bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phased nanopore assembly with Shasta and modular graph phasing with GFAse
Authors: Lorig-Roach Ryan , Meredith Melissa , Monlong Jean , Jain Miten , Olsen Hugh , McNulty Brandy , Porubsky David , Montague Tessa , Lucas Julian , Condon Chris , Eizenga Jordan , Juul Sissel , McKenzie Sean , Simmonds Sara E. , Park Jimin , Asri Mobin , Koren Sergey , Eichler Evan , Axel Richard , Martin Bruce , Carnevali Paolo , Miga Karen , Paten Benedict
Published: February 2023

As a step towards simplifying and reducing the cost of haplotype resolvedde novoassembly, we describe new methods for accurately phasing nanopore data with the Shasta genome assembler and a modular tool for extending phasing to the chromosome scale called GFAse. We test using new variants of Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ (ONT) PromethION sequencing, including those using proximity ligation and show that newer, higher accuracy ONT reads substantially improve assembly quality.
Reconstruction of TrkB complex assemblies and localizing antidepressant targets using Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Xiang Xufu , Qian Chungen , Yao Hanbo , Li Pengjie , Cheng Bangning , Wei Daoshun , An Wenjun , Lu Yuming , Chu Ming , Wei Lanlan , Liu Bi-Feng , Xu Junfa , Liu Xin , Xia Fuzhen
Published: February 2023

Since Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) represents a neurological pathology caused by inter-synaptic messaging errors, membrane receptors, the source of signal cascades, constitute appealing drugs targets. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ion channel receptors chelated antidepressants (ADs) high-resolution architectures were reported to realize receptors physical mechanism and design prototype compounds with minimal side effects. Tyrosine kinase receptor 2 (TrkB), a receptor that directly modulates synaptic plasticity, has a finite three-dimensional chart due to its high molecular mass and intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). Leveraging breakthroughs in deep learning, the meticulous architecture of TrkB was projected employing Alphfold 2 (AF2). Furthermore, the Alphafold Multimer algorithm (AF-M) models the coupling of intra- and extra-membrane topologies to chaperones: mBDNF, SHP2, Etc. Conjugating firmly dimeric transmembrane helix with novel compounds like 2R,6R-hydroxynorketamine (2R,6R-HNK) expands scopes of drug screening to encompass all coding sequences throughout genomes. The operational implementation of TrkB kinase-SHP2, PLCγ1, and SHC1 ensembles has paved the path for machine learning in which it can forecast structural transitions in the self-assembly and self-dissociation of molecules during trillions of cellular mechanisms. In silicon, the cornerstone of the alteration will be artificial intelligence (AI), empowering signal networks to operate at the atomic level and picosecond timescales.
Board Sustainability Committees, Climate Change Initiatives, Carbon Performance, and Market Value
Authors: Orazalin Nurlan S. , Ntim Collins G. , Malagila John K.
Published: February 2023

We examine the interrelationships among board sustainability committees, process‐based climate change initiatives, outcome‐based carbon performance, and market value through the lens of economic‐ and social‐based theoretical perspectives. Using a panel dataset of 8408 observations from 35 countries between 2002 and 2019, we find that higher levels of actual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are negatively associated with market value. Further, we reveal a positive association between process‐based climate change initiatives and market value. We then provide evidence that process‐based climate change initiatives are positively related to increased levels of GHG emissions. We also observe that the presence of a board sustainability committee has a positive impact on market value, but does not seem to improve outcome‐based carbon performance. Finally, we show that the predicted relationships vary across different country‐groups, sector‐groups, and periods. Our empirical findings are robust to alternative measures, endogeneities, and sample selection bias. Overall, our evidence supports the symbolic legitimation/greenwashing view, in that firms are likely to employ process‐based climate change initiatives under a symbolic approach to create positive impressions among stakeholders and protect their legitimacy.
Is This Verb a Word? A philological Study of the Distribution of Phonological and Morphological Domains in the Middle Welsh Verb
Authors: Dedio Stefan
Published: February 2023

The—for European languages—large amount of bound elements in the older Insular Celtic languages and the array of phonological interactions within morphological and phrasal structures have lead several researchers to conclude that individual words play a lesser role in the grammars of those languages. Based on current typological research on wordhood and a thorough discussion of the problems and limitations of studying wordhood in corpus languages, this article gives an in‐depth investigation of the morphological and phonological word‐like domains in the Middle Welsh verbal complex. There are several structures that could be labelled ‘word’ on the basis of the findings presented here, which leads to the conclusion that the term is not very useful for the synchronic description of this language.

Die für indogermanische Sprachen große Menge gebundener Elemente in den älteren inselkeltischen Sprachen und die Prävalenz morphologischer und phonologischer Interaktion in morphologischen und syntaktischen Strukturen haben einige Forscher zu der Schlussfolgerung gebracht, dass die einzelnen Wörter in den Grammatiken dieser Sprachen eine untergeordnete Rolle spielen. Auf der Grundlage aktueller typologischer Forschung zu wordhood und einer Diskussion der Schwierigkeiten bei der Untersuchung von wordhood in Korpussprachen bietet dieser Artikel eine detaillierte Untersuchung der wortartigen Domänen im mittelkymrischen Verbalkomplex. Da es mehrere Strukturen gibt, die auf der Basis dieser Untersuchung als ‘Wort’ bezeichnet werden können, erscheint dieser Begriff für die synchrone Beschreibung dieser Sprache wenig hilfreich.

