bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long noncoding RNA X‐inactive specific transcript (lncRNA XIST) inhibits hepatic insulin resistance by competitively binding microRNA‐182‐5p
Authors: Zhong Guoqing , Yang Qingping , Wang Yihua , Liang Yuan , Wang Xiaojing , Zhao Dongli
Published: November 2023

Background

What is highlighted in this study refers to the role and molecular mechanism of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) X‐inactive specific transcript (XIST) in cells with insulin resistance (IR).

Methods

In this study, LX‐2 cells were applied to establish IR model in vitro. The expressions of lncRNA XIST, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK,) and glucose‐6‐phosphatase (G6Pase) were quantified by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The 2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose‐6‐phosphate (2‐DG6P) level was detected utilizing 2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose (2‐DG) uptake measurement kit. Western blot was adopted to measure the protein expressions of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor (IGF‐1R), G6Pase, PEPCK, and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway‐related genes. StarBase was used to predict the targeting relationship between lncRNA XIST or IGF‐1R with miR‐182‐5p, the results of which were verified by dual‐luciferase reporter, RNA pull‐down, and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Rescue experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of miR‐182‐5p on IR cells. Next, low‐expressed lncRNA XIST and high‐expressed miR‐182‐5p were observed in IR cells.

Results

Upregulation of lncRNA XIST increased IGF‐1R and 2‐DG6P levels, decreased G6Pase and PEPCK expressions, and promoted PI3K/Akt pathway activation in IR cells. LncRNA XIST sponged miR‐182‐5p which targeted IGF‐1R. MiR‐182‐5p mimic reversed the above effects of lncRNA XIST overexpression on IR cells.

Conclusions

In conclusion, lncRNA XIST/miR‐182‐5p axis alleviates hepatic IR in vitro via IGF‐1R/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which could be the promising therapeutic target.
The Role of the Proteasome in Limiting Cellular Stress Associated with Protein Accumulation
Authors: Kragness Kate A. , Trader Darci J.
Published: November 2023

The proteasome is comprised of multiple subunits that catalyze the degradation of proteins to maintain cellular homeostasis. The proteasome targets protein substrates by two different pathways. The ubiquitin‐dependent pathway requires proteins to be labeled with a ubiquitin tag to signal for degradation by the 26S isoform of the proteasome. Protein degradation through this pathway declines during age progression. The ubiquitin‐independent pathway utilizes the 20S proteasome isoform. It can degrade misfolded and intrinsically disordered proteins to decrease cellular stress. Age‐related protein accumulation and aggregation can occur due to the decreased activity and expression of the proteasome. Protein accumulation causes increased cellular stress which can contribute to disease progression. Increasing proteasome activity could serve as a solution to eliminating and preventing protein accumulation. Studies have shown the value of the proteasome as a therapeutic entity to mitigate cellular stress. This perspective explores the link between proteasome activity and cellular stress caused by age‐related misfolded protein accumulation.
A 13‐step framework for better integration of streamlined conservation research
Authors: Borzée Amaël
Published: November 2023

The rise of integrated conservation research underscores its pivotal role in raising global environmental concerns, making it an attractive research subject from numerous perspectives. This general interest in integrated research is positive in that it provides an interdisciplinary approach with important innovations, encompassing a variety of fields, in opposition to considering conservation as an “afterthought” of ecological results. The current challenge is to organize research findings in a consistent, streamlined process that effectively supports and influences world biodiversity conservation. Disciplines once deemed unrelated to conservation science, such as social sciences, are now being incorporated into conservation research, and there is a pressing need to unify these diverse areas into a cohesive process to enhance the coverage of this growing field. It is also vital to acknowledge that each focal population unit (e.g., species, taxa, clade, etc.) may have specific requirements. Here, I propose a 13‐step framework that aims to integrate a comprehensive range of conservation research fields, from traditional ecology and behavior to inclusive mitigation plans, policy recommendations, and monitoring processes, ensuring that conservation research results are translated into tangible conservation actions. Integrating research‐based conservation results will facilitate the required coordinated effort from scientists, government agencies, the general public, and relevant sections of the private sector, thereby reinforcing the foundations to support conservation initiatives. This manuscript defines a procedure to address the conservation research requirements of specific focal population units (e.g., species, taxa, clade, population, etc.). It emphasizes the need for a consistent and streamlined process integrating all research fields, aiming to increase the breadth of knowledge essential for generating actionable conservation research results. The process supports clearly defined goal‐driven objectives that can be readily adopted by organizations interested in actionable conservation research results at varying levels. Nevertheless, conservation measures can be taken at any stage within the process, recognizing that achieving all research outcomes is a resource‐intensive optimum.
Gender specificity of frontal activity based on fNIRS in distinguishing bipolar depression population from health control
Authors: Gao Chenyang , Li Ting
Published: November 2023

