bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Look Back at Modern Finance: Accomplishments and Limitations
Authors: Fama Eugene F. , Stern Joel M.
Published: September 2023

In a conversation held in June 2016 between Nobel laureate Eugene Fama of the University of Chicago and Joel Stern, chairman and CEO of Stern Value Management, Professor Fama revisited some of the landmarks of “modern finance,” a movement that was launched in the early 1960s at Chicago and other leading business schools, and that gave rise to Efficient Markets Theory, the Modigliani‐Miller “irrelevance” propositions, and the Capital Asset Pricing Model. These concepts and models are still taught at prestigious business schools, whose graduates continue to make use of them in corporations and investment firms throughout the world.

But while acknowledging the staying power of “modern finance,” Fama also notes that, even after a half‐century of research and refinements, most asset‐pricing models have failed empirically. Estimating something as apparently simple as the cost of capital remains fraught with difficulty. He dismisses betas for individual stocks as “garbage,” and even industry betas are said to be unstable, “too dynamic through time.” What's more, the wide range of estimates for the market risk premium—anywhere from 2% to 10%—casts doubt on their reliability and practical usefulness. And as if to reaffirm the fundamental insight of the M&M “irrelevance” propositions—namely, that what companies do with the right‐hand sides of their balance sheets “doesn't matter”—Fama observes that “we still have no real resolution on the key questions of debt and taxes, or dividends and taxes.”

But if he has reservations about much of modern finance, Professor Fama is even more skeptical about subfields now in vogue such as behavioral finance, which he describes as “mostly just dredging for anomalies,” with no underlying theory and no testable predictions. Although he does not dispute that a number of well‐documented traits from cognitive psychology show up in individual behavior, Fama says that behavioral economists have thus far failed to come up with a testable theory that links cognitive psychology to market prices. And he continues to defend the concept of “efficient markets” with which his name has long been closely associated, while noting that empirically based asset pricing models such as his (with Ken French) “three‐factor” CAPM have produced much better results than the standard CAPM.
The Leveraging of Corporate America: A Long‐Run Perspective on Changes in Capital Structure
Authors: Graham John R. , Leary Mark T. , Roberts Michael R.
Published: September 2023

In a study published recently in the Journal of Financial Economics, the authors of this article documented a substantial increase in the use of debt financing by U.S. companies over the past century. From 1920 until the mid‐1940s, the aggregate leverage of unregulated U.S. companies was low and stable, with the average debt‐to‐capital ratio staying within the narrow range of 10% to 15%. But during the next 25 years, the use of debt by U.S. companies more than doubled, rising to 35% of total capital. And since 1970, aggregate leverage has remained above 35%, peaking at 47% in 1992. Moreover, this pattern has been observed in companies of all sizes and operating in all unregulated sectors.

Changes in the characteristics of U.S. public companies during this period provide little help in explaining the increase in corporate leverage. For example, the displacement of tangible by intangible assets in many sectors of the U.S. economy during the past 50 years would have led most economists to predict, holding all other things equal, a reduction rather than an increase in aggregate corporate leverage. Instead, according to the authors' findings, the main contributors to the increases in U.S. corporate leverage since the 1940s have been external changes, including increases in corporate income tax rates, the development of financial markets and intermediaries, and the reduction in government borrowing in the decades following World War II. The authors' analysis also identifies these last two changes—the development of financial markets, including the rise of institutional investors and shareholder activism, and the post‐War reduction in government debt—as having played the biggest roles in the leveraging of corporate America.
The Capital Structure of PE‐Funded Companies (and How New Debt Instruments and Investors Are Expanding Their Debt Capacity)
Authors: Rizzi Joseph V.
Published: September 2023

The capital structures and financial policies of companies controlled by private equity firms are notably different from those of public companies. The concentration of ownership and intense monitoring of leveraged buyouts by their largest investors (that is, the partners of the PE firms who sit on their boards), along with the contractual requirement of PE funds to return their capital within seven to ten years, have resulted in capital structures that are far more leveraged than those of their publicly traded counterparts, but also considerably more provisional and “opportunistic.” Whereas the average U.S. public company has long operated with roughly 30% debt and 70% equity, today's typical private‐equity sponsored company is initially capitalized with an “upside‐down” structure of 70% debt and just 30% equity, and then often charged with working down its debt as quickly as possible.

Although banks supplied most of the debt for the first wave of LBOs in the 1980s, the remarkable growth of the private equity industry in the past 25 years has been supported by the parallel development of a new leveraged acquisition finance market. This financing innovation has led to a general movement away from a bankcentered funding base to one comprising a relatively new set of institutional investors, including business development corporations and hedge funds. Such investors have shown a strong appetite for new debt instruments and risks that banks have been unwilling or, thanks to increased capital requirements and other regulatory burdens, prohibited from taking on. Notable among these new instruments are second‐lien loans and uni‐tranche debt—instruments that, by shifting the allocation of claims on the debtor's cash flow and assets in ways consistent with the preferences of these new investors, have had the effect of increasing the debt capacity of their portfolio companies. And such increases in debt capacity have in turn enabled private equity funds—now sitting on near‐record amounts of capital from their limited partners—to bid higher prices and compete more effectively in today's intensely competitive M&A market, in which high target acquisition purchase prices are being fueled by a strong stock market and increased competition from corporate acquirers.
How to differentiate peasant classes in capital‐intensive agriculture?
Authors: Singh Paramjit , Kumar Mukesh
Published: September 2023

