bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NLO corrections to triple vector-boson production in final states with three charged leptons and two jets
Authors: Denner Ansgar , Lombardi Daniele , Lopez Portillo Chavez Santiago , Pelliccioli Giovanni
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Tri-boson production together with vector-boson scattering is a privileged channel to study the electroweak structure of the Standard Model. Upcoming LHC running stages will allow to measure these processes at unprecedented accuracy and for all possible final states, which requires to push theory predictions to still unexplored frontiers. In this work we present the first calculation for the process pp → μ+μ−e+νejj at the LHC in a tri-boson phase space. We evaluate the three LO contributions, namely the $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(α6), which contains the genuine tri-boson signature, along with the $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(αsα5) and $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
($$ {\alpha}_{\textrm{s}}^2 $$

α
s
2

α4), and the two $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(α7) and $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(αsα6) NLO corrections. The calculation is based on full Standard-Model matrix elements, including all resonant and non-resonant terms, complete spin correlations and interference effects. Integrated and differential cross sections are presented for a fiducial region inspired by High Luminosity LHC prospect studies. We find electroweak corrections of −14% for the fiducial cross section, almost twice as large as for other tri-boson processes.
Factorization for J/ψ leptoproduction at small transverse momentum
Authors: Echevarria Miguel G. , Romera Samuel F. , Taels Pieter
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Nonrelativistic Quantum Chromodynamics (NRQCD) breaks down in the region of low transverse momentum, where the transverse momentum of the produced quarkonium state is sensitive to multiple scattering with the incoming hadron and to soft gluon radiation. In this kinematic regime, the transverse-momentum-dependent (TMD) factorization framework is required, promoting the long-distance matrix elements (LDMEs) of NRQCD to the so-called TMD shape functions (TMDShFs), which encode both the soft gluon radiation and the formation of the heavy-quark bound state. In this work, we apply an effective-field theory approach (combining NRQCD and SCET) to the photon-gluon fusion process in inclusive J/ψ leptoproduction. We derive a factorization theorem for the cross section in terms of TMDShFs, compute these quantities at next-to-leading order, establish their evolution, and study their matching onto the corresponding LDMEs in the high-transverse-momentum region. Our results are particularly relevant to the Electron-Ion Collider, where J/ψ leptoproduction can be used to probe gluon transverse-momentum-dependent parton distribution functions (gluon TMDPDFs).
Fatigue in der Allgemeinbevölkerung: Ergebnisse der Studie „Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell“ (GEDA 2023)
Authors: Poethko-Müller Christina , Schaffrath Rosario Angelika , Sarganas Giselle , Ordonez Cruickshank Ana , Scheidt-Nave Christa , Schlack Robert
Published: September 2024

Hintergrund

Fatigue ist ein Symptomkomplex, geht mit Müdigkeit, Energiemangel und Konzentrationsschwäche einher und hat durch Zusammenhänge mit Arbeitsunfähigkeit, Unfallgefährdung und erhöhten Bedarfen an Gesundheitsversorgung hohe Public-Health-Relevanz.

Methode

Die Analysen basieren auf Daten von 9766 Erwachsenen des Surveys „Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell (GEDA)“ 2023. Fatigue wurde mit der Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) erfasst, ein validiertes Instrument mit 10 Fragen zur Selbsteinschätzung von Fatigue. Die Skala wurde dichotomisiert in Ja (mindestens milde bis moderate Fatigue) versus Nein (keine Fatigue). Bevölkerungsgewichtete Prävalenzen von Fatigue und assoziierten soziodemografischen und gesundheitsbezogenen Faktoren wurden in deskriptiven Analysen und multivariabler Poisson-Regression berechnet.

Ergebnisse

Die Prävalenz von Fatigue bei Erwachsenen in Deutschland beträgt 29,7 % (95 %-KI: 28,1–31,2), ist bei 18- bis 29-Jährigen am höchsten (39,6 % (95 %-KI: 35,0–44,4)) und nimmt in den Altersgruppen von 65 bis 79 Jahren ab (20,6 % (95 %-KI: 18,2–23,3)). In der Gruppe der Hochaltrigen liegt sie wieder höher (33,2 % (95 %-KI: 28,9–37,7)). Frauen haben ein höheres Risiko für Fatigue als Männer (adjustiertes relatives Risiko (aRR) 1,19 (95 %-KI: 1,08–1,32)). Fatigue ist unabhängig von Kovariablen signifikant mit Alter, niedrigerer Bildung, chronischer Erkrankung, Depressivität und Long Covid assoziiert.