[German]
After inclusion. Thinking with Julian Go's ‘Thinking against empire: Anticolonial thought as social theory’
Authors: Rutazibwa Olivia U.
Published: February 2023

This contribution engages Go's generative invitation tothink against empireby thinking through the epistemic and disciplinary implications of such endeavour. I zoom in on the need to explicitly address the purpose and ethos of scholarly inquiry and how that translates into decolonial academic praxis. Thinking with Go's invitation tothink against empire, I feel compelled to constructively engage the limitations and impossibilities of decolonising disciplines such as Sociology. I glean from the various attempts at inclusion and diversity in society and argue that adding or including Anticolonial Social Thought/marginalised voices and peoples in the existing corridors of power—such as canons or advisory boards—is at besta minimal rather than a sufficient conditionof decolonisation or goingagainst empire. This raises the question of what comesafter inclusion. Rather than offer a ‘correct’ or single alternative anticolonial way, the paper explores the pluriversally inspired method(ological) avenues that appear when we commit to thinking about what happensafter inclusionwhen the goal is decolonisation. I expand on my ‘discovery’ and engagement with the figure and political thought of Thomas Sankara and how this led me to abolitionist thought. The paper then offers a patchwork of methodological considerations when engaging thewhat, how, why?—questions of research. I engage with questions of purpose, mastery, and colonial science and turn to the generative potential of approaches such as grounding, Connected Sociologies, epistemic Blackness, and curating as methods. Thinking with abolition and Shilliam's (2015) distinction between colonial and decolonial science, between knowledgeproductionand knowledgecultivation, the paper invites us to not only think of what we need to do more of or better when taking Anticolonial Social Thought seriously, but also what we might need to let go of.
McDonald versus Shirodkar cerclage technique in the prevention of preterm birth: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: McAuliffe Liam , Issah Ashad , Diacci Rosanna , Williams Kimberley P. , Aubin Anne‐Marie , Phung Jason , Wang Carol , Maouris Alexander , Leathersich Sebastian , Maouris Panos , Pennell Craig E.
Published: February 2023

Background

Cervical cerclage has been used for decades to reduce preterm birth. The Shirodkar and McDonald cerclage are the most commonly used techniques with no current consensus on the preferred technique.

Objective

To compare the efficacy of the Shirodkar and McDonald cerclage techniques in preventing preterm birth.

Search Strategy

Studies were sourced from six electronic databases and reference lists.

Selection Criteria

Studies including women with a singleton pregnancy, requiring a cervical cerclage, using either the Shirodkar or McDonald technique that ran comparative analyses between the two techniques.

Data Collection and Analysis

The primary outcome was preterm birth before 37 weeks, with analyses at 28, 32, 34 and 35 weeks. Secondary data were also collected on neonatal, maternal and obstetric outcomes.

Main Results

Seventeen papers were included: 16 were retrospective cohort studies and one was a randomised controlled trial. The Shirodkar technique was significantly less likely to result in preterm birth before 37 weeks than the McDonald technique (relative risk [RR] 0.91, 95% CI 0.85–0.98). This finding was supported by a statistically significant reduction in rates of preterm birth before 35, 34 and 32 weeks, PPROM, difference in cervical length, cerclage to delivery interval, and an increase in birthweight in the Shirodkar group. No difference was seen in preterm birth rates <28 weeks, neonatal mortality, chorioamnionitis, cervical laceration or caesarean section rates. The RR for preterm birth prior to 37 weeks was no longer significant when sensitivity analyses were performed removing studies with a serious risk of bias. However, similar analyses removing studies that utilised adjunctive progesterone strengthened the primary outcome (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.74–0.93).

Conclusion

Shirodkar cerclage reduces the rate of preterm birth prior to 35, 34 and 32 weeks’ gestation when compared with McDonald cerclage; however, the overall quality of the studies in this review is low. Further, large, well‐designed randomised controlled trials are required to address this important question to optimise care for women who may benefit from cervical cerclage.
Gut bacterium promotes host fitness in special ecological niche by affecting sugar metabolism in Drosophila suzukii
Authors: Gao Huan‐Huan , Zhao Shan , Wang Rui‐Juan , Qin Dong‐Yun , Chen Peng , Zhang An‐Sheng , Zhuang Qian‐Ying , Zhai Yi‐Fan , Zhou Xian‐Hong
Published: February 2023

As an important fruit pest of global significance, Drosophila suzukii occupies a special ecological niche, with the characteristics of high sugar and low protein contents. This niche differs from those occupied by other fruit‐damaging Drosophila species. Gut bacteria substantially impact the physiology and ecology of insects. However, the contribution of gut microbes to the fitness of D. suzukii in their special ecological niche remains unclear. In this study, the effect of Klebsiella oxytoca on the development of D. suzukii was examined at physiological and molecular levels. The results showed that, after the removal of gut microbiota, the survival rate and longevity of axenic D. suzukii decreased significantly. Reintroduction of K. oxytoca to the midgut of D. suzukii advanced the development level of D. suzukii. The differentially expressed genes and metabolites between axenic and K. oxytoca‐reintroduced D. suzukii were enriched in the pathways of carbohydrate metabolism. This advancement was achieved through an increased glycolysis rate and the regulation of the transcript level of key genes in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway. Klebsiella oxytoca is likely to play an important role in increasing host fitness in their high‐sugar ecological niche by stimulating the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway. As a protein source, bacteria can also provide direct nutrition for D. suzukii, which depends on the quantity or biomass of K. oxytoca. This result may provide a new target for controlling D. suzukii by inhibiting sugar metabolism through eliminating the effect of K. oxytoca and thus disrupting the balance of gut microbial communities.
Transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities in a patient with MET exon 14 skipping non‐small cell lung cancer: A case report
Authors: Ikeo Satoshi , Yasuda Naoaki , Sakai Yuki , Hayashi Yasuyuki , Sokai Akihiko , Iwata Toshiyuki , Nishimura Takashi
Published: February 2023

