bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highly stable functionalized PAN/Zr nanofibrous mats for removal of ultralow concentrations of Hg (II)
Authors: Sharma Reena , Tiwari Sangeeta , Singh Nahar , Tiwari Sandeep Kumar , Dhakate Sanjay R
Published: September 2023

Nanofibrous mats of polyacrylonitrile loaded with zirconia (PAN/Zr) have been fabricated and reported for the first time for effective removal of Hg (II) from water. The formation, morphology and adsorption characteristics of the composite nanofibrous mats were determined using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The thermal behavior of the prepared nanofibrous mat was studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry. The adsorption behavior of the nanofibers was studied as a function of time, pH, dose and concentration of the Hg solution. The Langmuir isotherm of the developed material indicates that it is very effective at removing low concentrations of Hg (even <50 ppb) in water. Kinetic data were fitted to first- and second-order kinetics, and the material was successfully regenerated by an acid solution and reused three times while retaining 80% removal efficiency for Hg. As the PAN/Zr/composite nanofibers are chemically and thermally stable, they can be easily regenerated and reused for effective removal of Hg(II), as per WHO/Environmental Protection Agency requirements.
Evidence Synthesis for Complex Interventions Using Meta-Regression Models
Authors: Konnyu Kristin J , Grimshaw Jeremy M , Trikalinos Thomas A , Ivers Noah M , Moher David , Dahabreh Issa J
Published: September 2023

A goal of evidence synthesis for trials of complex interventions is to inform the design or implementation of novel versions of complex interventions by predicting expected outcomes with each intervention version. Conventional aggregate data meta-analyses of studies comparing complex interventions have limited ability to provide such information. We argue that evidence synthesis for trials of complex interventions should forgo aspirations of estimating causal effects and instead model the response surface of study results to 1) summarize the available evidence and 2) predict the average outcomes of future studies or in new settings. We illustrate this modeling approach using data from a systematic review of diabetes quality improvement (QI) interventions involving at least 1 of 12 QI strategy components. We specify a series of meta-regression models to assess the association of specific components with the posttreatment outcome mean and compare the results to conventional meta-analysis approaches. Compared with conventional approaches, modeling the response surface of study results can better reflect the associations between intervention components and study characteristics with the posttreatment outcome mean. Modeling study results using a response surface approach offers a useful and feasible goal for evidence synthesis of complex interventions that rely on aggregate data.
Spinocerebellar ataxia 27B: episodic symptoms and acetazolamide response in 34 patients
Authors: Ashton Catherine , Indelicato Elisabetta , Pellerin David , Clément Guillemette , Danzi Matt C , Dicaire Marie-Josée , Bonnet Céline , Houlden Henry , Züchner Stephan , Synofzik Matthis , Lamont Phillipa J , Renaud Mathilde , Boesch Sylvia , Brais Bernard
Published: September 2023

Ashton C et al report a retrospective multi-centre cohort of 34 patients from Canada, France, Austria and Australia with spinocerebellar ataxia 27B, describing the common feature of episodic ataxia and other episodic features, as well as the inefficacy of acetazolamide in these patients.
Early-infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy: the aetiologies, phenotypic differences and outcomes—a prospective observational study
Authors: Agarwala Pooja , Narang Bhuvandeep , Geetha Thenral S , Kurwale Nilesh , Samson Praveena L , Golani Tamanna , Mahadevia Udita , Vedam Ramprasad , Murugan Sakthivel , Chatterjee Sagnik , Goyal Pradeep , Jain Vivek
Published: September 2023

In this study, we have evaluated the underlying aetiologies, yield of genetic testing and long-term outcomes in patients with early-infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. We have prospectively studied patients with seizure onset before 3 months of age. Based on the clinical details, neuroimaging, metabolic testing and comprehensive genetic evaluation, patients were classified into different aetiological groups. The phenotypic differences between genetic/unknown groups and remaining aetiologies were compared. Factors that could affect seizure control were also assessed. A total of 80 children (M:F ratio—1.5:1) were recruited. The median seizure onset age was 28 days (range, 1–90 days). The aetiologies were confirmed in 66 patients (83%). The patients were further classified into four aetiological groups: genetic (50%), structural (19%), metabolic (14%; all were vitamin responsive) and unknown (17%). On comparing for the phenotypic differences between the groups, children in the ‘genetic/unknown’ groups were more frequently observed to have severe developmental delay (Odds Ratio = 57; P < 0.0001), autistic behaviours (Odds Ratio = 37; P < 0.0001), tone abnormalities (Odds Ratio = 9; P = 0.0006) and movement disorder (Odds Ratio = 19; P < 0.0001). Clonic seizures were more common in the vitamin responsive/structural groups (Risk Ratio = 1.36; P = 0.05) as compared to patients with ‘genetic/unknown’ aetiologies. On the contrary, vitamin responsive/structural aetiology patients were less likely to have tonic seizures (Risk Ratio = 0.66; P = 0.04). Metabolic testing was diagnostic in three out of 41 patients tested (all three had biotinidase deficiency). MRI was abnormal in 35/80 patients (malformation observed in 16/35; 19/35 had non-specific changes that did not contribute to underlying aetiology). A molecular diagnosis was achieved in 53 out of 77 patients tested (69%). Next-generation sequencing had a yield of 51%, while microarray had a yield of 14%. STXBP1 was the most common (five patients) single-gene defect identified. There were 24 novel variants. The mean follow-up period was 30 months (range, 4–72 months). On multivariate logistic regression for the important factors that could affect seizure control (seizure onset age, time lag of first visit to paediatric neurologist and aetiologies), only vitamin responsive aetiology had a statistically significant positive effect on seizure control (P = 0.02). Genetic aetiologies are the most common cause of early-infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. Patients in the genetic/unknown groups had a more severe phenotype. Patients with vitamin responsive epilepsies had the best probability of seizure control.
Hierarchical organization of the human ventral visual streams revealed with magnetoencephalography
Authors: Rolls Edmund T , Deco Gustavo , Zhang Yi , Feng Jianfeng
Published: September 2023

