bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of short‐ and long‐term enrichment on brain and behavior in Trinidadian guppies
Authors: Iffert R. Quinn , Stein Laura R.
Published: January 2024

Environmental enrichment (EE) often increases positive behavioral and physiological effects on captive animals. Fish are commercially and scientifically important taxa that have been shown to benefit from EE. Here we examined the effects of both short‐ and long‐term EE in Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata). In the short‐term exposure to EE, female guppies were raised in standard conditions, and after reaching adulthood were moved to either an enriched or a deprived environment for 2 weeks. Long‐term exposure guppies were reared from birth for 12 weeks (until sexual maturity) in either an enriched or deprived environment. We then assessed growth, brain size, and neophobic and exploratory behaviors in standard assays. Guppies given EE were bolder, regardless of timescale, although females showed a more pronounced change in behaviors than males. We further found that guppies reared with EE were smaller yet had larger relative brain sizes than guppies reared under deprived conditions. Here we highlight that EE had influenced growth, brain size, neophobic, and exploratory behaviors in guppies, and behavioral changes were observed after only 2 weeks. Our results highlight the need for assessing the influences of EE in captivity, in particular for researchers studying cognition and behavior.
Moral conflict in a (post)war story: Narrative as enactment of and reflection on moral injury
Authors: Riner Robin Conley , Carnes Bryan D.
Published: January 2024

This article examines the discursive construction of moral conflict in a military veteran's (post)war story. By closely examining the linguistic details of a single veteran's narrative of war, this article addresses how moral conflict is revealed in shifts among varying modes of morality: from the conventional moral dispositions of the military, in which soldiers are socialized into acting, often violently and without reflection, to conscious ethical reasoning, which soldiers have historically been socialized not to engage in. The analysis of this veteran's narrative, informed by ethnographic research on veterans’ experiences of combat and return after deployment, outlines how structural and linguistic components of the narrative engage shifting modes of moral experience. As such, the article provides a critical discussion of moral injury, as well as a potential model for the study of language and morality.
The influence of magnesium compounds on the properties of silicon nitride ceramics
Authors: Zhuang Yinghua , Sun Feng , Zhou Lijuan , Jiang Changxi , Wang Jianjun , Li Shuang , Liao Shengjun
Published: January 2024

Silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics using four compound sintering aids Er2O3–MgO, Er2O3–MgF3, Er2O3–Mg2Si, and Er2O3–Mg3N2. The effects of binary sintering aid types and temperatures on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity of Si3N4 ceramics were investigated. The depolymerization effect of fluorine atoms introduced by MgF2 sintering additives on the silicate melt structure reduced the viscosity of the liquid phase. However, the existence of volatile phase leads to low density of Si3N4 ceramics. While the additional Si and N atoms increase the concentration of solute atoms, which was conducive to sintering densification of Si3N4 ceramics. Although Mg2Si and Mg3N2 sintering aids produced higher viscosity liquid phase compared with MgF2, denser Si3N4 ceramics were obtained at 1900°C. The Si3N4 ceramics doped with 5 mol% Er2O3 and 2 mol% Mg3N2 at 1900°C showed the excellent properties: including the highest Vickers hardness (16.8 GPa), flexural strength (912 MPa), and fracture toughness (8.1 MPa m1/2), as well as the desirable thermal conductivity (83 W/(m K)).
Electrochemical behavior and degradation mechanism of lithium disilicate glass ceramics in acidic environment
Authors: Lakhloufi Soraya , Labjar Najoua , Labjar Houda , Serghini‐Idrissi Malika , El Hajjaji Souad
Published: January 2024

IPS e.max Press, a lithium disilicate‐based glass ceramic, is renowned in dental restorations for its mechanical strength and aesthetic appeal. This study delves into its behavior within oral environments, employing electrochemical and surface analysis techniques. By utilizing cyclic polarization curves and impedance spectroscopy, we evaluated its degradation resistance. Surface morphology, composition, and crystal stability were explored through scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. The glass ceramic exhibited robust resistance to localized degradation across all tested electrolytes. The degradation potential (Ecorr) varied with time and pH, indicating electrolyte influence. SEM/EDX affirmed oxide layer formation, while XRD confirmed a stable structure. While showcasing favorable resistance in saliva, citric acid, and lactic acid, IPS e.max Press demonstrated susceptibility to acetic acid. This comprehensive analysis enhances our understanding, providing valuable insights for the development of durable dental materials through a combination of electrochemical analysis and surface characterization.
Analysis of early clinical signs and risk factors for severe hemorrhagic cystitis after stem cell transplantation in children
Authors: Liu Pengtao , Bai Kaiping , Zhang Zhiyuan , Sun Jie
Published: January 2024

Introduction

To analyze the characteristics of early clinical symptoms of hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and the risk factors of severe HC.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 77 children with post‐HSCT HC treated at our hospital between June 2013 and June 2021. Clinical characteristics were collected and catalogued.

