bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Initial validation of the new browser-based application DREEP for diagnosis of common chronic sleep disorders
Authors: Dietz-Terjung Sarah , Eggert Torsten , Judickiene Julija , Hofherr Georg , Schöbel Christoph
Published: February 2024

Background

Traditionally, individuals with chronically disordered sleep are referred to a sleep specialist, who would usually arrange diagnostic investigations including polygraphy and/or polysomnography (PSG). Dr. Sleep (DREEP) is a browser-based application developed for diagnosing common chronic sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), periodic leg movements (PLMD), and insomnia in adults. The DREEP algorithm is based on disease-specific questions adapted from validated sleep questionnaires. This study evaluated the preliminary performance of DREEP for the diagnosis and severity assessment of sleep disorders in adults with chronically disordered sleep.

Methods

Sixty-four individuals admitted to the sleep laboratory of the Department of Sleep Medicine at the University of Essen, Germany, were recruited. Medical sleep history was taken by a sleep specialist. Each participant underwent full-night PSG and used the DREEP application on a tablet in the evening of admission or the morning after diagnostic sleep testing.

Results

DREEP predicted OSA with a sensitivity of 97%, but specificity was low at 25% (it had a tendency to overestimate OSA). DREEP had sensitivity of 79.2% and specificity of 80% for detecting PLMD/restless legs syndrome (RLS). The application showed the best performance for detection of insomnia (sensitivity 90%, specificity 83%), and successfully detected one individual with clinically confirmed narcolepsy.

Conclusion

This initial validation study has shown that the browser-based application DREEP is adequately able to assess risk and improve the pre-test probability for prescribing further tests in individuals with common chronic sleep disorders, including OSA, PLMD/RLS, and insomnia. In addition, DREEP was able to correctly identify most individuals without these conditions despite a tendency to overestimate. In a follow-up study, the promising clinical accuracy of DREEP needs to be substantiated by adding a healthy control group.
Resistant Hypertension: Disease Burden and Emerging Treatment Options
Authors: Flack John M. , Buhnerkempe Michael G. , Moore Kenneth Todd
Published: February 2024

Purpose of Review

To define resistant hypertension (RHT), review its pathophysiology and disease burden, identify barriers to effective hypertension management, and to highlight emerging treatment options.

Recent Findings

RHT is defined as uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) ≥ 130/80 mm Hg despite concurrent prescription of ≥ 3 or ≥ 4 antihypertensive drugs in different classes or controlled BP despite prescription of  ≥ to 4 drugs, at maximally tolerated doses, including a diuretic. BP is regulated by a complex interplay between the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, the sympathetic nervous system, the endothelin system, natriuretic peptides, the arterial vasculature, and the immune system; disruption of any of these can increase BP. RHT is disproportionately manifest in African Americans, older patients, and those with diabetes and/or chronic kidney disease (CKD). Amongst drug-treated hypertensives, only one-quarter have been treated intensively enough (prescribed > 2 drugs) to be considered for this diagnosis. New treatment strategies aimed at novel therapeutic targets include inhibition of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2, aminopeptidase A, aldosterone synthesis, phosphodiesterase 5, xanthine oxidase, and dopamine beta-hydroxylase, as well as soluble guanylate cyclase stimulation, nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism, and dual endothelin receptor antagonism.

The burden of RHT remains high. Better use of currently approved therapies and integrating emerging therapies are welcome additions to the therapeutic armamentarium for addressing needs in high-risk aTRH patients.
GABAergic and inflammatory changes in the frontal cortex following neonatal PCP plus isolation rearing, as a dual-hit neurodevelopmental model for schizophrenia
Authors: Cale Jennifer A. , Chauhan Ethan J. , Cleaver Joshua J. , Fusciardi Anthoio R. , McCann Sophie , Waters Hannah C. , Žavbi Juš , King Madeleine V.
Published: February 2024

The pathogenesis of schizophrenia begins in early neurodevelopment and leads to excitatory-inhibitory imbalance. It is therefore essential that preclinical models used to understand disease, select drug targets and evaluate novel therapeutics encompass similar neurochemical deficits. One approach to improved preclinical modelling incorporates dual-hit neurodevelopmental insults, like neonatal administration of phencyclidine (PCP, to disrupt development of glutamatergic circuitry) then post-weaning isolation (Iso, to mimic adolescent social stress). We recently showed that male Lister-hooded rats exposed to PCP-Iso exhibit reduced hippocampal expression of the GABA interneuron marker calbindin. The current study expanded on this by investigating changes to additional populations of GABAergic interneurons in frontal cortical and hippocampal tissue from the same animals (by immunohistochemistry) as well as levels of GABA itself (via ELISA). Because inflammatory changes are also implicated in schizophrenia, we performed additional immunohistochemical evaluations of Iba-1 positive microglia as well as ELISA analysis of IL-6 in the same brain regions. Single-hit isolation-reared and dual-hit PCP-Iso rats both showed reduced parvalbumin immunoreactivity in the prelimbic/infralimbic region of the frontal cortex. However, this was more widespread in PCP-Iso, extending to the medial/ventral and lateral/dorsolateral orbitofrontal cortices. Loss of GABAergic markers was accompanied by increased microglial activation in the medial/ventral orbitofrontal cortices of PCP-Iso, together with frontal cortical IL-6 elevations not seen following single-hit isolation rearing. These findings enhance the face validity of PCP-Iso, and we advocate the use of this preclinical model for future evaluation of novel therapeutics—especially those designed to normalise excitatory-inhibitory imbalance or reduce neuroinflammation.
“We Never Say We Are Integrating People!” Interpretative Repertoires of Integration Among Local Stakeholders in Sweden
Authors: Hemmaty Mona , Lind Jacob , Hansen Christina , Khoury Nadeen
Published: February 2024

