bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Lanford–Ruelle theorem for actions of sofic groups
Authors: Barbieri Sebastián , Meyerovitch Tom
Published: September 2022

Let

Γ
\Gamma

be a sofic group,

Σ
\Sigma

be a sofic approximation sequence of

Γ
\Gamma

and

X
X

be a

Γ
\Gamma

-subshift with non-negative sofic topological entropy with respect to

Σ
\Sigma

. Further assume that

X
X

is a shift of finite type, or more generally, that

X
X

satisfies the topological Markov property. We show that for any sufficiently regular potential

f
:
X
→

R

f \colon X \to \mathbb {R}

, any translation-invariant Borel probability measure on

X
X

which maximizes the measure-theoretic sofic pressure of

f
f

with respect to

Σ
\Sigma

is a Gibbs state with respect to

f
f

. This extends a classical theorem of Lanford and Ruelle, as well as previous generalizations of Moulin Ollagnier, Pinchon, Tempelman and others, to the case where the group is sofic.

As applications of our main result we present a criterion for uniqueness of an equilibrium measure, as well as sufficient conditions for having that the equilibrium states do not depend upon the chosen sofic approximation sequence. We also prove that for any group-shift over a sofic group, the Haar measure is the unique measure of maximal sofic entropy for every sofic approximation sequence, as long as the homoclinic group is dense.

On the expository side, we present a short proof of Chung’s variational principle for sofic topological pressure.
International Research and Development and Knowledge Sourcing by Multinational Corporations
Authors: Asakawa Kazuhiro , Song Jaeyong
Published: September 2022

Internationalization of R&D facilitates knowledge sourcing of multinational corporations (MNCs) on a global scale. As MNCs internationalize R&D, they not only engage in domestic-driven R&D but are actively involved in overseas-driven R&D. And accordingly, the role of overseas R&D laboratories often evolves, from applying the HQ-generated innovation to local market, to innovating locally and contributing to the parent company. Within an MNC boundary, knowledge flows have become multidirectional: on top of the most typical knowledge flows from headquarters (HQ) to a subsidiary, reverse knowledge flows from a subsidiary to HQ as well as horizontal knowledge flows among overseas subsidiaries have become more salient. In addition to knowledge flows within a firm, increasing attention has been paid to external knowledge sourcing, i.e., knowledge sourcing from foreign locations outside the firm. MNCs commonly engage in local knowledge sourcing, i.e., sourcing knowledge from an overseas local environment, to tap into local hotbeds of innovation. But MNCs are also increasingly conducting global knowledge sourcing, i.e., sourcing knowledge from around the world, to practise global open innovation. Theoretically, knowledge sourcing in international R&D has often been examined from the capability and embeddedness perspectives. The effect of capability has been discussed in connection with motivation, autonomy, and mandates of subsidiaries. The effect of embeddedness has been discussed in connection with complementarity between external and internal embeddedness. As future research agenda, the following are suggested. First, cross-fertilization among the research fields of international R&D, global innovation, and open innovation deserves further attention. Second, greater research focus can be placed on managerial processes of global knowledge sourcing. Third, further research can be advanced on global knowledge sourcing at the team level. Fourth, the association between corporate governance and global knowledge sourcing can be investigated further. Fifth, much more attention needs to be paid to microfoundations of global knowledge sourcing. And lastly, further evolving patterns of global knowledge sourcing by advanced country multinationals (AMNCs) and emerging economies multinationals (EMNCs) continue to be relevant.
Empowering Policies and Practices for Teen Mothers
Authors: Machado Crystal , Schwab Wenxi
Published: September 2022

Early pregnancy is a global issue that occurs in high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Although the teen birth rate in the United States, which is high on the Human Development Index (HDI), has been declining since 1991, it continues to be substantially higher than that of other Western industrialized nations. For countries that are lower on the HDI, the teen birth rate is higher, partly because early marriages, pregnancy rates, and infant mortality rates are higher and more common in these regions. Except for some influential articles written by scholars in the Global south, much of the scholarship related to early pregnancy has been written by those in the Global north. Nevertheless, analysis of available scholarly literature in English confirms that several sociocultural factors—child sexual abuse, intimate partner violence/dating violence, family-related factors, poverty, early marriages, and rurality—lead to early pregnancy and/or school dropout. Although pregnancy can occasionally increase pregnant and parenting teens’ desire to persevere, the scholarly literature confirms that the majority need support to overcome the short- and long-term ramifications associated with early motherhood, such as stigma, expulsion and criminal charges, segregation, transition, strain and struggle, depression, children with behavioral problems, and financial instability. Based on the availability of human and financial resources, educators can use U.S.-based illustrative examples, with context-specific modification, to empower this marginalized group. Providing pregnant and parenting teen mothers with thoughtfully developed context-specific school and community-based programs has the potential to promote resilience, persistence, and a positive attitude toward degree completion. Schools that do not have access to federal, state, and locally funded programs can help teen moms thrive in the new and uncharted territory with inclusive community or school-driven policies and procedures such as the use of early warning systems (EWS) that generate data for academic interventions, mentoring, counseling, health care, and day care for young children.
Early Medieval Bengal
Authors: Furui Ryosuke
Published: September 2022

