bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio and Mean Platelet Volume-to-Platelet Ratio in Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment
Authors: Xiao Xuan , Song Jiayi , Ye Lin , Zuo Wen , Yang Hongxia , Chen Changzheng , Zheng Hongmei , Chen Ting
Published: September 2022

Purpose. To assess the predictive value of inflammatory blood biomarkers in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) patients and its correlation with proliferative retinopathy (PVR) grade. Methods. 82 RRD patients and 1 : 1 age- and gender-randomly matched cataract patients as the control group were included. The clinical features and laboratory parameters of all participants were collected and recorded, and the comprehensive index of inflammatory blood and its correlation with PVR were calculated. Results. Monocytes and monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) were significantly lower (

P
=
0.005

,

P
=
0.044

), while mean platelet volume (MPV), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and MPV-to-platelet ratio (MPR) were significantly higher in RRD patients as compared with the control group (

P
=
0.013

,

P
=
0.019

,

P
=
0.037

). LMR and MPR might be the predictors of RRD. The receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that the values of MPV, LMR, and MPR in RRD patients were 0.612, 0.606, and 0.594, respectively. PVR grade was not associated with inflammatory blood biomarkers. Conclusion. The increase in MPV, LMR, and MPR were associated with increased odds of RRD. LMR and MPR may be useful as inexpensive and effortless biomarkers for assessing the occurrence of RRD.
Evaluating the Factors Affecting COVID-19 Patients’ Mortality in Arak in 2020
Authors: Mazaherpour Hossein , Soofian Masoumeh , Farahani Elham , Saebbian Ahmad , Etebari Mostafa , Mazaherpour Sakineh , Ashrafian Fatemeh , Ramezani Amitis
Published: September 2022

Background. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been a leading cause of death in the world in the last few years. This study has investigated various causes and risk factors that may lead to death due to this disease. Methods. From June to October 2020, 98 expired and 196 recovered patients were studied for risk factors, underlying diseases, and laboratory findings that could lead to disease progression and mortality. Results. There was a significant relationship in terms of blood pressure, age, oxygen saturation, tachycardia, tachypnea, the interval between the onset of symptoms and hospitalization, diabetes mellitus, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, history of opium abuse, C-reactive protein, white blood cell, lymphocytes, hemoglobin, creatinine elevation, elevated liver enzyme, creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin, D-dimer, troponin, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, intensive care unit admission days, arrhythmia, sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney injury (AKI), and the type of antiviral and antibiotic therapy between the two groups of patients. Conclusions. Mortality due to COVID-19 is affected by various causes such as age, underlying diseases, and complications that may occur in the course of the disease (e.g., arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, and AKI). By accurately identifying these causes and risk factors, we can prevent these complications and the mortality from COVID-19.
MEX3C-Mediated Decay of SOCS3 mRNA Promotes JAK2/STAT3 Signaling to Facilitate Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Xiao Yunyun , Li Yue , Shi Dongni , Wang Xiaoqing , Dai Shuqin , Yang Muwen , Kong Lingzhi , Chen Boyu , Huang Xinjian , Lin Chuyong , Liao Wenting , Xu Benke , Chen Xin , Wang Lishuai , Chen Xiangfu , Ouyang Ying , Liu Guozhen , Li Heping , Song Libing
Published: September 2022

Tumor metastasis is one of the major causes of high mortality in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sustained activation of STAT3 signaling plays a critical role in HCC metastasis. RNA binding protein (RBP)–mediated posttranscriptional regulation is involved in the precise control of signal transduction, including STAT3 signaling. In this study, we investigated whether RBPs are important regulators of HCC metastasis. The RBP MEX3C was found to be significantly upregulated in highly metastatic HCC and correlated with poor prognosis in HCC. Mechanistically, MEX3C increased JAK2/STAT3 pathway activity by downregulating SOCS3, a major negative regulator of JAK2/STAT3 signaling. MEX3C interacted with the 3′UTR of SOCS3 and recruited CNOT7 to ubiquitinate and accelerate decay of SOCS3 mRNA. Treatment with MEX3C-specific antisense oligonucleotide significantly inhibited JAK2/STAT3 pathway activation, suppressing HCC migration in vitro and metastasis in vivo. These findings highlight a novel mRNA decay-mediated mechanism for the disruption of SOCS3-driven negative regulation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling, suggesting MEX3C may be a potential prognostic biomarker and promising therapeutic target in HCC.

Significance:

This study reveals that RNA-binding protein MEX3C induces SOCS3 mRNA decay to promote JAK2/STAT3 activation and tumor metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma, identifying MEX3C targeting as a potential approach for treating metastatic disease.
MEX3A Impairs DNA Mismatch Repair Signaling and Mediates Acquired Temozolomide Resistance in Glioblastoma
Authors: Gan Tian , Wang Yan , Xie Manyi , Wang Qiang , Zhao Saisai , Wang Peng , Shi Qinyu , Qian Xuanchen , Miao Faan , Shen Zhigang , Nie Er
Published: September 2022

