bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Artificial Plateletoids Recruit Blood Proteins to Shield Symbiotic Thrombin: a Silk Fibroin/Calcium Interface Medicated Thrombin Generation and Preservation
Authors: Shi Zhenghui , Ma Ruiyao , Shan Lianqi , Tu Hongyu , Li Qing , Su Jing , Lu Fei , Yu Kun , Geng Zhen , Slezak Paul , Zhou Zhihang , Hu Enling , Shi Shuo , Lan Guangqian , Xie Ruiqi
Published: December 2024

Breaking the constraints of thrombin during storage and in vivo applications remains challenging because of its low stability and sensitivity to environmental temperature and acidity. Herein, an artificial plateletoid is developed for in situ thrombin generation through a co‐incubation approach with plasma in vitro, utilizing a silk fibroin/Ca2+ interface, to enhance the activity and stability of the generated thrombin. Notably, the enzymatic activity of the plateletoid thrombin platform is as high as 30 U g−1, leading to rapid clotting within 55 s, and it persisted for at least 90 days at as high as 37 °C. This considerably lessens the difficulties associated with maintaining the cold chain while storing and shipping thrombin formulations. Additionally, a gastric bleeding model confirmed that the plateletoid platform improved the acid resistance of thrombin by upregulating the pH of the gastric environment (pH 0.8), facilitating oral delivery of thrombin for effective hemorrhage control in highly acidic stomach conditions. This pioneering study addresses the constraints of thrombin in storage and in vivo applications and may provide a basis for further research on biological storage and delivery approaches.
Fabricating High‐Efficiency Sb2(S,Se)3 Solar Cells by Novel Additive‐Assisted Longitudinal Component Engineering
Authors: Zhu Qiqiang , Wang Weihuang , Chen Zhirong , Cao Zixiu , Wang Weiyu , Feng Xinxin , Deng Hui , Zhang Caixia , Zheng Qiao , Wu Jionghua , Zhang Yi , Cheng Shuying
Published: December 2024

Antimony selenosulfide (Sb2(S,Se)3) solar cells have achieved an efficiency of over 10.0%. However, the uncontrollable hydrothermal process makes preparing high‐quality Sb2(S,Se)3 thin films a bottleneck for efficient Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cell. To address this problem, triethanolamine (TEA) additive is innovatively utilized to regulate the reaction kinetic process of Sb2(S,Se)3 thin films in this work. The results show that TEA chelator can realize the time‐domain control of the reaction process, optimizing the Se/(S+Se) elemental distribution of Sb2(S,Se)3 thin film and shrinking the bandgap offset of Sb2(S,Se)3 thin film. Meanwhile, the (021) and (061) crystal orientation of Sb2(S,Se)3 thin film are enhanced and the harmful VSe1 defects in Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells are passivated. Interestingly, a uniform back surface gradient for Sb2(S,Se)3 thin film is formed to reduce the minority carrier recombination at the back contact, increase the photocurrent and decrease the diode current of Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells. Finally, the Jsc and FF of Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells are significantly improved by 8.6% and 5.5% respectively, and the open‐circuit voltage deficit of the device is reduced by 44 mV, which leads to an efficiency of 9.94% which is the highest values of Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells by sodium selenosulfate system.
A sectional classification of Diplazium Sw. (Athyriaceae), based on plastid genomic, nuclear ribosomal, and morphological evidence
Authors: Wei Ran , Sundue Michael , Yang Jie , Zhang Xian‐Chun
Published: December 2024

The twinsorus‐fern genus Diplazium represents one of the most diverse genera within the lady‐fern family Athyriaceae, encompassing over 300 species, with the highest species diversity concentrated in tropical Asia and the Neotropics. Despite recent progress in phylogenetic studies of Diplazium, the infrageneric classification of this fern group remains challenging, particularly in D. subg. Callipteris. In this study, we explored the phylogenetic relationships within Diplazium using plastid (plastome and amplicon sequences) and nuclear ribosomal data, based on an extensive species sampling. Our phylogenetic analyses, using plastid and nuclear ribosomal datasets, congruently support 4 major clades and 12 subclades. Although deep relationships along the backbone were consistently well resolved using plastomes, nuclear ribosomal genomes and three concatenated plastid markers, cyto‐nuclear discordance was detected within subclades of D. subg. Callipteris. Considering our phylogenetic framework, we propose a classification of Diplazium with a particular focus on sectional delimitation. This classification comprises 4 previously recognized subgenera, and introduces 12 newly established sections. Our infrageneric divisions receive additional support from non‐molecular evidence, including stipe scales, leaf architecture, pinna/pinnule shape, indument and venation patterns, sori and spore features, and geographical distributions.
Functional Feed for Laying Hens: Application of Saffron Extract as Eco‐Friendly Supplement With Cholesterol‐Lowering Properties
Authors: Vakili Reza , Mokhtarpour Amir , Hosseini Ghaffari Seyed Ali
Published: December 2024

Background

Saffron has been utilized in numerous studies as an additive to augment egg quality and to enhance the oxidative stability of egg yolk.However, there is limited knowledge on the responses of hens to dietary supplementation with saffron petals on egg chemical composition, fecal mineral excretion, and ammonia emission.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of saffron petal extract‐enriched diet on egg quality, blood metabolites and odorous gas emission from excreta in laying hens.

