bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growth Differentiation Factor 15 as a Biomarker of Cardiovascular Risk in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain
Authors: León-González Rocío , Ortolá Rosario , Carballo-Casla Adrián , Sotos-Prieto Mercedes , Buño-Soto Antonio , Rodríguez-Sánchez Isabel , Pastor-Barriuso Roberto , Rodríguez-Artalejo Fernando , García-Esquinas Esther
Published: July 2024

Background

It is unknown whether growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) and whether or not its association with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) changes according to CMP status.

Methods

In total, 1 957 randomly selected adults aged ≥65 years without prior CVD were followed up between 2015 and 2023. CMP was classified according to its intensity, frequency, and interference with daily activities. The association between GDF-15 levels and CMP was assessed using linear models with progressive inclusion of potential confounders, whereas the association between GDF-15 and CVD risk was evaluated with Cox proportional hazard models with similar adjustment and interaction terms between GDF-15 and CMP. The incremental predictive performance of GDF-15 over standard predictors was evaluated using discrimination and risk reclassification metrics.

Results

GDF-15 concentrations were 6.90% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.56; 11.25) higher in individuals with CMP, and up to 8.89% (4.07; 15.71) and 15.79% (8.43; 23.16) higher in those with ≥3 CMP locations and interfering pain. These increased levels were influenced by a higher prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors, functional impairments, depressive symptoms, and greater levels of inflammation in individuals with CMP. In fully adjusted models, a twofold increase in GDF-15 was associated with a 1.49 increased risk (95% CI: 1.08; 2.05) of a CVD event in individuals with CMP, but not among those without CMP (1.02 [0.77; 1.35]); p-interaction 0.041. Adding GDF-15 to models including the Framingham Risk Score improved predictive performance among individuals with CMP.

Conclusions

We provide evidence that GDF-15 could serve as a biomarker to assess CMP, as well as to predict CVD incidence in individuals with CMP.
Physical Frailty and the Risk of Degenerative Valvular Heart Disease
Authors: Guo Xinli , Li Ziang , Long Tianxin , Cheng Sijing , Yang Cheng , Jiang Chenqing , Ma Haowen , Gao Ruixin , Song Changpeng , Huang Xiaohong , Wu Yongjian
Published: July 2024

Background and Objectives

The relationship between physical frailty, age-related conditions, and the incidence of degenerative valvular heart disease (VHD) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between physical frailty and the development of degenerative VHD.

Research Design and Methods

Participants from the UK Biobank who were initially free of VHD and heart failure were categorized into 3 groups based on the frailty phenotype: non-frailty, pre-frailty, and frailty. The frailty phenotype was determined by evaluating the following 5 components: weight loss, exhaustion, reduced physical activity, slow gait speed, and low grip strength. The incidence of degenerative VHD, including mitral valve regurgitation (MR), aortic valve regurgitation (AR), and aortic valve stenosis (AS), was assessed using hospital admission or death registries.

Results

Among the 331 642 participants, 11 885 (3.6%) exhibited frailty and 143 379 (43.2%) were categorized as pre-frailty. During a median follow-up of 13.8 years, there were 3 684 MR, 1 205 AR, and 3 166 AS events. Compared to non-frailty participants, those with pre-frailty and frailty showed significantly increased risks for MR (hazard ratio [HR], HRpre-frailty:1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11–1.28; HRfrailty: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.30–1.74), AR (HRpre-frailty:1.19, 95% CI: 1.05–1.34; HRfrailty: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.22–2.04), and AS (HRpre-frailty:1.19, 95% CI: 1.11–1.29; HRfrailty: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.51–2.00). Among the 5 components, slow gait speed showed the strongest association with the risk of various types of VHD (HRMR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.34–1.65; HRAR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.24–1.80; HRAS: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.32–1.62), followed by exhaustion, low grip strength, and weight loss.

Discussion and Implications

Pre-frailty and frailty were associated with a higher risk of all 3 types of degenerative VHD. Early detection and intervention for pre-frailty and frailty in middle-aged and older individuals may assist in preventing or delaying the onset of degenerative VHD.
Scaling of the geomagnetic secular variation timescale
Authors: Tsang Yue-Kin , Jones Chris A
Published: July 2024