In the early medieval period (6th–12th centuries), diverse terrains of South Asia experienced the rise of regional political powers and the socioeconomic development that would later culminate in the formation of regions. Bengal was no exception and saw the plural strands of historical changes and developments, intertwined with each other. In terms of political process, the first phase of the strand consisted of the rise of subregional kingships after the collapse of Gupta rule in the mid-6th century and the growth of subordinate rulers under them in the subsequent centuries. It was followed by the emergence of regional kingships of the Pālas and the Candras traversing several subregions and the enhancement of their powers in relation to subordinate rulers in the period between the mid-8th century and the mid-12th century. The last phase was the integration of almost all the subregions under the Senas, with stronger control over subordinate rulers and rural society in the second half of the 12th century. In terms of social change, the emphasis was on the hierarchization of land relations from the cultivation of moderate plots by the family labor of peasant householders to the management of large landholdings with layers of overlapping land rights, of which the bottom consisted of actual cultivation by agrarian laborers. Social change also came about through the organization of hereditary occupational groups and the systematization of their mutual relations toward a jāti order. The growth of brahmins as a group—by establishing a clearer identity and imposing their authority in social reorganization—constituted another pillar of the historical process. Political and social processes conditioned, as well as were conditioned, by the economic processes of agrarian expansion and the commercialization of rural economy, which proceeded in the subregions of Bengal in different forms and paces.
Human Dignity in International Relations
Authors: Regilme Jr. Salvador Santino F.
Published: September 2022

The literature on dignity in international politics can be analytically evaluated based on three key themes: (a) historical, conceptual, and political underpinnings; (b) international law and global governance; and (c) the global political economy. Although discussions of human dignity within these three themes draw on varied disciplines (philosophy, political theory, political science, law, and history), they demonstrate a shared purpose in investigating the nature of human dignity and its implications to understanding individuals and political orders amid increasing global interdependence. Human rights scholarship has been a firmly established research agenda in international relations (IR) since the end of the Cold War, but the notion of human dignity has yet to gain traction as a key research topic on its own beyond its peripheral association with the human rights literature. Dignity may be a highly contested concept, but its mere invocation in policy and scholarly debates attracts so much moral appeal and intellectual curiosity. If the core normative task of IR research pertains to the improvement of the human condition (and its relationship to global humanity and the ecosystem), then human dignity should feature as a core object of analytic inquiry in the future.
Indigenous Slavery in the Caribbean
Authors: Smyth Noel E.
Published: September 2022

From 1492 until the 19th century, Spanish, French, English, and Dutch colonists enslaved hundreds of thousands of Native Americans and forced them to toil in the West Indies. The history of enslaving Indigenous peoples in the Americas has mostly been obfuscated by colonial European record-keeping practices. Indeed, the written records relegate Native slaves to a profound silence and invisibility, similar to archival erasures of enslaved Africans. While the methodological dilemmas of this topic are significant, there is a growing scholarship focused on Indigenous slavery in the Caribbean. The emerging historiography demonstrates how regional and international Indian slave trades were significant to the development of European colonies in the Americas and how Indian slave trades connected European colonies across national and geographic boundaries. The centuries-long legacy of enslavement and dispossession continues to impact Indigenous communities, often in negative ways. Yet despite all the horrors and violence of slavery, there has been a remarkable resurgence of Indigenous identities, communities, and political movements in the 21st-century circum-Caribbean.
The effect of spatial and temporal scale on camouflage in North African rodents
Authors: Macedo Tiago , Carlos Campos João , Nokelainen Ossi , Scott-Samuel Nicholas E , Boratyński Zbyszek
Published: September 2022

Background matching, a common form of camouflage, is a widespread anti-predator adaptation that hinders detection or recognition by increasing the resemblance of prey to its environment. However, the natural environment is complex and both spatially and temporally variable, which constrains effective background matching as an anti-predator strategy. Here, using remote sensing data (publicly available satellite imagery), we investigated how variation of habitat parameters predicts background matching in 16 Sahara–Sahel rodent species across spatial and temporal scales. All fur colour parameters (hue, saturation and brightness) strongly matched the respective habitats of the different species. Background matching in terms of hue was best at the microscale, whereas results for saturation and brightness showed more variation across spatial scales among species. Camouflage across the temporal scale (from 1 to 3 years before capture) was variable among species for all colour parameters. These complex interactions suggest that, in desert rodents, colour parameters are differentially sensitive to the respective scale of the habitat, plausibly reflecting the behaviour and life history of the species and the ecological properties determining their activity patterns. Consequently, the division between habitat (camouflage) generalists and specialists might become blurred in temporally changing and spatially variable environments.
Peripheral financialisation and monopoly capitalism in Nigeria: the case of the Dangote Business Group
Authors: Itaman Richard , Wolf Christina
Published: September 2022

