bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introduction
Authors: Chen Martha Alter , Rogan Michael , Sen Kunal
Published: April 2024

This book brings together a number of contributions which aim to examine the future of labour markets in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, how policy measures can protect informal workers, and to reflect on the lessons learned from the largest shock to the global labour market in generations as well as the ongoing disruption to global supply chains. This chapter serves as an introduction to the volume. First, it provides the background and motivation for the volume. Second, it briefly reviews the literature on the health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on informal workers. Third, it describes patterns of informal employment in the global context, with a specific focus on gender. Fourth, it summarizes the early evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on informal employment. Finally, it sets out the outline and contents of the book.
Conclusion
Authors: Chen Martha Alter , Rogan Michael , Sen Kunal
Published: April 2024

The concluding chapter reflects on the main findings from the volume—the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on informal workers and their livelihood activities and the relative neglect of informal workers in the recovery and stimulus measures that developing country governments have enacted. It also reflects on the future of labour markets, especially informal employment, in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. The volume illustrates the large and almost universal disproportionate impact of the pandemic and related policy responses on informal employment. Another key theme is how pre-existing inequalities widened during the pandemic and the ensuing uneven recovery. The pandemic aftermath could prove to be a juncture where structural disparities are addressed. The recognition of the essential goods and services provided by the informal workforce should lead to more supportive policies. In sum, there is need for the advancement of social and economic justice for informal workers via inclusive policies.
Foundation-theoretic Epistemology I: Internalism and Minimal Basis
Authors: Schurz Gerhard
Published: April 2024

In Chapter 3 the ‘first half’ of the theory of first-order justification is developed: the theory of the basis of justification. The proposed solution to the first-order regress problem lies in choosing a minimalistic class of immediately evident basic beliefs consisting of introspective beliefs and simple analytic beliefs. Introspective beliefs are characterized as beliefs about the accessible content of one’s own consciousness, embedded within a theory of access-internalism and a comprehensive classification of different epistemic kinds of beliefs, which includes besides introspective beliefs different sorts of non-basic internal beliefs and external beliefs. The minimalist account of the epistemological basis is supported by contemporary findings in cognitive science. The same findings provide a refutation of direct perceptual realism and pave the way for an indirect perceptual realism by offering a solution to Sellars’ dilemma concerning the cognitive transition from image to concept. It is argued that an error concerning the contents of our own conscious states is not excluded by logic or laws of nature, but if such a case occurs, the subject is in a disturbed mental state which prevents normal cognitive functioning. Thus, basic beliefs about one’s conscious experiences are not infallible as in traditional foundationalism, but in cognitively normal states they are immediately evident and rationally incorrigible.
Justification of Logics and Conceptual Frameworks
Authors: Schurz Gerhard
Published: April 2024

Because of the development of non-classical alternatives to classical logic, the traditional view that classical logic expresses a priori necessities of thinking is no longer tenable. What is needed are non-circular strategies for the higher justification of a system of logic. This is the major theme of Chapter 8. In the case of the justification of logic, the requirement of non-circularity seems to be hopeless, because every argument or evidence for or against a given logic already presupposes a logic for describing that argument or evidence. Yet, technical means for a possible solution to this problem were developed in recent decades. They lie in the possibility of translations between different logics. In Chapter 8, the method of translation is applied as a strategy for an optimality justification of classical logic, by demonstrating that all major systems of non-classical logic are translatable into classical logic. This shows that classical logic is representationally optimal. A few non-classical logics are likewise representationally optimal, but the situation is not symmetrical, since classical logic has some unique ceteris paribus advantages as a unifying metalogic. In the final section of Chapter 8, criteria for the optimal choice of systems of non-logical concepts are developed. It is argued that one can break out of the ‘prison of language’ by considering the process of ostensive learning of observation concepts. An analysis of certain independence properties involved in this learning process enables a novel solution to Goodman’s and Miller’s problem of language relativity.
Abductive Inference to Theories
Authors: Schurz Gerhard
Published: April 2024

This chapter introduces the method of theory-generating abduction. The epistemic challenge posed by theory-generating abductions lies in the assumption of unobservable ‘theoretical’ entities explaining the observables. However, by postulating suitable hidden powers, reaching from religious Gods to conspiracy theories, one can ‘explain’ any events whatsoever. Enlightenment philosophy must develop clear criteria demonstrating why these speculative ‘theories’—despite the post factum ‘explanations’ they provide—are not genuinely confirmable. The major criteria developed for this purpose are unification power and independent testability by use-novel content. The method of theory-generating abduction is first explained in the domain of science, and then applied to two fundamental epistemological problems: the justification of perceptual realism and that of memory beliefs. It is shown that the (partly unconscious) inference from the regularities of sensory experiences to the external reality as their common cause follows the same pattern as common cause abductions in science. Similarly, the correctness of our memory beliefs is abductively justified as the best explanation for their internal coherence. The major point of the pedantic reconstruction of these abductive inferences is not so much the justification of what is evident, but the ability to discriminate. We want to explain why various other beliefs that people extract from their subjective experiences—beliefs in UFOs, ghosts, psychic powers, or invisible aliens—cannot be justified by what they see. For this purpose one has to reconstruct the microstructure of warranted and unwarranted inferences from introspective experiences to external objects.
Objectification
Authors: de Ruiter Adrienne
Published: April 2024