The ratio of the magnetic power spectrum and the secular variation spectrum measured at the Earth’s surface provides a timescale $\tau _{\rm sv}(l)$ as a function of spherical harmonic degree l. $\tau _{\rm sv}$ is often assumed to be representative of timescales related to the dynamo inside the outer core and its scaling with l is debated. To assess the validity of this surmise and to study the time variation of the geomagnetic field $\dot{\boldsymbol {B}}$ inside the outer core, we introduce a magnetic timescale spectrum $\tau (l,r)$ that is valid for all radius r above the inner core and reduces to the usual $\tau _{\rm sv}$ at and above the core–mantle boundary (CMB). We study $\tau$ in a numerical geodynamo model. At the CMB, we find that $\tau \sim l^{-1}$ is valid at both the large and small scales, in agreement with previous numerical studies on $\tau _{\rm sv}$. Just below the CMB, the scaling undergoes a sharp transition at small l. Consequently, in the interior of the outer core, $\tau$ exhibits different scaling at the large and small scales, specifically, the scaling of $\tau$ becomes shallower than $l^{-1}$ at small l. We find that this transition at the large scales stems from the fact that the horizontal components of the magnetic field evolve faster than the radial component in the interior. In contrast, the magnetic field at the CMB must match onto a potential field, hence the dynamics of the radial and horizontal magnetic fields are tied together. The upshot is $\tau _{\rm sv}$ becomes unreliable in estimating timescales inside the outer core. Another question concerning $\tau$ is whether an argument based on the frozen-flux hypothesis can be used to explain its scaling. To investigate this, we analyse the induction equation in the spectral space. We find that away from both boundaries, the magnetic diffusion term is negligible in the power spectrum of $\dot{\boldsymbol {B}}$. However, $\dot{\boldsymbol {B}}$ is controlled by the radial derivative in the induction term, thus invalidating the frozen-flux argument. Near the CMB, magnetic diffusion starts to affect $\dot{\boldsymbol {B}}$ rendering the frozen-flux hypothesis inapplicable. We also examine the effects of different velocity boundary conditions and find that the above results apply for both no-slip and stress-free conditions at the CMB.
Enhancing computational efficiency in 3-D seismic modelling with half-precision floating-point numbers based on the curvilinear grid finite-difference method
Authors: Wan Jialiang , Wang Wenqiang , Zhang Zhenguo
Published: July 2024

Large-scale and high-resolution seismic modelling are very significant to simulating seismic waves, evaluating earthquake hazards and advancing exploration seismology. However, achieving high-resolution seismic modelling requires substantial computing and storage resources, resulting in a considerable computational cost. To enhance computational efficiency and performance, recent heterogeneous computing platforms, such as Nvidia Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), natively support half-precision floating-point numbers (FP16). FP16 operations can provide faster calculation speed, lower storage requirements and greater performance enhancement over single-precision floating-point numbers (FP32), thus providing significant benefits for seismic modelling. Nevertheless, the inherent limitation of fewer 16-bit representations in FP16 may lead to severe numerical overflow, underflow and floating-point errors during computation. In this study, to ensure stable wave equation solutions and minimize the floating-point errors, we use a scaling strategy to adjust the computation of FP16 arithmetic operations. For optimal GPU floating-point performance, we implement a 2-way single instruction multiple data (SIMD) within the floating-point units (FPUs) of CUDA cores. Moreover, we implement an earthquake simulation solver for FP16 operations based on curvilinear grid finite-difference method (CGFDM) and perform several earthquake simulations. Comparing the results of wavefield data with the standard CGFDM using FP32, the errors introduced by FP16 are minimal, demonstrating excellent consistency with the FP32 results. Performance analysis indicates that FP16 seismic modelling exhibits a remarkable improvement in computational efficiency, achieving a speedup of approximately 1.75 and reducing memory usage by half compared to the FP32 version.
Creation Is Not Like a Box of Chocolates: Why Is the First Judgment Recognizing Copyrightability of AI-Generated Content Wrong?
Authors: Wang Qian
Published: July 2024

The judgment of the Beijing Internet Court recognizing copyrightability of AI-generated images is flawed for three reasons. First, the judgment treats generative AI as a tool of creation akin to a brush, camera or Photoshop. But generative AI is not a passive means for the author to implement the act of creation that directly produce works; instead, it is actively involved in the decision-making process of the substance of the resulting content. Second, the judgment attaches much importance to the creative nature of the text prompts and other inputs of the user of generative AI, while it fails to make the analysis within the framework of the idea/expression dichotomy. Different generative AI systems, and even the same generative AI, may generate completely different images based on exactly the same ‘user’s inputs’. This fact shows that ‘user’s inputs’ are an unprotectable idea in relation to the outcome of the AI production, because a single creative and original idea may lead to a large number of expressions. Third, while acknowledging that the relationship between generative AI and its users is akin to the relationship between the commissioned party and the commissioner during the creation of a painting, the judgment wrongly attributes user’s authorship of AI-generated content to AI’s lack of free will and legal personality.
Non-invasive preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy: is the promise real?
Authors: Volovsky Michelle , Scott Richard T , Seli Emre
Published: July 2024

Recent advances in preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) have significantly enhanced its application in ART, providing critical insights into embryo viability, and potentially reducing both the time spent in fertility treatments and the risk of pregnancy loss. With the integration of next-generation sequencing, PGT-A now offers greater diagnostic precision, although challenges related to segmental aneuploidies and mosaicism remain. The emergence of non-invasive PGT-A (niPGT-A), which analyzes DNA in spent embryo culture media, promises a simpler aneuploidy screening method. This mini review assesses the methodological criteria for test validation, the current landscape of PGT-A, and the potential of niPGT-A, while evaluating its advantages and potential pitfalls. It underscores the importance of a robust three-phase validation process to ensure the clinical reliability of PGT-A. Despite initial encouraging data, niPGT-A not only confronts issues of DNA amplification failure and diagnostic inaccuracies but also has yet to meet the three-prong criteria required for appropriate test validation, necessitating further research for its clinical adoption. The review underscores that niPGT-A, like traditional PGT-A, must attain the high standards of precision and reliability expected of any genetic testing platform used in clinical settings before it can be adopted into routine ART protocols.
Use of Upadacitinib as Salvage Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis in Pregnancy: A Case Report
Authors: Urquhart Siri A , Chedid Victor G , Kane Sunanda V
Published: July 2024

