bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The prognostic significance of right paratracheal lymph node dissection numbers in right upper lobe non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhuang FengNian , Lin JunPeng , Chen WeiJie , Chen XiaoFeng , Chen YuJie , Wang PeiYuan , Wang Feng , Liu ShuoYan
Published: February 2024

Background

The number of dissected lymph nodes is closely related to the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. This study explored the optimal number of right paratracheal lymph nodes dissected in right upper non-small cell lung cancer patients and its impact on prognosis.

Methods

Patients who underwent radical surgery for right upper lobe cancer between 2012 and 2017 were retrospectively enrolled. The optimal number of right paratracheal lymph nodes and the relationship between the number of dissected right paratracheal lymph nodes and the prognosis of right upper non-small cell lung cancer were analysed.

Results

A total of 241 patients were included. The optimal number of dissected right paratracheal lymph nodes was 6. The data were divided according to the number of dissected right paratracheal lymph nodes into groups RPLND + (≥ 6) and RPLND- (< 6). In the stage II and III patients, the 5-year overall survival rates were 39.0% and 48.2%, respectively (P = 0.033), and the 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 32.8% and 41.8%, respectively (P = 0.043). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that among the stage II and III patients, ≥ 6 right paratracheal dissected lymph nodes was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (HR = 0.53 95% CI 0.30–0.92 P = 0.025) and recurrence-free survival (HR = 1.94 95% CI 1.16–3.24 P = 0.011).

Conclusions

Resection of 6 or more right paratracheal lymph nodes may be associated with an improved prognosis in patients with right upper non-small cell lung cancer, especially in patients with stage II or III disease.
Chrono-tailored drug delivery systems: recent advances and future directions
Authors: Butler Christine T. , Rodgers Aoife M. , Curtis Annie M. , Donnelly Ryan F.
Published: February 2024

Circadian rhythms influence a range of biological processes within the body, with the central clock or suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain synchronising peripheral clocks around the body. These clocks are regulated by external cues, the most influential being the light/dark cycle, in order to synchronise with the external day. Chrono-tailored or circadian drug delivery systems (DDS) aim to optimise drug delivery by releasing drugs at specific times of day to align with circadian rhythms within the body. Although this approach is still relatively new, it has the potential to enhance drug efficacy, minimise side effects, and improve patient compliance. Chrono-tailored DDS have been explored and implemented in various conditions, including asthma, hypertension, and cancer. This review aims to introduce the biology of circadian rhythms and provide an overview of the current research on chrono-tailored DDS, with a particular focus on immunological applications and vaccination. Finally, we draw on some of the key challenges which need to be overcome for chrono-tailored DDS before they can be translated to more widespread use in clinical practice.

Graphical Abstract
Defining the term watershed to reflect modern uses and functions as inter- and intra-connected socio-hydrologic systems
Authors: Meierdiercks Katherine L. , Finewood Michael H. , Bennett Christianna
Published: February 2024

Despite the many programs focused on watershed education, the watershed concept is poorly understood, which can lead to a number of wide-ranging consequences from poor watershed planning and policy to inaccurate scientific studies. We argue that the definition of the term watershed, and the images that accompany the definition, contribute to these misunderstandings. The definition has remained very much the same since it was first documented in Europe in the mid-18th century. However, watershed uses and functions have evolved considerably in the past three centuries, notably in the many ways water moves within and across traditionally-defined watershed boundaries. In this study, content analyses of the definitions of the term watershed from textbooks and online sources, and the accompanying images, highlight that watersheds are nearly universally defined as an area of land that drains to a point on a river. More than half the images that accompany these definitions depict forested landscapes or high mountain relief. While over one half of online images depict human activities or developed landscapes, few textbook images do. These incomplete definitions and idealized images do not reflect the diversity of landscapes and watershed functions. The narrow description can contribute to an individual’s disconnection to their own watershed. Furthermore, the description of watersheds as lumped areas, rather than inter- and intra-connected socio-hydrologic systems, misses a fundamental element of the watershed concept: that activities at every point in a watershed impact all points downstream and are impacted by activities at all points upstream. Thus, we propose a revised definition of a watershed that better captures this connectivity: a watershed defines the boundaries of a system of hydrologically connected people, places, and things.
Hormoontherapie voor prostaatkanker: gevolgen voor de botgezondheid
Authors: Oddens Jorg R. , van Oostwaard Marsha
Published: February 2024

Samenvatting

De behandeling van prostaatkanker door androgeendeprivatietherapie (ADT) veroorzaakt als neveneffect een afname van de botdichtheid. Voor voorschrijvers van deze medicatie is kennis van het voorkomen van osteoporose en fractuurrisico van belang, en ook kennis van de indicatie voor het doen van vervolgonderzoek en van de indicaties voor aanvullende leefstijladviezen en therapie. In dit artikel bespreken we het verband van ADT met osteoporose en het fractuurrisico, en geven we aanbevelingen op basis van de Nederlandse Richtlijn Prostaatcarcinoom en de onlangs gepubliceerde Nederlandse Richtlijn Osteoporose en fractuurpreventie.
Microstructure development in lacustrine, fine-grained sediments traced by in situ and laboratory testing
Authors: Oberhollenzer S. , Hauser L. , Baldermann A. , Marte R. , Tschuchnigg F. , Schweiger H. F. , Nachtnebel M. , Dietzel M.
Published: February 2024

