted signal periods and amplitudes. Understanding these nuanced relationships between earthquake source parameters and AW characteristics is essential for refining our ability to detect and interpret AW signals in the ionosphere.
Examining Coping Strategies and Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence for the Protective Role of Problem-Focused Coping
Authors: Chang Olivia D , Ward Kaitlin P , Lee Shawna J
Published: May 2024

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, studies documented a marked decline in mental health and well-being when compared with prepandemic levels. This study examined how different coping styles were associated with anxiety, depression, and sleep problems among U.S. adults March–April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from 535 U.S. adults across three time points were analyzed using longitudinal multilevel logistic and linear regression modeling. Avoidant-emotional coping was associated with greater odds of experiencing anxiety (OR = 1.65, p < .001). Both avoidant- and active-emotional coping were associated with greater odds of experiencing depression (OR = 1.67, p < .001, and OR = 1.09, p = .022, respectively) and sleep problems (b = 0.05, p < .001, and b = 0.01, p = .005, respectively). Alternatively, problem-focused coping was associated with lower odds of depression (OR = 0.86, p < .001). Results converge with previous evidence suggesting the perniciousness of avoidant-emotional coping during the pandemic, but also underscore that problem-focused coping strategies may represent one important source of resilience for adults to adapt despite such challenges.
Activated HLA-DR+CD38+ Effector Th1/17 Cells Distinguish Crohn’s Disease-associated Perianal Fistulas from Cryptoglandular Fistulas
Authors: Ouboter Laura F , Lindelauf Ciska , Jiang Qinyue , Schreurs Mette , Abdelaal Tamim R , Luk Sietse J , Barnhoorn Marieke C , Hueting Willem E , Han-Geurts Ingrid J , Peeters Koen C M J , Holman Fabian A , Koning Frits , van der Meulen-de Jong Andrea E , Pascutti Maria Fernanda
Published: May 2024

Background

Perianal fistulas are a debilitating complication of Crohn’s disease (CD). Due to unknown reasons, CD-associated fistulas are in general more difficult to treat than cryptoglandular fistulas (non-CD-associated). Understanding the immune cell landscape is a first step towards the development of more effective therapies for CD-associated fistulas. In this work, we characterized the composition and spatial localization of disease-associated immune cells in both types of perianal fistulas by high-dimensional analyses.

Methods

We applied single-cell mass cytometry (scMC), spectral flow cytometry (SFC), and imaging mass cytometry (IMC) to profile the immune compartment in CD-associated perianal fistulas and cryptoglandular fistulas. An exploratory cohort (CD fistula, n = 10; non-CD fistula, n = 5) was analyzed by scMC to unravel disease-associated immune cell types. SFC was performed on a second fistula cohort (CD, n = 10; non-CD, n = 11) to comprehensively phenotype disease-associated T helper (Th) cells. IMC was used on a third cohort (CD, n = 5) to investigate the spatial distribution/interaction of relevant immune cell subsets.

Results

Our analyses revealed that activated HLA-DR+CD38+ effector CD4+ T cells with a Th1/17 phenotype were significantly enriched in CD-associated compared with cryptoglandular fistulas. These cells, displaying features of proliferation, regulation, and differentiation, were also present in blood, and colocalized with other CD4+ T cells, CCR6+ B cells, and macrophages in the fistula tracts.

Conclusions

Overall, proliferating activated HLA-DR+CD38+ effector Th1/17 cells distinguish CD-associated from cryptoglandular perianal fistulas and are a promising biomarker in blood to discriminate between these 2 fistula types. Targeting HLA-DR and CD38-expressing CD4+ T cells may offer a potential new therapeutic strategy for CD-related fistulas.
On a Generalization of Symmetric Edge Polytopes to Regular Matroids
Authors: D’Alì Alessio , Juhnke-Kubitzke Martina , Koch Melissa
Published: May 2024

