bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of industrialisation in education expenditure: municipal budgets in Biscay, 1860-1910
Authors: Palacios-Mateo Adrian
Published: March 2024

This paper presents a unique database that explores how industrialisation affected municipalities' incomes, expenditures and education spending. Using the importance of the mines and steelworks in Biscay in northern Spain between 1860 and 1910 as indicators of industrialisation, the findings show that there was a positive relationship between these dimensions and towns' incomes, which was indirectly transmitted to municipalities' expenditures, showing that municipalities were able to benefit from industrialisation. However, the thriving mining and metallurgy sectors did not support an increase in education spending. The lack of short-term results from spending on education may have led town councils to divert the revenues of industrialisation into more urgent areas, or those that could deliver faster results.
SEMIPARAMETRIC ESTIMATION OF DYNAMIC BINARY CHOICE PANEL DATA MODELS
Authors: Ouyang Fu , Yang Thomas Tao
Published: March 2024

We propose a new approach to the semiparametric analysis of panel data binary choice models with fixed effects and dynamics (lagged dependent variables). The model under consideration has the same random utility framework as in Honoré and Kyriazidou (2000, Econometrica 68, 839–874). We demonstrate that, with additional serial dependence conditions on the process of deterministic utility and tail restrictions on the error distribution, the (point) identification of the model can proceed in two steps, and requires matching only the value of an index function of explanatory variables over time, rather than the value of each explanatory variable. Our identification method motivates an easily implementable, two-step maximum score (2SMS) procedure – producing estimators whose rates of convergence, in contrast to Honoré and Kyriazidou’s (2000, Econometrica 68, 839–874) methods, are independent of the model dimension. We then analyze the asymptotic properties of the 2SMS procedure and propose bootstrap-based distributional approximations for inference. Evidence from Monte Carlo simulations indicates that our procedure performs satisfactorily in finite samples.
Internal state language factor structure and development in toddlerhood: Insights from WordBank
Authors: MCFAYDEN Tyler C. , BRUCE Madeleine
Published: March 2024

Internal state language (ISL) research contains knowledge gaps, including dimensionality and predictors of growth, addressed here in a two-aim study. Parent-reported expressive language from N = 6,373 monolingual, English-speaking toddlers (Mage = 23.5mos, 46% male, 57% white) was collected using cross-sectional and longitudinal data in WordBank. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested a best-fitting one-factor model of ISL. The single-factor model of ISL was then submitted to hierarchical linear modeling to evaluate predictors of ISL development. Age 2 ISL production was predicted by child sex, wherein females outperform males, and maternal education, wherein higher education contributes to higher ISL. Only maternal education emerged as a significant predictor of ISL growth. These results provide support to theory suggesting a unitary construct of ISL, as opposed to considering ISL as categorical, and further illustrate linear growth through the second postnatal year that varies as a function of child sex and maternal education.
TB index case tracing in the Roma community in the Czech Republic
Authors: Doležalová Karolína , Mališková Beatrix , Honegerová Michaela , Hromádková Michaela , Wallenfels Jiří
Published: March 2024

Tuberculosis (TB) contact tracing and TB preventive treatment are key tools in preventing the transmission of TB with the aim of eliminating the disease. Our study seeks to demonstrate how the infection spread from an individual patient to the entire community and how proactive contact tracing facilitated prompt diagnosis and treatment. Our work was conducted as a retrospective analysis of the spread of TB infection within the Roma community in the Czech Republic, following the case of an index patient who succumbed to pulmonary TB. Several levels of care and preventive and treatment measures are outlined. Confirming the identity of theMycobacterium tuberculosisstrain was achieved using molecular methods. Among the 39 individuals examined, TB disease was detected in eight patients and TB infection was detected in six patients. The investigation of contacts within this group yielded positive results in 36% of cases, necessitating treatment. The study’s findings provide evidence that actively tracing individuals at risk can lead to early detection of cases, prompt treatment, and prevention of further disease transmission. The study also indicates that the highest risk of infection occurs within the sick person’s household and that young children under the age of 5 are most susceptible to falling ill.
An Anarchist Archaeology of Equality: Pasts and Futures Against Hierarchy
Authors: Politopoulos Aris , Frieman Catherine J. , Flexner James L. , Borck Lewis
Published: March 2024

Scholars of the past frame the ‘origins’ or evolution of inequality, usually using archaeological or anthropological evidence as a basis for their arguments, as an intentional, inevitable, important step towards the development of states, implicitly framed as the pinnacle of human political and economic achievement. Anarchist archaeologies reject the idea of hierarchy as a positive or inevitable evolutionary outcome underlying the path to civilization. We argue instead for a radical reorientation towards archaeologies of equality. We propose a prefigurative archaeology that celebrates the myriad ways that human beings have actively undermined and resisted hierarchical social arrangements. We aim to reorient archaeology's focus towards societies that purposefully prevented or constrained the emergence of inequality. To demonstrate the potential of archaeologies of equality we present case examples from Oceania, Britain, West Asia and the American Southwest. Highlighting the accomplishments of societies of equals in the past demonstrates the contingency and problematic nature of present forms of inequality. It allows us to explore a different set of pasts and thus enact different presents as we imagine different futures.
Melatonin protects oogenesis from hypobaric hypoxia-induced fertility damage in mice
Authors: Zhang Ruina , Liu Cong , Yu Daolun , She Deyong , Yu Yan , Cai Yongping , Chen Naifu
Published: March 2024

