bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence and risk factors of cancers in acromegaly: a Chinese single-center retrospective study
Authors: Xiao Tongxin , Jiao Rui , Yang Shengmin , Wang Yi , Bai Xue , Zhou Jingya , Li Ran , Wang Linjie , Yang Hongbo , Yao Yong , Deng Kan , Gong Fengying , Pan Hui , Duan Lian , Zhu Huijuan
Published: July 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the incidence of malignancies in acromegaly and to identify risk factors for newly-diagnostic cancers, especially the excessive growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

Methods

A retrospective cohort including 1738 consecutive hospitalized patients with acromegaly in a single referral center between 2012 and 2020 (mean follow-up 4.3 years). A gender- and age-matched case-control study (280 patients from the cohort) was performed for risk factor analysis.

Results

One hundred thirteen malignancies (67 diagnosed after acromegaly) were observed. The overall newly-diagnostic cancer risk of acromegaly was higher than the general population (standardized incidence ratio (SIR) 2.81; 95% CI 2.18–3.57). The risk of thyroid cancer (n = 33, SIR 21.42; 95% CI 13.74–30.08) and colorectal cancer (n = 8, SIR 3.17; 95% CI 1.37–6.25) was elevated. In the overall cohort, IGF-1 (ULN: 1.27 vs. 0.94, p = 0.057), GH (1.30 vs. 1.00 ng/ml, p = 0.12), and disease-controlled rate (34.9% vs. 45.9%, p = 0.203) at the last visit did not reach significance between patients with and without post-diagnostic cancer. In the case-control study, GH (1.80 vs. 0.90 ng/ml, p = 0.018) and IGF-1 (ULN: 1.27 vs. 0.91, p = 0.003) at the last visit were higher in patients with post-diagnostic cancers, with a lower disease-controlled rate. Elder age was a risk factor for cancer. Other metabolic comorbidities and the size of pituitary tumors were similar.

Conclusion

The risk of malignancies, especially thyroid cancer, was increased in patients with acromegaly in our center. More cancer screening should be considered when managing acromegaly, especially in patients with higher posttreatment GH and IGF-1.
Finite element-based geotechnical risk analysis for anchor-supported deep excavations
Authors: Bozkurt Sinem , Akbas Sami Oguzhan
Published: July 2023

Evaluation of the reliability of deep excavation support systems requires the inclusion of the soil variability in conjunction with probabilistic analysis. This is often considered a complicated process; therefore, the method is usually not followed in routine engineering practice. Recent developments in finite element modelling now enable probabilistic analyses to be performed more conveniently. As an illustrative example, the case history of a 20 m-deep excavation supported by anchored drilled shafts in the Sogutozu district of Ankara was investigated. Experimental results indicate that saturated sand-gravel bands, which are common within Ankara Clay, have the potential to cause a significant decrease in the anchor capacity. Ergo the excavation performance, including structural capacity and wall lateral displacements, was evaluated taking into regard the probabilistic nature of the effect of these bands and the variability of the soil parameters. Back-analysis was performed and compared with inclinometer readings to examine the capability of the numerical model to simulate the field behaviour. Later, additional finite element analyses were carried out through Python scripting software to investigate the reliability of the excavation. Geotechnical parameters of the Ankara Clay produced by Monte Carlo simulation method were used in these analyses. The results were evaluated within the context of recommended acceptable reliability levels. The reliability of the system was determined to be relatively low when taking into account the adverse impact of sand and gravel bands.
Hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method with mixed-order spaces for non-linear diffusion equations with internal jumps
Authors: Musch Markus , Rupp Andreas , Aizinger Vadym , Knabner Peter
Published: July 2023

We formulate a hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method for parabolic equations with non-linear tensor-valued coefficients and jump conditions (Henry’s law). The analysis of the proposed scheme indicates the optimal convergence order for mildly non-linear problems. The same order is also obtained in our numerical studies for simplified settings. A series of numerical experiments investigate the effect of choosing different order approximation spaces for various unknowns.
Sacral nerve modulation for patients with fecal incontinence: long-term outcome and effects on sexual function
Authors: Brusciano Luigi , Brillantino Antonio , Pellino Gianluca , Marinello Franco , Baeten Coen IM , Digesu Alex , Naldini Gabriele , Gambardella Claudio , Lucido Francesco Saverio , Sturiale Alessandro , Gualtieri Giorgia , Riss Stefan , Docimo Ludovico
Published: July 2023

