bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FIGURE 5 from Activating Inducible T-cell Costimulator Yields Antitumor Activity Alone and in Combination with Anti-PD-1 Checkpoint Blockade
Authors: Yadavilli Sapna , Waight Jeremy D. , Brett Sara , Bi Meixia , Zhang Tianqian , Liu Yao-Bin , Ellis Catherine , Turner David C. , Hahn Ashleigh , Shi Hong , Seestaller-Wehr Laura , Jing Junping , Xie Qing , Shaik Jafar Sadik , Ji Xiao , Gagnon Robert , Fieles William , Hook Laura , Grant Steven , Hopley Stephanie , DeYoung M. Phillip , Blackwell Christina , Chisamore Michael , Biddlecombe Robert , Figueroa David J. , Hopson Christopher B. , Srinivasan Roopa , Smothers James , Maio Michele , Rischin Danny , Olive Daniel , Paul Elaine , Mayes Patrick A. , Hoos Axel , Ballas Marc
Published: August 2023

Clinical patient case studies of feladilimab monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab. A, Clinical history and treatment details for a patient with melanoma who received feladilimab monotherapy and a patient with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who received feladilimab in combination with pembrolizumab. Tumor sample immunohistochemistry and expression of markers for TIL activation, cytotoxic function and proliferation for the monotherapy case study (B) and the combination therapy case study (C). See Supplementary Fig. S11B for CT imaging of tumor lesions for the patient with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. CPS, combined positive score; CT, computed tomography; HLA-DR, human leukocyte antigen-DR; HPV, human papillomavirus; PD-L1, programmed death ligand-1; TIL, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte.
Data from Activating Inducible T-cell Costimulator Yields Antitumor Activity Alone and in Combination with Anti-PD-1 Checkpoint Blockade
Authors: Yadavilli Sapna , Waight Jeremy D. , Brett Sara , Bi Meixia , Zhang Tianqian , Liu Yao-Bin , Ellis Catherine , Turner David C. , Hahn Ashleigh , Shi Hong , Seestaller-Wehr Laura , Jing Junping , Xie Qing , Shaik Jafar Sadik , Ji Xiao , Gagnon Robert , Fieles William , Hook Laura , Grant Steven , Hopley Stephanie , DeYoung M. Phillip , Blackwell Christina , Chisamore Michael , Biddlecombe Robert , Figueroa David J. , Hopson Christopher B. , Srinivasan Roopa , Smothers James , Maio Michele , Rischin Danny , Olive Daniel , Paul Elaine , Mayes Patrick A. , Hoos Axel , Ballas Marc
Published: August 2023

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in mAb-based induction of costimulatory receptor signaling as an approach to combat cancer. However, promising nonclinical data have yet to translate to a meaningful clinical benefit. Inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS) is a costimulatory receptor important for immune responses. Using a novel clinical-stage anti-ICOS immunoglobulin G4 mAb (feladilimab), which induces but does not deplete ICOS+ T cells and their rodent analogs, we provide an end-to-end evaluation of the antitumor potential of antibody-mediated ICOS costimulation alone and in combination with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade. We demonstrate, consistently, that ICOS is expressed in a range of cancers, and its induction can stimulate growth of antitumor reactive T cells. Furthermore, feladilimab, alone and with a PD-1 inhibitor, induced antitumor activity in mouse and humanized tumor models. In addition to nonclinical evaluation, we present three patient case studies from a first-time-in-human, phase I, open-label, dose-escalation and dose-expansion clinical trial (INDUCE-1; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02723955), evaluating feladilimab alone and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. Preliminary data showing clinical benefit in patients with cancer treated with feladilimab alone or in combination with pembrolizumab was reported previously; with example cases described here. Additional work is needed to further validate the translation to the clinic, which includes identifying select patient populations that will benefit from this therapeutic approach, and randomized data with survival endpoints to illustrate its potential, similar to that shown with CTLA-4 and PD-1 blocking antibodies.
Significance:
Stimulation of the T-cell activation marker ICOS with the anti-ICOS agonist mAb feladilimab, alone and in combination with PD-1 inhibition, induces antitumor activity across nonclinical models as well as select patients with advanced solid tumors.
Data from PARP inhibitors effectively reduce MAPK inhibitor resistant melanoma cell growth and synergize with MAPK inhibitors through a synthetic lethal interaction in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Fröhlich Lisa Marie , Niessner Heike , Sauer Birgit , Kämereit Sofie , Chatziioannou Eftychia , Riel Simon , Sinnberg Tobias , Schittek Birgit
Published: August 2023

