bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of reducing formal care benefits on caregivers’ well-being: evidence from Japan
Authors: Fu Rong , Le Dung Duc , Ibuka Yoko
Published: February 2024

This study examines the impact of reducing formal care benefits on the well-being of informal caregivers, contributing to the ongoing discourse about establishing sustainable and adequate levels of formal care. We utilize a reform introduced in Japan’s public long-term care insurance system, which curtailed formal care benefits for a group of recipients with low care needs. Employing a difference-in-difference approach with fixed effects on a nationally representative sample of coresident informal caregivers, we explore both the overall and temporal effects of this reform. Our findings reveal that the reform had an adverse impact on caregivers’ physical well-being, leading to diminished mobility and stability. The impact on caregivers’ mental well-being was less clear, reflecting a competing influence of stress and the psychological rewards associated with caregiving. The decline in physical well-being endured over time, while the effects on mental well-being were transient. Additionally, female caregivers exhibited greater vulnerability compared to their male counterparts, experiencing more significant deterioration in both physical and mental well-being. Alarmingly, the reform also negatively influenced the well-being of care recipients, suggesting that reducing formal care benefits does not yield positive outcomes for either caregivers or recipients. This study underscores the necessity of accounting for caregivers’ well-being when evaluating the cost-effectiveness of reducing formal care benefits and advocates for policies aimed at safeguarding female caregivers from health and financial challenges.
Prediction of solid and micropapillary components in lung invasive adenocarcinoma: radiomics analysis from high-spatial-resolution CT data with 1024 matrix
Authors: Ninomiya Keisuke , Yanagawa Masahiro , Tsubamoto Mitsuko , Sato Yukihisa , Suzuki Yuki , Hata Akinori , Kikuchi Noriko , Yoshida Yuriko , Yamagata Kazuki , Doi Shuhei , Ogawa Ryo , Tokuda Yukiko , Kido Shoji , Tomiyama Noriyuki
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To predict solid and micropapillary components in lung invasive adenocarcinoma using radiomic analyses based on high-spatial-resolution CT (HSR-CT).

Materials and methods

For this retrospective study, 64 patients with lung invasive adenocarcinoma were enrolled. All patients were scanned by HSR-CT with 1024 matrix. A pathologist evaluated subtypes (lepidic, acinar, solid, micropapillary, or others). Total 61 radiomic features in the CT images were calculated using our modified texture analysis software, then filtered and minimized by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression to select optimal radiomic features for predicting solid and micropapillary components in lung invasive adenocarcinoma. Final data were obtained by repeating tenfold cross-validation 10 times. Two independent radiologists visually predicted solid or micropapillary components on each image of the 64 nodules with and without using the radiomics results. The quantitative values were analyzed with logistic regression models. The receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to predict of solid and micropapillary components. P values < 0.05 were considered significant.

Results

Two features (Coefficient Variation and Entropy) were independent indicators associated with solid and micropapillary components (odds ratio, 30.5 and 11.4; 95% confidence interval, 5.1–180.5 and 1.9–66.6; and P = 0.0002 and 0.0071, respectively). The area under the curve for predicting solid and micropapillary components was 0.902 (95% confidence interval, 0.802 to 0.962). The radiomics results significantly improved the accuracy and specificity of the prediction of the two radiologists.

Conclusion

Two texture features (Coefficient Variation and Entropy) were significant indicators to predict solid and micropapillary components in lung invasive adenocarcinoma.
Genetic and morphological differentiation among populations of the narrowly endemic and karst forest-adapted Pilea pteridophylla (Urticaceae)
Authors: Lagos-Báez Karina , Licona-Vera Yuyini , Gómez-Domínguez Héctor , Ornelas Juan Francisco , Vásquez-Aguilar Antonio Acini , Hurtado-Reveles Leopoldo , Ortiz-Rodriguez Andrés Ernesto
Published: February 2024

In this study, the influence of geographic isolation on the levels of morphological and genetic differentiation among populations of the karst forest-adapted Pilea pteridophylla (Urticaceae) was evaluated. Based on our results, there is a strong morphological differentiation among the only two know populations of Pilea pteridophylla. Both populations can be clearly differentiated based on vegetative and reproductive characters, and the observed variation is geographically structured. Moreover, our genetic data from the chloroplast genome show strong levels of population differentiation and no shared haplotypes were observed between populations. Also, our estimation of divergence times supports a long-term isolation hypothesis between populations. Based on our results, dispersal seed limitation, long-term forest isolation and topographic heterogeneity (local adaptation) are related to high levels of endemism and species turnover in the mountain karst forests of Mexico.
Some like it burnt: species differences in small mammal assemblage in a Mediterranean basin nearly 3 years after a major fire
Authors: Tomassini Orlando , Aghemo Anna , Baldeschi Benedetta , Bedini Gianni , Petroni Giulio , Giunchi Dimitri , Massolo Alessandro
Published: February 2024