The hierarchical organization between 25 ventral stream visual cortical regions and 180 cortical regions was measured with magnetoencephalography using the Human Connectome Project Multimodal Parcellation atlas in 83 Human Connectome Project participants performing a visual memory task. The aim was to reveal the hierarchical organization using a whole-brain model based on generative effective connectivity with this fast neuroimaging method. V1–V4 formed a first group of interconnected regions. Especially V4 had connectivity to a ventrolateral visual stream: V8, the fusiform face cortex, and posterior inferior temporal cortex PIT. These regions in turn had effectivity connectivity to inferior temporal cortex visual regions TE2p and TE1p. TE2p and TE1p then have connectivity to anterior temporal lobe regions TE1a, TE1m, TE2a, and TGv, which are multimodal. In a ventromedial visual stream, V1–V4 connect to ventromedial regions VMV1–3 and VVC. VMV1–3 and VVC connect to the medial parahippocampal gyrus PHA1–3, which, with the VMV regions, include the parahippocampal scene area. The medial parahippocampal PHA1–3 regions have connectivity to the hippocampal system regions the perirhinal cortex, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus. These effective connectivities of two ventral visual cortical streams measured with magnetoencephalography provide support to the hierarchical organization of brain systems measured with fMRI, and new evidence on directionality.
Exploring the association between early exposure to material hardship and psychopathology through indirect effects of fronto-limbic functional connectivity during fear learning
Authors: Chen Cheng , Wang Zhengxinyue , Cao Xinyu , Zhu Jianjun
Published: September 2023

Experiencing family material hardship has been shown to be associated with disruptions in physical and psychological development. However, the association between material hardship and functional connectivity in the fronto-limbic circuit during fear learning is unclear. A total of 161 healthy young adults aged 17–28 were recruited in our brain imaging study, using the Fear Conditioning Task to test the associations between material hardship and connectivity in fronto-limbic circuit and psychopathology. The results showed that family material hardship was linked to higher positive connectivity between the left amygdala and bilateral dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, as well as higher negative connectivity between the left hippocampus and right ventromedial prefrontal cortex. A mediation analysis showed that material hardship was associated with depression via amygdala functional connectivity (indirect effect = 0.228, P = 0.016), and also indirectly associated with aggression and anger-hostility symptoms through hippocampal connections (aggression: indirect effect = 0.057, P = 0.001; anger-hostility: indirect effect = 0.169, P = 0.048). That is, family material hardship appears to affect fronto-limbic circuits through changes in specific connectivity, and these specific changes, in turn, could lead to specific psychological symptoms. The findings have implications for designing developmentally sensitive interventions to mitigate the emergence of psychopathological symptoms.
Some generalized centralities in higher-order networks represented by simplicial complexes
Authors: Raj Udit , Bhattacharya Sudeepto
Published: September 2023

Higher-order interactions, that is, interactions among the units of group size greater than two, are a fundamental structural feature of a variety of complex systems across the scale. Simplicial complexes are combinatorial objects that can capture and model the higher-order interactions present in a given complex system and thus represent the complex system as a higher-order network comprising simplices. In this work, a given simplicial complex is viewed as a finite union of d-exclusive simplicial complexes. Thus, to represent a complex system as a higher-order network given by a simplicial complex that captures all orders of interactions present in the system, a family of symmetric adjacency tensors A(d) of dimension d + 1 and appropriate order has been used. Each adjacency tensor A(d) represents a d-exclusive simplicial complex and for d≥2 it represents exclusively higher-order interactions of the system. For characterizing the structure of d-exclusive simplicial complexes, the notion of generalized structural centrality indices namely, generalized betweenness centrality and generalized closeness centrality has been established by developing the concepts of generalized walk and generalized distance in the simplicial complex. Generalized centrality indices quantify the contribution of δ-simplices in any d-exclusive simplicial complex Δ, where δ<d and if d≥2, it describes the contribution of δ-faces to the higher-order interactions of Δ. These generalized centrality indices provide local structural descriptions, which lead to mesoscale insights into the simplicial complex that comprises the higher-order network. An important theorem providing a general technique for the characterization of connectedness in d-exclusive simplicial complexes in terms of irreducibility of its adjacency tensor has been established. The concepts developed in this work together with concepts of generalized simplex deletion in d-exclusive simplicial complexes have been illustrated using examples. The effect of deletions on the generalized centralities of the complexes in the examples has been discussed.
‘By Every Hyper-Political Means’: Internationale Situationniste and the Review as Weapon
Authors: Corcos Alex
Published: September 2023

