bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aggregation and beyond: alpha-synuclein-based biomarkers in synucleinopathies
Authors: Chopra Avika , Outeiro Tiago Fleming
Published: August 2023

Parkinson’s disease is clinically known for the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and accumulation of intraneuronal cytoplasmic inclusions rich in alpha-synuclein called ‘Lewy bodies’ and ‘Lewy neurites’. Together with dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy, Parkinson’s disease is part of a group of disorders called synucleinopathies. Currently, diagnosis of synucleinopathies is based on the clinical assessment which often takes place in advanced disease stages. While the causal role of alpha-synuclein aggregates in these disorders is still debatable, measuring the levels, types or seeding properties of different alpha-synuclein species hold great promise as biomarkers.

Recent studies indicate significant differences in peptide, protein and RNA levels in blood samples from patients with Parkinson’s disease. Seed amplification assays using CSF, blood, skin biopsy, olfactory swab samples show great promise for detecting synucleinopathies and even for discriminating between different synucleinopathies. Interestingly, small extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, display differences in their cargoes in Parkinson’s disease patients versus controls.

In this update, we focus on alpha-synuclein aggregation and possible sources of disease-related species released in extracellular vesicles, which promise to revolutionize the diagnosis and the monitoring of disease progression.
Economic Preferences and Personality Traits Among Finance Professionals and the General Population
Authors: Holmén Martin , Holzmeister Felix , Kirchler Michael , Stefan Matthias , Wengström Erik
Published: August 2023

Based on artefactual field experiments, we investigate whether finance professionals differ from a sample of the working population in terms of industry-relevant preferences and personality traits. When adjusting for socioeconomic characteristics, we find only few and less marked differences: finance professionals are less risk averse, less trustworthy, show higher levels of psychopathy and are more competitive than participants from the general population. In an additional survey, experts with hiring experience consider industry selection, self-selection and imprinting by industry norms as explanatory for the observed subject pool differences.
Functional Decline Over Time and Change in Family and Other Unpaid Care Provided to Community-Dwelling Older Adults Living With and Without Dementia
Authors: Lei Lianlian , Maust Donovan T , Leggett Amanda N
Published: August 2023

Objectives

To provide a longitudinal analysis of how functional decline over time among older adults affects provision of family and unpaid care, overall and stratified by dementia status.

Methods

Longitudinal cohorts of community-dwelling adults ≥65 years between 2015 and 2017 from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS; n = 5,103) and their caregivers from the National Study of Caregiving (n = 862 caregivers for 595 NHATS care recipients). A panel data fixed-effects model was used to examine how increases in mobility, self-care, and household activity-related impairment between 2015 and 2017 affected family and unpaid care (care recipient reported: total number of family and unpaid caregivers, total hours of care received; caregiver reported: hours of care provided, caregiving-related emotional, and physical difficulties).

Results

Among community-dwelling older adults overall, impairment in 1 additional self-care activity led to 0.12 more caregivers and 19 additional total monthly hours of care. Among those with dementia, impairment in 1 additional self-care activity led to 0.14 more caregivers and 28 additional total monthly hours of care; among those without dementia, this was 0.11 caregivers and 15 total monthly hours of care. For dementia caregivers, impairment in 1 additional self-care activity among their care recipients led to 8% higher probability of caregiving-related emotional difficulty.

Discussion

There is a mismatch between the large additional hours of care received by older adults who experience functional decline (particularly self-care activities) and the relatively small accompanying increase in family and unpaid caregivers. Targeted functional supports, particularly for self-care activities, may benefit both older adults and their caregivers.
Measuring Age-Friendliness of Transportation and Mobility Characteristics in Communities: A Scoping Review
Authors: Hansmann Kellia J , Deemer David A , Robert Stephanie
Published: August 2023

Background and Objectives

Age-friendly communities are those with characteristics that can support and promote healthy aging. Among the common domains of these characteristics, transportation and neighborhood spaces are particularly relevant for older adults maintaining mobility in their communities. The objective of this scoping review is to provide a synthesis of age-friendly community indicators, developed for research and planning, that evaluate characteristics most associated with community-level mobility, specifically transportation and neighborhood spaces.

Research Design and Methods

We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Medline, APA PsychInfo, CINAHL Plus, SocIndex, Academic Search Premier, and Web of Science. We reviewed 8 articles and reports that described the development or evaluation of a set of generalizable indicators to measure the age-friendliness of a community’s transportation and neighborhood spaces resources.

Results

Indicators of transportation and neighborhood spaces ranged from self-reported measures of accessibility and convenience to objective measures of the availability and cost of services. Explicit discussion of mobility at the community level was variable in these records, and few authors specifically discussed common life transitions impacted by these age-friendly community indicators, such as driving cessation.