Lay Summary

Upadacitinib, a selective JAK-1 inhibitor, was used as rescue therapy for ulcerative colitis in the setting of pregnancy following use of mesalamine, vedolizumab, infliximab, and corticosteroids. This resulted in an uncomplicated live full birth without need for surgical intervention.
Preparing the Next Generation of Integrative Organismal Biologists
Authors: Padilla Dianna K , Grünbaum Daniel
Published: July 2024

Synopsis

Pursuing cutting edge questions in organismal biology in the future will require novel approaches for training the next generation of organismal biologists, including knowledge and use of systems-type modeling combined with integrative organismal biology. We link agendas recommending changes in science education and practice across three levels: Broadening the concept of organismal biology to promote modeling organisms as systems interacting with higher and lower organizational levels; enhancing undergraduate science education to improve applications of quantitative reasoning and modeling in the scientific process; and K-12 curricula based on Next Generation Science Standards emphasizing development and use of models in the context of explanatory science, solution design, and evaluating and communicating information. Out of each of these initiatives emerges an emphasis on routine use of models as tools for hypothesis testing and prediction. The question remains, however, what is the best approach for training the next generation of organismal biology students to facilitate their understanding and use of models? We address this question by proposing new ways of teaching and learning, including the development of interactive web-based modeling modules that lower barriers for scientists approaching this new way of imagining and conducting integrative organismal biology.
The impact of onset-to-cut time in surgery for stable acute type A aortic dissection—a single-centre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Pitts Leonard , Kofler Markus , Montagner Matteo , Heck Roland , Kurz Stephan Dominik , Paun Alexandru Claudiu , Falk Volkmar , Kempfert Jörg
Published: July 2024

OBJECTIVES

The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of onset-to-cut time on mortality in patients undergoing surgery for stable acute type A aortic dissection.

METHODS

Patients who underwent surgery for acute type A aortic dissection between January 2006 and December 2021 and available onset-to-cut times were included. Patients with unstable aortic dissection (preoperative shock, intubation, resuscitation, coma, pericardial tamponade and local/systemic malperfusion syndromes) were excluded. After descriptive analysis, a multivariable binary logistic regression for 30-day mortality was performed. A receiver operating characteristic curve for onset-to-cut time and 30-day mortality was calculated. Restricted cubic splines were designed to investigate the association between onset-to-cut time and survival.

RESULTS

The final cohort comprised 362 patients. The median onset-to-cut time was 543 (376–1155) min. The 30-day mortality was 9%. Only previous myocardial infarction (P = 0.018) and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass time (P < 0.001) were identified as independent risk factors for 30-day mortality. The corresponding area under the receiver operating characteristic curve showed a value of 0.49. Restricted cubic splines did not indicate an association between onset-to-cut time and survival (P = 0.316).

CONCLUSIONS

Onset-to-cut time in the setting of stable acute type A aortic dissection does not seem to be a valid predictor of 30-day mortality in patients undergoing surgery and stayed stable during the preoperative course.
FrameNet at 25
Authors: Boas Hans C , Ruppenhofer Josef , Baker Collin
Published: July 2024

The launch of the FrameNet project in 1997 was both a crystallisation point of decades worth of theoretical investigations into lexical meaning by Charles J. Fillmore and colleagues, as well as the seed of an ongoing line of corpus-based and computational research that seeks to implement Fillmore’s theory of Frame Semantics in a way that both provides an interesting model relevant for further theorising and also is applicable practically for semantic analysis, lexicology, and lexicography.

At the occasion of FrameNet’s 25th birthday, we want to introduce the project to a new generation of researchers but also take stock of, and report on, what has been achieved. We revisit the origins of the FrameNet project, assess its development and various changes in the years since it was first reported on in a special issue in the pages of this journal twenty years ago.
Will the real data sovereign please stand up? An EU policy response to sovereignty in data spaces
Authors: Ryan Mark , Gürtler Paula , Bogucki Artur
Published: July 2024

This paper aims to evaluate the concept of data sovereignty as applied to data spaces, particularly the Common European Data Space (CEDS). The CEDS aims to develop a single European data market through nine domain-specific data spaces: health, industrial and manufacturing, agriculture, finance, mobility, Green Deal, energy, public administration, and skills. It aims to do this by providing a secure and trustworthy technical architecture, a robust data-sharing business model realized through effective governance, and ensuring data sovereignty. Ensuring data sovereignty, however, is challenging when different agents all claim authority over their data within a data space. This paper focuses on three data sovereign agents in the CEDS—individual, organization, and state—to examine how data sovereignty can be implemented in data spaces based on current European Union regulations and whether shortcomings still need to be addressed.
Divergent Roles of APOAI and APOM in the Identification of Alcohol Use Disorder and Their Association With Inflammation and Cognitive Decline: A Pilot Study
Authors: Escudero Berta , López-Valencia Leticia , Arias Horcajadas Francisco , Orio Laura
Published: July 2024

Background

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) courses with inflammation and cognitive decline. Apolipoproteins have emerged as novel target compounds related to inflammatory processes and cognition.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed on abstinent AUD patients with at least 1 month of abstinence (n  = 33; 72.7% men) and healthy controls (n  = 34; 47.1% men). A battery of plasma apolipoproteins (APOAI, APOAII, APOB, APOCII, APOE, APOJ, and APOM), plasma inflammatory markers (LPS, LBP), and their influence on cognition and presence of the disorder were investigated.

