bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whole exome sequencing and proteomics-based investigation of the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease with diffuse long lesion
Authors: Chao Ce , Qian Yongxiang , Lv Hao , Mei Kun , Wang Min , Liu Yang , Wang Bin , Di Dongmei
Published: May 2024

Objectives

The long-term prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with diffuse long lesion underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains worse. Here, we aimed to identify distinctive genes involved and offer novel insights into the pathogenesis of diffuse long lesion.

Materials and methods

Whole exome sequencing was performed on peripheral blood samples from 20 CAD patients with diffuse long lesion (CAD-DLL) and from 10 controls with focal lesion (CAD-FL) through a uniform pipeline. Proteomics analysis was conducted on the serum samples from 10 CAD-DLL patients and from 10 controls with CAD-FL by mass spectrometry. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to elucidate the involved genes, including functional annotation and protein–protein interaction analysis.

Results

A total of 742 shared variant genes were found in CAD-DLL patients but not in controls. Of these, 46 genes were identified as high-frequency variant genes (≥ 4/20) distinctive genes. According to the consensus variant site, 148 shared variant sites were found in the CAD-DLL group. The lysosome and cellular senescence-related pathway may be the most significant pathway in diffuse long lesion. Following the DNA-protein combined analysis, eight genes were screened whose expression levels were altered at both DNA and protein levels. Among these genes, the MAN2A2 gene, the only one that was highly expressed at the protein level, was associated with metabolic and immune-inflammatory dysregulation.

Conclusions

Compared to individuals with CAD-FL, patients with CAD-DLL show additional variants. These findings contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of CAD-DLL and provide potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment of CAD-DLL.
Sustainable production of multimeric and functional recombinant human adiponectin using genome-edited chickens
Authors: Yoo Eunhui , Choi Hee Jung , Kim Jin-Kyoo , Kim Young Min , Park Jin Se , Han Jae Yong
Published: May 2024

Background

Adiponectin (ADPN) plays a critical role in endocrine and cardiovascular functions, but traditional production methods, such as Escherichia coli and mammalian systems, have faced challenges in generating sufficiently active middle molecular weight (MMW) and high molecular weight (HMW) forms of recombinant human ADPN (hADPN). In our previous study, we proposed genome-edited chickens as an efficient platform for producing multimeric hADPN. However, the consistency of multimeric hADPN expression in this system across generations had not been further investigated.

Results

In this study, subsequent generations of ovalbumin (OVA) ADPN knock-in chickens showed stable multimeric hADPN production, yielding ~ 26% HMW ADPN (0.59 mg/mL) per hen. Comparative analysis revealed that egg white (EW)-derived hADPN predominantly consisted of hexameric and HMW forms, similar to serum-derived hADPN. In contrast, hADPN obtained from human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 and High-Five (Hi-5) cells also exhibited the presence of trimers, indicating variability across different production systems. Furthermore, transcriptional expression analysis of ADPN multimerization-associated endoplasmic reticulum chaperone genes (Ero1-Lα, DsbA-L, ERP44, and PDI) indicated upregulation in the oviduct magnum of ADPN KI hens, suggesting the chicken oviduct magnum as the optimal site for HMW ADPN production. Lastly, the functional analysis demonstrated that EW-derived hADPN significantly reduced lipid droplets and downregulated lipid accumulation-related genes (LOX-1, AT1R, FAS, and FABP4) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

Conclusion

In summary, stable and functional multimeric hADPN can be produced in genome-edited chickens even after generations. This highlights the potential of using chicken bioreactor for producing various high-value proteins.
Identification and coregulation pattern analysis of long noncoding RNAs in the mouse brain after Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection
Authors: Cheng Dong-Hui , Jiang Tian-Ge , Zeng Wen-Bo , Li Tian-Mei , Jing Yi-Dan , Li Zhong-Qiu , Guo Yun-Hai , Zhang Yi
Published: May 2024

Background

Angiostrongyliasis is a highly dangerous infectious disease. Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae migrate to the mouse brain and cause symptoms, such as brain swelling and bleeding. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are novel targets for the control of parasitic infections. However, the role of these molecules in A. cantonensis infection has not been fully clarified.

Methods

In total, 32 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups, and the infection groups were inoculated with 40 A. cantonensis larvae by gavage. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and RNA library construction were performed on brain tissues from infected mice. Differential expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and mRNAs in brain tissues was identified by high-throughput sequencing. The pathways and functions of the differentially expressed lncRNAs were determined by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses. The functions of the differentially expressed lncRNAs were further characterized by lncRNA‒microRNA (miRNA) target interactions. The potential host lncRNAs involved in larval infection of the brain were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‒PCR).

Results

The pathological results showed that the degree of brain tissue damage increased with the duration of infection. The transcriptome results showed that 859 lncRNAs and 1895 mRNAs were differentially expressed compared with those in the control group, and several lncRNAs were highly expressed in the middle–late stages of mouse infection. GO and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that the differentially expressed target genes were enriched mainly in immune system processes and inflammatory response, among others, and several potential regulatory networks were constructed.

