bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
We have a lot in common: Cognate words
Authors: Uzun Levent
Published: May 2024

This study presents a list of 2022 Bulgarian‐Turkish cognate words that can be used to facilitate vocabulary acquisition and cross‐linguistic awareness. The list was created manually through a multi‐step process that involved scanning the database of an online dictionary to identify Bulgarian words that had the same or similar forms in Turkish. For each cognate word identified, its Bulgarian and Turkish forms and English meanings were recorded, and their accuracy was checked through additional sources and expert consultation. The final list of cognate words includes only those confirmed based on linguistic criteria and expert judgement. The use of cognate words in language teaching methods such as total physical response and teaching proficiency through reading and storytelling can enhance the effectiveness of these methods by helping students understand and remember new vocabulary and building their confidence in language learning. Additionally, this study highlights the potential of cognate awareness to promote peace in the world by emphasizing the commonalities among languages and cultures. By recognizing the abundance of cognates across different languages, we can reinforce the idea that we are all part of the same human family and share a common linguistic heritage. Moreover, the study demonstrates how a new and innovative multilingual education can be achieved through cognates, showing that language education does not necessarily have to be limited to bilingual instruction. The use of cognates as a tool for vocabulary acquisition and cross‐linguistic awareness can open up opportunities for multilingualism and facilitate communication across linguistic and cultural boundaries. Future research could explore the use of cognate words in other language teaching contexts and investigate the potential benefits and limitations of using cognates in language learning.
Examining iron‐related off‐target binding effects of 18F‐AV1451 PET in the cortex of Aβ+ individuals
Authors: Langley Jason , Bennett Ilana J. , Hu Xiaoping P. ,   for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: May 2024

The presence of neurofibrillary tangles containing hyper‐phosphorylated tau is a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. The positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand sensitive to tau neurofibrillary tangles (18F‐AV1451) also binds with iron. This off‐target binding effect may be enhanced in older adults on the AD spectrum, particularly those with amyloid‐positive biomarkers. Here, we examined group differences in 18F‐AV1451 PET after controlling for iron‐sensitive measures from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its relationships to tissue microstructure and cognition in 40 amyloid beta positive (Aβ+) individuals, 20 amyloid beta negative (Aβ‐) with MCI and 31 Aβ‐ control participants. After controlling for iron, increased 18F‐AV1451 PET uptake was found in the temporal lobe and hippocampus of Aβ+ participants compared to Aβ‐ MCI and control participants. Within the Aβ+ group, significant correlations were seen between 18F‐AV1451 PET uptake and tissue microstructure and these correlations remained significant after controlling for iron. These findings indicate that off‐target binding of iron to the 18F‐AV1451 ligand may not affect its sensitivity to Aβ status or cognition in early‐stage AD.
Land use change and coastal water darkening drive synchronous dynamics in phytoplankton and fish phenology on centennial timescales
Authors: Opdal Anders Frugård , Lindemann Christian , Andersen Tom , Hessen Dag O. , Fiksen Øyvind , Aksnes Dag L.
Published: May 2024

At high latitudes, the suitable window for timing reproductive events is particularly narrow, promoting tight synchrony between trophic levels. Climate change may disrupt this synchrony due to diverging responses to temperature between, for example, the early life stages of higher trophic levels and their food resources. Evidence for this is equivocal, and the role of compensatory mechanisms is poorly understood. Here, we show how a combination of ocean warming and coastal water darkening drive long‐term changes in phytoplankton spring bloom timing in Lofoten Norway, and how spawning time of Northeast Arctic cod responds in synchrony. Spring bloom timing was derived from hydrographical observations dating back to 1936, while cod spawning time was estimated from weekly fisheries catch and roe landing data since 1877. Our results suggest that land use change and freshwater run‐off causing coastal water darkening has gradually delayed the spring bloom up to the late 1980s after which ocean warming has caused it to advance. The cod appear to track phytoplankton dynamics by timing gonadal development and spawning to maximize overlap between offspring hatch date and predicted resource availability. This finding emphasises the importance of land–ocean coupling for coastal ecosystem functioning, and the potential for fish to adapt through phenotypic plasticity.
Large‐scale remote sensing analysis reveals an increasing coupling of grassland vitality to atmospheric water demand
Authors: Kowalski Katja , Senf Cornelius , Okujeni Akpona , Hostert Patrick
Published: May 2024

