bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Minimal impact of chronic proprioceptive loss on implicit sensorimotor adaptation and perceived movement outcome
Authors: Tsay Jonathan S. , Chandy Anisha M. , Chua Romeo , Miall R. Chris , Cole Jonathan , Farnè Alessandro , Ivry Richard B. , Sarlegna Fabrice R.
Published: July 2024

We tested six individuals with chronic somatosensory deafferentation on a novel task that isolates implicit sensorimotor adaptation and probes perceived movement outcome. Strikingly, both implicit motor adaptation and perceptual movement outcome were not significantly impacted by chronic deafferentation, posing a challenge for theoretical models of adaptation that involve proprioception.
Motor cortical inactivation impairs corrective submovements in mice performing a hold-still center-out reach task
Authors: Bollu Tejapratap , Whitehead Samuel C. , Prasad Nikil , Walker Jackson , Shyamkumar Nitin , Subramaniam Raghav , Kardon Brian , Cohen Itai , Goldberg Jesse H.
Published: July 2024

To test the role of different cortical areas in holding still and reaching to targets, this study combined home-cage training with optogenetic silencing as mice engaged in a learned center-out-reach task. Inactivation specifically of contralateral caudal forelimb area (CFA) impaired corrective movements necessary to reach spatial targets to earn reward.
Identifying Effective Biosecurity Measures for Preventing the Introduction of Classical Swine Fever in Pig Farms in Japan: Under the Condition of Absence/Presence of Observable Infected Wild Boar
Authors: Ukita Makoto , Matsuyama Ryota , Isoda Norikazu , Omori Ryosuke , Yamamoto Takehisa , Makita Kohei
Published: July 2024

The outbreak of infectious diseases in swine, such as classical swine fever (CSF), has become a significant concern in the pig‐farming industry. In Japan, after the re‐emergence of CSF in 2018, farms are now exposed to the risk of transmission from infected wild boar and CSF‐contaminated farms. This study aimed to identify biosecurity measures that were effective for the prevention of CSF introduction into farms during the period from the beginning of the CSF epidemic to the implementation of a vaccination campaign for domestic pigs at risk. The probability of virus introduction was assumed to be increased by the elevated risk from CSF‐infected wild boar and infected farms around the farm. The risk from infected wild boar was represented by the prevalence of CSF in wild boar or the occupancy of 1‐km grid cells with infected wild boar within 10‐km radii from a pig farm and the occurrence of CSF outbreaks on neighboring farms. Conversely, the probability of virus introduction was assumed to decrease in response to on‐farm biosecurity measures being implemented on each farm. The implementation of biosecurity measures on the farms and farm attributes were obtained through a questionnaire survey. Analyses were performed on each farm under the weekly situations where infected wild boar were both absent and present in the vicinity using a binomial generalized linear model. On farms where infected wild boar were not present around farms, daily washing and disinfecting of work clothing in pig houses was identified as the main measure to reduce the risk of CSF introduction into farms. On farms with infected wild boar in the vicinity, the absence of public roads on the farm and preventing wildlife intrusion into the areas where pig carcasses were stored were demonstrated to be effective in preventing CSF introduction. Based on the assumption that strict and comprehensive biosecurity measures are required to prevent CSF introduction, the implementation of these potentially effective measures is worth being prioritized.
Antimicrobial Activities of Stigmasterol from Piper crocatum In Vitro and In Silico
Authors: Lestari Seftiana , Kurnia Dikdik , Mayanti Tri , Heliawati Leny
Published: July 2024

The high incidence of oral health issues and antibiotic resistance has stimulated research into discovering novel antimicrobial drugs. Prior evidence suggests that red betel leaves (Piper crocatum Ruiz and Pav) possess potential antimicrobial properties, including the presence of stigmasterol, a bioactive compound. However, the proteins precisely inhibited by stigmasterol compounds have not been identified as target proteins in the mechanism of action of stigmasterol as an oral antimicrobial agent or proteins involved in the virulence system of pathogenic oral microorganisms. The objective of this research is to identify and predict the antimicrobial mechanism of action of the stigmasterol compound isolated from red betel against specific proteins using a molecular docking approach. The methods employed for this investigation are as follows: Stigmasterol extracted from P. crocatum Ruiz and Pav was utilized as a ligand. Positive controls for each protein were antibiotics or substrates. The study findings indicate that the stigmasterol compound exhibits antibacterial and antifungal properties against pathogenic oral microorganisms in vitro as well as in silico against the crucial antibacterial enzymes MurA and PBP in addition to the pivotal antifungal enzyme exo‐β‐1,3‐glucanase and lanosterol‐14‐α‐demethylase. Therefore, it can be inferred that the stigmasterol present in Red Betel leaves could potentially function as an antimicrobial agent by impeding the spread of pathogenic oral microorganisms.
XRD as an Alternative Technique for Cation Distribution Characterization of MFe2O4 Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: Montañez Molina Michel Fernando , Muñoz Muñoz Franklin David , Cuentas Gallegos Ana Karina , Dominguez Vargas David Alejandro , Elizalde Galindo Jose Trinidad , Soto Herrera Gerardo , Tiznado Hugo , Farias Mario H. , Lopez Medina Javier Alonso
Published: July 2024

