bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the contributing role of drug transport across biological barriers in the development and treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
Authors: Hu Yang , Girdenyté Milda , Roest Lieke , Liukkonen Iida , Siskou Maria , Bällgren Frida , Hammarlund-Udenaes Margareta , Loryan Irena
Published: February 2024

Background

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) represents a major unmet medical need that currently has no preventive and/or curative treatment. This is, among others, driven by a poor understanding of the contributive role of drug transport across biological barriers to target-site exposure.

Methods

Here, we systematically investigated the transport of 11 small-molecule drugs, both, associated and not with CIPN development, at conventional (dorsal root ganglia, sciatic nerve) and non-conventional (brain, spinal cord, skeletal muscle) CIPN sites. We developed a Combinatory Mapping Approach for CIPN, CMA-CIPN, combining in vivo and in vitro elements.

Results

Using CMA-CIPN, we determined the unbound tissue-to-plasma concentration ratio (Kp,uu) and the unbound intracellular-to-extracellular concentration ratio (Kp,uu,cell), to quantitatively assess the extent of unbound drug transport across endothelial interfaces and parenchymal cellular barriers of investigated CIPN-sites, respectively, in a rat model. The analysis revealed that unique pharmacokinetic characteristics underly time-dependent accumulation of the CIPN-positive drugs paclitaxel and vincristine at conventional (dorsal root ganglia and sciatic nerve) and non-conventional (skeletal muscle) CIPN sites. Investigated CIPN-positive drugs displayed intracellular accumulation contrary to CIPN-negative drugs nilotinib and methotrexate, which lacked this feature in all investigated tissues.

Conclusions

Hence, high unbound drug intracellular and extracellular exposure at target sites, driven by an interplay of drug transport across the endothelial and parenchymal cellular barriers, is a predisposing factor to CIPN development for CIPN-positive drugs. Critical drug-specific features of unbound drug disposition at various CIPN- sites provide invaluable insights into understanding the pharmacological/toxicological effects at the target-sites which will inform new strategies for monitoring and treatment of CIPN.
Microbial-derived imidazole propionate links the heart failure-associated microbiome alterations to disease severity
Authors: Raju Sajan C. , Molinaro Antonio , Awoyemi Ayodeji , Jørgensen Silje F. , Braadland Peder R. , Nendl Andraz , Seljeflot Ingebjørg , Ueland Per M. , McCann Adrian , Aukrust Pål , Vestad Beate , Mayerhofer Cristiane , Broch Kaspar , Gullestad Lars , Lappegård Knut T. , Halvorsen Bente , Kristiansen Karsten , Hov Johannes R. , Trøseid Marius
Published: February 2024

Background

Interactions between the gut microbiota, diet, and host metabolism contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease, but a firm link between disease-specific gut microbiota alterations and circulating metabolites is lacking.

Methods

We performed shot-gun sequencing on 235 samples from 166 HF patients and 69 healthy control samples. Separate plasma samples from healthy controls (n = 53) were used for the comparison of imidazole propionate (ImP) levels. Taxonomy and functional pathways for shotgun sequencing data was assigned using MetaPhlAn3 and HUMAnN3 pipelines.

Results

Here, we show that heart failure (HF) is associated with a specific compositional and functional shift of the gut microbiota that is linked to circulating levels of the microbial histidine-derived metabolite ImP. Circulating ImP levels are elevated in chronic HF patients compared to controls and associated with HF-related gut microbiota alterations. Contrary to the microbiota composition, ImP levels provide insight into etiology and severity of HF and also associate with markers of intestinal permeability and systemic inflammation.

Conclusions

Our findings establish a connection between changes in the gut microbiota, the presence, etiology, and severity of HF, and the gut-microbially produced metabolite ImP. While ImP appears promising as a circulating biomarker reflecting gut dysbiosis related to HF, further studies are essential to demonstrate its causal or contributing role in HF pathogenesis.

Trial registration

NCT02637167, registered December 22, 2015.
Self-control is associated with health-relevant disparities in buccal DNA-methylation measures of biological aging in older adults
Authors: Willems Y. E. , deSteiguer A. , Tanksley P. T. , Vinnik L. , Fraemke D. , Okbay A. , Richter D. , Wagner G. G. , Hertwig R. , Koellinger P. , Tucker-Drob E. M. , Harden K. P. , Raffington Laurel
Published: February 2024

