bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Study of Music Therapy’s Effectiveness for Premature Infants and Their Caregivers (LongSTEP): Feasibility Study With a Norwegian Cohort
Authors: Ghetti Claire M , Vederhus Bente Johanne , Gaden Tora Söderström , Brenner Annette K , Bieleninik Łucja , Kvestad Ingrid , Assmus Jörg , Gold Christian
Published: January 2021

Premature infants and their parents experience significant stress during the perinatal period. Music therapy (MT) may support maternal–infant bonding during this critical period, but studies measuring impact across the infant’s first year are lacking. This nonrandomized feasibility study used quantitative and qualitative methods within a critical realist perspective to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and suitability of the treatment arm of the Longitudinal Study of music Therapy’s Effectiveness for Premature infants and their caregivers (LongSTEP) (NCT03564184) trial with a Norwegian cohort (N = 3). Families were offered MT emphasizing parent-led infant-directed singing during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization and across 3 months post-discharge. We used inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with parents at discharge from NICU and at 3 months and analyzed quantitative variables descriptively. Findings indicate that: (1) parents of premature infants are willing to participate in MT research where parental voice is a main means of musical interaction; (2) parents are generally willing to engage in MT in NICU and post-discharge phases, finding it particularly interesting to note infant responsiveness and interaction over time; (3) parents seek information about the aims and specific processes involved in MT; (4) the selected self-reports are reasonable to complete; and (5) the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire appears to be a suitable measure of impaired maternal–infant bonding. Parents reported that they were able to transfer resources honed during MT to parent–infant interactions outside MT and recognized parental voice as a central means of building relation with their infants. Results inform the implementation of a subsequent multinational trial that will address an important gap in knowledge.
Disparities in Cancer Survival Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Population-Based Study of 88 000 Patients
Authors: Murphy Caitlin C , Lupo Philip J , Roth Michael E , Winick Naomi J , Pruitt Sandi L
Published: January 2021

Background

Adolescents and young adults (AYA, aged 15-39 years) diagnosed with cancer comprise a growing, yet understudied, population. Few studies have examined disparities in cancer survival in underserved and diverse populations of AYA.

Methods

Using population-based data from the Texas Cancer Registry, we estimated 5-year relative survival of common AYA cancers and examined disparities in survival by race and ethnicity, neighborhood poverty, urban or rural residence, and insurance type. We also used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models to examine associations of race or ethnicity, neighborhood poverty, urban or rural residence, and insurance type with all-cause mortality.

Results

We identified 55 316 women and 32 740 men diagnosed with invasive cancer at age 15-39 years between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2016. There were disparities in relative survival by race and ethnicity, poverty, and insurance for many cancer types. Racial and ethnic disparities in survival for men with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (74.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 72.1% to 76.7%] White vs 57.0% [95% CI = 51.9% to 61.8%] Black) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (66.5% [95% CI = 61.4% to 71.0%] White vs 44.4% [95% CI = 39.9% to 48.8%] Hispanic) were striking, and disparities remained even for cancers with excellent prognosis, such as testicular cancer (96.6% [95% CI = 95.9% to 97.2%] White vs 88.7% [95% CI = 82.4% to 92.8%] Black). In adjusted analysis, being Black or Hispanic, living in high-poverty neighborhoods, and having Medicaid, other government insurance, or no insurance at diagnosis were associated with all-cause mortality in both women and men (all 2-sided P < .01).

Conclusions

Our study adds urgency to well-documented disparities in cancer survival in older adults by demonstrating persistent differences in relative survival and all-cause mortality in AYAs. Findings point to several areas of future research to address disparities in this unique population of cancer patients.
Associations of Aspirin and Non-Aspirin Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs With Colorectal Cancer Mortality After Diagnosis
Authors: Figueiredo Jane C , Jacobs Eric J , Newton Christina C , Guinter Mark A , Cance William G , Campbell Peter T
Published: January 2021

Background

Aspirin use reduces colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence, but there is limited evidence regarding associations of aspirin and non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with CRC-specific survival.

Methods

This prospective analysis includes women and men from the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort who were cancer free at baseline (1992 or 1993) and diagnosed with CRC during incidence follow-up through 2015. Detailed information on aspirin and non-aspirin NSAID use was self-reported on questionnaires at baseline, in 1997, and every 2 years thereafter. Pre- and postdiagnosis data were available for 2686 and 1931 participants without distant metastases, respectively, among whom 512 and 251 died from CRC during mortality follow-up through 2016. Secondary analyses examined associations between prediagnosis aspirin use and stage at diagnosis (distant metastatic vs localized or regional). All statistical tests were 2-sided.

