bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Severe silent ischaemia detected with an Apple Watch in the home setting: a case report
Authors: Koster Rudolph W , de Winter Robbert J , Verberne Hein J , Spijkerboer Anje M , Chamuleau Steven A
Published: January 2024

Background

The Apple Watch has the capability to record a lead 1 electrocardiogram (ECG) and can identify and report atrial fibrillation. The use for detecting myocardial ischaemia is not endorsed by Apple but is documented in this case.

Case summary

A 76-year-old man made a lead 1 ECG with his Apple Watch immediately after exercising on a cross trainer. He was fully asymptomatic. The ECG showed an unusual negative T-wave in this lead 1 that deepened in a few minutes and returned to normal after 22 min. He consulted a cardiologist and a standard exercise ECG confirmed the negative T-wave in lead 1 after maximal exercise and in addition showed widespread ST-depression indicating myocardial ischaemia, again without any clinical symptoms. Further studies revealed severe obstructive three-vessel coronary artery disease that was considered not suitable for percutaneous intervention. A coronary artery bypass operation on all involved vessels was performed successfully. Recovery was uneventful and an exercise ECG repeated 11 weeks later was normal.

Discussion

We demonstrated that the lead 1 ECG made with the Apple Watch can reliably record T-wave changes indicating myocardial ischaemia. The use of the Apple Watch to document ischaemic changes should be studied systematically for its potential to identify myocardial ischaemia, mainly triggered by symptoms but maybe for asymptomatic persons as well.
Associations between healthy lifestyle and mortality across different social environments: a study among adults with frailty from the UK Biobank
Authors: Tang Junhan , Ma Yanan , Hoogendijk Emiel O , Chen Jie , Yue Jirong , Wu Chenkai
Published: January 2024

Background

Among people living with frailty, adherence to a healthy lifestyle may be a low-cost and effective strategy to decrease frailty-induced health risks across different social environments.

Methods

We included 15 594 frail participants at baseline from the UK Biobank study. We used four lifestyle factors to create a composite healthy lifestyle score and 17 social factors to construct a polysocial score. We classified the lifestyle score into two levels (unhealthy and healthy) and the polysocial score into three levels (low, intermediate and high). We used Cox regression to determine the association of each lifestyle factor and lifestyle score with all-cause mortality, respectively. We also examined the associations across polysocial score categories. We evaluated the joint association of the lifestyle score and the categorical polysocial score with all-cause mortality.

Results

During up to 14.41 follow-up years, we documented 3098 all-cause deaths. After multivariable adjustment, we found a significant association between not smoking and adequate physical activity with all-cause mortality across polysocial score categories, respectively. We also found a significant association between a healthy diet and all-cause mortality among frail participants living in an intermediate social environment. A healthy lifestyle was associated with a lower all-cause mortality risk across polysocial score categories, especially among those with a low polysocial score.

Conclusions

Adherence to a healthy lifestyle, particularly not smoking, adequate physical activity and a healthy diet, may provide a feasible solution to decreasing mortality risk among frail adults across different social environments, especially for those in the socially disadvantaged group.
The Mutational Road not Taken: Using Ancestral Sequence Resurrection to Evaluate the Evolution of Plant Enzyme Substrate Preferences
Authors: Catania Emily M , Dubs Nicole M , Soumen Shejal , Barkman Todd J
Published: January 2024

We investigated the flowering plant salicylic acid methyl transferase (SAMT) enzyme lineage to understand the evolution of substrate preference change. Previous studies indicated that a single amino acid replacement to the SAMT active site (H150M) was sufficient to change ancestral enzyme substrate preference from benzoic acid to the structurally similar substrate, salicylic acid (SA). Yet, subsequent studies have shown that the H150M function-changing replacement did not likely occur during the historical episode of enzymatic divergence studied. Therefore, we reinvestigated the origin of SA methylation preference here and additionally assessed the extent to which epistasis may act to limit mutational paths. We found that the SAMT lineage of enzymes acquired preference to methylate SA from an ancestor that preferred to methylate benzoic acid as previously reported. In contrast, we found that a different amino acid replacement, Y267Q, was sufficient to change substrate preference with others providing small positive-magnitude epistatic improvements. We show that the kinetic basis for the ancestral enzymatic change in substate preference by Y267Q appears to be due to both a reduced specificity constant, kcat/KM, for benzoic acid and an improvement in KM for SA. Therefore, this lineage of enzymes appears to have had multiple mutational paths available to achieve the same evolutionary divergence. While the reasons remain unclear for why one path was taken, and the other was not, the mutational distance between ancestral and descendant codons may be a factor.
Maternal mitochondrial function affects paternal mitochondrial inheritance in Drosophila
Authors: Cao Jinguo , Luo Yuying , Chen Yonghe , Wu Zhaoqi , Zhang Jiting , Wu Yi , Hu Wen
Published: January 2024

