bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Foreign Policy of Authoritarian Regimes
Authors: Tansey Oisín
Published: September 2024

Do authoritarian regimes have distinctive foreign policies compared to democracies? This chapter examines the range of approaches that find that domestic institutions matter for foreign policy, with a particular emphasis on the ways in which authoritarian forms of rule shape a country’s foreign policy choices and outcomes. The chapter identifies the range of foreign policy issues that regime type influences, and it reviews the findings on the distinctive nature of authoritarian foreign policy. It explores whether varieties of authoritarianism matter more for foreign policy than a binary distinction between democratic and nondemocratic regimes, and it examines the causal mechanisms that link regime type to foreign policy outcomes. The chapter compares the foreign policies of democratic and authoritarian regimes and concludes by arguing that transnational repression should be viewed as a distinctively authoritarian foreign policy that has no direct parallel in democratic countries.
Complexity and entropy of natural patterns
Authors: Wang Haoyu , Song Changqing , Gao Peichao
Published: September 2024

Complexity and entropy play crucial roles in understanding dynamic systems across various disciplines. Many intuitively perceive them as distinct measures and assume that they have a concave-down relationship. In everyday life, there is a common consensus that while entropy never decreases, complexity does decrease after an initial increase during the process of blending coffee and milk. However, this consensus is primarily conceptual and lacks empirical evidence. Here, we provide comprehensive evidence that challenges this prevailing consensus. We demonstrate that this consensus is, in fact, an illusion resulting from the choice of system characterization (dimension) and the unit of observation (resolution). By employing a complexity measure designed for natural patterns, we find that the complexity of a coffee-milk system never decreases if the system is appropriately characterized in terms of dimension and resolution. Also, this complexity aligns experimentally and theoretically with entropy, suggesting that it does not represent a measure of so-called effective complexity. These findings rectify the prevailing conceptual consensus and reshape our understanding of the relationship between complexity and entropy. It is therefore crucial to exercise caution and pay close attention to accurately and precisely characterize dynamic systems before delving into their underlying mechanisms, despite the maturity of characterization research in various fields dealing with natural patterns such as geography and ecology. The characterization/observation (dimension and resolution) of a system fundamentally determines the assessment of complexity and entropy using existing measures and our understanding.
Opposing Friendship: Saul Bellow’s Humboldt’s Gift
Authors: Clayton Joshua
Published: September 2024

This article reads Saul Bellow’s Humboldt’s Gift (1975)—a novel best known for its fictionalized portrait of the writer Delmore Schwartz—according to a conceptual sympathy between friendship and the novel. Though such a twinning can illuminate Bellow’s career as a whole, I argue here that Humboldt’s Gift represented his most compelling and complex attempt to reckon with opposition as an artistic problem (and opportunity). In 1962, Bellow published an essay talking up the importance of managing ‘opposites’ within a novel and, in his novels of this period, he alludes to an aphorism of William Blake’s: ‘Opposition is true friendship’. This statement, to begin with, fairly encapsulates the volatile relationship between the central characters of Charles Citrine and Von Humboldt Fleischer, but in this article I also interrogate the manifold ways in which an understanding of friendship as oppositional can illuminate mid-century theorizing about the novel as being fundamentally structured by oppositions. More idiosyncratically, Bellow recruits these sympathetic conceptions of friendship and the novel in pursuit of a quasi-gnostical synthesis whereby two exceptional friends might escape the indignities and mysteries of material existence. Elements such as the compositional record of Humboldt’s Gift, the influence of Blake’s Romantic ‘Contraries’, and Charles Citrine’s embarrassed enthusiasm for the ‘anthroposophy’ of Rudolf Steiner demonstrate a mutualistic intimacy between friendship and the novel. Friendship, that is, enlivens the novel with its varieties, flexibilities, and bantering confrontations; the novel, in turn, offers an indispensable forum for scrutinizing the duties and demands of friendship.
Intestinal epithelial expression of human TNF is sufficient to induce small bowel inflammation and sacroiliitis, mimicking human spondyloarthritis
Authors: Debusschere Karlijn , Souza Donald , Nabozny Gerald H , Dumas Emilie , Verheugen Eveline , Coudenys Julie , Manuello Teddy , Stappers Flore , Decruy Tine , Maelegheer Margaux , Schryvers Nadia , Gilis Elisabeth , Elewaut Dirk
Published: September 2024

Objectives

Gut and joint disease commonly co-occur in SpA. Up to 50% of patients with SpA show signs of subclinical gut inflammation, of which 10% develops IBD. However, the mechanisms underlying this gut–joint axis are still unclear. Here we investigated the hypothesis that restricted expression of a pro-inflammatory cytokine in the intestine may trigger the onset of combined gut and joint inflammation.