This article examines financialisation of non-financial corporations (NFCs) in developing countries using the example of the Dangote Business Group in Nigeria, the largest conglomerate on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE). Our findings suggest that Nigeria is characterised by a financialisation process, where speculative activities expand in banking and capital markets, but not in manufacturing NFCs. Macro-financialisation in banking and capital markets does little to provide finance for Nigeria’s manufacturing NFCs. In the face of insufficient financing from banks and the capital market, NFCs rely on internal funding and trade credit within diversified business groups (DBGs). At the firm level, the financial accounts of Nigerian manufacturing NFCs such as the Dangote Group show weak evidence of speculative financial activities and high levels of investment in productive capacity. This results from a combination of volatile capital markets with excessive risk for NFCs and profitable opportunities in the real economy. While these two factors curtail the negative implications of speculative macro-financial activities, monopoly capitalist concentration processes in DBGs work to undermine effective demand through the disproportionate allocation of profit at the expense of wages.
Big tech and platform-enabled multinational corporate capital(ism): the socialisation of capital, and the private appropriation of social value
Authors: Pitelis Christos
Published: September 2022

I explore the relationship between theory and prediction in political economy and organisational economics, employing the works of Keith Cowling and Stephen Hymer as case examples of prediction-aiding good theory. I develop the insights of the two scholars by leveraging key ideas from classical economics and applying the result to the platform-enabled, market-assisted organisational economy. Based on that I suggest that the emergence and rise of platform-enabled Big Tech, unicorns and the ‘sharing economy’ are both aligned with and partly predictable. I go on to hazard some further predictions about the future of the corporation and capitalism and discuss research opportunities.
The Effects of Tax Changes on Economic Activity: A Narrative Approach to Frequent Anticipations
Authors: García-Uribe Sandra
Published: September 2022

This paper studies the effects of anticipations of tax changes on economic activity through the release of tax news in the media in the United States. I provide a measure of anticipations by exploiting the content of television news. This information typically flows faster than standard measures of gross domestic product, thus I propose a mixed frequency dynamic factor model to estimate both the economic activity latent factor and the effects of anticipated tax shocks on it. I find that one-month-ahead anticipations of tax cuts significantly stimulate current economic activity while those of tax increases produce the opposite effect.
Nonessential tRNA and rRNA modifications impact the bacterial response to sub-MIC antibiotic stress
Authors: Babosan Anamaria , Fruchard Louna , Krin Evelyne , Carvalho André , Mazel Didier , Baharoglu Zeynep
Published: September 2022

Antimicrobial resistance develops as a major problem in infectious diseases treatment. While antibiotic resistance mechanisms are usually studied using lethal antibiotic doses, lower doses allowing bacterial growth are now considered as factors influencing the development and selection of resistance. Starting with a high-density Tn insertion library in Vibrio cholerae and following its evolution by TN-seq in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics, we discovered that RNA modification genes can have opposite fates, being selected or counter-selected. We, thus have undertaken the phenotypic characterization of 23 transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) modifications deletion mutants, for which growth is globally not affected in the absence of stress. We uncover a specific involvement of different RNA modification genes in the response to aminoglycosides (tobramycin and gentamicin), fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin), β-lactams (carbenicillin), chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim. Our results identify t/rRNA modification genes, not previously associated to any antibiotic resistance phenotype, as important factors affecting the bacterial response to low doses of antibiotics from different families. This suggests differential translation and codon decoding as critical factors involved in the bacterial response to stress.
Leucine Intake and Risk of Impaired Physical Function and Frailty in Older Adults
Authors: Vega-Cabello Veronica , Caballero Francisco Felix , Rodriguez-Artalejo Fernando , Lopez-Garcia Esther , Struijk Ellen A
Published: September 2022

Background

Leucine is suggested to play a central role in age-related physical decline, but the effect of dietary leucine intake on physical functioning is uncertain. We examined the prospective association between dietary leucine intake and impaired lower-extremity function (ILEF) and frailty in older adults.

Methods

We used data from 2 956 adults aged ≥60 and older from the Seniors-ENRICA cohort. At baseline (2008–2010) and in 2012, dietary information was obtained with a validated computerized face-to-face diet history, from which energy-adjusted cumulative leucine intake per body weight was calculated. Participants were followed up through 2017 to assess incident ILEF, ascertained with the Short Physical Performance Battery, and incident frailty, according to the Fried phenotype criteria. Statistical analysis was performed with Cox models adjusted for the main potential confounders.

Results

During follow-up, we identified 515 incident cases of ILEF and 241 of frailty. Compared with participants in the lowest tertile of leucine intake (35.5–89.0 mg/kg/d), those in the highest tertile (107.4–372.5 mg/kg/d) had a lower risk of ILEF (fully adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.70 [0.53–0.93], p trend: .01) and of frailty (0.63 [0.41–0.96], p trend: .03]. A higher consumption of important sources of leucine in this population, including unprocessed beef, oily and white fish, and bread, were also associated with a lower risk of incident ILEF and frailty.

