bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
National population-based reference data for the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS)
Authors: Larsen Peter , Rathleff Michael S. , Roos Ewa M. , Elsoe Rasmus
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Interpretation of patient-reported outcome scores such as the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) can be improved with use of reference values. The aim of the study was to establish population-based reference values for the HOOS’ five subscales and its short-form HOOS-12.

Materials and methods

A representative sample of 9997 Danish citizens 18 years and older were identified. The population record-based sample was based on seven predefined age groups and an equal sex distribution within each age group. A national secure electronic system was used to send the HOOS questionnaire and one supplementary question regarding previous hip complaints to all participants.

Results

2277 participants completed the HOOS, 947 women (42%) and 1330 men (58%). The mean HOOS subscale scores were: pain 86.9 (95% CI 86.1–87.7), symptoms 83.7 (95% CI 82.9–84.5), ADL 88.2 (95% CI 87.5–89.0), sport and recreation function 83.1 (95% CI 82.0–84.1), QOL 82.7 (95% CI 81.8–83.6). The youngest age group reported better mean scores in four subscales compared to the oldest age group (pain 91.7 vs. 84.5, mean difference 7.2 95% CI 0.4–14.0), (ADL 94.6 points vs. 83.2, mean difference 11.4 95% CI 4.9–17.8), (sport and recreation function 91.5 points vs. 73.8 points, mean difference 17.7 95% CI 9.0–26.4), (QOL 88.9 points vs. 78.8, mean difference 10.1 points 95% CI 2.0–18.2). Participants with a self-reported hip complaint had worse HOOS scores across all subscales (mean difference range 22.1–34.6). Super obese patients (BMI > 40) had > 12.5 points worse scores across the five HOOS subscales. Results were similar for the HOOS-12.

Conclusion

This study provides reference values for the HOOS and its short form HOOS-12. Results show that older patients and patients with a BMI over 40 have worse HOOS and HOOS-12 scores that may be of clinical importance in the interpretation of scores both when evaluating potential for improvement and post-treatment results.
Assessing frailty at the centers for dementia and cognitive decline in Italy: potential implications for improving care of older people living with dementia
Authors: Bellelli G. , Zucchelli A. , Benussi A. , Pinardi E. , Caratozzolo S. , Ornago A.M. , Cosseddu M. , Stella V. , Turrone R. , Massariello F. , Marengoni A. , Padovani A.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Frailty is strongly associated with the clinical course of cognitive impairment and dementia, thus arguing for the need of its assessment in individuals affected by cognitive deficits. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate frailty in patients aged 65 years and older referred to two Centers for Cognitive Decline and Dementia (CCDDs).

Methods

A total of 1256 patients consecutively referred for a first visit to two CCDDs in Lombardy (Italy) between January 2021 to July 2022 were included. All patients were evaluated by an expert physician in diagnosis and care of dementia according to a standardized clinical protocol. Frailty was assessed using a 24-items Frailty Index (FI) based on routinely collected health records, excluding cognitive decline or dementia, and categorized as mild, moderate, and severe.

Results

Overall, 40% of patients were affected by mild frailty and 25% of the sample has moderate to severe frailty. The prevalence and severity of frailty increased with decreasing Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score and advancing age. Frailty was also detected in 60% of patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Conclusion

Frailty is common in patients referring to CCDDs for cognitive deficits. Its systematic assessment using a FI generated with readily available medical information could help develop appropriate models of assistance and guide personalization of care.
Pathophysiology of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis: lessons from findings of the past three decades in Japan
Authors: Nakayama Masaaki , Miyazaki Masanobu , Hamada Chieko , Ito Yasuhiko , Honda Kazuho ,   Peritoneal Biopsy Study Group of the Japanese Society for Peritoneal Dialysis
Published: June 2023

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS), a condition with a high mortality rate, is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). In Japan, EPS became a central issue in the clinical setting during the mid-90s and the beginning of this century. However, following the introduction of biocompatible neutral PD solutions containing lower levels of glucose degradation products, the incidence and clinical severity of EPS has been greatly lessened. During the past three decades, the etiology of EPS has been elucidated by findings obtained by peritoneal biopsy, laparoscopy, and surgical intervention. Accumulating findings suggest the need for a paradigm change on the nature of EPS pathophysiology; notably, EPS appears not to reflect peritoneal sclerosis per se, but rather the formation of a neo-membrane as a biological reaction to peritoneal injury. This narrative review looks back on the history of EPS in Japan, and discusses EPS pathophysiology, the impact of neutral PD solution on peritoneal protection, and a future novel diagnostic approach, ultra-fine endoscope, for the identification of patients at high risk of EPS.
No lukewarm diatom communities—the response of freshwater benthic diatoms to phosphorus in streams as basis for a new phosphorus diatom index (PDISE)
Authors: Kahlert Maria , Fölster Jens , Tapolczai Kálmán
Published: June 2023