This article examines the articulation of Situationist perspectives on art and politics with reference to the cycle of protest, surveillance, detention, scandal, repression and violence which accompanied the theoretical writings and practical activities of the Situationists. The Situationist International (SI) was, by design, a mercurial organization whose existence was marked by clandestine activity, conflict – internally and externally – scandal and subversion in multiple guises. The twin concepts of détournement [hijacking] and récupération [recovery] will be explored to show why the recourse to the terminology of war was more than a commonplace rhetorical trope for the SI. The group’s deployment of militaristic language reflects, first, the real-life attention the Situationists received from the forces of order and, secondly, an antagonism which underpinned their conception of political action. Their eponymous journal or review was not itself a privileged organ of the Situationist International, intellectually or aesthetically, but ‘heavy artillery’ which provided a convenient platform to become known to an active readership.
Extreme temperature events and dementia mortality in Chinese adults: a population-based, case-crossover study
Authors: Liu Tingting , Shi Chunxiang , Wei Jing , Xu Ruijun , Li Yingxin , Wang Rui , Lu Wenfeng , Liu Likun , Zhong Chenghui , Zhong Zihua , Zheng Yi , Wang Tingting , Hou Sihan , Lv Ziquan , Huang Suli , Chen Gongbo , Zhou Yun , Sun Hong , Liu Yuewei
Published: September 2023

Background

The effect of exposure to extreme temperature events (ETEs) on dementia mortality remains largely unknown. We aimed to quantify the association of ETE exposure with dementia mortality.

Methods

We conducted a population-based, case-crossover study among 57 791 dementia deaths in Jiangsu province, China, during 2015–20. Daily mean temperatures were extracted from a validated grid dataset at each subject’s residential address, and grid-specific exposures to heat wave and cold spell were assessed with a combination of their intensity and duration. We applied conditional logistic regression models to investigate cumulative and lag effects for ETE exposures.

Results

Exposure to ETE with each of all 24 definitions was associated with an increased odds of dementia mortality, which was higher when exposed to heat wave. Exposure to heat wave (daily mean temperature ≥95th percentile, duration ≥3 days (d); P95_3d) and cold spell (≤5th percentile, duration ≥3 d; P5_3d) was associated with a 75% (95% CI: 61%, 90%) and 30% (19%, 43%) increase in odds of dementia mortality, respectively. Definitions with higher intensity were generally associated with a higher odds of dementia mortality. We estimated that 6.14% of dementia deaths were attributable to exposure to heat wave (P90_2d) and cold spell (P10_2d). No effect modifications were observed by sex or age, except that the association for heat wave was stronger among women.

Conclusions

Exposure to both heat wave and cold spell was associated with an increased odds of dementia mortality. Our findings highlight that reducing individual ETE exposures may be helpful in preventing deaths from dementia, especially among women in summer.
Safety of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac during pregnancy on birth outcomes and neonatal mortality: a cohort study from Brazil
Authors: Tavares Veras Florentino Pilar , Cerqueira-Silva Thiago , Freire De Carvalho Luciana , Jôse Oliveira Alves Flávia , De Araújo Oliveira Vinicius , Mateus Oliveira Aguilar Gislani , De Sousa Prado Rodrigo , Soranz Daniel , Pearce Neil , Boaventura Viviane , Loreiro Werneck Guilherme , Oliveira Penna Gerson , Lima Barreto Mauricio , Henrique De Oliveira Garcia Márcio , Barral-Netto Manoel , Santos da Paixão Enny
Published: September 2023

Background

COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to protect pregnant individuals against mild and severe COVID-19 outcomes. However, limited safety data are available for inactivated (CoronaVac) and mRNA (BNT162b2) vaccines during pregnancy regarding their effect on birth outcomes and neonatal mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with 17 513 singleton live births conceived between 15 May 2021 and 23 October 2021. The primary exposure was maternal vaccination with CoronaVac or mRNA BNT162b2 vaccines and sub-analyses were performed by the gestational trimester of the first dose and the number of doses given during pregnancy. The outcomes were pre-term birth (PTB), small for gestational age (SGA), low birthweight (LBW), low Apgar 5 and neonatal death. We used the Cox model to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% CI and applied the inverse probability of treatment weights to generate adjusted HRs.

Results

We found no significant increase in the risk of PTB (HR: 0.98; 95% CI 0.88, 1.10), SGA (HR: 1.09; 95% CI 0.96, 1.27), LBW (HR: 1.00; 95% CI 0.88, 1.14), low Apgar 5 (HR: 0.81; 95% CI 0.55, 1.22) or neonatal death (HR: 0.88; 95% CI 0.56, 1.48) in women vaccinated with CoronaVac or BNT162b2 vaccines. These findings were consistent across sub-analyses stratified by the gestational trimester of the first dose and the number of doses given during pregnancy. We found mild yet consistent protection against PTB in women who received different vaccine platforms during the third trimester of pregnancy (any vaccines, HR: 0.78; 95% CI 0.63, 0.98; BNT162b2, HR: 0.75; 95% CI 0.59, 0.99).

