bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Need for operational simplicity and timely disbursal of benefits—a qualitative exploration of the implementation of a direct benefit transfer scheme for persons with tuberculosis in India
Authors: Mohan Malu , Thangaraj Jeromie W. V. , Pandey Sumit , Sri Lakshmi Priya G. , Arunachalam Sivavallinathan , Sharma Rahul , Shewade Hemant Deepak , Aishwarya B. , Afeeq K. , Khatoon Afsana , Gokulvijay B. , Sireesha Gude , Chandra Kavita , Nandhakumar S. , Samuel Prince , Nanditha Viswanathan C. , Shanmugasundaram Devika , Rao Raghuram , Murhekar Manoj V. , Jeyashree Kathiresan
Published: May 2024

Background

Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) is a direct benefit transfer scheme of the Government of India introduced in 2018 to support the additional nutritional requirements of persons with TB (PwTB). Our recent nationwide evaluation of implementation and utilization of NPY using programmatic data of PwTB from nine randomly selected Indian states, reported a 70% coverage and high median delay in benefit credit. We undertook a qualitative study between January and July 2023, to understand the detailed implementation process of NPY and explore the enablers and barriers to effective implementation and utilization of the NPY scheme.

Methods

We followed a grounded theory approach to inductively develop theoretical explanations for social phenomena through data generated from multiple sources. We conducted 36 in-depth interviews of national, district and field-level staff of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) and NPY beneficiaries from 30 districts across nine states of India, selected using theoretical sampling. An analytical framework developed through inductive coding of a set of six interviews, guided the coding of the subsequent interviews. Categories and themes emerged through constant comparison and the data collection continued until theoretical saturation.

Results

Stakeholders perceived NPY as a beneficial initiative. Strong political commitment from the state administration, mainstreaming of NTEP work with the district public healthcare delivery system, availability of good geographic and internet connectivity and state-specific grievance redressal mechanisms and innovations were identified as enablers of implementation. However, the complex, multi-level benefit approval process, difficulties in accessing banking services, perceived inadequacy of benefits and overworked human resources in the NTEP were identified as barriers to implementation and utilization.

Conclusion

The optimal utilization of NPY is enabled by strong political commitment and challenged by its lengthy implementation process and delayed disbursal of benefits. We recommend greater operational simplicity in NPY implementation, integrating NTEP activities with the public health system to reduce the burden on the program staff, and revising the benefit amount more equitably.
Physical exercise and college students’ sense of meaning in life: Chain mediating effect test
Authors: Zhao Hongbo , Yin Xue
Published: May 2024

Background

To explore the impact mechanism of physical exercise on the sense of meaning in life of college students, and analyze the chain mediating effect between self-concept and self-control.

Methods

A questionnaire survey was conducted on 923 college students in China using the Physical Exercise Rating Scale (PARS-3), Life Meaning Scale, Self Concept Scale, and Self Control Scale.

Results

(1) Physical exercise, self-concept, self-control and sense of meaning in life are significantly related to each other; (2) Self-concept and self-control play a chain mediating role between physical exercise and college students’ sense of meaning in life, with an effect value of 0.042, accounting for 5.48% of the total effect.

Conclusion

Physical exercise can directly enhance the sense of meaning in life of college students, and can also indirectly enhance it not only through the mediating effect of self-concept and self-control, but also through the chain mediating effect of the two. These results provide theoretical reference for college students to improve their sense of life meaning and mental health education.
A novel inorganic phosphate-based adhesive for bonding archaeological pottery: a preliminary exploration
Authors: Xie Lina , Li Yuhu , Hu Wenjing , Fang Shiqiang , Chen Xue-Qiang
Published: May 2024

Damage and fracture of archaeological potteries not only jeopardize the long-term preservation but also hinder their exhibition. To repair these pottery sherds effectively, this study introduces a novel inorganic phosphate-based adhesive and evaluates its effectiveness through a series of experiments. To determine the optimal base adhesive, the paper investigates the influence of varying weight ratios of the H2O–H3PO4 system and the Al(OH)3–H3PO4 system on properties including tensile lap-shear strength, microstructure, high-temperature resistance and phase composition. However, the original black color of the traditional CuO–phosphate adhesive limits its application. The innovation of this study lies in the addition of nano-TiO2 to the adhesive, which not only improves the bonding strength but also adjusts the color of the adhesive. This study has defined the optimal formulation (i.e., base adhesive = m[Al(OH)3]:m[H3PO4] = 7:100, filler = 10wt% nano-TiO2), and the final product shows no residual acid in adhesives. Additionally, the fracture surfaces are successfully bonded with a high strength of 3.56 MPa. Various ageing tests including dry-thermal ageing, hygrothermal ageing and UV irradiation ageing are conducted to assess the ageing resistance of the inorganic phosphate-based adhesive. The results indicate strong tolerance of adhesive to high temperature and high humidity environment. Preliminary applications in archaeological pottery restoration suggest that the inorganic phosphate-based adhesive offers considerable promise for repairing shattered pottery.