Self-control is a personality dimension that is associated with better physical health and a longer lifespan. Here, we examined (1) whether self-control is associated with buccal and saliva DNA-methylation (DNAm) measures of biological aging quantified in children, adolescents, and adults, and (2) whether biological aging measured in buccal DNAm is associated with self-reported health. Following preregistered analyses, we computed two DNAm measures of advanced biological age (principal-component PhenoAge and GrimAge Acceleration) and a DNAm measure of pace of aging (DunedinPACE) in buccal samples from the German Socioeconomic Panel Study (SOEP-G[ene], n = 1058, age range 0–72, Mage = 42.65) and saliva samples from the Texas Twin Project (TTP, n = 1327, age range 8–20, Mage = 13.50). We found that lower self-control was associated with advanced biological age in older adults (PhenoAge Acceleration β = − .34, [− .51, − .17], p < .001; GrimAge Acceleration β = − .34, [− .49, − .19], p < .001), but not young adults, adolescents or children. These associations remained statistically robust even after correcting for possible confounders such as socioeconomic contexts, BMI, or genetic correlates of low self-control. Moreover, a faster pace of aging and advanced biological age measured in buccal DNAm were associated with self-reported disease (PhenoAge Acceleration: β = .13 [.06, .19], p < .001; GrimAge Acceleration: β = .19 [.12, .26], p < .001; DunedinPACE: β = .09 [.02, .17], p = .01). However, effect sizes were weaker than observations in blood, suggesting that customization of DNAm aging measures to buccal and saliva tissues may be necessary. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that self-control is associated with health via pathways that accelerate biological aging in older adults.
Digital breast tomosynthesis in mammographic screening: false negative cancer cases in the To-Be 1 trial
Authors: Moshina Nataliia , Gräwingholt Axel , Lång Kristina , Mann Ritse , Hovda Tone , Hoff Solveig Roth , Skaane Per , Lee Christoph I. , Aase Hildegunn S. , Aslaksen Aslak B. , Hofvind Solveig
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The randomized controlled trial comparing digital breast tomosynthesis and synthetic 2D mammograms (DBT + SM) versus digital mammography (DM) (the To-Be 1 trial), 2016–2017, did not result in higher cancer detection for DBT + SM. We aimed to determine if negative cases prior to interval and consecutive screen-detected cancers from DBT + SM were due to interpretive error.

Methods

Five external breast radiologists performed the individual blinded review of 239 screening examinations (90 true negative, 39 false positive, 19 prior to interval cancer, and 91 prior to consecutive screen-detected cancer) and the informed consensus review of examinations prior to interval and screen-detected cancers (n = 110). The reviewers marked suspicious findings with a score of 1–5 (probability of malignancy). A case was false negative if ≥ 2 radiologists assigned the cancer site with a score of ≥ 2 in the blinded review and if the case was assigned as false negative by a consensus in the informed review.

Results

In the informed review, 5.3% of examinations prior to interval cancer and 18.7% prior to consecutive round screen-detected cancer were considered false negative. In the blinded review, 10.6% of examinations prior to interval cancer and 42.9% prior to consecutive round screen-detected cancer were scored ≥ 2. A score of ≥ 2 was assigned to 47.8% of negative and 89.7% of false positive examinations.

Conclusions

The false negative rates were consistent with those of prior DM reviews, indicating that the lack of higher cancer detection for DBT + SM versus DM in the To-Be 1 trial is complex and not due to interpretive error alone.

Critical relevance statement

The randomized controlled trial on digital breast tomosynthesis and synthetic 2D mammograms (DBT) and digital mammography (DM), 2016–2017, showed no difference in cancer detection for the two techniques. The rates of false negative screening examinations prior to interval and consecutive screen-detected cancer for DBT were consistent with the rates in prior DM reviews, indicating that the non-superior DBT performance in the trial might not be due to interpretive error alone.

Key points

• Screening with digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) did not result in a higher breast cancer detection rate compared to screening with digital mammography (DM) in the To-Be 1 trial.

• The false negative rates for examinations prior to interval and consecutive screen-detected cancer for DBT were determined in the trial to test if the lack of differences was due to interpretive error.

• The false negative rates were consistent with those of prior DM reviews, indicating that the lack of higher cancer detection for DBT versus DM was complex and not due to interpretive error alone.

Graphical Abstract
Existence of normalized solutions for Schrödinger systems with linear and nonlinear couplings
Authors: Yun Zhaoyang , Zhang Zhitao
Published: February 2024

In this paper we study the nonlinear Bose–Einstein condensates Schrödinger system $$ \textstyle\begin{cases} -\Delta u_{1}-\lambda _{1} u_{1}=\mu _{1} u_{1}^{3}+\beta u_{1}u_{2}^{2}+ \kappa (x) u_{2}\quad\text{in }\mathbb{R}^{3}, \\ -\Delta u_{2}-\lambda _{2} u_{2}=\mu _{2} u_{2}^{3}+\beta u_{1}^{2}u_{2}+ \kappa (x) u_{1}\quad\text{in }\mathbb{R}^{3}, \\ \int _{\mathbb{R}^{3}} u_{1}^{2}=a_{1}^{2},\qquad \int _{\mathbb{R}^{3}} u_{2}^{2}=a_{2}^{2}, \end{cases} $$

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Co-designing a personalised care plan for patients with rectal cancer: reflections and practical learnings
Authors: Gard Grace , Oakley Jo , Serena Kelsey , Gough Karla , Harold Michael , Gray Katya , Anderson Helen , Byrne Judi , Cockwill Jo , Down Graeme , Kiossoglou George , Gibbs Peter
Published: February 2024

Background

Consumer involvement is considered an essential component of contemporary cancer research, with a movement towards participatory methods, to the benefit of consumers and researchers. Overall, in-depth research on participant experiences and perceptions of their co-designer role—and how these may (or may not) change during a co-design project—is limited. The purpose of this paper was to synthesise the reflective accounts of consumers, project staff, and a researcher who partnered on a project to develop a personalised care plan template, with the aim of generating guidance for others looking to partner with consumers in health and medical research. Here, our team of researchers, project staff, and consumers reflect on the experience of working together using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle, which was completed by team members with responses then undergoing inductive data analysis.

