bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Being Persecuted’ and the Internal Protection Alternative
Authors: Storey Hugo
Published: November 2024

This chapter inquires whether unavailability of an internal protection alternative (IPA) is a necessary requirement within the refugee definition. It is argued that, applying VCLT rules, there is a sufficient basis for concluding that it is. The chapter seeks to evaluate the three best-known approaches to IPA analysis: the ‘reasonableness’ analysis set out in UNHCR Guidelines No 4; the Michigan Guidelines; and the human rights approach. The chapter sees the best hope for resetting IPA analysis so that it truly is tied back to key elements of the refugee definition to lie in further development of a human rights approach. However, one important modification is necessary in order to avoid a present misunderstanding in the case law of the ECtHR as regards the threshold of harm that it necessary for an applicant to face in a putative alternative area (the ECtHR presently applying an Article 3 threshold to it as well as to the issue of protection in the country as a whole). That said, it is noted that a human rights approach has yet to be developed in detail and that there is potential for building on the UNHCR ‘reasonableness’ approach. It is concluded that notwithstanding continuing disagreements between these three approaches, there is consensus about a significant number of propositions relating to substantive contents. Mention is also made of the main suggestions set forth regarding procedural contents. The chapter ends by listing several ‘suggested propositions’ arising out of the author’s own evaluation of the main disagreements that remain.
Refugee Convention Reasons: ‘For Reasons Of’
Authors: Storey Hugo
Published: November 2024

This chapter examines the ‘nexus clause’ which contains the Convention reasons (race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group (MPSG), and political opinion). Interpretation of some of these has provoked myriad conceptual problems. It is argued that although the reasons are best understood as having a common theme of non-discrimination, the most well-known framework for analysing this, based on the ‘protected characteristics’ analysis of MPSG, harbours serious problems. It is argued that, applying VCLT rules of interpretation, each reason is to be given a broad interpretation, notwithstanding that this has not always been done. Caution is expressed about interpretation imposing qualitative criteria concerning morality of conduct. In relation to the MPSG reason, it is concluded that neither the ‘protected characteristics’ nor the ‘social perception’ approach is in fact coherent on its own and that applying them cumulatively only makes matters worse. It is noted, however, that clashes between these two approaches have not prevented widespread agreement about several common features that a PSG must possess. Relative to the political opinion reason, three approaches to the notion of ‘political’ are discussed, leading to a suggestion as to how they can be amalgamated. In an examination of this element’s causal nexus requirement, reasons are given for understanding this as an ‘effective or essential reason’ test and for viewing it as erroneous to impose a requirement of persecutory intent. Further observations are made on the doctrine of attribution and the nature of the risk, concluding with several ‘basic propositions’ and ‘suggested propositions’.
Brief Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy
Authors: Lemma Alessandra , Hepworth Mary , Fonagy Peter , Luyten Patrick , Abrahams Deborah
Published: November 2024

Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) is a brief psychodynamic psychotherapy developed for the treatment of mood disorders. It is now offered in the UK in NHS for the treatment of depression and has been applied worldwide in public health care settings as well as private settings. This book is a user-friendly, practical guide for the implementation of a brief psychodynamic intervention in routine clinical practice as well as in research protocols. It has been substantially updated since the first edition in 2011 with the addition of five new chapters to reflect new applications of the model in complex care, for patients with functional and somatic disorders, and for internet delivered DIT, and it outlines the changes in the training of DIT practitioners. It sets out clearly the theoretical framework, as well as the rationale and strategies for applying DIT with patients presenting with mood disorders (depression and anxiety). Throughout, it is illustrated with detailed examples that help the reader to implement the approach in their practice. The book will be required reading to support training initiatives in DIT, as well as providing a resource for mental health professionals specializing in psychodynamic psychotherapy and wishing to work within a limited time frame.
The Initial Phase
Authors: Lemma Alessandra , Hepworth Mary , Fonagy Peter , Abrahams Deborah , Luyten Patrick
Published: November 2024

This chapter gives a detailed overview of the initial phase of DIT (sessions 1–4), setting out how to engage the patient and listen out for ‘cautionary tales’ that help the therapist to anticipate the patient’s anxieties and defences about starting therapy. It guides the therapist in how to formulate a dynamic focus for intervention. It discusses the range of information that the therapist requires to arrive at a formulation to share with the patient. It considers the history of the presenting problem from the patient’s point of view and in the context of family history and medical history. It describes how to manage risk and set goals, and covers the use of outcome monitoring and video/audio recording of sessions.
Working in the Transference
Authors: Lemma Alessandra , Hepworth Mary , Fonagy Peter , Abrahams Deborah , Luyten Patrick
Published: November 2024

Dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT) is a psychodynamic approach and draws on the use of transference, but it does this in a very focused manner, informed by its potential relevance to the exploration of the interpersonal-affective focus. This chapter offers a detailed guide to formulating a transference interpretation in DIT. Case examples are provided and analysed. The criteria for interpreting the transference in DIT are outlined.
Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy for Complex Care (DITCC)
Authors: Lemma Alessandra , Hepworth Mary , Fonagy Peter , Abrahams Deborah , Luyten Patrick
Published: November 2024

