bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diverse QRS morphology reflecting variations in lead placement for left bundle branch area pacing
Authors: Sato Toshiaki , Togashi Ikuko , Ikewaki Hirotsugu , Mohri Takato , Katsume Yumi , Tashiro Mika , Nonoguchi Noriko , Hoshida Kyoko , Ueda Akiko , Matsuo Seiichiro , Soejima Kyoko
Published: September 2023

Aims

Left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) is a potential alternative to His bundle pacing. This study aimed to investigate the impact of different septal locations of pacing leads on the diversity of QRS morphology during non-selective LBBAP.

Methods and results

Non-selective LBBAP and left ventricular septal pacing (LVSP) were achieved in 50 and 21 patients with atrioventricular block, respectively. The electrophysiological properties of LBBAP and their relationship with the lead location were investigated. QRS morphology and axis showed broad variations during LBBAP. Echocardiography demonstrated a widespread distribution of LBBAP leads in the septum. During non-selective LBBAP, the qR-wave in lead V1 indicated that the primary location for pacing lead was the inferior septum (93%). The non-selective LBBAP lead was deployed deeper than the LVSP lead in the inferior septum. The Qr-wave in lead V1 with the inferior axis in aVF suggested pacing lead placement in the anterior septum. The penetration depth of the non-selective LBBAP lead in the anterior septum was significantly shallower than that in the inferior septum (72 ± 11 and 87 ± 8%, respectively). In lead V6, the deep S-wave indicated the time lag between the R-wave peak and the latest ventricular activation in the coronary sinus trunk, with pacemaker leads deployed closer to the left ventricular apex.

Conclusion

Different QRS morphologies and axes were linked to the location of the non-selective LBBAP lead in the septum. Various lead deployments are feasible for LBBAP, allowing diversity in the conduction system capture in patients with atrioventricular block.
Using Community-Based Participatory Research to Develop Care Recommendations for People Aging With HIV
Authors: Brown Maria T , Wikiera John , Albarran Marz , Partap Angie , Ahmed Courtney , Brock Victoria , Beard Sheriden , Siegler Eugenia L
Published: September 2023

Background and Objectives

Over 50% of New Yorkers living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are 50 years old or older, and the emotional and physical consequences of being a long-term survivor are significant. This study aimed to identify the practical needs of long-term survivors and older people with HIV (consumers) in New York State and develop recommendations addressing those needs.

Research Design and Methods

The HIV + Aging/LTS/Perinatally Diagnosed Subcommittee of the Consumer Advisory and Quality Advisory committees in the New York State AIDS Institute used community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods to design a statewide survey about the care needs of consumers in New York State. This survey, open to consumers, clinicians, and supportive services providers, was launched in June 2021 using Qualtrics. Participants provided demographic data and chose the 3 most important barriers and recommendations from each of 10 categories of issues affecting health care and supportive services. Consumers provided information about their HIV diagnosis and other health conditions. Responses were characterized using basic descriptive statistics.

Results

Participants included 124 consumers from 26 counties, 20 clinicians, and 24 supportive service providers. Among consumers, 67% were cisgender men, 27% were African American, and 65% were both long-term survivors and older people with HIV. On average consumers had been diagnosed with HIV for 27 years. Participants were concerned with clinical care coordination, housing needs, cultural representation in mental health services, and financial support of consumers.

Discussion and Implications

CBPR is an effective approach to developing consumer-generated recommendations to improve HIV care for long-term survivors and older people with HIV. Town hall formats informed survey design, enabled broad coverage of topics, and ensured that focus remained on priorities most important to consumers. The first quality initiative arising from the study was a routine screening of long-term survivors of HIV to identify functional decline and enhance referral pathways and care linkages.
Messaging Soleimani's killing: the communication vulnerabilities of authoritarian states
Authors: Selvik Kjetil , Ranji Banafsheh
Published: September 2023

The capacity of authoritarian states to manipulate narratives and undermine the authority of western democracies is increasingly emphasized in International Relations research. Far less scrutiny has been paid to the ways in which the media environment creates communication vulnerabilities for these same repressive states. We address this research gap through a case-study of Persian-language commentary on the targeted assassination of Qasem Soleimani—a crescendo in the conflict between Iran and the United States. We examine how commentators on the two popular satellite channels interpreted Soleimani's killing and subsequent developments, and specifically, whether they rallied around the Iranian flag. The research method employed is qualitative media content analysis. The investigation reveals that the Islamic Republic did not benefit from a significant surge in patriotism among Iranian commentators; in fact, some openly applauded the attack. It was only when President Trump threatened to bomb Iranian cultural sites that the commentators rallied around the flag. The Islamic Republic faced a two-front narrative battle as communication attacks from within the national community intensified the information war with the US. The article concludes that authoritarian states are at a disadvantage when they require communication strategies beyond disinformation and distortion.
Competition and price dispersion: evidence from airline and high-speed rail competition in China
Authors: Du Zaichao , Li Han , Wei Feng , Zhang Lan
Published: September 2023