Methods

Intestinal expression of human TNF (hTNF) was achieved by driving hTNF gene expression using the rat FAPB2 promoter, creating a new animal model, TNFgut mice, that expresses hTNF in the proximal intestinal tract. Intestinal-specific TNFgut mice were examined for pathological changes in the intestine and extra-intestinal tissues by means of histology, reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and flow cytometry, along with 16S sequencing on stools.

Results

Local expression of hTNF in the epithelium of the small intestine induces a pro-inflammatory state of the proximal intestinal tract, with epithelial alterations and induction of members of the S100 family, as well as local upregulation of Th17 and Treg, but no obvious signs of dysbiosis. Curiously, TNFgut mice develop sacroiliitis (P <0.05) in addition to small bowel inflammation (P <0.05). However, no signs of peripheral arthritis or enthesitis could be documented.

Conclusion

Intestinal expression of hTNF is sufficient to initiate a pro-inflammatory cascade culminating in small bowel inflammation and sacroiliitis. Thus, gut-derived cytokines are sufficient to induce SpA.
Beyond ‘ever closer union’: retrospective on 30 years of union citizenship and what they tell us about the future
Authors: Thym Daniel
Published: September 2024

Binary descriptions have traditionally taken centre stage in many analyses of Union citizenship, signalling the assumption of an inbuilt dynamism towards a pre-determined objective. This contribution moves beyond the vision of constant betterment for Union citizenship and the European Union at large. For that purpose, it reconstructs the institutional practice, with its seemingly erratic combination of ‘progress’ and ‘standstill’, as normative fault lines. In geology, a fault line is a section of the earth’s surface where rock has been visibly displaced as a result of plate tectonic forces, which, in the domain of Union citizenship, correspond to several constitutional tensions pushing and pulling the case law in diverse directions. For many years, these tensions did not exercise a decisive influence; anyone could project their understanding onto the skeleton of abstract Treaty articles. This is no longer possible at a time when Union citizenship touches upon salient topics which define the democratic context. It is these constitutional tensions, such as disagreement over the degree of centralization, the value of (im)mobility, or the reconfiguration of membership, which sustain our hypothesis that Union citizenship is defined by postmodern ambiguity rather than the modernist ideal of irrefutable progress. An awareness of this change allows readers to chart their way through the institutional practice by defining the legal and normative parameters for future developments.
Contribution of the Sensor Histidine Kinases PhcS and VsrA to the Quorum Sensing of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum Strain OE1-1
Authors: Senuma Wakana , Hayashi Kazusa , Tsuzuki Masayuki , Takemura Chika , Terazawa Yuki , Kiba Akinori , Ohnishi Kouhei , Kai Kenji , Hikichi Yasufumi
Published: September 2024

The soilborne Gram-negative phytopathogenic beta-proteobacterium Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum strain OE1-1 produces methyl 3-hydroxymyristate (3-OH MAME) as the quorum sensing (QS) signal by the methyltransferase PhcB and senses the chemical, activating the LysR family transcriptional regulator PhcA, which regulates the QS-dependent genes responsible for QS-dependent phenotypes including virulence. The sensor histidine kinases PhcS and VsrA are reportedly involved in the regulation of QS-dependent genes. To elucidate the function of PhcS and VsrA in the active QS, we generated the phcS-deletion and vsrA-deletion mutants, which exhibited weak changes to their QS-dependent phenotypes including virulence. The phcS and vsrA-deletion mutant (Δ phcS/ vsrA) had significant changes in its QS-dependent phenotypes and was nonvirulent, similar to the phcA-deletion mutant. The mutant (PhcS-H230Q) with a substitution of histidine to glutamine at amino acid position 230 in PhcS but not the mutant (VsrA-H256Q) with a substitution of histidine to glutamine at amino acid position 256 in VsrA exhibited significant changes in QS-dependent phenotypes and lost virulence. The transcriptome analysis with RNA-sequencing revealed significant alterations to the expression of QS-dependent genes in the Δ phcS/ vsrA and PhcS-H230Q but not VsrA-H256Q, similar to the phcA-deletion mutant. The exogenous 3-OH MAME application led to a significantly enhanced QS-inducible major exopolysaccharide EPS I production of the strain OE1-1 and phcB-deletion mutant but not Δ phcS/ vsrA and PhcS-H230Q. Collectively, results of the present genetic study suggested that PhcS contributes to QS along with VsrA and that histidine at amino acid position 230 of PhcS is required for 3-OH MAME sensing, thereby influencing QS-dependent phenotypes including virulence of the strain OE1-1.

[Formula: see text] The author(s) have dedicated the work to the public domain under the Creative Commons CC0 “No Rights Reserved” license by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law, 2024.
Duplex Ultrasound Screening for Deep Venous Thrombosis in Patients Undergoing Craniotomy for Intracranial Tumors: A Single Institutional Series
Authors: Avitsian Rafi , Mohammadi Alireza M. , Beresian Jean , Nuti Anna Maria , Jolly Sagar , Volovetz Josephine , Avitsian Taleen , Budiansky Adele S. , Mi Junhui , Liu Xiaodan
Published: September 2024

Objective:

The frequency of duplex ultrasound screening (DUS) for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with brain tumors undergoing craniotomy is center-specific. We evaluated clinical conditions that increase the tendency to perform DUS, focusing on tumor type.