This article examines how local stakeholders in Scania, the southernmost county of Sweden, talk about integration. Drawing on 28 qualitative interviews, we use the theoretical concept of interpretative repertoires to analyze perceptions and conceptualizations among those who work closely with migrant integration. We identify two interpretative repertoires that stakeholders draw upon to make sense of the concept on the ground: the separation and de-migranticization repertoires. The repertoires display a shared understanding among the stakeholders of integration as a failure, although they do not agree on the extent or cause of the perceived failures of integration, or even how the problems should be defined or tackled locally. Within the separation repertoire, integration is failing in terms of processes where primarily migrants are seen as accountable and responsible for their (in)ability to adapt to the Swedish society. Within the de-migranticization repertoire, integration is differently perceived as something that is plagued with misdirected or even false boundaries between groups (in this case “migrants” and “non-migrants”), and authorities are held accountable for problems beyond migrants and migration, such as inequality, racism, and discrimination. The findings reflect the contested field of integration on the ground and contribute to ongoing critical debates on the concept of integration within migration research, by providing snapshots from a bottom-up perspective of local stakeholders’ acceptance of, or resistance to, present-day integration discourses.
Online learners’ self-regulated learning skills regarding LMS interactions: a profiling study
Authors: Çakiroğlu Ünal , Kokoç Mehmet , Atabay Melek
Published: February 2024

This profiling study deals with the self-regulated learning skills of online learners based on their interaction behaviors on the learning management system. The learners were profiled through their interaction behaviors via cluster analysis. Following a correlational model with the interaction data of learners, the post-test questionnaire data were used to determine self-regulated learning skills scores during the learning process. Regarding the scores, the clusters were named through the prominent interactions of the learners yielding three clusters; actively engaged (Cluster1), assessment-oriented (Cluster2), and passively-oriented (Cluster3), respectively. The profiles in the clusters indicate that assessments were mostly used by the learners in Cluster2, while the frequency of the content tools was high in Cluster1. Surprisingly, some tools such as glossary, survey, and chat did not play a prominent role in discriminating the clusters. Suggestions for future implementations of self-regulated learning and effective online learning in learning management systems are also included.
Enhancing fermentation yield for biohydrogen production using eco-friendly nickel and cobalt ferrite nanoparticles
Authors: Yildirim Oznur , Ozkaya Bestami
Published: February 2024

In recent years, the sustainable metal oxide nanoparticle synthesis using various plant leaf extracts as reducing agents has gained significant attention in the field of renewable energy research. This study explores the biohydrogen yield enhancement potential of two types of nanoparticles derived from olive leaves. Synthesized nanoparticles are characterized by SEM, EDX, and FTIR spectrum analyses; these nanoparticles exhibit mean dimensions of 385 nm and 292 nm. Fermentation experiments were conducted using varying ratios of the two types of nanoparticles ranging from 50 to 500 mg/L to determine the impact of these nanoparticles on bio-hydrogen yield. Remarkably, with the usage of 200 mg/L of nickel ferrite nanoparticles boosted biohydrogen yield by 47%, while 200 mg/L of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles increased it by 41%. These findings highlight the potential of sustainably synthesized nanoparticles, especially those from olive leaves, as catalysts for enhancing biohydrogen production in dark fermentation processes. This research offers promising insights into eco-friendly bioenergy generation.
The Pannon LitH2Oscope magnetotelluric array in the Pannonian Basin
Authors: Rubóczki Tibor , Novák Attila , Liptai Nóra , Porkoláb Kristóf , Molnár Csaba , Galsa Attila , Molnár Gábor , Wesztergom Viktor , Kovács István János
Published: February 2024

The Pannonian Basin is one of the best natural laboratories in the world to study the lithospheric response to continental extension and subsequent tectonic inversion. Here we address the topic of lithospheric structure by a combined geochemical and magnetotelluric analysis, which has been carried out in the framework of the Pannon LitH2Oscope project. The main objective was to detect the resistivity distribution over the entire lithosphere by magnetotelluric measurements, considering the lithological resistivity properties and relate the results to the structure and evolution of the Pannonian Basin. The Pannon LitH2Oscope MT array was used to estimate the depth of the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary (LAB), considering the legacy MT data and compared to previous estimates for the region. Using the MT and geomagnetic response functions, major structural zones of the Pannonian basin, such as the Mid-Hungarian Shear Zone or fault systems like the Makó Trough and the Békés Basin, were also imaged. In addition, we used the apparent resistivity soundings to compare 1D resistivity models computed from geochemistry and obtained from field MT measurements. This comparison provided new constrains for the composition, fluid and melt content variations at the local lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. The Pannon LitH2Oscope MT dataset and the results presented in this paper provide input for more complex 3D inversions and further investigations of the lithospheric structure in the Carpathian-Pannonian region.
Internalizing Symptoms among Kosovar Adolescents: Pubertal Correlates in Boys and Girls
Authors: Krasniqi Elona , Vazsonyi Alexander T. , Cakirpaloglu Panajotis
Published: February 2024

