bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extreme value modeling with errors-in-variables in detection and attribution of changes in climate extremes
Authors: Lau Yuen Tsz Abby , Wang Tianying , Yan Jun , Zhang Xuebin
Published: September 2023

The generalized extreme value (GEV) regression provides a framework for modeling extreme events across various fields by incorporating covariates into the location parameter of GEV distributions. When the covariates are subject to errors-in-variables (EIV) or measurement error, ignoring the EIVs leads to biased estimation and degraded inferences. This problem arises in detection and attribution analyses of changes in climate extremes because the covariates are estimated with uncertainty. It has not been studied even for the case of independent EIVs, let alone the case of dependent EIVs, due to the complex structure of GEV. Here we propose a general Monte Carlo corrected score method and extend it to address temporally correlated EIVs in GEV modeling with application to the detection and attribution analyses for climate extremes. Through extensive simulation studies, the proposed method provides an unbiased estimator and valid inference. In the application to the detection and attribution analyses of temperature extremes in central regions of China, with the proposed method, the combined anthropogenic and natural signal is detected in the change in the annual minimum of daily maximum and the annual minimum of daily minimum.
Trends and Sources of Crime Guns in California: 2010–2021
Authors: Laqueur Hannah S. , McCort Christopher , Smirniotis Colette , Robinson Sonia , Wintemute Garen J.
Published: September 2023

Firearm-related interpersonal violence is a leading cause of death and injury in cities across the United States, and understanding the movement of firearms from on-the-books sales to criminal end-user is critical to the formulation of gun violence prevention policy. In this study, we assemble a unique dataset that combines records for over 380,000 crime guns recovered by law enforcement in California (2010–2021), and more than 126,000 guns reported stolen, linked to in-state legal handgun transactions (1996–2021), to describe local and statewide crime gun trends and investigate several potentially important sources of guns to criminals, including privately manufactured firearms (PMFs), theft, and “dirty” dealers. We document a dramatic increase over the decade in firearms recovered shortly after purchase (7% were recovered within a year in 2010, up to 33% in 2021). This corresponds with a substantial rise in handgun purchasing over the decade, suggesting some fraction of newly and legally acquired firearms are likely diverted from the legal market for criminal use. We document the rapid growth of PMFs over the past 2–3 years and find theft plays some, though possibly diminishing, role as a crime gun source. Finally, we find evidence that some retailers contribute disproportionately to the supply of crime guns, though there appear to be fewer problematic dealers now than there were a decade ago. Overall, our study points to temporal shifts in the dynamics of criminal firearms commerce as well as significant city variation in the channels by which criminals acquire crime guns.
Next-Generation Sequencing—Optimal Sequencing of Therapies in Relapsed/Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
Authors: Simon Florian , Bohn Jan-Paul
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

This research paper aims to provide an overview of evidence-based sequencing of therapies in relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in the era of targeted drugs.

Recent Findings

In the absence of data from randomized clinical trials comparing novel agents head-to-head, growing evidence suggests that patients with late relapse (> 2 years) after fixed-duration therapies benefit from identical retreatment, whereas a class switch is favorable in those with short-lived remissions or progressive disease on continuous drug intake. Treatment of patients previously exposed to both covalent inhibitors of BTK and BCL2 remains an unmet medical need. Novel drugs, in particular noncovalent BTKI, show promising efficacy in this difficult-to-treat subgroup in early clinical trials.

The optimal sequencing of therapies in CLL requires consideration of individual patient factors and disease characteristics. Double-refractory disease continuous to pose a clinical challenge with a focus on participation in clinical trials whenever possible.
Risk of endometrial cancer after RRSO in BRCA 1/2 carriers: a multicentre cohort study
Authors: Pla-Juher Helena , Pardo Marta , Izquierdo Àngel J. , Darder Esther , Carbó Anna , Munté Elisabet , Torres-Esquius Sara , Balmaña Judith , Lázaro Concepción , Brunet Joan M. , Barretina-Ginesta Maria-Pilar
Published: September 2023

Objective

To know the risk of endometrial cancer (EC) in a population of women with BRCA 1/2 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants after risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO).

Methods

The study cohort included data from 857 women with BRCA mutations who underwent RRSO visited four hospitals in Catalonia, Spain, from January 1, 1999 to April 30, 2019. Standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of EC was calculated in these patients using data from a regional population-based cancer registry.

Results

After RRSO, eight cases of EC were identified. Four in BRCA 1 carriers and four in BRCA2 carriers. The expected number of cases of EC was 3.67 cases, with a SIR of 2.18 and a 95% CI (0.93–3.95).

