bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“We are sorry to inform you…”—The effects of early elimination on science competition participants’ career aspirations
Authors: Garrecht Carola , Steegh Anneke , Schiering Dustin
Published: September 2023

In the past, students' participation in science competitions has been positively associated with their aspirations to pursue a career in science. Previous studies, however, were predominantly focused around successful competitors, overlooking the largest group of participants: those who are faced with early elimination. We therefore aimed to investigate the effects of elimination on the development of biology‐related study and career task values and expectancy of success in first‐round participants of the German Biology Olympiad (N = 381, mean age 16.5 years, 72% female). This study was the first of its kind to use a latent change score model approach to examine the effects of early elimination, with a particular focus on participants who placed great emphasis on succeeding in the competition. We found that, regardless of success or failure, participants' biology‐related study and career task value remained stable from the first to the second round of the competition, while their expectancy of success in biology‐related studies and career developed positively. Yet, for those participants who placed great importance on advancing in the competition, early elimination interfered with the development of study and career expectations, resulting in a weaker development. The outcomes of this study suggest that (1) science competitions should re‐envision themselves to more directly address participants' values about studies and careers, especially in earlier competition rounds, and (2) science competitions should find innovative ways to provide detailed feedback to students and teachers to improve post‐elimination performance. Our findings complement existing expectancy‐value research and can serve as a starting point for future studies exploring mechanisms behind early elimination in different science domains and cultural contexts, providing empirical insight into creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all science competition competitors.
γ‐Secretase inhibitor alleviates lipopolysaccharide‐induced myocardial injury through regulatingJAK2/STAT3signaling
Authors: Fang Jingyun , Guan Huan
Published: September 2023

Background

Septic myocardial injury is one of the most life‐threatening organ dysfunction. The γ‐secretase‐based approaches have been developed as potential strategies for diverse diseases management. Unfortunately, the role of γ‐secretase inhibitor in septic myocardial injury is unclarified. The present study aims to investigate the effect of γ‐secretase inhibitor in septic myocardial injury and reveal its mechanism.

Methods

The mouse model of septic myocardial injury was established by intraperitoneally injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and γ‐secretase inhibitor MW167 was applied in this model. RNA‐sequencing analysis and further bioinformatics analyses were used to screen differential expressed genes (DEGs) and potentially enriched pathways between LPS and LPS + MW167 mice. Pathological examination was performed using haematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. SD‐1029 was used to block JAK2/STAT3 signaling in H9C2 cells and western blot analysis quantified JAK2/STAT3‐related proteins.

Results

LPS induced myocardial injury accompanied with significant inflammatory infiltration and more apoptotic cells. Transcriptome sequencing screened 36 DEGs and bioinformatics identified JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway was significantly enriched. Furtherin vitroexperiments showed that γ‐secretase inhibitor MW167 activated JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Additionally, MW167 restored cell viability, decreased myocardial injury markers including cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), inhibited pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)‐1β and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and reduced nitric oxide (NO), cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) release. Application of SD‐1029 reversely deteriorated LPS‐induced myocardial injury and inflammatory response in γ‐secretase inhibitor‐treated myocardial cells.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate that γ‐secretase inhibitor alleviates septic myocardial injury via activating JAK2/STAT3 signaling, and provide novel therapeutic direction for septic myocardial injury.
U(1) quasi-hydrodynamics: Schwinger-Keldysh effective field theory and holography
Authors: Baggioli Matteo , Bu Yanyan , Ziogas Vaios
Published: September 2023

Abstract

We study the quasi-hydrodynamics of a system with a softly broken U(1) global symmetry using effective field theory (EFT) and holographic methods. In the gravity side, we consider a holographic Proca model in the limit of small bulk mass, which is responsible for a controllable explicit breaking of the U(1) global symmetry in the boundary field theory. We perform a holographic Schwinger-Keldysh analysis, which allows us to derive the form of the boundary effective action in presence of dissipation. We compare our results with the previously proposed EFT and hydrodynamic theories, and we confirm their validity by computing the low-energy quasi-normal modes spectrum analytically and numerically. Additionally, we derive the broken holographic Ward identity for the U(1) current, and discuss the recently proposed novel transport coefficients for systems with explicitly broken symmetries. The setup considered is expected to serve as a toy model for more realistic situations where quasi-hydrodynamics is at work, such as axial charge relaxation in QCD, spin relaxation in relativistic systems, electric field relaxation in magneto-hydrodynamics, or momentum relaxation in condensed matter systems.
An atlas of genome-wide gene expression and metabolite associations and possible mediation effects towards body mass index
Authors: Beuchel Carl , Dittrich Julia , Becker Susen , Kirsten Holger , Tönjes Anke , Kovacs Peter , Stumvoll Michael , Loeffler Markus , Teren Andrej , Thiery Joachim , Isermann Berend , Ceglarek Uta , Scholz Markus
Published: September 2023

