bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collaborative Historical Research in the Age of Big Data
Authors: Ahnert Ruth , Griffin Emma , Ridge Mia , Tolfo Giorgia
Published: January 2023

Living with Machines is the largest digital humanities project ever funded in the UK. The project brought together a team of twenty-three researchers to leverage more than twenty-years' worth of digitisation projects in order to deepen our understanding of the impact of mechanisation on nineteenth-century Britain. In contrast to many previous digital humanities projects which have sought to create resources, the project was concerned to work with what was already there, which whilst straightforward in theory is complex in practice. This Element describes the efforts to do so. It outlines the challenges of establishing and managing a truly multidisciplinary digital humanities project in the complex landscape of cultural data in the UK and share what other projects seeking to undertake digital history projects can learn from the experience. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
That brachycephalic look: Infant-like facial appearance in short-muzzled dog breeds
Authors: Paul Elizabeth S , Packer Rowena MA , McGreevy Paul D , Coombe Emily , Mendl Elsa , Neville Vikki
Published: January 2023

Brachycephalic dog breeds are highly popular, yet their conformation-related disorders represent a major welfare concern. It has been suggested that the current popularity of such breeds can be explained by their cute, infant-like facial appearances. The concept of ‘kindchenschema’ refers to the observation that certain physical features of infant humans and other animals can automatically stimulate positive and nurturant feelings in adult observers. But the proposal that brachycephalic dogs possess heightened ‘kindchenschema’ facial features, even into adulthood, has never been formally investigated. Here, we hypothesised that relative muzzle shortening across a range of breeds would be associated with known ‘kindchenschema’ facial features, including a relatively larger forehead, larger eyes and smaller nose. Relative fronto-facial feature sizes in exemplar photographs of adult dogs from 42 popular breeds were measured and associated with existing data on the relative muzzle length and height-at-withers of the same breeds. Our results show that, in adulthood, shorter-muzzled breeds have relatively larger (taller) foreheads and relatively larger eyes (i.e. area of exposed eyeball relative to overall face area) than longer-muzzled breeds, and that this effect is independent of breed size. In sum, brachycephalic dog breeds do show exaggeration of some, but not all, known fronto-facial ‘kindchenschema’ features, and this may well contribute to their apparently cute appearance and to their current popularity as companion animals. We conclude that the challenge of addressing conformation-related disorders in companion dogs needs to take account of the cute, ‘kindchenschema’ looks that many owners are likely to be attracted to.
Political Influence in the Regulation of Chinese Charitable Trusts
Authors: Jing Hui
Published: January 2023

With the 2016 Charity Law, Chinese legislators created a public-private hybrid model for the governance of charitable trusts. By endowing private actors with greater rights in the creation and management of charitable trusts, this hybrid model demonstrates the State’s intention of changing the functioning of the charitable trust sector from complete dependence on the State to a partnership. However, embedded in China’s particular institutional environment, the partnership relationship still bears the mark of strict government control, which is secured by granting extensive powers to regulators. This article analyzes the newly established regulatory framework for charitable trusts and outlines how regulators exercise their power in practice. The findings show that the tradition of regulators being subject to intense administrative pressures remains unchanged and that political concerns permeate every aspect of the regulation of charitable trusts.
Canned Speech: Selling Democracy in the Phonographic Age
Authors: Spellman Susan V. , Forren John P.
Published: January 2023

The phonograph presented American presidential aspirants with an opportunity to surmount eighteenth-century campaigning standards and meet the challenges of an expanding democracy and electorate. Thomas Edison’s invention—with its corresponding records—arguably was the first mechanical media technology to find its way into political campaigning on a mass scale. By 1908, canned, recorded speeches were poised to become a marketable alternative to soliciting ballots in person while also facilitating a candidate’s direct engagement with voters, thus enabling contenders and media firms like Edison’s National Phonograph Company to curate personas that were sold both commercially and at the polls. As a result, the phonograph’s practical role allowed the public to hear candidates directly and in their own words, marking an important but underrecognized step forward in the democratization of access to information (and the concomitant risk of manipulation and distortion that came along with it) that one finds in today’s social media.
Arm. v. Azer., Azer. v. Arm., & Ukr. v. Russ. (Orders on Provisional Measures) (I.C.J.)
Authors: Rieter Eva
Published: January 2023

The provisional measures orders by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Armenia v. Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan v. Armenia (2021), and Ukraine v. Russian Federation (2022) are reproduced here to mark the start of the proceedings in these important cases. The Court issued these provisional measures orders in a setting of ongoing tensions and a pending ongoing war, respectively.
Comparison and convergent validity of five Mediterranean dietary indexes applied to Brazilian adults and older adults: data from a population-based study (2015 ISA-Nutrition)
Authors: Bastos Amália A. , Félix Paula V. , Castro Michelle A. , Fisberg Regina M. , Silva Antônio A. M. , Yannakoulia Mary , Ribeiro Sandra M. L.
Published: January 2023