The maternal inheritance of mitochondria is a widely accepted paradigm, and mechanisms that prevent paternal mitochondria transmission to offspring during spermatogenesis and postfertilization have been described. Although certain species do retain paternal mitochondria, the factors affecting paternal mitochondria inheritance in these cases are unclear. More importantly, the evolutionary benefit of retaining paternal mitochondria and their ultimate fate are unknown. Here we show that transplanted exogenous paternal D. yakuba mitochondria can be transmitted to offspring when maternal mitochondria are dysfunctional in D. melanogaster. Furthermore, we show that the preserved paternal mitochondria are functional, and can be stably inherited, such that the proportion of paternal mitochondria increases gradually in subsequent generations. Our work has important implications that paternal mitochondria inheritance should not be overlooked as a genetic phenomenon in evolution, especially when paternal mitochondria are of significant differences from the maternal mitochondria or the maternal mitochondria are functionally abnormal. Our results improve the understanding of mitochondrial inheritance and provide a new model system for its study.
Crohn’s Disease–Associated Pathogenic Mutation in the Manganese Transporter ZIP8 Shifts the Ileal and Rectal Mucosal Microbiota Implicating Aberrant Bile Acid Metabolism
Authors: Briggs Kristi , Tomar Vartika , Ollberding Nicholas , Haberman Yael , Bourgonje Arno R , Hu Shixian , Chaaban Lara , Sunuwar Laxmi , Weersma Rinse K , Denson Lee A , Melia Joanna M P
Published: January 2024

Background

A pathogenic mutation in the manganese transporter ZIP8 (A391T; rs13107325) increases the risk of Crohn’s disease. ZIP8 regulates manganese homeostasis and given the shared need for metals between the host and resident microbes, there has been significant interest in alterations of the microbiome in carriers of ZIP8 A391T. Prior studies have not examined the ileal microbiome despite associations between ileal disease and ZIP8 A391T.

Methods

Here, we used the Pediatric Risk Stratification Study (RISK) cohort to perform a secondary analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing data obtained from ileal and rectal mucosa to study associations between ZIP8 A391T carrier status and microbiota composition.

Results

We found sequence variants mapping to Veillonella were decreased in the ileal mucosa of ZIP8 A391T carriers. Prior human studies have demonstrated the sensitivity of Veillonella to bile acid abundance. We therefore hypothesized that bile acid homeostasis is differentially regulated in carriers of ZIP8 A391T. Using a mouse model of ZIP8 A391T, we demonstrate an increase in total bile acids in the liver and stool and decreased fibroblast growth factor 15 (Fgf15) signaling, consistent with our hypothesis. We confirmed dysregulation of FGF19 in the 1000IBD cohort, finding that plasma FGF19 levels are lower in ZIP8 A391T carriers with ileocolonic Crohn’s disease.

Conclusions

In the search for genotype-specific therapeutic paradigms for patients with Crohn’s disease, these data suggest targeting the FGF19 pathway in ZIP8 A391T carriers. Aberrant bile acid metabolism may precede development of Crohn’s disease and prioritize study of the interactions between manganese homeostasis, bile acid metabolism and signaling, and complicated ileal Crohn’s disease.
Co-evolutionary patterns of GVC-trade and knowledge flows in the mining industry: evidence from Latin America
Authors: Fusillo Fabrizio , Nenci Silvia , Pietrobelli Carlo , Quatraro Francesco
Published: January 2024

Although evolutionary economics has extensively analyzed the evolution of industries in relation to innovation and technology lifecycles, the interplay between industry lifecycles and evolutionary patterns of knowledge networks has not been fully explored yet. This work aims to bridge this gap by analyzing the co-evolutionary patterns of knowledge and trade flows in the mining industry, using social network tools in combination with the Schumpeterian tradition of analysis. The study focuses on three Latin American countries: Brazil, Chile, and Peru, where the mining sector plays a significant role in the economy, particularly in the context of energy and digital transitions. Our findings suggest that the innovation network and the global value chain-trade network display divergent co-evolutionary patterns; while the former tends to be stable and concentrated, the latter shows increasing fragmentation and turbulence. The analysis also shows remarkable evolutionary evidence at the country level.
Power in sovereign debt markets: debtors’ coordination for more competitive outcomes
Authors: Guzman Martin , Colodenco Maia , Wiedenbrug Anahí
Published: January 2024

Evidence suggests that sovereign debt markets are not featured by perfect competition but power dynamics are a key determinant of market outcomes such as ex-post returns on sovereign bonds. In such environment, coordination within each side of the market matters. With the purpose of influencing the international debt architecture, private creditors have historically been fairly coordinated and their interests more aligned ex-ante. Sovereign debtors, however, have not. The power asymmetry that that entails has equity and efficiency implications, both ex-ante and ex-post. This paper analyzes asymmetries in collective action of each side of the sovereign debt market and the mechanisms through which it affects market outcomes. It also analyses the Cartagena Group’s experience in the 1980s as a prominent historical case of greater borrower coordination and identifies mechanisms through which greater debtor coordination could be fostered.
Climate-driven changes in the timing of spawning and the availability of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) to assessment surveys in the Gulf of Alaska
Authors: Rogers Lauren A , Monnahan Cole C , Williams Kresimir , Jones Darin T , Dorn Martin W
Published: January 2024

