bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No Evidence of SARS‐CoV‐2 Infection in Urban Wildlife of Hokkaido, Japan
Authors: Kovba Anastasiia , Nao Naganori , Shimozuru Michito , Sashika Mariko , Takahata Chihiro , Sato Kei , Uriu Keiya , Yamanaka Masami , Nakanishi Masanao , Ito Genta , Ito Mebuki , Minamikawa Miku , Shimizu Kotaro , Goka Koichi , Onuma Manabu , Matsuno Keita , Tsubota Toshio
Published: August 2024

Various domestic and wildlife species have been found susceptible to and infected with SARS‐CoV‐2, the causative agent of COVID‐19, around the globe, raising concerns about virus adaptation and transmission to new animal hosts. The virus circulation in the white‐tailed deer population in North America has further called to action for virus surveillance in the wildlife. Here, we report on the first SARS‐CoV‐2 survey of wild animals in Japan, where frequent wildlife invasions of urban areas have occurred due to the limited predation, field abandonment, the increase of human acclimatization. Genetic testing using nasal swabs and serological screening have been conducted for sika deer, brown bears, raccoons, and raccoon dogs captured in Hokkaido prefecture from the end of the Delta variant wave to the spread of the Omicron variant, between March 2022 and February 2023. No viral RNA was detected in raccoons (0/184), sika deer (0/107), and brown bears (0/14) indicating that the virus was unlikely to spread within the population of these animal species. Among 171 raccoons, 20 raccoon dogs, 100 sika deer, and 13 brown bears, one raccoon, one brown bear, and two deer tested positive in the antibodies screening with multispecies SARS‐CoV‐2 N‐protein ELISA. Still, ELISA‐positive samples tested negative in three other serological tests, emphasizing the importance of confirming serological screening results. Our results suggested that SARS‐CoV‐2 was unlikely to spillback from humans to wildlife in Hokkaido during the study period, with the emergence of new variants, continuous surveillance is of utmost importance.
Removal of Subinternal Limiting Membrane Hemorrhage Secondary to Valsalva Retinopathy Using a Fovea‐Sparing Internal Limiting Membrane Fissure Creation Technique
Authors: Sotani Yasuyuki , Imai Hisanori , Kishi Maya , Yamada Hiroko , Matsumiya Wataru , Miki Akiko , Kusuhara Sentaro , Nakamura Makoto
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Valsalva retinopathy can cause submacular hemorrhage (SMH), which may lead to visual disturbances. SMH can extend into the subinternal limiting membrane (ILM) and vitreous spaces, sometimes occurring concomitantly with full‐thickness macular holes (FTMHs). Herein, we describe a case in which sub‐ILM hemorrhage was removed without peeling the ILM of the central fovea, thus preserving the foveal ILM.

Case Presentation: A 48‐year‐old female patient developed rapid‐onset bilateral visual impairment due to SMH secondary to Valsalva retinopathy. The SMH predominantly consisted of sub‐ILM hemorrhage. However, detailed observation was challenging due to the dense sub‐ILM hemorrhage in the left eye. Initial best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the right and left eyes were 1.2 and 0.03, respectively. Intravitreal tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas injections were initially administered to displace the SMH in the left eye; however, the SMH could not be successfully displaced. A vitrectomy was then performed. Intraoperatively, an ILM fissure beyond the foveal region was created using ILM forceps. The balanced salt solution was sprayed onto the ILM, and the sub‐ILM hemorrhage was drained into the vitreous cavity from the ILM fissure. The surgery successfully displaced the sub‐ILM hemorrhage while preserving the foveal ILM. No postoperative complications were observed. Visual acuity remained at 1.2 in the right eye and improved to 1.2 in the left eye 6 months postoperatively.

Conclusion: Removing foveal sub‐ILM hemorrhage without peeling the foveal ILM can be a viable treatment option to preserve the foveal ILM.
The Impact of Physical Activity on the Development of Postpartum Depression
Authors: Rovcanin Marija , Tomic Ana , Sipetic Grujicic Sandra , Jankovic Svetlana , Ivic Bojana , Lackovic Milan , Lackovic Maja , Vujcic Isidora
Published: August 2024

Although the benefits of physical activity (PA) on mental well‐being are well established, the vulnerability of women during pregnancy and the postpartum period poses challenges in studying the effects of PA on postpartum depression (PPD). This study investigated the association between total and domain‐specific PA levels during pregnancy and postpartum depressive symptoms. The study included 105 healthy pregnant women whose PA status was evaluated by the Serbian version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire during Pregnancy (PPAQ‐SRB) and their postpartum mental health by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the independent relationship between PPAQ‐SRB scores and the prediction of the PPD symptom occurrence. Our analysis revealed that the development of PPD symptomatology was associated with a lower “Total PPAQ‐SRB score” (odds ratio (OR) 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.70–0.93]; p = 0.03) and “Total Activity score” (OR 0.82; 95% CI [0.71–0.93]; p = 0.03) as well as lower scores of light‐intensity PA (OR 0.81; 95% CI [0.69–0.96]; p = 0.013), moderate‐intensity PA (OR 0.82; 95% CI [0.71–0.94]; p = 0.005), “Household/care” (OR 0.85; 95% CI [0.73–0.98]; p = 0.028), and “Occupational” activities (OR 0.80; 95% CI [0.78–0.95]; p = 0.012). Lower levels of light‐to‐moderate‐intensity household and occupational activities appeared to increase the risk of PPD, indicating the importance of circumstances under which PA is performed. Hence, our findings indicate that PA during pregnancy can mitigate mood disorders in postpartum mothers. Moreover, reduced participation in light‐to‐moderate‐intensity household and occupational activities seemed to increase the risk of PPD.
Diagnosis of a Rare Rickettsia felis Infection Complicated with Unusual Pericardial Effusion and Cardiac Tamponade Using an mNGS Test
Authors: Po Tien-Lung , Huang Chien-Hsien , Lin Chia-Hsun , Hung Huei-Fong
Published: August 2024