Mesenchymal epithelial transition factor receptor (MET) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (MET‐TKIs) have been approved for the treatment of non‐small cell lung cancers with MET exon 14 skipping mutations. Transient asymptomatic pulmonary opacities (TAPOs) associated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)‐TKIs have been reported. Here, we report a case wherein ground‐glass opacities (GGOs) appeared during the course of treatment with tepotinib, a MET‐TKI, but spontaneously resolved with drug withdrawal, after which treatment was resumed with a reduced dose. Although there have been no reports of TAPOs with MET‐TKIs, the clinical and imaging findings of this case were consistent with TAPOs. For TAPOs occurring because of MET‐TKI, the drug can be continued under careful observation even if GGOs appear.
A meta‐analysis of mRNA expression profiling studies in sheep with different FecB genotypes
Authors: Ma Xiaofei , Liu Aiju , Tian Shujun
Published: February 2023

The FecB mutation in the sheep BMPRIB is strongly correlated with high ovulation traits but its mechanism remains unclear. This study explored differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and their associated molecular mechanisms that may be involved in FecB mutation‐induced high ovulation from the perspective of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis by conducting a systematic review and meta‐analysis. The PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, WanFang, and CBM databases were searched for eligible articles published before August 2022, focusing on mRNA sequencing of different tissues in the HPG axis in sheep with different FecB genotypes. A total of 6555 DEGs were identified from the analysis of six published articles and experimental results from our laboratory. The DEGs were screened by vote‐counting rank and robust rank aggregation. Among these, in the follicular phase, FKBP5, CDCA7 and CRABP1 were upregulated in the hypothalamus. INSM2 was upregulated, while LDB3 was downregulated in the pituitary. CLU, SERPINA14, PENK, INHA and STAR were upregulated, while FERMT2 and NPY1R were downregulated in the ovary. On the HPG axis, TAC1 was upregulated and NPNT was downregulated. Many DEGs were found in sheep with different FecB genotypes. The genes FKBP5, CDCA7, CRABP1, INSM2, LDB3, CLU, SERPINA14, PENK, INHA, STAR, FERMT2, NPY1R, TAC1 and NPNT, may be associated with FecB mutation‐induced high ovulation in different tissues. These candidate genes will further improve the mechanism of multiple fertility traits induced by the FecB mutation from the perspective of the HPG axis.
Population pharmacokinetics of intramuscular recombinant Erwinia chrysanthemi asparaginase (JZP458) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Lin Tong , Whigham Tajhia , Fernando Indrasiri , Choi Mi Rim , Wang Qi , Silverman Jeffrey A.
Published: February 2023

JZP458 is a recombinant Erwinia chrysanthemi asparaginase for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)/lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) who have developed hypersensitivity to Escherichia coli–derived asparaginases. A population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model was developed for intramuscular (i.m.) JZP458 using serum asparaginase activity (SAA) data from 166 patients with ALL/LBL enrolled in a phase II/III study conducted in collaboration with the Children's Oncology Group (AALL1931; NCT04145531). The pharmacokinetics of i.m. JZP458 is best characterized by a one‐compartment model with mixed‐order absorption and linear elimination, with body surface area included as an allometric covariate on JZP458 SAA clearance and volume, and race (i.e., Black/African American) and disease subtype (i.e., T‐cell ALL) as covariates on JZP458 SAA clearance. The PopPK model was used to simulate SAA profiles to estimate the likelihood of achieving nadir SAA (NSAA) levels greater than or equal to 0.1 IU/mL with different dosing regimens. Model‐based simulations suggest when JZP458 is administered i.m. at 25/25/50 mg/m2 Monday/Wednesday/Friday (MWF), 92.1% of subjects (95% confidence interval [CI]: 90.9%, 93.3%) are expected to achieve the last 72‐h (after 50 mg/m2 dose) NSAA level greater than or equal to 0.1 IU/mL, and 93.8% (95% CI: 92.7%, 94.9%) are expected to achieve the last 48‐h (after 25 mg/m2 dose) NSAA level greater than or equal to 0.1 IU/mL. When JZP458 is administered 25 mg/m2 i.m. every 48 h, 93.8% (95% CI: 92.7%, 94.8%) are expected to achieve the last 48‐h NSAA level greater than or equal to 0.1 IU/mL. These data supported the i.m. dose of 25 mg/m2 every 48 h or 25/25/50 mg/m2 on a MWF dosing schedule in patients with ALL/LBL.
Regional inequalities and the West–East divide in Turkey since 1913
Authors: Aşık Güneş , Karakoç Ulaş , Pamuk Şevket
Published: February 2023