Climate-driven changes in the timing of spawning or migration can affect the availability of fish to surveys designed to monitor their abundance, complicating efforts to assess stock status and sustainably manage fisheries. From 2017 to 2019, trends in biomass estimates from four surveys used to monitor Gulf of Alaska pollock diverged. These conflicting trends increased uncertainty in the stock assessment and occurred during a time of rapid environmental change. We hypothesized that changes in spawn timing affected availability of pollock to a winter survey that targets pre-spawning aggregations. To test this, we reconstructed relative spawn timing using two independent data sources: spring larval surveys and observations of spawning state in mature female pollock. We found that changes in spawn timing relative to survey timing explained a significant portion of recent and historical discrepancies between survey and model estimates of biomass. We then incorporated measures of spawn timing/survey timing mismatch as catchability covariates in an enhanced state-space stock assessment model. Including spawn timing-based catchability covariates significantly improved the model fit to survey data and provided a mechanistic explanation for recent survey discrepancies.
Making Sense of Psychedelics in the CNS
Authors: Fordyce Blake A , Roth Bryan L
Published: January 2024

For centuries, ancient lineages have consumed psychedelic compounds from natural sources. In the modern era, scientists have since harnessed the power of computational tools, cellular assays, and behavioral metrics to study how these compounds instigate changes on molecular, cellular, circuit-wide, and system levels. Here, we provide a brief history of psychedelics and their use in science, medicine, and culture. We then outline current techniques for studying psychedelics from a pharmacological perspective. Finally, we address known gaps in the field and potential avenues of further research to broaden our collective understanding of physiological changes induced by psychedelics, the limits of their therapeutic capabilities, and how researchers can improve and inform treatments that are rapidly becoming accessible worldwide.
Shuffle Algebras and Their Integral Forms: Specialization Map Approach in Types B
n and G
2
Authors: Hu Yue , Tsymbaliuk Alexander
Published: January 2024

We construct a family of PBWD (Poincaré-Birkhoff-Witt-Drinfeld) bases for the positive subalgebras of quantum loop algebras of type $B_{n}$ and $G_{2}$, as well as their Lusztig and RTT (for type $B_{n}$ only) integral forms, in the new Drinfeld realization. We also establish a shuffle algebra realization of these ${\mathbb {Q}}(v)$-algebras (proved earlier in [26] by completely different tools) and generalize the latter to the above ${{\mathbb {Z}}}[v,v^{-1}]$-forms. The rational counterparts provide shuffle algebra realizations of positive subalgebras of type $B_{n}$ and $G_{2}$ Yangians and their Drinfeld-Gavarini duals. All of this generalizes the type $A_{n}$ results of [30].
Microorganisms oxidize glucose through distinct pathways in permeable and cohesive sediments
Authors: Hutchinson Tess F , Kessler Adam J , Wong Wei Wen , Hall Puspitaningsih , Leung Pok Man , Jirapanjawat Thanavit , Greening Chris , Glud Ronnie N , Cook Perran L M
Published: January 2024

In marine sediments, microbial degradation of organic matter under anoxic conditions is generally thought to proceed through fermentation to volatile fatty acids, which are then oxidized to CO2 coupled to the reduction of terminal electron acceptors (e.g. nitrate, iron, manganese, and sulfate). It has been suggested that, in environments with a highly variable oxygen regime, fermentation mediated by facultative anaerobic bacteria (uncoupled to external terminal electron acceptors) becomes the dominant process. Here, we present the first direct evidence for this fermentation using a novel differentially labeled glucose isotopologue assay that distinguishes between CO2 produced from respiration and fermentation. Using this approach, we measured the relative contribution of respiration and fermentation of glucose in a range of permeable (sandy) and cohesive (muddy) sediments, as well as four bacterial isolates. Under anoxia, microbial communities adapted to high-energy sandy or bioturbated sites mediate fermentation via the Embden–Meyerhof–Parnas pathway, in a manner uncoupled from anaerobic respiration. Prolonged anoxic incubation suggests that this uncoupling lasts up to 160 h. In contrast, microbial communities in anoxic muddy sediments (smaller median grain size) generally completely oxidized 13C glucose to 13CO2, consistent with the classical redox cascade model. We also unexpectedly observed that fermentation occurred under oxic conditions in permeable sediments. These observations were further confirmed using pure cultures of four bacteria isolated from permeable sediments. Our results suggest that microbial communities adapted to variable oxygen regimes metabolize glucose (and likely other organic molecules) through fermentation uncoupled to respiration during transient anoxic conditions.
Search still matters: information retrieval in the era of generative AI
Authors: Hersh William
Published: January 2024

Objective

Information retrieval (IR, also known as search) systems are ubiquitous in modern times. How does the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI), based on large language models (LLMs), fit into the IR process?