Results

Long-term regular use of aspirin (>15 times per month) before diagnosis was associated with lower CRC-specific mortality (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.52 to 0.92). Postdiagnosis regular aspirin use was not statistically significantly associated with risk of CRC-specific mortality overall (HR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.62 to 1.09), although participants who began regular aspirin use only after their diagnosis were at lower risk than participants who did not use aspirin at both the pre- and postdiagnosis periods (HR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.36 to 0.98). Long-term aspirin use before diagnosis was also associated with lower odds of diagnosis with distant metastases (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.53 to 0.99).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that long-term aspirin use before a diagnosis of nonmetastatic colorectal cancer may be associated with lower CRC-specific mortality after diagnosis, consistent with possible inhibition of micrometastases before diagnosis.
New insights into the effects of vinpocetine against neurobehavioral comorbidities in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy via the downregulation of the hippocampal PI3K/mTOR signalling pathway
Authors: El-Sayed Sarah S , El-Yamany Mohammed F , Salem Hesham A , El-Sahar Ayman E
Published: January 2021

Objectives

As one of the most frequent worldwide neurological disorders, epilepsy is an alteration of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by abnormal increases in neuronal electrical activity. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway has been investigated as an interesting objective in epilepsy research. Vinpocetine (VNP), a synthesized derivative of the apovincamine alkaloid, has been used in different cerebrovascular disorders. This study aimed to examine the modulatory effects of VNP on neurobehavioral comorbidities via the mTOR signalling pathway in a lithium-pilocarpine (Li-Pil) rat model of seizures.

Methods

In male Wistar rats, seizures were induced with a single administration of pilocarpine (60 mg/kg; i.p.) 20 hours after the delivery of a single dose of lithium (3 mEq/kg; i.p.). VNP (10 mg/kg; i.p.) was administered daily for 14 consecutive days before Li-Pil administration.

Key findings

VNP had a protective effect against Li-Pil-induced seizures. VNP improved both the locomotor and cognitive abilities, moreover, VNP exerted a neuroprotective action, as verified histologically and by its inhibitory effects on hippocampal glutamate excitotoxicity, mTOR pathway, and inflammatory and apoptotic parameters.

Conclusions

VNP is a valuable candidate for epilepsy therapy via its modulation of the mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis with emphasis on its modulatory effect on mTOR signalling pathway.
Penopubic testicular ectopia with bilateral cryptorchidism presenting as obstructed inguinal Amyand’s hernia
Authors: Otuu O , Nnadozie U U , Maduba C C , Eni U E
Published: January 2021

Testicular ectopia is an aberrant deviation of the migration of the testis from its usual path of descent into the scrotum. Of the forms of ectopic testis, the penopubic (also called pubopenile) type is one of the least common; in this case, presented as an obstructed hernia. We report a rare case of penopubic testicular ectopia with bilateral cryptorchidism in a 17-year-old boy who presented to the emergency room with right obstructed inguinal hernia. Intraoperative findings included bilateral cryptorchidism, hernia sac with right undescended testis and normal vermiform appendix, a left penopubic testis abutting the hernia sac. Both testes had separate epididymides and adequate length of vasa deferentia and were transposed into their respective hemiscrotum via an open inguinal approach. The patient had an uneventful recovery.

Penopubic testicular ectopia can present as obstructed Amyand’s hernia. Early open groin exploration with orchidopexy was satisfactory.
Rare Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Identified in a U.S. Deployed Service Member Following Host-nation Medical Treatment
Authors: Lawrence Matthew W , Sachdeva Mohit , Bennett Jason W , Menninger George U , Barrera Melissa A , Benitez John G , Kliewer Maurice L
Published: January 2021

Decision-making related to the utilization of host-nation medical resources in austere forward-deployed environments is complex. Clinical circumstances, local medical intelligence availability, transportation assets, uncertainty regarding standard-of-care variations, military/host-nation funding complications, and regional security concerns all factor into consideration. A case of a U.S. active duty military service member who suffered a cardiac arrest on a military base in Southwest Asia is described in this report. After return of circulation following defibrillation, he was administered thrombolytic therapy for an electrocardiogram-identified ST-elevation myocardial infarction and transported to a local host-nation cardiac hospital for emergent percutaneous coronary intervention. During his subsequent transportation back to the USA, surveillance testing identified that he was colonized with a rare strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, demonstrating New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 and 16S RNA methyltransferase-2 enzymes, which confer significant resistance to carbapenem and aminoglycoside antibiotics, respectively.1–3 This combination of antibiotic resistance has been reported very rarely in the medical literature and has never been reported within the deployed military health system until now. The risk of exposure to multidrug-resistant organisms was not a factor initially considered in the decision to utilize host-nation medical resources in this case, which provided lesson learned and raised new questions, for future operational medical planning.
Setting the stage: structures from Gaussian random fields
Authors: Sawala Till , Jenkins Adrian , McAlpine Stuart , Jasche Jens , Lavaux Guilhem , Johansson Peter H , Frenk Carlos S
Published: January 2021