Starting from any finite simple graph, one can build a reflexive polytope known as a symmetric edge polytope. The first goal of this paper is to show that symmetric edge polytopes are intrinsically matroidal objects: more precisely, we prove that two symmetric edge polytopes are unimodularly equivalent precisely when they share the same graphical matroid. The second goal is to show that one can construct a generalized symmetric edge polytope starting from every regular matroid. Just like in the usual case, we are able to find combinatorial ways to describe the facets and an explicit regular unimodular triangulation of any such polytope. Finally, we show that the Ehrhart theory of the polar of a given generalized symmetric edge polytope is tightly linked to the structure of the lattice of flows of the dual regular matroid.
An Aversion to Intervention: How the Protestant Work Ethic Influences Preferences for Natural Healthcare
Authors: Cheng Yimin , Mukhopadhyay Anirban
Published: May 2024

The term “natural” is ubiquitous in advertising and branding, but limited research has investigated how consumers respond and relate to naturalness. Some researchers have documented preferences for natural products, specifically food, but there has been scant investigation of the psychological antecedents of such preferences, especially in the critical, multi-trillion-dollar domain of healthcare. Using publicly available country-level data from 41 countries and individual-level experimental and survey data from the lab and online panels, we find converging evidence that consumers do indeed differ in their preferences for relatively natural versus artificial healthcare options. These differences are influenced by the extent to which they subscribe to the Protestant Work Ethic (PWE)—a belief system that influences judgments and behaviors across diverse domains—such that people who subscribe strongly (vs. weakly) to the PWE are more likely to prefer natural healthcare options because they are more averse to external intervention in general. Further, belief in the PWE makes consumers more sensitive to the intrusiveness of an intervention than to its extent. Theoretical and substantive implications are discussed.
Conjuring markets: valuation in comparative international economic law
Authors: Marzal Toni
Published: May 2024

This article focuses on the neglected relationship between market valuation and international economic law by comparing valuation practices in four subfields: international investment law, the law of the European Convention of Human Rights, international tax law, and World Trade Organization law. The operation of each of these hinges, in some crucial respect, on how the worth of a certain thing is determined by the market (calculating damages awarded to investors, identifying a breach of the right to property due to insufficient compensation, allocating taxable income among sovereigns under transfer pricing rules, and identifying the existence and extent of an actionable subsidy). Because the market is often either nonexistent or unreliable, the law must imagine how the market would have valued it. This operation is not mere fact-finding or a technical appendix but rather deeply entangled in the construction and operation of the legal regime. The article ultimately shows that the relationship between valuation and international economic law is highly complex, mutually transformative, and productive of multiple possible arrangements.
Elevations in presepsin, PCT, hs-CRP, and IL-6 levels predict mortality among septic patients in the ICU
Authors: Zhou Yan , Feng Yongwen , Liang Xiaomin , Gui Shuiqing , Ren Di , Liu Yuanzhi , She Jijia , Zhang Xiaomei , Song Fei , Yu Lina , Zhang Yiwen , Wang Jinping , Zou Zhiye , Mei Jiang , Wen Sha , Yang Mei , Li Xinsi , Tan Xuerui , Li Ying
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to investigate whether changes in presepsin, procalcitonin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin 6 levels predict mortality in septic patients in the intensive care unit. This study enrolled septic patients between November 2020 and December 2021. Levels of presepsin, procalcitonin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin 6 were measured on the first (PSEP_0, PCT_0, hsCRP_0, IL-6_0) and third days (PSEP_3, PCT_3, hsCRP_3, IL-6_3). Follow-up was performed on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 after enrollment. The outcome was all-cause death. The study included 119 participants, and the mortality was 18.5%. In univariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, ΔPSEP (= PSEP_3 – PSEP_0) > 211.49 pg/mL (hazard ratio, 2.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.17–6.22), ΔPCT (= PCT_3 – PCT_0) > –0.13 ng/mL (hazard ratio, 7.31; 95% confidence interval, 2.68–19.80), ΔhsCRP (= hsCRP_3 – hsCRP_0) > −19.29 mg/L (hazard ratio, 6.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.61–29.40), and ΔIL-6 (= IL-6_3 – IL-6_0) > 1.00 pg/mL (hazard ratio, 3.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.35–7.24) indicated an increased risk of mortality. The composite concordance index for alterations in all 4 distinct biomarkers was highest (concordance index, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.76–0.91), suggesting the optimal performance of this panel in mortality prediction. In decision curve analysis, compared with the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and Sequential (sepsis-related) Organ Failure Assessment scores, the combination of the 4 biomarkers had a larger net benefit. Interestingly, interleukin 6 was predominantly produced by monocytes upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. ΔPSEP, ΔPCT, ΔhsCRP, and ΔIL-6 are reliable biomarkers for predicting mortality in septic patients in the intensive care unit, and their combination has the best performance.
Combining antivascular endothelial growth factor and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibodies: randomized phase II study of irinotecan and cetuximab with/without ramucirumab in second-line colorectal cancer (ECOG-ACRIN E7208)
Authors: Hochster Howard S , Catalano Paul , Weitz Michelle , Mitchell Edith P , Cohen Deirdre , O’Dwyer Peter J , Faller Bryan A , Kortmansky Jeremy S , O’Hara Mark H , Kricher Sheetal M , Lacy Jill , Lenz Heinz-Josef , Verma Udit , Benson Al B
Published: May 2024

