bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance investigation of a low-power Hall thruster fed on iodine propellant
Authors: XU 徐 Zongqi 宗琦 , WANG 王 Pingyang 平阳 , CAI 蔡 Dongsheng 东升 , TAN 谭 Rui 睿 , JIANG 姜 Wenjing 文静
Published: January 2024

The common propellants used for electric thrusters, such as xenon and krypton, are rare, expensive, and difficult to acquire. Solid iodine attracts much attention with the advantages of low cost, extensive availability, low vapor pressure, and ionization potential. The performance of a low-power iodine-fed Hall thruster matched with a xenon-fed cathode is investigated across a broad range of operation conditions. Regulation of the iodine vapor’s mass flow rates is stably achieved by using a temperature control method of the iodine reservoir. The thrust measurements are finished utilizing a thrust target during the tests. Results show that thrust and anode-specific impulse increase approximately linearly with the increasing iodine mass flow rate. At the nominal power of 200 W class, iodine mass flow rates are 0.62 and 0.93 mg/s, thrusts are 7.19 and 7.58 mN, anode specific impulses are 1184 and 826 s, anode efficiencies are 20.8% and 14.5%, and thrust to power ratios are 35.9 and 37.9 mN/kW under the conditions of 250 V, 0.8 A and 200 V, 1.0 A, respectively. The operating characteristics of iodine-fed Hall thruster are analyzed in different states. Further work on the measurements of plasma characteristics and experimental optimization will be carried out.
Foxp2 deficiency impairs reproduction by modulating the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis in zebrafish
Authors: Wang Maya , Luo Juanjuan , Dai Lu , Feng Meilan , Cao Xiaoqian , Zhang Jiannan , Wan Yiping , Yang Xiaojun , Wang Yajun
Published: January 2024

FOXP2 was initially characterized as a transcription factor linked to speech and language disorders. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals that Foxp2 is enriched in the gonadotrope cluster of the pituitary gland and colocalized with the hormones LHB and FSHB in chickens and mice, implying that FOXP2 might be associated with reproduction in vertebrates. Herein, we investigated the roles of foxp2 in reproduction in a Foxp2-deficient zebrafish model. The results indicated that the loss of Foxp2 inhibits courtship behavior in adult male zebrafish. Notably, Foxp2 deficiency disrupts gonad development, leading to retardation of follicle development and a decrease in oocytes in females at the full-growth stage, among other phenotypes. The transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) also revealed that differentially expressed genes clustered into the estrogen signaling and ovarian steroidogenesis-related signaling pathways. In addition, we found that Foxp2 deficiency could modulate the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, especially the regulation of lhb and fshb expression, in zebrafish. In contrast, the injection of human chorionic gonadotropin, a specific LH agonist, partially rescues Foxp2-impaired reproduction in zebrafish, suggesting that Foxp2 plays an important role in the regulation of reproduction via the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis in zebrafish. Thus, our findings reveal a new role for Foxp2 in the regulation of reproduction in vertebrates.
Towards a patient-centred definition for atopic dermatitis flare: a qualitative study of adults with atopic dermatitis
Authors: Dainty Katie N , Thibau Isabelle J C , Amog Krystle , Drucker Aaron M , Wyke Matthew , Begolka Wendy Smith
Published: January 2024

Background

The term ‘flare’ is used across multiple diseases, including atopic dermatitis (AD), to describe increased disease activity. While several definitions of an AD flare have been proposed, no single definition of AD flare is widely accepted and it is unclear what the term ‘AD flare’ means from the patient perspective.

Objectives

To understand AD flares from the adult patient perspective and to explore how adults with AD define an AD flare.

Methods

Participants were adults with AD recruited from the National Eczema Association Ambassadors programme, a volunteer patient-engagement programme. They participated in online focus groups to discuss how they describe AD flares from their perspective, how they define its start and stop, and how they relate to existing definitions of flare. Using a grounded theory approach, transcripts were analysed and coded using an iterative process to identify concepts to support a patient-centred conceptual framework of ‘flare’.

Results

Six 90-min focus groups of 3–8 participants each were conducted with 29 US adults (≥ 18 years of age) with AD who had at least one self-reported AD flare in the past year. When participants were presented with examples of previously published definitions of AD flare, participants found them problematic and unrelatable. Specifically, they felt that flare is hard to quantify or put on a numerical scale, definitions cannot solely be about skin symptoms and clinical verbiage does not resonate with patients’ lived experiences. Concepts identified by patients as important to a definition of flare were changes from patient’s baseline/patient’s normal, mental/emotional/social consequences, physical changes in skin, attention needed/all-consuming focus, itch–scratch–burn cycle and control/loss of control/quality of life. Figuring out the trigger that initiated a flare was an underlying concept of the experience of flare but was not considered a contributor to the definition.