This work focuses on utilizing the X‐ray diffraction technique as an alternative method to specialized and high‐cost techniques such as X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy to obtain the cation distribution in magnetic nanoparticles as MFe2O4 with spinel structure synthesized by thermal decomposition. X‐ray diffraction measurements for MFe2O4 with M = Co2+ as transition cation (inverse spinel CoFe2O4) showed sensitivity to the cation distribution for octahedral and tetrahedral sites in this material with this kind of crystalline structure, being a good option for its determination. The cation distribution was obtained from the X‐ray diffraction intensity ratios for the most sensitive crystalline planes to the cations in octahedral and tetrahedral sites. Besides, the Debye–Scherrer equation and line profile analysis method from the diffraction pattern were used to determine the size distribution and the crystallite size. The size distribution obtained by X‐ray diffraction was from 15 to 18 nm, while transmission electron microscopy was found to be from 10 to 25 nm. The inversion degree x derived from X‐ray diffraction exhibits variability within the interval 0.6 < x < 0.8, not very far from that obtained by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (x = 0.67). This material exhibits a saturation magnetization of 124.88 emu g−1. Consequently, the X‐ray diffraction technique opens the possibility of obtaining reliable information related to nanoparticles’ morphological and chemical properties with spinel structure.
Translation and Validation of Family Stigma Stress Scale (FSSS) Among Caregivers of Patients With Mental Illness in Pakistan
Authors: Khawar Rabia , Dogar Imtiaz Ahmad , Shakil Mehwish , Hussain Samavia , Butt Ammara , Amin Rizwana , Ahmad Hafiz Shafique , Akram Bushra , Sheraz Ayesha , Ahmad Hira , Aslam Memoona
Published: July 2024

The stigma among caregivers is significantly creating stress for them, which is ultimately disturbing their well‐being and quality of life. The aim of the current study is to translate and validate the Family Stigma Stress Scale (FSSS) in Urdu among caregivers of patients with mental illness in Pakistan. A purposive sample of 421 caregivers above 18 years of age (M = 39.43, SD = 12.41) participated in the present research, where 42.3% were men and 57.7% were women. All the participants completed FSSS and self‐structured demographic sheet. For translating the scale, WHO guidelines were followed. Data were analysed through SPSS version 26 and AMOS version 24. To test the internal consistency of the translated scale, we apply the alpha reliability test. The result indicated that the internal consistency of the overall FSSS is good (α = 0.85), while its subscale perceived harm (α = 0.90) and perceived coping resources (α = 0.87) also showed excellent internal consistency. To check that the translated version confirmed the same items, we applied confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) through AMOS version 24. The results of CFA showed that the model is in the acceptable to good fit range with χ2/df (3.16), CFI (0.98), TLI (0.97), IFI (0.98), NFI (0.97), and RMSEA (0.07). An independent sample t‐test was used to check the gender difference and illness differences related to caregiving on subscales of FSSS. Results of t‐test showed that significant gender differences were observed only on perceived harm indicating that women caregivers perceived more harm as compared to men caregivers of patients with mental illness. Moreover, we also found that caregivers of patients with psychotic disorders perceived more coping resources than caregivers of patients with neurotic disorders. By integrating the FSSS into routine assessments and screenings in healthcare settings, professionals can identify caregivers experiencing high levels of stigma‐related stress accurately. Healthcare professionals can advocate for policies and social programs that reduce stigma surrounding mental illness and provide resources for caregivers. Apart from these implications, there are some limitations in the present research, and this scale may not fully account for cultural sensitivity which potentially impacts the scale’s applicability and generalizability. Participants may provide socially desirable responses, especially when dealing with sensitive topics like family stigma. This response bias can affect the accuracy and validity of the scale. Future researchers should focus on these limitations and try to fill these gaps.
Prevalence of Isthmi and Root Canal Configurations in Mandibular Permanent Teeth Using Cone‐Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Arman Sherwin , Nouroloyouni Ahmad , Salem Milani Amin , Sheikhfaal Behzad , Noorolouny Sara , Saleh Haghgou Faraz , Xiavi Hesam Mikaieli
Published: July 2024

While root canal anatomy in Middle Eastern populations is well‐studied, research on isthmi in mandibular permanent teeth from this region is limited. This retrospective study used cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) to examine isthmi prevalence and location, as well as root canal morphologies (per Vertucci’s classification) in mandibular permanent teeth from a subpopulation in Ardabil, Iran. The study is aimed at enhancing our understanding of dental anatomical variations in Middle Eastern populations. A total of 3566 teeth from 384 CBCT scans were evaluated in this retrospective study. Mandibular teeth were evaluated on sagittal, coronal, and axial sections regarding the presence of isthmus and root morphology (Vertucci’s classification). CBCT scans of 197 males (51.3%) and 187 females (48.7%) were evaluated, with a mean age of 41.1 ± 11.4 years. Isthmi were most prevalent in molar mesial roots, typically located in the middle third for anterior teeth and first premolars and cervical third for posterior teeth. While gender did not play a significant role, the presence of an isthmus in the mesial root of the left second molars was associated with a younger mean patient age (p < 0.05). Root morphology varied across tooth types. Central and lateral incisors predominantly showed Vertucci’s Types I and III. Canines and premolars were mostly Type I, with some variation. Molar mesial roots frequently exhibited Types IV and II, while distal roots were predominantly Type I. Statistically significant differences were found between morphology and gender in the first left premolar (Type I more common in women; Type V in men; p < 0.001) and in the right canine (Type I more prevalent in men; Types III and V more prevalent in women; p < 0.001). The results revealed wide variations in root canal morphology and a relatively high prevalence of isthmi in the study population. Our findings suggest a potential difference in tooth anatomy based on sex and a relationship between age and the presence of isthmi.
Intraoperative Compound Action Potentials as a Predictor of Postoperative Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials in Cochlear Implant Users
Authors: Stutley Alexander , Bogdanov Caris , Voola Marcus Windsor Rao , Friedland Peter , Távora-Vieira Dayse
Published: July 2024