Results

Higher levels of plasma APOAI, APOB, APOE, and APOJ, as well as the proinflammatory LPS, were observed in the AUD group, irrespective of sex, whereas APOM levels were lower vs controls. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses, adjusting for covariates (age, sex, education), associated APOM with the absence of cognitive impairment in AUD and identified APOAI and APOM as strong predictors of the presence or absence of the disorder, respectively. APOAI and APOM did not correlate with alcohol abuse variables or liver status markers, but they showed an opposite profile in their associations with LPS (positive for APOAI; negative for APOM) and cognition (negative for APOAI; positive for APOM) in the entire sample.

Conclusions

The HDL constituents APOAI and APOM were differentially regulated in the plasma of AUD patients compared with controls, playing divergent roles in the disorder identification and associations with inflammation and cognitive decline.
Phenotype divergence and cooperation in isogenic multicellularity and in cancer
Authors: Ernesto Alvarez Frank , Clairambault Jean
Published: July 2024

We discuss the mathematical modelling of two of the main mechanisms that pushed forward the emergence of multicellularity: phenotype divergence in cell differentiation and between-cell cooperation. In line with the atavistic theory of cancer, this disease being specific of multicellular animals, we set special emphasis on how both mechanisms appear to be reversed, however not totally impaired, rather hijacked, in tumour cell populations. Two settings are considered: the completely innovating, tinkering, situation of the emergence of multicellularity in the evolution of species, which we assume to be constrained by external pressure on the cell populations, and the completely planned—in the body plan—situation of the physiological construction of a developing multicellular animal from the zygote, or of bet hedging in tumours, assumed to be of clonal formation, although the body plan is largely—but not completely—lost in its constituting cells. We show how cancer impacts these two settings and we sketch mathematical models for them. We present here our contribution to the question at stake with a background from biology, from mathematics and from philosophy of science.
Barycentric rational interpolation of exponentially clustered poles
Authors: Zhao Kelong , Xiang Shuhuang
Published: July 2024

We have developed a rational interpolation method for analytic functions with branch point singularities, which utilizes several exponentially clustered poles proposed by Trefethen and his collaborators (2021, Exponential node clustering at singularities for rational approximation, quadrature, and PDEs. Numer. Math., 147, 227–254). The key to the feasibility of this interpolation method is that the interpolation nodes approximately satisfy the distribution of the equilibrium potential. These nodes make the convergence rate of the rational interpolation consistent with the theoretical rates, and steadily approach machine accuracy. The technique can be used, not only for the interval $[0,1]$, but can also be extended to include corner regions and the case of multiple singularities.
Frobenius Distributions of Low Dimensional Abelian Varieties Over Finite Fields
Authors: Arango-Piñeros Santiago , Bhamidipati Deewang , Sankar Soumya
Published: July 2024

Given a $g$-dimensional abelian variety $A$ over a finite field $\mathbf{F}_{q}$, the Weil conjectures imply that the normalized Frobenius eigenvalues generate a multiplicative group of rank at most $g$. The Pontryagin dual of this group is a compact abelian Lie group that controls the distribution of high powers of the Frobenius endomorphism. This group, which we call the Serre–Frobenius group, encodes the possible multiplicative relations between the Frobenius eigenvalues. In this article, we classify all possible Serre–Frobenius groups that occur for $g \le 3$. We also give a partial classification for simple ordinary abelian varieties of prime dimension $g\geq 3$.
Phase 3 Study Assessing Lot-to-Lot Consistency of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prefusion Protein F3 Vaccine and Its Immune Response, Safety, and Reactogenicity When Co-administered With Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine
Authors: Chime Nnenna , Anspach Bruno , Jain Vishal , Laajalahti Outi , Ollinger Thierry , Yaplee Deborah , Kim Joon Hyung
Published: July 2024

Background

A single-dose investigational respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, RSV prefusion protein F3 (RSVPreF3), was co-administered with a single-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine (FLU-D-QIV) in a phase 3, randomized, controlled, multicenter study in healthy, nonpregnant women aged 18–49 years.

Methods

The study was observer-blind to evaluate the lot-to-lot consistency of RSVPreF3, and single-blind to evaluate the immune response, safety, and reactogenicity of RSVPreF3 co-administered with FLU-D-QIV.