The habitat accommodation model (HAM) is a theoretical framework that predicts wildlife community recovery based on their habitat requirements. While post-fire habitat-related research is well documented in the Mediterranean basin, studies specifically focusing on HAM are scarce. Here, we described the small mammal assemblage in a Mediterranean area ~3 years after a fire, specifically examining three functional small mammalian categories: ground-foraging insectivorous, ground-foraging herbivorous/granivorous, and arboreal-foraging species. The study was conducted in Monte Pisano (Italy), where fire burnt ~12 km2in September 2018. A stratified random sampling was adopted, basing on burnt status and forest type. In each of the 50 sites, during late spring-summer 2021, 12 hair-tubes were deployed, and collected hairs were taxa-attributed based on morphology. A presence/absence dataset was built, and db-RDA was used to explore assemblage composition, and single-species occupancy models to test specific hypotheses. The relative abundance of ground-foraging herbivorous/granivorous was higher in the burnt area, characterised by a dense undergrowth, which could be related to anti-predatory strategies and food opportunities. Insectivorous could be in a recolonisation phase, masking their earlier absence, which could explain why their abundance was not associated with any factor tested. Arboreal-foraging species were associated with forest type, indicating a primary role for tree cover and other factors such as rocky cover and likelyin situsurvival. The HAM was overall confirmed also in Mediterranean basin ecosystems. This may facilitate predictions about post-fire animal successions, which in turn may provide valuable insights into post-fire management practices and biodiversity conservation strategies.
ACROMORFO study: gait analysis in a cohort of acromegalic patients
Authors: Cimolin V. , Premoli C. , Bernardelli G. , Amenta E. , Galli M. , Donno L. , Lucini D. , Fatti L. M. , Cangiano B. , Persani L. , Vitale G.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

In acromegaly, skeletal complications resulted to be associated with low quality of life (QoL) and high risk of falls. The aim of the present study was to perform a quantitative assessment of movement through gait analysis technique in patients with acromegaly.

Study population

Thirty-three acromegalic patients [9 with active disease (AD), 14 with controlled disease (CD) and 10 with disease remission (RD)] and 20 healthy subjects were enrolled for the study.

Measurements

Kinetic and kinematic data were collected with 3D-gait analysis. Kinematic data were processed to compute the Gait Profile Score (GPS), a parameter that summarizes the overall deviation of kinematic gait data relative to unaffected population.

Results

The acromegalic group showed longer stance phase duration (p < 0.0001) compared to controls. The GPS and several gait variable scores resulted to be statistically higher in the acromegalic group compared to healthy controls. GPS values were significantly higher in AD compared to CD (p < 0.05) and RD groups (p = 0.001). The AD group presented significantly higher values in terms of hip rotation and ankle dorsiflexion compared to CD and RD groups and with regard to the foot progression compared to RD. Interestingly, patients with RD exhibited a more physiological gait pattern.

Conclusion

Acromegalic patients showed quantitative alterations of gait pattern, suggesting instability and increased risk of falls. Arthropathy, along with its associated abnormal joint loading, proprioceptive impairment and hyperkyphosis could be contributing factors. Disease control and remission appear to improve postural balance. A better knowledge on walking performance in acromegaly would help to develop specific rehabilitation programmes to reduce falls’ risk and improve QoL.
US Imperialism and its Legacies in East Asia: Thucydides Trap or Thrasymachus Paradox?
Authors: Maritan Mario
Published: February 2024

The US presence in East Asia is not simply a result of the victory over Japan in WW2, but a legacy of the US takeover of the Spanish overseas empire in 1898. Today, the threat of war between China and the US has little to do with Allison’s Thucydides trap, which is based on a misreading of Thucydides’ work: It originates from what in China is seen as a US imperial presence that mirrors Western interference in Chinese affairs during the so-called “century of humiliation.” China is an authoritarian state with regional hegemonic ambitions, yet the West has been endorsing other authoritarian states, even absolute monarchies, that fit its geopolitical interests. Notwithstanding the purported US support of “freedom” and “democracy,” the US in East Asia has been carrying out a foreign policy that, as an extension of misinterpretations of the Monroe Doctrine, is a legacy of empire. This legacy is too often overlooked, while overseas interests are justified on the basis of security concerns. Thucydides is relevant, but to compare the American and Athenian empires and their demise, not to drag China into US geopolitical discourse, when focus should have long been on Russia. Anti-colonial theory shows how interstate relations, in particular in the East Asian context, are not defined by Thucydides trap, but Thrasymachus paradox.
“Covid made me think about…” What really matters in RE: a European research project
Authors: ap Siôn Tania , Cullen Sandra , Danner Sonja , Kappelhoff Bianca , Kodácsy-Simon Eszter
Published: February 2024

