bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional α7 nicotinic receptors in human airway smooth muscle increase intracellular calcium concentration and contractility in asthmatics
Authors: Khalfaoui Latifa , Mukhtasimova Nuriya , Kelley Brian , Wells Natalya , Teske Jacob J. , Roos Benjamin B. , Borkar Niyati A. , Zhang Emily Y. , Sine Steven M. , Prakash Y. S. , Pabelick Christina M.
Published: May 2023

Cigarette smoking and vaping exacerbate asthma. Understanding the mechanisms of nicotine effects in asthmatic airways is important. This study demonstrates that functional alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) are expressed in human airway smooth muscle, including from asthmatics, and enhance intracellular calcium and contractility. Although a7nAChRs are associated with neuronal pathways, α7nAChR in smooth muscle suggests inhaled nicotine (e.g., vaping) can directly influence airway contractility. Targeting α7nAChR may represent a novel approach to alleviating airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma.
Research on Upper Bound Limit Stability Analysis of Multi-Step High Steep Slope
Authors: Wang Zhen
Published: May 2023

In order to explore the stability of multi-step high steep slope, this paper considers layer distribution of soil and builds a slope failure mechanism which meets requirements of velocity separation based on plastic mechanics principles, then derives the calculation method of external force power and internal energy dissipation power in failure area using numerical analysis theory, and proposes a loop algorithm for slope stability analysis combining upper bound limit analysis theorem and strength reduction principle. At the same time, in order to enhance the applicability of the upper bound limit analysis method, this paper develops a slope stability calculation system of upper bound limit analysis combined with computer programming technology and evaluates the accuracy of the calculation system through slope engineering practice in open-pit mine. The results show that stability factor by calculation system of upper bound limit analysis is an upper limit solution compared with limit equilibrium method, but the error rate of two methods is less than 5%, which indicates that the slope stability calculation system established in this paper has high accuracy in stability analysis of multi-step high steep slope in the practice of open-pit mine. On the other hand, the most dangerous sliding surface searched by upper bound limit analysis can fully solve velocity problems of multi-step high steep slope failure, so it has stronger reference values in engineering practice.
Influence of Deposition Parameters for Cu2O and CuO Thin Films by Electrodeposition Technique: A Short Review
Authors: Arulkumar E. , Thanikaikarasan S. , Tesfie Nega
Published: May 2023

The transition metal oxide-based nanomaterial attracted researchers for its various applications due to its interesting physical, chemical, and optical properties. Copper oxide thin films with different oxidation states were prepared on various transparent, nontransparent nature conducting substrates from the acidic and alkaline medium by electrodeposition technique. The deposition parameters such as potential, bath temperature, solution pH, and deposition time determine the physical, chemical, and optical properties. The complexing agents such as sodium thiosulfate, lactic acid, citric acid, and triethanolamine determine the stability of cuprous and cupric ions in the deposited films. Optical properties reported that the deposited films have direct band gap value 1.3 and 3.7 eV represents the absorbance of the deposited films in the visible region of solar spectrum. The absorbance of light in visible region, good electrical conductivity, and various nanostructure morphologies with the environment-friendly constituents are the distinctive properties of copper metal oxides.
Compliance Risk Assessment in the Banking Sector: Application of a Novel Pairwise Comparison-Based PRISM Method
Authors: Bognár Ferenc , Szentes Balázs , Benedek Petra
Published: May 2023

Up-to-date compliance management uses a risk-based approach based on international standards. In addition to techniques and practices, implementing compliance measures is determined by principles and culture. Compliance risk assessment is an evolving field in theory and practice. Compliance risk management is complex and highly dependent on the decisions of experts. This article presents a new compliance risk assessment method based on a commercial banking case study. In the study, the Guilford method is used to extend the Partial Risk Map (PRISM) assessment technique, and the steps of the proposed pairwise comparison-based PRISM method are described in detail. Since risk assessment is critical to the operation and development of compliance management systems, the proposed risk assessment method involves testing individual evaluations’ consistency and the results’ robustness. The best-fitting and outlier experts can be identified based on testing the impact of individual expert rankings on the aggregated ranking. The main finding is that top partial risks can be identified by applying the proposed pairwise comparison-based PRISM technique; therefore, possible optimal risk mitigation strategies and measures can be designed.
Development of Infectious Disease Emergency Response Competencies for Nurses in China: A Delphi Study and an Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Chen Fengjiao , Li Li , Li Jiping , Guo Hongxia , Cao Xiaoyi , Gong Shu
Published: May 2023