Process

This perspective explores the use of generative AI in the context of the motivations, considerations, and outcomes of the IR process with a focus on the academic use of such systems.

Conclusions

There are many information needs, from simple to complex, that motivate use of IR. Users of such systems, particularly academics, have concerns for authoritativeness, timeliness, and contextualization of search. While LLMs may provide functionality that aids the IR process, the continued need for search systems, and research into their improvement, remains essential.
The effect and mechanism of selenium supplementation on the proliferation capacity of bovine endometrial epithelial cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide in vitro under high cortisol background
Authors: Li Hanqing , Dong Junsheng , Cui Luying , Liu Kangjun , Guo Long , Li Jianji , Wang Heng
Published: January 2024

Bovine endometritis severely inhibits uterine repair and causes considerable economic loss. Besides, parturition-induced high cortisol levels inhibit immune function, reduce cell proliferation, and further inhibit tissue repair. Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for animals to maintain normal physiological function and has powerful antioxidant functions. This study investigated whether Se supplementation reduces endometrial damage and promotes tissue repair in cows with endometritis under stress and explored the underlying mechanism. Primary bovine endometrial epithelial cells were isolated and purified from healthy cows. The cells were treated with different combinations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), cortisol, and various concentrations of Se. Data showed that LPS stimulation inhibited cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis. High levels of cortisol further exacerbated these effects. Flow cytometry, scratch wound healing tests, and 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU) proliferation assays showed that Se supplementation promoted cell cycle progression, cell migration, and cell proliferation in the presence of LPS and cortisol. The quantitative PCR results showed that the expression of related growth factors was increased after Se supplementation. After administering various inhibitors, we further demonstrated that Se supplementation decreased the activity of glycogen synthetase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway to reduce the degradation of β-catenin except the Wnt signal to promote cell proliferation. In conclusion, Se supplementation attenuated the cell damage induced by LPS at high cortisol levels and increased cell proliferation to promote uterine repair by elevating the mRNA expression of TGFB3 and VEGFA and activating the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway.
Screening and confirmation of psilocin, mitragynine, phencyclidine, ketamine and ketamine metabolites by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Wood Madeleine E , Brown Glenna J , Karschner Erin L , Seither Joshua Z , Brown Jordan T , Knittel Jessica L , Walterscheid Jeffrey P
Published: January 2024

A safe and productive workplace requires a sober workforce, free from substances that impair judgment and concentration. Although drug monitoring programs already exist, the scope and loopholes of standard workplace testing panels are well known, allowing other substances to remain a source of risk. Therefore, a high-throughput urine screening method for psilocin, mitragynine, phencyclidine, ketamine, norketamine and dehydronorketamine was developed and validated in conjunction with a urine and blood confirmation method. There are analytical challenges to overcome with psilocin and mitragynine, particularly when it comes to drug stability and unambiguous identification in authentic specimens. Screening and confirmation methods were validated according to the American National Standards Institute/Academy Standards Board (ANSI/ASB) Standard 036, Standard Practices for Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology. An automated liquid handling system equipped with dispersive pipette extraction tips was utilized for preparing screening samples, whereas an offline solid-phase extraction method was used for confirmation sample preparation. Both methods utilized liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to achieve limits of detection between 1–5 ng/mL for the screening method and 1 ng/mL for the confirmation method. Automation allows for faster throughput and enhanced quality assurance, which improves turnaround time. Compared to previous in-house methods, specimen volumes were substantially decreased for both blood and urine, which is an advantage when volume is limited. This screening technique is well suited for evaluating large numbers of specimens from those employed in safety-sensitive workforce positions. This method can be utilized by workplace drug testing, human performance and postmortem laboratories seeking robust qualitative screening and confirmation methods for analytes that have traditionally been challenging to routinely analyze.
Developmental exposure to hormone-mimicking insect growth disruptors alters expression of endocrine-related genes in worker honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) brains and hypopharyngeal glands
Authors: Litsey Eliza M , Fine Julia D
Published: January 2024