Bipolar depression (BD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by recurring bouts of bipolar mania or hypomania followed by depression. In this essay, we used the functional near‐infrared spectroscopy to investigate the frontal function of BD in males and females, which included a total of 43 BD patients and 28 healthy subjects. The hemodynamic response associated with the task was estimated using the generalized linear model (GLM) approach. Wavelet transforms coherence and Granger causality (GC) methods were employed to calculate brain connectivity. GLM and GC results revealed that female patients were more distinguishable from healthy controls than males. Additionally, the correlation between BD scores and GLM results showed that the brain activation of male subjects was affected by their anxiety levels. This study suggests that traditional diagnostic methods for BD may not be as sensitive in men as in women.
Curriculum change using Tuckman's model: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing
Authors: Nanda Shubha , Papathanasiou Aikaterini , Zandoná Andrea Ferreira
Published: November 2023

TUSDM’s Comprehensive Care Department accomplished curriculum change and faculty development by following a process consistent with Tuckman’s model of change. The FORMING of three ad‐hoc committees was followed by STORMING stage, in which volunteers identified opportunities and needs of 11 courses. In the NORMING stage, committees’ findings were categorized into four themes: curriculum restructuring, guideline development, outcomes assessment, and resource needs. The concluding PERFORMING stage involved addition and consolidation of courses, modules, workshops, and guidelines, establishing a faculty calibration plan, and revision of clinical outcomes assessment. A staged, bottom‐up approach to implementing curriculum change can lead to outcomes enhancement, concomitant with faculty enrichment.
Exploration of porous imine‐based covalent organic framework for solid‐phase extraction of five trace sulfonamides in food samples
Authors: Dong Yingjiao , Chen Yao , Wang Ruijie , Hong Zhikai , Fan Weiqiang , Huang Zhenzhen , Wang Guanhua
Published: November 2023

In this article, a highly crystalline porous imine‐based covalent organic framework was synthesized at room temperature and used as solid‐phase extraction (SPE) adsorbent for the purification and enrichment of trace sulfonamides (SAs) from food samples. The structure of the obtained material was characterized and studied in detail. The extraction process was optimized and the final elution was determined by the ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry method. Low limits of detection (0.02–0.19 μg/kg) were obtained under optimal conditions, with the recoveries ranging from 70.5% to 105.3% when spiked at different levels. The adsorption process of the material for SAs was fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm model, and the extraction capacity for Nitrofuran metabolites from food samples was also investigated for comparison. The results demonstrated that the framework was a good candidate SPE adsorbent that can be used for the enrichment of drug residues in complex matrix, and the work may provide a systematic study method for the development of porous adsorbents.
Direct C–H Arylation Derived Ternary D–A Conjugated Polymers: Effects of Monomer Geometries, D/A Ratios, and Alkyl Side Chains on Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production and Pollutant Degradation
Authors: Shen Zhao‐Qi , Zhang Guang , Yang Kai , Zhang Yu‐Jie , Gong Hao , Liao Guangfu , Liu Shi‐Yong
Published: November 2023

Donor–acceptor (D–A) conjugated polymer (CP) featuring high charge mobility and widely tunable energy bands have shown promising prospects in photocatalysis. In this work, a library of ternary D‐A CPs (22 polymers) based on benzothiadiazole, bithiophene, and fluorene derivatives (i.e., fluorene [Fl], 9,9‐dihexylfluorene [HF], and 9,9′‐spirobifluorene [SF]) with and without alkyl side chains, and with 3D geometry are designed and synthesized via atom‐economical direct C–H arylation polymerization to explore the synergetic effects of stereochemistry, D/A ratio, and alkyl chains on the properties and photocatalytic performances, which reveal that 1) the cross‐shaped 3D spirobifluorene (SF) building block shows the highest hydrogen evolution rates (HER) owing to the sufficient photocatalytic active sites exposed, 2) the alkyl‐free linear polymer (FlBtBT0.05) exhibit the highest photocatalytic pollutant degradation performance owing to its superior charge separation, and 3) the alkyl side chains are redundances that will exert detrimental effects on the aqueous photocatalysis owing to their insulating and hydrophobic property. The structure‐property‐performance correlation results obtained will provide a desirable guideline for the rational design of CP‐based photocatalysts.
Hydroxytyrosol Induces Dyslipidemia in an ApoB100 Humanized Mouse Model
Authors: López de las Hazas María‐Carmen , del Saz‐Lara Andrea , Cedó Lídia , Crespo María Carmen , Tomé‐Carneiro João , Chapado Luis A. , Macià Alba , Visioli Francesco , Escola‐Gil Joan C. , Dávalos Alberto
Published: November 2023

Scope

Extra virgin olive oil has numerous cardiopreventive effects, largely due to its high content of (poly)phenols such as hydroxytyrosol (HT). However, some animal studies suggest that its excessive consumption may alter systemic lipoprotein metabolism. Because human lipoprotein metabolism differs from that of rodents, this study examines the effects of HT in a humanized mouse model that approximates human lipoprotein metabolism.

Methods and results

Mice are treated as follows: control diet or diet enriched with HT. Serum lipids and lipoproteins are determined after 4 and 8 weeks. We also analyzed the regulation of various genes and miRNA by HT, using microarrays and bioinformatic analysis.