Conclusions

Higher leucine intake was associated with reduced risk of ILEF and frailty. Dietary leucine, obtained from foods rich in high-quality protein, could be a key nutrient to prevent age-related physical function decline in older adults.
An evaluation of the ‘bottom-up’ implementation of the Active at school! programme in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Gosselin Véronique , Robitaille Noémie , Laberge Suzanne
Published: September 2022

The lack of physical activity (PA) amongst children is a public health concern in many industrialized countries. School-based daily physical activity (DPA) policies are a promising intervention for increasing PA levels amongst children. Informed by a logic model framework, this study examines the factors associated with meeting a ‘top-down’ DPA objective in the context of a ‘bottom-up’ implementation of a school-based DPA initiative in Quebec, Canada. An online survey assessing school-level inputs, outputs and outcomes was sent to all participating schools (415). Crude odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression to evaluate potential associations between factors (inputs and outputs) and the school’s adherence to providing at least 60 minutes of DPA (outcome). Adjusted ORs (AORs) and 95% CIs were calculated using a multivariate logistic regression to identify the best set of factors to predict adherence to the DPA objective. A total of 404 schools completed the questionnaire, amongst which 71% reported meeting the DPA target by implementing school-tailored activities. Three factors were identified as the best set of school inputs and outputs to predict meeting the objective: financial resources (per student) (AOR = 1.02; 95% CI 1.01–1.03), a shared vision amongst the school-team members that PA benefits learning outcomes (AOR = 1.94; 95% CI 1.04–3.19) and having conducted a detailed situational analysis (AOR = 1.89; 95% CI 1.00–3.58). Given that ‘bottom-up’ implementation might favour the development of policies that are more acceptable to stakeholders, our results should be considered by decision-makers and school administrators when implementing DPA initiatives.
‘Time’ in Refugee Status Determination in Australia and the United Kingdom: A Clear and Present Danger from Armed Conflict?
Authors: Foster Michelle , Gordon Hannah , Lambert Hélène , McAdam Jane
Published: September 2022

‘Time’ plays an important role in refugee status determination (RSD) because whilst fear must be current, the fear relates to present or future risk. This article examines the role of time in RSD and how time impacts upon the granting of refugee protection. Thus it concentrates on the test of a ‘well-founded fear’ in article 1A(2) of the Refugee Convention. Claims from persons fleeing armed conflict raise particular challenges because of the fluidity, unstable conditions, and protracted character of conflicts. Furthermore, the unpredictable nature of conflict means that people are, at times, already fleeing from harm that might well eventuate in the future but that is not yet current.

Drawing on jurisprudence of the senior courts and appeal tribunals in Australia and the United Kingdom (UK), the article shows how these have long engaged with considerations of time in refugee matters. In determining who qualifies for refugee protection, courts and tribunals look backwards and forwards. Hidden within this process are assumptions about time that lie – almost invisibly – at the heart of the protection regime. When assessing whether a person has a ‘well-founded fear’ of being persecuted, the courts in Australia and the UK embrace a future-looking approach; a ‘clear and present danger’ is not required. The timeframe is that of the ‘reasonably foreseeable future’, situated somewhere between the ‘not too remote’ and the ‘present or immediate future’. This necessarily contains a degree of predictive speculation, understood to mean an exercise in prediction falling short of fact-finding. To be sure, foreseeability and certainty of risk are not to be conflated. Yet, at times, conflation between the two has occurred (by courts and tribunals), leading to exclusionary practices and outcomes. This has been the case, for example, where the situation in the country of origin was relatively stable but nevertheless fluid, meaning that while there could be a significant risk in the future, the risk was low at the time the decision was made.

Considering that armed conflict continues to be the main driver for people claiming refugee protection in Australia and the UK, how senior courts and appeal tribunals understand and apply the timeframe of reasonable foreseeability in fluid situations (between peace and conflict) is key. This article highlights some best practices in that regard, including ensuring that this timeframe does not expand and contract with the apparent certainty or uncertainty of a situation.
Determination of Characteristic Volatile Component Fingerprint ofPeucedanum PraeruptorumDunn at Different Harvest Periods Based on HS-GC–IMS
Authors: Ma Linke , Luo Yunyun , Chen Bilian , Zheng Cheng , Du Weifeng , Shi Xingxing , Guo Zengxi
Published: September 2022

Background

Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn (PPD) is a Chinese herbal medicine with medicinal value. Clinical studies have shown that PPD has protective effects against wind-heat, cough, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Therefore, cultivation of PPD is becoming more common. However, it has been difficult to determine the optimal harvest period for botanical Chinese medicines such as PPD.

Objectives

Odor characteristics are directly related to the chemical components contained in traditional Chinese medicines. In particular, for traditional Chinese medicines such as PPD that are rich in volatile components, higher quality usually means more beneficial volatile components. The purpose of this study was to analyze changes in PPD volatile components across different harvest periods, and provide the basis for the identification of the ideal harvest period to ensure PPD quality.

Methods

We measured the volatile components of PPD at different harvest periods using HS-GC–IMS to characterize its volatile component fingerprint at different harvest periods.