Conclusions

In our cohort, the risk of EC in BRCA1/2 carriers after RRSO is not greater than expected. Hysterectomy is not routinely recommended for these patients.
How Do Adolescent Smoking Prevention Interventions Work in Different Contextual Settings? A Qualitative Comparative Study Between the UK and Colombia
Authors: Sánchez-Franco Sharon , Montgomery Shannon C. , Torres-Narvaez Erika S. , Ramírez Ana M. , Murray Jennifer M. , Tate Christopher , Llorente Blanca , Bauld Linda , Hunter Ruth F. , Kee Frank , Sarmiento Olga L.
Published: September 2023

Background

Adolescent smoking is associated with significant health and social risks. Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of interventions based on behavior change theories in preventing adolescent smoking uptake. However, evidence from the theory-based perspective of evaluation is limited, especially for how such complex interventions work, and how they work when implemented in different contextual settings.

Method

A comparative qualitative analysis was conducted to explore various influences on behavior change among participants taking part in two smoking prevention interventions in Northern Ireland and Bogotá. Twenty-seven focus groups were conducted in 12 schools (6 in Northern Ireland and 6 in Bogota, n = 195 pupils participated; aged 11–15 years). The Theoretical Domains Framework guided a content analysis of the data.

Results

We found similarities across settings in terms of knowledge, skills, and beliefs related to smoking or vaping behavior change, as well as differences in contextual resources and social influence. Different environmental resources included availability to purchase tobacco products in the neighborhoods and previous information about tobacco risk. Participants in both interventions perceived behavioral change outcomes related to personal skills and intention to not smoke or vape.

Conclusion

These findings have highlighted how both individual factors and contextual resources influence behavior change for smoking prevention in practice. Local contextual factors and social influences affecting pupils should be taken into account in the implementation and evaluation of health behavior change interventions. In particular, this study supports using social and contextual influence strategies in interventions to reduce the onset of adolescent smoking and vaping.
Tools for microbial single-cell genomics for obtaining uncultured microbial genomes
Authors: Hosokawa Masahito , Nishikawa Yohei
Published: September 2023

The advent of next-generation sequencing technologies has facilitated the acquisition of large amounts of DNA sequence data at a relatively low cost, leading to numerous breakthroughs in decoding microbial genomes. Among the various genome sequencing activities, metagenomic analysis, which entails the direct analysis of uncultured microbial DNA, has had a profound impact on microbiome research and has emerged as an indispensable technology in this field. Despite its valuable contributions, metagenomic analysis is a “bulk analysis” technique that analyzes samples containing a wide diversity of microbes, such as bacteria, yielding information that is averaged across the entire microbial population. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the heterogeneous nature of the microbial world, there is a growing need for single-cell analysis, similar to its use in human cell biology. With this paradigm shift in mind, comprehensive single-cell genomics technology has become a much-anticipated innovation that is now poised to revolutionize microbiome research. It has the potential to enable the discovery of differences at the strain level and to facilitate a more comprehensive examination of microbial ecosystems. In this review, we summarize the current state-of-the-art in microbial single-cell genomics, highlighting the potential impact of this technology on our understanding of the microbial world. The successful implementation of this technology is expected to have a profound impact in the field, leading to new discoveries and insights into the diversity and evolution of microbes.
Hydrochemistry and water quality of shallow groundwater in the Tikrit area of Salah Al Din Province, Iraq
Authors: Ismail Alhassan H. , Shareef Muntasir A. , Hassan Ghanim , Alatar Farid M.
Published: September 2023

Salah Al-Din Provence is an active agriculture and population region. One of its primary water sources is groundwater, which suffers from a lack of information regarding water quality and hydrochemistry. In order to study those missing variables, 27 samples from wells of shallow tubes were collected for analyzing the relevant physicochemical indices that help to produce the Schoeller index, Piper diagram, and Gibbs plot. Piper diagram revealed a hydrochemistry behavior of different values along with the groundwater samples. The chemistry of wells was controlled primarily by the evaporation process according to the Gibbs plot. The values of the Schoeller index of the studied samples stated that 59% of them have disequilibrium in Chloro-Alkaline due to their negative obtained values while the rest of them produced positive estimates, which indicates an exchange reaction of cation–anion basic domination. It was concluded that carbonate and silicate weathering, as well as evaporation, controlled the region’ s hydrochemistry. Using Water Quality Index, groundwater was evaluated for use as drinking water. While using Sodium Adsorption Ratio, Sodium percentage, Residual Sodium Carbonate, Magnesium Hazard, and US salinity diagram were all used for estimating the same water’ s suitability for irrigation. All of those indicators, as well as the Gibbs ratio, show that all 27 samples were unsuitable for both studied usage. In addition, those results indicate that evaporation is a major problem for groundwater in this area. Finally, using cluster analysis it was concluded that there are two types of similarities that indicate different levels of pollution in groundwater.
InstanceSHAP: an instance-based estimation approach for Shapley values
Authors: Babaei Golnoosh , Giudici Paolo
Published: September 2023

