bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Latinx Immigrant Workers’ Challenges and Collective Responses in the Rural US Food System
Authors: Thompson Diego
Published: October 2024

A large body of literature has shown immigrant workers in the US food system experience and deal with significant problems that are often worsened in rural areas. The state and the private sector have created conditions that rely on cheap immigrant labor in the food industry. Paradoxically, this same much-needed labor force is subjected to strict immigration policy and enforcement—including raids, detentions, and deportations—and poor and living conditions. Immigration control and struggles experienced by immigrant workers in different sectors of the food chain, are more pronounced in rural areas where immigrants often lack of supportive resources. The struggles of historically marginalized groups in the food system and rural communities in the US are well-documented but more attention is needed on how rural immigrant workers deal with their challenges. Furthermore, more research is needed to examine immigrant workers’ collective actions and the development of alliances. Studies have shown that collective agency does not necessarily need to come from traditional labor organizing or unions which may face barriers in working with immigrants in rural contexts. There are some experiences in the poultry and dairy industry, showing that worker-driven organizations with focus on immigration, human rights, and/or social justice issues, have been able to create solutions for immigrant workers’ needs and challenges in US rural contexts. Some of these cases have shown how Latinx immigrant workers have been able to develop and foster resilience in times of uncertainty and challenges, working with immigrant organizations and allies. Experiences from different regions of the US have shown that there are complex and vulnerable realities that immigrants in rural areas often experience which require special attention and need to be addressed before unfair or precarious labor conditions are challenged. It is important for scholars and community practitioners to pay more attention to how immigrant workers and communities can develop resilience and the capability to adapt and create better conditions in times of increasing anti-immigration political rhetoric and uncertainty.
Worker-Driven Social Responsibility in the Food System
Authors: Mares Teresa , Minkoff-Zern Laura-Anne
Published: October 2024

The worker-driven social responsibility (WSR) model has emerged as an effective approach in centering the needs and priorities of food and farmworkers in creating transformational change. WSR has become a powerful force in addressing the injustices of the contemporary food system. This model directly challenges the power imbalance created by corporate concentration and complex supply chains, which concentrate wealth and power at the level of corporate executives and deprioritize rights and protections for workers. To best understand the potential of and need for WSR in the food system, one must consider the historical, legal, and economic contexts of labor in the food system, particularly the experiences of agricultural workers. As more worker organizations embrace the WSR approach, the WSR Network brings together workers across different supply chains and national contexts. Two important organizations in this network bring dignity and justice to food and farmworkers in the United States: the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and Migrant Justice. The CIW’s Fair Food Program and Migrant Justice’s Milk with Dignity Program are exemplary WSR programs that have improved the lives of farmworkers and have garnered the support of thousands of allies. With the success of programs like the Fair Food Program and Milk with Dignity, the WSR approach is poised to extend even further across the food system, including sectors such as food processing.
Family Farm Myths and the Effacement of Labor
Authors: Calo Adam
Published: October 2024

The debate on the role of family farmers in global food security often overlooks deep mythologies that shape our understanding of the food system and constrain our policy imagination. Two dominant myths present family farmers as either noble stewards of the land or as struggling, inefficient peasants. Both myths obscure the critical role of labor in agriculture. Labor relations in farming, whether involving unpaid family members, local knowledge-intensive practices, hired exploited workers, or mechanization, are the forces that shape the social-ecological balance of the food system. The myth of the family farm forces attention on who manages the land rather than the social-ecological relations that ultimately determine the fate of the food system. While objective measurements of family farm contributions are valuable, they cannot resolve the underlying power of myths. Instead, food studies in this area should focus on constructing new myths that highlight the labor and laborers in the food system, fostering a narrative that supports sustainable and equitable agricultural practices.
Islamic Colleges and Universities in North America
Authors: Stanton Andrea L.
Published: October 2024

The emergence of Islamic religiously affiliated higher education institutions connects to a much longer history of primarily religiously affiliated higher education in the United States and Canada—with religiously affiliated institutions comprising the majority of higher education institutions for most of the past three centuries. Islamic institutions joined a more recent wave that started in the 1970s with a small number of Buddhist universities. For North American Muslims, the move toward establishing higher education institutions took three sometimes overlapping paths: the first focused on providing undergraduate and graduate degrees, the second focused on providing training for Muslim religious education professionals, and the third for future or early 21st-century religious professionals. (A fourth thread runs through these others: most institutions offer some opportunity for community members to take courses or pursue programs for the purpose of deepening their personal piety.) These three paths have often diverged with respect to pursuing state or regional academic accreditation, although that diminished since the 2010s.