Conclusions

This study revealed the expression profiles of lncRNAs in the brains of mice after infection with A. cantonensis. The lncRNAs H19, F630028O10Rik, Lockd, AI662270, AU020206, and Mexis were shown to play important roles in the infection of mice with A. cantonensis infection.

Graphical Abstract
Retraction Note: Network security threat detection technology based on EPSO-BP algorithm
Authors: Lan Zhu
Published: May 2024

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13635-024-00152-9
Heart valve service provision in the United Kingdom and the effect of the COVID 19 pandemic; improved but must do better. A British Heart Valve Society national survey
Authors: Mohindra R. , Dobson L. E. , Schlosshan D. , Khan P. , Campbell B. , Garbi M. , Chambers B. , Chambers J. B.
Published: May 2024

Background

Outpatient care for patients with heart valve disease (HVD) is best provided by valve clinics delivered by specialists. Modern day practice in the United Kingdom (UK) is currently poorly understood and has not been evaluated for nearly a decade. Furthermore, the COVID 19 pandemic changed the management of many chronic diseases, and how this has impacted patients with heart valve disease is unclear.

Methods

A British Heart Valve Society survey was sent to 161 hospitals throughout the UK.

Results

There was a general valve clinic in 46 of the 68 hospitals (68%), in 19 of 23 Heart Centres (83%) and 29 of 45 DGHs (64%). Across all settings, 3824 new patients and 17,980 follow up patients were seen in valve clinics per annum. The mean number of patients per hospital were 197 (median 150, range 48–550) for new patients and 532 (median 400, range 150–2000) for follow up. On the day echocardiography was available in 55% of valve clinics. In patients with severe HVD, serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) was measured routinely in 39% of clinics and exercise testing routinely performed in 49% of clinics. A patient helpline was available in 27% of clinics. 78% of centres with a valve clinic had a valve multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT). 45% centres had an MDT co-ordinator and MDT outcomes were recorded on a database in 64%. COVID-19 had a major impact on valve services in 54 (95%) hospitals.

Conclusions

There has been an increase in the number of valve clinics since 2015 from 21 to 68% but the penetration is still well short of the expected 100%, meaning that valve clinics only serve a small proportion of patients requiring surveillance for HVD. COVID-19 had a major impact on the care of patients with HVD in the majority of UK centres surveyed.
β-Adrenergic Stimulation-Induced PVAT Dysfunction in Male Sex: A Role for 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase-1
Authors: Victorio Jamaira Aparecida , Barssotti Letícia , Aprahamian Tamar , Costa Raul Gobato , Mousovich-Neto Felippe , Oliveira Helena Coutinho Franco , Mori Marcelo , Rossoni Luciana Venturini , Davel Ana Paula
Published: May 2024

Long-term β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) stimulation is a pathological mechanism associated with cardiovascular diseases resulting in endothelial and perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) dysfunction. In this study, we aimed to identify whether β-adrenergic signaling has a direct effect on PVAT. Thoracic aorta PVAT was obtained from male Wistar rats and cultured ex vivo with the β-AR agonist isoproterenol (Iso; 1 µM) or vehicle for 24 hours. Conditioned culture medium (CCM) from Iso-treated PVAT induced a marked increase in aorta contractile response, induced oxidative stress, and reduced nitric oxide production in PVAT compared to vehicle. In addition, Iso-treated PVAT and PVAT-derived differentiated adipocytes exhibited higher corticosterone release and protein expression of 11β–hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), an enzyme responsible for de novo synthesis of corticosterone. Macrophages exposed to Iso also exhibited increased corticosterone release in response to β-AR stimulation. Incubation of Iso-treated PVAT and PVAT-derived differentiated adipocytes with β3-AR antagonist restored aorta contractile function modulated by Iso-CCM and normalized 11β-HSD1 protein expression. These results show that β3-AR signaling leads to upregulation of 11β-HSD1 in PVAT, thus increasing corticosterone release and contributing to impair the anticontractile function of this tissue.
Phosphorylation-Dependent Regulation of Guanylyl Cyclase (GC)-A and Other Membrane GC Receptors
Authors: Potter Lincoln R
Published: May 2024

Receptor guanylyl cyclases (GCs) are single membrane spanning, multidomain enzymes, that synthesize cGMP in response to natriuretic peptides or other ligands. They are evolutionarily conserved from sea urchins to humans and regulate diverse physiologies. Most family members are phosphorylated on 4 to 7 conserved serines or threonines at the beginning of their kinase homology domains. This review describes studies that demonstrate that phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are required for activation and inactivation of these enzymes, respectively. Phosphorylation sites in GC-A, GC-B, GC-E, and sea urchin receptors are discussed, as are mutant receptors that mimic the dephosphorylated inactive or phosphorylated active forms of GC-A and GC-B, respectively. A salt bridge model is described that explains why phosphorylation is required for enzyme activation. Potential kinases, phosphatases, and ATP regulation of GC receptors are also discussed. Critically, knock-in mice with glutamate substitutions for receptor phosphorylation sites are described. The inability of opposing signaling pathways to inhibit cGMP synthesis in mice where GC-A or GC-B cannot be dephosphorylated demonstrates the necessity of receptor dephosphorylation in vivo. Cardiac hypertrophy, oocyte meiosis, long-bone growth/achondroplasia, and bone density are regulated by GC phosphorylation, but additional processes are likely to be identified in the future.
Electrosensory and metabolic responses of weakly electric fish to changing water conductivity
Authors: Wiser Shannon D. , Markham Michael R.
Published: May 2024