Investigating the cross talk of different omics layers is crucial to understand molecular pathomechanisms of metabolic diseases like obesity. Here, we present a large-scale association meta-analysis of genome-wide whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) gene expressions profiled with Illumina HT12v4 microarrays and metabolite measurements from dried blood spots (DBS) characterized by targeted liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) in three large German cohort studies with up to 7706 samples. We found 37,295 associations comprising 72 amino acids (AA) and acylcarnitine (AC) metabolites (including ratios) and 8579 transcripts. We applied this catalogue of associations to investigate the impact of associating transcript-metabolite pairs on body mass index (BMI) as an example metabolic trait. This is achieved by conducting a comprehensive mediation analysis considering metabolites as mediators of gene expression effects and vice versa. We discovered large mediation networks comprising 27,023 potential mediation effects within 20,507 transcript-metabolite pairs. Resulting networks of highly connected (hub) transcripts and metabolites were leveraged to gain mechanistic insights into metabolic signaling pathways. In conclusion, here, we present the largest available multi-omics integration of genome-wide transcriptome data and metabolite data of amino acid and fatty acid metabolism and further leverage these findings to characterize potential mediation effects towards BMI proposing candidate mechanisms of obesity and related metabolic diseases.

Key messages

Thousands of associations of 72 amino acid and acylcarnitine metabolites and 8579 genes expand the knowledge of metabolome-transcriptome associations.

A mediation analysis of effects on body mass index revealed large mediation networks of thousands of obesity-related gene-metabolite pairs.

Highly connected, potentially mediating hub genes and metabolites enabled insight into obesity and related metabolic disease pathomechanisms.
Kardiovaskuläre Toxizität der Therapie onkologischer Erkrankungen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen
Authors: Neudorf Ulrich , Schönecker Anne , Apitz Christian , Koch Dieter , Voges Inga , Rassaf Tienush , Langer Thorsten , Reinhardt Dirk , Zolk Oliver , Schöber Martin ,   Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Kardiologie und Angeborene Herzfehler (DGPK),   Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie und Herz-Kreislaufforschung (DGK),   Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Onkologie und Hämatologie (GPOH),   Deutsche Gesellschaft für Klinische Pharmakologie und Therapie (DGKliPha)
Published: September 2023

Kinder und Jugendliche überleben eine Krebsdiagnose und erfolgreiche Krebstherapie länger als Erwachsene. Damit gewinnen Spätfolgen der Behandlung, wie kardiotoxische Langzeitwirkungen, zunehmend an Relevanz. Häufig werden im Rahmen der onkologischen Therapie Anthrazykline eingesetzt, deren akute und chronische Kardiotoxizität bekannt sind. Sie kommen bei Kindern in etwa 60 % der Krebstherapien zur Anwendung und sind zurzeit die Chemotherapeutika mit dem quantitativ höchsten Risiko für eine Kardiotoxizität. Weitere neuere Medikamente und die Bestrahlung sind ein zusätzliches, z. T. unbekanntes Risiko für Herz und Gefäße. Dies betrifft über die Kardiomyopathie hinaus auch das Auftreten von system- und pulmonalarterieller Hypertonie. Zunehmend besser charakterisiert wird das Risiko kardiovaskulärer Spätfolgen durch eine Strahlentherapie.

Einige der unerwünschten Nebeneffekte werden erst im Laufe der Zeit – lange nach der initialen Behandlung der Patienten – auftreten. Die Spätfolgen am Herzen können zunächst klinisch verborgen bleiben, obwohl schon eine subklinische linksventrikuläre systolische Dysfunktion besteht. Die manifeste Herzinsuffizienz folgt später. Dann jedoch sind die Patienten nicht mehr in der Betreuung der Kinder- und Jugendmediziner, haben das Erwachsenenalter erreicht und sollten durch Mediziner für Erwachsene versorgt werden. Eine strukturierte Transition nach der onkologischen Therapie ist somit essenziell.

In den letzten Jahren sind einige Positionspapiere oder Leitlinien zum Thema Kardioonkologie veröffentlicht worden. Der pädiatrische Aspekt wird darin insgesamt wenig berücksichtigt. Ziel dieses Positionspapiers ist es, die Aufmerksamkeit der Kinderkardiologen und -onkologen, aber auch der Erwachsenenkardiologen und -onkologen im Hinblick auf dieses Thema zu erhöhen. Dazu werden Risikofaktoren für eine kardiovaskuläre Toxizität der verschiedenen Erkrankungen und Therapieprotokolle dargestellt sowie der Stand der Kenntnis zur Vermeidung von Toxizität und manifester Herzinsuffizienz beschrieben. Art und Durchführung der kardiologischen Diagnostik und Nachsorge stellen den Mittelpunkt dar.
Female breadwinning and domestic abuse: evidence from Australia
Authors: Zhang Yinjunjie , Breunig Robert
Published: September 2023

We explore the relationship between heterosexual partners’ relative income and the incidence of both domestic violence and emotional abuse. Using Australian data drawn from society-wide surveys, we find women who earn more than their male partners are subject to a 33% increase in partner violence and a 20% increase in emotional abuse compared to mean levels. We show the relationship between relative spouse income and female partner abuse is best modelled by a binary variable that captures “female breadwinning.” This finding differs from those of some earlier studies that considered only serious abuse and found a continuous negative relationship between female partners’ relative income and abuse. Instead, our findings suggest a mechanism related to gender norms generating domestic violence. We find no link between relative income and abuse of male partners.
Position- and posture-dependent vascular imaging—a scoping review
Authors: van Zandwijk Jordy K. , Simmering Jaimy A. , Schuurmann Richte C.L. , Simonis Frank F.J. , ten Haken Bennie , de Vries Jean-Paul P.M. , Geelkerken Robert H.
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Position- and posture-dependent deformation of the vascular system is a relatively unexplored field. The goal of this scoping review was to create an overview of existing vascular imaging modalities in different body positions and postures and address the subsequent changes in vascular anatomy.