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that COVID-19 vaccination in all trimesters of pregnancy, irrespective of the vaccine type, is safe and does not increase the risk of adverse birth outcomes or neonatal deaths.
Minimax optimal regression over Sobolev spaces via Laplacian Eigenmaps on neighbourhood graphs
Authors: Green Alden , Balakrishnan Sivaraman , Tibshirani Ryan J
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we study the statistical properties of Principal Components Regression with Laplacian Eigenmaps (PCR-LE), a method for non-parametric regression based on Laplacian Eigenmaps (LE). PCR-LE works by projecting a vector of observed responses ${\textbf Y} = (Y_1,\ldots ,Y_n)$ onto a subspace spanned by certain eigenvectors of a neighbourhood graph Laplacian. We show that PCR-LE achieves minimax rates of convergence for random design regression over Sobolev spaces. Under sufficient smoothness conditions on the design density $p$, PCR-LE achieves the optimal rates for both estimation (where the optimal rate in squared $L^2$ norm is known to be $n^{-2s/(2s + d)}$) and goodness-of-fit testing ($n^{-4s/(4s + d)}$). We also consider the situation where the design is supported on a manifold of small intrinsic dimension $m$, and give upper bounds establishing that PCR-LE achieves the faster minimax estimation ($n^{-2s/(2s + m)}$) and testing ($n^{-4s/(4s + m)}$) rates of convergence. Interestingly, these rates are almost always much faster than the known rates of convergence of graph Laplacian eigenvectors to their population-level limits; in other words, for this problem regression with estimated features appears to be much easier, statistically speaking, than estimating the features itself. We support these theoretical results with empirical evidence.
A replication and extension of the Personal Social Media Ecosystem Framework
Authors: Carter Michael C , Cingel Drew P , Vigil Samantha L , Ruiz Jeanette B
Published: September 2023

The recently forwarded Personal Social Media Ecosystem Framework (PSMEF) allows researchers to study social media in terms of generalized types of user interfaces. This study formally extended the PSMEF via the Digital User Interface Model and replicated previous work by evidencing the existence of new (e.g., Overtly Algorithmic Content Pages) and validating previously identified types of user interfaces (e.g., Home Pages and Chats/Messages) that make up individuals’ personal social media environments. Using topic modeling (i.e., Latent Dirichlet Allocation) and a novel mixed methods approach (i.e., schematic semantic network analysis), we quantitatively evidenced four distinct classes of user interfaces based on open-ended descriptions that participants provided for six popular social media platforms (i.e., Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube). Results inform on the qualitative differences between distinct user interface classes that underwrite users’ experiences over social media, with implications for conceptualization and operationalization related to social media use.
International Law Rejects Immunity for International Crimes — Full Stop
Authors: Eboe-Osuji Chile
Published: September 2023

As far back as 1994, Sir Arthur Watts QC, a pre-eminent international jurist of his time, put the matter of head of state immunity for international crimes in these unequivocal terms: ‘It can no longer be doubted that as a matter of general customary international law a Head of State will personally be liable to be called to account if there is sufficient evidence that he authorized or perpetrated such serious international crimes.’ Most senior jurists of Watt’s ilk who opined on the matter came to a similar conclusion. Yet, some concerning recent academic commentary wrongly suggests that there remains doubt around the question. For example, the Advisory Committee on Public International Law (CAVV), an academic thinktank that advises the Dutch government, suggested in its report on the accountability of President Putin that ‘in international legal practice, there is no clear-cut answer to the question of whether there is an exception to functional immunity for international crimes, including the crime of aggression’. This article uses the CAVV recommendation as a case study in certain mistakes and confusions that have long plagued the discourse on the immunity of state officials, especially heads of state, accused or suspected of international crimes.
Acute abdomen in third trimester of pregnancy—a rare case of perforated Meckel’s diverticulitis
Authors: Turco Jennifer , Khalil Ihab , Theophilus Mary
Published: September 2023

Acute abdomen in pregnancy presents many diagnostic challenges. Non-specific symptoms, anatomical and physiological changes and diagnostic imaging limitations lead to diagnostic uncertainty and delayed diagnosis and treatment. Meckel’s diverticulitis in pregnancy is extremely rare with only 27 cases reported in literature, only 11 of which are found to be perforated intraoperatively. We present a rare case of a patient in third trimester of pregnancy with perforated Meckel’s diverticulitis.
Transverse colon and omental incarceration in femoral hernia: a case report
Authors: Bayissa Badhaasaa Beyene , Borena Ayantu Mekonnon
Published: September 2023

