bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of maternal feeding of clofibrate on hepatic fatty acid metabolism in suckling piglet
Authors: Zhao Jinan , Pike Brandon , Wang Feng , Yang Lin , Meisner Paige , Huang Yanling , Odle Jack , Lin Xi
Published: December 2024

Background

Energy deficiency is a leading cause of the high pre-weaning mortality of neonatal piglets in the swine industry. Thus, optimal energy metabolism is of crucial importance for improving the survivability of neonatal piglets. The effective utilization of milk fat as primary energy is indispensably required.

Methods

Pregnant sows (n = 27) were randomly assigned into 3 treatments. Each treatment received a standard diet (3,265 kcal ME/kg) supplemented with either 0, 0.25% or 0.5% clofibrate (w/w) from d 107 of gestation to d 7 of lactation. The effects of maternal clofibrate on their milk fatty acid (FA) and performance of the piglets were evaluated. The evaluations were performed via measuring sow productive performance, milk FA composition, and hepatic FA oxidation of the piglets at birth and d 1, 7, 14 and 19 after birth.

Results

Maternal supplementation of clofibrate had no effect on reproductive performance of the sows at farrowing and weaning (P > 0.05). However, the mortality at weaning was reduced for piglets from sows with 0.25% of clofibrate, and the average weekly (and daily) gain was higher in piglets from sows that received clofibrate than sows without clofibrate in the first week (P < 0.0001). Maternal clofibrate increased percentage of milk C12:0 and C14:0 FAs but decreased C18:2 and n-6 polyunsaturated FAs. Maternal clofibrate also increased plasma ketone body levels and hepatic FA oxidation measured at the first day of birth, but the increase was not detected in piglets on d 7, 14 or 19. Clofibrate was not detected in milk collected from the clofibrate-treated sows. The percentage of FA oxidation decreased, and the percentage of FA esterification increased with increasing in postnatal age. Supplemental carnitine increased FA oxidation regardless of succinate dehydrogenase inhibition, and the increase had no effect on FA esterification.

Conclusions

Maternal supplementation of clofibrate during late gestation and early lactation increases hepatic FA oxidative metabolism at birth and improves growth performance of newborn piglets. Maternal clofibrate transfer to suckling piglets via milk was not detected. Carnitine availability is critical for piglets to maintain a high FA oxidation rate during the suckling period.
Investigating the clinical significance of OAS family genes in breast cancer: an in vitro and in silico study
Authors: Lu Jinjun , Yang Lu , Yang Xinghai , Chen Bin , Liu Zheqi
Published: December 2024

Background

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, characterized by complex molecular and cellular heterogeneity. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, there is an urgent need to identify reliable biomarkers and therapeutic targets to improve early detection and personalized therapy. The OAS (2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase) family genes, known for their roles in antiviral immunity, have emerged as potential regulators in cancer biology. This study aimed to explore the diagnostic and functional relevance of OAS family genes in breast cancer.

Methodology

Breast cancer cell lines and controls were cultured under specific conditions, and DNA and RNA were extracted for downstream analyses. RT-qPCR, bisulfite sequencing, and Western blotting were employed to assess gene expression, promoter methylation, and knockdown efficiency of OAS family genes. Functional assays, including CCK-8, colony formation, and wound healing, evaluated cellular behaviors, while bioinformatics tools (UALCAN, GEPIA, HPA, OncoDB, cBioPortal, and others) validated findings and explored correlations with clinical data.

Results

The OAS family genes (OAS1, OAS2, OAS3, and OASL) were found to be significantly upregulated in breast cancer cell lines and tissues compared to normal controls. This overexpression was strongly associated with reduced promoter methylation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy, with area under the curve (AUC) values exceeding 0.93 for all four genes. Increased OAS expression correlated with advanced cancer stages and poor overall survival in breast cancer patients. Functional analysis revealed their involvement in critical biological processes, including immune modulation and oncogenic pathways. Silencing OAS genes in breast cancer cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation, while unexpectedly enhancing migratory capacity. Additionally, correlations with immune cell infiltration, molecular subtypes, and drug sensitivity highlighted their potential roles in the tumor microenvironment and therapeutic response.

Conclusion

The findings of this study established OAS family genes as potential biomarkers and key players in breast cancer progression, offering promise as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets to address unmet clinical needs.
Lipid disturbances induced by psychotropic drugs: clinical and genetic predictors for early worsening of lipid levels and new-onset dyslipidaemia in Swiss psychiatric samples
Authors: Delacrétaz Aurélie , Sadler Marie , Gamma Franziska , Preisig Martin , Richard-Lepouriel Hélène , von Gunten Armin , Conus Philippe , Plessen Kerstin Jessica , Kutalik Zoltan , Eap Chin B.
Published: December 2024

Background

Early worsening of plasma lipid levels (EWL; ≥5% change after 1 month) induced by at-risk psychotropic treatments predicts considerable exacerbation of plasma lipid levels and/or dyslipidaemia development in the longer term.

Aims

We aimed to determine which clinical and genetic risk factors could predict EWL.

Method

Predictive values of baseline clinical characteristics and dyslipidaemia-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on EWL were evaluated in a discovery sample (n = 177) and replicated in two samples from the same cohort (PsyMetab; n1 = 176; n2 = 86).