The clinical experience of dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT) therapists indicated a need to adapt the model for patients with chronic, complex, and severe depression owing to issues related to engagement, risk, and sustainable change with these patients. This new chapter for the second edition outlines the adaptation of DIT for complex care (DITCC)—an extended twenty-six-session model. This chapter addresses suitability for DITCC with a focus on the failure of mentalizing in depression. It considers commonalities and differences between the original sixteen-session model and DITCC. It then provides the manual for using DITCC in practice. New concepts include a focus on developing epistemic trust during the first phase of DITCC, the concept of relationship-interfering behaviours in the second phase, and the ‘taking stock’ letter as part of the third phase, as well as a follow-up phase.
Artificial Intelligence-Based STEM Education
Authors: Zhai Xiaoming , Krajcik Joseph
Published: November 2024

This chapter provides a comprehensive exploration of the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, elucidating both its transformative potential and associated challenges. The chapter critically examines the findings in the book, including the roles of AI in personalized learning, assessment automation, AI tool design and development, and teacher professional development while also addressing ethical and inclusivity concerns. It provides a set of key recommendations for future research, highlighting the need for empirical studies that focus on diverse learner populations, validity, pedagogy, and ethical frameworks to guide AI's responsible deployment. The chapter serves as a seminal resource for educators, researchers, and policymakers, offering a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in leveraging AI to enhance STEM education. It concludes by outlining key future directions, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary efforts to realize the full potential of AI-based STEM education.
Using AI Tools to Provide Teachers with Fully Automated, Personalized Feedback on Their Classroom Discourse Patterns
Authors: Suresh Abhijit , Penuel William R. , Jacobs Jennifer K. , Raza Ali , Martin James H. , Sumner Tamara
Published: November 2024

By incorporating discussion practices aligned with accountable talk, teachers can establish discourse-rich classrooms that center student voices within a rigorous learning environment. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as the TalkMoves application can be harnessed to automatically recognize and classify critical features of classroom talk. A pilot group of twenty-one mathematics teachers who used the TalkMoves application were generally enthusiastic and perceived it as having a strong utility value; however, disruptions due to COVID and the shift to remote learning hindered their use. Those teachers who chose to use the application for two years significantly increased the amount of teacher and student talk moves in their recorded lessons. There is a pressing need for future research to explore the potential of AI tools like the TalkMoves application to provide personalized, formative feedback at scale, particularly in other STEM fields that may benefit from an intentional focus on fostering student-driven conversations.
The locative domain in Mupun
Authors: Frajzyngier Zygmunt
Published: November 2024

Chapter 8 describes the locative domain in Mupun (West Chadic). The locative complement in Mupun codes only the place where an event happens and the spatial relations with respect to the complement. Directionality, vertical dimensions of motion, and other functions are coded by verbs. Every verb of motion carries only one parameter of motion. Verbs have different properties with respect to the number of locative complements they can take. Syntactic properties of verbs, rather than being arbitrary, are motivated by the semantic functions encoded in the grammatical system and by the paucity of functions coded in the locative complements. The study provides evidence that the existence of some verbs coding motion, directionality, and the inherent locative complement is motivated by the paucity of functions coded in the locative complement.
Competition and Cooperation
Authors: Tomasello Michael , Call Josep
Published: November 2024

This chapter reviews the primate research literature on the social economy of cooperation and competition. It covers what primates know about their social relationships, including social evaluation and reputation, and whether their social interactions involve barter, exchange, and reciprocity. Next, the chapter covers prosocial behaviour, including coalitions and alliances, instrumental helping, and food sharing. Some space is also devoted to how individuals respond to unequal food distributions and the actions that they take when their (or others’) expectations are violated or their food is stolen. The last part of the chapter focuses on how individuals initiate and maintain collaboration in problem-solving situations, including how they share the spoils and solve social dilemmas.
Evolution of Primate Social Cognition
Authors: Tomasello Michael , Call Josep
Published: November 2024

This chapter surveys the major theoretical issues in the study of primate social cognition in relation to primate socioecology, particularly focusing on factors such as food distribution, predator pressure, and intergroup competition. It also discusses how the idea of social intelligence originated in primatology/comparative psychology and how various authors have conceptualized social cognition over the years. Whereas some authors have denied its existence or importance, others have invoked the use of behavioural rules to predict behaviour, and a third group has argued that some primates make social inferences based on attributing mental states to others. The last part of the chapter offers some theoretical speculations about the evolution of primate social cognition in each of the main primate taxa.
Memories of Colonisation in Medieval and Modern Castile
Authors: De Souza Rebecca
Published: November 2024