Diskussion

GEDA 2023 gehört zu den wenigen bevölkerungsbezogenen Studien, die Daten zur Fatigue erhoben haben. Die Ergebnisse ermöglichen Einschätzungen für Deutschland zur Häufigkeit von Fatigue und zur Bedeutung körperlicher, psychischer und sozialer Einflussfaktoren. Sie können als Referenz bzw. als Basis für zeitliche Trends im kontinuierlichen Gesundheitsmonitoring in Deutschland genutzt werden.
Hot males: thermal biology of males and females during coercive mating in water striders Gerris lacustris
Authors: Lopez Vinicius Marques , Guillermo-Ferreira Rhainer , Seip Lucia , Gorb Stanislav
Published: September 2024

Sexual conflict theory predicts that males that adopt coercive mating strategies impose costs to females during copulation. Nevertheless, conflicting mating strategies may also affect males, although such effects on males are often neglected in the literature. Here, we seek to understand whether male water striders (Gerris lacustris) experience higher body temperatures than females during coercive mating behavior. We we explored whether the water temperature affected male and female body temperature differently, considering that water contact by females might serve as a thermal regulator. We built generalized linear mixed models considering the male and female temperature as the dependent variables. Air temperature (as a proxy for solar radiation), water temperature, and sex were used as predictor variables. Our results suggest that males are warmer than females, and despite females coming into contact with water during skimming, this contact does not significantly contribute to lowering their body temperature or improving thermoregulation under the observed conditions. These findings provide novel insights into the thermal biology of water striders. Future studies should focus on addressing whether warmer temperatures confer some advantages to males, such as increased mobility and better ability to hold onto females or impose physiological constraints and fitness costs.
The rate of ileostomy site incisional hernias: more common than we think?
Authors: Obi Megan , Beffa Lucas , Melland-Smith Megan , Messer Nir , Kanters Arielle , Judeeba Sami , Baier Kevin , Miller Benjamin , Krpata David , Prabhu Ajita , Steele Scott R. , Rosen Michael , Holubar Stefan D. , Petro Clayton
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Incisional hernias (IH) rates after diverting loop ileostomy reversal (DLI-R) have been reported up to 24%. We aimed to characterize the incidence rate and risk factors associated with DLI-R site IH formation within 1-year in a large patient cohort.

Methods

A retrospective review at a single quaternary referral center hospital of adult patients who underwent DLI-R over a 5-year period and abdominal computerized tomography (CT) imaging performed within 1-year for any indication postoperatively was conducted. All CTs scans were independently reviewed by staff surgeons to determine the presence of a fascial defect at the DLI-R site.

Results

2,196 patients underwent DLI-R; of these, 569 (25.9%) underwent CT imaging for any indication. Mean patient age, 54.8 (± 14.9), BMI 27.6 kg/m2. 87 (15%) patients had a parastomal hernia at time of DLI-R. After median follow-up of 10 months, 203 patients (35.7%) had IH at the DLI-R site. Age (p = 0.14), sex (p = 0.39), race (p = 0.75), and smoking status (p = 0.82) weren’t associated with IH after DLI-R. Comorbidities weren’t significantly associated with IH following DLI-R. In univariate analysis, increased BMI (p < 0.001), presence of a parastomal hernia (p = 0.008), and suture type (p = 0.01) were associated with IH development. On multivariate analysis, BMI remained significant, and polyglyconate compared to polydioxanone suture were associated with higher rates of IH (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

We observed that the rate of incisional hernias within 1-year of diverting ileostomy reversal was indeed common at 36%. Granted, a high percentage of the population was excluded due to heterogeneity in radiographic evaluation that could be mitigated in future prospective studies. Our study suggests that IH preventative strategies include weight loss for overweight and obese patients prior to DLI-R and that the optimal suture for DLI-R is polydioxanone.
Effects of a surface layer cross-flow and slope steepness on the rate of descent of dense water flows along a slope
Authors: Berntsen Jarle , Hansen Bogi , Østerhus Svein , Larsen Karin Margretha Húsgarð , Hátún Hjálmar
Published: September 2024

The pathways and mixing in dense water overflows have been addressed in a range of numerical studies based on the DOME (Dynamics of Overflow Mixing and Entrainment) setup. These studies are motivated by overflows such as the flow of dense and cold water over the ridge between Iceland and Scotland. The main route of this water is through the Faroe-Shetland channel and further through the Faroe Bank Channel. After leaving the Faroe Bank Channel, the dense water continues along the slope along the Iceland-Faroe Ridge. Across this ridge there is also a strong flow of Atlantic water that may affect the pathway and mixing in the dense plume. In the DOME investigations, the slope steepness is assumed to be constant and there is no active background flow in the ambient water masses above the dense plume. With the situation along the Iceland-Faroe Ridge in mind, the setup from the DOME experiment is adjusted to study the effects of i) the slope profile, ii) flows crossing the slope on top of the along-slope flow of dense water, and iii) the topography near the overflow channel of dense water. It is found that the rate of descent is depending on slope steepness, and for a curved slope going from flat on top of a ridge to much steeper away from the ridge, dense water parcels near the ridge top or crest will sink slower than the faster flowing dense water further down along the slope. A cross-flow over the ridge, mimicking the flow of Atlantic water over the Iceland-Faroe Ridge, will force stronger mixing between the dense water and the ambient water above and dense water mixed up into the surface water can be allowed to flow out across the ridge. Furthermore, the dynamical situation along the slope will change and fluid parcels in the deeper part of the plume can experience a faster rate of descent. By removing a barrier in the topography downstream of the overflow channel, dense water can be steered towards the ridge and the starting point of the center of mass of the descending overflow water will be higher up on the slope.
Personalized neoantigen cancer vaccines: current progression, challenges and a bright future
Authors: Wu Da-Wei , Jia Shuo-Peng , Xing Shu-Jun , Ma Hai-lan , Wang Xin , Tang Qi-Yu , Li Zi-Wei , Wu Qing , Bai Min , Zhang Xin-Yong , Fu Xiao-Feng , Jia Ming-Ming , Tang Yu , Chen Li , Li Ning
Published: September 2024