Soil microstructure, often defined as the combination of particle arrangement and bonding, can strongly influence the stiffness and strength of sedimentary deposits. As undisturbed soil sampling is a challenging task in fine-grained soils, seismic in situ testing is becoming increasingly more important to investigate its mechanical behaviour. The aim of this article is to evaluate the influences of sediment depositional age and structure-forming processes on the degree of soil structure development in Alpine deposits. Seismic in situ and laboratory testing comprising X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pore water chemical analysis and hydrochemical modelling were executed at three Austrian test sites, namely Lokalbahn Salzburg, Rhesi and water reservoir Raggal. Based on the comparison of in situ shear wave velocities (VS,SDMT) with bender element results (VS,BE), executed on reconstituted soil specimens, it is shown that the Pleisto–Holocene-aged deposits are characterized by a VS,BE/VS,SDMT ratio of < 1, indicating the presence of microstructure. However, the youngest sediments (< 50 years) exhibit the weakest microstructure (VS,BE/VS,SDMT ≈ 1). The increase of soil structure with sediment age is represented by the updated normalized small-strain rigidity index, K*G, which is situated at the proposed transition between structured and unstructured soils (K*G = 330), ranging between 250 and 350, at all test sites. The development of microstructure can be attributed to the precipitation of calcite (CaCO3) cements in open pores, which strengthens the interparticle bonding between detrital quartz, feldspar, clay minerals and carbonate grains, subsequently reducing the soil`s porosity with increasing sediment age.
Racial Disparities in Outcomes of Delivery and Cardiac Complications Among Pregnant Women with Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Petersen John , Abusnina Waiel , Beesabathina Sandeep , Desu Sai Subhakar , Walters Ryan W. , Alla Venkata Mahesh
Published: February 2024

Advances in cardiology have led to improved survival among patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Racial disparities in cardiovascular and maternal outcomes are well known and are likely to be more profound among pregnant women with CHD. Using the 2001 to 2018 National Inpatient Sample, we identified all hospitalizations for delivery among women ≥ 18 years of age with CHD. Unadjusted and adjusted between-race differences in adverse maternal cardiovascular, obstetric, and fetal events were assessed using logistic regression models. During the study period, we identified 52,711 hospitalizations for delivery among women with concomitant CHD. Of these, 66%, 11%, and 16% were White, Black, and Hispanic, respectively. Obstetric complications and fetal adverse events were higher among Blacks compared to Whites and Hispanics (44% vs. 33% vs. 37%, p < .001; 36% vs. 28% vs. 30%, p < .001), respectively. No between-race differences were observed in overall cardiovascular adverse events (27% vs. 24% vs. 23%, p < .21). However, heart failure was significantly higher among Black women (3.6% vs. 1.7% vs. 2.2%, p = 0.001). While a lower income quartile was associated with higher rates of adverse outcomes, adjustment for income did not attenuate the adverse impact of race. Black females with CHD diagnoses were more likely to experience adverse obstetric, fetal events, and heart failure compared to White and Hispanic women irrespective of their income status. Further research is needed to identify causes and devise interventions to mitigate racial disparities in the care of pregnant women with CHD.
A Systematic Review of the Impact of Placement Instability on Emotional and Behavioural Outcomes Among Children in Foster Care
Authors: Maguire Darren , May Keziah , McCormack David , Fosker Tim
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Foster care children are a highly vulnerable population and their experiences in care are considered crucial to their developmental and psychosocial wellbeing. Placement instability has been considered a possible risk factor for developmental difficulties due to its impact on the development of a reparative attachment relationship and sense of relational permanence. The current review synthesises the literature regarding the impact of placement instability on behavioural and mental health outcomes in foster care children. Three major databases and grey literature sources were searched for all relevant quantitative research published by July 2019. Titles and abstracts of 2419 articles were screened following searches, with full texts obtained for 51 studies and 14 included in the final review. All were subject to quality assessment by two independent reviewers. Results indicated that placement instability was a consistent predictor of externalising behaviour in children, although some evidence was counter-indicative in this regard. There was also evidence to suggest a relationship with internalising behaviours, and mental health difficulties, in particular PTSD symptoms. Methodological quality and design varied between studies which limited direct comparisons. Most notably, there was a lack of consensus on how to quantify and measure placement instability and many studies failed to control for potentially confounding care-related variables. The review highlights that instability seems to result in negative psychological outcomes, although the extent of this relationship remains unclear. The review’s findings are discussed with reference to research and clinical implications.
Factors associated with concerns about falling and activity restriction in older adults after hip fracture: a mixed-methods systematic review
Authors: Guerra Stefanny , Ellmers Toby , Turabi Ruqayyah , Law Magda , Chauhan Aishwarya , Milton-Cole Rhian , Godfrey Emma , Sheehan Katie J.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To investigate factors contributing to concerns about falling and activity restriction in the community among older adults who had a hip fracture.