Results

We identified 80 volatile components in PPD across five harvest periods, and combined complex heatmap and PCA methods distinguish the characteristics of the different harvest periods, and used ion mobility spectrometry to determine the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which mainly included compounds such as olefins, esters, alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones, and determined that the abundance of volatile components reached a peak in December.

Conclusions

The fingerprint determination of characteristic volatile components based on HS-GC-IMS can distinguish PPD in different harvest periods.

Highlights

We used HS-GC–IMS to determine the characteristic fingerprint of volatile components from PPD across different harvest periods. This approach differs from past studies, which have determined the optimal harvest time of medicinal materials based on only the content of a single active ingredient.
Pseudoangiomatous Stromal Hyperplasia: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation
Authors: Speer Megan E , Yoon Esther C , Berg Wendie A , Chang Sen Lauren Q
Published: September 2022

Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) is a benign mesenchymal proliferative lesion of the breast. PASH is postulated to be hormonally induced and predominantly occurs in premenopausal women and postmenopausal women on menopausal hormone therapy. Clinical presentation varies from screen-detected lesions to palpable masses. Imaging findings of PASH are nonspecific. The most common mammographic findings are an oval or round circumscribed non-calcified mass or developing asymmetry. On US, PASH is often seen as an oval hypoechoic mass that may be circumscribed and can have an echogenic rim, or, when manifest as mammographic asymmetry, US may show a corresponding non-mass focal area of echogenic tissue. Limited studies have investigated the MRI appearance, with PASH most often manifesting as non-mass enhancement, or, less often, as an oval or irregular mass with persistent kinetics. Histopathologically, PASH can be mistaken for a fibroadenoma or phyllodes tumor and has features overlapping low-grade angiosarcoma. Assessment of radiologic-pathologic concordance is particularly important as PASH is often an incidental finding, adjacent to the targeted lesion at histopathology. Surgical excision or repeat core-needle biopsy is necessary for discordant suspicious cases. After a benign, concordant diagnosis of PASH, the patient may resume routine screening.
Plantar nerve neural fibrolipoma: rare neuroma arising from the plantar nerve of the heel
Authors: Nand Raghav , Sunderamoorthy Dakshinamurthy
Published: September 2022

Every year, as many as 2 million patients worldwide present with plantar heel pain, with men and women being affected equally. This case reports reflects upon a healthy 46-year-old female who presented with a subtype of true neoplasm called as neural fibrolipoma arising from the plantar nerve. This 17 × 7 × 11-mm painful soft tissue mass was firstly detected by USS, which showed this mass extended deep to the plantar fascia and not arising from it, hence ruling out the common misconception of plantar fibromatosis. Later, as discussed in the Yorkshire Sarcoma MDT with magnetic resonance imaging images, a malignancy was ruled out. The patient eventually opted for an excision biopsy which confirmed the neural fibrolipoma followed by an excellent outcome at a 2-year review. This case report highlights the need to consider the neural fibroplipoma as a rare case of plantar/heel pain, and excision of the lesion would provide an excellent outcome.
Cross-leg flap in a burn patient: our experience from a tertiary center from Northern Tanzania
Authors: Lodhia Jay , Jusabani Mubashir , Msuya David
Published: September 2022

Lower limb trauma with significant tissue loss poses a great challenge to the surgeons. Cross-leg flaps were first described in 1854 and are still used for limb-salvage surgeries in those not suitable for free tissue transfer or in resource-limited settings. Herein we present a case of a 16-year-old girl, otherwise well, who sustained burn injury to her right leg while cooking exposing the anterior aspect of her tibia. Limb-salvage surgeries were done including cross-leg ‘fascio-cutaneous’ flap with positive outcome. Herein, we share our experience showing an impactful and reliable option for limb salvage in resource-limited setting.
Tomato SlMYB15 transcription factor targeted by sly-miR156e-3p positively regulates ABA-mediated cold tolerance
Authors: Zhang Luyue , Song Jianing , Lin Rui , Tang Mingjia , Shao Shujun , Yu Jingquan , Zhou Yanhong
Published: September 2022

Cold is a common abiotic stress that seriously affects plant growth and development. MYB transcription factors are regulatory molecules that play important roles in various biological processes. We have previously demonstrated that SlMYB15 positively regulates cold tolerance in tomato. However, the underlying mechanism of SlMYB15-induced cold tolerance remains largely unexplored. Here, cold-induced SlMYB15 was found to be targeted by Solanum lycopersicum (sly)-miR156e-3p, which was decreased by cold stimulus in tomato. Tomato plants overexpressing sly-MIR156e-3p displayed significant enhancement in susceptibility to cold stress, while silencing of sly-miR156e-3p by an artificial microRNA interference strategy caused tomato plants to be more tolerant to cold. Moreover, both overexpression of SlMYB15 and silencing of sly-miR156e-3p increased the accumulation of ABA. SlMYB15 directly binds to the promoter regions of ABA biosynthesis and signalling genes, SlNCED1 and SlABF4, resulting in enhanced cold tolerance. Further experiments showed that SlMYB15 and sly-miR156e-3p also coordinated the cold tolerance of tomato via the reactive oxygen species (ROS) signalling pathway, as reflected by the increased expression of SlRBOH1, enhanced H2O2 and O2•−accumulation, and amplified activity of antioxidant enzymes in SlMYB15-overexpressing and sly-miR156e-3p-silenced plants. Taken together, our results demonstrate that SlMYB15 targeted by sly-miR156e-3p confers higher survivability to cold stress via ABA and ROS signals. This study provides valuable information for breeding improved crop cultivars better equipped with cold tolerance.
The phase space structure in the vicinity of vertical Lyapunov orbits around L1,2 in a barred galaxy model
Authors: Katsanikas M , Patsis P A
Published: September 2022