Aim. To develop a set of infectious disease emergency response competencies specific to frontline nurses in China. Background. Nurses play an important role in the infectious disease emergency response. Competency-based training is the cornerstone of the professionalization of disaster rescue, including the infectious disease emergency response. Accordingly, reaching a consensus on a set of core competencies is essential. However, information regarding the competencies needed for nurses in the infectious disease emergency response is limited. Methods. A literature review and in-depth expert interviews were conducted to establish a draft of competencies, which consisted of 53 items, including 3 first-level index items, 12 second-level index items, and 38 third-level index items. Eighteen experts with the knowledge of infectious disease management and experience with infectious disease emergency rescue from different regions in China were recruited for Delphi consultation. A two-round Delphi survey was conducted via email. Consensus was defined as a mean importance value >4.5 and the coefficient of variation <0.25 among the experts. Finally, the analytic hierarchy process was used to determine the weight of each index on which consensus had been reached. Results. An index system of infectious disease emergency response competencies for nurses was constructed, including 3 first-level indices (knowledge, attitudes, and skills), 10 second-level indices, and 32 third-level indices. The response rates of the two rounds of the Delphi survey were both 100%, and the authority coefficient of the 18 experts was 0.903. The weighted value of each index was established with a consistency ratio <0.1, demonstrating that skill (0.5396) ranked first among the three first-level indices, followed by knowledge (0.2970) and attitudes (0.1634). Conclusion. The study developed a consensus on infectious disease emergency response competencies required for nurses in China, which provides guidance for the assessment and training of nurses on infectious disease emergency response. Implications for Nursing Management. According to the competency index system, nursing managers could develop effective training programs of infectious disease emergency response competency for nurses and select competent nurses for emergency response to infectious diseases.
Data from Novel BCL-2 Inhibitor Lisaftoclax in Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Other Hematologic Malignancies: First-in-Human Open-Label Trial
Authors: Ailawadhi Sikander , Chen Zi , Huang Bo , Paulus Aneel , Collins Mary C. , Fu Lei (Tommy). , Li Mingyu , Ahmad Mohammad , Men Lichuang , Wang Hengbang , Davids Matthew S. , Liang Eric , Mekala Divya J. , He Zhicong , Lasica Masa , Yannakou Costas K. , Parrondo Ricardo , Glass Laura , Yang Dajun , Chanan-Khan Asher , Zhai Yifan
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Purpose: This global phase 1 trial investigated the safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of lisaftoclax (APG-2575), a novel, orally active, potent selective BCL-2 inhibitor, in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic or small lymphocytic leukemia (R/R CLL/SLL) and other hematologic malignancies (HMs). Patients and Methods: Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase 2 dose were evaluated. Outcome measures were safety and tolerability (primary) and pharmacokinetic variables and antitumor effects (secondary). Pharmacodynamics in patient tumor cells were explored. Results: Among 52 patients receiving lisaftoclax, MTD was not reached. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) included diarrhea (48.1%); fatigue (34.6%); nausea (30.8%); anemia and thrombocytopenia (28.8% each); neutropenia (26.9%); constipation (25.0%); vomiting (23.1%); headache (21.2%); peripheral edema and hypokalemia (17.3% each); and arthralgia (15.4%). Grade ≥ 3 hematologic TEAEs included neutropenia (21.2%); thrombocytopenia (13.5%); and anemia (9.6%), none resulting in treatment discontinuation. Clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic results demonstrated that lisaftoclax had a limited plasma residence and systemic exposure and elicited rapid clearance of malignant cells. With a median treatment of 15 (range, 6-43) cycles, 14 of 22 efficacy-evaluable patients with R/R CLL/SLL experienced partial responses, for an objective response of 63.6% and median time to response of 2 (range, 2-8) cycles. Conclusions: Lisaftoclax was well tolerated, with no evidence of tumor lysis syndrome. Dose-limiting toxicity was not reached at the highest dose level. Lisaftoclax has a unique pharmacokinetic profile compatible with a potentially more convenient daily (vs. weekly) dose ramp-up schedule and induced rapid clinical responses in patients with CLL/SLL, warranting continued clinical investigation.
Data from Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Unifies Developmental Programs of Esophageal and Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia
Authors: Nowicki-Osuch Karol , Zhuang Lizhe , Cheung Tik Shing , Black Emily L. , Masqué-Soler Neus , Devonshire Ginny , Redmond Aisling M. , Freeman Adam , di Pietro Massimilliano , Pilonis Nastazja , Januszewicz Wladyslaw , O'Donovan Maria , Tavaré Simon , Shields Jacqueline D. , Fitzgerald Rebecca C.
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Intestinal metaplasia in the esophagus (Barrett's esophagus IM, or BE-IM) and stomach (GIM) are considered precursors for esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma, respectively. We hypothesize that BE-IM and GIM follow parallel developmental trajectories in response to differing inflammatory insults. Here, we construct a single-cell RNA-sequencing atlas, supported by protein expression studies, of the entire gastrointestinal tract spanning physiologically normal and pathologic states including gastric metaplasia in the esophagus (E-GM), BE-IM, atrophic gastritis, and GIM. We demonstrate that BE-IM and GIM share molecular features, and individual cells simultaneously possess transcriptional properties of gastric and intestinal epithelia, suggesting phenotypic mosaicism. Transcriptionally E-GM resembles atrophic gastritis; genetically, it is clonal and has a lower mutational burden than BE-IM. Finally, we show that GIM and BE-IM acquire a protumorigenic, activated fibroblast microenvironment. These findings suggest that BE-IM and GIM can be considered molecularly similar entities in adjacent organs, opening the path for shared detection and treatment strategies.
Significance:
Our data capture the gradual molecular and phenotypic transition from a gastric to intestinal phenotype (IM) in the esophagus and stomach. Because BE-IM and GIM can predispose to cancer, this new understanding of a common developmental trajectory could pave the way for a more unified approach to detection and treatment.
Abstract 13491: Spermidine Improves Angiogenic Capacity in Senescent Endothelial Cells and Enhances Ischemia Induced Neovascularization in Aged Mice
Authors: Ueno Daisuke , Ikeda Koji , Yamazaki Ekura , Katayama Akiko , Matoba Satoaki
Published: May 2023