Islamic colleges and universities in North America are an internally diverse group, in terms of whether they seek academic accreditation, whether they offer full degrees or certifications/certificates, whether they offer residential, commuter, or online learning experiences, whether they envision graduates working as religious professionals or in other fields, and in the range of religious orientations they offer, within a largely Sunni identity. In addition, many of these institutions, including the most well known, Zaytuna College, have evolved in different directions since their founding, showing their dynamism as individual institutions and as a broader group. As the needs, interests, and outlooks of Muslim communities in the United States and Canada continue to shift, and as higher education in both countries continues to develop, these institutions will likely continue to do the same.
Magic and Healing in Colonial New Spain
Authors: Hagler Anderson
Published: October 2024

Belief in the supernatural permeated the fabric of rural life in colonial Mexico (officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain), particularly in areas where Indigenous peoples outnumbered Spanish clergy, Spanish officials, or American-born criollos of Iberian descent. Colonial testimony from commoners and local Indigenous leaders in criminal and Mexican Inquisition case files offers much detail about popular views of healing and magic in diverse places such as Chiapas, Central Mexico, and New Mexico. Criminal cases from southern New Spain in Chiapas show how the belief in tonalli, an Indigenous concept of the soul, continued to thrive locally among Maya peoples like the Zoque. Other sources reveal a continued belief in a local deity known as Poxlon among the Tzotzil peoples in the 17th and 18th centuries. Clerical writings such as sermons, treatises, and missives, including those of Bishop Francisco Núñez de la Vega, also provide insight into agrarian rituals and their cosmological importance.

Belief in the efficacy of prayers, spells, divination, and other forms of magic placed many Indigenous ritual specialists in direct competition with parish priests who might negatively label traditional healing practices as “idolatry,” “superstition,” or “false beliefs.” For example, clerical writings from New Mexico reveal ongoing traditional dances in public spaces in the 17th century. Here, the Pueblo peoples danced the catzinas (modern-day kachina) to provide bountiful harvests and to ensure prosperity for future generations. Priests and friars worried that these traditional forms of spiritual engagement would invite divine retribution like the condemned cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Consequently, Native ritual specialists who inhabited traditional spaces like caves in Chiapas and kivas in New Mexico seemingly lured erring neophytes to perdition.
Chinese Character Processing
Authors: Duan Xufeng , Cai Zhenguang G.
Published: October 2024

Chinese characters, as the basic units of the Chinese writing system, encapsulate a deep orthography that requires complex cognitive processing during recognition, naming, and handwriting. Recognition of these characters involves decoding both phonological and orthographic elements, where phonological information plays a crucial role early in the process, despite the inconsistency in orthography-to-phonology conversion. Research suggests that both holistic and sublexical processing strategies are employed, with the effectiveness of each strategy varying based on individual differences and the specific characteristics of the character, such as frequency and structure. Naming a Chinese character extends beyond recognition, necessitating the retrieval and articulation of its phonology. This process is influenced by lexical variables like frequency, age of acquisition, and semantic ambiguity, reflecting the intricate relationship between semantic and phonological information in character naming. The complexity of the Chinese orthography, lacking consistent phoneme–grapheme correspondences, necessitates additional cognitive efforts in naming, particularly for characters with ambiguous semantics or inconsistent phonology. Finally, handwriting Chinese characters involves a combination of central and peripheral processes. The central processes focus on accessing the orthographic makeup of a character, including radicals and strokes, based on phonological and/or semantic input. These orthographic components are stored in working memory and retrieved to create motor plans for the actual act of handwriting, which takes place during the peripheral processes. Various lexical and individual factors can influence these processes. In summary, understanding Chinese character processing illuminates the cognitive complexities of reading and writing in logographic systems, underscoring the interplay between phonological, orthographic, and semantic information. Future research is poised to explore the nuanced dynamics of these processes, especially in the context of evolving digital literacy practices.
The Semantics and Syntax of the Nominal Construction in Chinese Xiang
Authors: Lu Man , Zhen Yi , Yu Ma , Shihui Li
Published: October 2024

In classifier languages, a classifier is often used with a numeral; for instance, to count numbers of items. However, there are also cases in which a classifier is used without a numeral, such as [CLF+N]. The interpretation of a [CLF+N] construction varies. Generally, it is interpreted as definite in subject position, and indefinite in object position. This observation has widely been reported in many dialects spoken in southern China, like Yue and Wu.

The definite reading created in [CLF+N] constructions is derived from movement of the noun to Clo, where an iota operator is inserted, and where it is proposed that the nominal phrase in Chinese has a [ClP[NP]] structure. The definite reading of the [CLF+N] construction noun movement happens in Cantonese Yue, while in Mandarin Chinese this is not possible, since the movement of the noun to the head is blocked for reasons that are not clear.

Another approach to deal with the case is to propose a [DP[ClP[NP]]] structure, in which there is a DP projection with a null D, and the classifier is a quasi-definite article with the meaning of “identifiability” or “familiarity.” The definite reading is related to information structure and to context-dependency. This observation is also made in Lianjiang, where a [CLF+N] construction can be interpreted as definite in object position of a control verb or, when it functions as a defective or beneficial theme, the definiteness in such constructions is affected by both syntax and context.