An increase in body weight is found after supplementation with HT, although food intake was similar in both groups. In addition, HT induced the accumulation of triacylglycerols but not cholesterol in different tissues. Systemic dyslipidemia after HT supplementation and impaired glucose metabolism are observed. Finally, HT modulates the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism, such as Pltp or Lpl.

Conclusion

HT supplementation induces systemic dyslipidemia and impaired glucose metabolism in humanized mice. Although the numerous health‐promoting effects of HT far outweigh these potential adverse effects, further carefully conducted studies are needed.
Porous silicon microneedle patches for delivery of polymyxin‐based antimicrobials
Authors: Tabassum Nazia , Rudd David , Yan Li , Voelcker Nicolas H. , Alba Maria
Published: November 2023

There is a global trend of increasing antibiotic resistance to Gram‐negative bacteria and the medical research community is looking for alternative antibiotics. Antibiotics such as polymyxin B (PMB) show excellent efficacy and low resistance rates against Gram‐negative bacteria. The topical administration of PMB, however, has clinical limitations such as minimal residence time, making it difficult for its use to treat skin infections. Here, we present porous silicon microneedle (pSi MN) patches to deliver PMB to the skin. pSi MN patches are fabricated by, first, generating the projections by dry Si etching techniques, followed by an electrochemical etching to create porous layers around the MNs. After loading PMB into the porous layer, the antibacterial activity of pSi MNs is determined by measuring the inhibition zone of Gram‐negative Escherichia coli. Next, PMB is efficiently delivered into the epidermal layer of ex vivo skin models, as confirmed by chemical mapping using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI‐MSI). The results demonstrate that pSi MN patches are an efficient and versatile tool for the transdermal delivery of PMB with maintained bioactivity and antimicrobial efficacy, thus expanding the possibilities of current transdermal drug delivery systems.
Achieving superior pyroresistive reproducibility at HDPE/PVDF composites with tailored conductive phase size
Authors: Chen Long , Liu Chengchao , Liu Shucheng , Chang Yuanzhi , Liu Yunxiao , Zhang Jianming , Yu Qing , Cheng Guiqing , Wang Zhongwei
Published: November 2023

Commercial conductive polymer composites (CPCs) with positive temperature coefficient (PTC) behavior usually suffer from inherent poor reproducibility of pyroresistive property. Herein, a conductive carbon black (CB)/high density polyethylene (HDPE)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite with outstanding PTC reproducibility were prepared through introducing cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) grafted with methyl methacrylate (CNC‐g‐PMMA). Following the minimum interfacial energy mechanism, the CNC‐g‐PMMA tends to locate in PVDF of binary polymer composites. A much finer morphology of conductive CB/HDPE phase is hence obtained owing to the increasement of PVDF/HDPE viscosity ratio by introducing CNC‐g‐PMMA. Undergoing multiple repeated temperature cycles, the room temperature resistance and PTC intensity of as‐prepared material keep almost unchanged, which demonstrates superior PTC reproducibility. The improving mechanism of PTC reproducibility has also been illustrated in detail. This research provides a facile and valid strategy to enhance the PTC reproducibility and will vastly expand the application of PTC composites in the field of intelligent temperature management.

Highlights

Assembling binary polymer‐based PTC materials with cocontinuous structure

Nanocrystals enables conductive HDPE phase with finer morphology.

The precise ranges of viscosity ratio ensure the co‐continuous morphology.

Small conductive phase size enhances P reproducibility.

Narrow spatial domain restricts the self‐aggregation of conductive fillers.
Process‐property relationship in polylactic acid composites reinforced by iron microparticles and3Dprinted by fused filament fabrication
Authors: Hasanzadeh Rezgar , Mihankhah Peyman , Azdast Taher , Bodaghi Mahdi , Moradi Mahmoud
Published: November 2023

Polylactic acid (PLA) is the most widely used material in the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique, which is a biocompatible thermoplastic. However, PLA's usefulness is limited by its narrow processing window and relatively low mechanical properties. Therefore, PLA composites have been developed to enhance its properties for FFF printing. A key challenge in producing composite parts via this method is to find the correlation between the mechanical properties of the parts and the process parameters. This knowledge is essential for optimizing the printing process to achieve the desired mechanical properties for composite parts industries such as aerospace, automotive, and medical, where high‐performance composite materials are crucial. The ability to control and predict the mechanical properties of FFF‐printed composite parts is critical for their successful integration into these industries. In this study, the effect of nozzle temperature (NT), printing speed (PS), and nominal porosity (POR) on the impact strength and specific impact strength of PLA/iron composites was examined using FFF. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the experimental design. The results revealed that POR had the most significant effect on the impact resistance data, while NT had the least effect. Reducing the POR led to improved impact resistance in the samples. Multi‐objective optimization results showed that the lowest NT (190°C), the lowest POR (30%), and a PS of 50 mm/s were the optimal conditions for multiple objectives. RSM was also utilized to develop mathematical models of impact properties, focusing on varying NT, POR, and PS, which can be used to predict desired impact properties.