Memories of Colonisation in Medieval and Modern Castile: Rereading and Refashioning al-Andalus traces the evolving memory of a dominant al-Andalus in medieval Castilian and, later, modern Spanish literature. It presents a series of close readings of neomedievalist literary works that look back to the socioeconomic apogee of al-Andalus, the tenth-century Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba, but were written centuries later, from the thirteenth to the nineteenth century. These works rewrite what has become known as the story of the siete infantes de Lara, although it is their Andalusi half-brother, Mudarra, who takes centre stage from the early modern period on. In its earliest form, it is a story of a weak, conflictual county of Castile, dependent socioeconomically and morally upon Andalusi intervention. Memories of Colonisation asks why Mudarra and the infantes continue to reappear in medieval chronicles, from the Estoria de España to lesser-known regional historiography, early modern ballads, comedias, and nineteenth-century Romantic poetry and prose. By examining how each of these texts remembers tenth-century Iberia’s fluid geographical and interracial boundaries and Castilian disempowerment, it explores how they support or challenge dominant contemporary discourses of collective identity, race, and nation; from the neogothic aspirations of thirteenth-century Castile to the antisemitism of fifteenth-century Toledo, expansion in the Mediterranean, the Islamophobia of the morisco expulsion, and the partisan manipulation of al-Andalus under nineteenth century liberalism. It also examines how each text exposes the task of reconstructing historical memory in the present and thereby challenges the notion of a stable, incontestable past for Castile and Spain.
Radical Performances of al-Andalus in the Earlycomedia
Authors: De Souza Rebecca
Published: November 2024

The chapter reads the rewriting of the story of Mudarra and the infantes de Lara in the emergent, late-sixteenth century Spanish comedia against the sociocultural backdrop of increased morisco marginalisation and internal conflict experienced by the theatre’s patrons and playwrights. Andalusian Juan de la Cueva’s melancholic Tragedia de los siete infantes de Lara (1579), written and performed in Seville, fuses both classical and popular literary forms and sets most of its action in Cordoba among a classicised, erudite Andalusi milieu. This tragedy stages the lost potential of the Caliphate but also demonstrates the productive nature of its memory for Spain’s future by depicting characters who effectively harness their pasts. Its melancholic neomedievalism proposes an alternative to the discursive and political exclusion of Iberian Muslims against the backdrop of the influx of displaced moriscos to Seville after the War of the Alpujarras (1568–1571). Four years later, a play that shifts the focus to the Andalusi protagonist Mudarra was composed: the anonymous Famosos hechos de Mudarra (1583). This is the first in a long line of works to focus on the figure of Mudarra and his dual subject position across the Castilian–Andalusi border. Famosos hechos follows Mudarra’s journey, both literal and figurative, to his father in Castile. Although a willing migrant keen to redeem his past indiscretions in Cordoba, the question of coerced conversion brings his expedition to an ambivalent close, particularly in light of the displacement of contemporary moriscos.
Coda
Authors: De Souza Rebecca
Published: November 2024

This book closes with a short coda that traces Mudarra and the infantes to the twenty-first century and to their (post)colonial guises, from Manila back to Burgos. It evaluates how this study changes how we think about the memory of al-Andalus in medieval Castile and modern Spain, and how these divergent memories each respond uniquely to their contemporary circumstances. Avoiding sweeping conclusions or a history of ideas approach, it instead underscores the power dynamics and sociocultural relations that have enabled the composition and reception of these memories of the premodern era, and gesture to how these works might help us trace the evolution of neomedievalism as a literary mode. It also delineates the fate of the infantes and Mudarra after 1842. While later nineteenth-century philologists configured this story as a canonical (hi)story for modern Spain, this study ultimately unsettles its role as a stable cultural memory given the nature of neomedievalism as the rewriting of open, anonymous traditions that pertain to the collective.
Introduction
Authors: Börzel Tanja A. , Gerschewski Johannes , Zürn Michael
Published: November 2024

This chapter discusses the added value of using “script” as a heuristic and an analytical concept over alternatives and introduces four central themes that structure this volume. We ask first what the liberal script is and how we can approach it from different viewpoints. Second, we inquire how the liberal script varies over time and space. Third, we distinguish subscripts and major components of the liberal script. Fourth, we identify tensions emerging within the liberal script and possible resolutions. In each section, we introduce individual contributions to the book and show how they deal with the four central themes.
Problems with Merit in the Liberal Economy
Authors: Gosepath Stefan
Published: November 2024

Meritocracy is a key feature of liberal scripts, but it is problematic for a number of reasons. One major line of criticism is that of broken promises: Meritocracies de facto fail to live up to their own promises, leading to the claim that meritocracy is a myth. Another important line of criticism concerns the idea of merit itself. The objection is that merit and meritocracy do not make sense on their own terms and are incoherent with other liberal principles: It is unclear how to impartially assess subjective efforts and deprivations and material contributions. Moreover, one’s actual productive achievements depend to a large extent on social circumstances and genetic endowment, both of which are brute luck and, from a moral point of view, arbitrary. Finally, the criteria of merit that are usually put forward in the economy can be in conflict with the principle of the free market.
Self-Defence against Non-State Actors and the Myth of the Innocent State
Authors: Lieblich Eliav
Published: November 2024