A femoral hernia is one of the groin hernias with a high chance of incarceration and strangulation due to its narrow neck. Here, we report a case of transverse colon incarceration. A 65-year-old female patient presented with groin mass that failed to reduce and a dragging pain. Elective open femoral herniorrhaphy was done with the finding of viable incarcerated massive momentum along with transverse colon. Femoral hernias have a female-to-male ratio of about 10:1. Postmenopausal, increasing age, and constipation were some of the risk factors identified in our patient. Various types of organs can be found in the femoral hernia sac but one of the rarely reported organ was found in our case: a transverse colon. Femoral hernia with a large bulky soft mass can get incarcerated easily but relatively less prone to strangulation.
Surgical management of primary gastric Ewing-like sarcoma at the lesser curvature
Authors: Chin Xinlin , Cooper Scott , Martin Priscilla
Published: September 2023

We report the case of a 65-year-old female who presented with a 6-month history of epigastric pain and dyspepsia. Computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis showed an enhancing nodular lesion and an indeterminate 4 mm lymph node on the lesser curvature of the stomach raising concerns for gastric malignancy. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a 10 cm malignant appearing lesion along the gastric lesser curvature. Histopathology demonstrated spindled and small round blue cell tumor with immunohistochemistry staining consistent with Ewing-like sarcoma. After multidisciplinary team discussion the patient was arranged for neoadjuvant chemotherapy with early re-imaging, followed by consideration of gastrectomy. This case highlights the unusual diagnosis of primary gastric Ewing-like sarcoma and the management of this rare condition.
The clinical diagnosis and treatment of the shoulder terrible tetrad: a case report and literature review
Authors: Du Weibin , Mo Yafeng , Dong Yi , He Chun , Zhou Fengzhen , Zhu Fangbing
Published: September 2023

Traumatic anterior dislocation of the shoulder is often associated with anterior glenoid fracture or bankart injury. It can also be associated with rotator cuff injury, humeral greater tuberosity fracture, or brachial plexus injury. However, there are few clinical reports of all the above-mentioned injuries at the same time. We report a case of the left “Shoulder terrible tetrad.” After closed reduction of the left shoulder dislocation, we performed one-stage arthroscopic massive rotator cuff repair (Chinese-Way technique) and anchor repair of the bony bankart injury. After 2 years follow-up, the left shoulder function recovered well and the range of motion was satisfactory. A detailed physical examination and electromyography (EMG) examination should be performed in time to avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis, when the clinical manifestation of brachial plexus nerve injury appears after shoulder dislocation. The repairable rotator cuffs tears and bankart injuries can be repaired under shoulder arthroscopy in one stage.
A rare variant of mirror hand deformity
Authors: Alwatari Mohammed , Araji Zakaryiah , Khalaf Ahmed , Alghannami Mohammed , Naeem Mohammed
Published: September 2023

Congenital hand and forearm anomalies pose a unique challenge in plastic and pediatric surgery. We present a case report of an 8-months-old girl with a congenital left sided hand and forearm anomaly, provisionally diagnosed as atypical left mirror hand anomaly. Classically there is absence of radius and duplication of ulna; however, our case had normal radius and ulna and a hand with seven digits arranged in two groups. We did a surgery which involved a ray amputation of the finger ulnar to the most radial digit, aiming to preserve an adequate first web space to reconstruct the thumb. The result of the surgical treatment in both functional and cosmetic aspects was, in authors’ opinion, good.
A systematic review protocol of recent surgical approaches to pediatric thalamic tumors
Authors: Ayantayo Temitayo , Chukwu Michael Eze , Mustapha Mubarak Jolayemi , Haider Muhammad Ammar , Farooqi Mobeen , Owho-Ovuakporie Fegor , Odekpe Ugochukwu
Published: September 2023

Thalamic tumors are relatively rare deep-seated lesions located in an eloquent region of the brain. They are commoner in the pediatric population and surgery is usually challenging with associated significant morbidity. Recent improvements in therapeutic approaches and surgical techniques have allowed a more accurate approach to these lesions and a reduction in morbidity and mortality. This protocol seeks to serve as an exhaustive review of literature to determine recent surgical approaches in the management of pediatric thalamic tumors. This study protocol seeks to guide the comprehensive review of literature describing surgical approaches to pediatric thalamic tumors and it follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guideline 2020. Three databases were determined to be primary sources of information: PubMed, Google Scholar and SCOPUS. All observational and human randomized controlled studies describing surgical management of thalamic tumors in the pediatric population will be included. Excluded studies include non-human randomized control trials, abstract only articles, letters to the editor, conference proceedings and single subject case reports. Our outcomes tumor characteristics, types of surgical intervention, surgical complications, recurrence rate and overall and progression-free survival. This study aims to describe various surgical approaches in the management of pediatric thalamic tumors and compare the outcomes in these patients.
Othering in Everyday Life: Anti-Chinese Bias in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Kim Eunji , Kam Cindy
Published: September 2023