Highlights

Nominal porosity has the most influence on the impact strength of PLA/iron composites.

Optimum values were temperature of 190°C, nominal porosity of 30%, and speed of 50 mm/s.

RSM was effective in enhancing the mechanical properties of composite materials.

RSM models provide a predictive tool for future FFF‐printed composite parts.

Maximum impact strength of 4.44 kJ/m2was achieved.
The rice annexin gene OsAnn5 is involved in cold stress tolerance at the seedling stage
Authors: Que Zhiqun , Lu Qineng , Li Qixiu , Shen Chunxiu
Published: November 2023

Annexins exist widely in plants as multigene families and play critical roles in stress responses and a range of cellular processes. This study provides a comprehensive account of the cloning and functional characterization of the rice annexin gene OsAnn5. The findings reveal that a cold stress treatment at the seedling stage of rice induced OsAnn5 expression. GUS staining assay indicated that the expression of OsAnn5 was non tissue‐specific and was detected in almost all rice tissues. Subcellular localization indicated that OsAnn5‐GFP (green fluorescent protein) signals were found in the endoplasmic reticulum apparatus. Compared with wild type rice, knocking out OsAnn5 using the CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated proteins) mediated genome editing resulted in sensitivity to cold treatments. These results indicate that OsAnn5 is involved in cold stress tolerance at the seedling stage.
Effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and cranio‐cervical flexor training on pain and function in chronic mechanical neck pain: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Suresh Vaishnavi , Venkatesan Prem , Babu Karthik
Published: November 2023

Background

Chronic neck pain is known to be caused by the weakness of the deep neck flexors and disturbances in the mechanoreceptors and the proprioceptors of the cervical spine. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) is hypothesized to balance the relative stiffness and weakness of the muscles and activate the mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors.

Objective

To investigate PNF techniques and the craniocervical flexor training (CCFT) techniques for pain and function in chronic neck pain.

Methods

A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 66 chronic mechanical neck pain patients randomly assigned to either the PNF or CCFT groups using block randomization for a duration of 4 weeks. Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Neck disability Index (NDI) and Active cervical range of motion (ACROM) were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention. Data were analysed using independent t test and MANOVA.

Results

The mean difference scores for NPRS and NDI were 2.18 and 15.72 in PNF group and 2.26 and 15.76 in the CCFT groups, respectively. Both the groups showed a change that was statistically significant. Also, the mean differences for the ACROM in all the planes in both the groups were statistically significant. However, the between group changes did not reveal any statistical significance in this study except for the right rotation in the CCFT group (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

This study concluded that the PNF treatment is also beneficial to pain and function in treating chronic mechanical neck pain patients as its results stand similar to the CCFT treatment, which is already established to be a reliable tool to treat this condition.
Investigation into Oxidation Width of AlGaOx Cladding Layer for Circular Defect in 2D Photonic Crystal Laser
Authors: Zuo Rubing , Ye Hanqiao , Kinoshita Ryosei , Kataguchi Munenari , Morifuji Masato , Kajii Hirotake , Maruta Akihiro , Kondow Masahiko
Published: November 2023

A circular defect in 2D photonic crystal (CirD) lasers is developed, which has the potential to achieve a target communication density of 10 Pbps cm−2 for intrachip optical communications by vertical current injection. The AlGaOx cladding layer's oxidation width strongly influences the device's light confinement and electronic resistance. Herein, samples with different oxidation widths are fabricated and the relationship between threshold power and oxidation width through photoexcitation is revealed. The optimal range of the oxidation width is found to be 349–439 nm, which can ensure low electronic resistance and low threshold power.
A flexible model based on piecewise linear approximation for the analysis of left truncated right censored data with covariates, and applications to Worcester Heart Attack Study data and Channing House data
Authors: Ganguly Ayon , Mitra Debanjan , Balakrishnan Narayanaswamy , Kundu Debasis
Published: November 2023

Left truncated right censored (LTRC) data arise quite commonly from survival studies. In this article, a model based on piecewise linear approximation is proposed for the analysis of LTRC data with covariates. Specifically, the model involves a piecewise linear approximation for the cumulative baseline hazard function of the proportional hazards model. The principal advantage of the proposed model is that it does not depend on restrictive parametric assumptions while being flexible and data‐driven. Likelihood inference for the model is developed. Through detailed simulation studies, the robustness property of the model is studied by fitting it to LTRC data generated from different processes covering a wide range of lifetime distributions. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out by fitting the model to LTRC data generated from a process with a piecewise constant baseline hazard. It is observed that the performance of the model is quite satisfactory in all those cases. Analyses of two real LTRC datasets by using the model are provided as illustrative examples. Applications of the model in some practical prediction issues are discussed. In summary, the proposed model provides a comprehensive and flexible approach to model a general structure for LTRC lifetime data.
Cargo Size Limits and Forces of Cell‐Driven Microtransport
Authors: Sharifi Panah Setareh , Großmann Robert , Lepro Valentino , Beta Carsten
Published: November 2023