The growth of artificial intelligence applications requires to find out which explanatory variables mostly contribute to the predictions. Model-agnostic methods, such as SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) can solve this problem: they can determine the contribution of each variable to the predictions of any machine learning model. The SHAP approach requires a background dataset, which usually consists of random instances sampled from the train data. In this paper, we aim to understand the insofar unexplored effect of the background dataset on SHAP and, to this end, we propose a variant of SHAP, InstanceSHAP, that uses instance-based learning to produce a more effective background dataset for binary classification. We exemplify our proposed methods on an application that concerns peer-to-peer lending credit risk assessment. Our experimental results reveal that the proposed model can effectively improve the ordinary SHAP method, leading to Shapley values for the variables that are more concentrated on fewer variables, leading to simpler explanations.
Behaviour indicative of coprophagy in zoo-managed porcupine (Hystrix indica)
Authors: Polotzek Martin , Schirmer Jasmin , Schindler Judith , Clauss Marcus
Published: September 2023

Although all hystricomorph rodents have the colonic furrow or groove that is the anatomical prerequisite for a ‘mucous trap’ colonic separation mechanism linked to coprophagy or cecotrophy, the taxon that gives this group its name, the porcupines, have been claimed to not practice coprophagy. Absence of coprophagy has repeatedly been claimed for hystricomorph species in which it was later confirmed. Here, we report the observation of a characteristic posture—sitting on one hindleg, with the other hindleg lifted and the snout covering the anogenital region—that is the typical posture during coprophagy in other large hystricomorph rodents, in two zoo-managed Indian crested porcupines (Hystrix indica). Together with other circumstantial evidence, these observations are suggestive of coprophagy in porcupines, and support claims that it may be wise to assume all hystricomorph rodents can use this strategy.
Artificial Intelligence for road quality assessment in smart cities: a machine learning approach to acoustic data analysis
Authors: Jagatheesaperumal Senthil Kumar , Bibri Simon Elias , Ganesan Shrivarshni , Jeyaraman Poongkalai
Published: September 2023

In smart cities, ensuring road safety and optimizing transportation efficiency heavily relies on streamlined road condition monitoring. The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has notably enhanced the capability to detect road surfaces effectively. This study presents a novel approach to road condition monitoring in smart cities through the development of an acoustic data processing and analysis module. It focuses on four types of road conditions: smooth, slippery, grassy, and rough roads. To assess road conditions, a microphone integrated road surface detector unit is designed to collect audio signals, and an ultrasonic module is used to observe the road depth information. The whole hardware unit is installed in the wheel rim of the vehicles. The data collected from the road surfaces are then analyzed using machine learning algorithms, such as Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF). The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in accurately identifying different road conditions. From these results, it was observed that the MLP provides better accuracy of 98.98% in assessing road conditions. The study provides valuable insights into the development of a more efficient and reliable road condition monitoring system for delivering secure transportation services in smart cities.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Research on Financial Risk Evaluation and Control of Tourism Enterprises Based on Improved GA Algorithm
Authors: Chen Ping
Published: September 2023

With the change and complexity of the tourism market environment, the financial risks faced by tourism enterprises are increasingly diversified. Effectively evaluating and controlling these financial risks has become the key to the development of tourism enterprises. Therefore, this study builds an accurate and real-time enterprise financial risk assessment and control model with the help of genetic algorithm. The results show that compared with other models, the maximum error value of the research model is only 0.12, and the maximum mean square error is only 0.09. The high reliability of the model is verified by simulating the data of selected tourism enterprises. After increasing the number of samples, the accuracy of the model continues to improve, and the predicted financial indicators are more in line with the actual situation. The model achieves the best results in average fitness, and the required error value is reached within 10 iterations. In the goodness of fit comparison, the goodness of fit of the training set, the test set and the verification set of the model are all over 0.7. In the empirical analysis, the ACC of the research model reached 97.4%, the accuracy rate reached 97.1%, the F1 index of the research reached 98.6%, and the other three research models were all lower than 98%. The above shows that the research model has significant advantages and can effectively evaluate and control the financial risk of tourism enterprises.
Elections and Satisfaction with Democracy
Authors: Daoust Jean-François , Nadeau Richard
Published: September 2023

Satisfaction with democracy is a vastly studied research topic. In this Element, the authors aim to make sense of this context by showing that elections (electoral processes and outcomes) influence citizens' satisfaction with democracy in different ways according to the quality of a democratic regime. To do so, they leverage the datasets from the Comparative Study on Electoral Systems (CSES) and uphold the belief that social scientists must take advantage of the increased availability of rich comparative datasets. The Element concludes that elections do not only have different impacts on citizens' satisfaction with democracy based on the quality of the democratic regime that they live in, but that the nature of the meaning attributed to electoral processes and outcomes varies between emergent and established democracies.
Knowledge, attitude, and practices toward infection prevention and control among undergraduate pharmacy students in Zambia: findings and implications
Authors: Mudenda Steward , Chizimu Joseph , Chabalenge Billy , Kasanga Maisa , Matafwali Scott Kaba , Daka Victor , Yamba Kaunda , Mulomba Margret , Mufwambi Webrod , Katowa-Mukwato Patricia , Godman Brian
Published: September 2023

Background:

Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are critical in preventing the risk of acquiring and transmitting nosocomial infections. In Zambia, there is little information concerning IPC practices among pharmacy students who are exposed to potentially infectious areas both in public and private healthcare settings. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practices of undergraduate pharmacy students toward infection prevention and control at the University of Zambia.