Few issues concerning the use of force under international law have been more contentious than the legality of self-defence against non-state actors when the territorial state is ‘unwilling or unable’ to address the threat. One objection to this standard is that when a territorial state is merely unable to stop a threat by a non-state actor, any response on its territory would be unlawful since that state has not violated international law and is thereby ‘innocent’. This chapter challenges this claim. It argues that the argument from ‘state innocence’ anthropomorphizes and conceives the state as a physical person, its territory akin to a human body. Yet, when taking human rights seriously, rights attributed to the reified body of the state cannot override those of real-life people. It follows that state innocence alone should not exclude self-defence against non-state actors, at least when human life is threatened by their attacks.
The Politics of European Union Funding
Authors: Lindner Johannes , Nguyen Thu
Published: November 2024

European Union (EU) budgetary politics is characterized by stability and path dependence in terms of institutional set-up and distributive order. While the 2021–2027 Multiannual Financial Framework did not fundamentally break with this pattern, the Next Generation EU recovery instrument introduced significant innovation in terms of financing and instruments that may potentially alter the EU budget and its processes. By drawing on the conceptional and empirical work by Enderlein and colleagues (2005), this chapter illustrates that the context in which the EU budget is placed has evolved in recent years as successive crises have changed the nature of the EU and raised expectations that EU funding should provide effective measures to address common challenges. This provides the scope for justifying and making significant institutional reforms to enhance the efficiency and legitimacy of EU budgetary decision-making.
Accountable National Governance of European Union Funds
Authors: Korkea-aho Emilia
Published: November 2024

The management of EU funds is a topical source of debate. Public expectations and concerns emerge about how funds are spent and who should be held accountable, and in what manner, for making spending decisions. The influx of pandemic funds into the market has given new urgency to the questions about spending public money. Using the national implementation of the European Regional Development Fund as an example, this chapter describes the practices, relationships, and structures that underlie the national governance of EU funds. By examining this little-studied phase, it shows how national funds officials are embedded in highly routinized processes that contribute to accountable funds decision-making, which is deliberative, inclusive, and adaptive. The chapter captures the type of accountability emerging from everyday governance practices under the concept of ‘bottom-up’ accountability. These positive governance practices do not, however, thrive without efforts to protect and defend them. The EU’s anti-corruption agenda—a worthy goal in itself—is, almost paradoxically, a threat to them, with the final part of the chapter arguing that national governance processes need to be actively protected against their colonization by penal rationality. The binary legal/illegal logic inherent in criminal law is fundamentally at odds with the bottom-up governance model that underlines EU funds management and circumscribes its potential of engaging actors in a collaborative effort to ensure that money is channelled into intended purposes and to root out abuses.
Conclusion: Where Have We Been, and Where Should We Go Now?
Authors: Wolfinger Nicholas H. , McKeever Matthew
Published: November 2024

The authors review their findings, establishing that single mother’s economic stagnation can be attributed to the growing number of women who give birth out of wedlock. This chapter also establishes why the economics of single motherhood is an important topic for academics and policymakers alike. Finally, the authors offer public policy proposals that could alleviate some of the worst poverty in these families. Here the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan led the way. He was among the first modern observers to identify the family as a rightful object of public concern and understood how government should respond to the growth of single motherhood through its powers of redistribution.
Evaluating safety and efficacy of plastic versus metal stenting in malignant hilar biliary obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Luo Xinjie , Huang Zhicheng , Ali Kamran , Hayat Khizar
Published: November 2024

Background

Stenting malignant hilar biliary obstruction (MHBO) is challenging due to its complex structure, and it is less effective than blockages in the distal bile duct area. Plastic stents (PSs) and metal stents (MSs) are commonly used for stenting MHBO. This study aims to compare the outcomes of PSs and MSs in MHBO patients.

Methods

We conducted a search of medical databases up to March 2024. Using a fixed-effect model, we analyzed the risk ratios (RRs) of the outcomes between the PS and MS groups. We calculated the RR for clinical and technical success, reinterventions, and adverse events, as well as the hazard ratio (HR) for survival and stent patency.

Results

This analysis includes five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 322 patients (156 in the PS group and 166 in the MS group). Significant differences (P < .05) in favor of the MS group were found in the reinterventions (RR 1.80, 95% CI 1.07–3.04), and stent patency (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.32–0.90). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the PS and MS groups regarding technical success (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.94–1.09), clinical success (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.69–1.07), overall survival (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.47–1.05), stent migration (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.08–6.02), stent occlusion (RR1.32, 95% CI 0.97–1.81), and adverse events (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.53–1.20).

Conclusion

Both PS and MS are effective for managing MHBO, while MS offers greater efficacy in increased stent patency and lower reintervention rates.