Methods

Scopus, Medline, and Cochrane were searched for literature published between January 1, 2000, and June 30, 2022, incorporating the following categories: image modality, anatomy, orientation, and outcomes.

Results

Out of 2446 screened articles, we included 108. The majority of papers used ultrasound (US, n = 74) in different body positions and postures with diameter and cross-sectional area (CSA) as outcome measures. Magnetic resonance imaging (n = 22) and computed tomography (n = 8) were less frequently used but allowed for investigation of other geometrical measures such as vessel curvature and length. The venous system proved more sensitive to postural changes than the arterial system, which was seen as increasing diameters of veins below the level of the heart when going from supine to prone to standing positions, and vice versa.

Conclusions

The influence of body positions and postures on vasculature was predominantly explored with US for vessel diameter and CSA. Posture-induced deformation and additional geometrical features that may be of interest for the (endovascular) treatment of vascular pathologies have been limitedly reported, such as length and curvature of an atherosclerotic popliteal artery during bending of the knee after stent placement. The most important clinical implications of positional changes are found in diagnosis, surgical planning, and follow-up after stent placement.

Clinical relevance statement

This scoping review presents the current state and opportunities of position- and posture-dependent imaging of vascular structures using various imaging modalities that are relevant in the fields of clinical diagnosis, surgical planning, and follow-up after stent placement.

Key Points

• The influence of body positions and postures on the vasculature was predominantly investigated with US for vessel diameter and cross-sectional area.

• Research into geometrical deformation, such as vessel length and curvature adaptation, that may be of interest for the (endovascular) treatment of vascular pathologies is limited in different positions and postures.

• The most important clinical implications of postural changes are found in diagnosis, surgical planning, and follow-up after stent placement.
Hypogonadism is frequent in very old men with multimorbidity and is associated with anemia and sarcopenia
Authors: Schluessel Sabine , Bidlingmaier Martin , Martini Sebastian , Reincke Martin , Reisch Nicole , Schaupp Anna , Stalla Günter , Teupser Daniel , Schmidmaier Ralf , Drey Michael
Published: September 2023

Background

Clinical data regarding hypogonadism in very old men with multimorbidity are rare. Hypogonadism can contribute to osteoporosis, anemia and sarcopenia and is therefore a relevant problem for geriatric patients.

Methods

A total of 167 men aged 65–96 years (mean 81 ± 7 years) admitted to an acute geriatric ward were included in a cross-sectional study. Body composition derived from dual-energy X‑ray absorptiometry, bone mineral density, handgrip strength, multimorbidity, polypharmacy and laboratory values were obtained from the routine electronic clinical patient file.

Results

Hypogonadism was present in 62% (n = 104) of the study participants, of whom 83% showed clinical manifestation of hypogonadism (hypogonadism in combination with anemia, sarcopenia and/or low T‑score). The subgroups showed a distribution of 52% primary and 48% secondary hypogonadism. Compared to the eugonadal patients, hypogonadal patients had reduced handgrip strength (p = 0.031) and lower hemoglobin levels (p = 0.043), even after adjustment for age, body mass index and glomerular filtration rate.

Conclusion

Hypogonadism is common in geriatric patients. If chronic anemia, sarcopenia, or osteoporosis are diagnosed, testosterone levels should be determined in geriatric settings.
Trace elements in abyssal peridotite olivine record melting, thermal evolution, and melt refertilization in the oceanic upper mantle
Authors: Lin Kuan-Yu , Warren Jessica M. , Davis Fred A.
Published: September 2023