This paper examines the evolution of regional disparities within the present‐day borders of Turkey since 1913. Based on our estimates for 58 provinces, we findβ‐convergence, an inverse U, and more recently, the beginnings of an N‐shaped pattern for value added per capita. We also find that regional disparities in Turkey exhibit a number of special features that do not easily fit the well‐studied pattern of the early industrializers. First, while per capita value added in other regions moved towards country averages, the differences between the East and the rest of the country persisted and even increased until recently. Second, spatial distribution of economic activity became more concentrated over time due to continued migration to the megacity of Istanbul. Third, we find that regional disparities in per capita value added in Turkey and other developing countries have been higher than those experienced by the early industrializers. These findings raise questions about the extent to which the regional disparities experiences of Turkey and other developing countries have been different than those of the early industrializers.
Myrmecophily of the enigmatic stag beetleTorynognathus chrysomelinus(Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae) with remarks on adult morphology, immature stages, and systematic position
Authors: Kakizoe Showtaro , Kakinuma Shunsuke , Hoshino Konosuke , Hashim Rosli , Abdullah Nurul Ashikin , Maruyama Munetoshi
Published: February 2023

Adults and various immature stages of the stag beetleTorynognathus chrysomelinusBomans, 1986 were found inside the nests ofPseudolasiusants in Peninsular Malaysia. This paper provides a detailed description ofT. chrysomelinus, which is the first ever record of myrmecophily in this genus and the third record in the family Lucanidae. This is also the first record of myrmecophilous Coleoptera withPseudolasiusants as a host. The description includes the illustration of the male genitalia, mouthparts, larva, and pupa of this genus for the first time. Furthermore, the systematic position ofT. chrysomelinuswas inferred by the molecular phylogenetic analysis of the family Lucanidae. The results suggest thatTorynognathusis a sister taxon to the genusAegus.
IRF2BPL: A new genotype for progressive myoclonus epilepsies
Authors: Costa Cinzia , Oliver Karen L. , Calvello Carmen , Cameron Jillian M. , Imperatore Valentina , Tonelli Laura , Colavito Davide , Franceschetti Silvana , Canafoglia Laura , Berkovic Samuel F. , Prontera Paolo
Published: February 2023

The progressive myoclonus epilepsies (PMEs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders, typically presenting in late childhood. An etiologic diagnosis is achieved in about 80% of patients with PME, and genome‐wide molecular studies on remaining, well‐selected, undiagnosed cases can further dissect the underlying genetic heterogeneity. Through whole‐exome sequencing (WES), we identified pathogenic truncating variants in the IRF2BPL gene in two, unrelated patients presenting with PME. IRF2BPL belongs to the transcriptional regulators family and it is expressed in multiple human tissues, including the brain. Recently missense and nonsense mutations in IRF2BPL were found in patients presenting with developmental delay and epileptic encephalopathy, ataxia, and movement disorders, but none with clear PME. We identified 13 other patients in the literature with myoclonic seizures and IRF2BPL variants. There was no clear genotype–phenotype correlation. With the description of these cases, the IRF2BPL gene should be considered in the list of genes to be tested in the presence of PME, in addition to patients with neurodevelopmental or movement disorders.
Accumulation of polyunsaturated fatty acid‐derived metabolites in the sarcopenic muscle of aging mice
Authors: Kadoguchi Tomoyasu , Shimada Kazunori , Fukui Naoshi , Tanaka Nobuho , Tsuno Hirotaka , Shiozawa Tomoyuki , Fukao Kosuke , Nishitani‐Yokoyama Miho , Isoda Kikuo , Matsushita Satoshi , Yokoyama Norihiko , Daida Hiroyuki
Published: February 2023

Aim

Although it is known that advanced age alters skeletal muscle lipid metabolism, the role(s) of polyunsaturated fatty acid‐derived metabolites (mostly eicosanoids and docosanoids) in sarcopenia are not clear. We therefore examined the changes in the metabolites of arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in the sarcopenic muscle of aged mice.

Methods

We used 6‐ and 24‐month‐old male C57BL/6J mice as healthy and sarcopenic muscle models, respectively. Skeletal muscles were removed from the lower limb and subjected to a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis.

Results

The liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis detected distinct changes of metabolites in the muscles of the aged mice. Of the 63 metabolites identified, nine were significantly higher in the sarcopenic muscle of aged mice compared with the healthy muscle of young mice. In particular, prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin F2a, thromboxane B2, 5‐hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, and 15‐oxo‐eicosatetraenoic acid (arachidonic acid‐derived metabolites), 12‐hydroxy‐eicosapentaenoic acid and 14,15‐epoxy‐eicosatetraenoic acid (eicosapentaenoic acid‐derived metabolites) and 10‐hydroxydocosa‐hexaenoic acid and 14‐hydroxyoctadeca‐pentaenoic acid (docosahexaenoic acid‐derived metabolites) were significantly higher in aged tissue compared with young tissue (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

We observed the accumulation of metabolites in the sarcopenic muscle of aged mice. Our results may provide new insights into the pathogenesis and progression of aging‐ or disease‐related sarcopenia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 297–303.
Ror1 promotes PPARα‐mediated fatty acid metabolism in astrocytes
Authors: Tanaka Yuki , Minami Yasuhiro , Endo Mitsuharu
Published: February 2023