Results

Low baseline levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides, and high baseline levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), were risk factors for early increase in total cholesterol (P = 0.002), LDL-C (P = 0.02) and triglycerides (P = 0.0006), and early decrease in HDL-C (P = 0.04). Adding genetic parameters (n = 17, 18, 19 and 16 SNPs for total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and triglycerides, respectively) improved areas under the curve for early worsening of total cholesterol (from 0.66 to 0.91), LDL-C (from 0.62 to 0.87), triglycerides (from 0.73 to 0.92) and HDL-C (from 0.69 to 0.89) (P ≤ 0.00003 in discovery sample). The additive value of genetics to predict early worsening of LDL-C levels was confirmed in two replication samples (P ≤ 0.004). In the combined sample (n ≥ 203), adding genetics improved the prediction of new-onset dyslipidaemia for total cholesterol, LDL-C and HDL-C (P ≤ 0.04).

Conclusions

Clinical and genetic factors contributed to the prediction of EWL and new-onset dyslipidaemia in three samples of patients who started at-risk psychotropic treatments. Future larger studies should be conducted to refine SNP estimates to be integrated into clinically applicable predictive models.
A longitudinal study of healthcare workers’ mental health during Western Australia's unique policy response to COVID-19
Authors: Newnham Elizabeth A. , Mergelsberg Enrique L. P. , Stanley Susanne , Hood Sean , Tearne Jessica , Celenza Antonio , Stevenson Teresa , Mavaddat Nahal , Demore Gavin , Kavanagh Hyranthi , McEvoy Peter M.
Published: December 2024

Background

Western Australia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic was swift and effective in implementing public health protections and preventing the spread of the virus for the first 2 years. However, healthcare staff continued to be at increased risk of mental health concerns.

Aims

To investigate the longitudinal patterns of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression and anxiety among healthcare workers in Western Australia, and the risk and protective factors associated with changes in status during the first wave.

Method

Participants comprised 183 healthcare staff working at tertiary hospitals and major clinics across Perth, for whom longitudinal data were available. Questionnaire data were collected before Western Australia's first major COVID-19 community wave in early 2022 and following the first wave in late 2022. Online surveys comprised validated measures assessing psychological symptoms, risk and protective factors, and original measures of workplace factors.

Results

Overall rates of PTSS, depression and anxiety remained stable across the two assessment points. However, latent growth models revealed that those with lower PTSS, depression or anxiety symptoms at baseline reported a larger increase in symptoms over time, and those with higher symptoms at baseline had a smaller decline over time, indicating a ‘catch-up’ effect. Workplace stressors, sleep difficulties and trauma exposure were key risk factors for changes in psychological symptoms from baseline, and workplace and social supports played protective roles.

Conclusions

Improvements in systemic workplace factors are needed to support healthcare workers’ mental health during periods of acute stress, even in settings with high levels of emergency preparedness.
Clinical and neurocognitive profiles of a combined clinical high risk for psychosis and clinical control sample: latent class analysis
Authors: Stüble Miriam , Schultze-Lutter Frauke , Kaess Michael , Franscini Maurizia , Traber-Walker Nina , Walger Petra , Schimmelmann Benno G. , Vogeley Kai , Kambeitz Joseph , Kindler Jochen , Michel Chantal
Published: December 2024

Background

The clinical high-risk (CHR) state for psychosis demonstrates considerable clinical heterogeneity, presenting challenges for clinicians and researchers alike. Basic symptoms, to date, have largely been ignored in explorations of clinical profiles.

Aims

We examined clinical profiles by using a broader spectrum of CHR symptoms, including not only (attenuated) psychotic, but also basic symptoms.

Method

Patients (N = 875) of specialised early intervention centres for psychosis in Germany and Switzerland were assessed with the Schizophrenia Proneness Instruments and the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes. Latent class analysis was applied to CHR symptoms to identify clinical profiles. Additionally, demographics, other symptoms, current non-psychotic DSM-IV axis I disorders and neurocognitive variables were assessed to further describe and compare the profiles.

Results

A three-class model was best fitting the data, whereby basic symptoms best differentiated between the profiles (η2 = 0.08–0.52). Class 1 had a low probability of CHR symptoms, the highest functioning and lowest other psychopathology, neurocognitive deficits and transition-to-psychosis rate. Class 2 had the highest probability of basic and (attenuated) positive symptoms (excluding hallucinations), lowest functioning, highest symptom load, most neurocognitive deficits and highest transition rate (55.1%). Class 3 was mostly characterised by attenuated hallucination, and was otherwise intermediate between the other two classes. Comorbidity rates were comparable across classes, with some class differences in diagnostic categories.

Conclusions

Our profiles based on basic and (attenuated) psychotic symptoms provide clinically useful entities by parsing out heterogeneity in clinical presentation. In future, they could guide class-specific intervention.
Circulating inflammatory and neurotrophic markers as moderators and/or mediators of cognitive remediation outcome in people with bipolar disorders
Authors: Strawbridge Rebecca , Tsapekos Dimosthenis , Young Allan H.
Published: December 2024

Background

Immune dysregulation appears involved in affective disorder pathophysiology. Inflammatory biomarkers have been linked with the cognitive impairment observed in people with bipolar disorders and as such are candidate markers that may improve with, and/or predict outcomes to, cognitive remediation therapies (CRT).

Aims

Nine candidate biomarkers were examined as putative mediators and/or moderators to improvements following CRT compared with treatment as usual (TAU) from a randomised controlled trial.

Method

Euthymic adults with bipolar disorders who had been randomised to CRT (n = 23) or TAU (n = 21) underwent blood testing before and after a 12 week intervention period. Five cytokines and four growth factor proteins, selected a priori, were examined in association with global cognition and psychosocial functioning outcomes.