Sacral nerve modulation has become an established treatment for fecal and urinary incontinence, and sexual disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of sacral neuromodulation in patients with fecal or combined fecal and urinary incontinence (double incontinence), assessing its safety, efficacy, and impact on quality of life and sexual function. This was a multicentric, retrospective, cohort study including patients with fecal or double incontinence who received sacral neuromodulation at seven European centers between 2007 and 2017 and completed a 5-year follow-up. The main outcome measures included improvements of incontinence symptoms and quality of life compared with baseline, evaluated using validated tools and questionnaires at 1-, 6-, 12-, 36- and 60-month follow-up. 108 (102 women, mean age 62.4 ± 13.4 years) patients were recruited, of whom 88 (81.4%) underwent definitive implantation of the pacemaker. Patients’ baseline median Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Score was 15 (10–18); it decreased to 2 (1–4) and 1 (1–2) at the 12- and 36-month follow-up (p < 0.0001), remaining stable at the 5-year follow-up. Fecal incontinence quality of life score improved significantly. All patients with sexual dysfunction (n = 48) at baseline reported symptom resolution at the 5-year follow-up. The study was limited by the retrospective design and the relatively small patient sample. Sacral nerve modulation is an effective treatment for fecal and double incontinence, achieving satisfactory long-term success rates, with resolution of concomitant sexual dysfunction.
Undeserved authorship in surgical research: an underestimated bias with potential side effects on academic careers
Authors: Picciariello Arcangelo , Dezi Agnese , Altomare Donato F.
Published: July 2023

The incidence of courtesy authorship in research over time has probably increased due to the enormous pressure to publish to increase the bibliometric indexes necessary to achieve an academic role. The aim of this survey was to quantify and characterize this research malpractice among a very selected group of surgeons from different surgical specialties belonging to the European Association of Surgery (ESA). E-mail addresses for the invitation to take part to the survey were collected by the Twenty-eighth Annual Meeting final program. Five-item were designed and developed by the authors using an online platform. Eighty-six members from 21 countries completed the survey (female/male ratio: 0.09). In the last 10 years, almost half of the responders (41, 47.7%, 37 academics) have included colleagues for courtesy authorship. The most common reason of courtesy authorships was to support the academic career of another researcher (62.5%). Other reasons were fear of retaliation (12.5%), reciprocal authorship (12.5%) or support for a partner (10%). This survey showed that undeserved authorship is sadly confirmed to be a common research misconduct across any countries and medical specialties, even among a very selected group of surgeons with international reputation irrespective of the academic position.
A Simple Method for Calculating the Shear Deformation of Reinforced Concrete Elements in the Elastic and Plastic Domains
Authors: Hdz-Gil Luisa , Gil-Martín Luisa María , Hernández-Montes Enrique
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes a simple method for calculating the shear deformation and the shear capacity of reinforced and prestressed concrete elements containing shear reinforcement. This new approach considers that, for large deformations, concrete elements follow compatibility conditions based on displacements of the composite material subjected to shearing forces. The result is a beam, inspired by the Timoshenko-Ehrenfest beam theory, which considers a new hypothesis regarding shearing deformation, informed by the behavior of the shear reinforcement. The new method is compared with previous approaches, allowing us to assess the technological advances of the new proposal. The new method is easy to implement and provides information about the shearing deformation (in the elastic and plastic domains) and the shearing capacity of concrete beam-column elements. A detailed example is developed, in which all the components of the shear deformation are evaluated, and the simplification of the new method is analyzed in comparison with other more comprehensive methods in the elastic domain.
Non-planar granular 3D printing
Authors: Darweesh Barrak , Gutierrez Maria Paz , Schleicher Simon
Published: July 2023

Most approaches to 3D printing at various scales are layer based, meaning they start with a 3D CAD model that is sliced into planar print paths to be translated to machine code. However, this approach entails a number of drawbacks, such as slow printing speeds, limited build volumes, allowable geometric properties, and material diversity. To overcome these limitations, the authors have developed a novel additive manufacturing process called Non-Planar Granular Printing (NGP). Compared to its layer-based counterpart, NGP enables non-planar 3D printing by selectively binding reusable granular particles to create free-form structures. In doing so, NGP leverages traditional powder-based additive manufacturing processes. However, instead of enclosing the extruded compounds within a three-axis layer-based system, NPG combines multi-axis robotic deposition capabilities with customizable build volume parameters, which drastically improves print speed, scalability and material versatility. The result is a process whose main advantage is to enable the rapid production of support-free and complex geometric forms using a wide range of materials in granular form. This paper introduces and analyzes a series of benchmark experiments conducted to demonstrate the practical workflow, general output capabilities, and volume-material limitations of the system. The research also lays a foundation of non-planar 3D extrusion that enables material transitions for functional gradience capabilities.
Mündliche Sprachkompetenz und deren Rolle für die Entwicklung der Leseverständnisfähigkeit bei Schülerinnen und Schülern mit Deutsch als Zweitsprache in der Grundschule
Authors: Bushati Bora , Krammer Georg , Dorner Magdalena , Schmölzer-Eibinger Sabine
Published: July 2023