Different dietary indexes are proposed to investigate adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD). However, they are based on different methodologies, and limited research has compared them to each other, particularly in non-Mediterranean populations. We aimed to compare five indexes intended to measure adherence to the MD. The sample was composed of adults and older adults (n 1187) from 2015 ISA-Nutrition, a cross-sectional population-based study in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Dietary data obtained through two 24-h dietary recalls (24HDR) from which the Mediterranean diet scale (MDS), Mediterranean diet Score (MedDietscore), Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP), Mediterranean Adequacy Index (MAI) and Mediterranean-Style Dietary Pattern Score (MSDPS) were calculated. The correlations and agreements between them were analysed by Spearman's correlation and linearly weighted Cohen's Kappa coefficients, respectively. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were applied to investigate their convergent validity. The highest correlations were found between MDP and MAI (r = 0⋅76; 95% CI 0⋅74–0⋅79) and between MDP and MDS (r = 0⋅72; 95% CI 0⋅69–0⋅75). The greatest agreements observed were moderate, between MDP v. MAI (κ = 0⋅57, P < 0⋅001) and MDP v. MDS (κ = 0⋅48, P < 0⋅001). The goodness-of-fit of CFA for MedDietscore (RMSEA = 0⋅033, 90% CI 0⋅02–0⋅042; SRMR = 0⋅042) and MSDPS (RMSEA = 0⋅028, 90% CI 0⋅019–0⋅037; SRMR = 0⋅031) had acceptable values for absolute fit indices. Vegetables, olive oil, MUFA:SFA ratio and cereals with legumes were more relevant to characterise the MD (factor loadings ≥0⋅50). The MDS, MAI and MDP classified the population similarly, but the MedDietscore showed better performances in evaluating adherence to the MD. These results provided guidance for the most appropriate Mediterranean dietary index to be applied in non-Mediterranean populations.
Associations between community-level patterns of prenatal alcohol and tobacco exposure on brain structure in a non-clinical sample of 6-year-old children: a South African pilot study
Authors: Uban Kristina A. , Jonker Deborah , Donald Kirsten A. , Bodison Stefanie C. , Brooks Samantha J. , Kan Eric , Steigelmann Babette , Roos Annerine , Marshall Andrew , Adise Shana , Butler-Kruger Letitia , Melly Brigitte , Narr Katherine L. , Joshi Shantanu H. , Odendaal Hein J. , Sowell Elizabeth R. , Stein Dan J.
Published: January 2023

The current small study utilised prospective data collection of patterns of prenatal alcohol and tobacco exposure (PAE and PTE) to examine associations with structural brain outcomes in 6-year-olds and served as a pilot to determine the value of prospective data describing community-level patterns of PAE and PTE in a non-clinical sample of children. Participants from the Safe Passage Study in pregnancy were approached when their child was ∼6 years old and completed structural brain magnetic resonance imaging to examine with archived PAE and PTE data (n = 51 children–mother dyads). Linear regression was used to conduct whole-brain structural analyses, with false-discovery rate (FDR) correction, to examine: (a) main effects of PAE, PTE and their interaction; and (b) predictive potential of data that reflect patterns of PAE and PTE (e.g. quantity, frequency and timing (QFT)). Associations between PAE, PTE and their interaction with brain structural measures demonstrated unique profiles of cortical and subcortical alterations that were distinct between PAE only, PTE only and their interactive effects. Analyses examining associations between patterns of PAE and PTE (e.g. QFT) were able to significantly detect brain alterations (that survived FDR correction) in this small non-clinical sample of children. These findings support the hypothesis that considering QFT and co-exposures is important for identifying brain alterations following PAE and/or PTE in a small group of young children. Current results demonstrate that teratogenic outcomes on brain structure differ as a function PAE, PTE or their co-exposures, as well as the pattern (QFT) or exposure.
Participation, Development, and Accountability: A Survey Experiment on Democratic Decision-Making in Kenya
Authors: TOUCHTON MICHAEL , WAMPLER BRIAN
Published: January 2023

Many governments in semi-democratic regimes have adopted participatory democratic institutions to promote development and accountability. But limited resources, weak civil society, and a history of authoritarian politics make building subnational democratic institutions daunting. Do participatory institutions expand accountability in these environments? We address this question by evaluating citizen decision-making in Kenya’s local participatory processes. We first administered a survey experiment surrounding citizens’ development policy preferences to 9,928 respondents in four Kenyan counties. We then nest this survey experiment in participant observation and over 80 elite interviews. Our conclusions are mixed: respondents readily change their policy preferences to align with the government’s policy actions, which suggests limited prospects for accountability. However, respondents use participatory budgeting venues to question government officials about missing projects, which provides a potential foundation for accountability. Yet, uncompetitive local elections, the absence of independent civil society’s participation, and new program rules are likely to limit democratic accountability.
Status and correlates of non-communicable diseases among children and adolescents in slum and non-slum areas of India's four metropolitan cities
Authors: Sahoo Harihar , Dhillon Preeti , Anand Enu , Srivastava Anjula , Usman Mohd , Agrawal Praween K. , Johnston Robert , Unisa Sayeed
Published: January 2023