Environmental hypoxia adversely affects reproductive health in humans and animals at high altitudes. Therefore, how to alleviate the follicle development disorder caused by hypoxia exposure and to improve the competence of fertility in plateau non-habituated female animals are important problems to be solved urgently. In this study, a hypobaric hypoxic chamber was used for 4 weeks to simulate hypoxic conditions in female mice, and the effects of hypoxia on follicle development, proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in MII oocyte and 2-cell rate were evaluated. At the same time, the alleviating effect of melatonin on hypoxic exposure-induced oogenesis damage was evaluated by feeding appropriate amounts of melatonin daily under hypoxia for 4 weeks. The results showed that hypoxia exposure significantly increased the proportion of antral follicles in the ovary, the number of proliferation and apoptosis granulosa cells in the follicle, and the level of ROS in MII oocytes, eventually led to the decline of oocyte quality. However, these defects were alleviated when melatonin was fed under hypoxia conditions. Together, these findings suggest that hypoxia exposure impaired follicular development and reduced oocyte quality, and that melatonin supplementation alleviated the fertility reduction induced by hypoxia exposure.
Neurocognitive outcome and associated factors in long-term, adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, treated without cranial radiation therapy
Authors: Egset Kaja Solland , Stubberud Jan , Ruud Ellen , Hjort Magnus Aassved , Eilertsen Mary-Elizabeth Bradley , Sund Anne Mari , Hjemdal Odin , Weider Siri , Reinfjell Trude
Published: March 2024

Objective:

There is limited research on neurocognitive outcome and associated risk factors in long-term, adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), without treatment of cranial radiation therapy. Moreover, the impact of fatigue severity and pain interference on neurocognition has received little attention. In this cross-sectional study, we examined neurocognitive outcome and associated factors in this population.

Method:

Intellectual abilities, verbal learning/memory, processing speed, attention, and executive functions were compared to normative means/medians with one sample t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Associations with risk factors, fatigue severity, and pain interference were analyzed with linear regressions.

Results:

Long-term, adult survivors of childhood ALL (N = 53, 51% females, mean age = 24.4 years, SD = 4.4, mean = 14.7 years post-diagnosis, SD = 3.4) demonstrated above average intellectual abilities, but performed below average in attention, inhibition, processing speed, and shifting (p < 0.001). Executive functioning complaints were significantly higher than normative means, and positively associated with fatigue (p < 0.001). There was no interaction between sex and fatigue and no neurocognitive impairments were associated with pain interference, risk group, age at diagnosis, or sex.

Conclusions:

Long-term, adult survivors of ALL treated without cranial radiation therapy, demonstrate domain-specific performance-based neurocognitive impairments. However, continued research on the neurocognitive outcome in this population as they age will be important in the coming years. Executive functioning complaints were frequently in the clinical range, and often accompanied by fatigue. This suggests a need for cognitive rehabilitation programs.
Cross-ownership and strategic environmental corporate social responsibility under price competition
Authors: Xing Mingqing , Lee Sang-Ho
Published: March 2024

This paper examines the impact of cross-ownership on the strategic incentive of environmental corporate social responsibility (ECSR) within a green managerial delegation contract in a triopoly market engaged in price competition. It demonstrates that bilateral cross-ownership between insiders provides weak incentives to undertake ECSR, which has a non-monotone relationship with cross-ownership shares, while it provides strong incentives for outsiders, which increases the ECSR level as cross-ownership increases. It also compares unilateral cross-ownership and finds that a firm that owns shares in its rival has a greater incentive to undertake ECSR than its partially-owned rival, while an outsider has more incentive than firms in bilateral scenarios. These findings reveal that a firm's incentive to increase a market price through ECSR critically depends on its cross-ownership share, while it decreases environmental damage and increases social welfare when the environmental damage is serious.
Trading locomotives between the USA and Japan: Okura & Co. at the beginning of the twentieth century
Authors: Nakamura Naofumi
Published: March 2024

This article examines international transactions related to steam locomotives at the beginning of the twentieth century while focusing on Japanese trading companies. In particular, it considers in detail how Japanese trading companies acquired the knowledge and know-how of locomotive trading to carry out their business transactions through a case study of Okura & Co.'s New York branch office. The analysis highlights the following three factors that supported Okura's locomotive trade in New York: first, the company took advantage of business opportunities by collecting information through networks of Japanese contacts in New York and local experts; second, it utilised social and technological infrastructure, including international communication lines, transportation, and financial systems, as key fundamentals of its overseas activities; third, a former oyatoi (hired foreigner) played a critical role as its consulting engineer. In particular, the overseas activities of Japanese trading companies drew heavily on formerly hired foreign engineers, whose technological knowledge and networks became an essential route of knowledge transfer in cross-regional commercial management. These will contribute to the evolution of history related to the starting points of global activities of Japanese trading companies.
Transnational networks of human resources and knowledge in East Asia: a case study of Taiwan merchant Wang Xuenong (1870–1915) and his trading company
Authors: Lin Yuju
Published: March 2024

Taiwan is an island and trade has always been the locomotive of its economic development. From the 1620s to the 1960s, cane sugar was Taiwan's most representative export commodity. Yet little attention has been paid to the business strategies of sugar traders and the changes in their thinking. How did the Takow (Kaohsiung) merchants who first went to Japan and Hong Kong to conduct cross-border trade in person learn about international trade and build a network of human resources that crossed borders, especially after the 1870s? And how did they face the great changes of an era in which tradition and modernity were intertwined, so that, following the regime transfer in the 1890s from the Qing Dynasty to the Japanese empire, they were able to expand their business territory and become major sugar merchants in southern Taiwan?