MutS protein homolog 2 (MSH2) is a key element involved in the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system, which is responsible for recognizing and repairing mispaired bases. Simultaneously, MSH2 identifies DNA adducts induced by temozolomide (TMZ) and triggers apoptosis and autophagy in tumor cells. Previous work has revealed that reduced MSH2 expression is often observed in patients with glioblastoma (GBM) who relapse after chemotherapy. Elucidation of the mechanism behind TMZ-mediated reduction of MSH2 could help improve GBM treatment. Here, we report significant upregulation of Mex-3 RNA binding family member A (MEX3A) in GBM tissues and cell lines following TMZ treatment. MEX3A bound to the MEX3 recognition element (MRE) of MSH2 mRNA, which in turn recruited CCR4–NOT complexes to target MSH2 mRNA for deadenylation and degradation. In addition, ectopic expression of MEX3A significantly decreased cellular DNA MMR activities and reduced the chemosensitivity of GBM cells via downregulation of MSH2, while depletion of MEX3A sensitized GBM cells to TMZ. In MGMT-deficient patients with GBM, MEX3A expression correlated with MSH2 levels, and high MEX3A expression was associated with poor prognosis. Overall, these findings reveal a potential mechanism by which MSH2 expression is reduced in post-TMZ recurrent GBM.

Significance:

A MEX3A/CCR4–NOT/MSH2 axis plays a crucial role in promoting temozolomide resistance, providing new insights into the function of MEX3A and suggesting MEX3A as a potential therapeutic target in therapy-resistant glioblastoma.
Pilot Study of ONCOS-102 and Pembrolizumab: Remodeling of the Tumor Microenvironment and Clinical Outcomes in Anti–PD-1–Resistant Advanced Melanoma
Authors: Shoushtari Alexander N. , Olszanski Anthony J. , Nyakas Marta , Hornyak Thomas J. , Wolchok Jedd D. , Levitsky Victor , Kuryk Lukasz , Hansen Thomas B. , Jäderberg Magnus
Published: September 2022

Purpose:

Intratumoral oncolytic virotherapy may overcome anti–PD(L)-1 resistance by triggering pro-inflammatory remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. This pilot study investigated ONCOS-102 (oncolytic adenovirus expressing GM-CSF) plus anti–programmed cell death protein 1 (PD)-1 therapy in anti–PD-1–resistant melanoma.

Patients and Methods:

Patients with advanced melanoma progressing after prior PD-1 blockade received intratumoral ONCOS-102 either as priming with 3 doses (3 × 1011 viral particles) during Week 1 [Part 1 (sequential treatment)] or as 4-dose priming and 8 booster doses every 3 weeks [Part 2 (combination treatment)]. From Week 3, all patients received pembrolizumab every 3 weeks (≤8 doses). The primary endpoint was safety. Objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival, and immunologic activation in repeat biopsies were also investigated.

Results:

In 21 patients (Part 1, n = 9; Part 2, n = 12) ONCOS-102 plus pembrolizumab was well tolerated: most adverse events (AE) were mild/moderate in severity. Pyrexia (43%), chills (43%), and nausea (28%) were the most common ONCOS-102–related AEs. There were no dose-limiting toxicities. ORR was 35% [response evaluation in solid tumors (RECIST) 1.1, irRECIST]. Reduction in size of ≥1 non-injected lesions observed in 53% patients indicated a systemic effect. In injected tumors, persistent immune-related gene expression and T-cell infiltration were associated with clinical benefit. Viral persistence and efficacy in injected and non-injected lesions without additional toxicity supported Part 2 dosing regimen in future studies.

Conclusions:

ONCOS-102 plus pembrolizumab was well tolerated and led to objective responses in patients with anti–PD-1–resistant advanced melanoma. ONCOS-102 promoted T-cell infiltration, particularly cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, which persisted at Week 9, driving clinical benefit. Further investigation of ONCOS-102 plus PD-1 blockade is warranted.

See related commentary by Levi and Boland, p. 3
BT8009; A Nectin-4 Targeting Bicycle Toxin Conjugate for Treatment of Solid Tumors
Authors: Rigby Michael , Bennett Gavin , Chen Liuhong , Mudd Gemma E. , Harrison Helen , Beswick Paul J. , Van Rietschoten Katerine , Watcham Sophie M. , Scott Heather S. , Brown Amy N. , Park Peter U. , Campbell Carly , Haines Eric , Lahdenranta Johanna , Skynner Michael J. , Jeffrey Phil , Keen Nicholas , Lee Kevin
Published: September 2022

Multiple tumor types overexpress Nectin-4 and the antibody–drug conjugate (ADC), enfortumab vedotin (EV) shows striking efficacy in clinical trials for metastatic urothelial cancer, which expresses high levels of Nectin-4, validating Nectin-4 as a clinical target for toxin delivery in this indication. Despite excellent data in urothelial cancer, little efficacy data are reported for EV in other Nectin-4 expressing tumors and EV therapy can produce significant toxicities in many patients, frequently leading to discontinuation of treatment. Thus, additional approaches to this target with the potential to extend utility and reduce toxicity are warranted. We describe the preclinical development of BT8009, a “Bicycle Toxin Conjugate” (BTC) consisting of a Nectin-4–binding bicyclic peptide, a cleavable linker system and the cell penetrant toxin mono-methylauristatin E (MMAE). BT8009 shows significant antitumor activity in preclinical tumor models, across a variety of cancer indications and is well tolerated in preclinical safety studies. In several models, it shows superior or equivalent antitumor activity to an EV analog. As a small hydrophilic peptide-based drug BT8009 rapidly diffuses from the systemic circulation, through tissues to penetrate the tumor and target tumor cells. It is renally eliminated from the circulation, with a half-life of 1–2 hours in rat and non-human primate. These physical and PK characteristics differentiate BT8009 from ADCs and may provide benefit in terms of tumor penetration and reduced systemic exposure. BT8009 is currently in a Phase 1/2 multicenter clinical trial across the US, Canada, and Europe, enrolling patients with advanced solid tumors associated with Nectin-4 expression.
Acoustic Wave Therapy for the Treatment of Extensive Scar Fields: A Case Report
Authors: Rümmelein C. Bettina , Koceva Ikonija
Published: September 2022