Results

Reflections are categorised under three core themes: (1) setting up the group and building relationships (2) measuring the value of consumer involvement, and (3) potential challenges for consumer involvement. Through reflection on our experiences of co-design, our team developed and identified practical strategies that contributed to the success of our partnership. These include setting expectations as a group; having experienced consumers on the team; having regular, pre-scheduled meetings that run to time; and working to overcome challenges identified by the group such as power imbalances, time commitment, and lack of diversity.

Conclusion

These practical reflections on creating a safe and supportive environment in which genuine consumer involvement can take place could inform other institutions and researchers looking to work meaningfully with consumers in research.
Availability and Geographic Access to Hospital-Based Breast Cancer Diagnostic Services in Ghana
Authors: Price Matthew D. , Rositch Anne F. , Dedey Florence , Mali Meghan E. , Brownson Kirstyn E. , Nsaful Josephine , Tounkara Mamadou , Price Raymond R. , Sutherland Edward Kofi
Published: February 2024

PURPOSE

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer and second most common cause of cancer-related death in Ghana. Early detection and access to diagnostic services are vital for early treatment initiation and improved survival. This study characterizes the geographic access to hospital-based breast cancer diagnostic services in Ghana as a framework for expansion.

METHODS

A cross-sectional hospital-based survey was completed in Ghana from November 2020 to October 2021. Early diagnostic services, as defined by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Framework for Resource Stratification, was assessed at each hospital. Services were characterized as available >80% of the time in the previous year, <80%, or not available. ArcGIS was used to identify the proportion of the population within 20 and 45 km of services.

RESULTS

Most hospitals in Ghana participated in this survey (95%; 328 of 346). Of these, 12 met full NCCN Basic criteria >80% of the time, with 43% of the population living within 45 km. Ten of the 12 met full NCCN Core criteria, and none met full NCCN Enhanced criteria. An additional 12 hospitals were identified that provide the majority of NCCN Basic services but lack select services necessary to meet this criterion. Expansion of services in these hospitals could result in an additional 20% of the population having access to NCCN Basic-level early diagnostic services within 45 km.

CONCLUSION

Hospital-based services for breast cancer early diagnosis in Ghana are available but sparse. Many hospitals offer fragmented aspects of care, but only a limited number of hospitals offer the full NCCN Basic or Core level of care. Understanding current availability and geographical distribution of services provides a framework for potential targeted expansion of services.
Building an Efficient Peritoneal Surface Malignancies Program Despite the Lower-Middle–Income Barriers: Ukraine Experience
Authors: Kopetskyi Viacheslav , Antoniv Marta , Yarema Roman , Maksymovskyi Viacheslav , Chetverikova-Ovchinnik Valeriia , Kryzhevskyi Vitalii , Volodko Nataliya , Gushchin Vadim , Nikiforchin Andrei
Published: February 2024

PURPOSE

Cytoreductive surgery/hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) programs are often limited to centers in developed countries because of extensive requirements. We aimed to analyze efficacy and challenges of CRS/HIPEC centers in lower-middle–income settings in the Ukraine example.

METHODS

A multicenter descriptive study was conducted using data sets (2008-2022) from Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa centers. Patients with appendiceal neoplasm (AN); colorectal cancer (CRC); malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM); and epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer (EOC) treated with CRS ± HIPEC were included. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed for N ≥ 20 cohorts using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

We included 596 patients. At Kyiv and Lviv centers, 37 and 28 patients with AN had completeness of cytoreduction (CC-0/1) rates of 84% and 71%, respectively. Thirty-day major morbidity stood at 24% and 18%, respectively. Median OS was not reached (NR) at both centers. Nineteen patients with CRC from Kyiv, 11 from Lviv, and 156 from Odesa had CC‐0/1 rates of 84%, 91%, and 86%, respectively. Thirty-day major complications occurred in 16%, 18%, and 8%, respectively. Median OS in the Odesa cohort was 35 (95% CI, 32 to 38) months. Among 15 Kyiv, five Lviv, and six Odesa patients with MPM, CC‐0/1 rates were 67%, 80%, and 100%, respectively, while major complications occurred in 13%, 0%, and 17%, respectively. OS was not analyzed because of small MPM cohorts. At Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa centers, 91, 40, and 89 patients, respectively, had primary EOC. CC-0/1 rates were 79%, 100%, and 80%, and 30-day major morbidity rates were 23%, 5%, and 6%, respectively. Median OS was NR, 71 (95% CI, 32 to 110), and 67 (95% CI, 61 to 73) months, respectively.

CONCLUSION

CRS/HIPEC programs in lower-middle–income environment can achieve safety and survival that meet global standards. Our discussion highlights common obstacles in such settings and proposes effective overcoming strategies.
Defining the Educational Needs for a Community-Based Hematology/Oncology Career: A National Needs Assessment
Authors: Agrawal Shubham , Patell Rushad , Dodge Laura E. , Pegher Jennifer W. , Coleman Robert L. , Waterhouse David Michael , Roberts Daniel Aaron , Rangachari Deepa
Published: February 2024

PURPOSE

Little is known about the specific needs during training for hematology/oncology providers practicing in community-based settings. We conducted a national survey of hematologists/oncologists employed in community or academic-community hybrid settings to delineate their educational needs.