The introduction of the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed rail (Launch) and the Wenzhou bullet-train collision (Crash) in China provided a unique occasion to study the effect of competition on price dispersion. Results show that price dispersion increased by about 48% after the Launch, as airlines offered greater discounts to price-elastic consumers than to price-inelastic consumers. By contrast, price dispersion decreased by about 55% after the Crash, as airlines raised prices more for price-elastic consumers than for price-inelastic consumers.
Dictionary Use by Trainee Translators
Authors: Buendía-Castro Míriam
Published: September 2023

Dictionaries have always been an important tool for linguists, and more specifically for translators. Learning how students of translation use dictionaries is essential if students are to be effective users of dictionaries. This research examines the dictionary usage habits of 201 trainee translators and identified significant differences among first-, second-, third- and fourth-year students. The resources that students most often consulted, based on their first L2, were also specified. A self-reported questionnaire was devised to collect data. The results revealed that the use of monolingual and specialized resources tended to be higher in the last years of the degree program. The students’ lack of awareness and infrequent use of specialized resources were also reflected in the study. Generally speaking, our results showed that students did not take advantage of the wide variety of resources available.
Ensemble of best linear unbiased predictor, machine learning and deep learning models predict maize yield better than each model alone
Authors: Kick Daniel R , Washburn Jacob D
Published: September 2023

Predicting phenotypes accurately from genomic, environment and management factors is key to accelerating the development of novel cultivars with desirable traits. Inclusion of management and environmental factors enables in silico studies to predict the effect of specific management interventions or future climates. Despite the value such models would confer, much work remains to improve the accuracy of phenotypic predictions. Rather than advocate for a single specific modelling strategy, here we demonstrate within large multi-environment and multi-genotype maize trials that combining predictions from disparate models using simple ensemble approaches most often results in better accuracy than using any one of the models on their own. We investigated various ensemble combinations of different model types, model numbers and model weighting schemes to determine the accuracy of each. We find that ensembling generally improves performance even when combining only two models. The number and type of models included alter accuracy with improvements diminishing as the number of models included increases. Using a genetic algorithm to optimize ensemble composition reveals that, when weighted by the inverse of each model’s expected error, a combination of best linear unbiased predictor, linear fixed effects, deep learning, random forest and support vector regression models performed best on this dataset.
Maximizing Microsampling: Measurement of Comprehensive Metabolic and Lipid Panels Using a Novel Capillary Blood Collection Device
Authors: Collier Bradley B , Brandon Whitney C , Chappell Matthew R , Kovach Peyton M , Grant Russell P
Published: September 2023

Background

Demand continues to grow for patient-centric sampling solutions that enable collection of small volumes of blood outside of healthcare facilities. Various technologies have been developed to facilitate sample collection but gaps in knowledge remain, preventing these technologies from replacing standard venipuncture.

Methods

A novel blood collection device, Touch Activated Phlebotomy (TAP) II® from YourBio Health, and standard fingerstick collection using a BD Microtainer® were utilized to collect capillary serum samples. Measurements of a comprehensive metabolic and lipid panels were measured on these samples and compared to results from venous serum samples that were collected in parallel. Hemolysis was used to assess sample quality. Sample volumes obtained from self-collected TAP II samples were also determined.

Results

Correlation of capillary serum with respect to venous serum was demonstrated (R > 0.9) for professionally collected TAP II samples, self-collected TAP II samples, and professionally collected fingerstick samples for alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, total bilirubin, and triglycerides. Results for creatinine demonstrated acceptable correlation, however, a consistent negative bias was observed. Biases (with unacceptable correlations) were also observed for measurements of carbon dioxide and potassium. Correlative results for albumin were not consistently acceptable across the collection techniques utilized while the remaining analytes tested did not demonstrate acceptable correlations under any condition. Correlation results, however, would improve with a wider distribution of analyte concentrations.

Conclusions

Collections of small volumes of liquid blood continue to show potential as a patient-centric solution.
Evaluation of a Compact, Portable Centrifuge for Separating Microvolume Blood Samples at the Point of Collection
Authors: Iacovetti Gabriella , Collier Brad , Setzer Shannon , Peevler Mitchell , Ragar Jason , Hong Kyungjin , Pan Tifany , Brandon Whitney , Chappell Mathew , Grant Russell P , Sommer Greg J , Schaff Ulrich Y
Published: September 2023

Background

The increased demand for decentralized blood sample collection presents numerous operational challenges for diagnostics providers. Sample degradation including sample hemolysis due to time, temperature, and handling between collection and laboratory analysis leads to limited test menus and unreliable results. Here we introduce the lightweight, portable Labcorp TrueSpin™ for rapid point-of-care blood separation using commercially available microvolume blood collection tubes. The TrueSpin is a class I FDA-registered device designed for untrained users. The centrifuge runs on AA batteries and separates a blood sample in 5 minutes.