Discussion and Implications

Although age-friendly communities are a well-established goal for promoting healthy aging, our review found few validated approaches for measuring age-friendliness that researchers and communities can use to investigate mobility at the community level. This is an important gap in studying life transitions such as driving cessation. Further research can provide a better understanding of which community characteristics support ongoing mobility.
Impact of the solid Earth mass adjustment by the 2011 Tohoku–Oki earthquake on the regional sea level and hydrological mass change recovery from GRACE
Authors: Jeon Taehwan , Seo Ki-Weon , Han Shin-Chan
Published: August 2023

For more than a decade, GRACE data have provided global mass redistribution measurements due to water cycles, climate change and giant earthquake events. Large earthquakes can yield gravity changes over thousands of kilometres from the epicentre for years to decades, and those solid Earth deformation signals can introduce significant biases in the estimate of regional-scale water and ice mass changes around the epicentres. We suggest a modelling scheme to understand their contribution to the estimates of water and ice mass changes and to remove the earthquake-related solid mass signals from GRACE data. This approach is composed of physics-based earthquake modelling, GRACE data correction and high-resolution surface mass change recovery. In this study, we examined the case of the 2011 Tohoku–Oki earthquake to better estimate the regional sea level and hydrological mass changes in the East Asia. The co- and post-seismic changes from GRACE observations were used to constrain the earthquake model parameters to obtain optimal self-consistent models for the earthquake source and the asthenosphere rheology. The result demonstrated that our earthquake correction model significantly reduced the mass change signals by solid Earth deformation from the time-series of regional surface mass changes on both land and oceans. For example, the apparent climate-related ocean mass increase over the East Sea was 1.59 ± 0.11 mm yr−1 for 2003–2016, significantly lower than the global mean ocean mass trend (2.04 ± 0.10 mm yr−1) due to contamination of the earthquake signals. After accounting for the solid mass changes by the earthquake, the estimate was revised to 1.87 ± 0.11 mm yr−1, that is increased by 20 per cent and insignificantly different from the global estimate.
2. Approaches in comparative politics
Authors: Guy Peters B.
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines five main approaches in comparative politics that represent important contributions: old and new institutional analysis, interest approach, ideas approach, individual approach, and the influence of the international environment. The role of ‘interaction’ is also explored. After explaining the use of theory in comparative political analysis, the chapter considers structural functionalism, systems theory, Marxism, corporatism, institutionalism, governance, and comparative political economy. It also discusses behavioural and rational choice approaches, how political culture helps in understanding political behaviour in different countries, self-interest in politics, and the implications of globalization for comparative politics. The chapter concludes by assessing the importance of looking at political processes and of defining what the ‘dependent variables’ are.
5. Democracies
Authors: Pérez-Liñán Aníbal
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines the key features of modern democracy, as well as its origins. It first explains what democracy means in the field of comparative politics, before discussing different models of democracy, including presidential democracy, parliamentary democracy, and democracies oriented towards consensus or majoritarian rule. It then describes the conditions—economic and political, domestic, and international—that allow some countries to become democratic but preserve others under the rule of dictatorships. In particular, it analyses the variables that facilitate the democratization of dictatorships and the factors that place democracies at risk of becoming authoritarian regimes. Finally, it reflects on the future of democracy and looks at the challenges that lie ahead for new generations of citizens.
7. Legislatures
Authors: Kreppel Amie
Published: August 2023

This chapter focuses on the political roles and powers of legislatures. It first describes different types of legislatures on the basis of their functions and relationship with the executive branch, before analysing the roles of legislatures within the political system as a whole, as well as several critical aspects of the internal organizational structures of legislatures. It then examines the relationship between the political power and influence of a legislature and the structure of the broader political and party system. The discussion focuses on legislatures within modern democratic political systems, although many points apply to all legislatures, regardless of regime. The chapter also explains how legislature differs from assembly, parliament, and congress.
9. Constitutions, rights, and judicial power
Authors: Sweet Alec Stone
Published: August 2023