Conclusions

The results highlight the complexity and diversity of AD flare experiences from the adult patient perspective. Previously published definitions of AD flares did not resonate with patients, suggesting a need for a patient-centred flare definition to support care conversations and AD management.
The alteration of mucosal bile acid profile is associated with nerve growth factor expression in mast cells and bowel symptoms in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Wu Bi-Yu , Xu Ping , Cheng Li , Wang Qian-Qian , Qiu Hong-Yi , Yan Xiu-Juan , Chen Sheng-Liang
Published: January 2024

Mucosal bile acid (BA) profile is still unestablished in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). The aim of this study was to explore colonic mucosal BAs and their associations with mucosal mast cell (MMC)-derived nerve growth factor (NGF) and bowel symptoms in IBS-D. Colonic mucosal biopsies from 36 IBS-D patients and 35 healthy controls (HCs) were obtained for targeted BA profiling. MMC count and the expression of NGF and tight junction proteins (TJPs) were examined. We found that colonic mucosal BA profile was altered in the IBS-D cohort. The proportion of primary BAs was significantly higher and that of secondary BAs was lower in IBS-D patients. According to the 90th percentile of total mucosal BA content of HCs, IBS-D patients were divided into BA-H (n = 7, 19.4%) and BA-L (n = 29, 80.6%) subgroups. BA-H patients showed significantly higher total mucosal BA content compared to BA-L subgroup and HCs. The mucosal content of 11 BA metabolites significantly increased in BA-H subgroup, e.g. cholic acid (CA) and taurocholic acid (TCA). Moreover, BA-H patients displayed significantly elevated MMC count and NGF expression, with decreased expression of TJPs (claudin-1, junctional adhesion molecule-A and zonula occludens-1). Correlation analyses revealed that mucosal TCA content positively correlated with MMC count, MMC-derived NGF levels, and abdominal pain while negatively correlated with TJP expression. In conclusion, IBS-D patients showed an altered BA profile in the colonic mucosa. Approximately 20% of them exhibit elevated mucosal BA content, which may be associated with MMC-derived NGF signaling and bowel symptoms.
Virtual pacing of a patient’s digital twin to predict left ventricular reverse remodelling after cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: Koopsen Tijmen , Gerrits Willem , van Osta Nick , van Loon Tim , Wouters Philippe , Prinzen Frits W , Vernooy Kevin , Delhaas Tammo , Teske Arco J , Meine Mathias , Cramer Maarten J , Lumens Joost
Published: January 2024

Aims

Identifying heart failure (HF) patients who will benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains challenging. We evaluated whether virtual pacing in a digital twin (DT) of the patient’s heart could be used to predict the degree of left ventricular (LV) reverse remodelling post-CRT.

Methods and results

Forty-five HF patients with wide QRS complex (≥130 ms) and reduced LV ejection fraction (≤35%) receiving CRT were retrospectively enrolled. Echocardiography was performed before (baseline) and 6 months after CRT implantation to obtain LV volumes and 18-segment longitudinal strain. A previously developed algorithm was used to generate 45 DTs by personalizing the CircAdapt model to each patient’s baseline measurements. From each DT, baseline septal-to-lateral myocardial work difference (MWLW-S,DT) and maximum rate of LV systolic pressure rise (dP/dtmax,DT) were derived. Biventricular pacing was then simulated using patient-specific atrioventricular delay and lead location. Virtual pacing–induced changes ΔMWLW-S,DT and ΔdP/dtmax,DT were correlated with real-world LV end-systolic volume change at 6-month follow-up (ΔLVESV). The DT’s baseline MWLW-S,DT and virtual pacing–induced ΔMWLW-S,DT were both significantly associated with the real patient’s reverse remodelling ΔLVESV (r = −0.60, P < 0.001 and r = 0.62, P < 0.001, respectively), while correlation between ΔdP/dtmax,DT and ΔLVESV was considerably weaker (r = −0.34, P = 0.02).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the reduction of septal-to-lateral work imbalance by virtual pacing in the DT can predict real-world post-CRT LV reverse remodelling. This DT approach could prove to be an additional tool in selecting HF patients for CRT and has the potential to provide valuable insights in optimization of CRT delivery.
Counting the genetic ancestors from source populations in members of an admixed population
Authors: Agranat-Tamir Lily , Mooney Jazlyn A , Rosenberg Noah A
Published: January 2024

In a genetically admixed population, admixed individuals possess genealogical and genetic ancestry from multiple source groups. Under a mechanistic model of admixture, we study the number of distinct ancestors from the source populations that the admixture represents. Combining a mechanistic admixture model with a recombination model that describes the probability that a genealogical ancestor is a genetic ancestor, for a member of a genetically admixed population, we count genetic ancestors from the source populations—those genealogical ancestors from the source populations who contribute to the genome of the modern admixed individual. We compare patterns in the numbers of genealogical and genetic ancestors across the generations. To illustrate the enumeration of genetic ancestors from source populations in an admixed group, we apply the model to the African-American population, extending recent results on the numbers of African and European genealogical ancestors that contribute to the pedigree of an African-American chosen at random, so that we also evaluate the numbers of African and European genetic ancestors who contribute to random African-American genomes. The model suggests that the autosomal genome of a random African-American born in the interval 1960–1965 contains genetic contributions from a mean of 162 African (standard deviation 47, interquartile range 127–192) and 32 European ancestors (standard deviation 14, interquartile range 21–43). The enumeration of genetic ancestors can potentially be performed in other diploid species in which admixture and recombination models can be specified.
Distinct genomic contexts predict gene presence–absence variation in different pathotypes of Magnaporthe oryzae
Authors: Joubert Pierre M , Krasileva Ksenia V
Published: January 2024