Societal upheavals often ignite bias against “the other.” The early political rhetoric around the COVID-19 pandemic keenly engaged this othering process, even from its early nomenclature as the “Wuhan” and “China” virus. Although media accounts of xenophobic violence against Asian Americans abound, little behavioral evidence exists that identifies the prevalence and scope of anti-Chinese bias during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examine whether and to what extent traces of such othering systematically emerge in Americans’ everyday behaviors. Specifically, we analyze a novel dataset focused on Yelp reviews for Chinese and American restaurants in eight large metropolitan areas. Using difference-in-differences estimation, we find that Chinese restaurants received significantly lower ratings compared with American restaurants shortly after the start of the pandemic. The effect is localized to Chinese restaurants, rather than to all Asian restaurants. Our results highlight the emergence of anti-Chinese prejudice in an ostensibly apolitical setting.
Impact of immune regulation and differentiation dysfunction of mesenchymal stem cells on the disease process in ankylosing spondylitis and prospective analysis of stem cell transplantation therapy
Authors: Feng Xinzhe , Qiao Junjie , Xu Weidong
Published: September 2023

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rheumatic bone and joint disease caused by inflammation, erosion, and pathological bone formation. The pathological features of chronic inflammation, bone destruction, and pathological ossification occur due to the disruption of the body’s immune regulation and altered bone remodeling balance. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have multidirectional differentiation potential and immunomodulatory functions and play an important role in immune regulation and bone formation. The immune regulation and osteogenic capacity of MSCs in AS are altered by factors such as genetic background, internal environment, infection, and mechanical forces that drive disease development. This review further evaluates the role of MSCs dysfunction in inflammation and pathological bone formation by analyzing the effects of the above-mentioned factors on MSCs function and also looks forward to the prospects of MSCs in treating AS, providing some ideas for an in-depth study of inflammation and ectopic ossification.

Key messages
Theory of Perturbation of Electrostatic Field By A Coated Anisotropic Dielectric Sphere
Authors: Tsitsas Nikolaos L , Alkhoori Hamad M , Lakhtakia Akhlesh
Published: September 2023

A boundary-value problem was formulated for perturbation of an electrostatic field by a coated dielectric sphere made of two distinct linear anisotropic dielectric (LAD) materials. Specific affine transformations were employed to represent the electric potential inside the core and the coating in terms of the solutions of the Laplace equation. A transition matrix was found to relate the source potential and the perturbation potential in the exterior region. The formulation can be straightforwardly extended to concentrically multilayered spheres made of several homogeneous LAD materials.
The art of (self)legitimization: how private museums help their founders claim legitimacy as elite actors
Authors: Kolbe Kristina
Published: September 2023

This article explores private art museums’ role for elite legitimization processes. Based on interviews with founders, directors, and curators of Germany-based private museums, I explore the discourses participants invoke to legitimize museum founders as actors in the artworld and as elites generally. I draw out a two-pronged legitimation strategy. First, respondents posit private museums’ increasingly important role for today’s art ecosystem, implying logics of discursive innovation and organizational flexibility vis-à-vis public museums. Second, interviewees construct intra-group status hierarchies via notions of the autonomous and ethical collector-founder versus other ostentatious private collectors and unethical wealth elites more widely. Together, these narratives effectively conflate seemingly opposite discourses of private entrepreneurialism and authenticity, allowing interviewees to signal legitimacy for founders over both public and other private actors. This elite legitimation work is performed by both founders and those institutionally connected to them, showing how legitimization can be a complex and institutionally mediated process.
Perspectives internationales de la réforme du droit français des sûretés
Authors: Laval Sarah
Published: September 2023

A recent French reform, dated 15 September 2021, which entered into force on 1 January 2022, largely modifies the law of guarantees and security interests. It clarifies a certain number of rules, suppresses several security interests that appeared to be obsolete, and reinforces the protection of warrantors without neglecting the interests of creditors. Adopted to promote security, flexibility, and accessibility to French Law, and to enhance the efficiency of secured transactions, the reform has generally been perceived as successful. The purpose of this paper is to present the reform in an international perspective and to try to understand whether it fits the purpose it was assigned: to strengthen the attractiveness of French Law in the comparative landscape. We will demonstrate that, regarding a certain number of international instruments and foreign laws, the answer tends to be affirmative. The French Government might also seize this opportunity to include France in several international projects that it has, so far, stayed away from, such as the ratification of the Cape Town Convention.
Cranial osteology of the Brazilian dinocephalian Pampaphoneus biccai (Anteosauridae: Syodontinae)
Authors: Costa Santos Mateus A , Paes Neto Voltaire D , Schultz Cesar L , Cisneros Juan , Pierce Stephanie E , Pinheiro Felipe L
Published: September 2023

The Anteosauridae (Dinocephalia) were the largest predators of Guadalupian (Middle Permian) land communities. The, thus far, only known South American anteosaurid is the medium-sized syodontine Pampaphoneus biccai. This taxon was, until now, known only by its holotype, recovered from an outcrop of the Rio do Rasto Formation, Southern Brazil. Here we describe in detail an almost complete Pampaphoneus biccai skull associated with a few postcranial remains (UNIPAMPA 759) recently recovered from the type locality. The novel morphological information provided by this novel, better-preserved, specimen revealed that most characters previously proposed to distinguish Pampaphoneus biccai from Syodon biarmicum are probably ontogenetically constrained. We identify, however, new features that clearly distinguish these two taxa, and provide an updated diagnosis for Pampaphoneus biccai. Our phylogenetic reassessment of the taxon echoes previous propositions in which Pampaphoneus biccai was recovered as an early-divergent Syodontinae. Additionally, we tentatively indicate that a larger fragmentary specimen (UFRGS-PV-0249-P) may represent the mature size of the species, with the similar-sized holotype and UNIPAMPA 759 probably representing subadult individuals.
MiR-574-5p activates human TLR8 to promote autoimmune signaling and lupus
Authors: Wang Tao , Song Dan , Li Xuejuan , Luo Yu , Yang Dianqiang , Liu Xiaoyan , Kong Xiaodan , Xing Yida , Bi Shulin , Zhang Yan , Hu Tao , Zhang Yunyun , Dai Shuang , Shao Zhiqiang , Chen Dahan , Hou Jinpao , Ballestar Esteban , Cai Jianchun , Zheng Feng , Yang James Y.
Published: September 2023