Methods

The experimental methodology involved a feeding trial conducted over a period of 12 weeks, using 200 Hy‐line W36 laying hens aged 39 weeks. The dietary intervention included a basic diet (serving as a control with no supplementation), as well as diets fortified with 40, 60 or 80 parts per million (ppm) of hydroalcoholic saffron petal extract in a completely randomized design.

Results

Results showed that the inclusion of saffron petal extract in the diet did not significantly affect the egg crude protein, fat and ash content. However, a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in yolk cholesterol concentration was observed. No substantial effect was noted on feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and egg weight (p > 0.05). On the other hand, a significant increase (p < 0.05) was documented in the egg production percentage of hens fed on the 80 ppm saffron petal extract diet compared to the control. Furthermore, saffron petal extract supplementation resulted in a significantly lower yolk cholesterol together with reduced serum cholesterol content (p < 0.05). Blood glucose and triglyceride concentrations also demonstrated a decrease subsequent to the inclusion of 80 ppm saffron petal extract. The excretion of faecal minerals did not show any significant alterations due to the dietary interventions (p > 0.05). Notably, hens supplemented with 60 and 80 ppm saffron petal extract displayed significantly diminished concentrations of faecal ammonia (NH3) emissions (p < 0.05) compared to the control.

Conclusion

The study suggests that the inclusion of 80 ppm saffron petal extract in the diet of laying hens may serve as a functional food source to mitigate cholesterol levels in egg yolk and blood serum, as well as to reduce faecal ammonia emissions.
Renormalization of the pseudoscalar operator at four loops in QCD
Authors: Chen Long , Czakon Michał , Niggetiedt Marco
Published: December 2024

Abstract

We present the renormalization constant of the pseudoscalar operator defined with a non-anticommuting γ5 in dimensional regularization up to four-loop order in perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Furthermore, by virtue of renormalization-group invariance of the relation between the scalar and the pseudoscalar operator, we predict the $$ \overline{\textrm{MS}} $$

MS
¯

factor of the renormalization constant for the latter at five-loop order in QCD.
Navigating through recent evidence on locoregional breast cancer radiotherapy: an initiative by the scientific association of Swiss radiation oncology
Authors: Tsoutsou Pelagia G. , Eberhardt Anna-Lena , Gruber Günther , Henke Guido , Jeannerret-Sozzi Wendy , Linsenmeier Claudia , Lössl Kristina , Valli Maria-Carla , Weber Walter P. , Zaugg Kathrin , Zaman Khalil , Zwahlen Daniel
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer in women and radiotherapy (RT) is an integral part of its treatment. High-level evidence guides clinical decisions, but given the abundance of guidelines, a need to navigate within the evidence has been identified by the board of the Scientific Association of Swiss Radiation Oncology (SASRO). A pilot project was initiated aiming to create an overview of recent clinically relevant evidence for BC RT, to make it easily available to (radiation) oncologists and radiation oncologists in training.

Methods

A panel of 10 radiation oncology experts for BC RT, one expert in BC surgery, and one expert in BC medical oncology critically reviewed the relevant literature. The panel comprehensively represented different geographical regions of Switzerland as well as university, cantonal, and private institutions. We sought to create a consensual overview of the most relevant questions in BC RT today, accompanied by the most recent and relevant available evidence.

Results

From January 2023 to January 2024, the panel met four times to review and work on an initial draft. The final draft was reviewed and accepted by all panelists. We hereby publish this work to make it available to international audiences. After publication, the work will be made available to all SASRO members on the SASRO website. This work is to be updated every 2 years.

Conclusion

The identified need was addressed with a successful pilot project and will be further expanded upon in other tumor pathologies.
Alterations in the proteomes of HepG2 and IHKE cells inflicted by six selected mycotoxins
Authors: Keuter Lucas , Fortmann Marco , Behrens Matthias , Humpf Hans-Ulrich
Published: December 2024

Toxic fungal secondary metabolites, referred to as mycotoxins, emerge in moldy food and feed and constitute a potent but often underestimated health threat for humans and animals. They are structurally diverse and can cause diseases after dietary intake even in low concentrations. To elucidate cellular responses and identify cellular targets of mycotoxins, a bottom-up proteomics approach was used. We investigated the effects of the mycotoxins aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, citrinin, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol and penitrem A on the human hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2 and of ochratoxin A and citrinin on the human kidney epithelial cell line IHKE. Incubations were carried out at sub-cytotoxic concentrations to monitor molecular effects before acute cell death mechanisms predominate. Through these experiments, we were able to detect specific cellular responses that point towards the mycotoxins’ mode of action. Besides very well-described mechanisms like the ribotoxicity of the trichothecenes, we observed not yet described effects on different cellular mechanisms. For instance, trichothecenes lowered the apolipoprotein abundance and aflatoxin B1 affected proteins related to inflammation, ribogenesis and mitosis. Ochratoxin A and citrinin upregulated the minichromosomal maintenance complex and nucleotide synthesis in HepG2 and downregulated histones in IHKE. Penitrem A reduced enzyme levels of the sterol biosynthesis. These results will aid in the elucidation of the toxicodynamic properties of this highly relevant class of toxins.
Immediate postoperative course in the pediatric intensive care unit following epilepsy surgery
Authors: Ayalon Itay , Friedman Shirley , Meidan Barak , Sadot Efraim , Constantini Shlomi , Uliel-Sibony Shimrit , Roth Jonathan
Published: December 2024

Purpose

To describe the immediate postoperative PICU course and short-term outcomes of children undergoing various epilepsy surgeries.