Fungi use the accessory gene content of their pangenomes to adapt to their environments. While gene presence–absence variation contributes to shaping accessory gene reservoirs, the genomic contexts that shape these events remain unclear. Since pangenome studies are typically species-wide and do not analyze different populations separately, it is yet to be uncovered whether presence–absence variation patterns and mechanisms are consistent across populations. Fungal plant pathogens are useful models for studying presence–absence variation because they rely on it to adapt to their hosts, and members of a species often infect distinct hosts. We analyzed gene presence–absence variation in the blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae (syn. Pyricularia oryzae), and found that presence–absence variation genes involved in host–pathogen and microbe–microbe interactions may drive the adaptation of the fungus to its environment. We then analyzed genomic and epigenomic features of presence–absence variation and observed that proximity to transposable elements, gene GC content, gene length, expression level in the host, and histone H3K27me3 marks were different between presence–absence variation genes and conserved genes. We used these features to construct a model that was able to predict whether a gene is likely to experience presence–absence variation with high precision (86.06%) and recall (92.88%) in M. oryzae. Finally, we found that presence–absence variation genes in the rice and wheat pathotypes of M. oryzae differed in their number and their genomic context. Our results suggest that genomic and epigenomic features of gene presence–absence variation can be used to better understand and predict fungal pangenome evolution. We also show that substantial intra-species variation can exist in these features.
An Eulerian finite element method for the linearized Navier–Stokes problem in an evolving domain
Authors: Neilan Michael , Olshanskii Maxim
Published: January 2024

The paper addresses an error analysis of an Eulerian finite element method used for solving a linearized Navier–Stokes problem in a time-dependent domain. In this study, the domain’s evolution is assumed to be known and independent of the solution to the problem at hand. The numerical method employed in the study combines a standard backward differentiation formula-type time-stepping procedure with a geometrically unfitted finite element discretization technique. Additionally, Nitsche’s method is utilized to enforce the boundary conditions. The paper presents a convergence estimate for several velocity–pressure elements that are inf-sup stable. The estimate demonstrates optimal order convergence in the energy norm for the velocity component and a scaled $L^{2}(H^{1})$-type norm for the pressure component.
Essential role of CD155 glycosylation in functional binding to DNAM-1 on natural killer cells
Authors: Tahara Saeko , Okumura Genki , Matsuo Tomohei , Shibuya Akira , Shibuya Kazuko
Published: January 2024

The cluster of differentiation 155 (CD155) is highly expressed on tumor cells and augments or inhibits the cytotoxic activities of natural killer (NK) cells and T cells through its receptor ligands DNAX accessory molecule 1 (DNAM-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin (Ig) and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain (TIGIT), respectively. Although CD155 is heavily glycosylated, the role of glycosylation of CD155 in the cytotoxic activity of effector lymphocytes remains unknown. Here, we show that the N-linked glycosylation at residue 105 (N105 glycosylation) in the first Ig-like domain of CD155 is involved in the binding of CD155 to both DNAM-1 and TIGIT. The N105 glycosylation also plays an essential role to induce signaling in both DNAM-1 and TIGIT reporter cells. Moreover, we show that the N105 glycosylation of CD155 contributes preferentially to the DNAM-1-mediated activating signal over the TIGIT-mediated inhibitory signal in NK cells. Our results demonstrated the important role of the N105 glycosylation of CD155 in DNAM-1 and TIGIT functions and shed new light on the understanding of tumor immune responses.
Predicting the potential distribution of the Pheidole megacephala in light of present and future climate variations
Authors: Ke Zengyuan , Mao Mengfei , Steve Bamisile Bamisope , Li Zhiqiang , Xu Yijuan
Published: January 2024

The big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius), has a widespread distribution across numerous regions globally. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified it as one of the 100 worst invasive alien species worldwide, given the severe ecological and economic harm it causes in invaded areas. In this study, we predicted the present and future global distribution of P. megacephala, taking into account known distribution points and bioclimatic factors. Our results indicated that temperature is the primary factor affecting the distribution of P. megacephala, with potential suitable areas currently found mainly in South America, Southern North America, Western Europe, Coastal areas of the Mediterranean and Red Seas, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Islands in Southeast Asia, and coastal regions of Australia. The total suitable area spans 3,352.48 × 104 km2. In China, the potential suitable area for P. megacephala is 109.02 × 104 km2, representing 11.36% of China’s land area. In the future, based on different climatic conditions, the suitable area of P. megacephala generally showed a declining trend, but some newly added suitable areas showed that it had a tendency to expand to higher latitudes. Relevant agencies should implement effective measures to control P. megacephala populations to mitigate damage in invaded areas and slow down or prevent the spread of big-headed ants into noninvaded regions.
US Forest Service Experimental Forests and Ranges: An Untapped Resource for Social Science
Authors: Charnley Susan , Cerveny Lee K.
Published: January 2024