We report a severe scalding case with an affected skin area of 30–40% of the body surface. The patient suffered from severe itching and pain in the hypertrophic scar parts even 1.5 years after the accident. Treatment with acoustic wave therapy almost daily during the first treatment cycle was able to significantly reduce the discomfort. On representation after 1 year, the skin condition showed significant improvement. The second treatment cycle brought further improvement. At the last check-up 2 years later, the patient was free of complaints.
An Analysis of Postoperative Complications in Medialization Thyroplasty: NSQIP Data
Authors: DiNardo Lauren A. , Rosi-Schumacher Mattie , Kuo Cathleen C. , Nagy Ryan , Carr Michele M.
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Medialization thyroplasty is a procedure indicated for treatment of impaired vocal fold movement. The purpose of this study was to identify variables associated with length of hospital stay (LOS), reoperation, and readmission in patients who underwent a medialization thyroplasty procedure for unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Methods: Adults who underwent unilateral medialization thyroplasty were identified using the 2017 to 2019 NSQIP databases via Current Procedural Terminology code 31591. Data collected included patient demographics, comorbidities, preoperative labs, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, inpatient status, operative length, and complications. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze effects on total LOS, reoperation, and readmission. Results: 320 patients were identified, with a mean age of 61 years (95% Cl 59.4–62.7) and a female-to-male ratio of 1.1:1. Forty-two (13.1%) patients reported dyspnea as a preoperative symptom. Seven patients (2.2%) reported postoperative complications, 2 with multiple complications: 2 surgical site infections, 2 pneumonias, 2 unplanned intubations, 2 myocardial infarctions, 1 septic shock, 1 cardiac arrest, 1 ventilator use (>48 h), and 1 acute renal failure. Fifty-one (15.9%) were inpatient procedures, with a mean LOS of 1.43 days (95% CI 0.92–1.94). Preoperative functional status and bilirubin were significantly associated with longer LOS (p < 0.001). There were 6 (1.9%) readmissions and 2 (0.6%) reoperations. In univariate analysis, dyspnea varied with reoperation which is important to note in this patient population with glottic insufficiency. Conclusion: Medialization thyroplasty is a procedure with a low risk of mortality. However, preexisting patient comorbidities are associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications and an increased length of stay.
Salivary Proteins as Dental Caries Biomarkers: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ahmad Paras , Hussain Ahmed , Carrasco-Labra Alonso , Siqueira Walter L.
Published: September 2022

Salivary proteins play an important role in repairing mechanisms of damaged tissues and the maintenance of oral health. However, there is a dearth of information in the literature regarding the concentrations of salivary proteins in caries-free (CF) and caries-active (CA) subjects. Hence, this systematic review was conducted to update our previous systematic review published in 2013 that aimed to assess the association between caries and salivary proteins by comparing CF and CA individuals. Thereby, evaluating the possibility of whether salivary proteins can be regarded as biomarkers for caries. An extensive search of studies was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science, and Elsevier’s Scopus between July 2012 and January 2022, without any language restriction. Manual searching in Google Scholar and evaluation of bibliographies of the included studies were also undertaken. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the risk of bias (RoB) within the included studies. Of 22 included studies, 1,551 human subjects (range: 30–213 participants) were recruited, of which 848 individuals (54.7%) were CA and 703 (45.3%) were CF. Regarding the utilization of DMFT as the caries index, high variability was observed across different articles. A statistically significant increase in the salivary levels of alpha-amylase, acidic proline-rich protein-1, histatin-5, lactoperoxidase, and mucin-1 was found in CA patients, while the salivary levels of carbonic anhydrase 6, proteinase-3, and statherin were observed to be significantly increased in CF subjects. Conflicting results were found regarding the salivary levels of immunoglobulin A and total proteins among CA and CF subjects. The included studies were categorized as low RoB (n = 15), medium RoB (n = 4), and high RoB (n = 3). Due to significant heterogeneity among the included studies, no meta-analysis could be performed. In conclusion, the salivary levels of protein(s) might be a useful biomarker for caries diagnosis, especially alpha-amylase, acidic proline-rich protein-1, histatin-5, lactoperoxidase, mucin-1, carbonic anhydrase 6, proteinase-3, and statherin. However, their diagnostic value must be verified by large-scale prospective studies.
Non-Biological and Biological Risk Indicators for Tooth Wear Outcomes in Adults
Authors: Kanaan Mireille , Brabant Alain , Eckert George Joseph , Hara Anderson Takeo , Carvalho Joana Christina
Published: September 2022