Background

Early studies showed promise of combined anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plus anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibodies for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), yet this was later rejected as toxic and ineffective in studies not selected for RAS status. We studied advanced KRAS wild-type CRC, as second-line treatment, using irinotecan-cetuximab with or without the anti-VEGF receptor antibody ramucirumab.

Methods

Patients with 1 prior regimen including fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and bevacizumab, with KRAS wild-type tumors were stratified by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Score, time since last chemotherapy, and progression on oxaliplatin to irinotecan-cetuximab (IC) (180 mg/m2 and 500 mg/m2 every 2 weeks) vs modified ICR (irinotecan-cetuximab with ramucirumab 150 mg/m2 and 400 mg/m2 plus 6 mg/kg, respectively). A total of 102 patients were compared for progression-free survival (PFS) as primary endpoint (85% power for 70% improvement in median PFS from 4.5 to 7.65 months).

Results

Of the 102 enrolled, 44 treated with irinotecan-cetuximab and 45 with modified ramucirumab were evaluable. Median PFS was 6.0 months vs 9.2 months, respectively (hazard ratio = 0.75, P = .07; statistically significant by study design for P < .128). Response rate was 23% vs 36% (P = .27), and disease-control rate was 52% vs 73% (P = .05). Grade 3 or higher toxicity was equivalent. Overall survival was not significantly different at approximately 19 months.

Conclusion

Previous phase 3 trials without RAS genotyping rejected combining anti-epidermal growth factor receptor and anti-VEGF drugs. In this randomized multicenter phase 2 study for KRAS wild-type CRC (all previously bevacizumab treated), the addition of ramucirumab to irinotecan and cetuximab improved PFS and disease control rate, showing the combination is feasible and effective. Further, phase 3 trials with appropriate patient-selection are required. (NCT01079780)
Risk Factors for Pediatric Critical COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Aparicio Camila , Willis Zachary I , Nakamura Mari M , Wolf Joshua , Little Cordell , Maron Gabriela M , Sue Paul K , Anosike Brenda I , Miller Christine , Bio Laura L , Singh Prachi , James Scott H , Oliveira Carlos R
Published: May 2024

Background

Risk stratification is a cornerstone of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society COVID-19 treatment guidance. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to define the clinical characteristics and comorbidities associated with critical COVID-19 in children and adolescents.

Methods

Two independent reviewers screened the literature (Medline and EMBASE) for studies published through August 31, 2023, that reported outcome data on patients aged ≤21 years with COVID-19. Critical disease was defined as an invasive mechanical ventilation requirement, intensive care unit admission, or death. Random-effects models were used to estimate pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and heterogeneity was explored through subgroup analyses.