Methods

Single-center, retrospective observational study. All patients younger than 20 years of age who had been admitted to the PICU between 2018 and 2022 following epilepsy surgery were eligible for study entry.

Results

Fifty-two children (median age 7.9 years) underwent epilepsy surgery during the study period (25 focal lesionectomies and lobectomies [FL], 10 corpus callosotomy [CC], and 17 hemispheric surgeries [HS]). The average number of preoperative antiseizure medications (ASM) was 3, and the average number of failed ASM was 6. Cortical dysplasia was the most frequent etiology (25%). Preoperative cognitive delay and motor deficits were reported in 38 (74%) and 26 (50%) patients, respectively. The median length of stay in the PICU was 1 day (5 for the HS group). No seizures occurred among 44 (85%) children during the first postoperative day nor during the entire hospital stay in 40 (77%) patients (20/25 [82%] in the FL group, 4/10 [40%] in the CC group, and 14/17 [82%] in the HS group). There were no status epilepticus events during the PICU stay. None of patients required hemodynamic support, and only 3(6%) needed respiratory support. Twenty-six patients (50%) had electrolyte abnormalities. Pain was mostly perceived as mild. Fever was present in 28 (54%) patients, most notably in the HS group (94%).

Conclusion

Epilepsy surgery in children is associated with very limited immediate postoperative morbidity and low seizure burden, especially in the FL and HS groups.
Health problems in children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities: a scoping review
Authors: Zandbelt Lian M. , Gijssel Esther J. Bakker-van , Coppens Catelijne H. , Draaisma Jos M. T. , Geelen Joyce M.
Published: December 2024

This study aims to investigate and categorize health problems in children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). We conducted a scoping review in five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Medline, PsychInfo, and Web of Science), including peer-reviewed studies that describe health problems in children with PIMD. Articles on PIMD were included when mentioning children with severe or profound intellectual disability (IQ/DQ < 35 or developmental age < 24 months) AND severe/profound motor impairment (GMFCS IV/V, non-ambulatory/not walking without support or gross motor function measure (GMFM-66) score < 40). Health problems were divided into 11 different categories based on literature and the experiences of the authors. Both health problems reported by caregivers and diagnosed by health professionals were included. A data extraction tool was developed using the JBI checklist recommendations. The review included 22 studies, with a total of 894 patients across all the articles. The most reported health problems in children with PIMD were epilepsy, respiratory infections, feeding difficulties, GERD, scoliosis, and visual impairment. There was no uniformity in the definition and terminology of PIMD. Conclusion: The studies in this review covered a wide range of health problems, with only a few focusing on the entire range. Given the lack of knowledge about children with PIMD, further research is required on the presence of health problems, the age of onset, and appropriate treatments. Awareness, early detection, and treatment of the health problems could optimize the medical care and quality of life of children with PIMD.

What is Known:
• Children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) have severe intellectual and motor disabilities and various comorbidities.
• Children often visit the hospital and provided care is complex and fragmented.

What is New:
• Children with PIMD develop a wide range of health problems; most reported are epilepsy, respiratory infections, and feeding difficulties.
• Little is known about treatment of health problems in children with PIMD.
Holocene onshore/offshore tephra correlation of Mt. Etna, Sicily
Authors: Lippert Antina , Schindlbeck-Belo Julie Christin , Hansteen Thor H. , Del Carlo Paola , Heinrich Mirja , Behncke Boris , Bonforte Alessandro , Urlaub Morelia , Kolling Henriette , Barrett Rachel , Gross Felix
Published: December 2024

The volcanic history of Mt. Etna is mainly known from studies of subaerial deposits and stratigraphy. However, little is known about the offshore deposits, which can provide a more detailed insight into geological and sedimentological processes affecting the flanks of Mt. Etna. During RV Meteor Cruise M178, eight gravity cores were taken offshore across the continental margin east of the volcanic edifice to re-evaluate the volcanic history of pre-historic eruptions and mass wasting events in the area. In total, we investigated 87 marine tephra layers in order to build a marine tephrostratigraphic framework. Based on major element compositions of glass shards, sediment componentry, and petrographic characteristics, 27 layers were identified as primary pyroclastic flow and fall deposits, i.e., directly related to an explosive volcanic eruption. However, most of the remaining tephra layers are interpreted to represent deposits of secondary density currents and are not necessarily related to a volcanic eruption. The marine dataset is complemented by twelve onshore samples taken from major explosive eruptions. Applying geochemical fingerprinting of volcanic glass shard compositions, we correlated eleven marine tephra deposits to seven well-known Mt. Etna eruptions (FV, FF, FG, FL, FS, TV, and M1 eruptions) within the last 12 kyr, which provide valuable time markers in the marine sediment record. Furthermore, we correlated ten marine tephra layers between the marine cores (four individual eruptions) and identified another six primary layers in single cores. In total, we discovered 17 widespread volcanic events in the marine record, including four previously unknown eruptions between 10 and 7.7 ka, which indicate that Mt. Etna was more active than previously thought during this time period.
Minimisers of supremal functionals and mass-minimising 1-currents
Authors: Katzourakis Nikos , Moser Roger
Published: December 2024