METHODS

An electronic questionnaire was developed and distributed nationally through professional organizations. We primarily assessed whether survey participants received any specific training during fellowship for community-based practice. Participants were also surveyed regarding training experiences that might have affected their preparation. Relative risk (RR) and 95% CI were calculated using modified Poisson regression to identify factors associated with receiving training specifically for community-based settings.

RESULTS

Of 125 participants from across 25 states, 63% were male and 58% identified as White. Less than half (41.6%, binomial 95% CI, 32.8 to 50.7) received any training in a community-based setting. Participants identified rotations in community settings (47%), direct mentorship from community-based physicians (40%), and longitudinal clinic in a community setting (36%) as experiences that would have been valuable. Specific curricula of interest included medical operations and administration (63%), health policy (35%), and quality improvement (27%). Respondents in clinical practice for <10 years were more likely to have received any training specifically for a community-based career (RR, 2.13 [95% CI, 1.18 to 3.86]).

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates substantial unmet needs as they relate to deliberately training fellows destined for community-based careers. Prospective design of clinical training and curricula emphasizing longitudinal exposures to and key aspects of health care delivery in the community setting are paramount to achieving optimal goal-concordant hematology/oncology training during fellowship.
Influence of TP53 Comutation on the Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Clinical Outcomes With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in STK11-Mutant Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Naqash Abdul Rafeh , Floudas Charalampos S. , Aber Etan , Maoz Asaf , Nassar Amin H. , Adib Elio , Choucair Khalil , Xiu Joanne , Baca Yasmine , Ricciuti Biagio , Alessi Joao V. , Awad Mark M. , Kim Chul , Judd Julia , Raez Luis E. , Lopes Gilberto , Nieva Jorge J. , Borghaei Hossein , Takebe Naoko , Ma Patrick C. , Halmos Balazs , Kwiatkowski David J. , Liu Stephen V. , Mamdani Hirva
Published: February 2024

PURPOSE

Non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with STK11mut has inferior outcomes to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Using multiomics, we evaluated whether a subtype of STK11mut NSCLC with a uniquely inflamed tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) harboring TP53 comutations could have favorable outcomes to ICIs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

NSCLC tumors (N = 16,896) were analyzed by next-generation sequencing (DNA-Seq/592 genes). A subset (n = 5,034) underwent gene expression profiling (RNA-Seq/whole transcriptome). Exome-level neoantigen load for STK11mut NSCLC was obtained from published pan-immune analysis. Tumor immune cell content was obtained from transcriptome profiles using the microenvironment cell population (MCP) counter. ICI data from POPLAR/OAK (n = 34) and the study by Rizvi et al (n = 49) were used to model progression-free survival (PFS), and a separate ICI-treated cohort (n = 53) from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) was used to assess time to treatment failure (TTF) and tumor RECIST response for STK11mut TP53mut versus STK11mut TP53wt NSCLC.

RESULTS

Overall, 12.6% of NSCLC tumors had a STK11mut with the proportions of tumor mutational burden (TMB)-high (≥10 mut/Mb), PD-L1 ≥50%, and microsatellite instability-high being 38.3%, 11.8%, and 0.72%, respectively. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of STK11 mut (n = 463) for stimulator of interferon-gamma (STING) pathway genes identified a STING-high cluster, which was significantly enriched in TP53mut NSCLC ( P < .01). Compared with STK11mut TP53wt, tumors with STK11mut TP53mut had higher CD8+T cells and natural killer cells ( P < .01), higher TMB ( P < .001) and neoantigen load ( P < .001), and increased expression of MYC and HIF-1A ( P < .01), along with higher expression ( P < .01) of glycolysis/glutamine metabolism genes. Meta-analysis of data from OAK/POPLAR and the study by Rizvi et al showed a trend toward improved PFS in patients with STK11mut TP53mut. In the DFCI cohort, compared with the STK11mut TP53wt cohort, the STK11mut TP53mut tumors had higher objective response rates (42.9% v 16.7%; P = .04) and also had longer TTF (14.5 v 4.5 months, P adj = .054) with ICI.

CONCLUSION

STK11mut NSCLC with TP53 comutation is a distinct subgroup with an immunologically active TIME and metabolic reprogramming. These properties should be exploited to guide patient selection for novel ICI-based combination approaches.
The Earth's Remembrance
Authors: Eliceche Cecilia Lisa
Published: February 2024

This conversation brings together Mapuche Weichafe and writer Moira Ivana Millán and Haitian art collector Houngan Jean-Daniel Lafontant. They reflect on the histories of colonialism and anticolonial resistance and discuss the workings of memory, embodiment, and territory, churches, museums, western science and forms of cultural, epistemic, and spiritual extractivism. Millán and Lafontant offer critiques of colonial violence and ongoing environmental destruction, which work together, they argue, to constitute a campaign of terracide that is still being waged on a planetary scale. They conclude by affirming collective struggles against this campaign and calling for a language beyond anthropocentrism.
Godse's Gandhi and Gandhi's Truth
Authors: Sawhney Simona
Published: February 2024