What does it mean to deny people’s humanity by regarding, portraying, or treating them as (mere) things? This chapter examines this question by zooming in on the so-called ‘objectification’ of refugees, asylum seekers, and unwanted migrants. While objectification is often presented as a paradigm case of dehumanization, it is not frequently used by journalists, scholars, commentators, and refugees, asylum seekers, and (other) migrants as a conceptual lens to make sense of the experiences of the internationally displaced. This chapter considers cases where migrants are portrayed like waste, natural disasters, or diseases, treated as bargaining chips or exploited, or viewed as objects without intrinsic moral value to clarify the relation between objectification and dehumanization. The chapter’s main argument is that objectification turns into a form of dehumanization when treating, portraying, or viewing people as objects entails a failure to ascribe them human subjectivity.
Dehumanization
Authors: de Ruiter Adrienne
Published: April 2024

What does it mean to deny people’s humanity by failing to regard, portray, or treat them as minimally human? This chapter offers an answer to this question. The chapter’s main argument is that dehumanization consists in a distinct form of moral exclusion that is characterized by neglect of or contempt for the moral status of human beings. This neglect or contempt expresses itself in blindness for the significance of the human subjectivity of victims as a moral factor that should be taken into consideration in decisions on how to treat them. This means that when persons are dehumanized, their experiences no longer matter in the eyes of the dehumanizer(s), or at least not as moral factors that count against their mistreatment. Those who are dehumanized are thereby not simply attributed a lower moral standing than persons whom we include in our inner moral circle(s), but excluded from the moral category of humanity altogether.
The Short Space
Authors: Procter James
Published: April 2024

At the mid-century, West Indian and West African authors circulated their work both locally and transnationally across a staggering range of venues, from commercial magazines and wireless periodicals, to the sporadic and relatively obscure literary reviews. What connects these episodic settings are the economies of what this chapter terms ‘the short space’. Sandwiched between adverts, essays, and artwork, compressed into the carefully measured inches of magazines, locked into the pre-set layouts of newspapers, and the strict time limits of broadcasting, these platforms presented writers with a remarkably similar narrative footprint, the narrow margins of which fit the short form like a glove. This chapter recalibrates mid-century literary production in relation to the tightly bound, enveloped venues towards which so many writers gravitated during these decades. Focusing on key practitioners including Cyprian Ekwensi, V. S. Naipaul, and Sam Selvon, it argues the short space still has a great deal to teach us about the material and aesthetic conditions of literary activity after the war. Rather than extending prevailing accounts of literary networks and circuits, it suggests the multiple ways in which writers short-circuited or deviated from the presumed destinations and directions of travel associated with their work, while confounding distinctions between high and popular forms.
Reacting To Imagining?
Authors: Hopkins Robert
Published: April 2024

Does imagining furnish objects for emotion and other feelings? Although a positive answer can seem little more than common sense, this chapter expresses scepticism. Many affective states are such that what rationalizes them and what they motivate integrate, in such a way as to require that their objects be given as their causes. Since imagined objects are never given as causes of how we really feel, in these cases real feelings cannot be directed at imagined things. Instead, the chapter proposes, what we take to be real feelings are themselves often merely imagined. It offers an account of what it is to imagine a feeling, appealing to affective profiles analogous to the sensory profiles used in Chapter 4 to give an account of sensory imagining. The view that emerges explains why, if feeling is only imagined, we undergo certain bodily and other changes that are only too real. Moreover, it accommodates the distinctive motivational profile of feeling that is merely imagined, as opposed to really felt.
What is trust?
Authors: Seyd Ben
Published: April 2024

This chapter explores what ‘trust’ in political actors and institutions means. It considers not only broad or conceptual definitions but also the ways that trust is interpreted and deployed by individuals. The analysis thus complements ‘top-down’ treatments of trust with a more ‘bottom-up’ analysis which focuses on the understandings and expression of trust among individuals. The chapter begins by exploring different states of trust that individuals might adopt, along with the relationship between trust and distrust. It then considers what individuals trust, focusing on whether trust judgements are specific or generalized and whether trust judgements are stable or variable over time. The chapter also analyses how individuals form trust judgements, exploring the role of personality traits, cognitive and affective appraisals, and positive and negative information. The chapter concludes by considering the implications for our understanding of the nature and consequences of trust.
Why do citizens trust (or not)?
Authors: Seyd Ben
Published: April 2024