This chapter focuses on the evolution of systems of constitutional justice since 1787. It first provides an overview of key concepts and definitions, such as constitution, constitutionalism, and rights, before presenting a simple theory of delegation and judicial power. In particular, it explains why political elites would delegate power to constitutional judges, and how to measure the extent of power, or discretion, delegated. It then considers different kinds of constitutions, rights, models of constitutional review, and the main precepts of ‘the new constitutionalism’. It also traces the evolution of constitutional forms and suggests that as constitutional rights and review has diffused around the world, so has the capacity of constitutional judges to influence, and sometimes determine, policy outcomes.
21. The welfare state
Authors: van Kersbergen Kees , Manow Philip
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines the emergence, expansion, variation, and transformation of the welfare state. It first considers the meaning of the welfare state, before discussing three perspectives that explain the emergence of the welfare state: the functionalist approach, the class mobilization approach, and a literature emphasizing the impact of state institutions and the relative autonomy of bureaucratic elites. It then describes the expansion of the welfare state, taking into account the impact of social democracy, neocorporatism and the international economy, risk redistribution, Christian democracy and Catholic social doctrine, and secular trends. It also explores variations among developed welfare states, as well as the effects of the welfare state, and concludes with an analysis of the challenges and dynamics of contemporary welfare states. The chapter shows that the welfare state is a democratic state that guarantees social protection as a right attached to citizenship.
2. Politics and the State
Authors: Garner Robert
Published: August 2023

This chapter explains why the state and sovereignty are relevant to the study of politics. It first provides an empirical typology of the state, ranging from the minimalist night-watchman state, approximated to by nineteenth-century capitalist regimes at one end of the spectrum, to the totalitarian state of the twentieth century at the other. It then examines the distribution of power in the state by focusing on three major theories of the state: pluralism, elitism, Marxism, and the New Right theory. It also considers different views about what the role of the state ought to be, from the minimalist state recommended by adherents of classical liberalism to the pursuit of distinctive social objectives as recommended, in particular, by proponents of communitarianism. Finally, it discusses empirical and normative challenges to the state and asks whether the state’s days are numbered.
5. Freedom and Justice
Authors: Garner Robert
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines two related, but distinct, political concepts—justice and freedom. It first considers various possible constraints on freedom before discussing the degree to which freedom is desirable. It then explores various alternative values that might conflict with freedom, mainly in the context of John Stuart Mill’s political thought; these include equality, paternalism, and happiness. The chapter proceeds by analysing the concept of justice and various criteria for determining its meaning in the context of the major competing theories of justice provided by John Rawls and Robert Nozick. Finally, it evaluates alternative theories of justice which challenge the conventional liberal view that theories of justice should focus only on the nation-state and are applicable only to human beings.
6. Traditional Ideologies
Authors: Garner Robert
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines a range of traditional ideologies associated with the Enlightenment, including liberalism, socialism, nationalism, anarchism, conservatism, and fascism. It first explains what an ideology is and what their general characteristics are before discussing liberalism, socialism, conservatism, nationalism, fascism, and anarchism. In the case of fascism, the chapter describes it as anti-democratic, anti-liberal, and totalitarian. Fascists reject abstract intellectualizing in favour of action and focus on the state’s role in creating meaning for individuals. The chapter suggests that each ideology must be understood within the economic, social, and political environment in which it emerged. It also emphasizes the impact of these ideologies on the development of world politics in the last two centuries.
11. Votes, Elections, Legislatures, and Legislators
Authors: Ferdinand Peter
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines some of the central issues associated with voting and electoral systems, along with the functions of legislatures. It begins by discussing the two paradoxes of voting. First, the huge number of citizens in any modern state means that no individual’s vote is likely to make the difference between two or more choices, making it potentially ‘irrational’ for any individual to bother to vote at all. Yet votes make democracy possible. The second voting paradox concerns the difficulty of relying upon votes to determine the objective preferences of the public. The chapter proceeds by considering measures that aim to establish quotas to increase gender equality in legislative recruitment. It also describes different types of legislatures and the internal structure of legislatures. Finally, it analyses trends in the backgrounds of legislators in various countries, specifically focusing upon the criticism that they constitute a ‘political class’.
13. Executives, Bureaucracies, Policy Studies, and Governance
Authors: Ferdinand Peter
Published: August 2023

This chapter explores the relations between the executive and legislative branches of government, along with their role in formulating government policy. It first describes the general framework of legislature–executive relations before discussing the civil service and its embedded autonomy. It then examines theories of bureaucratic policy-making, with particular emphasis on the problem of facilitating policy innovation, as well as the more recent proliferation of government agencies and the concepts of governance and good governance. It also considers the spread of the domain of policy-making beyond state officials or civil servants to issue networks and policy communities and concludes by analysing the emergence of a ‘network state’ and its implications for civil servants.
2. The European Union in World Politics: An Historical Overview
Authors: Hill Christopher , Smith Michael , Vanhoonacker Sophie
Published: August 2023

