bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical and Thermal Modeling for the Fast-Charge of Lithium-Ion Batteries with Cocurrent and Countercurrent Tab Connections and the Assessment of Li Plating
Authors: Verbrugge Mark W. , Baker Daniel R. , Timms Robert
Published: April 2024

Our focus is on large-format lithium-ion batteries, used in electric vehicles today and in the foreseeable future, which are charged at high rates. In order to fully charge the battery, we employ a protocol often referred to as cc-cv (constant current followed by constant voltage). We compare and contrast results for cocurrent and countercurrent tab locations. We show how the pseudo three-dimensional (P3D) model can be used to assess temperature and current distributions and determine if Li plating is expected. We demonstrate the advantages of countercurrent tab locations to (i) obtain more uniform current and temperature distributions and (ii) lower the propensity for Li plating. Sensitivity analyses include the influence of ambient temperature and cell length. The methodology laid out in this work can facilitate rational battery-cell design and robust operation, including high-rate charging.
Sex differences in muscle morphology between male and female sprinters
Authors: Miller Robert , Balshaw Thomas G. , Massey Garry J. , Maeo Sumiaki , Lanza Marcel B. , Haug Bill , Johnston Michael , Allen Sam J. , Folland Jonathan P.
Published: April 2024

We present novel evidence suggesting muscle volume, specifically relative hip extensor volume, may be a primary deterministic variable for the sex difference in sprint performance, such that with matched sprint times, male and female sprinters may be expected to have equivalent muscle morphology. We highlight striking similarities in distribution of leg muscle mass between elite male and female sprinters and provide evidence for the existence of a muscular distribution phenotype specific to elite sprinters, irrespective of sex.
Ozone exposure limits cardiorespiratory function during maximal cycling exercise in endurance athletes
Authors: Harris Owen D. , Gonçalves Patric E. O. , Hung Andy , Stothers Bennett , Bougault Valérie , Sheel A. William , Koehle Michael S.
Published: April 2024

We demonstrate that in highly trained endurance athletes, exposure to peak real-world levels of O3 air pollution (170 ppb) significantly diminishes O2 uptake along with corresponding changes in ventilation during maximal exercise. As no differences were observed during extended submaximal exercise, a combined effect of effective dose of pollution and exercise intensity on severity of responses seems likely.
Biological sex does not independently influence core temperature change and sweating of children exercising in uncompensable heat stress
Authors: Topham Thomas H. , Smallcombe James W. , Brown Harry A. , Clark Brad , Woodward Andrew P. , Telford Richard D. , Jay Ollie , Périard Julien D.
Published: April 2024

Limited studies have investigated the thermoregulatory responses of boys and girls exercising under uncompensable heat stress. Boys and girls often differ in physiological characteristics other than biological sex, such as aerobic fitness and body fat percentage, which may confound interpretations. We investigated the influence of biological sex on exercise thermoregulation in children, independent of differences in aerobic fitness and body fatness.
Medical Error Prevalence, Nursing Power, and Structural Empowerment: A Serial Mediation Analysis
Authors: Ta’an Wafa’a
Published: April 2024

Aim. To investigate how structural empowerment and power may contribute to and predict the reduction of medical errors. Background. Medical errors threaten patient well-being, leading to adverse outcomes. Improving work conditions holds promise for reducing medical errors among nurses. Methods. A multisite correlational cross-sectional design was utilized. Data were completed by 375 nurses from four hospitals in Jordan. Data collection occurred between September and November 2023 using sociodemographic, structural empowerment, and medical error questionnaires. The study employed descriptive statistics, Pearson r correlation, and serial mediation analysis. Informed consent was obtained from each participant. Results. Pearson r correlation revealed significant negative correlations between medical error and structural empowerment, formal power, and informal power. The conceptual framework was significant and predicted 16% of the variance in medical errors. The mediation analysis confirmed that formal power and informal power mediate the relationship between structural empowerment and medical error. Conclusions and Implications. This study sheds light on the intricate connection of structural empowerment, formal and informal power, and their collective impact on reducing medical errors. Understanding and addressing these dynamics allows nurses and administrators to achieve a culture of patient safety. Reduction of medical errors is paramount to a safe healthcare environment that prioritizes patient outcomes. Strategies should be fostered to enhance structural empowerment, refine formal power structures, and leverage the positive aspects of informal networks.
Removal of Heavy Metal Ions (Pb2+, Co2+, and Cd2+) by Activated Carbon from Cypress Fruit: An Investigation of Kinetics, Thermodynamics, and Isotherms
Authors: Al-Ma’abreh Alaa M. , Hmedat Dareen A. , Edris Gada , Hamed Mariam A.
Published: April 2024