Introduction: Electrically evoked cortical auditory evoked potentials (ECAEPs) are central brain responses to auditory stimuli that correlate with postoperative cochlear implant (CI) hearing outcomes. They differ from electrically evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) which are peripheral responses that can be elicited intraoperatively and may also predict CI hearing outcomes. It is not known to what degree ECAP and ECAEP responses are associated with each other. Such a correlation, if present, may allow for an earlier and more accurate prediction of postoperative hearing outcomes. Methods: This retrospective study involved 42 adult CI users. Threshold levels and amplitude growth function slopes of intraoperative ECAPs were compared to the latencies and peak-to-peak amplitudes of postoperative ECAEP responses at three different cochlear electrode array sites (apical, medial, and basal). Results: A weak positive relationship was found between intraoperative ECAP thresholds and ECAEP N1-P2 peak-to-peak amplitude (r = 0.301, p = 0.005). Time between ECAP and ECAEP measurements was weakly correlated with P1-N1 peak-to-peak amplitude (r = 0.321, p = 0.002) and ECAEP N1-P2 peak-to-peak amplitude (r = 0.340, p = 0.001). ECAP amplitude growth function slopes varied by electrode location (χ2 = 26.701, df = 2, p = 0. 000002). Conclusion: These results suggest that intraoperative ECAP responses do not robustly predict postoperative ECAEP responses, providing caution against the use of ECAPs as a predictive tool for CI hearing outcomes.
AMPK Attenuation of β-Adrenergic Receptor-Induced Cardiac Injury via Phosphorylation of β-Arrestin-1-ser330
Authors: Zhao Mingming , Cao Ning , Gu Huijun , Xu Jiachao , Xu Wenli , Zhang Di , Wei Tong-You Wade , Wang Kang , Guo Ruiping , Cui Hongtu , Wang Xiaofeng , Guo Xin , Li Zhiyuan , He Kangmin , Li Zijian , Zhang Youyi , Shyy John Y.-J. , Dong Erdan , Xiao Han
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND:

β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) overactivation is a major pathological cue associated with cardiac injury and diseases. AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), a conserved energy sensor, regulates energy metabolism and is cardioprotective. However, whether AMPK exerts cardioprotective effects via regulating the signaling pathway downstream of β-AR remains unclear.

METHODS:

Using immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, site-specific mutation, in vitro kinase assay, and in vivo animal studies, we determined whether AMPK phosphorylates β-arrestin-1 at serine (Ser) 330. Wild-type mice and mice with site-specific mutagenesis (S330A knock-in [KI]/S330D KI) were subcutaneously injected with the β-AR agonist isoproterenol (5 mg/kg) to evaluate the causality between β-adrenergic insult and β-arrestin-1 Ser330 phosphorylation. Cardiac transcriptomics was used to identify changes in gene expression from β-arrestin-1-S330A/S330D mutation and β-adrenergic insult.

RESULTS:

Metformin could decrease cAMP/PKA (protein kinase A) signaling induced by isoproterenol. AMPK bound to β-arrestin-1 and phosphorylated Ser330 with the highest phosphorylated mass spectrometry score. AMPK activation promoted β-arrestin-1 Ser330 phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo. Neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes overexpressing β-arrestin-1-S330D (active form) inhibited the β-AR/cAMP/PKA axis by increasing PDE (phosphodiesterase) 4 expression and activity. Cardiac transcriptomics revealed that the differentially expressed genes between isoproterenol-treated S330A KI and S330D KI mice were mainly involved in immune processes and inflammatory response. β-arrestin-1 Ser330 phosphorylation inhibited isoproterenol-induced reactive oxygen species production and NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor protein 3) inflammasome activation in neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. In S330D KI mice, the β-AR–activated cAMP/PKA pathways were attenuated, leading to repressed inflammasome activation, reduced expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and mitigated macrophage infiltration. Compared with S330A KI mice, S330D KI mice showed diminished cardiac fibrosis and improved cardiac function upon isoproterenol exposure. However, the cardiac protection exerted by AMPK was abolished in S330A KI mice.

CONCLUSIONS:

AMPK phosphorylation of β-arrestin-1 Ser330 potentiated PDE4 expression and activity, thereby inhibiting β-AR/cAMP/PKA activation. Subsequently, β-arrestin-1 Ser330 phosphorylation blocks β-AR–induced cardiac inflammasome activation and remodeling.
Angiotensin Receptor‐Neprilysin Inhibitor Is Associated With Improved Cardiac Autonomic Function in Heart Failure
Authors: Boehmer Andreas A. , Schubert Tim , Rothe Moritz , Keim Christoph , Wiedenmann Lilli , Ruckes Christian , von Stuelpnagel Lukas , Theurl Fabian , Schreinlechner Michael , Dobre Bianca C. , Kaess Bernhard M. , Bauer Axel , Ehrlich Joachim R.
Published: July 2024

Background

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is associated with potentially deleterious imbalance of the cardiac autonomic nervous system. Sacubitril/valsartan (angiotensin receptor‐neprilysin inhibitor [ARNI]) reduces cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Whether ARNI affects the cardiac autonomic nervous system has not been studied.

