bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metacognitive Treatment in Patients with Thought Insertion
Authors: Ochoa Susana , García-Mieres Helena
Published: October 2023

Symptoms of thought insertion can be considered malfunctions of metacognitive processes. In this chapter two metacognitive approaches that have showed empirical efficacy for the treatment of thought insertion have been presented. The first is Metacognitive Training, developed by Steffen Moritz and Todd Woodward. The second is Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy, developed by the team of Paul Lysaker. Each section contains an explanation of the therapeutic approach, examples of techniques and illustrations with a clinical case. It concludes with an explanation of how both methods share the final aim of leading patients to become aware of thinking processes, and obtaining a complete experience of themselves as human beings in the world with a richer and more coherent sense of the self and personal narrative.
Molecular mechanisms of placebo responses
Authors: Yetman Hailey , Peciña Marta , Tiwari Arun , Vollert Jan , Hall Kathryn
Published: October 2023

The mechanisms underlying response to placebo treatments are largely studied through behavioral and neuroimaging studies. While behavioral studies effectively shed light on factors like information effects and expectations that influence placebo effects, and neuroimaging reveals the regions of the brain activated or inhibited during response to placebo, these approaches tell us little about the underlying molecular changes that influence placebo effects. To dissect the molecular pathways involved in mediating placebo effects, recent studies are investigating genomic and pharmacological effects on response to placebo treatments in experimental and clinical trial settings. Here we examine genetic and neurological correlates of placebo response in genomic and pharmacological clinical trials across several disease areas including irritable bowel syndrome, pain, depression, inflammatory disease, and COVID symptoms, and we discuss some of the many significant questions and challenges that remain.
Learned immune responses
Authors: Hölsken Stefanie , Schedlowski Manfred , Hadamitzky Martin , Heiss-Lückemann Laura
Published: October 2023

Continuous treatment with immunomodulatory drugs is an inevitable prerequisite for many clinical conditions such as organ transplantation or inflammatory autoimmune diseases. However, the many adverse side effects drive the need to develop alternative, supportive treatment options to current immunopharmacological regimens, with the aim of minimizing the required drug dosages. One sophisticated approach capitalizes on learned immunopharmacological placebo responses, where the pairing of a novel taste as the conditioned stimulus (CS) together with the application of an immunomodulatory drug as the unconditioned stimulus modifies peripheral immune functions upon CS re-exposure. This chapter provides an overview on sophisticated strategies to behaviorally condition placebo responses in the immune system. It discusses translational aspects and putative applicability as well as limitations in clinical settings.
A model of placebo responses in antidepressant clinical trials
Authors: Zilcha-Mano Sigal , Rutherford Bret R.
Published: October 2023

A substantial proportion of the observed response to clinical treatment with antidepressants is not attributable to specific effects of the medication but rather to placebo responses. This chapter proposes a conceptual model for understanding placebo responses in antidepressant randomized clinical trials. It specifies factors contributing to placebo responses and focuses on those conceptualized as contributing to the therapeutic effect of placebos: expectancy and contact with the physician. It synthesizes the literature on each factor, with a special focus on whether and how each can be manipulated. A thorough understanding of the factors contributing to placebo responses, their neurobiological underpinning, and the manners in which they can be manipulated may result in the ability to optimize placebo response to the diverging needs of pharmacotherapy research and clinical practice: minimizing it in clinical trials and maximizing it in clinical practice.
Management of contextual factors to enhance placebo and minimize nocebo effects in clinical practice
Authors: Testa Marco , Rossettini Giacomo , Barbiani Diletta , Miciak Maxi
Published: October 2023

Though evidence-based, a specific treatment (“What to do”) might not be enough to achieve the best possible outcome. The contextual factors surrounding a treatment also influence results. Further, patients’ conditions are strongly associated with their experience. Therefore, the best therapy outcome results from the empowerment of the specific therapeutic effect with the abovementioned contextual effects. This adjunct effect is induced by correctly managing cognitive, relational, and environmental contextual factors. Among these, a central role is played by beliefs and expectations that shape how a person senses himself, the so-called mindsets, and by an empathic therapeutic relationship. An added value to the treatment is provided if the clinician owns the attitude and skills to help the patients update their negative mindsets and establish a safe and empathic therapeutic relationship. This chapter discusses how outcomes of treatment may be enhanced when providers learn to manage the contextual effect of the therapy (“How to do”).
A multitracer empirically driven approach to line-intensity mapping light cones
Authors: Sato-Polito Gabriela , Kokron Nickolas , Bernal José Luis
Published: October 2023

Line-intensity mapping (LIM) is an emerging technique to probe the large-scale structure of the Universe. By targeting the integrated intensity of specific spectral lines, it captures the emission from all sources and is sensitive to the astrophysical processes that drive galaxy evolution. Relating these processes to the underlying distribution of matter introduces observational and theoretical challenges, such as observational contamination and highly non-Gaussian fields, which motivate the use of simulations to better characterize the signal. In this work we present skyline , a computational framework to generate realistic mock LIM observations that include observational features and foreground contamination, as well as a variety of self-consistent tracer catalogues. We apply our framework to generate realizations of LIM maps from the multidark planck 2 simulations coupled to the universemachine galaxy formation model. We showcase the potential of our scheme by exploring the voxel intensity distribution and the power spectrum of emission lines such as 21 cm, CO, [C ii], and Lyman-α, their mutual cross-correlations, and cross-correlations with galaxy clustering. We additionally present cross-correlations between LIM and submillimetre extragalactic tracers of large-scale structure such as the cosmic infrared background and the thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect, as well as quantify the impact of galactic foregrounds, line interlopers, and instrument noise on LIM observations. These simulated products will be crucial in quantifying the true information content of LIM surveys and their cross-correlations in the coming decade, and to develop strategies to overcome the impact of contaminants and maximize the scientific return from LIM experiments.
Wavelength dependences of the optical/UV and X-ray luminosity correlations of quasars
Authors: Jin Chichuan , Lusso Elisabeta , Ward Martin , Done Chris , Middei Riccardo
Published: October 2023