Tumor neoantigens possess specific immunogenicity and personalized therapeutic vaccines based on neoantigens which have shown promising results in some clinical trials, with broad application prospects. However, the field is developing rapidly and there are currently few relevant review articles. Summarizing and analyzing the status of global personalized neoantigen vaccine clinical trials will provide important data for all stakeholders in drug development. Based on the Trialtrove database, a retrospective analysis was conducted using trial quantity as a key indicator for neo-adjuvant and adjuvant therapy anti-PD-1/PD-L1 clinical trials initiated before the end of 2022. The time trend of newly initiated trials was investigated. The sponsor type, host country, treatment mode, combination strategy, tested drugs, and targeted cancer types of these trials were summarized. As of December 2022, a total of 199 trials were included in the analysis. Among these studies, Phase I studies were the most numerous (119, 59.8%), and Phase I studies have been the predominant study type since 2015. Peptide vaccines were the largest neoantigen vaccines type, accounting for 64.8% of all clinical trials. Based on peptide delivery platforms, the proportion of trials was highest for the DC system (32, 16.1%), followed by LNP (11, 5.5%), LPX (11, 5.5%), and viruses (7, 3.5%). Most vaccines were applied in trials as a monotherapy (133/199, 66.8%), meanwhile combining immunotherapeutic drugs was the most common form for combination therapy. In terms of indications, the largest number of trials involved three or more unspecified solid tumors (50/199, 25.1%), followed by non-small cell lung cancer (24/199, 12.1%) and pancreatic cancer (15/199, 7.5%). The clinical development of personalized neoantigen cancer vaccines is still in the early stage. A clear shift in delivery systems from peptides to DC and liposomal platforms, with the largest number of studies in Asia, collectively marks a new era in the field. The adjuvant or maintenance therapy, and the combination treatment with ICIs are becoming the important clinical development orientation. As research on tumor–immune interactions intensifies, the design, development, and application of neoantigen vaccines are bound to develop rapidly, which will bring a new revolution in the future cancer treatment.
The crossroad between tumor and endothelial cells
Authors: Ribatti Domenico
Published: September 2024

Endothelial cells are critical in tumor development, and the specific targeting of endothelial cells offers a potent means to effectively impede angiogenesis and suppress the growth of tumors. Tumor endothelial cells are responsible for the loss of anticancer immunity, the so-called endothelial anergy, i.e., the unresponsiveness of tumor endothelial cells to pro-inflammatory stimulation, not allowing adhesion of immune cells to the endothelium. Endothelial cells downregulate antigen presentation and recruitment of immune cells, contributing to immunosuppression. Targeting endothelial cells may assist in improving the immune effect of immune cells in tumor microenvironment.
A Mixed-Methods Research Design to Advance Inclusive and Equitable Teaching
Authors: Soicher Raechel N. , Baker Amanda R. , Thomas Ruthann C.
Published: September 2024

We designed this project to advance inclusive and equitable teaching by leveraging data to motivate, inform, and tailor teaching development initiatives to the varied needs and resources of academic departments. We developed an innovative framework and mixed methods research design to systematically assess inclusive and equitable teaching at the student, course, department, and institution levels. In the context of a decentralized institution, we partnered with academic departments to collect data about their current practices, existing resources, and needs for advancing inclusive and equitable teaching through a student survey, analysis of course syllabi, and interviews with instructors. We shared and discussed results with partners in academic departments to support and inform departmental change initiatives. We highlight how synthesizing findings across multiple levels of analysis using a mixed methods design provides a new perspective on the perennial issue of the uptake of inclusive and equitable teaching practices in higher education. We discuss lessons learned and future directions with the hope that the framework and/or the research methodology can be a template for other researchers or educational developers to support implementation and sustainability of inclusive and equitable teaching practices.
Quantitative modeling of perovskite-based direct X-ray flat panel detectors
Authors: Song Zihao , Wang Gaozhu , Pang Jincong , Zheng Zhiping , Xu Ling , Zhou Ying , Niu Guangda , Tang Jiang
Published: September 2024

Direct X-ray detectors based on semiconductors have drawn great attention from researchers in the pursuing of higher imaging quality. However, many previous works focused on the optimization of detection performances but seldomly watch them in an overall view and analyze how they will influence the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) value. Here, we propose a numerical model which shows the quantitative relationship between DQE and the properties of X-ray detectors and electric circuits. Our results point out that pursuing high sensitivity only is meaningless. To reduce the medical X-ray dose by 80%, the requirement for X-ray sensitivity is only at a magnitude of 103 μCGy−1⋅cm−2. To achieve the DQE = 0.7 at X-ray sensitivity air from 1248 to 8171 μCGy−1air⋅cm−2, the requirements on dark current density ranges from 10 to 100 nA⋅cm−2 and the fluctuation of current density should fall in 0.21 to 1.37 nA⋅cm−2.