This essay considers the representation of Gandhi in the detailed statement given to the court by his assassin, Nathuram Godse, in 1948. It discusses how Gandhi was perceived by those who wished to re-create Hinduism as a modern political ideology. Juxtaposing the views of Godse and his political mentor, V. D. Savarkar, with those of Gandhi, the essay focuses on the overdetermined invisibility or illegibility of Gandhi's conceptions of truth, religion, and political community in the discourse of the Hindu right. A bleak realization regarding the contemporary extent of this illegibility drives this essay. While the radically egalitarian potential of Gandhi's language has not been substantively inherited by any significant group in the political sphere today, Godse's language has found many heirs in India as well as in other countries.
Driving autophagy – the role of molecular motors
Authors: Nambiar Akshaya , Manjithaya Ravi
Published: February 2024

Most of the vesicular transport pathways inside the cell are facilitated by molecular motors that move along cytoskeletal networks. Autophagy is a well-explored catabolic pathway that is initiated by the formation of an isolation membrane known as the phagophore, which expands to form a double-membraned structure that captures its cargo and eventually moves towards the lysosomes for fusion. Molecular motors and cytoskeletal elements have been suggested to participate at different stages of the process as the autophagic vesicles move along cytoskeletal tracks. Dynein and kinesins govern autophagosome trafficking on microtubules through the sequential recruitment of their effector proteins, post-translational modifications and interactions with LC3-interacting regions (LIRs). In contrast, myosins are actin-based motors that participate in various stages of the autophagic flux, as well as in selective autophagy pathways. However, several outstanding questions remain with regard to how the dominance of a particular motor protein over another is controlled, and to the molecular mechanisms that underlie specific disease variants in motor proteins. In this Review, we aim to provide an overview of the role of molecular motors in autophagic flux, as well as highlight their dysregulation in diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders and pathogenic infections, and ageing.
The Absence of a Rationalized Migration Data Policy in Greece and the Discontinuity of Greek Migration Policy: A Glance at the First Results of the PreMiGro Project
Authors: Papadakis Nikos , Taroudakis Michalis , Dimari Georgia , Smaragdakis Costas , Kosmadakis Nikolaos
Published: February 2024

The aim of this paper is to present the first findings of a funded project (PreMiGro) that concerns the development of a start-up pilot prediction model of short and long-term migration flows in Greece using machine-learning tools. During the first phase of the project, which focused on the examination of data regarding historical number of immigrants to Greece associated with country of origin and its political status for the period 1990-2022 through a range of primary and secondary sources, a vital finding surfaced. The discontinuity of the Greek migration policy seems to be related, among others, to the absence of a consistent data policy on migration, ever since Greece became a host country of migrants in the 1990s up to 2022 when Greece had already witnessed major transformations in its migration policy domain. A first reading of PreMiGro’s initial research outcomes sheds some light on the peculiarity of the Greek migration policy. Indeed, the securitization of migration in Greece, the (at times negative) perception of migrants and refugees from parts of the Greek Society and Public Sphere and the fragmented Greek migration policy per se, could be explained through the lens of the absence of a rationalized migration data policy in Greece, among other things.
Reforming State-Owned Enterprises (SOES) to Facilitate the Economic Recovery of Sri Lanka
Authors: Kamburawala Tharindu Udayanga , Abeyrathne Dilmini Hasintha
Published: February 2024

The economic downturn and escalating debt levels prompted Sri Lanka to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), resulting in the formulation of the 17th IMF program. This program, aimed at fiscal consolidation and restructuring, designates SOEs as a pivotal element in the nation's economic recovery strategy. This policy brief addresses the imperative need for reforming State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in Sri Lanka. A historical overview reveals the evolution of Sri Lanka's SOEs, from their establishment during World War II to a surge in numbers in the 1980s. Despite their vital role in the economy, SOEs have faced operational inefficiencies, financial struggles, and governance issues, leading to a privatization policy in 1988. The document explores international experiences in SOE reform, drawing insights from successful models in Singapore, China, and India. Current policy measures in Sri Lanka encompass various reform strategies, such as corporatization, restructuring, and commercialization, focusing on enhancing financial transparency and accountability. The establishment of the State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit (SRU) reflects a commitment to effective implementation, with international support from entities like the International Finance Corporation (IFC). In conclusion, the path to economic recovery in Sri Lanka hinges on the successful transformation of SOEs, ensuring financial viability, transparency, and sustainable growth.
Οικονομικές Δαπάνες για την Δημόσια Τριτοβάθμια Εκπαίδευση στην Ελλάδα και στην Κύπρο την Τετραετία 2015-2019
Authors: Μαρής Γεώργιος , Μαλωίνα Σταματία
Published: February 2024

Η οικονομική κρίση που επηρέασε την Ελλάδα και την Κύπρο είναι μια περίοδος που αξίζει να μελετηθεί και αν αναλυθεί σε διάφορους τομείς διακυβέρνησης. Μια χρονικά σημαντική περίοδος και συγκεκριμένα από το έτος 2015 έως το 2019 όπου πραγματοποιήθηκαν τα σημαντικότερα γεγονότα. Αυτά τα γεγονότα επηρέασαν την δημόσια τριτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση και στις δύο χώρες. Σκοπός της συγκεκριμένης μελέτης είναι να καταγράψει και να συγκρίνει τις δαπάνες των κεντρικών τραπεζών, και για τις δύο χώρες,και να εξάγει συμπεράσματα. Η μελέτη παρουσιάζει πρωτότυπα ευρήματα διότι αν ανατρέξουμε σε παλιότερες έρευνες δεν υπάρχουν αναφορές για το συγκεκριμένο θέμα. Μας βοηθάει να αποκτήσουμε εικόνα για το σύνολο της κατάστασης στην δημόσια τριτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση. Έτσι, οι ερευνητές που μελετάνε στοιχεία αυτής μπορούν να εμπλουτίσουν τις γνώσεις τους και τις μελλοντικές έρευνες τους.
Impossible to press? – Succulents in Renaissance herbaria
Authors: Eggli Urs , Nyffeler Reto , Merklinger Felix
Published: February 2024