This study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence and severity of tooth wear (TW), as well as to assess non-biological and biological risk indicators for TW outcomes in adults. A cross-sectional study, adhering to the reporting STROBE guidelines, was conducted and had a convenience sample of adults ≥18 years of age who had at least one bilateral posterior molar contact. A total of 570 participants, seeking consultation at the University Hospital in Brussels, Belgium, were allocated to three age groups: 18–34 years (n = 232), 35–54 years (n = 256), and ≥55 years old (n = 79). Participants answered a self-applied questionnaire regarding sociodemographics, oral hygiene, and lifestyle behavior. The questionnaire was tested-retested (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.71). Inter-examiner reliability for clinical examinations was k = 0.76–0.80. The prevalence of TW was 75% (95% CI: 71.7–78.9). Out of these patients, 42% (95% CI: 38.0–46.3) had as the primary etiological factor the process of dental erosion, while 22% (95% CI: 18.9–25.9) and 11% (95% CI: 8.6–13.9) had the processes of dental attrition and dental abrasion, respectively. The severity of TW according to BEWE highest score was mild in 31%, moderate in 28%, and severe in 17% of participants. The hierarchical logistic regression model for the association between risk indicators and TW irrespective of the etiology was significant for age (>35–54 years: OR = 2.35 and ≥55 years: OR = 3.89; p < 0.001), gender (>male: OR = 2.03; p < 0.001), toothpaste (>sensitive teeth: OR = 2.34; p = 0.005), occlusal splint (>yes: OR = 1.62; p = 0.03), and acidic beverages (≥once per day: OR = 1.62; p = 0.044). Consumption of acidic beverages was not associated with TW having as the primary etiological factor the process of dental attrition or dental abrasion, while it was significantly associated with the process of dental erosion (>once per week: OR = 1.69; p = 0.043 and ≥once per day: OR = 1.73; p = 0.016). Medical conditions were equally associated with the latter (OR = 3.11; p < 0.001). These findings could contribute to improving the effectiveness and sustainability of awareness in contemporary adult populations. In conclusion, the prevalence and severity of TW in adults were substantial. Medical conditions and consumption of acidic beverages were risk indicators for TW having as the primary etiological factor the process of dental erosion, although associations were moderate and weak, respectively.
Job’s Endurance (Jas 5:11b)
Authors: List Nicholas
Published: September 2022

Interpreters have often struggled to account for the way in which the author of James employs the figure of Job as an example of ὑπομονή (Jas 5:11). Since a “steadfast” or “patient Job” is clearly incongruous with the book of Job, the Testament of Job is often forwarded as the preferred source of James’ Joban tradition. This article argues that James’ language of ὑπομονή should be read against its wider Greco-Roman literary background, and when done so, the Greek term emerges as an active, aggressive virtue, best rendered “enduring resistance.” The article posits that the author of James has reread the book of Job within this Greco-Roman literary framework, resulting in a congruent, though thoroughly Hellenistic, reading of Septua-gint Job in which the virtue of endurance takes on a newfound centrality.
Not the Prophet like Moses, but the One of Whom the Prophets Spoke
Authors: Akagi Kai
Published: September 2022

The dominant interpretation of Acts 3:22 and 7:37 understands Deut 18:15, 18–19 to be applied to Jesus so as to identify him as an anticipated, individual “prophet like Moses.” Interpreting these verses instead as understanding Deut 18 as a general reference to prophets, however, provides a smoother reading that aligns with the Lukan theme of the prophetic anticipation of Jesus as the messiah. Other literature does not provide decisive support that Deut 18 would be interpreted as prophesying an individual. Jesus is not the prophet like Moses, but rather the one of whom Moses and the prophets spoke.
The Manliness of Women and the Social Construction of Gender in the New Testament Period
Authors: Hylen Susan E.
Published: September 2022

Scholars who study gender in the New Testament period largely agree that a person’s gender did not inevitably result from their sex. Masculinity was achieved through habits of behavior and bodily comportment. Men who did not maintain such standards could be criticized for becoming “effeminate,” a move downward on the gender hierarchy. Yet scholars have not understood women to have a comparable ability to move up the gender hierarchy by becoming masculine. Although a few examples of “manly” women are well known in early Christian literature, scholars have largely seen such women as an aberration from cultural expectations and as likely to draw criticism. This article argues instead that manliness was a positive trait in women, meant to convey praise. However, women were also criticized as tribades for pursing sexual relationships that were viewed as excessive and framed as masculine. The variety of possibilities and the positive valence of manliness in women point to greater complexity and fluidity in ancient gender construction.
Development and characterisation of SSR markers in the potato rot nematode Ditylenchus destructor
Authors: Ma Jukui , Chen Jingwei , Zhang Chengling , Yang Dongjing , Tang Wei , Gao Fangyuan , Xie Yiping , Sun Houjun
Published: September 2022