In the present study, we developed a new Swedish phosphorus diatom index (PDISE) to improve the poor fit of existing indices to match the needs of water managers to detect and mitigate eutrophication. We took advantage of a large amount of data (820 Swedish stream sites) collected in recent years. During our work, we found an unexpected bimodal response of the diatom assemblages to phosphorus. The taxa clustered either into an assemblage with a low or with a high site-specific averaged TP optimum (a calculated value comprised of the diatom taxa-specific optima). We could not find a characteristic diatom assemblage for sites with intermediate site-specific averaged TP optima. To our knowledge, this bimodal community response has not been shown earlier. The PDISE correlated more strongly than the currently used TDI to changes in TP concentrations. Thus, the PDISE should replace the TDI in the Swedish standard method. The modeled TP optima (expressed as categories) were different compared to the TDI for most of the taxa included in the index, indicating that the realized niche for these morphotaxa was different between Sweden and the UK where the TDI was developed originally. With a r2 of 0.68, the correlation of the PDISE to TP is among the highest reported for other diatom nutrient indices globally; thus, we believe that it might be worth to test it for other bioregions with similar geography and climate.
Cell tracking with multifeature fusion
Authors: Wang Fei , Li Huawei , Yang Wanli , Jin Shidong , Gao Peng
Published: June 2023

Cell tracking is currently a powerful tool in a variety of biomedical research topics. Most cell tracking algorithms follow the tracking by detection paradigm. Detection is critical for subsequent tracking. Unfortunately, very accurate detection is not easy due to many factors like densely populated, low contrast, and possible impurities included. Keeping tracking multiple cells across frames suffers many difficulties, as cells may have similar appearance, they may change their shapes, and nearby cells may interact each other. In this paper, we propose a unified tracking-by-detection framework, where a powerful detector AttentionUnet++, a multimodal extension of the Efficient Convolution Operators algorithm, and an effective data association algorithm are included. Experiments show that the proposed algorithm can outperform many existing cell tracking algorithms.
Hintikka’s conception of syntheticity as the introduction of new individuals
Authors: Larese Costanza
Published: June 2023

In a series of papers published in the sixties and seventies, Jaakko Hintikka, drawing upon Kant’s conception, defines an argument to be analytic whenever it does not introduce new individuals into the discussion and argues that there exists a class of arguments in polyadic first-order logic that are to be synthetic according to this sense. His work has been utterly overlooked in the literature. In this paper, I claim that the value of Hintikka’s contribution has been obscured by his formalisation of the original definition. Therefore, I provide (i) a brief reconstruction of the historical framework of the problem and the revolutionary import of Hintikka’s contribution, (ii) a clarification of the most complicated steps of Hintikka’s elaboration of his insight, (iii) a criticism of several features that play a fundamental role in Hintikka’s formalisation and (iv) a selection from Hintikka’s own material of some valuable suggestions towards a clear and workable formalisation. As for the pars construens, I isolate in the approach of depth-bounded first-order logics (D'Agostino et al. 2021) an alternative formalisation of the notion of syntheticity as the introduction of new individuals in the reasoning, and I show that it is not affected by the same difficulties as Hintikka’s proposal. In so doing, I hope to have contributed to the realisation of the project of rehabilitating Kant’s analytic–synthetic distinction in the context of modern first-order logic with the purpose of showing, against the logical empiricist movement, that logic is not analytic.
Linear convergence rate analysis of a class of exact first-order distributed methods for weight-balanced time-varying networks and uncoordinated step sizes
Authors: Malaspina Greta , Jakovetić Dušan , Krejić Nataša
Published: June 2023

We analyze a class of exact distributed first order methods under a general setting on the underlying network and step-sizes. In more detail, we allow simultaneously for time-varying uncoordinated step sizes and time-varying directed weight-balanced networks, jointly connected over bounded intervals. The analyzed class of methods subsumes several existing algorithms like the unified Extra and unified DIGing (Jakovetić in IEEE Trans Signal Inf Process Netw 5(1):31–46, 2019), or the exact spectral gradient method (Jakovetić et al. in Comput Optim Appl 74:703–728, 2019) that have been analyzed before under more restrictive assumptions. Under the assumed setting, we establish R-linear convergence of the methods and present several implications that our results have on the literature. Most notably, we show that the unification strategy in Jakovetić (2019) and the spectral step-size selection strategy in Jakovetić et al. (2019) exhibit a high degree of robustness to uncoordinated time-varying step sizes and to time-varying networks.
Inequalities in Wellbeing in Lebanese Children and Different Refugee Subpopulations: A Multidimensional Child Deprivation Analysis
Authors: Jamaluddine Zeina , Safadi Gloria , Irani Alexandra , Salti Nisreen , Chaaban Jad , Abdulrahim Sawsan , Thomas Alban , Ghattas Hala
Published: June 2023

Background and Objectives

This study constitutes the first attempt to describe the overlapping deprivations faced by Lebanese children (Lebanese) and that of the three sub-populations of refugees living in Lebanon: Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon, Palestinian refugees from Syria and Syrian refugees.