We study structure formation in a set of cosmological simulations to uncover the scales in the initial density field that gave rise to the formation of present-day structures. Our simulations share a common primordial power spectrum (here Λ cold dark matter, ΛCDM), but the introduction of hierarchical variations of the phase information allows us to systematically study the scales that determine the formation of structure at later times. We consider the variance in z = 0 statistics such as the matter power spectrum and halo mass function. We also define a criterion for the existence of individual haloes across simulations, and determine what scales in the initial density field contain sufficient information for the non-linear formation of unique haloes. We study how the characteristics of individual haloes such as the mass and concentration, as well as the position and velocity, are affected by variations on different scales, and give scaling relations for haloes of different mass. Finally, we use the example of a cluster-mass halo to show how our hierarchical parametrization of the initial density field can be used to create variants of particular objects. With properties such as mass, concentration, kinematics, and substructure of haloes set on distinct and well-determined scales, and its unique ability to introduce variations localized in real space, our method is a powerful tool to study structure formation in cosmological simulations.
Stability time-scale prediction for main-belt asteroids using neural networks
Authors: Liu Chao , Gong Shengping , Li Junfeng
Published: January 2021

Many asteroids move in the belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter under the gravitational attraction of the Sun and planets in the Solar system. If one of these asteroids does not leave the belt during a period, it is considered to be temporarily stable on that time-scale. This paper aims to study the time-scales on which asteroids could stay in the main belt. A simplified situation is studied in which the initial orbital inclinations and the longitudes of the ascending nodes of the asteroids are set to zero. Numerical integration is used to study the temporal stability of the main-belt asteroids. In the integration, the distribution of the instability time for randomly generated particles can be fitted with a function. Thus a reasonable method is presented to choose an integration time-scale based on the percentage of the already unstable particles in relation to all unstable particles. A total of 151 000 particles are generated and then integrated for 8.09 × 106 yr. The integration data are used to train the probabilistic neural networks to predict the stability of particles. A temporal stability map in the a-e plane is obtained from the prediction results of the neural networks.
Modelling intergalactic low ionization metal absorption line systems near the epoch of reionization
Authors: Suarez Teresita , Meiksin Avery
Published: January 2021

We interpret observations of intergalactic low ionization metal absorption systems at redshifts z ≳ 5 in terms of pressure-confined clouds. We find clouds confined by the expected pressure of galactic haloes with masses $11\lt \log M_h/h^{-1}\, \mathrm{M}_\odot \lt 12$ provide a good description of the column density ratios between low ionization metal absorbers. Some of the ratios, however, require extending conventional radiative transfer models of irradiated slabs to spherical (or cylindrical) clouds to allow for lines of sight passing outside the cores of the clouds. Moderate depletion of silicon on to dust grains is also indicated in some systems. The chemical abundances inferred span the range between solar and massive-star-dominated stellar populations as may arise in starburst galaxies. The typical H i column densities matching the data correspond to damped Ly α absorbers (DLAs) or sub-DLAs, with sizes of 40 pc to 3 kpc, gas masses 3.5 < log Mc/M⊙ < 8 and metallicites $0.001\!-\!0.01\, \mathrm{Z}_\odot$. Such systems continue to pose a challenge for galaxy-scale numerical simulations to reproduce.
Higher order Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampling for cosmological large-scale structure analysis
Authors: Hernández-Sánchez Mónica , Kitaura Francisco-Shu , Ata Metin , Dalla Vecchia Claudio
Published: January 2021

We investigate higher order symplectic integration strategies within Bayesian cosmic density field reconstruction methods. In particular, we study the fourth-order discretization of Hamiltonian equations of motion (EoM). This is achieved by recursively applying the basic second-order leap-frog scheme (considering the single evaluation of the EoM) in a combination of even numbers of forward time integration steps with a single intermediate backward step. This largely reduces the number of evaluations and random gradient computations, as required in the usual second-order case for high-dimensional cases. We restrict this study to the lognormal-Poisson model, applied to a full volume halo catalogue in real space on a cubical mesh of 1250 h−1 Mpc side and 2563 cells. Hence, we neglect selection effects, redshift space distortions, and displacements. We note that those observational and cosmic evolution effects can be accounted for in subsequent Gibbs-sampling steps within the COSMIC BIRTH algorithm. We find that going from the usual second to fourth order in the leap-frog scheme shortens the burn-in phase by a factor of at least ∼30. This implies that 75–90 independent samples are obtained while the fastest second-order method converges. After convergence, the correlation lengths indicate an improvement factor of about 3.0 fewer gradient computations for meshes of 2563 cells. In the considered cosmological scenario, the traditional leap-frog scheme turns out to outperform higher order integration schemes only when considering lower dimensional problems, e.g. meshes with 643 cells. This gain in computational efficiency can help to go towards a full Bayesian analysis of the cosmological large-scale structure for upcoming galaxy surveys.
The formation history of the Milky Way disc with high-resolution cosmological simulations
Authors: Giammaria Marco , Spagna Alessandro , Lattanzi Mario G , Murante Giuseppe , Re Fiorentin Paola , Valentini Milena
Published: January 2021

