bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patterns of Prime-Ministerial Performance
Authors: Grotz Florian , Berz Jan , Kroeber Corinna , Kukec Marko
Published: January 2025

The chapter explores prime-ministerial performance across the eleven countries of Central and Eastern Europe between 1990 and 2018. The analysis of the aggregated score of prime-ministerial performance shows substantial variation within countries and moderate variation across countries. However, there is no evidence of an increase in performance over time. It furthermore shows that performance in settling cabinet conflicts, shaping government policies, and securing the support of the parliamentary majority and the prime minister’s own party is highly correlated; the prime minister’s success in crisis management and securing national interests at the international level operates independently of the other sub-dimensions of prime-ministerial performance. Overall, these findings cast doubt on the impression of prime ministers in the region as generally weak.
Introduction
Authors: Markovits Stefanie
Published: January 2025

This chapter lays out the historical conditions that produced the numberiness of nineteenth-century writing, such as the institution of the census and the rise of statistics and of democratic liberal individualism. It also begins to uncover more fundamental and ancient links between numbers and literature. The chapter then demonstrates the methods of the book and their potential payoff by way of a trio of brief readings of a specific, highly charged figure: three. Leaning into this number’s presence in Tennyson’s Idylls of the King, D. G. Rossetti’s “The Woodspurge,” and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre yields insights into how these very different works of literature make their meanings. The number three juggles between older and newer forms of signification—between mystical and factual realms—and, in the process, heralds the tensions between past and present.
Plotting Age in Trollope
Authors: Markovits Stefanie
Published: January 2025

Anthony Trollope habitually uses integers to describe his characters’ ages. “X was now Y years of age” is a favorite locution, and all Trollope’s novels measure the gap between adjacent nows by watching characters grow older. But while Trollope’s numbers describe his characters, they also bear heavily on his form of plotting. Narrative generally depends on keeping track of numbers, but not all genres of narrative count in the same ways. Numbers also structure more plot-driven fictions (detective and sensation fictions), and this chapter considers how novelists working in these genres deploy counts of years. But Trollope’s age-related numbers show what happens when plot is not so much subordinated to but rather embodied in character. A coda moves from Count Fosco of Wilkie Collins’s The Woman in White to Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula to see how numbers describe age in a novel of the Un-Dead.
The impact of ABO blood group on the prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections among blood donors in a tertiary-care hospital
Authors: Efobi Chilota Chibuife , Obi Emeka Stanley , Faniyi Oluwatobi , Offiah Christian Elochukwu , Okam Onyinyechi Victoria , Ndubuisi Onyinyechukwu Joyce , Obidiegwu Jonathan Izuchukwu , Chinonso Emezue Favour , Umeh Okechukwu Elijah
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Transfusion-transmitted infections are a serious complication of blood transfusion. Devising a means of detecting at-risk blood donors may be beneficial in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. We sought to determine the impact of ABO blood group on the prevalence of transfusion transmitted infections.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was carried out at the blood bank of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria using data from blood donors. Information retrieved about donors included sex; blood group; and results of HIV, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Venereal Disease Research Laboratory screening results. Microsoft Excel was used to sort the data and, the data analysis was conducted using R, version 4.3.2 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing). P < .05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 2356 donor records were reviewed; the majority of these donors were male. The prevalence of HIV, HBsAg, HCV, and venereal diseases in the study population was 0.5%, 3.3%, 1.6%, and 0.6%, respectively. There was a possible increased risk of HCV among blood group B donors (P < .02799).

Conclusions

Blood group B donors were found to have a higher risk of contracting HCV infection than other donors. This finding could give more insights on donor selection and screening. Further studies that are more broadly based are required to validate our findings.
Performance analysis of the multistream microchannel heat exchangers coupled with ortho–para hydrogen conversion
Authors: Shen Yajie , Zhao Wenjing , Dong Wenping , He Guangli , Jin Tao
Published: January 2025

To study the flow, heat transfer, and reaction performance of the microchannel multistream heat exchangers coupled with ortho–para hydrogen conversion, this work develops a one-dimensional model of heat exchanger, while considering the flow arrangement inside heat exchanger. The model reveals the temperature and pressure distributions across various streams in the exchanger and the changes in the concentration of para-hydrogen in the feed stream. The results show that the thermal load from ortho–para hydrogen conversion accounts for about one-third of the total thermal load of feed hydrogen. Increasing the feed hydrogen pressure is beneficial to reducing the heat transfer temperature difference, which can optimize heat transfer and reaction performance. When the temperature difference is reduced by 1.86 K, the outlet temperature decreases from 85.37 to 82.06 K, and para hydrogen concentration increases from 24.99% to 39.77%. Meanwhile, a larger heat transfer area is required. Proper allocation of thermal loads among the multiple cold streams is crucial to prevent performance deterioration. Further, simply increasing the reaction rate has a limited effect on performance, and the performance will be improved 83.45% while maintaining the heat exchanger area unchanged. This work provides a reference for designing multistream heat exchangers and lays the groundwork for continuous ortho–para hydrogen conversion in hydrogen liquefaction process simulations.
Asymmetric Impacts of Renewable Energy Consumption on Carbon Emissions: New Insights from Seven South Asian Countries
Authors: Mahapatra Bamadev , Jena Diptimayee
Published: January 2025