This paper highlights the relevance of Marxian class analysis to understand the changing nature of agrarian classes under capital‐intensive agriculture. It is a methodological exercise that builds on Patnaik's labour exploitation index (E‐criterion) in three major respects to construct a new index, namely, the Modified Labour Exploitation Index (MEI), to differentiate peasant classes. First and most important, it incorporates the role of mechanisation, which, so far, has been ignored in the methodological attempts to differentiate within the peasantry. Second, it underscores the importance of non‐agricultural (and non‐rural) bases of simple reproduction in the countryside by incorporating hired‐out labour by agricultural households to the non‐agricultural sector into the classification criteria. Finally, it makes surplus labour exploited through land leasing empirically testable by using Marx's differential and absolute rent to differentiate between subsistence and commercial leasing. The new index is then empirically tested using primary data collected from rural Haryana, India. The paper argues that MEI is an effective criterion for understanding changing class dynamics, the shifting modes of the livelihood of the poor peasantry and the largely hidden accumulation processes in agrarian societies.
Between‐sibling inequality in inheritances: Intergenerational support and patrilineality in South Korea
Authors: Kim Dahye , Lim‐Soh Jeremy
Published: September 2023

Objective

This study examines sibling inequality in inheritances and investigates the associations between inheritance share, intergenerational support, and patrilineality, as well as the potential interplay between support and patrilineality.

Background

While Western studies take an exchange perspective linking inheritance division to intergenerational support, the picture in Asia is complicated by patrilineal norms, which are connected to both inheritance and support.

Method

Utilizing the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, this study employs family fixed effects regression to estimate the relationships between actual inheritance division, comprehensive measures of intergenerational support (financial, instrumental, associational, and structural), and patrilineality (gender and birth order).

Results

First‐born sons receive the lion's share of inheritances, followed by first‐born daughters and later‐born sons, who receive a lesser share, while later‐born daughters receive the least. Meeting the parent frequently and caring for them before death were also associated with a larger share, and these effects were mostly uniform by birth order and gender.

Conclusion

Patrilineal traditions continue to dominate inheritance division in contemporary Korea, with first‐born sons claiming the largest share regardless of their contributions to intergenerational support. Physical contact and caregiving increase a child's likelihood of receiving a larger share, but ultimately do not change the patrilineal order in inheritance allocations.
Yours, mine, or ours? Dyadic sleep hygiene and associations with sleep quality, emotional distress, and conflict frequency in mixed‐gender, bed‐sharing couples
Authors: Novak Josh R. , Miller Kaleigh C. , Gunn Heather E. , Troxel Wendy M.
Published: September 2023

Although prior research demonstrates the interdependence of sleep quality within couples (i.e., the sleep of one partner affects the sleep of the other), little is known about the degree to which couples’ sleep hygiene behaviours are concordant or discordant, and if one's own sleep hygiene or their report of their partners’ sleep hygiene is related to worse relational, psychological, and sleep outcomes. In a sample of 143 mixed‐gender, bed‐sharing couples, each partner completed an online questionnaire consisting of the Sleep Hygiene Index (for themselves and their partner), PROMIS sleep disturbance scale, conflict frequency, PHQ‐4 for anxiety and depressive symptoms, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Paired samplest‐tests between partners were conducted using total and individual‐item Sleep Hygiene Index scores to examine similarities and differences. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) scores of dyadic reports were conducted to examine the level of agreement between each partner's sleep hygiene. Finally, we examined associations between one's own sleep hygiene and their report of their partner's sleep hygiene with both partner's sleep quality, emotional distress, and conflict frequency in a dyadic structural equation model with important covariates and alternative model tests. The results revealed a significant difference between men's (M = 14.45, SD = 7.41) and women's total score self‐report sleep hygiene ([M = 17.67, SD = 8.27];t(142) = −5.06,p < 0.001) and partners only had similar sleep hygiene for 5 out of the 13 items. Examining dyadic reports of sleep hygiene revealed that partners had moderate agreement on their partners’ sleep hygiene (0.69–0.856). The results from the dyadic structural equation model revealed that poorer sleep hygiene was associated with one's own poor sleep quality, higher emotional distress, and more frequent relational conflict. For both men and women a poorer report of a partner's sleep hygiene was associated with one's own report of higher relationship conflict. Finally, men's poorer report of a partner's sleep hygiene was related better to their own sleep quality but was related to poorer sleep quality for their partners. These results have implications for sleep promotion and intervention efforts as well as for couple relationship functioning.
Sound production by the short‐beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)
Authors: Cooper C. E. , Erbe C. , Withers P. C. , Barker J. M. , Ball N. , Todd‐Jones L.
Published: September 2023