We analyse from an observational perspective the formation history and kinematics of a Milky Way-like galaxy from a high-resolution zoom-in cosmological simulation that we compare to those of our Galaxy as seen by Gaia DR2 to better understand the origin and evolution of the Galactic thin and thick discs. The cosmological simulation was carried out with the gadget-3 TreePM+SPH code using the MUlti-Phase Particle Integrator (muppi) model. We disentangle the complex overlapping of stellar generations that rises from the top-down and inside-out formation of the galactic disc. We investigate cosmological signatures in the phase-space of mono-age populations and highlight features stemming from past and recent dynamical perturbations. In the simulation, we identify a satellite with a stellar mass of $1.2 \times 10^9~\rm {M}_\odot$, i.e. stellar mass ratio Δ ∼ 5.5 per cent at the time, accreted at z ∼ 1.6, which resembles the major merger Gaia–Sausage–Enceladus that produced the Galactic thick disc, i.e. Δ ∼ 6 per cent. We found at z ∼ 0.5–0.4 two merging satellites with a stellar mass of $8.8 \times 10^8~\rm {M}_\odot$ and $5.1 \times 10^8~\rm {M}_\odot$ that are associated to a strong starburst in the star formation history, which appears fairly similar to that recently found in the solar neighbourhood. Our findings highlight that detailed studies of coeval stellar populations kinematics, which are made available by current and future Gaia data releases and in synergy with simulations, are fundamental to unravel the formation and evolution of the Milky Way discs.
Spatial segregation impact on star formation in nearby dwarf spheroidal galaxies
Authors: Makarova L N , Makarov D I
Published: January 2021

Using our Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys (HST/ACS) observations of the recently found isolated dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies, we homogeneously measured their star formation histories (SFHs). We determined SF rate as a function of time, as well as age and metallicity of the stellar populations. All objects demonstrate complex SFH, with a significant portion of stars formed 10–13 Gyr ago. Nevertheless, stars of middle ages (1–8 Gyr) are presented. In order to understand how the SF parameters influence the evolution of dSphs, we also studied a sample of nearest dSphs in different environment: isolated (d < 2 Mpc); beyond the Local Group (LG) virial radius (but within the LG zero-velocity sphere); and the satellites of M 31 located within the virial zone (300 kpc). Using archival HST/ACS observations, we measured their SFHs. A comparative analysis of the parameters obtained allow us to distinguish a possible effect of the spatial segregation on the dSphs evolution scenario.
The Landscape of Recombination Events That Create Nonribosomal Peptide Diversity
Authors: Baunach Martin , Chowdhury Somak , Stallforth Pierre , Dittmann Elke
Published: January 2021

Nonribosomal peptides (NRP) are crucial molecular mediators in microbial ecology and provide indispensable drugs. Nevertheless, the evolution of the flexible biosynthetic machineries that correlates with the stunning structural diversity of NRPs is poorly understood. Here, we show that recombination is a key driver in the evolution of bacterial NRP synthetase (NRPS) genes across distant bacterial phyla, which has guided structural diversification in a plethora of NRP families by extensive mixing and matching of biosynthesis genes. The systematic dissection of a large number of individual recombination events did not only unveil a striking plurality in the nature and origin of the exchange units but allowed the deduction of overarching principles that enable the efficient exchange of adenylation (A) domain substrates while keeping the functionality of the dynamic multienzyme complexes. In the majority of cases, recombination events have targeted variable portions of the Acore domains, yet domain interfaces and the flexible Asub domain remained untapped. Our results strongly contradict the widespread assumption that adenylation and condensation (C) domains coevolve and significantly challenge the attributed role of C domains as stringent selectivity filter during NRP synthesis. Moreover, they teach valuable lessons on the choice of natural exchange units in the evolution of NRPS diversity, which may guide future engineering approaches.
Human Rev1 relies on insert-2 to promote selective binding and accurate replication of stabilized G-quadruplex motifs
Authors: Ketkar Amit , Smith Lane , Johnson Callie , Richey Alyssa , Berry Makayla , Hartman Jessica H , Maddukuri Leena , Reed Megan R , Gunderson Julie E C , Leung Justin W C , Eoff Robert L
Published: January 2021

We previously reported that human Rev1 (hRev1) bound to a parallel-stranded G-quadruplex (G4) from the c-MYC promoter with high affinity. We have extended those results to include other G4 motifs, finding that hRev1 exhibited stronger affinity for parallel-stranded G4 than either anti-parallel or hybrid folds. Amino acids in the αE helix of insert-2 were identified as being important for G4 binding. Mutating E466 and Y470 to alanine selectively perturbed G4 binding affinity. The E466K mutant restored wild-type G4 binding properties. Using a forward mutagenesis assay, we discovered that loss of hRev1 increased G4 mutation frequency >200-fold compared to the control sequence. Base substitutions and deletions occurred around and within the G4 motif. Pyridostatin (PDS) exacerbated this effect, as the mutation frequency increased >700-fold over control and deletions upstream of the G4 site more than doubled. Mutagenic replication of G4 DNA (±PDS) was partially rescued by wild-type and E466K hRev1. The E466A or Y470A mutants failed to suppress the PDS-induced increase in G4 mutation frequency. These findings have implications for the role of insert-2, a motif conserved in vertebrates but not yeast or plants, in Rev1-mediated suppression of mutagenesis during G4 replication.
Restriction of an intron sizeen routeto endothermy
Authors: Královičová Jana , Borovská Ivana , Pengelly Reuben , Lee Eunice , Abaffy Pavel , Šindelka Radek , Grutzner Frank , Vořechovský Igor
Published: January 2021