Materials and methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 290 undergraduate pharmacy students at the University of Zambia using a structured questionnaire from August 2022 to October 2022. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0, and statistical significance was set at a 95% confidence level.

Results:

Of the 290 participants, 166(57.2%) were female and the majority were aged between 18 and 23 years. Overall, 252(86.9%) had good knowledge, 167(57.6%) had positive attitudes, and 248(85.5%) had good practices toward IPC measures. These results indicate lower attitude scores compared to knowledge and practices. Having good knowledge of IPC was associated with being a Christian by religion compared to other religions (OR = 5.314, 95% CI: 1.141–24.745). There was no association between sociodemographics and attitude and practice concerning IPC.

Conclusion:

This study found that pharmacy students had good knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practices toward IPC measures. Consequently, more emphasis is needed to improve the student’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward IPC, especially in areas where gaps were identified. Additionally, there is a need to improve curricula on IPC measures in the training of pharmacy programs.
Unfulfilled Promises and Desires: The British South Africa Company (BSAC), Settler Politics and the Development of Southern Rhodesia’s Fiscal System, 1890–1922
Authors: Koke Honest Elias
Published: September 2023

This paper examines how the British South Africa Company (BSAC; the Company), the founding administrator of Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, navigated the creation of a fiscal system of the colony from 1890 to 1922 and how the fiscal system shaped political decisions regarding the colony’s administrative structure. It casts light on the early efforts of the colonial state-making process under the BSAC and how it established its administrative structure. Once occupation was completed, the Company’s ability to finance the cost of governance and administration was the most critical factor facing it. Whereas earlier scholarship has discussed various aspects of Southern Rhodesia’s early economic endeavors and political evolution, this paper demonstrates the significance of the fiscal system in shaping both the economic and political trajectories of the early administration. Through analyzing the Company’s revenue collection and expenditure patterns, the paper reconstructs the contours of shifting notions of what constituted the Company’s commercial and administrative revenue. It argues that the BSAC’s fiscal and budgetary administration approach was gradual, experimental, and sometimes ad hoc, resulting in continuous conflicts between the Company administration and the settlers. The paper relies on a wide range of sources that include the BSAC annual reports, historical manuscripts, Legislative Council debates, newspapers, and other political pamphlets to unpack the tensions between the Company government and white settlers over the fiscal and administrative evolution of the colony.
SUPPORT THEOREM FOR PINNED DIFFUSION PROCESSES
Authors: INAHAMA YUZURU
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we prove a support theorem of Stroock–Varadhan type for pinned diffusion processes. To this end, we use two powerful results from stochastic analysis. One is quasi-sure analysis for Brownian rough path. The other is Aida–Kusuoka–Stroock’s positivity theorem for the densities of weighted laws of non-degenerate Wiener functionals.
Models as Dogwhistles
Authors: DiMarco Marina
Published: September 2023

Some scientific models and some claims about model–target relations are fruitfully diagnosed as dogwhistles. Dogwhistles, broadly speaking, are speech acts that send different, conflicting, and often differentially inflammatory messages to listeners. I distinguish two ways in which scientific models can be dogwhistles: representational dogwhistling and fit-for-purpose dogwhistling. I illustrate both kinds of dogwhistling using an example from computational social science, the diversity trumps ability theorem. I argue that dogwhistling threatens the objectivity of science, and I propose some ameliorative strategies.
THE MORDELL–LANG CONJECTURE FOR SEMIABELIAN VARIETIES DEFINED OVER FIELDS OF POSITIVE CHARACTERISTIC
Authors: GHIOCA DRAGOS , YANG SHE
Published: September 2023

Let G be a semiabelian variety defined over an algebraically closed field K of prime characteristic. We describe the intersection of a subvariety X of G with a finitely generated subgroup of
$G(K)$
.
When local causes are more explanatorily useful
Authors: Bourrat Pierrick
Published: September 2023

Madole & Harden plead for better integration of causal knowledge of different depths to understand complex human traits. Classically, local causes – a particular type of shallow causes – are considered less useful than more generalisable causes, giving a false impression that the latter causes are more useful and desirable. Using a simple example, I show that sometimes the contrary is true.
On the big list of causes
Authors: Turkheimer Eric
Published: September 2023