The occurrence of sporadic rickettsial infections has been consistently undervalued and overlooked, primarily owing to a limited emphasis on routine examinations for rickettsioses in clinical practice. At present, the immunofluorescence assay is the prevailing diagnostic method for suspected rickettsioses that enables the detection of specific antibodies against rickettsia in human serum. Herein, we present an exceptional instance of rickettsial infection that was characterized by a rare manifestation of extensive pericardial effusion leading to dyspnea and cardiac tamponade. A diagnosis of chronic fibrosing pericarditis was established based on pericardium tissue obtained through pericardiotomy, and a conclusive metagenomic next‐generation sequencing test confirmed the presence of Rickettsia felis infection. The cat flea, scientifically known as Ctenocephalides felis, is the predominant carrier of R. felis. An escalating incidence of human R. felis infections has raised concerns, particularly in light of the burgeoning population of domesticated animals in many contemporary societies.
Evaluation of Aggregate Oral Fluids for African Swine Fever Real–Time PCR Diagnostics Using Samples Collected on Romanian Farms with an Active Outbreak
Authors: Joseph Chung Chungwon , D. Remmenga Marta , R. Mielke Sarah , Branan Matthew , Daniel Mihalca Andrei , Balmos Oana-Maria , Adrian Balaban Oglan David , Supeanu Alexandru , Farkas Attila
Published: August 2024

African swine fever (ASF), caused by African swine fever virus (ASFv), is a highly contagious disease of domestic and wild pigs with a mortality rate that can reach 100%. Continuous spread of the virus into ASF‐free regions, including the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 2021, is causing socioeconomic burdens and presents a threat to food security. Pork‐producing countries, including the United States and Canada, are urgently looking for efficient tools for early detection to reduce spread of the virus in the event of an outbreak. Previous experimental infection studies evaluated the utility of aggregate porcine oral fluids (OFs) as a sample type with a highly sensitive ASFv real‐time PCR for individual blood and tissue‐based diagnosis. In this study, real‐time PCR with porcine OFs was further evaluated to better understand diagnostic performance using samples from three Romanian farms with an ongoing ASF outbreak. In this limited dataset using a Bayesian latent class model, no statistical difference in diagnostic sensitivity was found between the real‐time PCR using aggregate OFs and the process of determining pen disease status by testing individual blood samples collected from a subset of pigs from the same pen. Known negative aggregate OF samples from pigs in the United States had no occurrences of false positives, suggesting reliable diagnostic specificity of the sample matrix used for this study. Until results are produced from further studies with sufficient sample size, aggregate OF testing using real‐time PCR could cautiously be used as a supplementary sample type for ASF diagnosis alongside currently approved sample types, including blood and lymphoid tissues.
Bienes diferenciados, Información y poder de mercado
Authors: Guthmann Rafael R.
Published: August 2024

Este artículo explora la relación entre la diferenciación de productos, el acceso a la información y el poder de mercado. El autor argumenta que, contrario a la creencia común, la diferenciación de productos por sí sola no genera poder de mercado. En su lugar, son las fricciones de intercambio, representadas por el acceso limitado de los compradores a los vendedores, lo que realmente genera poder de mercado. El estudio enfatiza la importancia de la información sobre la existencia de vendedores (awareness) como factor clave en la determinación del poder de mercado. Concluye que mercados con muchos compradores y vendedores potenciales, y con bajo nivel de fricciones informativas, pueden ser altamente competitivos incluso con productos diferenciados.
Supplementary Data file 1 from Systemic Blockade of Clever-1 Elicits Lymphocyte Activation Alongside Checkpoint Molecule Downregulation in Patients with Solid Tumors: Results from a Phase I/II Clinical Trial
Authors: Virtakoivu Reetta , Rannikko Jenna H. , Viitala Miro , Vaura Felix , Takeda Akira , Lönnberg Tapio , Koivunen Jussi , Jaakkola Panu , Pasanen Annika , Shetty Shishir , de Jonge Maja J.A. , Robbrecht Debbie , Ma Yuk Ting , Skyttä Tanja , Minchom Anna , Jalkanen Sirpa , Karvonen Matti K. , Mandelin Jami , Bono Petri , Hollmén Maija
Published: August 2024

Excel spreadsheets of mass spectrometry analysis
Neuro-Mesenchymal Interaction Mediated by a β2-Adrenergic Nerve Growth Factor Feedforward Loop Promotes Colorectal Cancer Progression
Authors: Kobayashi Hiroki , Iida Tadashi , Ochiai Yosuke , Malagola Ermanno , Zhi Xiaofei , White Ruth A. , Qian Jin , Wu Feijing , Waterbury Quin T. , Tu Ruhong , Zheng Biyun , LaBella Jonathan S. , Zamechek Leah B. , Ogura Atsushi , Woods Susan L. , Worthley Daniel L. , Enomoto Atsushi , Wang Timothy C.
Published: August 2024