Methods:

This is a single-center retrospective analysis to assess the association of intracranial tumor type with DVT as a major decision-making indicator for DUS. A primary analysis investigated the association between tumor pathology and preoperative DVT, and a secondary analysis investigated the development of DVT postoperatively. Confounding factors were defined and included in both analyses.

Results:

Among 1478 patients, 751 had preoperative DUS and 35 (5%) had DVT. No significant difference in the odds of preoperative DVT was observed between patients having malignant glioma versus benign tumors (odds ratio [OR; 95% CI]: 1.68 [0.65, 4.35], P = 0.29), or metastatic tumors versus benign tumors (OR: 2.10; 95% CI: 0.75-5.89; P = 0.16). Among patients with negative preoperative DUS, 93 underwent postoperative evaluation and 20 (22%) were diagnosed with postoperative DVT. Malignant glioma or (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 0.36-7.84; P = 0.50) metastatic tumors (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 0.29-11.5; P = 0.52) were not associated with postoperative DVT versus benign tumors.

Conclusion:

Brain tumor pathology may not increase the risk for DVT and may not be a good indicator for the selection of patients for DVT screening with DUS. The incidence of DVT in selective preoperative DUS was similar to studies that performed DUS on all patients. Further studies across multiple institutions are needed to develop criteria for DUS in brain tumor surgery.
The Impact of Point-of-Care Ultrasound-Guided Resuscitation on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Shock: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis*
Authors: Basmaji John , Arntfield Robert , Desai Karishma , Lau Vincent I. , Lewis Kim , Rochwerg Bram , Fiorini Kyle , Honarmand Kimia , Slessarev Marat , Leligdowicz Aleks , Park Brian , Prager Ross , Wong Michelle Y.S. , Jones Philip M. , Ball Ian M. , Orozco Nicolas , Meade Maureen , Thabane Lehana , Guyatt Gordon
Published: September 2024

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the impact of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS)-guided resuscitation on clinical outcomes in adult patients with shock.

DATA SOURCE:

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and unpublished sources from inception to December 2023.

STUDY SELECTION:

We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the use of POCUS to guide resuscitation in patients with shock.

DATA EXTRACTION:

We collected data regarding study and patient characteristics, POCUS protocol, control group interventions, and outcomes.

DATA SYNTHESIS:

We identified 18 eligible RCTs. POCUS slightly influences physicians’ plans for IV fluid (IVF) and vasoactive medication prescription (moderate certainty), but results in little to no changes in the administration of IVF (low to high certainty) or inotropes (high certainty). POCUS may result in no change in the number of CT scans performed (low certainty) but probably reduces the number of diagnostic echocardiograms performed (moderate certainty). POCUS-guided resuscitation probably reduces 28-day mortality (relative risk [RR] 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78–0.99), the duration of vasoactive medication (mean difference –0.73 d; 95% CI, –1.16 to –0.30), and the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) (RR 0.80; 95% CI, 0.63–1.02) (low to moderate certainty evidence), and lactate clearance (high certainty evidence). POCUS-guided resuscitation may results in little to no difference in ICU or hospital admissions, ICU and hospital length of stay, and the need for mechanical ventilation (MV) (low to moderate certainty evidence). There is an uncertain effect on the risk of acute kidney injury and the duration of MV or RRT (very low certainty evidence).

CONCLUSIONS:

POCUS-guided resuscitation in shock may yield important patient and health system benefits. Due to lack of sufficient evidence, we were unable to explore how the thresholds of operator competency, frequency, and timing of POCUS scans impact patient outcomes.
Intersection of public policy, science, social change, and ethics: Advancing assisted reproductive technology (ART) international health rights in diverse contexts, a constitutionality nexus
Authors: Olobo-Lalobo James Henry
Published: September 2024

The paper uses doctrinal methodology to advance interpretation of international health rights and human rights in diverse contexts to guarantee, legally, binding and enforceable duties, and obligations to provide the highest attainable standard of health in specific fields such as ART services. Seeds are planted to overcome resource dilemmas and religiosity restricting access.
Evaluation of Skin of Color Curricular Content for Physician Assistant Education
Authors: Chintalapati Namrata V. , Poondru Sneha , Kundu Roopal V. , Liveris Marissa O. , Riley Julia M.
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Physician assistants (PAs) are often members of dermatologic care teams. Adequate knowledge of dermatologic conditions in skin of color (SOC) is crucial to proper diagnosis, treatment, and patient satisfaction. The objective of this study was to increase PA students' objective knowledge of and comfort level with evaluating dermatologic conditions in SOC.