Graphical Abstract
Epidemiology and diagnosis of gout in sub-saharan Africa: a scoping review
Authors: Ismael Ayouba Tinni , Fulgence Kabore , Tchenadoyo Bayala Yannick Laurent , Nadège Yameogo Wendyam , Stéphanie Joelle Zabsonre/Tiendrebeogo Wendlassida , Aboubakar Ouedraogo , Enselme Zongo Yamyelle , Awa Traore , Marcellin Bonkoungou , Dieu-Donné Ouedraogo
Published: May 2024

Background

The episodic nature of gout and diagnostic uncertainty in the absence of microcrystal evidence make it particularly difficult to estimate the frequency of gout. Our aim was to review the literature on the epidemiological and diagnostic aspects of gout in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

This literature review was conducted using the MEDLINE database (via PUBMED), Google Scholar, and conference abstracts. The selection process was based on reading the titles first, then the abstracts, and then the full texts once the articles had been selected. Studies were included in this review if they presented original findings on the epidemiological and/or diagnostic aspects of gout in sub-Saharan Africa. Two groups of two investigators independently reviewed the studies. The results were analysed descriptively.

Results

The literature search identified 131 articles and 22 conference abstracts. Nineteen articles were included in our review. Twelve studies were retrospective, five were cross-sectional, one was prospective, and one was both retrospective and cross-sectional. The duration of the studies ranged from 1 to 15 years, and the sample size ranged from 15 to 511 patients, for a total of 2557 patients. Gout was quite common, with a maximum frequency of 11.87%. Fourteen articles diagnosed gout via criteria, including 9 studies totaling 1174 patients via the 1977 ACR criteria. Gout tophi were reported in 15 articles involving 464 patients. Of these studies, seven looked for monosodium urate crystals in 317 (43.85%) of 723 patients. Among the 317 patients, monosodium urate crystals were detected in 263 (82.97%) patients. Eleven studies reported mean uricemia values ranging from 452.09 µmol/L to 642.44 µmol/L, with a mean of 510.63 µmol/L.

Conclusions

This review revealed that all the studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa were intrahospital studies, and the majority were retrospective. Consequently, there is a clear need for population-based studies.
Quantifying the economic value of earlier and enhanced management of anorexia nervosa for adults in England, Germany and Spain: improving the care pathway
Authors: McDaid David , Treasure Janet , Fernández-Aranda Fernando , Herpertz-Dahlmann Beate , Quoidbach Vinciane , Dickson Suzanne , Gorwood Philip
Published: May 2024

Background

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious mental illness. One-third of people develop severe, enduring, illness, adversely impacting quality of life with high health system costs. This study assessed the economic case for enhanced care for adults newly diagnosed with AN.

Methods

A five-state 312-month-cycle Markov model assessed the economic impact of four enhanced care pathways for adults newly diagnosed with AN in England, Germany, and Spain. Enhancements were halving wait times for any outpatient care, receiving specialist outpatient treatment post-referral, additional transitional support post-referral, and all enhancements combined. Care pathways, estimates of impact, resource use, and costs were drawn from literature. Net monetary benefits (NMBs), impacts on health system costs, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted were estimated. Parameter uncertainty was addressed in multi-way sensitivity analyses. Costs are presented in 2020 purchasing power parity adjusted Euros.

Results

All four enhanced care pathways were superior to usual care, with the combined intervention scenario having the greatest NMBs of €248,575, €259,909, and €258,167 per adult in England, Germany, and Spain, respectively. This represented maximum NMB gains of 9.38% (€21,316), 4.3% (€10,722), and 4.66% (€11,491) in England, Germany and Spain compared to current care. Healthcare costs would reduce by more than 50%.

Conclusions

Early and effective treatment can change the trajectory of AN. Reducing the untreated duration of the disorder is crucial. There is a good economic case in different country contexts for measures to reduce waiting times between diagnosis and treatment and increase access to enhanced outpatient treatment.
Understanding symptom profiles of depression with the PHQ-9 in a community sample using network analysis
Authors: Núñez Catalina , Delgadillo Jaime , Barkham Michael , Behn Alex
Published: May 2024

Background

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions in the world. However, the heterogeneity of depression has presented obstacles for research concerning disease mechanisms, treatment indication, and personalization. The current study used network analysis to analyze and compare profiles of depressive symptoms present in community samples, considering the relationship between symptoms.

Methods

Cross-sectional measures of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire – 9 items (PHQ-9) were collected from community samples using data from participants scoring above a clinical threshold of ≥10 points (N = 2,023; 73.9% female; mean age 49.87, SD = 17.40). Data analysis followed three steps. First, a profiling algorithm was implemented to identify all possible symptom profiles by dichotomizing each PHQ-9 item. Second, the most prevalent symptom profiles were identified in the sample. Third, network analysis for the most prevalent symptom profiles was carried out to identify the centrality and covariance of symptoms.

Results

Of 382 theoretically possible depression profiles, only 167 were present in the sample. Furthermore, 55.6% of the symptom profiles present in the sample were represented by only eight profiles. Network analysis showed that the network and symptoms’ relationship varied across the profiles.