Results

Among the children with urinary tract irritation symptoms (UTIS) as the first symptom, symptoms appeared earlier than hematuria symptoms (28 day vs. 31 day, p = 0.027), and the time progressing to severe HC was significantly longer in these children (12 day vs. 7 day, p = 0.038), but there was no significant difference in the number of participants (57.8% vs. 59.4%, p = 0.889). BK polyomavirus (BKV) infection was an independent risk factor (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.782, p = 0.035) for severe HC, which was also positively associated with multi‐viral infection (HR = 2.215, p = 0.020).

Conclusions

In HC children, when the first urinary tract symptom was UTIS, it appeared earlier than hematuria, and the time of progression to severe HC was significantly longer, suggesting that we still need more aggressive treatment for these children to prevent the worsening of symptoms. The severity of HC was positively correlated with BKV infection and multiple infections.
A parasitoid regulates 20E synthesis and antibacterial activity of the host for development by inducing host nitric oxide production
Authors: Dai Minli , Jiang Zhe , Li Fanchi , Wei Jing , Li Bing
Published: January 2024

Parasitoids are important components of the natural enemy guild in the biological control of insect pests. They depend on host resources to complete the development of a specific stage or whole life cycle and thus have evolved towards optimal host exploitation strategies. In the present study, we report a specific survival strategy of a fly parasitoid Exorista sorbillans (Diptera: Tachinidae), which is a potential biological control agent for agricultural pests and a pest in sericulture. We found that the expression levels of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and nitric oxide (NO) production in host Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) were increased after E. sorbillans infection. Reducing NOS expression and NO production with an NOS inhibitor (NG‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester hydrochloride) in infected B. mori significantly impeded the growth of E. sorbillans larvae. Moreover, the biosynthesis of 20‐hydroxyecdysone (20E) in infected hosts was elevated with increasing NO production, and inhibiting NOS expression lowered 20E biosynthesis. More importantly, induced NO synthesis was required to eliminate intracellular bacterial pathogens that presumably competed for shared host resources. Inhibiting NOS expression down‐regulated the transcription of antimicrobial peptide genes and increased the number of bacteria in parasitized hosts. Collectively, this study revealed a new perspective on the role of NO in host–parasitoid interactions and a novel mechanism for parasitoid regulation of host physiology to support its development.
Macrophage expressed tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase 5 promotes pulmonary fibrosis progression
Authors: Bergwik Jesper , Bhongir Ravi Kiran Varma , Padra Médea , Adler Anna , Olm Franziska , Lång Pernilla , Lindstedt Sandra , Andersson Göran , Egesten Arne , Tanner Lloyd
Published: January 2024

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disorder involving scarring of pulmonary tissue and a subsequent decrease in respiratory capacity, ultimately resulting in death. Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase 5 (ACP5) plays a role in IPF but the exact mechanisms are yet to be elucidated. In this study, we have utilized various perturbations of the bleomycin mouse model of IPF including genetic knockout, RANKL inhibition, and macrophage adoptive transfer to further understand ACP5's role in pulmonary fibrosis. Genetic ablation of Acp5 decreased immune cell recruitment to the lungs and reduced the levels of hydroxyproline (reflecting extracellular matrix‐production) as well as histological damage. Additionally, gene expression profiling of murine lung tissue revealed downregulation of genes including Ccl13, Mmp13, and Il‐1α that encodes proteins specifically related to immune cell recruitment and macrophage/fibroblast interactions. Furthermore, antibody‐based neutralization of RANKL, an important inducer of Acp5 expression, reduced immune cell recruitment but did not decrease fibrotic lung development. Adoptive transfer of Acp5−/− bone marrow‐derived monocyte (BMDM) macrophages 7 or 14 days after bleomycin administration resulted in reductions of cytokine production and decreased levels of lung damage, compared to adoptive transfer of WT control macrophages. Taken together, the data presented in this study suggest that macrophage derived ACP5 plays an important role in development of pulmonary fibrosis and could present a tractable target for therapeutic intervention in IPF.
Touch and look: The role of affective touch in promoting infants' attention towards complex visual scenes
Authors: Carnevali Laura , Della Longa Letizia , Dragovic Danica , Farroni Teresa
Published: January 2024

In a complex social environment, stimuli from different sensory modalities need to be integrated to decode communicative meanings. From very early in life, infants have to combine a multitude of sensory features with social and affective attributes. Of all senses, touch constitutes a privileged channel to carry affective‐motivational meanings and foster social connection. In the present study, we investigate whether sharing sensory stimulation that varies for its affective value differentially affects infants' attention towards visual stimuli. 6 to 11‐month‐old infants (N = 42) were familiarized with two characters respectively matched with tactile (affective or non‐affective) and auditory stimulation; then repeatedly exposed to scenes where the two characters moved towards target objects. Our results showed a main effect of stimulation (sound vs. touch) on looking times during familiarization, with longer looking times when sound is provided. During scenes presentation, a main effect of the type of touch (affective vs. non affective) emerged, with longer looking times in infants that previously experienced affective touch, suggesting that this sensory experience may critically engage the self and modulate infant attention. Overall, these findings suggest that while sound acts as attention getter, affective touch supports sustained attention towards complex visual scenes beyond the stimulation period itself.
Structural, microstructure, spectroscopic, and magnetic investigation of vanadium‐doped SrTiO3 perovskite ceramics
Authors: Yadav Vedika , Cheema Harshpreet , Alvi Parvez Ahmad , Dev Jai , Kushwaha Pallavi , Kumar Upendra
Published: January 2024