The potato rot nematode, Ditylenchus destructor, causes serious disease limiting the production of many crops. This disease usually decreases sweet potato yield by 20-50%, and in heavily infested fields the crop may be completely lost. Although the nematode has economic importance in China, its transmission route and genetic diversity are unknown. In this study, a collection of 1761 contigs of the D. destructor genome was mined for simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, which resulted in the identification of 9745 SSRs. A total of 150 pairs of SSR primers were further developed and used for validation of the amplification rate and assessment of the polymorphism. Nine SSR markers were finally identified and analysed using 96 individual specimens of D. destructor sampled from four provinces in China. These loci were found to be moderately polymorphic with 2-8 alleles per locus. The observed and expected heterozygosity across the four populations ranged from 0.000 to 0.833 and from 0.000 to 0.666, respectively. This is the first report of the development and characterisation of genomic SSR markers in D. destructor. Our study demonstrated the obvious gene differentiation among different populations of D. destructor in China. This suggests that D. destructor in China may have been introduced from multiple origins. Much more work is needed on this species to identify patterns of spread, and the microsatellite loci we develop here should be useful in many regions for modelling range expansion, studying the evolution of resistance, and increasing the effectiveness of pest management strategies.
Influence of entomopathogenic nematodes, symbiotic bacteria and ascarosides on the dispersal behaviour of Meloidogyne incognita
Authors: Dai Kang , Cao Li , Huang Zhihua , Gu Xinghui , Cui Yonghe , Li Jiangzhou , Li Yuling , Xu Chengti , Han Richou
Published: September 2022

Dispersal is an important behaviour for nematodes. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) are able to regulate plant-parasitic nematodes in the field. However, the mechanism for the interactions between two types of nematodes is not clearly known. The effects of 12 synthesised ascarosides, three EPN species (Steinernema carpocapsae All, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora H06 and H. indica LN2), and 15 symbiotic bacterial isolates from EPN on the dispersal of Meloidogyne incognita were investigated. The results revealed that M. incognita juveniles were repelled, to various degrees, by most of the tested ascarosides (especially ascr#9), three species of EPN, and by bacterial isolates (especially TT01 from H. bacteriophora TT01 and H06 from H. bacteriophora H06), compared with the controls. Ascr#9 was abundant in M. incognita juvenile-conditioned supernatant. This provides useful cues for elucidating the interaction mechanism between two nematode groups and establishing alternative techniques for the safe and effective control of root-knot nematodes.
The Paradox of the Margins
Authors: Masfa Gabriel
Published: September 2022

The early growth prospects of the American-Based Seventh-day Adventist Church in Africa were blurry because of challenges that early missionaries encountered. However, against all odds, the denomination on this continent shook off setbacks related to its difficult beginnings in the 1900s. Through the investigation of familiar and unfamiliar themes, this article seeks to raise awareness about new dynamics in the context of global Seventh-day Adventism. Adventism would not cease to be a thing of Western origin, but its future can be decisively determined by the hands of its non-Western adherents, who naturally share little of Western culture. The change in the Adventist landscape is not simply a matter of new names of Black origin being added to the church records, but of imposing new realities that necessitate a new way of life, a new vision of leadership, new strategies for mission, and new thinking accommodative of cultural shifts.
From the Ruins of Empire
Authors: Rodríguez Lago José Ramón
Published: September 2022

After Spain lost its overseas territories, Spanish priests increased their presence in Africa. From an analysis of the bibliography and the press of the time as well as of the different documents issued by the nunciature of Madrid, the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, and the Secretariat of State of the Vatican, it is possible to draw some significant conclusions about the evolution of Spanish missions in the Protectorate of Morocco and Spanish Guinea in the four decades that separate the so-called Disaster and the propagandistic myth of the Crusade represented by Francoists – and Africanists – during the civil war.
The Transformation of the Religious thought of the Pokot of Northwestern Kenya, c.1800–1900
Authors: Shiyuka Karani
Published: September 2022

Historical studies have indicated that African religions, in the pre-colonial period, were dynamic and multilayered with long histories of contradictions, contestations, and synthesis. Using the Pokot of north-western Kenya as a case in point, this contribution attempts to demonstrate the fluidity that was inherent in African religions. The Pokot originally were an agro-pastoral group inhabiting the Cherang’any and the Sekerr ranges. During the first half of the nineteenth century, a section of them descended the hills to pursue pastoralism. In their pastoral excursions, they came into contact with Plain Nilotes, especially the Karimojong. What followed was cross-cultural bartering of religious artefacts, both ideological and material, in which process the Pokot adopted selected religious aspects from the Karimojong and fused them with their previous beliefs to formulate syncretism. This contribution not only highlights the religious concepts that were fused but, also, attempts to explain the process of fusion itself.
Where Ethnoregionalism and Nationalism Meet
Authors: Muś Anna , Jakubowski Tomasz , Kijonka Justyna , Sarna Paweł
Published: September 2022

Three decades ago, political science and legal studies took almost no interest in a small region in Central Europe called Upper Silesia. Today, the scholarly literature in many disciplines is growing due, among other things, to the references to the situation of Silesians made by the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in the Fourth Opinion on Poland. However, most of those studies do not include analysis of the most important political context: ethnopolitics in the Republic of Poland, its past and present. In this paper, we aim to explore the dynamic relations between Poles and Silesians and the consequences of those relations on public law. We also analyse the rise of the ethnoregionalist movement in Upper Silesia. Then, we analyse ethnopolitics in Poland in relation to Upper Silesia, especially in the context of Polish national identity.
From Rights to Collective Action. A Way Out of Labour Exploitation
Authors: Protopapa Venera
Published: September 2022