The integration of motile cells into biohybrid microrobots offers unique properties such as sensitive responses to external stimuli, resilience, and intrinsic energy supply. Here, biohybrid cell–cargo systems that are driven by amoeboid Dictyostelium discoideum cells are studied and how the cargo speed and the resulting viscous drag force scales with increasing radius of the spherical cargo particle are explored. Using a simplified geometrical model of the cell–cargo interaction, the findings toward larger cargo sizes, which are not accessible with the experimental setup, are extrapolated and a maximal cargo size is predicted beyond which active cell‐driven movements will stall. The active forces exerted by the cells to move a cargo show mechanoresponsive adaptation and increase dramatically when challenged by an external pulling force, a mechanism that may become relevant when navigating cargo through complex heterogeneous environments.
Turning climate justice into practice? Channeling loss and damage funding through national social protection systems in climate‐vulnerable countries
Authors: Huber Jona , Murray Una
Published: November 2023

Despite the last‐minute breakthrough agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 to provide funding for climate‐related loss and damage for vulnerable countries, distribution mechanisms and funding sources remain up for debate. With rapid‐onset climate impacts intensifying and slow‐onset impacts further manifesting, loss and damage from climate change is already occurring. Thus, quick, effective, and transparent distribution of upcoming funds is necessary. Currently, only a tiny fraction of existing sources of climate finance reaches affected communities, commonly marked by high levels of poverty and low levels of adaptive capacity. Similarly, donor‐based global humanitarian aid and development systems are buckling under the weight of increasing demand. As increasing climate impacts threaten to reverse development gains of the last decades, climate‐sensitive social protection has received increasing attention for its potential to address climate impacts and to strengthen the adaptive capacity and resilience of climate‐vulnerable populations. This review article explores the prospects of channeling Loss and Damage funding through existing national social protection systems and highlights how this approach can efficiently contribute to safeguarding development gains, including previously overlooked aspects such as noneconomic loss and damage (NELD), while also dismantling soft adaptation barriers and thus fostering climate resilience in the long term. Although we identify barriers, including gaps in coverage of social protection systems both between and within countries, we argue that channeling some L&D funding through social protection systems aligns with core human rights and climate justice agendas, as well as the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities.

This article is categorized under:

Integrated Assessment of Climate Change > Assessing Climate Change in the Context of Other Issues

Policy and Governance > International Policy Framework

Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Values‐Based Approach to Vulnerability and Adaptation
Mass balance accounting: Considerations for circular polymers
Authors: Schumacher Kelsea A. , Beers Kathryn
Published: November 2023

While plastic packaging and products have greatly benefitted civilization, the current and historical approaches to design, use, and end‐of‐life management have resulted in significant challenges, particularly in recovering and retaining the economic value of the materials and preventing plastic pollution. The dominant route for recycling plastic in the United States and elsewhere has been mechanical recycling, which is effective for select polymer types and package designs and has potential for growth. However, several regulatory, technical, and economic challenges will ultimately cap the fraction of plastic waste recovered by mechanical recycling technologies, and as a result, chemical recycling―processes that either break covalent bonds or otherwise exploit fundamental chemical processes to return molecules to early or mid‐stage chemical production―has great appeal, especially for plastic products most challenging for mechanical recycling. Due to the nature of some chemical recycling technologies, specifically that molecules derived from chemically recycled polymers become indistinguishable from primary feedstocks and thus not traceable or measurable in the process, the mass balance (MB) accounting chain of custody model has been proposed as a tool to track, trace, and certify circular polymers. While MB certification standards have an extensive history in other commodity sectors, they have only recently been considered in the polymers sector in part due to recent technology advances and incentives to expand chemical recycling. Here we discuss the roll of MB in polymer circularity, including controversial aspects, and provide technical examples to describe its potential applicability. We further provide recommendations for the effective use of MB to certify circular polymers.

This article is categorized under:

Climate and Environment > Pollution Prevention

Climate and Environment > Circular Economy

Emerging Technologies > Materials
Community perspectives on the prospect of lion (Panthera leo) reintroduction to Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa)
Authors: Janvier Aglissi , Etotépé Aïkpémi Sogbohossou , Hans Bauer
Published: November 2023