The [CLF+N] construction is also observed in Xiang. However, the interpretation and distribution of such constructions is different from those observed in Yue and Wu. Specifically, in Xiang, the [CLF+N] construction can: (a) appear in subject and object position, (b) follow a pronoun/proper name [pronoun/proper name+[CLF+N]], (c) precede a proper noun [CLF+proper noun], and (d) appear in a topic position. In subject position, it can be interpreted as either definite or generic; in object position, it can be interpreted as definite and nonspecific. In a topic position, it can be interpreted as either definite or generic. When it follows a pronoun or proper name, the interpretation is ambiguous between a definite reading and a nonspecific reading. Factors like syntactic position, verb properties, aspect, and telicity all affect the interpretation of the [CLF+N] construction.

The data in Xiang can be accounted for with the structure [DP[ClP[N]]] proposed in the literature. That is, there is a null D in the nominal structure in Xiang. In the process of derivation, the classifier moves up to the null D to check the definite feature in D. The noun moves to the head classifier position after the classifier has moved up; otherwise, it stays in situ if a numeral blocks the movement.
Mandarin Chinese Noun Phrases: Structures and Representations
Authors: An Fengcun , Pan Haihua
Published: October 2024

Noun phrases are fundamental elements found in different languages. Mandarin Chinese (MC) noun phrases lack extensive morphological forms, such as plural makers, but can effectively convey definiteness and plurality. This complicates the exploration of the structural features and the representation of key aspects within MC noun phrases in the syntactic structure. Previous studies have concentrated on illustrating the structural forms of MC noun phrases through syntactic distribution and interpretation in concrete contexts The key components of MC noun phrases typically consist of classifiers (such as ben (本)), the affix -men (们), and de (的). The classifiers’ uniqueness is associated with the countability of the noun head, allowing only countable nouns to be collocated with them. The affix -men is commonly seen as a plural marker or a collective marker, with its syntactic role remaining ambiguous. The functions of de in nominals range from marking modifiers to elements that allude to referentiality. These three elements correspond to the main aspects of the syntactic structure in MC noun phrases: countability, plurality, and referentiality. This raises a further issue about the representation of these elements in the syntactic structure. The syntactic status of items within MC noun phrases is closely connected to the representation of the syntactic structure when viewed broadly. Hence, the analysis of the structure and representation of MC noun phrases still requires further discussion to elucidate the features of internal parts inside MC noun phrases and the projection of syntactic structure.
Sardinian
Authors: Loporcaro Michele , Putzu Ignazio
Published: October 2024

Sardinian is documented in continuous texts from the 11th century onward, at a historical period when the Republic of Pisa, at that time a maritime power, exerted its influence (linguistic and otherwise) on the island. In earlier centuries, Sardinian gradually became differentiated from Latin under Byzantine rule, which resulted in Greek influence. Later, Catalan, Spanish, and finally Italian were the main sources of contact pressure on Sardinian qua official languages, endowed with prestige, in subsequent periods, whereas Sardinian dialects were progressively relegated to spoken and informal usage. At present, language shift toward Italian is rampant, and Sardinian, in both its main varieties (Logudorese and Campidanese), now counts as seriously endangered.

The phonology of Sardinian is markedly different from that of the rest of the Romance languages, its main peculiarity lying in the stressed vowel system, in which the outcomes of Latin /iː/ and /e/ and /oː/ and /u/, respectively, remained distinct. Another peculiarity of Sardinian phonology is the preservation of Latin word-final -/s/ and -/t/ in the verbal and nominal inflection, which contributes to shape the inflectional morphology of Sardinian. Finally, the definite article /su/ ‘the.m.sg’, an outcome of Latin ipsum rather than illum, is also characteristic for Sardinian. By contrast, the syntax of Sardinian does not exhibit on the whole similarly marked peculiarities compared to the rest of the Romance languages. The properties just mentioned demarcate Sardinian stricto sensu, consisting of Logudorese and Campidanese, from the Tuscanized varieties spoken at the northern fringe of the island, Sassarese and Gallurese.

Their origin is debated, and many scholars now believe that they are varieties imported from Corsica, a scenario that seems implausible to the present writers. Instead, we provide evidence in support of the traditional view that Sassarese and Gallurese arose by modification of originally Sardinian dialects due to Pisan-Genoese influence in the late Middle Ages, which resulted in their being reshaped. Finally, the island also hosts two Romance language enclaves: Catalan in Alghero (in the northwest) and Genoese in Carloforte and Calasetta (in the southwest).
Dailey, Dennis Michael
Authors: Gary Lashuan
Published: October 2024

Dennis Michael Dailey (1938–2023) was a scholar, prolific writer, educator, practitioner, change agent, and passionate advocate. As a social work practitioner and educator, Dailey’s pioneering contribution to the profession was to educate and help bring balance between the social work practitioner’s personal and professional conceptualization of masculinity and femininity.
A review of artificial intelligence-based brain age estimation and its applications for related diseases
Authors: Azzam Mohamed , Xu Ziyang , Liu Ruobing , Li Lie , Meng Soh Kah , Challagundla Kishore B , Wan Shibiao , Wang Jieqiong
Published: October 2024