Acoustic communication occurs in all major groups of terrestrial vertebrates, having evolved independently in early clades of mammals, birds, geckos, crocodilians and frogs, about 100–200 MYA. There is little doubt that acoustic communication was used by ancestral therian mammals, but it is ambiguous whether the reconstruction of the root of the mammalian acoustic evolutionary tree includes basal prototherian monotremes. We present here five first‐hand accounts of dove‐like cooing sounds and analyse the acoustics of three vocalization recordings for two observations of wild short‐beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) to quantitatively confirm acoustic communication by this species. The ‘cooing’ tones were quite distinctive from exhalations, wheezes and grunts, being ~0.044 s down‐sweeps from ~320 to 190 Hz, peaking at ~260 Hz, with at least one harmonic overtone. Tones occurred singly or as doublets, triplets (most common), quadruplets and quintuplets, with the leading tone typically the strongest and most broadband. We conclude that echidnas do produce vocalizations, but they are infrequent and acoustic communication is not their primary mode of communication. This unequivocal evidence for vocalization by short‐beaked echidnas resolves a long‐standing debate concerning the occurrence of acoustic communication by echidnas, which together with well‐documented vocalizations by platypus, support a very early evolution of acoustic communication amongst mammals, pre‐dating at least the common ancestor of monotremes and therian mammals.
Contributions of Morphological Awareness to Adult L2 Chinese Word Meaning Inferencing
Authors: KE SIHUI ECHO , KODA KEIKO
Published: September 2023

This study examined the contributions of morphological awareness (MA) to second language (L2) word meaning inferencing in English‐speaking adult learners of Chinese (N = 50). Three research questions were posed: Are L2 learners sensitive to the morphological structure of unknown multi‐character words? Does first language (L1) MA contribute to L2 MA over and above L2 linguistic knowledge? Does L2 MA contribute to L2 word meaning inference over and above L1 MA and L2 linguistic knowledge? These questions were investigated through the use of a set of experimental and paper‐and‐pencil measurements of the aforementioned L1 and L2 reading subskills and L2 linguistic knowledge, as well as working memory. Several significant results were found. The L2 learners were sensitive to the morphological structure of multi‐character words and more successful in guessing the meanings of novel words containing affixoids and familiar bases. L1 MA was found to transfer and facilitate the development of L2 MA over and above L2 linguistic knowledge. Additionally, L2 MA contributed to L2 word meaning inferencing indirectly through L2 linguistic knowledge. The discussion focuses on the intralingual and interlingual relationships among L1 MA, L2 MA, L2 linguistic knowledge, and L2 word meaning inferencing in adult L2 reading development.
Do face masks undermine social connection?
Authors: Knowles Megan L. , Dean Kristy K.
Published: September 2023

Mask mandates were commonplace around the world during the COVID‐19 pandemic and essential to slowing the spread of SARS‐CoV‐2. However, it is still unclear whether and how masks impact social bonding. Building on past research examining the effects of masking on emotion recognition and social perception, the current research examines the effect of masking on feelings of social connectedness. Three studies (total N = 177) using videotaped introductions of masked and unmasked peers and varied assessments of desire for social connectedness yielded no differences as a function of masking. Although participants reported more difficulty hearing masked (vs. unmasked) peers, masking did not significantly impact other facets of communication or perception related to social bonding. When participants filmed their own introductory videos (Study 3), results showed increased expressivity within the masked (vs. unmasked) conditions, perhaps as a compensatory measure to aid bonding. These findings speak to the resiliency of the human need to belong and belonging‐maintenance processes.
Outcomes Associated With Translating Evidence-Based Research Into Practice: The Physical Activity for Lifelong Success Program
Authors: Eggert Erin E. , Palmer Will , Shanjani Lourdes I. , Gretebeck Kimberlee , Mahoney Jane E.
Published: September 2023

Background: Few programs assess for outcomes once translated into practice. The Physical Activity for Lifelong Success program was developed as a center-based public health intervention and shown to improve walking speed and distance among older adults with type 2 diabetes. We adapted the program for community-based delivery by lay leaders to physically inactive older adults. Methods: We followed the Replicating Effective Programs framework to identify community stakeholders, adapt, implement, and evaluate fidelity of delivery in community settings, and plan for maintenance and evolution. Sixteen community sites enrolled 184 adults (mean age 73.5 y, 85% female, 93% White) in 21 workshops. Baseline and postworkshop measures assessed participants’ health-related quality of life, physical function, and physical fitness. Data were analyzed using Fisher exact tests, Student t test, and paired linear regression with fixed effects. Results: Fidelity testing indicated leader training was sufficient to maintain key elements with delivery. Data from 122 participants showed improvements in chair stands (P < .001), arm curls (P < .001), 2-minute step test (P < .001), sit-and-reach (P = .001), 8-foot up-and-go (P < .001), and 10-m walk (P < .001). Conclusions: Adaptation of Physical Activity for Lifelong Success for implementation by community organizations for physically inactive older adults demonstrates that fidelity and effectiveness can be maintained after program translation.
Stressed Hippo kinase turns to autophagy
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: September 2023

The Hippo kinase MAP4K2 takes a YAP-independent path to tolerating energy stress.
Igniting the slow burn of post-COVID conditions
Authors: Henderson Jeffrey P.
Published: September 2023