This chapter builds on the dynamic analysis of the previous chapter by exploring in more detail the types of appraisal that shape citizens’ trust at particular points in time. The analysis highlights the range of considerations involved in trust judgements, covering what politicians do, their concern with citizens’ interests, and their integrity. Trust is shown to be a complex judgement, not reducible to any particular criteria or consideration. The chapter also explores important specificities in the factors associated with trust, notably whether these are consistent or variant between different individuals, between different institutions, and at different points in time. The evidence suggests that while trust represents a generalized judgement, it is often applied in specific ways.
Ancient Reading, and Kenotic Philanthropy in Origen
Authors: Magree Michael C.
Published: April 2024

After examining the grammatical and rhetorical techniques of reading texts that made certain interpretations plausible in antiquity, the chapter turns to examine Origen of Alexandria’s understanding of kenosis. The first theme that arose in Origen was his association of kenosis with the fundamental principles of a scriptural understanding of who God is. The second major theme had to do with the question of who the subject of the emptying really is. The chapter shows that Origen has a complex understanding of the incarnation, but one that continually emphasizes the wonder at the reality of the Word of God touching human form in order to heal it. The self-emptying of Christ becomes thematic for Christian imitation in humility. Finally, Origen understands the enfleshment of the Word to encompass all that it is to be human.
The Individual and International Law in Antiquity
Authors: Cowan Eleanor
Published: April 2024

This chapter examines three important and challenging questions: can we speak of ancient ‘international law’?; what connection (or relevance) might the study of antiquity have for modern thinking about the individual in international law?; and did the ancient world recognise ‘the individual’ as the subject of international law? The chapter surveys recent works of scholarship and seeks to place the study of the ancient world in conversation with other disciplines. The individual is not the primary concern of this thinking, but the operation of recognisable international law instruments and ideas in a world in which the State itself defied simple definition suggests that the ancient world is a good case study of the extent to which legal relationships were social relationships.
The Status of the Individual in International Law
Authors: Chimni Bhupinder S.
Published: April 2024

The chapter relies on third world approaches to international law (TWAIL) to explore the status of the individual in contemporary international law and the possibility of the emergence of a human-centred law. It argues that the debate on the question of subjecthood must move beyond positivism and natural law, or the imperatives of the Cold War, to the sociology of international order and make a distinction between formal and authentic subjects of international law. It suggests that in order to evaluate the status of the individual in international law, account must be taken of the operation of three logics at the international level, namely the ‘logic of capital’, the ‘logic of territory’, and the ‘logic of culture’. With regards to these, the chapter uses insights from postcolonial theory, Marxism, and socialist feminism to contend that the emergence of human-centred international law is seriously constrained by deep structures of global capitalism, patriarchy, and racism.
The Individual in Feminist Approaches to International Law
Authors: Houghton Ruth
Published: April 2024

Individuals, and in particular women, have always been at the core of feminist international legal scholarship. When examining what feminist approaches in international law tell us about the relationship between the individual, State, and international law, it becomes clear that for current feminist scholars the concern is how the individual is conceptualised, and specifically the gendered and racialised construction of women as subjects of international law. There is no singular feminist approach to the individual in international law, rather this chapter suggests four principles for a feminist approach to a human-centric international law. First, a responsiveness to the risks of essentialism. Second, and relatedly, resisting the proliferation of feminine ‘characters’ in international law. Third, building on work by Gina Heathcote, the chapter articulates a need for contextualised plural subjectivities. The fourth principle is about encouraging and facilitating reflexive dialogues across feminisms.
The Individual in (International) Law and Economics
Authors: van Aaken Anne
Published: April 2024

Economics, like (International) Law and Economics, applies economic theory and methodology to address legal questions. It is methodologically and normatively individualistic and therefore not State-centred, and has undergone significant evolution in terms of both methodological and normative perspectives. This chapter aims to demonstrate the transition of the normative aspect from utilitarianism and efficiency to New Welfare Economics based on Amartya Sen’s human (rights) centred theory which was also used as a theoretical basis for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the methodological aspect, (law and) economics has shifted towards a behavioural approach involving empirical investigations into deviations from the rational choice assumption of the homo economicus, aiming to develop a more realistic understanding of human behaviour. This approach has recently been adopted by the United Nations and its agencies to further their objectives. International Law and Economics can, therefore, offer a solid evidence base for the examination of international law and inform the practices of the UN.
Constitutional Identity
Authors: Ghai Yash
Published: April 2024