Results

Among 10,178 articles, 136 studies met the inclusion criteria for review. Data from 70 studies, which collectively examined 172,165 children and adolescents with COVID-19, were pooled for meta-analysis. In previously healthy children, the absolute risk of critical disease from COVID-19 was 4% (95% CI, 1%–10%). Compared with no comorbidities, the pooled OR for critical disease was 3.95 (95% CI, 2.78–5.63) for the presence of one comorbidity and 9.51 (95% CI, 5.62–16.06) for ≥2 comorbidities. Key risk factors included cardiovascular and neurological disorders, chronic pulmonary conditions (excluding asthma), diabetes, obesity, and immunocompromise, all with statistically significant ORs > 2.00.

Conclusions

While the absolute risk for critical COVID-19 in children and adolescents without underlying health conditions is relatively low, the presence of one or more comorbidities was associated with markedly increased risk. These findings support the importance of risk stratification in tailoring pediatric COVID-19 management.
Neural networks meet random forests
Authors: Qiu Rui , Xu Shuntuo , Yu Zhou
Published: May 2024

Neural networks and random forests are popular and promising tools for machine learning. This article explores the proper integration of these two approaches for nonparametric regression to improve the performance of a single approach. Specifically, we propose a neural network estimator with local enhancement provided by random forests. It naturally synthesizes the local relation adaptivity of random forests and the strong global approximation ability of neural networks. Based on the classical empirical risk minimization framework, we establish a nonasymptotic error bound for the estimator. By utilizing advanced U-process theory and an appropriate network structure, we can further improve the convergence rate to the nearly minimax rate. Also with the assistance of random forests, we can implement gradient learning with neural networks. Comprehensive simulation studies and real data applications demonstrate the superiority of our proposal.
Piety, Purity, and Pain: The Head Shaving Ritual for Women in Ultra-Orthodox Communities and Its Underlying Concept of Halachah
Authors: Brown Iris
Published: May 2024

Within the Hungarian and Galician Hasidic communities, women customarily shave their heads shortly before their weddings. Henceforth, they meticulously adhere to this practice, preserving a shorn appearance throughout the duration of their married lives. This practice has long stood at the center of a halachic and quasi-halachic discourse. An analysis of the arguments presented reveals that the halachic and kabbalistic foundations of this custom are extremely tenuous and largely dependent on homiletical interpretations. Although the precise origins of this practice remain elusive, its proponents have elevated its normative status, venerating it as an ancient and sacred tradition. This study endeavors to comprehend the underlying motivations driving the preservation efforts of this custom. The analysis herein demonstrates that the observance of this custom aligns three fundamentally non-halachic principles: a zealous commitment to minhag (custom); a “lust for asceticism,” historically associated with select Hasidic groups since that movement’s inception; and a demand for self-sacrifice, perceived as an ideal within greater ultra-Orthodox society. This study concludes that the normative standards emanating from these avowed non-halachic principles are regarded within ultra-conservative circles as an indispensable element of the Halachic system, thereby integrating these principles into their broader halachic worldview.
Investigating stellar activity through eight years of Sun-as-a-star observations
Authors: Klein Baptiste , Aigrain Suzanne , Cretignier Michael , Al Moulla Khaled , Dumusque Xavier , Barragán Oscar , Yu Haochuan , Mortier Annelies , Rescigno Federica , Cameron Andrew Collier , López-Morales Mercedes , Meunier Nadège , Sozzetti Alessandro , O’Sullivan Niamh K
Published: May 2024