Weakly electric gymnotiform fishes use self-generated electric organ discharges (EODs) to navigate and communicate. The electrosensory range for these processes is a function of EOD amplitude, determined by the fish's electric organ (EO) output and the electrical conductivity of the surrounding water. Anthropogenic activity, such as deforestation, dams and industrial/agricultural runoff, are known to increase water conductivity in neotropical habitats, likely reducing the electrosensory range of these fish. We investigated whether fish modulate EO output as means of re-expanding electrosensory range after a rapid increase in water conductivity in the pulse-type Brachyhypopomus gauderio and the wave-type Eigenmannia virescens. Furthermore, because EOD production incurs significant metabolic costs, we assessed whether such compensation is associated with an increase in metabolic rate. Following the conductivity increase, B. gauderio increased EOD amplitude by 20.2±4.3% over 6 days but with no associated increase in metabolic rate, whereas the EOD amplitude of E. virescens remained constant, accompanied by an unexpected decrease in metabolic rate. Our results suggest that B. gauderio uses a compensation mechanism that requires no metabolic investment, such as impedance matching, or a physiological trade-off wherein energy is diverted from other physiological processes to increase EO output. These divergent responses between species could be the result of differences in reproductive life history or evolutionary adaptations to different aquatic habitats. Continued investigation of electrosensory responses to changing water conditions will be essential for understanding the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on gymnotiforms, and potential physiological mechanisms for adapting to a rapidly changing aquatic environment.
Jan Pajor, Great Britain’s Stance Towards Political Changes in China in the Years 1908–1909
Authors: Pajor Jan
Published: May 2024

Between 1908 and 1909, significant political changes took place in China. Following the death of the nominal sovereign, Guangxu, and the Empress Dowager Cixi, who exercised real power, the minor Puyi was selected as the new emperor. The regency was assumed by the weak and inept Prince Chun, who dismissed the most influential imperial dignitary, Yuan Shikai, in early 1909. When the second major dignitary, Zhang Zidong, died shortly later, the Beijing authorities found themselves in crisis. The article shows how Great Britain, which had the strongest position among the powers in China, reacted to these developments.
The ‘Useful Man’ in the Political System of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the Vasas – New Perspectives and Methodological Problems in Research into the Careers of Małopolska Noblemen
Authors: Kwiatek Agata
Published: May 2024

In the article I point to the need for conducting research into the political careers of activists from the lesser nobility, whose families were not part of the power elite. In contemporary historiography, lesser nobility activists have only attracted the attention of historians to a limited extent. Yet the development of research and the availability of sources have made it possible to carry out a broader analysis, encompassing activists from the lesser nobility who stood out by virtue of the level of their involvement in the country’s political life.
Reinhart Koselleck’s Personal Sluices of Memory and Sediments of Experience
Authors: Nowak Andrzej
Published: May 2024

The article analyses selected aspects of the biography of Reinhart Koselleck (1923–2006), a German historian and theoretician of history. In particular, it brings to the fore significant traces of the Second World War experiences of the author of Kritik und Krise. Further, it looks at their influence on Koselleck’s critical approach to the concept of collective memory and on the anti-utopian thrust of his historical theory.
Jarosław Marek Rymkiewicz a przemijanie – interpretacja wiersza Ćma
Authors: Kosmalski Michał Jaromir
Published: May 2024

Artykuł zawiera interpretację utworu pt. Ćma współczesnego polskiego poety – Jarosława Marka Rymkiewicza. W wierszu realizowane są dwa motywy, które ludzkość zna od początku refleksji nad światem – śmierć i przemijanie. Ponadto praca wykazuje wielość możliwych inspiracji autora liryku – od antyku (mity grecko-rzymskie), przez średniowiecze (danse macabre), po barok (fragment opery Rinaldo Georga Friedricha Händla w motcie analizowanego tekstu, twórczość Daniela Naborowskiego). Rymkiewicz odwołuje się takżedo symboliki poszczególnych elementów wykreowanego świata (realistycznie opisane zachowanie oraz wygląd ćmy czy skąpane w deszczu oleandry. Co więcej, wieloaspektowość i tematyka wiersza (śmierć czeka każdego człowieka) pozostają w sprzeczności z wizerunkiem poety jako twórcy tekstów wyłącznie o wyraźnie stronniczym, politycznym charakterze.
Język, paradoks i abstrakcja
Authors: Żyznowska Anna
Published: May 2024