Methods and Results

This investigator‐initiated, prospective, single‐center cohort study compared heart rate (HR) variability, HR, deceleration capacity, and periodic repolarization dynamics as noninvasive measures of the cardiac autonomic nervous system before and after initiation of ARNI therapy. Patients underwent standardized 12‐lead Holter‐ECG, echocardiography and laboratory testing before and 3 months after start of therapy. End points were changes in HR variability (SD of normal‐to‐normal intervals, mean square of differences between consecutive R‐R intervals), HR, deceleration capacity, and periodic repolarization dynamics as well as ventricular function and NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide). Of 63 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction enrolled, 48 (76.2%) patients were still on ARNI at follow‐up. SD of normal‐to‐normal intervals increased from 25 to 36 milliseconds (
P
<0.001), mean square of differences between consecutive R‐R intervals increased from 12 to 19 milliseconds (
P
<0.001), HR decreased from 73±9 bpm to 67±4 bpm, (
P
<0.001), and deceleration capacity increased from 2.1 to 4.4 milliseconds (
P
<0.001). A trend for periodic repolarization dynamics reduction was observed (5.6 deg
2
versus 4.7 deg
2
,
P
=0.09). Autonomic changes were accompanied by increased left ventricular ejection fraction (29±6% versus 40±8%,
P
<0.001) and reduced NT‐proBNP (3548 versus 685 ng/L,
P
<0.001). Correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between volume‐unloading (as evidenced by NT‐proBNP reduction) and autonomic improvement.

Conclusions

Three months of ARNI therapy resulted in a significant increase in cardiac parasympathetic tone. The improvement in autonomic properties may be mediated by “volume unloading” and likely contributes to the beneficial effects of ARNI in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique Identifier: NCT04587947.
Association of Transcranial Doppler Microembolic Signal With Short‐Term Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke and Active Cancer
Authors: Toi Sono , Higuchi Eiko , Hosoya Megumi , Arai Satoko , Ishizuka Kentaro , Mizuno Takafumi , Hoshino Takao , Tsutsumi Yukiko , Kitagawa Kazuo
Published: July 2024

Background

This study aimed to clarify the characteristics and survival prediction value of transcranial Doppler microembolic signals (MES) in patients with acute cerebral infarction and active cancer.

Methods and Results

Between 2017 and 2022, 1089 cases of acute cerebral infarction were recorded within 7 days of disease onset. Among them, transcranial Doppler was successful in 33 patients who had active cancer, and these data were analyzed in this study. The primary outcomes were stroke recurrence and mortality at 3 months. The study population had the following characteristics [median (interquartile range)]: age, 70 years (63–78); body mass index, 21.6 (20–24), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 3 (1–6), and modified Rankin Scale score at discharge 1 (1–4). The most common cancer types were lung (24%), pancreatic (24%), and intestinal (18%). MES was present in 16 of 33 patients (48.5%). The presence and number of MES were significantly associated with the levels of D‐dimer (
P
<0.001) and C‐reactive protein (
P
=0.012). Moreover, the presence of MES was associated with multiple ischemic lesions and the 3‐territory sign on magnetic resonance imaging. Of the 33 patients, 9 died at 3 months, and 1 had stroke recurrence. On Cox multivariate analysis, using the MES‐negative group as a reference, the presence of MES was significantly associated with all‐cause death (adjusted hazard ratio, 12.19 [95% CI, 1.45–216.85];
P
=0.020).

Conclusions

In patients with acute ischemic stroke and active cancer, the presence of MES was associated with D‐dimer and C‐reactive protein levels and multiple and 3‐territory ischemic lesions, and was predictive of short‐term survival.
Alterations in the Salivary Microbiome and Metabolism in Patients With Carotid Atherosclerosis from Rural Northeast China
Authors: Wu Yahong , Xing Liying , Lu Lijie , Liu Shuang , Zhao Dan , Lin Li , Wang Songlin , Li Chen , Pan Yaping
Published: July 2024

Background

Periodontitis and atherosclerosis are both chronic inflammatory diseases with a high prevalence. Increasing evidence supports the independent association between severe periodontitis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, in which oral microorganisms may play an important role. We aimed to evaluate the characteristic changes of salivary microbiome and metabolome in patients with carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) and periodontitis.

Methods and Results

The subjects were obtained from a cross‐sectional study that included 1933 participants aged 40 years or older from rural northeast China. The study enrolled 48 subjects with CAS and 48 controls without CAS matched by sex, age, body mass index, and prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. We performed full‐length 16S rDNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics of saliva samples from 96 subjects. We found that CAS was closely associated with an increased abundance of
Streptococcus
,
Lactobacillus
, and
Cutibacterium
. Furthermore, patients with CAS had higher prevalence of severe periodontitis than the control group. Notably, periodontal pathogens such as
Tannerella
and
Anaeroglobus
were not only associated with periodontitis but also enriched in patients with CAS, whereas periodontal health‐associated
Neisseria
was more abundant in those without CAS. We also identified 2 lipid metabolism pathways, including glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism, as associated with CAS. The levels of trimethylamine
N
‐oxide and inflammatory mediator leukotriene D4 were significantly higher in patients with CAS, whereas the levels of carnosine were significantly lower, than those in controls. Additionally, serum levels of inflammatory marker high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein were significantly increased in CAS and positively correlated with the abundance of
Anaeroglobus
and leukotriene D4 in saliva.