Stellar magnetic activity induces both distortions and Doppler-shifts in the absorption line profiles of Sun-like stars. Those effects produce apparent radial velocity (RV) signals which greatly hamper the search for potentially habitable, Earth-like planets. In this work, we investigate these distortions in the Sun using cross-correlation functions (CCFs), derived from intensive monitoring with the high-precision spectrograph HARPS-N. We show that the RV signal arising from line-shape variations on time-scales associated with the Sun’s rotation and activity cycle can be robustly extracted from the data, reducing the RV dispersion by half. Once these have been corrected, activity-induced Doppler-shifts remain, that are modulated at the solar rotation period, and that are most effectively modelled in the time domain, using Gaussian processes (GPs). Planet signatures are still best retrieved with multidimensonal GPs, when activity is jointly modelled from the raw RVs and indicators of the line width or of the Ca ii H & K emission. After GP modelling, the residual RVs exhibit a dispersion of 0.6–0.8 m s−1, likely to be dominated by signals induced by supergranulation. Finally, we find that the statistical properties of the RVs evolve significantly over time, and that this evolution is primarily driven by sunspots, which control the smoothness of the signal. Such evolution, which reduces the sensitivity to long-period planet signatures, is no longer seen in the activity-induced Doppler-shifts, which is promising for long term RV monitoring surveys such as the Terra Hunting Experiment or the PLATO follow-up campaign.
Incidental germline findings during comprehensive genomic profiling of pancreatic and colorectal cancer: single-centre, molecular tumour board experience
Authors: Eid Michal , Trizuljak Jakub , Taslerova Renata , Gryc Martin , Vlazny Jakub , Vilmanova Sara , Jelinkova Martina , Homolova Alena , Tucek Stepan , Hlavsa Jan , Grolich Tomas , Kala Zdenek , Kral Zdenek , Slaby Ondrej
Published: May 2024

Multidisciplinary molecular tumor boards (MTB) are already well established in many comprehensive cancer centers and play an important role in the individual treatment planning for cancer patients. Comprehensive genomic profiling of tumor tissue based on next-generation sequencing is currently performed for diagnostic and mainly predictive testing. If somatic genomic variants are identified, which are suspected to be pathogenic germline variants (PGVs), MTB propose genetic counseling and germline DNA testing. Commonly used comprehensive genomic profiling approaches of tumor tissue do not include a matched germline DNA control. Therefore, the detection of PGVs could be only predicted based on the content of tumor cells (CTC) in selected tumor area (%) and variant allele frequency score (%). For conclusion, the role of a medical geneticist is essential in these cases. The overall prevalence of PGVs in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) is approximately 10%. In this single-center study, we present 37 patients with PDAC and 48 patients with CRC who were presented at MTB and tested using the large combined DNA/RNA sequencing panel. Content of tumor cells and variant allele frequency scores were evaluated in all tested patients. In case of suspicion of PGV and no previous genetic testing based on the standard guidelines, genetic counseling was recommended regardless of age, sex, and family history. In the PDAC subgroup, five patients were recommended by MTB for genetic counseling based on suspicious genetic findings. Based on a medical geneticist’s decision, germline DNA sequencing was performed in four of these cases, and all of them tested positive for PGV in the following genes: ATM, ATM, BRCA1, and BRCA2. In the CRC subgroup, no PGV was confirmed in the two patients genetically tested based on the MTB recommendations. Furthermore, we present data from our center’s registry of patients with PDAC and CRC who underwent genetic counseling and germline DNA testing based on the standard screening criteria. Our data confirm that comprehensive genomic profiling of tumor tissue can identify patients with hereditary forms of PDAC, who could remain unidentified by standard screening for hereditary forms of cancer.
Knowing that you know that you know? An extreme-confidence heuristic can lead to above-chance discrimination of metacognitive performance
Authors: Sherman Maxine T , Seth Anil K
Published: May 2024

In daily life, we can not only estimate confidence in our inferences (‘I’m sure I failed that exam’), but can also estimate whether those feelings of confidence are good predictors of decision accuracy (‘I feel sure I failed, but my feeling is probably wrong; I probably passed’). In the lab, by using simple perceptual tasks and collecting trial-by-trial confidence ratings visual metacognition research has repeatedly shown that participants can successfully predict the accuracy of their perceptual choices. Can participants also successfully evaluate ‘confidence in confidence’ in these tasks? This is the question addressed in this study. Participants performed a simple, two-interval forced choice numerosity task framed as an exam. Confidence judgements were collected in the form of a ‘predicted exam grade’. Finally, we collected ‘meta-metacognitive’ reports in a two-interval forced-choice design: trials were presented in pairs, and participants had to select that in which they thought their confidence (predicted grade) best matched their accuracy (actual grade), effectively minimizing their quadratic scoring rule (QSR) score. Participants successfully selected trials on which their metacognition was better when metacognitive performance was quantified using area under the type 2 ROC (AUROC2) but not when using the ‘gold-standard’ measure m-ratio. However, further analyses suggested that participants selected trials on which AUROC2 is lower in part via an extreme-confidence heuristic, rather than through explicit evaluation of metacognitive inferences: when restricting analyses to trials on which participants gave the same confidence rating AUROC2 no longer differed as a function of selection, and likewise when we excluded trials on which extreme confidence ratings were given. Together, our results show that participants are able to make effective metacognitive discriminations on their visual confidence ratings, but that explicit ‘meta-metacognitive’ processes may not be required.
Child Welfare Effectiveness
Authors: Jonson-Reid Melissa , Barth Richard P. , Chiang Chien-Jen
Published: May 2024