The emergence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in childhood poses a serious risk to a healthy adult life. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of NCDs among children and adolescents in slums and non-slums areas of four metropolitan cities of India, and in rural areas of the respective states The study further, investigated the effect of the place residence as slum vs. non-slum and other risk factors of the NCDs. Nationally representative data from the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) was used.. Estimates were based on children (5-9 years) and adolescents (10-19 years) for whom biomarkers predicting diabetes, high total cholesterol, high triglycerides and hypertension were determined. Weight, height and age data were used to calculate z-scores of the body mass index. Overweight and obesity was higher in urban areas than in rural areas among children and adolescents. Regional differences in the prevalence of diseases were observed; children in Delhi and Chennai had a higher likelihood of being diabetic while children in Kolkata were at a greater risk of high total cholesterol and high triglycerides. The risk of hypertension was strikingly high among non-slum children in Delhi. Children from slums were at a higher risk of diabetes compared to the children from non-slums, while children and adolecents from non-slums were at a greater risk of high triglycerides and hypertension respectively than their counterparts from slums. Male children and adolecents had a higher risk of diabetes and high cholesterol. Screening of children for early detection of NCDs should be integrated with the already existing child and adolescent development schemes in schools and the community can help in prevention and control of NCDs in childhood.
“We don't need no education”: Lessons from the (Un)making of Lahore's Proletarian Vanguard (ca. 1920–2000)
Authors: Azhar Ahmad
Published: January 2023

This article marks an experiment in narrating a longue durée intellectual history ‘from below’ of West Punjab’s organised labour movement (c.1920–2000). This movement bridges the late colonial and post-colonial periods and links the histories of working-class movements across the Indian and Pakistani States. Punjab’s revolutionary heritage of the twentieth century has been, over the last decade, at the heart of broader theoretical arguments on the relationship of the internationalist Left with localised articulations of radical politics across South Asia. This resurgent scholarship, I argue in my paper, overstates and presents in a somewhat uncomplicated and teleological frame the role of left ideologies and institutions in the formation of the revolutionary subjectivities of Punjab’s working classes and poor. It crafts in a deeply hagiographic mode a narrative of the working classes’ intellectual emancipation through contact with what are generally taken to be the enlightened and progressive elements amongst the bourgeoisie of those times. This is made possible only by glossing over tensions haunting the potentially transgressive relationship between the worker and the intellectual and which this paper brings to the fore. By focusing on the upheavals attending the fraught relationship between Lahore’s worker militants and its renegade bourgeois intellectuals of the political and academic left over three generations, I question these narratives and their underlying assumptions. It is argued that instead of emancipating the worker, an education in the theory of socialism and the practical experience of left activism alongside bourgeois comrades ultimately reinforced the social and intellectual hierarchies separating the two. The processes through which this inequality was further enshrined are partly revealed by looking at the discursive formation of these workers as a proletarian vanguard, both by the State and the Communist party. Sources used for this purpose include colonial and post-colonial State records, official inquiry reports and their evidence volumes, the internal documents (in Urdu) of the Lahore district branch of the Communist party and newspapers in English and Urdu published from Lahore for the colonial and post-colonial periods. For this proletarian vanguard’s perspective on its own making and unmaking the article draws upon oral interviews (in Punjabi and Urdu) of worker leaders in the archives of local NGOs, published memoirs, as well as formal interviews and informal conversations with trade-unionists and leftist intellectuals directly involved in the workers’ movement, especially through study circles and other ‘educational’ projects, up till the late 1990s.
The ECtHR’s suitability test in national security cases: Two models for balancing human rights and national security
Authors: Jing Chao
Published: January 2023

The European Court of Human Rights has often been criticized for lacking clarity and consistency in its reasoning of balancing human rights against conflicting public interests. To reconcile national security with human rights protection, the Court requires the interference with rights to be suitable for reaching the objective purported by the government. In this article I deal with how the Court conducts the suitability test in national security cases, in line with two models under which a few representative test considerations can be categorized: human rights priority model and national security priority model. To explain how each model works in a comparable sense, I follow the same analytic structure and examine the manner of the Court’s test and the intensity of its scrutiny. I argue that in compliance with the two models, the Court applies the suitability test in a consistent and predictable way in national security case law.
Parent-child separation and intergenerational transmission of substance use and disorder: Testing across three generations
Authors: Blake Austin J. , Mackinnon David P. , Waddell Jack , Chassin Laurie
Published: January 2023

There is evidence for intergenerational transmission of substance use and disorder. However, it is unclear whether separation from a parent with substance use disorder (SUD) moderates intergenerational transmission, and no studies have tested this question across three generations. In a three-generation study of families oversampled for familial SUD, we tested whether separation between father (G1; first generation) and child (G2; second generation) moderated the effect of G1 father SUDs on G2 child SUDs. We also tested whether separation between father (G2) and child (G3; third generation) moderated the effect of G2 SUDs on G3 drinking. Finally, we tested whether G1-G2 or G2-G3 separation moderated the mediated effect of G1 SUDs on G3 drinking through G2 SUDs. G1 father-G2 child separation moderated intergenerational transmission. In families with G1-G2 separation, there were no significant effects of father SUD on G2 SUD or G3 drinking. However, in nonseparated families, greater G1 father SUDs predicted heightened G2 SUDs and G3 grandchild drinking. In nonseparated families, G1 father SUDs significantly predicted G2 SUDs, which predicted G3 drinking. However, G2-G3 separation predicted heightened G3 drinking regardless of G2 and G1 SUDs. Parental separation may introduce risk for SUDs and drinking among youth with lower familial risk.
Spectral imaging and chemometrics applied at phenotyping in seed science studies: a systematic review
Authors: Michelon Thomas B. , Serra Negra Vieira Elisa , Panobianco Maristela
Published: January 2023