Abstract
The efficacy of targeting the MAPK signaling pathway in melanoma patients is limited by the rapid development of resistance mechanisms that result in disease relapse. In this article, we focus on targeting the DNA repair pathway as an anti-melanoma therapy, especially in MAPK inhibitor resistant melanoma cells using PARP inhibitors. We found that MAPK inhibitor resistant melanoma cells are particularly sensitive to PARP inhibitor treatment due to a lower basal expression of the DNA damage sensor ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM). As a consequence, MAPK inhibitor resistant melanoma cells have decreased homologous recombination repair activity leading to a reduced repair of double strand breaks caused by the PARP inhibitors. We validated the clinical relevance of our findings by ATM expression analysis in biopsies from melanoma patients before and after development of resistance to MAPK inhibitors. Furthermore, we show that inhibition of the MAPK pathway induces a homologous recombination repair deficient phenotype in melanoma cells irrespective of their MAPK inhibitor sensitivity status. MAPK inhibition results in a synthetic lethal interaction of a combinatorial treatment with PARP inhibitors, which significantly reduces melanoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, this study shows that PARP inhibitor treatment is a valuable therapy option for melanoma patients, either as a single treatment or as a combination with MAPK inhibitors depending on ATM expression.
A Patient with Crohn’s Disease Who Gave Birth Despite Sigmoid Volvulus, Venous Thrombosis, Nontraumatic Fracture of the Rib, and Sepsis during Pregnancy
Authors: Ito Ayumi , Yonezawa Maria , Murasugi Shun , Omori Teppei , Nakamura Shinichi , Tokushige Katsutoshi
Published: August 2023

The patient was a woman in her 40s who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease (CD) of the large and small intestines in 1996. In 2005, she was referred to our hospital for treatment. We treated her for 17 years with corticosteroids, biologics, immunosuppressive agents, 5-aminosalicylic acid, and nutrition care. However, her Crohn’s Disease Activity Index remained between 200 and 250, indicating refractory CD. During her medical treatment, the patient also underwent 3 operations. One year ago, the patient became pregnant through in vitro fertilization. Even after pregnancy was confirmed, the patient continued her treatment for refractory CD with ustekinumab, granulocyte apheresis, and budesonide. Nonetheless, her CD was highly active during pregnancy, and she experienced various complications: sigmoid volvulus at gestational week 15, venous thrombosis at gestational week 17, nontraumatic rib fracture due to fetal movement at gestational week 32, and sepsis from central venous catheter infection at gestational week 37. At gestational week 38, the patient gave birth by emergency cesarian delivery. This paper reports details of the case in which delivery was achieved after various complications were overcome and discusses previous relevant reports.
Impact of Medical and Surgical Obesity Treatment on Dental Caries: A 2-Year Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Taghat Negin , Mossberg Karin , Lingström Peter , Petzold Max , Östberg Anna-Lena
Published: August 2023

The objective was to study the long-term effects on oral health of bariatric surgery compared with medical treatment of obesity. Swedish females with morbid obesity (n = 66; 18–35 years at baseline) were followed prospectively from before obesity treatment until 2 years after treatment. The main response variable was dental caries registered according to the ICDAS-II system. Possible confounding factors, such as sociodemographic characteristics, general health, oral health habits, and oral hygiene, were controlled for. The statistical methods included χ2 tests, Student’s t tests, one-way ANOVA, Wilcoxon’s nonparametric tests, and linear regression models. In the surgically treated patients (n = 40), a significant increase over time in enamel caries (mean increase 4.13 tooth surfaces ICDAS1–2), dentine caries (mean increase 2.18 tooth surfaces ICDAS3–6), and total caries (mean increase 6.30 tooth surfaces ICDAS1–6) was registered (all p < 0.001), which was not seen in the medically treated patients (n = 26). However, the difference between the treatment groups (surgical or medical) was only statistically significant for enamel caries (crude β 4.89, p = 0.003) and total caries (crude β 6.53, p < 0.001). The relationships were stable and independent of differences in confounders as socioeconomy, general health, and oral health behaviors. In conclusion, 2 years after obesity treatment, a significant increase in dental caries was registered in the surgically treated but not in the medically treated women. The dental service should intensify its preventive efforts in individuals undergoing obesity treatment.
Theta-band Connectivity within Cognitive Control Brain Networks Suggests Common Neural Mechanisms for Cognitive and Implicit Emotional Control
Authors: Adamczyk Agnieszka K. , Wyczesany Miroslaw
Published: August 2023