These introductory remarks commence by asking what the term ‘constitutional identity’ means. Does it depend on the text? Does it depend on the form of state, for example, that of a monarchy or federation? Or do the people of a country themselves have a constitutional identity in that their constitution is part of their self-identity? Is a constitutional identity purposefully constructed, or is it something that emerges from the experience of a constitution? The author suggests that African constitutions can be imbued with an African identity through African values. This can be done through the language of the text and through the process of making the constitution. An example is the way the Kenyan Constitution of 2010 was drafted.
The Struggle for Constitutional Identity in Francophone Africa
Authors: Fombad Charles M. , Makunya Trésor M.
Published: April 2024

This chapter considers the extent to which constitutional reforms in francophone Africa since 1990 have resulted, if at all, in a reimagining of the constitutional identity of these countries from the inherited French 1958 Fifth Republic constitutional identity. Despite heightened awareness not only of the nature and complexity of the diverse social, economic, and political challenges that different African countries face, but also of the variety of constitutional options which are available for dealing with these challenges, Gaullism with all its limitations continues to reign supreme in these countries. The chapter concludes that almost all francophone African countries remain under the spell of the Gaullist constitutional model and have been unable to creatively design distinctive principles, doctrines, and institutions that could be effective in addressing the particular challenges they face.
CAM evolution is associated with gene family expansion in an explosive bromeliad radiation
Authors: Groot Crego Clara , Hess Jaqueline , Yardeni Gil , de La Harpe Marylaure , Priemer Clara , Beclin Francesca , Saadain Sarah , Cauz-Santos Luiz A , Temsch Eva M , Weiss-Schneeweiss Hanna , Barfuss Michael H J , Till Walter , Weckwerth Wolfram , Heyduk Karolina , Lexer Christian , Paun Ovidiu , Leroy Thibault
Published: April 2024

The subgenus Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) belongs to one of the fastest radiating clades in the plant kingdom and is characterized by the repeated evolution of Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Despite its complex genetic basis, this water-conserving trait has evolved independently across many plant families and is regarded as a key innovation trait and driver of ecological diversification in Bromeliaceae. By producing high-quality genome assemblies of a Tillandsia species pair displaying divergent photosynthetic phenotypes, and combining genome-wide investigations of synteny, transposable element (TE) dynamics, sequence evolution, gene family evolution, and temporal differential expression, we were able to pinpoint the genomic drivers of CAM evolution in Tillandsia. Several large-scale rearrangements associated with karyotype changes between the 2 genomes and a highly dynamic TE landscape shaped the genomes of Tillandsia. However, our analyses show that rewiring of photosynthetic metabolism is mainly obtained through regulatory evolution rather than coding sequence evolution, as CAM-related genes are differentially expressed across a 24-h cycle between the 2 species but are not candidates of positive selection. Gene orthology analyses reveal that CAM-related gene families manifesting differential expression underwent accelerated gene family expansion in the constitutive CAM species, further supporting the view of gene family evolution as a driver of CAM evolution.
The genomic route to tomato breeding: Past, present, and future
Authors: Wang Yan , Sun Chuanlong , Ye Zhibiao , Li Chuanyou , Huang Sanwen , Lin Tao
Published: April 2024

Over the past 10,000 years, tomato species have undergone both unintentional and intentional selection to enhance their favorable traits for human consumption and manufacturing. These selection processes have significantly influenced the genomes of tomato species and have played a critical role in improving tomato varieties. In this review, we summarize recent advances in tomato genome sequencing, explore the impact of human-driven selection, and recapitulate key genes associated with important agronomic traits in tomato breeding. We provide several examples of genomics-guided tomato breeding to highlight the potential of genome resources in facilitating tomato improvement. Furthermore, we elaborate the progress and strategies of tomato breeding through genome design and present how such efforts can help future enhancements of tomato to align with the demands of sustainability and evolving human societies.
Accountability analysis of health benefits related to National Action Plan on Air Pollution Prevention and Control in China
Authors: Li Tiantian , Chen Chen , Zhang Mengxue , Zhao Liang , Liu Yuanyuan , Guo Yafei , Wang Qing , Du Hang , Xiao Qingyang , Liu Yang , He Mike Z , Kinney Patrick L , Cohen Aaron J , Tong Shilu , Shi Xiaoming
Published: April 2024

China is one of the largest producers and consumers of coal in the world. The National Action Plan on Air Pollution Prevention and Control in China (2013–2017) particularly aimed to reduce emissions from coal combustion. Here, we show whether the acute health effects of PM2.5 changed from 2013 to 2018 and factors that might account for any observed changes in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) and the surrounding areas where there were major reductions in PM2.5 concentrations. We used a two-stage analysis strategy, with a quasi-Poisson regression model and a random effects meta-analysis, to assess the effects of PM2.5 on mortality in the 47 counties of BTH. We found that the mean daily PM2.5 levels and the SO42− component ratio dramatically decreased in the study period, which was likely related to the control of coal emissions. Subsequently, the acute effects of PM2.5 were significantly decreased for total and circulatory mortality. A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentrations was associated with a 0.16% (95% CI: 0.08, 0.24%) and 0.02% (95% CI: −0.09, 0.13%) increase in mortality from 2013 to 2015 and from 2016 to 2018, respectively. The changes in air pollution sources or PM2.5 components appeared to have played a core role in reducing the health effects. The air pollution control measures implemented recently targeting coal emissions taken in China may have resulted in significant health benefits.
Problems accessing health care and under-5 mortality: a pooled analysis of 50 low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Kim Jinseo , Eom Yun-Jung , Ko Soohyeon , Subramanian S V , Kim Rockli
Published: April 2024