The study examines the asymmetric effects of renewable energy consumption on carbon emissions in seven South Asian nations. By employing data from 1990 to 2019, the study utilised a non-linear panel autoregressive distributed lag modelling framework to identify an asymmetric relationship between carbon emissions and shocks (positive and negative) in renewable energy consumption. The study revealed that there exists an asymmetric short- and long-term impact of shocks in renewable energy consumption on carbon emissions in South Asian economies. Further, the study reported that in South Asian economies, a 1% rise in positive shocks in renewable energy consumption results in a 1.86% reduction in carbon emissions in the long term and a 1.50% reduction in the short term. Conversely, a 1% increase in negative shocks in renewable energy consumption leads to a 0.55% increase in carbon emissions in the long term and a 2.40% increase in the short term. Furthermore, the findings of the study suggest a few policy implications for South Asian countries, stressing the importance of promoting renewable energy consumption to achieve sustained carbon emissions reductions and to lessen the impact of negative shocks on emissions over both short and long terms.
Stewart–Treves syndrome: a complication following treatment for metastatic melanoma
Authors: Capaldi Nadia , Paul Maxine , Wylie Grant
Published: January 2025

An 81-year-old man presented in 2024 with a new left-sided chest wall mass and associated bruising at a site of previous radiotherapy and chronic lymphoedema.
Double Dose of Dupilumab Shows Efficacy in Treatment-Resistant Bullous Pemphigoid
Authors: Mills Kaitlyn , Maarouf Melody
Published: January 2025

We present a case of an 80-year-old-male with multi-treatment resistant immunotherapy-induced BP who experienced resolution following treatment with biweekly double-dosed (600mg SQ) dupilumab, an emerging treatment option for BP. Our findings suggest the potential efficacy of intensified dupilumab dosing in managing immunotherapy-induced BP that is multi-treatment resistant or resistant to standard dupilumab dosing.
Laboratory Monitoring in Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individuals
Authors: Nolan Brendan J , Cheung Ada S
Published: January 2025

Background

Increasing numbers of transgender and gender-diverse individuals are seeking initiation of gender-affirming hormone therapy. This aligns an individual's physical characteristics with their gender identity and improves psychological outcomes. Physical changes, including changes to muscle mass and body fat redistribution, can alter sex-specific laboratory reference ranges.

Content

We review the impact of gender-affirming hormone therapy on laboratory parameters with sex-specific reference ranges, with a focus on hemoglobin/hematocrit, renal function, cardiac biomarkers, and prostate-specific antigen.

Gender-affirming hormone therapy results in changes in laboratory parameters with sex-specific reference ranges. For individuals established on gender-affirming hormone therapy, reference ranges that align with an individual's gender identity should be used for hemoglobin/hematocrit, serum creatinine, and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin and N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide. Clinicians should interpret these biomarkers according to the reference range that aligns with one's affirmed gender.
Attack-Oblivious Node Protection Strategy for survivable routing in airborne tactical networks under uncertainty
Authors: Pan Ying , Lyu Na
Published: January 2025

Airborne tactical networks are complex networks that connect various aircraft platforms via datalink systems. In the fierce battlefield, airborne tactical networks are under the risk of hostile node attack, causing route failures and packet losses. Reliable communication in airborne tactical networks is thus calling for an efficient node protection scheme design for routing strategies. Due to the inherent uncertainty of war, the enemy’s node attack is unpredictable, making it intractable to select the optimal node set to deploy defense countermeasures under limited resource. To hedge against such uncertainty, we propose an Attack-Oblivious Node Protection Strategy (AONPS) for survivable routing in airborne tactical networks. Through a crafty-designed randomized algorithm, AONPS can select an appropriate node set to protect. Both theoretical derivation and simulation experiments demonstrate that the proposed AONPS can significantly enhance routing survival rate without accurate knowledge of the targeted attack nodes of the enemy, and achieve performance comparable to that of the ideal node protection strategy.
Radiation exposure in patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Jorissen Thibaud , Fierens Liselotte , Bosmans Hilde , Verstockt Bram , Sabino João , Vermeire Séverine , Vanbeckevoort Dirk , Ferrante Marc
Published: January 2025

Background and Aims

Radiological imaging is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). With increasing awareness of radiation risks, imaging doses should be “as low as reasonably achievable,” with a risk level that one should try to stay underneath 75 mSv. However, real-world data on cumulative exposure are limited. We retrospectively analyzed the radiation exposure of patients with IBD in a Belgian tertiary referral center.