Results

CRT attenuated a reduction in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor-C compared to TAU. For the BDNF, lower baseline levels predicted better functional outcomes across the sample but was more pronounced in TAU versus CRT participants and indicated larger CRT effects in those with a higher BDNF. A moderation effect was also apparent for tumour necrosis factor-β and interleukin-16, with greater CRT versus TAU effects on functioning for participants with lower baseline levels.

Conclusions

Although preliminary, results suggest that CRT may exert some protective biological effects, and that people with lower levels of neurotrophins or cytokines may benefit more from CRT. We note an absence of associations with cognitive (versus functional) outcomes. These findings require further examination in large well-controlled studies.
Case Report of an Urgent Determination of Malignant Hyperthermia Status of a 24-Week Pregnant Patient Requiring Intrauterine Fetal Surgery
Authors: Tischer Maria D. , Berman David J. , Michaelson Luke , Tracy Erin A. , Bridwell Rachel E. , Curell Angela M.
Published: December 2024

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a potentially fatal disorder triggered by volatile anesthetics or succinylcholine, inducing a hypermetabolic crisis in susceptible patients. The caffeine-halothane contracture test (CHCT) remains a gold standard for MH detection. The authors describe a pregnant patient with a history of exertional rhabdomyolysis, who required urgent MH screening for administration of MH-triggering anesthetics. This anesthetic plan allowed for an in utero myelomeningocele repair for a 24-week-old fetus. A multi-institutional team coordinated the urgent CHCT and repair with a favorable outcome.
Petting the Rabbit: The Favourite (2018), Anti-heritage, and the Search for Lesbians in the Past
Authors: Myers Jacob
Published: December 2024

Yorgos Lanthimos's The Favourite (Ireland/UK/US, 2018) centers Queen Anne's torturous relationship with two women administrators, seeming to promise clarity about the monarch's sexual history. Instead, the film obliquely addresses British state history while the camera's gaze focuses on the queen's fictional rabbits. Gradually, these animals overwhelm the film's narrative, turning the cinematic image into an undulating, grey morass. This essay meditates on why The Favourite endlessly reproduces the rabbits’ image and expands on how searching for lesbians in the past on film can mystify historical meaning. This article argues The Favourite constitutes an anti-heritage film, a film that uses heritage film's own generic dictates to unwrite history. Bringing together the film's reception, Queen Anne's historiography, and theories of sexual/cinematic reproduction, this essay outlines how rabbit proliferation at the site of lesbian desire subverts the heritage film's impulse to render the past into historical narrative. The film deploys visual copies of woman and rabbit that enliven residual anxieties about ungovernable feminine sexuality. In doing so, it marks the limits of the archive and encourages finding present life from outside the images proposed by national history.
Archaeological Narrative; or, Nostalgic Fascination with the Obsolete in the South Korean TV Drama Reply 1988
Authors: Kang Kyoung-Lae
Published: December 2024

This article considers how a Korean television drama, Reply 1988 (tvN, 2015–16), functions as a form of public archaeology through its on-screen display of obsolete TV sets and televisual footage, treating television as a historical medium to illuminate the lives of those whom television has influenced since the 1980s. Reply 1988 also extends this recollected medium into emerging hypermedia and intertextual contexts, enabled primarily through contemporary digital technology. Viewers therefore find themselves in a puzzle-like structure—a temporal doubling. This raises questions about television's development in today's rapidly changing media environment. This article examines Reply 1988 as an archaeological narrative to seek to understand the show's response to cultural crises playing out in today's post-network, post-media era, casting new light on television's ethical role in generating communal values and informing an inquiry into the human condition in the contemporary moment.
Surviving the Reset: Speedrunning Spyro, Trans Mundanity, and Playing in the Impasse
Authors: Schmalzer Madison
Published: December 2024

This article explores the relationship between everyday life and play, focusing on the mundane play practices of speedrunning. Employing autoethnographic techniques, the author analyzes her own experiences speedrunning and transitioning as case studies, drawing out the temporalities and affective dimensions of both, as well as the ways media practices and subjectivity become intertwined. To be specific, the article examines the experience of living in the impasse, which is brought on by temporal engagements, such as the reset and the grind, with videogames. Living in the impasse is characterized by prolonged waiting periods inherent to both trans life and videogame play and gives rise to negative affects like boredom, frustration, and pain. Ultimately, the author argues that these negative affects become enfolded into identity and serve as trans tools of survival.
Trends and Outcomes in Pituitary Apoplexy Management: A Spanish Observational Multicenter Study
Authors: Biagetti Betina , Cordero Asanza Esteban , García-Feijoo Pablo , Araujo-Castro Marta , Rodríguez Berrocal Víctor , Serra Guillermo , Guerrero-Pérez Fernando , Cámara Rosa , Lamas Cristina , Ollero García M Dolores , Vicente Almudena , Irigaray Echarri Ana , Villar-Taibo Rocío , Moure Rodríguez María Dolores , Pérez-López Carlos , González-Molero Inmaculada , Sánchez Ramírez María Noelia , Gutiérrez Hurtado Alba , Capristan-Díaz Vanessa , Simó-Servat Andreu , Gallach Marta , Safont Pérez Eva , González Rosa Victoria , Civantos Soralla , Martinez-Saez Elena , García-Arabehety Julia , Menéndez Torre Edelmiro , Aulinas Anna , Iglesias Pedro , Díez Juan J. , Bernabéu Ignacio , Álvarez-Escolá Cristina , Puig-Domingo Manel ,   On behalf of Neuroendocrinology Area of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology
Published: December 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Currently, the management for pituitary apoplexy (PA) has been promoted toward a more conservative approach, particularly for patients with low-grade PA scores. Our aim was to investigate trends in PA management and compare clinical presentation, therapeutic approaches, and outcomes before and after 2017, additionally to evaluate long-term outcomes in conservatively treated patients.