The civil war in Côte d'Ivoire led to a hike in human disturbances and the extirpation of African lion Panthera leo from the Comoé National Park (CNP). After the war, many efforts have been made to restore this ecosystem and management is considering the reintroduction of lions. In a participatory management with people at the center of conservation, there is a need to discuss with communities the initiatives affecting their livelihoods. We assessed the acceptance of lion reintroduction by the local communities; through semi‐structured questionnaires to 307 volunteer participants in surrounding 23 villages. Most respondents had knowledge of lions from CNP (93%, n = 286). A generalized linear model (GLM) revealed that sex, profession, perceived benefits and risks, and an appreciation of the current management system are the main significant determinants for the acceptance of lion reintroduction in CNP. A large majority (73%, n = 223) were in favor of the lion reintroduction with significant variance among socio‐professional categories. The majority of respondents (81%, n = 250) acknowledged having coexisted with lions, with previous lion conflicts reported by 20% (n = 61), and a willingness to coexist in future by 74% (n = 227). More than 84% (n = 260) believed that there would be benefits associated with lion reintroduction to CNP and 53% (n = 162) believed that the potential benefits would be greater than the possible risks associated with lions. Most respondents (88%; n = 270) confirmed the possibility of taking precautions to prevent future lion attacks. While only 42% (n = 129) of respondents felt that current management was participatory, most of them felt that it was acceptable (83%; n = 254). Our data shows a large degree of lion support, positive perceptions and willingness to coexist with lion in future. These results form part of a fundamental step in the direction for ethical reintroduction, as described by the IUCN reintroduction specialist group. We recommend the improvement of the involvement of indigenous communities in potential reintroduction of lions, especially the pastoralists, and the sharing of any associated benefits.
Introduction: Young People’s Pathways into Farming
Authors: Srinivasan Sharada , White Ben
Published: November 2023

The world’s crisis-ridden agriculture and food systems, besides huge environmental challenges, are facing a looming problem of generational renewal. Farming populations are ageing, many farmers appear to have no successor, and it is widely claimed that young people are not interested in farming; smallholder farming in its present state appears to be so unattractive to young people that they are turning away from agricultural futures. Will there be a new generation of farmers to take the place of today’s ageing farmers? What are the experiences of young people who are establishing themselves as farmers, and how are these pathways gendered? How can young farmers be supported to feed the world’s growing population? These are the questions that stimulated us and our colleagues in Canada, China, India, and Indonesia to join together in the multi-country research project, Becoming a Young Farmer: Young People’s Pathways into Farming in Four Countries. Each team used multi-sited case study research to bring to life the experiences of young farmers and would-be farmers, the various challenges they face, and important differences in their experiences both within and between the countries and study sites. By concentrating on women and men who have managed, or are trying, to set up their own farming livelihoods at a relatively early stage in their lives, we aimed to contribute both to theory by clarifying the generational dimension in the social reproduction of agrarian communities, and to policy by clarifying the barriers that young rural men and women confront in accessing land and other resources as well as the role of policies, institutions, and young people’s own individual and collective efforts in overcoming these barriers.
Chapter Eight: Healer or King
Authors: Stroeken Koen
Published: November 2023

This chapter explains the tensor of kum which features centrally in the author’s anthropological work on chiefdoms in eastern and central Africa that centralized into kingdoms. The data intertwine with conversations with a modernly educated chief, a man of the world living in the metropole of Dar es Salaam. The effort of the previous chapter continues as we extend our analysis from frame and sphere to cultural systems and the human species. Ethnographic reflections about lifeways come to the fore, as do intuitions one acquires after being trained in medicine. The training draws on a long-standing initiatory network spanning central and eastern Africa. Divination and initiation keep the chief’s rule medicinal. They prevent power from corrupting into autocracy.

Can Western democracies, which presently go through rough times, learn from the mechanisms? An intriguing similarity is how the tensor splits into simplexes, and that members of the human species intuit the split as ‘no good’. Elections are politics of the real that reveal collective reason. The chapter ends with the contrasting case of a European country after 400 days without government. Do the better educated know best?
Chapter Twelve: Street Cred
Authors: Stroeken Koen
Published: November 2023

Hip hop performances present another case when opponents dissing each other attract a crowd for harnessing the energy between attendants. The slur appropriated by the artist representing a discriminated group illustrates the principle: use the energy of the simplex instead of evading it. Immunity through contagion. Far from representing an ideology, the artist lets inspiration in and sings the message which can be felt to have collective reason. The tensor of street cred de-simplicates politics. Artists claiming a ‘moral self’ in opposition to ‘immoral others’ are simplicating the situation with a unidimensional message, whereas frame-shifters, like Professa Jay, Mbembe or 50 Cent, turn the tables on themselves to temporarily impersonate the immoral. Their ironizing renders their comparison of frames viable instead of hegemonic.
Chapter Thirteen: Godwork
Authors: Stroeken Koen
Published: November 2023

Again we encounter the principle of attaining immunity through contagion. The redemption of Pentecostalist converts rests on seizing the very evil that their new religion combats. Inhabitants of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of Morogoro in Tanzania equally train their intuition and prepare their children for the new era’s tensors.

The chapter describes a contest between a Sukuma healer and two pastors. The healer masters the game of healing better because of the frameshift. Yet Pentecostal dogmatism does not prevent ‘clarity’, permitting the convert to reach a state of ‘inclusive disjunctivity’, the multiplexity of leading parallel lives.
Chapter Seven: The Oracle and the Real
Authors: Stroeken Koen
Published: November 2023

This chapter synthesizes the author’s ethnographic work on healing systems in Africa. Divination has political relevance because is the art of shifting frames. The shift occurs by letting in ‘the real’, a moment neither imaginary nor symbolical. Why should oracles need mediumship or the geomantic throw? Ethnography in eastern and central Africa indicates that an oracle’s purpose is to defuse the simplex preoccupying the consulters.