Na przykładzie poezji i środków literackich, którymi operują pisarze, można zauważyć zdolność języka do wyrażenia pojęć abstrakcyjnych i wykraczających poza rzeczywistość oraz przekazywania ich innym.
Derechos asociados a las células madre de cordón umbilical: cuestiones ético-legales
Authors: Bernal Camargo Diana Rocío
Published: May 2024

Este capítulo se enfoca en presentar los derechos que deben reconocer y garantizar los actores implicados en el proceso de recolección, almacenamiento, conservación, uso, destrucción e incluso circulación de las muestras de sangre de cordón umbilical que contiene estas células madre hematopoyéticas a la luz de principios bioéticos que orienten su aplicación, bien sea con fines de investigación o aplicaciones comerciales de los resultados de la investigación.
Aspectos inconstitucionales de la política criminal colombiana
Authors: Téllez Dávila Luisa Fernanda
Published: May 2024

Este capítulo pretende exponer según ese grupo de normas penales con las cuales el Estado colombiano ha atacado en los últimos años el problema de la criminalidad y que conforman la política criminal del país si esta política pública respeta los límites impuestos al ejercicio de poder sancionatorio del Estado (ius puniendi) al definirse constitucionalmente como un Estado social y democrático de derecho.
Aportes de la Constitución Política de 1991 a la formación jurídica en Colombia y apuntes sobre los avances de la gestión de la investigación como función sustantiva
Authors: Carreño Bustamante María Teresa , Montoya Escobar Mónica Cecilia , González Carreño Camilo
Published: May 2024

Este capítulo se presenta en cuatro fases: la primera la constituye el pasado de la formación en derecho en Colombia referido al segmento cobijado por la Constitución de 1886 y caracterizado por un saber técnico instrumental, discurso instruccional y mnemotécnico; la segunda, es el presente de la formación jurídica, que iniciaría a partir de la Constitución Política de 1991 y que trajo con su amplia regulación de principios y normas transformaciones epistémicas en clave de constitucionalización; la tercera, prospectivamente, la compone el futuro de la formación jurídica, que debería construirse a partir de estos treinta años de la carta política; y una cuarta fase, que da cuenta del estado de la cuestión en materia de investigación en Colombia, para evidenciar los efectos de la carta magna en la gestión de las instituciones de educación superior (IES), en el escenario de la innovación y la administración del conocimiento científico
Crisis de la democracia, actividad legislativa y autogeneración y agravación del riesgo en las sociedades de la cuarta revolución industrial
Authors: Díaz Perilla Viviana
Published: May 2024

El propósito de este capítulo fue establecer la relación existente entre el debilitamiento del Estado moderno, la crisis de la democracia en las sociedades contemporáneas y la forma en que los legisladores abordan los riesgos derivados de la cuarta revolución industrial a partir del planteamiento según el cual los parlamentos, en lugar de contribuir a la mitigación de los riesgos, los han politizado y agravado con sus decisiones basadas en consideraciones meramente utilitarias producto del capitalismo exacerbado imperante.
Las tecnologías de la información y de la comunicación en el Sistema General de Participaciones para el agua potable y saneamiento básico
Authors: Monroy Lina María
Published: May 2024

Este capítulo busca analizar el SGP, en lo que respecta a las participaciones, transferencias y asignaciones de recursos de departamentos, municipios y distritos para el agua potable y saneamiento básico, y su posible mejoramiento y eficacia en razón de la implementación de nuevas herramientas tecnológicas y la adopción efectiva y real de las TIC. Así pues, se analiza cómo la Ley 1977 de 2019 puede contribuir a dicho mejoramiento y, consecuentemente, apoyar a que el Gobierno central y las entidades territoriales logren garantizar el derecho fundamental de acceso real y efectivo al agua potable y saneamiento básico. Para ello, el capítulo se divide en cuatro secciones. En una primera sección, se analiza y describe el SGP en la perspectiva de su contexto histórico antes de la vigencia de la Ley 1977 de 2019 y en particular respecto de la gobernabilidad hídrica; en una segunda y tercera sección, se estudian lo que son las TIC y su incidencia en el SGP; y, finalmente, se presentarán las conclusiones sobre los análisis realizados.
Decoding the role of DNS in cyber security
Authors: Morales Carlos
Published: May 2024

The Domain Name System (DNS) is an often overlooked element in organisations’ cyber defence strategies. Yet it is critical to the proper functioning of the systems on which organisations rely. It creates a single point of failure, and threat actors know this. They may attack DNS directly, use it as a tool or employ it as an attack vector. The results can be disastrous, so it's important to understand the role that DNS plays in your infrastructure, and to know how to protect it.
Putting cyber-safety first for Industry 4.0
Authors: Gerhardt Nils
Published: May 2024

