bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Noninvasive approach to indicate risk factors of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis overlapping autoimmune hepatitis based on peripheral lymphocyte pattern
Authors: Kado Akira , Tsutsumi Takeya , Yotsuyanagi Hiroshi , Ikeuchi Kazuhiko , Okushin Kazuya , Moriya Kyoji , Koike Kazuhiko , Fujishiro Mitsuhiro
Published: September 2023

Background

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) clinically includes autoimmunity as indicated by antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity and overlap of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Discriminating AIH-overlap NASH from NAFLD/NASH is required for proper treatment, and typically involves pathological diagnosis by invasive liver biopsy. Differential patterns of peripheral lymphocytes in NAFLD and AIH were assessed to noninvasively indicate risk factors of AIH-overlap NASH by flow cytometry (FCM).

Methods

We assessed the differential frequencies of peripheral lymphocytes in 115 patients: 70 NASH (ANA negative:positive:AIH-overlap = 36:20:14), 18 NAFL, and 27 AIH (acute:chronic = 12:15) patients diagnosed by FCM. We focused on the following populations of lymphocytes: T cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, NKT cells, helper T cell (Th) subsets (Th1, Th2, and Th17), and regulatory T cells; we also examined programmed cell death (PD) 1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen levels.

Results

Several significant differences in laboratory parameters and peripheral lymphocyte frequencies were found among the NAFLD and AIH subgroups. In univariate and multivariate analyses, hyaluronic acid level, liver stiffness, and the frequencies of Th17 and CD8+ PD1+ T cells were independent risk factors of NASH in NAFLD. Regarding overlap of AIH, only the frequency of CD8+ PD1+ T cells (odds ratio, 0.01; 95% CI 0.00–38.9, p = 0.004) was an independent risk factor in NASH and significantly decreased in AIH.

Conclusions

The decreased frequency of peripheral CD8+ PD1+ T cells is an independent risk factor of NASH overlapping with AIH in the present cohort. Our findings will facilitate development of a new noninvasive FCM method for indicating risk factors of NASH, including autoimmunity.
Analysis of complications and revisions after spine surgery in 270 multiple myeloma patients with spinal involvement
Authors: Zijlstra H. , Pierik R. J. , Crawford A. M. , Tobert D. G. , Wolterbeek N. , Oosterhoff J. H. F. , Delawi D. , Terpstra W. E. , Kempen D. H. R. , Verlaan J. J. , Schwab J. H.
Published: September 2023

Background context

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are at increased risk of infections and suffer from poor bone quality due to their disseminated malignant bone disease. Therefore, postoperative complications may occur following surgical treatment of MM lesions.

Purpose

In this study, we aimed to determine the incidence of postoperative complications and retreatments after spinal surgery in MM patients. Additionally, we sought to identify risk factors associated with complications and retreatments.

Study design

Retrospective cohort study.

Patient sample.

In total, 270 patients with MM who received surgical treatment for spinal involvement between 2008 and 2021 were included.

Outcome measures.

The incidence of perioperative complications within 6 weeks and reoperations within 2.5 years and individual odds ratios for factors associated with these complications and reoperations.

Methods

Data were collected through manual chart review. Hosmer and Lemeshow’s purposeful regression method was used to identify risk factors for complications and reoperations.

Results

The median age of our cohort was 65 years (SD = 10.8), and 58% were male (n = 57). Intraoperative complications were present in 24 patients (8.9%). The overall 6-week complication rate after surgery was 35% (n = 95). The following variables were independently associated with 6-week complications: higher Genant grading of a present vertebral fracture (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.04–1.95; p = .031), receiving intramuscular or intravenous steroids within a week prior to surgery (OR 3.97; 95% CI 1.79–9.06; p = .001), decompression surgery without fusion (OR 6.53; 95% CI 1.30–36.86; p = .026), higher creatinine levels (OR 2.18; 95% CI 1.19–5.60; p = .014), and lower calcium levels (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.37–0.88; p = .013). A secondary surgery was indicated for 53 patients (20%), of which 13 (4.8%) took place within two weeks after the initial surgery. We additionally discovered factors associated with retreatments, which are elucidated within the manuscript.

Conclusion

The goal of surgical treatment for MM bone disease is to enhance patient quality of life and reduce symptom burden. However, postoperative complication rates remain relatively high after spine surgery in patients with MM, likely attributable to both inherent characteristics of the disease and patient comorbidities. The risk for complications and secondary surgeries should be explored and a multidisciplinary approach is crucial.
Patient characteristics, surgical treatment, and outcomes in spinal gout: a systematic review of 315 cases
Authors: Harlianto Netanja I. , Harlianto Zaneta N.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To systematically investigate all published literature on spinal gout regarding location demographics, patient characteristics, treatment, and outcomes.

Methods

We performed a systematic literature search of Medline and EMBASE from inception until April 15, 2023. Two investigators performed data extraction and quality assessment of location demographics and patient characteristics and outcomes of all article types describing spinal gout.