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) and nerves, components of the tumor microenvironment, have each been shown to directly promote gastrointestinal cancers. However, it remains unknown whether these cells interact with each other to regulate cancer progression. We found that in colorectal cancer, norepinephrine induces ADRB2 (β2-adrenergic receptor)–dependent nerve growth factor (NGF) secretion from CAFs, which in turn increases intratumor sympathetic innervation and norepinephrine accumulation. Adrenergic stimulation accelerates colorectal cancer growth through ADRA2A/Gi-mediated activation of Yes-associated protein (YAP). NGF from CAFs directly enhances colorectal cancer cell growth via the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT pathway. Treatment with a tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) inhibitor decreased YAP and AKT activation and colorectal cancer progression in mice. In human colorectal cancer, high NGF expression is associated with mesenchymal-like tumor subtype and poor patient survival. These findings suggest a central role for reciprocal CAF–nerve cross-talk in promoting colorectal cancer progression. Blocking this feedforward loop with a TRK inhibitor may represent a potential therapeutic approach for colorectal cancer.

Significance:

Our work demonstrates that the bidirectional interplay between sympathetic nerves and NGF-expressing CAFs drives colorectal tumorigenesis. This study also offers novel mechanistic insights into catecholamine action in colorectal cancer. Inhibiting the neuro-mesenchymal interaction by TRK blockade could be a potential strategy for treating colorectal cancer.
Table 1 from mTORC1-Driven Protein Translation Correlates with Clinical Benefit of Capivasertib within a Genetically Preselected Cohort of PIK3CA-Altered Tumors
Authors: Sobsey Constance A. , Froehlich Bjoern C. , Mitsa Georgia , Ibrahim Sahar , Popp Robert , Zahedi Rene P. , de Bruin Elza C. , Borchers Christoph H. , Batist Gerald
Published: August 2024

Descriptive statistics for the patient samples analyzed
Figure S7 from BRCA Status Dictates Wnt Responsiveness in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Chehade Hussein , Gogoi Radhika , Adzibolosu Nicholas K. , Galoforo Sandra , Fehmi Rouba-Ali , Kheil Mira , Fox Alexandra , Kim Seongho , Rattan Ramandeep , Hou Zhanjun , Morris Robert T. , Matherly Larry H. , Mor Gil , Alvero Ayesha B.
Published: August 2024

qPCR analysis for Wnt3A and Ctnnb1 in ID8 mouse ovarian cancer cells. Data are presented as mean +/- SEM (n=3). Ordinary one-way ANOVA was used to calculate statistical significance.
Supplementary Table S2 from mTORC1-Driven Protein Translation Correlates with Clinical Benefit of Capivasertib within a Genetically Preselected Cohort of PIK3CA-Altered Tumors
Authors: Sobsey Constance A. , Froehlich Bjoern C. , Mitsa Georgia , Ibrahim Sahar , Popp Robert , Zahedi Rene P. , de Bruin Elza C. , Borchers Christoph H. , Batist Gerald
Published: August 2024

Proteins expression differences between capivasertib-resistant vs. capivasertib-sensitive cells quantified by validated MRM-MS assays as compared to the profile observed in patient samples
Figure S4 from BRCA Status Dictates Wnt Responsiveness in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Chehade Hussein , Gogoi Radhika , Adzibolosu Nicholas K. , Galoforo Sandra , Fehmi Rouba-Ali , Kheil Mira , Fox Alexandra , Kim Seongho , Rattan Ramandeep , Hou Zhanjun , Morris Robert T. , Matherly Larry H. , Mor Gil , Alvero Ayesha B.
Published: August 2024

(A) qPCR analysis of Wnt inhibitors Dkk1, Notum, and Axin2 in ID8 mouse ovarian cancer cells. Data are presented as mean +/- SEM (n=3). Ordinary one-way ANOVA with Dunnett’s multiple comparison test was used to calculate statistical significance; (B) Western blot analysis validates upregulation of Axin2 upon loss of BRCA2.
Supplementary Figure S2 from mTORC1-Driven Protein Translation Correlates with Clinical Benefit of Capivasertib within a Genetically Preselected Cohort of PIK3CA-Altered Tumors
Authors: Sobsey Constance A. , Froehlich Bjoern C. , Mitsa Georgia , Ibrahim Sahar , Popp Robert , Zahedi Rene P. , de Bruin Elza C. , Borchers Christoph H. , Batist Gerald
Published: August 2024