Conclusions

Findings indicate that the vast number of theoretical possible ways to meet the criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) is significantly reduced in empirical samples and that the most common profiles of symptoms have different networks and connectivity patterns. Scientific and clinical consequences of these findings are discussed in the context of the limitations of this study.
The Road Less Traveled: Perspective From an Australian Oncologist
Authors: Lim Stephanie Hui-Su
Published: May 2024

Diverse factors and beliefs define treatment decisions of culturally and linguistically diverse patients. Recognizing, understanding and respecting these enable us to walk with them on their cancer journey, even if it may be the road less traveled.
Retrospective Study of Claudin 18 Isoform 2 Prevalence and Prognostic Association in Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Waters Rebecca , Sewastjanow-Silva Matheus , Yamashita Kohei , Abdelhakeem Ahmed , Iwata Kenneth K. , Moran Diarmuid , Elsouda Dina , Guerrero Abraham , Pizzi Melissa , Vicentini Ernesto Rosa , Shanbhag Namita , Ta Anh , Chatterjee Deyali , Ajani Jaffer A.
Published: May 2024

PURPOSE

Claudin 18 isoform 2 (CLDN18.2) is an emerging biomarker and therapeutic target in gastric and gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to obtain deeper understanding of CLDN18.2 positivity patterns, prognostic implications, and associations with various demographic, clinical, and molecular characteristics in G/GEJ adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Archived tumor tissue samples from 304 patients with G/GEJ adenocarcinoma in the United States were assessed for CLDN18.2 positivity by immunohistochemistry. CLDN18.2 positivity was defined as ≥50% or ≥75% of tumor cells with CLDN18 staining intensity ≥2+. CLDN18.2 positivity patterns were analyzed for association with prognosis and clinicopathologic/demographic characteristics. Where possible, CLDN18.2 positivity was analyzed for matched tissue samples to assess concordance between primary and metastatic tumors and concordance before and after chemotherapy.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of CLDN18.2-positive tumors (with ≥75% cutoff) was 44.4% (n = 135 of 304). CLDN18.2-positive tumors had a prevalence of 51.4% (n = 91 of 177) in gastric and 34.6% (n = 44 of 127) in GEJ adenocarcinoma. With a ≥50% cutoff, the prevalence of CLDN18.2-positive tumors was 64.4% (n = 114 of 177) in gastric adenocarcinoma and 44.9% (n = 57 of 127) in GEJ adenocarcinoma. There was no association between overall survival and CLDN18.2 positivity using either threshold. Statistically significant associations were noted between CLDN18.2 positivity and sex, histologic type of G/GEJ adenocarcinoma, and adenocarcinoma subtype (≥75% cutoff), and metastasis site and tumor grade (≥50% cutoff). The overall concordance of CLDN18.2 positivity (≥75% cutoff) was 73% (27 of 37) for matched primary versus metastatic tumor samples and 74% (29 of 39) for matched samples before and after chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that CLDN18.2 positivity did not correlate with survival in G/GEJ adenocarcinoma, consistent with published data. On the basis of matched sample analysis, CLDN18.2 appears to demonstrate >70% concordance as a biomarker. Observed correlations with certain patient/tumor characteristics warrant further study.
Differential Tumor Gene Expression Profiling of Patients With Prostate Adenocarcinoma on the Basis of BMI
Authors: Mathew Thomas Vinay , Chigarira Beverly , Gebrael Georges , Sayegh Nicolas , Tripathi Nishita , Nussenzveig Roberto , Jo Yeonjung , Dal Emre , Galarza Fortuna Gliceida , Li Haoran , Sahu Kamal Kant , Srivastava Ayana , Maughan Benjamin L. , Agarwal Neeraj , Swami Umang
Published: May 2024

PURPOSE

An increased BMI is linked to increased prostate adenocarcinoma incidence and mortality. Baseline tumor gene expression profiling (GEP) can provide a comprehensive picture of the biological processes related to treatment response and disease progression. We interrogate and validate the underlying differences in tumor GEP on the basis of BMI in patients with prostate adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

The inclusion criteria consisted of histologically confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma and the availability of RNA sequencing data obtained from treatment-naïve primary prostate tissue. RNA sequencing was performed by a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments–certified laboratory (Tempus or Caris Life Sciences). The Tempus cohort was used for interrogation and the Caris cohort for validation. Patients were stratified on the basis of BMI at the time of prostate cancer diagnosis: BMI-high (BMIH; BMI ≥30) and BMI-low (BMIL; BMI <30). Differential gene expression analysis between the two cohorts was conducted using the DEseq2 pipeline. The resulting GEPs were further analyzed using Gene Set Enrichment software to identify pathways that exhibited enrichment in each cohort.

RESULTS

Overall, 102 patients were eligible, with 60 patients in the Tempus cohort (BMIL = 38, BMIH = 22) and 42 patients in the Caris cohort (BMIL = 24, BMIH = 18). Tumor tissues obtained from patients in the BMIL group exhibited higher expression of genes associated with inflammation pathways. BMIH displayed increased expression of genes involved in pathways such as heme metabolism and androgen response.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows the upregulation of distinct genomic pathways in BMIL compared with BMIH patients with prostate cancer. These hypothesis-generating data could explain different survival outcomes in both groups and guide personalized therapy for men with prostate cancer.
Dabrafenib for Pilocytic Astrocytoma With BRAF V599ins
Authors: Tanaka Ryuma , Mrachek Kelly , Arocho-Quinones Elsa , Carlberg Valerie M. , Smith Candice , Kurzrock Razelle , Deshmukh Tejaswini
Published: May 2024