Key message What is already known on this topic Metal stents (MSs) and plastic stents (PSs) are used for palliative treatment of malignant hilar biliary obstruction (MHBO). MSs significantly reduced the need for reinterventions compared to PSs in patients with MHBO. What this study adds There were no significant differences between MSs and PSs in terms of technical success, clinical success, overall survival, stent migration, stent occlusion, or adverse events. How this study might affect research, practice, or policy The study’s findings may prompt researchers to design more targeted studies to further investigate these specific outcomes in MHBO patients. The results encourage endoscopists to consider patient-specific factors, such as life expectancy and preference for minimizing recurrent procedures, when choosing between MSs and PSs for MHBO.
Chronic Underrepresentation of Females and Women in Stroke Research Adversely Impacts Clinical Care
Authors: Dahlby Julia S , Boyd Lara A
Published: November 2024

Unequal sex and gender sample sizes in rehabilitation studies have implications for the generalizability of the evidence and for the clinicians that utilize their recommendations. Physical therapists rely on evidence-based guidelines to tailor their assessments and interventions to optimize outcomes for patients. We currently know that females and women have worse stroke outcomes and prognoses than their counterparts, however, rehabilitation guidelines remain the same for all individuals. Notably, stroke prevention and acute care has recently shifted to include female- and women-oriented guidelines, however, rehabilitation guidelines have not yet caught up. This article summarizes the key differences that females and women with stroke experience, how they may impact recovery, and calls for researchers and rehabilitation professionals to consider sex and gender when working with patients who’ve had a stroke. Doing so will improve the lives for those with stroke and maximize treatment options and rehabilitation outcomes.
The world’s largest worm lizard: a new giant trogonophid (Squamata: Amphisbaenia) with extreme dental adaptations from the Eocene of Chambi, Tunisia
Authors: Georgalis Georgios L , Smith Krister T , Marivaux Laurent , Herrel Anthony , Essid El Mabrouk , Khayati Ammar Hayet , Marzougui Wissem , Temani Rim , Tabuce Rodolphe
Published: November 2024

We here describe Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi, a new amphisbaenian genus and species from the Eocene of Chambi, Tunisia. Using micro-computed tomography (μCT), we document the peculiar anatomy of the new taxon, which is characterized by extreme dental morphology, including one massive tooth on the maxilla and dentary, flat cheek teeth, and an array of other diagnostic features that readily differentiate it from all other amphisbaenians. We also redescribe the oldest named African amphisbaenian, Todrasaurus gheerbranti, from the late Palaeocene of Morocco, using μCT. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Terastiodontosaurus and Todrasaurus as sister taxa and provides strong support for a sister-group relationship of those two large-toothed amphisbaenians with extant Trogonophis. Accordingly, Todrasaurus shows that the divergence of crown Trogonophidae occurred much earlier than currently thought. Our survey of μCT scans reveals that Terastiodontosaurus, Todrasaurus, and Trogonophis are characterized by a great enamel thickness on their teeth, a feature that is absent in other examined amphisbaenians. Size estimates show that Terastiodontosaurus was the largest known amphisbaenian ever to have lived, with an estimated skull length of >5 cm. Based on new muscle data of Trogonophis, we estimate very high bite forces for Terastiodontosaurus, which would allow it to crush a wide variety of snails.
Pathogenicity of Fusarium Species Associated with Potato Dry Rot in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
Authors: Christian Christy L. , Rosnow Joshua , Woodhall James Warwick , Wharton Phillip Simon , Duellman Kasia M.
Published: November 2024

Fusarium dry rot is a ubiquitous disease of potato affecting tubers in storage and at planting. A greater understanding of the current Fusarium species composition associated with Fusarium dry rot in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) will aid in refinement of current management strategies. In this study, the identity of 327 single-spore Fusarium isolates recovered from PNW tuber samples was confirmed using molecular phylogenetic analyses based on partial sequences of tef and pho loci. Of the twenty species recovered, Fusarium sambucinum was the most prevalent (44.6%), followed by Fusarium oxysporum (13.8%). Selected isolates were tested for pathogenicity to potato tubers. Pathogenicity was confirmed for fourteen species of Fusarium, including seven species not previously reported as Fusarium dry rot pathogens in the region. On potato cv. ‘Russet Burbank’ (RB), inoculation with isolates of F. sambucinum resulted in the largest lesions (19.5-27.7 cm2), followed by isolates of F. avenaceum, F. cerealis, F. culmorum, F. flocciferum, F. graminearum, F. oxysporum, F. redolens, F. sporotrichioides, and F. venenatum (2.0-13.1 cm2). Inoculation with F. acuminatum, F. equiseti, F. solani, and F. stercicola resulted in the smallest lesions (0.1 to <2.0 cm2). An isolate of F. redolens caused lesions that were 5.7-fold larger on potato cv. ‘Dark Red Norland’ compared to those on RB (13.1 and 2.6 cm2, respectively), indicating variety selection may play a role in managing Fusarium dry rot. Diversity of Fusarium species pathogenic to potato in the PNW is greater than previously reported. Management strategies should consider potato variety, pathogen species, and isolate aggressiveness.
The Efficacy for Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage Between Neuroendoscopic Surgery and Conservative Treatment
Authors: Huo Guojin , Lan Yanping , Feng Yi , Gao Xiang , Chen Chen
Published: November 2024

Objectives:

This study aims to investigate the efficacy of neuroendoscopic surgery in the treatment of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH).