Individual protein concentrations measured by iMALDI-MS for PTEN vs. IHC H-score
A Novel Truncating Variant in Sandestig-Stefanova Syndrome with Hydrocephalus
Authors: Bulut Gülnihal , Turgut Gözde Tutku , Toksoy Güven , Altunoğlu Umut , Aslanger Ayça Dilruba , Uyguner Zehra Oya , Karaman Birsen
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Sandestig-Stefanova syndrome (MIM:618804) is characterized by pre- and postnatal microcephaly, trigonocephaly, bilateral congenital cataracts, microphthalmia, cleft lip and palate or high-arched palate, camptodactyly, rocker-bottom feet, heart anomalies, periventricular white matter loss, thin corpus callosum, and delayed myelination. Bi-allelic loss-of-function variants in the Nucleoporin 188 (NUP188) (MIM:615587) gene are implicated in the etiology. Case Presentation: Our patient, born to consanguineous parents, presented with tetralogy of Fallot, bilateral congenital cataracts, hydrocephalus, a bifid uvula, a right pelvic kidney, hepatomegaly, facial feature findings, and a history of a similarly affected ex-sibling. Whole exome sequence analysis in the index case revealed a novel homozygous variant NM_015354.2: c.124C>T/p.(Arg42Ter) in the NUP188 gene. Conclusion: This study describes a new patient with Sandestig-Stefanova syndrome harboring a novel pathogenic variant in the NUP188 gene.
Gegen Qinlian Decoction Combined with Conventional Western Medicine for the Treatment of Infectious Diarrhea: A Systematic Review and Trial Sequential Analysis
Authors: Wang Fei , Wu Qianyan , Zhang Qingyuan , Ma Shuaishuai , Wang Kangyi , Jian Hui , Zhang Ying
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Infectious diarrhea (ID) is a highly prevalent disease worldwide that poses a substantial risk to human well-being. In China, numerous clinical studies have investigated the efficacy of Gegen Qinlian decoction (GGQLD) in treating ID. However, there is a need for additional rigorous and evidence-based medical research to enhance physicians’ confidence in their prescribing practices. Methods: Seven Chinese and English databases were systematically searched. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3, and Stata 16.0 was used for the sensitivity analysis. Trial sequential analysis was performed using TSA v0.9, and GRADEprofiler was utilized to evaluate the quality of evidence. Results: A total of 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1,240 patients were included. The meta-analysis demonstrated that the combination of GGQLD with conventional Western medicine had better effects on clinical efficacy (relative risk [RR] = 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.10, 1.20]), duration of diarrhea symptoms (weighted mean difference [WMD] = −10.96, 95% CI [−11.97, −9.96]), duration of abdominal pain symptoms (WMD = −12.01, 95% CI [−14.12, −9.90]), duration of fever symptoms (WMD = −11.91, 95% CI [−13.39, −10.43]), interleukin-6 levels (WMD = −113.59, 95% CI [−113.03, −108.14]), and tumor necrosis factor-α levels (WMD = −62.18, 95% CI [−65.25, −59.11]) and that no significant adverse reactions occurred (RR = 0.45, 95% CI [0.10, 1.97]). The sample size of the included studies reached the expected size. The quality of evidence for outcome indicators was rated as low or very low. Conclusions: The combination of GGQLD with conventional Western medicine demonstrates promising efficacy and safety in treating ID. Nonetheless, more high-quality RCTs are required to confirm this conclusion.
Factors and Challenges in Road Crash Incidents: Basis for Enhanced Interventions
Authors: Segun William M. , Dela Cruz Fermel V. , Golla Nathaniel S. , Villa Elizabeth B.
Published: August 2024

This study examined the factors that led to road crash incidents in Metro Manila, focusing on human behavior, public awareness and attitudes, road infrastructure and Mdesign, technological interventions, and the implementation of enforcement measures. The findings indicated that human error was the primary cause of road crashes, with speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving, failure to adhere to traffic rules, and aggressive driving behaviors identified as significant factors. We also found that road infrastructure and design, public awareness and attitudes, technological interventions, and enforcement measures significantly contribute to road crash incidents.
The study further explored the challenges encountered by the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group in reducing road crash incidents. The study identified significant challenges in human behavior, public awareness, road infrastructure and design, technological interventions, and enforcement measures and found strong positive relationships between these factors and road crash incidents. We deemed it crucial to address these challenges to impact road safety and reduce accidents significantly. The research highlighted the importance of addressing human behavior, public awareness, road infrastructure and design, technological interventions, and enforcement measures to enhance road safety and reduce road crash incidents in Metro Manila. By focusing on these factors and addressing the identified challenges, the PNP Highway Patrol Group could implement enhanced interventions and promote a safer transportation environment for all road users.
Mapeamento pedológico digital com base em objetos a partir de unidades elementares de relevo
Authors: Valadares Alan Pessoa , Coelho Ricardo Marques , Gamba Carlos Tadeu de Carvalho
Published: August 2024

Given the difficulties in carrying out pedological surveys using conventional methods, digital mapping of soil classes (DMSC) has the potential to support the resumption of systematic pedological surveys. For this, strategies that use legacy information from conventional surveys are desirable. However, it is necessary to understand what information can be predicted in the DMSC of new areas with satisfactory quality. Object-based DSMC strategies have outperformed pixel-based approaches, although it is unclear whether this is true in any context. This study aimed to evaluate the use of legacy information from systematic soil surveys, comparing pixel-based and object-based DMSC approaches. The study area comprises the São Paulo municipalities of Cordeirópolis, Santa Gertrudes, Iracemápolis, Rio Claro and Ipeúna. Elementary relief units were used to delimit polygons in the construction of databases for DMSC based on objects. The results were evaluated considering the global accuracy, Kappa index, in addition to the true positive rates and the precision observed in the predicted classes. Elementary relief units were effective when used in an object-based DMSC approach. The tests employed showed satisfactory results for the extrapolation of legacy information from systematic pedological surveys in the state of São Paulo in pixel and object DMSC approaches, reaching an accuracy of 61 % and a Kappa index of 0.54. The low performance in predicting specific classes was not directly related to their greater or lesser occurrence in the study area.
Imaginações geográficas e a descentralização da figura humana nas paisagens do cinema contemporâneo
Authors: Alencar Bruno Mesquita Malta de , Castanha Cesar de Siqueira
Published: August 2024