Methods

A mixed method systematic review with a convergent segregated approach. We searched Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, PEDRo, CINAHL and the Cochrane library. Results were synthesised narratively considering physical, psychological, environmental, care, and social factors and presented in tables. Critical appraisal was completed in duplicate.

Results

We included 19 studies (9 qualitative, 9 observational, 1 mixed methods) representing 1480 individuals and 23 factors related to concerns about falling and activity restriction. Physical factors included falls history, comorbidities, balance, strength, mobility and functionality. Psychological factors included anxiety and neuroticism scores, perceived confidence in/control over rehabilitation and abilities, and negative/positive affect about the orthopaedic trauma, pre-fracture abilities and future needs. Environmental factors included accessibility in the home, outdoors and with transport. Social and care factors related to the presence or absence of formal and informal networks, which reduced concerns and promoted activity by providing feedback, advice, encouragement, and practical support.

Conclusion

These findings highlight that to improve concerns about falling and activity restriction after hip fracture, it is important to: improve physical and functional abilities; boost self-confidence; promote positive affect; involve relatives and carers; increase access to clinicians, and; enhance accessibility of the home, outdoors and transport. Most factors were reported on by a small number of studies of varying quality and require replication in future research.
Synthesis and characterization of magnetic graphene oxide: nanomaterial to reduce heavy oil viscosity
Authors: Pérez-Rodriguez Elcy M. , Gutierrez-Niño Nelson , Santos-Santos Nicolas , Cabanzo-Hernandez Rafael , Mejia-Ospino Enrique
Published: February 2024

In this work, the synthesis of graphene oxide was carried out by the modified Hummers method, then ferromagnetic nanoparticles were added by a bottom-up route, after which the material was washed to purify it and freeze-dried to obtain dry particles. The material was characterized by infrared spectroscopy to obtain information about the bands associated with graphene oxide and magnetite, scanning electron microscopy was performed where it is observed how the graphene oxide flake loses its folded veil character and finally a thermogravimetric analysis as a complementary technique to determine the thermal behavior of the material where a peak of degradation was obtained at 749 °C, Additionally, a test of irradiation of the material in a microwave and in a commercial rheometer was carried out, which showed an increase in temperature that modified the viscosity value by 80%.
Influence of Decomposed Stubble Return on the Soil Microbial Community Under Perennial Crop Rotation
Authors: Qiao Yanchun , Xu Donglin , Peng Jiazhu , Lu Hongfang , Tan Yaowen , Guo Dongliang
Published: February 2024

The aim of this study was to understand how the application of decomposed stubble return (DSR), a type of bio-organic fertilization, affects soil microbial communities under crop rotation. The changes in microbial composition and diversity related to DSR were investigated based on metagenomic sequencing and comparative analysis of two groups of soil samples after a 3-year tomato-pepper-papaya rotation: the DSR and no-DSR (i.e., without DSR) groups, with the soils before crop rotation as the control group. Inter-group comparisons of the crop performance (growth and yield) and physicochemical soil properties (pH value, nutrient elements, and heavy metals) were also conducted to reveal the effects of DSR application on the soil. The relative abundance of bacteria was higher than 90% in all soil samples. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria in the DSR group and Proteobacteria and Firmicutes in the no-DSR group, whereas Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria in the control, were the two most abundant phyla. The abundance of Proteobacteria decreased, whereas that of Actinobacteria increased, in the DSR-amended soil compared to the no-DSR soil. At genus level, Acidobacterium dominated in the control and genera Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, and Bacillus in the no-DSR group, while Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus in the DSR-amended soil comprised the majority of their microbiomes. The DSR soil had higher microbial diversity and relative abundance of Ascomycota fungi than the no-DSR group after the crop rotation. Along with higher diversity of microbial community, more favorable soil pH, better crop growth, higher crop yields, higher abundance of soil nutrient elements, and lower accumulation of heavy metals in the soil were found in the DSR group compared to the no-DSR one. Furthermore, the DSR soil had more similarities with the control than with the No-DSR soil, in aspects of microbial composition and microbe-derived potential gene functions. It was indicated that decomposed stubble return may improve soil conditions or prevent them from degradation incurred by long-term crop cultivation. It was suggested that the application of the compost derived from fermented post-harvest plant residue may be a general strategy for developing more sustainable agricultural systems.
System Thinking in Gamification
Authors: Nordby Anders , Vibeto Håvard , Mobbs Sophie , Sverdrup Harald U.
Published: February 2024