Pubertal status/stage of maturation and pubertal timing have been linked with emotional symptoms of problems among youth, particularly in vulnerable developmental contexts at risk for stress exposure. The present study tested the extent to which pubertal status/stage of maturation and pubertal timing were associated with anxious/depressed, withdrawn/depressed, and somatic complaint symptoms in Kosovar adolescents. It also tested whether sex moderated these relationships. Data were collected from N = 1,342 Kosovar adolescents (665 girls; M age = 13.26 years, SD = 1.27; 677 boys M age = 13.19 years, SD = 1.31). Regression analyses provided evidence that pubertal status/stage was positively associated with rates of anxious/depressed, withdrawn/depressed, and somatic complaint symptoms in girls, but only with withdrawn/depressed symptoms in boys. Additionally, pubertal timing was positively associated with anxious/depressed, and somatic complaint symptoms in girls; no significant links were found for boys. The present study provided evidence that advanced pubertal status/stage as well as timing is positively associated with internalizing symptoms in girls; however, only pubertal status/stage was positively associated with withdrawn/depressed symptoms in boys. The study highlights the importance of pubertal development for internalizing symptoms in a developmental context known for high stress exposure, particularly for girls.
Stagnation-Point Brinkman Flow of Nanofluid on a Stretchable Plate with Thermal Radiation
Authors: Mahabaleshwar U. S. , Mahesh R. , Chan A.
Published: February 2024

The study is an analytical exploration of hybrid nanofluid flow at a stagnation-point with Brinkman effect on a stretchable plate with thermal radiation. All of the aforementioned factors were taken into account when developing the mathematical model based on the Navier–Stokes equations for nanofluids, leading to a system of partial differential equations. Using suitable scaling, these equations are reduced to system of ordinary differential equations. The outcome of the system of ordinary differential equations are solved analytically and closed-form solutions are obtained in terms of incomplete error function. The results are analysed for the many significant flow characteristics with the profiles of velocity and temperature explored graphically. The amount of the heat transfer is increased due to the interaction between nanoparticles and the wall, and the wall surface is cooled when wall suction is present.
Increased solar-driven chemical transformations through surface-induced benzoperylene aggregation in dye-sensitized photoanodes
Authors: Bruggeman Didjay F. , Detz Remko J. , Mathew Simon , Reek Joost N. H.
Published: February 2024

The impact of benzo[ghi]perylenetriimide (BPTI) dye aggregation on the performance of photoelectrochemical devices was explored, through imide-substitution with either alkyl (BPTI-A, 2-ethylpropyl) or bulky aryl (BPTI-B, 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) moieties, to, respectively, enable or suppress aggregation. While both dyes demonstrated similar monomeric optoelectronic properties in solution, adsorption onto mesoporous SnO2 revealed different behavior, with BPTI-A forming aggregates via π-stacking and BPTI-B demonstrating reduced aggregation in the solid state. BPTI photoanodes were tested in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) before application to dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells (DSPECs) for Br2 production (a strong oxidant) coupled to H2 generation (a solar fuel). BPTI-A demonstrated a twofold higher dye loading of the SnO2 surface than BPTI-B, resulting in a fivefold enhancement to both photocurrent and Br2 production. The enhanced output of the photoelectrochemical systems (with respect to dye loading) was attributed to both J- and H- aggregation phenomena in BPTI-A photoanodes that lead to improved light harvesting. Our investigation provides a strategy to exploit self-assembly via aggregation to improve molecular light-harvesting and charge separation properties that can be directly applied to dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical devices.

Graphical Abstract

Increased Solar-Driven Chemical Transformations through Surface-Induced Benzoperylene Aggregation in Dye-Sensitized Photoanodes. Benzo[ghi]perylenetriimide (BPTI) dyes are investigated to reveal the effect of aggregation by π-stacking on photovoltaic parameters in dye-sensitized devices. Photoanodes with aggregating BPTIs show both J- and H- aggregation phenomena leading to enlarged visible light absorbance and increased electron injection. The use of aggregating BPTI outperforms a non-aggregation BPTI with fivefold in terms of photocurrent and product generation.
Resistance to Evidence
Authors: Simion Mona
Published: February 2024