Grasslands provide important ecosystem services to society, including biodiversity, water security, erosion control, and forage production. Grasslands are also vulnerable to droughts, rendering their future vitality under climate change uncertain. Yet, the grassland response to drought is not well understood, especially for heterogeneous Central European grasslands. We here fill this gap by quantifying the spatiotemporal sensitivity of grasslands to drought using a novel remote sensing dataset from Landsat/Sentinel‐2 paired with climate re‐analysis data. Specifically, we quantified annual grassland vitality at fine spatial scale and national extent (Germany) from 1985 to 2021. We analyzed grassland sensitivity to drought by testing for statistically robust links between grassland vitality and common drought indices. We furthermore explored the spatiotemporal variability of drought sensitivity for 12 grassland habitat types given their different biotic and abiotic features. Grassland vitality maps revealed a large‐scale reduction of grassland vitality during past droughts. The unprecedented drought of 2018–2019 stood out as the largest multi‐year vitality decline since the mid‐1980s. Grassland vitality was consistently coupled to drought (R2 = .09–.22) with Vapor Pressure Deficit explaining vitality best. This suggests that high atmospheric water demand, as observed during recent compounding drought and heatwave events, has major impacts on grassland vitality in Central Europe. We found a significant increase in drought sensitivity over time with highest sensitivities detected in periods of extremely high atmospheric water demand, suggesting that drought impacts on grasslands are becoming more severe with ongoing climate change. The spatial variability of grassland drought sensitivity was linked to different habitat types, with declining sensitivity from dry and mesic to wet habitats. Our study provides the first large‐scale, long‐term, and spatially explicit evidence of increasing drought sensitivities of Central European grasslands. With rising compound droughts and heatwaves under climate change, large‐scale grassland vitality loss, as in 2018–2019, will thus become more likely in the future.
A 3‐month mark to urinary continence, after robotic radical prostatectomy—Is it possible?
Authors: Santos Tiago , Varandas Mário , Dias Daniela , Sousa Inês
Published: May 2024

Introduction and Objectives

Urinary incontinence (UI) remains a significant concern after radical prostatectomy. As a part of a nursing follow‐up, we evaluate quality‐of‐life (QoL) which includes UI recovery. Patients proposed to Retzius‐sparing robot assisted radical prostatectomy (RS‐RARP) have a bundle of appointments starting pre‐operatively and continuing after surgery 1 week, 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. In these, we started a urinary rehabilitation programme (URP) performing Kegel Exercises, adaptative and behavioural strategies. The objective is to evaluate timeline until urinary continence recovery after RS‐RARP, since this is one of the most asked question by our patients.

Materials and Methods

Between July 2017 and April 2020 we conducted a prospective observational single‐centre study with a total of 208 patients submitted to RS‐RARP. We applied the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite‐26 (EPIC‐26) questionnaire pre and postoperatively at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, and studied UI by evaluating pad count measured in the 3rd question. The inclusion criteria are: patients that did not have adjuvant or salvage treatments during the follow up; have all pre‐ and post‐operative evaluations; who were continent pre‐operatively; and started the URP. A total of 72 patients were included. We have considered the criteria of no pad use for continence recovery. Every patient provided written informed consent for study inclusion, approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (Approval 07.07.2017).

Results

Preliminary analysis of enrolled patients reveals that 57 (79,16%) recovered continence during the 12 months period. By 3‐month mark, we observed that 42 (73,68%) patients were continent; 7 (12,28%) recovered continence at 6‐month mark; 4 (7,02%) recovered continence at 9‐month mark and 4 (7,02%) recovered continence 1 year after surgery. We further analysed the total number of pads used daily by the 15 patients (20,83%) that had UI at 12‐month mark: 13 patients (86,67%) reported using 1 pad a day and 2 patients (13,33% or 2,77% of all studied population) reported using 3 or more pads a day.

Conclusion

The preliminary results demonstrate a gradual improvement in UI over the first year, with a significant number of patients recovering at 3‐month mark. These positive results are most probably consequences of both the surgical approach and the URP. Is required a sub‐group analysis to further delineate factors impacting continence recovery, aiding in postoperative rehabilitation care plans that will impact positive outcome on QoL associated with a fast UI recovery. For the latter, digital tools to conduct patient reported outcomes are necessary to ascertain the extent of impact in QoL. Furthermore, we need to rethink remote strategies to improve patient compliance as a significant number of them were excluded for not attending on‐site nursing appointments.
Practitioner Review: Assessment and treatment of body dysmorphic disorder in young people
Authors: Krebs Georgina , Rautio Daniel , Fernández de la Cruz Lorena , Hartmann Andrea S. , Jassi Amita , Martin Alexandra , Stringaris Argyris , Mataix‐Cols David
Published: May 2024

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a relatively common and highly impairing mental disorder that is strikingly underdiagnosed and undertreated in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The only clinical guidelines for the management of BDD in youth were published nearly 20 years ago, when empirical knowledge was sparse. Fortunately, there has been a surge in research into BDD over the last 10 years, shedding important insights into the phenomenology, epidemiology, assessment and treatment of the disorder in young people. This review aimed to provide an overview of recent research developments of relevance to clinicians and healthcare policymakers. We summarise key findings regarding the epidemiology of BDD in youth, which indicate that the disorder usually develops during teenage years and affects approximately 2% of adolescents at any one point in time. We provide an overview of aetiological research, highlighting that BDD arises from an interplay between genetic and environmental influences. We then focus on screening and assessment strategies, arguing that these are crucial to promote detection and diagnosis of this under‐recognised condition. Additionally, we summarise the recommended treatment approaches for BDD in youth, namely cognitive behaviour therapy with or without selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The review concludes by highlighting key knowledge gaps and priorities for future research including, but not limited to, better understanding aetiological factors, long‐term consequences and treatment.
Association between physician age and patterns of end‐of‐life care among older Americans
Authors: Gotanda Hiroshi , Ikesu Ryo , Walling Anne M. , Zhang Jessica J. , Xu Haiyong , Reuben David B. , Wenger Neil S. , Damberg Cheryl L. , Zingmond David S. , Jena Anupam B. , Gross Nate , Tsugawa Yusuke
Published: May 2024