Several Renaissance herbaria, including the herbarium by Caspar Bauhin, contain preserved specimens of different succulent plants, such as cacti, stonecrops, palm lilies or aloes. In view of the difficulties experienced even today when preparing succulents for the herbarium, the efforts of the Renaissance botanists to meet this challenge is remarkable. The view that succulents by definition are unsuitable for pressing for the herbarium, as for instance expressed by Richard Bradley in his 1716 book, prevails to these days. We first provide a condensed overview of standard preparation techniques for succulents advocated in the literature of the past forty years. Then, a selection of specimens of succulents in early herbaria, from several plant families, is discussed and the preparation methods used at that time, and possible solutions of the difficulties involved, are outlined.
Plant exchange networks in the 19th century – 200 years of citizen science
Authors: Schröder Christof Nikolaus
Published: February 2024

Plant exchange networks in the 19th century have been investigated in a largescale study, firstly by identifying as many plant exchange organizations (PEOs) as possible and secondly by searching for exchange partners in a 19th century private herbarium from Southwest Germany, and by analysing exchange activities related to the rare central European endemic Saxifraga rosacea subsp. sponhemica (C.C.Gmel) D.A.Webb. In this paper a first overview on selected results is given: 101 PEOs – founded from 1819 to 1947 – with a total of 3000 to 5000 members have been found; they distributed 15 to 20 million specimens; 111 collectors have been identified in the exemplary private herbarium, from which specimens have been found in 27 herbaria; S. rosacea subsp. sponhemica has been collected by 242 individuals, 233 exchange partners received duplicates distributed by 12 PEOs.
The collection of letters addressed to D.F.L. von Schlechtendal in the University herbarium in Halle (Saale), Germany (HAL)
Authors: Tkach Natalia , Röser Martin
Published: February 2024

D.F.L. von Schlechtendal (1794–1866) was one of the most important botanists of the 19th century. From 1833 to 1866 he was professor of botany at the University Halle-Wittenberg, where his collection of some 70 000 plant specimens is kept. Schlechtendal described more than 1600 new taxa, including 78 genera, mostly from the New World. Schlechtendal’s dense network of scientific contacts is documented by his correspondence, comprising some 5600 letters he received from about 500 persons, including many famous contemporary botanists, natural scientists, travelers and plant collectors. The letters mostly refer to publications and scientific questions concerning the journals ,Linnaea’ and ,Botanische Zeitung’ edited by Schlechtendal. In particular, the letters of scientists dealing with African, Central and South American, and Australian plants are an important source of taxonomic information. The letters are mostly written in the old German Kurrent script, the ink is fading and the paper is disintegrating. We therefore have started to transliterate all letters (54 % completed), index and digitize them and make them available online. Here we explain their importance, highlighting letters dealing with the plants from Humboldt’s and Bonpland’s travels and from the correspondence with R.A. Philippi(Chile, 1808–1904) and H. Christ (Switzerland, 1833–1933).
Improving procedures for obtaining Sanger sequences from old herbarium specimens
Authors: Bendiksby Mika , Thorbek Lisbeth , Bjorå Charlotte , Halvorsen Rune
Published: February 2024

Because DNA degrades over time, extracting DNA of sufficient quality for sequencing is presumed to be more difficult from older than younger herbarium specimens. Although massive parallel sequencing techniques have clear advantages when it comes to sequencing ancient DNA, Sanger sequencing is still in frequent use, prompting us to test and improve its application on herbarium specimens. During molecular phylogenetic investigations of the subfamily Lamioideae (Lamiaceae) and subgroups, we extracted DNA from 651 herbarium specimens collected between 1826 and 2006 using regular mini-prep methods. The aim was to obtain DNA of sufficient quality for Sanger sequencing of various plastid and nuclear genetic markers. Here, we report successful Sanger sequencing of the commonly used plastid marker, rps16, as a conservative measure of DNA quality, and logistic regression to investigate the relationship between age of the material and DNA quality. Our result indicates that the upper age limit for obtaining DNA suitable for Sanger,sequencing from herbarium specimens using regular mini-prep DNA extraction methods has not been reached. After simple modifications to the regular DNA miniprep and PCR procedures, at least one genetic marker was successfully sequenced for about 90 % of the specimens tested, the oldest being 168 years old. Jointly, despite the technique’s drawbacks, these results demonstrate a high success rate of Sanger sequencing of herbarium specimens.
Towards digitizing the botanical legacy of Fritz and Paul Sarasin in Basel and Zurich
Authors: Grall Aurélie , Guggisberg Alessia , Nyffeler Reto , De Vos Jurriaan M.
Published: February 2024