In this study, activated carbon cloth (ACC) derived from cypress fruit was employed to investigate the adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+, and Co2+ from synthetic aqueous systems. The correlation between adsorption features (pH, adsorbent dosage, temperature, initial ion concentration, and contact time) and adsorbent removal efficiency was investigated. Analysis by FT-IR, SEM, and EDS was employed to confirm the adsorption of metal ions onto the ACC. Results revealed the best adsorption efficiencies for heavy metal ions were attained at pH = 7, 11, 6; the adsorbent dosage of 0.06, 0.08, and 0.04 g for Pb2+, Cd2+, and Co2+, respectively; the ion initial concentration of 50 mg·L−1 for Pb2+ and 70 mg·L−1 for both Co2+ and Cd2+; and contact time of 90 minutes for both Pb2+ and Co2+ and 120 minutes for Cd2+. Kinetic studies exposed the second-order adsorption of all aforementioned heavy metal ions. Additionally, the equilibrium data were fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich’s isotherms, while the former performed better than the latter. The maximum adsorption capacity values for Pb2+, Co2+, and Cd2+ were attained to 81.87, 55.30, and 117.3 mg·g−1, respectively. Considering the thermodynamic data, the studied processes were exothermic and spontaneous.
Granuloma after the Injection of Poly-D,L-Lactic Acid (PDLLA) Treated with Triamcinolone
Authors: Perez Willis Kateryn Michelle , Ramirez Galvez Rosario
Published: April 2024

Biostimulators are the latest trends in cosmetic procedures, substances such as PDLLA are used to induce collagen synthesis by a subclinical inflammatory reaction. We are describing a granuloma-like reaction case presentation 4 months after the application of PDLLA and its complete resolution with injections of triamcinolone. A 45-year-old female with any past medical history of allergies or immune diseases was injected with PDLLA on the mandibular border and cheek area to correct skin laxity. Four months after the application, the patient reported facial edema and granuloma-like reactions according to clinical examination on all the application areas. The ultrasound reports showed the presence of multiple nodules in the injection areas; therefore, we decided to apply triamcinolone to the granulomatous reaction areas 2 times a month and Prednisone 20 mg daily for 3 days followed by 10 mg for 2 days. After 4 applications, the adverse reaction was completely solved. Biostimulators are biocompatible and resorbable substances; however, nodules and/or granulomas have been reported as rare adverse events. Intralesional and oral steroids can allow us to treat this kind of adverse events.
Lived Experiences of Intensive Care Professional Nurses Caring for COVID-19 Patients in Private Hospitals in Gauteng, South Africa: A Phenomenological Study
Authors: Molala Welhemina , Downing Charlene
Published: April 2024

Aim. To explore and describe intensive care professional nurses’ experiences caring for COVID-19 patients in private hospitals in Gauteng, South Africa. Introduction. Pandemics are unique forms of disasters characterised by adverse psychological symptoms and behaviours. Literature confirms a globally increased workload during pandemics, causing emotional exhaustion and poor concentration among healthcare workers. Moreover, high mortality rates are mentioned as a cause of moral distress and moral injury to healthcare workers. South Africa was unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, as evidenced by overcrowded hospitals, a lack of resources, and high mortality rates. Materials and Methods. A qualitative, phenomenological, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was used. The five largest private hospitals from the same hospital group in Gauteng were chosen as they were admitting many COVID-19 patients. Fifteen participants were selected through purposeful sampling. Semistructured, in-depth, individual interviews were conducted and audio-recorded, and field notes were taken from April 2022 to December 2022. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Giorgi’s approach. Results. Three themes emerged: abrupt transition from normality to the COVID-19 pandemic; experienced isolation from family, community, and nursing management; and feelings of satisfaction and gratitude for teamwork and learning. Conclusions. It is essential for nurses’ holistic care to be considered along with patients’ holistic care. The findings in this study could drive healthcare institutions in South Africa to respond to nurses’ health, care, and support needs. Implication for Nursing Management. Nursing management should consider shorter and fewer consecutive workdays for nurses to rest and restore their energy levels. Nurse management should also provide human caring by being visible to the nurses and communicating with them. Holistic self-care practices should be included in nurses’ in-service training programmes.
Computational Study of the Effect of the Size-Dependent Dielectric Functions of Gold Nanomaterials on Optical Properties
Authors: Mekuye Bawoke , Höfer Rainer , Mebratie Gedefaw
Published: April 2024

The effect of size on the optical properties of gold nanomaterials has been studied using the theoretical Drude–Sommerfield model. The real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function of bulk as a function of wavelength due to free electron contribution and the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function of nanogold materials as a function of wavelength due to free electron and bond electron contribution are calculated. The real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function of bulk as a function of wavelength due to the free electron contribution graph and The real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function of nanogold materials as a function of wavelength due to free electron and bond electron contributions are plotted. As we observed from the graphs, the real dielectric functions of both bulk and nanogold materials are inversely proportional to wavelength. The imaginary part of the dielectric function of bulk gold materials is independent of wavelength. At high wavelengths, the size of the gold nanomaterial is highly influenced by both real and imagined dielectric functions at high waves. As the wavelength increases, the effect of the size on the dielectric function also increases. The size-dependent dielectric function of nanomaterials is highly influenced by their optical properties and electrical structure.
Monotone Iterative Technique for a Kind of Nonlinear Fourth-Order Integro-Differential Equations and Its Application
Authors: Wang Yan , Wang Jinxiang , Yao Xiaobin
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we consider the existence and iterative approximation of solutions for a class of nonlinear fourth-order integro-differential equations (IDEs) with Navier boundary conditions. We first prove the existence and uniqueness of analytical solutions for a linear fourth-order IDE, which has rich applications in engineering and physics, and then we establish a maximum principle for the corresponding operator. Based upon the maximum principle, we develop a monotone iterative technique in the presence of lower and upper solutions to obtain iterative solutions for the nonlocal nonlinear problem under certain conditions. Some examples are presented to illustrate the main results.
Table S1 from Impact of Surgery-Induced Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells and the NOX2/ROS Axis on Postoperative Survival in Human Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Grauers Wiktorin Hanna , Aydin Ebru , Kiffin Roberta , Vilhav Caroline , Bourghardt Fagman Johan , Kaya Mustafa , Paul Sanchari , Westman Beatrice , Bratlie Svein Olav , Naredi Peter , Hellstrand Kristoffer , Martner Anna
Published: April 2024