Background

End‐of‐life (EOL) care patterns may differ by physician age given differences in how physicians are trained or changes associated with aging. We sought to compare patterns of EOL care delivered to older Americans according to physician age.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional study of a 20% sample of Medicare fee‐for‐service beneficiaries aged ≥66 years who died in 2016–2019 (n = 487,293). We attributed beneficiaries to the physician who had >50% of primary care visits during the last 6 months of life. We compared beneficiary‐level outcomes by physician age (<40, 40–49, 50–59, or ≥60) in two areas: (1) advance care planning (ACP) and palliative care; and (2) high‐intensity care at the EOL.

Results

Beneficiaries attributed to younger physicians had slightly higher proportions of billed ACP (adjusted proportions, 17.1%, 16.1%, 15.5%, and 14.0% for physicians aged <40, 40–49, 50–59, and ≥60, respectively; p‐for‐trend adjusted for multiple comparisons <0.001) and palliative care counseling or hospice use in the last 180 days of life (64.5%, 63.6%, 61.9%, and 60.8%; p‐for‐trend <0.001). Similarly, physicians' younger age was associated with slightly lower proportions of emergency department visits (57.4%, 57.0%, 57.4%, and 58.1%; p‐for‐trend <0.001), hospital admissions (51.2%, 51.1%, 51.4%, and 52.1%; p‐for‐trend <0.001), intensive care unit admissions (27.8%, 27.9%, 28.2%, and 28.3%; p‐for‐trend = 0.03), or mechanical ventilation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (14.2, 14.9%, 15.2%, and 15.3%; p‐for‐trend <0.001) in the last 30 days of life, and in‐hospital death (20.2%, 20.6%, 21.3%, and 21.5%; p‐for‐trend <0.001).

Conclusions

We found that differences in patterns of EOL care between beneficiaries cared for by younger and older physicians were small, and thus, not clinically meaningful. Future research is warranted to understand the factors that can influence patterns of EOL care provided by physicians, including initial and continuing medical education.
Spousal bereavement and four‐year trajectories of medication use: A nationwide register‐based study in Swedish older adults
Authors: Maura Géric , Blotière Pierre‐Olivier , Wastesson Jonas W. , Johnell Kristina
Published: May 2024

Background

Medication use around widowhood has been poorly described for most medication classes. Medication use patterns can reflect health consequences of spousal loss, as previously shown for psychotropic drugs.

Methods

We used data from nationwide health registers (2008–2020) to describe the patterns of use of dispensed medications in all widowed Swedes aged ≥65 years followed between 2 years before and 2 years after spousal death. All prescription drugs used by at least 5% of the cohort were considered according to their therapeutic subgroups (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical [ATC] classification system 2nd level). We used group‐based trajectory models to cluster widowed individuals into up to 4 distinct longitudinal patterns of monthly medication use. We ranked the therapeutic subgroups with similar patterns according to their plausibility to reflect potential health effects of spousal loss, compared to those of psycholeptics (mainly anxiolytics, hypnotics) and psychoanaleptics (mainly antidepressants) as the references.

Results

From 212,111 widowed adults included (68% female and 70% aged ≥75 years), we observed a significant increasing trend in medication use, especially after spousal death, for 21 out of the 39 different therapeutic subgroups that were used by at least 5% (most represented pharmacological groups: cardiovascular system, nervous system, and alimentary tract and metabolism). This increasing trend often concerned only a small proportion of individuals, with varying magnitude and speed of change in medication use across therapeutic subgroups. The patterns of use of antiepileptics, laxatives, skin emollients/protectives, analgesics, and drugs for anemia, constipation, or peptic ulcers, were the closest to those of references, displaying the largest changes in use, and were therefore ranked as the most likely to reflect health effects of spousal loss.

Conclusion

Our results confirmed the increase in psychotropic medications' use in widowed older adults and identified several potential physical health effects of spousal loss that warrant further research.
Care cascades following low‐value cervical cancer screening in dually enrolled Veterans
Authors: Pickering Aimee N. , Zhao Xinhua , Sileanu Florentina E. , Lovelace Elijah Z. , Rose Liam , Schwartz Aaron L. , Hale Jennifer A. , Schleiden Loren J. , Gellad Walid F. , Fine Michael J. , Thorpe Carolyn T. , Radomski Thomas R.
Published: May 2024

Background

Veterans dually enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and Medicare commonly experience downstream services as part of a care cascade after an initial low‐value service. Our objective was to characterize the frequency and cost of low‐value cervical cancer screening and subsequent care cascades among Veterans dually enrolled in VA and Medicare.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used VA and Medicare administrative data from fiscal years 2015 to 2019. The study cohort was comprised of female Veterans aged >65 years and at low risk of cervical cancer who were dually enrolled in VA and Medicare. Within this cohort, we compared differences in the rates and costs of cascade services related to low‐value cervical cancer screening for Veterans who received and did not receive screening in FY2018, adjusting for baseline patient‐ and facility‐level covariates using inverse probability of treatment weighting.