Results

A total of 214 articles (204 case reports and 10 case series) were included, encompassing 315 subjects with spinal gout (81% male, mean age 58.1 years; range: 16–92). Most cases (36%) were between the age of 60–69 years. We observed an increase in publications and cases from 1950 to the present. Most patients were from institutions in Asia (n = 119, 37.8%) and North America (n = 96, 30.5%). Reported symptoms frequently included back pain (75%), radiating pain to extremities (27.3%), and weakness in the extremities (26.3%). The lumbar spine was most often affected. Pharmacological treatment was described for 108 (34.2%) patients. Surgery was performed for 146 (46.3%) of patients, of which 4.8% had postoperative complications. Three patients (2%) required secondary surgery for recurrence.

Conclusion

Published cases of spinal gout have increased over the last decades. Patient characteristics of spinal gout were similar to findings in systemic gout. Trends identified in patient characteristics and treatment outcomes may help guide patient management and improve our understanding of spinal gout.
Next-generation sequencing reveals altered gene expression and enriched pathways in triple-negative breast cancer cells treated with oleuropein and oleocanthal
Authors: Karousi Paraskevi , Kontos Christos K. , Papakotsi Panagiota , Kostakis Ioannis K. , Skaltsounis Alexios-Leandros , Scorilas Andreas
Published: September 2023

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer characterized by poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Oleuropein and oleocanthal are bioactive chemicals found in extra-virgin olive oil; they have been shown to have anti-cancer potential. In this study, we examined the inhibitory effects of these two natural compounds, on MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cell lines. The human TNBC MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines were treated with oleuropein or oleocanthal at ranging concentrations for 48 h. After determining the optimum concentration to reach IC50, using the sulforhodamine B assay, total RNA was extracted after 12, 24, and 48 h from treated and untreated cells. Poly(A)-RNA selection was conducted, followed by library construction and RNA sequencing. Differential gene expression (DEG) analysis was performed to identify DEGs between treated and untreated cells. Pathway analysis was carried out using the KEGG and GO databases. Oleuropein and oleocanthal considerably reduced the proliferation of TNBC cells, with oleocanthal having a slightly stronger effect than oleuropein. Furthermore, multi-time series RNA sequencing showed that the expression profile of TNBC cells was significantly altered after treatment with these compounds, with temporal dynamics and groups of genes consistently affected at all time points. Pathway analysis revealed several significant pathways associated with TNBC, including cell death, apoptotic process, programmed cell death, response to stress, mitotic cell cycle process, cell division, and cancer progression. Our findings suggest that oleuropein and oleocanthal have potential therapeutic benefits for TNBC and can be further investigated as alternative treatment options.
Non-adherence and epileptic emergency—reasons and solutions
Authors: Arnet Isabelle , Dietrich Fine , Rüegg Stephan , Allemann Samuel S.
Published: September 2023

Background

One important cause of epileptic treatment failure and emergency department visits is due to non-adherence. Medication adherence is a complex behavior that describes the association between recommended and actual medicine use. Numerous modifiable and unmodifiable factors may affect medication adherence in patients with epilepsy. Other factors, such as pharmacogenetics, need to be considered and may provide opportunities in the future treatment of epilepsy.

Method

We present the case of a patient with newly diagnosed epilepsy and sub-therapeutic levels for antiseizure medication due to suspected non-adherence. We delineate the main challenges while elucidating the reasons for unmet seizure control, and suggest interventions for adherence management.

Results

In the case of unmet therapeutic goals, distinguishing non-response, pharmacoresistance, and non-adherence remains a challenge. We suggest first double-checking therapy-related factors (interaction, contra-indication) and adapting them. Then, behavior-related reasons should be elucidated depending on the treatment phase (initiation, implementation, persistence). Improving adherence through modifiable factors targets forgetfulness, medication management, beliefs/concerns, and costs. The intervention should be tailored to the modifiable factors. Pharmacogenetic tests can be used to predict how an individual may respond to a specific pharmacotherapy, but only in specific situations and in combination with other information.

Conclusion

Non-adherence should be considered as a common cause of epileptic treatment failure. We recommend elucidating the modifiable reasons systematically alongside therapeutic and behavioral factors.
Finite Tree-Countermodels via Refutation Systems in Extensions of Positive Logic with Strong Negation
Authors: Skura Tomasz
Published: September 2023

A sufficient condition for an extension of positive logic with strong negation to be characterized by a class of finite trees is given.
Evaluation of model predictive control (MPC) of solar thermal heating system with thermal energy storage for buildings with highly variable occupancy levels
Authors: Wei Zhichen , Calautit John
Published: September 2023