This study seeks to acknowledge the forms of destabilization of the geographic space and the decentralization of the human figure in the landscapes of contemporary cinema. This study focuses on the films Meek’s cutoff (2010) by Kelly Reichardt, Jauja (2014) by Lisandro Alonso, and Il buco (2021) by Michelangelo Frammartino, representatives of a spatial reiteration that crosses contemporary cinema. First, we focus on the concept of “geographical imaginations” by Ângela Prysthon. Then, we address the concept of the figure by the theory of image and with how some ways to address this figuration can lead to a decentralization of the human in relation to space.
Noites alienígenas: entre o fantástico e o ordinário na antropologia especulativa do cinema acreano
Authors: Fiori Ana Letícia de
Published: August 2024

This article analyzes the film Alien Nights (Sérgio de Carvalho 2022) based on Juan José Saer’s proposition of ficcion as a “speculative anthropology”. The analysis approach the making of autochthonous and alien alterities by the discussion of imagetic and narrative construction of Rio Branco – considering the city as a central character of the movie – and of the other characters of the film, considering Michael Taussig and Tzvetan Todorov; the relation between ways of life, violence and the ordinary, in a dialogue with Veena Das and Donna Haraway; and the copoiesis of masculinities, femininities and kinship which engenders ways of inhabiting the world and staying with the trouble.
Burden of Heart Failure in Patients With Tricuspid Regurgitation and Effect of Transcatheter Repair on Different Subdimensions of Quality of Life
Authors: Stocker Thomas J. , Sommer Saskia , Cohen David J. , Spertus John A. , Stolz Lukas , Doldi Philipp M. , Weckbach Ludwig T. , Nabauer Michael , Massberg Steffen , Hausleiter Jörg
Published: August 2024

Background

Right‐sided heart failure (HF) due to severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is associated with reduced quality of life (QoL). Here, we analyzed the impact of TR on specific QoL dimensions and the effect of transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention (TTVI) on individual QoL items.

Methods and Results

In this study, we included 174 patients with HF (49% women; median age, 79 years; 97% New York Heart Association ≥3) with baseline QoL assessment undergoing TTVI by transcatheter edge‐to‐edge‐repair at our center between April 2016 and March 2022. QoL was assessed by the standardized Minnesota Living With HF Questionnaire. QoL change after TTVI and correlation to functional end points were analyzed. In addition, all QoL domains and the 21 individual items of the Minnesota Living With HF Questionnaire were analyzed. TTVI significantly reduced TR (TR ≥3: baseline 95%, 1‐year‐follow‐up 7%;
P
<0.001). Total Minnesota Living with HF Questionnaire score improved from 37 (interquartile range, 26–50) points to 31 (interquartile range, 17–42) points (median follow‐up‐interval, 355 days;
P
<0.001). QoL improvement was associated with positive New York Heart Association class, 6‐minute walking distance, and actigraphy changes (all
P
<0.05). The detailed analysis revealed that all items of the physical‐related QoL dimension were impaired at baseline and strongly improved after TTVI. In contrast, the emotional and “social” Minnesota Living With HF Questionnaire dimensions were largely unaffected at baseline, yet specific items improved with TTVI.

Conclusions

In this single‐center study, we delineate the QoL‐associated disease burden of TR and identify specific QoL items that improved after TTVI. Our findings support TTVI in patients with reduced QoL and may add to the development of specific tools assessing the functional status of an increasing patient population undergoing TTVI.
Distinct neural networks of task engagement and choice response in moral, risky, and ambiguous decision-making: An ALE meta-analysis
Authors: Ambrase Aiste , Müller Veronika I. , Camilleri Julia A. , Wong Hong Yu , Derntl Birgit
Published: August 2024

Moral, risky, and ambiguous decision-making are likely to be characterized by common and distinct cognitive processes and thus show partly overlapping neural correlates. Previously, two different analysis approaches have been used to assess the neural correlates in all three domains: (a) comparing general engagement in an experimental task versus a control task (task engagement) or (b) comparing actual opposite choices made during the experimental task (choice response). Several coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses were performed to delineate consistent activations across experiments of the two analysis categories and the different decision-making domains. Our results show that task engagement and choice response capture different aspects of salience network involvement and reward-related striatum processing during decision-making. When assessing domains separately, we discovered that moral cues are processed in a multi-modal social cognition network, while risk and ambiguity require engagement of the salience and the frontoparietal attention networks. This is the first meta-analysis to disentangle the two analysis approaches yielding new insight into common and distinct neural correlates of different kinds of decision-making.
Numerical discrimination in domestic horses: a spontaneous binary choice test
Authors: Balestrieri Alessandro , Corona Silvia , Gazzola Andrea , Romano Andrea
Published: August 2024