Methods

Using data from the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Household Survey 2016 (n = 10,555 Lebanese; 7,106 Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon; 2,768 Palestinian refugees from Syria and 5,891 Syrian refugee children aged 2 to 17 years old), we report on single and overlapping deprivations (at least two concurrent deprivations) using indicators related to survival (nutrition, health, water, sanitation and overcrowding), development (education) and protection (labor, exposure to violence and early marriage). Maternal education and geographical correlates of deprivation were explored using multivariable logistic regression models clustering for children in the same households.

Main Results

In terms of co-occurrence of deprivations, Syrian refugees had the highest prevalence in all age groups (68.5%, 2-4y and 65.7%, 6-17y), followed by Palestinian refugees from Syria (46.2%, 2-4y and 45.5%, 6-17y), Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon (28.9%, 2-4y and 23.7%, 6-17y), with Lebanese children having the lowest prevalence (13.2%, 2-4y and 15.3, 6-17y). About half of Palestinian refugees from Syria and Syrian refugees (6-17y) were deprived in protection and housing. Education deprivation is of primary concern for Syrian children. Higher maternal education was consistently associated with lower odds of co-occurrence of deprivations among children aged 6-17y.

Conclusion

This study highlights the importance of including refugee populations in reporting frameworks. This analysis additionally generates geographical and socio-economic profiles of the deprived children and identifies key deprivation areas of the affected sub-groups to inform effective policy design especially in light of the prevailing economic crisis.
An Ecosystem for Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation: How the State Integrates Actors for Developing Impact Investing in Portugal
Authors: Christopoulos Tania Pereira , Verga Matos Pedro , Borges Rafael Drumond
Published: June 2023

In this article, we explore how an important state intervention in cooperation with many civil society actors led to impact investing field emergence, intending to create favourable conditions for social entrepreneurship and social innovation. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted in Portugal, with the main players in the field, including private sector, government, NGOs, and EU authorities. The ecosystem formed by these actors is analysed under the institutional theory lens and through an inductive method, leading to a process-based model. The results of our case study show a state struggling to involve private sector in providing resources to the field. On demand side, new entrepreneurs are finding difficulties in meeting legal requirements and answering suppliers’ selection criteria. Intermediaries contribute to reducing complexities, but are fighting to encounter their place in the field. Our evidences further suggest that social entrepreneurship and social innovation could be implemented as socially embedded actions, in response to local demands.
Antitrust Fines and Limitation Periods After the Implementation of Directive (EU) 2019/1 Throughout Member States: Focus on French and Polish Perspectives
Authors: Knapp Magdalena , Costa Cunha Diogo
Published: June 2023

The article focuses on the issue of implementation of Directive 2019/1 to empower the competition authorities of the Member States to be more effective enforcers and to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market. It discusses recent developments in competition law with a special focus on fining powers of the national competition authorities (NCAs). The article compares different approaches adopted by EU Members States, with a special focus on Poland and France, to implement provisions of the ECN+ Directive referring to antitrust fines and limitation periods. The article sheds light on the process of implementation and problems encountered by national legislators. This article analyses steps taken towards uniformity in this area of law within the EU. It contributes to the research on how NCAs approach the enforcement of competition law and ensure the deterrent effect of antitrust fines. The conclusions cast doubt on the effectiveness of raising the level of fines as a means of enhancing enforcement if it is not supported by other measures such as a coherent fining policy or sanctions ensuring compliance. The methodology used in the article includes descriptive research based on an analysis of relevant provisions of national law and EU law relating to fining powers of NCAs.
From the wild to the field: effect of foliar or soil application of inorganic or semi-organic fertilizers on various parameters of four local endemic plant species of Crete (Greece)
Authors: Bilias Fotis , Ipsilantis Ioannis , Samara Eftihia , Tsoktouridis Georgios , Glavakis Evangelos , Grigoriadou Katerina , Krigas Nikos , Matsi Theodora
Published: June 2023

Domestication of wild plant species of interest coupled with introduction of pilot cultivation practices and appropriate fertilization schemes could be an efficient alternative for addressing sustainable exploitation needs of threatened and/or declining wild phytogenetic resources. In this field study focusing on four threatened wild-growing plants (Carlina diae, Origanum dictamnus, Origanum microphyllum, and Sideritis syriaca subsp. syriaca) confined to Crete (local endemics), the effects of three types of fertilization (inorganic, plain semi-organic or co-applied with commercial biostimulants based on edible raw plant materials) by two methods (foliar/soil application) on plants’ growth were investigated. Specifically, plant parameters such as aboveground biomass yield, content and uptake of nutrients by plants as well as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi root colonization were evaluated. Results revealed a distinction in plants’ multi-elemental stoichiometry, except in the case of Origanum species, in which the variance of their ionomics showed a significant overlap. The elements most closely related to yield were K and Zn, while Pearson tests showed various correlations between studied essential nutrients. Among them, the positive correlations between B and Ca, and Mg (with r value up to 0.9 at p ≤ 0.001, in all studied species except O. dictamnus); the negative correlations between K and Mg (in O. dictamnus and S. syriaca subsp. Syriaca, r = − 0.5 at p ≤ 0.001); and the positive correlation patterns between Fe and Mn, or Cu and Zn, respectively (in all studied species) , were observed. Biostimulant application alone or in combination with semi-organic fertilizers increased the yield of C. diae (up to 161%) and of the two Origanum species studied (up to 70% and 68% for O. dictamnus and for O. microphyllum, respectively), while inorganic fertilization was beneficial for S. syriaca subsp. syriaca (up to 170% increase) and O. microphyllum (up to 79% increase). However, no solid conclusions could be derived in respect of the preference of the four species for any fertilizers' application method (foliar or by soil).
An investigation of compliant contact force models applied for analysis of simultaneous, multi-zone impacts of particles
Authors: Warzecha Mariusz
Published: June 2023