Methods

Radiation exposure examinations were reviewed using the electronic health records. Annual (AED) and cumulative effective dose (CED) were calculated. A sub-analysis of patients diagnosed after January 1, 2007 was performed, as detailed radiation doses were maintained prospectively from that date onwards.

Results

In total, 4333 IBD patients (2753 Crohn’s disease [CD], 1512 ulcerative colitis [UC]) were included. The median (Interquartile range [IQR]) AED was 0.47 (0.02-1.67) mSv/year, and higher in CD than in UC (0.59 [0.05-1.79] vs 0.28 [0.01-1.44] mSv/year, P = .855). CED ≥ 75 mSv was reached in 5.5% of patients after a median [IQR] of 24 [13-34] years of follow-up. Sub-analysis of 1754 patients diagnosed from 2007 showed a median (IQR) AED of 0.74 (0.02-2.76) mSv/year, again higher for CD than UC (1.16 [0.02-3.42] vs 0.29 [0.01-2.28] mSv/year, P = .189). Here, 3.3% reached a CED ≥ 75 mSv after a median (IQR) of 9 [6-12] years of follow-up. The most common reasons for radiation exposure were comorbidities like malignancy.

Conclusions

Up to 5.5% of IBD patients reached a CED ≥ 75 mSv. While most imaging decisions were deemed appropriate, caution against excessive radiation remains crucial.
Efficacy of a medicated feed to treat parasites of wild Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus)
Authors: Henry Cassandra , Brym Matthew Z , Leach Jeremiah , Kendall Ronald J
Published: January 2025

Parasites are ubiquitous in wildlife populations and can cause reduced fecundity and survival in several species, as well as influence cyclic population fluctuations. Anthelmintic treatment has been found to mitigate these negative effects of parasites in many wild populations. It is suspected that the eyeworm Oxyspirura petrowi and caecal worm Aulonocephalus pennula are negatively affecting northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) populations in semiarid ecoregions of Texas. However, it is difficult to determine the effect of parasites on a population without experimentally reducing the parasite. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of an anthelmintic medicated feed at reducing parasite burden in wild bobwhite as part of a series of studies for United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) registration. Two pilot studies found that the medicated feed had a 71.5% and 81.7% efficacy against caecal worms and eyeworms, respectively, and significantly reduce total parasite burdens (p < .05). For the final efficacy study, control or medicated feed was randomly assigned to 12 feeding systems on a private ranch and administered for 21 consecutive days to determine the efficacy of anthelmintic treatment of eyeworms and caecal worms in bobwhite. Up to five bobwhite were collected and assessed for parasite abundance from each feeding system following the 21-day treatment to assess efficacy. There was a significant difference for caecal worms between treated and control bobwhite (p < .0001), with a 99.5% efficacy. This demonstrates that the medicated feed is a viable method for reducing parasites in wild bobwhite and could be used to elucidate the impacts of parasites on bobwhite populations.
Comparative glucocorticoid receptor agonism: In silico, in vitro, and in vivo and identification of potential biomarkers for synthetic glucocorticoid exposure
Authors: Cole Alexander R , Blackwell Brett R , Cavallin Jenna E , Collins Jacob E , Kittelson Ashley R , Shmaitelly Yesmeena M , Langan Laura M , Villeneuve Daniel L , Brooks Bryan W
Published: January 2025

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is present in almost every vertebrate cell and is utilized in many biological processes. Despite an abundance of mammalian data, the structural conservation of the receptor and cross-species susceptibility, particularly for aquatic species, has not been well defined. Efforts to reduce, refine, and/or replace animal testing have increased, driving the impetus to advance development of new approach methodologies (NAMs). Here we used in silico, in vitro, and in vivo methods to elucidate a greater understanding of receptor-mediated effects of synthetic glucocorticoid exposure in teleost fish. Evolutionary conservation of amino acid residues critical for transcriptional activation was confirmed in silico using sequence alignment to predict across species susceptibility. Subsequent in vitro assays using zebrafish and human GR provided evidence of physiological congruence of GR agonism. Finally, adult fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed in vivo to the synthetic glucocorticoids, dexamethasone (0.04, 400, 4,000 µg/L) and beclomethasone dipropionate (130 µg/L), and GR agonism confirmed via digital polymerase chain reaction; in addition, EcoToxChip analyses identified potential mRNA biomarkers following glucocorticoid exposure. These findings support the use of NAMs to potentially reduce multispecies in vivo experimentation while providing empirical evidence that expands the taxonomic domain of applicability for the GR agonism molecular initiating event within the broader GR agonism adverse outcome pathway network.
Potential for biological effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Great Lakes tributaries and associations with land cover and wastewater effluent
Authors: Corsi Steven R , Loken Luke C , Ankley Gerald T , Alvarez David A , Villeneuve Daniel L
Published: January 2025