Results

Among 20,972 cohort‐eligible Veterans, 494 (2.4%) underwent low‐value cervical cancer screening with 301 (60.9%) initial screens occurring in VA and 193 (39%) occurring in Medicare. Veterans who were screened experienced an additional 26.7 (95% CI, 16.4–37.0) cascade services per 100 Veterans compared to those who were not screened, contributing to $2919.4 (95% CI, −265 to 6104.7) per 100 Veterans in excess costs. Care cascades consisted predominantly of subsequent cervical cancer screening procedures and related outpatient visits with low rates of invasive procedures and occurred in both VA and Medicare.

Conclusions

Veterans dually enrolled in VA and Medicare commonly receive related downstream tests and visits as part of care cascades following low‐value cervical cancer screening. Our findings demonstrate that to fully capture the extent to which individuals are subject to low‐value care, it is important to examine downstream care stemming from initial low‐value services across all systems from which individuals receive care.
Antibody engagement with amyloid‐beta does not inhibit [11C]PiB binding for PET imaging
Authors: Xiong Mengfei , Dahlén Amelia , Roshanbin Sahar , Wik Elin , Aguilar Ximena , Eriksson Jonas , Sehlin Dag , Syvänen Stina
Published: May 2024

The elimination of amyloid‐beta (Aβ) plaques in Alzheimer's disease patients after treatment with anti‐Aβ antibodies such as lecanemab and aducanumab is supported by a substantially decreased signal in amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. However, this decreased PET signal has not been matched by a similar substantial effect on cognitive function. There may be several reasons for this, including short treatment duration and advanced disease stages among the patients. However, one aspect that has not been investigated, and the subject of this study, is whether antibody engagement with amyloid plaques inhibits the binding of amyloid‐PET ligands, leading to a false impression of Aβ removal from the brain. In the present study, tg‐ArcSwe mice received three injections of RmAb158, the murine version of lecanemab or phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) before the administration of the amyloid‐PET radioligand [11C]PiB, followed by isolation of brain tissue. Autoradiography showed that RmAb158‐ and PBS‐treated mice displayed similar [11C]PiB binding. Moreover, the total Aβ1–40 levels, representing the major Aβ species of plaques in the tg‐ArcSwe model, as well as soluble triggering receptor on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2) levels, were similar in both groups. Interestingly, the concentration of soluble Aβ aggregates was decreased in the RmAb158‐treated group, along with a small but significant decrease in the total Aβ1–42 levels. In conclusion, this study indicates that the binding of [11C]PiB to Aβ accurately mirrors the load of Aβ plaques in the brain, aligning with how amyloid‐PET is interpreted in clinical studies of anti‐Aβ antibodies. However, early treatment effects on soluble Aβ aggregates and Aβ1–42 levels were not detected.

image
Quantitative morphological analysis framework of infant cranial sutures and fontanelles based on CT images
Authors: Chen Siyuan , Kleiven Svein , Thiblin Ingemar , Li Xiaogai
Published: May 2024

Characterizing the suture morphological variation is a crucial step to investigate the influence of sutures on infant head biomechanics. This study aimed to establish a comprehensive quantitative framework for accurately capturing the cranial suture and fontanelle morphologies in infants. A total of 69 CT scans of 2–4 month‐old infant heads were segmented to identify semilandmarks at the borders of cranial sutures and fontanelles. Morphological characteristics, including length, width, sinuosity index (SI), and surface area, were measured. For this, an automatic method was developed to determine the junction points between sutures and fontanelles, and thin‐plate‐spline (TPS) was utilized for area calculation. Different dimensionality reduction methods were compared, including nonlinear and linear principal component analysis (PCA), as well as deep‐learning‐based variational autoencoder (VAE). Finally, the significance of various covariates was analyzed, and regression analysis was performed to establish a statistical model relating morphological parameters with global parameters. This study successfully developed a quantitative morphological framework and demonstrate its application in quantifying morphologies of infant sutures and fontanelles, which were shown to significantly relate to global parameters of cranial size, suture SI, and surface area for infants aged 2–4 months. The developed framework proved to be reliable and applicable in extracting infant suture morphology features from CT scans. The demonstrated application highlighted its potential to provide valuable insights into the morphologies of infant cranial sutures and fontanelles, aiding in the diagnosis of suture‐related skull fractures. Infant suture, Infant fontanelle, Morphological variation, Morphology analysis framework, Statistical model.
311 calls and neighborhood attributes: A panel study of housing prices
Authors: Zhang Sumei , Li Yanmei , Boamah Emmanuel Frimpong
Published: May 2024

This article aims to incorporate social relations into panel hedonic price modeling analyses, examining how the social conditions of neighborhoods are integrated into local housing markets. To achieve this, we utilize Jefferson County, Kentucky, as a case study and decompose publicly available 311 data, which consist of nonemergency concerns and requests reported by residents, into subcategories to proxy the diverse aspects of social relations. Our findings reveal several key insights: (1) 311 data are characterized by their complexity and encompass a wide range of inputs from residents, necessitating careful interpretation; (2) the overall number of 311 reports may offer limited utility in disclosing social relations; (3) specific categories of 311 reports pertaining to public domain issues hold potential as indicators of social relations. Reports on incivilities, for instance, can serve as proxies for conflicting social relations and exhibit negative impacts on housing prices. Conversely, reports on natural deterioration, environmental concerns, and planning issues demonstrate positive impacts on housing prices, suggesting their utility as indicators for social capital within housing studies.
Hand in hand: Consuming symbols, language and identity in post‐ETA Basque society
Authors: Aguirresarobe Asier H.
Published: May 2024