Conclusions

Our study suggests that characteristic changes in salivary microbiota and metabolites are closely related to CAS, and periodontitis and associated microorganisms may be involved in the initiation and progression of CAS.
Eighteen‐Month Real‐World Experience Using Mavacamten for Treatment of Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in a Racially Diverse Population
Authors: Ramonfaur Diego , Gasperetti Alessio , Blake Victoria E. , Rivers Bryana , Kassamali Ali A. , Kasper Edward K. , Barouch Lili A. , Wu Katherine C. , Madrazo Jose A. , Carrick Richard T.
Published: July 2024

Background

Patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have increased symptomatic burden. Mavacamten was recently approved for treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy based on 2 randomized controlled trials. However, its use under real‐world conditions and in diverse populations is under‐studied.

Methods and Results

This was a prospective observational cohort study of patients seen at the Johns Hopkins HCM center and prescribed mavacamten for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy between July 7, 2022 and January 6, 2024. Patients were followed longitudinally, with serial echocardiography and clinical evaluation as mandated by the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy program. Sixty‐six patients received mavacamten (mean age 59 years, 47% male, 29% non‐White [Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander], 47% obese). Before treatment, all patients had New York Heart Association class II (51.5%) or III (48.5%) heart failure symptoms. Initial maximum peak left ventricular outflow tract gradient was 107±46 mm Hg. Median treatment duration was 9 months. For patients on mavacamten after ≥6 months (n=43), symptoms improved by ≥1 New York Heart Association class in 72% of patients, and peak left ventricular outflow tract gradient decreased by 80±46 mm Hg, eliminating hemodynamically significant left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in 79.1% of patients. Mavacamten was temporarily discontinued in 3 patients due to left ventricular ejection fraction decrease <50%. There were no medication‐related adverse events. Effectiveness and safety were similar between White and non‐White patients, but symptomatic relief was attenuated in patients with body‐mass index ≥35 kg/m
2
.

Conclusions

Mavacamten was effective and safe when used under real‐world conditions in a racially diverse population of symptomatic patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Patients with comorbid obesity were less likely to experience symptomatic improvement while on mavacamten.
Temporal Changes in Long‐Term Outcomes of Venous Thromboembolism From the Warfarin Era to the Direct Oral Anticoagulant Era
Authors: Kaneda Kazuhisa , Yamashita Yugo , Morimoto Takeshi , Chatani Ryuki , Nishimoto Yuji , Ikeda Nobutaka , Kobayashi Yohei , Ikeda Satoshi , Kim Kitae , Inoko Moriaki , Takase Toru , Tsuji Shuhei , Oi Maki , Takada Takuma , Otsui Kazunori , Sakamoto Jiro , Ogihara Yoshito , Inoue Takeshi , Usami Shunsuke , Chen Po‐Min , Togi Kiyonori , Koitabashi Norimichi , Hiramori Seiichi , Doi Kosuke , Mabuchi Hiroshi , Tsuyuki Yoshiaki , Murata Koichiro , Takabayashi Kensuke , Nakai Hisato , Sueta Daisuke , Shioyama Wataru , Dohke Tomohiro , Nishikawa Ryusuke , Ono Koh , Kimura Takeshi
Published: July 2024

Background

There have been limited data on the changes in clinical outcomes after the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in real clinical practice. We evaluated the changes in management strategies and long‐term outcomes from the warfarin era to the DOAC era.

Methods and Results

We compared the 2 series of multicenter COMMAND VTE (Contemporary Management and Outcomes in Patients With Venous Thromboembolism) registries in Japan enrolling consecutive patients with acute symptomatic VTE: Registry 1: 3027 patients in the warfarin era (2010–2014) and Registry 2: 5197 patients in the DOAC era (2015–2020). The prevalence of DOAC use increased more in Registry 2 than in the Registry 1 (Registry 1: 2.6% versus Registry 2: 79%,
P
<0.001). The cumulative 5‐year incidence of recurrent VTE was significantly lower in Registry 2 than in Registry 1 (10.5% versus 9.5%,
P
=0.02), and the risk reduction of recurrent VTE in Registry 2 remained significant even after adjusting the confounders (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78 [95% CI, 0.65–0.93];
P
=0.005). The cumulative 5‐year incidence of major bleeding was not significantly different between the 2 registries (12.1% versus 13.7%,
P
=0.26), and the risk of major bleeding between the 2 registries was not significantly different even after adjusting the confounders (HR, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.89–1.21];
P
=0.63).

Conclusions

Along with the shift from warfarin to DOACs, there was a lower risk of recurrent VTE in the DOAC era than in the warfarin era, whereas there was no apparent change in the risk of major bleeding, which might still be an unmet need even in the DOAC era.
Sociodemographic Correlates of High Cardiovascular Health Across Childhood and Adolescence: A Prospective Study Among 2 Cohorts in the ECHO Consortium
Authors: Perng Wei , Galai Noya , Zhao Qi , Litonjua Augusto , Geiger Sarah , Sauder Katherine A. , O'Shea T. Michael , Hivert Marie‐France , Oken Emily , Dabelea Dana , Aris Izzuddin M. ,   the ECHO Cohort Consortium
Published: July 2024

Background

This study seeks to characterize cardiovascular health (CVH) from early childhood to late adolescence and identify sociodemographic correlates of high CVH that serve as levers for optimizing CVH across early life.