Aging is closely associated with high morbidity and mortality of various diseasesincluding cardiovascular disease. Cellular senescence has been cruciallyinvolved in the mechanisms underlying age-related diseases, and vascularendothelial cells  become senescent during aging. Spermidine, a naturallyoccurring polyamine, is an emerging organic compound that shows various anti-aging effects. Serum spermidine concentration decreases during aging inhuman, and dietary spermidine has been reported to extend healthy lifespanand delay the age-related decline in cognitive and physical performance inmany species such as yeast, worms, flies, and mice. Here, we explored aneffect of spermidine on age-associated decline in angiogenesis. Replicativesenescent ECs were prepared by culturing human ECs for an extended perioduntil passage 18-20, and cellular senescence was confirmed by loss ofproliferation capacity, increased CDK inhibitors expression, and senescence-associated beta-Gal activity. Intracellular polyamine contents were significantlyreduced in replicative senescent ECs, which was recovered by spermidinesupplementation. Spermidine supplementation improved the declinedangiogenic capacities including tube-formation on Matrigel in senescent ECs,while senescence features such as reduced proliferation and senescence-associated beta-Gal activity were not affected. Mechanistically, spermidinesupplementation accelerated the static autophagy flux, and improvedmitochondrial quality, e.g. reduced mitochondrial ROS and preservedmitochondrial membrane potential, in senescent ECs. Ischemia-inducedneovascularization was assessed using the hind-limb ischemia model in youngand aged mice. Blood flow recovery and neovascularization in ischemic musclewere considerably impaired in aged mice comparing to those in young mice. Ofnote, dietary spermidine significantly enhanced ischemia-induced angiogenesis,and improved the blood flow recovery in the ischemic limb, especially in agedmice. Our results reveal new mechanistic insights in anti-aging property ofspermidine, and suggest its therapeutic potential against ischemiccardiovascular disease, particularly in elderly population.
Rethinking Donor and Recipient Risk Matching in Europe and North America: Using Heart Transplant Predictors of Donor and Recipient Risk
Authors: Moayedi Yasbanoo , Rodenas-Alesina Eduard , Mueller Brigitte , Fan Chun-Po S. , Cherikh Wida S. , Stehlik Josef , Teuteberg Jeffrey J. , Ross Heather J. , Khush Kiran K.
Published: May 2023

Background:

In Europe, there is greater acceptance of hearts from higher-risk donors for transplantation, whereas in North America, the donor heart discard rate is significantly higher. A Donor Utilization Score (DUS) was used to compare European and North American donor characteristics for recipients included in the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation registry from 2000 to 2018. DUS was further evaluated as an independent predictor for 1-year freedom from graft failure, after adjusting for recipient risk. Lastly, we assessed donor-recipient risk matching with the outcome of 1-year graft failure.

Methods:

DUS was applied to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation cohort using meta-modeling. Posttransplant freedom from graft failure was summarized by Kaplan-Meier survival. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was applied to quantify the effects of DUS and Index for Mortality Prediction After Cardiac Transplantation score on the 1-year risk of graft failure. We present 4 donor/recipient risk groups using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results:

European centers accept significantly higher-risk donor hearts compared to North America. DUS 0.45 versus 0.54,
P
<0.005). DUS was an independent predictor for graft failure with an inverse linear relationship when adjusted for covariates (
P
<0.001). The Index for Mortality Prediction After Cardiac Transplantation score, a validated tool to assess recipient risk, was also independently associated with 1-year graft failure (
P
<0.001). In North America, 1-year graft failure was significantly associated with donor-recipient risk matching (log-rank
P
<0.001). One-year graft failure was highest with pairing of high-risk recipients and donors (13.1% [95% CI, 10.7%–13.9%]) and lowest among low-risk recipients and donors (7.4% [95% CI, 6.8%–8.0%]). Matching of low-risk recipients with high-risk donors was associated with significantly less graft failure (9.0% [95% CI, 8.3%–9.7%]) than high-risk recipients with low-risk donors (11.4% [95% CI, 10.7%–12.2%])

Conclusions:

European heart transplantation centers are more likely to accept higher-risk donor hearts than North American centers. Acceptance of borderline-quality donor hearts for lower-risk recipients could improve donor heart utilization without compromising recipient survival.
Use of a Cardiac Scale to Predict Heart Failure Events: Design of SCALE-HF 1
Authors: Fudim Marat , Yazdi Daniel , Egolum Ugochukwu , Haghighat Amir , Kottam Anupama , Sauer Andrew J. , Shah Hirak , Kumar Priya , Rakita Val , Centen Corey , Ozonat Kivanc , Smith Sarah , DeVore Adam D.
Published: May 2023

Background:

There is a need for simple, noninvasive solutions to remotely monitor and predict worsening heart failure (HF) events. SCALE-HF 1 (Surveillance and Alert-Based Multiparameter Monitoring to Reduce Worsening Heart Failure Events) is a prospective, multicenter study that will develop and assess the accuracy of the heart function index—a composite algorithm of noninvasive hemodynamic biomarkers from a cardiac scale—in predicting worsening HF events.