This article examines the career of Wang Xuenong—a well-known sugar merchant in Taiwan during the Meiji period (1868–1912). It attempts to explain, from the perspective of cross-cultural knowledge transfer and human resource strategies, why and how sugar merchants such as Wang, who had gone to Japan in the early years of the Meiji Restoration for purposes of cross-border trade, introduced a trading company system that incorporated a mixture of East Asian and Western elements. It further investigates how they expanded their business from the sugar trade into a wider commercial domain that included mechanical rice milling and steamship transport. Finally, it looks at how their actions affected a transformation of Taiwan's commercial culture from the late Qing Dynasty to the early days of Japanese rule, and the historical significance of these changes in Taiwan's transitions towards industrialisation and modernisation.
The economic institutions of artificial intelligence
Authors: Davidson Sinclair
Published: March 2024

This paper explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) within economic institutions, focusing on bounded rationality as understood by Herbert Simon. Artificial Intelligence can do many things in the economy, such as increasing productivity, enhancing innovation, creating new sectors and jobs, and improving living standards. One of the ways that AI can disrupt the economy is by reducing the problem of bounded rationality. AI can help overcome this problem by processing large amounts of data, finding patterns and insights, and making predictions and recommendations. This insight raises the question: can AI overcome planning problems – could it be that central planning is now a viable option for economic organisation? This paper argues that AI does not make central planning viable at either the nation-state level or the firm level, simply because AI cannot resolve the knowledge problem as described by Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek.
Lernen in Unternehmen
Authors: Kortsch Timo , Decius Julian , Paulsen Hilko
Published: March 2024

Mehr denn je ist arbeitsbezogenes Lernen ein strategisch relevantes Thema in Unternehmen. Die Anforderungen, die aus einer dynamischen und vernetzten Arbeitswelt resultieren, fordern von Unternehmen und Beschäftigten eine permanente Weiterentwicklung. Klassische Fort- und Weiterbildungen allein reichen hierfür nicht mehr aus.
Diesem Buch liegt ein breites Verständnis von Lernen zugrunde: Neben dem formalen Lernen, das nach vorgegebenen Curricula in strukturierten Lernumgebungen stattfindet und den Besuch von Weiterbildungsformaten wie Schulungen, Seminaren und Trainings umfasst, werden in diesem Band auch das informelle Lernen am Arbeitsplatz und das selbstregulierte Lernen in den Fokus genommen.
Anhand von Modellen zum arbeitsbezogenen Lernen in Unternehmen und aktuellen metaanalytischen Befunden wird ein Überblick über die drei Lernformen des formalen, informellen und selbstregulierten Lernens gegeben. Zudem werden Konzepte zur lernförderlichen Arbeitsgestaltung und Etablierung einer positiven Lernkultur vorgestellt. Aufbauend auf relevanten Prozessschritten im Personalentwicklungszyklus wird ein Rahmenmodell zur Planung und Umsetzung von Programmen und Maßnahmen präsentiert, das zielgerichtet verschiedene Lernformen verknüpft. Darüber hinaus werden die Herausforderungen und Chancen aufgezeigt, die für arbeitsbezogenes Lernen aus der Digitalisierung resultieren (z. B. Microlearning), und neuere agile Lern- und Arbeitsmethoden (z. B. Scrum) ebenso wie klassische Ansätze skizziert. Praxisbeispiele aus verschiedenen Branchen illustrieren, wie arbeitsbezogenes Lernen systematisch gestaltet werden kann.
Bayesian Estimation of Past Astronomical Frequencies, Lunar Distance, and Length of Day From Sediment Cycles
Authors: Malinverno A. , Meyers S. R.
Published: March 2024