We study vector-valued functions that minimise the

$$L^\infty $$

L
∞

-norm of their derivatives for prescribed boundary data. We construct a vector-valued, mass minimising 1-current (i.e., a generalised geodesic) in the domain such that all solutions of the problem coincide on its support. Furthermore, this current can be interpreted as a streamline of the solutions. The construction relies on a p-harmonic approximation. In the case of scalar-valued functions, it is closely related to a construction of Evans and Yu (Commun Partial Differ Equ 30:1401–1428, 2005). We therefore obtain an extension of their theory.
Pharmakotherapie und Kinderwunsch
Authors: Staack Anke Maren , Steinhoff Bernhard J.
Published: December 2024

Pharmakotherapie und Kinderwunsch sind ein anspruchsvolles Thema, das hauptsächlich, aber nicht ausschließlich Frauen im gebärfähigen Alter betrifft, die ein Drittel aller Patientinnen mit Epilepsie ausmachen. Im folgenden Beitrag werden aktuelle Studiendaten dargestellt, daraus resultierende Empfehlungen bei Menschen mit Epilepsie und Kinderwunsch kritisch beleuchtet und eigene Erfahrungen in der Behandlung mit Frauen im gebärfähigen Alter bzw. schwangeren Frauen mit Epilepsie diskutiert. In der Zusammenschau können die Erkenntnisse zum Thema erhöhtes Fehlbildungsrisiko weitgehend bestätigt werden, wenige neue Daten werden unsere Vorgehensweise in gewissen Punkten ändern. Vorausschauende Auswahl der anfallssuppressiven Medikamente bei Frauen im gebärfähigen Alter, proaktive Aufklärung und der pragmatische Umgang bei ungeplanter Schwangerschaft sollen dazu beitragen, das Teratogenitätsrisiko zu senken bzw. Komplikationen für Mutter und Kind in der Schwangerschaft zu reduzieren.
Path-based DEA models in multiplier form and returns-to-scale analysis
Authors: Trnovská Mária , Halická Margaréta , Hrdina Jakub
Published: December 2024

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) models appear in envelopment and multiplier forms, which are in a primal-dual relationship. In this paper, we derive the general multiplier form of path-based models, encompassing radial, directional distance function, and hyperbolic distance function models as special cases. We investigate the economic interpretation of the multiplier models and uncover the link between shadow profit inefficiency and technical inefficiency provided by path-based models. Using the optimality conditions for the primal-dual pair, we precisely describe the two-way relationship between the optimal solutions of the multiplier model and the supporting hyperplanes of the technology set at the projection. This relationship serves as a mathematical justification for extending one of the early approaches to measuring returns-to-scale (RTS) onto the entire class of path-based models. Moreover, we demonstrate the eligibility of this method by revealing the fact that the set of all strongly efficient benchmarks for the assessed unit in path-based models does not need to belong to a single strongly efficient face of technology set. This finding changes the view on traditional approaches to RTS measurement that rely on supporting hyperplanes encompassing a single strongly efficient face of the technology set. In this new perspective, we propose two methods for RTS measurement. The first is based on the hyperplanes at the projection, and the second method adapts the minimum face method to be suitable for path-based models. Both methods are fully justified and brought to an algorithmic form.
From Complementarity to Mutual Recognition and Thirdness in Child–Parent Psychotherapy
Authors: Saar-Heiman Yuval
Published: December 2024

This article explores the integration of Jessica Benjamin’s concepts of ‘mutual recognition’ and ‘the third’ into child-parent psychotherapy (CPP), a relationship-based trauma-informed dyadic intervention model rooted in attachment theory. Despite the significance of caregiver-child relationships in trauma response, Benjamin’s work remains underutilized in the CPP literature. This article uses a case illustration to demonstrate how incorporating Benjamin’s concepts enriches CPP interventions that address the relational impact of trauma on young children. Three strategies are outlined to cultivate thirdness within CPP, drawing from clinical material: exploring trauma and complementarity, distinguishing play from reality, and working with the clinician’s subjectivity. The article illustrates how the utilization of Benjamin’s concepts can complement CPP and how emphasizing the intersubjective dynamic between parent and child, enhancing parental subjectivity, and prioritizing the repair of recognition breakdowns can support clinicians in advancing the therapeutic goals of CPP.
Introduction to the Special Issue: ‘The public good of higher education: A comparative study’
Authors: Brewis Elisa , Marginson Simon
Published: December 2024