Trace element concentrations in abyssal peridotite olivine provide insights into the formation and evolution of the oceanic lithosphere. We present olivine trace element compositions (Al, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Y, Yb) from abyssal peridotites to investigate partial melting, melt–rock interaction, and subsolidus cooling at mid-ocean ridges and intra-oceanic forearcs. We targeted 44 peridotites from fast (Hess Deep, East Pacific Rise) and ultraslow (Gakkel and Southwest Indian Ridges) spreading ridges and the Tonga trench, including 5 peridotites that contain melt veins. We found that the abundances of Ti, Mn, Co, and Zn increase, while Ni decreases in melt-veined samples relative to unveined samples, suggesting that these elements are useful tracers of melt infiltration. The abundances of Al, Ca, Cr, and V in olivine are temperature sensitive. Thermometers utilizing Al and Ca in olivine indicate temperatures of 650–1000 °C, with variations corresponding to the contrasting cooling rates the peridotites experienced in different tectonic environments. Finally, we demonstrate with a two-stage model that olivine Y and Yb abundances reflect both partial melting and subsolidus re-equilibration. Samples that record lower Al- and Ca-in-olivine temperatures experienced higher extents of diffusive Y and Yb loss during cooling. Altogether, we demonstrate that olivine trace elements document both high-temperature melting and melt–rock interaction events, as well as subsolidus cooling related to their exhumation and emplacement onto the seafloor. This makes them useful tools to study processes associated with seafloor spreading and mid-ocean ridge tectonics.
Prevalence and determinants of subretinal drusenoid deposits in patients’ first-degree relatives
Authors: Mauschitz Matthias M. , Hochbein Benedikt J. , Klinkhammer Hannah , Saßmannshausen Marlene , Terheyden Jan H. , Krawitz Peter , Finger Robert P.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs) are distinct extracellular alteration anterior to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Given their commonly uniform phenotype, a hereditary predisposition seems likely. Hence, we aim to investigate prevalence and determinants in patients’ first-degree relatives.

Methods

We recruited SDD outpatients at their visits to our clinic and invited their relatives. We performed a full ophthalmic examination including spectral domain–optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and graded presence, disease stage of SDD as well as percentage of infrared (IR) en face area affected by SDD. Moreover, we performed genetic sequencing and calculated a polygenic risk score (PRS) for AMD. We conducted multivariable regression models to assess potential determinants of SDD and associations of SDD with PRS.

Results

We included 195 participants, 123 patients (mean age 81.4 ± 7.2 years) and 72 relatives (mean age 52.2 ± 14.2 years), of which 7 presented SDD, resulting in a prevalence of 9.7%. We found older age to be associated with SDD presence and area in the total cohort and a borderline association of higher body mass index (BMI) with SDD presence in the relatives. Individuals with SDD tended to have a higher PRS, which, however, was not statistically significant in the multivariable regression.

Conclusion

Our study indicates a potential hereditary aspect of SDD and confirms the strong association with age. Based on our results, relatives of SDD patients ought to be closely monitored for retinal alterations, particularly at an older age. Further longitudinal studies with larger sample size and older relatives are needed to confirm or refute our findings.
Regulation of early seedling establishment and root development in Arabidopsis thaliana by light and carbohydrates
Authors: Pasternak Taras , Kircher Stefan , Palme Klaus , Pérez-Pérez José Manuel
Published: September 2023

Main conclusion

Root development is regulated by sucrose and light during early seedling establishment through changes in the auxin response and chromatin topology.

Light is a key environmental signal that regulates plant growth and development. The impact of light on development is primarily analyzed in the above-ground tissues, but little is known about the mechanisms by which light shapes the architecture of underground roots. Our study shows that carbohydrate starvation during skotomorphogenesis is accompanied by compaction of nuclei in the root apical meristem, which prevents cell cycle progression and leads to irreversible root differentiation in the absence of external carbohydrates, as evidenced by the lack of DNA replication and increased numbers of nuclei with specific chromatin characteristics. In these conditions, induction of photomorphogenesis was unable to restore seedling growth, as overall root growth was compromised. The addition of carbohydrates, either locally or systemically by transferring seedlings to sugar-containing medium, led to the induction of adventitious root formation with rapid recovery of seedling growth. Conversely, transferring in vitro carbohydrate-grown seedlings from light to dark transiently promoted cell elongation and significantly reduced root meristem size, but did not primarily affect cell cycle kinetics. We show that, in the presence of sucrose, dark incubation does not affect zonation in the root apical meristem but leads to shortening of the proliferative and transition zones. Sugar starvation led to a rapid increase in lysine demethylation of histone H3 at position K9, which preceded a rapid decline in cell cycle activity and activation of cell differentiation. In conclusion, carbohydrates are required for cell cycle activity, epigenetics reprogramming and for postmitotic cell elongation and auxin-regulated response in the root apical meristem.
Taste disturbance in patients with advanced cancer: a scoping review of clinical features and complications
Authors: Hannon Marie , Shaw Annelie , Connolly Michael , Davies Andrew
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this scoping review is to appraise the published literature on taste disturbance in patients with advanced cancer, with the specific objectives being to determine its prevalence, clinical features and complications.

Methods

This scoping review was conducted using the recommended methodological framework. A detailed search of databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL and PsycInfo) was conducted to identify eligible studies: eligible studies needed to include patients with advanced cancer and needed to include details of clinical features and/or complications of taste disturbance. Standard bibliographic/systematic review software was used to store the records and manage the review process, respectively.

Results

Twenty-five studies were identified from the database searches. The studies identified included eight physical and/or psychological symptom studies, six symptom cluster studies, five oral symptom studies and six taste and/or smell specific studies. Detailed data is presented on the clinical features and complications of taste disturbance and on the symptom clusters involving taste disturbance in this cohort of patients.