Methods:

Approximately 300 patients with chronic HF and recent decompensation will be enrolled in this observational study for model development. Patients will be encouraged to take daily cardiac scale measurements.

Results:

Approximately 50 HF events, defined as an urgent, unscheduled clinic, emergency department, or hospitalization for worsening HF will be used for model development. The composite index will be developed from hemodynamic biomarkers derived from ECG, ballistocardiogram, and impedance plethysmogram signals measured from the cardiac scale. Biomarkers of interest include weight, peripheral impedance, pulse rate and variability, and estimates of stroke volume, cardiac output, and blood pressure captured through the cardiac scale. The sensitivity, unexplained alert rate, and alerting time of the index in predicting worsening HF events will be evaluated and compared with the performance of simple weight-based rule-of-thumb algorithms (eg, weight increase of 3 lbs in 1 day or 5 lbs in 7 days) that are often used in practice.

Conclusions:

SCALE-HF 1 is the first study to develop and evaluate the performance of a composite index derived from noninvasive hemodynamic biomarkers measured from a cardiac scale in predicting worsening HF events. Subsequent studies will validate the heart function index and assess its ability to improve patient outcomes.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT04882449.
Eventocracy, Affective Supremacy and Resistance in Turkey’s Captured Media Ecology
Authors: Bulut Ergin
Published: May 2023

The Turkish government has captured media to build ‘eventocracy’, a regime of ‘ruling by event’ to manage public attention and disrupt politics. Eventocracy strives for affective supremacy, a mode of political-emotional domination where the ruling AKP positions itself as the self-righteous national power. Through a chain of events, it casts the opposition’s grievances as national threats. Two specific events, the Roboski Massacre and the Kabataş Incident, demonstrate how the government has mobilized bitter arguments and sensational narratives with often sexist and ethnicist undertones of supremacy to affectively deplete the opposition. In response, narratives produced by citizens in low-budget street interviews and rap artists in songs contest this affective supremacy, revealing that institutional media capture remains fragile at best. Reframing media capture through affect helps us rethink the state as a key media producer and performer of political crises while questioning fact-checking as an oppositional style across authoritarian contexts.
Missionizing Affects
Authors: Jaber Heather
Published: May 2023

This article examines the fictionalized retelling of a real 2017 controversy, after images proliferated of fans raising the rainbow flag during the Lebanese band Mashrou Leila’s concert in Egypt in solidarity with the band’s openly queer frontman. It examines the Egyptian musalsal or Arabic-language drama serial, ‘Awalem Khafeya, Hidden Worlds and suggests that the program engages in the ‘recoding’ of these events, where violent state crackdowns are restaged to cultivate different affects and feelings around troubled sovereignty. The production is situated within the Egyptian and Saudi Arabian contexts, where the program aired and ‘anti-corruption’ crackdowns betray state anxieties around economic liberalization. The production is analyzed to demonstrate how recoding operates, reflecting the potential for failed recoding platforms and raising new questions about content and territory. Ultimately, the article offers recoding as a diagnostic of power in the digital media age, where nations face a crisis of sovereignty as they articulate themselves in a global media marketplace.
Rejecting the Ottomans, Revisiting the Mamluks
Authors: Ahmed Yasmine M. , Panetta Claire
Published: May 2023

This article queries the sociopolitical implications of a wave of popular interest in the legacy of the Mamluk dynasty (1250–1517) in post-2013 Egypt. Although the era’s sultans have traditionally been derided in mainstream culture as tyrannical ‘foreign’ leaders, they have recently been reframed as the last nationalist rulers before the Ottoman invasion. This revised characterization underpins the newfound fascination with their socio-political legacy, which has manifested in various cultural productions, including a new television series, Mamalik al-Nar (Kingdoms of Fire). In this article, we analyze the show’s content, its popularity in Egypt, the debates it has generated on social media and the regional production and distribution networks in which it is embedded. Through this analysis, we argue that the series—and the Mamluk ‘revivalism’ to which it is connected—is part of an unresolved debate about what it means to be Egyptian today.
A checklist of Onagraceae in the Pan-Himalaya region
Authors: LUO YIKE , XIE LEI
Published: May 2023

This study provides a checklist of Onagraceae in the Pan-Himalayan region based on extensive specimen consultation, literature investigation, and field surveys. According to recent phylogenetic studies and taxonomic revisions, five genera of Onagraceae are recognized including a total of 56 species in the Pan-Himalayan region. The five genera are Chamaenerion, Circaea, Epilobium, Oenothera, and Ludwigia. In this checklist, we verified all the validly published names in this region and confirmed their taxonomic status. Type status of names are checked according to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN). Epilobium ladakhianum is treated as a new synonym of E. williamsii and lectotypification of Chamaenerion conspersum is made, which are the taxonomic novelties in this study. In addition, we provide identification keys to all the genera and their species, descriptions of the five genera, and distribution ranges as well as taxonomic notes for the species.
New Species of Distatrix Mason, 1981 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Brazil, with biological notes
Authors: RODRIGUES ELIZABETH MOREIRA , PENTEADO-DIAS ANGÉLICA MARIA , DIAS MANOEL MARTINS
Published: May 2023