Sequences of primers used for RT-PCR
Figure S4 from Impact of Surgery-Induced Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells and the NOX2/ROS Axis on Postoperative Survival in Human Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Grauers Wiktorin Hanna , Aydin Ebru , Kiffin Roberta , Vilhav Caroline , Bourghardt Fagman Johan , Kaya Mustafa , Paul Sanchari , Westman Beatrice , Bratlie Svein Olav , Naredi Peter , Hellstrand Kristoffer , Martner Anna
Published: April 2024

PD-1 expression, absolut counts and frequences of T cells in peripheral blood before and after surgery
FIGURE 5 from Impact of Surgery-Induced Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells and the NOX2/ROS Axis on Postoperative Survival in Human Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Grauers Wiktorin Hanna , Aydin Ebru , Kiffin Roberta , Vilhav Caroline , Bourghardt Fagman Johan , Kaya Mustafa , Paul Sanchari , Westman Beatrice , Bratlie Svein Olav , Naredi Peter , Hellstrand Kristoffer , Martner Anna
Published: April 2024

NOX2 inhibition prevents surgery-induced metastasis in a murine model. A, Schematic outline of the experimental model of surgery-induced metastasis. Blood samples were collected from naïve (Ctrl) and sponge-bearing (Inf) WT and NOX2-KO mice 1 week after a surgical procedure (sponge implantation). A group of WT mice received intraperitoneal injections with histamine dihydrochloride (WT HDC) every other day starting one day before surgery and continuing until 3 days after tumor cell challenge. Frequency of CD11b+Ly6C+M-MDSC (B) and intracellular ROS levels in M-MDSC (C) were measured by flow cytometry. At 8 days postsurgery, mice were intravenously inoculated with B16F10 cells. D, Metastatic lesions in lungs were enumerated 19–21 days after tumor cell challenge. Differences in inflammatory monocytes, DCFDA levels, and tumor numbers in vivo were calculated using one-way ANOVA following Holm-Šídák multiple comparisons test. The frequency of M-MDSC and number of metastatic foci was evaluated in four independent experiments for WT mice with or without surgery-induced inflammation, and in two experiments for KO mice and HDC treated mice. DCFDA levels of M-MDSC were measured in three independent experiments for WT mice, two experiments for KO mice, and one experiment for HDC-treated mice. In each experiment, 4–5 mice per group were included. Fold change was calculated by dividing raw data with the mean of raw data in the WT mice control group in each experiment. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001.
FIGURE 2 from Impact of Surgery-Induced Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells and the NOX2/ROS Axis on Postoperative Survival in Human Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Grauers Wiktorin Hanna , Aydin Ebru , Kiffin Roberta , Vilhav Caroline , Bourghardt Fagman Johan , Kaya Mustafa , Paul Sanchari , Westman Beatrice , Bratlie Svein Olav , Naredi Peter , Hellstrand Kristoffer , Martner Anna
Published: April 2024