Results

A total of 1415 participants were included in the per-protocol set. There was a robust immune response at day 31 across each of the 3 RSVPreF3 vaccine lots; adjusted geometric mean concentration ratios (95% confidence interval [CI]) were 1.01 (.91–1.12), 0.93 (.84–1.03), and 0.92 (.83–1.02) for RSV1/RSV2, RSV1/RSV3, and RSV2/RSV3, respectively. For FLU-D-QIV co-administered with RSVPreF3, versus FLU-D-QIV alone at day 31, noninferiority was satisfied for 3 of 4 strains assessed, with the lower limit of the 95% CI for geometric mean ratio >0.67.

Conclusions

Immunogenic consistency was demonstrated for 3 separate lots of RSVPreF3. Immunogenic noninferiority was demonstrated when comparing FLU-D-QIV administered alone, versus co-administered with RSVPreF3, for 3 strains of FLU-D-QIV. Co-administration was well tolerated, and both vaccines had clinically acceptable safety and reactogenicity profiles.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT05045144; EudraCT 2021-000357-26.
Historical Immigration Policies: Trends and Lessons
Authors: Peters Margaret E , Boräng Frida , Kalm Sara , Lindvall Johannes , Shin Adrian J
Published: July 2024

In recent years, scholars of migration have created several new immigration policy indexes, but most existing databases have limited temporal scope. They also focus, to a large extent, on the Global North. In this research note, we introduce the Historical Immigration Policy dataset (HIP), which begins to fill these gaps. We first provide an overview of the data and then describe how they offer new insights into immigration policy. We make three empirical observations. (1) On average, democracies are less open to immigration than authoritarian states but grant resident migrants more rights. (2) European states were open to immigration earlier than standard accounts of global migration assume. (3) Historically, openness to immigration and inclusive rights for resident migrants have often been complements, not substitutes.
Audience Costs and the Credibility of Public versus Private Threats in International Crises
Authors: Takei Makito
Published: July 2024

The credibility of public versus private threats in international crisis bargaining has received scholarly attention. While public threats are often believed to be more credible than private ones because of audience costs, others contend that private threats should be equally credible or even more. Also, the effect of public threats can be conditioned by other domestic factors such as domestic hawkishness and a leader’s unpopularity. To test these competing expectations, I conducted a conjoint survey experiment that examines how observers assess resolve to fight in an international crisis with a sample of US citizens (N = 1,203). Three major findings stand out. First, evidence suggests that both types of threats increase the perceived likelihood that a country will stand firm. Second, though their effect size is small, public threats are more effective than private ones. Lastly, I find support for the conditional effect of public threats, indicating that the underlying mechanism of the credibility of public threats is domestic audience costs.
Gender Wars? Diplomacy as a Depolarizing Practice in International Politics of Gender and Sexuality
Authors: de Silva Monika
Published: July 2024

Abstracts

To what extent is diplomacy a depolarizing tool of international society? This article proposes a novel theoretical and empirical focus on depolarization in international politics of gender and sexuality. It operationalizes the concepts of polarization and depolarization and integrates them with Self/Other theory in international relations. It puts forward an argument that the logic of diplomacy is, although not unequivocally, compatible with the logic of depolarization. The claim and the application of the framework are illustrated with a case study of gender equality and LGBT+ rights diplomacies in Poland. Based on the empirical findings, the article contends that diplomacy is primarily a practice of depolarization.
Promoting Law Beyond the State
Authors: Swenson Geoffrey
Published: July 2024

Abstracts

In countries receiving foreign aid, non-state justice systems rooted in custom or religion generally handle most legal disputes. This dramatically influences the prospects of international efforts to promote the rule of law, yet scholars have paid little attention to foreign policy toward non-state justice. This paper explores how the nine largest rule-of-law-assistance providers engaged non-state justice between 2008 and 2018, illuminating the theory behind, and the reality of, donor-state policy. It proposes a new classificatory typology of donor approaches to non-state justice detailing five strategies (denial, acknowledgment, acceptance, transformation, and rejection) and four goals (judicial reform, symbolic recognition, state-building, and counterinsurgency). It then explores how the nine largest rule-of-law-assistance donor states addressed non-state justice through a structured comparison of policy documents as well as case studies of the five donors with the most comprehensive approaches. Donors strongly favored risk-averse approaches, even when this made success unlikely. Certain policy goals—such as state-building or counterinsurgency—sometimes prompted riskier choices, but only with a compelling justification and a reasonable prospect of success. Overall, major rule-of-law donors displayed risk-averse, superficial policy, minimal stakeholder engagement, a failure to grapple with the nuances of legal pluralism, and a lack of evidence to support existing policies.
Disagreement in Aesthetics and Ethics: Against the Received Image
Authors: Guerreiro Vítor , Cadilha Susana
Published: July 2024