The presence or absence of occupants in a building has a direct effect on its energy use, as it influences the operation of various building energy systems. Buildings with high occupancy variability, such as universities, where fluctuations occur throughout the day and across the year, can pose challenges in developing control strategies that aim to balance comfort and energy efficiency. This situation becomes even more complex when such buildings are integrated with renewable energy technologies, due to the inherently intermittent nature of these energy source. To promote widespread integration of renewable energy sources in such buildings, the adoption of advanced control strategies such as model predictive control (MPC) is imperative. However, the variable nature of occupancy patterns must be considered in its design. In response to this, the present study evaluates a price responsive MPC strategy for a solar thermal heating system integrated with thermal energy storage (TES) for buildings with high occupancy variability. The coupled system supplies the building heating through a low temperature underfloor heating system. A case study University building in Nottingham, UK was employed for evaluating the feasibility of the proposed heating system controlled by MPC strategy. The MPC controller aims to optimize the solar heating system’s operation by dynamically adjusting to forecasted weather, occupancy, and solar availability, balancing indoor comfort with energy efficiency. By effectively integrating with thermal energy storage, it maximizes solar energy utilization, reducing reliance on non-renewable sources and ultimately lowering energy costs. The developed model has undergone verification and validation process, utilizing both numerical simulations and experimental data. The result shows that the solar hot water system provided 63% heating energy in total for the case study classroom and saved more than half of the electricity cost compared with that of the original building heating system. The electricity cost saving has been confirmed resulting from the energy shifting from high price periods to medium to low price periods through both active and passive heating energy storages.
miR-17 ~ 92 suppresses proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells by inhibiting cell cycle regulator Cdt2
Authors: Singh Garima , Sharma Sonika Kumari , Dorata Aastha , Singh Samarendra Kumar
Published: September 2023

Cervical cancer (CC) is the 4th most leading cause of death among women worldwide, and if diagnosed in late stages the treatment options are almost negligible. 99% of CC is caused by high-risk human papilloma viruses (HR-HPV). Upon integration into human genome, the encoded viral proteins mis-regulate various onco-suppressors and checkpoint factors including cell cycle regulators. One such protein is cell cycle S phase licensing factor, CDC-10 dependent transcript-2 (Cdt2) which has been reported to be highly upregulated in various cancers including CC. Also, in CC cells, several tumor suppressor miRNAs are suppressed, including miR-17 ~ 92 cluster. In this study, we report that miR-17 ~ 92 directly recruits to 3’UTR of Cdt2 and downregulates this oncogene which suppresses the proliferation, migration and invasion capabilities of the CC cell lines without affecting non-cancerous cells. We further show that suppression of Cdt2 by miR-17 ~ 92, blocks the cancerous cells in S phase and induces apoptosis, eventually leading to their death. Hence, our work for the first time, mechanistically shows how miR-17 ~ 92 could work as tumor suppressor in cervical cancer cells, opening up the potential of miR-17 ~ 92 to be used in developing therapy for cervical cancer treatment.
The impacts of CO2 flooding on crude oil stability and recovery performance
Authors: Hartono Kartika F. , Permadi Asep K. , Siagian Ucok W. R. , Hakim Andri L. L. , Paryoto Sumadi , Resha Ahlul H. , Adinugraha Yudistira , Pratama Egi A.
Published: September 2023

Numerous studies have investigated the fundamental mechanisms by which CO2 flooding can increase oil production by altering the properties of the hydrocarbon fluid, including oil swelling, viscosity and interfacial tension reductions, and the extraction of light-to-intermediate components. However, the interactions between CO2 and hydrocarbon fluid may also cause several problems, such as asphaltene precipitation due to crude oil's instability during the CO2 flooding process. This study investigates the complex factors that affect the instability of crude oil, including CO2 injection pressures, temperatures, and crude oil compositions. The light-dead oil samples taken from two Indonesian oil fields were used. The impacts of the instability of crude oil on CO2 displacement performance were also observed to evaluate oil recovery and minimum miscibility pressure (MMP). The observation was performed using a slim tube under varying CO2 high-pressure injections at 90 °C and 70 °C. The produced oils were analyzed based on their polarity component, saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes fractions, to observe the changes in oil composition and colloidal index instability. The results showed that increasing temperatures at given pressures resulted in higher oil recovery. Moreover, the asphaltene and resin fractions in the oil produced at a lower temperature significantly decrease compared to those at a higher temperature. It was also shown that asphaltene tends to precipitate more easily at a lower temperature. The other phenomenon revealed that the lighter oil resulted in a lower recovery than the heavier oil at a given pressure and temperature and correspondingly higher MMP. It was also suggested that CO2 flooding is more likely to cause asphaltene precipitation in light oils.
Analyzing the changing landscape of the Covid-19 vaccine debate on Twitter
Authors: Santoro Arnaldo , Galeazzi Alessandro , Scantamburlo Teresa , Baronchelli Andrea , Quattrociocchi Walter , Zollo Fabiana
Published: September 2023