While domestic horses can be trained to choose the highest numerosity, spontaneous choice tests led to contrasting results, which in part might have depended upon the adopted experimental protocols. To bring further evidence, we carried out two experiments based on binary choice tests (1:4, 1:2, 2:3, 4:6 apple halves). We tested both horses used for schooling () and semi-wild bred horses (), using two different arenas. In both experiments, horses did not choose the highest quantity, irrespective of test difficulty. Horses preferentially chose the stimulus located at their left, while no other tested variable affected their choice. The consistency between the results suggests that the lack of discrimination did not depend on test protocols. The strong preference for a given side and high within-individual repeatability indicate that lateralization may affect the results of spontaneous tests.
Family Business Challenges and their Regulations under UAE Family Business Law
Authors: Saad Myrna
Published: August 2024

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has created a unique, comprehensive, and flexible legal framework for regulating the ownership and governance of family companies. This article examines how Federal Decree-Law No. 37 of 2022 on family businesses (the Family Business Law) addresses the main challenges faced by these companies. The article begins with an overview of the various definitions of family businesses, followed by a description of the definition adopted by the Family Business Law. The article then explores how the new law helps family businesses navigate the complexities of growth while preserving family control and the family’s long-term vision. The article further discusses the challenges associated with business continuity and analyses how the Family Business Law establishes robust corporate governance measures to support their long-term continuity and facilitate their transfer across generations.
The Social Distribution of Public Debt in Portugal, 1529–1680
Authors: Miranda Susana Münch , Rodrigues Lisbeth , Lopes Bruno
Published: August 2024

This article examines the social distribution of public debt in Portugal between 1529–57 and 1641–82 and explores the extent to which the Portuguese debt system relied on personal relationships. A newly compiled dataset on the socioeconomic characteristics of lenders reveals a shift over time: from an elite group consisting of nobles and royal officials to a broader social base in the mid-seventeenth century when institutions and merchants entered the market. The data show that the changing social distribution of Portuguese public debt is the result of interest rate reduction operations and a fund-raising campaign, the latter of which involved some degree of financial repression.
Portuguese Public Finances in the Golden Age, 1950–1973: an Illustrated Overview
Authors: Ferraz Ricardo
Published: August 2024

The aim of this paper is to analyse the Portuguese public finances during the Golden Age of the world economy (1950–1973). The results obtained show that during most of this period, Portugal registered budgetary deficits, although none exceeded 3% of GDP, with the public debt/GDP ratio remaining below 25%, which appears to imply that Portuguese finances were sound. Additionally, and from an international perspective, it was also possible to conclude that Portugal was integrated in a restricted group of five European countries that simultaneously presented average values for deficit and debt that did not exceed 1% and 20% of GDP, respectively.
From Macau to Goa and Mozambique: Oyster Windows in Indo-Portuguese Architecture
Authors: Carita Helder
Published: August 2024

Substituting glass with small plaques [plaquettes] of mother-of-pearls, the carepa windows (oyster windows) – as they are called in Goa – constitute a very well-recognized signature of Goan architecture. The great variety of formal variations, the fine and delicate design, as well as their marked exoticism, make them a characteristic identitarian feature of Indo-Portuguese architecture. This essay seeks to explain the origins and the multiple manifestations of this manufacturing process and product: not only in Goa, but also in other territories of the Estado da India, as well as in faraway lands in southern China and the Philippine Islands. Through a wide range of examples and a broad perspective, we intend to reconstruct the circulation of this formal solution which, originated in Southern China and in the region of Guangdong, will transit through Macau and the Philippines, as much as multiple territories of the Luso-phone world, such as Baçaim, Damão and Mozambique in Africa. By assembling a preliminary catalogue and data bank for the study of this architectural and decorative phenomenon, we will offer some answers on its formal evolution through time and typologies.
Systematic Literature Review of the Research Design Based on the Tafsir Tahliliy Method
Authors: Zainudin Siti Aishah , Hassan Shahir Akram
Published: August 2024

There is an initiative to build a study design based on Islamic principles. However, there is yet to be a study that has systematically reviewed the literature pertaining to an Islamic study design based Tahliliy interpretation method (TIM). A systematic literature review (SLR) would provide a more specific picture of related publications. Hence, what elements of the Tahliliy interpretation method (TIM) can be applied in a study design? To answer this question, this study was guided by the PRISMA publication standards and used three databases, namely Google Scholar, Academia and ResearchGate, to search for articles published from 2011 to 2020. A total of 105 reference materials that used the keywords “research design” and “Tafsir Tahliliy” (TIM) were found, but only 10 were analysed after passing the screening process. The discussion was divided into three themes, namely Islamic-based research methods, study design and Tafsir Tahliliy (TIM). All three themes showed that is relevant for the TIM to be used as a study design in Islamic research; therefore, it is also this study’s suggestion that the TIM should be adopted as a research design in Islamic-based research methods.
Recollection of Silene vagans C.B. Clarke (Caryophyllaceae) after a span of 138 years from Nagaland, India: its typification and threat assessment
Authors: DEY SANTANU , MOAAKUM  , BARBHUIYA HUSSAIN AHMED , BENDANGTEMSU  , YIMCHUNGER Y. LIMTHURE , PHUKAN MAYUR MAUSOOM , KRISHNA GOPAL
Published: August 2024