Conclusion

This scoping review identified a relatively small number of relevant studies involving a relatively small number of participants. Nevertheless, it confirms that taste disturbance is a common problem in patients with advanced cancer and is associated with significant morbidity because of the primary condition and the associated complications.
Current and novel infusion therapies for patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Antonini Angelo , D’Onofrio Valentina , Guerra Andrea
Published: September 2023

Advanced Parkinson’s disease is characterized by periods of poor mobility, dyskinesia and progressive decline in functional independence of the affected person despite the manipulation of levodopa doses and the introduction of supplemental therapies such as catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitors, monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors and dopamine agonists. The implementation of drug delivery systems allows to bypass problems related to irregular and often unpredictable intestinal absorption of oral levodopa, which significantly affects its bioavailability and contributes to the development and persistence of motor complications. Subcutaneous apomorphine and levodopa/carbidopa jejunal infusion systems have been available for many years and their efficacy is confirmed by randomized studies and long-term experience in many centers worldwide. Recently, a new formulation of levodopa/carbidopa infusion gel that includes the catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor Entacapone has been introduced to the market. The use of entacapone allows to reduce total daily dose of administered levodopa. Two different soluble formulations of levodopa/carbidopa (ND0612 and ABBV-951) have completed clinical development, and both can ensure subcutaneous delivery by a portable pump infusion system. ABBV-951 uses a foslevodopa/foscarbidopa formulation, both prodrugs to improve absorption and tolerability. Both systems provide effective improvement of motor complications and are likely to expand the therapeutic options in advanced patients. Future efforts should focus on the earlier detection of patients who are candidates for device-aided therapies, increasing appropriate referral and broadening the availability of these treatments globally.
The effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy on periodontal disease and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Brinar Sara , Skvarča Aleš , Gašpirc Boris , Schara Rok
Published: September 2023

Objectives

This study is aimed at determining the effect of concomitant antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPTD) on periodontal disease and glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials and methods

Twenty-four patients with T2DM were enrolled in the study. Periodontal clinical parameters were assessed by measuring probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), gingival recession (GR), full-mouth bleeding score (FMBS), full-mouth plaque score (FMPS), and full-mouth sulcus bleeding score (FMSBS). Glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was measured. To determine the presence of the following periodontal pathogenic bacteria, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola, subgingival plaque samples were taken from two periodontal pockets per jaw with the greatest PPD using paper tips. Patients were randomly divided into the test and control group. In the test group, full-mouth disinfection was performed in combination with aPTD. In the control group, only full-mouth disinfection was performed.

Results

The results showed an improvement in periodontal clinical parameters in both groups. The difference between the groups in favour of the test group was statistically significant for BOP. The HbA1c level decreased in both groups. The difference was not statistically significant. The results of the microbiological analysis suggest that the presence of periodontal pathogenic bacteria is lower with additional antimicrobial photodynamic therapy with statistically significant difference for T. forsythia.

Conclusions

Additional aPDT causes a significant reduction in BoP in the proportion of positive sites for periodontal pathogens.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05816941.

Clinical relevance

aPTD is a noninvasive adjunctive therapy that can positively influence the periodontal treatment outcome.
An Indicator Formula for the Hopf Algebra $$k^{S_{n-1}}\#kC_n$$
Authors: Orlinsky Kayla
Published: September 2023

The semisimple bismash product Hopf algebra $$J_n=k^{S_{n-1}}\#kC_n$$

J
n

=

k

S

n
-
1

#
k

C
n

for an algebraically closed field k is constructed using the matched pair actions of $$C_n$$

C
n

and $$S_{n-1}$$

S

n
-
1

on each other. In this work, we reinterpret these actions and use an understanding of the involutions of $$S_{n-1}$$

S

n
-
1

to derive a new Froebnius-Schur indicator formula for irreps of $$J_n$$

J
n

and show that for n odd, all indicators of $$J_n$$

J
n

are nonnegative. We also derive a variety of counting formulas including Theorem 6.2.2 which fully describes the indicators of all 2-dimensional irreps of $$J_n$$

J
n

and Theorem 6.1.2 which fully describes the indicators of all odd-dimensional irreps of $$J_n$$

J
n

and use these formulas to show that nonzero indicators become rare for large n.
ST2-Conditioned Medium Fosters Dorsal Horn Cell Excitability and Synaptic Transmission in Cultured Mouse Spinal Cord
Authors: Juárez Esri H. , Wood Chelsea R. , Davies Rebecca , Kehoe Oksana , Johnson William E. B. , Merighi Adalberto , Ferrini Francesco
Published: September 2023

Conditioned medium obtained from bone marrow-derived stem cells has been proposed as a novel cell-free therapy in spinal cord injury and neuropathic pain, yet the direct effect on spinal neuron function has never been investigated. Here, we adopted spinal cord organotypic cultures (SCOCs) as an experimental model to probe the effect of ST2 murine mesenchymal stem cells-conditioned medium (ST2-CM) on dorsal horn (DH) neuron functional properties. Three days of SCOC exposure to ST2-CM increased neuronal activity measured by Fos expression, as well as spontaneous or induced firing. We showed that the increase in neuronal excitability was associated with changes in both intrinsic membrane properties and an enhanced excitatory drive. The increased excitability at the single-cell level was substantiated at the network level by detecting synchronous bursts of calcium waves across DH neurons. Altogether, SCOCs represent a viable tool to probe mesenchymal cells' effect on intact neuronal networks. Our findings indicate that ST2-CM enhances neuronal activity and synaptic wiring in the spinal dorsal horn. Our data also support the trophic role of mesenchymal cells CM in maintaining network activity in spinal circuits.