A new species of the genus Distatrix Mason, 1981 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Brazil is described and illustrated. This parasitoid was reared from larvae of Argyrotome paraguayaria Schaus, 1927 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Palyadini), feeding on Myrsine umbellata Mart. (Primulaceae). This is the first record of parasitism in the genus.
Molecular and morphological approaches redefine the limits among polymorphic species in the Neotropical longhorn beetle genus, Myzomorphus Sallé (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Prioninae)
Authors: SOUZA DIEGO DE S. , SEPÚLVEDA TATIANA A. , MONNÉ MIGUEL A. , MARINONI LUCIANE , MONNÉ MARCELA L.
Published: May 2023

Myzomorphus Sallé is a charismatic genus of prionine longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) composed of nine species. Myzomorphus species are found from Costa Rica to southern Brazil, but only two species have wide distributions across this range: M. scutellatus Sallé from Costa Rica to northern Brazil, and M. quadripunctatus (Gray) from Colombia to southern Brazil. These species are highly polymorphic and their limits are difficult to determine due to their strong morphological similarities––males are only distinguishable by subtle size variations and females by color patterns. Here, we used mitochondrial DNA (cox1 and 12S) to reconstruct the first phylogeny of Myzomorphus and, in combination with morphological data, assess the taxonomic limits between M. scutellatus and M. quadripunctatus. Our phylogenetic results confirm the monophyly of Myzomorphus and reveal a close relationship among M. birai, M. quadripunctatus and M. scutellatus. Using pairwise distance estimations, we found that the intraspecific variation of M. quadripunctatus is remarkably high (K2P: 0–11.7%; p-distances: 0–9.7%) and the interspecific distances of M. quadripunctatus in relation to M. birai and M. scutellatus (K2P: 14.8–20.1%; p-distances: 12–15%) are close to the intraspecific distances of M. quadripunctatus. We further analyzed the diagnostic characters of these species and found that their morphological intraspecific variations largely overlap. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the variability of M. birai, M. scutellatus and M. quadripunctatus represent polymorphisms of a single species. We thus argue for the synonymy of M. birai and M. scutellatus under M. quadripunctatus (syn. nov.) and highlight the need for multiple lines of evidence to solve the taxonomic problems in polymorphic species of Cerambycidae.
A new species of Neohydatothrips (Thysanoptera: Sericothripinae) from China
Authors: ZHANG SHI-MENG , BAN CHENG-JUN , FENG JI-NIAN , YANG MAO-FA
Published: May 2023

Neohydatothrips stachyurus sp. n. is described from Guizhou, China. Morphologically, this new Sericothripinae species is characterized by the shape of blotch on pronotum and the distribution of microtrichia on abdominal segments. The distribution of Neohydatothrips species from China also is discussed.
Checklist of Indian Harpalinae Bonelli, 1810 (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
Authors: NIJISHA K. , SABU K. THOMAS
Published: May 2023

An updated checklist of 169 species of subfamily Harpalinae known from the Indian mainland, along with details of the revisions by modern workers, literatures and distribution patterns is provided. Of them, 39 species are endemic to the Indian mainland, whereas 11 species to the Western Ghats Hotspot of Biodiversity, one to the Indo-Burma Hotspot of Biodiversity and eight to the Himalaya Hotspot of Biodiversity. Four genera, Allosiopelus Ito, 1995, Indocarterus Kataev & Wrase, 2018, Oesyperus Andrewes, 1923 and Panagrius Andrewes, 1933 are endemic to the Indian mainland.
An identification key to the genera and species of Afrotropical Tetrigini (genera Paratettix, Leptacrydium, Hedotettix, Rectitettix nov. gen., and Alienitettix nov.gen.) with general remarks on the taxonomy of Tetrigini (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae)
Authors: DEVRIESE HENDRIK , NGUYEN EILEEN , HUSEMANN MARTIN
Published: May 2023

The Afrotropical species hitherto considered to belong to the genera Paratettix Bolivar, 1887, Leptacrydium Chopard, 1950 and Hedotettix Bolivar, 1887 are reviewed, and two new genera, Alienitettix nov. gen. and Rectitettix nov. gen., are established. Four new species are described: Alienitettix usambarensis nov. sp., Leptacrydium femurcrassum nov. sp., Leptacrydium rhombeum nov. sp. and Rectitettix burri nov. sp. Several new combinations are created: Alienitettix gilloni (Günther, 1979) nov. comb. for Paratettix gilloni, Alienitettix villiersi (Günther, 1979) nov. comb. for Paratettix villiersi, Hippodes abidjanensis (Günther, 1979) nov. comb. for Coptotettix abidjanensis, Leptacrydium nanum (Bruner, 1910) nov. comb. for Tetrix nanus and Paratettix royi (Günther, 1979) nov. comb. for Leptacrydium royi. Paratettix angustivertex Bolivar, 1908 is resurrected. It is discussed whether the North American Tetrix arenosa (Burmeister, 1838) belongs to Tetrix and Tetrigini. The following synonyms are established: Coptotettix annulipes Karsch, 1890 nov. syn. and C. convexus Hancock, 1910 nov. syn. = C. rufipes Bolivar, 1887; Paratettix asbenensis Chopard, 1950 nov. syn. = P. pallipes (Walker, 1871); Telmatettix burri Hancock, 1900 nov.syn. and Paratettix macrostenus Günther, 1979 nov. syn. = Paratettix subpustulatus (Walker, 1871); Paratettix chopardi Günther, 1979 nov. syn. = P. africanus Bolivar, 1908; Paratettix marshalli Hancock, 1908 nov. syn. = Paratettix scaber (Thunberg, 1815); Paratettix obtusipulvillus Günther, 1979 nov. syn. = Paratettix spretus Günther, 1979; and Tettix waelboecki Bolivar, 1908 nov. syn. = Leptacrydium gratiosum (Karsch, 1893). Identification keys for all species and pictures of the majority of species are presented. New country records are given. New definitions of the pronotal forms in Tetrigidae are established based on their relationship to the fore (elytra) and hind wings (alae), with a new form, the pauropronotal, being introduced for the form where the fully functional hind wings are clearly longer than the pronotum; the new form is apomorphous for the Afrotropical Tetrigini. A provisional diagnosis for the (Afrotropical) Tetrigini is given. Coptotettix Bolivar, 1887 is removed from the Tetrigini and placed near Thoradontini and Criotettigini.
Multidecadal Variability of Tropical Cyclone Translation Speed over the Western North Pacific
Authors: Guo Yi-Peng , Tan Zhe-Min , Chen Xu
Published: May 2023