The issue of vaccine hesitancy has posed a significant challenge during the Covid-19 pandemic, as it increases the risk of undermining public health interventions aimed at mitigating the spread of the virus. While the swift development of vaccines represents a remarkable scientific achievement, it has also contributed to skepticism and apprehension among some populations. Against this backdrop, the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine by the European Medicines Agency further exacerbated an already contentious debate around vaccine safety. This paper examines the Twitter discourse surrounding Covid-19 vaccines, focusing on the temporal and geographical dimensions of the discussion. Using over a year’s worth of data, we study the public debate in five countries (Germany, France, UK, Italy, and the USA), revealing differences in the interaction structure and in the production volume of questionable and reliable sources. Topic modeling highlights variations in the perspectives of reliable and questionable sources, but some similarities across nations. Also, we quantify the effect of vaccine announcement and suspension, finding that only the former had a significant impact in all countries. Finally, we analyze the evolution of the communities in the interaction network, revealing a relatively stable scenario with a few considerable shifts between communities with different levels of reliability. Our results suggest that major external events can be associated with changes in the online debate in terms of content production and interaction patterns. However, despite the AZ suspension, we do not observe any noticeable changes in the production and consumption of misinformation related to Covid-19 vaccines.
A Trilemma for the Singularitarian
Authors: Chen Melvin
Published: September 2023

Singularitarianism is a view that is grounded in certain claims about the technological singularity. In this paper, I identify a trilemma that confronts singularitarianism. This trilemma may be characterized in terms of the following horns: the concept of a technological singularity having a literal sense, the concept of a technological singularity having a metaphorical sense, and the concept of a technological singularity having neither a literal nor a metaphorical sense (i.e., its being nonsensical). I will outline the unpalatable consequences that are associated with each of these three horns of the trilemma. I will also anticipate a few argumentative moves on behalf of singularitarianism and suggest why these moves may be insufficient. I will conclude by arguing that we have good philosophical grounds to defend an eliminativism about the concept of the technological singularity.
Distruttori endocrini dal 2023 in poi
Authors: Giannelli Jacopo , Campioni Lorenzo , Rossi Mattia , Prencipe Nunzia , Marinelli Lorenzo , Pagano Loredana , Giordano Roberta
Published: September 2023

Sommario

I distruttori o interferenti endocrini (IE) sono sostanze o miscele di sostanze che interferiscono con il sistema endocrino con implicazioni negative sull’individuo e sulla sua progenie. Nell’ultimo decennio, la ricerca scientifica ha studiato i principali effetti degli IE sulla salute e ancora oggi molti non sono noti. In questa rassegna si descriveranno i principali effetti e i meccanismi di azione di alcuni IE su ipofisi, tiroide, ghiandole surrenaliche e gonadi, e i possibili sviluppi futuri.
Chemical Range of Stability for Self-Dusting Ladle Furnace Slags and Destabilizing Effect of Sulfur
Authors: Mombelli D. , Dall’Osto G. , Fumagalli A. , Mapelli C.
Published: September 2023

Ladle furnace slags are characterized by volumetric expansions associated with the transition of dicalcium silicate (C2S) from β to γ phase, which generates fine dust during cooling, causing handling and storage issues that further reduce their recycling opportunities. The present work focuses on the effect of slag basicity on dusting and the role of sulfur on slag stability. Seven synthetic ladle slag precursors were made by mixing lime, magnesia, quartz and alumina in different proportions to match effective industrial compositions, increasing the binary basicity and keeping the ternary and quaternary indexes unchanged. Samples were heated to 1500 °C for 15 min and monitored during air cooling (< 5 °C/s) through thermocouples and camera to characterize the behavior, temperature, and time interval of dusting. The cooled samples were characterized chemically, mineralogically and morphologically. Starting from the chemistry of a self-stabilized slag, five additional slag precursors, characterized by increasing amounts of S, were created and analyzed using the same procedures. Experimental evidence showed the presence of three different dusting behaviors (stable, partial and complete) and stabilization of the slag once an optical basicity of 0.748 or higher was reached. In addition, mayenite was identified as the main phase capable of suppressing the β to γ transition by exerting hydrostatic pressure on C2S. Finally, although S can stabilize the β phase when dissolved in it, after saturation it precipitates as CaS, which can react with mayenite, locally decreasing the optical basicity and allowing dusting.

Graphical Abstract
Prediction of uniaxial compressive strength of the Kızılkaya ignimbrite with variable properties using MRA and ANN, Cappadocia (Turkey)
Authors: Deniz Burcu Ertas , Topal Tamer
Published: September 2023

Cappadocia in Turkey is an important region with emphasis on ethnic and historic structures and geological features. Because of volcanic eruptions, ash flow materials deposited at different levels. These different colored ignimbrite levels have a wide range of geomechanical properties. In the region, the Kızılkaya ignimbrite covers a very large area and is frequently used as building dimension stone in for the restoration of old historical buildings such as churches, caravansaries and mosques as well as new buildings. It contains tuffaceous matrix with some minerals and rock fragments. The rock has variable character. In this study, the relationship between petrographic and physico-mechanical properties of the Kızılkaya ignimbrite was investigated. Rate of change between uniaxial compressive strength and the other index properties of the rock was statistically examined utilizing multiple regression analysis (MRA) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) methods. The study has shown that uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of the ignimbrite can be successfully estimated by the use of dry unit weight, effective porosity, sonic velocity, and grain matrix ratio (GMR) parameters. A new UCS prediction equation is proposed in this paper for the ignimbrite with variable character. Since properties of the ignimbrite at different distances from the eruption area changes significantly, the approach presented in this study can be considered for the ignimbrites especially covering a large area with different welding degrees and grains.
Combating the Opioid Crisis and Its National Security Threat Through CReDO: A Multidisciplinary Solution With Disaster Medicine Implications
Authors: Woodward Christina Ann , Issa Fadi Salah , Caneva Duane Carl , Voskanyan Amalia , Gadhia Raj Arvind , Hart Alexander , Hertelendy Attila Julius , DiGregorio David Anthony , Ciottone Robert Gregory , Ciottone Gregory Robert
Published: September 2023