The study of brain age has emerged over the past decade, aiming to estimate a person’s age based on brain imaging scans. Ideally, predicted brain age should match chronological age in healthy individuals. However, brain structure and function change in the presence of brain-related diseases. Consequently, brain age also changes in affected individuals, making the brain age gap (BAG)—the difference between brain age and chronological age—a potential biomarker for brain health, early screening, and identifying age-related cognitive decline and disorders. With the recent successes of artificial intelligence in healthcare, it is essential to track the latest advancements and highlight promising directions. This review paper presents recent machine learning techniques used in brain age estimation (BAE) studies. Typically, BAE models involve developing a machine learning regression model to capture age-related variations in brain structure from imaging scans of healthy individuals and automatically predict brain age for new subjects. The process also involves estimating BAG as a measure of brain health. While we discuss recent clinical applications of BAE methods, we also review studies of biological age that can be integrated into BAE research. Finally, we point out the current limitations of BAE’s studies.
Therapeutic peptides identification via kernel risk sensitive loss-based k-nearest neighbor model and multi-Laplacian regularization
Authors: Zhang Wenyu , Ding Yijie , Wei Leyi , Guo Xiaoyi , Ni Fengming
Published: October 2024

Therapeutic peptides are therapeutic agents synthesized from natural amino acids, which can be used as carriers for precisely transporting drugs and can activate the immune system for preventing and treating various diseases. However, screening therapeutic peptides using biochemical assays is expensive, time-consuming, and limited by experimental conditions and biological samples, and there may be ethical considerations in the clinical stage. In contrast, screening therapeutic peptides using machine learning and computational methods is efficient, automated, and can accurately predict potential therapeutic peptides. In this study, a k-nearest neighbor model based on multi-Laplacian and kernel risk sensitive loss was proposed, which introduces a kernel risk loss function derived from the K-local hyperplane distance nearest neighbor model as well as combining the Laplacian regularization method to predict therapeutic peptides. The findings indicated that the suggested approach achieved satisfactory results and could effectively predict therapeutic peptide sequences.
Predictability of antigen binding based on short motifs in the antibody CDRH3
Authors: Scheffer Lonneke , Reber Eric Emanuel , Mehta Brij Bhushan , Pavlović Milena , Chernigovskaya Maria , Richardson Eve , Akbar Rahmad , Lund-Johansen Fridtjof , Greiff Victor , Haff Ingrid Hobæk , Sandve Geir Kjetil
Published: October 2024

Adaptive immune receptors, such as antibodies and T-cell receptors, recognize foreign threats with exquisite specificity. A major challenge in adaptive immunology is discovering the rules governing immune receptor–antigen binding in order to predict the antigen binding status of previously unseen immune receptors. Many studies assume that the antigen binding status of an immune receptor may be determined by the presence of a short motif in the complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3), disregarding other amino acids. To test this assumption, we present a method to discover short motifs which show high precision in predicting antigen binding and generalize well to unseen simulated and experimental data. Our analysis of a mutagenesis-based antibody dataset reveals 11 336 position-specific, mostly gapped motifs of 3–5 amino acids that retain high precision on independently generated experimental data. Using a subset of only 178 motifs, a simple classifier was made that on the independently generated dataset outperformed a deep learning model proposed specifically for such datasets. In conclusion, our findings support the notion that for some antibodies, antigen binding may be largely determined by a short CDR3 motif. As more experimental data emerge, our methodology could serve as a foundation for in-depth investigations into antigen binding signals.
The spine-brain axis: is spinal anatomy associated with brain volume?
Authors: Grosu Sergio , Nikolova Trayana , Lorbeer Roberto , Stoecklein Veit M , Rospleszcz Susanne , Fink Nicola , Schlett Christopher L , Storz Corinna , Beller Ebba , Keeser Daniel , Heier Margit , Kiefer Lena S , Maurer Elke , Walter Sven S , Ertl-Wagner Birgit B , Ricke Jens , Bamberg Fabian , Peters Annette , Stoecklein Sophia
Published: October 2024

First small sample studies indicate that disturbances of spinal morphology may impair craniospinal flow of cerebrospinal fluid and result in neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of cervical spinal canal width and scoliosis with grey matter, white matter, ventricular and white matter hyperintensity volumes of the brain in a large study sample. Four hundred participants underwent whole-body 3 T magnetic resonance imaging. Grey matter, white matter and ventricular volumes were quantified using a warp-based automated brain volumetric approach. Spinal canal diameters were measured manually at the cervical vertebrae 2/3 level. Scoliosis was evaluated using manual measurements of the Cobb angle. Linear binomial regression analyses of measures of brain volumes and spine anatomy were performed while adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, cholesterol levels, body mass index, smoking and alcohol consumption. Three hundred eighty-three participants were included [57% male; age: 56.3 (±9.2) years]. After adjustment, smaller spinal canal width at the cervical vertebrae 2/3 level was associated with lower grey matter (P = 0.034), lower white matter (P = 0.012) and higher ventricular (P = 0.006, inverse association) volume. Participants with scoliosis had lower grey matter (P = 0.005), lower white matter (P = 0.011) and larger brain ventricular (P = 0.003) volumes than participants without scoliosis. However, these associations were attenuated after adjustment. Spinal canal width at the cervical vertebrae 2/3 level and scoliosis were not associated with white matter hyperintensity volume before and after adjustment (P > 0.864). In our study, cohort smaller spinal canal width at the cervical vertebrae 2/3 level and scoliosis were associated with lower grey and white matter volumes and larger ventricle size. These characteristics of the spine might constitute independent risk factors for neurodegeneration.
Fast Determination of Propofol in Human Plasma Using C18-Functionalized Magnetic Nanomaterials Followed by Supercritical Fluid Chromatography
Authors: Liang Shan-Yan , Xu Xiao-Min , Wang Peng , Ye Ming-Li , Zhang Shui-Feng , Zhao Yong-Gang
Published: October 2024