Self-control is a core aspect of adaptive human behavior. It allows the attainment of personal goals by regulating unwanted thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Previous research highlighted the crucial role of cognitive control for explicitly pursued self-control and explicit emotion regulation strategies (such as cognitive reappraisal or attentional distraction). The present study investigated whether similar neural mechanisms would be involved in an implicit self-control task that acted as a covert emotion regulation strategy. Thirty-six female participants unscrambled sentences of either neutral (no-regulation condition) or neutral and self-control-related content (regulation condition) before passively viewing negative and neutral pictures. Compared with the no-regulation condition, implicit induction of self-control reduced the amplitude of the late positive potential to negative pictures, indicating successful emotion downregulation. Crucially, implicit self-control enhanced connectivity within the two cognitive control brain networks in the theta frequency band. Specifically, for the frontoparietal network, increased connectivity from the dorsolateral PFC to the intraparietal cortex was observed. For the cingulo-opercular network, increased connectivity from dorsal anterior cingulate cortex to the left anterior insula/frontal operculum and from the right anterior insula/frontal operculum to the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex was observed. These effects were accompanied by a decrease in prestimulus alpha power in the right primary visual cortex, suggesting adjustment of attentional and perceptual processes in preparation for the upcoming affective stimulation. Together, our results indicate that self-control enhances cognitive control that is necessary for setting, maintaining, and monitoring the achievement of self-control behavior, as well as regulation of attentional and emotional processes.
Speaker-induced Suppression in EEG during a Naturalistic Reading and Listening Task
Authors: Kurteff Garret L. , Lester-Smith Rosemary A. , Martinez Amanda , Currens Nicole , Holder Jade , Villarreal Cassandra , Mercado Valerie R. , Truong Christopher , Huber Claire , Pokharel Paranjaya , Hamilton Liberty S.
Published: August 2023

Speaking elicits a suppressed neural response when compared with listening to others' speech, a phenomenon known as speaker-induced suppression (SIS). Previous research has focused on investigating SIS at constrained levels of linguistic representation, such as the individual phoneme and word level. Here, we present scalp EEG data from a dual speech perception and production task where participants read sentences aloud then listened to playback of themselves reading those sentences. Playback was separated into immediate repetition of the previous trial and randomized repetition of a former trial to investigate if forward modeling of responses during passive listening suppresses the neural response. Concurrent EMG was recorded to control for movement artifact during speech production. In line with previous research, ERP analyses at the sentence level demonstrated suppression of early auditory components of the EEG for production compared with perception. To evaluate whether linguistic abstractions (in the form of phonological feature tuning) are suppressed during speech production alongside lower-level acoustic information, we fit linear encoding models that predicted scalp EEG based on phonological features, EMG activity, and task condition. We found that phonological features were encoded similarly between production and perception. However, this similarity was only observed when controlling for movement by using the EMG response as an additional regressor. Our results suggest that SIS operates at a sensory representational level and is dissociated from higher order cognitive and linguistic processing that takes place during speech perception and production. We also detail some important considerations when analyzing EEG during continuous speech production.
Modeling Biological Face Recognition with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: van Dyck Leonard Elia , Gruber Walter Roland
Published: August 2023

Deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) have become the state-of-the-art computational models of biological object recognition. Their remarkable success has helped vision science break new ground, and recent efforts have started to transfer this achievement to research on biological face recognition. In this regard, face detection can be investigated by comparing face-selective biological neurons and brain areas to artificial neurons and model layers. Similarly, face identification can be examined by comparing in vivo and in silico multidimensional “face spaces.” In this review, we summarize the first studies that use DCNNs to model biological face recognition. On the basis of a broad spectrum of behavioral and computational evidence, we conclude that DCNNs are useful models that closely resemble the general hierarchical organization of face recognition in the ventral visual pathway and the core face network. In two exemplary spotlights, we emphasize the unique scientific contributions of these models. First, studies on face detection in DCNNs indicate that elementary face selectivity emerges automatically through feedforward processing even in the absence of visual experience. Second, studies on face identification in DCNNs suggest that identity-specific experience and generative mechanisms facilitate this particular challenge. Taken together, as this novel modeling approach enables close control of predisposition (i.e., architecture) and experience (i.e., training data), it may be suited to inform long-standing debates on the substrates of biological face recognition.
Some Remarks on the Urartian Toponym Dara(ni) and Its Possible Identification with the Site of Solak-1/Varsak in Kotayk Region, Armenia
Authors: Dan Roberto , Petrosyan Artur
Published: August 2023

The aim of this paper is to reconsider some aspects of archaeology and historical geography related to the Urartian presence in the territory of modern-day Armenia in the light of the recent discovery of the important Iron Age site of Solak-1/Varsak. In particular, the possibility is put forward in this text that the ancient city of Dara(ni), mentioned in the Elar inscription made by Argišti I (CTU A 8–8), was not the small fortress of Elar, as was proposed before, but the great Iron Age site of Solak-1/Varsak.
The City of Brass and Alexander’s Narrow Grave
Authors: MacFarlane Alex
Published: August 2023

The 17th-century manuscript M7709 (held in the Matenadaran, Yerevan, Armenia) includes an Armenian copy of the History of the City of Brass, to which an unknown scribe has added short poems about Alexander the Great. The final article of three that together present the Alexander poems of M7709 in full, with English translation, for the first time, this article focuses on the last fourteen: the deaths of Darius III and Alexander, and concluding poems. It adds commentary on the poems’ relationship to the corresponding part of the History of the City of Brass on each page, proposing textual reasons why the scribe added the poems where he did. Across the three articles, this commentary delves into textual relationships beyond the pages of M7709, linking the Armenian History of the City of Brass, Alexander Romance and other texts and traditions, to show how this manuscript is situated amid wider networks of circulating literature. As a microhistorical study, it seeks to provide illumination into the macrohistory of medieval and early modern literature in and beyond the Caucasus.
The Terminology of the Law of Warfare
Authors: Crawford Emily , Lukin Annabelle , Mowbray Jacqueline
Published: August 2023