This chapter provides a structured treatment of the historical context for the mutual entanglement of European integration and the broader development of international relations, bearing in mind the threefold framework set out in the first chapter, namely, European integration as a sub-system of international relations, as part of the general processes of international relations, and as a potential or actual ‘power’ in international relations. The chapter looks at developments up to the end of the 20th century and provides some background to the topics covered in the following chapters. It shows how the European Union’s (EU’s) international role has continuously been shaped by both by the changing international environment and the continuous interaction between politics, economics, and security.
5. European Foreign Policy and the Role of Member States: Europeanization or Renationalization?
Authors: Economides Spyros
Published: August 2023

The field of European Foreign Policy has become an established area of academic study concentrating on the international relations of the European Union (EU). However, we should not neglect the central role played by member states in the definition, formulation, and implementation of the EU’s foreign policy. This chapter explains why we should consider the impact that EU membership, and participation in the EU foreign policy system, has on member states of the EU (or on those wishing to join). This is where the term, the Europeanization of foreign policy, derives. This chapter begins by setting out the conventional definitions and components of the Europeanization of foreign policy. While accepting the basic conceptualization of the term, the chapter questions the viability of the existing dominant assumptions and characterizations of Europeanization and proposes a new typology with more direct policy implications. Finally, the chapter engages with the idea of renationalization and de-Europeanization of European foreign policy.
9. The European Union and the Global Political Economy
Authors: Verdun Amy
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines the position of the European Union (EU) in the global political economy (GPE). It also highlights key dimensions of change and development, and evaluates the EU’s impact on the operation of the contemporary GPE. It does this by examining key ideas in international political economy (IPE), by relating these to the growth of the EU, and by assessing the EU’s role in the GPE in three areas: European integration itself, the EU’s engagement in the GPE, and the EU’s claims to be a major economic power. The final part of the chapter brings these together with an analysis of global economic governance—in particular, the EU’s role in the financial, multilateral state system with its principles of global governance, and pays some attention to recent crises (such as the Covid-19 pandemic) and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
15. Migration: The Dilemmas of External Relations1
Authors: Hill Christopher
Published: August 2023

In the 21st century, migration has become a significant issue in international politics. The European Union (EU), as a zone of wealth and liberal democracy geographically close to the poor and often war-torn states of north Africa and the Middle East, has been a magnet to people desperate to improve their standard of living outside their own countries. But neither the individual EU member states, who retain full control over their own external borders, not the EU, have managed to settle on policies which strike a balance between their obligations to provide asylum and the increasing political pressures at home to restrict immigration. This chapter describes how migration has turned into a problem of foreign policy for the EU, and how efforts to forge a commonpolicy have mostly failed, including the management of the common external frontier. It goes on to discuss the EU’s relationship with international law and other international institutions, in the context of the constraints imposed by a turbulent external environment. The chapter concludes by examining the attempts to sub-contract the implementation of migration management to third states, focusing on relations with Turkey and with Libya.
18. Global Europe: A Pivot to Asia?
Authors: Keukeleire Stephan , Yang Hai
Published: August 2023

This book has so far shown that the European Union (EU) has consistently sought to exercise structural power to influence the developments of third parties and the arrangements of regional and global governance to its preferences, and the (in)effectiveness of its foreign policy is inextricably associated with the internal character of the EU. This chapter showcases that the EU’s engagement in Asia—a region with several systemically important geopolitical and economic players and one of increasing relevance to European interests—is no different. As elsewhere, the EU’s search for strategic relevance in this region has been impeded by both internal and external factors. For now, its ‘pivot’ to Asia remains elusive.
4. Ethics
Authors: Hirst Aggie , de Merich Diego , Hoover Joe , Roccu Roberto
Published: August 2023

This chapter discusses the correlation between ethics and global politics. It starts with a myth suggesting that power politics can be conducted without considering morality, especially following the rise of the modern state system. Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince (1532) has served as the ultimate guidebook for leaders and students of politics as it insinuates that European polities’ moral foundations might not be a proper basis for establishing well-run kingdoms and principalities. The chapter then looks at three key traditions of European Enlightenment thought which form the basis of much of the ethical and moral thinking we see at play in contemporary articulations of the good in political decision-making: deontology, utilitarianism, and contractualism. It also examines Confucianism, Ubuntu, and Sumak Kawsay to highlight the various ethical voices and traditions which have sustained political communities across the globe.
6. Trade
Authors: Hannah Erin , Scott James
Published: August 2023

This chapter assesses the global trade system. It begins by looking at the debate over free trade and protectionism. The chapter explores the evolution of the multilateral trade system, with particular emphasis on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), highlighting the centrality of trade liberalization and non-discrimination in contemporary trade relations. It then considers the debates surrounding the relationship between trade and development, particularly around how multilateral trade rules reflect unequal power relations, and the social consequences of liberalized trade. The chapter also reflects on the recent backlash against neoliberal trade and the ostensible turn towards protectionism in some parts of the world. Finally, it highlights the gendered nature of trade and how it affects gender equality.
8. Terrorism and asymmetric conflicts
Authors: Olsson Christian
Published: August 2023