Living and working through the challenges of a pandemic offered a unique research opportunity to engage with some core questions about what really matters in Religious Education (RE) in countries across Europe. The What Covid Reveals to Religious Education Specialists research project sought to provide a reflective space for RE specialists, drawn from the board members of the European Forum for Teachers of Religious Education (EFTRE), to consider their experiences of RE during the Covid-19 pandemic and to begin to articulate what they might want in the future for RE in light of their experiences. Areas explored in the online qualitative survey included: challenging questions and issues, social unrest, student–teacher relationships, learning scenarios, valued dimensions in RE, opportunities for the future, and ‘ideal’ RE. Respondents were from sixteen of the twenty-two countries present on the EFTRE Board, offering their individual perspectives from Western, Northern, Central and Southern Europe. Using the tool ATLAS.ti, an inductive analytical approach was employed; a number of key group ‘themes’ emerged from the responses, which provided a basis for further analysis. This paper will present some of the main findings in dialogue with the focusing research stimulus question: What does Covid-19 reveal to RE specialists about their subject? The project is a European collaboration involving researchers from Austria, Germany, Hungary, Ireland and Wales.
FL-GUARD: A Holistic Framework for Run-Time Detection and Recovery of Negative Federated Learning
Authors: Lin Hong , Shou Lidan , Chen Ke , Chen Gang , Wu Sai
Published: February 2024

Federated learning (FL) is a promising approach for learning a model from data distributed on massive clients without exposing data privacy. It works effectively in the ideal federation where clients share homogeneous data distribution and learning behavior. However, FL may fail to function appropriately when the federation is not ideal, amid an unhealthy state called Negative Federated Learning (NFL), in which most clients gain no benefit from participating in FL. Many studies have tried to address NFL. However, their solutions either (1) predetermine to prevent NFL in the entire learning life-cycle or (2) tackle NFL in the aftermath of numerous learning rounds. Thus, they either (1) indiscriminately incur extra costs even if FL can perform well without such costs or (2) waste numerous learning rounds. Additionally, none of the previous work takes into account the clients who may be unwilling/unable to follow the proposed NFL solutions when using those solutions to upgrade an FL system in use. This paper introduces FL-GUARD, a holistic framework that can be employed on any FL system for tackling NFL in a run-time paradigm. That is, to dynamically detect NFL at the early stage (tens of rounds) of learning and then to activate recovery measures when necessary. Specifically, we devise a cost-effective NFL detection mechanism, which relies on an estimation of performance gain on clients. Only when NFL is detected, we activate the NFL recovery process, in which each client learns in parallel an adapted model when training the global model. Extensive experiment results confirm the effectiveness of FL-GUARD in detecting NFL and recovering from NFL to a healthy learning state. We also show that FL-GUARD is compatible with previous NFL solutions and robust against clients unwilling/unable to take any recovery measures.
Female-Perpetrated Child Sexual Abuse: A Vignette Study Investigating Professionals' Gender-Related Perception Bias and the Influence of an E-Learning Course
Authors: Gerke Jelena , Öttl Patrick , König Elisa , Fegert Jörg M. , Hoffmann Ulrike , Rassenhofer Miriam
Published: February 2024

The attitude of professionals towards victims’ disclosures of child sexual abuse has a decisive influence on the well-being of the victims. However, both vignette studies as well as victim surveys suggest that professionals’ perception on sexual abuse is influenced, among other factors, by the perpetrators’ gender. The present analysis investigates whether professionals’ perception of sexual abuse is influenced by the perpetrators’ gender, the professionals’ gender as well as their experience and field of profession. Additionally, the effect of an e-learning course was examined. As part of an e-learning course on child sexual abuse, N = 1925 German professionals (social work, educational, medical-therapeutic, legal professionals) were presented with pre- and post-editing vignettes differing in the perpetrators’ gender and the ambiguity of the situation. The professionals had to rate the situations in terms of sexual abusiveness. The findings revealed that the same situation would be more likely classified as abusive when the perpetrator was male, particularly in ambiguous situations. Moreover, work experience, personal experiences with sexual abuse, and awareness of sexual abuse had significant positive relationships with the professionals’ rating of the abusiveness of a situation. An effect of training was identified, with situations being more likely rated as abusive after the course, specifically in cases with female perpetrators. Victims of female-perpetrated sexual abuse are still often disbelieved, and their experiences trivialized because professionals perceive violence by women differently due to gender stereotypes and a lack of knowledge on female-perpetrated violence. This study highlights the important effect of training. Both science and professional practice need to increase knowledge about female-perpetrated child sexual abuse, as it remains a taboo topic.
Predicting dynamics of wildfire regimes in Yunnan, China
Authors: Deng Xiaofan , Li Jiujin , Dai Xiaoqing , Zhao Junfan , Deng Hang , Zhao Fan
Published: February 2024

In recent years, the rise in global warming has significantly increased forest fires, affecting the environment and economy. Predicting forest fire dynamics under climate change is now a crucial research field. To address this need, this study focuses on the impact of climate change on forest fires, with a particular focus on the fire dynamics in Yunnan Province. This study utilizes the RegCM regional climate model and the Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI) to simulate and analyze forest fire dynamics in Yunnan Province from 2019 to 2033 under three climate scenarios: RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5. Findings indicate climate change will increase temperatures, alter humidity and wind speed, and reduce precipitation in Yunnan, extending the fire danger period, especially under RCP8.5 scenarios. The FWI values rise across Yunnan, particularly in the west under RCP2.6 and RCP8.5. The study concludes that future carbon emissions correlate with these changes, leading to more frequent, longer, and severe forest fires. This research is vital for managing and preventing forest fires in Yunnan, a region prone to such disasters.
Changes of the composition of the Noctuoidea fauna along a geographical gradient in the northeastern part of the Carpathian Lowland
Authors: Szanyi Szabolcs , Szanyi Kálmán , Nagy Antal
Published: February 2024