Post-COVID conditions (PCCs) are persistent new patient symptoms occurring after acute COVID-19 infection and are an increasingly appreciated dimension of the COVID-19 pandemic. The factors that cause PCCs are not well understood. In recent work, Gebo et al. identify a connection between acute IL-6 levels, early COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CP) administration, and later PCCs in subjects from a randomized controlled trial of acutely ill subjects enrolled in 2020 to 2021 (K. A. Gebo, S. L. Heath, Y. Fukuta, X. Zhu, et al., mBio e00618-23, 2023,
https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.00618-23
). These results may be viewed as part of an emerging picture linking the intensity of inflammatory responses during acute infection to later PCCs.
Negative and ambisense RNA virus ribonucleocapsids: more than protective armor
Authors: Sabsay Kimberly R. , te Velthuis Aartjan J. W.
Published: September 2023

Negative and ambisense RNA viruses are the causative agents of important human diseases such as influenza, measles, Lassa fever, and Ebola hemorrhagic fever. The viral genome of these RNA viruses consists of one or more single-stranded RNA molecules that are encapsidated by viral nucleocapsid proteins to form a ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP). This RNP acts as protection, as a scaffold for RNA folding, and as the context for viral replication and transcription by a viral RNA polymerase. However, the roles of the viral nucleoproteins extend beyond these functions during the viral infection cycle. Recent advances in structural biology techniques and analysis methods have provided new insights into the formation, function, dynamics, and evolution of negative sense virus nucleocapsid proteins, as well as the role that they play in host innate immune responses against viral infection. In this review, we discuss the various roles of nucleocapsid proteins, both in the context of RNPs and in RNA-free states, as well as the open questions that remain.
Antifungal mechanism of volatile compounds emitted by
Actinomycetota Paenarthrobacter ureafaciens
from a disease-suppressive soil on
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Nguyen Tri-Phuong , Meng De-Rui , Chang Ching-Han , Su Pei-Yu , Ou Chieh-An , Hou Ping-Fu , Sung Huang-Mo , Chou Chang-Hung , Ohme-Takagi Masaru , Huang Hao-Jen
Published: September 2023

Increasing evidence suggests that in disease-suppressive soils, microbial volatile compounds (mVCs) released from bacteria may inhibit the growth of plant-pathogenic fungi. However, the antifungal activities and molecular responses of fungi to different mVCs remain largely undescribed. In this study, we first evaluated the responses of pathogenic fungi to treatment with mVCs from
Paenarthrobacter ureafaciens
. Then, we utilized the well-characterized fungal model organism
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
to study the potential mechanistic effects of the mVCs. Our data showed that exposure to
P. ureafaciens
mVCs leads to reduced growth of several pathogenic fungi, and in yeast cells, mVC exposure prompts the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Further experiments with
S. cerevisiae
deletion mutants indicated that Slt2/Mpk1 and Hog1 MAPKs play major roles in the yeast response to
P. ureafaciens
mVCs. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that exposure to mVCs was associated with 1,030 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in yeast. According to gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses, many of these DEGs are involved in mitochondrial dysfunction, cell integrity, mitophagy, cellular metabolism, and iron uptake. Genes encoding antimicrobial proteins were also significantly altered in the yeast after exposure to mVCs. These findings suggest that oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction are major contributors to the fungal toxicity of mVCs. Furthermore, our data showed that cell wall, antioxidant, and antimicrobial defenses are induced in yeast exposed to mVCs. Thus, our findings expand upon previous research by delineating the transcriptional responses of the fungal model.

IMPORTANCE

Since the use of bacteria-emitted volatile compounds in phytopathogen control is of considerable interest, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms by which fungi may adapt to microbial volatile compounds (mVCs).
Paenarthrobacter ureafaciens
is an isolated bacterium from disease-suppressive soil that belongs to the
Actinomycetota
phylum.
P. ureafaciens
mVCs showed a potent antifungal effect on phytopathogens, which may contribute to disease suppression in soil. However, our knowledge about the antifungal mechanism of mVCs is limited. This study has proven that mVCs are toxic to fungi due to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. To deal with mVC toxicity, antioxidants and physical defenses are required. Furthermore, iron uptake and CAP proteins are required for antimicrobial defense, which is necessary for fungi to deal with the thread from mVCs. This study provides essential foundational knowledge regarding the molecular responses of fungi to inhibitory mVCs.
A novel pathogenic avipoxvirus infecting oriental turtle dove (
Streptopelia orientalis
) in China shows a high genomic and evolutionary proximity with the pigeon avipoxviruses isolated globally
Authors: He Lei , Zhang Yuhao , Jia Yanyan , Li Zedian , Li Jing , Shang Ke , Ding Ke , Yu Haotong , Sarker Subir
Published: September 2023