We have increasingly sophisticated ways of acquiring and communicating knowledge, but efforts to spread this knowledge often encounter resistance to evidence. The phenomenon of resistance to evidence, while subject to thorough investigation in social psychology, is acutely under-theorised in the philosophical literature. Mona Simion's book is concerned with positive epistemology: it argues that we have epistemic obligations to update and form beliefs on available and undefeated evidence. In turn, our resistance to easily available evidence is unpacked as an instance of epistemic malfunctioning. Simion develops a full positive, integrated epistemological picture in conjunction with novel accounts of evidence, defeat, norms of inquiry, permissible suspension, and disinformation. Her book is relevant for anyone with an interest in the nature of evidence and justified belief and in the best ways to avoid the high-stakes practical consequences of evidence resistance in policy and practice. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Northern hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata ssp. lithuanica): discovery and establishment outside the Connecticut River
Authors: Foley Jeremiah R. , Stebbins Summer E. , Doherty Riley , Tippery Nicholas P. , Bugbee Gregory J.
Published: February 2024

Hydrilla [Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle], an invasive aquatic weed, has had a rich introduction history into the United States, with multiple subspecies being introduced since the 1960s. The most recent occurred before 2016, when northern hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata ssp. lithuanica) was discovered in the Connecticut River. By 2021, following a 3-yr survey from Agawam, MA, to the Long Island Sound by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Office of Aquatic Invasive Species, H. verticillata ssp. lithuanica was found in more than 113 km of the river, occupying 344 ha. Since this survey, there has been concern that H. verticillata ssp. lithuanica would spread to nearby waterbodies and have a significant negative impact. Here, we report the first documented spread and establishment of H. verticillata ssp. lithuanica from the Connecticut River to five waterbodies in Connecticut and one in Massachusetts. Of the eight sites where H. verticillata observations were made, 75% (n = 6) were confirmed to be H. verticillata ssp. lithuanica and 25% (n = 2) to be Hydrilla verticillata ssp. peregrina (wandering hydrilla). Except for one site, all six locations infested with H. verticillata ssp. lithuanica provide watercraft access through public or private boat ramps. The authors also postulate on the mechanisms facilitating the spread and establishment of this subspecies.
Reburials of Eminent Masters: The Construction of Quanzhen Daoist Lineages in North China under Mongol Rule
Authors: Wang Jinping
Published: February 2024

Burials of eminent Quanzhen masters, particularly in the form of extravagant assembly-funerals, served as the initial step in the development of a Quanzhen-style ancestor worship. This ancestor worship functioned as the bedrock of a thriving Quanzhen lineage-building movement in thirteenth-century north China. Quanzhen Daoists attributed great significance to the physical remains of a lineage's founding master and commonly conducted multiple burials of the master. Each instance of reburial presented an opportunity for specific lineage members to assert their lineage identity, as well as ownership over the founding master's spiritual and material legacy. Lineage members commonly materialized their ancestor worship through a series of memorial objects established within a hosting monastery, including tombs, statues, portraits, memorial shrines, and commemorative steles. These lineage-building efforts strengthened dynamic networks of people, monasteries, and material culture, shaping regional interactions and transformations in north China under Mongol rule.
Weakly nonlinear analysis of thermoacoustic oscillations in can-annular combustors
Authors: Orchini Alessandro , Moeck Jonas P.
Published: February 2024

Can-annular combustors feature clusters of thermoacoustic eigenvalues, which originate from the weak acoustic coupling between

$N$

identical cans at the downstream end. When instabilities occur, one needs to consider the nonlinear interaction between all

$N$

modes in the unstable cluster in order to predict the steady-state behaviour. A nonlinear reduced-order model for the analysis of this phenomenon is developed, based on the balance equations for acoustic mass, momentum and energy. Its linearisation yields explicit expressions for the

$N$

complex-valued eigenfrequencies that form a cluster. To treat the nonlinear equations semianalytically, a Galerkin projection is performed, resulting in a nonlinear system of

$N$

coupled oscillators. Each oscillator represents the dynamics of a global mode that oscillates in the whole can-annular combustor. The analytical expressions of the equations reveal how the geometrical and thermofluid parameters affect the thermoacoustic response of the system. To gain further insights, the method of averaging is applied to obtain equations for the slow-time dynamics of the amplitude and phase of each mode. The averaged system, whose solutions compare very well with those of the full oscillator equations, is shown to be able to predict complex transient dynamics. A variety of dynamical states are identified in the steady-state oscillatory regime, including push–push (in-phase) and spinning oscillations. Notably, the averaged equations are able to predict the existence of synchronised states. These states occur when the frequencies of two (or more) unstable modes with nominally different frequencies lock onto a common frequency as a result of nonlinear interactions.
Green Innovation and Export Performance in Emerging Market Firms: A Legitimacy-based View
Authors: Shu Chengli , Zhao Jingxu , Yao Qiong , Zhou Kevin Zheng
Published: February 2024

Whereas emerging market firms (EMFs) face severe legitimacy barriers when entering global markets, whether and under what conditions green innovation can help them gain legitimacy remains under-examined. This article argues that green innovation can help EMFs obtain regulatory and social legitimacy in host countries and consequently boost their exports. Based on a panel dataset populated by 254 Chinese-listed manufacturing companies from 2011 through 2017, this article finds that green innovation is positively associated with EMF export performance. Moreover, this positive relationship is stronger when host-country political risk is lower or host-country buyer sophistication is higher but becomes weaker for state-owned EMFs. These findings enrich the legitimacy-based view and international business literature by identifying the role of green innovation in boosting EMF export performance and specifying important institutional contingencies.
The Bilingualism Bonus in Socialist Slovenia: Domestic Policy or Diplomatic Prestige?
Authors: Udovič Boštjan , Novak Lukanović Sonja
Published: February 2024