The evaluation of the genetic quality of a seed lot is crucial for the quality control process in its production and commercialization, as well as in the identification of superior genotypes and the verification of the correct crossing in plant breeding programmes. Current techniques, based on the identification of seed morphological characteristics, require skilled analysts, while biochemical methods are time-consuming and costly. The application of spectral imaging analysis, which combines digital imaging with spectroscopy, is gaining ground as a fast, accurate and non-destructive method. The success of this technique is closely linked to chemometric techniques, which use statistical and mathematical tools in data processing. The aim of the work was to evaluate the main procedures in terms of spectral image analysis and chemometric procedures applied in seed phenotyping and its practical application. A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA methodology, in which a total of 1304 articles were identified and screened to the inclusion of 44 articles pertaining to the scope. It was concluded that spectral image analysis has a high ability to classify seeds of different genotypes (93.33%) in a range of situations: between cultivars; hybrids and progenitors; and hybrids and lines, as well as in the separation of coated seeds. Accurate classification can be obtained by different strategies, such as the choice of the equipment type, the spectrum range and extra features, guided by the characteristics of the species, as well as in the choice of algorithms and dimensionality reduction procedures for the optimization of models when there is a large amount of data. Despite the fact that the practical application of this technique in seed phenotyping still needs to be developed for use in laboratories with large volumes of analyses, lots, genotypes and harvests. Research has been accelerated to overcome the practical challenges of this method, as seen in works using model update algorithms, online classification systems, and real-time classification maps. Thus, there are strong indications that the application of multispectral image analysis will reach the routine of seed analysis laboratories.
Prices: sources, problems, solutions
Authors: Solar Peter M.
Published: January 2023

Price currents and newspapers are major sources of information on prices during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but drawing conclusions about trends and fluctuations in values from the quotations in these sources poses several recurrent difficulties. After discussing the origins of the prices in these sources, we use a range of examples, mainly involving commodity prices, to illustrate important problems in working with historical price data. These include missing observations and price inertia, varying gaps between low and high price quotations, and the splicing together of price series from different sources or for different commodity qualities. The last two problems often arise from changes over time in the detail with which prices for heterogeneous commodities were reported.
Using general practitioners with an extended role in spinal practice for the initial assessment of patients referred to spinal surgeons: preliminary experience and challenges
Authors: Whittle Ian R. , Yull Derek , Yee Josh , Czechowicz Gus , Murphy Peter , Clausen Eleanor , Yau YH
Published: January 2023

Aim:

To describe experience using general practitioners (GPs), with an extended role (GPwER) in spinal medicine, to expedite assessment, triage, and management of patients referred from primary care for specialist spinal surgical opinion.

Background:

Low back and neck pain are common conditions in primary care. Indiscriminate or inappropriate referral to a spinal surgeon contributes to long waiting times. Previous attempts at triaging patients who really require a surgical opinion have used practice nurses, physiotherapists, clinical algorithms, and interdisciplinary screening clinics.

Methods:

Within the setting of an independent spinal care centre, we have used GPs specially trained in spinal practice to expedite the assessment and triage of new referrals between 2015 and 2021. We reviewed feedback from a Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire and the postgraduate backgrounds, training, practice with regard to triage of new referrals, and experiences of the GPs who were recruited

Findings:

Six GPwER had a mean of 26 years of postgraduate experience before appointment (range 10–44 years). The first four GPwER, appointed between 2015 and 2018, underwent an ad hoc in-house, interdisciplinary training programme and saw 2994 new patients between 2016 and 2020. After GPwER, assessment in only 18.9% (range 12.6 to 22.7%) of these patients was a spinal surgical opinion deemed necessary. Waiting times to see the spinal surgeon remained at 6–8 weeks despite a three-fold annual increase (from 340 to 1058) in new referrals. A Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire revealed high levels of satisfaction with the performances of the GPwER across seven dimensions. A dedicated training programme was designed in 2020, and the last two appointees underwent 20 h of clinical teaching prior to practice. Initial experience using GPwER, here termed ‘Spinal Clinicians’, suggests they are efficient at screening for patients needing spinal surgical referral. Establishing a recognised training programme, assessment, and certification for these practitioners are the next challenges.
Sensitivity of herbicide-resistant rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) populations to cinmethylin, a new herbicide site of action
Authors: Figueiredo Geide A. , Busi Roberto , Goggin Danica E. , Porri Aimone , Beckie Hugh J.
Published: January 2023

Rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin) is the most problematic weed in Australia, with evolved resistance to multiple herbicide sites of action. Selection pressure by cinmethylin (Group 30, a fatty-acid thioesterase inhibitor) has been limited, because few populations have been exposed to the herbicide since its introduction in 2019. In this study, we examined the sensitivity of L. rigidum populations to this new herbicide. From a screening of almost 500 field populations in 2020, 28 potentially resistant populations were further investigated in a dose–response experiment. Seedlings from five populations surviving treatments of 250 or 375 g ai ha−1 cinmethylin were grown to maturity and seeds were harvested. The level of resistance found among the five putative-resistant parental populations of L. rigidum was negligible. In one population, one round of selection with cinmethylin resulted in a 2-fold increase in the lethal dose causing 50% mortality in the progeny population, although this dose was still only one-sixth of the recommended field rate of cinmethylin. Having a unique site of action, cinmethylin is a viable preemergence herbicide option to control existing multiple-resistance populations of L. rigidum. Comprehensive field monitoring and recurrent selection studies under controlled environmental conditions are needed to better ascertain the risk of L. rigidum evolving a high level of resistance to cinmethylin, although current data suggest that this risk is relatively low.
Förderung eines selbständigen Medikamentenmanagements
Authors: Schirmer Uwe Bernd
Published: January 2023

Was ist zu diesem Thema bereits bekannt?