The interband correlations between optical/ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray luminosities of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are important for understanding the disc–coronal connection, as well as using AGN as standard candles for cosmology. It is conventional to measure the X-ray luminosity at rest-frame 2 keV and compare to the UV luminosity at the rest-frame 2500 Å, but the wavelength dependence was never well explored. In this work, we adopt a well-defined sample of 1169 unobscured quasars in the redshift range 0.13–4.51, and apply the direct-correlation method to explore how the correlation with the 2 keV luminosity changes at different optical/UV wavelengths, from 1280 to 5550 Å where the spectral quality is high. We find that the luminosity at all UV continuum wavelengths correlates with the X-ray luminosity similarly to that at 2500 Å, and that these correlations are better than at the optical wavelengths. Strong self-correlation is also found in the broad-band optical/UV continuum, supporting the scenario that it is dominated by the disc emission. Correlations of various emission lines are also investigated (e.g. C iv, C iii], Mg ii, Hβ, and [O iii]λλ4959/5007), including the Baldwin effect and correlations involving linewidths. We find the forms of these line correlations are different, and they are also different from their underlying continua, suggesting various complexities in the line-generation process. We discuss these results in the disc-wind scenario. Our study confirms that the rest-frame 2500 Å is a good wavelength to represent the optical/UV continual properties of quasars, and shows the advantages of the direct-correlation method.
A near magnetic-to-kinetic energy equipartition flare from the relativistic jet in AO 0235 + 164 during 2013–2019
Authors: Cheong Whee Yeon , Lee Sang-Sung , Kim Sang-Hyun , Kang Sincheol , Kim Jae Young , Rani Bindu , Readhead Anthony C S , Kiehlmann Sebastian , Lähteenmäki Anne , Tornikoski Merja , Tammi Joni , Ramakrishnan Venkatessh , Agudo Iván , Fuentes Antonio , Traianou Efthalia , Escudero Juan , Thum Clemens , Myserlis Ioannis , Casadio Carolina , Gurwell Mark
Published: October 2023

We present the multiwavelength flaring activity of the blazar AO 0235 + 164 during its recent active period from 2013 to 2019. From a discrete correlation function analysis, we find a significant ($\gt 95~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) correlation between radio and gamma-ray light curves with flares at longer wavelengths following flares at shorter wavelengths. We identify a new jet component in 43 GHz Very Long Baseline Array data that was ejected from the radio core on MJD $57246^{+26}_{-30}$ (2015 August 12), during the peak of the 2015 radio flare. From the analysis of the jet component, we derived a Doppler factor of δvar = 28.5 ± 8.4, a bulk Lorentz factor of $\Gamma =16.8^{+3.6}_{-3.1}$, and an intrinsic viewing angle of $\theta _{\rm v}=1.42^{+1.07}_{-0.52}\textrm {~degrees}$. Investigation of the quasi-simultaneous radio data revealed a partially absorbed spectrum with the turnover frequency varying in the range of 10−70 GHz and the peak flux density varying in the range of 0.7−4 Jy. We find the synchrotron self-absorption magnetic field strength to be $B_{\rm SSA}=15.3^{+12.6}_{-14.0}\textrm {~mG}$ at the peak of the 2015 radio flare, which is comparable to the equipartition magnetic field strength of $B_{\rm EQ}=43.6^{+10.6}_{-10.4}\textrm {~mG}$ calculated for the same epoch. Additional analysis of the radio emission region in the relativistic jet of AO 0235 + 164 suggests that it did not significantly deviate from equipartition during its recent flaring activity.
The X-ray invisible Universe. A look into the haloes undetected by eROSITA
Authors: Popesso P , Biviano A , Bulbul E , Merloni A , Comparat J , Clerc N , Igo Z , Liu A , Driver S , Salvato M , Brusa M , Bahar Y E , Malavasi N , Ghirardini V , Robotham A , Liske J , Grandis S
Published: October 2023