Methods:

A total of 193 patients diagnosed with HICH were divided into 2 groups in this study: the observation group (n=101) received neuroendoscopic surgery, whereas the control group (n=92) underwent conservative treatment. Then, the outcomes between these 2 groups were compared and assessed.

Results:

In the pretreatment phase, there were no significant differences in the levels of inflammation and neurological function scores between these 2 groups (P>0.05). After 3 months of treatment, the observation group displayed significantly shorter median hospital stay, lower average hospital costs, and faster hematoma resorption time, along with reduced levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, aquaporin-4 (AQP4), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), Nerve Deficiency Scale (NDS), Graeb score, and national institute of health stroke scale (NIHSS) compared with the control group (P<0.05). In addition, the observation group exhibited higher rate of hematoma clearance and better glasgow outcome scale (GOS) score compared with the control group (P<0.05). The effective treatment rate in the observation group was notably superior to that in the control group (89.11% vs. 73.91%, P<0.05).

Conclusions:

Neuroendoscopic surgery is an effective treatment for HICH, with alleviating the inflammatory response and enhancing the neurological function. The treatment shows promising outcomes and justifies extensive implementation.
Effects of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Subspecialty Training on Outcomes of Hysterectomy for Benign Indications
Authors: Meyer Raanan , Schneyer Rebecca , Hamilton Kacey , Levin Gabriel , Truong Mireille D. , Siedhoff Matthew T. , Wright Kelly N.
Published: November 2024

OBJECTIVE:

To compare surgical outcomes among patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign indications with minimally invasive gynecologic surgery subspecialists (MIGS group), gynecologic oncologists (GO group), and general obstetrician–gynecologists (OB-GYN group).

METHODS:

We conducted a retrospective cohort study from a quaternary care academic hospital. We included patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign reasons from 2015 to 2020. Exclusion criteria were malignant, premalignant, or suspected malignant condition, pelvic mass (other than leiomyoma), concomitant correction of pelvic organ prolapse, and peripartum hysterectomy. The primary outcome was the odds of a composite of any intraoperative or postoperative complications by surgeon group. Secondary outcomes were conversion to laparotomy, estimated blood loss, and admission times by surgeon subspecialty.

RESULTS:

A total of 946 hysterectomies were performed during the study period, of which 356 (37.6%) were performed by obstetrician–gynecologists (ob-gyns), 220 (23.3%) by gynecologic oncologists, and 370 (39.1%) by minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons. Abdominal hysterectomies were performed in 36.8% of cases in the OB-GYN group and 30.0% of cases in the GO group, compared with 0.3% of cases in the MIGS group (P<.001). Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 11.9% of cases in the MIGS group, 18.2% of cases in the GO group (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.79, 95% CI, 1.14–2.08), and 20.8% of cases in the OB-GYN group (aOR 1.64, 95% CI, 1.01–2.69). Conversion to laparotomy occurred in 0.3% of cases in the MIGS group, 7.1% of cases in the GO group, and 7.6% of cases in the OB-GYN group (P<.001). Estimated blood loss, total admission time from surgery to discharge, and total days of hospitalization were all lower in the MIGS group compared with the other two groups (P<.001 for all comparisons). The aOR for same-day discharge was independently lower in the GO group (0.50, 95% CI, 0.29–0.86) and the OB-GYN group (0.23, 95% CI, 0.15–0.33) compared with the MIGS group.

CONCLUSION:

Fellowship-trained minimally invasive gynecologic surgery subspecialists had lower rates of perioperative complications for hysterectomy for benign indications compared with gynecologic oncologists and ob-gyns. Minimally invasive gynecologic surgery cases were also associated with fewer rates of laparotomy, less blood loss, and shorter hospital stays.
Do rhizobia buffer legumes against climate-mediated microbiome effects?
Authors: Boyle Julia Anne , Murphy Bridget , Teng Fangming , Zadeh Parsa Babaei , Ensminger Ingo , Stinchcombe John R , Frederickson Megan E
Published: November 2024

Climate change is altering both soil microbial communities and the ecological context of plant-microbe interactions. Predicting how soil microbes modulate plant resilience to climate change is critical to mitigating the negative effects of climate change on ecosystems and agriculture.

Previously, it was demonstrated that heat, drought, and their legacies altered soil microbiomes and potential plant symbionts. In this study, we conducted growth chamber experiments to isolate the microbially-mediated indirect effects of heat and drought on plant performance and symbiosis.