The botanical heritage of multitalented naturalists Paul Benedict (1856–1929) and Karl Friedrich (Fritz) (1859–1942) Sarasin of Basel is poorly known. The second-degree cousins from Basel inherited great wealth, which funded their expeditions to the tropics in India, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, and New Caledonia. Both were doctors in zoology with interdisciplinary interests from geography and anthropology to botany. They mixed race theories with traditional descriptions of biodiversity, blurring boundaries between anthropology and natural sciences. With the help of the local colonial governments where they travelled, they avidly collected many thousands of natural history objects and human artefacts, now kept in institutions across Europe.
What does the „true” Boerhaave herbarium tell us about the practice of collecting plant specimens in the botanical garden Leiden?
Authors: Offerhaus Aleida , Van Andel Tinde , Stefanaki Anastasia
Published: February 2024

The Dutch physician Herman Boerhaave (1668–1738) was famous for his clinical teaching, but his botanical research was also renowned. Boerhaave (Fig.1) inspired his pupils to set up botanical gardens and devise their own classification systems. His research resulted in the publication of two editions of the garden catalogue of the Leiden Hortus Botanicus, of which the latter (Boerhaave 1720), was deemed important enough to be used extensively as reference by Linnaeus (Linnaeus 1737). Devising a classification system was a major enterprise and must have required a substantial herbarium. Two herbaria were attributed to Boerhaave, but it appears unlikely – even though they have not yet been researched – that they were actually composed by him. From the collection of Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, we selected 100 specimens that were listed as collected by Boerhaave and verified 88 specimens as having been collected by Boerhaave. However, this small number raises the following questions: What happened to the rest of the herbarium that Boerhaave created? And how can we recognise a Boerhaave specimen?
Looking back to move forward – Impact of historical moss specimens on modern systematics
Authors: Price Michelle J.
Published: February 2024

Natural history collections reflect our desire to understand the living world. Each collection is unique based on how it was composed, who composed it, where the specimens originated from, and how it has been enriched. Natural history institutions preserve, curate and enhance their collections on an ongoing basis and they serve as a powerful scientific resource. Collections provide a window into past, present and future biodiversity via the information contained on and in specimens. They play a crucial role in the documentation,description and understanding of species themselves, with the specimens held in global collections forming the foundation for all taxonomic endeavours.
Network analysis of the herbarium collection of the Moravian Church from the 18th century
Authors: Wagner Sarah T. , Ehrlacher Richard , Frenzke Lena , Müller Frank , Neinhuis Christoph , Ruhland Thomas
Published: February 2024

The Herbarium Dresdense (DR), Germany, houses about 500 000 specimens of worldwide origin. One of the oldest collections is the Herbarium Barbiense of the Moravian Church from the mid to the late 18th century. On their mission to spread Christianity, the Moravians settled on many continents and took the advantage of exploring culture and nature of their new home countries. Being excellent observers and documentarists, they left a barely explored corpus of objects and texts of tremendous importance for natural sciences and humanities. Since 1754 the educational centre of the community was located in Barby, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. To support the scientific training and to gather objects send home by the missionaries, a cabinet of natural curiosities was established in 1756. The collections of minerals, fossils, conchylia and plants were unique and soon attracted other European academics.
SNP genotyping and environmental niche modelling using herbarium specimens of the northern dragonhead, Dracocephalum ruyschiana (Lamiaceae)
Authors: Nygaard Malene , Kopatz Alexander , Speed James M.D. , Martin Michael D. , Prestø Tommy , Kleven Oddmund , Bendiksby Mika
Published: February 2024

Maintenance of genetic diversity is a central aim of species conservation, given its positive effect on species survival and adaptation in a changing environment. Data from different time points is key for understanding how populations behave under various conditions. In this regard, herbarium specimens are an invaluable source of information from the past. Still, utilizing archived biological material for studying trends of genetic diversity offers challenges such as DNA degradation and the lack of standardized, cost- and time efficient methods.
Using herbarium specimens, botanical gardens, historical data, and citizen science to study climate change
Authors: Primack Richard B. , Gallinat Amanda S. , Ellwood Elizabeth R. , Miller-Rushing Abraham J.
Published: February 2024

Over the past two decades, researchers and others involved in plant science have developed innovative and powerful methods to investigate the effects of climate change on plants.
Herbarium DNA degradation – Falling to pieces non-randomly
Authors: Bakker Freek T. , Hemerik Lia
Published: February 2024

Post-mortem damage in herbarium DNA, mostly from 18th and 19th century collections, and with specimens usually heat-treated for conservation, consists mainly of genome fragmentation (single- and double-stranded breaks) rather than miscoding lesions. With typical herbarium DNA fragment sizes encountered (20–200 6 https://www.jstor.org/stable/1220096 bp) this easily leads to insert sizes in library construction being smaller than Illumina read lengths applied (i.e. 100–250 bp). Using a previously-published series of 56 genome-skimmed herbarium DNA extracts representing 10 angiosperm families, overlapping read pairs were found to occur in roughly 80 % of all read pairs obtained. After merging such overlapping pairs, the resulting fragments and their length-distributions are considered to reflect actual DNA fragmentation. Similar to occurrence in ancient DNA, we found over-representation of purines at fragment-ends in herbarium material. Distributions of fragment lengths fit gamma rather than exponential distributions, without apparent correlation with specimen age. The observed gamma distributions would indicate higher-order degradation kinetics, implying multiple processes acting during degradation. Possibly, the genome skimming data used here, in which repetitive sequences or compartments are over-represented, has biased genomic fragment-length distributions and half-lives as compared to the non-repetitive fraction of plant genomes, but no data was available to test this hypothesis. Overall, our results imply that we cannot confirm whether a plant archival DNA half-live exists and what its rate would be.
Ultrastructural organization of alveolar macrophages during late development of experimental acute pancreatitis
Authors: Zaiats Liubomyr , Pasichnyk Olga , Zukow Walery
Published: February 2024