Der Beitrag untersucht den Zusammenhang zwischen mündlicher Sprachkompetenz und dem Leseverständnis auf der Wort- und Satzebene im Deutschen bei Kindern mit Deutsch als Zweitsprache (DaZ) in der Grundschule. Während bisherige Studien die Rolle des Wortschatzes und/oder morpho-syntaktischer Teilkompetenzen als isolierte Kompetenzen untersuchen, vergleicht dieser Beitrag drei Ebenen der Differenzierung der mündlichen Sprachkompetenz: (1) die mündliche Sprachkompetenz als Gesamtvariable, (2) ihre Teilkompetenzen (die diskurs-pragmatische, morpho-syntaktische und lexikalische Basisqualifikation) und (3) die Indikatoren der Teilkompetenzen. Dafür werden zu zwei Messzeitpunkten Daten zur mündlichen Sprachkompetenz und zum Leseverständnis auf der Wort- und Satzebene von Kindern (N = 148; 74 Schülerinnen und 67 Schüler) erhoben. Bisherige Befunde zeigen, dass die mündliche Sprachkompetenz relevant für die Entwicklung des Leseverständnisses ist. Eine Gliederung der mündlichen Sprachkompetenz in ihre Teilbereiche zeigt, dass nur die lexikalische Basisqualifikation als Teilkompetenz für das Leseverständnis relevant ist. Die Aufschlüsselung dieser Basisqualifikation in ihre Indikatoren wiederum zeigt, dass nur dem des Benennens eine Rolle als Prädiktor für die Entwicklung des Leseverständnisses zukommt.
Ultrasound-Guided Superficial Radial Nerve Block in the Emergency Department for Pain Management following Centipede Bite
Authors: Mohanty Chitta Ranjan , Radhakrishnan Rakesh Vadakkethil , Gupta Anju , Bellapukonda Snigda
Published: July 2023

Centipede bites are reported in many parts of tropical and subtropical countries, such as India. Centipede envenomation produces significant local symptoms, with pain being the most prominent symptom. The emergency department (ED) plays a crucial role in managing the victims through appropriate pain management and control of other local and systemic symptoms. Nonopioids and weak opioids, along with local measures, are often employed, but the intense pain is often refractory to these conventional techniques. Regional anesthesia has numerous benefits over these traditional measures, such as avoidance of polypharmacy and its consequent systemic adverse effects, excellent quality of pain control, and decreased need or avoidance of hospital admission. The applications of regional anesthesia have recently increased tremendously in the ED but are unreported for the management related to centipede bites. We report a case of centipede bite in which conventional analgesics did not help, and the pain was successfully managed by low-volume selective sensory peripheral nerve block.
Data-Guided Healthcare Decision Making
Authors: Shanmugam Ramalingam
Published: July 2023

How does data evidence matter in decision-making in healthcare? How do you implement and maintain cost effective healthcare operations? Do decision trees help to sharpen decision making? This book will answer these questions, demystifying the many questions by clearly showing how to analyse data and how to interpret the results – vital skills for anyone who will go on to work in health administration in hospitals, clinics, pharmaceutical or insurance industries. Written by an expert in health and medical informatics, this book introduces readers to the fundamentals of operational decision making by illustrating the ideas and tools to reach optimal healthcare, drawing on numerous healthcare data sets from multiple sources. Aimed at an audience of graduate students and lecturers in Healthcare Administration and Business Administration courses and heavily illustrated throughout, this book includes up-to-date concepts, new methodologies and interpretations using widely available software: Excel, Microsoft Mathematics, MathSolver and JASP.
The European Union and International Investment Law Reform
Authors: Damjanovic Ivana
Published: July 2023

In order to understand the reform of international investment law envisioned by the EU, the author provides a comprehensive but concise analysis of the EU reform approaches, its constitutional and legal framework, the concepts of the rule of law and legitimacy, and the reasons for the reform. In particular, the book exposes tensions between the EU aspiration to enhance the rule of law in international investment law, as a means of legitimising this legal discipline, and the challenges of its reform approaches in practice. The analysis combines substantive and procedural aspects of the EU reform of international investment law in the intra-EU context and EU external relations. This book thus critically evaluates the EU vision of the rule of law in international law and its contribution to the development of international law in the field of investment.
Foundations of Perturbative QCD
Authors: Collins John
Published: July 2023

The most non-trivial of the established microscopic theories of physics is quantum chromodynamics, QCD, the theory of the strong interaction. A critical link between theory and experiment is provided by the methods of perturbative QCD, notably the well-known factorization theorems. Giving an accurate account of the concepts, theorems and their justification, this book is a systematic treatment of perturbative QCD. As well as giving a mathematical treatment, the book relates the concepts to experimental data, giving strong motivations for the methods. It also examines in detail transverse-momentum-dependent parton densities, an increasingly important subject not normally treated in other books. Ideal for graduate students starting their work in high-energy physics, it will also interest experienced researchers wanting a clear account of the subject. First published in 2011, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
The Book of Lamentations
Authors: Berman Joshua A.
Published: July 2023

In this commentary, Joshua Berman considers Lamentations as a literary work that creates meaning for a community in the wake of tragedy through its repudiation of Zion theology. Drawing from studies in collective trauma, his volume is the first study of Lamentations that systematically accounts for the constructed character of the narrator, a pastoral mentor who engages in a series of dialogues with a second constructed character, daughter Zion, who embodies the traumatized community of survivors. In each chapter, the pastoral mentor speaks to a different religious typology and a different sub-community of post-destruction Judeans, working with daughter Zion to reconsider her errant positions and charting for her a positive way forward to reconnecting with the Lord. Providing a systematic approach to the careful structure of each of its chapters, Berman illuminates how biblical writers offered support to their communities in a way that is still relevant and appealing to a therapy-conscious contemporary society.
Best Investments in Chronic, Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Control in Low- and Lower–Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Watkins David , Ahmed Sali , Pickersgill Sarah
Published: July 2023