This report highlights the first pediatric case of pilocytic astrocytoma with BRAF V599ins mutation, successfully treated with dabrafenib.
Germline Pathogenic Variants in Patients With Pancreatic and Periampullary Cancers
Authors: Ando Yohei , Dbouk Mohamad , Yoshida Takeichi , Abou Diwan Elizabeth , Saba Helena , Dbouk Ali , Yoshida Kanako , Roberts Nicholas J. , Klein Alison P. , Burkhart Richard , He Jin , Hruban Ralph H. , Goggins Michael
Published: May 2024

PURPOSE

Inherited cancer susceptibility is often not suspected in the absence of a significant cancer family history. Pathogenic germline variants in pancreatic cancer are well-studied, and routine genetic testing is recommended in the guidelines. However, data on rare periampullary cancers other than pancreatic cancer are insufficient. We compared the prevalence of germline susceptibility variants in patients with pancreatic cancer and nonpancreatic periampullary cancers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Six hundred and eight patients who had undergone pancreaticoduodenal resection at a tertiary referral hospital were studied, including 213 with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, 172 with ampullary cancer, 154 with distal common bile duct cancer, and 69 with duodenal adenocarcinoma. Twenty cancer susceptibility and candidate susceptibility genes were sequenced, and variant interpretation was assessed by interrogating ClinVar and PubMed.

RESULTS

Pathogenic or likely pathogenic, moderate- to high-penetrant germline variants were identified in 46 patients (7.7%), including a similar percentage of patients with pancreatic (8.5%) and nonpancreatic periampullary cancer (7.1%). Low-penetrant variants were identified in an additional 11 patients (1.8%). Eighty-nine percent of the moderate- to high-penetrant variants involved the major cancer susceptibility genes BRCA2, ATM, BRCA1, CDKN2A, MSH2/ MLH1, and PALB2; the remaining 11% involved other cancer susceptibility genes such as BRIP1, BAP1, and MSH6. Almost all pathogenic variant carriers had a family history of cancer.

CONCLUSION

Patients with pancreatic and nonpancreatic periampullary cancer have a similar prevalence of pathogenic cancer susceptibility variants. Germline susceptibility testing should be considered for patients with any periampullary cancer.
Quantum steering in a star network
Authors: Jiang Guangming , Wu Xiaohua , Zhou Tao
Published: May 2024

In this work, we will consider the star network scenario where the central party is trusted while all the edge parties (with a number of n) are untrusted. Network steering is defined with an n local hidden state model which can be viewed as a special kind of n local hidden variable model. Two different types of sufficient criteria, nonlinear steering inequality and linear steering inequality will be constructed to verify the quantum steering in a star network. Based on the linear steering inequality, how to detect the network steering with a fixed measurement will be discussed.
Phenylbutyrate Treatment in a Boy With MCT8 Deficiency: Improvement of Thyroid Function Tests and Possible Hepatotoxicity
Authors: Schreiner Felix , Vollbach Heike , Sonntag Niklas , Schempp Vera , Gohlke Bettina , Friese Johannes , Woelfle Joachim , Braun Doreen , Schweizer Ulrich
Published: May 2024

Context

Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) deficiency is a rare X-chromosomal inherited disease leading to severe cognitive impairment, muscular hypotonia, and symptoms of peripheral thyrotoxicosis. Experimental approaches aiming to functionally rescue mutant MCT8 activity by the chemical chaperone phenylbutyrate (PB) demonstrated promising effects in vitro for several MCT8 missense mutations.

Objective

The objective was to evaluate biochemical and clinical effects of PB in doses equivalent to those approved for the treatment of urea cycle disorders in a boy with MCT8 deficiency due to a novel MCT8 missense mutation c.703G>T (p.V235L).

Results

During a treatment period of 13 months, PB led to a significant decrease of elevated thyrotropin and triiodothyronine (T3) serum concentrations, while free thyroxine (fT4) increased. The weight z-score of the toddler remained remarkably stable during the treatment period. Neurodevelopmental assessments (BSID-III) revealed a slight increase of gross motor skills from developmental age 4 to 6 months. However, increasing liver enzyme serum activities and accumulation of phenylacetate in urine led to treatment interruptions and dose alterations. In vitro analyses in MDCK1 cells confirmed the pathogenicity of MCT8 p.V235L. However, while PB increased expression of the mutant protein, it did not rescue T3 transport, suggesting a PB effect on thyroid function tests independent of restoring MCT8 activity.

Conclusion

In a clinical attempt of PB treatment in MCT8 deficiency we observed a significant improvement of thyroid hormone function tests, tendencies toward body weight stabilization and slight neurodevelopmental improvement. Hepatotoxicity of PB may be a limiting factor in MCT8 deficiency and requires further investigation.
Maternal Thyroid Function in Early Pregnancy and Offspring School Performance and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Authors: Møllehave Line Tang , Grand Mia Klinten , Kriegbaum Margit , Andersen Christen Lykkegaard , Lind Bent Struer , van Vliet Nicolien Alien , van Heemst Diana , Strandberg-Larsen Katrine
Published: May 2024

Context

Thyroid hormones are critical for neural development, and during the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetus relies fully on maternal thyroid hormone production.