In this study, we provide the synthesis and analysis of the structure, microstructure, and spectroscopic properties of V‐doped SrTiO3. The monophasic samples were made using the usual ceramic method, which involved calcination at temperatures of 1000°C and 1300°C. The X‐ray diffraction analysis, combined with the Rietveld refinement, conclusively demonstrates that they have crystallized in a cubic structure, namely under the space group . The inclusion of vanadium (V) at the titanium (Ti) site has been investigated by evaluating the size of the crystallite and grain. The investigation of dielectric and dissipation factors at different frequencies indicates the existence of interfacial and orientational polarization. Two distinct conduction and relaxation processes were identified within the temperature range examined based on the spectroscopic plot. The presence of a paramagnetic phase in the samples, caused by the presence of V and its magnetic interaction with oxygen vacancies, indicates that it can be classified as a soft magnetic material. The electrode's consistent dielectric constant and dissipation factor make it well‐suited for use in supercapacitor dielectric capacitors. Additionally, its mixed‐type conduction, involving both ionic and electronic conduction, makes it excellent for use as electrode materials in intermediate‐temperature solid oxide fuel cells’ applications.
Are the diagnostic rates of autistic females increasing? An examination of state‐wide trends
Authors: Harrop Clare , Tomaszewski Brianne , Putnam Orla , Klein Claire , Lamarche Elena , Klinger Laura
Published: January 2024

Background

Autism has been considered a ‘male‐dominant’ condition. However, recent research suggests that autistic females are underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed, and later diagnosed. Females may also have different and more nuanced behavioral profiles. To examine diagnosis rates of females, we used 20 years of state‐wide data to characterize historical trends in the diagnosis of autism in females to determine whether the proportion of females diagnosed with autism has changed over time.

Methods

Data were drawn from 10,247 participants (males = 8,319, females = 1928) who received an autism diagnosis between 2000 and 2021 from state‐wide autism centers associated with the University of North Carolina TEACCH Autism Program.

Results

The rates of females diagnosed with autism increased at a greater rate compared with males. Age of diagnosis remained consistently higher for females. Late diagnosis (defined as 13+) increased over time across both males and females, however, was more commonly associated with females, particularly those with co‐occurring intellectual disability.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the proportion of females diagnosed with autism has increased steadily over a 20‐year period, which likely reflects greater societal knowledge of how autism may manifest differentially in females.
A Dual‐Purpose Model for Binary Data: Estimating Ability and Misconceptions
Authors: Ma Wenchao , Sorrel Miguel A. , Zhai Xiaoming , Ge Yuan
Published: January 2024

Most existing diagnostic models are developed to detect whether students have mastered a set of skills of interest, but few have focused on identifying what scientific misconceptions students possess. This article developed a general dual‐purpose model for simultaneously estimating students' overall ability and the presence and absence of misconceptions. The expectation‐maximization algorithm was developed to estimate the model parameters. A simulation study was conducted to evaluate to what extent the parameters can be accurately recovered under varied conditions. A set of real data in science education was also analyzed to examine the viability of the proposed model in practice.
The Effect of Virtual Reality On Pain and Anxiety Management During Pelvic Examination: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Kurt Gülay , Ozcan Neslihan Keser
Published: January 2024

Introduction

It is important for health care professionals to address women's pain and anxiety during pelvic examinations. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of virtual reality (VR) on pain and anxiety management during pelvic examinations.

Methods

The study was a randomized controlled clinical trial reported in according to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials 2010 Guidelines. The research was conducted with 128 women (64 intervention, 64 control) who received care at a tertiary hospital outpatient clinic between November 2021 and February 2022. The intervention group received VR application via virtual glasses during pelvic examination, while the control group received routine care. Anxiety was measured using the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory before and after the pelvic examination, and the Visual Analog Scale was used to assess pain after the pelvic examination. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05545488).

Results

The mean anxiety scores of the women in the intervention and control groups were similar pretest (59.00 and 57.77). The mean anxiety score decreased after the pelvic examination to 36.53 in the intervention group and 47.55 in the control group. Results indicated a significant main effect for group assignment (F9.56; η2 = .071; P = .002), a significant main effect for time (F384.14; η2 = .753; P < .001), and a significant interaction between group and time (F53.95; η2 = .300; P < .001). Pain scores after the pelvic examination were lower in the intervention group (4.25) than in the control group (6.41; P < .001).