This article critically assesses the criminal law approach to labour exploitation and challenges the assumption that its limited effectiveness depends on the hesitation and unwillingness of migrant workers to collaborate with competent authorities. It adopts a legal mobilisation approach to explore how law and litigation can effectively play a role in fighting labour exploitation. It does so by focusing on the experience of collective mobilisation of migrant farmworkers in the Agro Pontino in Italy. In accordance with the findings emerging from the case study, the article makes an attempt at rethinking strategies for fighting labour exploitation in Europe, based on the needs and expectations of exploited workers as described in the 2019 FRA Report on labour exploitation. It proposes therefore an exercise of “legal imagination” that aims to identify under EU law the provisions that would allow to translate these needs and expectations into legal claims.
Tutankhamun and Eastern Civilization: Víctor Mercante and the Beginnings of Egyptology in Argentina
Authors: Salem Leila
Published: September 2022

Even one hundred years after the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, its repercussions can still be felt. In this paper we analyze the book entitled Tut-Ankh-Amon y la Civilización de Oriente (1928) by Víctor Mercante, who travelled to Egypt in 1923. This is the first book about Tutankhamun ever written in Spanish. In it, Carter’s discovery is revealed to the reader and an Aegean thesis is proposed so as to understand the historical context of the ancient pharaoh. The Aegean thesis refers to a proposal made by Mercante by means of which the Aegean civilization is directly credited with all cultural, trade, and political development during the Amarna Period. Mercante’s book constitutes a piece of writing from the margins of Egyptology, within the framework of Orientalism, and it marks the beginning of the discipline in Argentina.
Plato’s Market Optimism
Authors: McDavid Brennan
Published: September 2022

Despite the extensiveness of top-down control in his ideal city, Plato takes seriously the idea that the market does not require total regulation via legislation and that participants in the market may be capable of self-regulation. This paper examines the discussion of market regulation in the Republic and argues that the philosopher rulers play a very limited role in regulating market activities. Indeed, they are concerned only with averting excesses of wealth and poverty. The rules and regulations that are foundational to the daily functioning of the market – enforcement of contracts, resolution of disputes, etc. – are endogenous to the market participants themselves. In allowing for this self-regulation, Plato expresses tempered optimism about the market and a profound confidence in his ideal city’s educational program.
Aristotle’s Philosophy of Histories
Authors: Hull Andrew
Published: September 2022

Aristotle is often considered to have a very pessimistic view about what histories can tell us, considering them too particular and lacking the generality required for scientific knowledge. Most importantly, they are considered to lack causal explanations. I argue against this view and instead that Aristotle considers histories to provide a highly practical level of knowledge. Histories can provide instances of both accidental and hypothetically necessary causation. I draw on the Athenian Constitution and the Constitution of the Spartans to show that the historiai which were written under Aristotle’s direction display these causal explanations. While these explanations are still not at the level of generality characteristic of the most rigorous forms of epistemē, the causal pictures presented are still rich enough to provide valuable insights for both the politician and the political scientist.
Freedom of Religion, Religious Employment, and Conflicts of Rights: Europe at a Crossroads
Authors: Valero-Estarellas María-José
Published: September 2022

Religious communities and churches have traditionally been significant sources of employment. Many European countries have found ways to integrate into their legal systems particularities of religious employment that are alien to other areas of labor law. Until recently, constitutional courts have been reluctant to question the right of churches to define the occupational requirements of their secular employees, but the recognition of church autonomy in religious employment has not been straightforward in the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union.

This paper provides some reflections on where Europe may be headed in this field, and whether well-tested principles, such as denominational neutrality, may offer some insight on how to address the still unresolved conflict between important human rights: freedom of religion and the right to autonomy of religious employers, and the individual fundamental freedoms of their employees.
On the Death Penalty as Seen in the *Falü Dawen 法律答問 Manuscript from the Shuihudi 睡虎地 Qin Slips: A Discussion of the Terms Lu 戮 and Dingsha 定殺
Authors: Tang (鄧佩玲) Pui-ling
Published: September 2022

This paper presents a comprehensive discussion of the terms lu 戮 and dingsha 定殺 for the death penalty in the excavated legal document entitled *Falü dawen 法律答問 (Questions and Answers on Law) of the Shuihudi 睡虎地 slips. After a detailed philological and grammatical analysis, this paper argues that lu was a term for the death penalty by which mutilation was imposed on the offenders either before or after the executions. In this regard, the lu penalty was divided into shenglu 生戮 and silu 死戮. On the other hand, dingsha, also known as xingsha 刑殺 in received texts, belongs to a form of death penalty in which the offender was killed by drowning or being buried alive, and that these two procedures are identified in the manuscript as shengdingsha 生定殺 and shengmai 生埋 respectively.
A Review of the Hot Topics in 20 Years of Collating and Researching the Documents from the Three Kingdoms State of Wu Excavated at Zoumalou
Authors: Xu (徐暢) Chang
Published: September 2022