Methods

Here we describe a series of studies evaluating sample quality and analyte stability in serum samples collected into gel microtubes and processed using the TrueSpin. Hemolysis, residual red blood cell concentration, sample volume, and serum-based chemistry analyte stability were evaluated.

Results

No significant difference was seen in hemolysis or residual red blood cell concentration in serum samples prepared by TrueSpin compared to the reference method. Additionally, capillary and venous blood samples separated using the TrueSpin and exposed to International Safe Transit Association 3A-simulated shipping conditions were shown to yield acceptable sample volume and quality for laboratory analysis. Finally, we show that many common serum-based chemistry analytes have limited (< 1 day) stability if uncentrifuged but improve to ≥ 3-day stability following TrueSpin separation and refrigerated or room temperature storage.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the TrueSpin is a simple and effective solution for remote sample separation and may enable broader test menus and increased test result reliability for decentralized sample collection pursuits.
Digestibility of calcium in calcium-containing ingredients and requirements for digestible calcium by growing pigs
Authors: Lee Su A , Lagos L Vanessa , Merriman Laura A , Stein Hans H
Published: September 2023

The concentration of Ca in plant feed ingredients is low compared with the requirement for pigs and most Ca in diets for pigs is provided by limestone and Ca phosphate. To determine digestibility values for Ca that are additive in mixed diets, the standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of Ca needs to be calculated, and the STTD of Ca by growing pigs in most Ca-containing ingredients has been reported. Although Ca is an inexpensive nutrient compared with P and amino acids, excess Ca needs to be avoided because excess dietary Ca results in reduced P digestibility, reduced feed intake, and reduced growth performance of pigs. Recent data indicate that most diets produced for pigs in the United States and Europe contain ~0.20 percentage units more Ca than formulated, which likely is because of the use of limestone as a carrier in feed additives or as a flow agent in other ingredients. An excess of this magnitude without a corresponding excess of P will result in a reduction in daily gain of growing pigs by 50 to 100 g. Greater emphasis, therefore, needs to be placed on determining the concentration of Ca in diets for pigs. Microbial phytase increases the digestibility of both Ca and P and it is, therefore, important that the release of both Ca and P by phytase is considered in diet formulation. However, due to the relationship between Ca and P in postabsorptive metabolism, diets need to be formulated based on a ratio between digestible Ca and digestible P. To maximize average daily gain, this ratio needs to be less than 1.40:1.0 in diets for weanling pigs, and the ratio needs to be reduced as the body weight of pigs increases. In contrast, to maximize bone ash, the digestible Ca to digestible P ratio needs to increase from 1.67:1.0 in 11 to 25 kg pigs to 2.33:1.0 in finishing pigs. Gestating sows have reduced STTD and retention of Ca and P compared with growing pigs and formulation of diets for sows based on digestibility values obtained in growing pigs will result in inaccuracies in the provision of Ca and P. There is, however, a lack of data for the digestibility of Ca and P by gestating and lactating sows, and responses to microbial phytase by sows are not fully understood. There is, therefore, a need for research to generate more data in this area. In the present review, a summary of data for the digestibility of Ca in feed ingredients for pigs and estimates for the requirement for digestible Ca by growing and finishing pigs are provided.
The metabolic profile of the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist ADB-HEXINACA using human hepatocytes, LC–QTOF-MS and synthesized reference standards
Authors: Baginski Steven R , Rautio Tobias , Nisbet Lorna A , Lindbom Karin , Wu Xiongyu , Dahlén Johan , McKenzie Craig , Gréen Henrik
Published: September 2023

Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) remain a major public health concern, with their use implicated in intoxications and drug-related deaths worldwide. Increasing our systematic understanding of SCRA metabolism supports clinical and forensic toxicology casework, facilitating the timely identification of analytical targets for toxicological screening procedures and confirmatory analysis. This is particularly important as new SCRAs continue to emerge on the illicit drug market. In this work, the metabolism of ADB-HEXINACA (ADB-HINACA, N-[1-amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl]-1-hexyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide), which has increased in prevalence in the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions, was investigated using in vitro techniques. The (S)-enantiomer of ADB-HEXINACA was incubated with pooled human hepatocytes over 3 hours to identify unique and abundant metabolites using liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. In total, 16 metabolites were identified, resulting from mono-hydroxylation, di-hydroxylation, ketone formation (mono-hydroxylation then dehydrogenation), carboxylic acid formation, terminal amide hydrolysis, dihydrodiol formation, glucuronidation and combinations thereof. The majority of metabolism took place on the hexyl tail, forming ketone and mono-hydroxylated products. The major metabolite was the 5-oxo-hexyl product (M9), while the most significant mono-hydroxylation product was the 4-hydroxy-hexyl product (M8), both of which were confirmed by comparison to in-house synthesized reference standards. The 5-hydroxy-hexyl (M6) and 6-hydroxy-hexyl (M7) metabolites were not chromatographically resolved, and the 5-hydroxy-hexyl product was the second largest mono-hydroxylated metabolite. The structures of the terminal amide hydrolysis products without (M16, third largest metabolite) and with the 5-positioned ketone (M13) were also confirmed by comparison to synthesized reference standards, along with the 4-oxo-hexyl metabolite (M11). The 5-oxo-hexyl and 4-hydroxy-hexyl metabolites are suggested as biomarkers for ADB-HEXINACA consumption.
Comparing pinning in situ and capital realignment procedures for severe, stable slipped capital femoral epiphysis: a systematic review
Authors: Kennedy Grace E M , Pullan Jack , El-Bakoury Ahmed
Published: September 2023