Graphical Abstract
Is Mindfulness a Double-Edged Sword? Associations With Climate Anxiety and Pro-Environmental Behavior
Authors: Karl Johannes A. , Stanley Samantha K.
Published: September 2024

Objectives

At a time of growing global concern about climate change, mindfulness has been put forward as a potential tool to alleviate climate anxiety and engage people with environmental issues. However, climate anxiety is not a pathology to treat. Instead, climate anxiety is increasingly understood as reflecting a deep engagement with environmental concerns that motivates pro-environmental action. We question whether some aspects of mindfulness may be related to lower climate anxiety that flows into lower pro-environmental behavior.

Method

We surveyed people living in Australia (n = 287) about their experiences of dispositional mindfulness, climate anxiety, anticipatory solastalgia (distress about future environmental losses), and their pro-environmental behavior.

Results

In a mediation analysis, we identified that mindfulness has a potential anxiolytic effect on climate anxiety, specifically acting with awareness, nonreactive decentering, and accepting nonjudgmental attitude related to lower scores on climate anxiety facets. Conversely, both greater awareness of internal and external experiences were related to greater climate anxiety. In its association with lower climate anxiety, acting with awareness also related indirectly to lower engagement in pro-climate collective action behavior. Awareness of external experiences related to higher anticipatory solastalgia and in turn greater engagement in collective action and personal pro-environmental behaviors.

Conclusions

Overall, the current study adds to a growing body of literature that highlights the nuanced relationships between mindfulness, affect, and pro-environmental behavior. It specifically raises the question of whether greater mindful emotion regulation and meta-awareness might reduce individuals’ likelihood of pro-environmental action, potentially by removing the negative affective motivator. In contrast, greater awareness of experiences might increase pro-environmental behavior by increasing experienced negative affect.

Preregistration

The study was not preregistered.
Comparison of Sexual Violence Perpetration Rates Among Gay, Lesbian and Heterosexual Cisgender Adults
Authors: Anderson R. E. , Piggott D. M. , Feinstein B. A. , Dyar C.
Published: September 2024

Introduction

LGBTQ+ individuals are more vulnerable to experiencing sexual victimization. To truly prevent sexual victimization, preventing perpetration is necessary. The goal of this study was to increase the inclusivity of sexual violence research by examining the rates of sexual violence perpetration among cisgender, monosexual (e.g., attracted to a single gender, heterosexual or gay/lesbian) adults.

Methods

Participants were 828 adult Amazon Mechanical Turk workers who completed the study between March and September 2018. Participants completed the short version of the Post-Refusal Sexual Persistence Scale – Perpetration as part of a larger experiment. Analyses compared four gender by sexual identity groups: heterosexual women (31.5%), heterosexual men (27.8%), lesbian women (21.1%), and gay men (19.6%).

Results

There were group differences in reported perpetration rates. Perpetration rates were higher in both groups of men (heterosexual = 33.0%, gay = 35.0%) compared to both groups of women (heterosexual = 12.6%, lesbian = 20.5%), but rates did not differ within gender. Among the subsample with perpetration histories, heterosexual men were more likely to report using verbal coercion tactics (52.0%) than the other groups (45.5% [heterosexual women], 31.6% [gay men], 30.6% [lesbian women]), and heterosexual women were more likely to report using both verbal coercion and physical force in combination (24.2%) than gay men (5.3%).

Conclusions and Implications

There are gender-driven differences in the rate of sexual violence perpetration among monosexual adults, suggesting the need for population-specific prevention efforts.
Unraveling Th subsets: insights into their role in immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy
Authors: Ryba-Stanisławowska Monika
Published: September 2024

T helper (Th) cell subsets play pivotal roles in regulating immune responses within the tumor microenvironment, influencing both tumor progression and anti-tumor immunity. Among these subsets, Th1 cells promote cytotoxic responses through the production of IFN-γ, while Th2 cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) exert immunosuppressive effects that support tumor growth. Th9 and Th17 cells have context-dependent roles, contributing to both pro-inflammatory and regulatory processes in tumor immunity. Tumor antigen-specific T cells within the tumor microenvironment often exhibit a dysfunctional phenotype due to increased expression of inhibitory receptors such as CTLA-4 and PD-1, leading to reduced antitumor activity. Monoclonal antibodies that block these inhibitory signals—collectively known as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)—can reactivate these T cells, enhancing their ability to target and destroy cancer cells. Recent advancements have highlighted the critical role of T helper subsets in modulating responses to ICIs, with their interactions remaining a focus of ongoing research. Both positive and negative effects of ICIs have been reported in relation to Th cell subsets, with some effects depending on the type of tumor microenvironment. This review summarizes the crucial roles of different T helper cell subsets in tumor immunity and their complex relationship with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
Borrelia burgdorferi infections in children and adolescents in Switzerland – a seroprevalence study 2023/2024 (BOBUINCA)
Authors: Heeb Laura , Fritschi Nora , Marten Andrea , Welzel Tatjana , Ritz Nicole , Heininger Ulrich
Published: September 2024

Background

Lyme borreliosis is one of the most prevalent tick-borne diseases in Europe. Studies on seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi IgG antibodies in children are rare. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi IgG antibodies in children and adolescents residing in North-Western Switzerland and neighbouring countries.