The reader learns about the organs that matter in haruspication. The five chapters of the first part diagnosed society as in a state of entropy and dehumanizing. Sukuma diviners in Tanzania have the tools for such diagnosis but viscerally enact them, which our analysis is in dire need of. To dehumanize is to imagine humans that can lay a claim on you. Bewitchment is the universal experience of someone embodying the Law and living inside you, impinging on your freedom, while you mistakenly situate the help offered by people and so-called ancestral energies ‘outside’ yourself. To live together with one’s witch, an inversion is called for, whereby you accept all those energies of ‘the real’ as part of yourself and locate the Law of the witch where it belongs, quite simply outside of your self. This act is not just a micro-story. Such frameshifts, anthropologists have shown, have built and regenerated society anywhere on this planet. Not surprisingly then, it is here that we discover the tensor of collective reason.
Stability of electroweak vacuum and supersymmetric contribution to muon g − 2
Authors: Chigusa So , Moroi Takeo , Shoji Yutaro
Published: November 2023

Abstract

We study the stability of the electroweak vacuum in the supersymmetric (SUSY) standard model (SM), paying particular attention to its relation to the SUSY contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment aμ. If the SUSY contribution to aμ is sizable, the electroweak vacuum may become unstable because of enhanced trilinear scalar interactions. With aμ being fixed, larger slepton masses require more enhanced trilinear couplings, which make the electroweak vacuum more unstable. Thus, assuming SUSY contribution to aμ being sizable, an upper bound on the slepton masses is obtained. We give a detailed prescription to perform a full one-loop calculation of the decay rate of the electroweak vacuum for the case that the SUSY contribution to aμ is enhanced. We also give an upper bound on the slepton masses as a function of the SUSY contribution to aμ.
Einführung des Fachs „Berufsfelderkundung“ für Studierende der Zahnmedizin an der Universität des Saarlandes
Authors: Rupf Stefan , Gund Madline , Strähle Ulf , Naim Jusef , Hannig Matthias
Published: November 2023

Seit dem Wintersemester 2021/2022 gilt die neue zahnärztliche Approbationsordnung (ZApprO). Darin wurde festgelegt, dass ein „Praktikum der Berufsfelderkundung“ als Lehrveranstaltung im Zahnmedizinstudium durchgeführt wird. In der Universität des Saarlandes besteht die Lehrveranstaltung aus 5 Teilen: (I) Einführung, (II) Praktikum, (III) Reflexionsbericht, (IV) Symposium, (V) Evaluation. Das Praktikum soll den Studierenden eine frühe Berührung mit der klinischen Realität ermöglichen und ihnen mehr Selbstvertrauen im Umgang mit Patienten geben, sie motivieren und ihnen die professionelle Rolle im Gesundheitsberuf vermitteln. Zusätzlich soll durch den Reflexionsbericht und das Symposium die Entwicklung wissenschaftlicher Kompetenzen initiiert werden. Die Evaluation dient zusammen mit der Bewertung der Reflexionsberichte der Überprüfung des Erfolgs der Einführung des Faches. Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, die neue Lehrveranstaltung zu beschreiben und die Ergebnisse der Auswertung der beiden Veranstaltungen in den Jahren 2021 und 2022 darzustellen.
The coracobrachialis muscle: typical morphology, accessory forms, and the issues with terminology
Authors: Triantafyllou George , Natsis Konstantinos , Georgiev Georgi P. , Koutserimpas Christos , Olewnik Łukasz , Tsakotos George , Zielinska Nicol , Piagkou Maria
Published: November 2023

The coracobrachialis muscle (CB) represents one of the anterior arm compartment muscles. It has been defined by classic anatomy textbooks and old papers, as a muscle of one belly arising from the coracoid process tip and partially from the tendon of the biceps brachii short head, and inserted into the humeral shaft, above the bone’s midpoint. However, recent cadaveric studies have confirmed that in the majority of cases, the CB is a two-headed muscle consisting of a superficial and a deep head. This finding has caused confusion regarding the terminology of CB’s morphology. Typical CB morphology, according to recent data should not be considered the muscle of one belly, but the two-headed muscle. In particular, the musculocutaneous nerve’s (MCN) course plays an important role in defining the CB morphological characteristics. If the MCN courses medially to the CB, with no signs of penetration after dissection, it can be concluded, that the CB is composed of one head; otherwise, if the muscle is composed of two or more heads, the MCN will courses between the CB bellies. In conclusion, it is of paramount importance to adopt common-universal terminology. Hence, considering recent findings, if the CB origin and/or the insertion differs from the typical anatomy, an “atypical CB” is the proper definition of the muscle, while if this “atypical CB” coexists with a typical CB, the terminology “accessory CB” may be used.
Feasibility of forecasting convective rain by diagnosing intracloud lightning jumps
Authors: Tai Jyh-Huei , Soong Wei-Kuo , Tan Pei-Hua , Wang Mark Yin-Mao , Lin Po-Hsiung
Published: November 2023