Objective

To investigate the associations between maternal thyroid hormone levels in the first trimester with the child's school performance, risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods

Information from the Copenhagen Primary Care Laboratory Pregnancy Database on first trimester TSH and free thyroxine measurements in mothers of children born in 2000 through 2014 were linked with information on the child's standardized test scores in school, ADHD (patient record diagnoses and medication), and ASD (patient record diagnoses) until the end of 2018. Associations of TSH and free thyroxine with the outcomes were individually assessed by linear mixed models and Cox regression models. The analyses were stratified by preexisting maternal thyroid disorders.

Results

TSH measurements were available for 17 909 mother-child dyads. Among those with children born in 2000 through 2009, 6126 had a standardized school test score and were analyzed for the association between maternal thyroid hormone levels and child's school performance, and no support for an association was found. The association between thyroid hormone levels and child's risk of ADHD and ASD were analyzed for the 17 909 dyads and with no support for an association between thyroid hormone levels and these neurodevelopmental disorders. Stratification by preexisting maternal thyroid disorders did not affect the results.

Conclusion

We found no evidence for associations between first trimester maternal thyroid hormone levels and child's school performance, or risk of ADHD or ASD.
Troubling Decriminalization
Authors: Scott John , Scoular Jane
Published: May 2024

In the context of a fiercely polarized battle on the correct legal response to prostitution, sex workers and their advocates often advance decriminalization as a policy that can protect rights and provide improved health and safety for those involved in the sex industry. And yet this policy, after an initial implementation in New South Wales in 1995, has failed to gain much legislative support in jurisdictions outside Australia and New Zealand. This article moves beyond normative arguments regarding the benefits and limits of decriminalization. Drawing on governmentality approaches, it asks: What discursive conditions made decriminalization possible? In doing so it examines the construction of sex work as a health problem and the normalization of “sex work,” arguing that both can be grounded in a neoliberal problematic of governance.
A methodological approach for collecting simultaneous measures of muscle, aponeurosis, and tendon behaviour during dynamic contractions
Authors: Ross Stephanie A. , Waters-Banker Christine , Sawatsky Andrew , Leonard Timothy R. , Herzog Walter
Published: May 2024

Skeletal muscles and the tendons that attach them to bone are structurally complex and deform non-uniformly during contraction. While these tissue deformations dictate force production during movement, our understanding of this behaviour is limited due to challenges in obtaining complete measures of the constituent structures. To address these challenges, we present an approach for simultaneously measuring muscle, fascicle, aponeurosis, and tendon behaviour using sonomicrometry. To evaluate this methodology, we conducted isometric and dynamic contractions in in situ rabbit medial gastrocnemius. We found comparable patterns of strain in the muscle belly, fascicle, aponeurosis, and tendon during the isometric trials to those published in the literature. For the dynamic contractions, we found that our measures using this method were consistent across all animals and aligned well with our theoretical understanding of muscle-tendon unit behaviour. Thus, this method provides a means to fully capture the complex behaviour of muscle-tendon units across contraction types.
A mathematical framework for measuring and tuning tempo in developmental gene regulatory networks
Authors: Manser Charlotte L. , Perez-Carrasco Ruben
Published: May 2024

Embryo development is a dynamic process governed by the regulation of timing and sequences of gene expression, which control the proper growth of the organism. Although many genetic programmes coordinating these sequences are common across species, the timescales of gene expression can vary significantly among different organisms. Currently, substantial experimental efforts are focused on identifying molecular mechanisms that control these temporal aspects. In contrast, the capacity of established mathematical models to incorporate tempo control while maintaining the same dynamical landscape remains less understood. Here, we address this gap by developing a mathematical framework that links the functionality of developmental programmes to the corresponding gene expression orbits (or landscapes). This unlocks the ability to find tempo differences as perturbations in the dynamical system that preserve its orbits. We demonstrate that this framework allows for the prediction of molecular mechanisms governing tempo, through both numerical and analytical methods. Our exploration includes two case studies: a generic network featuring coupled production and degradation, with a particular application to neural progenitor differentiation; and the repressilator. In the latter, we illustrate how altering the dimerisation rates of transcription factors can decouple the tempo from the shape of the resulting orbits. We conclude by highlighting how the identification of orthogonal molecular mechanisms for tempo control can inform the design of circuits with specific orbits and tempos.
Beyond the Stats: Realities, Perception, and Social Media Discourse on Poverty
Authors: Bose Paul , Lupo Lorenzo , Habibi Mahyar , Hovy Dirk , Schwarz Carlo
Published: May 2024

This paper investigates disparities among objective poverty measures, individuals' subjective perceptions, and poverty-related social media discourse in US counties. We find that while poverty and perceived poverty are positively correlated, poverty-related social media discourse is unrelated to a county's level of poverty. We document that the county-level predictors of the three poverty dimensions differ widely, suggesting that poverty-related social media discussions do not take place in the counties that are most affected by poverty or perceive themselves as poor. The paper concludes by highlighting discrepancies in social media discourse, revealing a skewed portrayal of poverty, particularly concerning gender and ethnicity.
Constructing Confidence Intervals for BIFSG Disparity Estimates
Authors: Derby Elena , Dowd Connor , Mortenson Jacob
Published: May 2024