In the first experiment, we found that drought and drought-treated microbes, along with their interaction, significantly decreased the biomass ofMedicago lupulinaplants compared to well-watered microbiomes and conditions.

In a second experiment, we then tested how the addition of a well-known microbial mutualist,Sinorhizobium meliloti, affected climate-treated microbiomes’ impact on theM. lupulina. We found that drought-adapted microbiomes negatively impacted legume performance by increasing mortality and reducing branch number, but that adding rhizobia erased climate treatment effects

Synthesis:Drought can negatively affect legume performance through microbial legacy effects alone, but adding rhizobia buffers legumes against climate-mediated microbiome effects. In contrast, heat-adapted microbiomes did not differ significantly from control microbiomes in their effects on a legume.
Photodynamic Therapy for Deep Organ Cancer by Implantable Wireless OLEDs
Authors: Itazaki Yujiro , Sakanoue Kei , Fujita Katsuhiko , Kirino Izumi , Eguchi Kazuhiro , Miyazono Yutaka , Yamaguchi Ryoichi , Tsunenari Takasumi , Sugihara Takao , Kuwada Kenji , Kobayashi Naoki , Goya Tsuyoshi , Morii Katsuyuki , Tsujimoto Hironori , Morimoto Yuji
Published: November 2024

Metronomic photodynamic therapy (mPDT) is a method of continuously delivering low-intensity light to a cancer lesion. Since high light intensity is not required, the light device can be miniaturized and implanted in the body. Nevertheless, for clinical implementation, it is essential to develop a light source apparatus that can effectively illuminate the entire tumor and operate stably without damaging internal organs. To address this issue, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) optical device that has an area large enough to cover the entire lesion and is powered by a wireless power supply has been developed. The device is thin and lightweight and it functioned stably in the abdominal cavity of rats for more than two weeks without causing foreign body reactions. By covering the tumor site of rat liver cancer with this device and continuously illuminating the tumor with appropriate administration of a photosensitizer, the entire tumor under the emitting surface was eliminated through apoptosis without leaving any residual tumor margins. This is the first report of a robust antitumor effect on parenchymal organ cancers by mPDT using a biocompatible, wirelessly powered OLED device, which represents a potential new deep organ cancer therapy.
Aberrant expression of histone H2B variants reshape chromatin and alter oncogenic gene expression programs
Authors: Saintilnord Wesley N. , Hegazy Youssef A. , Chesnutt Kristin , Eckstein Meredith , Cassidy Richard N. , Dhahri Héjer , Bennett Richard L. , Melters Daniёl P. , Lopes Elisson , Fu Zhen , Lau Kin , Chandler Darrell P. , Poirier Michael G. , Dalal Yamini , Licht Jonathan D. , Fondufe-Mittendorf Yvonne
Published: November 2024

Chromatin architecture governs DNA accessibility and gene expression. Thus, any perturbations to chromatin can significantly alter gene expression programs and promote disease. Prior studies demonstrate that every amino acid in a histone is functionally significant, and that even a single amino acid substitution can drive specific cancers. We previously observed that naturally occurring H2B variants are dysregulated during the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in bronchial epithelial cells. Naturally occurring H2B variants differ from canonical H2B by only a few amino acids, yet single amino acid changes in other histone variants (e.g., H3.3) can drive cancer. We therefore hypothesized that H2B variants might function like oncohistones, and investigated how they modify chromatin architecture, dynamics, and function. We find that H2B variants are frequently dysregulated in many cancers, and correlate with patient prognosis. Despite high sequence similarity, mutations in each H2B variant tend to occur at specific “hotspots” in cancer. Some H2B variants cause tighter DNA wrapping around nucleosomes, leading to more compact chromatin structures and reduced transcription factor accessibility to nucleosomal DNA. They also altered genome-wide accessibility to oncogenic regulatory elements and genes, with concomitant changes in oncogenic gene expression programs. Although we did not observe changes in cell proliferation or migration invitro, our Gene Ontology (GO) analyses of ATAC-seq peaks and RNA-seq data indicated significant changes in oncogenic pathways. These findings suggest that H2B variants may influence early-stage, cancer-associated regulatory mechanisms, potentially setting the stage for oncogenesis later on. Thus, H2B variant expression could serve as an early cancer biomarker, and H2B variants might be novel therapeutic targets.
Leveraging AlphaFold 3 for Structural Modeling of Neurological Disorder-Associated Proteins: A Pathway to Precision Medicine
Authors: Gadde Nishant , Dodamani Sachi , Altaf Rayaan , Kumar Sanjit
Published: November 2024