Silene vagans C.B. Clarke (Caryophyllaceae) has been rediscovered after a lapse of 138 years, which is closely related to Silene khasiana Rohrb., and hitherto been documented solely through its type collection. A detailed floral description of S. vagans, lectotype and epitype designations have been provided here along with its IUCN threat status.
Nonlinear Radiative Response to Patterned Global Warming due to Convection Aggregation and Nonlinear Tropical Dynamics
Authors: Quan Heng , Zhang Bosong , Wang Chenggong , Fueglistaler Stephan
Published: August 2024

Climate responses to global warming exhibit large dependence on the spatial pattern of sea surface temperature (SST) changes. A Green’s function (GF) approach—predicting the global climate response to a complex SST pattern change as the linear superposition of the response to finite-area SST perturbations evaluated in isolation—has been used to systematically evaluate and understand the top of atmosphere (TOA) radiation response to patterned warming. However, in general, the linear GF approach fails for TOA radiation reconstruction under future global warming scenarios in coupled models. Here, we show that the linear superposition of global mean TOA radiation responses to large SST warming perturbations at multiple patches (the GF approach prediction) overestimates the actual response to simultaneous multipatch perturbation. This is because the linear superposition overestimates tropical large-scale convection aggregation strengthening upon localized heating that enhances longwave radiative cooling, which is further explained by the overestimation of circulation response and associated horizontal water vapor transport. The nonadditivity of TOA radiation response is caused by the nonadditivity of convection aggregation, ultimately rooted in nonlinear tropical dynamics. We also demonstrate that the prediction error of the GF approach grows with decreasing patch size (equivalently, increasing patch number). We conclude that using the GF approach to predict future climate change could overestimate longwave radiative cooling and underestimate (effective) climate sensitivity. Numerical experiments may be used to identify specific perturbation patterns where the errors are smaller than the signal. Our research also highlights that an increase in the degree of large-scale convection aggregation has a nonlinear and negative feedback for mean warming.
“This Country has Laws”: Legalism as a Tool of Entrenching Autocracy in Egypt
Authors: Khalil Heba M.
Published: August 2024

This article investigates the role of legalism and legal processes in entrenching autocratic rule in post-revolution Egypt. In the aftermath of the spectacular street protests that swept Egypt, the movement for change was channeled into legal challenges handled by the legal system and judicial experts. This judicialization of politics ensured that an emerging autocrat could not only use the judiciary and the legal system to control the process of democratic transition but also reverse it. In examining the rise of autocratic rule in post-revolutionary Egypt, this article illustrates how the legal system, constitutionalism, law-making, and electoral politics became integral pawns in the consolidation of an illiberal agenda. Legalistic strategies, such as rewriting electoral laws, reforming judicial regulations, strengthening presidentialism, rewriting and amending the constitution, and other legislative reforms, enable the rise of autocratic legalism in the country. As the case of Egypt illustrates, autocratic legalism is a dangerous mode of entrenching autocratic rule that uses the legal system to reach power and then abuses the same legal processes to ensure no one can challenge the power capture. Although elections, parliaments, and judiciaries remain in place to maintain a façade of legality, they are increasingly captured by the executive within a context of growing policing, and restrictions on freedoms and rights.
The Formative Intersections of “Race”, Nation, and Generation: Learning from “Care” in the Lives of Unaccompanied Child Migrants in England
Authors: Meetoo Veena , Rosen Rachel
Published: August 2024

This article explores how “race”, nation, and generation intersect to make and mark the category of “unaccompanied minor” in Britain, thereby shaping conditions of care for unaccompanied child migrants. Drawing on interviews with unaccompanied children and adult professionals, we trace how discourses of the unchildlike and unknowing child render unaccompanied children undeserving of support. We demonstrate how these discourses embedded in neo-colonial and generational logics breed inaction from adult professionals, often resulting in substandard or absent care. Our article contributes to conceptualizations of childhood in contexts of rising ethnonationalism, attending to how “race”, nation, and generation roost in the routine.
Bridging the Gap: Exploring Urban High-Needs Teachers’ Perceptions of Online Teaching Readiness and the Digital Divide
Authors: Kormos Erik
Published: August 2024

This research study investigated the perspectives of urban K-12 educators regarding the challenges they confronted when endeavoring to implement online learning effectively. The quantitative investigation involved 204 full-time urban teachers in a Midwestern state, all completing a researcher-developed questionnaire. The findings illustrated that participants encountered diverse obstacles, encompassing aspects related to readiness, along with external and internal factors. Educators identified a need for more time for crafting impactful online lessons as the most prominent barrier to preparedness. Respondents selected dependable student access to the internet at home as the primary external factor influencing their capacity to instruct in a virtual setting. The findings offer a specific perspective and an opportunity to stimulate dialogues concerning the provision of resources to enhance preparedness. By cultivating a deeper comprehension of how urban educators perceive their aptitude for online teaching, this study empowers current educators, educational leaders, and teacher preparation faculty to formulate more contemplative curricula. Future research should expand across multiple states to better equip aspiring educators and keep practicing professionals informed about empirically supported best practices.
Characterisation of 3D woven textile composites in presence of minor weft tow undulations and cross-section variations
Authors: Xu Mingming , Sitnikova Elena , Kong Weiyi , Zhang Jian , Hu Shoufeng , Li Shuguang
Published: August 2024