This paper describes a method to construct confidence intervals for estimates of disparities in outcomes between racial/ethnic groups when race and ethnicity are estimated using Bayesian Improved First Name and Surname Geocoding (BIFSG). Standard errors produced by regression packages understate the uncertainty in these estimates because they fail to incorporate noise arising from estimating race and ethnicity. This can produce false confidence when assessing the direction and magnitude of disparities. Conversely, the bootstrapping approach introduced in this paper incorporates uncertainty arising from the use of BIFSG. However, this procedure does not correct for any statistical bias associated with using BIFSG.
Matching Patterns among Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples in Latin America
Authors: Muñoz Ercio A. , Sansone Dario
Published: May 2024

Using microdata from the censuses of eight countries in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay), this paper describes matching patterns by age, ethnicity, and education among same-sex and different-sex couples. It shows that same-sex couples are more diverse than different-sex couples in terms of age, ethnicity, and education, although the differences are not large or statistically significant for ethnicity and education in all countries. It also reports notable differences between male and female same-sex couples, particularly in age and education matching.
The Linear Algebra of Economic Geography Models
Authors: Kleinman Benny , Liu Ernest , Redding Stephen J.
Published: May 2024

We provide sufficient statistics for nominal and real wage exposure to productivity shocks in a constant elasticity economic geography model. These exposure measures summarize the first-order general equilibrium elasticity of nominal and real wages in each location with respect to productivity shocks in all locations. They are readily computed using commonly available trade data and the values of trade and migration elasticities. They have an intuitive interpretation in terms of underlying economic mechanisms. Computing these measures for all bilateral pairs of locations involves a single matrix inversion and therefore remains computational efficient even with an extremely high-dimensional state space.
Difference-in-Difference Estimators with Continuous Treatments and No Stayers
Authors: de Chaisemartin Clément , D'Haultfœuille Xavier , Vazquez-Bare Gonzalo
Published: May 2024

Many treatments, such as prices, taxes, or temperatures, are continuous in nature. Empirical researchers usually rely on two-way fixed effect regressions to estimate treatment effects in such cases. However, such estimators are not robust to heterogeneous treatment effects in general and rely on the linearity of treatment effects. We develop a difference-in-difference strategy for continuous treatments without imposing such restrictions when there are no stayers: treatment of all units changes between consecutive periods. We extend the nonparametric results of de Chaisemartin et al. (2023) to this setup and present a parametric approach that overcomes some limitations of the nonparametric approach.
The Intensifying Effects of Prolonged Climate Change on Conflict, 1400–1900 CE
Authors: Iyigun Murat , Mueller Joris , Qian Nancy
Published: May 2024

This study uses historical conflict and weather data for the period 1400-1900 CE to investigate the long-run effects of climate change on political instability in a context that suffered extensive cooling. The results show that temperature changes have little effect on conflict if they are isolated events but that consecutive periods of cooling are associated with increased conflict. This is consistent with the conventional wisdom that societies and economies are able to adapt to a certain amount of environmental change. But if climate change is prolonged, then the disruptions they cause can cumulate and lead to political instability.
Digital Assets and the Exorbitant Dollar Privilege
Authors: Azzimonti Marina , Quadrini Vincenzo
Published: May 2024

This paper analyzes how the rise of digital assets, particularly Stablecoins, affects the US dollar's dominance in global financial markets. It discusses whether Stablecoins, backed by US debt or other assets such as cryptocurrencies, could replace traditional US safe assets. On the one hand, Stablecoins could increase the demand for dollar reserves, strengthening the international role of the dollar. On the other hand, if Stablecoins are backed by non-dollar reserves, the global demand for dollars may decline, potentially reducing its international role.
Global Spillovers from Fed Hikes and a Strong Dollar: The Risk Channel
Authors: Cristi José , Kalemli-Özcan Şebnem , Sans Mariana , Unsal Filiz
Published: May 2024

We study the international transmission of US monetary policy shocks and a strong US dollar. We show that monetary tightening is linked to a higher risk premium, only in emerging markets, measured by deviations from uncovered interest parity. An appreciation of the US dollar, on the other hand, does not lead to higher risk premia anywhere, even though countries' currencies depreciate vis-a-vis the dollar. Our interpretation is that monetary policy shocks are a better proxy for global financial conditions than the exchange rate movements that may be capturing more fundamental shocks.
Synergistic Impacts of Expansions in Pre-K Access and School Funding on Student Achievement: Evidence from California’s Transitional Kindergarten Rollout
Authors: Johnson Rucker C.
Published: May 2024

This paper investigates the extent to which expansions in public pre-K and increases in K12 funding improve student learning trajectories and narrow achievement gaps. I link school-and student-level information on public preschool participation with longitudinal student data for all public school students in California. The research design exploits Transitional Kindergarten's (TK's) age eligibility cutoffs and the 2013-2019 staggered implementation of California's school funding reform. This quasi-experimental variation is combined to investigate interactive effects between TK attendance and school resources in elementary school. I find positive synergistic effects of TK and elementary school spending on math and reading achievement.
Supply Disruptions and Fiscal Stimulus: Transmission through Global Value Chains
Authors: de Soyres François , Gaillard Alexandre , Santacreu Ana Maria , Moore Dylan
Published: May 2024