The world remains off-track for the sustainable development goal (SDG) target 3.4, which calls for a one-third reduction in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) mortality by 2030. This paper presents benefit–cost analyses of various NCD interventions in low-income (LICs) and lower–middle-income (LMCs) countries. We looked at 30 interventions recommended by the Disease Control Priorities Project, including six intersectoral policies (e.g., taxes) and 24 clinical services. We used a previously published model to estimate intervention costs and benefits through 2030, discounted at 8%. We focused on interventions with benefit–cost ratios (BCRs) > 15 and their contribution toward achieving the SDG target. We found that intersectoral policies often provided great value for money, with BCRs ranging from 40 (trans-fat bans) to 100 (tobacco excise taxes). However, seven clinical interventions (e.g., basic treatment of cardiovascular disease or breast cancer) also had BCRs > 15. The overall population impact of clinical interventions over the 2023–2030 period would be much higher than that of the intersectoral policies, which can take many years to reach their peak effects. Fully implementing the best-investment interventions would accelerate progress toward SDG 3.4 everywhere, but only one in 10 countries would achieve the target. This strategy would require an additional US$ 2.4 billion annually across all LICs and LMCs. We conclude that there are several cost-beneficial opportunities to tackle NCDs in LICs and LMCs. In countries with very limited resources, the best-investment interventions could begin to address the major NCD risk factors and build greater health system capacity, with benefits continuing to accrue beyond 2030.
Association of habitual intake of probiotic supplements and yogurt with characteristics of the gut microbiome in the multiethnic cohort adiposity phenotype study
Authors: Chai Weiwen , Maskarinec Gertraud , Lim Unhee , Boushey Carol J. , Wilkens Lynne R. , Setiawan V. Wendy , Le Marchand Loïc , Randolph Timothy W. , Jenkins Isaac C. , Lampe Johanna W. , Hullar Meredith A. J.
Published: July 2023

Consumption of probiotics and/or yogurt could be a solution for restoring the balance of the gut microbiota. This study examined associations of regular intake of probiotic supplements or yogurt with the gut microbiota among a diverse population of older adults (N=1,861; 60–72 years). Faecal microbial composition was obtained from 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V1–V3 region). General linear models were used to estimate the associations of probiotic supplement or yogurt intake with microbiome measures adjusting for covariates. Compared to non-yogurt consumers (N=1,023), regular yogurt consumers (≥once/week, N=818) had greater Streptococcus (β=0.29, P=0.0003) and lower Odoribacter (β=−0.33, P<0.0001) abundance. The directions of the above associations were consistent across the five ethnic groups but stronger among Japanese Americans (Streptococcus: β=0.56, P=0.0009; Odoribacter: β=−0.62, P=0.0005). Regular intake of probiotic supplements (N=175) was not associated with microbial characteristics (i.e., alpha diversity and the abundance of 152 bacteria genera). Streptococcus is one of the predominant bacteria genera in yogurt products, which may explain the positive association between yogurt consumption and Streptococcus abundance. Our analyses suggest that changes in Odoribacter were independent of changes in Streptococcus abundance. Future studies may investigate whether these microbial genera and their sub-level species mediate potential pathways between yogurt consumption and health.
The Sociality of Madness: Hegel on Spirit's Pathology and the Sanity of Ethicality
Authors: Gregson William
Published: July 2023

Despite a profound concern for the epistemological, ontological and ethical conditions for being-at-home-in-the-world, G.W.F. Hegel published very little on a particularly serious threat to being-at-home: mental illness and disorder. The chief exception is found in Hegel'sEncyclopaedia of the Philosophical Sciences(1830). In this work, Hegel briefly provides an ontology of madness (Verrücktheit), wherein madness consists in the inward collapsing of subjectivity and objectivity into the individual's unconscious and primordial feeling soul. While there has been an increasing number of studies on Hegel's conception of madness, I propose that there is another overlooked way to understand madness in Hegel's system: as social pathology. I argue in this article that Hegel offers a compelling social account of madness in thePhenomenology of Spirit(1807), which arises at the elevated, self-reflective and community level of spirit. This sociality of madness, as I call it, occurs when spirit is unable to reconcile two contradictory yet equally essential aspects of its reality, resulting in spirit's structural homelessness. I argue that by examining this overlooked sociality of madness, we may read Hegel's political-philosophical project in a new light: on the one hand, the ethical life (Sittlichkeit) presented in thePhilosophy of Right(1821) becomes understood as a political therapeutic. On the other hand, if the ethical life fails to live up to the demand of being an adequate spiritual therapeutic, then the traditional reading of thePhilosophy of Rightas a reconciliatory hermeneutic becomes problematized, opening up new avenues for the proliferation of social pathology.
Racialized Legalities: The Rule of Law, Race, and the Protection of Women in Britain’s Crown Colonies, 1886–1890
Authors: Lee Jack Jin Gary
Published: July 2023