Compliant contact force models were developed and mainly used to investigate simple impacts of two bodies. It is therefore unclear how they will perform in more complex cases, where simultaneous, multi-zone impact may occur. The aim of this study is to investigate phenomena that occur in such impacts and to study the effectiveness of preselected contact force models in their modelling. For this purpose, the study addressed collisions that occur in a collinear system of 3 to 6 particles made of steel, aluminium, and bronze. The results obtained for each force model were referenced to the FEM analysis. To compare the performance of the models, the Benchmark Velocity Indicator (BVI) is proposed. The study showed that during simultaneous, multi-zone impact direct switch from the restitution to compression phases may occur and subsequent collision along the same normal may take place. Such phenomena are not incorporated in current compliant contact force models; therefore, the study showed the need for their further improvement. The best models proposed by Kogut and Etsion (KE) and Jackson and Green (JG) achieved average errors equal to 3.89% and 4.15%, respectively. However, the same models in their worst cases reached error values of 38.66% and 33.77%. The article concludes with proposals for future improvements.
A survey on Lyapunov functions for epidemic compartmental models
Authors: Cangiotti Nicolò , Capolli Marco , Sensi Mattia , Sottile Sara
Published: June 2023

In this survey, we propose an overview on Lyapunov functions for a variety of compartmental models in epidemiology. We exhibit the most widely employed functions, and provide a commentary on their use. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive starting point to readers who are attempting to prove global stability of systems of ODEs. The focus is on mathematical epidemiology, however some of the functions and strategies presented in this paper can be adapted to a wider variety of models, such as prey–predator or rumor spreading.
A federated learning algorithm using parallel-ensemble method on non-IID datasets
Authors: Yu Haoran , Wu Chang , Yu Haixin , Wei Xuelin , Liu Siyan , Zhang Ying
Published: June 2023

Traditional federated learning algorithms suffer from considerable performance reduction with non-identically and independently distributed datasets. This paper proposes a federated learning algorithm based on parallel-ensemble learning, which improves performance for image classification on these datasets. The training process of this algorithm includes basic federation learning and meta federation learning. First, several basic models are trained through cross-validation of federated learning, and then the meta-model is trained using the prediction results of the validation sets. In the training process, the training of different basic models is parallel. In prediction, meta-model is used to aggregate the output of the basic models to get the final prediction results. Our algorithm can achieve higher accuracy than traditional federated learning when using non-independent identically distributed datasets for image classification. Our algorithm aggregates different models through federated learning based on parallel-ensemble method, and improves the image classification performance of federated learning on non-independent identically distributed datasets.
Study on the dynamic pore water pressure model of centerline tailings sand based on dynamic triaxial tests
Authors: Huang Xin , Cai Xiaoguang , Yang Pan , Zheng Xuexin , Zhang Shaoqiu , Bo Jingshan
Published: June 2023

The increase of pore water pressure under a dynamic load is an important reason for the vibration liquefaction of saturated sand. Therefore, studying the dynamic pore water pressure model of tailings sand plays an important role in the seismic liquefaction analysis of tailings ponds. In this paper, the dynamic pore water pressure development characteristics of tailings fine sand and tailings silt in a tailings pond with the centerline method are studied by dynamic triaxial tests. The research results show that the liquefaction dynamic pore pressure ratio of tailings fine sand shows a trend of "rising–smooth–rising" with increasing vibration frequency ratio, and the liquefaction dynamic pore-pressure ratio of tailings silt shows an approximate linear and stable increasing trend. According to the development law of dynamic pore pressure, a new tailings sand pore pressure stress model is proposed in this paper, and the fitting effect is compared with four different pore pressure models, which verifies the applicability of the new model to predict the growth of dynamic pore pressure in tailings and silt.
Timing der Pubertät
Authors: Gottardi-Butturini Elena
Published: June 2023