People spend a lot of time and energy playing videogames (Kapp in The gamification of learning and instruction: game-based methods and strategies for training and education. Pfeiffer an imprint of Wiley, San Francisco, 2012), and as a result, gamification has grown from a buzzword into a discipline. Since 2012, the authors have experimented with system thinking as a methodology for developing gamification and will present examples in this article. The primary objectives are to study how system thinking can be used to understand, design, develop and document gamifications, and how psychology and pedagogics can be integrated in the process to enhance the learning. This is an observational case study that gives examples of how students (i) use system thinking to understand and clarify the gamification case using system analysis and (ii) use system dynamics to simulate cases and predict user responses. Students begin system analysis once the gamification idea is developed and their goals and the case parameters are established, and it includes making casual loop diagrams, flow charts, and reference behavior patterns. Students then find and experiment with numerical data for the case and use system dynamics to simulate the gamification and predict the user results. The pedagogy is problem based and grounded in traditional problem-based learning and situated learning. This article shows how system thinking allows students and professionals to develop a deeper and more tangible understanding of the research materials and presumptions they have when engaging in any given gamification scenario. System thinking also provides tools to test research material and hypotheses in a more structured, manageable, and palpable way. Although we have discovered several ways system thinking can benefit gamification design, the research has also revealed new areas where system thinking could be explored further.
Menstrual Blood Donation for Endometriosis Research: A Cross-Sectional Survey on Women’s Willingness and Potential Barriers
Authors: Bouzid Kheira , Bourdon Mathilde , Bartkowski Roxane , Verbanck Marie , Chapron Charles , Marcellin Louis , Batteux Frederic , Santulli Pietro , Doridot Ludivine
Published: February 2024

An anonymous online survey in French was used to assess if endometriosis patients would be as ready as unaffected women to donate their menstrual blood for biological research on endometriosis and evaluate potential barriers to such donation. It was distributed in September 2022 by social media and two mailing lists, including a French patient organization. The questionnaire assessed participant age and brief medical history (hormonal contraception, endometriosis diagnosis, type of endometriosis), menstrual experience (menstrual blood abundance, dysmenorrhea), and whether participants would donate menstrual blood. Women who self-declared with an established endometriosis diagnosis versus no endometriosis were compared. Seven hundred seventy-eight women answered the survey. Among women with menstruation (n = 568), 78% are willing to donate menstrual blood for research. Importantly, this proportion was higher in women who declared having an established endometriosis diagnosis (83%, n = 299) compared to self-declared unaffected women (68%, n = 134, p < 0.001). The previous use of a menstrual cup and dysmenorrhea were significantly associated with the willingness to donate menstrual blood, while the use of hormonal contraception was significantly associated with an unwillingness to donate. Only the previous use of the menstrual cup had a predictive value for menstrual blood donation. No significant relationship was observed between menstrual blood donation and age, heavy menstrual bleeding and in endometriosis patients, endometriosis subtypes. In conclusion, women affected or not by endometriosis are largely willing to donate their menstrual blood for research on endometriosis, dysmenorrhea is not a barrier for donation, and women who use a menstrual cup are the more likely to donate.
Study on various hot-gas defrosting configurations for CO2-NH3 cascade deep freezer
Authors: Arun B. S. , Ninan George , Murali S. , Samuel Manoj , Kumar Sumit , Vaishak S. , Dasgupta Mani Sankar , Kochunni Sarun Kumar , Hafner Armin , Widell Kristina Norne
Published: February 2024

Four hot-gas bypass defrosting configurations for CO2-NH3 cascade blast freezer for application in fish processing firm are numerically investigated. Due to the high moisture content of fish, defrosting is necessary after every 4 to 5 h of batch operation. A thermodynamic model for the cascade system and defrosting was developed to study various defrosting configurations formulated by rearranging the existing compressor to operate as a defrosting compressor and with the addition of an external defrosting compressor. From the simulation findings, it can be summarized that the conventional hot-gas bypass defrosting without defrost compressor is suitable for a high-capacity cascade refrigeration system with more than three evaporators. For low cooling capacity refrigeration systems, a defrosting compressor is necessary to elevate the temperature above the cascade condensing temperature. A dedicated defrosting compressor with a power consumption of 3.1 kW and a modified refrigeration/defrosting compressor with a power consumption of 6.8 kW can deliver 33.3 kW of heating at a temperature of +10 °C (45 bar). Incorporating a desuperheater between the main and defrosting compressors reduces compressor temperature and maintains the lubricating oil stability, without change in defrosting energy consumption and less exergy loss. The defrosting efficiency is obtained in the range of 39.7–42% which is in agreement with published literature.
Experimental test of the entanglement enhancement in two-photon fluorescence
Authors: Qian Gewei , Liu Xiao , Xu Chenran , Xu Xingqi , Wang Da-Wei
Published: February 2024