Novel C18-functionalized magnetic nanomaterials; i.e., C18@poly-styrene-divinylbenzene-glycidyl methacrylate-Fe3O4 (C18@PS-DVB-GMA-Fe3O4) have been synthesized by using N, N-dimethyloctadecylamine as modifying agent, which could be beneficial to remove the blood phospholipids. The C18@PS-DVB-GMA-Fe3O4 nanoparticles have been used and evaluated in the Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) procedure for human plasma prior to the analysis of propofol by supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). In the QuEChERS procedure, human plasma samples are directly mixed with extraction solvent and C18@PS-DVB-GMA-Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and the extraction and cleanup procedures have been accomplished simultaneously. The SFC separation was performed with a C18 column (Thermo Scientific™ Acclaim™ 120, 250 × 4. 6 mm, 5 μm) within 5 min, using thymol as the internal standard. Supercritical carbon dioxide was used as the mobile phase with methanol as the cosolvent at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The column temperature was 38°C, and detection wavelength was 275 nm. A good linearity was obtained among the propofol concentration range of 0.5–10 mg/L (R2 = 0.9997) with the limit of detection of 0.17 mg/L. Recoveries were in the range of 76.5–91.9%, with RSD less than 7.9%. These results suggested that method is convenient, rapid with high accuracy and little matrix effect, and suitable for rapid determination of propofol plasma concentration.
Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate treatment and rates of emergency interventions for hyperkalaemia: a propensity–score weighted case–control study
Authors: Marshall William R , Curran Gabriel A , Traynor Jamie P , Gillis Keith A , Mark Patrick B , Lees Jennifer S
Published: October 2024

Background

Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC) reduces serum potassium in patients with chronic hyperkalaemia in clinical trials, but its role in the emergency treatment of hyperkalaemia is unproven. We hypothesized that SZC use for emergent hyperkalaemia would be associated with a reduction in rates of emergency interventions for hyperkalaemia.

Methods

This was a single-centre, propensity score–weighted case–control study of patients admitted with hyperkalaemia to a specialist renal centre. We randomly selected 250 patients admitted between April 2021 and September 2022 (post-SZC era) with a potassium level ≥5.5 mmol/l treated with at least one ≥10 g dose of SZC (treatment group). We randomly selected a comparator group of 250 patients admitted between January 2018 and December 2019 (pre-SZC era) with a potassium level ≥5.5 mmol/l (control group). Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded and used as covariates for propensity scoring and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW). Our primary outcome measure, rates of emergency haemodialysis (HD), was tested using unadjusted models and multivariable logistic regression models on unweighted data in addition to unadjusted models on weighted data. We also reviewed rates of emergency temporary central venous access as a secondary outcome.

Results

A total of 59% were male, the mean age was 67 years (standard deviation 14) and 149 (30%) were receiving maintenance dialysis. IPTW achieved satisfactory balance of covariates between the treatment and control groups. In the treatment group, patients were 77% less likely to need emergency HD {odds ratio [OR] 0.23 [confidence interval (CI) 0.17–0.31]}. This result was consistent following analysis of weighted and unweighted data. Similarly, patients treated with SZC were 73% less likely to require emergency temporary central venous access [OR 0.27 (CI 0.20–0.36)].

Conclusion

SZC was associated with a significant reduction in the rates of emergency HD and emergency temporary central venous access in patients admitted to a specialized renal centre with emergent hyperkalaemia.
Progression of aortic calcification among Japanese in Japan and white and Japanese Americans: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Li Mengyi , Fujiyoshi Akira , Willcox Bradley J , Li Jiatong , Kadota Aya , Kadowaki Sayaka , Seto Todd , Kadowaki Takashi , Chang Yuefang , Evans Rhobert , Miura Katsuyuki , Edmundowicz Daniel , Okamura Tomonori , Masaki Kamal H , Ueshima Hirotsugu , Sekikawa Akira
Published: October 2024

Aims

Continued low mortality from coronary heart disease in Japan, despite deleterious changes in traditional risk factors, remains unexplained. Since aortic calcification (AC) was an early predictor of cardiovascular mortality, we compared the progression and incidence of AC between Japanese in Japan, white Americans, and third-generation Japanese Americans in the ERA JUMP cohort. We examined whether higher blood levels of marine-derived n-3 fatty acids (FAs) in Japanese than in Americans accounted for the difference.