Astronomical cycles recorded in stratigraphic sequences offer a powerful data source to estimate Earth's axial precession frequencyk, as well as the frequency of rotation of the planetary perihelia (gi) and of the ascending nodes of their orbital planes (si). Together, these frequencies control the insolation cycles (eccentricity, obliquity and climatic precession) that affect climate and sedimentation, providing a geologic record of ancient Solar system behavior spanning billions of years. Here, we introduce two Bayesian methods that harness stratigraphic data to quantitatively estimate ancient astronomical frequencies and their uncertainties. The first method (TimeOptB) calculates the posterior probability density function (PDF) of the axial precession frequencykand of the sedimentation rateufor a given cyclostratigraphic data set, while setting the Solar system frequenciesgiandsito fixed values. The second method (TimeOptBMCMC) applies an adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to efficiently sample the posterior PDF of all the parameters that affect astronomical cycles recorded in stratigraphy: fivegi, fivesi,k, andu. We also include an approach to assess the significance of detecting astronomical cycles in cyclostratigraphic records. The methods provide an extension of current approaches that is computationally efficient and well suited to recover the history of astronomical cycles, Earth‐Moon history, and the evolution of the Solar system from geological records. As case studies, data from the Xiamaling Formation (N. China, 1.4 Ga) and ODP Site 1262 (S. Atlantic, 55 Ma) are evaluated, providing updated estimates of astronomical frequencies, Earth‐Moon history, and secular resonance terms.
Divergent Responses of Summer Terrestrial Evapotranspiration to Cloud Increase in East Asia
Authors: Wang Yipu , Li Rui , Song Binbin , Hu Jiheng
Published: March 2024

Cloud impact on terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET) can be significant, while a fundamental understanding of ET response to cloud change has not been addressed in regional aspects. In this study, seven ET datasets from satellite and land surface models are used to analyze the summer ET in response to low cloud cover (LCC) over East Asia, in combination with satellite microwave and optical vegetation data, as well as ERA5 climatic and surface parameters. In general, all ET datasets present a strong negative relationship with LCC over dense vegetation (e.g., forests), which leads to the ET reduction of more than −0.5 mmday−1under the large LCC increase, compared with the least cloudy sky conditions. Such reduction is stronger under more humid and denser forests (aridity index AI > 0.5 and enhanced vegetation index EVI > 0.6). In contrast, a positive relationship between ET and LCC presents over arid and sparse lands (AI < 0.2 and EVI < 0.2), accompanied by enhanced ET (>0.2 mmday−1). Analysis shows that under increased LCC conditions, substantial reduction in radiation availability results in the decline in both plant transpiration (ETveg) and soil evaporation (ETsoil) over humid dense vegetation, dominating the overall negative response. The increase of near‐surface relative humidity over arid sparse vegetation may indicate a stronger moisture availability, which promotes ETsoil and partly offsets the negative effect of radiation reduction. The change of vegetation water content, indicated by a satellite microwave vegetation index, is important for ETveg over arid mountainous lands with cloud cover. These findings contribute new insights to the understanding of vegetation‐atmosphere interactions.
Future Projection and Uncertainty Analysis of Wind and Solar Energy in China Based on an Ensemble of CORDEX‐EA‐II Regional Climate Simulations
Authors: Wu Rongchang , Niu Xiaorui , Jing Xianwen , Li Ping , Mao Yanjin , Chen Xianchun , Wang Shuyu
Published: March 2024

Wind and solar energy are crucial for meeting the growing energy demand and mitigating the impact of climate change, and their sources show a climate‐dependence. Here, based on the outputs from two regional climate models (RCMs) driven by three global climate models within the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiments‐East Asia (CORDEX‐EA‐II), the effects of future climate change on wind power density (WPD) and photovoltaic power potential (PVP) in China under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 2.6 scenario and RCP8.5 scenario are comprehensively investigated, and the sources of uncertainty are also quantified. Results show that all RCMs can reproduce the observed WPD and PVP in China by employing the Quantile Delta Mapping method for wind speed simulations. For the future projections, the annual averages of WPD and PVP in China tend to decrease by −11.67% to −1.7% and −4.6% to −1.12%, respectively, with more significant reduction under the RCP8.5 than under the RCP2.6. Note that uncertainties exist among the RCMs' simulations in terms of future projections and long‐term trends. Further analysis reveals that the uncertainty in both WPD and PVP projections are primarily driven by the internal variability in most sub‐regions except the Tibetan Plateau, where GCM uncertainty and emission scenarios play the dominant role in the uncertainty of WPD and PVP projection, respectively. This study highlights the potential benefits of controlling greenhouse gas emissions in enhancing and stabilizing renewable energy in China.
Response Mechanism of the Residual Strength to the Mesostructure of the Shear Surface in the Gravelly Slip Zone of Ancient Landslides
Authors: Ren Sanshao , Zhang Yongshuang , Li Jinqiu , Wu Ruian , Hao Haijian
Published: March 2024

Ancient landslides tend to reactivate along pre‐existing slip zones that have reached a residual state. On the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, previous research has indicated that the slip zone of ancient landslides is primarily composed of clayey soil with gravel, known as gravelly slip zone soil. However, the relationship between the macromechanical behavior of gravelly slip zones and the mesostructure of the shear surfaces affected by gravel is still unclear. Herein, ring shear tests and reversal direct shear tests were performed on gravelly slip zone soil, and the 3D morphology and shear surface roughness were quantitatively characterized by using 3D laser scanning technology and the power spectral density method. The results showed a significant correlation between the friction coefficient of the shear surface and its roughness. Gravel played a crucial role in influencing the macromechanical behavior of slip zones by altering the mesomorphology of the shear surfaces. By analyzing the mechanical properties of the contact unit on the shear surface, the residual strength of the gravelly slip zone was found to be jointly controlled by the basic strength of the fine‐grained soil and the undulations caused by the gravel. Finally, a residual strength model was developed for the gravelly slip zone considering both the strength of the fine‐grained soil and the shear surface roughness caused by the gravel.
Collaborative Management of Water‐Energy‐Food‐Ecosystems Nexus in Central Asia Under Uncertainty
Authors: Ma Yuan , Li Yongping , Huang Guohe , Liu Yuanrui , Zhang Yufei
Published: March 2024