For a century, US Forest Service experimental forests and ranges (EFRs) have been a resource for scientists conducting long-term research relating to forestry and range management. Social science research has been limited, despite the history of occupation and current use of these sites for activities ranging from resource extraction and recreation to public education. This article encourages researchers to take advantage of the rich, though largely untapped, potential EFRs offer for social science by describing their many human dimensions and providing an overview of potential research topics. These topics include human uses, economics, historical studies, population and land-use change, human values, and interdisciplinary social-ecological studies. Lack of awareness among social scientists, limited budgets and networking, and the predominance of biophysical scientists who administer and conduct research at EFRs appear to be inhibiting the development of social science research there. We suggest ways of overcoming these barriers.
A Pilot Randomized Trial Evaluating the Cool 2 Be Safe Junior Playground Safety Program for Preschool Children
Authors: Cox Amanda , Morrongiello Barbara A
Published: January 2024

Objective

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death to children worldwide, and playgrounds pose a significant risk of injury. Those aged 5 and 6 years are particularly vulnerable to playground injuries. Previous interventions have typically targeted environmental modifications or increased supervision to reduce playground injuries; however, minimal research has focused on implementing behavioral interventions that seek to change children’s safety knowledge and risk-taking behaviors on the playground. The current randomized trial addressed these gaps in the literature and sought to increase preschool children’s hazard awareness skills and knowledge of unsafe playground behaviors and decrease their intentions to engage in risk-taking behaviors on the playground.

Method

A total of 77 children aged 5 and 6 years were tested at a laboratory on a university campus, using a parallel group design, with 38 randomized to the playground intervention group and 39 randomly assigned to a control group. The intervention was manualized and delivered to small groups of children (3–5) over several sessions.

Results

Statistical analyses revealed significant group differences. Intervention experience led to significant increases in hazard awareness skills and knowledge of unsafe playground behaviors, and significant decreases in children’s risk-taking behavioral intentions, whereas those in the control group showed no significant changes in these scores. Attention scores for those in the intervention group highlighted that the program content was successful in maintaining children’s attention and engagement, and memory scores indicated excellent retention of lesson content.

Conclusion

The program shows promise in addressing the issue of unintentional playground injuries in young children.
Sanshimao formula inhibits the hypoxia-induced pro-angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells partly through regulating MKK6/p38 signaling pathway
Authors: Chen Zhe , Wang Man , Lv Xiang , Xu Yannan , Wang Xionghui , Li Bai , Ling Changquan , Du Juan
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Sanshimao (SSM) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study was designed to investigate the effect of SSM on HCC-induced angiogenesis and to explore the potential mechanism.

Methods

The endothelial cells were cultured with HCC cells conditioned medium in the 1% oxygen atmosphere to imitate tumor hypoxia microenvironment. EA.hy926 cells migration and tubulogenesis were detected by tube formation and scratch-wound assay. The protein microarray was employed to explore SSM-targeted proteins in Huh7 cells. We also established an animal model to observe the effects of SSM on angiogenesis in vivo.

Results

The data indicated that SSM reduced HCC-induced migration and tube formation of EA.hy926 cells at low dose under hypoxic conditions. These effects might be partly owing to suppression of HIF-1α-induced vascular endothelial growth factorα expression in Huh7 cells. Moreover, this inhibition was in an MKK6/P38-dependent way. Besides, Huh7 subcutaneous tumor models in nude mice further demonstrated the inhibition of SSM on tumor weight might be exerted partly by reduction of angiogenesis via blocking MKK6/P38 signaling pathways.

Conclusion

SSM inhibits HCC-induced pro-angiogenesis under hypoxic conditions via suppression of MKK6/P38 signaling pathways, which is favorable for HCC tumor growth.
‘I have just written a song which came out of my soul’: Lay Music Production and the Death of President John F. Kennedy
Authors: Clark Jennifer , Grigg H E R , Schortz Jemima
Published: January 2024

The death of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963 drew a mass outpouring of public and private grief. Thousands of people from all over the world sent condolence messages to his widow, Jacqueline Kennedy. They also sent pieces of music, sometimes hurriedly composed, in response to their overwhelming grief. Most of these pieces have never been heard and sit in a silent archive. This essay examines the condolence music composed for Kennedy, focusing especially on the lay material in the condolence archive, and discovers men, women, and children who found solace in the songwriting process, pre-empting what we now know to be an effective form of grief therapy. It reveals the characteristics of lay music production in response to Kennedy’s death, and how the people who sent music to Jacqueline Kennedy explained what they were doing and why they were doing it.
Dynamical masses across the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram
Authors: Hwang Hsiang-Chih , Ting Yuan-Sen , Cheng Sihao , Speagle Joshua S
Published: January 2024