We study the phase space structure and the orbital diffusion from the vicinity of the vertical Lyapunov periodic orbits around the unstable Lagrangian points L1,2 in a 3D barred galaxy model. By perturbing the initial conditions of these periodic orbits, we detected the following five types of orbital structures in the 4D spaces of section: (i) Ring-like structures, sticky for large time intervals to the unstable invariant manifolds of the simple and double unstable vertical Lyapunov periodic orbits. (ii) 2D tori belonging to quasi-periodic orbits around stable periodic orbits existing in the region. They are associated either with vertical stable periodic orbits around L4,5 or with ‘stable anomalous’ periodic orbits. (iii) Orbits sticky for large time intervals to these tori, forming ‘sticky tori’, before they slowly depart from them. (iv) Clouds of points that have a strong chaotic behaviour. Such clouds of consequents have slow diffusion speeds, because they are hindered by the presence of the tori around the ‘stable anomalous’ periodic orbits. (v) Toroidal zones consisting of points that stick for long time on the unstable invariant manifolds of the ‘unstable anomalous’ periodic orbits. By continuing the integration, we find that eventually they become strongly chaotic, retaining however small diffusion speeds, due to the presence of the tori around the stable anomalous periodic orbits.
The Statistical Trends of Protein Evolution: A Lesson from AlphaFold Database
Authors: Tang Qian-Yuan , Ren Weitong , Wang Jun , Kaneko Kunihiko
Published: September 2022

The recent development of artificial intelligence provides us with new and powerful tools for studying the mysterious relationship between organism evolution and protein evolution. In this work, based on the AlphaFold Protein Structure Database (AlphaFold DB), we perform comparative analyses of the proteins of different organisms. The statistics of AlphaFold-predicted structures show that, for organisms with higher complexity, their constituent proteins will have larger radii of gyration, higher coil fractions, and slower vibrations, statistically. By conducting normal mode analysis and scaling analyses, we demonstrate that higher organismal complexity correlates with lower fractal dimensions in both the structure and dynamics of the constituent proteins, suggesting that higher functional specialization is associated with higher organismal complexity. We also uncover the topology and sequence bases of these correlations. As the organismal complexity increases, the residue contact networks of the constituent proteins will be more assortative, and these proteins will have a higher degree of hydrophilic–hydrophobic segregation in the sequences. Furthermore, by comparing the statistical structural proximity across the proteomes with the phylogenetic tree of homologous proteins, we show that, statistical structural proximity across the proteomes may indirectly reflect the phylogenetic proximity, indicating a statistical trend of protein evolution in parallel with organism evolution. This study provides new insights into how the diversity in the functionality of proteins increases and how the dimensionality of the manifold of protein dynamics reduces during evolution, contributing to the understanding of the origin and evolution of lives.
The usefulness of YouTube videos on lung cancer
Authors: Meteran Hanieh , Høj Simon , Sigsgaard Torben , Diers Caroline Skovsgaard , Remvig Celine , Meteran Howraman
Published: September 2022

Background

The use of social media as a source of health information is increasing, and the usefulness of the content may vary depending on the specific disease. Thus, this study was designed to assess the content, viewer engagement and usefulness of the most viewed YouTube videos on lung cancer.

Methods

167 videos were reviewed, and 143 met the eligibility criteria. Two authors evaluated the videos separately, and data on views, likes, dislikes and comments were extracted, and data on the source of uploader, duration and content quality were recorded.

Results

89 videos (62%) were classified as useful, 8 (6%) as misleading and 46 (32%) as neither. The misleading videos were significantly more popular in terms of views and likes compared with the useful videos: 845 643 versus 81 700, P = 0.003 and 12 170 versus 415, P < 0.001, respectively.