This article enquires into colonial officials’ invocations of the “rule of law” and the persistence of racial difference in the modern British Empire. To unravel this contradiction, I examine the debates over the freedom of women during the repeal of the Contagious Diseases ordinances in the directly ruled Crown Colonies of Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements (Singapore, Penang, and Malacca) between 1886 and 1890. Although the apparent purpose of these laws was the containment of venereal diseases, officials employed them to police prostitution and subject working-class, “native” women to medical surveillance. Despite the repeal of the Contagious Diseases ordinances across the empire, officials in both colonies continued to regulate prostitution in the name of native women’s freedom, invoking the rule of law. Through the historical ethnography of the rule of law, I demonstrate how the language of this ideal rendered an evocative frame of beneficence, legality, and protection against which officials articulated social difference in racialized, and intersectional, ways—what I call racialized legalities. In comparing the colonized in terms of racialized legalities, officials designed a differentiated sovereignty in determining the protections granted to native women. Expressing the cultural power of law, the rule of law was a constitutive myth.
From rags to riches? An illusory semantic change in ancient Greek
Authors: Alonso Déniz Alcorac , Méndez Dosuna Julián V.
Published: July 2023

The rare word λάκος occurs in an oracular enquiry from Dodona. Although it is likely to mean ‘a (bundle) of rags’, some scholars believe that the consultation concerns the theft of a garment in good condition. However, the evidence for a semantic change ‘tatters’ > ‘garment’ or vice versa in ancient Greek is weak. In this paper, we assess the evidence of some nouns (Aeolic βράκος and poetic λαῖφος, λαίφη, σπϵῖρον) that allegedly combine the meanings ‘(bundle of) tatters, rags’ and ‘piece of clothing, garment’. Drawing from the evidence provided by papyri and inscriptions, we propose two alternative hypotheses for λάκος in the Dodonaean enquiry: it may refer either to a ragged garment kept as an offering in a temple or to some tattered cloth used for wrapping various valuable items.
Projections of the minimal nilpotent orbit in a simple Lie algebra and secant varieties
Authors: PANYUSHEV DMITRI
Published: July 2023

Let G be a simple algebraic group with
${\mathfrak g}={\textrm{Lie }} G$
and
${\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}}\subset{\mathfrak g}$
the minimal nilpotent orbit. For a
${\mathbb Z}_2$
-grading
${\mathfrak g}={\mathfrak g}_0\oplus{\mathfrak g}_1$
, let
$G_0$
be a connected subgroup of G with
${\textrm{Lie }} G_0={\mathfrak g}_0$
. We study the
$G_0$
-equivariant projections
$\varphi\,:\,\overline{{\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}}}\to {\mathfrak g}_0$
and
$\psi:\overline{{\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}}}\to{\mathfrak g}_1$
. It is shown that the properties of
$\overline{\varphi({\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}})}$
and
$\overline{\psi({\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}})}$
essentially depend on whether the intersection
${\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}}\cap{\mathfrak g}_1$
is empty or not. If
${\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}}\cap{\mathfrak g}_1\ne\varnothing$
, then both
$\overline{\varphi({\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}})}$
and
$\overline{\psi({\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}})}$
contain a 1-parameter family of closed
$G_0$
-orbits, while if
${\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}}\cap{\mathfrak g}_1=\varnothing$
, then both are
$G_0$
-prehomogeneous. We prove that
$\overline{G{\cdot}\varphi({\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}})}=\overline{G{\cdot}\psi({\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}})}$
. Moreover, if
${\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}}\cap{\mathfrak g}_1\ne\varnothing$
, then this common variety is the affine cone over the secant variety of
${\mathbb P}({\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}})\subset{\mathbb P}({\mathfrak g})$
. As a digression, we obtain some invariant-theoretic results on the affine cone over the secant variety of the minimal orbit in an arbitrary simple G-module. In conclusion, we discuss more general projections that are related to either arbitrary reductive subalgebras of
${\mathfrak g}$
in place of
${\mathfrak g}_0$
or spherical nilpotent G-orbits in place of
${\mathcal O}_{\textsf{min}}$
.
Courts and Constitutions in South Asia and the Global South: A View from the Middle East
Authors: Ahmed Faiz
Published: July 2023

Not long ago, the study of comparative law in U.S. law schools was dominated by North American and European constitutional systems. Thanks to the contributions of a new generation of legal historians, including those canvassed in this special issue, the landscape is changing. In this special issue, scholars of courts and constitutions in twentieth century Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Nepal have come together to share novel sources, perspectives, and analyses of significant constitutional experiments in the Global South, specifically twentieth century South Asia. This afterword reflects on these important scholarly contributions by highlighting common threads and divergences in the case studies presented in this volume—from the perspective of a legal historian of the late Ottoman Empire and modern Middle East. Ultimately, the author concludes that the articles in this special issue persuasively stamp modern South Asian legal history “on the map” not only for specialists of this large and populous region, but for students and scholars of comparative constitutionalism and global legal history more broadly.
Analogue structure: structural analogies in the context of evolving body concept
Authors: Wang Shuaizhong
Published: July 2023