Conclusion

VR was effective in the management of pain and anxiety during pelvic examination. Future studies should compare the effectiveness of VR with other methods in reducing pain and anxiety during a pelvic examination.
Metal dyshomeostasis in the substantia nigra of patients with Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis
Authors: Carmona Asuncion , Carboni Eleonora , Gomes Lucas Caldi , Roudeau Stéphane , Maass Fabian , Lenz Christof , Ortega Richard , Lingor Paul
Published: January 2024

Abnormal metal distribution in vulnerable brain regions is involved in the pathogenesis of most neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting common molecular mechanisms of metal dyshomeostasis. This study aimed to compare the intra‐ and extra‐neuronal metal content and the expression of proteins related to metal homeostasis in the substantia nigra (SN) from patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and control subjects. Metal quantification was performed via ion‐beam micro‐analysis in neuromelanin‐positive neurons and the surrounding tissue. For proteomic analysis, SN tissue lysates were analyzed on a nanoflow chromatography system hyphenated to a hybrid triple‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer. We found increased amounts of iron in neuromelanin‐positive neurons and surrounding tissue in patients with PD and MS compared to controls (4‐ to 5‐fold higher) that, however, also showed large inter‐individual variations. Copper content was systematically lower (−2.4‐fold) in neuromelanin‐positive neurons of PD patients compared with controls, whereas it remained unchanged in MS. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analyses revealed clusters related to Fe and Cu homeostasis among PD‐deregulated proteins. An enrichment for the term “metal homeostasis” was observed for MS‐deregulated proteins. Important deregulated hub proteins included hemopexin and transferrin in PD, and calreticulin and ferredoxin reductase in MS. Our findings show that PD and MS share commonalities in terms of iron accumulation in the SN. Concomitant proteomics experiments revealed PPI networks related to metal homeostasis, substantiating the results of metal quantification.
Beverage consumption and facial skin aging: Evidence from Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Liu Xuanchen , Li Xin , Ma Jiguang
Published: January 2024

Background

Observational studies have linked coffee, alcohol, tea, and sugar‐sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption to facial skin aging. However, confounding factors may influence these studies. The present two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) investigated the potential causal association between beverage consumption and facial skin aging.

Methods

The single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with coffee, alcohol, and tea intake were derived from the IEU project. The SSB‐associated SNPs were selected from a genome‐wide association study (GWAS). Data on facial skin aging were derived from the largest GWAS involving 16 677 European individuals. The inverse variance‐weighted (IVW) was the main MR analysis method, supplemented by other methods (MR‐Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode). The MR‐Egger intercept analysis was used for sensitivity analysis. Moreover, we conducted a replication analysis using data from another GWAS dataset on coffee consumption to validate our findings.

Results

Four instrumental variables (IVs) sets were used to examine the causal association between beverage consumption (coffee, alcohol, tea, SSB) and facial skin aging. Our results revealed that genetically predicted higher coffee consumption reduced the risk of facial skin aging (OR: 0.852; 95% CI: 0.753–0.964; p = 0.011, IVW method). The sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the findings, with no evidence of pleiotropy or heterogeneity. The results of replicated MR analysis on coffee consumption were consistent with the initial analysis (OR = 0.997; 95% CI = 0.996–0.999; p = 0.003, IVW method).

Conclusions

This study manifests that higher coffee consumption is significantly associated with a reduced risk of facial skin aging. These findings can offer novel strategies for identifying the underlying etiology of facial skin aging.
Subcutaneous infection caused by Mycobacterium abscessus following botulinum toxin injections: A case report and literature review
Authors: Ou Yanting , Liu Dandan , Feng Jun , Xu Xiangwen , Lin Tingyin , Zhang Yihan , Luo Lin , Wu Mengfan , Cui Yongyan
Published: January 2024

Background

The rapid development of cosmetic injections has led to an increased incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection.

Patients and Methods

Here, we presented a case of cutaneous Mycobacterium abscessus infection subsequent to botulinum toxin injection for treating masseter hypertrophy, and reviewed the literature on skin and soft tissue infections caused by NTM after cosmetic injections.

Results and Conclusions

The patient underwent surgical excision and regular antibiotic therapy and has had nearly 2 months of follow‐up without any signs of infection. The diagnosis and treatment of NTM infection have always been challenging, and further research is needed to standardize and guide the treatment.
Exploring How Teachers' Scientific Questions Differ by Child Gender in a Preschool Classroom
Authors: Kumar Sona C. , Haber Amanda S. , Corriveau Kathleen H.
Published: January 2024

The current study explores differences in messages that preschool teachers send girls and boys about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Video footage of a preschool classroom (16 hr; N = 6 teachers; 20 children) was transcribed. Teachers' questions were coded for question‐type and whether the question was directed to a boy or a girl. Teachers directed significantly more scientific questions to boys than to girls. However, boys spent more time than girls in the science areas of the classroom and teachers directed questions to boys and girls at similar rates. These findings highlight how as early as the preschool years, girls and boys may receive different messages about how to approach science.
Inter‐observer reliability of the Onychomycosis Severity Index depending on clinical experience: A review of 50 cases
Authors: Navarro‐Pérez David , García‐Oreja Sara , Tardáguila‐García Aroa , León‐Herce Diego , Álvaro‐Afonso Francisco Javier , Lázaro‐Martínez José Luis
Published: January 2024

Background

Onychomycosis (ONM) is the most prevalent nail unit pathology, and its severity and monitoring are often based on the visual judgement of clinicians.