For the first time in history, the United States surpassed 100 000 overdose-related deaths in a 12-month period, driven by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Also, for the first time, potential chemical weapons are readily available on the streets and the dark web. Opioids represent a rare trifecta, used for licit pain management, as an illicit drug of abuse, and with potential use as a weapon of terror. Community-based Response to Drug Overdose (CReDO) is an initiative to unite agencies, disciplines, government, and private partners in 1 coordinated opioid emergencies response plan under nationwide standards, and can be integrated into the disaster medicine discipline due to the risk of mass casualty incidents involving fentanyl or its derivatives. Attention to the opioid crisis through CReDO will save lives by promoting information sharing between disciplines, shortened response time to overdose clusters, community collaboration to identify criminal distribution networks, and holistic approaches to addiction.
Confidence in China’s political system was linked to perception of Covid infection risk, Covid health threat, and attitudes toward dynamic Zero-Covid policy
Authors: Li King King , Hong Ying-yi
Published: September 2023

How was Chinese people’s confidence in the political system linked to their perception of Covid infection risk, perception of health threat of Covid infection, lockdown experience, and attitudes toward the dynamic Zero-Covid policy? Using 2 waves of online surveys conducted in 2020 and 2022, we investigated how these factors were related. Individuals who were more supportive of the Zero-Covid policy were more confident. Those who were less supportive of the Zero-Covid policy were from areas with more severe Covid infections and experienced a longer lockdown as well; these individuals also perceived higher Covid infection risk and health threat. As such, their confidence in the political system was also more likely to drop from 2020 to 2022. In sum, these findings suggest that Chinese people’s confidence in the political system was linked to their Covid infection risk perception, perceived Covid threat to health, lockdown experience, and attitudes toward the Zero-Covid policy. These findings were corroborated with the severity of Covid infections in the province and individual’s political beliefs and orientation.
Shape index, Brouwer degree and Poincaré–Hopf theorem
Authors: Barge Héctor , Sanjurjo José M.R.
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we study the relationship of the Brouwer degree of a vector field with the dynamics of the induced flow. Analogous relations are studied for the index of a vector field. We obtain new forms of the Poincar é–Hopf theorem and of the Borsuk and Hirsch antipodal theorems. As an application, we calculate the Brouwer degree of the vector field of the Lorenz equations in isolating blocks of the Lorenz strange set.
Repeated exposure affects susceptibility and responses of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) towards the ectoparasitic salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis)
Authors: Stølen Ugelvik Mathias , Mennerat Adele , Mæhle Stig , Dalvin Sussie
Published: September 2023

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is repeatedly exposed to and infected with ectoparasitic salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) both in farms and in nature. However, this is not reflected in laboratory experiments where fish typically are infected only once. To investigate if a previous lice infection affects host response to subsequent infections, fish received 4 different experimental treatments; including 2 groups of fish that had previously been infected either with adult or infective salmon lice larvae (copepodids). Thereafter, fish in all treatment groups were infected with either a double or a single dose of copepodids originating from the same cohort. Fish were sampled when lice had developed into the chalimus, the pre-adult and the adult stage, respectively. Both the specific growth rate and cortisol levels (i.e. a proxy for stress) of the fish differed between treatments. Lice success (i.e. ability to infect and survive on the host) was higher in naïve than in previously infected fish (pre-adult stage). The expression of immune and wound healing transcripts in the skin also differed between treatments, and most noticeable was a higher upregulation early in the infection in the group previously infected with copepodids. However, later in the infection, the least upregulation was observed in this group, suggesting that previous exposure to salmon lice affects the response of Atlantic salmon towards subsequent lice infections.
‘With all praise to your exalted frequencies, consider me your friend’: listening, technology and musicking in the Church of Scientology
Authors: Wagner Tom
Published: September 2023

This article discusses musicking in the Church of Scientology, and how it can be used to understand the organisation and its relationship to society. The article begins by discussing the essential place oflisteningin Scientological practice, noting that it is one of several ‘technologies’ that institutionalise the charisma of its founder, L. Ron Hubbard. It next demonstrates how Hubbard's hagiography influences how the church produces music today. This leads to a consideration of the ‘whole track sound’ of Scientology and uses the albumHymn of Asia(2000) to discuss how Scientological concepts are embedded sonically and lyrically into the church's recorded music outputs. The final section discusses the importance ofcommunicationin Scientology's musical thought, using interviews drawn from my fieldwork in Los Angeles to highlight the benefits and limits of music as a medium of (religious) communication.
Introduction to the special issue on working memory and L2 writing: Implications for SLA individual differences research
Authors: Manchón Rosa M. , Sanz Cristina
Published: September 2023