This study conducted a comparison of the data quality of Earth Networks (EN) and Taiwan Power Company’s Total Lightning Detection System (TLDS) and evaluated the feasibility of using intracloud (IC) lightning to issue convective rain warnings. The results indicate uncertainties in the TLDS positioning of IC lightning. When forecasting convective rain on the basis of IC lightning jumps using EN data, the mean prefigurance and postagreement scores were 0.8 and 0.67, respectively, which were more favourable than the respective TLDS scores of 0.65 and 0.47. In regions with high TLDS positioning uncertainties, the use of EN data increased the number of prefigurance and postagreement hits in each analysis zone and raised the prefigurance and postagreement scores to 0.3 and 0.5, respectively. This indicates that analyses using EN data can reduce the risk of missed convective rain warnings when diagnosing IC jumps and can reduce the false alarm rate. In this study, IC jumps preceded convective rains by a maximum of 27.5–39.3 min on average in all analysis zones across Taiwan. The results suggest that diagnosing IC jumps to forecast convective rain is feasible, but until the uncertainties in the positioning of IC lightning using TLDSs have been remedied, EN data are the more suitable diagnostic choice.
Testing passive dispersal as the key mechanism for lionfish invasion in the Mediterranean Sea using Lagrangian particle tracking
Authors: Schilling Hayden T. , Kalogirou Stefanos , Michail Christina , Kleitou Periklis
Published: November 2023

The expansion of lionfish Pterois miles across the Mediterranean Sea since its introduction via the Suez Canal has been rapid, but the mechanisms by which the expansion occurred have not been fully tested. By using a series of Lagrangian particle tracking simulations and high-resolution hydrodynamic models, we tested the hypothesis that passive dispersal of larvae could explain the east to west expansion of lionfish. By sequentially modelling the annual dispersal of larvae, from the first observation in Lebanon in 2012 and then modelling dispersal of larval from the simulated settlement sites, we showed that passive dispersal driven by ocean currents largely explained the observed expansion of lionfish until 2020. The spread of lionfish was likely restricted by environmental conditions when the population reached the central Mediterranean and the particle tracking simulations diverged from observations. The results emphasize the potential contribution of computational models in understanding the dispersal of non-indigenous and range expanding species in response to changing environmental conditions, identifying high risk areas, and guiding targeted surveillance, early detection, and informing management strategies for such species. Given that many non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean are introduced through a consistent pathway (the Suez Canal), the incorporation of interdisciplinary approaches and high-resolution biophysical models can provide fundamental knowledge for management action prioritization.
The problem of opportunity
Authors: Goodman Jonathan R.
Published: November 2023

Cultural group selection theorists propose that humans evolved prosocial preferences. These claims revolve largely around the centrality of punishment in cultural groups, which helped to eliminate free riders. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether distinguishing between free-riding as an action, and free riders as entities, undermines or supports this view. I develop three individual-based models of the Prisoner’s Dilemma. The first model shows that strong reciprocity removes overt freeriders from a population, and maintains a high rate of cooperation. In the second, I introduce individuals that mimic cooperative preferences, but who defect when they trick opponents into cooperating. I show that strong reciprocity is robust against this strategy, but not because individuals are replaced by strong reciprocators. Finally, I introduce a third strategy, covert mimicry, where some mimics may defect without detection. I draw attention to the problem highlighted in these models, which is that cooperation may be maintained in populations only because freeriders are not presented with the opportunity to defect. I discuss this problem in the context of cultural group selection and the human capacity for innovation, and suggest that hypotheses relying on prosocial preferences for maintaining cooperation require some revision.
Need for Sexual, Reproductive, and Mental Health Promotion Among Diverse College Students in a COVID-19 Era
Authors: Cooley-Strickland Michele , Wyatt Gail E. , Loeb Tamra Burns , Nicholas Lisa A. , Smith-Clapham Amber , Hamman Amina , Abraham Misha , Scott Enricka Norwood , Albarran Graciela
Published: November 2023

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced unprecedented disruptions in higher education operations. While the adverse mental health effects experienced by college students due to these changes are well documented, less is known about the impact on their sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and the reciprocal relationships between SRH and mental health among adolescents and emerging adults. This position paper reviews existing literature on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on SRH, sexual violence, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted illness and human immunodeficiency virus rates and highlights issues specific to college-aged males, females, racial/ethnic and sexual minorities, and individuals with disabilities. The need to conceptualize SRH as an integral component of normal development, overall health, and well-being in the context of COVID-19 is discussed. The need to prioritize the design and implementation of developmentally appropriate, evidence-based SRH interventions specifically targeting college students is identified. Furthermore, an intergenerational approach to SRH that includes parents/caregivers and/or college faculty and staff (e.g., coaches, trainers) could facilitate comprehensive SRH prevention programming that enhances sexual violence prevention training programs currently mandated by many colleges. Policies and programs designed to mitigate adverse pandemic-related exacerbations in negative SRH outcomes are urgently needed and should be included in mainstream clinical psychology, not only focused on preventing unwanted outcomes but also in promoting rewarding interpersonal relationships and overall well-being. Recommendations for clinical psychologists and mental health researchers are made.