Inzwischen werden Patient_innen im stationären und ambulanten Bereich zunehmend durch Pflegefachkräfte beim Medikamentenmanagement angeleitet. Zumeist bedeutet diese Anleitung ein gemeinsames Richten der Medikamente, manchmal kombiniert mit der Medikamenteneinnahme.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

Das nachfolgend beschriebene Medikamententrainingsprogramm (MTP) ist eine wirkungsvolle, evaluierte Intervention, die hilft, eine einheitliche Vorgehensweise aller Beteiligten zu sichern.

Was sind die Auswirkungen für die Praxis?

Das MTP nimmt die Bedenken und Sorgen der Patient_innen hinsichtlich der Medikation auf. Insbesondere die verlässliche Einnahme der Medikamente im häuslichen Kontext ist oft problematisch. Wir versuchen wegzukommen vom Ritual des Verteilens, das die Patient_innen passiv macht, hin zu einem gemeinsamen Handeln.
Neuroleptika absetzen und reduzieren
Authors: Zwicknagl Andrea , Burr Christian
Published: January 2023

Was ist zu diesem Thema bereits bekannt?

Neuroleptika gelten als Mittel der Wahl zur medikamentösen Behandlung von Menschen mit der Diagnose Schizophrenie. Nebenwirkungen sowie der Wunsch nach Reduzieren und Absetzen sind bei den Betroffenen häufig. In der Behandlung findet ein Austausch darüber oft nicht statt.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

Der Neuroleptika-Trialog bietet einen „sicheren“ Raum für diesen Austausch zwischen Betroffenen, Fachpersonen und Angehörigen, auch wenn die Beteiligung der Fachpersonen meist niedrig ist.

Was sind die Auswirkungen für die Praxis?

Es sollten in der Praxis Räume für einen solchen Austausch geschaffen werden. Fachpersonen können in Trialogen lernen, wie solche hilfreich gestaltet werden können.
Solar Cycle and Long‐Term Trends in the Observed Peak of the Meteor Altitude Distributions by Meteor Radars
Authors: Dawkins E. C. M. , Stober G. , Janches D. , Carrillo‐Sánchez J. D. , Lieberman R. S. , Jacobi C. , Moffat‐Griffin T. , Mitchell N. J. , Cobbett N. , Batista P. P. , Andrioli V. F. , Buriti R. A. , Murphy D. J. , Kero J. , Gulbrandsen N. , Tsutsumi M. , Kozlovsky A. , Kim J. H. , Lee C. , Lester M.
Published: January 2023

The mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT, 80–100 km) region is an important boundary between Earth's atmosphere below and space above and may act as a sensitive indicator for anthropogenic climate change. Existing observational and modeling studies have shown the middle atmosphere and the MLT is cooling and contracting because of increasing greenhouse gas emissions. However, trend analyses are highly sensitive to the time periods covered, their length, and the measurement type and methodology used. We present for the first time the linear and 11‐year solar cycle responses in the meteor ablation altitude distributions observed by 12 meteor radars at different locations. Decreasing altitudes were seen at all latitudes (linear trends varying from −10.97 to −817.95 m dec−1), and a positive correlation with solar activity was seen for most locations. The divergence of responses at high latitudes indicates an important and complex interplay between atmospheric changes and dynamics at varying time scales.
Microseismicity and lithosphere thickness at a nearly-amagmatic oceanic detachment fault system
Authors: Chen Jie , Crawford Wayne C. , Cannat Mathilde
Published: January 2023

Oceanic detachment faults play a central role in accommodating the plate divergence at slow-ultraslow spreading mid-ocean ridges. Successive flip-flop detachment faults in a nearly-amagmatic region of the ultraslow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) at 64°30’E accommodate ~100% of plate divergence, with mostly ultramafic smooth seafloor. Here we present microseismicity data, recorded by ocean bottom seismometers, showing that the axial brittle lithosphere is on the order of 15 km thick under the nearly-amagmatic smooth seafloor, which is no thicker than under nearby volcanic seafloor or at more magmatic SWIR detachment systems. Our data reveal that microearthquakes with normal focal mechanisms are colocated with seismically-imaged damage zones of the active detachment fault and of antithetic hanging-wall faults. The level of the hanging-wall seismicity is significantly higher than that documented at more magmatic detachments of slow-ultraslow ridges, which may be a unique feature of nearly-amagmatic flip-flop detachment systems.
DNA binding and RAD51 engagement by the BRCA2 C-terminus orchestrate DNA repair and replication fork preservation
Authors: Kwon Youngho , Rösner Heike , Zhao Weixing , Selemenakis Platon , He Zhuoling , Kawale Ajinkya S. , Katz Jeffrey N. , Rogers Cody M. , Neal Francisco E. , Badamchi Shabestari Aida , Petrosius Valdemaras , Singh Akhilesh K. , Joel Marina Z. , Lu Lucy , Holloway Stephen P. , Burma Sandeep , Mukherjee Bipasha , Hromas Robert , Mazin Alexander , Wiese Claudia , Sørensen Claus S. , Sung Patrick
Published: January 2023