This Introduction to the special issue first elaborates on the rationale for advocating the inclusion of L2 writing in SLA individual differences (IDs) research and subsequently provides an overview of empirical work on IDs in the domain of writing, with a focus on cognitive IDs and specifically working memory. Against this background, we synthesize the focus, structure, and contents of the special issue. We finish with substantive and methodological suggestions for moving forward in research agendas on IDs and L2 writing.
Clinical characteristics of 1279 patients with hepatitis E in Tianjin
Authors: Yang Hang , Wen Jun , Zhang Qian , Chen Chen , Ma Haixia , Zhao Lili , Li Jia
Published: September 2023

Hepatitis E virus infection is a major cause of acute hepatitis, typically self-limiting but occasionally leading to liver failure. Understanding disease progression factors could inform prevention strategies. This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of a large cohort of hospitalised hepatitis E patients in Tianjin, China, and explore factors influencing their progression to liver failure. A total of 1279 hospitalised patients with hepatitis E were included in this cross-sectional study in Tianjin, China. Student's t-test and the Mann–Whitney U-test were used for comparisons. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association. Among these 1279 patients, 107 (8.4%) developed liver failure. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.150–2.887, p = 0.011), liver cirrhosis (95% [CI] 2.229–7.224, p < 0.001), and hepatitis B (95% [CI] 1.159–4.512, p = 0.017) were more likely to progress to liver failure. Hepatitis E patients with comorbid DM, liver cirrhosis, or hepatitis B virus co-infection have higher risks of developing liver failure. Hepatitis E vaccination may be recommended for these vulnerable patients to curb disease severity.
Análisis tecnológico de los mosaicos de pirita de Tak'alik Ab'aj
Authors: Schieber de Lavarreda Christa , Melgar Tísoc Emiliano Ricardo , Solís Ciriaco Reyna Beatriz , Orrego Corzo Miguel , Claudio Jeremías
Published: September 2023

El sitio de Tak'alik Ab'aj se encuentra en la bocacosta suroccidental de Guatemala. Durante las excavaciones del Entierro 1 de la Estructura 7A, fechado para finales del preclásico tardío (150 d.C.), se recuperó un rico ajuar funerario compuesto por decenas de piezas de jadeitita, hematita, pirita y cuatro mosaicos “reflectores” de este mismo material. Cada uno fue labrado con la misma tecnología de manufactura y soporte “flexible” de fragmentos de cerámica (ensamblados con resina) por primera vez documentado, y diseño propio para la función y significado que desempeñara. Dos de ellos fueron integrados en la pechera y faldellín del traje ceremonial; los otros dos como parte del ajuar adicional de un posible portaestandarte.

En este trabajo se incluye el estudio traceológico-tecnológico de las teselas de estos mosaicos del Entierro 1 a través de la caracterización de sus huellas de manufactura con arqueología experimental y microscopías óptica y electrónica de barrido. De esta manera se detectó una elaboración muy estandarizada en la que se aprovecharon instrumentos hechos con rocas volcánicas locales, como la dacita, cuyo sello tecnológico no ha sido reportado hasta el momento en otra colección lapidaria maya.
Mirrors and reflective objects at Kaminaljuyu
Authors: Arroyo Bárbara
Published: September 2023

Slate disks have been reported from various excavations in the Maya Highlands. These artifacts have typically been described as supports or backings for iron-ore and pyrite mirrors. A number of these objects have been recovered in context at Kaminaljuyu, Guatemala. Whenever objects with reflective surfaces are identified in the field, they tend to be interpreted as mirrors, but they may have been worn as insignia on clothing. Recent finds at Kaminaljuyu, such as special deposits associated with Ballcourt B, suggest the use of reflective objects as part of the ballgame player's paraphernalia. The ballgame was an important ritual practice at Kaminaljuyu, as exemplified by the 13 ballcourts reported at the site. Archaeological evidence for this new interpretation will be presented, as well as a review of other examples excavated throughout the highlands, as part of an exploration of the exchange networks connected to regional trade in these exotic goods.
Human Activity Coupled With Climate Change Strengthens the Role of Lakes as an Active Pipe of Dissolved Organic Matter
Authors: Du YingXun , Chen FeiZhou , Zhang YunLin , He Hu , Wen ShuaiLong , Huang XiuLin , Song ChunQiao , Li KuanYi , Wang JunBo , Keellings David , Lu YueHan
Published: September 2023