Der Zeitpunkt des Pubertätsbeginns ist von Kind zu Kind verschieden. Es zeigen sich familiäre und ethnische Merkmale sowie ein säkularer Trend, welche dem zeitlichen Aspekt einen gewissen Rahmen verleihen. Dennoch ist der Schritt in die Pubertät im einzelnen Kind nicht so leicht vorherzusagen, da viele individuelle endogene und exogene Elemente einen Einfluss haben. Wie ist die große zeitliche Variabilität des Pubertätsbeginns zu erklären? Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, eine kurze Übersicht über jene Faktoren zu geben, die im Timing der Pubertät eine bedeutende Rolle spielen.
Pre-service teachers’ experiences of affective nature connection through intentional pedagogies on an extended expedition
Authors: Hayward David , Smith Heidi A. , Moltow David
Published: June 2023

Emotion plays a significant role in the human experience. Nevertheless, emotion (as an attribute of the affective domain), is often side-lined in formal learning environments (including Higher Education) in favour of a focus on the cognitive. This paper shares findings of a research project involving pre-service outdoor education teachers as they affectively experienced connections with nature on an extended expedition, while exposed to intentional nature connection pedagogies. It achieves this through the lens of the current shifts in outdoor education practice and pedagogy specifically, and curriculum and educational policies more broadly. The research was conducted as a case study, within a constructivist paradigm. The collection of data involved in-field observations on a six-day expedition, participant interviews, and researcher reflective journals. The data was analysed inductively which revealed a novel framework: the Affective Nature Connection Matrix. Through this matrix, the affective nature connection wave and heartbeat emerged. This theoretically derived and practice informed model highlighted the collective similarity of the expedition experiences, while acknowledging that these experiences were individually subjective. All participants experienced a rise and fall of affective nature connection, the wave, within individual and collective critical moments, the heartbeats, in response to intentional learning experiences which directly impacted and resulted in a deepened connection to self, others and nature.
Design of the semi-closed die for shaping the thick coin-like carbon steel parts in a single operation
Authors: Jhonthong Napatsakorn , Talangkun Sukangkana
Published: June 2023

The current study strives to improve the precision and accuracy of a die and reduce unnecessary production steps. Upset cold forging for thick coin-like carbon steel parts were studied and redesigned for a single operation. The slug used in this experiment was an annealed AISI 1020 carbon steel bar sheared into cylinders having a height to diameter ratio (h0/d0) of 2.07. The design problem is to prevent an inclined slug surface due to surface roughness when it is loaded in the die cavity. The redesigned die is semi-closed with a fixed support at a position 0.25 of the initial height of the slug. Six springs were employed to set the start-to-finish position during forging. The results showed that slugs with rough and uneven surfaces, with an h0/d0ratio of 2.07, could successfully undergo a single forging. Furthermore, the upset forged coin was designed to have a straight 2.4 mm outer edge, providing area for a set of mechanical fingers to grasp the workpiece during transfer to subsequent steps in the work process of a vertical and/or horizontal forging die set.
Patients with CKD Secondary to Glomerular Disorders have Lower Arterial Stiffness, as Compared to Hypertensive and Diabetic CKD
Authors: Lencovsky Ori , Angel-Korman Avital , Glasswine Erick , Tal-Ben Ishay Rotem , Amital Mor , Kukuy Olga , Leiba Adi
Published: June 2023

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) manifested as reduced GFR and/or albuminuria, has been known to accelerate arterial stiffness and early vascular aging (EVA). Diabetes, hypertension, and glomerular disorders are the leading causes of CKD and renal failure.

The question which etiology contributes more to this vascular phenomenon-hypertensive and diabetic CKD or CKD secondary to immune-mediated glomerulonephritis—remained unclear.

Objective

To compare pulse wave velocity (PWV), a marker of arterial stiffness, between CKD patients of different etiologies: hypertensive and diabetic nephrosclerosis. vs. CKD secondary to glomerular disorders.

Methods

Clinical data were collected on 56 patients followed at the Nephrology and Hypertension Institute in Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital. All patients had at least one visit at our Nephrology clinics prior to recruitment. All patients with a glomerular disorder had a clinical-pathological diagnosis based on a recent kidney biopsy.

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured using a validated Sphygmocor XCEL® device. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to compare PWV between hypertensive/diabetic CKD and CKD secondary to glomerular disorders.

Results

PWV was significantly higher in the hypertensive/diabetic CKD group, compared to the CKD-GN group, with an average of. 12.2 m/s vs 8.3 m/s, respectively (p < 0.001).

In a multivariate linear regression model, having CKD secondary to glomerulonephritis was associated with a significantly lower PWV (B = − 3.262, p < 0.001), compared with CKD secondary to hypertension and diabetes, with adjustment of age, creatinine, and comorbidities.