The body of international law that regulates the conduct of armed conflicts has been known, at various points in time, as the law of war, the law of armed conflict, and international humanitarian law. While ‘the law of war’ was a term widely used in State practice throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, both ‘the law of armed conflict’ and ‘international humanitarian law’ were terms introduced in the 20th century by one organisation: the International Committee of the Red Cross. In this paper, we use international law and corpus linguistic tools in a pilot study, examining how the terms were first introduced into international law and how quickly they were incorporated (if at all) into the practice of States. Using the ongoing conflict involving Israel and its neighbours, this pilot study charts the appearance and recurrence of these terms in the practice of States in the United Nations to examine how the terms were received and used. We conclude by offering some initial assessments, noting that, while the terms were largely considered unproblematic at their introduction, practice in relation to their deployment suggests deep tensions regarding the nature and purpose of the law and how and when it applies.
Creative Friction, Folklore, or Foreign Body? Religious Minorities in Civilizational Encounters in Central Europe and Central Asia
Authors: Hann Chris
Published: August 2023

This paper explores the role of religious minorities in complex civilizational encounters (Johann Arnason) in recent centuries in two Eurasian regions, East Central Europe and Northwestern China (Xinjiang). Particular attention is paid to the emergence of secular ethnonational identities and violent antagonism.
Jóhann Páll Árnason: A Pražák
Authors: Dunaj Ľubomír
Published: August 2023

The “Czechoslovakian Sixties” can be described as the culmination of an incredible intellectual activity. Jóhann P. Árnason spent this time as a student at Charles University in Prague, deeply immersed in the Czech and Slovak intellectual life. This article claims that his personal experience with “Czechoslovakian (Hi)Story,” as well as with its intellectual reflections, significantly influenced the development of his socio-theoretical point of view. However, this ambitious claim will be confined to only three foci. First, Jóhann Árnason will be placed into the Czechoslovakian context. By this, the intellectual and artistic achievements of the 1960s will be put into contrast with the creative “impotence” of the 1990s, which, inter alia, is a consequence of the dominance of the transitological approach in political and social sciences at that time (i.). This approach is strongly criticized across the paper, especially in the second part, introducing Boris Buden’s critique of it (ii.) Finally, that “intellectual impotence” will be explained by using Árnason’s reading of Jan Patočka’s text Supercivilization and its Inner Conflict (iii.).
Isolation and characterization of novel Dothideomycetes species from forest soils in Chiang Rai and Krabi (Thailand): additions to the diversity of Curvularia and Verruconis
Authors: YASANTHIKA W. A. ERANDI , TENNAKOON DANUSHKA S. , FARIAS ANTONIO R. GOMES DE , CHETHANA K. W. THILINI , BHAT D. JAYARAMA , WANASINGHE DHANUSHKA N.
Published: August 2023

Fungi are adapted to diverse environments, where the forest soils have complex fungal communities with a wide range of lifestyles. This study aims to explore and isolate Dothideomycetes from the forest soils in Thailand. Sampling sites were located in Chiang Rai and Krabi provinces. Cultures were obtained through soil dilution series, and the strains were subjected to morphological observations and multigene phylogenetic analyses for identification. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses were conducted to clarify their phylogenetic affinities using partial nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS, LSU, and SSU) and the protein-coding genes (tef1-α and GADPH). Herein, two new species (Curvularia chiangraiensis sp. nov. and Verruconis soli sp. nov.) and two new records (C. chiangmaiensis and V. thailandica) are described based on the morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Curvularia chiangraiensis sp. nov. is distinguished by its relatively smaller conidia and the presence of sympodial proliferation of conidiogenesis and Verruconis soli sp. nov. exhibits micronematous conidiophores and obovoid conidia that transform into sub-cylindrical or ellipsoidal shapes, and becoming 1-septate when mature. These unique characteristics set them apart from closely related taxa. The newly described taxa have been subjected to a thorough comparison with closely related species, enabling a comprehensive analysis. The study offers detailed descriptions and includes high-quality micrographs, with the aim of providing a comprehensive understanding of these newly identified taxa
Assessment of Warm and Dry Bias over ARM SGP Site in E3SMv2 and E3SM-MMF
Authors: Lee Jungmin M. , Tao Cheng , Hannah Walter M. , Xie Shaocheng , Bader David C.
Published: August 2023