The adoption of the Industry 4.0 paradigm means embracing all the benefits that the most advanced technologies can bring. Yet manufacturing remains the most-attacked sector in cyber, and those same technologies could massively increase organisations’ threat surfaces, putting many of them at severe risk. It's essential that cyber security becomes an intrinsic part of any company's Industry 4.0 strategy.
Reading Material: Textual Objects as Ritual Artifacts in Tannaitic Literature
Authors: Picus Daniel
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This article examines tannaitic depictions of textual objects as effective ritual artifacts. Through case studies of tefillin, marriage and divorce documents, and descriptions of material texts used in the sotah ritual, this article shows that the Tannaim highlighted the effectiveness of these textual objects through reference to the material spaces they inhabited and indexed the effectiveness of these objects through their conceptual proximity to the Torah scroll. Viewing textual objects in this manner reveals both a broader tannaitic set of ideas about texts and shows how rabbinic ideas were reflected in their understanding of a wide variety of nonrabbinic textual artifacts. This comports with developments we see across Mediterranean religion in late antiquity, where discourse about texts, and texts themselves, seem to gain wider prominence and use.
The Non-Jew in Kabbalistic Literature by the Circle of Sefer Ha-Temunah and Its Influence in Eastern Europe
Authors: Goldschmidt Roee
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Over the centuries, the religious images and discourse that
shaped the image of the Other affected the intricate web of relations
between Jews and non-­ Jews, generating a range of attitudes toward
non-­ Jews in various periods and locations. Interestingly, several
eastern European kabbalistic homilies reveal a moderate approach
toward non-­ Jews, arguing for an essential spiritual partnership. Their
authors adopted esoteric traditions that diverge from the radically
polemical, negative attitude of the Zohar and the kabbalists of
sixteenth-­ century Safed, according to which the non-­ Jew is the ultimate
Other: evil, impure, and even demonic. Despite the important role of
the Safed traditions in molding kabbalistic thought, these kabbalists
propounded ideas found in works by the circle of Sefer Ha-­ temunah.
These texts served as the basis on which some eastern European
kabbalists justified a new attitude toward the surrounding non-­ Jews,
making them spiritual partners in the messianic process.
Ege in Muskegon: Broken Books in the Peripheral Manuscripts Project
Authors: Hebbard Elizabeth K.
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This essay problematizes the role and connections of the early twentieth-century biblioclast Otto F. Ege and the fragments he created through dispersal of books into Midwestern collections. After an overview of the activities of Ege as a dismantler of books, the author presents the role of his legacy in the context of the research project, The Peripheral Manuscripts Project: Digitizing Medieval Manuscript Collections in the Midwest . Ege worked out of Cleveland and has connections to many of the project’s partner collections being digitized and catalogued, including eleven previously unidentified fragments that are held in an art museum in Michigan. Many more such connections have come to light within the project. The case study offers additional context to the discussion of the role that Midwestern institutions have played and continue to play in the conservation of this important cultural heritage.
The Benedetti Fragment of the Archivio Comunale of Gemona del Friuli: Franco-Italian Cross-Pollination in Late Medieval Europe
Authors: Guariglia Federico
Published: May 2024

Abstract: The aim of the article is to study a fragment of the Histoire Ancienne jusqu’ à César preserved in the municipal archives of Ge-mona del Friuli (Udine, Italy). In addition to the description of the fragment and its contents, this contribution reflects on the spread of Middle French in Italy by contextualizing the fragment of the Histoire within the complex phenomenon of relations between northeastern Italy and France. In particular, the presence of the fragment highlights the richness of Friuli in the context of medieval literature, despite the region’s peripheral place in European cultural circulation.
Producing Truth: Public Memory Projects in Post-Violence Societies
Authors: Byrne Alexandra , Zerie Bilen , Zvobgo Kelebogile
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT: How do societies remember historical political violence? We draw on an original dataset of more than 150 memorialization projects proposed by truth commissions in 28 post-violence countries, from 1970 to 2018. These projects include the removal of monuments, installation of museums, inauguration of national days of remembrance, and more. Truth commission recommendations data allows us to not only consider memory sites once established, but also to examine blueprints for the types of memory that could have been made. We develop a typology and inductively generate a theory of the political contests and conflicts that different memory projects are likely to trigger—contests and conflicts that we expect influence the likelihood of project initiation and completion. We conduct an initial probe of the theory using our new data. In so doing, we offer the first systematic, global study of setting and implementing the memorialization agenda in post-violence societies.
Playing Filipino: Racial Display, Resistance, and the Filipino Rough Riders in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West
Authors: David Emmanuel , Roth Yumi Janairo
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This article examines the intersection of empire, national identity, performance, and cultural representation through an analysis of the Filipino Rough Riders in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West . Drawing on historical material—including newspaper articles and illustrations, photographs, and Wild West ephemera—this article explores how and why Filipino performers were included in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and how they were represented by the exposition, the press, and the performers themselves. It develops the concept of “playing Filipino,” a phrase that adapts and alters the notion of “playing Indian,” to capture the interactive process of performing not only racialized types for white-dominated audiences and institutions, but also the resistant and creative activity of embodying Filipino-ness through self-crafted style and aesthetic appearance. This study advances transnational Asian American studies by presenting new ways of thinking about turn of the twentieth-century Filipino performers and their relation to US imperialism through cultural institutions and popular entertainment like traveling Wild West shows, and it also expands American West scholarship by considering how Asian subjects figured into constructions of US domestic and overseas frontiers during times of war.
Young Man Luther , Young Man Roth: Patrimony, Psychoanalysis, and Life Writing
Authors: Pozorski Aimee
Published: May 2024