In the United States, the family is considered the primary unit responsible for keeping children safe and providing adequate care to address health and developmental needs. When a child is harmed or at risk of harm, the child welfare system is charged with intervening. The child welfare system’s goals are to keep a child with their family whenever possible or to provide a safe and permanent option until they can return home or achieve permanency. The child welfare system must screen all referrals, operate with minimal funding, and leverage scarce external resources while balancing family rights and child safety. Evaluating such a system is challenging. States have different definitions of maltreatment and standards for intervention. There are different levels of intervention (from fully voluntary case management to court-mandated services). That means for any given group effectiveness can be measured using varied metrics such as fatality or serious harm, children remaining with their family, placement types, and attention to child health. Others may judge effectiveness in regard to particular values—for example, whether the least possible interference in a family is made, whether children from all identity groups are equally represented across service categories, or whether services are provided at a low cost. Any chosen outcome is complicated when populations served, risk factors, system funding, and policies are dynamic. The question is not if the child welfare system is effective, but what part, according to what metric, for whom, and where? In an era of reform, understanding what we know about these questions is key to improving outcomes for children and families. This chapter reviews key literature organized by system function and priorities from primary prevention through foster care to explore dimensions of effectiveness.
Hinduism in West Bengal and Bangladesh
Authors: De Aniket
Published: May 2024

West Bengal, a Hindu-majority province in contemporary India, and Bangladesh (East Pakistan before 1971), its neighboring Muslim-majority sovereign state with a significant Hindu minority, are political entities created in the 20th century. Bengal’s 19th-century history, in the high noon of British imperialism, is a well-known era in the study of modern Hinduism for the great reformist and revivalist movements in its colonial society (see the Oxford Bibliographies in Hinduism articles “Reform Hinduism”; “Asiatic Society of Bengal”; “British Colonialism and Imperialism”). Over the 20th century, in contrast, the inhabitants of Bengal witnessed partitions along lines of religious and linguistic difference, lived under four postcolonial states (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Burma), and endured widespread displacement across national borders. The map of Bengal underwent sudden and dramatic changes between 1905 to 1971: “West Bengal” and “eastern Bengal and Assam” (1905); “Bengal,” “Bihar and Orissa,” “Assam” (1911); “West Bengal” and “Assam” (independent India) and “East Pakistan” (1947); and, finally, “Bangladesh” (1971). Note that the name “Bengal,” unlike the other partitioned provinces of Punjab and Sind, disappeared from the map altogether after 1947. The new context of late colonialism, Partition, and the rise of nation-states, therefore, has shaped a distinct trajectory of Hinduism in West Bengal and Bangladesh. The legacy of Partition has also, at the same time, tended to isolate “Hindu” West Bengal, in popular and scholarly conceptions, from “Muslim” Pakistan and Bangladesh, not only coloring the long exchange between Hindus and Muslims in the region, before and after 1947, but also tending to deny the specific practices and worldviews that set the region apart from other parts of South Asia. This bibliography lists scholarly works on Hindu practices, formations, and identities in West Bengal and Bangladesh, in relation to the context of Partition, postcolonial state-making, and human mobility in the region. It focuses on approaches that have reimagined the changing “space” of 20th-century Bengal, and its religious life, beyond national and communitarian borders through creative analyses of social and cultural relations.
Hinduism in Gujarat
Authors: Shukla-Batt Neelima
Published: May 2024