Ca2+-insensitive and -sensitive E1 subunits of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHC) regulate tissue-specific NADH and ATP supply by mutually exclusive OGDH exons 4a and 4b. Here we show that their splicing is enforced by distant lariat branch points (dBPs) located near the 5′ splice site of the intervening intron. dBPs restrict the intron length and prevent transposon insertions, which can introduce or eliminate dBP competitors. The size restriction was imposed by a single dominant dBP in anamniotes that expanded into a conserved constellation of four dBP adenines in amniotes. The amniote clusters exhibit taxon-specific usage of individual dBPs, reflecting accessibility of their extended motifs within a stable RNA hairpin rather than U2 snRNA:dBP base-pairing. The dBP expansion took place in early terrestrial species and was followed by a uridine enrichment of large downstream polypyrimidine tracts in mammals. The dBP-protected megatracts permit reciprocal regulation of exon 4a and 4b by uridine-binding proteins, including TIA-1/TIAR and PUF60, which promote U1 and U2 snRNP recruitment to the 5′ splice site and BP, respectively, but do not significantly alter the relative dBP usage. We further show that codons for residues critically contributing to protein binding sites for Ca2+ and other divalent metals confer the exon inclusion order that mirrors the Irving-Williams affinity series, linking the evolution of auxiliary splicing motifs in exons to metallome constraints. Finally, we hypothesize that the dBP-driven selection for Ca2+-dependent ATP provision by E1 facilitated evolution of endothermy by optimizing the aerobic scope in target tissues.
At the Crossroads of Language, Race, and Sexuality
Authors: Chun Elaine , Walters Keith
Published: January 2021

This chapter explores how researchers have examined race and sexuality as mutually implicated dimensions of language use and interpretation. While past descriptions of language have inadvertently conflated these dimensions by foregrounding certain speakers and erasing others, recent research has decentered the privileged gaze of whiteness and heterosexuality by examining the language of racially and sexually marginalized communities and by exploring the semiotic mapping of hierarchies of race onto those of sexuality. The chapter analyzes interactions among Korean American girls who highlight the sexual value of locally racialized body parts, illustrating how their acts of intersectional highlighting allow them to contest the sexual devaluation of Korean bodies while reproducing the very ideologies they challenge. Researchers are encouraged to reflexively consider their own strategies of intersectional highlighting by asking what ends are served—and not served—when making intersectional facts visible in their analyses.
The Nubian Experience of Egyptian Domination During the New Kingdom
Authors: Smith Stuart Tyson
Published: January 2021

The Nubian experience of Egyptian domination during the New Kingdom (ca. 1500–1070 bce) was complex and variable. Outright rebellion to Egyptian rule is attested but was rare. Instead Nubians employed highly variable strategies of collaboration/assimilation, ethnic solidarity, and the creation of hybridity in order to cope with the Egyptian hegemony. The dynamic and variable entanglement and juxtaposition of Nubian and Egyptian ceramic traditions, foodways, and burial practice established the foundations for the survival of elements of Nubian culture despite five hundred years of Egyptian domination and widespread assimilation north of the Third Cataract. The formation of a new blended or hybrid Nubian identity forged through the colonial experience helped to break down the imperial ideology of Egyptian self and Nubian other. In the end, the accumulation of individual choices by Nubians and their Egyptian counterparts, constrained by larger political and economic dynamics, produced outcomes that transformed both indigenous and colonial society.
Nubians in Egypt during the 25th Dynasty
Authors: Budka Julia
Published: January 2021

The chapter deals with the question of the visibility of Nubians in Egypt during the 25th Dynasty as non-Egyptians. Despite of a high degree of “Egyptianization,” Kushites of both royal and non-royal status are often recognizable by non-Egyptian names and foreign elements in their personal representation. It is, however, demonstrated that generalized terms like “the Nubians in Egypt” are not suitable for the actual situation during the 25th Dynasty. Nubians were rather an integral part of Late Egyptian society and—with the exception of the royal family—did not represent themselves as a separate ethnic group. The individuality of these people and their complex cultural identity is much more important than considering ancestry only. Evidence for this multifaceted appearance of Nubians in 25th Dynasty Egypt is presented from temple, cultic, and funerary contexts at the key sites at Thebes, here in particular Karnak and Asasif, and at Abydos, specifically the necropolis Umm el-Qaab.
The Meroitic Heartland
Authors: Wolf Pawel , Nowotnick Ulrike
Published: January 2021