Division of labor within a honey bee colony creates a codependence between bees performing different tasks. The most obvious example of this is between the reproductive queen and worker bees. Queen bees lay 1,000 or more eggs a day, while young worker bees tend and feed queens. Young workers and queens can be exposed to pesticides when foragers return to the hive with contaminated resources. Previous research has found negative effects of larval exposure to insect-growth disruptors (IGD) methoxyfenozide and pyriproxyfen, on adult responsiveness to artificial queen pheromone. The present work investigates potential physiological and molecular mechanisms underpinning this behavioral change by examining the development of hypopharyngeal glands and ovaries as well as the expression of genes related to reproduction and worker endocrine signaling in the brain and hypopharyngeal gland tissues. Though hypopharyngeal gland and ovary development were not altered by developmental exposure to IGDs, gene expression differed. Specifically, in the brain tissue, ilp1 was downregulated in bees exposed to pyriproxyfen during development, and Kr-h1 was downregulated in both methoxyfenozide- and pyriproxyfen-exposed bees. In the hypopharyngeal glands, Kr-h1, EcR-A, EcR-B, and E75 were upregulated in honey bees exposed to methoxyfenozide compared to those in the pyriproxyfen or control treatments. Here we discuss these results and their potential implications for the health and performance of honey bee colonies.
Ally, adversary, or arbitrator? The context-dependent role of eosinophils in vaccination for respiratory viruses and subsequent breakthrough infections
Authors: Chang Lauren A , Schotsaert Michael
Published: January 2024

Eosinophils are a critical type of immune cell and central players in type 2 immunity. Existing literature suggests that eosinophils also can play a role in host antiviral responses, typically type 1 immune events, against multiple respiratory viruses, both directly through release of antiviral mediators and indirectly through activation of other effector cell types. One way to prime host immune responses toward effective antiviral responses is through vaccination, where typically a type 1–skewed immunity is desirable in the context of intracellular pathogens like respiratory viruses. In the realm of breakthrough respiratory viral infection in vaccinated hosts, an event in which virus can still establish productive infection despite preexisting immunity, eosinophils are most prominently known for their link to vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease upon natural respiratory syncytial virus infection. This was observed in a pediatric cohort during the 1960s following vaccination with formalin-inactivated respiratory syncytial virus. More recent research has unveiled additional roles of the eosinophil in respiratory viral infection and breakthrough infection. The specific contribution of eosinophils to the quality of vaccine responses, vaccine efficacy, and antiviral responses to infection in vaccinated hosts remains largely unexplored, especially regarding their potential roles in protection. On the basis of current findings, we will speculate upon the suggested function of eosinophils and consider the many potential ways by which eosinophils may exert protective and pathological effects in breakthrough infections. We will also discuss how to balance vaccine efficacy with eosinophil-related risks, as well as the use of eosinophils and their products as potential biomarkers of vaccine efficacy or adverse events.
Determining abundance predictors of the European Hare (Lepus europaeus), a global invader in southeastern Brazil
Authors: Pasqualotto Nielson , Bailey Larissa L , Boscolo Danilo , Silva Thiago S F , Rodrigues Nayra T , Saranholi Bruno H , Galetti Jr. Pedro M , Pônzio Marcella do Carmo , Alberici Vinicius , Chiarello Adriano G
Published: January 2024

European Hare (Lepus europaeus), like many invasive species, have declined in much of their native range but flourished in non-native regions (e.g. South America). Previous studies suggested that loss of farmland heterogeneity due to agricultural intensification is the main driver of the species decline in its native range in Europe. Yet, little is known about the role of spatial and temporal heterogeneity and land cover types as predictors of European Hare local abundance in Neotropical agricultural landscapes. We hypothesized that spatial and temporal heterogeneity, rather than land cover types, would be the most influential predictors of hare local abundance in intensively managed Neotropical agricultural landscapes. We sampled 55 sites embedded within agricultural-dominated landscapes from southeastern Brazil with camera traps and transect surveys. Sites were selected along an uncorrelated gradient of native vegetation cover and compositional heterogeneity. We estimated the relative abundance of European hares using an occupancy model that accounts for imperfect detection of species induced primarily by variation in local abundance. We found that land cover diversity, sugarcane, and savanna cover were the best predictors of European Hare relative abundance. Hare relative abundance estimates were low and did not vary dramatically among sites, suggesting that this invader has not yet attained high local density in our study region. European Hare attained the highest relative abundance in agricultural landscapes that locally combine higher compositional heterogeneity, including sugarcane crops, and little to no native savanna. Areas with these combined features may represent the most important nascent foci, fostering ongoing northward spread of this invasive species in the Neotropics.
Bonelli’s Eagle electrocution risk in Israel can be reduced by 80% by insulating only 4% of the pylons
Authors: Mayrose Asaf , Haviv Eli , Hatzofe Ohad , Troupin David , Elroy Michal , Sapir Nir
Published: January 2024

The Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) is a critically endangered species in Israel, with electrocution on power lines posing a serious threat to its population. Because retrofitting of electricity pylons to prevent mortality is a slow and costly process, it is important to prioritize the pylons in the network for quick and efficient mitigation of eagle mortality. To determine which pylons need to be retrofitted, we applied a three-stage maximum entropy modeling process for identifying the risk factors posed by different environmental variables. The environmental feature with the highest correlation to electrocution is the distance to reservoirs (i.e., many electrocution events occur near water reservoirs). The reservoirs are foraging hotspots for Bonelli’s Eagles in Israel’s arid environment. Electricity pylons powering the reservoirs’ pumping facilities tend to be the highest perches in the vicinity of many of the reservoirs, creating an ecological trap. The strong attraction of reservoirs to eagles may explain the high level of selectivity indicated by the model, suggesting that retrofitting only 3.6% of the pylons in the network would achieve 77% reduction in eagles’ electrocution probability. Moreover, insulating pylons according to the model will also likely reduce electrocutions of other avian species, including Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) and White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). The modeling process presented here yielded 2 electrocution risk maps, one to facilitate prioritization of mitigation in Israel’s existing power network and the second to support planning and designing new infrastructure. The model may help reach conservation goals for the Israeli Bonelli’s Eagle and the modeling approach may also be useful in prioritizing pylon retrofitting in other arid landscapes.
Corporate Investment
Authors: Leitner Stephan
Published: January 2024