This study examines the evolution of ethnic symbol consumption in the Basque Country following the end of ETA's violent activities in 2011. It delves into the shifting political and cultural context of the Basque provinces during this period, underscoring the impact that terrorism and its cessation have had on creating distinct patterns of cultural consumption. The focus then turns towards the case of the ‘Hand of Irulegi’, an Iron Age relic discovered in 2022 that allegedly contains the oldest inscription in an ancestor of Euskera—the Basque language. The paper argues that the rapid adoption of the Hand of Irulegi by Basque society as an ethnic symbol is directly related to transformations in the conception of Basque identity in the aftermath of ETA's dissolution. These transformations include, mainly, the intentional forgetting of recent historical events by a large segment of Basque citizens and the emergence of Euskera as the main fulcrum of contemporary Basque cultural identity. The Hand, due to its chronological remoteness and its exclusive association with the Basque language, seems to be custom‐made to serve as a symbol for this new type of identification.
Phyllosphere fungal diversity generates pervasive nonadditive effects on plant performance
Authors: Almeida Brianna K. , Tran Elan H. , Afkhami Michelle E.
Published: May 2024

Plants naturally harbor diverse microbiomes that can dramatically impact their health and productivity. However, it remains unclear how fungal microbiome diversity, especially in the phyllosphere, impacts intermicrobial interactions and consequent nonadditive effects on plant productivity.

Combining manipulative experiments, field collections, culturing, microbiome sequencing, and synthetic consortia, we experimentally tested for the first time how foliar fungal community diversity impacts plant productivity. We inoculated morning glories (Ipomoea hederifolia L.) with 32 phyllosphere consortia of either low or high diversity or with single fungal taxa, and measured effects on plant productivity and allocation.

We found the following: (1) nonadditive effects were pervasive with 56% of fungal consortia interacting synergistically or antagonistically to impact plant productivity, including some consortia capable of generating acute synergism (e.g. > 1000% increase in productivity above the additive expectation), (2) interactions among ‘commensal’ fungi were responsible for this nonadditivity in diverse consortia, (3) synergistic interactions were approximately four times stronger than antagonistic effects, (4) fungal diversity affected the magnitude but not frequency or direction of nonadditivity, and (5) diversity affected plant performance nonlinearly with the highest performance in low‐diversity treatments.

These findings highlight the importance of interpreting plant–microbiome interactions under a framework that incorporates intermicrobial interactions and nonadditive outcomes to understand natural complexity.
Political psychology and the study of LGBTQI+ groups, politics, and policy: Existing research and future directions
Authors: Flores Andrew , Strode Dakota , Haider‐Markel Donald P.
Published: May 2024

Social science interest in LGBTQI+ politics and policy has grown in the 21st century. Likewise, the political opportunity structure for LGBTQI+ activists has changed significantly, with historical expansions of legal protections only to be followed by the current period of backlash and retrenchment. In this article, we outline existing and potential research in LGBTQI+ politics and policy employing theoretical perspectives from political psychology. Promising advances in the study of LGBTQI+ politics and policy draw on framework and theories grounded in social and political psychology. Nevertheless, we also identify several significant gaps in the literature including the lack of focus on intersectional perspectives, subpopulations such as intersex people and those born with differences in sexual development, and the psychology of LGBTQI+ people and its relevance for their political attitudes and behavior.
Impact and timing of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients undergoing bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial valves: A multicentre randomized controlled trial in patients with severe emphysema
Authors: van der Molen Marieke C. , Posthuma Rein , Hartman Jorine E. , van der Vaart Hester , bij de Vaate Eline , Vaes Anouk W. , van den Borst Bram , van Ranst Dirk , Spruit Martijn A. , Vanfleteren Lowie E. G. W. , Slebos Dirk‐Jan ,   the SoLVE consortium group
Published: May 2024

Background and Objective

Both bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial valves (BLVR‐EBV) and pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) are effective treatments for improving exercise capacity and patient‐reported outcomes in patients with severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). According to current recommendations, all BLVR‐EBV patients should have undergone PR first. Our aim was to study the effects of PR both before and after BLVR‐EBV compared to BLVR‐EBV alone.

Methods

We included patients with severe COPD who were eligible for BLVR‐EBV and PR. Participants were randomized into three groups: PR before BLVR‐EBV, PR after BLVR‐EBV or BLVR‐EBV without PR. The primary outcome was change in constant work rate cycle test (CWRT) endurance time at 6‐month follow‐up of the PR groups compared to BLVR‐EBV alone. Secondary endpoints included changes in 6‐minute walking test, daily step count, dyspnoea and health‐related quality of life.