Conclusion

CKD Patients secondary to glomerulonephritis, have lower PWV when compared to CKD patients with diabetes and/or hypertension, even after adjusting for age, renal function, and the presence of comorbidities. It is intriguing to further study the possible protective role of immunosuppression on the arterial properties of CKD patients.
Dynamics of starch degradation and expression of related genes during chilling stress in grapevine
Authors: Zhou Huimin , Li Qingyun , Gichuki Duncan Kiragu , Hou Yujun , Fan Peige , Gong Linzhong , Xin Haiping
Published: June 2023

Frost in late spring is one form of environmental stress that severely damages grapevines. Starch is a major product of photosynthesis that plays essential roles in many biological processes in plants. The dynamics of starch metabolism and related gene expression in the leaves of grapevine during chilling stress have remained unclear. Here, starch metabolism in the leaves of Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon was characterized under normal (25℃) and late-spring frost mimic (4℃) conditions. The results from anthracenone colorimetry, iodine staining and ultrathin sectioning are consistent with a low temperature during the night inhibiting the degradation of starch. Four α-amylases (AMY) and ten β-amylases (BAM) genes were identified in the V. vinifera genome (PN40024). Low nighttime temperatures downregulated the expression of genes that encode amylases relative to optimal nighttime temperatures. The expression of other genes with functions related to starch degradation, such as like starch excess four 1 (LSF1) and isoamylase 3 (ISA3), was induced by low temperature. The glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose contents increased in plants grown under low-temperature conditions with less consumption of starch, indicating complex regulation of soluble sugars. The findings here provide clues that will lead to enhanced frost tolerance of grapevine leaves by modifying the starch degradation pathway.
Public attitudes toward the use of technology to create new types of animals and animal products
Authors: Ryan Erin B , Weary Daniel M
Published: June 2023

Philosophers have used thought experiments to examine contentious examples of genetic modification. We hypothesised that these examples would prove useful in provoking responses from lay participants concerning technological interventions used to address welfare concerns. We asked 747 US and Canadian citizens to respond to two scenarios based on these thought experiments: genetically modifying chickens to produce blind progeny that are less likely to engage in feather-pecking (BC); and genetically modifying animals to create progeny that do not experience any subjective state (i.e. incapable of experiencing pain or fear; IA). For contrast, we assessed a third scenario that also resulted in the production of animal protein with no risk of suffering but did not involve genetically modifying animals: the development of cultured meat (CM). Participants indicated on a seven-point scale how acceptable they considered the technology (1 = very wrong to do; 7 = very right to do), and provided a text-based, open-ended explanation of their response. The creation of cultured meat was judged more acceptable than the creation of blind chickens and insentient animals. Qualitative responses indicated that some participants accepted the constraints imposed by the thought experiment, for example, by accepting perceived harms of the technology to achieve perceived benefits in reducing animal suffering. Others expressed discomfort with such trade-offs, advocating for other approaches to reducing harm. We conclude that people vary in their acceptance of interventions within existing systems, with some calling for transformational change.
Intergenerational Justice as a Lever to Impact Climate Policies: Lessons from the Complainants’ Perspective on Germany’s 2021 Climate Constitutional Ruling
Authors: Steinkamp Till
Published: June 2023

Climate litigation based on the constitutional rights of future generations is an emerging and promising approach to enforcing long-term policies based on intergenerational and climate justice. In Germany, a high-profile constitutional judgment triggered by climate activists ruled that the German climate policy infringes future freedom rights. Based on an assessment of legal opportunity structures and interviews with key actors, this research finds that the complainants utilised the opportunity to facilitate a strong public perception of intergenerational injustice set by the Fridays for Future movement. While the court’s response in the form of the intertemporal effect doctrine is ambiguous and does not constitute clear fundamental rights of future generations, the complainants reached their strategic goal to directly influence policymakers and draw public attention to the issue of climate protection as an intergenerational responsibility. An interplay of four different legal arguments and numerous actors associated with the climate movement was crucial to triggering this outcome. These findings from a sociolegal bottom-up perspective are of great relevance as they show that impactful climate litigation through intergenerational principles relies on the strategic utilisation of the cultural context beyond the legal sphere.
Extrema of a multinomial assignment process
Authors: Lifshits Mikhail , Mordant Gilles
Published: June 2023

We study the asymptotic behaviour of the expectation of the maxima and minima of a random assignment process generated by a large matrix with multinomial entries. A variety of results is obtained for different sparsity regimes.
Do Fiscal Transfers Affect Local Democracy? Lessons from Chilean Municipalities
Authors: Alberti Carla , Díaz-Rioseco Diego , Riveros Ignacio
Published: June 2023

Extant literature concurs that fiscal transfers affect local democracy when they grant subnational governments nontax revenue. Yet there is nonetheless a mismatch between this concept and existing measures, which consider the whole transfers local governments receive, including both tax and nontax revenue. This article studies the Fondo Común Municipal (FCM), the most important intergovernmental grant in Chile, and provides a novel measure of nontax revenue. It uses this measure alongside the whole FCM transfer to test the rentier hypothesis. On the one hand, it shows that both measures increase the incumbent party vote share, although the effect of our measure is smaller. On the other hand, it finds that the FCM transfer has an impact on the probability of reelection and the competitiveness of elections, but this effect disappears when using our measure. Overall, the findings suggest that rents from transfers do not lead to strong electoral dominance in unitary states.
Bringing in the New Votes: Turnout of Women after Enfranchisement
Authors: MORGAN-COLLINS MONA
Published: June 2023