Gujarat is currently a state of India on its western border, with the longest coastline in the country. While it became a linguistically based state with Gujarati as its official regional language only in 1960, the region’s coastline has played a key role in shaping its cultural ethos since the prehistoric times. The region had several major centers of the Indus Valley Civilization (at its peak, 2600–1700 bce) including a port, Lothal, with possibly the earliest dock in the world. It has since had continued contact with various parts of the world, especially through trade. Being almost at the midpoint of the north-south axis of the Indian subcontinent, it was also accessible through various land trade routes. This has resulted in a constant influx of people, material goods, ideas, and practices in the region. In ancient times, the Vedic religion that later developed into what we now know as Hinduism flourished here, along with Buddhist and Jain traditions. Sanskrit epics and Puranas from that time refer to several sacred sites in the region, which still form parts of Hindu pilgrimage circuits. By the seventh century, “Gurjardesha,” a nomenclature for a more extensive region ruled by the Gurjar Pratihara dynasty, was in use. The name Gujarat is derived from it. From the later part of the first millennium, early groups of migrants to India with diverse religious/cultural backgrounds from different parts of the world—Muslims, Zoroastrians, the Portuguese, and the British—began to arrive in Gujarat, known by then as a rich region. Many sayings in Gujarati refer to distant parts of the world, indicating that interactions with diverse cultures are a deeply ingrained component of the region’s culture. The history of migrations to and from other parts of the world has led to the composition of a society with variegated ethnic and religious groups coexisting for centuries. In modern times, Gujarat was the home to a figure like Gandhi. In the early twenty-first century, it saw one of the most tragic communal riots in India. In the study of Hinduism in Gujarat, consideration of the region’s deep historical roots and its ethnic and cultural diversity shaped by its distinct geography is crucial. Also important is a consideration of tribal cultures of Gujarat that were likely developed by the original inhabitants of the land integrating elements from various cultures.
Monopolistic competition under frictional entries
Authors: Boitier Vincent
Published: May 2024

In this theoretical article, I develop a new theory of monopolistic competition models by introducing the notion of frictional entries. Frictional entries define a general sticky relationship between profits and entries, find large empirical support, and can encapsulate the standard free-entry condition and the entry condition with fixed costs as particular cases. I determine a steady-state equilibrium of such a new theory, and I find three results. First, I show that the new framework leads to a smaller mass of varieties, larger individual consumption/quantity, higher prices/markups, and larger aggregate consumption/production than traditional models. Second, I find that the new model predicts prices and markups that vary with income, even if preferences are additive. Last, I show that the presence of frictional entries can amplify TFP shocks and so can be considered as a new source of volatility for macroeconomic models.
Rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in a patient with Crohn’s disease: a rare coincidence case report and brief literature review
Authors: Sadeghi Amir , Moghadam Pardis Ketabi , Mangeli Forough , Mohammadi Mahsa , Ghadirzadeh Erfan , Rajabnia Mohsen
Published: May 2024

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common type of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors. The most common site for developing these neoplasms is the stomach and small intestine. In contrast, anorectal GISTs are very rare. Population-based studies have shown an increased risk of colorectal cancers (CRC) in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). As in sporadic CRC, adenocarcinomas are the most commonly observed tumor. Accordingly, it is expected that rectal mass in CD patients to be an adenocarcinoma. Some reports have presented CD cases with GISTs along the gastrointestinal tract; however, to the best of our knowledge, a rectal GIST has not been reported in CD. Herein, we report a 41-year-old woman with CD who presented with 8 weeks of constipation and was diagnosed with rectal GIST and briefly review existing reports regarding GIST in IBD.
Hemophagocytic syndrome related by EBV infection: case report
Authors: De Santis Maria Cristina , Martinelli Elisa , Cricchio Anna Lo , Mercatelli Paolo , Campanaro Giulia , D’Arienzo Alessandra , Pignone Alberto Moggi , Bandini Giulia
Published: May 2024