METHODS:

Spanish multicenter, retrospective study. Statistical analyses compared clinical presentation and outcomes between periods, adjusting for confounders.

RESULTS:

A total of 215 patients with PA and nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma were included, with the median age of 62.2 years and 68.4% were male patients. Of which 94 (43.7%) were diagnosed before 2017 and 121 (56.3%) in 2017 or later. Conservative treatment increased from 17% before to 30.6% in the recent period (odd ratio 0.47, 95% CI 0.24-0.90, P 0.02) This trend remained significant after adjusting for hospital, age, and Knosp grade (odd ratio 0.46, 95% CI 0.22-0.89, P = .03). However, surgery remained the most frequently used therapeutic option in both periods. There were no statistically significant differences in outcomes at 3 months between periods. Surgery compared with conservative management was associated with higher permanent arginine vasopressin deficiency in both periods (0 vs 17.9%, P = .07 before 2017; 0 vs 16.7%, P = .01 after). Up to 89.7% of patients treated conservatively, presented more than 25% spontaneous tumor shrinkage, and 74.4% had more than 50% tumor reduction.

CONCLUSION:

Although conservative management increased in the last years, surgery remains the predominant option. Patients managed conservatively experience a lower risk of permanent arginine vasopressin deficiency, and a high proportion exhibit clinically significant tumor shrinkage over time.
High tree host diversity buffers the effect of Fraxinus excelsior dieback on epiphytic bryophytes composition in the Białowieża Primeval Forest
Authors: Wierzcholska Sylwia , Czortek Patryk , Eycott Amy Elizabeth , Høistad-Schei Fride , Grytnes John-Arvid , Jaroszewicz Bogdan
Published: December 2024

Invasions are one of main drivers transforming the functions of forest ecosystems. The invasion of alien fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is still reducing the abundance of Fraxinus excelsior throughout temperate Europe. F. excelsior is a tree species belonging to the group of foundation species for numerous epiphytic species. We studied the effects of F. excelsior decline on epiphytic bryophytes in the Białowieża Primeval Forest. In this forest human interference is limited, allowing us to register the natural dynamics of ash-dependent bryophyte communities. F. excelsior decline was discovered in the Białowieża Primeval Forest in 1998, and in 2016 we resurveyed a historical survey of epiphytic bryophytes, i.e. shortly before the dieback process started. Using ordination methods and mixed-effect models we assessed shifts in epiphyte bryophytes composition over time and amongst the plots with (i) historical and recent presence of F. excelsior, (ii) with recent extinction of F. excelsior, and (iii) absence of F. excelsior both historically and recently, as well as at the level of alternative tree hosts employing the paired Mann-Whitney and t-tests. F. excelsior dieback did not influence the species composition of bryophytes associated with this tree host. Despite the drastic reduction in living F. excelsior trees (85%), overall the species composition, species richness and Shannon index of F. excelsior-dwelling bryophytes did not shift significantly between two sampling periods. Similarly weak changes over time we reported for the bryophytes’ community weighted means of ecological indicator values. Equally subtle temporal shifts in epiphytes’ biodiversity were observed amongst the plots with the presence, absence, and extinction of ash, likely due to the relatively high diversity of available alternative hosts. F. excelsior-associated epiphytic bryophytes were able to exploit other niches in the microhabitat-heterogeneous Białowieża Forest ecosystem, and thus far have not suffered a reduction in biodiversity parameters at the scale of our survey. High diversity of alternative host tree species, with particular emphasis on the occurrence of pioneer trees (i.e. B. pendula and P. tremula), may maintain the epiphytic bryophyte communities, which themselves may be able to act as a source for the recovery of F. excelsior-affiliated epiphyte populations.
Cinéma, société et politique
Authors: Σπυροπούλου Αδαμαντία
Published: December 2024

Η παρούσα διατριβή αναδεικνύει την πολιτικοποίηση της τέχνης, διερευνώντας τη σχέση τέχνης και πολιτικής όπως αυτή εκδηλώνεται σε τρεις πολιτικές ταινίες του Κώστα Γαβρά, η παραγωγή και η πρόσληψη των οποίων στη Γαλλία συνέπεσε με την περίοδο μετά το Μάη του 68: Z, Η Ομολογία, Κατάσταση Πολιορκίας. Η έρευνα αυτή στοχεύει να αναδείξει τους κοινωνικούς μηχανισμούς που βρίσκονται στη βάση της πολιτικοποίησης του κινηματογράφου τη χρονική αυτή περίοδο στη Γαλλία, εξετάζοντας την κοινωνική διαδρομή αυτών των ταινιών, από τη δημιουργία τους έως την πρόσληψή τους. Η πρόσληψη των ταινιών από τον γενικό και εξειδικευμένο στον κινηματογράφο Τύπο, δημιουργεί ένα πεδίο ορισμών που ανέδειξαν την πολιτικοποίηση της μυθοπλασίας. Επέρχεται μια αλλαγή στα κριτήρια που χρησιμοποιούνται στην κριτική κινηματογράφου και δημιουργείται ένας τόπος συζήτησης για τον ορισμό του τι είναι πολιτικό στον κινηματογράφο. Η μεθοδολογία που εφαρμόζεται συνδυάζει την φιλμική ανάλυση, την έρευνα στα αρχεία της Γαλλικής ταινιοθήκης και του γαλλικού Εθνικού Ινστιτούτου οπτικοακουστικών μέσων, την συγκριτική ανάλυση σεναρίων και την πραγματοποίηση πρωτότυπων συνεντεύξεων με τον σκηνοθέτη. Τέλος, γίνεται μια συγκριτική μελέτη της κριτικής από τον γαλλικό Τύπο με την κριτική στις χώρες όπου διαδραματίστηκαν τα γεγονότα στα οποία βασίζονται οι ταινίες (Ελλάδα, Τσεχοσλοβακία, Ουρουγουάη). Τέλος, αυτή η μελέτη στοχεύει να κατανοήσει πώς καθιερώθηκε από τον Τύπο μια εμπειρική κατηγορία πρόσληψης -αυτή του «Πολιτικού Κινηματογράφου»- η οποία οδήγησε μεταγενέσετρα στη κατηγορία της «Πολιτικής Μυθοπλασίας» ως θεωρητικής σύλληψης ενός κινηματογραφικού είδους, του οποίου η ταινία του Κώστα-Γαβρά, Ζ, θεωρείται η αφετηρία στον γαλλικό κινηματογράφο.
Control algorithms and implementation for variable speed stall regulated wind turbines
Authors: Μπουρλής Δημήτριος
Published: December 2024