We study the impact of demand and supply factors on bottlenecks and inflation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initial policy interventions, from lockdowns to fiscal stimuli, triggered shifts in consumer spending and supply chain disruptions. The reopening of economies normalized consumption patterns, but attributing bottlenecks to specific factors remains challenging due to diverse policy responses. This paper empirically integrates fiscal spending, mobility measures, and supply constraints to analyze interconnected factors influencing bottlenecks and inflation internationally. We find an important role played by fiscal shocks and the international propagation of demand and supply forces in shaping bottlenecks and inflation dynamics.
The Impact of Family Tax Benefits on Children’s Health and Educational Outcomes
Authors: Baker Michael , Koebel Kourtney , Stabile Mark
Published: May 2024

We leverage recent income support reforms for families with children in Canada to investigate the impact of child benefits on child health and educational outcomes. Using administrative school data from British Columbia linked to parents' tax files, we find evidence that increased family benefit generosity improved children's mental health, but little evidence of any change in test scores from standardized exams. Our results suggest that most of the mental health effect is concentrated among girls and that relative improvements in mental health were larger among children in higher-income families.
Exploring and analyzing the role of hybrid spectrum sensing methods in 6G-based smart health care applications
Authors: Kumar Arun , Kaur Raminder , Gaur Nishant , Nanthaamornphong Aziz
Published: May 2024

Background Researchers are focusing their emphasis on quick and real-time healthcare and monitoring systems because of the contemporary modern world’s rapid technological improvements. One of the best options is smart healthcare, which uses a variety of on-body and off-body sensors and gadgets to monitor patients’ health and exchange data with hospitals and healthcare professionals in real time. Utilizing the primary user (PU) spectrum, cognitive radio (CR) can be highly useful for efficient and intelligent healthcare systems to send and receive patient health data. Methods In this work, we propose a method that combines energy detection (ED) and cyclostationary (CS) spectrum sensing (SS) algorithms. This method was used to test spectrum sensing in CR-based smart healthcare systems. The proposed ED-CS in cognitive radio systems improves the precision of the spectrum sensing. Owing to its straightforward implementation, ED is initially used to identify the idle spectrum. If the ED cannot find the idle spectrum, the signals are found using CS-SS, which uses the cyclic statistical properties of the signals to separate the main users from the interference. Results In the simulation analysis, the probability of detection (Pd), probability of a false alarm (Pfa), power spectral density (PSD), and bit error rate (BER) of the proposed ED-CS is compared to those of the traditional Matched Filter (MF), ED, and CS. Conclusions The results indicate that the suggested strategy improves the performance of the framework, making it more appropriate for smart healthcare applications.
Hegemonizm państw Zachodu wobec chińskiej polityki w Hongkongu
Authors: Julitta
Published: May 2024

Hong Kong is one of the world’s largest financial centers, a source of many multinational organizations, banks, companies, etc. Since the beginning of June 2019, mass protests have taken place in Hong Kong, during which there have been violent fights between demonstrators and the police. These protests, as well as the trade war and the growing tension between Washington and Beijing, aroused the anxiety of foreign investors and led to the collapse of Hong Kong’s economy. The article presents the hegemonism of the United States, which decided to use these protests to expand their political and economic influence and interfered without reason in the internal affairs of the PRC. Similarly, the policy of the EU countries, which are so eager to criticize Poland for the lack of the rule of law, in this case was limited to admonishing China for fear of deteriorating mutual trade relations. The main hypothesis of the article is that even if Hong Kong’s status as a financial center suffers some negative impact due to US sanctions, its negative impact on China as a whole, will be quite limited and will only hit Hong Kong’s speculative capital. On the basis of the conducted studies, it can be assumed that the new area of the conflict between the US and the PRC will strengthen Chinese totalitarianism in Hong Kong, which comes down to the total subordination of the individual and all manifestations of social life to the state power. This thesis is in line with the statement by Liu Guangyuan, China’s ambassador in Poland, stating in regard to recent events that: “Hong Kong must be ruled by patriots”. Reports from renowned research centers predict that the next decades of world politics will be marked by Washington’s competition with Beijing. The aggressive rivalry that turns into an open confrontation between the US, Western countries and China opens a dangerous new chapter in modern history.
Clinical Frailty Scale - frailty assessment and rehabilitation potential
Authors: Wiśniewski Szymon , Hołownia Weronika , Krzesłowska Wiktoria Julia , Pytel Paulina , Szewczyk Kamila , Szewczyk Bartłomiej
Published: May 2024

Background: Studies show a significant increase in frailty prevalence among older adults worldwide. Fortunately, several well-established and user-friendly screening tools can effectively identify frailty in older adults.
Objectives: This article examines the Clinical Frailty Scale's effectiveness in informing treatment decisions for older adults in ambulatory care settings, analyzing its potential to improve patient care.
Methods: On April 1, 2024, the PubMed database was searched for articles on the Clinical Frailty Scale in elderly patients. The 116 most pertinent and current articles, written in English and published within the past few years, were analyzed, and 38 were selected and categorized by content and topic.
 