Collaborative management of the water‐energy‐food‐ecosystems (WEFE) nexus can contribute significantly to sustainable development. However, multiple decision‐making levels with diverse preferences and multiple uncertainties in different forms pose intractable challenges to the management process. In this study, a novel optimization method named as multi‐level chance‐constrained fuzzy programming (MCFP) is developed to jointly manage the WEFE nexus. MCFP has advantages in evaluating trade‐offs among multiple competitive decision makers, solving decentralized planning problems with hierarchical structure, and tackling uncertainties expressed as randomness and vagueness. MCFP is then applied to the WEFE nexus in Central Asia, where five countries, 43 states, six water sources, and eight water users are involved over a long‐term planning horizon (2021–2050). A set of scenarios are designed to reflect decision‐making preferences based on different irrigation efficiencies, food, ecological and electricity demands as well as constraint‐violation probability and system credibility levels. The major findings are: (a) the proportion of agricultural water allocation would reduce to 45.4%–56.6% by 2050 to save more water for ensuring ecological restoration and energy supply; and (b) in order to balance water demands and support regional sustainable development, policymakers should sacrifice some of the benefits, set strict arable land limits for cereal crops, improve irrigation efficiency through adopting drip and sprinkler irrigation, and avoid the effects of the irrigation efficiency paradox. The findings are helpful for policymakers in gaining insight into the interrelationships of water, energy, food and ecosystems as well as making decisions for collaborative management of the WEFE nexus system.
Serum IL-36β levels are associated with Insulin sensitivity in paediatric patients with obesity
Authors: Narros-Fernández Paloma , O’Donnell Andrew , Sheehy Clodagh , Basavarajappa Shrikanth Chomanahalli , Hernandez Santana Yasmina Esther , Kinlen David , Cody Declan , Hogan Andrew E. , Walsh Patrick T.
Published: March 2024

Although the orchestrating role of Interleukin-36 cytokines in regulating inflammation at barrier tissue sites, is well established, whether they play a significant role in the settings of metabolic health and disease, has yet to be fully established. Several recent studies have demonstrated that IL-36 cytokine expression is elevated among adult patients with obesity, and can play roles in regulating both insulin sensitivity and driving inflammation. In this report, we have extended these analyses to paediatric patients and identified an association between elevated serum levels of expression of the specific Interleukin-36 subfamily member, IL-36β, among children with obesity displaying insulin sensitivity, compared to children with obesity who are insulin resistant. While these data further indicate a possible protective role for IL-36 in metabolic health, they also differ with previous findings from an adult patient cohort, where elevated levels of the related cytokine, IL-36γ, were found to occur in association with improved metabolic health. While highlighting important differences between paediatric and adult patient cohorts in the context of metabolic disease associated with obesity, these data underscore the need for a deeper mechanistic analysis of the role of IL-36 cytokines in disease.
Adjudicative efficacy of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 in treating acute diarrhea in children: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study
Authors: Chen Ke , Jin Shanshan , Ma Yu , Cai Limei , Xu Ping , Nie Yang , Luo Li , Yu Qinghua , Shen Yang , Zhou Zengyuan , Liu Changqi
Published: March 2024

The goal of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80, as an adjunct treatment for diarrhea in children with a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study design. Eligible diarrheal children, aged 0–3 years without the need for antibiotic treatment based on clinical diagnosis when recruited, were randomized into the intervention group (IG, n = 58, with probiotic) or the control group (CG, n = 53, placebo). The primary assessment was the duration of diarrhea. Fecal samples were collected for biochemical index measurement, analysis of gut microbiome composition, and prediction of gene family abundances. The total duration of diarrhea in the IG (122.6 ± 13.1 h) was significantly shorter than in the CG (148.4 ± 17.6 h, p < 0.001). More children in the IG showed improvements in diarrhea compared to the CG, both in intention-to-treat analysis (81.7% vs. 40.0%, p < 0.001) and per protocol analysis (84.4% vs 45.3%, p < 0.001). Cathelicidin level in the IG was significantly higher than that in the CG after the intervention (4415.00 ± 1036.93 pg/g vs. 3679.49 ± 871.18 pg/g, p = 0.0175). The intervention led to an increased abundance of Bifidobacterium breve and Collinsella aerofaciens species, higher alpha-diversity (p < 0.05), and enrichment of functional genes in the gut microbiota related to immunity regulation. Administration of BLa80 at a dose of 5 × 109 CFU/day resulted in a shorter duration of diarrhea and alterations in gut microbiome composition and gene functions.
Evidence for the additivity of rare and common variant burden throughout the spectrum of intellectual disability
Authors: Urpa Lea , Kurki Mitja I. , Rahikkala Elisa , Hämäläinen Eija , Salomaa Veikko , Suvisaari Jaana , Keski-Filppula Riikka , Rauhala Merja , Korpi-Heikkilä Satu , Komulainen-Ebrahim Jonna , Helander Heli , Vieira Päivi , Uusimaa Johanna , Moilanen Jukka S. , Körkkö Jarmo , Singh Tarjinder , Kuismin Outi , Pietiläinen Olli , Palotie Aarno , Daly Mark J.
Published: March 2024