The paper presents the analysis of optically selected GAMA groups and clusters in the SRG/eROSITA X-ray map of eROSITA Final Equatorial Depth Survey, in the halo mass range 1013−5 × 1014 M⊙ and at z < 0.2. All X-ray detections have a clear GAMA counterpart, but most of the GAMA groups in the halo mass range 1013−1014 M⊙ remain undetected. We compare the X-ray surface brightness profiles of the eROSITA detected groups with the mean stacked profile of the undetected low-mass haloes at fixed halo mass. Overall, we find that the undetected groups exhibit less concentrated X-ray surface brightness, dark matter, and galaxy distributions with respect to the X-ray-detected haloes. The mean gas mass fraction profiles are consistent in the two samples within 1.5σ, indicating that the gas follows the dark matter profile. The low-mass concentration and the magnitude gap indicate that these systems are young. They reside with a higher probability in filaments while X-ray-detected groups favour the nodes of the Cosmic Web. Because of the lower central emission, the undetected systems tend to be X-ray underluminous at fixed halo mass and to lie below the LX−Mhalo relation. Interestingly, the X-ray-detected systems inhabiting the nodes scatter the less around the relation, while those in filaments tend to lie below it. We do not observe any strong relationship between the system X-ray appearance and the active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity. We cannot exclude the role of the past AGN feedback in affecting the gas distribution over the halo lifetime. However, the data suggests that the observed differences might be related to the halo assembly bias.
A hot mini-Neptune and a temperate, highly eccentric sub-Saturn around the bright K-dwarf TOI-2134
Authors: Rescigno F , Hébrard G , Vanderburg A , Mann A W , Mortier A , Morrell S , Buchhave L A , Collins K A , Mann C R , Hellier C , Haywood R D , West R , Stalport M , Heidari N , Anderson D , Huang C X , López-Morales M , Cortés-Zuleta P , Lewis H M , Dumusque X , Boisse I , Rowden P , Collier Cameron A , Deleuil M , Vezie M , Pepe F A , Delfosse X , Charbonneau D , Rice K , Demangeon O , Quinn S N , Udry S , Forveille T , Winn J N , Sozzetti A , Hoyer S , Seager S , Wilson T G , Dalal S , Martioli E , Striegel S , Boschin W , Dragomir D , Martínez Fiorenzano A F , Cosentino R , Ghedina A , Malavolta L , Affer L , Lakeland B S , Nicholson B A , Foschino S , Wünsche A , Barkaoui K , Srdoc G , Randolph J , Guillet B , Conti D M , Ghachoui M , Gillon M , Benkhaldoun Z , Pozuelos F J , Timmermans M , Girardin E , Matutano S , Bosch-Cabot P , Muñoz J A , Forés-Toribio R
Published: October 2023

We present the characterization of an inner mini-Neptune in a 9.2292005 ± 0.0000063 d orbit and an outer mono-transiting sub-Saturn planet in a 95.50$^{+0.36}_{-0.25}$ d orbit around the moderately active, bright (mv  = 8.9 mag) K5V star TOI-2134. Based on our analysis of five sectors of TESS data, we determine the radii of TOI-2134b and c to be 2.69 ± 0.16 R⊕ for the inner planet and 7.27 ± 0.42 R⊕ for the outer one. We acquired 111 radial-velocity (RV) spectra with HARPS-N and 108 RV spectra with SOPHIE. After careful periodogram analysis, we derive masses for both planets via Gaussian Process regression: 9.13$^{+0.78}_{-0.76}$ M⊕ for TOI-2134b and 41.89$^{+7.69}_{-7.83}$ M⊕ for TOI-2134c. We analysed the photometric and RV data first separately, then jointly. The inner planet is a mini-Neptune with density consistent with either a water-world or a rocky core planet with a low-mass H/He envelope. The outer planet has a bulk density similar to Saturn’s. The outer planet is derived to have a significant eccentricity of 0.67$^{+0.05}_{-0.06}$ from a combination of photometry and RVs. We compute the irradiation of TOI-2134c as 1.45 ± 0.10 times the bolometric flux received by Earth, positioning it for part of its orbit in the habitable zone of its system. We recommend further RV observations to fully constrain the orbit of TOI-2134c. With an expected Rossiter–McLaughlin (RM) effect amplitude of 7.2 ± 1.3 $\rm m\, s^{-1}$, we recommend TOI-2134c for follow-up RM analysis to study the spin–orbit architecture of the system. We calculate the Transmission Spectroscopy Metric, and both planets are suitable for bright-mode Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) atmospheric characterization.
Inferring warm dark matter masses with deep learning
Authors: Rose Jonah C , Torrey Paul , Villaescusa-Navarro Francisco , Vogelsberger Mark , O’Neil Stephanie , Medvedev Mikhail V , Low Ryan , Adhikari Rakshak , Anglés-Alcázar Daniel
Published: October 2023

We present a new suite of over 1500 cosmological N-body simulations with varied warm dark matter (WDM) models ranging from 2.5 to 30 keV. We use these simulations to train Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to infer WDM particle masses from images of DM field data. Our fiducial setup can make accurate predictions of the WDM particle mass up to 7.5 keV with an uncertainty of ±0.5 keV at a 95 per cent confidence level from (25 h−1Mpc)2 maps. We vary the image resolution, simulation resolution, redshift, and cosmology of our fiducial setup to better understand how our model is making predictions. Using these variations, we find that our models are most dependent on simulation resolution, minimally dependent on image resolution, not systematically dependent on redshift, and robust to varied cosmologies. We also find that an important feature to distinguish between WDM models is present with a linear size between 100 and 200 h−1 kpc. We compare our fiducial model to one trained on the power spectrum alone and find that our field-level model can make two times more precise predictions and can make accurate predictions to two times as massive WDM particle masses when used on the same data. Overall, we find that the field-level data can be used to accurately differentiate between WDM models and contain more information than is captured by the power spectrum. This technique can be extended to more complex DM models and opens up new opportunities to explore alternative DM models in a cosmological environment.
Properties of isolated galaxies in the Digital Survey Isolated Galaxies (DSIG) catalogue within a redshift range (0.005 < z < 0.080)
Authors: Kinyumu Marcelina K , Kimani Naftali , Nyenge Raphael , Obonyo Willice
Published: October 2023