Surface water concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and potential for resulting biological effects were estimated in a study using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) from 60 tributary sites within 20 watersheds in the Great Lakes Basin in 2018. Sites represented a range of urban to agricultural, forested, and wetland land uses and included a gradient of wastewater treatment effluent from zero to 44% of annual streamflow. Several sites also had airport influence. Twenty-one of 32 targeted PFAS compounds were detected in POCIS samplers, of which, 16 had available POCIS sampling rates enabling time-weighted water concentration estimates and comparison with available effects data. Estimated water concentrations were compared with published water quality guidelines (available for nine PFAS), effect concentrations reported in primary literature within the ECOTOX Knowledgebase for apical endpoints (10 PFAS) and non-apical endpoints (10 PFAS), and in vitro high-throughput screening data from ToxCast (14 PFAS). Based on a conservative evaluation approach that was also weighted for persistence and limitations in available toxicological information, five individual PFAS, including Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, Perfluorooctanoic acid, and Perfluorononanoic acid were identified as warranting additional investigation. Possible increased potency of PFAS mixtures over individual chemical effects, estimated by summation of exposure-activity ratios (EARs) for chemicals that influence common ToxCast assays and specified gene targets, indicated that EAR values increased up to 5.6-fold over individual chemicals with up to 14 chemicals contributing to mixture effect predictions. Potential for biological effects from PFAS, as estimated by summed exposure-activity ratios, were correlated with urban land use and the proportion of streamflow contributed by wastewater effluent.
Comparison of model-averaging and single-distribution approaches to estimating species sensitivity distributions and hazardous concentrations for 5% of species
Authors: Iwasaki Yuichi , Yanagihara Miina
Published: January 2025

Estimation of species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) and hazardous concentrations for 5% of species (HC5s) by fitting a statistical distribution to toxicity data for multiple species is essential in ecological risk assessment of chemicals. Given the challenge of selecting the appropriate statistical distribution in SSD estimation, a model-averaging approach that involves fitting multiple statistical distributions and using weighted estimates to derive HC5s is appealing. However, the effectiveness of this approach compared with SSDs based on a single statistical distribution (i.e., single-distribution approach) has not been thoroughly examined. We aimed to compare the model-averaging approach with the single-distribution approach based on log-normal, log-logistic, Burr type III, Weibull, and gamma distributions to estimate HC5s. For this comparison, we selected 35 chemicals with available toxicity data for more than 50 species, enabling the direct calculation of reference HC5 values from the 5th percentiles of the toxicity distributions. For each chemical, we examined the deviations between the reference HC5 value and HC5 estimates derived from SSDs based on toxicity data for 5–15 species subsampled from the complete dataset using model-averaging and single-distribution approaches. This subsampling simulated the typical limitations of available toxicity data. The deviations observed with the model-averaging approach were comparable with those from the single-distribution approach based on the log-normal, log-logistic, and Burr type III distributions. Although use of specific distributions often resulted in overly conservative HC5 or HC1 estimates, our results suggest that the precision of HC5/HC1 estimates would not substantially differ between the model-averaging approach and the single-distribution approach based on log-normal and log-logistic distributions. We further discuss the circumstances under which model-averaging and single-distribution approaches are better suited for estimating HC5s.
Methylmercury sorption to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers and relevance to environmental exposure
Authors: Sizmur Tom , Frost Harrison , Felipe-Sotelo Monica , Bond Tom , Mallory Mark L , O’Driscoll Nelson J
Published: January 2025