The northeastern part of the Carpathian Lowland is one of the most species-rich parts of the region, despite the long-term and sometimes extreme changes in land use. The fragmented remains of formerly contiguous forests maintain a significant part of the wildlife living in different oak, mixed oak, and gallery forest, and even faunas of connected grassland habitats. To reveal how the parallel Carpathian and Pannonian effects form the local insect fauna, the Noctuoidea assemblages of eight forest patches were assessed and compared, based on the distribution data of 479 species. Three types of assemblages were designated, with similar diversity but different compositions. The most unique and valuable ones can be found in the colline area of Transcarpathia, where the high habitat diversity supported by the topography promotes the coexistence of the species of humid forest fauna and many steppic and southern elements. The protection and planned management of these remained forest patches and their network in international cooperation can maintain a significant part of the fauna of the affected regions.
Exploring the influence of transportation on urban spatial structure using the spatial Durbin model: evidence from 265 prefecture-level cities in China
Authors: Tung Chih-Lin , He Sanwei , Mei Ling , Zhang Huiyuan
Published: February 2024

The interactive relation between transportation and urban spatial structure remains a significant yet challenging issue in transport engineering and urban planning. Most previous studies indicate that the coordination of transportation and urban structure is conducive to solve urban diseases and promote urban sustainable development. Grounded in the theory of city-region spatial structure, this study examines the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban spatial structure from 2006 to 2019 and investigates the impact of transportation on shaping urban spatial structure in prefecture-level cities in China using spatial Durbin model. Major findings include: first, the nighttime light remote sensing data is employed to characterize urban spatial structure with the mono-centricity index ranging from 0.26 to 0.48. The coastal cities tend to exhibit the polycentric structure, while the cities in western region often display the monocentric structure. Second, there is a gradual decline in mono-centricity structure in these cities. Spatial heterogeneity in urban spatial structure is evident in eastern, central, western and northeastern China. Third, transportation significantly and positively influences spatial structure, however, the impact varies across regions and city sizes. Finally, policy implications are proposed based on these findings, such as promoting the integrated land use-transportation development, implementing targeted regional policies, and enhancing land use spatial planning.
Creating a cutting-edge neurocomputing model with high precision
Authors: Abed Salman Mahdi , Al-Janabi Samaher
Published: February 2024

The prediction of oil prices has a significant impact on the economies of countries, particularly in oil-rich nations like Iraq, and affects the labor market. Prediction techniques are vital tools for extracting knowledge from complex databases, such as oil prices. This study aims to develop a prediction model that accurately determines oil prices based on seven fundamental characteristics, including Date, WTI, GOLD, SP 500, US DOLLAR INDEX, US 10YR BOND, and DJU. The proposed model utilizes advanced neurocomputing techniques that analyze the seven features over a ten-year period. The model comprises three main stages: preprocessing, determining feature importance through computing correlation, entropy, and information gain, and splitting the dataset into training and testing. The first part of the dataset builds the predictor called Hybrid Model to Oil Price based on Neurocomputing Techniques, while the second part evaluates model using three error measures: R2, MSE, and MAE. The model proves its ability to provide accurate predictions with low error rates. Multivariate analysis shows that WTI, GOLD, and US DOLLAR INDEX have a more significant impact on oil prices, with information gain values of WTI = 11.272, GOLD = 11.227, and DJU = 11.614. The Gate Recurrent Unit neurocomputing technique demonstrates its ability to handle datasets with features that behave differently over multiple years and provides accurate predictions with low errors in a short time, withR2 = 0.945, MSE = 0.0505, and MAE = 0.1948. This study provides valuable insights into the prediction of oil prices and highlights the efficacy of advanced neurocomputing techniques for extracting knowledge from complex databases.
Literary Landscapes and the Idea of England, 700–1400
Authors: Clarke Catherine A. M.
Published: February 2024

Pastoral and locus amoenus traditions in Medieval English literature, and the early mythologisation of English landscape, space and identity through pastoral topoi.
Bayesian state-space synthetic control method for deforestation baseline estimation for forest carbon credits
Authors: Takahata Keisuke , Suetsugu Hiroshi , Fukaya Keiichi , Shirota Shinichiro
Published: February 2024

Carbon credits from the reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+) projects have been criticized for issuing junk carbon credits due to invalid ex-ante baselines. Recently, the concept of ex-post baseline has been discussed to overcome the criticism, while ex-ante baseline is still necessary for project financing and risk assessment. To address this issue, we propose a Bayesian state-space model that integrates ex-ante baseline projection and ex-post dynamic baseline updating in a unified manner. Our approach provides a tool for appropriate risk assessment and performance evaluation of REDD+ projects. We apply the proposed model to a REDD+ project in Brazil and show that it may have had a small, positive effect but has been overcredited. We also demonstrate that the 90% predictive interval of the ex-ante baseline includes the ex-post baseline, implying that our ex-ante estimation can work effectively.
Future Directions in History in Africa
Authors: Semley Lorelle , Barnes Terri , Holsey Bayo , Uchendu Egodi
Published: February 2024