Objective

The objective of this study is to assess the reliability of the Onychomycosis Severity Index (OSI) classification when utilized by three clinicians with varying levels of clinical experience: an experienced podiatrist (with 5 years of experience), a moderately experienced podiatrist (with 2 years of experience) and an inexperienced podiatrist (a recent graduate familiar with the OSI classification but lacking clinical experience). Additionally, we compared the severity assessments made through visual inspection with those determined using the OSI by different clinicians.

Methods

We evaluated reliability using the intraclass correlation index (ICC), analysing 50 images of ONM.

Results

The OSI demonstrated a very high level of reliability (ICC: 0.889) across clinicians, irrespective of their experience levels. Conversely, a statistically significant increase in severity was observed when comparing visual assessments with the OSI (p < .001) for ONM severity evaluation.

Conclusion

The OSI proves to be a reproducible classification system, regardless of the clinical experience of the practitioner employing it.
Molecular skin fluorescence imaging: A tool for evaluating early melanoma development
Authors: Shachaf Amit , Manbeck Kevin , Yang Guang , Shachaf Catherine
Published: January 2024

A novel approach to melanoma diagnosis—in vivo molecular skin fluorescence imaging (mSFI)—was developed to identify premalignant changes in the form of tissue remodeling related to melanoma development in humans by imaging the proximal microenvironment of lesions. The method was tested using a fluorescent peptide (ORL‐1) which binds to αvβ3 integrin, a molecule associated with invasive melanoma development. A cut off score of 7 was established, differentiating melanomas from nonmelanoma nevi with 100% sensitivity, and 95.7% specificity, while identifying dysplastic nevi with the potential for melanoma development.
Ambidexterity within a multinational context: how organisations can leverage explorative and exploitative reverse innovation
Authors: Roth Linus , Corsi Simone , Hughes Mathew
Published: January 2024

Organisational ambidexterity allows firms to maintain a competitive advantage. In today's globally competitive environment, characterised by dispersed knowledge and diversified markets, ambidexterity assumes an even more important connotation from a geographic perspective. In this context, emerging economies (EEs) play a vital role as sources of innovators and market disruptors. This has resulted in the emerging phenomenon of reverse innovation (RI) and the rethinking of firms' multinational R&D and innovation strategies. The present study aims to answer how RI can be incorporated into multinational R&D strategies to bring about organisational ambidexterity on a firm level by balancing explorative and exploitative innovative activities across advanced economies (AEs) and EEs. With primary data collected through semi‐structured interviews with thirty R&D executives and senior managers, we find that RI can occur in the form of complete products and smaller innovative contributions toward developing new products that arise from the multinational collaboration between headquarters of organisations, their subsidiaries, and partners. We also find that multinational enterprises use both exploration and exploitation in EEs as the foundation for RI. Finally, we propose four distinct explorative and exploitative RI types that multinational enterprises can pursue to balance their ambidextrous activities across geographies. These four types of innovation are comprised of reverse product innovations and reverse flows of innovative contributions, each of explorative and exploitative nature.
No one is going to recess: How children evaluate collective and targeted punishment
Authors: Thomas Sarah , Kelsey Caroline , Vaish Amrisha
Published: January 2024

This study examined children's responses to targeted and collective punishment. Thirty‐six 4–5‐year‐olds and 36 6–7‐year‐olds (36 females; 54 White; data collected 2018–2019 in the United States) experienced three classroom punishment situations: Targeted (only transgressing student punished), Collective (one student transgressed, all students punished), and Baseline (all students transgressed, all punished). The older children evaluated collective punishment as less fair than targeted, whereas younger children evaluated both similarly. Across ages, children distributed fewer resources to teachers who administered collective than targeted punishment, and rated transgressors more negatively and distributed fewer resources to transgressors in Collective and Targeted than Baseline. These findings demonstrate children's increasing understanding of punishment and point to the potential impact of different forms of punishment on children's social lives.
The US Student Antisweatshop Movement's Presence and Success at the Campus Level: Impacts of Collective Identity Strength and Network Density1
Authors: Wimberley Dale W. , Raonka Pallavi , Rose Talitha , Sabirova Sofia , Gheesling Sasha
Published: January 2024