The changing concepts of the body have had a significant impact on architectural and structural design thinking. This article examines the influence of historical analogies with the body on structural design, highlighting the analogies’ bias against functionalist aesthetics and their scope limitations. By contrast, recent advances in cognitive neuroscience research on the body and perception enable us to gain a new perspective on the analogy between body and structure. While exposing the traditional analogy's static and one-sided limitations, the article proposes the perspective of incorporating bodily experience dimensions into structural design considerations based on neuroscience. The article also emphasises the importance of collaboration with all disciplines in the structural design process from a biological standpoint, with the goal of refining and enriching the analogy between structure and body, thus complementing and refining the artistic and human dimensions of structural design from a body perspective.
Corporate hierarchies and workplace voice
Authors: Belloc Filippo , Burdin Gabriel , Landini Fabio
Published: July 2023

We investigate whether workplace voice through institutionalized forms of employee representation (ER) affects the design of firm hierarchies. We look at the role of ER within a knowledge-based view of hierarchies, where the firm's choice of hierarchical layers depends on the trade-off between communication and knowledge acquisition costs. Using a sample of more than 20,000 private-sector firms in 32 countries, we find that the presence of ER is positively associated with the number of organizational layers, though the relationship is tempered by firm size. ER positively correlates with job training, skill development and enhanced internal communication via staff meetings. The analysis of managers' perceptions suggests the higher frequency of meetings in firms with ER does not lead to more delays in the implementation of organizational changes. Taken together, our findings point to ER as facilitating the flow of information to top decision-makers and hence reducing communication costs. This may enable the firm to economize scarce cognitive resources without retarding the accumulation of new shop-floor capabilities. We contribute to recent literature on organizational design by suggesting ER institutions as possibly relaxing the trade-off between communication and knowledge acquisition costs within firms.
Small-size multiband printed monopole antenna for wireless applications
Authors: Mishra Pranjalee , Kulat Kishor D.
Published: July 2023

A small-size multiband antenna with 14 bands is presented in this paper for wireless applications. The studied antenna mainly consists of a folded monopole antenna and an M-shaped structure. Furthermore, the antenna has a simple design with a compact dimension of 26.8 × 10.8 mm2. The studied antenna is printed on FR4 substrate with a depth of 0.8 mm and fed by a coaxial cable. The −10 dB bandwidths measured are 210 MHz (1200–1410 MHz), 100 MHz (2200–2300 MHz), 193 MHz (3000–3193 MHz), 180 MHz (3330–3510 MHz), 390 MHz (4110–4500 MHz), 4971 MHz, 577 MHz (5300–5877 MHz), and 700 MHz (7100–7800 MHz), which can cover 3G/4G/5G/Wi-Fi/WiMAX, C, and S bands. The gain and efficiency of the presented antenna are 1.3–4.00 dBi and 46%–60.2%, respectively.
Evidence of Strain Accumulation and Coupling Variation in the Himachal Region of NW Himalaya From Short Term Geodetic Measurements
Authors: Kumar Prabhat , Malik Javed N. , Gahalaut Vineet K. , Yadav Rajeev K. , Singh Gurvinder
Published: July 2023

Himachal region of Northwest Himalaya exhibits the widest structural re‐entrant in Kangra region and significant strain partitioning along the frontal and hinterland out‐of‐sequence faults. We report results of continuous GPS measurements from 10 new sites in the region and analyze them along with the previously published results to constrain the ongoing arc‐normal and arc‐parallel convergence rates at 16.5 ± 1.1 and 4–5 mm/yr respectively. Thus, the ongoing convergence is oblique by 15°–20°. The Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) is strongly coupled up to ∼100 km from the Main Frontal Thrust but displays significant variation in coupling in the transition zone across the Kangra re‐entrant and the adjoining western salient. Joint analysis of the coupling variation, the geologically inferred MHT geometry variations and the local topographic anomaly pattern strongly suggest the possibility of a potentially active, strain accumulating segment of MBT along the southern margin of Dhauladhar ranges in Western Himachal region, which is also proposed to be influencing the long‐term topographic growth in the region. Although a general agreement is observed between the long‐term shortening rates along the active faults and the estimated geodetic convergence in this region, the ensuing discussion highlights their complex relationship in terms of temporal and spatial variability in the fault activity and elastic‐inelastic deformation. We use the fault orientation and the estimated convergence rate to geometrically constrain a mean dextral slip‐rate of 4.4–5.7 mm/yr along a recently discovered Khetpurali‐Taksal fault, which is proposed to partition the majority of ongoing arc‐parallel deformation along it.
Information‐Theoretic Scores for Bayesian Model Selection and Similarity Analysis: Concept and Application to a Groundwater Problem
Authors: Morales Oreamuno Maria Fernanda , Oladyshkin Sergey , Nowak Wolfgang
Published: July 2023