In severe, stable slipped capital femoral epiphysis, it is unclear whether pinning in situ (PIS) or capital realignment procedures (CRPs) are superior. Our primary aim was to compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following each strategy. Secondary aims were to compare rates of femoral head avascular necrosis (AVN) and complications. MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched according to an agreed strategy. Narrative review articles, case reports, letters to the editor and articles not written in English were excluded. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Of the 132 citations identified, 127 were excluded following de-duplication and application of the exclusion criteria. Three observational studies comparing PIS with CRP and two case series considering CRP alone were identified. One article was considered fair quality, and four articles were considered poor. In total, 198 hips from five studies were included (66 PIS, 132 CRP). PIS was associated with moderate-good functional outcomes, and CRP with good-high outcomes. Two comparative studies reported significantly better PROMs following CRP. AVN was reported in 1.5% following PIS and 10.6% following CRP. Regarding other complications, chondrolysis occurred in 3.0% following PIS and 2.4% following CRP. Femoroacetabular impingement rates were markedly higher following PIS (60.6% versus 2.3%). Reoperation rates were also greater following PIS (34.5% versus 13.3%). PIS tends to be associated with favourable AVN rates, but CRP with favourable PROMs and complication rates. However, comparisons were drawn from heterogeneous studies lacking long-term follow-up. Further high-quality research is required.
Seasonal and sex-specific changes in the gastrointestinal tracts of Peromyscus maniculatus
Authors: Chapman Olivia S , McLean Bryan S
Published: September 2023

Functional traits are phenotypic characteristics that contribute to fitness of individuals in dynamic and changing environments. In mammals, both categorical and continuous (e.g., quantitative) functional traits have been extensively utilized as proxies for diet, locomotion, and other aspects of species ecology, but there has been less focus on form and function of soft tissues. This is particularly true for the digestive system, which varies in size and complexity across Class Mammalia and plays a major role in the energetics of species. To guide more effective utilization of gastrointestinal (GI) morphology as a functional proxy in small mammal ecology, we examined how GI tracts (lengths and masses of four GI sections) varied within a population of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, United States. We collected samples of adult P. maniculatus monthly for 1 year and measured GI tracts to quantify variation with respect to seasonality and trophic level, providing insight into plasticity in this soft tissue trait over time. We found that season had a significant effect on the total length and wet mass of the GI tract, with January mice having the longest GI tracts and lengths being shortest in the summer. The relative shortening of the GI tract in summer corresponded with a partial trophic increase detected by stable isotope signatures. GI length and wet mass also were affected by reproduction, but males and females responded in sex-specific ways to demands of reproduction, with reproductively active males having shorter and lighter GI tracts than nonreproductively active males. Our study provides proof-of-concept for understanding population-level plasticity in a rarely collected soft tissue trait, which may also be complementary to standard craniodental measurements as a functional dietary proxy to understand mammalian ecology and community assembly.
Bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction: a rare cause of a common problem
Authors: Gorgas Evan , Dowling Shawn
Published: September 2023

Small Bowel Obstruction (SBO) is one of the most common diagnoses that general surgeons encounter. Adhesive disease, hernia, and neoplasm are the most common causes. A more rare cause is bezoar. A 66-year-old female with a history of prior abdominal surgery presented with clinical concern for SBO. CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated SBO with a transition point in the left lower abdomen. The patient failed nonoperative management and was taken to the operating room for exploration. On exploration, a segment of hemorrhagic jejunum was found with an intraluminal bezoar. SBO secondary to bezoar can be managed endoscopically or operatively depending on location and size of the stone. Operative intervention can vary between laparoscopic milking of the bezoar distally, enterotomy with stone extraction, or bowel resection and anastomosis. This case illustrates the importance of maintaining a broad differential for common surgical disease processes.
Gastroenteric-anastomosis in the setting of marked stomach dilatation associated with gastric pyloric obstruction secondary to Sarcina ventriculi
Authors: Deflaoui Tarik , Mabrouk Mohamed Y , Derkaoui Anas , Younes Slimi , Akil Yassir , Amara Rihab , Akouh Nada , Amal Benani , Jabi Rachid , Bouziane Mohammed
Published: September 2023