This chapter explores the significance of agent-based modelling and simulation in advancing theories in the field of corporate investment. It sheds light on three primary contributions of agent-based techniques: testing assumptions in analytical models, modelling human behaviour realistically, and analysing contingency effects and resulting dynamic and nonlinear effects. First, agent-based modelling enables the rigorous testing of assumptions made in analytical models. By employing agent-based simulations alongside analytical approaches, researchers can critically evaluate the robustness of existing theories. This comparative analysis helps identify the limitations and refine the assumptions underlying corporate investment models, leading to more accurate and reliable theoretical frameworks. Second, agent-based techniques offer a more flexible and realistic means of modelling human behaviour in corporate investment. By incorporating factors such as biases, adaptive behaviour, learning processes, and social norms, agent-based models can capture the complexities of decision-making processes. This enhanced representation of human behaviour facilitates the development of a comprehensive behavioural theory of corporate investment, providing valuable insights into the factors influencing investment decisions and outcomes. Lastly, agent-based modelling allows for the systematic exploration of contingency effects on corporate investment theories. Contingency factors, including firm characteristics, industry dynamics, and economic conditions, significantly influence investment strategies. By integrating these contingencies into agent-based models, researchers can analyse their interactions and understand how they shape investment behaviour, leading to a deeper understanding of the dynamic nature of corporate investment decisions.
Agent-Based Modelling in E-Commerce
Authors: Jannach Dietmar , Leitner Stephan
Published: January 2024

In the rapidly evolving field of e-commerce, conventional research methods struggle to keep pace with the dynamic landscape characterised by exponential growth and changing user behaviours. To address this challenge, agent-based modelling and simulation offer a promising research paradigm. This chapter explores the potential of agent-based modelling and simulation in capturing the intricate dynamics of the e-commerce environment and advancing our understanding of this complex domain. We provide an overview of agent-based modelling and simulation applications in various e-commerce domains and identify three compelling avenues for future research. Firstly, exploring the emergence of network structures helps actors understand communication and information-sharing patterns among them, revealing their impact on e-commerce dynamics. Secondly, considering individual differences in personality and culture unveils how these factors influence behaviours, preferences, and decision-making processes in e-commerce. Lastly, analysing longitudinal dynamics and asynchronous timelines captures evolving patterns and long-term effects seen in e-commerce phenomena. Agent-based modelling allows researchers to track the evolution of these dynamics over time. To showcase the power of agent-based modelling and simulation in e-commerce, the chapter presents a case study that focuses on the longitudinal dynamics of multistakeholder recommendation systems. It highlights the versatility and effectiveness of agent-based modelling in capturing heterogeneous consumer preferences, diverse objectives of recommendation providers and users of recommendation services, and the longitudinal dynamics of a set of recommendation strategies.
Geographies of Authoritarian Politics
Authors: Koch Natalie
Published: January 2024

Geography’s disciplinary focus on space and place adds an important perspective on the study of authoritarian politics and extends the scope of this research to consider the plurality of authoritarian space-time. This chapter outlines two broad themes that have emerged in recent geographic scholarship on authoritarian politics: (1) moving the study of authoritarian politics beyond the territorial state as the naturalized scale of analysis; and (2) advancing a multiscalar approach to the material, physical, and spatial forces that constitute authoritarian politics and subjectivities. A geographic perspective on spatializing authoritarianism, the chapter shows, opens up essential questions for scholars of all disciplines—challenging them to more critically and concretely define how authoritarian practices define, shape, and result from specific spatial and temporal configurations.
Ask the women in blue: Female officers’ thoughts on the recruitment and retention of women in policing
Authors: Rief Rachael M , Clinkinbeard Samantha S , Goodijohn Lexi E , Rhodes Trisha N
Published: January 2024

Women bring many benefits to policing but represent only 14% of sworn police in the United States. Researchers have examined different recruitment strategies, yet few have sought insight from women officers themselves. We explored women officers’ perspectives on recruiting and retaining more women in policing. Using semi-structured interviews, we asked 40 current and retired women officers how police agencies can better target women to increase their representation. Responses were analyzed using open coding techniques. Participants noted difficulty hiring amid a larger police staffing crisis. They also discussed the structure and culture of police work as barriers to the recruitment and retention of women and suggested outreach and mentorship as strategies to increase integration. These findings have policy and practice implications related to increasing the integration and entrance of women in policing.
Autonomy and Connection: How Ward Panels Support Neighbourhood Policing
Authors: O’Reilly Carina
Published: January 2024