Avipoxviruses are considered as significant viral pathogen infecting a wide range of domestic and wild bird species globally, yet the majority of avipoxviruses that infect the wild bird species remain uncharacterized and their genetic diversities remain unclear. In this study, we present a novel pathogenic avipoxvirus isolated from the cutaneous pox lesions of a wild oriental turtle dove (
Streptopelia orientalis
), tentatively named as turtle dovepox virus (TDPV). The avipoxvirus was isolated by using the chorioallantoic membranes of specific pathogen-free chicken embryos which showed characteristic focal pock lesions, followed by cytopathic effects in host cells infected with oriental turtle dovepox virus. An effort in sequencing the whole genome of the poxvirus using next-generation sequencing was given, and the first whole genome sequence of TDPV was obtained. The TDPV genome was 281,386 bp in length and contained 380 predicted open reading frames (ORFs). While 336 of the predicted ORFs showed homology to other characterized avipoxviruses, the other 44 ORFs were unique. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses showed that the novel TDPV shared the closest genetic evolutionary linkage with the avipoxviruses isolated from pigeon in South Africa and India, of which the TDPV genome had the highest sequence similarity (92.5%) with South African pigeonpox virus (FeP2). In conclusion, the sequenced TDPV is significantly different from any other avipoxviruses isolated from avian or other natural host species considering genomic architecture and observed sequence similarity index. Thus, it likely should be considered a separate species.

IMPORTANCE

Over the past few decades, avipoxviruses have been found in a number of wild bird species including the oriental turtle dove. However, there is no whole genome sequence information on avipoxviruses isolated from oriental turtle dove, leaving us unclear about the evolutionary linkage of avipoxviruses in oriental turtle dove and other wild bird species. Thus, we believe that our study makes a significant contribution because it is the first report of the whole genome sequence of TDPV isolated from a wild oriental turtle dove, which enriches the genomic information of the genus
Avipoxvirus
, furthermore, contributes to tracking the genetic evolution of avipoxviruses-infected oriental turtle dove species.
A large-scale phylogeny-guided analysis of pseudogenes in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
bacterium
Authors: Cohen Nimrod , Veksler-Lublinsky Isana
Published: September 2023

Pseudogenes, once considered "junk DNA" based on the incorrect assumption that the absence of full coding potential means a complete lack of functionality, have recently become a subject of significant interest in the scientific community. Concurrently, it is widely assumed that bacterial genomes are compact and have a high density of coding genes with little room for non-coding genes, including pseudogenes. A key aspect of genome annotation is the correct identification of genes and the distinction between coding genes and pseudogenes, as it directly impacts functional and comparative genomics studies. In this study, we analyzed the genomic data of 4,699 strains of the bacterium
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
(
P. aeruginosa
) as they exhibit high variability in the number of annotated pseudogenes. In particular, we looked for correlations between the number of pseudogenes and other genomic and meta-features of the strains. We identified clusters of orthologous genes and pseudogenes and compared cluster size distributions and length homogeneity within clusters. We then mapped and examined orthology relationships between genes and pseudogenes. Additionally, we generated a phylogenetic tree of the strains and found that phylogenetically related strains are more homogeneous in the number of pseudogenes and share a significant amount of pseudogenes. Finally, we delved into clusters of orthologous genes and pseudogenes and quantified their phylogenetic neighborhood, classifying pseudogenes into evolutionary preserved pseudogenes, mis-annotated pseudogenes, or pseudogenes formed by failed horizontal transfer events. This in-depth study provides important insights that can be incorporated into pseudogene annotation pipelines in the future.

IMPORTANCE

Accurate annotation of genes and pseudogenes is vital for comparative genomics analysis. Recent studies have shown that bacterial pseudogenes have an important role in regulatory processes and can provide insight into the evolutionary history of homologous genes or the genome as a whole. Due to pseudogenes’ nature as non-functional genes, there is no commonly accepted definition of a pseudogene, which poses difficulties in verifying the annotation through experimental methods and resolving discrepancies among different annotation techniques. Our study introduces an in-depth analysis of annotated genes and pseudogenes and insights that can be incorporated into improved pseudogene annotation pipelines in the future.
Gut microbiota-driven regulation of queen bee ovarian metabolism
Authors: Li Wan-Li , Huang Qi , Li Jia-Li , Wu Ping , Wei Bangrong , Li Xi-Jie , Tang Qi-He , Dong Zhi-Xiang , Xiong Jian , Tang Hong , Zhang Jun , Zhao Chong-Hui , Cao Zhe , Chen Yuan , Zhao Wen-zheng , Wang Kai , Guo Jun
Published: September 2023

With the global prevalence of
Varroa
mites, more and more beekeepers resort to confining the queen bee in a queen cage to control mite infestation or to breed superior and robust queen bees. However, the impact of such practices on the queen bee remains largely unknown. Therefore, we subjected the queen bees to a 21-day egg-laying restriction treatment (from the egg stage to the emergence of adult worker bees) and analyzed the queen bees’ ovarian metabolites and gut microbiota after 21 days, aiming to assess the queen bees’ quality and assist beekeepers in better hive management. Our findings revealed a significant reduction in the relative expression levels of
Vg
and
Hex110
genes in the ovaries of egg laying-restricted queen bees compared to unrestricted egg-laying queens. The diversity of gut microbiota in the queen bee exhibited a notable decrease, accompanied by corresponding changes in the core bacteria of the microbial community, the relative abundance of
Lactobacillus
and
Bifidobacterium
increased from 22.34% to 53.14% (
P
= 0.01) and from 0.053% to 0.580% (
P
= 0.04), respectively. The relative abundance of
Bombella
decreased from 25.85% to 1.720% (
P
= 0.002). Following egg-laying restriction, the activity of the queen bee’s ovaries decreased, while the metabolism of glycerophospholipids remained or stored more lipid molecules, awaiting environmental changes for the queen bee to resume egg laying promptly. Furthermore, we observed that
Bombella
in the queen bee’s gut may regulate the queen’s ovarian metabolism through tryptophan metabolism. These findings provide novel insights into the interplay among queen egg laying, gut microbiota, and ovarian metabolism.