Sarcina ventriculi is an anaerobic gram-positive bacterium capable of surviving in the acidic environment of the stomach and causing gastrointestinal symptoms. We report the case of a 51-year-old patient with no notable medical history who presented with abdominal distension, nausea, and vomiting. Initial endoscopic evaluation revealed a distended stomach in stasis with pyloric stenosis. Biopsies revealed the presence of Helicobacter pylori and S. ventriculi. A therapeutic protocol was administered, but no symptomatic relief was observed. Subsequently, the patient was referred to our institution, where computed tomography imaging of the abdomen was performed. The results corroborated a presentation suggestive of a high obstruction attributable to a right anterior para-duodenal internal hernia. Ultimately, surgery was undertaken, ruling out the diagnosis of right para-duodenal internal hernia and resulting in gastroenteric anastomosis with satisfactory improvement in clinical symptoms.
Ultraluminous X-ray sources are beamed
Authors: Lasota Jean–Pierre , King Andrew
Published: September 2023

We show that magnetar models for ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) have serious internal inconsistencies. The magnetic fields required to increase the limiting luminosity for radiation pressure above the observed (assumed isotropic) luminosities are completely incompatible with the spin-up rates observed for pulsing ULXs. We note that at least one normal Be-star + neutron star system, with a standard (non-magnetar) field, is observed to become a ULX during a large outburst and return to its previous Be-star binary state afterwards. We note further that recent polarimetric observations of the well-studied binary Cyg X-3 reveal that it produces strong emission directed away from the observer, in line with theoretical predictions of its total accretion luminosity from evolutionary arguments. We conclude that the most likely explanation for ULX behaviour involves radiation beaming by accretion disc winds. A large fraction of X-ray binaries must pass through a ULX state in the course of their evolution.
Cosmological constraints from low redshift 21 cm intensity mapping with machine learning
Authors: Novaes Camila P , de Mericia Eduardo J , Abdalla Filipe B , Wuensche Carlos A , Santos Larissa , Delabrouille Jacques , Remazeilles Mathieu , Liccardo Vincenzo , Abdalla Elcio , Barosi Luciano , Queiroz Amilcar , Villela Thyrso , Wang Bin , Feng Chang , Landim Ricardo , Marins Alessandro , Santos João R L , Zhang Jiajun
Published: September 2023

The future 21 cm intensity mapping observations constitute a promising way to trace the matter distribution of the Universe and probe cosmology. Here, we assess its capability for cosmological constraints using as a case study the BINGO radio telescope, that will survey the Universe at low redshifts (0.13 < z < 0.45). We use neural networks (NNs) to map summary statistics, namely, the angular power spectrum (APS) and the Minkowski functionals (MFs), calculated from simulations into cosmological parameters. Our simulations span a wide grid of cosmologies, sampled under the ΛCDM scenario, {Ωc, h}, and under an extension assuming the Chevallier–Polarski–Linder (CPL) parametrization, {Ωc, h, w0, wa}. In general, NNs trained over APS outperform those using MFs, while their combination provides 27 per cent (5 per cent) tighter error ellipse in the Ωc–h plane under the ΛCDM scenario (CPL parametrization) compared to the individual use of the APS. Their combination allows predicting Ωc and h with 4.9 and 1.6 per cent fractional errors, respectively, which increases to 6.4 and 3.7 per cent under CPL parametrization. Although we find large bias on wa estimates, we still predict w0 with 24.3 per cent error. We also confirm our results to be robust to foreground contamination, besides finding the instrumental noise to cause the greater impact on the predictions. Still, our results illustrate the capability of future low-redshift 21 cm observations in providing competitive cosmological constraints using NNs, showing the ease of combining different summary statistics.
Millimeter observational signatures of flares in magnetically arrested black hole accretion models
Authors: Jia He , Ripperda Bart , Quataert Eliot , White Christopher J , Chatterjee Koushik , Philippov Alexander , Liska Matthew
Published: September 2023

In general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations, accreted magnetic flux on the black hole horizon episodically decays, during which magnetic reconnection heats up the plasma near the horizon, potentially powering high-energy flares like those observed in M87* and Sgr A*. We study the mm observational counterparts of such flaring episodes in very high resolution GRMHD simulations. The change in 230 GHz flux during the expected high energy flares depends primarily on the efficiency of accelerating γ ≳ 100 (Te ≳ 1011 K) electrons. For models in which the electrons are heated to Te ∼ 1011 K during flares, the hot plasma produced by reconnection significantly enhances 230 GHz emission and increases the size of the 230 GHz image. By contrast, for models in which the electrons are heated to higher temperatures (which we argue are better motivated), the reconnection-heated plasma is too hot to produce significant 230 GHz synchrotron emission, and the 230 GHz flux decreases during high energy flares. We do not find a significant change in the mm polarization during flares as long as the emission is Faraday thin. We also present expectations for the ring-shaped image as observed by the Event Horizon Telescope during flares, as well as multiwavelength synchrotron spectra. Our results highlight several limitations of standard post-processing prescriptions for the electron temperature in GRMHD simulations. We also discuss the implications of our results for current and future observations of flares in Sgr A*, M87*, and related systems. Appendices contain detailed convergence studies with respect to resolution and plasma magnetization.
Wavelet spectral timing: X-ray reverberation from a dynamic black hole corona hidden beneath ultrafast outflows
Authors: Wilkins D R
Published: September 2023