In 1996, a batch of slips (jian 簡) and tablets (du 牘) from the Three Kingdoms state of Sun Wu was excavated at Zoumalou, Changsha. It is the largest batch of slips and tablets ever discovered in China. As of 2016, the cleaning, protection and study of the Zoumalou materials has been going on for 20 years. Both the publication of the materials and research on their contents have yielded fruitful results. This paper does not seek to comprehensively review all of that work, but rather intends to outline the development of the field of Wu slip studies itself, and the topics that have been hotly debated have changed over time. When the Zoumalou slips were discovered, they had been damaged and mixed up, so the ideal situation would have been to start with reconstructing the documents, and then use relatively complete historical texts to explore relevant historical issues. Due to the long publication process, scholarship first centered on reconstructing the Household Registration and Accounting Documents in the Wu slips, and then on the Wu’s administrative documents as published in the successive official volumes of the slips and boards of official documents. These included a wealth of administrative information that needed to be sorted out. One of the main directions for future research on Wu slips will be using these official documents to study the administrative document system of Sun Wu’s commanderies and counties.
Two new endemic species of blueberry (Vaccinium L., Ericaceae) from Luzon and Mindanao islands, Philippines
Authors: TAMAYO MAVERICK N. , FRITSCH PETER W.
Published: September 2022

Two new species of Vaccinium from the Philippines are described and illustrated from historical herbarium collections. Vaccinium burburan from Luzon Island, Northern Philippines is morphologically similar to V. tenuipes, but is distinguished by having shorter petioles, pedicels and corolla, adaxially pubescent leaf blades with cordate base, apically pubescent corollas, and pubescent filaments throughout. It is only one of two species of Vaccinium in the Philippines known to have a cordate leaf blade base. Vaccinium burburan is considered critically endangered. Vaccinium jubatum from Mindanao Island, Southern Philippines, is morphologically similar to V. sylvaticum, but is distinguished by having a dentate leaf blade margin, shorter inflorescences and pedicels, a glabrous calyx, and shorter filaments. The dentate leaf blade margin of V. jubatum uniquely distinguishes it from other Philippine Vaccinium species. The conservation status of V. jubatum is considered data deficient. These discoveries further increase the current number of known Vaccinium species in the Philippines to 40.
Taxonomy of the genus Begonia (Begoniaceae) in Mindanao, Philippines III: New insights into the morphology and distribution of Begonia malindangensis and B. mindanaensis
Authors: NAIVE MARK ARCEBAL K. , CABABAN MC ARTHUR L. , LUBOS LESLEY C. , HUGHES MARK
Published: September 2022

Botanical excursions in the mountains of Bukidnon province, Mindanao resulted in the collection of two poorly known Philippine endemic Begonia species, B. malindangensis and B. mindanaensis. These two species are lectotypified and a comprehensive description, photographs, geographical distribution information and a preliminary IUCN conservation assessment are presented for each species.
Ericaceae in Rio Grande do Sul state, Southern Brazil
Authors: DALASTRA CLAUDENICE HILDA , HEIDEN GUSTAVO
Published: September 2022

This study presents a taxonomic review of the native species of Ericaceae in Rio Grande do Sul state, Southern Brazil, providing identification keys, synonymy, morphological descriptions, and specimen photograph plates, besides maps of geographic distributions and lists of studied specimens to assist in identification and conservation. We made literature reviews, collecting expeditions, and reviewed 14 Brazilian herbaria, plus an additional 17 online herbaria. We confirmed the occurrence of three genera, 10 species, and 11 taxa, including the new occurrence of Gaultheria ulei to the state. All species occur in the Brazilian subtropical highland grasslands of the Atlantic Rainforest. Five species were confirmed occurring in the temperate grasslands of the Pampas, where Agarista eucalyptoides and A. chlorantha were previously known and A. minensis, A. nummularia and Gaylussacia brasiliensis represent new records. Agarista eucalyptoides and Gaylussacia brasiliensis are the most widely distributed species in the state. Agarista nummularia and Gaylussacia brasiliensis are the only species registered in the coastal plains. Five species are threatened in the state flora: Agarista chlorantha (EN), A. minensis (VU), A. niederleinii (VU), Gaultheria itatiaiae (EN), and Gaylussacia pseudogaultheria (EN). Additionally, we highlight seed shape as a distinctive trait to separate species within Agarista.
Notes on the nomenclature and taxonomy of Chiastophyllum and Umbilicus oppositifolius (≡Cotyledon oppositifolia, ≡Chiastophyllum oppositifolium) (Crassulaceae subfam. Sempervivoideae)
Authors: SMITH GIDEON F. , MONRO ANNA M.
Published: September 2022

We show that the genus name Chiastophyllum (Crassulaceae subfam. Sempervivoideae) was validly published in January 1930 by Otto Stapf. This is in contrast to some sources, which indicate the name was merely proposed by Stapf and validated later the same year by Alwin Berger. Stapf based Chiastophyllum on a sectional name published in Umbilicus in 1843 by Carl von Ledebour and, in doing so, published a new combination and a name at new rank. The place of publication and author attribution of Chiastophyllum oppositifolium, the name of the only species included in the genus, as well as of its basionym, Cotyledon oppositifolia, and of Umbilicus oppositifolius, are also clarified. At the rank of genus Chiastophyllum is at present usually treated as a synonym of Umbilicus.
Writing a cultural history of religion at home
Authors: Brand Mattias
Published: September 2022