With the 50th volume of History in Africa, the journal is not quite fifty years old. As we prepare for the 50th anniversary of the journal next year, it is a perfect time to examine the present and imagine the future of our field. Conceived as a journal concerned with historical method, scholarly debate, and sources, History in Africa has both generated and reflected significant epistemological change. But we also recognize that African history and African Studies, more generally, are engaged in longstanding and ongoing struggles to move beyond colonial ways of knowing.1 How can History in Africa actively reorient and reimagine its role in this crucial intellectual work?
Additions to the genus Cliostomum (Ramalinaceae) from Australia
Authors: Kantvilas Gintaras
Published: February 2024

Seven species of Cliostomum Fr. recorded from Australia are treated. These include the widespread C. griffithii (Sm.) Coppins, the austral C. praepallidum (Müll. Arg.) Kantvilas & Fryday and the Tasmanian endemic C. vezdae Kantvilas, a reinstated name previously subsumed under C. flavidulum Hafellner & Kalb. Three species are described as new: C. latisporum Kantvilas, a corticolous species containing atranorin and gangaleoidin from coastal Tasmania and New South Wales, characterized by pale pink, soon immarginate apothecia, 0.3–0.9 mm wide, non-capitate, unpigmented paraphyses, and relatively wide, 1(–3)-septate ascospores, 9–15 × 4–6 μm; C. litorale Kantvilas, a saxicolous species containing atranorin and confluentic acid, recorded only from Tasmania, with relatively large, usually pale pinkish apothecia, 0.6–1.5 mm wide, non-capitate paraphyses, and 1(–2)-septate ascospores, 9–13 × 4−6 μm; and C. saxatile Kantvilas, a saxicolous species containing atranorin and lecanoric acid, also known only from Tasmania, with dark brown to black apothecia, 0.3–0.5 mm wide, pigmented with Laurocerasi-brown, capitate paraphyses, and 1-septate ascospores, 7–14 × 3–5 μm. The widespread, coastal Australasian species Tylothallia verrucosa (Müll. Arg.) Kantvilas is transferred to Cliostomum, with the additional synonym Catillaria brisbanensis Räsänen. Megalaria variegata (Müll. Arg.) D. J. Galloway, based on a New Zealand type, is a further synonym of Cliostomum griffithii. All species are illustrated and described on the basis of Australian and Tasmanian specimens.
Preparing future doctors for evidence-based practice: a study on health technology assessment awareness and its predictors in Malaysia
Authors: Mohamad Nur Farhana , Mansor Zawiah , Mahmud Aidalina , Mohamed Ghazali Izzuna Mudla , Sarimin Roza
Published: February 2024

Objectives

To determine the level of awareness of health technology assessment (HTA) and its predictors among clinical year medical students in public universities in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study using the stratified random sampling method was conducted among clinical year medical students in four public universities in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Data on the level of awareness of HTA and its associated factors were collected using a self-administered online questionnaire. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 27 to determine the level of awareness of HTA and its predictors.

Results

Majority (69 percent) of participants had a low level of awareness of HTA. The predictors of high-level awareness of HTA were attitude toward HTA (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 7.417, 95 percent confidence interval (CI): 3.491, 15.758), peer interaction on HTA (AOR = 0.320, 95 percent CI: 0.115, 0.888), and previous training on HTA (AOR = 4.849, 95 percent CI: 1.096, 21.444).

Conclusions

Most future doctors in public universities exhibit a low awareness of HTA. This study highlights the interplay between attitudes toward HTA, peer interaction, and previous training as influential predictors of HTA awareness. An integrated and comprehensive educational approach is recommended to cultivate a positive attitude and harness the positive aspects of peer interaction while mitigating the potential negative impact of misconceptions. Emphasizing early exposure to HTA concepts through structured programs is crucial for empowering the upcoming generation of healthcare professionals, enabling them to navigate HTA complexities and contribute to evidence-based healthcare practices in Malaysia and beyond.
Enhanced coarticulatory labialization of /ts/ in Argentine Danish
Authors: Heegård Petersen Jan
Published: February 2024

This paper presents an acoustic study of coarticulation of Argentine Danish /ts/ using Centre of Gravity (CoG) as the acoustic measure. It shows that the articulation of /ts/ is affected by the roundedness of the following vowel, and that this is more prevalent among speakers of Argentine Danish than among speakers of Modern Danish as spoken in Denmark. The analysis also shows that within Argentine Danish, the speakers of the isolated settlement Eldorado have a larger effect of roundedness in their articulation of /ts/ than the speakers of the settlements in the Pampas and in Buenos Aires. The results are discussed from the perspective of phonological theory on enhanced coarticulation as a source of sound change and from the perspective of theory of language change in heritage languages.
Integrating equifinality and multifinality into the of prevention programs in early childhood: The conceptual case for use of tiered models
Authors: Shaw Daniel S. , Mendelsohn Alan L. , Morris-Perez Pamela A. , Weaver Krug Chelsea
Published: February 2024