Considerable amounts of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastic fibers are released into the environment by the laundering of polyester clothing. Microplastic fibers can be ingested by organisms in the environment. Therefore, it has been suggested that microplastic fibers act as vectors for adsorbed contaminants, which are subsequently desorbed in the gut of the organism. We undertook sorption isotherm experiments at pH 6, 7, and 8 to quantify the sorption of methylmercury (MeHg) to PET fibers. Sorption isotherms were fit to Langmuir, Freundlich, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller models. Sorption decreased with increasing pH, which can be explained by physisorption on the negatively charged PET surfaces and the greater presence of neutral or negatively charged MeHg species at higher pH. We used the parameters obtained by the model fits to predict the likely concentration of MeHg on PET microplastic fibers in aquatic ecosystems with environmentally realistic MeHg concentrations. We calculated MeHg concentrations on PET microplastic fibers to be four orders of magnitude lower than previously observed concentrations of MeHg in seston (suspended particles comprising algae and bacteria) at the base of the aquatic food web. The results indicate that the presence of PET microplastic fibers in the environment do not elevate the MeHg exposure to organisms that ingest fibers in the environment.
Development of a bioavailability-based acute effects assessment method for nickel
Authors: Nys Charlotte , Middleton Elizabeth , Garman Emily , Schlekat Chris , Van Sprang Patrick , De Schamphelaere Karel
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to develop a bioavailability-based effects assessment method for nickel (Ni) to derive acute freshwater environmental thresholds in Europe. The authors established a reliable acute freshwater Ni ecotoxicity database covering 63 different freshwater species, and the existing acute Ni bioavailability models for invertebrates were revised. A single average invertebrate bioavailability model was proposed, in which the protective effects of Ca2+ and Mg2+ on Ni2+ toxicity were integrated as a single-site competition effect at the Ni biotic ligand. The biotic ligand stability constants for Ca2+ and Mg2+ (log KCaBL = 3.80 and log KMgBL = 3.32) were derived by averaging these parameters from three existing cladoceran models. A pH extension was also integrated into the average invertebrate bioavailability model to reflect the increase in free Ni2+ toxicity observed greater than pH 8.0. The proposed invertebrate model has further been validated using an extensive dataset of acute toxicity data covering 15 different invertebrate species. Evaluating the extrapolation of the invertebrate model to plant species revealed significant uncertainty about the applicability of the acute Ni bioavailability models for plants. The newly developed acute invertebrate model was used alongside the existing acute fish and algae bioavailability models to support an acute bioavailability normalization approach for Ni. By combining these bioavailability models with the acute toxicity dataset for Ni, a normalized species sensitivity distribution approach is proposed to derive site-specific acute environmental thresholds, expressed by the HC5L(E)C50 (i.e., dissolved Ni concentration resulting in at least 50% effect for 5% of the species). The applicability ranges of the acute Ni bioavailability normalization approach are estimated to be valid for approximately 70% of European freshwaters. The proposed approach serves as a basis to incorporate bioavailability into the compliance evaluation relative to acute environmental threshold values for Ni in Europe.
Reproductive effects of the insecticide acephate on a springtail and an enchytraeid in a subtropical soil
Authors: Oliveira Filho Luís Carlos Iuñes , Alexandre Douglas , Camargo Letícia Scopel , Klauberg-Filho Osmar
Published: January 2025

The widespread use of acephate, a common insecticide, raises concerns about its potential impacts on nontarget soil organisms. This study investigated the chronic effects of acephate on the reproduction of two key soil fauna species, the springtail Folsomia candida and the enchytraeid Enchytraeus crypticus. We exposed these organisms to acephate in both natural Cambisol soil and tropical artificial soil (TAS) to assess potential impacts under different environmental conditions. Our results revealed significant reductions in reproduction for both species, with effects ranging from 38% to 49% (based on control and lowest observed effect concentration values). Furthermore, the observed effects were dependent on both the organism and the soil type. Springtails exhibited greater sensitivity in TAS than in Cambisol (0.09 and 15.0 mg a.i. kg−1 soil dry wt, respectively), whereas enchytraeids were more sensitive in Cambisol than in TAS (1 and 100 mg a.i. kg−1 soil dry wt, respectively). These findings highlight the importance of considering species-specific responses and soil properties when evaluating the ecological risks of pesticides on soil fauna communities.
Inferring atmospheric sources of gaseous organophosphate esters from spatial patterns
Authors: Li Yuening , Zhan Faqiang , Shunthirasingham Chubashini , Lei Ying Duan , Oh Jenny , Weng Chunwen , Ben Chaaben Amina , Lu Zhe , Lee Kelsey , Gobas Frank A P C , Hung Hayley , Wania Frank
Published: January 2025

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have emerged as pervasive environmental contaminants, with concentrations often exceeding those of traditional flame retardants and plasticizers by orders of magnitude. Here, we present concentrations of OPEs in the atmospheric gas phase collected using passive air samplers deployed in the coastal regions of Quebec and British Columbia in southern Canada. Four OPEs, i.e., tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP), and tris (phenyl) phosphate (TPhP) were reliably and ubiquitously detected, with TCPP showing the highest level, followed by TBP. Concentration levels of TCPP and TCEP are correlated with each other and with population, possibly indicating emission from consumer products. Spatial patterns of TBP and TPhP are more indicative of industrial usage, with airports possibly being a major source for TBP. The positive relationships between atmospheric OPEs and population are influenced by ambient temperature, whereby the size of the populated area around a sampling site influencing the air concentration appears to be decreasing at higher temperatures.
BrWRKY8: A Key Regulatory Factor Involved in Delaying Postharvest Leaf Senescence of Pakchoi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) by 2,4-Epibrassinolide
Authors: Liu Xuesong , Xu Yinghao , Zhang Yujun , Chen Xiaofei , Li Pengxia
Published: January 2025