Graphical Abstract
Afactivism about understanding cognition
Authors: Taylor Samuel D.
Published: September 2023

Here, I take alethic views of understanding to be all views that hold that whether an explanation is true or false matters for whether that explanation provides understanding. I then argue that there is (as yet) no naturalistic defence of alethic views of understanding in cognitive science, because there is no agreement about the correct descriptions of the content of cognitive scientific explanations. I use this claim to argue for the provisional acceptance of afactivism in cognitive science, which is the view that the truth or falsity of an explanation of cognition is irrelevant to whether that explanation provides understanding. I conclude by discussing the relation between understanding in cognitive science and understanding in other domains.
Job satisfaction of mathematics teachers: an empirical investigation to quantify the contributions of teacher self-efficacy and teacher motivation to teach
Authors: Zakariya Yusuf F. , Wardat Yousef
Published: September 2023

The shortage of mathematics teachers necessitates deliberate efforts to retain high-quality ones in many parts of the world. This puts teacher job satisfaction in the spotlight since satisfied teachers are likely to retain their jobs. Thus, the purpose of this study is twofold. The first is to quantify the influence of teacher self-efficacy and teacher motivation on teacher job satisfaction. The second is to investigate the patterns of changes in teacher job satisfaction across gender, age, and work experience. Using both descriptive and inferential statistics, we analysed the dataset of 1304 Norwegian mathematics teachers to address two research questions. The results showed that both teacher self-efficacy and social utility motivation have a significant influence on teacher job satisfaction with an additional mediating role of teacher self-efficacy. Contrary to our expectations, personal utility motivation has a negative influence on teacher job satisfaction. We found that women had significantly higher teacher job satisfaction than men. Also, we found a high-low–high pattern of changes in teacher job satisfaction in ascending order of teachers’ age and work experience. One practical implication of these findings is exposing an appropriate time (i.e. at a low stage of job satisfaction) for interventions targeted at teacher job satisfaction to be effective. We discussed other implications of these findings concerning which constructs, gender, and age groups of teachers to prioritise for interventions that would reinforce the job satisfaction of mathematics teachers.
The Importance of Implementation Fidelity for Teacher-Related Changes Within the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
Authors: Jantzer Vanessa , Ossa Fanny C. , Lerch Stefan , Resch Franz , Kaess Michael
Published: September 2023

Although teachers are key figures of a program’s effectiveness, most intervention studies to date have not explored how anti-bullying programs are associated with changes at teacher level. Moreover, teacher data also informs about aspects of program implementation, which are essential in program evaluations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain insight into the perspectives of teachers working with the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP). A scientific evaluation of the OBPP was carried out in 21 German schools. In addition to annual student surveys, regular teacher surveys were conducted. Ordered logistic regressions and linear regressions were used to estimate the variables. As we expected a dosage-response effect, we divided the schools by level of implementation (non-completer, completer, and certified Olweus schools). At baseline, 615 teachers took part in the assessment (68.26%), and 388 teachers at postline 2 years later (47.32%). A positive change in teachers’ intention to intervene in bullying could be found across all schools (p < .001), which was only significant for completer (p < .001) and certified schools (p = .004) when differentiated by implementation level. Teachers’ level of job strain did not change at all (non-significant model fit), while an improvement in school climate only emerged for certified schools (p = .003). The moderating effect of the implementation level turned out to be independent of different school characteristics. The self-reported changes at the teacher level depended on the level of program implementation. Therefore, it is essential to record data about the intensity of program activities when evaluating a program.

Trial registration number: DRKS00008202 (date of registration: 08/04/2015).
At the Intersections of History
Authors: Menaker Alexander , Clark William Howard , Boyd Douglas K. , Franklin Maria , Wright Halee Clark , Hanselka Kevin
Published: September 2023

The Bolivar Archaeological Project exemplifies the possibilities of archaeology as service, incorporating descendant communities and local stakeholders into the fabric of the research design and planning for a state infrastructure project. This collaborative, multidisciplinary project attends to marginalized histories to offer a model for how publicly funded cultural resources management archaeology can serve multiple goals. The Bolivar Archaeological Project was conceived as a public archaeology project, with dual goals of being community driven and yielding scholarly contributions. In the shifting rural–urban landscape of Denton County, a Texas Department of Transportation road improvement project has supported archaeological investigations of two nineteenth-century sites—a blacksmith shop and hotel—associated with the historic Chisholm Trail. The blacksmith shop belonged to Tom Cook, an African American freedman, whose descendants reside nearby and became active participants in the investigations, including as collaborative authors in this article. The project illustrates the importance of representation and praxis to realize inclusive community engagement, with this article outlining the development of the project and ongoing research. Informed by Black feminist archaeologies, the project works at the intersections of local communities and state infrastructure while navigating landscapes of fraught histories and presents to forge an archaeology for the twenty-first century.
Semantic 3D city interfaces—Intelligent interactions on dynamic geospatial knowledge graphs
Authors: Chadzynski Arkadiusz , Li Shiying , Grišiūtė Ayda , Chua Jefferson , Hofmeister Markus , Yan Jingya , Tai Huay Yi , Lloyd Emily , Tsai Yi Kai , Agarwal Mehal , Akroyd Jethro , Herthogs Pieter , Kraft Markus
Published: September 2023