Spectral timing analyses based upon wavelet transforms provide a new means to study the variability of the X-ray emission from accreting systems, including AGN, stellar mass black holes, and neutron stars, and can be used to trace the time variability of X-ray reverberation from the inner accretion disc. The previously missing iron K reverberation time lags in the AGN IRAS 13224–3809 and MCG–6-30-15 are detected and found to be transitory in nature. Reverberation can be hidden during periods in which variability in the iron K band becomes dominated by ultrafast outflows. Following the time evolution of the reverberation lag between the corona and inner accretion disc, we may observe the short time-scale increase in scale height of the corona as it is accelerated away from the accretion disc during bright X-ray flares in the AGN I Zw 1. Measuring the variation of the reverberation lag that corresponds to the continuous, stochastic variations of the X-ray luminosity sheds new light on the disc–corona connection around accreting black holes. Hysteresis is observed between the X-ray count rate and the scale height of the corona, and a time lag of 10∼40 ks is observed between the rise in luminosity and the increase in reverberation lag. This correlation and lag are consistent with viscous propagation through the inner accretion disc, leading first to an increase in the flux of seed photons that are Comptonized by the corona, before mass accretion rate fluctuations reach the inner disc and are able to modulate the structure of the corona.
Extraction of characteristic serum microRNAs and prediction of target genes in IgG4-related dacryoadenitis and sialadenitis
Authors: Yamamoto Motohisa , Tanaka Tomonao , Aochi Satsuki , Uehara Masaaki , Kamekura Ryuta , Takano Ken-ichi
Published: September 2023

Objectives

To identify the specific microRNAs (miRNAs) in IgG4-related dacryoadenitis and sialadenitis (IgG4-DS) and predict the targeted genes.

Methods

miRNAs in the serum of nine patients with IgG4-DS, three patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome, and three healthy controls were analysed using the human miRNA chip, and miRNAs that exhibited significant fluctuation in expression in IgG4-DS patients were extracted. The respective target genes were predicted using an existing database, and expression of the target genes was evaluated in actual submandibular gland tissues affected by IgG4-DS.

Results

Serum miR-125a-3p and miR-125b-1-3p levels were elevated in IgG4-DS. Six candidate target genes (glypican 4, forkhead box C1, protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 3, hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 1, major facilitator superfamily domain containing 11, and tumour-associated calcium signal transducer 2) were downregulated in the affected submandibular gland tissue.

Conclusion

Overexpression of miR-125a-3p and miR-125b-1-3p is a hallmark of IgG4-DS. These miRNAs appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of IgG4-DS.
Prevalence, patient characteristics and treatment patterns among systemic lupus erythematosus–pulmonary arterial hypertension patients in real-world clinical practice: A retrospective analysis of Medical Data Vision Database in Japan
Authors: Atsumi Tatsuya , Tan Jin Yu , Chiang Ashley Pei-Chun , Yu Dae Young , Makanji Yogeshwar , Wu David Bin-Chia , Casorso Jeremy , Kouhkamari Mahsa , Lim Sooyeol
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Real-world evidence regarding prevalence, patient characteristics, and treatment patterns for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) related to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Japan is limited.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study analysing Japan’s Medical Data Vision database from April 2008 to September 2020. Prevalence, incidence, patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and use of vasodilators by treatment line were evaluated.

Results

The prevalence of PAH was 0.392% in SLE patients (n = 114/29,077). Cumulative incidence was 0.53% (3 years) and 0.77% (5 years). Of 114 SLE–PAH patients, 49% developed PAH <1 year from SLE diagnosis. SLE–PAH patients were predominantly females (88% vs. 72%), had a lower mean age at SLE diagnosis (53 vs. 56 years), and had more severe SLE (61% vs. 25%) than non-PAH–SLE patients. Glucocorticoids (58%) and vasodilators (27%) were preferred first-line monotherapy for SLE–PAH. A combination of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants (19%) was the predominant first-line combination therapy. Endothelin receptor antagonists (40% and 44%) and nitric oxide analogues (31% and 40%) were dominant first- and second-line vasodilators.

Conclusions

SLE–PAH patients were predominantly females, were younger at diagnosis, and had more severe SLE than non-PAH–SLE patients. Most were diagnosed <1 year of SLE diagnosis. In Japan’s real-world practice, the initial treatment goal is SLE management, while vasodilators are preferred in advanced diseases, as per the Medical Data Vision database.
Impact of extent of resection on outcome from glioblastoma using the RANO resect group classification system: a retrospective, population-based cohort study
Authors: Bjorland Line Sagerup , Mahesparan Rupavathana , Fluge Øystein , Gilje Bjørnar , Dæhli Kurz Kathinka , Farbu Elisabeth
Published: September 2023

Background

Extent of resection (EOR) is associated with survival in glioblastoma. A standardized classification for EOR was lacking until a system was recently proposed by the response assessment in neuro-oncology (RANO) resect group. We aimed to assess EOR in an unselected glioblastoma cohort and use this classification system to evaluate the impact on survival in a real-world setting.