Under what conditions did newly enfranchised women turn out to vote at levels approaching men? This question is important because if women’s turnout lagged behind men’s, politicians’ incentives to advocate for women’s interests could remain weak even after suffrage. I argue that women’s turnout approached parity with men’s in localities with strong incentives to vote and to mobilize among the general population. This is because women faced barriers to voting and were, therefore, more likely to vote and be mobilized under the most favorable circumstances. I then propose that electoral competition determines the strength of voting and mobilization incentives and, therefore, the gender turnout gap. Using sex-separated turnout data in Norway, I demonstrate that the gap narrows in high-turnout competitive districts in systems with single-member districts and in high-turnout within-district strongholds in proportional systems. I probe generalizability of my findings in New Zealand, Austria, and Sweden.
Reproductive compatibility among sympatric and allopatric isofemale lines of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879
Authors: Coelho Aloisio , Vieira Jaci Mendes , Rugman-Jones Paul F. , Querino Ranyse Barbosa , Moral Rafael de Andrade , Parra José Roberto Postali , Stouthamer Richard
Published: June 2023

The present study evaluated the reproductive compatibility of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879, through an integrative approach using biological data and morphometry of three isofemale lines (isolines) collected from two geographical areas. These isolines differed in sequences of mitochondrial DNA and reproductive performance in the laboratory. The wasps used to initiate the isolines were collected in different environments: two lines from a Mediterranean climate in Irvine, California, USA, and one line from a tropical climate in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Reproductive compatibility was studied by evaluating the sex ratio and number of adult offspring produced of all mating combinations between adults from these isolines. Morphometry was studied by measuring 26 taxonomically useful characters, followed by a multivariate analysis. For the allopatric matings among Brazilian and North American isolines, a low level of crossing incompatibility was recorded, in only one direction of the crosses; whereas the sympatric North American isolines were incompatible in both directions. Multivariate analysis of the morphometric data indicated no distinct groups, suggesting that despite the genetic and biological differences, the isofemale lines are morphologically similar.
Refining southwestern Atlantic peppermint shrimp biodiversity: description of a new species ofLysmata(Decapoda: Lysmatidae) using an integrative systematic approach
Authors: Guéron Rodrigo , Baeza J. Antonio , Bochini Gabriel Lucas , Terossi Mariana , Almeida Alexandre Oliveira
Published: June 2023

Currently, 14 of the 50 species ofLysmataare known to possess a long accessory branch with more than two articles. Historically,Lysmata intermediaandLysmata mooreiwere the only two ‘long-branch’ species inhabiting the southwestern Atlantic. Here we describe, based on morphological, molecular and colour pattern data, a new species ofLysmatapossessing a long accessory branch from Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Our maximum-likelihood analysis recoveredLysmata elisasp. n. as a sister species toLysmata jundalini. Both species are closely related toLysmata holthuisiandL. intermedia. The four aforementioned species comprise theL. intermediaspecies complex. The new species may be morphologically distinguished from the other closely related species by different sets of characters, which include details of the dorsolateral antennular flagellum, armature of ischium of the second pair of pereiopods, intraorbital process shape and relative proportions of pereiopods. Our results reinforce the importance of refining biodiversity data through the application of integrative taxonomic approaches to expand the knowledge of local and global biodiversity. The biodiversity ofLysmatadeserves special attention, as they are intensively exploited in the aquarium trade.
A Distress-Processing Model for Clients in Suicidal Crisis
Authors: Mickelson Johanna M. , Cox Daniel W. , Young Richard A. , Kealy David
Published: June 2023

Abstract: Background: While crisis intervention frameworks have indicated the importance of clients in suicidal crisis better understanding their distress to decrease suicidality, it is unclear how clients in suicidal crisis process their distress. Aims: To develop (Study 1) and validate (Study 2) a sequential distress-processing model for clients in suicidal crisis. Methods: Applying task analysis, Study 1 consisted of three phases, which resulted in a theoretically and empirically informed model. In Study 2, we examined the distress-processing model’s validity using a longitudinal design. In both studies, data were online crisis chats with adults in suicidal crisis. Results: In Study 1, we developed a sequential five-stage distress-processing model: (Stage 1) unengaged with distress, (Stage 2) distress awareness, (Stage 3) distress clarity, (Stage 4) distress insight, and (Stage 5) applying distress insight. In Study 2, the model’s validity was supported via evidence that (H1) progression through the processing stages was sequential and (H2) clients with good outcomes had greater progression in their processing than clients with poor outcomes. Limitation: Clients who were suicidal but did not disclose their suicidality were not included. Conclusion: Our findings provide a framework for conceptualizing and operationalizing how clients move through suicidal crises, which can facilitate intervention and research developments.
The Rise and Fall of Alaska and Yukon Glaciers Detected by TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason‐2 Altimeters Using a Novel Glacier‐Threshold Method
Authors: Tao Delong , Cheng Yung‐Shen , Hwang Cheinway , Sun Wenke , Lee Hyongki
Published: June 2023