The methodological shift from twin studies to genome-wide association studies (GWASs) diminished estimates of true genetic causation underlying statistical heritability of behavioral differences. The sum total of causal genetic influence on behavior is not zero, but, (a) no one cited in the target article ever thought this was the case, and (b) there is still little known about concrete instances of genetic causation.
Shallow versus deep genetic causes
Authors: Smith Adam C. , Downes Stephen M.
Published: September 2023

We argue that Madole & Harden's distinction between shallow versus deep genetic causes can bring some clarity to causal claims arising from genome-wide association studies (GWASs). However, the authors argue that GWAS only finds shallow genetic causes, making GWAS commensurate with the environmental studies they hope to supplant. We also assess whether their distinction applies best to explanations or causes.
Meeting counterfactual causality criteria is not the problem
Authors: Markon Kristian E.
Published: September 2023

Counterfactual causal interpretations of family genetic effects are appropriate, but neglect an important feature: Provision of unique information about expected outcomes following an independent decision, such as a decision to intervene. Counterfactual causality criteria are unlikely to resolve controversies about behavioral genetic findings; such controversies are likely to continue until counterfactual inferences are translated into interventional hypotheses and designs.
The providential randomisation of genotypes
Authors: Pingault Jean-Baptiste , Fearon Pasco , Viding Essi , Davies Neil , Munafò Marcus R. , Davey Smith George
Published: September 2023

When building causal knowledge in behavioural genetics, the natural randomisation of genotypes at conception (approximately analogous to the artificial randomisation occurring in randomised controlled trials) facilitates the discovery of genetic causes. More importantly, the randomisation of genetic material within families also enables a better identification of (environmental) risk factors and aetiological pathways to diseases and behaviours.
Genetics can inform causation, but the concepts and language we use matters
Authors: Hart Sara A. , Schatschneider Christopher
Published: September 2023

Madole & Harden describe how genetics can be used in a causal framework. We agree with many of their opinions but argue that comparing within-family designs to experiments is unnecessary and that the proposed influence of genetics on behavior can be better described as inus conditions.
The challenges of sociogenomics make it more, not less, worthy of careful and innovative investigation
Authors: Keller Matthew C.
Published: September 2023

Influences on social traits involve a tangled interplay of genetic, social, and environmental factors. Moreover, there is increasing awareness that gene–environment correlations are real and potentially measurable. Such gene–environment correlations can mislead if they are uncontrolled and genetic associations are interpreted as being purely because of direct genetic effects. This complexity is cause for more and better investigation, not a reason to refrain from researching one of the potentially important factors (genetics) influencing trait variation.
Misguided model of human behavior: Comment on C. H. Burt: “Challenging the utility of polygenic scores for social science…”
Authors: Richardson Ken
Published: September 2023

This commentary emphasizes two problem areas mentioned by Burt. First, that within-family designs do not eradicate stratification confounds. Second, that the linear/additive model of genetic causes of form and variation is not supported by recent progress in molecular biology. It concludes with an appeal for a (biologically and psychologically) more realistic model of such causes.
Polygenic scores and social science
Authors: Veit Walter , Browning Heather
Published: September 2023

It is a hotly contested issue whether polygenic scores should play a major role in the social sciences. Here, we defend a methodologically pluralist stance in which sociogenomics should abandon its hype and recognize that it suffers from all the methodological difficulties of the social sciences, yet nevertheless maintain an optimistic stance toward a more cautious use.
The failure of gene-centrism
Authors: Archer Edward , Lavie Carl J.
Published: September 2023

“Challenging the utility of polygenic scores for social science” is a compelling but limited critique. Phenotypic development is sensitive to both initial conditions and all subsequent states – from conception to senescence. Thus, gene-centric analyses are misleading (and often meaningless) because gene products are transformed, and their phenotypic ‘effects' combined and attenuated with successive propagations from molecular and cellular contexts to organismal and social environments.
Tractable limitations of current polygenic scores do not excuse genetically confounded social science
Authors: Morris Damien , Ritchie Stuart J. , Young Alexander I.
Published: September 2023

Burt's critique of using polygenic scores in social science conflates the “scientific costs” of sociogenomics with “sociopolitical and ethical” concerns. Furthermore, she paradoxically enlists recent advances in controlling for environmental confounding to argue such confounding is scientifically “intractable.” Disinterested social scientists should support ongoing efforts to improve this technology rather than obstructing progress and excusing genetically confounded research.
A “Patient Preference” Model of Recruitment for Research from Primary-Care-Based Memory Clinics: A Promising New Approach
Authors: Lee Linda , Hillier Loretta M. , Patel Tejal , Gregg Susie , Hickman Kathy , Lu Stephanie K. , Lee Michael , Borrie Michael J.
Published: September 2023