Entangled photons with time-energy correlations are predicted to have improved sensitivity compared with classical light in two-photon fluorescence, which is promising for lowering the phototoxicity in biomedical imaging. While the mechanism has been demonstrated in atoms and crystals, the effectiveness in biological molecules has been under debate. Here we report the experimental results, including both positive and negative ones, in various samples. While entanglement induced enhancement in the sum frequency generation of a nonlinear crystal was confirmed, we observe no such enhancement in the two-photon nonlinear process of various molecules. However, we observed classical two-photon fluorescence excited by nW light in rare earth element doped core-shell structure nano-crystals, which can also be used in sensitive biomedical imaging. Our results provide guidance in characterizing the effect of entanglement in two-photon processes.
Senses of Space in the Early Modern World
Authors: Terpstra Nicholas
Published: February 2024

How did early moderns experience sense and space? How did the expanding cultural, political, and social horizons of the period emerge out of those experiences and further shape them  This Element takes an approach that is both global expansive and locally rooted by focusing on four cities as key examples: Florence, Amsterdam, Boston, and Manila. They relate to distinct parts of European cultural and colonialist experience from north to south, republican to monarchical, Catholic to Protestant. Without attempting a comprehensive treatment, the Element aims to convey the range of distinct experiences of space and sense as these varied by age, gender, race, and class. Readers see how sensory and spatial experiences emerged through religious cultures which were themselves shaped by temporal rhythms, and how sound and movement expressed gathering economic and political forces in an emerging global order. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Redistributive Regulations and Deadweight Loss
Authors: Hemel Daniel J.
Published: February 2024

Redistribution generates equity benefits and deadweight loss. A canonical result in economic theory holds that policymakers generally cannot escape the problem of deadweight loss by redistributing through non-tax rules. Nonetheless, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a revised framework for regulatory analysis in November 2023 that encouraged federal agencies to consider distributional benefits – but not the deadweight loss of redistribution – when choosing which non-tax rules to promulgate. By omitting deadweight loss from distributional analysis, OMB’s framework will lead to inaccurate estimates of the welfare effects of regulatory changes and will leave agencies vulnerable to legal attack on the ground that they have ignored an important aspect of regulatory redistribution in their decision-making. This article illustrates how agencies can incorporate deadweight loss into distributional analysis and thereby place their redistributive rules on firmer economic and legal footing. It shows how the “elasticity of taxable income” approach – widely used by tax economists – can be modified to the regulatory context so that agencies can estimate the deadweight loss of redistributive regulations while incurring relatively modest additional analytical burdens. Explicitly incorporating deadweight loss into distributional analysis will provide the public with a more accurate view of the welfare consequences of regulatory actions and will make regulations more robust to legal challenges.
How do we grow a Biodesigner?
Authors: Vijayakumar Veena , Cogdell Christina , Correa Isa , Dade-Robertson Martyn , Danies Giovanna , Edens Sam , Forlano Laura , George Joytrese , Grushkin Daniel , Holbert Nathan , Hoover Ryan , Jalkh Heidi , Kisielewski Alex , Obregon Carolina , Pirone Jane , Polli Andrea , Scarpelli Andrew , Stukes Sabriya , Ward Devon , Wintermute Jake , Balangue Michael , Walker Justice
Published: February 2024

Biodesign is a relatively new interdisciplinary field, which has grown rapidly over the last decade (as evidenced for example by the growth in student teams entering the Biodesign Challenge from 9 in 2016 to 52 in 2024).
Regional impact of multidrug-resistant organism prevention bundles implemented by facility type: A modeling study
Authors: Cincotta Samuel E. , Walters Maroya S. , Ham D. Cal , Octaria Rany , Healy Jessica M. , Slayton Rachel B. , Paul Prabasaj
Published: February 2024

Background:

Emerging multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), such as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), can spread rapidly in a region. Facilities that care for high-acuity patients with longer stays may have a disproportionate impact on this spread.

Objective:

We assessed the impact of implementing preventive interventions, directed at a subset of facilities, on regional prevalence.

Methods:

We developed a deterministic compartmental model, parametrized using CRE and patient transfer data. The model included the community and healthcare facilities within a US state. Individuals may be either susceptible or infectious with CRE. Individuals determined to be infectious through admission screening, periodic prevalence surveys (PPSs), or interfacility communication were placed in a state of lower transmissibility if enhanced infection prevention and control (IPC) practices were in place at a facility.

Results:

Intervention bundles that included PPS and enhanced IPC practices at ventilator-capable skilled nursing facilities (vSNFs) and long-term acute-care hospitals (LTACHs) had the greatest impact on regional prevalence. The benefits of including targeted admission screening in acute-care hospitals, LTACHs, and vSNFs, and improved interfacility communication were more modest. Daily transmissions in each facility type were reduced following the implementation of interventions primarily focused at LTACHs and vSNFs.