Introduced in the context of developmental psychopathology by Cicchetti and Rogosh in the Journal, the current paper incorporates the principles of equifinality and multifinality to support the use of tiered models to prevent the development of emerging child psychopathology and promote school readiness in early childhood. We use the principles of equifinality and multifinality to describe the limitations of applying one intervention model to address all children presenting with different types of risk for early problem behavior. We then describe the potential benefits of applying a tiered model for having impacts at the population level and two initial applications of this approach during early childhood. The first of these tiered models, Smart Beginnings, integrates the use of two evidenced-based preventive interventions, Video Interaction Project, a universal parenting program, and Family Check-Up, a selective parenting program. Building on the strengths of Smart Beginnings, the second trial, The Pittsburgh Study includes Video Interaction Project and Family Check-Up, and other more and less-intensive programs to address the spectrum of challenges facing parents of young children. Findings from these two projects are discussed with their implications for developing tiered models to support children’s early development and mental health.
Using randomized controlled trials to ask questions regarding developmental psychopathology: A tribute to Dante Cicchetti
Authors: Miller Kristen N. , Bourne Stacia V. , Dahl Claire M. , Costello Christopher , Attinelly Jillian , Jennings Kathryn , Dozier Mary
Published: February 2024

Dante Cicchetti, the architect of developmental psychopathology, has influenced so many of us in profound ways. One of his many contributions was in demonstrating the power of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to study the effects of Child–Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). These RCTs have shed light on causal mechanisms in development. Following Cicchetti and colleagues’ work, we designed a brief home visiting program, Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), to help parents respond in sensitive, nurturing ways, so as to enhance children’s attachment and self-regulatory capabilities. In the current study, we assessed adolescents’ reports of the closeness of their relationships with their mothers 12 years after their mothers completed the intervention. A total of 142 adolescents participated (47 randomized to ABC, 45 randomized to a control intervention, and 50 from a low-risk comparison group). Adolescents whose mothers had been randomized to ABC reported closer relationships with their mothers than adolescents randomized to the control condition, with significant differences seen on approval, support, companionship, and emotional support subscales. Consistent with Cicchetti et al.’s work, these results provide powerful evidence of the long-term effects of an early parenting intervention.
Principles, policies, and practices: Thoughts on their integration over the rise of the developmental psychopathology perspective and into the future
Authors: Tone Erin B. , Henrich Christopher C.
Published: February 2024

Developmental psychopathology has, since the late 20th century, offered an influential integrative framework for conceptualizing psychological health, distress, and dysfunction across the lifespan. Leaders in the field have periodically generated predictions about its future and have proposed ways to increase the macroparadigm’s impact. In this paper, we examine, using articles sampled from each decade of the journal Development and Psychopathology’s existence as a rough guide, the degree to which the themes that earlier predictions have emphasized have come to fruition and the ways in which the field might further capitalize on the strengths of this approach to advance knowledge and practice in psychology. We focus in particular on two key themes first, we explore the degree to which researchers have capitalized on the framework’s capacity for principled flexibility to generate novel work that integrates neurobiological and/or social-contextual factors measured at multiple levels and offer ideas for moving this kind of work forward. Second, we discuss how extensively articles have emphasized implications for intervention or prevention and how the field might amplify the voice of developmental psychopathology in applied settings.
Parenting in a post-conflict region: Associations between observed maternal parenting practices and maternal, child, and contextual factors in northern Uganda
Authors: Möllerherm Julia , Saile Regina , Wieling Elizabeth , Neuner Frank , Catani Claudia
Published: February 2024

Studies show that war leads to an increase in harsh parenting and a decrease in parental warmth, which in turn has a devastating impact on children’s development. However, there is insufficient research on the factors that affect parenting in post-conflict regions. In addition, most previous studies on the role of parenting in the context of war rely on self-reports, which are subject to a number of limitations. To complement existing research, the present cross-sectional study used behavioral observations of 101 mothers and their 6–12 year old children to assess parenting in post-conflict northern Uganda. The aim of the current study was to explore associations between observed maternal warmth and coercion and self-reported socioeconomic status (e.g., mother’s educational level) as well as maternal (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder), child (e.g., externalizing problems), and social contextual factors (e.g., family violence). Results show a link between observed parenting, child characteristics, and family violence. Higher levels of children’s externalizing problems were associated with more severe maternal coercion. In addition, a negative association was found between family violence and maternal warmth. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for prevention and intervention programs and the use of behavioral observations in post-conflict environments.
Hot and cool executive function in the development of behavioral problems in grade school
Authors: Wang Yiji , Ji Huayu
Published: February 2024