This chapter provides an overview of the heartland of the Kushite kingdom focusing on the Meroitic period between the 3rd century bce and the mid-4th century ce. An introduction defines the region’s natural borders and illustrates the environmental setting of the Meroitic heartland on the so-called Island of Meroe. In order to draw a general picture, the most important findings from archaeology, including settlements, architecture, and funeral rites, are related to the few known historical events of this period.
The Nominal Domain in Languages of the Caucasus
Authors: Öztürk Balkız , Eren Ömer
Published: January 2021

This chapter aims to address how Caucasian languages behave in terms of the dichotomy between noun phrases (NPs) and determiner phrases (DPs), dichotomy as specifically discussed in Bošković (2005, 2008, 2012). It uses comparative data from three Caucasian languages, namely, Laz, Abkhaz, and Kabardian. These three languages are chosen because typologically they make use of different strategies to express (in)definiteness. Abkhaz has definite and indefinite articles, while Pazar Laz is a language without articles. Kabardian, which also lacks articles, expresses definiteness and specificity through case morphology. Using Bošković’s own criteria, we show that, we shown that the NP/DP split is not enough to handle the differences among these languages. We propose that a new typology, one that allows for NP- and DP-languages as well as Kase Phrase (KP-) and null-DP-, languages is required to capture the properties of Abkhaz, Pazar Laz, and Kabardian. The chapter then discusses the implications of this new typology for the internal structures of the nominals in these three languages with a focus on what other functional projections are available and how they are ordered in the nominal domains.
Ergativity in the Caucasus
Authors: Ganenkov Dmitry
Published: January 2021

This chapter provides an overview of ergativity-related phenomena in the languages of the Caucasus, a geographical region with a high concentration of ergative languages. The chapter reviews the morphologically ergative nature of the languages, revealed in case marking and gender agreement in Nakh-Daghestanian as well as person marking in Northwest Caucasian. No manifestation of syntactic ergativity is observed in languages of the Caucasus, with the exception of relativization in Circassian. It also reviews ergative splits observed in the Caucasus and describes attested patterns of split subject case marking in intransitive clauses. Finally, various properties usually thought to attest to the inherent or structural nature of ergative arguments are discussed: theta-relatedness, behavior in subject-to-subject raising, ability to participate in hierarchical agreement, the DP versus PP distinction, the structural locus of ergative case assignment, and some problems for configurational approaches to case assignment.
The Northwest Caucasian Languages
Authors: Arkadiev Peter , Lander Yury
Published: January 2021

This chapter describes the major features of the Northwest Caucasian (Abkhaz-Adyghe) language family, comprising Abkhaz, Abaza, West Circassian (Adyghe), East Circassian (Kabardian), and the now extinct Ubykh. Starting with the sociolinguistic setting of the Northwest Caucasian varieties and the history of linguistic research on them, the discussion then proceeds to a description of the most important features of their phonology, morphology, and syntax, concluding with a brief discussion of a number of typologically outstanding features. The chapter, based both on published sources and the authors’ fieldwork data, covers issues such as exuberant consonantism, lexical category underspecification, polysynthetic morphology, expression of spatial meanings in the verb, rich systems of tense, aspect and mood categories, finite and non-finite verbal forms, non-trivial noun phrase syntax, relativization, and complexities of clause-combining. Besides describing the features common for all the languages of the family, we focus on important points of variation among the Northwest Caucasian languages and their dialects, aiming at an adequate representation of the wealth of phenomena they present and highlighting the challenges they offer for typology and linguistic theory.
The Porfirian Years (1876–1911)
Authors: Matthews Michael
Published: January 2021

During the Porfirian years (1876–1911), Mexico experienced tremendous economic development, material progress, and urban expansion. Those years represented a crucial period in Mexico’s transition to a modern nation. The era’s namesake, dictator Porfirio Díaz, steered the country toward the trappings of modernity through the establishment of internal political peace, a delicate balancing act as the regime often and increasingly relied on repression to accomplish its vision. The so-called pax porfiriana, rather than being a period of omnipotent control that cemented social and political stability, operated through a complex network of negotiation at the international, national, state, and local levels. The regime cajoled, coerced, or conceded to a wide range of groups that included foreign investors, political bosses, wealthy landowners, Church leaders, peasant communities, workers’ organizations, and the press. Policymakers, whose modernizing agenda was often challenged on multiple fronts, implemented a piecemeal progress. They navigated a nation at different levels of regional development and with diverse social and political landscapes, each with their own practices and problems. The result was a program of rapid modernization wrought with ambiguities and contradictions that reveal an improbably fragile regime. Its longevity stands as a testament to Díaz’s statecraft and political acumen.
Toward an Existential and Emancipatory Ethic of Technology
Authors: Ess Charles
Published: January 2021