Tropical cyclone (TC) translation speed (TCS) over the western North Pacific (WNP) has experienced a long-term decreasing trend. To date, however, little is known about the multidecadal variability of TCS and its possible influence on this trend. This study investigated the multidecadal variability of the WNP TCS and the underlying physical mechanisms. Results show that the WNP TCS presents robust multidecadal variability during the past seven decades, which is dominated by the TCS over the extratropics. Further analysis shows that the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) is responsible for the TCS multidecadal variability. AMO positive (negative) phases lead to favorable (unfavorable) large-scale environmental conditions for maintaining TCs over the extratropics, which results in longer (shorter) residence time for TCs having been accelerated by the midlatitude westerlies, thus, leading to higher (lower) TCS. The TCS phase shift strongly offsets its slowdown trend, leading to the inconsistent trends during past decades. This inconsistency may also relate to the influence of extratropical transitioned cyclones without being totally excluded. These cyclones may be inhomogeneously recorded due to the absence of satellite observation before the 1980s. Our results indicate that internal variation such as AMO may dominate TCS low-frequency variations over the past several decades. Previous studies have attributed the inconsistent trends of TCS during different subperiods to data inhomogeneity. This study shows that AMO can modulate the TCS trends in different subperiods with phase shift, thus providing new evidence for the recent controversial TCS slowdown.
Improving Atmospheric Models by Accounting for Chaotic Physics
Authors: Sardeshmukh Prashant D. , Wang Jih-Wang Aaron , Compo Gilbert P. , Penland Cécile
Published: May 2023

It is well known that randomly perturbing an atmospheric model’s diabatic tendencies can increase its probabilistic forecast skill, mainly by increasing the spread of ensemble forecasts and making it more consistent with the errors of ensemble-mean forecasts. Less obvious and less well established is that such perturbations can also reduce the errors of the ensemble-mean forecasts and improve the model’s mean climate, variability, and sensitivity to forcing. A clear reduction in ensemble-mean forecast errors is demonstrated here in large ensembles of 15-day forecasts made with NOAA’s Global Forecast System model. The nearly ubiquitous reduction around the globe, obtained throughout the forecast range, is interpreted as arising in effect from a modification of the model’s deterministic evolution operator by a stochastic noise-induced drift. The effect is general in systems with state-dependent noise, and occurs even if the noise is not white. In the atmospheric context considered here, the effect is suggested to arise largely from noise-induced reductions of mechanical and thermal damping by chaotic boundary layer and cloud-radiative processes, which also tend to increase model sensitivity to forcing. The results presented here are consistent with many previous studies performed with models ranging from simple stochastically forced models to comprehensive global weather and climate models. They suggest that the diabatic interactions in most current global atmospheric models may not be sufficiently chaotic and this deficiency could be partly remedied by specifying additional stochastic terms. Using some empirical guidance in such specifications may be unavoidable, given the generally intractable complexity of the diabatic interactions.
Implementation of a Gastrografin Order Set for Small Bowel Obstruction Across a Health System: A Cohort Study
Authors: McCartt Jason , Cleveland Elaine , Duet Mary , Paton Lauren , Thompson Kyle , Matthews Brent , Cunningham Kyle , Ross Samuel W. , Reinke Caroline E.
Published: May 2023

Background

The use of Gastrografin (GG) in the management of adhesive small bowel obstruction (SBO) has been shown to decrease the length of stay and operative intervention.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study examined patients with an SBO diagnosis prior to implementation (PRE, January 2017-January 2019) and following implementation (POST, January 2019-May 2021) of a GG challenge order set made available across 9 hospitals within a health care system. Primary outcomes were utilization of the order set across facilities and over time. Secondary outcomes included time to surgery for operative patients, rate of surgery, nonoperative length of stay, and 30-day readmission. Standard descriptive, univariate, and multivariable regression analyses were performed.