College students and campuses have played key roles in social movements because colleges' cultural and structural features tend to facilitate movements. But such attributes vary across campuses. This quantitative study models how two campus features that correspond to core elements of social movement theory—students' collective identity strength and social network density—appear to impact United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) groups' presence and success on 1,265 US 4‐year public and private nonprofit campuses during 2000–2006, operationalizing success as schools' joining the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) monitoring organization. Results generally indicate that collective identity strength and network density promote USAS presence and that network density facilitates WRC membership. USAS presence is pivotal, though not required, for WRC membership. Our logistic regression models also confirm that campus opportunity structures and off‐campus movement actors' roles help account for these USAS outcomes; notably, antiunion location (“Right‐to‐Work” states) undermines and Roman Catholic school affiliation encourages USAS presence and success. We identify theoretically why certain factors may promote only some forms of student activism (e.g., conscience constituent but not beneficiary‐based groups).
Justice Bork, or, be careful which supreme court nominees you choose to fight
Authors: Norris Mikel
Published: January 2024

Objective

This study uses counterfactual analysis to assess whether a hypothetical Supreme Court with Robert Bork as a member would have decided cases differently than the actual Supreme Court.

Methods

I utilize both a qualitative analysis, and a quantitative Bayesian counterfactual model to predict Supreme Court case outcomes from 1988 to 2012.

Results

The results show that several salient cases would have been decided differently, most of the decisions decided over the time frame would have remained unchanged. I also find that a hypothetical Supreme Court with Robert Bork as an associate justice would not have radically shifted rightward. Rather, the results show a brief rightward shift from 1991 to 1994, and a much longer and stronger rightward shift occurring after 2001.

Conclusion

The results suggest that scholars and pundits need to think more carefully about which Supreme Court nominees are should be contested in the advice and consent process – at least on political or ideological grounds.
High‐resolution characterization of KIR genes polymorphism in healthy subjects from the Bulgarian population—A pilot study
Authors: Al Hadra Bushra , Lukanov Tsvetelin , Mihaylova Anastasiya , Naumova Elissaveta
Published: January 2024

Although killer‐cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor (KIR) gene content has been widely studied in health and disease, with the advancement of next‐generation sequencing (NGS) technology the high‐resolution characterization of this complex gene region has become achievable. KIR allele‐level diversity has lately been described across human populations. The present study aimed to analyze for the first time the allele‐level polymorphism of nine KIR genes in 155 healthy, unrelated individuals from the Bulgarian population by applying NGS. The highest degree of polymorphism was detected for the KIR3DL3 gene with 40 observed alleles at five‐digit resolution in total, 22 of which were common. On the other hand, the KIR3DS1 gene was found to have the lowest degree of polymorphism among the studied KIR genes with one common allele: KIR3DS1*01301 (31.6%). To better understand KIR allelic associations and patterns in Bulgarians, we have estimated the pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD) for the 10 KIR loci, where KIR2DL3*00501 allele was found in strong LD with KIR2DL1*00101 (D′ = 1.00, R2 = 0.742). This is the first study investigating KIR polymorphism at the allele level in a population from the South‐East European region. Considering the effect of the populationally shaped KIR allelic polymorphism on NK cell function, this data could lead to a better understanding of the genetic heterogeneity of this region and can be carried into clinical practice by improvement of the strategies taken for NK‐mediated diseases.
QuadGridSIM: A quadrilateral grid‐based method for high‐performance and robust trajectory similarity analysis
Authors: Liu Juqing , Li Jun , Qiao Linwei , Li Mingke , Stefanakis Emmanuel , Zhao Xuesheng , Huang Qian , Wang Hao , Zhang Chengye
Published: January 2024

Measuring trajectory similarity is a fundamental algorithm in trajectory data mining, playing a key role in trajectory clustering, pattern mining, and classification, for instance. However, existing trajectory similarity measures based on vector representation have challenges in achieving both fast and accurate similarity measurements. On one hand, most existing methods have a high computational complexity of O(n × m), resulting in low efficiency. On the other hand, many of them are sensitive to trajectory sampling rates and lack of accuracy. This article proposes QuadGridSIM, a quadrilateral grid‐based method for trajectory similarity analysis, which enables high‐performance trajectory similarity measure without the cost of low effectiveness. Specifically, we first realize the multiscale coding representation of trajectory data based on quadrilateral discrete grids. Then, a novel trajectory similarity measure is defined to reduce the computational complexity of O(n). Several effectiveness properties of QuadGridSIM are further optimized, including the spatial overlap, directionality, symmetry, and robustness to sampling rate variations. Experimental results based on real‐world and simulated taxi trajectory data indicate that QuadGridSIM outperforms most of the other tested algorithms developed previously in terms of effectiveness, particularly in its robustness regarding trajectory sampling rates. Furthermore, QuadGridSIM exhibits superior performance and is approximately one order of magnitude faster than previous methods in the literature. QuadGridSIM provides a solution to the low‐efficiency problem of massive trajectory similarity analysis and can be applied in many application scenarios, such as route recommendation and suspect detection.
Leaky mutations in the zeaxanthin epoxidase in Capsicum annuum result in bright‐red fruit containing a high amount of zeaxanthin
Authors: Lee Seo‐Young , Jang So‐Jeong , Jeong Hyo‐Bong , Lee Joung‐Ho , Kim Geon Woo , Venkatesh Jelli , Back Seungki , Kwon Jin‐Kyung , Choi Da‐Min , Kim Jeong‐Il , Kim Geun‐Joong , Kang Byoung‐Cheorl
Published: January 2024