Evolution of galaxies is known to be influenced by a number of factors such as the environment that hosts the galaxy as well as the galaxies intrinsic properties. The environmental effects on galaxy properties have not been fully quantified. In our study, we analysed a sample of isolated galaxies within 0.005 < z < 0.080 from Sloan Digital Sky Survey data release 16, as part of a Digital Survey Isolated Galaxies catalogue. The aim was to investigate intrinsic physical properties of singly isolated galaxies in low-density environment. We investigated the galaxies morphology, colour, luminosity, stellar masses, and star formation rates (SFRs). A concentration index, Cr, of 2.65 separates our isolated sample into early and late types, with the late-types (spiral galaxies) dominating the isolated sample at 68 per cent as confirmed from the visually classified sample obtained from Galaxy Zoo. Our isolated ellipticals are redder, massive, and more luminous, while the isolated spirals are blue, less massive, and less luminous. Both the isolated spirals and ellipticals have steeper colour relations indicating a fast transition to the red sequence. In the colour–colour analysis, most ellipticals were quiescent with the majority of spirals being star forming. 5 per cent of the isolated ellipticals have recently quenched their star formation and are transiting to the red sequence. The isolated spirals experiences higher star-forming activities, with a small fraction of passively evolving high-mass isolated spirals. Similarly, isolated ellipticals exhibit low SFRs indicating passive evolution, with a fraction being actively star forming.
X-ray polarization from parsec-scale components of active galactic nuclei: observational prospects
Authors: Podgorný J , Marin F , Dovčiak M
Published: October 2023

We present a broad analysis of X-ray polarimetric observational prospects for radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGN), focusing on the role of parsec-scale components. We provide a revision of self-consistent type-1 and type-2 generic AGN radiative transfer models that were obtained with a Monte Carlo code stokes, evaluating the effects of absorption and scattering. Our model consists of a central disc–corona emission obtained with the kynstokes code in the lamp-post geometry, an equatorial wedge-shaped dusty torus and two symmetric conical polar outflows. We argue that the information on the mutual orientation, shape, relative size, and composition of such components, usually obtained from spectroscopy or polarimetry in other wavelengths, is essential for the X-ray polarization analysis of the obscured type-2 AGNs. We provide general detectability prospects for AGNs with 2–8 keV polarimeters onboard of the currently flying Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite and the forthcoming enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry mission. Finally, we assess the role of contemporary X-ray polarimetry in our understandings of the unified AGN model after the first year and a half of IXPE operation.
The interplay between accretion, downsizing, and the formation of box/peanut bulges in TNG50
Authors: Anderson Stuart Robert , Gough-Kelly Steven , Debattista Victor P , Du Min , Erwin Peter , Cuomo Virginia , Caruana Joseph , Hernquist Lars , Vogelsberger Mark
Published: October 2023

From the TNG50 cosmological simulation we build a sample of 191 well-resolved barred galaxies with stellar mass $\mbox{$\log (M_{\star }/\mathrm{M}_{\odot })$}\gt 10$ at z = 0. We search for box/peanut bulges (BPs) in this sample, finding them in 55 per cent of cases. We compute $\mbox{$f_{\rm BP}$}$, the BP probability for barred galaxies as a function of M⋆, and find that this rises to a plateau, as found in observations of nearby galaxies. The transition mass where $\mbox{$f_{\rm BP}$}$ reaches half the plateau value is $\mbox{$\log (M_{\star }/\mathrm{M}_{\odot })$}= 10.13\pm 0.07$, consistent with the observational value within measurement errors. We show that this transition in $\mbox{$f_{\rm BP}$}$ can be attributed to the youth of the bars at low M⋆, which is a consequence of downsizing. Young bars, being generally shorter and weaker, have not yet had time to form BPs. At high mass, while we find a plateau, the value is at $\sim 60~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ whereas observations saturate at 100 per cent. We attribute this difference to excessive heating in TNG50 due to merger activity and numerical resolution effects. BPs in TNG50 tend to occur in galaxies with more quiescent merger histories. As a result, the main driver of whether a bar hosts a BP in TNG50 is not the galaxy mass, but how long and strong the bar is. Separating the BP sample into those that have visibly buckled and those that have not, we find that fully half of BP galaxies show clear signs of buckling, despite the excessive heating and limited vertical resolution of TNG50.
hsa_circRNA_BECN1 acts as a ceRNA to promote polycystic ovary syndrome progression by sponging the miR-619-5p/Rab5b axis
Authors: Fan Hairui , Zhou Dongjie , Zhang Xiaomei , Jiang Min , Kong Xiang , Xue Tongmin , Gao Lingling , Lu Dan , Tao Chenyue , Wang Liping
Published: October 2023