Methods and Results

Among 1530 youth aged 3 to 20 years from 2 cohorts in the ECHO (Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes) consortium, we first derived CVH scores on the basis of the Life's Essential 8 construct comprising 4 behavioral (nicotine use/exposure, physical activity, sleep, and diet) and 4 health factors (body mass index, blood pressure, non–high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting glucose) during early childhood (mean age, 3.5 years), middle childhood (8.0 years), early adolescence (13.3 years), and late adolescence (17.8 years). Next, we used generalized regression to estimate the probability of high (versus not high) CVH with respect to sociodemographic characteristics. Overall CVH score was stable across life stages: 81.2±7.6, 83.3±8.0, and 81.7±8.9 of 100 possible points in early childhood, middle childhood, and early adolescence, respectively. Accordingly, during these life stages, most children (63.3%–71.5%) had high CVH (80 to <100). However, CVH declined by late adolescence, with an average score of 75.5±10.2 and 39.4% high CVH. No children had optimal CVH (score=100) at any time. Correlates of high CVH include non‐Hispanic White race and ethnicity, maternal college education, and annual household income >$70 000. These associations were driven by behavioral factors.

Conclusions

Although most youth maintained high CVH across childhood, the decline by late adolescence indicates that cardiovascular disease prevention should occur before the early teen years. Disparities in high CVH over time with respect to sociodemographic characteristics were explained by behavioral factors, pointing toward prevention targets.
Sound Investments: Music and Finance at Mid-Century
Authors: Maizels Michael
Published: July 2024

The histories of finance and music are more interconnected than they might at first appear. From ancient ideas on the mathematical harmony of the universe to ultra-contemporary approaches driven by networked data, the flow of sounds and the circulation of capital have long traced one another’s shadow. Indeed, since the publication of Jacques Attali’s Noise in 1977, musicologists and sound scholars have been probing how music as an expression of mathematical knowledge has intersected with a range of intellectual, social, and economic shifts.
Cooperation and Defection in the East African Community
Authors: Mwatela Raphael Z.
Published: July 2024

This paper looks at the role of regime types and political leadership in influencing regional integration in the East African Community (EAC). Although the EAC is one of the most highly integrated Regional Economic Communities in Africa, and there are many instances where member states cooperate with decisions made at the EAC level to strengthen integration, in other instances members choose to defect from regional commitments. The study used secondary data sources to determine why this is so and employed game theory to understand the game of cooperation and defection among the players, who are the member states of the EAC. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania were selected as case studies because they are the founding members of the EAC and are assumed to be most invested in deeper cooperation within the EAC. The study found that member states make conscious, calculated decisions to cooperate or defect on specific issues after gauging the costs and payouts associated with each action.
The Ethiopia-Egypt Controversy on the Renaissance Dam and the Role of a Benefit-Sharing Approach in the Nile Basin
Authors: Alamineh Asabu Sewenet
Published: July 2024

The Nile River has been both an engine of development and a cause of controversy among its riparian states for millennia. This paradox took on an international dimension with the inception of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Using a qualitative research method, this paper investigates the GERD controversy and the role of a benefit-sharing approach in the Nile Basin. The dam negotiations have been hampered by unjust colonial treaties, the hardline interests of Egypt and Ethiopia, politicisation, uncertainty about the consequences of the dam’s use and lopsided third-party intervention. The paper argues that the adoption of a benefit-sharing approach in the basin can sustain the Nile ecosystem, promote regional peace, increase water flow and decrease unnecessary expenses through modest intraregional cooperation. The resolution of the Nile Basin conflict thus relies on identifying the potential of the basin and on integrated cooperative frameworks adopted by the technocrats of its riparian states and international experts.
Bilingual Language Dominance and Code-switching Patterns
Authors: Olson Daniel J.
Published: July 2024

Code-switching, the alternation between two languages in an interaction, is a salient characteristic of bilingual speech, but there is substantial variability in code-switching patterns among bilinguals. Language dominance, the relative strength of a bilingual’s languages, has been suggested as a key factor that impacts both the frequency with which a bilingual engages in code-switching and the directionality of code-switching. This study examines the relationship between language dominance and code-switching engagement and directionality. A total of 454 Spanish–English bilinguals completed questionnaires regarding language dominance, code-switching engagement, and code-switching directionality. Results demonstrated an impact of language dominance on code-switching engagement, with more balanced bilinguals reporting greater code-switching, although significant individual variation remained. A weak link between language dominance and directionality was also found. These findings suggest that while language dominance may serve to constrain a bilingual’s range of possible engagement with code-switching, it represents a distinct characteristic of a bilingual’s language profile.
Absent Animals: The Anthropocentric Focus of the Book of Ruth
Authors: Atkins Peter Joshua
Published: July 2024