We infer the dynamical masses of stars across the Hertzsprung–Russell (H–R) diagram using wide binaries from the Gaia survey. Gaia’s high-precision astrometry measures the wide binaries’ orbital motion, which contains the mass information. Using wide binaries as the training sample, we measure the mass of stars across the 2D H–R diagram using the combination of statistical inference and neural networks. Our results provide the dynamical mass measurements for main-sequence stars from 0.1 to 2 M⊙, unresolved binaries, and unresolved triples on the main sequence, and the mean masses of giants and white dwarfs. Two regions in the H–R diagram show interesting behaviours in mass, where one of them is pre-main-sequence stars, and the other one may be related to close compact object companions like M dwarf-white dwarf binaries. These mass measurements depend solely on Newtonian dynamics with minimal assumptions on eccentricities, providing independent constraints on stellar evolutionary models, and the occurrence rate of compact objects.
Adaptive Capacity of a DNA Polymerase Clamp-loader ATPase Complex
Authors: Subramanian Subu , Zhang Weilin , Nimkar Siddharth , Kamel Mazzin , O’Donnell Michael , Kuriyan John
Published: January 2024

The ability of mutations to facilitate adaptation is central to evolution. To understand how mutations can lead to functional adaptation in a complex molecular machine, we created a defective version of the T4 clamp-loader complex, which is essential for DNA replication. This variant, which is ∼5,000-fold less active than the wild type, was made by replacing the catalytic domains with those from another phage. A directed-evolution experiment revealed that multiple substitutions to a single negatively charged residue in the chimeric clamp loader—Asp 86—restore fitness to within ∼20-fold of wild type. These mutations remove an adventitious electrostatic repulsive interaction between Asp 86 and the sliding clamp. Thus, the fitness decrease of the chimeric clamp loader is caused by a reduction in affinity between the clamp loader and the clamp. Deep mutagenesis shows that the reduced fitness of the chimeric clamp loader is also compensated for by lysine and arginine substitutions of several DNA-proximal residues in the clamp loader or the sliding clamp. Our results demonstrate that there is a latent capacity for increasing the affinity of the clamp loader for DNA and the sliding clamp, such that even single-point mutations can readily compensate for the loss of function due to suboptimal interactions elsewhere.
Artificial Cognition
Authors: Fioretti Guido
Published: January 2024

This chapter illustrates tools that can be used in order to endow artificial agents with cognitive abilities that go beyond behavioural algorithms—notably, Shafer’s evidence theory, Atkin’s Q-analysis, and Kohonen’s unsupervised neural networks. These tools have been selected with the aim of allowing modellers to reproduce states of mind that deviate even substantially from either pure or bounded means-ends rationality. In particular, evidence theory provides a framework to represent the sort of uncertainty that originates from the fear that something may happen, that one is not even able to figure out. According to several economic theories, such states of mind can have a substantial impact on investment decisions and eventually generate underemployment equilibria. Q-analysis of hypergraphs allows holistic set representations where interactions among components can generate qualitatively novel features. Applications may concern work teams and boards of directors, as well as intertwined opportunities in scenario analysis. Unsupervised neural networks construct their categories around the items to which they have been exposed most often. Their capability to discover novel and unexpected patterns makes them useful in domains ranging from time series to text analysis whenever one does not know what regularities one may expect. Finally, since cognition concerns the beehive just as much as the bee, this chapter concludes by hinting at the possibility of an agent-based model displaying its own cognitive capabilities. In particular, connectionist tools and results can be adapted to organizational contexts by exploiting the analogy between information loops and organizational routines.
Authoritarian Redistribution
Authors: Albertus Michael
Published: January 2024

Redistribution of resources within societies is surprisingly widespread under authoritarianism despite the inability of citizens in such societies to demand it at the polls. It is not just aimed at lining insiders’ pockets or stamping out pockets of resistance. Many authoritarian regimes proactively deploy redistributive policies in an effort to undercut rival elites and ensnare citizens in relations of long-term dependence. These policies are typically more effective at entrenching authoritarian rule than using wide-scale repression or coup-proofing against strictly elite-based threats. Authoritarian regimes typically front-load asset redistribution, and then structure ownership and subsequent income and insurance-based redistribution to channel state control and, ultimately, to consolidate their own power and stave off threats to it.
Academic Self-Concept Formation
Authors: Marsh Herbert W. , Basarkod Geetanjali , Pekrun Reinhard , Dicke Theresa , Parker Philip D. , Guo Jiesi
Published: January 2024