The tumor suppressor BRCA2 participates in DNA double-strand break repair by RAD51-dependent homologous recombination and protects stressed DNA replication forks from nucleolytic attack. We demonstrate that the C-terminal Recombinase Binding (CTRB) region of BRCA2, encoded by gene exon 27, harbors a DNA binding activity. CTRB alone stimulates the DNA strand exchange activity of RAD51 and permits the utilization of RPA-coated ssDNA by RAD51 for strand exchange. Moreover, CTRB functionally synergizes with the Oligonucleotide Binding fold containing DNA binding domain and BRC4 repeat of BRCA2 in RPA-RAD51 exchange on ssDNA. Importantly, we show that the DNA binding and RAD51 interaction attributes of the CTRB are crucial for homologous recombination and protection of replication forks against MRE11-mediated attrition. Our findings shed light on the role of the CTRB region in genome repair, reveal remarkable functional plasticity of BRCA2, and help explain why deletion of Brca2 exon 27 impacts upon embryonic lethality.
A ferroptosis-related prognostic model with excellent clinical performance based on the exploration of the mechanism of oral squamous cell carcinoma progression
Authors: Fan Xin , Zhong Yun , Yuan Fang , Zhang Lingling , Cai Ying , Liao Lan
Published: January 2023

As a hot topic today, ferroptosis is closely involved in the progression and treatment of cancer. Accordingly, we built a prognostic model around ferroptosis to predict the overall survival of OSCC patients. We used up to 6 datasets from 3 different databases to ensure the credibility of the model. Then, through differentially expressed, Univariate Cox, and Lasso regression analyses, a model composed of nine prognostic-related differently expressed ferroptosis-related genes (CISD2, DDIT4, CA9, ALOX15, ATG5, BECN1, BNIP3, PRDX5 and MAP1LC3A) were constructed. Moreover, Kaplan–Meier curves, Receiver Operating Characteristic curves and principal component analysis used to verify the model's predictive ability showed the model's superiority. To deeply understand the mechanism of ferroptosis affecting the occurrence, development and prognosis of OSCC, we performed enrichment analysis in different risk groups identified by the model. The results showed that numerous TP53-related, immune-related and ferroptosis-related functions and pathways were enriched. Further immune microenvironment analysis and mutation analysis have once again revealed the correlation between risk score and immunity and TP53 mutation. Finally, the correlation between risk score and OSCC clinical treatment, as well as Nomogram show the brilliant clinical application prospects of the prognostic model.
The role of fear, closeness, and norms in shaping help towards war refugees
Authors: Kossowska Małgorzata , Szwed Paulina , Szumowska Ewa , Perek-Białas Jolanta , Czernatowicz-Kukuczka Aneta
Published: January 2023

The paper investigates the psychological factors associated with the unprecedented assistance that Poles have offered refugees from Ukraine since the outset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Building on social identity theory, and examining the current social context in Poland, we focus on three social identity dimensions, i.e., a feeling of closeness towards refugees from Ukraine, anticipatory fears (of a Russian invasion), and a community norm of helping. These three dimensions predict collective helping resulting from a sense of a common fate and a feeling of togetherness with Ukrainians. We tested this hypothesis in a study (N = 1066) conducted between 11 and 17 March 2022. Participants were asked about their helping activities during the previous week; they also responded to questions on different measures of social identity processes. The results support our expectations, revealing that closeness, anticipatory fears, and social norms are associated with two forms of help: benevolent and activist. The results of the study contribute to the discussion on social identity processes underlying offers of help to people fleeing from war-zones. Thus, they enhance our understanding of the role of citizens in terms of their contribution to helping refugees, and can be used to improve responses to other humanitarian crises.
Synergy of ruthenium metallo-intercalator, [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)]2+, with PARP inhibitor Olaparib in non-small cell lung cancer cells
Authors: Yusoh Nur Aininie , Chia Suet Lin , Saad Norazalina , Ahmad Haslina , Gill Martin R.
Published: January 2023

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) are critical DNA repair enzymes that are activated as part of the DNA damage response (DDR). Although inhibitors of PARP (PARPi) have emerged as small molecule drugs and have shown promising therapeutic effects, PARPi used as single agents are clinically limited to patients with mutations in germline breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA). Thus, novel PARPi combination strategies may expand their usage and combat drug resistance. In recent years, ruthenium polypyridyl complexes (RPCs) have emerged as promising anti-cancer candidates due to their attractive DNA binding properties and distinct mechanisms of action. Previously, we reported the rational combination of the RPC DNA replication inhibitor [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)]2+ (dppz = dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine, PIP = 2-(phenyl)-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline), “Ru-PIP”, with the PARPi Olaparib in breast cancer cells. Here, we expand upon this work and examine the combination of Ru-PIP with Olaparib for synergy in lung cancer cells, including in 3D lung cancer spheroids, to further elucidate mechanisms of synergy and additionally assess toxicity in a zebrafish embryo model. Compared to single agents alone, Ru-PIP and Olaparib synergy was observed in both A549 and H1975 lung cancer cell lines with mild impact on normal lung fibroblast MRC5 cells. Employing the A549 cell line, synergy was confirmed by loss in clonogenic potential and reduced migration properties. Mechanistic studies indicated that synergy is accompanied by increased double-strand break (DSB) DNA damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels which subsequently lead to cell death via apoptosis. Moreover, the identified combination was successfully able to inhibit the growth of A549 lung cancer spheroids and acute zebrafish embryos toxicity studies revealed that this combination showed reduced toxicity compared to single-agent Ru-PIP.
All oxide based flexible multi-folded invisible synapse as vision photo-receptor
Authors: Chen Ping-Xing , Panda Debashis , Tseng Tseung-Yuen
Published: January 2023