Abstract: " Young Man Luther , Young Man Roth" proposes that the best way to access the life of an author is to analyze what they have read. Juxtaposing passages that Philip Roth underlined in his personal copy of Erik Erikson's 1958 psychobiography of Martin Luther, this article argues that Roth's writing about fathers and sons draws more on his library than on his personal experiences. When read in the context of Roth's 1984 Paris Review interview with Hermione Lee that features in the background under-acknowledged titles from his personal library, such important works as Zuckerman Unbound (1981), Patrimony (1991), and Indignation (2008) reveal Roth not at his most personal or biographical but rather as seeking insight into the ways relationships between fathers and sons shape history. Abstract: " Young Man Luther , Young Man Roth" proposes that the best way to access the life of an author is to analyze what they have read. Juxtaposing passages that Philip Roth underlined in his personal copy of Erik Erikson's 1958 psychobiography of Martin Luther, this article argues that Roth's writing about fathers and sons draws more on his library than on his personal experiences. When read in the context of Roth's 1984 Paris Review interview with Hermione Lee that features in the background under-acknowledged titles from his personal library, such important works as Zuckerman Unbound (1985), Patrimony (1991), and Indignation (2008) reveal Roth not at his most personal or biographical but rather as seeking insight into the ways relationships between fathers and sons shape history.
Jaynes-Cummings atoms coupled to a structured environment: leakage elimination operators and the Petz recovery maps
Authors: Luo Da-Wei , Yu Ting
Published: May 2024

We consider the Jaynes-Cummings (JC) model embedded in a structured environment, where the atom inside an optical cavity will be affected by a hierarchical environment consisting of the cavity and its environment. We propose several effective strategies to control and suppress the decoherence effects to protect the quantum coherence of the JC atom. We study the non-perturbative control of the system dynamics by means of the leakage elimination operators. We also investigate a full quantum state reversal scheme by engineering the system and its coupling to the bath via the Petz recovery map. Our findings conclude that, with the Petz recovery map, the dynamics of the JC atom can be fully recovered regardless of Markov or non-Markovian noises. Finally, we show that our quantum control and recovery methods are effective at protecting different aspects of the system coherence.
Optical fiber sensing probe for detecting a carcinoembryonic antigen using a composite sensitive film of PAN nanofiber membrane and gold nanomembrane
Authors: Li Jinze , Liu Xin , Sun Hao , Xi Jiawei , Chang Chen , Deng Li , Yang Yanxin , Li Xiang
Published: May 2024

An optical fiber sensing probe using a composite sensitive film of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber membrane and gold nanomembrane is presented for the detection of a carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a biomarker associated with colorectal cancer and other diseases. The probe is based on a tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) gold nanomembrane and a functionalized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) PAN nanofiber coating that selectively binds to CEA molecules. The performance of the probe is evaluated by measuring the spectral shift of the TFBG resonances as a function of CEA concentration in buffer. The probe exhibits a sensitivity of 0.46 dB/(µg/ml), a low limit of detection of 505.4 ng/mL in buffer, and a good selectivity and reproducibility. The proposed probe offers a simple, cost-effective, and a novel method for CEA detection that can be potentially applied for clinical diagnosis and monitoring of CEA-related diseases.
Infrared phase-change chiral metasurfaces with tunable circular dichroism
Authors: Tang Haotian , Stan Liliana , Czaplewski David A. , Yang Xiaodong , Gao Jie
Published: May 2024

Integrating phase-change materials in metasurfaces has emerged as a powerful strategy to realize optical devices with tunable electromagnetic responses. Here, phase-change chiral metasurfaces based on GST-225 material with the designed trapezoid-shaped resonators are demonstrated to achieve tunable circular dichroism (CD) responses in the infrared regime. The asymmetric trapezoid-shaped resonators are designed to support two chiral plasmonic resonances with opposite CD responses for realizing switchable CD between negative and positive values using the GST phase change from amorphous to crystalline. The electromagnetic field distributions of the chiral plasmonic resonant modes are analyzed to understand the chiroptical responses of the metasurface. Furthermore, the variations in the absorption spectrum and CD value for the metasurface as a function of the baking time during the GST phase transition are analyzed to reveal the underlying thermal tuning process of the metasurface. The demonstrated phase-change metasurfaces with tunable CD responses hold significant promise in enabling many applications in the infrared regime such as chiral sensing, encrypted communication, and thermal imaging.
The NCBI Comparative Genome Viewer (CGV) is an interactive visualization tool for the analysis of whole-genome eukaryotic alignments
Authors: Rangwala Sanjida H. , Rudnev Dmitry V. , Ananiev Victor V. , Oh Dong-Ha , Asztalos Andrea , Benica Barrett , Borodin Evgeny A. , Bouk Nathan , Evgeniev Vladislav I. , Kodali Vamsi K. , Lotov Vadim , Mozes Eyal , Omelchenko Marina V. , Savkina Sofya , Sukharnikov Ekaterina , Virothaisakun Joël , Murphy Terence D. , Pruitt Kim D. , Schneider Valerie A.
Published: May 2024