The book of Ruth is the only text of the Hebrew Bible which lacks a single mention of a nonhuman animal. As such, it has not been studied by scholars with an interest in animals within biblical texts. This article critically addresses this omission of nonhuman animals from Ruth by locating this neglect within the context of other troubling ideological binaries (such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, class) which are operative in the narrative. Through an attentiveness to the lack of animals during the famine, harvest, and threshing of the grain in the book, this article suggests that the narrative obscures the crucial contribution of nonhuman animals to society as well as the care they deserve. This therefore indicates how the book of Ruth operates with an anthropocentric human/animal hierarchy whereby nonhumans can be disposed of to advance the interests of humans.
‮ממולח טוהר‬‎: Qumranic and Medieval Exegesis
Authors: Ariel Chanan
Published: July 2024

The phrase ‮ממולח טוהר‬‎ appears four times in the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, describing the firmament and the angels’ garments. John Strugnell, followed by most scholars, proposed that the phrase be understood as “purely blended.” An examination of the context in which the phrase appears in the Songs supports the possibility that its use began as a reference to the brightness of the firmament and was then extended to apply to the angels’ garments. Our review of the semantic field of the four roots common to the descriptions of the preparation of the incense, the garments, and the firmament—‮דק״ק‬‎, ‮מל״ח‬‎, ‮רק״ע‬‎, and ‮שח״ק‬‎—(a semantic field that was already recognized by the medieval Hebrew grammarians) strengthens the claim of Jean Carmignac, rejected by most scholars, that ‮ממולח‬‎ means “thin and fine.” In my opinion, the phrase ‮ממולח טוהר‬‎ is to be understood as “characterized by a thin, fine brightness.”
“Is the Embryo a Living Being?” (Aët. 5.15)
Authors: Zatta Claudia
Published: July 2024

Building on previous studies, this essay discusses the use of embryological images and analogies in Anaximander, Empedocles, Democritus, and Lucretius. It pursues their intertextual connections arguing that in ancient philosophy embryology was not only relevant for conceiving the early formation of the cosmos as has been claimed so far, but that it also shaped the conception of the primeval rise of animal life and the living processes of plants.
A Neurocognitive Model for Analyzing End Time Narratives: the Book of Revelation 14–16 as a Test Case
Authors: Høgenhaven Jesper , Bach Melissa Sayyad , Geertz Armin W.
Published: July 2024

In this article, we introduce a neurocognitive model as a useful analytical approach to a wide range of representations (written, oral, and/or visual) of a comprehensive and dramatic collapse of the world order (cosmic, social, and/or moral). We gather these variegated representations under the term End Time Narratives (ETN). The widespread reception of ETNs, and their popularity and variability across different periods and cultures, is evidence that these representations continually affect us and hold power over us. Prominent and well-known examples of ETNs are the Jewish and Christian apocalypses from antiquity, which have been widely influential through the centuries. This prevalence raises the question of why ETNs exercise such an influence. The reasons, we suggest, are based on the following hypotheses: (1) that the efficacy and attraction of ETNs can be traced to identifiable cognitive mechanisms, (2) that these underlying mechanisms are linked to certain emotional reactions activated by the particular structure and design of these narratives, and (3) ETNs – as cultural products – seem to be designed and structured to elicit cognitive and emotional responses through effects on the brain. To investigate the possible neurocognitive and psychological mechanisms that are simulated and enacted in recipients by ETNs, we apply the model through an “enactive reading” of a classical ETN, the Book of Revelation 14–16.
Heraclitus on First (and Further) Hearings
Authors: Spelman Henry , Tor Shaul
Published: July 2024

The words τὸ πρῶτον in Heraclitus B1 have been subjected to competing construals, yet this dilemma, and its stakes, are almost never discussed. We argue that the common translation of ἀκούσαντες τὸ πρῶτον, ‘when once they have heard it’, faces insurmountable philosophical, stylistic, and linguistic objections. We make a new case for the alternative construal, ‘after they have heard it for the first time’. This yields a linguistically better account of the Greek, and a philosophically more satisfying one in the broader context of B1 and Heraclitus’ thought. Finally, we examine the larger programmatic implications of the small phrase τὸ πρῶτον for Heraclitus’ book.
“Bats Who Harm” and “Bats Who May Be Harmed”: The Interspecies Politics of Virus Sampling
Authors: Roth Emmanuelle
Published: July 2024

The 2013–2016 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa galvanized a quest for more knowledge with regards to the ecology of the disease. In its immediate aftermath, research initiatives, at the junction of biosecurity and One Health, were mounted to elucidate the circulation of the Ebola virus and other emergent pathogens through sampling local wildlife, in particular bats. The article investigates the knowledge, affects, and practices mitigating care and risk in encounters between human animals and potentially contaminated nonhuman animals. Grounded in an ethnography of the labor of wildlife sampling by Guinean veterinarians, it adopts an interspecies perspective on the One Health laboratory, a place where relations between animals and humans are inflected by a postcolonial, gendered, and anthropocentric imbalance of power. It argues that, rather than blurring interspecies boundaries, scientific care for sampled bats may cement hierarchies, with consequences for samplers and animals.
A Semitic Fingerprint on Mark and Revelation
Authors: Ray Jonathan M.
Published: July 2024

This article examines the unique syntax found in the Greek texts of Mark and Revelation. Both books exhibit a distinct propensity to begin sentences with the conjunction καί, a linguistic phenomenon known as “parataxis.” A comparative analysis is conducted on a large swath of contemporary Greek narrative texts in an effort to locate where Mark and Revelation fall along the paratactic spectrum. The analysis draws on comparative linguistics and statistical analysis to argue that this paratactic style is a Semitic linguistic fingerprint, aligning more closely with the LXX and other early Jewish and Christian (EJC) texts but differs from pagan Greek narratives of the same era. The article concludes by summarizing how scholars have accounted for this Semitic fingerprint and what some implications might be.
Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with maize, and their relationship with soil properties in southern and southwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Aseffa Abebe W. , Meressa Beira H. , Tefera Tadele , Green Kristina K. , Anderson Peter , Mendesil Esayas
Published: July 2024