Ror1 signaling regulates cell polarity, migration, proliferation, and differentiation during developmental morphogenesis, and plays an important role in regulating neurogenesis in the embryonic neocortices. However, the role of Ror1 signaling in the brains after birth remains largely unknown. Here, we found that expression levels of Ror1 in the mouse neocortices increase during the postnatal period, when astrocytes mature and start expressing GFAP. Indeed, Ror1 is highly expressed in cultured postmitotic mature astrocytes. RNA‐Seq analysis revealed that Ror1 expressed in cultured astrocytes mediates upregulated expression of genes related to fatty acid (FA) metabolism, including the gene encoding carnitine palmitoyl‐transferase 1a (Cpt1a), the rate‐limiting enzyme of mitochondrial fatty acid β‐oxidation (FAO). We also found that Ror1 promotes the degradation of lipid droplets (LDs) accumulated in the cytoplasm of cultured astrocytes after oleic acid loading, and that suppressed expression of Ror1 decreases the amount of FAs localized at mitochondria, intracellular ATP levels, and expression levels of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α (PPARα) target genes, including Cpt1a. Collectively, these findings indicate that Ror1 signaling promotes PPARα‐mediated transcription of FA metabolism‐related genes, thereby facilitating the availability of FAs derived from LDs for mitochondrial FAO in the mature astrocytes.
Genetic structure of the Japanese Robin (Larvivora akahige) endemic to East Asian islands
Authors: Seki Shin‐Ichi
Published: February 2023

Geographical isolation is a key factor in allopatric speciation although divergence with gene flow has been detected in an increasing number of studies, even in island systems. To understand the divergence in island taxa, it is necessary to examine historical gene flow with mainland sister groups, which largely differ due to the various geological and ecological characteristics of each region. The Izu Islands are a chain of young and active volcanic islands in a warm‐temperate climate zone that branch off from the middle of the Japanese mainland. Despite the chain's relatively limited isolation, given its proximity to the mainland, the Izu Islands feature endemic bird species and subspecies. The Japanese Robin Larvivora akahige is an endemic breeder on East Asian islands, and there is also a subspecies on the Izu Islands that is different in feather coloration and ecological traits. The population genetic structure of this robin was investigated using nine nuclear microsatellite markers and mitochondrial cytochrome b region sequences. Distinct and recent differentiation between the groups from the Izu Islands and mainland was detected from nuclear loci, although the genetic structure within the mainland group was unclear over the 1900‐km habitat chain. The mitochondrial haplotypes were divided into two distant clades, one dominated throughout the robin's range and the other coexisting only on the Izu Islands as a minor type. Those clades were inferred to have diverged independent of the recent differentiation of the two nuclear clusters, although their origins and the mechanism underlying their distribution remain unclear. The geographical characteristics of the Izu Islands may have formed a moderate but long‐lasting barrier for gene flow and promoted speciation, as well as serving as refugia for the preservation of relict lineages, particularly for migratory species, which usually move along the mainland chain.
Expansion and commentary on a two generation approach to prenatal opioid exposure – a commentary on Conradt et al. (2023)
Authors: Chaiyachati Barbara H. , Schiff Davida
Published: February 2023

Early child neurodevelopment, including psychopathology, is influenced by a myriad of factors and interactions. These factors are both intrinsic to the caregiver–child dyad such as genetics and epigenetics as well as extrinsic such as social environment and enrichment. Additional layers of complexity may be at play within families with parental substance use, as outlined by Conradt et al. (2023) in their review article titled “Prenatal Opioid Exposure: A Two‐Generation Approach to Conceptualizing Risk for Child Psychopathology.”. Conradt et al. provide an overarching synthesis of many findings related to substance use that goes beyond the in utero exposure to the transgenerational interface of pregnancy and early childhood, including biologic sensitivities such as genetic predisposition, overrepresentation of social risk factors including early adversities of caregivers and poverty, and transgenerational interactional susceptibilities. Altered dyadic interactions may relate to joint changes in neurobehavior and are not isolated from the influence of infant genetics, epigenetics, and environment. The early neurodevelopmental correlates of prenatal substance exposure including risks of childhood psychopathology are then a composite of many different forces. This nuanced reality, described as an “inter‐generational cascade,” does not centralize parental substance use or prenatal exposure as a singularly causative moment but positions it within the ecologic milieu of the total lived experience.
Low serum dehydroepiandrosterone levels are associated with diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Zhang Xinxin , Huang Yadi , Xu Ning , Feng Wenli , Qiao Jingting , Liu Ming
Published: February 2023

Aims

This cross‐sectional study assessed the association of serum dehydroepiandrosterone levels with the risk of diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in China.

Materials and Methods

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included in a multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess the association of dehydroepiandrosterone with diabetic retinopathy after adjusting for confounding factors. A restricted cubic spline was also used to model the association of serum dehydroepiandrosterone level with the risk of diabetic retinopathy and to describe the overall dose–response correlation. Additionally, an interaction test was conducted in the multivariate logistic regression analysis to compare the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone on diabetic retinopathy among age, sex, obesity status, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and glycosylated hemoglobin level subgroups.

Results

In total, 1,519 patients were included in the final analysis. Low serum dehydroepiandrosterone was significantly associated with diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after adjustment for confounding factors (odds ratio [quartile 4 vs quartile 1]: 0.51; 95% confidence interval: 0.32–0.81; P = 0.012 for the trend). Additionally, the restricted cubic spline indicated that the odds of diabetic retinopathy decreased linearly as the dehydroepiandrosterone concentration increased (P‐overall = 0.044; P‐nonlinear = 0.364). Finally, the subgroup analyses showed that the dehydroepiandrosterone level stably affected diabetic retinopathy (all P for interaction >0.05).