Pancreatic cancer surgery entails reduced levels of NK cells with abridged expression of the activating NK cell receptor NKp30. Absolute numbers (A, D) and frequencies (B, E) of CD16+ (A, B) and CD56bright (D, E) NK cells in preoperative (pre-op) and postoperative (day 1, days 3–5, and day 28) samples from patients with periampullary cancer and healthy donors (HD). Frequencies of NKp30high-expressing cells among CD16+ (C) and CD56bright (F) NK cells (N = 16 for pre-op, N = 15 for day 1, N = 14 days 3–5, and N = 10 for day 28 for A and D and N = 16 for pre-op, day 1 and days 3–5, N = 10 for day 28, N = 10 for HD for B–C and E–F). Preoperative and postoperative samples were compared using mixed-effects analysis followed by Šídák multiple comparison test (P-values indicated by *). HD and cancer samples were compared using Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn multiple comparison test (P-values indicated by #). #, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001.
Age-Stratified Clinical Outcome in Patients with Known Heart Failure Who Receive Pacemaker, Resynchronization Therapy, or Defibrillator Implants
Authors: Rorsman Cecilia , Farouq Maiwand , Marinko Sofia , Platonov Pyotr G. , Borgquist Rasmus
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Patients with heart failure (HF) and bradycardia may be eligible for different types of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED), depending on the presence of atrioventricular conduction disease, age, and comorbidities. We aimed to assess the prognosis for these patients, after CIED implantation, stratified for the type of CIED device. Methods: All patients with preexisting HF diagnosis who received a CIED with a right ventricular lead during the period 2005–2018 in Sweden were identified via the pacemaker registry. Data were crossmatched with the population registry and national disease registries. The outcome was 5-year risk of HF hospitalization and mortality. Results: A total of 37,745 patients were included in the study. Comparing demographics for implantable cardioverter defibrillator versus pacemaker implants, median age was 66 years versus 83 years, 20% versus 41% were female, 64% versus 50% had ischemic heart disease, and 35% versus 67% had atrial fibrillation (all p < 0.001). Five-year mortality was highest in single-chamber pacemaker recipients (61% compared to average 40%, p < 0.001), but the proportion of cardiovascular mortality was highest for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) recipients (68% vs. 63% p < 0.001). Adjusted mortality was higher for pacemaker patients in all age decile groups (ranging from <60 to >90 years old, all p < 0.001), HF hospitalization occurred in 28% (dual-chamber pacemaker) to 39% (CRT-P) of patients, and cause of death was HF in 15% (dual-chamber pacemaker) to 25% (CRT-D), all p < 0.001. Conclusion: In this large real-world cohort of CIED-treated patients with prior HF, demography and mortality data indicate that clinicians chose devices according to the overall status of the patient. HF-related events occurred in all groups but were more common in CRT-treated patients.
Regulation of the MCHergic Neural Circuit to Dorsal Raphe Nucleus on Emotion-Related Behaviors and Intestinal Dysfunction in Mice Model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea
Authors: Ming Xing , Gao Shengli , Sun Jinqiu , Zhang Nana , Guo Ruixiao , Feng Xufei , Luan Xinchi , Xing Han , Jiao Yang , Guo Feifei
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) is frequently accompanied by depression and anxiety, resulting in a reduced quality of life and increased medical expenditures. Although psychological factors are known to play an important role in the genesis and development of IBS-D, an understanding of the central neural control of intestinal dysfunction remains elusive. Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a gut-brain peptide involved in regulating feeding, sleep-wake rhythms, and emotional states. Methods: This study investigated the regulation of the MCHergic neural circuit from the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) to the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) on anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, intestinal motility, and visceral hypersensitivity in a mice model of IBS-D. The models of IBS-D were prepared by inducing chronic unpredictable mild stress. Results: Chemogenetic activation of the MCH neurons in the LHA could excite serotonin (5-HT) neurons in the DRN and induce anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and IBS-D-like symptoms, which could be recovered by microinjection of the MCH receptor antagonist SNAP94847 into the DRN. The mice model of IBS-D showed a reduction of 5-HT and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the DRN, while an elevation of 5-HT and BDNF was observed in the colon through immunofluorescent staining, ELISA, and Western blot analysis. SNAP94847 treatment in the DRN alleviated anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, improved intestinal motility, and alleviated visceral hypersensitivity responses by normalizing the 5-HT and BDNF expression in the DRN and colon. Conclusion: This study suggests that the activation of MCH neurons in the LHA may induce IBS-D symptoms via the DRN and that the MCH receptor antagonist could potentially have therapeutic effects.
Potential for Optimization of Growth Hormone Treatment in Children with Growth Hormone Deficiency, Small for Gestational Age, and Turner Syndrome in Germany: Data from the PATRO® Children Study
Authors: Partsch Carl-Joachim , Land Christof , Pfäffle Roland Werner , Schwab Karl Otfried , Sommer Heide ,   German PATRO-Board
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Growth hormone (GH) treatment in children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD), short children born small for gestational age (SGA), and Turner syndrome (TS) is well established. However, a variety of parameters are still under discussion to achieve optimal growth results and efficiency of GH use in real-world treatment. Methods: German GH-treatment naïve patients of the PATRO Children database were grouped according to their start of treatment into groups of 3 years from 2007 to 2018. Time trends in age, gender, GH dose, height standard deviation score (SDS), first-year growth response, and Index of Responsiveness (IoR) were investigated in children with GHD, short children born SGA, and TS starting GH treatment in the German patient population of the PATRO Children database from 2007 to 2018 to determine specific parameters for GH treatment optimization. Results: All patient groups started GH treatment at a relatively high chronological age (2007–2009: GHD 8.33 ± 3.19, SGA 7.32 ± 2.52, TS 8.65 ± 4.39) with a slight but not significant trend towards younger therapy start up to 2016–2018 (GHD 8.04 ± 3.36, SGA 6.67 ± 2.65, TS 7.85 ± 3.38). In the GHD and SGA groups, female patients were underrepresented compared to male patients (GHD 32.3%, SGA 43.6%) with no significant change over the 4 time periods. Patients with GHD started GH treatment at a low dose (0.026 mg/kg/day). In SGA and TS patients, GH therapy was started below the registered dose recommendation (30.0 μg/kg/day and 33.7 μg/kg/day, respectively). In the first year of treatment, the mean GH dose was increased moderately (GHD: 30.7, SGA: 35.7, TS: 40.8 μg/kg/day). There was no significant change of GH dosing over time from 2007 to 2018. The IoR was comparable between time-groups for all 3 diagnoses. Discussion: This study shows potential for improvement of GH treatment results in GHD, SGA, and TS patients in terms of early dose adjustment and younger age at the start of treatment. This is in accordance with important parameters used in prediction models.
Transportation Noise Pollution and Cardiovascular Health
Authors: Münzel Thomas , Molitor Michael , Kuntic Marin , Hahad Omar , Röösli Martin , Engelmann Nicole , Basner Mathias , Daiber Andreas , Sørensen Mette
Published: April 2024