Results

PRE cohort had 1746 patients and POST had 1889. The utilization of GG increased from 14% to 49.5% following implementation. Significant variability existed within the hospital system with utilization at each individual hospital from 11.5% to 60%. There was an increase in surgical intervention (13.9% vs 16.4%, P = .04) and decrease in nonoperative LOS (65.6 vs 59.9 hours, P < .001) following implementation. For POST patients, multivariable linear regression showed significant reduction in nonoperative length of stay (−23.1 hours, P < .001) but no significant difference in time to surgery (−19.6 hours, P = .08).

Discussion

The availability of a standardized order set for SBO can result in increased Gastrografin administration across hospital settings. The implementation of a Gastrografin order set was associated with decreased length of stay in nonoperative patients.
Exploring Macroeconomic Implications of Oil Price Fluctuations in India
Authors: Masood Tariq , Shahzeb Syed Mohd.
Published: May 2023

This study tried to empirically ascertain the interaction of oil prices (OPs) and macroeconomy by using monthly data from January 1991 to January 2020 in the Indian context. Empirical analysis has been carried out on two separate samples (first from January 1991 to June 2002 and second from July 2002 to January 2020) for accommodating changing macroeconomic context. Further, we also tested the suitability for symmetry/asymmetry in the relationship between OPs and macroeconomic variables. It is found that the oil macroeconomy linkage is well approximated by a linear measure. The structural vector auto-regression framework suggests that a positive oil shock during the early reform period causes a significant drop in output growth. There is an increase in inflation in response to a positive shock in OPs and the central bank pursued an expansionary monetary policy to boost investment and consumption. During the last two decades, the decline in output is less pronounced than the first sub-period, while the response of inflation is sharp and significant and lasts for around six months. During recent times, the inflationary effect of oil shocks is a cause of concern and the central bank needs to respond more actively in the future for minimising its effect.

JEL Codes: Q31, Q41, E31, E52, E39
In search of a Canadian Middle East policy: A look at past approaches
Authors: Khazaeli Susan
Published: May 2023

Public debate about Canada's role in the Middle East is divided between two camps. One camp contends that Canadian foreign policy should return to its Pearsonian roots, in which Canada plays the role of a dispassionate but honest broker. The other holds that Canada's foreign policy should be defined by high-minded principles. The disagreement is over norms, not interests. This paper refers to two former Prime Ministers who roughly embody the two schools of thought on Canada's foreign and defense policy in the Middle East: Lester B. Pearson and Stephen Harper. Contrary to conventional wisdom that Harper was a realist and Pearson, a Pearsonian, the paper demonstrates that Pearson pursued a realist foreign policy that advances Canada's national security interests whereas Harper was guided by a values-based neo-conservative ideology.
Prevalence of hikikomori and associations with suicidal ideation, suicide stigma, and help-seeking among 2,022 young adults in Hong Kong
Authors: Fong Ted CT , Yip Paul SF
Published: May 2023

Background:

Young adults are at elevated risks of hikikomori (severe social withdrawal) under the COVID-19 pandemic, which could lead to psychological distress and suicidal ideation.

Aims:

The present study aimed to examine the associations among hikikomori, suicide stigma, suicidal ideation, and help-seeking behaviors among young adults in Hong Kong.

Method:

This study recruited a large sample of 2,022 young adults in Hong Kong via an online survey at the end of 2021. The participants completed the Hikikomori Questionnaire and validated measures on psychological distress, suicide stigma, and suicidal ideation severity and report their help-seeking behaviors. Multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to compare the profiles of the hikikomori groups. Path analysis evaluated the effects of hikikomori and suicide stigma on occurrence and severity of suicidal ideation and their associations with help-seeking behaviors.

Results:

Hikikomori showed significant and positive indirect effects on prevalence and severity of suicidal ideation via psychological distress. Glorification positively predicted hikikomori and suicidal ideation severity among suicidal persons. Hikikomori was associated with reduced help-seeking. Isolation and suicidal ideation were associated with greater barriers to seek help among the non-help-seekers. Perceived helpfulness of sought help was negatively associated with hikikomori and suicidal ideation among the help-seekers.

Conclusions:

The present findings demonstrated greater prevalence and severity of suicidal ideation and less help-seeking in young adults with hikikomori. Suicide stigma showed differential associations with hikikomori, suicidal ideation, and help-seeking behaviors.
The Role of Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Problematic Instagram Use in the Relationship Between Self-Concept Clarity and Body Disconnection: A Serial Mediation Model
Authors: Musicò Alessia
Published: May 2023