Academic self-concept is a person’s evaluative self-beliefs of their academic ability. It is an important outcome in its own right and positively predicts other crucial educational constructs such as achievement, course selection, persistence, and long-term attainment. Numerous research studies have shown that self-concept is formed through dimensional, social, and temporal social comparison processes. These processes map on to the internal/external frame-of-reference model, the big-fish-little-pond effect, and the reciprocal effects model, respectively. The current chapter outlines the three-faceted model of psychological comparison (3FPC) processes that integrate all three models. While the three independent models provide useful information, the unified 3FPC allows for a host of new theoretical predictions based on different combinations of the three psychological comparison processes. The authors describe these combinations and discuss how they may be useful in driving educational policy and practice.
Incomplete Hydration during ‘Retrograde’ Metamorphism: ‘Barrovian’ Kyanite-, Staurolite-, Chloritoid-Bearing Pseudomorphs after Andalusite (Cap de Creus, E Pyrenees, Spain)
Authors: Pitra Pavel , Martínez Francisco José
Published: January 2024

Metapelitic rocks from Cap de Creus (Eastern Pyrenees, Spain) have developed andalusite±cordierite-bearing assemblages during the Variscan low-pressure high-temperature metamorphism. Andalusite crystals are commonly transformed to very fine-grained assemblages containing white micas with various combinations of staurolite, kyanite, chloritoid, and/or biotite, chlorite, corundum. The hydrous character of the replacement minerals (pseudomorphing anhydrous andalusite) and the fact that transformation locally occurs along fractures, suggests that it was enhanced by fluid circulation.

Using calculated equilibrium-assemblage phase diagrams (pseudosections) for the analysed whole-rock compositions, the equilibration of the primary andalusite-bearing assemblage is constrained at ~3 ± 1 kbar and ~ 550 ± 30°C. The presence in the pseudomorphs of kyanite and staurolite, typical of Barrovian-type metamorphism, could suggest a pressure increase. However, P–T–M(H2O) modelling of phase equilibria for local bulk compositions of the pseudomorphed andalusite porphyroblasts points to the crystallisation of the observed pseudomorphs at low pressures (~2.5 kbar) and variable, but relatively low temperatures (~370–500°C), in an H2O-undersaturated environment due to the incomplete character of the hydration. In other words, the fluid incursion triggered the crystallisation of the hydrous pseudomorphing assemblages, but the fluid was consumed during this process, leading finally to fluid-absent, H2O-undersaturated conditions. This highlights the critical importance of considering the effects of H2O undersaturation during metamorphism. The partial hydration can be tentatively attributed to a prograde hydrothermal overprint associated with the development of shear zones during Jurassic stretching of a cooled Variscan crust, rather than ‘simple’ late-Variscan retrogression.
Gender differences in workplace incivility experiences and their impacts on the well-being and retention of women in law enforcement organizations
Authors: Davis Jill A , Jiang Zhongnan , Hassan Shahidul , DeHart-Davis Leisha
Published: January 2024

This study examines differences in workplace incivility experiences between policewomen and policemen and the impacts of workplace incivility experiences on the emotional exhaustion and turnover intentions of policewomen. The analysis relies on survey data collected from 591 officers across 6 law enforcement organizations in the USA. The research reveals that, compared to policemen, policewomen report significantly higher levels of workplace incivility. Policewomen also report heightened emotional exhaustion and express a greater intention to leave their current positions than policemen. Moreover, the study finds that the increased workplace incivility experienced by policewomen exacerbates emotional exhaustion and may prompt them to consider leaving their organization. The implications of these findings for the well-being and retention of women in law enforcement organizations are thoroughly discussed.
Women police, legitimacy, and ethics of care
Authors: Schuck Amie M , Rabe-Hemp Cara E
Published: January 2024

Calls for more women in policing are often associated with pleas to reform the police, operating under the assumption that women police differently than men and that increasing gender diversity in law enforcement agencies may be a catalyst for organizational change. These assertions are intertwined with attitudes related to how women exercise social control and beliefs about how policing would change if the virtues associated with a feminist ethics of care approach were elevated in the institution. Structural equation modelling was used with a sample of more than 16,000 community members from over 50 jurisdictions to explore research questions related to care ethics. The results show that attentiveness, responsiveness, compassion, and helping represent an underlying construct of care, which is strongly associated with community members’ satisfaction and their broader perceptions of the legitimacy of the police. The results also show that women officers demonstrate more care than men officers and that community members who are People of Color experience less care compared with White residents. Overall, the findings indicate that rethinking police responsibilities from a care perspective is a viable option for improving police–community relations and building legitimacy, particularly in marginalized communities.
TIMED-Design: flexible and accessible protein sequence design with convolutional neural networks
Authors: Castorina Leonardo V , Ünal Suleyman Mert , Subr Kartic , Wood Christopher W
Published: January 2024

Sequence design is a crucial step in the process of designing or engineering proteins. Traditionally, physics-based methods have been used to solve for optimal sequences, with the main disadvantages being that they are computationally intensive for the end user. Deep learning-based methods offer an attractive alternative, outperforming physics-based methods at a significantly lower computational cost. In this paper, we explore the application of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for sequence design. We describe the development and benchmarking of a range of networks, as well as reimplementations of previously described CNNs. We demonstrate the flexibility of representing proteins in a three-dimensional voxel grid by encoding additional design constraints into the input data. Finally, we describe TIMED-Design, a web application and command line tool for exploring and applying the models described in this paper. The user interface will be available at the URL: https://pragmaticproteindesign.bio.ed.ac.uk/timed. The source code for TIMED-Design is available at https://github.com/wells-wood-research/timed-design.
The Legislative Process and Regulatory Interventions in the Greek Democracy: Deep-Rooted Weaknesses and Recommendations for Improvement
Authors: Petrakis Panagiotis E
Published: January 2024