Background. Nowadays, acute pancreatitis continues to remain an actual problem both in surgery and in intensive care medicine. The aim of the work was to study the dynamics of ultrastructural changes of alveolar macrophages in the long-term development of experimental acute pancreatitis. Material and methods. The experiments were carried out on 62 white Wistar male rats weighing 180–220 g. The animals were divided into three groups: first — intact, second — control, third — experimental with a model of acute pancreatitis, which was reproduced by intraperitoneal administration of a 20% solution of L-arginine in a total dose of 5 g/kg at one-hour interval. The control group of animals was intraperitoneally injected with an equivalent dose of isotonic sodium chloride solution. All research were performed under sodium thiopental anesthesia at the rate of 60 mg/kg body weight. Lung tissue for electron microscopic examination was collected from the lower lobe of the left lung at 3–5 and 7 days. Pieces of lung tissue measuring 1×1×1 mm were fixed in a 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution, followed by additional fixation in a 1% osmium tetroxide solution. After dehydration, the material was poured into Epon-Araldite. Sections with a thickness of 20–50 nm obtained on “Tesla BS-490” ultramicrotome were studied in a PEM-125K electron microscope. Results. It was found that three days after the start of the study, significant heterogeneity of alveolar macrophages was observed in the alveolar lumen. Next to active phagocytic macrophage elements with dystrophic-destructive changes are determined. Continuation of the experiment (5 days) leads to the progression of submicroscopic changes in alveolar macrophages, which are most pronounced on the7 day of the study. Conclusion. Acute experimental pancreatitis is accompanied by pronounced changes in the ultrastructural structure of alveolar macrophages. The features and severity of structural changes in alveolar macrophages depends on the duration of arginine-induced acute pancreatitis.
Analysis of Macroeconomic Factors Affecting Airline Stock Prices.
Authors: Alıcı Abdulkadir
Published: February 2024

Change in stock prices and development of the market vary depending on decisions made by investors. Decisions made by investors are determined by corporate performance, the country’s economic situation, political developments and changes in macroeconomic factors. In this study, the relationship between stock prices of airlines and macroeconomic variables was analyzed. To accomplish this, daily macroeconomic data of 14 airlines covering the years 2009-2018 were analyzed by Toda Yomamato and HatemiJ asymmetric causality tests, and macroeconomic factors (Brent oil price, dollar exchange rate and interest rate) determining stock prices were identified. According to the results of the Toda and Yomamato causality test, it was found that there was a significant relationship among variables of the dollar exchange rate, the price of oil and stock prices of airlines. Except for one airline, there was no significant relationship between interest rate and stock price. According to the results of the Hatemi-J asymmetric causality test, it was found that there were significant relationships among variables of the dollar exchange rate, oil price, interest rate, and airline stock prices. In light of these findings, innovation and adoption of alternative fuel technology by the aviation industry and airlines can be a successful alternative to oil price risk. Results on exchange rate and interest rate changes indicate that airlines and related governments should focus on policies that increase growth of the aviation industry
Estrés en el Medio Rural: una Realidad Socioespacial alejada de Imágenes Idílicas.
Authors: García-Araque Jesús
Published: February 2024

Este trabajo indaga si el estrés es un problema que afecte a la calidad de vida de la población del campo español que, además, puede haberse agudizado por la pandemia de Covid-19. Es un tema poco tratado en España, donde se tiende a asociar la vida en ámbitos rurales con el sosiego, en contraposición con el estrés urbano. El objetivo es estudiar la situación en 4 poblaciones rurales de Galicia y Castilla y León, con especial atención a propietarios y trabajadores de explotaciones ganaderas, lo que se realiza mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas realizadas entre abril y julio de 2022. Los resultados muestran presencia de estrés entre empresarios y asalariados agrarios, principalmente relacionado con dificultades económicas, así como un deterioro de su relación con los trabajadores del sector servicios. Se concluye esta aproximación al estrés rural identificando distintas formas de estrés que afectan a la población del campo y perturban la imagen idílica que se tiene de estos territorios que, tradicionalmente, ha supuesto un factor de atracción hacia ellos
Trends in Decision Analysis: A Reflection on the First 20 Years of the Journal
Authors: Bier Vicki
Published: February 2024

With the start of 2024, Decision Analysis has now completed 20 full years of publication. As the current Editor-in-Chief, I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on the themes that have occupied scholars in the field, and how they have changed over time. I have taken as my starting point the most heavily cited articles in each year (or most heavily downloaded, for 2023, for which citation information is not yet meaningful).