Conclusions

Low serum dehydroepiandrosterone levels were significantly associated with diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, suggesting that dehydroepiandrosterone contributes to the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.
Spatial variation in the evolutionary potential and constraints of basal metabolic rate and body mass in a wild bird
Authors: Nafstad Ådne M. , Rønning Bernt , Aase Kenneth , Ringsby Thor Harald , Hagen Ingerid J. , Ranke Peter S. , Kvalnes Thomas , Stawski Clare , Räsänen Katja , Sæther Bernt‐Erik , Muff Stefanie , Jensen Henrik
Published: February 2023

An organism's energy budget is strongly related to resource consumption, performance, and fitness. Hence, understanding the evolution of key energetic traits, such as basal metabolic rate (BMR), in natural populations is central for understanding life‐history evolution and ecological processes. Here we used quantitative genetic analyses to study evolutionary potential of BMR in two insular populations of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). We obtained measurements of BMR and body mass (Mb) from 911 house sparrows on the islands of Leka and Vega along the coast of Norway. These two populations were the source populations for translocations to create an additional third, admixed ‘common garden’ population in 2012. With the use of a novel genetic group animal model concomitant with a genetically determined pedigree, we differentiate genetic and environmental sources of variation, thereby providing insight into the effects of spatial population structure on evolutionary potential. We found that the evolutionary potential of BMR was similar in the two source populations, whereas the Vega population had a somewhat higher evolutionary potential ofMbthan the Leka population. BMR was genetically correlated withMbin both populations, and the conditional evolutionary potential of BMR (independent of body mass) was 41% (Leka) and 53% (Vega) lower than unconditional estimates. Overall, our results show that there is potential for BMR to evolve independently ofMb, but that selection on BMR and/orMbmay have different evolutionary consequences in different populations of the same species.
Effect of a combination of pemafibrate and a mild low‐carbohydrate diet on obese and non‐obese patients with metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease
Authors: Suzuki Yuichiro , Maekawa Shinya , Yamashita Kohji , Osawa Leona , Komiyama Yasuyuki , Nakakuki Natsuko , Takada Hitomi , Muraoka Masaru , Sato Mitsuaki , Takano Shinichi , Fukasawa Mitsuharu , Yamaguchi Tatsuya , Funayama Satoshi , Morisaka Hiroyuki , Onishi Hiroshi , Enomoto Nobuyuki
Published: February 2023

Background and Aim

Recently, pemafibrate and a low‐carbohydrate diet (LCD) have each been reported to improve fatty liver disease. However, it is unclear whether their combination improves fatty liver disease and is equally effective in obese and non‐obese patients.

Methods

In 38 metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) patients, classified by baseline body mass index (BMI), changes in laboratory values, magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), and magnetic resonance imaging‐proton density fat fraction (MRI‐PDFF) were studied after 1 year of combined pemafibrate plus mild LCD.

Results

The combination treatment resulted in weight loss (P = 0.002), improvement in hepatobiliary enzymes (γ‐glutamyl transferase, P = 0.027; aspartate aminotransferase, P < 0.001; alanine transaminase [ALT], P < 0.001), and improvement in liver fibrosis markers (FIB‐4 index, P = 0.032; 7 s domain of type IV collagen, P = 0.002; M2BPGi, P < 0.001). Vibration‐controlled transient elastography improved from 8.8 to 6.9 kPa (P < 0.001) and MRE improved from 3.1 to 2.8 kPa (P = 0.017) in the liver stiffness. MRI‐PDFF improved from 16.6% to 12.3% in liver steatosis (P = 0.007). In patients with a BMI of 25 or higher, improvements of ALT (r = 0.659, P < 0.001) and MRI‐PDFF (r = 0.784, P < 0.001) were significantly correlated with weight loss. However, in patients with a BMI below 25, the improvements of ALT or PDFF were not accompanied by weight loss.

Conclusions

Combined treatment with pemafibrate and a low‐carbohydrate diet resulted in weight loss and improvements in ALT, MRE, and MRI‐PDFF in MAFLD patients. Although such improvements were associated with weight loss in obese patients, the improvements were observed irrespective of weight loss in non‐obese patients, indicating this combination can be effective both in obese and non‐obese MAFLD patients.
Nimodipine accelerates the restoration of functional hyperemia during spreading oligemia
Authors: Menyhárt Ákos , Bálint Armand Rafael , Kozák Péter , Bari Ferenc , Farkas Eszter
Published: February 2023