Methods

Eligible participants included 36 PA students at a major metropolitan medical center during the 2022 to 2023 academic year. A preintervention survey, immediate postintervention survey, and 7-month follow-up postintervention survey were administered before and after a SOC lecture. The surveys concluded with a 10-question, image-based, multiple-choice examination.

Results

There was a significant increase in accurate diagnoses of acne scarring, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and seborrheic dermatitis in SOC (59.4% preintervention to 76.9% postintervention, P = .029). Student confidence, as rated on a scale of 1 (minimally confident) to 5 (extremely confident), in diagnosing these conditions increased from 2.97 to 3.52 (P = .036).

Discussion

Implementation of a SOC-specific dermatology lecture significantly increased the accuracy and confidence with which PA students diagnosed dermatologic conditions.
Emerging public health strategies in malaria control: innovations and implications
Authors: Obeagu Emmanuel Ifeanyi , Obeagu Getrude Uzoma
Published: September 2024

Malaria remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in regions with limited resources and tropical climates. Despite extensive efforts, the disease continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality, with ~229 million cases and 409 000 deaths reported in 2020. However, recent years have seen promising advancements in public health strategies aimed at malaria control and elimination. Technological advancements have played a crucial role in improving malaria control efforts. Genomic surveillance techniques enable the monitoring of malaria parasite populations, aiding in the detection of drug resistance and informing targeted interventions. Additionally, innovative diagnostic technologies, such as rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and molecular assays, have enhanced the speed and accuracy of malaria diagnosis, facilitated prompt treatment and reduced transmission. These tools are instrumental in achieving the WHO goals of reducing malaria cases and deaths by at least 90% by 2030. Novel vector control methods offer innovative approaches to reduce malaria transmission. Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) remain foundational strategies, with advancements including the development of next-generation insecticides and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). Furthermore, genetic modification of mosquitoes, such as gene drive technology, holds promise for reducing mosquito populations and interrupting malaria transmission. These vector control innovations complement other strategies, contributing to comprehensive malaria control efforts aimed at achieving sustainable disease reduction and eventual elimination.
Working with partial hand prostheses: An investigation into experiences of clinicians
Authors: Carlyle Kirsty , Buis Arjan , Donovan-Hall Maggie , Day Sarah
Published: September 2024

Background:

Individuals living with partial hand absence often face challenges in performing everyday tasks and fully participating in society. Prosthetic devices offer a range of benefits, including improved functionality or cosmesis. However, partial hand devices can be rejected by users. In addition, there is a lack of evidence that establishes methods or factors influencing the clinical prescription of prosthetics specifically designed for this population.

Objectives:

The objectives of the investigation were to gain understanding of who is prescribing partial hand prosthetics and the factors which influence device selection.

Study Design:

A 36-item anonymous online survey was designed on Qualtrics and distributed to clinicians. The survey contained multiple-choice, Likert-type, closed, and open-ended questions.

Methods:

Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on Qualtrics and Microsoft Excel.

Results:

Thirty-seven clinicians from various occupations participated. The majority agreed that outcome measures are useful for assessing partial hand prosthetics but suggested room for improvement. Although clinicians use various outcome measurement tools, there is a lack of tools specifically tailored to this population. Factors such as existing function, occupation, and hobbies were identified as important when selecting prosthetic devices for users. Funding influenced the range of partial hand devices available for prescription.

Conclusions:

The prescription process involves multiple stakeholders. Various factors, including funding and user satisfaction, must be considered in the decision-making process. There is a lack of specific outcome measures recommended for evaluating prosthetics in this population. However, providing loaner units before final prescription yields positive outcomes.
Specific mode electroacupuncture stimulation opens the blood–brain barrier of the infarcted border zone in rats during MCAO/R recovery via modulation of tight junction protein expression by VEGFA and NF-κB
Authors: Qian Kecheng , Dai Mengyuan , Gan Lin , Ye Qinyu , Wu Xingying , Qian Tianyu , Ma Congcong , Lin Xianming
Published: September 2024

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) strictly limits the entry of most exogenous therapeutic drugs into the brain, which brings great challenges to the drug treatment of refractory central diseases, including the treatment of ischemic stroke. Our previous studies have shown that specific mode electroacupuncture stimulation (SMES) can temporarily open the BBB, but with the mechanisms largely unknown. This study explored whether SMES opens the BBB in the infarcted border zone of rats during middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion recovery, and whether this is related to p65 or vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) modulation of tight junction protein expression through in vivo and in vitro studies. Evans blue, FITC-dextran, mouse-derived nerve growth factor (NGF), and transendothelial electrical resistance values were used to evaluate the permeability of the BBB. Additionally, microvascular endothelial cells and astrocytes were utilized for in vitro study. Immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, western blot, and ELISA were employed to assess related protein expression. SMES significantly increased vascular permeability for Evans blue and NGF in the infarcted border zone, and increased the expression of VEGFA by activating p-p65, thereby reducing the expression of tight junction proteins Occludin and ZO-1. Correspondingly, oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation activated p-p65 in and induced VEGFA secretion from astrocytes in vitro. Their conditioned medium reduced the expression of Occludin in bEnd.3 cells and increased the permeability of FITC-dextran. The mechanism of SMES opening infarcted border zone BBB is partly related to its actions on p65, VEGFA, and tight junction proteins.
Comparative study on the bioactive compound contents and antioxidant
activity of broccoli cooked with different methods
Authors: Hwang Eun-Sun , Lee SiA
Published: September 2024