Many climate models exhibit a dry and warm bias over the central United States during the summer months, including the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) and its Multiscale Modeling Framework (MMF) configuration. Understanding the causes of this bias is important to shine a light on this common model error and reduce the uncertainty in future projections. In this study, we use E3SMv2 and E3SM-MMF to assess how parameterized and resolved convection affect temperature and precipitation biases over the Southern Great Plains site of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program. Both configurations overestimate near-surface temperature and underestimate precipitation at the ARM SGP site. The bias is associated with a lack of low-level clouds during days without precipitation and too much incoming solar radiation causing the surface to warm. Low-level cloud fraction in E3SM-MMF during the nonprecipitating days is lower in comparison to E3SMv2 and observation, consistent with the larger warm bias. We also find that the underestimated precipitation can be characterized as “too frequent, too weak” in E3SMv2 and “too rare, too intense” in E3SM-MMF. These deficiencies conspire to sustain the warm and dry bias over the central United States.
The Misrepresentation of the Southern African Easterly Jet in Models and Its Implications for Aerosol, Clouds, and Precipitation Distributions
Authors: Adebiyi Adeyemi A. , Akinsanola Akintomide A. , Ajoku Osinachi F.
Published: August 2023

The southern African easterly jet (AEJ-S) is an important midtropospheric feature critical to understanding the tropical convective system over central Africa and the aerosol–cloud interactions over the southeast Atlantic Ocean. However, it remains unclear how well models represent the AEJ-S and its influence on aerosol transport, clouds, and precipitation distribution. Here, we use ground- and satellite-based observations and reanalysis datasets to assess the representation of AEJ-S in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) models between September and October during the peak of midtropospheric winds, aerosol transport, clouds, and precipitation. We find that most CMIP6 models have difficulty accurately simulating the strength, position, and spatial distribution of the AEJ-S. Specifically, the AEJ-S is relatively weaker and at a slightly lower altitude in the ensemble of CMIP6 models than represented by observation and reanalysis datasets. To assess the influence of the misrepresented the AEJ-S on CMIP6-simulated aerosol, clouds, and precipitation distributions, we performed composite analyses using models with low and high biases based on the estimates of their midtropospheric easterly wind speed. We find that the misrepresentation of the AEJ-S in CMIP6 models is associated with the overestimation of clouds and precipitation over central Africa, the underestimation of clouds over the southeast Atlantic Ocean, and the limitation of aerosol transport over the continent or the deviation of its spatial distribution from the typical zonal transport over the Atlantic Ocean. Because aerosols, clouds, and precipitation are important components of the regional climate system, we conclude that accurate representation of the AEJ-S is essential over central Africa and the southeast Atlantic Ocean.
Observed Precipitation Trends Inferred from Canada’s Homogenized Monthly Precipitation Dataset
Authors: Wang Xiaolan L. , Feng Yang , Cheng Vincent Y. S. , Xu Hong
Published: August 2023

This study first developed a comprehensive semiautomatic data homogenization procedure to produce gap-infilled and homogenized monthly precipitation data series for 425 long-term/critical stations in Canada, which were then used to assess Canadian historical precipitation trends. Data gaps in the 425 series were infilled by advanced spatial interpolation of a much larger dataset. The homogenization procedure repeatedly used multiple homogeneity tests without and with reference series to identify changepoints/inhomogeneities, the results from which were finalized by manual analysis using metadata and visual inspection of the multiphase regression fits. As a result, 298 out of the 425 data series were found to be inhomogeneous. These series were homogenized using quantile matching adjustments. The homogenized dataset shows better spatial consistency of trends than does the raw dataset. The improved gridding and regional mean trend estimation methods also provide more realistic trend estimates. With these improvements, Canadian historical precipitation trends were found to be dominantly positive and significant, except in central-south Canada where the trends are generally insignificant and small with mixed directions. For annual precipitation, the largest increases are seen in southeastern Canada and along the Pacific coast; however, the largest relative increases (in percent of the 1961–90 mean) are seen in northern Canada. The largest trend difference between northern and southern Canada is seen in winter, in which significant increases in the north were matched with significant decreases in the south.

Significance Statement

This study aims to produce a homogenized long-term monthly precipitation dataset for Canada, which is then used to assess Canadian historical precipitation trends. The work is important because it developed a comprehensive algorithm for homogenization of precipitation data, and the results provide better representation of precipitation climate and more robust estimates of precipitation trends. It also identified the causes for large biases in the published estimates of precipitation trends over Canada.
Methodology, Deployment, and Performance of Pico Balloons in Antarctica
Authors: McKinney Todd , Perlaky Nick , Crawford Alice , Brown Bill , Newchurch Michael J.
Published: August 2023