Spreading depolarization (SD) is assumed to be the pathophysiological correlate of migraine aura, leading to spreading depression of activity and a long‐lasting vasoconstriction known as spreading oligemia. Furthermore, cerebrovascular reactivity is reversibly impaired after SD. Here, we explored the progressive restoration of impaired neurovascular coupling to somatosensory activation during spreading oligemia. Also, we evaluated whether nimodipine treatment accelerated the recovery of impaired neurovascular coupling after SD. Male, 4–9‐month‐old C57BL/6 mice (n = 11) were anesthetized with isoflurane (1%–1.5%), and SD was triggered with KCl through a burr hole made at the caudal parietal bone. EEG and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were recorded minimally invasively with a silver ball electrode and transcranial laser‐Doppler flowmetry, rostral to SD elicitation. The L‐type voltage‐gated Ca2+ channel blocker nimodipine was administered i.p. (10 mg/kg). Whisker stimulation‐related evoked potentials (EVPs) and functional hyperemia were assessed under isoflurane (0.1%)–medetomidine (0.1 mg/kg i.p.) anesthesia before, and repeatedly after SD, at 15‐min intervals for 75 minutes. Nimodipine accelerated the recovery of CBF from spreading oligemia (time to full recovery, 52 ± 13 vs. 70 ± 8 min, nimodipine vs. control) and exhibited a tendency to shorten the duration of the SD‐related EGG depression duration. The amplitudes of EVP and functional hyperemia were markedly reduced after SD, and progressively recovered over an hour post‐SD. Nimodipine exerted no impact on EVP amplitude but consistently increased the absolute level of functional hyperemia from 20 min post‐CSD (93 ± 11% vs. 66 ± 13%, nimodipine vs. control). A linear, positive correlation between EVP and functional hyperemia amplitude was skewed by nimodipine. In conclusion, nimodipine facilitated CBF restoration from spreading oligemia and the recovery of functional hyperemia post‐SD, which were linked to a tendency of an accelerated return of spontaneous neural activity after SD. The use of nimodipine in migraine prophylaxis is suggested to be re‐visited.

image
The social reproduction of natural resource extraction and gendered labour regimes in rural Turkey
Authors: Çelik Coşku
Published: February 2023

In recent decades, rural livelihood has been restructured dramatically in the Global South as a result of neoliberal transformations such as the removal of state subsidies for small‐scale farmers, privatization of agricultural state economic enterprises, rising control of global agribusiness firms on agricultural production, expropriation of rural commons and private farmland for mega‐investments in natural resources. Under the Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments, Turkey has been a prime example of these patterns of accumulation and dispossession. Additionally, the country has been facing coal rush policies of the AKP governments with the aim of utilizing domestic coal to overcome the problem of energy supply security. In this paper, I argue that rural change and patterns of proletarianization in the rural extractive regions are inherently gendered and women assume a central role in the production and social reproduction of the classes of extractive labour. Drawing on 3‐year research conducted in the Soma Coal Basin, Western Anatolia, Turkey, the paper examines the transformation of women's (i) petty commodity production as unpaid family farmers, (ii) agricultural wage work and (iii) reproductive work as miners' wives and subsistence farmers as a result of rising private sector coal investments since the mid‐2000s.
Improved cochlear implant electrode localization using coregistration of pre‐ and postoperative CT
Authors: Farnsworth Paul J. , Benson John C. , Nassiri Ashley M. , Carlson Matthew L. , Larson Nicholas B. , Lane John I.
Published: February 2023

Background and Purpose

Artifact from cochlear implant electrodes degrades image resolution on CT. Here, we describe the use of coregistered pre‐ and postoperative CT images to reduce metallic artifact from the electrodes to assess its position more accurately within the cochlear lumen.

Methods

Pre‐ and postoperative CTs were reviewed after coregistration/overlay of both exams. Images were evaluated by two neuroradiologists for scalar location of electrodes tip (± scalar translocation), tip fold over, and angular depth of insertion.

Results

Thirty‐four patients were included in the final cohort. Transscalar migration was present in three (8.8%) cases (one case demonstrated tip fold over), with initial disagreement regarding transscalar migration in 1 out of 34 patients (2.9%). Agreement regarding depth of insertion was present in 31 (91.1%) cases. Five‐point Likert scales were used to compare the ability to resolve the proximity of electrodes to the lateral/outer cochlear wall without and with overlay, which is a qualitative measure of artifact from the array. Likert scores showed definitive benefit of metal artifact reduction using overlayed images with an average score of 4.34.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates a novel technique of using fused coregistration of pre‐ and postoperative CTs for the purpose of artifact reduction/electrode localization. It is anticipated that this technique will permit more accurate localization of the electrodes for improvement in surgical technique and electrode array design.
Point‐of‐care Analysis for Non‐invasive Diagnosis of Oral cancer (PANDORA): A technology‐development proof of concept diagnostic accuracy study of dielectrophoresis in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and dysplasia
Authors: Hughes Michael P. , Labeed Fatima H. , Hoettges Kai F. , Porter Stephen , Mercadante Valeria , Kalavrezos Nicholas , Liew Colin , McCaul James A. , Kulkarni Raghav , Cymerman James , Kerawala Cyrus , Barber Julie , Lewis Mark P. , Fedele Stefano
Published: February 2023

Background

Delays in the identification and referral of oral cancer remain frequent. An accurate and non‐invasive diagnostic test to be performed in primary care may help identifying oral cancer at an early stage and reduce mortality. Point‐of‐care Analysis for Non‐invasive Diagnosis of Oral cancer (PANDORA) was a proof‐of‐concept prospective diagnostic accuracy study aimed at advancing the development of a dielectrophoresis‐based diagnostic platform for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and epithelial dysplasia (OED) using a novel automated DEPtech 3DEP analyser.