All oxide-based transparent flexible memristor is prioritized for the potential application in artificially simulated biological optoelectronic synaptic devices. SnOx memristor with HfOx layer is found to enable a significant effect on synaptic properties. The memristor exhibits good reliability with long retention, 104 s, and high endurance, 104 cycles. The optimized 6 nm thick HfOx layer in SnOx-based memristor possesses the excellent synaptic properties of stable 350 epochs training, multi-level conductance (MLC) behaviour, and the nonlinearity of 1.53 and 1.46 for long-term potentiation and depression, respectively, and faster image recognition accuracy of 100% after 23 iterations. The maximum weight changes of -73.12 and 79.91% for the potentiation and depression of the synaptic device, respectively, are observed from the spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) characteristics making it suitable for biological applications. The flexibility of the device on the PEN substrate is confirmed by the acceptable change of nonlinearities up to 4 mm bending. Such a synaptic device is expected to be used as a vision photo-receptor.
Effect of pharmacogenetic variations on praziquantel plasma concentration and safety outcomes among school children in Rwanda
Authors: Barry Abbie , Kabatende Joseph , Telele Nigus Fikrie , Mnkugwe Rajabu Hussein , Mugisha Michael , Ntirenganya Lazare , Bienvenu Emile , Aklillu Eleni
Published: January 2023

School-based mass drug administration (MDA) of Praziquantel (PZQ) is the global intervention strategy for elimination of schistosomiasis. Genetic variations in drug metabolizing enzymes and transporter proteins influences drug exposure and treatment outcomes, but data on PZQ pharmacokinetics and safety outcomes are scarce. We investigated the effect of pharmacogenetics variations on PZQ plasma concentrations and safety outcomes among 462 Rwandan schoolchildren who received single dose PZQ and albendazole in MDA. Genotyping for common functional variant alleles CYP3A4*1B, CYP3A5 (*3, *6, *7), CYP2C19 (*2, *3, *17), CYP2C9 (*2, *3) and CYP2J2*7 were done. Plasma concentration of PZQ, cis-4-OH-PZQ and trans-4-OH-PZQ were measured using LC/MS/MS. Active safety monitoring was done on days 1, 2, and 7 post-MDA. CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 genotypes were significantly associated with PZQ plasma concentrations and its cis- and trans-4-OH-PZQ/PZQ metabolic ratios (MR). CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 carriers had significantly higher PZQ concentration (p = 0.02), lower trans-4-OH-PZQ/PZQ (p < 0.001), and cis-4-OH-PZQ/PZQ (p = 0.02) MR. CYP2C19 (*2, *3) carriers had significantly higher plasma PZQ concentration than CYP2C19 *1/*1 and CYP2C19 *17 carriers (*1/*17 or *17/*17) (p < 0.001). CYP3A4 was significantly associated with cis-4-OH-PZQ MR (p = 0.04). Lower cis-4-OH-PZQ/PZQ MR (p < 0.0001) was a predictor of MDA-associated adverse events, but no significant association with genotypes were found. In conclusion, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 genotypes significantly influence the plasma PZQ concentration and its MR. Lower cis-4-OH-PZQ/PZQ MR is significant predictor of adverse events following MDA.
Modification of sugarcane bagasse with iron(III) oxide-hydroxide to improve its adsorption property for removing lead(II) ions
Authors: Praipipat Pornsawai , Ngamsurach Pimploy , Sanghuayprai Amornrat
Published: January 2023