The way we think about disagreement is shaped by the systematic emphasizing of its adversarial, non-cooperative aspects. This is due to a perspective on arguing and disagreeing. Perspectives enable some thoughts and occlude others. We claim that the way some issues are thought of in aesthetics is conditioned by a similar phenomenon we call ‘the Received Image’ (RI), which parallels the influence on ethics of what Bernard Williams called ‘systems of morality’. Peter Kivy argued that disagreements in aesthetics, if genuine, presuppose that contenders are tacit realists about ‘art-relevant properties’: the motivation for arguing lies in making the adversary acknowledge (epistemic) defeat (in pursuing agreement from others). He draws this conclusion from what he sees as a fundamental difference between aesthetics and ethics. However, in our view, Kivy and his opponents in the semantic meta-debate on disagreement think under the aegis of the RI. We look at disagreements about art from a neo-cognitivist perspective, and argue that heuristic similarities between aesthetics and ethics stand out with an understanding-based epistemology coupled with an adequate theory of artistic form: form as a perspective-generating device whose grasping involves ‘infinitely fine adjustments’.
Check of APpropriaTeness of Antimicrobial therapy In Nursing homes (CAPTAIN):a point prevalence study in Belgium
Authors: Coenen Indira , Vander Elst Lotte , Spriet Isabel , Gijsen Matthias , Foulon Veerle , De Lepeleire Jan , Latour Katrien , Cossey Veerle , Schuermans Annette , Stroobants Nele , Quintens Charlotte
Published: July 2024

Objectives

The overall prevalence of antimicrobial therapy (AMT) in nursing homes is well described. However, less is known about the appropriateness of AMT in nursing home residents. Therefore, the Check of APpropriaTeness of antimicrobial therapy in nursing homes (CAPTAIN) study aimed to assess both prevalence and appropriateness of AMT in Belgian nursing homes.

Methods

In a prospective, observational, point prevalence study, researchers documented prevalence and identified potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) by evaluating accordance of AMT with national guidelines. The severity of inappropriateness was assessed by a modified Delphi expert panel.

Results

Eleven nursing homes, including 1178 residents, participated in this study. On the survey day, 8.0% of residents took systemic AMT, primarily for urinary tract infections (54.2%), respiratory tract infections (36.5%), and skin and skin-structure infections (6.3%). About half of these prescriptions were used in prophylaxis (52.1%). Registration of indication and stop date was missing in 58.3% and 56.3% of AMTs, respectively. In 89.6% of the systemic AMTs, at least one discordance with national guidelines was identified, resulting in a total of 171 PIPs, with 49 unique PIPs. Of all unique PIPs, 26.5% were assessed with a high severity score (≥4). According to the expert panel, most inappropriate practice was starting AMT for cough without other symptoms. Inappropriate timing of time-dependent AMTs was common, but assessed as ‘moderately severe’. One-third of systemic AMT exceeded the recommended duration.

Conclusions

AMT in nursing homes is often not prescribed according to national guidelines, highlighting the need for future interventions to promote the rational use of AMT in this setting.
“Covering provider”: an effort to streamline clinical communication chaos
Authors: Joshi Mugdha , Gokhale Arjun , Ma Stephen , Pendrey Anna , Wozniak Lauren , Moturu Anoosha , Schwartz Nicholas U , Wilson Austin , Darmawan Kelly , Phillips Brian , Cullum Stav , Sharp Christopher , Brown Gretchen , Shieh Lisa , Schmiesing Clifford
Published: July 2024

Objective

This report describes a root cause analysis of incorrect provider assignments and a standardized workflow developed to improve the clarity and accuracy of provider assignments.

Materials and Methods

A multidisciplinary working group involving housestaff was assembled. Key drivers were identified using value stream mapping and fishbone analysis. A report was developed to allow for the analysis of correct provider assignments. A standardized workflow was created and piloted with a single service line. Pre- and post-pilot surveys were administered to nursing staff and participating housestaff on the unit.

Results

Four key drivers were identified. A standardized workflow was created with an exclusive treatment team role in Epic held by a single provider at any given time, with a corresponding patient list column displaying provider information for each patient. Pre- and post-survey responses report decreased confusion, decreased provider identification errors, and increased user satisfaction among RNs and residents with sustained uptake over time.

Conclusion

This work demonstrates structured root cause analysis, notably engaging housestaff, to develop a standardized workflow for an understudied and growing problem. The development of tools and strategies to address the widespread burdens resulting from clinical communication failures is needed.
Incidence and clinical course of femoral localized periosteal thickening and atypical femoral fracture over a 10-year period in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease
Authors: Sato Hiroe , Kondo Naoki , Kurosawa Yoichi , Hasegawa Eriko , Wakamatsu Ayako , Nozawa Yukiko , Kobayashi Daisuke , Nakatsue Takeshi , Wada Yoko , Kazama Junichiro James , Kuroda Takeshi , Nakano Masaaki , Endo Naoto , Narita Ichiei
Published: July 2024