Results

Ninety‐seven participants were included. At 6‐month follow‐up, there was no difference in change in CWRT endurance time between the PR before BLVR‐EBV and BLVR‐EBV alone groups (median: 421 [IQR: 44; 1304] vs. 787 [123; 1024] seconds, p = 0.82) or in any of the secondary endpoints, but the PR after BLVR‐EBV group exhibited a smaller improvement in CWRT endurance time (median: 107 [IQR: 2; 573], p = 0.04) and health‐related quality of life compared to BLVR‐EBV alone.

Conclusion

The addition of PR to BLVR‐EBV did not result in increased exercise capacity, daily step count or improved patient‐reported outcomes compared to BLVR‐EBV alone, neither when PR was administered before BLVR‐EBV nor when PR was administered after BLVR‐EBV.
Effects of two types of surface treatments on the structural elasticity of human fingernails
Authors: Tohmyoh Hironori , Abukawa Masaru
Published: May 2024

Background

The human nail has a three‐layered structure. Although it would be useful to quantitatively evaluate the changes in deformability of the nail due to various surface treatments, few studies have been conducted.

Methods

The effects of two types of surface treatment—a chemically acting nail softener and a physically acting nail strengthener—on the deformability of human fingernails were investigated. The Young's modulus of each plate of the nail samples before and after softening treatment was determined by nanoindentation. The Young's modulus of the strengthener was determined by conducting a three‐point bending test on a polyethylene sheet coated with the strengthener.

Results

Young's modulus decreased in order from the top plate against the softening treatment time, and the structural elasticity for bending deformation (SEB) of the nail sample, which expresses the deformability against bending deformation independent of its external dimensions, decreased to 60% after 6 h of treatment. The Young's modulus of the nail strengthener was 244.5 MPa, which is less than 10% of the SEB of the nail. When the nail strengthener was applied to the nail surface, the SEB decreased to 73%, whereas the flexural rigidity increased to 117%.

Conclusion

Changes in nail deformability caused by various surface treatments for softening and hardening were quantitatively evaluated successfully.
Characterisation of the novel HLA‐B*35:593 allele using short and long‐read sequencing technologies
Authors: Secco Danielle , Santos Angela , Cunha Mayara , Vianna Romulo , Porto Luís Cristóvão
Published: May 2024

The novel HLA‐B*35:593 allele, first described in a potential bone marrow donor from Brazil.
Soil characteristics and management system influence weed–crop competition
Authors: Baraibar Bàrbara , Knudsen Clàudia
Published: May 2024

The resource pool diversity hypothesis (RPDH) posits that organic systems that include diverse crop rotations, green manure and organic fertilizers have a greater diversity of resource pools that can alleviate weed–crop competition compared to conventional systems. To test the RPDH, wheat (Triticum aestivum) and wild oats (Avena sterilis) in winter, and maize (Zea mays) and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) in summer, were grown in pots in soils from organic (ORG) and conventional (CONV) fields, with contrasting number of estimated resource pools. A replacement series design with proportions of crop: weed of 0:1, 0.25:0.75, 0.5:0.5, 0.75:0.25 and 1:0 was used. Half of the pots received an organic‐mineral fertilizer (F) and the other half did not (NF). Aerial biomass of all plants was measured. Relative Crowding Coefficient (RCC) and the product of RCC (RCCP) for each crop and weed biomass were estimated by modelling the biomass across crop: weed proportions. RCCP larger than one was used as an indicator of overyielding. In the winter experiment, wheat always outcompeted wild oats and we did not detect overyielding across fields with different number of pools, system or fertilizer. In the summer experiment, we found overyielding in ORG NF fields. Functionally different species like maize and Palmer amaranth may have been extracting nutrients from diverse pools in organic NF fields whereas with the addition of fertilizer, Palmer amaranth outcompeted maize. Biomass of monoculture crop and weed in both experiments were positively correlated with number of estimated pools, even if none of the competition indexes were. Our results provide some support for the RPHD in species that are functionally different but also question the definition and nature of the nutrient pools, as well as emphasize the need for more research in the area.
Las bicicletas con pedaleo asistido. Exclusión del ámbito del seguro obligatorio de la responsabilidad civil del automóvil. Sentencia del TJUE 12 de octubre de 2023 (Asunto c-286/22 | KBC Verzekeringen)
Authors: Tapia Hermida Alberto J.
Published: May 2024

Este comentario examina la Sentencia de la Sala Quinta del TJUE 12 de octubre de 2023 que resuelve la petición de decisión prejudicial planteada ante el TJUE por el Tribunal de Casación de Bélgica que tiene por objeto la interpretación del artículo 1.1, sobre el concepto de vehículo de la Directiva 2009/103/CE declarando la exclusión de las bicicletas con pedaleo asistido de su ámbito.
Examen legislativo a los intermediarios de seguros y su régimen de responsabilidad en Colombia: ¿complementar las normas vigentes o fomentar su conocimiento y promover su cumplimiento?
Authors: Coronado Sabogal Diego Alejandro
Published: May 2024