To compare the cooking methods (boling, steaming) for broccoli, the extracts from
water or 80% ethanol were used to determine total polyphenols, total flavonoids,
and antioxidant activities. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of both
fresh and boiled or steamed broccoli were found to be higher in the 80% ethanol
extract compared to the water extract. Nine glucosinolates were identified in
broccoli using high-performance liquid chromatography. The glucosinolate content
was found to be higher in steamed broccoli compared to fresh broccoli; however,
in boiled broccoli, the glucosinolate content decreased by 5.74-18.64% compared
with fresh broccoli. It was confirmed that antioxidant activity decreased
through heat treatment such as boiling or steaming compared to unheated
broccoli. In particular, the decrease in antioxidant activity was higher in
boiled broccoli than in steamed broccoli. The results suggested that it would be
preferable to use raw or steamed broccoli rather than boiling it in water to
minimize the loss of bioactive substances when consuming broccoli.
In vitroandin vivoevaluation ofUlva lactucafor wound healing
Authors: Wang Chien-Hsing , Huang Zih-Ting , Tai Kuo-Feng
Published: September 2024

Ulva lactuca(U.lactuca) is an important seaweed species. Some ingredients in these seaweeds are thought to accelerate wound healing. However, limited data on the use of seaweed for wound healing exists. This study examined whether ethanol or aqueous extracts ofU.lactucapromote antioxidant and anti-inflammatory propertiesin vitroand wound healingin vitroandin vivo. Cell proliferation, antioxidation, and migration were observed in NIH3T3 cells treated withU.lactucaextractin vitro. BothU.lactucaextracts were examined for their ability to inhibit inflammatory cytokine synthesis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.In vivoexperiments involved four groups of albino mice (BALB/c; 10 mice per group). One 1.0 cm2wound was created via excision of full-thickness skin on the back of all mice. Mice in Group I mice were treated topically with the ethanol extract ofU.lactuca(25 mg/mL) for 10 d. group II mice were treated topically with an aqueous extract ofU.lactuca(12.5 mg/mL) for 10 d. Group III received topical application of phosphate-buffered saline solution. Group IV wounds were maintained without treatment. Both extracts significantly increased fibroblast proliferation. The antioxidant activity of theU.lactucaextract was determined using a total antioxidant capacity assay. Both extracts inhibited the release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) from LPS-mediated inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells. These extracts also upregulated the expression of Th2 cytokines such as transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) in RAW 264.7 cells under pro-inflammatory conditions. Both extracts enhanced the migratory ability of NIH3T3 cells.U.lactucaethanol extract enhances wound healing propertiesin vivo. These results suggest that bioactive compounds derived fromU.lactucaextract are beneficial for wound healing and anti-inflammatory therapies.
Learning on a Limb: An outreach module to engage high school students in orthopaedics
Authors: Panebianco Christopher J. , Azar Tala F. , Duffy Michael P. , Nijsure Madhura P. , Sharp Emily , Tamburro Margaret K. , Hast Michael , Shore Eileen M. , Mauck Robert L. , Soslowsky Louis J. , Shuda Jamie R. , Gullbrand Sarah E.
Published: September 2024

Orthopaedic researchers need new strategies for engaging diverse students. Our field has demonstrated noticeable gaps in racial, ethnic, and gender diversity, which inhibit our ability to innovate and combat the severe socioeconomic burden of musculoskeletal disorders. Towards this goal, we designed, implemented, and evaluated Learning on a Limb, an orthopaedic research outreach module to teach diverse high school students about orthopaedic research. During the 4-hr module, students completed hands-on activities to learn how biomechanical testing, microcomputed tomography, cell culture, and histology are used in orthopaedic research. Over three years, we recruited 32 high school students from the Greater Philadelphia Area to participate in Learning on a Limb. Most participants identified as racial/ethnic or gender minorities in orthopaedic research. Using pre/post-tests, we found that students experienced significant learning gains of 51 percentage points from completing Learning on a Limb. In addition to teaching students about orthopaedic research, post-survey data demonstrated that participating in Learning on a Limb strongly influenced students’ interest in orthopaedic research. Several students acted on this interest by completing summer research experiences in the McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. Learning on a Limb instructors also benefited by having the opportunity to “pay it forward” to the next generation of students and build community within their department. Empowering institutions to host modules like Learning on a Limb would synergistically inspire diverse high school students and strengthen community within orthopaedic departments to ultimately enhance orthopaedic research innovations.
CRISPR screen for rAAV production implicates genes associated with infection
Authors: O’Driscoll Emily E , Arora Sakshi , Lang Jonathan F , Davidson Beverly L , Shalem Ophir
Published: September 2024