The Special Issue provides the first consolidated outcomes from a large cross-country research project, conducted by the UK-based Centre for Global Higher Education, on the contributions of higher education to public good outcomes. The public good outcomes of higher education are outcomes other than private pecuniary benefits like individual earnings, employment or social status: (a) shared collective social goods, such as the contributions of higher education to social tolerance, or democratic governance and (b) non-pecuniary individual goods such as the lifetime contribution of higher education to the subjectification (self-formation) of students and to their socialisation as citizens in relational settings. This non-pecuniary domain is underplayed or hidden in those economic policies in the Anglosphere that imagine social life in exclusively transactional terms and model students as consumers, universities as businesses and higher education systems as competitive markets, suggesting the need to move beyond the Anglosphere. The research studies reported here compare approaches to public good outcomes (or their nearest lexical equivalents) in Chile, China, Finland, France, Japan and Poland, as well as Canada and England. This introduction explains the project and presents the country studies, also acknowledging the limitations of the research. It concludes with a summary of the research outcomes across the eight countries, including similarities and differences, and a generic transpositional analysis that integrates the separate findings into a single overall picture of the contribution of higher education to the public good in the eight countries.
Undocumented immigrants and the growth of Hispanic entrepreneurship
Authors: Wang Chunbei , Wang Le
Published: December 2024

Over the last two decades, there has been a significant surge in the self-employment rate among Hispanics, especially among Hispanic immigrants. However, the reasons behind this increase remain underexplored. This paper addresses this gap by examining the role of undocumented immigrants, a substantial part of the Hispanic immigrant population, by discerning immigrants’ legal status in the Current Population Survey–Annual Social and Economic data (1994–2018). The findings reveal that the nearly doubled self-employment rate among Hispanic immigrants is primarily driven by undocumented individuals, especially those of Mexican origin. A key factor is the post-9/11 tightening of immigration enforcement, which worsened job prospects for undocumented immigrants, pushing many into self-employment. This event triggered a distinct pattern in Hispanic self-employment, setting it apart from other demographic groups. Other factors, such as business cycles, state-level immigration policies, the gig economy, and the growth of the Hispanic community, also contribute but play a lesser role.
Narrative Railroading
Authors: Osler Lucy
Published: December 2024

The narratives we have about ourselves are important for our sense of who we are. However, our narratives are influenced, even manipulated, by the people and environments we interact with, impacting our self-understanding. This can lead to narratives that are limited, even harmful. In this paper, I explore how our narrative agency is constrained, to greater and lesser degrees, through a process I call ‘narrative railroading’. Bringing together work on narratives and 4E cognition, I specifically explore how using features of our socio-material environments to support and construct our narratives does not simply offer up possibilities for creating more reliable and accurate self-narratives (Heersmink 2020) but can lead to increasingly tight narrative railroading. To illustrate this idea, I analyse how digital technologies do not neutrally distribute our narratives but dynamically shape and mould narrative agency in ways that can restrict our self-understanding, with potentially harmful consequences. As such, I argue that we need to recognise that digital devices not only support narratives but work as powerful narrative devices, shaping and propagating the kinds of narratives that we self-ascribe and act in accordance with.
Dementia prediction with multimodal clinical and imaging data
Authors: Kubi Nana Nyarko Brenya Appiah , Nazir Sajid
Published: December 2024

Dementia affects millions of people worldwide, and poses significant challenges due to its irreversible nature and a lack of effective treatment options. Dementia has a considerable influence on people and society and puts a heavy burden on the healthcare systems. This underscores an urgent need for proactive measures to address this public health concern through early detection and intervention. This paper investigates the use of machine learning for an early detection of dementia and its progression utilizing a public dataset. Various traditional machine learning algorithms, were used on the demographic data, with the Gaussian Naïve Bayes achieving the highest accuracy of 91.30%. Four deep learning models, ResNet50, DenseNet121, VGG16, and Inceptionv3 were used on image data, with the DenseNet121 model achieving the highest accuracy of 90%. We also used SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) framework for dementia progression which revealed that Normalised Whole Brain Volume (nWBV) exhibited higher variability in their impact across models. This study demonstrates the potential of machine learning approaches for early dementia detection and prognosis, which can have significant effect in patient care strategies.
A Sociology of Post-Imperial Constitutions
Authors: Thornhill Chris
Published: December 2024

Covering the period from the eighteenth century to the present, A Sociology of Post-Imperial Constitutions combines global history and historical legal sociology to explain how democratic constitutions were created by imperialism and military policies related to imperialism. It challenges common views about the relation between democracy and peace, examining how, in different locations and different periods, the constitutional ordering of citizenship both reflected and perpetuated warfare. It also isolates the features of constitutional systems that have been successful in obviating military violence, separating democracy from its military origins. It discusses how the emergence of democratic government after 1945 depended on a dialectical transformation of the war/law nexus in constitutional rule. It then assesses ways in which, and the reasons why, many contemporary constitutions have begun to remilitarize their societies and to rearticulate military constructs of legitimacy.
The Pashtun Borderland
Authors: Hartung Jan-Peter
Published: December 2024

Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, the need to understand the group's history and ideology has only increased. Jan-Peter Hartung's timely study examines the phenomenon of the Taliban through a topographically, ethnically and geo-politically distinct space: the Pashtun Borderland of today's Afghanistan and Pakistan. Emphasising the central role of Pashtun ethnicity, Hartung covers approximately five hundred years of Pashtun history: from the early modern Mughal empire to the first Durrani Empire in the eighteenth century and the regional developments during the colonial period in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Drawing from a wealth of primary source materials in Pashto, Persian, Urdu and Arabic, Hartung moves the discussion of the Taliban beyond the immediacy of journalistic reportage and security-orientated studies, to a nuanced analysis of a wide range of actors and ideologies, refracting Afghanistan's present moment through the lens of its long cultural and religious history.
The German Empire, 1871–1918
Authors: Chickering Roger
Published: December 2024

Furious economic growth and social change resulted in pervasive civic conflict in Imperial Germany. Roger Chickering presents a wide-ranging history of this fractious period, from German national unification to the close of the First World War. Throughout this time, national unity remained an acute issue. It appeared to be resolved momentarily in the summer of 1914, only to dissolve in the war that followed. This volume examines the impact of rapid industrialization and urban growth on Catholics and Protestants, farmers and city dwellers, industrial workers and the middle classes. Focusing on its religious, regional, and ethnic reverberations, Chickering also examines the social, cultural, and political dimensions of domestic conflict. Providing multiple lenses with which to view the German Empire, Chickering's survey examines local and domestic experiences as well as global ramifications. The German Empire, 1871–1918 provides the most comprehensive survey of this restless era available in the English language.
Dynamics of Land Governance, Extractivism, Urban Tech and Waste Infrastructures, and the Everyday State in Contemporary Africa
Authors: Arukwe Nnanna Onuoha
Published: December 2024

In the development discourse, there has been a tendency to frame the Global South, especially Africa, as a perpetual recipient of ideas from the Global North. This has led to the implementing of “development” initiatives based on the unsuccessful modernization paradigm and the associated Washington Consensus. Despite the emergence of counter theories such as dependency and underdevelopment theories, they share similar assumptions with the modernization paradigm. These assumptions include the belief that historical change brings development or progress, the sidelining of noneconomic factors like ethnicity, race, and gender, and the sole emphasis on economic growth as a measure of development. Both models assume that the state should primarily drive advancement. To address the weaknesses of these development models, alternative perspectives such as women and development, women in development, and gender and development were introduced. However, these perspectives would be integrated into the mainstream development discourse, diluting their impact.
Quality Improvement in Deep Brain Stimulation for Movement Disorders: Pandemic Impact on Specialized Elective Surgery
Authors: Yen Kevin , Torabi Pouria , Miyasaki Janis M. , Sankar Tejas , Ba Fang
Published: December 2024

Background:

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an important treatment for Parkinson’s disease, tremor and dystonia in appropriately selected patients. The Canada Health Act emphasizes equity and “reasonable access to medically necessary hospital and physician services.” How to define “reasonable access” has not been well studied. We aimed to assess access to DBS implantation surgery and to determine the time required from initial assessment through to surgery and which step(s) delay the implantation.

Methods:

DBS implants from 2016 to 2023 at the University of Alberta were analyzed. The neurologists’ decision to proceed with DBS marks the start of the workup. The time required to see a neurosurgeon, psychiatrist, neuropsychologist and healthcare allies and to receive DBS surgery was assessed. The impact of COVID-19 was studied.

Results:

The total time from starting the workup to DBS surgery was 387.76 ± 125.19 days prior to COVID-19, and marked delay occurred during and post-COVID-19 (840.15 ± 165.41 days and 839.78 ± 300.66 days, respectively). Most workups were done within 6 months pre-COVID-19, although a big range existed due to variable factors. The longest delay to surgery was from consent to DBS implantation, owing to a lack of operative time. There has not been a recovery post-pandemic.

Conclusions:

Time to DBS implantation surgery from initial decision is lengthy and more than doubled over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest delay was in the time from consent to implantation surgery, which has not improved despite the pandemic having ended.
Review of the application of infrared spectroscopy in studies of acid-treated clay minerals
Authors: Madejová Jana , Pálková Helena
Published: December 2024

Acid activation of clay minerals is one of the most effective methods for production of materials with increased acidity and porosity. In this review, the benefits of infrared (IR) spectroscopy in studies of acid-treated clay minerals are demonstrated. Protons penetrating into the clay mineral layers evoke structural modifications that can be followed readily by changes in the characteristic absorption bands attributed to the vibrations of the OH and Si–O groups. In the first part of the review the effect of the clay mineral type, composition, layer charge, non-swelling layers, and organo-modification on the dissolution rate is reported. The identification of the acid sites via pyridine adsorption also included. The purpose was to gather the IR results published in previous studies in a single summary paper. In the second part select recent studies reporting the utilization of IR spectroscopy for the characterization of acid-activated clay minerals, mainly applied as catalysts or adsorbents, are discussed. IR spectroscopy as a simple and non-destructive technique deserves attention also today.
A long-wave model for a falling upper convected Maxwell film inside a tube
Authors: Camassa Roberto , Ogrosky H. Reed , Olander Jeffrey
Published: December 2024