Methods

We retrospectively identified all patients with histologically confirmed glioblastoma in Western Norway between 1.1.2007 and 31.12.2014. Volumetric analyses were performed using a semi-automated method. EOR was categorized according to the recent classification system. Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazard ratios were applied for survival analyses.

Results

Among 235 included patients, biopsy (EOR class 4) was performed in 50 patients (21.3%), submaximal contrast enhancement (CE) resection (EOR class 3) in 66 patients (28.1%), and maximal CE resection (EOR class 2) in 119 patients (50.6%). Median survival was 6.2 months, 9.2 months, and 14.9 months, respectively. Within EOR class 2, 80 patients underwent complete CE resection (EOR class 2A) and had a median survival of 20.0 months, while 39 patients had a near-total CE resection, with ≤1 cm3 CE residual volume (EOR class 2B), and a median survival of 11.1 months, P < 0.001. The 2-year survival rate in EOR class 2A was 40.0%, compared to 7.7% in EOR class 2B.

Conclusions

RANO resect group classification for the extent of resection reflected outcome from glioblastoma in a real-world setting. There was significantly superior survival after complete CE resection compared to near-total resection.
Jews in Amsterdam
Authors: Austin Kenneth
Published: September 2023

Having been expelled from the Netherlands in the Middle Ages, Jews only began to re-establish themselves there at the end of the sixteenth century. Amsterdam soon emerged as not merely the leading Dutch settlement, but the most important Jewish congregation of the Western diaspora, frequently described as a “New Jerusalem.” At first, those who settled there were Marranos or “New Christians,” Jews who had converted to Christianity, often for their own protection, especially in Spain and Portugal. The political and religious divisions of the Dutch Revolt (c. 1566–1648), and the formation of the United Provinces of the Netherlands in 1579, independent from Spanish rule, created a more fluid and tolerant environment for those of different religious outlooks. A small number of Sephardic conversos started to arrive in Amsterdam from 1593, and at first they were obliged, at least officially, to continue to deport themselves as Christians. But their mercantile expertise, extensive networks, and disinclination to cause trouble for the governing authorities all contributed to a growing acceptance of these emigrants. Jewish worship initially took place in private, but in 1612 the community was permitted to repurpose a private house as a synagogue, a first indication of more formal acceptance of their presence as Jews. Especially given their origins, the members of the Sephardic community had to devote considerable energies to reacquainting themselves with the nature and expectations of their Jewish faith, and on instilling orthodoxy within a community which had by necessity worshipped separately and with various compromises in place. In due course, Ashkenazic Jews also started to descend on Amsterdam, particularly in the wake of the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), which ravaged much of Europe, and the Chmielnicki Uprising in Poland (1648–1657). These Jews were typically much poorer than their Sephardic brethren and were only permitted to enter the city on the understanding that they would be supported by their Portuguese predecessors. In fact, over time Ashkenazim came to outnumber their Sephardic counterparts: by the late seventeenth century, there may have been 2,500–3,000 Sephardic Jews, and 5,000 or more Ashkenazic Jews. Nonetheless, the existing scholarship has focused much more heavily on the Sephardim than the Ashkenazim. The Sephardic congregation in particular was home to many influential rabbis and a vibrant religious and cultural life, reflected, for instance, in their impressive synagogue, and in the many books—in Portuguese, Spanish, and Hebrew—which issued from its presses.
Autobiography and Life Writing
Authors: Howe Elizabeth T.
Published: September 2023

In its essential meaning autobiography is defined by its constituent parts as the writing (graphia) of an individual life (bios) by himself or herself (auto). Although only officially recognized in the 19th century as a distinct literary genre, over time critics have come to expand both the chronology and the forms taken by those engaged in the study of life-writing. With Saint Augustine’s Confessions generally accepted as the earliest and most enduring example of a work exposing the author’s insights into his own life, subsequent narratives have expanded both the types of autobiographical writing recognized as such as well as the diverse authorship thereof. Works penned by authors as accounts of their own lives expand on Augustine’s initial contribution to include the late medieval story of Peter Abelard and lives written by saints, such as Teresa of Avila, to the works of a representative group of men and women, artists, soldiers, nuns, and housewives alive during the early modern period in Europe and the New World. From the more restrictive definitions of autobiography found in early considerations of the genre, subsequent analysis embraced a diversity of forms of life-writing, from so called ego-documents (a term coined in the early 1950s that included life-writing perceived to be marginal or less than introspective); to memoirs and diaries, by both men and women; as well as poems, letters, testimony before Inquisition tribunals, and even novels, especially those adopting a first-person account often told in picaresque terms. From its earliest, restrictive definition, therefore, autobiography has grown to embrace a wide variety of literary forms written by an equally diverse group of authors drawn from all walks of society.
Cosmopolitanism
Authors: Cillerai Chiara
Published: September 2023