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors are an effective and well-established tool in the growing gene therapy field, with five FDA-approved AAV-mediated gene therapies already on the market and numerous more in clinical trials. However, manufacturing rAAV vectors is an expensive, timely, and labor-intensive process that limits the commercial use of AAV-mediated gene therapies. To address this limitation, we screened producer cells for genes that could be targeted to increase rAAV yield. Specifically, we performed a CRISPR-based genome-wide knockout screen in HEK 293 cells using an antibody specific to intact AAV2 capsids coupled with flow cytometry to identify genes that modulate rAAV production. We discovered that the knockout of a group of heparan sulfate biosynthesis genes previously implicated in rAAV infectivity decreased rAAV production. Additionally, we identified several vesicular trafficking proteins for which knockout in HEK 293 cells increased rAAV yields. Our findings provide evidence that host proteins associated with viral infection may have also been co-opted for viral assembly and that the genetic makeup of viral producer cells can be manipulated to increase particle yield.
Unique Transcriptomic Cell Types of the Granular Retrosplenial Cortex are Preserved Across Mice and Rats Despite Dramatic Changes in Key Marker Genes
Authors: Brooks Isla A.W. , Jedrasiak-Cape Izabela , Rybicki-Kler Chloe , Ekins Tyler G. , Ahmed Omar J.
Published: September 2024

The granular retrosplenial cortex (RSG) supports key functions ranging from memory consolidation to spatial navigation. The mouse RSG contains several cell types that are remarkably distinct from those found in other cortical regions. This includes the physiologically and transcriptomically unique low rheobase neuron that is the dominant cell-type in RSG layers 2/3 (L2/3 LR), as well as the similarly exclusive pyramidal cells that comprise much of RSG layer 5a (L5a RSG). While the functions of the RSG are extensively studied in both mice and rats, it remains unknown if the transcriptomically unique cell types of the mouse RSG are evolutionarily conserved in rats. Here, we show that mouse and rat RSG not only contain the same cell types, but key subtypes including the L2/3 LR and L5a RSG neurons are amplified in their representations in rats compared to mice. This preservation of cell types in male and female rats happens despite dramatic changes in key cell-type-specific marker genes, with theScnn1aexpression that selectively tags mouse L5a RSG neurons completely absent in rats. Important for Cre-driver line development, we identify alternative, cross-species genes that can be used to selectively target the cell types of the RSG in both mice and rats. Our results show that the unique cell types of the RSG are evolutionarily conserved across millions of years of evolution between mice and rats, but also emphasize stark species-specific differences in marker genes that need to be considered when making cell-type-specific transgenic lines of mice versus rats.
Recent Advances inAgrobacterium-Mediated Maize Genetic Transformation Using Immature Embryos and Seedling Leaf Whorl Explants
Authors: Azanu Mercy K. , Kang Minjeong , Lee Keunsub , Wang Kan
Published: September 2024

The introduction of maize genetic transformation in the 1990s brought forth a powerful tool for crop improvement and a deeper understanding of plant genetics. Despite decades of genetics research, however, and the promise of CRISPR-mediated gene editing, maize transformation currently faces several challenges, such as genotype dependence and limitations in explant availability. Indeed, although the most commonly used method, immature embryo transformation, has been improved through optimization of tissue culture media composition and selection methods, the approach is only applicable to a limited number of public genotypes, including B104 and Hi II. Recently, genotype-flexible methods have been developed using coexpression cassettes of morphogenic transcription factors (MTFs)Baby boom(Bbm) andWushel2(Wus2), which have enabled the successful transformation of many previously recalcitrant maize lines. This MTF-based transformation method has also allowed for the use of alternate explants, such as seedling leaf whorl, whose production is cost-effective and requires only minimum controlled growth space. In this review, we summarize recent advances inAgrobacterium-mediated maize transformation methods that use immature embryos or seedling leaf whorls as starting material.
Peculiar velocities in Friedmann universes with nonzero spatial curvature
Authors: Miliou Eleftheria P. , Tsagas Christos G.
Published: September 2024

We extend the earlier linear studies of cosmological peculiar velocities to Friedmann universes with nonzero spatial curvature. In the process, we also compare our results with those obtained in cosmologies with Euclidean spatial sections. Employing relativistic cosmological perturbation theory, we first provide the differential formulas governing the evolution of peculiar velocities on all Friedmann backgrounds. The technical complexities of the curved models, however, mean that analytic solutions are possible only in special, though characteristic, moments in the lifetime of these universes. Nevertheless, our solutions exhibit persistent patterns that make us confident enough to generalize them. Thus, we confirm earlier claims that, compared to the Newtonian and the quasi-Newtonian studies, the relativistic analysis supports considerably stronger linear growth rates for peculiar-velocity perturbations. This result holds irrespective of the background curvature. Moreover, for positive curvature, the peculiar growth rate is found to be faster than that obtained in a spatially flat Friedman universe. In contrast, linear peculiar velocities appear to grow at a slower pace when their Friedmann host is spatially open. Extrapolating them to the present, our results seem to suggest faster bulk peculiar motions in overdense, rather than in underdense, regions of the Universe.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Entanglement islands and the Page curve of Hawking radiation for rotating Kerr black holes
Authors: Wang Liqiang , Li Ran
Published: September 2024