Methods and results

Men (n = 700) aged 40–49 years (252 Japanese in Japan, 238 white, and 210 Japanese Americans) were examined at baseline and 4–7 years later. AC was evaluated from the aortic arch to the iliac bifurcation with computed tomography and quantified by the Agatston method. Robust linear regression and linear mixed models were used to compare the progression of AC. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to compare the incidence of AC (AC ≥ 50 at follow-up) among those with baseline AC < 50. Japanese in Japan had a significantly slower progression of AC than white and Japanese Americans after adjusting for age, baseline AC, follow-up time, and traditional risk factors. White Americans had a significantly higher incidence of AC than Japanese in Japan [OR = 4.61 (95% CI, 1.27–16.82)]. Additional adjustment for blood levels of n-3 FAs accounted for the difference in AC incidence but not progression.

Conclusion

Japanese in Japan had a significantly slower progression and lower incidence of AC than white Americans. High levels of marine-derived n-3 FAs in Japanese in Japan partly accounted for the difference in incidence.
Rapid identification of the predominant azole-resistant genotype in Candida tropicalis
Authors: Tseng Kuo-Yun , Liao Yu-Chieh , Chen Yin-Zhi , Chen Feng-Chi , Chen Feng-Jui , Sytwu Huey-Kang , Hsieh Li-Yun , Lan Chung-Yu , Lo Hsiu-Jung
Published: October 2024

Candida tropicalis is a leading cause of nonalbicans candidemia in tropical/subtropical areas and a predominant genotype of azole-resistant C. tropicalis clinical isolates belongs to clade 4. The aim of this study was to reveal markers for rapidly identifying the predominant azole-resistant C. tropicalis genotype. We analysed XYR1, one of the six genes used in the multilocus sequence typing analysis, and SNQ2, an ATP-binding cassette transporter in 281 C. tropicalis, including 120 and 161 from Taiwan and global areas, respectively. Intriguingly, the first 4-mer of codon sequences ATRA of CTRG_05978 (96/119 versus 21/162, P < .001, at phi = 0. 679) and the SNQ2 A2977G resulting in amino acid I993V alternation (105/118 versus 12/163, P < .001, at phi = 0.81) was significantly associated with the clade 4 genotype. The sensitivity and specificity of the clade 4 genotype detection with a combination of SNPs of CTRG_05978 and SNQ2 were 0.812 and 0.994, respectively, at phi = 0.838. Furthermore, we successfully established a TaqMan SNP genotyping assay to identify the clade 4 genotype. Our findings suggest that to improve the management of C. tropicalis infections, rapidly identifying azole-resistant C. tropicalis by detecting SNPs of CTRG_05978 and SNQ2 is promising.
Aberrant Mitochondrial tRNA Genes Appear Frequently in Animal Evolution
Authors: Ozerova Iuliia , Fallmann Jörg , Mörl Mario , Bernt Matthias , Prohaska Sonja J , Stadler Peter F
Published: October 2024

Mitochondrial tRNAs have acquired a diverse portfolio of aberrant structures throughout metazoan evolution. With the availability of more than 12,500 mitogenome sequences, it is essential to compile a comprehensive overview of the pattern changes with regard to mitochondrial tRNA repertoire and structural variations. This, of course, requires reanalysis of the sequence data of more than 250,000 mitochondrial tRNAs with a uniform workflow. Here, we report our results on the complete reannotation of all mitogenomes available in the RefSeq database by September 2022 using mitos2. Based on the individual cases of mitochondrial tRNA variants reported throughout the literature, our data pinpoint the respective hotspots of change, i.e. Acanthocephala (Lophotrochozoa), Nematoda, Acariformes, and Araneae (Arthropoda). Less dramatic deviations of mitochondrial tRNAs from the norm are observed throughout many other clades. Loss of arms in animal mitochondrial tRNA clearly is a phenomenon that occurred independently many times, not limited to a small number of specific clades. The summary data here provide a starting point for systematic investigations into the detailed evolutionary processes of structural reduction and loss of mitochondrial tRNAs as well as a resource for further improvements of annotation workflows for mitochondrial tRNA annotation.
Senolytics Enhance the Longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans by Altering Betaine Metabolism
Authors: Lan Wenning , Xiao Xiaolian , Nian Jingjing , Wang Ziran , Zhang Xiaojing , Wu Yajiao , Zhang Dongcheng , Chen Junkun , Bao Wenqiang , Li Chutao , Zhang Yun , Zhu An , Zhang Fangrong
Published: October 2024

Aging triggers physiological changes in organisms that are tightly linked to metabolic changes. Senolytics targeting many fundamental aging processes are currently being developed. However, the host metabolic response to natural senescence and the molecular mechanism underlying the antiaging benefits of senolytics remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated metabolic changes during natural senescence based on the Caenorhabditis elegans model and pinpointed potential biomarkers linked to the benefits of senolytics. These results suggest that age-dependent metabolic changes during natural aging occur in C elegans. Betaine was identified as a crucial metabolite in the natural aging process. We explored the metabolic effects of aging interventions by administering 3 antiaging drugs—metformin, quercetin, and minocycline—to nematodes. Notably, betaine expression significantly increased under the 3 antiaging drug treatments. Our findings demonstrated that betaine supplementation extends lifespan, primarily through pathways associated with the forkhead box transcription factor (FoxO) signaling pathway, the p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, autophagy, the longevity regulating pathway, and the target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. In addition, autophagy and free radicals are altered in betaine-treated nematodes. Overall, we found that betaine is a critical metabolite during natural aging and that senolytics extend the lifespan of nematodes by increasing betaine levels and promoting autophagy and antioxidant activity. This finding suggests that betaine could be a novel therapeutic target for promoting longevity.
A Novel Time Use Approach on Daily Active Engagement With Life: The Intersectionality of Race and Gender
Authors: Wong Jason , Lu Siyao , Lou Yifan , Zang Emma , Carr Deborah
Published: October 2024