IMPORTANCE

With
Varroa
mite infestation, beekeepers often confine the queen bee in cages for control or breeding. However, the impact on the queen bee is largely unknown. We evaluated queen bee quality by restricting egg laying and analyzing ovarian metabolites and gut microbiota. In this study, we provided a comprehensive explanation of the expression of ovarian genes, the diversity of gut microbiota, and changes in ovarian metabolism in the queen bee. Through integrated analysis of the queen bee’s gut microbiota and ovarian metabolism, we discovered that the gut microbiota can regulate the queen bee’s ovarian metabolism. These findings provide valuable insights into the interplay among egg laying, gut microbiota, and the reproductive health of the queen bee. Understanding these relationships can contribute to the development of better strategies for
Varroa
mite control and queen bee breeding.
Search for 8.4-keV Solar Axions Emitted in the M1 Transition in 169Tm Nuclei
Authors: Derbin A. V. , Drachnev I. S. , Muratova V. N. , Semenov D. A. , Trushin M. V. , Unzhakov E. V.
Published: September 2023

Axions with an energy of 8.4 keV emitted in the М1 transition in 169Tm nuclei in the Sun are sought in the $$A + {{\;}^{{169}}}{\kern 1pt} {\text{Tm}}$$ → 169Tm* → $$^{{169}}{\text{Tm}} + (\gamma ,e)$$ (8.4 keV) reaction of resonant absorption by 169Tm nuclei on the Earth using a $${\text{T}}{{{\text{m}}}_{{\text{3}}}}{\text{A}}{{{\text{l}}}_{{\text{5}}}}{{{\text{O}}}_{{{\text{12}}}}}$$ thulium garnet crystal as a bolometric detector. The flux of monochromatic 8.4‑keV axions has been calculated. New constraints on the axion–nucleon coupling constants have been obtained and, as a result, new upper bounds on the axion mass $$m_{A}^{{{\text{KSVZ}}}} \leqslant {\text{141}}$$ eV and $$m_{A}^{{{\text{DFSZ}}}} \leqslant {\text{244}}$$ eV have been obtained at 90% C.L. in the KSVZ and DFSZ models, respectively.
Preoperative initiation of peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for a complex case of cardiac tamponade
Authors: Efrimescu Catalin Iulian , Walsh Don M , Chughtai Jehan Zeb , Wall Thomas P
Published: September 2023

In this case report, we present an alternative approach to the anaesthetic management of patients presenting with delayed postoperative cardiac tamponade physiology. Given that pericardiocentesis was deemed unsafe, and a protracted surgical dissection was anticipated, peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) support was established prior to induction of anaesthesia to prevent catastrophic circulatory failure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of planned preoperative commencement of peripheral VA-ECMO in a complex case of cardiac tamponade. We discuss the challenges associated with this case and the process for selecting this strategy. We also describe the role of transoesophageal echocardiography in planning the surgical approach. This report is completed by a discussion on the topic of delayed postoperative pericardial effusion and tamponade.
Pancreatitis, panniculitis and polyarthritis (PPP) syndrome
Authors: Devineni Geetha Swarna , Zackariah Nafiya Muhammed , Surendran Sudhindran , Eapen Malini
Published: September 2023

A young male presented with intermittent high-grade fever, asymmetric polyarthritis and erythematous, tender nodules over left shin for 2 months duration. He had a history of alcohol dependence with multiple episodes of acute pancreatitis. With polyarthritis progressing relentlessly, unresponsive to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids, a provisional diagnosis of sarcoidosis was considered. Indeed, he was treated with azathioprine and rituximab with no effect. Biopsy of the skin nodule revealed subcutaneous fat necrosis, foam cells, deposition of eosinophilic amorphous material and calcification. Synovial fluid aspiration from the arthritic knee obtained purulent but surprisingly culture-negative material, rich in triglycerides. Abdominal CT confirmed chronic pancreatitis. Final diagnosis of pancreatitis, panniculitis and polyarthritis (PPP) syndrome was made. He underwent surgical pancreatic ductal drainage leading to complete remission of symptoms. PPP syndrome triad occurs due to leakage of pancreatic enzymes into systemic circulation and subsequent fat necrosis. Surgical drainage of pancreatic duct is often curative.
Simultaneous diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis andMycobacterium aviumcomplex lung disease
Authors: Takasaka Naoki , Chida Kentaro , Ishikawa Takeo , Kuwano Kazuyoshi
Published: September 2023