Background

Access to health care remains suboptimal in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and continues to hinder survival in early childhood. We systematically assessed the association between problems accessing health care (PAHC) and under-five mortality (U5M).

Methods

Child mortality data on 724 335 livebirths came from the latest Demographic and Health Surveys of 50 LMICs (2013–2021). Reasons for PAHC were classified into three domains: ‘money needed for treatment’ (economic), ‘distance to health facility’ (physical), ‘getting permission’ or ‘not wanting to go alone’ (socio-cultural). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between PAHC (any and by each type) and U5M.

Results

In our pooled sample, 47.3 children per 1000 livebirths died before age of 5, and 57.1% reported having experienced PAHC (ranging from 45.3% in Europe & Central Asia to 72.7% in Latin America & Caribbean). Children with any PAHC had higher odds of U5M (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.09), and this association was especially significant in sub-Saharan Africa. Of different domains of PAHC, socio-cultural PAHC was found to be most significant.

Conclusions

Access to health care in LMICs needs to be improved by expanding health care coverage, building health facilities, and focusing more on context-specific socio-cultural barriers.
Loop Space Decompositions of Moment-Angle Complexes Associated to Flag Complexes
Authors: Stanton Lewis
Published: April 2024

We prove that the loop space of the moment-angle complex associated with the k-skeleton of a flag complex belongs to the class $\mathcal{P}$ of spaces homotopy equivalent to a finite-type product of spheres and loops on simply connected spheres. To do this, a general result showing $\mathcal{P}$ is closed under retracts is proved.
China’s distinctive civil–military integration policy and firm innovation
Authors: Wang Shuai , Xia Mengyue , Shi Xing , Hou Bojun , Lu Shu
Published: April 2024

Despite the widespread implementation of civil–military integration (CMI) policies in various countries, there remains a significant debate surrounding their impact on innovation. Taking the set of the National Civil–Military Integration Strategy in China in 2015 as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper uses the Propensity Score Matching and Difference in Difference (PSM-DID) method to systematically examine the impact of CMI policy on firm innovation. The results demonstrate that the CMI policy has notably increased the intensity of firms’ Research and Development (R&D) investment, but does not exert a significant influence on their innovation output and efficiency. Notably, the policy effect is primarily observed among incumbent military firms and large-scale firms. Moreover, the CMI policy exhibits a considerable effect on fostering new cooperation links, but does not yield a significant impact on deepening cooperation or promoting network agglomeration. The results imply that the policy has not yet deeply affected firms’ innovation processes and patterns. These findings provide manifold implications for policy understanding and decision-making.
Labour market reforms, institutional complementarity and the insider–outsider wage gap
Authors: Broschinski Sven
Published: April 2024

This article provides long-term evidence on how wage differentials between permanent and temporary workers are shaped by institutions that play a key role in labour market dualism, i.e. industrial relations, employment protection legislation and unemployment benefits. A two-step multilevel approach with fixed effects is employed using EU-SILC data for 25 European countries spanning up to 17 years (waves 2004–2020, N = 397) to estimate the moderating effects of several institutions and their interactions on the wage gap by contract type and across the whole wage distribution. The results show that more insider-oriented institutions tend to widen wage differentials and that the impact of institutional reforms on the wage gap varies greatly with the given institutional context. Overall, policy trends towards flexibilization risk widening insider–outsider divides due to accumulating labour market risks for temporary workers, thus increasing labour market segmentation by contract type.
Gender Representation and Policy Implementation: Is it Women or the Left Wing that Increases the Childcare Supply?
Authors: Yamada Anju
Published: April 2024

This study investigates the impact of the accumulation of gender representation during the policy implementation stage on the childcare supply expansion. Previous studies faced two key issues: first, they primarily focused on the impact of gender representation during the policy introduction stage, and second, they often lacked sensitivity in distinguishing whether the outcome was driven by partisanship or gender. Using the city-level dataset from western Germany, this study argues that although the effect of female mayors is model dependent, a 10 percentage point increase in the average share of women city councils leads to an increase in the childcare expansion by about 2.5 percentage points. Notably, regardless of left-wing/right-wing positions, women councilors expanded the childcare supply.
Antibiotic resistance profile in sediments and bacterial isolates from a human-impacted mangrove from Bahía Magdalena, Mexico
Authors: García-Martínez Stephany , Zapién-Chavarría Karen A , Rivera-Chavira Blanca E , Adame-Gallegos Jaime R , Palacios Oskar A , Nevárez-Moorillón Guadalupe V
Published: April 2024