During the 2022/23 Antarctic summer, eight pico balloon flights were deployed from Neumayer Station III (70.6666°S, 8.2667°W), yielding valuable insights into the Antarctic stratospheric wind structure. Pico balloons maintain a lower altitude compared to larger superpressure balloons, floating between 9 and 15 km MSL. The most impressive flight lasted an astounding 98 days, completing eight circumnavigations of the Southern Hemisphere. Throughout the flights, pico balloons encountered diverse air masses, displaying zonal velocities ranging from −50 to 250 km h−1 and meridional velocities between ±100 km h−1. Total wind speeds observed were extensive, spanning from 2.0 to 270 km h−1. A significant finding revealed that lower-flying pico balloons could rise due to convection underneath the flight paths, influenced by high convective available potential energy environments, resulting in changes to the balloons’ float density. Moreover, the flights demonstrated that pico balloons tended to drift farther south compared to larger stratospheric balloons, with some balloons reaching up to 8° south of the equator and 2° from the South Pole. This article explores the pressure-testing process and deployment techniques for pico balloons, showcasing their transformation from inexpensive party balloons (costing less than $20) into efficient superpressure balloons. The logistical demands for pico balloon flights were minimal, with a single person transporting all materials for the balloons (excluding lifting gas) to the Antarctic continent in carry-on luggage. The authors aim to promote the application of pico balloons to a wider scientific community by demonstrating their usefulness.

Significance Statement

Pico balloons are small party-sized balloons that are capable of floating at lower altitudes than traditional superpressure balloons. In Antarctica, where research is challenging due to harsh weather and limited resources, pico balloons present an affordable and easy-to-deploy alternative to traditional research methods. By studying the distinctive wind patterns at lower altitudes around Antarctica, pico balloons can provide valuable insights into this remote region. By demonstrating the potential use of pico balloons for scientific purposes, this study aims to offer the atmospheric community a new method of conducting research on a global scale.
Trade Globalization since 1795: Waves of Integration in the World-System
Authors: Chase-Dunn Christopher , Kawano Yukio , Brewer Benjamin D.
Published: August 2023

The term “globalization” as used by social scientists and in popular discourse has many meanings. We contend that it is important to distinguish between globalization as a contemporary political ideology and what we call structural globalization— the increasing worldwide density of large-scale interaction networks relative to the density of smaller networks. We study one type of economic globalization over the past two centuries: the trajectory of international trade as a proportion of global production. Is trade globalization a recent phenomenon, a long-term upward trend, or a cyclical process? Using an improved measure of trade globalization, we find that there have been three waves since 1795. We discuss the possible causes of these pulsations of global integration and their implications for the early decades of the twenty-first century.
Historicizing the Secularization Debate: Church, State, and Society in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe, Ca. 1300 to 1700
Authors: Gorski Philip S.
Published: August 2023

In recent years, the sociology of religion has been consumed by a debate over secularization that pits advocates of a new, rational-choice paradigm (the so-called religious economies model) against defenders of classical secularization theory. According to the old paradigm, the Western world has become increasingly secular since the Middle Ages; according to the new paradigm, it has become increasingly religious. I put these two images of religious development to the test through a detailed examination of religious life in Western Europe before and after the Reformation. I conclude that the changes in social structure and religious experience that occurred during this period were considerably more complex than either the old or new paradigms suggest and, indeed, that the two paradigms are neither so opposed nor so irreconcilable as many of their defenders contend. It is possible, indeed probable, that Western society has become more secular without becoming less religious. I discuss the limitations of the two competing paradigms and sketch the outlines of a more adequate theory of religious change.
Did Socialism Fail to Innovate? A Natural Experiment of the Two Zeiss Companies
Authors: Kogut Bruce , Zander Udo
Published: August 2023

Two Carl Zeiss companies provide a natural experiment for analyzing the effects of socialist versus market systems on innovation. By analyzing patent records from 1950 to 1990, we trace the technological contributions of Zeiss Jena in the German Democratic Republic and Zeiss Oberkochen in the Federal Republic of Germany. We show that Zeiss Jena gradually developed considerable technological competence, but a deficiency of innovative potential within the socialist system led to political pressures on key firms to innovate “by plan.” These findings on Zeiss Jena imply that technologically viable firms can fail during the initial period of transition from socialism to capitalism. The diagnosis of a lack of innovation and faulty managerial incentives as the disease that is “cured” by market reforms should be balanced by an understanding of the actual capabilities of socialist firms and the difficulties of radical change mandated by brutal shocks to the macroeconomic system.
The Longitudinal Effects of Group Tenure Composition on Turnover
Authors: Sørensen Jesper B.
Published: August 2023

Demographic histories of top television station managers are examined to determine how they affect the rate of managerial turnover. Past research using cross-sectional data has found a positive association between contemporaneous levels of demographic heterogeneity and managerial turnover rates. However, by ignoring changes over time in group composition, such models implicitly assume that individuals “forget” their past demographic experiences. This analysis of the effect of group tenure heterogeneity over time on managers’ turnover rates suggests otherwise. The results indicate that individuals who have been members of heterogeneous groups throughout their tenure were more likely to exit the team; the current tenure composition of the group generally did not affect turnover rates. Sociologists interested in how groups affect individual behavior therefore should attend not only to contemporaneous social structures but also to the paths of change that generated those conditions.
Family Change, Employment Transitions, and the Welfare State: Household Income Dynamics in the United States and Germany
Authors: DiPrete Thomas A. , McManus Patricia A.
Published: August 2023