Epidemiological studies have found that transportation noise increases the risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, with solid evidence for ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. According to the World Health Organization, at least 1.6 million healthy life years are lost annually from traffic-related noise in Western Europe. Traffic noise at night causes fragmentation and shortening of sleep, elevation of stress hormone levels, and increased oxidative stress in the vasculature and the brain. These factors can promote vascular (endothelial) dysfunction, inflammation, and arterial hypertension, thus elevating cardiovascular risk. The present review focusses on the indirect, nonauditory cardiovascular health effects of noise. We provide an updated overview of epidemiological research on the effects of transportation noise on cardiovascular risk factors and disease, and mechanistic insights based on the latest clinical and experimental studies and propose new risk markers to address noise-induced cardiovascular effects in the general population. We will discuss the potential effects of noise on vascular dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation in humans and animals. We will elaborately explain the underlying pathomechanisms by alterations of gene networks, epigenetic pathways, circadian rhythm, signal transduction along the neuronal-cardiovascular axis, and metabolism. We will describe current and future noise mitigation strategies. Finally, we will conduct an overall evaluation of the status of the current evidence of noise as a significant cardiovascular risk factor.
Heavy Metal Exposure and Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Pan Ziwei , Gong Tingyu , Liang Ping
Published: April 2024

Heavy metals are harmful environmental pollutants that have attracted widespread attention due to their health hazards to human cardiovascular disease. Heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and chromium, are found in various sources such as air, water, soil, food, and industrial products. Recent research strongly suggests a connection between cardiovascular disease and exposure to toxic heavy metals. Epidemiological, basic, and clinical studies have revealed that heavy metals can promote the production of reactive oxygen species, which can then exacerbate reactive oxygen species generation and induce inflammation, resulting in endothelial dysfunction, lipid metabolism distribution, disruption of ion homeostasis, and epigenetic changes. Over time, heavy metal exposure eventually results in an increased risk of hypertension, arrhythmia, and atherosclerosis. Strengthening public health prevention and the application of chelation or antioxidants, such as vitamins and beta-carotene, along with minerals, such as selenium and zinc, can diminish the burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to metal exposure.
Personal Strategies to Reduce the Cardiovascular Impacts of Environmental Exposures
Authors: Bonanni Luke J. , Newman Jonathan D.
Published: April 2024

Ubiquitous environmental exposures increase cardiovascular disease risk via diverse mechanisms. This review examines personal strategies to minimize this risk. With regard to fine particulate air pollution exposure, evidence exists to recommend the use of portable air cleaners and avoidance of outdoor activity during periods of poor air quality. Other evidence may support physical activity, dietary modification, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, and indoor and in-vehicle air conditioning as viable strategies to minimize adverse health effects. There is currently insufficient data to recommend specific personal approaches to reduce the adverse cardiovascular effects of noise pollution. Public health advisories for periods of extreme heat or cold should be observed, with limited evidence supporting a warm ambient home temperature and physical activity as strategies to limit the cardiovascular harms of temperature extremes. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure can be reduced by avoiding contact with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance–containing materials; blood or plasma donation and cholestyramine may reduce total body stores of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. However, the cardiovascular impact of these interventions has not been examined. Limited utilization of pesticides and safe handling during use should be encouraged. Finally, vasculotoxic metal exposure can be decreased by using portable air cleaners, home water filtration, and awareness of potential contaminants in ground spices. Chelation therapy reduces physiological stores of vasculotoxic metals and may be effective for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Proteomics, Human Environmental Exposure, and Cardiometabolic Risk
Authors: Perry Andrew S. , Zhang Kai , Murthy Venkatesh L. , Choi Bina , Zhao Shilin , Gajjar Priya , Colangelo Laura A. , Hou Lifang , Rice Mary B. , Carr J. Jeffrey , Carson April P. , Nigra Anne E. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Gerszten Robert E. , Khan Sadiya S. , Kalhan Ravi , Nayor Matthew , Shah Ravi V.
Published: April 2024

BACKGROUND:

The biological mechanisms linking environmental exposures with cardiovascular disease pathobiology are incompletely understood. We sought to identify circulating proteomic signatures of environmental exposures and examine their associations with cardiometabolic and respiratory disease in observational cohort studies.

METHODS:

We tested the relations of >6500 circulating proteins with 29 environmental exposures across the built environment, green space, air pollution, temperature, and social vulnerability indicators in ≈3000 participants of the CARDIA study (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) across 4 centers using penalized and ordinary linear regression. In >3500 participants from FHS (Framingham Heart Study) and JHS (Jackson Heart Study), we evaluated the prospective relations of proteomic signatures of the envirome with cardiovascular disease and mortality using Cox models.