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment are considered emerging contaminants. One of the ecosystems that can harbor resistant bacteria and genes is mangroves. This report aims to assess ARB and ARG's presence at two mangrove locations in Bahia Magdalena, Mexico. Bacterial isolates were selected based on their phenotypic profiles of antibiotic resistance. DNA from mangrove sediments and bacterial isolates was tested for int1 and antibiotic resistance genes by final point PCR. From 90 ARB isolates, the phenotypic profile showed resistance to ciprofloxacin (90%), cefotaxime (85.7%), and ampicillin (78.6%), while the beta-lactamase gene (blaCTX-M) was present in 72.9% of the isolates. Antibiotic resistance genes identified in sediments were found even at 30–50 cm depth, but the integron Class gen (int1) was found mainly in shallow samples. Principal component analysis showed a close relationship between the integron gene, vancomycin, and sulfonamides resistance genes. No correlation was found between the phenotypic and genotypic profiles of the bacterial isolates. Also, no differences were observed between the two mangrove ecosystems studied. The impact of anthropogenic activities was equally significant on both sites. The role of mangrove ecosystems in the dispersion of antibiotic resistance needs to be further explored.
A phylogenomic approach to a taxonomic revision: a combination, new synonymies, and a description of two new species within the camel spider genus Chanbria Muma, 1951 (Solifugae: Eremobatidae)
Authors: Garcia Erika L , Hansen Quincy G , Castillo Jaír R
Published: April 2024

This study summarizes the taxonomic treatment of the camel spider genus Chanbria Muma, 1951. Taking an integrative taxonomic approach incorporating phylogenomic, morphological, and geographical information, the genus is herein revised. Of the four species currently placed in the genus, two are retained: Chanbria regalis Muma, 1951 and Chanbria serpentinus Muma, 1951. Eremochelis plicatus (Muma, 1962) is transferred to this genus because it is consistently recovered in a clade with Chanbria based on several phylogenetic analyses using hundreds of loci recovered from ultraconserved element data. In this study, we re-analyse previously acquired genomic data to assess former species hypotheses and identify new morphological synapomorphies that support the monophyly of Chanbria. The genetic data support the synonymization of Chanbria rectus Muma, 1962 syn. nov. with C. regalis. Furthermore, we synonymize Chanbria tehachapianus Muma, 1962 syn. nov. with C. regalis because C. tehachapianus was erected based on limited morphological information and lack of geographical separation between other populations of C. regalis. Two new species, Chanbria brookharti sp. nov. and Chanbria mapemes sp. nov., are described. This brings the total number of species of Chanbria described to five recognized species: C. regalis, C. serpentinus, C. plicatus com. nov., C. brookharti sp. nov., and C. mapemes sp. nov.
Single‐cell transcriptomic profiling of the neonatal oviduct and uterus reveals new insights into upper Müllerian duct regionalization
Authors: Jia Shuai , Zhao Fei
Published: April 2024

The upper Müllerian duct (MD) is patterned and specified into two morphologically and functionally distinct organs, the oviduct and uterus. It is known that this regionalization process is instructed by inductive signals from the adjacent mesenchyme. However, the interaction landscape between epithelium and mesenchyme during upper MD development remains largely unknown. Here, we performed single‐cell transcriptomic profiling of mouse neonatal oviducts and uteri at the initiation of MD epithelial differentiation (postnatal day 3). We identified major cell types including epithelium, mesenchyme, pericytes, mesothelium, endothelium, and immune cells in both organs with established markers. Moreover, we uncovered region‐specific epithelial and mesenchymal subpopulations and then deduced region‐specific ligand‐receptor pairs mediating mesenchymal‐epithelial interactions along the craniocaudal axis. Unexpectedly, we discovered a mesenchymal subpopulation marked by neurofilaments with specific localizations at the mesometrial pole of both the neonatal oviduct and uterus. Lastly, we analyzed and revealed organ‐specific signature genes of pericytes and mesothelial cells. Taken together, our study enriches our knowledge of upper MD development, and provides a manageable list of potential genes, pathways, and region‐specific cell subtypes for future functional studies.
Characteristics of Hospitals by Graduate Medical Education Expense Category: Implications for Rural Residency Program Expansion
Authors: Adhikari Mukesh , Hawes Emily M. , Sanner Louis , Holmes George M.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To describe how the characteristics of the hospitals and communities they serve vary across the 4 hospital graduate medical education (GME) expense categories (according to Section 131 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021) and identify the rurally located never claimer hospitals that are most similar to teaching hospitals, signaling that they might be good candidates for new rural GME programs.