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disease that affects women of reproductive age. It is also a significant cause of infertility. Circular RNAs have been found to have a crucial role in the development and progression of reproductive system diseases. In this study, we focused on circ_BECN1 and aimed to investigate its role and mechanism in PCOS, providing a foundation for early diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Our findings revealed an upregulation of circ_BECN1 expression in the ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) of PCOS patients. Additionally, the silencing of circ_BECN1 resulted in inhibited proliferation and enhanced apoptosis of the human ovarian granulosa-like tumor cell line (KGN), therefore implicating circ_BECN1 in the cell cycle process. Through a dual-luciferase reporting assay, we determined that circ_BECN1 acts as a sponge for miR-619-5p and that Rab5b is the target gene of miR-619-5p. Moreover, the expression of Rab5b was found to be upregulated in the ovarian tissue of PCOS patients. Knocking down circ_BECN1 resulted in decreased Rab5b expression, which was then restored by using a miR-619-5p inhibitor. Additionally, rescue experiments demonstrated that overexpressing Rab5b reversed the effects of circ_BECN1 knockdown on cell proliferation and apoptosis in KGN cells. In summary, our findings indicate that circ_BECN1 is upregulated in PCOS GCs and promotes cell growth and cell cycle progression, and reduces cell apoptosis by modulating the miR-619-5p/Rab5b axis. Therefore, circ_BECN1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for PCOS treatment.
The great catastrophe: causes of the Permo-Triassic marine mass extinction
Authors: Wignall Paul B , Bond David P G
Published: October 2023

The marine losses during the Permo-Triassic mass extinction were the worst ever experienced. All groups were badly affected, especially amongst the benthos (e.g. brachiopods, corals, bryozoans, foraminifers, ostracods). Planktonic populations underwent a fundamental change with eukaryotic algae being replaced by nitrogen-fixing bacteria, green-sulphur bacteria, sulphate-reducing bacteria and prasinophytes. Detailed studies of boundary sections, especially those in South China, have resolved the crisis to a ∼55 kyr interval straddling the Permo-Triassic boundary. Many of the losses occur at the beginning and end of this interval painting a picture of a two-phase extinction. Improved knowledge of the extinction has been supported by numerous geochemical studies that allow diverse proposed extinction mechanisms to be studied. A transition from oxygenated to anoxic-euxinic conditions is seen in most sections globally, although the intensity and timing shows regional variability. Decreased ocean ventilation coincides with rapidly rising temperatures and many extinction scenarios attribute the losses to both anoxia and high temperatures. Other kill mechanisms include ocean acidification for which there is conflicting support from geochemical proxies and, even less likely, siltation (burial under a massive influx of terrigenous sediment) which lacks substantive sedimentological evidence. The ultimate driver of the catastrophic changes at the end of the Permian was likely Siberian Trap eruptions and their associated carbon dioxide emissions with consequences such as warming, ocean stagnation and acidification. Volcanic winter episodes stemming from Siberian volcanism have also been linked to the crisis, but the short-term nature of these episodes (<decades) and the overwhelming evidence for rapid warming during the crisis makes this an unlikely cause. Finally, whilst the extinction is well studied in equatorial latitudes, a different history is found in northern Boreal latitudes including an earlier crisis which merits further study in order to fully understand the course and cause of the Permo-Triassic extinctions.
Electricity vs hydrogen in the transition towards sustainable mobility
Authors: Ajanovic Amela
Published: October 2023

Currently, the transport and automotive industry sectors are at a crossroads moving away from fossil fuels to various alternatives increasing the global competition on vehicle markets and for resources. Over the last years, electrification of mobility has emerged as one of the major strategies that, accompanied with supporting measures, has led to rapid increase in the number of electric vehicles. Recently, hydrogen and hydrogen derivates as alternative fuels have also gained more interest and are considered to grow substantially in the near future as their production costs are decreasing. Here, we discuss the electric and hydrogen pathways towards zero-emission vehicles and sustainable mobility focusing on their benefits and challenges in the transition. We conclude that the future relevance of zero-emission vehicles will be heavily dependent on the policy framework, investments, and long-term visions.
The role of oral health promotion in oral health policy
Authors: Downer Martin C
Published: October 2023

Policy is a plan for action adopted or pursued by an individual, government, political party, commercial enterprise, or any other organization. The nub of the definition is ‘plan for action’ and this implies action towards a specified objective or goal. In many places in the world examples may be found of governments, professional organizations, or other groups prescribing broad aims for their communities’ dental services or adopting goals for oral health. In those countries where health care and related systems are most highly developed, action towards these goals is generally supported by a strong statutory framework. Nevertheless, while some countries have a long history of slow and gradual development of their dental services underpinned by networks of laws and regulations, health promotion has been included in oral health and related legislation only relatively recently. In countries at the opposite end of the spectrum health promotional activities, where they exist, have arisen haphazardly mostly from the initiative of local authorities or professional groups. These countries have not yet come to rely on formal legislation.
Oral health promotion in old age
Authors: Kiyak H Asuman
Published: October 2023

As the number of older adults increases in the world’s population, and as many of these older people retain their natural teeth, oral health promotion becomes more important for maintaining their quality of life. In this chapter we will examine why oral health is an important concern for the older population and their care providers as well as for the health professionals who must treat them when oral conditions become unmanageable at home, and the methods and benefits of health promotion to maintain the older person’s well-being. Throughout this chapter we will use a systems perspective to discuss the interaction of multiple individual and social systems in creating the need for and influencing the success of health promotion efforts. Age-related changes in the older person’s organ systems interact with the individual’s expectations about health and disease in old age; these changes in turn interact with society’s willingness and ability to provide oral health services for older adults. These interactions influence health beliefs, behaviours and subsequently the oral health status of older adults.
Soybean type-B response regulator GmRR1 mediates phosphorus uptake and yield by modifying root architecture
Authors: Yang Yuming , Wang Li , Zhang Dan , Che Zhijun , Wang Qing , Cui Ruifan , Zhao Wei , Huang Fang , Zhang Hengyou , Cheng Hao , Yu Deyue
Published: October 2023