Accurate structural modeling of neurological disorder-causing proteins provides an important layer in unraveling the mechanism of disease and identifying therapeutic targets. This study utilizes AlphaFold 3, a state-of-the-art protein structure prediction platform, to model and interpret cis- and trans-pQTL-derived proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. Using the NG00102 dataset, we created a high-resolution structure for more than 1,200 proteins expressed in Brain, CSF, and Plasma, providing tissue-specific protein structure analysis with associated functional implications. AlphaFold 3 predictions have illuminated key structure parameters including sequence length, average pLDDT confidence scores, and overall distribution of residues with confidence of >75% pLDDT. We used these features to determine the set of druggable proteins having optimal sequence lengths of 100-3000 residues, high structural reliability as evidenced by an average pLDDT > 80, and contain large regions of high-confidence residues. Tissue-specific mapping revealed unique mechanisms characterized by both cis and trans-pQTL effects, that have critical functional implications for how these genetic variants act in neurological disease pathways. Protein clusters by structural properties then led to more defined subgroups with potential implications for drug intervention. This integrated effort captures the strength of AlphaFold 3 in linking genetic variation to protein structure and function, providing a scalable pipeline for prioritizing therapeutic targets. Coupling our results with advanced predictive modeling and tissue-specific data sets provides a robust framework for uncovering new mechanisms and druggable targets in the research of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and stroke. This advances the field toward precision medicine.
Metachronal rowing provides robust propulsive performance across four orders of magnitude variation in Reynolds number
Authors: Ford Mitchell P. , Santhanakrishnan Arvind
Published: November 2024

Metachronal rowing of multiple propulsors (paddles) is a swimming strategy used by numerous organisms across various phyla, with body sizes ranging from 0.01 mm to 100 mm. This size range corresponds to a huge variation in flow regimes characterized by Reynolds number (Re) ranging on the orders of 10−2(viscosity dominated) to 104(inertially dominated). Though the rhythmic and coordinated stroking of paddles is conserved across species and developmental stages, the hydrodynamic scalability of metachronal rowing has not been examined across this broadRerange. We used a self-propelled metachronal paddling robot to examine how swimming performance changes across four orders of variation inRe(21 to 54,724) relevant to most aquatic crustaceans. We found that the Strouhal number (St), characterizing momentum transfer from paddles to the wake, was unchanging atSt≈ 0.26 forRe >42 and within the reportedStof various flying and swimming animals. Peak dimensionless strength (circulation) of paddle tip vortices linearly increased withReand was mostly unaffected by changing fluid viscosity. Our findings show that the swimming performance of metachronal rowing is conserved across widely varying flow regimes, with dimensionless swimming speed scaling linearly withReacross the entire tested range.
Mora-ERP-based RNN-Transformer for decoding single-trial EEGs during silent Japanese speeches
Authors: Yamazaki Toshimasa , Kudo Saori , Kamata Sei-Ichiro , Fujii Satoshi , Tsukiyama Sho , Yata Tetsushi , Aoki Shunsuke
Published: November 2024

We developed a method for decoding single-trial electroencephalography (EEG) during silent Japanese speeches. In order to cope with problems that there would be always noises in single-trial EEGs, a recurrent neural network (RNN) was used which could reproduce signals under noises. Each of silent-mora-related potentials and the single-trial EEG minus the event-related potential (ERP) were assigned to the signal and the noise, respectively, with reference to the averaging principle. Next, in our Transformer, dot product between the RNN output and the single-trial EEG after positional encoding then Softmax with Loss yielded probabilities of moras, each of which consists of silent Japanese words, phrases or part of sentences. The present decoding was completed by tracing the maximal probability at each block representing time. Average mora error rates (MERs) on pretrained and validated performances for the patient was as low as 1.5 % and 0 %, respectively. The performance for the testing would be refined by many single-trial EEGs during silent Japanese speeches obtained by EEG Web interfaces. This method might be applied to other “mora” languages.
In SituIntegration of Porous Polyethylene Nanomembrane with Wound Exudates for Scarless Healing
Authors: Yuan Shijie , Gu Qiao , Guo Xingchen , Tang Xuanxuan , Qiu Jiawen , Shang Linkuo , Lin Julie Qiaojin , Weng Lu-Tao , Gao Ping
Published: November 2024

Achieving scarless wound repair through innovative material designs, such as hydrogels infused with growth factors and cells, has been extensively explored. In this study, we introduce a scarless healing material called pgPE, which is based on a porous and biologically inert ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) nanomembrane. This highly flexible nanomembrane conforms closely to the wound site and effectively absorbs wound-associated species into its nanopores, forming pgPEin situ. The resulting pgPE creates an ideal environment that fosters physiological metabolism while acting as a barrier against pathogens. Our findings demonstrate that pgPE facilitates complete skin reconstruction, including the regeneration of hair follicles. Additionally, we characterized the immune microenvironment and hypoxic conditions, revealing that pgPE alleviates hypoxia and modulates immune responses, thereby promoting healing towards a scar-free outcome. The integration of wound-associated species within pgPE has been evidenced through three-dimensional Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) analysis of postmortem samples. This study highlights the potential of personalized solutions that align with physiological systems for enhanced wound healing.