Method

Hospital categories and characteristics were gathered from the March 2022 Medicare Cost Reports; 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps data were used for community characteristics. Each acute hospital was classified into 1 of the following 4 mutually exclusive hospital categories: category A, category B, established teaching hospital (ETH), and never claimer. Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to estimate the adjusted associations of hospital characteristics with hospital categories and to identify the never claimer hospitals in rural locations that have characteristics similar to teaching hospitals (category A, category B, and ETHs).

Results

Out of 3,590 hospitals, 2,075 (57.8%) were never claimer hospitals. After adjusting for multiple characteristics, rural hospitals had a similar probability of being in each hospital category to that of urban hospitals. Never claimer hospitals served an older population and were located in communities with more uninsured adults and children and less availability of primary care physicians, dentists, and mental health professionals.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that most hospitals in every category, but especially teaching hospitals (i.e., category A hospitals, category B hospitals, and ETHs), were concentrated in urban areas. Larger hospitals (measured by net patient revenue) were more likely to report GME expenses (i.e., be a category A hospital, a category B hospital, or an ETH). The study suggests that there are roughly 145 rural never claimer hospitals that might be strong candidates for initiating new residency programs.
Graduating Medical Students’ Perceptions of the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Their Medical School Experiences and Preparation for Careers as Physicians: A National Study
Authors: Jayas Amy , Shaull Lynn , Grbic Douglas , Andriole Dorothy A. , McOwen Katherine S.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unprecedented changes to the medical education learning environment. The graduating class of 2021 was particularly affected. To better understand how students were affected, the authors explored positive and negative experiences described by graduating U.S. medical students.

Method

Using the conceptual framework of affordances, the authors examined narrative responses to 2 new open-ended questions on the Association of American Medical Colleges 2021 Graduation Questionnaire in which graduating students described the pandemic’s positive and negative effects on their medical school experiences and career preparation. Conventional content analysis was used to identify affordances and themes in responses.

Results

Of 16,611 Graduation Questionnaire respondents, 8,926 (54%) provided narrative responses. Of these 8,926 respondents, responses from 2,408 students (27%) were analyzed. Students described positive and negative perceptions of affordances, centering around virtual learning, social connection, and transition to residency. Fewer in-person and increased virtual clinical rotations offered students flexible scheduling, allowing them greater opportunity to explore academic and professional interests. Additionally, students’ sense of isolation from their medical school was alleviated when schools exercised intentional open communication and student involvement in decision making. Although many described a diminished sense of preparedness for residency due to limited access to in-person clinical experiences and to assessing residencies largely through virtual away rotations and interviews, the sense of community, adaptability, and resiliency gained through varied activities reinforced students’ professional identity and commitment to medicine during a time of much uncertainty.

Conclusions

This national exploration of students’ pandemic experiences highlights what students value as fundamental elements of medical education and student support and describes how innovation can improve long-standing practices. These findings, guided by students’ insights, can help inform the work of educational leaders as they consider which innovations should remain to continue enhancing student learning, engagement, and well-being.
Education Scholarship Assessment Reconsidered: Expansion of Glassick’s Criteria to Incorporate Health Equity
Authors: Bockrath Robyn , Osman Cynthia , Trainor Jennifer , Wang Helen C. , Phatak Uma Padhye , Richards Daniel G. , Keeley Meg , Chung Esther K.
Published: April 2024

Recent events have ignited widespread attention to structural racism and implicit bias throughout the U.S. health care system and medical institutions, resulting in a call for antiracism approaches to advance health equity. Medical education leaders are well positioned to advance health equity, not only through their training of fellows, residents, and medical students, but also in their approach to scholarship. Education scholarship drives innovation and critical evaluation of current practices; it impacts and intersects with multiple factors that have the potential to reduce health inequities. Thus, it is critical to prioritize the assessment of education scholarship through a health equity lens. Medical education scholarly dissemination has markedly expanded over the past 2 to 3 decades, yet medical educators have continued to embrace Boyer’s and Glassick and colleagues’ definitions of scholarship. The authors propose an approach to medical education scholarship assessment that expands each of Glassick’s 6 existing criteria to address health inequities and adds health equity as a seventh criterion. With this, medical educators, researchers, reviewers, and others can consider how education scholarship affects diverse populations and settings, direct educational products and scholarship to address health inequities, and raise the importance of advancing health equity in medical education scholarship. By expanding and standardizing the assessment of scholarship to incorporate health equity, the medical education community can foster a cultural shift that brings health equity to the forefront of education scholarship.
Comments and illustrations of the European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine contrast-enhanced ultrasound guidelines. Rare pancreatic tumors, imaging features on transabdominal ultrasound and EUS with contrast enhancement: Rare epithelial pancreatic tumors: solid pseudopapillary neoplasm, acinar cell carcinoma, mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms, some rare subtypes of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and pancreatoblastoma
Authors: Möller Kathleen , Löwe Axel , Jenssen Christian , Bhutani Manoop S. , On Wei , Everett Simon M. , Braden Barbara , Hocke Michael , Healey Andrew , Dong Yi , Gerber Michael , Faiss Siegbert , Rimbas Mihai , Ge Nan , Sun Siyu , Taut Heike , Srivastava David , Burmester Eike , Dietrich Christoph F.
Published: April 2024