We initiate the study of the information paradox of rotating Kerr black holes by employing the recently proposed island rule. It is known that the scalar field theory near the Kerr black hole horizon can be reduced to the two-dimensional effective theory. Working within the framework of the two-dimensional effective theory and assuming the small angular momentum limit, we demonstrate that the entanglement entropy of Hawking radiation from the nonextremal Kerr black hole follows the Page curve and saturates the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy at late times. In addition, we also discuss the effect of the black hole rotation on the Page time and scrambling time. For the extreme Kerr black hole, the entanglement entropy at late times also approximates the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the extreme Kerr black hole. These results imply that entanglement islands can provide a semiclassical resolution of the information paradox for rotating Kerr black holes.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Validation of a dispositional critical thinking scale using an original analytical methodology for addressing data from Google Trends
Authors: Pérez Rave Jorge Iván , Fernández Guerrero Rafael , Salas Vallina Andres
Published: September 2024

Purpose

A methodological approach is required that complements studies based on surveys, providing a perspective with greater truthfulness and coverage. The study aims to develop a methodology to validate psychological/managerial constructs using data from Google Trends, taking as a case study a critical thinking (CT) scale in organizational domains previously supported by survey data.

Design/methodology/approach

The developed methodology consists of eight stages, in which the following is integrated: (1) Internet search interest data (19 Spanish-speaking countries); (2) deductive research processes (e.g. theoretical model, linguistic manifestations, fieldwork, data matrix, analysis statistical, reporting); (3) psychometric properties (e.g. construct validity, criterion validity, reliability) and (4) objective data to examine criterion validity (e.g. unemployment rate).

Findings

The application of the methodology produces evidence that supports the reliability (Cronbach’s alpha, Guttman’s λ4), construct validity (intra-correlations and correlations with reference variables: “entrepreneurship,” “critical thinking,” “soccer,” “beer,” “pornography”) and criterion validity (prediction of unemployment rate) of the CT scale.

Research limitations/implications

The methodology makes it possible to support or invalidate the quality of construct measurement scales by planning, capturing and processing data available on the internet.

Practical implications

This manuscript is useful for research in business management (and related areas), which is intensive in the use of psychological/managerial constructs.

Originality/value

The methodology uses a new type of evidence; it is noninvasive, usually more truthful than responses to surveys, and has greater coverage of people participating indirectly in the study.
Work value profiles across cultures: an application of the multiple-group latent profile procedure in Switzerland, Spain, the United States and China
Authors: Valero Domingo , Froidevaux Ariane , Zhang Chunyu , González-López María José
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study explores the differences and similarities of work value profiles in samples of business students from four countries with markedly different cultures and labor markets.

Design/methodology/approach

We used multiple-group latent profile analysis (LPA) to explore the differences and similarities in work value profiles across cultures (n = 317 from Switzerland, n = 313 from Spain, n = 326 from the United States and n = 327 from China).

Findings

The latent profiles mostly show similarities across countries: the largest profiles are a want it all and a humble profile with overall high and intermediate levels in all work values. An overall low work value levels profile and one stressing high security and pay emerged in all countries except Switzerland. In the Swiss sample, two unique profiles emerged: the no status and freelancers profiles.

Practical implications

This study has implications for employee attraction, relations and career counseling with culturally diverse populations.

Originality/value

Studies on work values across cultures most often make direct comparisons between samples, which can lead to excessive emphasis on sometimes small differences. By first studying within-culture differences before comparing the results across cultures, we find that there may be more similarities than differences in work values across cultures and that cross-cultural differences may have often been overstated.
Multimethod digitalisation of a large-format school map from the first half of the 20th century
Authors: Carrasco-Huertas Ana , Reyes Pérez Ana , Campillo García Domingo
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aims to delve into the effectiveness of applying traditional and more advanced digital means to document elements of cultural heritage, in this case large-format cartography. Application of multimethod digitalisation to a school map of the American continent dating to the early part of the 20th century has served to address specific issues, notably its multilayers consisting of paper, inks and a protective varnish on a textile medium. Its large format is likewise an obstacle to its digital capture.

Design/methodology/approach

The method applied here resorted to three registration systems: single-shot photography, panoramic photography and photogrammetry. The first two widely serve to capture works of large-format, whereas the third is commonly used to record volumetric assets. A variety of parameters were applied, notably different focal lengths, capture methods and processing software. The images obtained in each case were subjected to qualitative and quantitative comparisons so as to analyse their differences in terms of resolution and accuracy when compared to the map's real measurements, key criteria when duplicating cartographic documents.