This article presents a system architecture and a set of interfaces that can build scalable information systems capable of large city modeling based on dynamic geospatial knowledge graphs to avoid pitfalls of Web 2.0 applications while blending artificial and human intelligence during the knowledge enhancement processes. We designed and developed a GeoSpatial Processor, an SQL2SPARQL Transformer, and a geospatial tiles ordering tasks and integrated them into a City Export Agent to visualize and interact with city models on an augmented 3D web client. We designed a Thematic Surface Discovery Agent to automatically upgrade the model’s level of detail to interact with thematic parts of city objects by other agents. We developed a City Information Agent to help retrieve contextual information, provide data concerning city regulations, and work with a City Energy Analyst Agent that automatically estimates the energy demands for city model members. We designed a Distance Agent to track the interactions with the model members on the web, calculate distances between objects of interest, and add new knowledge to the Cities Knowledge Graph. The logical foundations and CityGML-based conceptual schema used to describe cities in terms of the OntoCityGML ontology, together with the system of intelligent autonomous agents based on the J-Park Simulator Agent Framework, make such systems capable of assessing and maintaining ground truths with certainty. This new era of GeoWeb 2.5 systems lowers the risk of deliberate misinformation within geography web systems used for modeling critical infrastructures.
A new probability density function for the surface elevation in irregular seas
Authors: Fuhrman David R. , Klahn Mathias , Zhai Yanyan
Published: September 2023

To date, the predominant means for computing the probability density function (p.d.f.) for the free surface elevation of a nonlinear, irregular water wave field, free of assumptions involving narrow-bandedness and small directionality, is the approximate Gram–Charlier series solution of Longuet-Higgins (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 17, 1963, pp. 459–480, hereafter LH63). In this paper we re-visit the derivation of this p.d.f. to second order in the wave steepness, utilizing both moment and cumulant generating functions. We show that LH63's approximate solution based on the cumulant generating function, in fact, matches that derived from the moment generating function. Moreover, through a change of variables coupled with complex analysis, it is shown that the approximation employed by LH63 is unnecessary, and the second-order p.d.f. stemming from the cumulant generating function can be represented exactly in terms of the Airy function. The new second-order p.d.f. predicts increased probability of extreme positive surface elevations typical of e.g. rogue waves, relative to both second- and third-order solutions of LH63. This heavy positive tail is inherent, and is explained through comparison of the asymptotic limits of the p.d.f.s for large surface elevations. A semi-theoretical method is also proposed for remedying non-physical spurious oscillations that arise in the negative tail, based on the envelope of the Airy function with negative arguments. This modified negative tail is valid for irregular wave fields having skewness less than or equal to 0.2. The new p.d.f.s are compared against those based on data sets generated from second-order irregular wave theory as well as a fully nonlinear, spectrally accurate numerical wave model. Good accuracy is collectively demonstrated for directionally spread irregular seas in both finite and infinite water depths for a range of directional spreading.
Do employees dare to improvise under authoritarian leadership? A conditional indirect effect depending on relationship and task environment
Authors: Xiong Li , Nian Peng-xiang , Liu Bo
Published: September 2023

To understand the extent to which employees choose to improvise under authoritarian leadership, we applied social information processing theory to examine the mechanisms and boundary conditions of such leadership’s influence on subordinates’ perceptions of managerial intolerance of errors and their improvisation from the perspective of negative leadership. Data from a multi-wave questionnaire survey of 319 frontline teams analysed using SPSS and Mplus revealed that authoritarian leadership can have an inhibitory effect on subordinates’ improvisation due to perceiving managerial intolerance of errors. Even so, the negative mediating effect is significantly weakened by the moderating effect of a leader–member exchange (LMX) relationship and task complexity. That is, when the level of the LMX relationship or task complexity is high, it mitigates authoritarian leadership’s indirect inhibitory effect on subordinates’ improvisation via their perceptions of management’s intolerance of errors.
Property Markers and the Hassle of Leniency: Building Code Enforcement in the Courtroom
Authors: Bartram Robin
Published: September 2023

Unlike other housing courts, Chicago’s building court is characterized by leniency. The mostly low-income property owners who appear in building court often receive extensions to remedy building code violations or even dismissals of their violations. This article shows that, paradoxically, the consequences of these lenient outcomes are punitive for building court defendants, replicating the kinds of detrimental outcomes that harsher legal enforcement can produce. Building on conceptual apparatus from socio-legal studies, I identify two mechanisms—property markers and hassle of leniency—through which building court entrenches or even exacerbates housing precarity for low-income homeowners and small-time landlords. I argue that without additional support for low-income defendants, even well-intentioned leniency on the part of municipal officials and legal actors reinforces economic inequities in the housing market.
THE EURO AREA HIKING CYCLE: AN INTERIM ASSESSMENT: DOW LECTURE BY PHILIP R. LANE, MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE ECB, AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH, LONDON, 16 FEBRUARY 2023
Authors: Lane Philip R.
Published: September 2023