Bayesian model selection (BMS) and Bayesian model justifiability analysis (BMJ) provide a statistically rigorous framework for comparing competing models through the use of Bayesian model evidence (BME). However, a BME‐based analysis has two main limitations: (a) it does not account for a model's posterior predictive performance after using the data for calibration and (b) it leads to biased results when comparing models that use different subsets of the observations for calibration. To address these limitations, we propose augmenting BMS and BMJ analyses with additional information‐theoretic measures: expected log‐predictive density (ELPD), relative entropy (RE) and information entropy (IE). Exploring the connection between Bayesian inference and information theory, we explicitly link BME and ELPD together with RE and IE to highlight the information flow in BMS and BMJ analyses. We show how to compute and interpret these scores alongside BME, and apply the framework to a controlled 2D groundwater setup featuring five models, one of which uses a subset of the data for calibration. Our results show how the information‐theoretic scores complement BME by providing a more complete picture concerning the Bayesian updating process. Additionally, we demonstrate how both RE and IE can be used to objectively compare models that feature different data sets for calibration. Overall, the introduced Bayesian information‐theoretic framework can lead to a better‐informed decision by incorporating a model's post‐calibration predictive performance, by allowing to work with different subsets of the data and by considering the usefulness of the data in the Bayesian updating process.
Interaction Between Tectonics and Climate Encoded in the Planform Geometry of Stream Networks on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Li Minhui , Seybold Hansjörg , Wu Baosheng , Chen Yi , Kirchner James W.
Published: July 2023

Stream networks are highly abundant across Earth's surface, reflecting the tectonic and climatic history under which they have developed. Recent studies suggest that branching angles are strongly correlated with climatic aridity. However, the impact of tectonic forcing, especially in tectonically active regions, remains ambiguous. Here we analyze branching angles between headwater channels of the major river networks on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, a region with complex tectonics, variable climate, and diverse landscapes. We find that spatial variations in tectonic uplift (as reflected in channel gradients) shape the branching geometry of stream networks on the steep eastern margin, while in the flat interior of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, branching angles are mainly controlled by climatic aridity. This leads to the conclusion that, in the steep margin of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, climatic impacts on branching angles are overprinted by stronger tectonic controls.
Long-term aspartame and saccharin intakes are related to greater volumes of visceral, intermuscular, and subcutaneous adipose tissue: the CARDIA study
Authors: Steffen Brian T. , Jacobs David R. , Yi So-Yun , Lees Simon J. , Shikany James M. , Terry James G. , Lewis Cora E. , Carr John J. , Zhou Xia , Steffen Lyn M.
Published: July 2023

Background

Artificial sweetener (ArtSw) intakes have been previously associated with higher BMI in observational studies and may promote visceral and skeletal muscle adipose tissue (AT) accumulation. This study aimed to determine whether habitual, long-term ArtSw or diet beverage intakes are related to greater AT depot volumes and anthropometry-related outcomes.

Methods

A validated diet history questionnaire was administered at baseline, year 7, and year 20 examinations in 3088 men and women enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults cohort (CARDIA), mean age of 25.2 years and mean BMI of 24.5 kg/m2 at baseline. Volumes of visceral (VAT), intermuscular (IMAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were assessed by computed tomography at year 25. Linear regression evaluated associations of aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, total ArtSw, and diet beverage intakes with AT volumes, anthropometric measures, and 25-year change in anthropometry. Cox regression estimated associations of ArtSw with obesity incidence. Adjustments were made for demographic and lifestyle factors, total energy intake, and the 2015 healthy eating index.

Results

Total ArtSw, aspartame, saccharin, and diet beverage intakes were positively associated with VAT, SAT, and IMAT volumes (all ptrend ≤ 0.001), but no associations were observed for sucralose intake (all ptrend > 0.05). In addition, total ArtSw, saccharin, aspartame, and diet beverage intakes were associated with greater body mass index, body weight, waist circumference, and their increases over a 25-year period. Except for saccharin (ptrend = 0.13), ArtSw, including diet soda, was associated with greater risks of incident obesity over a median 17.5-year follow-up (all ptrend < 0.05).

Conclusions

Results suggest that long-term intakes of aspartame, saccharin, or diet soda may increase AT deposition and risk of incident obesity independent of diet quality or caloric intake. Coupled with previous evidence, alternatives to national recommendations to replace added sugar with ArtSw should be considered since both may have health consequences.
Exploitation of ATP-sensitive potassium ion (KATP) channels by HPV promotes cervical cancer cell proliferation by contributing to MAPK/AP-1 signalling
Authors: Scarth James A. , Wasson Christopher W. , Patterson Molly R. , Evans Debra , Barba-Moreno Diego , Carden Holli , Cassidy Rosa , Whitehouse Adrian , Mankouri Jamel , Samson Adel , Morgan Ethan L. , Macdonald Andrew
Published: July 2023