Atypical femoral fracture (AFF) is generally a rare complication of long-term use of bisphosphonate (BP); glucocorticoid (GC) use and Asian race are also risk factors. Femoral localized periosteal thickening (LPT, also termed “beaking”) of the lateral cortex often precedes AFF. This cohort study investigated the incidence of LPT and AFF and their clinical courses over 10 yr in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) treated with BP and GC. The study population consisted of 121 patients with AIRDs taking BP and GC. LPT was screened by X-ray, and the LPT shape was evaluated. Prednisolone (PSL) dose was 10 (8–12) mg/d at enrollment and 9 (6–10) mg/d at the last observation. LPT was evident in 10 patients at enrollment and increased linearly to 31 patients (26%) at the last observation. AFF occurred in 9 femurs of 5 patients with LPT. All patients with AFF had bilateral LPT, and the prevalence of pointed type and LPT height were higher in the AFF-positive group than in the AFF-negative group. AFF occurred before BP discontinuation in 2 patients, 1 yr after BP discontinuation in 1, after BP discontinuation followed by 7 yr of alfacalcidol use in 1, and after switching from alfacalcidol to denosumab in 1. The prevalence rates of AFF and LPT associated with long-term BP use with concomitant use of GC (mostly PSL ≥ 6 mg/d) in Japanese patients with AIRD increased over time. The selection of long-term osteoporosis treatment for LPT-positive patients is difficult in some cases.
Identification and prioritization of patient-centred strategies to enhance IBD-related care for older adults: a modified Delphi approach
Authors: Rohatinsky Noelle , Tooke Natasha , Fowler Sharyle , Rueda-Clausen Christian , Morrison Dirk , Winchester Judith , Peña-Sánchez Juan-Nicolás
Published: July 2024

Background

The older adult age group makes up one of the fastest-growing groups of individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is important to hear the perspectives of older adults living with IBD about care experiences and managing their illness. The purpose of this patient-oriented study was to identify and prioritize patient-centred strategies that have the potential to enhance IBD-related care for older adults in Saskatchewan.

Methods

The interprofessional research team, consisting of older adult individuals living with IBD, gastroenterology providers, and researchers specializing in IBD or older adult education used a modified Delphi approach to identify and prioritize strategies that may enhance IBD-related care for older adults. Thirty-one older adults with IBD participated in ranking, revising, and prioritizing statements related to their chronic illness care. Nine statements were developed that highlighted strategies for older adult IBD care.

Results

Through the consensus process, 6 statements were retained. Co-creating a treatment plan with the IBD provider was ranked as the top priority statement for older adults with IBD.

Conclusion

Facilitating collaborative relationships and understanding individual priorities for IBD-related care for older adults has the potential to enhance positive health outcomes and quality of life for these individuals.
Gomeza serrataDana, 1852 is a trichopeltariid, not a corystid, and a junior synonym ofPeltarion spinosulus(White, 1843) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Trichopeltarioidea)
Authors: Ng Peter K L , Tavares Marcos
Published: July 2024

The corystid Gomeza serrata Dana, 1852, described from Patagonia in South America has rarely been reported and its taxonomy is poorly understood. While superficially similar to G. bicornisGray, 1831 from the Indo-West Pacific and the type species of Gomeza Gray, 1931, direct comparisons have not been recorded. Examination of topotypic specimens show that Gomeza serrata is actually a juvenile of Peltarion spinosulus (White, 1843), a member of the family Trichopeltariidae. A neotype is selected for G. serrata to stabilize its taxonomy.
Substructure-based topology optimization design method for passive constrained damping structures
Authors: Wu Zijun , Xiao Renbin , Xiao Xiaofeng
Published: July 2024

This work presents a generalized substructure-based topology optimization method for passive constrained layer damping (PCLD) structures. Here, the model of PCLD structure is obtained by the Kirchhoff–Love thin plate formulation, and the whole structure is assumed to be composed of substructures with different yet connected scales and artificial lattice geometry features. Each substructure is condensed into a super-element to obtain the associated density-related matrices under the different geometry feature parameters, and the surrogate model for the stiffness and mass matrix of PCLD substructures with different densities has been particularly built. Using cubic spline interpolation, the derivatives of super-element matrices to the associated densities can be evaluated efficiently and accurately. The modal loss factor is defined as objective functions and topology optimization for the PCLD structures is formulated based on the model for PCLD plates that are described by combining the condensed substructures. Numerical examples under two lattice patterns of substructures and their corresponding physical tests show that the correctness and superiority of this substructure-based topology optimization approach for PCLD plates are verified.
How Numerical Cognition Explains Ambiguity Aversion
Authors: Lenkovskaya Marina , Sweldens Steven
Published: July 2024

Consumers generally prefer precise probabilities or outcomes over imprecise ranges with the same expected value, a bias known as “ambiguity aversion.” We argue that two elementary principles of numerical cognition explain great heterogeneity in this bias, affecting consumer choices in many domains where options are characterized by varying levels of uncertainty (e.g., lotteries, discounts, investment products, vaccines, etc.). The first principle, the “compression effect,” stipulates that consumers’ mental number lines are increasingly compressed at greater number magnitudes. This alone suffices to predict ambiguity aversion as it causes a midpoint (e.g., $40) to be perceived as closer to the upper bound of a range (e.g., $60) compared to its lower bound (e.g., $20). Furthermore, as the compression effect distorts the mental number line especially at lower numbers, it follows that ambiguity aversion should decrease around greater numbers. The second principle, the “left-digit effect” causes a range’s relative attractiveness to decrease (increase) disproportionately with every left-digit transition in its lower (upper) bound, thus increasing (decreasing) ambiguity aversion. Due to the overall compression effect, the impact of the left-digit effect increases at greater numbers. We present 34 experiments (N = 10,634) to support the theory’s predictions and wide applicability.
Hydroxyurea in Sickle Cell Disease and Invasive Bacterial Infections: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Pascault Alice , Koehl Bérengère , Brousse Valentine , Benkerrou Malika , Gaschignard Jean
Published: July 2024