RESULTS:

Proteomic signatures of the envirome identified novel/established cardiovascular disease–relevant pathways including DNA damage, fibrosis, inflammation, and mitochondrial function. The proteomic signatures of the envirome were broadly related to cardiometabolic disease and respiratory phenotypes (eg, body mass index, lipids, and left ventricular mass) in CARDIA, with replication in FHS/JHS. A proteomic signature of social vulnerability was associated with a composite of cardiovascular disease/mortality (1428 events; FHS: hazard ratio, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.08–1.24];
P
=1.77×10
−5
; JHS: hazard ratio, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.14–1.38];
P
=6.38×10
−6
; hazard ratio expressed as per 1 SD increase in proteomic signature), robust to adjustment for known clinical risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS:

Environmental exposures are related to an inflammatory-metabolic proteome, which identifies individuals with cardiometabolic disease and respiratory phenotypes and outcomes. Future work examining the dynamic impact of the environment on human cardiometabolic health is warranted.
Artificial Intelligence–Derived Risk Prediction: A Novel Risk Calculator Using Office and Ambulatory Blood Pressure
Authors: Guimarães Pedro , Keller Andreas , Böhm Michael , Lauder Lucas , Fehlmann Tobias , Ruilope Luis M. , Vinyoles Ernest , Gorostidi Manuel , Segura Julián , Ruiz-Hurtado Gema , Staplin Natalie , Williams Bryan , de la Sierra Alejandro , Mahfoud Felix
Published: April 2024

BACKGROUND:

Quantification of total cardiovascular risk is essential for individualizing hypertension treatment. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel, machine-learning–derived model to predict cardiovascular mortality risk using office blood pressure (OBP) and ambulatory blood pressure (ABP).

METHODS:

The performance of the novel risk score was compared with existing risk scores, and the possibility of predicting ABP phenotypes utilizing clinical variables was assessed. Using data from 59 124 patients enrolled in the Spanish ABP Monitoring registry, machine-learning approaches (logistic regression, gradient-boosted decision trees, and deep neural networks) and stepwise forward feature selection were used.

RESULTS:

For the prediction of cardiovascular mortality, deep neural networks yielded the highest clinical performance. The novel mortality prediction models using OBP and ABP outperformed other risk scores. The area under the curve achieved by the novel approach, already when using OBP variables, was significantly higher when compared with the area under the curve of the Framingham risk score, Systemic Coronary Risk Estimation 2, and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease score. However, the prediction of cardiovascular mortality with ABP instead of OBP data significantly increased the area under the curve (0.870 versus 0.865;
P
=3.61×10
−28
), accuracy, and specificity, respectively. The prediction of ABP phenotypes (ie, white-coat, ambulatory, and masked hypertension) using clinical characteristics was limited.

CONCLUSIONS:

The receiver operating characteristic curves for cardiovascular mortality using ABP and OBP with deep neural network models outperformed all other risk metrics, indicating the potential for improving current risk scores by applying state-of-the-art machine learning approaches. The prediction of cardiovascular mortality using ABP data led to a significant increase in area under the curve and performance metrics.
The Sovereign Debt Crisis in Sri Lanka: Anatomy and Policy Options
Authors: Athukorala Prema-chandra
Published: April 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a dramatic increase in national debt levels across the world, with reported cases of downgrading sovereign debt ratings and difficulty of fulfilling debt obligations (“debt distress”), heavily concentrated in low- and middle-income countries. In this context, the unfolding sovereign debt crisis in Sri Lanka has attracted worldwide attention as the canary in the coal mine for what could become a global “development” crisis. This paper examines the Sri Lankan crisis encompassing both the sources of vulnerability to the COVD-19 shock, and stabilization and structural adjustment reforms after the debt default, with emphasis on the systemic “solvency” challenge of dealing with the massive debt overhang evolved over the previous two decades. The prime focus of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program that Sri Lanka signed with the IMF in March 2023 is on economic stabilization through fiscal consolidation. This paper makes a strong case for combining economic stabilization with coherent structural adjustment policies to redress the long-standing antitradable bias in the incentive structure that underpinned vulnerability of the economy to external shocks.
A Hopeless Hodge-Podge of Theology?
Authors: McCall Thomas H.
Published: April 2024

Contemporary systematic theology is engaged in the ‘retrieval’ of insights from the Christian tradition. Accordingly, many theologians in the broadly Reformed tradition are seeking to recover, reclaim, and defend what they refer to as ‘classical theism’ as a stark alternative to what is sometimes referred to as ‘theistic personalism’ (and the ‘Social Trinitarianism’ that is said to accompany it). While broadly sympathetic to this enterprise, in this essay I employ the theology of Charles Hodge as a case study to argue that such tidy categorizations can be misleading and unhelpful, and I conclude that his theology raises challenges with respect to both historiography and theology.
Behaviour of Integrated Refugees on Tanzania’s National Security: Experience from Katumba Old Settlement
Authors: Laurent Adventina K. , Ndumbaro Laurean J.
Published: April 2024