Conclusions

This study shows that YouTube videos on lung cancer are popular and that around two-thirds of the videos are useful in terms of patient education. However, the misleading videos are currently attracting higher viewer interaction and might compose a future challenge in terms of the spread of misinformation as the algorithms will prioritize popular videos rather than videos with evidence-based information.
A Nonspecific Lipid Transfer Protein with Potential Functions in Infection and Nodulation
Authors: Gasser Mélanie , Alloisio Nicole , Fournier Pascale , Balmand Severine , Kharrat Ons , Tulumello Joris , Carro Lorena , Heddi Abdelaziz , Da Silva Pedro , Normand Philippe , Pujic Petar , Boubakri Hasna
Published: September 2022

The response of Alnus glutinosa to Frankia alni ACN14a is driven by several sequential physiological events from calcium spiking and root-hair deformation to the development of the nodule. Early stages of actinorhizal symbiosis were monitored at the transcriptional level to observe plant host responses to Frankia alni. Forty-two genes were significantly upregulated in inoculated compared with noninoculated roots. Most of these genes encode proteins involved in biological processes induced during microbial infection, such as oxidative stress or response to stimuli, but a large number of them are not differentially modulated or downregulated later in the process of nodulation. In contrast, several of them remained upregulated in mature nodules, and this included the gene most upregulated, which encodes a nonspecific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP). Classified as an antimicrobial peptide, this nsLTP was immunolocalized on the deformed root-hair surfaces that are points of contact for Frankia spp. during infection. Later in nodules, it binds to the surface of F. alni ACN14a vesicles, which are the specialized cells for nitrogen fixation. This nsLTP, named AgLTP24, was biologically produced in a heterologous host and purified for assay on F. alni ACN14a to identify physiological effects. Thus, the activation of the plant immunity response occurs upon first contact, while the recognition of F. alni ACN14a genes switches off part of the defense system during nodulation. AgLTP24 constitutes a part of the defense system that is maintained all along the symbiosis, with potential functions such as the formation of infection threads or nodule primordia to the control of F. alni proliferation.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Patient Reported Data as Predictors of Surgical Outcome in Patients with Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy. Analysis of a National Multicenter Dataset
Authors: Gerdhem Lovisa , Charalampidis Anastasios , Gerdhem Paul
Published: September 2022

Study Design.

Retrospective study design on prospectively collected registry data.

Objective.

To investigate whether improvement after surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy is associated with preoperative disease severity and to identify predictors of outcome.

Summary of Background Data.

Degenerative cervical myelopathy is the most common cause of spinal cord compromise in adults and surgery is often the treatment of choice. Identifying predictors may help to improve patient selection.

Methods.

This nationwide study from the Swedish spine registry included 901 patients treated surgically for degenerative cervical myelopathy. To investigate improvement in different disease severity groups, the individuals were divided into quartiles based on their preoperative European Myelopathy scale (EMS) and EQ-5D index. Statistical analyses were made with analysis of variance, Chi-square, McNemar and t-tests. Multivariable linear or logistic regression was used to identify predictors for one-year improvement in EMS and EQ-5D index, and satisfaction at one year. In the regressions, the patient reported outcome measures were dichotomized at their median, except improvement in EMS.

Results.

All patient reported outcome measures improved from baseline to the one-year follow-up (P<0.001). Statistically significant outcome improvements were seen in all disease severity groups. Preoperative low EMS (Beta=−1.37, P<0.001), long walking distance (<500 m vs. >500 m; Beta=0.44, P=0.030), and low NDI (Beta=−0.43, P=0.048) were independent predictors of improvement in EMS. R2 was 0.11 for the multivariable model. Preoperative low EQ-5D index (odds ratio 0.11; 95% confidence interval 0.07-0.16) and low NDI (0.56; 0.36-0.88) were independent predictors of improvement in EQ-5D index. Preoperative high EMS (1.86; 1.20-2.90) and shorter arm pain duration (<12 mo vs. >12 mo (0.54; 0.33-0.88) were independent predictors of satisfaction.

Conclusion.

Postoperative improvement was seen over the whole range of disease severity. Disease severity, symptom duration, and walking distance were predictors of outcome in patients treated surgically for degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Level of Evidence.

III
Distinct Immune Phenotypes and Cytokine Profiles in Children with Differing Severity of COVID-19
Authors: Talarico Laura Beatriz , Toledano Analía , Contrini María Marta , Torrado Lidia E. , Martínez María Paula , Gaillard María Isabel , Caratozzolo Ana , Byrne Alana Brooke , Bonnin Florencia Agustina , Tineo María Soledad , Yfran Eduardo Walter , Acosta Patricio Leandro , López Eduardo Luis
Published: September 2022

Background:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is usually mild and self-limited in children. However, a few Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infections in children may progress to severe disease with respiratory distress or can result in a multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19. The immune mechanisms for these differential clinical outcomes are largely unknown.

Methods:

A prospective cohort study was performed to analyze the laboratory parameters, antibody response, immune phenotypes and cytokine profiles of 51 children with different clinical presentations of COVID-19.

Results:

We found that the absolute lymphocyte counts gradually decreased with disease severity. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels in the acute phase and convalescence were not significantly different in patients with different disease severity. A decrease in CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was observed as disease severity increased. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were activated in children with COVID-19, but no difference in the percentage of HLADR+-expressing cells was detected across the severity groups. In contrast, MIS-C patients exhibited augmented exhausted effector memory CD8+ T cells. Interestingly, the cytokine profile in sera of moderate/severe and MIS-C patients revealed an increase in anti-inflammatory IL-1RA and a suppression of tumor necrosis factor-α, RANTES, eotaxin and PDGF-BB. MIS-C patients also exhibited augmented IL-1β.