Recruiting persons with dementia for clinical trials can be challenging. Building on a guide initially developed to assist primary-care-based memory clinics in their efforts to support research, a key stakeholder working group meeting was held to develop a standardized research recruitment process, with input from patients, care partners, researchers, and clinicians. Discussions in this half-day facilitated meeting focused on the wishes and needs of patients and care partners, policy and procedures for researchers, information provided to patients, and considerations for memory clinics. Patients and care partners valued the opportunity to contribute to science and provided important insights on how to best facilitate recruitment. Discussions regarding proposed processes and procedures for research recruitment highlighted the need for a new, patient-driven approach. Accordingly, a key stakeholder co-designed “Memory Clinic Research Match” program was developed that has the potential to overcome existing barriers and to increase recruitment for dementia-related research.
Childhood emotional abuse and alcohol use disorders in a national Nepali women sample: The mediating role of borderline personality traits
Authors: Xie Weiyi , Emery Clifton R. , Liu Amy Yinan , Ng Siu-man , Choi Anna Wai-man , Chui Cheryl Hiu-kwan
Published: September 2023

While many studies have found an association between childhood emotional abuse and alcohol use disorders (AUD) during adulthood, underlying psychological mechanisms linking the two remain inadequately understood. Drawing on the developmental psychopathology perspective, this study examined the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and AUD during adulthood with a national sample of women in Nepal (N = 1,100, M age = 37.73), focusing on the mediating role of borderline personality traits. Mediation analyses were performed using the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method and bootstrapping confidence intervals. Results indicated that Nepali women’s borderline personality traits significantly mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and AUD. Hence, emotional abuse in childhood increases the risk for AUD during adulthood for Nepali women by increasing the risk of borderline personality traits. Findings underscore the necessity of continued emphasis on developing and implementing early interventions for childhood emotional abuse and therapeutic interventions for borderline personality traits in reducing AUD among vulnerable women in Nepal.
Palmitoylation mediates the proteolysis of seed storage proteins during the cooling process in hydrated lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa)
Authors: Yu Ying , Han Yingying , Ding Yujiao , Li Weijie , Jaganathan Ganesh K. , Liu Baolin
Published: September 2023

Palmitoyl-protein thioesterase (PPT), involved in the fatty acid synthesis and the de-palmitoylation of protein, was induced under ecological cooling treatment in hydrated lettuce seeds. However, there was no significant difference in fatty acid levels between the control and the cooled samples. To further study the function of PPT, 2-bromopalmitic acid (2-Bp), an inhibitor of protein palmitoylation, was applied during the imbibition of hydrated lettuce seeds, which was followed by slow-cooling treatment (−3°C h−1). The application of 2-Bp (1 mM) significantly increased the survival rate of seeds from 6.70% (control imbibition) to 22.67% (2-Bp imbibition) after slow cooling to −20°C. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that 2-Bp led to earlier onset of ice crystals in the endosperm than the control group. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D) confirmed that 2-Bp could promote the hydrolysis of seed globulins and the accumulation of globulin peptides with small molecular weights. High-efficiency hydrolysis of globulin induced by mercaptoethanol improved the freezing tolerance of hydrated lettuce seeds and led to the accumulation of small globulin peptides, which further proved the positive function of small globulin polypeptides in enhancing the freezing tolerance of hydrated lettuce seeds. DSC of small globulin peptides showed that the smaller the molecular weight, the earlier the appearance of ice crystals and the higher the enthalpy of heat release. For the smallest peptides, the 2-Bp-4 in 2-Bp group exhibited higher enthalpy in exothermic peak than the control group (c-4). In conclusion, the hydrolysis of seed globulins and accumulation of small-molecule globulin peptides could be the major reason for improving the freezing tolerance of hydrated seeds after de-palmitoylation treatment.
Hypoxia following warden procedure: evaluation and percutaneous treatment
Authors: Pelka Michelle J. , Jones Edward T. , Brennen David M. , Stapleton Gary E.
Published: September 2023

Partial anomalous venous connection with sinus venosus atrial septal defect is repaired with different approaches including the Warden procedure. Complications include stenosis of the superior caval vein and pulmonary venous baffle; however, cyanosis is rarely seen post-operatively. We report a patient presenting with cyanosis 5 years after a Warden, which was treated with a transcatheter approach.
Wanna contraction in first language acquisition, child second language acquisition, and adult second language acquisition
Authors: Hwang Haerim
Published: September 2023

Contraction of want to to wanna is sometimes possible (e.g., Who do you want to/wanna stay with ___ ?), but sometimes impossible (e.g., Who do you want ___ to/*wanna stay?). This contrast is attributable to the grammatical constraint that a wh-trace blocks the contraction of want and to. Most first language (L1) and second language (L2) acquisition studies testing learner knowledge of this constraint have used elicited production tasks and focused on adult participants, with inconsistent results. Using a child-friendly acceptability judgment task, the current study shows that children as young as 3;11 and both child and adult L2 learners have target-like knowledge of the constraint on wanna contraction. This result is in line with the position that L1 acquisition, child L2 acquisition, and adult L2 acquisition are qualitatively similar.
Planetary biotechnospheres, biotechnosignatures and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence
Authors: Romanovskaya Irina K.
Published: September 2023