Un examen  al estado actual de la legislación colombiana sobre los intermediarios de seguros y su régimen de responsabilidad civil, cuestionándose si resulta más beneficioso para el consumidor financiero complementar las normas vigentes a fin de lograr un marco normativo integral, o fomentar el conocimiento y cumplimiento de las regulaciones existentes sobre la materia. El autor evalúa imprecisiones y vacíos en las leyes vigentes al definir cada tipo de intermediario, su objeto social, su naturaleza jurídica y su régimen de responsabilidad.
La prescripción en el contrato de seguro, especial análisis de la prescripción aplicable al asegurado y a la víctima en su calidad de beneficiario del seguro de responsabilidad civil
Authors: Duque Quiceno Daniel Felipe
Published: May 2024

Incontables discusiones se han suscitado con ocasión del estudio del artículo 1131 del Código de Comercio en cuanto a la prescripción de los derechos que tienen las víctimas en su calidad de beneficiarios del seguro, optando la jurisprudencia por exponer una teoría según la cual, remitiéndose al artículo 1081 de este estatuto, indica que en estos casos solo es aplicable la prescripción extraordinaria, generando varias inquietudes como las que a continuación mencionamos: ¿Es válida esta interpretación?; ¿afecta esta interpretación la prescripción de los derechos del asegurado?; ¿cómo debe modernizarse el Código de Comercio para zanjar esta discusión?.
Responsabilidad de las aseguradoras por incumplimiento de reservas en Colombia: Análisis de las consecuencias ante omisiones legales en el sistema financiero colombiano
Authors: Laverde Gaona Juan Camilo
Published: May 2024

El presente artículo examina la responsabilidad y las posibles sanciones para las aseguradoras colombianas que no cumplan con su obligación legal de acumular reservas técnicas antes de un siniestro. Aunque este incumplimiento no viola directamente el contrato de seguro del titular de la póliza, la Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (SFC) puede imponer sanciones administrativas como consecuencia de este. Al garantizar que las aseguradoras cuenten con los recursos para cumplir con sus responsabilidades en caso de siniestro, esta previsión busca brindar seguridad a los asegurados. De hecho, la constitución de reservas técnicas con anterioridad a la ocurrencia de un siniestro se considera indispensable para preservar la estabilidad y solvencia de los sistemas financiero y asegurador. Además, el objetivo de esta provisión es garantizar los intereses de los asegurados y evitar posibles problemas financieros.
Representación de la vejez en la televisión española: los personajes mayores de 65 años en la televisión en abierto y en plataformas
Authors: Marcos Ramos María , Martín García Teresa , González de Garay Domínguez Beatriz
Published: May 2024

El aumento de porcentaje de población de más de 65 años en España no parece corresponderse con la presencia de personajes mayores de 65 años en las series de ficción. En esta investigación se analiza la representación de este colectivo en la ficción audiovisual emitida en la televisión generalista y en las plataformas audiovisuales. Se han analizado dos submuestras de capítulos de series de ficción emitidas en televisión generalista y en plataformas que suman un total de 2007 personajes (n = 1238 y n = 770, respectivamente), recurriendo a una metodología cuantitativa, utilizando la técnica de análisis de contenido. Entre los resultados, cabe resaltar que los personajes mayores de 65 años están infrarrepresentados, hablan menos sobre ciertos temas que los personajes jóvenes y existe una escasa representación de diversidad sexual.
La verificación de bulos relacionados con el feminismo: un análisis de los desmentidos sobre género publicados en Maldita.es y Newtral
Authors: Meléndez Malavé Natalia , Pérez Quintana Paula
Published: May 2024

La circulación de desinformación aumentó en un 365% en 2017 según el informe Approaching the Future (2018). En 2019, casi un tercio de las consultas que recibió el medio Maldita.es, correspondían a cuestiones de género, según este mismo informó. Esta investigación pretende estudiar, a través del análisis de los desmentidos sobre cuestiones de género publicados en las secciones de los medios dedicados a la verificación españoles Newtral y Maldito Feminismo y de la percepción de periodistas expertas, el tránsito de las falsedades en torno a la igualdad de las mujeres. Los resultados muestran cómo la mayoría de bulos recurren al mito de las denuncias falsas por violencia machista y manipulan datos oficiales para cuestionar la utilidad de la Ley contra la Violencia de Género. Se difunden principalmente por redes sociales, canales de mensajería y pseudomedios y, mayoritariamente, pueden verificarse recurriendo a fuentes documentales de fácil acceso abiertas a la ciudadanía.
Analysis, Simulation, and Experiments of Dynamics and Control of a Hydrostatic Wind Turbine Under Partial Load
Authors: Leinberger Mark , Mohanty Biswaranjan , Stelson Kim A.
Published: May 2024