Since the demise of modernization theory, social scientists have sought explanations for persisting differences in the stratification of industrialized societies, primarily by studying how educational and labor market institutions shape the life chances of individuals. This approach undervalues two key features of any stratification system: family dynamics and the welfare state. Employment changes, changes in household composition, and changes in the employment situation of a spouse or partner can all trigger large shifts in income and material well-being. The impact of these events is mediated by public tax and transfer mechanisms and by private actions taken by household members. This comparative analysis of household income dynamics in the United States and Germany shows that variations in welfare state policy produce distinct societal patterns of income mobility, and furthermore, shows that the relative importance of labor market events, family change, and welfare state policies for income dynamics depends on gender. The strong interrelationship between individual incentives and the structure of opportunity produces an asymmetry in the long-term impact of events. The negative effects of events that reduce income generally decay over time, while the effects of positive events generally persist.
Demographic Transition in Ecological Focus
Authors: Crenshaw Edward M. , Christenson Matthew , Oakey Doyle Ray
Published: August 2023

Demographic transition theory posits that modernization, particularly in the form of urban industrialism, fundamentally alters the environmental context surrounding fertility decision-making, thereby reducing the advantages of having children. While fertility research has either questioned the link between modernization and fertility or attempted to provide the intervening links between the two, there has been little theoretical or empirical refinement of the macrosocial/contextual principles of the theory. We argue that human ecology and evolutionary theory can help respecify and revitalize demographic transition theory. Our respecification produces a more logical account of fertility decline that emphasizes the influences of service economies and the social adaptations attendant on ethnic heterogeneity and preindustrial social complexity. Analyses of changes in total fertility rates in approximately 60 less-developed countries suggest: (1) general (if partially ambiguous) support for demographic transition theory, (2) confirmation of a robust effect of service-sector dominance on fertility, and (3) the importance of ethnic homogeneity and preindustrial social complexity to demographic transition.
Class Inequality and Social Mobility in Northern Ireland, 1973 to 1996
Authors: Breen Richard
Published: August 2023

Data from 1973 and 1996 are used to examine changes in the class structures and patterns of social mobility of Catholic and Protestant men in Northern Ireland. Specifically, this study investigates whether the disadvantaged class position that Catholics occupied under the Stormont regime (1922–1972) has been ameliorated, and if so, to what extent. The class structures of Protestant and Catholic men have become more similar over the 1973–1996 period, and there has also been a decline in the importance of ascriptive features (e.g., class origins and ethnic group membership) in determining class position. For both Catholics and Protestants, advantages that in 1973 accrued to those from favorable class origins were much reduced by 1996. Similarly, the advantages that Protestants held over Catholics, controlling for class origins, have been greatly reduced. Explanations for these trends are suggested, and the implications of these trends for the extent of anti-Catholic discrimination in Northern Ireland are discussed.
A Status Value Theory of Power in Exchange Relations
Authors: Thye Shane R.
Published: August 2023

A new status value theory of power is proposed that bridges two previously distinct research literatures. The theory asserts that exchangeable objects controlled by high-status actors are perceived to be more valuable when relevant to positive status characteristics. This phenomenon is predicted to confer power to high-status actors who exchange with low-status actors. The theoretical argument represents an important link between exchange theories of power and the research on status hierarchies—two areas that until now have been sharply demarcated. The theory is tested with a series of experiments in which status-differentiated subjects negotiate exchanges using a computerized bargaining system. The results indicate: (1) Positive status characteristics accentuate the perceived value of resources; (2) high-status subjects are most often chosen as the preferred exchange partner; and (3) high-status subjects obtain the greatest share of resources indicating power use. The implications for sociological theories of power and status are discussed.
The Structural Context of Homicide: Accounting for Racial Differences in Process
Authors: Krivo Lauren J. , Peterson Ruth D.
Published: August 2023

Previous research demonstrates differences in the processes that generate black and white rates of criminal violence. Analyses of race-specific urban homicide offending rates for 1990 test the hypothesis that racially different effects occur because the crime-generating process itself is conditioned by the social situations of blacks and whites. Results show that when African Americans and whites have similar low levels of concentrated disadvantage, the effects of disadvantage and homeownership are relatively comparable.
The Market that Antitrust Built: Public Policy, Private Coercion, and Railroad Acquisitions, 1825 TO 1922
Authors: Dobbin Frank , Dowd Timothy J.
Published: August 2023