We report a new visualization tool for analysis of whole-genome assembly-assembly alignments, the Comparative Genome Viewer (CGV) (https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/cgv/). CGV visualizes pairwise same-species and cross-species alignments provided by National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) using assembly alignment algorithms developed by us and others. Researchers can examine large structural differences spanning chromosomes, such as inversions or translocations. Users can also navigate to regions of interest, where they can detect and analyze smaller-scale deletions and rearrangements within specific chromosome or gene regions. RefSeq or user-provided gene annotation is displayed where available. CGV currently provides approximately 800 alignments from over 350 animal, plant, and fungal species. CGV and related NCBI viewers are undergoing active development to further meet needs of the research community in comparative genome visualization.
Effects of reduced snowpack due to climate warming on abiotic and biotic soil properties in alpine and boreal forest systems
Authors: Kosolapova Anastasiia , Altshuler Ianina
Published: May 2024

Reduction in snow cover, depth, onset, and duration of seasonal snow in mid-latitude regions due to climate warming has multiple global and local scale ecosystem impacts. These effects include modulations of the hydrological cycles and increases in land surface solar radiation absorption due to decreased albedo. Changes in snow cover characteristics also affect underlying soils. Snow has an insulating effect on soils by decoupling air and soil temperatures, thus seasonal snow cover reduction leads to overall lower soil temperatures and an increase in freeze-thaw cycles. This is especially prominent during the fall and spring thaw seasons when the snow cover is not as extensive. This in turn has downstream impacts on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Among these impacts are soil moisture reduction, temperature, frost regimes, soil pH shifts, and alteration in nutrient flux dynamics during winter, snowmelt period and the following summer growing season. These changes in soil physicochemical properties due to snowpack reduction can then impact the biological soil properties via increased plant root mortality, reduced abundance and diversity of soil arthropods, and shifts in composition, abundance and activity of soil microbial communities. All these soil biotic factors can in turn alter the dynamics of soil nutrient fluxes and future greenhouse gas emissions. Here, we integrate data on the effects of snow cover reduction on abiotic and biotic soil properties, with focus on temperate alpine and forest ecosystems and with an outlook on future impacts.
Deciphering novel TCF4-driven mechanisms underlying a common triplet repeat expansion-mediated disease
Authors: Bhattacharyya Nihar , Chai Niuzheng , Hafford-Tear Nathaniel J. , Sadan Amanda N. , Szabo Anita , Zarouchlioti Christina , Jedlickova Jana , Leung Szi Kay , Liao Tianyi , Dudakova Lubica , Skalicka Pavlina , Parekh Mohit , Moghul Ismail , Jeffries Aaron R. , Cheetham Michael E. , Muthusamy Kirithika , Hardcastle Alison J. , Pontikos Nikolas , Liskova Petra , Tuft Stephen J. , Davidson Alice E.
Published: May 2024

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is an age-related cause of vision loss, and the most common repeat expansion-mediated disease in humans characterised to date. Up to 80% of European FECD cases have been attributed to expansion of a non-coding CTG repeat element (termed CTG18.1) located within the ubiquitously expressed transcription factor encoding gene, TCF4. The non-coding nature of the repeat and the transcriptomic complexity of TCF4 have made it extremely challenging to experimentally decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease. Here we comprehensively describe CTG18.1 expansion-driven molecular components of disease within primary patient-derived corneal endothelial cells (CECs), generated from a large cohort of individuals with CTG18.1-expanded (Exp+) and CTG 18.1-independent (Exp-) FECD. We employ long-read, short-read, and spatial transcriptomic techniques to interrogate expansion-specific transcriptomic biomarkers. Interrogation of long-read sequencing and alternative splicing analysis of short-read transcriptomic data together reveals the global extent of altered splicing occurring within Exp+ FECD, and unique transcripts associated with CTG18.1-expansions. Similarly, differential gene expression analysis highlights the total transcriptomic consequences of Exp+ FECD within CECs. Furthermore, differential exon usage, pathway enrichment and spatial transcriptomics reveal TCF4 isoform ratio skewing solely in Exp+ FECD with potential downstream functional consequences. Lastly, exome data from 134 Exp- FECD cases identified rare (minor allele frequency <0.005) and potentially deleterious (CADD>15) TCF4 variants in 7/134 FECD Exp- cases, suggesting that TCF4 variants independent of CTG18.1 may increase FECD risk. In summary, our study supports the hypothesis that at least two distinct pathogenic mechanisms, RNA toxicity and TCF4 isoform-specific dysregulation, both underpin the pathophysiology of FECD. We anticipate these data will inform and guide the development of translational interventions for this common triplet-repeat mediated disease.
Effects of a choral program combining wind instrument performance and breathing training on respiratory function, stress, and quality of life in adolescents: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kim Byeong Soo , Kim Ho , Kim Ji Youn
Published: May 2024