Weft tows in 3D woven composites are commonly approximated as perfectly straight, but their undulations are inevitable in reality, although the extent of undulations in the weft tows is not as pronounced as in the warp tows. Such minor undulations in weft tows have been simulated in this paper. A previously established parametrised modelling and analysis tool for 3D woven composites has been extended to reproduce the varying geometry of the weft tows. Two novel models have been proposed to introduce the undulations, allowing their effects to be simulated. The analysis reveals that, compared to the model with straight weft tows, the effective elastic properties can be affected by the weft tow undulations. In addition, the procedure for defining varying intra-tow fibre orientation was formulated and implemented, addressing lack of consistent and robust functionalities of this kind in modern finite element solvers.
Development and validation of the Unmet Needs Questionnaire for young stroke survivors
Authors: Kuo Wen-Yu , Chen Chen-Yin , Chang Ting-Yu , Wang Jeng , Wang Chin-Man , Tsay Pei-Kwei
Published: August 2024

Objective

Owing to the lack of a suitable tool for detecting the unmet needs of young stroke survivors, this study aims to develop a validated questionnaire for evaluating these unmet needs.

Design

A cross-sectional, observational research design.

Setting

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou and Taoyuan branches in Taiwan.

Participants

A total of 211 participants (average age 53 years; within 6 months post-stroke) completed the questionnaire.

Main measures

A qualitative approach was used to create an item pool. Experts verified item suitability, and content validity was evaluated using the item content validity index. Item analysis was applied to determine item quality, and factor analysis was used to explore construct validity. In addition, parallel analysis was employed to ascertain the optimal number of factors.

Results

The scale development procedure resulted in a 27-item questionnaire that assesses the unmet needs of young stroke survivors after a stroke. The item content validity index was 1.0. The Unmet Needs Questionnaire has five factors: restoring prestroke abilities and life, rehabilitation-related resources, social support and self-adjustment, economic and post-stroke life adjustment, and stroke-related information. These five factors accounted for 54% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was 0.91, while the alpha for the subscales ranged from 0.74 to 0.88.

Conclusions

The Unmet Needs Questionnaire showed acceptable reliability and validity. It can help clinical professionals and government agencies identify stroke survivors’ unmet needs and develop tailored care plans. Future research should explore the trajectory of post-stroke unmet needs using this tool.
“Is She Imminently Fleeing?”: How Discursive Practices Shape Crisis Center Service Delivery and Exacerbate Existing Vulnerabilities for Survivors
Authors: Mullany Anna L.
Published: August 2024

Within the U.S., the struggle for women's safety from intimate partner violence was brought into the national discourse with the Battered Women's Movement (BWM) of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Volunteer-run “safe homes” would soon become bureaucratized with the concomitant rise of the nonprofit industrial complex (NPIC) and the repression of larger socio-political movements. These forces resulted in today's 501(c)3 crisis centers which are governed by stringent service eligibility requirements that define the parameters of their practice. Informed by eight months of ethnographic field work at a rural crisis center in New England, this article analyzes one part of the nonprofitization of the BWM – that of professional discourse. Drawing on the work of Canadian feminist sociologist Dorothy Smith, I utilize the theoretical and methodological tenets of institutional ethnography (IE) to examine one dominant discursive practice – “Is she imminently fleeing?” This discursive practice reveals how officialdom adversely impacts survivors’ lives. This study contributes to our understanding of how language concretely plays out in the daily operations within the crisis center. This work builds on the literature that exposes the fault lines of the NPIC in the U.S. context and serves to expand the work of IE as a vital investigative research lens.
The Moderating Effect of Human Rights Education: Examining the Relationship Between Parental Abuse, Child Self-Esteem, and Human Rights Attitude
Authors: Yoo Changmin
Published: August 2024

This study aims to investigate the mediating role of child self-esteem in the relationship between parental abuse and children’s human rights attitude, while exploring the moderating effect of children’s participation in human rights education on these associations. Using data from 2020 Children and Youth Human Rights Survey ( N = 5,673 students, 50% female, mean age = 15.53), we conducted structural equation modeling to assess the conceptual model’s validity. Parental abuse showed a negative relationship with human rights attitude. For children not participating in human rights education, self-esteem acted as a partial mediator, while for participating children, self-esteem served as a full mediator. Paradoxically, human rights education may be linked to lower self-esteem in certain groups of children. The magnitude of the negative association between parental abuse and self-esteem was stronger for those who participated in human rights education compared to those who did not. This implies that the psychological well-being maintained through dysfunctional protective systems may momentarily crumble when faced with contradictory information. These compelling findings furnish valuable perspectives on the significance of equipping children with knowledge and principles related to human rights, a crucial aspect in molding their outlooks, coping mechanisms, and fortitude when confronted with challenging situations. Based on these results, the importance of human rights education and the need for careful composition of human rights education content for abused children were discussed.
Predefined-time adaptive robust control of a class of nonlinear singular systems
Authors: Liu Xiaotong , Yang Renming
Published: August 2024

In this paper, the predefined-time adaptive robust control problem of a class of nonlinear singular systems is studied. Based on the structural properties of the nonlinear singular systems, we first develop a singular system in dissipative form via an appropriate state feedback, then transform it into an equivalent nonlinear differential-algebraic form, finally we obtain a strictly dissipative differential-algebraic system and apply it to obtain the stability results. Based on this, a predefined-time adaptive robust controller is designed with external disturbances and uncertainty. Finally, the results are applied to the nonlinear singular circuit system, and the effectiveness is verified through simulations conducted on the nonlinear circuit system.