The objective of the article is to establish why a financial bonus for Slovenian–Italian bilingualism was introduced in the District of Koper (comprising today’s Slovenian municipalities of Ankaran, Koper, Izola and Piran), which came under Yugoslav rule after 1954. Using Brubaker’s triadic nexus concept and analysis of newly discovered archival sources, the authors found that (a) on the federal level, Yugoslavia only focused on minority protection as much as it was required to by international agreements and treaties, (b) the Italian minority itself was not a relevant actor in the Yugoslav system of minority protection, (c) Italy had a marginal role in the process of protecting the Italian minority in Yugoslavia, and (d) the political elite in Yugoslavia introduced the bilingualism bonus to encourage the integration of the Italian minority when building a new (socialist) sociopolitical order. The Slovenian-Italian bilingualism bonus was therefore not an altruist measure directed at minority protection, but rather a self-serving measure by the authorities to reinforce their power.
An animal model of trait anxiety: Carioca high freezing rats as a model of generalized anxiety disorder
Authors: Cruz Antonio Pedro Mello , Castro-Gomes Vitor , Landeira-Fernandez J.
Published: February 2024

Despite being one of the main components of anxiety and playing a pivotal role in how an individual perceives and copes with anxiogenic situations or responds to a given treatment, trait anxiety is paradoxically omitted in most animal models of anxiety. This is problematic and particularly more concerning in models that are used to screen drugs and other treatments for specific anxiety disorders and to investigate their neurobiological mechanisms. Our group has been engaged in the search for specific anxiety-related traits in animal models of anxiety. We developed two new lines of rats with strong phenotypic divergence for high (Carioca High-conditioned Freezing [CHF]) and low (Carioca Low-conditioned Freezing [CLF]) trait anxiety as expressed in the contextual fear conditioning paradigm. Here, we summarize key behavioral, pharmacological, physiological, and neurobiological differences in one these lines, the CHF rat line, relative to randomized-cross controls and discuss how far they represent a valid and reliable animal model of generalized anxiety disorder and so high trait anxiety.
Holocene relative sea-level changes along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of northwestern South America
Authors: Paniagua-Arroyave Juan F. , Spada Giorgio , Melini Daniele , Duque-Trujillo José F.
Published: February 2024

Predicting coastal change depends upon our knowledge of postglacial relative sea-level variability, partly controlled by glacio-isostatic responses to ice-sheet melting. Here, we reconstruct the postglacial relative sea-level changes along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of northwestern South America by numerically solving the sea-level equation with two scenarios of mantle viscosity: global standard average and high viscosity. Our results with the standard model (applicable to the Pacific coast) agree with earlier studies by indicating a mid-Northgrippian high stand of ~2 m. The high-viscosity simulation (relevant to the Caribbean coast) shows that the transition from far- to intermediate-field influence of the Laurentide Ice Sheet occurs between Manzanillo del Mar and the Gulf of Morrosquillo. South of this location, the Colombian Caribbean coast has exhibited a still stand with a nearly constant Holocene relative sea level. By analyzing our simulations considering sea-level indicators, we argue that tectonics is more prominent than previously assumed, especially along the Caribbean coast. This influence prevents a simplified view of regional relative sea-level changes on the northwestern South American coast.
Association of green tea consumption with prediabetes, diabetes and markers of glucose metabolism in rural Vietnam: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Fukunaga Ami , Jimba Masamine , Pham Thuy Thi Phuong , Nguyen Chau Que , Hoang Dong Van , Phan Tien Vu , Yazawa Aki , Phan Danh Cong , Hachiya Masahiko , Le Huy Xuan , Do Hung Thai , Mizoue Tetsuya , Inoue Yosuke
Published: February 2024

The literature on green tea consumption and glucose metabolism has reported conflicting findings. This cross-sectional study examined the association of green tea consumption with abnormal glucose metabolism among 3000 rural residents aged 40–60 years in Khánh Hòa province in Vietnam. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association of green tea consumption (0, < 200, 200–< 400, 400–< 600 or ≥ 600 ml/d) with prediabetes and diabetes (based on the American Diabetes Association criteria). Linear regression analysis was performed to examine the association between green tea consumption and the log-transformed homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (a marker of insulin resistance) and the log-transformed homeostatic model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β) (a marker of insulin secretion). The OR for prediabetes and diabetes among participants who consumed ≥ 600 ml/d v. those who did not consume green tea were 1·61 (95 % CI = 1·07, 2·42) and 2·04 (95 % CI = 1·07, 3·89), respectively. Higher green tea consumption was associated with a higher level of log-transformed HOMA-IR (Pfor trend = 0·04) but not with a lower level of log-transformed HOMA-β (Pfor trend = 0·75). Higher green tea consumption was positively associated with the prevalence of prediabetes, diabetes and insulin resistance in rural Vietnam. The findings of this study indicated prompting the need for further research considering context in understanding the link between green tea consumption and glucose metabolism, especially in rural settings in low- and middle-income countries.
Concentrations of antimicrobial components in milk at dry off and postpartum and their relationships to new high somatic cell counts at quarter level in dairy cows
Authors: Suzuki Naoki , Harada Rika , Tsugami Yusaku , Nii Takahiro , Isobe Naoki
Published: February 2024