Intellectual disability (ID) is a common disorder, yet there is a wide spectrum of impairment from mild to profoundly affected individuals. Mild ID is seen as the low extreme of the general distribution of intelligence, while severe ID is often seen as a monogenic disorder caused by rare, pathogenic, highly penetrant variants. To investigate the genetic factors influencing mild and severe ID, we evaluated rare and common variation in the Northern Finland Intellectual Disability cohort (n = 1096 ID patients), a cohort with a high percentage of mild ID (n = 550) and from a population bottleneck enriched in rare, damaging variation. Despite this enrichment, we found only a small percentage of ID was due to recessive Finnish-enriched variants (0.5%). A larger proportion was linked to dominant variation, with a significant burden of rare, damaging variation in both mild and severe ID. This rare variant burden was enriched in more severe ID (p = 2.4e-4), patients without a relative with ID (p = 4.76e-4), and in those with features associated with monogenic disorders. We also found a significant burden of common variants associated with decreased cognitive function, with no difference between mild and more severe ID. When we included common and rare variants in a joint model, the rare and common variants had additive effects in both mild and severe ID. A multimodel inference approach also found that common and rare variants together best explained ID status (ΔAIC = 16.8, ΔBIC = 10.2). Overall, we report evidence for the additivity of rare and common variant burden throughout the spectrum of intellectual disability.
Regional differences in the biological variability of plantar pressure as a basis for refining diagnostic gait analysis
Authors: Latour Ewa , Latour Emilia E. , Arlet Jarosław
Published: March 2024

The variability of movement plays a crucial role in shaping individual's gait pattern and could, therefore, potentially serve diagnostic purposes. Nevertheless, existing concepts for the use of variability in diagnosing gait present a challenge due to the lack of adequate benchmarks and methods for comparison. We assessed the individuality of contribution of foot parts that directly mediate the transmission of forces between the foot and the ground in body weight shifting during walking based on 200 pedobarometric measurements corresponding to the analysed foot parts for each of 19 individuals in a homogeneous study group. Our results show a degree of individualisation of the contribution of particular foot parts in the weight-shift high enough to justify the need to consider it in the diagnostic analysis. Furthermore they reveal noticeable, functionally driven differences between plantar areas most apparent between the lowest individuality for the first foot ray and the highest for second one and metatarsus. The diagnostic reference standard in pedobarometry should describe the contribution in the shift of body weight during walking for each area of the foot separately and include information on the intra-individual variation and individualisation of descriptors of the contribution. Such a comprehensive standard has the potential to increase the diagnostic value of pedobarometry through enrichment of the assessment description.
Spike synchrony as a measure of Gestalt structure
Authors: Zemliak Viktoria , Mayer Julius , Nieters Pascal , Pipa Gordon
Published: March 2024

The function of spike synchrony is debatable: some researchers view it as a mechanism for binding perceptual features, others – as a byproduct of brain activity. We argue for an alternative computational role: synchrony can estimate the prior probability of incoming stimuli. In V1, this can be achieved by comparing input with previously acquired visual experience, which is encoded in plastic horizontal intracortical connections. V1 connectivity structure can encode the acquired visual experience in the form of its aggregate statistics. Since the aggregate statistics of natural images tend to follow the Gestalt principles, we can assume that V1 is more often exposed to Gestalt-like stimuli, and this is manifested in its connectivity structure. At the same time, the connectivity structure has an impact on spike synchrony in V1. We used a spiking model with V1-like connectivity to demonstrate that spike synchrony reflects the Gestalt structure of the stimulus. We conducted simulation experiments with three Gestalt laws: proximity, similarity, and continuity, and found substantial differences in firing synchrony for stimuli with varying degrees of Gestalt-likeness. This allows us to conclude that spike synchrony indeed reflects the Gestalt structure of the stimulus, which can be interpreted as a mechanism for prior probability estimation.
Estimating the impact of COVID-19 self-test availability and modifications in test-strategy on overall test uptake using an experimental vignette study
Authors: Zomer Colene L. , Kroese Floor , Sanders Jet G. , Janssen Riny , de Bruin Marijn
Published: March 2024

To inform future Dutch COVID-19 testing policies we did an experimental vignette study to investigate whether inclusion of the less reliable lateral flow tests (self-tests) would change test-uptake sufficiently to improve population-level test sensitivity. A representative sample (n = 3,270) participated in a 2-by-2 online experiment to evaluate the effects of test-guidelines including self-testing advice (IV1), and the effects of self-test availability (IV2) on expected test uptake (PCR test, self-test or no test) and sensitivity of the overall test strategy (primary outcome). Across four scenarios, changing test advice did not affect expected testing behaviour. Self-test availability, however, increased the timeliness of testing, the number of people testing, and overall test strategy sensitivity. Based on these findings, we recommend that (national) policy facilitates a supply of self-tests at home, for example through free and pro-active distribution of test-kits during a pandemic. This could substantially enhance the chances of timely detecting and isolating patients.
Impact of mutations on the stability of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein structure
Authors: Muradyan Nelli , Arakelov Vahram , Sargsyan Arsen , Paronyan Adrine , Arakelov Grigor , Nazaryan Karen
Published: March 2024

The nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is known to participate in various host cellular processes, including interferon inhibition, RNA interference, apoptosis, and regulation of virus life cycles. Additionally, it has potential as a diagnostic antigen and/or immunogen. Our research focuses on examining structural changes caused by mutations in the N protein. We have modeled the complete tertiary structure of native and mutated forms of the N protein using Alphafold2. Notably, the N protein contains 3 disordered regions. The focus was on investigating the impact of mutations on the stability of the protein's dimeric structure based on binding free energy calculations (MM-PB/GB-SA) and RMSD fluctuations after MD simulations. The results demonstrated that 28 mutations out of 37 selected mutations analyzed, compared with wild-type N protein, resulted in a stable dimeric structure, while 9 mutations led to destabilization. Our results are important to understand the tertiary structure of the N protein dimer of SARS-CoV-2 and the effect of mutations on it, their behavior in the host cell, as well as for the research of other viruses belonging to the same genus additionally, to anticipate potential strategies for addressing this viral illness․
The significance of chemical reaction, thermal buoyancy, and external heat source to optimization of heat transfer across the dynamics of Maxwell nanofluid via stretched surface
Authors: Ahmad Bilal , Ali Bagh , Bariq Abdul , Ahmed Muhammad Ozair , Shah Syed Asif Ali , Idrees Muhammad , Ragab Adham E.
Published: March 2024

Energy loss during the transportation of energy is the main concern of researchers and industrialists. The primary cause of heat exchange gadget inefficiency during transportation was applied to traditional fluids with weak heat transfer characteristics. Instead, thermal devices worked much better when the fluids were changed to nanofluids that had good thermal transfer properties. A diverse range of nanoparticles were implemented on account of their elevated thermal conductivity. This research addresses the significance of MHD Maxwell nanofluid for heat transfer flow. The flow model comprised continuity, momentum, energy transport, and concentration equations in the form of PDEs. The developed model was converted into ODEs by using workable similarities. Numerical simulations in the MATLAB environment were employed to find the outcomes of velocity, thermal transportation, and concentration profiles. The effects of many parameters, such as Hartman, Deborah, buoyancy, the intensity of an external heat source, chemical reactions, and many others, were also evaluated. The presence of nanoparticles enhances temperature conduction. Also, the findings are compared with previously published research. In addition, the Nusselt number and skin friction increase as the variables associated with the Hartman number and buoyancy parameter grow. The respective transfer rates of heat are 28.26$$\%$$
%
and 38.19$$\%$$
%
respectively. As a result, the rate of heat transmission increased by 14.23$$\%$$
%
. The velocity profiles enhanced while temperature profiles declined for higher values of the Maxwell fluid parameter. As the external heat source increases, the temperature profile rises. Conversely, buoyancy parameters increase as it descends. This type of problem is applicable in many fields such as heat exchangers, cooling of electronic devices, and automotive cooling systems.
Cognitive profile in cerebral small vessel disease: comparison between cerebral amyloid angiopathy and hypertension-related microangiopathy
Authors: Barucci Eleonora , Salvadori Emilia , Magi Simona , Squitieri Martina , Fiore Giulio Maria , Ramacciotti Lorenzo , Formelli Benedetta , Pescini Francesca , Poggesi Anna
Published: March 2024

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is recognized as a cause of cognitive impairment, but its cognitive profile needs to be characterized, also respect to hypertension-related microangiopathy (HA). We aimed at comparing difference or similarity of CAA and HA patients’ cognitive profiles, and their associated factors. Participants underwent an extensive clinical, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging protocol. HA patients (n = 39) were more frequently males, with history of vascular risk factors than CAA (n = 32). Compared to HA, CAA patients presented worse performance at MoCA (p = 0.001) and semantic fluency (p = 0.043), and a higher prevalence of amnestic MCI (46% vs. 68%). In univariate analyses, multi-domain MCI was associated with worse performance at MoCA, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and semantic fluency in CAA patients, and with worse performance at Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and phonemic fluency in HA ones. In multivariate models, multi-domain deficit remained as the only factor associated with RAVLT (β = − 0.574) in CAA, while with SDMT (β = − 0.364) and phonemic fluency (β = − 0.351) in HA. Our results highlight different patterns of cognitive deficits in CAA or HA patients. While HA patients’ cognitive profile was confirmed as mainly attentional/executive, a complex cognitive profile, characterized also by deficit in semantic memory, seems the hallmark of CAA patients.
Determinants and their spatial heterogeneity of carbon emissions in resource-based cities, China
Authors: Guo Chenchen , Yu Jianhui
Published: March 2024