Σε αυτή την έρευνα παρουσιάζονται αλγόριθμοι ελέγχου και υλοποίησή τους για ανεμογεννήτριες μεταβλητής ταχύτητας και ρυθμιζόμενης απώλειας στήριξης. Αυτός ο τύπος ανεμογεννήτριας έχει απλούστερη και πιο στιβαρή κατασκευή και μπορεί να έχει χαμηλότερες απαιτήσεις για συντήρηση από τις υπάρχουσες ανεμογεννήτριες ρυθμιζόμενης γωνίας κλίσης πτερυγίων. Λόγω αυτών των χαρακτηριστικών, αυτές οι ανεμογεννήτριες μπορεί να έχουν μειωμένο κόστος, το οποίο είναι μία κρίσιμη παράμετρος ειδικά για ανεμογεννήτριες μεγάλης κλίμακας. Ωστόσο, αυτό το είδος δεν είναι ακόμα εμπορικά διαθέσιμο λόγω των υφιστάμενων προκλήσεων στον έλεγχό τους. Σε αυτή την έρευνα έχει αναπτυχθεί ένα πλήρες σχήμα ελέγχου για ανεμογεννήτριες μεταβλητής ταχύτητας και ρυθμιζόμενης απώλειας στήριξης και έχει υλοποιηθεί σε έναν πλήρως δυναμικό προσομοιωτή ανεμογεννητριών μεταβλητής ταχύτητας με υλικό σε κλειστό βρόχο (hardware-in-loop). Ο προσομοιωτής αναπτύχθηκε ως μέρος του έργου με σκοπό την επικύρωση των αλγορίθμων ελέγχου, οι οποίοι σχεδιάστηκαν. Το σύστημα ελέγχου, το οποίο έχει αναπτυχθεί, χρησιμοποιεί νέες προσαρμοστικές μεθόδους, προκειμένου να μεγιστοποιήσει την παραγωγή ενέργειας των ανεμογεννητριών σε χαμηλότερες από την ονομαστική, ταχύτητες ανέμου καθώς επίσης και να έλεγξει την ισχύ της ανεμογεννήτριας σε υψηλότερες από την ονομαστική, ταχύτητες ανέμου. Επιπλέον, διάφοροι τύποι ελεγκτών, συμπεριλαμβανομένων σθεναρών ελεγκτών, έχουν χρησιμοποιηθεί και δοκιμαστεί, με αποτέλεσμα την δημιουργία καινοτόμων λύσεων ελέγχου για ανεμογεννήτριες μεταβλητής ταχύτητας και ρυθμιζόμενης απώλειας στήριξης. Το κύριο πλεονέκτημα της προτεινόμενης μεθόδου ελέγχου είναι ότι χρησιμοποιεί υπάρχον υλικό χωρίς να απαιτεί πρόσθετους αισθητήρες, οπότε εκμεταλλεύεται πιο αποτελεσματικά τις πληροφορίες που προέρχονται από μετρήσεις που είναι διαθέσιμες στους υπάρχοντες μετατροπείς των ανεμογεννητριών. Μέσω προσομοιώσεων λογισμικού και υλικού οι προτεινόμενοι αλγόριθμοι ελέγχου φαίνονται πολλά υποσχόμενοι και παρέχουν εμπιστοσύνη όσο αφορά τη μελλοντική ανάπτυξη των ανεμογεννητριών μεταβλητής ταχύτητας και ρυθμιζόμενης απώλειας στήριξης.
Social and economic aspects of aging population
Authors: Χουντή Μαρία
Published: December 2024