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in lakes is controlled by multiple environmental drivers, but the relative importance of various drivers remains poorly understood at the continental scale. Here, we established a model resolving possible influencing pathways of climate, land cover, societal development, and water retention time of lakes on the quantity and quality of chromophoric DOM (CDOM) from 182 lakes spanning across strong climatic and economic gradients in China. Our results indicate that land cover and societal development both exhibit positive direct effects on lake CDOM quantity, highlighting the significant role of well‐vegetated soils and anthropogenic activities as sources of lake DOM on a continental scale. Climate has two strong but opposite effects—a warming and wet climate facilitates soil OM production and export, while it also enhances CDOM in‐lake transformation. Three proxies are proposed as indicators of the magnitude of biogeochemical drivers influencing lake DOM across different ecoclimatic zones, including fluorescent DOM/DOC indicating economic activity, percentages of a degraded fluorescent DOM component indicating solar irradiation, and percent tyrosine‐like DOM reflecting DOM processing time within the watershed and lake. Collectively, our findings indicate that the effects of climate change and rapid societal development will result in increased loadings of terrestrial and anthropogenic DOM into lakes and drive higher rates of within‐lake processing of DOM. Consequently, lakes will play a more important role as an “active pipe” in mediating the flux and transformation of organic carbon, intensifying the coupling between terrestrial and aquatic carbon cycles on a continental scale.
Eclipse Records Pin Dates of 12th and 13th Century Eruptions
Authors: Evans Kate
Published: September 2023

Ancient accounts of dark and blood-red moons help scientists peek at past eruptions and their effect on global climate.
On the Relationship Between Regions of Large‐Scale Field‐Aligned Currents and Regions of Plateau in Plasma Pressure Observed in the Equatorial Plane of the Earth's Magnetosphere
Authors: Kirpichev I. P. , Antonova E. E. , Stepanova M. V.
Published: September 2023

Since the discovery of the large‐scale field‐aligned currents it is widely acknowledged that gaps exist between the Region 1 (R1) and Region 2 (R2) currents in which the current values are relatively small as compared to neighboring regions. Assuming that the field‐aligned currents are generated by plasma pressure gradients, we analyzed data collected by the THEMIS satellites between 2007 and 2011 to identify regions with very low plasma pressure gradients (pressure plateaus), which could be responsible for the appearance of these gaps. It was found that the pressure profiles with low radial gradients are typically located between 8 and 10 Radii around the Earth. Projections of pressure plateau regions onto ionospheric altitudes, for both individual events and on a statistical basis, coincide with the locations of gaps between Iijima and Potemra field‐aligned currents. The role played by identified pressure plateaus in shaping the pattern of large‐scale field‐aligned currents is discussed.
Evidence of a Transient Aseismic Slip Driving the 2017 Valparaiso Earthquake Sequence, From Foreshocks to Aftershocks
Authors: Moutote Luc , Itoh Yuji , Lengliné Olivier , Duputel Zacharie , Socquet Anne
Published: September 2023

Following laboratory experiments and friction theory, slow slip events and seismicity rate accelerations observed before mainshocks are sometimes interpreted as evidence of a nucleation phase. However, such precursory observations still remain scarce and are associated with different time and length scales, raising doubts about their actual preparatory nature. We study the 2017 Valparaiso Mw = 6.9 earthquake, which was preceded by aseismic slip accompanied by an intense seismicity, suspected to reflect its nucleation phase. We complement previous observations, which have focused only on precursory activity, with a continuous investigation of seismic and aseismic processes from the foreshock sequence to the post‐mainshock phase. By building a high‐resolution earthquake catalog and searching for anomalous seismicity rate increases compared to aftershock triggering models, we highlight an over‐productive seismicity starting within the foreshock sequence and persisting several days after the mainshock. Using repeating earthquakes and high‐rate GPS observations, we highlight a transient aseismic perturbation starting 1‐day before the first foreshock and continuing after the mainshock. The estimated slip rate over time is lightly impacted by large magnitude earthquakes and does not accelerate toward the mainshock. Therefore, the unusual seismic and aseismic activity observed during the 2017 Valparaiso sequence might be interpreted as the result of a slow slip event starting before the mainshock and continuing beyond it. Rather than pointing to a possible nucleation phase of the 2017 Valparaiso mainshock, the identified slow slip event acts as an aseismic loading of nearby faults, increasing the seismic activity, and thus the likelihood of a large rupture.
Ppm1d truncating mutations promote the development of genotoxic stress-induced AML
Authors: Burocziova Monika , Danek Petr , Oravetzova Anna , Chalupova Zuzana , Alberich-Jorda Meritxell , Macurek Libor
Published: September 2023