Global climate change associated with increased carbon emissions has become a global concern. Resource-based cities, by estimations, have emerged as major contributors to carbon emissions, accounting for approximately one-third of the national total. This underscores their pivotal role in the pursuit of carbon neutrality goals. Despite this, resource-based cities have long been neglected in current climate change mitigation policy discussions. Accordingly, using exploratory spatial data analysis and Geographical Weighted Regression method, this study investigates the determinants of carbon emissions and their spatial pattern in 113 resource-based cities in China. It can be concluded that: (1) The proportion of carbon emissions from resource-based cities in the national total has shown a marginal increase between 2003 and 2017, and the emissions from these cities have not yet reached their peak. (2) A relatively stable spatial pattern of “northeast high, southwest low” characterizes carbon emissions in resource-based cities, displaying significant spatial autocorrelation. (3) Population size, economic development level, carbon abatement technology, and the proportion of resource-based industries all contribute to the increase in carbon emissions in these cities, with carbon abatement technology playing a predominant role. (4) There is a spatial variation in the strength of the effects of the various influences.
PSMB2 plays an oncogenic role in glioma and correlates to the immune microenvironment
Authors: He Wei , Zhang Zhe , Tan ZiLong , Liu XinXian , Wang ZeKun , Xiong Bo , Shen XiaoLi , Zhu XinGen
Published: March 2024

There has been an upward trend in the incidence of glioma, with high recurrence and high mortality. The beta subunits of the 20S proteasome are encoded by the proteasome beta (PSMB) genes and may affect the proteasome’s function in glioma, assembly and inhibitor binding. This study attempted to reveal the function of the proliferation and invasion of glioma cells, which is affected by proteasome 20S subunit beta 2 (PSMB2). We subjected the data downloaded from the TCGA database to ROC, survival, and enrichment analyses. After establishing the stable PSMB2 knockdown glioma cell line. We detect the changes in the proliferation, invasion and migration of glioma cells by plate colony formation assay, transwell assay, wound healing assay and flow cytometry and PSMB2 expression was verified by quantitative PCR and Western blotting to identify the mRNA and protein levels. PSMB2 expression was higher in glioma tissues, and its expression positively correlated with poor prognosis and high tumor grade and after PSMB2 knockdown, the proliferation, invasion and migration of glioma cells were weakened.
Immuno-antioxidative reno-modulatory effectiveness of Echinacea purpurea extract against bifenthrin-induced renal poisoning
Authors: Abdel-Wahhab Khaled G. , Elqattan Ghada M. , EL-Sahra Doaa G. , Hassan Laila K. , Sayed Rehab S. , Mannaa Fathia A.
Published: March 2024

This study was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemical detoxifying activities of Echinacea purpurea ethanolic extract (EEE) against bifenthrin-induced renal injury. Adult male albino rats (160–200 g) were divided into four groups (10 rats each) and orally treated for 30 days as follows: (1) normal control; (2) healthy animals were treated with EEE (465 mg/kg/day) dissolved in water; (3) healthy animals were given bifenthrin (7 mg/kg/day) dissolved in olive oil; (4) animals were orally administered with EEE 1-h prior bifenthrin intoxication. The obtained results revealed that administration of the animals with bifenthrin caused significant elevations of serum values of urea, creatinine, ALAT and ASAT, as well as renal inflammatory (IL-1β, TNF-α & IFN-γ), apoptotic (Caspase-3) and oxidative stress (MDA and NO) markers coupled with a marked drop in the values of renal antioxidant markers (GSH, GPx, and SOD) in compare to those of normal control. Administration of EEE prior to bifenthrin resulted in a considerable amelioration of the mentioned deteriorated parameters near to that of control; moreover, the extract markedly improved the histological architecture of the kidney. In conclusion, Echinacea purpurea ethanolic extract has promising ameliorative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, renoprotective, and detoxifying efficiencies against bifenthrin-induced renal injury.
Comprehensive antifungal investigation of green synthesized silver nanoformulation against four agriculturally significant fungi and its cytotoxic applications
Authors: Singh Jyoti , Kumar Ankit , Nayal Amit Singh , Vikal Sagar , Shukla Gyanika , Singh Amardeep , Singh Anupma , Goswami Sakshi , Kumar Ashwani , Gautam Yogendra K. , Verma Yeshvandra , Gaurav Shailendra Singh , Pratap Dharmendra
Published: March 2024

The present study reports the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in powder form using the leaf extract of Azadirachta indica. The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and EDX. The synthesized AgNPs were in a powdered state and dispersed completely in 5% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and demonstrated prolonged shelf life and enhanced bioavailability over a year without any aggregation. The resulting silver nanoformulation demonstrated complete inhibition against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Colletotrichum falcatum and 68% to 80% inhibition against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Rhizoctonia solani respectively, at 2000 ppm. The EC50 values determined through a statistical analysis were 66.42, 157.7, 19.06, and 33.30 ppm for S. sclerotiorum, C. falcatum, C. gloeosporioides, and R. solani respectively. The silver nanoformulation also established significant cytotoxicity, with a 74.96% inhibition rate against the human glioblastoma cell line U87MG at 250 ppm. The IC50 value for the cancerous cell lines was determined to be 56.87 ppm through statistical analysis. The proposed silver nanoformulation may be used as a next-generation fungicide in crop improvement and may also find application in anticancer investigations. To the best of our knowledge, this is also the first report of silver nanoformulation demonstrating complete inhibition against the economically significant phytopathogen C. falcatum.