Το θέμα της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας επικεντρώνεται σε τρία διαφορετικά θέματα τα οποία συνδέονται στενά με την οικονομία της υγείας. Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή αποτελείται από τρία κεφάλαια και σε κάθε κεφάλαιο, υπάρχουν ορισμένα ερευνητικά ερωτήματα που διερευνώνται. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο εξετάζουμε τη γήρανση των ηλικιωμένων και επιπλέον επικεντρωνόμαστε στην περίπλοκη κλινική κατάσταση, το σύνδρομο της ευθραυστότητας. Η ευθραυστότητα προκαλεί μεγάλη ευπάθεια στους ηλικιωμένους καθώς έχει συσχετιστεί με πολλές δυσμενείς επιπτώσεις στην υγεία. Επιπλέον, επηρεάζει πολλές πτυχές της ζωής και έχει μεγάλο αντίκτυπο στην ποιότητα της υγείας. Οι κοινωνικοί, οικονομικοί και υγειονομικοί παράγοντες παίζουν καθοριστικό ρόλο στη συσχέτιση με την ευθραυστότητα. Στόχος του παρόντος κεφαλαίου είναι η διερεύνηση του επιπέδου ευθραυστότητας και των πιθανών καθοριστικών παραγόντων στον ελληνικό πληθυσμό ηλικίας άνω των 65 ετών με τη χρήση ενός εκτενούς ερωτηματολογίου και τη συλλογή κοινωνικών και δημογραφικών δεδομένων. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο εξετάζουμε τις άμεσες προσωπικές δαπάνες και τις ανισότητες που εμφανίζονται μεταξύ των χωρών του ΟΟΣΑ. Η εισοδηματική ανισότητα παίζει καθοριστικό ρόλο στη διανομή των υπηρεσιών υγειονομικής περίθαλψης καθώς και στην ποιότητα του επιπέδου υγείας των ατόμων. Το ποσοστό του ηλικιωμένου πληθυσμού τείνει να αυξάνεται και έτσι η ανάγκη για υπηρεσίες υγείας παρουσιάζει αυξανόμενο ρυθμό. Στόχος του παρόντος κεφαλαίου είναι να διερευνήσει τη σχέση μεταξύ των άμεσων προσωπικών δαπανών και της εισοδηματικής ανισότητας. Η πηγή των δεδομένων προέρχεται από την Τυποποιημένη Βάση Δεδομένων Ανισότητας του Παγκόσμιου Εισοδήματος και τους Δείκτες Ανάπτυξης της Παγκόσμιας Τράπεζας. Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο εξετάζουμε τον κεντρικό ρόλο της εμπιστοσύνης και των αυτοαξιολογημένων δεικτών για την υγεία και την ικανοποίηση από τη ζωή που διαμορφώνονται στα κοινωνικά δίκτυα των κοινοτήτων. Η κοινωνική υποστήριξη μπορεί να επηρεάσει θετικά τους ηλικιωμένους τόσο στη σωματική όσο και στην ψυχική τους υγεία. Οι κοινωνικές αλληλεπιδράσεις που προκύπτουν εντός μίας ενεργής κοινότητας φαίνεται να επηρεάζουν την υγεία και την ικανοποίηση των ηλικιωμένων. Η πηγή των δεδομένων προέρχεται από την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινωνική Έρευνα όπου αξιοποιήσαμε δεδομένα σε ατομικό επίπεδο σε όλες τις ευρωπαϊκές χώρες σχετικά με την αντιληπτή υγεία, την ικανοποίηση από τη ζωή, την εμπιστοσύνη και το ενδιαφέρον.
Phantom pain - etiopathogenesis and treatment methods
Authors: Olszak Joanna , Zalewa Karolina , Bartoszek Lidia , Orłowska Dominika , Kapłan Wojciech , Poleszczuk Mikołaj , Czuba Anna , Poleszczuk Karol , Milewska Alicja
Published: December 2024

Introduction and Purpose  
Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a complex and multifactorial phenomenon that arises following limb amputation, affecting a significant number of patients. This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of PLP, assess current treatment strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of various therapeutic interventions, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. 
Material and Methods  
A comprehensive literature review was conducted using the PubMed database, focusing on articles published up to the end of 2023. The search included the keywords: "amputation", "mirror therapy", "pain", "phantom limb", "amputation-induced pain", "chronic pain" in various combinations. Relevant studies were selected based on criteria such as the etiopathogenesis of phantom pain and its treatment methods.  
Results  
The findings indicate that PLP is associated with both peripheral and central nervous system changes, influenced by individual risk factors such as genetics and psychological state. Therapeutic interventions such as mirror therapy, graded motor imagery, and neuromodulation have shown promise in alleviating symptoms, although the evidence for their effectiveness remains variable. The implementation of a multidisciplinary approach significantly improves outcomes in managing PLP. 
Conclusions  
Effective management of phantom limb pain requires a comprehensive understanding of its etiology and a tailored treatment strategy that incorporates both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods. Future research should focus on establishing robust clinical protocols and long-term efficacy studies to enhance the quality of life for individuals suffering from PLP.
FKBP5 gene - current knowledge, new approach and possible biomarker function: a narrative review
Authors: Solisch Sven , Boczar Agata , Dryja Patryk , Solisch Bianka , Jarmołowicz Jakub
Published: December 2024

Introduction 
Over the past few decades, the level of interest in the use of complex molecular pathways in the course of various diseases has increased significantly. Despite the rapid development of medicine, the potential and role of FKBP5 as a biomarker has not yet been fully characterized, although current studies are promising.
 
Material and methods of research: The literature included in the PubMed databases is searched through the words such as FKBP5 gene, stress-related disorders, biomarkers.
 
Aim of the study 
The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge regarding the characteristics, current use in diagnosis or treatment of various diseases and to determine the possible function of the biomarker for the FKBP5 gene.
 
Description of the state of knowledge
FKBP5 participates in the regulation of the HPA axis and thus in the stress response. This translates into the course of many diseases, but the exact mechanism of action has not been unequivocally confirmed in previous studies on all conditions involving FKBP5.
 