Rare malignant pancreatic lesions are systematically reported in this review. The focus is on the imaging appearance of the rare epithelial pancreatic tumors such as the solid pseudopapillary neoplasm, acinar cell carcinoma, rare subtypes of adenocarcinoma, and pancreatoblastoma as seen on ultrasound, EUS, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound or EUS. The present overview summarizes the data and shows that not every pancreatic tumor is likely to be the most common entities of ductal adenocarcinoma or neuroendocrine tumor.
Benchmarking clinical risk prediction algorithms with ensemble machine learning for the noninvasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis in NAFLD
Authors: Charu Vivek , Liang Jane W. , Mannalithara Ajitha , Kwong Allison , Tian Lu , Kim W. Ray
Published: April 2024

Background and Aims:

Ensemble machine-learning methods, like the superlearner, combine multiple models into a single one to enhance predictive accuracy. Here we explore the potential of the superlearner as a benchmarking tool for clinical risk prediction, illustrating the approach to identifying significant liver fibrosis among patients with NAFLD.

Approach and Results:

We used 23 demographic/clinical variables to train superlearner(s) on data from the NASH-clinical research network observational study (n = 648) and validated models with data from the FLINT trial (n = 270) and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants with NAFLD (n = 1244). Comparing the superlearner’s performance to existing models (Fibrosis-4 [FIB-4], NAFLD fibrosis score, Forns, AST to Platelet Ratio Index [APRI], BARD, and Steatosis-Associated Fibrosis Estimator [SAFE]), it exhibited strong discriminative ability in the FLINT and NHANES validation sets, with AUCs of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.73–0.84) and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.68–0.79) respectively.

Conclusions:

Notably, the SAFE score performed similarly to the superlearner, both of which outperformed FIB-4, APRI, Forns, and BARD scores in the validation data sets. Surprisingly, the superlearner derived from 12 base models matched the performance of one with 90 base models. Overall, the superlearner, being the “best-in-class” machine-learning predictor, excelled in detecting fibrotic NASH, and this approach can be used to benchmark the performance of conventional clinical risk prediction models.
Kupffer cell diversity maintains liver function in alcohol-associated liver disease
Authors: Sasaki Kyo , Rooge Sheetalnath , Gunewardena Sumedha , Hintz Janice Averilla , Ghosh Priyanka , Pulido Ruiz Isabel Aranzazu , Yuquimpo Kyle , Schonfeld Michael , Mehta Heer , Stevenson Heather L. , Saldarriaga Omar A. , Arroyave Esteban , Tikhanovich Irina , Wozniak Ann L. , Weinman Steven A.
Published: April 2024

Background and Aims:

Liver macrophages are heterogeneous and play an important role in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) but there is limited understanding of the functions of specific macrophage subsets in the disease. We used a Western diet alcohol (WDA) mouse model of ALD to examine the hepatic myeloid cell compartment by single cell RNAseq and targeted KC ablation to understand the diversity and function of liver macrophages in ALD.

Approach and Results:

In the WDA liver, KCs and infiltrating monocytes/macrophages each represented about 50% of the myeloid pool. Five major KC clusters all expressed genes associated with receptor-mediated endocytosis and lipid metabolism, but most were predicted to be noninflammatory and antifibrotic with 1 minor KC cluster having a proinflammatory and extracellular matrix degradation gene signature. Infiltrating monocyte/macrophage clusters, in contrast, were predicted to be proinflammatory and profibrotic. In vivo, diphtheria toxin–based selective KC ablation during alcohol exposure resulted in a liver failure phenotype with increases in PT/INR and bilirubin, loss of differentiated hepatocyte gene expression, and an increase in expression of hepatocyte progenitor markers such as EpCAM, CK7, and Igf2bp3. Gene set enrichment analysis of whole-liver RNAseq from the KC-ablated WDA mice showed a similar pattern as seen in human alcoholic hepatitis.

Conclusions:

In this ALD model, KCs are anti-inflammatory and are critical for the maintenance of hepatocyte differentiation. Infiltrating monocytes/macrophages are largely proinflammatory and contribute more to liver fibrosis. Future targeting of specific macrophage subsets may provide new approaches to the treatment of liver failure and fibrosis in ALD.