Findings

Although the final products gleaned from the digital photographs, panoramic photographs and photogrammetry fulfil the basic functions required to record documents housed in archives, libraries, museums and other cultural institutions, this study highlights new advances and complementary functions stemming from certain of these techniques.

Originality/value

Digitalisation is a tool that serves to register, preserve, disseminate and analyse cultural heritage. However, some of the available techniques have rarely been applied specifically to graphic and documentary artefacts. It is for this reason that this study intends to demonstrate their utility in the detailed study of this heritage typology. Moreover, optimising the school map into a digital form favours its dissemination and remote consultation while simultaneously minimising direct manipulation, hence improving its long-term preservation.
Post-acquisition transformation challenges: how did the change in ownership affect Soni Manipal Hospital, Jaipur, in the early years?
Authors: Singh Upasana , Dasgupta Shilpee , Yaduvanshi Deepak
Published: September 2024

Subject area of the teaching case

MBA.

Student level and proposed courses the teaching case can be used on

Master’s level in Change Management, Organizational Leadership and Human Resource Management.

A brief overview of the teaching case

Mr Sharma, the dynamic and entrepreneurial Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the newly formed Soni Manipal Hospital (SMH), Jaipur, and Unit Head, Manipal Hospitals [Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Ltd. (MHEPL)], in a meeting with SMH’s Head of Human Resources and the Head of the Nursing Management, Mr Yaduvanshi realised the exponential growth of employee resistance, their lack of skills and technological advancements for documentation hindering the hospital's transformation goal. The case study highlighted the challenges the protagonist faced when taking charge as the CEO after nine months of acquisition and the factors contributing to them.

Expected learning outcomes

Students reading this case are expected to understand leadership theories, strategic and quality management approaches, and theories of social behaviour, such as Herzberg’s two-factor theory and social exchange theory (SET) and the application of these concepts in acquired organisations to develop healthy leadership–employee relations and change management theories.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 6: Human resource management.
The merger of Slice and North East Small Finance Bank: a marriage made in heaven?
Authors: Agarwal Manish , Kandi V.S. Prasad
Published: September 2024

Learning outcomes

After completion of the case study, the students will be able to explore the challenges involved in growing a business during its early stages inorganically, discuss the challenges faced by start-ups in their quest for growth in an emerging market, investigate the reasons behind the mergers and acquisitions, comprehend the issues in the merger of a start-up and a conventional bank, identify the various possible synergies out of the merger and examine the growth strategies that a troubled start-up such as Slice can follow to survive and expand its business operations.

Case overview/synopsis

The case study discusses the challenges that Slice, a modern fintech organization, and North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB) face due to the changing business and regulatory environment. After working tirelessly to earn the trust of India’s banking regulator, Slice got the approval for its merger with NESFB. While Slice and NESFB got a new lease of life after the approval of their merger, Rajan Bajaj, founder of Slice, needed to make the merger a success by leveraging on the strength of the combined entity and meeting all the lending and other regulatory requirements applicable to small finance banks.

Complexity academic level

This case study is suitable for MBA/MS/BBA/BS students.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy.
The commercialisation of NTFPs and conservation of forest: a systematic review for forestry policy
Authors: Atinga Enoch , Bannor Richard Kwasi
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This current review examines the scientific literature report on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) commercialisation and forest conservation in different jurisdictions.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review using Scopus-indexed articles on NTFP commercialisation and forest conservation was done using the PRISMA framework.

Findings

The review categorised the factors influencing the commercialisation of NTFPs and forest conservation into five broad factors and sub-factors: socioeconomic, market-based, ecosystem, cultural and institutional factors. The scholarly publications on NTFP commercialisation and forest conservation have been undulating, with two years recording no publication on the subject matter under review. Besides, China and India in Asia are leading in the number of publications on NTFPs’ commercialisation. The review revealed ambivalence and symbiotic relationship among the factors influencing the commercialisation of NTFPs and forest conservation. Specifically, tenure arrangement, strict regulations to forest entry, market information asymmetry, bureaucracy in certification acquisition, seasonality and distance were identified as barriers to NTFPs’ commercialisation. While market demands for NTFPs increased, NTFPs’ prices and unsustainable harvesting activities were threats to forest conservation. Policymakers should focus on safeguarding customary property rights and indigenous knowledge in forest conservation, designing workable capacity-building schemes for NTFP entrepreneurs and reducing the cost and processes in certification acquisition.

Originality/value

There are reviews on NTFPs’ commercialisation and livelihoods, but a synergy between NTFPs’ commercialisation and forest conservation for forest policy direction is yet to be done in the literature. Also, while earlier studies systematically reviewed literature on NTFPs’ commercialisation, they did not relate the studies to forest conservation.