By combining authors who hypothesized that modern technology has greatly increased people’s ability and people’s possibility to distance themselves from their embodied awareness and those who have shown that communication through social media is more congenial to people with a tendency towards perfectionistic self-presentation (PSP), this study analyses the influence of self-concept clarity (SCC) in bodily dissociation (BD) and hypothesizes that people with a low SCC are more prone to BD and that PSP and problematic Instagram use (PIU) may play a serial mediating role in this relationship. Two hundred and 19 women ( Mage = 31.8 ± 11.25) completed an online survey that included the Italian-validated versions of the Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale, the Scale of Body Connection and the Bergen Facebook Scale modified for Instagram use. A Serial Mediation Model (Hayes’s PROCESS Model 6) shows that both PSP and PIU significantly serially mediate the association between SCC and BD (β = −.025 SE = .011, 95% CI = [-.0498, −.0070]) and that there is a mediating effect of PIU between SCC and BD (β = −.04 SE = .020, 95% CI = [-.0865, −.0098]), but no mediating effect of PSP between SCC and BD was found (β = −.052 SE = .031, 95% CI = [-.1184, +.0039]). A possible explanation is that people with low SCC try to avoid others noticing their imperfections because they fail to integrate it into their self-concept and tend to use Instagram in a problematic way because this tool allows them to largely control the information they share. This use, in turn, alters their state of mind-body connection and this increases the disconnection from one’s bodily sensations. The absence of mediation by the PSP between SCC and BD and the presence of PIU mediation between SCC and BD underlines the importance of technology in this relationship. The implications and limitations of this study will be discussed.
The Managed Response: Digital Emotional Labor in Navigating Intersectional Cyber Aggression
Authors: Inara Rodis Paulina d. C.
Published: May 2023

Researchers find abundant racism and sexism online; for many, such harassment is a feature of their everyday experience. Drawing on interviews with Black and Asian women, I investigate the ways individuals negotiate whether and how to respond to cyber aggression. While social media affords users novel resources for responding to hostility, being online does not remove the social expectations imposed. Balancing (sometimes unconsciously) the desire to confront racism/sexism with the digital emotional labor undertaken in responding, women describe how they choose to present themselves and determine when responses are worthwhile. Often, they respond online where in person they would not have been comfortable, while at other times, they choose nonreaction to protect their personal well-being. Elucidating the individual burden that Black and Asian women navigate in response to cyber aggression and the toll that comes from implementing their idealized responses is essential to comprehend the experiences and consequences of modern racism/sexism.
Evaluation of the Impact of Oxidation and Moisture Conditioning on Indirect Tensile Asphalt Cracking Test Parameters and the Tensile Strength Ratio
Authors: Alfalah Ahmad , Offenbacker Daniel , Mehta Yusuf , Ali Ayman , Cox Ben C. , Elshaer Mohamed
Published: May 2023

This study evaluated the effect of laboratory oxidation and testing temperature on asphalt mixtures’ moisture damage. The purpose of this study was to present a modified American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) T283 testing procedure that is more sensitive to moisture damage in asphalt mixtures. This study assessed the original test conditioning (OTC), short-term oxidative conditioning (STOC), and long-term oxidative conditioning (LTOC). Three performance grades (PGs)—PG 64-22, PG 76-22, and PG 52-34—and three test temperatures—the ambient laboratory temperature (25°C), asphalt intermediate temperature, and climate intermediate temperature (CIT)—were selected. To better understand the oxidation and moisture conditioning effects, AASHTO T283’s Tensile Strength Ratio ( TSR%) was utilized. Furthermore, additional analysis of the load–displacement curve parameters was carried out using the Indirect Tensile Asphalt Cracking Test, where an interaction diagram that included the mixture toughness ( Gf), ductile–brittle behavior ratio ( l75/ m75), and their interactions with CTindex was created. Statistical analysis was conducted using analysis of variance and Tukey’s post-hoc analysis to determine an appropriate oxidation and testing temperature where moisture damage is most sensitive. Results showed that higher oxidation and CIT had the greatest impact on TSR%. Moisture conditioning increased the CTindex and oxidation reduced the CTindex. The increase in CTindex was attributable to an increasing l75/| m75| and decreasing Gf. The CTindex decreased because of reducing l75/| m75| and increasing Gf. The statistical analyses showed that asphalt mixtures are more susceptible to moisture damage at STOC and LTOC than OTC. Overall, the findings highlight the need for an alternative oxidation conditioning and testing at the CIT to more accurately detect moisture damage in asphalt mixtures.
Comparison of Arrivals on Green Estimations from Vehicle Detection and Connected Vehicle Data
Authors: Saldivar-Carranza Enrique D. , Li Howell , Gayen Saumabha , Taylor Mark , Sturdevant James , Bullock Darcy M.
Published: May 2023

Many agencies use Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPMs), which require vehicle detection and communication equipment, to evaluate traffic signal efficiency. ATSPMs usually rely on projections based on spatially limited vehicle trajectory samples to estimate performance. Recently, connected vehicle (CV) data has become available that provides entire vehicle trajectories that can be used to generate accurate signal performance measures without the need for projections or infrastructure upgrades. This paper analyzes over 50 intersections in Utah to evaluate how traditional detector-based arrivals on green (AOG) calculations compare with their CV-based calculations. The effects that saturation and queue- lengths have on estimations are analyzed. In general, there is close correlation between computations when queues are short and undersaturated conditions exist. However, if queues extend past the advance detector, detector-based calculations tend to overestimate AOG since vehicles are detected during green but may stop before. This impact is particularly large when the approach is oversaturated, which led to overestimations of around 40% in this study. In addition, detector-based estimations can underestimate AOG in undersaturated scenarios with short queues if vehicles reach the advance detector on red but reduce their speed afterwards, allowing them to not stop. In some cases, the detector-based technique underestimated AOG by over 50%. The findings can help practitioners understand how detector-based estimations vary by traffic conditions. This is particularly important as the industry moves toward a hybrid blend of detector- and CV-based signal performance measures. It is recommended that CV trajectories be used to measure AOG during periods with long queues, oversaturated conditions, or both.