Radar altimetry has been used to monitor sea level changes and ice sheet elevation changes for decades. Over mountain glaciers, radar altimetry has limited applications due to contaminated waveforms caused by complex glacier surfaces and steep terrains. In this study, we develop a glacier‐threshold method (GTM) to determine glacier elevation changes in Alaska and Yukon. The GTM retracks waveforms, reduces terrain effect and detects invalid elevation observations from the TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) and Jason‐2 (J2) altimeters, resulting in an average usable rate of 35% from original altimeter‐measured heights. The selected measurements are used to construct time series of glacier elevation changes over 1993–2002 (T/P) and 2008–2016 (J2) at 47 sites. A crossover analysis, validation by airborne laser altimetry observations, and comparisons with recent studies confirm the estimated glacier elevation changes. Our findings suggest that the thinning of glaciers in Alaska and Yukon has been ubiquitous in recent years. The site near Walsh Glacier has the highest thinning rate of −5.71 ± 0.09 m/yr, followed by Chitina Glacier at −4.51 ± 0.21 m/yr. Only 17% of sites show glacier thickening due to surges and mass accumulations. Using a sophisticated data processing algorithm like the GTM, we show that altimeter data from the repeat TOPEX‐Jason missions can be used to monitor long‐term glacier elevation changes at inaccessible spots, creating an additional value for altimeter missions originally purposed for monitoring long‐term sea level change.
Personalised circulating tumour DNA assay with large-scale mutation coverage for sensitive minimal residual disease detection in colorectal cancer
Authors: Ryoo Seung-Bum , Heo Sunghoon , Lim Yoojoo , Lee Wookjae , Cho Su Han , Ahn Jongseong , Kang Jun-Kyu , Kim Su Yeon , Kim Hwang-Phill , Bang Duhee , Kang Sung-Bum , Yu Chang Sik , Oh Seong Taek , Park Ji Won , Jeong Seung-Yong , Kim Young-Joon , Park Kyu Joo , Han Sae-Won , Kim Tae-You
Published: June 2023

Background

Postoperative minimal residual disease (MRD) detection using circulating-tumour DNA (ctDNA) requires a highly sensitive analysis platform. We have developed a tumour-informed, hybrid-capture ctDNA sequencing MRD assay.

Methods

Personalised target-capture panels for ctDNA detection were designed using individual variants identified in tumour whole-exome sequencing of each patient. MRD status was determined using ultra-high-depth sequencing data of plasma cell-free DNA. The MRD positivity and its association with clinical outcome were analysed in Stage II or III colorectal cancer (CRC).

Results

In 98 CRC patients, personalised panels for ctDNA sequencing were built from tumour data, including a median of 185 variants per patient. In silico simulation showed that increasing the number of target variants increases MRD detection sensitivity in low fractions (<0.01%). At postoperative 3-week, 21.4% of patients were positive for MRD by ctDNA. Postoperative positive MRD was strongly associated with poor disease-free survival (DFS) (adjusted hazard ratio 8.40, 95% confidence interval 3.49–20.2). Patients with a negative conversion of MRD after adjuvant therapy showed significantly better DFS (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Tumour-informed, hybrid-capture-based ctDNA assay monitoring a large number of patient-specific mutations is a sensitive strategy for MRD detection to predict recurrence in CRC.
AGER1 deficiency-triggered ferroptosis drives fibrosis progression in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Gong Yihui , Liu Zijun , Zhang Yuanyuan , Zhang Jun , Zheng Yin , Wu Zhongming
Published: June 2023

Hyperglycemia is an independent risk factor for the rapid progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to liver fibrosis with an incompletely defined mechanism. Ferroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death that has been identified as a pathogenic mechanism in various diseases. However, the role of ferroptosis in the development of liver fibrosis in NASH with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is unclear. Here, we observed the histopathological features of the progression of NASH to liver fibrosis as well as hepatocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a mouse model of NASH with T2DM and high-glucose-cultured steatotic human normal liver (LO2) cells. The distinctive features of ferroptosis, including iron overload, decreased antioxidant capacity, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and elevated lipid peroxidation products, were confirmed in vivo and in vitro. Liver fibrosis and hepatocyte EMT were markedly alleviated after treatment with the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1. Furthermore, a decrease in the gene and protein levels of AGE receptor 1 (AGER1) was detected in the transition from NASH to liver fibrosis. Overexpression of AGER1 dramatically reversed hepatocyte EMT in high-glucose-cultured steatotic LO2 cells, whereas the knockdown of AGER1 had the opposite effect. The mechanisms underlying the phenotype appear to be associated with the inhibitory effects of AGER1 on ferroptosis, which is dependent on the regulation of sirtuin 4. Finally, in vivo adeno-associated virus-mediated AGER1 overexpression effectively relieved liver fibrosis in a murine model. Collectively, these findings suggest that ferroptosis participates in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis in NASH with T2DM by promoting hepatocyte EMT. AGER1 could reverse hepatocyte EMT to ameliorate liver fibrosis by inhibiting ferroptosis. The results also suggest that AGER1 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of liver fibrosis in patients with NASH with T2DM.