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) andMycobacterium aviumcomplex lung disease (MAC-LD) often coexist because bronchiectasis, caused by ABPA or MAC, might be an important predisposing factor for both conditions. Here, we describe a man with asthma symptoms who had centrilobular small nodules and mucoid impaction on chest CT. We diagnosed the patient with simultaneous ABPA and MAC-LD on the basis of bronchoscopy findings. Itraconazole monotherapy led to substantial clinical improvement, avoiding the adverse effects of systemic corticosteroids. Sputum culture conversion of MAC was achieved after switching from itraconazole monotherapy to combination therapy comprising clarithromycin, rifampicin and ethambutol. ABPA recurred but was controlled by reinitiation of itraconazole. Overall, corticosteroid management was avoided for 38 months. Itraconazole monotherapy may be selected as initial treatment for ABPA with chronic infection, including MAC.
Refractory pembrolizumab immunotherapy-related colitis requiring biological therapy in an inactive HBcAb carrier
Authors: Rasheed Nidaa , Anand Rajan , Maddox Mark , Reyes Candice
Published: September 2023

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a class of cancer immunotherapy, with a constellation of side effects that require early recognition and management. We present a patient with metastatic adenocarcinoma started on pembrolizumab a month prior, who was admitted to the hospital for bloody diarrhoea. He underwent flexible sigmoidoscopy with biopsy proven grade 3 immune-mediated diarrhoea and colitis. He developed progressively worsening diarrhoea despite appropriate intravenous corticosteroids therapy, and initiation of corticosteroid-sparing therapy was complicated by discovery of hepatitis B core antibodies indicating a chronic hepatitis B carrier state. We discuss our work-up of new onset haemorrhagic diarrhoea in a patient on immunotherapy for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, as well as a review of current guidelines for antiviral prophylaxis in these patients.
A DFT study of the electronic structure, optical and thermoelectric properties of perovskite CsSnBr3 compound under strains effect: Photovoltaic applications
Authors: El Badraoui A. , Dahbi S. , Tahiri N. , El Bounagui O. , Ez-Zahraouy H.
Published: September 2023

Researchers are working on perovskites for photovoltaic applications due to their low cost and excellent power conversion efficiency. Our investigation has focused on analyzing the effects of hydrostatic strain on the structural, electronic, optical and thermoelectric properties of CsSnBr3. The calculated structural properties and enthalpy of formation imply that these structures are stable under different strain conditions. Our investigation shows that the CsSnBr3 compound is a direct semiconductor with an electronic band gap of 1.272[Formula: see text]eV, which can be tuned from 0.604[Formula: see text]eV to 1.823[Formula: see text]eV under different strain conditions. As the compressive strain increases, the light absorption spectrum of CsSnBr3 undergoes a red shift, causing a prolongation of the light absorption edge. The thermoelectric properties show that CsSnBr3 is a p-type semiconductor. Our findings indicate that the CsSnBr3 material is highly suitable for photovoltaic applications.
Fluoro-2,6-dimethylphenyl mono-hydroxychlorin and porphyrin congeners
Authors: Brown Cierra , Campbell Brandon M. , Chen Tina , Darkwa Richard K. , Kim Geena , Kranchalk Danielle J. , Lamport Hannah , Le Colin M-D. , Lu Jenny , McKnight Giovan N. , Nagelj Nejc , Seshadri Nikhil V. , Reynolds Kristopher G. , Zheng Shao-Liang , Dogutan Dilek K.
Published: September 2023

Mono-hydroxychlorins are uncommon macrocycles that have only been synthetically realized by modifying porphyrin rings using the harsh oxidizing agent OsO4. We show here that a more directed delivery of the mono-hydroxychlorin may be concomitantly obtained from the oxidation of porphyrinogen using the mild conditions of the high dilution Lindsey porphyrin forming reaction where water content is minimized by using dry CHCl3 within the environment of a glovebox. We now report the direct synthesis of 17,18-dihydro-18-hydroxy-5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-fluoro,2,6-dimethylphenyl)-porphyrin (2H-TFChl-[Formula: see text]OH) together with the corresponding freebase porphyrin TFP. The TFP has been metalated with FeBr2 and MgBr2•OEt2 resulting in metalloporphyrins Fe(III)TFP(Cl) and Mg(II)-TFP which have been structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. We find that the excited state properties of the mono-hydroxychlorin are similar to that of its parent TFP and Mg(II)TFP porphyrin congeners. Excited state deactivation by vibronic coupling to the high energy O-H oscillator is circumvented with the hydroxyl group remote to the 18[Formula: see text]-electron framework of the chlorin ring. These results reveal that strong H-bonding groups may be introduced on the periphery of the chlorin ring while maintaining the light-gathering properties that lie at the heart of photosynthesis of the chlorin ring.
Synthesis of chlorophyll-BODIPY conjugates and their intramolecular excitation energy transfer
Authors: Mori Yuna , Nakamura Yugo , Yasui Mizuki , Tamiaki Hitoshi
Published: September 2023

Zinc 3-hydroxymethyl-pyropheophorbides-[Formula: see text] covalently linked with an 8-aryl-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-BODIPY moiety in the 17-substituent were synthesized by chemically modifying naturally occurring chlorophyll(Chl)-[Formula: see text]. The synthetic Chl–BODIPY conjugates in tetrahydrofuran exhibited sharp visible absorption and weak circular dichroism spectra, indicating that their molecules were fully dispersed in the solution. In their ground states, no intramolecular interaction between the Chl and BODIPY parts was observed. By contrast, singlet excitation energy was efficiently transferred from the photoexcited BODIPY moiety to zinc chlorin moiety within their molecules. The intramolecular energy transfer efficiencies exceeded 90% and were independent of the linkages including ester and amide bonds as well as methylene and hexamethylene spacers.
A Novel Fuzzy Unsupervised Feature Learning Approach
Authors: Bchir Ouiem , Ismail Mohamed Maher Ben
Published: September 2023