This analysis aims at providing an interim assessment of the ECB’s current policy rate tightening cycle. Our analysis suggests that the ECB’s monetary policy measures are tightening financial conditions and reducing credit volumes in the euro area reducing credit volumes. In view of the lags from financing conditions to the real economy, the impact of the policy tightening cycle on inflation can currently be observed only to a limited extent. The scale of the policy tightening required to return inflation to the two percent target over the medium term will need to be regularly reviewed, in view of the uncertainty about the transmission mechanism and in line with the incoming evidence concerning underlying inflation dynamics.
A retrospective analysis: follow up with 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography in oro- and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients
Authors: Van Nuffel Joke , Verbruggen Katia , Voordeckers Mia , De Brucker Yannick , Platteaux Nele , Foulon Ina , Michel Olaf
Published: September 2023

Objective

This study evaluated the significance of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in detecting recurrences or other primary malignancies in patients treated for oro- and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Method

A retrospective analysis of the follow up of 132 patients was performed and 370 PET/CT scans were assessed for their accuracy.

Results

All asymptomatic clinical occult recurrences were detected by PET/CT and accounted for 28 per cent of recurrences. Asymptomatic patients with metastases detected by PET/CT had a significant survival benefit compared to patients diagnosed in a symptomatic stage. For locoregional recurrence, no significant difference in overall survival could be demonstrated. In total, 33 primary malignancies were discovered, of which 48 per cent were first detected by PET/CT. The specificity and negative predictive value of the PET/CT scans had ranges of 85–100 and 83–100 per cent, respectively.

Conclusion

The role of PET/CT scans in detecting primary malignancies, clinical occult recurrences and especially asymptomatic metastases was observed.
Effects of inflammation, childhood adversity, and psychiatric symptoms on brain morphometrical phenotypes in bipolar II depression
Authors: Cao Yuan , Sun Huan , Lizano Paulo , Deng Gaoju , Zhou Xiaoqin , Xie Hongsheng , Mu Jingshi , Long Xipeng , Xiao Hongqi , Liu Shiyu , Wu Baolin , Gong Qiyong , Qiu Changjian , Jia Zhiyun
Published: September 2023

Background

The neuroanatomical alteration in bipolar II depression (BDII-D) and its associations with inflammation, childhood adversity, and psychiatric symptoms are currently unclear. We hypothesize that neuroanatomical deficits will be related to higher inflammation, greater childhood adversity, and worse psychiatric symptoms in BDII-D.

Methods

Voxel- and surface-based morphometry was performed using the CAT toolbox in 150 BDII-D patients and 155 healthy controls (HCs). Partial Pearson correlations followed by multiple comparison correction was used to indicate significant relationships between neuroanatomy and inflammation, childhood adversity, and psychiatric symptoms.

Results

Compared with HCs, the BDII-D group demonstrated significantly smaller gray matter volumes (GMVs) in frontostriatal and fronto-cerebellar area, insula, rectus, and temporal gyrus, while significantly thinner cortices were found in frontal and temporal areas. In BDII-D, smaller GMV in the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) was correlated with greater sexual abuse (r= −0.348,q< 0.001) while larger GMV in the right orbital MFG was correlated with greater physical neglect (r= 0.254,q= 0.03). Higher WBC count (r= −0.227,q= 0.015) and IL-6 levels (r= −0.266,q= 0.015) was associated with smaller GMVs in fronto-cerebellar area in BDII-D. Greater positive symptoms was correlated with larger GMVs of the left middle temporal pole (r= 0.245,q= 0.03).

Conclusions

Neuroanatomical alterations in frontostriatal and fronto-cerebellar area, insula, rectus, temporal gyrus volumes, and frontal-temporal thickness may reflect a core pathophysiological mechanism of BDII-D, which are related to inflammation, trauma, and psychiatric symptoms in BDII-D.
OPTIMAL GEVREY STABILITY OF HYDROSTATIC APPROXIMATION FOR THE NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS IN A THIN DOMAIN
Authors: Wang Chao , Wang Yuxi
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we study the hydrostatic approximation for the Navier-Stokes system in a thin domain. When we have convex initial data with Gevrey regularity of optimal index
$\frac {3}{2}$
in the x variable and Sobolev regularity in the y variable, we justify the limit from the anisotropic Navier-Stokes system to the hydrostatic Navier-Stokes/Prandtl system. Due to our method in the paper being independent of
$\varepsilon $
, by the same argument, we also obtain the well-posedness of the hydrostatic Navier-Stokes/Prandtl system in the optimal Gevrey space. Our results improve upon the Gevrey index of
$\frac {9}{8}$
found in [15, 35].