Conclusions:

Our model suggests that interventions that include screening to limit unrecognized MDRO introduction to, or dispersal from, LTACHs and vSNFs slow regional spread. Interventions that pair detection and enhanced IPC practices within LTACHs and vSNFs may substantially reduce the regional burden.
The Security-Development Nexus and the Jina Mahsa Amini Protests in Iran's Border Provinces
Authors: Lob Eric
Published: February 2024

Even before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iran's border provinces, which contain Arabs, Azeri Turks, Baluch, Kurds, and Turkmen, were marginalized and securitized by the state. These processes and outcomes have created a vicious cycle and self-fulfilling prophecy within the context of the so-called security-development nexus. Iran's peripheral provinces border Iraq and Turkey in the west and Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east. They are located far from Tehran in the inaccessible and inhospitable terrain and climate of mountains and deserts. This geography and topography partially explain why these provinces have been traditionally neglected by the state. Beyond the geographic remoteness and topographic inaccessibility of these provinces, their ethno-religious demographics and marginalization-based grievances, including those that existed during the shah's industrial and urban-focused development drive before the revolution, have fostered local opposition to the state. Most recently, between 2022 and 2023, this opposition has culminated in the Jina Mahsa Amini or Woman, Life, Freedom protests.
NOTE ON THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL LOG CANONICAL ABUNDANCE IN CHARACTERISTIC
$>3$
Authors: XU ZHENG
Published: February 2024

In this paper, we prove the nonvanishing and some special cases of the abundance for log canonical threefold pairs over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic
$p> 3$
. More precisely, we prove that if
$(X,B)$
be a projective log canonical threefold pair over k and
$K_{X}+B$
is pseudo-effective, then
$\kappa (K_{X}+B)\geq 0$
, and if
$K_{X}+B$
is nef and
$\kappa (K_{X}+B)\geq 1$
, then
$K_{X}+B$
is semi-ample.

As applications, we show that the log canonical rings of projective log canonical threefold pairs over k are finitely generated and the abundance holds when the nef dimension
$n(K_{X}+B)\leq 2$
or when the Albanese map
$a_{X}:X\to \mathrm {Alb}(X)$
is nontrivial. Moreover, we prove that the abundance for klt threefold pairs over k implies the abundance for log canonical threefold pairs over k.
DIOPHANTINE TRANSFERENCE PRINCIPLE OVER FUNCTION FIELDS
Authors: DAS SOURAV , GANGULY ARIJIT
Published: February 2024

We study the Diophantine transference principle over function fields. By adapting the approach of Beresnevich and Velani [‘An inhomogeneous transference principle and Diophantine approximation’, Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. (3)101 (2010), 821–851] to function fields, we extend many results from homogeneous to inhomogeneous Diophantine approximation. This also yields the inhomogeneous Baker–Sprindžuk conjecture over function fields and upper bounds for the general nonextremal scenario.
Temperance lives and landscape: Lady Elizabeth Biddulph, Lady Henry Somerset, and late nineteenth-century Ledbury
Authors: Beckingham David , Watkins Charles
Published: February 2024

This article considers the relationship of two prominent leaders of British women’s temperance, Lady Henry Somerset and Lady Elizabeth Biddulph. They were noteworthy for taking opposing sides when the British Women’s Temperance Association divided on the question of the political reach of its work. Somerset and Biddulph were elite women, daughters of earls and near neighbours around Ledbury, a centre of cider apple and hop cultivation in Herefordshire. Both made their first temperance pledge in the area. We examine their geographical proximity and consider the importance of local agricultural labour and landscapes to their temperance work.
Effects of healthy ageing and bilingualism on attention networks
Authors: Markiewicz Roksana , Rahman Foyzul , Fernandes Eunice G. , Limachya Rupali , Wetterlin Allison , Wheeldon Linda , Segaert Katrien
Published: February 2024

Both ageing and bilingualism can have positive as well as adverse cognitive effects. We investigated their combined impact on subcomponents of attention. We used the Attention Network Task to examine alerting, orienting, executive control and task-switching costs. Group comparisons revealed age-related declines for alerting alongside benefits for executive control, for mono- and bilinguals alike. For orienting, age-related decline was more pronounced for bilinguals than monolinguals. Task-switching was unaffected by age or language group. Within bilinguals, we found limited impact of individual differences in L2 proficiency, language switching or mixing: proficiency improves orienting and decreases switch costs, for young and older bilinguals alike; but no other individual differences effects were found. Thus, attention is a multi-faceted network, with clear adverse (alerting) and protective (executive control) ageing effects. We found these to be largely similar for mono- and bilinguals, with variability within bilinguals having only limited impact.
Wave Breaking Events and Their Link to Rossby Wave Packets and Atmospheric Blockings During Southern Hemisphere Summer
Authors: Pérez‐Fernández Iago , Barreiro Marcelo , Ehstand Noémie , Hernández‐García Emilio , López Cristobal
Published: February 2024