Conclusions:

We report distinct immune profiles dependent on severity in pediatric COVID-19 patients. Further investigation in a larger population will help unravel the immune mechanisms underlying pediatric COVID-19.
Hepatocellular Injury in Children Treated for Rifampicin-resistant Tuberculosis: Incidence, Etiology and Outcome
Authors: Duvenhage Joanie , Draper Heather R. , Garcia-Prats Anthony J. , Winckler Jana , Hesseling Anneke C. , Schaaf H. Simon
Published: September 2022

Background:

Hepatocellular injury has been reported commonly in adults on rifampicin-resistant and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (RR/MDR-TB) treatment. However, there are limited data in children.

Methods:

Two pharmacokinetic studies of children (0–17 years) routinely treated for RR/MDR-TB were conducted in Cape Town, South Africa between October 2011 and February 2020. Hepatocellular injury adverse events (AEs; defined as elevated alanine aminotransferase [ALT]) were documented serially. Data were analyzed to determine the incidence, etiology, risk factors, management and outcome of ALT elevation.

Results:

A total of 217 children, median age 3.6 years (interquartile range, 1.7–7.1 years) at enrollment were included. The median follow-up time was 14.0 months (interquartile range, 9.8–17.2 months). Fifty-five (25.3%) patients developed an ALT AE. Of these, 43 of 55 (78%) patients had 54 ALT AEs attributed to their RR/MDR-TB treatment. The incidence rate of ALT AEs related to RR-TB treatment was 22.4 per 100 person-years. Positive HIV status and having an elevated ALT at enrollment were associated with time to ALT AE attributed to RR/MDR-TB treatment, with P values 0.0427 and P < 0.0001, respectively. Hepatitis A IgM was positive in 11 of 14 (78.6%) severe (grade ≥3) cases of ALT AEs. In 8 of 14 (57%) severe ALT AEs, hepatotoxic drugs were stopped or temporarily interrupted. None had a fatal or unresolved outcome.

Conclusions:

Hepatocellular injury in children on RR/MDR-TB treatment is common, although usually mild; having elevated ALT early in treatment and HIV-positive status are possible risk factors. Hepatitis A was a common etiology of severe ALT AE in children treated for RR/MDR-TB.
The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Variants on the Clinical Phenotype and Severity of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children in South Africa
Authors: Abraham Deepthi Raju , Butters Claire , Abdulbari Yunis Nurea , Lishman Juanita , Scott Christiaan , van der Zalm Marieke M. , Zühlke Liesl , Rabie Helena , Webb Kate
Published: September 2022

The effects of SARS-CoV-2 variants on disease phenotype and severity of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) are unknown. We compared the clinical phenotype of MIS-C in 129 South African children across four distinct (Ancestral type, Beta, Delta, and Omicron) variant-driven waves and found that MIS-C remains a severe disease with a stable clinical presentation, regardless of variant.
Testicular Dirofilariasis in an Italian 11-Year-old Child
Authors: Pansini Andrea , Magenes Vittoria Carlotta , Casini Francesca , Guida Gabriella , De Sanctis Marina , Canonica Carlotta Paola Maria , Rossi Roberta Simona , Zuccotti Gianvincenzo , Giacomet Vania
Published: September 2022

Dirofilariasis is a rare infection caused by a vector-borne nematode that can be accidentally transmitted to humans. We report a case of a 11-year-old child with a painless scrotal cyst caused by Dirofilaria repens, initially suspected by ultrasound scan and then confirmed by histopathologic examination.
Light stimulation on tenocytes: A systematic review of in vitro studies
Authors: da Silva Mariana Rodrigues , Andrade Renato , Cardoso Fatima S. , Oliveira Sofia , Catarino Susana O. , Carvalho Óscar , Silva Filipe S. , Espregueira-Mendes João , Flores Paulo
Published: September 2022

Background:

The purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the methodologies, utilized stimulation parameters, and the main cellular outcomes obtained by in vitro studies that apply a light source on tenocyte cultures.

Methods:

The PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched up to December 9, 2019 for in vitro studies that used light sources on tenocyte cultures. A 13-item checklist was used to assess methodological quality of the studies and the risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-randomized Studies tool.

Results:

Six studies were included. Tenocytes from the Achilles tendon were used by 83.3% of the studies, with 16.7% utilizing the deep digital flexor tendon, with cells in passage 2 to 5. Four studies used lasers and the other 2 used light-emitting diode or intense pulsed light, in wavelengths ranges from 530 to 1100 nm. The application of light to tenocytes resulted in positive effects reported by all studies, including an increase in cell proliferation and migration, and higher protein and gene expression of tendon biomarkers. Studies presented a lack of standardization on reporting light stimulation parameters and experimental methodologies, leading to low methodological quality. There was a high risk of selection, performance, detection, and reporting bias.

Conclusions:

All studies showed positive effects after light stimulation on tenocytes, regardless of the light source used. However, the lack of standardized data on light stimulation parameters, experimental setup, and the studies’ main limitations hindered representative conclusions and comparisons amongst studies’ main outcomes.