Fruit color is one of the most important traits in peppers due to its esthetic value and nutritional benefits and is determined by carotenoid composition, resulting from diverse mutations of carotenoid biosynthetic genes. The EMS204 line, derived from an EMS mutant population, presents bright‐red color, compared with the wild type Yuwolcho cultivar. HPLC analysis indicates that EMS204 fruit contains more zeaxanthin and less capsanthin and capsorubin than Yuwolcho. MutMap was used to reveal the color variation of EMS204 using an F3 population derived from a cross of EMS204 and Yuwolcho, and the locus was mapped to a 2.5‐Mbp region on chromosome 2. Among the genes in the region, a missense mutation was found in ZEP (zeaxanthin epoxidase) that results in an amino acid sequence alteration (V291 → I). A color complementation experiment with Escherichia coli and ZEP in vitro assay using thylakoid membranes revealed decreased enzymatic activity of EMS204 ZEP. Analysis of endogenous plant hormones revealed a significant reduction in abscisic acid content in EMS204. Germination assays and salinity stress experiments corroborated the lower ABA levels in the seeds. Virus‐induced gene silencing showed that ZEP silencing also results in bright‐red fruit containing less capsanthin but more zeaxanthin than control. A germplasm survey of red color accessions revealed no similar carotenoid profiles to EMS204. However, a breeding line containing a ZEP mutation showed a very similar carotenoid profile to EMS204. Our results provide a novel breeding strategy to develop red pepper cultivars containing high zeaxanthin contents using ZEP mutations.
Radiation from the equine perineal region is low compared with the elbow and head 24 hours after bone scintigraphic examination
Authors: Marcelino Leticia , Falk Emma , Johansson Jessica , Rydén Jesper , Uhlhorn Margareta , Ley Charles J.
Published: January 2024

The timing of follow‐up radiography and ultrasound in horses that undergo skeletal scintigraphy for lameness investigation varies internationally and between equine hospitals. The prospective, one‐group, pretest, posttest study aimed to estimate radiation levels from horses three and 24 h after injection of hydroxydiphosphonate labeled with metastable technetium (99mTc‐HDP) and investigate which anatomical locations of the horse had higher radiation levels. Included were 46 horses referred for lameness investigation between June and December 2021. Radiation levels from the horse surface were measured using an electronic device from six anatomical locations (head, elbow, dorsum, ventrum, stifle, and perineum) at two time points and adjusted to three and 24 h after injection of 99mTc‐HDP using the radioactive decay law. The radiation measured was significantly different in the various locations of the horses for both time points. At 3 h after injection of 99mTc‐HDP, the ventrum had the highest radiation dose. At 24 h, the radiation emitted from the perineal region was significantly lower (P < .0001) than from the elbow and head, which had the highest values. There was a negative correlation between age and the radiation detected at 24 h postinjection (P = .02). Radiation from the perineal region was low compared with other regions of the horse 24 h postscintigraphy. Additional care should be taken around the ventrum area during the scintigraphy examination and around the elbow and head at 24 h postscintigraphy to minimize radiation to personnel.
Bayesian evaluation of meat juice ELISA for detecting Salmonella in slaughtered pigs without specifying a cut‐off
Authors: Arnold Mark , Smith Richard Piers , Martelli Francesca , Davies Robert
Published: January 2024

Background

Consumption of pork and pork products is a major source of human infection with Salmonella. Salmonella is typically subclinical in pigs, making it difficult to identify infected pigs. Therefore, effective surveillance of Salmonella in pigs critically relies on good knowledge on how well the diagnostic tests used perform. A test that has been used in several countries for Salmonella monitoring is serological testing of meat juice using an ELISA (MJ ELISA) to detect antibodies against Salmonella. This MJ ELISA data could be used to estimate infection prevalence and trends. However, as the MJ ELISA output is a sample‐to‐positive (S/P) ratio, which is a continuous outcome rather than a binary (positive/negative) result, the interpretation of this data depends upon a chosen cut‐off.

Aim

To apply Bayesian latent class models (BLCMs) to estimate diagnostic accuracy of the MJ ELISA test values in the absence of a gold standard without needing to apply a cut‐off.

Methods and Results

BLCMs were fitted to data from a UK abattoir survey carried out in 2006 in order to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of MJ ELISA with respect to the prevalence of active Salmonella infection. This survey consisted of a MJ ELISA applied in parallel with the bacteriological testing of caecal contents, carcass swabs and lymph nodes (n = 625). A BLCM was also fitted to the same data but with dichotomisation of the MJ ELISA results, in order to compare with the model using continuous outcomes. Estimates were obtained for sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA over a range of S/P values and for the bacteriological tests and were found to be similar between the models using continuous and dichotomous ELISA outcomes.