This chapter assesses the question of ‘security for what purpose?’ in asymmetric conflicts where rival political-military organizations, typically a government and a clandestine group, compete to institute and enforce a socio-political order. Terrorism and the asymmetric use of violence are often understood to pose specific kinds of security challenges that distinguish them from other forms of political violence like war. The chapter highlights why parties to these conflicts often come to threaten individuals—be it through indiscriminate repression or clandestine political violence. It also shows that the protagonists of such conflicts generally seek to define security in terms of the stability of their own socio-political order, thus potentially increasing levels of violence. It is in the context of such conflicts that the chapter discusses the concepts of terrorism and counterterrorism.
Decolonizing Equality—The Legacies of Anti-Colonial Struggles at International Labour Conferences, 1920–1940
Authors: Davy Ulrike
Published: August 2023

The article focuses on the critical moment when the idea of equality entered international law. The article argues that a political claim to equality of all human beings surfaced at the international level already in the 1920s and 1930s, long before human rights were discussed at the United Nations. The International Labour Organisation (ILO), established in 1919, provided the venue for delegates from non-European countries or territories—most of them confronting some form of colonialism—to raise their voices against the exploitation of labour in India, China and other places under the domination of colonial powers. The delegates’ idea of equality was present in arguments attacking racial hierarchies and in arguments criticizing unequal treatment in ‘native labour’ relations. The universalistic idea of the equal worth of all human beings and the idea of equal treatment was advanced to de-legitimize narrow concepts of equality based on race.
A survey of the adoption and perception of mobile health applications among community pharmacists in Malaysia
Authors: Ng Hui Leng , Sellappans Renukha , Loo Jason S E
Published: August 2023

Objectives

To determine the adoption and perception of mobile health (mHealth) applications among community pharmacists in Malaysia.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted with 300 community pharmacists in the Klang Valley, Malaysia using a stratified sampling approach. The questionnaire consisted of 36 questions with three sections: demographic data, adoption of mHealth applications and perception towards mHealth applications. Descriptive and inferential tests as well as exploratory factor analysis were used to analyse the data.

Key findings

Adoption of mHealth applications by community pharmacists for both professional and personal use was relatively high at 79.7%. Utilised mHealth applications were primarily from the medical references category, while applications for patient monitoring, personal care and fitness were used to a lesser degree. Among mHealth application users, only 65.7% recommended them to their patients. Overall perception towards mHealth applications was positive, but perception towards the benefits and favour of mHealth applications for their patients was lower. This was corroborated by the factor analysis, which identified four main factors explaining 59.9% of variance in the dataset. These factors were perception towards use in their own professional practice, perception on benefits and use in their patients, perception on specific features of mHealth applications, and reliability of mHealth applications.

Conclusions

Adoption of mHealth applications among community pharmacists in Malaysia is high. Community pharmacists are more likely to use mHealth applications professionally and personally but less likely to recommend them to patients due to less favourable perceptions on how patients will benefit from mHealth applications.
Assessing the conversion of electronic medical record data into antibiotic stewardship indicators
Authors: Renggli L , Plüss-Suard C , Gasser M , Sonderegger B , Kronenberg A
Published: August 2023

Background

Measuring the appropriateness of antibiotic use is crucial for antibiotic stewardship (ABS) programmes to identify targets for interventions.

Objectives

To assess the technical feasibility of converting electronic medical record (EMR) data into ABS indicators.

Methods

In this observational feasibility study covering a period of 2 years, the EMRs of patients hospitalized at a large non-university hospital network and receiving at least one dose of a systemic antibiotic were included. ABS indicators measuring steps in the process of antibiotic prescription proposed by the literature were collected and rephrased or defined more specifically to be calculable if needed. Algorithms were programmed in R to convert EMR data into ABS indicators. The indicators were visualized in an interactive dashboard and the plausibility of each output value was assessed.

Results

In total, data from 25 337 hospitalizations from 20 723 individual patients were analysed and visualized in an interactive dashboard. Algorithms could be programmed to compute 89% (25/28) of all pre-selected indicators assessing treatment decisions automatically out of EMR data, with good data quality for 46% (13/28) of these indicators. According to the data quality observed, the most important issues were (i) missing or meaningless information on indication (e.g. ‘mild infection’) and (ii) data processing issues such as insufficiently categorized metadata.