The economy’s legislative, regulatory, and institutional framework profoundly influences growth. It sets societal norms and motivates economic players towards desired outcomes. Greece faces a complex challenge in enhancing its institutional structure, with interconnected issues demanding comprehensive and persistent intervention. Political stability positively impacts regulatory quality, while instability prompts resistance to government changes, affecting legislation efficacy and governmental honesty. The study identifies two counterproductive forces hindering law improvement. First, the executive power’s reluctance to measure legislative effectiveness Second, there is a pervasive distrust in law enforcers, resulting in convoluted legal frameworks. This setup aligns with statism and a flawed concept of legal certainty. Improving the legal framework requires the executive to prioritize self-assessment of efficacy and trust in law enforcement—a cornerstone of effective liberal democracy. The study advocates specific policy guidelines tailored for the Greek state. Addressing these concerns mandates an all-encompassing, persistent, and introspective approach by those in power. Ultimately, fostering trust, measuring effectiveness, and simplifying legal constructs are vital for Greece to enhance its institutional framework and foster a more effective liberal democracy. Lastly, the provision of training to those who shape and evaluate the laws is crucial to ensure high-quality regulations and interventions.
Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum for Peyronie’s disease: a contemporary atlas of complications and their management
Authors: Furtado Thiago P , Osadchiy Vadim , Andino Juan J , Eleswarapu Sriram V , Mills Jesse N
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) remains the only Food and Drug Administration–approved medical treatment for Peyronie’s disease (PD). The initial IMPRESS I and II trials (Investigation for Maximal Peyronie’s Reduction Efficacy and Safety), which led to Food and Drug Administration approval, revealed a rate of treatment-related adverse events as high as 84%. Studies fail to provide clear definitions of complications.

Objectives

To review complications, provide a CCH complication atlas, and propose management strategies for commonly encountered complications.

Methods

We performed a literature review using PubMed. A photographic atlas was provided regarding complications in patients in a high-volume CCH center for PD.

Results

Complications were identified and classified by nature and severity. We followed a standardized previously published grading system for hematomas. Complications include bruising, swelling, hematoma formation, back pain, and, rarely, corporal rupture. Complications were discussed, and hematomas were graded by penile surface area. Complication photographs were graded and displayed. Treatment-related adverse effects do not affect overall results.

Conclusion

Recognizing and grading complications associated with CCH therapy for PD is crucial for effective patient management and informed decision making. A standardized grading system allows for consistency in reporting and comparing hematoma complication rates across studies and patient populations. Herein we provide images that will help clinicians identify and confidently manage common complications that may occur in any CCH program.
Introducing the Euro-Invasion Conflict Database 1513–1901
Authors: Bales Kevin , Annerfalk Christine
Published: January 2024

We introduce a comprehensive new dataset of conflicts, in chronological order, between the Indigenous Peoples of North America and Europeans seeking to colonize what is now the Continental United States. These data, covering 1,375 conflicts, were originally compiled as a book in 2007 by Michael L. Nunnally, a self-taught historian with a talent for careful data collection and analysis. A research team within the Rights Lab (University of Nottingham, U.K.), drew upon Nunnally’s American Indian Wars to code each recorded conflict (battle, skirmish, raid, massacre, etc.) along with other relevant information. The conflicts were then further researched by the Rights Lab team to add any missing information, resolve ambiguities or questions, and to find common conflict patterns through these centuries. The database holds thirty possible variables for each conflict. An example of one such variable is “genocidal massacre,” following the work of historian Benjamin Madley. Other variables include specifying and/or clarifying the identity of all participants; introducing, as often as possible, the exact or approximate GPS coordinates for each conflict; and noting who were the initiators of each conflict. The full Codebook is an Appendix to this article. To our knowledge, the database we are presenting is unique. We offer this dataset to scholars in the hope that it will allow for a more nuanced and deeper consideration of the history of the European invasion of North America over a four-hundred-year period.
Caring for a Child With an Acquired Disability
Authors: Phillips Brad
Published: January 2024

This study explored how parents of children with acquired disabilities transform loss into meaning when faced with traumatic experiences. This type of loss is ambiguous and different from that of the bereaved. Directed content analysis was guided by the predetermined categories of unveiling, darkness, and light. Stories from 8 parents revealed the ability to decide how they perceived their experiences, discovering meaning in caring for their child despite the suffering associated with loss. These findings offer direction for nursing research, practice, and policy on how to assist parents in overcoming these challenges and shed light on the dynamic perspectives of loss.
Impact of Oncoplastic Surgery on Oncologic Outcomes in Patients with Breast Cancer
Authors: Turgeon Michael K. , Willcox Lauren M. , Styblo Toncred M. , Losken Albert
Published: January 2024

Background:

For patients with breast cancer, oncoplastic surgery (OPS) serves as a valuable technique that allows for immediate reconstruction at the time of resection. While the aim of OPS is to improve breast cosmesis, it is critical to ensure OPS does not negatively impact appropriate cancer treatment.