Tanzania integrated a historical large number of refugees in 2010 when 162,156 refugees were integrated at once. This article explores whether integrated refugees at Katumba Old Settlement in Tanzania are practising behaviours that threaten national security or not. This work was guided by Tom Kuhlman’s Comprehensive Model of Refugee Integration (1991) as its framework for analysis. Using a survey with a sample of 397 respondents and 31 key informant interviews, the study found that the integrated refugees pose threat to national security. A significant percentage of respondents indicated that integrated refugees: network with relatives and friends to come into Tanzania illegally; host illegal migrants; create social exclusionary networks and are unwilling to accept Tanzania’s core values and behaviours. Efforts to increase awareness among integrated refugees on their rights and responsibilities as new Tanzanian citizens as well as enforcement of laws are suggested as solutions for mitigating these behaviours.
Dutch Lutheran Women on the Pulpit
Authors: Hiebsch Sabine
Published: April 2024

In the course of the Twentieth century, the roles for women in Protestant churches in Europe expanded to include the possibility of participating in the church office of minister. For the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the year 2022 marked the centenary of women in the ordained ministry. On June 12, 1922, the Lutheran synod decided that, according to the existing regulations, women could also be admitted as candidates for the ministry. In 1929 Jantine Auguste Haumersen (1881–1967) became the first female Lutheran minister in the Netherlands and worldwide. This made the Lutheran church, after the Mennonites and the Remonstrants, the third denomination in the Netherlands where women could hold the office of minister.

Utilizing a broad cultural analysis and based on recent extensive archival research this article describes the turning points in the development of women’s ordained ministry in the Lutheran Church in the Netherlands.
The Habit Does Make the Monk: Jesuit Dress in the Marianas Mission 1668–1700
Authors: Montón-Subías Sandra
Published: April 2024

This article explores some of the body modifications that occurred in the Mariana Islands during the initial decades of the Jesuit mission. It focuses on Jesuit vestments and the use of Indigenous CHamoru palm-weaving in a cultural background where the CHamoru dress code clashed with Jesuit mindsets. The article also analyzes the imposition of clothing on the CHamorus by the Jesuits and the imposition of nakedness on the Jesuits by the CHamorus as punitive measures within a colonial environment where the Jesuits sought to dismantle traditional lifeways while the CHamorus endeavored to preserve them.
Phenomenology and Critical Hermeneutics of the “Livestock” Industry and Associated Sanctuaries
Authors: Acampora Ralph R.
Published: April 2024

A phenomenology of factory farms and slaughterhouses, as well as associated animal sanctuaries, is mounted. It is found that other animals in the former situations are reified into machine-like beings, as are the workers who deal with them. In terms of critical hermeneutics, it is found that alienation from the process and product of work and from each other and themselves happens for both human and nonhuman denizens of these contexts. In animal sanctuaries, it is found that a contrary movement of “subjectification” occurs. The ethical ramifications of these patterns are that animals become bereft of moral standing in the former institutions and are restored to moral considerability in the latter context.
Newly Identified Fragments of 4Q51 (4QSama)
Authors: Ableman Oren Shalom
Published: April 2024

The following paper is a preliminary publication of newly identified fragments of the book of Samuel that all belong to manuscript 4Q51. The fragments were discovered during the cataloging effort being carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) as part of the digitization project of the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library (www.deadseascrolls.org.il). Some of the fragments that will be presented were published in the past, but with various errors. Other fragments have never been published, although due to the placement of some of them on the museum plates it is clear that someone in the past recognized that they belong to 4Q51.
Overlooked 4Q51 Fragments
Authors: Tigchelaar Eibert
Published: April 2024

This short note lists the 4Q51 fragments that were excavated from Qumran Cave 4 and proposes that four hitherto unidentified fragments belong to 4Q51.
The Peripheral Avant-Garde Artist, Part of and Apart from Europe
Authors: Pinto dos Santos Mariana
Published: April 2024

This article deals with the building of an avant-garde identity in a peripheral European country by returning to a mythical past placed in Egypt. It focuses on the main promoter of Futurism in Portugal, Almada Negreiros, and on how his African roots played a part in the splitting of the self, a phenomenon that at the time was discussed widely in Fernando Pessoa’s circle and which Pessoa himself so dramatically put into practice with the creation of heteronymous identities. It demonstrates how Almada’s heritage was at once an instrument to perform Otherness—that is, a means to construct an identity as civilisation’s Other—and a gateway to accessing the creative origin of all selves through the connecting cipher of ancient Egypt.
Thanatographic Automatism in Michel Leiris’ Aurora (1927–1928)
Authors: Susik Abigail
Published: April 2024

In 1927, Michel Leiris embarked upon a five-month trip to Egypt and Greece. His text Aurora (1927–1928; pub. 1946), commenced during this journey, combines Surrealist approaches with fictional and documentary elements in an investigation of the ontological limits of the writing self. In Aurora, Surrealist automatism and elements of autobiography become epistemological demonstrations of being alive and facing the threat of impending death. Aurora experiments with thanatography, a written account of the death of the self. References to ancient Egyptian necropolis building and hieroglyphics inflect Surrealist automatism with a notion of the self as split between the living voice, death, and the multiplication of consciousness.
Self-Translation in the Sinosphere: Challenging Orthodoxies from Shanghai to Taipei to Makassar
Authors: Cordingley Anthony , Stenberg Josh
Published: April 2024