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) is the causal factor in multiple human malignancies, including >99% of cervical cancers and a growing proportion of oropharyngeal cancers. Prolonged expression of the viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 is necessary for transformation to occur. Although some of the mechanisms by which these oncoproteins contribute to carcinogenesis are well-characterised, a comprehensive understanding of the signalling pathways manipulated by HPV is lacking. Here, we present the first evidence to our knowledge that the targeting of a host ion channel by HPV can contribute to cervical carcinogenesis. Through the use of pharmacological activators and inhibitors of ATP-sensitive potassium ion (KATP) channels, we demonstrate that these channels are active in HPV-positive cells and that this activity is required for HPV oncoprotein expression. Further, expression of SUR1, which forms the regulatory subunit of the multimeric channel complex, was found to be upregulated in both HPV+ cervical cancer cells and in samples from patients with cervical disease, in a manner dependent on the E7 oncoprotein. Importantly, knockdown of SUR1 expression or KATP channel inhibition significantly impeded cell proliferation via induction of a G1 cell cycle phase arrest. This was confirmed both in vitro and in in vivo tumourigenicity assays. Mechanistically, we propose that the pro-proliferative effect of KATP channels is mediated via the activation of a MAPK/AP-1 signalling axis. A complete characterisation of the role of KATP channels in HPV-associated cancer is now warranted in order to determine whether the licensed and clinically available inhibitors of these channels could constitute a potential novel therapy in the treatment of HPV-driven cervical cancer.
Changes in inflammatory proteins following platelet transfusion in a neonatal population
Authors: Moore Carmel Maria , O’Reilly Daniel , McCallion Naomi , Curley Anna E.
Published: July 2023

Background

Studies have demonstrated increased morbidity and mortality with platelet transfusions in the neonatal period. Platelets are as important for host immunity and inflammation as for hemostasis. Increased inflammation may explain the dose-associated increase in mortality, bleeding, and lung disease.

Objective

This study aims to assess if there are any changes in inflammatory cytokines post-platelet transfusion in babies in NICU.

Methods

This prospective observational study recruited babies due to receive a non-emergency platelet transfusion. Dried whole blood samples were collected prior to and 2 h post-transfusion. Samples were processed using multiplex immunoassay to enable analysis of tiny blood volumes. Statistical analysis was performed using R.

Results

Seventeen babies underwent 26 platelet transfusions across two centers. Median birthweight was 1545 g (535–3960 g) and median birth gestation was 31 weeks and 1 day (23 + 1 to 40 + 5). Median pre-transfusion platelet count was 19.5 × 109/l. There was a significant increase in levels of CXCL5 (p < 0.001), CD40 (p = 0.001), and TGF-β (p = 0.001) in neonatal blood samples post-platelet transfusion in the study group.

Conclusion

The increase in the cytokines CXCL5, CD40 and TGF-β after platelet transfusion in babies in NICU could potentiate existing inflammation, NEC, lung, or white matter injury. This could potentially explain long-term harm from platelet transfusion in babies.

Impact

There is a change in levels of immunomodulatory proteins CXCL5, CD40, and TGF-β after platelet transfusion in babies in NICU.

Murine neonatal models have demonstrated an increase in cytokine levels after platelet transfusions. This is the first time that this has been demonstrated in human neonates.

The increase in proinflammatory cytokines could potentially explain the long-term harm from platelet transfusion in babies, as they could potentiate existing inflammation, NEC, lung injury, or white matter injury.
Irradiation and lithium treatment alter the global DNA methylation pattern and gene expression underlying a shift from gliogenesis towards neurogenesis in human neural progenitors
Authors: Neofytou Christina , Backlund Alexandra , Blomgren Klas , Hermanson Ola
Published: July 2023

Central nervous system (CNS) tumors account for almost a third of pediatric cancers and are the largest contributor to cancer-related death in children. Cranial radiation therapy (CRT) is, often in combination with chemotherapy and surgery, effective in the treatment of high-grade childhood brain cancers, but it has been associated with late complications in 50–90% of survivors, such as decline in cognition and mood, decreased social competence, and fatigue. A leading hypothesis to explain the decline in cognition, at least partially, is injury to the neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs), which leads to apoptosis and altered fate choice, favoring gliogenesis over neurogenesis. Hence, treatments harnessing neurogenesis are of great relevance in this context. Lithium, a well-known mood stabilizer, has neuroprotective and antitumor effects and has been found to reverse irradiation-induced damage in rodents, at least in part by regulating the expression of the glutamate decarboxylase 2 gene (Gad2) via promoter demethylation in rat NSPCs. Additionally, lithium was shown to rescue irradiation-induced cognitive defects in mice. Here, we show that irradiation (IR) alone or in combination with lithium chloride (LiCl) caused major changes in gene expression and global DNA methylation in iPSC-derived human NSPCs (hNSPCs) compared to untreated cells, as well as LiCl-only-treated cells. The pattern of DNA methylation changes after IR-treatment alone was stochastic and observed across many different gene groups, whereas differences in DNA methylation after LiCl-treatment of irradiated cells were more directed to specific promoters of genes, including genes associated with neurogenesis, for example GAD2. Interestingly, IR and IR + LiCl treatment affected the promoter methylation and expression of several genes encoding factors involved in BMP signaling, including the BMP antagonist gremlin1. We propose that lithium in addition to promoting neuronal differentiation, also represses glial differentiation in hNSPCs with DNA methylation regulation being a key mechanism of action.