The Epic of Gilgamesh introduces existential themes of confronting our mortality and creating meaningful lives as embodied beings and relational autonomies. These entail care ethics, virtue ethics, deontological emphases on respect and equality, and overcoming destructive dualisms (mind/body, male/female, (human) nature/technology). The philosophical and theological origins of modern technology and the Enlightenment extend these starting points by emphasizing emancipation. Avoiding another set of dualisms (e.g., Enlightenment vs. Romanticism) offers richer understandings of emancipation, ethics, and our human/technology/nature relationships. Contemporary existentialism and virtue ethics further expand these understandings. Shannon Vallor’s “techno-moral virtues” specifically include courage. Gilgamesh and the woman in the Garden show how courage in resisting and disobeying authority emancipates us to embrace our mortality and take responsibility for meaning in our lives. This chapter closes with some specific ways for how we might do so in the contemporary world.
Research Ethics in Citizen Science
Authors: Rasmussen Lisa M.
Published: January 2021

This chapter outlines some of the main ethical issues in citizen science research, a new research approach that involves lay members of the public in research for which they are not necessarily professionally trained. Although some of this work is covered by existing research ethics regulations, much is not; and it is not clear how to ensure ethical citizen science research. The chapter briefly describes citizen science research, including the nature of its relationship to existing regulations. It also outlines some of the ethical issues that arise in citizen science research—some familiar, some novel—and offers “trust architecture” as a concept to guide researchers in considering how to satisfy the ethical demands of their work.
Ex Uno Fonte Multi Rivuli?
Authors: Dorandi Tiziano
Published: January 2021

This chapter addresses the range of aspects and multiple strands through which Hellenistic biography developed in its spatio-temporal duration of almost three centuries. This extended period witnessed the use and—often in-depth—redevelopment of previous models and methods that, in one way or another, influenced different authors at different moments. Acknowledging these ramifications is not tantamount to claiming, a fortiori, that they may all be traced back to a single model or that they are rooted in the work of Aristotle and the Peripatetic tradition. Rather, it seems more likely that Hellenistic biography drew upon a range of distinct models, albeit often only embryonic or not fully defined ones. Individual Hellenistic authors developed those elements or ideas which they found most congenial to themselves or promising, often with very different aims and purposes. Starting from these reinterpretations, they came up with substantial and original redefinitions of the biographical genre, codifying certain aspects which were then transmitted to subsequent generations as established features.
Complements or Substitutes? The Interdependence between Coalition Agreements and Parliamentary Questions as Monitoring Mechanisms in Coalition Governments
Authors: Höhmann Daniel , Krauss Svenja
Published: January 2021

Since coalition governments are formed of at least two different parties with diverging preferences, there is major potential for shirking. Coalition parties can use various institutional mechanisms to keep tabs on their partners and detect ministerial drifts. In this article, we focus on potential interdependencies between monitoring mechanisms and analyse whether the existence of a coalition agreement affects the number of parliamentary questions (PQs) asked by the coalition partner. We argue that parties can hold the coalition partner accountable to the coalition agreement by asking questions. The more detailed the coalition agreement, the more potential targets exist for focused PQs. Accordingly, we hypothesize that the more detailed the coalition agreement, the more frequently governing parties use PQs as a monitoring tool. Empirically, we rely on a newly compiled dataset on PQs and a content analysis of coalition agreements in Germany between 1980 and 2017. The results confirm our hypothesis.
Seasonal dynamics and life histories of three sympatric species of Pseudocalanus in two Svalbard fjords
Authors: Ershova Elizaveta A , Nyeggen Margot U , Yurikova Daria A , Søreide Janne E
Published: January 2021

Small copepods are the most diverse and numerous group in high-latitude zooplankton, yet our knowledge of important species remains poor because of the difficulties involved in correct species identification. In this study, we use a molecular method of identification, a species-specific polymerase chain reaction, to provide the first description of the seasonal dynamics and life histories of the important genus Pseudocalanus in two Svalbard fjords with contrasting environments. We conducted monthly investigations in the relatively warm and ice-free Adventfjorden, supplemented with seasonal samples from the colder, seasonally ice-covered Billefjorden. We found three species of Pseudocalanus (the Arctic P. acuspes and P. minutus, and the boreal P. moultoni). Pseudocalanus acuspes had a distinct annual life cycle and dominated during summer, when it actively reproduced. Surprisingly, the boreal P. moultoni was present year-round in both fjords and was the dominant species during winter; the presence of all life stages of this species throughout the year suggests a more continuous reproduction. The Arctic P. minutus was the rarest of the three species and was likely able to complete its life cycle in Billefjorden but not in Adventfjorden. Our study demonstrates that closely related species may have different life strategies and environmental preferences, which presumably make high-latitude zooplankton communities more resilient to climate change impacts on genus but not necessarily on species level.
Effectors with chitinase activity (EWCAs), a family of conserved, secreted fungal chitinases that suppress chitin-triggered immunity
Authors: Mart�nez-Cruz Jes�s , Romero Diego , Hierrezuelo Jes�s , Thon Michael , de Vicente Antonio , P�rez-Garc�a Alejandro
Published: January 2021