Phosphorus (P) plays a pivotal role in plant growth and development. Low P stress can greatly hamper plant growth. Here, we identified a QTL (named QPH-9-1), which is associated with P efficiency across multiple environments through linkage analysis and genome-wide association study. Furthermore, we successfully cloned the underlying soybean (Glycine max) gene GmRR1 (a soybean type-B Response Regulator 1) that encodes a type-B response regulator protein. Knockout of GmRR1 resulted in a substantial increase in plant height, biomass, P uptake efficiency, and yield-related traits due to the modification of root structure. In contrast, overexpression of GmRR1 in plants resulted in a decrease in these phenotypes. Further analysis revealed that knockout of GmRR1 substantially increased the levels of auxin and ethylene in roots, thereby promoting root hair formation and growth by promoting the formation of root hair primordium and lengthening the root apical meristem. Yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and dual-luciferase assays demonstrated an interaction between GmRR1 and Histidine-containing Phosphotransmitter protein 1. Expression analysis suggested that these proteins coparticipated in response to low P stress. Analysis of genomic sequences showed that GmRR1 underwent a selection during soybean domestication. Taken together, this study provides further insights into how plants respond to low P stress by modifying root architecture through phytohormone pathways.
Lysinoalanine cross-linking is a conserved post-translational modification in the spirochete flagellar hook
Authors: Lynch Michael J , Deshpande Maithili , Kurniyati Kurni , Zhang Kai , James Milinda , Miller Michael , Zhang Sheng , Passalia Felipe J , Wunder Elsio A , Charon Nyles W , Li Chunhao , Crane Brian R
Published: October 2023

Spirochetes cause Lyme disease, leptospirosis, syphilis, and several other human illnesses. Unlike other bacteria, spirochete flagella are enclosed within the periplasmic space where the filaments distort and push the cell body by the action of the flagellar motors. We previously demonstrated that the oral pathogen Treponema denticola (Td) and Lyme disease pathogen Borreliella burgdorferi (Bb) form covalent lysinoalanine (Lal) cross-links between conserved cysteine and lysine residues of the FlgE protein that composes the flagellar hook. In Td, Lal is unnecessary for hook assembly but is required for motility, presumably due to the stabilizing effect of the cross-link. Herein, we extend these findings to other, representative spirochete species across the phylum. We confirm the presence of Lal cross-linked peptides in recombinant and in vivo-derived samples from Treponema spp., Borreliella spp., Brachyspira spp., and Leptospira spp. As was observed with Td, a mutant strain of Bb unable to form the cross-link has greatly impaired motility. FlgE from Leptospira spp. does not conserve the Lal-forming cysteine residue which is instead substituted by serine. Nevertheless, Leptospira interrogans FlgE also forms Lal, with several different Lal isoforms being detected between Ser-179 and Lys-145, Lys-148, and Lys-166, thereby highlighting species or order-specific differences within the phylum. Our data reveal that the Lal cross-link is a conserved and necessary posttranslational modification across the spirochete phylum and may thus represent an effective target for the development of spirochete-specific antimicrobials.
Bone mineral density and fractures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the DXA-HIP project
Authors: Ebrahimiarjestan Mina , Yang Lan , E. Erjiang , Wang Tingyan , Carey John J , Whelan Bryan , Silke Carmel , O’Sullivan Miriam , Gsel Amina , Brennan Attracta , Dempsey Mary , Yu Ming
Published: October 2023

Objectives

RA is a chronic disabling disease affecting 0.5–1% of adults worldwide. People with RA have a greater prevalence of multimorbidity, particularly osteoporosis and associated fractures. Recent studies suggest that fracture risk is related to both non-RA and RA factors, whose importance is heterogeneous across studies. This study seeks to compare baseline demographic and DXA data across three cohorts: healthy controls, RA patients and a non-RA cohort with major risk factors and/or prior major osteoporotic fracture (MOF).

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study using data collected from three DXA centres in the west of Ireland from January 2000 to November 2018.

Results

Data were available for 30 503 subjects who met our inclusion criteria: 9539 (31.3%) healthy controls, 1797 (5.9%) with RA and 19 167 (62.8%) others. Although age, BMI and BMD were similar between healthy controls, the RA cohort and the other cohort, 289 (16.1%) RA patients and 5419 (28.3%) of the non-RA cohort had prior MOF. In the RA and non-RA cohorts, patients with previous MOF were significantly older and had significantly lower BMD at the femoral neck, total hip and spine.