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are extensively distributed in plants and play crucial roles throughout all stages of plant growth. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism through which BRs influence postharvest senescence in pakchoi remains elusive. Previous studies have demonstrated that application of 1.5 μM of the BRs analog 2,4-epibrassinolide (EBR) delayed the leaf senescence in harvested pakchoi. In this study, we constructed the EBR-delayed senescence transcriptome in pakchoi leaves and discovered that EBR modulates the expression of genes involved in the chlorophyll (Chl) metabolism pathway and the BRs pathway in pakchoi. Notably, we identified and characterized an EBR-suppressed, nucleus-localized WRKY transcription factor (TF) called BrWRKY8. BrWRKY8 is a highly expressed transcriptional activator in senescent leaves, targeting the promoters of the Chl degradation associated gene BrSGR2 and the BRs degradation associated gene BrCHI2, thereby promoting their expression. Overexpression of the BrWRKY8 gene accelerated the senescence process in Arabidopsis leaves, while EBR treatment mitigated the leaf senescence phenotype induced by BrWRKY8 overexpression. Conversely, silencing of BrWRKY8 through the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) extended the postharvest storage period of pakchoi. In conclusion, the newly discovered BRs-BrWRKY8 regulatory model in this study provides novel insights into BRs-mediated leaf senescence in pakchoi.
A systematic review of ecosystem services in the Rabanal páramo (Colombia)
Authors: Vergara Buitrago Paulina , De Pellegrin Llorente Irene
Published: January 2025

Colombian páramos, strategic ecosystems of the northern Andes, provide a broad range of ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water regulation, and soil protection. The department of Boyacá in Colombia contains the largest area of páramo ecosystems, with the Rabanal páramo serving as the primary water source for the capital city of Tunja. Despite scientific studies on the diversity of flora and fauna, páramos remain among the least studied ecosystems regarding their services. No study has yet addressed a detailed systematic review assessing the range of ecosystem services in the Rabanal páramo. We systematically reviewed 162 documents published between 1992 and 2022 to assess the progress of ecosystem services knowledge, identify biases, and define research priorities. Most of the studies (60%) focused on regulating services, followed by cultural services (24%) and provisioning services (16%). In the category of regulating services, biodiversity maintenance is the most studied service with 60 studies (37%), followed by vegetation cover with 22 studies (14%). In provisioning services, fresh water has the most studies 18 (11%), while environmental education, with 16 studies (10%), is the cultural service with the most publications. Likewise, we identified 21 different research methods in the documents. The most employed was environmental assessment (23%), followed by stakeholder engagement and environmental planning (10%) and inventory (7%). We conclude that there is a significant research gap in prioritizing the understanding of cultural services and the impacts of conservation initiatives on páramo communities. This unique ecosystem, which is not only a source of livelihood for local farmers but also deeply connected with their cultural identity and heritage, underscores the need to address these gaps to sustain the Rabanal páramo ecosystem.
Positionality and Knowledge Production on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence against Men and Boys in (Counter-) Terrorism
Authors: Njoku Emeka Thaddues , Akintayo Joshua , Mohammed Idris
Published: January 2025

What happens to knowledge production when African-based researchers studying intersections between terrorism and wartime sexual violence interrogate prevailing heteronormative socio-norms? As the influence of socio-political bias in reflexive methodology in international relations (IR) continued to be discussed, critics argue that reflexive discourses have yet to address their entrenched racial and colonial logic, which centers on Western voices. Thus, African-based researchers’ fieldwork experiences in the research process are poorly reflected in IR or terrorism studies. We reflect on our experiences studying fellow nationals on issues of sexual violence victimization of men and boys in areas affected by terrorism. We argue that irrespective of shared national/ethnic identity, researcher–researched relations are strained when researchers pose vexing questions that interrogate heteronormative social norms. This leads to researchers’ feelings of vulnerability, anxiety, and physical harm as their gender and sexuality become open to social scrutiny. We also argue that study participants strategically silence ethnographic encounters, demonstrating their power when researchers disregard existing social norms and study participants’ sense of existential security. Our study embodies the Feminist-Informed Researchers’ Commitment to IR, which addresses the politics of field research, nuances the methodology of uneasiness concept on wartime sexual violence, and advocates flexibility to mitigate methodological messiness.
The Alia Camel of Jordan: a genetically distinct dromedary breed
Authors: Haddad Nizar J , Al-Araishi Mohamad A , Awabdeh Sami , Patidar Rajesh , Bell Ryan , Jawasreh Khaleel , Alhurani Heba , Elharbid Leqaa J , Sweidan Rawad , Al-Anaswah Eman N , Brake Mohammad , Sadder Monther T , Blanco Omar A , Sbeih Loai , Uduman Mohamed , Lakhani Saquib A , Khokha Mustafa K , Weir Ahmed
Published: January 2025

The Dromedary camel has a remarkable history amongst cultures across Asia and northern Africa, serving multiple purposes ranging from providing milk, textiles, racing, and acting as pack animals. Recent genetic studies have revealed that many dromedaries are genetically homogenous, indicating that they do not represent different breeds, advocating for camel ‘type’ over camel ‘breed’. In this study, we leveraged whole genome sequencing (WGS) to sequence 15 Jordanian Alia camels for the first time, alongside 9 Jordanian mixed camels from diverse locations within the country. Additionally, we analyzed 48 publicly available whole genomes of dromedary camels from the Arabian Peninsula for comparison. We demonstrate that the Alia camel is a distinct breed of camel, carefully bred in Jordan for racing and milk production. Compared to other dromedary camels, the Alia is genetically distinct and a unique breed that should be conserved. Our data further suggest that WGS of different camel populations may identify additional breeds and inform approaches to optimize traits and preserve genetic diversity.
A reparatory account of health inequities
Authors: Thomson Michael
Published: January 2025