Methods

Prospective cross-sectional observational single-centre study using left-over plasma of asymptomatic paediatric patients. Included were children aged 1–17 years living in North-Western Switzerland and bordering areas of France and Germany. Excluded were children with symptoms of Lyme borreliosis or a chronic disease possibly affecting plasma antibodies (immunodeficiency syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus) or with such medication (e.g., intravenous immunoglobuline treatment, allogenic stem cell transplantation, immunosuppressive treatment) as well as refugees seeking asylum. IgG antibodies against B. burgdorferi were measured by ELISA and positive or borderline results by line blot. Positivity was defined as scenario 1: ELISA positive/line blot positive or borderline OR ELISA borderline/line blot positive. Scenario 2: ELISA positive or borderline/line blot positive. A multivariable logistic regression model for seropositivity was applied.

Results

962 children were included (mean age 9.63 years, standard deviation 5.01, 54.5% males). Seroprevalence for scenario 1 was 13.3% (95% CI: 11.2–15.6) and for scenario 2 11.2% (95% CI: 9.3–13.4). Seroprevalence (scenario 1) was comparable for age groups, sex and rural versus urban residence.

Conclusion

This study shows an increased seroprevalence for B. burgdorferi in the paediatric age compared to previous childhood studies. We also found an increased risk for B. burgdorferi infection at young age.
Dimensionality reduction through clustering of variables and canonical correlation
Authors: Muñoz-Pichardo Juan M. , Pino-Mejías Rafael , Cubiles-de-la-Vega M. Dolores , Enguix-González Alicia
Published: September 2024

Dimensionality reduction techniques are highly useful statistical tools in analyzing datasets from various scientific fields. These methods often provide, in addition to reducing the number of variables or cases, interpretable and informative variables or dimensions. This work proposes a new technique for reducing the number of variables in datasets. The procedure is based on combining Variable Cluster Analysis and Canonical Correlation Analysis to determine synthetic variables that are representative of the clusters. The design of the procedure leads to the definition of a homogeneity index based on the statistical dependence within each cluster, and based on this index, a measure of the adequacy of the obtained cluster structure is proposed. Various artificial datasets have been generated in order to illustrate the ability of the statistical technique to detect the dependence structure between variables and reduce the dimensionality. Given that the technique can be applied to datasets with a dimension greater than the sample size, its application is illustrated in a dataset that suffers from this issue: high-dimensional data and small sample size. Furthermore, the application of the technique on two real data sets is illustrated.
Impact of opioids on hospital stay and mortality in patients undergoing abdominal surgeries
Authors: Maia Lucas , Chaves Isabella , Medeiros Heitor , Silva Glauco Francisco , da Silva Wallace Andrino
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Postoperative pain management is a critical aspect of surgical care, significantly influencing patient recovery and outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the impact of opioid use on hospital stay and mortality rates among patients undergoing abdominal surgeries in Brazil, where healthcare disparities may affect postoperative outcomes.

Methods

This observational cross-sectional study was conducted at the University Hospital Onofre Lopes in Natal, Brazil. We included 385 patients aged 18 years or older who underwent abdominal surgery in 2023. Data were collected from medical records, focusing on analgesic therapy, opioid types, dosages, and patient demographics. Statistical analyses were performed using JAMOVI software.

Results

Opioid consumption was prevalent among the cohort, with 89.6% of patients receiving opioids postoperatively. Tramadol was the most frequently administered opioid, followed by nalbuphine and morphine. Patients treated with morphine had a significantly extended median hospital stay (15.5 days) compared to those receiving tramadol or nalbuphine (2 days). Morphine use was also associated with a higher mortality rate, with these patients being 16 times more likely to die compared to those on weaker opioids. Older age and extended hospital stays were additional risk factors for increased mortality.

Conclusion

Opioids were used extensively in this cohort as the main analgesic drug for postoperative pain management after abdominal surgeries. Use was associated with prolonged hospital stay and higher probability of death.
A novel highly antifungal compound ZJS-178 targeting myosin I inhibits the endocytosis and mycotoxin biosynthesis of Fusarium graminearum
Authors: Chen Qiaowan , Liu Chang , Qi Hao , Wu Ningjie , Liu Zunyong , Tian Qin , Zhu Xiao-Xiao , Li Xiangdong , Chen Yun , Ma Zhonghua
Published: September 2024

Chemical fungicides remain a primary tool for managing Fusarium head blight (FHB) due to the lack of resistant wheat cultivars. In this study, we synthesized 101 2-cyanoacrylate compounds and identified ZJS-178 as particularly effective against Fusarium graminearum (the causal agent of FHB), inhibiting both hyphal growth and conidial germination. Notably, ZJS-178 is specific to Fusarium species, with no impact on other fungi. It also shows no cross-resistance with other groups of fungicides, suggesting a unique mode of action. Mechanistic studies revealed that ZJS-178 targets myosin I in F. graminearum, inhibiting ATPase activity and disrupting endocytosis. Furthermore, ZJS-178 impairs toxisome formation, leading to reduced production of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). These findings position ZJS-178 as a promising antifungal agent that could pave the way for developing a novel fungicide to manage FHB and other Fusarium-related diseases.
A Water[shed] Moment for Articulating a Professional Practice of Education Resource Creation
Authors: MacDonald Abbey , Beasy Kim
Published: September 2024