Conclusions

The calculation of indicators assessing treatment decisions from EMRs was feasible. However, better data structure and processing within EMR systems are crucial for improving the validity of the results.
Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of antimicrobial resistance inNocardiaspecies
Authors: Hershko Yizhak , Levytskyi Katia , Rannon Ella , Assous Marc V , Ken-Dror Shifra , Amit Sharon , Ben-Zvi Haim , Sagi Orli , Schwartz Orna , Sorek Nadav , Szwarcwort Moran , Barkan Daniel , Burstein David , Adler Amos
Published: August 2023

Background

Antimicrobial resistance is common in Nocardia species but data regarding the molecular mechanisms beyond their resistance traits are limited. Our study aimed to determine the species distribution, the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and investigate the associations between the resistance traits and their genotypic determinants.

Methods

The study included 138 clinical strains of Nocardia from nine Israeli microbiology laboratories. MIC values of 12 antimicrobial agents were determined using broth microdilution. WGS was performed on 129 isolates of the eight predominant species. Bioinformatic analysis included phylogeny and determination of antimicrobial resistance genes and mutations.

Results

Among the isolates, Nocardia cyriacigeorgica was the most common species (36%), followed by Nocardia farcinica (16%), Nocardia wallacei (13%), Nocardia abscessus (9%) and Nocardia brasiliensis (8%). Linezolid was active against all isolates, followed by trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (93%) and amikacin (91%). Resistance to other antibiotics was species-specific, often associated with the presence of resistance genes or mutations: (1) aph(2″) in N. farcinica and N. wallacei (resistance to tobramycin); (ii) blaAST-1 in N. cyriacigeorgica and Nocardia neocaledoniensis (resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanate); (iii) blaFAR-1 in N. farcinica (resistance to ceftriaxone); (iv) Ser83Ala substitution in the gyrA gene in four species (resistance to ciprofloxacin); and (v) the 16S rRNA m1A1408 methyltransferase in N. wallacei isolates (correlating with amikacin resistance).

Conclusions

Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of Nocardia species diversity, antibiotic resistance patterns, and the molecular basis of antimicrobial resistance. Resistance appears to follow species-related patterns, suggesting a lesser role for de novo evolution or transmission of antimicrobial resistance.
Implementation of the first comprehensive state oral fluid drug testing program for roadside screening and laboratory testing in DUID cases—A 5-year review
Authors: Harper Curt E , Hudson Jason S , Tidwell Kristin , Boswell Rebekah , Yong Hui Liu , Maxwell Antoinette J
Published: August 2023

Oral fluid (OF) is a valuable specimen for driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) applications. This study demonstrates the implementation of the first comprehensive OF drug testing program in the United States, including approved roadside screening OF devices for law enforcement and validated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS) confirmation methods. Three roadside OF screening devices were evaluated: the Dräger DrugTest® 5000, Abbott SoToxa®, and Randox Evidence MultiSTAT™. Two qualitative LC–MS-MS confirmation methods were validated per ASB Standard 036. The first method utilized an automated dispersive pipette extraction extraction using Integra and Hamilton STARlet platforms for drugs of abuse. The second method used a liquid–liquid extraction to detect cannabinoids. The prevalence of drugs in blood and OF was monitored over 5 years of casework. Calibration curves were analyzed with each batch to monitor OF concentrations for research purposes. Three roadside OF screening devices were deemed fit for purpose. Devices demonstrated appropriate sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy above 80% for targeted drugs except for benzodiazepines (DrugTest® 5000) and amphetamine (SoToxa®). The validated LC–MS-MS OF confirmation methods met the National Safety Council-recommended cutoffs for 18/21 (86%) of the targets. Over 5 years of casework, THC and cocaine were detected at a positivity rate of 90% and 97% in OF versus 75% and 44% in blood, respectively. OF:blood ratios exceeded unity for parent drugs. Median concentrations of THC in OF and blood were 31 and 3.5 ng/mL, respectively. OF is a viable alternative or supplemental specimen for DUID investigations. Collecting OF close to the driving event increases the opportunity to identify pharmacologically active substances, and when combined with blood analysis results, an elevated OF:blood ratio provides valuable information for DUID investigation purposes.
Acibenzolar-S-methyl induces resistance against ambrosia beetle attacks in dogwoods exposed to simulated flood stress
Authors: Parajuli Madhav , Oksel Cansu , Neupane Krishna , Ranger Christopher M , Oliver Jason B , Addesso Karla M , Baysal-Gurel Fulya
Published: August 2023