We investigated the antimicrobial components in cow milk at dry off and postpartum and their contribution in preventing new high SCC at quarter level. Milk samples from 72 quarters of 19 lactating cows were collected at last milking before dry off and at 7 d after parturition. Milk yield of each cow was recorded and SCC, IgG, IgA, lactoferrin, lingual antimicrobial peptide (LAP), and S100A7 concentrations in each quarter milk sample were measured. The postpartum milk yield was significantly higher than that at dry off. The IgG, IgA and lactoferrin concentrations in milk at dry off were significantly higher than those at postpartum, whereas the LAP concentration was lower. Quarters with SCC < 300 000 cells/ml at both dry off and postpartum were classified as persistent low SCC (PL) whereas those that rose above that same threshold postpartum were classified as new high SCC (NH). At dry off, IgG and LAP concentrations in milk were significantly higher in PL than in NH. These results suggest that high LAP concentrations during the dry period may contribute toward the prevention of new high SCC.
The genetic epidemiology of schizotypal personality disorder
Authors: Kendler Kenneth S. , Ohlsson Henrik , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina
Published: February 2024

Background

The concept of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) emerged from observations of personality characteristics common in relatives of schizophrenic patients. While often studied in family designs, few studies and none with genetic measures, have examined SPD in epidemiological samples.

Methods

We studied individuals born in Sweden 1940–2000 with an ICD-10 diagnosis of SPD with no prior schizophrenia (SZ) diagnosis (n = 2292). Demographic features, patterns of comorbidity, and Family Genetic Risk Scores (FGRS) were assessed from multiple Swedish registries. Prediction of progression to SZ was assessed by Cox models.

Results

SPD was rare, with a prevalence of 0.044%, and had high levels of comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), OCD, ADHD, and major depression (MD), and increased rates of being single, unemployed and in receipt of welfare. Affected individuals had elevated levels of FGRS for SZ (+0.42), ASD (+0.30), MD (+0.29), and ADHD (+0.20). Compared to cases of schizophrenia, they had significantly lower rates of FGRSSZ, but significantly elevated rates of genetic risk for ASD, MD, and ADHD. Over a mean follow-up of 8.7 years, 14.6% of SPD cases received a first diagnosis of SZ, the risk for which was significantly increased by levels of FGRSSZ, male sex, young age at SPD diagnosis and an in-patient SPD diagnosis and significantly decreased by comorbidity with MD, ASD, and ADHD.

Conclusions

Our results not only support the designation of SPD as a schizophrenia spectrum disorder but also suggest potentially important etiologic links between SPD and ASD and, to a lesser extent, ADHD, OCD, and MD.
The everyday speech environments of preschoolers with and without cochlear implants
Authors: CYCHOSZ Margaret , EDWARDS Jan R. , MUNSON Benjamin , ROMEO Rachel , KOSIE Jessica , NEWMAN Rochelle S.
Published: February 2024

Children who receive cochlear implants develop spoken language on a protracted timescale. The home environment facilitates speech-language development, yet it is relatively unknown how the environment differs between children with cochlear implants and typical hearing. We matched eighteen preschoolers with implants (31-65 months) to two groups of children with typical hearing: by chronological age and hearing age. Each child completed a long-form, naturalistic audio recording of their home environment (appx. 16 hours/child; >730 hours of observation) to measure adult speech input, child vocal productivity, and caregiver-child interaction. Results showed that children with cochlear implants and typical hearing were exposed to and engaged in similar amounts of spoken language with caregivers. However, the home environment did not reflect developmental stages as closely for children with implants, or predict their speech outcomes as strongly. Home-based speech-language interventions should focus on the unique input-outcome relationships for this group of children with hearing loss.
Your P-values are significant (or not), so what … now what?
Authors: Pérez Héctor E.
Published: February 2024

Statistical significance, or lack thereof, is often erroneously interpreted as a measure of the magnitude of effects, correlations between variables or practical relevance of research results. However, calculated P-values do not provide any information of this sort. Alternatively, effect sizes as measured by effect size indices provide complementary information to results of statistical hypothesis testing that is crucial and necessary to fully interpret data and then draw meaningful conclusions. Effect size indices have been used extensively for decades in the medical, psychological and social sciences but have received scant attention in the plant sciences. This Technical Update focuses on (1) raising awareness of these important statistical tools for seed science research, (2) providing additional resources useful for incorporating effect sizes into research programmes and (3) encouraging further applications of these tools in our discipline.
The Tang legacy on the Silk Road during the Uighur era: urbanisation in the eastern Tianshan region during the ninth to thirteenth centuries
Authors: Fu Ma
Published: February 2024