Teachers are grappling with increased pressure and expectations to facilitate transformative education experiences, the kinds of experiences that cultivate dispositions and skillsets essential for young peoples’ preparedness to imagine and create sustainable futures. As expectations for teachers grow, so too do initiatives intended to assist their efforts, such as the advent of classroom-ready education resources. The rise of educational resources gives cause for closer examination of how they are developed, particularly with respect to the ways they situate content in the deployment of curricular, methodological and pedagogical concepts. This article presents a practice and process of education resource creation using multi-modal content that entangles global education and conservation agendas. Through the mediating lens of UNESCO’s pillars of education, a critical discussion of the utility of these for enabling and inhibiting the articulation of a professional practice for education resource creation is offered. With the imperative for sustainability-focused education and prevalence of education resources being produced to support this, we scrutinise the importance of demystifying the professional practice of education resource creation. In doing so, we point to insights that become available when the curricular, pedagogical and methodological concepts informing education resource creation are made transparent and accessible.
Reduced MMN-indexed auditory change detection in a non-clinical high schizotypy sample
Authors: Bissonnette Jenna N. , Anderson T-Jay , Ross Lauren , Francis Ashley M. , Napier Kaitlyn , Shead N. Will , Fisher Derek J.
Published: September 2024

Schizotypal traits include abnormalities in cognition, behavior, and interpersonal relationships that are similar, yet less severe than psychotic symptomology. It is estimated that approximately 5% of the general population displays psychotic symptoms and experiences that can be considered schizotypal in nature, but there is little research examining the neurological correlates of these traits. The mismatch negativity (MMN) event-related potential is an objective measure of auditory change detection derived from electroencephalography. The current study contributes to the limited body of evidence examining the neurobiological underpinnings of schizotypy in a non-clinical sample using the MMN. Participants were recruited from the general population and divided into high and low-schizotypy groups for comparison. Individuals with high schizotypal traits displayed reduced MMN amplitudes in response to frequency and location deviants, and longer MMN latencies in response to location deviants. Specific sub-traits of schizotypy were uniquely related to frequency and location amplitudes, suggesting the previously reported inconsistencies in the literature may be due to diverse samples and differing deviant tone types. Finally, impulsivity and sensation-seeking likely contributed to the slower processing seen in location deviance detection. Ultimately, the current results provide evidence that the neurobiological abnormalities seen in clinical populations of schizotypal personality disorder and psychosis also extend to non-clinical populations.
Neolithic Battle Axes With Cup Marks
Authors: SCHULTRICH SEBASTIAN
Published: September 2024

For many years, scholars consistently dated cup marks – shallow depressions found on both portable and immovable stones – of northern Germany and southern Scandinavia to the Bronze Age. Novel findings trace them back to at least as far as the Late Neolithic period (LN, c. 2350 bc). Recently, portable cup marked stones belonging to a late Funnel Beaker context (c. 2800 bc) have been found. There are even indications of cup marks dating back to the 4th millennium bc. At present, a gap exists in the knowledge of cup marks and non-figurative art in general during the Younger Neolithic (YN) Corded Ware Culture (CWC) (c. 2800–2250 bc). This paper establishes the significance of three related types of secondary treatments of battle axe fragments, namely the addition of (hourglass shaped) unfinished shaft holes, deep pecking holes, and shallow cup marks. The argument put forward is that they were present in small numbers in the 4th millennium bc, becoming increasingly common during the proposed ‘gap phase’ in the context of CWC societies. The late 3rd millennium is a period of enormous social change. During this period, of the three types of secondary treatment only cup marks persist, while the potential media on which such cup marks are applied diversifies, with them appearing on objects and items other than battle axe fragments. It is proposed that this development is related to the social changes that characterise the onset of the LN. Finally, it is suggested that the LN and Bronze Age cup mark tradition is based on an earlier tradition initially associated with battle axes.
Ethnic affiliation and protective sexual behaviours among youth in Nigeria
Authors: Somefun Oluwaseyi Dolapo , Fayehun Funke
Published: September 2024