Endosomal single-stranded RNA-sensing Toll-like receptor-7/8 (TLR7/8) plays a pivotal role in inflammation and immune responses and autoimmune diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying the initiation of the TLR7/8-mediated autoimmune signaling remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that miR-574-5p is aberrantly upregulated in tissues of lupus prone mice and in the plasma of lupus patients, with its expression levels correlating with the disease activity. miR-574-5p binds to and activates human hTLR8 or its murine ortholog mTlr7 to elicit a series of MyD88-dependent immune and inflammatory responses. These responses include the overproduction of cytokines and interferons, the activation of STAT1 signaling and B lymphocytes, and the production of autoantigens. In a transgenic mouse model, the induction of miR-574-5p overexpression is associated with increased secretion of antinuclear and anti-dsDNA antibodies, increased IgG and C3 deposit in the kidney, elevated expression of inflammatory genes in the spleen. In lupus-prone mice, lentivirus-mediated silencing of miR-574-5p significantly ameliorates major symptoms associated with lupus and lupus nephritis. Collectively, these results suggest that the miR-574-5p-hTLR8/mTlr7 signaling is an important axis of immune and inflammatory responses, contributing significantly to the development of lupus and lupus nephritis.
QInfoMating: Sexual Selection and Assortative Mating Estimation Software
Authors: Carvajal-Rodríguez A.
Published: September 2023

Background

Sexual selection theory is a multifaceted area of evolutionary research that has profound implications across various disciplines, including population genetics, evolutionary ecology, animal behavior, sociology, and psychology. It explores the mechanisms by which certain traits and behaviors evolve due to mate choice and competition within a species. In the context of this theory, the Jeffreys divergence measure, also known as population stability index, plays a key role in quantifying the information obtained when a deviation from random mating occurs for both discrete and continuous data. Despite the critical importance of understanding mating patterns in the context of sexual selection, there is currently no software available that can perform model selection and multimodel inference with quantitative mating data. Recognizing this gap, I have developed QInfoMating which provides a comprehensive solution for analyzing and interpreting mating data within the framework of sexual selection theory.

Results

The program QInfoMating incorporates a user-friendly interface for performing statistical tests, best-fit model selection, and parameter estimation using multimodel inference for both discrete and continuous data. A use case is presented with real data of the species Echinolittorina malaccana.

Conclusions

The application of information theory, model selection, and parameter estimation using multimodel inference are presented as powerful tools for the analysis of mating data, whether quantitative or categorical. The QInfoMating program is one of the few (if not the only) tools designed to perform this type of analysis.

Contact

acraaj@uvigo.es
AtDREB2G is a novel regulator of riboflavin biosynthesis under low-temperature stress and abscisic acid treatment inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Namba Junya , Harada Miho , Toda Yuina , Maruta Takanori , Ishikawa Takahiro , Shigeoka Shigeru , Yoshimura Kazuya , Ogawa Takahisa
Published: September 2023

Riboflavin (RF) serves as a precursor to FMN and FAD, crucial cofactors in various metabolic processes. Strict regulation of cellular flavin homeostasis is imperative, yet information regarding the factors governing this regulation remains largely elusive. In this study, we first examined the impact of external flavin treatment on theArabidopsistranscriptome to identify novel regulators of cellular flavin levels. Our analysis revealed alterations in the expression of 49 putative transcription factors. Subsequent reverse genetic screening highlighted a member of the Dehydration-Responsive Element Binding (DREB) family, AtDREB2G, as a potential regulator of cellular flavin levels. Knockout mutants ofAtDREB2G(dreb2g) exhibited reduced flavin levels and decreased expression of RF biosynthetic genes compared to wild-type plants. Conversely, conditional overexpression ofAtDREB2Gled to an increase in the expression of RF biosynthetic genes and elevated flavin levels. In wild-type plants, exposure to low temperatures and abscisic acid treatment stimulated enhanced flavin levels and upregulated the expression of RF biosynthetic genes, concomitant with the induction ofAtDREB2G. Notably, these responses were significantly attenuated indreb2gmutants. Our findings establish AtDREB2G as a novel positive regulator of flavin biosynthesis inArabidopsis, particularly under conditions of low temperature and abscisic acid treatment.
Haplotype independence contributes to evolvability in the long-term absence of sex in a mite
Authors: Öztoprak Hüsna , Gao Shan , Guiglielmoni Nadège , Brandt Alexander , Zheng Yichen , Becker Christian , Becker Kerstin , Bednarski Viktoria , Borgschulte Lea , Burak Katharina Atsuko , Dion-Côté Anne-Marie , Leonov Vladislav , Opherden Linda , Shimano Satoshi , Bast Jens
Published: September 2023