Hydroxyurea decreases painful events among children with sickle cell disease (SCD) but could increase the risk of infections in treated patients through leucopenia. We performed a case–control study, comparing hydroxyurea treatment for SCD in cases with an invasive bacterial infection and in controls without infection. No difference was found.
Isolated traumatic triceps tendon rupture following a motorcycle accident: a case report
Authors: Argueta Victor H , Saenz Daniela , Ardebol Javier
Published: July 2024

Triceps tendon ruptures are rare but significant injuries that impair upper extremity function. Despite their infrequency, recognizing this condition is crucial due to its severe impact on arm movement and strength. Patients typically present with posterior elbow pain, swelling, and bruising.This report details a complete triceps tendon rupture in a 34-year-old male following trauma. The patient exhibited classic symptoms: posterior elbow pain, significant swelling, and visible bruising, initially suggesting a severe soft tissue injury. Clinical examination and imaging confirmed a complete triceps tendon rupture. This case highlights the importance of considering triceps tendon rupture in patients with similar symptoms, particularly after trauma. Early recognition and accurate diagnosis are essential for timely surgical intervention, significantly improving functional recovery. Delayed diagnosis and treatment can lead to prolonged disability and poor outcomes, emphasizing the need for heightened awareness among healthcare providers regarding this rare but serious injury.
Spatial clustering of dengue cases during the 2024 epidemic in Brazil
Authors: Siqueira Thayane Santos , Silva Lívia Silveira , de Holanda Jamile Rodrigues Cosme , Carvalho Sálvia Cely Cerqueira , Silva José Rodrigo Santos , Santos Victor Santana
Published: July 2024

This study on the 2024 dengue epidemic in Brazil analysed 3.5 million cases. High-risk areas were identified in the Southeast and South regions. Spatial clustering and healthcare disparities were examined, showing a negative correlation between dengue incidence and healthcare coverage. Effective public health interventions are recommended.
Cash Cows and Dogs with Dentures: Prostheses for Animals in Nineteenth-Century British Culture
Authors: Sweet Ryan
Published: July 2024

This article shows how the history of prostheticized animals is much deeper and richer than one might think. Investigating the interest in fitting animals with prostheses throughout the nineteenth century in Britain, this article explores the emergence of animal prostheses in bovine agriculture through to their use in late Victorian pet keeping. The key concern of this piece is the varied responses to prostheticized animals in print culture. As this article shows through an analysis of magazine and newspaper contributions, reactions to animal prostheses varied from admiration and amazement to annoyance and disgust. By analysing this coverage, the article reveals how representations of animal prostheses brought into collision a surprising variety of important social discourses, including those related to economic productivity, prosthesis access, food adulteration, professional recognition, social norms, class hierarchies, and gender relations. Animal prostheses proved a novel yet apt image that distilled a wide variety of societal concerns. Redirecting the critical momentum established by recent scholarship that unites disability studies and critical animal studies, this article uses nineteenth-century animal prostheses as a case study to demonstrate how the concepts of disability, ableism, classism, and misogyny have been extended by humans across species boundaries and how our approaches to nonhuman care are impacted by them. It therefore establishes a new field of inquiry within Victorian studies for scholarship on the interface between discourses of disability and nonhuman animals.
Differences in stomatal sensitivity to CO2 and light influence variation in water use efficiency and leaf carbon isotope composition in two genotypes of the C4 plant Zea mays
Authors: Crawford Joseph D , Twohey Robert J , Pathare Varsha S , Studer Anthony J , Cousins Asaph B
Published: July 2024

The ratio of net CO2 uptake (Anet) and stomatal conductance (gs) is an intrinsic measurement of leaf water use efficiency (WUEi); however, its measurement can be challenging for large phenotypic screens. Measurements of the leaf carbon isotope composition (δ13Cleaf) may be a scalable tool to approximate WUEi for screening because it in part reflects the competing influences of Anet and gs on the CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) inside the leaf over time. However, in C4 photosynthesis, the CO2-concentrating mechanism complicates the relationship between δ13Cleaf and WUEi. Despite this complicated relationship, several studies have shown genetic variation in δ13Cleaf across C4 plants. Yet there has not been a clear demonstration of if Anet or gs are the causal mechanisms controlling WUEi and δ13Cleaf. Our approach was to characterize leaf photosynthetic traits of two Zea mays recombinant inbred lines (Z007E0067 and Z007E0150) which consistently differ for δ13Cleaf even though they have minimal confounding genetic differences. We demonstrate that these two genotypes contrasted in WUEi driven by differences in the speed of stomatal responses to changes in pCO2 and light that lead to unproductive leaf water loss. These findings provide support that differences in δ13Cleaf in closely related genotypes do reflect greater WUEi and further suggest that differences in stomatal kinetic response to changing environmental conditions is a key target to improve WUEi.