Investing in the sexual and reproductive health of young adults can directly and indirectly contribute to accelerated economic growth. Looking beyond individual determinants of sexual behaviours and focusing on cultural factors such as ethnic affiliation are crucial for interventions and programme planning, particularly in a context like Nigeria. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design, this article explores the associations between ethnic affiliations and protective sexual behaviours of young adults in Nigeria. The quantitative data was derived from a representative sample of 1,393 male and female youth aged 16–24 years in three states purposively selected from three regions in Nigeria, while qualitative data was based on 18 focus groups and 36 in-depth interviews. The quantitative data was analysed using frequency distributions and regressions, while content analysis was employed to analyse qualitative data. Descriptive results showed that abstinence was higher for Hausa (80%) young adults compared with Yoruba (72%) and Igbo (68%) young adults. Condom use was lowest for Hausa (56%) young adults compared with Igbo (80%) and Yoruba (81%) young adults. The effect of education on abstinence differed by ethnicity and living with two parents was associated with a higher likelihood of abstinence among youth in all ethnic groups. Fear of early fatherhood and unplanned pregnancy was a prominent reason for protective sexual behaviour among Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa young adults. The findings from this study show that young adults who engage in protective sexual behaviours may identify different rationales for this behaviour based on their ethnic background. Programme planners interested in promoting and encouraging protective sexual behaviours should recognize these multiple reasons across different ethnic affiliations to scale up and sustain existing interventions.
Genome-wide meta-analysis of ascertainment and symptom structures of major depression in case-enriched and community cohorts
Authors: Adams Mark J. , Thorp Jackson G. , Jermy Bradley S. , Kwong Alex S. F. , Kõiv Kadri , Grotzinger Andrew D. , Nivard Michel G. , Marshall Sally , Milaneschi Yuri , Baune Bernhard T. , Müller-Myhsok Bertram , Penninx Brenda W. J. H. , Boomsma Dorret I. , Levinson Douglas F. , Breen Gerome , Pistis Giorgio , Grabe Hans J. , Tiemeier Henning , Berger Klaus , Rietschel Marcella , Magnusson Patrik K. , Uher Rudolf , Hamilton Steven P. , Lucae Susanne , Lehto Kelli , Li Qingqin S. , Byrne Enda M. , Hickie Ian B. , Martin Nicholas G. , Medland Sarah E , Wray Naomi R. , Tucker-Drob Elliot M. ,   Estonian Biobank Research Team,   Major Depressive Disorder Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Lewis Cathryn M. , McIntosh Andrew M , Derks Eske M.
Published: September 2024

Background

Diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder allow for heterogeneous symptom profiles but genetic analysis of major depressive symptoms has the potential to identify clinical and etiological subtypes. There are several challenges to integrating symptom data from genetically informative cohorts, such as sample size differences between clinical and community cohorts and various patterns of missing data.

Methods

We conducted genome-wide association studies of major depressive symptoms in three cohorts that were enriched for participants with a diagnosis of depression (Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Australian Genetics of Depression Study, Generation Scotland) and three community cohorts who were not recruited on the basis of diagnosis (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, Estonian Biobank, and UK Biobank). We fit a series of confirmatory factor models with factors that accounted for how symptom data was sampled and then compared alternative models with different symptom factors.

Results

The best fitting model had a distinct factor for Appetite/Weight symptoms and an additional measurement factor that accounted for the skip-structure in community cohorts (use of Depression and Anhedonia as gating symptoms).

Conclusion

The results show the importance of assessing the directionality of symptoms (such as hypersomnia versus insomnia) and of accounting for study and measurement design when meta-analyzing genetic association data.
Unsupervised machine learning for identifying attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder subtypes based on cognitive function and their implications for brain structure
Authors: Yamashita Masatoshi , Shou Qiulu , Mizuno Yoshifumi
Published: September 2024

Background

Structural anomalies in the frontal lobe and basal ganglia have been reported in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, these findings have been not always consistent because of ADHD diversity. This study aimed to identify ADHD subtypes based on cognitive function and find their distinct brain structural characteristics.

Methods

Using the data of 656 children with ADHD from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, we applied unsupervised machine learning to identify ADHD subtypes using the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Tasks. Moreover, we compared the regional brain volumes between each ADHD subtype and 6601 children without ADHD (non-ADHD).

Results

Hierarchical cluster analysis automatically classified ADHD into three distinct subtypes: ADHD-A (n = 212, characterized by high-order cognitive ability), ADHD-B (n = 190, characterized by low cognitive control, processing speed, and episodic memory), and ADHD-C (n = 254, characterized by strikingly low cognitive control, working memory, episodic memory, and language ability). Structural analyses revealed that the ADHD-C type had significantly smaller volumes of the left inferior temporal gyrus and right lateral orbitofrontal cortex than the non-ADHD group, and the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex volume was positively correlated with language performance in the ADHD-C type. However, the volumes of the ADHD-A and ADHD-B types were not significantly different from those of the non-ADHD group.

Conclusions

These results indicate the presence of anomalies in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex associated with language deficits in the ADHD-C type. Subtype specificity may explain previous inconsistencies in brain structural anomalies reported in ADHD.
Naming and Shaming? Telling Bad Bridget® Stories
Authors: Farrell Elaine , McCormick Leanne
Published: September 2024