Xylosandrus spp. ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are important wood-boring pests of nursery trees weakened by abiotic and biotic stressors. Acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a plant defense elicitor, was tested for inhibiting Xylosandrus spp. tunneling (i.e., attacks) into flood-stressed flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida L. (Cornales: Cornaceae)). Container-grown dogwoods were treated with ASM substrate drench + flooding, ASM foliar spray + flooding, ASM drench + no flooding, ASM foliar + no flooding, no ASM + flooding, or no ASM + no flooding at 3 days before flood stress in a completely randomized design under field conditions. Trees were flooded for 14 days and then drained and watered as needed. Attacks were counted every 2 days for 28 days. Plant tissue samples were collected at 7 and 14 days after flooding to determine ethanol content using solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Trees were dissected to determine gallery formation and depth, fungal colonization, and the presence of eggs, larvae, and adults. The highest number of Xylosandrus beetle species attacks were recorded from plants exposed to no ASM + flooding, but attacks were reduced in ASM treated trees (drench or foliar) + flooding. Trees treated with drenches had fewer attacks than foliar sprays. Plants assigned to no flood had the fewest beetle attacks. Moreover, ASM reduced Xylosandrus spp. gallery formation and depth, fungal colonization, and presence of eggs, larvae, and adults. All flooded trees produced ethanol. In conclusion, ASM induced a plant defense response to Xylosandrus spp. tunneling in dogwoods under flood stress conditions.
Q&A Michele Nuijten
Authors: Nuijten Michèle
Published: August 2023

The Dutch methodologist co-created the “spell-checker for stats”
Fermentation of araticum, baru, and pequi by-products by probiotic strains: effects on microorganisms, short-chain fatty acids, and bioactive compounds
Authors: de Oliveira Fellipe Lopes , Morzelle Maressa Caldeira , Moretti Marcia Maria de Souza , Casarotti Sabrina Neves
Published: August 2023

Fruit by-products, due to their unique chemical composition containing dietary fibers and bioactive compounds, may favor the growth of probiotic strains. This study evaluated the fermentation of araticum, baru, and pequi by-products using Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-5, LA3, and NCFM) and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (Bb-12) probiotic strains. We assessed probiotic viability, short-chain fatty acid levels, and bioactive compound levels after 48 h of fermentation. Araticum and pequi by-products led to counts higher than 6 log CFU/mL after 48-h fermentation for all Lactobacillus strains, but only the araticum by-product supported the growth of the Bb-12 strain. Fermentation of araticum by-product resulted in greater amounts of acetate (39.97 mM for LA3 and 39.08 mM for NCFM) and propionate (0.20 mM for NCFM), while baru by-product showed greater amounts of butyrate (0.20 mM for La-5 and Bb-12). Fermentation of araticum and baru by-products resulted in an increase in bioactive compounds, with the latter showing total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity from 1.4 to 1.7 and from 1.3 to 3.1 times higher, respectively, than the negative control treatment. Araticum by-product exhibited a higher potential for prebiotic effects, and fermentation by the tested probiotic strains is essential to increase bioactive compound levels.
Association of adverse effects with high serum posaconazole concentrations
Authors: Jensen Kelsey , Saleh Omar Abu , Chesdachai Supavit , Jannetto Paul J , Mara Kristin C , Yetmar Zachary A , Rivera Christina G
Published: August 2023

Posaconazole therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is widely utilized to assess therapeutic efficacy and safety; however, clinical effects of very high serum concentrations are unknown. A retrospective review of 90 patients receiving posaconazole for treatment or prophylaxis of invasive fungal infections with serum concentrations ≥3000 ng/mL from 1/1/2019 to 4/30/2021 evaluated the incidence and type of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Symptomatic ADRs were very common in patients with posaconazole concentrations of ≥5000 ng/mL and 3000–4999 ng/mL (80% vs. 58.8%; P = 0.31). Posaconazole TDM should be performed for both treatment and prophylaxis indications and dose decrease for serum concentrations >3000 ng/mL should be considered.
Chemical abundance analysis of symbiotic giants. Metallicity and CNO abundance patterns in 14 northern S-type systems
Authors: Gałan Cezary , Mikołajewska Joanna , Hinkle Kenneth H , Joyce Richard R
Published: August 2023

In previous works, we computed abundances for the red giant in nearly four dozen S-type symbiotic systems (SySt). The abundances provide information about metallicity, evolutionary status, and possible memberships in Galactic stellar populations. Here, we extend our studies with a northern hemisphere sample of SySt. This northern sample is dominated by Galactic disc/halo objects, whereas our previous southern sample is heavily biased toward the bulge population. Spectrum synthesis of high-resolution (R ∼ 50 000), near-IR spectra using standard LTE analysis and atmospheric models have been used to measure abundances of CNO and elements around the iron peak (Fe, Ti, Ni, and Sc) in the atmospheres of the red giant component. The SySt sample shows generally slightly sub-solar metallicity, as expected for an older disc population, with a median at [Fe/H]  ∼ −0.2 dex. Enhanced 14N, depleted 12C, and decreased 12C/13C, indicate that all these giants have experienced the first dredge-up. Comparison with theoretical predictions indicates that additional mixing processes had to occur to explain the observed C and N abundances. Relative O and Fe abundances agree with those represented by Galactic disc and bulge giant populations in the APOGEE data, with a few cases that can be attributed to membership in the extended thick-disc/halo. As an interesting byproduct of this study, we observed a blue-shifted additional component on the wings of absorption lines in the spectra of AG Peg, which could be connected with accretion on to the hot component.
Another look at the dayside spectra of WASP-43b and HD 209458b: Are there scattering clouds?
Authors: Taylor Jake , Parmentier Vivien
Published: August 2023