Background and Objectives

Active engagement with life (AE) is an integral aspect of successful aging. Using time diary data, this study explored how U.S. older adults structure their daily lives involving social participation and productive engagement, and the extent to which these patterns differ by race and gender.

Research Design and Methods

We used American Time Use Survey (ATUS) data (n = 17,990) and sequence and cluster analyses to identify distinctive daily AE patterns. Multivariable linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between AE patterns and self-rated health, and the moderating roles of race and gender.

Results

Five AE clusters were identified: Low Degree of AE (26%), Moderate Unpaid Work and Light Social Participation (39%), Persistent Unpaid Work (20%), Persistent Paid Work (10%), and Persistent Social Participation (4%). White women were the most likely and Black men the least likely to have any AE. Compared to “Low Degree of AE,” all other AE clusters were associated with better self-rated health, with these associations varying by gender and race. The strongest positive association was observed for “Persistent Paid Work,” especially among women. Racial differences in the association between AE and health were more prominent among women than men. Differences by AE were less pronounced among Black women in comparison to White women.

Discussion and Implications

We found that the association between AE and self-rated health varies by race and gender. Persistent structural barriers may prevent older adults from historically minoritized backgrounds, particularly Black women, from benefiting from AE.
Influence of park visitation on physical activity, well-being and social connectedness among Australians during COVID-19
Authors: Rivera Elise , Arundell Lauren , Parker Kate , Veitch Jenny , Salmon Jo , Ridgers Nicola D , Timperio Anna , Sahlqvist Shannon L , Loh Venurs H Y
Published: October 2024

This cross-sectional study examined associations of park visitation with physical activity (PA), well-being, and social connectedness among 1089 participants during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. In August 2020, adolescents and adults in Australia self-reported demographics, usual park visitation, frequency and duration of park visits, PA, well-being and social connectedness. Multilevel linear regression models examined associations of park visitation with well-being and social connectedness. Multilevel mixed-effects negative binomial regression models examined associations between visitation and PA. Compared to not visiting a park, visitation was positively associated with well-being (B = 3.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24, 6.60) and days/week performing PA for 30 min (B = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.11, 1.39) per day and negatively associated with social connectedness (B = −3.75, 95% CI = −7.11, −0.39). Compared to visiting a park less than once/week, visiting once/week was positively associated with well-being (B = 3.90, 95% CI = 0.53, 7.21). Visiting more than once/week was positively associated with days/week performing PA for 30 min (B = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.21, 1.58) and 60 min (B = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.09, 1.64) per day and with well-being (B = 4.19, 95% CI = 0.90, 7.49). Duration of park visits was positively associated with days/week performing PA for 30 min (B = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.13) and 60 min (B = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.17) per day. Our findings highlight the role of parks in positively influencing health-related outcomes and the ‘dosage’ of park use needed to attain health benefits.
Circulating Extracellular Matrix Products as Indicators of Disease Burden and Predictors of Disease Course in Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Poulsen Anja , Alexdóttir Marta Sorokina , Riis Lene Buhl , Pehrsson Martin , Sørensen Lars Tue , Krarup Peter-Martin , Bay-Jensen Anne-Christine , Karsdal Morten A , Stidham Ryan W , Burisch Johan , Mortensen Joachim Høg , Seidelin Jakob Benedict
Published: October 2024

Background

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by recurrent inflammation and challenging disease monitoring, with invasive endoscopy as the primary diagnostic tool despite the inadequacy of standard noninvasive biomarkers. This study evaluates serum extracellular matrix (ECM) fragments, which reflect the remodeling of mucosa and submucosa, as potential indicators of disease burden and treatment efficacy. We aim to determine whether serum ECM levels correlate with the extent and severity and predict treatment response.

Methods

We conducted a prospective study comparing serum ECM formation (PRO-C3, PRO-C7, PRO-C11, PRO-C22), turnover (PRO-C4), and degradation markers (C1M, C3M, C4M, C7M) at Weeks 0, 12, and 24 in 49 UC patients and 50 healthy controls measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

ECM biomarkers, notably PRO-C11, differentiated UC patients from controls (area under the curve [AUC] 0.77), and PRO-C3 predicted endoscopic treatment response vs nonresponse (AUC 0.74). C7M separated moderate from severe disease in endoscopy (AUC 0.74) as well as mild from severe disease (AUC 0.84), as did the ratio C7M/PRO-C7 (AUC 0.82). Combining new and conventional markers, including hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, PRO-C3, and PRO-C22, achieved a combined AUC of 0.84 for predicting 24-week endoscopic response, adding index endoscopic activity increased the AUC to 0.92 compared to an AUC of 0.84 for endoscopy alone.