Maize is an important cereal crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Plant-parasitic nematodes significantly impact maize production. However, research on maize nematodes in SSA is limited. The current study aimed to assess the occurrences and densities of nematodes associated with maize and to assess the correlation of some soil physicochemical properties with nematodes in southern and southwestern Ethiopia. One hundred and eighty-six soil and root samples were collected from 62 maize fields (31 from Hawassa Zuria and 31 from Mana districts). Eleven plant-parasitic nematode genera were identified. The most important genera of plant-parasitic nematodes identified were Meloidogyne and Pratylenchus, followed by Helicotylenchus and Tylenchorhynchus. The nematodes Pratylenchus and Criconemoides were significantly and positively associated with pH, soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil organic matter (SOM). Additionally, Tylenchorhynchus, Pratylenchus and Rotylenchulus were significantly positively correlated with soil available phosphorus (SAP). However, Criconemoides and Meloidogyne had a strong negative correlation with soil bulk density (SBD). This study provides useful baseline information on maize-associated nematodes, and will be useful for agricultural policy makers, private farmers, non-governmental organisations and agricultural extension workers enabling them to establish sustainable maize nematode management strategies.
Corporeity and the Eurocentric Community: Recasting Husserl’s Crisis in Merleau-Ponty’s Ontology of the Flesh
Authors: Delestrade Andréa
Published: July 2024

This paper attempts to develop a phenomenological account of community which would not be pervaded by Eurocentric assumptions. Such Eurocentrism is what Husserl’s phenomenological framework has been accused of. I first reconstruct Husserl’s phenomenology of community in his late transcendental phenomenology by examining the Vienna Lecture. I show that Husserl’s Eurocentrism is encapsulated in his account of corporeity, which simultaneously recognizes the importance of corporeity and its necessary overcoming in theoria, which originates in the European philosopher. I then argue that Merleau-Ponty, through his rigorously embodied phenomenology, can offer a non-Eurocentric phenomenology of community. Elaborating on the Husserlian insight of corporeity, notably the perceptual experience and the écart at stake in the encounter with other bodies, allows Merleau-Ponty’s ontology of the flesh to recast community from and with the body as an open, situated, and non-archeo-teleological structure, allowing phenomenology to reimagine inter-cultural encounters away from tropes of European exemplarity.
The World as Play: Fink, Gadamer, Patočka
Authors: Evink Eddo
Published: July 2024

This article explores the idea of ‘play’ as a metaphor to understand the world as an always presupposed frame of all experiences and appearances. A large part of it is devoted to the work of Eugen Fink, who developed a notion of the world as play, as a speculative idea beyond phenomenology. This article argues firstly in favor of such an effort to understand the world as play, as an alternative to onto-theological metaphysics. However, it argues secondly, that a stronger and more convincing concept of play can be found by elaborating on the views of Hans-Georg Gadamer and Jan Patočka. Gadamer discussed ‘play’ as a metaphor for art, while Patočka worked on the notion of ‘world’ as a phenomenological idea that serves as a frame for all experiences. A combination of these two ideas may result in a better alternative to both Fink’s approach and to traditional onto-theological metaphysics.
Revisiting the ‘Jewish Question’ and Its Contemporary Discontents
Authors: Shoikhedbrod Igor
Published: July 2024

This article revisits the so-called ‘Jewish Question’ against the combined background of Marxist historiography and the resurgence of antisemitic and neofascist politics. It begins by analysing the critical reception of Marx’s formative essay, ‘On the Jewish Question’, and assesses its contemporary relevance in the aftermath of institutionalised antisemitism in the USSR, the monstrosity of the Shoah, the consolidation of the Israeli state, and the catastrophic ramifications of the ongoing Nakba. Despite the various defects of Marx and Engels’s reflections on the ‘Jewish Question’, their critical insights vividly anticipate the failings of liberalism, Soviet socialism, and Zionism in emancipating Jews, while also reminding contemporary Marxists about the political urgency of human emancipation. At its core, the ‘Jewish Question’ remains a universal question, extending to all oppressed peoples and classes that have been rendered abandoned and dispensable beings.
Far-Right Antisemitism and Heteronationalism
Authors: Drucker Peter
Published: July 2024

The rise of the far right is a defining feature of our time. With nationalism and racism as its hallmarks, it is more opportunistic towards Jews and LGBTIQ people than in the past. Yet antisemitism and heteronationalism are still strong on the far right. A Marxist analysis founded on social-reproduction theory can help explain this, given Jews’ prominence in such fields as the media, and the potential threat posed to the heteronormative family by queers. Far-right hostility to Jews and queers is present among not only neo-fascist but also post-fascist forces. Yet Jews and LGBTIQ people can be inhibited from mobilising against the far right by presuppositions they share with it, particularly homonationalist and Zionist ones. Despite this, the potential exists for radical resistance to the far right by Jews and queers, as manifest in the growing ranks of Jews and queers organising against racism and for internationalist solidarity.