This article begins a debate in translation studies about the nature of self-translation in the Sinophone world. It demonstrates the continued influence of a history of cosmopolitan authorship and self-translation that emanated from Republican China and moved to Taiwan and beyond in the post-war period. This history and its contemporary effects, including diverse forms of self-translation in Taiwan and Indonesia, are shown to challenge the most prominent models of self-translation, notably those drawing on sociological frameworks such as Abram de Swaan’s “global language system,” which are proven to occlude local realities and multilingual writing. These new perspectives are shown to have consequences for both world literature studies and theoretical accounts of self-translation in the 21st century.
Transposition and Inspiration
Authors: McCraw A. B.
Published: April 2024

Evangelicals have often considered C. S. Lewis’s view of scripture insufficient, viewing several of his statements as directly rejecting the inerrancy of scripture. However, this reading overlooks a foundational theological principle which frames Lewis’s view on scripture—his notion of ‘transposition’. When read in light of this principle, Lewis’s statements on the inspiration of scripture gain greater nuance and resist a strict reading of him as noninerrantist. More, Lewis’s principle of transposition, when applied to scripture, affords space for developing a thick account of inerrancy.
2. Situating the Minuet
Authors: Bakka Egil
Published: April 2024

The chapter looks at the current state of research on the minuet, focusing on the naming of the dance and how it corresponds to one or more basic movement structures. Secondly, it investigates the dance’s distribution in time and space and whether it can be compared to contentions and ideas about its “origin” or whether political and social references have had an impact on the dance’s status. The chapter make excursions into the European context, including research, even if the book is mainly concentrated on the forms and the roles of the dance in the Nordic countries.
4. Nordic Dancing Masters during the Eighteenth Century
Authors: Fiskvik Anne Margrete
Published: April 2024

The chapter investigates the role of the dancing master and their teaching of the minuet in the Nordic countries in the latter part of the eighteenth century and onwards. The focus is on the role they played and the material they used when they taught the minuet. The chapter draws on examples from Norway and the other Nordic countries and includes some short case studies of both female and male dance teachers.
10. The Minuet in the Theatre
Authors: Bakka Egil , Svarstad Elizabeth , Fiskvik Anne Margrete
Published: April 2024

The chapter presents examples on minuets created for the theatre. It also examines how the theatre versions are related to the ordinary minuet. The staged minuets are defined as minuets performed in front of an audience in a space where there is a clear difference between the performers and the audience. The chapter concludes that the theatre kept repeating references to the minuet for a long time. In the eighteenth century, old theatre pieces were remade and often in the form of parody, and those who had a dance scene with a minuet, often kept that. Also a few minuet choreographies like the Menuet de la Reine, Menuet de la cour, and Menuetten af Elverhøj were remade, and these references that are still in the twenty-first century repeated by the theatre, have probably contributed to the nimbus of the minuet far beyond the time the menuet ordinaire was a social dance in towns and cities in the Nordic countries.
17. Minuet Memories and Minuet among the Swedish-speaking Population in Finland today
Authors: Biskop Gunnel
Published: April 2024

The chapter presents oral traditions concerning the minuet in the Swedish-speaking Ostrobothnia in Finland in the twentieth century and examines the significance of the minuet in Swedish-speaking Finland today. The documented stories show, for example, that the minuet was so deeply rooted among soldiers from specific Ostrobothnian parishes that their wanted to dance it among themselves in the front. As a part of the contemporary organised folk dance movement, the minuet has become emblematic of the dance traditions in Swedish-speaking Finland.
18. Minuet Constructions and Reconstructions
Authors: Björk Anna , Hoppu Petri
Published: April 2024

The chapter analyses contemporary forms of the minuet in Sweden and Finnish-speaking Finland. In both cases, the minuet traditions disappeared a long time ago, but since the late twentieth century, the folk dancers created minuets for different purposes. In Sweden, the minuet was reconstructed by Börje Wallin, using old documents from Sweden and comparing them to Danish and Finnish-Swedish minuets. As a result of his work, the minuet became a part of today’s repertoire of the urban folk dance communities. In Finnish-speaking Finland, folk dancers composed new minuet choreographies for the stage with Finnish-Swedish minuets as the most important example. Opposite to the Swedish minuet reconstruction, the Finnish minuets were not created for social dancing but performances.
20. Some Reflections on the Minuet
Authors: Nilsson Mats , Hoppu Petri
Published: April 2024

The chapter reflects upon the structural, social, cultural, historical, and embodied dimensions of the minuet. The dance is examined from different perspectives, considering its various contexts in Nordic societies. The dance’s symbolic value is seen to have played an essential role in its preservation in the Nordic countries throughout the centuries. However, it is addressed that if it had not gained such vast popularity as dance, movement, and embodied experience among different groups of people, it would never have survived for such a long time.