The term “cosmopolitan” has its etymological roots in the ancient Greek words for cosmos (κόσμος) and polis (πόλις) and it was used to describe interest in and tolerance for different peoples and cultures outside the boundaries of one’s own community. Universal citizenship, universal human rights, and communication are at the foundation of the idea of cosmopolitanism as it developed and emerged in different cultural and historical contexts throughout the centuries. In the early modern stages of Atlantic history, the emergence of cosmopolitanism is interconnected with the explorations and colonial expansionist projects. Different uses of the idea of cosmopolitanism emerged in conjunction with the increased circulation of people, ideas, and goods related to western European countries’ colonial ventures. The exchanges that these encounters forced among people from different places and cultural origins created the foundations for the emergence of ideas connected to the concept of cosmopolitanism. In this context, the transnational and universalist appeal of the cosmopolitan not only accompanied empire building, but also formed the basis of the rhetoric that resisted imperial expansion. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the idea of cosmopolitanism was at times invoked to resist the subjugation of people and the repression of cultures that colonialism caused. For example, the early modern Spanish theologians Bartolome de las Casas, Francisco Suarez, and Francisco de Vitoria invoked the cosmopolitan idea of universal natural law to respond to critique the contemporary colonial missions in the Americas and the slaughter of native people. During the same period, however, the notion of the cosmopolitan was also used to promote colonial expansion and the domination of people in the subjugated countries. This was the case for the English John Dee, who described Great Britain’s colonial enterprises in terms that painted the conquest of countries and the domination of people as the achievement of a mission to bring them a civilizing and cosmopolitan government. The use of cosmopolitanism to explain and discuss, to understand and talk about differences among people and their way of life are common features of the writings from the early explorations to the end of the eighteenth century. Studies of cosmopolitanism develop across different disciplines and time periods. The focus of this entry will be primarily on texts that are directly treating the way cosmopolitanism manifested itself during the period of Western colonial expansion in the Atlantic world.
Superdiversity
Authors: Yamamura Sakura
Published: September 2023

Superdiversity is a concept that describes the multidimensional and dynamic diversification of society led by increasing global migration. It aims at capturing the complex interactions of dimension of diversities beyond ethnicity and to account for, in words of Steven Vertovec who coined the term, the “superdiversity,” which corresponds to the notion of “diversification of diversity” in societies in the last decades. The term breaks with the ethno-focal lens in debates surrounding migration, and calls for a more holistic and differential analysis of diversity in society. The dimensions of diversity encompass ethnic background, nationality, citizenship, but also legal statuses, migration channel, languages, and further sociodemographic and socioeconomic differences within the migrant population, e.g., age, sex, gender, income level, educational or occupational backgrounds. As superdiversity signifies the migration-led diversification in society, disciplines using and debating this term are mainly in social sciences and humanities, in particular those dealing with issues of migration, diversity or ethnicities, e.g., ethnic and migration studies, geography and sociology. It has found large resonance also in sociolinguistics and education studies, and is increasingly picked up by adjacent disciplines, such as business studies.
Journalism in Authoritarian Societies
Authors: Dragomir Marius
Published: September 2023

Despite the transnational nature of the journalistic profession, there is no common history of journalism, hence research of journalism in authoritarian societies is anchored in the study of manipulation and censorship. The history of censorship is much older than journalism, yet it is the emergence of journalism that led authoritarian regimes to create censorship mechanisms and systems aimed at reining in critical, independent voices and narratives. Absolutist monarchies established the first censorship models whose purpose was to control the periodical press in its early years. Following a brief period during the 19th century when censorship systems were eliminated almost everywhere in Europe, sophisticated forms of censorship, unseen before, reappeared and flourished in the next century. The most repressive ones were developed by fascist dictatorships in several European nations and by the Soviet regime in Russia. A bevy of authoritarian regimes across the world found much inspiration in these models and copied them, especially the Soviet censorship system, during the Cold War period. After a period of revival of media freedom in the aftermath of the Soviet Union collapse during the early 1990s, an increasing number of countries, including the successors of the former Soviet republics, restored authoritarian practices with important consequences for news media and journalists. Tight censorship systems are still in place in a variety of countries across the globe ranging from North Korea to China to Venezuela to Eritrea. Their response to manipulation and censorship varies broadly from country to country, depending on the effectiveness of the censorship systems and other contextual factors including economic and technological development, levels of literacy, and local cultural codes. At the same time, media capture whereby governments use businesses to achieve control over the media has been on the rise too in countries as diverse as Hungary, Poland, Turkey, Egypt, Nicaragua, and Sri Lanka. The rise of new technologies of communication fueled a rapid expansion of the Internet, creating unprecedented opportunities for journalists to reach out to their audiences in new, innovative ways. At the same time, this technological growth empowered an increasing number of governments to design new and more effective forms of control and censorship.