Methods

The aim of PANDORA was to identify the set‐up of the DEPtech 3DEP analyser associated with the highest diagnostic accuracy in identifying OSCC and OED from non‐invasive brush biopsy samples, as compared to the gold standard test (histopathology). Measures of accuracy included sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value. Brush biopsies were collected from individuals with histologically proven OSCC and OED, histologically proven benign mucosal disease, and healthy mucosa (standard test), and analysed via dielectrophoresis (index test).

Results

40 individuals with OSCC/OED and 79 with benign oral mucosal disease/healthy mucosa were recruited. Sensitivity and specificity of the index test was 86.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 71.9%–95.6%) and 83.6% (95% CI, 73.0%–91.2%). Analysing OSCC samples separately led to higher diagnostic accuracy, with 92.0% (95% CI, 74.0%–99.0%) sensitivity and 94.5% (95% CI, 86.6%–98.5%) specificity.

Conclusion

The DEPtech 3DEP analyser has the potential to identify OSCC and OED with notable diagnostic accuracy and warrants further investigation as a potential triage test in the primary care setting for patients who may need to progress along the diagnostic pathway and be offered a surgical biopsy.
In or out of sync? Concordance between parent and adolescent sleep varies by family context
Authors: Sasser Jeri , Oshri Assaf
Published: February 2023

Evidence suggests significant interrelations among parent and adolescent sleep (i.e., concordance). However, less is known regarding how parent–adolescent sleep concordance varies as a function of the family context. This study examined daily and average concordance between parent and adolescent sleep and explored adverse parenting and family functioning (e.g., cohesion, flexibility) as potential moderators. One hundred and twenty‐four adolescents (Mage = 12.90) and their parents (93% mothers) wore actigraphy watches assessing sleep duration, efficiency, and midpoint across 1 week. Multilevel models indicated daily (within‐family) concordance between parent and adolescent sleep duration and midpoint. Average (between‐family) concordance was found for sleep midpoint only. Family flexibility was linked with greater daily concordance in sleep duration and midpoint, whereas adverse parenting predicted discordance in average sleep duration and efficiency.
Dimensions of social trust and national identity: Addressing a multifaceted relationship
Authors: Wamsler Steffen
Published: February 2023

Social trust is crucial for the functioning of societies and states as well as for the wellbeing of individuals. In this article, I expand on previous literature and scrutinise the role of definitions of group membership in the form of national belonging as a key predictor of three distinct dimensions of social trust: particularised trust, trust in strangers and identity‐based trust. Drawing on recent data from the European Values Study, I find that stronger ethnic conceptions of nationhood are related to higher identity‐based trust, whereas the reverse holds for trust in strangers. The latter relationship, however, must be qualified regarding majority conceptions at the respective national level. Results for particularised trust, however, point towards a more complex relationship than outlined in the theoretical expectations. Thus, this article contributes to extant literature by presenting a comprehensive argument linking all three dimensions to conceptions of nationhood challenging simplified notions of generalised trust. Further, I go beyond extant studies by combining conceptions of nationhood at the individual level with several country‐level variables to demonstrate the robustness of the results.
A partner's smile is not per se a safety signal: Psychophysiological response patterns to instructed threat and safety
Authors: Morato Cristina , Guerra Pedro , Bublatzky Florian
Published: February 2023

Recent studies on fear conditioning and pain perception suggest that pictures of loved ones (e.g., a romantic partner) may serve as a prepared safety cue that is less likely to signal aversive events. Challenging this view, we examined whether pictures of smiling or angry loved ones are better safety or threat cues. To this end, 47 healthy participants were verbally instructed that specific facial expressions (e.g., happy faces) cue threat of electric shocks and others cue safety (e.g., angry faces). When facial images served as threat cues, they elicited distinct psychophysiological defensive responses (e.g., increased threat ratings, startle reflex, and skin conductance responses) compared to viewing safety cues. Interestingly, instructed threat effects occurred regardless of the person who cued shock threat (partner vs. unknown) and their facial expression (happy vs. angry). Taken together, these results demonstrate the flexible nature of facial information (i.e., facial expression and facial identity) to be easily learned as signals for threat or safety, even when showing loved ones.
‘I was Born in One City, but Raised in Another’: Aretino's Perugian Apprenticeship
Authors: Rossiter William T.
Published: February 2023

According to his apocrypha, Aretino was forced to flee his hometown of Arezzo after penning some anti‐papal verses. Similarly, it is claimed that he fled Perugia ten years later after painting a lute into the hands of a depiction of the Maddalena, which stood in one of the town's piazze. Neither anecdote is true, but they point to Aretino's early reputation for both poetry and painting. In 1512, the Opera nova del fecondissimo giovene Pietro pictore Arretino was published in Venice. It was the first work by Aretino to appear in print, and the fruit of the formative time he spent in Perugia, where he was part of an urban circle of poets, artists and scholars. It was a circle and a metropolitan environment he sought to recreate in Rome and Venice. This article draws together Aretino's letters to his lifelong Perugian friends and the poems in the 1512 volume in order to examine the correspondence between their rhetorical and discursive modes. This examination shows that Perugia was the crucible of Aretino's self‐fashioning. It was in Perugia that Aretino became a poet. Where also, it would appear, he almost became a painter (pictore); a training that would equip him to become one of the most significant writers on art of the sixteenth century. The Opera nova shows Aretino mastering the vernacular poetic traditions available to him before, ultimately, rejecting them all in favour of himself. Perugia was the city where, with a little help from his friends, Aretino became Aretino.