A 34-year-old woman of Asian origin with diffuse lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly in hemophagocytic syndrome induced by Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infection. The rapidity of progression of clinical manifestations lead to early orotracheal intubation and death due to multiple organ failure (MOF).
Venous thromboembolism in adrenocortical carcinoma: a retrospective analysis
Authors: Laganà Marta , Balderrama-Brondani Vania , Herrera Kelsey Ruth , Chahla Brenda , Yaylaci Feyza , Bassett Roland L , Jimenez Camilo , Varghese Jeena , Waguespack Steven G , Campbell Matthew T , Shah Amishi Y , Rojas Hernandez Cristhiam M , Habra Mouhammed Amir
Published: May 2024

Background

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of death in patients with cancer. Limited data exist about VTE in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). The primary objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of VTE in a cohort of patients with ACC. Secondary objectives were to determine the impact of VTE events on overall survival (OS) and to describe the characteristics of VTE in patients with ACC.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed data from 289 patients with ACC cared for at a major referral center from February 2010 to June 2022.

Results

VTE prevalence was 18.7% (54 events). Thirty patients (55.6%) had pulmonary embolism (PE); 12 patients (22.2%) had deep vein thrombosis (DVT); and 12 patients (22.2%) had both PE and DVT. VTE occurred after ACC diagnosis in 50 patients (92.6%) including 44 patients (88%) with stage 3 or 4 ACC. VTEs were CTCAE grade ≤2 in 32 cases (59.3%), grade 3 in 17 (31.5%), and grade 4 in 2 (3.7%). Thirteen patients (24%) died within 6 months after VTE diagnosis, although there was no statistically significant association between VTE and overall survival.

Conclusion

Despite the potential to underestimate the prevalence of VTEs, we found a high frequency of VTE events in patients with ACC. A majority of VTEs occurred in the context of advanced ACC and we observed high short-term mortality. Further studies are needed to validate our findings and investigate mechanisms associated with VTE in ACC.
Map Semantics and the Geography of Meaning
Authors: Greenberg Gabriel
Published: May 2024

This chapter develops a semantic theory for maps and situates it within the broader geography of meaning and semiotic significance. The discussion focuses on three central aspects of map semantics: the use of space, line marking, and linguistic tags. It is argued that the treatment of space in maps must be based on geometrical projection from a viewpoint rather than the traditional analysis in terms of spatial isomorphism. The chapter then shows how to integrate the projection-based semantics of maps and the symbolic semantics of markers and tags, within the framework of possible-world semantics. The resulting account addresses issues of accuracy, viewpoint, orientation, and exhaustivity.
Silencing and Assertion
Authors: Dowell J. L.
Published: May 2024

Silencing occurs when a conversational participant is not accorded an ordinary speaker’s standing to update the conversational record. This chapter argues that silencing poses a distinctive problem for assertion in contexts of inquiry. In the standard model, an assertion met with silence is one that has not been rejected by any participant. Like affirmation, silence adds the asserted content to the Common Ground. When a conversational participant is silent because she has been silenced, however, her silence does not indicate assent. In such cases, assertions cannot succeed in their characteristic perlocutionary effect, mutual audience belief. The remedy for this distinctive problem of assertion requires a remedy for the conditions that give rise to silencing. The chapter closes with a proposal for how to revise the standard model to allow it to represent the phenomenon of silencing, as well as the conditions needed for repair.
Pornography as Oppressive Speech
Authors: Mikkola Mari
Published: May 2024

One of Catharine MacKinnon’s central claims is that pornography is not “only words.” Rather, pornographic speech subordinates and silences women. Using Austin’s speech-act theory, Rae Langton argues that pornographic speech thus has the power to oppress women. The speech-act theoretic defense of MacKinnon’s position has dominated much of Anglo-American philosophizing about pornography over the past thirty years. This chapter examines and evaluates the philosophical legacy of the speech-act approach to pornography’s putative harms. It considers what this approach amounts to, its philosophical and practical tenability, and whether pornography can be said to have the kind of authority to make good the speech- act approach.