Methods:

Based on current literature, this study provides a broad overview on the potential oncologic advantages of OPS for patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

Results:

OPS has been shown to be a safe and reliable approach with oncologic advantages. More specifically, OPS broadens the indications for breast conservation therapy (BCT); allows for a more generous margin of resection, thus decreasing rates of re-excision; and provides the opportunity to sample additional breast tissue, which may detect occult disease. Reduction mammaplasty may also decrease the risk for developing breast cancer. Importantly, in the era of multimodality therapy, long-term oncologic outcomes and postoperative surveillance algorithms appear to be similar when comparing patients who undergo OPS and BCT.

Conclusions:

For patients with breast cancer, oncoplastic surgery has emerged as a valuable technique to improve breast cosmesis while achieving optimal oncologic outcomes. As the landscape of breast oncology continues to evolve, it is critical for a multidisciplinary team to be involved to guide management and reconstructive strategies.
Efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treating low back and pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Zhang Aolin , Li Junwei , He Tao , Xie Hongliang , Mou Xuan , Yeung Tsz Ching , Chen Siming , Wang Chi Chiu , Fan Xiaohui , Li Lu
Published: January 2024

Objectives:

Low back and pelvic girdle pain (LBPGP) is common during pregnancy. Acupuncture is an effective and safe therapy for pain relief. However, further evidence is required to confirm the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treating LBPGP during pregnancy. This study aimed to systematically review and investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of pregnancy-related LBPGP.

Methods:

The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, and WanFang databases were searched from January 2000 to August 2023. Only the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving pregnant women between 16 and 34 weeks of gestation diagnosed with LBPGP were included in the study. A meta-analysis was conducted and pooled risk ratios (RRs) or mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were compared.

Results:

Meta-analysis included 12 RCTs involving 1,641 participants. Eleven trials compared acupuncture alone or acupuncture combined with standard care (SC), of which three trials also used non-penetrating or placebo acupuncture as the control group. One trial compared acupuncture alone with non-penetrating acupuncture. Compared with SC, acupuncture combined with SC group significantly decreased visual analog scale score (mean difference (MD) = −2.83, 95% CI = −3.41 to −2.26, P < 0.00001), cesarean section rate (RR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.49–0.97, P = 0.03), preterm birth rate (RR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.27–0.65, P < 0.0001), labor duration (MD = −1.97, 95% CI = −2.73 to −1.20, P < 0.0001), and Oswestry disability index score (MD = −9.14, 95% CI = −15.68 to −2.42, P = 0.008). In addition, acupuncture combined with SC significantly improved 12-Items Short Form Health Survey of physical component summaries (SF12-PCS). No significant differences were observed in the spontaneous delivery rate, newborn weight, drowsiness, and 12-Items Short Form Health Survey of mental component summaries (SF12-MCS) between the two groups. Adverse events such as needle pain and needle bleeding were aggravated in both the SC and acupuncture treatment groups but none were associated with acupuncture during or after the treatment period.

Conclusions:

Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture combined with SC had better efficacy than SC alone and could be a potential therapy for LBPGP during pregnancy. The safety results imply that acupuncture caused few adverse reactions; however, more evidence is required for further confirmation.
Assessment of Radiation Doses to the General Public around Nuclear Power Plants Based on Representative Person Concept
Authors: Kim Ki Hoon , Seo Hyun Su , Jin Yong Ho , Kim Kwang Pyo
Published: January 2024

The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommended that the representative person concept should be used in radiation dose assessment of the general public to specify exposed individuals. The objective of this study is to assess radiation doses of the residents around nuclear power plants (NPPs) in relation to the introduction of the representative person concept. Critical group candidates and representative agro-livestock product producing areas were selected around a NPP site by considering radioactive effluents and regional meteorological data, geographical information, etc. A total of five exposure scenarios, including adult (non-fishery, fishery, and commuter), 10-y-old, and 1-y-old groups, were selected for the dose assessment. Generally, radiation doses were higher for 1-y-old, 10-y-old, and adult groups, in that sequence. There was no significant difference among the radiation doses by occupation in adult groups. Radiation dose results calculated by applying the representative person concept and dose assessment method currently used in Korea were compared. Application of the representative person concept results in lower radiation dose by 68.2% due to consideration of actual residential and agro-livestock product producing areas for the radiation dose assessment, by 13.3% due to the application method of habit data for dose calculation, and by 33.3% due to representative value of the dose results. Finally, considering all the factors above, radiation dose calculated by the current dose assessment method was 8.16 × 10−2 mSv y−1, while that calculated using the representative person concept was 1.40 × 10−2 mSv y− 1 (82.8% lower). The results of this study can be used as reference data when introducing the representative person concept to the regulatory systems in Korea.