Conclusions
In general, FKBP5 has a huge diagnostic and therapeutic potential in many disease entities. FKBP5 may act as a biomarker. However, further studies are needed to clarify the current observations and to search for further implications in the pathogenesis or diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the course of various diseases.
Władysław Semkowicz jako twórca nowoczesnych nauk pomocniczych historii. Refleksje w siedemdziesiątą piątą rocznicę śmierci
Authors: Piech Zenon
Published: December 2024

Władysław Semkowicz (1878–1949) był najwybitniejszym polskim badaczem nauk pomocniczych historii, autorem skryptu-podręcznika Encyklopedia nauk pomocniczych historii, określającym polski kanon tych dyscyplin. Był organizatorem systematycznych badań, zwłaszcza w zakresie genealogii średniowiecznych rodów rycerskich w Polsce i na Litwie, geografii historycznej, Atlasu Historycznego Polski, dyplomatyki, paleografii i nowoczesnego edytorstwa źródeł. Wykształcił liczne grono badaczy nauk pomocniczych historii, a z Katedry i Gabinetu Nauk Pomocniczych Historii UJ uczynił centrum badań.
The Language Contestations and Complexities at a South African Higher Education Institution: Students’ Perspectives
Authors: Sibanda Brian , Joubert Michelle
Published: December 2024

This article examines the complex discourse around language at one South African higher education institution, viewing it through the experiences of students, and drawing connections to the seminal 1962 Makerere conference. The noted exchange at Makerere between literary giants, Chinua Achebe and Ngugi wa Thiong’o who debated the merits of colonial versus native languages, remains pertinent to the ongoing discussions about decolonisation and the creation of knowledge in academic circles, especially within the Global South. Adopting a qualitative research approach with the use of focus groups, the article investigates student perspectives on the sensitive subject of language use in academia at the University of the Free State in South Africa, emphasising the roles of both English and Indigenous languages in education. Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, and more specifically linguistic habitus, provided the framework to interpret student responses to questions about language decolonisation. The framework was also used to explore students’ thoughts on how social structures and historical contexts shape their views concerning the adoption of local languages in higher education. The study underscores the significance of incorporating local languages into academic realms while also recognising the ambivalent nature of English as both a facilitator and barrier to learning. Centring student views, the study advances the discourse on multilingualism in higher education, pushing for a balanced perspective that acknowledges linguistic diversity and confronts dominant hegemonic language norms. Furthermore, it advocates for higher education institutions to develop inclusive language practices that enhance linguistic justice. In the results and discussion section, student views on the advantageous aspects of English are articulated, noting its utility; students’ views of the significance of their native languages in the pedagogic space are also explored. This dynamic between English and Indigenous languages underlines the persistent challenges in the debate over language and decolonisation in higher education. Lastly, the article emphasises the need to delicately handle the intricacies of linguistic choices in academia, balancing the functional benefits of English with the cultural and educational value of Indigenous languages. By elevating the experiences and viewpoints of students, the research contributes to evolving language policies that are both inclusive and just, and it supports the advancement of a genuinely multilingual academic world.
The Papal Tiara in Sacred Historiography
Authors: Pattenden Miles
Published: December 2024

Abstract: This article sets out historiographical engagement with the papal tiara since the late sixteenth century, examining the range of questions asked about the object and the motivations behind them. Early modern Catholic writers developed a consistent line of inquiry into the tiara based on an evolving agenda to affirm the pope’s majesty. More recent scholars, though motivated by very different concerns, have nevertheless retained many of their lines of questioning. Indifference to practical questions about exactly how the tiara was used as a ceremonial object has sometimes been a feature of this discourse. However, contemporary discussion of the tiara’s medieval origins now integrates it. The oddity that tiaras have still been produced for late twentieth- and twenty-first century popes needs to be included in the story told.
Georgia and Crusaders: Political and Military Alliance
Authors: Tinikashvili David
Published: December 2024

Abstract: Between the crusaders and the Georgians, there were political, military, diplomatic, religious, and social ties. They were reasonably bound by anti-Muslim and (sometimes, anti-Byzantine) solidarity. For instance, the Georgian chronicler associates the success of the First Crusade in Palestine with the strengthening of Georgia. According to Latin and Armenian chroniclers, during one of the prominent wars (at Didgori), where Christian Georgians fought against Muslims, a small crusader detachment assisted the Georgian warriors. The insignia sent to the Latin king, Baldwin I, by King David the Builder should be seen not only as a gesture of diplomatic etiquette, but also as a sign of military cooperation. It is also recognized that King David participated in the liberation of the crusader leaders who were captured by Muslims. It is crucial to note that this kind of military cooperation was not one-sided, as Georgians also assisted the crusaders during the First Crusade, according to Georgian and foreign sources. Other Georgian kings also expressed a strong desire to help the crusaders. For instance, the King Lasha-Giorgi even sent his ambassadors from Georgia to Damietta to negotiate with Cardinal Pelagius. Unfortunately, the Mongols attacked Georgia soon after, which is the reason this military cooperation with the crusaders could not come to fruition. In short, based on the review of the appropriate sources, it can be said with certainty that there was a great willingness from the Georgians to form a military alliance with the crusaders. This alliance was implemented occasionally, although naturally, in all cases, the fulfillment of this desire seemed impractical due to the scarcity of available (naval or nautical) routes. Precisely because of this fact, joint and coordinated systematic military operations were impossible. However, it is evident that there were close ties between the crusaders and the Georgians, and there was an intense rate of information exchange between them.
From a Suspected Reformer to the Suspicion of the Reform: The Enigmatic Case of Henri de Lubac
Authors: Alvarez Carlos
Published: December 2024