Colonialism has left biological and social legacies that damage health. The resulting racialized health inequities re-enact past harms and are a profound social injustice. In response, this article brings together reparatory justice and health equity. Understandings of reparatory justice have evolved from a focus on compensation for past wrongs to the need for a more sustained and expansive politics of repair. This seeks to recognize the history and legacies of harm while diminishing the likelihood that such harms are repeated. Addressing racialized health inequities in the UK, and working with this articulation of reparatory justice, this article argues for the repair of bodies that continue to be damaged by historically rooted harms. Social determinants of health research has long linked socio-economic inequalities to poor health outcomes, and promoting health equity by addressing these inequalities can be an important element of the work to repair the past. This response acknowledges the moral case for both reparatory justice and health equity, while potentially addressing problems faced by traditionally articulated reparatory claims. Finally, exploring law’s role in addressing racialized health inequities can help us better understand how law is a determinant of health and its role in advancing health equity.
Longitudinal Patterns in Smoking Abstinence in Trials of E-cigarettes for Smoking Cessation: Secondary Analysis of Data From a Systematic Review, With Meta-Analyses
Authors: Hartmann-Boyce Jamie , Chan Jazmine , Zhitnik Eliza , Pesola Francesca , Hajek Peter , Lindson Nicola
Published: January 2025

Introduction

We set out to better understand patterns of smoking abstinence and relapse in trials of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.

Methods

Secondary analysis of studies from a Cochrane review. Studies had to test any type of e-cigarette intervention for smoking cessation. They had to follow up for at least 6 months and report either abstinence at multiple timepoints, abstinence using multiple definitions or relapse. We narratively synthesized data and conducted meta-analyses.

Results

We included 15 studies (n = 7233 participants). Using the Cochrane risk of bias tool v1, five were judged to be at high risk of bias, eight were at low risk, and two were at unclear risk. Absolute continuous abstinence rates tended to decline over time, but varying slopes. For absolute point prevalence abstinence, three studies demonstrated a shallow decline over time, two a steep decline, and three the opposite—an increase in abstinence over time. Data on relative abstinence rates (e-cigarettes vs. control) were mixed. There were multiple instances of differences between point prevalence and continuous/sustained abstinence rates, both in trajectories over time and in terms of relative abstinence. The few studies addressing relapse highlighted mixed demographic and behavioral characteristics associated with relapse rates.

Conclusions

Smoking trajectories vary between trials of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. Risk ratios may not be stable over time and may increase or decrease in favor of e-cigarettes depending on the study. Further data are needed, especially on relapse rates in early quitters who use e-cigarettes versus those who use other or no stop-smoking aids.

Implications

While some have posited e-cigarettes might increase smoking relapse when used as a cessation tool, others have posited that combustible cigarette quit rates may increase over time in the same studies due to “accidental quitting.” We set out to investigate this empirically and found considerable variation in smoking trajectories in e-cigarette trials. Data suggest risk ratios may not be stable over time and may increase or decrease in favor of e-cigarettes depending on the study. Further data are needed, especially on relapse rates in early quitters who use e-cigarettes versus those who use other or no stop-smoking aids.
Aberrant Cortical Morphological Networks in First-Episode Schizophrenia
Authors: Fan Fengmei , Jin Suhui , Lv Yating , Tan Shuping , Liao Yuqing , Luo Zhenzhen , Ruan Jingxuan , Wang Zhiren , Fan Hongzhen , Han Xiaole , Zou Qihong , Xiang Hong , Guo Hua , Yang Fude , Tan Yunlong , Wang Jinhui
Published: January 2025

Background and Hypothesis

Population-based morphological covariance networks are widely reported to be altered in schizophrenia. Individualized morphological brain network approaches have emerged recently. We hypothesize that individualized morphological brain networks are disrupted in schizophrenia.

Study Design

We constructed single-subject morphological brain networks for 203 patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES) and 131 healthy controls separately based on regional cortical thickness (CT), fractal dimension (FD), gyrification index, and sulcal depth (SD) by dividing the cerebral cortex into 360 regions in terms of the Human Connectome Project Multi-Modal Parcellation atlas.