Neighbourhood or community policing is receiving renewed attention internationally as a means of responding to a perceived legitimacy crisis in police forces globally. However, with budgets still tight in the post-Covid environment, understanding which activities are most effective and efficient in supporting confidence and legitimacy is vital. This article looks at the workings of London’s community-driven ward panel system, chaired by volunteers but administered by the Metropolitan Police. It reports on a study that asked how ward panels contributed to neighbourhood policing; one of very few to explore ward panels as a community policing structure. A series of observations and interviews were carried out as part of a case study of a single London borough. The study found that ward panels contributed in a number of ways, facilitating partnership working, building connections with hard-to-reach communities, and enhancing police accessibility. Significantly, several panels had begun to develop autonomy in identifying and resolving local problems. This article discusses the potential for semi-autonomous community bodies such as ward panels to contribute to the work of community or neighbourhood policing, thereby relieving demand on forces, and weighs up the risks entailed.
Identifying cortical structure markers of resilience to adversity in young people using surface-based morphometry
Authors: Cornwell Harriet , Toschi Nicola , Hamilton-Giachritsis Catherine , Staginnus Marlene , Smaragdi Areti , Gonzalez-Madruga Karen , Mackes Nuria , Rogers Jack , Martinelli Anne , Kohls Gregor , Raschle Nora Maria , Konrad Kerstin , Stadler Christina , Freitag Christine M , De Brito Stephane A , Fairchild Graeme
Published: January 2024

Previous research on the neurobiological bases of resilience in youth has largely used categorical definitions of resilience and voxel-based morphometry methods that assess gray matter volume. However, it is important to consider brain structure more broadly as different cortical properties have distinct developmental trajectories. To address these limitations, we used surface-based morphometry and data-driven, continuous resilience scores to examine associations between resilience and cortical structure. Structural MRI data from 286 youths (Mage = 13.6 years, 51% female) who took part in the European multi-site FemNAT-CD study were pre-processed and analyzed using surface-based morphometry. Continuous resilience scores were derived for each participant based on adversity exposure and levels of psychopathology using the residual regression method. Vertex-wise analyses assessed for correlations between resilience scores and cortical thickness, surface area, gyrification and volume. Resilience scores were positively associated with right lateral occipital surface area and right superior frontal gyrification and negatively correlated with left inferior temporal surface area. Moreover, sex-by-resilience interactions were observed for gyrification in frontal and temporal regions. Our findings extend previous research by revealing that resilience is related to surface area and gyrification in frontal, occipital and temporal regions that are implicated in emotion regulation and face or object recognition.
Virome analysis of New Zealand’s bats reveals cross-species viral transmission among the Coronaviridae
Authors: Waller Stephanie J , Tortosa Pablo , Thurley Tertia , O’Donnell Colin F J , Jackson Rebecca , Dennis Gillian , Grimwood Rebecca M , Holmes Edward C , McInnes Kate , Geoghegan Jemma L
Published: January 2024

The lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata) and the long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) are Aotearoa New Zealand’s only native extant terrestrial mammals and are believed to have migrated from Australia. Long-tailed bats arrived in New Zealand an estimated two million years ago and are closely related to other Australian bat species. Lesser short-tailed bats, in contrast, are the only extant species within the Mystacinidae and are estimated to have been living in isolation in New Zealand for the past 16–18 million years. Throughout this period of isolation, lesser short-tailed bats have become one of the most terrestrial bats in the world. Through a metatranscriptomic analysis of guano samples from eight locations across New Zealand, we aimed to characterise the viromes of New Zealand’s bats and determine whether viruses have jumped between these species over the past two million years. High viral richness was observed among long-tailed bats with viruses spanning seven different viral families. In contrast, no bat-specific viruses were identified in lesser short-tailed bats. Both bat species harboured an abundance of likely dietary- and environment-associated viruses. We also identified alphacoronaviruses in long-tailed bat guano that had previously been identified in lesser short-tailed bats, suggesting that these viruses had jumped the species barrier after long-tailed bats migrated to New Zealand. Of note, an alphacoronavirus species discovered here possessed a complete genome of only 22,416 nucleotides with entire deletions or truncations of several non-structural proteins, thereby representing what may be the shortest genome within the Coronaviridae identified to date. Overall, this study has revealed a diverse range of novel viruses harboured by New Zealand’s only native terrestrial mammals, in turn expanding our understanding of bat viral dynamics and evolution globally.
Ethical issues in pain and palliation
Authors: Cascella Marco , Laudani Alessandro , Scarpati Giuliana , Piazza Ornella
Published: January 2024

Purpose of review

Increased public awareness of ethical issues in pain and palliative care, along with patient advocacy groups, put pressure on healthcare systems and professionals to address these concerns.