Tang expansion in the early seventh century brought about a series of changes to the eastern Tianshan region, including the incorporation of the region into the imperial postal relay and defence system. Important structures, including cities for the soldiers and other immigrants from Tang territory, along with fortresses and relay posts, were established along the major routes in the region, especially on the northern slopes of the Tianshan range. However, the era after the decline of the Tang is not as well known, due to a lack of contemporary sources. This article, based on a comprehensive analysis of documentary and unearthed materials, discusses a previously unacknowledged process of urbanisation in the region during the Uighur era. Uighur immigrants, originally nomads on the Mongolian steppe, occupied not only the cities, but also the garrisons and other infrastructure established by the Tang. As a result, urban settlements were established at sites that had previously served military purposes. Clusters of new cities emerged in the region, especially on the northern slopes of the Tianshan, which had long been part of the nomadic cultural zone. The sedentary and mercantile culture of the Uighurs played an important role in this process, serving as an impetus for economic prosperity along the eastern section of the Silk Road between the Tang and Mongol–Yuan eras.
Mapping inflation to economic freedom in the post-COVID era
Authors: Murphy Ryan H.
Published: February 2024

The Economic Freedom of the World report measures five dimensions of economic freedom, one of them being Sound Money. Compared to where it had been in decades for most of the West, inflation skyrocketed in 2021. Yet the indicator which measures inflation in the most recent year barely budged due to how it is specified and parameterized. This paper explores potential improvements on the methodology, although ultimately only modest improvements are achieved over simply changing the value of inflation that corresponds to zero (the lowest index score) in the simplest linear specification.
Inspiration by Role Models
Authors: Andreeva Irina , Kim Youllee , Chung Sungeun
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Our experiences on social network sites (SNS) can often leave us envious of others, but others’ success can be inspirational as well. This study was an exploration of how source similarity, dispositional optimism, and goal attainability influence the outcomes of upward social comparisons with outstanding others. In an experiment in which participants were exposed to a success story on SNS ( N = 200), source similarity was found to have a direct influence on inspiration, and dispositional optimism had an indirect influence on inspiration through perceived goal attainability. The findings provide both theoretical and practical implications regarding how best to utilize success stories on SNS to increase a sense of inspiration.
Diagenesis Decreasing the Mo Isotopic Composition in Estuarine Systems: Implications for Constraining Its Riverine Input to Ocean
Authors: Wang Zhibing , Ye Feng , Li Jie , Ma Jinlong , Chen Yiwei , Liu Xi , Huang Chao , Zeng Ti , Wei Gangjian , Hong Qingquan
Published: February 2024

Understanding the geochemical behavior of the Mo isotopes in estuarine systems is essential for determining the isotopic composition of riverine inputs to the ocean and for assessing the historical oxidation state of Earth’s ancient oceans. However, the extent and mechanisms of Mo isotope fractionation during estuarine processes are not yet fully understood. This study systematically investigated the seasonal and spatial variations in aqueous and particulate δ98Mo values within the Pearl River Estuary (PRE). Our research found that aqueous δ98Moaque. values in both summer and winter deviated significantly from the theoretical mixing line for the PRE. Based on the geochemical characteristics of the water column, particulate matter, and pore water in the PRE, we first propose that diagenesis release from sediments is the predominant factor resulting in lower than anticipated aqueous δ98Moaque. values. Given the prevalence of suboxic and anoxic sediments in estuarine and coastal areas, such diagenetic release may substantially decrease the global riverine influx of aqueous Mo isotopes to the ocean. Additionally, particulate δ98MoSPM values exhibit an increasing trend (from 0.02 to 1.62‰) with increasing salinity in both seasons, suggesting that the terrestrial input particulate δ98MoSPM value would be heavier than the mean value for UCC. We hypothesize that the adsorption and desorption processes involving Fe (hydro) oxides predominantly influence this trend. This study advances our understanding of the mechanisms of aqueous and particulate Mo isotopic fractionation in estuarine systems and would be helpful in constraining Mo isotopic compositions of rivers and oceans.
Evaluation of IMERG and GSMaP for Tropical Cyclone Applications
Authors: Yang Song , Surratt Melinda , Whitcomb Timothy R. , Camacho C.
Published: February 2024

This study compares rainfall from NASA Integrated Multi‐satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG V06) and JAXA Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP V4) for tropical cyclone (TC) applications against satellite microwave‐derived Goddard Profiling Algorithm (GPROF V05) precipitation data retrieved from 2000 to 2012. From a global data set of storms, all three products show consistent patterns in 1‐dimensional azimuthal averages and in 2‐dimensional rainfall distributions (where spatial correlation values are near 1.0). However, both IMERG and GSMaP overestimate precipitation amounts against GPROF, and IMERG overestimations are much higher than GSMaP within 125 km of the storm center. Based on this analysis, IMERG and GSMaP rainfall could be used to analyze TC precipitation patterns at high spatiotemporal resolutions. However, caution is required if high accuracy TC precipitation amplitude is required, particularly for IMERG. This study highlights opportunities to improve future versions of IMERG and GSMaP retrieval processing to reduce the discrepancies with GPROF.
Assessment of Dust Size Retrievals Based on AERONET: A Case Study of Radiative Closure From Visible‐Near‐Infrared to Thermal Infrared
Authors: Zheng Jianyu , Zhang Zhibo , DeSouza‐Machado Sergio , Ryder Claire L. , Garnier Anne , Di Biagio Claudia , Yang Ping , Welton Ellsworth J. , Yu Hongbin , Barreto Africa , Gonzalez Margarita Y.
Published: February 2024