The concept of planetary intelligence as collective intelligence is used to consider possible evolutionary paths of biotechnospheres that emerge on the intersection of the technosphere with the biosphere and support coupling of the technosphere with the biosphere, thus affecting planetary evolution. In mature biotechnospheres, the intelligence of technologies and the intelligence of life forms, including engineered life forms, could act in concert to perform various tasks (e.g. monitoring planetary biospheres and environments; restoring planetary environments and biodiversity; steading planetary environments; providing support for space missions; terraforming cosmic objects). Space exploration can expand biotechnospheres beyond planets and create cosmic ecosystems encompassing planets and other cosmic objects; biotechnospheres, spacecraft and the environments of near-planetary, interplanetary space or interstellar space. Humankind, other civilizations or their intelligent machines may produce biotechnosignatures (i.e. observables and artefacts of biotechnospheres) in the Solar System and beyond. I propose ten possible biotechnosignatures and strategies for the search for these biotechnosignatures in situ and over interstellar distances. For example, if a non-human advanced civilization existed and built biotechnospheres on Earth in the past, its biotechnospheres could use engineered bacteria and the descendants of that bacteria could currently exist on Earth and have properties pertaining to the functions of the ancient bacteria in the biotechnospheres (such properties are proposed and discussed); intelligent technologies created by the ancient civilization could migrate to the Solar System's outer regions (possible scenarios of their migration and their technosignatures and biotechnosignatures are discussed); these two scenarios are described as the Cosmic Descendants hypothesis. Interstellar asteroids, free-floating planets, spacecraft and objects gravitationally bound to flyby stars might carry extraterrestrial biotechnospheres and pass through the Solar System. In connection to the fate of post-main-sequence stars and their Oort clouds, the probability for interstellar asteroids to carry biotechnospheres or to be interstellar spacecraft is estimated as very low.
Leaf-mediated response of soybean genotypes to infestation by whitefly,Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius)
Authors: Harish Giri Naga , Singh Ravinder , Taggar Gaurav Kumar
Published: September 2023

The whitefly,Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius) is documented as a major pest on soybean. It was reported that whitefly response towards its hosts and their cultivars varies, and is mediated through various host-related factors. Considering the significance of leaf morphological characteristics in influencing the host–whitefly responses, the present investigation was conducted in screen-house conditions to study the prevailing variations in leaf morphological characteristics of soybean genotypes and their role in governing the adult whitefly attractiveness and oviposition preference. In the multiple-choice test, the whitefly population (eggs, nymphs and adults) was found to be lowest in moderately resistant genotypes (SL 1028 and SL 1074) compared to highly susceptible (DS 3105) and susceptible genotypes (SL 688, SL 958 and SL 1113). The foliar trichomes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and leaf area, leaf lamina thickness and leaf shape data were acquired using standard procedures. To determine the factors involved in the resistance/susceptible responses towards whitefly, Pearson correlation was applied between the morphological characteristics and the whitefly population. The results show that the leaf area, trichome density, trichome length and trichome angle showed a significant positive correlation with the whitefly population, whereas leaf lamina thickness was negatively correlated. Thus, for developing whitefly-resistant germplasm, breeders should choose genotypes having narrow and thick leaves with sparse, short and flat trichomes.
The Inapplicability of the Bosphorus Presumption to the European Economic Area Agreement: A Risk for the Coherence of Legal Systems in Europe
Authors: Lattanzi Umberto
Published: September 2023

The European Court of Human Rights holds that the Bosphorus presumption of equivalent protection cannot apply to the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement – Its reasons focus on EEA Agreement’s lack of primacy, direct effect and adequate enforcement mechanisms – Not applying Bosphorus presumption to EEA Agreement results in the indirect review of EU law by the Strasbourg Court, given that EEA and EU law are substantially identical – Court’s arguments are open to strong criticism – However, its conclusions are correct – They are substantiated by two considerations, which were overlooked by the Court – First, EEA law is to be considered ‘freely entered into’ international law under the Matthews case law – Second, the EFTA Court lacks the power to strike down EEA law breaching upon fundamental rights – Both these consideration are the corollary of the fundamental premises of the EEA Agreement: the retention by EFTA states of sovereign decision-making powers – Refusal to apply Bosphorus presumption to EEA Agreement will likely determine a growing inconsistency between the Convention, EU and EEA law – This entails serious systemic problems
Exploring connections between the VLBI and optical morphology of AGNs and their host galaxies
Authors: Fernández Gil David , Hodgson Jeffrey A. , L’Huillier Benjamin
Published: September 2023