Conclusion

Although age, BMI and BMD were similar between a healthy control cohort and RA patients and others with major fracture risk factors, those with a previous MOF were older and had significantly lower BMD at all three measured skeletal sites. Further studies are needed to address the importance of these and other factors for identifying those RA patients most likely to experience fractures.
Single-Crossing Differences in Convex Environments
Authors: Kartik Navin , Lee SangMok , Rappoport Daniel
Published: October 2023

An agent’s preferences depend on an ordered parameter or type. We characterize the set of utility functions with single-crossing differences (SCD) in convex environments. These include preferences over lotteries, both in expected utility and rank-dependent utility frameworks, and preferences over bundles of goods and over consumption streams. Our notion of SCD does not presume an order on the choice space. This unordered SCD is necessary and sufficient for “interval choice” comparative statics. We present applications to cheap talk, observational learning, and collective choice, showing how convex environments arise in these problems and how SCD/interval choice are useful. Methodologically, our main characterization stems from a result on linear aggregations of single-crossing functions.
Diagnosis of calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition disease by ultrasonography: how many and which sites should be scanned?
Authors: Cipolletta Edoardo , Moscioni Erica , Sirotti Silvia , Di Battista Jacopo , Abhishek Abhishek , Rozza Davide , Zanetti Anna , Carrara Greta , Scirè Carlo Alberto , Grassi Walter , Filippou Georgios , Filippucci Emilio
Published: October 2023

Objective

To develop the optimal US scanning protocol for the diagnosis of calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition (CPPD) disease.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, consecutive patients with a crystal-proven diagnosis of CPPD disease, and age-, sex-matched disease controls with a negative synovial fluid analysis were prospectively enrolled in two Italian Institutions. Four rheumatologists, blinded to patients’ clinical details, performed US examinations using a standardized scanning protocol including 20 joints (shoulders, elbows, wrists, metacarpophalangeal joints from second to fifth fingers, hips, knees, ankles). CPPD was identified as presence/absence, according to the OMERACT definitions. Reduced US scanning protocols were developed by selecting the most informative joints to be imaged by US using the LASSO technique. Patients were randomly divided into training and validation sets. Their diagnostic accuracy was tested comparing the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results

The number of participants enrolled was 204: 102 with CPPD disease and 102 disease controls [age, mean (s.d.): 71.3 (12.0) vs 71.1 (13.5) years; female: 62.8% vs 57.8%]. The median number of joints with US evidence of CPPD was 5 [interquartile range (IQR): 4–7] and 0 (IQR: 0–1) in patients with CPPD disease and controls, respectively (P < 0.01). The detection of CPPD in ≥2 joints using a reduced scanning protocol (bilateral assessment of knees, wrists and hips) showed a sensitivity of 96.7% (95% CI: 82.8, 99.9) and a specificity of 100 (95% CI: 88.8, 100.0) for the diagnosis of CPPD disease and had good feasibility [mean (s.d.): 12.5 (5.3) min].

Conclusion

Bilateral US assessment of knees, wrists and hips had excellent accuracy and good feasibility for the diagnosis of CPPD disease.
Pursuing an overarching commodification script through country-specific interventions? The EU’s New Economic Governance prescriptions in healthcare (2009–2019)
Authors: Stan Sabina , Erne Roland
Published: October 2023

After the 2008 financial crisis, the European Union (EU) introduced a New Economic Governance (NEG) regime, which enabled much more coercive interventions of EU executives in social policy areas hitherto shielded from them. This study assesses the policy orientation of their NEG prescriptions in healthcare for Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Romania from 2009 to 2019 and the potential for countervailing actions of labour movements. Acknowledging organized labour’s contribution to the making of decommodified healthcare systems after 1945, we ask if the NEG prescriptions were informed by an overarching healthcare commodification script, as this is a necessary (albeit not sufficient) condition for transnational counter-movements. Our analysis reveals that the country-specific NEG prescriptions of the European Commission and the Council followed an overarching commodification script, which especially targeted the countries that lagged behind in health service commodification. NEG thus represents a case of reversed differentiated integration, which provided both opportunities and challenges to transnational counter-movements.
Reference Genome Choice and Filtering Thresholds Jointly Influence Phylogenomic Analyses
Authors: Rick Jessica A , Brock Chad D , Lewanski Alexander L , Golcher-Benavides Jimena , Wagner Catherine E
Published: October 2023

Molecular phylogenies are a cornerstone of modern comparative biology and are commonly employed to investigate a range of biological phenomena, such as diversification rates, patterns in trait evolution, biogeography, and community assembly. Recent work has demonstrated that significant biases may be introduced into downstream phylogenetic analyses from processing genomic data; however, it remains unclear whether there are interactions among bioinformatic parameters or biases introduced through the choice of reference genome for sequence alignment and variant calling. We address these knowledge gaps by employing a combination of simulated and empirical data sets to investigate the extent to which the choice of reference genome in upstream bioinformatic processing of genomic data influences phylogenetic inference, as well as the way that reference genome choice interacts with bioinformatic filtering choices and phylogenetic inference method. We demonstrate that more stringent minor allele filters bias inferred trees away from the true species tree topology, and that these biased trees tend to be more imbalanced and have a higher center of gravity than the true trees. We find the greatest topological accuracy when filtering sites for minor allele count (MAC) >3–4 in our 51-taxa data sets, while tree center of gravity was closest to the true value when filtering for sites with MAC >1–2. In contrast, filtering for missing data increased accuracy in the inferred topologies; however, this effect was small in comparison to the effect of minor allele filters and may be undesirable due to a subsequent mutation spectrum distortion. The bias introduced by these filters differs based on the reference genome used in short read alignment, providing further support that choosing a reference genome for alignment is an important bioinformatic decision with implications for downstream analyses. These results demonstrate that attributes of the study system and dataset (and their interaction) add important nuance for how best to assemble and filter short-read genomic data for phylogenetic inference.
Characterization of a Foxtail Mosaic Virus Vector for Rust Fungus Avirulence Gene Expression in Wheat
Authors: Liu Lu , Montenegro-Alonso Ana Priscilla , Bakkeren Guus
Published: October 2023