Background

Choral activities are correlated with various health and wellbeing parameters. However, an intervention combining a music program using wind instruments and choral activities has not yet been investigated. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effects of a 12-week intervention combining a wind instrument performance program and a choral program on stress factors, quality of life, and respiratory function in adolescents located in a metropolitan city with exposure to air pollution.

Method

This randomized controlled trial consisted of 50 adolescents, and the subjects were randomly assigned to a combination wind instrument and choral training group, a choral training group, and a control group. Following a 12-week intervention program, respiratory function, stress factors, and quality of life were compared between the three groups.

Results

Regarding respiratory function, with the exception of maximal inspiratory pressure, all measured variables exhibited an interaction to indicate a variation in the pattern of change(p<0.05). Furthermore, regarding stress factors and quality of life, all measured variables exhibited an interaction to indicate a variation in the pattern of change(p<0.05). As a result of the post-hoc analysis, significant differences were found in all variables in experimental group 1 compared to other groups (p<0.05).

Conclusion

The results showed that the 12-week intervention combining a wind instrument performance program and a choral program had positive effects in improving the respiratory function, stress factors, and quality of life in adolescents. This study findings are expected to support future studies aimed at promoting overall health including respiratory function and psychological factors through various music-based programs.
Environmental stewardship: A systematic scoping review
Authors: McLeod Lynette J. , Kitson Jane C. , Dorner Zack , Tassell-Matamua Natasha A. , Stahlmann-Brown Philip , Milfont Taciano L. , Hine Donald W.
Published: May 2024

Environmental stewardship is a term describing both the philosophy and the actions required to protect, restore, and sustainably use natural resources for the future benefit of the environment and society. In this paper, we review the environmental science literature to map the types of practical actions that are identified as ‘environmental stewardship’ using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for scoping reviews. We specifically mapped: 1) the type of actions and outcomes targeting the natural environment that have been categorized as environmental stewardship, 2) the main actors, and the underlying factors influencing their environmental stewardship actions, and 3) the methods used to mobilize environmental stewardship actions once these factors are known. From the 77 selected articles, we found the term environmental stewardship encompassed a multitude of different actions, undertaken by a range of actors and addressing an array of issues that impact biodiversity on the land and in the water. These stewardship actions were conducted on both privately-owned and publicly managed lands and waterways, and across rural and urban landscapes. Despite many studies identifying characteristics and underlying behavioral factors that predicted actors’ participation in stewardship actions, there were few studies formally evaluating interventions to increase stewardship. Our review highlighted the term environmental stewardship is not embraced by all and is viewed by some as being inconsistent with aspects of indigenous worldviews. A better understanding of the concept of environmental stewardship and continued practical research into its practice is fundamental to empowering people to demand and enact environmental stewardship as well as for evaluating the success of their actions.
Validity of claims-based definition of number of remaining teeth in Japan: Results from the Longevity Improvement and Fair Evidence Study
Authors: Tamada Yudai , Kusama Taro , Ono Sachiko , Maeda Megumi , Murata Fumiko , Osaka Ken , Fukuda Haruhisa , Takeuchi Kenji
Published: May 2024

Background

Secondary healthcare data use has been increasing in the dental research field. The validity of the number of remaining teeth assessed from Japanese dental claims data has been reported in several studies, but has not been tested in the general population in Japan.

Objectives

To evaluate the validity of the number of remaining teeth assessed from Japanese dental claims data and assess its predictability against subsequent health deterioration.

Methods

We used the claims data of residents of a municipality that implemented oral health screening programs. Using the number of teeth in the screening records as the reference standard, we assessed the validity of the claims-based number of teeth by calculating the mean differences. In addition, we assessed the association between the claims-based number of teeth and pneumococcal disease (PD) or Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in adults aged ≥65 years using Cox proportional hazards analyses.

Results

Of the 10,154 participants, the mean number of teeth assessed from the claims data was 20.9, that in the screening records was 20.5, and their mean difference was 0.5. During the 3-year follow-up, PD or AD onset was observed in 10.4% (3,212/30,838) and 5.3% (1,589/30,207) of participants, respectively. Compared with participants with ≥20 teeth, those with 1–9 teeth had a 1.29 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17–1.43) or 1.19 (95% CI: 1.04–1.36) times higher risk of developing PD or AD, respectively.

Conclusion

High validity of the claims-based number of teeth was observed. In addition, the claims-based number of teeth was associated with the risk of PD and AD.