Super‐coarse dust particles (diameters >10 μm) are evidenced to be more abundant in the atmosphere than model estimates and contribute significantly to the dust climate impacts. Since super‐coarse dust accounts for less dust extinction in the visible‐to‐near‐infrared (VIS‐NIR) than in the thermal infrared (TIR) spectral regime, they are suspected to be underestimated by remote sensing instruments operates only in VIS‐NIR, including Aerosol Robotic Networks (AERONET), a widely used data set for dust model validation. In this study, we perform a radiative closure assessment using the AERONET‐retrieved size distribution in comparison with the collocated Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) TIR observations with comprehensive uncertainty analysis. The consistently warm bias in the comparisons suggests a potential underestimation of super‐coarse dust in the AERONET retrievals due to the limited VIS‐NIR sensitivity. An extra super‐coarse mode included in the AERONET‐retrieved size distribution helps improve the TIR closure without deteriorating the retrieval accuracy in the VIS‐NIR.
Evaluation of Stratocumulus Evolution Under Contrasting Temperature Advections in CESM2 Through a Lagrangian Framework
Authors: Zhang Haipeng , Zheng Youtong , Li Zhanqing
Published: February 2024

This study leveraged a Lagrangian framework to examine the evolution of stratocumulus clouds under cold and warm advections (CADV and WADV) in the Community Earth System Model 2 (CESM2) against observations. We found that CESM2 simulates a too rapid decline in low‐cloud fraction (LCF) and cloud liquid water path (CLWP) under CADV conditions, while it better aligns closely with observed LCF under WADV conditions but overestimates the increase in CLWP. Employing an explainable machine learning approach, we found that too rapid decreases in LCF and CLWP under CADV conditions are related to overestimated drying effects induced by sea surface temperature, whereas the substantial increase in CLWP under WADV conditions is associated with the overestimated moistening effects due to free‐tropospheric moisture and surface winds. Our findings suggest that overestimated drying effects of sea surface temperature on cloud properties might be one of crucial causes for the high equilibrium climate sensitivity in CESM2.
Source Parameter Scaling Relations for Shallow Crustal Earthquakes: Exploration With the Single Asperity Model
Authors: Shimmoto Shota
Published: February 2024

Understanding the scaling laws of source parameters is a fundamental subject in seismology. This study conducts spectral ratio analysis to estimate the source parameters for 409 shallow crustal earthquakes with Mw 3.2–6.0 in Japan. Subsequently, the source parameter scaling relations are investigated for a wide magnitude range by combining the results of this and previous studies. The spectral ratio method applied in this study provides the finite source properties of the localized area with large slip. The single asperity model, a simple heterogeneous source model with a single localized area with large slip, is used to estimate the stress drop since it can be more suitable to characterize earthquake sources than the standard homogeneous circular source. This investigation calibrates the constant to link the corner frequency and the source radius by comparing the corner frequency and source area estimated by the spectral ratio analyses. This calibrated constant is used to re‐calculate the stress drop of small earthquakes from the corner frequency estimated in previous studies. The stress drop and apparent stress increase with increasing magnitude up to Mw ∼ 5 and become magnitude‐independent for larger earthquakes. The radiation efficiency ranges typically from 0.1 to 1.0 and is independent of magnitude. The slip dependences of the stress drop, apparent stress, radiation efficiency, and fracture energy observed in this study are explained by the ones predicted from the slip‐weakening model incorporating the thermal pressurization effect. Thermal pressurization is one of the possible mechanisms explaining the observed source parameter scaling relations.
Defining Mesoscale Eddies Boundaries From In‐Situ Data and a Theoretical Framework
Authors: Barabinot Yan , Speich Sabrina , Carton Xavier
Published: February 2024

Mesoscale eddies play an important role in transporting water properties, enhancing air‐sea interactions, and promoting large‐scale mixing of the ocean. They are generally referred to as “coherent” structures because they are organized, rotating fluid elements that propagate within the ocean and have long lifetimes (months or even years). Eddies have been sampled by sparse in‐situ vertical profiles, but because in‐situ ocean observations are limited, they have been characterized primarily from satellite observations, numerical simulations, or relatively idealized geophysical fluid dynamics methods. However, each of these approaches has its limitations. Many questions about the general structure and “coherence” of ocean eddies remain unanswered. In this study, we investigate the properties of seven mesoscale eddies sampled with relative accuracy during four different field experiments in the Atlantic. Our results suggest that the Ertel Potential Vorticity (EPV) is a suitable parameter to isolate and characterize the eddy cores and their boundaries. The latter appear as regions of finite horizontal extent, characterized by a local extremum of the vertical and horizontal components of the EPV. These are found to be closely related to the presence of a different water mass in the core (relative to the background) and the steepening of the isopycnals due to eddy occurrence and dynamics. Based on these results, we propose a new criterion for defining eddies at the mesoscale. We test our approach using a theoretical framework and explore the possible magnitude of this new criterion, including its upper bound.