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) ensure blood cell production during the life-time of an organism, and to do so they need to balance self-renewal, proliferation, differentiation, and migration in a steady state as well as in response to stress or injury. Importantly, aberrant proliferation of HSCs leads to hematological malignancies, and thus, tight regulation by various tumor suppressor pathways, including p53, is essential. Protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1 delta (PPM1D) is a negative regulator of p53 and promotes cell survival upon induction of genotoxic stress. Truncating mutations in the last exon of PPM1D lead to the production of a stable, enzymatically active protein and are commonly associated with clonal hematopoiesis. Using a transgenic mouse model, we demonstrate that truncated PPM1D reduces self-renewal of HSCs in basal conditions but promotes the development of aggressive AML after exposure to ionizing radiation. Inhibition of PPM1D suppressed the colony growth of leukemic stem and progenitor cells carrying the truncated PPM1D, and remarkably, it provided protection against irradiation-induced cell growth. Altogether, we demonstrate that truncated PPM1D affects HSC maintenance, disrupts normal hematopoiesis, and that its inhibition could be beneficial in the context of therapy-induced AML.
Deciphering local and regional hydroclimate resolves contradicting evidence on the Asian monsoon evolution
Authors: Wolf Annabel , Ersek Vasile , Braun Tobias , French Amanda D. , McGee David , Bernasconi Stefano M. , Skiba Vanessa , Griffiths Michael L. , Johnson Kathleen R. , Fohlmeister Jens , Breitenbach Sebastian F. M. , Pausata Francesco S. R. , Tabor Clay R. , Longman Jack , Roberts William H. G. , Chandan Deepak , Peltier W. Richard , Salzmann Ulrich , Limbert Deborah , Trinh Hong Quan , Trinh Anh Duc
Published: September 2023

The winter and summer monsoons in Southeast Asia are important but highly variable sources of rainfall. Current understanding of the winter monsoon is limited by conflicting proxy observations, resulting from the decoupling of regional atmospheric circulation patterns and local rainfall dynamics. These signals are difficult to decipher in paleoclimate reconstructions. Here, we present a winter monsoon speleothem record from Southeast Asia covering the Holocene and find that winter and summer rainfall changed synchronously, forced by changes in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. In contrast, regional atmospheric circulation shows an inverse relation between winter and summer controlled by seasonal insolation over the Northern Hemisphere. We show that disentangling the local and regional signal in paleoclimate reconstructions is crucial in understanding and projecting winter and summer monsoon variability in Southeast Asia.
Model-free tracking control of complex dynamical trajectories with machine learning
Authors: Zhai Zheng-Meng , Moradi Mohammadamin , Kong Ling-Wei , Glaz Bryan , Haile Mulugeta , Lai Ying-Cheng
Published: September 2023

Nonlinear tracking control enabling a dynamical system to track a desired trajectory is fundamental to robotics, serving a wide range of civil and defense applications. In control engineering, designing tracking control requires complete knowledge of the system model and equations. We develop a model-free, machine-learning framework to control a two-arm robotic manipulator using only partially observed states, where the controller is realized by reservoir computing. Stochastic input is exploited for training, which consists of the observed partial state vector as the first and its immediate future as the second component so that the neural machine regards the latter as the future state of the former. In the testing (deployment) phase, the immediate-future component is replaced by the desired observational vector from the reference trajectory. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the control framework using a variety of periodic and chaotic signals, and establish its robustness against measurement noise, disturbances, and uncertainties.
Local flux coordination and global gene expression regulation in metabolic modeling
Authors: Li Gaoyang , Liu Li , Du Wei , Cao Huansheng
Published: September 2023

Genome-scale metabolic networks (GSMs) are fundamental systems biology representations of a cell’s entire set of stoichiometrically balanced reactions. However, such static GSMs do not incorporate the functional organization of metabolic genes and their dynamic regulation (e.g., operons and regulons). Specifically, there are numerous topologically coupled local reactions through which fluxes are coordinated; the global growth state often dynamically regulates many gene expression of metabolic reactions via global transcription factor regulators. Here, we develop a GSM reconstruction method, Decrem, by integrating locally coupled reactions and global transcriptional regulation of metabolism by cell state. Decrem produces predictions of flux and growth rates, which are highly correlated with those experimentally measured in both wild-type and mutants of three model microorganismsEscherichia coli,Saccharomyces cerevisiae, andBacillus subtilisunder various conditions. More importantly, Decrem can also explain the observed growth rates by capturing the experimentally measured flux changes between wild-types and mutants. Overall, by identifying and incorporating locally organized and regulated functional modules into GSMs, Decrem achieves accurate predictions of phenotypes and has broad applications in bioengineering, synthetic biology, and microbial pathology.
Dynamics of transposable element accumulation in the non-recombining regions of mating-type chromosomes in anther-smut fungi
Authors: Duhamel Marine , Hood Michael E. , Rodríguez de la Vega Ricardo C. , Giraud Tatiana
Published: September 2023

In the absence of recombination, the number of transposable elements (TEs) increases due to less efficient selection, but the dynamics of such TE accumulations are not well characterized. Leveraging a dataset of 21 independent events of recombination cessation of different ages in mating-type chromosomes of Microbotryum fungi, we show that TEs rapidly accumulated in regions lacking recombination, but that TE content reached a plateau at ca. 50% of occupied base pairs by 1.5 million years following recombination suppression. The same TE superfamilies have expanded in independently evolved non-recombining regions, in particular rolling-circle replication elements (Helitrons). Long-terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons of the Copia and Ty3 superfamilies also expanded, through transposition bursts (distinguished from gene conversion based on LTR divergence), with both non-recombining regions and autosomes affected, suggesting that non-recombining regions constitute TE reservoirs. This study improves our knowledge of genome evolution by showing that TEs can accumulate through bursts, following non-linear decelerating dynamics.