This review article aims to reflect on the history of religion at home through testing the comparative promise of the Bloomsbury series A Cultural History of the Home. Through an extensive reflection on six historical periods of western history, the reader encounters key ideas about the historical-specific demarcation of the home, gender roles, and the domestic religious objects and practices that came to co-define those boundaries. Despite the comparative layout of the series, and the excellent contributions, A Cultural History of the Home never engages in explicit comparisons across the volumes, leaving space for future comparative work in the study of religion, gender and material culture.
Power as an enabling force: An integrative review
Authors: van Baarle Steven , Bobelyn Annelies SA , Dolmans Sharon AM , Romme A Georges L
Published: September 2022

The power literature’s focus on criticizing power relations comes at the cost of deliberate attempts to improve organizational practices. How can critical performativity and other scholars address power as an enabling force, thereby also allowing for more engagement with practitioners? We integrate the literature on power in and around organizations with studies of organizational change and behavior. By focusing on enabling instead of restrictive power, we draw attention to the potentially pivotal role of key actors—managers, other practitioners, and scholars—in fostering empowerment and emancipation within organizations. Our review points at four social mechanisms that drive enabling power: formal authority, language-shaping-action, community formation, and the dynamics of safety and trust. Furthermore, we identify various types of actions that can trigger these mechanisms that, in turn, may give rise to outcomes such as empowerment and emancipation. The main contribution of this article involves an integrated framework of power as an enabling force. By synthesizing various separate discourses, this framework extends prior reviews focusing on power-over, resulting in a systemic understanding of enabling power and thereby creating novel avenues for research on power. The integrative framework also provides a foundation for an intervention-oriented body of knowledge on enabling power.
Targeting Quality or Quantity? The Divergent Effects of Targeting Upper Verses Lower-Tier Leaders of Militant Organizations
Authors: Jadoon Amira , Mines Andrew , Milton Daniel
Published: September 2022

Research on the efficacy of leadership decapitation has focused primarily on targeting the topmost leaders of groups. Yet, most organizations rely on multiple leaders with specific functional or geographical responsibilities, rather than a single symbolic leader. In this context, we pose the following question: how are the effects of leadership decapitation on a group’s short-term operational capacity conditioned by the type or rank of targeted leaders? We argue that due to the risks faced by militant organizations, upper-tier leaders will delegate operational duties to lower-tier leadership for security purposes. Because of the shift of the principal-agent dynamic to lower-tier leaders, targeting of lower ranked leaders versus topmost leaders is more likely to result in a loss of control over foot soldiers, and trigger negative effects such as a rise in indiscriminate violence. We conduct our study using the case of Islamic State Khorasan in Afghanistan, with weekly data on the group’s attacks, and multi-tier leadership losses between 2015–2019 across 72 districts. 1
Use of Telehealth Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups in the United States Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: White-Williams Cynthia , Liu Xinliang , Shang Di , Santiago Jared
Published: September 2022

Objectives:

The COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the use of technology for health care services delivery. Because of inequities in health care and technology access, we investigated the use of telehealth services among racial and ethnic minority groups before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

For this retrospective study, we examined the electronic health records of privately insured patients in the Healthjump database, provided by the COVID-19 Research Database Consortium. We examined 17.98 million unique visit records of 2.93 million patients from March through December 2019 and 22.17 million records of 3.55 million patients from March through December 2020. We conducted a descriptive analysis and used multiple logistic regression to examine differences in the use of telehealth services among 3 racial and ethnic groups: non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic people.

Results:

Telehealth visits before and during COVID-19 accounted for 8.3% and 10.9% of total visits, respectively, with a peak of 15.5% in April 2020. Pre–COVID-19, Hispanic patients had a significantly lower monthly utilization rate (5.3%) than non-Hispanic White patients (8.4%, P < .001) and non-Hispanic Black patients (10.4%, P = .001). During the pandemic study period, Hispanic patients were 41% less likely than non-Hispanic White patients to have a telehealth visit, controlling for age and sex.

Conclusions:

The likelihood of using telehealth was lower among Hispanic patients than among non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Black patients during the pandemic. Culturally sensitive measures are needed to support telehealth use among the Hispanic population.
Regional Economic Disparities in Europe: Time-Series Clustering of NUTS 3 Regions
Authors: López-Villuendas Ana María , del Campo Cristina
Published: September 2022

The aim of this research is to identify the regional economic disparities in the level of economic wealth and its dynamics in the NUTS 3 regions in EU28 over the period from 2000 to 2017. By performing a time-series clustering analysis at NUTS 3 level, we expect to uncover the economic disparities that might have been hidden in the aggregate NUTS 2 regions. Our results indicate that at a finer spatial scale (NUTS 3 level) disparities flourish, particularly in the period after the global crisis of 2008, in which different recovery rates are observed. In general, NUTS 2 regions tend to spatially cluster at the national level and, although NUTS 3 regions show slightly this tendency as well, the spatial effect is not as strong as it is for NUTS 2 level, revealing specific behaviours of the local economies and markets that remain hidden at the aggregate NUTS 2 level.