A long-wave asymptotic model is developed for a viscoelastic falling film along the inside of a tube; viscoelasticity is incorporated using an upper convected Maxwell model. The dynamics of the resulting model in the inertialess limit is determined by three parameters: Bond number Bo, Weissenberg number We and a film thickness parameter

$a$

. The free surface is unstable to long waves due to the Plateau–Rayleigh instability; linear stability analysis of the model equation quantifies the degree to which viscoelasticity increases both the rate and wavenumber of maximum growth of instability. Elasticity also affects the classification of instabilities as absolute or convective, with elasticity promoting absolute instability. Numerical solutions of the nonlinear evolution equation demonstrate that elasticity promotes plug formation by reducing the critical film thickness required for plugs to form. Turning points in travelling wave solution families may be used as a proxy for this critical thickness in the model. By continuation of these turning points, it is demonstrated that in contrast to Newtonian films in the inertialess limit, in which plug formation may be suppressed for a film of any thickness so long as the base flow is strong enough relative to surface tension, elasticity introduces a maximum critical thickness past which plug formation occurs regardless of the base flow strength. Attention is also paid to the trade-off of the competing effects introduced by increasing We (which increases growth rate and promotes plug formation) and increasing Bo (which decreases growth rate and inhibits plug formation) simultaneously.
A qualitative study to explore and identify reasons for dairy consumption and non-consumption among young adults (18–30 years old) in the UK and France
Authors: Franzon Caterina , Dougkas Anestis , Memery Juliet , Prigent Justine , Appleton Katherine M.
Published: December 2024

The aim of this study was to explore and identify why young adults aged between 18 and 30 years in the UK and France do or do not consume dairy products. Several studies have associated dairy products with a healthy diet, and the production of soft dairy, i.e. milk, yoghurt, and soft cheese, as more environmentally friendly than some other animal-based products. Yet recent reports highlight that dairy intake is lower than recommended for health, especially among young adults. Using a qualitative methodology, forty-five participants aged 18–30 years (UK: n = 22; France: n = 23) were asked about their reasons for (non)consumption of a wide range of dairy products. Audio-recorded focus groups and individual interviews were conducted in English in the UK and in French in France, transcribed and coded. A thematic analysis found four themes and sixteen sub-themes (theme product-related: sub-themes sensory, non-sensory, composition; theme individual-related: sub-themes mode of consumption, preferences, personal reasons, knowledge, attitudes and concerns, needs or cravings; theme cultural aspects: sub-themes product categorization, social norms, use; theme market offering: sub-themes alternative, packaging, value for money, availability) to influence participants’ dairy (non)consumption in both countries. A seventeenth sub-theme (theme cultural aspects: sub-theme structure of the meal) was found to influence dairy consumption only in France. Further studies are needed to investigate these themes within larger samples, but these findings contribute to understanding dairy (non)consumption in young adults in the UK and France and may aid the development of strategies to improve young adults’ diets.
Chronologies of active growth of ice wedges and Middle Holocene palaeoclimate at Lorino site, Chukchi Peninsula, easternmost Siberia
Authors: Vasil’chuk Yurij K , Budantseva Nadine A , Vasil’chuk Alla C , Maslakov Alexey A , Tokarev Igor V , Vasil’chuk Jessica Yu , Kuzyakin Lev P
Published: December 2024

AMS radiocarbon ages of organic matter from ice wedges and enclosing peat were determined for the polygonal peatland at the Lorino site on the eastern coast of the Chukchi Peninsula. The study’s goal was to fill a knowledge gap about the dynamics of polygonal peatlands with ice wedges and winter climate conditions during the Holocene in this easternmost region of the Russian Arctic. It has been found that peatland accumulated during the Younger Dryas and early Holocene, mostly between 14 and 9.9 cal ka BP, while ice wedges were dated from 7.7 to 6.6 cal ka BP. Since ice wedges have features of syngenetic growth, the discrepancy in the age of ice wedges and enclosing peatland may result from the significant presence of early and pre-Holocene peat. It is assumed that the older polygonal peatland deeply thawed during the Holocene optimum, and subsequently, when the permafrost aggraded, a new generation of ice wedges was formed. The AMS 14C age (18.1 cal ka BP) of the ice wedge exposed below the peat indicates the presence of a Late Pleistocene generation of ice wedges at the study site. Paleotemperature reconstructions based on the stable isotope composition of ice wedges show that the mean January air temperature during the Northgrippian stage of the Holocene varied from –27 to –23°C, and at the end of the Late Pleistocene, from –32 to –26°C.
Tolas, fish traps and radiocarbon dating: The spatial characterization of the Manteño site of Ligüiqui in Ecuador and its contextualization within the chronological framework of other pre-Hispanic cultures
Authors: Castro-Priego Manuel , Olmo-Enciso Lauro , Jiménez-Espejo Francisco José , Labrada-Ochoa Marcos Octavio , Diarte-Blasco Pilar , Jijón-Porras Juan Andrés , García-Álix Antonio
Published: December 2024