Despite the well-established link between children’s executive function and behavioral adjustment, it remains unclear whether the hot and cool aspects of executive function are uniquely associated with children’s behavioral problems. Using longitudinal data spanning in the grade school (N = 1,140), this study aimed to examine whether hot and cool executive function skills may be uniquely related to the development of behavioral problems. Hot and cool executive function skills were measured with tasks, standardized tests, and questionnaires at 54 months and in the first grade, respectively. Internalizing and externalizing problems were evaluated by teachers using questionnaires throughout the grade school. The results indicated that, independent of each other, hot and cool executive function skills were uniquely and negatively related to the development of internalizing and externalizing problems over time at the between-individual level, adjusting for within-individual fluctuations. Moreover, internalizing and externalizing problems were positively related at the between-individual level across the grade school. Findings provide needed evidence to clarify the relations between hot and cool executive function and children’s behavioral problems, emphasizing the importance of both aspects of executive function in understanding the development of behavioral problems in school-age children.
Strongly Versus Weakly Coupled Data Assimilation in Coupled Systems With Various Inter‐Compartment Interactions
Authors: Miwa Norihiro , Sawada Yohei
Published: February 2024

Coupled data assimilation (CDA) has been attracting researchers' interests to improve Earth system modeling. The CDA methods are classified into two: weakly coupled data assimilation (wCDA), which considers cross‐compartment interaction only in a forecast phase, and strongly coupled data assimilation (sCDA), which additionally uses other compartment's information in an analysis phase. Although sCDA can theoretically provide better estimates than wCDA since sCDA fully uses inter‐compartment covariances, the potential of sCDA in practice is still in debate. We investigate conditions under which sCDA is effective by applying Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (LETKF) to a coupled Lorenz96 model. Especially, we aim to generalize CDA's behavior on coupling strength basis. By continuously changing a cross‐compartment interaction in the coupled Lorenz96 model, we find that sCDA's superiority over wCDA is particularly evident with large cross‐compartment interactions which attenuates dynamics of each compartment (the increase of variables in one compartment induces the reduction of those in the other compartment) and does not intensify the chaoticity of the whole system. The performance of sCDA is more sensitive to the LETKF's hyperparameters (i.e., localization and inflation) than wCDA. Furthermore, through two imperfect model experiments in which model parameters are uncertain, we quantify sCDA's vulnerability to model inaccuracies. The findings of the relationship between the skill of sCDA and inter‐compartment interactions give implications for future CDA strategies.
Glacier Melting Triggers Massive Gravel Deposition in Central Italy's River Basins, Unveiling Deglacial Events From 1250 to 780 ka
Authors: Florindo F. , Marra F. , Jicha B. R. , Bulian F. , Di Chiara A. , Srivastava P.
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this study was to prove the direct correlation of a successions of gravel‐clay beds recovered in borehole with the melt‐water pulses associated with the sea‐level oscillations indicated in the δ18O record in the time‐span preceding the 100‐kyr glacial cycles. Aimed at this scope, we provide combined 40Ar/39Ar and paleomagnetic constraints to a set of seven aggradational successions recovered from a 120 m deep borehole drilled in the buried Paleo‐Tiber delta in Rome (central Italy). The geochronologic constraints enable the correlation of each aggradational succession, characterized by a sudden transition from coarse gravel at the base to sandy clay sediments, with periods of sea‐level rise indicated by the δ18O curve encompassing MIS 37 through MIS 19, from 1250 to 780 ka. This stratigraphy, provides a unique and unprecedented well‐dated evidence of glacial/deglacial events, matching the global benthic δ18O stack during this time frame. Furthermore, this study validates the hypothesis that gravel deposition in the catchment basin and the delta of the main rivers in central Italy is triggered by the melting of glaciers in the Apennines Mountain range. It demonstrates the significant potential of these deglaciation proxies to be used worldwide to unravel the chronology of glacio‐eustatic events.
Our Breathing Earth: A Review of Soil Respiration Science
Authors: Sidder Aaron
Published: February 2024

A new synopsis details how the past 20 years have changed our understanding of soil respiration and revealed its critical effects on the climate system.
The osteoclastic activity in apical distal region of molar mesial roots affects orthodontic tooth movement and root resorption in rats
Authors: Zheng Wenhao , Lu Xiaofeng , Chen Guangjin , Shen Yufeng , Huang Xiaofei , Peng Jinfeng , Wang Jiajia , Yin Ying , Song Wencheng , Xie Mengru , Yu Shaoling , Chen Lili
Published: February 2024

The utilization of optimal orthodontic force is crucial to prevent undesirable side effects and ensure efficient tooth movement during orthodontic treatment. However, the sensitivity of existing detection techniques is not sufficient, and the criteria for evaluating optimal force have not been yet established. Here, by employing 3D finite element analysis methodology, we found that the apical distal region (A-D region) of mesial roots is particularly sensitive to orthodontic force in rats. Tartrate-resistant acidic phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclasts began accumulating in the A-D region under the force of 40 grams (g), leading to alveolar bone resorption and tooth movement. When the force reached 80 g, TRAP-positive osteoclasts started appearing on the root surface in the A-D region. Additionally, micro-computed tomography revealed a significant root resorption at 80 g. Notably, the A-D region was identified as a major contributor to whole root resorption. It was determined that 40 g is the minimum effective force for tooth movement with minimal side effects according to the analysis of tooth movement, inclination, and hyalinization. These findings suggest that the A-D region with its changes on the root surface is an important consideration and sensitive indicator when evaluating orthodontic forces for a rat model. Collectively, our investigations into this region would aid in offering valuable implications for preventing and minimizing root resorption during patients’ orthodontic treatment.
GRID1/GluD1 homozygous variants linked to intellectual disability and spastic paraplegia impair mGlu1/5 receptor signaling and excitatory synapses
Authors: Ung Dévina C. , Pietrancosta Nicolas , Badillo Elena Baz , Raux Brigitt , Tapken Daniel , Zlatanovic Andjela , Doridant Adrien , Pode-Shakked Ben , Raas-Rothschild Annick , Elpeleg Orly , Abu-Libdeh Bassam , Hamed Nasrin , Papon Marie-Amélie , Marouillat Sylviane , Thépault Rose-Anne , Stevanin Giovanni , Elegheert Jonathan , Letellier Mathieu , Hollmann Michael , Lambolez Bertrand , Tricoire Ludovic , Toutain Annick , Hepp Régine , Laumonnier Frédéric
Published: February 2024