Conclusions

Soluble ECM fragments reflect endoscopic disease severity and extent and are also predictive of therapeutic efficacy. They may as well reflect degenerative aspects of UC and may as such be future therapeutic targets aimed at prevention of intestinal damage.
Constitutional design preferences: An experimental approach
Authors: Eshima Shusei , McElwain Kenneth Mori , Takahashi Ai , Winkler Christian G
Published: October 2024

A rich literature links the survival of national constitutions to their legitimacy among citizens. However, most studies examine constitutions as a bundle of rights and institutions, and few test the micro-foundations of constitutional preferences explicitly. This article examines how individuals evaluate both the content and flexibility of discrete constitutional elements using a conjoint experiment in Japan. Respondents were asked to rate twenty-six hypothetical constitutions that varied randomly in their enumeration of twelve rights and institutions. We find that citizens generally prefer constitutions that enumerate more provisions, with greater weight placed on human rights than political institutions. This result largely confirms theoretical expectations from earlier work on comparative constitutional design. In addition, political factors, such as partisanship, moderate preferences on issues that have long divided progressives and conservatives in Japan, such as constraints on the military and establishing national emergency provisions. By contrast, socioeconomic characteristics such as income, age, and education do not, suggesting broad demographic consensus on the merits of distinct provisions. Importantly, we further demonstrate that citizens do not trade off constitutional detail and flexibility, as suggested by existing research. Respondents who prefer the enumeration of more provisions do not necessarily want a lower amendment hurdle to facilitate adaptation to new circumstances. Preferences about constitutional flexibility appear to be based on strategic imperatives, notably the desire to cement preferred provisions and prevent changes by future majorities.
Anxious But Hesitant to Act: The Impact of Concurrent Priming of the Climate Crisis and the War in Ukraine on Public Support
Authors: Dreyer Jakob , Damsbo-Svendsen Søren
Published: October 2024

Decision-makers and commentators are calling Europe’s present political predicament a polycrisis: a period of overlapping, urgent, and mutually reinforcing crises with climate change and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as key challenges. Our knowledge about how citizens perceive and respond to polycrisis is limited. This paper presents a preregistered survey experiment from Denmark with 4,017 nationally representative respondents. We study crisis perceptions and willingness to act for the climate and Ukraine after concurrently priming both issues. Overall, threat perceptions increase, but so does inaction. Climate change drives increases in threat perception and worry, while the war in Ukraine drives a reduction in willingness to act and pay. The results challenge the “finite pool of worry” hypothesis, which presupposes that worry about new, urgent threats will crowd out worry about existing problems, especially in the case of climate change. Rather, willingness to act under polycrisis is issue-specific and shaped by concrete pocketbook costs, as the experimental evidence illustrates. The results also have important policy implications at a time when decision-makers frequently justify political action through polycrisis discourse.
Bounds for Exponential Sums With Random Multiplicative Coefficient
Authors: Hardy Seth
Published: October 2024

For $f$ a Rademacher or Steinhaus random multiplicative function, we prove that $ \max _{\theta \in [0,1]} \frac{1}{\sqrt{N}} \bigl | \sum _{n \leq N} f(n) \mathrm{e} (n \theta ) \bigr | \gg \sqrt{\log N}$, asymptotically almost surely as $N \rightarrow \infty $. Furthermore, for $f$ a Steinhaus random multiplicative function, and any $\varepsilon> 0$, we prove the partial upper bound result $ \max _{\theta \in [0,1]} \frac{1}{\sqrt{N}} \bigl | \sum _{\substack{n \leq N \\ P(n) \geq N^{0.8}}} f(n) \mathrm{e} (n \theta ) \bigr | \ll{(\log N)}^{7/4 + \varepsilon }$, asymptotically almost surely as $N \rightarrow \infty $, where $P(n)$ denotes the largest prime factor of $n$.
Raccoons Reveal Hidden Diversity in Trabecular Bone Development
Authors: Reinecke T , Angielczyk K D
Published: October 2024

Synopsis

Trabecular bone, and its ability to rapidly modify its structure in response to strain exerted on skeletal elements, has garnered increased attention from researchers with the advancement of CT technology that allows for the analysis of its complex lattice-like framework. Much of this research has focused on adults of select taxa, but analysis into trabecular development across ontogeny remains limited. In this paper, we explore the shift in several trabecular characteristics in the articular head of the humerus and femur in Procyon lotor across the entirely of the species’ lifespan. Our results show that while body mass plays a role in determining trabecular structure, other elements such as bone growth, increased activity, and puberty result in trends not observed in the interspecific analysis of adults. Furthermore, differences in the trabeculae of the humerus and femur suggest combining distinct boney elements in meta-analysis may obfuscate the variety in the structures. Finally, rates at which fore and hindlimb trabeculae orient themselves early in life differ enough to warrant further exploration to identify the currently unknown causes for their variation.