We analyse VLBI and optical images of AGNs and their host galaxies and look for statistical correlations between the shape and orientation of the galaxy and the direction of the jet. We utilise the Astrogeo catalogue, which has over 9000 VLBI sources, many of those with a clear core-jet like structure that allows for the jet position angle to be reliably determined. We then use the VLBI source positions to search for optical counterparts within various optical surveys. In order to parameterise the orientation and shape of the host galaxy, we fitted a Gaussian elliptical model to the optical image, taking the PSF into account. We check our own shape parameters from this fit against the ones provided by the optical surveys. As of yet, no clear correlation between the galaxy morphology and the jet direction is seen.
Intraday variations of polarization vector in blazars: a key to the optical jet structure?
Authors: Shablovinskaya Elena , Malygin Eugene , Oparin Dmitry
Published: September 2023

This report presents the results of optical polarimetric observations carried out with 6-m and 1-m telescopes at SAO RAS. The study of the blazar S5 0716+714 radiation showed the presence of a period of the variability of brightness and polarization vector variations on scales of ∼1.5 hours, constant on a long time scale; multi-colour monitoring of BL Lac polarization before, during and after the flare demonstrates the difference in the patterns of polarization vector variability depending on the wavelength. Several geometrical models and physical descriptions are discussed.
RAD@home discovery of a one-sided radio jet hitting the companion galaxy
Authors: Hota Ananda , Dabhade Pratik , Vaddi Sravani
Published: September 2023

Minkowski’s Object and ‘Death Star galaxy’ are two of the famous cases of rare instances when a radio jet has been observed to directly hit a neighbouring galaxy. RAD12, the RAD@home citizen science discovery with GMRT being presented here, is not only a new system being added to nearly half a dozen rare cases known so far but also the first case where the neighbouring galaxy is not a minor/dwarf companion but a galaxy bigger than the host of the radio jet. Additionally, the jet appears to be one-sided and the jet after interaction completely stops and forms a bubble inflating laterally which is unlike previous cases of minor deviation or loss of collimation. Since the nature of radio jet-ISM coupling is poorly understood so far, more discovery of objects like RAD12 will be important to the understanding of galaxy evolution through merger and AGN feedback.
Gamma-ray flux distribution analysis on 145 gamma-ray bright blazars
Authors: Yoshida Kenji , Oikonomou Foteini , Petropoulou Maria , Murase Kohta
Published: September 2023

We present the results of the gamma-ray flux distribution analysis on 145 gamma-ray bright blazars observed by Fermi-LAT. For the gamma-ray flux distribution, we applied a log-normal distribution to discuss the nature of the high-energy emission processes of blazars and a power-law distribution convolved with a Poisson distribution to investigate the implications of gamma-ray bright blazars for neutrino emission. Both distributions can represent the observed flux distributions as well. The leptonic models, which give the physical relationship between neutrinos and gamma rays, indicate that the flaring contribution to the neutrino emission can be dominant for the power-law index less than ∼2.5. From the power-law distribution analysis, we found that the power-law index < 2.5 accounts for the 82 % blazars. This result suggests that the flaring contribution of blazars is dominant for high-energy neutrino emission.
Landscape Pollution Source Dynamics Highlight Priority Locations for Basin‐Scale Interventions to Protect Water Quality Under Hydroclimatic Variability
Authors: Schaffer‐Smith D. , DeMeester J. E. , Tong D. , Myint S. W. , Libera D. A. , Muenich R. L.
Published: September 2023

Extreme weather is associated with a variety of water quality issues that can pose harm to humans and aquatic ecosystems. Under dry conditions, contaminants become concentrated in streams with a greater potential for harmful algal blooms, while wet conditions can cause flooding and broadcast pollution. Developing interventions to improve water quality in a changing climate requires a better understanding of how hydroclimatic variability affects watershed processes, and which places are most vulnerable. We developed a Soil and Water Assessment Tool model of the Cape Fear River Basin (CFRB) in North Carolina, USA, representing contemporary land use, point and non‐point sources, and weather conditions from 1979 to 2019. The CFRB is a large, complex river basin undergoing urbanization and agricultural intensification, with a history of droughts and floods. To identify intervention priorities, we developed a Water Quality Risk Index (WQRI) using the average and variability of contaminant loads across dry, normal and wet conditions. The landscape generally contributed the majority of pollutants (e.g., via erosion, fertilizer and manure applications), including 90.1% of sediment, 83.2% of total nitrogen, and 52.4% of total phosphorus at the City of Wilmington's drinking water intake, yet point sources were influential during dry periods. Approximately 16% of the watershed contributed most of the pollutants across conditions—these represent priority locations for interventions such as restoration, urban, or agricultural best management practices. The WQRI approach considering risks to water quality across conditions can help identify locations where interventions are more likely to improve water quality under climate change.