Our aim is to review the ethics dilemmas concerning palliative care in ICU, artificial intelligence applications in pain therapy and palliative care, and the opioids epidemics.

Recent findings

In this focus review, we highlighted state of the art papers that were published in the last 18 months, on ethical issues in palliative care within the ICU, artificial intelligence trajectories, and how opioids epidemics has impacted pain management practices (see Visual Abstract).

Palliative care in the ICU should involve a multidisciplinary team, to mitigate patients suffering and futility. Providing spiritual support in the ICU is an important aspect of holistic patient care too.

Increasingly sophisticated tools for diagnosing and treating pain, as those involving artificial intelligence, might favour disparities in access, cause informed consent problems, and surely, they need prudence and reproducibility.

Pain clinicians worldwide continue to face the ethical dilemma of prescribing opioids for patients with chronic noncancer pain. Balancing the need for effective pain relief with the risk of opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose is a very controversial task.
Child and Parent Risk and Resilience Factors as Predictors of Long-term Recovery in Youths Undergoing Spinal Fusion Surgery
Authors: Thorsell Cederberg Jenny , Bartels Sara Laureen , Thulin Måns , Beeckman Melanie , Wicksell Rikard K. , Goubert Liesbet
Published: January 2024

Objectives:

Undertreated pediatric post-surgical pain negatively affects quality-of-life and functioning and may lead to chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP). Predictors of recovery have been identified but more research is needed, particularly regarding resilience and social factors, and long-term effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate child and parent risk and resilience factors as predictors of long-term post-surgical recovery for adolescents.

Methods:

Participants were patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS),12-18 years, undergoing spinal fusion, and their parents. Recruitment occurred at the orthopaedic units at four hospitals in Belgium. Data were collected before surgery (T0), at three (T1) and six weeks (T2), six months (T3) and one year (T4) post-surgery. Multiple regression models were used to evaluate the predictive effect of pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, psychological flexibility, and pain acceptance on long-term functioning, quality-of-life, and pain.

Results:

The sample comprised 100 adolescents and 61 parents. Pain at T0, T1, and T3 and adolescent pain catastrophizing (T0) predicted quality-of-life, functioning, and pain at T4 (while pain at T2 predicted quality-of-life and pain). Parent pain catastrophizing predicted pain at T4. Adolescent and parental psychological flexibility predicted quality-of-life, and parent psychological flexibility also predicted pain at T4. Adolescent acceptance at T1 predicted pain, and acceptance at T2 predicted quality-of-life, at T4.

Discussion:

The study identified pain and adolescent pain catastrophizing as risk factors, and adolescent and parental psychological flexibility and adolescent pain acceptance as resilience factors, for long-term recovery in youths undergoing spinal fusion. Post-surgical pain management targeting these factors may therefore promote recovery for these adolescents.
The use of tier three therapies in acute brain injured patients
Authors: Iaquaniello Carolina , Gallo Fabio , Cinotti Raphael , Citerio Giuseppe , Taccone Fabio S. , Pelosi Paolo , Badenes Rafael , Robba Chiara ,   for the ENIO Investigators§
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND

In patients with acute brain injury (ABI) and refractory intracranial hypertension, the so-called ‘tier three therapies’ (TTT) (hypothermia, metabolic suppression with barbiturates, and decompressive craniectomy) may be used.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to describe the incidence of use of TTT, and to assess their effect on outcome.

DESIGN

A secondary analysis of the ENIO observational study.

SETTING

Seventy-three intensive care units (ICUs) in 18 countries worldwide between June 2018 and November 2020.

PATIENTS

One thousand five hundred and twelve adult patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with ABI were included and categorised according to use or not of one or more TTT.

RESULTS

Three hundred and ninety-six patients (26.2%) received at least one TTT during the ICU stay. Five patients (0.3%) received all three TTT. TTT patients were younger (P < 0.0001), less likely to have a preinjury history of hypertension (P = 0.0008), and less frequently anisocoric within 24 h from ICU admission (P < 0.0001) than those with no tier three therapy. TTT were used less frequently in high-income countries than in upper income and lower middle-income countries (no TTT in 78% of patients in high-income countries, in 60.6% of patients in upper middle-income countries, and in 56.6% of patients in lower middle-income countries; P < 0.0001). TTT were more frequent in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) compared with other types of ABI and in patients with invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring (P < 0.0001). TTT use was associated with a higher incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (P < 0.0001), need for tracheostomy (P = 0.0194), and prolonged ICU length of stay (LOS; P < 0.0001) but not with increased ICU or hospital mortality (P = 0.999).

CONCLUSION

Patients with ABI are frequently managed using at least one TTT. Their use varies according to a country's economic resources, the type of ABI, and ICP monitoring and is associated with a higher risk of complications but not with ICU or hospital mortality.