Abstract: This contribution explores Henri de Lubac’s changing relationship with the papacy and its magisterial role. The mutation of his relationship with the different popes with whom he interacted illustrates the tense, problematic, and necessary link between Jesuit theologians and the hierarchy of the Church. Lubac’s contrasting relationship with the papacy can be explained, on the one hand, by his quest, and that of other theologians of his generation, for an aggiornamento of the Church in a context marked by the aftermath of the modernist crisis and, on the other hand, by the theological and ecclesiological debates that arose from the reception of the Second Vatican Council.
The International Eucharistic Congress in Chicago (1926): Perceptions from the Vatican and Italian Catholics
Authors: Ceci Lucia
Published: December 2024

Abstract: The Twenty-Eighth International Eucharistic Congress (Chicago, June 20–24, 1926) was an unprecedented celebration: hundreds of thousands of participants from thirty-seven nations attended, and about six hundred journalists covered the event. Such an impressive outcome was far from guaranteed, considering the predominantly Protestant population in the US, the lack of diplomatic relations between the US and the Holy See, and the significant doctrinal differences between Catholics and Protestant churches regarding the Eucharist. The Congress, along with the organizational effort that made it possible, greatly impressed Pope Pius XI, his representatives, and the Italian Catholic hierarchy. Drawing on Vatican archives and published documents to reconstruct the organization and development of the Congress, this article sheds light on how the Vatican and Italian Catholic hierarchy perceived American society’s ability to conceive and execute a religious event of unprecedented proportions. This reconstruction also helps to illuminate the broader European fascination and anxiety toward the vision of the future emerging in American society and presented to the Old World after the Great War.
To Err on the Side of Beauty: On Translating and Mistranslating " YOẒI " and " KOFIN OTO L'HOẒI " in B. Yevamot 44a-b
Authors: Sharon Avinoam
Published: December 2024

Abstract: B. Yevamot 44b presents an unusual baraita that is internally incoherent and that contradicts the mishna on b. Yevamot 44a that it is intended to support. The incoherence and contradiction are the result of a difference in the meanings of the facially similar terms "yoẓi" and "kofin 'oto lehoẓi" that appear as parallels in the mishna and the baraita. This article argues that the baraita is likely a redacted version of the parallel tosefta, which was edited in order to achieve structural harmony with the mishna. The false symmetry that resulted from the difference in the meanings of the seemingly equivalent terms posed a dilemma for translators who were left with the unenviable choice of preserving the esthetic symmetry by incorrectly translating the mishna or unnecessarily emending the baraita, or of accurately translating the mishna and preserving the mistake in the baraita while sacrificing the esthetic choice of the author.
An Inquiry Into Ibn Sahl's Love Poetry: "Moses" as Literal and Allegorical Figure
Authors: Tarabieh Abdallah
Published: December 2024

Abstract: The present study analyzes the love poetry composed in Arabic by the Jewish convert to Islam Ibrāhīm Ibn Sahl al-Isrāʾīlī al-Ishbīlī (1211–1251). Ibn Sahl is considered unique among poets in the Andalusian period. He wrote his poetry in fluent Arabic and was very familiar with the use of Arabic themes and expressions, yet his verses contain allegorical allusions and utterances that hint at a yearning for his Jewish origins and for Hebrew. The discussion will focus on the meanings of Ibn Sahl's love poems, both literal and allegorical, especially the poems devoted to the figure of "Moses" and the various meanings that can be attached to it. A significant question that Ibn Sahl's love poems raise is how to understand the status of the beloved figure of "Moses" ('Mūsā'): Is the poet referring to the Moses the prophet, who serves as a mask behind which Ibn Sahl can express his yearning for the Jewish faith into which he was born, or is his intention to express his ardent love for "Moses", hidden behind a ṣūfī mask, in an imitation of the ṣūfī poets whom he encountered in Andalusia? Another important question is whether Ibn Sahl's use of ṣūfī terminology was a result of his contacts with ṣūfī scholars, headed by the mystic philosopher Muḥyi al-Dīn Ibn ʿArabī (1165–1240), a native of Murcia and author of Turjumān al-ashwāq ('Interpreter of Desires'). The present study will attempt to answer these questions.
"There Is No Justice": Predatory Relations and Financial Scams in an Asian Megacity
Authors: Lee Doreen
Published: December 2024

Abstract: This paper explores the relational contours of financial fraud and economic vulnerability in Jakarta's new economy. By focusing on the experiences of the disillusioned and the disenfranchised across a range of class backgrounds, I show how money and mobility and crime and capitalism intersect in a dense urban environment. Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, is considered the infrastructural and economic laboratory for Indonesia's new economy. As e-commerce and fintech alter consumption patterns and shape urban entrepreneurial and lifestyle aspirations for millions of Indonesians, the risks and advantages associated with increased financialization have had a profound impact on ordinary citizens. Indonesians are increasingly drawn into everyday, data-rich transactions that habituate and concretize the practice of speculative consumption and interactions with strangers in the city. While the state celebrates the outward rise of financial inclusion, the financialization of everyday life has also produced victims of financial fraud and deceit, in particular through predatory scams (modus) that rely on legal and regulatory gaps and intimate knowledge of others to succeed. This paper probes the social conditions that enable fraud and its extralegal resolutions, emphasizing the destabilizing, extraordinary experiences of urban citizens who see no justice for the ways they have been conscripted into a dangerous new economy.
Deconstruction and Ethnographic Apprehension
Authors: Small Ivan V.
Published: December 2024

Abstract: The following reflection piece considers the influence of Jim Siegel's deconstructive approach to anthropology, particularly the potentials for classic textual re-readings and ethnographic openness for apprehending analytical possibilities beyond interpretive approaches that seek to explain and frame. I consider this in the context of fieldwork conducted in Vietnam involving affective remittance gift exchanges and circulations between former refugee diasporas and homeland kin networks.