How do new business models emerge? Neoinstitutionalists argue that the process often begins when a policy shift undermines the status quo; groups then vie to define the best alternative. The authors explore the role of power in selecting between two alternative business models available to railroads from 1897, when antitrust laws banned the cartel—the prevailing model for managing competition. Predatory railroads prescribed several methods for destroying rivals. Financiers prescribed amicable mergers instead, and fought predation by threatening to withhold capital from predators. An analysis of the 167 rail acquisitions in Massachusetts between 1825 and 1922 confirms that the financiers succeeded. After antitrust laws were enforced, railroads left cartels to follow the business model of financiers rather than that of predators. This can be seen in the conditional variables that predict buying and selling. Thus public policy and power can shape key market features. It is ironic that this market, built by antitrust, became the prototype for the neoliberal ideal of the unregulated economy.
Ethnicity and Sentencing Outcomes in U.S. Federal Courts: Who is Punished More Harshly?
Authors: Steffensmeier Darrell , Demuth Stephen
Published: August 2023

Using federal court data collected by the U.S. Sentencing Commission for the years 1993–1996, this study examines racial/ethnic differences-white versus black versus white-Hispanic versus black-Hispanic—in sentencing outcomes and criteria under the federal sentencing guidelines. Regression analyses of incarceration and term-length decisions reveal considerable judicial consistency in the use of sentencing criteria for all defendants; however, important racial/ethnic disparities in sentencing emerge. Consistent with theoretical hypotheses, the authors find that ethnicity has a small to moderate effect on sentencing outcomes that favors white defendants and penalizes Hispanic defendants; black defendants are in an intermediate position. Hispanic drug offenders are most at risk of receiving the harshest penalties, and their harsher treatment is most pronounced in prosecutor-controlled guidelines departure cases. These findings highlight both a classic organizational tension noted by Weber and a fundamental dilemma in policy efforts to structure sentencing processes (formal rationality) while allowing for judicial and prosecutorial discretion (substantive rationality). The findings also broaden our view of the continuing significance of race in American society—as a matter confronting not only blacks but also Hispanics and perhaps other ethnic groups as well.
Analyzing Educational Careers: A Multinomial Transition Model
Authors: Breen Richard , Jonsson Jan O.
Published: August 2023

The logit model of educational transitions has become standard in research in educational stratification. One limitation of the model, however, is the assumption that individuals progress through the educational system in a unilinear sequential mode. Many school systems contain parallel branches of study that are most fruitfully seen as qualitatively different alternative pathways with different probabilities of school continuation attached to them. This study tests a multinomial model of educational careers, that takes previous paths and grade-point averages into account. Applied to a large Swedish longitudinal data set the model tests whether conclusions about class stratification in educational attainment based on a logit model are borne out. Results show that the pathway a student has taken through the school system influences the probability of making subsequent educational transitions. This result is robust to unmeasured heterogeneity modeled using a latent class approach. Furthermore, the traditional logit model tends to deflate class-origin effects at early transition points while inflating them at the transition to higher education. The results give some support to the hypothesis that origin effects are strongest at more “indirect” and unusual pathways.
Using the Literature: Reference networks, reference Contexts, and the Social Structure of Scholarship
Authors: Hargens Lowell L.
Published: August 2023

Networks of citations among the papers on a research topic reflect the structure of scholarship on that topic. Reference-network data for research areas from several disciplines show substantial variation in the structure of scholarship, ranging from the frequent and disproportionate citation of recent work to the frequent and disproportionate citation of foundational documents. The variation is inconsistent with the pattern expected of a simple physical sciences-behavioral sciences-humanities dimension. Citation-context analyses of references in the networks of various fields suggest that variation in network structure is due in part to differences in why authors cite their colleagues’ work: Disproportionate citation of foundational documents occurs when authors cite papers as examples of perspectives or general approaches rather than as support for specific points. Differences in use patterns for citations can help us understand other differences among scholarly communities.
The Effects of Science on National Economic Development, 1970 TO 1990
Authors: Schofer Evan , Ramirez Francisco O. , Meyer John W.
Published: August 2023

Expanded scientific activity is thought to benefit national economic development through improved labor force capacities and the creation of new knowledge and technology. However, scientific research activity expands as a global process and reflects the penetration of societies by a general rationalistic world culture. The authors point out that scientific expansion and the accompanying cultural penetration legitimate a broad progressive agenda of social amelioration (e.g., by identifying environmental and health problems, and social welfare and human rights issues) that can result in regulation and direct constraints on productive economic activity in the short term. Thus, science can be seen as encouraging a trade-off between short-term economic growth and broader (and longer-term) social development. The effects of dimensions of scientific infrastructure on national economic growth are examined over the 1970–1990 period. Cross-national analyses show that the size of a nation's scientific labor force and training system has a positive effect on economic development, supporting conventional theories. However, indicators of national involvement in scientific research activity show negative effects on economic growth. Corollary analyses show that this negative effect is partially explained by the expansion of scientific activity into more socially relevant domains (e.g., medicine, environmental sciences, etc.), thus supporting the main arguments.