In plants, chitin-triggered immunity is one of the first lines of defense against fungi, but phytopathogenic fungi have developed different strategies to prevent the recognition of chitin. Obligate biotrophs such as powdery mildew fungi suppress the activation of host responses; however, little is known about how these fungi subvert the immunity elicited by chitin. During epiphytic growth, the cucurbit powdery mildew fungus Podosphaera xanthii expresses a family of candidate effector genes comprising nine members with an unknown function. In this work, we examine the role of these candidates in the infection of melon (Cucumis melo L.) plants, using gene expression analysis, RNAi silencing assays, protein modeling and protein–ligand predictions, enzymatic assays, and protein localization studies. Our results show that these proteins are chitinases that are released at pathogen penetration sites to break down immunogenic chitin oligomers, thus preventing the activation of chitin-triggered immunity. In addition, these effectors, designated effectors with chitinase activity (EWCAs), are widely distributed in pathogenic fungi. Our findings reveal a mechanism by which fungi suppress plant immunity and reinforce the idea that preventing the perception of chitin by the host is mandatory for survival and development of fungi in plant environments.
ARF2 represses expression of plant GRF transcription factors in a complementary mechanism to microRNA miR396
Authors: Beltramino Matías , Debernardi Juan Manuel , Ferela Antonella , Palatnik Javier F
Published: January 2021

Members of the GROWTH REGULATING FACTOR (GRF) family of transcription factors play key roles in the promotion of plant growth and development. Many GRFs are post-transcriptionally repressed by microRNA (miRNA) miR396, an evolutionarily conserved small RNA, which restricts their expression to proliferative tissue. We performed a comprehensive analysis of the GRF family in eudicot plants and found that in many species all the GRFs have a miR396-binding site. Yet, we also identified GRFs with mutations in the sequence recognized by miR396, suggesting a partial or complete release of their post-transcriptional repression. Interestingly, Brassicaceae species share a group of GRFs that lack miR396 regulation, including Arabidopsis GRF5 and GRF6. We show that instead of miR396-mediated post-transcriptional regulation, the spatiotemporal control of GRF5 is achieved through evolutionarily conserved promoter sequences, and that AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 2 (ARF2) binds to such conserved sequences to repress GRF5 expression. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the unchecked expression of GRF5 in arf2 mutants is responsible for the increased cell number of arf2 leaves. The results describe a switch in the repression mechanisms that control the expression of GRFs and mechanistically link the control of leaf growth by miR396, GRFs, and ARF2 transcription factors.
Pain Medication Adherence in Patients with Cancer: A Pragmatic Review
Authors: Vanneste Lorenz , Lefebvre Tessa , Tack Laura , Van Eygen Koen , Cool Lieselot , Schofield Patricia A , Boterberg Tom , De Rijdt Thomas , Verhaeghe Anne , Verhelle Katy , Debruyne Philip R
Published: January 2021

Objective

Adherence to pain medication in patients with cancer is crucial for successful pain therapy. This review aimed to investigate the rate of adherence, which factors influence adherence, whether adherence differs in diverse patient populations, whether there are methods to improve adherence, and the relationship between adherence and pain relief.

Methods

This review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched. All types of studies investigating adherence of patients with cancer, factors influencing adherence, and methods to improve adherence to pain medication were included. They were first screened on title and abstract and thereafter on full text. Selected articles were subjected to a quality assessment according to the PRISMA checklist. From included articles, study characteristics and outcomes were extracted.

Results

Of 795 articles, 18 were included. Different methods were used to measure adherence, which led to adherence rates ranging from 8.9% to 82.0%. White Americans and men were found to be more adherent than African Americans and women. Because of various barriers, adherence is often suboptimal. Fear of addiction, physiological and harmful effects, tolerance, and disease progression are common concerns. Interventions, such as pain education booklets, pain consults, and specialized nurses, may be beneficial to increase the adherence. Lower adherence rates were associated with lower pain relief.

Conclusion

Adherence of cancer patients to pain medication is suboptimal. Health care workers should focus on addressing barriers to increase adherence to obtain better pain relief.
Building on a decade of progress in water, sanitation and hygiene to control, eliminate and eradicate neglected tropical diseases
Authors: Boisson Sophie , Wohlgemuth Leah , Yajima Aya , Peralta Genandrialine , Obiageli Nebe , Matendechero Sultani , Baayenda Gilbert , Seife Fikre , Hamilton Helen , Chase Claire , Barry Fatoumata B M , Solomon Anthony W , Velleman Yael
Published: January 2021

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are essential for the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The forthcoming NTD road map ‘Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030’ encourages cross-sectoral collaboration and includes cross-cutting targets on WASH. This commentary reflects on collaborative efforts between the NTD and WASH sectors over the past years and encourages strengthened partnerships to support the new road map and achieve the 2030 agenda ambition of leaving no one behind.