The search for clouds on the dayside of hot Jupiters has been disadvantaged due to the limited number of high quality space-based observations of their dayside. To date, retrieval studies have found no evidence for grey clouds on the dayside, however none of these studies explored the impact of scattering clouds. In this study we reanalyse the dayside emission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-43b considering the different Spitzer data in the literature. We find that, in 2 of the 4 data sets explored, retrieving with a model that contains a scattering cloud is favoured over a cloud free model by a confidence of 3.13 - 3.36 σ. The other 2 data sets finds no evidence for scattering clouds. We find that the retrieved H2O abundance is consistent regardless of the Spitzer data used and is consistent with literature values. We perform the same analysis for the hot Jupiter HD 209458b and find no evidence for dayside clouds, consistent with previous studies.
Magnetic fields and rotation periods of M dwarfs from SPIRou spectra
Authors: Donati J-F , Lehmann L T , Cristofari P I , Fouqué P , Moutou C , Charpentier P , Ould-Elhkim M , Carmona A , Delfosse X , Artigau E , Alencar S H P , Cadieux C , Arnold L , Petit P , Morin J , Forveille T , Cloutier R , Doyon R , Hébrard G ,   the Collaboration SLS
Published: August 2023

We present near-infrared spectropolarimetric observations of a sample of 43 weakly to moderately active M dwarfs, carried with SPIRou at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope in the framework of the SPIRou Legacy Survey from early 2019 to mid-2022. We use the 6700 circularly polarised spectra collected for this sample to investigate the longitudinal magnetic field and its temporal variations for all sample stars, from which we diagnose, through quasi-periodic Gaussian process regression, the periodic modulation and longer-term fluctuations of the longitudinal field. We detect the large-scale field for 40 of our 43 sample stars, and infer a reliable or tentative rotation period for 38 of them, using a Bayesian framework to diagnose the confidence level at which each rotation period is detected. We find rotation periods ranging from 14 to over 60 d for the early-M dwarfs, and from 70 to 200 d for most mid- and late-M dwarfs (potentially up to 430 d for one of them). We also find that the strength of the detected large-scale fields does not decrease with increasing period or Rossby number for the slowly rotating dwarfs of our sample as it does for higher-mass, more active stars, suggesting that these magnetic fields may be generated through a different dynamo regime than those of more rapidly rotating stars. We also show that the large-scale fields of most sample stars evolve on long time-scales, with some of them globally switching sign as stars progress on their putative magnetic cycles.
Tensions with the flat ΛCDM model from high-redshift cosmography
Authors: Bargiacchi G , Dainotti M G , Capozziello S
Published: August 2023

The longstanding search for the cosmological model that best describes the Universe has been made more intriguing since the recent discovery of the Hubble constant, H0, tension observed between the value of H0 from the Cosmic Microwave Background and from type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). Hence, the commonly trusted flat Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model is under investigation. In this scenario, cosmography is a very powerful technique to investigate the evolution of the Universe without any cosmological assumption, thus revealing tensions between observational data and predictions from cosmological models in a completely model-independent way. We here employ a robust cosmographic technique based on an orthogonal logarithmic polynomial expansion of the luminosity distance to fit quasars (QSOs) alone and QSOs combined with Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs), SNe Ia, and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations. To apply QSOs and GRBs as probes we use, respectively, the Risaliti–Lusso relation between ultraviolet and X-ray luminosities and the ‘Dainotti GRB 3D relation’ among the rest-frame end time of the X-ray plateau emission, its corresponding luminosity, and the peak prompt luminosity. We also correct QSOs and GRBs for selection biases and redshift evolution and we employ both the traditional Gaussian likelihood and the newly discovered best-fitting likelihoods for each probe investigated. This comprehensive analysis reveals a strong tension ($\gt 4 \, \sigma$) between our data sets and the flat ΛCDM model proving the power of both the cosmographic approach and high-redshift sources, such as QSOs and GRBs, which can probe the Universe at early epochs.