Ecuador is a key area in South America when it comes to understanding the economic, social and archaeological aspects of pre-Hispanic cultures in the northwestern region of the Andes. Among the most complex societies to have inhabited this territory is the so-called Manteño culture (AD ∼800–1530), which spanned across most of Ecuador’s central Pacific coast. Ongoing research at the site of Ligüiqui (Manta, Manabí) has enabled us to obtain a more complete overview of the chronological sequence of the Manteño period as well as contributing further data on the advanced stage of social development reached during the period; characterized by the hierarchical arrangement of sites, the use of extensive settlement models, and semi-circular stone fish traps (corrales). In order to understand the role played by this coastal site in the complex Manteño culture, a detailed radiocarbon study was performed in the sequence of the Ligüiqui site. In addition, using a detailed review of available Manteño settlement radiocarbon data (13 sites and 64 dates), we established a chronostratigraphic framework for the culture. Our data indicate that Ligüiqui probably acted as a supply centre for marine-origin products from the twelfth century onwards with activity peaking during the Late Manteño period. A multisite comparison using Bayesian modeling indicates an early onset of the Manteño culture in Ligüiqui around AD 700, and a general demise in most of the sites AD ∼1500 or slightly before. This culture finally collapsed before AD ∼1600 during the early Spanish colonial period. Only one site, La Libertad, shows potential evidence of having remained a Manteño settlement after that date.
Gendered Perceptions and the Costs of Political Toxicity: Experimental Evidence from Politicians and Citizens in Four Democracies
Authors: EADY GREGORY , RASMUSSEN ANNE
Published: December 2024

Politicians frequently face toxic behaviors. We argue that these behaviors impose a double burden on women, who may not only face higher exposure to toxicity, but experience attacks that they and others understand to be motivated by prejudice and designed to push them out of office. Using large-scale image-based conjoint experiments in the United States, Denmark, Belgium, and Chile, we demonstrate that both politicians themselves and citizens regard messages targeting women politicians as more toxic than otherwise equivalent messages targeting men. This perception intensifies when messages mention gender or come from perpetrators who are men. A second experiment to investigate the mechanisms shows that hostile behaviors toward women are more frequently understood as driven by prejudice and attempts to remove women from politics. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how perceptions of perpetrators’ motives affect the severity of political toxicity, and provide insights into the gendered effects of political hostility.
Novel study designs and modelling approaches in nutrition research: application of advanced statistical modelling approaches and N-of-1 study designs
Authors: Payne Edward , Vieira Rute , de Roos Baukje
Published: December 2024

Randomised controlled trials are the ‘gold standard’ approach in nutrition research to show a causal relationship between a dietary intervention and clinically relevant outcomes at the population level. Here we review why different study designs are needed to establish the efficacy of dietary interventions at the individual level and to better account for relevant factors that can also influence the outcomes. Over the past decade, precision nutrition approaches have been developed as a new way to measure the effectiveness of dietary interventions at the individual and population level. Precision nutrition aims to determine the individual factors that are associated with differences in responses to dietary interventions. This is complex, typically needing studies with a large number of participants and using advanced statistical approaches and machine-learning algorithms to identify predictors that can explain why individuals do or do not respond to consuming specific foods, meals or diets, for a given outcome. N-of-1 study designs, which are new to nutrition science, offer a robust alternative approach to assess how an intervention and everyday behaviours affect individual health outcomes. They utilise repeated measures within individuals, rather than baseline and end measures in a larger number of participants, to provide the statistical power required to determine an individual’s responsiveness to an intervention. The adoption of new study designs and modelling approaches, particularly the N-of-1 approach, to examine responses to interventions within individuals, will help to further the understanding of the relationships between diet and health within individuals more effectively and accurately.
Paleoparasitological analysis of a 15th–16th c. CE latrine from the merchant quarter of Bruges, Belgium: Evidence for local and exotic parasite infections
Authors: Ledger Marissa L. , Poulain Maxime , Deforce Koen
Published: December 2024

Paleoparasitological studies have made important contributions to our understanding of the past epidemiology of parasites, infection in past populations and lifestyle in the past. In some cases, these ancient parasites can also provide evidence for long distance travel or migration of people in the past. Three sediment samples from a 15th–16th c. CE latrine from the Spanish nation house in Bruges, Belgium were analysed for preserved helminth eggs using microscopy. Bruges was a major trading centre in medieval Europe, thus it was home to a large merchant population with extensive trading networks. Paleoparasitological analysis revealed a preserved parasite egg from Schistosoma mansoni, which causes intestinal schistosomiasis. Roundworm, whipworm, liver fluke and Taenia tapeworm eggs were also found in the latrine which is consistent with parasites previously found in the local population in the medieval period. These new data provide direct evidence for the movement of S. mansoni outside of its endemic area. Today the vast majority of S. mansoni infections occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, with additional endemic areas in the Arabian peninsula and South America. The introduction of S. mansoni into South America is proposed to have occurred relatively recently in human history, as the result of forced movement of people from Africa to the Americas with the Atlantic slave trade. Thus, this infection may have occurred in a merchant who acquired the parasite during trade voyages to Africa or in an individual living in Africa who migrated to Bruges.