The ionotropic glutamate delta receptor GluD1, encoded by the GRID1 gene, is involved in synapse formation, function, and plasticity. GluD1 does not bind glutamate, but instead cerebellin and D-serine, which allow the formation of trans-synaptic bridges, and trigger transmembrane signaling. Despite wide expression in the nervous system, pathogenic GRID1 variants have not been characterized in humans so far. We report homozygous missense GRID1 variants in five individuals from two unrelated consanguineous families presenting with intellectual disability and spastic paraplegia, without (p.Thr752Met) or with (p.Arg161His) diagnosis of glaucoma, a threefold phenotypic association whose genetic bases had not been elucidated previously. Molecular modeling and electrophysiological recordings indicated that Arg161His and Thr752Met mutations alter the hinge between GluD1 cerebellin and D-serine binding domains and the function of this latter domain, respectively. Expression, trafficking, physical interaction with metabotropic glutamate receptor mGlu1, and cerebellin binding of GluD1 mutants were not conspicuously altered. Conversely, upon expression in neurons of dissociated or organotypic slice cultures, we found that both GluD1 mutants hampered metabotropic glutamate receptor mGlu1/5 signaling via Ca2+ and the ERK pathway and impaired dendrite morphology and excitatory synapse density. These results show that the clinical phenotypes are distinct entities segregating in the families as an autosomal recessive trait, and caused by pathophysiological effects of GluD1 mutants involving metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling and neuronal connectivity. Our findings unravel the importance of GluD1 receptor signaling in sensory, cognitive and motor functions of the human nervous system.
Lipoprotein(a) serum concentrations in children in relation to body mass index, age and sex
Authors: Stürzebecher Paulina E. , Uttinger Konstantin L. , Vogel Mandy , Schlingmann Maike , Ceglarek Uta , Isermann Berend , Kiess Wieland , Körner Antje , Laufs Ulrich
Published: February 2024

Background

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is an inherited risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Limited data exist on Lp(a) values in children. We aimed to evaluate whether Lp(a) concentrations in youth are influenced by BMI.

Methods

756 blood samples of 248 children with obesity and 264 matched healthy children aged 5 and 18 years, enrolled in the population-based LIFE Child (German civilization diseases cohort) study, were analyzed. Repeat measurements were available in 154 children (1–4 follow ups, ~1 year apart).

Results

The median Lp(a) concentration in the total cohort (n = 512) at first visit was 9.7 mg/dL (IQR 4.0–28.3). Lp(a) concentrations between 30–50 mg/dL were observed in 11.5%, while 12.5% exhibited Lp(a) ≧50 mg/dL. There was no association of Lp(a) with body mass index (BMI) (ß = 0.004, P = 0.49). Lp(a) levels did not correlate with age or sex, while Lp(a) was associated positively with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (ß = 0.05, P < 0.0001). The Lp(a) risk category remained stable in 94% of all children in repeated measurements.

Conclusions

The data showed no association of Lp(a) levels in children with BMI, age or sex. Measurement of Lp(a) in youth may be useful to identify children at increased lifetime risk for ASCVD.

Impact

In youth, Lp(a) levels are not affected by age, sex and BMI.

Lp(a) risk categories remain stable over time in repeated measurements in children.

Measurement of Lp(a) in children may be useful as an additional factor to identify children at increased lifetime risk for ASCVD and for reverse family screening.
mTOR pathway occupies a central role in the emergence of latent cancer cells
Authors: Aleksandrova Kseniia V. , Vorobev Mikhail L. , Suvorova Irina I.
Published: February 2024

The current focus in oncology research is the translational control of cancer cells as a major mechanism of cellular plasticity. Recent evidence has prompted a reevaluation of the role of the mTOR pathway in cancer development leading to new conclusions. The mechanistic mTOR inhibition is well known to be a tool for generating quiescent stem cells and cancer cells. In response to mTOR suppression, quiescent cancer cells dynamically change their proteome, triggering alternative non-canonical translation mechanisms. The shift to selective translation may have clinical relevance, since quiescent tumor cells can acquire new phenotypical features. This review provides new insights into the patterns of mTOR functioning in quiescent cancer cells, enhancing our current understanding of the biology of latent metastasis.