K ω 2 control, also called torque control, is a popular method for maximizing wind turbine power. For hydrostatic wind turbines, torque control becomes pressure control with pc = K′ω2 because pressure is proportional to torque. Inverse Kω2 control is an alternative approach using rotor speed control with ωc = (p/K′)1/2. This work analyzes the dynamics of hydrostatic wind turbines using forward and inverse Kω2 control with P-, proportional derivative, proportional integral, and proportional integral derivative-control for feedback. Dimensionless, linearized models are used. Analysis shows that the mechanical rotor dynamics are much slower than the hydrostatic transmission dynamics and that frictional and leakage losses are negligible. Linear perturbation of the nonlinear model reveals that the closed-loop control is not in Evan's form so that closed-loop poles and zeros both vary with the loop gain. Pole and zero root locus analysis shows how systems responses change with controller gains. Both control approaches require derivative controller action to sufficiently dampen their responses; both are also fundamentally limited in speed of response by a slow stable pole regardless of controller loop gains. Nonlinear system simulation shows that both control approaches track the maximum power point with nearly identical transient behavior and have nearly identical power losses when using suboptimal values of the control law gain, K. Pressure control has a gain margin of infinity and a phase margin of 99.3 deg, while speed control has a gain margin of 22.4 dB and a phase margin of 73.8 deg showing that pressure control is more robust than speed control. Experiments using the power regenerative hydrostatic test stand at the University of Minnesota show that the control approaches have different transient responses but capture comparable power under steady and turbulent conditions.
Effects of Detraining on Physical Capacity and Its Relationship With Depressive Symptoms, Quality of Life and Sedentary Behavior in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Cassemiliano Gabriela , Farche Ana C.S. , Lee Stefany , Rossi Paulo G. , Message Laura B. , dos Santos Tainara R. , Santos Vinícius R.S. , Takahashi Anielle C.M.
Published: May 2024

Background: Detraining is the partial or complete loss of physical training-induced adaptations as a result of exercise interruption or reduction. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the discontinuation of many older adult exercise programs and led to increased depressive symptoms (DS), increased sedentary behavior (SB), and decreased quality of life (QoL). Objective: To evaluate the effects of detraining, in the pandemic, on physical capacity and its relationship with DS, QoL, and SB of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: The physical capacity (static balance, dynamic balance, and lower limb and handgrip strength) of 35 participants was assessed prepandemic and after 18 and 24 months of the pandemic. DS, QoL, and SB were evaluated only at 18-month period. The analysis of variance for repeated measures or the Friedman and Pearson or Spearman tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: There was a decline in dynamic balance (p < .001) and strength in the lower limbs (p < .001) in the first 18 months, as well as maintenance in the following 6 months. The reduction in dynamic balance during the 18 months of the pandemic was associated with greater DS (p = .015; r = .414) and worse QoL (p = .024; r = −.381) in this period. More time spent on SB (p = .024; r = .386) in the 18th month was associated with worse dynamic balance in the following 6 months. Conclusion: Detraining in the pandemic setting led to long-lasting harmful effects, which can last for 2 years, on the physical capacity of community-dwelling older adults. Implication: Our findings highlight how periods of detraining can interfere in physical and mental health of older adults.
Future malaria environmental suitability in Africa is sensitive to hydrology
Authors: Smith Mark W. , Willis Thomas , Mroz Elizabeth , James William H. M. , Klaar Megan J. , Gosling Simon N. , Thomas Christopher J.
Published: May 2024

Changes in climate shift the geographic locations that are suitable for malaria transmission because of the thermal constraints on vector
Anopheles
mosquitos and
Plasmodium
spp. malaria parasites and the lack of availability of surface water for vector breeding. Previous Africa-wide assessments have tended to solely represent surface water using precipitation, ignoring many important hydrological processes. Here, we applied a validated and weighted ensemble of global hydrological and climate models to estimate present and future areas of hydroclimatic suitability for malaria transmission. With explicit surface water representation, we predict a net decrease in areas suitable for malaria transmission from 2025 onward, greater sensitivity to future greenhouse gas emissions, and different, more complex, malaria transmission patterns. Areas of malaria transmission that are projected to change are smaller than those estimated by precipitation-based estimates but are associated with greater changes in transmission season lengths.
Large quantum anomalous Hall effect in spin-orbit proximitized rhombohedral graphene
Authors: Han Tonghang , Lu Zhengguang , Yao Yuxuan , Yang Jixiang , Seo Junseok , Yoon Chiho , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Fu Liang , Zhang Fan , Ju Long
Published: May 2024

The quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) is a robust topological phenomenon that features quantized Hall resistance at zero magnetic field. We report the QAHE in a rhombohedral pentalayer graphene-monolayer tungsten disulfide (WS
2
) heterostructure. Distinct from other experimentally confirmed QAHE systems, this system has neither magnetic element nor moiré superlattice effect. The QAH states emerge at charge neutrality and feature Chern numbers
C
= ±5 at temperatures of up to about 1.5 kelvin. This large QAHE arises from the synergy of the electron correlation in intrinsic flat bands of pentalayer graphene, the gate-tuning effect, and the proximity-induced Ising spin-orbit coupling. Our experiment demonstrates the potential of crystalline two-dimensional materials for intertwined electron correlation and band topology physics and may enable a route for engineering chiral Majorana edge states.
States of mind
Then I Am Myself the World: What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It
Christof Koch
Basic Books, 2024. 288 pp.
Authors: Block Ned
Published: May 2024

A neuroscientist searches for the seat of consciousness
In Other Journals
Authors: Hurtley Stella M. , Lavine Marc S. , Ross Sarah H. , Kelly Priscilla N. , Nusinovich Yevgeniya , Yeston Jake S. , Smith Keith T.
Published: May 2024

Editors’ selections from the current scientific literature