Results

Compared with the controls, the patients exhibited morphological similarity reductions in all types of networks while increases in FD- and SD-based networks. The altered morphological similarities were commonly involved in cingulo-opercular and default mode networks. Interestingly, the altered morphological similarities accounted for clinical symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in the patients and distinguished the patients from controls, with better performance than altered local morphology. In addition, graph-based analysis revealed that global organization was intact while nodal centrality was altered in the patients as characterized by decreased degree and efficiency in the left inferior parietal cortex and increased efficiency in left area superior temporal gyrus for the CT-based networks, decreased degree and efficiency in the left Posterior Insular Area 2 for the FD-based networks, and decreased betweenness in the left Area 52 for the SD-based networks.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that FES is accompanied by characteristic disruptions in single-subject cortical morphological networks, which provide novel insights into neurobiological mechanisms underlying schizophrenia.
Testing Machine Learning-Based Pain Assessment for Postoperative Geriatric Patients
Authors: Kurt Alkan Tülin , Taşdemir Nurten
Published: January 2025

The global population is aging, and there is a concomitant increase in surgery for the elderly. In geriatric patients, where postoperative pain assessment is difficult, technological tools that perform automatic pain assessment are needed to alleviate the workload of nurses and to accurately assess patients' pain. This study offers a more reliable and rapid assessment tool for assessing the pain of elderly patients undergoing surgery. The study aimed to develop a machine learning–based pain assessment application for postoperative geriatric patients. A methodological study was conducted with 68 patients in the general surgery clinic of a hospital between October 2022 and June 2024. Data were collected using a Sociodemographic Data Collection Form, the Numeric Rating Scale, and the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale. Then, machine learning was used. Data are summarized using descriptive statistics and presented using narrations, tables, and graphs. The study reveals that nurses assigned lower scores to patients' pain levels. In the categorical classification, a high level of agreement was observed between the patient and the machine learning for each measurement. A machine learning–based pain assessment application is an efficacious method for assessing pain following geriatric surgery. It facilitates nursing care and supports the advancement of geriatric nursing.
Atypical Fibroxanthoma and Pleomorphic Dermal Sarcoma: A Retrospective Review and Survival Analysis at a Single Academic Institution
Authors: Franzetti Michael , Hendrickson Landon , Knackstedt Thomas , Collins Lindsey
Published: January 2025

BACKGROUND

Prognostication of atypical spindle cell neoplasms, including atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) and pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS), is challenging; outcomes vary widely, and further identification of prognostic features is crucial.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate prognostic factors that may portend worse outcomes in patients with AFX and PDS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective chart review of patients with AFX and PDS was conducted. Data were analyzed using Pearson chi square and T-test. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier estimate. A stepwise cox proportional hazards model was created to identify variables associated with increased risk of poor outcomes.

RESULTS

Thirty-four patients with AFX and 10 patients with PDS were identified. PDS had a 60% overall mortality rate (vs 26.5% in AFX), a larger preoperative size of 8.9 cm2 (vs 2.4 cm2) (p < .0001), and a 50% recurrence rate (vs 5.9%) (p = .0039). Female gender (HR 22.18 95% CI 2.54–194.13; p = .001), immunosuppression (HR 5.02 95% CI 1.32–19.12; p = .0044), and perineural invasion (PNI) (HR 78.46 3.97–1,549.56; p = .0091) were associated with increased risk of poor outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Few large studies have examined clinical features that portend worse outcomes. The authors identify female gender, immunosuppression, and PNI as variables associated with increased risk of recurrence or death.
Chronic Use of Benzodiazepine in Older Adults and Its Relationship with Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rivas Juan , Hernández Mauricio , Erazo Jose Miguel , Martínez María Juliana , González Carlos , Cortés María Paulina , Muñoz Jhonny , Miranda Carlos
Published: January 2025

Learning Objective

After participating in this CME activity, the psychiatrist should be better able to:

• Explain current understanding of the relationship between chronic benzodiazepine use and dementia.

Background

Chronic use of benzodiazepines (BZ) for managing conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, sleep disorders, and other chronic diseases is widespread; yet, there is considerable controversy regarding its potential links to dementia risk. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to clarify this relationship by synthesizing and analyzing the available evidence to provide a clearer understanding of whether prolonged BZ use contributes to developing dementia.

Methods

This study adheres to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO to ensure methodological rigor and transparency. The research strategy incorporated terms such as “benzodiazepines” OR “benzodiazepine” AND “cognitive dysfunction” OR “dementia” AND “adult” OR “elderly” OR “aged.” We included prospective and retrospective observational studies, as well as case-control studies. Data were meticulously extracted regarding chronic BZ use and dementia risk. Each study’s risk of bias was assessed to ensure result validity. Statistical analysis was performed using hazard ratios (HR) as the primary meta-analysis summary measure to provide a precise evaluation of associated risk.

Results

Analysis of five studies showed that chronic BZ use was associated with a nonsignificant risk of dementia—without specification of cause—with an HR of 1.17 (95% CI: 0.96-1.43). Regarding Alzheimer’s disease, three studies found no significant association with an HR of 1.00 (95% CI: 0.87-1.15).

Conclusions

Our findings did not reach statistical significance, suggesting no strong link between chronic BZ use and dementia. Further research is needed to clarify this potential association.