The Bad Bridget project centres on Irish-born female criminal suspects in North America from 1838 to 1918. Its title derives from the common occurrence of the forename Bridget in nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century Ireland, and its application as a collective name to Irish women in the US. The ‘Bad Bridget’ title seemed to capture our focus on the individual, as well as the diverse experiences of the girls and women on whom the project is based. While we hesitated about using the title initially, lest ‘bad’ suggest a shaming of behaviour or individuals, or ‘Bridget’ a judgement on Irish heritage, we decided that the benefits of the collective name outweighed potential drawbacks. This article expands on the idea that a name can imply shame. It focuses on our use of real forenames and surnames instead of pseudonyms (or other anonymisation alternatives) to identify individual girls and women in our project outputs to date. The article makes the case for the use of real names in this context, exploring in turn our roles and responsibilities as historians, archival and scholarly expectations, our responsibilities towards our subject matter, and our audiences (including the descendants of the Irish girls and women suspected of criminal behaviour).
'The Common Task'
Authors: Elena
Published: September 2024

The things I am going to write about are very ordinary; the framework of my life is very like that of millions of other women. A lot of people think it is dull, and so it might be except that the very dullness of it is a means of grace, and therefore no longer dull. So this is all I can write about— some of the ordinary events, thoughts, problems, prayers of an ordinary day; one of those days which seem so monotonous from outside, but into each of which is poured all the riches of God's grace, if only I have eyes clear enough to see it and a heart brave enough to accept it.
Bishop Challoner's Prayer-Book
Authors: Attwater Donald
Published: September 2024

Richard Challoner was a man of varied an great achievement, but two tilings stand out in their significant for all English-speaking Catholics. The first was his revision of the Rheims-Douay English version of the Bible. This revision almost amounted to a new translation; till recently it was the only Bible current among Catholics in Great Britain and Ireland, and was used almost as exclusively in the United States (cf. the preface to the Confraternity New Testament). The second was his compilation and writing of a prayer-book, The Garden of the Soul, which was first published in 1740. This book has since gone through countless editions, and is still the best-known Catholic prayer-book in the English language. So great has been its influence that, in the form in which it left the hands of the, author, it has given rise to the term ‘Garden-of-the-Soul Catholic‘ to designate one of solid unostentatious piety (combined perhaps with a certain lack of imagination). I do not know, but I suppose that its influence has been scarcely less in America, at any rate for a considerable time.
Hope and Prayer
Authors: McNicholl Ambrose
Published: September 2024

The National Gallery in London possesses one of the most fervently religious pictures ever painted. The last picture which Botticelli left to the world, the ‘Nativity’, sums up and expresses the religious sentiments aroused in his soul by the preaching of Savonarola, the visions of Dante's Divina Commedia, and the spiritual quality of Fra Angelico's frescoes at San Marco. It is the only painting executed by him in the last twenty years of his life, his ‘religious’ period, and it embodies the fruit of his contemplations as he contrasted the tragic events of that troubled time in Florence with the peace-bearing message of the Incarnation.
II A Priest Who Stood Up To Hitler
Authors: Pribilla Max
Published: September 2024

The book Franz Reinisch, ein Martyrer unserer Zeit, by Heinrich Kreutzberg, published recently in Germany, contains a remarkable tale. It depicts vividly and impressively the life and suffering of the Pallottine priest Franz Reinisch, who was condemned to death on July 7th, 1942, and executed in Brandenburg on August 21st, 1942, at the age of thirty-nine. Called up for army service, he had firmly refused, for reasons of conscience, to take the oath of allegiance to Hitler. He knew, of course, that many others in the same situation thought and acted differently. That gave him reason for reflection. But with all consideration and prayer, he remained ever more confirmed in the decision to make a visible protest against the unjust government then in power and its ‘leader’ by refusing to take the military oath. He was unwilling to swear fidelity. Moreover, as a native Austrian, he viewed Hitler as a usurper in that country, and denied all duty of obedience to him.
Conscience
Authors: Jarrett Bede
Published: September 2024

In guiding ourselves in the way of our Blessed Lord, we have to a certain extent to be left to our own conscience and we can't put on to the shoulders of any one else the decision. Obedience settles much in religion, but there must always be a Margin over ‘when?'. A number of tilings in the spiritual life are left to our own judgment, decision and prudence, details outside obedience, where authority may not or cannot enter. A vast region lies under our own rule. To guide this we have a Acuity that goes by the name of conscience. It is not the voice of God, not like God whispering; it is a moral faculty. We have born in us the musical faculty. Now that is part of us, it can be trained well or ill, made to choose that which is best in music or less good; also the faculty of speech, we can speak well or ill, pronounce our words well or not. Just such a faculty is our conscience, the power of selecting what is good or what is ill.
Newman, the Bible and Obiter Dicta
Authors: Davis H. Francis
Published: September 2024

Every word of Christ is good it has its missions and its purpose, and does not fall to the ground. It cannot be said that He should ever speak transitory words, who is Himself the very word of God, uttering, at His good pleasure, the deep counsels and the holy will of Him who is invisible…. All His sacred speeches, though clothed in a temporary garb, and serving an immediate end, … yet all have their force in every age, …

These words are Newman's, quoted in Dr Seynaeve's recent Newman's Doctrine on Holy Scripture, an important monument of scholarship in a province hitherto neglected.

On the Continent last year, I was told about someone who, hearing Newman's name mentioned, remarked: ‘Isn't he the man that held the theory of the obiter dicta?’ I was also told by a Roman student of some years back that, in his time at Rome, Newman would be mentioned among the Adversarii, when the question of the plenary inspiration of Scripture was under discussion.