The wheat fungal pathogens Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici ( Pgt), P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, and P. triticina, causing stem, stripe, and leaf rust, respectively, pose a threat to global wheat production. Genetic resistance in the form of resistance ( R) genes provides the best protection, but rust fungal populations change frequently by mutating avirulence (AVR) effectors matching specific R genes, thereby defeating resistance. Hence, characterization of AVR effectors is needed to understand the evolution of pathogen populations, provide insights for extending the effectiveness of R genes, and yield tools for the identification and isolation of R genes. Functional characterization of Avr genes in rust fungi is challenging in these biotrophic pathogens that lack a reliable and efficient transformation system. Studies indicate that the recently engineered foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV) shows promise as an expression system in cereals. In this study, we utilized two confirmed AVR effectors from Pgt, AVRSr35 and AVRSr50, to assess the applicability of FoMV for investigating rust fungus Avr genes. We showed that vector FoMV PV101 carrying PgtAvrSr35 induced a hypersensitive response (HR) in wheat having the corresponding Sr35 resistance gene. However, when carrying PgtAvrSr50, no HR or even mild viral symptoms were seen in a wheat line having Sr50, as this particular wheat line was not susceptible to FoMV. Several wheat cultivars did not support FoMV replication. The results here show that FoMV PV101 is effective as an expression vector for studying rust fungi AVR effectors, but its applicability relies on the susceptibility of wheat cultivars to FoMV.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Antioxidants restore store‐operated Ca2+entry in patient‐iPSC‐derived myotubes with tubular aggregate myopathy‐associated Ile484ArgfsX21 STIM1 mutation via upregulation of binding immunoglobulin protein
Authors: Sakai‐Takemura Fusako , Saito Fumiaki , Nogami Ken'ichiro , Maruyama Yusuke , Elhussieny Ahmed , Matsumura Kiichiro , Takeda Shin'ichi , Aoki Yoshitsugu , Miyagoe‐Suzuki Yuko
Published: October 2023

Store‐operated Ca2+entry (SOCE) is indispensable for intracellular Ca2+homeostasis in skeletal muscle, and constitutive activation of SOCE causes tubular aggregate myopathy (TAM). To understand the pathogenesis of TAM, we induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a TAM patient with a rare mutation (c.1450_1451insGA; p. Ile484ArgfsX21) in theSTIM1gene. This frameshift mutation produces a truncated STIM1 with a disrupted C‐terminal inhibitory domain (CTID) and was reported to diminish SOCE. Myotubes induced from the patient's‐iPSCs (TAM myotubes) showed severely impaired SOCE, but antioxidants greatly restored SOCE partly via upregulation of an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone, BiP (GRP78), in the TAM myotubes. Our observation suggests that antioxidants are promising tools for treatment of TAM caused by reduced SOCE.
Tirzepatide
Authors: Niedbala Christine G. , Sprague Roxanne
Published: October 2023

Obesity affects a large percentage of patients in the United States and is associated with increased mortality and higher healthcare costs. Newer guidelines recommend a minimum of 10% weight loss goal for patients with obesity, and medical management options fall short. Tirzepatide, the first available dual-incretin analog, is a novel treatment for type 2 diabetes that also can induce weight loss. This article discusses tirzepatide as a treatment for obesity.
Managing ascites in patients with cirrhosis
Authors: Jack J. Kyle
Published: October 2023

Patients with cirrhosis have a 50% to 60% chance of developing ascites within 10 years of diagnosis. Once ascites has developed, patients have a predicted 50% mortality within 3 years. This article discusses the pathophysiology of ascites caused by cirrhosis, standards in diagnosing ascites, and the recommendations and guidelines for treating ascites. Properly managing patients with decompensated cirrhosis can improve their quality of life and longevity and minimize additional complications.
Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder among Latinx immigrant children
Authors: Cooper Josseline , Donovan Kelsey , Michel Halee , Peterson Lindsey , Todd-Thompson Megan , Gillette Chris , Hussaini Sobia Shariff
Published: October 2023

Latinx children face psychosocial, linguistic, and economic challenges that put them at an increased risk of developing mental health conditions. Primary care providers should be equipped to recognize the complex mental health needs of this growing population. This article explores some of the barriers to mental health screenings in Latinx children and presents culturally sensitive, validated screening tools for primary care providers.
Traveler's diarrhea
Authors: Gambini Justin M. , Watkins Elyse
Published: October 2023

Traveler's diarrhea (TD) is one of the most common illnesses afflicting the modern traveler. TD refers to a watery diarrhea that varies in severity from tolerable to incapacitating and that develops in individuals during or within 10 days of returning from travel to developing or low-/middle-income countries. Most cases of TD are self-limiting, but in consideration of the ease of international travel, it is important for providers to diagnose and manage TD with the best available evidence.
Clinical Research Nursing
Authors: Paglione Melanie
Published: October 2023

These nurses conduct activities to support clinical research.