Limitations: This study is limited because it is not a meta-analysis and thus does not examine the quality of the evidence presented in each article.
Conclusions: Frailty research has illuminated aging and its potential biological causes. The Clinical Frailty Scale effectively identifies vulnerable individuals. By using the CFS to assess frailty risk, healthcare providers can personalize treatment plans and improve overall care for older adults.
A necessidade de uma leitura descolonial do direito internacional público para sua efetividade na América Latina
Authors: Gonzaga de Andrade Odara
Published: May 2024

A (re)leitura do costume enquanto fonte formal do Direito Internacional Público a partir da chave do descolonialismo (entendido pela teoria depende) é o que traz uma pretensão de mudanças na sua efetividade. Para tanto, então, este estudo se dedica estudar: (1) o que é o Direito Internacional Público, (2) suas estruturas como imperativos de dominação, e (3) a soberania formal dos estados e o costume como fonte e seu potencial para leitura descolonial deste direito.
¡La chicha persevera! Relaciones entre el gobierno distrital y la comunidad chichera en torno al Festival de la Chicha, el Maíz, la Vida y la Dicha en Bogotá
Authors: Cardoso Martínez Juan Antonio , López Cristancho Laura Viviana
Published: May 2024

Este artículo analiza las formas cómo se configuran las relaciones entre el gobierno distrital y la comunidad chichera del barrio La Perseverancia en la realización del XX Festival de la Chicha, el Maíz, la Vida y la Dicha en Bogotá, entre febrero y mayo de 2017. Aunque la declaratoria patrimonial del festival como “Evento de Interés Cultural” (primeros indicios de la patrimonialización en la ciudad) garantice su realización, anualmente la comunidad chichera y el gobierno distrital se deben reunir ante algo aparentemente ‘simple’ como la organización del evento. Alrededor de la patrimonializacion, el gobierno multinivel y la burocracia se configuran relaciones de diálogo y disputa entre el Estado y la ciudadanía, en un escenario en donde se tramitan las tensiones y los intereses entre cada uno de los actores, así como las visiones particulares y expectativas que se tienen de un mismo festival que se ha promovido como de ‘importancia cultural’.
Regional Poverty Alleviation Partnership and E-Commerce Trade
Authors: Zhong Zemin (Zachary) , Zhou Wenyu , Li Jiewei , Li Peng
Published: May 2024

This paper examines how the East-West Poverty Alleviation Partnership, which pairs rich cities in East China with economically disadvantaged cities in West China, affects e-commerce trade.
Adaptive, Doubly Optimal No-Regret Learning in Strongly Monotone and Exp-Concave Games with Gradient Feedback
Authors: Jordan Michael , Lin Tianyi , Zhou Zhengyuan
Published: May 2024

Feasible Online Learning with Gradient Feedback

Online gradient descent (OGD) is well-known to be doubly optimal under strong convexity or monotonicity assumptions: (1) in the single-agent setting, it achieves an optimal regret of [Formula: see text] for strongly convex cost functions, and (2) in the multiagent setting of strongly monotone games with each agent employing OGD we obtain last-iterate convergence of the joint action to a unique Nash equilibrium at an optimal rate of [Formula: see text]. Whereas these finite-time guarantees highlight its merits, OGD has the drawback that it requires knowing the strong convexity/monotonicity parameters. In “Adaptive, Doubly Optimal No-Regret Learning in Strongly Monotone and Exp-Concave Games with Gradient Feedback,” M. Jordan, T. Lin, and Z. Zhou design a fully adaptive OGD algorithm, AdaOGD, that does not require a priori knowledge of these parameters. In the single-agent setting, the algorithm achieves [Formula: see text] regret under strong convexity, which is optimal up to a log factor. Further, if each agent employs AdaOGD in strongly monotone games, the joint action converges in a last-iterate sense to a unique Nash equilibrium at a rate of [Formula: see text], again optimal up to log factors. The algorithms are illustrated in a learning version of the classic newsvendor problem, in which, because of lost sales, only (noisy) gradient feedback can be observed. The results immediately yield the first feasible and near-optimal algorithm for both the single-retailer and multiretailer settings.
Educação das relações étnico-raciais na EJA campo:
Authors: Souza Santos Rosiane , Souza Mascarenhas Borghi Idalina
Published: May 2024

O artigo apresenta resultados de uma pesquisa que buscou refletir através do diálogo com professores de uma escola do campo os itinerários possíveis para trabalhar a educação das relações étnico-raciais (ERER) na EJA campo. O estudo é de abordagem qualitativa, amparado pelos pressupostos da pesquisa participante e como instrumento de produção de dados foram utilizados os círculos epistemológicos, ancorados nos círculos de cultura freireanos, realizados com onze professores da educação de jovens e adultos, a partir de três eixos, sendo o 1º Eixo: EJA campo; 2º Eixo: ERER na EJA campo; 3º Eixo: formação continuada para ERER na EJA campo, sendo analisados com o suporte da análise de conteúdo (Bardin, 1977). O trabalho revelou que quando os professores abordam nas aulas a religião de matriz africana, os estudantes apresentam resistência e ainda há falta de planejamento; e como possibilidades os docentes veem o trabalho com a cultura e a tradição africana, que se mantêm vivas nas comunidades camponesas.