Conclusion

The Bayesian method without specifying a cut‐off does allow prevalence to be inferred without specifying a cut‐off for the ELISA. The study results will be useful for estimating infection prevalence from serological surveillance data.
Zeros of dirichlet L‐functions near the critical line
Authors: Dickinson George
Published: January 2024

We prove an upper bound on the density of zeros very close to the critical line of the family of Dirichlet L‐functions of modulus q at height T. To do this, we derive an asymptotic for the twisted second moment of Dirichlet L‐functions uniformly in q and t. As a second application of the asymptotic formula, we prove that, for every integer q, at least 38.2% of zeros of the primitive Dirichlet L‐functions of modulus q lie on the critical line.
Dynamics on ℙ1: preperiodic points and pairwise stability
Authors: DeMarco Laura , Mavraki Niki Myrto
Published: January 2024

DeMarco, Krieger, and Ye conjectured that there is a uniform bound B, depending only on the degree d, so that any pair of holomorphic maps $f, g :{\mathbb {P}}^1\to {\mathbb {P}}^1$ with degree $d$ will either share all of their preperiodic points or have at most $B$ in common. Here we show that this uniform bound holds for a Zariski open and dense set in the space of all pairs, $\mathrm {Rat}_d \times \mathrm {Rat}_d$, for each degree $d\geq 2$. The proof involves a combination of arithmetic intersection theory and complex-dynamical results, especially as developed recently by Gauthier and Vigny, Yuan and Zhang, and Mavraki and Schmidt. In addition, we present alternate proofs of the main results of DeMarco, Krieger, and Ye [Uniform Manin-Mumford for a family of genus 2 curves, Ann. of Math. (2) 191 (2020), 949–1001; Common preperiodic points for quadratic polynomials, J. Mod. Dyn. 18 (2022), 363–413] and of Poineau [Dynamique analytique sur$\mathbb {Z}$II : Écart uniforme entre Lattès et conjecture de Bogomolov-Fu-Tschinkel, Preprint (2022), arXiv:2207.01574 [math.NT]]. In fact, we prove a generalization of a conjecture of Bogomolov, Fu, and Tschinkel in a mixed setting of dynamical systems and elliptic curves.
Sixfolds of generalized Kummer type and K3 surfaces
Authors: Floccari Salvatore
Published: January 2024

We prove that any hyper-Kähler sixfold $K$ of generalized Kummer type has a naturally associated manifold $Y_K$ of $\mathrm {K}3^{[3]}$ type. It is obtained as crepant resolution of the quotient of $K$ by a group of symplectic involutions acting trivially on its second cohomology. When $K$ is projective, the variety $Y_K$ is birational to a moduli space of stable sheaves on a uniquely determined projective $\mathrm {K}3$ surface $S_K$. As an application of this construction we show that the Kuga–Satake correspondence is algebraic for the K3 surfaces $S_K$, producing infinitely many new families of $\mathrm {K}3$ surfaces of general Picard rank $16$ satisfying the Kuga–Satake Hodge conjecture.
Low‐dose X‐ray radiation induces an adaptive response: A potential countermeasure to galactic cosmic radiation exposure
Authors: Edwards Siena , Adams Jessica , Tchernikov Anastasia , Edwards John G.
Published: January 2024

Space exploration involves many dangers including galactic cosmic radiation (GCR). This class of radiation includes high‐energy protons and heavy ionizing ions. NASA has defined GCR as a carcinogenic risk for long‐duration space missions. To date, no clear strategy has been developed to counter chronic GCR exposure. We hypothesize that preconditioning cells with low levels of radiation will be protective from subsequent higher radiation exposures. H9C2 cells were pretreated with 0.1 to 1.0 Gy X‐rays. The challenge radiation exposure consisted of either 8 Gy X‐rays or 75 cGy of GCR, using a five‐ion GCRsim protocol. A cell doubling time assay was used to determine cell viability. An 8 Gy X‐ray challenge alone significantly (P < 0.05) increased cell doubling time compared to the no‐radiation control group. Low‐dose radiation pre‐treatment ameliorated the 8 Gy X‐ray‐induced increases in cell doubling time. A 75 cGy GCR challenge alone significantly increased cell doubling time compared to the no‐radiation group. Following the 75 cGy challenge, only the 0.5 and 1.0 Gy pre‐treatment ameliorated the 75 cGy‐induced increases in cell doubling time. DNA damage or pathological oxidant stress will delay replicative functions and increase cell doubling time. Our results suggested that pretreatment with low‐dose X‐rays induced an adaptive response which offered a small but significant protection against a following higher radiation challenge. Although perhaps not a practical countermeasure, these findings may serve to offer insight into cell signalling pathways activated in response to low‐dose irradiation and targeted for countermeasure development.