The effectiveness of machine learning approaches depends on the quality of the data representation. In fact, some representations may mislead such learning approaches upon concealing relevant explanatory variables. Although feature engineering, that utilizes domain knowledge and/or expert supervision, yields typical data representation techniques, generic unsupervised feature learning represents an even more objective alternative to determine relevant attributes and generate optimal feature spaces. In this paper, we propose a new fuzzy unsupervised feature learning approach (FUL) that automatically derives new features by revealing the intrinsic structure of the data. In fact, FUL exploits the clusters and the associated fuzzy memberships generated by a fuzzy C-means algorithm, and devises new basis functions and their corresponding representation. The experiments results showed that FUL overtakes relevant state of the art approaches. It yielded the highest F1-measure with an improvement of 8%, 11%, 3%, and 4% on Parkinson, Epilepsy, Gait, and breast cancer datasets, respectively.
Assessment of the onshore storage capacity of hydrogen in Argentina’s natural gas fields
Authors: Ventisky Esteban , Gilfillan Stuart M. V.
Published: September 2023

Increasing the proportion of electricity from renewable energy sources is critical for the reduction of CO
2
emissions required to meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement. However, intermittency in energy generation due to the daily and seasonal variability of wind and solar radiation is a major challenge. Addressing this issue requires the development of large-scale energy storage systems. Low-carbon hydrogen production and storage in geological reservoirs offers a potential seasonal energy storage solution. Here, we provide the first assessment of the underground storage capacity for hydrogen in Argentina and identify sites where future clusters of low-carbon hydrogen production could be co-located with suitable geological storage sites. We outline a production-based methodology that couples historical hydrocarbon production with remaining reserves to provide a reliable estimation of the amount of hydrogen that can be stored in each reservoir. Assuming a cushion gas requirement of 50%, our results show that a combined storage capacity of 2860 TWh of hydrogen exists. This far exceeds the requirements to meet the seasonal electricity demand for residential consumption in the country. The results of our sensitivity analysis show that the two most sensitive variables are temperature and compressibility, suggesting that high-pressure shallow reservoirs are most suitable for underground hydrogen storage. We additionally propose locations for two H
2
production and storage hubs that would permit the integration of storage sites with renewable developments and natural gas reserves that could be combined with carbon capture and storage to produce low-carbon hydrogen.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Hydrogen as a future energy source collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/hydrogen
Chemostratigraphy of the extrusive sequence of a Late Cretaceous Neotethyan ophiolite in southern Iran and its significance for the mode and tempo of subduction initiation magmatism and melt evolution in forearc tectonic settings
Authors: Shafaii Moghadam Hadi , Dilek Yildirim , Furnes Harald , Ishizuka Osamu , Chiaradia Massimo , Li Qiu-li , Karsli Orhan , Lucci Federico , Asadi Ali
Published: September 2023

Chemostratigraphy of lavas in extrusive sequences of modern and ancient forearc environments provides significant information on oceanic crust formation through progressive stages of melt evolution from subduction initiation magmatism (SIM) to arc infancy, and arc maturation-related magmatism. We present here new trace element and radiogenic Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic data from a Late Cretaceous ophiolite in the Outer Zagros Belt of southern Iran and discuss its magmatic development through SIM in a Neotethyan forearc setting. Initial volcanism produced the stratigraphically oldest boninitic (BON) lavas in the Haji-Abad ophiolite whose trace element ratios as well as Pb isotopic signatures indicate a refractory mantle source, which was contaminated by subducting slab-derived fluids. The BON lavas change structurally upwards into island-arc tholeiitic (IAT) lavas and their fractionated felsic derivatives that display isotopic evidence for the contribution of sediment-derived melts in their magmatic source(s). This melt evolution pattern of the Haji-Abad ophiolite marks a major difference from the progressive melt evolution trends reported from the Izu–Bonin–Mariana (IBM) forearc lava sequence, which starts at the bottom with forearc basalts (FAB) phasing up-section into BON and IAT affinity lavas. IAT lavas in the IBM are in turn overlain by calc-alkaline (CAL) lavas. Our geochemical modelling points to a probable existence of a less depleted, pre-subduction mantle whose partial melting probably generated primary magmas before the eruption of boninitic lavas, although the record of such magmas is missing in the Haji-Abad ophiolite. Our comparison of the chemostratigraphy of the Outer Zagros ophiolites with the documented record of subduction initiation generated volcanic rocks in the other Neotethyan ophiolites in the region and the IBM forearc setting strongly suggests that there is no single rule or template for SIM.

Supplementary material:
Details of analytical procedures and supplementary figures and tables are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6837597

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Ophiolites, melanges and blueschists collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/ophiolites-melanges-and-blueschists