Lead contamination in wastewater results in toxicity of aquatic life and water quality, it is recommended to remove lead before discharging. Four sugarcane bagasse adsorbent materials of sugarcane bagasse powder (SB), sugarcane bagasse powder doped iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (SBF), sugarcane bagasse powder beads (SBB), and sugarcane bagasse powder doped iron(III) oxide-hydroxide beads (SBFB) were synthesized and characterized with various techniques. Their lead removal efficiencies were investigated by batch experiments on the effects of dose (0.1–0.6 g), contact time (1–6 h), pH (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11), and concentration (5–30 mg/L), adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and desorption experiments. All materials were amorphous phases presenting specific peaks of cellulose. SBB and SBFB detected sodium alginate peaks, and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide peaks were detected in SBF and SBFB. SB and SBF were scales or overlapping plate surfaces whereas SBB and SBFB had spherical shapes with coarse surfaces. The main functional groups of O–H, C=O, C–H, C–O, and C=C were observed in all materials, whereas Fe–O and –COOH were only found in materials with adding iron(III) oxide-hydroxide or bead material. The point of zero charges (pHpzc) of all materials was higher than 4. The optimum conditions of SB, SBF, SBB, and SBFB with the highest lead removal efficiency at a lead concentration of 10 mg/L and pH 5 were 0.6 g and 6 h (96.08%), 0.2 g and 3 h (100%), 0.2 g and 2 h (98.22%), and 0. 1 g and 2 h (100%), respectively. Since SBFB spent less adsorbent dose and contact time than other materials with a lead removal efficiency of 100%, it was a more potential adsorbent than other materials. Thus, adding iron(III) oxide-hydroxide and changing material form helped to improve material efficiencies for lead adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacities of SB, SBF, SBB, and SBFB were 6.161, 27.027, 23.697, and 57.471 mg/L, respectively by fitting the Langmuir model. Langmuir isotherm was best fitted for SB and SBB, whereas the Freundlich model was best fitted for SBF and SBFB. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was best fitted for all materials. Moreover, all adsorbents could be reused for more than 5 cycles with the lead removal efficiency of more than 73%. Therefore, SBFB was potential material to further apply for lead removal in industrial applications.
Evaluating sea cucumbers as extractive species for benthic bioremediation in mussel farms
Authors: Grosso Luca , Rampacci Massimo , Pensa Davide , Fianchini Alessandra , Batır Esin , Aydın İlhan , Ciriminna Laura , Felix Pedro M. , Pombo Ana , Lovatelli Alessandro , Vizzini Salvatrice , Scardi Michele , Rakaj Arnold
Published: January 2023

Filter-feeding mussels blend suspended particles into faeces and pseudo-faeces enhancing organic matter flows between the water column and the bottom, and strengthening benthic-pelagic coupling. Inside operating farms, high bivalve densities in relatively confined areas result in an elevated rate of organic sinking to the seabed, which may cause a localized impact in the immediate surrounding. Deposit-feeding sea cucumbers are potentially optimal candidates to bioremediate mussel organic waste, due to their ability to process organic-enriched sediments impacted by aquaculture waste. However, although the feasibility of this polyculture has been investigated for a few Indo-Pacific species, little is known about Atlanto-Mediterranean species. Hence, for the first time, in the present study, we conducted a comparative investigation on the suitability of different Mediterranean sea cucumber species, to be reared in Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA) with mussels. A pilot-scale experiment was accomplished operating within a mussel farm where two sea cucumbers species,Holothuria tubulosaandHolothuria polii, were caged beneath the long-line mussel farm ofMytilus galloprovincialis. After four months,H. tubulosashowed high survivorship (94%) and positive somatic growth (6.07%); converselyH. poliishowed negative growth (− 25.37%), although 92% of specimens survived. Furthermore, sea cucumber growth was size-dependent. In fact, smaller individuals, independently from the species, grew significantly faster than larger ones. These results evidenced a clear difference in the suitability of the two sea cucumber species for IMTA withM. galloprovincialis, probably due to their different trophic ecology (feeding specialization on different microhabitats, i.e. different sediment layers). Specifically,H. tubulosaseems to be an optimal candidate as extractive species both for polycultures production and waste bioremediation inM. galloprovincialisoperating farms.
An aptamer-based colorimetric/SERS dual-mode sensing strategy for the detection of sulfadimethoxine residues in animal-derived foods
Authors: Zhang Nan , Lv Haiyang , Wang Jihong , Yang Zhanye , Ding Yanru , Zhao Bing , Tian Yuan
Published: January 2023

An aptamer-based colorimetric/SERS dual-mode sensing strategy for detecting sulfadimethoxine (SDM) was established based on hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) induced aggregation of nanoparticles.
Modelling salinity effects on aerobic granular sludge treating fish-canning wastewater
Authors: Carrera P. , Strubbe L. , Val del Río A. , Mosquera-Corral A. , Volcke E. I. P.
Published: January 2023

The effect of salinity on aerobic granular sludge treating fish-canning wastewater was evaluated through a biofilm model. The addition of a salinity inhibition term to the model could accurately describe reactor performance with different salinities.
Noni fruit extract ameliorates alcohol-induced hangover symptoms by reducing the concentrations of alcohol and acetaldehyde in a Sprague Dawley rat model and a human intervention study
Authors: Kim Kyeong Jin , Park Soo-yeon , Park Tae gwon , Park Hyeon-Ju , Kim Young-Jun , Kim Eun Ji , Shin Wonsuk , Kim Anhye , Yoo Hyounggyoon , Kweon MinSon , Jang Jihwan , Choi Su-Young , Kim Ji Yeon
Published: January 2023

Noni fruit extract alleviates hangover caused by alcohol comsumption through increasing the activities of ADH and ALDH.
Thermal degradation of the bulk and interfacial traps at 85 °C in perovskite photovoltaics
Authors: Yun Alan Jiwan , Ryu Seokjoo , Lim Jiheon , Kim Jinhyun , Park Byungwoo
Published: January 2023

Thermal degradation of perovskite photovoltaics is investigated in terms of the energetic and spatial distributions of the traps.
An electrochemical aptasensor based on AuNRs/AuNWs for sensitive detection of apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1) from human serum
Authors: Husna Raudhatul , Kurup Chitra Padmakumari , Ansari Mohd Afaque , Mohd-Naim Noor Faizah , Ahmed Minhaz Uddin
Published: January 2023

For early detection and diagnosis of cancer, it is essential to develop an electrochemical biosensor that is quick, accurate, and sensitive.