Some unique asexual species persist over time and contradict the consensus that sex is a prerequisite for long-term evolutionary survival. How they escape the dead-end fate remains enigmatic. Here, we generated a haplotype-resolved genome assembly based on a single individual and collected genomic data from worldwide populations of the parthenogenetic diploid oribatid mitePlatynothrus peltiferto identify signatures of persistence without sex. We found that haplotypes diverge independently since the transition to asexuality at least 20 my ago. Multiple lines of evidence indicate disparate evolutionary trajectories between haplotypic blocks. Our findings imply that such haplotypic independence can lead to non-canonical routes of evolvability, helping some species to adapt, diversify and persist for millions of years in the absence of sex.

One-Sentence Summary

Functionally different chromosome sets in an asexual mite species showcase a survival strategy spanning millions of years.
NbPTR1confers resistance againstPseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiaein kiwifruit
Authors: Yeh Shin-Mei , Yoon Minsoo , Scott Sidney , Chatterjee Abhishek , Hemara Lauren M. , Chen Ronan K.Y. , Wang Tianchi , Templeton Kerry , Rikkerink Erik H.A. , Jayaraman Jay , Brendolise Cyril
Published: September 2023

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiaebiovar 3 (Psa3) causes a devastating canker disease in yellow-fleshed kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis). The effector HopZ5, which is present in all isolates of Psa3 causing global outbreaks of pandemic kiwifruit canker disease, triggers immunity inNicotiana benthamianaand is not recognised in susceptibleA. chinensiscultivars. In a search forN. benthamiananon-host resistance genes against HopZ5, we found that the nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptor NbPTR1 recognised HopZ5. RPM1-interacting protein 4 (RIN4) orthologues from multiple plants, including kiwifruit, were associated with NbPTR1-mediated autoimmunity suppression and recognition of HopZ5. No functional orthologues of NbPTR1were found inA. chinensis. NbPTR1transformed into Psa3-susceptibleA. chinensisvar.chinensis‘Hort16A’ plants introduced HopZ5-specific resistance against Psa3. Altogether, this study suggested that expressing NbPTR1 in Psa3-susceptible kiwifruit is a viable approach to acquiring resistance to Psa3 and it provides valuable information for engineering resistance in otherwise susceptible kiwifruit genotypes.
Seasonal dynamics and environmental drivers of tissue and mucus microbiomes in the staghorn coralAcropora pulchra
Authors: Miller Therese C , Bentlage Bastian
Published: September 2023

Background

Rainfall-induced coastal runoff represents an important environmental impact in near-shore coral reefs that may affect coral-associated bacterial microbiomes. Shifts in microbiome community composition and function can stress corals and ultimately cause mortality and reef declines. Impacts of environmental stress may be site specific and differ between coral microbiome compartments (e.g., tissueversusmucus). Coastal runoff and associated water pollution represent a major stressor for near-shore reef-ecosystems in Guam, Micronesia.

Methods

Acropora pulchracolonies growing on the West Hagåtña reef flat in Guam were sampled over a period of eight months spanning the 2021 wet and dry seasons. To examine bacterial microbiome diversity and composition, samples ofA. pulchratissue and mucus were collected during late April, early July, late September, and at the end of December. Samples were collected from populations in two different habitat zones, near the reef crest (farshore) and close to shore (nearshore). Seawater samples were collected during the same time period to evaluate microbiome dynamics of the waters surrounding coral colonies. Tissue, mucus, and seawater microbiomes were determined using 16S DNA metabarcoding using Illumina sequencing. In addition, water samples were collected to determine fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations, as an indicator of water pollution. Water temperatures were recorded using data loggers and precipitation data obtained from a nearby rain gauge. The correlation structure of environmental parameters (temperature and rainfall), FIB concentrations, andA. pulchramicrobiome diversity was evaluated using a struictural equation model. Beta diversity analyses were used to investigate spatio-temporal trends of microbiome composition.

Results

A. pulchramicrobiome diversity differed between tissues and mucus, with mucus microbiome diversity being similar to the surrounding seawater. Rainfall and associated fluctuations of FIB concentrations were correlated with changes in tissue and mucus microbiomes, indicating their role as drivers ofA. pulchramicrobiome diversity.A. pulchratiussue microbiome composition remained relatively stable throughout dry and wet seasons and were dominated by Endozoicomonadaceae, coral endosymbionts and putative indicators of coral health. In nearshoreA. pulchratissue microbiomes, Simkaniaceae, putative obligate coral endosymbionts, were more abundant than inA. pulchracolonies growing near the reef crest (farshore).A. pulchramucus microbiomes were more diverse during the wet season than the dry season, a distinction that was also associated with drastic shifts in microbiome composition. This study highlights the seasonal dynamics of coral microbiomes and demonstrates that microbiome diversity and composition may differ between coral tissues and the surface mucus layer.