Rossby Wave Packets (RWPs) are atmospheric perturbations located at upper levels in mid‐latitudes which, in certain cases, terminate in Rossby Wave Breaking (RWB) events. When sufficiently persistent and spatially extended, these RWB events are synoptically identical to atmospheric blockings, which are linked to heatwaves and droughts. Thus, studying RWB events after RWPs propagation and their link with blocking is key to enhance extreme weather events detection 10–30 days in advance. Hence, here we assess (a) the occurrence of RWB events after the propagation of transient RWPs, (b) whether long‐lived RWPs (RWPs with a lifespan above 8 days, or LLRWPs) are linked to large‐scale RWB events that could form a blocking event, and (c) the proportion of blocking situations that occur near RWB events. To do so, we applied a tracking algorithm to detect transient RWPs in the southern hemisphere during summertime between 1979 and 2021, developed a wave breaking algorithm to identify RWB events, and searched for blocking events with different intensities. Results show that LLRWPs and the other RWPs displayed large‐scale RWB events around 40% of the time, and most RWB events in both distributions last around 1–2 days, which is not long enough to identify them as blocking situations. Nearly 17% of blockings have a RWB event nearby, but barely 5% of blockings are linked to RWPs, suggesting that transient RWPs are not strongly linked to blocking development. Lastly, large‐scale RWB events associated with RWPs that lasted less than 8 days are influenced by El Niño‐Southern Oscillation.
Magnetotelluric Imaging of the Central Himalayan Crust Away From Rift Zones
Authors: Wang Gang , Fang Hui , Lei Qing , Xu Xinxue , Liang Hongda , Zhang Yaoyang
Published: February 2024

Imaging the crustal structure and state of the Himalayan Orogenic Belt (HOB) is of great significance for understanding crustal deformation and its tectonic response in the collision front of the Indian‐Eurasian plates. To avoid the influence from the anomalies underneath the north‐south trending rifts, a three‐dimensional electrical resistivity model across the central HOB was obtained between the Dingjie‐Shenzha and Yadong‐Gulu rifts. No lower‐crustal conductor was found in the southern Lhasa Terrane, and the lower crust with a moderate resistivity value of approximately 100 Ωm is interpreted to be the residue of previous partial melting beneath the Gangdese porphyry copper deposits. The middle crust between the Main Himalayan Thrust and Southern Tibet Detachment System is electrically resistive to the north of the north Himalayan gneiss domes (NHGD) belt and conductive to the south. The middle crust in the northern Himalayas may have undergone partial melting and crystallization during southward migration and duplexing. There is a strong deep‐shallow coupling relationship in the central HOB, where an increase in the underthrusting angle of the Indian crust has resulted in a southward turn of the NHGD belt.
Eddy‐Mediated Turbulent Mixing of Oxygen in the Equatorial Pacific
Authors: Eddebbar Yassir A. , Whitt Daniel B. , Verdy Ariane , Mazloff Matthew R. , Subramanian Aneesh C. , Long Matthew C.
Published: February 2024

In the tropical Pacific, weak ventilation and intense microbial respiration at depth give rise to a low dissolved oxygen (O2) environment that is thought to be ventilated primarily by the equatorial current system (ECS). The role of mesoscale eddies and vertical mixing as potential pathways of O2 supply in this region, however, remains poorly known due to sparse observations and coarse model resolution. Using an eddy resolving simulation of ocean circulation and biogeochemistry, we assess the contribution of these processes to the O2 budget balance and find that vertical mixing of O2, which is modulated by the surface wind speed and the vertical shear of the eddying currents, contributes substantially to the replenishment of O2 in the upper equatorial Pacific thermocline, complementing the advective supply of O2 by the ECS and meridional circulation at depth. These transport processes vary seasonally in conjunction with the wind: mixing of O2 into the upper thermocline is strongest during boreal summer and fall when the vertical shear and eddy kinetic energy are intensified. The relationship between eddy activity and the downward mixing of O2 arises from the modulation of equatorial turbulence by Tropical Instability Waves via their impacts on the vertical shear. This interaction of processes across scales sustains a local pathway of O2 delivery into the equatorial Pacific interior and highlights the need for adequate observations and models of turbulent mixing and mesoscale processes for understanding and predicting the fate of the tropical Pacific O2 content in a warmer and more stratified ocean.
Early Thermal Histories of IAB Main Group Irons: Insights From Ca‐Phosphates in Campo del Cielo and Nantan
Authors: Li Y. , Mei A. , Hsu W. , Li S.
Published: February 2024

Ca‐phosphates in Campo del Cielo (CdC) and Nantan were comprehensively studied to provide insights into the thermal histories of the IAB main group (MG) and related irons. In CdC, apatite grains are characterized by (a) close intergrowth with troilite/graphite in border area between silicate and metal in most cases and (b) near‐flat rare earth elemental patterns (LaN/YbN = 0.6–0.7). This indicates they were formed during a metal‐silicate mixing event at a relatively high temperature. Combining with petrographic textures, we suggest that the replacement of high‐Ca pyroxene by low‐Ca pyroxene at ∼950–1,000°C could release Ca and facilitate the formation of apatite grains. In the Nantan nodule, Ca‐phosphates do not share a similar origin with those in CdC, as indicated by their different mineral chemistries and mineral associations. Ca‐phosphates and associated silicates could crystallize from a P‐C‐S‐rich metallic melt with the oxidation of lithophile elements. Combining all analyses from CdC and Nantan yielded a SIMS Pb‐Pb isochron age of 4,558 ± 56 Ma. Considering that all the IAB‐MG irons experienced a rapid high‐temperature cooling process, the age of 4,558 ± 56 Ma provides another line of evidence that the parent body of IAB‐MG and related irons experienced metal‐silicate mixing in first 50 Myr of solar system. The previously reported Ar‐Ar ages of ≤4.47 Ga could be related to the late reheating process(es). The degrees of late shock heating may vary from specimen to specimen.
Brain structural and functional outcomes in the offspring of women experiencing psychological distress during pregnancy
Authors: Wu Yao , De Asis-Cruz Josepheen , Limperopoulos Catherine
Published: February 2024

In-utero exposure to maternal psychological distress is increasingly linked with disrupted fetal and neonatal brain development and long‐term neurobehavioral dysfunction in children and adults. Elevated maternal psychological distress is associated with changes in fetal brain structure and function, including reduced hippocampal and cerebellar volumes, increased cerebral cortical gyrification and sulcal depth, decreased brain metabolites (e.g., choline and creatine levels), and disrupted functional connectivity. After birth, reduced cerebral and cerebellar gray matter volumes, increased cerebral cortical gyrification, altered amygdala and hippocampal volumes, and disturbed brain microstructure and functional connectivity have been reported in the offspring months or even years after exposure to maternal distress during pregnancy. Additionally, adverse child neurodevelopment outcomes such as cognitive, language, learning, memory, social-emotional problems, and neuropsychiatric dysfunction are being increasingly reported after prenatal exposure to maternal distress. The mechanisms by which prenatal maternal psychological distress influences early brain development include but are not limited to impaired placental function, disrupted fetal epigenetic regulation, altered microbiome and inflammation, dysregulated hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, altered distribution of the fetal cardiac output to the brain, and disrupted maternal sleep and appetite. This review will appraise the available literature on the brain structural and functional outcomes and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring of pregnant women experiencing elevated psychological distress. In addition, it will also provide an overview of the mechanistic underpinnings of brain development changes in stress response and discuss current treatments for elevated maternal psychological distress, including pharmacotherapy (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and non-pharmacotherapy (e.g., cognitive-behavior therapy). Finally, it will end with a consideration of future directions in the field.
PKC-independent PI3K signalling diminishes PKC inhibitor sensitivity in uveal melanoma
Authors: Park John J. , Hamad Sabine Abou , Stewart Ashleigh , Carlino Matteo S. , Lim Su Yin , Rizos Helen
Published: February 2024

Protein kinase C (PKC) is activated downstream of gain-of-function GNAQ or GNA11 (GNAQ/GNA11) mutations in over 90% of uveal melanoma (UM). Phase I clinical trials of PKC inhibitors have shown modest response rates with no survival benefit in metastatic UM. Although PKC inhibitors actively suppress mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling in UM, the effect on other UM signalling cascades is not well understood. We examined the transcriptome of UM biopsies collected pre- and post-PKC inhibitor therapy and confirmed that MAPK, but not PI3K/AKT signalling, was inhibited early during treatment with the second-generation PKC inhibitor IDE196. Similarly, in GNAQ/GNA11-mutant UM cell models, PKC inhibitor monotherapy effectively suppressed MAPK activity, but PI3K/AKT signalling remained active, and thus, concurrent inhibition of PKC and PI3K/AKT signalling was required to synergistically induce cell death in a panel of GNAQ/GNA11-mutant UM cell lines. We also show that re-activation of MAPK signalling has a dominant role in regulating PKC inhibitor responses in UM and that PI3K/AKT signalling diminishes UM cell sensitivity to PKC inhibitor monotherapy. Thus, combination therapies targeting PKC and PKC-independent signalling nodes, including PI3K/AKT activity, are required to improve responses in patients with metastatic UM.
Comparing stem cells, transdifferentiation and brain organoids as tools for psychiatric research
Authors: Bellon Alfredo
Published: February 2024

The inaccessibility of neurons coming directly from patients has hindered our understanding of mental illnesses at the cellular level. To overcome this obstacle, six different cellular approaches that carry the genetic vulnerability to psychiatric disorders are currently available: Olfactory Neuroepithelial Cells, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Pluripotent Monocytes, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Induced Neuronal cells and more recently Brain Organoids. Here we contrast advantages and disadvantages of each of these six cell-based methodologies. Neuronal-like cells derived from pluripotent monocytes are presented in more detail as this technique was recently used in psychiatry for the first time. Among the parameters used for comparison are; accessibility, need for reprograming, time to deliver differentiated cells, differentiation efficiency, reproducibility of results and cost. We provide a timeline on the discovery of these cell-based methodologies, but, our main goal is to assist researchers selecting which cellular approach is best suited for any given project. This manuscript also aims to help readers better interpret results from the published literature. With this goal in mind, we end our work with a discussion about the differences and similarities between cell-based techniques and postmortem research, the only currently available tools that allow the study of mental illness in neurons or neuronal-like cells coming directly from patients.